Refrigerator having multiple icemakers

Abstract

The refrigerator includes a main body forming the external appearance of the refrigerator, a freezing chamber and a cooling chamber divisionally provided in the main body, an ice making chamber separately provided in the cooling chamber to be thermally insulated, a first ice making unit provided in the ice making chamber to produce ice, and a second ice making unit provided in the freezing chamber to produce ice.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims the benefit of Korean Patent Application Nos. 2008-0086133, filed on Sep. 2, 2008, and 2009-0063685, filed on Jul. 13, 2009, in the Korean Intellectual Property Office, the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND

1. Field

Embodiments of the present invention relate to a refrigerator with icemakers.

2. Description of the Related Art

In general, a refrigerator includes a cooling chamber and a freezing chamber, which are divisionally provided, so as to store various foods in an optimal state for a long time. The cooling chamber stores foods, such as vegetables and fruit, to be kept at more than the freezing temperature and the freezing chamber stores foods, such as meat and fish, to be kept at less than the freezing temperature.

An icemaker to turn water into ice using cold air circulating the freezing chamber is installed in the freezing chamber.

Such an icemaker includes a first ice making unit to receive water and make ice. Recently, the rate of ice consumption has been highly increased due to a change of diet, and a refrigerator with an icemaker to make a large amount of ice has been required.

SUMMARY

Therefore, it is one aspect of the present invention to provide a refrigerator with icemakers, which more rapidly make a large amount of ice and store the large amount of ice.

Additional aspects of the invention will be set forth in part in the description which follows and, in part, will be apparent from the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention.

In accordance with one aspect, a refrigerator includes a main body forming the external appearance of the refrigerator, a freezing chamber and a cooling chamber divisionally provided in the main body, an ice making chamber separately provided in the cooling chamber to be thermally insulated, a first ice making unit provided in the ice making chamber to produce ice, and a second ice making unit provided in the freezing chamber to produce ice.

The refrigerator may further include a water supply source to supply water independently to the first and second ice making units, and a distributor provided between the first and second ice making units.

The refrigerator may further include doors to open and close the cooling chamber, and one door of the doors may be provided with a dispenser device to discharge the ice in the first ice making unit to the outer surface of the one door.

The refrigerator may further include a water tank provided at the inlet side of the dispenser device, and a first valve to supply water selectively to one of the water tank and the second ice making unit may be provided at the inlet side of the water tank.

A second valve to supply water selectively to the first ice making unit may be provided at the inlet side of the first ice making unit.

The refrigerator may include a water tank provided at the inlet side of the dispenser device, and a valve unit to supply water selectively to one of the first and second ice making units and the water tank.

The valve unit may include a first valve to supply water selectively to one of the first and second ice making units, and a second valve provided at the inlet side of the first valve to supply water selectively to one of the first valve and the water tank.

The refrigerator may further include a first storage container provided in the ice making chamber to store ice separated from the first ice making unit, and a second storage container provided in the freezing chamber to store ice separated from the second ice making unit.

The refrigerator may further include a cover to cover an opening formed through the front surface of the ice making chamber such that the ice making chamber is thermally insulated, and the cover may be formed integrally with the first storage container.

The second storage container may be provided in a drawer under the second ice making unit.

The refrigerator may further include a sliding door to open and close the freezing chamber, a first drawer unit formed integrally with the door, and a second drawer unit provided above the first drawer unit to be slidable, and the second storage container may be detachably provided in the second drawer unit.

In accordance with another aspect, a refrigerator includes a main body divided into a cooling chamber in the upper portion thereof and a freezing chamber in the lower portion thereof, doors respectively opening and closing the cooling chamber and the freezing chamber, an ice making chamber separately provided in the cooling chamber to be thermally insulated, a first icemaker provided in the ice making chamber to produce ice and store the produced ice, a second icemaker provided in the freezing chamber to produce ice and store the produced ice, and a dispenser device provided on one door of the doors to discharge the ice in the first icemaker to the outer surface of the one door.

The second icemaker may include a second ice making unit to produce ice, and a second storage container provided under the second ice making unit to be movable forward and backward.

The freezing chamber may include an evaporator, a freezing part to form a storage space, and a freezing duct to divide the evaporator and the freezing part from each other and supply cold air heat-exchanged with the evaporator to the freezing part, and the freezing duct may include at least one outlet to supply cold air to the freezing part, at least one inlet to guide the cold air of the freezing part to the evaporator, and an ice-making discharge hole to supply cold air to the second ice making unit.

The second ice making unit may include an ice making tray, and the ice-making discharge hole may include an inclined part to guide cold air to the lower portion of the ice making tray.

A first air blower fan to forcibly circulate the cold air of the evaporator to the ice making chamber may be provided in the freezing duct.

A second air blower fan to forcibly circulate the cold air of the evaporator to the ice-making discharge hole may be provided in the freezing duct.

