Patent Publication Number: US-8528351-B2

Title: Ice maker and refrigerator having the same

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
     The present invention relates to an ice maker and a refrigerator having the same. More specifically, the present invention relates to an ice maker capable of preventing ice from being stuck while ejecting ice, with an increased amount of ice. 
     BACKGROUND ART 
     An ice maker is a kind of a device mounted in a freezing apparatus to make ice by using cold air. Typically, water is held in a predetermined container of refrigerators, water purifiers, vending machines, ice making devices and variations of them (hereinafter, refrigerators), and then the water is frozen at temperatures below freezing to make ice. 
     Ice is made in a simple method according to a conventional ice maker. That is, a tray holding water is put in a freezing compartment of which the temperature is below freezing to make ice. However, with improvement of standard of living and development of technology, a new system has been developed in that ice making and ejecting is performed automatically without help of human&#39;s hands. 
     Recently has been released an ice maker which is capable of supplying water to a tray automatically to make the water ice and which includes a heating device installed adjacent to the tray to heat the tray such that the ice may be ejected. 
     The amount of the ice which is producible per the unit time is determined the number of cells provided in the tray. The cell is a predetermined space partitioned in the tray to accommodate water. 
     DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION 
     Technical Problem 
     However, if the conventional ice maker is provided in the refrigerator, the size of the ice maker is limited and the number of the cells is also limited. 
     Accordingly have been increasing demands of a structure capable of increasing the number of the cells provided in the ice maker. Together with the increased number of the cells, guiding means capable of guiding ejected ice to prevent the ice stuck because of the space limit. 
     Technical Solution 
     To solve the problems, an ice maker includes a tray accommodating water to make ice; a first control box installed at a side of the tray, the first control box accommodating a predetermined part of a mechanism unit driving the ice maker; and a second control box accommodating the other part of the mechanism unit which is electrically connected with the part of the mechanism unit accommodated in the first control part. 
     The second control box may be installed outside an ice-making chamber accommodating the ice maker. 
     The second control box may be provided on or under the tray. 
     The second control box may be detachably coupled to an upper portion of the first control box. 
     The mechanism unit may include a driving assembly relating to operations of an ejector ejecting ice out of the tray and an ice amount sensing lever sensing the ice amount; a first circuit board on which electric parts controlling an operation of the driving assembly are mounted; and a second circuit board on which electric parts controlling an overall operation of the ice maker except the operation of the driving assembly are mounted. 
     The driving assembly and the first circuit board may be accommodated in the first control box. 
     The second circuit board may be accommodated in the second control box. 
     A wire communication hole may be formed at the first control box and the second control box for a wire electrically connecting the mechanism unit of the first control box with the mechanism unit of the second control box to pass through. 
     The ice maker may further include an ejecting guide preventing the ice from being stuck in the second control box, when the ice is ejected from the tray. 
     The try may include a vertical extension preventing the water from overflowing the tray. 
     The ejecting guide may be coupled to an upper portion of the vertical extension. 
     The ice maker may further include a water supply part installed adjacent to the ejecting guide to supply water to the tray. 
     The water supplied from the water supply part may be drawn into the tray via a path formed at the ejecting guide. 
     An inner surface of the ejecting guide may have a gentle curvature. 
     In another aspect, a refrigerator includes a body comprising a refrigerating compartment and a freezing compartment; an least one ice-making chamber provided in at least one of the refrigerating compartment, the freezing compartment and doors opening and closing the refrigerating and freezing compartments; and an ice maker provided in the ice-making chamber. Here, the ice maker includes a tray accommodating water to make ice; a first control box installed at a side of the tray, the first control box accommodating a predetermined part of a mechanism unit driving the ice maker; and a second control box accommodating the other part of the mechanism unit which is electrically connected with the part of the mechanism unit accommodated in the first control part. 
     The refrigerating compartment may be provided in a lower portion of the body and the ice-making chamber may be provided in an inner side surface of the door selectively opening and closing the refrigerating compartment. 
     The second control box may be coupled to an upper portion of the first control box. 
