JP2007120823A - Cooling storage cabinet with automatic ice making machine - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To carry out ice making completion determination without using a thermistor, to carry out control of emphasizing a value during OFF time of a blower when carrying out ON-OFF actions of the blower supplying cold air to a freezing temperature chamber installed with an automatic ice making machine, and to provide control based upon a detected voltage of a non-contact type sensor even when ON time of the blower during an ice making process becomes long, even though a conventional one is provided with an infrared ray sensor corresponding to an ice tray and a thermistor detecting a self-temperature of the infrared ray sensor, and ice making completion is determined on the basis of both outputs. <P>SOLUTION: By using an average value S of voltage outputs based upon detection of the non-contact type sensor within a predetermined time as a reference temperature, control is carried out to change from the ice making process to an ice separating process if there is a drop of a predetermined temperature from the reference temperature. The average value S in the ON-OFF actions of the blower supplying cold air to the freezing temperature chamber during the ice making process is a weighted value so as to emphasize the value during the OFF time of the blower more than a value during ON time of the blower supplying cold air to the freezing temperature chamber. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a cooling storage with an automatic ice maker that performs control for detecting a frozen state of water in an ice tray by a non-contact type sensor.

  It is an automatic ice maker mounted in a refrigerator, a temperature sensor is attached to the ice tray, and a temperature signal based on a detected temperature before water supply and a detected temperature after water supply is sampled by a program of a microcomputer type control device, When the deviation value of both detected temperature signals is equal to or smaller than the standard deviation value, some ice trays determine that there is no water. (For example, refer to Patent Document 1).

  Since the automatic ice making machine of Patent Document 1 has a temperature sensor attached to the ice tray, it is difficult to remove the ice tray. On the other hand, an automatic ice maker mounted on the refrigerator is provided with an infrared sensor that detects infrared rays emitted from the water supplied to the ice tray in order to make the ice tray removable. Some have ice making completion determination means for determining that ice has been generated if the temperature of water obtained from the output voltage of the infrared sensor is equal to or lower than a predetermined temperature. (For example, refer to Patent Document 2).

In the automatic ice maker of Patent Document 2, simply detecting infrared rays emitted from the water supplied to the ice tray by the infrared sensor causes a sudden temperature change due to defrosting control of the refrigerator or opening / closing of the door. When the temperature of the infrared sensor installation environment suddenly increases, the detection temperature of the infrared sensor increases, and when the temperature decreases suddenly, the infrared sensor is responsive to temperature, so the detection temperature of the infrared sensor is low. Therefore, infrared rays emitted from water and ice cannot be detected accurately, and the completion of ice making is determined even when the water supplied to the ice tray remains unfrozen. In order to prevent this, a thermistor that detects the self-temperature of the infrared sensor is provided so that the completion of ice making is determined when the temperature obtained from the output voltage of the thermistor and the output voltage of the infrared sensor is equal to or lower than a predetermined temperature. It is to make.
Japanese Patent No. 2552571 JP 2005-98537 A

  As described above, the invention of Patent Document 2 requires a thermistor that detects the self-temperature of the infrared sensor in addition to the infrared sensor, but in the present invention, it is determined that ice making completion is determined without using such a thermistor. It provides a control method to make.

  During the ice making process of the automatic ice maker, the state of water and ice in the ice tray is detected by a non-contact sensor, and the average value S of the voltage output based on the detection of the non-contact sensor within a predetermined time is used as a reference temperature. As a result, when a system is used to control the transition from the ice making process to the deicing process when the temperature falls from there, the blower that supplies cold air to the freezing temperature chamber where the automatic ice making machine is installed is always OFF during the ice making process. In this case, the voltage related to the temperature detected by the non-contact type sensor can be detected stably without extreme deviation. Normally, the blower is turned on and off during the ice making process. Although it operates, since the temperature of the freezing temperature chamber rises due to the water supply to the ice tray and the blower is turned on, the ON time may be longer. When the blower is turned on, the non-contact type sensor is cooled by the supplied cold air, so that it may not be possible to accurately detect the water state and ice state in the ice tray.

  Therefore, control that places importance on the value during the OFF time of the blower so that the weight of the detection voltage when the blower ON is inferior in stability is reduced with respect to the detection voltage when the blower OFF is capable of stable detection. Thus, the control based on the detection voltage of the non-contact type sensor is made possible even when the ON time of the blower during the ice making process becomes long.

  The cooling storage with an automatic ice maker according to the first invention of the present application is such that an automatic ice maker equipped with an ice tray that is rotationally driven by an electric mechanism is incorporated in a freezing temperature chamber, and the temperature is generated from water and ice in the ice tray. In a cooling storage comprising a non-contact type sensor that generates an associated output voltage, and a control circuit unit that controls an ice making process and a de-ice process of the automatic ice maker based on the output voltage of the non-contact type sensor, The control circuit unit controls the average value S of the output voltage based on the detection of the non-contact sensor within a predetermined time as a reference temperature, and shifts from the ice making process to the deicing process when the temperature falls from the average value S. The average value S in the ON-OFF operation of the blower that supplies cold air to the refrigeration temperature chamber during the ice making process is the value during the ON time of the blower that supplies cold air to the refrigeration temperature chamber. Is a weighted value to emphasize values in the OFF time of the blower.

  According to a second aspect of the present invention, an automatic ice maker having an ice tray rotated by an electric mechanism is incorporated in a freezing temperature chamber, and generates an output voltage related to the temperature generated from water and ice in the ice tray. In a cooling storage having a non-contact type sensor and having a control circuit unit for controlling an ice making process and a de-icing process of the automatic ice maker based on an output voltage of the non-contact type sensor, the control circuit unit has a predetermined time The average value S of the output voltage based on the detection of the non-contact type sensor is set as a reference temperature, and when the temperature falls from the average value S, control is performed so as to shift from the ice making process to the deicing process. The average value S in the ON-OFF operation of the blower supplying cold air to the refrigeration temperature chamber is the non-contact sensor within a predetermined time during the OFF time of the blower supplying cold air to the refrigeration temperature chamber. The average value S1 of the output voltage and the average value S2 of the output voltage of the non-contact sensor within a predetermined time during the ON time of the blower, the average value S2 being more than the average value S1 It is a lightly weighted value.

