Abstract:
A refrigerator capable of effectively sealing a gap between an ice-maker and a wall surface of the refrigerator while preserving an internal capacity of the refrigerator. The ice-maker has a first external frame coupled to an inner wall surface of the refrigerator main body and comprises a first step portion extending a surface of the first external frame facing the inner wall surface of the refrigerator main body. A second external frame is coupled to the first external frame and includes a second step portion extending along the surface of the second external frame facing a ceiling of the refrigerator main body. A sealing member is coupled to the first and the second step portions which protrude from the first and the second external frames.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
       [0001]    This application is based on priority from Korean Patent Application No. 10-2016-0043427, filed on Apr. 8, 2016, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein in its entirety by reference for all purposes. 
       Technical Field 
       [0002]    The present disclosure relates to refrigerators, and more particularly, to ice-making mechanisms in refrigerators. 
       Background 
       [0003]    A refrigerator is an electrical appliance that maintains a storage space at low temperature for storing food or other objects in a fresh or frozen state. 
         [0004]    The internal storage of the refrigerator can be cooled to a preset low temperature through circulation of cold air that is continuously generated through refrigeration cycles using a refrigerant, a refrigeration cycle including compression, condensation, expansion and evaporation. 
         [0005]    Top-mount-type refrigerators having a freezer positioned on a top of refrigeration chamber used to be the popular style. In recent years, however, bottom-freezer-style refrigerators have become more popular, in which a freezer is positioned under the refrigeration chamber. This style makes it easier for a user to access the refrigeration chamber but harder to access the freezer because the user typically has to bend down to open the freezer. 
         [0006]    To solve such a problem, some bottom-freezer-type refrigerators have an ice dispenser installed in a refrigeration chamber door at the upper side of the refrigerator. An ice-maker is installed on the interior side of the refrigeration chamber. 
         [0007]    An ice-maker in related art includes a heat insulation structure for preventing a temperature increase caused by heat exchange of an internal cold air with an external air.  FIG. 6  shows an ice-maker in the related art including a heat insulation structure. 
         [0008]    As shown in  FIG. 6 , a heat insulation member  22   a  is disposed in the contact region between the ice-maker and an inner wall surface of a refrigerator  2 . The heat insulation member  22   a  is adjacent to, and follows the same path as, a heat insulation structure  24  of the refrigerator  2 . 
         [0009]    However, in this configuration, a dead space is formed within the refrigerator  2 , the dead space being occupied by the ice-maker and not used for storage. This causes the internal capacity of the refrigerator to become smaller. 
         [0010]    In addition, it is difficult to seal a gap between the ice-maker  20  and the inner wall surface of the refrigerator  2 . Poor sealing leads to dew formation which negatively affects refrigeration performance. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0011]    Embodiments of the present disclosure provide a refrigerator capable of effectively sealing a gap between an ice-maker and an inner wall surface of the refrigerator without reducing an internal capacity of the refrigerator. 
         [0012]    The present disclosure provides a refrigerator comprising: a case mounted to a refrigerator main body; and an ice tray within the case and configured to store water for making ice, wherein the case includes: a first external frame coupled to an inner wall surface of the refrigerator main body and having a first step portion extending along an edge of one surface of the first external frame facing the inner wall surface of the refrigerator main body; a second external frame coupled to the first external frame to form an outer shell of the case and having a second step portion extending along an edge of one surface of the second external frame facing a ceiling surface of the refrigerator main body; and a sealing member coupled to the first step portion and the second step portion, the sealing member configured to continuously extend along the first step portion and the second step portion and to form a closed loop. 
         [0013]    Further, the present disclosure also provides a refrigerator, wherein the first step portion and the second step portion protrude from the first external frame and the second external frame so as to shield the sealing member when the case is coupled to the refrigerator main body. 
         [0014]    Further, the present disclosure also provides a refrigerator, wherein the first step portion makes surface-to-surface contact with the inner wall surface of the refrigerator main body, and the second step portion makes surface-to-surface contact with the ceiling surface of the refrigerator main body. 
         [0015]    Further, the present disclosure also provides a refrigerator, wherein a heater is disposed inside of at least one of the first step portion and the second step portion. 
         [0016]    Further, the present disclosure also provides a refrigerator, further including: an ice bucket disposed below the ice tray and configured to accommodate ice dropped from the ice tray; and a feeder assembly including an auger and an auger motor, the auger accommodated within the ice bucket and rotatable to feed the ice. 
         [0017]    Further, the present disclosure also provides a refrigerator, wherein an internal frame is disposed between the first external frame and the second external frame, and an L-shaped heat insulation frame is provided between the internal frame and the second external frame. 
         [0018]    Further, the present disclosure also provides a refrigerator, wherein an ejection part having a hole is provided in one end portion of the case. A cold air supply port configured to supply cold air is provided in the other end portion of the case. The hole allows ice produced in the ice tray to be discharged. 
