JP2018155434A - Cell type ice-making machine - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a cell type ice-making machine which can make ices while discharging part of ice-making water in a feed water tank, and eliminate if necessary, accumulation of impurities by automatically discharging ice-making water in the feed water tank.SOLUTION: In a cell type ice-making machine, whenever a feed water tank 13 is operated by switching from an ice-making position to an ice-releasing position by a tray operation mechanism, part of ice-making water stored in a tank chamber 32 is discharged from a drain guide 39 on an external surface of the feed water tank 13. A gutter body part 41 of the drain guide 39 and the tank chamber 32 are communicated via an exhaust port 40 formed in a peripheral wall 29 of the feed water tank 13, dividing both of them. An inclined lower end of the exhaust port 40 in a state that the feed water tank 13 is switched to the ice-releasing position is positioned in an inclined lower end of a bottom wall 27 of the feed water tank 13. The feed water tank 13 is continuously switched between the ice-releasing position and the ice-making position in an ice-making stop state so as to discharge entire ice-making water in the tank chamber 32 from the drain guide 39.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

  The present invention relates to a cell-type ice making machine that generates ice while jetting ice-making water toward a group of cells, and more particularly to an improvement in the drainage structure of a water supply tank.

  Regarding the drainage structure of the water supply tank, the present applicant has previously proposed the ice making machine of Patent Document 1. There, the water tank is configured as a square dish-like container, a drain outlet for discharging residual water is opened in one of the peripheral walls, and a drainage basin is provided on the outer surface. At the time of deicing, the water tank is inclined downward together with the water supply tray, and all of the surplus ice-making water in the water tank and the washing water that washes the upper surface of the water supply tray are discharged from the drainage basin. The bottom wall of the drainage basin is slightly inclined downward toward the heel end when the water tank is inclined downward.

  According to the above drainage structure, since all of the surplus ice-making water and the washing water are discharged every ice-breaking step, it is possible to make ice with high transparency using always new ice-making water. On the other hand, the amount of water consumption increases, and in the ice making process, ice making is started with room temperature ice making water, which increases power consumption. In order to solve such a problem, in the ice making machine of Patent Document 2, the inside of the ice making water tank (water supply tank) is divided into a first storing part and a second storing part by a partition part, and both storing parts are ice making water tanks. It is made to communicate with the communication part located in the deepest part. In addition, a discharge port is formed near the end of the first storage part away from the communication part, and an elbow-shaped discharge pipe is connected to the opening end. The ice making water tank in the deicing step is switched to an open posture in which the ice making part is inclined downward along with the water tray with respect to the ice making part, and a part of the ice making water stored in the first storage part is discharged from the discharge pipe. The discharge pipe is connected to the discharge port in a state where the posture can be changed between a partial discharge position and a full discharge position.

JP 2006-17400 A (paragraph 0032, FIG. 1) Japanese Patent No. 5275920 (paragraph 0023, FIG. 3, FIG. 5)

  According to the ice making machine of Patent Document 2, every time the ice making water tank is switched to the open posture in the ice removing process, a part of the ice making water accommodated in the first storage section is drained, and the next ice making process is performed. New ice making water can be replenished. Thus, according to the drainage structure which drains a part of ice making water, the new ice making water corresponding to the amount of drained water can be replenished. However, not only ice making water containing impurities such as magnesium and calcium is drained at the time of deicing, and when the ice making water tank is switched to the open position, a considerable amount of ice making water is stored in the first reservoir. Remaining. Therefore, the ice making water accommodated in the first storage and the second storage part is reused in the next ice making process, and it is difficult to reliably replace newly made ice making water and ice making water containing impurities. Therefore, it is inevitable that impurities accumulate gradually. In order to avoid the accumulation of impurities as described above, it is preferable to drain all ice-making water in the ice-making water tank at regular intervals. However, for this purpose, the operator who manages the ice making machine switches the discharge pipe to the full discharge position, drains all the ice making water in the ice making water tank, and then sets the discharge pipe to the partial discharge position again. It is necessary to perform the switching operation, and extra time is required for a series of operations.

  It is an object of the present invention to generate ice while partly discharging ice-making water in a water supply tank to suppress water consumption and power consumption, and automatically, when necessary, all ice-making water in a water supply tank. It is an object of the present invention to provide a cell-type ice making machine that can drain water to eliminate accumulation of impurities and generate transparent ice.

  The cell type ice making machine according to the present invention is capable of swinging up and down together with an ice making case 10 inside the ice making chamber 1, a water supply tray 12 for supplying ice making water to the cells 11 of the case 10, and a water supply tray 12. A water supply tank 13 that is supported and switched between an ice making position and an ice removing position by a tray operation mechanism is provided. Further, every time the water supply tank 13 is switched from the ice making position to the ice removing position by the tray operation mechanism, a part of the ice making water stored in the tank chamber 32 is drained in a bowl shape provided on the outer surface of the water supply tank 13. It is discharged from the guide 39. The housing part 41 and the tank chamber 32 of the drainage guide 39 are communicated with each other through a discharge port 40 formed in the peripheral wall 29 of the water supply tank 13 that separates the two. The inclined lower end of the discharge port 40 in a state where the water supply tank 13 is switched to the deicing position is located at the inclined lower end of the bottom wall 27 of the water supply tank 13 (see FIG. 4). In the ice making stop state, all the ice making water in the tank chamber 32 can be discharged from the drain guide 39 by continuously switching the water supply tank 13 to the ice removing position and the ice making position.

