KR20220044030A - Ice making device including flexible tray and refrigerator including the same - Google Patents

Abstract

Provided are an ice maker with a flexible tray that produces various shapes of ice including circular and polygonal shapes and allows the ice to be easily separated, and a refrigerator including the ice maker. The ice maker with a flexible tray, an ice maker installed in a cooling main body, comprises: an ice maker main body; an ice-making tray rotatably mounted on one side of the ice maker main body, and including an upper tray and a lower tray that are detachably coupled to each other and form an ice-making groove to receive water for making ice; at least one heater part formed on at least a portion of the upper tray; and at least one drive unit providing a rotational force to rotate the ice tray, wherein a rotational hinge axis of the ice-making tray is eccentrically arranged and rotated, and the lower tray includes a lower plate having at least a partially open portion and an elastic tray part surrounding at least a portion of the lower plate.

Description

Flexible tray unit ice maker and refrigerator including same

The present invention relates to an ice maker including a flexible tray unit and a refrigerator including the same.

BACKGROUND ART In general, a refrigerator is a device for storing food at a low temperature to prevent deterioration of food at room temperature. Recently, a product equipped with an ice maker for a refrigerator that is provided in a refrigerator and provides ice to a user separately from food has been released.

An ice maker for a refrigerator includes an ice-making tray having a plurality of ice-making grooves for making ice of a predetermined size by receiving water automatically, an ice bank provided under the ice-making tray to store ice transferred by an icing motor, and the ais bank It is mounted on one side of the driving unit for driving to transport the ice.

Here, there may be two methods for icing the ice made in the ice tray. After the ice tray itself is twisted using the above-described icing motor to separate the ice made from the ice making groove, the ice below the ice tray is removed. A twist type that drops into a bank and a separate ice ejector is used to separate ice from the ice-making groove by applying a predetermined amount of ice heat to the ice-making tray made of metal using an ice heater to make ice by rotating a separate ice ejector. This is a heater type that pushes to one side of the tray and drops it to the ice bank below it.

Recently, various shapes, such as a round shape, for cocktails, etc. are required, and there is a problem such as agglomeration of ice while the ice is stored in an ice box. A circular shape that can reduce the contact area between ices Demand for ice and transparent ice is on the rise.

Republic of Korea Patent Publication No. 10-0299243 (published on June 7, 2001)

The present invention has been devised to solve the above technical problem, and by improving the ice-making tray of the twist-type ice maker to a specific structure, the ice can be easily transferred. It is an object of the present invention to provide an ice maker including a flexible tray capable of providing an aesthetic feeling even as a refrigerator, and a refrigerator including the same.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an ice maker including a flexible tray capable of easily evaporating ice by improving the lower tray of the ice maker to have a specific structure, and a refrigerator including the same.

The problems of the present invention are not limited to the problems mentioned above, and other problems not mentioned will be clearly understood by those skilled in the art from the following description.

An ice maker including a flexible tray unit according to an embodiment of the present invention,

An ice maker mounted on a cooling matrix, comprising:

ice machine body;

an ice-making tray rotatably mounted on one side of the ice maker body, the ice-making tray having an ice-making groove in which the ice-making water is accommodated, and including an upper tray and a lower tray that are detachably coupled to each other;

a plurality of heater units formed on at least a portion of the upper tray; and

At least one driving unit for providing a rotational force to rotate the rotation hinge shaft of the ice-making tray;

The rotation hinge shaft of the ice-making tray is eccentrically arranged and rotates;

The lower tray may include a lower plate including a portion at least partially open and an elastic tray portion surrounding at least a portion of the lower plate.

In addition, an ice maker including a flexible tray unit according to another embodiment of the present invention,

An ice maker mounted on a cooling matrix, comprising:

ice machine body;

an ice-making tray rotatably mounted on one side of the ice maker body, the ice-making tray having an ice-making groove in which the ice-making water is accommodated, and including an upper tray and a lower tray that are detachably coupled to each other;

a plurality of heater units formed on at least a portion of the upper tray;

at least one driving unit providing a rotational force to rotate the rotation hinge shaft of the ice tray; and

Including, but including;

The rotation hinge shaft of the ice-making tray is eccentrically arranged and rotates;

The lower tray includes a lower plate including a portion at least partially open and an elastic tray portion surrounding at least a portion of the lower plate.

In addition, an ice maker including a flexible tray unit according to another embodiment of the present invention,

An ice maker mounted on a cooling matrix, comprising:

ice machine body;

an ice-making tray rotatably mounted on one side of the ice maker body, the ice-making tray having an ice-making groove in which the ice-making water is accommodated, and including an upper tray and a lower tray that are detachably coupled to each other;

a plurality of heater units formed on at least a portion of the upper tray; and

At least one driving unit for providing a rotational force to rotate the rotation hinge shaft of the ice-making tray,

The rotation hinge shaft of the ice-making tray is eccentrically arranged and rotates;

The lower tray includes a lower tray including at least a partly opened portion and an elastic tray part surrounding at least a portion of the lower tray and sealing the upper tray and the lower tray of the ice-making tray.

