Refrigerator

Abstract

The present invention relates to a refrigerator. A refrigerator of the present invention may comprise: a first tray assembly forming a part of an ice making cell; and a second tray assembly forming another part of the ice making cell. The first tray assembly includes a first tray defining a part of the ice making cell and a first tray case supporting the first tray, and the second tray assembly includes a second tray defining another part of the ice making cell and a second tray case supporting the second tray. One of the first and second tray cases includes a first par having a shape corresponding to the ice making cell and a second part extending from a certain point of the first part so as to support one of the first tray and the second tray.

1 . An ice maker comprising:
 a cell in which liquid is phase-changed into ice;   a first tray assembly including a first tray, the first tray defining a first portion of the cell; and   a second tray assembly including a second tray and a second tray case, the second tray including defining a second portion of the cell,   wherein the second tray case includes a first portion having a shape corresponding to the second portion of the cell, and a second portion extending from a point of the first portion of the second tray case by a first length,   wherein the first length of the second portion of the second tray case is greater than a distance from a center of the cell to an outer circumferential surface of the cell.   
     
     
         2 . The ice maker of  claim 1 , wherein a heat conduction path defined by the second portion of the second tray case is greater than a distance from a center of the cell to an outer circumferential surface of the cell. 
     
     
         3 . The ice maker of  claim 1 , wherein the first length of the second portion of the second tray case is greater than a radius of the cell. 
     
     
         4 . The ice maker of  claim 1 , wherein the second portion of the second tray case includes:
 a first part having a portion extending in a first direction by a second length; and   a second part extending in the same direction as the first part by a third length.   
     
     
         5 . The ice maker of  claim 1 , wherein the second portion of the second tray case includes:
 a first part having a portion extending in a first direction by a second length; and   a third part extending in a direction different from the first part by a third length.   
     
     
         6 . The ice maker of  claim 4 , wherein the first length is a sum of the second length and the third length. 
     
     
         7 . The ice maker of  claim 5 , wherein the first length is a sum of the second length and the third length. 
     
     
         8 . The ice maker of  claim 1 , wherein the second portion of the second tray case includes:
 a first part having a portion extending in a first direction by a second length; and   a second part and a third part which are branched from the first part, the second part extending by a third length and the third part extending by a fourth length.   
     
     
         9 . The ice maker of  claim 8 , wherein the first length is a sum of the second length, the third length and the fourth length. 
     
     
         10 . The ice maker of  claim 1 , wherein the second tray case includes a second tray cover and a second tray supporter. 
     
     
         11 . The ice maker of  claim 10 , wherein the second tray cover and the second tray supporter are integrally formed. 
     
     
         12 . The ice maker of  claim 10 , wherein the second tray cover and the second tray supporter are coupled to each other after being manufactured in separate configurations. 
     
     
         13 . The ice maker of  claim 10 , wherein the second tray supporter includes:
 a first portion supporting the second tray; and   a second portion extending from a predetermined point of the first portion of the second tray supporter by a first length, and   wherein the first length of the second portion of the second tray supporter is greater than a distance from a center of the cell to an outer circumferential surface of the cell.   
     
     
         14 . An ice maker comprising:
 a cell in which liquid is phase-changed into ice;   a first tray assembly including a first tray, the first tray defining a first portion of the cell; and   a second tray assembly including a second tray and a second tray case, the second tray including defining a second portion of cell,   wherein the second tray case includes a first portion having a shape corresponding to the second portion of the cell, and a second portion extending from a point of the first portion,   wherein the second portion of the second tray case includes a first part extending in a first direction, and a third part extending in a second direction different from the first part, and   wherein the second direction is a direction away from the first portion of the cell.   
     
     
         15 . An ice maker comprising:
 a cell in which liquid is phase-changed into ice;   a first tray assembly including a first tray, the first tray defining a first portion of the cell; and   a second tray assembly including a second tray and a second tray case, the second tray including defining a second portion of cell,   wherein the second tray case includes a first portion having a shape corresponding to the second portion of the cell, and a second portion extending from a point of the first portion,   wherein the second portion of the second tray case includes a first part extending in a first direction, and a third part extending in a second direction different from the first part, and   wherein the second direction is a direction away from the first tray.   
     
     
         16 . The ice maker of  claim 14 , wherein the first tray assembly includes a first tray case, and
 the second direction is a direction away from the first tray case.   
     
     
         17 . The ice maker of  claim 15 , wherein the first tray assembly includes a first tray case, and
 the second direction is a direction away from the first tray case.   
     
     
         18 . A refrigerator comprising:
 a storage chamber configured to store food; and   an ice maker of  claim 1 ,   wherein the ice maker includes a heater provided to supply heat to the cell, the heater is operated while the ice is being formed so that gas bubbles dissolved in the liquid within the cell move from a portion of space where the liquid that has phase-changed into the ice to another portion of the space where the liquid is in a fluid state.   
     
     
         19 . A refrigerator comprising:
 a storage chamber configured to store food; and   an ice maker of  claim 14 ,   wherein the ice maker includes a heater provided to supply heat to the cell, the heater is operated while the ice is being formed so that gas bubbles dissolved in the liquid within the cell move from a portion of space where the liquid that has phase-changed into the ice to another portion of the space where the liquid is in a fluid state.   
     
     
         20 . A refrigerator comprising:
 a storage chamber configured to store food; and   an ice maker of  claim 15 ,   wherein the ice maker includes a heater provided to supply heat to the cell, the heater is operated while the ice is being formed so that gas bubbles dissolved in the liquid within the cell move from a portion of space where the liquid that has phase-changed into the ice to another portion of the space where the liquid is in a fluid state.