JP4679766B2 - Ice maker - Google Patents

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JP4679766B2
JP4679766B2 JP2001246669A JP2001246669A JP4679766B2 JP 4679766 B2 JP4679766 B2 JP 4679766B2 JP 2001246669 A JP2001246669 A JP 2001246669A JP 2001246669 A JP2001246669 A JP 2001246669A JP 4679766 B2 JP4679766 B2 JP 4679766B2
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JP2003056956A (en
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美穂 代
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Suntory Holdings Ltd
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    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F25—REFRIGERATION OR COOLING; COMBINED HEATING AND REFRIGERATION SYSTEMS; HEAT PUMP SYSTEMS; MANUFACTURE OR STORAGE OF ICE; LIQUEFACTION SOLIDIFICATION OF GASES
    • F25C—PRODUCING, WORKING OR HANDLING ICE
    • F25C1/00—Producing ice
    • F25C1/18—Producing ice of a particular transparency or translucency, e.g. by injecting air

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  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • Thermal Sciences (AREA)
  • General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Devices That Are Associated With Refrigeration Equipment (AREA)

Description

【０００１】
【産業上の利用分野】
本発明は冷蔵庫に入れて氷を作る製氷器に関し、更に詳細には、家庭用の冷蔵庫の冷凍室或いは製氷室内に設置してほぼ球形で透明な氷を作ることが可能な製氷器に関する。
【従来技術】
【０００２】
家庭用冷蔵庫に入れて氷を作る製氷器において、透明な氷を作るための製氷器或いは製氷装置は、例えば、（１）特開昭６４−６６６４号公報、（２）特開昭６４−２３０７７号公報、或いは（３）特開昭６４−７５８７０号公報において既に知られている。上記（１）に示されるものは、製氷皿内に、その中を上下に仕切る中仕切板を配置すると共に、製氷皿を載せる棚にヒーター等の加熱手段を設けて製氷皿中の水を上部から冷やすと同時に製氷皿の底から加熱手段により加熱することにより、製氷皿内の水が上部から凍結が進行する過程で、中仕切板の上側の水中のガスや不純物を中仕切板に形成された穴を通してまだ凍っていない中仕切板の下側の水内に移行させ、それによって中仕切板の上側の水を比較的透明な氷にするものである。また、上記（２）に記載のものは、製氷皿に上部分、その上部分より容積の小さい下部分とを形成し、製氷皿内の水の上面から凍結を進行させて水中のガスや不純物を下部分内の水中に移行させ、製氷完了後に製氷皿の上部分で作られた氷と下部分で作られた氷を手作業により分離するものである。更に、上記（３）に示されるものは、製氷皿を、上部製氷皿と下部製氷皿とに分けて上部製氷皿の底に小穴を形成し、製氷室の製氷皿受台には下部製氷皿をほぼ囲む断熱材を設け、水の凍結時に上部製氷皿内の水が先に凍結しその後上部製氷皿と下部製氷皿とによって画成された水溜め部内の水が凍結するようにさせて上部製氷皿内の氷を透明に凍らせるようにしている。
【０００３】
一方、家庭用冷蔵庫内に入れて球形の氷を製造する製氷器の従来のものとしては、（４）特開平９−１５９３３４号公報に示されるものがある。この製氷器は、ほぼ球状のチャンバを画成する容器部を、上容器部と下容器部とに分け、その下容器部には下容器部を冷凍室の載置面より浮かせるための載置台部を一体的に形成し、それらを係止・解除機構により互いに離脱可能に組合せ、それによって容器部内に入れられた水を凍結させて氷を作るものである。
【０００４】
【発明が解決しようとする課題】
しかしながら、上記（１）に示された装置では製氷皿の載置棚に加熱手段を設けなければならず、そのような手段の設けられていない冷凍室などで透明な氷を作ることはでず、また球形の氷も製造できない。また、上記（２）に記載された製氷器では出来た氷を手作業により分離しなければならない欠点があるだけでなく、球形の氷を作ることもできない。更に、上記（３）に記載の製氷皿では透明の氷を作ることはできるが、球形の氷を作ることはできない。また、上記（４）の製氷器では球形の氷を作ることは可能であるが、球形の氷全体を透明にすることは不可能で、その製氷器の構造上、下容器部分の底部分近くで最後に凍結する氷のなかには不透明部分が残ってしまう。
【０００５】
