JPH051870A - Automatic ice making device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To permit the production of ice, high in transparency and not containing impurities, quickly by a method wherein a feed water tank, defined by a heat insulating layer and equipped with a heater as well as a water temper ature sensor, an oscillator oscillating the feed water tank, and a water reserving pan reserving water from the feed water tank, are provided in one division of a refrigerating chamber. CONSTITUTION:The predetermined amount of water in a feed water tank 36, which is maintained in a condition immediately before freezing by a water temperature sensor 63, a heater 62 and an oscillator 65, is supplied into an ice making pan 16 through a water reserving pan 39 and a water supplying tube. One directional freezing effect from the surface of water downward by cold air in a freezing chamber is effected by the heat insulating effect of a heat insulating tank 9 and heating effect from a lower surface by the heater 62. Subsequently, when the thickness of ice becomes a proper value, the driving device 23 of a first supporting shaft 21 is operated to pivot the ice making pan 16 and drop the ice onto a water cutting pan 20. Water, containing gas constituents and high concentration of impurities but not frozen yet, is discharged through a lower discharging pan 29 and a drainage pipe 30.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an automatic ice making device provided in a refrigerator and capable of automatically producing transparent ice.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art An automatic ice making device, which has been used in a refrigerator for some homes, is disclosed in Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 54-1.
There is one disclosed in Japanese Patent No. 7139. A conventional example will be described with reference to FIGS.

In FIG. 7, reference numeral 1 denotes a refrigerator main body, which is composed of an outer box 2, an inner box 3 and a heat insulating material 4 filled between the outer box 2 and the inner box 3. A partition wall 5 divides the interior of the refrigerator body 1 into upper and lower parts, a freezing chamber 7 is formed in the upper part, and a refrigerating chamber 8 is formed in the lower part.

A cooler 10 constitutes a part of a refrigerating cycle provided on the back surface of the freezing chamber 7. Reference numeral 11 denotes a blower for forcedly passing the cool air cooled by the cooler 10 into the freezer compartment 7 and the refrigerating compartment 8.

Next, the ice making machine will be described with reference to FIG. Reference numeral 51 denotes an automatic ice making machine, which is provided in the freezer compartment 7 and has a drive device 52 having a motor, a reduction gear group (not shown) and the like built therein, an ice tray 54 having a support shaft 53 connected and fixed to a central portion thereof, The drive device 52 includes a frame 55 for supporting the ice tray 54. Reference numeral 56 denotes a stopper, which is provided in a part of the outer shell of the drive unit 52 to allow the ice tray 54 to be deformed and deformed to remove ice. Reference numeral 57 is a backing plate, which is attached to one end of the ice tray 54 so as to come into contact with the stopper 56. or,
An ice storage box 58 is provided below the automatic ice making machine 51 so that the ice made by the ice making machine 51 can be stored.

Further, a water supply device for the automatic ice making machine will be described with reference to FIG. Reference numeral 36 denotes a water storage tank for storing water for ice making, which is detachably provided in one portion in the refrigerating compartment 8. A water supply port 37 is located at the lower end of the water supply tank 36 and is opened / closed by a valve 38. 39 is a water storage tray, which is the water supply port 37 of the water supply tank 36.
When the water supply tank 36 is set with the water supply port 37 facing downward, the valve 38 is pushed up to open the water supply port 37. Reference numeral 40 denotes a water supply pump for pumping the water received in the water storage tray 39. The water supply pump 40 is connected to a water supply pipe 41, and the outlet of the water supply pipe 41 is connected to the ice tray 54 of the automatic ice making machine 51. It is arranged to face.

In the above structure, when the user first sets the water supply tank 36 filled with water at a predetermined position, the valve 38 is pushed up to open the water supply port 37 and open the water storage tray 39. The water is filled. After that, the filled water is pumped by the water supply pump 40, and the water supply pipe 41
Water is poured into the ice tray 54 through.

