JPH0343576Y2 - - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed description of the invention] a. Industrial application field This invention relates to an ice dispenser, and in particular, when discharging ice stored in an ice storage, it stores it in a measuring chamber having a certain volume and then discharges it. This invention relates to a new ice dispenser that reduces variation in the amount of ice dispensed.

b. Prior Art An example of a conventional small-shaped ice dispenser of this type is shown in FIG. In the figure, ice making mechanism section 1
The ice made is stored in an ice storage 2. When the ice storage 2 becomes full, an ice storage switch 3 detects this and stops a compressor and a drive motor 5 (not shown).

When the ice stored in the ice storage 2 is to be discharged, the drive motor 5 is operated to drive the ice discharge device 4, and at the same time, the discharge port shutter 6 is opened to discharge the ice. In this case, the amount of ice discharged is set by the opening time of the discharge port shutter 6.

c Problems to be solved by this invention However, in this conventional configuration, the amount of ice released when releasing the ice stored in the ice storage is set by the opening time of the discharge port shutter 6;
If the quality and shape of the ice differs, the amount released per unit time will vary, and even if the outlet shutter 6 is opened for the same period of time, the amount released will vary significantly.

Further, since this variation increases in proportion to the opening time of the discharge port shutter 6, there is a problem that quantitative performance deteriorates when the discharge amount is large.

Furthermore, there is a problem in that when the discharge port shutter 6 causes ice jamming, the discharge of ice may not stop.

d. Means for solving the problem Therefore, the purpose of this invention is to provide an ice dispenser that can suppress variations in the amount of ice released even when the quality and shape of ice differs when discharging ice from the ice storage. It is to be.

Another object of this invention is to provide an ice dispenser that also takes measures against ice jamming in the discharge port shutter and the metering chamber shutter.

According to this invention to achieve this purpose,
When releasing the ice stored in the ice storage 2, the ice release switch _S2 is operated to perform the ice release operation and the discharge port shutter drive device _SV1 is energized to release the ice stored in the ice storage 2. In an ice dispenser that opens a discharge port shutter 6 provided at the bottom of the ice dispenser and thereby discharges ice from the discharge port, there is a metering device that can temporarily store a certain amount of released ice when performing an ice discharge operation. A chamber 10 and an outlet of the measuring chamber 10 are provided so as to be closable,
The measuring chamber shutter 7 is opened and closed by the measuring chamber shutter drive device _SV2 , and after the ice release switch _S2 is operated, the measuring chamber 1 is opened and closed by the measuring chamber shutter drive device SV2.
The discharge port shutter drive device SV 1 and the measurement chamber shutter are operated to open the discharge port shutter 6 and the measuring chamber shutter and operate the ice discharge device 4 for a predetermined period of time before or after discharging ice for a volume of ₀ . An ice dispenser is provided, comprising: a control circuit for controlling energization of a drive device SV ₂ ;

e Effect When the ice in the ice storage is discharged with such a configuration, the amount of ice discharged at one time is always determined by the volume of the measuring chamber and the time period during which the two shutters are open. Since there is little variation in the volume of the metering chamber even if the ice quality or ice shape changes, the overall variation in the amount of ice released can be reduced compared to conventional systems.

Furthermore, since two shutters are used, the release of ice can be suppressed even when ice is caught.

f Example Hereinafter, an ice dispenser according to an example of this invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

In FIGS. 1 and 2, ice made in an ice making mechanism section 1 is stored in an ice storage 2. As shown in FIG. An ice discharge device 4 in the ice storage 2 is fixed to an auger 1a in the ice making mechanism section 1 and driven by a drive motor 5. The discharge port shutter 6 and the metering chamber shutter 7 are opened and closed by opening/closing devices 8 and 9, respectively. Between the discharge port shutter 6 and the measuring chamber shutter 7 is a measuring chamber 10 that can store a certain amount of ice. Note that FIG. 1 shows a state in which the discharge port shutter 6 and the metering chamber shutter 7 are both closed, and FIG. 2 shows a state in which both are open.

3a and 3b are operation control circuit diagrams for controlling the operation of the ice dispenser shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, and generally include the high voltage section 20,
It is composed of a low voltage section 21 and a control board 22. In the high voltage section 20, there is a discharge port shutter drive device SV ₁ such as a solenoid as a switch device 8 for opening the discharge port shutter 6, and a metering chamber shutter drive device such as a solenoid as a switch device 9 for opening the metering chamber shutter 7. A drive device SV ₂ , a drive motor 5, a compressor CM, a fan motor FM, etc. are connected as shown. The low voltage section 21, which is supplied with power from the high voltage section 20 by the transformer Tr, includes a float switch FS, a water valve WV, a fourth relay _X4 , and an ice storage switch _S1.
etc. are connected as shown. In the control board 22 connected to the low voltage section 21 via terminals 22a and 22b and shown in detail in FIG. 3b, a first relay X ₁ , a second relay X ₂ , and a third relay X ₃ , first timer TM ₁ , second timer TM ₂ , third timer TM ₃ , fourth timer TM ₄
and ice release switch _S2 etc. are connected as shown.

