JPH02176380A - Automatic ice making machine - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To manufacture homogeneous and transparent ice blocks by a method wherein a second ice making chamber is closed against a first ice making chamber, provided with an evaporator on the back surface thereof, from lower side to define spherical or polyhedronal ice forming spaces by a plurality of first and second ice making small chambers respectively. CONSTITUTION:A second ice making chamber 12, provided with a multitude of recessed second ice making small chambers 15, is closed against a first ice making chamber 11, provided with an evaporator 14 on the back surface thereof and recessed with a multitude of first ice making small chambers 13 consisting of downwardly opened recesses, from lower side to define spherical or polyhedronal ice forming spaces between the ice making small chambers 13, 15. Ice making water, reserved in an ice making water tank 19, is pumped into a distributing pipe 24 through a pump 22 and is injected into the ice making chambers through water injecting holes 25 to form ice blocks while the ice making water, which is not frozen, is returned into the ice making water tank 19 through returning holes 26 to recirculate it. Multitude of homogeneous and transparent spherical or polyhedronal ice blocks may be produced continuously with a simple constitution in such a manner.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Field of Industrial Application This invention relates to an automatic ice maker, and more specifically, it relates to an automatic ice maker, and more specifically, it is an automatic ice maker that can produce ice cubes other than the conventionally known regular hexahedral ice cubes, such as spherical ice cubes and polyhedral (diamond) ice cubes. This invention relates to an automatic ice-making machine that can continuously produce ice cubes (cut-shaped) in large pieces.

BACKGROUND ART In various industrial fields, automatic ice making machines that continuously produce cubes of regular hexahedral ice, sheet ice of a required thickness, and other ice cubes in a large size are suitable for use depending on the application. 1 For example, the ice making machine for producing the ice cubes described above is: 1) A large number of cube-shaped ice-making compartments are defined downward in the ice-making compartment, and are opened and closed from below with a water tray, There is a so-called closed cell system in which ice-making water is sprayed from a tray to each ice-making chamber to gradually form ice cubes in the ice-making chamber; The so-called open-cell type ice-making machine, which directly supplies ice-making water and forms ice cubes in the ice-making chamber, also has an evaporator connected to the refrigeration system as an ice-making machine that continuously produces ice cubes. A flowing type ice making machine is widely used, in which an ice making machine is arranged at an angle, and ice making water is supplied flowing down to the front or back side of the ice making plate to form ice sheets on the surface of the ice making plate. Furthermore, the water flowing down on the inner wall surface of the cooling cylinder is frozen to form an ice layer, and this ice layer is scraped with the cutting blade of a rotating auger to obtain flaky ice, or the ice made by the ice making machine described above is used. Another method of making ice is by crushing ice sheets and producing fine crushed ice.

Problems to be solved by the invention Part II related to various conventional methods! The ice produced by the IJ ice maker is ;)? As mentioned above, all of them include cube-shaped ice cubes, wooden boards, other flaky ice, and crushed ice. Within these ice cubes, which have the required shape,
Only the above-mentioned ice cubes can be used as they are to float on drinks or as a cooling bed for various foodstuffs (ice cubes are manufactured with a fixed shape, but they are usually cannot be used). However, in recent years, coffee shops, restaurants, and other food and beverage establishments have been making efforts to differentiate themselves in order to gain an advantage over other businesses of the same type in various ways and to attract customers to their businesses. . As a link to this, for example, some companies are trying to use spherical ice cubes instead of the conventionally widely distributed ice cubes, thereby offering customers immediate new changes.

As a means of manufacturing this spherical ice, for example,
As disclosed in Japanese Patent No. 8-60177, there is known an ice making tray in which a saucer having an appropriate number of arbitrarily shaped recesses and a ridge body having recesses corresponding to the recesses of the tray can be fitted into the tray. ing. This is done by storing the ice cube tray in the freezer compartment of a refrigerator for a required period of time with the spherical space defined by both concave parts filled with water, and by freezing the water in the space, a spherical block of ice is created. It's something you get. In addition, spherical ice can be produced by injecting water into a bag made of an elastic thin film such as a rubber sheet and storing it in a freezer or immersing it in antifreeze, or by cutting block-shaped ice cubes with a knife. Some attempts have also been made to produce spherical ice.

However, the methods for producing spherical ice using the above-mentioned methods all produce large amounts of spherical ice continuously! It is not something that takes 112 years to build and 44 times to build, and requires complicated manual labor and time, which is inefficient, and cannot be used for commercial purposes. In addition, since ice is frozen statically by being stored in a freezer or immersed in antifreeze, it becomes cloudy due to the presence of microscopic air contained in the water, making it impossible to obtain clear, transparent blocks of ice. Disadvantages have been pointed out, such as lower product value. Therefore, uniform and transparent spherical ice and other polyhedral ice blocks can be produced continuously in large quantities! 1! The current situation is that the I ice maker has not yet been put into practical use, even though the demand for it is becoming more apparent.

Purpose of the Invention The present invention has been proposed to suitably solve the problems inherent in the prior art described above, while having a simple configuration.

A large number of uniform and transparent spherical ice and polyhedral ice blocks in a row! llll! The object of the present invention is to provide an automatic ice maker with a new configuration that can be combined with the above.

