Refrigerator comprising fixing part

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12449176-B2
Application number	US-202418412125-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 12, 2024
Priority date	Nov 16, 2018
Publication date	Oct 21, 2025
Grant date	Oct 21, 2025

Abstract

A refrigerator of the present invention comprises: a cabinet having a freezer chamber, and an ice maker provided in the freezer chamber, wherein the ice maker includes a tray for forming an ice chamber, and a case for supporting the tray, the case includes a fixing part to be fixed to walls for forming the freezer chamber or a housing fixed to the walls, and the fixing part includes an inclined surface so that the case forms a slope at the walls or the housing.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A refrigerator comprising:
a cabinet that defines a storage space;
a fixed part that faces the storage space;
a door configured to open and close at least a portion of the storage space; and
an ice maker provided in the storage space and coupled to the fixed part,
wherein the ice maker comprises:
a tray configured to define an ice chamber, and
a case coupled to the tray and configured to couple the ice maker to the fixed part, and

wherein the case comprises a first plate, and the tray is configured to be fixed to the first plate, and
wherein the first plate is disposed in an inclined state with respect to a surface of the fixed part such that the tray is substantially horizontal with respect to a ground.

2. The refrigerator of claim 1 , wherein the fixed part is (i) an upper wall defining the storage space or (ii) a housing that is fixed to the upper wall.

3. The refrigerator of claim 2 , wherein the case further comprises:
an extension part that protrudes from the first plate and that horizontally extends along the upper wall; and
a fixing part disposed at the extension part and configured to mount the extension part to the fixed part such that the extension part is disposed in the inclined state with respect to the upper wall.

4. The refrigerator of claim 3 , wherein the fixing part comprises one or more screw coupling parts that define a recess configured to receive a screw.

5. The refrigerator of claim 2 , wherein the case further comprises:
an extension part that protrudes from the first plate and that extends upwardly toward the upper wall; and
a fixing part disposed at the extension part and configured to couple to the fixed part such that the first plate of the case is disposed in the inclined state with respect to the upper wall.

6. The refrigerator of claim 5 , wherein the fixing part comprises:
one or more coupling hooks that protrude upwardly from a side surface of the extension part and that are bent in a first direction; and
one or more coupling guides that protrude laterally from the side surface of the extension part and that are bent in a second direction different from the first direction.

7. The refrigerator of claim 2 , wherein the case further comprises:
a first extension part that protrudes from the first plate and that extends upwardly toward the upper wall;
a second extension part that protrudes from the first extension part and that extends horizontally along the upper wall; and
a fixing part that is disposed at at least one of the first extension part or the second extension part, the fixing part being configured to couple the case to the fixed part such that the first plate of the case is disposed in the inclined state with respect to the upper wall.

8. The refrigerator of claim 7 , wherein the tray comprises (i) an upper tray configured to define an upper portion of the ice chamber and (ii) a lower tray configured to define a lower portion of the ice chamber,
wherein the case comprises an upper case configured to support the upper tray, and
wherein the fixing part is disposed at the upper case.

9. A refrigerator comprising:
a cabinet that defines a storage space;
a fixed part that faces the storage space;
a door configured to open and close at least a portion of the storage space; and
an ice maker provided in the storage space and coupled to the fixed part,
wherein the ice maker comprises:
a tray configured to define an ice chamber, and
a case coupled to the tray and configured to couple the ice maker to the fixed part,

wherein the case comprises:
a first plate that is configured to fix the tray and that is disposed in an inclined state with respect to a surface of the fixed part,
a fixing part comprising an inclined surface that defines the inclined state of the first plate with respect to the surface of the fixed part, and

wherein a height of the inclined surface with respect to the first plate varies in a front direction toward the door.

10. The refrigerator of claim 9 , wherein the case further comprises:
a first extension part that protrudes from the first plate and that extends upwardly toward the surface of the fixed part;
a second extension part that protrudes from the first extension part and that extends horizontally along the surface of the fixed part, and
wherein the fixing part is disposed at at least one of the first extension part or the second extension part.

11. The refrigerator of claim 10 , wherein the case further comprises side circumferential wall that extends upward from an edge of the second extension part, and
wherein at least a portion of an upper surface of the side circumferential wall is inclined with respect to the second extension part such that a height of at least a portion of the side circumferential wall varies in the front direction.

12. The refrigerator of claim 10 , wherein the fixing part comprises:
a first fixing part disposed at the first extension part and configured to couple to the fixed part; and
a second fixing part disposed at the second extension part and configured to couple the case to the fixed part.

13. The refrigerator of claim 12 , wherein the fixing part further comprises a third fixing part that protrudes laterally from a side surface of the second extension part and that comprises an inclined portion inclined with respect to the second extension part.

14. The refrigerator of claim 12 , wherein the second fixing part comprises one or more screw coupling parts that each define a recess configured to receive a screw, and
wherein the first fixing part comprises one or more coupling hooks that protrude laterally from a side surface of the first extension part.

15. An ice maker configured to be disposed in a housing that defines a storage space, the ice maker comprising:
a tray configured to define an ice chamber; and
a case coupled to the tray and configured to couple the ice maker to the housing,
wherein the case comprises a first plate, and the tray is configured to be fixed to the first plate, and
wherein the first plate is disposed in an inclined state with respect to a surface of the housing such that the tray is substantially horizontal with respect to a ground.

16. The ice maker of claim 15 , wherein the case further comprises:
a fixing part comprising an inclined surface that defines the inclined state of the first plate with respect to the surface of the housing, and
wherein a height of the inclined surface with respect to the first plate increases toward a front side of the housing.

17. The ice maker of claim 15 , wherein the case further comprises:
a first extension part that protrudes from the first plate and that extends upwardly toward the surface of the housing;
a second extension part that protrudes from the first extension part and that extends horizontally along the surface of the housing; and
a fixing part that is disposed at at least one of the first extension part or the second extension part and that defines the inclined state of the first plate with respect to the surface of the housing.

18. The ice maker of claim 16 , wherein the tray comprises (i) an upper tray configured to define an upper portion of the ice chamber and (ii) a lower tray configured to define a lower portion of the ice chamber,
wherein the case comprises an upper case configured to support the upper tray, and
wherein the fixing part is disposed at the upper case.

19. The ice maker of claim 17 , wherein the fixing part comprises:
a first fixing part disposed a

Assignees

• Lg Electronics Inc

Inventors

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

Classifications

• F25C2400/14

  Water supply · CPC title

• F25C2400/10

  Refrigerator units · CPC title

• F25C5/08

  by heating bodies in contact with the ice · CPC title

• F25C1/18

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

• F25D23/067

  Supporting elements · CPC title