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The present invention relates to an ice maker for serving whole ice pieces and crushed ice, suitable for cooling devices, and also relates to a cooling device having the said ice maker.
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Depending on the intended use, particularly according to the preparation method of cold beverages, a need for ice in different physical sizes arises. Therefore, the users expect the ice makers or the cooling devices comprising the ice maker to be able to serve both whole ice pieces and crushed ice pieces. The state of the art ice makers comprises an ice receptacle. An ice chamber containing crushing blades is provided on one outer lateral section of the ice receptacle, which is shaped as a rectangular prism. On the opposite outer lateral section of the ice receptacle, an actuator is provided for actuating a conveyor which delivers ice from the ice receptacle to the ice chamber. In the ice chamber, a discharge opening and a discharge valve which opens and closes the discharge opening are provided. When the discharge valve is in the open position, the ice maker serves whole ice pieces to the user. When the discharge valve is in the closed position, the ice pieces in the ice chamber is crushed by the crushing blades and, following the opening of the discharge valve, crushed ice pieces are served. A drive structure is required to open and close the discharge valve. Since the discharge process is performed on the side of the ice receptacle where the ice chamber is positioned, the said side of the ice receptacle is a cramped area. In order to position a valve actuator, which is provided in the drive structure, in this cramped space, the dimensions of the ice chamber would need to be reduced. Reducing the dimensions of the ice chamber undesirably lowers the amount of crushed ice made per unit time. Therefore, the valve actuator is positioned in the vicinity of the conveyor actuator. The drive of the valve actuator is transmitted to the discharge valve by means of various transmission members, which include spring members. The use of transmission members for opening and closing the discharge valve dramatically shortens the economic life of the cooling device. Since a DC motor is most often used for the valve actuator, the drive power is low. In case the valve becomes jammed in the icy environment and moves with difficulty, the valve actuator may be strained and damaged, and the calibration which ensures proper operation of the transmission members may be disrupted.
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The state of the art Korean Patent Application No.
KR101450652B1 relates to an ice crusher in a refrigerator. The ice crusher comprises a casing whereon an outlet port is provided; a screw which is disposed in the casing and which conveys the ice; a blade which is provided at the front end of the screw and which is positioned outside the outlet port; and a plate which is connected to the casing via a hinge so as to adjust the discharge quantity at the outlet port.
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The aim of the present invention is the realization of an ice maker suitable for cooling devices which can serve both whole ice and crushed ice.
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Another aim of the present invention is the realization of an ice maker wherein the ice in the ice receptacle can be transferred to the ice chamber and the opening and closing of the discharge valve can be performed using a single actuator.
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Yet another aim of the present invention is the realization of a cooling device comprising an embodiment of the ice maker described in this application.
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The ice maker which is suitable for cooling devices of the present invention and which can serve both whole ice pieces and crushed ice pieces, comprises an ice receptacle for storing whole ice pieces; an ice chamber; a helix having a bearing shaft for transferring the whole ice pieces in the ice receptacle to the ice chamber through a transfer opening by rotating in a first direction; a rotary actuator for transmitting a rotational motion to the bearing shaft; a discharge opening for discharging the ice pieces from the ice chamber; a discharge valve which, in an open position, opens the discharge opening so as to enable at least one whole ice piece to pass, and in a closed position, which closes the discharge opening; and at least one ice crushing blade which is provided in the ice chamber, which can rotate together with the bearing shaft to which the ice crushing blade is attached, and which is configured to rotate to convert the whole ice pieces in the ice chamber into crushed ice pieces when the discharge valve is in the closed position.
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The ice maker of the present invention further comprises a drive opening which is provided on a wall of the ice chamber; a drive extension which extends from the discharge valve to pass through the drive opening; at least one drive cam which is connected to the bearing shaft by means of a unidirection locking mechanism so as to allow rotational movement in a second direction and which drives the drive extension with one of its surfaces when rotated; and a push-to-open mechanism which is connected to the discharge valve so as to keep the discharge valve in the open position upon one actuation of drive extension by the drive cam and keep the discharge valve in the closed position upon the next actuation.