Means for Solving the Problems In order to overcome the above-mentioned problems and suitably achieve the intended purpose, the present invention provides a system in which the ice-making water stored in the ice-making water tank is force-fed to the distribution pipe via a pump, and the ice-making water is transferred to the refrigeration system. Ice making water that is injected into an ice making compartment that is cooled by a connected evaporator from a fountain hole drilled in the distribution pipe to form ice blocks within the ice making compartment, but which does not freeze in the ice making compartment. In an automatic ice making machine configured to return water to the ice making water tank for recirculation, the evaporator is provided on the back side, and a number of first ice making chambers each having a desired shape and opening downward are recessed. First thing to do
An ice making room and a first ice making room are arranged so as to be close to and separated from each other.
During ice-making operation, each of the first ice-making chambers is closed correspondingly from below to form a second ice-breaking chamber consisting of a recess of a desired shape capable of defining a spherical or polyhedral ice-forming space inside. It is characterized in that the ice making chamber is constituted by a second ice making chamber having a plurality of recesses.

Embodiment Next, a preferred embodiment of an automatic ice maker according to the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. In addition,
According to the automatic ice making machine according to the present invention, in addition to the spherical ice 1 shown in FIG. 6(a), it is also possible to make diamond-cut polyhedral ice 2 as shown in FIG. 6(b). As an example, a case will be explained in which a large number of spherical ice cubes having the same size are continuously manufactured. Furthermore, since at least four types of typical mechanisms are proposed as preferred embodiments, each of them will be illustrated and explained.

(Regarding the ice-making mechanism according to the first embodiment) FIG. 1 schematically shows the main ice-making mechanism of the automatic ice-making machine according to the first embodiment of the present invention in an ice-making state. In the figure, the ice making chamber 10 that produces a large number of spherical ice cubes having a required diameter consists of a 1112th ice chamber 11 arranged horizontally, and a second ice chamber 11 that can be opened and closed from below. A rectangular first tube made of a metal having good thermal conductivity is located on one side of the ice-making chamber 12 and J (constructed in a real-line configuration, that is, inside the casing (not shown) of the ice-making machine). An ice making compartment 11 is arranged and fixed horizontally on the lower surface of this 1'M ice compartment 11.

A large number of first ice-making chambers 13 that open downward are provided in a predetermined alignment pattern. Each of the first ice-making compartments 13 is formed as a hemispherical recess, and its diameter is, for example, 3mm.
Therefore, the depth of the recess is set to 1.5 mm.

Said number 1! ! 5. On the upper surface of the ice chamber 11, that is, on the top of each first ice-making compartment 13, an evaporator 14 made of a tube constituting a part of the refrigeration system (described later) shown in FIG. 3 is tightly fixed. By operating the refrigeration system, this evaporator 1
4 promotes heat exchange with the vaporized refrigerant, and the 1st @ ice room 11
is cooled to below freezing.

Directly below the first ice making compartment 11, a second fM ice compartment 12 made of a good thermal conductor is disposed. This second ice making room 1
2, during the ice making operation, the 1'! The A-ice chamber 11 is closed from below, and the first ice-making chamber 11 is opened during deicing operation. That is,
In the second ice-making compartment 12, in correspondence with the first ice-making compartment 13 recessed in the first ice-making compartment 11, a second ice-making compartment 15 also formed of a hemispherical recess is provided with a plurality of recesses arranged upward in a required alignment pattern. It is set up. The diameter of this second ice making chamber 15 is also -
As an example, it is 30, and the depth of the recess is set to 1.51. Therefore, the second ice making compartment 1 is different from the first ice making compartment 11.
2, the first ice-making chamber 13 and the second ice-making chamber 15 correspond to each other, and a spherical space with a diameter of 3 (1) is defined inside both ice-making chambers 13.15.

The second ice making chamber 12 is pivotably supported at one end of a fixed portion of a cylinder (not shown) of the ice making machine via a pivot 16, and is rotated clockwise around the pivot mi6. By moving the first ice making chamber 13, the first ice making chamber 13 can be opened. The first ice-making compartment 13 can be closed by rotating in the clockwise direction. In addition, opening/closing 1 of the second ice making compartment 12
As a driving means, a motor with a reducer shown in Fig. 1 (
An actuator motor (actuator motor) AM is preferably used, and a cam lever 17 and a lever piece 37 are attached to the rotating shaft of this motor AM.
are fixed coaxially. Then, the cam lever 1
7 and the front end of the second ice making chamber 12,
A coil spring 18 is elastically engaged. The cam lever 17b formed at the base of the cam lever 17 has a first
The dimensions are set so that the cam can be engaged with the side upper surface of the second ice making chamber 12 that closes the ice making chamber 11. Also, the first ice making room 1
1 is provided with a changeover switch S2 shown in the circuit diagram of FIG.
Switching bias can be applied from the -b side to the contact aa side.

An ice-making water tank 19 having the shape shown in the figure is integrally provided below the 2nd!11 ice chamber 12, and a required amount of ice-making water 20 can be stored in the tank. A water supply pipe 21 led out from the bottom side of the ice-making water tank 19 is connected via a water supply pump 22 to a pressure chamber 23 provided on the side of the tank. It has been passed. From the pressure chamber 23, distribution 'i'J
24 is led out in a meandering manner, and this distribution pipe 24 is fixed to the bottom of each second fB ice chamber 15 in the second ice making chamber 12. A water fountain hole 25 of a required diameter is bored at the bottom of each of the second ice-making compartments 15.
The ice making chamber 15 and the distribution pipe 24 are in communication.

Therefore, the ice-making water pumped from the ice-making water tank 19 via the pump 22 can be injected into the corresponding second ice-making compartments 15 through the respective water fountains 25.

Note that a plurality of return holes 26 are bored in the bottom of the second ice-making chamber 15 in proximity to the water fountain hole 25 .

