Ice maker-driving device for refrigerator for operating the same

Abstract

The present invention relates to an ice maker-driving device for a refrigerator and a method for operating the same wherein the ice-making container connected to the ice-separating lever and rotated by initial circuit set is reversely rotated before forward rotation and has a protruded coupling part having a predetermined angle formed on the other side thereof, without any cooperation with the ice-separating lever, so as to be coupled with a case-fixing part, thereby allowing the ice-making container to be twistedly rotated at one side thereof according to the reverse rotation of the ice-separating lever, such that the separation of ice cubes is conducted and also the stress and tense state of the parts caused by their freezing are removed to prevent their malfunction, thereby efficiently achieving the ice-separating and storing operations.

1 . An ice maker-driving device for a refrigerator which is adapted to change water in an ice-making container into ice cubes by the driving of an ice quantity-checking lever and an ice-separating lever according to the transmission of power from a motor by using a plurality of worm and reduction gears mounted in a body thereof, adapted to check the quantity of ice stored in an ice-storing container by means of the ice quantity-checking lever and an ice quantity-checking sensor to rotate the ice-making container in which the ice cubes are filled by 180° by means of the ice-separating lever if the quantity of ice stored in the ice-storing container is in short supply and to fill the ice cubes in the ice-storing container, and adapted to return the ice quantity-checking lever to its original position, stop the movement of the ice-separating lever and return to a stand-by state, if the quantity of ice stored in the ice-storing container is in sufficient supply, the ice maker-driving device comprising:
 a body ( 1 ) having an upper case ( 2 ) and a lower case ( 3 );   a motor ( 13 ) mounted in the lower case ( 3 ) and adapted to be driven by the supply of power thereto;   a worm gear ( 8 ) compressedly fastened to the motor ( 13 ) and rotated by the rotation of the motor ( 13 );   a first wheel gear ( 9 ) adapted to change the rotating direction of the horizontal shaft of the worm gear ( 8 );   a second wheel gear ( 10 ) adapted to be rotated by means of a first reduction gear ( 9 ′) mounted on the flat surface of the first wheel gear ( 9 );   a third wheel gear ( 11 ) adapted to be rotated by means of a second reduction gear ( 10 ′) mounted on the flat surface of the second wheel gear ( 10 );   an ice-separating lever ( 5 ) formed on the upper portion of the third wheel gear ( 11 );   cam section bent parts ( 32 ) and a fixing shaft-coupling part ( 34 ) formed on the underside of the third wheel gear ( 11 );   a stopper ( 12 ) adapted to be fastened to the fixing shaft-coupling part ( 34 );   a stopper-locking projection ( 12 ′) formed on the fixing shaft-coupling part ( 34 ) so as to restrict the operation of a rotary radius control projection ( 23 ) formed on the stopper ( 12 );   a fixing shaft ( 18 ) formed on the lower case ( 3 ) and adapted to be supported by means of the fixing shaft-coupling part ( 34 );   a spin control protrusion ( 19 ) formed on the fixing shaft ( 18 ) and a spin control groove ( 31 ) formed on the stopper ( 12 ) in such a manner as to be coupled between the fixing shaft ( 18 ) and the fixing shaft-coupling part ( 34 ) and to control the operation of a spin lever ( 7 );   a fixing projection ( 33 ) formed on the spin lever ( 7 ) so as to fix the spin lever ( 7 ) by means of a lever-fixing protrusion ( 22 ) formed on the stopper ( 12 );   a cam driving protrusion ( 29 ) adapted to be moved along the cam section bent parts ( 32 ) formed on the underside of the third wheel gear ( 11 ) so as to perform ice quantity checking and signal process;   a cam control protrusion ( 28 ) adapted to be moved along the cam section bent parts ( 32 ) together with the ice-separating lever ( 5 ) formed on the third wheel gear ( 11 );   a magnet ( 27 ) adapted to transmit a signal to a hall sensor ( 39 ) so as to perform the signal process in an organic relation with the movement of the cam control protrusion ( 28 );   a receiving and fixing clip ( 40 ) formed on a check lever ( 6 ) so as to house the magnet ( 27 ) therein;   a check lever spring ( 21 ) adapted to apply predetermined elasticity to the check lever ( 6 ) so as to prevent the malfunctions of parts and ensure the positioning of the check lever ( 6 );   a first spring-fastening part ( 25 ) adapted to fix the check lever spring ( 21 ) thereto;   a first spring-fixing part ( 37 ) formed on the lower case ( 3 ) so as to fix the check lever spring ( 21 ) thereto;   a printed circuit board ( 14 ) with the hall sensor ( 39 ) adapted to receive the signal from the magnetic force of the magnet ( 27 );   the hall sensor ( 39 ) mounted on the printed circuit board ( 14 );   a sensor cover ( 16 ) adapted to protect the hall sensor ( 39 );   a check box ( 17 ) mounted on the printed circuit board ( 14 ) so as to test an initial operation of the body ( 1 );   an interference-preventing groove ( 30 ) formed on the spin lever ( 7 ) so as to avoid the superposing of the spin lever ( 7 ) on the check lever ( 6 ) during the movement of the check lever ( 6 ) and to perform the signal process on the signal received from the magnet ( 27 ), thereby performing effective space utilization of the body ( 1 );   a spin lever spring ( 20 ) adapted to apply predetermined elasticity so as to ensure the positioning of the spin lever ( 7 );   a second spring-fastening part ( 26 ) adapted to fix the spin lever spring ( 20 ) thereto;   a second spring-fixing part ( 38 ) formed on the lower case ( 3 ) so as to fix the spin lever spring ( 20 ) thereto;   a test button ( 24 ) formed on the upper case ( 2 ) and adapted to activate the check box ( 17 ) so as to perform an initial test for the driving of the body ( 1 ); and   an ice quantity-checking lever ( 4 ) adapted to be coupled to a fixing part ( 35 ) of the spin lever ( 7 ) by means of the test button ( 24 ) so as to perform initial ice quantity checking.   
   
