JP2008232602A - Operating method of automatic ice-making machine - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To prevent formed ice blocks from getting cloudy by additionally supplying ice-making water at a suitable time after the formation of ice blocks is started in ice-making operation. <P>SOLUTION: The additional supply of ice making water is started by carrying out opening control of a water supply valve 52 of a water supply part 50 at a suitable time after the formation of ice cubes R is started in an ice-making chamber 31. Before the ice-making water overflows from an ice-making water tank 34, closing control of the water supply valve 52 is carried out to stop the additional supply of the ice-making water. The additional supply timing of the ice-making water is a point of time when the ice cubes R are formed to a certain degree in the ice-making chamber 31 and the temperature of the ice-making chamber 31 reaches a first set temperature. The additional supply of the ice-making water is performed until a water level detecting means 62 disposed at the ice-making water tank 34 detects the water level of the ice-making water stored in the ice-making water tank 34. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2009,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to an operation method of an automatic ice maker, and more particularly, to an operation method of an automatic ice maker that generates ice blocks by supplying a predetermined amount of ice making water supplied from a water supply unit to an ice making water tank to the ice making unit. Is.

  A spray-type automatic ice making machine that continuously manufactures block-shaped ice cubes (ice blocks) by supplying ice-making water from below to a large number of ice-making chambers that open downward in the ice-making unit is widely implemented. Has been. For example, as shown in FIG. 7, this type of automatic ice making machine 10 is configured such that the interior of a substantially box-shaped housing 11 is vertically divided into an ice storage chamber 12 on the upper side and a machine chamber 13 on the lower side. . The ice storage chamber 12 is provided with an ice making mechanism 30 above the inside, and the ice cube R generated in the ice making chamber (ice making section) 31 of the ice making mechanism 30 falls and is stored in the ice storage chamber 12. It has become. In the machine room 13, components such as a compressor 21, a condenser 22, a cooling fan motor 23, and expansion means (not shown) constituting the refrigeration mechanism 20 are disposed, and an evaporation pipe constituting the refrigeration mechanism 20. 25 is arranged on the upper surface of the ice making chamber 31.

  As shown in FIG. 8, the ice making mechanism 30 includes the ice making chamber 31 in which a large number of ice making chambers 32 opened downward, a water tray 33, and an ice making water tank 34 disposed below the water tray 33. The water tray 33 and the ice-making water tank 34 are configured by a water tray opening / closing mechanism 35 that tilts integrally. In the water tray 33, a support arm 36 attached to the left end in FIG. 8 is pivotally supported by a bracket 37A of an attachment member 37 installed on the housing 11 via a pivot shaft 38, and the right end in FIG. The vicinity is connected via a coil spring 40 to a cam arm 39 constituting the water tray opening / closing mechanism 35. The ice making water tank 34 has a bucket shape with a deep left side, and can store a required amount of ice making water supplied from the water supply unit 50. On the left front wall, which is the deepest part of the ice making water tank 34, ice making water stored in the ice making water tank 34 is supplied to each ice making chamber 31 through the injection holes 43 provided in the water tray 33. A water supply pump 45 that supplies the small chamber 32 is provided.

  The water supply section 50 is disposed above the front portion of the left wall of the housing 11, and is connected to a water supply source such as a water supply (not shown), and a water supply valve disposed in the middle of the water supply pipe 51. 52, and the outlet of the water supply pipe 51 faces above the water tray 33 (ice-making water tank 34). The water supply valve 52 is controlled to be opened and closed by a control means (not shown). When the water supply valve 52 is controlled to open, a required amount of ice making water is supplied to the ice making water tank 34 via the water tray 33. Supplied.

  In the automatic ice making machine 10, the ice cube R is generated through the following steps. That is, first, the water supply valve 52 of the water supply unit 50 is controlled to be opened, and a predetermined amount of ice making water is supplied from the water supply pipe 51 to the ice making water tank 34. Further, the ice making chambers 32 of the ice making chamber 31 are cooled by the refrigeration mechanism 20. Then, the water pump 45 is operated, and the ice making water stored in the ice making water tank 34 is sprayed and supplied to each ice making chamber 32 of the ice making chamber 31 opened downward, and the ice ice R is supplied to each ice making chamber 32. Will be generated. It should be noted that the ice making water that has not been iced in the ice making chamber 32 is collected into the ice making water tank 34 through a return hole (not shown) formed in the water tray 33, and again in the ice making chamber 31 by the water pump 45. The ice is supplied to the ice making chamber 32. When a predetermined ice cube R is generated in each ice making chamber 32 of the ice making chamber 31, the refrigeration mechanism 20 is switched from the ice making operation to the deicing operation, and the water tray 33 is tilted to a required angle by the water tray opening / closing mechanism 35 to make ice. The chamber 31 is opened, and each ice cube R generated in the ice making chamber 31 is discharged to the ice storage chamber 12 and the ice making water remaining in the ice making water tank 34 is discharged to the drain pan 47.

