JP5445144B2 - Auger ice machine - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to an auger type ice making machine that manufactures ice pieces by scraping thin ice formed by cooling drinking water and icing on an inner surface of an ice making cylinder by rotating an auger.

  There is an auger type ice making machine as an ice making machine mounted on a cup type vending machine. The auger-type ice maker manufactures ice pieces by cooling the drinking water supplied from the water tank and slicing it by rotating the auger (helical rotating blade) that is connected to the auger motor by icing the ice on the inner wall of the ice making cylinder. And an ice storage unit for storing the manufactured ice pieces on the cocoon.

  The ice making unit includes an auger motor, an auger connected via a speed reducer that reduces and transmits the rotation of the auger motor, an ice making cylinder through which the auger is inserted, and a refrigeration cycle apparatus wound around the outer peripheral surface of the ice making cylinder An evaporating pipe, an ice compression extrusion head provided above the auger, and a heat insulating material surrounding the ice making cylinder and the evaporating pipe are provided, and a water inlet is provided at the lower part of the ice making cylinder. It is connected to the water tank by a pipe.

  The ice storage part is provided with an ice storage chamber composed of a heat insulating wall having a circular cross section in the upper part of the ice making part, and inside thereof an agitator for stirring ice pieces attached on the axis of a rotating shaft coaxial with the auger, It is equipped with a spider for ice pieces storage arranged between the agitator and the bottom of the ice storage room, and a drain outlet for draining the melted ice pieces is provided at the bottom of the ice storage room. It communicates with the water inlet at the bottom of the cylinder (for example, see Patent Document 1).

  When the ice pieces are carried out of the ice storage chamber or the ice pieces stored are reduced to a predetermined amount due to melting of the ice pieces, the auger motor is operated and the auger is rotated for a predetermined time, and then the refrigeration cycle apparatus is operated. The ice piece is operated to produce ice pieces and stored in the ice storage chamber. When the produced ice pieces reach a predetermined amount, the auger motor and the refrigeration cycle apparatus are stopped to stop ice making.

  As described above, the operation control device of the auger type ice making machine operates the auger motor to rotate the auger for a predetermined time when the ice piece stored in the ice storage chamber is reduced to a predetermined amount and the ice making operation is started. Later, the refrigeration cycle apparatus is operated to produce ice pieces in the ice making unit (see, for example, Patent Document 2).

Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 9-4950 Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 60-79676

  However, since the refrigeration cycle apparatus is operated after the auger motor is operated and the auger is rotated for a predetermined time, the drinking water in the ice making cylinder is cooled and before the thin ice frozen on the inner wall surface is sufficiently frozen. When scraped by the rotation of the auger, it is pushed up to the extrusion head in the form of flake ice containing potable water, so the ice pieces compressed by the extrusion head become ice that contains a lot of water, so-called watery quality ice. . Further, when such watery ice pieces are sent to the ice storage unit, the ice stored in the ice storage unit may be joined together to form a lump, which may cause a problem that the ice cannot be carried out from the ice carry-out port.

  The present invention has been made to solve the above-described problems, and provides an auger type ice making machine capable of producing high-quality ice obtained by compressing thin ice sufficiently frozen on the inner wall surface of an ice making cylinder. For the purpose.

In order to achieve the above object, an auger type ice making machine according to claim 1 of the present invention is a drinking water supplied from a water supply tank to an inner wall surface of an ice making cylinder having an evaporation pipe of a refrigeration cycle device wound around its outer peripheral surface. The ice making unit that manufactures ice pieces by scraping the thin ice with water on it by rotating the auger, stores the produced ice pieces, and opens the ice carry-out port according to the ice take-out instruction to carry out the ice pieces. In an auger type ice making machine having an ice storage section and a control means for controlling the production operation of the ice pieces,
The control means rotates the auger after the rotation start delay time variably set based on at least the operation stop time from the previous manufacturing operation of the ice piece manufacturing operation during the ice piece manufacturing operation. It is characterized by.

