JP2996837B2 - Operation protection device for auger ice machine - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a continuous automatic ice maker, and more particularly to an operation protection device for an auger ice maker.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In a continuous automatic ice maker such as an auger type ice maker, unlike an intermittent type ice maker, an ice making operation is continuously performed, and the generated ice is continuously fed or discharged. In such a case, abnormalities such as ice clogging in the ice delivery passage and insufficient supply of ice making water may occur, and even when such abnormalities occur, it is necessary to protect the ice making machine from damage, and various measures have been proposed. Some have been adopted.

An auger-type ice machine is described as a typical example of a continuous automatic ice machine. An auger rotates in a vertical ice-making cylinder or a freezing casing to scrape off the ice grown on the inner surface of the freezing casing. When the ice clogging occurs, the auger or the motor driving the auger is overloaded. In addition, if there is a shortage of ice water,
Since the water level is abnormally lowered in the freezing casing, an abnormal freezing phenomenon occurs, and the auger may not be able to send out ice or the like. Measures to individually deal with such various failures and abnormalities have also been proposed, but each has its advantages and disadvantages,
Since it is not effective, it has been proposed to judge the abnormality of the ice making machine as a whole from the consumption state of ice making water as a comprehensive measure against such various kinds of abnormality.

[0004] That is, if the ice making machine as a whole is normal,
The ice making progresses smoothly and a predetermined amount of ice making water is consumed, but considering that the amount depends on the outside air temperature, the water supply interval time is measured, and this is compared with the standard time to determine the normal abnormality. On the other hand, there has been proposed a technique of adjusting the standard time according to the outside air temperature and controlling the operation (see Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2-267483).

Further, there has been proposed a control device for detecting an excessively small amount of ice making water consumption by a discriminating device and stopping the operation of the ice making machine upon receiving the output (see Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 3-50476). Further, the water supply time and the water supply interval time at the time of starting and operating the ice making machine are measured, and when the respective set times are reached, it is determined whether the water supply is cut off, the float switch of the ice making water tank is faulty, and the refrigeration circuit is faulty. There is also proposed a device for controlling the operation of the vehicle (Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. H4-161771,
No. 4-161772).

[0006]

A control method or apparatus for judging whether or not the ice making machine is normal by comparing the consumption or the degree of consumption of the ice making water or the supply water with a set value in consideration of normal operation as described above is disclosed. However, although it has a corresponding effect, it still has the following problems. That is, in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2-267483, the standard time of the water supply interval time must be set in consideration of the ice making water consumption time at the time of starting, so that the set standard time itself is large. Becomes Therefore, except during startup, even if the actual water supply interval time is prolonged due to some abnormality, it is difficult to determine that the abnormality is abnormal, and reliable protection of the ice making machine cannot be expected. Other control devices can be expected to have a corresponding effect, but have a problem that the circuit configuration is complicated and the cost is high.
Further, when the structure is complicated, another problem that the control device itself is liable to cause a failure or abnormality occurs. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide an operation protection device for an auger type ice making machine which has a simple structure, is inexpensive, and can cope with various failures as a whole.

[0007]

According to the present invention, there is provided, in accordance with the present invention, a refrigeration casing having an auger rotating therein, and an ice making device communicating with an external water supply system and communicating with a lower portion of the refrigeration casing. In an auger ice maker provided with a water tank, the following operation protection device is provided. That is, the operation protection device according to the present invention includes a switch device provided in an ice making water tank, the switch device having an upper limit water level detection switch and a lower limit water level detection switch, and a lower limit water level detection operation performed by the operation of the upper limit water level detection switch. A water supply time abnormality normal determining device that measures the time until the switch is activated and stops the operation of the auger type ice making machine when the measured time is out of the predetermined time ;
This is only for the water supply interval time for the first ice making after startup.
Irrespective of the length of the water supply interval time , the operation stop device for disabling the water supply time abnormality normality determination device.

[0008]

In the auger-type ice making machine having the above-mentioned construction, the ice making water supplied from the ice making water tank into the freezing casing is frozen on the inner surface of the freezing casing because the freezing casing is cooled from the outside. The auger rotating in the freezing casing scrapes off the ice on the inner surface and discharges it to the upper part, and in accordance with the amount of released ice, the required amount of ice making water is supplied into the freezing casing from the aforementioned ice making water tank. You. Therefore, the water level in the ice making water tank decreases at a predetermined speed. The change in the water level in the ice making water tank is detected by the upper limit water level detection switch and the lower limit water level detection switch of the switch device, and the ice making water consumption time, that is, the water supply interval time is measured by the water supply time abnormality normality determination device which receives this signal, If this is longer than the predetermined time, the operation of the auger ice maker is stopped as an abnormality. The operation stopping device is configured to disable the operation of the water supply time abnormality normal determination device only for one water supply operation immediately after the ice making operation is started, i.e., only one water supply time, immediately after the start of the ice making operation.
The relay contact of the power supply circuit to the water supply time normality abnormality determination device is opened, and the normality abnormality determination device can be operated after the second water supply when the ice making operation is stabilized.

