JP2018054158A - Ice dispenser with ice-making mechanism - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an ice dispenser including an ice-making mechanism in which a container table for mounting a container such as a cup for receiving ices thereon and a drainage channel for the container table can be kept clean as much as possible.SOLUTION: An ice dispenser including an ice-making mechanism has an ice-making mechanism 20 comprising: an ice-making part for making ice; a tank 23 for storing ice-making water for making ice at the ice-making part; and an ice-making water circuit for circulating the ice-making water in the tank 23 between it and the ice-making part. A control device gradually freezes the ice-making water sent to the ice-making part during ice-making operation to manufacture ice. In an ice-removing operation after the ice-making operation, a surface of the ice frozen at the ice-making part is melted and ice is dropped into the ice-storing tank, and after the ice-making operation, the ice-making water in the tank 23 is controlled to be discharged. The ice-making water circuit is provided with a water conduit pipe for guiding the ice-making water to a container table 60 on which a container such as a cup and the like is mounted, and after the ice-making operation, the ice-making water left in the tank 23 is guided to the container table 60 through the water guide pipe.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 4

Description

  The present invention relates to an ice dispenser with an ice making mechanism that discharges ice made by an ice making mechanism to a container such as a cup.

  Patent Document 1 discloses an ice dispenser with an ice making mechanism that discharges ice produced by an ice making mechanism to a container such as a cup. The ice dispenser with an ice making mechanism uses ice for cooling a cold drink such as ice coffee. Used to supply. An ice dispenser with an ice making mechanism is an ice making mechanism, an ice storage tank for storing ice made by the ice making mechanism, a discharge mechanism for discharging the ice stored in the ice storage tank, and a mechanism for discharging the ice in the ice storage tank And a container base on which a container for receiving ice discharged by the discharge mechanism is placed.

  The ice making mechanism of the ice dispenser with the ice making mechanism includes an ice making unit for making ice, a tank for storing ice making water for making ice in the ice making unit, and an ice making water circuit for circulating the ice making water in the tank to the ice making unit. It has. In this ice making mechanism, ice making water is gradually frozen in ice making water that is sent to the ice making unit, and ice is produced, and after the ice making operation, the ice frozen in the ice making unit is melted to store ice from the ice making unit. The ice removal operation of dropping into the tank is executed alternately to make the ice stored in the ice storage tank. The ice stored in the ice storage tank is transported to the discharge mechanism by the transport mechanism, and is discharged from the discharge mechanism to a container such as a cup placed on the container table.

JP, 2006-023840, A

  The ice dispenser with an ice making mechanism described in Patent Document 1 configured as described above is used to supply ice for cooling a cold beverage such as ice coffee as described above. The container base of the ice dispenser with the ice making mechanism is for placing a container such as a cup and receives ice falling from the container such as the cup. If a drainage pipe for draining the melted ice is provided on the container base, it is possible to prevent the melted water from accumulating on the container base. However, some users may throw away drinks left in a container such as a cup to the container base, which may cause the container base to become unsanitary. The present invention enables the container table and the drainage channel to be kept as clean as possible even when the user causes the beverage to flow through the container table.

  In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the present invention solves the above-mentioned problems by an ice making mechanism for making ice, an ice storage tank for storing ice made by the ice making mechanism, a discharge mechanism for discharging ice stored in the ice storage tank, and a discharge mechanism. A container base having a drainage channel for discharging water when ice spilled from the container melts, and a control device for controlling the operation of the ice making mechanism and the discharging mechanism. The mechanism is equipped with an ice-making unit that makes ice, a tank that stores ice-making water for making ice in the ice-making unit, and an ice-making water circuit that circulates ice-making water in the tank between the ice-making unit and the control device Then, ice making water sent to the ice making unit is gradually frozen to produce ice, and in the deicing operation after the ice making operation, the surface of the ice frozen in the ice making unit is melted and ice falls from the ice making unit into the ice storage tank. And drain the ice making water in the tank after the ice making operation. An ice dispenser with a controlled ice making mechanism, in which an ice making water circuit is provided with a water conduit for guiding ice making water to the container base, and the ice making water remaining in the tank after ice making operation is guided to the container base through the water conduit. An ice dispenser with an ice making mechanism is provided.

  In the ice dispenser with the ice making mechanism configured as described above, the ice making water circuit is provided with a water conduit that guides the ice making water to the container base, and the ice making water remaining in the tank after the ice making operation is guided to the container base through the water conduit. As a result, ice making water that remains in the tank after the ice making operation flows in the container stand, and the container stand can be kept clean.

  In the ice dispenser with the ice making mechanism configured as described above, the ice storage tank is provided with a transport mechanism for transporting ice to the discharge mechanism, the transport mechanism is erected in the ice storage tank, and the ice in the ice storage tank is placed at the lower end. A cylinder having an introduction port for introducing and a discharge port for deriving ice to the discharge mechanism at the upper end portion, and an auger screw supported rotatably in the cylinder, the ice in the ice storage tank from the introduction port to the cylinder And the auger screw rotates to raise the cylinder and transport it from the outlet to the discharge mechanism.The ice making mechanism has an overflow part that overflows and discharges ice making water that exceeds a predetermined water level in the tank. It is preferable that the ice making water drainage port in the overflow portion is disposed around the introduction port of the cylinder so that the ice making water overflowing from the overflow portion is guided to the periphery of the introduction port of the cylinder. The ice pieces that are finely crushed by the rotation of the auger screw remain around the ice inlet of the cylinder of the transport mechanism, and the finely crushed ice pieces may refreeze and cause arching. By guiding the overflowing ice-making water around the inlet of the cylinder, finely crushed ice pieces are not left around the inlet of the cylinder.

