EP1844274A1

EP1844274A1 - Ice-making machine

Info

Publication number: EP1844274A1
Application number: EP05817049A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Craig Duncan Webster; Nathan Wrench; Bernd Heger
Original assignee: BSH Bosch und Siemens Hausgeraete GmbH
Current assignee: BSH Hausgeraete GmbH
Priority date: 2005-01-24
Filing date: 2005-12-01
Publication date: 2007-10-17
Also published as: WO2006076980A1; DE102005003241A1; US20090113918A1

Abstract

The invention relates to an ice-making machine comprising a frame (15), a tray (1) that can be pivoted about an axis in the frame (15) and comprises a plurality of compartments (4) arranged in a number of rows and separated by partitions (3), and a motor (22) for driving a pivoting movement of the tray (1) about the axis, said motor being coupled to the tray (1) by means of an eccentric mechanism (25, 26, 28).

Description

Ice makers

The present invention relates to an automatic icemaker having a rack, a tray pivotable in the rack about an axis and having a plurality of compartments separated by partitions arranged in a number of rows, and a motor for driving a pivotal movement of the tray about the tray Axle between an upright position of the tray, can freeze in the water in the subjects, and a discharge position in which the openings of the compartments facing down and the finished pieces of ice can fall out of the subjects.

An icemaker of this kind is z. B. from US 6,571,567 B2.

In this conventional ice maker, a motor assembly is coupled directly to the pivot axis of the tray. The freedom of movement of the tray is not sufficient for a 360 ° rotation about the pivot axis. It must therefore be pivoted in operation between the upright position and the emptying position back and forth. This requires a directional motor and a motor control circuit capable of setting the correct direction of rotation of the motor at all times based on a current position of the tray and an operating phase of the ice making operation in which the icemaker is currently located.

The object of the invention is to provide an ice maker that is able to drive a pivoting movement of the ice maker tray at any time correctly, without the need for a decision on the direction of rotation of a motor driving the pivoting movement.

The object is achieved in that in an ice maker of the type specified above, the tray is coupled to the engine via an eccentric mechanism. The eccentric element of such a mechanism performs an orbital motion about a center of rotation which, viewed transversely to the axis of rotation, has a reciprocating component. This component is useful to drive in each period a complete oscillation oscillation of the tray, without requiring a change of direction of the drive motor is required. Preferably, the eccentric mechanism comprises a linearly displaceable oscillating body which carries a rack which meshes with a gear connected to the tray. With such an arrangement, any desired pivoting stroke of the tray is easy to construct.

An eccentric member is preferably engaged with a rail extending on the vibrating body transverse to the direction of movement thereof to translate the revolving motion of the eccentric member into a reciprocating motion of the vibrating body.

According to a simple embodiment, the rail is a slot and the eccentric element engaging in the slot pins.

The tray is pivotable between an upright position in which water in the trays of the tray can freeze, and a discharge position in which the openings of the compartments facing down, preferably also between these positions and a tilted position, in which the subjects communicate across the top edges of the partitions. At least one of these three positions, preferably even two of them, each correspond to a reversal point of the movement of the vibrating body. In the vicinity of the reversal points, the oscillating body also moves particularly slowly, even if the rotational speed of the eccentric element is assumed to be constant. the dependence of the position of the oscillating body of the phase of the eccentric is small, so that the position in question can be set exactly, even if the eccentric phase is not accurately detected or the drive is subject to inaccuracies.

It may therefore be sufficient, with the aid of a sensor arranged on the tray for detecting its position, to control only the exact starting of those of the three positions mentioned above, which does not correspond to a turning point. With the help of the sensor but also each of the reversal points corresponding positions can be easily adjusted exactly. While, when such a sensor detects a stopping position between the reversal points and the motor is stopped, the tray still continues to swing a little while until the engine comes to rest, such turning does not affect the position of the tray at the turning points out. To facilitate demolding of the finished ice cubes, the compartments are preferably in the form of a rotating body segment. From these subjects, a piece of ice can be removed from the mold in a particularly simple manner by sliding in the circumferential direction of the body of revolution, without, as in a conventional cuboid ice piece of z. As in US 6,571,567 B2 considered type, during demolding between the bottom of the tray and the ice body forms a cavity that impedes demolding, unless a prevailing in the cavity vacuum is compensated.

