US 12,135,158 B2
Refrigerator
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. 17/282,374
Filed by LG ELECTRONICS INC., Seoul (KR)
PCT Filed Oct. 1, 2019, PCT No. PCT/KR2019/012871
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Apr. 1, 2021,
PCT Pub. No. WO2020/071758, PCT Pub. Date Apr. 9, 2020.
Claims priority of application No. 10-2018-0117785 (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. 10-2019-0081711 (KR), filed on Jul. 6, 2019.
Prior Publication US 2021/0341210 A1, Nov. 4, 2021
Int. Cl. F25C 5/08 (2006.01); F25C 1/18 (2006.01); F25C 1/24 (2018.01); F25C 1/25 (2018.01); F25D 29/00 (2006.01)
CPC F25C 5/08 (2013.01) [F25C 1/18 (2013.01); F25C 1/24 (2013.01); F25C 1/25 (2018.01); F25D 29/00 (2013.01); F25C 2400/06 (2013.01); F25C 2400/10 (2013.01)] 17 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A refrigerator comprising:
a storage chamber;
a cooler configured to supply cold air into the storage chamber; and
an ice maker comprising:
a first tray having a first portion of a cell;
a second tray having a second portion of the cell, the first portion and the second portion being configured to define a space formed by the cell;
a second tray supporter formed as a separate component to the second tray and disposed to support the second portion of the cell of the second tray;
a liquid supply configured to supply a liquid to the space;
a driver that moves the second tray relative to the first tray such that the second portion of the second tray contacts the first portion of the first tray to form the space of the cell in an ice making process when the liquid in the space is phase-changed into ice, and that moves the second tray relative to the first tray such that the second portion of the second tray is spaced from the first portion of the first tray in an ice separation process to remove the ice from the first and second trays; and
a controller configured to control the cooler and the driver,
wherein the controller controls the cooler so the liquid in the space of the cell is phase-changed into the ice after the second tray moves to an ice making position when the liquid is supplied to the cell, wherein the controller controls the driver to move the second tray in a reverse direction after moving to an ice separation position in a forward direction so as to remove the ice from the first tray and the second tray when the liquid in the cell has phase-changed into the ice,
wherein the refrigerator further comprises:
a pusher including a first edge having a surface configured to press against at least one of the ice, the first tray, or second tray to separate the ice from the first tray, a bar extending from the first edge, and a second edge disposed at an end of the bar; and
a pusher link including a first connection part connected to the pusher and a second connection part connected to the second tray supporter, and wherein at least one of the pusher or the second tray moves to change a position of the pusher relative to the second tray,
a first tray case formed as a separate component to the first tray and having a portion in contact with the first tray; and
a bracket including a surface on which the first tray case is supported,
a cover including a first surface on which the bracket is supported, a third surface spaced apart from the first surface, and a second surface connecting the first surface and the third surface,
wherein the first connection part is positioned between the surface of the bracket on which the first tray case is supported and the first surface of the cover when the second tray is at the ice separation position.