JP2005030702A - Ice maker - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an ice maker that increases the ice making efficiency of an ice making chamber. <P>SOLUTION: A resin coating 30 is applied throughout to the ice making chamber 12. The thickness of the resin coating 30 on the ice making chamber 12 is set thinner on ice making surfaces 20 of ice making cells 18 than that on the other portions. Accessories such as an evaporating tube 22 laid closely on the other portions, that is, the sides and top of the ice making chamber 12 and an ice making plate 14, are covered in a resin coating 30b thicker than a resin coating 30a on the ice making surfaces 20 of the ice making cells 12. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2005,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to an ice making device disposed in an automatic ice making machine that continuously produces a large amount of ice blocks, and more particularly to an ice making device having a resin film formed on the surface thereof.

  An automatic ice maker that continuously manufactures a large amount of ice blocks is suitably used in facilities such as coffee shops and restaurants and other kitchens. These automatic ice makers supply ice making water from below to a large number of ice making chambers that open downward, and spray types that continuously produce ice (ice blocks) of the required shape, or make ice making water flow down to the ice making surface. There is a flow-down type.

  For example, as shown in FIG. 4, there is an ice making machine equipped with a so-called open cell type ice making mechanism 10 as an injection type automatic ice making machine. The ice making chamber 11 of the ice making mechanism 10 has a partition plate 16 disposed vertically and horizontally on the lower surface of an ice making plate 14 disposed horizontally in a storage chamber, and a large number of ice making chambers 18 opening downward are defined in a grid pattern. ing. An evaporation pipe (evaporator) 22 communicating with a refrigeration system (not shown) is closely and meanderingly arranged on the upper surface of the ice making plate 14, and the ice making chamber 18 is forcibly cooled by circulating a refrigerant during ice making operation. ing. Further, the ice making water in the ice making water tank 28 sucked by the pump motor 26 can be sprayed into the ice making chamber 18 from the fountain holes 24 provided below corresponding to the respective positions of the ice making chambers 18. ing. The ice making water sprayed into the ice making chamber 18 is cooled by the inner wall surface (ice making surface) 20 of the ice making chamber 18 and freezes in layers to obtain ice blocks.

  For the members such as the ice making plate 14 and the partition plate 16 constituting the ice making chamber 11, a metal material such as copper having excellent thermal conductivity is used so as not to disturb the cooling action of the evaporation pipe 22. And the surface of each member which comprises the said ice making chambers 11, such as the said ice-making board 14, the partition plate 16, and the evaporation pipe 22, is made rust prevention processing by giving metal plating, such as tin plating. For example, as a method of performing tin plating on the ice making chamber 11, first, the opening of the evaporation pipe 22 is closed with a cap, the cap is brazed to the evaporation pipe 22, and then the brazed portion and its surroundings are heat-resistant. Cover with tape. Then, after fixing the evaporating tube 22 subjected to these treatments to the upper surface of the ice making plate 14, the ice making chamber 11 is held by a jig and immersed in a tin bath mainly composed of molten tin to form a plating film. To do. Thereafter, the ice making chamber 11 is cooled for a required time, and the work is completed by removing the heat-resistant tape, the wax and the cap from the evaporation tube 22 (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

Further, in order to make it easy to detach the completed ice block from the ice making chamber 18 upon completion of ice making, an ice making surface 20 covered with a synthetic resin such as a fluororesin has been proposed (see, for example, Patent Document 2).
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 9-178315 Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 3-117868

  However, the tin plating film formed in the ice making chamber 11 remains plated due to surface tension at the right-angled corner portion formed by the ice making plate 14 and the partition plate 16 constituting the ice making chamber 18 defined on the ice making surface 20. However, the remaining surplus plating may peel off due to the growth of ice blocks and the repeated removal of the ice blocks. In addition, tin plating is relatively difficult to rust, but when an oxidizing substance or the like is included in the use atmosphere, corrosion products such as rust may be generated over time. Accordingly, it has been reported that excessive plating and corrosion products are mixed in the ice block and contaminate the ice block. Further, since the synthetic resin is generally inferior in thermal conductivity to metal plating such as tin plating, the formation of a synthetic resin coating on the ice making surface 20 hinders heat exchange by the evaporation tube 22, and the ice making. The problem of impairing the cooling efficiency of the chamber 11 is pointed out.

In order to overcome the above-mentioned problems and achieve the intended purpose, an ice making device according to the present invention includes:
In an ice making device comprising an ice making unit that is supplied with ice making water to generate ice of a required shape, and an evaporator that is disposed in the ice making unit and cools the ice making unit,
Forming a film made of resin on the ice making part and the exposed surface of the evaporator,
The thickness of the film formed on the ice making surface of the ice making part is set to be smaller than the thickness of the film formed on the evaporator.