[0009]

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a driving protection apparatus according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 1 is a partially cutaway elevational view showing the entire structure of an auger-type ice maker 10 in which a driving protection device according to the present invention is used. In the figure, a vertical freezing casing 11 has an auger 13 inside. It houses and has a pressing head 15 at the top. Further, a horizontal ice discharge tube 17 is connected to its upper end. Furthermore,
An evaporating pipe (cooling pipe) 19 constituting a part of a refrigeration system (not shown) is wound around the outer surface of the freezing casing 11, and a heat insulating material 21 covers the outside thereof. The auger 13 is rotatably supported in the refrigerating casing 11 via upper and lower bearings, and is connected at a lower end to a geared motor 23 via a power transmission mechanism (not shown).

Further, an ice making water tank 25 is attached to the upper portion of the freezing casing 11 via a support member (not shown). Water supply pipe 25a of ice making water tank 25
Is connected to a water supply source such as an external water supply system through a water supply valve (not shown), and the overflow pipe 25b is connected to a drainage system (not shown). Furthermore, in the ice-making water tank 25, a float switch (switch device) FS is provided which forms part of the running protection device of the present invention described below, this lower limit level detection switch FS ₁ and the upper limit water level detection switch F
With the S _2. A water supply hose 27 extending from the bottom of the ice making water tank 25 is connected to the lower portion of the freezing casing 11 in a watertight manner.

The basic ice making process in this ice making machine will be described. Water supplied from the outside is temporarily stored in an ice making water tank 25 and is supplied to the inside of the lower portion of the freezing casing 11 via a water supply hose 27 during operation. Supplied. The refrigerant compressed and condensed in the refrigeration system (not shown)
While flowing through the interior 9, the heat is taken from the freezing casing 11 and the ice making water in the freezing casing 11 to evaporate. That is, the cooled ice making water freezes on the inner surface of the freezing casing 11 and grows, but is scraped off by the spiral blade 13a of the auger 13 which is driven to rotate by the geared motor 23, and becomes flake-like ice upward. Sent. These ices are compressed while passing through the pressing head 15, cut by the cutter 29, and sent out through the ice discharge pipe 17.

Next, the construction and operation of the operation protection device of the present invention in the above-described auger type ice making machine will be described with reference to the circuit diagram of FIG. First, the icemaker 10 is connected to the power supply, the power switch 31, the water supply valve 37 (not shown in the water supply pipe 25a in FIG. 1 through contacts tm ₁₁ and relay contacts X ₃₄ normally closed with the cleaning timer 35 add ice switch 33 (Connected to the portion), and the water supply valve 37 is opened. As a result, the water supply pipe 2 is supplied from the external water supply to the ice making water tank 25.
5a (FIG. 1), the water supply rises and the upper limit water level detection switch FS _{2 of the} float switch FS rises.
Continue until you reach. In this embodiment, the water supply is completed in about 60 seconds.

[0013] The upper limit water level detection switch FS ₂ is closed by detecting the rising water level, which is energized the relay X ₃ is energized. Thus, relay contacts X ₃₄ normally closed there is power supply to the water supply valve 37 to open and closed is stopped. Energization of the relay X _3, the excitation, the terminal c of timer board 39 relay contacts X ₃₅ normally open is closed, between d closes, the internal timer starts to operate the first relay X ₁ is energized, Thereafter, the relay X ₂ is energized after about 60 seconds. When the relays X ₁ and X ₂ are excited, the normally open relay contacts X ₁₁ and X ₂₁ are closed, the electromagnetic switches MS ₁ and MS ₂ are excited, and the geared motor 23 and the refrigerant compressor 41 are started in that order. Enter ice making operation for the first time.

