JP3796148B2 - Water supply container for ice making part in refrigerator - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a water supply container for storing water that is removably stored in a refrigerator and supplied to an ice making part in the refrigerator.
[0002]
[Prior art]
In an automatic ice maker installed in a refrigerator, there is a water supply tank that stores water that is detachably stored in the refrigerator and supplies water to an ice making part. One form of this is described in FIGS. 17 and 18 of JP-A-11-094413. The water supply tank 52 includes a tank main body 53 having a rectangular upper surface opening, and a cover 54 that is detachably combined with the tank main body 53 so as to close the upper surface opening.
[0003]
In this case, as one form of engagement between the tank body 53 and the cover 54, an outward flange is formed on each corresponding short side of the tank body 53, and a claw formed at one end of the cover 54 on this one flange. There is a mechanism in which a lever formed at the other end of the cover 54 is detachably locked to the other flange. As a specific prior art in this case, FIGS. 12 and 13 show a configuration in which a claw 56 formed at one end of the cover 54 is engaged with one flange 55. In this state, in a state where the cover 54 is attached to the tank main body 53, the flange 55 fits between the vertical side of the claw 56 and the inner rib 58 as shown in FIG. Combined with no rattling. Reference numeral 59 denotes a packing attached to the cover 54.
[0004]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
In the above configuration, when the cover 54 is removed from the tank main body 53, the cover 54 is rotated above the tank main body 53 around the engaging portion 57 of the flange 55 and the claw 56 with the lever removed. This rotation continues until at least the rib 58 is detached from the tank body 53. Therefore, as the rib 58 is deeply inserted into the tank body 53 in order to strengthen the fitting between the cover 54 and the tank body 53, the rotation angle of the cover 54 with respect to the tank body 53 becomes larger. It becomes difficult to remove. Further, as the cover 54 rotates, the outer end 55A of the flange 55 enters the groove-like recess 60 between the claw 56 and the storage wall 63 of the packing 59. There is a problem that it is difficult to separate the main body 53 from the tank. The groove-like recess 60 is a portion formed by reducing the wall thickness in order to prevent a recess from being generated on the surface of the cover 54 due to sink marks when the cover 54 is injection-molded.
[0005]
In view of the above, the present invention is easy to attach and detach between the cover and the tank main body, has no backlash between the two, can achieve good watertightness retention, and a locked state occurs even when the cover is removed from the tank main body. There is no water supply container provided.
[0006]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
The present invention relates to a water supply container that is stored in a refrigerator so as to be detachable and collects water to be supplied to an ice making part in the refrigerator, wherein the water supply container covers a tank body having an elongated upper surface opening, and the upper surface opening. The tank body has a cover that is detachably combined with the tank body, the tank body has a flange on the periphery of the top opening, and each flange has an outward flange on a corresponding short side of the tank body. Is capable of engaging with and disengaging from a packing that abuts against the flange at the periphery of the upper surface opening, a claw portion that engages below one of the outward flanges, and a lower side of the other outward flange. When the lever for locking is provided and the lever side of the cover is lifted and opened from the tank body, the one outward flange is between the packing and the claw portion. A restriction to limit the fitted into the recess, a water supply container to the ice portion of the refrigerator, characterized in that formed in the recess.
[0007]
As described above, the engagement and holding between the tank main body and the cover is achieved by providing the engagement portion by the claw portion on one side of the corresponding short side of the tank main body and the engagement portion by the lever on the other side. It is easy to attach and detach with the main body, and the outer end of the flange can be prevented from being locked by being locked into a recess formed to prevent the cover from sinking, and the cover and the tank main body can be smoothly attached and detached. Can do.
[0008]
Further, the present invention is characterized in that, in the above, the limiting portion is formed by a rib inclined from the packing side toward the claw side.
[0009]
As a result, it is possible to prevent the outer end of the flange from being fitted and locked in the recess formed to prevent the sink of the cover in a state where the recess formed to prevent the sink of the cover is secured. It is possible to achieve prevention and smooth attachment / detachment operation between the cover and the tank body.