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By means of the ice maker of the present invention, whole ice pieces and crushed ice pieces can be served as per preference. In the embodiments of the present invention, when the bearing shaft is rotated in the first direction by the rotary actuator, the helix connected to the bearing shaft moves the whole ice pieces toward the transfer opening. The ice receptacle is connected to the ice chamber by means of the transfer opening. Thus, the whole ice pieces moved to the transfer opening are received into the ice chamber through the transfer opening. If the discharge valve is in the open position, the whole ice pieces received into the ice chamber pass directly through the discharge opening. In this case, the whole ice pieces do not come into contact with the ice crushing blades, and the ice maker provides whole ice piece service. If the discharge valve is in the open position, the whole ice pieces begin to accumulate in the ice chamber since the whole ice pieces taken into the ice chamber are not discharged through the discharge opening. In this case, the ice crushing blades crush the whole ice pieces in the ice chamber to form crushed ice pieces. Then, the discharge valve is brought to the open position such that the crushed ice pieces are discharged through the discharge opening. Thus, the ice maker provides crushed ice piece service.
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The open and closed positions of the discharge valve can be determined by each actuation of the drive extension by the drive cam during the rotation of the bearing shaft in the second direction. When the bearing shaft is rotated in the second direction by the rotary actuator, the rotational motion of the bearing shaft is transmitted to the drive cam by means of the unidirection locking mechanism. One surface of the drive cam drives the drive extension so as to change the position of the discharge valve. Here, changing position means that the discharge valve shifts from the open position to the closed position, or from the closed position to the open position. Thus, each actuation of the drive extension determines the open position and the closed position of the discharge valve, respectively. By means of the embodiments of the present invention, the ice pieces can be transferred from the ice receptacle to the ice chamber (by means of the rotation of the bearing shaft in the first direction) and the open position and the closed position of the discharge valve can be determined (by means of the rotation of the bearing shaft in the second direction) by means of a single actuator. Eliminating the need for using a separate actuator to determine the open position and the closed position of the discharge valve significantly reduces the production cost of the ice maker.
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In an embodiment of the present invention, the ice maker comprises the discharge valve which is substantially in the form of an L, which is rotatably connected at the upper end thereof to the ice chamber, which covers the discharge opening with the base flat section thereof when in the closed position, and which performs a rotary motion when the drive extension is actuated by the drive cam. The L-shaped discharge valve performs a swinging motion from the upper end thereof, which is connected to the ice chamber, so as to reach the open position or the closed position. The displacement distance required for the discharge valve to switch between the open and closed positions is limited by the dimensions of the ice chamber, particularly by the width of the ice chamber. During the swinging motion of the L-shaped discharge valve while the base flat section thereof shifts to the open position, the base flat section moves radially along both vertical and horizontal axes. Thus, the horizontal-axis movement of the discharge valve limited by the width of the ice chamber is utilized more efficiently compared to a discharge valve which can only move along the horizontal axis. As a result, a discharge opening with a greater width, which can be closed by the discharge valve in the closed position, can be provided in the ice chamber. In a variation of this embodiment of the present invention, the ice maker comprises the discharge valve which is connected to the push-to-open mechanism by means of a surface of the discharge valve which does not face the discharge opening so as to compensate for radial displacement. Thus, the connection between the push-to-open mechanism and the discharge valve is maintained uninterruptedly, even for the discharge valve which makes wide-angle swinging motion during the shift between the closed position and the open position.
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In an embodiment of the present invention, the connection between the push-to-open mechanism and the discharge valve is provided by a magnetic member. By means of the magnetic member, the connection in the vertical direction between the push-to-open mechanism and the discharge valve is provided so as to move in the vertical axis, while the connection in the horizontal direction is maintained in a constant and uninterrupted manner. Thus, an uninterrupted connection is achieved between the stationary push-to-open mechanism, which moves only in the horizontal direction, and the discharge valve which makes a swinging motion.
