Ice Maker and Refrigerator Having Same

Abstract

An ice maker and a refrigerator having the same are disclosed. The refrigerator may include 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 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 guide unit has a front end in front of the ice tray, and is configured to flow the cold air from a top the guide unit into a space above the ice tray.

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 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 guide unit has a front end in front of the ice tray, and is configured to flow the cold air from a top of the guide unit into a space above the ice tray. 
   
     
     
         2 . The refrigerator according to  claim 1 , wherein the rotation unit includes:
 an ice removing shaft in or above the ice tray and having a preset length; and   a drive or drive housing in front of the guide unit, configured to provide power to and/or to rotate the ice removing shaft.   
     
     
         3 . The refrigerator according to  claim 2 , wherein the cold air from the guide unit is blocked by the drive housing. 
     
     
         4 . The refrigerator according to  claim 1 , wherein the guide unit comprises a first side wall, the ice tray comprises a second side wall, and each of the first and second side walls has a height corresponding to each other, and the ice maker further includes a passage through which the cold air flows, between the second side wall and the first side wall. 
     
     
         5 . The refrigerator according to  claim 4 , wherein the ice maker further includes a cover unit on or above the ice tray, and the cover unit includes a third side wall at a side of the cover unit in or along a width direction, extending toward the first side wall by a preset length. 
     
     
         6 . The refrigerator according to  claim 5 , wherein the third side wall is partially or fully coplanar with the side wall. 
     
     
         7 . The refrigerator according to  claim 1 , wherein the rotation unit includes the drive and the drive housing, the drive housing encloses or houses the drive, and the drive is configured to rotate the ice removing shaft. 
     
     
         8 . The refrigerator according to  claim 7 , wherein the drive comprises a motor. 
     
     
         9 . 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 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 guide unit comprises a first side wall, the ice tray comprises a second side wall, and each of the first and second side walls has a height corresponding to each other, and the ice maker further includes a passage through which the cold air flows, between the second side wall and the first side wall. 
   
     
     
         10 . The refrigerator according to  claim 9 , wherein the ice maker further includes a cover unit on or above the ice tray, and the cover unit includes a third side wall at a side of the cover unit in or along a width direction, extending toward the first side wall by a preset length. 
     
     
         11 . The refrigerator according to  claim 10 , wherein the third side wall is partially or fully coplanar with the side wall. 
     
     
         12 . The refrigerator according to  claim 9 , wherein the rotation unit includes the drive and the drive housing, the drive housing encloses or houses the drive, and the drive is configured to rotate the ice removing shaft. 
     
     
         13 . The refrigerator according to  claim 12 , wherein the drive comprises a motor. 
     
     
         14 . 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 guide unit has a front end in front of the ice tray, and is configured to flow the cold air from a top of the guide unit into a space above the ice tray.   
     
     
         15 . The ice maker according to  claim 14 , wherein the guide unit comprises a first side wall, the ice tray comprises a second side wall, and each of the first and second side walls has a height corresponding to each other. 
     
     
         16 . The ice maker according to  claim 15 , further comprising a passage through which the cold air flows, between the second side wall and the first side wall. 
     
     
         17 . The refrigerator according to  claim 1 , wherein the rotation unit includes a drive and a drive housing, the drive housing encloses or houses the drive, and the drive is configured to rotate the ice removing shaft. 
     
     
         18 . The refrigerator according to  claim 17 , wherein the drive comprises a motor.