Refrigerator

This application is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No. 18/124,369, filed on Mar. 21, 2023, which is a continuation application under 35 U.S.C. § 111(a) of international Application No. PCT/KR2021/013397, filed on Sep. 29, 2021, which claims priority to Korean Patent Application No. 10-2020-0142254, filed on Oct. 29, 2020, the disclosures of which are incorporated by reference herein in their entireties.

The present disclosure relates to a refrigerator, and more particularly, to a refrigerator including an improved ice making assembly.

In general, a refrigerator is a device for cooling and storing food using a refrigeration cycle composed of a compressor, a condenser, an expansion valve, and an evaporator. An ice maker configured to make ice may be provided inside the refrigerator.

The ice maker includes an ice-making tray for making ice, an ejector for separating ice from the ice-making tray, an ice bucket for storing the ice separated from the ice-making tray, and a controller for controlling the entire ice-making process. Accordingly, the ice may be automatically produced and separated.

In this case, an ice maker that is not a pressing type may be provided with an open upper side so as to make ice having one flat surface. When the ice is made, adjacent ices are adhered to each other, and thus it is difficult to make ice in a certain size or shape.

Further, in the pressing type ice maker, a plurality of trays may form an ice making cell. The plurality of trays may be separated vertically and one tray may be rotationally coupled to another tray.

In this case, because the ice bucket is not provided in a rotation radius of the tray, an ice storage capacity may be reduced. In addition, remaining water may permeate into gaps between the plurality of trays, and thus the shape of the ice may not be neat and a large number of crumbs may be generated.

Aspects of embodiments of the disclosure will be set forth in part in the description which follows and, in part, will be apparent from the description, or may be learned by practice of the presented embodiments.

According to an embodiment of the disclosure, a refrigerator may include a storage compartment; a water supplier to supply water received from an external water supply source; an ice-making housing in the storage compartment; a first tray disposed in the ice-making housing and including a first ice-making cell, and a first sealing portion formed along an edge of the first ice-making cell; and a second tray including a second ice-making cell, and a second sealing portion formed along an edge of the second ice-making cell. The first tray and the second tray may be configured so that the second tray is movable horizontally with respect to the first tray to engage with the first tray and couple the first ice-making cell to the second ice-making cell, and while the second tray is engaged with the first tray, the second sealing portion overlaps the first sealing portion to prevent leakage from the first ice-making cell and the second ice-making cell, the first ice-making cell forms a first portion of ice with water supplied from the water supplier, and the second ice-making cell forms a second portion of the ice with the water supplied from the water supplier.

According to an embodiment of the disclosure, the first sealing portion includes a recess recessed inward from an outer circumferential surface of the first tray, and the second sealing portion includes a protrusion extending outward from an inner circumferential surface of the second tray and configured to be mountable on the recess to maintain a seal between the first tray and the second tray.

According to an embodiment of the disclosure, the refrigerator further includes a cover frame coupled to the ice-making housing; a first case formed on one surface of the cover frame to receive the first tray; and a second case configured to be moved inside the cover frame, and to receive the second tray.

According to an embodiment of the disclosure, the refrigerator further includes a rack gear connected to the second case and configured to be moved relative to the cover frame, wherein the second case is moved horizontally with respect to the cover frame in conjunction with a movement of the rack gear.

According to an embodiment of the disclosure, the refrigerator further includes a driver configured to generate power; and a pinion configured to be rotated according to the drive of the driver; wherein the pinion and the rack gear are engaged to convert a rotational motion of the driver into a linear motion.

According to an embodiment of the disclosure, the refrigerator further includes an elastic member to connect the rack gear to the second case, wherein in response to the rack gear being maximally moved in a direction in which the second case moves toward the first case, the elastic member is tensioned and airtightness between the second case and the first case is maintained by an elastic restoring force.

According to an embodiment of the disclosure, the refrigerator further includes a first ejector including a pressing portion, wherein the first case includes a through hole formed to correspond to a position of the ice-making cell, and the pressing portion is configured to pass through the through hole so as to press the first tray.