Moreover, the auger type ice making machine according to claim 2 of the present invention, in claim 1 described above, further comprising a temperature sensor for detecting the ambient temperature of the ice making section, of the ice making section of the temperature sensor is detecting The rotation start delay time is variably set from the ambient temperature and the operation stop time from the previous manufacturing operation of the ice piece .

According to the first aspect of the present invention, the thin ice having the drinking water supplied from the water supply tank icing on the inner wall surface of the ice-making cylinder having the evaporation pipe of the refrigeration cycle device wound around the outer peripheral surface is scraped by the rotation of the auger. An ice making unit that manufactures ice pieces, an ice storage unit that stores the produced ice pieces, opens an ice carry-out port and carries out the ice pieces based on an ice carry-out instruction, and controls the production operation of the ice pieces In the auger type ice making machine having the control means, the control means, at the time of the ice piece manufacturing operation , at least the rotation start that is variably set based on the operation stop time from the previous manufacturing operation of the ice piece manufacturing operation By rotating the auger after the lapse of the delay time, it is possible to provide an auger type ice making machine capable of producing high quality ice that is obtained by compressing thin ice sufficiently frozen on the inner wall surface of the ice making cylinder.

Further, according to the invention of claim 2, further comprising a temperature sensor for detecting the ambient temperature of the ice making section, from the previous manufacturing operation in the ambient temperature and the ice pieces of the ice making portion in which the temperature sensor is detecting By variably setting the rotation start delay time based on the operation stop time, the inner wall surface of the ice making tube is sufficient regardless of the vertical fluctuation of the ambient temperature of the ice making part and the change in the operation stop time from the previous ice piece manufacturing operation. It is possible to provide an auger type ice making machine capable of producing high quality ice that is obtained by compressing thin frozen ice.

It is a front view which shows the cup type vending machine carrying the auger type ice making machine which concerns on this invention. It is the schematic which shows the auger type ice making machine which concerns on this invention. FIG. 3 is a control block diagram of a cup type vending machine equipped with the auger type ice making machine shown in FIG. 2. FIG. 3 is a control parameter diagram of the auger type ice making machine shown in FIG. 2. It is a timing chart figure of the auger type ice making machine shown in FIG.

Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of an auger type ice making machine according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. Note that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments.
FIG. 1 is a front view showing an example in which a front door of a cup type vending machine on which an auger type ice making machine according to an embodiment of the present invention is mounted is opened. The cup-type vending machine 1 includes a housing 2 whose front surface is open and a front door 3 that is attached to one end of the front surface of the housing 2 with a hinge. A coin (not shown) is provided on the outer surface of the front door 3. Are provided with a coin insertion slot for inserting the coin, a coin return lever for returning the inserted coin, a coin return slot for returning the coin, a beverage selection button for selecting a beverage, and the like.

  Inside the housing 2 are a coffee bean canister 4 containing coffee beans as a beverage ingredient, a powder ingredient canister 5 containing powder ingredients such as sugar, cream and cocoa, and hot water used for the preparation of beverages. The stored hot water tank 6, the coffee extractor 8 for extracting the coffee liquid with the hot water supplied from the hot water tank 6 to the ground beans obtained by grinding the coffee beans supplied from the coffee bean canister 4 with the mill 7, the coffee liquid and the sugar A mixing bowl 9 for stirring and mixing the cream and cream, a cup mounting table 10 for mounting a cup into which the prepared beverage is poured, and an ice bank formed around a cooling water evaporation pipe (not shown) of the refrigeration cycle apparatus 50 Cooling water tank 12 that cools syrup and carbonated water used for syrup beverages by storing cooling water cooled to about 0 ° C by latent heat, coffee bowl and filter are discarded That slag bucket 13, the auger type ice making machine 20 such that ice manufactures storage to be used when selling ice beverage is provided.

  The front door 3 also has a cup supply device 14 for supplying the contained cup every time the beverage is sold, a sales opening 15 for taking out the prepared cup beverage by opening the sales door, and processing the coins inserted by the user. A cash machine 16 or the like is attached.