Preferably, the compartments of the icemaker tray are arranged in at least one row, and on one longitudinal side of each row of compartments and at least a part of their transverse sides is formed a wall projecting over the upper edge of the compartments of the row. This design of the ice maker tray makes it possible to bring this in an inclined state in which filled in the compartments water floods the partitions in an area adjacent to the protruding wall area, so that a precisely the same water level can be achieved in all subjects. When such a tray is pivoted to an upright state for freezing, in which the partitions are substantially horizontal and no longer flooded, neatly separated pieces of ice of exactly uniform size can be made.

An electric heater may be provided on the icemaker tray to accelerate and facilitate demolding by superficial roughening of finished pieces of ice.

In order to achieve an intensive heat exchange with the environment, the tray may be provided with protruding heat exchanger fins. These ribs can simultaneously serve to hold a rod-shaped heating device inserted between them.

Further features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description of embodiments with reference to the accompanying figures. Show it:

Fig. 1 is an exploded view of an automatic ice maker according to a preferred embodiment of the invention; - A -

Figure 2 is a perspective view of the ice maker of Figure 1 in the assembled state with Eisbereiter tray in tilted position.

Fig. 3 is a front view of the ice maker of Fig. 1 and 2 in the direction of

Pivot axis;

4 shows the view of Figure 3 with partially cut sensor housing.

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Figure 2 view with ice maker tray in an upright position.

Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 4 with the ice maker tray in upright

Position;

Fig. 7 is a perspective view similar to Figures 2 and 5 with the

Ice maker tray in emptying position;

FIG. 8 is a view analogous to FIGS. 4 and 6; FIG.

9 is a perspective exploded bottom view of the

Ice-maker tray;

10 is a schematic front view of a second embodiment of the

ice machine; and

11 is a schematic front view of a third embodiment of the

Icemaker.

Fig. 1 shows an automatic ice cube maker according to the present invention in an exploded perspective view. It comprises a tray 1 in the form of a channel with a semi-cylindrical bottom, which is closed at their end sides in each case by transverse walls 2 and divided by uniformly spaced intermediate walls 3 in a plurality of identically shaped compartments 4, here seven pieces, with semi-cylindrical bottom , While the intermediate walls 3 connect flush to the side facing away from the viewer longitudinal wall 5, which is the viewer facing longitudinal wall 6 extends beyond the upper edges of the intermediate walls 3 addition. While the intermediate walls 3 are exactly semicircular, the transverse walls 2 in each case corresponding to the projection of the front longitudinal wall 6 on a sector 7 extending beyond the semicircular shape.

The tray is shown 1 in a tilted position, in which the upper edges of the segments 7 are substantially horizontal, while the intermediate walls 3 to the longitudinal wall 6 are downhill.

The tray 1 may be a plastic molding, preferably, because of the good thermal conductivity, it is designed as a cast aluminum.

On one of the transverse walls 2 of the tray 1, a hollow cylinder 11 is mounted; it serves for the sheltered accommodation of a coiled supply cable 12 which serves for the power supply of a heating device 13 (see FIG. 9) which is not visible in the figure and is attached to the underside of the tray 1. The tray 1 lies completely within an imaginary extension of the lateral surface of the hollow cylinder 11, which also represents the smallest possible cylinder into which the tray fits. An axle journal 14 projecting from the transverse wall 2 facing the viewer extends on the longitudinal central axis of the hollow cylinder 11.

A molded plastic frame is designated 15. It has an upwardly and downwardly open cavity 16 which is provided to mount the tray 1 therein. On the end walls 17, 18 of the cavity 16 bearing bushes 19, 20 are formed for the pivotable mounting of the tray 1. A longitudinal wall of the cavity 16 is formed by a box 21 which is provided to receive a drive motor 22 as well as various electronic components for controlling the operation of the icemaker. On the shaft of the drive motor 22, a pinion 23 is mounted, which can be seen better in Figures 3, 4, 6 and 8 respectively as in Figure 2. When fully assembled icemaker 23 finds the pinion space in a cavity 24 of the end wall 17th It forms there with a gear 25, a reduction gear.

