US20130092707A1

US20130092707A1 - Ice storage container and refrigerator having same

Info

Publication number: US20130092707A1
Application number: US13/651,592
Authority: US
Inventors: Yonghyun KIM; Siyeon AN; Changwoo Lee; Jaesung Park; Sangmin Lee; Woonbong HWANG
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: LG Electronics Inc; POSTECH Academy Industry Foundation
Priority date: 2011-10-17
Filing date: 2012-10-15
Publication date: 2013-04-18
Also published as: EP3176523B1; EP2584293A3; KR20130041700A; CN103047804A; EP2584293B1; KR101392927B1; EP2584293A2; EP3176523A1; ES2616764T3

Abstract

An ice storage container is provided that is capable of separating ice cubes that have been frozen together and maintaining the separated state for dispensing through a dispensing apparatus provided in a refrigerator or a water purifier. The ice storage container may include a case main body forming an ice storage space therein and having an ice discharge port formed at a lower portion thereof, an ice ejector rotatably installed in the case main body and having a motor rotation shaft, a blade mounting shaft, and a plurality of blades protruding radially from the blade mounting shaft, and an ice separating device coupled to the ice ejector to separate ice cubes that have been frozen together in the ice storage bin due to an extended storage period, and/or to maintain the separated state of the ice cubes in the ice storage container.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION(S)
This application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. §119 to Korean Application No. 10-2011-0106133 filed on Oct. 17, 2011, whose entire disclosure is hereby incorporated by reference.

BACKGROUND

1. Field
This relates to an ice storage container, and in particular, to an ice storage container which may separate ice pieces which have been frozen together and/or maintain such a separated state of ice pieces.
2. Background
An ice maker may be installed in a refrigerator or a water purifier to automatically produce ice pieces (cubes). Such a refrigerating apparatus may also include an ice dispenser which may dispense ice made by the ice maker without opening a door. Such a dispenser may dispense a predetermined quantity of the ice cubes stored in an ice bucket in response to a user request.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The embodiments will be described in detail with reference to the following drawings in which like reference numerals refer to like elements wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an exemplary refrigerator including an ice maker and an ice dispenser;

FIGS. 2 and 3 are perspective views of an ice bucket of the ice dispenser shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of an ice bucket in accordance with an embodiment as broadly described herein; and