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In an embodiment of the present invention, the unidirection locking mechanism comprises a gear which is coaxially connected to the bearing shaft; a latch which is rotatably connected to the drive cam so as to transmit the rotational drive from the gear to the drive cam; and a flexible member which applies a force to the latch so as to engage the latch with the teeth of the gear when the gear rotates in the second direction such that the rotational motion of the gear is transferred to the drive cam.
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In an embodiment of the present invention, the ice maker comprises a position sensor for determining the open position or the closed position of the discharge valve. The discharge valve has two different positions: an open position and a closed position. Thus, by means of a position sensor which can detect the position of the discharge valve, it becomes possible to determine the position of the discharge valve. For example, if a suitable position sensor for detecting the open position of the discharge valve fails to detect the discharge valve in the open position, it is determined that the discharge valve is in the closed position. If the position sensor detects that the discharge valve is in the open position, it is understood that the ice maker is ready for serving whole ice pieces. If the position sensor detects that the discharge valve is in the closed position, it is understood that the ice maker is ready for serving crushed ice pieces. Thus, based on the user's desire to receive whole ice pieces or crushed ice pieces, it is determined whether the drive extension needs to be actuated. In a variation of this embodiment, the position sensor is in the form of a push switch which is triggered when pressed by a surface of the discharge valve while the discharge valve is in the open position or the closed position. The push switch offers a low-cost solution for the position sensor, which operates reliably at low temperatures. In a variation of the present invention, the ice maker comprises an interface for displaying whether the discharge valve is in the designated open position or closed position. By means of the user interface, the user can see whether the ice maker is ready to serve whole ice pieces or crushed ice pieces. Based on the service need, the user may choose to initiate whole ice piece service (by bringing the discharge valve to the open position) or crushed ice piece service (by bringing the discharge valve to the closed position).
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In an embodiment of the present invention, a cooling device is realized, comprising an embodiment of the ice maker described in this application.
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The ice maker realized in order to attain the aim of the present invention is illustrated in the attached figures, where:
- Figure 1 - is the perspective view of an ice maker of the present invention.
- Figure 2 - is the perspective view of an ice maker of the present invention, showing the ice chamber and the helix having the bearing shaft.
- Figure 3 - is the front view of an ice chamber showing the unidirection locking mechanism and the drive cam, where the drive cam is in a position which does not actuate the drive extension.
- Figure 4 - is the rear view of an ice chamber showing the section where the ice chamber is connected to the ice receptacle and where the discharge valve is in the closed position.
- Figure 5 - is the front view of an ice chamber showing the unidirection locking mechanism and the drive cam, where the drive cam is in a position which actuates the drive extension.
- Figure 6 - is the rear view of an ice chamber showing the section where the ice chamber is connected to the ice receptacle and where the discharge valve is in the open position.
- Figure 7 - is the view of the unidirection locking mechanism and the drive cam, showing the gear and latch in the engaged state during the rotation of the bearing shaft in the second direction.
- Figure 8 - is the view of the unidirection locking mechanism and the drive cam, showing the gear and latch in the disengaged state during the rotation of the bearing shaft in the first direction.
- Figure 9 - is the perspective view of an ice maker with a sectional view of the ice chamber, where the discharge valve is in the closed position.
- Figure 10 - is the perspective view of an ice maker with a sectional view of the ice chamber, where the discharge valve is in the open position.
- Figure 11 - is the perspective view of a cooling device comprising the ice maker in an embodiment of the present invention.
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The elements illustrated in the figures are numbered as follows:
- 1.
- Ice maker
- 2.
- Ice receptacle
2.1. Transfer opening
2.2. Helix
2.3. Bearing shaft - 3.
- Ice chamber
3.1. Discharge opening
3.2. Discharge valve
3.2.1. Drive extension
3.2.2. Upper end
3.2.3. Base flat section
3.3. Ice crushing blade
3.4. Drive opening - 4.
- Rotary actuator
- 5.