  According to the ice making device according to the present invention, the resin film prevents heat exchange with the external atmosphere at portions other than the ice making surface by forming a film made of resin on the exposed surface of the ice making unit and the evaporator. Thus, the cooling efficiency of the ice making apparatus as a whole can be improved. Further, by setting the resin coating on the ice making surface thinner than the other portions, it is possible to minimize the influence of the heat exchange inhibition by the resin coating on the ice making surface.

  In view of the above-mentioned problems inherent in the ice making device according to the prior art, the present invention has been proposed to suitably solve this problem, and prevents contamination from occurring and further improves ice making efficiency. An object is to provide an ice making apparatus. In the present invention, the resin coating is formed on the exposed surface of the ice making chamber, and the thickness of the coating on the ice making surface is set to be thinner than other portions.

  Next, a preferred embodiment of the ice making device according to the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. For convenience of explanation, the same components as those of the ice making mechanism shown in FIG. In the embodiment, an open cell type ice making mechanism will be described, but the present invention is not limited to this, and the ice tray is tilted with respect to the ice making chamber by the drive mechanism to close the ice making chamber during the ice making operation. An ice making mechanism such as a closed cell type or a flow-down type in which ice making water flows down on the ice making surface may be used. Of course, the shape of the ice to be made is not limited to a square shape.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the ice making mechanism 10 of the ice making machine according to the embodiment includes an ice making chamber (provided with a large number of ice making chambers 18 opened downward to an ice making plate 14 attached to an upper portion of a box-like mechanical base 32). Ice making device 12, fountain holes 24 formed corresponding to each ice making chamber 18, and an ice making device provided below the fountain holes 24 for storing a predetermined amount of ice making water and collecting uniced water. And a water tank 28. An evaporation pipe (evaporator) 22 communicating with a refrigeration system (not shown) is closely and meanderingly arranged on the upper surface of the ice making plate 14, and the ice making chamber 18 is forcibly cooled by circulating a refrigerant during the ice making operation to complete ice making. Thereafter, the ice making chamber 18 is heated by hot gas to promote deicing of the ice block.

  On one side of the side wall of the mechanical base 32, a shutter 34 pivotally supported at an upper end portion serving as a discharge port for ice blocks is disposed, and is usually closed by hanging down due to gravity. A pump motor 26 that pumps the ice-making water stored in the ice-making water tank 28 toward the fountain hole 24 is disposed close to the lower side of the ice-making water tank 28. By driving the pump motor 26, the ice making water sucked through the suction pipe 36 is configured to be pumped to the fountain hole 24. As shown in FIG. 2, the water supply pipe 38 for replenishing the tap water (ice making water) to the ice making water tank 28 has its water supply port facing the upper inner side of the ice making water tank 28, and the water supply pipe 38. The tap water is supplied by opening the water valve 38a inserted in the pipe.

  The ice making chamber 12 includes an ice making part 13 formed by an ice making plate 14 disposed horizontally above the mechanical base 32, and a partition plate 16 disposed vertically and horizontally on the lower surface of the ice making plate 14, and the ice making plate 14. And an evaporation tube 22 arranged in a meandering manner on the upper surface of the tube. Below the ice making plate 14 in the ice making unit 13, a large number of ice making chambers 18 opened downward by the partition plate 16 are defined in a grid pattern, and by an evaporation tube 22 disposed on the upper surface of the ice making plate 14. The ice making water sprayed and supplied to the inner wall surface (ice making surface) 20 of the ice making chamber 18 is frozen by taking the heat of the ice making plate 14 and the partition plate 16 and cooling it. As shown in FIG. 3, a resin film 30 is formed on the entire surface of the ice making chamber 12. Here, the entire ice making chamber 12 in which the resin coating 30 is formed includes not only the ice making plate 14 and the partition plate 16 but also accessory parts such as the evaporation pipe 22 disposed in close contact with the ice making plate 14. included.

  Further, the thickness of the resin coating 30 in the ice making chamber 12 is set to be thinner than other portions on the ice making surface 20 that defines the ice making chamber 18. That is, other parts such as the evaporation tube 22 disposed in close contact with the side surface and upper surface (rear surface) of the ice making chamber 12 and the ice making plate 14 are the thickness of the resin coating 30a on the ice making surface 20. In comparison, it is covered with a thick resin film 30b. The thickness of the resin coating 30a on the ice making surface 20 is a minimum thickness that can withstand use of ice blocks on the ice making surface 20, and the thickness of the resin coating 30b of other members is external. The thickness is set to prevent heat exchange with the atmosphere. For example, the resin coating 30a on the ice making surface 20 is preferably 10 to 30 μm, and the resin coating 30b of other members is preferably 50 to 200 μm.

  The resin coating 30 is formed in the ice making chamber 12 by applying a synthetic resin material to the entire pre-assembled ice making chamber 12 and baking it at a required temperature. Then, when applying the synthetic resin, by adjusting the coating thickness of the ice making surface 20 and other portions, the film thickness is set to be thin on the ice making surface 20 and the other portions are thick. Yes.

