U.S. patent application number 10/879516 was filed with the patent office on 2005-12-01 for ice supply device and refrigerator having the same.
This patent application is currently assigned to Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.. Invention is credited to Jung, Sang Gyu, Kang, Tae Wan, Kim, Myung Wouk, Seo, Eung Ryeol, Song, Yo Hyun.
Application Number | 20050262866 10/879516 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 35423686 |
Filed Date | 2005-12-01 |
United States Patent
Application |
20050262866 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Seo, Eung Ryeol ; et
al. |
December 1, 2005 |
ICE SUPPLY DEVICE AND REFRIGERATOR HAVING THE SAME
Abstract
An ice supply device and a refrigerator having the same. The ice
supply device includes an ice tray provided with an outlet for
discharging ice cubes therethrough at one side thereof, a conveying
device installed in the ice tray and rotated to convey the ice
cubes toward the outlet, an ice crushing device, installed at the
outlet, for crushing the ice cubes conveyed toward the outlet, a
pressure device having a hollowed cylindrical structure for pushing
the ice cubes to the ice crushing device by applying pressure to
the ice cubes, and a catching member, by which the ice cubes
outwardly protruded from an inlet of the pressure device are
caught. The ice cubes exceeding designated dimensions, which do not
pass through the pressure device and are outwardly protruded from
the pressure device, are caught by the catching member and are
sliced away from main portions of the ice cubes, thereby reducing
the sizes of the ice cubes and allowing the ice cubes to be
smoothly supplied.
Inventors: |
Seo, Eung Ryeol;
(Gwangju-city, KR) ; Kang, Tae Wan; (Gwangju-city,
KR) ; Jung, Sang Gyu; (Gwangju-city, KR) ;
Song, Yo Hyun; (Gwangju-city, KR) ; Kim, Myung
Wouk; (Seo-gu, KR) |
Correspondence
Address: |
STAAS & HALSEY LLP
SUITE 700
1201 NEW YORK AVENUE, N.W.
WASHINGTON
DC
20005
US
|
Assignee: |
Samsung Electronics Co.,
Ltd.
Suwon-si
KR
|
Family ID: |
35423686 |
Appl. No.: |
10/879516 |
Filed: |
June 30, 2004 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
62/340 ;
62/353 |
Current CPC
Class: |
Y10S 241/17 20130101;
F25C 5/22 20180101; F25C 5/046 20130101; F25C 2500/02 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
062/340 ;
062/353 |
International
Class: |
F25C 001/00 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
May 31, 2004 |
KR |
2004-39317 |
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. An ice supply device comprising: an ice tray provided with an
outlet for discharging ice cubes therethrough at one side thereof;
a conveying device installed in the ice tray and rotated to convey
the ice cubes toward the outlet; an ice crushing device, installed
at the outlet, for crushing the ice cubes conveyed toward the
outlet; a pressure device having a hollowed cylindrical structure
for pushing the ice cubes to the ice crushing device by applying
pressure to the ice cubes; and a catching member, by which the ice
cubes outwardly protruded from an inlet of the pressure device are
caught.
2. The ice supply device according to claim 1, wherein the catching
member includes a fixed portion fixedly installed on the ice tray,
and a catching portion, integrally extended from the fixed portion
in a radially inner direction of the pressure device.
3. The ice supply device according to claim 1, wherein the pressure
device includes a guide portion having a hollowed cylindrical
structure, and a vane portion disposed on the inner circumference
of the guide portion in a spiral shape and rotated to push the ice
cubes into the crushing device by applying pressure to the ice
cubes.
4. The ice supply device according to claim 1, wherein the
conveying device includes a spiral shaft having a spiral shape, and
a driving motor placed at one side of the spiral shaft for rotating
the spiral shaft.
5. A refrigerator comprising: a main body defining an outer
appearance and including a freezing chamber for freezing stored
goods therein; a door installed at one side of the main body for
opening and closing the freezing chamber; an ice-making device
placed in the freezing chamber for making ice cubes; and an ice
supply device, for supplying the ice cubes made by the ice-making
device to the outside without opening the door, said ice supply
device including; an ice tray provided with an outlet for
discharging ice cubes therethrough at one side thereof; a spiral
member installed in the ice tray and rotated to convey the ice
cubes toward the outlet; an ice crushing device, installed at the
outlet, for crushing the ice cubes conveyed toward the outlet; a
pressure device having a hollowed cylindrical structure for pushing
the ice cubes to the ice crushing device by applying pressure to
the ice cubes; and a catching member, by which the ice cubes
outwardly protruded from an inlet of the pressure device, into
which the ice cubes are introduced, are caught.