When the discharge of the ice cube R is completed, the water tray 33 is returned to its original position, a predetermined amount of ice-making water is supplied again from the water supply unit 50 into the ice-making water tank 34, and the above-described series of steps is repeated. Ice R is produced continuously. Then, by repeating the ice making process described above, a predetermined amount of ice cube R is stored in the ice storage chamber 12, and when this is detected by an ice storage detection switch (not shown) disposed in the ice storage chamber 12, the ice making operation is performed. It will be stopped. Such an automatic ice making machine operating method is disclosed in, for example, Patent Document 1.
JP-A 64-23076

  By the way, in the operation method by the automatic ice making machine 10, a predetermined amount of ice making water is supplied into the ice making water tank 34 in advance, and this determined amount of ice making water is directed to each ice making chamber 32 of the ice making chamber 31. The ice cube R is produced in the ice making chamber 32 by spraying and supplying many times. That is, prior to the ice making operation, a large number of ice cubes R are generated from a predetermined amount of ice making water supplied to the ice making water tank 34. Therefore, as the ice cubes R are generated, the remaining amount of ice making water gradually increases. The hardness of the ice making water which is reduced and not icified gradually increases. Therefore, in the automatic ice making machine 10 with a small set amount of ice making water supplied to the ice making water tank 34, the ice making water mixed with impurities and having increased hardness is supplied to each ice making chamber 32 as the ice making process proceeds. As a result, there is a problem in that the produced ice cube R is likely to become cloudy. In particular, in the case of the small-sized automatic ice making machine 10 having a small size of the ice making water tank 34, the ice making water tank 34 cannot be increased in size, and thus cloudy ice cubes tend to be easily generated.

  Here, cotton ice may be generated in the ice making water tank as the temperature decreases due to the ice making operation of the ice making water stored in the ice making water tank. However, cotton ice only occurs when no ice cubes are produced in the ice making chamber. Therefore, in the ice making machine disclosed in Patent Document 1, raw water (ice making water) is additionally supplied into the raw water tank (ice making water tank) immediately after the start of ice making operation (before ice cubes are generated). Yes. However, since ice making water has hardly decreased at the stage before ice cubes are generated, the hardness of the raw water stored in the raw water tank has hardly increased. If there is, there is almost no effect. In addition, if additional raw water at room temperature is added to overflow from the raw water tank, the temperature of the raw water cooled during ice making operation will rise again. Occurs.

  Therefore, in the present invention, in view of the problems inherent in the above-described conventional technology, it has been proposed to suitably solve this problem, and the ice-making water is produced in a timely manner after ice blocks are generated in the ice-making operation. An object of the present invention is to provide an operation method of an automatic ice making machine in which additional ice making water is supplied to a tank to prevent clouding.

In order to solve the problem and achieve the intended purpose, the invention according to claim 1
A predetermined amount of ice making water supplied from a water supply unit equipped with a water supply valve to the ice making water tank is supplied to the ice making unit to generate ice blocks. In the operation method of an automatic ice maker that is recovered and supplied to the ice making unit again,
The gist is to perform additional supply of ice-making water by controlling the opening of the water supply valve at an appropriate time after the ice block has started to be generated.

  Therefore, according to the invention of claim 1, since ice making water is additionally supplied from the water supply unit to ice making water whose hardness is increasing due to the start of ice lump formation, it is used for ice lump generation. The hardness of the ice making water can be lowered again, and the generated ice block can be prevented from becoming clouded and impurities can be prevented from being mixed into the ice block.

The gist of the invention according to claim 2 is that the additional supply of ice making water is stopped by closing the water supply valve before the ice making water overflows from the ice making water tank due to the additional supply of ice making water.
Therefore, according to the invention of claim 2, even if additional ice-making water at room temperature is additionally supplied, the ice-making water cooled in the ice-making water tank does not overflow, so that the temperature rise of the ice-making water after the additional supply is minimized. It is possible to prevent the ice lump from becoming clouded while suppressing a decrease in ice making efficiency.

