EP2223025B1

EP2223025B1 - Ice making apparatus for refrigerator

Info

Publication number: EP2223025B1
Application number: EP08856384.6A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Hyung-Koo Lee
Original assignee: LG Electronics Inc
Current assignee: LG Electronics Inc
Priority date: 2007-12-05
Filing date: 2008-11-14
Publication date: 2018-04-11
Anticipated expiration: 2028-11-14
Also published as: EP2223025A4; WO2009072756A3; US20100251747A1; CN101889180B; KR101443912B1; EP2223025A2; WO2009072756A2; KR20090058789A; CN101889180A

Description

Technical Field

Embodiments relate to an ice making apparatus for a refrigerator.

Background Art

A refrigerator is a home appliance that stores foods at a low temperature.
Due to consumers' diversified tastes and changes in dietary life, consumers prefer larger and multi-functional refrigerators, and thus, refrigerators having various components are appearing on the market.
An ice making apparatus generating ice is provided in the refrigerator for user convenience. The ice making apparatus for the refrigerator is disposed in a refrigerator body or a refrigerator door to generate the ice using cool air. The ice making apparatus may include at least ice making unit and a water storage unit supplying water into the ice making unit. An example of the prior art disclosing an ice making apparatus, according to the preamble of claim 1, can be found in document JP 2 874087 B2 (MATSUSHITA REFRIGERATION).

Disclosure of Invention

Technical Problem

Embodiments provide an ice making apparatus for a refrigerator that can prevent water stored in a water storage unit from leaking.

Technical Solution

An ice making apparatus according to the invention is disclosed in claim 1.

Advantageous Effects

According to a proposed embodiment, since the elastic force of the leakage prevention member increases to improve sealing, it can prevent the water within the water storage unit from leaking.
Also, since the water within the water storage unit does not leak, it can prevent the outer appearance of the ice making apparatus (especially, the water storage unit) from being dirtied due to freezing according to the leakage of the water.

Brief Description of the Drawings

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an ice making apparatus for a refrigerator according to an embodiment, the ice making apparatus being installed in a refrigerator door.
FIG. 2 is a perspective view of an ice making apparatus for a refrigerator according to an embodiment.
FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a water storage unit according to an embodiment.
FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a water storage unit in which a cover thereof is opened according to an embodiment.
FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken along line I-I of FIG. 4.

Detailed description.