  The drainage guide 39 includes a housing part 41, a collar end wall 43 that closes one collar end in the vicinity of the discharge port 40, and a drainage weir 47 provided at the other collar end remote from the discharge port 40. In a state where the water supply tank 13 is switched to the deicing position, a part of the ice making water flows from the tank chamber 32 through the discharge port 40 into the housing part 41, and between the drainage weir 47 and the end wall 43. It is stored in the housing part 41. In the state where the water supply tank 13 is switched to the ice making position, the waste water stored between the end wall 43 and the drainage weir 47 is discharged.

  The bottom wall 42 of the housing part 41 in a state where the water supply tank 13 is switched to the ice making position is inclined downward from the saddle end wall 43 toward the drainage weir 47.

  In the state where the water supply tank 13 is switched to the deicing position, the right peripheral wall 31 that receives the ice-making water in the tank chamber 32 is disposed at the lower inclined end of the water supply tank 13. The discharge port 40 in a state where the water supply tank 13 is switched to the ice making position has a horizontal lower peripheral edge 50 that defines the storage limit of the ice making water in the tank chamber 32 and an upper peripheral edge 52 that is inclined upward toward the right peripheral wall 31. It is formed in the shape of a shed. In the state where the water supply tank 13 is switched from the deicing position to the ice making position, the waste water stored in the housing part 41 and a part of the ice making water flowing from the tank chamber 32 through the discharge port 40 to the drain guide 39 are It flows down from the drainage weir 47.

  In the state where the water supply tank 13 is switched to the deicing position, the upper peripheral edge 52 of the discharge port 40 is positioned slightly above the water level of the waste water on the basis of the level of the waste water defined by the drainage weir 47. ing.

  As shown in FIG. 5, the drainage guide 39 is formed horizontally long from the end on the right peripheral wall 31 side to the end on the left peripheral wall 30 side along the peripheral wall 29 that separates the tank chamber 32 and the housing part 41. Yes. A drainage weir 47 is formed in the bottom wall 42 of the housing part 41 in the vicinity of the left peripheral wall 30, and a flow-down port 46 that guides the wastewater to flow down continuously from the drainage weir 47 is opened, and the left peripheral wall 30 of the housing part 41. A water receiving wall 44 for receiving waste water flowing toward the drainage weir 47 is formed at the end on the side. In a state where the water supply tank 13 is switched to the de-icing position, waste water is stored in the inverted trapezoidal inner space between the drainage weir 47 and the end wall 43.

  The bottom wall 42 of the housing part 41 includes a first wall 42a that slopes downward from the intersection of the lower peripheral edge 50 of the discharge port 40 and the right peripheral wall 31 toward the drainage weir 47, and an inclination of the first wall 42a. It is formed by a second wall 42 b that is bent from the lower end toward the drainage weir 47. The first bottom wall 27a of the tank chamber 32 and the first wall 42a of the housing part 41 are formed flush with the rear peripheral wall 29 therebetween.

  As shown in FIG. 7, the drainage guide 39 is formed from the end on the right peripheral wall 31 side to the left and right halfway along the peripheral wall 29 that separates the tank chamber 32 and the casing portion 41. The drainage guide 39 is formed on the housing 41 that opens upward, the housing end wall 43 that closes one housing end near the discharge port 40, and the bottom wall of the housing 41 that is farthest from the housing end wall 43. A drainage weir 47 is provided. The bottom wall 42 of the housing 41 in a state where the water supply tank 13 is switched to the deicing position is inclined downward from the drainage weir 47 toward the lower end of the dredge wall 43, and between the drainage weir 47 and the dredge wall 43. Waste water can be stored in the triangular interior space.

  In the cell type ice making machine according to the present invention, in the ice making state, the water supply tray 12 and the water supply tank 13 are alternately switched between the ice making position and the ice removing position to generate ice, while the ice making water in the water supply tank 13 is generated. The part was drained from the drainage guide 39 and further supplemented with new ice making water to replace a part of the ice making water. As described above, when ice making is performed while draining a part of the ice making water, the amount of water consumed and the electric power are consumed by the amount of ice making water remaining in the tank chamber 32 being reused as ice making water in the next ice making process. Ice can be produced while reducing consumption. In addition, since the lower inclined end of the discharge port 40 is located at the lower inclined end of the bottom wall 27 of the water supply tank 13 when the water supply tank 13 is switched to the deicing position, the water supply tank 13 is continuously connected in the ice making stop state. By switching between the ice-off position and the ice-making position, all the ice-making water in the water supply tank 13 is discharged from the drain guide 39 while accumulating impurities by gradually reducing the water level in the tank chamber 32. Can be resolved. Moreover, a series of operations for discharging all ice-making water is automatically performed by storing a program necessary for performing all drainage operations in a control device that controls the operating state of the tray operation mechanism, for example. Therefore, it is possible to save labor by eliminating the work required to discharge all the ice making water. Further, after all the ice making water in the water supply tank 13 has been discharged, the ice can be made transparent with ice making water containing almost no impurities by returning to the normal operation mode again.