The gear 25 carries a projecting in the axial direction pin 26 which is provided to engage in a vertical slot 27 of a vibrating body 28. Of the Oscillating body 28 is guided horizontally displaceable by means of protruding from the end wall 17 into the cavity 24 pin 29, which engage in a horizontal slot 30 of the oscillating body. A toothing 31 formed on a lower edge of the oscillating body 28 meshes with a toothed wheel 32, which is provided so as to be non-rotatably mounted on the stub axle 14 of the tray 1.

A to be screwed on the open side of the end wall 17 cover plate 33 closes the cavity 24. A mounting flange 34 with laterally beyond the end wall 17 protruding tabs 35 is used for mounting the icemaker in a refrigerator. A bottom plate 36 closes from below the box 21st

Fig. 2 shows, seen from the side of the end wall 18 and the box 21 ago, in a perspective view of the ice maker with the tray 1 in a tilted position. The upper edges of the sectors 7 on the transverse walls 2 of the tray 1 are horizontal.

Fig. 3 shows a frontal view of the ice maker from the side of the end wall 17 ago, with cover plate 33 and mounting flange 34 are omitted to give the view into the cavity 24 of the end wall 17 free. The configuration shown here is the one where the icemaker is assembled. Various markings indicate a correct positioning of individual parts relative to each other. A first pair of markings 37, 38 is located on the end wall 17 itself, or on the gear 26 carrying the pin 26. If these markings 37, 38, as shown in the figure, are exactly aligned with each other, the pin 26 is located in a three o'clock position, that is, on the right-most point of his path, which he can reach. The mounted on the pin 26 and the stationary pin 29 vibrating body 28 is located at the right turning point of its path.

Aligned markings 39, 40 on a protruding beyond the sprocket flange 41 of the gear 32 and on the end wall 17 show a correct orientation of the gear 32 and consequently also with its journal 14 in a cross-sectionally T-shaped recess of the gear 32nd engaging tray 1 on. An inherently redundant pair of markers 42, 43 on the teeth 31 of the pivot body 28 and the gear 32 indicates the correct positioning of the gear 32 and the oscillating body 31 with respect to each other. A sensor 44 for detecting the rotational position of the gear 32 is mounted adjacent thereto. It cooperates with a rib 45 projecting from the edge of the flange 41 on a part of its circumference in the axial direction, so that it can dive into a slot at the rear of the sensor housing. In the tilted position of FIG. 3, the rib 45 is largely hidden by the sensor 44 and the vibrating body 28. FIG. 4 differs from FIG. 3 in that the housing of the sensor 44 is shown partially cut away, so that two light barriers 46, 47 bridging the slot can be seen in its interior. The rib 45 is located just above the two light barriers 46, 47 so that an unillustrated control electronics can recognize from the fact that both light barriers are open, that the tray 1 is in the tilted position and the drive motor 22 can stop to hold the tray 1 in the tilted position and can fill.

After a predetermined amount of water has been metered into the tray 1 under the control of the control circuit, the drive motor 22 is set in motion by the control unit to bring the tray 1 in the upright position in which the amounts of water in the compartments 4 of the tray. 1 neatly separated from each other. This position is shown in FIG. 5 in a perspective view corresponding to FIG. 2 and in FIG. 6 in a front view corresponding to FIG. 4. The gear 25 is further rotated with respect to the position of Fig. 4 in the clockwise direction, but the same position of the tray 1 could also be achieved by a rotation of the gear 25 in the counterclockwise direction. The achievement of the upright position is recognized by the fact that the rib 45 begins to obstruct the lower light barrier 47.

In the upright position, the tray 1 remains standing for a while until the water in the compartments 4 is frozen. The standing time in the upright position can be fixed; Alternatively, the control circuit may also be connected to a temperature sensor to determine a sufficient time at the measured temperature for freezing the water on the basis of a measured temperature in the environment of the tray 1 and a characteristic curve stored in the control circuit.

After elapse of this period of time, the drive motor 22 is restarted in order to move the gearwheel 25 into the position shown in FIG. 8, with the pin 26 in the 9 o'clock position. Position, to turn. The control circuit detects that this position is reached when both light barriers 46, 47 are open again. The rib 45 is now clearly visible in the figure over much of its length.

