JP2588479Y2 - Ice storage with crusher - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed description of the invention]

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an ice storage, and more particularly, to an ice storage with a crusher for storing ice crushed by crushing ice cubes having a size of several centimeters squared by an automatic ice maker and the like into smaller particles. It is about.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In an automatic ice making machine, a refrigeration circuit having a refrigerant compressor, a condenser, an expansion valve, an evaporator and the like is provided. In an ice making section, the evaporator is used as a cooler.
In the ice making section, ices of various shapes are made, and ice cubes having a size of several centimeters are typical. Since the ice making amount of the ice making unit and the amount of ice used are not always in balance, the ice cubes made are stored in an ice storage, and the ice making operation is interrupted when the ice storage becomes full. Full detection is
It is performed by the ice storage detection switch arranged in the ice storage,
The ice storage detection switch stops the operation of the ice making unit when detecting the full state.

[0003] These ice cubes are easily rolled or slid and move, so that they are not restricted by the position of the ice making unit that discharges the ice cubes, and are guided to an empty ice storage space to form a suitable mountain shape. Is deposited. For this reason, the ice storage detection switch described above is generally suspended above the ice cubes, and is activated when it touches the ice cubes to stop the ice making operation (Jikken Sho 51-146).
92 JP, JP-B No. 56 -18867, Japanese Utility Model 59 -39
581 and 59-39582).

[0004]

On the other hand, in an ice storage with a crusher, an ice crusher is provided at the bottom outlet of an ice hopper which receives ice cubes from the ice maker once, and crushed ice is deposited downward. Due to the presence of the ice crusher, there was not enough space just above the crushed ice accumulation part, and the suspended ice storage detection switch as described above was not provided.
In addition, the detection rod of this ice storage detection switch is provided with a return mechanism using spring force or its own weight. However, since the surface of crushed ice deposited is softer than that of ice cubes, the ice storage detection It was difficult to accurately detect the amount of ice storage by using the switch detection rods that dig into the accumulation surface.

The present invention has been made in view of such circumstances, and provides an ice storage with a crusher capable of accurately detecting the amount of ice crushed by the crusher and appropriately controlling the operation of the crusher. It is intended to do so.

[0006]

According to the present invention, there is provided an ice hopper for holding ice cubes from an ice maker, and an ice storage provided below the ice hopper for storing crushed ice. And a crusher-equipped ice storage including an ice crusher having a rotating cutter provided across the outlet of the ice hopper, the ice crushing blade facing the rotor side end of the rotating cutter protruding from the ice hopper. A crushed ice detecting rod is provided at an upper portion, and the crushed ice detecting rod is provided with a flow of the crushed ice.
In response to the movement, it is connected to the drive control circuit of the rotary cutter.
It is configured to open and close the stored ice storage detection switch .

[0007]

The ice cube made by the ice machine is guided into the ice hopper. When the rotating cutter of the ice crusher is driven, the ice cubes falling from the outlet of the ice hopper are crushed into smaller-sized ice and accumulated on the bottom of the ice storage room. The crushed ice piles up gradually in a mountain shape, and its ridgeline is formed along the axis of the rotating cutter. The crushed ice that has fallen from the rotating cutter falls along the slope of the mountain, and its hem spreads out to the mountain (sediment).
Gradually rises and also flows in the direction of the ridgeline. When the mountain reaches a predetermined height, the flow of crushed ice flowing along the ridge hits the detection rod of the ice storage detection switch and pushes it.
The detection rod is pushed to open the ice storage detection switch, the power supply to the drive motor of the rotary cutter is cut off, and the ice breaking operation is stopped.

[0008]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the drawings, the same reference numerals indicate the same or corresponding parts.

FIG. 1 schematically shows the entire structure of an ice storage with crusher 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention. The ice maker 1 may be a normal one, and has a refrigeration circuit (not shown) including a refrigerant compressor, a condenser, an evaporator, and the like.

The main body 11 has a heat insulating box structure, and the lower part is supported by legs 13. In the upper part, ice cube A from ice machine 1
An ice hopper 15 for receiving the crushed ice B at the lowermost portion. An ice crusher 20 is provided between the ice hopper 15 and the ice storage room 17.

In FIG. 2 showing the entire structure of the ice crusher 20 and FIG. 3 showing an enlarged view of a main part thereof, shaft ends 23a and 23b of a rotary cutter 21 are supported by bearings 24, and one shaft end 2a.
3b is a gear motor 28 via a coupling 26.
It is connected to. That is, when power is supplied to the gear motor 28, the rotary cutter 21 is driven via the coupling 26 to break the ice cubes A. A crushed ice detecting rod, that is, a switch plate 27 is provided so as to protrude downward, facing the rotor side end 21b of the rotary cutter 21 having the crushing blade 21a. The switch plate 27 is provided with the ice storage detection switch 2.
9 are arranged to cooperate.

