Ice-making device and refrigerator including the same

Abstract

An ice making device for a refrigerator including a cold air generation system and a circulation unit. An ice maker is disposed within an ice-making room and configured to produce ice. The cold air generation system can supply cold air to the ice-making room in the ice making device. A circulation unit is disposed within the ice-making room to drive cold air into the ice-making room. The circulation unit may include a fan motor and an air guide.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An ice-making device comprising:
 an ice-making room comprising an internal space;   a cold air generation system connected to the ice-making room and configured to supply cold air into the ice-making room; and   an ice maker disposed in the ice-making room and configured to produce ice;   a circulation unit disposed in the ice-making room and being operable to facilitate cold air circulation in the ice-making room,   wherein the circulation unit comprises: a fan motor configured to drive cold air; and an air guide configured to guide a cold air flow.   
     
     
         2 . The ice-making device of  claim 1 , wherein the air guide comprises
 a first route portion configured to guide cold air toward an inside of the ice maker; and   a second route portion configured to guide cold air toward an outside of the ice maker.   
     
     
         3 . The ice-making device of  claim 2 , wherein the first route portion faces an upper surface of the ice maker and comprises at least one first cold air flow hole formed on one surface of the first route portion facing the upper surface of the ice maker. 
     
     
         4 . The ice-making device of  claim 2 , wherein the second route portion faces a side surface of the ice maker and comprises at least one second cold air flow hole formed on one surface of the second route portion. 
     
     
         5 . The ice-making device of  claim 4 , wherein a total area of the first cold air flow hole is greater than a total area of the second cold air flow hole. 
     
     
         6 . The ice-making device of  claim 2 , wherein the fan motor is coupled to one of the first route portion and the second route portion to drive cold air toward the air guide. 
     
     
         7 . The ice-making device of  claim 2 , wherein the first route portion and the second route portion are injection-molded as one piece. 
     
     
         8 . The ice-making device of  claim 1 , wherein the air guide has a substantially L-like overall shape. 
     
     
         9 . The ice-making device of  claim 1  further comprising:
 an ice bucket disposed under the ice maker and configured to store ice produced in the ice maker. 
 
     
     
         10 . The ice-making device of  claim 1 , wherein the cold air generation system comprises:
 a cooling duct providing a cold air flow path;   an evaporation coil surrounding at least a portion of the cooling duct to generate cold air through heat exchange by using a refrigerant;   a compressor configured to phase-convert the refrigerant discharged from the evaporation coil to a gas-phase refrigerant;   a condenser configured to phase-convert a gas-phase refrigerant to a liquid-phase refrigerant;   an expansion valve configured to depressurize the liquid-phase refrigerant and to supply the liquid-phase refrigerant to the evaporation coil; and   a heater configured to defrost the cooling duct.   
     
     
         11 . The ice-making device of  claim 1 , wherein the ice-making room comprises:
 an intake port operable to receive cold air generated in the cold air generation system; and   an exhaust port operable to discharge cold air from the ice-making room, wherein the exhaust port is disposed below the intake port.   
     
     
         12 . The ice-making device of  claim 11 , wherein the fan motor is disposed at a front end of the intake port and the air guide is disposed at a front end of the fan motor. 
     
     
         13 . A refrigerator comprising:
 a main body;   an ice-making device coupled to the main body and comprising:
 an ice-making room comprising an internal space; 
 a cold air generation system coupled to the ice-making room and configured to supply cold air into the ice-making room; 
 an ice maker disposed in the ice-making room and configured to produce ice; and 
 a circulation unit disposed in the ice-making room and operable to facilitate cold air circulation in the ice-making room, 
 wherein the circulation unit comprises: a fan motor configured to drive cold air; and an air guide configured to guide a cold air flow. 
   
     
     
         14 . The refrigerator of  claim 13 , wherein the air guide comprises
 a first route portion configured to guide cold air toward inside of the ice maker; and   a second route portion configured to guide cold air toward outside of the ice maker.   
     
     
         15 . The refrigerator of  claim 14 , wherein the first route portion faces an upper surface of the ice maker and comprises at least one first cold air flow hole formed on one surface of the first route portion facing the upper surface of the ice maker. 
     
     
         16 . The refrigerator of  claim 14 , wherein the second route portion faces a side surface of the ice maker and comprises at least one second cold air flow hole formed on one surface of the second route portion. 
     
     
         17 . The refrigerator of  claim 16 , wherein a total area of the first cold air flow hole is greater than a total area of the second cold air flow hole. 
     
     
         18 . The refrigerator of  claim 14 , wherein the fan motor is coupled to one of the first route portion and the second route portion to drive cold air toward the air guide. 
     
     
         19 . The refrigerator of  claim 14 , wherein the first route portion and the second route portion are injection-molded as one piece. 
     
     
         20 . The refrigerator of  claim 13 , wherein the ice-making room comprises:
 an intake port operable to receive cold air generated in the cold air generation system; and   an exhaust port operable to discharge cold air from the ice-making room, wherein the exhaust port is disposed below the intake port.