Ice maker and refrigerator having the ice maker

Abstract

An ice maker according to the embodiment of the present disclosure includes a structure that guides an ejector pin to move precisely into an ice making cell without hitting surrounding components even if the ejector pin moves in titled state. This prevents the inoperability of the ejector and prevents damage to the ejector pin or trays.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An ice maker comprising:
 a first tray which provides a part of an ice making cell for ice making and having an ice outlet communicating with the inside of the ice making cell;   a second tray which provides another part of the ice making cell for ice making and selectively separated from the first tray;   a tray cover coupled to the first tray and having a communication hole matching the ice outlet of the first tray;   a first ejector including an ejector body that is movably disposed on the tray cover and an ejector pin that protrudes from the ejector body and passes through the ice outlet to eject ice in the ice making cell of the first tray; and   a guide member provided on the tray cover and guiding the movement of the ejector pin.   
     
     
         2 . The ice maker of  claim 1 , wherein the guide member is provided around the communication hole formed in the tray cover. 
     
     
         3 . The ice maker of  claim 2 , wherein the guide member is positioned on at least one radiation direction side with respect to the center of the communication hole to guide the movement of the ejector pin. 
     
     
         4 . The ice maker of  claim 2 , wherein the guide member is formed to surround at least a portion of the circumference of the communication hole. 
     
     
         5 . The ice maker of  claim 1 , wherein a plurality of ice making cells and ice outlets are provided in the first tray,
 a plurality of communication holes are provided in the tray cover are provided and positioned to coincide with each of the ice outlets,   a plurality of ejector pins are provided and positioned to face each of the communication holes.   
     
     
         6 . The ice maker of  claim 5 , wherein the guide member is positioned around at least one of the communication holes to guide the ejector pin that passes through the communication hole and enters the ice outlet. 
     
     
         7 . The ice maker of  claim 1 , wherein the guide member is provided around a communication hole formed at the center of the tray cover among the communication holes or communication holes formed at a position symmetrical to each other with respect to the center of the tray cover. 
     
     
         8 . The ice maker of  claim 1 , wherein at least a part of the guide member has a protruding end that protrudes inward of the communication hole so as to be adjacent to or in contact with the ejector pin when viewed from the moving direction of the ejector pin. 
     
     
         9 . The ice maker of  claim 8 , wherein the bottom surface of the protruding end formed on the guide member is formed to be spaced apart from the surface of the communication hole. 
     
     
         10 . The ice maker of  claim 9 , wherein a separation distance between the bottom surface of the protruding end and the surface of the communication hole is formed to be higher than a height of the water droplet considering the surface tension. 
     
     
         11 . The ice maker of  claim 1 , wherein the end of the ejector pin is formed to be gradually inwardly inclined toward the end. 
     
     
         12 . The ice maker of  claim 1 , wherein a surface of the guide member facing the ejector pin is gradually inclined to be closer to the ejector pin in the moving direction of the ejector pin. 
     
     
         13 . The ice maker of  claim 1 , wherein the first tray has an insertion tube inserted into the communication hole while providing the ice outlet, and the guide member is formed to be spaced apart from the insertion tube. 
     
     
         14 . The ice maker of  claim 13 , wherein a separation distance between the guide member and the end surface of the insertion tube is formed to be higher than the height of the water droplet considering the surface tension. 
     
     
         15 . The ice maker of  claim 1 , wherein the outer circumferential surface of the insertion tube is formed to coincide with the inner circumferential surface of the communication hole, and the inner circumferential surface of the insertion tube is gradually formed to be outwardly inclined toward the end. 
     
     
         16 . The ice maker of  claim 1 , wherein the end surface of the guide member is formed to be higher than the end surface of the ejector pin when the first ejector does not operate. 
     
     
         17 . The ice maker of  claim 1 , wherein the guide member is formed at a height that does not contact the ejector body when the first ejector operates. 
     
     
         18 . A refrigerator comprising:
 a cabinet having a storage compartment;   a refrigerator door that selectively opens and closes the storage compartment of the cabinet; and   an ice maker provided inside the refrigerator door to make an ice,   wherein the ice maker includes:   a first tray which provides a part of an ice making cell for ice making and having a ice outlet communicating with the inside of the ice making cell;   a second tray which provides another part of the ice making cell for ice making and selectively separated from the first tray;   a first ejector including an ejector body that is movably disposed toward the first tray and an ejector pin that protrudes from the ejector body and passes through the ice outlet to eject ice in the ice making cell of the first tray; and   a guide member guiding the movement of the ejector pin.   
     
     
         19 . The refrigerator of  claim 18 , wherein the end of the ejector pin is formed to be gradually inwardly inclined toward the end. 
     
     
         20 . The refrigerator of  claim 18 , wherein the first tray is provided with an insertion tube inserted into a communication hole while providing the ice outlet, and
 wherein the inner circumferential surface of the insertion tube is gradually formed to be outwardly inclined toward the end.