Refrigerator, ice maker for a refrigerator, and method for making ice

Abstract

An ice maker for a refrigerator and a method for making ice are provided. The ice maker includes an ice-making tray configured to be disposed at one side of a refrigerating chamber, that stores water to be used to make ice, and an ice-making pipe that freezes the water stored in the ice-making tray. In an ice-releasing process, the ice-making tray is instantly heated by applying power thereto.

1 . A refrigerator, comprising:
 a main body including at least a refrigerating chamber and a freezing chamber disposed under the refrigerating chamber;   first and second refrigerating chamber doors that open or close the refrigerating chamber;   an ice maker disposed within the refrigerating chamber so as to be located behind one of the first and second refrigerating chamber doors;   a container mounted on the one of the first and second refrigerating chamber doors so as to be supplied with ice from the ice maker and to be exposed to an inside of the refrigerating chamber;   a dispenser disposed in the one of the first and second refrigerating chamber doors so as to dispense the ice received in the container;   an evaporator disposed within the freezing chamber that supplies cold air thereto; and   a cold air flow passage that supplies the cold air supplied from the freezing chamber to the container in order to maintain a temperature of the container lower than a temperature of the refrigerating chamber and that extends along a ceiling of the refrigerating chamber, wherein the ice maker comprises:
 a tray configured to receive water to be used to make ice and disposed inside of the refrigerating chamber; 
 a refrigerant pipe that freezes the water received in the tray; 
 an ejector configured to eject the ice from the tray; and 
 a motor that actuates the ejector. 
   
     
     
         2 . The refrigerator as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the refrigerant pipe is imbedded in the tray. 
     
     
         3 . The refrigerator as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the refrigerant pipe contacts the tray. 
     
     
         4 . The refrigerator as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the first and second refrigerating chamber doors are disposed laterally. 
     
     
         5 . The refrigerator as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the cold air flow passage comprises a duct member having a discharge port positioned above an opening of the container. 
     
     
         6 . The refrigerator as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the tray is disposed adjacent to the cold air flow passage. 
     
     
         7 . The refrigerator as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the container has an opening at an upper portion thereof, and at least a portion of the cold air discharged from the cold air flow passage is discharged downward to the opening of the container. 
     
     
         8 . The refrigerator as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the tray is disposed at a side of the refrigerating chamber corresponding to a position at which ice falls into the container. 
     
     
         9 . The refrigerator as claimed in  claim 1 , further comprising an auger vertically arranged in the container. 
     
     
         10 . A refrigerator, comprising:
 a main body including at least a refrigerating chamber and a freezing chamber disposed under the refrigerating chamber;   at least one refrigerating chamber door that opens or closes the refrigerating chamber;   a tray configured to receive water to be used to make ice and disposed inside of the refrigerating chamber;   a refrigerant pipe disposed adjacent to the tray that freezes the water received in the fray;   an ejector configured to eject the ice in the tray;   a motor that actuates the ejector;   a container disposed in the at least one refrigerating chamber door so that an inner space of the container may communicate with the inside of the refrigerating chamber;   a cold air flow passage that supplies cold air to the refrigerating chamber and the container and that extends along a ceiling of the refrigerating chamber.   
     
     
         11 . The refrigerator as claimed in  claim 10 , wherein the cold air flow passage comprises a duct member having a discharge port positioned above an opening of the container. 
     
     
         12 . The refrigerator as claimed in  claim 10 , wherein the tray is disposed adjacent to the cold air flow passage. 
     
     
         13 . The refrigerator as claimed in  claim 10 , wherein the container has an opening at an upper portion thereof, and wherein at least a portion of the cold air discharged from the cold air flow passage is discharged downward toward the opening of the container. 
     
     
         14 . The refrigerator as claimed in  claim 10 , wherein the tray is disposed at a side of the refrigerating chamber corresponding to a position at which ice falls into the container.