REFRIGERATOR

• US 20110146312A1
• Filed: 04/13/2010
• Published: 06/23/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 12/22/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: HONG, Jin Il, KANG, Sung Sik
• Granted Patent: US 8,769,981 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 62/137
• CPC Class Codes: F25C 1/04 by using stationary moulds
• CPC Class Codes: F25C 2305/0221 rotating ice mould
• CPC Class Codes: F25C 2400/10 Refrigerator units
• CPC Class Codes: F25C 2400/14 Water supply
• CPC Class Codes: F25C 2500/06 Spillage or flooding of water
• CPC Class Codes: F25C 2700/02 Level of ice
• CPC Class Codes: F25C 5/046 Ice-crusher machines
• CPC Class Codes: F25C 5/182 Ice bins therefor
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 23/04 with special compartments, e.g. butter conditioners
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 23/126 Water cooler
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 2317/061 through special compartments
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 2317/062 along the inside of doors
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 2317/063 with air guides
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 2317/067 characterised by air ducts
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 2323/021 French doors
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 2700/12 Sensors measuring the inside temperature

Abstract

A refrigerator is provided. The refrigerator includes a storage compartment and a refrigerator door opening and closing the storage compartment. The refrigerator door includes an ice compartment, an ice maker in the ice compartment, the ice maker generating ice cubes, an ice bin storing the ice cubes generated in the ice maker, and a cool air duct guiding cool air to the ice maker.

Claims

1. A refrigerator comprising:

a refrigerator compartment; and

a door configured to open and close the refrigerator compartment,

wherein the door comprises;

an ice compartment;

an ice maker disposed within the ice compartment, the ice maker generating ice cubes;

an ice bin configured to store the ice cubes generated in the ice maker;

a cool air duct configured to guide cool air to the ice maker, the cool air duct having at least one air discharge hole;

a cover configured to cover the ice maker to prevent water supplied to the ice maker from overflowing; and

a cool air guide extended from the cover, the cool air guide guiding the cool air discharged from the cool air duct to the ice maker.

2. The refrigerator according to claim 1, wherein the door comprises a supply duct supplying the cool air, and

the cool air duct guides the cool air discharged from the supply duct to the ice maker.

3. The refrigerator according to claim 1, wherein the at least one discharge hole is defined on a lower side of the cool air duct, and

the at least one cool air discharge hole is disposed above the cool air guide to uniformly supply the cool air to the ice maker.

4. The refrigerator according to claim 1, wherein the cover is rounded, and

the cool air guide is extended vertically upward from the cover.

5. The refrigerator according to claim 1, wherein the cover is integrated with a support part supporting the ice maker, and

a rounded part having a shape corresponding to that of the cover is disposed at a side opposite to the cover of the support part.

6. The refrigerator according to claim 5, wherein the support part comprises a sensor housing in which a temperature sensor detecting a temperature of the ice compartment is disposed,

the sensor housing is disposed at a side of the cool air duct, and

the at least one cool air discharge hole is defined on a lower side of the cool air duct.

7. The refrigerator according to claim 1, further comprising:

a driving source generating a power to automatically rotate the ice maker; and

a gear box transmitting the power of the driving source to the ice maker.

8. A refrigerator comprising:

a cabinet defining a refrigerator compartment; and

a door configured to open and close the refrigerator compartment,

wherein the door comprises;

a door liner defining an ice compartment;

an ice maker disposed within the ice compartment to generate ice cubes;

an ice bin configured to store the ice cubes generated in the ice maker;

a supply duct configured to supply cool air to the ice compartment;

a cool air duct disposed within the ice compartment to guide the cool air of the supply duct to the ice maker; and

a water guide part disposed between the cool air duct and the door liner defining the ice compartment to guide water to the ice maker.

9. The refrigerator according to claim 8, wherein at least one cool air discharge hole through which the cool air is discharged is defined on a lower side of the cool air duct, and

the water guide part is disposed at a side of the cool air duct with respect to a flow direction of the cool air.

10. The refrigerator according to claim 8, wherein the water guide part is disposed above the ice maker,

the water guide part has a water inflow hole and a water discharge hole, and

the water discharge hole has a cross section area less than that of the water inflow hole.

11. The refrigerator according to claim 8, wherein the water discharged from the water guide part is supplied vertically downward to the ice maker.

12. The refrigerator according to claim 8, further comprising a support part having a seat part on which the ice maker is seated,

wherein the water guide part is mounted to the support part.

13. The refrigerator according to claim 8, further comprising a cover covering the ice maker to prevent the water from overflowing when the water guided by the water guide part is supplied to the ice maker,

wherein the cool air duct has at least one cool air discharge hole disposed above the cover.

14. A refrigerator comprising:

a cabinet defining a refrigerator compartment; and

a door configured to open and close the refrigerator compartment,

wherein the door comprises;

an ice compartment;

an ice maker disposed within the ice compartment to generate ice cubes;

a support mechanism configured to support the ice maker, the support mechanism being selectively received in the ice compartment;

an ice bin configured to store the ice cubes generated in the ice maker; and

a sensor mounted to the support mechanism, the sensor detecting whether the ice bin is fully filled with the ice cubes.

15. The refrigerator according to claim 14, wherein the sensor is disposed at a lower side spaced from the ice maker, and

when the ice bin is received in the ice compartment, the sensor is disposed within the ice bin.

16. The refrigerator according to claim 14, wherein the support mechanism comprises a first supporter seated on the ice compartment and a second supporter connected to the first supporter and supporting the ice maker, and

the sensor passes through the second supporter.

17. The refrigerator according to claim 16, wherein the sensor is fixed to the first supporter in a state where the sensor passes through the second supporter.

18. The refrigerator according to claim 14, wherein the sensor comprises:

a sending part sending a signal; and

a receiving part spaced from the sending part, the receiving part receiving the signal sent from the sending part.

19. The refrigerator according to claim 14, wherein the sending part comprises:

a case;

a printed circuit board (PCB) received in the case, the PCB comprising a sending element;

a transparent window through which a signal of the sending element is transmitted, the transparent window covering an open region of the case; and

a heater coupled to the transparent window, the heater prevent frost from being generated on the sending element.

20. The refrigerator according to claim 14, wherein the receiving part comprises:

a case;

a PCB received in the case, the PCB comprising a plurality of receiving elements;

a transparent window through which the signal of the sending element is transmitted, the transparent window covering an open region of the case; and

a heater coupled to the transparent window, the heater prevent frost from being generated on the sending element.