JP2000274897A - Automatic icemaking apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To stop and hold an icemaking tray at an origin position without locking a gear by constituting to hold a switch operated by a switch operating cam on a cam gear for rotating the tray in a section for maintaining an OFF signal when the tray is disposed at the origin position becoming horizontal. SOLUTION: In a driver for rotating a cam gear for rotating an icemaking tray by a drive gear engaged with the cam gear to rotate the tray and releasing an ice at an ice releasing position, a switch operating cam 121a is formed on a lower surface of the cam gear, and a switch 119 is closed by the cam 121a through a switch lever 120. A protrusion for changing an output signal of the switch 119 from an ON signal to an OFF signal, maintaining the Off signal and again changing to the ON signal is formed at the cam 121a. When the tray is disposed at an origin position becoming horizontal, the switch 119 is operated and held in a section for maintaining the OFF signal of the protrusion by the protrusion.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention is provided in a refrigerator,
The present invention relates to an automatic ice making device that can automatically generate ice.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, as an automatic ice making device for refrigerators, in order to achieve miniaturization and cost reduction, detection of the origin position and ice separation position of an ice making tray and detection of excess and deficiency of ice are performed with a single switch. A driving unit for performing the operation is employed.

[0003] A conventional automatic ice making device is disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 6-2.
No. 49556 and JP-A-6-78770.

Hereinafter, the conventional automatic ice making apparatus will be described with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 22 is an overall side view of a conventional automatic ice maker, and FIG. 23 is an enlarged cutaway plan view of a driving portion of the ice tray.

In FIG. 22, 1 is a driving unit for rotating the ice tray 2, 3 is an ice detecting lever that rotates in conjunction with the rotation of the ice tray 2, and 4 is a unit that holds the driving unit 1 and the ice tray 2. Frame
It is. Reference numeral 5 denotes a blocking unit that blocks the rotation of the ice tray 2 to impart a twist.

In FIG. 23, reference numeral 6 denotes a motor as a power source, 7 denotes a group of reduction gears, and a cam gear 8 having a drive shaft for rotating the ice tray 2 is arranged at the last stage.

When the cam gear 8 reverses by 1 ° from the home position, it comes into contact with the outer case 1a of the drive unit 1 and locks and stops.

Reference numeral 9 denotes an ice detecting shaft to which an ice detecting lever is attached, and rotates the ice detecting lever 3 and the detecting member 10 in conjunction with the rotation of the cam gear 8.

Reference numeral 11 denotes a regulating member for preventing the rotation of the detecting member 10 only in the process in which the cam gear 8 reverses and the ice tray 2 returns.

The switch signal is generated when the ice tray 2 has reached the origin position and the ice separation position, and when the rotation of the detecting member 10 is stopped.

An ice storage box 12 is provided below the ice tray 2 and stores ice separated from the ice tray 2.

The operation of the conventional automatic ice making apparatus configured as described above will be described below.

First, when ice is generated in the ice tray 2, the ice
When the power to the heater 6 is started, the cam gear 8 rotates forward, and the ice tray 2 rotates toward the ice release position. At this time, when there is no ice to a predetermined height in the ice storage box 12, the ice detecting shaft 9 rotates and the ice detecting lever-3 and the detecting member 10 rotate, so that no switch signal is generated and it is determined that the ice is insufficient. Then, the ice tray 2 rotates to the ice release position.

When the ice tray 2 reaches the ice release position, a switch signal is generated, and the motor 6 stops temporarily. Thereafter, the ice tray 2 starts to return toward the origin. In the process of the return, the regulating member 11 prevents the rotation of the detecting member 10, so that a switch signal is generated. The switch signal becomes a reference signal for detecting the origin position, and after the switch signal, when the cam gear 8 further reverses for a predetermined time, a switch signal indicating the origin position is generated.

After the switch signal of the origin position is generated, the cam gear 8 is further rotated backward by 1 °, locked and stopped.
° Forward rotation stops at the home position.

On the other hand, when there is ice above a predetermined height in the ice storage box 12, even if the ice detecting shaft 9 tries to rotate, the ice detecting lever-3 hits the ice and is prevented from rotating. 1
0 does not rotate, a switch signal is generated and it is determined that ice is sufficient, and the ice tray 2 starts to return toward the origin position. Then, after the origin signal is generated, the cam gear is reversely rotated by 1 ° until it is locked, and then rotated forward by 1 ° and stopped, thereby stopping at the origin position.

