Abstract: A vehicular heat management system includes a refrigerant circulation line configured to generate hot energy or cold energy depending on a flow direction of a refrigerant, a heater core side coolant circulation line configured to transfer refrigerant heat generated in the refrigerant circulation line to a heater core to heat a passenger compartment, and a battery side coolant circulation line configured to receive coolant heat of the heater core side coolant circulation line via a coolant and then circulate the coolant through a battery to preheat the battery.

Abstract: An auger-type ice maker includes an ice generator including an ice making tube, an auger installed coaxially within the ice making tube, and a refrigerant pipe wound spirally around and fixed to an outer surface of the ice making tube to be in close contact therewith, an ice compressor connected to an upper portion of the ice generator, the ice compressor configured to compress ice generated by the ice generator, and a fluid reservoir connected to a lower portion of the ice generator, the fluid reservoir configured to retain a fluid to be supplied to the ice generator. A portion of the fluid reservoir is disposed in a position the same as or higher than that of the ice compressor.

Abstract: According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, a method for manufacturing an auger-type ice maker including an ice-making tube, an auger, a refrigerant pipe, and a metal core material, includes heating and feeding the metal core material to the ice-making tube; winding the metal core material together with the refrigerant pipe around the ice-making tube; and heating a welding agent through an internal space of the ice-making tube to perform adhesion between the metal core material and both of the refrigerant pipe and the ice-making tube, wherein, in the winding the metal core material together with the refrigerant pipe on the ice-making tube, the heated metal core material is pressurized by pressure of winding the refrigerant pipe around the ice-making tube, to completely fill the spiral space with the heated metal core material, or to form a uniform interval in the spiral space.

Abstract: A system and method for controlling ice-making and ice-separating of an ice maker is proposed. In the ice maker that is configured to change an ice-separating time so that ice is cleanly separated in accordance with a changed required icing when the required icing time is changed, the system and method count a consumed ice-making time when ice-making is performed, set a target ice-separating time longer than a predetermined reference ice-separating time when the consumed ice-making time is out of a reference time range, and control the ice maker to perform ice-separating for the set target ice-separating time by means of the controller.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a method of controlling an ice-detaching temperature of an icemaker, including a first step of performing an ice-making operation in an ice-making unit, and counting a required ice-making time period from a starting point in time of the ice-making operation to an end point in time of the ice-making operation; a second step of acquiring the counted required ice-making time period, and acquiring an ambient temperature from an external temperature sensor; a third step of determining a variable ice-detaching time period, depending on the acquired ambient temperature and the acquired required ice-making time period; and a fourth step of using the determined ice-detaching time period to perform an ice-detaching operation. Ice of a cold plate is completely separated from the cold plate during an ice-detaching operation under conventional temperature conditions and even under harsh environments, preventing icemaker failure and increasing ice-making capacity.

Abstract: A system and method for controlling ice-making and ice-separating of an ice maker is proposed. In the ice maker that is configured to change an ice-separating time so that ice is cleanly separated in accordance with a changed required icing when the required icing time is changed, the system and method count a consumed ice-making time when ice-making is performed, set a target ice-separating time longer than a predetermined reference ice-separating time when the consumed ice-making time is out of a reference time range, and control the ice maker to perform ice-separating for the set target ice-separating time by means of the controller.

Abstract: Disclosed is an evaporator for an ice maker including: a refrigerant pipe having a circular cross-section, with refrigerant flowing therethrough; and a pair of ice making plates disposed on opposite sides of the refrigerant pipe. The refrigerant pipe is disposed between inner side surfaces of the ice making plates facing each other, and rounded parts are provided by being formed outwards at a place where the refrigerant pipe is located such that the rounded parts cover both sides of the refrigerant pipe by being in close contact therewith.

Abstract: Disclosed is an evaporator for an ice maker including: a refrigerant pipe having a circular cross-section, with refrigerant flowing therethrough; and a pair of ice making plates disposed on opposite sides of the refrigerant pipe. The refrigerant pipe is disposed between inner side surfaces of the ice making plates facing each other, and rounded parts are provided by being formed outwards at a place where the refrigerant pipe is located such that the rounded parts cover both sides of the refrigerant pipe by being in close contact therewith.

