Ice maker and refrigerator comprising same

Abstract

The utility model relates to an ice maker and a refrigerator comprising the same. The ice maker includes: an upper tray including a plurality of upper chambers including a hot wire insertion portion; the lower tray comprises a plurality of lower chambers; a heat wire inserted into the heat wire insertion part; a heat wire cover disposed on the heat wire insertion portion to cover the heat wire; and an upper cover disposed on the upper tray and including one or more pressing portions for pressing the heat wire cover. As a result, it is possible to improve the heat transfer efficiency of the heat generated by the hot wire to the ice tray.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model relates to an ice maker and a refrigerator including the ice maker. Background Technology

[0002] A refrigerator is a household appliance that uses the circulation of refrigerant to supply cold air to the storage compartment, keeping various items fresh for a long time.

[0003] A refrigerator may include an ice maker that uses cold air to make ice.

[0004] An ice maker can make ice by placing water supplied from a water source or tank into an ice tray.

[0005] An ice tray may include one or more ice chambers, the ice chambers being configured to have a shape corresponding to the ice used to form a desired shape.

[0006] As water is introduced into the ice chamber, it is cooled by cold air passing through an ice tray, ice can be formed.

[0007] Ice produced in an ice maker can be transferred using various methods, such as heating the ice tray or twisting the ice tray to deform its shape.

[0008] For example, when moving ice using a heating method that heats the ice tray, the manufactured ice can be removed from the ice tray by heating the outer surface of the ice tray with hot wires.

[0009] On the other hand, when there are multiple ice chambers, the time difference in moving ice within each ice chamber can be large when the heat applied to each ice chamber by the hot wire is uneven.

[0010] In addition, when there are multiple ice chambers, if the hot wire is not precisely and tightly attached to each ice chamber or the degree of attachment between the ice chambers is different, poor ice transfer may occur in some ice chambers.

[0011] Furthermore, during the assembly process of an ice maker consisting of multiple components, issues may arise regarding the stability of the ice tray and heating wires due to the assembly process. Utility Model Content

[0012] Problems to be solved by the utility model

[0013] The purpose of this invention is to provide an ice maker that allows the ice tray and the heating wire to fit tightly together, and a refrigerator including the ice tray and the heating wire.

[0014] In addition, the purpose of this invention is to provide an ice maker and a refrigerator including the ice maker that can provide heat applied by the heat wire to each ice chamber as evenly as possible by bringing the plurality of ice chambers and the heat wire into close contact.

[0015] In addition, the purpose of this invention is to provide an ice maker and a refrigerator including the ice maker that can prevent the temporarily fixed hot wire cover from being disturbed by external operations by keeping the hot wire cover in a temporarily fixed state before it is fully attached to the ice tray during assembly.

[0016] Technical solutions to the problem

[0017] An ice maker according to one embodiment of the present invention for solving the above-mentioned problems includes: an upper tray including a plurality of upper chambers, each including a hot wire insertion portion; a lower tray including a plurality of lower chambers; a hot wire inserted into the hot wire insertion portion; a hot wire cover disposed on the hot wire insertion portion to cover the hot wire; and an upper cover disposed on the upper tray, including one or more pressure portions for pressing the hot wire cover.

[0018] The upper tray may also include an upper plate, forming a cold airflow path between the upper plate and the upper cover.

[0019] The hot wire insertion part may be recessed downwards from the top surface of the upper plate.

[0020] The upper chamber may protrude downwards from the top surface of the upper plate.

[0021] The hot wire inserted into the hot wire insertion part may be located below the top surface of the upper plate.

[0022] At least a portion of the hot wire insertion portion may be formed along at least a portion of the outer periphery of each of the upper chambers.

[0023] The ice maker also includes a plurality of inflow guides that communicate with each of the upper chambers and extend toward the upper part of the upper chambers; at least a portion of the hot wire insertion portion may be formed along at least a portion of the outer periphery of each of the inflow guides.

[0024] One of the plurality of inflow guides is a water supply guide that forms a water supply path; in the region corresponding to the water supply guide, the hot wire insertion portion may be formed along the inner direction of the water supply guide.

[0025] The hot wire cover may include: a hot wire cover body having a closed curved shape to include a hollow interior; and one or more side extensions protruding outward from the side of the hot wire cover body; the upper tray may include one or more fixing hooks for fixing the side extensions.

[0026] The fixing hook can temporarily fix the hot wire cover to the hot wire insertion part.

[0027] The hot wire cover may include: a hot wire cover body having a closed curved shape to include a hollow interior; an upper protrusion protruding from one side surface of the hot wire cover body and extending upward along the hot wire cover body; and a lower protrusion protruding from the other side surface of the hot wire cover body and extending downward along the hot wire cover body; the hot wire cover body may be disposed outside the hot wire insertion portion, and the lower protrusion may be inserted into the hot wire insertion portion.

[0028] The width of each of the upper protrusion and the lower protrusion may be narrower than the width of the main body of the hot wire cover.

[0029] The upper protrusion and the lower protrusion can be formed to have continuous patterns on one side and the other side of the main body of the hot wire cover, respectively.

[0030] The upper protrusion may be formed to have a discontinuous pattern on one side of the main body of the hot wire cover.

[0031] Each of the aforementioned upper protrusions may be configured to overlap with the inflow guide in the front-to-back direction.

[0032] The pressurizing part can press the upper protrusion downwards, and the lower protrusion can press the hot wire downwards.

[0033] The pressurizing part can protrude downwards from the bottom surface of the upper cover.

[0034] The pressurizing section has a plurality of parts; the plurality of pressurizing sections that are adjacent to each other can be separated from each other.

[0035] The ice maker also includes a plurality of inflow guides that communicate with each of the upper chambers and extend toward the upper part of the upper chambers; each of the pressurizing parts may be configured to overlap with the inflow guides in the front-back direction.

[0036] The outer diameter of the pressurizing section can be smaller than the outer diameter of the inflow guide.

[0037] A refrigerator according to one embodiment of the present invention includes: one or more storage compartments; one or more doors for opening and closing the storage compartments; and an ice maker installed in the storage compartments or the doors; the ice maker includes: an ice tray including a plurality of chambers, including a hot wire insertion part; a hot wire inserted into the hot wire insertion part; a hot wire cover disposed on the hot wire insertion part to cover the hot wire; and an ice cover disposed on the ice tray, including one or more pressure parts for pressing the hot wire cover.

[0038] Utility Model Effect

[0039] In the ice maker and refrigerator of this invention, the heat wire cover covering the heat wire placed on the ice tray is pressed by the pressure part of the ice cover, thereby ensuring a tight fit between the ice tray and the heat wire. This improves the heat transfer efficiency from the heat wire to the ice tray.

[0040] Furthermore, in the ice maker and refrigerator of this invention, the lower protrusion of the hot wire cover, which extends downwards along the main body of the hot wire cover, presses against the hot wire. This allows the multiple ice chambers and the hot wire to be in close contact, thereby providing heat applied to each ice chamber as evenly as possible. This reduces the time difference in ice transfer between ice chambers and decreases the occurrence of poor ice transfer in some ice chambers.

[0041] In addition, in the ice maker and refrigerator of this utility model, since the ice tray on which the hot wire cover is placed includes one or more fixing hooks to temporarily fix the hot wire cover, it is possible to prevent the hot wire temporarily fixed to the ice tray from coming off its original position during the assembly of other parts, thereby enabling the hot wire cover to remain temporarily fixed before it is fully attached to the ice tray during assembly. Attached Figure Description

[0042] Figure 1 This is the front view of the refrigerator with the door closed.

[0043] Figure 2 This is the front view of the refrigerator with the door open.

[0044] Figure 3 This is an exploded 3D view of the door with the ice maker installed.

[0045] Figure 4 This is a cross-sectional view of the door from the rear direction with the ice maker installed.

[0046] Figure 5 and Figure 6 These are front and rear 3D views of the ice maker.

[0047] Figure 7 and Figure 8 These are side sectional views of the ice maker before and after the ice was removed.

[0048] Figure 9 This is an exploded 3D diagram of an ice maker.

[0049] Figure 10 This is a three-dimensional view of the upper part of the upper tray.

[0050] Figure 11 This is a top view of the upper tray.

[0051] Figure 12 This is a diagram showing the placement of the heating element on the upper tray.

[0052] Figure 13 This is a diagram illustrating another embodiment of a hot wire mounted on an upper tray.

[0053] Figure 14 and Figure 15 These are 3D views of the upper and lower parts of the hot wire cover.

[0054] Figure 16 This is a diagram showing a hot wire cover of another embodiment.

[0055] Figure 17 The diagram shows a heating wire cover mounted on an upper tray with the heating wire attached.

[0056] Figure 18 This is a diagram showing another embodiment of a hot wire cover being placed on an upper tray.

[0057] Figure 19 This is an enlarged view of the hot wire cover temporarily secured by the fixing hooks on the upper tray.

[0058] Figure 20 It is a side sectional view of the ice maker with the lower tray, upper tray, heating wire cover, and upper cover combined.

[0059] Figure 21 It is a three-dimensional view of the lower part of the upper cover.

[0060] Figure 22 This is a perspective view of the lower part of the upper cover in another embodiment.

[0061] Figure 23 This is a cross-sectional view of a portion of the pressing heat line of the pressure section of the upper cover, as enlarged according to another embodiment.

[0062] Figure 24 and Figure 25 The figures show various embodiments of pressing the hot wire without an additional hot wire cover.

[0063] Figures 26 to 28 The diagram illustrates various embodiments of the hot wire cover. Detailed Implementation

[0064] The following describes some embodiments of the ice maker and refrigerator of this utility model.