  In the first invention, when the temperature in the ice tray is detected by the non-contact type sensor, the average value of the output of the non-contact type sensor for a predetermined time is set to a temperature of about 0 ° C., and this is used as a reference from here. If the temperature falls, the control to shift from the ice making process to the deicing process is performed, so that stable control can be performed. In this case, when the average value S in the ON / OFF operation of the blower that supplies cold air to the freezing temperature chamber during the ice making process is adopted, the value during the blower OFF time is more important than the value during the blower ON time. Based on the weighted values as described above, even when the blower is turned on for a long time in the ice making process, the detection error caused by turning on the blower is reduced, and stable control for shifting from the ice making process to the deicing process can be performed.

  The second invention is an average value of the average value S1 during the blower OFF time and the average value S2 during the blower ON time, and the average value S2 is a value weighted lighter than the average value S1. . This weighting is performed by, for example, multiplying the sampling value of the output of the non-contact type sensor during the blower OFF time or an average value thereof by 0.9, and the sampling value of the output of the non-contact type sensor during the ON time of the blower or its Since the average value is multiplied by 0.1, and the average value obtained by adding the average value can be controlled to shift from the ice making process to the deicing process, or can be performed by another method of weighting, the first The same effects as the invention can be obtained.

  The present invention relates to a non-contact type in which an automatic ice maker having an ice tray rotated by an electric mechanism is incorporated in a freezing temperature chamber and generates an output voltage related to the temperature generated from water and ice in the ice tray. In a cooling storage comprising a sensor and a control circuit unit that controls an ice making process and a deicing process of the automatic ice maker based on an output voltage of the non-contact sensor, the control circuit unit includes the control circuit unit within a predetermined time. The average value S of the output voltage based on the detection of the non-contact type sensor is used as a reference temperature, and control is performed so as to shift from the ice-making process to the de-icing process when the temperature falls below a predetermined temperature, and cool air is supplied to the freezing temperature chamber The average value S in the ON-OFF operation in the ice making process of the blowing fan is larger during the OFF time of the blower than the value during the ON time of the blower that supplies cold air to the freezing temperature chamber. That value is weighted values to emphasize, that described embodiments of the invention below.

  Embodiments of the present invention will be described. 1 is a front view of a cooling storage, FIG. 2 is an explanatory view of the cooling storage body viewed from the front, FIG. 3 is a longitudinal side view of the cooling storage, FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of a portion related to an automatic ice maker, and FIG. FIG. 6 is a configuration diagram of the control circuit, and FIG. 7 is a diagram showing a temperature change state in water supply / ice making / deicing of the automatic ice making machine.

  In FIG. 1 thru | or FIG. 3, 1 is the cooling storage of this invention, and has shown the form of the refrigerator-freezer. The cooling storage 1 has a configuration in which the inside of the main body 2 having a front opening is partitioned to form a plurality of storage chambers, and the front surfaces of these storage chambers can be opened and closed by doors. The cooling storage body 2 is a heat insulating structure in which a foam heat insulating material 2C is filled between an outer box (outer wall plate) 2A and an inner box (inner wall plate) 2B. The cooling storage body 2 has a structure in which a refrigeration room 3 is provided at the top, a freezing room 5 and an ice making room 6 are provided side by side as a freezing temperature room, and a vegetable room 4 is disposed therebelow.

  A plurality of shelves 3 </ b> A are provided in the refrigerator compartment 3 so as to be placed on a shelf holder formed on the side wall of the refrigerator compartment 3. The front opening of the refrigerating room 3 is opened and closed by a revolving refrigerating room door 10 that is rotated laterally by a hinge device at one side of the cooling storage body 2. The front opening of the vegetable compartment 4 is closed by a pull-out door 11 that is drawn forward together with the vegetable container 15 supported so that it can be pulled out in the front-rear direction by a support device 18 by left and right rails 18A and rollers 18B provided in the vegetable compartment 4. Has been. The front openings of the freezer compartment 5 and the ice making chamber 6 are closed at one side of the cooling storage body 2 by a pivotable door 12 that pivots laterally by a hinge device. The front opening of the chamber 6 may be configured to be closed by separate doors 12A and 12B (not shown). In this case, similarly to the vegetable compartment 4, the freezer compartment 5 is a drawer type in which a container supported so as to be able to be drawn out in the front-rear direction with respect to the left and right rails provided in the freezer compartment 5 is drawn out together with the door 12A. As with the vegetable compartment 4, the ice making chamber 6 is a drawer type in which an ice storage container, which will be described later, is supported with respect to the left and right rails provided in the ice making chamber 6 so that it can be pulled out in the front-rear direction. It may be configured.

  The refrigerator compartment 3 located in the upper part and the side-by-side freezing room 5 and ice making room 6 located in the lower part are partitioned by a heat insulating partition wall 17A, and the side-by-side freezing room 5 and ice making room 6 and below The vegetable compartment 4 is partitioned by a heat insulating partition wall 17B. 45 is a back wall member of the refrigerating chamber 3 disposed on the front side of the back wall of the cooling storage body 2 and is composed of a combination of a synthetic resin back plate and a heat insulating material such as styrofoam attached to the back side. A cold air passage (cold air duct) 43 in the vertical direction is formed on the back side of the chamber 3, and cold air passages (cold air ducts) 43 </ b> A and 43 </ b> B are formed on the left and right sides thereof.

