IP Library Granted Patent US 11,035,601
Granted Patent B2
US 11,035,601 · App. 15/051,127 · Granted Jun 15, 2021

Refrigerator

Inventors: Jin Jeong (Yongin-si, KR); Yong Sung Yoon (Suwon-si, KR); Chang Uo Hong (Hwaseong-si, KR); Bong Su Son (Cheonan-si, KR); Young Il Song (Suwon-si, KR); Min Seob Yook (Suwon-si, KR); Do Yun Jang (Suwon-si, KR); Moon Gyo Jung (Suwon-si, KR)
Assignee: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
F25C1/18F25C1/04F25C1/24F25C5/04F25C5/22F25C2400/06F25C2700/12F25C2700/14
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,035,601
App. No.
15/051,127
Granted
Jun 15, 2021
Kind
B2
Abstract

A refrigerator that includes a main body, an ice-making chamber formed inside the main body, an ice-making tray to store ice-making water and generate ice, and a refrigerant pipe installed so that at least a part thereof is in contact with the ice-making tray, wherein a refrigerant flows in the refrigerant pipe, wherein the ice-making tray includes an ice-making cell that stores ice-making water, and a temperature sensor accommodation portion that accommodates a temperature sensor that measures temperature of water or ice stored in the ice-making cell, and the temperature sensor accommodation portion includes an accommodation portion that is formed in a groove shape, and has an open upper side so that the temperature sensor moves in or out, and a fixing portion which is coupled to a wire connected to a part of the temperature sensor or to the temperature sensor and fixes a position of the temperature sensor.

Claims (62)

1. A refrigerator comprising:

a main body;

an ice-making chamber formed inside the main body;

an ice-making tray installed inside the ice-making chamber and to store ice generated therein; and

a refrigerant pipe installed to the ice-making tray so that at least a part thereof is in contact with the ice-making tray to cool the ice-making tray to generate the ice therein,

wherein the refrigerant pipe includes a first portion and a second portion which are extended in a length direction of the ice making tray, the second portion being parallel to the first portion, and a U-shaped third portion to connect one end of the first portion and one end of the second portion, and

wherein the ice-making tray includes

a refrigerant pipe accommodation portion formed in a bottom surface thereof and having a recess corresponding to a shape of the refrigerant pipe to accommodate the refrigerant pipe therein, and

a protrusion protruded from the bottom surface of the ice-making tray to separate the U-shaped third portion of the refrigerant pipe from the bottom surface of the ice-making tray while at least a part of the first portion and a part of the second portion is directly in contact with the bottom surface of the ice-making tray in order to decrease a contact area between the refrigerant pipe and the ice-making tray.

2. The refrigerator of claim 1 , wherein the protrusion is formed at a region facing the third portion on the bottom surface of the ice-making tray.

3. The refrigerator of claim 1 , wherein the ice-making tray includes:

a first tray which is in contact with the refrigerant pipe to receive cooling energy from the refrigerant pipe; and

a second tray coupled to overlap a top surface of the first tray to receive cooling energy from the first tray, formed of a material having thermal conductivity lower than that of the first tray, and including an ice-making cell formed therein.

4. A refrigerator comprising:

a main body;

an ice-making chamber formed inside the main body;

an ice-making tray installed inside the ice-making chamber and to store ice generated therein;

a refrigerant pipe installed to the ice-making tray so that at least a part thereof is in contact with the ice-making tray to cool the ice-making tray to generate the ice therein; and

a drain duct that is coupled to the ice-making tray to collect defrosted water of the ice-making tray,

wherein the drain duct includes a coupling portion, the ice-making tray includes a coupling portion protruded from a lower portion thereof and rotatably coupled to the coupling portion of the drain duct so that the drain duct is rotatable with respect to the ice-making tray, and

wherein the ice-making tray includes a rotation limiting portion protruded from the lower portion thereof and to limit a rotation of the drain duct by contacting the coupling portion of the drain duct after the drain duct is opened and rotated.

5. The refrigerator of claim 4 , wherein the ice-making tray includes:

a first tray which is in contact with the refrigerant pipe to receive cooling energy from the refrigerant pipe;

a second tray coupled to overlap a top surface of the first tray to receive cooling energy from the first tray, formed of a material having thermal conductivity lower than that of the first tray, and including an ice-making cell formed therein.