そこで本発明者は、特別の装置を備えていない家庭用の普通の冷蔵庫でも簡単に球状でしかも透明な氷をつくることが可能か否か鋭意研究を重ね、本発明を完成するに至った。
したがって、本発明の目的は、簡単な操作により球形で透明な氷を製造できる製氷器を提供することである。
本発明は、回りにリング状の突起を有さない真球状のきれいな氷を製造できる製氷器を提供することである。
【０００６】
【課題を解決するための手段】
本発明による製氷器は、球形の主チャンバを画成する主容器であって下容器部分及び前記下容器部分に取り外し可能に装着される上容器部分を有する主容器と、前記下容器部分が取り外し可能に装着されるようになっていて、前記下容器部分と所望の容積の補助チャンバを画成する補助容器と、前記補助容器を収容する断熱部と、を備え、前記下容器部分の底部には前記主チャンバと前記補助チャンバとを連通する通孔が形成され、前記上容器部分の頂部には小孔が形成され、前記下容器部分には前記上容器部分の外周でその頂部まで伸びる壁が形成されて構成されている。
【０００７】
前記製氷器において、前記下容器部分と上容器部分との装着固さが前記下容器部分と前記補助容器との装着固さより大きくなっていて、水の凍結時の体積膨張を前記補助容器に対する前記下容器部分の移動により吸収するようにしてもよい。また、前記主容器上容器部分及び前記下容器部分、補助容器部分並びに断熱部の材料が合成樹脂であってもよく、その場合、前記主容器の少なくとも前記上容器部分の材料の熱伝導率を、補助容器部分及び断熱部の材料の熱伝導率より高くしてもよい。
更に、前記製氷器において、下容器部分には前記主チャンバの下半球状の部分を画成する下半球壁と、前記補助容器の上端面が当接する当接面とを設け、前記当接面を前記下半球壁の上端縁より上に変位させてもよい。
【０００８】
【実施例】
以下、図面を参照して本発明の製氷器の一実施形態について説明する。
図１ないし図７に本実施形態による製氷器１が示されている。製氷器１は目的とする球形の氷を作るための球形の主チャンバＣ1を画成する主容器２と、主容器２に装着される補助容器４と、補助容器を収容する断熱部６とを備えている。主容器２は下容器部分２０と、上容器部分３０とを有している。下容器部分２０は球状の主チャンバＣ1の下側球面を形成するための半球面状の下半球壁２１と、下半球壁２１の半径ｒ1より大きな半径ｒ2を有し軸心Ｙ−Ｙが下半球壁の球心Ｏを通る環状の壁２２と、下半球壁２１と壁２２とを連結する連結部分２３とを有している。連結部分２３は、下半球壁２１の上端外周部から上に向かって開くように（軸心Ｙ−Ｙの回りの半径が徐々に大きくなるように）円錐形に伸びる内側部分２４と、その内側部分２４の上端から半径方向（軸線Ｙ−Ｙを中心として）に伸びる外側部分２５とを有している。したがって、外側部分２５の下面すなわち補助容器４の上端面との当接面２５１は下半球壁２１の上端縁２１１（図２）から上方向にδだけ変位している。内側部分２４によって画成される円錐状面（円錐面の一部）の下部には前記上端縁２１１からわずかに隔てて環状の凸部２４１（図４で拡大図示）が形成されている。下半球壁の底部には複数個の（この実施形態では７個）の通孔２６が形成されている。壁２２の上端には半径方向外側に全周に亘って突出する凸部２７が形成されている。壁２２の外周面２２１は、好ましくは、連結部分２３側よりも凸部２７側の方が半径が大きくなるようにテーパー状に形成されている。前記壁及び部分を有する下容器部分は、合成樹脂材料、例えば、ポリエチレン或いはポリプロピレンで一体的に形成されている。内側部分２４の外周には軸線Ｙ−Ｙを軸心とした環状の補助容器との嵌合面２４２が形成されている。
【０００９】
上容器部分３０は、球状の主チャンバＣ1の上側球面を形成するための、半径ｒ1の半球面状の上半球壁３１と、上半球壁３１の上端外周に形成されたリング部分３２と、リング部分３２の外側でかつ上半球壁３１の外周に形成された複数の（この実施形態では３個）のリブ３３とを有している。リブ３３は軸心Ｙ−Ｙの回りで円周方向に等間隔に設けられていて、上端縁３３１はリング部分３２の上縁と同じ高さになっている。上容器部分３０の上半球壁３１、リング部分３２及びリブ３３は、下容器部分２０と同じ合成樹脂材料、例えばポリエチレン或いはポリプロピレンで一体的に作られ得る。或いは、下容器部分とは異なる材料でしかも熱伝導率が下容器部分を形成する材料より高い材料で作られてもよい。これらのリブは上容器部分３０を手で持つときの把持部としての機能を有している。上半球壁３１の下端縁３１１の外周には小さな環状の突起３４（図７で拡大図示）が一体的に形成されている。この突起３４は前述の環状の凸部２４１と係合して上容器部分を下容器部分に係止保持できるようになっている。上半球壁の頂部には小孔３５が形成されている。
【００１０】
補助容器４は、上開口部が下容器部分の嵌合面２４２に嵌合される本体部４１と、本体部４１の上端外周から半径方向（軸線Ｙ−Ｙを中心として）に伸びるフランジ部分４２と、そのフランジ部分から軸線Ｙ−Ｙに沿って上方に伸びる環状部４３とを有していて、それらは合成樹脂材料、例えばポリエチレン或いはポリプロピレンで一体的に形成されている。環状部４３の内周面４３１は、下容器部分２０の壁２２の外周面２２１と同じようにテーパー状に傾斜されている。環状部４３の外周面は、上端の径がフランジ部分４２側の径より小さくなるようにテーパー状に形成されていて、補助容器に下容器部分が嵌合されたとき、下容器部分２０の凸部２７の外周が環状部の外側にわずかであるが突出するようにしてある。これは下容器部分を補助容器部分から取り外すときに凸部２７を押さえて相対的に回転ないし引き抜き易くするためである。下容器部分２０が補助容器４内に装着されたとき、下容器部分２０の連結部２３に形成された下面すなわち当接面２５１がフランジ部分４２の上面すなわち補助容器の上端面に当接する。本実施形態では、本体部４１の高さｈ1は主チャンバＣ1の半径ｒ1の３倍に、当接面２５１の下半球壁の上端縁２１１からの変位δを加えたものであり、補助チャンバＣ2の容積は、本体部４１の高さｈ1を考慮した所望の容積である。しかし、断熱部の構造、素材ないし断熱方法により本体部４１の高さｈ1及び補助チャンバＣ2の容積は、本実施形態に限られるものではなく変わり得る。フランジ部分４２の下面には環状の凸部４４がフランジ部分４２と一体的に形成されている。補助容器４に対する下容器部分の嵌合の固さは、下容器部分に対する上容器部分の嵌合の固さ（下容器部分の環状の凸部２４１と上容器部分の環状の突起３４との係合による）よりも、後述する理由により弱くなっている。