  The freezing chamber 5 and the ice making chamber 6 are divided into a front opening ice making chamber 6 which is kept at the freezing temperature on the left side by a partition plate 47A, and a freezing chamber 5 which is kept at the freezing temperature on the right side. An automatic ice maker 7 is disposed at the top, and an ice storage container 8 having an upper surface opening is disposed below the automatic ice maker 7. The ice storage container 8 is supported by a rail 6A provided on the left and right side walls of the ice making chamber 6 so as to be drawn out in the front-rear direction. The automatic ice making machine 7 includes an ice tray 7B that is rotationally driven by an electric mechanism 7A. The ice made in the ice tray 7B by the ice making process is generated by the electric mechanism according to a control signal from the control circuit unit 300. 7B is twisted and reversed to disengage the ice in the ice storage container 8 below, and then returned to the normal state by reverse rotation, and a predetermined amount of water is returned by the operation of a solenoid type on-off valve device 51A described later. Is operated so as to be supplied.

  Reference numeral 9 denotes a water supply container (also referred to as a water storage container) for storing ice making water supplied to the automatic ice making machine 7, which has a rectangular shape whose depth is longer than the horizontal width, and is formed by partitioning the inside of the refrigerator compartment 3 with a partition wall 47B. It is arrange | positioned at the small chamber 46, it cools with the temperature in the refrigerator compartment 3, and it can take out ahead by opening the front door 10 of the refrigerator compartment 3. The specific low temperature chamber 13 is provided next to the small chamber 46 partitioned by the partition wall 47B.

  As shown in FIG. 3, a machine room 28 is formed at the bottom of the cooling storage body 2, and in this machine room 28, an electric compressor 24 that compresses the refrigerant constituting the refrigeration apparatus of the cooling storage 1, defrosted water The evaporating dish 26 provided with a radiator 25B for evaporating the air, the blower 81, and the like are disposed on the base plate 83. By the wind from the blower 81, the electric compressor 24 and the evaporating dish 26 in the machine room 28 are heat-exchanged to dissipate heat. Reference numerals 29 and 30 denote refrigerant evaporators (coolers) of the refrigeration apparatus provided for cooling the inside of the refrigerator. Reference numeral 31 denotes a first blower that circulates the cold air cooled by a first evaporator (cooler) 29 serving as a freezer cooler into the refrigerator, that is, to the freezer compartment 5 and the ice making chamber 6. Reference numeral 32 denotes a second blower that circulates the cold air cooled by the second evaporator (cooler) 30, which is a refrigerator for the refrigerator compartment, into the refrigerator, that is, the refrigerator compartment 3, the vegetable compartment 4, and the specific low temperature compartment 13. Reference numeral 33 denotes a defrosting glass tube heater of the first evaporator (cooler) 29, and reference numeral 34 denotes a defrosting glass tube heater of the second evaporator (cooler) 30. The defrosted water from the first evaporator (cooler) 29 and the second evaporator (cooler) 30 is led to the evaporating dish 26 through the drain pipe 23 and evaporated there.

  When the compressor 24, the blower 31, the blower 32, and the blower 81 are operated (ON), the high-temperature and high-pressure refrigerant gas compressed by the compressor 24 is radiated by a radiator (not shown) including the radiator 25B. The defrost water in the evaporating dish 26 is evaporated. The refrigerant exiting the radiator is reduced in pressure through the circuit of the first electric expansion valve 71 and the circuit of the second electric expansion valve 72, respectively, and the temperature is lowered. 29 and the cold room evaporator (cooler) 30. The liquid refrigerant that has flowed into the first evaporator (cooler) 29 and the second evaporator (cooler) 30 evaporates there and cools the surrounding air. The gas refrigerant evaporated in the first evaporator (cooler) 29 flows into the suction side of the compressor 24 and is compressed. Further, the gas refrigerant evaporated in the second evaporator (cooler) 30 flows into the suction side of the compressor 24 and is compressed again to perform the above-described refrigerant circulation.

  In the cooling storage 1 described above, the electric expansion valve 71 is a valve whose opening degree is adjusted by operating a drive valve by a stepping motor that performs forward and reverse operations according to a control signal from the control circuit unit 300. Based on the data set in the control circuit unit 300 in accordance with the outlet temperature of the evaporator (cooler) 29 or the temperature of the freezer 5, the stepping motor rotates forward or reverse to operate the drive valve, and the valve The opening degree is adjusted and control is performed so that proper refrigerant expansion is performed. In addition, the electric expansion valve 72 is a valve in which the drive valve is operated and the opening degree of the evaporator (cooler) 30 is adjusted by a stepping motor that performs forward rotation and reverse rotation according to a control signal. Based on the data set in the control circuit unit 300 in accordance with the inlet and outlet temperatures, the stepping motor rotates forward or backward to operate the drive valve so that the valve opening is adjusted and proper refrigerant expansion is performed. Be controlled.

  The cooling operation of the cooling storage 1 will be described. In the cooling storage 1, the cooling operation is started by the temperature of the freezer compartment 5. When the temperature of the freezer compartment 5 detected by the freezer temperature chamber sensor rises to a predetermined upper limit set temperature, the control circuit unit 300 starts the cooling operation. At the start, the control circuit unit 300 detects the temperature of the refrigerating room 3 by the refrigerating room sensor, and when the temperature of the refrigerating room 3 exceeds a predetermined upper limit set temperature, the refrigerating room 5 cools the refrigerating room 3. If the temperature of the refrigerator compartment 3 does not exceed the predetermined upper limit set temperature, the freezer compartment 5 is cooled. Here, it is assumed that the temperature of the refrigerator compartment 3 exceeds a predetermined upper limit set temperature. Therefore, the control circuit unit 300 first cools the refrigerator compartment 3. That is, the control circuit unit 300 operates (ON) the compressor 24, opens the electric expansion valve 72 to the opening degree at the previous cooling room cooling, and operates (ON) the second blower 32. And if the refrigerator compartment 3 falls to predetermined | prescribed lower limit setting temperature, it will switch from cooling of the refrigerator compartment 3 to cooling of the freezer compartment 5. FIG. The control circuit unit 300 stores the value of the opening degree of the electric expansion valve 72 at this time, fully closes the electric expansion valve 72, stops the second blower 32, and turns off the electric expansion valve 71. Is opened to the opening at the time of the previous freezer cooling, and the first blower 31 is operated (ON). Thereby, the freezer compartment 5 and the ice making compartment 6 are cooled. When the freezer compartment 5 is lowered to a predetermined lower limit set temperature, the freezing operation is terminated. The control circuit unit 300 stores the opening value of the electric expansion valve 71 at this time, fully closes the electric expansion valve 71, stops the first blower 31, and stops the compressor 24. (OFF).