  The water supply tank 13 is switched to the deicing position according to the drainage guide 39 provided with the casing 41, the end wall 43 that closes one end and the drainage weir 47 provided at the other end. In the state, a part of the ice making water in the tank chamber 32 can be stored in the casing 41 between the drainage weir 47 and the end wall 43. Thus, if the drainage guide 39 is provided outside the water supply tank 13 and the waste water is stored in the housing part 41, the waste stored in the housing part 41 in a state where the water supply tank 13 is switched to the ice making position. All of the water can flow down and waste water can be prevented from flowing back to the tank chamber 32 side. In addition, by replenishing new ice-making water until the water level is full before the start of ice-making, waste water and newly-added ice-making water can be reliably replaced, thus effectively preventing the accumulation of impurities. it can.

  When the bottom wall 42 of the housing 41 is inclined downward from the housing end wall 43 toward the drainage weir 47, the waste water stored in the housing 41 in a state where the water supply tank 13 is switched to the ice making position. All of these can be discharged quickly. Therefore, not only can the cycle time during ice making be shortened, but also in the ice making stop state, the water supply tank 13 is continuously switched to the ice removing position and the ice making position to discharge all the ice making water in the tank chamber 32. Since the time required can be shortened, the ice making capacity per day can be improved.

  If the discharge port 40 is formed in the shape of a throat including a horizontal lower peripheral edge 50 and an upwardly inclined upper peripheral edge 52, an extra replenishment is made in the tank chamber 32 when the water supply tank 13 is switched to the ice making position. It is possible to prevent the ice making water from being stored any more by overflowing the ice making water from the lower peripheral edge 50. As described above, the lower peripheral edge 50 functions as a weir that defines the storage limit of the ice making water in the tank chamber 32, and can prevent excess ice making water from being stored in the tank chamber 32. Further, in the state where the water supply tank 13 is switched to the deicing position, the upper peripheral edge 52 of the discharge port 40 is inclined upward so that the ice making water in the tank chamber 32 flows to the housing part 41 without any trouble. Therefore, the flow of the ice making water when discharging a part of the ice making water in the tank chamber 32 to the housing part 41 can be smoothly performed in a short time. Furthermore, in the state where the water supply tank 13 is switched from the ice release position to the ice making position, the waste water stored in the housing part 41 and a part of the ice making water flowing from the tank chamber 32 to the drain guide 39 are discharged from the drainage weir 47. Since it can be discharged down, waste water and newly replenished ice-making water can be more reliably replaced.

  If the upper peripheral edge 52 of the discharge port 40 is located slightly above the level of waste water defined by the drainage weir 47, the ice-making water is discharged into the discharge port in a state where the water supply tank 13 is switched to the deicing position. It is possible to more reliably prevent the fluid from being blocked by the upper peripheral edge 52 of the 40 and becoming difficult to flow. Therefore, the flow of the ice making water when discharging a part of the ice making water in the tank chamber 32 to the housing part 41 can be performed more smoothly.

  The drainage guide 39 is formed to be horizontally long along the peripheral wall 29 from the end on the right peripheral wall 31 side to the end on the left peripheral wall 30 side. Further, the drainage weir 47 and the flow-down port 46 are formed in the bottom wall 42 in the vicinity of the left peripheral wall 30, and the water receiving wall 44 is formed at the end of the housing part 41 on the left peripheral wall 30 side. According to such a drainage guide 39, a large amount of waste water can be stored in the inverted trapezoidal space between the drainage weir 47 and the saddle end wall 43, so that the amount of replacement of the waste water and newly replenished ice-making water can be increased. Thus, the accumulation of impurities can be more effectively suppressed. Further, when the water supply tank 13 is switched to the ice making position and the waste water stored in the housing part 41 moves over the drainage weir 47 and flows vigorously, the flowing waste water is received by the water receiving wall 44 and flows down. The water can be discharged in an orderly manner from the opening 46, and the waste water can be prevented from scattering out of the drain guide 39.

  A first wall 42a that inclines downward toward the drainage weir 47 side and a second wall 42b that bends toward the drainage weir 47 from the inclined lower end of the first wall 42a. Formed with. In addition, the first bottom wall 27a of the tank chamber 32 and the first wall 42a of the housing part 41 are formed flush with the rear peripheral wall 29 therebetween. According to such a drainage structure, the first bottom wall 27a and the first wall 42a are flush with the rear peripheral wall 29 in the state where the water supply tank 13 is swung to the lower limit position. The first rib wall 42a does not protrude below the first bottom wall 27a. Therefore, the space between the ice tank 3 and the drain pan 14 can be made as small as possible to reduce the amount of space occupied by the ice making unit 3 in the ice making chamber 1.

  According to the water supply tank 13 in which the drainage guide 39 is formed along the peripheral wall 29 from the end on the right peripheral wall 31 side to the left and right midway part, the drainage weir 47 is in a state where the water supply tank 13 is switched to the deicing position. The waste water can be stored in a triangular inner space between the end wall 43 and the end wall 43. The amount of stored wastewater in this case is small compared to the case where wastewater is stored in the inverted trapezoidal inner space. However, similar to the water supply tank 13 that stores waste water in the inverted trapezoidal interior space, all of the waste water stored in the housing part 41 can flow down, and the waste water flows back to the tank chamber 32 side. Can be prevented. In addition, by replenishing new ice-making water until the full water level is reached before the start of ice making, it is possible to reliably replace the waste water and the newly replenished ice-making water, thereby preventing impurities from accumulating. Further, in the ice making stop state, by continuously switching the water supply tank 13 between the ice removing position and the ice making position, all the ice making water in the water supply tank 13 is gradually reduced while gradually reducing the water level of the ice making water in the tank chamber 32. Can be discharged from the drain guide 39 to eliminate the accumulation of impurities.

