US20240118009A1 - Refrigerator and method for controlling same - Google Patents
Refrigerator and method for controlling same Download PDFInfo
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- US20240118009A1 US20240118009A1 US18/543,155 US202318543155A US2024118009A1 US 20240118009 A1 US20240118009 A1 US 20240118009A1 US 202318543155 A US202318543155 A US 202318543155A US 2024118009 A1 US2024118009 A1 US 2024118009A1
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- heater
- ice
- tray
- cell
- heating process
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Images
Classifications
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- F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
- F25—REFRIGERATION OR COOLING; COMBINED HEATING AND REFRIGERATION SYSTEMS; HEAT PUMP SYSTEMS; MANUFACTURE OR STORAGE OF ICE; LIQUEFACTION SOLIDIFICATION OF GASES
- F25C—PRODUCING, WORKING OR HANDLING ICE
- F25C1/00—Producing ice
- F25C1/18—Producing ice of a particular transparency or translucency, e.g. by injecting air
-
- F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
- F25—REFRIGERATION OR COOLING; COMBINED HEATING AND REFRIGERATION SYSTEMS; HEAT PUMP SYSTEMS; MANUFACTURE OR STORAGE OF ICE; LIQUEFACTION SOLIDIFICATION OF GASES
- F25C—PRODUCING, WORKING OR HANDLING ICE
- F25C1/00—Producing ice
- F25C1/22—Construction of moulds; Filling devices for moulds
- F25C1/24—Construction of moulds; Filling devices for moulds for refrigerators, e.g. freezing trays
-
- F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
- F25—REFRIGERATION OR COOLING; COMBINED HEATING AND REFRIGERATION SYSTEMS; HEAT PUMP SYSTEMS; MANUFACTURE OR STORAGE OF ICE; LIQUEFACTION SOLIDIFICATION OF GASES
- F25C—PRODUCING, WORKING OR HANDLING ICE
- F25C5/00—Working or handling ice
- F25C5/02—Apparatus for disintegrating, removing or harvesting ice
- F25C5/04—Apparatus for disintegrating, removing or harvesting ice without the use of saws
- F25C5/08—Apparatus for disintegrating, removing or harvesting ice without the use of saws by heating bodies in contact with the ice
-
- F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
- F25—REFRIGERATION OR COOLING; COMBINED HEATING AND REFRIGERATION SYSTEMS; HEAT PUMP SYSTEMS; MANUFACTURE OR STORAGE OF ICE; LIQUEFACTION SOLIDIFICATION OF GASES
- F25D—REFRIGERATORS; COLD ROOMS; ICE-BOXES; COOLING OR FREEZING APPARATUS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- F25D29/00—Arrangement or mounting of control or safety devices
-
- F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
- F25—REFRIGERATION OR COOLING; COMBINED HEATING AND REFRIGERATION SYSTEMS; HEAT PUMP SYSTEMS; MANUFACTURE OR STORAGE OF ICE; LIQUEFACTION SOLIDIFICATION OF GASES
- F25C—PRODUCING, WORKING OR HANDLING ICE
- F25C2305/00—Special arrangements or features for working or handling ice
- F25C2305/022—Harvesting ice including rotating or tilting or pivoting of a mould or tray
-
- F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
- F25—REFRIGERATION OR COOLING; COMBINED HEATING AND REFRIGERATION SYSTEMS; HEAT PUMP SYSTEMS; MANUFACTURE OR STORAGE OF ICE; LIQUEFACTION SOLIDIFICATION OF GASES
- F25C—PRODUCING, WORKING OR HANDLING ICE
- F25C2400/00—Auxiliary features or devices for producing, working or handling ice
- F25C2400/06—Multiple ice moulds or trays therefor
-
- F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
- F25—REFRIGERATION OR COOLING; COMBINED HEATING AND REFRIGERATION SYSTEMS; HEAT PUMP SYSTEMS; MANUFACTURE OR STORAGE OF ICE; LIQUEFACTION SOLIDIFICATION OF GASES
- F25C—PRODUCING, WORKING OR HANDLING ICE
- F25C2400/00—Auxiliary features or devices for producing, working or handling ice
- F25C2400/10—Refrigerator units
-
- F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
- F25—REFRIGERATION OR COOLING; COMBINED HEATING AND REFRIGERATION SYSTEMS; HEAT PUMP SYSTEMS; MANUFACTURE OR STORAGE OF ICE; LIQUEFACTION SOLIDIFICATION OF GASES
- F25C—PRODUCING, WORKING OR HANDLING ICE
- F25C2600/00—Control issues
- F25C2600/04—Control means
-
- F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
- F25—REFRIGERATION OR COOLING; COMBINED HEATING AND REFRIGERATION SYSTEMS; HEAT PUMP SYSTEMS; MANUFACTURE OR STORAGE OF ICE; LIQUEFACTION SOLIDIFICATION OF GASES
- F25C—PRODUCING, WORKING OR HANDLING ICE
- F25C2700/00—Sensing or detecting of parameters; Sensors therefor
- F25C2700/12—Temperature of ice trays
-
- F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
- F25—REFRIGERATION OR COOLING; COMBINED HEATING AND REFRIGERATION SYSTEMS; HEAT PUMP SYSTEMS; MANUFACTURE OR STORAGE OF ICE; LIQUEFACTION SOLIDIFICATION OF GASES
- F25C—PRODUCING, WORKING OR HANDLING ICE
- F25C5/00—Working or handling ice
- F25C5/20—Distributing ice
- F25C5/22—Distributing ice particularly adapted for household refrigerators
Definitions
- the present disclosure relates to a refrigerator and a method for controlling the same.
- refrigerators are home appliances for storing foods at a low temperature in a storage chamber that is covered by a door.
- the refrigerator may cool the inside of the storage space by using cold air to store the stored food in a refrigerated or frozen state.
- an ice maker for making ice is provided in the refrigerator.
- the ice maker makes ice by cooling water after accommodating the water supplied from a water supply source or a water tank into a tray.
- the ice maker may separate the made ice from the ice tray in a heating manner or twisting manner.
- the ice maker through which water is automatically supplied, and the ice automatically separated may be opened upward so that the mode ice is pumped up.
- the ice made in the ice maker may have at least one flat surface such as crescent or cubic shape.
- the ice When the ice has a spherical shape, it is more convenient to use the ice, and also, it is possible to provide different feeling of use to a user. Also, even when the made ice is stored, a contact area between the ice cubes may be minimized to minimize a mat of the ice cubes.
- the ice maker disclosed in the prior art document 1 includes an upper tray in which a plurality of upper cells, each of which has a hemispherical shape, are arranged, and which includes a pair of link guide parts extending upward from both side ends thereof, a lower tray in which a plurality of upper cells, each of which has a hemispherical shape and which is rotatably connected to the upper tray, a rotation shaft connected to rear ends of the lower tray and the upper tray to allow the lower tray to rotate with respect to the upper tray, a pair of links having one end connected to the lower tray and the other end connected to the link guide part, and an upper ejecting pin assembly connected to each of the pair of links in at state in which both ends thereof are inserted into the link guide part and elevated together with the upper ejecting pin assembly.
- the ice maker disclosed in the prior art document 2 includes an ice making plate and a heater for heating a lower portion of water supplied to the ice making plate.
- the prior art document 2 discloses a feature in which when the volume of water is simply reduced, only the heating amount of heater increases and does not disclose a structure and a heater control logic for making ice having high transparency without reducing the ice making rate.
- FIGS. 1 A and 1 B are front views of a refrigerator according to an embodiment.
- FIG. 2 is a perspective view of an ice maker according to an embodiment.
- FIG. 3 is a perspective view illustrating a state in which a bracket is removed from the ice maker of FIG. 2 .
- FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view of the ice maker according to an embodiment.
- FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken along line A-A of FIG. 3 for showing a second temperature sensor installed in an ice maker according to an embodiment.
- FIG. 6 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of an ice maker when a second tray is disposed at a water supply position according to an embodiment.
- FIG. 7 is a block diagram illustrating a control of a refrigerator according to an embodiment.
- FIG. 8 is a flowchart for explaining a process of making ice in the ice maker according to an embodiment.
- FIGS. 9 A and 9 B are views for explaining a height reference depending on a relative position of the transparent heater with respect to the ice making cell.
- FIGS. 10 A and 10 B are views for explaining an output of the transparent heater per unit height of water in the ice making cell.
- FIG. 11 is a view illustrating a state in which supply of water is completed at a water supply position.
- FIG. 12 is a view illustrating a state in which ice is made at an ice making position.
- FIG. 13 is a view illustrating a state in which a second tray is separated from a first tray during an ice separation process.
- FIG. 14 is a view illustrating a state in which a second tray is moved to an ice separation position during an ice separation process.
- FIG. 15 is a view for explaining a method for controlling a refrigerator when a heat transfer amount between cold air and water varies in an ice making process.
- FIG. 16 is a graph showing a change in output of a transparent ice heater according to an increase/decrease in heat transfer amount of cold air and water.
- FIG. 17 is a view illustrating an output for each control process of a transparent ice heater in an ice making process.
- first, second, A, B, (a) and (b) may be used.
- Each of the terms is merely used to distinguish the corresponding component from other components, and does not delimit an essence, an order or a sequence of the corresponding component. It should be understood that when one component is “connected”, “coupled” or “joined” to another component, the former may be directly connected or jointed to the latter or may be “connected”, coupled” or “joined” to the latter with a third component interposed therebetween.
- the refrigerator may include a tray assembly defining a portion of an ice making cell that is a space in which water is phase-changed into ice, a cooler supplying cold air to the ice making cell, a water supply part supplying water to the ice making cell, and a controller.
- the refrigerator may further include a temperature sensor detecting a temperature of water or ice of the ice making cell.
- the refrigerator may further include a heater disposed adjacent to the tray assembly.
- the refrigerator may further include a driver to move the tray assembly.
- the heater may supply heat to the ice making cell and/or the tray assembly.
- the refrigerator may further include a storage chamber in which food is stored in addition to the ice making cell.
- the refrigerator may further include a cooler supplying cold to the storage chamber.
- the refrigerator may further include a temperature sensor sensing a temperature in the storage chamber.
- the controller may control at least one of the water supply part or the cooler.
- the controller may control at least one of the heater or the driver.
- the cooler may be defined as a part configured to cool the storage chamber that includes at least one of a cold air supply part including an evaporator and a thermoelectric element.
- FIG. 1 is a front view of a refrigerator according to an embodiment.
- a refrigerator may include a cabinet 14 including a storage chamber and a door that opens and closes the storage chamber.
- the storage chamber may include a refrigerating compartment 18 and a freezing compartment 32 .
- the refrigerating compartment 14 is disposed at an upper side
- the freezing compartment 32 is disposed at a lower side.
- Each of the storage chambers may be opened and closed individually by each door.
- the freezing compartment may be disposed at the upper side and the refrigerating compartment may be disposed at the lower side.
- the freezing compartment may be disposed at one side of left and right sides, and the refrigerating compartment may be disposed at the other side.
- the freezing compartment 32 may be divided into an upper space and a lower space, and a drawer 40 capable of being withdrawn from and inserted into the lower space may be provided in the lower space.
- the door may include a plurality of doors 10 , 20 , 30 for opening and closing the refrigerating compartment 18 and the freezing compartment 32 .
- the plurality of doors 10 , 20 , and 30 may include some or all of the doors 10 and 20 for opening and closing the storage chamber in a rotatable manner and the door 30 for opening and closing the storage chamber in a sliding manner.
- the freezing compartment 32 may be provided to be separated into two spaces even though the freezing compartment 32 is opened and closed by one door 30 .
- the freezing compartment 32 may be referred to as a first storage chamber, and the refrigerating compartment 18 may be referred to as a second storage chamber.
- the freezing compartment 32 may be provided with an ice maker 200 capable of making ice.
- the ice maker 200 may be disposed, for example, in an upper space of the freezing compartment 32 .
- An ice bin 600 in which the ice made by the ice maker 200 falls to be stored may be disposed below the ice maker 200 .
- a user may take out the ice bin 600 from the freezing compartment 32 to use the ice stored in the ice bin 600 .
- the ice bin 600 may be mounted on an upper side of a horizontal wall that partitions an upper space and a lower space of the freezing compartment 32 from each other.
- the cabinet 14 is provided with a duct supplying cold air to the ice maker 200 .
- the duct guides the cold air heat-exchanged with a refrigerant flowing through the evaporator to the ice maker 200 .
- the duct may be disposed behind the cabinet 14 to discharge the cold air toward a front side of the cabinet 14 .
- the ice maker 200 may be disposed at a front side of the duct.
- a discharge hole of the duct may be provided in one or more of a rear wall and an upper wall of the freezing compartment 32 .
- a space in which the ice maker 200 is disposed is not limited to the freezing compartment 32 .
- the ice maker 200 may be disposed in various spaces as long as the ice maker 200 receives the cold air.
- FIG. 2 is a perspective view of an ice maker according to an embodiment
- FIG. 3 is a perspective view illustrating a state in which a bracket is removed from the ice maker of FIG. 2
- FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view of the ice maker according to an embodiment
- FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken along line A-A of FIG. 3 for showing a second temperature sensor installed in an ice maker according to an embodiment.
- FIG. 6 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of an ice maker when a second tray is disposed at a water supply position according to an embodiment.
- each component of the ice maker 200 may be provided inside or outside the bracket 220 , and thus, the ice maker 200 may constitute one assembly.
- the bracket 220 may be installed at, for example, the upper wall of the freezing compartment 32 .
- a water supply part 240 may be installed on the upper side of the inner surface of the bracket 220 .
- the water supply part 240 may be provided with openings at upper and lower sides so that water supplied to the upper side of the water supply part 240 may be guided to the lower side of the water supply part 240 . Since the upper opening of the water supply part 240 is larger than the lower opening thereof, a discharge range of water guided downward through the water supply part 240 may be limited.
- a water supply pipe to which water is supplied may be installed above the water supply part 240 . The water supplied to the water supply part 240 may move downward.
- the water supply part 240 may prevent the water discharged from the water supply pipe from dropping from a high position, thereby preventing the water from splashing. Since the water supply part 240 is disposed below the water supply pipe, the water may be guided downward without splashing up to the water supply part 240 , and an amount of splashing water may be reduced even if the water moves downward due to the lowered height.
- the ice maker 200 may include an ice making cell 320 a in which water is phase-changed into ice by the cold air.
- the ice maker 200 may include a first tray 320 defining at least a portion of a wall for providing the ice making cell 320 a , and a second tray 380 defining at least another portion of the wall for providing the ice making cell 320 a .
- the ice making cell 320 a may include a first cell 320 b and a second cell 320 c .
- the first tray 320 may define the first cell 320 b
- the second tray 380 may define the second cell 320 c.
- the second tray 380 may be disposed to be relatively movable with respect to the first tray 320 .
- the second tray 380 may linearly rotate or rotate.
- the rotation of the second tray 380 will be described as an example.
- the second tray 380 may move with respect to the first tray 320 so that the first tray 320 and the second tray 380 contact each other.
- the complete ice making cell 320 a may be defined.
- the second tray 380 may move with respect to the first tray 320 during the ice making process after the ice making is completed, and the second tray 380 may be spaced apart from the first tray 320 .
- the first tray 320 and the second tray 380 may be arranged in a vertical direction in a state in which the ice making cell 320 a is formed. Accordingly, the first tray 320 may be referred to as an upper tray, and the second tray 380 may be referred to as a lower tray.
- a plurality of ice making cells 320 a may be defined by the first tray 320 and the second tray 380 .
- three ice making cells 320 a are provided as an example.
- the ice making cell 320 a may be provided in a spherical shape or a shape similar to a spherical shape.
- the first cell 320 b may be provided in a spherical shape or a shape similar to a spherical shape.
- the second cell 320 c may be provided in a spherical shape or a shape similar to a spherical shape.
- the ice making cell 320 a may have a rectangular parallelepiped shape or a polygonal shape.
- the ice maker 200 may further include a first tray case 300 coupled to the first tray 320 .
- the first tray case 300 may be coupled to the upper side of the first tray 320 .
- the first tray case 300 may be manufactured as a separate part from the bracket 220 and then may be coupled to the bracket 220 or integrally formed with the bracket 220 .
- the ice maker 200 may further include a first heater case 280 .
- An ice separation heater 290 may be installed in the first heater case 280 .
- the heater case 280 may be integrally formed with the first tray case 300 or may be separately formed.
- the ice separation heater 290 may be disposed at a position adjacent to the first tray 320 .
- the ice separation heater 290 may be, for example, a wire type heater.
- the ice separation heater 290 may be installed to contact the first tray 320 or may be disposed at a position spaced a predetermined distance from the first tray 320 .
- the ice separation heater 290 may supply heat to the first tray 320 , and the heat supplied to the first tray 320 may be transferred to the ice making cell 320 a.
- the ice maker 200 may further include a first tray cover 340 disposed below the first tray 320 .
- the first tray cover 340 may be provided with an opening corresponding to a shape of the ice making cell 320 a of the first tray 320 and may be coupled to a lower surface of the first tray 320 .
- the first tray case 300 may be provided with a guide slot 302 inclined at an upper side and vertically extending at a lower side.
- the guide slot 302 may be provided in a member extending upward from the first tray case 300 .
- a guide protrusion 262 of the first pusher 260 which will be described later, may be inserted into the guide slot 302 .
- the guide protrusion 262 may be guided along the guide slot 302 .
- the first pusher 260 may include at least one extension part 264 .
- the first pusher 260 may include the extension part 264 provided with the same number as the number of ice making cells 320 a , but is not limited thereto.
- the extension part 264 may push out the ice disposed in the ice making cell 320 a during the ice separation process.
- the extension part 264 may be inserted into the ice making cell 320 a through the first tray case 300 . Therefore, the first tray case 300 may be provided with a hole 304 through which a portion of the first pusher 260 passes.
- the guide protrusion 262 of the first pusher 260 may be coupled to a pusher link 500 .
- the guide protrusion 262 may be coupled to the pusher link 500 so as to be rotatable. Therefore, when the pusher link 500 moves, the first pusher 260 may also move along the guide slot 302 .
- the ice maker 200 may further include a second tray case 400 coupled to the second tray 380 .
- the second tray case 400 may be disposed at a lower side of the second tray to support the second tray 380 .
- at least a portion of the wall defining the second cell 320 a of the second tray 380 may be supported by the second tray case 400 .
- a spring 402 may be connected to one side of the second tray case 400 .
- the spring 402 may provide elastic force to the second tray case 400 to maintain a state in which the second tray 380 contacts the first tray 320 .
- the ice maker 200 may further include a second tray cover 360 .
- the second tray 380 may include a circumferential wall 382 surrounding a portion of the first tray 320 in a state of contacting the first tray 320 .
- the second tray cover 360 may surround the circumferential wall 382 .
- the ice maker 200 may further include a second heater case 420 .
- a transparent ice heater 430 may be installed in the second heater case 420 .
- the transparent ice heater 430 will be described in detail.
- the controller 800 may control the transparent ice heater 430 so that heat is supplied to the ice making cell 320 a in at least partial section while cold air is supplied to the ice making cell 320 a to make the transparent ice.
- An ice making rate may be delayed so that bubbles dissolved in water within the ice making cell 320 a may move from a portion at which ice is made toward liquid water by the heat of the transparent ice heater 430 , thereby making transparent ice in the ice maker 200 . That is, the bubbles dissolved in water may be induced to escape to the outside of the ice making cell 320 a or to be collected into a predetermined position in the ice making cell 320 a.
- a cold air supply part 900 to be described later supplies cold air to the ice making cell 320 a , if the ice making rate is high, the bubbles dissolved in the water inside the ice making cell 320 a may be frozen without moving from the portion at which the ice is made to the liquid water, and thus, transparency of the ice may be reduced.
- the cold air supply part 900 supplies the cold air to the ice making cell 320 a , if the ice making rate is low, the above limitation may be solved to increase in transparency of the ice.
- the transparent ice heater 430 may be disposed at one side of the ice making cell 320 a so that the heater locally supplies heat to the ice making cell 320 a , thereby increasing in transparency of the made ice while reducing the ice making time.
- the transparent ice heater 430 When the transparent ice heater 430 is disposed on one side of the ice making cell 320 a , the transparent ice heater 430 may be made of a material having thermal conductivity less than that of the metal to prevent heat of the transparent ice heater 430 from being easily transferred to the other side of the ice making cell 320 a.
- At least one of the first tray 320 and the second tray 380 may be made of a resin including plastic so that the ice attached to the trays 320 and 380 is separated in the ice making process.
- At least one of the first tray 320 or the second tray 380 may be made of a flexible or soft material so that the tray deformed by the pushers 260 and 540 is easily restored to its original shape in the ice separation process.
- the transparent ice heater 430 may be disposed at a position adjacent to the second tray 380 .
- the transparent ice heater 430 may be, for example, a wire type heater.
- the transparent ice heater 430 may be installed to contact the second tray 380 or may be disposed at a position spaced a predetermined distance from the second tray 380 .
- the second heater case 420 may not be separately provided, but the transparent heater 430 may be installed on the second tray case 400 .
- the transparent ice heater 430 may supply heat to the second tray 380 , and the heat supplied to the second tray 380 may be transferred to the ice making cell 320 a.
- the ice maker 200 may further include a driver 480 that provides driving force.
- the second tray 380 may relatively move with respect to the first tray 320 by receiving the driving force of the driver 480 .
- a through-hole 282 may be defined in an extension part 281 extending downward in one side of the first tray case 300 .
- a through-hole 404 may be defined in the extension part 403 extending in one side of the second tray case 400 .
- the ice maker 200 may further include a shaft 440 that passes through the through-holes 282 and 404 together.
- a rotation arm 460 may be provided at each of both ends of the shaft 440 .
- the shaft 440 may rotate by receiving rotational force from the driver 480 .
- One end of the rotation arm 460 may be connected to one end of the spring 402 , and thus, a position of the rotation arm 460 may move to an initial value by restoring force when the spring 402 is tensioned.
- the driver 480 may include a motor and a plurality of gears.
- a full ice detection lever 520 may be connected to the driver 480 .
- the full ice detection lever 520 may also rotate by the rotational force provided by the driver 480 .
- the full ice detection lever 520 may have a ‘E’ shape as a whole.
- the full ice detection lever 520 may include a first portion 521 and a pair of second portions 522 extending in a direction crossing the first portion 521 at both ends of the first portion 521 .
- One of the pair of second portions 522 may be coupled to the driver 480 , and the other may be coupled to the bracket 220 or the first tray case 300 .
- the full ice detection lever 520 may rotate to detect ice stored in the ice bin 600 .
- the driver 480 may further include a cam that rotates by the rotational power of the motor.
- the ice maker 200 may further include a sensor that senses the rotation of the cam.
- the cam is provided with a magnet
- the sensor may be a hall sensor detecting magnetism of the magnet during the rotation of the cam.
- the sensor may output first and second signals that are different outputs according to whether the sensor senses a magnet.
- One of the first signal and the second signal may be a high signal, and the other may be a low signal.
- the controller 800 to be described later may determine a position of the second tray 380 based on the type and pattern of the signal outputted from the sensor. That is, since the second tray 380 and the cam rotate by the motor, the position of the second tray 380 may be indirectly determined based on a detection signal of the magnet provided in the cam.
- a water supply position and an ice making position may be distinguished and determined based on the signals outputted from the sensor.
- the ice maker 200 may further include a second pusher 540 .
- the second pusher 540 may be installed on the bracket 220 .
- the second pusher 540 may include at least one extension part 544 .
- the second pusher 540 may include the extension part 544 provided with the same number as the number of ice making cells 320 a , but is not limited thereto.
- the extension part 544 may push out the ice disposed in the ice making cell 320 a .
- the extension part 544 may pass through the second tray case 400 to contact the second tray 380 defining the ice making cell 320 a and then press the contacting second tray 380 . Therefore, the second tray case 400 may be provided with a hole 422 through which a portion of the second pusher 540 passes.
- the first tray case 300 may be rotatably coupled to the second tray case 400 with respect to the shaft 440 and then be disposed to change in angle about the shaft 440 .
- the second tray 380 may be made of a non-metal material.
