JP3265561B2 - Ice making equipment - 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 making apparatus provided in a freezer compartment of a refrigerator, and more particularly to an ice making apparatus for making transparent ice.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art As a conventional automatic ice making device of this kind,
Although not publicly known, for example, those shown in FIGS. 9 to 11 are known. In these figures, reference numeral 1 denotes an ice tray, and the inside of the ice tray 1 is partitioned into a plurality of small chambers 2 which open upward. These small chambers 2 are arranged in, for example, five rows in the longitudinal direction of the ice tray 1 and two rows in the short direction. 3
Is a frame, and the frame 3 is positioned so as to horizontally surround the ice tray 1. And, with respect to the frame 3, the ice tray 1
The push rod 4 and the support shaft 5 are rotatably supported on a rotation axis a1 parallel to the longitudinal direction of the ice tray 1 and horizontal, and movably supported in a direction parallel to the rotation axis a1. . A gear 6 is assembled to the push rod 4 so as to be movable in the axial direction and to be prevented from rotating. The gear 6 is adapted to transmit the rotation of a motor (not shown) at a reduced speed to the gear 6 so that the ice tray 1 is driven forward and backward by about 180 °. ing. Further, a rotation output shaft 7 a of the vibration drive motor 7 is connected to the push rod 4 via a crank mechanism 8. That is, a crank pin 9 eccentrically fixed to the rotation output shaft 7a is rotatably connected to one end of a lever 10, and the other end of the lever 10 is rotated by the pin 11 to the push rod 4. They are freely connected. On the other hand, the support shaft 5 is fixed to the frame 3 and is displaceable with respect to the ice tray 1 in the direction of its rotation axis a1. The ice tray 1 is urged toward the push rod 4 with respect to the frame 3 by a compression spring 12 wound between the frame 3 and the ice tray 1 and wound around the support shaft 5. I have. Reference numeral 13 denotes a lid. The lid 13 rotates around a rotation axis a2 parallel to the rotation axis a1 of the ice tray 1, and opens and closes an upper surface opening of the ice tray 1. Note that a heater 14 is built in the lid 13. The heater 14 is for gradually freezing the water in the ice tray 1 from below. 15 is a water supply pipe, and this water supply pipe 15 is an ice tray 1
The water is supplied to the inside, and the rotation axis of this ice tray 1
It extends above the ice tray 1 almost parallel to a1. In the ice tray 1, the position below the opening of the water supply pipe 15 is
There is a slope 1a for guiding water from here.

[0003] First, water is supplied from the water supply pipe 15 into the ice tray 1, and the water in the ice tray 1 is cooled and frozen. At this time, the vibration driving motor 7 is driven to rotate The rotation of the output shaft 7a is converted into a linear reciprocating motion by the crank mechanism 8 and transmitted to the ice tray 1 via the push rod 4. Thus, this ice tray 1 is, as shown by the arrow b,
Micro-vibration occurs at about 10 Hz in the direction of the rotation axis a1. This, together with the fact that the ice in the ice tray 1 is gradually frozen from below due to the lid 13 having the heater 14 built therein, bubbles in the water in the ice tray 1 are diffused, and the ice tray 1 In each small chamber 2, water freezes as a transparent ice block. When the completion of the icing is detected by a temperature sensor (not shown), the vibration driving motor 7 is stopped, and then ice is removed. In this ice removal, the lid 13 is rotated and opened, and the ice making tray 1 is rotated by the driving of the ice removal drive motor.
It rotates about 180 ° around a1 and flips. Accordingly, stoppers (not shown) provided on the ice tray 1 and the frame 3, respectively, come into contact with each other, so that the ice tray 1
The ice blocks leave the small chambers 2 of the ice tray 1 and fall into an ice box (not shown) placed below the ice tray 1. Thereafter, the ice tray 1 rotates in the opposite direction to return to the original position, and the lid 13 rotates and closes. Further, water is again supplied into the ice tray 1 from the water supply pipe 15, and the above-described ice making process is repeated.

[0004]

However, in the conventional automatic ice making apparatus for transparent ice, a vibration mechanism for horizontally vibrating the ice tray 1 converts the rotation of the vibration driving motor 7 into a linear reciprocating motion. Since the crank mechanism 8 and the push rod 4 for transmitting the linear reciprocating motion of the crank mechanism 8 to the ice tray 1 are used, the structure of the vibration mechanism is complicated and the assemblability is poor. Along with this, there is also a problem that a large noise is generated when the ice tray 1 vibrates due to the minute gaps between the components in the above-described vibration mechanism. Furthermore, there are many frictional parts in the vibration mechanism, so that it is liable to break down, and there is a problem that reliability is low in terms of life.

