Patent ID: 8176930

Claim:
A water supply apparatus for use in an ice maker, operable to supply water to be frozen to an ice tray, comprising: a water supply tank for containing water; an air pump for feeding air into the water supply tank; an air supply pipe, disposed between the air pump and the water supply tank, for feeding the air from the air pump into the water supply tank; and a water supply channel, disposed between the water supply tank and the ice tray, for supplying the water to the ice tray by using the air pump which feeds the air into the water supply tank through a pressure of the air sending the water from an inside of the water supply tank to an outside of the water supply tank, wherein the water supply channel includes a pressure adjusting part, directly and integrally attached to the water supply tank, for adjusting a pressure in the water supply channel and a water supply pipe for causing the water to flow into the ice tray, wherein the water supply pipe includes a first water supply pipe part disposed on a side of the pressure adjusting part and a second water supply pipe part disposed on a side of the ice tray; the first water supply pipe part and the second water supply pipe part are attachable and detachable; the air supply pipe includes a first air supply pipe part disposed on a side of the water supply tank and a second air supply pipe part disposed on a side of the air pump; and the first air supply pipe part and the second air supply pipe part are attachable and detachable, wherein the water supply channel includes a discharge pipe for causing the water in the water supply tank to flow outside of the water supply tank, and wherein the pressure adjusting part is attached to the water supply tank and disposed between an outlet of the discharge pipe and an inlet of the water supply pipe and has a structure in which circulation of gas inside and outside of the pressure adjusting part is enabled.