An ice maker and a refrigerator having the same include an ice making container which is maintained at a temperature higher than a freezing point of water. Ace core rods having the temperature lower than the freezing point are inserted into the ice making container to cause water in the container to
An ice maker and a refrigerator having the same include an ice making container which is maintained at a temperature higher than a freezing point of water. Ace core rods having the temperature lower than the freezing point are inserted into the ice making container to cause water in the container to freeze. Accordingly, water at the periphery of the ice making container remains liquid which the water surrounding the ice core rods freezes. As a result, air bubbles generated when the ice is made can be discharged from the liquid portions of the water at the outer edges of the container. This results in ice without trapped air bubbles, which allows excellent transparent ice pieces to be formed. In some embodiments, the exterior surfaces of the ice making container are maintained at a temperature lower than the freezing point of water, and thawing rods maintained at the temperature higher than the freezing point of water are inserted into the center portions of the ice making container. In this embodiment, water at the edges of the ice making container are frozen first, while the water surrounding the thawing rods remains liquid. This also allows air bubbles to escape during formation of the ice, which results in transparent ice pieces.
대표청구항▼
1. An ice maker, comprising: an ice making container provided with at least one ice making space to receive water therein;at least one ice core, wherein a first portion of the at least one ice core at least partially extends into the at least one ice making space and a second portion of the at least
1. An ice maker, comprising: an ice making container provided with at least one ice making space to receive water therein;at least one ice core, wherein a first portion of the at least one ice core at least partially extends into the at least one ice making space and a second portion of the at least one ice core includes a plurality of plate-shaped fins arranged in a stack so that a top surface of one fin is adjacent a bottom surface of another fin so that the second portion covers the at least one ice making space when in the ice making position, wherein the at least one ice core is maintained at a temperature lower than a freezing point of water for at least a portion of an ice making cycle conducted by the ice maker, anda mover coupled to the at least one ice core, wherein the mover moves the ice core relative to the at least one ice making space. 2. The ice maker of claim 1, wherein at least a portion of a peripheral surface of the ice making space is maintained at a temperature higher than the freezing point of water during at least a portion of an ice making cycle conducted by the ice maker. 3. The ice maker of claim 1, further comprising: a heater coupled to the ice making container, the heater to heat an inner peripheral surface portion of the ice making container to a temperature higher than the freezing point of water. 4. The ice maker of claim 3, wherein the heater at least substantially conforms with a shape of at least a portion of an outer peripheral surface of the ice making container. 5. The ice maker of claim 4, wherein the portion of the outer peripheral surface surrounding the ice making space is used to create only one ice cube. 6. The ice maker of claim 5, wherein the heater is located adjacent a side wall of the ice making container that corresponds to the outer peripheral surface. 7. The ice maker of claim 5, wherein: the heater contacts the outer peripheral surface to deliver heat in a direction toward the ice making space, andwater adjacent the at least one ice core in the ice making space freezes before water adjacent an inner peripheral surface of the ice making container freezes, the water adjacent the inner peripheral surface freezing after the water adjacent the at least one ice core as a result of the heat from the heater. 8. The ice maker of claim 7, wherein the heater maintains the inner peripheral surface at a temperature above freezing and the water adjacent the at least one ice core maintained at a temperature below freezing by the at least one ice core. 9. The ice maker of claim 8, wherein bubbles in the water move through a pathway between the inner peripheral surface and ice formed around the ice core to form at least a substantially transparent ice cube. 10. The ice maker of claim 1, wherein the at least one ice core is formed of at least one of a metal capable of allowing water to freeze thereon or a non-metallic material. 11. The ice maker of claim 1, wherein the at least one ice core comprises: a heat radiator; andat least one ice core rod coupled to the heat radiator,wherein a portion of the at least one ice core rod extends into the at least one ice making space. 12. The ice maker of claim 1, wherein the at least one ice core comprises or is coupled to a heater that heats a portion of the at least one ice core to a temperature higher than the freezing point of water. 13. The ice maker of claim 1, wherein the mover moves the at least one ice core upward and downward relative to the at least one ice making space of the ice making container. 14. The ice maker of claim 1, wherein the mover rotates the at least one ice core relative to the at least one ice making space. 15. A refrigerator comprising the ice maker of claim 1. 16. The ice maker of claim 1, wherein the at least one ice core comprises: a heater that heats a portion of the at least one ice core to a temperature higher than the freezing point of water. 17. The ice maker of claim 1, wherein the at least one ice core is separated from an inner circumferential surface of the ice making container. 