6. A refrigerator comprising:

a main body;

an ice-making chamber formed inside the main body;

an ice-making tray installed inside the ice-making chamber and to store ice generated therein; and

a refrigerant pipe installed to the ice-making tray so that at least a part thereof is in contact with the ice-making tray to cool the ice-making tray to generate the ice therein,

wherein the ice-making tray includes:

an ice-making cell that stores ice-making water;

a temperature sensor that measures temperature of the ice-making water or the generated ice stored in the ice-making cell; and

a temperature sensor accommodation portion formed at one end of the ice-making tray to accommodate the temperature sensor, and

wherein the temperature sensor accommodation portion includes:

an accommodation portion formed in a groove shape and has an open upper side so that the temperature sensor is movable in or out of the accommodation portion; and

an ice-making water contact portion, at least a part of a side surface thereof facing the ice-making cell is opened so that the temperature sensor accommodated in the temperature sensor accommodation portion is directly in contact with ice-making water through the ice-making water contact portion.

7. The refrigerator of claim 6 , wherein the temperature sensor accommodation portion further includes a connecting portion that is provided as a path through which a wire connected to the temperature sensor extends toward an outside of the ice-making tray.

8. The refrigerator of claim 7 , wherein the connecting portion is formed to extend in a direction opposite to the ice-making water contact portion.

9. The refrigerator of claim 6 , wherein the ice-making tray includes:

a first tray which is in contact with the refrigerant pipe to receive cooling energy from the refrigerant pipe; and

a second tray coupled to overlap a top surface of the first tray to receive cooling energy from the first tray, formed of a material having thermal conductivity lower than that of the first tray, and including the ice-making cell formed therein.

10. The refrigerator of claim 9 , wherein the temperature sensor accommodation portion is formed at a position facing the ice-making cell of the second tray.

11. The refrigerator of claim 6 , wherein the refrigerant pipe includes:

a first portion that extends in a length direction of the ice-making tray;

a second portion disposed in parallel to the first portion; and

a third portion that connects the first portion and the second portion, and has a U shape, and

wherein the ice-making tray includes a protrusion formed on a bottom surface thereof so that the third portion is spaced apart from the ice-making tray.

12. The refrigerator of claim 11 , wherein the protrusion is formed at a region facing the third portion on the bottom surface of the ice-making tray.

13. The refrigerator of claim 6 , further comprising a drain duct coupled to the ice-making tray to collect defrosted water of the ice-making tray,

wherein the drain duct includes a coupling portion, the ice-making tray includes a coupling portion protruded from a lower portion thereof and rotatably coupled to the coupling portion of the drain duct so that the drain duct is rotatable with respect to the ice-making tray, and

wherein the ice-making tray includes a rotation limiting portion protruded from the lower portion thereof and to limit a rotation of the drain duct by contacting the coupling portion of the drain duct after the drain duct is opened and rotated.

14. The refrigerator of claim 13 , wherein the rotation limiting portion is formed in a radius of rotation of the drain duct.

15. The refrigerator of claim 14 , wherein the rotation limiting portion is formed at an inner side surface of the ice-making tray to limit the drain duct to rotate only in a predetermined range.

16. The refrigerator of claim 6 , further comprising:

an ejector that separates ice from the ice-making tray; and

an ice-ejecting motor portion coupled to one side of the ice-making tray,

wherein an ice-ejecting motor that rotates the ejector is installed inside the ice-ejecting motor portion, and

wherein a locking step that protrudes in a side direction is formed at one side surface of the ice-ejecting motor portion, and a supporting member provided at a position corresponding to the locking step to support the locking step is formed at the ice-making tray.

17. The refrigerator of claim 16 , wherein the ice-ejecting motor portion includes a screw coupling portion coupled to the ice-making tray by a fastener, and the locking step is formed to be spaced a predetermined gap from the screw coupling portion to prevent the ice-ejecting motor portion from sagging.

18. The refrigerator of claim 17 , wherein the screw coupling portion and the locking step are formed at a same plane of the ice-ejecting motor portion, and a distance between the screw coupling portion and the ice-making cell is less than a distance between the locking step and the ice-making cell.

19. The refrigerator of claim 17 , wherein the ice-ejecting motor portion further includes a seating guide provided so that a part of a coupling surface of the ice-making tray coupled to the screw coupling portion is seated.

20. The refrigerator of claim 19 , wherein the seating guide includes a first seating guide and a second seating guide that respectively support a bottom surface and one side surface of the coupling surface of the ice-making tray coupled to the screw coupling portion.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Feb 23, 2016
From: JEONG, JIN JEONG; YOON, YONG SUNG; HONG, CHANG UO; SON, BONG SU; SONG, YOUNG IL; YOOK, MIN SEOB; JANG, DO YUN; JUNG, MOON GYO
To: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 037802/0546 →
Priority Claims (1)
KR 10-2015-0028610 · Feb 27, 2015 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20160252286A1 · Sep 1, 2016
Cited By (2)
US 50,426 US 12,736,263