Ice maker, refrigerator comprising same, and method for controlling ice maker heater

Abstract

An ice maker enables a refrigerator to recognize the operation of an ice separation heater when the ice maker operates the ice separation heater. A refrigerator can reduce or stop the power supplied to electronic components when an ice maker notifies the operation of an ice separation heater. The ice maker includes a tray for receiving liquid, an ejector for discharging ice frozen in the tray, a first heater for providing heat to the tray, and an ice maker control unit. When the heater operates, the ice maker enables a main control unit of the refrigerator to recognize the completion of ice making or the initiation of the operation of the heater.

1 . A method for controlling an ice separation heater of an ice maker, wherein the ice maker includes an ice making tray that accommodates ice making water; a motor that discharges ice of the ice making tray; and the ice separation heater that is attached to a part of the ice making tray, the method comprising one of the following steps:
 cross-managing and distributing power of the motor and the ice separation heater, or simultaneously managing and distributing power of some of the motor and the ice separation heater; and   cross-managing and distributing power of the ice separation heater and some or all of electronic components mounted in the cooling chamber or mixedly managing and distributing power of some of the electronic components and the ice separation heater.   
     
     
         2 . The method for controlling an ice separation heater of an ice maker of  claim 1 , wherein the ice separation heater receives full load power or power below the full load power. 
     
     
         3 . The method for controlling an ice separation heater of an ice maker of  claim 1 , wherein the ice separation heater is any one of a film heater, a planar heater, a print heater, and a cord heater. 
     
     
         4 . An ice maker comprising:
 an ice making tray that accommodates ice making water;   an ice separation heater that is attached to at least a part of the ice making tray and constituted of a plurality of partial heaters; and   a power control operating system that operates each of the partial heaters differently for each condition.   
     
     
         5 . (canceled) 
     
     
         6 . An ice maker comprising:
 an ice making tray that accommodates ice making water;   a driving unit; and   an ice separation heater that is attached to the ice making tray,   wherein the ice maker has at least one of the following features:   (i) DC power is supplied to the ice separation heater,   (ii) a required amount of power is supplied to the ice separation heater by controlling an electronic component of the refrigerator during an ice separating operation of the ice maker; and   (iii) power supplied to the ice separation heater is pulse width modulation (PWM)-controlled.   
     
     
         7 . The ice maker of  claim 6 , wherein the ice separation heater is a planar heater. 
     
     
         8 . The ice maker of  claim 6 , wherein the DC power is supplied to the ice separation heater while the ice maker performs an ice separating operation. 
     
     
         9 . The ice maker of  claim 6 ,
 wherein the required amount of power is supplied to the ice separation heater by controlling an electronic component of the refrigerator during an ice separating operation of the ice maker.   
     
     
         10 . The ice maker of  claim 6 , wherein the ice maker transmits a signal indicating performance of an ice separating operation to a refrigerator. 
     
     
         11 . An ice maker for a refrigerator comprising:
 a tray that accommodates a liquid;   an ejector that discharges ice frozen in the tray;   a first heater that provides heat to the tray; and   an ice maker control unit,   wherein the ice maker transmits, to a refrigerator, a signal indicating a completion of ice making or a start of an operation of the first heater when the first heater is operated.   
     
     
         12 . The ice maker for a refrigerator of  claim 11 , wherein the ice maker control unit enables the main control unit to recognize the completion of ice making or the start of the operation of the first heater. 
     
     
         13 . The ice maker for a refrigerator of  claim 12 , wherein the ice maker control unit enables the main control unit to recognize the completion of ice making or the start of the operation of the first heater through a power line for receiving power from the main control unit. 
     
     
         14 . The ice maker for a refrigerator of  claim 13 , further comprising:
 a motor that supplies power to the ejector,   wherein the ice maker control unit enables the main control unit to recognize an operation of the motor when the motor is operated.   
     
     
         15 . The ice maker for a refrigerator of  claim 14 , wherein the ice maker control unit notifies the main control unit of the operation of the motor through the power line for receiving power from the main control unit. 
     
     
         16 . The ice maker for a refrigerator of  claim 11 , further comprising:
 an ice making sensor that detects whether the liquid in the tray is frozen,   wherein the ice maker control unit notifies the main control unit of the completion of ice making when the ice maker control unit receives a signal of the ice making sensor.   
     
     
         17 . The ice maker for a refrigerator of  claim 16 , wherein the ice maker control unit notifies the main control unit of the completion of ice making through a power line for receiving power from the main control unit. 
     
     
         18 . A refrigerator which includes the ice maker of  claim 11 , wherein the refrigerator includes a main control unit that measures or controls a current supplied to the ice maker. 
     
     
         19 . The refrigerator of  claim 18 , wherein the main control unit reduces or shuts off power supplied to an electronic component of the refrigerator when the main control unit recognizes a start of an operation of the first heater by the ice maker control unit. 
     
     
         20 . The refrigerator of  claim 18 , wherein the main control unit reduces or shuts off power supplied to an electronic component of the refrigerator when the main control unit recognizes an operation of a motor for supplying power to the ejector. 
     
     
         21 . (canceled) 
     
     
         22 . The refrigerator of  claim 18 , wherein the main control unit compares a magnitude of the measured current with a predetermined value and reduces or shuts off power supplied to an electronic component of the refrigerator when the magnitude is equal to or larger than the predetermined value. 
     
     
         23 . The refrigerator of  claim 18 , wherein the electronic component is at least one of a compressor motor, a blowing fan for blowing cold air, and a second heater mounted in the refrigerator. 
     
     
         24 . The ice maker of  claim 6 ,
 wherein the power supplied to the ice separation heater is pulse width modulation (PWM)-controlled.   
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the method comprises cross-managing and distributing power of the motor and the ice separation heater, or simultaneously managing and distributing power of some of the motor and the ice separation heater. 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the method comprises cross-managing and distributing power of the ice separation heater and some or all of electronic components mounted in the cooling chamber or mixedly managing and distributing power of some of the electronic components and the ice separation heater.