18. The ice maker of claim 17, wherein the at least one ice core comprises: an at least one ice core body having a lateral surface coupled to a transfer unit,a plurality of ice core rods inserted into the ice core body in a substantially vertical direction, anda plurality of heat radiating fins laminated to each other and coupled to upper end portions of the ice core rods. 19. The ice maker of claim 18, wherein each of the ice core rods is arranged at an angle which crosses or is substantially perpendicular to a top surface of the water held in the at least one ice making space. 20. The ice maker of claim 1, wherein the mover is provided with one or more electric members arranged so as to move the ice core upwardly or downwardly, and to rotate the ice core at substantially a same time. 21. An ice maker comprising: at least one ice core;an ice making container provided with at least one ice making space to receive water therein, wherein a first portion of the at least one ice core at least partially extends into the at least one ice making space and a second portion of the at least one ice core includes a plurality of plate-shaped fins arranged in a stack so that a top surface of one fin is adjacent a bottom surface of another fin so that the second portion covers the at least one ice making space when in the ice making position, and wherein the at least one ice core is maintained at a temperature lower than a freezing point of water for at least a portion of an ice making cycle conducted by the ice maker; anda mover coupled to the at least one ice core, wherein the mover is provided with one or more electric members arranged so as to move the at least one ice core upwardly and downwardly, and to rotate the at least one ice core at substantially a same time. 22. The ice maker of claim 21, wherein the ice making container maintains at least a portion of a peripheral surface of the ice making space at a temperature higher than the freezing point of water during at least a portion of an ice making cycle conducted by the ice maker. 23. The ice maker of claim 21, wherein the ice making container further comprises a heater that heats an inner peripheral surface portion of the ice making container to a temperature higher than the freezing point of water. 24. The ice maker of claim 21, wherein the at least one ice core is formed of at least one of a metal having capable of allowing water to freeze thereon or a non-metallic material. 25. The ice maker of claim 21, wherein the at least one ice core comprises: a heat radiator; andat least one ice core rod mounted on the heat radiator,wherein a portion of the at least one ice core rod extends into the at least one ice making space. 26. The ice maker of claim 1, wherein the at least one ice core includes an ice core rod which projects into the water a predetermined distance, the at least one ice core rod arranged at an angle which crosses or is substantially perpendicular to a top surface of the water held in the at least one ice making space. 27. An ice maker comprising: an ice making container provided with at least one ice making space to receive water therein;at least one ice core, wherein a portion of the at least one ice core at least partially extends into the at least one ice making space and a second portion of the at least one ice core includes a plurality of plate-shaped fins arranged in a stack so that a top surface of one fin is adjacent a bottom surface of another fin so that the second portion covers the at least one ice making space when in the ice making position, the at least one ice core being isolated from the inner circumferential surface of the ice making container, wherein the at least one ice core is connected to a heat radiator which has an area of surface larger than that of the at least one ice core, disposed at outside of the ice making space so as to maintained at a temperature lower than a freezing point of water for at least a portion of an ice making cycle conducted by the ice maker, anda mover coupled to the at least one ice core, wherein the mover moves the ice core upward and downward relative to the at least one ice making space of the ice making container. 28. The ice maker of claim 27, further comprising: a heater coupled to the ice making container, the heater to heat an inner peripheral surface portion of the ice making container to a temperature higher than the freezing point of water. 29. The ice maker of claim 28, wherein the heater at least substantially conforms with a shape of at least a portion of an outer peripheral surface of the ice making container. 30. The ice maker of claim 29, wherein the portion of the outer peripheral surface surrounding the ice making space is used to create only one ice cube. 31. The ice maker of claim 30, wherein the heater is located adjacent a side wall of the ice making container that corresponds to the outer peripheral surface. 32. The ice maker of claim 27, wherein the at least one ice core is formed of at least one of a metal capable of allowing water to freeze thereon or a non-metallic material. 33. The ice maker of claim 27, wherein the ice core comprises or is coupled to a heater that heats a portion of the ice core to a temperature higher than the freezing point of water. 34. A refrigerator comprising the ice maker of claim 27. 35. The ice maker of claim 27, a mover coupled to the at least one ice core, wherein the mover is provided with one or more electric members arranged so as to move the ice core upwardly and downwardly, and to rotate the ice core at substantially a same time.
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이 특허에 인용된 특허 (2)
Sharpe, Verlos G.; Beers, David G., Apparatus for making frozen food products.
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