Ice-making device for refrigerator

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9228769-B2
Application number	US-201314094500-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 2, 2013
Priority date	Mar 23, 2006
Publication date	Jan 5, 2016
Grant date	Jan 5, 2016

Abstract

A refrigerator includes a main body having a storage chamber, a door provided to the main body, including an outer door and a door liner. The door liner includes support steps, a liner plate, and a seating step that define an installation space. An ice maker is located at least partially in the installation space. A cold air duct is provided in one side of the storage chamber to supply the ice maker with cold air. An ice maker cover is provided having a cold air inlet on a top portion thereof and a viewing window on a lower portion thereof. The viewing window allows the ice maker to be seen from outside of the ice maker cover. An ice bank is removably located below the ice maker to transfer ice received from the ice maker to a dispenser.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A refrigerator, comprising:
a main body having a storage chamber;
a door provided to the main body to selectively open or close the storage chamber, the door including:
an outer door defining a front external appearance of the door; and
a door liner defining a rear external appearance of the door, the door liner including:
support steps vertically extending along both sides of the door liner;
a liner plate interconnecting the support steps; and
a seating step horizontally extending from the door liner, wherein the liner plate, the support steps and the seating step define an installation space;

a seating member located at least partially in the installation space, the seating member being fastened to and separable from the door liner, the seating member including:
a front plate overlying a portion of the liner plate and coupled to the door liner to define the installation space; and
a bottom plate formed at a lower portion of the front plate and overlying a portion of the seating step to define the installation space;

an ice maker installed on the front plate;
an ice bank detachably mounted on the bottom plate below the ice maker; and
catching members respectively formed on an upper portion and a lower portion of the seating member to prevent the ice bank from being detached inadvertently from the installation space,
wherein an upper portion of the ice bank is caught to the catching member on the upper portion of the seating member when the ice bank is installed in the installation space.

2. The refrigerator according to claim 1 , wherein the ice bank is configured to be detached from the installation space by a rotating motion.

3. The refrigerator according to claim 2 , wherein the catching member on the upper portion of the seating member includes at least one catching rib provided on the front plate.

4. The refrigerator according to claim 3 , wherein an upper end of a rear side of the ice bank is caught to the catching rib.

5. The refrigerator according to claim 3 , wherein the catching rib is formed to horizontally extend from the front plate.

6. The refrigerator according to claim 3 , wherein an upper end of a rear side of the ice bank is lower than an upper end of a front side of the ice bank to be caught to the catching rib.

7. The refrigerator according to claim 2 , wherein the catching member on the lower portion of the seating member includes at least one catching protrusion protruding on the bottom plate.

8. The refrigerator according to claim 7 , further comprising at least one catching recess formed in an underside of the ice bank to receive the catching protrusion when the ice bank is installed in the installation space.

9. The refrigerator according to claim 8 , wherein the catching protrusion is separated from the catching rib when the ice bank is rotated.

10. The refrigerator according to claim 9 , wherein the ice bank is detached from the installation space by a rotating motion in a state where the catching protrusion is separated from the catching recess.

11. The refrigerator according to claim 2 , further comprising a rounded portion at the lower end of the rear side of the ice bank to allow the ice bank to be easily rotated when the ice bank is installed in or detached from the installation space.

12. The refrigerator according to claim 11 , further comprising a rounded portion formed on the door liner at a position corresponding to the rounded portion of the ice bank when the ice bank is installed in the installation space.

13. The refrigerator according to claim 1 , wherein a rear side of the ice bank is spaced apart from the front side of the installation space by a predetermined distance when the ice bank is installed in the installation space.

14. The refrigerator according to claim 1 , further comprising:
an ice maker cover installed above the ice maker and having a cold air introduction hole on a top portion thereof; and
a cold air duct provided in one side of the storage chamber to supply the ice maker with cold air.

15. The refrigerator according to claim 14 , wherein the front plate further comprises;
a pair of cold air guides vertically extending and laterally spaced apart from each other by a predetermined distance, in order to guide a portion of the cold air to the ice bank therethrough; and
a pair of fastening holes respectively formed in the pair of cold air guides.

16. The refrigerator according to claim 15 , further comprising:
a pair of mounting brackets provided on a side of the ice maker;
a pair of through holes formed in the pair of mounting brackets,
wherein the ice maker is mounted on the front plate of the seating member in such a manner that coupling members pass through the through holes and inserted in the fastening holes.

17. The refrigerator according to claim 14 , further comprising a plurality of blades formed in the cold air introduction hole to guide the cold air supplied from the cold air duct to the ice maker.

18. The refrigerator according to claim 17 , wherein each of the plurality of blades is inclined at a predetermined angle to guide the cold air toward the ice maker.

19. The refrigerator according to claim 18 , wherein the inclination angles of the blades are differently established depending on respective distances from the ice maker.

20. The refrigerator according to claim 19 , wherein the inclination angles of the blades with respect to vertical axis are configured to increase as the blades are farther away from the ice maker.

21. The refrigerator according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a pair of support steps facing each other, the pair of support steps formed in such a manner that both side ends of the door liner protrudes a predetermined length and extends vertically; and
a seating step formed in such a manner that a portion of the door liner between the pair of support steps protrudes a predetermined length.

22. The refrigerator according to claim 21 , further comprising a dispenser formed on a front side of the door to enable a user to take out water or ice.

23. The refrigerator according to claim 22 , further comprising:
an ice feeding opening formed in an underside of the ice bank;
communication holes respectively formed in the bottom plate and the seating step,
wherein the ice feeding opening and the communication holes are configured to communicate with each other, to supply ice in the ice bank to the dispenser.

24. The refrigerator according to claim 21 , wherein the seating member comprises side plates defining the installation space.

25. The refrigerator according to claim 24 , further comprising:
fixing recesses formed in the side plates; and
fixing protrusions formed on the support steps and inserted in the fixing recesses, respectively.

Assignees

• Lg Electronics Inc

Inventors

• Kim Myung-Soo
• Park Yoo-Min
• Kwon Oh-Chul
• Kim Jong-Gon
• Koo Bon-Young
• Gwak Young-Hoon
• Cho Hyeon-Po

Classifications

• F25D2317/0666

  from the freezer · CPC title

• F25D2317/061

  through special compartments · CPC title

• F25C2400/10

  Refrigerator units · CPC title

• F25D2317/0665

  from the top · CPC title

• F25D2317/062

  along the inside of doors · CPC title