Drive force transmitting device for ice-making tray of automatic ice-making machine

A device for transmitting a drive force to an ice-making tray for an automatic ice-making machine comprising:

• a drive motor rotating in one direction only;
• a drive gear connected to and rotatably supported by the drive motor;
• a cam gear meshing with the drive gear and supported for rotation, said cam gear including an actuating pin extending axially thereof;
• a slider pivotally supported at one end portion and formed at the other end portion opposite said one end portion with a guide groove for receiving said actuating pin and a gear portion disposed midway between said one end portion and said guide groove, said slider being moved in pivotal movement both clockwise and counterclockwise by said guide groove cooperating with said actuating pin as the actuating pin moves in rotational movement;
• and
• an ice-making tray having a gear directly connected thereto and meshing with the gear portion of said slider, said ice-making tray being supported for rotation through a predetermined range of angles, wherein said cam gear, said drive gear, said slider and said gear directly connected to the ice-making tray are formed of self-lubricating acetal resin by injection molding, and wherein said actuating pin is formed integrally with said cam gear when the latter is formed by injection molding and disposed in the vicinity of an outer peripheral portion of the cam gear, and wherein said slider comprises a main body of a substantially triangular shape pivotally supported at one apex portion, and a projecting portion extending outwardly from a side opposite said one apex portion, said main body being formed with an opening defined by a plurality of sides and said gear portion at one of said plurality of sides, said guide groove being disposed in said projecting portion and extending substantially straightforwardly.