Refrigerator

Abstract

A refrigerator includes a cabinet defining a refrigerating compartment and a freezing compartment, a refrigerating compartment door, an ice bank mounted on the refrigerating compartment door, and a dispenser disposed under the ice bank. The refrigerator also includes an ice maker provided in the freezing compartment, a transfer member connected to the ice maker and configured to transfer ice made in the ice maker to the ice bank, and an ice chute connecting an outlet of the transfer member to the ice bank. The ice chute defines an ice transfer passage between the transfer member and the ice bank. The refrigerator further includes a stopper disposed on a discharge end of the ice chute and configured to block discharge of ice from the ice chute in a state in which the refrigerating compartment door is opened.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A refrigerator comprising:
 a cabinet defining a refrigerating compartment and a freezing compartment;   a refrigerating compartment door configured to open and close at least a portion of the refrigerating compartment;   an ice bank mounted on the refrigerating compartment door and configured to store ice therein;   a dispenser disposed under the ice bank and configured to dispense ice stored in the ice bank;   an ice maker provided in the freezing compartment and configured to make ice;   a transfer member connected to the ice maker and configured to transfer ice made in the ice maker to the ice bank;   an ice chute connecting an outlet of the transfer member to the ice bank, the ice chute defining an ice transfer passage between the transfer member and the ice bank; and   a stopper disposed on a discharge end of the ice chute and configured to block discharge of ice from the ice chute in a state in which the refrigerating compartment door is opened.   
     
     
         2 . The refrigerator according to  claim 1 , wherein the stopper has a shape that covers the discharge end of the ice chute and has a plurality of flaps defined by a plurality of cutoff lines that are arranged radially from a center of the stopper. 
     
     
         3 . The refrigerator according to  claim 2 , wherein the stopper applies resistance to ice passing through the stopper and bends to enable ice pushed with a sufficient amount of force to discharge and the stopper is made of a flexible material that restores to its original position after ice passes therethrough. 
     
     
         4 . The refrigerator according to  claim 2 , wherein the stopper is made of a silicon material. 
     
     
         5 . The refrigerator according to  claim 2 , wherein a cool air hole is defined in a center of the stopper, the cool air hole having a diameter that is less than a diameter of an ice piece that passes through the stopper. 
     
     
         6 . The refrigerator according to  claim 1 , wherein the stopper comprises a damper configured to rotate to open and close at least a portion of the discharge end of the ice chute. 
     
     
         7 . The refrigerator according to  claim 6 , wherein a rotation shaft of the damper is disposed above the discharge end of the ice chute, and
 the damper applies resistance to ice passing through the stopper and rotates to enable ice pushed with a sufficient amount of force to discharge through the stopper and the stopper returns to its original position by a self-weight thereof after the ice passes therethrough.   
     
     
         8 . The refrigerator according to  claim 6 , further comprising a spring coupled to a rotation shaft of the damper,
 wherein the damper applies resistance to ice passing through the stopper and rotates to enable ice pushed with a sufficient amount of force to discharge through the stopper and the stopper returns to its original position by a restoring force of the spring after the ice passes therethrough.   
     
     
         9 . The refrigerator according to  claim 1 , further comprising a support member connecting the discharge end of the ice chute to the stopper,
 wherein the stopper is coupled to the support member.   
     
     
         10 . The refrigerator according to  claim 1 , wherein the stopper is coupled to the discharge end of the ice chute. 
     
     
         11 . The refrigerator according to  claim 1 , wherein the stopper is coupled to a sidewall of the refrigerating compartment corresponding to the discharge end of the ice chute. 
     
     
         12 . The refrigerator according to  claim 2 , wherein the ice maker is configured to make spherical ice pieces. 
     
     
         13 . The refrigerator according to  claim 12 , wherein the ice maker comprises:
 an upper tray comprising a first recess part recessed in a hemispherical shape; and   a lower tray comprising a second recess part recessed in a hemispherical shape, the upper tray and the lower tray being arranged such that the first recess part is recessed away from the lower tray and the second recess part is recessed away from the upper tray.   
     
     
         14 . A refrigerator comprising:
 a cabinet defining a freezing compartment therein, the cabinet having an open side;   a door configured to open and close to expose and cover at least a portion of the open side of the cabinet;   an ice bank disposed on a back surface of the door and configured to store ice;   an ice maker disposed within the cabinet and configured to make ice;   a transfer member connected to the ice maker and configured to transfer ice made in the ice maker to the ice bank;   an ice chute connecting an outlet of the transfer member to the ice bank, the ice chute defining an ice transfer passage between the transfer member and the ice bank; and   a stopper disposed on a discharge end of the ice chute and configured to interfere with discharge of ice from the ice chute.   
     
     
         15 . The refrigerator according to  claim 14 , wherein the stopper comprises a front part disposed on the discharge end of the ice chute, and
 a plurality of flaps defined by radial cuts made to the front part of the stopper.   
     
     
         16 . The refrigerator according to  claim 15 , wherein the plurality of flaps bend toward an inside of the ice bank based on the transfer member transferring an ice piece to the ice bank through the stopper. 
     
     
         17 . The refrigerator according to  claim 14 , wherein the stopper is detachably coupled to the discharge end of the ice chute. 
     
     
         18 . The refrigerator according to  claim 14 , wherein at least a portion of the stopper is disposed within the ice bank in a state in which the door covers the open side of the cabinet. 
     
     
         19 . The refrigerator according to  claim 14 , wherein the ice maker is configured to make spherical ice pieces. 
     
     
         20 . The refrigerator according to  claim 19 , wherein the ice maker comprises:
 an upper tray comprising a first recess part recessed in a hemispherical shape; and   a lower tray comprising a second recess part recessed in a hemispherical shape, the upper tray and the lower tray being arranged such that the first recess part is recessed away from the lower tray and the second recess part is recessed away from the upper tray.