JP3486265B2 - Freezer refrigerator - Google Patents

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a freezer-refrigerator equipped with an automatic ice making device for automatically making ice.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, in a freezer-refrigerator equipped with a general automatic ice-making device such as Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 6-29637, as shown in FIG. An ice removing device 4 for removing ice, and an ice making thermistor (ice making sensor) 8 located at the bottom of the ice making tray 3 for detecting the temperature.
Is equipped with.

In the refrigerating compartment 2, a water supply tank 5, a pump motor 6 for pumping water from the water supply tank 5, a water supply pipe 7 connected to the discharge side of the pump motor 6 for pouring water into the ice tray 3, A freezing prevention heater 9 is provided near the water supply pipe 7. In addition to that, a control device 10 for controlling a series of operations of automatic ice making is provided.
Reference numeral 11 is a front door of the freezer compartment 1, and 12 is a refrigerating compartment 2.
Is the front door of.

FIG. 1 shows a series of operations of a general automatic ice making device.
It shows in 0. Here, a description will be given from the point where water has been supplied to the ice tray 3 and a certain amount of time has passed. When the water in the ice tray 3 is cooled, the temperature detected by the ice thermistor 8 is lowered. When the temperature of the ice making thermistor 8 falls below a certain temperature T1,
When a certain time ta has elapsed, the ice removing device 4 is operated to remove ice, and then the pump motor 6 is operated to supply water to the ice tray 3. Whether or not water is supplied to the ice tray 3
It is determined by the temperature rise of the ice making thermistor 8 after the water supply operation. That is, if the temperature of the ice making thermistor 8 after the water supply rises to the constant temperature T2, it is determined that the water has been supplied.

Here, the certain constant temperature T1 means the ice tray 3
Is the temperature of the ice making thermistor 8 when the water begins to freeze,
The other constant temperature T2 is the temperature of the ice making thermistor 8 that rises when water is supplied to the ice making tray 3, and
The constant time ta is the time from when the water in the ice tray 3 starts to freeze until it completely freezes. Both are values obtained by experiments or simulations.

Further, the water supply pipe 7 is the ice tray 3
Since it is necessary to pour water into the freezing chamber 1 which is 0 ° C. or lower, and there is a possibility of freezing when water accumulates in the water supply pipe 7, conventionally, the antifreezing heater 9 is always energized. Prevent water from freezing.

[0007]

However, according to the above-mentioned conventional method, the antifreezing heater 9 is used during the operation of the freezer / refrigerator.
Since it is always energized, there was a problem that it wasted power.

The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned conventional problems, and controls the energization of the antifreezing heater or abolishes the antifreezing heater to minimize power consumption. It is an object to provide a freezer-refrigerator capable of achieving the above.

[0009]

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the present invention has the following constitution. According to the invention of claim 1, an ice tray provided in a freezing compartment, an ice removing device for removing ice from the ice tray, a water supply tank provided in a refrigerating compartment, and a pump motor for pumping water from the water supply tank. A water supply pipe connected to the discharge side of the pump motor for pouring water into the ice tray, and a water supply pipe located near the water supply pipe and stored in the water supply pipe.
In refrigerator-freezer and a antifreeze heater to prevent freezing of the waiting water, and refrigerated room temperature sensor for detecting the temperature of the refrigerating compartment, enter the detected temperature signal of the refrigerating room temperature sensor, the detection temperature in the water supply pipe And a controller for stopping energization of the antifreezing heater when the temperature is higher than a predetermined temperature that does not need to consider freezing of the accumulated water .

According to the second aspect of the present invention, an ice tray provided in the freezer compartment, an ice removing device for removing ice from the ice tray, a water supply tank provided in the refrigerating compartment, and a pump for pumping water to the water supply tank. In a freezer-refrigerator having a motor, a water supply pipe connected to the discharge side of the pump motor for pouring water into the ice tray, and a freeze prevention heater located near the water supply pipe to prevent freezing of water, A water sensor that detects (detects) the presence or absence of water, and a water supply detection sensor that detects that water has been supplied to the ice tray,
And a controller for inputting the detection signal of each sensor and energizing the antifreezing heater when water is not supplied to the ice tray in a state where water is detected in the water supply tank. It is a freezer-refrigerator characterized by that.

[0011]

[0012]

[0013]

[0014]

Therefore, according to the first aspect of the present invention, the temperature in the refrigerating room is detected by the refrigerating room temperature sensor, and when the temperature in the refrigerating room is higher than a predetermined temperature which does not need to consider the freezing of the water supply pipe, for example, Since there is no possibility that the water supply pipe freezes, the freeze prevention heater can be turned off.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, when the water is in the water supply tank and the water is not supplied to the ice tray, the water supply pipe is frozen, so the antifreezing heater is turned on. To do. The ice in the water supply pipe can be melted only when the water in the water supply pipe freezes.