     The refrigerator may further include an ejecting guide provided beyond the tray to guide the ice ejected out of the tray, an inner surface of the ejecting guide having a gentle curvature. 
     Advantageous Effects 
     The present invention has following advantageous effects. 
     According to an ice maker according to an exemplary embodiment, a mechanism unit relating an operation of the ice maker is accommodated in two control boxes dividedly. This is more advantageous in the matter of space utilization, compared with a conventional ice maker including a whole mechanism unit accommodated in a single control box. 
     Furthermore, the length of a tray provided in the ice maker and the number of cells provided in the tray may be increased. As a result, the amount of the ice made per the unit time also may be increased. 
     Still further, an ejecting guide is provided in the ice maker according to the exemplary embodiment. As a result, even when a control box is provided above the tray, ice may be prevented from being stuck during the ejecting of the ice. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The accompanying drawings, which are included to provide further understanding of the disclosure and are incorporated in and constitute a part of this application, illustrate embodiments of the disclosure and together with the description serve to explain the principle of the disclosure. 
       In the drawings: 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view illustrating an ice maker according to an exemplary embodiment, which is mounted at a door of a refrigerator; 
         FIG. 2  is an exploded perspective view of the ice maker according to the embodiment; 
         FIG. 3  is a perspective view of the ice maker; 
         FIG. 4  is a perspective view of the ice maker, in case that a second control box of the ice maker is separated from a first control box; and 
         FIG. 5  is a side view of the ice maker, in case that ice is ejected from a tray provided in the ice maker. 
     
    
    
     BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION 
     Reference will now be made in detail to the specific embodiments of the present invention, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. Wherever possible, the same reference numbers will be used throughout the drawings to refer to the same or like parts. 
       FIG. 1  is a perspective view illustrating an ice maker according to an exemplary embodiment which is mounted at a door of a refrigerant. 
     In reference to  FIG. 1 , an ice maker  100  according to the exemplary embodiment may be installable to a water purifier, vending machine and e.g. and this embodiment presents that the ice maker  100  is installed in a refrigerator  10 . 
     The refrigerator  10  includes a freezing compartment  20  and a refrigerating compartment  30  which store food items, respectively. Doors  22  and  32  are coupled to fronts of the freezing and refrigerating compartments to open and close the freezing and refrigerating compartments, respectively. This embodiment presents a bottom freezing type refrigerator having the freezing compartment  20  positioned under the refrigerating compartment  30  and this embodiment may be applicable to other various types of refrigerators. 
     Two doors  32  of the refrigerating compartment  30  are hinge-coupled to opposite sides of a refrigerator body to be closable in a right-and-left direction and a single door  22  of the freezing compartment  20  is coupled to the body to be able to slide in a forward-and-backward direction with respect to the refrigerator body. 
     Here, the door  22  of the freezing compartment  20  and the doors  32  of the refrigerating compartment  30  may be positioned variably according to the positions of the refrigerating and freezing compartments. For example, this embodiment may be applicable to a top-mount type, a side-by-side type and variations of them. 
     An ice-making chamber  40  may be provided in one of the two refrigerating compartment doors  32 . A predetermined airtight space surrounded by a frame may be formed at a rear surface of the refrigerating compartment door  32  and the ice-making chamber  40  may be formed in the space. It is preferable that the ice-making chamber  40  is heat-insulated not to heat-exchange with the refrigerating compartment  30 , because the ice-making chamber  40  is adjacent to the refrigerating compartment  30 . 
     Of course, it is possible to form the ice-making chamber  40  within the freezing compartment  20  or the refrigerating compartment  30 . Considering user access convenience and utilization efficiency of inner space of the refrigerator, it is preferable that the ice-making chamber  40  is provided at the door  32  of the refrigerating compartment  30 . 
     An ice maker  100  is provided in the ice-making chamber  40 . An ice bank  42  and a dispenser  44  are provided under the ice maker  100 . Ice is stored in the ice bank  42  temporarily and the ice is discharged via the dispenser  44  according to the user request. 
