Ice maker for refrigerator

Abstract

The present invention relates generally to an ice maker for a refrigerator appliance. More particularly, the present invention relates to an ice maker having an ice crushing part for crushing ice cubes into crushed ice, the ice cubes being moved downward from above the ice crushing part for supply thereof. In one embodiment, an ice maker is described for a refrigerator, the ice maker comprising: an ice tray secured to a tray securing part and having multiple recesses for ice making; the tray securing part operable to secure the ice tray and configured to cause the ice tray to be rotated in conjunction with a rotation thereof, such that ice formed in the recesses is discharged downward; and an ice crushing part coupled to a lower surface of the tray securing part and configured to crush ice cubes supplied by a rotation of the ice tray, thereby forming crushed ice. The ice crushing part includes a body portion, a crushing lever, an ice crushing part driver and first and second rotating bodies configured to be rotated by the ice crushing part driver.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An ice maker for a refrigerator appliance, the ice maker comprising:
 an ice tray secured to a tray securing part and comprising a plurality of recesses for making ice;   the tray securing part operable to secure the ice tray and configured to cause the ice tray to rotate in conjunction with rotation thereof, wherein ice formed in the plurality of recesses is discharged in a downward direction; and   an ice crushing part coupled to a lower surface of the tray securing part and configured to produce crushed ice by crushing ice cubes supplied by rotation of the ice tray.   
     
     
         2 . The ice maker of  claim 1 , wherein the ice crushing part comprises:
 a body portion having a quadrangular plate-shaped driver housing disposed at a front side thereof;   a crushing lever positioned on a front surface of the driver housing;   an ice crushing part driver configured to cause first and second rotating bodies to rotate in conjunction with rotation of the crushing lever; and   the first and second rotating bodies having a cylindrical shape and configured to be rotated by the ice crushing part driver.   
     
     
         3 . The ice maker of  claim 2 , wherein the first rotating body rotates in a direction opposite to a direction in which the crushing lever rotates, and wherein further
 the second rotating body rotates in a same direction as the direction in which the crushing lever rotates.   
     
     
         4 . The ice maker of  claim 2 , wherein the tray securing part includes a quadrangular plate-shaped cover configured wherein opposite sides of a lower surface thereof are formed into a quadrangular pillar shape, and wherein
 the driver housing comprises an attachment/detachment recess disposed on an upper surface thereof in a complementary shape with respect to the opposite sides of the lower surface of the cover wherein the opposite sides of the lower surface of the cover are partially inserted into the attachment/detachment recess.   
     
     
         5 . The ice maker of  claim 2 , wherein the body portion further comprises:
 a guide portion provided at one side surface of the driver housing and extending downward in an inclined fashion toward the first or second rotating bodies.   
     
     
         6 . The ice maker of  claim 2 , wherein each of the first and second rotating bodies comprises multiple protrusions radially disposed along an outer circumferential surface thereof. 
     
     
         7 . The ice maker of  claim 6 , wherein each of the protrusions is associated with a blade. 
     
     
         8 . The ice maker of  claim 7 , wherein the guide portion is positioned above the ice crushing part driver and extends wherein an end portion thereof does not cover a distance space, wherein the distance space is defined between the first and second rotating bodies. 
     
     
         9 . The ice maker of  claim 3 , wherein the second rotating body is spaced apart from the first rotating body by a predetermined distance, and wherein the predetermined distance is shorter than a horizontal maximum length and a vertical maximum length of each of the recesses of the ice tray. 
     
     
         10 . The ice maker of  claim 3 , wherein the first rotating body is positioned at a right side with respect to a front orientation while the second rotating body is positioned at a left side with respect to a front orientation, and wherein
 when the crushing lever is rotated in a clockwise direction, the first and second rotating bodies rotate in a fashion from upward to downward toward a distance space defined therebetween.   
     
     
         11 . The ice maker of  claim 3 , wherein the ice crushing part driver comprises:
 a central gear positioned on a rear surface of the crushing lever wherein a rotational center thereof is coupled to the crushing lever, wherein the central gear rotates in conjunction with rotation of the crushing lever rotated in one direction wherein the central gear and the crushing lever rotate in a same direction;   a first rotary gear positioned at a first side of the central gear to engage with the central gear;   a second rotary gear positioned at a second side of the central gear to engage with the central gear; and   a third rotary gear positioned at a side of the second rotary gear which is free of engagement with the central gear to engage with the second rotary gear.   
     