According to an embodiment of the disclosure, the first ejector includes a body configured to support the pressing portion, and a leg extending from each of opposite ends of the body and inserted into respective side portions of the cover frame, the second case includes a protrusion extending from each of opposite ends of the second case to be respectively received in the legs, and in response to the second case being moved in a direction away from the first case, the protrusions interfere with the legs, and the first ejector is moved in a direction closer to the first case such that the pressing portion presses the first tray.

According to an embodiment of the disclosure, the refrigerator further includes a second ejector fixed to one side of the cover frame and including a pressing portion extending toward the second case, wherein in response to the second case being moved in a direction away from the first case, the pressing portion of the second ejector passes through the second case so as to press the second tray.

According to an embodiment of the disclosure, the ice-making cells of the first tray and the second tray are each configured in a semi-spherical shape.

According to an embodiment of the disclosure, the refrigerator further includes a cover frame coupled to an inside of the ice making housing; and a water path configured on an upper surface of the cover frame to guide the water supplied from the water supplier to flow into the first tray and the second tray, wherein a plurality of ice-making cells are formed in the first tray and the second tray.

According to an embodiment of the disclosure, the water path includes a plurality of flow paths to equally supply water to each of the plurality of ice-making cells of the first tray and the second tray.

According to an embodiment of the disclosure, the refrigerator controls the water supplier to allow water to be divided and supplied in stages according to a water level of the plurality of ice-making cells.

According to an embodiment of the disclosure, the water path includes a single flow path to guide the water to only one ice-making cell among the plurality of ice-making cells, and each of the plurality of ice-making cells is configured to have a height difference so that the water overflows the one ice-making cell among the plurality of ice-making cells to sequentially fill the remaining ice-making cells among the plurality of ice-making cells with the water.

According to an embodiment of the disclosure, the water path includes a single flow path to guide the water to only one ice-making cell among the plurality of ice-making cells, and the first tray and the second tray include a connection flow path provided to allow the water, which is supplied to the one ice-making cell, to flow to an adjacent ice-making cell among the plurality of ice-making cells.

Embodiments described in the disclosure and configurations shown in the drawings are merely examples of the embodiments of the disclosure, and may be modified in various different ways at the time of filing of the present application to replace the embodiments and drawings of the disclosure.

In addition, the same reference numerals or signs shown in the drawings of the disclosure indicate elements or components performing substantially the same function.

Also, the terms used herein are used to describe the embodiments and are not intended to limit and/or restrict the disclosure. The singular forms “a,” “an” and “the” are intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. In this disclosure, the terms “including”, “having”, and the like are used to specify features, numbers, steps, operations, elements, components, or combinations thereof, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more of the features, elements, steps, operations, elements, components, or combinations thereof.

It will be understood that, although the terms first, second, third, etc., may be used herein to describe various elements, but elements are not limited by these terms. These terms are only used to distinguish one element from another element. For example, without departing from the scope of the disclosure, a first element may be termed as a second element, and a second element may be termed as a first element. The term of “and/or” includes a plurality of combinations of relevant items or any one item among a plurality of relevant items.

In the following detailed description, the terms of “up and down direction”, “lower side”, “front and rear direction” and the like may be defined by the drawings, but the shape and the location of the component is not limited by the term.

Embodiments of the disclosure may be directed to providing a refrigerator including an improved structure in which a plurality of trays are movable to be in horizontal contact with each other to make ice. Embodiments of the disclosure may be directed to providing a refrigerator including a sealing portion to maintain a seal between a plurality of horizontally coupled trays when ice is formed. Embodiments of the disclosure may be directed to providing a refrigerator capable of increasing a transparency of ice to be formed.

An ice storage space under a plurality of trays may be increased because the plurality of trays are horizontally coupled to each other and separated from each other. By increasing airtightness between a plurality of trays, it is possible to form ice in a neat sphere shape and to minimize crumbs of the ice. By supplying water step by step according to a water level in an ice making cell, it is possible to ensure transparency of ice.

Hereinafter embodiments of the disclosure will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

is a perspective view of a refrigerator according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.is an enlarged view of some components of the refrigerator according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

Referring to, a refrigeratormay include a main body, a storage compartmentprovided inside the main body, and a door configured to open and close the storage compartment.