  FIG. 2 is a partially broken side view of the auger type ice making machine 20 and detects the ambient temperature of the refrigeration cycle apparatus 50 and the ice making unit 21 of the auger type ice making machine 20 and outputs a temperature signal to a control unit (control means) 90 FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a temperature sensor 97 and the like that are output.

  The auger type ice making machine 20 manufactures ice pieces by scraping the thin ice, which is obtained by causing drinking water supplied from a water supply tank 60 to land on the inner wall surface of the ice making cylinder 24 by rotating an auger (spiral rotary blade) 23. The ice storage unit 30 is disposed above the ice making unit 21 and stores the manufactured ice pieces on the bag 33.

  The ice making unit 21 includes an auger motor 22, an auger 23 connected via a speed reducer (not shown) that reduces and transmits the rotation of the auger motor 22, an ice making cylinder 24 through which the auger 23 is inserted, and an outer periphery of the ice making cylinder 24. The ice making machine evaporation pipe 55 of the refrigeration cycle apparatus 50 wound around the surface, the extrusion head 25 for ice compression provided above the auger 23, the ice making cylinder 24 and the heat insulating material 26 surrounding the ice making machine evaporation pipe 55 are provided. . The ice making cylinder 24 is provided with a water inlet 27 and is connected to a water supply tank 60 via a water supply pipe T1.

  The ice storage section 30 includes an agitator 32 for agitating ice pieces attached to the periphery of a rotating shaft 23 a coaxial with the auger 23, an agitator 32, and the ice storage chamber 31. And a bottom piece 31a for placing an ice piece (having a function of draining molten water in which the ice piece has melted) 33. In addition, an ice carry-out port 34 provided with an ice carry-out door 36 that is opened and closed by a door opening / closing mechanism 35 is provided on the side wall of the ice storage chamber 31. The ice pieces stored above and stirred by the agitator 32 are carried out from the ice carry-out port 34, slide down the ice carry-out chute 37, and placed on the cup placement table 10 of the cup type vending machine 1. Supplied.

  Furthermore, an ice amount detection plate 39 is provided on the upper cover 38 of the ice storage chamber 31, and an ice making start switch 40 that outputs an ice making start signal when the ice amount decreases and the ice amount detection plate 39 falls to the ice storage amount lower limit position; An ice making stop switch 41 is provided that outputs an ice making stop signal when the ice making operation proceeds and the ice storage amount increases and the ice amount detection plate 39 is pushed up to the ice making stop position.

  The bottom 31a of the ice storage chamber 31 is provided with a drain port 42 for draining dissolved water in which ice pieces have melted. The drain port 42 is a drain pipe T2 and a water inlet 27 provided at the lower part of the ice making cylinder 24 through a water supply pipe T1. And connected to a water supply tank 60. Further, the drain pipe T2 communicates with the water pump 65 via the communication pipe T3.

  The refrigeration cycle apparatus 50 includes a compressor 51 that compresses a gas refrigerant into a high-temperature and high-pressure gas refrigerant, a condenser 52 that cools the high-temperature and high-pressure gas refrigerant into a liquid refrigerant by heat exchange with air, and a condenser 52. An expansion valve 53 that lowers the pressure of the high-pressure liquid refrigerant liquefied by the ice, and an ice-maker refrigerant valve 54 that causes the liquid refrigerant that has become low-temperature and low-pressure by the expansion valve 53 to flow through the ice-maker evaporation pipe 55 when the valve is opened. When the valve 54 is opened, an ice making machine evaporating pipe 55 that causes the drinking water supplied from the water supply tank 60 to icing on the inner wall surface of the ice making cylinder 24 by the evaporation heat (heat of vaporization) of the low-temperature and low-pressure liquid refrigerant supplied from the expansion valve 53 A refrigerant pipe 56 for returning the gas refrigerant evaporated in the ice making machine evaporation pipe 55 to the compressor 51, and the refrigerant flows in the direction of the arrow in the figure.