     
         12 . The ice maker of  claim 11 , wherein each of the first to third rotary gears is disposed at a center thereof with a female screw shaft having a female thread formed on an inner surface thereof, wherein
 the first rotating body having a first insertion protrusion disposed on a front surface thereof and operable to serve as a rotary shaft, wherein the first insertion protrusion has a male thread formed on an outer surface thereof for insertion into the female screw shaft of the first rotary gear, and wherein   the second rotating body having a second insertion protrusion disposed on a front surface thereof and operable to serve as a rotary shaft, wherein the second insertion protrusion having a male thread formed on an outer surface thereof for insertion into the female screw shaft of the third rotary gear.   
     
     
         13 . The ice maker of  claim 6 , further comprising:
 an ice bank operable for storing ice supplied from above and having a coupling recess formed on an upper surface thereof into a complementary shape to opposite sides of a lower surface of either of the cover and the body portion wherein the opposite sides of the lower surface of either of the cover and the body portion are partially inserted into the coupling recess, wherein   the driver housing has a predetermined-shaped bank insertion portion disposed at each side of a lower surface thereof to be partially inserted into the coupling recess of the ice bank.   
     
     
         14 . An ice maker for a refrigerator appliance, the ice maker comprising:
 an ice tray secured to a tray securing part and having a plurality of recesses for ice making;   the tray securing part operable for securing the ice tray and configured to rotate the ice tray in conjunction with a rotation thereof, wherein ice formed in the recesses is discharged in a downward direction; and   an ice crushing part coupled to a lower surface of the tray securing part and configured to produce crushed ice by crushing ice cubes supplied by rotation of the ice tray,   wherein the ice crushing part comprises:   a body portion having a quadrangular plate-shaped driver housing disposed at a front side thereof;   a crushing lever positioned on a front surface of the driver housing; and   an ice crushing part driver configured to rotate first and second rotating bodies in opposite directions when the crushing lever is rotated in one direction, wherein the first and second rotating bodies are positioned at a rear surface of the driver housing and extend rearward therefrom.   
     
     
         15 . The ice maker of  claim 14 , wherein the second rotating body is spaced apart from the first rotating body by a predetermined distance, and the predetermined distance is shorter than a horizontal maximum length and a vertical maximum length of each of the recesses of the ice tray. 
     
     
         16 . The ice maker of  claim 15 , wherein when the crushing lever is rotated in a clockwise direction, the first and second rotating bodies rotate in a fashion from upward to downward toward a distance space defined between the first and second rotating bodies. 
     
     
         17 . The ice maker of  claim 14 , wherein the tray securing part is configured wherein a side of a lower surface thereof is formed into a complementary shape to a side of an upper surface of the ice crushing part, enabling the tray securing part to be readily attachable to, and detachable from, the ice crushing part. 
     
     
         18 . The ice maker of  claim 17 , further comprising:
 an ice bank operable for storing ice supplied from above and having a coupling recess disposed on an upper surface thereof into a same shape as the side of the lower surface of the tray securing part wherein a side of either of the tray securing part and the ice crushing part is partially inserted into the coupling recess, and wherein   the ice crushing part has a bank insertion portion formed at a side of a lower surface thereof into a complementary shape to a side of the upper surface of the ice bank.   
     
     
         19 . A refrigerator appliance comprising:
 a plurality of components for performing a refrigeration cycle;   at least one compartment for storing food items therein;   an opening and closing device for selectively opening and closing the compartment; and   an ice maker, the ice maker comprising:
 an ice tray secured to a tray securing part and having a plurality of recesses for ice making; 
 the tray securing part operable for securing the ice tray and configured to rotate the ice tray in conjunction with a rotation thereof, wherein ice formed in the recesses is discharged in a downward direction; and 
 an ice crushing part coupled to a lower surface of the tray securing part and configured to produce crushed ice by crushing ice cubes supplied by rotation of the ice tray, wherein the ice crushing part comprises: 
 a body portion having a quadrangular plate-shaped driver housing disposed at a front side thereof; 
 a crushing lever positioned on a front surface of the driver housing; and 
 an ice crushing part driver configured to rotate first and second rotating bodies in opposite directions when the crushing lever is rotated in one direction, wherein the first and second rotating bodies are positioned at a rear surface of the driver housing and extend rearward therefrom. 
   
     
     
         20 . The refrigerator appliance of  claim 19 , wherein the second rotating body is spaced apart from the first rotating body by a predetermined distance, and the predetermined distance is shorter than a horizontal maximum length and a vertical maximum length of each of the recesses of the ice tray.