Ice maker and refrigerator including the same

Abstract

Each of an ice maker and a refrigerator includes a first cooling fin extending from a first-row inlet guide along a second direction intersecting a first direction in which inlet guides are arranged, so that the cooling fin extends along a direction in which cold air is introduced, thereby minimizing a cold air flow path resistance and improving cooling efficiency of an ice chamber.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An ice maker comprising:
 an upper tray including a plurality of upper chambers; and   a lower tray including a plurality of lower chambers,   wherein the upper tray includes:
 an upper plate; 
 the plurality of upper chambers extending downwardly of the upper plate and arrange in a plurality of rows, each row extending along a first direction; 
 a plurality of inlet guides respectively communicating with the plurality of upper chambers and extending upwardly of the upper plate, wherein the plurality of inlet guides include first-row inlet guide arranged in a first row and second-row inlet guides arranged in a second row; and 
 a plurality of first cooling fins, each first cooling fin being disposed between the first-row inlet guide and the second-row inlet guides, 
   wherein each first cooling fin extends from each first-row inlet guide along a second direction intersecting the first direction.   
     
     
         2 . The ice maker of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of inlet guides are arranged alternately with each other in a zigzag manner. 
     
     
         3 . The ice maker of  claim 1 , wherein one second-row inlet guide is disposed between the first-row inlet guides adjacent to each other in the first direction,
 wherein one first-row inlet guide is disposed between the second-row inlet guides adjacent to each other in the first direction.   
     
     
         4 . The ice maker of  claim 1 , wherein the ice maker is configured such that cold air introduced into the ice maker flows from a position in rear of the second-row inlet guide, flows through an area between adjacent ones of the second-row inlet guides, and then flows through an area between adjacent ones of the first-row inlet guides and is discharged to an outside out of the ice maker. 
     
     
         5 . The ice maker of  claim 1 , wherein the first cooling fin extends rearwardly from a rear surface of the first-row inlet guide. 
     
     
         6 . The ice maker of  claim 1 , wherein the first cooling fin is disposed between the second-row inlet guides adjacent to each other in the first direction. 
     
     
         7 . The ice maker of  claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of the first cooling fin protrudes upwardly beyond an uppermost surface of the upper plate,
 wherein a height of the first cooling fin is smaller than a height of the inlet guide.   
     
     
         8 . The ice maker of  claim 1 , wherein the first cooling fin includes an inclined surface having a height decreases as the first cooling fin extends rearwardly. 
     
     
         9 . The ice maker of  claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of first cooling fins extends obliquely toward a side from which cold air is introduced into the ice maker. 
     
     
         10 . The ice maker of  claim 1 , wherein the upper chamber is depressed downwardly beyond an uppermost surface of the upper plate,
 wherein an upper surface of the upper chamber includes a curved surface.   
     
     
         11 . The ice maker of  claim 1 , wherein the upper tray further includes a heating wire receiving groove and extending along at least a portion of an outer circumference of each of the inlet guides,
 wherein the heating wire receiving groove is defined by an outer sidewall and an inner sidewall respectively extending along outer and inner side surfaces of the heating wire receiving groove,   wherein one end of the first cooling fin extends to be connected to the inner sidewall.   
     
     
         12 . The ice maker of  claim 1 , wherein the upper tray further includes a plurality of second cooling fins, each second cooling fin being disposed between the first-row inlet guides adjacent to each other. 
     
     
         13 . The ice maker of  claim 12 , wherein the first cooling fins and the second cooling fins are arranged alternately with each other in the first direction. 
     
     
         14 . The ice maker of  claim 12 , wherein the second cooling fin does not protrude upwardly beyond an uppermost surface of the upper plate,
 wherein a height of the second cooling fin is smaller than a height of the first cooling fin.   
     
     
         15 . The ice maker of  claim 12 , wherein each of at least some of the plurality of second cooling fins extends to a front surface of the second-row inlet guide. 
     
     
         16 . The ice maker of  claim 12 , wherein the upper tray further includes a heating wire receiving groove and extending along at least a portion of an outer circumference of each of the inlet guides,
 wherein the heating wire receiving groove is defined by an outer sidewall and an inner sidewall respectively extending along outer and inner side surfaces of the heating wire receiving groove,   wherein one end of the second cooling fin extends to be connected to the inner sidewall.   
     
     
         17 . The ice maker of  claim 16 , wherein a height of the second cooling fin is equal to a height of the inner sidewall. 
     
     
         18 . The ice maker of  claim 1 , wherein the upper tray further includes depressed patterns respectively formed in rear of the plurality of inlet guides,
 wherein the depressed pattern is depressed downwardly beyond the upper plate.   
     
     
         19 . The ice maker of  claim 18 , wherein each depressed pattern is disposed so as to overlap each inlet guide adjacent thereto in the second direction. 
     
     
         20 . A refrigerator comprising:
 at least one storage compartment;   at least one door for opening and closing the storage compartment; and   an ice maker mounted into the storage compartment or the door,   wherein the ice maker includes an ice tray,   wherein the ice tray includes:
 a plate; 
 a plurality of ice chambers extending downward from the plate and arranged in a plurality of rows, each row extending along a first direction; 
 a plurality of inlet guides respectively communicating with the plurality of ice chambers, and extending upwardly of the plate, wherein the plurality of inlet guides include first-row inlet guide arranged in a first row and second-row inlet guides arranged in a second row; and 
 a plurality of first cooling fins, each first cooling fin being disposed between the first-row inlet guide and the second-row inlet guides, 
   wherein each first cooling fin extends from each first-row inlet guide along a second direction intersecting the first direction.