6. The refrigerator according to claim 5, wherein the catching
member includes a fixed portion fixedly installed on the ice tray,
and a catching portion, integrally extended from the fixed portion
in a radially inner direction of the pressure device.
7. The refrigerator according to claim 5, wherein the pressure
device includes a guide portion having a hollowed cylindrical
structure, and a vane portion disposed on the inner circumference
of the guide portion in a spiral shape and rotated to push the ice
cubes into the crushing device by applying pressure to the ice
cubes.
8. The refrigerator according to claim 5, wherein the spiral member
includes a spiral shaft having a spiral shape, and a driving motor
placed at one side of the spiral shaft for rotating the spiral
shaft.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
[0001] This application claims the benefit of Korean Patent
Application No. 2004-39317, filed May 31, 2004, in the Korean
Intellectual Property Office, the disclosure of which is
incorporated herein by reference.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] 1. Field of the Invention
[0003] The present invention relates to an ice supply device and a
refrigerator having the same, and more particularly to an ice
supply device for smoothly supplying ice cubes and a refrigerator
having the same.
[0004] 2. Description of the Related Art
[0005] Generally, a refrigerator is an apparatus comprising
components for constituting a refrigerating cycle, and serves to
freeze or refrigerate stored goods therein by generating cool
air.
[0006] There is disclosed a recent refrigerator comprising an
ice-making device for making ice cubes and an ice supply device for
supplying ice cubes made by the ice-making device to the outside
without opening a door of the refrigerator.
[0007] The ice supply device includes an ice tray, for containing
the ice cubes made by the ice-making device, provided with an
outlet for discharging the ice cubes therethrough, a conveying
member placed in the ice tray for conveying the ice cubes to the
outlet, a crushing device placed at the outlet for crushing the ice
cubes conveyed by the conveying member, and a pressure device for
pushing the ice cubes into the crushing device by applying pressure
to the ice cubes. The pressure device includes a spiral-shaped
cylindrical vane portion having a hollow therein for applying
pressure to the ice cubes, and apples pressure to the ice cubes
placed therein by means of the rotation of the vane portion and
then pushes the ice cubes into the crushing device.
[0008] However, in case that the ice cubes made by the ice-making
device of the above refrigerator is stored in the ice tray for a
long period of time, the ice cubes are conglomerated into a large
lump. When the ice lump is guided to the pressure device, the ice
lump cannot completely pass through the pressure device and clogs
an inlet of the pressure device, thereby causing delay of the ice
cube supply.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0009] Therefore, an aspect of the invention is to provide an ice
supply device for smoothly supplying ice cubes and a refrigerator
having the same.
[0010] In accordance with one aspect, the present invention
provides an ice supply device comprising: an ice tray provided with
an outlet for discharging ice cubes therethrough at one side
thereof; a conveying device installed in the ice tray and rotated
to convey the ice cubes toward the outlet; an ice crushing device,
installed at the outlet, for crushing the ice cubes conveyed toward
the outlet; a pressure device having a hollowed cylindrical
structure for pushing the ice cubes to the ice crushing device by
applying pressure to the ice cubes; and a catching member, by which
the ice cubes outwardly protruded from an inlet of the pressure
device are caught.
[0011] The catching member may include a fixed portion fixedly
installed on the ice tray, and a catching portion, integrally
extended from the fixed portion in a radially inner direction of
the pressure device.
[0012] The pressure device may include a guide portion having a
hollowed cylindrical structure, and a vane portion disposed on the
inner circumference of the guide portion in a spiral shape and
rotated to push the ice cubes into the crushing device by applying
pressure to the ice cubes.
[0013] The conveying device may include a spiral shaft having a
spiral shape, and a driving motor placed at one side of the spiral
shaft for rotating the spiral shaft.