[0065] First, refer to Figures 1 to 9 This paper describes an embodiment of the ice maker, refrigerator, and the connection relationships of the various main components constituting them.

[0066] Reference Figures 1 to 4 The refrigerator 1 may have an exterior consisting of a cabinet 2 that includes one or more storage compartments inside, one or more first doors 11 located on the front of the cabinet 2 that open and close the refrigerator compartments, and a second door 12 that opens and closes the freezer compartments.

[0067] In this specification, a refrigerator with the refrigerator compartment located above the freezer compartment is described as an example. However, the concept of this embodiment can also be applied to refrigerators with the refrigerator compartment located below the freezer compartment, refrigerators that only include a freezer compartment, or refrigerators with the freezer and refrigerator compartments arranged side to side. Furthermore, in this specification, an embodiment with the ice maker 30 installed in the first door 11 is described. However, the concept of this embodiment can also be applied to cases where the ice maker 30 is located in a storage compartment such as the freezer compartment or refrigerator compartment.

[0068] A dispenser section 13 capable of dispensing water and / or ice may be configured on the front of one or more of the first door 11 and the second door 12.

[0069] The first door 11 may include an outer casing 21 and a door liner 22 attached to the outer casing 21. The door liner 22 may form the back of the first door 11 and may form an ice-making chamber 14 in which the ice maker 30 is disposed. The ice-making chamber 14 may be opened and closed by an ice-making chamber door 24 rotatably connected via a hinge 23 to the door liner 22.

[0070] The housing 2 may include: a cold air supply pipe hole 2a, communicating with an evaporator (not shown) to supply cold air to the ice-making chamber 14; and a cold air recovery pipe hole 2b, recovering cold air from the ice-making chamber 14. The first door 11 may be equipped with: a door supply pipe 25, having a cold air inlet hole 25a on one side and a door supply pipe hole 25h communicating with the ice-making chamber 14 on the other side; and a door recovery pipe 26, having a cold air outlet hole 26a on one side and a door recovery pipe hole 26h communicating with the ice-making chamber 14 on the other side. When the first door 11 is closed, the cold air inlet hole 25a of the door supply pipe 25 can be aligned with and communicate with the cold air supply pipe hole 2a, and the cold air outlet hole 26a of the door recovery pipe 26 can be aligned with and communicate with the cold air recovery pipe hole 2b. The door supply pipe 25 and the door recovery pipe 26 can extend from the outer wall 28 of the door liner 22 to the inner wall 27 forming the ice-making chamber 14.

[0071] An ice maker 30, an ice box 20 for storing ice dispensed from the ice maker 30, and a support mechanism 40 can be configured within the ice-making chamber 14. The support mechanism 40 may include a support body 41 for supporting and fixing the ice maker 30 and an ice opening 40h for discharging ice from the ice box 20. The ice opening 40h may communicate with an ice pipe hole 15h formed in the inner wall 27. For example, when a user operates the dispenser 13 to remove ice, the ice stored in the ice box 20 after being moved from the ice maker 30 can be discharged to the outside through the ice pipe 15, which communicates with the ice opening 40h and the ice pipe hole 15h, and via the ice trough of the dispenser 13. Alternatively, the user can also directly obtain ice from the ice box 20 by opening the first door 11. An ice discharge module 50 may be added to the ice box 20, which has the function of guiding the stored ice to be discharged easily and breaking the ice.

[0072] Reference Figures 5 to 9 The ice maker 30 may include an upper assembly 31 and a lower assembly 32. The upper assembly 31 may include an upper cover 100 and an upper tray 200. The lower assembly 32 may include a lower cover 300, a lower tray 400, and a lower support 500.

[0073] The lower component 32 can be rotatably connected to the upper component 31 via a connecting shaft 850 with respect to an axis. The lower component 32 can generate spherical ice together with the upper component 31 while in contact with the upper component 31. The upper component 31 and the lower component 32, which have hemispherical upper chamber 220 and lower chamber 420 respectively, can form an ice chamber 33 capable of generating spherical ice by fitting their shapes together. Hereinafter, an embodiment will be described with the ice chambers 33 arranged in a first column and a second column, with five ice chambers arranged in the first column and six ice chambers 33 arranged in the second column, but this is not a limitation.

[0074] With the upper assembly 31 and lower assembly 32 forming the ice chamber 33, water can be supplied to the ice chamber 33 through the water supply section 130 formed on the upper cover 100. If the lower assembly 32 rotates after ice is formed, the spherical ice formed between the upper assembly 31 and lower assembly 32 can be separated from the ice chamber 33. The lower assembly 32 can be rotated bidirectionally by a drive unit 800 connected to one side of the upper tray 200.

[0075] The upper assembly 31 may include an upper ejector 600, which includes an upper ejecting pin 620 to separate ice from the upper assembly 31. The upper ejecting pins 620 may have the same number as the ice chambers 33. If the upper ejecting pins 620 are inserted through the upper assembly 31 into the ice chambers 33 and press against the ice, the pressed ice can be separated from the upper assembly 31.

[0076] Additionally, a lower ejector 700 may be included, which includes lower ejector pins 720 to separate ice adhering to the lower assembly 32. The number of lower ejector pins 720 may be the same as the number of ice chambers 33. As an example, the lower ejector 700 may be fixed to the upper assembly 31. With the lower assembly 32 rotated, the lower ejector 700 can deform its shape by pressing the bottom surface of the lower chamber 420, thereby separating ice from the lower chamber 420.

[0077] During the rotation of the lower assembly 32 used for transferring ice, the rotational force of the lower assembly 32 can be transmitted to the upper ejector 600. For this purpose, the ice maker 30 may also include a connecting unit 830 connecting the lower assembly 32 and the upper ejector 600.

[0078] As an example, when the lower component 32 rotates in one direction, the upper ejector 600 descends via the connecting unit 830, thereby allowing the upper ejector pin 620 to press the ice. Furthermore, when the lower component 32 rotates in the other direction, the upper ejector 600 can rise via the connecting unit 830 to return to its initial position.

[0079] The following is a more detailed description of the various components that make up the ice maker 30.

[0080] The upper cover 100 may include: a cover body 110, including a front portion 111 extending in the vertical direction and sidewall portions 112 formed on both sides of the front portion 111; an inclined portion 113 disposed at the rear of the cover body 110; and a back portion 114, ending at the rear of the inclined portion 113. A unit guide 140 with an opening in the vertical direction may be formed on the sidewall portion 112 to guide the vertical movement of the upper pusher 600. An air guide portion 120 may be formed on one side of the cover body 110, the air guide portion 120 including an air guide hole 120h communicating with the door supply pipe hole 25h to receive cold air. The air guide portion 120 communicates with the lower part of the water supply portion 130, and the cold air supplied through the air guide portion 120 can flow along the bottom surface of the inclined portion 113 toward the front portion 111. The cover body 110, air guide 120 and water supply 130 of the upper cover 100 are integrally formed, which not only reduces the number of parts, but also reduces the occurrence of assembly tolerances.

[0081] An upper ejector 600 may be disposed on the upper cover 100. The upper ejector 600 may include: an upper ejector body 610 extending in one direction; and a plurality of upper ejector pins 620 protruding downward toward the upper ejector body 610. An upper rib 611 extending in one direction may be formed on the upper part of the upper ejector body 610. Upper ejector guides 640 may be formed on both sides of the upper ejector body 610, thereby enabling the upper ejector 600 to move vertically along the unit guide 140 of the upper cover 100. In addition, anti-separation protrusions 630 may be provided on both sides of the upper ejector body 610, the anti-separation protrusions 630 being used to prevent separation from the connecting unit 830 when engaged with it. One or more pin guides 150 extending upward and disposed on the periphery of the inflow guide 230 of the upper tray 200 may be formed on the upper cover 100. The pin guide 150 can guide the upper push-out pin 620 to be accurately inserted into the inflow guide 230.

[0082] An upper tray 200 may be disposed on the lower part of the upper cover 100. The upper tray 200 may include a plurality of upper chambers 220 formed in the direction of the lower part of the upper plate 210. A drive unit support portion 260 for supporting and engaging with the drive unit 800 may be formed on one side of the upper tray 200. The drive unit support portion 260 may include: a bending portion 261 extending in an upward and outward bending direction from one side of the upper plate 210; and a connecting portion 262 engaging with the drive unit 800.

[0083] The drive unit 800 has a pair of insertion portions 805 protruding toward the coupling portion 262 in its upper region. These insertion portions 805 are inserted into a pair of insertion holes 262h formed in the coupling portion 262, thereby allowing the drive unit 800 to easily engage with the coupling portion 262. A fixing portion 804, protruding upwards and including a fixing hole 804h, may be formed in the upper region of the drive unit 800. The drive unit 800 may be fixed to the coupling portion 262 by additional fastening members passing through the fixing hole 804h of the fixing portion 804 and fastened to a fastening portion 263 formed in the upper region of the coupling portion 262. The drive unit 800 may include: a first rotating shaft 801 providing driving force to rotate the lower assembly 32; and a second rotating shaft 802 providing driving force to rotate the full-ice lever 870.

[0084] A pair of fastening portions 240 extending rearward and bending upward can be formed on both sides of the upper plate 210 of the upper tray 200. A pair of fastening holes 240h can be formed in the fastening portions 240. The ice maker 30 can be fixed to the support mechanism 40 through the pair of fastening portions 240 of the upper tray 200. (Refer to...) Figure 3The support mechanism 40 includes a support body 41 extending vertically, and a pair of insertion ports 42 are formed on the back of the support body 41 for the fastening portion 240 of the upper tray 200 to pass rearward. For example, when installing the ice maker 30 to the support mechanism 40, it can be installed by inserting the fastening portion 240 of the bent upper tray 200 through the insertion ports 42 of the support mechanism 40, and then pushing it from the bottom to the top. The ice maker 30 can be secured to the support mechanism 40 by additional fastening members that pass through the fastening holes 240h of the fastening portion 240.

