JPH063002A - Refrigerator - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To quickly complete the production of ice in the case where temperature in a freezing chamber is preset at a low temperature and power of producing the ice is adequate, in the title refrigerator provided with an automatically ice-producing apparatus. CONSTITUTION:A controlling means 33 consists of a microcomputer and so on, and has a timer 29 for water supply, a timer A 34 for ice-producing and a timer B 35 for ice-producing therewith. There is data from a detecting means 12 for temperature in a freezing chamber, a presetting switch 13 for the temperature in the freezing chamber, a detecting means 16 for the temperature of ice-producing, a detecting means 22 for a position and a detecting means 23 for a horizontal position as the data inputted to the controlling means 33, which means are connected thereto. There is data to a driving means 26 for driving a motor 20, a driving means 27 for driving a water supply pump motor 18 and a driving means 31 for driving a compressor 11 as the data outputted from the controlling means 33, which means are connected thereto. When the presetting switch 13 for the temperature in the freezing chamber is preset at a low temperature, the timer A 34 for ice-producing is changed to the timer B 35 for ice-producing and whether ice is produced in a short time is determined on the basis of a signal from the detecting means 16 for the temperature of ice-producing.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a refrigerator having an automatic ice-making device which automatically rotates an ice-making container after completion of ice-making to perform an ice removing operation.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, household refrigerators having an automatic ice maker have been put on the market. The configuration will be described below with reference to FIGS. 3 to 8.

In FIG. 6, reference numeral 1 denotes a refrigerator body, which is composed of an outer box 2, an inner box 3 and a heat insulating material 4 filled between the boxes 2 and 3. A partition wall 5 contains a cooler 6 and a blower 7 for forced ventilation therein, a freezer compartment 8 is formed in the upper part, and a refrigerating compartment 9 is formed in the lower part.

The air cooled by the cooler 6 is blown to the freezer compartment 8 and the refrigerating compartment 9 by the blower 7. A damper thermostat 10 for adjusting the amount of cold air flowing in is provided at the entrance of the refrigerator compartment 9. A refrigerating cycle compressor 11 is provided at the bottom of the refrigerator body 1. Reference numeral 12 denotes a freezing room temperature detecting means for detecting the temperature in the freezing room, which is installed in the freezing room 8. Reference numeral 13 denotes a freezer compartment temperature setting switch for setting the temperature of the freezer compartment 8 (for example, "low temperature", "normal", ").
High temperature "(3 levels).

Reference numeral 14 is an automatic ice making device, and its configuration will be described below with reference to FIGS. Reference numeral 15 denotes an ice making container, which is arranged in the freezer compartment 8. Reference numeral 16 denotes an ice making temperature detecting means including a thermistor attached to the outer bottom surface of the ice making container 15 for detecting the completion of ice making. Reference numeral 17 denotes a water supply tank, which is arranged in the refrigerating chamber 9. Reference numeral 18 denotes a water supply pump motor for supplying water from the water supply tank 17 to the ice making container 15.

Reference numeral 19 denotes an ice removing mechanism for rotating the ice making container 15 to perform an ice removing operation, and a twisting portion for applying a twist to the motor 20 for rotating the ice making container 15 and the rotating ice making container 15 to remove ice. 21, a position detecting means 22 including a micro switch indicating the completion of twisting, and a horizontal position detecting means 23 including a micro switch indicating the horizontal position of the ice making container 15. Further, below the ice making container 15, an ice storage box 24 for storing the dropped ice is installed.

Next, the control circuit will be described with reference to FIG.
Reference numeral 25 is a control means composed of a microcomputer or the like, and its input terminals are connected to the ice making temperature detection means 16, the position detection means 22, the freezer compartment temperature setting switch 13, the freezer compartment temperature detection means 12 and the horizontal position detection means 23. ing. At the output terminal, drive means 26, 27 and 3 for moving the motor 20, the feed pump motor 18 and the compressor 11 are provided.
1 is connected. The control means 25 is composed of a water supply timer 29 for counting the time during which the water supply pump motor 18 is operated and an ice making timer 30 for counting the ice making time.

The operation of this structure will be described with reference to FIGS. 3 and 4. First, the operation of the compressor 11 will be described. In step 101, the freezer temperature detecting means 12
It is determined whether the freezing room temperature detected by is higher than the set temperature set by the freezing room temperature setting switch 13.