  Further, on the downstream side of the expansion valve 53 of the refrigerant pipe 56, there is a cooling water refrigerant valve (not shown) that allows liquid refrigerant that has become low temperature and low pressure by the expansion valve 53 to flow through a cooling water evaporation pipe (not shown). When ice pieces are produced by the auger type ice making machine 20 in parallel with the ice making machine refrigerant valve 54, the cooling water refrigerant valve is closed and the ice making machine refrigerant valve 54 is opened to send the refrigerant to the ice making machine evaporation pipe 55 for cooling. When cooling the cooling water stored in the water tank 12, the ice making machine refrigerant valve 54 is closed and the cooling water refrigerant valve is opened to send the refrigerant to the cooling water evaporation pipe.

  The water supply tank 60 detects the position of the float 61 that moves up and down with fluctuations in the level of drinking water supplied from the water supply, and starts water supply when the stored drinking water falls to the water supply start water level A1 (lower limit water level). A water supply start switch 62 that outputs a signal and a water supply stop switch 63 that outputs a water supply stop signal when drinking water rises to a water supply stop water level A2 (upper limit water level) are provided. Then, when the float 61 moves up and down with the fluctuation of the drinking water level stored in the water supply tank 60 and the water supply start switch 62 outputs a water supply start signal, the controller 90 opens the water inlet valve 64 to supply water. When water is supplied to the tank 60 and the water supply stop switch 63 outputs a water supply stop signal, the controller 90 closes the water inlet valve 64 and stops water supply.

  A temperature sensor 97 that detects the ambient temperature of the ice making unit 21 is provided in the vicinity of the ice making unit 21, and the temperature detected by the temperature sensor 97 is output to the control unit 90 as a temperature signal. In addition, a thermistor etc. can be used as these sensors.

  FIG. 3 shows a control block diagram of the cup type vending machine 1 equipped with the auger type ice making machine 20, and a control unit (control means) 90 for controlling the operation of manufacturing the ice pieces in the vending machine 1 is a central part. A CPU 91 as a processing device, a ROM (read only memory) 92 for storing a control program for the CPU 91, and a RAM (random access memory: storage means, for example, a memory for storing various programs and data necessary for the control of the CPU 91 as needed. The operation stop time and control parameters from the last manufacturing operation of ice pieces are stored 93, and a clock generated by a reference clock generation unit (not shown) is counted for various times (for example, operations from the previous ice piece manufacturing operation). The timer 94 for measuring the stop time) and the energization unit 95 having a power circuit for energizing each device provided in the cup type vending machine 1 It has been.

  Further, the controller 90 detects the ambient temperature of the ice making unit 21 and the keyboard 96 for inputting various setting data of the cup type vending machine 1 (for example, a predetermined time as a control parameter: rotation start delay time T2 of the auger motor 22). When the ice storage amount decreases and the ice amount detection plate 39 is lowered to the ice storage amount lower limit position, the ice making start switch 40 that outputs an ice making start signal, the ice making operation proceeds, and the ice storage amount increases to increase the ice amount detection plate 39. Is pushed up to the ice making stop position, an ice making stop switch 41 that outputs an ice making stop signal, a water supply start switch 62 that outputs a water supply start signal when drinking water stored in the water supply tank 60 falls to the water supply start water level A1, and drinking water When the water level rises to the water supply stop water level A2, the water supply stop switch 63, the water supply start switch 62, and the water supply stop switch 63 output a water supply stop signal. A water inlet valve 64 that opens and closes the valve based on the output signal to supply drinking water to the water supply tank 60, an auger motor 22 that rotates the auger 23 connected via a speed reducer, and an ice carry-out door 36 at the ice carry-out port 34 are provided. A door opening / closing mechanism 35 that opens and closes, a compressor 51 that compresses gas refrigerant into a high-temperature and high-pressure gas refrigerant, and an ice-making machine that opens a valve and causes liquid refrigerant that has become low-temperature and low-pressure by the expansion valve 53 to flow through the ice-maker evaporation pipe 55 A machine refrigerant valve 54 and the like are connected.