[0018]

However, in the above-mentioned conventional automatic ice making apparatus, when the ice tray 2 is returned to the home position, the cam gear 8 is locked and mechanically stopped. A resistor for limiting the motor current is interposed to minimize the voltage. This is not a proper use method for the motor 6 and has a disadvantage that the durability is deteriorated.

An object of the present invention is to provide an inexpensive automatic ice maker with a highly durable and simple structure capable of stopping an ice tray at an origin position without locking gears. With the goal.

[0020]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In order to achieve this object, the present invention provides a switch operating cam provided on a cam gear for rotating an ice tray, and a switch operated by the switch operating cam to output a signal. The switch operation cam is provided with a convex portion that changes the output signal of the switch from an ON signal to an OFF signal, maintains the OFF signal, and changes the signal again to an ON signal, and an origin position where the ice tray becomes horizontal. , The switch is operated and held within a section in which the off signal of the projection is maintained.

This makes it possible to differentiate the signal from the switch to the origin position to be generated from the other position signals, so that the ice tray can be stopped at the origin position without locking the cam gear at the origin position. Can be.

[0022]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION The present invention incorporates an ice tray for producing ice, a cam gear for rotating the ice tray, and a drive gear for driving the cam gear. A drive unit for releasing ice, an ice storage box located below the ice tray for storing ice removed from the ice tray, and a control unit for controlling the drive unit; Is a switch operation cam provided on the cam gear,
A switch that is operated by the switch operation cam and outputs a signal. The switch operation cam changes the output signal of the switch from an ON signal to an OFF signal, maintains the OFF signal, and changes the output signal to an ON signal again. Protrusion is provided, and when the ice tray is at the origin position where the ice tray is horizontal, the switch is operated and held within a section for maintaining the off signal of the protrusion,
When the cam gear rotates the ice tray to the ice releasing position and then returns the ice tray from the ice releasing position to the origin position, the convex portion operates the switch to output a signal in the order of on / off / on. When this occurs, the rotation of the cam gear is stopped, and then the cam gear is rotated in the reverse direction to generate an off signal from the switch at the projection, and after a lapse of a predetermined time from the generation of the off signal, The cam gear is stopped.

In the above arrangement, when the ice tray is returned from the ice-removing position to the origin position, the output signal from the switch is turned on, then turned off, and when the switch is kept off, the switch is turned on. It is assumed that the ice tray is operated by the convex portion of the operation cam and reaches the vicinity of the origin position.

However, in this section, since the control unit cannot specify the origin position, the rotation of the cam gear is further continued, and when the output signal of the detection switch is turned on again, the “on / off / From the signal sequence of "ON", it is determined that the section in which the origin position exists has passed, and the rotation of the cam gear is stopped. Next, the control unit rotates the cam gear in the reverse direction to generate an off signal from the switch, and continuously rotates the cam gear for a predetermined time that allows the ice tray to reach the origin position based on the off signal. To stop.
This allows the ice tray to reach the origin position.

[0025]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of an automatic ice making device according to the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. The same components as those in the related art are denoted by the same reference numerals, and detailed description is omitted.

In FIG. 1 to FIG. 18, reference numeral 110 denotes a drive unit, which includes a motor 111, a worm gear 112 for reducing the rotation of the motor 111, a worm wheel gear 113,
The drive gear 114 and the cam gear 115 are arranged.

The driving gear 114 has a low tooth 11 having a shape in which one regular tooth 114a and the other tooth are cut out at a pitch circle length in the region of the tooth meshing with the cam gear 115.
4b and a regular gear region 114d composed of complete gears are provided adjacent to each other in the axial direction.

The cam gear 115 includes a toothless portion 115a that does not mesh with the regular gear region 114d of the drive gear 114 when the cam gear 115 is at the home position, a concave portion 115b on which the tips of a plurality of low teeth 114b slide, and a complete gear. A gear 115c is provided. The toothless portion 115a and the concave surface portion 115b are provided side by side in the axial direction, and a complete gear portion 1 is provided on the left and right in the circumferential direction.
15c. The width of the concave portion 115b is shorter than the tooth width of the complete gear portion 115c.

