U.S. patent application number 12/522470 was filed with the patent office on 2010-02-25 for ice bank and refrigerator.
This patent application is currently assigned to LG Electronics Inc.. Invention is credited to Min-Yong Kim.
Application Number | 20100043478 12/522470 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 39608803 |
Filed Date | 2010-02-25 |
United States Patent
Application |
20100043478 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Kim; Min-Yong |
February 25, 2010 |
ICE BANK AND REFRIGERATOR
Abstract
An ice storage capacity can adjusted according to a needed
amount of ice, and a user can obtain a required amount of the ice
to increase the user's convenience. For this, an ice bank is
provided. The ice bank includes an external case and an internal
case. The internal case is disposed inside the external case and
includes an interior space in communication with an interior space
of the external case. One of the external case and the internal
case overlappingly moves toward the other case to vary an ice
storage capacity.
Inventors: |
Kim; Min-Yong;
(Changwon-City, KR) |
Correspondence
Address: |
BIRCH STEWART KOLASCH & BIRCH
PO BOX 747
FALLS CHURCH
VA
22040-0747
US
|
Assignee: |
LG Electronics Inc.
Seoul
KR
|
Family ID: |
39608803 |
Appl. No.: |
12/522470 |
Filed: |
January 4, 2008 |
PCT Filed: |
January 4, 2008 |
PCT NO: |
PCT/KR08/00059 |
371 Date: |
July 31, 2009 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
62/344 ;
62/377 |
Current CPC
Class: |
F25C 2400/10 20130101;
F25D 2400/16 20130101; F25C 2600/04 20130101; F25D 2323/023
20130101; F25D 25/025 20130101; F25C 5/182 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
62/344 ;
62/377 |
International
Class: |
F25C 5/18 20060101
F25C005/18; F25D 25/00 20060101 F25D025/00 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Jan 9, 2007 |
KR |
10-2007-0002538 |
Claims
1. An ice bank comprising: an external case; and an internal case
within the external case, the internal case including an interior
space in communication with an interior space of the external case,
wherein one of the external case and the internal case
overlappingly moves toward the other case to vary an ice storage
capacity.
2. The ice bank according to claim 1, wherein the external case has
a hexahedral shape in which upper and bottom surfaces are opened
and the internal case has a hexahedral shape in which an upper
surface is opened to allow the internal case vertically move in a
state that a side of outer surfaces of the internal case are
adjacent to a side of inner surfaces of the external case.
3. The ice bank according to claim 1, wherein further comprising:
guide slots vertically disposed on the inner surfaces of opposite
walls of the external case; and guide ribs vertically disposed on
the outer surfaces of opposite walls of the internal case such that
the guide slots are guided.
4. The ice bank according to claim 3, wherein further comprising:
at least two hook recesses spaced along a length direction in the
guide slots; protruding arms on the guide ribs, the protruding arms
being elastically deformable in a perpendicular direction with
respect to the length direction of the guide slots; and hook
protrusions protruded from outer surfaces of the protruding arms,
the hook protrusions being mounted on the hook recesses,
selectively.
5. The ice bank according to claim 4, wherein the guide slots are
disposed between a pair of guide channels which are vertically
disposed on the both inner surfaces of the external case, and the
hook recesses are recessed in a side of the guide channels on which
side surfaces of the guide slots are disposed.
6. The ice bank according to claim 4, wherein the protruding arms
are provided by cut recesses which are disposed in upper central
portions of the guide ribs and vertically cut by a predetermined
length.
7. A refrigerator comprising: a door defining a low temperature
space within the refrigerator; a home bar door provided at the
door; a home bar receiving space opened and closed by the home bar
door; and an ice bank within the home bar receiving space, wherein
the ice bank comprising: an external case; and an internal case
within the external case, wherein one of the external case and the
internal case is movable with respect to the other case to vary an
ice storage capacity.
8. The refrigerator according to claim 7, further comprising a
manual ice maker above the ice bank.
9. The refrigerator according to claim 8, wherein the manual ice
maker is disposed inside the home bar receiving space.
