JP2006250488A - Ice making device for refrigerator - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an ice making device for a refrigerator with a water supply passage partially easy to attach/detach with no possibility of water leakage. <P>SOLUTION: The refrigerator 100 comprises a first partition wall 5 and a second partition wall 6 for partitioning the refrigerator 100 into upper and lower parts. The first partition wall 5 is arranged on the upper side of the second partition wall 6. A tank 11 for storing ice making water is arranged above the first partition wall 5 and an ice making chamber 4 with an ice making tray 8 is arranged under the second partition wall 6. A water channel 22 is formed ranging from the first partition wall 5 to the ice making tray 8. A opening 6a of the water channel 22 is provided in the upper face of the first partition wall 5. A portion of the water channel 22 in the first partition wall 5 is inclined from the side of a door 20 of the refrigerator 100 to the corner side as tending to the lower side. In the water channel 22, a duct 21 is arranged for introducing water supplied from the tank 11. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to an ice making device for a refrigerator configured to supply water in a water supply tank to an ice tray through a water supply path.

  There exist some which were described in patent document 1, for example in this kind of conventional ice making apparatus. FIG. 4 shows a refrigerator main body 1 including a conventional ice making device disclosed in Patent Document 1. In the ice making device 1 shown in FIG. 4, the refrigerator main body 1 is provided with a refrigerator compartment 2, a vegetable compartment 3, and a freezer compartment 4 in order from the top. A partition plate 5 is provided between the refrigerator compartment 2 and the vegetable compartment 3, and a heat insulating partition plate 6 is provided between the vegetable compartment 3 and the freezer compartment 4.

  An ice making tray 8 and an ice removing mechanism 9 constituting an automatic ice making device 7 are disposed on the freezer compartment 4. The water supply apparatus 10 includes a water supply path 12 for guiding ice-making water in a water supply tank 11 serving as a water supply container disposed on a side wall portion of the refrigerator compartment 2 to an ice tray 8. A detachable lid 13 is attached to the water supply tank 11. A water supply pump unit 14 is integrally fixed to the lid portion 13, and has a pump portion 15 provided so as to be positioned at a concave portion of the bottom surface portion of the water supply tank 11. An impeller sorbed on a disk-shaped magnet plate is accommodated in the pump unit 15 and is rotated by a magnetic force by a motor unit (not shown) provided outside to supply water.

The water in the water supply tank 11 is discharged by the pump unit 15, temporarily received by the water receiving unit 17, and from the opening 6 a of the heat insulating partition plate 6 at the lower part of the vegetable room 3 through the water supply pipe 18. Supply water. The water supply pipe 18 is configured to be inserted into the guide pipe 19 and detachable together with the water receiving portion 17.
JP 2001-41625 A

  In the ice making device for a refrigerator configured as described above, the water supply pipe 18 can be removed and cleaned, but since the refrigerator compartment 2 and the freezer compartment 4 are separated by the vegetable compartment 3, a dimensional error is likely to occur. Moreover, the discharge position of the pump part 15, the opening part 6a, and the water supply pipe 18 are easy to shift | deviate relatively, and it is easy to leak.

  Then, this invention makes it a subject to provide the ice making apparatus of the refrigerator which does not have fear of water leak and can attach or detach a part of water supply path | route easily.

  In order to solve the above-mentioned problem, in the invention of claim 1, a first partition wall and a second partition wall for partitioning the inside of the refrigerator up and down are provided, and the first partition wall is disposed above the second partition wall. In the refrigerator, the tank containing ice-making water is disposed above the first partition wall, and the ice making chamber having an ice tray is disposed below the second partition wall. A water channel extending from the partition wall to the ice tray is formed, and an opening of the water channel is provided on an upper surface of the first partition wall, and a portion in the first partition wall of the water channel is closer to a refrigerator door as it goes downward. In the water channel, a conduit that guides water supplied from the tank is disposed, and a discharge port of a pump that discharges water in the tank is disposed vertically above the opening. did.

  According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the first aspect of the present invention, the area of the opening viewed from the vertical is larger than that of the discharge port of the pump, and the discharge port of the pump is disposed in the vertical projection plane of the opening. did.

  In the invention of claim 3, in the invention of claim 1 or 2, the opening is provided on an inclined surface visible from the door side.

  In the invention of claim 1, a water channel from the first partition wall to the ice tray is formed, and a portion in the first partition wall of the water channel is inclined from the door side of the refrigerator to the back side as it goes downward. Since the pipeline is arranged in the water channel, the pipeline can be easily attached and detached by reaching out from the door side into the refrigerator.

  Since the discharge port of the pump that discharges the water in the tank is arranged vertically above the opening, even if water is discharged from the pump with no pipes attached, It can enter the water channel from the opening, reach the ice tray through the water channel, and make ice.

  In the invention of claim 2, since the area of the opening viewed from the vertical is larger than that of the discharge port of the pump, and the discharge port of the pump is arranged in the vertical projection plane of the opening, the pipe line is attached. Even if water is discharged from the pump in a state where the water is not discharged, the water can surely enter the water channel from the opening without being scattered around, and can be iced.