The gist of the invention according to claim 3 is to control the opening of the water supply valve when the ice making unit reaches a predetermined set temperature.
Therefore, according to the third aspect of the present invention, the ice making water is additionally supplied from the water supply portion when the ice blocks are generated to some extent in the ice making portion and the storage amount of the ice making water in the ice making water tank is reduced to some extent. As a result, the additional supply amount of ice-making water can be increased, and the hardness of ice-making water used for generating ice blocks can be suitably reduced.

The gist of the invention according to claim 4 is that the water supply valve closing control is performed when the water level detecting means disposed in the ice making water tank detects a predetermined water level.
Therefore, according to the invention of claim 4, the ice making water in the ice making water tank is cooled when the ice making water is additionally supplied in order to detect the water level of the ice making water in the ice making water tank by the water level detecting means. It is possible to prevent overflow.

The gist of the invention according to claim 5 is to perform the closing control of the water supply valve when the timer means that has started counting at the same time as performing the opening control of the water supply valve has timed out.
Therefore, according to the invention of claim 5, since the opening time of the water supply valve in the water supply section can be controlled by the timer means, the ice making water cooled in the ice making water tank overflows when additional ice making water is supplied. Can prevent.

  According to the operation method of the automatic ice maker according to the present invention, since the ice making water is additionally supplied to the ice making water tank at an appropriate time after the start of generation of ice blocks in the ice making operation, it is possible to prevent white turbidity. it can.

  Next, the operation method of the automatic ice making machine according to the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings by giving a preferred embodiment. The automatic ice making machine 10 of the embodiment has the same basic configuration as the conventional automatic ice making machine 10 shown in FIGS. Therefore, for convenience of explanation, the same reference numerals are used for the same elements as those of the automatic ice making machine 10 shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, and detailed description thereof is omitted.

  FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of an automatic ice making machine 10 according to the embodiment, in which an ice making mechanism 30 that generates ice cubes (ice blocks) R and an ice making chamber (ice making part) 31 of the ice making mechanism 30 are cooled and heated. The refrigeration mechanism 20 is shown. In the automatic ice making machine 10 of the embodiment, it is possible to generate ice cubes R by cooling the ice making chamber 31 by circulating the vaporized refrigerant through the evaporation pipe 25 meanderingly arranged on the upper surface of the ice making chamber 31 during the ice making operation. In addition, at the time of deicing operation, hot ice is supplied to the evaporation pipe 25 to heat the ice making chamber 31 so that the ice cube R is separated and dropped.

  A temperature measuring means 60 that detects the temperature of the ice making chamber 31 is disposed at a required position of the ice making chamber 31. As this temperature measuring means 60, for example, an existing one that is provided for practical use, such as a thermistor, a platinum resistance thermometer, a thermocouple, etc., can be suitably implemented. The temperature measuring means 60 detects the first set temperature (T1, −10 ° C.), the second set temperature (T2, −25 ° C.), and the third set temperature (T3, 3 ° C.). A detection signal for each temperature is output to the control means C (FIG. 2).

  When the water tray 33 is actuated by the actuator motor 41 constituting the water tray opening / closing mechanism 35 to rotate the cam arm 39 counterclockwise in FIG. The posture is displaced to the open position where the ice making chamber 32 is opened. When the water pan 33 facing the open position is actuated by operating the actuator motor 41 to rotate the cam arm 39 in the clockwise direction in FIG. The posture is displaced to the closed position where 32 is closed.

  The ice making water tank 34 is fixed to the water tray 33 by an appropriate fixing member, and is configured to tilt integrally with the water tray 33. The ice making water tank 34 is a bucket-shaped member that opens upward, and is formed so that the front left side is deepest when the water tray 33 is in the closed position. The inclined bottom surface 34A is set so as to be lowered to the left when the water pan 33 faces the closed position, and to the right when the water pan 33 faces the open position (see FIG. 1). ). Accordingly, the ice making water tank 34 can store a predetermined amount of ice making water when the water tray 33 faces the closed position, and drains all the ice making water stored when the water tray 33 faces the open position. 47 is configured to be discharged.

  A water pump 45 driven by a pump motor 46 is disposed on the lower left side of the ice making water tank 34. The suction side of the water pump 45 is connected to the deepest part of the ice making water tank 34, and the discharge side of the water pump 45 is connected to each injection hole 43 disposed in the water tray 33. . Therefore, by operating the water pump 45 by the pump motor 46, the ice making water stored in the ice making water tank 34 is forcibly supplied from each injection hole 43 to each ice making chamber 32 of the ice making chamber 31.

