US 12,078,402 B2
Ice maker and refrigerator
Yonghyun Kim, Seoul (KR); Jinil Hong, Seoul (KR); and Hyunji Park, Seoul (KR)
Assigned to LG ELECTRONICS INC., Seoul (KR)
Filed by LG ELECTRONICS INC., Seoul (KR)
Filed on Jan. 9, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/094,766.
Application 18/094,766 is a continuation of application No. 16/685,620, filed on Nov. 15, 2019, granted, now 11,573,042.
Claims priority of application No. 10-2018-0142079 (KR), filed on Nov. 16, 2018; and application No. 10-2019-0081727 (KR), filed on Jul. 6, 2019.
Prior Publication US 2023/0160620 A1, May 25, 2023
Int. Cl. F25C 5/187 (2018.01); F25C 1/10 (2006.01); F25C 5/08 (2006.01)
CPC F25C 5/187 (2013.01) [F25C 1/10 (2013.01); F25C 5/08 (2013.01); F25C 2305/022 (2013.01)] 16 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A refrigerator comprising:
a cabinet;
an ice maker disposed in the cabinet and configured to make spherical ice; and
an ice bin disposed below the ice maker and configured to receive the spherical ice made in the ice maker,
wherein the ice maker comprises:
a case that defines an exterior of the ice maker,
a first tray that defines a first chamber recessed in a first direction and is disposed at a fixed position,
a second tray that defines a second chamber recessed in a second direction different from the first direction, the second tray being configured to move with respect to the first tray between (i) an open position in which the first tray and the second tray are spaced apart from each other and (ii) a closed position in which the first tray and the second tray are in contact with each other,
a driver disposed at one side of the case, and
an ice-full state detection lever that is configured to detect whether the ice bin is in an ice-full state,
wherein the first chamber and the second chamber are configured to define an ice chamber based on the closed position of the second tray,
wherein the ice-full state detection lever comprises:
a first inserted portion coupled to the driver and configured to be pivoted by the driver,
a second inserted portion rotatably connected to the case,
a first extension that extends downward from the first inserted portion to a position below the second tray,
a second extension that extends downward from the second inserted portion to a position below the second tray, and
a third extension that extends between a bottom end of the first extension and a bottom end of the second extension, and
wherein the third extension is configured to, based on the second tray being in the open position, be located (i) lower than a lowest point of the second tray and (ii) outside a first line extending in a vertical direction through an end portion of the first chamber.