- the second tray 380 when the second tray 380 is pressed by the second pusher 540 , the second tray 380 may be made of a flexible or soft material which is deformable.
- the second tray 380 may be made of, for example, a silicone material. Therefore, while the second tray 380 is deformed while the second tray 380 is pressed by the second pusher 540 , pressing force of the second pusher 540 may be transmitted to ice. The ice and the second tray 380 may be separated from each other by the pressing force of the second pusher 540 .
- the coupling force or attaching force between the ice and the second tray 380 may be reduced, and thus, the ice may be easily separated from the second tray 380 .
- the second tray 380 is made of the non-metallic material and the flexible or soft material, after the shape of the second tray 380 is deformed by the second pusher 540 , when the pressing force of the second pusher 540 is removed, the second tray 380 may be easily restored to its original shape.
- the first tray 320 may be made of a metal material.
- the ice maker 200 since the coupling force or the separating force between the first tray 320 and the ice is strong, the ice maker 200 according to this embodiment may include at least one of the ice separation heater 290 or the first pusher 260 .
- the first tray 320 may be made of a non-metallic material.
- the ice maker 200 may include only one of the ice separation heater 290 and the first pusher 260 .
- the ice maker 200 may not include the ice separation heater 290 and the first pusher 260 .
- the second tray 320 may be made of, for example, a silicone material. That is, the first tray 320 and the second tray 380 may be made of the same material. When the first tray 320 and the second tray 380 are made of the same material, the first tray 320 and the second tray 380 may have different hardness to maintain sealing performance at the contact portion between the first tray 320 and the second tray 380 .
- the second tray 380 since the second tray 380 is pressed by the second pusher 540 to be deformed, the second tray 380 may have hardness less than that of the first tray 320 to facilitate the deformation of the second tray 380 .
- the ice maker 200 may further include a second temperature sensor (or a tray temperature sensor) 700 that senses the temperature of the ice making cell 320 a .
- the second temperature sensor 700 may sense a temperature of water or ice of the ice making cell 320 a.
- the second temperature sensor 700 may be disposed adjacent to the first tray 320 to sense the temperature of the first tray 320 , thereby indirectly determining the water temperature or the ice temperature of the ice making cell 320 a .
- the water temperature or the ice temperature of the ice making cell 320 a may be referred to as an internal temperature of the ice making cell 320 a .
- the second temperature sensor 700 may be installed in the first tray case 300 .
- the second temperature sensor 700 may contact the first tray 320 , or may be spaced apart from the first tray 320 by a predetermined distance. Alternatively, the second temperature sensor 700 may be installed on the first tray 320 to contact the first tray 320 .
- the second temperature sensor 700 when the second temperature sensor 700 is disposed to pass through the first tray 320 , the temperature of water or ice of the ice making cell 320 a may be directly sensed.
- a portion of the ice separation heater 290 may be disposed higher than the second temperature sensor 700 and may be spaced apart from the second temperature sensor 700 .
- An electric wire 701 coupled to the second temperature sensor 700 may be guided above the first tray case 300 .
- the ice maker 200 may be designed such that the position of the second tray 380 is different in the water supply position and the ice-making position.
- the second tray 380 may include a second cell wall 381 defining the second cell 320 c of the ice making cell 320 a , and a circumferential wall 382 extending along the outer edge of the second cell wall 381 .
- the second cell wall 381 may include an upper surface 381 a .
- the upper surface 381 a of the second cell wall 381 may be referred to as the upper surface 381 a of the second tray 380 .
- the upper surface 381 a of the second cell wall 381 may be disposed lower than the upper end of the circumferential wall 381 .
- the first tray 320 may include a first cell wall 321 a defining the first cell 320 b of the ice making cell 320 a .
- the first cell wall 321 a may include a straight portion 321 b and a curved portion 321 c .
- the curved portion 321 c may be formed in an arc shape having a center of the shaft 440 as a radius of curvature.
- the circumferential wall 381 may also include a straight portion and a curved portion corresponding to the straight portion 321 b and the curved portion 321 c.
- the first cell wall 321 a may include a lower surface 321 d .
- the lower surface 321 b of the first cell wall 321 a may be referred to as the lower surface 321 b of the first tray 320 .
- the lower surface 321 d of the first cell wall 321 a may contact the upper surface 381 a of the second cell wall 381 a.
- the lower surface 321 d of the first cell wall 321 a and the upper surface 381 a of the second cell wall 381 may be spaced apart at the water supply position as shown in FIG. 6 .
- FIG. 6 it is shown that the lower surface 321 d of the first cell wall 321 a and the entire upper surface 381 a of the second cell wall 381 are spaced apart from each other.
- the upper surface 381 a of the second cell wall 381 may be inclined to form a predetermined angle with the lower surface 321 d of the first cell wall 321 a.
- the lower surface 321 d of the first cell wall 321 a at the water supply position may be maintained substantially horizontally, and the upper surface 381 a of the second cell wall 381 may be disposed to be inclined with respect to the lower surface 321 d of the first cell wall 321 a under the first cell wall 321 a.
- the circumferential wall 382 may surround the first cell wall 321 a .
- the upper end of the circumferential wall 382 may be disposed higher than the lower surface 321 d of the first cell wall 321 a .
- the upper surface 381 a of the second cell wall 381 may contact at least a portion of the lower surface 321 d of the first cell wall 321 a at the ice making position (see FIG. 12 ).
- the angle formed by the upper surface 381 a of the second tray 380 and the lower surface 321 d of the first tray 320 at the ice making position is smaller than the angle formed by the upper surface 382 a of the second tray 380 and the lower surface 321 d of the first tray 320 at the water supply position.
- the upper surface 381 a of the second cell wall 381 may contact the entire lower surface 321 d of the first cell wall 321 a at the ice making position.
- the upper surface 381 a of the second cell wall 381 and the lower surface 321 d of the first cell wall 321 a may be disposed to be substantially horizontal.
- the water supply position of the second tray 380 and the ice making position are different from each other so that, when the ice maker 200 includes a plurality of ice making cells 320 a , a water passage for communication between the ice making cells 320 a is not formed in the first tray 320 and/or the second tray 380 , and water is uniformly distributed to the plurality of ice making cells 320 a.
- the ice maker 200 includes the plurality of ice making cells 320 a , when the water passage is formed in the first tray 320 and/or the second tray 380 , the water supplied to the ice maker 200 is distributed to the plurality of ice making cells 320 a along the water passage.
- water falling into the second tray 380 may be uniformly distributed to the plurality of second cells 320 c of the second tray 380 .
- the first tray 320 may include a communication hole 321 e .
- the first tray 320 may include one communication hole 321 e .
- the first tray 320 may include a plurality of communication holes 321 e .
- the water supply part 240 may supply water to one communication hole 321 e among the plurality of communication holes 321 e . In this case, the water supplied through the one communication hole 321 e falls into the second tray 380 after passing through the first tray 320 .
- water may fall into any one second cell 320 c among the plurality of second cells 320 c of the second tray 380 .
- the water supplied to one second cell 320 c overflows from one second cell 320 c.
- the water that overflows from one of the second cells 320 c moves to another adjacent second cell 320 c along the upper surface 381 a of the second tray 380 . Accordingly, the plurality of second cells 320 c of the second tray 380 may be filled with water.
- a portion of the supplied water is filled in the second cell 320 c , and another portion of the supplied water may be filled in a space between the first tray 320 and the second tray 380 .
- Water at the water supply position when water supply is completed may be positioned only in the space between the first tray 320 and the second tray 380 , the space between the first tray 320 and the second tray 380 , and the first tray 320 according to the volume of the ice making cell 320 a (see FIG. 11 ).
- the water in the space between the first tray 320 and the second tray 380 may be uniformly distributed to the plurality of first cells 320 b.
- ice made in the ice making cell 320 a is also made in the water passage portion.
- the controller of the refrigerator controls one or more of the cooling power of the cooling air supply part 900 and the heating amount of the transparent ice heater 430 to vary according to the mass per unit height of water in the ice making cell 320 a in order to make transparent ice
- one or more of the cooling power of the cold air supply means 900 and the heating amount of the transparent ice heater 430 are controlled to rapidly vary several times or more in the portion where the water passage is defined.
- the present disclosure may require a technology related to the above-described ice making position so as to make transparent ice.
- FIG. 7 is a block diagram illustrating a control of a refrigerator according to an embodiment.
- the refrigerator may further include a cold air supply part 900 supplying cold air to the freezing compartment 32 (or the ice making cell).
- the cold air supply part 900 may supply cold air to the freezing compartment 32 using a refrigerant cycle.
- the cold air supply part 900 may include a compressor compressing the refrigerant.
- a temperature of the cold air supplied to the freezing compartment 32 may vary according to the output (or frequency) of the compressor.
- the cold air supply part 900 may include a fan blowing air to an evaporator.
- An amount of cold air supplied to the freezing compartment 32 may vary according to the output (or rotation rate) of the fan.
- the cold air supply part 900 may include a refrigerant valve controlling an amount of refrigerant flowing through the refrigerant cycle.
- An amount of refrigerant flowing through the refrigerant cycle may vary by adjusting an opening degree by the refrigerant valve, and thus, the temperature of the cold air supplied to the freezing compartment 32 may vary.
- the cold air supply part 900 may include one or more of the compressor, the fan, and the refrigerant valve.
- the cold air supply part 900 may further include the evaporator exchanging heat between the refrigerant and the air.
- the cold air heat-exchanged with the evaporator may be supplied to the ice maker 200 .
- the refrigerator according to this embodiment may further include a controller 800 that controls the cold air supply part 900 .
- the refrigerator may further include a water supply valve 242 controlling an amount of water supplied through the water supply part 240 .
- the controller 800 may control a portion or all of the ice separation heater 290 , the transparent ice heater 430 , the driver 480 , the cold air supply part 900 , and the water supply valve 242 .
- an output of the ice separation heater 290 and an output of the transparent ice heater 430 may be different from each other.
- an output terminal of the ice separation heater 290 and an output terminal of the transparent ice heater 430 may be provided in different shapes, incorrect connection of the two output terminals may be prevented.
- the output of the ice separation heater 290 may be set larger than that of the transparent ice heater 430 . Accordingly, ice may be quickly separated from the first tray 320 by the ice separation heater 290 .
- the transparent ice heater 430 may be disposed at a position adjacent to the second tray 380 described above or be disposed at a position adjacent to the first tray 320 .
- the refrigerator may further include a first temperature sensor 33 (or an internal temperature sensor) that senses a temperature of the freezing compartment 32 .
- the controller 800 may control the cold air supply part 900 based on the temperature sensed by the first temperature sensor 33 .
- the controller 800 may determine whether ice making is completed based on the temperature sensed by the second temperature sensor 700 .
- FIG. 8 is a flowchart for explaining a process of making ice in the ice maker according to an embodiment.
- FIG. 9 is a view for explaining a height reference depending on a relative position of the transparent heater with respect to the ice making cell
- FIG. 10 is a view for explaining an output of the transparent heater per unit height of water in the ice making cell.
- FIG. 11 is a view illustrating a state in which supply of water is completed at a water supply position
- FIG. 12 is a view illustrating a state in which ice is made at an ice making position
- FIG. 13 is a view illustrating a state in which a second tray is separated from a first tray during an ice separation process
- FIG. 14 is a view illustrating a state in which a second tray is moved to an ice separation position during an ice separation process.
- the controller 800 moves the second tray 380 to a water supply position (S 1 ).
- a direction in which the second tray 380 moves from the ice making position of FIG. 12 to the ice separation position of FIG. 14 may be referred to as forward movement (or forward rotation).
- the direction from the ice separation position of FIG. 14 to the water supply position of FIG. 6 may be referred to as reverse movement (or reverse rotation).
- the movement to the water supply position of the second tray 380 is detected by a sensor, and when it is detected that the second tray 380 moves to the water supply position, the controller 800 stops the driver 480 .
- the water supply starts when the second tray 380 moves to the water supply position (S 2 ).
- the controller 800 turns on the water supply valve 242 , and when it is determined that a predetermined amount of water is supplied, the controller 800 may turn off the water supply valve 242 .
- the controller 800 may turn off the water supply valve 242 . For example, in the process of supplying water, when a pulse is outputted from a flow sensor (not shown), and the outputted pulse reaches a reference pulse, it may be determined that a predetermined amount of water is supplied.
- the controller 800 controls the driver 480 to allow the second tray 380 to move to the ice making position (S 3 ).
- the controller 800 may control the driver 480 to allow the second tray 380 to move from the water supply position in the reverse direction.
- the upper surface 381 a of the second tray 380 comes close to the lower surface 321 e of the first tray 320 . Then, water between the upper surface 381 a of the second tray 380 and the lower surface 321 e of the first tray 320 is divided into each of the plurality of second cells 320 c and then is distributed. When the upper surface 381 a of the second tray 380 and the lower surface 321 e of the first tray 320 are completely in close contact, the first cell 320 b is filled with water.
- the movement to the ice making position of the second tray 380 is detected by a sensor, and when it is detected that the second tray 380 moves to the ice making position, the controller 800 stops the driver 480 .
- ice making is started (S 4 ).
- the ice making may be started when the second tray 380 reaches the ice making position.
- the ice making may be started when the second tray 380 reaches the ice making position.
- the controller 800 may control the cold air supply part 900 to supply cold air to the ice making cell 320 a.
- the controller 800 may control the transparent ice heater 430 to be turned on in at least partial sections of the cold air supply part 900 supplying the cold air to the ice making cell 320 a .
- the transparent ice heater 430 is turned on, since the heat of the transparent ice heater 430 is transferred to the ice making cell 320 a , the ice making rate of the ice making cell 320 a may be delayed.
- the ice making rate may be delayed so that the bubbles dissolved in the water inside the ice making cell 320 a move from the portion at which ice is made toward the liquid water by the heat of the transparent ice heater 430 to make the transparent ice in the ice maker 200 .
- the controller 800 may determine whether the turn-on condition of the transparent ice heater 430 is satisfied (S 5 ).
- the transparent ice heater 430 is not turned on immediately after the ice making is started, and the transparent ice heater 430 may be turned on only when the turn-on condition of the transparent ice heater 430 is satisfied (S 6 ).
- the water supplied to the ice making cell 320 a may be water having normal temperature or water having a temperature lower than the normal temperature.
- the temperature of the water supplied is higher than a freezing point of water.
- the temperature of the water is lowered by the cold air, and when the temperature of the water reaches the freezing point of the water, the water is changed into ice.
- the transparent ice heater 430 may not be turned on until the water is phase-changed into ice.
- the transparent ice heater 430 is turned on before the temperature of the water supplied to the ice making cell 320 a reaches the freezing point, the speed at which the temperature of the water reaches the freezing point by the heat of the transparent ice heater 430 is slow. As a result, the starting of the ice making may be delayed.
- the transparency of the ice may vary depending on the presence of the air bubbles in the portion at which ice is made after the ice making is started. If heat is supplied to the ice making cell 320 a before the ice is made, the transparent ice heater 430 may operate regardless of the transparency of the ice.
- the transparent ice heater 430 is turned on immediately after the start of ice making, since the transparency is not affected, it is also possible to turn on the transparent ice heater 430 after the start of the ice making.
- the controller 800 may determine that the turn-on condition of the transparent ice heater 430 is satisfied when a predetermined time elapses from the set specific time point.
- the specific time point may be set to at least one of the time points before the transparent ice heater 430 is turned on.
- the specific time point may be set to a time point at which the cold air supply part 900 starts to supply cooling power for the ice making, a time point at which the second tray 380 reaches the ice making position, a time point at which the water supply is completed, and the like.
- the controller 800 determines that the turn-on condition of the transparent ice heater 430 is satisfied when a temperature sensed by the second temperature sensor 700 reaches a turn-on reference temperature.
- the turn-on reference temperature may be a temperature for determining that water starts to freeze at the uppermost side (communication hole side) of the ice making cell 320 a .
- the temperature of the ice in the ice making cell 320 a is below zero.
- the temperature of the first tray 320 may be higher than the temperature of the ice in the ice making cell 320 a.
- the temperature sensed by the second temperature sensor 700 may be below zero.
- the turn-on reference temperature may be set to the below-zero temperature.
- the ice temperature of the ice making cell 320 a is below zero, i.e., lower than the below reference temperature. Therefore, it may be indirectly determined that ice is made in the ice making cell 320 a.
- the transparent ice heater 430 when the transparent ice heater 430 is not used, the heat of the transparent ice heater 430 is transferred into the ice making cell 320 a.
- the transparent ice heater 430 when the second tray 380 is disposed below the first tray 320 , the transparent ice heater 430 is disposed to supply the heat to the second tray 380 , the ice may be made from an upper side of the ice making cell 320 a.
- the mass (or volume) per unit height of water in the ice making cell 320 a may be the same or different according to the shape of the ice making cell 320 a .
- the mass (or volume) per unit height of water in the ice making cell 320 a is the same.
- the mass (or volume) per unit height of water is different.
- the ice making rate is high, whereas if the mass per unit height of water is high, the ice making rate is slow.
- the ice making rate per unit height of water is not constant, and thus, the transparency of the ice may vary according to the unit height.
- the bubbles may not move from the ice to the water, and the ice may contain the bubbles to lower the transparency.
- control part 800 may control the cooling power and/or the heating amount so that the cooling power of the cold air supply part 900 and/or the heating amount of the transparent ice heater 430 is variable according to the mass per unit height of the water of the ice making cell 320 a.
- variable of the cooling power of the cold air supply part 900 may include one or more of a variable output of the compressor, a variable output of the fan, and a variable opening degree of the refrigerant valve.
- the variation in the heating amount of the transparent ice heater 430 may represent varying the output of the transparent ice heater 430 or varying the duty of the transparent ice heater 430 .
- the duty of the transparent ice heater 430 represents a ratio of the turn-on time and a sum of the turn-on time and the turn-off time of the transparent ice heater 430 in one cycle, or a ratio of the turn-off time and a sum of the turn-on time and the turn-off time of the transparent ice heater 430 in one cycle.
- a reference of the unit height of water in the ice making cell 320 a may vary according to a relative position of the ice making cell 320 a and the transparent ice heater 430 .
- the transparent ice heater 430 at the bottom surface of the ice making cell 320 a may be disposed to have the same height.
- a line connecting the transparent ice heater 430 is a horizontal line, and a line extending in a direction perpendicular to the horizontal line serves as a reference for the unit height of the water of the ice making cell 320 a .
- ice is made from the uppermost side of the ice making cell 320 a and then is grown.
- the transparent ice heater 430 at the bottom surface of the ice making cell 320 a may be disposed to have different heights.
- ice is made with a pattern different from that of FIG. 9 A .
- ice may be made at a position spaced apart from the uppermost side to the left side of the ice making cell 320 a , and the ice may be grown to a right lower side at which the transparent ice heater 430 is disposed.
- a line (reference line) perpendicular to the line connecting two points of the transparent ice heater 430 serves as a reference for the unit height of water of the ice making cell 320 a .
- the reference line of FIG. 9 B is inclined at a predetermined angle from the vertical line.
- FIG. 10 illustrates a unit height division of water and an output amount of transparent ice heater per unit height when the transparent ice heater is disposed as shown in FIG. 9 A .
- the mass per unit height of water in the ice making cell 320 a increases from the upper side to the lower side to reach the maximum and then decreases again.
- the water (or the ice making cell itself) in the spherical ice making cell 320 a having a diameter of about 50 mm is divided into nine sections (section A to section I) by 6 mm height (unit height).
- section A to section I the spherical ice making cell 320 a having a diameter of about 50 mm
- unit height 6 mm height
- the height of each section to be divided is equal to the section A to the section H, and the section I is lower than the remaining sections.
- the unit heights of all divided sections may be the same depending on the diameter of the ice making cell 320 a and the number of divided sections,
- the section E is a section in which the mass of unit height of water is maximum.
- a diameter of the ice making cell 320 a when the ice making cell 320 a has spherical shape, a diameter of the ice making cell 320 a , a horizontal cross-sectional area of the ice making cell 320 a , or a circumference of the ice may be maximum.
- the ice making rate in section E is the lowest, the ice making rate in the sections A and I is the fastest.
- the transparency of the ice may vary for the height.
- the ice making rate may be too fast to contain bubbles, thereby lowering the transparency.
- the output of the transparent ice heater 430 may be controlled so that the ice making rate for each unit height is the same or similar while the bubbles move from the portion at which ice is made to the water in the ice making process.
- the output W 5 of the transparent ice heater 430 in the section E may be set to a minimum value. Since the volume of the section D is less than that of the section E, the volume of the ice may be reduced as the volume decreases, and thus it is necessary to delay the ice making rate. Thus, an output W 6 of the transparent ice heater 430 in the section D may be set to a value greater than an output W 5 of the transparent ice heater 430 in the section E.
- an output W 3 of the transparent ice heater 430 in the section C may be set to a value greater than the output W 4 of the transparent ice heater 430 in the section D.
- an output W 2 of the transparent ice heater 430 in the section B may be set to a value greater than the output W 3 of the transparent ice heater 430 in the section C.
- an output W 1 of the transparent ice heater 430 in the section A may be set to a value greater than the output W 2 of the transparent ice heater 430 in the section B.
- the output of the transparent ice heater 430 may increase as the lower side in the section E (see W 6 , W 7 , W 8 , and W 9 ).
- the output of the transparent ice heater 430 is gradually reduced from the first section to the intermediate section after the transparent ice heater 430 is initially turned on.
- the output of the transparent ice heater 430 may be minimum in the intermediate section in which the mass of unit height of water is minimum.
- the output of the transparent ice heater 430 may again increase step by step from the next section of the intermediate section.
- the output of the transparent ice heater 430 in two adjacent sections may be set to be the same according to the type or mass of the made ice.
- the output of section C and section D may be the same. That is, the output of the transparent ice heater 430 may be the same in at least two sections.
- the output of the transparent ice heater 430 may be set to the minimum in sections other than the section in which the mass per unit height is the smallest.
- the output of the transparent ice heater 430 in the section D or the section F may be minimum.
- the output of the transparent ice heater 430 in the section E may be equal to or greater than the minimum output.
- the output of the transparent ice heater 430 may have a maximum initial output. In the ice making process, the output of the transparent ice heater 430 may be reduced to the minimum output of the transparent ice heater 430 .
- the output of the transparent ice heater 430 may be gradually reduced in each section, or the output may be maintained in at least two sections.
- the output of the transparent ice heater 430 may increase from the minimum output to the end output.
- the end output may be the same as or different from the initial output.
- the output of the transparent ice heater 430 may incrementally increase in each section from the minimum output to the end output, or the output may be maintained in at least two sections.
- the output of the transparent ice heater 430 may be an end output in a section before the last section among a plurality of sections.
- the output of the transparent ice heater 430 may be maintained as an end output in the last section. That is, after the output of the transparent ice heater 430 becomes the end output, the end output may be maintained until the last section.
- an amount of ice existing in the ice making cell 320 a may decrease.
- the transparent ice heater 430 continues to increase until the output reaches the last section, the heat supplied to the ice making cell 320 a may be reduced. As a result, excessive water may exist in the ice making cell 320 a even after the end of the last section.
- the output of the transparent ice heater 430 may be maintained as the end output in at least two sections including the last section.
- the transparency of the ice may be uniform for each unit height, and the bubbles may be collected in the lowermost section by the output control of the transparent ice heater 430 .
- the bubbles may be collected in the localized portion, and the remaining portion may become totally transparent.
- the transparent ice may be made when the output of the transparent ice heater 430 varies according to the mass for each unit height of water in the ice making cell 320 a.
- the heating amount of the transparent ice heater 430 when the mass for each unit height of water is large may be less than that of the transparent ice heater 430 when the mass for each unit height of water is small.
- the heating amount of the transparent ice heater 430 may vary so as to be inversely proportional to the mass per unit height of water.
- the cold force of the cold air supply part 900 may increase, and when the mass per unit height is small, the cold force of the cold air supply part 900 may decrease.
- the cooling power of the cold air supply part 900 may vary to be proportional to the mass per unit height of water.
- the cooling power of the cold air supply part 900 from the initial section to the intermediate section during the ice making process may gradually increase.
- the cooling power of the cold air supply part 900 may be maximum in the intermediate section in which the mass for each unit height of water is maximum.
