# US 2021/0341201 A1 · Refrigerator > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2021/0341201 A1 - Document ID: US20210341201A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 17/282,672 - Filed: 2019-10-01 - Published: 2021-11-04 - Earliest claimed: 2018-10-02 - Assignees: LG Electronics Inc. - Applicants: LG Electronics Inc. - Inventors: Seungseob YEOM; Donghoon LEE; Wookyong LEE; Yongjun BAE; Sunggyun SON; Chongyoung PARK; Donghoon LEE - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20210341201A1 ## CPC - F25C 1/10: by using rotating or otherwise moving moulds (F25C1/08 takes precedence) - F25C 1/18: of a particular transparency or translucency, e.g. by injecting air - F25C 1/22: Construction of moulds; Filling devices for moulds - F25C 5/08: by heating bodies in contact with the ice - F25C 5/187: with ice level sensing means - F25C 2305/022: Harvesting ice including rotating or tilting or pivoting of a mould or tray - F25C 2400/10: Refrigerator units - F25C 2400/14: Water supply - F25C 2500/08: Sticking or clogging of ice - F25C 2600/02: Timing - F25C 2600/04: Control means - F25C 2700/02: Level of ice - F25C: PRODUCING, WORKING OR HANDLING ICE ## Abstract A refrigerator according to the present invention comprises: a storage chamber for storing food; a cold air supply means for supplying cold air to the storage chamber; a first tray forming one part of an ice making cell which is a space in which water is phase-changed into ice by means of the cold air; a second tray forming the other part of the ice making cell and connected to a driving unit so as to come into contact with the first tray during an ice making process and be separated from the first tray in an ice separating process; a heater positioned adjacent to the first tray and/or the second tray; an operation unit for inputting a start command of a test mode; and a control unit for controlling the heater and/or the driving unit in the test mode, wherein, if the start command of the test mode is input during the operation of the heater, the control unit turns the heater off and operates the driving unit such that the second tray moves. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A refrigerator comprising: a storage chamber; a cold air supply configured to supply cold air to the storage chamber; a first tray having a first portion of a cell; a second tray having a second portion of the cell, the first portion and the second portion being configured to define a space formed by the cell; a driver that moves the tray, relative to the first tray, such that the second portion of the second tray contacts the first portion of the first tray to form the space of the cell in an ice making process when liquid in the space is phase-changed into ice, and that moves the second tray relative to the first tray such that the second portion of the second tray is to be spaced from the first portion of the first tray during an ice separation process to separate the ice from the cell; a heater positioned adjacent to at least one of the first tray or the second tray; an input device configured to receive an input to start a test mode; and a controller configured to: turn off the heater and operate the driver to move the second tray when the input to start the test mode is received. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The refrigerator of claim 1, wherein the controller controls the cold air supply to supply the cold air to the cell after the second tray moves to an ice making position after the liquid is supplied to the cell, the controller controls the second tray to move to an ice separation position in a forward direction so as to take out the ice from the cell and move in a reverse direction after the ice is formed in the cell, and after the ice is removed from the cell, the second tray moves to a water supply position in the reverse direction to receive the liquid in the space. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The refrigerator of claim 2, wherein the controller determines when the input to start the test mode is received while the liquid is being supplied to the space, and operates the driver to move the second tray after the liquid is supplied to the space. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The refrigerator of claim 3, further comprising: an ice bin to receive the ice separated from the cell; and a detector to determine whether the ice bin is full when the driver moves the second tray to a full ice detection position, wherein, after the liquid has been supplied to the space, the controller operates the driver so that the second tray moves to a point between the full ice detection position and the liquid supply position. ### Claim 5 (depends on 3) The refrigerator of claim 3, wherein, after liquid has been supplied to the space, the controller operates the driver so that the second tray moves to the ice separation position. ### Claim 6 (depends on 2) The refrigerator of claim 2, wherein the controller controls the heater to be turned on when the ice is being formed so that gas bubbles dissolved in the liquid moves from a first portion of the space at which the liquid is phase-changing into ice toward a second portion of the space where the liquid is in a fluid state. