Ice-full state detecting apparatus and refrigerator having the same

Abstract

An ice-full state detecting apparatus and a refrigerator having the same are disclosed. The refrigerator including an ice-full state detecting apparatus includes: a refrigerator body including a cooling chamber; a cooling chamber door to open and close the cooling chamber; an ice maker installed at the cooling chamber or at the cooling chamber door; an ice storage container to store ice made by the ice maker; and the ice-full state detecting apparatus to detect an ice-full state of the ice storage container, wherein the ice-full state detecting apparatus includes: a ice-full state detecting sensor to detect an ice-full state of the ice storage container; a sensor heater to heat the ice-full state detecting sensor; a detecting unit to detect whether the ice-full state detecting sensor is in contact with external air; and a controller to control the operation of the sensor heater based on the detection result of the detecting unit. The ice-full state detecting sensor can be restrained from being frosted to thus prevent degradation of detection performance of the ice-full state detecting sensor. In addition, power consumption required for a defrosting operation can be reduced.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD[0001]The present invention relates to an ice-full state detecting apparatus and a refrigerator having the same, and more particularly, to an ice-full state detecting apparatus capable of improving the accuracy of detection of an ice-full state and reducing power consumption in detecting an ice-full state.BACKGROUND ART[0002]A refrigerator is a device for refrigerating or freezing food items or the like to keep them fresh in storage. The refrigerator includes an ice maker for making ice and an ice bank or an ice storage container for receiving ice made by the ice maker.[0003]An ice maker of the related art refrigerator includes a so-called full ice detection lever that detects whether or not ice stored in the ice bank has reached a pre-set level. The ice full detection lever is connected to a controller, and when ice-full state is detected by the full ice detection lever, the controller controls the ice maker to stop an ice making operation.[0004]The full ice detectio...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0026]The foregoing and other objects, features, aspects and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description of the present invention when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. Advantageous Effects

[0027]As so far described, the ice-full state detecting apparatus and the refrigerator having the same according to the present invention may have one or more of the following advantages.

[0028]For example, because the sensor heater is disposed near the ice detecting sensor, heat generated from the sensor heater can be transferred to the ice detecting sensor. Frost that may be formed on the ice detecting sensor can be removed, so the ice detecting sensor can accurately and stably detect whether ice-full state of ice transferred from the ice maker. As can be appreciated, the sensor heater may prevent the formation of moisture or frost such that frost formation is not a concern.

[0029]Because the extending pipe is formed to surround the receiver and the transmitter of the ice detecting sensor while allowing a detect signal transmitted from the receiver and the transmitter of the ice detecting sensor to pass therethrough and the sensor heater is installed at an outer side of the extending pipe, heat generated from the sensor heater can be effectively transferred to the ice detecting sensor.

[0030]Because the sensor heater accommodating body with the sensor heater wound thereon in the form of coil is applied to the ice detecting sensor, heat generated from the sensor heater can be uniformly transferred to the entire surface of the receiver and the transmitter of the ice detecting sensor.

[0031]Because the sensor heater is applied to the sensor heater accommodating body such that the sensor heater is wound thereon several times in a coil type, the heating value of the sensor heater can be adjusted according to the number of winding the sensor heater. Thus, the heating value of the sensor heater can be easily adjusted according to an environment where the ice detecting sensor is installed, for example, according to an ambient temperature.

Problems solved by technology

However, in the related art, if the full ice detection lever becomes frozen, the mechanical operation of the full ice detection lever is not likely to be performed, and the controller cannot determine whether the ice bank is full.

In such faulty state, ice is continuously supplied although the ice bank is full of ice, causing an overflow of ice from the ice container.

Images