The water thus filled in the ice tray 54 with a predetermined amount is frozen by the cooling action in the freezer compartment 7 to produce ice. When the ice making is completed, the ice tray 54 is turned around the support shaft 53 by the rotating action of the driving device 52, and the stopper plate 57 is cut off by the contact plate 57, so that the ice tray 54 is distorted and deformed. The ice in the dish 54 is released. Further, the released ice falls into the ice storage box 58 and is stored therein, and the ice tray 54 having completed the ice removing operation is returned to the original state by the reverse rotation operation of the drive device 52 again. Thereafter, this operation is repeated until the water in the water storage tank 36 is used up to automatically make ice and store the ice.

[0009]

However, in the ice making device as described above, the freezing of water in the ice making tray 54 when ice is generated causes the contact surface between the ice making tray 54 and water and cold air. As it progresses from the contact surface with water to the central part, the gas components, soluble salts, and insoluble impurities dissolved in the water are confined in the central part of the ice, resulting in cloudiness in the central part. There is a problem in that the ice becomes opaque and has a low purity and a bad taste, and the ice is not suitable for tastes including beverages such as whiskey.

The present invention solves the above problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide an automatic ice-making device capable of quickly producing highly pure ice having high transparency and containing no impurities.

[0011]

In order to achieve the above object, an automatic ice making device such as a refrigerator according to the present invention comprises a heat insulating tank having an open upper surface provided in one compartment of a freezing chamber and an inner bottom surface of the heat insulating tank. A heater arranged at the center, an ice tray that is polymerized from the opening of the heat insulation tank to the inner surface, a first support shaft connected and fixed to one end of the ice tray, and a drain tray provided in parallel with the ice tray,
A drive for rotating the ice tray with a second support shaft connected and fixed to one end of the drain tray and the first support shaft as an axis, and rotating the drain tray with the second support shaft as an axis. A device, a drainage tray provided below the draining tray, a first drainage pipe connected to the drainage tray and having a heating means, and a heating means for connecting the inner bottom surface of the heat insulation tank and the first drainage pipe. A second drain pipe having: an ice storage box provided adjacent to the drain tray;
A water supply tank provided in a compartment whose periphery is covered with a heat insulating material in a drawing of a refrigerating room, and a heater joined to the water supply tank,
A water temperature sensor and control device, a vibration device, an ice tray for storing water from the water tank, a water pump for pumping the water in the ice tray, and a water pump connected to the water pump to guide the ice tray to the upper surface. It consists of a water supply pipe.

[0012]

In the present invention, a predetermined amount of water in the water supply tank, which is maintained on the verge of being frozen by the water temperature sensor, the heater and the vibrating device, is supplied to the ice tray through the water storage pipe via the ice storage tray. Then, due to the heat insulation effect of the heat insulation tank and the heating effect of the heater from the bottom surface, the cold air in the freezer compartment freezes the water in one direction downward from the water surface to remove gas components and impurities in the water below. Ice crystals are generated while being discharged to. Next, when the first support shaft driving device is operated at a time when the ice has an appropriate thickness, the ice tray is rotated and inverted to remove the ice, and the ice falls on the draining tray to remove gas. Unfrozen water that contains the components and has a high impurity concentration is separated, drained and drained through the drain pan and drain pipe below.

Further, the dissolved water accumulated at the bottom of the inner surface of the heat insulation tank can be drained through the drain pipe. Next, when the draining tray on which the ice is placed is rotated and inverted by the drive device of the second support shaft, the ice having high transparency and purity falls into the ice storage box and is stored therein.

[0014]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An automatic ice making device such as a refrigerator according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS.

FIG. 1 shows a refrigerator main body 1, which is composed of an outer box 2, an inner box 3 and a heat insulating material 4 filled between the outer box 2 and the inner box 3. A partition wall 5 partitions the inside of the refrigerator main body 1, and defines a freezing compartment 7 in the upper part and a refrigerating compartment 8 in the lower part. Reference numeral 9 is a concave heat insulating tank, and 10 is a cooler, which constitutes a part of the refrigeration cycle. Reference numeral 11 denotes an air blower for forcing the cooled cold air to the freezing compartment 7 and the refrigerating compartment 8.