In one example of the present invention, a plurality of protrusions or ribs may be formed in the contact portion between the upper tray and the lower tray to supplement the sealing force in the elastic tray portion.

In one example of the present invention, the protrusion or the rib may be formed in a shape protruding from a vertically curved surface in which the upper tray and the lower tray are in contact.

In one example of the present invention, the elastic tray portion may be formed with a predetermined inclination of the contact portion with the upper tray and the lower tray.

In one example of the present invention, the elastic tray portion may be fixed to the lower plate in a screw fastening manner.

In one example of the present invention, at least one elastic protrusion is formed in the elastic tray part, and the elastic protrusion may be fixed to a fastening hole formed in the lower plate by a pressurization type or a hook fastening method.

In one example of the present invention, the upper tray and the lower tray, based on the ground, may include a structure coupled to each other in the vertical or both directions.

In one example of the present invention, the ice-making tray may be manufactured to include at least one of a metal material and a resin.

In one example of the present invention, the upper tray may have a structure in which a cooling pipe is disposed adjacently or in close contact.

In one example of the present invention, the lower tray may be manufactured to include at least one of silicone, Keflon, and PP (polypropylene, polypropylene).

In an example of the present invention, an icing auxiliary means may be formed on one side of the lower tray to be in close contact with the bottom surface of the lower tray when the ice moves by rotation.

In one example of the present invention, at least one end of the lower tray may be formed with an extended curved portion formed to be longer than the height of the end of the upper tray.

In one example of the present invention, a water supply unit for supplying ice making water to the ice making groove may be formed on one side of the ice machine body. In one example, the water supply unit may be connected through one water supply line.

In one example of the present invention, the ice-making groove of the ice-making tray may have a circular, polygonal, diamond-shaped or elliptical cross-section.

In one example of the present invention, the height of the end of the lower tray may be the same as the height of the end of the upper tray with respect to the ground or formed to be longer in the upward direction.

In one example of the present invention, the drive unit may be operated by an automatic or manual lever.

In one example of the present invention, the heater may include a silicon cord heater or a planar heater.

In one example of the present invention, the heater is formed on the upper tray of the ice-making tray, and may be radially formed in a curved portion forming the ice-making groove, for example, to be formed in a spiral shape. can

In an example of the present invention, a heater seating portion for supporting the heater may be formed in a curved portion forming the ice-making groove in the upper tray.

In one example of the present invention, an air hole penetrating through the ice making groove may be formed in a curved portion forming the ice making groove of the upper tray.

In one example of the present invention, the upper tray may further include an upper cover in which a water supply guide unit communicating with the air hole is formed.

In one example of the present invention, a temperature sensor may be provided on one side of the lower tray.

In one example of the present invention, at least one electrode is formed on one side of the upper tray, so that water supply by voltage flow or capacitance change can be controlled.

In one example of the present invention, the ice maker body and the heater may have a structure electrically connected with a silicon wire.

In one example of the present invention, the power connection part of the heater may have a structure provided in a separate hinge rotation cap member.

In one example of the present invention, one side of the ice-making tray may have a structure in which a blowing pen for cooling or circulation is formed.

In one example of the present invention, the heater may be configured to control the heater formed on the upper tray to generate crystal ice by adjusting the ice making time of the ice maker to generate heat.

In one example of the present invention, a sealing portion providing sealing force may be formed at a contact portion between the upper tray and the lower tray.

In one example of the present invention, the home position of the driving unit, that is, the initial driving start position, may have a structure in which it is stopped at a position more rotated than an imaginary horizontal line with respect to the ground.

In one example of the present invention, the ice-making grooves may have a structure in which a plurality of ice-making grooves are formed in one direction, and a water supply communication part is formed to communicate with each other.

Meanwhile, the present invention provides a refrigerator including the ice maker. The ice maker may be mounted on, for example, a refrigerator body, a door, or a portable refrigerator.

An ice maker including a flexible tray unit and a refrigerator including the same according to an embodiment of the present invention may improve the ice maker tray of the twist type ice maker to have a specific structure so that the ice can be easily transferred, and thereby, the shape of the ice is circular. Alternatively, polygons provide an effect that can visually give an aesthetic feeling.

In addition, the ice maker including the flexible tray unit and the refrigerator including the same according to an embodiment of the present invention provide an effect that ice can be transferred easily by improving the lower tray of the ice tray to a specific structure.