         [0019]    Further, the present disclosure provides a refrigerator, comprising: a case provided within a refrigerator main body; and an ice tray provided within the case and configured to store water for making ice, wherein the case includes: a first external frame coupled to an inner wall surface of the refrigerator main body and provided with a first step portion extending along an edge of one surface of the first external frame facing the inner wall surface of the refrigerator main body; a second external frame coupled to the first external frame to form an outer shell of the case and provided with a second step portion extending along an edge of one surface of the second external frame facing a ceiling surface of the refrigerator main body; and a sealing member coupled to the first step portion and the second step portion, and the first step portion and the second step portion protrude from the first external frame and the second external frame so as to shield the sealing member when the case is coupled to the refrigerator main body. 
         [0020]    Further the present disclosure also provides a refrigerator, comprising: a case provided within a refrigerator main body; and an ice tray provided within the case and configured to store water for making ice, wherein the case includes: a first external frame coupled to an inner wall surface of the refrigerator main body and provided with a first step portion extending along an edge of one surface of the first external frame facing the inner wall surface of the refrigerator main body; a second external frame coupled to the first external frame to form an outer shell of the case and provided with a second step portion extending along an edge of one surface of the second external frame facing a ceiling surface of the refrigerator main body; and a sealing member coupled to the first step portion and the second step portion, wherein an internal frame is provided between the first external frame and the second external frame, and wherein an L-shaped heat insulation frame is provided between the internal frame and the second external frame. 
         [0021]    In a refrigerator according to one embodiment of the present disclosure, a gap between an ice-maker and an inner wall surface of the refrigerator can be effectively sealed while preserving the internal capacity of the refrigerator. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0022]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of the configuration of an exemplary refrigerator according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. 
           [0023]      FIG. 2  is a side sectional view of the configuration of an exemplary ice-maker in the refrigerator illustrated in  FIG. 1 . 
           [0024]      FIG. 3  is an exploded perspective view illustrating a case of the exemplary ice-maker illustrated in  FIGS. 1 and 2 . 
           [0025]      FIG. 4  is a view of a layout of an exemplary sealing member in the ice-maker illustrated in  FIG. 2 . 
           [0026]      FIG. 5  is an enlarged sectional view illustrating a portion of the refrigerator in which the ice-maker illustrated in  FIG. 2  is installed. 
           [0027]      FIG. 6  is an enlarged sectional view illustrating a portion of a refrigerator in which an ice-maker of the related art is installed. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0028]    In the following detailed description, reference is made to the accompanying drawings, which form a part hereof. The illustrative embodiments described in the detailed description, drawings, and claims are not meant to be limiting. Other embodiments may be utilized, and other changes may be made, without departing from the spirit or scope of the subject matter presented here. 
         [0029]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of the configuration of an exemplary refrigerator according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.  FIG. 2  is a side sectional view of the configuration of an exemplary ice-maker in the refrigerator illustrated in  FIG. 1 .  FIG. 3  is an exploded perspective view illustrating a case of the exemplary ice-maker illustrated in  FIG. 1 .  FIG. 4  is a view of a layout of an exemplary sealing member in the ice-maker illustrated in  FIG. 2 . 
         [0030]    Referring to  FIGS. 1 to 4 , the refrigerator  1  having an ice-maker  10  according to one embodiment of the present disclosure may include a refrigerator main body  12  serving as an outer shell (or exterior housing) of the refrigerator  1 , a barrier  14  configured to divide the interior of the refrigerator main body  12  into an upper refrigeration chamber R and a lower freezer F, refrigeration chamber doors  13  mounted on a front edge of the refrigerator main body  12  and configured to cover the refrigeration chamber R, and a freezer door  15  configured to cover the freezer F. 
         [0031]    In the illustrated embodiment of the present disclosure, the ice-maker  10  is on one side of an upper region of the refrigeration chamber R. However, this is merely exemplary. An ice-maker may be located in another portion of a refrigerator. 
         [0032]    The ice-maker  10  may make close contact with an inner wall surface of the refrigerator main body  12 . The ice-maker  10  may include a case  100 , a cooling system (not shown), an ice-making assembly  200 , an ice bucket  320 , a feeder assembly  400  and an ejection part  500 . 
         [0033]    The case  100  is a housing and may be installed to make close contact with the inner wall surface of the refrigerator main body  12 . For example, the ice-making assembly  200  is inside the case  100  and produces ice. Produced ice may be discharged through a hole of the ejection part  500 . Cold air for producing ice may be supplied through a cold air supply port (not shown) in the other end portion of the case  100 . 
         [0034]    The case  100  may include, for example, a first external frame  110  coupled to the inner wall surface of the refrigerator main body  12 , and a second external frame  120  coupled to the first external frame  110 , where the second external frame  120  defines the overall external shape of the case  100 . 