During the ice-making operation described later, the ice-making water that has not frozen in both ice-making chambers 13 and 15 (hereinafter referred to as "unfrozen water") can be returned to the ice-making water tank 19 through the return hole 26. . Furthermore, a heater H for promoting deicing is closely placed around the bottom of the 211J ice chamber 15! ('1 is done,
As shown in the control circuit in Figure 4, when the ice making operation is completed,
The heater H is energized for the required time set by the timer T. Furthermore, water is supplied to the ice-making water tank 19 via a water supply pipe 27 connected to an external water supply system by opening the water supply valve Wv during control as shown in FIG.

At the top of the required 1'A ice compartment 13 in the first ice making compartment 11, an ice making detection thermo'r is installed as an ice making completion detection means.
h, is arranged. This ice-making detection thermo Th,
is installed in the control circuit shown in FIG. 4, and during ice-making operation, it closes its contacts a-c and opens its contacts c-b, and when the ice-making operation is finished, it closes its contacts a-c as shown in FIG.
It is set so that it can open contact point c and close contact point c-b. Further, in the r+1 section of another first ice-making compartment 13, a de-icing detection thermometer Tkr2 is installed as a de-icing completion detecting means.
The de-icing detection thermometer I' h opens its contacts only when the first ice-making compartment 13 is in a cooling state, and ice is released from the ice-making compartment 13 and the temperature rises. When the contact point is closed, the contact point is set to close.

During the deicing operation, the second FP3 water chamber 12 and the ice-making water tank 19 are tilted diagonally downward and to the right by a predetermined angle about the pivot shaft 16, as will be described later and shown in FIG. Free from ice room 11. At this time,
A water guide plate 35 is provided to stop the spherical ice removed from falling from the first ice-making compartment 13 and guide the spherical ice to a water storage (not shown) provided diagonally below the ice-making water tank 19. ,
It is arranged so as to be able to move forward and backward along the second ice making compartment 15 of the second ice making compartment 12 which is in a tilted position.

Although various mechanisms have been proposed for advancing and retracting the water guide plate 35, for example, the configuration shown in FIG. 2 is suitably adopted. That is, the water guide plate 35 includes a large number of plate-shaped pieces 35.
At! :L11 Constructed in the form of a flexibly articulated shutter,
The ice can be wound onto a roll 36 disposed diagonally below and to the right of the ice-making water tank 19 and above the water storage (not shown) by a winding motor RM. This water guide plate 35
has its open end facing close to the tilt stop position of the second ice making chamber 12 when it is completely wound up on the roll 36.

Then, after the deicing operation starts and the second ice making chamber 12 tilts diagonally downward and to the right, the motor RM installed in the control circuit shown in FIG. 4 is energized to rotate the roll 36 toward the feeding side. If the water guide plate 35
11I2 Slideably extends to the upper surface of the ice chamber 15. Thereby, the water guide plate 35 can smoothly guide the spherical ice that has fallen from the first ice making compartment 13 toward the water storage.

Further, when the deicing is completed, the motor RM is reversely rotated,
The water guide plate 35 is wound up on a roll 36, and the second ice making compartment 1 is
5 can be quickly retreated.

(Regarding the refrigeration system) Fig. 3 shows a schematic configuration of the refrigeration system in the ice maker, in which the vaporized refrigerant compressed by the compressor CM is condensed and liquefied in the condenser 28 via the discharge pipe 34, and then After being dehumidified in step 29, the pressure is reduced in capillary tube 30, and it flows into evaporator 14, where it expands and evaporates all at once, and exchanges heat with first ice making chamber 11 to form ice compartments 13 in each section 1. Cool down to freezing point. The vaporized refrigerant evaporated in the evaporator 14 and the unevaporated liquefied refrigerant flow into the accumulator 31 in a gas-liquid mixed state, where they are separated into gas and liquid. The gas phase refrigerant then returns to the compressor CM via the suction pipe 32,
The liquid phase refrigerant is stored in the accumulator 31 .

Further, a hot gas pipe 33 is branched from the discharge pipe 34 of the compressor CM, and this hot gas pipe 33 is connected to a hot gas valve IIV.
It is connected to the inlet 1] side of the evaporator 14 through the evaporator 14. This hot gas valve HV is controlled to be opened only during deicing operation and closed during ice making operation. That is, during deicing operation, the hot gas valve HV is opened and the hot gas is discharged from the compressor CM. IS: By bypassing the hot refrigerant to the evaporator 14 via the hot gas pipe 33 and heating each first ice-making compartment 13, the peripheral surface of the spherical ice produced inside the compartment is melted, Let each ice block fall under its own weight. Further, the high temperature refrigerant flowing out from the evaporator 14 is transferred to the accumulator 31.
The liquid phase refrigerant flowing into the accumulator 31 and staying in the accumulator 31 is heated and evaporated, and is transferred to the suction pipe 32 as a gas phase refrigerant.
from there to the compressor CM. In addition, the symbol F in the figure
M indicates the fan motor of the condenser 28.

(Regarding the Control Circuit) FIG. 4 shows an example of the electric control circuit diagram of the automatic ice maker according to the embodiment. In the figure, a fuse switch and an ice storage detection switch S1 are installed in series between the power supply line R and the connection point, and a compressor CM is connected to the relay X between the connection point and the power supply line 1. It is connected via the normally closed contact x1-b of □.

The water storage detection switch S□ is configured to close when the ice in the water storage (not shown) decreases below a predetermined level, and to open when the ice in the water storage reaches a predetermined level. In addition, during deicing operation, the above-mentioned second! A terminal a of a changeover switch S, which is energized by the tilting of the Iu ice chamber 12, is connected to a connection point, and a changeover contact of this changeover switch S2 is connected to a contact C of an ice-making detection thermometer T)+. .