  Further, the RAM 93 of the control unit 90 has an operation stop time T1 from the ambient temperature of the ice making unit 21 detected by the temperature sensor 97 and the previous ice piece manufacturing operation (ice piece manufacturing operation by operating the refrigeration cycle apparatus 50). The rotation start delay time (predetermined time) T2 of the auger motor 22 set from the above is stored as a control parameter (see FIG. 4). The rotation start delay time T2 can be changed by operating the keyboard 96.

  With this configuration, the ice piece production control of the auger type ice making machine 20 by the control unit 90 will be described with reference to the control parameter diagram of FIG. 4 and the timing chart of FIG. When the ice pieces stored in the ice storage chamber 31 decrease and the ice amount detection plate 39 descends to the ice storage amount lower limit position, the ice making start switch 40 outputs an ice making start signal to the control unit 90. When the control unit 90 receives the ice making start signal from the ice making start switch 40, the controller 90 operates the compressor 51 of the refrigeration cycle apparatus 50 to open the ice making refrigerant valve 54 (ice making instruction). When the compressor 51 is operated and the ice maker refrigerant valve 54 is opened, the low-temperature and low-pressure liquid refrigerant supplied from the expansion valve 53 is sent to the ice maker evaporation pipe 55, and the liquid refrigerant evaporates in the ice maker evaporation pipe 55. The drinking water supplied from the water supply tank 60 is iced on the inner wall surface of the ice making cylinder 24 by the heat of evaporation (heat of vaporization) that is sometimes generated.

  When the compressor 51 is operated and the ice making machine refrigerant valve 54 is opened and then the rotation start delay time T2 has elapsed, the auger motor 22 is operated to rotate the auger 23 connected via the speed reducer. The drinking water supplied from 60 is cooled by the refrigerant evaporation heat of the ice making machine evaporating pipe 55 and is sufficiently frozen on the inner wall surface of the ice making cylinder 24, and the icing thin ice is scraped off toward the extrusion head 25 for ice compression. Pushed up. The thin ice, which has been sufficiently frozen and pushed up by the rotation of the auger 23, is compressed by the extrusion head 25, protrudes in a state of being solid in a columnar shape, cut at the tip, and becomes a chip-like piece of ice. Stored in.

  The rotation start delay time (predetermined time) T2 of the auger motor 22 from the operation of the refrigeration cycle apparatus 50 to the operation of the auger motor 22 to rotate the auger 23 is the temperature as shown in the control parameter diagram of FIG. The temperature is set from the ambient temperature of the ice making unit 21 detected by the sensor 97 and the operation stop time T1 from the previous manufacturing operation of the ice piece stored in the RAM 93. For example, when the temperature detected by the temperature sensor 97 is 15 ° C. and the operation stop time T1 is 10 minutes, the rotation start delay time T2 of the auger motor 22 is 15 seconds. When the temperature detected by the temperature sensor 97 is 35 ° C. and the operation stop time T1 is 20 minutes, the rotation start delay time T2 of the auger motor 22 is 35 seconds.

  As described above, when the ambient temperature of the ice making unit 21 detected by the temperature sensor 97 is low or when the operation stop time T1 from the previous manufacturing operation of the ice piece is short, the temperature of the drinking water in the ice making cylinder 24 is low. Therefore, even if the rotation start delay time T2 of the auger motor 22 is shortened, thin ice sufficiently frozen on the inner wall surface of the ice making cylinder 24 can be generated. In addition, when the ambient temperature of the ice making unit 21 detected by the temperature sensor 97 is high, or when the operation stop time T1 from the last manufacturing operation of the ice piece is long, the temperature of the drinking water in the ice making cylinder 24 becomes high. Therefore, the auger motor 22 is operated to rotate the auger 23 after the rotation start delay time T2 of the auger motor 22 is lengthened to generate sufficiently frozen ice on the inner wall surface of the ice making cylinder 24, so that the auger 23 is rotated. It is possible to produce good quality ice that is obtained by compressing thin ice that has been sufficiently frozen on the inner wall surface.

