JP5749607B2 - refrigerator - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a refrigerator provided with an ice making device.

  Conventional refrigerators equipped with an ice making device are disclosed in Patent Document 1 and Patent Document 2. This refrigerator includes a refrigerator compartment, a freezer compartment, and an ice making room. The ice making chamber communicates with the freezing chamber, and ice making is performed by the ice making device and ice separated by the ice making device is stored.

  The ice making device has a water supply tank arranged in the refrigerator compartment and an ice making tray arranged in the ice making room and supplied from the water supply tank. An ice storage container is arranged below the ice tray. The ice making tray is flexible and rotatably arranged, and the shaft root portion at one end in the axial direction is connected to and driven by the ice making motor. The ice making tray has a plurality of ice making pockets divided by a vertical partition wall extending in the axial direction and a horizontal partition wall obliquely intersecting the vertical partition wall. The cold air flowing through the ice making chamber flows through the upper part of the ice making pocket to cool the water in the ice making pocket.

  In the refrigerator having the above-described configuration, when the water in the ice tray is frozen and ice making is completed, the ice tray is rotated by an ice making motor provided at the shaft root portion. The ice making tray is twisted by rotating the shaft base portion at the position where the upper surface of the ice making pocket faces downward, and the shaft tip end side of the other end in the axial direction is locked by the locking portion. As a result, the ice is released from the ice making pocket and falls and is stored in the ice storage container.

JP 2003-269832 A JP2001-194037

  However, in the ice making device, part of the cold air flowing into the ice tray from the shaft tip side is blocked by the upper part of the horizontal partition wall or flows out of the ice tray along the extending direction of the horizontal partition wall. . For this reason, the cold air circulating on the upper surface of the ice tray cannot be efficiently used for cooling the ice, and there has been a problem that the ice making speed is suppressed.

  An object of this invention is to provide the refrigerator provided with the ice tray which can aim at the improvement of ice making speed.

  A flexible ice making tray provided with a plurality of ice making pockets that are open and supplied with water, an ice making motor that rotationally drives a shaft root portion at one axial end of the ice making plate, and an upper surface of the ice making pocket The ice making pocket extends in the axial direction of the ice making tray in a refrigerator in which an ice making device having an engaging portion for engaging the shaft tip side of the other end of the ice making tray at a position facing downward is arranged in the ice making chamber. Cold air flowing into the ice making chamber flows from the shaft tip side of the ice tray toward the shaft base side by being partitioned by a vertical partition wall and a plurality of horizontal partition walls intersecting the vertical partition wall In addition, at least one of the horizontal partition walls is inclined to the upstream side of the cold air as it is separated from the vertical partition wall.

  According to this configuration, when the shaft root portion is rotationally driven by the ice making motor, the tip end side of the ice tray is locked by the locking portion at the position where the upper surface of the ice making pocket faces downward, and the ice tray is twisted from the ice making pocket. Ice breaks off. In addition, on the top surface of the ice tray, a part of the cold air flowing into the ice making chamber from the shaft tip side of the ice tray is moved to the vertical partition wall side along the horizontal partition wall that inclines to the upstream side of the cold air as it moves away from the vertical partition wall. Gather and exit from the shaft root side.

Moreover, the present invention is characterized in that in the refrigerator configured as described above, the inclined horizontal partition wall is arranged symmetrically with respect to the vertical partition wall.

  Further, the present invention is characterized in that the refrigerator having the above-described configuration is provided with a rib projecting upward from an upper surface of the inclined horizontal partition wall and having an open upper center. According to this configuration, the cool airflow flowing along the inclined horizontal partition wall is stabilized. A part of the cold air flowing along the horizontal partition wall passes through the open rib center and flows into the adjacent ice making pocket.

  Moreover, the present invention is characterized in that in the refrigerator configured as described above, the inclined horizontal partition wall and the horizontal partition wall orthogonal to the vertical partition wall are alternately arranged in parallel. According to this configuration, a plurality of ice pieces having a horizontal partition wall orthogonal to the horizontal partition wall inclined to the vertical partition wall are simultaneously made.

  According to the present invention, in the refrigerator configured as described above, an intersection of a horizontal partition wall disposed on one side with respect to the vertical partition wall and a horizontal partition wall disposed on the other side is disposed on the vertical partition wall. It is characterized by being. According to this configuration, it is possible to reduce the number of nodes serving as a joint between the vertical partition wall and the horizontal partition wall. Thereby, the rigidity of the ice tray with respect to twist is lowered, and the ice detachability of the ice tray is increased.

