JP2002228312A - Refrigerator - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an automatic ice making device free from a case of touching a hand upon taking out ice, and a refrigerator utilizing the dead space in an ice making chamber and an ice storage chamber effectively, while capable of freezing simply from fruit juice, milk or the like except water, in the automatic ice making device for a refrigerator. SOLUTION: The automatic ice making device is arranged in the rear side of a freezing chamber, and an L-shape partitioning plate is arranged in the front side of the same chamber while a second ice making pan, free of inserting and withdrawing, is provided on the partitioning plate. The hand is hardly touched with the automatic ice making device upon taking ice out of an ice storage box, thereby improving safety. Further, the second ice making pan can be inserted or withdrawn freely whereby any preferable drink can be frozen.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a refrigerator equipped with an automatic ice making device.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Recently, refrigerators equipped with an automatic ice making machine for automatically making ice are increasing. In this mechanism, for example, an ice tray is provided in a freezer compartment, a water supply tank is provided in a refrigerator compartment, and a fixed amount of water is supplied from the water supply tank to the ice tray to make ice.

[0003]

In the case of a conventional refrigerator,
Since the automatic ice making device is dangerous if the user touches it when taking out the ice, it is arranged as far as possible in the freezer compartment. As a result, a space is created on the front side of the automatic ice making device, but there is a problem that the space is small and there is no space for storing food, resulting in a dead space.

Further, in the case of an automatic ice making device, since ice trays cannot be freely removed and washed, there is a problem that it is difficult to make ice other than water such as fruit juice and milk.

[0005]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a refrigerator equipped with an automatic ice making device, wherein a first ice tray incorporated in the automatic ice making device and a second ice tray which can be taken in and out freely. Is provided.

In the refrigerator according to a second aspect of the present invention, the first ice tray is disposed at the back of the freezer compartment, and the second ice tray is disposed at the front of the freezer compartment.

A refrigerator according to a third aspect of the present invention is provided with a horizontal partition for mounting the second ice tray, and a vertical partition for partitioning the automatic ice making device and the horizontal partition.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, the horizontal partition plate and the vertical partition plate are integrally formed to have a substantially L-shape. In the refrigerator according to the fifth aspect of the present invention, the vertical partition plate is provided with a vent.

In a refrigerator according to a sixth aspect of the present invention, an ice-making duct for guiding cool air is provided above the first ice tray and the second ice tray.

The refrigerator according to the invention of claim 7 is provided with an ice storage box below the automatic ice making device and the horizontal partition plate, and a partition plate for partitioning the inside of the ice storage box back and forth.

In the refrigerator according to the eighth and ninth aspects of the invention, the partition plate for partitioning the inside of the ice storage box back and forth is detachable or movable back and forth.

[0012]

1 to 3 show an embodiment of a refrigerator according to the present invention. FIG. 1 is a front view of the refrigerator, FIG. 2 is a front view of the refrigerator with a door removed, and FIG. It is a side view.

In FIG. 1, reference numeral 1 denotes a refrigerator in which a foam insulation material is filled between an outer box and an inner box. A refrigerator room 2 provided with an openable and heat-insulating door 7 at the top of the refrigerator 1 and a vegetable room 3 provided with a drawer heat-insulating door 8 disposed below the refrigerator room 2
An ice making / ice storage freezing room 4 (ice making / ice storage room 4) provided with a drawer heat insulating door 9 arranged side by side below the vegetable room 3, and a temperature switching room 5 provided with a drawer heat insulating door 10; The refrigerator 1 includes a drawer heat insulating door 11 disposed at the lowermost part of the refrigerator 1.

In FIG. 1 to FIG. 3, a refrigerator light 24 is disposed on the back of the refrigerator compartment 2, and a plurality of stages of refrigerator shelves 21 are provided in front of the refrigerator light 24. A specific low-temperature room 20 is installed below the refrigerator room 2. A water supply tank 22 is disposed on the left side of the specific low-temperature chamber 20. Water is pumped from the water supply tank 22 by a water supply pump 31 and supplied to the first ice tray 41 by a water supply pipe 32. In addition, each room 3, which is closed by the drawer type heat insulating doors 8, 9, 10, 11
Vegetable containers 30 each having an open upper surface are provided for 4, 5, and 6 respectively.
1, an ice storage box 401, a temperature switching chamber container 501, and a freezing chamber container 601 are arranged.