  When the ice storage amount is increased by the ice making operation and the ice amount detection plate 39 is pushed up to the ice storage amount upper limit position, the ice making stop switch 41 outputs an ice making stop signal to the control unit 90. The controller 90 stops the auger motor 22 and the refrigeration cycle apparatus 50 to stop the ice making operation.

  As described above, according to the auger type ice making machine 20 of the present embodiment, the water supply tank 60 supplies the inner wall surface of the ice making cylinder 24 in which the ice making machine evaporation pipe 55 of the refrigeration cycle apparatus 50 is wound around the outer peripheral surface. The ice making unit 21 that manufactures ice pieces by scraping the thin ice on which potable water is icing by rotating the auger 23, stores the produced ice pieces, and opens the ice carry-out port 34 based on the ice carry-out instruction to open the ice pieces. In an auger type ice making machine 20 having an ice storage unit 30 for carrying out pieces and a control unit 90 for controlling the production operation of ice pieces, the ice piece is produced by operating the refrigeration cycle device 50 and rotating the auger 23. In this case, after the refrigeration cycle apparatus 50 is operated, after the rotation start delay time T2 has elapsed, the auger 23 is rotated to produce high quality ice that is obtained by compressing thin ice that has been sufficiently frozen on the inner wall surface of the ice making cylinder 24. be able to.

  The ice making unit 21 further includes a temperature sensor 97 that detects the ambient temperature of the ice making unit 21 and a RAM 93 that stores an operation stop time T1 from the previous manufacturing operation of the ice pieces. By setting the rotation start delay time T2 from the ambient temperature and the operation stop time T1 from the previous manufacturing operation of the ice pieces stored in the RAM 93, the vertical fluctuation of the ambient temperature of the ice making unit 21 and the previous production of the ice pieces are set. Regardless of the fluctuation of the operation stop time T1 from the operation, it is possible to manufacture good quality ice that is obtained by compressing the thin ice sufficiently frozen on the inner wall surface of the ice making cylinder 24.

  Since the rotation start delay time T2 can be changed with the keyboard 96, the rotation start delay time T2 can be changed in accordance with the cooling capacity of the refrigeration cycle apparatus 50 and the temperature of the drinking water supplied from the water supply tank 60. Therefore, it is possible to produce high quality ice that is obtained by compressing thin ice that has been sufficiently frozen on the inner wall surface of the ice making cylinder 24.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Cup type vending machine 20 Auger type ice machine 21 Ice making part 22 Auger motor 23 Auger 24 Ice making cylinder 30 Ice storage part 34 Ice carry-out port 50 Refrigeration cycle apparatus 51 Compressor 54 Ice machine refrigerant valve 55 Ice machine evaporation pipe 60 Water supply tank 90 Control (Control means)
93 RAM (storage means)
94 Timer 96 Keyboard 97 Temperature sensor T1 Operation stop time T2 Rotation start delay time (predetermined time)

Claims (2)

An ice making unit for producing ice pieces by scraping the thin ice with the drinking water supplied from the water supply tank on the inner wall surface of the ice making cylinder having the evaporation pipe of the refrigeration cycle device wound around the outer peripheral surface by rotating the auger; An auger type ice making machine having an ice storage section for storing the produced ice pieces, opening the ice carry-out opening and carrying out the ice pieces based on an ice carry-out instruction, and a control means for controlling the production operation of the ice pieces In
The control means rotates the auger after the rotation start delay time variably set based on at least the operation stop time from the previous manufacturing operation of the ice piece manufacturing operation during the ice piece manufacturing operation. An auger type ice making machine. Further comprising a temperature sensor for detecting the ambient temperature of the ice making unit, the rotation start time delay from the operation stop time from the previous production run of ambient temperature and the ice pieces of the ice making portion in which the temperature sensor is detecting The auger type ice making machine according to claim 1, wherein the auger type ice making machine is variably set.

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