IPC분류정보
국가/구분 |
United States(US) Patent
등록
|
국제특허분류(IPC7판) |
|
출원번호 |
US-0585795
(2009-09-24)
|
등록번호 |
US-8322158
(2012-12-04)
|
우선권정보 |
KR-10-2009-0083006 (2009-09-03) |
발명자
/ 주소 |
- Lee, Dong Hoon
- Jeong, Kyung Han
- Lee, Wook Yong
- Oh, Joon Hwan
|
출원인 / 주소 |
|
대리인 / 주소 |
McKenna Long & Aldridge LLP
|
인용정보 |
피인용 횟수 :
0 인용 특허 :
11 |
초록
▼
A refrigerator includes an ice storage bin, an opening provided in the ice storage bin through which ice is discharged, and a plurality of blades provided in the ice storage bin, such that the plurality of blades can rotate in a forward direction or in a reverse direction, to selectively discharge i
A refrigerator includes an ice storage bin, an opening provided in the ice storage bin through which ice is discharged, and a plurality of blades provided in the ice storage bin, such that the plurality of blades can rotate in a forward direction or in a reverse direction, to selectively discharge ice through the opening as whole ice or crushed ice, where gravity and the plurality of blades are the only forces exerted on the ice collected in the ice storage bin.
대표청구항
▼
1. A refrigerator comprising: an ice storage bin;an opening provided in the ice storage bin through which ice is discharged; anda plurality of blades provided in the ice storage bin, such that the plurality of blades can rotate in a forward direction or in a reverse direction, to selectively dischar
1. A refrigerator comprising: an ice storage bin;an opening provided in the ice storage bin through which ice is discharged; anda plurality of blades provided in the ice storage bin, such that the plurality of blades can rotate in a forward direction or in a reverse direction, to selectively discharge ice through the opening as whole ice or crushed ice, wherein gravity and the plurality of blades are the only forces exerted on the ice collected in the ice storage bin,wherein the plurality of blades comprises at least two rotary blades, the rotary blades being spaced apart from each other, andwherein each of the rotary blades comprises:a central part to which a rotary shaft is fixedly coupled;at least two extensions radially extending from the central part;catching protrusions provided at opposite ends of each of the extensions to catch ice; anda saw-toothed crushing part provided at one side of each of the extensions to contact and crush ice. 2. The refrigerator according to claim 1, further comprising: a stationary blade provided at one side of the ice storage bin to apply pressure to ice in cooperation with the rotary blades to crush the ice when the rotary blades are rotated in a first direction; andan opening and closing member provided at another side of the ice storage bin, the opening and closing member coming into contact with the ice discharged by the rotary blades and being urged by the ice to selectively open and close the discharge port when the rotary blades are rotated in a second direction. 3. The refrigerator according to claim 1, wherein the ice storage bin is mounted at a door that opens and closes a storage chamber, and the refrigerator further comprises: a rotary shaft that drives the rotary blades for co-rotation therewith;a drive motor provided at the door, wherein the drive motor drives the rotary shaft in a first direction or a second direction. 4. The refrigerator according to claim 1, wherein each of the rotary blades further comprises ice receiving parts formed between the respective extensions to receive ice. 5. The refrigerator according to claim 1, wherein each of the extensions has an increasing width in the radial direction. 6. The refrigerator according to claim 2, wherein the stationary blade includes at least two stationary blades. 7. The refrigerator according to claim 6, wherein each of the stationary blades has one end mounted to a rotary shaft and the other end fixed to a side wall of the ice storage bin, andeach of the stationary blades is provided at one side thereof with a saw-toothed crushing part. 8. The refrigerator according to claim 1, wherein the rotary blades are offset with respect to each other. 9. The refrigerator according to claim 2, further comprising a discharge guide wall provided at one side of the ice storage bin where the stationary blade is provided, the discharged guide wall being contoured to correspond to a rotation track of each of the rotary blades. 10. The refrigerator according to claim 2, further comprising guide slopes provided in the ice storage bin in an inclined manner and, in addition, provided at opposite sides of the rotary blades, to guide ice toward the rotary blades, wherein the guide slopes comprise a first guide slope provided at one side of the rotary blades and a second guide slope provided at the other side of the rotary blades. 11. The refrigerator according to claim 10, wherein the first guide slope is located adjacent to the stationary blade, and the second guide slope is located adjacent to the opening and closing member. 