  Further, in the embodiment, a water level detecting means 62 for detecting the water level of the ice making water stored in the ice making water tank 34 is disposed at a required position of the ice making water tank 34. The water level detection means 62 is set so as to detect the water level of the ice making water when a predetermined amount of ice making water is stored within a range that does not overflow in a state where the water tray 33 faces the closed position. ing. As this water level detection means 62, for example, a float type, an ultrasonic type, a capacitance type, a pressure type, or the like that is already in practical use can be suitably implemented. In addition, the detection signal is output to the control means C.

  The water supply unit 50 can supply ice making water to the ice making water tank 34 by controlling the water supply valve 52 disposed in the middle of the water supply pipe 51 connected to an external water supply source by the control means C to be opened. It is configured as follows. The water supply valve 52 is preferably an electromagnetic valve, an electric valve, or the like, but may be other than that as long as the water supply pipe 51 can be opened and closed by the control of the control means C.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the refrigeration mechanism 20 includes a compressor 21, a condenser 22, a cooling fan motor 23, expansion means 24, and the evaporation pipe 25, and a refrigeration circuit 26 is configured. The refrigeration circuit 26 is configured by sequentially connecting a compressor 21, a condenser 22, an expansion means 24, and an evaporation pipe 25 with a refrigerant pipe 27. That is, the vaporized refrigerant compressed by the compressor 21 is condensed and liquefied by the condenser 22 through the refrigerant pipe 27, then depressurized by the expansion means 24, flows into the evaporation pipe 25, and expands at once and evaporates. The ice making chamber 31 is subjected to heat exchange to forcibly cool the ice making chamber 31 below the freezing point. The vaporized refrigerant evaporated (heat exchanged) in the evaporation pipe 25 returns to the compressor 21 through the refrigerant pipe 27.

  The refrigeration mechanism 20 includes a bypass circuit 28 that supplies hot gas to the evaporation pipe 25 during the deicing operation in addition to the refrigeration circuit 26 described above. The bypass circuit 28 includes a bypass pipe 29 that connects the discharge side of the compressor 21 and the suction side of the evaporation pipe 25, and a hot gas valve 29 </ b> A disposed in the middle of the bypass pipe 29. As the hot gas valve 29A, an electromagnetic valve, an electric valve, or the like is preferably employed. However, the hot gas valve 29A may be other than the above as long as the bypass pipe 29 can be opened and closed by the control of the control means C. In such a bypass circuit 28, the hot gas valve 29A is controlled to be closed during ice making operation and the bypass pipe 29 is closed, and during the deicing operation, the hot gas valve 29A is controlled to open and the bypass pipe 29 is connected to the bypass circuit 29. Is open and configured to allow hot gas flow.

  As shown in FIG. 1, an ice storage detection switch 64 is disposed in the ice storage chamber 12. The ice storage detection switch 64 is a switch that is ON / OFF controlled by contact of the ice cube R when a predetermined amount of ice cube R is stored in the ice storage chamber 12. An existing one that has been put into practical use can be suitably implemented. A predetermined amount of ice cube R is stored in the ice storage chamber 12, and when the ice storage detection switch 64 detects this, the detection signal is outputted to the control means C.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the control means C is provided in the temperature measuring means 60 provided in the ice making chamber 31, the water level detecting means 62 provided in the ice making water tank 34, and the ice storage chamber 12. Predetermined signals are input from the ice storage detection switch 64 and other various measuring means and detecting means equipped in the automatic ice making machine 10. Then, the control means C is based on input signals from various measurement means and detection means, various settings inputted from a control panel (not shown), etc., each device such as the compressor 21 and hot gas valve 29A in the refrigeration mechanism 20, and an ice making mechanism. The operation of each device such as the water tray opening / closing mechanism 35 and the pump motor 46 in 30 and the devices such as the water supply valve 52 in the water supply unit 50 are comprehensively controlled.

  In the automatic ice making machine 10 of the embodiment, when ice cubes R start to be generated in the ice making chambers 32 of the ice making chamber 31 by the ice making operation, the temperature of the ice making chamber 31 is gradually increased as the ice cubes R are generated. descend. Therefore, in the operation method in the automatic ice making machine 10 of the embodiment, when the temperature measuring means 60 measuring the temperature of the ice making chamber 31 detects the first set temperature T1 (the temperature of the ice making chamber 31 is the first setting). When the temperature reaches T1), the water supply valve 52 of the water supply unit 50 is controlled to be opened. Furthermore, in the operation method of the embodiment, when the water level detecting means 62 detecting the water level of the ice making water stored in the ice making water tank 34 detects the ice making water (the amount of ice making water stored is the same as that at the start of the ice making operation). When it is the same), the water supply valve 52 of the water supply unit 50 is controlled to be closed. That is, in the automatic ice making machine 10 of the embodiment, the amount of ice making water stored in the ice making water tank 34 decreases as the ice cube R is generated in the ice making chamber 31 by the ice making operation. The ice making water is supplied in an amount corresponding to the reduced amount.