  Moreover, the present invention is characterized in that, in the refrigerator having the above-described configuration, the bottom surface of each ice making pocket has a plurality of planes that are non-parallel to the water surface. According to this configuration, the surface area of the bottom surface of the ice making pocket is increased.

  According to the present invention, it is partitioned by a plurality of horizontal partition walls intersecting with the vertical partition wall of the ice tray, and at least one of the horizontal partition walls is inclined to the upstream side of the cold air as it moves away from the vertical partition wall. On the top surface, a part of the cold air flowing into the ice making chamber from the shaft tip side of the ice tray is gathered on the vertical partition wall side along the horizontal partition wall that inclines to the upstream side of the cold air as it moves away from the vertical partition wall, and the shaft root portion Exit from the side. Thereby, it is possible to improve the ice making speed by efficiently using the cold air flowing through the upper surface of the ice tray to cool the ice.

Side surface sectional drawing which shows the principal part of the refrigerator of 1st Embodiment of this invention. The perspective view of the ice tray which concerns on the refrigerator of 1st Embodiment of this invention. The top view of the ice tray concerning the refrigerator of a 1st embodiment of the present invention. The perspective view of the ice made with the ice tray concerning the refrigerator of 1st Embodiment of this invention The top view of the ice tray concerning the refrigerator of a 2nd embodiment of the present invention.

[First embodiment]
Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a side view showing a refrigerator according to an embodiment. In the refrigerator 1, a refrigerator compartment 2 is arranged at the top, and a vegetable compartment 18 is arranged below the refrigerator compartment 2. The refrigerator compartment 2 refrigerates and preserves stored items, and the vegetable compartment 18 refrigerates and preserves stored items at a refrigeration temperature suitable for preserving vegetables and the like that are hotter than the refrigerator compartment 2.

  Below the vegetable compartment 18, an ice making compartment 3 communicating with a freezer compartment (not shown) is arranged. The freezing room and the ice making room 3 are maintained at a temperature lower than the freezing point. The refrigerator compartment 2 is opened and closed by a door 8, and the ice making chamber 3 is opened and closed by a door 13. Further, the refrigerator 1 is provided with an ice making device 20 having a water supply unit 5 disposed in the refrigerator compartment 2 and an ice making unit 6 disposed in the ice making chamber 3.

  The water supply unit 5 includes a water supply tank 4, a water supply pipe 14, a water supply pump 7, a water supply tank detection unit 19, and an antifreezing heater 15. The water supply tank 4 stores water for ice making and is detachably disposed from the refrigerator compartment 2 by opening and closing the door 8. The water supply pipe 14 is led out from the water supply tank 4 and is provided to extend onto the ice tray 21 of the ice making unit 6.

  The water supply pump 7 is arranged in the path of the water supply pipe 14 and pumps water from the water supply tank 4 to supply water to the ice tray 21. The water tank detection unit 19 detects the mounting state of the water tank 4. The antifreezing heater 15 is provided in contact with the water supply pipe 14 and prevents freezing of water flowing through the water supply pipe 14. An antifreeze heater may be provided around the water supply tank 4. Thereby, freezing of the water in the water supply tank 4 is prevented.

  In the ice making chamber 3, the ice making unit 6 of the ice making device 20 is disposed above the ice storage container 11. The ice storage container 11 can store ice 16 and can be taken in and out by opening and closing the door 13. The ice making unit 6 includes an ice making tray 21, an ice making motor 10, and a detection lever 17. The ice making motor 10 is disposed in front of the ice making chamber 3 (door 13). The ice tray 21 is supplied with water from the water supply tank 4 to make the ice 16 in the ice making chamber 3 below the freezing point. The cold air in the ice making chamber 3 flows from the shaft tip portion 12b side (rear) to the shaft root portion 12a side (front). The ice making motor 10 rotationally drives the shaft root portion 12 a at one end in the axial direction of the ice tray 21. The ice making chamber 3 is provided with a locking portion (not shown) that locks the shaft tip 12b side of the other end of the ice tray 21 when the ice tray 21 is rotated. As a result, the ice tray 21 is rotated by the driving of the ice making motor 10 to be locked to the locking portion, and is deiced while being twisted. The detection lever 17 detects whether or not the ice storage container 11 is full.

  2 and 3 show a perspective view and a top view of the ice tray 21 as seen from above. The ice tray 21 is made of polypropylene containing silicon and has flexibility and is rotatably arranged. The shaft root portion 12a at one end in the axial direction is connected to the ice making motor 10 and is driven to rotate. .