[0085] A pair of forward-protruding protrusions 280 can be formed on the front of the upper plate 210 of the upper tray 200. The pair of protrusions 280 can ensure the separation distance between the upper plate 210 and the structure located in front of the ice maker 30. A pair of hinge supports 270 can be provided on both sides of the bottom surface of the upper plate 210 of the upper tray 200, which protrude downward and have hinge holes 270h formed in the left and right directions. A tray bushing 840 can be connected to each hinge support 270.

[0086] The upper tray 200 can be formed of metal. For example, the upper tray 200 can be formed by die casting using metal, thus having high rigidity. As described above, the upper tray 200 is formed of a material with high rigidity, thus not only minimizing the deformation of the upper chamber 220, but also serving as a support member for the drive unit 800.

[0087] The lower assembly 32 may include: a lower tray 400 including a plurality of lower chambers 420; a lower support 500 supporting the lower part of the lower tray 400; and a lower cover 300 fixing the lower tray 400 and the lower support 500.

[0088] Further reference Figure 20 The lower tray 400 can be formed of a flexible material that can return to its initial shape after being deformed under external force. For example, the lower tray 400 can be formed of silicone. If the lower tray 400 is formed of silicone, even if external force is applied to the lower tray 400 during the ice-moving process and deforms its shape, the lower tray 400 can return to its initial shape. Therefore, even with repeated ice-forming processes, spherical ice can be formed.

[0089] The lower tray 400 may include a plurality of lower chambers 420. The plurality of lower chambers 420 may be arranged in a plurality of columns. For example, a first column of lower chambers may be arranged in a plurality of columns along the first column, and a second column of lower chambers may be arranged in a plurality of columns along the second column.

[0090] Insertion protrusions 440 protruding downwards can be formed between a plurality of adjacent lower chambers 420. The insertion protrusions 440 can be formed between the first row of lower chambers and the second row of lower chambers. The insertion protrusions 440 can be formed to extend elongatedly in the left-right direction. The insertion protrusions 440 are fastened by passing through the grooves 540 of the lower support member 500, thereby forming a fixed structure that fastens the lower tray 400 and the lower support member 500 to each other. The insertion protrusions 440 are fastened to the grooves 540 of the lower support member 500 by hook engagement, thereby enabling the lower tray 400 and the lower support member 500 to be fixed to each other without additional fastening members.

[0091] On the other hand, the lower support member 500 may include a plurality of chamber receiving portions 520 for accommodating a plurality of lower chambers 420 of the lower tray 400. Each chamber receiving portion 520 may be formed in a shape corresponding to the bottom surface shape of the lower chamber 420. A lower opening 521 may be formed in the inner central region of the chamber receiving portion 520 for the lower pusher 700 to pass through during ice removal. Therefore, a lower opening 521 may be formed in each chamber receiving portion 520. The bottom surface of the lower chamber 420 of the lower tray 400 may be exposed to the outside through the lower opening 521. The lower support member 500 may have a groove 540 extending in the left-right direction formed in the central region. An insertion protrusion 440 of the lower tray 400 may be inserted into the groove 540. The groove 540 may be configured to correspond to the position of the insertion protrusion 440 and be formed in an open shape so that the insertion protrusion 440 can be inserted and fixed.

[0092] A front wall 310 extending downwards can be formed on the front side of the lower cover 300, and a back wall 320 extending downwards can be formed on the back side. A first back retaining platform portion can be formed in the lower inner region of the back wall 320, extending along the direction of the back wall 320 and protruding inwards towards the lower cover 300. A second back retaining platform portion can be formed in the upper inner region of the back wall 320, extending along the direction of the back wall 320 and protruding inwards towards the lower cover 300. When the lower cover 300 is combined with the lower tray 400 and the lower support member 500, the back side of the lower support member 500 can be locked or hooked between the first back retaining platform portion and the second back retaining platform portion to be fixed.

[0093] In the lower inner region of the front wall 310, one or more first front locking platforms can be formed protruding inward toward the lower cover 300. In the upper inner region of the front wall 310, one or more second front locking platforms can be formed protruding inward toward the lower cover 300. When the lower cover 300 is combined with the lower tray 400 and the lower support member 500, the front of the lower support member 500 can be locked or hooked between the first and second front locking platforms to secure it.

[0094] The lower assembly 32 can be assembled by first joining the lower tray 400 and the lower support member 500, and then the lower cover 300 can be assembled to the lower tray 400 and the lower support member 500 in a swing manner. When assembling the lower cover 300 in a swing manner, the back wall 320 of the lower cover 300 can first contact the lower tray 400 and the lower support member 500, thereby pressing the rear areas of the lower tray 400 and the lower support member 500 between the first and second back locking platforms to lock them in place. Then, with the back wall 320 of the lower cover 300 as an axis, the front wall 310 of the lower cover 300 is rotated downwards, thereby finally pressing the front areas of the lower tray 400 and the lower support member 500 between the first and second front locking platforms formed on the front wall 310 of the lower cover 300 to hook them in place.

[0095] The shaft connection portion 811 of the first link 810 and the shaft connection portion 821 of the second link 820 can pass through both sides of the lower support member 500, respectively. A connecting shaft 850 extending in one direction can be arranged between the shaft connection portions 811 of the first link 810 and the shaft connection portions 821 of the second link 820, which face each other. A rotating shaft connection portion 813 is formed on the side of the first link 810 adjacent to the drive unit 800, and is connected to the rotating protrusion 803 formed on the first rotating shaft 801 of the drive unit 800, thereby transmitting the driving force of the drive unit 800 to the lower assembly 32.

[0096] The lower support member 500 can be coupled to support member connection holes 832 formed on one side of a pair of connecting units 830 on both sides. On the other side of each connecting unit 830, an ejector connection hole 831 can be formed to engage with the anti-separation protrusion 630 of the upper ejector 600. The anti-separation protrusion 630 of the upper ejector 600 can be coupled to the ejector connection hole 831 of the connecting unit 830 while positioned outside the unit guide 140 of the upper cover 100. If rotational force is transmitted from the connecting unit 830 to the upper ejector 600 when the lower assembly 32 rotates, the upper ejector 600 can move vertically along the unit guide 140 of the upper cover 100.

[0097] The first link 810 and the second link 820 can be connected to the lower support member 500 by a pair of elastic members 860 respectively. As an example, the elastic member 860 can be a coil spring. One end of each elastic member 860 can be connected to the spring connection holes 812, 822 of the first link 810 and the second link 820, and the other end can be connected to both sides of the lower support member 500. The elastic member 860 can provide elastic force to the lower support member 500 to maintain the contact between the upper tray 200 and the lower tray 400.

[0098] A lower ejector 700 may be disposed at the lower part of the lower assembly 32. The lower ejector 700 can separate ice adhering to the lower assembly 32 from the lower assembly 32 by pressing the lower assembly 32. The lower ejector 700 may include a lower ejector body 710 and a plurality of lower ejector pins 720 protruding from the lower ejector body 710. The lower ejector pins 720 may have the same number as the ice chambers 33. The lower ejector 700 may be fixed to the upper assembly 31, but is not limited thereto; the lower ejector 700 may also be fixed to the support mechanism 40. During ice transfer, when the lower assembly 32 rotates in the direction in which the lower ejector 700 is disposed, the bottom surfaces of the lower chambers 420 of the lower tray 400 formed in the lower assembly 32 can be deformed by pressing the lower ejector 700, thereby separating the ice adhering to the lower chambers 420.

[0099] Outwardly protruding portions 750 can be formed on both sides of the lower ejector body 710. Each protrusion 750 can be fixed by a support retainer 43 formed on the front side of the support mechanism 40. In addition, a groove 751 is formed on one side of each protrusion 750 and engages with the protrusion formed on the support mechanism 40, thereby more strongly restricting the movement of the lower ejector 700 in the left-right direction. Furthermore, a rearwardly extending fastening boss 740 can be formed at the rear of the lower ejector body 710, and the fastening boss 740 can be fastened to the fastening hole formed on the support mechanism 40 by additional fastening members such as screws. Thus, the lower ejector body 710 can be fixed such that its movement in the front-back direction is restricted by the support mechanism 40.

[0100] A pair of fastening portions 730, including fastening holes 730h, can be formed on both sides of the upper region of the lower ejector body 710. A pair of ejector connecting portions 290 extending outward and bending can be formed behind the upper tray 200 to cover the fastening portions 730 of the lower ejector body 710. Fastening holes 290h can be formed in each ejector connecting portion 290, and can be fastened to the fastening holes 730h formed in the fastening portions 730 of the lower ejector body 710 by additional fastening members such as screws. Thus, the lower ejector 700 can be fixed to the upper assembly 31.

[0101] The amount of ice stored in the ice box 20 can be sensed by the full ice lever 870. The full ice lever 870 may include: a sensing part 871, which extends elongated in one direction and bends at both ends; and a pair of hooks 872, which are respectively formed at the two ends of the bent sensing part 871. The hook 872 formed on one side is connected to the first rotating shaft 801 of the drive unit 800, thereby receiving driving force from the drive unit 800, and the hook 872 formed on the other side is inserted into the lever storage part 121 extending downward from the air guide part 120 of the upper cover 100 and locked in place. However, the lever storage part 121 may also be formed not integrally with the upper cover 100, but as an additional structure and installed on the inner wall 27 of the first door 11, or the inner wall 27 of the first door 11 itself may have a through hole for the hook 872 to lock in place.