The refrigerator 1 is divided into upper and lower parts by a partitioning heating material 38. The upper part of the partitioning heating material 38 is partitioned by the upper partitioning member 34 into the refrigerator compartment 2 and the vegetable compartment 3. Behind the vegetable compartment 3, a cooling compartment 36 for refrigeration is provided, and a refrigerator 35 for refrigeration compartment is provided.
And a refrigerator 33 for a refrigerator compartment. Cutting material 3
The lower part of the ice making / ice storage room 4 is provided at the upper part by a lower partition member 45.
And the temperature switching chamber 5 are arranged side by side, and a freezing chamber 6 is formed below. Ice making / ice storage room 4, temperature switching room 5, and freezing room 6
A cooling room 40 for freezing is constituted behind the refrigerator, and a cooler 39 for freezing room and a blower 37 for freezing room are arranged.

An automatic ice making device comprising an ice releasing device 45 and an ice detecting lever 47 is provided at the upper rear of the ice making / ice storage room 4, and an L-shaped partition is provided at the upper front in parallel with the automatic ice making device. A plate 43 is provided and a second ice tray 42 is placed. An ice storage box partition plate 4 is provided at the lower part of the ice making / ice storage room 4.
02 is provided with an ice storage box 401.

On the other hand, a machine room 57 is formed below the refrigerator 1, and inside the machine room 57, a refrigerant circuit of a refrigeration cycle is formed together with the refrigerator cooler 35 and the freezer cooler 39. A compressor 56 and a blower for a machine room (not shown) are installed.

Here, when the refrigerator 1 is operated, the cold air exchanged in the refrigerator 35 is cooled by the refrigerator air blower 33.
And a part is controlled by a damper (not shown) and blows out to the specific low-temperature chamber 20, and the other rises up the discharge duct 23 and is discharged from the cold air outlet (not shown) on the back of the refrigerator compartment 2. Blow out to.

The cold air exchanged in the freezer cooler 39 is sucked by the freezer blower 37, and a part of the cool air is supplied from the cool air outlet 46 to the ice making / ice storage chamber 4 and the temperature switching chamber 5.
Blow out at the top of It also blows out to the freezer 6.

The cold air blown out to the ice making / ice storage room 4
The ice tray 41 is cooled and made into ice, and is blown out to a vent 44 provided in the L-shaped partition plate 43 to cool the second ice tray 42.

Here, the ice making operation of the automatic ice making device will be described. The water in the water supply tank 22 arranged in the refrigerator compartment 2 is supplied to the first ice tray 41 via the water supply pipe 32 by a predetermined amount according to the driving time of the water supply pump 31, and the ice is made by an ice sensor (not shown). When the completion is detected, the first ice tray 41 is inverted by the ice releasing device 45, the ice is twisted, and the ice is dropped into the lower ice storage box 401 to be frozen and stored.
At the same time, when the ice detecting lever 47 is rotated down and does not rotate more than a predetermined angle due to the ice in the ice storage box 401, it is determined that the ice is full and the next water supply is not performed. If not, supply water,
The next ice making is performed, and ice making is continued until the ice is full or the water supply tank 22 is empty.

When the user wants to make ice, the second ice tray 42 is supplied with an appropriate amount of juice, fruit juice or the like by himself / herself when the user wants to make ice, and the L-shaped partition plate is used for several hours. The ice-making preparation is completed by placing on ice 43.
The ice-making completion is determined by pulling out the ice-making chamber door 9 and confirming it with his / her own eyes. It is stored in a put container or stored in the front of the ice storage box partition plate 402 of the ice storage box 401 or the like.

The ice making / ice storage room 4 has a manual ice making section comprising an automatic ice making device, an L-shaped partition plate 43, and a second ice making tray 42. An ice storage box 401 is disposed below the automatic ice making device and the manual ice making unit. This ice storage box 401
Are partitioned back and forth by an ice storage box partition plate 402 that can be moved back and forth. Further, the ice storage box partition plate 402 can be removed.

Normally, in the ice storage box 401, ice made by an automatic ice making device is stored in the rear part of the ice storage box partition plate 402, and in the front part, the ice made manually by the second ice tray 42 is stored. It is stored, and the ice storage box partition plate 402 is moved back and forth according to the user's convenience to adjust the ice storage amount. However, depending on the user's preference, the ice storage box partition plate 402 is removed to store ice by mixing the automatically iced ice and the manually iced ice, to store only the automatically iced ice, or to manually store the ice. It is also possible to store only ice.

The refrigerator 1 having the above configuration has the following effects.

An automatic ice making device is arranged at the back of the ice making / ice storage room 4, and a second ice tray 42 is provided at the front of the ice making and ice storage room. Can be expanded.

In the automatic ice making device, the water in the water supply tank 22 is supplied to the first ice tray 41 through a water purification function, a water supply pump 31, and a water supply pipe 32, so that the water supply pipe 32 is clogged with juice, fruit juice and the like. Mold and bacteria can multiply due to nutrients. The first ice tray 41 incorporated in the automatic ice making device is freely removed and difficult to disassemble and clean. Therefore, by providing the second ice tray 42 that can be taken out and put in the ice making / ice storage chamber 4 on the near side, it is possible to freeze the desired drink or the like in the second ice tray 42 as appropriate.