1 is a perspective view showing the interior of a refrigerator equipped with an ice maker according to an embodiment of the present invention;
2 is a partial perspective view showing a part of a twist type ice maker according to an embodiment of the present invention;
3 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a twist type ice maker according to an embodiment of the present invention;
4 and 5 are a perspective view and an exploded perspective view of a twist type ice maker according to an embodiment of the present invention;
6 and 7 are diagrams showing the moving operation of the lower tray structure according to various embodiments of the present invention,
8 to 12 are cross-sectional views of an ice maker showing an ice shape according to various embodiments of the present invention;
13 is a partial cross-sectional view of FIG. 8;
14 is a cross-sectional view of an ice maker including a lower tray according to various embodiments of the present disclosure;
15 to 21 are cross-sectional views showing a configuration additionally added to an ice maker according to various embodiments of the present invention;
22 to 24 are schematic cross-sectional views of an ice maker to which an elastic plate is applied according to an embodiment of the present invention;
25 to 30 are views showing an ice maker provided with an elastic member or an ice evacuation auxiliary means according to various embodiments of the present invention;
31 to 33 are views showing products to which an ice maker according to the present invention is applied.

Hereinafter, a specific embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. In adding reference numerals to the components of each drawing, it should be noted that the same components are given the same reference numerals as much as possible even though they are indicated on different drawings. In addition, in describing the embodiment of the present invention, if it is determined that a detailed description of a related known configuration or function interferes with the understanding of the embodiment of the present invention, the detailed description thereof will be omitted.

In describing the components of the embodiment of the present invention, terms such as first, second, A, B, (a), (b), etc. may be used. These terms are only for distinguishing the elements from other elements, and the essence, order, or order of the elements are not limited by the terms. In addition, unless otherwise defined, all terms used herein, including technical or scientific terms, have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this invention belongs. Terms such as those defined in a commonly used dictionary should be interpreted as having a meaning consistent with the meaning in the context of the related art, and should not be interpreted in an ideal or excessively formal meaning unless explicitly defined in the present application. does not

1 is a perspective view showing the inside of a refrigerator equipped with an ice maker according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a perspective view illustrating a twist type ice maker according to an embodiment of the present invention.

First, referring to FIG. 1 , a refrigerator 1 may include a cabinet forming a storage compartment with an open front, and at least one door 8 and 9 for opening and closing the opened front of the storage compartment.

The storage compartment may include at least one of a refrigerating compartment storing food in a refrigerated state and a freezing compartment storing food in a frozen state. The refrigerator 1 of this embodiment is illustrated as including both the refrigerating compartment and the freezing compartment, and the refrigerating compartment may be provided above the freezing compartment.

The doors 8 and 9 may include a refrigerating compartment door 8 for opening and closing the refrigerating compartment and a freezing compartment door 9 for opening and closing the refrigerating compartment. There are two refrigerating compartment doors 8 arranged to the left and right of each other. The left refrigerating compartment door 8 can open and close the left side of the refrigerating compartment, and the right refrigerating compartment door 8 can open and close the right side of the refrigerating compartment. can

The ice box may be installed in the storage compartment of the refrigerator 1 . The ice box may be disposed below the ice maker 100 . The ice box may be formed in a cylindrical shape with an open upper side. The ice made by the ice maker 100 may be transferred from the ice maker 100 to the ice box, and may be accommodated and stored in the ice box.

An auger may be disposed in the ice box. The auger may be rotatably installed in the ice box in a circumferential direction. Both ends of the auger may be rotatably coupled to both sides of the ice box, respectively. A spiral groove may be formed on the outer peripheral surface of the auger. When the auger rotates, the ice stored in the ice box may be transferred to the outside of the ice box through the spiral groove. The auger may be rotated by a driving force of an auger motor installed on one side of the ice box.

The ice maker 100 may be installed in at least one of the refrigerating compartment and the freezing compartment. In the refrigerator 1 of this embodiment, the ice maker 100 may be installed in the upper left side of the refrigerating chamber.

The ice maker 100 may receive ice-making water from the refrigerator 1 , and convert the ice-making water into ice by the cold air supplied to the storage chamber from the freezing cycle of the refrigerator 1 to manufacture the ice. .

The ice maker 100 according to the present embodiment may include a heater type and a twist type depending on the type of ice-removing the ice-made ice.

Here, the twist-type ice maker among the ice makers according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a driving unit 50 in which at least one or more gears are interposed, and a plurality of ice-making grooves 15 provided at one side of the driving unit 50 . It may include an ice-making tray 200 composed of a pair of upper trays 210 and lower trays 220 forming the .

