Ice maker, refrigerator having the same, and ice making method thereof

Abstract

An ice maker, a refrigerator including the ice maker, and an ice making method are provided. The ice maker includes a tray having a predetermined depth into which water is supplied to make ice. The ice maker includes an elevating unit to elevate a portion of the ice, and a cutting unit to cut off the elevated portion of the ice to be dispensed as ice pieces to a user. The ice maker has a slim configuration, and a compact size. The ice maker may be provided in the door of the refrigerator at a height approximately the same as the height of the dispenser located at the front side of the door. This arrangement permits a path for supplying cool air from a freezing compartment to the ice maker to be decreased.

1 . An ice maker, comprising:
 a tray having an ice making space configured to produce an ice mass;   an ice elevating unit configured to elevate the ice mass located within the ice making space so that an upper portion of the ice mass is located above the tray; and   an ice separating unit configured to separate the upper portion of the ice mass from a remaining portion of the ice mass.   
     
     
         2 . The ice maker of  claim 1 , wherein the ice elevating unit comprises a rotatable screw having a screw thread, the screw thread being configured to contact the ice mass in the ice making space to elevate the ice mass upon rotation of the screw. 
     
     
         3 . The ice maker of  claim 2 , further comprising a driving unit configured to rotate the screw, the driving unit including:
 a driving motor;   a driving gear coupled to the driving motor; and   a driven gear provided at the ice elevating unit and coupled to the driving gear for rotating the screw while being rotated by a rotation force of the driving gear.   
     
     
         4 . The ice maker of  claim 1 , further comprising a driving motor configured to simultaneously drive the ice elevating unit and the ice separating unit by rotation of the driving motor. 
     
     
         5 . The ice maker of  claim 1 , wherein the tray includes a plurality of spaced-apart ribs provided on an inner surface thereof, the ribs extending in a generally vertical direction. 
     
     
         6 . The ice maker of  claim 1 , wherein the ice separating unit comprises:
 a housing located at an upper side of the tray; and   a cutter member located within the housing, the cutter member being configured to cut the ice mass into the upper portion and the remaining portion.   
     
     
         7 . The ice maker of  claim 6 , wherein the cutter member comprises:
 a pair of support members spaced apart in a horizontal direction; and   a blade having a spiral shape, the blade having opposite ends thereof coupled to the pair of support members.   
     
     
         8 . An appliance, comprising:
 a body including an ice making chamber; and   an ice maker located in the ice making chamber, the ice maker including:
 a tray having an ice making space configured to produce an ice mass; 
 an ice elevating unit configured to elevate the ice mass located within the ice making space so that an upper portion of the ice mass is located above the tray; and 
 an ice separating unit configured to separate the upper portion of the ice mass from a remaining portion of the ice mass. 
   
     
     
         9 . The appliance of  claim 8 , wherein the body is a refrigerator body having a refrigerating chamber and a freezing chamber, and wherein the ice making chamber is located in the refrigerating chamber. 
     
     
         10 . The appliance of  claim 9 , further comprising a door configured to open and close the refrigerating chamber,
 wherein the ice making chamber is located at the door.   
     
     
         11 . The appliance of  claim 8 , further comprising a dispenser located at the refrigerator door for drawing out ice made in the ice making space to outside of the refrigerator door,
 wherein at least a portion of the ice making chamber is located at a same height as a portion of the dispenser.   
     
     
         12 . A method of providing ice, comprising:
 producing an ice mass in an ice making device;   receiving an ice request signal from a user;   elevating the ice mass located within the ice making device;   separating an upper portion of the ice mass from a remaining portion of the ice mass; and   dispensing the separated upper portion of the ice mass.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the elevating, the separating and the dispensing occur in that order in response to the ice request signal. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the ice mass is produced prior to receiving the ice request signal. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the producing an ice mass includes:
 supplying water to a tray of the ice making device;   sensing time or an amount of the water supplied to the tray; and   determining whether the sensed time or water amount has reached a preset value.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising separating an interface between the ice making device and the ice mass prior to elevating the ice mass. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the elevating the ice mass includes applying mechanical force to the ice mass. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the applying mechanical force includes applying a vertical lifting force to a generally vertical sidewall of the ice mass. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the separating an upper portion of the ice mass from a remaining portion of the ice mass includes applying mechanical cutting force to the ice mass to sever the ice mass into separate pieces. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the elevating the ice mass includes moving the ice mass in a generally vertical direction, and the separating an upper portion of the ice mass from a remaining portion of the ice mass includes applying mechanical force to the ice mass in a generally horizontal direction.