■ A driving motor PM of the pump 22 and a fan motor r/' M are connected in 9η rows between the contact a of the ice-making detection thermometer rh and the line {1}. A relay X1.
A timer T and a heater H connected in series with the normally closed contact 'L'-b of the timer T are connected in parallel. Further, the terminal of the actuator motor AM is connected to the line T, and the tilting drive terminal m of the motor AM is connected to the timer 1.
It is connected to the contact point C of the thermostat Th1 through the normally open contact "1.' -+i of ".Furthermore, the changeover contact C of the changeover switch S2 is connected to the return drive terminal n of the actuator motor ΔM for deicing detection. The hot gas valve HV and the water supply valve Wv are connected in parallel between the switching contact C and the line T.
The timer T is configured to open the normally closed contact T-b and open the normally open contact T-a after a required set time has elapsed from the start of 1 energization (start of deicing operation).

A relay X2 is interposed between the changeover contact C of the changeover switch S2 and the line 1', and a terminal k of a motor RM for driving the water guide plate 35 forward and backward is connected to the line 'I'. In addition, the ice guide extraction end of the motor RM is 1,000 m long.
It is connected to the changeover contact C of the changeover switch S2 through the normally open contacts X and -a of the relay X, and the water guide plate retreat terminal n of the motor RM is connected to the return drive terminal n of the actuator motor AM. ing.

(About the operation of the first embodiment) Next, the operation of the ice maker according to the first embodiment will be explained. First, the automatic ice maker is powered on (the power switch is not shown). At this time, since no ice blocks are stored in the water storage, the water storage detection switch S is activated.

is closed, and the selector switch SO is connected to the contacts a and b. Furthermore, since the temperature of the first ice-making chamber 11 is maintained at about room temperature, the ice-making detection thermometer Th is connected to the contact c: -a side. Therefore, as soon as the power is turned on, the compressor CM, fan motor FM, and pump motor P
Power is started to be applied to M and ice making operation begins. As a result, the
The refrigerant W4 is circulated in the evaporator 14 provided in the first ice-making compartment 11 to cool the first ice-making compartment 11, and the ice-making water 20 from the ice-making water tank 9 is pressure-fed to the distribution pipe 24. The water is injected into the corresponding second ice-making compartments 15 through each water fountain 25 .

The injected ice-making water contacts the inner surface of the first ice-making compartment 13 in the first ice-making compartment 1 and is cooled, and after moistening the second ice-making compartment 15 in the second ice-making compartment 12 located below, The ice-making water is returned to the ice-making water tank 19 through a plurality of return holes 26 drilled at the bottom of the small chamber 15, and is stored in the tank 19 as the ice-making water is repeatedly circulated. As the temperature of the entire ice making water gradually decreases, the second v5
Similarly, the temperature of the ice chamber 15 gradually decreases. First, a portion of the ice-making water freezes on the inner wall surface of the first ice-making chamber 13, forming a water layer (see Figure 5 (,) 1! (0). During the cycle of returning to the ice layer 19, the growth of the ice layer progresses to a rainbow pattern, as shown in Figure 5 (
As shown in I)) and FIG. 5(c), spherical water 1 is finally generated in the spherical space formed by the first ice-making chamber 13 and the second ice-making chamber 15.

In this way) IQ ice is completed and 4.
When the temperature drops by 1 degree to the required temperature range, the ice-making detection thermometer ゛I'l+ detects this and changes the temperature from the contact Ca side to the contact c side.
-Switch to the b side. This allows the fan motor r/M
Then, the power supply to the pump motor PM is stopped, and the circulating supply of ice-making water is stopped. Also, relay X is energized and the normally closed contacts x and -b that cooperate with it are opened,
The operation of compressor CM is also stopped. Furthermore, the timer '1' is energized and starts counting the required set time period. Then, until the timer 1' counts up, the heater H connected in series to the normally closed contact 'l' is energized to heat the second ice making compartment 12, thereby heating the second ice making compartment 15. To melt the spherical water freeze.

When the required set time period L'-'b elapses and the timer '1' counts up, the normally closed contact 'r-1' of the timer '1'
3 is opened to stop energizing the heater 11, and
Close the normally open contact "rwB" connected to the ejection drive terminal [n of the actuator motor AM indicated by r'+f, and rotate the motor AM counterclockwise in FIG.

As a result, the cam lever 17 rotates, and a cam lever 17a formed at its base forcibly presses the upper side surface of the second ice making chamber 12 in one direction. As already mentioned, the second ice making room 1
2 is heated by the heater I■, and the spherical water in the second ice making compartment 15 is thawed, so the second ice making compartment 12 (and the ice making water tank 19) is heated by the first ice making compartment 11.
was forcibly removed from

If it tilts diagonally downward! J+ start. Finally, the second ice-making compartment 12 and the ice-making water tank 19 are tilted open with the spherical water 1 attached to the first ice-making compartment 13 in the first ice-making compartment 11, as shown in FIG.

The ice-making water with increased impurity concentration in the tank 19 is disposed of outside. At the timing of maximum tilting, the lever piece 37 presses and urges the changeover switch S7 and switches the contacts a-b to the contacts a-Q side, so that the actuator motor AM stops its rotation and moves to the second position. 2. Stop the tilting of the ice making compartment 12. Note that since the deicing detection thermometer Th2 maintains its open state, a return command for the actuator motor AM is not issued yet.

;1; f By switching the changeover switch S, the power supply to the timer device T is cut off, and its normally closed contact 'r - b
is closed again, and the normally closed contact T-a returns to open. In addition, the water supply valve Wv was opened and the water level in tank 1 decreased.
9 is supplied with new ice-making water, the hot gas valve HV is opened, and the high-temperature refrigerant discharged from the compressor CM, which has resumed operation by opening the normally closed contacts x and -b of the relay X, is transferred to the hot gas pipe. 33 to the evaporator 14.

