Ice maker and refrigerator

Abstract

An ice maker includes: an upper tray defining an upper chamber that is a portion of an ice chamber; a lower tray rotatable relative to the upper tray and defining a lower chamber that is another portion of the ice chamber disposed under the upper chamber; an upper heater disposed around the upper tray for providing heat to the upper chamber; and a lower heater disposed around the lower tray for providing heat to the lower chamber. In an ice making position, a distance from a horizontal central line passing a contact surface of the upper tray and the lower tray to the upper heater is shorter than a distance from the horizontal central line to the lower heater.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An ice maker comprising:
 a tray defining a chamber for making an ice;   a case configured to fix the tray; and   a heater configured to heat the tray,   wherein the case comprises a heater coupling part for coupling the heater.   
     
     
         2 . The ice maker of  claim 1 , wherein the heater coupling part comprises a heater accommodation groove formed in a recessed shape, and
 wherein the heater contacts the tray in a state in which the heater is accommodated in the heater accommodation groove.   
     
     
         3 . The ice maker of  claim 2 , wherein a portion of the heater protrudes to an outside of the heater accommodation groove in the state in which the heater is accommodated in the heater accommodation groove. 
     
     
         4 . An ice maker comprising:
 a first tray defining a first chamber that is a portion of an ice chamber for making ice;   a case configured to fix the first tray;   a second tray defining a second chamber that is a remaining portion of the ice chamber; and   a heater configured to heat the first tray,   wherein the case comprises a heater coupling part for coupling the heater.   
     
     
         5 . The ice maker of  claim 4 , wherein the heater coupling part comprises a heater accommodation groove formed in a recessed shape, and
 whereon the heater contacts the first tray in a state in which the heater is accommodated in the heater accommodation groove.   
     
     
         6 . The ice maker of  claim 4 , wherein the first tray comprises an accommodation part for accommodating the heater coupling part, and
 wherein the accommodation part is disposed in a shape that surrounds the first chamber.   
     
     
         7 . The ice maker of  claim 6 , wherein the first tray comprises a tray body defining the first chamber, and
 wherein the accommodation part is provided by recessing one surface of the tray body in a direction opposite to a recessing direction of the first chamber.   
     
     
         8 . The ice maker of  claim 6 , wherein, in a state in which the heater coupling part is accommodated in the accommodation part, the heater contacts a bottom surface of the accommodation part. 
     
     
         9 . The ice maker of  claim 4 , wherein the case comprises a plate configured to fix the first tray,
 wherein the plate comprises a recess that is recessed in a first direction in which the first tray is positioned, and   wherein the heater coupling part is provided in the recess.   
     
     
         10 . The ice maker of  claim 9 , wherein the heater coupling part comprises a heater accommodation groove defined by recessing a portion of the recess in a second direction opposite to the first direction. 
     
     
         11 . The ice maker of  claim 4 , wherein the heater coupling part comprises a heater accommodation groove configured to accommodate the heater, and
 wherein a portion of the heater protrudes to an outside of the heater accommodation groove in a state in which the heater is accommodated in the heater accommodation groove.   
     
     
         12 . The ice maker of  claim 11 , wherein the heater accommodation groove is defined by an outer wall and an inner wall, and
 wherein at least one separation prevention protrusion is provided on at least one of the outer wall and the inner wall.   
     
     
         13 . The ice maker of  claim 12 , wherein the separation prevention protrusion protrudes from an end of the inner wall toward the outer wall. 
     
     
         14 . The ice maker of  claim 12 , wherein the heater comprises:
 a round portion disposed along a circumference of the first chamber; and   a linear portion connecting to the round portion, and   wherein the separation prevention protrusion is disposed to contact the round portion.   
     
     
         15 . The ice maker of  claim 11 , wherein a through-opening is defined in a bottom surface of the heater accommodation groove. 
     
     
         16 . The ice maker of  claim 15 , wherein the heater coupling part further comprises a separation prevention protrusion configured to prevent the heater accommodated in the heater accommodation groove from being separated from the heater accommodation groove, and
 wherein the through-opening is defined in a portion of the heater facing the separation prevention protrusion.   
     
     
         17 . A refrigerator comprising an ice maker,
 wherein the ice maker comprises:
 a tray defining an ice chamber for making an ice; 
 a case configured to fix the tray; and 
 a heater configured to heat the tray, and 
   wherein the case comprises a heater coupling part for coupling the heater.   
     
     
         18 . The refrigerator of  claim 17 , wherein the tray comprises:
 a first tray defining a first chamber that is a portion of the ice chamber for making ice; and   a second tray defining a second chamber that is a remaining portion of the ice chamber, and   wherein the case fixes the first tray, and the heater heats the first tray.   
     
     
         19 . The refrigerator of  claim 17 , wherein the heater coupling part comprises a heater accommodation groove formed in a recessed shape, and
 whereon the heater contacts the tray in a state in which the heater is accommodated in the heater accommodation groove.   
     
     
         20 . The refrigerator of  claim 17 , wherein the tray comprises an accommodation part for accommodating the heater coupling part, and
 wherein the accommodation part is disposed in a shape that surrounds the ice chamber, and   wherein, in a state in which the heater coupling part is accommodated in the accommodation part, the heater contacts a bottom surface of the accommodation part.