【００１１】
断熱部６はコップ状の容器であって、上開口端６１内に補助容器４のフランジ部分の下面に形成された凸部４４が嵌合するようになっている。この断熱部も合成樹脂材料で作られ、好ましくは、透明で主容器２の材料よりも熱伝導率の低い材料でつくられている。断熱部６と補助容器４との間には断熱空間Ｓが形成され、断熱部６の外部から補助容器への熱の伝達に抵抗を与えるようにしている。すなわち、断熱部６を設けることにより、主チャンバの上部から水が凍り始め、水の凍結が主チャンバの上部から下部へ、更には補助チャンバへ向かうとの凍結の方向性を定めることができる。なお、断熱部６の内周面６１にシートを張り付け或いは取り外し可能に装着することによって、断熱部の空気層を２層にし、断熱効率を上げることができ、更にそのシートに本製氷器の使用方法の説明を記載してもよい。断熱部６の底６２の周辺は６３において全周に亘って下側に突出され、断熱部の底全体が冷蔵庫の棚板に密着しないようにしている。これにより底部からの冷却に対する断熱効果を向上させてある。
なお、ここでは断熱部をコップ状の容器とした例を挙げたが、容器ではなく発泡スチロール、アルミシート、ガラス繊維、フエルト、コルク、発泡プラスチック等の断熱性のある素材で補助容器を被ってもよい。
【００１２】
次に、上記製氷器により球形の氷を製造する場合について説明する。
まず、図１の状態から、主容器の上容器部分３０及び下容器部分２０を外し、補助容器４に断熱部６を嵌合させた状態で、上部から水を注入し、補助容器４の環状部４３の約８分目まで水を満たす。次に、主容器の下容器部分２０の環状突起２４１と上容器部分３０の環状凸部３４とを係合させ両者を組み合わせたものを、上記中に水が満たされ外に断熱部６が嵌合された補助容器４の上部から挿入していくと、補助容器内の水は下容器部分２０の底部に設けられた通孔２６から、上半球部分３１及び下半球部分２１によって画成される主チャンバＣ1内に入る。主容器を更に補助容器内に挿入して下容器部分２０と補助容器４とが嵌合された状態になると、主チャンバＣ１内は水で満たされ、余分な水は上容器部分３０の頂部に設けられた小孔３５を通じて上容器部分の外部にあふれ出る。これにより、主容器の上容器部分及び下容器部分、補助容器、断熱部がそれぞれ嵌合した状態で、補助チャンバＣ2及び主チャンバＣ1が水で満たされた状態になる。なお、小孔３５からあふれた水が、上容器部分３０の上半球壁３１と下容器部分２０の壁２２との間の隙間いっぱいに溜まった場合には、指で小孔を押さえて主チャンバ内の水がこぼれないようにして、製氷器全体を傾けてその隙間に溜まった水をこぼすようにしてもよい。
【００１３】
次に、上記のようにして主チャンバ及び補助チャンバ内に水を満たした製氷器を冷蔵庫の冷凍室又は製氷室内に入れる。冷凍室で冷気が製氷器に吹き付けられると、主チャンバＣ1内の水及び上半球壁３１と壁２２との間の水が上から徐々に凍り始め、主チャンバの最下部に向かって凍結が進む。このとき、主容器の上、下容器部分は、上容器部分の環状凸部３４と下容器部分の環状突起２４１でしっかりと係合していることにより、主チャンバ内の水の凍結に伴う体積膨張により発生する圧力で上、下容器部分が離れることがないため、主チャンバで形成される球状の氷にリング状の突起が形成されることがなく、また上、下容器部分の離れ部から主チャンバ内に空気が入ることを防ぐことができる。そして、水中のガス及び不純物は主チャンバ内で上部から下部に移動し、その後、通孔２６を通して補助チャンバ内の凍っていない水内に移動する。したがって、主チャンバＣ1内で水が完全に凍ったとき氷の中には不純物及び空気が存在せず、氷がほぼ透明になる。主チャンバ内及び補助チャンバ内の水が凍ることによる体積膨張は、主容器の上、下容器部分の係合の固さより補助容器と下容器部分との係合の固さが小さくなっているので、補助容器４に関して主容器全体が押し上げられることによって、吸収され、したがって、主容器の上、下容器部分が離れてそれらの間に水が漏れて凍ることは防止できる。
【００１４】
製氷器内の水、特に主チャンバ内の水の凍結が完了した後、製氷器を冷蔵庫から取り出し、主容器２を補助容器から取り外す。更に、主容器の下容器部分の壁２２を手で押したり、上容器部分のリブ３３を把持する等することにより下容器部分と上容器部分とを分離し、球状の氷を取り出すことができる。なお、上下容器部分が分離しにくいときは、上下容器部分に水をかける等すれば良い。
【００１５】
上記構成の製氷器を使用して実際に球形の氷を製造した例に付いて説明する。
製氷器の補助容器の高さを、補助容器の底面から主容器の下容器部分最下部までで５．５ｃｍとし、主容器の下容器部分を係合しない状態における補助容器のフランジ部４２（図１）までの水の容積を１９０ｍＬとしたところ、本製氷器を家庭用冷蔵庫（ＨＩＴＡＣＨＩ ３１５型）の冷凍室に設置した場合は約１０時間で、また他の冷蔵庫（ＨＯＳＨＩＺＡＫＩ ＨＲＦ−９６ＭＴ、ＴＯＳＨＩＢＡ４００リットル、東芝ＧＲ２２Ｔ２１６リットル）においても約１０時間で直径約５．５ｃｍの透明な球状氷をつくることができた。
【００１６】
【発明の効果】
本発明によれば次のような効果を奏することができる。