As a result, the first ice-making chamber 11 is heated, and the frozen surfaces of the inner surface of the first ice-making chamber 13 and the spherical water begin to melt.

Furthermore, by switching the changeover switch S2, the relay
2 is energized, the normally closed contacts X, -a that cooperate with this are closed, and the water guide plate extending terminal m of the motor RM is energized. As a result, the motor RM is driven in the required direction, and as shown in FIG.
It was brought out from 6.

It extends over the entire upper part of the second ice making compartment 12 in the tilted position and waits for the frozen spherical water to fall into the first ice making compartment 13. Then, after the circulation of the hot gas in the evaporator 14 described above, the first! a The culm where the ice chamber 13 is made 7
．． When A is done, the ice between the chamber wall and the spherical water is removed,
The spherical water moves to the water guide plate 3 in the extended position due to its own weight.
5, slides down along this water guide plate 35, and is guided and collected in a water storage (not shown).

In this manner, when all of the spherical water leaves the first ice-making chamber 13, the temperature of the first ice-making chamber 11 is raised to -Fl- by the hot gas circulating in the evaporator 14.

When the deicing detection thermometer Th2 detects this temperature rise.

The thermostat Th closes to complete the deicing ufl transfer.

When the thermostat Th2 is closed, the return drive terminal n of the actuator motor AM is energized, and the motor AM reversely rotates to drive the cam lever 17, creating an elastic force between the lever 17 and the second I2 ice chamber 12. The second ice making chamber 12 and the ice making water tank 19 are rotated counterclockwise by the coil spring 18 that is engaged with the
By restoring the
The ice making chamber 13 is closed from below. Also, the water guide plate retraction terminal n of the motor RM is energized, and the motor R
M is driven in the opposite direction to the previous direction, and the water guide plate 35 moves toward the roll 3.
6. In addition, by making the winding speed of the water guide plate 35 onto the roll 36 sufficiently higher than the return speed of the second ice making chamber 12, the water guide plate 35 is prevented from being bitten by the second ice making chamber 12 during the return. does not occur.

Further, due to the reverse rotation of the motor AM, the cam lever 17 also rotates in the reverse direction, and presses and energizes the changeover switch S2 to switch from the contact a-(3 side to the contact a-b side. As a result, the water supply valve W■ and hot gas valve HV closes,
Turn off the supply of ice-making water and hot gas. Also, the relay x2 is demagnetized.

The normally closed contacts X, -a which cooperate with this are opened again.

Then, the ice-making operation is resumed by returning to the initial state shown in the circuit diagram of FIG. 4, and the above-described operations are repeated.

When the ice making operation and the deicing operation are repeated and a predetermined amount of spherical water is stored in the water storage, the water storage detection switch S is opened and the operation of the ice maker is stopped.

(Regarding the ice-making mechanism according to the second embodiment) FIG. 7 schematically shows the automatic ice-making machine according to the second embodiment of the present invention in an ice-making state, and its basic configuration is similar to that of the first embodiment. It has the same structure. However, in this embodiment, the 2'RJ ice chamber 12 and the distribution pipe 24 are configured to be independently separated.

In other words, this ice maker is equipped with a tiltable water tray 38 having a distribution pipe 24 disposed on its back surface, and the ice making water tank 19 is provided in the water tray 38 . By energizing the actuator motor AM described above, the water tray 38 can be tilted during the deicing operation to open the second ice making chamber 12.

Further, the second ice making chamber 12 is arranged so as to be positionable at a predetermined position directly below the first ice making chamber 11 during ice making operation, and is located on the lower surface of the second ice making chamber 12 ;)? f) The water tray 38 can be brought into close contact with the water tray 38. Each fountain hole 25 formed in the distribution pipe 24 provided on the back surface of the water tray 38 is made to correspond to the through hole 12a formed in the bottom of each second ice making compartment 15 in the second ice making compartment 12. It is set to . In addition, a return hole 26 is bored adjacent to each fountain hole 25 of the water tray 38, and this return hole 26
The unfrozen water is returned to the ice making water tank 19 through the ice making water tank 19.

The second ice-making compartment 12 used in this embodiment is configured to be able to be moved at a required timing by a moving mechanism to be described later and completely evacuated from directly below the first ice-making compartment 11.

In other words, the 2111iI Himuro 12.

During the deicing operation, after descending vertically from the first ice-making compartment 11 by a required distance, the first ice-making compartment 11 is moved horizontally.
An example of a moving mechanism that provides this L-shaped and inverted-shaped movement is capable of performing a so-called L-shaped movement of retreating from directly below the ice-making operation, and a return movement in the opposite direction to that described above before restarting the ice-making operation. , schematically shown in FIGS. 8(a) and 8(b).

In the figure, a pair of L-shaped guide rails 39 are adjacent to both side edges of the first ice making chamber 11 which is horizontally fixed in a fixed position.
．． 39 are arranged in parallel, and this guide rail 3
9. A pair of L-shaped guide rails 40, 4 having the same shape are installed on the right side of 39 (in Fig. 8 (, )) with a predetermined hole # [
0 are arranged in an array. Each guide rail 39
and 40 have rack teeth 3 on the raceway surface of the same amount.
9a and 40a, each pinion gear 41 is rotatably supported on both side edges of the second fM ice chamber 12 via a shaft.
but.

meshing with the rack teeth 39a, 40a so as not to fall off;
The second ice making chamber 12 is movably supported horizontally on L-shaped guide rails 39, 39 and 40, 40. In addition,
In the second ice making chamber 12, another pinion gear 51 that meshes with rack teeth formed on the back surfaces of the guide rails 39, 40 is rotatably supported adjacent to each of the pinion gears 41. That is, the guide rail 39.40 is held between two pinion gears 41.51, thereby moving the second ice making chamber 12 to the guide rail 3.
It is configured so that it will not fall off after 9.40.

