JPS6036862Y2 - Ice maker ice storage detector - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to an improvement in a water storage detector for detecting a full state of ice in an ice maker water storage.

Conventionally, such a water storage detector has a box-shaped case body with an open front and a limit switch that has a forward-protruding switch lever and is activated by pressing the switch lever. It is known that a case lid having a front surface serving as a pressure-receiving surface is pivoted at the upper end of the opening of the case body so as to be able to swing freely when the case lid is pressed forward by the switch lever. ing.

The water storage detector is attached to the inner side of the ice maker water storage on the back of the case body, and when the water storage is full, the weight of the ice will cause the front surface (pressure receiving surface) of the case lid to
By pressing , the switch lever is pressed and a limit switch is activated, thereby detecting a full state.

However, in the conventional device described above, in order to operate the limit switch with good response to the pressing force due to the weight of ice, it is necessary to make the area of the front surface of the case lid, which is the pressure receiving surface, as large as possible.

On the other hand, increasing the front surface area of the case lid increases the volume and size of the entire water storage detector, which causes a contradictory problem in that the amount of water storage decreases accordingly.

The present invention has been made in view of this point, and by forming only the portion of the front pressure-receiving surface of the case lid that corresponds to the switch lever of the limit switch into a convex portion that projects forward. The purpose is to make the water storage detector as thin as possible while ensuring a large pressure receiving surface to prevent a decrease in water storage capacity.

In order to achieve this purpose, the structure of the present invention is a box-shaped case with an open front, a switch lever that projects forward, and a limit switch that is activated when the switch lever is pressed. A case lid whose front surface is a pressure-receiving surface is pivotably supported at its upper end on the main body, and a portion of the case lid is formed into a protrusion that corresponds to the switch lever of the limit switch and projects forward. By fitting and abutting the switch lever on the back surface of the convex portion, it is possible to make the water storage detector thinner while forming the case lid as a large pressure-receiving surface.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail based on the drawings.

1 and 2 show a water storage detector A according to the present invention, in which 1 is a box-shaped case body made of resin with an open front; A pair of pin holes 2, 2 are bored therein, and an engagement recess 3 having a U-shaped cross section is formed in the center of the inner lower surface.

Further, a limit switch mounting seat 5 having a pair of mounting holes 4, 4 is protruded from the center of one inner side surface of the case body 1.

A limit switch 6 is mounted on the limit switch mounting seat 5, and screws 8.8 are inserted into screw holes 7, 7 formed on the side surface of the limit switch 6 in correspondence with the mounting holes 4.4. , 4 are screwed together.

A switch lever 9 made of a leaf spring or the like that closes an internal contact (not shown) when pressed is provided in a cantilevered manner at the lower front surface of the limit switch 6 so as to be biased diagonally upward and forward. ing.

Incidentally, the switch lever 9 may be shaped like a bush rod.

Reference numeral 10 designates a box-shaped case lid made of resin that is shaped to fit into the opening of the case body 1 and whose front surface serves as a pressure-receiving surface.
A pin portion 11.11 corresponding to the limit switch mounting seat 5 is integrally formed, and a portion of the side surface corresponding to the limit switch mounting seat 5 is cut out.

Further, on the lower side of the lower surface of the case lid 10, an engagement protrusion 1 that engages with the engagement recess 3 of the case body 1 so as to be slidable in the front and rear direction.
2 are integrally formed.

Furthermore, a portion of the front surface of the case lid 10 that is a pressure receiving surface that corresponds to the switch lever 9 of the limit switch 6 is
A convex portion 13 having a U-shaped cross section is formed to protrude forward in correspondence with the switch lever 9, and the switch lever 9 is configured to fit into and come into contact with the back surface of the convex portion 13.

Then, the case lid 1 is inserted into the pin holes 2, 2 of the case body 1.
The pin portions 11 and 11 of 0 are force-fitted and pivoted using the elasticity of the resin, and the engagement protrusion 12 is also force-fitted into the engagement recess 3 using elasticity so that it can slide freely. By engaging the case lid 1 to the opening of the case body 1.
0 with the pin portion 11 as a support shaft, and the convex portion 13 is fitted so as to be swingable with the switch lever 9 pressing the rear surface of the convex portion 13 forward.

Next, the operation of the embodiment described above will be explained. The water storage detector A is attached to the inner surface of the water storage of the ice maker by fixing the back surface of the case body 1.

Normally, the case lid 10 is pressed forward at the convex portion 13 by the urging force of the switch lever 9.

On the other hand, when the water storage is almost full of ice, the front surface (pressure receiving surface) of the case lid 10 is pressed inward against the biasing force of the switch lever 9 due to the weight of the ice. By pushing the switch lever 9 through the section 13 and closing its internal contacts, the limit switch 6 is actuated to detect the full state of ice in the water storage.

Here, only a portion (the convex portion 13) of the front surface of the case lid 10 protrudes, and the switch lever 9 comes into contact with the back surface of the convex portion 13, so that a large pressure-receiving surface is ensured and good response of the limit switch is achieved. In addition to being able to obtain
Even when the case lid 10 is pressed forward by the switch lever 9, the convex portion 13 on the front surface of the case lid 10
The other parts are retracted toward the case body 1 side compared to the conventional one, so that the entire water storage detector can be made thinner and more compact as possible, and a decrease in water storage capacity can be prevented.

Further, pin portions 11.11 are integrally formed at the upper portions of both sides of the case lid 10 made of resin, and the elasticity of the pin portions 11.11 is used to fit into and pivot into the pin holes 2, 2 of the case body 1. Since the case lid 10 can be easily pivoted to the case body 1 without using a pin or a stopper, it is possible to improve the workability of assembling the water storage detector and to reduce costs. be able to.

In addition, the case lid 10 has an engaging recess 3 and an engaging protrusion 12.
Since the lower surface of the case body 1 and the lower surface of the case lid 10 do not separate from each other, ice does not get caught and the limit switch can be operated stably at all times.

In the above embodiment, the case body has a pin hole and the case lid has a pin portion, but conversely, the case body may have a pin portion and the case lid has a pin hole.

Alternatively, the case body may be provided with an engagement recess and the case lid may be provided with an engagement protrusion, or conversely, the case body may be provided with an engagement protrusion and the case lid may be provided with an engagement recess.

. Furthermore, it goes without saying that the case lid 1 may be plate-shaped instead of box-shaped.

As explained above, according to the water storage detector of the present invention, only the part of the case lid that contacts the switch lever is formed into a convex part, thereby ensuring a large pressure-receiving surface and supporting the switch lever against the weight of ice when full. This has the effect of making the entire water storage detector as thin and compact as possible while maintaining good responsiveness, thereby preventing a decrease in the water storage capacity of the water storage.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

The drawings illustrate the implementation of the present invention, the first being a perspective view and the second being a perspective view.
The figure is a longitudinal sectional view. 1...Case body, 2...Pin hole, 3
...Engagement recess, 6...Limit switch, 9...Switch lever, 10...
Case! , 11... Zen part, 12... Engagement protrusion, 13... Convex part.

Claims (1)

[Scope of utility model registration request] A box-shaped case main body 1 has an open front surface and has a switch lever 9 protruding forward inside, and a limit switch 6 that is activated by pressing the switch lever 9. The front surface is a pressure receiving surface. A case M10 is pivotably supported at its upper end, and a part of the case M1 is
Water accumulation detection for an ice maker is characterized in that a convex portion 13 is formed to correspond to the switch lever 9 of the limit switch 6 and protrudes forward, and the switch lever 9 is fitted into the back surface of the convex portion 13 and comes into contact with the convex portion 13. vessel.