A plurality of electric components may be accommodated in the control box 110 of the ice maker 100 , including a driving motor for driving the driving unit 50 , a gear, and the like. The driving unit in the control box 110 may be controlled to perform an operation through a control unit (not shown). As the lower tray 220 of the ice-making tray 200 is rotated by the driving force of the driving motor, the ice in the ice-making groove 15 may be removed.

The full ice detection unit 111 may be formed in a lever type rotatably provided in the control box 110 . The full ice detection unit 111 may include an optical sensor (not shown) including a light emitting unit and a light receiving unit. The signal detected by the full ice detection unit 111 may be input to the control unit, and this control unit may determine whether the ice stored in the ice bank (not shown) is full through the signal input from the full ice detection unit 111 . When the ice stored in the ice bank is in a full ice state, the controller may stop the supply of the ice-making water supplied to the ice-making groove 15 and stop the production of ice. Of course, if the ice stored in the ice bank is not in a full ice state, the controller may restart the production of the ice. The lifespan of the photosensor may be improved by configuring the photosensor to be turned on only during regular or irregular full ice detection.

Meanwhile, in the twist-type ice maker among the ice makers according to an embodiment of the present invention, as shown in FIG. 2 , the same driving box 50 and the driving box 50 are accommodated in the heater-type ice maker described above. 110 and an ice-making tray 200 provided on one side of the control box (not shown), a plurality of ice-making grooves 15 are formed, and rotatable at a predetermined angle. Here, according to the present invention, an air hole 211 may be formed in the ice making groove 15 to discharge air while supplying ice making water, which will be described in detail below.

The heater-type ice maker and the twist-type ice maker may be classified according to the presence or absence of an ice heater (not shown) and whether the ice tray 200 is rotated to be twisted. In particular, the position of the driving motor disposed inside the driving box and the design of the gear set may be different depending on whether it is a heater type or a twist type.

In the case of a heater-type ice maker, when ice making is completed in the ice making groove 15 of the ice making tray 200 , the ice is removed by the ice heater that applies a predetermined heat to the ice making tray 200 , and then a plurality of ejectors are used. An ejector rod (not shown) equipped with a pin (not shown) is rotated by an interlocking operation of a drive motor and a gear set provided inside the driving box 50, while rotating the ejector pin to remove the ice from the lower part. It is driven to store into an ice storage container (not shown).

In addition, in the case of the twist type ice maker according to the present invention, when the ice making of the ice water in the ice making groove 15 of the ice maker tray 200 is completed, the drive motor is driven and the gear set is driven interlockingly, and the gear The lower tray 210 of the ice-making tray 200 directly connected to any one of the gear shafts in the set rotates in one direction and one end is twisted in an interfering operation, and the ice-making groove 15 is placed in the ice-making groove 15 by this twisting operation. Simultaneously with the ice being removed, the ice is dropped and stored in the ice storage container below the ice.

The ice maker 100 according to the present invention includes an ice maker body (not shown) forming the outer shape of the entire ice maker, an upper tray 210 that is rotatably mounted on one side of the ice maker body and forms an ice maker groove 15 for accommodating ice making water. and an ice-making tray 200 composed of a lower tray 220, a driving unit 50 accommodated in the ice maker body and providing rotational force to rotate the ice-making tray 200, is formed on one side of the ice maker body 300 An ice full detection unit 111 that detects full ice in an ice box (not shown) and an ice maker body 300 are formed on one side of the ice making tray 200 to supply the ice making water into the ice making groove 15 of the ice tray 200 through the water supply hole 212 . It may be configured to include a water supply unit (not shown) to supply. In the drawings of the present invention, the present invention is not limited thereto, and the structure of the storage unit to which the ice is moved after the ice is manufactured, and the Auger motor installed in the storage unit, the screw, and the ice box are omitted. did

The ice-making tray 200 may be configured to include a pair of upper trays 210 and lower trays 220 that are mutually detachable. The upper tray 210 and the lower tray 220 of the ice-making tray 200 may be coupled to each other to form a circular ice-making groove 15 . The ice-making grooves 15 may be formed in the shape of a plurality of concave grooves spaced apart from each other in the longitudinal direction of the ice-making tray 200 , and preferably have a circular or oval cross-section.

Furthermore, according to the present invention, a temperature sensor T for measuring the temperature of the ice maker 100 may be formed on one side of the ice maker 200 . The temperature sensor T is formed on the side of the upper tray 210 of the ice-making tray 200 or the bottom surface of the lower tray 220 of the ice-making tray 200, and may be formed at a position where it does not interfere with the rotation of the ice-making tray 200. . The temperature sensor T may be formed in such a way as to be in direct contact with the lower tray 220 or the ice C, as shown in FIGS. 18 and 19 below.