[0017]

[0018]

[0019]

[0020]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. The same parts as those in FIG. 9 are designated by the same reference numerals. The following embodiments are examples of the present invention and are not of the nature to limit the technical scope of the present invention.

First, FIG. 1 shows a refrigerator-freezer according to a first embodiment of the invention. As shown in FIG. 1, this freezer-refrigerator has an ice tray 3 in the freezer compartment 1 and an ice tray 3
An ice removing device 4 for removing ice and an ice making thermistor 8 located at the bottom of the ice making tray 3 for detecting the temperature are provided. Further, in the refrigerating compartment 2, a water supply tank 5, a pump motor 6 for pumping water from the water supply tank 5, a water supply pipe 7 connected to the discharge side of the pump motor 6 for pouring water into the ice tray 3, and a refrigerating machine. Cold room thermistor (corresponding to cold room temperature sensor) 14 for detecting indoor temperature and the water supply pipe 7
An antifreezing heater 9 that is located in the vicinity and prevents freezing of water is provided. The freezer-refrigerator is provided with a control device 20 that inputs a signal from the refrigerating room thermistor 14 and controls energization of the antifreezing heater 9.

FIG. 2 shows the control of the antifreezing heater 9 by the controller 20. As shown in FIG. 2, when the temperature of the refrigerating compartment thermistor 14 is below a certain temperature (corresponding to a predetermined temperature), the antifreezing heater 9 is turned on, and when the temperature of the refrigerating compartment thermistor 14 is higher than a certain constant temperature TR, it freezes. Prevent heater 9
FF. Here, the certain constant temperature TR is the lower limit of the temperature in the refrigerating compartment 2 which does not need to take into consideration the freezing in the water supply pipe 7 obtained by experiments or simulations.

By performing the above control, the antifreezing heater 9 can be turned off when it is not necessary to consider the freezing in the water supply pipe 7, and it is not necessary to turn on the antifreezing heater at all times. Power consumption can be reduced.

Next, FIG. 3 shows a refrigerator-freezer according to a second embodiment of the invention. As shown in FIG. 3, in this freezer-refrigerator, an ice tray 3 in the freezer compartment 1, an ice removing device 4 for removing ice from the ice tray 3, and a temperature control device located at the bottom of the ice tray 3 Is provided with an ice making thermistor (ice making sensor) 8, and a water supply tank 5, a pump motor 6 for pumping water from the water supply tank 5, and a discharge side of the pump motor 6 connected to the water supply tank 5. A water supply pipe 7 for pouring water into the ice tray 3, a water sensor 15 for detecting the presence or absence of water in the water supply tank 5, and an antifreezing heater 9 located near the water supply pipe 7 for preventing freezing of water are provided. To be In the freezer refrigerator, the ice making thermistor 8
And a control device 21 for controlling the energization of the antifreezing heater 9 by inputting the signal.

FIG. 4 shows the control of the antifreezing heater 9 by the controller 21. As shown in FIG. 4, the antifreezing heater 9
Is normally off. And with the water sensor 15,
If water is not supplied to the ice tray 3 even when the water supply operation is performed while it is detected that there is water in the water supply tank 5, it is determined that the water is frozen in the water supply pipe 5, and the freeze prevention heater 9 After a certain time Tc is energized for, for example, 30 minutes, the water supply operation is performed again.

There are various types of water sensors 15, that is, sensors for detecting whether or not there is water in the water supply tank 5. In the second embodiment, a weight sensor for detecting the weight of water is used.

There are various configurations for determining whether or not water has been supplied to the ice tray 3, but in the second embodiment,
It is determined by the temperature rise of the ice making thermistor 8 after the water supply operation. That is, if the temperature of the ice making thermistor 8 after water supply rises to the constant temperature T4, it is determined that water has been supplied.

Here, the constant temperature T4 is the temperature of the ice making thermistor 8 which rises when water is supplied to the ice tray 3, and the constant time tc is the ice frozen in the water supply pipe 7. The constant current T4 and the constant time tc can be the values obtained by experiments or simulations.

By performing the above control, the antifreezing heater 9 is turned off without considering freezing in the water supply pipe 7.
Therefore, the power consumption can be reduced.

[0030] illustrating the antifreezing structure of water supply pipe 7.
As shown in FIG. 5 to the water supply pipe 7 as an example of a shape of irregularities, or to form a water supply pipe 7 the inner peripheral surface 7a to bellows, the inner peripheral surface of the feed water pipe 7 as shown in FIG. 6 of the hydrophilic You can apply paint.