10. The refrigerator according to claim 7, wherein one of the
external case and the internal case vertically movable within the
home bar receiving space.
11. The refrigerator according to claim 7, wherein the ice bank
further comprises an elastic hook mechanism disposed on a portion
at which a wall of the internal case is adjacent to a wall of the
external case.
12. The refrigerator according to claim 11, wherein the elastic
hook mechanism comprises: a guide slot vertically disposed in a
direction on any one of the external case and the internal case;
and a guide rib disposed on any one of the external case and the
internal case, the guide rib being elastically deformable during a
movement along the guide slot such that the guide rib is hung on a
predetermined position of the guide slot.
13. The refrigerator according to claim 11, wherein the elastic
hook is provided on a pair of opposite walls.
14. The refrigerator according to claim 7, further comprising an
automatic ice maker above the ice maker.
15. The refrigerator according to claim 14, wherein the automatic
ice maker is disposed outside the home bar receiving space.
16. The refrigerator according to claim 7, wherein a movable one of
the external case and the internal case automatically moves.
17. The refrigerator according to claim 16, wherein the ice bank
comprises: a rack on the movable one of the external case and the
internal case; and a motor and pinion on the other case of the
external case and the internal case.
18. The refrigerator according to claim 7, wherein the external
case is drawn in a front direction from the home bar receiving
space.
19. A refrigerator comprising: an automatic ice maker; an ice bank
receiving an ice made by the automatic ice maker; an ice bank
capacity adjustment adjusting an interior capacity of the ice bank;
and a control unit controlling the ice bank capacity adjustment and
the ice maker.
20. The refrigerator according to claim 19, wherein further
comprising a manipulation unit in which at least required amount of
ice is inputted to transmit the inputted data to the control unit,
the manipulation unit being manipulated by a user.
21. The refrigerator according to claim 19, wherein the ice bank
comprises: an external case; and an internal case moving in a
direction in the external case to vary the interior capacity
receiving the ice together with the external case.
22. The refrigerator according to claim 19, wherein the ice bank
capacity adjustment comprises: a rack provided at the internal
case; a pinion within the external case, the pinion being engaged
with the rack; and a motor within the external case, the motor
rotating the pinion.
23. An ice bank comprising: a first case defining a first ice
receiving space; and a second case defining a second ice receiving
space, wherein the second case is movable into the first case, and
the second ice receiving space overlaps with the first ice
receiving space to vary a total ice receiving space.
24. The ice bank according to claim 23, wherein the first case
comprises an upper opening receiving the ice and a lower opening
passing through the second case, and the second case is movable in
upward and downward directions.
25. A refrigerator comprising: an ice maker; an ice bank below the
ice maker, the ice bank receiving ice made by the ice maker; and an
ice bank capacity adjustment adjusting an interior capacity of the
ice bank to increase the capacity of the ice bank when a
fully-filled state of the ice bank is detected by the ice maker.
Description
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0001] The present disclosure relates to an ice bank, and more
particularly, to an ice bank that is installed in a refrigerator to
store ice cubes made by an ice maker and the refrigerator having
the same.
BACKGROUND ART
[0002] As a refrigerator becomes more larger, various devices are
installed in the refrigerator. Examples of the various devices are
a dispenser which can discharge water or ice to the outside without
opening a door of the refrigerator and a home bar which can draw
stored foods from the refrigerator without opening the door of the
refrigerator.
[0003] An ice maker is installed inside a large-scale refrigerator.
The ice maker makes ice cubes from supplied water. An ice bank
storing the ice cubes made by the ice maker is installed at a lower
portion of the ice maker. The ice bank has a hexahedron shape which
is opened at a top thereof. The ice bank may put in and take out a
storage space such as a freezer. Thus, the ice bank can supply the
ice cubes stored in the ice bank to a user at any time.
[0004] According to the typical ice bank as described above, a size
of the ice bank is fixed. Thus, if an ice bank having a large
storage capacity is installed regardless of a needed amount of the
ice, the ice bank occupies too much space in the freezer, thereby
causing a waste of the storage space. On the contrary, if an ice
bank having a small storage capacity is installed, the ice bank
can't store a large amount of the ice.
DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION
Technical Problem
[0005] Embodiments provide an ice bank that can variably adjust ice
storage capacity. Another embodiments provide a refrigerator that
can adjust quantity of ice according to demands of a user. Still
another embodiments provide an adjustable ice bank and a
refrigerator in which interior capacity can be freely adjusted to
increase user's convenience.
Technical Solution
[0006] In one embodiment, an ice bank includes: an external case;
and an internal case within the external case, the internal case
including an interior space in communication with an interior space
of the external case, wherein one of the external case and the
internal case overlappingly moves toward the other case to vary an
ice storage capacity.
[0007] In another embodiment, an ice bank includes: a first case
defining a first ice receiving space; and a second case defining a
second ice receiving space, wherein the second case is movable into
the first case, and the second ice receiving space overlaps with
the first ice receiving space to vary a total ice receiving
space.
[0008] In another embodiment, a refrigerator includes: a door
defining a low temperature space within the refrigerator; a home
bar door within the door; a home bar receiving space opened and
closed by the home bar door; and an ice bank inside the home bar
receiving space, wherein the ice bank comprising: an external case;
and an internal case inside the external case, wherein one of the
external case and the internal case is movable toward the other
case to vary an ice storage capacity.
[0009] In another embodiment, a refrigerator includes: an automatic
ice maker; an ice bank receiving ice made by the automatic ice
maker; an ice bank capacity adjustment adjusting an interior
capacity of the ice bank; and a control unit controlling the ice
bank capacity adjustment and the ice maker.
[0010] In another embodiment, refrigerator includes: an ice maker;
an ice bank below the ice maker, the ice bank receiving ice made by
the ice maker; and an ice bank capacity adjustment adjusting an
interior capacity of the ice bank to increase the capacity of the
ice bank when a fully-filled state of the ice bank is detected by
the ice maker.
Advantageous Effects
[0011] According to the present disclosure, an ice storage capacity
can be adjusted according to a needed amount of ice to increase a
user's convenience, and the user can obtain a required amount of
the ice to further increase the user's convenience. For example,
when a large amount of the ice is required at a time due to a
party, a user can previously prepare a suitable amount of the
ice.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0012] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a refrigerator in which an
ice bank is emphasized according to an embodiment;
[0013] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the ice bank according to
the embodiment;
[0014] FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the ice bank according
to the embodiment;
[0015] FIGS. 4 to 6 are views illustrating various states of an ice
storage capacity of the ice bank according to a preferred
embodiment;
[0016] FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a refrigerator in which an
ice bank is emphasized according to an embodiment;
[0017] FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view of the ice bank according
to an embodiment; and
[0018] FIG. 9 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of
the refrigerator according to an embodiment.
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
[0019] An ice bank and a refrigerator according to a preferred
embodiment of the present disclosure will be described in detail
hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings.
First Embodiment
[0020] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a refrigerator in which an
ice bank is emphasized according to an embodiment, FIG. 2 is a
perspective view of the ice bank according to the embodiment, and
FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the ice bank according to the
embodiment.
[0021] Referring to FIGS. 1 to 3, a home bar 20 is installed in a
side of a door 10 of a refrigerator. A home bar opening 21 is
formed in a side of the door 10 in order to draw stored foods from
the refrigerator without opening the door 10 of the refrigerator. A
home bar receiving space 23 disposed in a rear surface of the door
10 is exposed through the home bar opening 21. The home bar
receiving space 23 is divided from an interior space of the
refrigerator by a predetermined wall.
[0022] A home bar door 25 selectively shielding the home bar
opening 21 is disposed in the door 10. The home bar door 25 is
hinge-coupled to a side, which is adjacent to the home bar opening
21, of the door 10 to pivotally move an upper end thereof upwardly
and downwardly about a lower end thereof. When the home bar door 25
is completely opened in a front direction, a rear surface of the
home bar door 25 meets at right angles with a front surface of the
door 10 to establish a horizontal plane.