  In the invention of claim 3, since the opening provided in the first partition wall is provided on the inclined surface visible from the door side, the position of the opening can be easily confirmed, and the conduit can be easily attached to the water channel. .

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. However, the same components as those in the conventional example are denoted by the same reference numerals, and detailed description thereof will be omitted. The present invention is not limited to the embodiments.

(Embodiment 1)
FIG. 1 is a longitudinal side view of an ice making device 7 of a refrigerator 100 embodying the present invention. In the refrigerator 100 of FIG. 1, the same code | symbol is attached | subjected to the structure same as the structure of the conventional refrigerator main body 1 of FIG. That is, the refrigerator 100 is provided with the refrigerator compartment 2, the vegetable compartment 3, and the freezer compartment 4 (ice making room) in order from the top. The refrigerator compartment 2 and the vegetable compartment 3 are partitioned by a partition plate 5 (first partition wall), and the vegetable compartment 3 and the freezer compartment 4 are partitioned by a heat insulating partition plate 6 (second partition wall).

  The refrigerator 100 is provided with an automatic ice making device 7. The automatic ice making device 7 includes a water supply tank 11 for storing water for ice making, a water supply pump unit 14 for sending the water in the water supply tank 11 to the ice tray 8, and water discharged from the water supply pump unit 14 to the ice tray 8. The water supply path (pipe 21 and water path 22) to guide, an ice making tray 8 that can be rotated by a drive motor 24 (ice removal mechanism), and a tray 23 that accommodates ice generated by the ice tray 8 are configured.

  In the refrigerator compartment 2 above the partition plate 5, a water supply tank 11 and a water supply pump unit 14 are arranged. An ice tray 8 and a tray 23 are arranged in the freezer compartment 4. The water channel 22 is configured by connecting three pipe-like members (an upper end side member 22a, an intermediate member 22b, and a guide pipe 19). An upper end side member 22 a of the water channel 22 is fixed to a through hole 26 provided in the partition plate 5, and the guide pipe 19 penetrates the heat insulating partition plate 6 and is fixed to the heat insulating partition plate 6. The upper end of the intermediate member 22b is connected to the upper end side member 22a while keeping water-tightness by the connecting member 25, and the lower end is connected to the upper end of the guide pipe 19 while keeping water-tightness by, for example, a rubber joint 28. Therefore, the water channel 22 has a configuration that can be separated vertically. The connection member 25 is made of soft vinyl chloride or rubber, and a material that does not easily deteriorate in a low temperature environment is selected.

  FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the water supply path 12 of the automatic ice making device 7 of FIG. As shown in FIG. 2, an inclined surface 5 a is formed on the upper surface of the partition plate 5 so that the opening portion of the through hole 26 of the partition plate 5 can be seen when the door 20 (FIG. 1) is opened. An opening 26a of the through hole 26 is formed in the inclined surface 5a. Discharge port 14a of feed water pump unit 14 is arranged vertically above opening 26a. That is, the discharge port 14a enters the vertical projection plane of the opening 26a. The through hole 26 is preferably provided so as to incline toward the back side (that is, backward and downward) as it goes downward.

  FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a pipeline of the ice making device for the refrigerator according to the present embodiment. As shown in FIG. 3, the pipe line 21 is configured by combining an upper funnel 21a and a lower pipe 22b. The funnel 21a is provided with a hook (not shown) so that the pipe line 21 can be fixed to the side wall of the refrigerator compartment 2, and a hook hole (not shown) is formed in the side wall of the refrigerator compartment 2 corresponding to the hook. Is provided. Therefore, the pipe line 21 can be disengaged from the hook by slightly lifting the funnel 21a, and can be attached to and detached from the refrigerator compartment 2 with one touch. In order to facilitate the insertion of the pipe 22b, the diameter of the through hole 26 is preferably formed slightly larger in the vicinity of the opening 26a and smaller in diameter toward the inside.

  The capacity of the funnel 21a is set so that all the water discharged from the pump 14 can be received. If the amount of water discharged from the pump 14 flows into the ice tray 8 via the pipe 22b per unit time is taken into consideration, the capacity of the funnel 21a does not have to be the same as that of the ice tray 8; The capacity can be smaller than the capacity. Of course, the capacity of the funnel 21a and the capacity of the ice tray 8 may be matched. By setting the capacity of the funnel 21a in this way, all the water discharged from the pump 14 is contained in the funnel 21a.

  The pipe 22b of the conduit 21 has a smaller diameter than the water channel 22 disposed in the through hole 26, and is inserted into the water channel 22 when mounted. The length of the pipe 22b is preferably set so that the lower end of the pipe 22b reaches the heat insulating partition plate 6 (second partition wall).

  Therefore, the water supply path 12 has a double structure in which the pipe 21 is disposed in the water path 22. Therefore, there is no worry that water will leak into the vegetable room 3 by any chance. Further, it is not necessary to consider the watertightness between the water channel 22 and the pipeline 21.