When the plurality of low teeth 114b and the concave portion 115b face each other, power is not transmitted because the outer circumferences only come into sliding contact with each other. Then, power is transmitted from the time when the regular tooth 114a comes into contact with the side surface of the concave portion 115b,
Regular gear area 114d of drive gear 114 and cam gear 11
5 complete gears 115c mesh.

Reference numeral 116 denotes a rotating shaft, which comprises a mounting portion 116a located outside the driving portion 110, a driven portion 116b positioned inside the driving portion 110, and a driven projection 116c displaced in conjunction with the driven portion 116b. . Mounting part 116
The ice detection lever-3 is attached to a.

Reference numeral 117 denotes a rotation allowing cam for rotating the rotation shaft 116, which is provided on the cam gear 115. The rotatable cam 117 comprises a convex portion 117a and a concave portion 117b. When the driven portion 116b of the rotary shaft 116 is in contact with the convex portion 117a, the ice detecting lever-3 stops above the ice storage box 12. When the driven portion 116b enters the recess 117b, the driven portion 116b can rotate by a predetermined angle. At this time, the ice detecting lever 3 enters the inside of the ice storage box 12.

However, when ice is present in the ice storage box 12 at a predetermined height or more, the ice detection lever 3 hits the ice and is prevented from entering, so that the rotation of the rotation shaft 116 is prevented.

Then, the driven portion 116b is again moved to the convex portion 117.
a, the rotating shaft 116 is rotated in a direction for retracting the ice detecting lever 3 from the ice storage box 12.

Reference numeral 118 denotes a switch unit.
9 and a switch lever 120. Switch lever-1
Reference numeral 20 denotes a shaft portion 120a, a spring holding portion 120b, a first protrusion 120c, a second protrusion 120d, and a third protrusion 120e.
Consists of

The shaft portion 120a is held by a bearing 110b provided on an outer case 110a of the driving portion 110, the first projection 120c is arranged at a position facing the button 119a of the switch 119, and the second projection 120d is It is arranged at a position in contact with a switch operation cam 121 described later,
The protrusion 120e is disposed at a position where the protrusion 120e contacts the driven protrusion 116c when the rotation shaft 116 rotates by a predetermined angle or more.

The switch operation cam 121 is a cam gear 115
It is provided on the upper side and includes a convex portion 121a and a concave portion 121b. The switch operating cam 121 has a switch lever-1.
The 20 second protrusions 120d come into contact with each other.

One end of the switch 122 is held by the spring holding rod 110c of the outer case 110a, and the other end of the switch lever 12 is connected to the switch lever 12.
The first projection 120c of the switch lever 120 is a spring held by the spring holding portion 120b of the switch 11.
The button 119a of No. 9 is urged in a direction in which the button 119a is fully pushed.

The second projection 120d is the switch operating cam 1
When the first protrusion 120c is in contact with the protrusion 121a of the switch 21, the first protrusion 120c is separated from the button 119a of the switch 119, and the second protrusion 120d is
When touching the button 1b, the first protrusion 120c pushes the button 119a of the switch 119 completely.

When the driven portion 116b of the rotation shaft 116 reaches the concave portion 117b of the rotation permitting cam 117 and the rotation shaft 116 rotates by a predetermined angle or more, the second projection 120d becomes the convex of the switch operation cam 121. Since the driven protrusion 116c presses the third protrusion 120e of the switch lever 120 before the contact with the concave portion 121b is changed from the contact with the portion 121a, the first protrusion 120c is pressed by the button 11 of the switch 119.
9a cannot be pushed out.

A spring 123 has one end held by the spring holding portion 116d of the rotating shaft 116 and the other end held by the spring holding rod 110d of the outer case 110a.
Is always urged in the direction of pressing against the rotation-allowing cam 117.

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

First, the operation when there is no ice up to a predetermined height of the ice storage box 12 (lack of ice) (see FIG. 19) will be described.

When the completion of the ice making is detected, the power supply to the motor 111 is started, the motor 111 rotates forward, and the driving gear 11
4 rotates (step 1). However, at the origin position, as shown in FIG. 2 and FIG.
5b are facing each other and are only in sliding contact on the outer periphery,
The rotation of the drive gear 114 is not transmitted to the cam gear 115.