In accordance with another aspect, a refrigerator includes a main body divided into a cooling chamber in the upper portion thereof and a freezing chamber in the lower portion thereof, doors respectively opening and closing the cooling chamber and the freezing chamber, an ice making chamber separately provided at a corner of the upper portion of the cooling chamber to be thermally insulated, a first icemaker provided in the ice making chamber to produce ice and store the produced ice, a second icemaker provided in the freezing chamber to produce ice and store the produced ice, a supply channel connecting the freezing chamber and the ice making chamber to supply cold air to the first icemaker, and a return channel to return cold air in the ice making chamber to the freezing chamber.

The refrigerator may further include a dispenser device provided on one door of the doors to discharge the ice in the first icemaker to the outer surface of the one door.

In accordance with a further aspect, a refrigerator includes a cooling chamber, a freezing chamber provided under the cooling chamber, an ice making chamber made of an insulating material to be separated from the cooling chamber, cooling chamber doors to open and close the cooling chamber, a first icemaker provided in the ice making chamber, a dispenser device provided on one of the cooling chamber doors to be operated in connection with the first icemaker, and a second icemaker provided in the freezing chamber, wherein the second icemaker includes an ice making unit fixed to an upper wall of the freezing chamber, and a storage container movably provided under the ice making unit.

The second icemaker may further include a water pipe to supply water to the ice making unit.

The refrigerator may further include a drawer unit slidably provided in the freezing chamber, and the storage container may be detachably provided in the drawer unit such that the storage container moves according to the movement of the drawer unit.

The ice making unit may include a case, and at least one fixing piece to fix wires may be provided on the upper surface of the case.

The case may be provided with sliding parts and first screw connection parts to fix the case to the upper surface of the freezing chamber, and the upper surface of the freezing chamber may be provided with sliding guides corresponding to the sliding parts and second screw connection parts corresponding to the first screw connection parts.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

These and/or other aspects of the invention will become apparent and more readily appreciated from the following description of the embodiments, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view illustrating the external appearance of a refrigerator in accordance with one embodiment, in a state in which cooling chamber doors are opened;

FIG. 2 is a schematic longitudinal-sectional view illustrating the refrigerator of FIG. 1, in a state in which the cooling chamber doors are closed;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view illustrating the external appearance of the refrigerator in accordance with the embodiment, in a state in which a freezing chamber door is opened;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view illustrating a second icemaker of a refrigerator in accordance with another embodiment;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view illustrating the second icemaker of the refrigerator in accordance with the embodiment, in a state in which the second icemaker is separated from the refrigerator;

FIG. 6 is a longitudinal-sectional view illustrating the second icemaker of the refrigerator in accordance with the embodiment, in a state in which the second icemaker is fixed to a freezing chamber;

FIG. 7 is a perspective view illustrating the freezing chamber of the refrigerator in accordance with the embodiment;

FIG. 8 is a block diagram illustrating a flow of supplied water in the refrigerator in accordance with the embodiment; and

FIG. 9 is a block diagram illustrating a modification of the flow of supplied water in the refrigerator in accordance with the embodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

Reference will now be made in detail to the embodiments of the present invention, an example of which is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein like reference numerals refer to like elements throughout.

Hereinafter, a refrigerator in accordance with one embodiment will be described.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view illustrating the external appearance of the refrigerator in accordance with this embodiment, in a state in which cooling chamber doors are opened, FIG. 2 is a schematic longitudinal-sectional view illustrating the refrigerator of FIG. 1, in a state in which the cooling chamber doors are closed, and FIG. 3 is a perspective view illustrating the external appearance of the refrigerator in accordance with this embodiment, in a state in which a freezing chamber door is opened.

The refrigerator in accordance with this embodiment, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, includes a main body 10 forming the external appearance of the refrigerator, storage chambers 20 and 30 vertically divided in the main body 10 and respectively provided with opened front surfaces, doors 21a, 21b, and 31 opening and closing the opened front surfaces of the storage chambers 20 and 30, an ice making chamber 40 separately provided in the cooling chamber 20 disposed in the upper portion of the main body 10 by an insulating wall 11, a first icemaker 100 provided in the ice making chamber 40, a dispenser device 50 to discharge ice in the first icemaker 100 to the front surface of the door 21a, and a second icemaker 200 provided in the freezing chamber 30 disposed in the lower portion of the main body 10.

Evaporators 22 and 32 to generate cold air are installed on the rear wall of the main body 10, and a machinery chamber 12 is separately provided in the rear region of the lower portion of the main body 10. A gap between an inner case and an outer case of the main body 10 is filled with a foaming agent 13 to maintain the insulation of the inside of the refrigerator.

Electric parts including a compressor 14 are installed in the machinery chamber 12 separately provided in the main body 10, and the storage chambers 20 and 30 are formed above the machinery chamber 12.

Parts including a condenser (not shown) and an expansion device (not shown) forming a refrigerating cycle are provided in the main body 10.

The storage chambers 20 and 30 include the cooling chamber 20 provided in the upper part to store foods in a cold state and the freezing chamber 30 provided in the lower part to store foods in a frozen state. Here, the cooling chamber 20 and the freezing chamber 30 are vertically divided from each other by a horizontal diaphragm 15.

