公开(公告)号：US12078402B2

公开(公告)日：2024-09-03

申请号：US18094766

申请日：2023-01-09

Applicant: LG ELECTRONICS INC.

Inventor： Yonghyun Kim ,  Jinil Hong ,  Hyunji Park

IPC: F25C5/187 ,  F25C1/10 ,  F25C5/08

CPC classification number: F25C5/187 ,  F25C1/10 ,  F25C5/08 ,  F25C2305/022

Abstract: A refrigerator includes a cabinet, an ice maker configured to make spherical ice, and an ice bin for storing the ice. The ice maker includes an upper assembly including a plurality of hemispherical upper chambers, a lower assembly disposed below and pivotably coupled to the upper assembly, wherein the lower assembly includes a plurality of hemispherical lower chambers that are configured to come in contact with the plurality of hemispherical upper chambers to define a plurality of spherical ice chambers, a driver configured to pivot the lower assembly, and an ice-full state detection lever that is coupled to and configured to be pivoted by the driver, wherein the ice-full state detection lever is configured to pivot in the same direction as the lower assembly to detect whether the ice bin is in an ice-full state.

公开(公告)号：US12072132B2

公开(公告)日：2024-08-27

申请号：US16511937

申请日：2019-07-15

Applicant: LG Electronics Inc.

Inventor： Jinil Hong ,  Yonghyun Kim

IPC: F25C1/04 ,  F25C5/04 ,  F25D17/06

CPC classification number: F25C1/04 ,  F25C5/04 ,  F25D17/065 ,  F25C2305/0221

Abstract: An ice maker of a refrigerator includes an upper assembly having an upper tray that defines upper portions of a plurality of ice making chambers as well as a lower assembly located vertically below the upper assembly that is configured to rotate relative to the upper assembly. The lower assembly includes a lower tray that defines lower portions of the plurality of ice making chambers. Each of the plurality of ice making chambers is configured to receive water when the lower assembly rotates relative to the upper assembly and generate an ice piece within when the upper and lower portions of the ice making chambers are joined. The lower tray includes a deformable portion that is configured to, based on an outward expansion of the ice piece within the ice making chamber during ice generation, change from a first shape to a second shape.

公开(公告)号：US12061034B2

公开(公告)日：2024-08-13

申请号：US18119429

申请日：2023-03-09

Applicant: LG ELECTRONICS INC.

Inventor： Yonghyun Kim ,  Jinil Hong

IPC: F25C5/08 ,  F25C1/04 ,  F25C1/243

CPC classification number: F25C5/08 ,  F25C1/04 ,  F25C1/243

Abstract: An ice maker includes: an upper tray defining an upper chamber that is a portion of an ice chamber; a lower tray defining a lower chamber that is another portion of the ice chamber, wherein the lower tray is relatively rotatable relative to the upper tray; and an upper heater disposed around the upper tray, for providing heat to the upper chamber, wherein the upper tray is made of a non-metal material and a flexible material, the upper heater is a DC heater receiving DC power, at least a portion of the upper tray is thicker than the lower tray, an accommodation part for accommodating the upper heater is formed on the upper tray, and at least a portion of the upper heater is disposed to vertically overlap the ice chamber in a state that the upper heater is accommodated in the accommodation part.

公开(公告)号：US11946683B2

公开(公告)日：2024-04-02

申请号：US17944684

申请日：2022-09-14

Applicant: LG Electronics Inc.

Inventor： Yonghyun Kim ,  Jinil Hong ,  Hyunji Park

IPC: F25C1/10 ,  F25C5/187 ,  F25C5/20

CPC classification number: F25C5/187 ,  F25C1/10 ,  F25C5/22 ,  F25C2400/10 ,  F25C2700/02

Abstract: Provided is a refrigerator including a cabinet having a freezing compartment defined therein, an ice-maker mounted in the freezing compartment, wherein the ice-maker makes spherical ice and removes the made spherical ice downwards, an ice bin disposed below the ice-maker, and retractable and extendable in a front and rear direction, wherein the removed ice is stored in the ice bin, and a cover plate extending downward from a rear face of the ice-maker, wherein the cover plate shields a space between the ice bin and the ice-maker.

公开(公告)号：US11913700B2

公开(公告)日：2024-02-27

申请号：US17950626

申请日：2022-09-22

Applicant: LG Electronics Inc.

Inventor： Yonghyun Kim ,  Jinil Hong ,  Hyunji Park

IPC: F25C1/10 ,  F25C1/243 ,  F25C5/20 ,  F25D11/02 ,  F25D23/02 ,  F25D23/12

CPC classification number: F25C1/10 ,  F25C1/243 ,  F25C5/22 ,  F25D11/02 ,  F25D23/028 ,  F25D23/126 ,  F25C2305/022 ,  F25C2305/0221 ,  F25C2400/06 ,  F25C2400/10

Abstract: Provided is an ice maker including an upper tray and a lower tray made of an elastic material, wherein a plurality of upper chambers defined in the upper tray and a plurality of lower chambers defined in the lower tray are in contact with each other to define a plurality of spherical ice chambers, respectively, each ejector-receiving opening opened to each of the plurality of upper chambers, each opening-defining wall extending upward along a circumference of each ejector-receiving opening, an upper ejector configured to pass through the ejector-defining wall and vertically move to remove each ice from each ice chamber, and a driver for pivoting the lower tray to open and close the upper tray and the lower tray, wherein the upper tray includes a horizontal extension forming a top face of the upper tray, wherein 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.