（イ）簡単な操作により球形で透明な氷を製造できる。
（ロ）普通の冷蔵庫を使用して球形で透明な氷を製造できる。
（ハ）回りにリング状の突起を有しないほぼ真球のきれいな氷を製造できる。
【図面の簡単な説明】
【図１】本発明による製氷器の一実施形態の断面図である。
【図２】図１に示される製氷器の下容器部分の断面図である。
【図３】図２に示される下容器部分の上平面図である。
【図４】図２の矢印Ａで示される部分の拡大断面図である。
【図５】図１に示される製氷器の上容器部分の断面図である。
【図６】図５に示される上容器部分の上平面図である。
【図７】図５の矢印Ｂで示される部分の拡大断面図である。
【符号の説明】
１ 製氷器
２ 主容器
２０ 下容器部分 ２１ 下半球壁
２２ 壁 ２６ 通孔
３０ 上半球壁 ３１ 上半球壁
３５ 小孔
４ 補助容器
６ 断熱部[0001]
[Industrial application fields]
The present invention relates to an ice maker that makes ice by placing it in a refrigerator, and more particularly, to an ice maker that can be installed in a freezer compartment or an ice making compartment of a domestic refrigerator and can produce substantially spherical and transparent ice.
[Prior art]
[0002]
In an ice making machine for making ice by putting it in a household refrigerator, for example, an ice making device or an ice making device for making transparent ice is, for example, (1) JP-A 64-66664, (2) JP-A 64-23077. Or (3) Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 64-75870. What is shown in (1) above is that an inside partition plate that divides the inside of the ice tray is arranged in the ice tray, and heating means such as a heater is provided on the shelf on which the ice tray is placed, so that the water in the ice tray is As the water in the ice tray is frozen from the top by heating from the bottom of the ice tray at the same time as it is cooled, the gas and impurities in the water above the partition plate are formed on the partition plate. The water is transferred to the lower side of the partition plate which has not been frozen yet through the hole, thereby making the water on the upper side of the partition plate relatively transparent ice. In addition, the above-mentioned (2) includes an upper part formed on the ice tray and a lower part having a smaller volume than the upper part, and freezing proceeds from the upper surface of the water in the ice tray so that the gas and impurities in the water Is transferred to the water in the lower part, and the ice made in the upper part of the ice tray and the ice made in the lower part are manually separated after the ice making is completed. Further, in the above (3), the ice tray is divided into an upper ice tray and a lower ice tray, and a small hole is formed in the bottom of the upper ice tray. The water in the upper ice tray is frozen first when the water freezes, and then the water in the water reservoir defined by the upper ice tray and the lower ice tray is frozen. The ice in the ice tray is frozen transparently.