  The ice tray 21 is formed with a plurality of ice making pockets 28a and 28b whose upper surfaces are opened. The ice making pockets 28a and 28b are divided into a plurality of sections by a vertical partition wall 29 and a lateral partition wall 22a extending in the axial direction of the ice tray 21. The horizontal partition wall 22a extends from the vertical partition wall 29 and is inclined in a direction away from the shaft root portion 12a. That is, as the horizontal partition portion 22a moves away from the vertical partition wall 29, it inclines from the shaft tip portion 12b side (rear) to the shaft tip portion 12b side (upstream side) of cool air flowing from the shaft root portion 12a side (front). ing. The intersection of the horizontal partition wall 22 a disposed on one side with respect to the vertical partition wall 29 and the horizontal partition wall 22 a disposed on the other side is disposed on the vertical partition wall 29.

  The ice making pockets 28a and 28b are arranged in two rows in the direction perpendicular to the axial direction and arranged in four rows in the axial direction.

  The horizontal partition wall 22a and some of the vertical partition walls 29 are provided with a groove portion 22c having an open upper surface, and a rib 24 that protrudes upward from the upper surface of the horizontal partition wall 22a and has an open upper center. Yes. Water is supplied to each ice making pocket from the ice making pocket 28a on the side of the shaft tip 12b directly below the water supply pipe 14 via the groove 22c.

  In addition, the ice tray 21 is provided with a shielding rib 23 that hangs down from both side surfaces of the upper end and faces the side surface of the ice making pocket 28a. The shield rib 23 shields the cold air that hits the top of the ice making pocket 28a. The shielding rib 23 is provided with a notch 23a facing the horizontal partition wall 22a. The notch 23a can reduce the rigidity of the ice tray 21 so that the ice tray 21 can be easily twisted.

  The ice making pockets 28a and 28b have a larger surface area than the ice making pockets of the same capacity because the horizontal partition wall 22a obliquely intersects the vertical partition wall 29. Thereby, the ice making speed in the ice making pockets 28a and 28b is increased, and the ice making tray 21 as a whole can be made in a short time.

  FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the ice 16 made in the ice making pocket 28a. The bottom surfaces of the ice making pockets 28a and 28b have a plurality of planes that are non-parallel to the water surface. Thereby, the ice 16 made in the ice making pockets 28a and 28b is formed into a polyhedron having more faces than a hexahedron. Therefore, the ice 16 can be formed into a rock ice shape, and the appearance of the ice 16 can be improved. In particular, since the ice 16 made in the ice making pocket 28a is formed in a trapezoidal shape when seen in a plan view, it can be formed in a more lock-like appearance.

  In the refrigerator 1 configured as described above, when the water supply tank detection unit 19 detects that the water supply tank 4 is mounted, the freeze prevention heater 15 is driven. When a thermistor (not shown) detects that water is not supplied to the ice tray 21, the water pump 7 is driven to supply water into the ice making pocket 28 a on the shaft tip 12 b side immediately below the water supply pipe 14 of the ice tray 21. Is done.

  When water supply is performed up to the water supply level in the ice making pocket 28a, the water supply pump 7 is stopped, and the water in the ice making pocket 28a is gradually frozen by cooling with the cold air in the ice making chamber 3, whereby the ice 16 is obtained.

  After the ice tray 21 is supplied with water, it is determined that the ice making is completed when a predetermined time elapses. Thereby, when it is detected by the detection lever 17 that the ice storage container 11 is not full, the ice removing operation is performed. That is, the ice tray 21 is rotated by the ice making motor 10. The ice tray 21 is twisted by rotating the shaft root portion 12a while the shaft tip portion 12b side of the ice tray 21 is locked at the position where the upper surface of the ice making pocket 28a faces downward. As a result, the ice 16 is detached from the ice making pocket 28 a and falls, and is stored in the ice storage container 11.

  According to the present embodiment, on the upper surface of the ice tray 21, a part of the cold air flowing into the ice tray 21 from the shaft tip portion 12 b side is along the horizontal partition wall 22 a that inclines toward the upstream side of the cold air as it moves away from the vertical partition wall 29. Then, they gather on the vertical partition wall 29 side and come out from the shaft root portion 12a side. Thereby, it is possible to improve the ice making speed by efficiently using the cold air flowing through the upper surface of the ice tray 21 for cooling the ice.

  Further, by arranging the inclined horizontal partition wall 22a symmetrically with respect to the vertical partition wall 29, it is possible to prevent the cold air flowing along the inclined horizontal partition wall 22a from flowing out to the opposite side with respect to the vertical partition wall. Can do. Thereby, cold air can be efficiently utilized by cooling of ice.

  Further, by providing the rib 24 protruding upward from the upper surface of the horizontal partition wall 22a and having the upper center opened, the airflow of cold air flowing along the horizontal partition wall 22a is stabilized. A part of the cold air flowing along the horizontal partition wall 22a passes through the center of the opened rib 22c and flows into the adjacent ice making pocket. Thereby, cold air can be efficiently utilized by cooling of ice.