At this time, the second projection 120d of the switch lever 120 is connected to the switch operation cam 1 as shown in FIG.
Since the first protrusion 120c is away from the button 119a of the switch 119 because the first protrusion 120c is in contact with the top of the protrusion 121a of the switch 21, the switch signal is Hi.

On the other hand, the control unit starts counting the time during which the switch signal outputs the Hi signal starting from the motor rotation start time (step 2).

When the drive gear 114 rotates by a predetermined angle and the regular teeth 114a in the special gear region 114c mesh with the side surface of the concave portion 115b, the rotation is transmitted to the cam gear 115, and the cam gear 115 Rolling is started, and the ice tray 2 starts to rotate in the ice releasing direction in conjunction with the forward rotation of the cam gear 115.

When the cam gear 115 rotates by a predetermined angle (10 °), the driven portion 116b of the rotation shaft 116 moves from the top of the projection 117a of the rotation-allowing cam 117 to the inclined surface facing the recess 117b and rotates. First, the ice detection lever-3 enters the ice storage box 12.

When the cam gear 115 rotates by a predetermined angle or more,
When the rotation of the rotation shaft 116 exceeds a predetermined angle (25 °), the driven protrusion 116c is switched to the switch lever-1 as shown in FIG.
Since the 20th third projection 120e is pressed, the first projection 120c cannot press the button 119a of the switch 119, and the switch signal keeps the Hi state until the angle of the rotating shaft 116 becomes less than 25 °. .

The angle of the cam gear 115 is in the range of 20 ° to 8 °.
During 0 °, the driven portion 116b of the rotation shaft 116 comes to the position of the concave portion 117b of the rotation allowable cam 117, and the ice detection lever is moved.
If the rotation of the rotation shaft 3 is not stopped by the contact with the ice in the ice storage box 12, the rotation angle of the rotation shaft 116 becomes 35 °.

When the cam gear 115 rotates forward by about 84 °, the angle of the rotating shaft 116 becomes smaller than 25 °, and the driven projection 116c moves away from the third projection 120e. When the button 119a is pressed, the switch signal is inverted to Lo (Step 3
branch to the s side).

Thus, the control unit determines that the switch signal is H
The counting of the time during which the i signal is being output ends (step 4). In this case, since the switch signal Hi state exceeds a predetermined time (for example, 3 seconds) sufficient for the cam gear 115 to rotate by 30 °, it is determined that ice is insufficient (the step 5 is branched to the Yes side). ), The forward rotation of the cam gear 115 is continued by continuing the energization of the motor 111.

When the cam gear 115 is rotated forward by 90 °, as shown in FIGS. 11 and 12, the driven portion 116b of the rotating shaft 116 is moved from the concave portion 117b of the rotation allowing cam to the convex portion 11b.
Moving to the top of 7a, the ice detection lever-3 returns to the original standby position.

The ice tray 2 hits the blocking portion 5 slightly before the maximum rotation position of the ice tray 2, and is sufficiently twisted at the maximum rotation position of the ice tray 2 to remove the ice in the ice tray 2 into the ice storage box 12. Drop to

When the forward rotation of the cam gear 115 exceeds 160 °, the second projection 120d of the switch lever 120 comes into contact with the projection 121a of the switch operation cam 121, and the first projection 120c becomes the button 119a of the switch 119. And the switch signal is inverted to Hi (Step 6 is Ye
branch to the s side). The control unit determines that the ice tray 2 has reached the ice-releasing position by reversing the switch signal to Hi, and the motor 1
11 is stopped for a predetermined time (step 7). FIGS. 13 and 14 show this state. Thereafter, the ice making tray 2 is started to be returned by changing the rotation direction of the motor 111 (step 8).

Immediately after the return (the angle of the cam gear 115 becomes 1
60 ° or less), the second protrusion 120 d is moved from the top of the protrusion 121 a of the switch operation cam 121 to the recess 121.
b and the switch signal is inverted to Lo (step 9).
Branch to the Yes side).