[0003]
On the other hand, as a conventional ice maker for producing spherical ice by putting it in a household refrigerator, there is (4) Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 9-159334. This ice making machine divides a container part defining a substantially spherical chamber into an upper container part and a lower container part, and the lower container part has a placing table for floating the lower container part from the placing surface of the freezer compartment. The parts are integrally formed, and they are detachably combined with each other by a locking / releasing mechanism, thereby freezing water contained in the container part to produce ice.
[0004]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
However, in the apparatus shown in the above (1), heating means must be provided on the shelf of the ice tray, and transparent ice cannot be made in a freezer room or the like without such means. In addition, spherical ice cannot be produced. In addition, the ice maker described in the above (2) has not only a drawback that the produced ice must be manually separated, but also cannot produce spherical ice. Furthermore, the ice tray described in (3) above can produce transparent ice, but cannot produce spherical ice. In addition, although it is possible to make spherical ice with the ice maker of (4) above, it is impossible to make the entire spherical ice transparent, and because of the structure of the ice maker, near the bottom part of the lower container part. In the last frozen ice, an opaque part remains.
[0005]
Therefore, the present inventor has conducted earnest research on whether or not it is possible to easily produce spherical and transparent ice even in a normal refrigerator for home use that does not have a special device, and has completed the present invention.
Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide an ice making device capable of producing spherical and transparent ice by a simple operation.
An object of the present invention is to provide an ice maker that can produce true spherical clean ice without ring-shaped protrusions around it.
[0006]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
An ice making machine according to the present invention includes a main container that defines a spherical main chamber, and includes a lower container part and an upper container part that is detachably mounted on the lower container part, and the lower container part is removed. An auxiliary container that defines an auxiliary chamber having a desired volume with the lower container part, and a heat insulating part that accommodates the auxiliary container, and is provided at the bottom of the lower container part. Has a through-hole communicating with the main chamber and the auxiliary chamber, a small hole is formed at the top of the upper container part, and a wall extending to the top of the lower container part on the outer periphery of the upper container part Is formed.
[0007]
In the ice maker, the mounting hardness of the lower container part and the upper container part is larger than the mounting hardness of the lower container part and the auxiliary container, and the volume expansion during freezing of water with respect to the auxiliary container You may make it absorb by the movement of a lower container part. In addition, the material of the main container upper container part and the lower container part, the auxiliary container part and the heat insulating part may be a synthetic resin, in which case the thermal conductivity of the material of at least the upper container part of the main container The thermal conductivity of the material of the auxiliary container part and the heat insulating part may be higher.
Further, in the ice maker, the lower container part is provided with a lower hemispherical wall defining a lower hemispherical part of the main chamber, and an abutting surface with which the upper end surface of the auxiliary container abuts, and the abutting surface May be displaced above the upper edge of the lower hemisphere wall.
[0008]
【Example】
Hereinafter, an embodiment of an ice making device of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
1 to 7 show an ice maker 1 according to the present embodiment. The ice making machine 1 includes a main container 2 that defines a spherical main chamber C 1 for producing a target spherical ice, an auxiliary container 4 that is mounted on the main container 2, and a heat insulating portion 6 that houses the auxiliary container. It has. The main container 2 has a lower container part 20 and an upper container part 30. The lower container portion 20 has a hemispherical lower hemispherical wall 21 for forming the lower spherical surface of the spherical main chamber C 1 , and a radius r 2 larger than the radius r 1 of the lower hemispherical wall 21. Y has an annular wall 22 that passes through the spherical center O of the lower hemisphere wall, and a connecting portion 23 that connects the lower hemisphere wall 21 and the wall 22. The connecting portion 23 has an inner portion 24 extending conically so as to open upward from the outer peripheral portion of the upper end of the lower hemispherical wall 21 (so that the radius around the axis YY gradually increases), and an inner portion thereof. And an outer portion 25 extending in the radial direction (centered on the axis Y-Y) from the upper end of the portion 24. Therefore, the lower surface of the outer portion 25, that is, the contact surface 251 with the upper end surface of the auxiliary container 4 is displaced upward from the upper end edge 211 (FIG. 2) of the lower hemispherical wall 21 by δ. An annular convex portion 241 (enlarged in FIG. 4) is formed at a lower portion of the conical surface (a part of the conical surface) defined by the inner portion 24, slightly spaced from the upper edge 211. A plurality (seven in this embodiment) of through holes 26 are formed at the bottom of the lower hemisphere wall. At the upper end of the wall 22, a convex portion 27 is formed protruding outward in the radial direction over the entire circumference. The outer peripheral surface 221 of the wall 22 is preferably tapered so that the radius on the convex portion 27 side is larger than that on the connecting portion 23 side. The lower container portion having the wall and the portion is integrally formed of a synthetic resin material such as polyethylene or polypropylene. On the outer periphery of the inner portion 24, a fitting surface 242 with an annular auxiliary container having an axis YY as an axis is formed.