FIG. 5 is a sectional view of the ice bucket shown in FIG. 4.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Description will now be provided in detail of an ice bucket in accordance with exemplary embodiments, with reference to the accompanying drawings. For the sake of brief description with reference to the drawings, the same or equivalent components will be provided with the same reference numbers wherever possible, and description thereof will not be repeated.
An automatic ice maker may automatically make ice and store the ice in an ice storage bin or bucket, to be dispensed by a dispenser in response to a user request for ice. Such a dispenser may employ, for example, one or more blades which rotate to draw the ice from a storage portion of the ice storage bucket into a chute for dispensing through the dispenser. However, under certain conditions, the ice cubes stored in the ice bucket may not be properly ejected. For example, when ice cubes located above the blades are left in the storage portion of the ice bucket for a long time, they may be frozen into a cluster. Consequently, when the blades rotate to eject ice cubes, this cluster may be too large to flow from the storage portion into the discharge portion of the ice bucket, and the blades may not be able to reach the ice cubes, causing the blades to rotate idly and making the ice difficult to dispense/discharge.
Hereinafter, an exemplary ice bucket installed in a refrigerator will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 3.
A refrigerator may keep items fresh in a refrigerated or frozen state, and may include a refrigerator main body having a cooling chamber formed therein, and a refrigeration cycle system for providing cold air into the cooling chamber. The refrigerating cycle system may be, for example, a vapor compression type refrigeration cycle system including a compressor for compressing a refrigerant, a condenser for condensing the refrigerant, an expansion apparatus for decompressing and expanding the refrigerant, and an evaporator for evaporating the refrigerant with ambient heat adsorbed.
Referring to FIG. 1, the refrigerator may include a main body 10 having a freezing chamber 20 and a refrigerating chamber 30, and a freezing chamber door 25 and a refrigerating chamber door 35 for opening and closing the freezing chamber 20 and the refrigerating chamber 30, respectively. A dispenser 27 may be provided in the refrigerator to dispense water and/or ice without opening the door 25, and an ice maker 40 may be installed in the freezing chamber 20 for making ice cubes. An ice bucket 1 for storing the ice cubes made in the ice maker and discharging the ice cubes to the dispenser may be disposed below the ice maker 40. The dispenser 27 may be installed, for example, at the freezing chamber door 25, or other location as appropriate, such that ice cubes may be retrieved without opening the freezing chamber 20. An inlet port 29 through which ice cubes discharged from the ice bucket 1 may be introduced into the dispenser 27 may be formed through an upper surface of the dispenser 27.
As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the ice bucket 1 may include a case main body 100 forming an internal ice storage space and having an ice discharge port formed at a lower portion thereof for discharging ice to the inlet port 29 of the dispenser 27, and an ice ejector 200 rotatably installed in the case main body 100 for ejecting the ice. The case main body 100 may include an upper case 110 and a lower case 120. The upper case 110 may be transparent or semi-transparent to allow a user to visibly verify how much ice is left in the internal ice storage space, and the ice ejector 200 may be provided within the lower case 120. The ice ejector 200 may include a blade mounting shaft 240 protruding from an inner surface of a lower portion of the lower case 120, and a plurality of blades 230 disposed on an outer circumferential surface of the blade mounting shaft 240.
An inclined inner wall 125 may be formed at an upper portion of the case main body 100 so as to guide ice dropped from the ice maker 40 into the ice ejector 200. In the ice bucket 1 so configured, ice cubes made in the ice maker 40 are stacked up to an upper portion of the ice storage space within the case main body 100. While the ice ejector 200 is driven to eject the ice cubes, the inclined inner wall 125 may cause the ice cubes to be continuously guided downward toward a lower portion of the case main body 100 where the ice ejector 200 is installed. However, when the ice pieces are left in the stacked state for a long time, with the ice ejector 200 inactive, the ice pieces may still be frozen together in a cluster.
Accordingly, even though the inclined inner wall 125 directs the ice cubes downward toward the ejector 20, if the ice ejector 200 is driven with the ice cubes in this frozen together state, the ice pieces will remain frozen together within the ice bucket, while the ice ejector 200 performs an idle rotation such that the ice cubes cannot be ejected to the outside, thus disabling the ice dispensing function. Furthermore, the frozen ice pieces would have to be manually separated or broken into pieces, causing user dissatisfaction.
FIG. 4 is a perspective view of an ice bucket in accordance with an embodiment as broadly described herein, and FIG. 5 is a sectional view of the ice bucket shown in FIG. 4.
An ice bucket 1 capable of automatically breaking apart/separating ice pieces for dispensing may include a case main body 100 forming an internal ice storage space and having an ice discharge port 121 formed at a lower portion thereof. An ice ejector 200 may be rotatably disposed at one end of the case main body 100. The ice ejector 200 may include a motor rotation shaft 220, a blade mounting shaft 240, and a plurality of blades 230 protruding from the blade mounting shaft 240 in a radial direction and with spaced distances therebetween. The ice bucket 1 may also include an ice separating device 300 for preventing ice cubes located above the ice ejector 200 from being frozen together into a cluster.