- Unidirection locking mechanism
5.1. Gear
5.2. Latch
5.3. Flexible member - 6.
- Drive cam
- 7.
- Push-to-open mechanism
- 8.
- Magnetic member
- 9.
- Push switch
- S.
- Cooling device
- B.
- Ice piece
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The ice maker (1) which is suitable for cooling devices (S) of the present invention and which can discharge both whole ice pieces (B) and crushed ice pieces (B), comprises an ice receptacle (2) for storing whole ice pieces (B); an ice chamber (3); a helix (2.2) having a bearing shaft (2.3) for transferring the whole ice pieces (B) in the ice receptacle (2) to the ice chamber (3) through a transfer opening (2.1) by rotating in a first direction; a rotary actuator (4) for transmitting a rotational motion to the bearing shaft (2.3); a discharge opening (3.1) for discharging the ice pieces (B) from the ice chamber (3); a discharge valve (3.2) which, in an open position, opens the discharge opening (3.1) so as to enable at least one whole ice piece (B) to pass, and in a closed position, which closes the discharge opening (3.1); and at least one ice crushing blade (3.3) which is provided in the ice chamber (3), which can rotate together with the bearing shaft (2.3) to which the ice crushing blade (3.3) is attached, and which is configured to rotate to convert the whole ice pieces (B) in the ice chamber (3) into crushed ice pieces (B) when the discharge valve (3.2) is in the closed position.
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The ice maker (1) of the present invention further comprises a drive opening (3.4) which is provided on a wall of the ice chamber (3); a drive extension (3.2.1) which extends from the discharge valve (3.2) to pass through the drive opening (3.4); at least one drive cam (6) which is connected to the bearing shaft (2.3) by means of a unidirection locking mechanism (5) so as to allow rotational movement in a second direction and which drives the drive extension (3.2.1) with one of its surfaces when rotated; and a push-to-open mechanism (7) which is connected to the discharge valve (3.2) so as to keep the discharge valve (3.2) in the open position upon one actuation of drive extension (3.2.1) by the drive cam (6) and keep the discharge valve (3.2) in the closed position upon the next actuation.
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By means of the ice maker (1) of the present invention, whole ice pieces (B) and crushed ice pieces (B) can be served as per preference. The ice receptacle (2) has a physical structure suitable for storing the formed whole ice pieces (B). The ice receptacle (2) is preferably in the form of a rectangular prism (see Figure 1). The ice chamber (3) is preferably positioned on an outer side wall of the ice receptacle (2). On the wall of the ice receptacle (2) to which the ice chamber (3) is connected, a transfer opening (2.1) is provided, which allows the whole ice pieces (B) to pass into the ice chamber (3). The helix (2.2) is positioned in the ice receptacle (2), preferably on an inner base. The helix (2.2) is connected at the center thereof to the bearing shaft (2.3). When rotated in the first direction, the helix (2.2) acts as a conveyor together with the bearing shaft (2.3) for delivering the whole ice pieces (B) toward the transfer opening (2.1). On an outer section of the wall of the ice receptacle (2) opposite to the wall where the ice chamber (3) is positioned, the rotary actuator (4) is provided to transfer the rotational motion to the bearing shaft (2.3). The rotary actuator (4) may be a DC or an AC rotary motor. The rotary actuator (4) is connected to the bearing shaft (2.3) so as to transfer the rotational motion. The rotational motion of the bearing shaft (2.3) in the first direction enables the helix (2.2) to carry the whole ice pieces (B) in the ice receptacle (2) toward the transfer opening (2.1). In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the first direction is counterclockwise when looking at the ice maker (1) from the side where the ice chamber (3) is positioned (see Figures 2, 3, 5, 7, and 8). Preferably, at a lower section of the ice chamber (3), the discharge opening (3.1) is provided for discharging the ice pieces (B) in the ice chamber (3). The discharge opening (3.1) is dimensioned so as to enable at least one whole ice piece (B) to be discharged. The discharge valve (3.2) is positioned at the discharge opening (3.1). When in the