As shown in FIG. 3, the recessed heat-insulating tank 9 is disposed on the partition wall 5, has an open top, and has a resin outer frame 12 and a metal plate 13 disposed on the bottom of the recess. A heat insulating material 14 surrounded by (for example, an aluminum plate), the outer frame 12 and the metal plate 13 and a heater 15 fixed to the back surface of the metal plate 13 in a heat conductive manner.

In FIG. 2, reference numeral 16 is an ice tray, which has an outer shape formed so as to overlap with the inner surface of the heat insulating tank 9 and has a small section 17
A partition frame 18 for partitioning the small compartments 17 and a communication groove 19 formed in the partition frame to communicate between the small compartments 17. Reference numeral 20 denotes a grid-shaped draining tray which is arranged in parallel with the ice tray 16 and has a first support shaft 21 at one end of the ice tray 16 and a second support shaft 22 at one end of the drain tray 20. It is connected and fixed.

Reference numeral 23 denotes a drive device, which is the first support shaft 2
The first and second support shafts 22 can be rotated to rotate the ice tray 16 and the draining tray 20, and a motor, a reduction gear group and the like (not shown) are incorporated therein. A frame 24 supports the drive device 23 with the ice tray 16 and the drain tray 20 via the first support shaft 21 and the second support shaft 22.

Numerals 25 and 26 are stoppers, which are provided on a part of the outer shell of the drive unit 23. Numerals 27 and 28 denote caulking plates for contacting the stoppers 25 and 26 when the ice tray 16 and the draining tray 20 are turned over.
Also, they are mounted on the draining tray 20 respectively.

In FIG. 3, reference numeral 29 is a drain tray, which is provided below the drain tray 20, and 30 is a first drain pipe, which is connected to the drain tray 29. It is arranged. A second drain pipe 33 is connected to the inner bottom surface of the heat insulation tank 9 and the drain pipe 30, and is connected to the heater 3
4 are arranged in a heat conductive manner.

Reference numeral 35 is an ice storage box, which is provided below the drain tray 20 and adjacent to the drain tray 29 when the drain tray 20 is in the inverted position. Further, in FIG. 1, the first drain pipe 30 penetrates through the heat insulating material 6 of the partition wall 5 and the heat insulating material 4 of the main body 1 and communicates with a machine room 42 provided at the bottom of the main body 1. ..

An evaporator 43 comprises a heating plate 46 to which a high-temperature and high-pressure heating pipe 45 connected from a compressor 44 of the refrigeration cycle is in close contact, and an evaporation dish 47 placed on the heating plate 46. ing. Reference numeral 48 denotes a water conduit, which is connected to the outlet of the first drainage pipe 30 so that water can be guided into the inside of the evaporation tray 47.

The water supply device will be described with reference to FIG. Reference numeral 61 denotes a water supply tank room having the water supply tank 36 and the water storage tray 39 built therein, which is partitioned by the heat insulating material 64 in the refrigerating room 8 and is set to a temperature lower than that of the refrigerating room 8 just before the water in the tank freezes. The state is controlled by the heater 62, the water temperature sensor and control device 63, and the vibration device 65.

Reference numeral 41 denotes a water supply pipe for supplying water temporarily stored in the water storage tray 39 from the water supply tank 36 to the ice tray 16 by the water supply pump 40. One end of the water supply pipe is connected to the water supply pump 40. The other end is opened so as to face the upper surface of the ice tray 16.

Although the water supply tank 36, the water supply pump 40, the water supply pipe 41 and the like are provided in one compartment in the refrigerating compartment 8, the present invention is not limited to this.

A ventilation passage 49 is provided in the freezing chamber 7 so that cold air can be guided to the upper surface of the ice tray 16. A temperature controller 50 detects the temperature in the freezer compartment 7 and controls the operation / stop of the blower 11 and the compressor 44.