Rotary cutter 2 including ice storage detection switch 29
One drive control circuit 30 is shown in FIG. 4, a series body of a normally closed OFF switch 33, a normally closed ice storage detection switch 29, a normally open ON switch 35, and a relay 37 is connected in parallel with the AC power supply 31. Here, when the ON switch 35 is pressed, a current flows through the relay 37 and the relay contact (X ₁ ) 39 closes. Since a door switch 41 and an electromagnetic switch (MS) 43, which will be described later, are connected in series to the relay contact 39, a current also flows here, and an electromagnetic switch contact 44 connected in series with the gear motor (GM) 28 is also closed. The gear motor 28 starts. That is, when the ON switch 35 is pressed, the gear motor 28 of the icebreaker 20 is pressed.
Is started, and the rotary cutter 21 is moved to start crushing.

Since the ON switch 35 is provided with another electromagnetic switch contact 45 in parallel, a self-holding circuit for the relay 37 is formed, and the relay 37 continues to operate even when the finger is released from the ON switch 35. Driving continues. Crushed ice B
Is deposited in the ice storage chamber 17 and rises, flows and pushes the switch plate 27, and the ice storage detection switch 29 is opened,
Operation is stopped. As a matter of course, even if the OFF switch 33 is pushed and opened, or if the door of the ice storage room or the ice hopper is opened and the door switch 41 is opened, the ice crusher 2 is opened.
The operation of 0 is stopped.

Normally, when the rotary cutter 21 is rotated to continue crushing, the accumulation (mountain) of the crushed ice B gradually increases as the skirt width increases. And just below the rotary cutter 21, the ridgeline of the mountain is formed substantially along the axis of the rotary cutter, but the mountain of crushed ice B spreads in the ridgeline direction just below the side end 21 b of the rotary cutter 21. This is the last point of crushing, that is, the time when the ice storage chamber 11 is full, and at this time, the switch plate 27 detects the crushed ice B flowing along the ridgeline.

The configuration and function of the ice crusher 20 are as described above. Usually, however, an ice crushing diameter adjusting mechanism 50 for adjusting the size of the crushed ice B is provided. FIG. 5 shows the ice crusher 20 alone in a perspective state. The rotary cutter 21, the bearing 24, the coupling 26, and the gear motor 28 are arranged on the base plate 22.

The ice breaking diameter adjusting mechanism 50 is provided adjacent to the rotary cutter 21. As shown in the plan view of FIG. 6, the fixed guide 51 provided at an appropriate position on the front surface of the main body 11 (FIG. 1) is parallel to the rotation axis of the rotary cutter 21 and is close to and separated from the rotary cutter 21. It is also held in parallel with the toothed moving rack 53.

The toothed moving rack 53 has a plate shape as a whole, and has a plurality of comb teeth 53a facing the rotary cutter 21. The inner ends of the parallel links 55a and 55b are connected to the outside of the moving rack 53 via pins, and the outer ends of the parallel links 55a and 55b are connected to both ends of the operation link 57 via pins so as to be pivotable. I have. Operation link 57
Is guided by a guide groove of the fixed guide 51, and a lever 57a thereof is inserted through a guide plate 51a of the fixed guide 51 (see FIG. 7). When the lever 57a is moved in the direction of arrow C, the moving rack 53 is moved.
Is moved in the direction of arrow D by being guided by the guides 22a and 22b of the pace plate 22, and the parallel links 55a and 55b
Tilt as shown by the two-dot chain line. Thus, the moving rack 53 approaches and separates from the rotary cutter 21 and adjusts the passage area of the ice cube A entering from the outlet 15a of the ice hopper 15. In this way, the passage area increases or decreases, and eventually the size of the crushed ice B (the diameter of the crushed ice) is adjusted.

Returning to FIG. 1, ice cubes A from the ice maker 1 are stored in the ice hopper 15 of the main body 11, but the ice cubes A may be used as they are. For this reason, a door (see FIGS. 8 and 10) is provided at the upper front of the main body 11 so that the ice cubes A can be taken out. When the door is opened and the ice cube A is taken out, the rotating cutter 2 of the ice crusher 20 is used.
It is dangerous if 1 is rotating, so door switch 4
1 (see FIG. 4).

In FIG. 8, an upper opening door 61 is pivotally mounted on the upper front surface of the main body 11. The stopper 63 protruding from the upper part of the inner surface of the door 61 has an arc shape,
Extending into the space 19 in the frame of
3a. The projection 63a hits the frame when the door 61 is opened as shown by a two-dot chain line, and prevents the door 61 from being further opened. Inclined guide 6 in vacant space 19
5 and 67 are provided, and an operating link 68 pivotally attached to the tip of the stopper 63 is guided by these inclined guides.

