Automatic icemaker

Abstract

An automatic icemaker according to the present invention is capable of being installed in a freezing compartment and automatically making and discharging ice cubes, the automatic ice-making comprising at least one ice-making tray having a plurality of small ice-making compartments, partitions disposed between respective adjacent small ice-making compartments, and groove-shaped water-passage channels formed in portions of the partitions which are offset from centers of the partitions, and a rotating device for rotating the ice-making tray, wherein water is supplied after the ice-making tray is inclined at a water supply angle less than a water filling angle in such a direction that the water passage channels face downward.

1 . A method of controlling an automatic icemaker, the automatic icemaker being installed in a freezing compartment and automatically making and discharging ice cubes, the method comprising:
 providing an ice-making tray having a plurality of ice-making compartments, a plurality of partitions, and a plurality of groove-shaped water-passage channels, each of the partitions being disposed between two immediately adjacent ice-making compartments, each of the groove-shaped water-passage channels passing through a corresponding one of the partitions;   rotating the ice-making tray downwardly from a horizontal position to a water supply angle;   starting supply of water to the ice-making tray only when the ice-making tray is located at the water supply angle;   stopping supply of the water to the ice-making that stays at the water supply angle when the water is supplied for a first predetermined period of time, by using the first predetermined period of time as a criteria to stop supply of the water;   after stopping supply of the water, rotating the ice-making tray further downwardly from the water supply angle to a water filling angle, such that the water in the ice-making tray that stays at the water filling angle is evenly distributed via the groove-shaped water-passage channels through the partitions to the ice-making compartments, wherein the water filling angle is larger than the water supply angle using the horizontal position of the ice-making tray as a reference point; and   rotating the ice-making tray upwardly from the water filling angle back to the horizontal position.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein no water is supplied to the ice-making tray when the ice-making tray is located at the water filling angle. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein no water is supplied to the ice-making tray except when the ice-making tray is located at the water supply angle. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the step of rotating the ice-making tray upwardly from the water filling angle back to the horizontal position is performed when the ice-making tray stays at the water supply angle for a second predetermined period of time. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the step of rotating the ice-making tray downwardly from the horizontal position to the water supply angle and the step rotating the ice-making tray further downwardly from the water supply angle to a water filling angle are performed by rotating the ice-making tray in a clockwise direction. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , the step of rotating the ice-making tray upwardly from the water filling angle back to the horizontal position is performed by rotating the ice-making tray in a counterclockwise direction. 
     
     
         7 . A method of controlling an automatic icemaker, the automatic icemaker being installed in a freezing compartment and automatically making and discharging ice cubes, the method comprising:
 providing an ice-making tray having a plurality of ice-making compartments, a plurality of partitions, and a plurality of groove-shaped water-passage channels, each of the partitions being disposed between two immediately adjacent ice-making compartments, each of the groove-shaped water-passage channels passing through a corresponding one of the partitions;   successively rotating the ice-making tray downwardly from a horizontal position such that a tilt angle of the ice-making tray becomes larger until the tilt angle reaches a water filling angle;   starting supply of water to the ice-making tray;   stopping supply of the water when the water is supplied for a first predetermined period of time, by using the first predetermined period of time as a criteria to stop supply of the water;   stopping rotating the ice-making tray when the tilt angle reaches the water filling angle and keeping the ice-making tray at the water filling angle such that the water in the ice-making tray that stays at the water filling angle is evenly distributed via the groove-shaped water-passage channels through the partitions to the ice-making compartments; and   rotating the ice-making tray upwardly from the water filling angle back to the horizontal position when both requirements (1) and (2) are simultaneously met for a second predetermined period of time:   (1) the ice-making tray stays at the water filling angle. and   (2) the supply of the water is stopped.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the step of successively rotating the ice-making tray downwardly and the step of starting supply of water to the ice-making tray starts at the same time. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the step of successively rotating the ice-making tray downwardly from the horizontal position to the water filling angle is performed by successively rotating the ice-making tray in a clockwise direction. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , the step of rotating the ice-making tray upwardly from the water filling angle back to the horizontal position is performed by rotating the ice-making tray in a counterclockwise direction.