12. The refrigerator according to claim 10, wherein the first guide slope has a higher slope end point than a rotary shaft connected to the rotary blades to prevent ice crushed by the rotary blades and the stationary blade from moving along the first guide slope. 13. The refrigerator according to claim 10, wherein the second guide slope has a lower gradient than the first guide slope such that a speed of ice moving along the second guide slope is slower than a speed of ice moving along the first guide slope. 14. The refrigerator according to claim 10, wherein the opening and closing member is hingedly mounted to the ice storage bin such that the opening and closing member is continuous with the second guide slope, and the opening and closing member is returned to an original position thereof by elastic force when force urging the opening and closing member is released. 15. The refrigerator according to claim 14, wherein the opening and closing member comprises at least two opening and closing members disposed in parallel, the at least two opening and closing members being independently hingedly rotated, the at least two opening and closing members being independently returned to original positions thereof by elastic force. 16. The refrigerator according to claim 2, wherein the opening and closing member is formed of an elastic material. 17. The refrigerator according to claim 1, wherein the ice storage bin is formed of a transparent material. 18. A refrigerator comprising: an ice storage bin;an opening provided in the ice storage bin through which ice is discharged;a plurality of blades provided in the ice storage bin, such that the plurality of blades can rotate in a forward direction or in a reverse direction, to selectively discharge ice through the opening as whole ice or crushed ice, wherein gravity and the plurality of blades are the only forces exerted on the ice collected in the ice storage bin; andan ice catching prevention part provided at a back side of a front wall of the ice storage bin, such that the ice catching prevention part protrudes toward the rotary blades,wherein the plurality of blades comprises at least two rotary blades, the rotary blades being spaced apart from each other. 19. A refrigerator comprising: an ice storage bin;an opening provided in the ice storage bin through which ice is discharged;a plurality of blades provided in the ice storage bin, such that the plurality of blades can rotate in a forward direction or in a reverse direction, to selectively discharge ice through the opening as whole ice or crushed ice, wherein gravity and the plurality of blades are the only forces exerted on the ice collected in the ice storage bin, wherein the plurality of blades comprises at least two rotary blades, the rotary blades being spaced apart from each other; andguide slopes provided in the ice storage bin in an inclined manner and, in addition, provided at opposite sides of the rotary blades, to guide ice toward the rotary blades, wherein the guide slopes comprise a first guide slope provided at one side of the rotary blades and a second guide slope provided at the other side of the rotary blades,whereinthe second guide slope comprises an outside guide slope extending from a side wall of the ice storage bin and an inside guide slope connected to the outside guide slope, the inside guide slope being provided adjacent the rotary blades, andthe inside guide slope has a lower gradient than the outside guide slope to reduce a speed of ice moving to the rotary blades such that the ice is prevented from being damaged. 20. A refrigerator comprising: an ice storage bin;an opening provided in the ice storage bin through which ice is discharged;a plurality of blades provided in the ice storage bin, such that the plurality of blades can rotate in a forward direction or in a reverse direction, to selectively discharge ice through the opening as whole ice or crushed ice, wherein gravity and the plurality of blades are the only forces exerted on the ice collected in the ice storage bin, wherein the plurality of blades comprises at least two rotary blades, the rotary blades being spaced apart from each other;guide slopes provided in the ice storage bin in an inclined manner and, in addition, provided at opposite sides of the rotary blades, to guide ice toward the rotary blades, wherein the guide slopes comprise a first guide slope provided at one side of the rotary blades and a second guide slope provided at the other side of the rotary blades;a stationary blade provided at one side of the ice storage bin to apply pressure to ice in cooperation with the rotary blades to crush the ice when the rotary blades are rotated in a first direction; andan opening and closing member provided at another side of the ice storage bin, the opening and closing member coming into contact with the ice discharged by the rotary blades and being urged by the ice to selectively open and close the discharge port when the rotary blades are rotated in a second direction,wherein the opening and closing member comprises:a first guide way having a shape corresponding to a rotation track of the rotary blades;a second guide way connected to the first guide way, the second guide way being provided such that the second guide way contacts one end of the inside guide slope, the second guide way having a gradient corresponding to the gradient of the inside guide slope such that the second guide way is continuous with the inside guide slope; anda hinge type rotation part connected to the second guide way, the hinge type rotation part being hingedly mounted below the second guide slope. 