[0005] In the conventional automatic ice making apparatus, the direction of oscillation of the ice tray 1 is the same as the rotation axis a1 of the ice tray 1 when ice is removed. Therefore, when the ice tray 1 vibrates,
As shown by the dashed line in FIG. 11, the water surface W is more likely to undulate in the direction of the rotation axis a1, and is less undulated in a horizontal direction orthogonal to the rotation axis a1. However, water pipe 15
Is substantially parallel to the rotation axis a1 of the ice tray 1, so that the water easily scatters near the tip of the water supply pipe 15 as the water surface W undulates in the direction of the rotation axis a1. The water scattered in this way is in an atmosphere in contact with the cold air, and thus easily freezes. If the freezing due to the scattering of the waves grows even slightly, near the distal end of the water supply pipe 15, water from the distal end opening of the water supply pipe 15 is difficult to be supplied to the ice tray 1, and the ice making capacity is reduced. That is, the shape and quality of the ice to be made are adversely affected. Therefore, it is conceivable to provide the water supply pipe 15 with respect to the ice tray 1 with a direction perpendicular to the rotation axis a1. However, when the water supply pipe 15 faces the ice tray 1 from the short side direction, Since the water supply pipe 15 interferes with the opening and closing of the lid 13 when the ice tray 1 rotates, in practice, the water supply pipe 15 must also be provided substantially parallel to the rotation axis a1 of the ice tray 1.

The present invention is intended to solve such a problem. In an ice making apparatus for making transparent ice, the structure of a vibration mechanism for vibrating an ice tray is simplified to improve assemblability. The purpose is to reduce the occurrence of noise and noise. Furthermore, the purpose is to reduce the scattering and freezing of water near the tip of the water supply pipe due to the vibration of the ice tray, and to maintain the shape and quality of ice to be iced for a long period of time. And

[0007]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided an ice making apparatus comprising an ice tray and a vibrating mechanism, wherein bubbles contained in water in the ice tray due to vibration are provided. in the ice making apparatus to obtain a clear ice and degassed and the vibrating mechanism consists of ceramic transducers, the
The ice tray is provided on a frame that horizontally surrounds the ice tray .

In order to achieve the latter object, the ice making apparatus according to the second aspect of the present invention further comprises a rotary drive mechanism for driving the ice tray to rotate about a horizontal rotation axis with respect to the frame. The vibration mechanism vibrates the ice tray in a direction orthogonal to the rotation axis thereof.

On the other hand, an ice making apparatus according to a third aspect of the present invention is provided with a rotation drive mechanism for driving the ice tray to rotate about a horizontal rotation axis with respect to the frame, and the vibrating mechanism moves the ice tray to the rotation axis. Vibrates in a direction parallel to

[0010]

In the ice making apparatus according to the first aspect of the present invention, the ice tray is vibrated by a vibrating mechanism including a ceramic vibrator when the water put in the ice tray is frozen. Thereby, the bubbles in the water in the ice tray are diffused, and the water freezes as transparent ice in the ice tray. Also, the ceramic vibration provided on the frame
Directly from the rotor to the ice tray horizontally surrounded by this frame
Vibration can be given in a horizontal direction.
The structure of the mechanism can be simplified, and the assembling workability is improved. Further
In addition, failures are reduced, reliability is improved, and vibration
In the construction, there are few sliding parts, so noise is small.
You.

Further, in the ice making device according to the second aspect of the present invention,
After the icing in the ice tray is completed, the rotation of the ice tray is rotated around a horizontal rotation axis with respect to the frame, and the ice tray is rotated by the driving of the rotation drive mechanism, so that ice is removed. Then, the vibration mechanism vibrates the ice tray in a direction orthogonal to the rotation axis. for that reason,
When water in the ice tray is scattered due to the vibration of the ice tray, the direction of the scattering is perpendicular to the rotation axis, and the tip of the water supply pipe having a direction parallel to the rotation axis of the ice tray. Water is not easily scattered to the opening.

On the other hand, in the ice making device according to the third aspect of the present invention, the vibration mechanism vibrates the ice making tray in a direction parallel to its rotation axis.