         [0035]    The first external frame  110  may be fastened to the inner wall surface of the refrigerator main body  12 . For example, the first external frame  110  may be fastened to the inner sidewall of the refrigerator main body  12 , such as by screw fixing, bonding or other fastening methods well known in the art. 
         [0036]    The first external frame  110  may have an upper end portion and a lower end portion. For example, the first external frame  110  may have an approximately C-like cross-sectional in general. 
         [0037]    A first step portion  111  may be disposed in an edge of one surface of the first external frame  110  facing the inner wall surface of the refrigerator main body  12 . For example, the first step portion  111  may protrude toward the inner surface of the refrigerator main body  12 . A sealing member  160  may be bonded to an upper surface  111   a  of the first step portion  111 . The sealing member  160  may prevent dew formation potentially caused by the temperature between the inside and the outside of the case. 
         [0038]    A heater (not shown) may be disposed in the first step portion  111  and can evaporate dew formed in or around the first step portion  111 . The heater may be injection-molded inside the first step portion  111  or may be bonded to the inside or the outside of the first step portion  111 . 
         [0039]    The second external frame  120  may be coupled to the first external frame  110  and form an outer shell of the case  100 . 
         [0040]    A fastening portion  122  may be disposed at the front end of the second external frame  120 . The election part  500  may be coupled to the fastening portion  122 . Furthermore, a fastening portion heater  150  may be disposed in the fastening portion  122  to evaporate dew formed in or around the fastening portion  122 . 
         [0041]    Additionally, a second step portion  121  may be disposed on one surface of the second external frame  120  facing an inner ceiling surface of the refrigerator main body  12  and extend along an edge of the second external frame  120 . For example, the second step portion  121  may protrude along an edge of one surface of the second external frame  120  facing the inner ceiling surface of the refrigerator main body  12 . A sealing member  160  may be disposed on inner surface  121   a  of the second step portion  121 . As noted above, the sealing member  160  may prevent dew formation. 
         [0042]    Descriptions will now be made on the configurations of the sealing member  160  in particular, the first step portion  111  and the second step portion  121 . The sealing member  160  may be made of an elastic material such as rubber or the like and may continuously extend along the first step portion  111  and the second step portion  121 . In other words, the sealing member  160  may continuously extend along the edge of the case  100 , which makes contact with the refrigerator main body  12 , and may form a closed loop. 
         [0043]    In this case, the sealing member  160  may be coupled to the inside of the first step portion  111  and the second step portion  121 . Thus, with the case  100  coupled to the refrigerator main body  12 , the sealing member  160  may not be exposed to the outside. 
         [0044]    In other words, the first step portion  111  and the second step portion  121  may protrude toward the inner wall of the refrigerator main body  12  and may shield the sealing member  160  with the case  100  coupled to the refrigerator main body  12 . 
         [0045]    Furthermore, during manufacturing, the case  100  may be coupled to the refrigerator main body  12  after the sealing member  160  is bonded to the first step portion  111  and the second step portion  121 . Accordingly, installing the sealing member  160  becomes easier compared with the method of coating a sealing member  160  after the case  100  is coupled to the refrigerator main body  12  or the method of coupling the case  100  to the refrigerator main body  12  after a sealing member bonded to the inner wail of the refrigerator main body  12 . 
         [0046]    The first step portion  111  and the second step portion  121  may protrude to make surface contact with the inner wall surface and the ceiling surface of the refrigerator main body  12 . This can enhance the heat insulation properties provided by the case  100 . Thus, dew formation caused by the temperature difference between the inside and the outside of the case  100  can be effectively prevented. In addition, one or more heaters may be installed inside the first step portion  111  and the second step portion  121  to facilitate dew evaporation in the first step portion  111  and the second step portion  121 . 
         [0047]    A heat insulation frame  140  may be installed inside the second external frame  120 . The heat insulation frame  140  may be made material having superior heat insulation performance, such as a urethane foam or the like. The heat insulation frame  140  may be manufactured by foaming and solidifying a raw material within a mold for example. 
         [0048]    The heat insulation frame  140  may be formed in an L-like cross-sectional shape and used to insulate the outer side of the ice-maker  10 , which does not make contact with the refrigerator main body  12  when the ice-maker  10  is mounted to the refrigerator main body  12 . 
         [0049]    An internal frame  130  may be provided at the inner side of the heat insulation frame  140 . The heat insulation frame  140  may be fixed by the internal frame  130 . In other words, the heat insulation frame  140  may be disposed between the internal frame  130  and the second external frame  120 . 
         [0050]    By fastening the internal frame  130  and the second external frame  120  together, the heat insulation frame  140  can be fixed between the internal frame  130  and the second external frame  120 . 
