JP2012073010A - Ice making device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an ice making device superior in effect of increasing the number of ice making chambers to increase in dimension of the ice making device as a whole.SOLUTION: In this ice making device in which ice made in an ice tray, is scraped out, the ice tray 2 has a plurality of rows of the ice making chambers 12 in which the plurality of ice making chambers 12 are arranged along the longitudinal direction, in the width direction, a scraping member 3 includes a rotating shaft 17 extending along the rows of the ice making chambers 12 at an upper section of the ice making chambers 12, and a plurality of scraping-off pieces 18 radially projecting from the rotating shaft 17, rotated on the rotating shaft 17 by a driving member 5, and movable into each ice making chamber 12, and the plurality of scraping members 3 are formed corresponding to the number of rows of the ice making chambers 12.

Description

  The present invention relates to an ice making device, and more particularly to a so-called scraping type ice making device that is installed in a refrigerator and scrapes manufactured ice from an ice making tray to replenish ice storage containers in the refrigerator.

  2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a refrigerator having an ice making function for producing ice in a refrigerator such as a home refrigerator and replenishing the produced ice to an ice storage container for storing ice in the refrigerator is known.

  As an ice making device for this type of refrigerator, as shown in Patent Document 1, for example, a rotating shaft extending in the length direction of the ice making plate and a plurality of nail-like protrusions protruding from the rotating shaft with respect to a fixed ice making plate. There is known a configuration in which a scraping member having a scraping portion is rotated by a drive unit to scrape ice from a plurality of ice making chambers arranged in the length direction of the ice tray. In this case, the ice tray is disposed below the rotation shaft of the scraping member.

JP 2008-57895 A

  Considering the configuration of a conventional ice making device, if the number of ice making chambers in the ice tray is simply increased without changing the size of the ice making chamber, the rotation axes of the ice making tray and the scraping member are set in the length direction. It is possible to make it longer. However, in this case, the size of the entire ice making device increases in the length direction by the number of ice making chambers to be increased, so that the number of ice making chambers cannot be increased so much. If the number of ice making chambers increases, the size of the entire ice making device will not fit in the space in the refrigerator where it is installed, making it difficult to install the ice making device in the refrigerator.

  The problem to be solved by the present invention is to provide an ice making device that is excellent in the effect of increasing the number of ice making chambers with respect to the increase in the size of the entire ice making device.

  In order to solve the above-described problems, an ice making device according to the present invention includes an ice making tray, a scraping member that scrapes out ice produced from the ice making tray from the ice making tray, and a drive member that drives the scraping member. An ice making device, wherein the ice tray has a plurality of ice making chamber rows in a width direction along which a plurality of ice making chambers are arranged along a length direction, and the scraping member is disposed above the ice making chamber. Rotating shafts extending along the rows of the ice making chambers, and a plurality of scraped pieces that are formed so as to project from the rotating shafts in the radial direction and are rotated about the rotating shafts by the driving member and can enter the ice making chambers. The gist is that there are a plurality of the ice making chambers corresponding to the number of rows.

  In the ice making device according to the present invention, since the scraping directions of the ice produced in the ice tray are different from each other by changing the rotation direction of the adjacent scraping members in the opposite direction, the width direction of the rows of the adjacent ice making chambers In either case where holes for dropping ice are provided on both outer sides of the two, or when holes for dropping ice are provided between the adjacent ice making chambers in the row direction, the holes can be scraped out smoothly.

  At this time, if there are two scraping members corresponding to the number of rows in the ice making chamber, and the scraps are used to scrape the ice produced in the ice tray to the outer sides in the width direction of the ice tray, the ice tray Since it is not necessary to provide a hole for dropping ice on the inner side in the width direction, the structure of the ice tray can be simplified. In addition, the ice trays can be configured integrally, and adjacent ice making chambers can communicate with each other through a water channel.

  If the ice trays are integrated and the ice chambers adjacent to each other are connected by a water channel, water can be poured into one ice chamber and all the ice chambers can be filled with water. Therefore, it is possible to share a water injection section for injecting water into the ice making room. Moreover, the length of the water channel from the water injection part to each ice making chamber can be shortened.

  If a plurality of scraping members are driven by a common drive unit, an increase in the number of parts can be suppressed even in a configuration including a plurality of scraping members. In addition, an increase in the size of the driving member can be suppressed.

  Further, if the inner surface of the ice making chamber is configured with a curved surface and the radius of curvature of the inner surface on the extrusion start side when the ice is pushed out from the ice making chamber by the scraping piece is smaller than the radius of curvature of the inner surface on the extrusion end side, Since the surface of the ice on the extrusion start side having a smaller curvature radius contacts the inner surface on the extrusion end side having a larger curvature radius, the ice can be pushed out smoothly. Moreover, by making it easy to push out ice in this way, the ice making chamber can be made deeper than before. Thereby, the size of the ice can be increased.