[0102] The following is for reference Figures 10 to 13 The upper tray 200 of this utility model will be described in more detail below.

[0103] The upper tray 200 may include an upper plate 210 forming the main body. The upper plate 210 may be formed as a generally rectangular plate shape having a long side and a short side, but is not limited thereto. The long side of the upper plate 210 may extend along a first direction, and the short side of the upper plate 210 may extend along a second direction. The first direction described in this specification may refer to the x-axis direction, and the second direction may refer to the y-axis direction. Furthermore, the left-right direction of the ice maker 30 and the upper tray 200 described in this specification may refer to the first direction and the x-axis direction, the front-back direction may refer to the second direction and the y-axis direction, and the up-down direction may refer to the z-axis direction. Additionally, the rear of the ice maker 30 and the upper tray 200 described in this specification may refer to the direction adjacent to the location where the support mechanism 40 is disposed or where cold air flows in, and the front may refer to the direction adjacent to the direction where cold air flows out from the ice box 20.

[0104] With the first direction as a reference, cold air can flow in from one side of the upper plate 210. For example, cold air flowing into the ice maker 30 through the air guide 120 disposed on one side of the upper cover 100 can flow through the cold air flow path formed between the upper cover 100 and the upper plate 210. Therefore, the cold air flowing into the ice maker 30 can flow over the top surface of the upper plate 210 of the upper tray 200. With the first direction as a reference, a drive unit support 260 can be formed on the other side of the upper plate 210.

[0105] The upper plate 210 may have a plurality of upper chambers 220 arranged in a plurality of columns along a first direction. In this specification, an example of the upper chambers 220 being arranged in two columns, such as a first column and a second column, has been described, but it is not limited to this, and they may also be arranged in three or more columns. The upper chambers 220 may be formed to extend in the direction of the lower part of the upper plate 210. The plurality of upper chambers 220 arranged in the same column may be configured to contact each other laterally, but it is not limited to this, and one upper chamber 220 may be formed to be spaced apart from the adjacent upper chambers 220 by a predetermined distance.

[0106] For example, the upper chamber 220 may be recessed downwards from the top surface of the upper plate 210. This reduces the overall volume of the upper tray 200 requiring cooling, thereby improving cooling efficiency. The top surface of the upper chamber 220 may include a curved surface. Therefore, the upper chamber 220 can not only conform to the shape of the lower chamber 420 to form a spherical ice chamber, but also increases the contact surface for contact with cold air, thereby improving cooling efficiency. Multiple upper chambers 220 may be located closer to the front than the rear of the upper plate 210.

[0107] A plurality of inflow guides 230, communicating with the upper chamber 220 and extending in the upward direction toward the upper plate 210, may be formed on each upper chamber 220. Each inflow guide 230 may have an inflow opening 230h for insertion of an upper push-out pin 620. Furthermore, the inflow guides 230 are formed in an elongated shape extending in the upward direction, thus preventing water from flowing in through the inflow openings 230h when water is supplied to the ice maker 30. The plurality of inflow guides 230 may include a plurality of first-row inflow guides 230a arranged in a first column and a plurality of second-row inflow guides 230b arranged in a second column. Therefore, the plurality of first-row inflow guides 230a arranged along the first column and the plurality of second-row inflow guides 230b arranged along the second column can be arranged in a first direction. Furthermore, the first-row inflow guides 230a and the second-row inflow guides 230b can be arranged in a second direction intersecting the first direction. The first column of inflow guides 230a, which are adjacent to each other, can be arranged with a predetermined distance between them, and the second column of inflow guides 230b, which are adjacent to each other, can be arranged with a predetermined distance between them.

[0108] The plurality of inflow guides 230 can be arranged in a zigzag pattern. For example, when viewed from the front of the upper tray 200, a second column of inflow guides 230b can be arranged between a plurality of adjacent first column inflow guides 230a, with a first direction as the reference. Similarly, a first column of inflow guides 230a can be arranged between a plurality of adjacent second column inflow guides 230b, with a first direction as the reference. As described above, the first column of inflow guides 230a and the second column of inflow guides 230b are staggered in the front-back direction, thereby improving space efficiency.

[0109] One of the plurality of inflow guides 230 may have a water supply guide 231 formed, wherein a portion of the water supply guide 231 is cut open in the direction toward the water supply section 130 to guide water passing through the water supply section 130 into the ice chamber 33. For example, the water supply guide 231 may generally have a generally semi-cylindrical shape and include a generally quadrangular prism-shaped water supply inlet 232 behind the semi-cylindrical shape, but the shape is not limited thereto. The water supply guide 231 including the water supply inlet 232 may be one of the second row of inflow guides 230b. Therefore, the water supply guide 231 may be formed to protrude rearward more than the other second row of inflow guides 230b arranged in the same second row. The water supply guide 231 may be formed to be open at the top, thereby including a water supply path 231h for water supply.

[0110] As previously described, cold air flowing into the ice maker 30 can flow into one side of the ice maker 30 and exit towards the front of the ice maker 30 through a cold airflow path formed between the upper cover 100 and the upper tray 200. For example, cold air flowing in from the air guide 120 of the upper cover 100 can pass between a plurality of inflow guides 230 and exit to the outside via a cold airflow outlet partition 170 formed between the upper tray 200 and the upper cover 100 on the front. Specifically, cold air flowing into the ice maker 30 can flow in from behind the second row of inflow guides 230b, pass between a plurality of adjacent second row inflow guides 230b, and then exit to the outside through a plurality of adjacent first row inflow guides 230a. As described above, the cold airflow path formed between the upper tray 200 and the upper cover 100 passes between a plurality of adjacent second row inflow guides 230b and a plurality of first row inflow guides 230a. Therefore, the cold air flowing into the ice maker can flow in along the first direction and be discharged to the outside along the second direction that intersects the first direction. However, in this specification, "cold air flowing along the first and second directions" means that the cold air flows roughly in the directions described above, but it is also possible for the cold air to flow in directions other than the first and second directions.

[0111] Therefore, the paths between adjacent second-column inflow guides 230b and between adjacent first-column inflow guides 230a can form a path with high airflow of cold air, thereby improving the cooling efficiency in the path with high airflow of cold air. According to one embodiment of the present invention, the contact area between the cold air and the upper tray 200 can be increased by configuring one or more cooling fins, thereby further improving the cooling efficiency in the path with high airflow of cold air.

[0112] For example, a plurality of first cooling fins 251 may be disposed between the first column inflow guides 230a disposed in the first column and the second column inflow guides 230b disposed in the second column. Each first cooling fin 251 extends from the first column inflow guides 230a along a second direction intersecting the first direction in which the plurality of inflow guides 230 are arranged. The first cooling fins 251 may be integrally formed with the upper tray 200. The first cooling fins 251 may be disposed between a plurality of second column inflow guides 230b that are adjacent to each other based on the first direction. The first cooling fins 251 may extend rearward from the back of the first column inflow guides 230a. As described above, the first cooling fins 251 are located in the path where the airflow of cold air is high, thus increasing the contact area between the cold air and the upper tray 200. In addition, the first cooling fins 251 extend along the second direction that is the direction of cold air flow, thus minimizing the resistance effect of the first cooling fins 251 on the cold air flow.

[0113] According to one embodiment of the present invention, to further improve cooling efficiency, a plurality of second cooling fins 252 may be included between a plurality of adjacent first column inflow guides 230a. For example, the second cooling fins 252 may be alternately arranged with the first cooling fins 251 along a first direction. Therefore, the cold air passing through the first cooling fins 251 arranged between a plurality of adjacent second column inflow guides 230a can be discharged to the outside after passing through the second cooling fins 252 arranged between a plurality of adjacent first column inflow guides 230a. At least a portion of the plurality of second cooling fins 252 may extend to the front surface of the second column inflow guides 230b. The height of the second cooling fins 252 may be lower than the height of the first cooling fins 251, and protrude upwards beyond the top surface of the upper plate 210 of the upper tray 200. Therefore, the second cooling fin 252 can minimize the resistance of the cold air flow path while increasing the contact area between the second cooling fin 252 and the cold air in areas with a large flow of cold air, thus improving the cooling efficiency of the upper chamber 220.

[0114] A recessed hot wire insertion portion 250 may be formed on the upper part of the upper tray 200 to surround the periphery of the plurality of upper chambers 220. (See reference) Figure 12A hot wire 990 is inserted into the hot wire insertion portion 250, thereby making it easier to separate ice from the upper chamber 220 during ice removal. The hot wire 990 may have a shape corresponding to the hot wire insertion portion 250, so that it can be inserted into the hot wire insertion portion 250. The hot wire insertion portion 250 may be formed to be recessed downward from the top surface of the upper plate 210. Further reference... Figure 20 The hot wire 990 inserted into the hot wire insertion portion 250 is located below the top surface of the upper plate 210, thereby reducing the resistance to cold air flow caused by the hot wire 990. At least a portion of the hot wire insertion portion 250 can be formed along at least a portion of the outer periphery of each upper chamber 220. Therefore, at least a portion of the hot wire insertion portion 250 can be formed along at least a portion of the outer periphery of each inflow guide 230. The hot wire insertion portion 250 can be formed in the region of the plurality of inflow guides 230 corresponding to the water supply guide 231, along the inner direction of the water supply guide 231. For example, the hot wire insertion portion 250 can extend to surround the outer periphery of the region where the plurality of inflow guides 230 are arranged, and surround the inner periphery in the region passing through the water supply guide 231. Because the water supply guide 231 protrudes further rearward than the other inflow guides 230, the flow resistance of cold air in the area where the hot wire insertion portion 250 passes through the water supply guide 231 may increase. Therefore, according to this invention, by surrounding the inner periphery in the area where the hot wire insertion portion 250 passes through the water supply guide 231, the flow resistance of cold air in the corresponding area can be reduced.