  The synthetic resin material used for the resin coating 30 is a synthetic resin material conforming to the food hygiene law, such as PP (polypropylene), PE (polyethylene), PTFE (polytetrafluoroethylene), PES (polyether sulfone). Applicable if available.

  Next, the operation of the ice making chamber according to the embodiment will be described. First, the ice making process in the ice making mechanism of the embodiment will be briefly described. When the ice making operation is started, the refrigerant circulates in the evaporation pipe 22 and the ice making surface 20 of the ice making chamber 18 is forcibly cooled via the ice making plate 14 and the partition plate 16. The ice making water in the ice making water tank 28 is pumped to the injection holes 24 by the pump motor 26 and is supplied to the ice making chambers 18 through the respective water injection holes 24, and a part of the ice making water is supplied to the ice making surfaces 20 of the ice making chambers 18. It cools and begins to freeze in layers. When the ice making operation proceeds and ice blocks are generated in the ice making chamber 18, a required sensor detects this and switches to the deicing operation.

  Next, a valve provided in the refrigeration system is switched, hot gas is supplied to the evaporation pipe 22, and the ice making chamber 18 is heated. As a result, the ice lump is detached from the ice making chamber 18, and the ice lump falls onto the inclined water dish 40 and slides obliquely downward to push open the shutter 34 provided on the side wall of the mechanical base 32. Then, it is discharged from the mechanical base 32 to an ice storage (not shown). At this time, ice making water (tap water) reduced by the previous ice making operation is supplied to the ice making water tank 28 from the water supply pipe 38, and the water level gradually recovers to stand by for the next ice making operation.

  By covering the ice making surface 20 of the ice making part 13 with the resin coating 30a, it becomes difficult to rust and prevents contamination of ice blocks due to surplus deposits and corrosion products that have been a problem in metal plating such as tin plating. Can do. Further, by selecting a synthetic resin to be used for the resin coating 30 and suitably adjusting water repellency and water wettability, the deicing property can be improved, and the ice pieces formed can be preferably detached from the ice making chamber 18. It becomes possible.

  By setting the thickness of the resin coating 30a on the ice making surface 20 in the ice making chamber 18 to be thin, heat exchange on the ice making surface 20 resulting from coating with a synthetic resin material having inferior thermal conductivity compared to a metal material. The reduction in efficiency can be minimized. Further, by applying the resin coating 30b to portions other than the ice making surface 20, heat exchange with the external atmosphere is hindered due to the low thermal conductivity of the synthetic resin, and the cooling efficiency of the ice making chamber 12 as a whole is reduced. Can be improved.

  Compared to the above-described coating process of metal plating such as tin plating, the synthetic resin coating process is obtained by simply applying the synthetic resin to the ice making chamber 12 and baking it, so that it takes less time and processing. Time can be shortened. Moreover, control of the thickness of the resin film 30 which is difficult by metal plating can be suitably performed.

  In addition, the synthetic resin material employs a material having excellent mechanical properties such as tensile strength and bending strength, and after forming the synthetic resin film 30, the required processing such as bending and drawing is performed. It becomes possible to do.

  Further, in the examples, the ice making chamber 12 coated with a synthetic resin alone has been described. However, in the embodiment of coating with a composite plating film in which a fluorine compound is co-deposited, or composite plating in which other synthetic resins are dispersed and mixed in a metal. Even in the case of coating, by setting the film thickness of the ice making surface 20 to be thinner than the film thickness of other portions, it is possible to suppress a decrease in the thermal conductivity of the ice making surface 20 by dispersing the synthetic resin in the metal. The heat exchange in other parts can be prevented.

  In the ice making device according to the embodiment, the resin coating 30 is formed over the entire ice making chamber 12, but a configuration in which the resin coating is formed only on the surface where the evaporation pipe is disposed (the portion other than the ice making surface) is also possible. Can be adopted. That is, the cooling efficiency can be improved by covering portions other than the ice making surface with a resin film having low thermal conductivity to prevent heat absorption other than the purpose of ice making.

1 is a schematic perspective view showing a partially broken ice making mechanism including an ice making chamber according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention. It is a front view which shows the ice making mechanism which concerns on an Example longitudinally. It is an enlarged front view which shows the ice making chamber which concerns on an Example longitudinally. It is a vertical front view which shows the ice making mechanism provided with the ice making chamber based on the prior art.

Explanation of symbols

13 ice making part, 20 ice making surface, 22 evaporation pipe (evaporator), 30 resin coating 30a resin coating (coating), 30b resin coating (coating)

Claims (1)

An ice making device comprising an ice making unit (13) that is supplied with ice making water to generate ice of a desired shape, and an evaporator (22) that is disposed in the ice making unit (13) and cools the ice making unit (13) In
Forming a film (30) made of resin on the exposed surfaces of the ice making part (13) and the evaporator (22),
The thickness of the coating (30a) formed on the ice making surface (20) of the ice making section (13) is set to be smaller than the thickness of the coating (30b) formed on the evaporator (22). Ice making equipment.

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