[0013]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS One embodiment of the ice making apparatus of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS. 21 is an ice tray made of plastic and having elasticity.
Is partitioned into a plurality of small chambers 22 that open upward. These small chambers 22 are arranged, for example, in five rows in the longitudinal direction (front-back direction) of the ice tray 21 and in two rows in the short direction (left-right direction). Reference numeral 23 denotes a frame. The frame 23 is made of a conductive metal such as stainless steel, and is positioned so as to horizontally surround the ice tray 21. At one end in the longitudinal direction of the frame 23, a rotation drive mechanism 24 for rotating the ice tray 21 with respect to the frame 23 about a horizontal rotation axis a1 along the longitudinal direction is provided. . This rotation drive mechanism 24
This is the same as the conventional one, in which the rotation of the ice removing drive motor is transmitted to the drive shaft 25 via a reduction gear train. As shown in FIG. 3, the drive shaft 25 penetrates through the frame 23, and its flattened tip fits into a long-hole-shaped bearing recess 26 formed on the outer end face of the ice tray 21. Have been combined. on the other hand,
As shown in FIG. 4, a column-shaped support shaft 27 is provided on the opposite end surface of the ice tray 21 so as to protrude coaxially with the bearing recess 26. The support shaft 27 is formed on the frame body 23. It is rotatably inserted through a horizontal elongated hole-shaped bearing hole 28. Thus, an ice tray
The ice tray 21 is rotatably supported by the frame 23, but the flat tip of the drive shaft 25 is fitted in the long hole-shaped bearing recess 26 of the ice tray 21. It is configured to rotate integrally with the drive shaft 25. Further, a gap c is set at, for example, 1.5 mm on each of the left and right sides of the fitting portion between the drive shaft 25 and the bearing concave portion 26 and the fitting portion between the support shaft 27 and the bearing hole 28, whereby the ice tray 21 is formed. In the state where the ice tray 21 is horizontal, the ice tray 21 is movable without being hindered in a direction (horizontal direction) that is horizontal to the frame 23 and orthogonal to the rotation axis a1.

On both left and right sides of the frame 23, a pair of front and rear ceramic vibrators 31, which form a vibration mechanism for vibrating the ice tray 21 in the left and right directions with respect to the frame 23, are mounted. More specifically, as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, one end of a plate-shaped ceramic vibrator 31 is fixed to the inner surface of the frame body 23 with a rivet 32 or the like. The ceramic vibrator 31 and the rivet 32 are electrically insulated by an insulating washer 33. The other end of the ceramic vibrator 31 has an opening 34 formed in the frame 23.
, So that it can swing right and left. Then, each ceramic vibrator 31
Are in contact with the left and right sides of the ice tray 21 via the projections 35 fixed thereto. Further, the conductive frame 23 and the ceramic vibrators 31 are connected to the electric wires 36 and 37, respectively.
Connected to the power supply. And electrically,
As shown in FIG. 7, four ceramic vibrators 31 are connected in parallel to one AC power supply 38 via a switch 39. Therefore, these four ceramic vibrators
Numerals 31 synchronize with each other and deflect in the same phase to vibrate, and are attached so that they all bend in the same direction when a voltage is applied.

A water supply pipe 41 supplies water to the ice tray 21. The water supply pipe 41 extends above the ice tray 21 almost in parallel with the rotation axis a1 of the ice tray 21. ing. Note that, in the ice tray 21, there is an inclined portion 21a for guiding water from below the distal end opening of the water supply pipe 41. Further, although not shown, a lid for opening and closing the upper surface opening of the ice tray 21 is rotatably supported by the frame 23. This lid is similar to the lid 13 described above and shown in FIGS. 9 and 11, and incorporates a heater.

Next, the operation of the above configuration will be described. When making ice, first make an ice tray from the water supply pipe 41
Water is supplied into the ice tray 21, and the water in the ice tray 21 is cooled and frozen. At this time, a pulse is applied from the same AC power supply 38 to the four ceramic vibrators 31 so that
The two ceramic vibrators 31 vibrate in the left-right direction synchronously and in the same phase. And these ceramic vibrators 31
The ice tray 1 is also repeatedly moved in the left and right direction (directions indicated by arrows d1 and d2) with an amplitude of, for example, about 2 mm.
That is, it vibrates. FIG. 2 shows a state in which the ice tray 21 has moved in the direction d1. Due to such vibration of the ice tray 21, bubbles in the water in the ice tray 21 are diffused, and water is frozen as transparent ice blocks in each of the small chambers 22 of the ice tray 21. When the completion of the icing is detected by a temperature sensor (not shown), the switch 39 is opened, and the ceramic vibrator 31 is stopped. In this ice removal, the lid is rotated and opened, and the rotation drive mechanism 24 is opened.
Drive makes the ice tray 21 about 180 degrees around the rotation axis a1.
° Rotate and flip. Along with this, the stoppers (not shown) provided on the ice tray 21 and the frame 23 respectively hit each other, so that a twist is added to the ice tray 21, and the ice blocks are separated from the respective small chambers 22 of the ice tray 21, It falls into an ice box (not shown) placed below the ice tray 21. Thereafter, the ice tray 21 rotates in the opposite direction to return to the original position, and the lid rotates and closes. In addition, the water pipe 41 again
Then, water is supplied into the ice tray 21, and the above-described ice making process is repeated.

According to the structure of the embodiment, the frame is provided on the frame 23.
Was Ri by the ceramic resonator 31, horizontally to the frame body 23
Since the enclosed ice tray 21 is directly driven and vibrated,
The number of parts of the vibration mechanism is small, and the structure of the vibration mechanism is simple. Therefore, the assembly workability is also improved. Also,
Failures are reduced and reliability is improved. Further, since the sliding portion is small in the vibration mechanism, noise is also reduced.