[0115] The hotline insertion section 250 can also be described as follows. (Refer to...) Figure 11The virtual center lines extending along a first direction of the plurality of first column inflow guides 230a arranged in the first column can be defined as first column center lines 233a, and the virtual center lines extending along the first direction of the plurality of second column inflow guides 230b arranged in the second column can be defined as second column center lines 233b. Furthermore, the peripheral surfaces of the first column inflow guides 230a and 230b located between the first column inflow guides 230a and 230b and on the surfaces facing each other can be defined as their respective inner peripheral edges. Moreover, the peripheral surfaces of the first column inflow guides 230a located in the opposite direction to the second column inflow guides 230b and the peripheral surfaces of the second column inflow guides 230b located in the opposite direction to the first column inflow guides 230a can be defined as outer peripheral edges. That is, based on the center line 233a of the first column, the first column inflow guide 230a may include: an outer peripheral portion in the opposite direction to the location of the second column inflow guide 230b; and an inner peripheral portion in the direction of the location of the second column inflow guide 230b. Similarly, based on the center line 233b of the second column, the second column inflow guide 230b may include: an outer peripheral portion in the opposite direction to the location of the first column inflow guide 230a; and an inner peripheral portion in the direction of the location of the first column inflow guide 230a.

[0116] As an example, the hot wire insertion portion 250 can be formed to surround the outer periphery of the first column of inflow guides 230a with reference to the first column center line 233a. However, it is not limited to this; the hot wire insertion portion 250 can also be formed to surround the inner periphery of the first column of inflow guides 230a with reference to the first column center line 233a. In addition, the hot wire insertion portion 250 can also be formed to alternately surround the inner periphery and outer periphery of the first column of inflow guides 230a with reference to the first column center line 233a. Furthermore, it can be formed in various forms, such as surrounding the inner periphery of one or more inflow guides 230a constituting the first column of inflow guides 230a and surrounding the outer periphery of the remaining inflow guides 230a, or surrounding the outer periphery of one or more inflow guides 230a constituting the first column of inflow guides 230a and surrounding the inner periphery of the remaining inflow guides 230a. That is, the hot wire insertion portions 250 surrounding the plurality of inflow guides 230a constituting the first column of inflow guides 230a can be arranged on the same side of the first column centerline 233a with reference to the first column centerline 233a, but are not limited thereto. A portion of the hot wire insertion portions 250 surrounding the plurality of inflow guides 230a constituting the first column of inflow guides 230a can also be arranged on the other side of the first column centerline 233a with reference to the first column centerline 233a. Figures 11 to 13Based on the top view shown, at least a portion of the hot wire insertion portion 250 surrounding the plurality of inflow guides 230 that constitute the first column inflow guide 230a may be located in the lower or upper direction of the center line 233a of the first column.

[0117] Furthermore, the hot wire insertion portion 250 can be formed to surround the outer periphery of the second column inflow guide 230b with reference to the second column center line 233b. However, it is not limited to this; the hot wire insertion portion 250 can also be formed to surround the inner periphery of the second column inflow guide 230b with reference to the second column center line 233b. Additionally, the hot wire insertion portion 250 can alternately surround the inner and outer periphery of the second column inflow guide 230b with reference to the second column center line 233b. Furthermore, it can be formed in various forms, such as surrounding the inner periphery of one or more inflow guides 230 constituting the second column inflow guide 230b and surrounding the outer periphery of the remaining inflow guides 230, or surrounding the outer periphery of one or more inflow guides 230b constituting the second column inflow guide 230b and surrounding the inner periphery of the remaining inflow guides 230. That is, the hot wire insertion portions 250 surrounding the plurality of inflow guides 230b constituting the second column of inflow guides 230b can be arranged on the same side of the second column center line 233b with reference to the second column center line 233b, but are not limited thereto; a portion of the hot wire insertion portions 250 surrounding the plurality of inflow guides 230b constituting the second column of inflow guides 230b can also be arranged on the other side of the second column center line 233b with reference to the second column center line 233b. Figures 11 to 13 Based on the top view shown, at least a portion of the hot wire insertion portion 250 surrounding the plurality of inflow guides 230 constituting the second column of inflow guides 230b can be located in the lower or upper direction of the center line 233b of the second column. For example, in the region of the second column of inflow guides 230b corresponding to the water supply guide 231, the hot wire insertion portion 250 can be located in a different direction than the other inflow guides 230 besides the water supply guide 231. That is, in the region of the second column of inflow guides 230b corresponding to the water supply guide 231, the hot wire insertion portion 250 can surround the inner periphery of the second column of inflow guides 230b.

[0118] The hot wire 990 inserted and placed in the hot wire insertion part 250 can surround the peripheral surfaces of the first column inflow guide 230a and the second column inflow guide 230b in a shape substantially corresponding to the hot wire insertion part 250. The shape of the hot wire insertion part 250 can also be applied to the shape of the hot wire 990, so detailed description is omitted.

[0119] The hot wire insertion portion 250 can be formed into a recessed shape by an outer sidewall 255 and an inner sidewall 254 extending along the outer and inner sides of the hot wire insertion portion 250, respectively. Thus, one side of the aforementioned first cooling fin 251 can be connected to the inner sidewall 254, and the other side of the first cooling fin 251 can be connected to the first row of inflow guides 230a. Furthermore, one side of the second cooling fin 252 can be connected to the inner sidewall 254, and the other side of the second cooling fin 252 can be connected to the second row of inflow guides 230b. Additionally, the second cooling fin 252 can be formed at the same height as the inner sidewall, thereby reducing resistance to cold air flow.

[0120] On the other hand, the upper tray 200 may also include recessed pattern portions 211 formed behind the plurality of inflow guides 230. The recessed pattern portions may be recessed downwards from the upper plate 210. Each recessed pattern portion 211 may be configured to overlap with an adjacent inflow guide 230 in a second direction. The recessed pattern portions 211 may have a shape in which the width decreases as it moves away from the inflow guides 230. For example, the width of the recessed pattern portions 211 decreases as it approaches the direction of cold air inflow, thereby adjusting the path of cold air movement solely by the pattern of the recessed pattern portions 211. As described above, the upper tray 200 of this invention includes recessed pattern portions 211 formed behind the plurality of inflow guides 230 and recessed downwards from the upper plate 210, thereby increasing the contact area with the cold air while reducing the volume of the upper tray 200 itself, thus improving the cooling efficiency of the upper chamber 220.

[0121] A first receiving portion 257 recessed in the downward direction of the upper plate 210 can be formed between a plurality of inflow guides 230. For example, the first receiving portion 257 can extend between a plurality of adjacent second column inflow guides 230b and between a plurality of adjacent first column inflow guides 230a. Therefore, the spacing between a plurality of second column inflow guides 230b having the first receiving portion 257 can be longer than the spacing between other plurality of second column inflow guides 230b without the first receiving portion 257. Similarly, the spacing between a plurality of first column inflow guides 230a having the first receiving portion 257 can be longer than the spacing between other plurality of first column inflow guides 230a without the first receiving portion 257. A sensor can be housed in the first receiving portion 257; for example, a temperature sensor can be housed therein. The first receiving portion 257 can be configured biased towards one side of the upper plate 210, such as the left side.

[0122] A second receiving portion 259 recessed towards the lower part of the upper plate 210 can be formed behind the upper plate 210. The second receiving portion 259 can be configured biased towards one side of the upper plate 210, such as the left side. Therefore, the first receiving portion 257 and the second receiving portion 259 can overlap each other in the front-rear direction. A portion of the area of ​​the first connector 991 and the second connector 992, which are a pair of connectors connected to the hot wire 990, and a portion of the area of ​​the first wire 993 and the second wire 994, which are a pair of wires, can be accommodated in the second receiving portion 259. A pair of fixing guides 243 for fixing the connectors 991, 992 and the wires 993, 994 can be formed in the second receiving portion 259. In addition, a separation guide 241 can be formed on the recessed pattern portion 211 located behind the second column of inflow guides 230b on the left side. The pair of wires connected to the hot wire 990 can be separated and extended by the separation guide 241 to prevent them from contacting each other.

[0123] Additionally, a guide wall 242, protruding at a predetermined height and surrounding at least a portion of the rear area, may be formed behind the upper plate 210. The guide wall 242 serves to prevent cold air flowing into the inner side of the upper tray 200 from being expelled rearward. One or more fastening bosses 258 protruding upwards may be formed between the plurality of inflow guides 230. For example, a pair of fastening bosses 258 may be formed between the first row of inflow guides 230a and the second row of inflow guides 230b located on the outermost edges of the left and right sides, respectively.

[0124] Reference Figure 13The diagram shows another embodiment of a hot wire 990 mounted on an upper tray 200. A portion of the hot wire 990 located at the front of the upper tray 200 can be formed along the inner periphery of a plurality of first inflow guides 230a. For example, in the region overlapping with the first receiving portion 257 in the front-rear direction, the front hot wire 990 can be formed along the outer periphery of the plurality of first inflow guides 230a. Furthermore, in the region not overlapping with the first receiving portion 257 in the front-rear direction, the front hot wire 990 can be formed along the inner periphery of the first inflow guide 230a. That is, in the region not overlapping with the first receiving portion 257 in the front-rear direction, the front hot wire 990 can pass between the first inflow guides 230a and the second inflow guides 230b. Furthermore, the rear hot wire 990 can be formed along the outer periphery of a plurality of second inflow guides 230b and a plurality of water supply guides 231. The first cooling fin 251 in the area through which the hot wire 990 passes between the first inflow guide 230a and the second inflow guide 230b can be removed, or the first cooling fin 251 may include a groove in which a portion of the area is removed, so that the hot wire 990 can also be inserted into and fixed in the groove of the first cooling fin 251. Therefore, the hot wire insertion portion 250 of the upper tray 200, in which the hot wire 990 is inserted, can also be formed in a shape corresponding to the hot wire 990 described above, and the hot wire cover 900 covering the hot wire 990 can also be formed in a shape corresponding to the hot wire 990 described above.