[0010]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Next, an embodiment of the present invention will be described. Each figure shows an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 1 is an explanatory view of the engagement and retention of the tank main body and cover of the water supply container of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is the tank main body of the water supply container of the present invention. 3 is a rear perspective view of one end side of the cover of the water supply container of the present invention, FIG. 4 is an enlarged view of an arrow Y portion of FIG. 3, FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of a PP portion of FIG. Is a rear perspective view of the other end side of the cover of the water supply container of the present invention, FIG. 7 is a front view of the refrigerator provided with the water supply container of the present invention, FIG. 8 is a front view of the refrigerator main body provided with the water supply container of the present invention, FIG. 9 is an explanatory view of the water supply state from the water supply container of the present invention to the ice making portion, FIG. 10 is an explanatory view of the water supply state of the water supply container of the present invention, and FIG. 11 is an explanatory view of the separation state of the tank body and the cover of the water supply container of the present invention. FIG.
[0011]
The water supply container to the ice-making part in the refrigerator which concerns on this invention is demonstrated based on a figure. Reference numeral 1 denotes a refrigerator, which has a configuration in which a plurality of storage chambers are formed by partitioning the inside of the main body 2 having a full opening, and the front surfaces of these storage chambers can be opened and closed by doors. The refrigerator body 2 has a heat insulating structure in which a foam heat insulating material is filled between an outer box (outer wall plate) and an inner box (inner wall plate). In the refrigerator main body 2, a refrigerator compartment 3, a vegetable compartment 4, an upper freezer compartment 5, an ice making compartment 7, and a lower freezer compartment 6 are partitioned from the top, and the refrigerator compartment 3 is provided at the bottom of the refrigerator compartment 3. 3 and a specific low temperature chamber 9 partitioned by a partition plate (partition wall) 8 is provided. The upper freezer compartment 5 can also be referred to as a switching chamber because it can be manually operated by the cold air amount adjusting device to be a refrigerator compartment.
[0012]
The front opening of the refrigerator compartment 3 is closed at one side of the refrigerator main body 1 by a pivotable door 10 that is pivoted laterally by a hinge device and opened and closed. The front opening of the vegetable compartment 4 is closed by a drawer-type door 11 that is drawn forward together with a vegetable container 15 supported so as to be able to be drawn in the front-rear direction by left and right rails or roller devices provided in the vegetable compartment 4. The upper freezer compartment 5 and the lower freezer compartment 6, like the vegetable compartment 4, are drawer-type doors that are drawn forward together with containers 16 and 17 that are supported so that they can be drawn in the front-rear direction with respect to the left and right rails provided in the freezer compartment. Blocked at 12 and 13.
[0013]
In the ice making chamber 7, an automatic ice making machine 18 is provided at the top, and an ice storage container 19 is disposed at the bottom. As with the vegetable compartment 4, the ice storage container 19 is supported so that it can be pulled out in the front-rear direction with respect to the left and right rails provided on the left and right walls in the ice making chamber 7, and the drawer that opens and closes the front opening of the ice making chamber 7. It is a mechanism that is pulled forward together with the ceremony door 14. 20 is a water supply container for storing ice making water to be supplied to the automatic ice making machine 18. The water supply container 20 is disposed in a small chamber formed beside the specific low temperature chamber 9 in the refrigerating chamber 3. It can be taken out freely. The ice making water is sucked up by the pump 21 from the water supply container 20 and supplied to the ice making tray 23 of the automatic ice making machine 18 through the water supply pipe 22.
[0014]
The refrigerator 1 condenses the refrigerant compressed by the compressor with a condenser, then depressurizes it through an expansion valve or a capillary tube, evaporates it with an evaporator (cooler), returns it to the compressor, and compresses it again with the compressor. It has a refrigeration system that repeats the same circulation. The air cooled by the evaporator (cooler) of this refrigeration system is circulated to the refrigerator compartment 3, the vegetable compartment 4, the upper freezer compartment 5, the lower freezer compartment 6, the ice making compartment 7, and the specific low temperature compartment 9 by a blower. Is cooled to a predetermined temperature. As one of the methods, two pairs of the evaporator (cooler) and the blower are provided, and one of them constitutes a refrigeration cold air supply device for cooling the refrigerator compartment 3, the vegetable compartment 4, and the specific low temperature compartment 9, One is to constitute a refrigeration cold air supply device that cools the upper freezer compartment 5, the lower freezer compartment 6, and the ice making compartment 7.