The cooling chamber 20 provided in the upper portion of the main body 10 includes a first evaporator 22 provided at the rear surface of the cooling chamber 20 to generate cold air supplied to the inside of the cooling chamber 20, a cooling part 23 to store foods, a cooling duct 24 to divide the first evaporator 22 and the cooling part 23 and circulate the cold air heat-exchanged by the first evaporator 22 into the cooling part 23, and a first blower fan 25 provided in the cooling duct 24 to forcibly circulate the cold air.

The cooling duct 24 forms a cooling channel 24a therein, and is provided with a plurality of first outlets 24b formed at designated intervals through the front surface thereof to discharge cold air to the cooling part 23 and a first inlet 24c formed through the front surface thereof to supply the cold air of the cooling chamber 20 to the first evaporator 22.

Thus, the cold air in the cooling part 23 flows into the first evaporator 22 through the first inlet 24c, the cold air heat-exchanged by the first evaporator 22 flows into the cooling channel 24a through the first blower fan 25, and the cold air in the cooling channel 24a is discharged to the cooling part 23 through the first outlets 24b.

The freezing chamber 30 is provided under the cooling chamber 20, and includes a second evaporator 32 provided at the rear surface of the freezing chamber 30 to generate cold air supplied to the inside of the freezing chamber 30, a freezing part 33 to form a storage space to store foods kept in a frozen state, a freezing duct 34 to divide the second evaporator 32 and the freezing part 33 and circulate the cold air heat-exchanged by the second evaporator 32 into the freezing part 33, and a second blower fan 35 provided in the freezing duct 34 to forcibly circulate the cold air.

The freezing duct 34 forms a freezing channel 34a therein, and is provided with a plurality of second outlets 34b formed at designated intervals through the front surface thereof to discharge cold air to the freezing part 33 and a second inlet 34c formed through the front surface thereof to supply the cold air of the freezing part 33 to the second evaporator 32.

Thus, the cold air in the freezing part 33 flows into the second evaporator 32 through the second inlet 34c, the cold air heat-exchanged by the second evaporator 32 flows into the freezing channel 34a through the second blower fan 35, and the cold air in the freezing channel 34a is discharged to the freezing part 33 through the second outlets 34b.

The ice making chamber 40 formed by the insulating wall 11 is provided in the upper portion of the cooling chamber 20, and a first icemaker 100 to make ice and store the ice is provided in the ice making chamber 40.

Since the ice making chamber 40 is provided at one side of a space, where the cooling chamber 20 is formed, the ice making chamber 40 may exchange heat with the cooling chamber 20. In order to prevent the heat-exchange, the insulating wall 11 of the ice making chamber 40 is made of an insulating material.

The icemaker 100 includes a first ice making unit 110 to produce ice, a first storage container 120 disposed under the first ice making unit 110 to store the ice produced by the first ice making unit 110, a transfer unit 130 to transfer the ice stored in the first storage container 120, and a crusher unit 140 to crush the ice transferred by the transfer unit 130 to produce crushed ice.

The first ice making unit 110 includes an ice making tray 111 made of metal to make ice from water supplied from the exterior, a water supply cup 113 to supply water to the ice making tray 111, a scraper 115 to discharge the ice in the ice making tray 111, a driving motor 117 to drive the scraper 115, a heater (not shown) to melt a portion of the ice contacting the ice making tray 111 to facilitate the separation of the ice from the ice making tray 111 by the scraper 115, and an ice amount sensing lever 119 to sense whether or not the ice stored in the first storage container 120 completely fills the first storage container 120.

The first ice making unit 110 is not limited to the above configuration, but may employ an ice making tray, obtained by injection molding using resin, which is rotated and then is twisted to discharge ice stored therein to the lower part.

The first storage container 120 is installed under the first ice making unit 110. The first storage container 120 includes a reception part 121 provided with an opened upper surface to receive the ice dropped from the first ice making unit 110 and having a long length, an ice outlet 123 formed through the lower region of the upper portion of the reception part 121 to discharge the ice, and a cover 125 formed integrally with the front surface of the first storage container 120 to close the upper surface of the ice making chamber 40. The first storage container 120 is installed in a drawer type fashion such that the first storage container 120 is put into and taken out of the ice making chamber 40.

The transfer unit 130 includes a spiral transfer member 131 rotatably installed in the first storage container 120 to discharge the ice in the first storage container 120 to the ice outlet 123, and a transfer motor 133 fixed to the rear end of the first storage container 120 to rotate the spiral transfer member 131. The spiral transfer member 131 is separated from a shaft of the transfer motor 133 when the first storage container 120 is taken out of the ice making chamber 40, and is connected to the shaft of the transfer motor 130 when the first storage container 120 is put into the ice making chamber 40.

The crusher unit 140 is installed at the ice outlet 123 of the first storage container 120. The crusher unit 140 includes stationary blades 141 fixed to the ice outlet 123, and rotary blades 143 rotated against the stationary blades 141. The rotary blades 143 are connected to a shaft 145 extended from the spiral transfer member 131 of the transfer unit 130. Therefore, when the spiral transfer member 131 is rotated by the operation of the transfer motor 133, the rotary blades 143 of the crusher unit 140 are also rotated.