       FIG. 2  is an exploded perspective view of the ice maker according to the embodiment.  FIG. 3  is a perspective view of the ice maker.  FIG. 4  is a perspective view illustrating the ice maker, if a second control box of the ice maker is separated from a first control box. 
     In reference to  FIGS. 2 to 4 , the ice maker  100  according to the exemplary embodiment includes a tray  110 , a first control box  200  and a second control box  300 . The tray  110  accommodates water to make ice. The first control box  200  installed at a side of the tray  110  may accommodate some parts of a mechanism unit driving the ice maker  100  and the second control box  300  may accommodate the other parts of the mechanism unit electrically connected with the part of the mechanism unit accommodated by the first control box  200 . 
     A predetermined space is formed in the tray  110  and water is held in the space to make ice. Specifically, the tray includes at least one cell  111  accommodating the water to make ice and an opening is formed at a top of the cell  111 . Thus, the water is supplied via the opening and the ice is separated from the tray via the opening. The tray  1110  may be an aggregate of the plural cells  111 . 
     The cell may be formed in various shapes and this embodiment presents a hemisphere shaped cell, considering simplicity of ice ejecting. 
     A support  112  may be provided at a rear of the tray  110  to secure the ice maker  100  to the ice-making chamber  40 . A fastening hole  114  may be formed at an upper portion of the support  112  and the support  112  may be fastened to the ice-making chamber  40  through the fastening hole  114  by a bolt, for example. 
     An ejector  120  is provided in the ice maker  100  to eject the ice, once ice is made. The ejector  120  is provided along a longitudinal direction of the tray  110  and here the longitudinal direction means a direction in which the cells  111  stands in line. As the ejector  120  rotates, the ice is pushed upward to be ejected out of the tray  110 . 
     A heater  150  may be provided under the tray  110  to melt the ice partially and then to separate the ice from the tray  110 . The heater  150  may be mounted at a predetermined portion provided under the tray  110  and it is separated from the outside by a heat cover  152 . 
     A discharge guide  160  may be provided at a front of the tray  110  to guide the ice ejected out of the tray  110  toward the ice bank ( 42 , see  FIG. 1 ). The discharge guide  160  has an oblique inclined downward to the tray  110  and it guides the ice to be dropped to the ice bank  42 . 
     The discharge guide  160  is secured to a discharge guide support  162  and the discharge guide support  162  is secured to the front of the tray  110 , such that the discharge guide  160  may be secured to the tray  110 . 
     An ice amount sensing lever  170  may be provided at a lower front of the tray  110  to sense if the amount of ice within the tray  110  is full enough. The position of the ice amount sensing lever  170  may be changeable according to the amount of the ice accommodated in the tray  110  and a hall sensor (not shown) provided in the control box, which will be described later, senses position changes of the ice amount sensing lever  170  to sense the amount of the ice inside the ice bank  42 . 
     As mentioned above, the first control box  200  may be coupled to the side of the tray  110  and it accommodates some parts of the mechanism unit driving the ice maker. Specifically, the first control box  200  is configured of a first case  200   a  and a second case  200   b  coupled to the first case  200   a  to form a predetermined space. The first control box  200  may be provided in a longitudinal direction of the tray  110  and a switch  202  is provided at the first control box  200  to switch on and off the ice maker  100 . 
     Here, the mechanism unit may include a driving assembly  230 , a first circuit board  210  and a second circuit board  310 . The driving assembly  230  relates to the operations of the ejector  120  ejecting the ice and the ice amount sensing lever  170  sensing the ice amount. On the first circuit board  210  are mounted electric parts controlling the operation of the driving assembly  230  and on the second circuit board  310  are mounted electric parts controlling an overall operation of the ice maker  100  except the operation of the driving assembly  230 . 
     It is preferable that the driving assembly  230  is provided in the first control box  200  provided along the longitudinal direction of the tray  110 , because a rotation shaft relating the motion of the ejector  120  and the ice amount sensing lever  170  is also provided in the longitudinal direction. Here, a middle panel  220  may be provided in the first control box  200  and the driving assembly  230  is secured to the inner portion of the first control box  200  by the middle panel  220 . 