[0125] The following is for reference Figures 14 to 20 The following is a more detailed description of the hot wire cover 900 of this utility model.

[0126] A hot wire cover 900 can be disposed on the upper tray 200 to cover the upper part of the hot wire 990 and fix the hot wire 990. The hot wire cover 900 is composed of a hot wire cover body portion 910, which is formed by a flat body portion 912 and a curved body portion 911, and has a closed curved shape with a hollow portion 910h inside. The hot wire cover 900 as a whole has a shape similar to the shape of the peripheral portion of the plurality of upper chambers 220. The hot wire cover 900 can be formed with a shape in which the generally flat body portion 912 and the curved body portion 911 are arranged alternately. However, it is not limited to this, and in some areas, it can have a shape that is more recessed inward than the flat body portion 912 and the curved body portion 911 of the hot wire cover 900, such as the introduced body portion 913. For example, see reference. Figure 18The curved main body 911 may be a region correspondingly formed along a portion of the outer periphery of the inflow guide 230; the introduction main body 913 may be a region correspondingly formed along a portion of the inner periphery of the water supply guide 231 among the plurality of inflow guides 230; and the planar main body 912 may be a region correspondingly formed between the regions of the plurality of adjacent inflow guides 230. (Refer to...) Figure 18 The hot wire cover 900 may also have a shape that includes a protruding body portion 914 instead of an inserted body portion 913. In this case, the protruding body portion 914 may be a region correspondingly formed along a portion of the outer periphery of the water supply guide 231. Therefore, the protruding body portion 914 may be correspondingly formed along a portion of the outer periphery of the water supply inlet portion 232 of the water supply guide 231.

[0127] The hot wire cover 900 may include: an upper protrusion 930 that protrudes upward from one side of the hot wire cover body 910; and a lower protrusion 940 that protrudes downward from the other side of the hot wire cover body 910. The upper protrusion 930 may be formed along the periphery of the top surface of the hot wire cover body 910.

[0128] In this case, the upper protrusion 930 can be formed continuously along the periphery of the hot wire cover body 910, but it is not limited to this; the upper protrusion 930 can also be formed discontinuously. For example, see reference... Figure 16 The upper protrusion 930 disposed on the main body 910 of the hot wire cover can be multiple, and the multiple upper protrusions 930 adjacent to each other can be configured to be spaced apart by a predetermined distance by a spacer 930h. When the hot wire cover 900 is placed on the hot wire insertion part 250 of the upper tray 200, the upper protrusion 930 of the hot wire cover 900 can be formed to protrude upwards further than the upper plate 210. Therefore, when the upper protrusion 930 is disposed in the flow path of cold air, the upper protrusion 930 may also obstruct the flow of cold air. Therefore, by forming an area on the main body 910 of the hot wire cover corresponding to the path of cold air flow where the upper protrusion 930 is removed and the upper protrusion 930 is not formed, the obstruction of cold air flow can be reduced. As an example, the discontinuous pattern of the upper protrusion 930 can be formed in the region corresponding to the curved main body 911, or in the region corresponding to the flat main body 912, forming a pattern in which the upper protrusion 930 is removed. Furthermore, when the hot wire cover 900 is placed on the upper tray 200, the discontinuous pattern of the upper protrusion 930 can be formed in the region where the inflow guide 230 adjacent to the hot wire cover 900 overlaps in the front-to-back direction, or in the region where the inflow guide 230 adjacent to the hot wire cover 900 does not overlap in the front-to-back direction, forming a pattern in which the upper protrusion 930 is removed.

[0129] The lower protrusion 940 can be formed along the periphery of the bottom surface of the main body 910 of the hot wire cover. In this case, the lower protrusion 940 can be formed continuously along the periphery of the main body 910 of the hot wire cover. When the hot wire cover 900 is placed on the hot wire insertion portion 250 of the upper tray 200, the lower protrusion 940 of the hot wire cover 900 is inserted into the inner side of the hot wire insertion portion 250, so the lower protrusion 940 can protrude outwards without exceeding the upper plate 210 of the upper tray 200. Therefore, even if the lower protrusion 940 is formed continuously, it will not obstruct the flow path of cold air. In addition, the lower protrusion 940 can contact the hot wire 990 to directly press the hot wire 990, so it is preferable to form it continuously in order to apply pressure as evenly as possible to the entire area of ​​the hot wire 990. As described above, by applying uniform pressure to the entire area of ​​the hot wire 990 through the lower protrusion 940, the plurality of upper chambers 220 and the hot wire 990 can be brought into close contact. This improves the heat transfer efficiency of the heat generated by the hot wire 990 to the upper chambers 220. However, the pattern of the lower protrusion 940 is not limited to this; the lower protrusion 940 can also be formed discontinuously. For example, the lower protrusion 940 can also be formed as a discontinuous pattern corresponding to the discontinuous pattern of the upper protrusion 930.

[0130] The width of each of the upper protrusion 930 and the lower protrusion 940 can be made narrower than the width of the hot wire cover body 910. Therefore, when the hot wire cover 900 is placed in the hot wire insertion portion 250, the hot wire cover body 910 can function as a mounting portion that allows the hot wire cover 900 to be placed on the upper plate 210 without being inserted into the hot wire insertion portion 250. As described above, since the hot wire cover body 910 places the hot wire cover 900 on the upper plate 210, the lower protrusion 940 can be inserted into the hot wire insertion portion 250, and the upper protrusion 930 can protrude outward from the hot wire insertion portion 250.

[0131] The main body 910 of the hot wire cover may include an inner placement portion 951 extending inward and an outer placement portion 952 extending outward, for placement into the hot wire insertion portion 250. For example, the upper protrusion 930 may be formed along the center of the top surface of the hot wire cover main body 910, but is not limited thereto, and may also be biased towards one side of the hot wire cover main body 910 in at least a portion of the area. As an example, when the upper protrusion 930 is formed along the center of the top surface of the hot wire cover main body 910, the inner side of the hot wire cover main body 910 where the upper protrusion 930 is not formed may become the inner placement portion 951, and the outer side may become the outer placement portion 952. Furthermore, when the upper protrusion 930 is biased towards one side of the top surface of the hot wire cover main body 910, i.e., connected to one side, the inner side of the hot wire cover main body 910 where the upper protrusion 930 is not formed may become the inner placement portion 951. Similarly, the lower protrusion 940 may be formed along the center of the bottom surface of the hot wire cover body 910, but is not limited thereto; it may also be biased towards one side of the hot wire cover body 910 in at least a portion of the area. For example, when the lower protrusion 940 is formed along the center of the top surface of the hot wire cover body 910, the inner side of the hot wire cover body 910 where the lower protrusion 940 is not formed may become the inner mounting portion 951, and the outer side may become the outer mounting portion 952. Furthermore, when the lower protrusion 940 is biased towards the top surface of the hot wire cover body 910, i.e., connected to one side, the inner side of the hot wire cover body 910 where the lower protrusion 940 is not formed may become the inner mounting portion 951. Therefore, the hot wire cover body 910 may include areas where both the outer mounting portion 952 and the inner mounting portion 951 are formed, and in some areas, it may also include areas where only the inner mounting portion 951 is formed. The area in the main body 910 of the hot wire cover where only the inner mounting portion 951 is formed can be the front direction of the upper tray 200, which is the direction in which the cold air is discharged. Thus, even in a space that is relatively narrow compared to the rear area, the hot wire cover 900 can be stably mounted solely by means of the inner mounting portion 951.

[0132] A shielding portion 980 with a partially cut-out shape can be formed on one side of the hot wire cover 900. When the hot wire cover 900 is disposed on the upper tray 200, the shielding portion 980 can make the area of ​​the hot wire cover 900 adjacent to the drive unit support portion 260 fit tightly and fix it, thereby improving the space utilization of the structure of the upper tray 200.

[0133] One or more side extensions 920 can be formed extending outward from the side of the main body 910 of the hot wire cover 900. An extension protrusion 921 extending from the upper protrusion 930 and protruding upward can be formed on the side extension 920, and an extension protrusion 921 extending from the lower protrusion 940 and protruding downward can also be formed on the lower part of the side extension 920. The side extensions 920 thus formed can be temporarily fixed by a pair of fixing hooks 281 disposed on both sides of the hot wire insertion portion 250 of the upper tray 200. Therefore, the hot wire cover 900 can be temporarily fixed by a pair of fixing hooks 281 disposed on both sides of the hot wire insertion portion 250 of the upper tray 200 and including hook-locking portions 282. However, the position of the pair of fixing hooks 281 is not limited to this; they can also be located on the top or bottom surface of the hot wire insertion portion 250.

[0134] For example, the fixing hook 281 can be formed to protrude upward from the upper plate 210 and include a hook-locking portion 282 protruding in the direction of the hot wire cover 900. The fixing hook 281 can have a height higher than the height of the side extension 920 disposed in the hot wire insertion portion 250, and has a hook-locking portion 282 that overlaps with the side extension 920 in the vertical direction. The hook-locking portion 282 is formed to be spaced apart from the upper plate 210 by a predetermined height, so that the side extension 920 of the hot wire cover 900 can be inserted and fixed into the space between the hook-locking portion 282 and the upper plate 210. By forming a hole 283 in the area of ​​the upper plate 210 corresponding to the hook-locking portion 282, the side extension 920 can be easily inserted, thereby improving workability during temporary fixing.