  When the refrigerator 100 is assembled, if the water channel 22 is integrally formed, the position of the through hole 26 provided in the partition plate 5 and the position of the upper end portion of the guide pipe 19 are shifted (that is, a dimensional error). However, if the middle part is connected by the connecting member 25 as in the present embodiment, it is easy to absorb the horizontal deviation, and the refrigerator 100 Easy to assemble. Moreover, it is not necessary to apply an excessive force to the partition plate 5 and the heat insulating partition plate 6, and the durability of the refrigerator 100 can be improved.

  When a soft material such as vinyl chloride, natural rubber, or synthetic rubber is employed for the connecting member 25, the above-described dimension error absorption allowance can be formed. By connecting with such a soft connecting member 25 (joint member), it is possible to avoid applying an excessive force to the water channel 22 even if the water channel 22 expands and contracts due to a temperature change.

  Water in the water supply tank 11 is discharged toward the funnel 21 a by the water supply pump unit 14, reaches the ice tray 8 through the pipe line 21 and the guide pipe 19, and is made into ice. When the ice is made, the ice tray 8 is rotated by the drive motor 24 (ice removing mechanism), and the ice falls into the tray 23.

  Although the capacity | capacitance of the funnel 21a is smaller than the capacity | capacitance of the ice tray 8, since the water supplied by the water supply pump unit 14 immediately flows in the pipe line 21, it does not overflow from the funnel 21a. The water supply pump unit 14 sets the discharge time to 3 to 10 seconds if the discharge amount of water is time-controlled. For example, if the discharge amount for 3 to 10 seconds corresponds to the capacity of the ice tray 8. Thus, water can be supplied to the ice tray 8 without excess or deficiency.

  When cleaning the pipeline 21, the hook that fixes the funnel 21a is removed, and the pipeline 21 is removed from the refrigerator 100 (FIG. 1). When the conduit 21 is removed, the upper end of the water channel 22 is exposed in the opening 26a. Here, if the channel cross-sectional area at the upper end of the water channel 22 (or the area viewed from the vertical of the opening 26a) is set to be larger than the discharge port of the water supply pump unit 14, the pipe 21 after cleaning should be used. Even if the user forgets to wear the water, the water can flow through the water channel 22 and reach the ice tray 8 to make the ice.

  In the said embodiment, the three-stage refrigerator 100 was illustrated and the refrigerator compartment 2 provided with the water supply tank 11 and the freezer compartment 4 provided with the automatic ice making apparatus 7 (ice tray 8) were separated by the vegetable compartment 3. Although the example which has shown was shown, even if the refrigerator compartment 2 and the freezer compartment 4 are separated by two or more chambers, this invention can be implemented.

  As described above, the ice making device for a refrigerator according to the present invention should, even if water is discharged from the pump in a state where the pipe is not attached, the discharged water enters the water channel through the opening and passes through the water channel. Therefore, it can be widely applied as an auxiliary configuration in the case of misuse of the water supply path of an ice making machine, a cooling device or the like equipped with a water supply device for an automatic ice making device.

The longitudinal cross-sectional view of the ice making apparatus of the warehouse of Embodiment 1 of this invention The perspective view of the water supply path of the ice making apparatus of the refrigerator of the embodiment The perspective view of the pipe line of the ice making apparatus of the refrigerator of the embodiment Longitudinal sectional view of a conventional refrigerator ice making device

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Refrigerator body 2 Refrigerated room 3 Vegetable room 4 Freezer room 5 Partition plate (1st partition wall)
6 Insulation partition (second partition wall)
7 Automatic ice making device 8 Ice making tray 9 Release mechanism 10 Water supply device 11 Water supply tank 12 Water supply route 14 Water supply pump unit 17 Water receiving portion 18 Water supply pipe (water supply route)
19 Guide pipe 20 Door 21 Pipe 22 Water channel 25 Connection member 26 Through hole 26a Opening

Claims (3)

A first partition wall and a second partition wall that divide the inside of the refrigerator vertically are provided, the first partition wall is disposed above the second partition wall, and is used for ice making above the first partition wall In a refrigerator in which a tank containing water is disposed, and an ice making chamber is provided with an ice tray below the second partition wall,
A water channel extending from the first partition wall to the ice tray is formed, and an opening of the water channel is provided on the upper surface of the first partition wall, and a portion in the first partition wall of the water channel is lowered toward the bottom. The pipe is inclined from the door side to the back side, a pipe for guiding the water supplied from the tank is disposed in the water channel, and the discharge of the pump that discharges the water in the tank vertically above the opening. An ice making device for a refrigerator, wherein an outlet is arranged.   2. The refrigerator according to claim 1, wherein an area of the opening viewed from the vertical is larger than that of the discharge port of the pump, and the discharge port of the pump is arranged in a vertical projection plane of the opening. Ice making equipment.   The ice making device for a refrigerator according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the opening is provided on an inclined surface that is visible from the door side.

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