Refrigerator

Abstract

The refrigerator includes: a first tray forming a part of ice-making cells which are where water changes phase into ice due to cold air; a second tray forming the other part of the ice-making cells; and a temperature sensor for sensing the temperature of the water or ice in the ice-making cells, wherein the temperature sensor comes into contact with the first tray and/or the second tray.

1 . An ice maker comprising:
 a first tray having a first portion of a cell;   a second tray having a second portion of the cell, the first portion and the second portion being configured to define a space formed by the cell in which a liquid is phase-changed into ice;   a first tray case configured to be coupled to the first tray;   a second tray case configured to be coupled to the second tray; and   a temperature sensor configured to detect a temperature of the liquid or the ice in the space of the cell and disposed adjacent to at least one of the first tray or the second tray,   wherein the cell is provided in plurality, and includes one ice making cell and another ice making cell disposed nearer to a cold air hole, through which cold air flows, than the one ice making cell,   wherein the temperature sensor includes a portion disposed between the one ice making cell and the another ice making cell, and   wherein the ice maker further comprises a bracket manufactured as a separate component from the first tray case and configured to be coupled to the first tray case, the cold air hole being formed at the bracket.   
     
     
         2 . The ice maker of  claim 1 , further comprising a liquid supply configured to supply the liquid,
 wherein the liquid supply is installed at the bracket, and   the cold air hole includes a portion spaced apart from the liquid supply.   
     
     
         3 . The ice maker of  claim 1 , wherein the temperature sensor is positioned so that a minimum of a first distance between the cold air hole and the temperature sensor is less than a minimum of a second distance between the cold air hole and the one ice making cell, and the minimum of the second distance between the one ice making cell and the cold air hole is greater than a minimum of a third distance between the another ice making cell and the cold air hole. 
     
     
         4 . The ice maker of  claim 1 , wherein the temperature sensor is positioned so that a first distance between the cold air hole and the temperature sensor is less than a second distance between the cold air hole and the one ice making cell, and the second distance between the one ice making cell and the cold air hole is greater than a third distance between the another ice making cell and the cold air hole. 
     
     
         5 . The ice maker of  claim 1 , wherein the second tray is moved by a driver motor from an ice making position to an ice separation position for an ice separation process to separate the ice from the cell after completion of an ice making process. 
     
     
         6 . An ice maker comprising:
 a first tray having a first portion of a cell;   a first tray case configured to be coupled to the first tray;   a second tray having a second portion of the cell, the first portion and the second portion being configured to define a space formed by the cell in which a liquid is phase-changed into ice;   a temperature sensor configured to detect a temperature of the liquid or the ice in the space of the cell and disposed adjacent to at least one of the first tray or the second tray; and   a second tray case configured to be coupled to the second tray;   wherein the cell is provided in plurality, and includes one ice making cell and another ice making cell disposed nearer to a cold air hole, through which cold air flows, than the one ice making cell,   wherein the temperature sensor includes a portion being disposed between the one ice making cell and the another ice making cell.   
     
     
         7 . The ice maker of  claim 6 , wherein the second tray is movable relative to the first tray. 
     
     
         8 . The ice maker of  claim 7 , wherein the second tray is moved by a driver motor from an ice making position to an ice separation position for an ice separation process to separate the ice from the cell after completion of an ice making process. 
     
     
         9 . The ice maker of  claim 6 , wherein the first tray includes a surface contacting with the second tray in an ice making process. 
     
     
         10 . The ice maker of  claim 9 , wherein the temperature sensor includes a portion spaced apart from the surface of the first tray in the ice making process. 
     
     
         11 . The ice maker of  claim 6 , further comprising a liquid supply configured to supply the liquid,
 wherein the liquid supply is installed on the bracket, and the cold air hole includes a portion spaced apart from the liquid supply.   
     
     
         12 . An ice maker comprising:
 a first tray having a first portion of a cell;   a second tray having a second portion of the cell, the first portion and the second portion being configured to define a space formed by the cell in which a liquid is phase-changed into ice;   a heater provided adjacent to at least one of the first tray or the second tray; and   a temperature sensor configured to detect a temperature of the liquid or the ice in the space of the cell, and positioned to be spaced apart from the heater,   wherein the second tray is movable relative to the first tray,   wherein the first tray includes a surface contacting with the second tray in an ice making process,   wherein the first tray includes a sensor accommodation region in which the temperature sensor is accommodated, and   wherein the first portion of the cell and the second portion of the cell are arranged in a first direction, and   wherein the sensor accommodation region includes:
 a first wall extending in the first direction; and 
 a second wall facing the first wall and spaced apart from the first wall, 
 the temperature sensor being accommodated between the first wall and the second wall. 
   
     
     
         13 . The ice maker of  claim 12 , wherein the temperature sensor includes a portion spaced apart from the surface of the first tray in the ice making process. 
     
     
         14 . The ice maker of  claim 12 , further comprising a first tray case configured to be coupled to the first tray. 
     
     
         15 . The ice maker of  claim 12 , further comprising a second tray case configured to be coupled to the second tray. 
     
     
         16 . The ice maker of  claim 12 , further comprising a bracket manufactured as a separate part from the first tray case and configured to be coupled to the first tray case. 
     
     
         17 . The ice maker of  claim 12 , wherein the second tray is moved by a driver motor from an ice making position to an ice separation position for an ice separation process to separate the ice from the cell after completion of the ice making process. 
     
     
         18 . The ice maker of  claim 12 , wherein the cell defined by the first tray and the second tray includes one ice making cell and another ice making cell, and
 the temperature sensor includes a portion positioned between the one ice making cell and the another ice making cell.   
     
     
         19 . The ice maker of  claim 18 , wherein the one ice making cell and the another ice making cell are arranged in a second direction, and the temperature sensor overlaps the one ice making cell and the another ice making cell in the second direction. 
     
     
         20 . The ice maker of  claim 12 , wherein the sensor accommodation region is recessed toward the second tray.