open position, the discharge valve (3.2) opens the discharge opening (3.1) so as to allow the passage of at least one whole ice piece (B). When in the closed position, the discharge valve (3.2) closes the discharge opening (3.1) so as to at least prevent the passage of crushed ice pieces (B). The ice crushing blade (3.3) is positioned in the ice chamber (3). The bearing shaft (2.3) passes through the side wall of the ice receptacle (2) whereon the ice chamber (3) is provided and extends into the ice chamber (3). The ice crushing blade (3.3) is connected to the bearing shaft (2.3). By means of the rotational motion of the bearing shaft (2.3), the ice crushing blade (3.3) makes rotational motion in the ice chamber (3). The drive opening (3.4) is provided on a wall of the ice chamber (3). The drive extension (3.2.1) extends through the drive opening (3.4) toward the outside of the ice chamber (3). The drive extension (3.2.1) is an extension which is connected to the discharge valve (3.2), preferably an integral part thereof. Thus, any motion or force transferred to the drive extension (3.2.1) is directly transmitted to the discharge valve (3.2). The drive extension (3.2.1) extends from the discharge valve (3.2) so as to pass through the drive opening (3.4). The dimensions of the drive opening (3.4) must be large enough to enable the drive extension (3.2.1) to move in the drive opening (3.4) during the shift between the open position and the closed position of the discharge valve (3.2) (see Figures 3 and 5). The bearing shaft (2.3) also extends so as to pass through the inside of the ice chamber (3) and through one outer wall of the ice chamber (3). The end of the bearing shaft (2.3) which extends so as to pass through the outer wall of the ice chamber (3) is connected to the unidirection locking mechanism (5). The unidirection locking mechanism (5) is also connected to the drive cam (6) which is positioned on an outer side of the ice chamber (3). The unidirection locking mechanism (5) operates in a single direction so as to transfer the rotational motion of the bearing shaft (2.3) in the second direction to the drive cam (6) and so as not to transfer the rotational motion thereof in the first direction to the drive cam (6). In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the second direction is clockwise when looking at the ice maker (1) from the side where the ice chamber (3) is positioned. When the bearing shaft (2.3) is rotated in the second direction by means of the rotary actuator (4), the rotational motion of the bearing shaft (2.3) is transferred to the drive cam (6) by means of the unidirection locking mechanism (5). At a moment during the rotation of the drive cam (6) in the second direction, one surface of the drive cam (6) comes into contact with the drive extension (3.2.1) and drives the drive extension (3.2.1). In an embodiment of the present invention, the drive extension (3.2.1) is actuated as the surface of the drive cam (6) applies a force to the drive extension (3.2.1) so as to push the drive extension (3.2.1). After the surface of the drive cam (6) contacts the drive extension (3.2.1) and actuates the drive extension (3.2.1), the contact between the said surface and the drive extension (3.2.1) is lost (in other words, the surface disengages from the drive extension (3.2.1)), and the drive cam (6) continues its rotational motion in the second direction. The discharge valve (3.2) is connected to the push-to-open mechanism (7). The push-to-open mechanism (7) is fixed at one end to the ice chamber (3) and movably connected at the other end to the discharge valve (3.2). When the drive extension (3.2.1) is actuated by means of the drive cam (6), the discharge valve (3.2) moves so as to compress the push-to-open mechanism (7). In each compression state of the push-to-open mechanism (7), the push-to-open mechanism (7) shifts between a long position and a short position. The long position or the short position of the push-to-open mechanism (7) determines whether the discharge valve (3.2) remains in the open position or in the closed position. In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, when the push-to-open mechanism (7) is in the long position, the discharge valve (3.2) is kept in the open position (see Figures 4 and 9). When the push-to-open mechanism (7) is in the short position, the discharge valve (3.2) is kept in the closed position (see Figures 6 and 10).