It is a perspective view of the water supply tank which comprises the cell type ice making machine which concerns on Example 1 of this invention. 1 is a longitudinal sectional front view showing a schematic structure of a cell type ice making machine according to Embodiment 1. FIG. It is a vertical front view of an ice making unit. It is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the water supply tank and drainage guide in an ice removal position. It is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the water supply tank and drainage guide in an ice making position. It is the top view and end view of a water supply tank. It is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the water supply tank which comprises the cell type ice making machine which concerns on Example 2 of this invention.

Example 1 FIGS. 1 to 6 show Example 1 of a cell type ice making machine according to the present invention. In the present embodiment, front and rear, left and right, and up and down follow the cross arrows shown in FIGS. 1, 2, and 6, and the front, back, left, right, and top displays shown near each arrow. As shown in FIG. 2, the cell-type ice making machine includes an upper ice making chamber 1 configured as a heat insulating box and a machine room 2 defined on the lower side of the ice making chamber 1. An ice making unit 3 is arranged. Inside the machine room 2, cooling units such as a compressor 4, a condenser 5, and a blower fan 6 are arranged. The refrigerant liquid cooled by the condenser 5 is supplied to the ice making unit 3 to produce ice. Do. Although not shown, an outlet for taking out the generated ice is opened in front of the ice making chamber 1, and this outlet can be opened and closed by a door that swings back and forth.

(Ice making unit)
In FIG. 3, the ice making unit 3 jets ice making water to a unit base 9 fixed to the ceiling of the ice making chamber 1, an ice making case 10 fixed to the lower surface of the base 9, and a group of cells 11 provided in the ice making case 10. The water supply tray 12 is configured to include a water supply tank 13 provided on the lower surface of the water supply tray 12. Below the water supply tank 13, a drain pan 14 for draining waste water and washing water, which will be described later, out of the ice making chamber 1 is disposed. The water supply tank 13 is fixed to the lower surface of the water supply tray 12, and the water supply tray 12 and the water supply tank 13 are supported by supporting the tray bracket 15 fixed to the left side of both of them with a support shaft 16 provided on the unit base 9. The support shaft 16 is supported so as to be swingable up and down. A water supply pipe 18 that is opened and closed by a valve (solenoid valve) 17 to replenish normal temperature water to the water supply tank 13 is disposed above the swing base end of the water supply tray 12. Reference numeral 19 denotes a refrigerant passage provided on the upper surface of the ice making case 10. A tray operating mechanism is provided near the side end of the unit base 9 in order to switch the water supply tray 12 and the water supply tank 13 between the ice making position and the ice removing position.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the tray operation mechanism includes a motor 20 that can be rotated forward and backward, a pair of front and rear drive arms 21 that are reciprocally tilted by the motor 20, and a tension that is hooked between the drive arm 21 and the water supply tray 12. The coil spring 22 is used. In the ice making process, the tray 12 and the water supply tank 13 are swung from the deicing position (state shown in FIG. 4) to the ice making position (state shown in FIG. 5), so that the water supply tray 12 and the ice making case 10 pass through a small gap. Are facing each other. Further, in a state where the water supply tray 12 and the water supply tank 13 are swung from the ice making position to the ice removing position, the water supply tray 12 is inclined downward to drain part of the ice making water in the water supply tank 13.

  In FIG. 2, reference numeral 23 denotes a pump unit provided in the water supply tank 13. As shown in FIG. 3, the water supply tray 12 is provided with a nozzle 24 that ejects the ice making water pressurized and fed by the pump unit 23 upward toward each cell 11. The ice making unit 3 as described above can generate cuboid ice by alternately performing the ice making process and the ice removing process, and the generated ice is stored in the ice making chamber 1.

(Water tank structure)
1 and 6, the water supply tank 13 includes a rectangular bottom wall 27 that is long in the front-rear direction, front and rear peripheral walls (peripheral walls) 28 and 29 erected on the periphery of the bottom wall 27, and left and right peripheral walls (peripheral walls). 30 and 31 form a tank chamber 32 that opens upward. In a state where the water supply tank 13 is swung down to the deicing position, the right peripheral wall 31 of the peripheral walls 28 to 31 is disposed at the inclined lower end of the water supply tank 13 to receive ice making water and washing water. A triangular water guide wall 33 is formed at the end of the bottom wall 27 on the right peripheral wall 31 side, and an accommodation recess 34 for the pump unit 23 is formed on the inner surface side of the left peripheral wall 30. A float chamber 36 for the float switch 35 is formed on the outer surface of the front peripheral wall 28. As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the bottom wall 27 of the tank chamber 32 is formed in a valley shape by the first bottom wall 27 a and the second bottom wall 27 b that are inclined in opposite directions toward the deepest part of the tank chamber 32. The suction port of the pump unit 23 is provided facing the deepest part.