  According to the ice making device of the present invention, the number of the ice making chambers increases in the width direction as compared with the conventional scraping-type ice making device, so that, for example, the size of the ice making chamber can be increased without increasing the size in the length direction. You can increase the number. At this time, even if the size of the ice making tray increases in the width direction as the number of ice making chambers increases in the width direction, the number of ice making chambers can be increased in units of rows. It is excellent in the effect of increasing the number of ice making chambers with respect to the increase in thickness.

It is a perspective view which shows the ice making apparatus which concerns on one Embodiment of this invention. It is a perspective view which shows an ice tray. It is width direction sectional drawing (AA sectional drawing) of an ice tray. It is a side view which shows the drive member of the state which removed the inner case. It is a side view which shows the drive member of the state which removed the outer side case. It is an enlarged view of a cam gearwheel. It is a schematic diagram for demonstrating a cam mechanism. It is a schematic diagram for demonstrating scraping operation | movement.

  Next, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an ice making device according to an embodiment of the present invention, in which only a heater is disassembled. FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing an ice tray used in the ice making device shown in FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view (AA cross-sectional view) in the width direction of the ice tray shown in FIG. 2.

  An ice making device 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention is a device that manufactures ice in a refrigerator such as a household refrigerator, and supplies the manufactured ice to an ice storage container that stores ice in the refrigerator. Ice making tray 2, ice scraping member 3 for scraping ice produced from ice tray 2 from ice tray 2, ice detecting member 4 for detecting the amount of ice in the ice storage container, and scraping member 3 and a drive member 5 for driving the ice detecting member 4. Although not shown, the ice storage container is a rectangular box with an open upper surface, which is formed slightly larger than the ice tray 2 and is placed below the ice tray 2 to receive ice dropped from the ice tray 2 It can be done. Further, the ice detecting member 4 is configured to extend from the driving member 5 in an arm shape along the length direction of the ice tray 2.

  The ice tray 2 is integrally formed in a substantially rectangular shape by a metal material having excellent thermal conductivity such as aluminum, and a plurality of ice making chambers are formed by a plurality of partition plates 11a extending in the width direction and a partition plate 11b extending in the length direction. 12 is partitioned. In the ice tray 2, a row of ice making chambers 12 is formed so that a plurality of ice making chambers 12 are arranged along the length direction, and two rows of ice making chambers 12 are formed in the width direction. By arranging a plurality of ice making chambers 12 in the width direction as in the ice tray 2, the number of ice making chambers 12 can be increased without increasing the size in the length direction.

  Water is poured into the plurality of ice making chambers 12 from the water pouring unit 13, and water stored in the ice making chamber 12 is cooled by a cooling unit (not shown) to produce ice. For example, when the size of the ice tray 2 is the same, if the ice making chamber 12 has two rows in the width direction, compared to the conventional one in which the ice making chamber 12 has one row in the width direction, The ice tray 2 is divided into more ice making chambers 12. This reduces the size of one piece of ice produced. Looking at the ice tray 2 as a whole, the area of contact between the poured water and the ice tray 2 increases rather than making one piece of ice larger, so ice making becomes faster. Further, since the ice tray 2 is made of a metal material having excellent thermal conductivity, ice making can be accelerated by this.

  Notched water channels 14a and 14b are formed in each of the plurality of partition plates 11a extending in the width direction and the partition plate 11b extending in the length direction, and the adjacent ice making chambers 12 are connected to each other by the water channels 14a and 14b. It is communicated. Water poured into one ice making chamber 12 flows to the adjacent ice making chamber 12 through the water channels 14a and 14b. Therefore, the water injection part 13 for injecting water into the plurality of ice making chambers 12 can be shared. Further, since the adjacent ice making chambers 12 communicate with each other through the water channels 14a and 14b, the water poured from the water pouring unit 13 can be quickly flowed to each ice making chamber 12 with the shortest distance. At this time, even if ice that has not been deiced remains in some of the water channels 14a and 14b and some of the water channels 14a and 14b are blocked, a common water injection unit is provided through the other water channels 14a and 14b. Water poured from 13 can flow into each ice making chamber 12. Therefore, in this embodiment, the water injection part 13 is one place, and it is provided above the ice tray 2 so that the water injection port 13a provided in the lower part of the water injection part 13 faces the opening part of the ice making chamber 12. Yes.

  Inside the ice tray 2 in the width direction, a hole for dropping the manufactured ice from the ice tray 2 is not provided. Therefore, the water channels 14a and 14b from the water injection unit 13 to each ice making chamber 12 are not detoured so as to avoid such holes. Thereby, the length of water channel 14a, 14b from the water injection part 13 to each ice making chamber 12 can be shortened. Moreover, the structure of the ice tray 2 can be simplified.

