Ice maker for refrigerator

Abstract

An ice maker includes an upper assembly including a plurality of hemispherical upper chambers, a lower assembly disposed below and pivotably coupled relative to the upper assembly, wherein the lower assembly includes a plurality of hemispherical lower chambers, a driver configured to pivot the lower assembly, a pair of rotating parts disposed at both sides of the lower assembly, a first pivoting arm pivotally mounted on one of the rotating parts, a second pivoting arm pivotally mounted on the other of the rotating parts and connected to the driver, a connection shaft connecting the first pivoting arm to the second pivoting arm, a first elastic member having one end connected to the first pivoting arm and the other end connected to the lower assembly, and a second elastic member having one end connected to the second pivoting arm and the other end connected to the lower assembly.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An ice maker comprising:
 a first assembly comprising a first tray configured to form a first portion of an ice chamber for making ice;   a second assembly comprising a second tray configured to form a second portion of the ice chamber; and   an ejector configured to separate ice from the first assembly, the ejector including an ejector body and at least one ejecting pin extending in a direction intersecting the ejector body,   wherein the first assembly further comprises a unit guide, the unit guide having a guide slot configured to guide a movement of the ejector.   
     
     
         2 . The ice maker of  claim 1 , further comprising a casing positioned at a side of the first tray,
 wherein the casing comprises a stopper protruding to restrain a movement of the unit guide.   
     
     
         3 . The ice maker of  claim 2 , wherein the stopper is provided in contact with the unit guide. 
     
     
         4 . The ice maker of  claim 2 , further comprising a connector including at least one link to connect the second assembly and the ejector with each other,
 wherein the casing includes a through-opening which a portion of the connector passes through.   
     
     
         5 . The ice maker of  claim 4 , wherein the casing includes a plate for fixing the first tray, the plate having a tray opening which a portion of the first tray passes through, and
 wherein the through-opening is provided in a side of the tray opening.   
     
     
         6 . The ice maker of  claim 5 , wherein the stopper protrudes from the through-opening. 
     
     
         7 . The ice maker of  claim 2 , wherein the casing includes a plate for fixing the first tray, the plate having a through-opening, and
 wherein the stopper protrudes from the through-opening.   
     
     
         8 . The ice maker of  claim 2 , wherein the casing includes a through-opening which the unit guide passes through. 
     
     
         9 . The ice maker of  claim 8 , wherein the stopper is formed at the through-opening. 
     
     
         10 . The ice maker of  claim 8 , wherein the stopper is formed along the through-opening. 
     
     
         11 . The ice maker of  claim 2 , wherein the first assembly further comprises a support positioned at another side of the first tray, and
 wherein the support includes the unit guide.   
     
     
         12 . The ice maker of  claim 2 , wherein the stopper comprises:
 a first stopper; and   a second stopper separated from the first stopper, and   wherein the first stopper and the second stopper configured to support the unit guide from both sides.   
     
     
         13 . The ice maker of  claim 1 , further comprising a casing positioned at a side of the first tray,
 wherein the unit guide comprises a first unit guide and a second unit guide, which are spaced apart from each other, and formed at positions facing each other,   wherein the casing comprises a plate that defines (i) a tray opening through which a portion of the first tray exposed, (ii) a first through-opening through which the first unit guide passes, and (iii) a second through-opening through which the second unit guide passes, and   wherein the tray opening is defined between the first through-opening and the second through-opening.   
     
     
         14 . The ice maker of  claim 13 , wherein the casing comprises a plurality of stoppers, each of which is in contact with the first unit guide or the second unit guide, and is configured to restrain a movement of each of the first unit guide and the second unit guide, and
 wherein each of the plurality of stoppers is formed along at least a portion of the first through-opening or the second through-opening.   
     
     
         15 . The ice maker of  claim 14 , wherein the casing defines a cold-air hole through which cold air flows into the casing,
 wherein the first through-opening is positioned closer to the cold-air hole than the second through-opening, and   wherein at least some of the plurality of stoppers formed along the second through-opening have a height smaller than the other stoppers.   
     
     
         16 . The ice maker of  claim 1 , wherein the guide slot extends in a direction in which the ejector moves, and
 wherein, in a state in which each of both ends of the ejector body penetrates the guide slot, the ejector body moves along the guide slot.   
     
     
         17 . A refrigerator comprising the ice maker of  claim 1 . 
     
     
         18 . An ice maker comprising:
 a tray configured to form an ice chamber for making ice;   an ejector configured to separate ice from the tray, the ejector comprising an ejector body and at least one ejecting pin extending in a direction intersecting the ejector body; and   a unit guide comprising a guide slot configured to guide a movement of the ejector.   
     
     
         19 . The ice maker of  claim 18 , further comprising a casing positioned at a side of the tray,
 wherein the casing comprises a stopper protruding to restrain a movement of the unit guide.   
     
     
         20 . A refrigerator comprising the ice maker of  claim 18 .