   
       2 . The ice maker-driving device according to  claim 1 , wherein the stopper ( 12 ) is fastened directly to the fixing shaft ( 18 ) such that the worm gear ( 8 ), the first to third wheel gears ( 9 ,  10  and  11 ), the ice quantity-checking lever ( 4 ), the ice-separating lever ( 5 ), the check lever ( 6 ), and the spin lever ( 7 ) have predetermined durability against the vibration and impact applied from the inside and outside during the operation of the body ( 1 ). 
   
   
       3 . The ice maker-driving device according to  claim 1 , wherein the check lever ( 6 ) is formed integrally with the cam section bent parts ( 32 ) adapted to have the ice quantity-checking and ice-separating functions, without any separation of an operating part housing the magnet ( 27 ) therein from an operating part operating the ice quantity-checking lever ( 4 ), so as to control the operation between the magnet ( 27 ) and the hall sensor ( 39 ), to reduce the number of parts to cause the malfunctions and error rate of the parts to be decreased, and to obtain a small-sized device. 
   
   
       4 . The ice maker-driving device according to  claim 1 , wherein the printed circuit board ( 14 ) has an uninterruptible stable current supply inductive capacitor ( 15 ) mounted thereon, the capacitor ( 15 ) being adapted to store input power therein and to output stable current therefrom, so as to ensure the long lifespan and stability of the sensor and circuit on the printed circuit board upon over current and to prepare the interruption of the operation of the hall sensor ( 39 ) by an unexpected temporary power supply stop state. 
   
   
       5 . The ice maker-driving device according to  claim 1 , wherein the stopper ( 12 ) is longer in length than the fixing shaft-coupling part ( 34 ) so as to have the spin control protrusion ( 19 ) extended from the thickness of the stopper ( 12 ) forming the spin control groove ( 31 ), thereby rigidly coupling the spin control protrusion ( 19 ) formed on the fixing shaft ( 18 ) to the spin control groove ( 31 ) formed on the stopper ( 12 ). 
   
   
       6 . The ice maker-driving device according to  claim 1 , wherein the second spring-fastening part ( 26 ) of the spin lever ( 7 ) has a spring escape-preventing projection ( 44 ) formed thereon. 
   
   
       7 . The ice maker-driving device according to  claim 1 , wherein the worm gear ( 8 ) has a fixing hole ( 48 ) formed on the distal end thereof so as to be fixedly coupled to the motor ( 13 ), the fixing hole ( 48 ) into which a fixing member ( 49 ) fixedly fitted to the rotary shaft of the motor ( 13 ) is fixedly coupled to transmit the rotary force of the motor ( 13 ) to the worm gear ( 8 ), and wherein the fixing member ( 49 ) is rounded along the front periphery thereof so as to be easily inserted into the fixing hole ( 48 ) of the worm gear ( 8 ) and has a thickness of 2 mm or more so as to be fixedly fitted to the fixing hole ( 48 ) of the worm gear ( 8 ). 
   
   
       8 . The ice maker-driving device according to  claim 1 , wherein the worm gear ( 8 ) rotated by the rotation of the motor ( 13 ) has a mounting protrusion ( 46 ) formed at the front end thereof, and a gear-mounting groove ( 47 ) is formed in the lower case ( 3 ) in such a manner as to be coupled to the mounting protrusion ( 46 ), the gear-mounting groove ( 47 ) being adapted to prevent the worm gear ( 8 ) coupled to the mounting protrusion ( 46 ) from being moved or rolled and having the same length as the mounting protrusion ( 46 ) inserted thereinto or having a predetermined extended length from the length of the mounting protrusion ( 46 ) so as to prevent the worm gear ( 8 ) from being forwardly and backwardly moved.