If it is determined that the freezer compartment temperature is higher than the set temperature, the routine proceeds to step 102, where the compressor 11 is operated. When the freezer compartment temperature is lower than the set temperature, the process proceeds to step 103 and the compressor 11 is stopped. Step 1
After executing 02 and 103, the process returns to step 101 again. With the above operation, the temperature in the freezer compartment 8 is maintained at a constant temperature.

Next, the operation of the automatic ice making device 14 will be described. First, at step 201, the horizontal position detecting means 23 is turned on.
If the horizontal position detecting means 23 is not turned on, that is, if the ice making container 15 is not horizontal, it is determined whether the ice making container 15 is horizontal. Turn on until is horizontal.

If the horizontal position detecting means 23 is turned on in step 201, the process proceeds to step 203, the motor 20 is stopped, and in step 204, the ice making timer 30 starts counting. In step 205, the count of the ice making timer 30 is checked and it is judged whether or not a predetermined time, which is considered to be the completion of ice making, has elapsed. When it is determined that the predetermined time has elapsed, it is determined in step 206 whether the ice making temperature detected by the ice making temperature detecting means 16 is equal to or lower than the set value, and if it is equal to or lower than the set value, it is determined that the ice making is completed. Then, in step 207, the motor 20 is turned on.

If the ice making temperature is equal to or higher than the set value, the process stands by until it becomes equal to or lower than the set value. At step 207, the motor 20 is turned on.
Then, the ice making container 15 is rotated. Then, the twisting portion 21 is twisted to separate the ice from the ice making container 15. Therefore, in step 208, it can be judged that the state of the position detecting means 22 is turned on and the ice removing is completed, the process proceeds to step 209, the motor 20 is continuously moved until the ice making container 15 becomes horizontal, and in step 209, the horizontal position detecting means 23. Is ON
Wait until the state is reached. Step 208 and step 20
At 9 both the position detecting means 22 and the horizontal position detecting means 23 are turned on.
It returns to step 208 until it becomes N.

When the horizontal position detecting means 23 is turned on in step 209, it is determined that the ice making container 15 is horizontal, and the motor 20 is stopped in step 210. In step 211, the water supply pump motor 18 is operated to supply water to the empty ice making container 15, and in step 212, the water supply timer 29 is started, and in step 213, the water supply pump motor 18 is operated until the time is up. When the water supply timer 29 times out in step 213, the water supply pump motor 18 is turned off in step 214. As described above, the water supply is completed and one cycle of the ice making cycle is completed, and the process proceeds to step 204 again. Thereafter, this cycle is repeated to automatically make ice.

[0014]

However, in such a configuration, the ice making timer is counted in step 205 and the ice is not released until a predetermined time (for example, 2 hours) has expired. However, even if the ice making is completed, it takes 2 hours to make the ice.

The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems and has as its object to reduce the ice making time by releasing the ice correspondingly when the ice making is completed quickly.

[0016]

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the refrigerator of the present invention is configured so that the count time of the ice making timer is shortened when the temperature setting of the freezing compartment is set to a low temperature. Is.

[0017]

According to the present invention, when the temperature setting of the freezer is set to a low temperature and the ice making time becomes shorter than the normal time, the present invention reduces the count time of the ice making timer to make the normal operation. Since ice is released faster than time, it is possible to make ice faster, and when it is desired to make ice faster, it is possible to make ice earlier than usual by setting the freezer compartment temperature setting to a low temperature.

[0018]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS. Since the conventional refrigerator and the automatic ice making apparatus have the same overall configuration, the same reference numerals are given, detailed description thereof will be omitted, and only different portions will be described.
In FIG. 1, reference numeral 33 is a control means composed of a microcomputer and the like, and its input terminal has an ice making temperature detection means 1
6, position detection means 22, freezer compartment temperature setting switch 13,
The freezer compartment temperature detecting means 12 and the horizontal position detecting means 23 are connected.

At the output terminal, driving means 26, 2 for moving the motor 20, the feed water pump motor 18 and the compressor 11 are provided.
7 and 31 are connected. The control means 33 includes a water supply timer 29 that counts the time during which the water supply pump motor 18 is operating, an ice making timer A that counts the ice making time, and an ice making timer B that also counts the ice making time.

The operation of the above arrangement will be described with reference to FIG. The operation of the automatic ice making device 14 will be described. First, at step 301, the horizontal position detecting means 23 is turned on.
If the horizontal position detecting means 23 is not turned on, that is, if the ice making container 15 is not horizontal, then step 30 is performed.
At 2, the motor 20 is turned on until the ice making container 15 becomes horizontal.

