Ice tray in an ice making device and method of producing ice

Abstract

According to an embodiment, A refrigerator including an ice tray, comprising: a main body including a food storage space; a door installed in the main body and configured to open and close the food storage space; and an ice-making device installed in the food storage space, wherein the ice-making device comprises a case including a cooling space defined therein, a cooling unit configured to cool the cooling space, and an ice-making assembly disposed in the cooling space and configured to produce pieces of ice, the ice-making assembly including an ice tray having a plurality of independently-defined ice-making spaces and manufactured by pressing a metal at one time and a water supply unit configured to supply water to the ice-making spaces, the water supply unit comprises a feeder pipe configured to feed water to the ice-making assembly, and a water supply pipe coupled to the feeder pipe and disposed above the ice tray to extend along a longitudinal direction of the ice tray, and a plurality of water supply holes is formed in the water supply pipe in the positions corresponding to the ice-making spaces so that water is supplied to the respective ice-making spaces through the respective water supply holes.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A refrigerator including an ice tray, comprising:
 a main body including a food storage space;   a door installed on the main body and configured to open and close the food storage space; and   an ice-making device installed in the food storage space, wherein the ice-making device includes: a case including a cooling space defined therein; a cooling unit configured to cool the cooling space; and an ice-making assembly disposed in the cooling space and configured to produce pieces of ice, the ice-making assembly includes:   an ice tray having a plurality of independently-defined ice-making spaces; and   a water supply unit configured to supply water to the ice-making spaces, the water supply unit includes:
 a feeder pipe configured to feed water to the ice-making assembly; and 
 a water supply pipe coupled to the feeder pipe and disposed above the ice tray, the water supply pipe includes a plurality of water supply holes formed in positions corresponding to the ice-making spaces so that water is supplied to the respective ice-making spaces through the respective water supply holes. 
   
     
     
         2 . The refrigerator of  claim 1 , wherein the diameter of the water supply holes grows larger as the water supply holes are positioned farther away from the feeder pipe. 
     
     
         3 . The refrigerator of  claim 1 , wherein a heater configured to heat the water supply pipe is provided on the water supply pipe in such a fashion as to surround an outer circumference of the water supply pipe. 
     
     
         4 . The refrigerator of  claim 3 , wherein a heater waterproof member configured to prevent the heater from making contact with water is provided outside the heater in such a fashion as to surround the heater and the outer circumference of the water supply pipe. 
     
     
         5 . An ice tray of an ice-making device, comprising:
 a tray body configured to provide ice-making spaces that retain water; and   a plurality of partition walls extending upward from a bottom surface of the tray body and configured to define the ice-making spaces as a plurality of independent ice-making spaces,   wherein the tray body and the partition walls are made of a metallic material and are manufactured by a press work at one time.   
     
     
         6 . The ice tray of  claim 5 , wherein the tray body and the partition walls are made a material selected from a group consisting of stainless steel, copper and copper alloy. 
     
     
         7 . A method of producing ice comprising:
 filling an ice tray with water from a feeder pipe that has holes aligned to ice making spaces of the ice tray;   supplying cold air to the ice tray and water; and   ejecting resulting pieces of ice from the ice tray.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7  further comprising supplying the water to the feeder pipe from a water supply pipe. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8  wherein an amount of water supplied to the ice-making spaces becomes uniform. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 7  further comprising heating the feeder pipe and water supply pipe to prevent ice clogging the respective feeder pipe and water supply pipe. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 7  further comprising using a heater waterproof member to reduce moisture contact with a heater. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 7  further comprising heating the ice tray to facilitate release of the piece of ice. 
     
     
         13 . An ice-making device comprising:
 a case including a cooling space defined therein,   a cooling unit configured to cool the cooling space, and an ice-making assembly disposed in the cooling space and configured to produce pieces of ice, the ice-making assembly including an ice tray having a plurality of independently-defined ice-making spaces; and   a water supply unit configured to supply water to the ice-making spaces, the water supply unit includes:
 a feeder pipe configured to feed water to the ice-making assembly; and 
 a water supply pipe coupled to the feeder pipe and disposed above the ice tray, the water supply pipe includes a plurality of water supply holes formed in positions corresponding to the ice-making spaces so that water is supplied to the respective ice-making spaces through the respective water supply holes. 
   
     
     
         14 . The ice-making device of  claim 13 , wherein the diameter of the water supply holes grows larger as the water supply holes are positioned farther away from the feeder pipe. 
     
     
         15 . The ice making device of  claim 13 , wherein a heater configured to heat the water supply pipe is provided in the water supply pipe in such a fashion as to surround an outer circumference of the water supply pipe. 
     
     
         16 . The ice-making device of  claim 15 , wherein a heater waterproof member configured to prevent the heater from making contact with water is provided outside the heater in such a fashion as to surround the heater and the outer circumference of the water supply pipe. 
     
     
         17 . The ice-making device of  claim 13 , wherein the ice tray include:
 a tray body configured with ice-making spaces that retain water; and   a plurality of partition walls extending upward from a bottom surface of the tray body and configured to define the ice-making spaces as a plurality of independent ice-making spaces.   
     
     
         18 . The ice-making device of  claim 17 , wherein the tray body and the partition walls are made of a metallic material and are manufactured by a press work at one time. 
     
     
         19 . The ice-making device of  claim 17 , wherein the tray body and the partition walls are made of a material selected from a group consisting of stainless steel, copper and copper alloy.