The crusher unit 140 may include an opening and closing device (not shown), which partially closes or opens the ice outlet 123 to discharge cubed ice or crushed ice through the ice outlet 123. The configuration of the opening and closing device is generally known, and thus an illustration thereof in the drawings will be omitted.

For example, the opening and closing device includes an opening and closing member rotatably installed in the ice outlet 123, a solenoid driving unit to perform the opening and closing operation of the opening and closing member, and a connection member to connect the solenoid driving unit and the opening and closing member.

In order to drive the first ice making unit 110 to make ice, cold air needs to flow into the ice making chamber 40. Therefore, in one embodiment, ice making channels 16 to circulate the cold air in the ice making chamber 40 and the second evaporator 32 are provided.

The ice making channels 16 include a supply channel 16a to guide the cold air heat-exchanged by the second evaporator 32 to the ice making chamber 40, and a return channel 16b to pass the cold air in the ice making chamber 40 to the second evaporator 32.

The supply channel 16a is connected from a region above the second evaporator 32 to the ice making chamber 40, and a third air blower fan 18 to forcibly supply the cold air heat-exchanged by the second evaporator 32 to the inside of the ice making chamber 40 is provided in one end of the supply channel 16a above the second evaporator 32.

Thus, the cold air heat-exchanged by the second evaporator 32 flows into the ice making chamber 40 through the supply channel 16a by the third air blower fan 18, and then is supplied to the first icemaker 100 provided in the ice making chamber 40. The cold air supplied to the inside of the ice making chamber 40 is guided again to the second evaporator 32 by the return channel 16b, and is heat-exchanged by the second evaporator 32. Through the above circulation process, cold air to make ice is supplied to the ice making chamber 40.

Although this embodiment illustrates the configuration in which the cold air in the second evaporator provided in the freezing chamber is supplied to the ice making chamber and the supplied cold air is returned to the freezing chamber, various modifications, including a configuration in which the cold air in the first evaporator provided in the cooling chamber is supplied to the ice making chamber and the supplied cold air is returned to the cooling chamber, are possible.

A freezing chamber door 31 in a sliding type is provided on the front surface of the freezing chamber 30, and a pair of cooling chamber doors 21a and 21b in an opening and shutting type is provided on the front surface of the cooling chamber 20.

A receipt space is formed on the inner surface of each of the doors 21a, 21b, and 31, and the dispenser device 50 to selectively discharge water or ice made by the first icemaker 100 is provided on the left cooling chamber door 21a.

The dispenser device 50, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, includes a discharge part 52 indented in the front surface of the cooling chamber door 21a and provided with a discharge hole 51 to discharge a target object, an opening and closing member 53 to open and close the discharge hole 51, an operation lever 54 installed in the discharge part 52 to drive the opening and closing member 53 and operate the first icemaker 100 provided in the freezing chamber 30 simultaneously, an ice discharge passage 55 to connect the inner and outer surfaces of the cooling chamber door 21a to guide the ice in the first icemaker 100 to the discharge hole 51, and selection buttons 56 to select the target object (water or ice) to be dispensed.

In the above configuration, when a designated time from the filling the ice making tray 111 with water has elapsed, the water in the ice making tray 111 is frozen to make cubed ice having a designated size by cold air circulated into the ice making chamber 40, and the cubed ice is dropped into the first storage container 120 by the operations of the heater (not shown) and the scraper 115 and thus fills the first storage container 120.

When the ice sensing lever 119 senses that the cubed ice supplied from the ice making tray 111 completely fills the first storage container 120, an additional ice making operation is completed.

Further, when a user presses a selection button 56 to select ice and then presses the operation lever 54, the cubed ice discharged to the ice outlet 123 is discharged to the discharge part 52 through the ice discharge passage 55.

The cubed ice in the first icemaker 100 is supplied to the user through the dispenser device 50 by a series of the above operations. In case that the user wants to use a large amount of ice at one time, it is difficult to make the large amount of ice and store the large amount of ice in advance due to the limit of the size of the ice making chamber 40 and the limit of the size of the first storage container 120 and the limit of the speed with which ice is made thereby.

Therefore, in order to properly supply a large amount of ice, the large amount of ice needs to be made and stored in advance. For this reason, in one embodiment, the second icemaker 200 is further provided in addition to the first icemaker 100.

The second icemaker 200 is provided in the freezing chamber 30, and has a similar configuration to that of the first icemaker 100.

The second icemaker 200 is provided in the upper portion of the freezing chamber 30, and, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, includes a second ice making unit 210 to produce ice, and a second storage container 220 disposed under the second ice making unit 210 to store the ice produced by the second ice making unit 210.

The second ice making unit 210 includes a second ice making tray 211 to make ice from water supplied from the exterior, a water supply cup 213 to supply water to the second ice making tray 211, a driving motor 215 to rotate the second ice making tray 211 to separate the ice in the second ice making tray 211 from the second ice making tray 211, and an ice sensing lever 217 to sense whether or not the ice stored in the second storage container 220 completely fills the second storage container 220.