  In the ice dispenser with the ice making mechanism configured as described above, the ice storage tank includes an ice storage chamber that stores ice, and a temporary storage unit that is provided at a position higher than the bottom of the ice storage chamber and temporarily holds the ice sent to the discharge mechanism. The transport mechanism includes a first transport mechanism that transports the ice in the ice storage chamber to the temporary storage unit, and a second transport mechanism that includes a cylinder and an auger screw that transport the ice transported to the temporary storage unit to the discharge mechanism. Preferably, the control device controls each of the first and second transport mechanisms independently. In this case, it is possible to control the transfer timing of the first transfer mechanism so as to be shifted from the transfer timing of the second transfer mechanism, and ice is accumulated around the introduction port of the cylinder of the second transfer mechanism. It is now possible not to block the inlet.

  In the ice dispenser with the ice making mechanism configured as described above, it is preferable that the ice making mechanism and the discharge mechanism are arranged above the ice storage tank, and the ice making mechanism and the discharge mechanism are arranged close to one side in the left-right direction. In this case, the other side where the ice making mechanism and the discharge mechanism are not arranged on the upper side of the ice storage tank can be used as an installation space for other devices.

It is a front view of one Embodiment of the ice dispenser with an ice making mechanism by this invention. It is the cross-sectional perspective view which enabled it to visually recognize the inside of FIG. It is the schematic of a freezing apparatus and an ice making water circuit. It is AA sectional drawing of FIG. It is BB sectional drawing of FIG. It is a perspective view of a guide plate. It is CC sectional drawing of FIG. It is a block diagram of a control apparatus.

  Hereinafter, an embodiment of an ice dispenser with an ice making mechanism according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, an ice dispenser 10 with an ice making mechanism according to the present invention includes a substantially rectangular parallelepiped housing 11, an ice making mechanism 20 for making ice, and an ice storage for storing ice produced by the ice making mechanism 20. The tank 30, the discharge mechanism 50 that discharges the ice stored in the ice storage tank 30, the transport mechanism 40 that transports the ice stored in the ice storage tank 30 to the discharge mechanism 50, and the ice released by the discharge mechanism 50 are received. And a container table 60 on which a container such as a cup is placed.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the ice making mechanism 20 is for making ice, and is arranged on the upper side of the housing 11 so as to be moved to the right side. As shown in FIG. 2, the ice making mechanism 20 causes ice making water to flow down on the ice making surface side of an ice making plate (ice making unit) 21 standing vertically, and freezes the ice making water flowing down on the ice making surface side to produce ice. It is a flow-down type ice making mechanism. The ice making surface of the ice making plate 21 is provided with a grid-like partition 21a in which a plurality of cells are formed. The ice that is made on the ice making surface side of the ice making plate 21 is uneven as the block ice formed inside the cells is adjacent to the ice making surface of the ice making plate 21 on the opposite side across the partition 21a. It becomes the plate-type connection ice connected so that it may become a certain plate shape.

  An evaporation pipe 22d and a temperature sensor (not shown) of the refrigeration apparatus 22 are fixed to the surface of the ice making plate 21 opposite to the ice making surface. As shown in FIG. 3, the refrigeration apparatus 22 expanded a compressor 22a that compresses the refrigerant, a condenser 22b that cools and liquefies the compressed refrigerant gas, and a capillary tube 22c that expands the liquefied refrigerant. An evaporation pipe 22d for vaporizing the liquefied refrigerant to cool the ice making plate 21 is provided, and these are connected by the refrigerant pipe to form a refrigerant circuit (refrigeration circuit) through which the refrigerant circulates. The refrigeration apparatus 22 includes a bypass pipe 22e that connects between the compressor 22a and the evaporation pipe 22d, and a hot gas valve 22f is interposed in the bypass pipe 22e.

  When the ice making mechanism 20 performs the ice making operation, if the compressor 22a is operated with the hot gas valve 22f of the refrigeration apparatus 22 closed, the liquefied refrigerant is vaporized in the evaporation pipe 22d, and the ice making plate 21 and the partition 21a are cooled. Is done. The ice making water flowing down the ice making surface side of the ice making plate 21 is cooled by heat exchange to the cooled ice making plate 21 and the partition 21a, and the ice making water is frozen on the ice making surface side of the ice making plate 21 to become ice. When the ice making mechanism 20 performs the deicing operation, if the compressor 22a is operated with the hot gas valve 22f of the refrigeration apparatus 22 opened, the hot gas sent from the compressor 22a passes through the evaporation pipe 22d. The ice making plate 21 and the partition 21a are heated when passing, and the ice made on the ice making surface side of the ice making plate 21 is melted at the contact surface between the heated ice making plate 21 and the partition 21a.

  As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the ice making mechanism 20 includes a tank 23 that stores ice making water, and an ice making water circuit 24 that circulates the ice making water in the tank 23 between the ice making plate 21. The tank 23 is disposed below the ice making plate 21, and the ice making water flowing down the ice making surface side of the ice making plate 21 flows into the tank 23. The ice making water circuit 24 includes a water pump 24a provided in the tank 23, a water pipe 24b connected to the water pump 24a, and a sprinkler 24c disposed on the ice making plate 21 and connected to the water pipe 24b. I have. Further, a water conduit 24d is connected to an intermediate portion of the water pipe 24b, and a drain valve 24e is interposed in the water conduit 24d. The water guide pipe 24d guides the ice making water in the tank 23 to the container base 60, and the ice making water in the tank 23 is guided to the container base 60 through the water guide pipe 24d by opening the drain valve 24e.

