IPC분류정보
국가/구분 |
United States(US) Patent
등록
|
국제특허분류(IPC7판) |
|
출원번호 |
US-0294828
(2007-06-13)
|
등록번호 |
US-8104304
(2012-01-31)
|
우선권정보 |
KR-10-2006-0059677 (2006-06-29); KR-10-2006-0073922 (2006-08-04); KR-10-2006-0090249 (2006-09-18); KR-10-2006-0090250 (2006-09-18); KR-10-2006-0090251 (2006-09-18) |
국제출원번호 |
PCT/KR2007/002834
(2007-06-13)
|
§371/§102 date |
20080926
(20080926)
|
국제공개번호 |
WO2008/002023
(2008-01-03)
|
발명자
/ 주소 |
- Kang, Byeong-Gyu
- Kim, Young-Woo
- Lee, Jae-Youl
- Lee, Hwal-Kyun
- Yoon, Jong-Seok
- Park, Sang-Ho
|
출원인 / 주소 |
|
대리인 / 주소 |
Birch, Stewart, Kolasch & Birch, LLP
|
인용정보 |
피인용 횟수 :
8 인용 특허 :
12 |
초록
▼
The present invention relates to an ice-making device for a refrigerator. The ice-making device of the present invention comprises a water tank detachably installed to a rear surface of a refrigerator door for selectively opening or closing a storage space, first and second ice trays rotatably insta
The present invention relates to an ice-making device for a refrigerator. The ice-making device of the present invention comprises a water tank detachably installed to a rear surface of a refrigerator door for selectively opening or closing a storage space, first and second ice trays rotatably installed to the rear surface of the door to make ice using water supplied from the water tank, and an ice bank installed to the rear surface of the door to store therein the ice made in the first and second ice trays. According to the present invention, ice can be more simply and easily taken out while minimizing the leakage of cold air circulating in the storage space. Further, ice can be stored in a more sanitary way while minimizing the contamination of the storage space in the process of making ice.
대표청구항
▼
1. An ice-making device for a refrigerator, comprising: a water tank detachably installed to a rear surface of a refrigerator door for selectively opening or closing a storage space;first and second ice trays rotatably installed to the rear surface of the door to make ice using water supplied from t
1. An ice-making device for a refrigerator, comprising: a water tank detachably installed to a rear surface of a refrigerator door for selectively opening or closing a storage space;first and second ice trays rotatably installed to the rear surface of the door to make ice using water supplied from the water tank; andan ice bank installed to the rear surface of the door to store therein the ice made in the first and second ice trays,wherein the water tank is divided into first and second water storage spaces from which water is supplied to the first and second ice trays, respectively. 2. The ice-making device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the water stored in the first and second water storage spaces is supplied simultaneously to the first and second ice trays, respectively, by means of a valve assembly actuated when the water tank is mounted to the rear surface of the door. 3. The ice-making device as claimed in claim 2, further comprising a water supply means for supplying water stored in any one of the first and second water storage spaces into one of the first and second ice trays positioned relatively lower than the other of the first and second ice trays installed to the rear surface of the door such that the ice trays are spaced apart from each other by predetermined distances both in a horizontal direction and in a front or rear direction. 4. The ice-making device as claimed in claim 3, wherein the water supply means comprises: a water supply hopper installed just below the water tank to receive water from any one of the first and second water storages spaces of the water tank; anda water supply tube including one end connected to a lower portion of the water supply hopper and the other end positioned just above the lower ice tray to allow the water supplied into the water supply hopper to be delivered to the lower ice tray. 5. The ice-making device as claimed in claim 4, wherein the water supply tube is formed of a flexible material. 6. The ice-making device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the water supply means comprises: a water supply hopper installed just below the water tank to receive water from any one of the first and second water storages spaces of the water tank; anda water supply tube installed below a lower portion of the water supply hopper to supply water to the predetermined ice tray and formed with a protruding end guide. 7. The ice-making device as claimed in claim 6, wherein the water supply tube is formed such that its distal end is inclined at an acute angle relative to an extension direction of the water supply tube. 8. The ice-making device as claimed in claim 1, further comprising an ice-making housing installed to the rear surface of the door and provided with an installation space in which the water tank, the first and second ice trays and the ice bank are installed. 9. The ice-making device as claimed in claim 8, further comprising a housing cover for covering the installation space of the ice-making housing in a state where the water tank is installed at an upper portion of the installation space of the ice-making housing. 