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In the embodiments of the present invention, if whole ice piece (B) service is desired from the ice maker (1), the discharge valve (3.2) must be in the open position. If the discharge valve (3.2) is currently in the closed position, the rotary actuator (4) rotates the bearing shaft (2.3) in the second direction. The information that the discharge valve (3.2) is currently in the closed position may be determined by a position sensor. The unidirection locking mechanism (5) transfers the motion of the bearing shaft (2.3) to the drive cam (6). As the drive cam (6) rotates, the drive extension (3.2.1) is actuated, and the discharge valve (3.2) is brought to the open position. The open position of the discharge valve (3.2) is maintained by the push-to-open mechanism (7) connected to the same. Afterwards, the rotary actuator (4) rotates the bearing shaft (2.3) in the first direction. The helix (2.2) which rotates together with the bearing shaft (2.3) moves the whole ice pieces (B) stored in the ice receptacle (2) toward the transfer opening (2.1). The whole ice pieces (B) which pass through the transfer opening (2.1) to reach the ice chamber (3) fall through the discharge opening (3.1) such that whole ice pieces (B) are served. Since the discharge valve (3.2) is in the open position in this case, the whole ice pieces (B) fall directly through the discharge opening (3.1), and the ice crushing blades (3.3) cannot reach the whole ice pieces (B) or crush the whole ice pieces (B).
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In the embodiments of the present invention, if crushed ice piece (B) service is desired from the ice maker (1), the discharge valve (3.2) must first be in the closed position. If the discharge valve (3.2) is currently in the open position, the rotary actuator (4) rotates the bearing shaft (2.3) in the second direction. The information that the discharge valve (3.2) is currently in the open position may be determined by the position sensor. The unidirection locking mechanism (5) transfers the motion of the bearing shaft (2.3) to the drive cam (6). While rotating, the drive cam (6) actuates the drive extension (3.2.1) so as to bring the discharge valve (3.2) to the closed position. The closed position of the discharge valve (3.2) is maintained by the push-to-open mechanism (7) connected to the same. Afterwards, the rotary actuator (4) rotates the bearing shaft (2.3) in the first direction. The helix (2.2) which rotates together with the bearing shaft (2.3) moves the whole ice pieces (B) stored in the ice receptacle (2) toward the transfer opening (2.1). The whole ice pieces (B) which pass through the transfer opening (2.1) to reach the ice chamber (3) begin to accumulate in the ice chamber (3). Meanwhile, the ice crushing blades (3.3) connected to the bearing shaft (2.3) rotate and begin to crush the whole ice pieces (B) in the ice chamber (3). After the whole ice pieces (B) are converted into crushed ice pieces (B), for example, after a selected duration, the rotary actuator (4) rotates the bearing shaft (2.3) in the second direction. The unidirection locking mechanism (5) transfers the motion of the bearing shaft (2.3) to the drive cam (6). While rotating, the drive cam (6) actuates the drive extension (3.2.1) so as to bring the discharge valve (3.2) to the open position. When the discharge valve (3.2) reaches the open position, the crushed ice pieces (B) fall through the discharge opening (3.1) such that crushed ice pieces (B) are served. The open position of the discharge valve (3.2) is maintained by the push-to-open mechanism (7) connected to the same. If the crushed ice piece (B) service is desired to be continued, the process is repeated.
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The push-to-open mechanism (7) (also known as push-in pop-out, push latch, or push-to-open latch mechanisms) is a well-known mechanism in the art, used for a long time especially in the furniture industry, and is capable of extending and retracting by push actions. In an exemplary embodiment, the push-to-open mechanism (7) comprises a body, a spring-loaded piston at least a portion which can move linearly in the body, a catch tongue provided in the body, and a catch housing. The state wherein the spring-loaded piston is mostly in the body corresponds to the short position of the push-to-open mechanism (7).
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The state wherein the spring-loaded piston is mostly outside the body corresponds to the long position of the push-to-open mechanism (7). When a force is applied to the spring-loaded piston in the short position so as to push the piston into the body, the catch tongue disengages from the catch housing and the spring moves the piston outward. Thus, the push-to-open mechanism (7) in the short position switches to the long position. When a force is applied to the spring-loaded piston of the push-to-open mechanism (7) in the long position so as to move the piston into the body at a distance sufficient for the catch tongue to engage with the catch housing, the catch tongue settles into the catch housing. The spring-loaded piston is positioned such that a large portion thereof remains in the body. Thus, the push-to-open mechanism (7) in the long position switches to the short position.