[0009]
The upper container part 30 includes a hemispherical upper hemispherical wall 31 having a radius r 1 for forming the upper spherical surface of the spherical main chamber C 1 , and a ring part 32 formed on the outer periphery of the upper end of the upper hemispherical wall 31. And a plurality of (three in this embodiment) ribs 33 formed outside the ring portion 32 and on the outer periphery of the upper hemispherical wall 31. The ribs 33 are provided at equal intervals in the circumferential direction around the axis YY, and the upper end edge 331 is flush with the upper edge of the ring portion 32. The upper hemispherical wall 31, the ring portion 32 and the rib 33 of the upper container portion 30 can be integrally made of the same synthetic resin material as that of the lower container portion 20, for example, polyethylene or polypropylene. Alternatively, it may be made of a material different from that of the lower container part and having a higher thermal conductivity than the material forming the lower container part. These ribs have a function as a grip when the upper container portion 30 is held by hand. A small annular protrusion 34 (enlarged in FIG. 7) is integrally formed on the outer periphery of the lower end edge 311 of the upper hemispherical wall 31. The projection 34 engages with the above-described annular convex portion 241 so that the upper container portion can be locked and held on the lower container portion. A small hole 35 is formed at the top of the upper hemisphere wall.
[0010]
The auxiliary container 4 has a main body part 41 whose upper opening is fitted to the fitting surface 242 of the lower container part, and a flange part 42 extending from the outer periphery of the upper end of the main body part 41 in the radial direction (centering on the axis Y-Y). And an annular portion 43 extending upward along the axis Y-Y from the flange portion, and they are integrally formed of a synthetic resin material such as polyethylene or polypropylene. The inner peripheral surface 431 of the annular portion 43 is inclined in a tapered shape in the same manner as the outer peripheral surface 221 of the wall 22 of the lower container portion 20. The outer peripheral surface of the annular portion 43 is tapered so that the diameter of the upper end is smaller than the diameter on the flange portion 42 side. When the lower container portion is fitted into the auxiliary container, the convexity of the lower container portion 20 is formed. The outer periphery of the portion 27 protrudes slightly outside the annular portion. This is because when the lower container part is removed from the auxiliary container part, the convex part 27 is pressed to make it relatively easy to rotate or pull out. When the lower container portion 20 is mounted in the auxiliary container 4, the lower surface, that is, the contact surface 251 formed on the connecting portion 23 of the lower container portion 20 contacts the upper surface of the flange portion 42, that is, the upper end surface of the auxiliary container. In the present embodiment, the height h 1 of the main body 41 is three times the radius r 1 of the main chamber C 1 plus a displacement δ from the upper edge 211 of the lower hemisphere wall of the contact surface 251. The volume of the auxiliary chamber C 2 is a desired volume considering the height h 1 of the main body 41. However, the height h 1 of the main body 41 and the volume of the auxiliary chamber C 2 are not limited to those of the present embodiment, but may vary depending on the structure of the heat insulating portion, the material, or the heat insulating method. An annular convex portion 44 is formed integrally with the flange portion 42 on the lower surface of the flange portion 42. The hardness of the fitting of the lower container part with respect to the auxiliary container 4 is determined by the hardness of the fitting of the upper container part with respect to the lower container part (the relationship between the annular protrusion 241 of the lower container part and the annular protrusion 34 of the upper container part). It is weaker for reasons described later.
[0011]
The heat insulating portion 6 is a cup-shaped container, and a convex portion 44 formed on the lower surface of the flange portion of the auxiliary container 4 is fitted in the upper opening end 61. This heat insulating part is also made of a synthetic resin material, and is preferably made of a transparent material having a lower thermal conductivity than the material of the main container 2. A heat insulating space S is formed between the heat insulating part 6 and the auxiliary container 4 so as to provide resistance to heat transfer from the outside of the heat insulating part 6 to the auxiliary container. That is, by providing the heat insulating portion 6, it is possible to determine the direction of freezing when water starts to freeze from the upper part of the main chamber and the water freezes from the upper part to the lower part of the main chamber and further toward the auxiliary chamber. In addition, by attaching the sheet to the inner peripheral surface 61 of the heat insulating part 6 or detachably attaching it, the air layer of the heat insulating part can be made into two layers, and the heat insulating efficiency can be increased. A description of the method may be provided. The periphery of the bottom 62 of the heat insulating part 6 protrudes downward over the entire circumference at 63 so that the entire bottom of the heat insulating part does not adhere to the shelf of the refrigerator. Thereby, the heat insulation effect with respect to cooling from a bottom part is improved.
In addition, although the example which made the heat insulation part the cup-shaped container was given here, even if it covers an auxiliary container with the heat insulating material, such as a polystyrene foam, an aluminum sheet, glass fiber, felt, cork, and a foam plastic instead of a container Good.
[0012]
Next, a case where spherical ice is produced by the ice maker will be described.