Abstract: There is provided an ice-making apparatus with an anti-contamination structure, wherein the apparatus includes: a housing having an ice-storage chamber defined therein; a pivotally-movable door having an elongate top end, wherein an elongate clearance is defined between an elongate top end of the door and a front wall of the housing; an elongate contaminant-guide plate disposed below the elongate clearance, wherein the elongate contaminant-guide plate has opposing first and second side ends, and the housing has opposing first and second side walls, wherein the opposing first and/or second side ends are disposed at or adjacent to the opposing first and/or second side walls respectively; and first and/or second contaminant-discharge holes defined in the opposing first and/or second side walls respectively, wherein the elongate contaminant-guide plate is constructed to receive contaminants falling down from the elongate clearance and to guide the contaminants toward the first and/or second contaminant-discharge

Abstract: An ice maker including piping for water drainage therein is provided. The ice maker includes a cabinet body, an ice storage portion provided in the cabinet body and separable from the cabinet body, a first coupling portion disposed on a lower surface of the ice storage portion and having a first coupling hole, a drain portion provided downwardly of the cabinet body within the cabinet body and including a drainage passage connected to an external drainage hole, and an overflow socket inserted into the first coupling hole and connected to the drainage passage to connect the ice storage portion to the drain portion, and configuring a path allowing water received by the ice storage portion to be discharged to the drainage passage, thereby providing an ice maker having easy separation and coupling.

Abstract: An ice maker including piping for water drainage therein is provided. The ice maker includes a cabinet body, an ice storage portion provided in the cabinet body and separable from the cabinet body, a first coupling portion disposed on a lower surface of the ice storage portion and having a first coupling hole, a drain portion provided downwardly of the cabinet body within the cabinet body and including a drainage passage connected to an external drainage hole, and an overflow socket inserted into the first coupling hole and connected to the drainage passage to connect the ice storage portion to the drain portion, and configuring a path allowing water received by the ice storage portion to be discharged to the drainage passage, thereby providing an ice maker having easy separation and coupling.

Abstract: There is provided an ice maker reliably performing a reliable ice separating operation. The ice maker includes: an evaporator; an ice making plate disposed vertically and making contact with the evaporator at a rear side thereof, the ice maker including a plurality of ice forming parts formed by dividing a front side thereof, surfaces of the ice forming parts being sloped to face downwards; a water tub disposed below the ice making plate to collect water falling from the ice making plate; and an ice bin forming an ice storage space around the water tub to collect ice falling from the ice making plate. Since the ice making plate has a sloped structure, ice may be reliably separated from the ice making plate, and the quality of ice may be improved.

Abstract: There is provided an ice maker. The ice maker includes: a freezing plate configured to be cooled by an evaporator to freeze water flowing thereon; a water tub disposed below the freezing plate to collect water falling from the freezing plate; an ice bin forming an ice storage space around the water tub to collect ice falling from the freezing plate; and a plate-shaped ice storage guide placed on an upper end of the water tub between the freezing plate and the water tub, the ice storage guide including a sloped part inclined toward the ice bin and a plurality of discharge holes narrower than widths of ice cubes formed by the freezing plate. Parts of the ice maker are simple and can be easily cleaned, and thus the ice maker may be hygienically used.

Abstract: There is provided a float valve. The float valve includes: a frame; a water supply part fixed to the frame and including a water supply nozzle through which water is discharged; a vertical bar fixedly coupled to the frame and extending downwardly below the water supply unit; a float connected to the vertical bar and vertically movable along the vertical bar; a switching unit connected to the float and configured to open or close the water supply nozzle while being moved vertically according to vertical movement of the float; and a water level sensor disposed on the vertical bar to detect a position of the float. Since the water level senor is integrated in the float valve, the inside space of a product using the float valve may be efficiently used, and parts of the product may be simply assembled.

Abstract: A door hinge unit in a refrigerator which pivots a door on a refrigerator body, and holds the door to maintain an opened state or a maximum opened state at a predetermined position for preventing the door from hitting an external object and a hinge shaft from breaking, and minimizes a friction surface between a male member and a female member of the hinge for making movement of the hinge smooth and preventing the hinge from causing noise.

Abstract: A door hinge unit in a refrigerator which pivots a door on a refrigerator body, and holds the door to maintain an opened state or a maximum opened state at a predetermined position for preventing the door from hitting an external object and a hinge shaft from breaking, and minimizes a friction surface between a male member and a female member of the hinge for making movement of the hinge smooth and preventing the hinge from causing noise.

Abstract: A negative pressure preventive device in a refrigerator is provided to be mounted to a machinery room on a top side of the refrigerator, in which an opening and closing damper is provided over an evaporator for controlling external air such that warm external air is led through an evaporator to reduce a temperature difference while the warm external air passes through the evaporator for minimizing a temperature change in the refrigerator, the opening and closing damper has a control lever operative by gravity to make quick and accurate opening, closing, and air introduction to the refrigerator for compensating a pressure difference, a filter mounted to the opening and closing damper at an air introduction portion to be detachable with a packing cap for easy removal of noxious insects, microbes, and dust, and easy washing and replacement, and a packing member provided to the opening and closing damper for improving a sealing function to prevent cold air from leaking, quick compensation of the pressure differen