Patent Description:
Conventional manual ice makers comprise door manual ice makers, cabinet shelf manual ice makers and cabinet drawer manual ice makers. The first two types of ice makers both have fixed mounting positions and are not prone to contamination from the external; the cabinet drawer-type manual ice maker is generally placed freely in the cabinet. When ice is retrieved, an ice making and removing structure on top of an ice bin needs to be opened. At this time, it is necessary to find a clean position for the ice making and removing structure to complete retrieval of ice; meanwhile, the probability that the ice making and removing structure is contaminated is greatly increased.

In addition, a conventional ice shovel can only act to shovel ice and cannot act as a water-filling cup, and a water-filling cup needs to be additionally provided. In this way, the function of the ice shovel is made limited; both the ice shovel and the water-filling cup need to be configured, thereby increasing the cost in use.

<CIT> discloses an ice-cube making device for use in a refrigerated cabinet, wherein the ice-cube making device is attachable to a freezer liner and includes a mechanism for extracting ice by applying a twisting torque to one or more ice-cube trays.

<CIT>, <CIT>, <CIT> and <CIT> also disclose subject matter related to the present invention.

An object of the present invention is to provide an ice maker and a refrigerator to facilitate access to ice and avoids contaminating the ice making and removing structure.

To achieve one of the above objects of the present invention, there is provided an ice maker according to the appended independent claim <NUM>.

As compared with the prior art, the present invention has the following advantageous effects: with the technical solution being employed, since the bracket is rotatably disposed on the ice bin via a rotating shaft, the bracket is operable to drive the ice making box to rotate relative to the ice bin to open or close the ice bin. When ice needs to be taken, the bracket drives the ice making box to rotate relative to the ice bin, thereby exposing an inner cavity of the ice bin so that ice can be taken. Furthermore, it is unnecessary to find another place to place the ice making and removing structure, which not only facilitates access to the ice and but also avoids contaminating the ice making and removing structure.

Further, as compared with the prior art, the above technical solutions of the present invention have the following advantageous effects: the ice shovel has the accommodating cavity for accommodating water, at least one of sides forming the accommodating cavity is provided with the ice shoveling portion, and the ice shoveling portion is used to shovel ice. Therefore, the ice shovel may be used to shovel ice, and also used as a container for filling water so that the function of the ice shovel is extended and the cost is reduced.

The present invention will be described in detail below in conjunction with specific embodiments shown in the figures.

In the depictions of the specific embodiments of the present invention, directional or positional relationship as indicted by terms such as "up", "down", "front", "rear", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "bottom", "in" and "out" is based on the directional or positional relationship shown in the figures usually with reference to the normal in-use state of the refrigerator, and does not indicate that the designated position or element must be in a specific direction.

Moreover, it should be appreciated that although the terms such as "first" and "second" may be used to describe various elements or structures herein, the described objects should not be limited by the above terms. The above terms are only used to distinguish the described objects from each other. For example, a first side portion may also be referred to as a second side portion, and also the second side portion may also be referred to as the first side portion, which does not depart from the extent of protection of the present invention.

A specific embodiment provided by the present invention discloses a refrigerator comprising a cabinet and a door connected to the cabinet, wherein the cabinet defines a storage space, and the door is operable to open or close at least part of the storage space. The storage space may comprise a plurality of storage components whose number and structural forms may be configured according to different needs. The storage components usually comprise a refrigerating chamber and a freezing chamber.

The refrigerator further comprises an ice maker. The ice maker is an independent ice maker and is disposed in the storage component. Specifically, the ice maker is placed in a drawer in the storage component. In the present preferred embodiment, the ice maker is a manual ice maker. Certainly, the ice maker may also set to an electric ice maker.

As shown in <FIG>, the ice maker comprises an ice bin <NUM> for receiving ice cubes, and an ice making and removing structure <NUM> rotatably provided in the ice bin <NUM>. The ice making and removing structure <NUM> comprises a bracket <NUM> disposed in the ice bin <NUM> and an ice making box <NUM> disposed in the bracket <NUM>. According to the present invention, the bracket <NUM> is rotatably disposed in the ice bin <NUM> via a rotating shaft <NUM>, and the bracket <NUM> is operable to drive the ice making box <NUM> to rotate relative to the ice bin <NUM> to open or close the ice bin <NUM>. In addition, the ice making box <NUM> is driven to rotate relative to the bracket <NUM> between an ice making position and an ice turning position, and the ice making box <NUM> defines a plurality of ice making cells. Water may be filled into the plurality of ice-making cells to make ice.