[0014] Since the foregoing and concurrently the contact MS ₁₁ also closes, the heater H _1, but is energized to the solenoid valve 43 and the fan motor 45 of the refrigeration system, its contacts X ₃₂ is energized the relay X ₃ as described above since is open, there is no relay X ₄ are energized. Therefore, the protection timer 47 which is a main part of the water supply time abnormality normality determination device is not excited. As described above, the geared motor 23, the compressor 41, the fan motor 4
5 is also activated, the ice making operation is performed, and if this is continued, ice is released and the water supply in the ice making water tank 25 is
The supply of water into the freezing casing 11 via the water supply hose 27 is started. In this embodiment, this is a point in time when 3 to 5 minutes have passed after the completion of water supply. If the ice making operation is continued, the supply of the ice making water is continued, and the water level of the ice making water tank continues to fall because the water supply valve 37 is closed, and the lower limit water level detection switch FS
Activate ₁ Accordingly, the relay X ₃ which has been self-holding is deenergized, the relay contacts X _32, X ₃₄ is closed.
That is, about 3.6 to 5.3 minutes after the start of ice water replenishment,
The water supply valve 37 is opened to perform the second water supply operation to the ice making water tank 25, while the operation stop relay (operation stop device) X
₄ is excited. By the excitation of the relay X _4, relay contact X
₄₁ closes, together with the self-holding circuit is formed of the relay X _4, the series of relay contacts X ₄₂ is closed to protect the timer 47.

Further, demagnetization of the aforementioned relay X ₃ is open the relay contact X _35, thereby, the terminal c of the timer board 39, between d is opened, but actuates the internal timer, within about 90 seconds if the water supply is completed (re energized, closing the relay contact X ₃₅ of the relay X _3), the ice-making operation is continued without interruption.

The water supply is continued water to the ice-making water tank 25 from the water supply valve 37 is open is increased, the upper limit water level detection switch FS ₂ is closed if reaches the upper water level. Thereby, the excited relay X ₃ again, since the relay contact X ₃₁ is closed, power is supplied to the protection timer 47, the excitation has been to start counting. As is clear from above, the relay X ₄ activates only the protection timer 47 when being self-holding closing the relay contact X _42, partially protected timer 47
Stop the operation of.

[0017] ice-making operation relay X ₃ is excited as described above is followed, the water level of the ice-making water tank 25 is lowered.
Before the set time of the protection timer 47 has elapsed (starting from the time measurement start time), it reaches the water level lower limit level, the timer contact tm _21, tm ₂₂ is not be switched, the relay X ₃ is deenergized, the relay contacts X ₃₁ is opened, the protective timer 47 is demagnetized becomes de-energized, it is reset. Then, as described above, since the relay contact _X34 is closed, the water supply valve 3
7 is opened and water is supplied.

If for any reason (refrigeration gas leakage,
When ice making does not proceed smoothly due to ice clogging or freezing in the freezing casing 11), the consumption of ice making water decreases, and the water level in the ice making water tank 25 decreases slowly. Therefore, the lower limit water level detection switch FS ₁ is not operated until the set time of the protection timer 47 has elapsed. When the set time has elapsed, the timer contact tm ₂₁ is closed, the timer contact tm ₂₃
Opens. As a result, the electromagnetic switches MS ₁ and MS ₂ are demagnetized, and the geared motor 23 and the compressor 41 stop. At the same time the contact MS ₁₁ also open, the timer contact tm ₂₂ is opened, the heater H _1, the relay X _4, energization of the fan motor 45 and the solenoid valve 43 is cut off. The restart is performed by pressing the electromagnetic switch 31.

[0019] If an abnormality as described above does not occur, i.e., before the set time of the protection timer 47 has elapsed, if the water level of the ice-making water tank 25 is detected by lower limit water level detection switch FS _1, as described above The water supply valve 37 is opened, and water supply to the ice making water tank 25 is started again. Thereafter, if no failure occurs, water supply to the ice making water tank 25 and consumption of the ice making water are repeated, and the ice making operation is continued.

Accordingly, the ice storage is full and the ice storage switch 49 is activated (open circuit), and the terminals d to
The circuit between f is opened. As a result, the timer in the timer board 39 is activated, and after a certain time, the relays X ₁ and X ₂ and the electromagnetic switches MS ₁ and MS ₂ are demagnetized, the ice making operation is stopped, and the contact MS ₁₁ is opened to protect the circuit. timer 47, the relay X ₄ is demagnetized. When the ice storage switch 49 returns (closes),
The ice making operation is restarted according to the process at the time of starting. Further, the cleaning timer 3 included in the driving protection device of FIG.
5 and related parts, the cleaning timer 35 operates for about 15 minutes about every 12 hours. The washing timer 35 is activated, connecting a timer contact tm ₁₁ is to contact a, and the relay X ₃ is demagnetized, the compressor 41 after about 90 seconds contact X ₃₅ is open, the geared motor 23 is stopped after about 150 seconds I do. Timer contact tm ₁₁ is closed the contact a, the relay contact X ₁₂ be closed, drain valve 51 is opened. This drains the in-flight water. On the other hand, by contact MS ₁₁ is opened, the protective timer 47, a heater H _1, the relay X _4, solenoid valve 43, the fan motor 45 is deenergized.