The ice discharging operation will be explained using the timing chart shown in FIG. First power switch 2
When 0a is closed, the normally closed contact of the _fourth relay
Water valve WV is energized through X _4-2 and starts supplying water to a water tank (not shown). When water is supplied to the upper limit position, the upper limit contact u of the float switch FS installed in the water tank closes and the fourth relay is activated.
X ₄ is energized _, and this fourth relay X ₄ is self-held via the already closed lower limit contact d of the float switch FS as well as the normally open contact X _4-1 of this fourth relay , the water supply to the water tank is stopped by opening the normally closed contact X _4-2 . Also, since the normally open contact X _4-3 of the fourth relay X ₄ is closed, the first relay X ₁ is energized, and the normally open contacts X _1-1 and X _1-2 of this first relay X 1 _are energized. When both are closed, the compressor CM and the drive motor 5 are energized and the ice dispenser performs ice making operation. As the ice-making operation progresses, the water in the water supply tank decreases, and the lower limit contact d, which reaches the lower limit water level, opens and the fourth relay _X4 is deenergized to start supplying water to the water tank. The first relay X ₁ has the water in the water tank at its upper limit position,
Upper limit contact u of float switch FS closes, and the fourth
_The ice-making operation continues during _this time, and the ice produced is stored in ice storage 2. Ice is stored inside. If water is not supplied due to a water outage or other reason and the upper limit contact u of the float switch FS does not close even after the set time of the fourth timer TM ₄ has elapsed, the contact of the fourth timer TM ₄
By opening TM _4-1 , the self-holding of the first relay X ₁ is released, and thereby both the compressor CM and the drive motor 5 are stopped, and the ice-making operation is terminated, thereby protecting the machine. When enough ice is stored in the ice storage 2, the contact S ₁ of the ice storage switch 3 shown in the high voltage section 21
opens, thereby stopping both ice making and water supply operations.

When taking out the ice stored in ice storage 2,
First, after setting the timer time of the second timer _TM2 to a value commensurate with the required amount of ice discharge, the ice discharge switch _S2 is operated. The timer time of the second timer _TM2 is set by a setting means such as a knob (not shown). When the ice release switch S ₂ is operated, a second relay X ₂ is energized, _which is self-maintained by the closing of the normally open contact X _2-3 ;
The normally open contacts X _2-1 , X _2-2 and X _2-4 are also closed.
By closing the contacts X _2-1 and X _2-2 , the solenoid SV ₁ as the discharge port shutter drive device 8 and the drive motor 5 that drives the ice discharge device 4 are operated (at time t in FIG. 4 a). ₁ ), a portion of the ice in the ice storage 2 is released into the measuring chamber 10. The first timer TM ₁ is also energized by the closure of contact X _2-4 , which is sufficient for the metering chamber 10 to be filled with ice.
At time t ₂ after T ₁ hour, this first timer
Contacts TM _{1-1 ,} TM _1-2 , and TM _1-3 of TM 1 close. The first timer TM ₁ is self-held by closing the contact TM _1-1 , the second timer TM 2 is energized by the closing of the contact TM _1-2 , and the third timer TM ₁ is energized by the closing of the contact TM _1-3 . relay _X3 is energized. When _{the third} relay
SV ₂ is energized, which opens the metering chamber shutter 7 and releases the ice in the metering chamber 10, as shown in FIG. 4b. Further, when the second timer TM ₂ is energized, the contact TM _2-1 opens and the contact TM _2-2 closes at time t ₃ after the elapse of a time T ₂ set by a setting means (not shown). By opening contact TM _2-1 , the self-holding of the second relay X ₂ is released,
As a result, the solenoid SV ₁ and the drive motor 5 are deenergized, so the stirring device 4 is stopped and the discharge port shutter 6 is closed, thereby ending the ice discharge operation.
That is, for a time T ₂ from time t ₂ to t ₃ , the ice discharge device is operated with the volumetrically measured ice stored in the measuring chamber 10 and with both the discharge port shutter 6 and the measuring chamber shutter 7 open. Since the amount of ice corresponding to the time spent is released, there will be less variation in measurement than when the amount is measured based on time alone. Further, the third timer TM ₃ is energized by the closing of the contact TM _2-2 , and at time t ₄ after a short time _{T 3 has} elapsed since the energization of the third timer TM 3, the contact
TM _3-1 opens, thereby releasing the self-holding _of the first timer TM ₁ and deenergizing _the third relay The shutter 7 is also closed (FIG. 4b). By providing a slight time difference between when the discharge port shutter 6 is closed and when the measuring chamber shutter 7 is closed in this way, it is possible to prevent ice from being caught in the measuring chamber shutter 7 and to release ice. It is also possible to prevent ice from remaining in the measuring chamber 10 afterwards.