In the return process of the ice tray 2, when the driven portion 116b of the rotary shaft 116 moves from the convex portion 117a of the rotary cam 117 to the concave portion 117b, it rotates by a predetermined angle or more, and the driven protrusion 116c is moved to the third position. In this case, the switch signal is inverted to Hi in order to press the protrusion 120e of Step (10).
Branch to es side).

Further, the ice tray 2 rotates to reach the home position, and the low teeth 114b of the special gear region 114c and the concave portion 115b again face each other and only make sliding contact on the outer periphery.
The rotation of the drive gear 114 is not transmitted to the cam gear 115, and the cam gear 115 stops at the origin position.

Further, when the motor 111 is kept energized and the stopped state of the cam gear 115 is released, FIGS.
When the cam gear 115 exceeds the home position by 20 °, the switch signal is inverted to Lo (step 1).
1 branches to the Yes side). Here, the control unit stops the rotation of the motor 111 for a predetermined time, temporarily stops the rotation of the cam gear 115 (step 12), and changes the rotation direction of the motor 111 again (step 13) to rotate the cam gear 115. About 20 °
Return to horizontal. In this case, it is confirmed that the switch signal has become Hi (Step 14 branches to the Yes side),
After 1 second, which is the time necessary for the cam gear 115 to return to the horizontal position, the power supply to the motor 111 is stopped (step 1).
5, step 16).

Next, the operation (see FIG. 20) in the case where ice is present above the predetermined height of the ice storage box 12 (ice is sufficient) will be described.

When the completion of the ice making is detected, the motor 111 is energized and the drive gear 114 rotates (step 1). However, at the origin position, the low tooth 114b and the concave surface 115
The rotation of the driving gear 114 is not transmitted to the cam gear 115 because b is only in sliding contact with the facing outer periphery.

At this time, the second projection 120d of the switch lever 120 is connected to the switch operation cam 1 as shown in FIG.
Since the first protrusion 120c is away from the button 119a of the switch 119 because the first protrusion 120c is in contact with the top of the protrusion 121a of the switch 21, the switch signal is Hi.

On the other hand, the control section starts counting the time during which the switch signal outputs the Hi signal starting from the motor rotation start time (step 2).

When the drive gear 114 rotates by a predetermined angle and the regular teeth 114a in the special gear region 114c mesh with the side surface of the concave portion 115b, the rotation is transmitted to the cam gear 115, and the cam gear 115 Rolling is started, and the ice tray 2 starts to rotate in the ice releasing direction in conjunction with the forward rotation of the cam gear 115. When the cam gear 115 rotates by a predetermined angle (20 °), the driven portion 116b of the rotation shaft 116 moves from the convex portion 117a of the rotation allowable cam 117 to the concave portion 117b and starts rotating, and the ice detecting lever-3 stores the ice. It enters the box 12.

When the cam gear 115 rotates by a predetermined angle (10 °), the driven portion 116b of the rotating shaft 116 moves from the top of the convex portion 117a of the rotatable cam 117 to the inclined surface facing the concave portion 117b and rotates. First, the ice detection lever-3 enters the ice storage box 12.

However, the ice detecting lever-3 hits the ice in the ice storage box 12 and cannot enter any more, and the rotation of the rotation shaft 116 is prevented.

The rotation of the rotation shaft 116 is at a predetermined angle (25 °).
, The driven protrusion 116 as shown in FIG.
c cannot hold down the third protrusion 120e of the switch lever 120, and the first protrusion 120c moves from the top of the protrusion 121a of the switch operation cam 121 to the recess 121b at the moment when the second protrusion 120d moves to the recess 121b. The button 119a of the switch 119 is depressed and the switch signal is inverted to Lo (step 3).

Thus, the control unit determines that the switch signal is H
The counting of the time during which the i signal is being output ends (step 4). In this case, since the Hi state of the switch signal is within a predetermined time (for example, 3 seconds) sufficient for the cam gear 115 to rotate by 30 °, it is determined that ice is sufficient (the step 5 branches to the No side). Then, the rotation of the ice tray 2 is stopped (step 17), the rotation direction of the motor 111 is changed, and the cam gear 115 is returned toward the origin (step 18).