  Further, by arranging the intersection of the horizontal partition wall 22a disposed on one side with respect to the vertical partition wall 29 and the horizontal partition wall 22a disposed on the other side on the vertical partition wall 29, the vertical partition wall It is possible to reduce the number of nodes 29a that serve as a joint between 29 and the horizontal partition wall 22a. Thereby, the rigidity of the ice tray 21 with respect to twisting can be reduced, and the ice detachability of the ice tray 21 can be increased.

  Further, since the bottom surface of the ice making pocket 28a has a plurality of planes that are non-parallel to the water surface, the rock ice-shaped ice 16 can be made. Therefore, the appearance of the ice 16 can be improved.

[Second Embodiment]
FIG. 5 is a top view of the ice tray 21 according to the refrigerator according to the second embodiment. In addition, the same part as 1st Embodiment attaches | subjects the same code | symbol, and abbreviate | omits description. In contrast to the first embodiment, in the second embodiment, a horizontal partition wall 22b orthogonal to the vertical partition wall 29 is provided, and inclined horizontal partition walls 22a and orthogonal horizontal partition walls 22b are alternately arranged in parallel. The horizontal partition wall 22a extends from the vertical partition wall 29 and is inclined in a direction approaching the shaft tip portion 12b. That is, as the horizontal partition wall 22a moves away from the vertical partition wall 29, it inclines from the shaft tip portion 12b side (rear) to the shaft tip portion 12b side (upstream side) of cool air flowing from the shaft root portion 12a side (front). ing. Thereby, on the upper surface of the ice tray 21, a part of the cold air flowing into the ice tray 21 from the shaft tip portion 12b side gathers along the horizontal partition wall 22a on the vertical partition wall 29 side and escapes from the shaft root portion 12a side. Go. Thereby, it is possible to improve the ice making speed by efficiently using the cold air flowing through the upper surface of the ice tray 21 for cooling the ice.

  Further, the ice making pockets 28a formed in a trapezoidal shape in plan view can simultaneously make a plurality of ices 16 having a lock-shaped appearance.

  In the ice making chamber 3 of the first and second embodiments, cold air may be circulated from the front to the rear, and the ice making motor 10 may be arranged behind the ice making tray 21.

  According to this invention, it can utilize for the refrigerator provided with the ice making apparatus.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Refrigerator 2 Refrigeration room 3 Ice making room 4 Water supply tank 5 Water supply part 6 Ice making part 7 Water supply pump 8 Door 10 Ice making motor 12a Shaft base part 12b Shaft tip part 13 Door 14 Water supply pipe 15 Antifreeze heater 16 Ice 17 Detection lever 18 Vegetable room DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 19 Water supply tank detection part 20 Ice making apparatus 21 Ice making tray 22a Horizontal partition wall 22b Horizontal partition wall 22c Groove part 23 Shielding rib 23a Notch part 24 Rib 28a Ice making pocket 28b Ice making pocket 29 Vertical partition wall 29a Node

Claims (6)

A flexible ice making tray provided with a plurality of ice making pockets that are open and supplied with water, an ice making motor that rotationally drives a shaft root portion at one axial end of the ice making plate, and an upper surface of the ice making pocket The ice making pocket extends in the axial direction of the ice making tray in a refrigerator in which an ice making device having an engaging portion for engaging the shaft tip side of the other end of the ice making tray at a position facing downward is arranged in the ice making chamber. Cold air flowing into the ice making chamber flows from the shaft tip side of the ice tray toward the shaft base side by being partitioned by a vertical partition wall and a plurality of horizontal partition walls intersecting the vertical partition wall In addition, the refrigerator is characterized in that the horizontal partition wall disposed on the shaft tip side and the shaft root side side is inclined to the upstream side of the cold air as the distance from the vertical partition wall increases.   The refrigerator according to claim 1, wherein the inclined horizontal partition wall is arranged symmetrically with respect to the vertical partition wall.   The refrigerator according to claim 1 or 2, further comprising a rib projecting upward from an upper surface of the inclined horizontal partition wall and having an upper center opened.   The refrigerator according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the inclined horizontal partition wall and the horizontal partition wall orthogonal to the vertical partition wall are alternately arranged in parallel.   The intersection of the horizontal partition wall arranged on one side with respect to the vertical partition wall and the horizontal partition wall arranged on the other side is arranged on the vertical partition wall. The refrigerator in any one of Claim 4.   The refrigerator according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein a bottom surface of each ice making pocket has a plurality of planes that are non-parallel to the water surface.

Images