  As shown in FIG. 3, the inner surface of each ice making chamber 12 is a curved surface. This inner surface is not a curved surface in which curved surfaces having the same curvature are continuous, but is a curved surface whose curvature changes at a Y point (or a Y ′ point) in FIG. 3 in a cross-sectional view in the width direction. That is, the inner surfaces of the ice making chambers 12 have different curvatures on the inner side in the width direction (XY section or X′-Y ′ section) and on the outer side in the width direction (YZ section or Y′-Z ′ section). It is configured as follows. More specifically, each ice making chamber 12 is configured such that the curvature of the inner surface on the inner side in the width direction is larger than the curvature of the inner surface on the outer side in the width direction. In other words, each ice making chamber 12 is configured such that the radius of curvature of the inner surface on the inner side in the width direction is smaller than the radius of curvature of the inner surface on the outer side in the width direction.

  On the bottom surface of the ice tray 2, a mounting groove 16 for attaching a heater 15 for removing ice is provided in a portion located below the ice making chamber 12. The heater 15 extends along a row of the ice making chambers 12 from a heater terminal 34 provided in the driving member 5 described later, and is folded back in a U shape on the ice tray end 2b side opposite to the driving member 5. The adjacent ice making chambers 12 extend along a row, and the extended tip is connected to another heater terminal 34 in the drive member 5. In addition, a thermistor (not shown) for detecting the temperature of the ice tray 2 is attached to a position where the bottom surface of the ice tray 2 is not in contact with the heater 15.

  There are two rows of ice making chambers 12, and there are two scraping members 3 above the ice making chambers 12 corresponding to the number of the ice making chambers 12. Each has a rotating shaft 17 extending along the row of ice making chambers 12 and a plurality of claw-like scraped pieces 18 formed to protrude from the rotating shaft 17 in the radial direction. The two scraping members 3 (a pair of scraping members 3) are arranged in parallel with each other along the surface of the ice tray 2 (aligned in the horizontal direction).

  One end 17a of the rotating shaft 17 is connected to cam gears 26 and 27 of the drive member 5 described later. The other end 17 b of the rotating shaft 17 is rotatably supported by a shaft hole 21 a formed in an end plate 21 fixed to the other end 2 b of the ice tray 2 by a bolt 20.

  The positions and number of the plurality of scraping pieces 18 on the rotary shaft 17 are set so as to have a one-to-one relationship with the ice making chamber 12. Within one scraping member 3, the plurality of scraping pieces 18 protrude in the same direction. Further, the phases of the scraping pieces 18 adjacent to each other in the width direction between the scraping members 3 are set so as to be symmetrical with each other.

  A drive member 5 is disposed on the one end 2 a side of the ice tray 2. The drive member 5 has a case body 22 having a rectangular parallelepiped shape as a whole. The case body 22 includes an inner case 23 to which the one end 2 a is attached relative to the one end 2 a of the ice tray 2, and an outer case 24 combined with the inner case 23.

  FIG. 4 is a side view showing the drive member 5 with the inner case 23 removed. FIG. 5 is a side view showing the drive member 5 with the outer case 24 removed. FIG. 6 is an enlarged view of the cam gear 26 in the drive member 5. FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram for explaining the cam-type power transmission mechanism by extracting the cam gear 26, the shaft-like member 29, the switch 31, and the switch lever 32 in the drive member 5. The internal structure of the drive member 5 is demonstrated using FIGS.

  As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the drive member 5 has a motor 25 serving as a drive source for the scraping member 3 and the ice detecting member 4, and one end 17 a of the rotating shaft 17 of the pair of scraping members 3. A pair of cam gears 26 and 27 connected from the outside of the inner case 23 and a reduction gear train 28 for transmitting the rotational output from the motor 25 to the pair of cam gears 26 and 27 are provided.

  In addition, a shaft-shaped member 29 that is a rotation shaft that swings the ice detecting member 4 in the vertical direction following the cam gear 26, a torsion coil spring 30 that urges the shaft-shaped member 29 in one rotation direction, and a scraper. A switch 31 that outputs a signal for confirming the origin position of the output member 3 and a signal for confirming the amount of ice, a switch lever 32 that operates the switch 31 following the cam gear, And a compression coil spring 33 for urging in the swinging direction. Furthermore, a heater terminal 34 to which the heater 15 is connected and a substrate 35 on which the switch 31 is mounted are provided.

  The motor 25 is a stepping motor, and as shown in FIG. 4, the output shaft of the motor 25 is directed from the outer case 24 side to the inner case 23 side of the drive member 5 (from the drive member 5 toward the ice tray 2). ) It extends. The reduction wheel train 28 includes a first compound gear 37, a second compound gear 38, and a third compound gear 39. The pinion 36 attached to the output shaft of the motor 25 meshes with the large diameter gear portion of the first compound gear 37, the small diameter gear portion of the first compound gear 37 meshes with the large diameter gear portion of the second compound gear 38, The small diameter gear portion of the second compound gear 38 meshes with the large diameter gear portion of the third compound gear 39, and the small diameter gear portion of the third compound gear 39 meshes with one cam gear 26.