- the cooling power of the cold air supply part 900 may be gradually reduced again from the next section of the intermediate section.
- the transparent ice may be made by varying the cooling power of the cold air supply part 900 and the heating amount of the transparent ice heater 430 according to the mass per unit height of water.
- the heating power of the transparent ice heater 430 may vary so that the cooling power of the cold air supply part 900 is proportional to the mass per unit height of water.
- the heating power of the transparent ice heater 430 may be inversely proportional to the mass per unit height of water.
- the ice making rate per unit height of water may be substantially the same or may be maintained within a predetermined range.
- the controller 800 may determine whether the ice making is completed based on the temperature sensed by the second temperature sensor 700 (S 8 ). When it is determined that the ice making is completed, the controller 800 may turn off the transparent ice heater 430 (S 9 ).
- the controller 800 may determine that the ice making is completed to turn off the transparent ice heater 430 .
- the controller 800 may perform the ice separation after a certain amount of time, at which it is determined that ice making is completed, has passed or when the temperature sensed by the second temperature sensor 700 reaches a second reference temperature lower than the first reference temperature.
- the controller 800 operates one or more of the ice separation heater 290 and the transparent ice heater 430 (S 10 ).
- the ice separation heater 290 or the transparent ice heater 430 When at least one of the ice separation heater 290 or the transparent ice heater 430 is turned on, heat of the heater is transferred to at least one of the first tray 320 or the second tray 380 so that the ice may be separated from the surfaces (inner surfaces) of one or more of the first tray 320 and the second tray 380 .
- the heat of the heaters 290 and 430 is transferred to the contact surface of the first tray 320 and the second tray 380 , and thus, the lower surface 321 d of the first tray 320 and the upper surface 381 a of the second tray 380 may be in a state capable of being separated from each other.
- the controller 800 When at least one of the ice separation heater 290 and the transparent ice heater 430 operate for a predetermined time, or when the temperature sensed by the second temperature sensor 700 is equal to or higher than an off reference temperature, the controller 800 is turned off the heaters 290 and 430 , which are turned on (S 10 ).
- the turn-off reference temperature may be set to above zero temperature.
- the controller 800 operates the driver 480 to allow the second tray 380 to move in the forward direction (S 11 ).
- the second tray 380 moves in the forward direction, the second tray 380 is spaced apart from the first tray 320 .
- the moving force of the second tray 380 is transmitted to the first pusher 260 by the pusher link 500 . Then, the first pusher 260 descends along the guide slot 302 , and the extension part 264 passes through the communication hole 321 e to press the ice in the ice making cell 320 a.
- ice may be separated from the first tray 320 before the extension part 264 presses the ice in the ice making process. That is, ice may be separated from the surface of the first tray 320 by the heater that is turned on. In this case, the ice may move together with the second tray 380 while the ice is supported by the second tray 380 .
- the ice may not be separated from the surface of the first tray 320 .
- the extension part 264 passing through the communication hole 320 e may press the ice contacting the first tray 320 , and thus, the ice may be separated from the tray 320 .
- the ice When the ice moves together with the second tray 380 while the ice is supported by the second tray 380 , the ice may be separated from the tray 250 by its own weight even if no external force is applied to the second tray 380 .
- the second tray 380 moves, even if the ice does not fall from the second tray 380 by its own weight, when the second pusher 540 presses the second tray 380 as illustrated in FIG. 13 , the ice may be separated from the second tray 380 to fall downward.
- the second tray 380 may contact the extension part 544 of the second pusher 540 .
- the extension part 544 may press the second tray 380 to deform the second tray 380 .
- the pressing force of the extension part 544 may be transferred to the ice so that the ice is separated from the surface of the second tray 380 .
- the ice separated from the surface of the second tray 380 may drop downward and be stored in the ice bin 600 .
- the position at which the second tray 380 is pressed by the second pusher 540 and deformed may be referred to as an ice separation position.
- Whether the ice bin 600 is full may be detected while the second tray 380 moves from the ice making position to the ice separation position.
- the full ice detection lever 520 rotates together with the second tray 380 , and the rotation of the full ice detection lever 520 is interrupted by ice while the full ice detection lever 520 rotates. In this case, it may be determined that the ice bin 600 is in a full ice state. On the other hand, if the rotation of the full ice detection lever 520 is not interfered with the ice while the full ice detection lever 520 rotates, it may be determined that the ice bin 600 is not in the ice state.
- the controller 800 controls the driver 480 to allow the second tray 380 to move in the reverse direction (S 11 ). Then, the second tray 380 moves from the ice separation position to the water supply position.
- the controller 800 stops the driver 480 (S 1 ).
- the deformed second tray 380 may be restored to its original shape.
- the moving force of the second tray 380 is transmitted to the first pusher 260 by the pusher link 500 , and thus, the first pusher 260 ascends, and the extension part 264 is removed from the ice making cell 320 a.
- FIG. 15 is a view for explaining a method for controlling a refrigerator when a heat transfer amount between cold air and water varies in an ice making process
- FIG. 16 is a graph showing a change in output of a transparent ice heater according to an increase/decrease in heat transfer amount of cold air and water
- FIG. 17 is a view illustrating an output for each control process of a transparent ice heater in an ice making process.
- cooling power of the cold air supply part 900 may be determined corresponding to the target temperature of the freezing compartment 32 .
- the cold air generated by the cold air supply part 900 may be supplied to the freezing compartment 32 .
- the water of the ice making cell 320 a may be phase-changed into ice by heat transfer between the cold water supplied to the freezing compartment 32 and the water of the ice making cell 320 a.
- a heating amount of the transparent ice heater 430 for each unit height of water may be determined in consideration of predetermined cooling power of the cold air supply part 900 .
- the heating amount of the transparent ice heater 430 determined in consideration of the predetermined cooling power of the cold air supply part 900 is referred to as a reference heating amount.
- the magnitude of the reference heating amount per unit height of water is different.
- the case in which the heat transfer amount between the cold and the water increase may be a case in which the cooling power of the cold air supply part 900 increases or a case in which the air having a temperature lower than the temperature of the cold air in the freezing compartment 32 is supplied to the freezing compartment 32 .
- the case in which the heat transfer amount between the cold and the water decrease may be a case in which the cooling power of the cold air supply part 900 decreases or a case in which the air having a temperature higher than the temperature of the cold air in the freezing compartment 32 is supplied to the freezing compartment 32 .
- the cooling power of the cold air supply part 900 may increase.
- air having a temperature higher than the temperature of the cold air in the freezing compartment 32 may be supplied to the freezing compartment 32 .
- the cooling power of the cold air supply part 900 may decrease.
- the cooling power of the cold air supply part 900 increases, the temperature of the cold air around the ice maker 200 is lowered to increase in ice making rate.
- the cooling power of the cold air supply part 900 decreases, the temperature of the cold air around the ice maker 200 increases, the ice making rate decreases, and also, the ice making time increases.
- the heating amount of transparent ice heater 430 may be controlled to increase.
- the heating amount of transparent ice heater 430 may be controlled to decrease.
- the ice making rate when the ice making rate is maintained within the predetermined range, the ice making rate is less than the rate at which the bubbles move in the portion at which the ice is made, and no bubbles exist in the portion at which the ice is made.
- the heating amount of transparent ice heater 430 may increase.
- the heating amount of transparent ice heater 430 may decrease.
- the control of the transparent ice heater 430 when the heat transfer amount of the cold air and water is maintained constant during the ice making process will be described.
- the temperature of the freezing compartment 32 is relatively weak
- a case in which the temperature of the freezing compartment 32 is a first temperature value will be described.
- the method for controlling the transparent ice heater for making transparent ice may include a basic heating process and an additional heating process.
- An additional heating process may be performed after the end of the basic heating process.
- the method for controlling the output of the transparent ice heater may be applied in the same manner as or in the similar manner to the method for controlling the duty of the transparent ice heater.
- the basic heating process may include a plurality of processes.
- FIG. 17 as an example, it is shown that the basic heating process includes ten processes.
- the output of the transparent ice heater 430 is predetermined. In each process, the output of the transparent ice heater 430 may be determined based on the mass per unit height of water in the ice making cell 320 a.
- the first process of the basic heating process may be started.
- the output of the transparent ice heater 430 may be A 1 .
- the second process may start. At least one of the plurality of processes may be performed for the first set time T 1 .
- the time at which each of the plurality of processes is performed may be the same as the first set time T 1 . That is, when each process starts and the first set time T 1 elapses, each process may be ended. Accordingly, the output of the transparent ice heater 430 may be variably controlled over time.
- the tenth process may not be immediately ended. In this case, when the temperature sensed by the second temperature sensor 700 reaches a limit temperature, the tenth process may be ended.
- the limit temperature may be set to a sub-zero temperature.
- the temperature of the freezing compartment 32 may increase.
- the ice maker provided in the door may receive cold air for cooling the freezing compartment 32 and make ice.
- the cooling power of the cold air supply part 900 may be less than the cooling power before the detection of the full ice.
- the transparent ice heater 430 When the output of the transparent ice heater 430 is controlled according to time in the basic heating process as in this embodiment, the transparent ice heater 430 operates according to the output at each process, regardless of the increase in the temperature of the freezing compartment 32 or the decrease in the cooling power of the cold air supply part 900 . Thus, there is a possibility that water does not phase-change into ice in the ice making cell 320 a . That is, even if the tenth process in the basic heating process is performed for the first set time T 1 , the temperature sensed by the second temperature sensor 700 may be higher than the limit temperature.
- the tenth process may be ended when the first set time T 1 elapses and the temperature sensed by the second temperature sensor 700 reaches the limit temperature.
- an additional heating process may be performed.
- the ice maker 200 includes a plurality of ice making cells 320 a
- the amount of heat transfer between water and cold air in each ice making cell 320 a is not constant.
- the speed at which ice is made in the plurality of ice making cells 320 a may be different from each other.
- water may completely change into ice in some ice making cells 320 a among the plurality of ice making cells 320 a , but some of the water may not phase-change into ice in other ice making cells 320 a .
- the ice breaking process is performed after the end of the basic heating process, there may be a problem in that water present in the ice making cell 320 a falls downward. Accordingly, the additional heating process may be performed after the basic heating process is ended, so that transparent ice may be made in each of the plurality of ice making cells 320 a.
- the additional heating process may include a process (an eleventh process or a first additional process) of operating the transparent ice heater 430 with a set output for a second set time T 2 .
- the transparent ice heater 430 may operate with a set output A 11 to make transparent ice.
- the output A 11 of the transparent ice heater 430 in the eleventh process may be the same as the output of the transparent ice heater 430 in one of the plurality of processes of the basic heating process.
- the output A 11 of the transparent ice heater 430 may be the same as the minimum output of the transparent ice heater 430 in the basic heating process.
- the second set time T 2 may be longer than the first set time T 1 .
- the eleventh process even if the amount of water supplied to the ice making cell 320 a is smaller than a set amount, the water may phase-change into ice in the ice making cell 320 a.
- the output of the transparent ice heater 430 may be set as a predetermined reference output.
- the amount of heat supplied from the transparent ice heater 430 is large compared to the mass of water in the ice making cell 320 a during the ice making process. Accordingly, even if the basic heating process is ended due to the slowing of the ice making rate in the ice making cell 320 a , there is a possibility that water will exist in the ice making cell 320 a.
- the additional heating process may further include a process (a twelfth process or a second additional process) of operating the transparent ice heater 430 with a set output A 12 after the eleventh process.
- the output A 12 of the transparent ice heater 430 in the twelfth process may be the same as or different from the output A 11 of the transparent ice heater 430 in the eleventh process.
- the twelfth process may be ended.
- the third set time T 3 may be equal to or shorter than the second set time T 2 .
- the twelfth process is ended, and as a result, the additional heating process may be ended.
- the ice separation process may be performed.
- the additional heating process may further include a process (a thirteenth process or a third additional process) of operating the transparent ice heater 430 with a set output A 13 after the twelfth process.
- the thirteenth process may be performed when the twelfth process is performed for the third set time T 3 but the temperature sensed by the second temperature sensor 700 does not reach the end reference temperature.
- the end reference temperature may be set to a temperature lower than the limit temperature, and may be a reference temperature for determining that ice is completely made in the ice making cell 320 a.
- the temperature of the freezing compartment 32 may increase.
- the cooling power of the cold air supply part 900 for supplying cold air to the freezing compartment 32 may be reduced.
- the transparent ice heater 430 may operate with a set output A 13 so that water remaining in the ice making cell 320 a can be phase-changed into ice.
- the output A 13 of the transparent ice heater 430 in the thirteenth process may be equal to or less than the output A 12 of the transparent ice heater 430 in the twelfth process.
- the output A 13 of the transparent ice heater 430 in the thirteenth process may be less than the minimum output of the transparent ice heater 430 in the basic heating process.
- the thirteenth process is ended, and as a result, the additional heating process may be ended.
- the ice separation process may be performed.
- the additional heating process may further include a process (a fourteenth process or a fourth additional process) of operating the transparent ice heater 430 with a set output A 14 after the thirteenth process.
- the fourteenth process may be performed when the thirteenth process is performed for the fourth set time T 4 but the temperature sensed by the second temperature sensor 700 does not reach the end reference temperature.
- the output A 14 of the transparent ice heater 430 in the fourteenth process may be less than the output A 13 of the transparent ice heater 430 in the thirteenth process.
- a fifth set time T 5 elapses or the temperature sensed by the second temperature sensor 700 before the fifth set time T 5 reaches the end reference temperature
- the fourteenth process may be ended.
- the fifth set time T 5 may be equal to or different from the fourth set time T 4 .
- the fourteenth process is ended, and as a result, the additional heating process may be ended.
- the ice separation process may be performed.
- the additional heating process may further include a process (a fifteenth process or a fifth additional process) of operating the transparent ice heater 430 with a set output A 15 after the fourteenth process.
- the fifteenth process may be performed when the fourteenth process is performed for the fifth set time T 5 but the temperature sensed by the second temperature sensor 700 does not reach the end reference temperature.
- the output A 15 of the transparent ice heater 430 in the fifteenth process may be less than the output A 14 of the transparent ice heater 430 in the fourteenth process.
- the output A 14 of the transparent ice heater 430 in the fifteenth process may be set to 1 ⁇ 2 of the output A 14 of the transparent ice heater 430 in the fourteenth process.
- the fifteenth process may be ended.
- the sixth set time T 6 may be longer than the first to fifth set times T 1 to T 5 .
- the maximum output of the transparent ice heater 430 in the additional heating process is less than the maximum output of the transparent ice heater 430 in the basic heating process.
- the minimum output of the transparent ice heater 430 in the additional heating process is less than the minimum output of the transparent ice heater 430 in the basic heating process.
- the additional heating process may be finally ended.
- the controller 800 may control the output of the transparent ice heater 430 so that the ice making rate may be maintained within the predetermined range regardless of the target temperature of the freezing compartment 32 .
- the ice making may be started (S 4 ), and a change in heat transfer amount of cold and water may be detected (S 31 ). For example, it may be sensed that the target temperature of the freezing compartment 32 is changed through an input part (not shown).
- the controller 800 may determine whether the heat transfer amount of cold and water increases (S 32 ). For example, the controller 800 may determine whether the target temperature increases.
- the controller 800 may decrease the reference heating amount of transparent ice heater 430 that is predetermined in each of the current section and the remaining sections.
- variable control of the heating amount of the transparent ice heater 430 may be normally performed until the ice making is completed (S 35 ).
- the controller 800 may increase the reference heating amount of transparent ice heater 430 that is predetermined in each of the current section and the remaining sections.
- the variable control of the heating amount of the transparent ice heater 430 may be normally performed until the ice making is completed (S 35 ).
- the reference heating mount that increases or decreases may be predetermined and then stored in a memory.
- the output of the transparent ice heater 430 operates with an output determined when the target temperature of the freezing compartment 32 is medium (when the temperature of the freezing compartment 32 is a second temperature value lower than a first temperature value).
- the output of the transparent ice heater 430 may be controlled to B 1 to B 10 .
- the additional heating process may be performed after the basic heating process.
- the contents of the set times (T 1 to T 6 ) and the end reference temperature described above may be equally applied even when the target temperature of the freezing compartment 32 is medium.
- the outputs B 11 to B 15 of the transparent ice heater 430 in the eleventh to fifteenth processes when the target temperature of the freezing compartment 32 is medium may be greater than the outputs A 11 to A 15 of the transparent ice heater 430 in the eleventh to fifteenth processes.
- the output B 11 of the transparent ice heater 430 in the eleventh process may be equal to the output of the transparent ice heater 430 in one of the plurality of processes of the basic heating process.
- the output B 11 of the transparent ice heater 430 in the eleventh process may be equal to the minimum output in the basic heating process.
- the output B 12 of the transparent ice heater 430 in the twelfth process may be equal to or different from the output B 11 of the transparent ice heater 430 in the eleventh process.
- the output B 13 of the transparent ice heater 430 in the thirteenth process may be equal to or different from the output B 11 of the transparent ice heater 430 in the twelfth process.
- the output B 13 of the transparent ice heater 430 in the thirteenth process when the target temperature of the freezing compartment 32 is medium may be equal to or different from the maximum output of the transparent ice heater 430 in the basic heating process when the target temperature of the freezing compartment 32 is weak.
- the output B 14 of the transparent ice heater 430 in the fourteenth process may be less than the output B 13 of the transparent ice heater 430 in the thirteenth process.
- the output B 14 of the transparent ice heater 430 in the fourteenth process when the target temperature of the freezing compartment 32 is medium may be equal to or different from the maximum output of the transparent ice heater 430 in the basic heating process when the target temperature of the freezing compartment 32 is weak.
- the output B 15 of the transparent ice heater 430 in the fourteenth process may be less than the output B 14 of the transparent ice heater 430 in the fourteenth process.
- the output B 15 of the transparent ice heater 430 in the fifteenth process may be set to 1 ⁇ 2 of the output B 14 of the transparent ice heater 430 in the fourteenth process.
- the output of the transparent ice heater 430 operates with an output determined when the target temperature of the freezing compartment 32 is strong (when the temperature of the freezing compartment 32 is a third temperature value lower than a second temperature value).
- the output of the transparent ice heater 430 may be controlled to C 1 to C 10 .
- the additional heating process may be performed after the basic heating process.
- the contents of the set times (T 1 to T 6 ) and the end reference temperature described above may be equally applied even when the target temperature of the freezing compartment 32 is strong.
- the outputs C 11 to C 15 of the transparent ice heater 430 in the eleventh to fifteenth processes when the target temperature of the freezing compartment 32 is strong may be greater than the outputs B 11 to B 15 of the transparent ice heater 430 in the eleventh to fifteenth processes when the target temperature of the freezing compartment 32 is medium.
- the output C 11 of the transparent ice heater 430 in the eleventh process may be equal to the output of the transparent ice heater 430 in one of the plurality of processes of the basic heating process.
- the output C 11 of the transparent ice heater 430 in the eleventh process may be equal to the minimum output in the basic heating process.
- the output C 12 of the transparent ice heater 430 in the twelfth process may be equal to or different from the output C 11 of the transparent ice heater 430 in the eleventh process.
- the output C 13 of the transparent ice heater 430 in the thirteenth process may be equal to or different from the output C 11 of the transparent ice heater 430 in the twelfth process.
- the output C 13 of the transparent ice heater 430 in the thirteenth process when the target temperature of the freezing compartment 32 is strong may be equal to or different from the maximum output of the transparent ice heater 430 in the basic heating process when the target temperature of the freezing compartment 32 is strong.
- the output C 14 of the transparent ice heater 430 in the fourteenth process may be less than the output C 13 of the transparent ice heater 430 in the thirteenth process.
- the output C 14 of the transparent ice heater 430 in the fourteenth process when the target temperature of the freezing compartment 32 is strong may be equal to or different from the maximum output of the transparent ice heater 430 in the basic heating process when the target temperature of the freezing compartment 32 is medium.
- the output C 15 of the transparent ice heater 430 in the fourteenth process may be less than the output C 14 of the transparent ice heater 430 in the fourteenth process.
- the output C 15 of the transparent ice heater 430 in the fifteenth process may be set to 1 ⁇ 2 of the output C 14 of the transparent ice heater 430 in the fourteenth process.
- the additional heating process may include only the eleventh and twelfth processes, or may include only the thirteenth to fifteenth processes.
- the additional heating process may be ended while the output of the transparent ice heater 430 is maintained constant in the additional heating process.
- the additional heating process does not include the eleventh and twelfth processes
- the thirteenth process may be performed immediately after the basic heating process is ended.
- the thirteenth to fifteenth processes may be referred to as first to third additional processes.
- the fourteenth or fifteenth process may not be performed according to the temperature sensed by the second temperature sensor.
- the additional heating process may include at least the eleventh process and the thirteenth process.
- the reference heating amount for each section of the transparent ice heater increases or decreases in response to the change in the heat transfer amount of cold and water, and thus, the ice making rate may be maintained within the predetermined range, thereby realizing the uniform transparency for each unit height of the ice.
- the output of the transparent ice heater 430 may vary according to the space temperature of the space (for example, the indoor space) in which the refrigerator is disposed in the basic heating process.
- the condensing temperature of the condenser that exchanges heat with the air in the space is high, the operating time of the compressor is increased, and the cooling power of the compressor is increased.
- the temperature of the cold air supplied to the ice maker 200 is reduced. Accordingly, the output of the transparent ice heater 430 may be increased in response to the reduction in the temperature of the cold air supplied to the ice maker 200 .
- the controller 800 may perform control so that the output of the transparent ice heater 430 in the additional heating process is greater compared to the case in which the temperature of the space in which the refrigerator is disposed in the basic heating process is low.
- the defrosting operation may be performed in the additional heating process.
- the defrosting heater may be turned on in the defrosting operation.
- the temperature of the storage chamber may be increased by the heat of the defrosting heater.
- the output of the transparent ice heater 430 may decrease.
- the output of the transparent ice heater 430 may be determined in the additional heating process according to the length of the defrosting time.
- the controller 800 may perform control so that the output of the transparent ice heater 430 in the additional heating process is smaller when the defrosting operation time in the basic heating process is long than when the defrosting operation time in the basic heating process is short.
- the refrigerator door may be opened or closed in the basic heating process.
- the controller 800 may reduce the output of the transparent ice heater 430 in response to the decrease in the heat transfer amount of cold air and water due to the opening of the refrigerator door.
- the controller 800 may perform control so that the output of the transparent ice heater 430 in the additional heating process is smaller when the opening time of the refrigerator door in the basic heating process is long than when the opening time of the refrigerator door in the basic heating process is short.
- the operation of the transparent ice heater 430 may be controlled for ice separation.
- the controller 800 may turn on the transparent ice heater 430 so as to move the second tray 380 .
- the ice separation heater 290 may be turned on ice is separated from the first tray 320 after the basic heating process is ended, and the first tray 320 and the second tray 380 are easily separated.
- the ice separation heater 290 and the transparent ice heater 430 may be turned off. A portion of the ice in the ice making cell 320 a may be melted by the heat of the heaters 290 and 430 .
- the ice separation heater 290 and the transparent ice heater 430 may be turned off to prevent the ice melted in the ice making cell 320 a during the ice separation process from falling downward, and the second tray 380 may be moved to the ice separation position after the set time elapses.
- the method for controlling the transparent ice heater includes only the basic heating process.
- the ice separation process may be performed after the basic heating process.
- the output of the transparent ice heater 430 may be set to higher than the reference output of the transparent ice heater 430 , which is calculated based on the mass per unit height of water.
- the output of the transparent ice heater 430 in the last process among the plurality of processes may be set to be greater than the output of the previous process.
- the ice separation process may be performed.
- the transparent ice heater 430 may be turned off so that the ice melted in the ice making cell 320 a is prevented from falling downward during the ice separation process, and the ice separation heater 430 may be turned on when the set time elapses.
- the output of the transparent ice heater 430 in the additional heating process may be determined based on the temperature of the refrigerating compartment in the basic heating process.
- the refrigerator may supply cold air to the freezing compartment by using one evaporator, and cold air of the freezing compartment may flow into the refrigerating compartment that controls the damper provided in the duct.
