A refrigerator with an ice container is provided, and more particularly, a refrigerator with an ice container, in which ice stored in an ice container may be transferred by gravity, and the ice thus transferred may be discharged in a cubic ice state or a broken ice state.
대표청구항▼
1. A refrigerator, comprising: a body having at least one storage chamber;at least one door rotatably mounted to the body to open and close the at least one storage chamber; andan ice container detachably mounted to the at least one door or the body, wherein the ice container includes: a discharge p
1. A refrigerator, comprising: a body having at least one storage chamber;at least one door rotatably mounted to the body to open and close the at least one storage chamber; andan ice container detachably mounted to the at least one door or the body, wherein the ice container includes: a discharge portion provided in the ice container having a discharge opening to discharge the ice; andan ice conveyer mounted in the ice container to discharge the ice moved by gravity in a cubic ice state or a broken ice state, selectively, wherein the ice conveyer includes:a rotational shaft connected to a reversible motor to reverse a rotational direction thereof, selectively, and having a first hole that passes through an end portion of the rotational shaft;a plurality of rotary blades mounted to the rotational shaft;a plurality of fixed blades, each mounted between adjacent rotary blades of the plurality of rotary blades to apply a pressure to the ice together with the plurality of rotary blades to break the ice when the plurality of rotary blades rotates in a first direction;a plurality of spacers coupled to the rotational shaft to fixedly secure the plurality of rotary blades at predetermined positions, respectively, wherein the plurality of spacers include: a first spacer that is coupled to the end portion of the rotational shaft, the first spacer having a shape of a cylinder and having a pair of second holes that pass through the first spacer,a second spacer that differs from the first spacer, the second spacer separating one of the plurality of fixed blades from a first one of the plurality of rotary blades along the rotational shaft; anda third spacer that differs from the first and second spacers, the third spacer including: a bushing portion having an outer circumferential surface that is inserted into an opening in the one of the plurality of fixed blades, anda flange portion separating the one of die plurality of fixed blades from a second one of the plurality of rotary blades along the rotational shaft; anda pin configured to be inserted in the first hole of the rotational shaft and in the pair of second holes of the first spacer by press fitting to secure the plurality of rotary blades and the plurality of fixed blades to the rotational shaft, wherein end portions of the pin are expanded after the pin is inserted in the first hole and the pair of second holes to prevent the pin from falling off the rotational shaft. 2. The refrigerator as claimed in claim 1, wherein the pin is a spring pin having a lengthwise incision. 3. The refrigerator as claimed in claim 1, wherein the pin is inserted in the first hole in the rotational shaft and the pair of second holes of the first spacer in a state in which the first spacer is coupled to the rotational shaft together with the plurality of rotary blades and the plurality of fixed blades, and wherein the first spacer includes a projection provided at an outer circumference surface and configured to mate with a hole provided in a jig in the press on which the first spacer is to be seated, to prevent the first spacer from rotating while the pin is being inserted into the first spacer. 4. The refrigerator as claimed in claim 1, wherein the ice conveyer further includes at least one opening/closing member provided at one side of the discharge opening, wherein the ice being discharged by the plurality of rotary blades contacts the at least one opening/closing member to apply pressure thereto to open or close the discharge opening, selectively, when the plurality of rotary blades rotates in a second direction. 5. The refrigerator as claimed in claim 1, wherein the ice conveyer further includes a supporting plate mounted adjacent the plurality of rotary blades to receive the rotational shaft therein. 6. The refrigerator as claimed in claim 5, wherein the supporting plate includes a sloped side on which the ice slides toward the plurality of rotary blades. 7. The refrigerator as claimed in claim 5, wherein the reversible motor is mounted at one side of the ice container to reverse a rotational direction of the rotational shaft, selectively, and wherein the ice conveyer further includes: a connection plate mounted to the rotational shaft adjacent the supporting plate to transmit a driving force from the reversible motor to the ice conveyer as the connection plate is detachably connected to the reversible motor; andan elastic member mounted between the supporting plate and the connection plate to support the connection plate elastically to connect the connection plate to the motor to transmit power to the ice conveyer. 8. The refrigerator as claimed in claim 7, wherein the connection plate includes at least one catch configured to mate with at least one hook provided on a rotational shaft of the reversible motor to detachably connect the connection plate to the reversible motor. 9. The refrigerator as claimed in claim 1, wherein the plurality of rotary blades each includes: a center portion to which the rotational shaft is fixedly secured;at least two extensions that extend from the center portion in a radial direction;a plurality of holding portions provided at an end portion of each of the at least two extensions, respectively, that holds the ice; anda plurality of breaking portions provided, respectively, at one side of each of the at least two extensions to be brought into contact with the ice to break the ice. 10. The refrigerator as claimed in claim 9, wherein the plurality of breaking portions each has a saw tooth shape. 