  The rotational driving force from the motor 25 is transmitted to one cam gear 26 while being sequentially decelerated by the reduction gear train 28. One cam gear 26 meshes with the other cam gear 27, and the rotational driving force from the motor 25 is transmitted also to the other cam gear 27. The pair of cam gears 26, 27 are at the same speed and in opposite directions. Rotate. The cam gears 26 and 27 have end faces 26a and 27a on the inner case 23 side as output sides. The cam gears 26 and 27 have one of the rotary shafts 17 of the scraped member 3 cut into the D cut portions 41 and 42 of the cam gears 26 and 27. The end 17a is inserted, and the cam gears 26 and 27 and the scraping member 3 are coaxially connected so as to be integrally rotatable. Accordingly, the pair of scraping members 3 are driven by a common drive source. Therefore, it is possible to prevent an increase in the number of parts of the drive member 5 and to make the size of the drive member 5 compact.

  As shown in FIGS. 5 to 7, the cam gear 26 has a first recess 43 that is recessed inward in the axial direction on the end face 26 b on the side opposite to the output side (outer case 24 side). A radially inner circumferential surface of the first recess 43 is a first cam surface 44. Further, a second concave portion 45 is formed on the bottom surface of the first concave portion 43 so as to be concave inward in the axial direction, and the radially inner circumferential surface of the second concave portion 45 becomes the second cam surface 46. ing. The first cam surface 44 and the second cam surface 46 are formed at different positions in the axial direction of the cam gear 26. A recess having the same shape as that of one cam gear 26 is also formed on the end surface 27b of the other cam gear 27 on the outer case 24 side, but only the recess of one cam gear 26 is described later. It becomes the cam surface used for operation. Therefore, the concave portion of the other cam gear 27 can be omitted.

  The first cam surface 44 and the second cam surface 46 will be described in detail with reference to FIG. 6. The first cam surface 44 is a cam surface that performs the swinging operation of the ice detecting member 4. The description will be continued in the clockwise direction (CW). The first ice detecting cam portion 44a, which is formed in an arc shape and serves as a section in which the ice detecting member 4 is maintained without being swung, and the first ice detecting cam portion 44a. The second ice detecting cam portion 44b, which is formed to extend radially outward from 44a and serves as a section for lowering the ice detecting member 4, and formed in an arc shape from the outermost position of the second ice detecting cam portion 44b. The ice detecting member 4 is a section for maintaining the ice detecting member 4 in the lowest position, and is formed so as to extend radially inward from the ice detecting third cam portion 44c. And a fourth cam portion 44d for detecting ice which is a section for raising the member 4.

  The second cam surface 46 is a cam surface that performs an operation of turning on / off a switch 31 for outputting a signal for confirming the origin position of the scraping member 3 and a signal for confirming the amount of ice. The description will be continued in the clockwise direction (CW). This is a section in which the switch 31 is turned on to output a signal for confirming the origin position of the scraping member 3, and the switch-on first cam section formed in an arc shape. 46a and a switch-off first cam portion 46b that is continuous with the switch-on first cam portion 46a and protrudes radially inward from the switch-on first cam portion 46b. Continuously formed on the switch-off first cam portion 46b, it is formed in an arc shape radially outward from the first cam portion 46b, and is a section for outputting a signal for confirming the ice amount by turning on the switch 31 during the ice amount confirmation operation. The switch-on second cam portion 46c and the switch-on second cam portion 46c are continuously formed on the inner side in the radial direction than the switch-on second cam portion 46c. A second cam portion 46d for switching off the pitch 31 off the section which does not output a signal, and a.

  The shaft-shaped member 29 extends from the outside of the case body 22 to the inside through a shaft through hole 47 formed between the joint portions of the outer case 24 and the inner case 23. At one end 29a of the shaft-like member 29 extending to the outside of the case body 22, a mounting portion 48 that is the base of the ice-detecting member 4 configured in an arm shape and is the center of oscillation of the ice-detecting member 4 is fixed. ing. On the other hand, at the position near the other end 29b of the shaft-shaped member 29 extending inside the case body 22, the first cam follower 49 that is driven by the first cam surface 44 of the cam gear 26 and the shaft-shaped member 29 are placed. A spring engaging portion 50 with which one end of the torsion coil spring 30 that is urged in the rotational direction is engaged is formed in a convex shape radially outward. Further, at the position near the one end 29a of the shaft-shaped member 29, a push-down preventing portion 51 that comes into contact with the switch lever 32 when the shaft-shaped member 29 rotates by a predetermined angle or more is formed in a convex shape radially outward. ing.