  Next, the circulation of cold air will be described with reference to FIGS. Reference numeral 35 denotes a cold air passage (cold air duct) through which the cold air cooled by the second evaporator (cooler) 30 is guided from the second blower 32, and is widely arranged along the upper wall of the refrigerator compartment 3, the front end of which is refrigerated. It communicates with a cold air outlet 36 formed on the upper surface of the front opening of the chamber 3. The cold air blown out from the cold air outlet 36 forms a cold air curtain 37 that flows from the top to the bottom as indicated by the arrow in the front opening of the refrigerator compartment 3. The cold air cooled by the first evaporator (cooler) 29 and the cold air cooled by the second evaporator (cooler) 30 are circulated as indicated by arrows by the first blower 31 and the second blower 32, respectively, and each chamber is circulated. Cool to a predetermined temperature.

  Regarding the formation of a cold air circulation path in which the cold air cooled by the second evaporator (cooler) 30 is circulated to the refrigerator compartment 3 and the vegetable compartment 4 by the second blower 32, a cold air passage (cold air) is provided at the back of the refrigerator compartment 3. Duct) 43 is formed, and cold air passages (cold air ducts) 43A and 43B are formed on both the left and right sides, and the second evaporator (cooler) 30 is accommodated in the cold air supply passage (cold air duct) 43 and the cooler chamber. Is configured. In addition, the electric expansion valve 72 disposed on the refrigerant pipe extending upward from the second evaporator (cooler) 30 is covered with the rubber cover 90 in the recess on the back surface of the cold air supply passage (cold air duct) 43. It is attached with screws.

  The cold air cooled by the second evaporator (cooler) 30 is circulated by the second blower 32 to the refrigerating chamber 3 and the specific low temperature chamber 13 which is a part thereof. In the path, a part of the cold air that has passed through the second blower 32 blows out from the cold air outlet 36 through the cold air passage (cold air duct) 35. The other part of the cool air that has passed through the second blower 32 passes through the left and right cool air passages 43A and 43B on the back side of the back plate 45 of the refrigerating chamber 3 and from the cold air outlet 39 formed in the back plate 45 of the refrigerating chamber 3. The cool air blown out to the refrigerating chamber 3 and further flows downward through the cool air passage 43B blows out from the cool air outlet 39A to the specific low temperature chamber 13. The cold air that has flowed into the refrigerator compartment 3 and the specific low temperature chamber 13 is sucked from the suction port 50 at the lower part of the refrigerator compartment 3, that is, the suction port 50 formed in the back wall of the small chamber 46 and the specific low temperature chamber 13. ) 43 flows into the cold air suction side below the second evaporator (cooler) 30 and circulates again by the second evaporator (cooler) 30.

  On the other hand, a part of the cold air flowing into the refrigerator compartment 3 is circulated to the vegetable compartment 4. 2 and 3, a part of the cold air flowing into the specific low temperature chamber 13 is sucked from the suction port 40 formed in the back wall of the specific low temperature chamber 13, and the cold air passage formed in the back wall of the cooling storage body 2 ( Cold air duct) 41A flows out from the outlet 42A to the vegetable compartment 4. The cold air flowing into the vegetable room 4 flows through the vegetable room 4 and from the cold air inlet 42B formed in the back wall close to the ceiling wall of the vegetable room 4 through the cold air return passage (cold air return duct) 41B. It flows into the cold air suction side of the lower part of the second evaporator (cooler) 30 of the cold air duct) 43 and circulates again cooled by the second evaporator (cooler) 30.

  Regarding the formation of a cold air circulation path for circulating the cold air cooled by the first evaporator (cooler) 29 to the freezer compartment 5 by the first blower 31, a cold air passage (cold air duct) 48 is formed in the back surface of the freezer compartment 5. In this cold air supply passage (cold air duct) 48, a first evaporator (cooler) 29 is accommodated to constitute a cooler chamber. In addition, the electric expansion valve 71 disposed on the refrigerant pipe extending upward from the first evaporator (cooler) 29 is covered with a rubber cover 91 in a recess on the back surface of the cold air supply passage (cold air duct) 48. It is attached with screws.

  The cold air cooled by the first evaporator (cooler) 29 is supplied from the cold air outlet 37A to the freezer compartment 5 by the first blower 31, supplied from the cold air outlet 37B to the ice making chamber 6, and sucked from the inlet 38, respectively. Rarely, it flows into the cold air suction side below the first evaporator (cooler) 29, and circulates again cooled by the first evaporator (cooler) 29.

  As described above, the automatic ice making machine 7 includes the electric mechanism 7A and the ice tray 7B that is rotationally driven by the electric mechanism 7A. An assembly of the electric mechanism 7A and the ice tray 7B that is rotationally driven by the electric mechanism 7A is configured to be removable by pulling it out of the cooling storage, including automatic attachment and detachment of the power supply line to the electric mechanism 7A. The automatic ice maker 7 can be detached by pulling the electric mechanism 7A and the ice tray 7B together to the front of the cooling storage 1.