[0023] An ice bank 30 is installed in the rear surface of the door
10. The ice bank 30 stores ice cubes which are made by an ice maker
1 disposed in the rear surface of the door 10. The ice maker 1
passively operates. Water freezes into the ice cubes in an ice
case, and the ice case is twisted by a user's hand to discharge the
ice cubes into the ice bank 30. An ice maker which is disclosed in
U.S. Pat. No. 6,481,235 applied by the present applicant of the
present disclosure is also applied to the ice maker 1, and
descriptions for the ice maker will be quoted from that of the ice
maker 1. Furthermore, a manual ice maker having different shapes
may be also applied to various embodiments within scope of the
present disclosure.
[0024] Referring to FIG. 1, the ice bank 30 puts in and takes out
the refrigerator through the home bar opening 21 of the home bar
20.
[0025] In detail, ice bank guides (not shown) are disposed on both
sides of the home bar receiving space 23. Mounting ribs 31 which
are mounted on the ice bank guides are disposed on upper ends of
both sides of the ice bank 30. In the embodiment, the mounting ribs
31 are respectively extended from the upper ends of the sides of
the ice bank 30 to the outside. The mounting ribs are integrated
with the ice bank 30. However, the mounting ribs must not be
integrated with the ice bank 30. The mounting ribs may be supported
by the ice bank guides to move the ice bank 30 in front/rear
directions, thereby realizing various designs. Rails may be
disposed on the ice bank guide such that the ice bank 30 is
smoothly moved in the front/rear directions.
[0026] As illustrated in FIG. 2, the ice bank 30 includes an
external case 32 and an internal case 33. The external case 32 has
a hexahedral shape in which upper and bottom surfaces are opened.
The external case 32 includes a predetermined storage space 32S in
which the ice cubes are stored.
[0027] The internal case 33 has a hexahedral shape in which an
upper surface is opened. The internal case 33 includes a
predetermined storage space 33S in communication with the storage
space 32S of the external case 32.
[0028] The internal case 33 is mounted inside of the external case
32. An outer surface of the internal case 33 is adjacent to an
inner surface of the external case 32. Thus, the internal case 33
is able to relatively move in upward and downward directions
relative to the external case 32. The internal case is relatively
moved from a position at which the storage space 32S of the
internal case 33 completely overlaps with the storage space 33S of
the external case 32 to a position at which the storage space 32S
of the internal case 33 is completely spaced from the storage space
33S of the external case 32.
[0029] In case that the internal case 33 is moved, the internal
case 33 is hung on the external case 32 to maintain a stop position
when the internal case 33 is stopped, and at the same time the
internal case 33 is movable relative to the external case 32.
[0030] For this, an elastic hook is disposed in a predetermined
position at which a wall of the internal case 33 faces a wall of
the external case 32. A state hooked by the elastic hook is
released when a force, i.e., a force at which the internal case 33
is forcedly moved by a user, is applied over a predetermined range.
On the other hand, the state hooked by the elastic hook is
maintained when a force, i.e., weight of the ice cubes stored
therein, is applied below the predetermined range. Thus, the
elastic hook is a device that restricts movement therebetween.
[0031] The elastic hook will be described in detail.
[0032] Referring to FIG. 2, a pair of guide channels 34 and 34' is
vertically spaced from one another inside both sides of the
external case 32. A guide slot 35 is vertically disposed between
the pair of guide channels 34 and 34'. The guide slot 35 guides the
internal case 33 in upward and downward directions with respect to
the external case 32. A plurality of hook recesses 36 at which a
hook protrusion 44 to be described below is mounted and hung are
disposed in the guide channel 34 on which a side of the guide slot
35 is disposed. The plurality of hook recesses 36 are spaced along
a length direction.