- Other types of refrigerators may supply cold air to the freezing compartment and the refrigerating compartment by using the freezing compartment evaporator and the refrigerating compartment evaporator, respectively.
- the freezing compartment evaporator and the refrigerating compartment evaporator may be alternately operated.
- the output of the transparent ice heater 430 may be controlled to decrease in the basic heating process.
- the target temperature of the refrigerating compartment is low, the supply of cold air to the refrigerating compartment increases.
- the supply of cold air to the freezing compartment is relatively reduced.
- the temperature of the freezing compartment increases.
- the output of the transparent ice heater 430 may be controlled to decrease in the basic heating process.
- the target temperature of the refrigerating compartment is high, the supply of cold air to the freezing compartment is increased, and thus the output of the transparent ice heater 430 may be controlled to increase in the basic heating process.
- the controller 800 may perform control so that the output of the transparent ice heater 430 in the additional heating process is greater when the target temperature of the refrigerating compartment in the basic heating process is high than when the target temperature of the refrigerating compartment in the basic heating process is low.
- the cooling power of the cold air supply part 900 for supplying cold air to the freezing compartment 32 may be reduced in the basic heating process.
- the controller 800 may perform control so that the output of the transparent ice heater 430 in the additional heating process is greater when the full ice is not detected than when the full ice is detected in the ice bin provided in the door during the basic heating process.
- Embodiments provide a refrigerator capable of making ice having uniform transparency as a whole regardless of shape, and a method for controlling the same.
- Embodiments provide a refrigerator capable of making spherical ice and having uniform transparency for each unit height of the spherical ice, and a method for controlling the same.
- Embodiments provide a refrigerator capable of making ice having uniform transparency as a whole by varying a heating amount of a transparent ice heater and/or cooling power of a cold air supply part in response to the change in the heat transfer amount between water in an ice making cell and cold air in a storage chamber, and a method for controlling the same.
- Embodiments provide a refrigerator capable of completely making ice in each of a plurality of ice making cells by controlling a heater in consideration of variations in ice making rates between the plurality of ice making cells, and a method for controlling the same.
- Embodiments provide a refrigerator capable of completely making ice in an ice making cell through an additional heating process of a transparent ice heater even when a temperature of a storage chamber increases or cold air supplied to the storage chamber decreases, and a method for controlling the same.
- a refrigerator may include an ice maker including an ice making cell that is a space in which water is phase-changed into ice.
- a cooler may supply cold to a storage chamber in which food is stored. Water in the ice making cell may be phase-changed into ice by the cold.
- the ice maker may include a heater configured to supply heat into the ice making cell. The heater may be controlled by a controller.
- the heater may be turned on in at least partial section while the cooler supplies the cold to the ice making cell so that bubbles dissolved in the water within the ice making cell moves from a portion, at which the ice is made, toward the water that is in a liquid state to make transparent ice.
- the ice maker may include a first tray defining a portion of the ice making cell and a second tray defining another portion of the ice making cell.
- the heater may be disposed at one side of the first tray or the second tray.
- the second tray may contact the first tray in an ice making process and may be spaced apart from the first tray in an ice separation process.
- the second tray may be connected to a driver to receive power from the driver. Due to the operation of the driver, the second tray may move from a water supply position to an ice making position. Also, due to the operation of the driver, the second tray may move from the ice making position to an ice separation position.
- the water supply of the ice making cell starts when the second tray moves to a water supply position. After the water supply is completed, the second tray may be moved to the ice making position. After the second tray moves to the ice making position, the cooler supplies the cold to the ice making cell. When the ice is completely made in the ice making cell, the second tray move to the ice separation position in a forward direction so as to take out the ice in the ice making cell. After the second tray moves to the ice separation position, the second tray may move to the water supply position in the reverse direction, and the water supply may start again.
- the controller may control one or more of cooling power of the cooler and the heating amount of heater to vary according to a mass per unit height of water in the ice making cell, so that the transparency for each unit height of the water in the ice making cell is uniform.
- the process for controlling the heater may include a basic heating process and an additional heating process that is performed after the basic heating process.
- the controller may control the heater so that the heating amount of the heater varies during the ice making process.
- the controller may control the heater to operate with a heating amount that is equal to or less than a heating amount of the heater in the basic heating process.
- the basic heating process may include a plurality of processes.
- the heating amount of the heater may vary for each of the plurality of processes, or the heating amount of the heater may be equal in at least two of the plurality of processes.
- the basic heating process may be ended when the temperature sensed by the temperature sensor reaches a limit temperature that is a sub-zero temperature.
- Some or all of the plurality of processes may be performed for a first set time.
- the additional heating process may include a first additional process of operating the heater with a set heating amount for a second set time.
- the heating amount of the heater in the first additional process may be smaller than the heating amount of the heater when the basic heating process is ended.
- the heating amount of the heater in the first additional process may be a minimum heating amount of the heater in the basic heating process.
- the second set time may be longer than the first set time.
- the additional heating process may further include a second additional process that is performed after the end of the first additional process.
- the heating amount of the heater in the second additional process may be equal to or smaller than the heating amount of the heater in the first additional process.
- the second additional process may be ended.
- the third set time may be equal to or shorter than the second set time.
- the additional heating process may further include a third additional process that is performed when the temperature sensed by the second temperature sensor does not reach the end reference temperature in a state in which the third set time elapses.
- the heating amount of the heater in the third additional process may be equal to or smaller than the heating amount of the heater in the second additional process.
- the additional heating process may further include a fourth additional process that is performed when the temperature sensed by the second temperature sensor does not reach the end reference temperature in a state in which the fourth set time elapses.
- the heating amount of the heater in the fourth additional process may be smaller than the heating amount of the heater in the third additional process.
- the additional heating process may further include a fifth additional process that is performed when the temperature sensed by the second temperature sensor does not reach the end reference temperature in a state in which the fifth set time elapses.
- the heating amount of the heater in the fifth additional process may be smaller than the heating amount of the heater in the fourth additional process.
- the heating amount of the heater in the fifth additional process may be 1 ⁇ 2 of the heating amount of the heater in the fourth additional process.
- the additional heating process may include a first additional process of operating the heater with a set heating amount.
- the heating amount of the heater in the first additional process may be smaller than a minimum heating amount of the heater in the basic heating process.
- the first additional process may be ended.
- the additional heating process may further include a second additional process that is performed when the temperature sensed by the second temperature sensor does not reach the end reference temperature in a state in which the fourth set time elapses.
- the heating amount of the heater in the second additional process may be smaller than the heating amount of the heater in the first additional process.
- the additional heating process may further include a third additional process that is performed when the temperature sensed by the second temperature sensor does not reach the end reference temperature in a state in which the fifth set time elapses.
- the heating amount of the heater in the third additional process may be smaller than the heating amount of the heater in the second additional process.
- a method for controlling a refrigerator relates to a method for controlling a refrigerator that includes a first tray accommodated in a storage chamber, a second tray configured to define an ice making cell together with the first tray, a driver configured to move the second tray, and a heater configured to supply heat to at least one of the first tray and the second tray.
- the method for controlling the refrigerator may include: performing water supply of the ice making cell when the second tray moves to a water supply position; performing ice making after the water supply is completed and the second tray moves from the water supply position to an ice making position in a reverse direction; and moving the second tray from the ice making position to an ice separation position in a forward direction when the ice making is completed.
- the performing of the ice making may include a basic heating process of operating the heater to heat the ice making cell and an additional heating process of additionally heating the ice making cell after the basic heating process is ended.
- the maximum heating amount of the heater in the additional heating process may be smaller than the maximum heating amount of the heater in the basic heating process.
- the additional heating process may be ended in a state in which the heating amount of the heater is constantly maintained in the additional heating process.
- the additional heating process may include a plurality of processes, and the heating amount of the heater in the first process among the plurality of processes may be maximum and the heating amount of the heater in the last process may be minimum.
- a refrigerator may include a heater disposed around an ice making cell to make transparent ice in the ice making cell, and a controller configured to control the heater.
- the controller may control the heater to be turned on to make transparent ice.
- the process for controlling the heater may include a basic heating process and an additional heating process that is performed after the basic heating process.
- the controller may control the heater to operate with a heating amount that is equal to or less than a heating amount of the heater in the basic heating process.
- the basic heating process may include a plurality of processes.
- the controller may perform control to proceed from a current process to a next process among the plurality of processes of the basic heating process when a predetermined time elapses or when a value measured by the temperature sensor configured to sense the temperature of the ice making cell reaches a reference value.
- the refrigerator may include a plurality of ice making cells.
- the controller may perform control so that a last process of the basic heating process is ended when the value measured by the temperature sensor reaches the reference value.
- the controller may control at least one of the plurality of ice making cells to complete the ice making.
- when the time when the value measured by the temperature sensor reaches the reference value may be understood as being designed as the time point when at least one of the plurality of ice making cells completes ice making.
- the end condition of the last process of the basic heating process uses at least the value measured by the temperature sensor, it may be advantageous in satisfying the basic ice making completion condition.
- the controller may perform control so that the heating amount of the heater varies according to a mass per unit height of water in the ice making cell.
- the controller may perform control so that the heating amount supplied by the heater when the mass per unit height of the water in the ice making cell is large is less than the heating amount supplied by the heater when the mass per unit height of the water in the ice making cell is small.
- the controller may perform control so that the heating amount supplied by the heater in any one of the processes in which the mass per unit height of water in the ice making cell is large is less than the heating amount supplied by the heater in any one of the processes in which the mass per unit height of water in the ice making cell is small.
- the controller may perform control so that an amount of cold supply of the cooler varies according to the mass per unit height of water in the ice making cell.
- the controller may perform control so that the amount of cold supplied by the cooler when the mass per unit height of the water in the ice making cell is large is greater than the amount of cold supplied by the cooler when the mass per unit height of the water in the ice making cell is small.
- the controller may perform control so that the amount of cold supplied by the cooler in any one of the processes in which the mass per unit height of water in the ice making cell is large is greater than the amount of cold supplied by the cooler in any one of the processes in which the mass per unit height of water in the ice making cell is small.
- the additional heating process may include a plurality of processes.
- the controller may perform control to proceed from a current process to a next process among the plurality of processes of the additional heating process when a predetermined time elapses or when a value measured by the temperature sensor reaches a reference value.
- the refrigerator may include a plurality of ice making cells.
- the controller may perform control so that a first process of the additional heating process is ended when a predetermined time elapses.
- the controller may control to reduce the making of ice that does not freeze due to non-uniformity at the time when ice making between the plurality of ice making cells is completed.
- the predetermined time it may be understood as a time point at which at least one of the cells in which ice making is completed late among the plurality of ice making cells is ensured to be completed.
- the end condition of the first process of the additional heating process is at least the one that has passed the predetermined time, it may be understood as a forced driving time in consideration of the difference between the time points at which ice making of a plurality of ice making cells is completed.
- a refrigerator includes: a storage chamber configured to store food; a cooler configured to supply cold into the storage chamber; a ice maker comprising an ice making cell, which is a space in which water is phase-changed into ice by cold; a heater configured to supply heat into the ice making cell; and a controller configured to control the heater, wherein the controller controls the heater to operate in at least partial section while the cooler supplies the cold so that bubbles dissolved in the water within the ice making cell moves from a portion, at which the ice is made, toward the water that is in a liquid state to make transparent ice, the process for controlling the heater comprises a basic heating process and an additional heating process that is performed after the basic heating process, in the basic heating process, the controller performs control so that a heating amount of the heater varies according to a mass per unit height of water in the ice making cell, and in at least partial section of the additional heating process, the controller controls the heater to operate with a heating amount that is equal to or less than a heating amount of the
- a refrigerator includes: a storage chamber configured to store food; a cooler configured to supply cold into the storage chamber; a ice maker comprising an ice making cell, which is a space in which water is phase-changed into ice by cold; a temperature sensor configured to sense a temperature of the water or the ice within the ice making cell; a heater configured to supply heat into the ice making cell; and a controller configured to control the heater, wherein the controller controls the heater to be turned on in at least partial section while the cooler supplies the cold so that bubbles dissolved in the water within the ice making cell moves from a portion, at which the ice is made, toward the water that is in a liquid state to make transparent ice, the process for controlling the heater comprises a basic heating process and an additional heating process that is performed after the basic heating process, and in at least partial section of the additional heating process, the controller controls the heater to operate with a heating amount that is equal to or less than a heating amount of the heater in the basic heating process.
- the ice making rate may decrease by the heat of the heater so that the bubbles dissolved in the water inside the ice making cell move toward the liquid water from the portion at which the ice is made, thereby making the transparent ice.
- one or more of the cooling power of the cooler and the heating amount of the heater may be controlled to vary according to the mass per unit height of water in the ice making cell to make the ice having the uniform transparency as a whole regardless of the shape of the ice making cell.
- the heating amount of the transparent ice heater and/or the cooling power of the cold air supply part may vary in response to the change in the heat transfer amount between the water in the ice making cell and the cold in the storage chamber, thereby making the ice having the uniform transparency as a whole.
- ice may be completely made in each of a plurality of ice making cells by controlling a heater in consideration of variations in ice making rates between the plurality of ice making cells.
- ice may be completely made ice in an ice making cell through an additional heating process of a transparent ice heater even when a temperature of a storage chamber increases or cold air supplied to the storage chamber decreases.
- any reference in this specification to “one embodiment,” “an embodiment,” “example embodiment,” etc. means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment is included in at least one embodiment of the invention.
- the appearances of such phrases in various places in the specification are not necessarily all referring to the same embodiment.
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Abstract
A refrigerator of the present disclosure can include an ice making cell, a heater configured to supply heat to the ice making cell during an ice making process, and a controller configured to control the heater. The process for controlling the heater includes a basic heating process and an additional heating process that is performed after the basic heating process. In the basic heating process, the controller performs control so that a heating amount of the heater varies according to a mass per unit height of water in the ice making cell. In at least partial section of the additional heating process, the controller controls the heater to operate with a heating amount that is equal to or less than a heating amount of the heater in the basic heating process.
Description
- This application is a Continuation Application of prior U.S. patent application Ser. No. 17/281,701 filed Mar. 31, 2021, which is a U.S. National Stage Application under 35 U.S.C. § 371 of PCT Application No. PCT/KR2019/012853, filed Oct. 1, 2019, which claims priority to Korean Patent Application Nos. 10-2018-0117785, 10-2018-0117819, 10-2018-0117821, 10-2018-0117822, all filed on Oct. 2, 2018, 10-2018-0142117, filed Nov. 16, 2018 and 10-2019-0081705, filed Jul. 6, 2019, whose entire disclosures are hereby incorporated by reference.
- The present disclosure relates to a refrigerator and a method for controlling the same.
- In general, refrigerators are home appliances for storing foods at a low temperature in a storage chamber that is covered by a door.
- The refrigerator may cool the inside of the storage space by using cold air to store the stored food in a refrigerated or frozen state. Generally, an ice maker for making ice is provided in the refrigerator. The ice maker makes ice by cooling water after accommodating the water supplied from a water supply source or a water tank into a tray. The ice maker may separate the made ice from the ice tray in a heating manner or twisting manner. As described above, the ice maker through which water is automatically supplied, and the ice automatically separated may be opened upward so that the mode ice is pumped up.
- As described above, the ice made in the ice maker may have at least one flat surface such as crescent or cubic shape.
- When the ice has a spherical shape, it is more convenient to use the ice, and also, it is possible to provide different feeling of use to a user. Also, even when the made ice is stored, a contact area between the ice cubes may be minimized to minimize a mat of the ice cubes.
- An ice maker is disclosed in Korean Registration No. 10-1850918 (hereinafter, referred to as a “
prior art document 1”) that is a prior art document. - The ice maker disclosed in the
prior art document 1 includes an upper tray in which a plurality of upper cells, each of which has a hemispherical shape, are arranged, and which includes a pair of link guide parts extending upward from both side ends thereof, a lower tray in which a plurality of upper cells, each of which has a hemispherical shape and which is rotatably connected to the upper tray, a rotation shaft connected to rear ends of the lower tray and the upper tray to allow the lower tray to rotate with respect to the upper tray, a pair of links having one end connected to the lower tray and the other end connected to the link guide part, and an upper ejecting pin assembly connected to each of the pair of links in at state in which both ends thereof are inserted into the link guide part and elevated together with the upper ejecting pin assembly. - In the
prior art document 1, although the spherical ice is made by the hemispherical upper cell and the hemispherical lower cell, since the ice is made at the same time in the upper and lower cells, bubbles containing water are not completely discharged but are dispersed in the water to make opaque ice. - An ice maker is disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 9-269172 (hereinafter, referred to as a “
prior art document 2”) that is a prior art document. - The ice maker disclosed in the
prior art document 2 includes an ice making plate and a heater for heating a lower portion of water supplied to the ice making plate. - In the case of the ice maker disclosed in the
prior art document 2, water on one surface and a bottom surface of an ice making block is heated by the heater in an ice making process. Thus, when solidification proceeds on the surface of the water, and also, convection occurs in the water to make transparent ice. - When growth of the transparent ice proceeds to reduce a volume of the water within the ice making block, the solidification rate is gradually increased, and thus, sufficient convection suitable for the solidification rate may not occur.
- Thus, in the case of the
prior art document 2, when about ⅔ of water is solidified, a heating amount of heater increases to suppress an increase in the solidification rate. - However, the
prior art document 2 discloses a feature in which when the volume of water is simply reduced, only the heating amount of heater increases and does not disclose a structure and a heater control logic for making ice having high transparency without reducing the ice making rate. - The embodiments will be described in detail with reference to the following drawings in which like reference numerals refer to like elements wherein:
-
FIGS. 1A and 1B are front views of a refrigerator according to an embodiment. -
FIG. 2 is a perspective view of an ice maker according to an embodiment. -
FIG. 3 is a perspective view illustrating a state in which a bracket is removed from the ice maker ofFIG. 2 . -
FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view of the ice maker according to an embodiment. -
FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken along line A-A ofFIG. 3 for showing a second temperature sensor installed in an ice maker according to an embodiment. -
FIG. 6 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of an ice maker when a second tray is disposed at a water supply position according to an embodiment. -
FIG. 7 is a block diagram illustrating a control of a refrigerator according to an embodiment. -
FIG. 8 is a flowchart for explaining a process of making ice in the ice maker according to an embodiment. -
FIGS. 9A and 9B are views for explaining a height reference depending on a relative position of the transparent heater with respect to the ice making cell. -
FIGS. 10A and 10B are views for explaining an output of the transparent heater per unit height of water in the ice making cell. -
FIG. 11 is a view illustrating a state in which supply of water is completed at a water supply position. -
FIG. 12 is a view illustrating a state in which ice is made at an ice making position. -
FIG. 13 is a view illustrating a state in which a second tray is separated from a first tray during an ice separation process. -
FIG. 14 is a view illustrating a state in which a second tray is moved to an ice separation position during an ice separation process. -
FIG. 15 is a view for explaining a method for controlling a refrigerator when a heat transfer amount between cold air and water varies in an ice making process. -
FIG. 16 is a graph showing a change in output of a transparent ice heater according to an increase/decrease in heat transfer amount of cold air and water. -
FIG. 17 is a view illustrating an output for each control process of a transparent ice heater in an ice making process. - Hereinafter, some embodiments of the present disclosure will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. It should be noted that when components in the drawings are designated by reference numerals, the same components have the same reference numerals as far as possible even though the components are illustrated in different drawings. Further, in description of embodiments of the present disclosure, when it is determined that detailed descriptions of well-known configurations or functions disturb understanding of the embodiments of the present disclosure, the detailed descriptions will be omitted.
- Also, in the description of the embodiments of the present disclosure, the terms such as first, second, A, B, (a) and (b) may be used. Each of the terms is merely used to distinguish the corresponding component from other components, and does not delimit an essence, an order or a sequence of the corresponding component. It should be understood that when one component is “connected”, “coupled” or “joined” to another component, the former may be directly connected or jointed to the latter or may be “connected”, coupled” or “joined” to the latter with a third component interposed therebetween.
- The refrigerator according to an embodiment may include a tray assembly defining a portion of an ice making cell that is a space in which water is phase-changed into ice, a cooler supplying cold air to the ice making cell, a water supply part supplying water to the ice making cell, and a controller.
- The refrigerator may further include a temperature sensor detecting a temperature of water or ice of the ice making cell. The refrigerator may further include a heater disposed adjacent to the tray assembly. The refrigerator may further include a driver to move the tray assembly.
- The heater may supply heat to the ice making cell and/or the tray assembly.
- The refrigerator may further include a storage chamber in which food is stored in addition to the ice making cell. The refrigerator may further include a cooler supplying cold to the storage chamber. The refrigerator may further include a temperature sensor sensing a temperature in the storage chamber. The controller may control at least one of the water supply part or the cooler. The controller may control at least one of the heater or the driver.
- The cooler may be defined as a part configured to cool the storage chamber that includes at least one of a cold air supply part including an evaporator and a thermoelectric element.
- Hereinafter, embodiments of the refrigerator will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. An example in which the cooler includes the cold air supply part will be described.