The second ice making unit 210 is fixed to the freezing chamber by connecting a plurality of brackets (not shown) to one side wall of the freezing chamber 30.

The second ice making unit 210 may have not only the above configuration but also the same configuration as that of the first ice making unit.

The second storage container 220 is installed under the second ice making unit 210. The second storage container 220 includes a reception part 221 provided with an opened upper surface to receive the ice dropped from the second ice making unit 210 and having a long length, and a cover 223 provided in front of the second storage container 220 to close the front surface of the second storage container 220.

The second storage container 220 is mounted on the upper portion of the freezing chamber 30 in a drawer type fashion such that the second storage container 220 is put into and taken out of the freezing chamber 30.

The second storage container 220 may be put into and taken out of the freezing chamber 30 in connection with the opening and closing operation of the freezing chamber door 31.

Although this embodiment illustrates that the second icemaker is an automatic icemaker, the second icemaker may be a general manual icemaker, which requires the manual operation of a user to perform supply of water and separation of ice.

In the above configuration, when a designated time from the filling the second ice making tray 211 with water has elapsed, the water in the second ice making tray 211 is frozen to make cubed ice having a designated size by cold air circulated into the freezing chamber 30, and the cubed ice is dropped into the second storage container 220 by rotating and then twisting the second ice making tray 211 through the driving motor 215.

When the ice sensing lever 217 senses that the cubed ice supplied from the second ice making tray 211 completely fills the second storage container 220, an additional ice making operation is completed.

Further, as needed, a user uses the cubed ice stored in the second storage container 220 by opening the freezing chamber door 31 and withdrawing the second storage container 220 forward from the inside of the freezing chamber 30.

As described above, the refrigerator in accordance with this embodiment includes the icemakers respectively provided in the ice making chamber and the freezing chamber, and thus is capable of making a large amount of ice and storing the large amount of ice.

Next, a refrigerator in accordance with another embodiment will be described.

The configuration of the refrigerator in accordance with this embodiment may be substantially the same as that of the refrigerator in accordance with the earlier embodiment except for the configuration of a second icemaker.

Hereinafter, parts of the refrigerator in accordance with this embodiment, which differ from those of the refrigerator in accordance with the earlier embodiment, will be described, and parts of the refrigerator in accordance with this embodiment, which are substantially the same as those of the refrigerator in accordance with the earlier embodiment, will be denoted by the same reference numerals even though they are depicted in different drawings, and thus a detailed description thereof will be omitted because it is considered to be unnecessary.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view illustrating a second icemaker of the refrigerator in accordance with this embodiment, and FIG. 5 is a perspective view illustrating the second icemaker of the refrigerator in this embodiment, in a state in which the second icemaker is separated from the refrigerator.

A second icemaker 300 of the refrigerator in accordance with this embodiment includes a second ice making unit 400 to produce ice, and a second storage container 500 (with reference to FIG. 7) disposed under the second ice making unit 400 to store the ice produced by the second ice making unit 400.

In the same manner as that of the second ice making unit 210 in accordance with the earlier embodiment, the second ice making unit 400 in accordance with this embodiment includes a second ice making tray 410, a driving motor 420 to rotate the second ice making tray 410 to separate the ice in the second ice making tray 410 from the second ice making tray 410, and an ice sensing lever 430 to sense whether or not the ice stored in the second storage container 500 completely fills the second storage container 500.

The second ice making tray 410 is made of a resin injection molded product, and is rotated and then twisted to discharge the ice stored therein to the inside of the second storage container 500.

The second ice making unit 400 further includes a case 440 to mount the second ice making tray 410, the driving motor 420, and the ice sensing lever 430 thereon and fix the second ice making unit 400 to the inside of a freezing chamber 30′ (with reference to FIG. 7).

A pair of sliding parts 441 to fix the second ice making unit 400 to the upper surface of the freezing chamber 30′ is provided at one side of the upper surface of the case 440, and a pair of first screw connection parts 443 to achieve screw connection is provided at the other side of the upper surface of the case 440 opposite to the sliding parts 441.

The case 440 includes a cover 445 surrounding the front portion of the case 440, and the cover 445 covers the external appearance of the front portion of the case 440, on which the driving motor 420 is mounted.

Wires 421 of the driving motor 420 are extended toward the upper surface of the case 440, and at least one fixing piece 447 to simultaneously fix the wires 421 and guide a terminal 423 of the wires 421 toward a power connector 37c (with reference to FIG. 5) located on the upper surface 37 of the freezing chamber 30′ is provided on the upper surface of the case 440.

Sliding guides 37a corresponding to the sliding parts 441 of the case 440 to fix the second ice making unit 400 and second screw connection parts 37b connected to the first screw connection parts 443 of the case 440 are formed on the upper surface 37 of an inner case of the freezing chamber 30′, as shown in FIG. 5.

