초록 ▼

The present invention discloses a refrigerator which can precisely adjust and display not only an ice making and storing amount but also an ice dispensing amount. As an ice level sensing unit provided at an ice storage unit for storing ice senses the ice storage amount by light, it is possible to ad

The present invention discloses a refrigerator which can precisely adjust and display not only an ice making and storing amount but also an ice dispensing amount. As an ice level sensing unit provided at an ice storage unit for storing ice senses the ice storage amount by light, it is possible to adjust and display the ice storage amount. Moreover, as an ice sensing unit provided at an ice guide unit for dispensing ice senses the ice dispensing amount by light, it is possible to adjust and display the ice dispensing amount.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A refrigerator, comprising: an ice maker configured to be supplied with water, for making ice and transferring the ice to an ice storage unit;the ice storage unit for storing the ice transferred from the ice maker;an ice level sensing unit for sensing a level of the ice stored in the ice storage

1. A refrigerator, comprising: an ice maker configured to be supplied with water, for making ice and transferring the ice to an ice storage unit;the ice storage unit for storing the ice transferred from the ice maker;an ice level sensing unit for sensing a level of the ice stored in the ice storage unit in a non-contact type; anda control unit for controlling the operation of the ice maker according to the ice level of the ice storage unit sensed by the ice level sensing unit,wherein the ice level sensing unit is arranged at a plurality of storage levels in a height direction of the ice storage unit, andwherein the control unit compares an input ice level input with the ice level of the ice storage unit sensed by the ice level sensing unit, and controls the operation of the ice maker according to a comparison result. 2. The refrigerator of claim 1, wherein the ice level sensing unit comprises a plurality of light emission units for irradiating light, and a corresponding plurality of light reception units for sensing the light irradiated from the plurality of light emission units. 3. The refrigerator of claim 2, wherein the plurality of light emission units and the plurality of light reception units are provided on the facing surfaces of the ice storage unit to be level with each other. 4. The refrigerator of claim 2, wherein the light irradiated by the plurality of light emission units and sensed by the plurality of light reception units is infrared light. 5. The refrigerator of claim 1, further comprising a display unit for displaying the ice storage level of the ice storage unit sensed by the ice level sensing unit. 6. The refrigerator of claim 1, further comprising an ice level input unit for inputting a level of the ice to be stored in the ice storage unit from among a plurality of ice levels. 7. The refrigerator of claim 6, further comprising a display unit for displaying the ice level input through the ice level input unit. 8. A refrigerator, comprising: an ice maker configured to be supplied with water, for making ice and transferring the ice to an ice storage unit;the ice storage unit for storing the ice transferred from the ice maker;an ice level sensing unit for sensing a level of the ice stored in the ice storage unit in a non-contact type;an ice level input unit for inputting a level of the ice to be stored in the ice storage unit from among a plurality of ice levels; andan ice level display unit for displaying both the ice level input through the ice level input unit and the ice storage level of the ice storage unit sensed by the ice level sensing unit,wherein the ice level sensing unit is arranged at a plurality of storage levels in a height direction of the ice storage unit. 9. The refrigerator of claim 8, wherein the ice level sensing unit comprises a plurality of light emission units for irradiating light, and a corresponding plurality of light reception units for sensing the light irradiated from the plurality of light emission units. 10. The refrigerator of claim 8, further comprising a control unit for comparing the ice level input through the ice level input unit with the ice storage level of the ice storage unit sensed by the ice level sensing unit, and controlling the operation of the ice maker according to the comparison result. 