[0033] Protruding jaws 37 horizontally protrude from inner lower
ends of front and rear surfaces of the external case 32,
respectively. The protruding jaws 37 prevent the internal case 33
from being separated from the external case 32 to support
protrusions 46 to be described below. The protruding jaws 37 are
enough to support the protrusions 46, and may be designed in
various forms. For example, the protruding jaws 37 are vertically
extend from the rear surface of the external case 32 into the
storage space 32S thereof.
[0034] A guide rib 41 which is mounted on and guided by the guide
slot 35 is respectively disposed on the outer surfaces of the both
sides of the internal case 33. The guide rib 41 is mounted inside
the guide slot 35, and at the same time vertically slides.
[0035] A pair of protruding arms 42 and 42' which extends from an
upper end of the guide rib 41 in an upward direction by a
predetermined length is disposed at an upper portion of the guide
rib 41. In fact, a cut recess 43 is disposed in an upper central
portion of the guide rib 41 by a predetermined length to provide
the pair of protruding arms 42 and 42'. As the cut recess 43 is
disposed, the protruding arms 42 and 42' are elastically deformable
in a perpendicular direction with respect to a length direction of
the guide slot 35.
[0036] The hook protrusion 44 hung to the guide channel 34 in which
the plurality of hook recesses 36 are disposed protrudes from an
upper portion of a side surface of the protruding arm 42. Since the
hook protrusion 44 is mounted on the hook recesses 36, a movement
of the guide rib 41 is limited in upward and downward
directions.
[0037] In this embodiment, the guide rib 41 is formed by an
injection molding. The protruding arms 42 and 42' are elastically
deformable in the perpendicular direction with respect to the
length direction of the guide slot 35 due to the cut recess 43.
Alternatively, the hook protrusion 44 may have a plate spring shape
without providing the cut recess 43. Thus, the hook protrusion 44
may be elastically deformable.
[0038] The protrusions 46 which are mounted on top surfaces of the
protruding jaws 37 are respectively disposed on outer upper ends of
the front and rear surfaces of the internal case 33. The protrusion
46 is mounted on the protruding jaw 37 to prevent the internal case
33 from being completely separated from the storage space 32S of
the external case 32.
[0039] In this embodiment, in case that the storage spaces 32S and
33S of external case 32 and the internal case 33 completely
overlaps, the ice bank 30 has an ice storage capacity corresponding
to a capacity of the storage space 33S of the internal case 32. In
case that the storage space 32S of the internal case 33 is
completely spaced from the storage space 33S of the external case
32, the ice bank 30 has an ice storage capacity corresponding to
the sum of the capacities of the storage spaces 33S and 33S of the
internal case 32 and the external case 33.
[0040] Hereinafter, various states of the ice storage capacity
according to an embodiment will be described.
[0041] FIGS. 4 to 6 are views illustrating various states of the
ice storage capacity of the ice bank according to a preferred
embodiment.
[0042] Referring to FIG. 4, in case that a small amount of the ice
cubes is required, the internal case 33 is mounted inside the
storage space 32S thereof to overlap the internal case 33 with the
external case 32. For this, the hook protrusion 44 is mounted on
the hook recess 36 which is disposed at a highest position among
the plurality of hook recesses 36. An ice storage capacity of the
ice bank 30 is substantially the same as that of the storage space
33S of the internal case 33.
[0043] Referring to FIG. 5, to increase the ice storage capacity of
the ice bank 30, the internal case 33 is pull in a downward
direction with respect to the external case 32. The internal case
33 is moved with respect to the external case 32 to elastically
deform the protruding arm 42 in a moment, thereby separating the
hook protrusion 44 from the hook recess 36. Thereafter, the hook
protrusion 44 is mounted on a different hook recess 36 adjacent to
the separated hook recess 36. Therefore, the internal case 33 is
moved with respect to the external case 32 by a distance at which
the hook protrusion 44 is moved between the hook recesses 36. The
storage space of the ice bank 30 increases corresponding to a
distance at which the internal case 33 is moved with respect to the
external case 32.