11. The refrigerator as claimed in claim 9, wherein the plurality of rotary blades further includes a receiving portion in a form of a space formed between adjacent extensions of the at least two extensions to receive the ice therein. 12. The refrigerator as claimed in claim 9, wherein each of the at least two extensions has a width which increases as the respective extension extends away from the center portion in the radial direction. 13. The refrigerator as claimed in claim 9, wherein the ice container further includes a discharge guide wall provided at one side of the discharge portion where the plurality of fixed blades is provided, and wherein the discharge guide wall has a shape matched to a rotational locus of the plurality of rotary blades to space broken ice a certain distance from the end portions of the at least two extensions of the plurality of rotary blades to prevent the ice from stagnating in the discharge portion. 14. The refrigerator as claimed in claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of fixed blades includes a first end mounted to the rotational shaft and a second end fixedly secured to a side wall of the discharge portion. 15. The refrigerator as claimed in claim 14, wherein one side of each of the plurality of fixed blades includes a saw tooth shaped breaking portion. 16. The refrigerator as claimed in claim 1, wherein the plurality of rotary blades is arranged at angles twisted from one another. 17. The refrigerator as claimed in claim 1, wherein the ice container further includes an ice seizure preventive portion that projects toward the plurality of rotary blades from a front wall of the ice container to prevent the ice from being seized and stagnating between the plurality of rotary blades and the ice container. 18. The refrigerator as claimed in claim 4, wherein the ice container further includes a sloped guide surface provided at both sides of the plurality of rotary blades to guide the ice toward the plurality of rotary blades, and wherein the sloped guide surface include: a first sloped guide surface provided at a first side of the plurality of rotary blades; anda second sloped guide surface provided at a second side of the plurality of rotary blades. 19. The refrigerator as claimed in claim 18, wherein the first sloped guide surface is mounted close to the plurality of fixed blades, and the second sloped guide surface is mounted close to the at least one opening/closing member, and wherein the first sloped guide surface has a slope end point positioned higher than a height of the rotational shaft of the plurality of rotary blades to prevent the ice broken by the plurality of rotary blades and the plurality of fixed blades from moving to the first sloped guide surface. 20. The refrigerator as claimed in claim 1, wherein a front side wall of the ice container further comprises a recess provided adjacent to the first spacer, and wherein the recess has a depth sufficient to receive the pin in the recess to prevent the pin from falling off the rotational shaft. 21. The refrigerator as claimed in claim 1, wherein a top and a bottom of the pair of second holes have countersinks with enlarged diameters formed therein respectively to enable the pin to be enlarged, both of the end portions of the pin are expanded by pressing the pin onto the countersinks, and the expanded end portions of the pin are supported by the countersinks. 22. An ice maker for a refrigerator, comprising: an ice container;a discharge portion provided in the ice container having a discharge opening to discharge ice; andan ice conveyer mounted in the ice container to discharge the ice moved by gravity in a cubic ice state or a broken ice state, selectively, wherein the ice conveyer includes: a rotational shaft connected to a reversible motor to reverse a rotational direction thereof, selectively, and having a first hole that passes through an end portion of the rotational shaft;a plurality of rotary blades mounted to the rotational shaft;a plurality of fixed blades, each mounted between adjacent rotary blades of the plurality of rotary blades to apply a pressure to the ice together with the plurality of rotary blades to break the ice when the plurality of rotary blades rotates in a first direction;a plurality of spacers coupled to the rotational shaft to fixedly secure the plurality of rotary blades at predetermined positions, respectively, wherein the plurality of spacers include: a first spacer that is coupled to the end portion of the rotational shaft, the first spacer having a shape of a cylinder and having a pair of second holes that pass through the first spacer,a second spacer that differs from the first spacer, the second spacer separating one of the plurality of fixed blades from a first one of the plurality of rotary blades along the rotational shaft; anda third spacer that differs from the first and second spacers, the third spacer including: a bushing portion liming an outer circumferential surface that is inserted into an opening in the one of the plurality of fixed blades, anda flange portion separating the one of the plurality of fixed blades from a second one of the plurality of rotary blades along the rotational shaft; anda pin configured to be inserted in the first hole of the rotational shaft and in the pair of second holes of the first spacer of the plurality of spacers by press fitting to secure the plurality of rotary blades and the plurality of fixed blades to the rotational shaft, wherein end portions of the pin are expanded after the pin is inserted in the first hole and the pair of second holes, wherein a front side wall of the ice container further includes a recess provided adjacent to the first spacer, and wherein the recess has a depth sufficient to receive the pin in the recess to prevent the pin from falling off the rotational shaft. 23. The ice maker as claimed in claim 22, wherein the pin is a spring pin having a lengthwise incision. 