JP2005180794A - Ice-making tray - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an ice-making tray capable of shortening the time to make ice. <P>SOLUTION: In the ice-making tray, water is temporarily kept in a cell 12 and ice is generated by cooling the water. The ice making tray 11 is equipped with a large number of panel fins 15 made of a material with high heat conductivity which are provided approximately in parallel in a direction of flow of cool air. As an outer surface area of the ice-making tray 11 can be enlarged, heat exchange with the cool air is promoted and thus water freezes into ice in a short period of time. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2005,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to an ice tray that is placed in a freezer compartment such as a refrigerator and is cooled after water supply to generate ice.

  Conventionally, as an ice tray placed in a freezer compartment of a refrigerator-freezer, one made entirely of aluminum (for example, see Patent Document 1) is used.

  Hereinafter, the conventional ice tray will be described with reference to the drawings.

  FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing an ice tray made of an aluminum alloy used in a conventional refrigerator-freezer.

  In FIG. 4, the ice tray 1 is formed of an aluminum alloy which is a metal having high thermal conductivity. The ice tray 1 is composed of a plurality of cells 2 for temporarily retaining water, and adjacent cells 2 are connected by a groove 3.

  The operation of the ice tray configured as described above will be described below.

  When water is supplied to the ice tray 1, the water spreads through the grooves 3 of the cells 2 and fills all the cells 2 with water. Since about 15 ml of water enters one cell 2, about 105 ml of water may be supplied to the ice tray 1 having seven cells 2.

The water supplied to the ice tray 1 is radiated by heat transfer from the water surface, heat conduction from the wall surface of the ice tray 1 and radiation to gradually lower the temperature, and finally freeze to produce ice. .
JP 2001-271146 A

  However, the ice making tray 1 made entirely of an aluminum alloy has a fast ice making time of about 50 minutes, but considering that it is more expensive than a resin ice making tray, the ice making time can be further shortened for consumers. It is necessary to provide a good feeling.

  In view of the above problems, an object of the present invention is to provide an ice tray that further shortens the ice making time.

  The ice tray of the present invention is an ice tray that temporarily stores water and is cooled to generate ice. The ice tray is provided with plate-like fins, and the fins are substantially parallel to the flow direction of the cold air. As a result, a large number of fins can be arranged in the ice tray, and the surface area for heat exchange with the cold air around the ice tray is increased, so heat exchange is promoted and water can be supplied in a short time. to freeze.

  Due to the fins formed in the ice tray, the amount of water in the ice tray is efficiently radiated to the outside and frozen in a short time, so that the ice making time is shortened and consequently the amount of ice making is increased.

  Conversely, it is possible to make the ice tray smaller by making the amount of ice making equal.

  According to the first aspect of the present invention, in the ice tray that temporarily stores water and is cooled to generate ice, the ice tray is provided with plate-like fins, and the fins are substantially in the direction in which cold air flows. They are arranged in parallel, the outer surface area of the ice tray increases, heat exchange with cold air is promoted, and water freezes in a short time.

  The invention according to claim 2 of the present invention is an ice tray that temporarily stores water and is cooled to produce ice, and plate-like fins are provided on the ice tray, and the surface of the fin having the largest area is The ice tray is arranged so as to be substantially perpendicular to the major axis direction of the ice tray, the outer surface area of the ice tray is enlarged, heat exchange with cold air is promoted, and water is frozen in a short time.

The invention according to claim 3 of the present invention is the invention according to claim 1 and claim 2,
The fin is provided with a large number of cuts and raised in the flow of cold air, and heat exchange with cold air is promoted by turbulent flow promotion and leading edge effect, and water freezes in a short time.

  According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the first and second aspects of the present invention, the plate-like fin is provided with a slit, and an edge portion where heat transfer is actively performed increases. Thus, heat exchange with cold air is promoted, and water freezes in a short time.

  According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, in the ice tray that temporarily stores water and is cooled to generate ice, the ice tray is provided with comb-like fins, and the surface area is reduced even in a narrow region. It can be secured, heat exchange with cold air is promoted, and water freezes in a short time. Further, it is less affected by the flow direction of the cold air than the plate-like fins.

  The invention according to claim 6 of the present invention is the invention according to claim 5, wherein the shape of the comb-like fins is a spire, and the volume can be reduced while ensuring the surface area of the fins. Because it can, it can be reduced in weight.

  The invention according to claim 7 of the present invention is the invention according to claim 5, wherein the shape of the comb-like fins is a needle shape, and the volume can be reduced while ensuring the surface area of the fins. Because it can, it can be reduced in weight.