21. The refrigerator according to claim 20, wherein the opening and closing member further comprises: a hinge shaft to support the hinge type rotation part; andan elastic member fitted on the hinge shaft, the elastic member having one end fixed to the ice storage bin and the other end fixed to the opening and closing member, such that the opening and closing member is elastically supported. 22. The refrigerator according to claim 20, wherein the hinge type rotation part is provided lower than a rotary shaft that is connected to the rotary blades such that the gradient of the second guide way corresponds to the gradient of the inside guide slope. 23. A refrigerator comprising: an ice storage bin;an opening provided in the ice storage bin through which ice is discharged;a plurality of blades provided in the ice storage bin, such that the plurality of blades can rotate in a forward direction or in a reverse direction, to selectively discharge ice through the opening as whole ice or crushed ice, wherein gravity and the plurality of blades are the only forces exerted on the ice collected in the ice storage bin, wherein the plurality of blades comprises at least two rotary blades, the rotary blades being spaced apart from each other;guide slopes provided in the ice storage bin in an inclined manner and, in addition, provided at opposite sides of the rotary blades, to guide ice toward the rotary blades, wherein the guide slopes comprise a first guide slope provided at one side of the rotary blades and a second guide slope provided at the other side of the rotary blades;a stationary blade provided at one side of the ice storage bin to apply pressure to ice in cooperation with the rotary blades to crush the ice when the rotary blades are rotated in a first direction;an opening and closing member provided at another side of the ice storage bin, the opening and closing member coming into contact with the ice discharged by the rotary blades and being urged by the ice to selectively open and close the discharge port when the rotary blades are rotated in a second direction; anda catching protrusion provided at the opening and closing member to catch ice placed on the opening and closing member to prevent the ice from being discharged out of the discharge port when the opening and closing member is closed. 24. A refrigerator comprising: an ice storage bin;an opening provided in the ice storage bin through which ice is discharged;a plurality of blades provided in the ice storage bin, such that the plurality of blades can rotate in a forward direction or in a reverse direction, to selectively discharge ice through the opening as whole ice or crushed ice, wherein gravity and the plurality of blades are the only forces exerted on the ice collected in the ice storage bin, wherein the plurality of blades comprises at least two rotary blades, the rotary blades being spaced apart from each other;guide slopes provided in the ice storage bin in an inclined manner and, in addition, provided at opposite sides of the rotary blades, to guide ice toward the rotary blades, wherein the guide slopes comprise a first guide slope provided at one side of the rotary blades and a second guide slope provided at the other side of the rotary blades;a stationary blade provided at one side of the ice storage bin to apply pressure to ice in cooperation with the rotary blades to crush the ice when the rotary blades are rotated in a first direction;an opening and closing member provided at another side of the ice storage bin, the opening and closing member coming into contact with the ice discharged by the rotary blades and being urged by the ice to selectively open and close the discharge port when the rotary blades are rotated in a second direction; andcomprising an operation restriction unit provided below the opening and closing member, such that the operation restriction unit is spaced apart from the opening and closing member, to contact the opening and closing member to restrict an operation of the opening and closing member, such that the opening and closing member is operated in a predetermined range, when the opening and closing member opens the discharge port. 25. The refrigerator according to claim 24, wherein the operation restriction unit comprises: a first vertical rib;a second rib spaced apart from the first rib, the second rib having a greater length than the first rib; andan inclined contact part to interconnect an upper end of the first rib and an upper end of the second rib. 26. The refrigerator according to claim 25, wherein the opening and closing member comprises at least two opening and closing members configured to operate independently, andthe first rib is disposed at an angle such that the at least two opening and closing members have different opening degrees. 