24. The ice maker as claimed in claim 22, wherein the pin is inserted in the first hole in the rotational shaft and the pair of second holes of the first spacer in a state in which the first spacer is coupled to the rotational shaft together with the plurality of rotary blades and the plurality of fixed blades, and wherein the first spacer includes a projection provided at an outer circumference surface and configured to mate with a hole provided in a jig in the press on which the first spacer is to be seated, to prevent the first spacer from rotating while the pin is being inserted into the first spacer. 25. The ice maker as claimed in claim 22, wherein the ice conveyer further includes at least one opening/closing member provided at one side of the discharge opening, wherein the ice being discharged by the plurality of rotary blades contacts the at least one opening/closing member to apply pressure thereto to open or close the discharge opening, selectively, when the plurality of rotary blades rotates in a second direction. 26. The ice maker as claimed in claim 22, wherein the ice conveyer further includes a supporting plate mounted adjacent the plurality of rotary blades to receive the rotational shaft therein. 27. The ice maker as claimed in claim 26, wherein the supporting plate includes a sloped side on which the ice slides toward the plurality of rotary blades. 28. The ice maker as claimed in claim 26, wherein the reversible motor is mounted at one side of the ice container to reverse a rotational direction of the rotational shaft, selectively, and wherein the ice conveyer further includes: a connection plate mounted to the rotational shaft adjacent the supporting plate to transmit a driving force from the reversible motor to the ice conveyer as the connection plate is detachably connected to the reversible motor; andan elastic member mounted between the supporting plate and the connection plate to support the connection plate elastically to connect the connection plate to the motor to transmit power to the ice conveyer. 29. The ice maker as claimed in claim 28, wherein the connection plate includes at least one catch configured to mate with at least one hook provided on a rotational shaft of the reversible motor to detachably connect the connection plate to the reversible motor. 30. The ice maker as claimed in claim 22, wherein the plurality of rotary blades each includes: a center portion to which the rotational shaft is fixedly secured;at least two extensions that extend from the center portion in a radial direction;a plurality of holding portions provided at an end portion of each of the at least two extensions, respectively, that holds the ice; anda plurality of breaking portions provided, respectively, at one side of each of the at least two extensions to be brought into contact with the ice to break the ice. 31. The ice maker as claimed in claim 30, wherein the plurality of breaking portions each has a saw tooth shape. 32. The ice maker as claimed in claim 30, wherein the plurality of rotary blades further includes a receiving portion in a form of a space formed between adjacent extensions of the at least two extensions to receive the ice therein. 33. The ice maker as claimed in claim 30, wherein each of the at least two extensions has a width which increases as the respective extension extends away from the center portion in the radial direction. 34. The ice maker as claimed in claim 30, wherein the ice container further includes a discharge guide wall provided at one side of the discharge portion where the plurality of fixed blades is provided, and wherein the discharge guide wall has a shape matched to a rotational locus of the plurality of rotary blades to space broken ice a certain distance from the end portions of the at least two extensions of the plurality of rotary blades to prevent the ice from stagnating in the discharge portion. 35. The ice maker as claimed in claim 22, wherein each of the plurality of fixed blades includes a first end mounted to the rotational shaft and a second end fixedly secured to a side wall of the discharge portion. 36. The ice maker as claimed in claim 35, wherein one side of each of the plurality of fixed blades includes a saw tooth shaped breaking portion. 37. The ice maker as claimed in claim 22, wherein the plurality of rotary blades is arranged at angles twisted from one another. 38. The ice maker as claimed in claim 22, wherein the ice container further includes an ice seizure preventive portion that projects toward the plurality of rotary blades from a front wall of the ice container to prevent the ice from being seized and stagnating between the plurality of rotary blades and the ice container. 39. The ice maker as claimed in claim 25, wherein the ice container further includes a sloped guide surface provided at both sides of the plurality of rotary blades to guide the ice toward the plurality of rotary blades, and wherein the sloped guide surface includes: a first sloped guide surface provided at a first side of the plurality of rotary blades; anda second sloped guide surface provided at a second side of the plurality of rotary blades. 40. The ice maker as claimed in claim 39, wherein the first sloped guide surface is mounted close to the plurality of fixed blades, and the second sloped guide surface is mounted close to the at least one opening/closing member, and wherein the first sloped guide surface has a slope end point positioned higher than a height of the rotational shaft of the plurality of rotary blades to prevent the ice broken by the plurality of rotary blades and the plurality of fixed blades from moving to the first sloped guide surface. 41. The ice maker as claimed in claim 22, wherein a top and a bottom of the pair of second holes have countersinks with enlarged diameters formed therein respectively to enable the pin to be enlarged, both of the end portions of the pin are expanded by pressing the pin onto the countersinks, and the expanded end portions of the pin are supported by the countersinks.
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이 특허에 인용된 특허 (7)
Shinjo Hiroshi (Osaka JPX), Apparatus for making self-piercing nuts.
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