Refrigerator

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12339050-B2
Application number	US-202418409336-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 10, 2024
Priority date	Oct 2, 2018
Publication date	Jun 24, 2025
Grant date	Jun 24, 2025

Abstract

A refrigerator may include a first tray assembly forming a part of an ice making cell, a second tray assembly forming another part of the ice making cell, a heater provided adjacent to at least one of the first or second tray assemblies, a driver connected to the second tray assembly, and a control unit to control the heater and the driver.The driving unit includes a cam capable of being connected to the second tray assembly, and a path in which a lever moves is formed inside the cam.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An ice maker comprising:
a first tray including a first surface configured to form a first portion of at least one cell;
a first tray cover formed as a separate component to the first tray and in contact with a first region of the first tray;
a first tray supporter formed as a separate component to the first tray and in contact with a second region of the first tray;
a second tray including a second surface configured to form a second portion of the at least one cell, the first portion of the at least one cell and the second portion of the at least one cell being configured to define a space to form ice; and
at least one heater configured to provide heat to the at least one cell and positioned outside of the at least one cell.

2. The ice maker of claim 1 , wherein a portion of the first tray passes through the first tray supporter.

3. The ice maker of claim 1 , wherein the first tray cover includes a plate in contact with the first tray.

4. The ice maker of claim 1 , wherein the first tray cover includes a plurality of couplers that couple the first tray to the first tray supporter.

5. The ice maker of claim 1 , wherein the first tray cover includes a wire guide configured to guide a wire connected to one of the at least one heater.

6. The ice maker of claim 1 , wherein the first tray cover includes an opening.

7. The ice maker of claim 1 , further comprising a heater case on which one of the at least one heater is seated and integrally formed with the first tray cover.

8. A refrigerator having the ice maker of claim 1 , wherein the refrigerator includes a cabinet having a storage space and a door, and the ice maker is provided in the storage space or the door.

9. An ice maker comprising:
a first tray including a first surface configured to form a first portion of at least one cell;
a first tray cover formed as a separate component to the first tray and in contact with the first tray;
at least one heater configured to provide heat to the at least one cell and positioned outside of the at least one cell;
a second tray including a second surface configured to form a second portion of the at least one cell, the first portion of the at least one cell and the second portion of the at least one cell being configured to define a space in which ice is formed, and the second tray being movable with respect to the first tray; and
a pusher including a surface to apply a force on at least one of the ice, the first tray, or the second tray to separate the ice from the first tray or the second tray,
wherein the first tray cover includes an opening through which a portion of the pusher passes in an ice separation process.

10. The ice maker of claim 9 , wherein the first tray cover includes a plate in contact with the first tray.

11. The ice maker of claim 9 , further comprising at least one heater configured to provide heat to the at least one cell and positioned outside of the at least one cell,
wherein the first tray cover includes a wire guide configured to guide a wire connected to the at least one heater.

12. The ice maker of claim 9 , further comprising at least one heater configured to provide heat to the at least one cell and positioned outside of the at least one cell, and
a heater case on which one of the at least one heater is seated and that is integrally formed with the first tray cover.

13. The ice maker of claim 12 , wherein the pusher is configured to pass through the heater case.

14. A refrigerator having the ice maker of claim 9 , wherein the refrigerator includes a cabinet having a storage space and a door, and the ice maker is provided in the storage space or the door.

15. An ice maker comprising:
a first tray including a first surface configured to form a first portion of at least one cell;
a first tray cover formed as a separate component to the first tray and in contact with the first tray;
a second tray including a second surface configured to form a second portion of the at least one cell, the first portion of the at least one cell and the second portion of the at least one cell being configured to define a space formed by the cell, and
at least one heater configured to provide heat to the at least one cell and positioned outside of the at least one cell,
wherein
a degree of deformation resistance of a portion of the first tray cover is greater than a degree of deformation resistance of the first tray, and
a degree of restoration of the portion of the first tray cover is less than a degree of restoration of the first tray.

16. The ice maker of claim 15 , further comprising a column configured contact at least one of the first tray, the second tray, or ice in the at least one cell to separate the ice from the at least one cell in an ice separation process,
wherein the column passes through the first tray cover in the ice separation process.

17. The ice maker of claim 15 , further comprising a heater case on which one of the at least one heater is seated and integrally formed with the first tray cover.

18. The ice maker of claim 15 , further comprising a first tray supporter formed as a separate component to the first tray and positioned to be in contact with the first tray.

19. The ice maker of claim 18 , wherein a portion of the first tray passes through the first tray supporter.

20. A refrigerator having the ice maker of claim 15 , wherein the refrigerator includes a cabinet having a storage space and a door, and the ice maker is provided in the storage space or the door.

Assignees

• Lg Electronics Inc

Inventors

• Lee Donghoon
• Lee Wookyong
• Yeom Seungseob
• Lee Donghoon
• Bae Yongjun
• Son Sunggyun
• Park Chongyoung

Classifications

• F25C2700/14

  Temperature of water · CPC title

• F25C2600/04

  Control means · CPC title

• F25C2400/14

  Water supply · CPC title

• F25C2400/10

  Refrigerator units · CPC title

• F25C5/08

  by heating bodies in contact with the ice · CPC title