JP2004036951A - Ice maker - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an ice maker capable of miniaturizing an ice-making water tank. <P>SOLUTION: This ice maker comprises the ice-making water tank 6 for storing the unfrozen water flowing out from an ice-making part 2, and the supply water supplied from the external, and the ice-making water in the ice-making water tank 6 is constantly supplied to the ice-making part 2 by driving a pump 8 in an ice-making process, as a result, the unfrozen water is returned to the ice-making water tank 6. A water level sensor 40 is mounted on the ice-making tank 6, the detection by the water level sensor 40 is counted by a counter CT, and the ice-making is completed on the basis of the predetermined count number. Whereby this ice maker can cope with the enlargement of the ice-maker only by changing the set count number corresponding to a size of the ice-making part 2, without enlarging a volume of the ice-making water tank 6. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2004,JPO

Description

[0001]
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an ice making machine provided with an ice making water tank for storing uncondensed water flowing out of an ice making part and make-up water supplied from the outside.
[0002]
[Prior art]
Conventionally, there is Japanese Patent No. 3220248 as a technique in such a field. The ice maker described in this publication has a configuration in which water supply to the ice making water tank is controlled until a timer measures a predetermined time during an ice making process. That is, the ice making machine closes the water supply valve after a predetermined time has elapsed, stops the water supply to the ice making water tank, and then continues the ice making by the remaining water in the ice making water tank, and the lower limit float in the ice making water tank. The ice making process is terminated by the switch.
[0003]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
However, when such an ice making machine is large, a large ice making unit is used for growing ice.In this case, a large ice making water tank is used because a large amount of ice making water is used. I need. As a result, there is a problem that an ice maker becomes large.
[0004]
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made to solve the above-described problem, and an object of the present invention is to provide an ice maker capable of miniaturization.
[0005]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
The ice making machine according to the present invention is an ice making machine that supplies ice making water to an ice making part and grows ice in the ice making part, wherein the ice making water that stores the uniced water flowing out of the ice making part and the makeup water supplied from the outside is provided. It is characterized by comprising a tank, a pump for supplying ice making water in the ice making water tank to the ice making section, a water level sensor provided in the ice making water tank, and a counting means for counting the detection of the water level sensor.
[0006]
The ice making machine according to the present invention is intended for an ice making machine having an ice making water tank for storing non-freezing water flowing out of the ice making section and make-up water supplied from the outside. The ice making water is always supplied into the ice making section by the drive of the pump, and as a result, the uniced water returns to the ice making water tank. The ice making water tank in such a water supply state is provided with a water level sensor. Then, the detection of the water level sensor is counted by the counting means, and ice making is completed based on a preset count number. As a result of adopting such a configuration, even if the ice making machine is enlarged, it is not necessary to increase the capacity of the ice making water tank, but only by changing the set count number in accordance with the size of the ice making section. be able to.
[0007]
The water level sensor is composed of a lower limit water level sensor and an upper limit water level sensor, and supplies makeup water into the ice making water tank based on the detection of the lower limit water level sensor, and stops the supply of makeup water based on the detection of the upper limit water level sensor. Preferably, at least one of the lower limit water level sensor and the upper limit water level sensor is detected by a counting means. With such a configuration, the size of the ice making water tank can be reduced, and at the same time, the amount of ice making water required for ice making can be controlled more accurately.
[0008]
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of an ice making machine according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.
[0009]
As shown in FIG. 1, the ice making machine 1 is a so-called vertical ice making machine, and an ice making room (ice making part) 2 extending in a vertical direction is supported by a frame F and vertically arranged. A large number of ice making chambers 3 each opening toward the left front are arranged in a matrix. Further, the bottom of each ice making chamber 3 is inclined downward toward the opening side so that the completed ice can easily slide down. Further, on the back surface of the ice making chamber 2, a heat absorbing and heating pipe 4 is fixed in a meandering manner, and a low temperature refrigerant flows through the heat absorbing and heating pipe 4 during the ice making step and a high temperature refrigerant flows during the deicing step. Thereby, cooling or heating of the ice making room is performed as needed.
[0010]
An ice making water tank 6 is provided directly below the ice making chamber 2 and stores ice making water 7. The ice making water 7 in the ice making water tank 6 flows out of the overflow pipe 15 when the water surface reaches a certain height or higher. A pump motor 8 is attached to the ice making water tank 6, and the ice making water 7 in the ice making water tank 6 is sent to a water tray 20 via a hose 9 by the pump motor 8.
[0011]