11. A refrigerator, comprising: an ice storage unit formed in the refrigerator;a transfer means for transferring ice being provided at one side of the ice storage unit;an ice guide unit communicating with the ice storage unit, and guiding the ice to be externally dispensed;an ice sensing unit provided at the ice guide unit, for sensing an amount of the ice passing through the ice guide unit;a control unit for controlling the operation of the transfer means; andan ice amount input unit for inputting an amount of ice to be dispensed through the ice guide unit from among a plurality of ice amounts and transferring the input ice amount to the control unit,wherein the control unit compares the ice amount input by the ice amount input unit with the ice amount sensed by the ice sensing unit and controls the operation of the transfer means according to a comparison result. 12. The refrigerator of claim 11, wherein the ice amount input unit comprises an ice amount input button for inputting an ice amount, and an ice amount display window for displaying the ice amount input through the ice amount input button, or an amount of the ice to be dispensed. 13. The refrigerator of claim 11, wherein a flat cross section of the ice guide unit is larger than a maximum cross section of an ice piece by a predetermined area so that the ice pieces can consecutively pass through the ice guide unit one by one. 14. The refrigerator of claim 11, further comprising a dispensing hole formed at the outer portion of the refrigerator to communicate with the ice guide unit, for dispensing ice, wherein the ice guide unit further comprises an opening/closing means installed closely to the dispensing hole, for opening and closing the ice guide unit. 15. The refrigerator of claim 11, wherein the ice sensing unit comprises a light emission unit for generating light, and a light reception unit for receiving the light generated by the light emission unit. 16. The refrigerator of claim 11, wherein the transfer means comprises: a transfer motor provided in the opposite direction to an outlet for discharging ice from the ice storage unit; anda transfer screw installed in the ice storage unit, connected to the transfer motor, and rotated to transfer the ice to the outlet of the ice storage unit. 17. The refrigerator of claim 11, further comprising: an ice maker configured to be supplied with water, for making ice and transferring the ice to the ice storage unit; andan ice level sensing unit for sensing a level of the ice stored in the ice storage unit in a non-contact type. 18. The refrigerator of claim 17, wherein the ice level sensing unit comprises a light emission unit for irradiating light, and a light reception unit for sensing the light irradiated from the light emission unit. 19. The refrigerator of claim 17, further comprising: an ice level input unit for inputting the level of the ice to be stored in the ice storage unit, and transferring the input ice level to a control unit,wherein the control unit compares the ice level input through the ice level input unit with the ice level of the ice storage unit sensed by the ice level sensing unit, and controls the operation of the ice maker according to the comparison result. 20. The refrigerator of claim 19, wherein the ice level input unit comprises an ice level input button for inputting the ice level to be stored in the ice storage unit, and an ice level display window for displaying at least one of the ice level input through the ice level input button and the ice level of the ice storage unit sensed by the ice level sensing unit. 21. A refrigerator, comprising: an ice maker configured to be supplied with water, for making ice and transferring the ice to an ice storage unit;the ice storage unit for storing the ice transferred from the ice maker;an ice guide unit communicating with the ice storage unit, and guiding the ice to be externally dispensed;an ice amount input unit for inputting an amount of ice to be dispensed through the ice guide unit from among a plurality of ice amounts; anda display unit for displaying the ice amount input through the ice amount input unit. 22. The refrigerator of claim 21, wherein the display unit further comprises an ice level input button for inputting a level of ice to be stored in the ice storage unit. 23. The refrigerator of claim 22, wherein the display unit further displays the ice level input through the ice level input button. 24. The refrigerator of claim 21, further comprising an ice level sensing unit for sensing a level of ice stored in the ice storage unit in a non-contact type, wherein the display unit further displays the ice level sensed by the ice level sensing unit. 25. The refrigerator of claim 21, wherein the ice amount input button is formed to input a number of ice pieces. 26. The refrigerator of claim 21, further comprising an ice sensing unit, provided at the guide unit, for sensing an amount of the ice passing through the ice guide unit, wherein the display unit further displays the amount of the ice dispensed through the ice guide unit. 27. The refrigerator of claim 26, wherein the display unit displays an ice amount obtained by subtracting the amount of the ice dispensed through the ice guide unit from the ice amount input through the ice amount input button.