公开(公告)号：US11885550B2

公开(公告)日：2024-01-30

申请号：US17892865

申请日：2022-08-22

Applicant: LG Electronics Inc.

Inventor： Yonghyun Kim ,  Jinil Hong ,  Hyunji Park

IPC: F25C1/10 ,  F25C1/243 ,  F25C5/04

CPC classification number: F25C1/10 ,  F25C1/243 ,  F25C5/04 ,  F25C2400/10

Abstract: Provided is a refrigerator including a cabinet having a refrigerating compartment and a freezing compartment defined therein, and an ice maker disposed in the freezing compartment, wherein the ice maker includes an upper tray made of an elastic material, and having a plurality of hemispherical upper chambers defined therein, a lower tray made of an elastic material, wherein the lower tray comes into contact with the upper tray by pivoting to define a plurality of spherical ice chambers therebetween, a driver for pivoting the lower tray to open and close the upper tray and the lower tray, and each rib formed along a circumference of each upper chamber or each lower chamber in contact with each other.

公开(公告)号：US11874047B2

公开(公告)日：2024-01-16

申请号：US17294642

申请日：2019-11-14

Applicant: LG Electronics Inc.

Inventor： Yonghyun Kim ,  Hyunji Park ,  Seunggeun Lee ,  Jinil Hong

IPC: F25C1/25 ,  F25C1/18 ,  F25C5/08

CPC classification number: F25C1/25 ,  F25C1/18 ,  F25C5/08 ,  F25C2400/10 ,  F25C2400/14

Abstract: A refrigerator of the present invention comprises: a cabinet having a freezer chamber, and an ice maker provided in the freezer chamber, wherein the ice maker includes a tray for forming an ice chamber, and a case for supporting the tray, the case includes a fixing part to be fixed to walls for forming the freezer chamber or a housing fixed to the walls, and the fixing part includes an inclined surface so that the case forms a slope at the walls or the housing.

公开(公告)号：US11874042B2

公开(公告)日：2024-01-16

申请号：US17868568

申请日：2022-07-19

Applicant: LG Electronics Inc.

Inventor： Yonghyun Kim ,  Jinil Hong ,  Hyunji Park

IPC: F25C1/10 ,  F25C1/243 ,  F25C5/04

CPC classification number: F25C1/10 ,  F25C1/243 ,  F25C5/04

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.

公开(公告)号：US11578904B2

公开(公告)日：2023-02-14

申请号：US16511873

申请日：2019-07-15

Applicant: LG Electronics Inc.

Inventor： Jinil Hong ,  Yonghyun Kim

IPC: F25C1/10 ,  F25C1/243 ,  F25C1/25

Abstract: An ice maker of a refrigerator includes a tray assembly having an upper tray that defines upper portions of a plurality of ice making chambers. Each of the plurality of ice making chambers is configured to receive water and generate an ice piece. The tray assembly also includes a lower tray that is located vertically below the upper tray, that is configured to rotate relative to the upper tray, and that defines lower portions of the plurality of ice making chambers, wherein at least one of the upper tray or the lower tray comprises a flexible tray made of a flexible material. Additionally, a case is configured to accommodate the flexible tray to restrict a deformation of the flexible tray. A heater that is located between the case and the flexible tray is configured to supply heat to the plurality of ice making chambers through the flexible tray.

公开(公告)号：US11566829B2

公开(公告)日：2023-01-31

申请号：US16685696

申请日：2019-11-15

Applicant: LG Electronics Inc.

Inventor： Yonghyun Kim ,  Hyunji Park ,  Jinil Hong ,  Seunggeun Lee

IPC: F25C1/04 ,  F25D11/02 ,  F25C1/243

Abstract: Provided is a refrigerator including a cabinet having a refrigerating compartment and a freezing compartment defined therein and an ice maker disposed in the freezing compartment. The ice maker includes a cold-air hole for receiving cold air, an upper tray made of an elastic material, wherein the upper tray is positioned to be exposed to the cold-air flowing from the cold-air hole, a lower tray made of an elastic material, wherein the lower tray is coupled to the upper tray to define a plurality of spherical ice chambers therebetween, a driver for pivoting the lower tray to open the spherical ice chambers, at least one thermally-insulating portion formed at a top face of the upper tray and corresponding to at least one of the ice chambers respectively, wherein the at least one thermally-insulating portion is constructed to prevent the cold-air from invading the at least one corresponding ice chamber.