A bottom mount freezer (BMF) refrigerator, in which a refrigerating compartmentis provided at an upper side and a freezing compartmentis provided at a lower side, will be described as an example of the refrigeratoraccording to one embodiment of the present disclosure. However, the present disclosure is not limited thereto, but may be applied to various types of refrigeratorssuch as a top mount freezer (TMF) refrigerator, a French door (FDR) refrigerator, a 4DOOR type refrigerator, and a side-by-side (SBS) refrigerator.

The storage compartmentmay include the refrigerating compartmentand the freezing compartment.

At least one shelffor loading food or goods may be installed inside the refrigerating compartment. In addition, a storage container (not shown) for storing fresh foods may be provided inside the refrigerating compartment.

The refrigerating compartmentmay be opened and closed by a refrigerating compartment door, and the refrigerating compartment doormay be rotatably mounted on the main body. The refrigerating compartment doormay be configured to open and close an open front surface of the refrigerating compartment. The refrigerating compartment dooris hinged to the main bodyso as to be rotatable forward.

The freezing compartmentmay be opened and closed by a freezing compartment door. The freezing compartment doormay be rotatably mounted on the main body. The freezing compartment dooris configured to open and close an open front surface of the freezing compartment. The freezing compartment dooris hinged to the main bodyso as to be rotatable forward.

Door guardsfor storing objects may be installed on inner surfaces of the refrigerating compartment doorand the freezing compartment door. The door guardmay be provided in plurality.

The inside of the refrigeratormay be cooled by a refrigeration cycle and maintained at a low temperature. Although not particularly shown, the refrigeration cycle may be configured to independently supply a refrigerant to the refrigerating compartmentand the freezing compartment. The refrigeratormay include a compressor configured to compress a refrigerant and a condenser configured to condense the compressed refrigerant, and thus the refrigerant condensed in the condenser may be supplied along a flow path.

The refrigeratormay include a mounting frame. The mounting framemay be coupled to an inner caseof the freezing compartment.

An ice making assembly(shown in) for making ice using cold air in the freezing compartmentmay be disposed on one side of the freezing compartment. In addition, an ice bucketprovided to store ice formed by the ice making assemblymay be mounted on the mounting frame.

illustrates a state in which an ice making housingand the ice bucketare arranged in the freezing compartmentwithout the mounting frame.

The ice making assemblymay be accommodated inside the ice making housingand the ice making housingmay be mounted on the mounting frame. That is, the ice making housingand the ice bucketmay be mounted on the mounting frame.

The refrigeratormay include a water supplier. The water suppliermay be configured to receive water from an external water supply source and deliver the water. Particularly, the water suppliermay be provided to receive water from the outside and deliver the water to the inside of the ice making assembly. The water suppliermay pass through the inner caseof the refrigeratorand communicate with the storage compartment. Accordingly, a portion of the water suppliermay be embedded in a heat insulating material, and only one end of the water suppliermay be exposed to the storage compartmentof the refrigerator.

is a view of an ice making assembly of the refrigerator according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.is an exploded perspective view of the ice making assembly of.

Referring to, the ice making assemblymay include a cover frame. The cover framemay be provided to be coupled to the ice making housinginside the ice-making housing(refer to). The cover framemay be provided in a box shape in which one side surface and a lower surface are open.

The ice making assemblymay include a water path. The water pathmay be mounted on one side of the cover frame. Particularly, the water pathmay be mounted on an upper surface of the cover frame. The water pathmay be provided to allow water, which is supplied from the water supplier, to flow to the inside of the cover frame. In other words, the water pathmay be provided to allow water, which is supplied from the water supplier, to flow to an inside of a first trayand a second tray.

The ice making assemblymay include a first caseformed on the cover frame, and the first tray, a first fixing frame, and a first heating wirethat are accommodated in the first case.

The first casemay be formed on one surface of the cover frame. The first casemay be integrally formed with the cover frame, but may be provided as a separate member and then coupled to one surface of the cover frame.