-
FIG. 1 is a front view of a refrigerator according to an embodiment. - Referring to
FIG. 1 , a refrigerator according to an embodiment may include acabinet 14 including a storage chamber and a door that opens and closes the storage chamber. - The storage chamber may include a
refrigerating compartment 18 and a freezingcompartment 32. The refrigeratingcompartment 14 is disposed at an upper side, and the freezingcompartment 32 is disposed at a lower side. Each of the storage chambers may be opened and closed individually by each door. For another example, the freezing compartment may be disposed at the upper side and the refrigerating compartment may be disposed at the lower side. Alternatively, the freezing compartment may be disposed at one side of left and right sides, and the refrigerating compartment may be disposed at the other side. - The freezing
compartment 32 may be divided into an upper space and a lower space, and adrawer 40 capable of being withdrawn from and inserted into the lower space may be provided in the lower space. - The door may include a plurality of
doors refrigerating compartment 18 and the freezingcompartment 32. The plurality ofdoors doors door 30 for opening and closing the storage chamber in a sliding manner. The freezingcompartment 32 may be provided to be separated into two spaces even though the freezingcompartment 32 is opened and closed by onedoor 30. - In this embodiment, the freezing
compartment 32 may be referred to as a first storage chamber, and therefrigerating compartment 18 may be referred to as a second storage chamber. - The freezing
compartment 32 may be provided with anice maker 200 capable of making ice. Theice maker 200 may be disposed, for example, in an upper space of the freezingcompartment 32. - An
ice bin 600 in which the ice made by theice maker 200 falls to be stored may be disposed below theice maker 200. A user may take out theice bin 600 from the freezingcompartment 32 to use the ice stored in theice bin 600. Theice bin 600 may be mounted on an upper side of a horizontal wall that partitions an upper space and a lower space of the freezingcompartment 32 from each other. - Although not shown, the
cabinet 14 is provided with a duct supplying cold air to theice maker 200. The duct guides the cold air heat-exchanged with a refrigerant flowing through the evaporator to theice maker 200. For example, the duct may be disposed behind thecabinet 14 to discharge the cold air toward a front side of thecabinet 14. Theice maker 200 may be disposed at a front side of the duct. Although not limited, a discharge hole of the duct may be provided in one or more of a rear wall and an upper wall of the freezingcompartment 32. - Although the above-described
ice maker 200 is provided in the freezingcompartment 32, a space in which theice maker 200 is disposed is not limited to the freezingcompartment 32. For example, theice maker 200 may be disposed in various spaces as long as theice maker 200 receives the cold air. -
FIG. 2 is a perspective view of an ice maker according to an embodiment,FIG. 3 is a perspective view illustrating a state in which a bracket is removed from the ice maker ofFIG. 2 , andFIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view of the ice maker according to an embodiment.FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken along line A-A ofFIG. 3 for showing a second temperature sensor installed in an ice maker according to an embodiment. -
FIG. 6 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of an ice maker when a second tray is disposed at a water supply position according to an embodiment. - Referring to
FIGS. 2 to 6 , each component of theice maker 200 may be provided inside or outside thebracket 220, and thus, theice maker 200 may constitute one assembly. - The
bracket 220 may be installed at, for example, the upper wall of the freezingcompartment 32. Awater supply part 240 may be installed on the upper side of the inner surface of thebracket 220. Thewater supply part 240 may be provided with openings at upper and lower sides so that water supplied to the upper side of thewater supply part 240 may be guided to the lower side of thewater supply part 240. Since the upper opening of thewater supply part 240 is larger than the lower opening thereof, a discharge range of water guided downward through thewater supply part 240 may be limited. A water supply pipe to which water is supplied may be installed above thewater supply part 240. The water supplied to thewater supply part 240 may move downward. Thewater supply part 240 may prevent the water discharged from the water supply pipe from dropping from a high position, thereby preventing the water from splashing. Since thewater supply part 240 is disposed below the water supply pipe, the water may be guided downward without splashing up to thewater supply part 240, and an amount of splashing water may be reduced even if the water moves downward due to the lowered height. - The
ice maker 200 may include anice making cell 320 a in which water is phase-changed into ice by the cold air. - The
ice maker 200 may include afirst tray 320 defining at least a portion of a wall for providing theice making cell 320 a, and asecond tray 380 defining at least another portion of the wall for providing theice making cell 320 a. Although not limited, theice making cell 320 a may include afirst cell 320 b and asecond cell 320 c. Thefirst tray 320 may define thefirst cell 320 b, and thesecond tray 380 may define thesecond cell 320 c. - The
second tray 380 may be disposed to be relatively movable with respect to thefirst tray 320. Thesecond tray 380 may linearly rotate or rotate. Hereinafter, the rotation of thesecond tray 380 will be described as an example. - For example, in an ice making process, the
second tray 380 may move with respect to thefirst tray 320 so that thefirst tray 320 and thesecond tray 380 contact each other. When thefirst tray 320 and thesecond tray 380 contact each other, the completeice making cell 320 a may be defined. On the other hand, thesecond tray 380 may move with respect to thefirst tray 320 during the ice making process after the ice making is completed, and thesecond tray 380 may be spaced apart from thefirst tray 320. - In this embodiment, the
first tray 320 and thesecond tray 380 may be arranged in a vertical direction in a state in which theice making cell 320 a is formed. Accordingly, thefirst tray 320 may be referred to as an upper tray, and thesecond tray 380 may be referred to as a lower tray. - A plurality of
ice making cells 320 a may be defined by thefirst tray 320 and thesecond tray 380. InFIG. 4 , threeice making cells 320 a are provided as an example. - When water is cooled by cold air while water is supplied to the
ice making cell 320 a, ice having the same or similar shape as that of theice making cell 320 a may be made. In this embodiment, for example, theice making cell 320 a may be provided in a spherical shape or a shape similar to a spherical shape. In this case, thefirst cell 320 b may be provided in a spherical shape or a shape similar to a spherical shape. Also, thesecond cell 320 c may be provided in a spherical shape or a shape similar to a spherical shape. Theice making cell 320 a may have a rectangular parallelepiped shape or a polygonal shape. - The
ice maker 200 may further include afirst tray case 300 coupled to thefirst tray 320. - For example, the
first tray case 300 may be coupled to the upper side of thefirst tray 320. Thefirst tray case 300 may be manufactured as a separate part from thebracket 220 and then may be coupled to thebracket 220 or integrally formed with thebracket 220. - The
ice maker 200 may further include afirst heater case 280. Anice separation heater 290 may be installed in thefirst heater case 280. Theheater case 280 may be integrally formed with thefirst tray case 300 or may be separately formed. Theice separation heater 290 may be disposed at a position adjacent to thefirst tray 320. Theice separation heater 290 may be, for example, a wire type heater. For example, theice separation heater 290 may be installed to contact thefirst tray 320 or may be disposed at a position spaced a predetermined distance from thefirst tray 320. In any cases, theice separation heater 290 may supply heat to thefirst tray 320, and the heat supplied to thefirst tray 320 may be transferred to theice making cell 320 a. - The
ice maker 200 may further include afirst tray cover 340 disposed below thefirst tray 320. Thefirst tray cover 340 may be provided with an opening corresponding to a shape of theice making cell 320 a of thefirst tray 320 and may be coupled to a lower surface of thefirst tray 320. - The
first tray case 300 may be provided with aguide slot 302 inclined at an upper side and vertically extending at a lower side. Theguide slot 302 may be provided in a member extending upward from thefirst tray case 300. A guide protrusion 262 of thefirst pusher 260, which will be described later, may be inserted into theguide slot 302. Thus, the guide protrusion 262 may be guided along theguide slot 302. Thefirst pusher 260 may include at least oneextension part 264. For example, thefirst pusher 260 may include theextension part 264 provided with the same number as the number ofice making cells 320 a, but is not limited thereto. Theextension part 264 may push out the ice disposed in theice making cell 320 a during the ice separation process. For example, theextension part 264 may be inserted into theice making cell 320 a through thefirst tray case 300. Therefore, thefirst tray case 300 may be provided with ahole 304 through which a portion of thefirst pusher 260 passes. - The guide protrusion 262 of the
first pusher 260 may be coupled to apusher link 500. In this case, the guide protrusion 262 may be coupled to thepusher link 500 so as to be rotatable. Therefore, when thepusher link 500 moves, thefirst pusher 260 may also move along theguide slot 302. - The
ice maker 200 may further include asecond tray case 400 coupled to thesecond tray 380. - The
second tray case 400 may be disposed at a lower side of the second tray to support thesecond tray 380. For example, at least a portion of the wall defining thesecond cell 320 a of thesecond tray 380 may be supported by thesecond tray case 400. - A
spring 402 may be connected to one side of thesecond tray case 400. Thespring 402 may provide elastic force to thesecond tray case 400 to maintain a state in which thesecond tray 380 contacts thefirst tray 320. - The
ice maker 200 may further include asecond tray cover 360. Thesecond tray 380 may include acircumferential wall 382 surrounding a portion of thefirst tray 320 in a state of contacting thefirst tray 320. Thesecond tray cover 360 may surround thecircumferential wall 382. - The
ice maker 200 may further include asecond heater case 420. Atransparent ice heater 430 may be installed in thesecond heater case 420. - The
transparent ice heater 430 will be described in detail. - The
controller 800 according to this embodiment may control thetransparent ice heater 430 so that heat is supplied to theice making cell 320 a in at least partial section while cold air is supplied to theice making cell 320 a to make the transparent ice. - An ice making rate may be delayed so that bubbles dissolved in water within the
ice making cell 320 a may move from a portion at which ice is made toward liquid water by the heat of thetransparent ice heater 430, thereby making transparent ice in theice maker 200. That is, the bubbles dissolved in water may be induced to escape to the outside of theice making cell 320 a or to be collected into a predetermined position in theice making cell 320 a. - When a cold
air supply part 900 to be described later supplies cold air to theice making cell 320 a, if the ice making rate is high, the bubbles dissolved in the water inside theice making cell 320 a may be frozen without moving from the portion at which the ice is made to the liquid water, and thus, transparency of the ice may be reduced. - On the contrary, when the cold
air supply part 900 supplies the cold air to theice making cell 320 a, if the ice making rate is low, the above limitation may be solved to increase in transparency of the ice. However, there is a limitation in which an making time increases. - Accordingly, the
transparent ice heater 430 may be disposed at one side of theice making cell 320 a so that the heater locally supplies heat to theice making cell 320 a, thereby increasing in transparency of the made ice while reducing the ice making time. - When the
transparent ice heater 430 is disposed on one side of theice making cell 320 a, thetransparent ice heater 430 may be made of a material having thermal conductivity less than that of the metal to prevent heat of thetransparent ice heater 430 from being easily transferred to the other side of theice making cell 320 a. - On the other hand, at least one of the
first tray 320 and thesecond tray 380 may be made of a resin including plastic so that the ice attached to thetrays - On the other hand, at least one of the
first tray 320 or thesecond tray 380 may be made of a flexible or soft material so that the tray deformed by thepushers - The
transparent ice heater 430 may be disposed at a position adjacent to thesecond tray 380. Thetransparent ice heater 430 may be, for example, a wire type heater. For example, thetransparent ice heater 430 may be installed to contact thesecond tray 380 or may be disposed at a position spaced a predetermined distance from thesecond tray 380. For another example, thesecond heater case 420 may not be separately provided, but thetransparent heater 430 may be installed on thesecond tray case 400. In any cases, thetransparent ice heater 430 may supply heat to thesecond tray 380, and the heat supplied to thesecond tray 380 may be transferred to theice making cell 320 a. - The
ice maker 200 may further include adriver 480 that provides driving force. Thesecond tray 380 may relatively move with respect to thefirst tray 320 by receiving the driving force of thedriver 480. - A through-
hole 282 may be defined in anextension part 281 extending downward in one side of thefirst tray case 300. A through-hole 404 may be defined in theextension part 403 extending in one side of thesecond tray case 400. Theice maker 200 may further include ashaft 440 that passes through the through-holes - A
rotation arm 460 may be provided at each of both ends of theshaft 440. Theshaft 440 may rotate by receiving rotational force from thedriver 480. - One end of the
rotation arm 460 may be connected to one end of thespring 402, and thus, a position of therotation arm 460 may move to an initial value by restoring force when thespring 402 is tensioned. - The
driver 480 may include a motor and a plurality of gears. - A full
ice detection lever 520 may be connected to thedriver 480. The fullice detection lever 520 may also rotate by the rotational force provided by thedriver 480. - The full
ice detection lever 520 may have a ‘E’ shape as a whole. For example, the fullice detection lever 520 may include afirst portion 521 and a pair ofsecond portions 522 extending in a direction crossing thefirst portion 521 at both ends of thefirst portion 521. One of the pair ofsecond portions 522 may be coupled to thedriver 480, and the other may be coupled to thebracket 220 or thefirst tray case 300. The fullice detection lever 520 may rotate to detect ice stored in theice bin 600. - The
driver 480 may further include a cam that rotates by the rotational power of the motor. - The
ice maker 200 may further include a sensor that senses the rotation of the cam. - For example, the cam is provided with a magnet, and the sensor may be a hall sensor detecting magnetism of the magnet during the rotation of the cam. The sensor may output first and second signals that are different outputs according to whether the sensor senses a magnet. One of the first signal and the second signal may be a high signal, and the other may be a low signal.
- The
controller 800 to be described later may determine a position of thesecond tray 380 based on the type and pattern of the signal outputted from the sensor. That is, since thesecond tray 380 and the cam rotate by the motor, the position of thesecond tray 380 may be indirectly determined based on a detection signal of the magnet provided in the cam. - For example, a water supply position and an ice making position, which will be described later, may be distinguished and determined based on the signals outputted from the sensor.
- The
ice maker 200 may further include asecond pusher 540. Thesecond pusher 540 may be installed on thebracket 220. Thesecond pusher 540 may include at least oneextension part 544. For example, thesecond pusher 540 may include theextension part 544 provided with the same number as the number ofice making cells 320 a, but is not limited thereto. Theextension part 544 may push out the ice disposed in theice making cell 320 a. For example, theextension part 544 may pass through thesecond tray case 400 to contact thesecond tray 380 defining theice making cell 320 a and then press the contactingsecond tray 380. Therefore, thesecond tray case 400 may be provided with ahole 422 through which a portion of thesecond pusher 540 passes. - The
first tray case 300 may be rotatably coupled to thesecond tray case 400 with respect to theshaft 440 and then be disposed to change in angle about theshaft 440. - In this embodiment, the
second tray 380 may be made of a non-metal material. For example, when thesecond tray 380 is pressed by thesecond pusher 540, thesecond tray 380 may be made of a flexible or soft material which is deformable. Although not limited, thesecond tray 380 may be made of, for example, a silicone material. Therefore, while thesecond tray 380 is deformed while thesecond tray 380 is pressed by thesecond pusher 540, pressing force of thesecond pusher 540 may be transmitted to ice. The ice and thesecond tray 380 may be separated from each other by the pressing force of thesecond pusher 540. - When the
second tray 380 is made of the non-metal material and the flexible or soft material, the coupling force or attaching force between the ice and thesecond tray 380 may be reduced, and thus, the ice may be easily separated from thesecond tray 380. - Also, if the
second tray 380 is made of the non-metallic material and the flexible or soft material, after the shape of thesecond tray 380 is deformed by thesecond pusher 540, when the pressing force of thesecond pusher 540 is removed, thesecond tray 380 may be easily restored to its original shape. - For another example, the
first tray 320 may be made of a metal material. In this case, since the coupling force or the separating force between thefirst tray 320 and the ice is strong, theice maker 200 according to this embodiment may include at least one of theice separation heater 290 or thefirst pusher 260. - For another example, the
first tray 320 may be made of a non-metallic material. When thefirst tray 320 is made of the non-metallic material, theice maker 200 may include only one of theice separation heater 290 and thefirst pusher 260. Alternatively, theice maker 200 may not include theice separation heater 290 and thefirst pusher 260. - Although not limited, the
second tray 320 may be made of, for example, a silicone material. That is, thefirst tray 320 and thesecond tray 380 may be made of the same material. When thefirst tray 320 and thesecond tray 380 are made of the same material, thefirst tray 320 and thesecond tray 380 may have different hardness to maintain sealing performance at the contact portion between thefirst tray 320 and thesecond tray 380. - In this embodiment, since the
second tray 380 is pressed by thesecond pusher 540 to be deformed, thesecond tray 380 may have hardness less than that of thefirst tray 320 to facilitate the deformation of thesecond tray 380. - On the other hand, referring to
FIG. 5 , theice maker 200 may further include a second temperature sensor (or a tray temperature sensor) 700 that senses the temperature of theice making cell 320 a. Thesecond temperature sensor 700 may sense a temperature of water or ice of theice making cell 320 a. - The
second temperature sensor 700 may be disposed adjacent to thefirst tray 320 to sense the temperature of thefirst tray 320, thereby indirectly determining the water temperature or the ice temperature of theice making cell 320 a. In this embodiment, the water temperature or the ice temperature of theice making cell 320 a may be referred to as an internal temperature of theice making cell 320 a. Thesecond temperature sensor 700 may be installed in thefirst tray case 300. - In this case, the
second temperature sensor 700 may contact thefirst tray 320, or may be spaced apart from thefirst tray 320 by a predetermined distance. Alternatively, thesecond temperature sensor 700 may be installed on thefirst tray 320 to contact thefirst tray 320. - Of course, when the
second temperature sensor 700 is disposed to pass through thefirst tray 320, the temperature of water or ice of theice making cell 320 a may be directly sensed. - On the other hand, a portion of the
ice separation heater 290 may be disposed higher than thesecond temperature sensor 700 and may be spaced apart from thesecond temperature sensor 700. Anelectric wire 701 coupled to thesecond temperature sensor 700 may be guided above thefirst tray case 300. - Referring to
FIG. 6 , theice maker 200 according to this embodiment may be designed such that the position of thesecond tray 380 is different in the water supply position and the ice-making position. For example, thesecond tray 380 may include asecond cell wall 381 defining thesecond cell 320 c of theice making cell 320 a, and acircumferential wall 382 extending along the outer edge of thesecond cell wall 381. - The
second cell wall 381 may include anupper surface 381 a. In this specification, theupper surface 381 a of thesecond cell wall 381 may be referred to as theupper surface 381 a of thesecond tray 380. - The
upper surface 381 a of thesecond cell wall 381 may be disposed lower than the upper end of thecircumferential wall 381. - The
first tray 320 may include afirst cell wall 321 a defining thefirst cell 320 b of theice making cell 320 a. Thefirst cell wall 321 a may include astraight portion 321 b and acurved portion 321 c. Thecurved portion 321 c may be formed in an arc shape having a center of theshaft 440 as a radius of curvature. Accordingly, thecircumferential wall 381 may also include a straight portion and a curved portion corresponding to thestraight portion 321 b and thecurved portion 321 c. - The
first cell wall 321 a may include alower surface 321 d. In this specification, thelower surface 321 b of thefirst cell wall 321 a may be referred to as thelower surface 321 b of thefirst tray 320. Thelower surface 321 d of thefirst cell wall 321 a may contact theupper surface 381 a of thesecond cell wall 381 a. - For example, at least a portion of the
lower surface 321 d of thefirst cell wall 321 a and theupper surface 381 a of thesecond cell wall 381 may be spaced apart at the water supply position as shown inFIG. 6 . InFIG. 6 , for example, it is shown that thelower surface 321 d of thefirst cell wall 321 a and the entireupper surface 381 a of thesecond cell wall 381 are spaced apart from each other. Accordingly, theupper surface 381 a of thesecond cell wall 381 may be inclined to form a predetermined angle with thelower surface 321 d of thefirst cell wall 321 a. - Although not limited, the
lower surface 321 d of thefirst cell wall 321 a at the water supply position may be maintained substantially horizontally, and theupper surface 381 a of thesecond cell wall 381 may be disposed to be inclined with respect to thelower surface 321 d of thefirst cell wall 321 a under thefirst cell wall 321 a. - In the state shown in
FIG. 6 , thecircumferential wall 382 may surround thefirst cell wall 321 a. In addition, the upper end of thecircumferential wall 382 may be disposed higher than thelower surface 321 d of thefirst cell wall 321 a. On the other hand, theupper surface 381 a of thesecond cell wall 381 may contact at least a portion of thelower surface 321 d of thefirst cell wall 321 a at the ice making position (seeFIG. 12 ). The angle formed by theupper surface 381 a of thesecond tray 380 and thelower surface 321 d of thefirst tray 320 at the ice making position is smaller than the angle formed by the upper surface 382 a of thesecond tray 380 and thelower surface 321 d of thefirst tray 320 at the water supply position. Theupper surface 381 a of thesecond cell wall 381 may contact the entirelower surface 321 d of thefirst cell wall 321 a at the ice making position. At the ice making position, theupper surface 381 a of thesecond cell wall 381 and thelower surface 321 d of thefirst cell wall 321 a may be disposed to be substantially horizontal. - In this embodiment, the water supply position of the
second tray 380 and the ice making position are different from each other so that, when theice maker 200 includes a plurality ofice making cells 320 a, a water passage for communication between theice making cells 320 a is not formed in thefirst tray 320 and/or thesecond tray 380, and water is uniformly distributed to the plurality ofice making cells 320 a. - If the
ice maker 200 includes the plurality ofice making cells 320 a, when the water passage is formed in thefirst tray 320 and/or thesecond tray 380, the water supplied to theice maker 200 is distributed to the plurality ofice making cells 320 a along the water passage. - However, in a state in which the water is distributed to the plurality of
ice making cells 320 a, water also exists in the water passage, and when ice is made in this state, the ice made in theice making cell 320 a is connected by the ice made in the water passage. - In this case, there is a possibility that the ice will stick together even after the ice separation is completed. Even if pieces of ice are separated from each other, some pieces of ice will contain ice made in the water passage, and thus there is a problem that the shape of the ice is different from that of the ice making cell.
- However, as in this embodiment, when the
second tray 380 is spaced apart from thefirst tray 320 at the water supply position, water falling into thesecond tray 380 may be uniformly distributed to the plurality ofsecond cells 320 c of thesecond tray 380. - For example, the
first tray 320 may include acommunication hole 321 e. When thefirst tray 320 includes onefirst cell 320 b, thefirst tray 320 may include onecommunication hole 321 e. When thefirst tray 320 includes a plurality offirst cells 320 b, thefirst tray 320 may include a plurality ofcommunication holes 321 e. Thewater supply part 240 may supply water to onecommunication hole 321 e among the plurality ofcommunication holes 321 e. In this case, the water supplied through the onecommunication hole 321 e falls into thesecond tray 380 after passing through thefirst tray 320. - During the water supply process, water may fall into any one
second cell 320 c among the plurality ofsecond cells 320 c of thesecond tray 380. The water supplied to onesecond cell 320 c overflows from onesecond cell 320 c. - In this embodiment, since the
upper surface 381 a of thesecond tray 380 is spaced apart from thelower surface 321 d of thefirst tray 320, the water that overflows from one of thesecond cells 320 c moves to another adjacentsecond cell 320 c along theupper surface 381 a of thesecond tray 380. Accordingly, the plurality ofsecond cells 320 c of thesecond tray 380 may be filled with water. - In addition, in a state in which the supply of water is completed, a portion of the supplied water is filled in the
second cell 320 c, and another portion of the supplied water may be filled in a space between thefirst tray 320 and thesecond tray 380. - Water at the water supply position when water supply is completed may be positioned only in the space between the
first tray 320 and thesecond tray 380, the space between thefirst tray 320 and thesecond tray 380, and thefirst tray 320 according to the volume of theice making cell 320 a (seeFIG. 11 ). - When the
second tray 380 moves from the water supply position to the ice making position, the water in the space between thefirst tray 320 and thesecond tray 380 may be uniformly distributed to the plurality offirst cells 320 b. - On the other hand, when the water passage is defined in the
first tray 320 and/or thesecond tray 380, ice made in theice making cell 320 a is also made in the water passage portion. - In this case, when the controller of the refrigerator controls one or more of the cooling power of the cooling
air supply part 900 and the heating amount of thetransparent ice heater 430 to vary according to the mass per unit height of water in theice making cell 320 a in order to make transparent ice, one or more of the cooling power of the cold air supply means 900 and the heating amount of thetransparent ice heater 430 are controlled to rapidly vary several times or more in the portion where the water passage is defined. - This is because the mass per unit height of water is rapidly increased several times or more in the portion where the water passage is defined. In this case, since the reliability problem of the parts may occur and expensive parts with large widths of maximum and minimum output may be used, it can also be disadvantageous in terms of power consumption and cost of parts. As a result, the present disclosure may require a technology related to the above-described ice making position so as to make transparent ice.