     Next, the structure of the driving assembly  230  will be described. 
     First of all, a motor  232  is provided in the driving assembly  230  to transmit a driving force to the ejector  120  and the ice amount sensing lever  170 . Furthermore, an ejector driving shaft  234  is rotated by the motor  232  to rotate the ejector  120 . As the ejector driving shaft  234  is rotating, the ejector  120  is rotating together such that the ice is ejected out of the tray  110 . 
     An arm lever  238  is provided in the driving assembly  230  and the arm lever  238  transmits the rotational force of the ejector driving shaft  234  to the ice amount sensing lever  170 , such that the ice amount sensing lever  170  may reciprocate. The arm lever  238  receives the force from a cam  236  provided to drive the arm lever  238  whenever the ejector driving shaft  234  makes one rotation. 
     At this time, an ice amount sensing lever driving shaft  244  is further provided to drive the ice amount sensing lever  170  and the ice amount sensing lever driving shaft  244  is rotated by a driven gear  242  transmitting the rotational force of the arm lever  238  to the ice amount sensing lever driving shaft  244 . The ice sensing lever  170  reciprocates with a trace of circular arcs with respect to the ice amount sensing lever driving shaft  244 . 
     The ejector  120  is rotated by the driving assembly  230  to eject the ice out of the tray  110 . At this time, the ice amount sensing lever  170  reciprocates, that is, rotates about the ice amount sensing lever driving shaft  244  repeatedly. Specifically, the ice amount sensing lever  170  rotates upward and rotates downward again to be positioned above the ice bank  42  such that the ice amount may be sensed. 
     The structure of the driving assembly  230  is not limited as described above and it may be variable according to the configuration of the ice maker  100 . 
     In the meantime, the first circuit board  210  and the second circuit board  310  may be configured of printed wiring boards (PWB) which can be called as printed circuit boards (PCB). PWB or PCB is a circuit board on which electric parts are mounted to electrically connect among parts or signal wires. 
     As mentioned above, the electric parts controlling the operation of the driving assembly  230  are mounted on the first circuit board  210  and the electric parts controlling the overall operation of the ice maker  100 , except the driving assembly  230 , are mounted on the second circuit board  310 . 
     The ice maker  100  further includes the second control box  300  which accommodates the other parts of the mechanism unit electrically connected with the parts of the mechanism unit accommodated by the first control box  200 . The second control box  300  includes a third case  300   a  and a fourth case  300   b  coupled to the third case  300   a  to form a predetermined space. 
     As shown in  FIG. 2 , the driving assembly  230  and the first circuit board  210  of the mechanism unit may be accommodated by the first control box  200 . If then, the second circuit board  310  may be accommodated by the second control box  300 . 
     Although not shown in the drawings, the first and second circuit boards  210  and  310  of the mechanism unit may be accommodated by the second control box  300 . In this case, the driving assembly  230  may be accommodated by the first control box  200 . 
     In any cases, the mechanism unit accommodated by the first control box  200  should be electrically connected with the mechanism unit accommodated by the second control box  300  to control the operation of the ice maker  100 . 
     Furthermore, a protection panel  320  is provided to project the mechanism unit accommodated by the second control box  300 . 
     Here, wire communication holes  208  may be provided at the first and second control boxes  200  and  300  and wires pass through the wire communication holes  208  to electrically connect the first control box  200  with the second control box  300 . Although the first and second circuit boards  210  and  310  and the driving assembly  230  are provided in the first and second control boxes  200  and  300  dividedly, the circuit boards  210  and  310  can be electrically connected with the driving assembly  230  via the wire communication holes  208 . 
     Alternatively, the second control box  300  may be separately installed outside the ice-making chamber  40  accommodating the ice maker  100  and it may be provided above or below the tray  110 . 
     As shown in  FIGS. 2 to 4 , it is preferable that the second control box  300  is detachably coupled to an upper portion of the first control box  200 . Specifically, at least one coupling guide  204  may be provided to guide the second control box  300  coupled to the upper portion of the first control box  200 . At this time, a projection (not shown) provided at the second control box  300  is guided between the coupling guides  204  in a forward and backward direction of the ice maker  100  such that the second control box  300  may be coupled to or separated from the first control box  200 . 