(Drainage structure)
In order to discharge a part of the ice making water stored in the water supply tank 13 for each ice removing process, a drainage guide 39 for storing wastewater is provided on the outer surface of the rear peripheral wall 29, and the drainage guide 39 and the tank chamber 32 are provided. Are communicated through a discharge port 40 formed in the rear peripheral wall 29. The drainage guide 39 includes a casing portion 41 that is formed in a horizontally long manner from the end on the right peripheral wall 31 side to the end on the left peripheral wall 30 side in a state along the outer surface of the rear peripheral wall 29. The casing 41 includes a bottom wall 42 projecting rearward from the rear peripheral wall 29, a flange end wall 43 that closes the flange end on the right peripheral wall 31 side of the bottom wall 42, a water receiving wall 44 that closes the flange end on the left peripheral wall 30 side, The bottom wall 42, the collar wall 43, the rear collar wall 45 that closes the rear edge of the water receiving wall 44, and the rear peripheral wall 29 are formed in a bowl shape that opens upward.

  On the bottom wall of the housing part 41 in the vicinity of the water receiving wall 44, a flow down port 46 is provided for guiding the waste water stored in the housing part 41 to flow down toward the drain pan 14. A drainage weir 47 is provided at a boundary portion between the housing portion 41 and the bottom wall 42 of the housing portion 41. The housing part 41 and the tank chamber 32 are always in communication with the discharge port 40 described above. The bottom wall 42 of the housing part 41 is bent toward the drainage weir 47 from the inclined bottom end of the first saddle wall 42a and the first saddle wall 42a inclined downward from the discharge port 40 side toward the drainage weir 47 side. The second wall 42b is formed. The entire bottom wall 42 of the housing part 41 in a state where the water supply tank 13 is switched to the ice making position is inclined downward from the side of the dredging end wall 43 toward the drainage weir 47.

  In FIG. 5, the discharge port 40 is separated from the lower peripheral edge 50 continuously with the lower peripheral edge 50, continuous with the lower peripheral edge 50, continuous with the left edge of the lower peripheral edge 50, and with the vertical peripheral edge 51. It is formed in the shape of a mouth with an upper peripheral edge 52 that is inclined upward. The full water level of the ice making water stored in the tank chamber 32 is defined by the float switch 35, but when the switch 35 is turned on and the valve 17 is closed, the extra ice making water is replenished. Prevents overflow of the ice making water from overflowing from the lower peripheral edge 50. That is, the lower peripheral edge 50 is positioned slightly above the full water level of the ice making water described above in order to define the storage limit of the ice making water in the tank chamber 32. In addition, in the state where the upper peripheral edge 52 of the discharge port 40 is positioned slightly above the level of waste water defined by the drainage weir 47 and the water supply tank 13 is switched to the deicing position, the ice making water is discharged from the discharge port. Thus, it is possible to reliably prevent the fluid from being blocked by the upper peripheral edge 52 of the 40 and becoming difficult to flow. Accordingly, the flow of the ice making water when discharging a part of the ice making water in the tank chamber 32 to the housing part 41 can be performed more smoothly. In the all drainage process described later, in order to drain all ice-making water in the tank chamber 32, the inclined lower end of the lower peripheral edge 50 of the discharge port 40 in a state where the water supply tank 13 is switched to the deicing position is It is located at the inclined lower end of the bottom wall 27.

(Ice making process and de-icing process)
Next, the ice making process and the ice removing process will be described. In the ice making state, a part of the ice making water in the water supply tank 13 is drained from the drain guide 39 while the water supply tray 12 and the water supply tank 13 are alternately switched to the ice making position and the ice releasing position to generate ice. Add some ice making water and replace a part of the ice making water.

  When the tray 12 and the water supply tank 13 are swung from the ice release position to the ice making position in the ice making process, the water supply tray 12 faces the ice making case 10 through a small gap as shown in FIG. Since the ice making water level in the water supply tank 13 at this time is below the full water level, the float switch 35 is switched off and the valve 17 is switched to the open state. Supply (tap water). When the ice making water level in the water supply tank 13 reaches the full water level, the float switch 35 is switched on and the valve 17 is switched to the closed state. Thereafter, the ice making water supplied under pressure by the pump unit 23 is supplied from the water supply tray 12 while supplying the refrigerant liquid to the refrigerant passage 19 provided on the upper surface of the ice making case 10 to cool the ice making case 10 to below the freezing point. Ice is spouted toward the cell 11 to grow ice in each cell 11.

  When all the cells 11 are filled with ice and the ice making process is completed, the supply of refrigerant and the supply of ice making water by the pump unit 23 are stopped, and the process proceeds to the ice removing process. In the deicing process, hot gas is supplied to the refrigerant passage 19 to heat the ice making case 10, and the interface between the peripheral wall of the cell 11 and ice is melted to promote the separation of ice cubes. When a predetermined time has elapsed from the start of the hot gas supply, the hot gas supply is stopped, the motor 20 of the tray operation mechanism is started, and the water supply tray 12 and the water supply tank 13 are shaken from the ice making position to the ice removing position. Operation. At the same time, the valve 17 is switched to the open state, and washing water is poured from the water supply pipe 18 onto the upper surface of the water supply tray 12. The ice cubes separated from each cell 11 in this state are received by the water supply tray 12 and then slide down along the water supply tray 12 together with the cleaning water, and are stored in the ice making chamber 1 from the lower end of the slope. The washing water flows down into the water supply tank 13 through the gap between the inclined lower end of the water supply tray 12 and the right peripheral wall 31.