Also, a sealing member 600 may be formed between the upper tray 210 and the lower tray 220 of the ice-making tray 200 to prevent the ice-making water accommodated in the ice-making groove 15 from leaking to the outside during ice-making.

The ice-making tray 200 may include a pair of upper tray 210 and lower tray 220 that are detachably coupled to each other, as described above. A rotation cam 213 extending to one side and a rotation hinge shaft 215 extending in a horizontal direction from the rotation cam 213 may be connected to both ends of the upper tray 210 to be formed. Here, the rotating hinge shaft 215 may reciprocate by a predetermined length while being inserted into the guide hole 310 of the ice maker main body 300 through the rotating cam 213 .

Meanwhile, in the upper tray 210 of the ice-making tray 200 , as shown in FIG. 2 , a water supply guide part 219 may be formed in an upper portion thereof. The water supply guide 219 may guide the ice-making water supplied from the water supply unit 10 to the ice-making groove 15 . The water supply guide 219 may be formed in a portion of the upper tray 210 corresponding to the portion where the air hole 211 is formed, and the water supply hole 212 may be formed to pass through the air hole 211 . Since the at least one water supply hole 212 is formed in the form of a groove connecting each other in the longitudinal direction, the ice-making water supplied from the water supply unit 10 passes through the groove at least one water supply hole. (212) it may be possible to supply smoothly at the same time. Although not shown in the drawings of the present invention, the water supply hole 212 of the water supply guide part 219 is connected through the air hole 211 to facilitate the guide of the ice-making water. ) may be formed in a funnel shape with

Here, the water supply guide 219, as shown in FIG. 2, is formed on the upper tray 210, or is formed on a separate independent upper cover 214 coupled to the upper portion of the upper tray 210. may be At this time, the upper cover 214 is coupled to the upper surface of the upper tray 210 of the ice-making tray 200 , and the upper tray 210 prevents the ice-making water provided from the water supply unit 10 from flowing into the lower tray 220 . ) may be formed to cover the entire upper surface of the

Hereinafter, the twist type ice maker 100 according to the present invention will be described in more detail with reference to the drawings.

3 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a twist-type ice maker according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIGS. 4 and 5 are perspective and exploded perspective views of the twist-type ice maker according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to these drawings, the ice-making tray 200 of the ice maker 100 according to the present invention has an upper tray 210 in which a water supply guide 219 and a water supply hole 212 are formed, and the upper tray 210 and one side are fixed. It may be configured to include a lower tray 220 that is rotatably mounted in a state where the lower portion is open and an elastic tray unit 300 formed on the upper portion of the lower tray 220 .

The elastic tray unit 300 may include a material such as silicon, keflon, and polypropylene having a predetermined elasticity while forming an ice-making groove 15 in which the ice C is made ice, and supplementing the sealing force. As shown in FIG. 5 , a plurality of such ice-making grooves 15 may be formed in one direction and connected by a water supply communication unit 16 . Accordingly, the ice-making water introduced into the water supply hole 212 of the upper tray 210 may be introduced into the adjacent ice-making groove 15 through the water supply communication unit 16 . A driving rotation shaft 221 may be eccentrically disposed on the lower tray 220 to rotate.

Hereinafter, the moving operation of the ice-making tray 200 according to the present invention will be described. FIGS. 6 and 7 are views showing the ice-moving operation of the lower tray structure according to various embodiments of the present invention, and FIGS. 8 to 12 are the present invention Cross-sectional views of an ice maker showing an ice shape according to various embodiments of the present disclosure.

When the ice making is completed and the ice removal operation is performed, the lower tray 220 rotates in the lower direction about the driving rotation shaft 221 , which is eccentrically rotatably arranged, and the ice C is evacuated from the ice making groove 15 to lower the lower tray 220 . direction may deviate. The upper tray 210 and the lower tray 220 may rotate along a concentric trajectory. At this time, since the icing auxiliary means (L) is formed on one side when the lower tray 220 is rotated, the elastic tray part 300 that is in close contact with the bottom surface of the lower tray 220 and can be deformed in shape by elastic force. Through this, the ice (C) can be moved efficiently. The shape of the ice C may be variously formed in a circular, polygonal, or diamond shape.

Hereinafter, the elastic tray unit 300 formed in the lower tray 220 will be described in more detail.

13 is a partial cross-sectional view of FIG. 8, FIG. 14 is a cross-sectional view of an ice maker including a lower tray according to various embodiments of the present invention, and FIGS. 15 to 21 are additionally added to the ice maker according to various embodiments of the present invention Cross-sectional views showing the configuration.