The operation of the automatic ice making device having the above structure will be described. In FIG. 1, when the water supply tank 36 filled with water is set at a predetermined position by the user, the valve 38 is pushed up, the water supply port 37 is opened, and the ice storage tray 39 is filled with water. After that, the filled water is pumped up by the water supply pump 40, and the water supply to the ice tray 16 is started via the water supply pipe 41. At this time, the water to be supplied is controlled to a state on the verge of freezing by the heater 62, the water temperature sensor and control device 63, and the vibrating device 65.

When water is supplied to one of the small compartments 17 of the ice tray 16, a predetermined amount of water is supplied to the other small compartments 17 through the communication groove 19. The predetermined amount of water is injected by means such as regulation of the operating time of the motor of the water supply pump 40. This state is shown in FIG. 3, and at this time, the draining tray 20 is in the inverted posture apart from the drain tray 29.

In this state, the cold air cooled by the cooler 10 by the blower 11 passes through the ventilation passage 49 and the ice tray 1
Ventilation is forced on the water surface of 6 to start the cooling action.
At the same time, the heater 15 disposed on the bottom of the heat insulation tank 9
The heating action is started and the bottom metal plate 13 is heated.

Further, since the outer periphery of the ice tray 16 is surrounded by the heat insulating material 14 in the heat insulation tank 9, the cooling action is suppressed from the outer periphery, and the freezing action is unidirectional from the upper side to the lower side of the ice tray 16. I will proceed. For this reason, if the freezing speed is slowed down appropriately (about 5 mm / h), the gas components dissolved in water and the various impurities contained in the water will precipitate out of the ice crystals as ice formation progresses, and the freezing water below Discharge.

The ice successively produced in this way becomes a highly pure ice having a very high degree of transparency and few impurities. Then, ice having an appropriate required thickness (for example, 25 mm) is generated by the passage of a predetermined cooling time.

That is, as shown in the state diagram, as shown in FIG. 4, ice with high transparency and high purity coexists in the upper part of each small compartment 17 of the ice tray 16, and unfrozen water with reduced purity coexists in the lower part thereof. It is in the state of having done.

In this state, as shown in FIG. 5, the drive device 23 is actuated to start the rotation of the first support shaft 21 and the second support shaft 22, and the draining tray 20 is first inverted to drain the drain tray 29. , The ice tray 16 is rotated to be detached from the heat insulating tank 9, and is turned upside down so as to overlap with the drainer tray 20 previously set.

At the same time, the heating action of the heater 15 in the heat insulation tank 9 is stopped. Then, the backing plate 27 fixed to the ice tray 16 comes into contact with the stopper 25 provided in the drive device 23,
As it is, the driving device 23 further applies rotational power to the ice tray 16, so that the ice tray 16 is distorted and deformed, and the small compartments 17
The ice inside is released and falls onto the grid-shaped draining tray 20 set below.

At the same time, unfrozen water with a high gas component and impurity concentration remaining in each small compartment 17 also flows out and falls, but the draining tray 20 is formed in a grid shape and the through holes occupy most of it. Therefore, the water does not collect on the draining tray 20 and falls into the discharge tray 29 as it is, so that ice and water are separated.

That is, only ice with high transparency and purity is left on the draining tray 20. This state is shown in FIG. On the other hand, the unfrozen water that has dropped into the drainage tray 29 and the melted water in the heat insulation tank 9 pass through the first and second drainage pipes 30 and 33 from the water conduit 48 to the evaporation tray of the evaporator 43 in the machine room 42. Drained into 47.

After that, the water drained in the evaporation tray 47 is evaporated by the heating action of the heating plate 46 which is brought into close contact with the heating pipe 45 through which the high-temperature high-pressure refrigerant gas flows from the compressor 44.
In addition, in order to prevent freezing of flowing water in the drain tray 29, the first and second drain pipes 30 and 33, heating is appropriately performed by the heaters 31, 32 and 34.

