Ice Maker and Refrigerator Having Same

Abstract

An ice maker and a refrigerator having the same are disclosed. The refrigerator includes a main body having a storage room therein; a door on the main body, configured to open and close the storage room; and an ice maker in the storage room, wherein the ice maker includes an ice tray having an accommodation unit configured to contain water and a heat transfer unit on or coupled to a bottom or lowermost surface of the accommodation unit; a guide unit under the ice tray, forming a path for flowing cold air; an ice bucket under the guide unit and comprising a container having a concave center portion; and a rotation unit configured to move the ice in the ice tray to the ice bucket.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A refrigerator comprising:
 a main body having a storage room therein;   a door on the main body, configured to open and close the storage room; and   an ice maker in the storage room, wherein the ice maker includes:
 an ice tray having an accommodation unit configured to contain water and a heat transfer unit on or coupled to a bottom or lowermost surface of the accommodation unit; 
 a guide unit under the ice tray, forming a path for flowing cold air; 
 an ice bucket under the guide unit and comprising a container having a concave center portion; and 
 a rotation unit configured to move the ice in the ice tray to the ice bucket. 
   
     
     
         2 . The refrigerator according to  claim 1 , wherein the heat transfer unit has heat transfer fins on a bottom or lowermost surface thereof 
     
     
         3 . The refrigerator according to  claim 2 , wherein the heat transfer fins are oriented linearly along a length of the ice tray. 
     
     
         4 . The refrigerator according to  claim 2 , wherein the heat transfer fins include:
 first heat transfer fins on outermost sides of the ice tray; and   second heat transfer fins between the first heat transfer fins, having a width or thickness that varies according to a position along the length of the ice tray.   
     
     
         5 . The refrigerator according to  claim 1 , wherein the heat transfer unit has a width that is larger at the bottom than at a top of the heat transfer unit. 
     
     
         6 . The refrigerator according to  claim 5 , wherein the heat transfer unit has heat transfer fins on the bottom or lowermost surface thereof, wherein the heat transfer fins are sloped toward an outside of the heat transfer unit. 
     
     
         7 . The refrigerator according to  claim 2 , wherein the heat transfer fins have a thickness gradually decreasing from a top to a bottom of the heat transfer unit. 
     
     
         8 . An ice maker comprising:
 an ice tray configured to contain water;   a guide unit under the ice tray, forming a path for flowing cold air;   an ice bucket under the guide unit and comprising a container having a concave center portion; and   a rotation unit configured to move the ice in the ice tray to the ice bucket, wherein the ice tray includes:
 an accommodation unit configured to contain water; and 
 a heat transfer unit on or coupled to a bottom or lowermost surface of the accommodation unit. 
   
     
     
         9 . The ice maker according to  claim 8 , wherein the heat transfer unit has heat transfer fins on a bottom or lowermost surface thereof 
     
     
         10 . The ice maker according to  claim 9 , wherein the heat transfer fins have a thickness gradually decreasing from a top to a bottom of the heat transfer unit. 
     
     
         11 . The ice maker according to  claim 8 , wherein the heat transfer unit has a width that is larger at the bottom than at a top of the heat transfer unit. 
     
     
         12 . The ice maker according to  claim 8 , further comprising a heater in contact with a bottom surface of the ice tray, configured to heat the bottom surface of the ice tray. 
     
     
         13 . The ice maker according to  claim 12 , wherein the heater heats the bottom surface of the ice tray when ice in the ice tray is transferred to the ice bucket by the rotation unit. 
     
     
         14 . The ice maker according to  claim 8 , wherein the heat transfer fins are oriented linearly along a length of the ice tray. 
     
     
         15 . The ice maker according to  claim 14 , wherein the heat transfer fins include:
 first heat transfer fins on outermost sides of the ice tray; and   second heat transfer fins between the first heat transfer fins, having a width or thickness that varies according to a position along the length of the ice tray.   
     
     
         16 . The ice maker according to  claim 15 , wherein the first heat transfer fins are planar and have a rectangular shape as viewed along a width of the ice tray.