-
FIG. 7 is a block diagram illustrating a control of a refrigerator according to an embodiment. - Referring to
FIG. 7 , the refrigerator according to this embodiment may further include a coldair supply part 900 supplying cold air to the freezing compartment 32 (or the ice making cell). The coldair supply part 900 may supply cold air to the freezingcompartment 32 using a refrigerant cycle. For example, the coldair supply part 900 may include a compressor compressing the refrigerant. A temperature of the cold air supplied to the freezingcompartment 32 may vary according to the output (or frequency) of the compressor. Alternatively, the coldair supply part 900 may include a fan blowing air to an evaporator. An amount of cold air supplied to the freezingcompartment 32 may vary according to the output (or rotation rate) of the fan. Alternatively, the coldair supply part 900 may include a refrigerant valve controlling an amount of refrigerant flowing through the refrigerant cycle. An amount of refrigerant flowing through the refrigerant cycle may vary by adjusting an opening degree by the refrigerant valve, and thus, the temperature of the cold air supplied to the freezingcompartment 32 may vary. - Therefore, in this embodiment, the cold
air supply part 900 may include one or more of the compressor, the fan, and the refrigerant valve. - In addition, the cold
air supply part 900 may further include the evaporator exchanging heat between the refrigerant and the air. The cold air heat-exchanged with the evaporator may be supplied to theice maker 200. - The refrigerator according to this embodiment may further include a
controller 800 that controls the coldair supply part 900. The refrigerator may further include awater supply valve 242 controlling an amount of water supplied through thewater supply part 240. - The
controller 800 may control a portion or all of theice separation heater 290, thetransparent ice heater 430, thedriver 480, the coldair supply part 900, and thewater supply valve 242. - In this embodiment, when the
ice maker 200 includes both theice separation heater 290 and thetransparent ice heater 430, an output of theice separation heater 290 and an output of thetransparent ice heater 430 may be different from each other. - When the outputs of the
ice separation heater 290 and thetransparent ice heater 430 are different from each other, an output terminal of theice separation heater 290 and an output terminal of thetransparent ice heater 430 may be provided in different shapes, incorrect connection of the two output terminals may be prevented. - Although not limited, the output of the
ice separation heater 290 may be set larger than that of thetransparent ice heater 430. Accordingly, ice may be quickly separated from thefirst tray 320 by theice separation heater 290. - In this embodiment, when the
ice separation heater 290 is not provided, thetransparent ice heater 430 may be disposed at a position adjacent to thesecond tray 380 described above or be disposed at a position adjacent to thefirst tray 320. - The refrigerator may further include a first temperature sensor 33 (or an internal temperature sensor) that senses a temperature of the freezing
compartment 32. Thecontroller 800 may control the coldair supply part 900 based on the temperature sensed by thefirst temperature sensor 33. - The
controller 800 may determine whether ice making is completed based on the temperature sensed by thesecond temperature sensor 700. -
FIG. 8 is a flowchart for explaining a process of making ice in the ice maker according to an embodiment. -
FIG. 9 is a view for explaining a height reference depending on a relative position of the transparent heater with respect to the ice making cell, andFIG. 10 is a view for explaining an output of the transparent heater per unit height of water in the ice making cell. -
FIG. 11 is a view illustrating a state in which supply of water is completed at a water supply position,FIG. 12 is a view illustrating a state in which ice is made at an ice making position,FIG. 13 is a view illustrating a state in which a second tray is separated from a first tray during an ice separation process, andFIG. 14 is a view illustrating a state in which a second tray is moved to an ice separation position during an ice separation process. - Referring to
FIGS. 6 to 14 , to make ice in theice maker 200, thecontroller 800 moves thesecond tray 380 to a water supply position (S1). - In this specification, a direction in which the
second tray 380 moves from the ice making position ofFIG. 12 to the ice separation position ofFIG. 14 may be referred to as forward movement (or forward rotation). On the other hand, the direction from the ice separation position ofFIG. 14 to the water supply position ofFIG. 6 may be referred to as reverse movement (or reverse rotation). - The movement to the water supply position of the
second tray 380 is detected by a sensor, and when it is detected that thesecond tray 380 moves to the water supply position, thecontroller 800 stops thedriver 480. - The water supply starts when the
second tray 380 moves to the water supply position (S2). - For the water supply, the
controller 800 turns on thewater supply valve 242, and when it is determined that a predetermined amount of water is supplied, thecontroller 800 may turn off thewater supply valve 242. For example, in the process of supplying water, when a pulse is outputted from a flow sensor (not shown), and the outputted pulse reaches a reference pulse, it may be determined that a predetermined amount of water is supplied. - After the water supply is completed, the
controller 800 controls thedriver 480 to allow thesecond tray 380 to move to the ice making position (S3). For example, thecontroller 800 may control thedriver 480 to allow thesecond tray 380 to move from the water supply position in the reverse direction. - When the
second tray 380 move in the reverse direction, theupper surface 381 a of thesecond tray 380 comes close to thelower surface 321 e of thefirst tray 320. Then, water between theupper surface 381 a of thesecond tray 380 and thelower surface 321 e of thefirst tray 320 is divided into each of the plurality ofsecond cells 320 c and then is distributed. When theupper surface 381 a of thesecond tray 380 and thelower surface 321 e of thefirst tray 320 are completely in close contact, thefirst cell 320 b is filled with water. - The movement to the ice making position of the
second tray 380 is detected by a sensor, and when it is detected that thesecond tray 380 moves to the ice making position, thecontroller 800 stops thedriver 480. - In the state in which the
second tray 380 moves to the ice making position, ice making is started (S4). For example, the ice making may be started when thesecond tray 380 reaches the ice making position. Alternatively, when thesecond tray 380 reaches the ice making position, and the water supply time elapses, the ice making may be started. - When ice making is started, the
controller 800 may control the coldair supply part 900 to supply cold air to theice making cell 320 a. - After the ice making is started, the
controller 800 may control thetransparent ice heater 430 to be turned on in at least partial sections of the coldair supply part 900 supplying the cold air to theice making cell 320 a. When thetransparent ice heater 430 is turned on, since the heat of thetransparent ice heater 430 is transferred to theice making cell 320 a, the ice making rate of theice making cell 320 a may be delayed. - According to this embodiment, the ice making rate may be delayed so that the bubbles dissolved in the water inside the
ice making cell 320 a move from the portion at which ice is made toward the liquid water by the heat of thetransparent ice heater 430 to make the transparent ice in theice maker 200. - In the ice making process, the
controller 800 may determine whether the turn-on condition of thetransparent ice heater 430 is satisfied (S5). - In this embodiment, the
transparent ice heater 430 is not turned on immediately after the ice making is started, and thetransparent ice heater 430 may be turned on only when the turn-on condition of thetransparent ice heater 430 is satisfied (S6). - Generally, the water supplied to the
ice making cell 320 a may be water having normal temperature or water having a temperature lower than the normal temperature. The temperature of the water supplied is higher than a freezing point of water. Thus, after the water supply, the temperature of the water is lowered by the cold air, and when the temperature of the water reaches the freezing point of the water, the water is changed into ice. - In this embodiment, the
transparent ice heater 430 may not be turned on until the water is phase-changed into ice. - If the
transparent ice heater 430 is turned on before the temperature of the water supplied to theice making cell 320 a reaches the freezing point, the speed at which the temperature of the water reaches the freezing point by the heat of thetransparent ice heater 430 is slow. As a result, the starting of the ice making may be delayed. - The transparency of the ice may vary depending on the presence of the air bubbles in the portion at which ice is made after the ice making is started. If heat is supplied to the
ice making cell 320 a before the ice is made, thetransparent ice heater 430 may operate regardless of the transparency of the ice. - Thus, according to this embodiment, after the turn-on condition of the
transparent ice heater 430 is satisfied, when thetransparent ice heater 430 is turned on, power consumption due to the unnecessary operation of thetransparent ice heater 430 may be prevented. - Alternatively, even if the
transparent ice heater 430 is turned on immediately after the start of ice making, since the transparency is not affected, it is also possible to turn on thetransparent ice heater 430 after the start of the ice making. - In this embodiment, the
controller 800 may determine that the turn-on condition of thetransparent ice heater 430 is satisfied when a predetermined time elapses from the set specific time point. The specific time point may be set to at least one of the time points before thetransparent ice heater 430 is turned on. - For example, the specific time point may be set to a time point at which the cold
air supply part 900 starts to supply cooling power for the ice making, a time point at which thesecond tray 380 reaches the ice making position, a time point at which the water supply is completed, and the like. - Alternatively, the
controller 800 determines that the turn-on condition of thetransparent ice heater 430 is satisfied when a temperature sensed by thesecond temperature sensor 700 reaches a turn-on reference temperature. - For example, the turn-on reference temperature may be a temperature for determining that water starts to freeze at the uppermost side (communication hole side) of the
ice making cell 320 a. When a portion of the water is frozen in theice making cell 320 a, the temperature of the ice in theice making cell 320 a is below zero. The temperature of thefirst tray 320 may be higher than the temperature of the ice in theice making cell 320 a. - Alternatively, although water is present in the
ice making cell 320 a, after the ice starts to be made in theice making cell 320 a, the temperature sensed by thesecond temperature sensor 700 may be below zero. - Thus, to determine that making of ice is started in the
ice making cell 320 a on the basis of the temperature detected by thesecond temperature sensor 700, the turn-on reference temperature may be set to the below-zero temperature. - That is, when the temperature sensed by the
second temperature sensor 700 reaches the turn-on reference temperature, since the turn-on reference temperature is below zero, the ice temperature of theice making cell 320 a is below zero, i.e., lower than the below reference temperature. Therefore, it may be indirectly determined that ice is made in theice making cell 320 a. - As described above, when the
transparent ice heater 430 is not used, the heat of thetransparent ice heater 430 is transferred into theice making cell 320 a. - In this embodiment, when the
second tray 380 is disposed below thefirst tray 320, thetransparent ice heater 430 is disposed to supply the heat to thesecond tray 380, the ice may be made from an upper side of theice making cell 320 a. - In this embodiment, since ice is made from the upper side in the
ice making cell 320 a, the bubbles move downward from the portion at which the ice is made in theice making cell 320 a toward the liquid water. - Since density of water is greater than that of ice, water or bubbles may convex in the
ice making cell 320 a, and the bubbles may move to thetransparent ice heater 430. - In this embodiment, the mass (or volume) per unit height of water in the
ice making cell 320 a may be the same or different according to the shape of theice making cell 320 a. For example, when theice making cell 320 a is a rectangular parallelepiped, the mass (or volume) per unit height of water in theice making cell 320 a is the same. On the other hand, when theice making cell 320 a has a shape such as a sphere, an inverted triangle, a crescent moon, etc., the mass (or volume) per unit height of water is different. - When the cooling power of the cold
air supply part 900 is constant, if the heating amount of thetransparent ice heater 430 is the same, since the mass per unit height of water in theice making cell 320 a is different, an ice making rate per unit height may be different. - For example, if the mass per unit height of water is small, the ice making rate is high, whereas if the mass per unit height of water is high, the ice making rate is slow.
- As a result, the ice making rate per unit height of water is not constant, and thus, the transparency of the ice may vary according to the unit height. In particular, when ice is made at a high rate, the bubbles may not move from the ice to the water, and the ice may contain the bubbles to lower the transparency.
- That is, the more the variation in ice making rate per unit height of water decreases, the more the variation in transparency per unit height of made ice may decrease.
- Therefore, in this embodiment, the
control part 800 may control the cooling power and/or the heating amount so that the cooling power of the coldair supply part 900 and/or the heating amount of thetransparent ice heater 430 is variable according to the mass per unit height of the water of theice making cell 320 a. - In this specification, the variable of the cooling power of the cold
air supply part 900 may include one or more of a variable output of the compressor, a variable output of the fan, and a variable opening degree of the refrigerant valve. - Also, in this specification, the variation in the heating amount of the
transparent ice heater 430 may represent varying the output of thetransparent ice heater 430 or varying the duty of thetransparent ice heater 430. - In this case, the duty of the
transparent ice heater 430 represents a ratio of the turn-on time and a sum of the turn-on time and the turn-off time of thetransparent ice heater 430 in one cycle, or a ratio of the turn-off time and a sum of the turn-on time and the turn-off time of thetransparent ice heater 430 in one cycle. - In this specification, a reference of the unit height of water in the
ice making cell 320 a may vary according to a relative position of theice making cell 320 a and thetransparent ice heater 430. - For example, as shown in
FIG. 9A , thetransparent ice heater 430 at the bottom surface of theice making cell 320 a may be disposed to have the same height. In this case, a line connecting thetransparent ice heater 430 is a horizontal line, and a line extending in a direction perpendicular to the horizontal line serves as a reference for the unit height of the water of theice making cell 320 a. In the case ofFIG. 9A , ice is made from the uppermost side of theice making cell 320 a and then is grown. - On the other hand, as shown in
FIG. 9B , thetransparent ice heater 430 at the bottom surface of theice making cell 320 a may be disposed to have different heights. In this case, since heat is supplied to theice making cell 320 a at different heights of theice making cell 320 a, ice is made with a pattern different from that ofFIG. 9A . - For example, in
FIG. 9B , ice may be made at a position spaced apart from the uppermost side to the left side of theice making cell 320 a, and the ice may be grown to a right lower side at which thetransparent ice heater 430 is disposed. - Accordingly, in
FIG. 9B , a line (reference line) perpendicular to the line connecting two points of thetransparent ice heater 430 serves as a reference for the unit height of water of theice making cell 320 a. The reference line ofFIG. 9B is inclined at a predetermined angle from the vertical line. -
FIG. 10 illustrates a unit height division of water and an output amount of transparent ice heater per unit height when the transparent ice heater is disposed as shown inFIG. 9A . - Hereinafter, an example of controlling an output of the transparent ice heater so that the ice making rate is constant for each unit height of water will be described.
- Referring to
FIG. 10 , when theice making cell 320 a is formed, for example, in a spherical shape, the mass per unit height of water in theice making cell 320 a increases from the upper side to the lower side to reach the maximum and then decreases again. - For example, the water (or the ice making cell itself) in the spherical
ice making cell 320 a having a diameter of about 50 mm is divided into nine sections (section A to section I) by 6 mm height (unit height). Here, it is noted that there is no limitation on the size of the unit height and the number of divided sections. - When the water in the
ice making cell 320 a is divided into unit heights, the height of each section to be divided is equal to the section A to the section H, and the section I is lower than the remaining sections. Alternatively, the unit heights of all divided sections may be the same depending on the diameter of theice making cell 320 a and the number of divided sections, - Among the many sections, the section E is a section in which the mass of unit height of water is maximum. For example, in the section in which the mass per unit height of water is maximum, when the
ice making cell 320 a has spherical shape, a diameter of theice making cell 320 a, a horizontal cross-sectional area of theice making cell 320 a, or a circumference of the ice may be maximum. - As described above, when assuming that the cooling power of the cold
air supply part 900 is constant, and the output of thetransparent ice heater 430 is constant, the ice making rate in section E is the lowest, the ice making rate in the sections A and I is the fastest. - In this case, since the ice making rate varies for the height, the transparency of the ice may vary for the height. In a specific section, the ice making rate may be too fast to contain bubbles, thereby lowering the transparency.
- Therefore, in this embodiment, the output of the
transparent ice heater 430 may be controlled so that the ice making rate for each unit height is the same or similar while the bubbles move from the portion at which ice is made to the water in the ice making process. - Specifically, since the mass of the section E is the largest, the output W5 of the
transparent ice heater 430 in the section E may be set to a minimum value. Since the volume of the section D is less than that of the section E, the volume of the ice may be reduced as the volume decreases, and thus it is necessary to delay the ice making rate. Thus, an output W6 of thetransparent ice heater 430 in the section D may be set to a value greater than an output W5 of thetransparent ice heater 430 in the section E. - Since the volume in the section C is less than that in the section D by the same reason, an output W3 of the
transparent ice heater 430 in the section C may be set to a value greater than the output W4 of thetransparent ice heater 430 in the section D. Since the volume in the section B is less than that in the section C, an output W2 of thetransparent ice heater 430 in the section B may be set to a value greater than the output W3 of thetransparent ice heater 430 in the section C. Since the volume in the section A is less than that in the section B, an output W1 of thetransparent ice heater 430 in the section A may be set to a value greater than the output W2 of thetransparent ice heater 430 in the section B. - For the same reason, since the mass per unit height decreases toward the lower side in the section E, the output of the
transparent ice heater 430 may increase as the lower side in the section E (see W6, W7, W8, and W9). - Thus, according to an output variation pattern of the
transparent ice heater 430, the output of thetransparent ice heater 430 is gradually reduced from the first section to the intermediate section after thetransparent ice heater 430 is initially turned on. - The output of the
transparent ice heater 430 may be minimum in the intermediate section in which the mass of unit height of water is minimum. The output of thetransparent ice heater 430 may again increase step by step from the next section of the intermediate section. - The output of the
transparent ice heater 430 in two adjacent sections may be set to be the same according to the type or mass of the made ice. For example, the output of section C and section D may be the same. That is, the output of thetransparent ice heater 430 may be the same in at least two sections. - Alternatively, the output of the
transparent ice heater 430 may be set to the minimum in sections other than the section in which the mass per unit height is the smallest. - For example, the output of the
transparent ice heater 430 in the section D or the section F may be minimum. The output of thetransparent ice heater 430 in the section E may be equal to or greater than the minimum output. - In summary, in this embodiment, the output of the
transparent ice heater 430 may have a maximum initial output. In the ice making process, the output of thetransparent ice heater 430 may be reduced to the minimum output of thetransparent ice heater 430. - The output of the
transparent ice heater 430 may be gradually reduced in each section, or the output may be maintained in at least two sections. The output of thetransparent ice heater 430 may increase from the minimum output to the end output. The end output may be the same as or different from the initial output. In addition, the output of thetransparent ice heater 430 may incrementally increase in each section from the minimum output to the end output, or the output may be maintained in at least two sections. - Alternatively, the output of the
transparent ice heater 430 may be an end output in a section before the last section among a plurality of sections. In this case, the output of thetransparent ice heater 430 may be maintained as an end output in the last section. That is, after the output of thetransparent ice heater 430 becomes the end output, the end output may be maintained until the last section. - As the ice making is performed, an amount of ice existing in the
ice making cell 320 a may decrease. Thus, when thetransparent ice heater 430 continues to increase until the output reaches the last section, the heat supplied to theice making cell 320 a may be reduced. As a result, excessive water may exist in theice making cell 320 a even after the end of the last section. - Therefore, the output of the
transparent ice heater 430 may be maintained as the end output in at least two sections including the last section. - The transparency of the ice may be uniform for each unit height, and the bubbles may be collected in the lowermost section by the output control of the
transparent ice heater 430. Thus, when viewed on the ice as a whole, the bubbles may be collected in the localized portion, and the remaining portion may become totally transparent. - As described above, even if the
ice making cell 320 a does not have the spherical shape, the transparent ice may be made when the output of thetransparent ice heater 430 varies according to the mass for each unit height of water in theice making cell 320 a. - The heating amount of the
transparent ice heater 430 when the mass for each unit height of water is large may be less than that of thetransparent ice heater 430 when the mass for each unit height of water is small. - For example, while maintaining the same cooling power of the cold
air supply part 900, the heating amount of thetransparent ice heater 430 may vary so as to be inversely proportional to the mass per unit height of water. - Also, it is possible to make the transparent ice by varying the cooling power of the cold
air supply part 900 according to the mass per unit height of water. - For example, when the mass per unit height of water is large, the cold force of the cold
air supply part 900 may increase, and when the mass per unit height is small, the cold force of the coldair supply part 900 may decrease. - For example, while maintaining a constant heating amount of the
transparent ice heater 430, the cooling power of the coldair supply part 900 may vary to be proportional to the mass per unit height of water. - Referring to the variable cooling power pattern of the cold
air supply part 900 in the case of making the spherical ice, the cooling power of the coldair supply part 900 from the initial section to the intermediate section during the ice making process may gradually increase. - The cooling power of the cold
air supply part 900 may be maximum in the intermediate section in which the mass for each unit height of water is maximum. The cooling power of the coldair supply part 900 may be gradually reduced again from the next section of the intermediate section. - Alternatively, the transparent ice may be made by varying the cooling power of the cold
air supply part 900 and the heating amount of thetransparent ice heater 430 according to the mass per unit height of water. - For example, the heating power of the
transparent ice heater 430 may vary so that the cooling power of the coldair supply part 900 is proportional to the mass per unit height of water. The heating power of thetransparent ice heater 430 may be inversely proportional to the mass per unit height of water. - According to this embodiment, when one or more of the cooling power of the cold
air supply part 900 and the heating amount of thetransparent ice heater 430 are controlled according to the mass per unit height of water, the ice making rate per unit height of water may be substantially the same or may be maintained within a predetermined range. - The
controller 800 may determine whether the ice making is completed based on the temperature sensed by the second temperature sensor 700 (S8). When it is determined that the ice making is completed, thecontroller 800 may turn off the transparent ice heater 430 (S9). - For example, when the temperature sensed by the
second temperature sensor 700 reaches a first reference temperature, thecontroller 800 may determine that the ice making is completed to turn off thetransparent ice heater 430. - In this case, since a distance between the
second temperature sensor 700 and eachice making cell 320 a is different, in order to determine that the ice making is completed in all theice making cells 320 a, thecontroller 800 may perform the ice separation after a certain amount of time, at which it is determined that ice making is completed, has passed or when the temperature sensed by thesecond temperature sensor 700 reaches a second reference temperature lower than the first reference temperature. - When the ice making is completed, the
controller 800 operates one or more of theice separation heater 290 and the transparent ice heater 430 (S10). - When at least one of the
ice separation heater 290 or thetransparent ice heater 430 is turned on, heat of the heater is transferred to at least one of thefirst tray 320 or thesecond tray 380 so that the ice may be separated from the surfaces (inner surfaces) of one or more of thefirst tray 320 and thesecond tray 380. - Also, the heat of the
heaters first tray 320 and thesecond tray 380, and thus, thelower surface 321 d of thefirst tray 320 and theupper surface 381 a of thesecond tray 380 may be in a state capable of being separated from each other. - When at least one of the
ice separation heater 290 and thetransparent ice heater 430 operate for a predetermined time, or when the temperature sensed by thesecond temperature sensor 700 is equal to or higher than an off reference temperature, thecontroller 800 is turned off theheaters - Although not limited, the turn-off reference temperature may be set to above zero temperature.
- The
controller 800 operates thedriver 480 to allow thesecond tray 380 to move in the forward direction (S11). - As illustrated in
FIG. 13 , when thesecond tray 380 move in the forward direction, thesecond tray 380 is spaced apart from thefirst tray 320. - The moving force of the
second tray 380 is transmitted to thefirst pusher 260 by thepusher link 500. Then, thefirst pusher 260 descends along theguide slot 302, and theextension part 264 passes through thecommunication hole 321 e to press the ice in theice making cell 320 a. - In this embodiment, ice may be separated from the
first tray 320 before theextension part 264 presses the ice in the ice making process. That is, ice may be separated from the surface of thefirst tray 320 by the heater that is turned on. In this case, the ice may move together with thesecond tray 380 while the ice is supported by thesecond tray 380. - For another example, even when the heat of the heater is applied to the
first tray 320, the ice may not be separated from the surface of thefirst tray 320. - Therefore, when the
second tray 380 moves in the forward direction, there is possibility that the ice is separated from thesecond tray 380 in a state in which the ice contacts thefirst tray 320. - In this state, in the process of moving the
second tray 380, theextension part 264 passing through the communication hole 320 e may press the ice contacting thefirst tray 320, and thus, the ice may be separated from thetray 320. - The ice separated from the
first tray 320 may be supported by thesecond tray 380 again. - When the ice moves together with the
second tray 380 while the ice is supported by thesecond tray 380, the ice may be separated from the tray 250 by its own weight even if no external force is applied to thesecond tray 380. - While the
second tray 380 moves, even if the ice does not fall from thesecond tray 380 by its own weight, when thesecond pusher 540 presses thesecond tray 380 as illustrated inFIG. 13 , the ice may be separated from thesecond tray 380 to fall downward. - Specifically, as illustrated in
FIG. 13 , while thesecond tray 380 moves, thesecond tray 380 may contact theextension part 544 of thesecond pusher 540. When thesecond tray 380 continuously moves in the forward direction, theextension part 544 may press thesecond tray 380 to deform thesecond tray 380. Thus, the pressing force of theextension part 544 may be transferred to the ice so that the ice is separated from the surface of thesecond tray 380. The ice separated from the surface of thesecond tray 380 may drop downward and be stored in theice bin 600. - In this embodiment, as shown in
FIG. 14 , the position at which thesecond tray 380 is pressed by thesecond pusher 540 and deformed may be referred to as an ice separation position. - Whether the
ice bin 600 is full may be detected while thesecond tray 380 moves from the ice making position to the ice separation position. - For example, the full
ice detection lever 520 rotates together with thesecond tray 380, and the rotation of the fullice detection lever 520 is interrupted by ice while the fullice detection lever 520 rotates. In this case, it may be determined that theice bin 600 is in a full ice state. On the other hand, if the rotation of the fullice detection lever 520 is not interfered with the ice while the fullice detection lever 520 rotates, it may be determined that theice bin 600 is not in the ice state. - After the ice is separated from the
second tray 380, thecontroller 800 controls thedriver 480 to allow thesecond tray 380 to move in the reverse direction (S11). Then, thesecond tray 380 moves from the ice separation position to the water supply position. - When the
second tray 380 moves to the water supply position ofFIG. 6 , thecontroller 800 stops the driver 480 (S1). - When the
second tray 380 is spaced apart from theextension part 544 while thesecond tray 380 moves in the reverse direction, the deformedsecond tray 380 may be restored to its original shape. - In the reverse movement of the
second tray 380, the moving force of thesecond tray 380 is transmitted to thefirst pusher 260 by thepusher link 500, and thus, thefirst pusher 260 ascends, and theextension part 264 is removed from theice making cell 320 a. -
FIG. 15 is a view for explaining a method for controlling a refrigerator when a heat transfer amount between cold air and water varies in an ice making process, andFIG. 16 is a graph showing a change in output of a transparent ice heater according to an increase/decrease in heat transfer amount of cold air and water.FIG. 17 is a view illustrating an output for each control process of a transparent ice heater in an ice making process. - Referring to
FIGS. 15 to 17 , cooling power of the coldair supply part 900 may be determined corresponding to the target temperature of the freezingcompartment 32. The cold air generated by the coldair supply part 900 may be supplied to the freezingcompartment 32. - The water of the
ice making cell 320 a may be phase-changed into ice by heat transfer between the cold water supplied to the freezingcompartment 32 and the water of theice making cell 320 a. - In this embodiment, a heating amount of the
transparent ice heater 430 for each unit height of water may be determined in consideration of predetermined cooling power of the coldair supply part 900. - In this embodiment, the heating amount of the
transparent ice heater 430 determined in consideration of the predetermined cooling power of the coldair supply part 900 is referred to as a reference heating amount. The magnitude of the reference heating amount per unit height of water is different. - However, when the amount of heat transfer between the cold of the freezing
compartment 32 and the water in theice making cell 320 a is variable, if the heating amount of thetransparent ice heater 430 is not adjusted to reflect this, the transparency of ice for each unit height varies. - In this embodiment, the case in which the heat transfer amount between the cold and the water increase may be a case in which the cooling power of the cold
air supply part 900 increases or a case in which the air having a temperature lower than the temperature of the cold air in the freezingcompartment 32 is supplied to the freezingcompartment 32. - On the other hand, the case in which the heat transfer amount between the cold and the water decrease may be a case in which the cooling power of the cold
air supply part 900 decreases or a case in which the air having a temperature higher than the temperature of the cold air in the freezingcompartment 32 is supplied to the freezingcompartment 32. - For example, when a target temperature of the freezing
compartment 32 is lowered, an operation mode of the freezingcompartment 32 is changed from a normal mode to a quick cooling mode, an output of at least one of the compressor or the fan increases, or an opening degree increases, the cooling power of the coldair supply part 900 may increase. In addition, when the refrigerator door is opened or the defrosting operation is performed, air having a temperature higher than the temperature of the cold air in the freezingcompartment 32 may be supplied to the freezingcompartment 32. - On the other hand, when the target temperature of the
freezer compartment 32 increases, the operation mode of the freezingcompartment 32 is changed from the quick cooling mode to the normal mode, the output of at least one of the compressor or the fan decreases, or the opening degree of the refrigerant valve decreases, the cooling power of the coldair supply part 900 may decrease. When the cooling power of the coldair supply part 900 increases, the temperature of the cold air around theice maker 200 is lowered to increase in ice making rate. - On the other hand, if the cooling power of the cold
air supply part 900 decreases, the temperature of the cold air around theice maker 200 increases, the ice making rate decreases, and also, the ice making time increases. - Therefore, in this embodiment, when the amount of heat transfer of cold and water increases so that the ice making rate is maintained within a predetermined range lower than the ice making rate when the ice making is performed with the
transparent ice heater 430 that is turned off, the heating amount oftransparent ice heater 430 may be controlled to increase. - On the other hand, when the amount of heat transfer between the cold and the water decreases, the heating amount of
transparent ice heater 430 may be controlled to decrease. - In this embodiment, when the ice making rate is maintained within the predetermined range, the ice making rate is less than the rate at which the bubbles move in the portion at which the ice is made, and no bubbles exist in the portion at which the ice is made.