  The other end of the torsion coil spring 30 engaged with the spring engagement portion 50 of the shaft-like member 29 is engaged with a spring engagement portion (not shown) provided in the outer case 24, and the extension force of the torsion coil spring 30 is Thus, the shaft-shaped member 29 is urged in the arrow direction. The first cam follower 49 abuts on the first cam surface 44 and is driven by the first cam surface 44 by the biasing force of the torsion coil spring 30. The shaft-shaped member 29 is supported by a support portion (not shown) of the other end 29b of the shaft-shaped member 29 and the shaft through hole 47, and thereby rotates about the axis. As the shaft-shaped member 29 rotates, the ice detecting member 4 is united with the shaft-shaped member 29 and swings around the attachment portion 48.

  When the cam gear 26 rotates in the above configuration, the first cam follower 49 slides on the first cam surface 44 by the urging force of the torsion coil spring 30, and in the radial direction of the cam gear 26 according to the rotation angle of the cam gear 26. Displace. Thereby, the shaft-shaped member 29 rotates within a predetermined angle range around the axis. Along with this, the arm-shaped ice detecting member 4 attached to the one end 29a of the shaft-like member 29 swings within a predetermined angle range with the attachment portion 48 as the center. In the present embodiment, the shaft member 29 is set so as to rotate within an angle range of 30 degrees.

  When the shaft-shaped member 29 is rotated to the maximum range (30 degrees in this embodiment), the ice detecting member 4 is lowered to the lowest point, and therefore a predetermined rotation angle smaller than that (20 degrees in this embodiment). ) Reaches the one end 29a of the shaft-shaped member 29, and the pressing-down preventing portion 51 contacts the switch lever 32.

  The switch lever 32 is rotatably supported by a support portion (not shown) of the outer case 24, and a lever shaft portion 52 serving as a swing center of the switch lever 32, and the second cam surface 46 of the cam gear 26 from the lever shaft portion 52. A second cam follower 53 that extends in the axial direction of the cam gear 26 toward the second recess 45 that forms the switch, and a switch operation portion 54 that extends from the lever shaft 52 toward the radially outer side of the cam gear 26. I have. One end of the compression coil spring 33 is engaged with the tip of the switch operation portion 54, and the other end of the compression coil spring 33 is engaged with a spring engagement portion (not shown) provided in the inner case 23.

  The switch 31 is disposed on the opposite side of the compression coil spring 33 with the switch operation unit 54 interposed therebetween. The switch 31 is a tact switch, and a switch button (not shown) is provided on a surface facing the switch operation unit 54. The switch 31 is for outputting an ice amount confirmation signal and an origin position confirmation signal. The switch operating portion 54 of the switch lever 32 is urged in the direction in which the switch 31 is pressed (the direction in contact with the switch 31) by the extension force of the compression coil spring 33, and the second cam follower is urged by the urging force of the compression coil spring 33. 53 abuts on the second cam surface 46 and follows the second cam surface 46.

  When the cam gear 26 rotates in the above configuration, the second cam follower 53 slides on the second cam surface 46 by the urging force of the compression coil spring 33, and in the radial direction of the cam gear 26 according to the rotation angle of the cam gear 26. Displace. As a result, the switch lever 32 swings within a predetermined angle range around the lever shaft portion 52. When the second cam follower 53 is displaced radially outward, the switch operation unit 54 approaches the switch 31 and presses the button of the switch 31. As a result, the switch 31 is turned on, and the ice amount confirmation signal and the origin position confirmation signal are output. On the other hand, when the second cam follower 53 is displaced inward in the radial direction, the switch operation unit 54 is separated from the switch 31. As a result, the switch 31 is turned off and no signal is output. In the present embodiment, the switch lever 32 is set to rotate within an angle range of 10 degrees.

  Next, the ice making operation will be described.

  The ice making device 1 is driven and controlled by a control unit (not shown). This control unit may be provided in the ice making device 1 or may be configured as a part of a control unit of a refrigerator in which the ice making device 1 is mounted.

  When either a power-on or initialization signal is input to the control unit, the control unit performs an initialization operation for setting the ice detecting member 4 and the scraped piece 18 of the scraping member 3 to the origin position. (Step ST1).

  In the initialization operation, the control unit first drives the motor 25 to rotate the cam gear 26 clockwise (CW direction). Then, it is monitored that the switch lever 32 is driven by the switch-on first cam portion 46 a and a signal for confirming the origin position is output from the switch 31. When a signal for confirming the origin position is output, the motor 25 is stopped. By this operation, the cam gear 26 stops at the origin position.

  When the cam gear 26 is at the origin position, the first cam follower 49 of the shaft-like member 29 is in contact with the first ice detecting cam portion 44a of the first cam surface 44, and the ice detecting member 4 is located above the ice storage container. Is in a state of rising. Further, the second cam follower 53 of the switch lever 32 is in contact with the switch-on first cam portion 46a, the switch 31 is in an on state, and an ice amount detection signal is output.

  When the initialization operation is completed, water is supplied to the ice tray 2 and a timer is set (step ST2).

  At a predetermined time set in the timer, the control unit detects the temperature of the ice tray 2 with a thermistor. When the temperature of the ice tray 2 is not more than a predetermined value and ice is manufactured in the ice tray 2, the control unit drives the motor 25 to start the ice scraping operation. When the ice scraping operation is started, the ice amount checking operation is started in synchronization with the ice scraping operation (step ST3).

