Refrigerator

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12449175-B2
Application number	US-202418402314-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 2, 2024
Priority date	Oct 2, 2018
Publication date	Oct 21, 2025
Grant date	Oct 21, 2025

Abstract

A refrigerator includes a first tray assembly defining a portion of an ice making cell, a second tray assembly defining another portion of the ice making cell, a heater disposed adjacent to at least one of the first and second tray assemblies, and a controller configured to control the heater. The refrigerator further includes a pusher having a first edge pressing the ice or at least one of the first and second tray assemblies to separate the ice from the tray assemblies, a bar extending from the first edge, and a second edge disposed at the end of the bar. The second tray assembly includes a first coupling part connected to the pusher and a second coupling part connected to the driver. The controller moves at least one of the pusher and the second tray assembly to change a relative position between the pusher and the second tray assembly.

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 a cell;
a second tray including a second surface configured to form a second portion of the cell, the first portion and the second portion being configured to define a space formed by the cell, wherein liquid is configured to be phase-changed into ice in the space;
a tray supporter configured to support the second tray;
a driver that moves the second tray relative to the first tray such that the second tray contacts the first tray to form the space of the cell in an ice making process, and that moves the second tray relative to the first tray such that the second tray is spaced from the first tray in an ice separation process to remove the ice from the first and second trays;
a pusher including a column having a surface configured to separate the ice from the first tray; and
a link configured to connect the pusher to the tray supporter,
wherein the tray supporter includes a link connection part to which the link is coupled and a driver connection part to which the driver is coupled,
wherein the tray supporter includes a support body including an accommodation space in which a portion of the second tray is accommodated, and an extension wall extending from the support body and having the link connection part,
wherein the tray supporter includes a pair of the link connection parts and a pair of the driver connection parts, and
wherein each of the pair of driver connection parts is spaced apart from each of the pair of link connections parts.

2. The ice maker of claim 1 , wherein
the pair of link connection parts are protruded from the extension wall.

3. The ice maker of claim 2 , wherein the pair of driver connection parts extend from the extension wall.

4. The ice maker of claim 1 , wherein when the second tray is positioned at an ice making position, at least a portion of each of the driver connection parts is positioned higher than each of the pair of the link connection parts.

5. The ice maker of claim 1 , wherein the tray supporter further includes a spring coupling part to which a spring is coupled.

6. The ice maker of claim 5 , wherein the spring coupling part is configured to be hooked with an end of the spring, or
when the second tray is positioned at an ice making position, the spring coupling part is spaced apart from each of the pair of the link connection parts in a vertical direction.

7. The ice maker of claim 5 , wherein when the second tray is positioned at an ice making position, each of the pair of the link connection parts is positioned closer to the first portion of the cell than the spring connection part.

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 assembly having a first portion of a cell;
a second tray assembly having a second portion of the cell, the first portion and the second portion being configured to define a space formed by the cell; and
a driver configured to move the second tray assembly relative to the first tray assembly between:
a first position where the first tray assembly contacts the second tray assembly to form the space, and a liquid in the space is phase-changed into ice, and
a second position where the first tray assembly and at least a portion of the second tray assembly are spaced apart from such that the ice can be separated from the first and second tray assemblies; and

a connection coupling configured to connect the driver to the second tray assembly,
a pusher including a surface configured to separate the ice from the first tray assembly; and
a link configured to connect the pusher to the second tray assembly,
wherein a first end of a spring is connected to the connection coupling,
wherein the second tray assembly includes:
a link connection part to which the link is coupled,
a driver connection part to which the connection coupling is coupled, and
a spring coupling part to which a second end of the spring is coupled and which is spaced apart from the connection coupling, and

wherein when the second tray assembly is positioned at the first position, at least a portion of the driver connection part is positioned higher than the link connection part.

10. The ice maker of claim 9 , wherein the link connection part includes a protrusion that extends from the second tray assembly.

11. The ice maker of claim 9 , wherein the driver connection part includes a pair of driver connection protrusions that extend from the second tray assembly.

12. The ice maker of claim 9 , wherein the spring coupling part is configured to be hooked with the second end of the spring.

13. The ice maker of claim 9 , wherein
the second tray assembly includes a second tray having the second portion of the cell, and a tray supporter configured to accommodate a portion of the second tray, and
the link connection part, the driver connection part, and the spring coupling part are provided on the tray supporter.

14. The ice maker of claim 9 , wherein when the second tray assembly is positioned at the first position, the link connection part, the driver connection part, and the spring coupling part are spaced apart from each other in a vertical direction.

15. The ice maker of claim 9 , wherein when the second tray assembly is positioned at the first position, at least a portion of the driver connection part is positioned higher than the spring connection part.

16. The ice maker of claim 9 , wherein when the second tray assembly is positioned at the first position, the link connection part is positioned closer to the first portion of the cell than the spring connection part, or
a first distance between the link connection part and the spring connection part is different from a second distance between the link connection part and the driver connection part.

17. The ice maker of claim 16 , wherein the first distance is greater than the second distance.

18. 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.

19. An ice maker comprising:
a first tray assembly including a first tray having a first portion of a cell;
a second tray assembly including a second tray having a second portion of the cell, the first portion and the second portion being configured to define a space formed by the cell; and
a driver configured to move the second tray assembly relative to the first tray assembly between:
a first position where the first tray contacts the second tray to form the space, and a liquid in the space is phase-changed into ice, and
a second position where the first tray and the second tray are spaced apart from such that the ice can be separated from the first and second trays;

a pusher including a column configured to separate the ice from the first tray;
a link configured to connect the pusher to the second tray assembly; and
an arm connected to a first end of a spring,
wherein the second tray assembly further includes:
a second tray supporter configured to support the second tray, and
a second tray cover configured to surround the second tray and having a portion positioned closer to the first portion of the cell than the second tray supporter, and

wherein the second tray supporter comprises:
a link connection part to which

Assignees

• Lg Electronics Inc

Inventors

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

Classifications

• F25C2600/04

  Control means · CPC title

• F25C2400/10

  Refrigerator units · CPC title

• F25C2400/06

  Multiple ice moulds or trays therefor · CPC title

• F25C1/243

  Moulds made of plastics e.g. silicone · CPC title

• F25C1/18

  of a particular transparency or translucency, e.g. by injecting air · CPC title