  When the ice making operation is performed, the ice making water in the tank 23 is sent to the sprinkler 24c through the water pipe 24b by driving the water feed pump 24a, and flows down the ice making surface side of the ice making plate 21 from the sprinkler 24c. The ice making water in the tank 23 circulates between the tank 23 and the ice making surface side of the ice making plate 21 by the ice making water circuit 24. The ice making water in the tank 23 is cooled by circulating through the ice making surface side of the ice making plate 21 by the ice making water circuit 24, and gradually freezes on the ice making surface side of the ice making plate 21 to become ice in the cell in the partition 21a. . The ice making water in the tank 23 remaining after the ice making operation is sent to the container table 60 from the water conduit 24d by opening the drain valve 24e.

  As shown in FIGS. 4, 5, and 7, a water level sensor 25 and an overflow part 26 are provided in the tank 23. The water level sensor 25 detects the first water level of the ice making water in the tank 23 and the second water level higher than the first water level. The first water level detected by the water level sensor 25 is the water level in the tank 23 when the ice making is completed on the ice making plate 21, and the second water level is ice making plate-shaped connected ice on the ice making surface side of the ice making plate 21. This is the water level in the tank 23 necessary for the measurement. The overflow part 26 discharges water having a higher water level than the second water level. A drain port 23a for draining from the overflow part 26 is formed in the lower part of the tank 23. The drain port 23a is above the temporary storage part 32 of the ice storage tank 30 described later, and the ice of the cylinder 46 in the second transport mechanism 45. It arrange | positions in the position used as the circumference | surroundings of the inlet 46a. A water supply pipe 27 connected to a water supply source such as a water supply is connected to the tank 23, and a water supply valve 27 a is interposed in the water supply pipe 27. The water of the water supply source is supplied to the tank 23 through the water supply pipe 27 by opening the water supply valve 27a.

  As shown in FIG. 4, an ice removing device 28 for removing ice from the ice making plate 21 is provided on the opposite side of the ice making plate 21 from the ice making surface side. The ice removing device 28 includes a slide pin that is inserted into a through hole formed in the center portion of the ice making plate 21, and the plate-shaped connecting ice made on the ice making surface side of the ice making plate 21 inserts the slide pin into the through hole. Is pushed away from the ice making surface side of the ice making plate 21.

  As shown in FIG. 2, a guide plate 29 is provided on the ice making surface side of the ice making plate 21. The guide plate 29 returns the ice-making water that has flowed down the ice-making surface side of the ice-making plate 21 from the water sprinkler 24c to the tank 23 without splashing it around, and the ice-making water that has flowed down the ice-making surface side of the ice making plate 21 is around. It has a function to prevent scattering. The guide plate 29 serves as a detection plate for detecting that the ice made on the ice making surface side of the ice making plate 21 has detached from the ice making plate 21, thereby detecting that the ice storage tank 30 is full of ice. It also has a function.

  The guide plate 29 is disposed so as to cover the ice making surface side of the ice making plate 21, and the upper end of the guide plate 29 is pivoted around a horizontal axis at a position facing the ice making surface side of the ice making plate 21. The guide plate 29 is rotatable between a hanging posture in which it hangs down at a position facing the ice making surface side of the ice making plate 21 and an inclined posture in which the lower end portion is turned away from the ice making surface side.

  As shown in FIG. 6, the lower part of the guide plate 29 has a flap 29a attached to the lower part of the guide plate 29 so as to be rotatable around a horizontal axis, and extends in a direction intersecting the flap 29a at the upper part of both lateral sides of the flap 29a. And a protruding arm 29b. The flap 29 a is for guiding ice making water flowing down the ice making surface side of the ice making plate 21 into the tank 23. The arm 29b rotates the flap 29a in accordance with the posture of the guide plate 29, and the flap 29a and the arm 29b are substantially square when viewed from the side. Conical protrusions 29c protrude from the lower end of the guide plate 29 on both sides in the width direction, and a protrusion 29d protrudes from the upper end of the flap 29a at the center in the width direction. These protrusions 29c and 29d have a function of preventing the guide plate 29 from adsorbing to the wall surface of the housing 11 facing the guide plate 29 due to the surface tension of water.

  As described above, the guide plate 29 also functions as a detection plate for detecting that the ice made by the ice making plate 21 has detached from the ice making plate 21 and detecting that the ice storage tank 30 is full of ice. Have. A detected portion 29e made of a magnet is provided on the side portion of the guide plate 29, and a proximity sensor such as a reed switch is used in the housing 11 at a position facing the detected portion 29e of the guide plate 29 in a suspended position. An ice break-off detection sensor (full ice detection sensor, not shown) is provided.