  2 and 4, the automatic ice maker 7 has an electric mechanism 7A and an ice tray 7B attached to a base member 100 in which a housing surrounding the electric mechanism 7A and the ice tray 7B is formed. It is the structure provided with the connector detachably connected to the connector provided in the storage body 2 side. In addition, the base member 100 has a lateral width that extends substantially across the width of the ice making chamber 6 and is disposed in contact with or close to the ceiling surface of the ice making chamber 6 along the ceiling surface of the ice making chamber 6. The left and right side portions are placed on support portions 6B serving as rails provided on the left and right side portions in the vicinity of the ceiling surface of the ice making chamber 6, and the base member 100 can be pulled out forward of the ice making chamber 6 and the base member. 100 can be stored in the ice making chamber 6. With such a configuration, the automatic ice maker 7 including the electric mechanism 7A and the ice tray 7B can be removed by being pulled forward of the cooling storage 1 by the base member 100, and can be stored in the cooling storage 1. . For this reason, it is convenient to wash the ice tray 7B, and it is also possible to remove the automatic ice making machine 7 and use the ice making chamber 6 as a freezing chamber. 100D is a cover member of the base member 100.

  In addition, a holding mechanism 160 that keeps the base member 100 in a state where it is stored in a predetermined position of the ice making chamber 6 is provided. Specifically, the ceiling wall 30 of the ice making chamber 6 is formed with a locking portion 152 that is recessed upward, and a shaft portion 154 is inserted and supported in the support hole 153 of the base member 100 on the front surface of the base member 100. A lock knob 155 is rotatably attached. The lock knob 155 has a protrusion 156 formed on a part of the outer periphery.

  In this configuration, the base member 100 to which the electric mechanism 7 </ b> A, the ice tray 7 </ b> B, and the lock knob 155 are attached is stored in a predetermined position in the ice making chamber 6 with the protruding portion 156 positioned downward. In this state, by rotating the lock knob 155 to position the protrusion 156 in the locking portion 152, the base member 100 can be held at a predetermined position in the ice making chamber 6. In this state, the base member 100 is in the ice making chamber. The base member 100 does not move to the front of the ice making chamber 6 and drop off due to vibration. The base member 100 can be pulled out to the front of the ice making chamber 6 by rotating the lock knob 155 and positioning the protruding portion 156 outside the locking portion 152. The base member 100 has an opening 100E at a position where ice-making water flowing down from the water supply pipe 51 is supplied to the ice tray 7B.

  An electric mechanism portion cover 101A that holds the electric mechanism 7A from the lower side and covers the lower side of the electric mechanism 7A is disposed below the electric mechanism 7A, and is fixed from the upper side of the base member 100 by fixing means 150 such as screws. The electric mechanism cover 101 </ b> A is attached to the base member 100. Thus, the electric mechanism 7A is supported by the base member 100 in a state where the lower side is supported by the electric mechanism portion cover 101A. Since the recess of the handle portion 100C is formed on the lower side of the base member 100 on the front side of the electric mechanism 7A, the electric mechanism portion cover 101A is formed in a shape along the recess, and the electric mechanism portion cover 101A is the handle portion. An upper surface and a rear surface, which are a part of the recess of 100C, are formed.

  Although the base member 100 is placed on the left and right support portions 6B of the ice making chamber 6 so that the automatic ice maker 7 can be removed by pulling it forward of the cooling storage, the ice tray 7B is a base member so that it can be easily cleaned. It is easily removable from 100. As its structure, the drive side end of the ice tray 7B on the side of the electric mechanism 7A is provided with a drive side coupling portion 106 that is coupled to the rotation drive shaft 105 so as to rotate together with the rotation drive shaft 105 protruding from the electric mechanism 7A. In order to prevent the rotary drive shaft 105 from spinning around the drive side coupling portion 106, both are detachably fitted with a non-circular coupling structure.

  The driven side end of the ice tray 7B opposite to the electric mechanism 7A side is provided with a protruding shaft 108 rotatably supported by a bearing portion 107 provided in the housing portion of the synthetic resin base member 100. 108 is detachably combined with the bearing portion 107, and the bearing portion 107 is detachably held by a holding member 110 attached to the housing portion of the base member 100. Since the base member 100 is pulled out from the left and right support portions 6B of the ice making chamber 6 and the holding member 110 is pulled backward, the bearing portion 107 is detached from the base member 100, so that the drive side coupling portion 106 is moved to the rear of the rotary drive shaft 105. Can be removed. Thus, the ice tray 7B can be easily detached from the base member 100.

  In the present invention, an automatic ice making machine 7 including an electric mechanism 7A and an ice tray 7B that is rotationally driven by the electric mechanism 7A is detachably provided in the ice making chamber 6 in the cooling storage 1 in the front-rear direction. As shown in FIG. 4, the upper wall 28 of the ice making chamber 6 is provided with a non-contact sensor 200 that detects the temperature in the ice tray 7 </ b> B at a position above the front / rear direction attaching / detaching path of the automatic ice making machine 7. It is.

  If this is described in the above configuration, the base member 100 is pulled out in the front-rear direction and stored in a substantially horizontal state with respect to the left and right support portions 104 of the ice making chamber 6. Thus, the automatic ice maker 7 is pulled forward, and the automatic ice maker 7 is stored in a predetermined position by pushing the base member 100. Since the non-contact type sensor 200 is arranged at a position above the front-rear direction attaching / detaching path of the automatic ice making machine 7, the non-contact type sensor 200 does not obstruct the attachment / detachment of the automatic ice making machine 7. Specifically, a depression that is recessed upward is formed on the lower surface of the heat insulating partition wall 17A, which is the upper wall of the ice making chamber 6, and the non-contact sensor 200 is not recessed from the heat insulating partition wall 17A. It is attached.

  When the specified water supply amount is not supplied for some reason, or when the amount of water supplied to the ice tray 7 is controlled by time control, the amount of water stored in the water supply container 9 is less than the single specified water supply amount supplied to the ice tray 7. If the amount is too small, the ice tray 7 is less than the specified amount of water. In such a case, if the standby state is kept as it is, if a specified amount of water is supplied on the ice making operation in the next ice making operation, the ice making water overflows from the ice making tray 7B, and the water is stored in the lower ice storage container 8 or It falls into the ice making chamber 6 and freezes there, which is not preferable. For this reason, even when the ice tray 7 is less than the specified amount of water, it is desirable to return the ice tray 7B to a normal empty state by performing a predetermined ice making step and deicing step.