The case main body 100 may include an upper case 110 formed of a transparent or semi-transparent material so that an amount of ice cubes received therein may be viewed from an outside of the case main body 100, and a lower case 120 having the ice ejector 200 mounted therein for connection to an external driving motor.
The ice discharge port 121 may be formed through the lower portion of the lower case 120 to communicate with a dispenser of the refrigerator. The ice ejector 200 may be installed within the lower case 120. The ice separating device 300 may be mounted on one side surface of the ice bucket 1, for example, the side surface thereof which is mounted on the refrigerator, so that the opposite side of the ice bucket 1 may be visible through the transparent or semi-transparent upper case 110, and not obstructed by the ice separating device 300.
The ice ejector 200 may be rotatable in response to a rotational force transferred thereto by an external driving motor installed in the refrigerator. The ice ejector 200 may include the motor rotation shaft 220 fixed to a shaft of the external driving motor, and a motor rotational force transfer device 260 for transferring the rotational force received from the external driving motor.
The ice ejector 200 may include the blade mounting shaft 240 integrally or fixedly connected to the motor rotation shaft 220 in a lengthwise direction to be inserted into the ice bucket 1. The plurality of blades 230 may be provided on an outer circumferential surface of the blade mounting shaft 240 so as to transfer ice cubes from the ice maker above the ice bucket 1 to a dispenser below the ice bucket 1 via the ice discharge port 121.
The ice separating device 300 may include a rotational shaft 320 rotatably installed on an upper portion of the case main body 100, and an auger 330 protruding into an upper portion of the storage space within the case main body 100 to separate ice cubes that have been frozen into a cluster and/or to maintain ice cubes in a separated state in response to rotation of the rotational shaft 320.
The auger 330 may protrude in a lateral direction of the ice separating device 300, and may include a plurality of augers 330 installed in parallel each other, and in parallel to the rotational shaft 320, performing a circular motion within the ice bucket 1 in response to the rotation of the rotational shaft 320. Accordingly, the augers 330 may stir the ice cubes received in the upper portion of the case main body 100, to separate and/or maintain the separated state of the ice cubes.
The ice separating device 300 may include a rotational cam 310 rotatably centered on the rotational shaft 320, and the plurality of augers 330 may be installed on the rotational cam 310 in parallel to the rotational shaft 310. The rotational cam 310 may be formed as a circular plate having a predetermined thickness, and may be rotatable based upon rotation of the rotational shaft 310. The plurality of augers 330 may protrude from one surface of the rotational cam 310, in an axial direction of the cam 310, to be in parallel to the rotational shaft 310.
When so configured, as the ice separating device 300 is rotated, the plurality of augers 330 protruding into the case main body 100 in parallel to the rotational shaft 320 may separate and/or maintain the separated states of the ice cubes. That is, as the rotational cam 310 rotates, the augers 330 may perform a circular motion to break apart ice cubes located above the ice ejector 200 into individual pieces even when the ice cubes are frozen together into a cluster.
The case main body 100 may include an ejector mount 122 formed through one side of the lower case 120 for installation of the ice ejector 200 thereat. A separating device mount 123 may be formed above the ejector mount 122 for installation of the ice separating device 300 thereat. The ejector mount 122 may be formed as a circular through hole to be connected to an external driving motor. The separating device mount 123 may be formed through the case main body 100 to be connected to an external driving motor when the external driving motor is provided separately. However, as shown in the exemplary embodiment, the separating device mount 123 may not have to be formed as a separate through hole when being rotated by receiving the rotational force of the ice ejector 200.
The ice separating device 300 may perform a rotary motion based on rotation of the rotational shaft 320. This rotary motion may be performed by receiving an external rotational force. In this case, rotational forces may be separately applied to the ice ejector 200 and to the ice separating device 300, respectively, allowing independent operation of the ice ejector 200 and the ice separating device 300.
In certain embodiments, both functions of separating and ejecting ice cubes may be implemented in response to a single rotational force. When a rotational force is applied only to the ice ejector 200, the ice separating device 300 may simultaneously be rotated by receiving the rotational force of the ice ejector 200. On the other hand, when the rotational force is applied only to the ice separating device 300, the ice ejector 200 may simultaneously be rotated so that the ice ejector 200 may be rotated in response to rotational force applied to the ice separating device 300 without a separate external rotational force applied to the ice ejector 200.
When a single rotational force is applied, the ice ejector 200 and the ice separating device 300 may receive a rotational force via a driving force transfer device 400.
The motor rotational force transfer device 260 may transfer a received rotational force directly to the blades 230 of the ice ejector 200. The motor rotational force transfer device 260 may be connected to a driving motor at an outer wall of the lower case 120. The motor rotational force transfer device 260 may be installed on an outer circumference of the motor rotation shaft 220 of the ice ejector 200, receiving the rotational force of the motor.