Immediately after the return (the angle of the cam gear 115 becomes 3
When it becomes 0 ° or less), the second protrusion 120d moves from the concave portion 121b of the switch operation cam 121 to the convex portion 121a, and the switch signal is inverted to Hi (Step 19 is Ye).
branch to the s side).

Further, the ice tray 2 rotates to reach the origin position, and the low teeth 114b of the special gear region 114c and the concave portion 115b again face each other and only make sliding contact on the outer periphery.
The rotation of the drive gear 114 is not transmitted to the cam gear 115, and the cam gear 115 stops at the origin position.

When energization of the motor 111 is further continued and the stopped state of the cam gear 115 is released, FIGS.
When the cam gear 115 exceeds the home position by 20 °, the switch signal is inverted to Lo (step 1).
1 branches to the Yes side). Here, the control unit stops the rotation of the motor 111 for a predetermined time, temporarily stops the rotation of the cam gear 115 (step 12), and changes the rotation direction of the motor 111 again (step 13) to rotate the cam gear 115. About 20 °
Return to horizontal. In this case, it is confirmed that the switch signal has become Hi (Step 14 branches to the Yes side),
After 1 second, which is the time necessary for the cam gear 115 to return to the horizontal position, the power supply to the motor 111 is stopped (step 1).
5, step 16).

As described above, the automatic ice making device of this embodiment is
Switch operation cam 121 provided on cam gear 115
And a switch 119 operated by the switch operation cam 121 to output a signal. The switch operation cam 121 changes the output signal of the switch 119 from an ON signal to an OFF signal, maintains the OFF signal, and changes the output signal to an ON signal again. When the ice tray 2 is at the origin position where the ice tray 2 is horizontal, the switch 119 is operated within a section in which the OFF signal of the convex portion 121a is maintained. When detecting the position, the cam gear 115 is rotated while confirming the signal sequence from the switch 119,
When the signal can be confirmed in the order of “ON / OFF / ON”, the cam gear 115 is stopped, and the cam gear 115 is moved from that position.
To generate an off signal from the switch 119,
The cam gear 11 for a further predetermined time from the time when the off signal is generated.
The ice tray 2 is returned to the home position by continuously rotating the ice making tray 5.

Therefore, there is no need to lock the cam gear 115 at the origin position to check the length of the signal generation time.
The mechanical load on the drive unit is reduced, and the durability is improved.

Further, since there is no need to limit the current to the motor 111 as in the conventional example, it is possible to provide an inexpensive automatic ice maker without having to incorporate a resistor.

Further, since the origin position of the ice tray 2 is not stopped at the signal generation point, the switch 119 does not malfunction due to natural swing of the ice tray 2 and the cam gear 115, and the reliability is improved. .

[0075]

As described above, the present invention incorporates an ice tray for producing ice, a cam gear for rotating the ice tray, and a drive gear for driving the cam gear, and rotates and separates the ice tray. A driving unit that releases ice at the ice position, an ice storage box that is located below the ice tray and stores ice separated from the ice tray, and a control unit that controls the driving unit; The drive unit has a switch operation cam provided on the cam gear, and a switch operated by the switch operation cam to output a signal, and the switch operation cam turns off the output signal of the switch from an ON signal to an OFF signal. A convex portion is provided for changing the signal to a signal, maintaining the off signal, and then changing the signal to the on signal again. When the ice tray is at the origin position where the ice tray is horizontal, the switch is operated and maintained within a section for maintaining the off signal of the convex portion And the cam When the car rotates the ice tray to the ice-releasing position and then returns the ice tray to the origin position from the ice-releasing position, the protrusion operates the switch to generate a signal in the order of on-off-on. Sometimes stopping the rotation of the cam gear, then rotating the cam gear in the opposite direction to generate an off signal from the switch at the projection,
The cam gear is stopped after a lapse of a predetermined time from the generation of the off signal, so that when the control unit detects the origin position of the ice tray, the cam gear rotates while checking the signal sequence from the switch. When the signal is confirmed in the order of "ON / OFF / ON", the cam gear is stopped, the cam gear is inverted from that position, and an OFF signal is generated from the switch. The ice tray is returned to the home position by continuously rotating the time cam gear.

Therefore, it is not necessary to lock the cam gear at the origin position to check the length of the signal generation time, and the mechanical load on the drive unit is reduced, and the durability is improved.

