JPH0719685A - Automatic ice-making equipment - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To enable sure release of ice being made, without cracking it, by a method wherein a heater provided at the bottom of an ice making tray is made to generate a heat when ice making is completed, and after the interface of the ice and the ice making tray is melted, the ice making tray is rotated to release the ice. CONSTITUTION:When water is put in a supply water tank 11 and setting is made, a proper quantity of water is supplied from the supply water tank 11 to an ice making tray 16 through a supply water hose 12 and ice making is started. When a sensor 5 detects that the temperature of completion of the ice making is reached, a heater 18 is electrified to generate a heat. When the sensor 5 detects a rise to a prescribed temperature, the electrification of the heater 18 is canceled, the ice making tray 16 is rotated at an angle of 360 deg. by a driving device 19 and ice is released. Thereby the ice can be released without giving a twist to the ice making tray 16.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an ice removing device for an automatic ice making device, which automatically performs operations such as water supply, ice making, and ice removing.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, an ice-making device for a refrigerator is equipped with an automatic ice-making device that automatically repeats water supply, ice-making, and ice-free if water is set in a tank in order to save the labor of the consumer. Models are increasing.

As a conventional automatic ice making device, Japanese Patent Publication Sho 50
There is one disclosed in Japanese Patent Publication No. 16541.

Hereinafter, the conventional automatic ice making device will be described with reference to FIGS. 6 to 9.

In the figure, 1 is an automatic ice making device mounted in a freezing compartment 2, 3 is an ice tray, 4 is a driving device for rotating the ice tray 3 to perform ice removal, 5 is a sensor, and 6 is a detacher. An ice storage box for storing iced ice, 7 is a cooler arranged at the inner surface of the freezer compartment, 8 is a blower, 9 is a cooler cover arranged in front of the cooler 7, and 10 is the cooler. Cover 9
A cold air discharge port for ice making, 11 is a water supply tank,
12 is a water supply hose for supplying water from the water supply tank 11 to the ice tray 3, 13 is a frame for holding the ice tray, 14 is an ice tray by locking one end of the ice tray 3 during ice removal 3 is a locking pin for applying a twist to 3.

The operation of the automatic ice making device configured as described above will be described below with reference to the flowchart of FIG.

First, when water is set in the water supply tank 11 (step 1), an appropriate amount of water is automatically supplied to the ice tray 3 through the water supply hose 12 (step 2). The water supplied to the ice tray 3 is cooled by the cooler 7 and blower 8
By the cold air discharged from the cool air discharge port 10 of the cooler cover 9, ice is made (step 3). When the sensor 5 reaches the ice making completion temperature T1 (step 4), the driving device 4 rotates the ice tray 3 in the clockwise direction (normal rotation) to enter the ice removing operation, and when the ice making tray is rotated 180 degrees, the ice tray is made. One end of 3 is locked by the locking pin 14, and when further rotated, the ice tray 3 is twisted, and the ice is released into the ice storage box 6 (step 5). When ice removal is completed, the ice tray 3 rotates counterclockwise (reverse rotation) and returns to its original position (step 6). After that, water supply, ice making, and ice removal are repeatedly and automatically performed.

[0008]

However, in the above-mentioned conventional configuration, since the ice tray is twisted to remove ice,
There is a great possibility that stress will be applied to the ice tray by repeated ice making and ice removing, resulting in deformation, and further, stress will be applied to the ice at the time of ice removing, so that there is a drawback that the ice released will break.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention solves the conventional problems, and an object of the present invention is to reliably release ice without breaking it.

[0010]

In order to achieve this object, the automatic ice making apparatus of the present invention has a structure in which a heat conducting plate is provided so as to abut on the bottom surface of the ice tray, and a heater is provided on the heat conducting plate. Has become.

The ice tray and a heat conductive sheet such as an aluminum foil having a heater are integrally formed.

Further, the ice tray is made of a material having good thermal conductivity such as aluminum and has a heater on the bottom surface.

[0013]

In the automatic ice making apparatus of the present invention, when the ice making is completed, the heater provided on the bottom surface of the ice making tray generates heat, and after the boundary surface between the ice and the ice making tray is released, the ice making tray is rotated to perform ice removal. ,
There is no need to add a twist to the ice tray at the time of ice removal, and no stress is applied to the ice, so the ice is released without breaking.

[0014]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS A first embodiment of an automatic ice making device according to the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. It should be noted that the same configurations as those of the conventional one are denoted by the same reference numerals and detailed description thereof will be omitted.

FIG. 1 is a sectional view of a refrigerator equipped with an automatic ice making device according to a first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the main parts of the same embodiment. FIG. 3 is a flow chart showing the operation of the embodiment.

In FIGS. 1 and 2, reference numeral 15 is an automatic ice making device, 16 is an ice making tray, 17 is a heat conducting plate provided so as to abut the bottom surface of the ice making tray 16, and a heater 18 is provided. Reference numeral 19 is a drive device for rotating the ice tray 16 during ice removal.

The operation of the automatic ice making device configured as described above will be described below with reference to the flowchart of FIG.

