| CPC F25C 1/25 (2018.01) [F25C 2400/10 (2013.01); F25C 2700/04 (2013.01)] | 12 Claims |
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1. An ice maker comprising:
a control box having a control unit disposed therein;
an ice tray disposed on one side surface of the control box, and formed with an ice-making groove in which ice-making water is accommodated;
a water supplier configured to supply the ice-making water to the ice-making groove; and
a detecting unit configured to detect the water level of the ice-making water accommodated in the ice-making groove,
wherein the detecting unit comprises:
a sensor housing formed of a non-conductor spaced apart from the ice tray and installed on one side surface of the control box, and having a water level measuring hole into which the ice-making water in the ice-making groove flows formed in one side surface thereof;
a sensor formed of a conductor in contact with the ice-making water flowing into the sensor housing through the water level measuring hole to detect the water level of the ice-making water; and
a connector wire having one end connected to the sensor, and the other end connected to the control unit,
wherein after a setting time after the sensor detects an initial value of the capacitance, the control unit controls the water supplier to stop the water supply or additionally supply the water to the ice-making groove using a change value of a capacitance value detected by the sensor,
wherein the control unit performs the stop of the water supply or the additional water supply by the set number of times again,
wherein after the setting time after the water supplier starts the water supply to the ice-making groove, the control unit controls the water supplier to stop the water supply to the ice-making groove when the change value of the capacitance value is equal to or larger than a first setting value, controls the water supplier to additionally supply the water to the ice-making groove when the change value of the capacitance value is smaller than the first setting value,
wherein after the setting time after the water supplier additionally supplies the water to the ice-making groove, the control unit controls the water supplier to stop the additional water supply to the ice-making groove when the change value of the capacitance value is equal to or larger than a second setting value that is larger than the first setting value, and controls the water supplier to additionally supply the water to the ice-making groove when the change value of the capacitance value is smaller than the second setting value.
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