Ice maker and refrigerator

Abstract

An ice maker includes an upper tray and a lower tray made of an elastic material. Upper chambers in the upper tray and lower chambers in the lower tray contact each other to define spherical ice chambers, respectively. An ejector-receiving opening is opened to each of the upper chambers. An opening-defining wall extends upward along a circumference of each ejector-receiving opening. An upper ejector passes through the ejector-defining wall and vertically moves to remove ice from the ice chamber, and a driver pivots the lower tray to open and close the upper tray and the lower tray. The upper tray includes a horizontal extension forming a top face of the upper tray, and the upper chamber is positioned below the horizontal extension such that the opening-defining wall is formed at a vertical level equal to or lower than a vertical level of the opening-defining wall.

1 . An ice maker comprising:
 a tray defining an ice chamber, the tray having an opening in a portion thereof;   an opening-defining wall disposed along a circumference of the opening, and extending from the tray; and   a casing configured to fix the tray, the casing comprising a plate having a tray opening through which the opening-defining wall is exposed,   wherein the tray is disposed at a first surface of the plate, and the opening-defining wall does not protrude to a second surface of the plate opposite to the first surface.   
     
     
         2 . The ice maker of  claim 1 , wherein cold-air flows along the second surface of the plate. 
     
     
         3 . The ice maker of  claim 1 , wherein the casing comprises a cavity recessed from the plate to the tray, and
 wherein the tray opening is defined in a bottom of the cavity.   
     
     
         4 . The ice maker of  claim 3 , wherein the opening-defining wall pass through the tray opening. 
     
     
         5 . The ice maker of  claim 3 , wherein a height of the opening-defining wall is less than a height of the cavity. 
     
     
         6 . The ice maker of  claim 1 , wherein the tray is fixed in contact with the first surface of the plate. 
     
     
         7 . The ice maker of  claim 6 , wherein the tray comprises:
 a tray body defining the ice chamber; and   an extension extending from the tray body, and coupled to the first surface of the plate.   
     
     
         8 . The ice maker of  claim 7 , wherein a height of the opening-defining wall is a height corresponding to the extension. 
     
     
         9 . The ice maker of  claim 7 , wherein an end of the opening-defining wall is disposed between the extension and the second surface. 
     
     
         10 . The ice maker of  claim 1 , further comprising an ejector configured to separate ice from the tray,
 wherein the opening-defining wall is configured to guide a movement of the ejector.   
     
     
         11 . The ice maker of  claim 10 , wherein the ejector comprises an ejecting pin configured to pass through an internal space of the opening-defining wall and to pass through the opening. 
     
     
         12 . The ice maker of  claim 1 , wherein the tray comprises:
 a first tray defining a portion of the ice chamber and fixed to the casing; and   a second tray defining a remaining part of the ice chamber,   wherein the opening is defined in the first tray, and the opening-defining wall is disposed on the first tray.   
     
     
         13 . A refrigerator comprising:
 an ice maker comprising:   wherein the ice maker comprises:
 a tray defining an ice chamber, the tray having an opening in a portion thereof; 
 an opening-defining wall disposed along a circumference of the opening, and extending from the tray; and 
 a casing configured to fix the tray, the casing comprising a plate having a tray opening through which the opening-defining wall is exposed, 
   wherein the tray is disposed at a first surface of the plate, and the opening-defining wall does not protrude to a second surface of the plate opposite to the first surface.   
     
     
         14 . The refrigerator of  claim 13 , wherein cold-air flows along the second surface of the plate. 
     
     
         15 . The refrigerator of  claim 13 , wherein the casing comprises a cavity recessed from the plate to the tray, and
 wherein the tray opening is defined in a bottom of the cavity.   
     
     
         16 . The refrigerator of  claim 15 , wherein the opening-defining wall pass through the tray opening. 
     
     
         17 . The refrigerator of  claim 15 , wherein a height of the opening-defining wall is less than a height of the cavity. 
     
     
         18 . The refrigerator of  claim 13 , wherein the tray comprises:
 a tray body defining the ice chamber; and   an extension extending from the tray body, and coupled to the first surface of the plate.   
     
     
         19 . The refrigerator of  claim 18 , wherein a height of the opening-defining wall is a height corresponding to the extension. 
     
     
         20 . The refrigerator of  claim 18 , wherein an end of the opening-defining wall is disposed between the extension and the second surface.