Accordingly, the ice ejector 200 may include a rotational cam 210 rotatable in response to a rotational force of an external driving motor via the motor rotational force transfer device 260. The ice separating device 300 may include the rotational cam 310 rotatable in response to a rotational force from the rotational cam 210 of the ice ejector 200. The rotational cam 210 of the ice ejector 200 and the rotational cam 310 of the ice separating device 300 may be allowed to mutually transfer their rotational forces by virtue of the driving force transfer device 400. The driving force transfer device 400 may employ a variety of rotational force transfer elements, such as gears, pulleys and belts and the like.
For example, as shown in FIG. 4, when a rotational force transfer element having a gear-like structure is employed as the driving force transfer device 400, teeth 211 formed on an outer circumferential surface of the rotational cam 210 of the ice ejector 200 may engage teeth 311 formed on an outer circumferential surface of the rotational cam 310 of the ice separating device 300. The rotational cams 210 and 310 having the gear-like structure with the mutually engaged teeth 211 and 311 may allow a rotational force applied to one of the ejector 200 or the ice separating device 3000 to also be applied to the other of the ejector 200 or the separating device 300. For example, the ice separating device 300 may be rotatable in response to the rotational force transferred from the ice ejector 200 by the mutually engaged teeth 211 and 311 of the driving force transfer device 400 of the embodiment shown in FIG. 4. Therefore, when the ice ejector 200 is driven, the ice separating device 300 may operate simultaneously. Accordingly, ice cubes which may be frozen together in a cluster above the blades 330 due to being stored for a long time, may be separated into pieces. The separated ice cubes may be transferred downward, and ejected by the ice ejector 200 via the ice discharge port 121 to a dispenser.
In an alternative embodiment, the driving force transfer device 400 may be implemented such that the transfer of a rotational force between a pulley formed at the ice ejector 200 and a pulley formed at the ice separating device 300 is enabled via belts. Therefore, the rotational cams 210 and 310 of the ice ejector 200 and the ice separating device 300 may be formed as pulleys having belts mounted thereon.
Hereinafter, description of a refrigerator having an ice bucket 1 according to an exemplary embodiment will be provided.
A refrigerator as embodied and broadly described herein may include doors 25 and 35 for opening and closing a cooling chamber, an ice maker 40 disposed in the cooling chamber, an ice bucket 1 disposed below the ice maker 40, and a dispenser 27 connected to the ice bucket 1. The ice bucket 1 may include a case main body 100 forming an ice storage space therein and having an ice discharge port 121 at a lower portion thereof. An ice ejector 200 may be rotatably disposed at one side of the case main body 100 and may include a plurality of blades 330. The ice bucket 1 may also include an ice separating device 300 having a rotational shaft 320 and augers 330 performing a circular motion in response to rotation of the rotational shaft 320 to prevent ice cubes located above the ice ejector 200 from being frozen together.
The ice separating device 300 may include a rotational cam 310 rotatably centered on the rotational shaft 320, and the plurality of augers 330 may be installed on the rotational cam 310, spaced apart from the rotational shaft 320, and in parallel to each other.
The ice ejector 200 and the ice separating device 300 may receive a rotational force transferred by a driving force transfer device 400.
The driving force transfer device 400 may have a gear-like structure such that teeth 211 formed on an outer circumferential surface of the rotational cam 210 of the ice ejector 200 engage teeth 311 formed on an outer circumferential surface of the rotational cam 310 of the ice separating device 300. The ice separating device 300 may be rotated in response to a rotational force transferred from the ice ejector 200.
Alternatively, the driving force transfer device 400 may be implemented such that the rotational cam 210 of the ice ejector 200 and the rotational cam 310 of the ice separating device 300 are formed as pulleys to transfer a rotational force by the use of belts.
An ice bucket is provided having a function of unlaying ice curdling, or separating and maintaining separation of ice pieces. The ice bucket may be capable of allowing an ice ejecting member to eject ice cubes to outside by unlaying, or separating, the ice cubes frozen in a curdled, or frozen together, state into individual ice pieces by use of augers. The augers may be rotated within a storage space of the ice bucket to unlay, or separate, the ice cubes, upon ejecting the ice cubes from an ice dispensing apparatus installed in a refrigerator or a water purifier.
An ice bucket as embodied and broadly described herein may include a case main body forming an ice storage space therein and having an ice discharge port formed at a lower portion thereof. The ice bucket may include an ice ejecting member rotatably disposed at one side of the main body and having a motor rotation shaft, a blade mounting shaft, and a plurality of blades protruding from the blade mounting shaft in a radial direction and disposed in a circumferential direction with spaced distances. The ice bucket may include an ice curdling unlaying member configured to prevent ice cubes located above the ice ejecting member from being frozen in a curdled state.
In another embodiment, the ice curdling unlaying member may include a rotational shaft rotatably installed at an upper portion of one side of the main body. The ice curdling unlaying member may include an auger protruding from an upper portion within the main body in an axial direction of the rotational shaft to unlay the upper curdled ice cubes in response to rotation of the rotational shaft.
