Refrigerator and ice making method thereof

Abstract

Refrigerator and an ice making method thereof are disclosed. The refrigerator, comprises a main body configured to form an appearance of the refrigerator, a storage space installed within the main body, a door configured to open and close the storage space, an ice making chamber provided in the door, a cooling duct configured to allow cooling air to be movable in a longitudinal direction, and provided in the main body to have both ends connected to the ice making chamber such that the cooling air circulates to the ice making chamber, and an evaporation coil installed in the cooling duct and configured cool air to the cooling air through heat exchanging with a refrigerant.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A refrigerator, comprising:
 a main body;   a storage space installed within the main body;   a door configured to open and close the storage space;   an ice making chamber provided in the door;   a cooling duct configured to allow cooling air to flow in a longitudinal direction, and disposed in the main body with both ends connected to the ice making chamber wherein the cooling air circulates to the ice making chamber; and   an evaporation coil disposed in the cooling duct and configured to cool air to generate cooling air through heat exchanging with a refrigerant.   
     
     
         2 . The refrigerator of  claim 1 , wherein the evaporation coil is configured to function as an evaporator of a refrigerating cycle and cool the cooling duct through conduction. 
     
     
         3 . The refrigerator of  claim 1 , wherein the cooling duct comprises:
 a cooling channel configured to extend in a substantially longitudinal direction within the cooling duct wherein the cooling air may flow therein;   a first duct hole provided at one end of the cooling channel to supply the cooling air to the ice making chamber; and   a second duct hole provided at the other end of the cooling channel to receive the cooling air from the ice making chamber.   
     
     
         4 . The refrigerator of  claim 3 , wherein in the cooling duct, the cooling air flows from a lower end of the cooling duct to an upper end thereof. 
     
     
         5 . The refrigerator of  claim 3 , wherein the first duct hole is coupled to an upper portion of the ice making chamber and the second duct hole is coupled to a lower portion of the ice making chamber. 
     
     
         6 . The refrigerator of  claim 1 , wherein the cooling duct is bent in a vertical direction of the main body wherein the cooling duct is sloped in a forward direction of the main body of the refrigerator within a refrigerating chamber. 
     
     
         7 . The refrigerator of  claim 1 , wherein the cooling duct is disposed in the main body of the refrigerator and the ice making chamber is installed in a refrigerating chamber of the door of the refrigerator, and
 wherein both ends of the cooling duct are selectively connected to the ice making chamber depending on opening and closing of the refrigerating chamber door.   
     
     
         8 . The refrigerator of  claim 5 , wherein the cooling duct is bent to have a “ ” shape or a “C” shape in a forward direction of the main body. 
     
     
         9 . An ice making method of a refrigerator, the method comprising:
 supplying a refrigerant to an evaporation coil;   supplying air to a cooling duct with the evaporation coil wound therearound;   cooling the air to produce cooling air through heat exchange between the air and the refrigerant;   supplying the cooling air to an ice making chamber for producing ice;   discharging the cooling air within the ice making chamber to the cooling duct; and   recooling the discharged cooling air in the cooling duct.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the cooling the air to produce cooling air through heat exchanging between the air and the refrigerant comprises having cooling air along the cooling channel of the cooling duct for a predetermined period of time so as to be cooled to be cooling air having a temperature lower than a predetermined temperature. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the cooling duct extends in a substantially longitudinal direction. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the cooling the air to produce the cooling air is performed with an evaporation coil configured to cool air within the cooling duct. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the supplying of the cooling air to an ice making chamber is performed through a first opening and the discharging of the cooling air within the ice making chamber to the cooling duct is performed through a second opening. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the first opening is above the second opening. 
     
     
         14 . A refrigerator, comprising:
 a body comprising a storage area;   a door configured to open and close with respect to the storage area;   an ice making chamber disposed in the door;   a cooling duct configured to supply cooling air to the ice making chamber wherein the cooling air flows to the ice making chamber; and   an evaporation module disposed in the cooling duct and configured to cool air to generate the cooling air through heat exchanging.   
     
     
         15 . The refrigerator of  claim 14 , wherein the evaporation module is configured to function as an evaporator of a refrigerating cycle and cool the cooling duct through conduction. 
     
     
         16 . The refrigerator of  claim 14 , wherein the cooling duct comprises:
 a cooling channel extending in a substantially longitudinal direction within the cooling duct.   
     
     
         17 . The refrigerator of  claim 16 , wherein the cooling duct comprises:
 a first duct hole at one end of the cooling channel to supply the cooling air to the ice making chamber; and   a second duct hole at the other end of the cooling channel to receive air from the ice making chamber.   
     
     
         18 . The refrigerator of  claim 17 , wherein the cooling air flows from the second duct to the first duct. 
     
     
         19 . The refrigerator of  claim 17 , wherein the first duct hole is connected to an upper portion of the ice making chamber and the second duct hole is connected to a lower portion of the ice making chamber. 
     
     
         20 . The refrigerator of  claim 14 , wherein the cooling duct is sloped in a forward direction with respect to the body of the refrigerator.