  Therefore, in the present invention, the positional relationship between the ice tray 7B and the water supply channel 51A is formed so that the ice making water from the water supply channel 51A is introduced into a specific ice making chamber 7B11 in the ice making chamber 7B1 of the ice tray 7B. Then, the non-contact type sensor 200 is arranged so as to detect the temperature of the specific ice making chamber 7B11 where the ice making water is first introduced, and the ice making water accumulated in the specific ice making chamber 7B11 is frozen. By detecting at 200, the ice making end operation can be completed. Specifically, a depression that is depressed upward is formed on the lower surface of the heat insulating partition wall 17A, which is the upper wall of the ice making chamber 6, and the non-contact sensor 200 does not protrude downward from the heat insulating partition wall 17A. Are attached obliquely downward and rearward so as to face the ice making chamber 7B11 through the opening 100E.

  A typical non-contact sensor 200 is an infrared sensor. The structure is a thermistor A in which the electrical resistance changes by detecting infrared radiation energy related to the temperature emitted from the water and ice in the ice tray 7B, and a state concealed so as not to detect such infrared radiation energy. And another thermistor B whose electric resistance changes by detecting the ambient temperature, and a voltage difference generated by the difference in resistance value between the thermistors A and B is output. Based on this output, the control circuit unit 300 outputs the voltage difference. The temperature of the water in the ice tray 7B is detected, and the control circuit unit 300 determines that the water in the ice tray 7B has been frozen and controls to enter the deicing process. be able to.

  Supplying ice-making water to the ice tray 7B of the automatic ice making machine 7 is energized to the solenoid 66 for a predetermined time by a control signal from the control circuit unit 300, so that the operating member 90 having a built-in permanent magnet rises and the on-off valve device. 51A opens for a predetermined time, and ice-making water is supplied from the water supply container 9 through the water supply channel 51 by a natural drop method. In the ice tray 7B, the longitudinal direction is the row direction, the ice making chambers 7B1 are arranged in two rows in four rows, the ice making chambers 7B1 are arranged in two rows in five rows, the ice making chambers 7B1 are arranged in two rows in six rows, Alternatively, it is made of a synthetic resin in which 8 to 24 square ice pieces are made by dividing into a plurality of ice making chambers 7B1 such that 8 ice making chambers 7B1 are arranged in 3 rows so as to make small ice. The ice storage container 8 is made of a white, transparent, translucent or other color synthetic resin, and has a box shape with a top opening that is longer than the left and right widths.

  As shown in FIG. 5, a water passage 7B2 is formed by cutting out a part of the partition wall at the upper end of the partition wall between the ice making chambers 7B1. Accordingly, when ice-making water from the water supply channel 51 is supplied to a specific ice-making chamber 7B11 in the ice-making chamber 7B1, ice-making water that overflows the ice-making chamber 7B11 flows into the adjacent ice-making chamber 7B1 through the water passage 7B2. To do. In this way, the ice making water sequentially flows into the adjacent ice making chamber 7B1, and each ice making chamber 7B1 is filled with the ice making water. This supply of ice making water is time-controlled as described above.

  When the water supply container 9 is locked to the elastic member and held in a predetermined position, a water supply container detection switch 9X (not shown) provided inside the back wall 32 of the refrigerator compartment 3 is turned on. An ice making cycle, which will be described later, can be started by the control circuit unit based on the ON state of the switch.

  The operation of the automatic ice maker 7 will be described with reference to FIG. The ice making operation of the automatic ice making machine 7 includes an ice making process and a deicing process controlled by the control circuit unit 300 provided in the cooling storage 1. By storing the water supply container 9 into which a predetermined amount of ice-making water is injected into a predetermined position of the cooling storage 1, the water supply container detection switch is turned on. In this state, if the detected temperature of the freezing temperature chamber sensor is lower than a predetermined low temperature, for example, −11 ° C. (minus 11 ° C.) or lower, when the ice making start switch is turned on manually, the left side of FIG. At time T1, the control circuit unit 300 starts the deicing process, the electric mechanism 7A is started, and the ice tray 7B is inverted and twisted so that the ice making chamber 7B1 faces downward, and then the ice making chamber 7B1 faces the upper surface. Thus, the ice tray 7B is returned to the normal state. This is to prevent any ice remaining in the ice tray 7B from the previous ice making, since water overflows into the ice storage container 8 when water is supplied on the ice tray 7B. When the ice tray 7B returns to the normal state, an ice tray position detection switch (not shown) operates, and the control circuit unit 300 starts the ice making process. When the ice making process is started, the solenoid 66 is energized for a predetermined time by the control circuit unit 300, the operating member 90 is raised, the on-off valve device 51A is opened, and a predetermined amount of ice required for one ice making from the water supply container 9 to the ice tray 7B. Ice making water is automatically supplied by natural fall. When the solenoid 66 is de-energized after energization for a predetermined time (T2 to T3 in FIG. 7), the on-off valve device 51A is closed.

  With the water supply to the ice tray 7B, the temperature of the ice making chamber 7B1 rapidly rises and exceeds the point T4 of 0 ° C., but is cooled by the temperature of the ice making chamber 6 to become a state TM of approximately 0 ° C. In this state, the freezing state of the ice making water in the ice making chamber 7B11 is detected by the non-contact sensor 200 every moment. As the ice making process proceeds, the water in the ice tray 7B is gradually frozen from the surface, and when the water in the ice making chamber 7B1 freezes to become ice, the temperature of the ice making chamber 7B11 detected by the non-contact sensor 200 rapidly increases. descend. The non-contact sensor 200 detects this, and if this temperature falls below the predetermined temperature TP from TM, for example, if it falls by 11 ° C., the control circuit unit 300 moves from the ice making process to the deicing process (on the right side of FIG. 7). T1 time point shown). When the deicing process starts, the electric mechanism 7A is started, the ice tray 7B is inverted and twisted, and the ice in the ice tray 7B is dropped into the lower ice storage container 8 so that the ice making chamber 7B1 faces the upper surface. The ice tray 7B is returned, the ice tray position detection switch (not shown) is operated, the deicing process is terminated by the control circuit unit 300, and the ice making process is started (at time T2 on the right side in FIG. 7).