Since the automatic ice making device is arranged at the back of the freezer compartment and the second ice tray 42 which can be freely taken in and out is arranged at the near side, the automatic ice making section having the mechanical section is located at the back, making it difficult for the hands to enter. This will prevent injury. Also, the second ice tray 42
Because it is near side, it can be easily put in and out.

Further, since the horizontal partition plate and the vertical partition plate for partitioning the automatic ice making device are provided, it is possible to prevent the risk of fingers entering the back and touching the mechanical parts. Further, since the horizontal partition plate and the vertical partition plate are formed integrally to form an L-shape, the number of assembling steps is reduced, and the cost can be reduced.

Further, since the vent 44 is provided in the vertical partition plate, the cool air blown out from the cool air outlet 46 at the back of the rear surface is cooled by the second air.
Of the second ice tray 4.
2, the ice making speed can be increased. In addition, if an ice-making duct for guiding cool air is provided on the upper surfaces of the first ice tray and the second ice tray incorporated in the automatic ice-making apparatus, the passage of the cool air is reliably formed, so that the ice-making speed is further increased. .

Further, by providing the ice storage box partition plate 402 for partitioning the inside of the ice storage box 401 back and forth, the ice made by the automatic ice making device is stored in the rear part, and the ice made in the second ice making tray 42 is removed. Ice can be stored in the front part, and both can be separated and stored. That is, the ice storage box partition plate 402
In the front of the, change the size of the ice according to the user's preference, mineral water, alkaline ionized water, juice,
Ice made with fruit juice and the like can be stored.

Further, since the ice storage box partition plate 402 for partitioning the inside of the ice storage box 401 back and forth is detachable and can be moved back and forth, the ice storage box partition plate 402 depends on the amount of sorted ice storage.
Before and after, the amount of ice storage can be adjusted. Or,
The ice storage box partition plate 402 itself is removed, and the ice made automatically and the ice made in the second ice tray 42 are mixed and stored, only the ice made automatically is stored, or the automatic ice making is stopped to stop the second operation. It is possible to store only the ice made in the ice tray 42 of the above.

[0033]

According to the present invention, since the second ice tray which can be put in and taken out is provided in addition to the first ice tray incorporated in the automatic ice maker, ice making can be provided according to the user's preference. . In addition, an automatic ice making device is arranged at the back of the freezing room, and a second ice tray is provided at the front side of the freezing room so that it is hard to touch the automatic ice making device when removing ice from the ice storage box. It also has the effect of improving safety.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a front view of a refrigerator according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a front view of the refrigerator of the present invention with a door removed.

FIG. 3 is a vertical sectional side view of the refrigerator of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Refrigerator main body 2 Refrigerator room 3 Vegetable room 4 Ice making and ice storage room (freezing room) 5 Temperature switching room 6 Freezing room 401 Ice storage box 20 Specific low temperature room 22 Water supply tank 23 Discharge duct 31 Water supply pump 32 Water supply pipe 37 Freezer blower 38 Partitioning heat material 39 Freezer compartment cooler 40 Freezer compartment cooler 41 First ice tray 42 Second ice tray 43 L-shaped partition plate 44 Vent 45 Ice release device 46 Cold air outlet 47 Ice detection lever

Claims (9)

[Claims] 1. A refrigerator equipped with an automatic ice making device, comprising: a first ice making tray incorporated in the automatic ice making device;
A refrigerator provided with a second ice tray which can be taken in and out freely. 2. The refrigerator according to claim 1, wherein the first ice tray is disposed at a rear side of the freezer compartment, and the second ice tray is disposed at a front side of the freezer compartment. 3. The apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising a horizontal partition plate on which the second ice tray is placed, and a vertical partition plate for partitioning the automatic ice making device and the horizontal partition plate. refrigerator. 4. The refrigerator according to claim 3, wherein said horizontal partition plate and said vertical partition plate are integrally formed to have a substantially L-shape. 5. The refrigerator according to claim 3, wherein a vent is provided in the vertical partition plate. 6. The refrigerator according to claim 2, wherein a duct for guiding cool air is provided above the first ice tray and the second ice tray. 7. An ice storage box is provided below the automatic ice making device and the horizontal partition plate, and a partition plate for partitioning the inside of the ice storage box back and forth is provided. The refrigerator according to claim 1. 8. A partition plate for partitioning the inside of the ice storage box back and forth,
The refrigerator according to claim 7, wherein the refrigerator is removable. 9. A partition plate for partitioning the inside of the ice storage box back and forth,
9. The refrigerator according to claim 7, wherein the refrigerator is movable back and forth.