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The refrigerator of claim 6, wherein the controller turns off the heater and operates the driver when the input to start the test mode is received during the ice making. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The refrigerator of claim 7, wherein the controller operates the driver so that the second tray moves to the ice separation position when the input to start the test mode is received during the ice making. ### Claim 9 (depends on 7) The refrigerator of claim 7, further comprising: an ice bin to receive the ice separated from the cell; and a detector to determine whether the ice bin is full when the driver moves the second tray to a full ice detection position, wherein the controller operates the driver so that the second tray moves to Lionel a point between the full ice detection position and the liquid supply position. ### Claim 10 (depends on 2) The refrigerator of claim 2, wherein the controller turns on the heater before the second tray moves to the ice separation position in the forward direction after the ice making is completed. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The refrigerator of claim 10, wherein the controller turns off the driver when the second tray moves to the ice separation position. ### Claim 12 (depends on 2) The refrigerator of claim 2, wherein, when the input to start the test mode is received while the second tray is moving to the ice separation position, the controller controls the driver so that the second tray moves to the ice separation position, and then the second tray moves from the ice separation position to the liquid supply position in the reverse direction. ### Claim 13 (depends on 2) The refrigerator of claim 2, wherein, when the input to start the test mode is received while the second tray is moving to the liquid supply position, the controller controls the driver so that the second tray moves to the liquid supply position and then stops moving for a period of time. ### Claim 14 (depends on 2) The refrigerator of claim 2, further comprising: an ice bin to receive the ice separated from the cell; and a detector to determine whether the ice bin is full when the driver moves the second tray to a full ice detection position, wherein the controller is configured to operate the driver such that, when the sensor detects that the ice bin is full after the ice making process, the second tray: moves to the ice separation position, moves to the liquid supply position from the ice separation position, and remains at the liquid supply position for a set length of time, and when the input to start the test mode is received during the set length of time, the controller is configured to operate the driver such that the second tray moves from the liquid supply position after the set length of time. ### Claim 15 A refrigerator comprising: a storage chamber; a cold air supply configured to supply cold air to the storage chamber; a tray including a first portion and a second portion, the first portion and the second portion being configured to define a space formed to receive the liquid; a driver configured to move the second portion relative to the first portion between: a first position where the first portion contacts the second portion to form the space and the liquid in the space is phase-changed into ice, and a second position where the first portion and the second portion are spaced apart from such that the ice can be separated from the portion; a heater provided adjacent to the tray; a liquid supply configured to provide the liquid to the space; an input device configured to receive an input to move the second portion; and a controller configured to operate the driver to move the second portion, wherein the controller determines when the input is received while the liquid is being supplied to the space, and delays moving the second portion until the liquid is supplied to the space. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The refrigerator of claim 15, wherein the controller is configured to deactivate the heater when moving the second portion in response to the input. ### Claim 17 (depends on 15) The refrigerator of claim 15, wherein, when the input is received while the second portion is at first position to contact the first portion to form the space and the ice is being formed in the space, the controller is configured to operate the driver to move the second portion from the first position before the liquid is the space has completed phase-changing into the ice. ### Claim 18 (depends on 15) The refrigerator of claim 15, wherein, when the input is received after the ice is formed and before the ice is removed from the tray, the controller is configured to operate the driver to move the second portion toward the second position. ### Claim 19 (depends on 15) The refrigerator of claim 15, wherein, when the input is received while the ice is being removed from the tray, the controller is configured to operate the driver to move from the second position. ### Claim 20 (depends on 15) The refrigerator of claim 15, wherein, when the input is received, the controller is configured to operate the driver to move the second portion in a first direction toward the second position and then in a second direction away from the second position.