  In the automatic ice making machine 10 of the embodiment, when the ice making operation proceeds and the generation of the ice cubes R is completed in each ice making chamber 32, the temperature of the ice making chamber 31 becomes the second set temperature T2. Therefore, in the operation method of the embodiment, when the temperature measuring means 60 measuring the temperature of the ice making chamber 31 detects the second set temperature T2, control is performed to shift from the ice making operation to the deicing operation. It is like that. Further, in the automatic ice making machine 10 of the embodiment, when the ice cube R falls off from each ice making chamber 32 of the ice making chamber 31 by the deicing operation, the temperature of the ice making chamber 31 rises to the third set temperature T3. Therefore, in the operation method of the embodiment, when the temperature measuring means 60 measuring the temperature of the ice making chamber 31 detects the third set temperature T3, control is performed to shift from the deicing operation to the ice making operation. It is like that.

  Furthermore, the automatic ice maker 10 of the embodiment is configured to stop the operation of the automatic ice maker 10 when the ice storage detection switch 64 detects that a predetermined amount of ice cube R has been stored in the ice storage chamber 12. . In the operation method of the embodiment, even if the operation of the automatic ice making machine 10 is stopped based on the detection signal of the ice storage detection switch 64, the operation of the compressor 21 is not stopped and the operation is delayed for a predetermined time. It has become. Specifically, control is performed to stop the operation of the compressor 21 when the low-pressure side pipe internal pressure in the compressor 21 reaches a predetermined set pressure (0.1 MPa in the embodiment). Yes. The reason for performing such control is that the timing at which the detection signal from the ice storage detection switch 64 is input to the control means C is during the deicing operation in which the low-pressure side pipe pressure in the compressor 21 is high. Yes, if the compressor 21 is stopped in a state where the pressure in the pipe on the low pressure side is high, the amount of vibration at the time of stopping increases, and there is a possibility that the suspension spring supporting the compressor 21 and the internal pipe may be fatigued. It is. That is, the automatic ice making machine 10 according to the embodiment is configured to perform the delayed operation of the compressor 21 until the pressure in the low-pressure side pipe in the compressor 21 decreases to 0.1 MPa after the operation is stopped. The delayed operation of the compressor 21 is about several tens of seconds (20 to 50 seconds).

(Operation of Example)
Next, the operation of the operation method of the automatic ice making machine according to the embodiment will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. 3 and the timing chart of FIG. When the automatic ice making machine 10 is turned on, as shown in FIG. 3, the water supply valve 52 of the water supply unit 50 is controlled to open, and ice making water is supplied to the ice making water tank 34 through the water supply pipe 51 (step S1). ).

  When the water level detection means 62 disposed in the ice making water tank 34 detects ice making water (step S2), the ice making operation is started (step S3). With the start of the ice making operation, the process proceeds to step S4, where the water supply valve 52 of the water supply unit 50 is controlled to be closed and the ice making water supply is stopped. Is closed and cooling of the ice making chamber 31 is started. In the ice making mechanism 30, the pump motor 46 is driven to operate the water feed pump 45, and the ice making water stored in the ice making water tank 34 is jetted and supplied from the spray holes 43 of the water tray 33 to each ice making chamber 32. .

  The ice making water that has been sprayed into each ice making chamber 32 but has not been iced flows down to the upper surface of the water tray 33 and is collected in the ice making water tank 34 through the return hole of the water tray 33. Then, the ice making water collected in the ice making water tank 34 is recirculated together with the ice making water stored in the ice making water tank 34, and each ice making chamber 32 is supplied from the injection hole 43 of the water tray 33 via the water feed pump 45. Is supplied by injection.

  As ice making operation progresses and the temperature of the ice making chamber 31 gradually decreases, ice cubes R start to be generated in the ice making chambers 32 of the ice making chamber 31, and the ice cubes R grow as the ice making operation proceeds. I will do it. Further, as the ice cube R is generated, the amount of ice-making water stored in the ice-making water tank 34 gradually decreases, so that the hardness of the ice-making water gradually increases. Then, after the ice cube R starts to be generated in each ice making chamber 32 of the ice making chamber 31, the temperature of the ice making chamber 31 becomes the first set temperature T1 (−10 ° C.), which is detected by the temperature measuring means 60. Then (step S5), the water supply valve 52 of the water supply unit 50 is controlled to open (step S6), and ice making water is additionally supplied from the water supply pipe 51 into the ice making water tank 34 in which the ice making water has decreased.