         [0051]    With such configuration of the L-shaped heat insulation frame, the internal capacity of the refrigerator can be increased. The first external frame  110  disposed at the side of the inner wall of the refrigerator main body  12  is not provided with a separate heat insulation frame because the refrigerator main body  12  is provided with a heat insulation material. Rather, the heat insulation frame  140  is only provided at the outer side of the ice-maker  10  which does not make contact with the refrigerator main body  12 . A dead space as present in the refrigerator  1  can be reduced and therefore the internal capacity of the refrigerator  1  is advantageously enlarged. 
         [0052]    A cooling system (not shown) is used to supply cold air to an ice tray  210 . Any cold air generation device that is well known in the art may be used in the cooling system. 
         [0053]    Specifically, the cooling system may include a compressor, a condenser, an expansion valve and an evaporator, and execute cooling cycles. The cooling system may generate cold air through heat exchange between a refrigerant with air. The cold air thus generated may be supplied to the ice tray  210  by a blow fan or the like via an injection duct  310  coupled to the cold air supply port of the case  100  and a cold air guide part  220 . 
         [0054]    The ice-making assembly  200  may include an ice tray  210  configured to store water, a cold air guide part  220  configured to guide a flow of cold air supplied from the cooling system so that the cold air moves along a lower surface of the ice tray  210 , and a rotation part  230  configured to rotate the ice tray  210  so that ice formed in the ice tray  210  can drop out from the ice tray  210 . 
         [0055]    The ice tray  210  may include a plurality of ice-making spaces for storing water and may receive water from an external water source (not shown). After water is filled in the ice tray  210 , cold air generated by the cooling system is supplied to the ice tray  210  to produce ice. 
         [0056]    The ice tray  210  may be made of a metal having high heat conductivity to enhance ice production efficiency. For example, the ice tray  210  may be made of aluminum (Al). In addition, ribs (not shown) for increasing the contact area of the ice tray  210  with the cold air may be formed on the lower surface of the ice tray  210 . 
         [0057]    The cold air guide part  220  serves to guide the cold air supplied from the cooling system toward the lower side of the ice tray  210 . The cold air guide part  220  may be coupled to an injection duct  310 . Furthermore, the cold air guide part  220  may include first and second cold air guide members  221  and  222  coupled to at least one surface of the injection duct  310 . The first cold air guide member  221  may extend from the upper surface of the injection duct  310 . The second cold air guide member  222  may extend from the lower surface of the injection duct  310 . 
         [0058]    The first cold air guide member  221  may be coupled between the upper surface of the injection duct  310  and a bracket  211  to which the ice tray  210  is mounted. The second cold air guide member  222  may extend from the lower surface of the injection duct  310  and may be spaced apart from the lower surface of the ice tray  210 . Thus, a cold air flow path  225 , through which the cold air can move, may be formed between the lower surface of the ice tray  210  and the second cold air guide member  222 . 
         [0059]    The rotation part  230  may be used to transfer ice from the ice tray  210  to the ice bucket  320  disposed below the ice tray  210 . For example, the upper surface of the ice tray  210  may be rotated toward the ice bucket  320  as a rotary shaft  231  rotates. At this time, if the ice tray  210  is rotated by a specified angle or more, the ice tray  210  is twisted by an interference member (not shown). Due to the twisting action of the ice tray  210 , the ice contained in the ice tray  210  may fall into the ice bucket  320 . Various other methods that are well known in the art may be employed as a method of transferring the ice from the ice tray  210 . 
         [0060]    The feeder assembly  400  serves to feed the ice toward the election part  500 . The feeder assembly  400  may include an auger  410  and an auger motor  420 . The auger  410  may be accommodated within the ice bucket  320 . As the auger  410  rotates, ice stacked in the ice bucket  320  may be fed to the ejection part  500 . The auger  410  may be rotated by the auger motor  420  provided in an auger housing  430 . 
         [0061]    Although exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure are described above with reference to the accompanying drawings, those skilled in the art will understand that the present disclosure may be implemented in various ways without changing the necessary features or the spirit of the present disclosure. 
         [0062]    Therefore, it should be understood that the exemplary embodiments described above are not limiting, but only an example in all respects. The scope of the present disclosure is expressed by claims below, not the detailed description, and it should be construed that all changes and modifications achieved from the meanings and scope of claims and equivalent concepts are included in the scope of the present disclosure. 
         [0063]    From the foregoing, it will be appreciated that various embodiments of the present disclosure have been described herein for purposes of illustration, and that various modifications may be made without departing from the scope and spirit of the present disclosure. The exemplary embodiments disclosed in the specification of the present disclosure do not limit the present disclosure. The scope of the present disclosure will be interpreted by the claims below, and it will be construed that all techniques within the scope equivalent thereto belong to the scope of the present disclosure.