Since the vibration direction of the ice tray 21 is a horizontal direction perpendicular to the rotation axis a1 of the ice tray 21, when the ice tray 21 vibrates, the water surface in the ice tray 21 is perpendicular to the rotation axis a1. It is more likely to undulate in the horizontal direction and less undulated in the direction of the rotation axis a1. In contrast, the water pipe 41
Is almost parallel to the rotation axis a1 of the ice tray 21, so that water is less scattered near the tip of the water supply pipe 41, and the formation and accumulation of icing near the tip of the water supply pipe 41 are also reduced. Is suppressed. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the ice making ability from decreasing with time. That is, the shape and quality of the ice block to be iced can be favorably maintained over a long period of time.

FIG. 8 shows another embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, a pair of ceramic vibrators 31 are provided at both end portions in the longitudinal direction of a frame 23, and an ice tray is formed.
The vibrator 21 is vibrated in the longitudinal direction, that is, in the direction of the rotation axis a1. In this way, the ice tray 21 is
In the case of vibrating along the direction of, the structure for supporting the ice tray
Can be reliably rotated when ice is released.

It should be noted that the present invention is not limited to the above embodiment, and various modifications can be made. For example,
The number and arrangement of the compartments in the ice tray are of course not limited to those of the above-described embodiment. Further, the number of ceramic vibrators is not limited to four. Further, the ceramic vibrator may be provided only on one side of the frame, and a spring may be provided on the other side of the frame to bias the ice tray toward the ceramic vibrator.

[0021]

Effects of the Invention According to the present invention, in order to ice transparent ice, the ice making apparatus having a vibration mechanism for vibrating the ice tray, and made the vibration mechanism from the ceramic oscillator further Located horizontally surrounding the ice tray
A vibration mechanism is provided on the frame , so a ceramic vibrator
The ice tray can be directly driven to vibrate. So
Therefore , the vibration mechanism can be made simple with a small number of parts , so that assembling operability is improved, failures can be reduced, and noise can be reduced by reducing the number of sliding parts.

Furthermore, according to the second aspect of the present invention, since the ice tray is vibrated in a direction perpendicular to the rotation axis of the ice tray, the opening of the tip end of the water supply pipe to the ice tray is generally positioned parallel to the rotation axis. This reduces splashing of water near the tip of the water supply pipe due to the vibration of the ice tray, thus preventing a decrease in ice-making capacity due to freezing near the tip of the water supply pipe and preventing ice from being iced. Shape and quality can be maintained over a long period of time.

On the other hand, according to the third aspect of the present invention, since the ice tray is vibrated in the direction parallel to the rotation axis thereof, the structure for supporting the ice tray on the frame can be simplified, and the ice tray can be securely mounted. Rotated.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a plan view showing one embodiment of an automatic ice making device of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a plan view showing a state where an ice tray is displaced to one side with respect to the upper frame.

FIG. 3 is a view in the direction of arrow B excluding the frame body of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a view in the direction of arrow C in FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged sectional view of the vicinity of the ceramic vibrator.

FIG. 6 is an enlarged side view of the vicinity of the same ceramic vibrator.

FIG. 7 is a circuit diagram of a driving circuit for the ceramic vibrator according to the embodiment.

FIG. 8 is a plan view showing another embodiment of the ice making device of the present invention.

FIG. 9 is a partial plan view showing an example of a conventional ice making device.

FIG. 10 is a side view in which a part of the above is made into a cross section.

FIG. 11 is a sectional view taken along line AA of FIG. 9;

[Description of Signs] 21 Ice tray 23 Frame 24 Rotary drive mechanism 31 Ceramic vibrator

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on the front page (58) Field surveyed (Int.Cl. ⁷ , DB name) F24C 1/10 F24C 1/18

Claims (3)

(57) [Claims] [1 claim] and the ice tray, and a vibration mechanism, the ice making apparatus to obtain a clear ice and degassed bubbles contained in the water in the ice tray by the vibration, the vibration mechanism Se la < It is composed of a mick vibrator and is positioned horizontally surrounding the ice tray.
An ice making device, wherein the ice making device is provided on a frame body . 2. A rotating mechanism for rotating an ice tray with respect to a frame around a horizontal rotation axis, wherein the vibration mechanism vibrates the ice tray in a direction perpendicular to the rotation axis. The ice making device according to claim 1, wherein 3. A rotation drive mechanism for rotating an ice tray with respect to a frame about a horizontal rotation axis, wherein the vibration mechanism vibrates the ice tray in a direction parallel to the rotation axis. The ice making device according to claim 1, wherein