  When the slide pin of the ice detaching device 28 is advanced after the ice making operation is finished, the plate-shaped connected ice made by the ice making plate 21 is pushed out by the slide pin. The guide plate 29 is temporarily inclined from the hanging posture by the pushed plate-shaped connecting ice, and when the plate-shaped connecting ice falls into the ice storage tank 30, the guide plate 29 returns from the inclined posture to the hanging posture again. At this time, when the ice separation detection sensor detects that the detected portion 29e of the guide plate 29 is temporarily separated from the close state and returns to the close state again, the plate-shaped connected ice is detached from the ice making plate 21. It is detected that the ice storage tank 30 has been dropped, that is, the ice storage tank 30 is not full of ice. On the other hand, when the plate-shaped connecting ice made by the ice-making plate 21 is pushed out by the slide pin of the ice removing device 28, the pushed plate-shaped connecting ice may not fall due to the ice accumulated in the ice storage tank 30. . At this time, the guide plate 29 is changed from the hanging posture to the inclined posture by the pushed plate-shaped connecting ice, and the inclined posture is maintained without returning to the hanging posture by the plate-shaped connecting ice remaining on the ice making surface side of the ice making plate 21. . When the ice detachment detection sensor detects that the detected portion 29e of the guide plate 29 is continuously separated from the close state, the plate-shaped connected ice remains without detaching from the ice making plate 21, that is, ice storage. It is detected that the tank 30 is in a full ice state.

  The ice storage tank 30 stores the ice made by the ice making mechanism 20, and is disposed in the housing 11 below the ice making mechanism 20. As shown in FIGS. 2 and 5, the ice storage tank 30 includes an ice storage chamber 31 that stores ice, a temporary storage unit 32 that is provided at a position higher than the bottom of the ice storage chamber 31 and temporarily holds the ice sent to the discharge mechanism 50. The ice storage chamber 31 is disposed in the housing 11 from the left side portion to the middle portion in the left-right direction, and the temporary storage portion 32 is disposed on the right side portion in the housing 11. The bottom surface of the ice storage chamber 31 has a first inclined surface 31a that inclines downward as it proceeds from the left side to the center portion in the left-right direction, and a second inclined surface 31b that inclines upward as it proceeds from the center portion in the left-right direction to the right side. doing. The upper side from the top of the second inclined surface 31b is a temporary storage unit 32, and the bottom of the temporary storage unit 32 has an inclined surface that is inclined more upward than the second inclined surface 31b toward the right side.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the transport mechanism 40 transports the ice in the ice storage tank 30 to the discharge mechanism 50, and the first transport mechanism transports the ice in the ice storage chamber 31 of the ice storage tank 30 to the temporary storage unit 32. 41 and a second transport mechanism 45 that transports the ice transported to the temporary storage unit 32 to the discharge mechanism 50. The first transport mechanism 41 includes a gear motor 42 and a transport blade 43 provided at the bottom of the ice storage chamber 31. The gear motor 42 rotates the conveying blade 43 and is fixed to the lower side of the second inclined surface 31 b of the ice storage chamber 31. The output shaft of the gear motor 42 projects into the ice storage chamber 31, and the conveying blade 43 is fixed to the output shaft of the gear motor 42 along the second inclined surface 31 b in the ice storage chamber 31. The conveying blade 43 includes a disk-shaped main body 43a and a blade 43b that protrudes outward from 12 locations arranged at equal intervals around the periphery of the main body 43a. The conveying blade 43 is rotated by driving the gear motor 42, and the second inclined surface 31 b is raised by the rotating blade portion 43 b to convey the ice in the ice storage chamber 31 to the temporary storage portion 32.

  A stirring device 44 is fixed to the output shaft of the gear motor 42. The stirring device 44 includes a stirring shaft 44a fixed to the output shaft of the gear motor 42, and two stirring rods 44b fixed to the stirring shaft 44a. The stirring rod 44b extends in a direction intersecting with the stirring shaft 44a. When the agitation shaft 44a rotates together with the conveying blade 43 by driving the gear motor 42, the agitation bar 44b rotates in the ice storage chamber 31 and is a block in which one or a plurality of plate-type connected ices made by the ice making mechanism 20 are connected. The ice is crushed into the shape of ice and the ice is prevented from being locally stored in the ice storage chamber 31.

  As shown in FIGS. 2 and 5, the second transport mechanism 45 transports the ice in the temporary storage unit 32 to the discharge mechanism 50, and a cylindrical tube 46 erected on the temporary storage unit 32, A gear motor 47 provided on the lower side of the cylinder 46 and an auger screw 48 rotatably supported in the cylinder 46 are provided. An inlet 46a for introducing the ice of the temporary storage unit 32 is formed at the lower end of the cylindrical body 46, and the ice conveyed to the temporary storage unit 32 is introduced into the cylindrical body 46 from the introduction port 46a. The cylindrical body 46 is erected at a height exceeding the upper wall of the housing 11, and a discharge port 46 b for leading ice to the discharge mechanism 50 is formed at the upper end portion of the cylindrical body 46. As shown in FIG. 7, a projection 46 c is formed on the inner peripheral surface of the cylindrical body 46, and this projection 46 c is moved when the ice moves upward by the rotation of the auger screw 48. It has a stopper function to prevent idling.

  The gear motor 47 rotates the auger screw 48 and is fixed to the lower side of the temporary storage unit 32. An output shaft of the gear motor 47 projects into the cylindrical body 46, and an auger screw 48 is fixed to the output shaft of the gear motor 47. The auger screw 48 has a blade portion spirally formed on the outer peripheral surface of a rotating shaft extending in the axial direction of the cylindrical body 46. The auger screw 48 is rotated by the drive of the gear motor 47, and the ice guided from the temporary storage portion 32 through the inlet 46a into the cylinder 46 rises in the cylinder 46 by the rotating auger screw 48, and the outlet 46b. To the discharge mechanism 50.

