Refrigerator

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12222148-B2
Application number	US-202017625293-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 6, 2020
Priority date	Jul 6, 2019
Publication date	Feb 11, 2025
Grant date	Feb 11, 2025

Abstract

The present invention relates to a refrigerator. An ice maker of the refrigerator according to this embodiment includes: an upper tray which is made of an elastic material and in which a plurality of hemispherical upper chamber are defined; and a lower tray which is made of an elastic material and in which a plurality of lower chambers, which rotate to be in close contact with the upper tray so as to provide spherical ice chambers, are defined.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A refrigerator comprising:
a cabinet that defines a storage space; and
an ice maker mounted in the storage space and configured to make ice,
wherein the ice maker comprises:
an upper tray that defines an upper chamber,
a lower tray that defines a lower chamber and that is configured to rotate relative to the upper tray and be in contact with the upper tray to thereby define an ice chamber with the upper chamber and the lower chamber,
a lower support that is configured to support the lower tray and that defines a lower opening,
a driver configured to rotate the lower support, and
a lower ejector that is disposed within a rotation region of the lower tray and that is configured to, based on rotation of the lower support to the lower ejector, push the lower chamber through the lower opening to thereby separate the ice,

wherein the lower ejector comprises a lower ejecting pin that comprises (i) a rod that is configured to extend toward and face the lower opening and (ii) a head that is disposed at an extending end of the rod and configured to contact the lower tray,
wherein the head comprises:
a head upper portion that defines an upper portion of the head, and
a head lower portion disposed below the head upper portion, and

wherein the head upper portion is configured to protrude further toward the lower opening relative to the head lower portion.

2. The refrigerator according to claim 1 , wherein a lower end of the lower tray is exposed to an outside of the lower tray through the lower opening of the lower support, and
wherein the head is configured to pass through the lower opening and to press the lower end of the lower tray.

3. The refrigerator according to claim 2 , wherein the lower tray is made of a deformable material, and
wherein the head of the lower ejector is configured to, based on the lower tray being rotated up to a position to which the ice is separated from the lower tray, push up the lower end of the lower tray up to an opened end of the lower chamber.

4. The refrigerator according to claim 1 , wherein the cabinet comprises an inner casing that defines an inner wall of the storage space,
wherein the ice maker further comprises an upper casing provided in the inner casing and configured to support the upper tray, and
wherein the upper casing comprises:
a horizontal extension disposed above the upper tray; and
a perimeter portion extending downward from the horizontal extension and comprising an ejector mounted portion on which the lower ejector is installed.

5. The refrigerator according to claim 4 , wherein the lower ejector further comprises:
a lower ejector body fixed to the ejector mounted portion,
wherein the lower ejecting pin protrudes from the lower ejector body, and
wherein the head of the lower ejecting pin defines an inclined surface that is configured to face the lower tray based on rotation of the lower support.

6. The refrigerator according to claim 5 , wherein the head has an end that extends along a circumference of a central portion having a recessed shape, and
wherein the extending end of the head defines the inclined surface to correspond to an outer surface of the lower chamber.

7. The refrigerator according to claim 1 , wherein a lower end of the lower tray comprises a convex portion that is configured to be in contact with the head upper portion and the head lower portion and to define a curved surface based on the ice being separated from the lower chamber.

8. The refrigerator according to claim 1 , wherein a surface of the head upper portion comprises a cutoff portion that is configured to, based on rotation of the lower support, prevent the lower opening and the head upper portion from interfering with each other.

9. The refrigerator according to claim 1 , wherein a top surface of the storage space is inclined downward to face a rear side, and
wherein the ice maker is installed to be inclined downward to face a front side with respect to the top surface of the storage space.

10. The refrigerator according to claim 9 , wherein the ice maker is disposed to be inclined downward at an angle in a range from 7° to 8° to face the front side with respect to the top surface of the storage space.

11. The refrigerator according to claim 9 , wherein the ice maker comprises an upper casing installed on the top surface of the storage space, and
wherein the upper casing comprises an upper plate having an edge rib that is configured to provide a surface on which the upper tray is mounted, to protrude along a circumference, and to be in contact with the top surface of the storage space.

12. The refrigerator according to claim 11 , wherein the ice maker comprises:
a horizontal extension configured to define a top surface of the upper casing; and
a hook provided on the horizontal extension to be supported on an inner casing of the storage space, and
wherein the hook comprises:
a vertical hook configured to protrude upward from the horizontal extension; and
a horizontal hook configured to extend backward from the vertical hook.

13. The refrigerator according to claim 11 , further comprising:
an inner casing that defines an upwardly recessed space and the storage space, and
a mounting cover to which an upper end of the upper casing is fixed.

14. A refrigerator comprising:
a cabinet that defines a freezing compartment;
a door provided at a front side of the cabinet and configured to open and close the freezing compartment; and
an ice maker provided in the freezing compartment and configured to make ice,
wherein the ice maker comprises:
an upper tray that defines an upper chamber,
an upper casing mounted on a top surface of the freezing compartment and configured to support the upper tray,
a lower tray that defines a lower chamber and that is configured to rotate relative to the upper tray and be in contact with the upper tray to thereby define an ice chamber with the upper chamber and the lower chamber,
a driver configured to rotate the lower tray, and
a lower ejector disposed at the upper casing and configured to press an end of the lower chamber based on rotation of the lower tray to the lower ejector,

wherein the lower ejector comprises a lower ejecting pin that comprises (i) a rod that is configured to extend toward and face the end of the lower chamber and (ii) a head that is disposed at an extending end of the rod and configured to contact the lower tray,
wherein the head comprises:
a head upper portion that defines an upper portion of the head, and
a head lower portion disposed below the head upper portion, and

wherein the head upper portion is configured to protrude further toward the end of the lower chamber relative to the head lower portion.

15. The refrigerator according to claim 14 , wherein the upper casing comprises:
a horizontal extension disposed above the upper tray; and
a perimeter portion extending downward from the horizontal extension and provided with an ejector mounted portion on which the lower ejector is installed.

16. The refrigerator according to claim 14 , further comprising a lower support which is configured to support the lower tray and in which a lower opening is defined,
wherein the lower ejector passes through the lower opening to press the end of the lower tray when the lower tray is rotated.

17. The refrigerator according to claim 16 , further comprising:
an upper ejector configured to press the upper chamber of the upper tray; and
a link configured to connect the lower support to the upper ejector and transm

Assignees

• Lg Electronics Inc

Inventors

• Kim Yonghyun
• Park Hyunji
• Hong Jinil

Classifications

• F25D2317/067

  characterised by air ducts · CPC title

• F25D23/12

  Arrangements of compartments additional to cooling compartments; Combinations of refrigerators with other equipment, e.g. stove · CPC title

• F25C2400/14

  Water supply · CPC title

• F25C2400/10

  Refrigerator units · CPC title

• F25C2305/022

  Harvesting ice including rotating or tilting or pivoting of a mould or tray · CPC title