In the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments, reference is made to the accompanying drawings that form a part hereof, and in which is shown by way of illustration specific preferred embodiments. The following detailed description is, therefore, not to be taken in a limiting sense, and the scope of the present invention is defined only by the appended claims.
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an ice making apparatus for a refrigerator according to an embodiment, the ice making apparatus being installed in a refrigerator door.
Referring to FIG. 1, an ice making apparatus 10 for a refrigerator according to an embodiment is coupled to an inner surface of a refrigerator door 5. In order to generate ice using the ice making apparatus 10, it is preferable that the refrigerator door 5 is a freezer compartment door. However, in case where a separate unit for supplying cool air into the ice making apparatus 10 is added, the ice making apparatus 10 may be disposed in a refrigerator compartment.
The ice making apparatus 10 includes a case 11 defining an outer appearance of the ice making apparatus 10, an ice making unit 100 received in the case 11, an ice bank 200 disposed in a lower portion of the ice making unit 100 to store the ice made by the ice making unit 100, and a water storage unit 300 disposed in an upper portion of the ice making unit 100 to store water to be supplied into the ice making unit 100.
The water storage unit 300 and the ice bank 200 are separately coupled to the case 11. Alternatively, the water storage unit 300 and the ice bank 200 may be slidingly or rotatably coupled to the case 11 to allow at least portion of the water storage unit 300 and at least portion of the ice bank 200 to be withdrawn from the case 11.
An operation of the ice making apparatus 10 including above-described components will be simply described below.
In order to obtain ice, a user fills the water storage unit 300 with water. The water storage unit 300 is coupled to the case 11 in a state where the water storage unit 300 is filled with the water. The water stored in the water storage unit 300 is supplied into the ice making unit 100 through a predetermined passage.
The water supplied into the ice making unit 100 freezes by cool air introduced into the ice making unit 100. When ice is produced in the ice making unit 100, the user conveys the ice produced in the ice making unit 100 to store the conveyed ice into the ice bank 200. The user withdraws the ice bank 200 from the case 11 to obtain the ice.
FIG. 2 is a perspective view of an ice making apparatus for a refrigerator according to an embodiment.
Referring to FIG. 2, the ice making unit 100 includes trays 110 and 120, a lever 130, a power transmission portion 140, and a cover member 104. The trays 110 and 120 are rotatably provided in the case 11. The lever 130 rotates the trays 110 and 120. The power transmission portion 140 transmits a rotation force of the lever 130 to the trays 110 and 120. The cover member 104 is coupled to a side surface of the case 11 to cover the power transmission portion 140.
In detail, the trays 110 and 120 are divided into the upper tray 110 and the lower tray 120.
A rotating shaft of the lower tray 120 is disposed at a position which is backwardly spaced a predetermined distance from a rotating shaft of the upper tray 110 such that the ice frozen in the upper tray 110 does not fall into an upper portion of the lower tray 120 when the upper tray 110 is rotated.
The trays 110 and 120 are connected to the power transmission portion 140 to receive the rotation force generated from the lever 130. As a result, the trays 110 and 120 are rotated in the same direction as that of the lever 130.
The lever 130 is rotatably coupled to a side surface of the case 11 to provide the rotation force to the power transmission portion 140.
A configuration of the power transmission portion 140 will now be described in detail.
The power transmission portion 140 includes a driving gear 150, a plurality of connecting gears 160 and 170, and a plurality of driven gears 180 and 190. The driving gear 150 is connected to the lever 130 and rotated together with the lever 130. The plurality of connecting gears 160 and 170 is engaged with the driving gear 150 and rotated by the driving gear 150. The plurality of driven gears 180 and 190 is engaged with the connecting gears 160 and 170 and coupled to the rotating shafts of the trays 110 and 120, respectively.
The driving gear 150 is coupled to a gear coupling portion 132 disposed on the lever 130.
The connecting gears 160 and 170 are divided into the upper connecting gear 160 and the lower connecting gear 170. The upper connecting gear 160 is engaged with the driving gear 150. The lower connecting gear 170 is engaged with each of the driven gears 180 and 190. The upper connecting gear 160 and the lower connecting gear 170 are integrated with each other. A diameter of the upper connecting gear 160 is different from that of the lower connecting gear 170.
The plurality of driven gears 180 and 190 are divided into the upper driven gear 180 connected to the upper tray 110 and the lower driven gear 190 connected to the lower tray 120.
The connecting gears 160 and 170 and the driven gears 180 and 190 are rotatably coupled to the case 11.
Thus, when the driving gear 150 is rotated in one direction by pulling the lever 130, the connecting gears 160 and 170 engaged with the driving gear 150 are rotated in the other direction. When the connecting gears 160 and 170 are rotated in the other direction, the driven gears 180 and 190 are rotated in the same direction as that of the driving gear 150. When the driven gears 180 and 190 are rotated, the trays 110 and 120 are rotated. As a result, the ice generated in the trays 110 and 120 falls into the ice bank 200 and is stored in the ice bank 200.
The water storage unit 300 in which the water to be supplied into the trays 110 and 120 of the ice making unit 100 is stored is disposed in the upper portion of the ice making unit 100.
The water storage unit 300 is separately coupled to an upper portion of the case 11.
FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a water storage unit according to an embodiment, FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a water storage unit in which a cover thereof is opened according to an embodiment, and FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken along line I-I of FIG. 4.
Referring to FIGS. 3 to 5, the water storage unit 300 includes a body 310 in which the water is stored, a cover 330 coupled to the body 310, and a leakage prevention member 370 coupled to the cover 330 to prevent the water within the body 310 from leaking.
The body 310 has a rectangular parallelepiped shape having an opened top surface. A water storage space 311 for storing the water is defined inside the body 310. The water storage space 311 is partitioned by a partition to supply the water to each of the trays 110 and 120. Although not shown, a discharging unit for selectively discharging the water stored in the water storage space 311 is disposed in a bottom surface of the water storage space 311.
That is, when the water storage unit 300 containing the water is coupled to the upper portion of the case 11, the discharging unit respectively supplies the water within the water storage space 311 into the trays 110 and 120. When the water storage unit 300 is separated from the case 11, the water discharging unit prevents the water within the water storage space 311 from leaking.
