Apparatus and method for making ice for a refrigerator

Abstract

An apparatus for making ice for a refrigerator. The apparatus includes an ice making compartment configured to accommodate an ice tray and to store ice therein, and a first refrigerant pipe configured to move cold air that is circulated by a refrigeration cycle. At least one side surface of the ice making compartment is made of an iron plate material. One side surface of the ice tray is formed within a body comprising a cooling plate, wherein the cooling plate comes in direct contact with a side wall comprising the iron plate material. The first refrigerant pipe is attached to an outer surface of the side wall comprising the iron plate material by an aluminum tape.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An apparatus for making ice for a refrigerator, comprising:
 an ice making compartment configured to accommodate an ice tray and to store ice therein; and   a first refrigerant pipe configured to move cold air that is circulated by a refrigeration cycle,   wherein at least one side surface of a side wall of the ice making compartment is made of an iron plate material, one side surface of the ice tray is formed within a body comprising a cooling plate, wherein the cooling plate comes in direct contact with the side wall comprising the iron plate material, and the first refrigerant pipe is attached to an outer surface of the side wall comprising the iron plate material by an aluminum tape.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a second refrigerant pipe configured to move the cold air that is circulated by the cooling cycle,   wherein an upper wall of the ice making compartment is made of an iron plate material, and the second refrigerant pipe is attached to the outer surface of the upper wall by an aluminum tape.   
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the side wall, an upper wall, and a lower wall of the ice making compartment are made of an iron plate material. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein ribs for maintaining an isolation thickness are attached to a lower wall of the ice making compartment and a side wall that opposes the side wall comprising the iron plate material. 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 4 , wherein the ribs make the ice making compartment spaced apart from a liner, wherein the ribs define an isolation thickness. 
     
     
         6 . A method for making ice for a refrigerator, comprising:
 providing a refrigerant that is circulated by a cooling cycle to a first refrigerant pipe;   transferring cold air by heat conduction from the first refrigerant pipe to at least one side wall of an ice making compartment; and   transferring the cold air by heat conduction from the at least one side wall of the ice making compartment to a cooling plate that is formed in a body with one side surface of an ice tray accommodated in the ice making compartment,   wherein the at least one side surface of the ice making compartment is made of an iron plate material, the cooling plate comes in direct contact with a side wall of the iron plate material, and the first refrigerant pipe is attached to an outer surface of the side wall of the iron plate material by an aluminum tape.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , further comprising:
 providing the refrigerant that is circulated by the cooling cycle to a second refrigerant pipe;   transferring cold air by heat conduction from the second refrigerant pipe to an upper wall of the ice making compartment; and   transferring the cold air by thermal convection from the upper wall into the ice making compartment,   wherein the upper wall is made of an iron plate material, and the second refrigerant pipe is attached to an outer surface of the upper wall by an aluminum tape.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the side wall, an upper wall, and a lower wall of the ice making compartment are made of an iron plate material 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 7 , further comprising:
 attaching ribs for maintaining an isolation thickness to a lower wall of the ice making compartment and a side wall that opposes the side wall comprising the iron plate material.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the ribs make the ice making compartment spaced apart from a liner, wherein the ribs define an isolation thickness. 
     
     
         11 . A refrigerator, comprising:
 a freezer chamber located within a main body of the refrigerator;   a refrigeration chamber located within the main body of the refrigerator; and   an apparatus for making ice, wherein the apparatus comprises:
 an ice making compartment configured to accommodate an ice tray and to store ice therein; and 
 a first refrigerant pipe configured to move cold air that is circulated by a refrigeration cycle, 
 wherein at least one side surface of a side wall of the ice making compartment is made of an iron plate material, one side surface of the ice tray is formed within a body comprising a cooling plate, wherein the cooling plate comes in direct contact with the side wall comprising the iron plate material, and the first refrigerant pipe is attached to an outer surface of the side wall comprising the iron plate material by an aluminum tape. 
   
     
     
         12 . The refrigerator of  claim 11 , further comprising:
 a second refrigerant pipe configured to move the cold air that is circulated by the cooling cycle,   wherein an upper wall of the ice making compartment is made of an iron plate material, and the second refrigerant pipe is attached to the outer surface of the upper wall by an aluminum tape.   
     
     
         13 . The refrigerator of  claim 11 , wherein the side wall, an upper wall, and a lower wall of the ice making compartment are made of an iron plate material. 
     
     
         14 . The refrigerator of  claim 11 , wherein ribs for maintaining an isolation thickness are attached to a lower wall of the ice making compartment and a side wall that opposes the side wall comprising the iron plate material. 
     
     
         15 . The refrigerator of  claim 14 , wherein the ribs make the ice making compartment spaced apart from a liner, wherein the ribs define an isolation thickness.