[0014] In accordance with another aspect, the present invention
provides a refrigerator comprising: a main body defining an outer
appearance and including a freezing chamber for freezing stored
goods therein; a door installed at one side of the main body for
opening and closing the freezing chamber; an ice-making device
placed in the freezing chamber for making ice cubes; and an ice
supply device, for supplying the ice cubes made by the ice-making
device to the outside without opening the door, said ice supply
device including; an ice tray provided with an outlet for
discharging ice cubes therethrough at one side thereof; a spiral
member installed in the ice tray and rotated to convey the ice
cubes toward the outlet; an ice crushing device, installed at the
outlet, for crushing the ice cubes conveyed toward the outlet; a
pressure device having a hollowed cylindrical structure for pushing
the ice cubes to the ice crushing device by applying pressure to
the ice cubes; and a catching member, by which the ice cubes
outwardly protruded from an inlet of the pressure device, into
which the ice cubes are introduced, are caught.
[0015] The catching member may include a fixed portion fixedly
installed on the ice tray, and a catching portion, integrally
extended from the fixed portion in a radially inner direction of
the pressure device.
[0016] The pressure device may include a guide portion having a
hollowed cylindrical structure, and a vane portion disposed on the
inner circumference of the guide portion in a spiral shape and
rotated to push the ice cubes into the crushing device by applying
pressure to the ice cubes.
[0017] The spiral member may include a spiral shaft having a spiral
shape, and a driving motor placed at one side of the spiral shaft
for rotating the spiral shaft.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0018] These and/or other aspects and advantages of the invention
will become apparent and more readily appreciated from the
following description of the embodiments, taken in conjunction with
the accompanying drawings in which:
[0019] FIG. 1 is a longitudinal-sectional view of a refrigerator
having an ice supply device in accordance with the present
invention;
[0020] FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the ice supply device in
accordance with the present invention; and
[0021] FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the ice supply device in
accordance with the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0022] Reference will now be made in detail to the embodiment of
the present invention, an example of which is illustrated in the
accompanying drawings, wherein like reference numerals refer to the
like elements throughout. The embodiment is described below to
explain the present invention by referring to the figures.
[0023] As shown in FIG. 1, a refrigerator in accordance with the
present invention comprises a main body 10 having an opening formed
through the front surface thereof for containing foods therein and
defining a freezing chamber 11, and a door 20 hinged to one side of
the main body 10 and rotated to open and close the freezing chamber
11. Components constituting a refrigerating cycle, such as a
compressor 12, a condenser (not shown), an evaporator 13, an
expansion valve (not shown), are installed in the main body 10 for
generating cool air in the main body 10, thereby cooling the inside
of the freezing chamber 11. In this embodiment of the present
invention, the compressor 12 is disposed in a lower portion of the
main body 10, and the evaporator 13 is disposed in a rear part of
an upper portion of the freezing chamber 11.
[0024] An ice-making device 30 for making ice cubes is installed in
the upper portion of the freezing chamber 11. An ice supply device
40 for storing the ice cubes made by the ice-making device 30 and,
if necessary, discharging the stored ice cubes to the outside is
disposed below the ice-making device 30. A discharge guide panel
21, communicating with the inside of the freezing chamber 11, for
guiding the discharge of the ice cubes is installed in the door 20
so that the ice cubes made by the ice-making device 30 may be taken
out without opening the door 20 by a user, and an ice receiving
portion 22 for easily receiving the ice cubes discharged through
the discharge guide panel 21 is formed in the front surface of the
door 20.
[0025] As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the ice supply device 40 includes
an ice tray 41, for containing the ice cubes made by and dropped
from the ice-making device 30, provided with an outlet 41a formed
through a front surface thereof for discharging the ice cubes, a
conveying device 42 for conveying the ice cubes from the ice tray
41 to the outlet 41a, a crushing device 43 placed at the outlet 41a
for selectively crushing the ice cubes discharged through the
outlet 41a, and a pressure device 44 placed in parallel with the
crushing device 43 for pushing the ice cubes into the crushing
device 43 by applying pressure to the ice cubes.
[0026] The ice tray 41 is provided with an opened upper surface so
that the ice cubes dropped from the ice-making device 30 are
received by the ice tray 41 through the opened upper surface
thereof, and lower and side surfaces, each surface having a
semicircular shape so that the ice cubes contained in the ice tray
41 can be stably conveyed by the conveying device 42.