[0021] which the cleaning timer 35 after about 15 minutes after the operation timer contact tm ₁₁ is connected back to the contact b from the contact a side, the drain valve 51 is closed. Likewise it is energized to the water supply valve 37 via a relay contact X _34, opened.
When the water supply valve 37 is opened, water is supplied to the ice making water tank 25 in the same manner as at the time of the above-described startup, and the ice making operation is started by the same control.

The ice making switch 33 is used to start, stop, and drain the water by manual operation. During the ice making operation, the discharge valve thermo 55 responds to the temperature of the discharge pipe of the compressor 41, and when the temperature reaches the set temperature, the discharge valve thermo 55 opens and the relay X is opened.
₅ becomes non-excited. Thereby, the relay contact _X51 is opened, the relay contact _X52 is closed, and the solenoid valve 43 is switched to the solenoid valve 53 to cool the compressor 41. Figure 3 is a partial modification example of the embodiment, the position of the timer contact tm ₂₂ is different.

When the capacity of the ice making water tank is large or the ice making capacity is small, the difference between the maximum value and the minimum value of the ice making water consumption time is large, and the setting time of the protection timer is set to the maximum value of the ice making water consumption time. On the other hand, if the time is obtained by adding the extra time, the damage prevention of the compressor may be insufficient. In such a case, as shown in FIG. 4, an ambient temperature thermostat switch 59 having an ambient temperature that is an intermediate time between the maximum ice making water consumption time and the minimum ice making water consumption time is provided to provide protection for different setting times. The timers 47 and 57 may measure the ice making water consumption time separately when the temperature is higher than the set temperature and when the temperature is lower than the set temperature.

[0024]

As described above, due to the operation of the operation stop device, the water supply time abnormality normality judging device comprising the protection timer does not judge the normality of the ice making water consumption time after the first water supply but the second time. After the water supply, ie, after the ice making operation is started, the water supply interval time is measured, and the normal operation is determined, and the operation of the ice making machine is stopped. That is, since the first water supply interval time is long and the first water supply time is relatively stable, the water supply interval time after the second water supply time is relatively short is determined.
Since a more appropriate time can be selected as the set time used as a criterion for the determination, it is possible to more accurately detect an abnormality of the ice making machine, stop the ice making machine, and protect more safely. Moreover, this can be achieved in a very simple and inexpensive manner, since this is always possible with the addition of only one deactivation device or deactivation relay.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is an overall structural diagram showing a basic structure of an auger type ice maker to which the present invention can be applied.

FIG. 2 is a circuit diagram of the driving protection device according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a circuit diagram of a modified embodiment in which a part of the first embodiment shown in FIG. 2 is modified.

FIG. 4 is a circuit diagram of another modified embodiment in which a part of the first embodiment of FIG. 2 is modified.

[Explanation of symbols]

10 ... auger type ice machine, 11 ... frozen casing, 13 ...
Auger, 25 ... ice making water tank, 47 ... protection timer (water supply time abnormality normality determination device), FS ... float switch (switching device), FS ₁ ... lower limit level detection switch, FS ₂ ...
The upper limit water level detection _{switch, tm 21, tm 22, tm} 23 ... timer contacts, X ₄ ... working stop relay (deactivation device), X ₄₁
... Relay contact, _X42 ... Relay contact.

────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of front page (56) References JP-A-3-50476 (JP, A) JP-A-4-1611771 (JP, A) JP-A-4-161772 (JP, A) (58) Field (Int.Cl. ⁷ , DB name) F25C 1/14

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] 1. An auger type ice making machine comprising: a freezing casing having an auger rotating inside; and an ice making water tank communicating with an external water supply system and communicating with a lower portion of the freezing casing. A switch device having an upper limit water level detection switch and a lower limit water level detection switch, and a switch device provided in association with the switch device, wherein a time period from the operation of the upper limit water level detection switch to the operation of the lower limit water level detection switch is outside a predetermined set time. A water supply time abnormality normal determining device for performing an operation for stopping the operation of the auger type ice making machine at the time of, and a water supply interval at the time of the first ice making after the ice making machine is started , which is provided in association with the water supply time abnormal normal determining device. Time
For while only, though the length of the water supply time interval
Not, running protection device of the auger type ice making machine, characterized in that it comprises a deactivation device for the water supply time abnormality normality determination device inoperative.