Further, the second ice making chamber 12 is provided with the pinion gear 41;
A first shaft 52 is rotatably connected to the sunken shaft through a worm and a worm wheel, and this drive shaft 52 is connected to a deceleration motor 42 disposed in the second ice making compartment 12.
is connected to the gear. As a result, by driving the motor 42, the second ice-making chamber 12 is moved into each pair of L ice-making compartments as shown in FIG. It can be made to run on its own along the letter-shaped guide rails 39, 39, and 40, 40, and can be completely evacuated from directly below the first ice-making chamber 11.

Note that when the ice-making operation is completed, the first ice-making compartment 11 and the second ice-making compartment 12 are firmly frozen, and the second ice-making compartment 12 is solidly frozen.
The heat of fusion by the heater H installed in the and the deceleration motor 42
With RG power alone.

It seems difficult to separate both legs Himuro 11 and 12. Therefore, as shown in FIG. It is recommended to install a mechanism that is attached to the P5 ice compartment 11 and forcibly separates the 1I11i ice compartment 11, 12 by pressing the edge of the second ice compartment 12 downward by the rotation of this cam 43.

(Regarding the operation of the second embodiment) During ice-making operation, as shown in FIG.
2 closes the 11th ice chamber 11 from below, and the water tray 38 closes the 2g ice chamber 12 from below. The ice-making water in the tank 19 is then supplied to the first ice-making chamber 13 and the second ice-making chamber 15 through the fountain hole 25 formed in the distribution pipe 24 and the through hole 12a formed in the bottom of the second ice-making chamber 15. The ice is injected into the spherical space defined by the ice, and spherical ice is generated there. In addition, unfrozen water is stored in the second ice making compartment 15.
Returns to the water tray 38 through the through hole 12a, and the water 11+13
The water is returned to the ice-making water tank 19 through the return hole 26 drilled in the ice-making water tank 19 .

FIGS. 9(a) to 9(e) show the water tray 38 and the second water tray 38 during deicing operation. ! The movement of Himuro 12 is shown in chronological order. That is, when the ice-making operation is completed, the front-mounted ice detection thermometer 'I''h detects this and energizes the heater 1-I to prevent freezing between the back surface of the second W5 ice compartment 12 and the water tray 38. The water tray 38 is forcibly peeled off by the actuator motor AM as shown in FIG. is being lifted.

Therefore, the motor 44 is driven ω1 to rotate the cam 43 and press the edge of the second ice making chamber 12 downward to forcibly separate it from the first ice making chamber 11. Also, synchronously, the deceleration motor 42 is driven to connect the pinion gear 41 and the rack teeth 3.
Under the meshing action with 9a and 40a, the second! lI2 Himuro 12
each pair of L-shaped guide rails 39, 39 and 40
．． 40, the second ice making chamber 12 separates from the first ice making chamber 11 and descends vertically, as shown in FIGS. 9(b) and 9(c), and then moves to the right. It moved towards the direction and completely evacuated from directly under the 1st I9 ice room 11. however.

The spherical ice 1 is frozen in the first ice-making compartment 13 in the first ice-making compartment 11. In this state, the hot gas valve 11V is opened, and the hot gas is supplied to the evaporator 14 provided in the first ice-making compartment 11. 6 first ice making chamber 11 through which ice is passed is the evaporator 14
When heated by hot gas circulation, the spherical ice 1 in the first ice-making chamber 13 is unfrozen, and as shown in FIG.
As shown in d), the spherical ice 1 falls from the first ice-making compartment 13 under its own weight, lands on the surface of the water tray 38 that is tilted and stands by, and is slid down and collected in the water storage.

Next, if the deceleration motor 42 is reversed.

The second ice making chamber 12 includes a pinion gear 41 and rack teeth 39a,
40a, it returns to its self-propelled position along the pairs of L-shaped guide rails 39, 39 and 40, 40, and returns to the lower part of the first ice-making compartment 11, as shown in FIG. 9(e). and waits for the next ice-making operation.

(Regarding the ice-making mechanism according to the third embodiment) FIG. 10 schematically shows an automatic ice-making machine according to the third embodiment of the present invention in an ice-making state. No. 111 shown in this example! Himuro 1
1 is fixed at the upper part of the inside of the ice maker casing in a posture tilted at a required angle with respect to the horizontal.The first ice making chamber 13 is a hemispherical recess on the lower surface of the first ice making chamber 11 and is tilted downward at a required angle. A large number of recesses are provided in an aligned pattern, and the first ice-making compartment 11 is
Evaporator L4, ice-making detection thermometer '1' at specified locations on two sides.
h, and a de-icing detection thermometer '1'' h are tightly fixed.

Immediately below the first ice-making compartment 11, there is a second ice-making compartment (IIl) that closes the first ice-making compartment 11 from below during the ice-making operation and opens the first ice-making compartment 11 during the de-icing operation.
An ice room 12 is provided. In this second ice room 12.

A large number of second ice-making chambers 15 corresponding to the first ice-making chambers 13 and also forming hemispherical recesses are recessed upward in a required alignment pattern, and a heater II is embedded in a portion adjacent to each second I2 ice chamber 15. has been done. Also, the second ice making room 12
A through hole 12a of a required diameter is bored at the bottom of each of the second ice-making compartments 15, so that ice-making water can be supplied and unfrozen water can be discharged from a distribution pipe 24, which will be described later.