  The step ST3 will be described in more detail. The cam gear 26 rotates counterclockwise (CCW direction) by the rotational driving force of the motor 25, and the second cam follower 53 of the switch lever 32 moves to the switch-off first cam portion 46b. The switch 31 is in an off state. Accordingly, the rotation shaft 17 of the scraping member 3 rotates, and the scraping piece 18 starts to rotate from the position shown in FIG. 1 toward the ice surface in the ice making chamber 12. Further, the cam gear 26 rotates from the origin position, and the first cam follower 49 slides on the second ice detecting cam portion 44b. In association with this, the shaft-shaped member 29 rotates and the arm of the ice detecting member 4 moves. Start to descend.

  When the cam gear 26 further rotates and reaches the ice amount confirmation position, the control unit confirms whether or not a signal is output from the switch 31 (step ST4). At this ice amount confirmation position, the second cam follower 53 of the switch lever 32 has reached a position where it can contact the switch-on second cam portion 46c, which is a section for outputting an ice amount confirmation signal.

  Here, in step ST4, if ice is not stored in the ice storage container, the descent of the ice detecting member 4 is not hindered. Therefore, the first cam follower 49 of the shaft-like member 29 slides on the cam surface to the third ice detecting cam portion 44c that is a section in which the ice detecting member 4 is maintained in the lowest lowered state. The shaft member 29 rotates to 30 degrees which is the maximum range, and the ice detecting member 4 is lowered to the lowest position. At this time, when the rotation angle of the shaft-shaped member 29 reaches 20 degrees, the pressing-down preventing portion 51 of the shaft-shaped member 29 comes into contact with the switch lever 32 and blocks the switch lever 32 from pressing the switch 31. Accordingly, the switch 31 is maintained in the OFF state.

  If the ice amount confirmation signal is not output from the switch 31 before the predetermined time has elapsed after the motor 25 is driven, the control unit determines that the ice storage container is not full. In this case, the control unit continues driving the motor 25 to continue the ice scraping operation for rotating the cam gear 26 counterclockwise (CCW direction) (step ST5). The heater 15 is energized after a predetermined time has elapsed since the motor 25 was driven. Ice removed from the inner surface of the ice making chamber 12 by the heat of the heater is scraped by the scraping piece 18 to the outside in the width direction of the ice tray 2 and falls into an ice storage container below the ice tray 2.

  When the drive of the motor 25 is further continued and the cam gear 26 further rotates to reach the origin position, the switch lever 32 is driven by the switch-on first cam portion 46a and a signal is output from the switch 31. When it is confirmed that the signal is output from the switch 31, the control unit determines that the position is the origin position and stops the motor 25.

  Until the cam gear 26 returns to the home position, the first cam follower 49 of the shaft-like member 29 slides from the fourth ice detecting cam portion 44d to the first ice detecting cam portion 44a. The ice detecting member 4 returns to the origin position shown in FIG. 1 (step ST6), and the scraping piece 18 of the scraping member 3 also returns to the origin position shown in FIG. 1 (step ST7).

  On the other hand, in step ST4, if the ice storage container stores a predetermined amount or more of ice, the ice detecting member 4 is prevented from descending. In this case, since the ice detecting member 4 cannot be lowered to the lowest position, the rotation of the shaft-like member 29 is stopped at a certain angle.

  At this time, if the rotation angle of the shaft-shaped member 29 has reached 20 degrees, the pressing-down preventing portion 51 of the shaft-shaped member 29 comes into contact with the switch lever 32 and blocks the switch lever 32 from pressing the switch 31. Accordingly, the switch 31 is maintained in the OFF state. In this case, since the ice amount confirmation signal is not output before the predetermined time elapses, the control unit determines that the ice storage container is not full. On the other hand, if the rotation angle of the shaft-shaped member 29 does not reach 20 degrees, the press-down prevention unit 51 does not contact the switch lever 32 and the swinging of the switch lever 32 is not hindered. Then, the second cam follower 53 of the switch lever 32 slides from the switch-off first cam portion 46b to the switch-on second cam portion 46c. As a result, the switch operation unit 54 depresses the switch 31 to turn on the switch 31 and output an ice amount confirmation signal.

  If the ice amount confirmation signal is output from the switch 31 before the predetermined time has elapsed since the motor 25 is driven, the control unit determines that the ice storage container is full. In this case, the control unit turns the cam gear 26 until the next signal from the switch 31 is output, that is, until the second cam follower 53 of the switch lever 32 slides on the switch-on first cam portion 46a. Rotate clockwise (CW direction) (step ST8). When the signal is output, the motor 25 is stopped. By this operation, the cam gear 26 stops at the origin position.

  When the control unit determines that the ice storage container is full, the operation from step ST2 to step ST8 is repeated after a predetermined time has elapsed.