  As shown in FIGS. 2 and 4, the discharge mechanism 50 discharges the ice transported by the transport mechanism 40 to a container such as a cup placed on the container base 60, and the discharge mechanism 50 of this embodiment includes: The ice transported by the transport mechanism 40 is quantified and discharged into a container such as a cup. The discharge mechanism 50 is arranged close to the right side on the upper side of the housing 11. The discharge mechanism 50 includes a column-shaped fixed amount chamber 51 provided at the top of the housing 11, and an ice discharge port 51 a is formed at the bottom of the constant amount chamber 51. A gear motor 52 and an ice meter 53 are provided at the bottom of the metering chamber 51. The gear motor 52 rotates the ice quantifier 53 and is fixed to the lower surface of the bottom wall of the quantification chamber 51.

  The output shaft of the gear motor 52 protrudes into the metering chamber 51, and an ice meter 53 is fixed to the output shaft of the gear motor 52. The ice quantifier 53 is radially extended from six centrally spaced positions in the circumferential direction of the central shaft portion 53a and a central shaft portion 53a concentrically and rotatably supported in the quantitative chamber 51. And six separator portions 53b that form six fan-shaped fixed spaces around the central shaft portion 53a. Further, a removing device 54 for removing the ice protruding from the upper side of the fan-shaped fixed space is provided above the ice quantitative device 53. When the ice quantifier 53 is rotated by 60 °, for example, the ice quantified in one sector quantification space of the ice quantifier 53 moves to the upper side of the ice discharge port 51a, and the quantified ice is transferred to the ice discharge port. When the ice quantifier 53 is discharged from the container 51a into the container table 60 and rotated by 180 °, for example, the ice quantified in the three fan-shaped quantification spaces of the ice quantifier 53 is above the ice discharge port 51a. The quantified ice is discharged into the container of the container table 60 from the ice discharge port 51a. The quantification chamber 51 is provided with an ice detection sensor 55 made of an infrared sensor, and the ice detection sensor 55 detects that ice is carried into the quantification chamber 51.

  As shown in FIGS. 2 and 4, the container base 60 is used to place a container such as a cup that receives ice discharged from the discharge mechanism 50, and the ice discharge port of the discharge mechanism 50 at the upper part of the housing 11. 51a is provided on the lower side. The container base 60 includes a net member 61 for placing a container such as a cup, and a drainage channel 62 for discharging ice and water below the net member 61. The drainage channel 62 includes a drain pan 63 for receiving ice and water below the net member 61 and a drain pipe 64 connected to the drain pan 63. Ice and water spilled from a container such as a cup placed on the upper side of the net member 61 are received by the drain pan 63, and the ice and water received by the drain pan 63 are discharged out of the housing 11 through the drain pipe 64. The drain pan 63 is connected to the water conduit 24d of the ice making mechanism 20 described above, and the ice pan remaining in the tank 23 after the ice making operation by the ice making mechanism 20 is guided to the drain pan 63 by the water conduit 24d. .

  The ice dispenser 10 with the ice making mechanism includes a control device 70, and the control device 70 is connected to the ice making mechanism 20, the transport mechanism 40, and the discharge mechanism 50 as shown in FIG. 8. The control device 70 includes a microcomputer (not shown), and the microcomputer includes a CPU, a RAM, a ROM, and a timer (all not shown) connected through a bus. The control device 70 has an ice making program for making the plate-shaped connected ice by the ice making plate 21 of the ice making mechanism 20 and a discharging program for discharging the ice transported by the transport mechanism 40 from the discharging mechanism 50.

  Next, control of the ice making program and the discharge program by the control device 70 will be described. When the ice making program is executed, the control device 70 alternately executes the ice making operation and the deicing operation of the ice making mechanism 20. When the ice making operation of the ice making program is executed, the control device 70 operates the compressor 22a of the refrigeration device 22 to cool the ice making plate 21. Further, when the control device 70 opens the water supply valve 27a in the ice making operation, the water of the water supply source is sent to the tank 23 through the water supply pipe 27 as ice making water. When the ice making water in the tank 23 gradually rises to the second water level and the detection result indicating that the water level sensor 25 has reached the second water level is input to the control device 70, the control device 70 temporarily turns the water supply valve 27a on. The water pump 24a is driven by closing. The ice making water in the tank 23 is sent to the sprinkler 24c through the water pipe 24b, and the ice making water sent to the sprinkler 24c is sprinkled on the ice making surface side of the ice making plate 21 and flows down. The ice-making water flowing down the ice-making surface side of the ice-making plate 21 flows into the cells (ice-making chamber) partitioned by the lattice-like partition 21a and falls without being scattered around by the guide plate 29. The dropped ice-making water is It returns to the tank 23 by the flap 29a. The ice making water in the tank 23 flows down on the ice making surface side of the ice making plate 21, and a part of the ice making water circulates in the ice making water circuit 24 and stays in the cell, thereby decreasing from the second water level. When a predetermined time elapses with the ice making water in the tank 23 reduced to some extent, the control device 70 opens the water supply valve 27a again to supply ice making water into the tank 23. When the ice making water in the tank 23 again becomes the second water level and the detection result that the water level sensor 25 has reached the second water level is input again to the control device 70, the control device 70 closes the water supply valve 27a to supply water. Exit.