A hooking end 313 coupled to a locking member 334 of the cover 330 protrudes forwardly from an upper end of a front surface (when viewed in FIG. 4) of the body 310. The hooking end 313 is integrated with the body 310 when the body 310 is fabricated. The hooking end 313 has a plate shape having a predetermined thickness so that the locking member 334 interferes and is hooked.
A pressing rib 314 pressing the leakage prevention member 370 when the cover 330 is closed is disposed on a top surface of the body 310. The pressing rib 314 is integrated with the body 310 when the body 310 is fabricated. The pressing rib 314 protrudes in an upward direction of the body 310 from a position corresponding to the leakage prevention member 370.
The pressing rib 314 has a loop shape.
A coupling end 316 to which the cover 330 is hinge-coupled is disposed on an upper end of a rear surface (when viewed in FIG. 4) of the body 310. A hinge hole 317 to which the cover 330 is hinge-coupled is defined in the coupling end 316.
The cover 330 is coupled to the upper portion of the body 310 to selectively shield the water storage space 311.
An inlet 331 is defined by punching a central portion of the top surface of the cover 330. The inlet 331 introduces water into the water storage space 311 in a state where the cover 330 shields the water storage space 111. The inlet 331 is selectively opened and closed by an inlet lid 332.
The inlet lid 332 is hinge-coupled to the top surface of the cover 330. A sealing member (not shown) may be disposed between the inlet lid 332 and the inlet 331 to prevent the water from leaking.
A guide recess 333 disposed at a level lower than that of the top surface of the cover 330 is disposed around the inlet 331. The guide recess 333 prevents water which does not pass through the inlet 331 from streaming along the top surface of the cover 330 when the water is injected through the inlet 331.
That is, since the guide recess 333 is recessedly disposed at the level lower than that of the top surface of the cover 330, a predetermined amount of water pools in the guide recess 333, and then, the water is introduced into the water storage space 311 through the inlet 331.
The locking member 334 hooked onto the hooking end 313 is disposed on a front end (when viewed in FIG. 3) of the cover 330. The locking member 334 is rotatably coupled to the front end of the cover 330. When the cover 330 is closed, an interference protrusion 335 interfering with the hooking end 313 is disposed at a position corresponding to the protruded hooking end 313.
When the locking member 334 is pivoted in a downward direction in case where the cover 330 is pressed downwardly, the interference protrusion 335 is hooked onto a lower portion of the hooking end 313.
A hinge 336 for rotating the cover 330 is disposed on the cover 330.
A coupling recess 337 into which the leakage prevention member 370 is inserted is disposed in a bottom surface of the cover 330 at a position corresponding to the pressing rib 314.
Ribs 338 and 339 protrude from the bottom surface of the cover 330 of both sides with respect to the leakage prevention member 370 such that the leakage prevention member 370 is insertedly coupled to the coupling recess 337. The leakage prevention member 370 has a ring shape, and the coupling recess 337 and the ribs 338 and 339 have a shape corresponding to the leakage prevention member 370.
The ribs 338 and 339 include an inner rib 338 and outer rib 339 spaced from the inner rib 338. The ribs 338 and 339 have heights different from each other.
In detail, the inner rib 338 is disposed at a height corresponding to the leakage prevention member 370 or a height greater than that of the leakage prevention member 370. On the other hand, the outer rib 339 is disposed at a height lower than that of the leakage prevention member 370.
Thus, when the cover 330 is closed, a portion of the leakage prevention member 370 is spread and surrounds an upper end 339a of the outer rib 339 to increase a sealing force of the body 310, thereby preventing the water from leaking.
The leakage prevention member 370 is inserted into the coupling recess 337. For example, the leakage prevention member 370 may be formed of a rubber material having an elastic force including a silicon rubber. Thus, when the cover is closed, the leakage prevention member 370 is pressed by the pressing rib 314 to seal a space between the body 310 and the cover 330.
At least one or more chambers 372 are disposed inside the leakage prevention member 370 such that the elastic force increases by an external force to improve the sealing force. The chambers 372 are successively disposed along a length direction of the leakage prevention member 370. Each of the chambers 372 has a loop shape.
In this embodiment, the plurality of chambers 370 is disposed in the leakage prevention member 370 such that the elastic force of the leakage prevention member 370 increases, and also an sealing effect of the leakage prevention member 370 is improved. Also, the plurality of chambers 370 is disposed in the coupling recess 337 in a direction parallel to a insertion direction of the leakage prevention member 370.
Thus, when the leakage prevention member 370 is pressed by the pressing rib 314, a portion of the leakage prevention member 370 is spread toward the upper end 339a of the outer rib 339, and a great portion of the leakage prevention member 370 is pressed by the pressing rib 314 to seal the cover 330 to the body 310, thereby preventing the water within the body 310 from leaking into the outside.
An operation of the water storage unit 300 including above-described components will be simply described below.
In order to supply water into the ice making unit 100, the user injects the water into the water storage unit 300. For injecting the water, the water is injected by separating the water storage unit 300 from the ice making apparatus 10, or the water is injected through the inlet 331 in a state where the inlet lid 332 is opened.
The case in which the water storage unit 300 is separated will now be described in detail.
In the state as illustrated in FIG. 3, the user rotates the cover 330 as illustrated in FIG. 4 to open the water storage space. Thereafter, filtered water or potable water is injected into the water storage space 311 of the body 310, and then the cover is closed.
At this time, the pressing rib 314 presses the leakage prevention member 370. Thus, the leakage prevention member 370 is pressed in a direction in which the pressing rib 314 presses the leakage prevention member 370. Also, the portion of the leakage prevention member 370 is spread toward the outer rib 314 to seal the space between the cover 330 and the body 310, thereby preventing the water within the water storage unit 300 from leaking.
The water storage unit 300 is coupled to the upper portion of the case 11. The water is supplied into each of trays 110 and 120 through the discharging unit disposed on the bottom surface of the water storage space 311.
According to this embodiment, since the elastic force of the leakage prevention member increases to improve sealing, it can prevent the water within the water storage unit from leaking.
Also, since the water within the water storage unit does not leak, it can prevent the outer appearance of the ice making apparatus (especially, the water storage unit) from being dirtied due to freezing according to the leakage of the water.