The water tray 20 has a box shape extending in the vertical direction to open and close the opening side of the ice making chamber 2. The water tray 20 is supported by a frame F at a fulcrum 21, and the water tray 20 is provided with a rear wall 26 facing the opening side of the ice making chamber 2. The rear wall 26 is integrally formed with a plurality of distribution pipes 22 extending in the vertical direction, and is provided with fountain holes 23 for communicating the distribution pipes 22 with the ice making chambers 3. Further, the rear wall 26 is provided with a relatively large return hole 25 for returning non-freezing water (return water) which has not been frozen in the ice making chamber 3 to the drainage channel 24 in the water tray 20. . At the lower end of the water tray 20, a guide portion 27 inclined downward and rearward is formed so that uniced water can be appropriately returned into the ice making water tank 6.
[0012]
The opening and closing of the water tray 20 is performed by a rotating cam 31 which is appropriately rotated by a geared motor 30 fixed to the frame F. The rotating cam 31 includes a first lever 33 that contacts the switch 32 in the illustrated state, a second lever 34 that is provided at a position separated from the switch 32, and a cam that presses the rear wall 26 of the water tray 20. A surface 35 is provided. Further, a spring 37 is hung between the spring holder 36 provided at the lower end of the water tray 20 and the tip of the first lever 33, and the water tray 20 is moved around the fulcrum 21 by the tensile force of the spring 37. Energized counterclockwise. Therefore, the rear end surface 26 of the water tray 20 closes the opening side of the ice making chamber 2 and is pressed against the cam surface 35.
[0013]
Tap water is supplied into the ice making water tank 6 from outside the machine via a water supply pipe 38, and an electromagnetic valve 39 is provided in the middle of the water supply pipe 38. Therefore, when the solenoid valve 39 is opened, tap water is supplied into the ice making water tank 6 through the water supply pipe 38, and the solenoid valve 39 is opened a required number of times in one ice making process, and the water is supplied into the ice making water tank 6. It is used to supply ice water.
[0014]
Next, the operation of the ice making machine 1 will be briefly described. First, when the ice making water 7 is supplied into the ice making water tank 6, when the solenoid valve 39 is opened, the tap water is guided to the ice making water tank 6 through the water supply pipe 38 and stored in a predetermined amount. . During the ice making process, water is supplied to the ice making water tank 6 a predetermined number of times, and the details will be described later.
[0015]
In the ice making process, a coolant is supplied from a cooling device (not shown) to the absorption / heating pipe 4 to cool the ice making chamber 2, while the pump motor 8 operates to make the ice making water 7 in the ice making water tank 6 a hose 9. The water is continuously supplied to the distribution pipes 22 of the water tray 20 through the fountain holes 23, and is jetted vigorously into the ice making chambers 3 to gradually grow ice on the inner wall surface of the ice making chamber 3. The non-iced water that has not become ice flows down the drainage channel 24 through the return hole 25 and is returned to the ice making water tank 6 by the guide portion 27. When the ice growth is completed in each ice making chamber 3 while circulating the ice making water by the pump motor 8, the fountain to the ice making chamber 3 is stopped and the ice making process is completed.
[0016]
After the ice making process is completed, the process shifts to a deicing process. In this deicing step, the rotation cam 31 rotates counterclockwise by the driving of the geared motor 30 and continues to push the rear end face of the water tray 20 by the rotating cam surface 35. The small ice pieces and the rear end face of the water tray 20 are forcibly separated. Thereafter, when the rotating cam 31 further rotates counterclockwise, the first lever 33 pushes the lower portion of the water tray 20 forward through the contracted spring 37. As a result, the water tray 20 rotates clockwise around the fulcrum 21 and stops at the position indicated by the two-dot chain line. At the same time, the second lever 34 switches the switch 32.
[0017]
Thereafter, a hot gas for deicing is supplied to the absorption / heating pipe 4 and the surface of the small ice pieces is slightly melted by heating the ice making chamber 2. It slides forward along its bottom due to its own weight. Then, the dropped small ice pieces fall through an opening 6a formed in the center of the ice making water tank 6 into an ice storage chamber (not shown) below, and are stored there.
[0018]
Here, the above-mentioned ice making water tank 6 has a double float type water level sensor 40, and this water level sensor 40 opens when the water level in the ice making water tank 6 falls below a predetermined lower limit water level during ice making ( It has a lower limit water level sensor 41 that turns off (OFF) and an upper limit water level sensor 42 that opens (turns off) when the water level in the ice making water tank 6 falls below a predetermined upper limit water level. During water supply, the lower limit water level sensor 41 closes (turns on) when the water level in the ice making water tank 6 exceeds a predetermined lower limit water level, and the upper limit water level sensor 42 sets the water level in the ice making water tank 6 to a predetermined upper limit. Closes (turns on) when the water level is exceeded. Then, based on the OFF detection of the lower limit water level sensor 41, the electromagnetic valve 39 is opened, and tap water is supplied from the water supply pipe 38 into the ice making water tank 6. Further, based on the ON detection of the upper limit water level sensor 42, the electromagnetic valve 39 is closed, and the supply from the water supply pipe 38 is stopped. Further, the lower limit water level sensor 42 is connected to a counter (counting means) CT for detecting the number of times OFF is detected. Then, ice making is completed based on the counted number.
[0019]