According to the present invention, since the bracket <NUM> is rotatably disposed on the ice bin <NUM> via the rotating shaft <NUM>, the bracket <NUM> is operable to drive the ice making box <NUM> to rotate relative to the ice bin <NUM> to open or close the ice bin <NUM>. When ice needs to be taken, the bracket <NUM> drives the ice making box <NUM> to rotate relative to the ice bin <NUM>, thereby exposing an inner cavity of the ice bin <NUM>, so that ice can be taken. Furthermore, it is unnecessary to find another place to place the ice making and removing structure <NUM>, which not only facilitates access to the ice and but also avoids contaminating the ice making and removing structure <NUM>.

Further, the ice making and removing structure <NUM> has a first state and a second state relative to the ice bin <NUM>. In the first state, the bracket <NUM> drives the ice making box <NUM> to rotate relative to the ice bin <NUM>. In the second state, the bracket <NUM> together the ice making box <NUM> can be removed from the ice bin <NUM>. This arrangement not only facilitates the installation of the ice making and removing structure <NUM>, but also allows the entire ice making and removing structure <NUM> to be removed from the ice bin <NUM> according to specific needs.

The ice bin <NUM> is provided with a fitting hole <NUM>, the rotating shaft <NUM> is fitted in the fitting hole <NUM>, the rotating shaft <NUM> has a flat square portion, and the fitting hole <NUM> has an opening <NUM> whose opening width is smaller than a diameter of the rotating shaft <NUM> and larger than the width at the flat square portion. As such, when the flat portion aligns with the position of the opening <NUM>, the ice making and removing structure <NUM> can be removed from the ice bin <NUM>. Specifically, when the ice making and removing structure <NUM> completely covers the ice bin <NUM>, the flat square portion aligns with the position of the opening <NUM>, and the bracket <NUM> together with the ice making box <NUM> can be removed from the ice bin <NUM> at this time. Such an arrangement is convenient for identification and operation. When the ice making and removing structure <NUM> is rotated relative to the ice bin <NUM> from a state in which the ice making and removing structure <NUM> completely covers the ice bin <NUM>, the ice making and removing structure <NUM> cannot be removed from the ice bin <NUM>, making the structure more reliable and the operation more convenient.

Further, a rotation axis of the bracket <NUM> is perpendicular to a rotation axis of the ice making box <NUM>, which makes the ice maker structurally more compact. In the present preferred embodiment, the ice maker is a manual ice maker. Specifically, the bracket <NUM> is provided with a knob <NUM> for manual operation, and a movement conversion mechanism (not shown) provided between the knob <NUM> and the ice making box <NUM>. The knob <NUM> is operable to cause the movement conversion mechanism to drive the ice making box <NUM> to rotate, thereby enabling the ice making box <NUM> to achieve the switching between the ice making position and the ice turning position. When in the ice making position, the ice making cells open upwards, and water may be filled into the ice making cells to make ice. When in the ice turning position, the ice making cells open downward, that is, faces towards the inside of the ice bin <NUM>, so that ice cubes fall off into the ice bin <NUM>. In addition, the knob <NUM> and the rotating shaft <NUM> are provided at opposite ends of the bracket <NUM>.

The ice making and removing structure <NUM> further comprises an ice-making upper cover <NUM> movably disposed on the bracket <NUM>, and the ice-making upper cover <NUM> is operable to move relative to the bracket <NUM> to fully open the ice making box <NUM> or at least partially cover the ice making box <NUM>. The ice-making upper cover <NUM> is provided with an opening <NUM> for water filling. Certainly, the ice-making upper cover <NUM> may not be provided with the opening <NUM> for water filling. When water needs to be filled, the ice-making upper cover <NUM> is moved relative to the bracket <NUM> to open the ice making box <NUM> to fill water.

In the present preferred embodiment, the ice-making upper cover <NUM> is slidably disposed on the bracket <NUM>. Certainly, the ice-making upper cover <NUM> may also be configured to be rotatably connected to the bracket <NUM>, or connected to the bracket <NUM> in a connection manner such as snap-fitting.

With further reference to <FIG>, the ice maker further comprises an ice shovel <NUM>. Specifically, the ice shovel <NUM> is provided in the ice bin <NUM>, the ice shovel <NUM> has an accommodating cavity <NUM> for accommodating water, at least one of sides forming the accommodating cavity <NUM> is provided with an ice shoveling portion <NUM>, and the ice shoveling portion <NUM> protrudes from other sides forming the accommodating cavity to shovel the ice.

According to the present invention, the ice shovel <NUM> is used to shovel ice, and also used as a container for filling water so that the function of the ice shovel <NUM> is extended and the cost is reduced.