[0044] Referring to FIG. 6, to further increase the ice storage
capacity of the ice bank 30 compared to that of the ice bank of
FIG. 5, the internal case 33 is further pull in the downward
direction with respect to the external case 32. The hook protrusion
44 is mounted on the hook recess 36 which is disposed at a lowest
position among the plurality of hook recesses 36. Therefore, the
ice stage capacity of the ice bank 30 approximately corresponds to
the sum of the capacities of the storage spaces 33S and 33S of the
internal case 33 and the external case 32. While a detailed
description is not given in the present specification, in case that
a small amount of ice cubes is required, the capacity of the ice
bank 30 may decrease, and a storage space of the refrigerator may
increase to use the storage space for other purposes.
[0045] The embodiment may be embodied in many different forms by
those who intend to infringe scope of the present disclosure.
Exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure will be further
described below.
[0046] The guide slot 35 and the guide rib 41 may be disposed on
the external case 32 and the internal case 33, respectively. On the
other hand, a guide slot may be disposed on an outer surface of an
internal case, and a guide rib may be disposed at a position which
corresponds to the guide slot on an inner surface. Hook recesses
may be disposed in both side surfaces of the guide slot. Hook
protrusions may be disposed on outer surfaces of a pair of
protruding arms such that the hook protrusions are mounted on the
hook recesses to completely limit a movement of an internal
case.
[0047] In the first embodiment, the ice maker 1 passively operates.
The water freezes into the ice cubes in the ice case, and then the
ice cubes is discharged into the ice bank 30 by the user. Again,
the ice case is filled with water. Such processes are repeatedly
performed. Therefore, it is inconvenient for the user. Although a
plurality of ice makers 1 are disposed to gather a large amount of
ice cubes at a time, it is also inconvenient for the user.
[0048] Hereinafter, for overcoming such inconveniences, there is
proposed another embodiment.
[0049] A second embodiment of the present disclosure is identical
to the first embodiment, except that an ice maker which
automatically operates is installed for user convenience.
Therefore, portions without specific description will cite the
description of the first embodiment, and detailed description
thereof will be omitted.
Second Embodiment
[0050] FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a refrigerator in which an
ice bank is emphasized according to a second embodiment.
[0051] Referring to FIG. 7, an ice maker 2 is disposed in an upper
portion of a home bar receiving space 23. The ice maker 2
automatically operates. Water supplied from the outside
automatically freezes into ice cubes, and then the ice cubes is
discharged. Such processes are repeatedly performed in the ice
maker 2. An ice maker which is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 7,237,393
applied by the present applicant of the present disclosure is
applied to the ice maker 2, and descriptions for the ice maker will
be quoted from that of the ice maker 2. Furthermore, an automatic
ice maker having different shapes, which can automatically perform
a water supply function, an ice making function, and an ice
discharging function, as well as the ice maker may be also applied
to various embodiments within scope of the present disclosure.
[0052] The automatic ice maker as described above includes an
ice-overflow sensing lever 3. If a rotation operation of the
ice-overflow sensing lever 3 is hindered due to ice cubes in an ice
bank 30 which are disposed below the ice maker 2, the ice-overflow
sensing lever 3 detects the fully-filled state of the ice bank 30
to stop an operation of the ice maker 2.
[0053] Meanwhile, the ice bank 30 of the embodiment is
characterized in that an amount of receivable ice cubes is varied.
This characteristic will now be described below.
[0054] FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view of the ice bank according
to the second embodiment.
[0055] Referring to FIG. 8, provided are an external case 32 and an
internal case 33. A variable ice receiving space which is defined
as interior spaces of the cases 32 and 33 is identical to that of
the first embodiment, except that the ice receiving space according
to this embodiment is automatically varied.
[0056] In detail, a rack 201 is disposed on an outer wall of the
internal case 33. The external case 32 includes a motor 202 and a
pinion 203. The pinion 203 disposed at a driving end of the motor
202 is engaged with the rack 201. Thus, the pinion 203 is engaged
with the rack 201 to vertically move the rack 201 by a rotation of
the pinion 203. That is, the internal case 33 in which the rack 201
is disposed is vertically moved by a driving force of the motor
202. The ice receiving space decreases when the internal case 33 is
moved in an upward direction. The ice receiving space increases
when the internal case 33 moves in a downward direction.