  The ice making water in the tank 23 is circulated between the ice making surface side of the ice making plate 211 and the tank 23 by the water pump 24a that is continuously operated, and is cooled by heat exchange with the ice making plate 21. The ice making water flowing down the ice making surface side of the ice making plate 21 is frozen in the cell so as to form block ice, and the ice making water flowing down the block ice frozen in the cell is separated from the ice making plate 21 side of the partition 21a. It freezes so that it may connect with the upper and lower sides and right and left which adjoin each other in the edge part on the opposite side, and the edge part of block-shaped ice is made into ice as plate-shaped connection ice connected in plate shape on the upper and lower sides and right and left.

  When the plate-shaped connecting ice is made on the ice making surface side of the ice making plate 21 and the ice making water in the tank 23 reaches the first water level, the control device 70 ends the ice making operation and starts the deicing operation. When the control device 70 starts the deicing operation, the drain valve 24e is opened to stop supplying the ice making water in the tank 23 to the ice making plate 21, and the ice making water in the tank 23 is passed through the water conduit 24d. Pour into the drain pan 63 of the container base 60. The ice making water sent into the drain pan 63 is discharged out of the housing 11 through the drain pipe 64. The control device 70 stops the operation of the water pump 24a and closes the drain valve 24e after the time required for discharging the ice making water in the tank 23 at the first water level, so that the container base is removed from the tank 23. Stop draining the ice making water through 60.

  The control device 70 opens the drain valve 24e described above and opens the hot gas valve 22f when the deicing operation is started. The hot gas sent from the compressor 22a flows into the evaporation pipe 22d by opening the hot gas valve 22f, and the ice making plate 21 is heated by the hot gas flowing into the evaporation pipe 22d. The ice making plate 21 and the partition 21a are gradually heated by hot gas, and the contact surface between the ice making plate 21 and the partition 21a is gradually melted in the block-shaped ice of the plate-shaped connecting ice frozen in the cell.

  When the temperature sensor attached to the ice making plate 21 detects that the ice making plate 21 reaches a predetermined temperature of 5 ° C. or more, the control device 70 operates the ice removing device 28 to advance the slide pin. The plate-shaped connecting ice is pushed forward so that the central block-shaped ice is separated from the ice making surface side, and the guide plate 29 is changed from the hanging posture to the inclined posture by the pushed plate-shaped connecting ice. Further, the guide plate 29 is changed from the hanging posture to the inclined posture by the pushed plate-shaped connecting ice, and the ice detachment detection sensor detects that the detected portion 29e of the guide plate 29 is separated from the adjacent position, thereby detecting the guide plate 29. , The control device 70 operates the gear motor 42 of the first transport mechanism 41 to rotate the stirring device 44 together with the transport blades 43. The plate-shaped connected ice that has fallen into the ice storage tank 30 is broken into block-type ice pieces or block-type ice pieces in a state where several pieces are connected by the stirring rod 44b of the stirrer 44, and also into the ice storage chamber 31 of the ice storage tank 30. Thus, it is accommodated uniformly evenly under the ice making plate 21 without locally solidifying.

  When the ice making operation and the deicing operation are alternately performed and the ice storage chamber 31 of the ice storage tank 30 is full of ice, even if the plate connection ice is pushed out from the ice making plate 21, the plate connection ice is put into the ice storage chamber 31. The accumulated ice is prevented from falling, and the guide plate 29 maintains an inclined posture. When the detected part 29e of the guide plate 29 is detected to be continuously separated by the ice detachment detection sensor, the control device 70 detects that the ice storage chamber 31 is full and waits for the ice making operation described above. To control. When the ice in the ice storage chamber 31 is reduced by the execution of a discharge program, which will be described later, the plate-shaped connecting ice falls into the ice storage chamber 31 from the ice making surface side of the ice making plate 21, and the guide plate 29 is again suspended from the inclined posture. When the detection unit 29e of the guide plate 29 detects that the detected part 29e of the guide plate 29 has approached, the control device 70 detects that the ice storage chamber 31 is no longer full, and performs the ice making operation and deicing described above. Control to run.

  Further, in order to prevent the finely crushed ice from remaining around the ice inlet 46a of the temporary storage unit 32 of the ice storage tank 30 and the cylinder 46 of the second transport mechanism 45, the control device 70 will be described. Run the scrap ice discharge program. The control device 70 supplies ice making water into the tank 23 so as to overflow from the overflow part 26 after the ice making operation or after the deicing operation. Specifically, the control device 70 opens the water supply valve 27 a to supply ice making water from the water supply pipe 27 into the tank 23, and the detection result of detecting the second water level by the water level sensor 25 is input to the control device 70. After a predetermined time has elapsed since then, the water supply valve 27 a is closed, and a predetermined amount of ice-making water overflows from the overflow portion 26. The ice making water discharged from the drain port 23a of the overflow part 26 melts the ice scraps remaining around the ice inlet 46a of the cylindrical body 46 in the temporary storage part 32 and the second transport mechanism 45, thereby melting the ice making water. Flows down to the bottom of the ice storage chamber 31 and is discharged outside the housing 11. The scrap ice discharging program may be controlled to be executed after the ice making operation or after the deicing operation, or may be controlled to be executed manually by operating an operation button.