Therefore, when the sliding parts 441 are located at a position in front of the sliding guides 37a on the upper surface 37 of the freezing chamber 30′ and the terminal 423 of the wires 421 is connected to the power connector 37c, and then the second ice making unit 400 is slid backward to mount the second ice making unit 400 on the upper surface 37 of the freezing chamber 30′, the sliding parts 441 of the case 440 slide along the sliding guides 37a and thus one side of the second ice making unit 400 is connected to the upper surface 37 of the freezing chamber 30′.

Thereafter, the upper surface of the case 400 contacts the upper surface 37 of the freezing chamber 30′ by rotating the other side of the second ice making unit 400 upward and then the first and second screw connection parts 443 and 37b are connected using screws, thereby firmly fixing the second ice making unit 400 to the upper surface of the freezing chamber 30′ while preventing the wires 421 from being exposed to the outside.

Further, a water pipe 37d to supply water to the second ice making tray 410 is protruded downward from the upper surface 37 of the freezing chamber 30′.

Therefore, water supplied from the water pipe 37d is supplied to the second ice making tray 410 through a water supply cup (not shown) of the case 440.

FIG. 6 is a longitudinal-sectional view illustrating the second icemaker of the refrigerator in accordance with this embodiment, in a state in which the second icemaker is fixed to the freezing chamber.

As shown in FIG. 6, when water from the water pipe 37d is supplied to the second ice making tray 410 under the condition that the second icemaker 300 is fixed to the upper surface 37 of the freezing chamber 30′, the second icemaker 300 produces ice after a designated time has passed.

Although a freezing duct 34′ provided in the freezing chamber 30′ in accordance with this embodiment may be formed in the same manner as the freezing duct 34 in accordance with the earlier embodiment, the freezing duct 34′ in accordance with this embodiment is further provided with an ice-making discharge hole 38 to guide cold air to the lower portion of the second ice making tray 410.

A guide part 38a to smoothly guide cold air to the lower portion of the second ice making tray 410 may be formed at the ice-making discharge hole 38. Although this embodiment illustrates that the guide part 38a is inclined upward from the lower portion of the ice-making discharge hole 38 to the front of the refrigerator, the guide part 38a may be formed in various shapes, which allow discharged cold air to reach the lower portion of the second ice making tray 410 regardless of the mounting position of the second ice making tray 410.

The ice-making discharge hole 38 guides the cold air to the lower portion of the second ice-making tray 410, thereby improving ice making performance of the second ice making tray 410.

The ice-making discharge hole 38 may communicate with the third air blower fan 18 (with reference to FIG. 2), and thus supply cold air heat-exchanged with the second evaporator 32 to the ice making chamber 40 and the lower portion of the second ice making tray 410 by the driving of the third air blower fan 18. However, in this embodiment, the ice-making discharge hole 38 communicates with the second air blower fan 35 (with reference to FIG. 2), and thus cold air heat-exchanged with the second evaporator 32 is discharged through the second outlets 34b and the ice-making discharge hole 38 when the second air blower fan 35 is driven.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view illustrating the freezing chamber of the refrigerator in accordance with this embodiment.

As shown in FIG. 7, a freezing chamber door 31 to open and close the freezing chamber 30′ in a sliding type is provided on the front surface of the freezing chamber 30′, and a first drawer unit 31a integrally connected with the freezing chamber door 31 and a second drawer unit 39 provided above the first drawer unit 31a to be movable forward and backward are provided.

The second storage container 500 in accordance with this embodiment is received in the second drawer unit 39, and thus moves forward and backward according to the movement of the second drawer unit 39.

In order to minimize an ineffective space in the freezing chamber 30′, the second drawer unit 39 may have a sufficient size to cause the lower end thereof to be adjacent to the first drawer unit 31a and the upper end thereof to be adjacent to the upper surface of the freezing chamber 30′.

In case that the second ice making unit 400 is mounted in the freezing chamber 30′, when the second drawer unit 39 moves forward and backward, the front end of the second drawer unit 39 may collide with the second ice making unit 400. In order to prevent such collision, a first cut part 39a having a size corresponding to that of the second ice making unit 400 to prevent the collision of the second drawer unit 39 with the second ice making unit 400 is provided at the front end of the second drawer unit 39.

Further, a second cut part 510 having a height corresponding to that of the first cut part 39a of the second drawer unit 39 to prevent the collision of the second storage container 500 with the second ice making unit 400 is also provided at the front end of the second storage container 500.

The first and second cut parts 39a and 510 prevent cold air discharged from the ice-making discharge hole 38 from being blocked by the front ends of the second drawer unit 39 and the second storage container 500, and thus allow the discharged cold air to be smoothly transmitted to the lower portion of the second ice making tray 410.

Therefore, the first and second cut parts 39a and 510 allow the second drawer unit 39 to smoothly move without collision with the second ice making unit 400 when the second drawer unit 39 moves forward and backward, while maximizing the reception space of the second drawer unit 39. Further, the first and second cut parts 39a and 510 allow the cold air discharged from the ice-making discharge hole 38 to be smoothly transmitted to the lower portion of the second ice making tray 410.

Hereinafter, a flow of supplied water in the refrigerator in accordance with the embodiments of the present invention will be described.

FIG. 8 is a block diagram illustrating the flow of supplied water in a refrigerator in accordance with one embodiment.