g. Effects of the invention According to this invention, when performing the ice discharging operation as described above, ice from the ice storage is temporarily stored in the measuring chamber, and at least ice equal to the volume of this measuring chamber is discharged. Since a constant amount is released depending on the time, it has stable ice release characteristics that can suppress variations in the amount released even if the ice quality or ice shape changes, and it also has stable ice release characteristics that can suppress variations in the amount released even if the ice quality or shape changes. This has the effect of suppressing variations even when the ambient temperature changes. This invention is particularly effective when applied to vending machines and the like that require quantitative performance.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

1 and 2 are longitudinal cross-sectional views showing an ice dispenser according to an embodiment of the invention. FIG. 1 shows the state in which the discharge port shutter 6 and the metering chamber shutter 7 are both closed, and FIG. Both shutters are shown open. Figures 3a and 3b show the first
Fig. 4 is a circuit diagram showing a control circuit for controlling the operation of the ice dispenser of Fig. 2, and Fig. 4 shows the opening/closing operation of the discharge port shutter and the measuring chamber shutter in order to explain the operation of the ice dispenser according to this invention. Timing chart, FIG. 5, is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of a conventional ice dispenser. In the figure, 1 is the ice making mechanism, 2 is the ice storage, 3 is the ice storage switch, and 4 is the ice making mechanism.
is the ice discharge device, 5 is the drive motor, 6 is the discharge port shutter, 7 is the measuring chamber shutter, 10 is the measuring chamber, SV ₁
is the discharge port shutter drive device, SV ₂ is the metering chamber shutter drive device, S ₁ is the contact of the ice storage switch 3, S ₂ is the ice release switch, X ₂ is the relay, TM ₁ is the first timer, TM ₂ is the second timer, TM ₃ is the third timer,
TM ₄ is the fourth timer.

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claim for Utility Model Registration] (1) When discharging the ice stored in the ice storage 2, the ice discharging operation is performed by operating the ice discharging switch _S2 , and the discharging port shutter drive device SV ₁ is energized to open a discharge port shutter 6 provided at the bottom of the ice storage 2, thereby discharging ice from the discharge port. Measuring chamber 10 where ice can be temporarily stored
, a measuring chamber shutter 7 which is provided so as to be able to close the outlet of the measuring chamber 10 and is opened and closed by a measuring chamber shutter drive device SV ₂ , and the ice release switch.
After the operation of _S2 , the discharge port shutter 6 and the measurement chamber shutter 7 are opened before or after the ice corresponding to the volume of the measuring chamber 10 is discharged, and the discharge port is opened so as to operate the ice discharge device 4 for a predetermined period of time. An ice dispenser comprising a shutter drive device SV ₁ and a control circuit for energizing and controlling the metering chamber shutter drive device SV ₂ . (2) The control circuit includes a relay X ₂ that is energized by operation of the ice release switch S ₂ and drives the release port shutter drive device SV ₁ to open the release port shutter ₆ ; , and after a delay time _T1 sufficient for ice to be stored in the measuring chamber 10, the measuring chamber shutter drive device _SV2 is driven to open the measuring chamber shutter 7. one timer TM ₁ and a second timer TM ₂ activated after said delay time T ₁ after activation of said first timer TM 1, said timer TM ₂ depending on the amount of ice desired to be released. Opening time T ₂ of the discharge port shutter 6 and the measuring chamber shutter 7
and after an opening time _T2 set by the setting means after energization has elapsed, the discharge port shutter drive device SV ₁ and the metering chamber shutter drive device SV ₂ are turned off. The discharge port shutter 6 and the measuring chamber shutter 7
2. The ice dispenser according to claim 1, further comprising a second timer _TM2 for closing the ice dispenser. (3) The control circuit has a third timer TM ₃ that is activated after the opening time T ₂ has elapsed after the activation of the second timer TM ₂ , and the metering chamber shutter drive device SV ₂ is After a short time _T3 has elapsed after the third timer _TM3 has been energized, the third timer TM3 is activated.
The ice dispenser according to claim 2, wherein the ice dispenser is deactivated by TM ₃ .