Ice maker and refrigerator

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12163715-B2
Application number	US-202318224356-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 20, 2023
Priority date	Nov 16, 2018
Publication date	Dec 10, 2024
Grant date	Dec 10, 2024

Abstract

An ice maker includes an upper assembly provided with an upper tray which has an upper chamber recessed upwardly to define an upper side of an ice chamber in which water is filled to generate ice, a lower assembly provided with a lower tray which has a lower chamber recessed downwardly to define a lower side of the ice chamber, and a lower supporter which supports a lower side of the lower tray, in which the lower assembly is rotatably connected to the upper assembly. The ice maker also includes an upper ejector provided with an upper ejecting pin which separates ice from the upper tray after ice-making is completed, in which the upper ejector is connected to the lower assembly to be interlocked with each other, such that when the lower assembly is rotated, the upper ejector is lifted and lowered.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An ice maker comprising:
a first assembly comprising:
a first tray defining a plurality of first chambers recessed in a first direction, and
a first cover supporting the first tray at a first side of the first tray;

a second assembly that is movably coupled to the first assembly and that comprises a second tray defining a plurality of second chambers recessed in a second direction opposite to the first direction, the plurality of first chambers and the plurality of second chambers being configured to, based on the first tray and the second tray coming together, define a plurality of ice chambers; and
a first ejector configured to separate ice from the plurality of the ice chambers and comprising an ejector body and a plurality of ejecting pins extending from the ejector body,
wherein the first ejector is configured to move in the first and second directions based on movement of the second assembly,
wherein the first cover defines a plurality of openings through which at least a portion of the first side of the first tray is exposed, and
wherein the plurality of ejecting pins are configured to pass through the plurality of openings of the first cover to separate the ice from the first tray.

2. The ice maker of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of ice chambers are arranged along a third direction intersecting the first direction, the ejector body extends in the third direction, and the plurality of ejecting pins extend in the second direction.

3. The ice maker of claim 1 , wherein the first cover comprises a first supporting part that (i) is in contact with the first tray to support the first tray and (ii) defines the plurality of openings, and
wherein the first supporting part is configured to be disposed between the first ejector and the first tray based on the first ejector moving to a maximum position in the first direction.

4. The ice maker of claim 1 , wherein the first tray comprises:
a tray body having chamber walls that define the plurality of first chambers; and
an extension portion extending from the chamber walls and configured to be fixed to the first cover,
wherein at least a portion of the tray body is configured to be exposed to cold air through the plurality of openings.

5. The ice maker of claim 1 , wherein the first assembly further comprises (i) a second cover supporting the first tray at a second side of the first tray opposite to the first side of the first tray and (ii) a unit guide that is configured to guide the movement of the first ejector.

6. The ice maker of claim 5 , wherein the second cover further comprises a second supporting part that is in contact with the first tray to support the first tray, and
wherein the unit guide extends in the first direction from the second supporting part.

7. The ice maker of claim 6 , wherein the second cover further comprise a side wall extending in the first direction from an edge of the second supporting part, and
wherein the unit guide is connected to the side wall.

8. The ice maker of claim 5 , wherein the unit guide comprises a guide slot (i) extending in the first direction and the second direction and (ii) through which at least a portion of the first ejector passes.

9. The ice maker of claim 8 , further comprising:
a connector connecting the second assembly to the first ejector, and
wherein the connector is connected to the first ejector based on a portion of the first ejector being passed through the guide slot.

10. The ice maker of claim 8 , wherein the first ejector comprises a guide that is configured to be inserted into the guide slot and that has a width corresponding to a width of the guide slot, and
wherein a cross-section of the guide in the first direction has a rectangular shape.

11. The ice maker of claim 10 , wherein a length of the guide in the first direction is greater than the width of the guide.

12. The ice maker of claim 1 , further comprising:
a pair of links connecting both sides of the ejector body and both sides of the second assembly, respectively,
wherein the first cover comprises a first through-opening and a second through-opening through which the pair of links passes, respectively, and
wherein the plurality of openings of the first cover is disposed between the first through-opening and the second through-opening.

13. The ice maker of claim 12 , wherein the first cover further comprises a first groove disposed adjacent to the first through-opening, and a second groove disposed adjacent to the second through-opening, the first groove and the second groove being configured to, based on the first ejector being moved, block interference between the first cover and the first ejector, and
wherein the plurality of openings of the first cover is disposed between the first groove and the second groove.

14. The ice maker of claim 13 , wherein the first cover further comprises at least one rib extending in the first direction from the first cover and provided along a circumference of the first through-opening or the second through-opening.

15. A refrigerator comprising:
a cabinet defining a storage space; and
an ice maker disposed in the storage space and comprising:
a first assembly comprising:
a first tray defining a plurality of first chambers recessed in a first direction, and
a first cover supporting the first tray at a first side of the first tray,

a second assembly that is movably coupled to the first assembly and that comprises a second tray defining a plurality of second chambers recessed in a second direction opposite to the first direction, the plurality of first chambers and the plurality of second chambers being configured to, based on the first tray and the second tray being coupled, define a plurality of ice chambers, and
a first ejector configured to separate ice from the plurality of ice chambers and comprising an ejector body and a plurality of ejecting pins extending from the ejector body

wherein the first ejector is configured to, based on movement of the second assembly, move in the first direction and the second direction,
wherein the first cover defines a plurality of openings through which at least a portion of the first side of the first tray is exposed, and
wherein the plurality of ejecting pins are configured to pass through the plurality of openings of the first cover to separate the ice from the first tray.

16. The refrigerator of claim 15 , wherein the plurality of ice chambers are arranged along a third direction intersecting the first direction, the ejector body extends in the third direction, and the plurality of ejecting pins extend in the second direction.

17. The refrigerator of claim 15 , wherein the first cover comprises a first supporting part that (i) is in contact with the first tray to support the first tray and (ii) defines the plurality of openings, and
wherein the first supporting part is configured to be disposed between the first ejector and the first tray based on the first ejector moves maximum in the first direction.

18. The refrigerator of claim 15 , wherein the first assembly further comprises (i) a second cover supporting the first tray at a second side of the first tray opposite to the first side of the first tray and (ii) a unit guide that is configured to guide the movement of the first ejector.

19. The refrigerator of claim 18 , wherein the unit guide comprises a guide slot (i) extending in the first direction and the second direction and (ii) through which at least a portion of the first ejector passes.

2

Assignees

• Lg Electronics Inc

Inventors

• Kim Yonghyun
• Hong Jinil
• Park Hyunji
• Choi Seungjin
• Lee Seunggeun

Classifications

• F25C1/04

  by using stationary moulds · CPC title

• F25C5/22

  particularly adapted for household refrigerators · CPC title

• F25C2305/0221

  rotating ice mould · CPC title

• F25C2400/10

  Refrigerator units · CPC title

• F25C5/182

  Ice bins therefor · CPC title