If the horizontal position detecting means 23 is turned on in step 301, the process proceeds to step 303, the motor 20 is stopped, and the process proceeds to step 304. In step 304, it is determined whether or not the freezer compartment temperature setting switch 13 is set to the low temperature, and if the freezer compartment temperature setting switch 13 is not the low temperature setting, the process proceeds to step 305. In step 305, the ice making timer A34 is started, and then step 306
Then, the count of the ice making timer A34 is checked to determine whether or not a predetermined time (for example, 2 hours) has elapsed. If the predetermined time has elapsed and the ice making timer A34 has timed out, the routine proceeds to step 309.

If it is determined in step 304 that the freezer compartment temperature setting switch 13 is set to a low temperature,
In step 307, the ice making timer B35 is started, and in step 308, the count of the ice making timer B35 is checked to determine whether or not a predetermined time (for example, 1 hour) has elapsed. If the ice making timer B35 is up, Go to step 309.

In step 309, the ice making temperature detecting means 16
It is determined whether or not the ice making temperature detected at is less than or equal to a set temperature value. If it is less than or equal to a predetermined value, it is determined that ice making is completed, and the motor 20 is turned on at step 310. If the ice making temperature is above the set value, wait until it falls below the set value. In step 310, the motor 20 is rotated and the ice making container 15 is rotated. Then, the twisting portion 21 is twisted to make ice cubes 1
Remove ice from 5.

Therefore, in step 311, the position detecting means 2
When the state of No. 2 is ON and it can be determined that the ice removing is completed, the process proceeds to step 312, and the motor 20
Are continuously moved, and in step 312, the horizontal position detecting means 2 is moved.
Wait until 3 is turned on. The position detecting means 22 and the horizontal position detecting means 23 in steps 311 and 312.
Returns to step 311 until both are turned on.

When the horizontal position detecting means 23 is turned on in step 312, it is determined that the ice making container 15 is horizontal, and the motor 20 is stopped in step 313. At step 314, the water supply pump motor 18 is operated to supply water to the empty ice making container 15, and at step 315, the water supply timer 29 is started, and at step 316, the water supply pump motor 18 is operated until the time is up. When the water supply timer 29 times out in step 316, the water supply pump motor 18 is turned off in step 317.

As described above, the water supply is completed and one cycle of the ice making cycle is completed, and the process proceeds to step 304 again. Thereafter, this cycle is repeated to automatically make ice. Therefore, when the freezing room temperature setting switch 13 is set to a low temperature and the actual ice making time is short, the ice making time becomes shorter than that in the normal operation.

[0027]

As is clear from the above description, in the refrigerator of the present invention, when the temperature of the freezer is set to a low temperature, the ice-making timer counts a short time, so that the refrigerator has sufficient ice-making ability. The ice making time can be shortened when the room temperature is set to a low temperature, and the ice making time can be shortened by setting the freezing room temperature to a low temperature when quick ice making is desired.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a control circuit of a refrigerator showing an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing control of the automatic ice making device.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing control of a conventional automatic ice making device.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing control of the refrigerator.

FIG. 5 is a block diagram of a control circuit of the refrigerator.

FIG. 6 is a sectional view of the refrigerator.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the automatic ice making device.

FIG. 8 is a plan view showing the inside of the ice removing mechanism of the automatic ice making device.

[Explanation of symbols]

 8 Freezer 11 Compressor 12 Freezer temperature detecting means 13 Freezer temperature setting switch 14 Automatic ice making device 15 Ice making container 16 Ice making temperature detecting means 17 Water supply tank 18 Water supply pump motor 19 Ice removing mechanism 33 Control means 34 Ice making timer A 356 Ice making Timer B

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A compressor for a refrigeration cycle, a freezer compartment, a freezer compartment temperature setting switch, a freezer compartment temperature detecting means, an ice making container and an ice making temperature detecting means attached to the ice making container,
It consists of an ice removing mechanism for rotating the ice making container to remove ice, a water supply tank, a water supply pump motor for supplying water from the water supply tank to the ice making container, and an ice making timer for counting the ice making time from water supply to ice making. When the freezer compartment temperature setting switch is set to a low temperature, the operation time of the ice making timer is set to be shorter than the normal time, and the control means for determining whether or not the ice making state is from the ice making temperature detecting means after the operation of the ice making timer is completed. Refrigerator equipped with.