  When the water level detecting means 62 disposed in the ice making water tank 34 detects ice making water again after a predetermined time has elapsed, the water supply valve 52 is controlled to close and supply of ice making water is stopped (step S8). As a result, in the ice making water tank 34, the ice making water having a high hardness supplied before ice making and the ice making water having a low hardness additionally supplied in the middle of ice making are mixed, and the same amount of ice making water as at the start of ice making operation is mixed. Water is stored. That is, the ice making water having a reduced hardness is stored in the ice making water tank 34 after the additional supply. Even if the additional supply of ice-making water is completed, the ice-making water does not overflow from the ice-making water tank 34. For example, even if ice-making water of about room temperature (about 20 ° C.) is additionally supplied, it is stored in the ice-making water tank 34. The temperature rise of the ice-making water used is minimized.

  Since ice making operation is continued while additional supply of ice making water is performed, generation of ice cubes R is progressing in each ice making small chamber 32, and the temperature of the ice making chamber 31 is further lowered. When the temperature of the ice making chamber 31 becomes the second set temperature T2 (−25 ° C.) and the temperature measuring means 60 detects this (step S9), the ice ice R is generated in each ice making chamber 32 of the ice making chamber 31. Is completed, the ice making operation is shifted to the deicing operation (step S10). When the deicing operation is started, the pump motor 46 is controlled to stop in step S11, the water pump 45 stops water supply, and the supply of ice making water from the ice making water tank 34 to the ice making chamber 31 is stopped. In the ice making mechanism 30, the water tray opening / closing mechanism 35 is actuated to tilt the water tray 33 to the open position, and accordingly, all the ice making water remaining in the ice making water tank 34 is discharged to the drain pan 47. . On the other hand, in the refrigeration mechanism 20, since the operation of the compressor 21 is continued and the hot gas valve 29A is controlled to be opened, hot gas is supplied to the evaporation pipe 25 and the temperature of the ice making chamber 31 rises.

  When the ice making chamber 31 is warmed in accordance with the deicing operation, the outer surface of the ice cube R generated in each ice making chamber 32 is appropriately melted, so that each ice cube R is transferred from the ice making chamber 31 onto the water dish 33. After falling off, it is dropped and released to the bottom of the ice storage chamber 12. When each ice cube R falls off from the ice making chamber 31, the temperature of the ice making chamber 31 rises at a stretch. When the temperature of the ice making chamber 31 becomes the third set temperature T3 (3 ° C.) and the temperature measuring means 60 detects this (step S12), it is determined that the discharge of the ice cube R is completed, and the hot gas The valve 29A is closed and the deicing operation is stopped (step S13). Further, it is confirmed whether or not the ice storage detection switch 64 has been operated (step S14). If the ice storage detection switch 64 has not been operated, the ice storage chamber 12 is not full of ice cubes R, and the process proceeds to step S15. Transition. Then, in step S15, after raising the water tray 33, the water supply valve 52 of the water supply unit 50 is controlled to be opened, and ice-making water is supplied to the ice-making water tank 34 through the water-supply pipe 51. When a certain amount of ice making water is supplied (step S2), the ice making operation is started again (step S3). Thereafter, the ice cubes R are sequentially generated by repeating steps S2 to S15, and the amount of ice cubes R stored in the ice storage chamber 12 increases.

  Steps S2 to S15 are repeatedly executed (the ice making operation and the deicing operation are repeated). When a predetermined amount of ice cube R is stored in the ice storage chamber 12 and the ice storage detection switch 64 is activated, the steps S14 to S16 are performed. Migrate to In step S16, the operation of the compressor 21 is continued until the low-pressure-side pipe pressure in the compressor 21 that has entered the delay operation mode is reduced to 0.1 MPa. When the pressure in the low pressure side pipe in the compressor 21 is reduced to 0.1 MPa, the operation of the compressor 21 is stopped (step S17). In step S18, the operation of the automatic ice making machine 10 is stopped until the operation of the ice storage detection switch 64 is released (OFF). When the operation of the ice storage detection switch 64 is released, the ice cube R in the ice storage chamber 12 is stopped. Since the amount of stored ice has decreased, the process proceeds to step S15. In step S15, the water supply valve 52 of the water supply unit 50 is controlled to be opened, and ice making water is supplied to the ice making water tank 34 through the water supply pipe 51, and a predetermined amount of ice making water is supplied into the ice making water tank 34. Is supplied (step S2), the ice making operation is started (step S3). Thereafter, the ice cubes R are sequentially generated by repeating the steps S2 to S15, and the storage amount of the ice cubes R in the ice storage chamber 12 increases again.

