Refrigerator having multiple ice banks

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 side of the freezing chamber; an ice maker positioned at a portion in any of the freezing chamber and the refrigerating chamber; first and second ice banks storing ice made by the ice maker; an ice dispenser supplying ice stored in the first ice bank and positioned in the refrigerating chamber; and an ice transfer unit transferring ice between the first and second ice banks, wherein the first and second ice banks are installed in separate spaces which are thermally insulated and maintained at a different temperature, respectively.

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 side of the freezing chamber;   an ice maker positioned at a portion in any of the freezing chamber and the refrigerating chamber;   first and second ice banks storing ice made by the ice maker;   an ice dispenser supplying ice stored in the first ice bank and positioned in the refrigerating chamber; and   an ice transfer unit transferring ice between the first and second ice banks,   wherein the first and second ice banks are installed in separate spaces which are thermally insulated and maintained at a different temperature, respectively.   
     
     
         2 . The refrigerator of  claim 1 , wherein the first ice bank is positioned in the refrigerating chamber, and the second ice bank is positioned in the refrigerating chamber. 
     
     
         3 . The refrigerator of  claim 1 , wherein both first and second ice banks are positioned in the refrigerating chamber such that the second ice bank is provided at an inner side of the refrigerating chamber and positioned in an insulating space maintained at a temperature lower than that of the refrigerating chamber. 
     
     
         4 . The refrigerator of  claim 2 , wherein the ice transfer unit comprises:
 first and second transfer ducts extending between the first and second ice banks, respectively;   a first ice input unit inputting ice stored in the first ice bank to the first transfer duct;   a second ice input unit inputting ice stored in the second ice bank to the interior of the second transfer duct; and   a blower blowing air to the interior of the second transfer duct to pressure-transfer the ice to the first ice bank.   
     
     
         5 . The refrigerator of  claim 2 , wherein the ice transfer unit comprises:
 is first and second transfer ducts extending between the first and second ice banks, respectively;   a first ice input unit inputting ice stored in the first ice bank to the first transfer duct;   a second ice input unit inputting ice stored in the second ice bank to the interior of the second transfer duct; and   a conveyer belt installed in the second transfer duct and transferring ice stored in the second ice bank to the first ice bank.   
     
     
         6 . The refrigerator of  claim 4 , further comprising:
 a cooling air supply duct supplying cooling air toward the ice maker, wherein the cooling air supplied through the cooling air supply duct is returned to the freezing chamber through the first transfer duct.   
     
     
         7 . The refrigerator of  claim 4 , wherein at least one of the first and second transfer ducts is buried in the inner wall of the refrigerator main body. 
     
     
         8 . The refrigerator of  claim 4 , wherein a damper for opening and closing a first ice bank side opening of each of the first and second transfer ducts is additionally provided, and the damper is controlled to open the opening only when ice is transferred, thus minimizing a leakage of cooling air. 
     
     
         9 . The refrigerator of  claim 2 , wherein the ice transfer unit comprises:
 a first transfer duct extending between the first and second ice banks; and   a spiral transfer screw installed at the inner side of the first transfer duct and forwardly and reversely moving to transfer ice in both directions between the first and second ice banks.   
     
     
         10 . The refrigerator of  claim 4 , wherein the first ice input unit includes a first auger for pushing ice stored in the first ice bank to the opening of the first transfer duct. 
     
     
         11 . The refrigerator of  claim 4 , wherein the second ice input unit comprises:
 an ice input path connected with the second ice bank; and   a second auger pushing ice input from the ice input path to an inner side of an input hole formed on the second transfer duct.   
     
     
         12 . The refrigerator of  claim 11 , further comprising:
 a damper for opening and closing the input hole formed on the second transfer duct.   
     
     
         13 . The refrigerator of  claim 12 , wherein an ice support portion for supporting ice input to the interior of the second transfer duct is provided, and the ice support portion is formed such that it allows air to pass therethrough. 
     
     
         14 . The refrigerator of  claim 1 , wherein the ice maker is provided on the refrigerating chamber side door. 
     
     
         15 . The refrigerator of  claim 1 , wherein the ice maker is provided within the refrigerating chamber. 
     
     
         16 . The refrigerator of  claim 1 , wherein the second ice bank is positioned in a space maintained at a relatively low temperature, and has a storage capacity larger than that of the first ice bank.