Refrigerator

Abstract

A refrigerator according to the present invention comprises: a storage space in which food is stored; a cooler for supplying cold to the storage space; a first tray assembly constituting a part of an icing cell which is the space in which water is phase-changed to ice by the cold; a second tray assembly constituting another part of the icing cell; a heater located to be adjacent to the first tray assembly and/or the second tray assembly; and a control unit for controlling the heater, wherein the control unit performs controls so that the heater is turned on in at least a partial period while the cooler supplies the cold, and thus air bubbles disintegrating in the water inside the icing cell move to liquid-phase water from a part where ice is generated, thereby enabling transparent ice to be generated, and the degree of cold transfer, which is the amount of cold of the cooler is to be transferred, is different in the first tray assembly and the second tray assembly.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An ice maker comprising:
 a first tray assembly including a first tray and a first tray case;   a second tray assembly including a second tray;   a cell in which liquid is phase-changed into ice, the first tray defining a first portion of the cell and the second tray defining a second portion of the cell;   a heater provided to supply heat to the cell,   wherein the first tray case includes a first tray supporter and a first tray cover,   wherein the first tray cover includes a portion formed of a different material from the first tray in a degree of thermal conductivity or a degree of cold transfer for transferring cold into the space of the cell, and   wherein the first tray supporter includes a portion formed of a different material from the first tray in a degree of thermal conductivity or a degree of cold transfer for transferring cold into the space of the cell, the cold being supplied by a cooler.   
     
     
         2 . The ice maker of  claim 1 , wherein the second tray assembly includes a second tray case. 
     
     
         3 . The ice maker of  claim 2 , wherein the second tray case includes a portion in contact with the second tray and formed as a separate component to the second tray. 
     
     
         4 . The ice maker of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first tray or the second tray include a portion made of a flexible or soft material so that the at least one of the first tray or the second tray is deformed by a pusher and is restored to an original shape in an ice separation process, the pusher includes a column to push out the ice disposed in the cell during the ice separation process. 
     
     
         5 . The ice maker of  claim 4 , wherein the column is provided as a shape of a bar. 
     
     
         6 . The ice maker of  claim 1 , wherein the first tray supporter and the first tray cover are integrally provided, or are coupled to each other after being manufactured in separate configurations. 
     
     
         7 . The ice maker of  claim 6 , wherein the first tray cover includes a portion in contact with the first tray and formed as a separate component to the first tray. 
     
     
         8 . The ice maker of  claim 6 , wherein the first tray supporter includes a portion in contact with the first tray and formed as a separate component to the first tray. 
     
     
         9 . The ice maker of  claim 1 , wherein the heater is disposed in at least one of the first tray assembly or the second tray assembly. 
     
     
         10 . The ice maker of  claim 9 , wherein the heater is configured to be turned on in at least partial section while the cold is supplied so that bubbles dissolved in the liquid within the cell moves from a portion, at which the ice is made, toward the liquid that is in a fluid state to make transparent ice. 
     
     
         11 . The ice maker of  claim 9 , wherein the heater is configured to be turned on so that the ice is separated from at least one of the first tray assembly or the second tray assembly. 
     
     
         12 . The ice maker of  claim 11 , wherein the heater is configured to be turned on in at least a section after an ice making is completed. 
     
     
         13 . The ice maker of  claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of the first tray assembly includes a portion formed of a material different from the second tray assembly. 
     
     
         14 . The ice maker of  claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of the first tray assembly includes a portion formed of a metal material and at least a portion of the second tray assembly is formed of a non-metal material. 
     
     
         15 . An ice maker comprising:
 a first tray assembly including a first tray and a first tray case;   a second tray assembly including a second tray;   a cell in which liquid is phase-changed into ice, the first tray defining a first portion of the cell and the second tray defining a second portion of the ice cell;   wherein the first tray case includes a first tray supporter and a first tray cover,   wherein the first tray cover includes a portion different from the first tray in a degree of thermal conductivity or a degree of cold transfer for transferring cold into the space of the cell, and   wherein the first tray supporter includes a portion different from the first tray in a degree of thermal conductivity or a degree of cold transfer for transferring cold into the space of the cell, the cold being supplied by a cooler.   
     
     
         16 . The ice maker of  claim 15 , wherein:
 the degree of cold transfer for the first tray is defined as at least one of a value determined by a shape including a thickness of the first tray, or a value determined by a material of the first tray,   the degree of cold transfer for the first tray cover is defined as at least one of a value determined by a shape including a thickness of the first tray cover, or a value determined by a material of the first tray cover, and   the degree of cold transfer for the first tray supporter is defined as at least one of a value determined by a shape including a thickness of the first tray supporter, or a value determined by a material of the first tray supporter.   
     
     
         17 . The ice maker of  claim 16 , wherein:
 the degree of cold transfer for the first tray is defined as a value determined by a shape including a thickness of the first tray,   the degree of cold transfer for the first tray cover is defined as a value determined by a shape including a thickness of the first tray cover, and   the degree of cold transfer for the first tray supporter is defined as a value determined by a shape including a thickness of the first tray supporter.   
     
     
         18 . The ice maker of  claim 17 , wherein:
 the shape of the first tray is different from the shape of the first tray cover, and   the shape of the first tray is different from the shape of the first tray supporter.   
     
     
         19 . The ice maker of  claim 16 , wherein:
 the degree of cold transfer for the first tray is defined as a value determined by a material of the first tray,   the degree of cold transfer for the first tray cover is defined as at least on a value determined by a value determined by a material of the first tray cover, and   the degree of cold transfer for the first tray supporter is defined as at least on a value determined by a value determined by a material of the first tray supporter.   
     
     
         20 . The ice maker of  claim 19 , wherein:
 the material of the first tray is different from the material of the first tray cover, and   the material of the first tray is different from the material of the first tray supporter.   
     
     
         21 . A refrigerator comprising:
 a storage chamber; and   an ice maker of  claim 1 .