In certain embodiments, the auger may be installed by being spaced apart from the rotational shaft and performs a circular motion in response to the rotation of the rotational shaft to prevent ice curdling at an upper portion with the main body, and provided in plurality.
The ice curdling unlaying member may include a rotational cam rotatable centering on the rotational shaft, and the auger may be installed in plurality on the rotational cam to be in parallel to the rotation shaft.
In another embodiment, the case main body may include an upper case formed of a transparent or semi-transparent material to allow a stored state of ice cubes to be viewed from outside, and a lower case having an ice ejecting member mounted onto one side therein and allowing the ice ejecting member to be connected to an external driving motor.
In certain embodiments, the ice discharge port may be formed at a lower portion of the lower case, and the ice curdling unlaying member may be formed on one side within the lower case.
In another embodiment, the ice ejecting member and the ice curdling unlaying member may receive a rotational force transferred by a driving force transfer unit. The ice ejecting member may include a rotational cam rotatable by receiving the rotational force of an external driving motor, and the ice curdling unlaying member may include a rotational cam rotatable by receiving a rotational force transferred from the rotational cam of the ice ejecting member.
The driving force transfer unit may have a gear-like structure that teeth formed on an outer circumferential surface of the rotational cam of the ice ejecting member and teeth formed on an outer circumferential surface of the rotational cam of the ice curdling unlaying member are engaged with each other. The ice curdling unlaying member may be rotatable by the rotational force of the ice ejecting member.
The case main body may include an ejecting member mounting portion formed through one side thereof for installation of the ice ejecting member thereon, and a curdling unlaying member mounting portion formed above the ejecting member mounting portion for installation of the ice curdling unlaying member thereon.
In another embodiment, the driving force transfer unit may be implemented such that transfer of a rotational force between a pulley formed on the ice ejecting member and a pulley formed on the ice curdling unlaying member is enabled via belts.
A refrigerator as embodied and broadly described herein may include a refrigerator main body having a cooling chamber therein, a door to open or close the cooling chamber, an ice maker disposed in the cooling chamber, an ice bucket disposed below the ice maker, and a dispenser connected to the ice bucket.
In certain embodiments, the ice bucket may include a case main body forming an ice storage space therein and having an ice discharge port formed at a lower portion thereof, an ice ejecting member rotatably disposed on one side of the main body and having a plurality of blades, and an ice curdling unlaying member having a rotational shaft and an auger rotatable with performing a circular motion in response to rotation of the rotational shaft and configured to prevent ice cubes located above the ice ejecting member from being frozen in a curdled state.
The ice curdling unlaying member may include a rotational cam rotatable centering on the rotational shaft, and the auger may be provided in plurality disposed on the rotational cam to be in parallel to the rotational shaft. The ice ejecting member and the ice curdling unlaying member may receive a rotational force transferred by a driving force transfer unit.
The driving force transfer unit may have a gear-like structure that teeth formed on an outer circumferential surface of the ice ejecting member and teeth formed on an outer circumferential surface of the ice curdling unlaying member are engaged with each other, and the ice curdling unlaying member may be rotatable by the rotational force of the ice ejecting member.
Upon ejecting ice cubes from an ice dispensing apparatus installed in a refrigerator, a water purifier and the like, ice cubes in a frozen together, clustered state may be separated by augers provided within a storage space of an ice bucket, and the separated ice cubes may be ejected to outside by an ice ejector.
Also, when ice cubes are stored for a long time in the storage space of the ice bucket without being ejected out of an ice dispending apparatus, even if the ice ejecting member is driven, ice cubes which are attached to each other may still exist at an upper portion of the storage space of the ice bucket. To overcome this problem, the ice cubes may be separated into pieces so as to prevent mis-operation of the ice ejector, resulting in enhanced user convenience, reliability and economical efficiency.
Any reference in this specification to “one embodiment,” “an embodiment,” “example embodiment,” etc., means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment is included in at least one embodiment of the invention. The appearances of such phrases in various places in the specification are not necessarily all referring to the same embodiment. Further, when a particular feature, structure, or characteristic is described in connection with any embodiment, it is submitted that it is within the purview of one skilled in the art to effect such feature, structure, or characteristic in connection with other ones of the embodiments.
Although embodiments have been described with reference to a number of illustrative embodiments thereof, it should be understood that numerous other modifications and embodiments can be devised by those skilled in the art that will fall within the spirit and scope of the principles of this disclosure. More particularly, various variations and modifications are possible in the component parts and/or arrangements of the subject combination arrangement within the scope of the disclosure, the drawings and the appended claims. In addition to variations and modifications in the component parts and/or arrangements, alternative uses will also be apparent to those skilled in the art.