Referring to these drawings, the elastic tray unit 300 may be formed in a shape surrounding both ends of the lower tray 220 , and a plurality of protrusions 310 may be formed in a portion in contact with the upper tray 210 . there is. The plurality of protrusions 310 may be formed in a multi-stage shape on the contact surface of the upper tray 210 and the lower tray 220 , that is, in a vertical direction, thereby further improving sealing force. At this time, the contact portion of the elastic tray unit 300 is formed with a predetermined inclination so that residual water such as moisture does not remain on the contact surface of the upper tray 210 and the lower tray 220, and the plurality of protrusions 310 are also It may be formed to be inclined downward at a predetermined inclination. By removing residual ice that affects the surrounding sealing during the water supply standby or ice making standby after ice moving through the elastic tray unit 300 , the sealing force of the upper tray 210 and the lower tray 220 can be improved.

In addition, the elastic tray part 300 is formed in a shape surrounding the inner surface of the lower tray 220, as shown in FIG. 14, the elastic protrusions 305 of the elastic tray part 300 are formed and correspondingly elastic A fastening hole (not shown) may be formed in the lower tray 220 so that the protrusion 305 can be inserted. Accordingly, the elastic protrusions 305 of the elastic tray part 300 may be removably coupled to each other while being inserted into the fastening hole in a pressurized manner.

Alternatively, the elastic tray part 300 is formed in a shape surrounding the inner surface of the lower tray 220 , and as shown in FIG. 14 , the lower tray 220 is formed in an open shape in the center portion and the elastic tray part 300 ) may be fixed to both ends of the lower tray 220 in a coupling manner in which screws are respectively fastened.

Meanwhile, according to the present invention, the cooling pipe 20 and the heater 30 may be disposed on the upper tray 210 at predetermined intervals. That is, the plurality of heaters 30 may be formed to be in close contact with the upper tray 210 , and although not shown in the drawings of the present invention, the heater 30 may be stably seated on the upper tray 210 . A guide may be formed.

The heater 30 may be formed on the upper surface of the upper tray 210 of the ice-making tray 200 to be spaced apart from each other by a predetermined interval. The heater 30 according to the present invention may be a planar heater or a silicon cord heater, preferably a planar heater. Heat may be transferred through surface contact between the surface heater and the upper tray 210 of the ice-making tray 200, and ice transfer may be made by the heat transfer. The ice maker 100 may further include another heater. Moisture generated in the process of repeating heating and cooling may condense on the bottom of the lower tray 220 of the ice-making tray 200 and fall downward, and the fallen water droplets may reach the drain plate 150 . The water droplets reaching the drain plate 150 may be frozen by the internal environment of the ice-making chamber. If the ice accumulates, the purpose of drainage may be lost, so that the heat of the heater may be transferred to a location where there is a possibility of freezing. The heater 30 is a drain heater (not shown), and may be located on the surface of the drain plate 150 or buried therein for thawing. Also, the ice maker body 300 and the heater 30 may be configured to be electrically connected with a silicon wire. In addition, the power connection part of the heater 30 may be provided on a separate hinge rotation cap member.

According to the present invention, the heater 30 may be formed in a curved portion forming one side of the upper tray 210 of the ice-making tray 200 , that is, the upper side of the ice-making groove 15 . The upper tray 210 of the ice-making tray includes portions extending horizontally to both sides around the curved portion, and a heater seating portion 219a may be formed in this curved portion to stably support the heater 30. there is. Also, as shown in FIG. 8B , the heater 30 may be disposed between the boundary portions 216 formed on the upper tray 210 of the ice-making tray 30 . The boundary portion 216 prevents the heater 30 from flowing in a spaced state at regular intervals, so that ice can be stably formed. Furthermore, the horizontal extension portion of the upper tray 210 may be further formed with an upper tray extension (not shown) extending vertically in the upper direction, and a heater seating portion (not shown) or Of course, a boundary portion (not shown) may be formed and the heater 30 may be disposed.

Here, an air hole 211 passing through the ice making groove 15 may be formed in the upper central portion of the curved portion of the upper tray 210 . Ice making water may be supplied from the water supply unit 10 through the air hole 211 and may be introduced into the ice making groove 15 . The air hole 211 may allow air bubbles that may be generated during the ice making process of the ice-making water in the ice-making groove 15, that is, air to be discharged to the outside.

In some cases, the heater 30 may be formed in a radially spiral shape around the air hole 211 formed in the curved portion of the upper tray 210 .

As described above, in the upper case 210, the planar heater 30 is disposed at a predetermined interval, and an electrode 700 is formed on one side of the upper tray 210, so that the water supply part by voltage conduction or capacitance change Water supply control by (10) may be possible. These electrode rods 700, as shown in the drawings of the present invention, may be formed in a non-contact manner or may be formed in a connection method that is formed extending inside the ice-making tray 200. As a specific example, it may be an unexposed electrostatic sensor (water level sensor), an exposed electrostatic sensor (water level sensor), or a energized sensor, but is not limited thereto. In addition, as shown in FIG. 21 , a plurality of heat dissipation fins may be formed at a predetermined interval on one side of the upper tray 210 .