[0135] As described above, according to the present invention, the upper tray 200 for mounting the hot wire cover 900 includes one or more fixing hooks 281, thereby temporarily fixing the hot wire cover 900. Therefore, by preventing the hot wire 990, temporarily fixed to the upper tray 200, from detaching from its original position during the assembly of other components, the hot wire cover 900 can remain temporarily fixed until it is fully and tightly assembled to the upper tray 200. The temporary fixing described in this invention refers to the ability to quickly and easily fix the hot wire cover 900 to the upper tray 200 without the use of additional fastening components. The tight fixing of the hot wire cover 900 and the upper tray 200 can be performed after the temporary fixing assembly step by additional structures or additional assembly steps.

[0136] Reference Figure 17The hot wire cover 900 can be placed on the upper tray 200 to cover the hot wire 990 inserted into the hot wire insertion portion 250 of the upper tray 200, and can be temporarily fixed by a fixing hook 281 formed on the upper tray 200. As described above, the hot wire cover 900 temporarily fixed on the upper tray 200 can be further secured to the hot wire 990 by a pressure portion 160 formed on the upper cover 100.

[0137] Reference Figure 21 The upper cover 100 disposed on the upper tray 200 may include an upper cover plate 101 corresponding to the upper plate 210 of the upper tray 200. A plurality of insertion bosses 180 corresponding to the respective inflow guides 230 of the upper tray 200 may be formed on the upper cover plate 101. (See reference...) Figure 20 The upper end of the inflow guide 230 can be inserted into the insertion boss 180. The boss guide portion 181 can be formed along the top edge of the insertion boss 180. The boss guide portion 181 can protrude toward the top surface of the insertion boss 180 to have a predetermined height. The boss guide portion 181 can guide the upper end of the inflow guide 230 inserted into the insertion boss 180. The top surface of the boss guide portion 181 and the end portion of the inflow guide 230 can be substantially aligned to have the same height. As described above, since the boss guide portion 181 protrudes toward the upper part of the upper cover 100 instead of the lower part of the upper cover 100, the cold air flow path formed between the upper tray 200 and the upper cover 100 is not obstructed by the boss guide portion 181, and the cold air inflow space can be sufficiently ensured.

[0138] A pressure portion 160 may be formed, adjacent to each insertion boss 180 and protruding downward toward the upper cover 101. Multiple pressure portions 160 may be formed, spaced apart by a predetermined distance. The pressure portion 160 can press downward toward the upper protrusion 930 of the hot wire cover 900, and this pressure can be transmitted to the lower protrusion 940 of the hot wire cover 900, which can then press downward toward the hot wire 990. Thus, the pressure portion 160 of the upper cover 100 can fix the hot wire 990 by pressing it against the hot wire cover 900.

[0139] The plurality of pressurized sections 160 can be spaced apart from each other along the shape of the hot wire cover 900. In this case, each pressurized section 160 can overlap with the adjacent inflow guide 230 in the front-rear direction. Thus, the pressurized sections 160 can be configured not to obstruct the flow path of cold air formed between the plurality of adjacent inflow guides 230. In addition, the outer diameter of each pressurized section 160 is preferably formed to be smaller than the outer diameter of each inflow guide 230. Thus, the pressurized sections 160 can have a shape that does not obstruct the flow path of cold air formed between the adjacent inflow guides 230.

[0140] As described above, according to this invention, the heat wire cover 900 covering the heat wire 990 placed on the upper tray 200 is pressed by the pressure part 160 of the upper cover 100, thereby enabling the upper tray 200 and the heat wire 990 to be in close contact. This improves the heat transfer efficiency of the heat generated by the heat wire 990 being transferred to the upper tray 200.

[0141] Furthermore, according to this invention, the lower protrusion 940 of the hot wire cover 900, which includes a lower protrusion 940 extending downward along the main body 910 of the hot wire cover, presses the hot wire, thereby allowing the plurality of upper chambers 220 and the hot wire 990 to be in close contact, and providing heat applied by the hot wire 990 to each upper chamber 220 as evenly as possible. This reduces the time difference in ice transfer within each upper chamber 220, and also reduces the occurrence of poor ice transfer in some upper chambers 220.

[0142] A fastening hole 163 can be formed on the upper cover 101 at a position corresponding to the fastening boss 258 of the upper tray 200. The fastening hole 163 and the fastening boss 258 are fastened by fastening members such as screws, thereby enabling the upper cover 100 and the upper tray 200 to be tightly fixed together. In addition, a receiving portion guide 161 can be formed on the upper cover 101 at a position corresponding to the first receiving portion 257 of the upper tray 200. In the lower region of the front portion 111 of the upper cover 100, a cold air outflow partition 170, which is cut into a region with a predetermined height, can be formed extending in the left and right direction. Thus, when the upper cover 100 and the upper tray 200 are combined, a cold air outflow partition 170 that allows cold air to be discharged to the outside can be provided on the front of the upper cover 100. In this case, a front guide 182 can be formed along the top surface of the cold air outflow partition 170 of the upper cover 100. The front guide portion 182 can be configured to protrude further forward than the cold air outlet partition portion 170, and the end portion of the front guide portion 182 can be configured to slope downward.

[0143] The following is for reference Figure 22 and Figure 23 This describes another embodiment of the present invention.

[0144] Each pressure portion 160 formed on the bottom surface of the upper cover 100 can extend further downwards.

[0145] In this case, the pressure part 160 of the upper cover 100 can extend long in the downward direction so that the pressure part 160 can directly and fully press and fix the hot wire 990.

[0146] For example, the lower end of the pressurizing part 160 can be inserted into a portion of the upper part of the hot wire insertion part 250 formed in the upper tray 200.

[0147] As an example, the pressure section 160 is formed such that the width of its left and right periphery decreases as it approaches the lower end, so that the lower end of the pressure section 160 can be inserted into a portion of the upper part of the hot wire insertion section 250.

[0148] In this case, the width of the left and right periphery of the pressurizing part 160 can be continuously reduced, but is not limited to this, and can also be discontinuously reduced to have a step near the middle area.

[0149] As described above, according to another embodiment of the present invention, even without an additional heat wire cover 900 for fixing the heat wire 990, the pressure portion 160 of the upper cover 100 can directly press the heat wire 990, thus having the advantage of reducing the number of components such as the heat wire cover and other additional heat wire fixing components and reducing working time.

[0150] On the other hand, refer to Figure 24 In another embodiment of the present invention, a hot wire locking member 250a may be formed in the hot wire insertion portion 250 formed in the upper tray 200.

[0151] The hot wire insertion part 250 can be configured to have sufficient internal slot space to accommodate the hot wire 990, and the upper region is open to allow the hot wire 990 to be inserted.

[0152] As described above, one or more hot wire locking members 250a may be formed at the upper end of the hot wire insertion portion 250 that is open in the upper region.

[0153] For example, the hot wire locking member 250a may be formed in the upper region of the hot wire insertion portion 250 and extend horizontally to cover a portion of the upper region.

[0154] That is, the hot wire locking member 250a is formed to extend from one side of the hot wire insertion portion 250 to cover part of the open upper region of the hot wire insertion portion 250, so that it can overlap with the hot wire insertion portion 250 in the vertical direction.

[0155] Therefore, the open area in the upper region of the hot wire insertion part 250 where the hot wire locking member 250a is formed can be less than the open area in the upper region of the hot wire insertion part 250 where the hot wire locking member 250a is not formed.

[0156] As described above, in the upper region of the hot wire insertion portion 250 where the hot wire locking member 250a is formed, the hot wire 990 can be inserted into the hot wire insertion portion 250 through the upper region, which is partially open and not blocked by the hot wire locking member 250a.

[0157] As an example, the hot wire locking member 250a can be formed with a thin thickness in the upper and lower widths to have a specified elasticity.

[0158] The upper surface of the hot wire 990, which is inserted into and placed in the hot wire insertion part 250, is pressed by the hot wire locking member 250a, thereby fixing it in the hot wire insertion part 250.

[0159] The hot wire locking component 250a can be integrally formed with the upper tray 200.

[0160] Therefore, the hot wire locking member 250a can be made of metal.

[0161] In addition, the hot wire locking member 250a may be formed in each inflow guide 230 to correspond to each inflow guide 230, but is not limited thereto, and may also be formed in a plurality of one inflow guide 230.

[0162] In this case, a plurality of adjacent hot wire locking members 250a are spaced apart by a predetermined distance, thereby the hot wire locking members 250a can be formed discontinuously.

[0163] The multiple hot wire locking components 250a adjacent to each other can be arranged at equal intervals, but are not limited thereto, and can also be arranged at irregular intervals.

[0164] Alternatively, as another embodiment, the hot wire locking member 250a may be formed continuously along the shape of the hot wire insertion portion 250 to improve the fixing force of the hot wire 990 generated by the hot wire locking member 250a.

[0165] Therefore, according to another embodiment of the present invention, even without an additional hot wire cover 900 for fixing the hot wire 990, the hot wire locking member 250a can directly press the hot wire 990, thus having the advantage of reducing the number of components such as the hot wire cover and other additional hot wire fixing members and reducing working time.

[0166] On the other hand, refer to Figure 25 This illustrates another embodiment of the present invention, in which a portion of the upper surface of the hot wire 990 is pressed by the pressure portion 160 of the upper cover 100, and another portion of the upper surface of the hot wire 990 can be pressed and fixed by the hot wire locking member 250a formed on the upper tray 200.