  At the start of the ice making process, the solenoid 66 is energized for a predetermined time by the control circuit unit 300 as described above, the operating member 90 is raised and the on-off valve device 51A is opened, and one ice making from the water supply container 9 to the ice tray 7B is required. A predetermined amount of ice making water is automatically supplied by natural fall. When the solenoid 66 is de-energized after energization for a predetermined time (T2 to T3 shown on the right side of FIG. 7), the on-off valve device 51A is closed. With the water supply to the ice tray 7B, the temperature of the ice making chamber 7B1 rapidly rises and exceeds the point T4 of 0 ° C., but is cooled by the temperature of the ice making chamber 6 to become a state TM of approximately 0 ° C. In this state, similarly to the above, the non-contact sensor 200 detects the frozen state of the ice making water in the ice making chamber 7B11. When the water in the ice tray 7B freezes and becomes ice as the ice making process progresses, the temperature of the ice making chamber 7B11 detected by the non-contact sensor 200 rapidly decreases. The non-contact sensor 200 detects this, and if this temperature falls below a predetermined temperature TP from TM, for example, if it falls by 11 ° C., the control circuit unit 300 shifts from the ice making process to the deicing process as described above. Hereinafter, similarly, ice is stored in the ice storage container 8 by repeating the ice making process and the deicing process.

  As shown in FIG. 4, the amount of ice in the ice storage container 8 includes an ice detecting lever 7C that descends from the dotted line position toward the solid line position by the electric mechanism 7A for each deicing process. The ice detecting lever 7C is arranged on the side of the ice tray 7B so as not to obstruct the rotation of the ice tray 7B. When the amount of ice in the ice storage container 8 becomes full, the ice detecting lever 7C is restricted from descending by the ice, so this state is electrically detected and the ice making tray before entering the next ice making process. This is a mechanism in which water supply to 7B is stopped by the control circuit unit 300.

  The temperature of each chamber of the cooling storage 1, various functions, various operating procedures, the operating state of the automatic ice making machine 7 based on the detection by the non-contact type sensor 200, etc. are provided on the front surface of the cooling storage 1 by the control circuit unit 300. It can be displayed on the display unit 400 using a liquid crystal or the like.

  Although the temperature of the ice making chamber 7B11 is detected by the non-contact type sensor 200, the surface temperature of water (or ice) in the ice making chamber 7B11 is detected. In the cooling storage 1, the electric compressor 24 and the first blower 31 are normally turned on and off during the ice making process by detecting the temperature of the freezing temperature chamber sensor, but the freezing temperature is obtained by supplying water to the ice tray 7B. When the temperature of the chamber rises, the first blower 31 is turned on, so the ON time may be longer. When the first blower 31 is turned on, the non-contact type sensor 200 is cooled by the supplied cold air, so that the state of water in the ice tray 7B and the ice state are the same as when the first blower 31 is turned off. The state may not be detected accurately. As described above, when the detection output due to ON / OFF of the blower 31 varies, the intended transition control from the ice making process to the deicing process cannot be performed, so the first blower 31 stops (OFF). If the detection output of the non-contact type sensor 200 is used, stable control can be performed. However, since the ON time of the first blower 31 may become longer during the ice making process as described above, the blower Since control is limited only by the detection output of the OFF time 31, the detection output of the non-contact type sensor 200 during this ON time is also adopted.

  As described above, the control circuit unit 300 detects the temperature of the water in the ice tray 7B according to the voltage that is the detection output of the non-contact type sensor 200. For this operation, The control circuit unit 300 includes an amplifier 301 that amplifies a voltage that is a detection output of the non-contact sensor 200. A value obtained by sampling the detection output of the non-contact type sensor 200 detected over a predetermined period so as not to have an adverse effect due to variations in characteristics of each amplifier (amplifier) 301 or an adverse effect due to noise that has entered in the middle. The average value of is adopted.

  This method will be described. Regarding the output 302 of the amplifier (amplifier) 301 in the cooling storage 1, when the temperature of the ice making chamber 7B11 is detected by the non-contact sensor 200 during the ice making time, for example, from the time when 5 minutes have passed since the water supply. The average value S of the output 302 detected every predetermined time for 30 minutes up to 35 minutes is set to a temperature TM (indicated by reference numeral 303) of 0 ° C. or substantially 0 ° C., and the control circuit unit 300 uses this as the reference temperature TM. As described above, when the temperature falls from the predetermined temperature TP (for example, when the temperature falls by 11 ° C.), control is performed to shift from the ice making process to the deicing process. The average value S of the output 302 during the 30 minutes may be calculated only once, but the average value S data updated by repetition may be adopted. Since the control circuit unit 300 is a microcomputer system, it may be configured to perform these operations according to a predetermined operation program.

  In the above method, the temperature detection of the ice making chamber 7B11 by the non-contact type sensor 200 is performed by sampling, for example, the temperature detection data (voltage) of the ice making chamber 7B11 output by the non-contact type sensor 200 by a clock pulse every 10 msec. ), And this temperature detection data is averaged every predetermined time (for example, 100 msec), and this average value S is adopted as temperature detection data of the ice making chamber 7B11 by the non-contact type sensor 200. Amplification is performed so that the above control is performed. By adopting data averaged over a predetermined period in this way, even if noise enters in the middle, it will be ignored, and the temperature detection of the ice making chamber 7B11 by the non-contact type sensor 200 will be stable. Become. Further, by setting the reference temperature TM to the freezing point temperature of 0 ° C., stable operation by the control circuit unit 300 can be obtained.

  In this case, the average value S is used as a reference temperature TM, and if the temperature falls from the average temperature S by a predetermined temperature (11 ° C.), control is performed so as to shift from the ice making process to the deicing process. The average value in the ON-OFF operation of the blower 31 for supplying cold air to the room is set to a value weighted so that the value during the OFF time of the blower 31 is more important than the value during the ON time of the blower 31.