  The level of the ice making water in the water supply tank 13 in the state where the ice making process is completed is lower than the full water level by the amount of ice frozen in the ice making case 10. However, since a considerable amount of washing water flows into the water supply tank 13 as described above, the water level in the tank gradually increases. In this state, while the water supply tray 12 and the water supply tank 13 swing downward and swing from the ice making position to the deicing position, the ice making water in the water supply tank 13 flows from the discharge port 40 into the housing part 41. At the descending limit position, the waste water is stored in the inverted trapezoidal inner space between the drainage weir 47 and the end wall 43. At this time, in order to smoothly flow the ice making water in the tank chamber 32 to the housing part 41 in a short time, the upper peripheral edge 52 of the discharge port 40 is defined based on the level of the waste water defined by the drainage weir 47. The ice making water is prevented from being blocked by the upper peripheral edge 52 of the discharge port 40 and becoming difficult to flow by being positioned slightly above the water level of the previous waste water. Incidentally, when ice making water exceeding the volume of the inverted trapezoidal inner space flows into the housing part 41, the ice making water gets over the drainage weir 47 and is discharged from the flow outlet 46 to the drain pan 14.

  When the water supply tank 13 is in the deicing position, the first bottom wall 27a of the tank chamber 32 and the first wall 42a of the housing portion 41 are flush with the rear peripheral wall 29 therebetween, and the tank chamber 32 And the housing part 41 are always in communication with each other through the discharge port 40. Therefore, in a state where the water supply tank 13 is swung to the lower limit position, ice making water having the same water level as the waste water stored in the housing part 41 is stored in the tank chamber 32, and in the next ice making process. Reused as ice making water. In the state where the water supply tank 13 is swung to the lower limit position, the first bottom wall 27a and the first wall 42a are flush with the rear peripheral wall 29, so the first wall 42a is the first wall. It does not protrude downward from the bottom wall 27a. Therefore, the space between the ice tank 3 and the drain pan 14 can be made as small as possible to reduce the amount of space occupied by the ice making unit 3 in the ice making chamber 1.

  After the waste water stored in the housing portion 41 is discharged, the refrigerant liquid is supplied to the refrigerant passage 19 again to cool the ice making case 10. At the same time, the valve 17 is switched to the closed state, the supply of cleaning water is stopped, the water supply tray 12 and the water supply tank 13 are raised and rocked again to switch from the ice release position to the ice making position. Since the bottom wall 42 of the housing part 41 in the state where the water supply tank 13 is switched to the ice making position is inclined downward from the housing end wall 43 toward the drainage weir 47 as a whole, the waste stored in the housing part 41 is discarded. All of the water can be quickly discharged from the outlet 46 to the drain pan 14. Accordingly, not only can the cycle time during ice making be shortened, but also the time required to discharge all the ice making water in the tank chamber 32 in the all drainage process described later can be shortened and the ice making capacity per day can be improved. . Further, when the water supply tank 13 is switched from the deicing position to the ice making position, the waste water stored in the housing part 41 and a part of the ice making water flowing from the tank chamber 32 to the drain guide 39 are discharged from the drainage weir 47. Since it can be discharged down, waste water and newly replenished ice-making water can be more reliably replaced. Thereafter, ice cubes can be continuously generated by repeating the ice making process and the ice removing process. As described above, if ice making is performed while draining a part of the ice making water, the ice making water remaining in the tank chamber 32 can be reused as ice making water in the next ice making process. Ice can be produced while reducing consumption.

  According to the above ice making machine, a part of the ice making water is stored as waste water in the drainage guide 39 at the time of deicing, and is stored in the housing part 41 when the water supply tray 12 and the water supply tank 13 are switched to the ice making position. All of the discarded waste water can be discharged to the drain pan 14. At this time, it is possible to prevent the waste water stored in the housing part 41 from flowing back to the tank chamber 32 side. In addition, by replenishing new ice-making water until the water level is full before the start of ice-making, waste water and newly-added ice-making water can be reliably replaced, thus effectively preventing the accumulation of impurities. it can. However, even if the waste water and the newly replenished ice-making water are replaced, impurities may accumulate in the ice-making water, even if only a little. In order to eliminate such accumulation of impurities, all ice-making water in the water supply tank 13 can be automatically drained in the entire drainage process.

(All drainage process)
In the whole drainage process, the water supply tray 12 and the water supply tank 13 are switched from the ice making position to the ice removing position, and the ice making water remaining in the tank chamber 32 is discharged from the discharge port 40 in the same manner as at the time of ice removal. Flow to 41. Thereafter, by switching the water supply tray 12 and the water supply tank 13 from the deicing position to the ice making position, the waste water stored in the housing part 41 can be discharged to the drain pan 14. By switching the water supply tray 12 and the water supply tank 13 from the ice making position to the ice removing position again, the ice making water remaining in the tank chamber 32 can flow from the discharge port 40 to the housing part 41 in the same manner as during ice removal. . In this state, the amount of waste water stored in the housing part 41 is less than the previous amount of waste water, and the level of waste water does not reach the drainage weir 47. By switching the water supply tray 12 and the water supply tank 13 from the deicing position to the ice making position again, the waste water stored in the housing part 41 can be discharged to the drain pan 14.