- When the cooling power of the cold
air supply part 900 increases, the heating amount oftransparent ice heater 430 may increase. On the other hand, when the cooling power of the coldair supply part 900 decreases, the heating amount oftransparent ice heater 430 may decrease. - Hereinafter, the control of the
transparent ice heater 430 when the heat transfer amount of the cold air and water is maintained constant during the ice making process will be described. As an example, as a case in which the temperature of the freezingcompartment 32 is relatively weak, a case in which the temperature of the freezingcompartment 32 is a first temperature value will be described. - The method for controlling the transparent ice heater for making transparent ice may include a basic heating process and an additional heating process. An additional heating process may be performed after the end of the basic heating process. Hereinafter, an example of controlling the output of the transparent ice heater among the heating amounts of the transparent ice heater will be described. The method for controlling the output of the transparent ice heater may be applied in the same manner as or in the similar manner to the method for controlling the duty of the transparent ice heater.
- The basic heating process may include a plurality of processes. In
FIG. 17 , as an example, it is shown that the basic heating process includes ten processes. - In each of the plurality of processes, the output of the
transparent ice heater 430 is predetermined. In each process, the output of thetransparent ice heater 430 may be determined based on the mass per unit height of water in theice making cell 320 a. - As described above, when the on condition of the
transparent ice heater 430 is satisfied, the first process of the basic heating process may be started. In the first process, the output of thetransparent ice heater 430 may be A1. - When the first process starts and the first set time T1 elapses, the second process may start. At least one of the plurality of processes may be performed for the first set time T1. For example, the time at which each of the plurality of processes is performed may be the same as the first set time T1. That is, when each process starts and the first set time T1 elapses, each process may be ended. Accordingly, the output of the
transparent ice heater 430 may be variably controlled over time. - As another example, even if the tenth process, which is the last process among the plurality of processes, starts and the first set time T1 elapses, the tenth process may not be immediately ended. In this case, when the temperature sensed by the
second temperature sensor 700 reaches a limit temperature, the tenth process may be ended. - The limit temperature may be set to a sub-zero temperature. When the door is opened during the ice making process, or when the defrost heater is operated, or when heat having a temperature higher than the temperature of the freezing compartment is provided to the freezing compartment, the temperature of the freezing
compartment 32 may increase. - When an additional ice maker and ice bin are provided in the door, the ice maker provided in the door may receive cold air for cooling the freezing
compartment 32 and make ice. When full ice is detected in the ice bin provided in the door, the cooling power of the coldair supply part 900 may be less than the cooling power before the detection of the full ice. - When the output of the
transparent ice heater 430 is controlled according to time in the basic heating process as in this embodiment, thetransparent ice heater 430 operates according to the output at each process, regardless of the increase in the temperature of the freezingcompartment 32 or the decrease in the cooling power of the coldair supply part 900. Thus, there is a possibility that water does not phase-change into ice in theice making cell 320 a. That is, even if the tenth process in the basic heating process is performed for the first set time T1, the temperature sensed by thesecond temperature sensor 700 may be higher than the limit temperature. - Therefore, to reduce the amount of unfrozen water in the
ice making cell 320 a after the end of the tenth process, the tenth process may be ended when the first set time T1 elapses and the temperature sensed by thesecond temperature sensor 700 reaches the limit temperature. - After the basic heating process is ended, an additional heating process may be performed.
- When the
ice maker 200 includes a plurality ofice making cells 320 a, the amount of heat transfer between water and cold air in eachice making cell 320 a is not constant. Thus, the speed at which ice is made in the plurality ofice making cells 320 a may be different from each other. - For example, after the basic heating process is ended, water may completely change into ice in some
ice making cells 320 a among the plurality ofice making cells 320 a, but some of the water may not phase-change into ice in otherice making cells 320 a. In this state, if the ice breaking process is performed after the end of the basic heating process, there may be a problem in that water present in theice making cell 320 a falls downward. Accordingly, the additional heating process may be performed after the basic heating process is ended, so that transparent ice may be made in each of the plurality ofice making cells 320 a. - The additional heating process may include a process (an eleventh process or a first additional process) of operating the
transparent ice heater 430 with a set output for a second set time T2. - Since heat transfer between the cold air and the water occurs even in the additional heating process, the
transparent ice heater 430 may operate with a set output A11 to make transparent ice. - The output A11 of the
transparent ice heater 430 in the eleventh process may be the same as the output of thetransparent ice heater 430 in one of the plurality of processes of the basic heating process. - For example, the output A11 of the
transparent ice heater 430 may be the same as the minimum output of thetransparent ice heater 430 in the basic heating process. The second set time T2 may be longer than the first set time T1. - When the eleventh process is performed, even if the amount of water supplied to the
ice making cell 320 a is smaller than a set amount, the water may phase-change into ice in theice making cell 320 a. - Even if the amount of water supplied to the
ice making cell 320 a is smaller than the set amount, the output of thetransparent ice heater 430 may be set as a predetermined reference output. - In this case, the amount of heat supplied from the
transparent ice heater 430 is large compared to the mass of water in theice making cell 320 a during the ice making process. Accordingly, even if the basic heating process is ended due to the slowing of the ice making rate in theice making cell 320 a, there is a possibility that water will exist in theice making cell 320 a. - In such a situation, when the eleventh process is performed, heat is transferred to water and cold air while the minimum amount of heat is supplied to the
ice making cell 320 a, so that water may be completely phase-changed into ice in theice making cell 320 a. - The additional heating process may further include a process (a twelfth process or a second additional process) of operating the
transparent ice heater 430 with a set output A12 after the eleventh process. The output A12 of thetransparent ice heater 430 in the twelfth process may be the same as or different from the output A11 of thetransparent ice heater 430 in the eleventh process. When the third set time T3 elapses or the temperature sensed by thesecond temperature sensor 700 before the elapse of the third set time T3 reaches the end reference temperature, the twelfth process may be ended. The third set time T3 may be equal to or shorter than the second set time T2. - When the temperature sensed by the
second temperature sensor 700 reaches the end reference temperature, the twelfth process is ended, and as a result, the additional heating process may be ended. When the additional heating process is ended, the ice separation process may be performed. - The additional heating process may further include a process (a thirteenth process or a third additional process) of operating the
transparent ice heater 430 with a set output A13 after the twelfth process. The thirteenth process may be performed when the twelfth process is performed for the third set time T3 but the temperature sensed by thesecond temperature sensor 700 does not reach the end reference temperature. The end reference temperature may be set to a temperature lower than the limit temperature, and may be a reference temperature for determining that ice is completely made in theice making cell 320 a. - As described above, when the door is opened during the ice making process, or when the defrost heater is operated, or when heat having a temperature higher than the temperature of the freezing
compartment 32 is provided to the freezingcompartment 32, the temperature of the freezingcompartment 32 may increase. When full ice is detected in the ice bin provided in the door, the cooling power of the coldair supply part 900 for supplying cold air to the freezingcompartment 32 may be reduced. - At this time, when the temperature increasing width of the freezing
compartment 32 is large or the cooling power of the coldair supply part 900 decreases, ice may not be completely made in theice making cell 320 a even after the basic heating process and the eleventh and twelfth processes are performed. - Accordingly, after the end of the twelfth process, the
transparent ice heater 430 may operate with a set output A13 so that water remaining in theice making cell 320 a can be phase-changed into ice. - The output A13 of the
transparent ice heater 430 in the thirteenth process may be equal to or less than the output A12 of thetransparent ice heater 430 in the twelfth process. The output A13 of thetransparent ice heater 430 in the thirteenth process may be less than the minimum output of thetransparent ice heater 430 in the basic heating process. When a fourth set time T4 elapses or the temperature sensed by thesecond temperature sensor 700 before the fourth set time T4 reaches the end reference temperature, the thirteenth process may be ended. The fourth set time T4 may be equal to or different from the third set time T3. - When the temperature sensed by the
second temperature sensor 700 reaches the end reference temperature, the thirteenth process is ended, and as a result, the additional heating process may be ended. When the additional heating process is ended, the ice separation process may be performed. - The additional heating process may further include a process (a fourteenth process or a fourth additional process) of operating the
transparent ice heater 430 with a set output A14 after the thirteenth process. The fourteenth process may be performed when the thirteenth process is performed for the fourth set time T4 but the temperature sensed by thesecond temperature sensor 700 does not reach the end reference temperature. The output A14 of thetransparent ice heater 430 in the fourteenth process may be less than the output A13 of thetransparent ice heater 430 in the thirteenth process. When a fifth set time T5 elapses or the temperature sensed by thesecond temperature sensor 700 before the fifth set time T5 reaches the end reference temperature, the fourteenth process may be ended. The fifth set time T5 may be equal to or different from the fourth set time T4. - When the temperature sensed by the
second temperature sensor 700 reaches the end reference temperature, the fourteenth process is ended, and as a result, the additional heating process may be ended. When the additional heating process is ended, the ice separation process may be performed. - The additional heating process may further include a process (a fifteenth process or a fifth additional process) of operating the
transparent ice heater 430 with a set output A15 after the fourteenth process. The fifteenth process may be performed when the fourteenth process is performed for the fifth set time T5 but the temperature sensed by thesecond temperature sensor 700 does not reach the end reference temperature. The output A15 of thetransparent ice heater 430 in the fifteenth process may be less than the output A14 of thetransparent ice heater 430 in the fourteenth process. The output A14 of thetransparent ice heater 430 in the fifteenth process may be set to ½ of the output A14 of thetransparent ice heater 430 in the fourteenth process. - When the sixth set time T6 elapses or the temperature sensed by the
second temperature sensor 700 before the elapse of the sixth set time T6 reaches the end reference temperature, the fifteenth process may be ended. The sixth set time T6 may be longer than the first to fifth set times T1 to T5. - The maximum output of the
transparent ice heater 430 in the additional heating process is less than the maximum output of thetransparent ice heater 430 in the basic heating process. The minimum output of thetransparent ice heater 430 in the additional heating process is less than the minimum output of thetransparent ice heater 430 in the basic heating process. - When the fifteenth process is ended, the additional heating process may be finally ended.
- Hereinafter, the case in which the target temperature of the freezing
compartment 32 varies will be described with an example. - The
controller 800 may control the output of thetransparent ice heater 430 so that the ice making rate may be maintained within the predetermined range regardless of the target temperature of the freezingcompartment 32. - For example, the ice making may be started (S4), and a change in heat transfer amount of cold and water may be detected (S31). For example, it may be sensed that the target temperature of the freezing
compartment 32 is changed through an input part (not shown). - The
controller 800 may determine whether the heat transfer amount of cold and water increases (S32). For example, thecontroller 800 may determine whether the target temperature increases. - As the result of the determination in the process S32, when the target temperature of the freezing
compartment 32 increases, thecontroller 800 may decrease the reference heating amount oftransparent ice heater 430 that is predetermined in each of the current section and the remaining sections. - The variable control of the heating amount of the
transparent ice heater 430 may be normally performed until the ice making is completed (S35). - On the other hand, if the target temperature of the freezing
compartment 32 decreases, thecontroller 800 may increase the reference heating amount oftransparent ice heater 430 that is predetermined in each of the current section and the remaining sections. The variable control of the heating amount of thetransparent ice heater 430 may be normally performed until the ice making is completed (S35). - In this embodiment, the reference heating mount that increases or decreases may be predetermined and then stored in a memory.
- When ice making starts while the target temperature of the freezing
compartment 32 is set to medium, or when the target temperature of the freezingcompartment 32 changes from weak to medium during the ice making process, the output of thetransparent ice heater 430 operates with an output determined when the target temperature of the freezingcompartment 32 is medium (when the temperature of the freezingcompartment 32 is a second temperature value lower than a first temperature value). - For example, in the basic heating process, the output of the
transparent ice heater 430 may be controlled to B1 to B10. - In addition, the additional heating process may be performed after the basic heating process.
- The contents of the set times (T1 to T6) and the end reference temperature described above may be equally applied even when the target temperature of the freezing
compartment 32 is medium. - The outputs B11 to B15 of the
transparent ice heater 430 in the eleventh to fifteenth processes when the target temperature of the freezingcompartment 32 is medium may be greater than the outputs A11 to A15 of thetransparent ice heater 430 in the eleventh to fifteenth processes. - The output B11 of the
transparent ice heater 430 in the eleventh process may be equal to the output of thetransparent ice heater 430 in one of the plurality of processes of the basic heating process. - For example, the output B11 of the
transparent ice heater 430 in the eleventh process may be equal to the minimum output in the basic heating process. The output B12 of thetransparent ice heater 430 in the twelfth process may be equal to or different from the output B11 of thetransparent ice heater 430 in the eleventh process. The output B13 of thetransparent ice heater 430 in the thirteenth process may be equal to or different from the output B11 of thetransparent ice heater 430 in the twelfth process. - The output B13 of the
transparent ice heater 430 in the thirteenth process when the target temperature of the freezingcompartment 32 is medium may be equal to or different from the maximum output of thetransparent ice heater 430 in the basic heating process when the target temperature of the freezingcompartment 32 is weak. - The output B14 of the
transparent ice heater 430 in the fourteenth process may be less than the output B13 of thetransparent ice heater 430 in the thirteenth process. - The output B14 of the
transparent ice heater 430 in the fourteenth process when the target temperature of the freezingcompartment 32 is medium may be equal to or different from the maximum output of thetransparent ice heater 430 in the basic heating process when the target temperature of the freezingcompartment 32 is weak. - The output B15 of the
transparent ice heater 430 in the fourteenth process may be less than the output B14 of thetransparent ice heater 430 in the fourteenth process. The output B15 of thetransparent ice heater 430 in the fifteenth process may be set to ½ of the output B14 of thetransparent ice heater 430 in the fourteenth process. - When ice making starts while the target temperature of the freezing
compartment 32 is set to strong, or when the target temperature of the freezingcompartment 32 changes to strong during the ice making process, the output of thetransparent ice heater 430 operates with an output determined when the target temperature of the freezingcompartment 32 is strong (when the temperature of the freezingcompartment 32 is a third temperature value lower than a second temperature value). - For example, in the basic heating process, the output of the
transparent ice heater 430 may be controlled to C1 to C10. In addition, the additional heating process may be performed after the basic heating process. - The contents of the set times (T1 to T6) and the end reference temperature described above may be equally applied even when the target temperature of the freezing
compartment 32 is strong. - The outputs C11 to C15 of the
transparent ice heater 430 in the eleventh to fifteenth processes when the target temperature of the freezingcompartment 32 is strong may be greater than the outputs B11 to B15 of thetransparent ice heater 430 in the eleventh to fifteenth processes when the target temperature of the freezingcompartment 32 is medium. - The output C11 of the
transparent ice heater 430 in the eleventh process may be equal to the output of thetransparent ice heater 430 in one of the plurality of processes of the basic heating process. - For example, the output C11 of the
transparent ice heater 430 in the eleventh process may be equal to the minimum output in the basic heating process. The output C12 of thetransparent ice heater 430 in the twelfth process may be equal to or different from the output C11 of thetransparent ice heater 430 in the eleventh process. The output C13 of thetransparent ice heater 430 in the thirteenth process may be equal to or different from the output C11 of thetransparent ice heater 430 in the twelfth process. - The output C13 of the
transparent ice heater 430 in the thirteenth process when the target temperature of the freezingcompartment 32 is strong may be equal to or different from the maximum output of thetransparent ice heater 430 in the basic heating process when the target temperature of the freezingcompartment 32 is strong. - The output C14 of the
transparent ice heater 430 in the fourteenth process may be less than the output C13 of thetransparent ice heater 430 in the thirteenth process. - The output C14 of the
transparent ice heater 430 in the fourteenth process when the target temperature of the freezingcompartment 32 is strong may be equal to or different from the maximum output of thetransparent ice heater 430 in the basic heating process when the target temperature of the freezingcompartment 32 is medium. - The output C15 of the
transparent ice heater 430 in the fourteenth process may be less than the output C14 of thetransparent ice heater 430 in the fourteenth process. The output C15 of thetransparent ice heater 430 in the fifteenth process may be set to ½ of the output C14 of thetransparent ice heater 430 in the fourteenth process. - In the above embodiment, the additional heating process may include only the eleventh and twelfth processes, or may include only the thirteenth to fifteenth processes.
- When the additional heating process includes only the eleventh and twelfth processes, the additional heating process may be ended while the output of the
transparent ice heater 430 is maintained constant in the additional heating process. - For example, when the additional heating process does not include the eleventh and twelfth processes, the thirteenth process may be performed immediately after the basic heating process is ended. In this case, the thirteenth to fifteenth processes may be referred to as first to third additional processes. Of course, the fourteenth or fifteenth process may not be performed according to the temperature sensed by the second temperature sensor.
- Alternatively, the additional heating process may include at least the eleventh process and the thirteenth process.
- According to this embodiment, the reference heating amount for each section of the transparent ice heater increases or decreases in response to the change in the heat transfer amount of cold and water, and thus, the ice making rate may be maintained within the predetermined range, thereby realizing the uniform transparency for each unit height of the ice.
- In the additional heating process, the output of the
transparent ice heater 430 may vary according to the space temperature of the space (for example, the indoor space) in which the refrigerator is disposed in the basic heating process. - For example, if the space temperature is high, the condensing temperature of the condenser that exchanges heat with the air in the space is high, the operating time of the compressor is increased, and the cooling power of the compressor is increased. Thus, the temperature of the cold air supplied to the
ice maker 200 is reduced. Accordingly, the output of thetransparent ice heater 430 may be increased in response to the reduction in the temperature of the cold air supplied to theice maker 200. - In response to the increase in the output of the
transparent ice heater 430 in the basic heating process, thecontroller 800 may perform control so that the output of thetransparent ice heater 430 in the additional heating process is greater compared to the case in which the temperature of the space in which the refrigerator is disposed in the basic heating process is low. - In addition, the defrosting operation may be performed in the additional heating process. The defrosting heater may be turned on in the defrosting operation. When the defrosting heater is turned on, the temperature of the storage chamber may be increased by the heat of the defrosting heater. When the temperature of the storage chamber increases, the output of the
transparent ice heater 430 may decrease. The output of thetransparent ice heater 430 may be determined in the additional heating process according to the length of the defrosting time. - The
controller 800 may perform control so that the output of thetransparent ice heater 430 in the additional heating process is smaller when the defrosting operation time in the basic heating process is long than when the defrosting operation time in the basic heating process is short. - In addition, the refrigerator door may be opened or closed in the basic heating process. When the refrigerator door is opened, air outside the refrigerator may flow into the storage chamber, and thus the temperature of the storage chamber may increase. As the opening time of the refrigerator door is longer, the temperature increase width of the storage chamber is greater. In the basic heating process, the
controller 800 may reduce the output of thetransparent ice heater 430 in response to the decrease in the heat transfer amount of cold air and water due to the opening of the refrigerator door. In addition, thecontroller 800 may perform control so that the output of thetransparent ice heater 430 in the additional heating process is smaller when the opening time of the refrigerator door in the basic heating process is long than when the opening time of the refrigerator door in the basic heating process is short. - On the other hand, the operation of the
transparent ice heater 430 may be controlled for ice separation. - For example, after the basic heating process is ended, the
controller 800 may turn on thetransparent ice heater 430 so as to move thesecond tray 380. In addition, theice separation heater 290 may be turned on ice is separated from thefirst tray 320 after the basic heating process is ended, and thefirst tray 320 and thesecond tray 380 are easily separated. - When the turn-off condition of the
ice separation heater 290 and thetransparent ice heater 430 is satisfied, theice separation heater 290 and thetransparent ice heater 430 may be turned off. A portion of the ice in theice making cell 320 a may be melted by the heat of theheaters - The
ice separation heater 290 and thetransparent ice heater 430 may be turned off to prevent the ice melted in theice making cell 320 a during the ice separation process from falling downward, and thesecond tray 380 may be moved to the ice separation position after the set time elapses. - According to another embodiment, it may be considered that the method for controlling the transparent ice heater includes only the basic heating process. In this case, the ice separation process may be performed after the basic heating process.
- In the last process among the plurality of processes in the basic heating process, the output of the
transparent ice heater 430 may be set to higher than the reference output of thetransparent ice heater 430, which is calculated based on the mass per unit height of water. - The output of the
transparent ice heater 430 in the last process among the plurality of processes may be set to be greater than the output of the previous process. - This is done for facilitating the ice separation after the basic heating process is ended. That is, by increasing the output of the
transparent ice heater 430 in the last process before the basic heating process is ended, ice in theice making cell 320 a may be easily separated from thetrays transparent ice heater 430 may be turned off. - When the basic heating process is ended, the ice separation process may be performed. The
transparent ice heater 430 may be turned off so that the ice melted in theice making cell 320 a is prevented from falling downward during the ice separation process, and theice separation heater 430 may be turned on when the set time elapses. - According to another embodiment, the output of the
transparent ice heater 430 in the additional heating process may be determined based on the temperature of the refrigerating compartment in the basic heating process. - Depending on the type of refrigerator, the refrigerator may supply cold air to the freezing compartment by using one evaporator, and cold air of the freezing compartment may flow into the refrigerating compartment that controls the damper provided in the duct. Other types of refrigerators may supply cold air to the freezing compartment and the refrigerating compartment by using the freezing compartment evaporator and the refrigerating compartment evaporator, respectively. However, the freezing compartment evaporator and the refrigerating compartment evaporator may be alternately operated.