  One method of weighting is described. That is, the average value S is the average value S1 of the voltage output of the non-contact type sensor 200 within a predetermined time during the OFF time of the blower 31 and the non-contact type sensor 200 within the predetermined time during the ON time of the blower 31. The average value S2 is an average value of both of the voltage output average values S2, and the average value S2 is a value weighted lighter than the average value S1. Therefore, during the OFF time of the blower 31, temperature detection data (voltage) of the ice making chamber 7B11 output by the non-contact sensor 200 is read every 10 msec by a clock pulse, and this temperature detection data is read every predetermined time (for example, 100 msec). The average value S1 multiplied by 0.9, for example, is used as temperature detection data of the ice making chamber 7B11 by the non-contact sensor 200, and is amplified by an amplifier 301. Further, during the ON time of the blower 31, the temperature detection data (voltage) of the ice making chamber 7B11 output by the non-contact type sensor 200 is read every 10 msec by a clock pulse, and this temperature detection data is read every predetermined time (for example, 100 msec). The average value S2 multiplied by 0.1, for example, is used as temperature detection data of the ice making chamber 7B11 by the non-contact type sensor 200, and is amplified by an amplifier (amplifier) 301. Then, an average value S1 of 1.9 times amplified by the amplifier (amplifier) 301 and an average value S2 of 01.times. Based on the output voltage detected by the non-contact sensor 200 described above, the control circuit unit 300 performs a method up to weighting and control for shifting from the ice making process to the deicing process based on the method.

  Other methods besides the above may be used as the weighting method. According to the present invention, when the temperature in the ice tray 7B is detected by the non-contact type sensor 200, the average value of the output of the non-contact type sensor 200 in a predetermined time is set to a temperature of about 0 ° C. If the temperature falls below a predetermined temperature, control to shift from the ice making process to the deicing process is performed, so that stable control can be performed. In this case, when the average value S in the ON-OFF operation of the blower 31 that supplies cold air to the freezing temperature chamber during the ice making process is adopted, the value during the OFF time of the blower 31 is set to a value during the ON time of the blower 31. Since it is based on weighted values so as to be important, even if the ON time of the blower 31 in the ice making process is long, the detection error due to the ON of the blower 31 is thinned, and stable control to shift from the ice making process to the deicing process can be performed. Become.

  The present invention is a cooling storage with an automatic ice making machine, but the arrangement relationship between the refrigerator compartment and the freezing room is not limited to the above form, and the structure of the automatic ice making machine is not limited to the above. Therefore, the present invention can be applied to various automatic ice makers and cooling storages without departing from the technical scope of the present invention.

It is a front view of the cooling storage which concerns on this invention. Example 1 It is explanatory drawing which looked at the cooling storage main body which concerns on this invention from the front. Example 1 It is a vertical side view of the cooling storehouse which concerns on this invention. Example 1 It is sectional drawing of the part which concerns on the automatic ice making machine which concerns on this invention. Example 1 It is a top view of the ice tray which concerns on this invention. Example 1 It is a control circuit block diagram based on this invention. Example 1 It is a figure which shows the temperature change state in water supply, ice making, and deicing of the automatic ice making machine which concerns on this invention. Example 1

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Cooling storage 2 ... Cooling storage main body 3 ... Refrigeration room 4 ... Vegetable room 5 ... Freezing room 6 ... Ice making room 7 ... Automatic ice making machine 7A ... Electric mechanism 7B ··· Ice tray 7B1 · · Ice making chamber 7B11 · · Specific ice making chamber 8 · · · ice storage container 9 · · · water supply container 24 · · · electric compressor 29 · · · first evaporator (cooler)
30 ... Second evaporator (cooler)
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 31 ...... 1st blower 32 ...... 2nd blower 51 ...... Water supply channel 51A ... On-off valve device 200 ... Non-contact type sensor 300 ... Control circuit part 301 ... Amplifier (amplifier)
302 ... Output of amplifier (amplifier)

Claims (2)

  An automatic ice maker equipped with an ice tray rotated by an electric mechanism is incorporated in a freezing temperature chamber, and includes a non-contact type sensor that generates an output voltage related to a temperature generated from water and ice in the ice tray, In a cooling storehouse having a control circuit unit for controlling an ice making process and a deicing process of the automatic ice maker based on an output voltage of the non-contact sensor, the control circuit unit includes the non-contact sensor within a predetermined time. The average value S of the output voltage based on the detection of the above is used as a reference temperature, and when the temperature falls from the average temperature S, control is performed so as to shift from the ice making process to the deicing process, and cold air is supplied to the freezing temperature chamber during the ice making process. In the ON-OFF operation of the blower to be supplied, the average value S is more important for the value during the OFF time of the blower than the value during the ON time of the blower supplying cold air to the refrigeration temperature chamber. Automatic ice maker with cooling storage, which is a value obtained by weighted so that.   An automatic ice maker equipped with an ice tray rotated by an electric mechanism is incorporated in a freezing temperature chamber, and includes a non-contact type sensor that generates an output voltage related to a temperature generated from water and ice in the ice tray, In a cooling storehouse having a control circuit unit for controlling an ice making process and a deicing process of the automatic ice maker based on an output voltage of the non-contact sensor, the control circuit unit includes the non-contact sensor within a predetermined time. The average value S of the output voltage based on the detection of the above is used as a reference temperature, and when the temperature falls from the average temperature S, control is performed so as to shift from the ice making process to the deicing process. The average value S in the ON-OFF operation of the blower to be supplied is the average value of the output voltage of the non-contact sensor within a predetermined time during the OFF time of the blower that supplies cold air to the freezing temperature chamber. 1 and an average value S2 of the output voltage of the non-contact sensor within a predetermined time during the ON time of the blower, the average value S2 being a value weighted lighter than the average value S1 A cooling storage room with an automatic ice maker.

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