Ice making system for refrigerator

Abstract

An ice making system for a refrigerator comprises: an ice maker body; an ejector rotatably coupled to the ice maker body, for dropping ice pieces made by the ice maker body; an ice bank drawably disposed below the ice maker body, for storing the ice pieces dropped by the ejector; an ice sensing lever for sensing an amount of the ice pieces stored in the ice bank; a lever holding unit for elastically supporting and coupling the ice sensing lever so that the ice sensing lever may move within a predetermined range when an external force is applied to the ice sensing lever; and a driving force transmitting unit for transmitting a rotation force received from the ejector to the lever holding unit thereby rotating the lever holding unit.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying drawings, which are included to provide a further understanding of the invention and are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate embodiments of the invention and together with the description serve to explain the principles of the invention.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an ice making system for a refrigerator according to a first embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view showing a lever holding unit of the ice making system for a refrigerator;

FIGS. 3 and 4 are front and side sectional views of the lever holding unit, respectively;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing an ice sensing lever of the ice making system for a refrigerator according to a second embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing the ice sensing lever and an ice sensing plate; and

FIGS. 7, 8, 9 and 10 are side sectional views showing an operation state of the ice making system for a refrigerator, respectively.

Claims

1. An ice making system for a refrigerator, comprising: an ice maker body;an ejector rotatably coupled to the ice maker body, for dropping ice pieces made by the ice maker body;an ice bank drawably disposed below the ice maker body, for storing the ice pieces dropped by the ejector;an ice sensing lever for sensing an amount of the ice pieces stored in the ice bank;a lever holding unit for elastically supporting and coupling the ice sensing lever so that the ice sensing lever can move within a preset range when an external force is applied to the ice sensing lever; anda driving force transmitting unit for transmitting a rotation force received from the ejector to the lever holding unit thereby rotating the lever holding unit.

2. The ice making system for a refrigerator of claim 1, wherein the lever holding unit comprises: a holder rotatably coupled to a housing having the driving force transmitting unit therein, and to which one side of the ice sensing lever is fixedly-coupled;a gear member coupled to the holder, connected to the driving force transmitting unit, and rotated by receiving a rotation force from the driving force transmitting unit, for rotating the holder and performing a relative motion by a preset angle with respect to the holder; andan elastic member for elastically connecting the holder and the gear member with each other.

3. The ice making system for a refrigerator of claim 2, wherein a cylindrical portion rotatably inserted into the gear member is provided at the holder, a stopping protrusion is provided on an outer circumferential surface of the cylindrical portion, a through hole for inserting the cylindrical portion is formed in the gear member, and a guiding groove is disposed at an inner circumferential wall of the through hole.

4. The ice making system for a refrigerator of claim 2, wherein the elastic member is a torsion spring.

5. The ice making system for a refrigerator of claim 1, wherein an ice sensing plate having a predetermined area is provided at the ice sensing lever.

6. The ice making system for a refrigerator of claim 5, wherein the ice sensing plate is integrally formed with the ice sensing lever.

7. The ice making system for a refrigerator of claim 5, wherein the ice sensing plate is detachably coupled to the ice sensing lever.

8. The ice making system for a refrigerator of claim 1, wherein the ice sensing lever is implemented as a wire having a polygonal shape.

9. The ice making system for a refrigerator of claim 8, wherein an ice sensing plate having a predetermined area is coupled to the wire having a polygonal shape.

10. The ice making system for a refrigerator of claim 1, wherein the ice sensing lever is implemented as a wire having a polygonal shape and having two supported ends.

11. The ice making system for a refrigerator of claim 10, wherein an ice sensing plate having a predetermined area is coupled to the wire having a polygonal shape.

12. An ice making system for a refrigerator, comprising: an ice maker disposed in a refrigerator for making ice;an ice bank for storing ice pieces made by the ice maker;an ice sensing lever for sensing an amount of ice pieces stored in the ice bank;a lever holding unit for elastically supporting and coupling the ice sensing lever so that the ice sensing lever can move within a predetermined range when an external force is applied to the ice sensing lever; anda driving unit for rotating the lever holding unit.

13. An ice making system for a refrigerator, comprising: an ice maker disposed in a refrigerator for making ice;an ice bank for storing ice pieces made by the ice maker;an ice sensing lever rotated in the ice bank; andan ice sensing plate provided at the ice sensing lever and rotated together with the ice sensing lever, for sensing an amount of ice pieces stored in the ice bank.

14. The ice making system for a refrigerator of claim 13, wherein the ice sensing plate is integrally formed with the ice sensing lever.

15. The ice making system for a refrigerator of claim 13, wherein the ice sensing plate is detachably coupled to the ice sensing lever.

16. The ice making system for a refrigerator of claim 13, wherein the ice sensing lever is implemented as a wire having a polygonal shape.

17. The ice making system for a refrigerator of claim 13, wherein the ice sensing lever is implemented as a wire having a polygonal shape and having two supported ends.