Provided is an ice maker including an upper tray and a lower tray made of an elastic material, wherein a plurality of upper chambers defined in the upper tray and a plurality of lower chambers defined in the lower tray are in contact with each other to define a plurality of spherical ice chambers, respectively, each ejector-receiving opening opened to each of the plurality of upper chambers, each opening-defining wall extending upward along a circumference of each ejector-receiving opening, an upper ejector configured to pass through the ejector-defining wall and vertically move to remove each ice from each ice chamber, and a driver for pivoting the lower tray to open and close the upper tray and the lower tray, wherein the upper tray includes a horizontal extension forming a top face of the upper tray, wherein the upper chamber is positioned below the horizontal extension such that the opening-defining wall is formed at a vertical level equal to or lower than a vertical level of the opening-defining wall.

An ice bucket for a refrigerator appliance, includes a bucket body; an auger provided inside the bucket and including an auger shaft rotatable about a first shaft axis and a collet at a first end of the auger shaft and including an axially beveled surface formed circumferentially around the auger shaft; and an agitator provided in the bucket in mechanical communication with the auger, the agitator including an agitator shaft rotatable about a second shaft axis non-parallel to the first shaft axis, a plurality of first tines extending radially from the agitator shaft within the bucket body to engage ice therein, and a projection that extends perpendicularly from the agitator shaft opposite the plurality of tines. The projection engages with the axially beveled surface to oscillate the agitator.

An ice maker of a refrigerator includes a tray assembly having an upper tray that defines upper portions of a plurality of ice making chambers. Each of the plurality of ice making chambers is configured to receive water and generate an ice piece. The tray assembly also includes a lower tray that is located vertically below the upper tray, that is configured to rotate relative to the upper tray, and that defines lower portions of the plurality of ice making chambers, wherein at least one of the upper tray or the lower tray comprises a flexible tray made of a flexible material. Additionally, a case is configured to accommodate the flexible tray to restrict a deformation of the flexible tray. A heater that is located between the case and the flexible tray is configured to supply heat to the plurality of ice making chambers through the flexible tray.

An ice maker assembly includes an ice making apparatus for an appliance with an ice making tray having a water basin formed by a metallic ice forming plate and at least one perimeter sidewall extending upwardly from a top surface of the ice forming plate. The ice making tray also has a grid with at least one dividing wall. The at least one perimeter sidewall and the at least one dividing wall and the top surface of the ice forming plate form at least one ice compartment having an upper surface and a lower surface. An ice body is formed in the at least one ice compartment. Moreover, the at least one perimeter sidewall and the at least one dividing wall form a draft angle with the top surface of the ice forming plate, of about 17 degrees to about 25 degrees.

A refrigerator includes a main body defining a storage compartment, a door, an ice making device, a water tank disposed for supplying water into the ice making device, and an ice bin to receive and store ice pieces made in the ice making device. The ice making device includes an ice making tray having ice making chambers configured to be filled with water for making the ice pieces, and an ejector extending from an upper central portion of the ice making tray in a longitudinal direction of the ice making tray to pass through both ends of the ice making tray. The ejector is configured to be maintained in a fixed state during water supply, ice making, and ice separation processes, and the ice making tray is configured to rotate at an angle of about 360° in one direction with respect to the ejector.

A refrigerator includes a cabinet defining an interior volume and a door for accessing the interior volume. An ice maker is disposed within the interior volume harvesting ice. The ice maker includes a frame and a motor. An ice tray includes a first end engaged with the motor, a second end engaged to the frame and a plurality ice wells defined by a plurality of weirs including first and second sets of weirs positioned proximate the first and second ends respectively, and interior weirs positioned therebetween. Each of the first and second sets of weirs and the internal weirs include a passage bifurcating each weir into first and second weir portions. Each of the passages defined by the first and second sets of weirs have a cross-sectional area that is greater than a cross-sectional area of any one of the passages defined by the internal weirs.

A commercial ice maker purges water from a sump via a passive drain valve instead of an active drain pump. The ice maker uses a large freeze plate, but still can accommodate the passive drain valve within a standard enclosure footprint. A bottom wall of the ice maker has a drain passaging groove formed in an upper surface. The drain valve is supported above the bottom wall and drain tube is at least partially received in the drain passaging groove. The drain valve can include a valve body that has a valve seat and a movable valve member that opens and closes a valve passage through the valve seat. The valve member radially overlaps the valve seat along a longitudinal axis when the valve member is closed.

An ice maker of a refrigerator includes a tray assembly having an upper tray that defines upper portions of a plurality of ice making chambers. Each of the plurality of ice making chambers is configured to receive water and generate an ice piece. The tray assembly also includes a lower tray that is located vertically below the upper tray, that is configured to rotate relative to the upper tray, and that defines lower portions of the plurality of ice making chambers, wherein at least one of the upper tray or the lower tray comprises a flexible tray made of a flexible material. Additionally, a case is configured to accommodate the flexible tray to restrict a deformation of the flexible tray. A heater that is located between the case and the flexible tray is configured to supply heat to the plurality of ice making chambers through the flexible tray.

A refrigerator appliance is provided, as provided herein, include a cabinet, a door, and an ice bin. The ice bin may be removably received within a chilled chamber and include a bin body and a non-vertical auger. The bin body may define a storage volume to receive ice therein and a dispenser opening in fluid communication with the storage volume. The non-vertical auger may include a rotation shaft extending along a rotation axis and an auger blade coiled about the rotation shaft. The auger blade may define an expanding radius along the rotation axis from a first blade end to a second blade end.

An ice maker includes an upper assembly including a plurality of hemispherical upper chambers, a lower assembly disposed below and pivotably coupled relative to the upper assembly, wherein the lower assembly includes a plurality of hemispherical lower chambers, a driver configured to pivot the lower assembly, a pair of rotating parts disposed at both sides of the lower assembly, a first pivoting arm pivotally mounted on one of the rotating parts, a second pivoting arm pivotally mounted on the other of the rotating parts and connected to the driver, a connection shaft connecting the first pivoting arm to the second pivoting arm, a first elastic member having one end connected to the first pivoting arm and the other end connected to the lower assembly, and a second elastic member having one end connected to the second pivoting arm and the other end connected to the lower assembly.