Refrigerator

Abstract

A refrigerator includes: a cabinet formed with a plurality of storage spaces divided; a first ice maker provided in any one of the plurality of storage spaces; a dispenser provided to a door, through which ice made in the first ice maker is discharged; a second ice maker provided in the storage space different from the storage space where the first ice maker is provided; and a water feeding passage branched such that it is possible to selectively supply water to the first ice maker and the second ice maker from a water supply source.

1 . A refrigerator comprising:
 a cabinet formed with a plurality of storage spaces divided;   a first ice maker provided in any one of the plurality of storage spaces;   a dispenser provided to a door, through which ice made in the first ice maker is discharged;   a second ice maker provided in the storage space different from the storage space where the first ice maker is provided; and   a water feeding passage branched such that it is possible to selectively supply water to the first ice maker and the second ice maker from a water supply source.   
     
     
         2 . The refrigerator of  claim 1 , wherein the first ice maker is provided in a refrigerator compartment and the second ice maker is provided in a freezer compartment under the refrigerator compartment. 
     
     
         3 . The refrigerator of  claim 1 , wherein the refrigerator comprises an ice container which is provided under the second ice maker to store ice and to be pulled open and pushed close. 
     
     
         4 . The refrigerator of  claim 1 , wherein the first ice maker is provided in a refrigerator compartment door and the second ice maker is provided in a freezer compartment under the refrigerator compartment. 
     
     
         5 . The refrigerator of  claim 4 , wherein the first ice maker is provided inside an insulator space formed in the refrigerator compartment door. 
     
     
         6 . The refrigerator of  claim 4 , wherein the second ice maker is installed at an upper surface of the freezer compartment. 
     
     
         7 . The refrigerator of  claim 4 , wherein the freezer compartment further comprises:
 a bracket installed at an upper surface of the freezer compartment to guide a portion of the water feeding passage and an electrical wire toward the second ice maker; and   an ice maker holder coupled to the bracket and the second ice maker to fix the ice maker.   
     
     
         8 . The refrigerator of  claim 4 , wherein the freezer compartment further comprises a cooling-air duct for making ice and supplying cooling-air toward the second ice maker. 
     
     
         9 . The refrigerator of  claim 8 , wherein a cooling-air discharge hole in which an opened end of the cooling-air duct for ice making is disposed is further formed at a sidewall of the freezer compartment adjacent to the second ice maker. 
     
     
         10 . A refrigerator comprising:
 a cabinet having a refrigerator compartment formed at an upper part thereof and a freezer compartment formed at a lower part thereof;   a first ice maker provided in the refrigerator compartment;   a dispenser provided to a refrigerator compartment door, through which ice made in the first ice maker is discharged;   a second ice maker provided in the freezer compartment;   an ice container which is provided in the freezer compartment to store ice made in the second ice maker and is accessible by an opening of a freezer compartment door;   a water feeding passage branched such that water is supplied toward the first ice maker and the second ice maker, respectively; and   a controller electrically connected to the first ice maker and the second ice maker to control operation of each of the first ice maker and the second ice maker.   
     
     
         11 . The refrigerator of  claim 10 , wherein the controller comprises:
 a first ice maker controller electrically connected to the first ice maker to control operation of the first ice maker; and   a second ice maker controller electrically connected to the second ice maker to control operation of the second ice maker; and   wherein the first ice maker controller and the second ice maker controller are configured to communicate with each other.   
     
     
         12 . The refrigerator of  claim 11 , wherein the first ice maker controller and the second ice maker controller are configured to communicate wirelessly with each other. 
     
     
         13 . The refrigerator of  claim 11 , wherein the first ice maker controller and the second ice maker controller are provided in the first ice maker and the second ice maker, respectively. 
     
     
         14 . The refrigerator of  claim 10 , wherein the controller is electrically connected to both of the first ice maker and the second ice maker such that any one of the first ice maker and the second ice maker operates preferentially. 
     
     
         15 . The refrigerator of  claim 10 , wherein the controller controls the first ice maker and the second ice maker such that in a state that operation of any one stops, the other ice maker operates. 
     
     
         16 . The refrigerator of  claim 10 , wherein the controller controls the first ice maker and the second ice maker such that after ice made by the first ice maker is stored in an ice bank provided under the first ice maker by a set amount or more, the second ice maker operates. 
     
     
         17 . The refrigerator of  claim 10 , wherein the controller stops water supply to the first ice maker and the second ice maker when drinking water is discharged through the dispenser. 
     
     
         18 . A refrigerator comprising:
 a cabinet formed with a refrigerator compartment and a freezer compartment;   a first ice maker provided in a space for the refrigerator compartment;   a dispenser provided to a refrigerator compartment door, through which ice made in the first ice maker is discharged;   a second ice maker which is provided in the freezer compartment and is selectively accessible according to opening/closing of a freezer compartment door;   a water feeding passage connected to a water supply source outside the refrigerator to supply water to the first ice maker, the second ice maker and the dispenser; and   a branch means provided on the water feeding passage to distribute water supplied from the water supply source toward the first ice maker and the second ice maker.   
     
     
         19 . The refrigerator of  claim 18 , wherein the water feeding passage comprises:
 a main passage connecting the water supply source and the branch means;   a first branch passage extending from the branch means to the first ice maker; and   a second branch passage extending from the branch means to the second ice maker.   
     
     
         20 . The refrigerator of  claim 19 , wherein a filter and a water tank are connected to the first branch passage. 
     
     
         21 . The refrigerator of  claim 19 , wherein a first valve for selectively supplying water to the first ice maker and the dispenser is provided on the first branch passage, and a second valve for selectively supplying water to the second ice maker is provided on the second branch passage. 
     
     
         22 . The refrigerator of  claim 19 , wherein the branch means comprises a valve making it possible to selectively supply water to the first branch passage or the second branch passage. 
     
     
         23 . The refrigerator of  claim 19 , wherein the branch means has openings into which the first branch passage and the second branch passage are inserted, the openings being different in diameter. 
     
     
         24 . The refrigerator of  claim 19 , wherein the first branch passage has an inner diameter which is greater than that of the second branch passage. 
     
     
         25 . The refrigerator of  claim 18 , wherein the branch means is configured such that at least some of the branch means is exposed at a rear surface of the cabinet. 
     
     
         26 . The refrigerator of  claim 18 , wherein the branch means is configured to be connected to the water feeding passage at an outside of the cabinet. 
     
     
         27 . The refrigerator of  claim 18 , wherein the refrigerator compartment is provided therein with an insulator space which accommodates the first ice maker and is independent from the refrigerator compartment.