On the other hand, since the ice left in this way is ice with water adhering to a part of the surface, it is cooled and frozen for a suitable time as it is. After that, as shown in FIG. 6, the drive device 23 is actuated again to rotate the first support shaft 21 and the second support shaft 22, and the ice tray 16 is first rotated to be stored and set in the heat insulation tank 9. On the other hand, the draining tray 20 is reversed from the upper portion of the drainage tray 29, and the pad plate 28 fixed to the draining tray 20 is contacted with the stopper 26 provided in the drive device 23 above the ice storage box 35.

Then, the driving device 23 further applies a turning power to the draining tray 20 to cause the draining tray 20 to be distorted and deformed, and the ice placed on the draining tray 20 is deiced and the ice storage provided under the drainage tray 20. It falls in the box 35 and is stored in ice.

Thus, after the water supply tank 36 is set by the user, these series of steps are automatically repeated until the water in the water supply tank 36 is used up.

As a result, a large amount of only highly transparent and highly pure ice is stored in the ice storage box 35, so that the user can obtain an excellent ice for eating and drinking with almost no trouble. It can be fully used at any time.

[0042]

As described above, according to the present invention, when water is supplied,
Since water that is already on the verge of freezing is already supplied, the gas component contained in the water is small, and the progress of ice formation starts immediately from the top surface of the ice tray, so the gas component and impurities discharged downward are included. By separating unfrozen water,
A large amount of highly transparent and pure ice is automatically and quickly stored in the ice storage box. Therefore, extremely excellent ice for eating and drinking can be used at any time.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a vertical sectional view showing an embodiment of a refrigerator equipped with an automatic ice making device.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged perspective view of essential parts of the automatic ice making device of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view showing a state in which water is supplied to the automatic ice making device of FIG.

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view showing a state where ice making progresses from the state of FIG.

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view showing a state in which water is separated from the state of FIG. 4 by removing ice.

FIG. 6 is a sectional view showing an operation of releasing ice into the ice storage box from the state of FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is a vertical cross-sectional view of a refrigerator equipped with an automatic ice-making device showing a conventional example.

FIG. 8 is an enlarged perspective view of a main part of the automatic ice making device of FIG.

[Explanation of symbols]

 7 Freezing Room 8 Refrigerating Room 9 Heat Insulation Tank 15 Heater 16 Ice Dish 20 Drainer 21 First Support Shaft 22 Second Support Shaft 23 Drive Device 29 Drain Dish 30 First Drain Pipe 33 Second Drain Pipe 35 Ice Box 36 Water Supply Tank 39 Water Reservoir 40 Water Supply Pump 41 Water Supply Pipe 61 Water Supply Tank Chamber 62 Heater 63 Water Temperature Sensor and Control Device 64 Insulation Material 65 Vibratory Device

Claims (1)

Claim: What is claimed is: 1. A heat-insulating tank having an open upper surface provided in an image of a freezer compartment, a heater centering on a bottom portion of the inner surface of the heat-insulating tank, and an inner surface from an opening of the heat-insulating tank. An ice tray that polymerizes into
A first support shaft connected and fixed to one end of the ice tray, a draining plate juxtaposed with the ice tray, a second support shaft connected and fixed to one end of the ice tray, and the first support shaft A drive device for rotating the ice tray as a shaft and rotating the drain tray about the second support shaft, a drain tray provided below the drain tray, and a heating means connected to the drain tray. A first drainage pipe, a second drainage pipe connecting the inner bottom surface of the heat insulation tank and the first drainage pipe and having a heating means, an ice storage box provided adjacent to the drainage tray, A water tank with a heater and a water temperature sensor, which is divided into a compartment of the refrigerating room by an insulating layer, a shaker that excites this water tank, an ice tray that stores the water from this water tank, and this A water supply pump for pumping the water in the ice tray and a water supply pump connected to the water supply pump to guide the ice tray to the upper surface. Automatic ice making apparatus consisting of a water supply pipe was.