First, from the state of FIG. 1, the upper container part 30 and the lower container part 20 of the main container are removed, and water is injected from the upper part in a state in which the heat insulating part 6 is fitted to the auxiliary container 4. Fill part 43 with water until about 8 minutes. Next, the annular protrusion 241 of the lower container portion 20 of the main container and the annular protrusion 34 of the upper container portion 30 are engaged and combined, and the above is filled with water and the heat insulating portion 6 is fitted outside. When inserted from the upper part of the combined auxiliary container 4, the water in the auxiliary container is defined by the upper hemisphere part 31 and the lower hemisphere part 21 from the through hole 26 provided in the bottom part of the lower container part 20. entering the main chamber C 1. When the main container is further inserted into the auxiliary container and the lower container part 20 and the auxiliary container 4 are in a fitted state, the main chamber C1 is filled with water, and excess water is added to the top of the upper container part 30. It overflows to the outside of the upper container part through the provided small hole 35. Accordingly, the auxiliary chamber C 2 and the main chamber C 1 are filled with water in a state where the upper container portion and the lower container portion of the main container, the auxiliary container, and the heat insulating portion are fitted. If the water overflowing from the small hole 35 is accumulated in the entire gap between the upper hemispherical wall 31 of the upper container part 30 and the wall 22 of the lower container part 20, the small chamber 35 is pressed by the finger to hold the small hole. It is also possible to spill water collected in the gap by tilting the entire ice maker so that the water inside does not spill.
[0013]
Next, the ice making machine in which the main chamber and the auxiliary chamber are filled with water as described above is placed in the freezer compartment or ice making compartment of the refrigerator. When cold air is blown to the ice maker in the freezer compartment, the water in the main chamber C 1 and the water between the upper hemisphere wall 31 and the wall 22 begin to freeze gradually from above, and the freezing toward the bottom of the main chamber begins to freeze. move on. At this time, the upper container and the lower container part are firmly engaged with the annular protrusion 34 of the upper container part and the annular protrusion 241 of the lower container part. The upper and lower container parts are not separated by the pressure generated by the expansion, so that the ring-shaped protrusions are not formed on the spherical ice formed in the main chamber, and the upper and lower container parts are separated from the separated parts. Air can be prevented from entering the main chamber. Then, the gas and impurities in the water move from the upper part to the lower part in the main chamber, and then move into the unfrozen water in the auxiliary chamber through the through hole 26. Thus, the ice when the water is frozen completely in the main the chamber C 1 is absent impurities and air, ice becomes substantially transparent. Volume expansion due to freezing of water in the main chamber and the auxiliary chamber is because the hardness of the engagement between the auxiliary container and the lower container part is smaller than the hardness of the engagement between the upper container and the lower container part. The entire main container is absorbed by being pushed up with respect to the auxiliary container 4, and therefore, it is possible to prevent the upper and lower container parts from separating from each other and water leaking between them and freezing.
[0014]
After freezing of the water in the ice maker, particularly the water in the main chamber, the ice maker is removed from the refrigerator and the main container 2 is removed from the auxiliary container. Further, the lower container part and the upper container part can be separated by pushing the wall 22 of the lower container part of the main container by hand, or by gripping the rib 33 of the upper container part, and the spherical ice can be taken out. . In addition, when it is difficult to separate the upper and lower container parts, water may be applied to the upper and lower container parts.
[0015]
An example in which spherical ice is actually manufactured using the ice maker configured as described above will be described.
The height of the auxiliary container of the ice making machine is 5.5 cm from the bottom surface of the auxiliary container to the lowermost part of the lower container part of the main container, and the flange part 42 of the auxiliary container in a state where the lower container part of the main container is not engaged (see FIG. When the volume of water up to 1) is 190 mL, the ice maker is installed in the freezer of a household refrigerator (HITACHI 315 type) in about 10 hours, and another refrigerator (HOSHIZAKI HRF-96MT, TOSHIBA 400 L) , Toshiba GR22T216 liters) was able to produce transparent spherical ice with a diameter of about 5.5 cm in about 10 hours.
[0016]
【The invention's effect】
According to the present invention, the following effects can be obtained.
(B) Spherical and transparent ice can be produced by a simple operation.
(B) Spherical and transparent ice can be produced using an ordinary refrigerator.
(C) It is possible to produce a substantially spherical ice that does not have ring-shaped protrusions around it.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of an embodiment of an ice maker according to the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of a lower container portion of the ice making device shown in FIG.
FIG. 3 is an upper plan view of a lower container portion shown in FIG. 2;
4 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of a portion indicated by an arrow A in FIG.
FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of an upper container portion of the ice making device shown in FIG.
6 is a top plan view of the upper container portion shown in FIG. 5. FIG.
7 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of a portion indicated by an arrow B in FIG.