In addition, an ice shovel positioning structure <NUM> is provided on the ice bin <NUM> to position the ice shovel <NUM> in the ice bin <NUM>, thereby preventing the ice shovel <NUM> from slipping down when the ice making and removing structure <NUM> rotates relative to the ice bin <NUM>. Specifically, the ice shovel positioning structure <NUM> comprises a stop rib <NUM> disposed in the ice bin <NUM>, and the ice shoveling portion <NUM> abuts against the stop rib <NUM>. Further, the ice shovel <NUM> further comprises a holding portion <NUM>, the ice shovel positioning structure <NUM> further comprises a groove <NUM> provided on one of the side walls of the ice bin <NUM>, and the holding portion <NUM> fits in the groove <NUM> and is received in the groove <NUM>. In addition, the stop rib <NUM> is parallel to the side wall provided with the groove <NUM>.

The ice bin <NUM> comprises a bottom wall <NUM> facing the ice making box <NUM>, a first side wall <NUM>, a second side wall <NUM>, a third side wall <NUM> and a fourth side wall <NUM> extending from the bottom wall <NUM> to the same side of the bottom wall <NUM>, wherein the first side wall <NUM>, the second side wall <NUM>, the third side wall <NUM> and the fourth side wall <NUM> are sequentially connected. The groove <NUM> is provided on the first side wall <NUM>, the second side wall <NUM> and the fourth side wall <NUM> are both provided with the fitting hole <NUM>, and the fitting hole <NUM> is disposed closer to the third side wall <NUM>.

A supporting portion <NUM> is disposed in the ice bin <NUM>. When the bracket <NUM> and the ice making box <NUM> close the ice bin <NUM>, the bracket <NUM> is supported by the supporting portion <NUM>, and a shock-absorbing pad (not shown) is provided between the bracket <NUM> and the supporting portion <NUM>. After the ice is taken out, when the bracket <NUM> drives the ice making box <NUM> to rotate relative to the ice bin <NUM> to close the ice bin <NUM>, the shock-absorbing pad may greatly reduce the closing noise generated.

Specifically, the second side wall <NUM> and the fourth side wall <NUM> both have the supporting portion <NUM> extending toward the inner side of the ice bin <NUM>, and the shock-absorbing pad is provided between both sides of the bracket <NUM> and the two supporting portions <NUM>. The shock-absorbing pads are disposed on the bracket <NUM>, and set as silicone shock-absorbing pads. Preferably, the silicone shock-absorbing pads are adhered to the bracket <NUM>.

In addition, when the ice shovel <NUM> is placed in the ice bin <NUM>, the opening of the accommodating cavity <NUM> faces the bottom wall <NUM>. A back side of the holding portion <NUM> is provided with a hollow portion <NUM>, which not only reduces the manufacturing cost, but also facilitates taking out the ice shovel <NUM> when the ice shovel <NUM> is needed.

Claim 1:
An ice maker, wherein the ice maker comprises an ice bin (<NUM>) for receiving ice cubes, and an ice making and removing structure (<NUM>) rotatably provided in the ice bin (<NUM>), the ice making and removing structure (<NUM>) comprises a bracket(<NUM>) rotatably disposed in the ice bin (<NUM>) via a rotating shaft (<NUM>), and an ice making box (<NUM>) disposed in the bracket (<NUM>), the bracket (<NUM>) is operable to drive the ice making box (<NUM>) to rotate relative to the ice bin (<NUM>) to open or close the ice bin (<NUM>), the ice making box(<NUM>) is driven to rotate relative to the bracket (<NUM>) between an ice making position and an ice turning position, and the ice making box (<NUM>) defines a plurality of ice making cells, when the ice making box (<NUM>) is in the ice making position, the opening of the ice making cells faces upwards; and when the ice box(<NUM>) is in the ice turning position, the opening of the ice making cells faces the inside of the ice bin (<NUM>),
characterized in that the ice maker further comprises an ice shovel (<NUM>) and a holding portion (<NUM>), and the ice shovel (<NUM>) has an accommodating cavity (<NUM>) for accommodating water, at least one of sides forming the accommodating cavity (<NUM>) is provided with an ice shoveling portion (<NUM>), and the ice shoveling portion (<NUM>) protrudes from other sides forming the accommodating cavity (<NUM>) to shovel the ice,
the ice bin (<NUM>) is provided with an ice shovel positioning structure (<NUM>) to position the ice shovel (<NUM>) in the ice bin (<NUM>), the ice shovel positioning structure (<NUM>) comprises a stop rib (<NUM>) disposed in the ice bin (<NUM>), and a groove (<NUM>) provided on one of the side walls of the ice bin (<NUM>), and the ice shoveling portion (<NUM>) abuts against the stop rib (<NUM>), and the holding portion (<NUM>) fits in the groove (<NUM>) and is received in the groove (<NUM>), and the ice bin (<NUM>) comprises a bottom wall (<NUM>) facing the ice making box (<NUM>), and an opening of the accommodating cavity (<NUM>) faces the bottom wall (<NUM>) when the ice shovel (<NUM>) is placed in the ice bin (<NUM>).