Refrigerator with ice maker in freezing compartment and transfer device to ice bank in refrigerating compartment
원문보기
IPC분류정보
국가/구분
United States(US) Patent
등록
국제특허분류(IPC7판)
F25C-005/18
F25C-001/00
F25C-001/22
F25D-025/00
F25D-003/02
F25C-005/00
F25D-017/06
출원번호
US-0606769
(2012-09-07)
등록번호
US-9239181
(2016-01-19)
우선권정보
KR-10-2011-0091800 (2011-09-09)
발명자
/ 주소
Son, Juhyun
Lee, Wookyong
Lee, Donghoon
Kim, Dongjeong
출원인 / 주소
LG Electronics Inc.
대리인 / 주소
Fish & Richardson P.C.
인용정보
피인용 횟수 :
0인용 특허 :
4
초록▼
A refrigerator includes a cabinet including a refrigerating compartment and a freezing compartment, a refrigerating compartment door opening or closing the refrigerating compartment, a dispenser disposed in the refrigerating compartment door to dispense water or ice pieces, and an ice bank disposed
A refrigerator includes a cabinet including a refrigerating compartment and a freezing compartment, a refrigerating compartment door opening or closing the refrigerating compartment, a dispenser disposed in the refrigerating compartment door to dispense water or ice pieces, and an ice bank disposed in the refrigerating compartment door to define an insulation space for storing the ice pieces dispensed by the dispenser. The refrigerator also includes an ice maker disposed in the freezing compartment to make the ice pieces, a transfer device disposed in the freezing compartment to transfer the ice pieces supplied from the ice maker into the ice bank, and an ice chute connecting the transfer device to the ice bank.
대표청구항▼
1. A refrigerator comprising: a cabinet comprising a refrigerating compartment and a freezing compartment;a refrigerating compartment door configured to open and close at least a portion of the refrigerating compartment;a dispenser disposed at the refrigerating compartment door and configured to dis
1. A refrigerator comprising: a cabinet comprising a refrigerating compartment and a freezing compartment;a refrigerating compartment door configured to open and close at least a portion of the refrigerating compartment;a dispenser disposed at the refrigerating compartment door and configured to dispense ice pieces;an ice bank that is disposed at the refrigerating compartment door, that defines an insulation space for storing the ice pieces, and that is configured to supply the ice pieces to the dispenser;an ice maker disposed in the freezing compartment and configured to make the ice pieces;a transfer device disposed in the freezing compartment and configured to transfer the ice pieces made by the ice maker to the ice bank;an ice chute that connects the transfer device to the ice bank and that is configured to guide the ice pieces transferred by the transfer device to the ice bank, the ice chute including: a first chute extending from the transfer device; anda second chute connected to an end of the first chute and extending along a wall of the refrigerating compartment; anda discharge member provided inside the second chute and configured to move up and down to lift ice pieces in the second chute toward the ice bank,wherein the ice maker comprises: an upper tray having a plurality of first recess parts, each having a hemispherical shape;a lower tray rotatably coupled to the upper tray, a rotational axis of the lower tray being disposed at a first side edge of the lower tray, the lower tray having a plurality of second recess parts, each having a shape corresponding to that of each of the first recess parts;a rotating arm of which a first end is coupled to the lower tray, wherein the rotational axis of the lower tray passes through the first end of the rotating arm and is perpendicular to the rotating arm;an elastic member connecting a second end of the rotating arm and the lower tray, the second end of the rotating arm being opposite of the first end of the rotating arm,wherein a first end of the elastic member is coupled to the second end of the rotating arm and a second end of the elastic member is coupled to a mounting part located at a second side edge of the lower tray, wherein the second side edge of the lower tray is perpendicular to the first side edge of the lower tray, and the mounting part is a predetermined distance away from the rotational axis of the lower tray; anda motor assembly of which a rotating shaft passes through the first end of the rotating arm to rotate the rotating arm,wherein, based on the rotating shaft of the motor assembly rotating in a first direction, the rotating arm integrally rotates with the rotating shaft of the motor assembly in the first direction to expand the elastic member, and the lower tray is rotated by a restoring force of the elastic member in the first direction to be attached to a