  Next, before describing the discharge program, the operation of the transport mechanism 40 that transports the ice in the ice storage chamber 31 to the discharge mechanism 50 will be described. The ice in the ice storage chamber 31 is transported to the temporary storage unit 32 by the first transport mechanism 41, and the ice transported to the temporary storage unit 32 is transported to the metering chamber 51 of the discharge mechanism 50 by the second transport mechanism 45. Specifically, the ice in the ice storage chamber 31 is transported to the temporary storage unit 32 by going up the second inclined surface 31b by the transport blade 43 rotated by the gear motor 42, and a part of the ice transported to the temporary storage unit 32 is The ice that has not flowed into the cylinder 46 falls again into the ice storage chamber 31 by sliding on the inclined surface of the bottom and flowing into the cylinder 46 of the second transport mechanism 45 from the ice inlet 46a. The ice that has flowed into the cylindrical body 46 from the temporary storage section 32 rises in the cylindrical body 46 by the auger screw 48 that is rotated by the gear motor 47, and enters the fixed amount chamber 51 of the discharge mechanism 50 from the ice outlet 46 b of the cylindrical body 46. It is carried in. The ice in the ice storage chamber 31 is transported to the discharge mechanism 50 by the first and second transport mechanisms 41 and 45 through the temporary storage section 32 until the ice is filled in the fixed quantity chamber 51 by the ice detection sensor 55. The Further, in order to prevent the ice in the ice storage chamber 31 from refreezing and forming arching, the ice in the ice storage chamber 31 is agitated by the agitator 44 by driving the gear motor 42 of the first transport mechanism 41. Yes. At this time, the conveyance vane 43 is also rotated by the drive of the gear motor 42, and the ice in the ice storage chamber 31 is conveyed by the conveyance vane 43 up the second inclined surface 31 b to the temporary storage unit 32. When the area around the ice inlet 46 a is filled with ice, the ice transported to the temporary storage section 32 falls again into the ice storage chamber 31.

  When one of the plurality of operation switches 56 provided on the front surface of the discharge mechanism 50 is pushed, the control device 70 rotates the ice quantifier 53 at an angle corresponding to the operation switch 56 by the gear motor 52. Ice is discharged into a container such as a cup placed on the container table 60 from the ice discharge port 51a formed at the bottom. When the ice in the metering chamber 51 is reduced by being discharged into a container such as a cup, and the ice detecting sensor 55 detects that the ice in the metering chamber 51 has decreased, the control device 70 causes the second transport mechanism 45 to move. The gear motor 47 is driven to rotate the auger screw 48, and after a few seconds, the gear motor 42 of the first transport mechanism 41 is driven to rotate the transport blade 43. By driving the gear motor 47 of the second transport mechanism 45 before the gear motor 42 of the first transport mechanism 41, the ice remaining around the inlet 46a of the cylindrical body 46 is raised in the cylindrical body 46 in advance, and then the first Since the ice in the ice storage chamber 31 is transported to the temporary storage unit 32 by the one transport mechanism 41, the ice transported to the temporary storage unit 32 is prevented from accumulating around the inlet 46 a of the cylindrical body 46. The introduction port 46a could be prevented from being blocked. As a result, it was possible to prevent ice from being introduced into the cylindrical body 46 of the second transport mechanism 45 from the introduction port 46a.

  Further, even when the operation switch 56 is not pushed, when the ice in the quantitation chamber 51 is decreased by melting and the ice detection sensor 55 detects that the ice in the quantitation chamber 51 is reduced, the above-described operation is performed. As described above, the control device 70 drives the gear motor 47 of the second transport mechanism 45, and after a few seconds, drives the gear motor 42 of the first transport mechanism 41, so that the ice in the ice storage chamber 31 is quantified through the temporary storage unit 32. It is conveyed into 51. In addition, when there is no pushing operation of the operation switch 56, it controls so that ice conveyance into the fixed_quantity | quantitative_assay chamber 51 is not performed more than the set frequency | count.

  In the ice dispenser 10 with the ice making mechanism configured as described above, the ice making water circuit 24 is provided with a water guide pipe 24d for guiding the ice making water to the drain pan 63 of the container base 60, and guides the ice making water remaining in the tank 23 after the ice making operation. It was made to guide to the drain pan 63 of the container base 60 through the water pipe 24d. As a result, the ice making water remaining in the tank 23 flows through the drain pan 63 and the drain pipe 64 of the container base 60 after the ice making operation, and the container base 60 can be kept clean. Further, since the ice making water remaining in the tank 23 after the ice making operation is made to flow to the drain pan 63 of the container base 60, water for washing the drain pan 63 of the container base 60 is not newly supplied. It was possible to avoid increasing the running cost.

  In the ice dispenser 10 with the ice making mechanism, scrap ice (finely crushed ice) is generated around the ice inlet 46a of the cylindrical body 46 of the second transport mechanism 45 when the ice is transported by the rotation of the auger screw 48. ) Accumulated, and there was a risk that scrap ice would freeze the auger screw 48 and freeze again. In the ice dispenser 10 with the ice making mechanism, the ice making mechanism 20 includes an overflow portion 26 that overflows and discharges ice making water exceeding a predetermined water level in the tank 23, and the ice making water discharge port 23 a of the overflow portion 26 is provided as a cylinder. The ice making water overflowing from the overflow part 26 is arranged around the ice inlet 46a of the cylindrical body 46 by being arranged around the ice inlet 46a of the body 46. As a result, even if scrap ice accumulates around the ice inlet 46a of the cylindrical body 46, the scrap ice is melted and washed away by the ice-making water overflowing from the overflow portion 26, and the scrap ice Was able to prevent the auger screw 48 from being caught and frozen again.

