Refrigerator including ice maker and method for collecting defrost water of the same

Abstract

Embodiments of the present invention provide a refrigerator, comprising a main body having a food storage compartment therein, a door installed on the main body and having an ice compartment therein and for opening and closing the food storage compartment, a compressor, a condenser, and an expansion valve that are installed in the door, an ice maker installed in the ice compartment, the ice maker comprising a tray configured to receive and contain water therein, and a refrigerant pipe line coupling the compressor, the condenser, and the expansion valve to each other and configured to cool the tray by conduction, and wherein the ice maker further comprises a heater disposed on a perimeter of the tray and a drain duct disposed below the tray and configured to collect defrost water, and wherein a portion of the heater extends into the drain duct.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A refrigerator, comprising:
 a main body having a food storage compartment therein;   a door installed on the main body and comprising an ice compartment therein and for opening and closing the food storage compartment;   a compressor, a condenser, and an expansion valve disposed in the door;   an ice maker disposed in the ice compartment, the ice maker comprising a tray configured to receive and contain water therein; and   a refrigerant pipe line configured to couple the compressor, the condenser, and the expansion valve to each other and configured to cool the tray by conduction; and   wherein the ice maker further comprises:   a heater disposed on a perimeter of the tray; and   a drain duct disposed below the tray and configured to collect defrost water, and   wherein a portion of the heater extends into the drain duct.   
     
     
         2 . The refrigerator of  claim 1 , wherein the tray functions as an evaporator of a cooling cycle for producing ice in the ice maker. 
     
     
         3 . The refrigerator of  claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of the refrigerant pipe line is configured to contact a lower surface of the tray. 
     
     
         4 . The refrigerator of  claim 1 , wherein the heater comprises a heating rod with a protrusion part extending from a portion of the heating rod into the drain duct. 
     
     
         5 . The refrigerator of  claim 1 , further comprising a machinery compartment disposed in the door,
 wherein the machinery compartment and the ice compartment are partitioned from each other by an insulator, and   wherein the compressor and the condenser are disposed in the machinery compartment.   
     
     
         6 . A method for collecting defrost water of a refrigerator, the method comprising:
 interrupting an ice-making operation of an ice maker disposed in a door of the refrigerator;   driving a heater disposed on a perimeter of a tray, the tray disposed in the ice maker and configured to receive and contain water therein, and removing frost formed on the tray of the ice maker; and   collecting defrost water, formed by phase change of the frost, in a drain duct into which at least a portion of the heater extends.   
     
     
         7 . An apparatus comprising:
 an ice maker disposed in an ice compartment, the ice maker comprising a tray configured to receive and contain water therein; and   a refrigerant pipe line configured to couple a compressor, a condenser, and an expansion valve to each other and configured to cool the tray by conduction; and   wherein the ice maker further comprises:   a heater disposed on a perimeter of the tray; and   a drain duct disposed below the tray and configured to collect defrost water, and   wherein a portion of the heater extends into the drain duct.   
     
     
         8 . The refrigerator of  claim 7 , wherein the tray functions as an evaporator of a cooling cycle for producing ice in the ice maker. 
     
     
         9 . The refrigerator of  claim 7 , wherein at least a portion of the refrigerant pipe line is configured to contact a lower surface of the tray. 
     
     
         10 . The refrigerator of  claim 7 , wherein the heater comprises a heating rod with a protrusion part extending from a portion of the heating rod into the drain duct. 
     
     
         11 . The refrigerator of  claim 7 , further comprising a machinery compartment disposed in the door,
 wherein the machinery compartment and the ice compartment are partitioned from each other by an insulator, and wherein   the compressor and the condenser are disposed in the machinery compartment.