Patent ID: 8333305

Claim:
A refrigerator having a dispenser, comprising: a cooling chamber; a door that is configured to open and close at least a portion of the cooling chamber; a dispenser positioned on the door and configured to dispense ice pieces or water through the door when the door is oriented in a closed position; and a dispensing button unit configured to control a dispensing start time and a dispensing speed of the ice pieces or water dispensed through the dispenser based on a position of at least a portion of the dispensing button unit that results from movement of the portion of the dispensing button unit, the dispensing button unit being configured to, in response to the portion of the dispensing button unit being moved to a first position, control the dispenser to start dispensing the ice pieces or water at a first speed and being configured to, in response to the portion of the dispensing button unit being moved to a second position that is different than the first position, control the dispenser to change a dispensing speed of the ice pieces or water to a second speed that is different than the first speed, wherein the dispensing button unit further comprises: a lever portion that is configured to move between the first position and the second position, a dispensing start switch that is positioned to contact the lever portion when the lever portion is moved to the first position and that is configured to generate the dispensing start signal when contacted by the lever portion, and a dispensing speed switch that is positioned to contact the lever portion when the lever portion is moved to the second position and that is configured to generate the dispensing speed signal when contacted by the lever portion.