  Further, in the ice dispenser 10 with the ice making mechanism, the ice storage tank 30 is provided with an ice storage chamber 31 for storing ice, and a temporary storage unit 32 that is provided at a position higher than the bottom of the ice storage chamber 31 and temporarily holds the ice sent to the discharge mechanism 50. And. The transport mechanism 40 includes a first transport mechanism 41 that transports the ice in the ice storage chamber 31 to the temporary storage unit 32 and a second transport mechanism 45 that transports the ice transported to the temporary storage unit 32 to the discharge mechanism 50. I have. In the ice dispenser 10 with the ice making mechanism, the control device 70 controls each of the first and second transport mechanisms 41 and 45 independently. Specifically, when the ice in the ice storage chamber 31 is transported to the discharge mechanism 50, the control device 70 drives the gear motor 42 of the first transport mechanism 41 to the gear motor 47 of the second transport mechanism 45 and then performs a predetermined operation. It is controlled to drive after several seconds as time. In this way, the first and second transport mechanisms 41, 41 are controlled so that the gear motor 42 of the first transport mechanism 41 is driven after a few seconds as the predetermined time after the gear motor 47 of the second transport mechanism 45 is driven. Since each of 45 is controlled independently, it is possible to prevent ice from accumulating around the introduction port 46a of the cylindrical body 46 of the second transport mechanism 45 to block the introduction port 46a.

  Further, in the ice dispenser 10 with the ice making mechanism, the ice making mechanism 20 and the discharging mechanism 50 are arranged on the top plate of the housing 11 and above the ice storage tank 30, and the ice making mechanism 20 and the discharging mechanism 50 are placed on the right side (left and right). Placed in one direction). By doing in this way, the left side (other side) which has not arrange | positioned the ice making mechanism 20 and the discharge | release mechanism 50 on the top plate of the housing 11 can be made into the installation space of another apparatus.

  DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 ... Ice dispenser with ice making mechanism, 20 ... Ice making mechanism, 21 ... Ice making part, 23 ... Tank, 23a ... Drain outlet, 24 ... Ice-making water circuit, 24e ... Water conduit, 30 ... Ice storage tank, 31 ... Ice storage room, 32 ... Temporary storage section 40 ... transport mechanism 41 ... first transport mechanism 45 ... second transport mechanism 46 ... cylindrical body 46a ... inlet port 46b ... outlet port 48 ... auger screw 50 ... discharge mechanism 60 ... Container stand, 62 ... drainage channel.

Claims (4)

An ice making mechanism to make ice,
An ice storage tank for storing ice made by the ice making mechanism;
A release mechanism for releasing the ice stored in the ice storage tank;
A container base having a drainage channel for discharging water when the ice spilled from the container melts, while placing a container for receiving ice discharged by the discharge mechanism;
A control device for controlling the operation of the ice making mechanism and the discharge mechanism;
The ice making mechanism includes an ice making unit for making ice, a tank for storing ice making water for making ice in the ice making unit, and an ice making water circuit for circulating the ice making water in the tank between the ice making unit,
In the ice making operation, the control device gradually freezes the ice making water sent to the ice making unit to produce ice, and in the deicing operation after the ice making operation, melts the surface of the ice frozen in the ice making unit. An ice dispenser with an ice making mechanism that is controlled to drop ice from the ice making unit into the ice storage tank and drain the ice making water in the tank after the ice making operation,
The ice making water circuit is provided with a water guide pipe for guiding ice making water to the container base, and the ice making water remaining in the tank after the ice making operation is guided to the container base through the water guide pipe. With ice dispenser. In the ice dispenser with an ice making mechanism according to claim 1,
The ice storage tank includes a transport mechanism for transporting ice to the discharge mechanism,
The transport mechanism is erected in an ice storage tank, and a cylindrical body having an introduction port for introducing ice in the ice storage tank at a lower end portion and an outlet port for deriving ice to the discharge mechanism at an upper end portion; An auger screw supported in a rotatable manner, introducing ice in the ice storage tank into the cylinder from the inlet, raising the cylinder by rotation of the auger screw, and releasing the discharge from the outlet To be transported to the mechanism,
The ice making mechanism includes an overflow portion that overflows and discharges ice making water that exceeds a predetermined water level in the tank, and an ice making water discharge port of the overflow portion is disposed around the inlet of the cylindrical body. An ice dispenser with an ice making mechanism, wherein ice making water overflowing from the overflow portion is guided to the periphery of the inlet of the cylindrical body. In the ice dispenser with an ice making mechanism according to claim 1 or 2,
The ice storage tank includes an ice storage chamber for storing ice, and a temporary storage unit for temporarily holding ice to be sent to the discharge mechanism provided at a position higher than the bottom of the ice storage chamber,
The transport mechanism includes a first transport mechanism that transports ice in the ice storage chamber to the temporary storage unit, the cylinder that transports ice transported to the temporary storage unit to the discharge mechanism, and the auger screw. A second transport mechanism,
An ice dispenser with an ice making mechanism, wherein the control device controls each of the first and second transport mechanisms independently. In the ice dispenser with an ice making mechanism according to any one of claims 1 to 3,
The ice making mechanism and the discharge mechanism are arranged above the ice storage tank,
An ice dispenser with an ice making mechanism, wherein the ice making mechanism and the discharge mechanism are arranged close to one side in the left-right direction.

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