US 12,013,165 B2
Refrigerator and method for controlling same
Donghoon Lee, Seoul (KR); Donghoon Lee, Seoul (KR); Wookyong Lee, Seoul (KR); Seungseob Yeom, Seoul (KR); Yongjun Bae, Seoul (KR); Sunggyun Son, Seoul (KR); and Chongyoung Park, Seoul (KR)
Assigned to LG ELECTRONICS INC., Seoul (KR)
Appl. No. 17/282,283
Filed by LG ELECTRONICS INC., Seoul (KR)
PCT Filed Oct. 1, 2019, PCT No. PCT/KR2019/012876
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Apr. 1, 2021,
PCT Pub. No. WO2020/071763, PCT Pub. Date Apr. 9, 2020.
Claims priority of application No. 10-2018-0117785 (KR), filed on Oct. 2, 2018; application No. 10-2018-0117805 (KR), filed on Oct. 2, 2018; application No. 10-2018-0117819 (KR), filed on Oct. 2, 2018; application No. 10-2018-0117821 (KR), filed on Oct. 2, 2018; application No. 10-2018-0117822 (KR), filed on Oct. 2, 2018; application No. 10-2018-0142117 (KR), filed on Nov. 16, 2018; and application No. 10-2019-0081717 (KR), filed on Jul. 6, 2019.
Prior Publication US 2021/0389037 A1, Dec. 16, 2021
Int. Cl. F25C 1/24 (2018.01); F25C 1/18 (2006.01); F25C 5/08 (2006.01); F25D 29/00 (2006.01)
CPC F25C 1/24 (2013.01) [F25C 5/08 (2013.01); F25D 29/00 (2013.01); F25C 1/18 (2013.01); F25C 2400/06 (2013.01); F25C 2400/10 (2013.01); F25C 2400/14 (2013.01); F25C 2600/04 (2013.01); F25C 2700/12 (2013.01)] 19 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A refrigerator comprising:
a storage chamber;
a cold air supply configured to supply cold air; and
an ice maker comprising:
a first tray configured to define a first portion of a cell;
a second tray configured to define a second portion of the cell, the first and second portions configured to form a space in which a liquid introduced into the space is phase changed to ice;
a tray case configured to support the second tray;
a tray cover configured to surround the second tray;
a liquid supply configured to supply the liquid to the cell;
a driver configured to move the second tray relative to the first tray to a first position, a second position, and a third position; and
a controller configured to control the driver such that:
after the liquid has been supplied to the space of the cell, the second tray is moved to the first position so that an ice making process is performed while the second tray is provided at the first position;
after the ice making process is completed such that the liquid in the space has been phase-changed to ice, the second tray is moved in a first direction to the third position; and
after the ice is separated from the second tray at the third position, the second tray is moved from the third position to the second position in a second direction, the second direction being a direction opposite to the first direction and the second position being a position between the first and third positions,
wherein the first tray includes a first straight portion and a first curved portion,
wherein the second tray includes a cell wall to define the second portion of the cell, and a circumferential wall extended from the cell wall and configured to surround a portion of the first tray when the second tray is at the second position,
wherein the circumferential wall includes a second straight portion and a second curved portion,
wherein the second straight portion faces the first straight portion and the second curved portion faces the first curved portion when the second tray is at the first position, and
the tray cover is configured to surround an outer surface of the second straight portion and the second curved portion.