This will be specifically described with reference to FIG. First, when the ice maker 1 is turned on, the b-side contact of the X1 relay and the b-side contact of the counter CT are closed, so that the solenoid valve 39 is energized, the solenoid valve 39 is opened, and the water supply is stopped. The tap water from the pipe 38 is continuously supplied into the ice making water tank 6. Then, when the water supply is continued, the float of the lower limit water level sensor 41 of the water level sensor 40 rises, and the lower limit water level sensor 41 is turned on. Thereby, the relay coil X2 and the counter CT are energized. When the water supply is further continued, the float of the upper limit water level sensor 42 rises, the upper limit water level sensor 42 is turned on, and the relay coil X1 is turned on via the a-side contact of the X2 relay. At this time, since the a-side contact of the X1 relay is also conducted, the ice making operation is started by energizing the compressor CM. Then, since the relay coil X1 is held by itself, the electromagnetic valve 39 is closed, and the supply of water to the ice making water tank 6 is cut off.
[0020]
Next, during the ice making process, the water level in the ice making water tank 6 continues to drop, and the float of the upper limit water level sensor 42 falls so as to follow this, and the upper limit water level sensor 42 is turned off. Since X1 is held by itself, no water is supplied at this time. Then, as a result of the water level in the tank 6 continuing to drop, when the float of the lower limit water level sensor 41 drops and the lower limit water level sensor 41 turns off, the relay coil X2 turns off and the a-side contact of the X2 relay opens. Therefore, the relay coil X1 is turned off, the b-side contact of the X1 relay is turned on, the solenoid valve 39 is energized, the solenoid valve 39 is opened, and water supply into the ice making water tank 6 is started. Then, in the ice making process, the above-described operation is repeated.
[0021]
Here, as shown in FIG. 3, inside the counter CT, the number of times the lower limit water level sensor 42 is turned off is counted, and when a predetermined number of times (three times in FIG. 3) is reached, the ice making process is completed. Thereafter, the process proceeds to the deicing process, the electromagnetic valve 39 is opened, and the process proceeds to the deicing process while supplying water into the ice making water tank 6. Then, when the water supply into the ice making water tank 6 is completed, as described above, the water tray 20 rotates clockwise about the fulcrum 21 and stops at the position indicated by the two-dot chain line (see FIG. 1). . In this state, a hot gas for deicing is supplied to the suction and heating pipe 4, and each small ice piece is dropped into an ice storage chamber (not shown). Thereafter, the water tray 20 rotates counterclockwise about the fulcrum 21 and returns to the position indicated by the solid line (see FIG. 1), thereby completing the deicing step. After that, it shifts to the ice making process. In addition, the residual water in the ice making water tank 6 may be discharged to the outside every time one ice making process is completed by using the drain pipe 45 provided in the ice making tank 6.
[0022]
As described above, the detection by the water level sensor 40 is counted by the counter CT, and the ice making is completed based on the preset count number. It is not necessary to increase the volume of 6 and it is possible to cope with the size of the ice making chamber 2 only by changing the set count number.
[0023]
In addition, by using the lower limit water level sensor 41 and the upper limit water level sensor 42 as the water level sensor 40, the size of the ice making water tank 6 can be reduced and the amount of ice making water required for ice making can be controlled more accurately. . Then, by counting the number of times the lower limit water level sensor 41 is turned off, the water supply to the ice making water tank 6 can be smoothly shifted from the ice making step to the deicing step, thereby shortening the ice making cycle and improving the ice making efficiency. Can be raised.
[0024]
The present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above. For example, control may be performed such that the number of times is counted inside the counter CT based on either ON or OFF of the lower limit water level sensor 41 or the upper limit water level sensor 42. Further, the larger the set count number, the more the size of the ice making water tank 6 can be promoted.
[0025]
【The invention's effect】
Since the ice maker according to the present invention is configured as described above, the following effects are obtained. That is, in an ice making machine that supplies ice making water to the ice making part and grows the ice in the ice making part, an ice making water tank for storing uniced water flowing out of the ice making part and make-up water supplied from outside, and an ice making water tank By providing a pump for supplying the ice making water to the ice making section, a water level sensor provided in the ice making water tank, and a counting means for counting the detection of the water level sensor, the ice making water tank can be downsized, Accordingly, the size of the ice making machine itself can be reduced.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a sectional view showing an embodiment of an ice making machine according to the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a circuit diagram when a lower limit water level sensor and an upper limit water level sensor are used as water level sensors.
FIG. 3 is a timing chart showing a water level change in the ice making water tank.
[Explanation of symbols]
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Ice making machine, 2 ... Ice making room (ice making part), 6 ... Ice making water tank, 7 ... Ice making water, 8 ... Pump motor (pump), 40 ... Water level sensor, 41 ... Lower limit water level sensor, 42 ... Upper limit water level sensor, CT: Counter (counting means).

Claims (2)

In an ice making machine that supplies ice making water to the ice making part and grows ice in the ice making part,
An ice-making water tank for storing uniced water flowing out of the ice-making unit and makeup water supplied from the outside,
A pump for supplying ice making water in the ice making water tank to the ice making unit,
A water level sensor provided in the ice making water tank,
An ice making machine comprising: a counting means for counting the detection of the water level sensor. The water level sensor includes a lower limit water level sensor and an upper limit water level sensor. 2. The ice making machine according to claim 1, wherein the supply of water is stopped, and detection of at least one of the lower limit water level sensor and the upper limit water level sensor is counted by the counting means.

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