Claims

What is claimed is:

1. An ice storage container for a refrigerating apparatus, comprising:

a case configured to be coupled to a dispenser of the refrigerating apparatus, the case having a storage space formed therein configured to receive ice pieces;

a discharge port formed at a lower portion of the case to discharge ice pieces from the case to the dispenser;

an ejector rotatably installed in the case to direct ice pieces to the discharge port for discharge to the dispenser, the ejector comprising:

a motor rotation shaft configured to be coupled to a motor;

a blade mounting shaft coupled to the motor rotation shaft and extending into the storage space formed in the case; and

a plurality of blades extending radially outward from the blade mounting shaft at predetermined intervals; and

an ice separating device installed in the case and configured to prevent ice pieces stored in the case from being frozen together.

2. The ice storage container of claim 1, wherein the ice separating device comprises:

a rotational shaft rotatably installed at an upper portion of the case; and

an auger coupled to the rotational shaft and extending into the case in an axial direction of the rotational shaft, wherein the auger operates in response to rotation of the rotational shaft.

3. The ice storage container of claim 2, wherein the auger is operably coupled to and spaced radially apart from the rotational shaft such that the auger performs a circular motion in of the case as the rotational shaft rotates.

4. The ice storage container of claim 3, wherein the auger comprises a plurality of auger rods each spaced radially apart from the rotational shaft and extending into the into the storage space formed in the case.

5. The ice storage container of claim 2, wherein the ice separating device comprises a rotatable cam centered on the rotational shaft, and wherein the auger comprises a plurality of auger rods arranged on the cam in parallel to the rotation shaft and extending into the storage space formed in the case.

6. The ice storage container of claim 1, wherein the case comprises:

an upper case formed of a transparent or semi-transparent material such that ice received therein is visible from outside the case; and

a lower case coupled to a bottom end of the upper case and having the ejector installed therein for connection to the motor.

7. The ice storage container of claim 1, further comprising a driving force transfer device that transfers a rotation force between the ice separating device and the ejector.

8. The ice storage container of claim 7, wherein the ejector comprises a first cam rotatably provided in a side of the case and receiving the rotational force from the motor, and wherein the ice separating device comprises a second cam rotatably provided in the side of the case, adjacent to the first cam, and receiving a rotational force transferred thereto from the first cam.

9. The ice storage container of claim 8, wherein the driving force transfer device comprises a plurality of first teeth formed on an outer circumferential surface of the first cam and a plurality of second teeth formed on an outer circumferential surface of the second cam and engaged with the plurality of first teeth, and wherein the separating device is configured to rotate in response to the rotational force from the ejector.

10. The ice storage container of claim 7, wherein the case comprises:

an ejector mount formed through a side of the case and having the ejector mounted therein; and

an ice separating device mount formed through the side of the case, above the ejector mount, and having the ice separating device mounted therein.

11. The ice storage container of claim 1, wherein the ice separating device is installed at an upper portion of the case, above the ejector, and is operably coupled to the ejector such that operation of one of the ice separating device of the ejector causes the other of the ice separating device or the ejector to also operate.

12. A refrigerator, comprising:

a main body having a cooling chamber formed therein;

a door coupled to the main body to open and close the cooling chamber;

an ice maker provided in the cooling chamber;

an ice storage container positioned below the ice maker and configured to receive and store ice produced by the ice maker; and

a dispenser coupled to the ice storage container, wherein the ice storage container comprises:

a case having a storage space formed therein;

a discharge port provided in the case and in communication with the dispenser;

an ejector installed in the case and having a plurality of blades configured to direct ice toward the discharge port; and

an ice separating device installed in the case, comprising:

a rotational shaft installed in a side of the case; and

an auger that extends into the storage space formed in the case and configured to rotate in response to rotation of the rotational shaft to prevent ice pieces received in the ice storage space from being frozen together.

13. The refrigerator of claim 12, wherein the ice separating device comprises a cam rotatably centered on the rotational shaft, and wherein the auger comprises a plurality of auger rods extending from the rotational cam in parallel to the rotational shaft and into the storage space formed in the case.

14. The refrigerator of claim 13, further comprising a driving force transfer device that transfers a rotational force between the ejector and the ice separating device.

15. The refrigerator of claim 14, wherein the driving force transfer device comprises a plurality of first teeth formed on an outer circumferential surface of the ejector and a plurality of second teeth formed on an outer circumferential surface of the ice separating device and engaged with the plurality of first teeth, and wherein the ice separating device is configured to rotate in response to the rotational force applied to the ejector.