Ice maker and refrigerator including the same

Abstract

Each of an ice maker and a refrigerator has a fixing structure disposed between lower chambers adjacent to each other and constructed to fasten a lower tray and a lower supporter to each other. Thus, even when an ice chamber is deformed, unintended deformation of structures other than the ice chamber is minimized, and deformation amounts respectively applied to the ice chambers are substantially equal to each other, thereby reducing ice-removal failure.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An ice maker comprising:
 an upper tray including a plurality of upper chambers;   a lower tray including a plurality of lower chambers;   a lower supporter supporting a lower portion of the lower tray; and   a lower cover restraining the lower tray and the lower supporter,   wherein the lower tray and the lower supporter are fixed to each other by a fixing structure, wherein the fixing structure is disposed between the lower chambers adjacent to each other and is constructed to fasten the lower tray and the lower supporter to each other.   
     
     
         2 . The ice maker of  claim 1 , wherein the fixing structure includes:
 an insertion protrusion formed on the lower tray so as to protrude downwardly of the lower tray; and   a slot defined in the lower supporter, wherein the insertion protrusion passes through the slot.   
     
     
         3 . The ice maker of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of lower chambers are arranged in a plurality of rows including a first row and a second row,
 wherein the insertion protrusion is disposed between the first row and the second row.   
     
     
         4 . The ice maker of  claim 3 , wherein the insertion protrusion continuously extends along an area between the first row and the second row. 
     
     
         5 . The ice maker of  claim 3 , wherein the insertion protrusion includes a plurality of insertion protrusions arranged along an area between the first row and the second row and spaced from each other. 
     
     
         6 . The ice maker of  claim 2 , wherein the insertion protrusion extends in a curved manner along an outer circumference of the lower chamber. 
     
     
         7 . The ice maker of  claim 2 , wherein the insertion protrusion extends along a center line in a width direction of the lower tray. 
     
     
         8 . The ice maker of  claim 2 , wherein the insertion protrusion includes:
 a protrusion body; and   a hook portion extending from the protrusion body, wherein a width of the hook portion decreases as the hook portion extends downwardly, such that the hook portion passes through the slot.   
     
     
         9 . The ice maker of  claim 8 , wherein a width of the protrusion body is smaller than a largest width of the hook portion. 
     
     
         10 . The ice maker of  claim 9 , wherein each protrusion rib is formed at each of both opposing ends in a length direction of the insertion protrusion,
 wherein each protrusion rib has a protrusion body and a hook portion extending from the protrusion body, wherein a width of the protrusion body of the rib is equal to the largest width of the hook portion of the rib.   
     
     
         11 . The ice maker of  claim 1 , wherein the ice maker further comprises a lower ejector configured to press a lower surface of the lower chamber during an ice-removal operation,
 wherein a fastening direction in which the fixing structure fastens the lower tray and the lower supporter to each other is the same as a direction in which the lower ejector presses the lower surface of lower chamber.   
     
     
         12 . The ice maker of  claim 1 , wherein the lower tray is made of a material softer than a material of each of the upper tray, the lower supporter, and the lower cover. 
     
     
         13 . An ice maker comprising:
 an upper tray including a plurality of upper chambers;   a lower tray including a plurality of lower chambers;   a lower supporter supporting a lower portion of the lower tray; and   a lower cover constructed to press the lower tray and the lower supporter in opposite directions to each other, respectively, thereby restraining the lower tray and the lower supporter.   
     
     
         14 . The ice maker of  claim 13 , wherein the lower cover is constructed to be assembled to the lower tray and the lower supporter in a swing manner so as to surround a front surface and a rear surface of each of the lower tray and the lower supporter. 
     
     
         15 . The ice maker of  claim 13 , wherein the lower cover includes:
 a front wall including a first front stopping step portion pressing the lower supporter in an upward direction and a second front stopping step portion pressing the lower tray in a downward direction; and   a rear wall including a first rear stopping step portion pressing the lower supporter in an upward direction and a second rear stopping step portion pressing the lower tray in a downward direction.   
     
     
         16 . The ice maker of  claim 15 , wherein a size of an area where the first rear stopping step portion contacts the lower supporter is larger than a size of an area where the first front stopping step portion contacts the lower supporter. 
     
     
         17 . The ice maker of  claim 15 , wherein the first rear stopping step portion extends further inwardly of the lower supporter beyond the first front stopping step portion. 
     
     
         18 . 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 upper tray including a plurality of upper chambers; 
 a lower tray including a plurality of lower chambers; 
 a lower supporter supporting a lower portion of the lower tray; and 
 a lower cover restraining the lower tray and the lower supporter, 
   wherein the lower tray and the lower supporter are fixed to each other using a fixing structure, wherein the fixing structure is disposed between the lower chambers adjacent to each other and is constructed to fasten the lower tray and the lower supporter to each other.   
     
     
         19 . The refrigerator of  claim 18 , wherein the lower cover is constructed to press the lower tray and the lower supporter in opposite directions to each other, respectively, thereby restraining the lower tray and the lower supporter. 
     
     
         20 . The refrigerator of  claim 18 , wherein the lower cover is constructed to be assembled to the lower tray and the lower supporter in a swing manner so as to surround a front surface and a rear surface of each of the lower tray and the lower supporter.