# US 12,181,197 B2 · Refrigerator > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,181,197 B2 - Document ID: US12181197B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/993,012 - Filed: 2022-11-23 - Published: 2023-08-10 - Granted: 2024-12-31 - Earliest claimed: 2022-02-07 - Assignees: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. - Applicants: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. - Inventors: Hyeonkyu Lim; Juyeong Kim; Hyunuk Park; Daesung Ki; Chanyoung Park - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12181197B2 ## CPC - F25C 1/04: by using stationary moulds - F25C 1/24: for refrigerators, e.g. freezing trays - F25C 1/22: Construction of moulds; Filling devices for moulds - F25C 1/25: Filling devices for moulds - F25C 5/04: without the use of saws - F25C 5/08: by heating bodies in contact with the ice - F25D 23/12: Arrangements of compartments additional to cooling compartments; Combinations of refrigerators with other equipment, e.g. stove - F25C 2400/06: Multiple ice moulds or trays therefor - F25C 2400/10: Refrigerator units - F25C 2500/02: Geometry problems - F25C 2500/08: Sticking or clogging of ice - F25C: PRODUCING, WORKING OR HANDLING ICE - F25D: REFRIGERATORS; COLD ROOMS; ICE-BOXES; COOLING OR FREEZING APPARATUS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR (refrigerated showcases A47F3/04; thermally-insulated vessels for domestic use A47J41/00; refrigerated vehicles, see the appropriate subclasses of classes B60 - B64; containers with thermal insulation in general B65D81/38; heat-transfer, heat-exchange or heat-storage materials, e.g. refrigerants, or materials for the production of heat or cold by chemical reactions other than by combustion C09K5/00; thermally-insulated vessels for liquefied or solidified gases F17C; air-conditioning or air-humidification F24F; refrigeration machines, plants, or systems F25B; cooling of instruments or comparable apparatus without refrigeration G12B) ## Abstract A refrigerator including an ice maker that includes a pressurizing member, a first tray including a first main ice-making cell and a first auxiliary ice-making cell. The ice maker includes a second tray coupleable to the first tray to form a spherical ice chamber, the second tray includes a second main ice-making cell coupleable to the first main ice-making cell to form a spherical ice chamber and a second auxiliary ice-making cell formed to extend upward from the second main ice-making cell and having a portion that contacts the first auxiliary ice-making cell, where, as the second tray is moved to separate the second main ice-making cell of the second tray coupled to the first main ice-making cell of the first tray that form the spherical ice chamber, the pressurizing member applies pressure to the second auxiliary ice-making cell of the second tray. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A refrigerator comprising: a storage chamber; and an ice maker arranged in the storage chamber, the ice maker including: a support frame; a pressurizing member arranged on an inner side of the support frame; a first tray coupleable to the support frame and including a first main ice-making cell and a first auxiliary ice-making cell formed to extend upward from the first main ice-making cell; and a second tray that is moveable, the second tray being coupleable to the support frame, and coupleable to the first tray to form a spherical ice chamber, the second tray including a second main ice-making cell coupleable to the first main ice-making cell to form the spherical ice chamber, and a second auxiliary ice-making cell formed to extend upward from the second main ice-making cell and having a portion that contacts the first auxiliary ice-making cell, and wherein, as the second tray is moved to separate the second main ice-making cell of the second tray coupled to the first main ice-making cell of the first tray that form the spherical ice chamber, the pressurizing member applies pressure to the second auxiliary ice-making cell of the second tray. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The refrigerator of claim 1, wherein the second auxiliary ice-making cell comprises: a projection formed to extend upward to interfere with the pressurizing member as the pressure is applied to the second auxiliary ice-making cell by the pressurizing member. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The refrigerator of claim 2, further comprising: a first case configured to receive the first tray; a first fixing member configured to cover at least one side among sides of the first tray to couple the first tray to the first case, the first fixing member being coupleable to the first case; a second case configured to receive the second tray; and a second fixing member configured to cover at least one side among sides of the second tray to couple the second tray to the second case, the second fixing member being coupleable to the second case. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The refrigerator of claim 3, wherein the second auxiliary ice-making cell further comprises a drain groove formed in the projection so that oversupplied water flows out of the second auxiliary ice-making cell. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The refrigerator of claim 4, wherein: the second fixing member comprises a first drainage formed at an angle on a top surface so that water drained along the drain groove flows down, and the second case comprises a second drainage formed at an angle on a top surface to be connected to the first drainage. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The refrigerator of claim 1, wherein the second auxiliary ice-making cell comprises an extension formed to extend toward the first auxiliary ice-making cell to be received in the first auxiliary ice-making cell. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The refrigerator of claim 1, further comprising: a water supply guide member mountable on the support frame and formed to extend between the first tray and the second tray to guide water supplied from a water supplier to the first main ice-making cell and the second main ice-making cell. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The refrigerator of claim 7, wherein: the first tray comprises a first inlet formed to receive at least a portion of the water supply guide member to allow the water supplied by the water supplier to be introduced into the first main ice-making cell of the first tray, and the second tray comprises a second inlet formed to receive at least another portion of the water supply guide member to allow the water supplied by the water supplier to be introduced into the second main ice-making cell of the second tray, and the second inlet facing the first inlet. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The refrigerator of claim 8, wherein: the first main ice-making cell is among a plurality of first main ice-making cells, the second main ice-making cell is among a plurality of second main ice-making cells, the first tray comprises a first connecting portion formed to be sunken inward between the plurality of first main ice-making cells to allow the water introduced into the first main ice-making cell through the first inlet to flow to a neighboring first main ice-making cell, and the second tray comprises a second connecting portion formed to be sunken inward between the plurality of second main ice-making cells to allow the water introduced into the second main ice-making cell through the second inlet to flow to a neighboring second main ice-making cell. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The refrigerator of claim 9, wherein the second auxiliary ice-making cell is connected to at least one of the plurality of second main ice-making cells and connected to the storage chamber. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The refrigerator of claim 1, wherein: the first auxiliary ice-making cell comprises a first slope formed to extend upward at an angle increasing away from the second auxiliary ice-making cell, and the second auxiliary ice-making cell comprises a second slope formed to extend upward at an angle increasing away from the first auxiliary ice-making cell. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The refrigerator of claim 11, wherein the first slope is formed to extend at a lower angle than the second slope. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The refrigerator of claim 1, further comprising: a heater behind the first tray to heat the first tray before the second tray is moved. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The refrigerator of claim 1, further comprising: a plurality of transfer gears configured to rotate by receiving power from a motor, each transfer gear among the plurality of transfer gears being arranged on either side of the support frame; and a rack gear interlocked with the plurality of transfer gears to be moved horizontally to move the second tray. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The refrigerator of claim 14, wherein the pressurizing member is configured to connect the plurality of transfer gears.