27. A refrigerator comprising: a refrigerator body having a storage chamber;a door hingedly provided at the refrigerator body to open and close the storage chamber;an ice storage bin detachably provided in the door;an opening provided in the ice storage bin through which ice is discharged;a guide slope provided in the ice storage bin to guide ice stored in the ice storage bin such that the ice moves toward a plurality of rotary blades by gravity, wherein the plurality of rotary blades is capable of rotating in a forward direction or in a reverse direction, the plurality of rotary blades disposed over the discharge port and a ice storage space to selectively discharge ice stored in the ice storage space as whole ice or crushed ice, wherein the ice storage space defined by the guide slope and a wall of the ice storage bin,wherein each of the rotary blades comprises:radial extensions radially extending from a central part of each of the rotary blades, the extensions being spaced apart from each other;ice receiving parts provided between the respective extensions to receive ice; andcatching protrusions provided at opposite sides of one end of each of the extensions to prevent ice received in the ice receiving parts from being separated from the ice receiving. 28. The refrigerator according to claim 27, wherein the rotary blades comprises:at least two rotary blades spaced apart from each other; anda rotary shaft to which the rotary blades are mounted. 29. The refrigerator according to claim 27, further comprising: a stationary blade provided at the ice storage bin to apply pressure to ice in cooperation with the rotary blades to crush the ice into crushed ice when the rotary blades rotate in a first direction; andan opening and closing member provided adjacent to the rotary blades, the opening and closing member coming into contact with the ice to open the discharge port at the urging of the ice, such that the ice is discharged as whole ice, when the rotary blades are rotated in a second direction. 30. The refrigerator according to claim 27, wherein each of the rotary blades is provided at one side thereof with a saw-toothed crushing part to crush ice, and the stationary blade is also provided at one side thereof with a saw-toothed crushing part to crush ice. 31. The refrigerator according to claim 29, further comprising a discharge guide wall to which one end of the stationary blade is fixed, the discharge guide wall being formed at one side of the ice storage bin, such that the discharge guide wall is rounded, to prevent ice from remaining on the discharge guide wall. 32. The refrigerator according to claim 27, further comprising an ice catching prevention part formed at an inside wall of a front of the ice storage bin and protruding inward towards the rotary blades. 33. The refrigerator according to claim 27, wherein the guide slope comprises a first guide slope and a second guide slope provided at opposite sides of the ice discharge member, respectively, the first guide slope being located adjacent to the stationary blade, the second guide slope being located adjacent to the opening and closing member, andthe second guide slope has a lower gradient than the first guide slope such that a speed of ice moving along the second guide slope is slower than a speed of ice moving along the first guide slope. 34. The refrigerator according to claim 33, wherein the first guide slope has a higher slope end point than a central part of the rotary blades to prevent crushed ice from moving upward along the first guide slope. 35. The refrigerator according to claim 33, wherein the opening and closing member comprises: a hinge type rotation part hingedly provided at the ice storage bin;an elastic member provided at the hinge type rotation part to elastically support the opening and closing member; anda guide way connected to the hinge type rotation part to guide movement of ice,the hinge type rotation part positioned lower than the second guide slope and a central axis of the ice discharge member such that a portion of the guide way is substantially continuous with the second guide slope. 36. The refrigerator according to claim 35, wherein the opening and closing member comprises at least two opening and closing members disposed in parallel, each of the at least two opening and closing members being independently operated without being affected by the other opening and closing members. 