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In an embodiment of the present invention, the ice maker (1) comprises the discharge valve (3.2) which is substantially in the form of an L, which is rotatably connected at the upper end (3.2.2) thereof to the ice chamber (3), which covers the discharge opening (3.1) with the base flat section (3.2.3) thereof when in the closed position, and which performs a rotary motion when the drive extension (3.2.1) is actuated by the drive cam (6). In a variation of this embodiment of the present invention, the ice maker (1) comprises the discharge valve (3.2) which is connected to the push-to-open mechanism (7) by means of a surface which does not face the discharge opening (3.1) so as to compensate for radial displacement (see Figures 4 and 6). In the embodiments of the present invention, the connection between the discharge valve (3.2) and the push-to-open mechanism (7) can be realized by means of various types of connection members so as to compensate for radial-axis displacement. Examples of such connection members include self-aligning bearings, slotted connections, and flexible connection members. In a preferred variation of this embodiment, the discharge valve (3.2) is connected to the push-to-open mechanism (7) by means a magnetic member (8). In this embodiment, the connected end of the push-to-open mechanism (7) and/or the connected surface of the discharge valve (3.2) comprises a magnet. Alternatively, a ferromagnetic material may be provided at the connected end of the push-to-open mechanism (7) or the connected surface of the discharge valve (3.2).
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In an embodiment of the present invention, the unidirection locking mechanism (5) comprises a gear (5.1) which is coaxially connected to the bearing shaft (2.3); a latch (5.2) which is rotatably connected to the drive cam (6) so as to transmit the rotational drive from the gear (5.1) to the drive cam (6); and a flexible member (5.3) which applies a force to the latch (5.2) so as to engage the latch (5.2) with the teeth of the gear (5.1) when the gear (5.1) rotates in the second direction such that the rotational motion of the gear (5.1) is transferred to the drive cam (6). The flexible member (5.3) may be in the form of a spring. The unidirection locking mechanism (5) in this embodiment operates similarly to a ratchet wheel and pawl mechanism. The latch (5.2) allows the gear (5.1) to rotate freely in the first direction, while applying a force against the rotation of the gear (5.1) in the second direction. This opposing force is transferred to the drive cam (6) so as to enable the drive cam (6) to rotate only during the rotation of the bearing shaft (2.3), and hence the gear (5.1), in the second direction. The flexible member (5.3) pushes the latch (5.2), which is rotatably connected to the drive cam (6), toward the gear (5.1) substantially in a perpendicular direction. During the rotational motion of the gear (5.1) in the first direction, the contact between the latch (5.2) and the gear (5.1) is maintained by means of the flexible member (5.3), but no force is transferred to the latch (5.2) (see Figure 8). During the rotational motion of the gear (5.1) in the second direction, the teeth of the gear (5.1) engage with the latch (5.2), and the rotational force in the gear (5.1) is transferred to the latch (5.2), and from the latch (5.2) to the drive cam (6) (see Figure 7).
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In an embodiment of the present invention, the ice maker (1) comprises a position sensor for determining the open position or the closed position of the discharge valve (3.2). The position sensor may be an optical, magnetic, or mechanical presence-detecting sensor. In a variation of this embodiment, the position sensor is in the form of a push switch (9), which is triggered by being pressed by a surface of the discharge valve (3.2) when the discharge valve (3.2) is in the open position or the closed position.
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In an embodiment of the present invention, the ice maker (1) comprises an interface for displaying the designated open position or closed position of the discharge valve (3.2). The interface may be provided particularly on the door section of a cooling device (S) comprising an ice maker (1).
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In an embodiment of the present invention, a cooling device (S) is realized, comprising an embodiment of the ice maker (1) described in this application.