22 to 24 are schematic cross-sectional views of an ice maker to which an elastic plate is applied according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIGS. 25 to 30 are an ice maker equipped with an elastic member or an ice-dividing means according to various embodiments of the present invention. 31 to 33 are views showing products to which an ice maker according to the present invention is applied.

Referring to these drawings, when the lower tray 220 of the ice-making tray 200 rotates about the driving rotation shaft 221 on one side of the ice-making tray 200 of the ice maker 100 according to the present invention, a predetermined elastic force is applied. A pressure spring (S2) may be formed so as to be stretched or restored with.

Here, one end of the lower tray 220 may be formed to extend in one direction longer than the height of the lower end of the upper tray 210 to form an extended curved portion 222 . Accordingly, the upper tray 210 and the lower tray 220 have concentric circles around the driving rotation shaft 221 , and the lower tray 220 can rotate along the same trajectory length.

A fastening protrusion 225 may be selectively formed in the lower portion of the lower tray 220 so that the extended portion of the elastic tray unit 300 and the extended fastening unit 320 are coupled to each other in a surrounding shape. In some cases, a plurality of fastening protrusions 225 are formed, and they may have a structure in which a separate connecting member P is interposed and screwed by a bolt B.

Since the pressure spring S2 is connected from one side of the ice-making tray 200 to the other side, that is, one side of the lower tray 220 , when the lower tray 220 of the ice-making tray 200 rotates for ice transfer It is possible to assist the sealing force of the upper tray 210 and the lower tray 220 while returning after being stretched with a certain elastic force. At this time, the pressure spring (S2), as shown in FIG. 26, has a predetermined elastic force release point, so when the lower tray 220 rotates around the virtual vertical line, the pressure spring (S2) is When the elastic force release point is reached by the motor rotational force of the driving unit 50 after being stretched with a predetermined elastic force, the pressing spring S2 returns and the ice formed on one side while not interfering with the ice drifting operation of the ice C While collided with the auxiliary means (L) and the position is fixed, the ice can be made more easily. Afterwards, when the motor of the driving unit 50 is driven, the pressing spring S2 can be extended again and maintain a predetermined elastic force so as to be closely fixed to the upper tray 210 .

According to the present invention, the ice maker 100 may be mounted on a refrigerator body, a door, or a portable refrigerator as shown in FIGS. 31 to 33 .

Above, a specific embodiment of the present invention has been described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, the embodiment of the present invention is not necessarily limited by the above-described embodiment, and it is natural that various modifications and implementations within an equivalent range are possible by those skilled in the art to which the present invention pertains. will be. Therefore, the true scope of the present invention will be determined by the claims to be described later.

1: refrigerator 8, 9: door
15: ice making groove 16: water supply communication part
20: cooling pipe 30: heater
50: driving unit 100: ice making device
111: full ice detection unit 200: ice tray
210: upper tray 211: air hole
212: water supply hole 215: rotation hinge shaft
219: water supply guide 220: lower tray
221: drive rotation shaft 222: extended curved portion
225, 226: fastening protrusion 300: elastic tray portion
310: protrusion 320: extended fastening part
B: bolt L: divergence aid
P: connecting ribs S, S1, S2: spring
T: temperature sensor H: heat sink fin

Claims (33)