37. The refrigerator according to claim 35, further comprising a catching protrusion provided at the guide way of the opening and closing member to prevent ice from being discharged out of the discharge port when the opening and closing member is closed. 38. The refrigerator according to claim 29, further comprising an operation restriction unit provided below the opening and closing member to contact the opening and closing member such that the opening and closing member is opened in a predetermined range. 39. The refrigerator according to claim 38, wherein the opening and closing member comprises at least two opening and closing members configured to operate independently, and a contact part, contacting the opening and closing members, of the operation restriction unit is disposed at an angle such that the at least two opening and closing members have different maximum opening angles. 40. A refrigerator comprising: a refrigerator body having a storage chamber;a door hingedly provided at the refrigerator body to open and close the storage chamber;an ice storage bin detachably provided in the door;an opening provided in the ice storage bin through which ice is discharged;a guide slope provided in the ice storage bin to guide ice stored in the ice storage bin such that the ice moves toward a plurality of rotary blades by gravity, wherein the plurality of rotary blades is capable of rotating in a forward direction or in a reverse direction, the plurality of rotary blades disposed over the discharge port and a ice storage space to selectively discharge ice stored in the ice storage space as whole ice or crushed ice, wherein the ice storage space defined by the guide slope and a wall of the ice storage bin,whereinthe guide slope comprises a first guide slope and a second guide slope provided at opposite sides of the ice discharge member, respectively, the first guide slope being located adjacent to the stationary blade, the second guide slope being located adjacent to the opening and closing member, andthe second guide slope has a lower gradient than the first guide slope such that a speed of ice moving along the second guide slope is slower than a speed of ice moving along the first guide slope,whereinthe second guide slope comprises an outside guide slope connected to an inside wall of the ice storage bin and an inside guide slope formed more inside than the outside guide slope, the inside guide slope being continuous with a top of the opening and closing member, andthe inside guide slope has a lower gradient than the outside guide slope such that a speed of ice moving along the outside guide slope is reduced when the ice reaches the inside guide slope. 41. A refrigerator comprising: a refrigerator body having a storage chamber;a door hingedly provided at the refrigerator body to open and close the storage chamber;an ice storage bin detachably provided in the door or in the refrigerator body;a discharge unit provided in the ice storage bin, the discharge unit having a discharge port through which ice is discharged;a guide slope provided in the ice storage bin to guide ice stored in the ice storage bin such that the ice moves toward the discharge unit;an ice storage space defined by the guide slope and a wall of the ice storage bin;an ice discharge member provided in the ice storage bin, such that the ice discharge member is rotated in a forward direction or in a reverse direction, the ice discharge member being disposed between the discharge unit and the ice storage space, such that ice stored in the ice storage space does not escape from the ice storage space in a stopped state, to selectively discharge the ice stored in the ice storage space in a cube ice state or in a crushed ice state;a drive motor to rotate the ice discharge member; andan ice discharge member rotation shaft mounted in the ice storage bin in a depressed manner to selectively connect the ice discharge member to the drive motor,the ice storage bin having a slope formed at a region where the ice discharge member rotation shaft is surrounded,whereinthe guide slope comprises a first guide slope and a second guide slope provided at opposite sides of the ice discharge member, respectively, the first guide slope being located adjacent to the stationary blade, the second guide slope being located adjacent to the opening and closing member, andthe second guide slope has a lower gradient than the first guide slope such that a speed of ice moving along the second guide slope is slower than a speed of ice moving along the first guide slope,whereinthe second guide slope comprises an outside guide slope connected to an inside wall of the ice storage bin and an inside guide slope formed more inside than the outside guide slope, the inside guide slope being continuous with a top of the opening and closing member, andthe inside guide slope has a lower gradient than the outside guide slope such that a speed of ice moving along the outside guide slope is reduced when the ice reaches the inside guide slope.
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