Refrigerator

The present application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. 119 of Korean Patent Application No. 10-2024-0082777, filed on Jun. 25, 2024, in the Republic of Korea, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.

The present disclosure relates to a refrigerator.

In general, a refrigerator is a home appliance that allows food to be stored at low temperatures in an internal storage space shielded by a door. Additionally, the refrigerator cools the storage space with cold air generated using a refrigeration cycle, allowing stored food to be stored in a refrigerated or frozen state.

The refrigerators are trending toward becoming more advanced and larger, and are equipped with various devices to improve convenience of use. Typically, a refrigerator may be equipped with an ice maker that automatically creates and stores ice.

Additionally, ice made in ice makers may have various shapes, and recently, ice makers that make spherical ice have been developed.

However, the ice maker that makes spherical ice consists of multiple components for ice-making and ice-separation, so the ice maker is bulky and has limitations in installation location, which causes a loss of storage space.

An object of an embodiment of the present disclosure is to provide a refrigerator that facilitates the flow of cold air to an ice maker provided inside the door.

An object of an embodiment of the present disclosure is to provide a refrigerator in which a structure for cold air flow, water supply, and ice extraction to an ice maker is integrated.

An object of an embodiment of the present disclosure is to provide a refrigerator that prevents water leakage to the outside of the ice tray when water is supplied for ice-making.

A refrigerator according to an embodiment of the present disclosure includes a cabinet provided with an evaporator and having a storage space; a door configured to open and close the storage space; an ice-making compartment provided at the door and supplied with cold air from the evaporator; and an ice maker provided in the ice-making compartment, in which the ice maker may include a first tray made of a metal material and having a plurality of first cells; a second tray movably mounted relative to the first tray and having a plurality of second cells that is in contact with the first cells to form a space where ice is made; a drive part configured to move the second tray; and a cover mounted on the first tray and forming a cold air flow passage passing on the first tray, and the cover may be in communication with a cold air inlet formed in the ice-making compartment and guide cold air into the cold air flow passage.

The plurality of first cells may be disposed in an inner area of the cold air flow passage.

The cover may include a cold air guide part configured to guide cold air flowing in to pass through an upper portion of the first cell.

The cold air guide part may include a guide surface extending from one end of the cover and having a slope that decreases toward the first cell; and an edge of the guide part extending along a perimeter of the guide surface and coupled to an upper surface of the first tray.

The refrigerator may further include a duct part extending from one end of the cover to an inner surface of the ice-making compartment and communicating the cold air guide part and the cold air inlet.

A cover discharge port through which cold air passing through the cold air flow passage is discharged to the outside of the ice maker may be formed in the cover, and the cover discharge port may open in a direction crossing the extension direction of the duct part.

A water supply part which extends upward and through which water is supplied from a water supply pipe may be provided in the cover, and a water supply port that opens toward a cell extension part in communication with the first cell and supplies water from the water supply part to the first cell may be provided in the water supply part.

The bottom surface of the water supply part may be formed by the guide surface, and the water supply port may be formed at the lowest position of the guide surface.

The water supply part may be formed with a water supply guide part extending downwardly through the cover, and the water supply port may be formed at the lower end of the water supply guide part.

A coupling groove into which an end portion of the water supply guide part is inserted may be formed in the cell extension part.

The first tray may include a plurality of cell extension parts which is in communication with the plurality of first cells and extends upward, and a first ejector configured to move in the vertical direction to pass through the cell extension part to separate ice from the first cell may be provided above the first tray.

The plurality of cell extension parts may extend in a vertical direction to pass through the cold air flow passage.

The plurality of cell extension parts may be disposed in a plurality of rows, and the cell extension parts spaced apart from each other in the front and rear rows, respectively, may be disposed in a staggered manner.

A pair of flat parts extending parallel to each other may be provided on an outer surface of the cell extension part.

A cover part spaced apart from the upper surface of the first tray to form the cold air flow passage may be formed in the cover, and a cover hole into which the upper end of the cell extension part is inserted may be formed in the cover part.

The open upper surface of the cell extension part may be exposed upwardly to the cover part.

The cover may include cover sides forming both sides of the cover; and a rear surface of the cover connecting the sides of the cover on the both sides, the first ejector may be accommodated between the side of the cover and the rear surface of the cover, and an ejector guide part configured to guide the vertical movement of the first ejector may be formed on a side of the cover.

The first ejector may include an ejector body passing through the ejector guide part formed in a vertical direction and moving along the ejector guide part; and a first fin extending downward from the ejector body and inserted into the cell extension part when the ejector body is lowered to separate ice.

The door may be a refrigerating compartment door configured to shield the refrigerating compartment formed in the cabinet, and the ice-making compartment may be formed to be insulated from the refrigerating compartment.

An ice bank may be provided in the ice-making compartment to store spherical ice made by the ice maker, and a dispenser configured to extract the spherical ice stored in the ice bank may be provided on the front surface of the door.

The following effects may be expected from the refrigerator according to the proposed embodiment.

According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, cold air supplied to the ice-making compartment passes through the first tray through the duct part of the cover and the cold air guide part, and has the advantage of uniformly and effectively cooling all first cells on the first tray.

In addition, the cover has an advantage in that a water supply part is formed on the upper surface of the cold air guide part, and the first ejector is disposed between the sides of the cover to be raised and lowered, thereby simplifying the overall structure.

In addition, there is an advantage in that the water supply guide part, which is formed with a water supply port for supplying water to the first cell, has a structure that is fitted with the guide coupling part of the first tray, thereby preventing water supplied from the water supply part from leaking.

Additionally, the cell extension part extending from the first cell extends to pass through the cover hole of the cover, so that the cooling efficiency of the first cell may be improved by being exposed to cold air passing between the cover and the first tray.