Further, since there is no need to limit the current to the motor as in the conventional example, it is possible to provide an inexpensive automatic ice maker without having to incorporate a resistor.

Further, since the origin position of the ice tray is not stopped at the signal generating point, the switch does not malfunction due to natural deflection of the ice tray and the cam gear.
Reliability is improved.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a side view showing an entire automatic ice making apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a plan view of a driving unit in the automatic ice making device of the embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a plan view showing a state in which a cam gear is removed from a driving unit in the automatic ice making device of the embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing a cam gear of a driving unit in the automatic ice making device of the embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing a cam gear rotation permitting cam and a switch operation cam in the automatic ice making device of the embodiment.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing the meshing of a driving gear and a cam gear of a driving unit in the automatic ice making device of the embodiment.

FIG. 7 is an essential part plan view of the automatic ice making device of the embodiment when the cam gear is at the origin position.

FIG. 8 is an essential part front view of the automatic ice making apparatus of the embodiment when the cam gear is at the origin position.

FIG. 9 shows a cam gear 3 in the automatic ice making device of the embodiment.
Main part plan view at 0 ° forward rotation

FIG. 10 is an essential part front view of the automatic ice making device of the embodiment when the cam gear rotates forward by 30 °;

FIG. 11 is an essential part plan view of the automatic ice making device of the embodiment when the cam gear is rotated forward by 90 °;

FIG. 12 is an essential part front view of the automatic ice making device of the embodiment when the cam gear rotates forward by 90 °;

FIG. 13 is an essential part plan view of the automatic ice making device of the embodiment when the cam gear is rotated forward by 165 °;

FIG. 14 is an essential part front view of the automatic ice making device of the embodiment when the cam gear rotates forward at 165 °;

FIG. 15 is an essential part plan view of the automatic ice making device of the embodiment when the cam gear is rotated by 20 ° in reverse;

FIG. 16 is an essential part front view of the automatic ice making apparatus of the embodiment at the time of reverse rotation of the cam gear by 20 °;

FIG. 17 is an essential part plan view of the automatic ice making device of the embodiment when the cam gear is rotated forward by 30 ° when the ice is sufficient;

FIG. 18 is an essential part front view of the automatic ice making apparatus of the embodiment when the cam gear is rotated forward by 30 ° when the ice is sufficient.

FIG. 19 is a time chart showing an operation mode when the ice is insufficient in the automatic ice making apparatus of the embodiment.

FIG. 20 is a time chart showing an operation mode when the ice is sufficient in the automatic ice making apparatus of the embodiment.

FIG. 21 is a flowchart showing the operation of the control unit of the automatic ice making device of the embodiment.

FIG. 22 is a side view showing the entirety of a conventional automatic ice making device.

FIG. 23 is a partially cutaway enlarged plan view of a drive unit of a conventional automatic ice making device.

[Explanation of symbols]

 2 Ice tray 12 Ice storage box 110 Drive unit 114 Drive gear 114a Regular tooth 114b Low tooth 114c Special gear area 114d Regular gear area 115 Cam gear 115a Missing tooth part 115b Concave part 115c Complete gear part

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. An ice tray for generating ice, a cam gear for rotating the ice tray, and a drive gear for driving the cam gear, wherein the ice tray is rotated to release ice at an ice releasing position. And an ice storage box that is located below the ice tray and stores ice separated from the ice tray, and a control unit that controls the driving unit. The driving unit is provided on the cam gear. A switch operation cam, and a switch that is operated by the switch operation cam to output a signal. The switch operation cam changes the output signal of the switch from an ON signal to an OFF signal and maintains the OFF signal. A convex portion for changing the signal to an ON signal is provided again, and when the ice tray is at the origin position where the ice tray is horizontal, the switch is operated and held within a section for maintaining the OFF signal of the convex portion, and the cam gear rotates the ice tray. To ice release position When returning the ice tray from the ice-releasing position to the home position after the rotation, the projection operates the switch to stop the rotation of the cam gear when a signal is generated in the order of on, off, and on. Automatically rotating the cam gear in the reverse direction to generate an off signal from the switch at the convex portion, and stopping the cam gear after a predetermined time has elapsed from the generation of the off signal. Ice making equipment.