[0027] The conveying device 42 includes a spiral shaft 42a having a
spiral shape for conveying the ice cubes, and a driving motor 42b
placed at a rear surface of the ice tray 41 opposite to the outlet
41a and connected to one end of the spiral shaft 42a for rotating
the spiral shaft 42a. The conveying device 42 serves to convey the
ice cubes toward the outlet 41a by the rotation of the spiral shaft
42a based on the rotation of the driving motor 42b.
[0028] The pressure device 44 includes a guide portion 44a having a
hollowed cylindrical structure for guiding the ice cubes, and a
vane portion 44b disposed on the inner circumference of the guide
portion 44a in a spiral shape and rotated to push the ice cubes
into the crushing device 43 by applying pressure to the ice cubes.
Here, the vane portion 44b is installed on the spiral shaft 42a,
and is rotated by the rotation of the spiral shaft 42a to push the
ice cubes into the crushing device 43 by applying pressure to the
ice cubes. The pressure device 44 further includes a discharge hole
44c formed through a lower portion of one side thereof so that the
crushed ice cubes are discharged to the outlet 41a through the
discharge hole 44c.
[0029] The crushing device 43 includes a stationary cutter 43a
fixed to the outlet 41a of the ice tray 41, and a rotary cutter 43b
rotated together with the rotation of the spiral shaft 42a. When
the rotary cutter 43b is rotated, the ice cubes, introduced into
the crushing device 43 by the pressure device 44, are caught
between the stationary cutter 43a and the rotary cutter 43b, are
crushed, and are then discharged toward the outlet 41a through the
discharge hole 44c.
[0030] In order to selectively discharge the non-crushed ice cubes
and the finely-crushed ice cubes, a discharge hole switching device
45 for controlling the opening degree of the discharge hole 44c of
the crushing device 43 is prepared.
[0031] The discharge hole switching device 45 includes a switching
member 45a rotatably connected to the discharge hole 44c of the
crushing device 43, a connection rod 45b rotatably installed on the
side surface of the ice tray 41 so as to operate the switching
member 45a, and a solenoid driving unit 45c installed at one side
of the rear portion of the ice tray 41 so as to rotate the
connection rod 45b to a designated degree. The rotation of the
connection rod 45b by the solenoid driving unit 45c rotates the
switching member 45a, thereby opening or closing the outlet
41a.
[0032] The ice supply device 40 in accordance with the present
invention further includes a catching member 46, by which ice cubes
outwardly protruded from the pressure device 40 are caught. The
catching member 46 is disposed adjacent to the inlet of the guide
portion 44a, into which the ice cubes are introduced, and contacts
parts of the ice cubes caught by the guide portion 44a, which are
outwardly protruded from the guide portion 44a.
[0033] Accordingly, in case that the ice cubes having a designated
size do not completely pass through a space between the guide
portion 44a and the vane portion 44b of the pressure device 40 and
are partially protruded from the guide portion 44a, these ice cubes
are rotated together with the rotation of the vane portion 44b so
that the protruded portions of the ice cubes are caught by the
catching member 46. Then, the protruded portions of the ice cubes
are sliced away from main portions thereof by the force of the
catching member 46, thereby allowing the ice cubes to have a
reduced size and then to smoothly pass through the gap between the
guide portion 44a and the vane portion 44b.
[0034] In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the
catching member 46 includes a fixed portion 46a fixedly installed
on the ice tray 41, and a catching portion 46b, integrally extended
from the fixed portion 46a in a radially inner direction of the
guide portion 44a, for catching portions of the ice cubes, which do
not pass through the pressure device 44 and are outwardly protruded
from the guide portion 44a.
[0035] As apparent from the above description, the present
invention provides an ice supply device, in which, in case that ice
cubes exceeding designated dimensions do not pass through a
pressure device and are outwardly protruded from the pressure
device, the ice cubes are rotated together with the rotation of a
vane portion of the pressure device so that the protruded portions
of the ice cubes are caught by a catching member of the pressure
device and are sliced away from the main portions of the ice cubes,
and a refrigerator having the ice supply device, thereby reducing
the size of the ice cubes and allowing the ice cubes to be smoothly
supplied.
[0036] Although an embodiment of the invention has been shown and
described, it would be appreciated by those skilled in the art that
changes may be made in this embodiment without departing from the
principles and spirit of the invention, the scope of which is
defined in the claims and their equivalents.
* * * * *