# US 2022/0034571 A1 · Evaporator for ice maker > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2022/0034571 A1 - Document ID: US20220034571A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 17/275,992 - Filed: 2019-09-04 - Published: 2022-02-03 - Earliest claimed: 2018-09-14 - Assignees: Woongjin Coway Co., Ltd. - Applicants: WOONGJIN COWAY Co., Ltd. - Inventors: Gyeong-Min LEE; Jung-Hwan LEE; Kyu-Jun KIM; Doo-Youl JEON; Myeong-Hoon KANG; Jin-Woo CHOI; Kwon-Jae LEE; Jae-Man KIM - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20220034571A1 ## CPC - F25C 5/08: by heating bodies in contact with the ice - F25B 39/02: Evaporators - F25C 1/045: with the open end pointing downwards - F25C 1/08: by immersing freezing chambers {, cylindrical bodies} or plates into water - F25B 2339/0242: having tubular elements - F25C 2600/04: Control means - F25C: PRODUCING, WORKING OR HANDLING ICE - F25B: REFRIGERATION MACHINES, PLANTS OR SYSTEMS; COMBINED HEATING AND REFRIGERATION SYSTEMS; HEAT PUMP SYSTEMS ## Abstract An evaporator for an ice maker includes an evaporator body having a refrigerant flow path formed therein; a dipping member connected to the evaporator body, for a refrigerant having a temperature lower than a freezing point of water to flow in the refrigerant flow path to generate ice in a state in which at least a portion of the dipping member is submerged in water; a heater having at least a portion inserted into the refrigerant flow path, and directly or indirectly heating at least one of the refrigerant in the refrigerant flow path, the evaporator body, and the dipping member to separate the ice generated on the dipping member from the dipping member; and a connection member connecting the evaporator body and the refrigerant flow path to be connected to a refrigeration cycle, and inserting the at least a portion of the heater into the refrigerant flow path. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An evaporator for an ice maker, comprising: an evaporator body having a refrigerant flow path formed therein; a dipping member connected to the evaporator body, for a refrigerant having a temperature lower than a freezing point of water to flow in the refrigerant flow path to generate ice in a state in which at least a portion of the dipping member is submerged in water; a heater having at least a portion inserted into the refrigerant flow path, and directly or indirectly heating at least one of the refrigerant in the refrigerant flow path, the evaporator body, and the dipping member to separate the ice generated on the dipping member from the dipping member; and a connection member connecting the evaporator body and the refrigerant flow path to be connected to a refrigeration cycle, and inserting the at least a portion of the heater into the refrigerant flow path. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The evaporator of claim 1, wherein the at least a portion of the heater passes through the connection member and is inserted into the refrigerant flow path, or at least a portion of a heater insertion pipe into which the at least a portion of the heater is inserted passes through the connection member and is inserted into the refrigerant flow path. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The evaporator of claim 2, wherein the heater insertion pipe is configured to close one side and open the other side, and the at least a portion of the heater is inserted into the opened the other side of the heater insertion pipe. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The evaporator of claim 2, wherein a connection flow path connected to the refrigerant flow path and the refrigeration cycle and through which the at least a portion of the heater or the at least a portion of the heater insertion pipe passes is formed in the connection member. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The evaporator of claim 4, wherein one side of the connection member is connected to the evaporator body to connect the connection flow path and the refrigerant flow path, and a connection pipe connected to the refrigeration cycle is connected to the other side of the connection member to be connected to the connection flow path, wherein the at least a portion of the heater or the at least a portion of the heater insertion pipe passes through the other side of the connection member, passes through the connection flow path, and is inserted into the refrigerant flow path. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The evaporator of claim 5, wherein a through-hole connected to the connection flow path and through which the at least a portion of the heater or the at least a portion of the heater insertion pipe sealedly passes, and a connection hole connected to the connection flow path and to which at least a portion of the connection pipe is sealedly connected, are formed on the other side of the connection member. ### Claim 7 (depends on 5) The evaporator of claim 5, wherein a diameter of at least a portion of the connection member is greater than the sum of a diameter of the heater or a diameter of the heater insertion pipe and a diameter of the connection pipe. ### Claim 8 (depends on 5) The evaporator of claim 5, wherein a connection space connected to the refrigerant flow path is formed in the dipping member to flow the refrigerant in the refrigerant flow path. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The evaporator of claim 8, wherein the dipping member comprises a partition member partitioning the connection space into a refrigerant inflow path into which the refrigerant flows from the refrigerant flow path and a refrigerant outflow path from which the refrigerant flows into the refrigerant flow path. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The evaporator of claim 9, wherein the partition member comprises a communication hole through which the refrigerant inflow path and the refrigerant outflow path are communicated to allow the refrigerant in the refrigerant inflow path to flow to the refrigerant outflow path. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The evaporator of claim 10, wherein the partition member at least partially passes through the refrigerant flow path to extend to the evaporator body, and the partition member is at least partially in contact with the dipping member and the evaporator body. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The evaporator of claim 11, wherein a portion of the partition member extending to the evaporator body is at least partially in contact with the heater or the heater insertion pipe to support the heater or the heater insertion pipe. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The evaporator of claim 12, wherein the partition member comprises a through support portion at least partially contacting the heater or the heater insertion pipe to pass through and support the heater or the heater insertion pipe. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The evaporator of claim 13, wherein the heater or the heater insertion pipe is at least partially in contact with the evaporator body. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The evaporator of claim 14, wherein at least one group selected from the groups consisting of the evaporator body and the dipping member, the partition member and the dipping member, the heater or heater insertion pipe and the through support portion, or the heater or heater insertion pipe and the evaporator body is connected by brazing. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The evaporator of claim 15, wherein the heater comprises a heater body, a heating element provided inside the heater body and electrically connected to a power source, and a fuse blocking electrical connection between the heating element and the power source when the heating element generates heat having an abnormal heating temperature. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The evaporator of claim 16, wherein, when the heater is not inserted into the heater insertion pipe, the fuse is electrically connected to the heating element and the power source outside the heater body after the brazing, and when the heater is inserted into the heater insertion pipe, the fuse is electrically connected to the heating element and the power source inside the heater body.