10. The ice-making device as claimed in claim 9, wherein the housing cover is formed integrally with a top surface of the water tank. 11. An ice-making device for a refrigerator, comprising: a water tank detachably installed to a rear surface of a refrigerator door for selectively opening or closing a storage space;first and second ice trays rotatably installed to the rear surface of the door to make ice using water supplied from the water tank; anda rotating means installed to the rear surface of the door to simultaneously rotate the first and second ice trays such that the first and second ice trays can be twisted to separate the made ice from the first and second ice trays,wherein the rotating means comprises: a first gear connected with any one of a pair of rotating shafts for allowing the first ice tray to be rotatably supported on the rear surface of the door;a second gear connected with any one of a pair of rotating shafts for allowing the second ice tray to be rotatably supported on the rear surface of the door;at least one linking gear engaged with the first and second gears; anda lever fixed to the linking gear such that a user can grip the lever to rotate the first and second ice trays. 12. The ice-making device as claimed in claim 11, wherein the lever includes: a connection portion having one end connected to any one of the first and second gears and the linking gear; anda grip portion connected to the other end of the connection portion such that the user can grip the grip portion to rotate the first and second ice trays. 13. The ice-making device as claimed in claim 12, wherein the rotating means further comprises an elastic member for allowing the first and second gears and the linking gear to impart an elastic force to the first or second ice tray in a direction opposite to a direction in which the first or second ice tray is rotated to separate ice from the tray. 14. The ice-making device as claimed in claim 11, wherein each of the first and second ice trays is formed to have a rectangular cross section and is rotated about rotating shafts provided at opposite side surfaces thereof. 15. The ice-making device as claimed in claim 14, wherein the first or second ice tray is maintained at a horizontal state by means of a tray stopper provided on the rear surface of the door and is twisted by a force required to pivot the first or second ice tray in a state where a portion of the ice tray is brought into close contact with the tray stopper after the tray has been rotated by a predetermined angle of rotation. 16. The ice-making device as claimed in claim 15, wherein a guide protrusion is provided on any one of the opposite surfaces of the first or second ice tray to be spaced apart from the rotating shaft by a predetermined distance, a guide slot is formed into an arc shape having a predetermined central angle about the rotating shaft of the first or second ice tray and is formed at the rear surface of the door to allow the guide protrusion to be inserted therein, andthe guide protrusion is moved from one end of the guide slot to the other end of the slot as the first or second ice tray is rotated about the rotating shaft. 17. The ice-making device as claimed in claim 11, wherein the first or second ice tray further comprises a first or second tray cover for preventing water stored in the water tank from being splashed to the outside of the ice tray while the water is supplied into the first or second ice tray. 18. The ice-making device as claimed in claim 17, wherein the tray cover includes: a tray cover main body formed into a rectangular shape corresponding to an upper surface of the ice tray and provided with a water supply port, through which water delivered from water tank is supplied into the ice tray, at the center thereof; anda guide rib extending downwardly from an outer periphery on a lower surface of the tray main body and having a leading end of the contact rib brought into close contact with an upper edge of the first or second ice tray. 19. The ice-making device as claimed in claim 18, wherein the tray cover is installed such that any one of both ends of the tray cover parallel to the rotating shaft, which allows the ice tray to be rotatably supported on the rear surface of the door, is pivoted on the other end of the tray cover in a direction opposite to a rotating direction of the ice tray as the ice tray is rotated to separate ice from the ice tray. 20. The ice-making device as claimed in claim 19, wherein the pivoting end of the ice tray cover is brought into close contact with the guide stopper provided on the rear surface of the door to allow the pivot end to be relatively pivoted on the other end of the tray cover with respect to the ice tray in a direction opposite to the rotating direction of the ice tray to separate the ice from the ice tray. 21. The ice-making device as claimed in claim 11, further comprising an ice-making housing installed to the rear surface of the door and provided with an installation space in which the water tank, the first and second ice trays, the rotating means and the first and second tray covers are installed. 22. An ice-making device for a refrigerator, comprising: first and second ice trays rotatably installed to a rear surface of a refrigerator door for selectively opening or closing a storage space to make ice using supplied water; andan ice bank installed to be received in or withdrawn from an opening formed by cutting out a portion of a front surface of the door and to store therein the ice made in the ice trays,wherein the ice bank is installed to be received in or withdrawn from an installation space defined within the ice-making housing detachably installed to the rear surface of the door, andwherein the ice bank is received or withdrawn in a front direction of the door through the opening and a first ice bank entrance formed in a rear surface of the ice-making housing brought into close contact with the rear surface of the door and is received or withdrawn in a rear direction of the door through the a second ice bank entrance formed in a front surface of the ice-making housing parallel to the rear surface of the door. 23. The ice-making device as claimed in claim 22, further comprising a cooperating means for allowing the ice bank to be received in or withdrawn from the installation space of the ice-making housing in accordance with a pivot motion of a home bar door installed at a potion on a front surface of the door such that an upper end of the home bar door is vertically pivoted on a lower end of the home bar door to selectively open or close the opening. 