  As described above, the water supply tray 12 and the water supply tank 13 are repeatedly swung up and down about 4 to 5 times, so that the water level of the ice making water remaining in the tank chamber 32 is gradually lowered and discharged from the drain guide 38. Eventually, all the ice-making water remaining in the tank chamber 32 can be discharged to eliminate the accumulation of impurities. This is because the inclined lower end of the lower peripheral edge 50 of the discharge port 40 is positioned at the inclined lower end of the bottom wall 27 of the water supply tank 13, and the first bottom wall 27 a and the first wall 42 a connect the rear peripheral wall 29. This is because they are in the same plane. Further, the ice-making water remaining in the tank chamber 32 flows toward the discharge port 40 by the kinetic inertia force when the water supply tray 12 and the water supply tank 13 swing downward, and continues to the upper end of the first bottom wall 27a. It is because it can be made to flow from the lower peripheral edge 50 which is present to the housing part 41.

  A series of operations to discharge all ice-making water can be performed automatically, for example, by storing a program necessary for performing all drainage operations in a control device that controls the operating state of the tray operation mechanism. Labor saving can be achieved by eliminating the work required to discharge all the ice making water. In many cases, the entire drainage process may be performed in a situation where a sufficient amount of ice cubes have accumulated in the ice making chamber 1 and it is no longer necessary to generate ice, for example, at midnight. As described above, in the ice making stop state, the water supply tank 13 is continuously switched between the ice removing position and the ice making position, whereby all the ice making water in the tank chamber 32 can be discharged from the drain guide 39. Moreover, when there is much quantity of the impurity contained in tap water, accumulation | storage of an impurity can be prevented by performing all the drainage processes in multiple times in one day. Further, after all the ice making water in the water supply tank 13 has been discharged, the ice can be made transparent with ice making water containing almost no impurities by returning to the normal operation mode again.

(Embodiment 2) FIG. 7 shows Embodiment 2 in which a part of the drainage structure is changed. In this case, the drainage guide 39 is formed along the rear peripheral wall 29 that separates the tank chamber 32 and the housing part 41 from the end on the right peripheral wall 31 side to the left and right midway part. The housing portion 41 closes the bottom wall 42 projecting rearward from the rear peripheral wall 29, the heel end wall 43 that closes the heel end portion of the bottom wall 42 on the right peripheral wall 31 side, and the rear edges of the bottom wall 42 and the heel end wall 43. The rear wall 45 and the rear peripheral wall 29 are formed in a bowl shape that opens upward, and the left end of the bottom wall 42 is a drainage weir 47. That is, the drainage weir 47 is formed at the end of the bottom wall 42 of the casing 41 that is farthest from the flange end wall 43.

  The bottom wall 42 of the housing part 41 in a state where the water supply tank 13 is switched to the deicing position is inclined downward from the drainage weir 47 toward the lower end of the heel end wall 43. Therefore, as shown in FIGS. 7A and 7B, the ice-making water in the tank chamber 32 flows from the discharge port 40 to the housing part 41, and has a triangular shape between the drainage weir 47 and the heel end wall 43. Waste water can be stored in the interior space. At this time, the water level of the ice making water in the tank chamber 32 and the water level of the waste water stored in the housing part 41 are the same. In the state where the water supply tank 13 is switched from the deicing position to the ice making position as shown in FIG. 7 (c), the bottom wall 42 is inclined downward from the dredging end wall 43 toward the drainage weir 47. The waste water stored in the section 41 can flow down from the drainage weir 47 and be discharged to the drainage pan 14. Since others are the same as those of the first embodiment, the same members are denoted by the same reference numerals and the description thereof is omitted.

  According to the drainage structure described in the second embodiment, the wastewater can be stored in the triangular inner space between the drainage weir 47 and the end wall 43 in a state where the water supply tank 13 is switched to the deicing position. In this case, the amount of stored water is smaller than that of the drainage structure described in the first embodiment. However, similarly to the drainage structure described in the first embodiment, all of the waste water stored in the housing part 41 can flow down, and the waste water can be prevented from flowing back to the tank chamber 32 side. In addition, by replenishing new ice-making water until the full water level is reached before the start of ice making, it is possible to reliably replace the waste water and the newly replenished ice-making water, thereby preventing impurities from accumulating. Further, in the ice making stop state, by continuously switching the water supply tank 13 between the ice removing position and the ice making position, all the ice making water in the water supply tank 13 is gradually reduced while gradually reducing the water level of the ice making water in the tank chamber 32. Can be discharged from the drain guide 39 to eliminate the accumulation of impurities.

  Other than the above embodiment, the drainage guide 39 may be formed on the outer surface of the front peripheral wall 28. In that case, the pump unit 23 may be assembled into the housing recess 34 from the rear peripheral wall 29 side. In the first embodiment, in order to increase the opening area of the discharge port 40, the discharge port 40 is formed in the shape of a hook with a lower peripheral edge 50, a vertical peripheral edge 51, and an upper peripheral edge 52, but this is not necessary and the vertical peripheral edge 51 is omitted. Then, the lower peripheral edge 50 and the vertical peripheral edge 51 may be formed in the shape of a shed. In the above embodiment, the triangular water guide wall 33 is provided at the end of the bottom wall 27 of the water supply tank 13 on the right peripheral wall 31 side, but the water guide wall 33 can be omitted. In this case, the bottom wall 27 may be formed in a valley shape by a first bottom wall 27a continuous to the right side wall 31 and a second bottom wall 27b continuous to the first bottom wall 27a.