First, when water is set in the water supply tank 11 (step 11), an appropriate amount of water is supplied from the water supply tank 11 through the water supply hose 12 to the ice tray 16 (step 12) to start ice making. (Step 13). When the sensor 5 reaches the ice making completion temperature T1 (step 14), the heater 18 is energized to generate heat (step 15). After that, when the sensor 5 rises to a certain temperature T2 (step 16), the heater 18 is de-energized (step 17), and the driving device 19 drives the ice tray 1
6 rotates 360 degrees and ice removal is performed (step 18).
After that, water supply, ice making, and ice removal are repeatedly and automatically performed.

As described above, the automatic ice making device of this embodiment is
After completion of ice making, the heat conduction plate 17 is brought into contact with the bottom surface of the ice tray 16
The heater 18 generates heat, the bottom surface of the ice tray 16 is uniformly warmed by the heat conduction plate 17, and the ice tray 16 is rotated after the boundary surface between the ice and the ice tray 16 is released.
De-icing can be performed without adding a twist.

Next, a second embodiment of the automatic ice making device according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In addition,
The same components as those in the first embodiment are designated by the same reference numerals and detailed description thereof will be omitted.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view of an essential part of an automatic ice making device according to the second embodiment of the present invention. In the figure, 20 is an automatic ice making device, 21 is an ice tray, and a heat conductive sheet 23 such as an aluminum foil having a heater 22 is integrally molded. In this embodiment, the ice tray 16 and the heater 1 according to the first embodiment are used.
Instead of the heat conducting plate 17 provided with 8, an ice tray 21 in which a heat conducting sheet 23 such as an aluminum foil provided with a heater 22 is integrally molded is installed.

The operation of the automatic ice making device configured as described above is as shown in FIG.

As described above, the automatic ice making device of this embodiment is
After the ice making is completed, the heater 22 integrally formed on the bottom surface of the ice making plate 21 generates heat, and the heat conducting sheet 23 causes the ice making plate 21 to be made.
Since the bottom surface of the ice tray is heated evenly and the boundary surface between the ice and the ice tray 21 is unraveled, the ice tray 21 is rotated, so that the ice tray 21 can be released without twisting.

Next, a third embodiment of the automatic ice making device according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In addition,
The same components as those in the first embodiment are designated by the same reference numerals and detailed description thereof will be omitted.

FIG. 5 is a sectional view of the essential parts of an automatic ice making device according to the third embodiment of the present invention. In the figure, 24 is an automatic ice making device, 25 is an ice tray made of a material having good thermal conductivity such as aluminum, and 26 is a heater provided on the bottom surface of the ice tray 25. This embodiment is an ice tray 1 according to the first embodiment.
6, and instead of the heat conduction plate 17 with the heater 18,
An ice tray 25 made of a material having good thermal conductivity such as aluminum,
A heater 26 is provided on the bottom surface.

The operation of the automatic ice making device configured as described above is as shown in FIG.

As described above, the automatic ice making device of this embodiment is
After the ice making is completed, the heater 26 provided on the bottom surface of the ice tray 25 heats up, the bottom surface of the ice tray 25 is uniformly heated by the heat conduction of the ice tray 25 itself, and the boundary surface between the ice and the ice tray 25 is released. Since 25 is rotated, it is possible to remove ice without adding a twist to the ice tray 25.

[0028]

As described above, according to the present invention, by providing the heat conducting plate equipped with the heater on the bottom surface of the ice tray,
When ice making is completed, the heater heats up, and after the boundary between the ice and the ice making tray is released, the ice making tray is rotated to perform ice removal, so there is no need to add a twist to the ice making tray when removing ice Since ice is not added, the ice can be released without breaking.

Further, by providing an ice tray integrally formed with a heat conductive sheet such as aluminum foil equipped with a heater,
The same effect can be obtained.

Further, the same effect can be obtained by providing a heater on the bottom surface of the ice tray made of a material having good heat conductivity such as aluminum.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a sectional view of a refrigerator equipped with a first embodiment of an automatic ice making device according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view of an essential part of the automatic ice making device according to the embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing the operation of the automatic ice making device of the embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view of the essential parts of a second embodiment of an automatic ice making device according to the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of essential parts of a third embodiment of an automatic ice making device according to the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a sectional view of a refrigerator equipped with a conventional automatic ice making device.

FIG. 7 is a sectional view of a main part of a conventional automatic ice making device.

FIG. 8 is a front view of a conventional automatic ice making device during an ice removing operation.

FIG. 9 is a flowchart showing the operation of a conventional automatic ice making device.

[Explanation of symbols]

 5 sensor 15 automatic ice making device 16 ice making plate 17 heat conduction plate 18 heater 19 driving device 20 automatic ice making device 21 ice making plate 22 heater 23 heat conduction sheet 24 automatic ice making device 25 ice making plate 26 heater

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. An ice tray, a heat conduction plate provided in contact with a bottom surface of the ice tray, a heater provided on the heat conduction plate, a sensor, and the ice tray by rotating the ice tray to perform an ice removing operation. When the sensor reaches the ice making completion temperature, the heater is energized, and when the sensor reaches the ice starting temperature, the heater is de-energized and the ice tray is made. An automatic ice-making device characterized in that it rotates to perform deicing operation. 2. The automatic ice making device according to claim 1, wherein the ice tray and a heat conductive sheet such as an aluminum foil having a heater are integrally molded. 3. The automatic ice making device according to claim 1, wherein the ice tray is made of a material having excellent thermal conductivity such as aluminum.