  According to the operation method of the automatic ice maker according to the embodiment, the following operational effects can be obtained. First, when the ice cube R is generated in the ice making operation and the amount of ice making water stored in the ice making water tank 34 is reduced, an amount of ice making water corresponding to the reduced amount is additionally supplied at appropriate times. did. Therefore, since ice water having a low hardness is additionally supplied from the water supply unit 50 to the ice making water whose hardness is increasing as the generation of the ice cubes R progresses, the ice cubes R are provided. The hardness of the ice making water can be lowered again, and the generated ice cube R can be prevented from becoming clouded or impurities being mixed into the ice cube R. In addition, when the ice making water is additionally supplied, the ice making water is additionally supplied so that the ice making water that has already been cooled when the ice cubes R are generated does not overflow from the ice making water tank 34. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 4, even if additional ice-making water at room temperature is additionally supplied, the temperature rise of the ice-making water in the ice-making water tank 34 is suppressed to a minimum (about 2 to 3 ° C.), and the ice making efficiency is lowered. It is possible to prevent the ice cube R from becoming clouded while suppressing the above.

  In addition, since the timing of the additional supply of ice-making water is the time when the temperature of the ice-making chamber 31 reaches −10 ° C., that is, when the ice cube R is generated to some extent in each ice-making chamber 32, the ice-making water tank 34 When the storage amount of the ice making water is reduced to some extent, the ice making water is additionally supplied from the water supply unit 50. Therefore, the additional supply amount of ice-making water can be increased, and the hardness of the ice-making water provided for the production of ice cubes R can be suitably reduced. In particular, since the temperature of the ice making chamber 31 where the ice cubes R are generated is measured, it is confirmed that the ice cubes R are being generated, and additional ice making water is supplied at an appropriate timing. Can be done. Since the water level detecting means 62 directly detects the water level of the ice making water in the ice making water tank 34, when the ice making water is additionally supplied, the cooled ice making water in the ice making water tank 34 overflows. Can prevent.

(Example of change)
In the above-described embodiment, when the water level detecting means 62 disposed in the ice making water tank 34 detects ice making water, the water supply valve 52 in the water supply unit 50 is controlled to be closed so that the ice making water tank 34 Although the operation method of additionally supplying ice-making water so as not to overflow has been illustrated, the control for additionally supplying a specified amount of ice-making water may be other methods. For example, when ice making water is stably supplied from a water supply source (not shown), a timer means 66 may be used instead of the water level detecting means 62 as shown in FIG. In the operation method using the timer means 66, the water supply valve 52 is controlled to be opened at the same time, the timer means 66 starts counting, and the water supply valve 52 is controlled to be closed when the timer means 66 times out after a predetermined set time has elapsed. It is realized by doing. That is, when the supply amount (flow rate) per unit time when the water supply valve 52 of the water supply unit 50 is controlled to be open is constant, the time-up time of the timer means 66 is set appropriately, whereby the ice making water tank A prescribed amount of ice making water can be additionally supplied while preventing overflow from 34. Therefore, since the opening time of the water supply valve 52 in the water supply unit 50 can be controlled by the timer means 66, the ice making water that has been cooled in the ice making water tank 34 can be prevented from overflowing when additional ice making water is supplied. The same effect as the embodiment can be obtained. In the first ice making water supply in step S2, a predetermined amount of ice making water may be supplied into the ice making water tank 34 using the timer means 66 instead of the water level detecting means.

  FIG. 6 shows an operation method using the timer means 66. The operation method of the modified example using the timer means 66 is the same as the operation method (FIG. 4) of the embodiment using the water level detection means 62 in steps S1 to S6 and steps S8 to S18. In this embodiment, step S7 is changed to step S7a and step S7b. That is, as the ice making operation proceeds, the temperature of the ice making chamber 31 becomes the first set temperature T1 (−10 ° C.), and when this is detected by the temperature measuring means 60 (step S5), the water supply valve 52 of the water supply unit 50 is turned on. Open control is performed (step S6), and ice making water is additionally supplied into the ice making water tank. Simultaneously with the opening control of the water supply valve 52, the timer means 66 starts counting (step S7a). Then, when the timer means 66 that has started counting elapses after a preset set time has elapsed (step S7b), the water supply valve 52 is controlled to close and the supply of ice-making water is stopped (step S8). . Therefore, the operation method of the automatic ice maker according to the modified example shown in FIG. 6 also has the same effect as the operation method of the automatic ice maker of the above-described embodiment.