[0167] For example, based on the state where the upper tray 200 and the upper cover 100 are joined, the pressure part 160 and the hot wire locking member 250a can be alternately arranged to be spaced apart by a predetermined distance along the hot wire insertion part 250, but are not limited thereto.

[0168] The pressurizing part 160 and the hot wire locking member 250a can be arranged alternately in a regular order, but are not limited to this, and can also be arranged alternately in an irregular order.

[0169] As described above, the hot wire 990 can be pressed by pressure members formed in different structures, such as the pressure part 160 formed in the upper cover 100 and the hot wire locking member 250a formed in the upper tray 200.

[0170] Therefore, even if a defect occurs in the pressure member formed in one part of the structure, the hot wire 990 can be pressed and fixed by the pressure member formed in other structures, thus reducing the occurrence of defects in fixing the hot wire 990.

[0171] On the other hand, see below for reference. Figures 26 to 28 This further illustrates various embodiments of the hot wire cover 900.

[0172] Reference Figure 26 and Figure 27 The hot wire cover 900 can be formed in a form in which the first hot wire cover 901 and the second hot wire cover 902 are separated.

[0173] As an example, refer to Figure 26 The first hot wire cover 901 and the second hot wire cover 902 can be separately constructed in a form that is cut along a relatively narrow width.

[0174] In this case, the first hot wire cover 901 and the second hot wire cover 902 may have a shape that matches each other to form a closed loop when the cut parts are connected to each other, but are not limited thereto.

[0175] As another example, the first hot wire cover 901 and the second hot wire cover 902 may also be configured such that the cut portions are spaced apart from each other by a predetermined distance when they are respectively placed in the hot wire insertion part 250.

[0176] In this case, the first hot wire cover 901 and the second hot wire cover 902 can be arranged in a discontinuous form without forming a closed loop, each being placed in the hot wire insertion part 250.

[0177] The first hot wire cover 901 and the second hot wire cover 902 may each be formed with a side extension 920 including an extension protrusion 921.

[0178] Therefore, the first hot wire cover 901 and the second hot wire cover 902 can be temporarily fixed by a pair of fixing hooks 281 respectively disposed on both sides of the hot wire insertion part 250 of the upper tray 200.

[0179] As another example, see Figure 27The first hot wire cover 901 and the second hot wire cover 902 can be separately constructed in a form that is cut in a direction with a relatively wide width.

[0180] In this case, the first hot wire cover 901 and the second hot wire cover 902 may have a shape that matches each other to form a closed loop when the cut parts are connected to each other, but are not limited thereto.

[0181] As another example, the first hot wire cover 901 and the second hot wire cover 902 may also be configured such that the cut portions are spaced apart from each other by a predetermined distance when they are respectively placed in the hot wire insertion part 250.

[0182] In this case, the first hot wire cover 901 and the second hot wire cover 902 can be arranged in a discontinuous form without forming a closed loop, each being placed in the hot wire insertion part 250.

[0183] The first hot wire cover 901 and the second hot wire cover 902 may each be formed with a side extension 920 including an extension protrusion 921.

[0184] Therefore, the first hot wire cover 901 and the second hot wire cover 902 can be temporarily fixed by a pair of fixing hooks 281 respectively disposed on both sides of the hot wire insertion part 250 of the upper tray 200.

[0185] As yet another example, refer to Figure 28 The hot wire cover 900 can be formed as a disconnection portion 903 with a portion of the area being disconnected.

[0186] For example, the hot wire cover 900 can be formed to have a generally continuous shape, but with a break 903 formed in a certain area, it has an overall discontinuous shape.

[0187] As described above, the hot wire cover 900 includes a break portion 903 that is broken in a certain area, so that the hot wire cover 900 can be elastic and can be easily inserted into the hot wire insertion portion 250 even if the hot wire cover 900 has a specified design error.

[0188] On the other hand, the ice maker 30 described above may include an upper component 31 and a lower component 32. In this case, the upper component 31 may be named the first component 31 and the lower component 32 may be named the second component 32.

[0189] Similarly, the upper cover 100 and the upper tray 200 can be named the first cover 100 and the first tray 200, respectively, and the lower cover 300 and the lower tray 400 can be named the second cover 300 and the second tray 400, respectively.

[0190] In addition, the ice maker 30 can perform the ice transfer process in a rotational manner in which the second tray 400 rotates around an axis while the first tray 200 is fixed, but it is not limited to this.

[0191] In another embodiment, the ice maker 30 can also perform the ice transfer process by reciprocating along a straight line using the first tray 200 or the second tray 400.

[0192] As an example, the second tray 400 can be driven to reciprocate linearly in the up-down direction while the first tray 200 is fixed. Conversely, the first tray 200 can also be driven to reciprocate linearly in the up-down direction while the second tray 400 is fixed.

[0193] That is, the first tray 200 or the second tray 400 can reciprocate in the vertical direction.

[0194] Alternatively, as another example, the second tray 400 can be driven to reciprocate linearly in the left-right or front-back direction while the first tray 200 is fixed. Conversely, the first tray 200 can also be driven to reciprocate linearly in the left-right or front-back direction while the second tray 400 is fixed.

[0195] That is, the first tray 200 or the second tray 400 can reciprocate in the horizontal direction.

[0196] The various embodiments of the hot wire cover 900 described above can also be applied to ice makers 30 that perform ice-moving processes by reciprocating in a straight direction via the first tray 200 or the second tray 400.

Claims

1. An ice maker, characterized in that, include: The upper tray includes a plurality of upper chambers, including a hot wire insertion section; The lower tray comprises a plurality of lower chambers; The hot wire is inserted into the hot wire insertion part; A hot wire cover is disposed on the hot wire insertion portion to cover the hot wire; as well as The upper cover, disposed on the upper tray, includes one or more pressure parts that press the hot wire cover.

2. The ice maker according to claim 1, characterized in that, The upper tray also includes an upper plate, forming a cold airflow path between the upper plate and the upper cover.

3. The ice maker according to claim 2, characterized in that, The hot wire insertion part is recessed downwards from the top surface of the upper plate.

4. The ice maker according to claim 2, characterized in that, The upper chamber protrudes downwards from the top surface of the upper plate.

5. The ice maker according to claim 2, characterized in that, The hot wire inserted into the hot wire insertion part is located below the top surface of the upper plate.

6. The ice maker according to claim 1, characterized in that, At least a portion of the hot wire insertion portion is formed along at least a portion of the outer periphery of each of the upper chambers.

7. The ice maker according to claim 1, characterized in that, It also includes a plurality of inflow guides that communicate with each of the upper chambers and extend toward the upper part of the upper chambers; At least a portion of the hot wire insertion portion is formed along at least a portion of the outer periphery of each of the inflow guides.

8. The ice maker according to claim 7, characterized in that, One of the plurality of said inflow guides is a water supply guide that forms a water supply path; In the region corresponding to the water supply guide, the hot wire insertion portion is formed along the inner direction of the water supply guide.

9. The ice maker according to claim 1, characterized in that, The hot wire cover includes: The main body of the hot wire cover has a closed curved shape to include a hollow interior; and One or more side extensions protrude outward from the side of the main body of the hot wire cover; The upper tray includes one or more fixing hooks for securing the side extension.

10. The ice maker according to claim 9, characterized in that, The fixing hook temporarily secures the hot wire cover to the hot wire insertion part.

11. The ice maker according to claim 7, characterized in that, The hot wire cover includes: The main body of the hot wire cover has a closed curved shape to include a hollow interior; The upper protrusion protrudes from one side surface of the main body of the heating wire cover and extends upward along the main body of the heating wire cover; and The lower protrusion protrudes from the other side surface of the main body of the hot wire cover and extends downward along the main body of the hot wire cover. The main body of the hot wire cover is disposed on the outside of the hot wire insertion part, and the lower protrusion is inserted into the hot wire insertion part.

12. The ice maker according to claim 11, characterized in that, The width of each of the upper protrusion and the lower protrusion is narrower than the width of the main body of the hot wire cover.

13. The ice maker according to claim 11, characterized in that, The upper protrusion and the lower protrusion are formed such that they have continuous patterns on one side and the other side of the main body of the hot wire cover, respectively.

14. The ice maker according to claim 11, characterized in that, The upper protrusion is formed with a discontinuous pattern on one side of the main body of the hot wire cover.

15. The ice maker according to claim 14, characterized in that, Each of the upper protrusions is configured to overlap with the inflow guide in the front-to-back direction.

16. The ice maker according to claim 11, characterized in that, The pressurizing part presses the upper protrusion downwards, and the lower protrusion presses the hot wire downwards.

17. The ice maker according to claim 1, characterized in that, The pressurizing part protrudes downwards from the bottom surface of the upper cover.

18. The ice maker according to claim 1, characterized in that, The pressurizing section has a plurality of components; The multiple pressurization sections that are adjacent to each other are separated from each other.

19. The ice maker according to claim 18, characterized in that, It also includes a plurality of inflow guides that communicate with each of the upper chambers and extend toward the upper part of the upper chambers; each of the pressurizing portions is configured to overlap with the inflow guides in the front-back direction.

20. A refrigerator, characterized in that, include: More than one storage room; One or more doors are used to open and close the storage room; as well as An ice maker is installed in the storage room or on the door; The ice maker includes: An ice tray comprising a plurality of chambers, including a hot wire insertion section; The hot wire is inserted into the hot wire insertion part; A hot wire cover is disposed on the hot wire insertion portion to cover the hot wire; and An ice cap, disposed on the ice tray, includes one or more pressure points that press the hot wire cap.

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