The lower end of the second ice making chamber 12 is attached to a bracket 45 which is tiltably pivoted via a pivot 16 to a fixed part inside the ice maker housing, and under the action of an actuator motor AM, The first ice-making chamber 13 can be opened by rotating clockwise about the pivot 16 and hanging down. Second
On the back side of the ice making chamber 12, there is a distribution pipe 24 equipped with a pressure chamber 23.
are placed close together with a slight 1ft gap, and this distribution'! ? 24 is provided with a water fountain hole 25 that can correspond to each of the second ice making chambers 15. Then, when the second ice making compartment 12 is closed to the first ice making compartment 11.

Each of the water fountain holes 25 is open so as to face the through hole 12a formed in the second ice making chamber 15 in a corresponding manner. A water guide plate 47 is disposed on the lower surface of the distribution pipe 24 with a spacer 46 in between, and extends parallel to the lower surface of the second ice-making chamber 12 . This water guide plate 47 is used as the second water guide plate during ice making operation.
The unfrozen water falling from the through hole 12a of the ice making chamber 15 is
This is to collect J+ and guide it to the ice-making water tank 19 below.

In addition, a temperature detection thermometer T
h, is provided so that the temperature of the second WI ice compartment 12 can be monitored.

In the device according to the third embodiment, the ice-making water tank 19 is not provided integrally with the second ice-making compartment 12, but the ice-making water tank 19 is separately installed below the 21J ice compartment 12. That is, the ice-making water tank 19 is provided below the housing of the ice-making machine and directly below the first and second ice-making chambers 1.1, 1.2, and has an inclined surface 19a extending obliquely upward from the tank body. have. As shown in FIG. 10, it is preferable to interpose a second water guide plate 48 in an inclined manner between this inclined surface 19a and the water guide plate 47. , the lowermost edge thereof is bent downward and faces above the upper end of the inclined surface 19a, and unfrozen water is guided to the inclined surface 19a via this bent edge, and ice blocks during deicing are It slides down on the second water guide plate 48 and can be collected in a water storage. A water supply pipe 21 led out from the bottom side of the ice-making water tank 19 is communicated with the pressure chamber 23 via a water supply pump 22, and the water supply to the tank 19 is connected to the external water supply system by opening the water supply valve Wv. This is done through a water supply pipe 27 connected to.

(Regarding the electrical control circuit) An example of the control circuit for operating the apparatus shown in the third embodiment is shown in FIG.
A fuse I-' and an ice accumulation detection switch S1 are provided in series between the connection point [)] and the power supply line 'I', and a compressor CM is connected to the relay X's They are connected via normally closed contacts x-b. Further, during the deicing operation, the terminal a of the changeover switch S2 which is energized by 11j+ of the second ice making chamber 12 is connected to the connection point, and the changeover contact of this changeover switch S2 is connected to the ice making detection thermo 1.
It is connected to contact C of ゛h.

A drive motor PM of the pump 22 and a fan motor FM are connected in parallel between the contact a of the ice-making detection thermometer T h and the line 'I', and the contact of the thermometer Th is connected to the temperature detection thermometer 'I'. A relay X and a heater 11 are connected in parallel between the switching contact of the thermometer Th and the line 'r.

Further, the other switching contact C of the temperature detection thermometer T h 3 is connected to the tilting drive terminal m of the actuator motor AM. Further, the terminal of the motor AM is connected to a line T, and its return drive terminal n is connected to a changeover contact C of a changeover switch S2 via a contact of a deicing detection thermometer Th2. Further, between the changeover contact C of the changeover switch S and the line T, a hot gas valve HV and a water supply valve Wv are connected in parallel.

(About the operation of the third embodiment) Next, the operation of the ice maker according to the eighth embodiment will be explained. First, turn on the power to the automatic ice maker. At this time,
The water storage detection switch S is closed, and the changeover switch S
2 is connected to the contact a-b side. Furthermore, since the temperature of the first ice-making chamber 11 is maintained at the room temperature, the ice-making detection thermometer Th is connected to the contact Q-a side. Therefore, as soon as the power is turned on, the compressor CM, fan motor FM,
The pump motor PM starts to be energized and starts ice making operation, and the first ice making chamber 11 is cooled. In addition, the ice making water 20 from the 12 ice water tank 19 is pumped to the distribution pipe 24,
Each water fountain 25 in the distribution pipe 24 and the second ice making chamber 1
The ice is injected into the ice-making chambers 15 of each section and two corresponding thereto through the through holes 12a that are sunk in the holes 12a.

The sprayed ice making water is the 1st jjc! After cooling the second ice making compartment 15 in the second ice making compartment 12 below by contacting the inner side of the ice compartment 13, the through hole 12. The ice falls to the water guide plate 47 via the water guide plate 47, and is returned to the ice making water tank 19 via the second water guide plate 48 and the inclined surface 19a, where it is circulated again. As this ice-making water circulation is repeated, the temperature of the entire ice-making water collected in the tank 19 gradually decreases. In addition, the second ice making compartment 12 is partially in contact with the first ice making compartment 11, and the second ice making compartment 15 is in contact with the first ice making compartment 11.
Since the unfrozen water that has been cooled to the ice temperature contacts and circulates, the temperature of the second ice making chamber 12 itself also gradually decreases to below the freezing point. First, a portion of the ice-making water freezes on the inner wall surface of the first ice-making chamber 13 to form a water layer, and the unfrozen water returns to the ice-making water tank 19 through the through hole 12a which also serves as a return hole, repeating the cycle. In the meantime, the growth of the IYf ice layer further progresses, and finally the first ice making compartment 13 and the second ice making compartment 1
Spherical water 1 is gradually generated in the spherical space defined by 5.