lower surface of the upper tray, andwherein, based on the rotating shaft of the motor assembly rotating in a second direction which is opposite to the first direction, the rotating arm integrally rotates with the rotating shaft of the motor assembly in the second direction, and the lower tray is rotated in the second direction to be separated from the upper tray. 2. The refrigerator according to claim 1, wherein the transfer device comprises: a housing configured to store the ice pieces made by the ice maker;a transfer member rotatably mounted inside the housing and configured to transfer the ice pieces within the housing; anda driving motor connected to a rotation shaft of the transfer member and configured to rotate the transfer member. 3. The refrigerator according to claim 2, wherein the transfer member comprises a plurality of impellers extending in a radial direction, and the ice pieces are received into spaces defined by adjacent impellers. 4. The refrigerator according to claim 2, further comprising a deceleration gear connected to a rotation shaft of the driving motor and configured to control a rotation rate of the transfer member. 5. The refrigerator according to claim 1, wherein the lower tray is configured to cause the first and second recess parts to attach to each other to define a spherical shell. 6. The refrigerator according to claim 1, wherein the ice chute extends along sidewalls of the freezing compartment and the refrigerating compartment, in a state where the refrigerating compartment door is closed, an outlet end of the ice chute communicates with the ice bank, andin a state where the refrigerating compartment door is open, the outlet end of the ice chute is disconnected from the ice bank. 7. The refrigerator according to claim 1, further comprising a cool air duct that extends along sidewalls of the freezing compartment and the refrigerating compartment and that connects the freezing compartment to the ice bank. 8. The refrigerator according to claim 7, wherein an inlet end of the cool air duct communicates with the freezing compartment or an evaporation chamber, an outlet end of the cool air duct communicates with the ice bank in a state where the refrigerating compartment door is closed, andthe outlet end of the cool air duct is disconnected from the ice bank in a state where the refrigerating compartment door is open. 9. The refrigerator according to claim 7, further comprising a blow fan provided on an inlet-side of the cool air duct. 10. The refrigerator according to claim 2, further comprising a full ice detection device mounted on at least one of the ice bank and the housing. 11. The refrigerator according to claim 1, further comprising a vibration generation device configured to transmit vibration to the ice chute to reduce a likelihood of ice pieces within the ice chute adhering to each other. 12. The refrigerator according to claim 1, wherein the end of the first chute is connected to a position of the second chute that is spaced upward from a lower end of the second chute. 13. The refrigerator according to claim 1, further comprising: a driving member configured to provide a rotation power;a rotatable reel member connected to the driving member; anda wire member having a first end connected to the reel member and a second end connected to a position of the second chute by passing through the discharge member. 14. The refrigerator according to claim 13, wherein the wire member is wound around the reel member when the reel member is rotated to lift the discharge member upward through the second chute, thereby pushing the ice pieces within the second chute toward the ice bank. 15. The refrigerator according to claim 1, wherein the ice chute returns cool air supplied into the ice bank to the freezing compartment. 16. The refrigerator according to claim 1, further comprising a door sensor configured to detect opening or closing of the refrigerating compartment door, wherein an operation of the transfer device is restricted according to the opening or closing of the door detected by the door sensor. 17. The refrigerator according to claim 16, wherein the transfer device is disabled based on the door sensor detecting opening of the refrigerating compartment door. 18. The refrigerator according to claim 1: wherein the dispenser is disposed in the refrigerating compartment door; andwherein the ice bank disposed in the refrigerating compartment door.
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이 특허에 인용된 특허 (4)
Bien David L. (Middleton WI) Jaschinski John J. (Cross Plains WI), Double door refrigerator with ice service through the refrigerator door.
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