As shown in FIG. 8, the refrigerator in accordance with the embodiment of the present invention further includes a filter 60 to purify supplied water, a regulator 70 provided at the outlet side of the filter 60, a distributor 80, a plurality of valves 81 and 83, and a water tank 90.

The regulator 70 serves to maintain a regular amount of the supplied water regardless of the hydraulic pressure of a water supply source, and the distributor 80 having a manifold shape is provided at the outlet side of the regulator 70.

Among divergence water channels 80a and 80b obtained by the distributor 80, one water channel 80a is extended to the first icemaker 100 to supply water to the first icemaker 100, and the other water channel 80b is extended to the water tank 90 and the second icemaker 200. A first valve 83 to selectively supply water to one of the water tank 90 and the second icemaker 200 through the other channel 80b is provided at the inlet sides of the water tank 90 and the second icemaker 200.

The first valve 83 may be a 3-way valve.

A second valve 81, which is a 2-way valve, to intermit the supply of water to the first icemaker 100 is provided at the inlet side of the first icemaker 100.

Therefore, water flown from the external water supply source is purified by the filter 60 and then flows to the regulator 70. A regular amount of the water passed through the regulator 70 is guided to the distributor 80.

The water flown from the distributor 80 is supplied to the first and second icemakers 100 and 200 and the water tank 90 via the divergence water channels 80a and 80b and the first and second valves 81 and 83.

The first and second valves 81 and 83 may be properly controlled by a controller (not shown) under various conditions, such as whether or not the first and second storage containers 120 and 220 are completely filled with ice.

Water flown into the first icemaker 100 is changed into ice, and the ice is stored in the first storage container 120. In case that a user selects water through the selection buttons, water in the water tank 90 is discharged to the dispenser device 50, and in case that the user selects ice through the selection buttons, ice in the first and second storage containers 120 and 220 is discharged to the dispenser device 50.

Next, a modification of the flow of supplied water in the refrigerator in accordance with the embodiments will be described.

FIG. 9 is a block diagram illustrating the modification of the flow of supplied water in a refrigerator in accordance with one embodiment.

As shown in FIG. 9, the refrigerator in accordance with the embodiment further having the modification of the flow of supplied water includes a filter 60 to purify supplied water, a valve unit 85 and 87 provided at the outlet of the filter 60, and a water tank 90.

Water flown from an external water supply source is purified by the filter 60 and then flows to the valve unit 85 and 87.

The valve unit 85 and 87 includes a first valve 87 to supply water selectively to one of the first and second icemakers 100 and 200, and a second valve 85 provided at the inlet side of the first valve 87 to supply water selectively to one of the first valve 87 and the water tank 90.

Each of first and second valves 85 and 87 may be a 3-way valve.

Therefore, the supplied water flows to the second valve 85 via the filter 60, and the second valve 85 is capable of selectively opening and closing a water channel 85b connected to the water tank 90 or a water channel 85a connected to the first and second icemakers 100 and 200.

In case that the second valve 85 opens the water channels 85a and 85b connected to the first and second icemakers 100 and 200 and the water tank 90, the first valve 87 is capable of selectively opening and closing water channels connected to the first icemaker 100 or the second icemaker 200.

The first and second valves 85 and 87 may be properly controlled by a controller (not shown) under various conditions, such as whether or not the first and second storage containers 120 and 220 are completely filled with ice.

The above configuration of the refrigerator in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention may be applied to a top freezer type refrigerator, in which a freezing chamber is provided at the upper part and a cooling chamber is provided at the lower part, and a side by side type refrigerator, in which a cooling chamber is provided at one side part of right and left parts and a freezing chamber is provided at the other one side part of the right and left parts, as well as to a bottom freezer type refrigerator, in which a cooling chamber is provided at the upper part and a freezing chamber is provided at the lower part.

As is apparent from the above description, the refrigerator in accordance of one embodiment of the present invention has a plurality of icemakers provided therein, and thus is capable of increasing the production and storage amounts of ice.

Although a few embodiments of the invention have been shown and described, it would be appreciated by those skilled in the art that changes may be made in these embodiments without departing from the principles and spirit of the invention, the scope of which is defined in the claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. A refrigerator comprising:

a main body forming the external appearance of the refrigerator;

a freezing chamber and a cooling chamber divisionally provided in the main body;

an ice making chamber separately provided in the cooling chamber to be thermally insulated;

a first ice making unit provided in the ice making chamber to produce ice; and

a second ice making unit provided in the freezing chamber to produce ice.

2. The refrigerator according to claim 1, further comprising:

a water supply source to supply water independently to the first and second ice making units; and

a distributor provided between the first and second ice making units.

3. The refrigerator according to claim 1, further comprising doors to open and close the cooling chamber,

wherein one door of the doors is provided with a dispenser device to discharge the ice in the first ice making unit to the outer surface of the one door.

4. The refrigerator according to claim 3, further comprising a water tank provided at the inlet side of the dispenser device,

wherein a first valve to supply water selectively to one of the water tank and the second ice making unit is provided at the inlet side of the water tank.