Hereinafter, specific embodiments of the present disclosure will be described in detail along with the drawings. However, the present disclosure cannot be said to be limited to the embodiments in which the idea of the present disclosure is presented, and other disclosures that are regressive or other embodiments included within the scope of the present disclosure may be easily suggested by adding, changing, or deleting other components.

Additionally, in describing the components of the embodiments of the present disclosure, terms such as first, second, A, B, (a), and (b) may be used. These terms are only used to distinguish the component from other components, and an essence, order or sequence of a corresponding component is not limited by the terms. When a component is described as being “connected,” “coupled,” or “joined” to another component, it should be understood that component may be connected or joined directly to other component, but another component between respective components may be “connected,” “coupled,” or “joined.”

Before explaining, define the direction. In an embodiment of the present disclosure, the direction in which the front surface of the door illustrated infaces may be defined as a front direction, the direction toward the cabinet based on the front surface of the door may be defined as a rear direction, the direction toward the floor surface on which the refrigerator is installed may be defined as a downward direction, and the direction away from the floor surface may be defined as an upward direction. Additionally, the direction toward the center of the door or cabinet may be defined as inside, and the direction away from the center may be defined as outside.

is a front view illustrating a refrigerator according to a first embodiment of the present disclosure, andis a view schematically illustrating the path of cold air flow between the cabinet of the refrigerator and the ice-making compartment.

As illustrated, the refrigeratoraccording to an embodiment of the present disclosure may include a cabinetforming a storage space and a dooropening and closing the storage space.

The cabinetmay be divided into upper and lower storage spaces. The storage space may include a refrigerating compartmentand a freezing compartmentdisposed in a vertical direction. For example, the freezing compartmentmay be a first storage chamber, and the freezing compartmentmay be a second storage chamber. Additionally, an evaporatorthat cools the refrigerating compartmentand the freezing compartmentmay be disposed in the freezing compartment.

The doormay include a refrigerating compartment doorthat opens and closes the refrigerating compartmentand a freezing compartment doorthat opens and closes the freezing compartment. For example, the refrigerating compartment doormay be a first door, and the freezing compartment doormay be a second door.

The refrigerating compartment doormay be connected to the cabinetby hingesandand may be a rotary door that opens and closes the refrigerating compartmentby rotation. Additionally, a pair of the refrigerating compartment doorsmay be disposed on both left and right sides, and the refrigerating compartmentmay be opened and closed by the pair of refrigerating compartment doors. Additionally, the freezing compartment doormay be configured to be pulled in and out in a drawer style to open and close the freezing compartment. Of course, the freezing compartment doormay be composed of a pair of doors that rotate on both left and right sides, like the refrigerating compartment door.

Meanwhile, an ice-making compartmentmay be formed in one of the refrigerating compartment doors. Additionally, a dispenserfor dispensing water or ice may be provided on the front surface of the refrigerating compartment doorwhere the ice-making compartmentis provided.

The ice-making compartmentis an insulated space and may be opened and closed by the ice-making compartment door. Additionally, an ice-making compartment ductis provided inside the ice-making compartment, and a cabinet ductis provided in the cabinetso that the cold air generated in the ice-making compartmentmay be supplied to the ice-making compartment, and the heat-exchanged air of the ice-making compartmentmay be discharged into the freezing compartmentin a state where the refrigerating compartment dooris closed.

The ice-making compartment ductmay include a first ice-making compartment ductthat supplies cold air to the ice-making compartment, and a second ice-making compartment ductthat discharges air from the ice-making compartment. The first ice-making compartment ductmay connect the first ice-making compartment duct inletopened in the refrigerating compartment doorand the cold air inletopened in the ice-making compartment. Additionally, the second ice-making compartment ductmay connect the second ice-making compartment duct outletopened in the refrigerating compartment doorand the cold air outletopened in the ice-making compartment.

The cabinet ductmay include a first cabinet ductfor supplying cold air and a second cabinet ductfor recovering cold air. The first cabinet ductmay connect a first cabinet duct outletopened on the side of the refrigerating compartmentand a first cabinet duct inletformed in the space where the evaporatoris placed. In addition, the second cabinet ductmay connect a second cabinet duct inletopened on the side of the refrigerating compartmentand a second cabinet duct outletopened in the freezing compartment.

In a state where the refrigerating compartment dooris closed, the first ice-making compartment duct inletand the first cabinet duct outletcommunicate with each other to allow cold air from the evaporatorto supply to the ice-making compartment. In addition, the second ice-making compartment duct outletand the second cabinet duct inletare in communication with each other, so that air heat-exchanged in the ice-making compartmentmay be discharged into the freezing compartment.

Meanwhile, the flow path of cold air supplied to the ice-making compartmentis not limited to the above-described examples and may be provided in various ways. For example, an evaporator may be further provided in the refrigerating compartment, and a flow path may be configured to supply cold air from the evaporator disposed in the refrigerating compartmentto the ice-making compartment.

is a view illustrating the inside of the ice-making compartment of the door, andis a view illustrating a state where the mounting member, ice maker, and ice bank are separated from the door.

As illustrated, the ice-making compartmentmay be formed by recessing the rear surface of the refrigerating compartment door. The ice-making compartmentmay be formed by a door linerthat forms the rear surface of the refrigerating compartment door. In addition, the opened rear surface of the ice-making compartmentmay be opened and closed by the ice-making compartment door. Additionally, a cold air inletthrough which cold air flows in and a cold air outletthrough which cold air is discharged may be formed at the upper and lower inner surfaces of the ice-making compartment, respectively. The cold air inletand the cold air outletmay be connected to the ice-making compartment ductformed in the refrigerating compartment door.