[0015]
The ice making operation of the automatic ice making machine 18 includes an ice making process and a deicing process. When the start switch is turned on, the ice making process is started, and a predetermined amount of water is automatically supplied from the water supply container 20 to the ice tray 23 by the pump 21, and then the ice tray sensor detects the ice formation after a certain period of time or ice formation. When the lowered temperature is detected, the deicing process is started, the motor device is started, the ice tray 23 is reversed and twisted, the ice is dropped into the ice storage container 19 below, the ice tray 23 is returned, and again An ice-making operation cycle is performed to supply water and enter the ice-making process. The ice storage state of the ice storage container 19 is detected by a detection lever that moves up and down to descend into the ice storage container 19 in association with the operation of starting the motor device and inverting the ice tray 23. When the ice storage container 19 is full, the descent of the detection lever is hindered by ice when the ice storage is full. Therefore, the ice storage container 19 is detected by a change in motor current at that time, or operates when the detection lever is lowered to a predetermined position. A switch is provided to determine whether the detection lever has been prevented from descending to a predetermined position due to ice during a certain period of time from the start of the deicing process, or whether the ice storage container 19 is full. It is detected by a method of measuring with a scale mechanism.
[0016]
The operation of the blower of the compressor and the refrigeration cool air supply device is ON / OFF controlled by temperature sensing of a freezer sensor that senses the temperature of the freezer compartment 6 directly or indirectly. Moreover, the temperature of the refrigerator compartment 3, the vegetable compartment 4, and the specific low temperature chamber 9 is maintained at a predetermined temperature by controlling the cold air circulated to the refrigerator compartment 3 by the blower of the refrigerator air supply device for the refrigerator by the cool air adjusting device. . By such control, the temperature of each room is about 3 to 5 ° C. in the refrigerator room 3, about 3 to 5 ° C. in the vegetable room 4, and about −18 ° C. to −20 ° C. in the upper freezer room 5 and the lower freezer room 6. It is. The specific low temperature chamber 9 is a chilled chamber of about 1 ° C. higher than 0 ° C., an ice greenhouse of about −1 ° C. to −2 ° C. lower than 0 ° C. and higher than the freezing temperature of food, It may be a partial freezing chamber at about −4 ° C. so that a thin ice layer is formed on the surface of the food. The ice making room 7 is at a low temperature like the freezing room 6 and is usually kept at about −18 ° C. to −20 ° C. by a cold air adjusting device.
[0017]
Next, the configuration of the water supply container 20 will be described. The water supply container 20 is removably accommodated in the refrigerator 1 and stores water supplied to the automatic ice making machine 18 that is an ice making part in the refrigerator 1. The water supply container 20 includes a tank body 30 having a rectangular upper surface opening 31 and a cover 33 that covers the upper surface opening 31, and the cover 33 is formed by a packing 32 that abuts against a flange 34 formed on the periphery of the upper surface opening 31. It is detachably combined with the tank body 30 so as to maintain a watertight state. The tank body 30 has outward flanges 35 on the corresponding short sides, and the cover 33 has a first claw portion 36 that is engaged with the lower side of one outward flange 35, and the other outward flange 35. A lever 37 rotatably supported on the shaft 46 so as to be detachably locked to the lower side of the lower side of the lever 37, and is located on the inner side of the lever 37 and hangs down from the cover 33 and contacts the outer end of the other outward flange 35. A second claw portion 38 is provided in contact therewith.
[0018]
The tank body 30 and the cover 33 will be described in more detail. The tank body 30 forms a container elongated in the front-rear direction of height H having a rectangular upper surface opening 31, and the flange 35 is formed as a part of the flange 34. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the flange 35 is formed by a hollow portion 35 </ b> A in which the first claw portion 36 and the second claw portion 38 are loosely fitted, and the interval B between the outer ends of the flanges 35, 35. Is set to an interval B between the vertical sides 36A of the first claw portion 36 and the vertical sides of the second claw portion 38. Further, the interval B between the flanges 35 and 35 is slightly larger than the interval A between the tip of the lateral side 36B of the first claw portion 36 and the inner surface of the second claw portion 38. Thus, as shown in FIG. 1, the flanges 35, 35 formed on the front and rear sides of the tank main body 30 in the state where the cover 33 is fitted to the tank main body 30 are connected to the vertical side 36 </ b> A of the first claw portion 36 and the second side 36 </ b> A. The cover 33 and the tank main body 30 are fitted to each other while being in contact with the claw portion 38, and the cover 33 and the tank body 30 are held in a state free from backlash. In addition, the lateral side 36B of the first claw portion 36 is in contact with the lower surface of one flange 35, the locking piece 47 of the lever 37 is in contact with the lower surface of the other flange 35, and the packing 32 is slightly compressed. Thus, the cover 33 and the tank body 30 are coupled.