- In any case, when the target temperature of the refrigerating compartment is low, the supply of cold air to the refrigerating compartment increases. Thus, the supply of cold air to the freezing compartment is relatively reduced. In this case, the temperature of the freezing compartment increases. In response to the increase in the temperature of the freezing compartment, the output of the
transparent ice heater 430 may be controlled to decrease in the basic heating process. On the other hand, when the target temperature of the refrigerating compartment is high, the supply of cold air to the freezing compartment is increased, and thus the output of thetransparent ice heater 430 may be controlled to increase in the basic heating process. - The
controller 800 may perform control so that the output of thetransparent ice heater 430 in the additional heating process is greater when the target temperature of the refrigerating compartment in the basic heating process is high than when the target temperature of the refrigerating compartment in the basic heating process is low. - As another example, when full ice is detected in the ice bin provided in the door, the cooling power of the cold
air supply part 900 for supplying cold air to the freezingcompartment 32 may be reduced in the basic heating process. In response to this, thecontroller 800 may perform control so that the output of thetransparent ice heater 430 in the additional heating process is greater when the full ice is not detected than when the full ice is detected in the ice bin provided in the door during the basic heating process. - Embodiments provide a refrigerator capable of making ice having uniform transparency as a whole regardless of shape, and a method for controlling the same.
- Embodiments provide a refrigerator capable of making spherical ice and having uniform transparency for each unit height of the spherical ice, and a method for controlling the same.
- Embodiments provide a refrigerator capable of making ice having uniform transparency as a whole by varying a heating amount of a transparent ice heater and/or cooling power of a cold air supply part in response to the change in the heat transfer amount between water in an ice making cell and cold air in a storage chamber, and a method for controlling the same.
- Embodiments provide a refrigerator capable of completely making ice in each of a plurality of ice making cells by controlling a heater in consideration of variations in ice making rates between the plurality of ice making cells, and a method for controlling the same.
- Embodiments provide a refrigerator capable of completely making ice in an ice making cell through an additional heating process of a transparent ice heater even when a temperature of a storage chamber increases or cold air supplied to the storage chamber decreases, and a method for controlling the same.
- According to one aspect, a refrigerator may include an ice maker including an ice making cell that is a space in which water is phase-changed into ice. A cooler may supply cold to a storage chamber in which food is stored. Water in the ice making cell may be phase-changed into ice by the cold. The ice maker may include a heater configured to supply heat into the ice making cell. The heater may be controlled by a controller.
- The heater may be turned on in at least partial section while the cooler supplies the cold to the ice making cell so that bubbles dissolved in the water within the ice making cell moves from a portion, at which the ice is made, toward the water that is in a liquid state to make transparent ice.
- The ice maker may include a first tray defining a portion of the ice making cell and a second tray defining another portion of the ice making cell. The heater may be disposed at one side of the first tray or the second tray.
- The second tray may contact the first tray in an ice making process and may be spaced apart from the first tray in an ice separation process. The second tray may be connected to a driver to receive power from the driver. Due to the operation of the driver, the second tray may move from a water supply position to an ice making position. Also, due to the operation of the driver, the second tray may move from the ice making position to an ice separation position.
- The water supply of the ice making cell starts when the second tray moves to a water supply position. After the water supply is completed, the second tray may be moved to the ice making position. After the second tray moves to the ice making position, the cooler supplies the cold to the ice making cell. When the ice is completely made in the ice making cell, the second tray move to the ice separation position in a forward direction so as to take out the ice in the ice making cell. After the second tray moves to the ice separation position, the second tray may move to the water supply position in the reverse direction, and the water supply may start again.
- The controller may control one or more of cooling power of the cooler and the heating amount of heater to vary according to a mass per unit height of water in the ice making cell, so that the transparency for each unit height of the water in the ice making cell is uniform.
- According to one aspect, the process for controlling the heater may include a basic heating process and an additional heating process that is performed after the basic heating process.
- The controller may control the heater so that the heating amount of the heater varies during the ice making process.
- In at least partial section of the additional heating process, the controller may control the heater to operate with a heating amount that is equal to or less than a heating amount of the heater in the basic heating process.
- The basic heating process may include a plurality of processes. The heating amount of the heater may vary for each of the plurality of processes, or the heating amount of the heater may be equal in at least two of the plurality of processes.
- The basic heating process may be ended when the temperature sensed by the temperature sensor reaches a limit temperature that is a sub-zero temperature.
- Some or all of the plurality of processes may be performed for a first set time.
- The additional heating process may include a first additional process of operating the heater with a set heating amount for a second set time. The heating amount of the heater in the first additional process may be smaller than the heating amount of the heater when the basic heating process is ended. The heating amount of the heater in the first additional process may be a minimum heating amount of the heater in the basic heating process. The second set time may be longer than the first set time.
- The additional heating process may further include a second additional process that is performed after the end of the first additional process. The heating amount of the heater in the second additional process may be equal to or smaller than the heating amount of the heater in the first additional process. When the third set time elapses or the temperature sensed by the second temperature sensor before the elapse of the third set time reaches an end reference temperature, the second additional process may be ended. The third set time may be equal to or shorter than the second set time. When the temperature sensed by the second temperature sensor before the elapse of the third set time reaches the end reference temperature and the second additional process is ended, the additional heating process may be ended.
- The additional heating process may further include a third additional process that is performed when the temperature sensed by the second temperature sensor does not reach the end reference temperature in a state in which the third set time elapses. The heating amount of the heater in the third additional process may be equal to or smaller than the heating amount of the heater in the second additional process. When the fourth set time elapses or the temperature sensed by the second temperature sensor before the elapse of the fourth set time reaches the end reference temperature, the third additional process may be ended. When the temperature sensed by the second temperature sensor before the elapse of the fourth set time reaches the end reference temperature and the third additional process is ended, the additional heating process may be ended.
- The additional heating process may further include a fourth additional process that is performed when the temperature sensed by the second temperature sensor does not reach the end reference temperature in a state in which the fourth set time elapses. The heating amount of the heater in the fourth additional process may be smaller than the heating amount of the heater in the third additional process. When the fifth set time elapses or the temperature sensed by the second temperature sensor before the elapse of the fifth set time reaches the end reference temperature, the fourth additional process may be ended. When the temperature sensed by the second temperature sensor before the elapse of the fifth set time reaches the end reference temperature and the fourth additional process is ended, the additional heating process may be ended.
- The additional heating process may further include a fifth additional process that is performed when the temperature sensed by the second temperature sensor does not reach the end reference temperature in a state in which the fifth set time elapses. The heating amount of the heater in the fifth additional process may be smaller than the heating amount of the heater in the fourth additional process. The heating amount of the heater in the fifth additional process may be ½ of the heating amount of the heater in the fourth additional process. When the sixth set time elapses or the temperature sensed by the second temperature sensor before the elapse of the fifth set time reaches the end reference temperature, the fifth additional process may be ended. The sixth set time may be longer than the first to fifth set times.
- According to another aspect, the additional heating process may include a first additional process of operating the heater with a set heating amount. The heating amount of the heater in the first additional process may be smaller than a minimum heating amount of the heater in the basic heating process.
- When the fourth set time elapses or the temperature sensed by the second temperature sensor before the elapse of the fourth set time reaches the end reference temperature, the first additional process may be ended.
- The additional heating process may further include a second additional process that is performed when the temperature sensed by the second temperature sensor does not reach the end reference temperature in a state in which the fourth set time elapses. The heating amount of the heater in the second additional process may be smaller than the heating amount of the heater in the first additional process. When the fifth set time elapses or the temperature sensed by the second temperature sensor before the elapse of the fifth set time reaches the end reference temperature, the second additional process may be ended. When the temperature sensed by the second temperature sensor before the elapse of the fifth set time reaches the end reference temperature and the second additional process is ended, the additional heating process may be ended.
- The additional heating process may further include a third additional process that is performed when the temperature sensed by the second temperature sensor does not reach the end reference temperature in a state in which the fifth set time elapses. The heating amount of the heater in the third additional process may be smaller than the heating amount of the heater in the second additional process. When the sixth set time elapses or the temperature sensed by the second temperature sensor before the elapse of the fifth set time reaches the end reference temperature, the third additional process may be ended.
- According to another aspect, a method for controlling a refrigerator relates to a method for controlling a refrigerator that includes a first tray accommodated in a storage chamber, a second tray configured to define an ice making cell together with the first tray, a driver configured to move the second tray, and a heater configured to supply heat to at least one of the first tray and the second tray.
- The method for controlling the refrigerator may include: performing water supply of the ice making cell when the second tray moves to a water supply position; performing ice making after the water supply is completed and the second tray moves from the water supply position to an ice making position in a reverse direction; and moving the second tray from the ice making position to an ice separation position in a forward direction when the ice making is completed.
- The performing of the ice making may include a basic heating process of operating the heater to heat the ice making cell and an additional heating process of additionally heating the ice making cell after the basic heating process is ended. The maximum heating amount of the heater in the additional heating process may be smaller than the maximum heating amount of the heater in the basic heating process. The additional heating process may be ended in a state in which the heating amount of the heater is constantly maintained in the additional heating process.
- The additional heating process may include a plurality of processes, and the heating amount of the heater in the first process among the plurality of processes may be maximum and the heating amount of the heater in the last process may be minimum.
- According to further another aspect, a refrigerator may include a heater disposed around an ice making cell to make transparent ice in the ice making cell, and a controller configured to control the heater. The controller may control the heater to be turned on to make transparent ice.
- The process for controlling the heater may include a basic heating process and an additional heating process that is performed after the basic heating process.
- In at least partial section of the additional heating process, the controller may control the heater to operate with a heating amount that is equal to or less than a heating amount of the heater in the basic heating process.
- The basic heating process may include a plurality of processes.
- The controller may perform control to proceed from a current process to a next process among the plurality of processes of the basic heating process when a predetermined time elapses or when a value measured by the temperature sensor configured to sense the temperature of the ice making cell reaches a reference value.
- The refrigerator may include a plurality of ice making cells. The controller may perform control so that a last process of the basic heating process is ended when the value measured by the temperature sensor reaches the reference value. In this case, the controller may control at least one of the plurality of ice making cells to complete the ice making. According to another aspect, when the time when the value measured by the temperature sensor reaches the reference value may be understood as being designed as the time point when at least one of the plurality of ice making cells completes ice making. As described above, since the end condition of the last process of the basic heating process uses at least the value measured by the temperature sensor, it may be advantageous in satisfying the basic ice making completion condition.
- In the basic heating process, the controller may perform control so that the heating amount of the heater varies according to a mass per unit height of water in the ice making cell.
- The controller may perform control so that the heating amount supplied by the heater when the mass per unit height of the water in the ice making cell is large is less than the heating amount supplied by the heater when the mass per unit height of the water in the ice making cell is small.
- When the basic heating process includes three or more processes, the controller may perform control so that the heating amount supplied by the heater in any one of the processes in which the mass per unit height of water in the ice making cell is large is less than the heating amount supplied by the heater in any one of the processes in which the mass per unit height of water in the ice making cell is small.
- According to a modified embodiment, in the basic heating process, the controller may perform control so that an amount of cold supply of the cooler varies according to the mass per unit height of water in the ice making cell.
- The controller may perform control so that the amount of cold supplied by the cooler when the mass per unit height of the water in the ice making cell is large is greater than the amount of cold supplied by the cooler when the mass per unit height of the water in the ice making cell is small.
- When the basic heating process includes three or more processes, the controller may perform control so that the amount of cold supplied by the cooler in any one of the processes in which the mass per unit height of water in the ice making cell is large is greater than the amount of cold supplied by the cooler in any one of the processes in which the mass per unit height of water in the ice making cell is small.
- The additional heating process may include a plurality of processes.
- The controller may perform control to proceed from a current process to a next process among the plurality of processes of the additional heating process when a predetermined time elapses or when a value measured by the temperature sensor reaches a reference value.
- The refrigerator may include a plurality of ice making cells. The controller may perform control so that a first process of the additional heating process is ended when a predetermined time elapses.
- In this case, the controller may control to reduce the making of ice that does not freeze due to non-uniformity at the time when ice making between the plurality of ice making cells is completed. According to another aspect, when the predetermined time elapses, it may be understood as a time point at which at least one of the cells in which ice making is completed late among the plurality of ice making cells is ensured to be completed. As described above, since the end condition of the first process of the additional heating process is at least the one that has passed the predetermined time, it may be understood as a forced driving time in consideration of the difference between the time points at which ice making of a plurality of ice making cells is completed.
- According to still another aspect, a refrigerator includes: a storage chamber configured to store food; a cooler configured to supply cold into the storage chamber; a ice maker comprising an ice making cell, which is a space in which water is phase-changed into ice by cold; a heater configured to supply heat into the ice making cell; and a controller configured to control the heater, wherein the controller controls the heater to operate in at least partial section while the cooler supplies the cold so that bubbles dissolved in the water within the ice making cell moves from a portion, at which the ice is made, toward the water that is in a liquid state to make transparent ice, the process for controlling the heater comprises a basic heating process and an additional heating process that is performed after the basic heating process, in the basic heating process, the controller performs control so that a heating amount of the heater varies according to a mass per unit height of water in the ice making cell, and in at least partial section of the additional heating process, the controller controls the heater to operate with a heating amount that is equal to or less than a heating amount of the heater in the basic heating process.
- According to still further aspect, a refrigerator includes: a storage chamber configured to store food; a cooler configured to supply cold into the storage chamber; a ice maker comprising an ice making cell, which is a space in which water is phase-changed into ice by cold; a temperature sensor configured to sense a temperature of the water or the ice within the ice making cell; a heater configured to supply heat into the ice making cell; and a controller configured to control the heater, wherein the controller controls the heater to be turned on in at least partial section while the cooler supplies the cold so that bubbles dissolved in the water within the ice making cell moves from a portion, at which the ice is made, toward the water that is in a liquid state to make transparent ice, the process for controlling the heater comprises a basic heating process and an additional heating process that is performed after the basic heating process, and in at least partial section of the additional heating process, the controller controls the heater to operate with a heating amount that is equal to or less than a heating amount of the heater in the basic heating process.
- According to the embodiments, since the heater is turned on in at least a portion of the sections while the cooler supplies cold, the ice making rate may decrease by the heat of the heater so that the bubbles dissolved in the water inside the ice making cell move toward the liquid water from the portion at which the ice is made, thereby making the transparent ice.
- In particular, according to this embodiment, one or more of the cooling power of the cooler and the heating amount of the heater may be controlled to vary according to the mass per unit height of water in the ice making cell to make the ice having the uniform transparency as a whole regardless of the shape of the ice making cell.
- Also, the heating amount of the transparent ice heater and/or the cooling power of the cold air supply part may vary in response to the change in the heat transfer amount between the water in the ice making cell and the cold in the storage chamber, thereby making the ice having the uniform transparency as a whole.
- In addition, ice may be completely made in each of a plurality of ice making cells by controlling a heater in consideration of variations in ice making rates between the plurality of ice making cells.
- In addition, according to this embodiment, ice may be completely made ice in an ice making cell through an additional heating process of a transparent ice heater even when a temperature of a storage chamber increases or cold air supplied to the storage chamber decreases.
- Any reference in this specification to “one embodiment,” “an embodiment,” “example embodiment,” etc., means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment is included in at least one embodiment of the invention. The appearances of such phrases in various places in the specification are not necessarily all referring to the same embodiment. Further, when a particular feature, structure, or characteristic is described in connection with any embodiment, it is submitted that it is within the purview of one skilled in the art to effect such feature, structure, or characteristic in connection with other ones of the embodiments.
- Although embodiments have been described with reference to a number of illustrative embodiments thereof, it should be understood that numerous other modifications and embodiments can be devised by those skilled in the art that will fall within the spirit and scope of the principles of this disclosure. More particularly, various variations and modifications are possible in the component parts and/or arrangements of the subject combination arrangement within the scope of the disclosure, the drawings and the appended claims. In addition to variations and modifications in the component parts and/or arrangements, alternative uses will also be apparent to those skilled in the art.
Claims (20)
1. An ice maker comprising:
a cell having a space in which water is phase-changed into ice by cold;
a first tray configured to define a first portion of the cell;
a second tray configured to define a second portion of the cell;
a cooler configured to supply the cold into the cell;
a temperature sensor configured to sense a temperature of the water or the ice within the cell;
a heater configured to supply heat into the cell, the heater being positioned outside of the cell; and
a controller configured to control the heater to provide the heat for a section of the cell in an ice making process, while the cooler supplies the cold,
wherein a process for controlling the heater in the ice making process comprises:
a basic heating process; and
an additional heating process that is performed after the basic heating process,
wherein in a section of the basic heating process, the controller is configured to vary a heating amount of the heater, and
in at least a partial section of the additional heating process, the heating amount of the heater is equal to or less than a heating amount of the heater in the basic heating process.
2. The ice maker of claim 1 , wherein when a predetermined time elapses or when a value measured by the temperature sensor reaches a reference value, the controller is configured to control the basic heating process to change from a current process to a next process among a plurality of processes of the basic heating process, and
when a first set time elapses, a final process of the basic heating process is ended.
3. The ice maker of claim 1 , wherein, in the basic heating process, the controller is configured to control the cooler such that a cooling amount of the cooler varies according to a volume per unit height in the cell.
4. The ice maker of claim 1 , wherein, in the basic heating process the controller is configured to vary a heating amount of the heater according to a volume per unit height in the cell.
5. The ice maker of claim 1 , wherein when a predetermined time elapses or when a value measured by the temperature sensor reaches a reference value, the controller is configured to control the additional heating process to change from a current process to a next process among a plurality of processes of the additional heating process, and
a first process of the additional heating process is ended when a set time elapses.
6. The ice maker of claim 1 , wherein the basic heating process includes a process of operating the heater for a first set time, and
the additional heating process includes a process of operating the heater for a second set time, the second set time being longer than the first set time.
7. The ice maker of claim 1 , wherein the basic heating process includes a process of operating the heater for a first set time, and
the additional heating process includes:
a first process of operating the heater for a second set time; and
a second process of operating the heater for a third set time after the first process, the third set time being equal to or shorter than the second set time.
8. A refrigerator having the ice maker of claim 1 , wherein the refrigerator includes a cabinet having a storage space and a door,
the ice maker is provided in the storage space or the door.
9. An ice maker comprising:
a cell having a space in which water is phase-changed into ice by cold;
a first tray configured to define a first portion of the cell;
a second tray configured to define a second portion of the cell;
a cooler configured to supply the cold into the ice cell;
a temperature sensor configured to sense a temperature of the water or the ice within the cell;
a heater configured to supply heat into the ice making cell, the heater being positioned outside of the cell; and
a controller configured to control the heater to provide the heater for a section of the cell in an ice making process, while the cooler supplies the cold,
wherein a process for controlling the heater in the ice making process comprises:
a basic heating process; and
an additional heating process that is performed after the basic heating process,
wherein in a section of the basic heating process, the controller is configured to vary a heating amount of the heater, and
wherein the additional heating process comprises:
a first additional process; and
a second additional process that is performed after an end of the first additional process,
wherein a heating amount of the heater in the second additional process is equal to or smaller than a heating amount of the heater in the first additional process, or
in at least section of the additional heating process, the heating amount of the heater is the same as a heating amount of the heater in one of a plurality of processes of the basic heating process.
10. The ice maker of claim 9 , wherein in at least section of the additional heating process, the heating amount of the heater is the same as a minimum heating amount of the heater in the basic heating process.
11. The ice maker of claim 9 , wherein the basic heating process includes a plurality of processes, and
a heating amount of the heater in a last process among the plurality of processes is greater than a heating amount of the heater in a previous process.
12. An ice maker comprising:
a cell having a space in which water is phase-changed into ice by cold;
a first tray configured to define a first portion of the cell;
a second tray configured to define a second portion of the cell;
a cooler configured to supply the cold into the cell;
a temperature sensor configured to sense a temperature of the water or the ice within the cell;
a heater configured to supply heat into the cell, the heater being positioned outside of the cell; and
a controller configured to control the heater to provide the heat for a section of the cell in an ice making process, while the cooler supplies the cold,
wherein a process for controlling the heater in the ice making process comprises:
a basic heating process; and
an additional heating process that is performed after the basic heating process,
wherein in at least section of the additional heating process, a heating amount of the heater is varied corresponding to a target temperature of a storage chamber, a cooling power of the cooler being determined corresponding to the target temperature of the storage chamber.
13. The ice maker of claim 12 , wherein the heating amount of the heater is increased when the target temperature decreases.
14. The ice maker of claim 12 , wherein the heating amount of the heater is reduced when the target temperature increases.
15. The ice maker of claim 12 , wherein the basic heating process includes a plurality of processes, and
a heating amount of the heater in a last process among the plurality of processes is greater than a heating amount of the heater in a previous process.
16. The ice maker of claim 12 , wherein in a section of the basic heating process, the controller is configured to vary a heating amount of the heater, and
wherein the basic heating process includes a process of operating the heater for a first set time, and
the additional heating process includes a process of operating the heater for a second set time, the second set time being longer than the first set time.
17. The ice maker of claim 12 , wherein in a section of the basic heating process, the controller is configured to vary a heating amount of the heater, and
wherein the basic heating process includes a process of operating the heater for a first set time, and
the additional heating process includes:
a first process of operating the heater for a second set time; and
a second process of operating the heater for a third set time after the first process, the third set time being equal to or shorter than the second set time.
18. The ice maker of claim 12 , wherein the heating amount of the heater increases in at least period that a cooling power of the cooler increases, or
the heating amount of the heater decreases in at least period that the cooling power of the cooler decreases.
19. The ice maker of claim 18 , wherein
the cooling power of the cooler increases,
in at least period that the target temperature of the storage chamber is lowered,
in at least period that an operation mode of the storage chamber is changed from a normal mode to a quick cooling mode,
in at least period that an output of at least one of a compressor or a fan increases,
in at least period that an opening degree of a refrigerant valve increases.
20. The ice maker of claim 18 , wherein
the cooling power of the cooler decreases,
in at least period that the target temperature of the storage chamber increases,
in at least period that an operation mode of the storage chamber is changed from a quick cooling mode to a normal mode,
in at least period that an output of at least one of a compressor or a fan decreases,
in at least period that an opening degree of a refrigerant valve decreases,
in at least period that a door is opened during the ice making process,
in at least period that a defrost heater is operated, or
in at least period that full ice is detected in an ice bin provided in a door.
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KR1020180117822A KR20200038119A (en) | 2018-10-02 | 2018-10-02 | Ice maker and Refrigerator having the same |
KR10-2018-0117785 | 2018-10-02 | ||
KR1020180117819A KR20200038116A (en) | 2018-10-02 | 2018-10-02 | Ice maker and Refrigerator having the same |
KR10-2018-0117822 | 2018-10-02 | ||
KR1020180117785A KR102669631B1 (en) | 2018-10-02 | 2018-10-02 | Ice maker and Refrigerator having the same |
KR10-2018-0142117 | 2018-11-16 | ||
KR1020180142117A KR102657068B1 (en) | 2018-11-16 | 2018-11-16 | Controlling method of ice maker |
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US18/543,155 US20240118009A1 (en) | 2018-10-02 | 2023-12-18 | Refrigerator and method for controlling same |
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-
2019
- 2019-10-01 CN CN201980063550.9A patent/CN112752940B/en active Active
- 2019-10-01 EP EP19868711.3A patent/EP3862665A4/en active Pending
- 2019-10-01 WO PCT/KR2019/012853 patent/WO2020071743A1/en unknown
- 2019-10-01 US US17/281,701 patent/US11892220B2/en active Active
- 2019-10-01 AU AU2019352420A patent/AU2019352420B2/en active Active
-
2023
- 2023-06-30 AU AU2023204190A patent/AU2023204190A1/en active Pending
- 2023-12-18 US US18/543,155 patent/US20240118009A1/en active Pending
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US11892220B2 (en) | 2024-02-06 |
CN112752940B (en) | 2023-05-16 |
CN112752940A (en) | 2021-05-04 |
AU2019352420B2 (en) | 2023-03-30 |
EP3862665A1 (en) | 2021-08-11 |
AU2023204190A1 (en) | 2023-07-20 |
US20210372681A1 (en) | 2021-12-02 |
EP3862665A4 (en) | 2022-07-20 |
AU2019352420A1 (en) | 2021-05-27 |
WO2020071743A1 (en) | 2020-04-09 |
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