The door switch 41 is, as shown in FIG.
The guide slot 6 is attached to a bracket 69 fixed to the frame.
9a correctly guides the approaching actuation link 68. For this reason, no excessive force acts on the door switch 41, and a detection signal of the door switch 41 that is appropriately operated is sent to the geared motor 28 via the control box 62 shown in FIG. 8 to control the same. The control box 62 includes an electromagnetic switch 43 as shown in FIG.
4, including a relay contact 39 and the like.

Finally, the ice storage with crusher 1 of the embodiment
The operation of No. 0 and the configuration therefor are as described above, but the internal structure of the main body 11 and its manufacturing method will be partially described.

FIG. 10 is a perspective view showing the state of FIG. 8 at a different angle. For ease of explanation and easy understanding, the ice making machine 1 and the ice storage chamber 17 (FIG. 1) are both removed. ing. Therefore, it should be understood that the ice maker 1 and the ice storage room 17 are installed as shown in FIG. 1 in a normal operation state. As can be seen from FIG. 10 and FIG.
A door 61 for taking out the ice cubes A and a panel 71 for taking out the ice crusher 20 during maintenance or the like are provided. More specifically, a decorative plate for the fixed guide 51 of the ice breaking diameter adjusting mechanism 50 is also provided on the front surface. Thus, on the front surface of the main body 11, a space for taking out the ice cube A and the ice crusher 20 and the horizontal frame 73 sandwiching the space are provided.

FIG. 11 is a partially cutaway perspective view showing the state of the main body 11 from which the door 61 and the panel 71 have been removed. A plurality of horizontal frames 73 are provided. As is clear from FIG. 11, the side portion of the main body 11 is composed of a side frame 11b as a strength member, a heat insulating material 11c such as urethane foam, and a stainless steel plate 11a. The other parts of the main body 11 are similar,
It has a heat insulation box structure as a whole. One end of a frame 73b, which is a strength member of the horizontal frame 73, is
b.

The frame 73b of the horizontal frame 73 is surrounded by a rectangular tube 73d made of resin, and has a heat insulating structure filled with urethane foam between the two. The convex portion 11d of the main body 11 is inserted into the square tube 73d. Therefore, even if the frame 73b is placed between the door 61 and the panel 71 or between the ice making machine 1 and the door 61, the frame 73b blocks cold air in the main body 11.

In FIG. 11, the horizontal frame 73 is an extruded resin product. However, as shown in FIG. 12, the frame 73 'has a mounting pyramid-shaped convex portion 73c' for internal decoration at each end. The main body 1 is a blow molded product, and the convex portions 73c 'face each other.
1 may be inserted into the side.

[0026]

[Effects of the Invention] As described above, according to the present invention,
The detection rod of the ice storage detection switch is located at the top of the ice storage room that stores crushed ice, facing the rotor side end of the rotating cutter of the ice crusher. Operation can be controlled reliably and safely.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a partially cut-away schematic front view showing the entire structure of an ice storage according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a schematic front view showing a main part of the embodiment of FIG. 1, particularly an ice crusher;

FIG. 3 is a partially enlarged view of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is an electric circuit diagram of the embodiment of FIG.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing an ice breaking diameter adjusting mechanism provided in the ice breaking machine of the embodiment of FIG. 1;

FIG. 6 is a plan view of the ice breaking diameter adjusting mechanism of FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is a partially enlarged perspective view showing a part of the ice breaking diameter adjusting mechanism of FIG. 5;

FIG. 8 is a partially cutaway side view showing the door switch structure in the embodiment of FIG. 1;

FIG. 9 is a partially enlarged view of FIG. 8;

FIG. 10 is a perspective view conceptually showing the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 11 is a partial perspective view showing a front frame structure of the embodiment of FIG. 1;

FIG. 12 is a partial perspective view showing a modification of the front frame structure of FIG. 11;

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Ice machine 10 Ice storage with crusher 15 Ice hopper 15a Exit of ice hopper 17 Ice storage room 20 Ice crusher 21 Rotary cutter 21a Crushing blade 21b Rotor side end 27 Switch plate (crushed ice detection rod) 29 Ice storage detection switch 30 Drive control circuit A Ice cube B Crushed ice

Claims (1)

(57) [Scope of request for utility model registration] An ice hopper for storing ice cubes from an ice maker, an ice storage chamber provided below the ice hopper for storing crushed ice, and a rotary cutter provided across the outlet of the ice hopper. in crusher with ice bin containing the ice crusher includes crushing ice detection lever extending above the ice storage chamber with facing the rotor side end of the rotary cutters crushed ice blade projecting,該破crushed ice detection lever is An ice storage with a crusher, which is configured to open and close an ice storage detection switch connected to a drive control circuit of the rotary cutter in response to the flow of the crushed ice.