  Embodiments of an ice tray according to the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. The present invention is not limited to the embodiments.

(Embodiment 1)
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an ice tray according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention.

  In FIG. 1, an ice tray 11 is composed of a plurality of semicircular cells 12 that temporarily retain water, and grooves 13 that allow water to enter and exit from each other are provided on the side walls of adjacent cells 12. .

  In this embodiment, seven cells 12 are arranged in a row, and each cell 12 is composed of a tray 14 made of aluminum alloy having high thermal conductivity in order to improve heat dissipation. Fins 15 are provided.

  The fins 15 are plate-like and are integrally installed so that the surface with the largest area is substantially perpendicular to the major axis direction of the tray 14. For this reason, the quantity of the edges 15a where the heat transfer is most actively performed is significantly increased as compared with “the fins are arranged substantially parallel to the major axis direction of the tray 14”, and heat exchange with the cold air is promoted. The

  Even if the arrangement angle between the surface with the largest area of the fin 15 and the major axis direction of the tray 14 is not strictly perpendicular, the plane including the surface with the largest area of the fin 15 is not in the major axis direction of the tray 14. Even if they are arranged so as to cross each other, the number of fins is remarkably increased as compared with “the fins are arranged substantially parallel to the major axis direction of the tray 14”, and heat exchange with cold air is promoted.

  In the present embodiment, the entire ice tray 11 is formed of an aluminum alloy, but the frame 16 and the mounting arm 17 that are regions other than the tray 14 may be formed of a plastic resin for weight reduction.

  When water is supplied to a predetermined cell 12 of the ice tray 11, the water flows through the groove 13 of the cell 12 to an adjacent cell, and the water reaches all the cells 12. In the present embodiment, 105 ml of water is supplied so that 15 ml of water enters one cell 12.

  The water supplied to the ice tray 11 dissipates heat from the tray 14 and the water surface, and gradually decreases the temperature. In particular, cooling of water is promoted from the tray 14 by the effect of the fins 15, and ice making is completed in a short time.

  The fin 15 is provided with a large number of cuts raised in the cold air flow, thereby promoting turbulence by the cuts and raising the leading edge effect, promoting heat exchange and completing ice making in a short time. To do.

(Embodiment 2)
FIG. 2 is a perspective view of an ice tray according to Embodiment 2 of the present invention. The shape of the fin portion is different from that of the first embodiment, and the same reference numerals as those of the first embodiment are used except for the fin portion, and detailed description thereof is omitted.

  The fin 25 is obtained by dividing a plate-like fin into a plurality of combs by the slit 24, and can increase the edge 25a where heat transfer is most actively performed. Therefore, heat exchange between the tray 14 and the cold air is performed. Is completed and ice making is completed in a short time.

(Embodiment 3)
FIG. 3 is a front view showing the fins of the ice tray according to Embodiment 3 of the present invention, and the volume of the fins 35 is reduced without decreasing the heat exchange performance by reducing the shape of the fins 35 toward the tip. The material cost can be reduced.

  Of course, the same effect can be obtained even in a needle shape other than the spire shape.

  As described above, the ice making tray of the present invention actively performs heat exchange with cold air, so that the ice making time can be shortened and can be applied as an ice making tray for a refrigerator-freezer.

The perspective view of Embodiment 1 of the ice tray according to the present invention The perspective view of Embodiment 2 of the ice tray by this invention The front view which shows the fin of Embodiment 3 of the ice tray by this invention Perspective view of a conventional ice tray made of aluminum alloy

Explanation of symbols

11 Ice tray 14 Tray 15, 25, 35 Fin 24 Slit

Claims (7)

An ice making tray that temporarily stores water and generates ice by being cooled, wherein the ice making tray is provided with plate-like fins, and the fins are installed substantially parallel to the direction in which the cold air flows. . In an ice making tray that temporarily stores water and generates ice by cooling, plate-like fins are provided on the ice making tray, and the surface having the largest area of the fin is substantially perpendicular to the major axis direction of the ice making tray. An ice tray characterized by being arranged as follows. The ice making tray according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the fin is provided with a large number of cuts and raiseds that are open to a flow of cold air. The ice tray according to claim 1 or 2, wherein a slit is provided in the plate-like fin. An ice tray that temporarily stores water and generates ice by being cooled, wherein the ice tray is provided with comb-like fins. 6. The ice tray according to claim 5, wherein the shape of the comb-like fins is a spire. 6. The ice tray according to claim 5, wherein the shape of the comb-like fins is a needle shape.

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