[0057] In this embodiment, a capacity of the ice bank 30 can be
adjusted by an interaction of the rack 201, the pinion 203, and the
motor 202. An ice bank capacity adjustment is the general term for
these devices. Components of the ice bank capacity adjustment are
not limited to a combination of the rack 201, the pinion 203, and
the motor 202. A plurality of other components, which can perform
the same function as the devices will be easily proposed by a
person of ordinary skill in the art. However, since the ice bank
capacity adjustment may be easily configured by the components
described above, the ice bank capacity adjustment may be easily
manufactured, and manufacturing costs of the ice bank capacity
adjustment may be reduced.
[0058] Hereinafter, operations of the automatic ice maker and the
ice bank capacity adjustment which are described as a main point in
the second embodiment will be described with respect to their
interaction.
[0059] FIG. 9 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of a
refrigerator according to the second embodiment.
[0060] Referring to FIG. 9, a refrigerator includes a control unit
100, an ice maker 101, an ice bank capacity adjustment 103, a
manipulation unit 104, and an alarming unit 102. The ice maker
operates under the control of the control unit 100. The ice bank
capacity adjustment 103 operates under the control of the control
unit 100. A user manipulates an operation of the refrigerator using
the manipulation unit 104. The alarming unit 102 informs a present
state of the refrigerator to the user using sound or light.
[0061] An operation of the refrigerator will now be described
according to the above-described structure of the refrigerator.
[0062] An amount of ice cubes required by the user is inputted
through the manipulation unit 104. The amount of ice cubes may be
limited below a maximum receiving capacity of the ice bank 30.
Thus, the user may do not select the capacity over the maximum
receiving capacity. When the amount of ice cubes is selected, the
ice maker 101 operates under the control of the control unit
100.
[0063] An operation of the ice maker 101 is repeatedly performed.
When an amount of ice cubes detected by the ice-overflow sensing
lever 3 exceeds a present capacity of ice cubes, the ice bank
capacity adjustment 103 operates to increase the present capacity
of the ice cubes by a predetermined capacity. Thereafter, the
operations of the ice maker 101 and the ice bank capacity
adjustment 103 are repeatedly performed. The operation of the ice
maker 101 stops when the amount of ice cubes reaches a capacity
which is first designated by the user. Since an amount of ice cubes
required by the user is set by an amount of ice cubes made by the
ice maker 101, the amount of ice cubes required by the user is
precisely confirmed by the number of operations of the ice maker
101.
[0064] On the other hand, the ice bank capacity adjustment 103 may
be adjusted once such that the capacity of the ice bank 30 is first
adjusted once by the amount of ice cubes required by the user. In
this case, the operation of the ice maker 101 may stop when the
capacity of the ice bank 30 detected by the ice-overflow sensing
lever 3 reaches the amount of ice cubes required by the user. The
alarming unit 102 is configured to generate an alarm to inform any
emergency condition to the user when malfunction occurs during the
operation of the refrigerator or the amount of ice cubes required
by the user reaches its maximum.
[0065] According to the second embodiment, the capacity of the ice
bank 30 is automatically adjusted, and the user does not need to
open the door of the refrigerator in order to supply water to the
manual ice maker 1.
[0066] It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various
modifications and variations can be made in the present disclosure.
Thus, it is intended that the present disclosure covers the
modifications and variations of this disclosure provided they come
within the scope of the appended claims and their equivalents.
INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY
[0067] According to the present disclosure, the ice storage
capacity of the ice bank is varied according to a relative movement
between the external case and the internal case. Therefore, since
the ice storage capacity can be varied according to a required
amount of ice, a sufficient amount of ice cubes can be stored to
increase the user's convenience and efficiently improve the
utilization of interior space of the freezer.
[0068] The user can precisely can obtain the required amount of ice
cubes.
[0069] The interior space of the refrigerator can be further
efficiently utilized.
* * * * *