An ice maker mounted on a cooling matrix, comprising:
ice machine body;
an ice-making tray rotatably mounted on one side of the ice maker body, the ice-making tray having an ice-making groove for accommodating the ice-making water and including an upper tray and a lower tray that are detachably coupled to each other;
a plurality of heater units formed on at least a portion of the upper tray; and
At least one driving unit for providing a rotational force to rotate the rotation hinge shaft of the ice-making tray;
The rotation hinge shaft of the ice-making tray is eccentrically arranged and rotates;
The lower tray includes a lower plate including a portion at least partially open and an elastic tray portion surrounding at least a portion of the lower plate.
An ice maker mounted on a cooling matrix, comprising:
ice machine body;
an ice-making tray rotatably mounted on one side of the ice maker body, the ice-making tray having an ice-making groove for accommodating the ice-making water and including an upper tray and a lower tray that are detachably coupled to each other;
a plurality of heater units formed on at least a portion of the upper tray;
at least one driving unit providing a rotational force to rotate the rotation hinge shaft of the ice tray; and
Including, but including;
The rotation hinge shaft of the ice-making tray is eccentrically arranged and rotates;
The lower tray includes a lower plate including a portion at least partially open and an elastic tray portion surrounding at least a portion of the lower plate.
An ice maker mounted on a cooling matrix, comprising:
ice machine body;
an ice-making tray rotatably mounted on one side of the ice maker body, the ice-making tray having an ice-making groove for accommodating the ice-making water and including an upper tray and a lower tray that are detachably coupled to each other;
a plurality of heater units formed on at least a portion of the upper tray; and
At least one driving unit for providing a rotational force to rotate the rotation hinge shaft of the ice-making tray,
The rotation hinge shaft of the ice-making tray is eccentrically arranged and rotates;
The lower tray includes a lower tray having an at least partially opened portion, and an elastic tray unit enclosing at least a portion of the lower tray and sealing the upper tray and the lower tray of the ice-making tray.
4. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 3,
A flexible tray ice maker in which a plurality of protrusions or ribs are formed in the elastic tray portion at a contact portion between the upper tray and the lower tray to supplement sealing force.
5. The method of claim 4,
The protrusion or the rib is formed in a shape to protrude from a vertically curved surface in which the upper tray and the lower tray come into contact with each other.
4. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 3,
The flexible tray part ice maker in which the elastic tray part has a predetermined inclination at a contact portion between the upper tray and the lower tray.
4. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 3,
The flexible tray part ice maker in which the elastic tray part is fixed to the lower plate by a screw fastening method.
4. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 3,
The flexible tray ice maker includes at least one elastic protrusion formed in the elastic tray part, and the elastic protrusion is fixed to a fastening hole formed in the lower plate by a pressure or hook fastening method.
The method of claim 1,
and the upper tray and the lower tray are coupled to each other in up-down or both directions with respect to the ground.
4. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 3,
The ice-making tray is a flexible tray unit ice maker manufactured by including at least one of a metal material and a resin.
4. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 3,
A flexible tray unit ice maker in which a cooling pipe is disposed adjacent to or in close contact with the upper tray.
4. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 3,
The lower tray is a flexible tray ice maker manufactured by including at least one of silicone, Keflon, and PP.
4. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 3,
A flexible tray part ice maker having an ice maker on one side of the lower tray, which is formed with an ice maker in close contact with the bottom surface of the lower tray when the ice moves by rotation.
4. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 3,
The lower tray has at least one end of the flexible tray ice maker having an extended curved portion formed to be longer than the height of the end of the upper tray.
4. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 3,
A flexible tray unit ice maker having a water supply unit provided at one side of the ice maker body for supplying ice making water to the ice making groove.
4. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 3,
The ice-making groove of the ice-making tray has a circular, polygonal, diamond-shaped or elliptical cross section.
4. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 3,
An end height of the lower tray is the same as an end height of the upper tray with respect to the ground or is formed to be elongated in an upward direction.
4. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 3,
The driving unit is a flexible tray unit ice maker operated by an automatic or manual lever.
4. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 3,
The heater is a flexible tray ice maker including a silicone cord heater or a flat heater.
20. The method of claim 19,
The heater is formed on the upper tray of the ice-making tray, and the flexible tray part ice maker is radially formed in the curved portion forming the ice-making groove.
20. The method of claim 19,
The heater is a flexible tray ice maker formed in a spiral shape.
4. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 3,
A flexible tray unit ice maker in which a heater seating portion for supporting the heater is formed in the upper tray at a curved portion where the ice making groove is formed.
4. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 3,
An air hole penetrating through the ice-making groove is formed in a curved portion of the upper tray where the ice-making groove is formed.
4. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 3,
The flexible tray unit ice maker further comprising an upper cover formed on the upper tray with a water supply guide unit communicating with the air hole.
3. The method according to claim 1 or 2,
A flexible tray unit ice maker provided with a temperature sensor at one side of the lower tray.
4. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 3,
At least one electrode electrode is formed on one side of the upper tray, so that water supply is controlled by voltage supply or capacitance change.
4. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 3,
The ice maker body and the heater are electrically connected to the flexible tray part ice maker with a silicon wire.
28. The method of claim 27,
A flexible tray unit ice maker provided in a separate hinge rotation cap member for the power connection part of the heater.
4. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 3,
A flexible tray unit ice maker having a blowing pen for cooling or circulation formed on one side of the ice tray.
4. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 3,
A flexible tray unit ice maker configured to generate heat by controlling the heater formed on the upper tray to produce crystal ice by adjusting the ice making time of the ice maker.
4. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 3,
A flexible tray unit ice maker having a sealing unit providing sealing force formed at a contact portion between the upper tray and the lower tray.
4. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 3,
The ice making grooves are formed in a plurality in one direction, and the flexible tray unit ice maker is provided with a water supply communication unit to communicate with each other.
A refrigerator comprising the ice maker according to any one of claims 1 to 32.

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