24. The ice-making device as claimed in claim 23, wherein the cooperating means includes: a seating plate installed to be movable in or out of the installation space of the ice-making housing to allow the ice bank to be securely placed thereon; anda cooperating plate formed with a rear end pivotally connected to a front end of the seating plate and a front end fixed to a rear surface of the home bar door such that the ice bank is received in or withdrawn from the installation space of the ice-making housing as the home bar door is pivoted. 25. The ice-making device as claimed in claim 24, wherein at least one movement prevention protrusion and at least one movement prevention groove are formed on a bottom surface of the ice bank and a top surface of the seating plate, respectively, such that the protrusion is inserted in the groove to prevent the protrusion and the groove from being inadvertently moved relative to each other in a state where the ice bank is securely placed on the top surface of the seating plate while the seating plate is moved in or out of the installation space. 26. The ice-making device as claimed in claim 25, wherein at least one water drain hole is formed in the seating plate to allow water residing between the bottom surface of the ice bank and the top surface of the seating plate to drain downwardly. 27. The ice-making device as claimed in claim 26, wherein each lateral side of the seating plate is provided with at least one movable roller which is moved along a floor surface of the ice-making housing while the seating plate is moved in or out of the installation space of the ice-making housing as the home bar door is pivoted. 28. The ice-making device as claimed in claim 27, wherein each of front and rear ends of the ice bank is provided with a gripping recess which a user grips to allow the ice bank to be received in or withdrawn from the ice-making housing. 29. The ice-making device as claimed in claim 28, wherein the gripping recess is formed by upwardly depressing a portion of the front or rear end of the ice bank, and a gripping opening is provided at a front or rear end of the seating plate by cutting out a portion of the seating plate to correspond to a cross section of the gripping recess such that a user can easily grip the gripping recess. 30. An ice-making device for a refrigerator, comprising: an ice-making housing installed to a rear surface of a refrigerator door for selectively opening or closing a storage space and provided with a predetermined installation space;a water tank detachably installed to the installation space of the ice-making housing;first and second ice trays rotatably installed to the installation space of the ice-making housing to make ice using water supplied from the water tank;an ice bank retractably installed in the installation space of the ice-making housing to store therein the ice made in the first and second ice trays; anda mounting means for detachably mounting the ice-making housing to the rear surface of the door,wherein the mounting means includes: at least one mounting protrusion formed on an inner surface of a ridged portion extending vertically at and protruding rearward from a side end of the rear surface of the door;at least one seating groove formed in one side surface of the ice-making housing to allow the mounting protrusion of the ridged portion to be fitted therein;at least one mounting protrusion formed on the other side of the ice-making housing; andat least one mounting groove formed in one side surface of a door basket detachably installed to the rear surface of the door to allow the mounting protrusion of the ice-making housing to be fitted therein. 31. The ice-making device as claimed in claim 30, wherein the ice-making housing includes: a first ice-making housing detachably installed to the rear surface of the door and provided with a first installation space in which the water tank and the ice bank are installed; anda second ice-making housing detachably installed in the first installation space of the first ice-making housing and provided with a second installation space in which the first and second ice trays and the rotating means are installed. 32. The ice-making device as claimed in claim 31, wherein the mounting protrusion fitted in the mounting groove of the door basket is provided on one side surface of the first ice-making housing, and the mounting groove in which the mounting protrusion of the ridged portion is fitted is provided on one side surface of the second ice-making housing. 33. The ice-making device as claimed in claim 32, wherein a recess in which a seating step that extends in a horizontal direction along the rear surface of the door and protrudes backward from the rear surface of the door to support the door basket is inserted is formed on a rear outer surface of the second ice-making housing. 34. The ice-making device as claimed in claim 33, wherein a viewing window for visually checking whether ice is made in the first and second ice trays and at least one cold air supply port for supplying the first and second ice trays with cold air circulating in the storage space are provided on one side of the second ice-making housing.
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