Refrigerator having ice transfer unit

Abstract

A refrigerator includes: a refrigerator main body including a freezing chamber positioned at a lower portion thereof and a refrigerating chamber positioned at an upper portion thereof; an ice maker and an ice bank positioned at an inner side of the freezing chamber; an ice dispenser positioned at an inner side of the refrigerating chamber; a transfer flow path extending from the ice bank to the ice dispenser; an ice input unit supplying ice stored in the ice bank to the interior of the transfer flow path; and a blower blowing air to allow the ice supplied to the interior of the ice transfer flow path toward the ice dispenser.

1 . A refrigerator comprising:
 a refrigerator main body including a freezing chamber positioned at a lower portion thereof and a refrigerating chamber positioned at an upper portion thereof;   an ice maker and an ice bank positioned at an inner side of the freezing chamber;   an ice dispenser positioned at an inner side of the refrigerating chamber;   a transfer flow path extending from the ice bank to the ice dispenser;   an ice input unit supplying ice stored in the ice bank to the interior of the transfer flow path; and   a blower blowing air to allow the ice supplied to the interior of the ice transfer flow path toward the ice dispenser.   
     
     
         2 . The refrigerator of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a return flow path extending from the ice dispenser to the ice bank,   wherein air blown through the transfer flow path is returned to the blower through the return flow path.   
     
     
         3 . The refrigerator of  claim 1 , wherein the transfer flow path is buried in an inner wall of the main body. 
     
     
         4 . The refrigerator of  claim 2 , wherein the return flow path is buried in an inner wall of the main body. 
     
     
         5 . The refrigerator of  claim 1 , wherein the ice input unit comprises:
 an ice input path connected with the ice bank;   an auger for pushing ice, which is input through the ice input path, into the interior of an input hole formed on the transfer flow path; and   a damper for selectively opening and closing the input hole.   
     
     
         6 . The refrigerator of  claim 1 , wherein ice made by the ice maker has a pressure receiving portion formed to be recessed. 
     
     
         7 . The refrigerator of  claim 6 , wherein the ice has a shape of a truncated cone 
     
     
         8 . The refrigerator of  claim 1 , wherein the ice has a spherical shape. 
     
     
         9 . The refrigerator of  claim 2 , wherein a suction opening of the transfer flow path and a discharge hole of the return flow path communicates with each other. 
     
     
         10 . The refrigerator of  claim 9 , wherein a blow fan installation unit is formed at the freezing chamber side and communicates with the suction opening of the transfer flow path and the discharge hole of the return flow path, and the blow fan is installed within the blow fan installation unit. 
     
     
         11 . The refrigerator of  claim 1 , wherein an ice support portion for supporting supplied ice is provided in the interior of the transfer flow path, and the ice support portion is formed to allow air to pass therethrough. 
     
     
         12 . The refrigerator of  claim 11 , wherein the ice support portion is made of a mesh material.