  The ice scraping operation will be described in more detail with reference to FIG. 8. When the ice scraping operation is started in step ST3, the scraping piece 18 of the scraping member 3 is shown in FIG. 8A. Is set to the origin position. When the control unit continues to drive the motor 25 from this state and the ice scraping operation is started, the scraping member 3 is rotated around the rotating shaft 17. The pair of scraping members 3 are interlocked with each other at a constant speed by a pair of cam gears 26, and rotate reversely with respect to the rotation shaft 17. Along with this, the scraped piece 18 enters the ice making chamber 12. As shown in FIGS. 8B to 8F in order, the scraping piece 18 contacts the ice 55 on the inner side in the width direction of the ice making chamber 12 and pushes out the ice 55 to the outer side in the width direction of the ice making chamber 12 from there. Then, it rotates inward from the inner side in the width direction toward the outer side in the width direction.

  When the cam gear 26 rotates 59.5 degrees from the origin position, the scraping piece 18 is arranged at a position (horizontal) parallel to the ice surface, as shown in FIG. At this timing, the controller 15 energizes the heater 15 and heats the ice tray 2. Thereby, the ice is detached from the inner surface of the ice making chamber 12 (the surface of the ice in contact with the inner surface of the ice making chamber 12 is melted). When the cam gear 26 further rotates and rotates 90.5 degrees, the scraped piece 18 comes into contact with the surface of the ice 55. If the ice is removed at this time, the cam gear 26 is further rotated, so that the ice 55 is conveyed outward in the width direction by the scraping piece 18. On the other hand, if the ice is not sufficiently deiced at this time, the stepping motor steps out until the ice is sufficiently deiced to continue to apply a predetermined torque to the scraping piece 18. By this operation, the ice 55 can be prevented from melting more than necessary.

  When the cam gear 26 further rotates and the tip of the scraping piece 18 reaches the position of the outer end in the width direction of the ice making chamber 12, the flat surface of the ice 55 is scratched as shown in FIG. Inverted so as to ride on the protruding piece 18. At this time, the flat upper surface is inclined downward on the scraping piece 18 toward the outer side in the width direction. Therefore, the ice 55 can slide down outward in the width direction along the inclination of the scraping piece 18. Thereby, the ice 55 is scraped out. The slipped-down ice 55 is stored in an ice storage container below the ice tray 2.

  At this time, as described above, the inner surface of each ice making chamber 12 has a radius of curvature of the inner surface in the width direction that becomes the inner surface on the extrusion start side when the ice 55 is pushed out, and the outer radius in the width direction that becomes the inner surface on the extrusion end side. It is comprised so that it may become smaller than the curvature radius of an inner surface. The surface of the ice 55 that has been in contact with the inner surface on the inner side in the width direction before the ice scraping operation is brought into contact with the inner surface on the outer side in the width direction with a larger curvature radius than that by the scraping operation (extrusion operation). The ice 55 can be pushed out more smoothly.

  Further, if the ice 55 is easily pushed out in this way, it is possible to improve the difficulty of the ice 55 being produced when the ice making chamber 12 is deepened. Therefore, the size of the ice 55 obtained by making the ice making chamber 12 deeper. Can be made larger.

  Further, since the ice 55 is inverted on the scraping piece 18 when the ice 55 falls, the portion that is in contact with the inner surface in the width direction having a small radius of curvature is positioned more outward in the width direction. That is, when the ice 55 in the state shown in FIG. 8 (f) falls, the center of gravity of the ice 55 is more outward in the width direction, so the ice 55 inverted on the scraped piece 18 is less likely to move inward in the width direction. The ice 55 can reliably fall outward in the width direction.

  In this way, the pair of scraping members 3 are rotated in the reverse direction so that the manufactured ice 55 is dropped on both outer sides in the width direction, so that the ices 55 adjacent in the width direction interfere with each other when dropped. do not do. Therefore, the moving direction of the ice 55 is stabilized. Further, since the manufactured ice 55 is dropped to both outer sides in the width direction, it is possible to avoid the concentration of the ice 55 in the ice storage container. As a result, it is possible to correctly determine whether or not the ice is full by the ice detecting operation. Further, in the configuration in which the ice tray 2 is dropped on both outer sides in the width direction, it is not necessary to provide a dedicated ice drop hole on the inner side in the width direction of the ice tray 2, so the ice tray 2 can be configured integrally and the number of parts can be reduced.

  Further, since the rotation shafts 17 of the pair of scraping members 3 are arranged in the horizontal direction, the falling ice 55 does not interfere with the other ice making chambers 12. Further, since the phases are set so that the scraping pieces 18 between the scraping members 3 are plane-symmetric with each other, the balance of force is good during the scraping operation.

  As described above in detail for the embodiment of the present invention, the ice making device is excellent in the effect of increasing the number of ice making rooms with respect to the increase in the size of the entire ice making device. Since the installation space is reduced, a space-efficient refrigerator can be configured. The present invention is not limited to the above embodiment, and various modifications can be made without departing from the gist of the present invention.