  In the above-described embodiment, the first set temperature T1 is set to −10 ° C., but the first set temperature T1 is not limited to −10 ° C. That is, the temperature at which the ice cube R is generated in each ice making chamber 32 of the ice making chamber 31 is 0 ° C. to the second set temperature T 2 (−25 ° C.), and therefore the first set temperature T 1 is 0 to −25 ° C. Can be set between. However, when the first preset temperature T1 is set to a temperature higher than −10 ° C., the ice ice R is not generated, so that the amount of ice making water decreases is small, and therefore the additional supply amount of ice making water is also small. Therefore, it is not effective for the purpose of reducing the hardness of ice making water. On the other hand, when the first set temperature T1 is set to a temperature lower than −10 ° C., the ice ice R is generated so much that the amount of ice-making water decreases, and in some cases the hardness is high. It is possible that the ice making water is turned into ice and the ice cube R becomes cloudy before the additional ice making water is supplied. Therefore, when these are taken into consideration, it is desirable to set the first set temperature T1 to about −8 ° C. to −15 ° C.

  In the operation method of the above-described embodiment, the ice making water is additionally supplied when the ice making chamber 31 reaches the first set temperature T1, but the ice making water stored in the ice making water tank 34 has a predetermined water level. When the water level detecting means detects that the amount of water has decreased, additional ice-making water may be supplied.

  In the operation method of the above-described embodiment, the case where the additional supply of ice-making water is performed at once (continuously) is illustrated. However, the additional supply mode of ice-making water is not limited to this. You may make it carry out by dividing into. In addition, when the ice making water is additionally supplied intermittently in a plurality of times, the temperature of the ice making water stored in the ice making water tank 34 even if the additionally supplied ice making water is about room temperature. An effect that can suppress the increase is expected.

  The operation method of the automatic ice maker of the present application is directed to an automatic ice maker configured to generate ice blocks by circulatingly supplying ice making water stored in an ice making water tank to an ice making unit. Therefore, not only the jet-type automatic ice maker exemplified in the above-described embodiment, but also a flow-down type automatic ice maker may be used.

It is a schematic block diagram of the automatic ice making machine which enforces the operating method of an Example. It is a control block diagram of the automatic ice making machine of an Example. It is a flowchart figure which shows the operating method of the automatic ice maker of an Example. It is a time chart which shows the operating method of the automatic ice maker of an Example. It is a control block diagram of the automatic ice making machine of another Example. It is a flowchart figure which shows the operating method of the automatic ice maker of another Example. It is a partially broken perspective view which shows schematic structure of an injection type automatic ice making machine. It is the schematic of the ice making mechanism of the automatic ice making machine shown in FIG.

Explanation of symbols

31 ice making section, 34 ice making water tank, 52 water supply valve, 50 water supply section, 62 water level detection means 66 timer means, R ice cube (ice block), T1 first set temperature (set temperature)

Claims (5)

A predetermined amount of ice making water supplied from the water supply unit (50) provided with the water supply valve (52) to the ice making water tank (34) is supplied to the ice making unit (31) to generate ice blocks (R). In the operation method of the automatic ice maker, the ice making water that has not been icified in the part (31) is collected in the ice making water tank (34) and supplied again to the ice making part (31).
A method of operating an automatic ice maker, wherein the ice feed water (52) is controlled to be opened and additional ice making water is supplied at an appropriate time after the ice block (R) starts to be generated.   The automatic ice maker according to claim 1, wherein before the ice making water overflows from the ice making water tank (34) due to the additional supply of ice making water, the supply valve (52) is closed to stop the additional supply of ice making water. how to drive.   The method of operating an automatic ice maker according to claim 1 or 2, wherein when the ice making section (31) reaches a predetermined set temperature (T1), the water supply valve (52) is controlled to be opened.   4. The closing control of the water supply valve (52) is performed when the water level detection means (62) disposed in the ice making water tank (34) detects a predetermined water level. 5. How to operate an automatic ice machine.   The closing control of the water supply valve (52) is performed when the timer means (66) that started counting at the same time as performing the opening control of the water supply valve (52) is timed up. The operation method of the automatic ice maker described in 1.

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