5. The refrigerator according to claim 4, wherein a second valve to supply water selectively to the first ice making unit is provided at the inlet side of the first ice making unit.

6. The refrigerator according to claim 3, further comprising:

a water tank provided at the inlet side of the dispenser device; and

a valve unit to supply water selectively to one of the first and second ice making units and the water tank.

7. The refrigerator according to claim 6, wherein the valve unit includes a first valve to supply water selectively to one of the first and second ice making units, and a second valve provided at the inlet side of the first valve to supply water selectively to one of the first valve and the water tank.

8. The refrigerator according to claim 1, further comprising:

a first storage container provided in the ice making chamber to store ice separated from the first ice making unit; and

a second storage container provided in the freezing chamber to store ice separated from the second ice making unit.

9. The refrigerator according to claim 8, further comprising a cover to cover an opening formed through the front surface of the ice making chamber such that the ice making chamber is thermally insulated,

wherein the cover is formed integrally with the first storage container.

10. The refrigerator according to claim 8, wherein the second storage container is provided in a drawer under the second ice making unit.

11. The refrigerator according to claim 8, further comprising:

a sliding door to open and close the freezing chamber;

a first drawer unit formed integrally with the door; and

a second drawer unit provided above the first drawer unit to be slidable,

wherein the second storage container is detachably provided in the second drawer unit.

12. A refrigerator comprising:

a main body divided into a cooling chamber in the upper portion thereof and a freezing chamber in the lower portion thereof;

doors respectively opening and closing the cooling chamber and the freezing chamber;

an ice making chamber separately provided in the cooling chamber to be thermally insulated;

a first icemaker provided in the ice making chamber to produce ice and store the produced ice;

a second icemaker provided in the freezing chamber to produce ice and store the produced ice; and

a dispenser device provided on one door of the doors to discharge the ice in the first icemaker to the outer surface of the one door.

13. The refrigerator according to claim 12, wherein the second icemaker includes a second ice making unit to produce ice, and a second storage container provided under the second ice making unit to be movable forward and backward.

14. The refrigerator according to claim 13, wherein:

the freezing chamber includes an evaporator, a freezing part to form a storage space, and a freezing duct to divide the evaporator and the freezing part from each other and supply cold air heat-exchanged with the evaporator to the freezing part; and

the freezing duct includes at least one outlet to supply cold air to the freezing part, at least one inlet to guide the cold air of the freezing part to the evaporator, and an ice-making discharge hole to supply cold air to the second ice making unit.

15. The refrigerator according to claim 14, wherein:

the second ice making unit includes an ice making tray; and

the ice-making discharge hole includes an inclined part to guide cold air to the lower portion of the ice making tray.

16. The refrigerator according to claim 14, wherein a first air blower fan to forcibly circulate the cold air of the evaporator to the ice making chamber is provided in the freezing duct.

17. The refrigerator according to claim 16, wherein a second air blower fan to forcibly circulate the cold air of the evaporator to the ice-making discharge hole is provided in the freezing duct.

18. A refrigerator comprising:

a main body divided into a cooling chamber in the upper portion thereof and a freezing chamber in the lower portion thereof;

doors respectively opening and closing the cooling chamber and the freezing chamber;

an ice making chamber separately provided at a corner of the upper portion of the cooling chamber to be thermally insulated;

a first icemaker provided in the ice making chamber to produce ice and store the produced ice;

a second icemaker provided in the freezing chamber to produce ice and store the produced ice;

a supply channel connecting the freezing chamber and the ice making chamber to supply cold air to the first icemaker; and

a return channel to return cold air in the ice making chamber to the freezing chamber.

19. The refrigerator according to claim 18, further comprising a dispenser device provided on one door of the doors to discharge the ice in the first icemaker to the outer surface of the one door.

20. A refrigerator comprising:

a cooling chamber;

a freezing chamber provided under the cooling chamber;

an ice making chamber made of an insulating material to be separated from the cooling chamber;

cooling chamber doors to open and close the cooling chamber;

a first icemaker provided in the ice making chamber;

a dispenser device provided on one of the cooling chamber doors to be operated in connection with the first icemaker; and

a second icemaker provided in the freezing chamber,

wherein the second icemaker includes an ice making unit fixed to an upper wall of the freezing chamber, and a storage container movably provided under the ice making unit.

21. The refrigerator according to claim 20, wherein the second icemaker further includes a water pipe to supply water to the ice making unit.

22. The refrigerator according to claim 20, further comprising a drawer unit slidably provided in the freezing chamber,

wherein the storage container is detachably provided in the drawer unit such that the storage container moves according to the movement of the drawer unit.

The refrigerator according to claim 20, wherein:

the ice making unit includes a case; and

at least one fixing piece to fix wires is provided on the upper surface of the case.

24. The refrigerator according to claim 23, wherein:

the case is provided with sliding parts and first screw connection parts to fix the case to the upper surface of the freezing chamber; and

the upper surface of the freezing chamber is provided with sliding guides corresponding to the sliding parts and second screw connection parts corresponding to the first screw connection parts.