     A first control box coupling hole  206  is provided at the first control box  200  and a second control box coupling hole  306  is provided at the second control box  300 . As a result, after the first control box  200  is coupled to the second control box  300 , the two control boxes  200  and  300  may be fastened by a bolt via the control box coupling holes. 
     It may be more advantageous in the matter of space utilization to accommodate the mechanism unit in the first and second control boxes  200  and  300  dividedly, than to accommodate the whole mechanism unit in a single control box. 
     If the single control box accommodating the whole mechanism unit is provided at the side of the tray  110 , useable space in a longitudinal direction of the tray  110  is insufficient and the length of the tray is short accordingly, considering that the ice maker  100  is installed within the ice-making chamber  40 . As a result, the number of the cells  111  of the tray  110  should be reduced and the amount of the ice made per unit time could be reduced. 
     In contrast, according to this embodiment, only the part of the mechanism unit which should be provided at the side of the tray  110  in the longitudinal direction of the tray  110 , for example, the driving assembly  230  is accommodated in the first control box  200  and the other part of the mechanism unit is accommodated in the second control box  300  and then the second control box  300  is installed in the predetermined portion with enough space. As a result, this embodiment may have an advantage in that the length of the tray  110  is increased. 
     The number of the cells  111  provided in the tray  110  may be increased, which will increase the amount of the ice per the unit time. It may be identified substantially that the ice amount made per day in the ice maker  100  according to the embodiment is increased by 25%, compared with the ice amount made per day in the conventional ice maker. 
     In case that the second control box  300  coupled to the upper portion of the first control box  200  to be positioned above the tray  110 , the ejected ice might be stuck in the second control box  300 . 
     If the ice is ejected out of the tray  110  in the ice maker  100  according to the exemplary embodiment, an ejecting guide  130  may be further provided beyond the tray  110  to guide the ice not as to be stuck at the second control box  300 . 
     It is preferable that the ejecting guide  130  is formed in a shape corresponding to a trace of the ejected ice, to prevent the ice from being stuck in the second control box  300 . 
     As mentioned above, an inner surface shape of the cell is a concave hemisphere. If the ice is formed in a hemisphere shape, it is preferable that the inner surface of the ejecting guide  130  has a gentle curvature to eject the ice from the cell  111  with gently tracing circular arcs. 
     A vertical extension  116  may be further provided to prevent the water from overflowing the tray  110 . In this case, the ejecting guide  130  may be coupled to an upper portion of the vertical extension  116  and it is preferable that the vertical extension  116  is approximately 10 mm in height. 
     A water supply part  140  may be further provided at a predetermined portion of the ejecting guide  130  to supply water to the tray  110 . A water supply part cover  142  is coupled to an upper portion of the water supply part  140 . 
     Here, the water supplied from the water supply part  140  may be supplied to each of the cells  111  via a path (not shown) formed at the ejecting guide  130 . 
       FIG. 5  is a diagram illustrating a side of the ice maker according to the exemplary embodiment, if ice is ejected from the tray. 
     In reference to  FIG. 5 , once ice is made, the heater  150  is operated to melt some surface of ice in close contact with the tray  110 . As the motor  232  is operated and the ejector  120  is rotated, the ice is moved. 
     With the rotation of the ejector  120 , the ice moves to the rear of the tray  110 , with a trace of circular arcs, and the ice moves to the front of the tray  110  by the counteraction of the ejecting guide  130  again. 
     Hence, the ice supported by the ejector may move forward to contact with a top of the ejecting guide  160  and the ice may move downward along the oblique of the ejecting guide  160 , such that the ice is ejected out of the tray  110 . 
     At this time, during the ice ejecting, the ejecting guide  130  guides the ice moving upward to be discharged gently and smoothly, without contacting with or being stuck at the second control box  300 . 
     It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and variations can be made in the present invention without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention. Thus, it is intended that the present invention cover the modifications and variations of this invention provided they come within the scope of the appended claims and their equivalents.