Refrigerator and apparatus for ice discharging therein

A refrigerator comprising:

• a body having a compartment therein;
• a door to open and close the compartment;
• an icemaker installed in the door and configured to make ice;
• a device for ice discharging provided in the door comprising:
• a case having an ice introduction opening at an upper portion and an ice discharge opening at a lower portion,
• a rotation member rotatable in the case to transfer ice that is held in a predetermined amount to be discharged by rotation thereof, wherein the rotation member comprises:
• a rotation shaft portion rotated by electrical power, and
• at least one rotation wing portion that extends radially from the rotation shaft portion, that is a plate parallel to the rotation shaft portion, and that defines an ice holding space,
• a discharge adjustment part that extends from a first inner side surface of the case to a position over a rotation contour of the at least one rotation wing portion and that adjusts the number of the ices transferred by the rotation member in the ice holding space, such that a fixed amount of the ice is substantially discharged, and
• a guide that is positioned opposite to the discharge adjustment part in the case such that the rotation member is positioned between the discharge adjustment part and the guide, that extends from a second inner side surface of the case to a position under a rotation contour of the at least one rotation wing portion, that is oblique from the second inner side surface of the case to a bottom of the case, that is adjacent to the rotation member, and that guides ice introduced into the case to the rotation member, the second inner side surface being opposite of the first inner side surface;
• and
• a dispenser to dispense the ice discharged from the device for ice discharging outside the door,
• wherein, as the rotation member rotates:
• the rotation wing portion contacts ice pieces guided by the guide,
• the rotation wing portion rotates the ice pieces toward the discharge adjustment part,
• the discharge adjustment part contacts at least one of the ice pieces being rotated and moves upward and downward to adjust the number of the ice pieces in the ice holding space defined by the rotation wing portion to the fixed amount of the ice, and
• the rotation wing portion moves the fixed amount of ice in the ice holding space downward from the discharge adjustment part to the ice discharge opening.

A device for ice discharging provided in a refrigerator door comprising:

• a case having an ice introduction opening at an upper portion and an ice discharge opening at a lower portion;
• a rotation member configured to rotate in the case to transfer ice by rotation thereof, wherein the rotation member comprises:
• a rotation shaft portion rotated by electrical power, and
• at least one rotation wing portion that extends radially from the rotation shaft portion, the at least one rotation wing portion comprising a plurality of plates that extend radially from the rotation shaft, and that define an ice holding space;
• a discharge adjustment part that extends from a first side surface of the case to a position over a rotation contour of the at least one rotation wing portion and that adjusts the number of the ices transferred by the rotation member in the ice holding space, such that an amount of the ice is discharged;
• and
• a guide that is positioned opposite to the discharge adjustment part in the case such that the rotation member is positioned between the discharge adjustment part and the guide, that extends from a second inner side surface of the case to a position under a rotation contour of the at least one rotation wing portion, that is oblique from the second inner side surface of the case to a bottom of the case, that is adjacent to the rotation member, and that guides ice introduced into the case to the rotation member, the second inner side surface being opposite of the first inner side surface,
• wherein, as the rotation member rotates:
• the at least one rotation wing portion contacts ice pieces guided by the guide,
• the at least one rotation wing portion rotates the ice pieces toward the discharge adjustment part,
• the discharge adjustment part contacts at least one of the ice pieces being rotated to adjust the number of the ice pieces in the ice holding space defined by the at least one rotation wing portion to the amount of the ice, and
• the at least one rotation wing portion moves the amount of ice in the ice holding space downward from the discharge adjustment part to the ice discharge opening.

A refrigerator comprising:

• a body having a compartment therein;
• a door to open and close the compartment;
• an icemaker installed in the door and configured to make ice;
• a device for ice discharging provided in the door comprising:
• a case having an ice introduction opening at an upper portion and an ice discharge opening at a lower portion,
• a rotation member configured to rotate in the case to transfer ice by rotation thereof, wherein the rotation member comprises:
• a rotation shaft portion rotated by electrical power, and
• at least one rotation wing portion that extends radially from the rotation shaft portion, the at least one rotation wing portion comprising a plurality of plates that extend radially from the rotation shaft portion, and that define an ice holding space;
• a discharge adjustment part that extends from a first side surface of the case to a position over a rotation contour of the at least one rotation wing portion and that adjusts the number of the ices transferred by the rotation member in the ice holding space, such that an amount of the ice is discharged;
• and
• a guide that is positioned opposite to the discharge adjustment part in the case such that the rotation member is positioned between the discharge adjustment part and the guide, that extends from a second inner side surface of the case to a position under a rotation contour of the at least one rotation wing portion, that is oblique from the second inner side surface of the case to a bottom of the case, that is adjacent to the rotation member, and that guides ice introduced into the case to the rotation member, the second inner side surface being opposite of the first inner side surface,
• a dispenser to dispense the ice discharged from the device for ice discharging outside the door,
• wherein, as the rotation member rotates:
• the at least one rotation wing portion contacts ice pieces guided by the guide,
• the at least one rotation wing portion rotates the ice pieces toward the discharge adjustment part,
• the discharge adjustment part contacts at least one of the ice pieces being rotated to adjust the number of the ice pieces in the ice holding space defined by the at least one rotation wing portion to the amount of the ice, and
• the at least one rotation wing portion moves the amount of ice in the ice holding space downward from the discharge adjustment part to the ice discharge opening.