  For example, in the present embodiment, the ice 55 is scraped out on both outer sides in the width direction of the ice tray 2, but a hole for dropping ice is provided on the inner side in the width direction of the ice tray 2, and a hole for dropping ice is provided. The rotation direction of the scraping member 3 that is sandwiched and opposed to the opposite direction (reverse direction) is rotated inwardly toward the inner side in the width direction of the ice tray 2 to thereby drop ice provided on the inner side in the width direction of the ice tray 2 It is also possible to drop the ice 55 into the hole. In this case, when the ice 55 is pushed out, the inner surface on the extrusion start side is the inner surface on the outer side in the width direction, and the inner surface on the extrusion end side is the inner surface on the inner side in the width direction. It is preferable that the radius of curvature of the inner surface on the outer side in the width direction serving as the inner surface is smaller than the radius of curvature of the inner surface on the inner side in the width direction serving as the inner surface on the extrusion end side. Further, the ice 55 can be dropped to the outside and the inside in the width direction of the ice tray 2 by appropriately adjusting the rotation direction of the scraping member 3 opposed across the ice dropping hole.

  Further, even when the ice 55 is scraped to the outer sides in the width direction of the ice tray 2, the rotation direction of the scraping piece 18 of the scraping member 3 is inward from the inner side to the outer side in the width direction of the ice making chamber 12. However, it is not limited to this, and it may be outward from the inner side to the outer side in the width direction. In this case, the scraping piece 18 contacts the ice 55 on the outer side in the width direction of the ice making chamber 12 and then pushes out the ice 55 from the ice making chamber 12 on the inner side in the width direction. That is, the extrusion start side is the outer side in the width direction, and the extrusion end side is the inner side in the width direction. In this case, the radius of curvature of the inner surface on the outer side in the width direction may be configured to be smaller than the radius of curvature of the inner surface on the inner side in the width direction. Further, a partition is provided between the ice making chambers 12 adjacent in the width direction of the ice tray 2 so as to stand from the surface of the ice tray 2 so that the ices 55 adjacent in the width direction of the ice tray 2 do not interfere with each other during extrusion. It may be provided. Further, the rotation directions of the pair of cam gears 26 and 27 may be the same direction by interposing a gear between the pair of cam gears 26 and 27, for example.

  Further, in the one scraping member 3, the plurality of scraping pieces 18 may not protrude in the same direction. For example, the scraping pieces 18 at a position jumping along the length direction protrude in the same direction, and the phases of the scraping pieces 18 adjacent in the length direction are shifted in the circumferential direction. It may be. Further, the phase of the scraping pieces 18 adjacent in the width direction between the scraping members 3 is preferably set so as to be plane-symmetric with respect to the force balance. The phase may not be set. Further, the number of scraping members 3 is not limited to two, and a configuration in which three or more scraping members 3 are provided in the width direction corresponding to the number of rows of ice making chambers 12 may be employed. In this case, it is necessary to provide a hole for dropping ice on the inner side in the width direction of the ice tray 2 and drop the ice 55 on the inner side in the width direction of the ice tray 2.

  As the drive source, a DC motor can be used instead of the stepping motor. In the above embodiment, there is one drive source, but two or more drive sources may be used.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Ice making apparatus 2 Ice making tray 3 Scraping member 4 Ice detection member 5 Drive member 12 Ice making chamber 17 Rotating shaft 18 Scraping piece

Claims (6)

An ice making device comprising: an ice tray; a scraping member that scrapes the ice produced from the ice tray from the ice tray; and a drive member that drives the scraping member;
The ice tray has a plurality of rows of ice making chambers in the width direction along which a plurality of ice making chambers are arranged along the length direction,
The scraping member is formed with a rotating shaft extending along the row of the ice making chambers above the ice making chamber, and projecting in a radial direction from the rotating shaft, and is rotated about the rotating shaft by the driving member. An ice making device, comprising: a plurality of scraping pieces that can enter the ice making chamber, and a plurality of scraping pieces corresponding to the number of rows of the ice making chambers.   The ice making device according to claim 1, wherein rotation directions of adjacent scraping members are opposite to each other.   There are two scraping members corresponding to the number of rows of the ice making chambers, and the scraped pieces are used to scrape the ice produced in the ice tray to the outer sides in the width direction of the ice tray. The ice making device according to claim 1 or 2.   The ice making apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the ice making tray is integrally formed and adjacent ice making chambers of the ice making tray are communicated by a water channel.   The ice making device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the plurality of scraping members are driven by a common drive source.   The inner surface of the ice making chamber is configured by a curved surface, and the radius of curvature of the inner surface on the extrusion start side when the ice is pushed out from the ice making chamber by the scraped piece is smaller than the radius of curvature of the inner surface on the extrusion end side. The ice making device according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that:

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