[0019]
The cover 33 is recessed downward in the front portion thereof to form a water injection port 39, and the water injection port lid 40 can be opened and closed around the shaft 41 so as to open and close the water injection port 39. Reference numeral 42 denotes a connecting pipe connected to the suction port of the pump 21, and guides the water sucked up by the water suction pipe 43 drooping deeply from the cover 33 to the tank body 30 to the pump 21. A filter case 44 guides the water injected from the water injection port 39 to the tank body 30 through the activated carbon filter 45 attached to the bottom, and is detachably attached to the cover 33.
[0020]
The assembly of the tank body 30 and the cover 33 will be described. The packing 32 is housed by press-fitting into a packing groove 49 formed in an annular shape along the periphery of the back surface of the cover 33. The packing groove 49 is formed between the parallel walls 50 on both sides thereof. As shown in FIG. 11, the first claw portion 36 side of the cover 33 is placed on the upper surface opening 31 of the tank body 30, and the packing 36 is in a state where the lateral side 36 </ b> B of the first claw portion 36 is engaged with one flange 35. While pressing 32, the lever 37 side of the cover 33 is pushed downward to fit the second claw 38 into the outside of the flange 35. In this state, the lever 37 is tilted downward and the locking piece 47 of the lever 37 is moved to the flange 35. Lock to the bottom. This state is shown in FIG. 1, in which the packing 32 is compressed, and the engagement between the locking piece 47 of the lever 37 and the flange 35 is maintained by the elastic force of the packing 32, and the tank body 30 and the cover 33 are Combined in a watertight state. In this state, the water inlet cover 40 can be opened to inject water from the water inlet 39 into the tank body 30.
[0021]
As described above, the fitting state in which the flanges 35 formed on the front and rear sides of the tank main body 30 are in contact with the vertical side 36A of the first claw portion 36 and the second claw portion 38 is as follows. 30 is a state without backlash in the front-rear direction. When removing the cover 33, the lever 37 is released from the engagement with the flange 35, and the lever 37 side of the cover 33 is lifted to a height at which the second claw 38 is removed from the flange 35, as shown in FIG. This can be achieved by removing the claw portion 36 from the flange 35.
[0022]
Between the outer wall 50 of the packing groove 49 and the first claw portion 36, in order to prevent the surface of the cover 33 from being depressed due to sink marks when the cover 33 is injection-molded, the wall is larger than the height of the outer wall 50. A groove-like depression 51 is formed as a result of reducing the thickness. In the present invention, when the tank body 30 and the cover 33 are assembled and removed, the flange 35 and the cover 33 are not locked by fitting the flange 35 into the recess 51. That is, on the first claw portion 36 side of the cover 33, as shown in FIGS. 3 to 5, a limiting portion 48 is formed between the packing 32 and the claw portion 36. Thus, as shown in FIG. 11, when the lever 37 side of the cover 33 is opened from the tank body 30 with the engaging portion between the outer end of the outward flange 35 and the claw portion 36 as an axis, the outer end of the outward flange 35 is Is in contact with the restricting portion 48, and there is no lock due to the outer end of the outward flange 35 fitting into the recess 51 between the packing 32 and the claw portion 36. When the lever 37 is removed and the lever 37 side of the cover 33 is opened from the tank body 30, the outer end of the outward flange 35 falls into the groove-like recess 51 between the packing 32 and the claw portion 36 due to the restriction portion 48. And the locked state of the outward flange 35 caused by this fitting is avoided.
[0023]
As one form of this restricting part 48, it forms with the rib inclined toward the 1st nail | claw part 36 side from the packing 32 side. The inclined surface 52 may have a shape in which the entire upper surface of the rib is inclined toward the first claw portion 36 side. As one form of the rib, FIG. 4 and FIG. Is a rib 52A that is highly inclined toward the packing 32 side toward the height H2 of the outer wall 50 of the packing groove 49, and the first claw portion 36 side has a horizontal rib 52B having a height H1. When the lever 37 is removed and the lever 37 side of the cover 33 is opened from the tank body 30, it is prevented that the outer end of the outward flange 35 hits the rib 48 and falls into the groove-like recess 51 between the packing 32 and the claw portion 36. The locked state due to this drop is avoided. Further, when the lever 37 side of the cover 33 is opened from the tank main body 30, the outer end of the outward flange 35 is smoothly rotated by the inclined rib 52A. As a kind of the inclination, the upper surface of the rib 48 may have a curved surface shape that can be rotated by fitting the outer end of the outward flange 35.