[Explanation of symbols]
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Ice maker 2 Main container 20 Lower container part 21 Lower hemisphere wall 22 Wall 26 Through-hole 30 Upper hemisphere wall 31 Upper hemisphere wall 35 Small hole 4 Auxiliary container 6 Heat insulation part

Claims (5)

球形の主チャンバを画成する主容器であって下容器部分及び前記下容器部分に取り外し可能に装着される上容器部分を有する主容器と、前記下容器部分が取り外し可能に装着されるようになっていて、前記下容器部分と所望の容積の補助チャンバを画成する補助容器と、前記補助容器を収容する断熱部と、を備え、前記下容器部分の底部には前記主チャンバと前記補助チャンバとを連通する通孔が形成され、前記上容器部分の頂部には小孔が形成され、前記下容器部分には前記上容器部分の外周でその頂部まで伸びる壁が形成されており、
前記下容器部分と上容器部分との装着固さが前記下容器部分と前記補助容器との装着固さより大きくなっていて、水の凍結時の体積膨張を前記補助容器に対する前記下容器部分の移動により吸収する製氷器。A main container defining a spherical main chamber, the main container having a lower container part and an upper container part removably attached to the lower container part; and the lower container part being removably attached An auxiliary container that defines an auxiliary chamber of a desired volume with the lower container part, and a heat insulating part that accommodates the auxiliary container, and the main chamber and the auxiliary are provided at the bottom of the lower container part. A through-hole communicating with the chamber is formed, a small hole is formed at the top of the upper container part, and a wall extending to the top of the upper container part is formed on the outer periphery of the upper container part,
The mounting rigidity between the lower container part and the upper container part is larger than the mounting hardness between the lower container part and the auxiliary container, and the volume expansion at the time of freezing of water moves the lower container part relative to the auxiliary container. Ice maker to absorb by. 球形の主チャンバを画成する主容器であって下容器部分及び前記下容器部分に取り外し可能に装着される上容器部分を有する主容器と、前記下容器部分が取り外し可能に装着されるようになっていて、前記下容器部分と所望の容積の補助チャンバを画成する補助容器と、前記補助容器を収容する断熱部と、を備え、前記下容器部分の底部には前記主チャンバと前記補助チャンバとを連通する通孔が形成され、前記上容器部分の頂部には小孔が形成され、前記下容器部分には前記上容器部分の外周でその頂部まで伸びる壁が形成されており、
前記主容器の少なくとも前記上容器部分の材料の熱伝導率を、補助容器部分及び断熱部の材料の熱伝導率より高くした製氷器。A main container defining a spherical main chamber, the main container having a lower container part and an upper container part removably attached to the lower container part; and the lower container part being removably attached An auxiliary container that defines an auxiliary chamber of a desired volume with the lower container part, and a heat insulating part that accommodates the auxiliary container, and the main chamber and the auxiliary are provided at the bottom of the lower container part. A through-hole communicating with the chamber is formed, a small hole is formed at the top of the upper container part, and a wall extending to the top of the upper container part is formed on the outer periphery of the upper container part,
The ice maker which made the heat conductivity of the material of at least the said upper container part of the said main container higher than the heat conductivity of the material of an auxiliary container part and a heat insulation part. 請求項１又は２に記載の製氷器において、前記主容器上容器部分及び前記下容器部分、補助容器部分並びに断熱部の材料が合成樹脂である製氷器。  The ice maker according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the material of the main container upper container part, the lower container part, the auxiliary container part and the heat insulating part is a synthetic resin. 請求項１に記載の製氷器において、前記主容器の少なくとも前記上容器部分の材料の熱伝導率を、補助容器部分及び断熱部の材料の熱伝導率より高くした製氷器。The ice maker according to claim 1 , wherein the thermal conductivity of the material of at least the upper container part of the main container is higher than the thermal conductivity of the material of the auxiliary container part and the heat insulating part. 請求項１ないし４のいずれかに記載の製氷器において、下容器部分には前記主チャンバの下半球状の部分を画成する下半球壁と、前記補助容器の上端面が当接する当接面とが設けられ、前記当接面が前記下半球壁の上端縁より上に変位している製氷器。  5. The ice maker according to claim 1, wherein a lower hemisphere wall defining a lower hemispherical portion of the main chamber and an upper surface of the auxiliary container abut on the lower container portion. And the abutment surface is displaced above the upper edge of the lower hemisphere wall.
JP2001246669A 2001-08-15 2001-08-15 Ice maker Expired - Fee Related JP4679766B2 (en)

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CN104344623B (en) * 2013-12-23 2017-02-08 海尔集团公司 Mini ice-making box
KR101644181B1 (en) * 2014-08-29 2016-07-29 김대영 A Ice Ball Manufacturing Unit and Method Thereof
TR201608296A3 (en) * 2016-06-17 2018-03-21 Arcelik As A COOLER WITH TRANSPARENT ICE MAKING APPARATUS
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JP6667577B2 (en) * 2018-06-28 2020-03-18 株式会社吉川国工業所 Ice maker
WO2020071775A1 (en) * 2018-10-02 2020-04-09 엘지전자 주식회사 Refrigerator
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