Claims

An ice making apparatus (10) for a refrigerator, comprising:
a case (11) defining an outer appearance of the ice making apparatus;

an ice making unit (100) for generating ice; a storage unit (300) for supplying water into the ice making unit (100),

wherein the storage unit (300) has a body (310) in which a storage space (311) for storing water is defined;

a cover (330) for opening and closing the storage space (311); and

a leakage prevention member (370) coupled to the cover (330) to prevent the water within the body (310) from leaking, the leakage prevention member (370) comprising one or more chambers (372) therein, said ice making apparatus (10) being characterized by:
trays (110, 120) including an upper tray (110) and a lower tray (120) rotatably provided in the case (11), wherein a rotating shaft of the lower tray (120) is disposed at a position which is backwardly spaced a predetermined distance from a rotating shaft of the upper tray (110), such that when the upper tray (110) rotates the ice does not fall into the lower tray (120);

a lever (130);

a power transmission portion (140) to transmit a rotation force of the lever (130) to the trays (110, 120);

a hinge disposed on the cover (330) to rotate the cover (330); and

a partition arranged to partition the storage space so supply water to each of the upper and lower tray (110, 120).
The ice making apparatus (10) according to claim 1, wherein the cover (330) comprises a coupling recess (337) coupled to the leakage prevention member (370), and the body (310) comprises a pressing rib (314) for pressing the leakage prevention member (370).
The ice making apparatus (10) according to claim 2, wherein the cover (330) comprises an inner rib (338) and an outer rib (339) disposed outside the inner rib (338), and the coupling recess (337) is disposed between the inner rib (338) and the outer rib (339).
The ice making apparatus (10) according to claim 3, wherein the leakage prevention member (370) and each of the ribs (338, 339) have loop shapes, respectively.
The ice making apparatus (10) according to claim 3, wherein the outer rib (339) has a height lower than that of the leakage prevention member (370).
The ice making apparatus (10) according to claim 2, wherein the leakage prevention member (370) comprises a plurality of chambers (372), and the plurality of chambers (372) is disposed in a direction in which the leakage prevention member (370) is inserted into the coupling recess (337).
The ice making apparatus (10) according to claim 1, wherein the one or more chambers (372) are successively disposed along a length direction of the leakage prevention member (370).