1 Ice making chamber 3 Ice making unit 10 Ice making case 12 Water supply tray 13 Water supply tank 27 Water supply tank bottom wall 28 Front peripheral wall (peripheral wall)
29 Rear wall (surrounding wall)
30 Left peripheral wall (peripheral wall)
31 Right perimeter wall (perimeter wall)
32 Tank room 39 Drainage guide 40 Drainage port 41 Housing part 42 Bottom wall 43 of housing part End wall 46 Downflow port 47 Drainage weir

Claims (8)

An ice making case (10) inside the ice making chamber (1), a water supply tray (12) for supplying ice making water to the cell (11) of the case (10), and swinging up and down together with the water supply tray (12) A water supply tank (13) supported by the tray and operated to be switched between an ice making position and an ice removing position by a tray operating mechanism;
Each time the water supply tank (13) is switched from the ice making position to the ice removing position by the tray operating mechanism, a part of the ice making water stored in the tank chamber (32) is provided on the outer surface of the water supply tank (13). A cell type ice making machine discharged from a bowl-shaped drainage guide (39),
The housing part (41) of the drainage guide (39) and the tank chamber (32) communicate with each other via a discharge port (40) formed in the peripheral wall (29) of the water supply tank (13) that separates the two. ,
The inclined lower end of the discharge port (40) when the water supply tank (13) is switched to the deicing position is located at the inclined lower end of the bottom wall (27) of the water supply tank (13),
A cell characterized in that all ice-making water in the tank chamber (32) can be discharged from the drainage guide (39) by continuously switching the water supply tank (13) between the ice-off position and the ice-making position in the ice making stop state. Mold ice machine. The drainage guide (39) is provided at the housing part (41), the wall end wall (43) that closes one wall end in the vicinity of the discharge port (40), and the other wall end that is remote from the discharge port (40). It has a drainage weir (47),
In a state where the water supply tank (13) is switched to the deicing position, a part of the ice making water flows from the tank chamber (32) into the housing part (41) through the discharge port (40), and the drainage weir ( 47) and the housing (41) between the collar wall (43),
The cell type ice making machine according to claim 1, wherein waste water stored between the end wall (43) and the drainage weir (47) is discharged in a state where the water supply tank (13) is switched to the ice making position.   The bottom wall (42) of the housing part (41) in a state in which the water supply tank (13) is switched to the ice making position is inclined downward from the end wall (43) toward the drainage weir (47). Or the cell type ice making machine according to 2; In the state where the water supply tank (13) is switched to the deicing position, the right peripheral wall (31) for receiving the ice making water in the tank chamber (32) is disposed at the inclined lower end of the water supply tank (13),
The discharge port (40) when the water supply tank (13) is switched to the ice making position has a horizontal lower peripheral edge (50) that defines the storage limit of ice making water in the tank chamber (32), and a right peripheral wall (31). It is formed in the shape of a mouth including the upper periphery (52) that is inclined upward toward
In a state where the water supply tank (13) is switched from the deicing position to the ice making position, the waste water stored in the housing (41) and the drainage guide (39) from the tank chamber (32) through the discharge port (40). The cell type ice making machine according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein a part of the ice making water flowing into the water is discharged from the drainage weir (47).   In a state where the water supply tank (13) is switched to the deicing position, the upper peripheral edge (52) of the discharge port (40) has the above-mentioned waste water on the basis of the waste water level defined by the drainage weir (47). The cell type ice making machine according to claim 4, which is located slightly above the water level. A drainage guide (39) extends from the end on the right peripheral wall (31) side to the end on the left peripheral wall (30) side along the peripheral wall (29) separating the tank chamber (32) and the housing part (41). It is formed horizontally and horizontally
A drainage weir (47) is formed on the bottom wall (42) of the housing part (41) in the vicinity of the left peripheral wall (30), and a drainage port (46) that guides the wastewater downflowing continuously to the drainage weir (47). Is formed, and a water receiving wall (44) for receiving waste water flowing toward the drainage weir (47) is formed at the end of the housing part (41) on the left peripheral wall (30) side,
The waste water is stored in the inverted trapezoidal inner space between the drainage weir (47) and the end wall (43) when the water supply tank (13) is switched to the deicing position. A cell type ice making machine according to any one of the above. A first wall in which the bottom wall (42) of the housing (41) is inclined downward from the intersection of the lower peripheral edge (50) of the discharge port (40) and the right peripheral wall (31) toward the drainage weir (47). It is formed with a dredging wall (42a) and a second dredging wall (42b) that is bent from the inclined lower end of the first dredging wall (42a) toward the drainage weir (47),
The first bottom wall (27a) of the tank chamber (32) and the first wall (42a) of the housing part (41) are formed flush with the rear peripheral wall (29) therebetween. A cell type ice making machine according to any one of the above. A drainage guide (39) is formed from the end on the right peripheral wall (31) side to the left and right midway along the peripheral wall (29) separating the tank chamber (32) and the housing part (41).
The drainage guide (39) includes a housing portion (41) that opens upward, a heel end wall (43) that closes one heel end near the discharge port (40), and a ridge farthest from the heel end wall (43). A drainage weir (47) formed on the bottom wall of the body (41),
The bottom wall (42) of the housing (41) in a state where the water supply tank (13) is switched to the deicing position is inclined downward from the drainage weir (47) toward the lower end of the dredging wall (43). The cell type ice making machine according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein waste water can be stored in a triangular inner space between the drainage weir (47) and the end wall (43).

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