[0024]
With such a configuration, it is possible to provide a water supply container that is free of backlash between the cover and the tank body and can achieve good watertightness. Moreover, it is possible to prevent the outer end of the flange from being locked by being fitted into a recess formed for preventing the cover from sinking, and the cover and the tank main body can be smoothly attached and detached. Further, by forming the limiting portion 48 in a rib shape, it is possible to prevent the outer end of the flange from being fitted and locked in the state where a recess formed to prevent the cover sink is secured, and the cover sink is prevented. It is possible to achieve prevention and smooth attachment / detachment operation between the cover and the tank body.
[0025]
The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and various modifications can be considered without departing from the technical scope of the present invention, and the various embodiments related thereto are included.
[0026]
【The invention's effect】
According to the first aspect of the present invention, the tank body and the cover are engaged and held in a configuration in which the locking portion by the claw portion is provided on one side of the corresponding short side of the tank body and the locking portion by the lever is provided on the other side. The cover and the tank body can be easily attached and detached, and the outer end of the flange can be prevented from being locked by being fitted into a recess formed to prevent the cover from sinking. It can be done smoothly.
[0027]
According to the invention of claim 2, it is possible to prevent the outer end of the flange from being fitted and locked in the state where the recess formed for preventing the sink of the cover is secured, preventing the sink of the cover, It is possible to achieve the smooth attachment / detachment operation with the tank body.
[Brief description of the drawings]
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is an explanatory view of a vertical section of engagement and retention between a tank body and a cover of a water supply container of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a tank body of a water supply container according to the present invention.
FIG. 3 is a rear perspective view of one end side of the cover of the water supply container of the present invention.
4 is an enlarged view of a portion indicated by an arrow Y in FIG.
FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken along a line PP in FIG. 4;
FIG. 6 is a rear perspective view of the other end side of the cover of the water supply container of the present invention.
FIG. 7 is a front view of a refrigerator provided with a water supply container of the present invention.
FIG. 8 is a front view of a refrigerator body provided with the water supply container of the present invention.
FIG. 9 is an explanatory view of the water supply state from the water supply container of the present invention to the ice making part.
FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram of a state of water supply to the water supply container of the present invention.
FIG. 11 is an explanatory diagram of a state where the tank body and the cover of the water supply container of the present invention are separated.
FIG. 12 is a perspective view of an engaging portion of a cover of a conventional water supply container.
FIG. 13 is a longitudinal sectional view of an engaging portion of a conventional water supply container.
[Explanation of symbols]
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Refrigerator 2 ... Refrigerator main body 3 ... Refrigeration room 7 ... Ice making room 18 ... Automatic ice maker 20 ... Water supply container 21 ... Pump 30 ... Tank main body 31 ... Upper surface opening 32 ... Packing 33 ... Covers 34, 35 ... Flange 36 ... 1st claw part 37 ... Lever 38 ... 2nd claw part 47 ... Locking piece 48 ... Limiting part 49 ... Packing groove 50 ... Wall 51 ... Groove-shaped depression

Claims (2)

In a water supply container that is stored in a refrigerator so as to be freely taken out and collects water to be supplied to an ice making part in the refrigerator, the water supply container includes a tank body having an elongated upper surface opening, and covers the upper surface opening to the tank body. The tank body has a flange formed on the periphery of the upper surface opening, each flange having an outward flange on a corresponding short side of the tank body, and the cover includes the upper surface A packing that abuts against the flange on the periphery of the opening, a claw portion that is engaged with the lower side of one of the outward flanges, and a lever that is detachably engaged with the lower side of the other outward flange. When the lever side of the cover is lifted and opened from the tank main body, the one outward flange fits into the recess between the packing and the claw portion. A restriction that limits the writing of the water supply container to the ice portion of the refrigerator, characterized in that formed in the recess.   2. The water supply container for an ice making part in a refrigerator according to claim 1, wherein the restricting portion is formed by a rib inclined from the packing side toward the claw side.

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