In this position, the compartments 4 of the tray 1 are open at the bottom, so that the pieces of ice contained therein can fall out. In order to facilitate the dissolution of the ice pieces, the already mentioned electric heater 13 is provided. As can be seen in FIG. 9, this heating device 13 is a looped electric heating rod which extends in close contact with the tray 1 between heat exchanger ribs 49 projecting from its underside and partly in one at the bottom of the tray 1 formed groove 48 is received.

By briefly heating the tray 1 by means of the heater 13, the pieces of ice in the subjects 4 are superficially thawed. The water layer thus produced between the tray 1 and the pieces of ice acts as a sliding film on which the pieces of ice are movable with very little friction. Due to the cylinder segment cross-sectional shape of the compartments 4, the pieces of ice easily slide out of the compartments 4 and fall into a collecting container, not shown, arranged under the icemaker.

After draining the compartments 4, the drive motor is restarted, and the gear 25 is further rotated clockwise until it reaches the position shown in Fig. 2 to 4 again and begins a new cycle of operation of the icemaker.

Fig. 10 shows schematically a modified embodiment of the ice maker in a front view. The ice maker has a frame corresponding to the frame 15 of FIG. 1, of which only two pins 29 are shown in the figure. The tray 1 and mounted on the journal 14 gear 32 are identical to those of Fig. 1. An oscillating body 28 has two horizontal elongated holes 30, which engage the pins 29, so that the oscillating body is guided horizontally displaced.

A driven by a motor 22 directly or via a reduction gear with a constant sense of rotation wheel 25 carries a projecting in the axial direction pin 26, to which one end of a connecting rod 50 is articulated. The other end is hinged to the oscillating body 28. The connecting rod 50 sets the orbital movement of the eccentric pin in an oscillating pivotal movement of the tray 1 from the tilted position on the upright position shown in the emptying position and back to.

In a third embodiment shown in Fig. 11, the vibrating body 28 is replaced by a gear 51 which is rotatably suspended on the frame, not shown, and on the one hand with the attached to the axle portion 14 of the tray gear 32 meshes and on the other hand via a connecting rod 50 to a eccentric pin 26 of the motor-driven wheel 25 is coupled. The distance of a joint 52 between the connecting rod and the axis of the gear 51 is greater than the radius of the path of the pin, so that the gear 51 is driven only by a rotation of the wheel 25 to an oscillating pivotal movement. By a suitably selected gear ratio of the gears 51 and 32, this pivotal movement is converted into the required for the movement of the tray between tilted and emptied position Winkelhub.

Claims

claims

1. Ice maker with a frame (15), in the frame (15) about an axis pivotable tray (1) having a plurality of arranged in a number of rows, by intermediate walls (3) separated from each other compartments (4), and a motor (22) for driving a pivotal movement of the tray (1) about the axis, characterized in that the tray (1) is coupled to the motor via an eccentric mechanism (25, 26, 28; 25, 26, 50).

2. Ice maker according to claim 1, characterized in that the eccentric mechanism (25, 26, 28) comprises a linearly displaceable oscillating body (28) carrying a rack (31) connected to a with the tray (1) connected gear ( 32) combs.

3. Ice maker according to claim 2, characterized in that the oscillating body (28) has a transverse to its direction of displacement rail (27) which is connected to a by the motor (22) on a circular path driven eccentric element (26) is engaged.

4. Ice maker according to claim 3, characterized in that the rail is a slot (27) and the eccentric element in the slot (27) engaging pin (26).

5. Ice maker according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the tray (1) between an upright position in which the upper edges of the intermediate walls (3) extend horizontally, and a discharge position in which the openings of the compartments (4) pointing down, is pivotable.

6. Ice maker according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the tray (1) between an upright position in which the upper edges of the intermediate walls are horizontal, and a tilted position in which the compartments (4) on the upper edges of the intermediate walls ( 3) communicate, is pivotal.

7. Ice maker according to claim 5 or 6, characterized in that the tray (1) occupies one of the two positions when the vibrating body (28) is at a reversal point of its movement.

8. Ice maker according to claim 7, characterized by a sensor (44) for detecting at least the respective other of the two positions of the tray.

9. Ice maker according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the compartments (4) each have the shape of a rotary body segment.

10. Ice maker according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that on one longitudinal side of each row of compartments (4) and at least a part of their transverse sides over the upper edge of the intermediate walls projecting wall (6) is formed.

11. Ice maker according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that an electric heater (13) is attached to the tray.