If the antifreezing structure shown in FIG. 5 or 6 is adopted, the water does not stay in the water supply pipe 7, so that the water does not freeze, and therefore the antifreezing heater 9 is used.
Power consumption can be reduced because it is not necessary.

Next , the refrigerator / freezer of the third embodiment is shown in FIG.
Shown in. As shown in FIG. 7, in this freezer-refrigerator, the freezer compartment 1 is provided with an ice tray 3 and an ice removing device 4 for removing ice from the ice tray 3, and also inside the refrigerator compartment 2. It is provided with a water supply tank 5, a pump motor 6 for pumping water from the water supply tank 5, and a water supply pipe 7 connected to the discharge side of the pump motor 6 for pouring water into the ice tray 3. The refrigerator-freezer is provided with a vibrating element 16 located near the water supply pipe 7 and attached to vibrate the water supply pipe 7, and a control device 22 for controlling the energization of the vibrating element 16.

FIG. 8 shows the control of the antifreezing heater 9 by the controller 22. As shown in FIG. 8, the vibrating element 16 operates after the water supply operation to vibrate the water supply pipe 7.

By performing the above control, water does not accumulate in the water supply pipe 7, and the antifreezing heater 9
Can be reduced and power consumption can be reduced.

[0036]

As described above, the present invention has the following effects. According to the first aspect of the present invention, by detecting the refrigerating room temperature with the refrigerating room temperature sensor, the antifreezing heater can be turned off when the refrigerating room temperature is equal to or higher than a certain temperature, and power consumption can be suppressed. Claim 2
In the invention of 1, the ice making thermistor and the water sensor are used to judge whether the water supply pipe is frozen, so that the antifreezing heater can be turned on only when the water supply pipe is frozen, and normally can be turned off, further reducing power consumption. I can .

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration explanatory diagram of a refrigerator-freezer according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a control explanatory view of the refrigerator-freezer of FIG.

FIG. 3 is a schematic configuration explanatory diagram of a refrigerator-freezer according to a second embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a control explanatory view of the refrigerator-freezer of FIG.

FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram of an example of a water supply pipe.

FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram of another example of the water supply pipe.

FIG. 7 is a schematic configuration explanatory diagram of a refrigerator-freezer according to a third embodiment.

8 is a control explanatory view of the refrigerator-freezer of FIG. 7. FIG.

FIG. 9 is a schematic configuration explanatory view of a conventional refrigerator-freezer.

10 is an explanatory diagram of control of the refrigerator-freezer in FIG.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 freezer 2 refrigerating room 3 ice tray 4 Ice removing device 5 water tank 6 pump motor 7 Water supply pipe 8 ice making thermistor 9 Antifreeze heater 14 Cold room thermistor 15 Water sensor 16 Vibration element 20, 21, 22 Control device

─────────────────────────────────────────────────── --Continued from the front page (56) References JP-A-5-306868 (JP, A) JP-A-5-280846 (JP, A) JP-A-5-149655 (JP, A) JP-A-4- 371771 (JP, A) JP-A-1-234771 (JP, A) JP-A-6-194017 (JP, A) (58) Fields investigated (Int.Cl. ⁷ , DB name) F25C 1 / 10,1 / 22,1 / 24

Claims (2)

(57) [Claims] 1. An ice tray provided in a freezer compartment, an ice removing device for removing ice from the ice tray, a water supply tank provided in a refrigerating compartment, a pump motor for pumping water from the water supply tank, and the pump. a water supply pipe pouring water into the ice tray is connected to the discharge side of the motor, the located near the water supply pipe
In a freezer-refrigerator having a freeze prevention heater for preventing freezing of water accumulated in a water supply pipe, a refrigerating room temperature sensor for detecting a temperature in a refrigerating room, and a detection temperature signal of the refrigerating room temperature sensor are inputted, and the detected temperature is wherein when the freezing of water collected in the water supply pipe above the better the predetermined temperature is not necessary to consider, refrigerator, characterized in that a control device for stopping the energization of the antifreeze heater. 2. An ice tray provided in a freezer compartment, an ice removing device for removing ice from the ice tray, a water supply tank provided in a refrigerating compartment, a pump motor for pumping water from the water supply tank, and the pump. In a refrigerator having a water supply pipe connected to the discharge side of a motor for pouring water into the ice tray and a freeze prevention heater located near the water supply pipe to prevent water from freezing, the presence or absence of water in the water supply tank is detected. A water sensor, a water supply detection sensor for detecting that water has been supplied to the ice tray, and a detection signal of each sensor is input, and ice is detected in a state where water is detected in the water supply tank. A freezer-refrigerator, comprising: a controller for energizing the antifreezing heater when water is not supplied to the plate.