In this way, the first ice making compartment 13 and the second ice making compartment 15
When ice making is completed and the temperature of the first ice making chamber 11 falls to the required temperature range, the ice making detection thermo T detects this.
h, switches from the contact c-a side to the contact c-b side,
Power supply to fan motor FM and pump motor PM is stopped. Further, since the temperature of the second ice making chamber 12 has decreased below the required temperature due to the generation of the spherical water 1, the temperature detection thermometer Th is activated.

is connected to the contact a-b side, therefore, the relay The second ice-making chamber 12 is heated to melt the frozen spherical water 1 in the second ice-making chamber 15, and the spherical water 1 and the second! A The bonding force with the ice chamber 15 is reduced.

When the temperature of the second ice-making chamber 12 rises to a predetermined value or higher due to the heating of the heater H, the temperature detection thermometer Th3 detects this and connects the contact ab to the contact a-a.
switch to the side. This deenergizes relay X and closes normally closed contact x-b.

The operation of the compressor CM is restarted, and the power supply to the heater H is stopped. Also, the inclination t of actuator motor AM
Electricity is supplied through the jI* operating terminal m, and the motor A
By driving M, the cam lever 17 rotates, and the cam surface 17a formed at the base forcibly presses the side upper surface of the 212th ice compartment 12 downward. As already mentioned,
Since the spherical water in the second ice-making compartment 15 has been defrozen, the ice compartment 21a is forcibly separated 11 from the first ice-making compartment 11 and begins to tilt clockwise. and,
Finally, the 211th ice chamber 12 is completely opened in a hanging state, as shown in FIG.

At this time, one spherical water 1 is still frozen and fixed in the first ice-making compartment 13 in the first ice-making compartment 11 .

At the timing when the second!1!2 ice chamber 12 is tilted to the maximum, the lever piece 37 presses and biases the changeover switch S7, and switches its contacts a-b to the contacts a-c side. This opens the water supply valve Wv.

New ice-making water is supplied to the ice-making water tank 19, and
The hot gas valve HV is opened and the high temperature refrigerant discharged from the compressor CM is bypassed to the evaporator 14. For this reason, the first
The ice making compartment 11 is heated.

The inner surface of the first ice-making chamber 13 and the frozen surface of the spherical water begin to melt. Note that since the deicing detection thermometer Th2 maintains its open state, a return command for the actuator motor AM is not issued yet.

In addition, when the first ice-making chamber 13 is heated by the hot gas @ring in the evaporator 14, the ice between the chamber wall and the spherical water is broken, and the spherical water falls due to its own weight. It slides down along the second water guide plate 48 and reaches the water storage (
(not shown).

In this way, when all the spherical water leaves the first ice-making compartment 13, the temperature of the first ice-making compartment 11 rises all at once due to the hot gas circulating in the evaporator 14.

When this temperature rise is detected by the de-icing detection thermometer Th, the thermometer Th2 is closed and the deicing g% terminal n of the actuator motor AM is energized. As a result, the motor AM rotates in the opposite direction to move the cam lever 17
s movement, and the coil spring 18 elastically engaged between the lever 17 and the second ice making compartment 12 causes the second ice making compartment 1 to move.
2 by rotating and urging it in the opposite direction (direction) to return it to the tilted state.

The first ice-making compartment 13 of the first ice-making compartment 11 is closed again from below.

Incidentally, due to the reverse rotation of the motor AM, the cam lever 17 also rotates in the reverse direction, and presses and energizes the changeover switch S7 to switch from the contact a-Q side to the contact a-b side. As a result, the water supply valve Wv and the hot gas valve HV are opened, and the supply of ice-making water and hot gas is stopped. Then, the initial state is restored and the ice-making operation is restarted, and the operations described above are repeated.The ice-making operation and the de-icing operation are repeated, and when a predetermined amount of spherical water is stored in the water storage, the water storage detection switch S, is opened and the operation of the ice maker is stopped.

(Regarding the ice-making mechanism according to the fourth embodiment) FIG. 13 schematically shows an automatic ice-making machine according to the fourth embodiment of the present invention in an ice-making state. The basic structure of the mechanism shown in this embodiment is almost the same as the mechanism according to the third embodiment described above. however.

The second ice-making compartment 12 turns over more than in the third embodiment, and the spherical water first leaves the first ice-making compartment 11.
A mechanism is adopted in which the ice cube is then separated from the second ice chamber 12 and falls down.

That is, the first ice-making chamber 11 is fixed above the inside of the cylindrical body of the ice-making machine in a posture inclined at a required angle with respect to the horizontal.

A large number of first ice-making compartments 13 each having a hemispherical recess are recessed downward in a required alignment pattern on the lower surface of the first ice-making compartment 11. ．． Ice making detection thermo Th and deicing detection thermo Th
2 are closely fixed.

Immediately below the first ice making compartment 11 is a second ice making compartment 12 that closes the first ice making compartment 11 from below during ice making operation and opens the first ice making compartment 11 during deicing operation.
is installed. This second ice making compartment 12 includes the first ice making compartment 12.
A large number of second ice-making chambers 15 each having a hemispherical concave portion corresponding to the ice-making chambers 13 are recessed upward in a required alignment pattern, and a heater H is embedded in a portion adjacent to each second ice-making chamber 15. In addition, a through hole 12a of a required diameter is bored at the bottom of each second ice making compartment 15 in the 2116th ice compartment 12 so that ice making water can be supplied and unfrozen water can be discharged from a distribution pipe 24 (described later). It has become.

The upper end of the second ice making chamber 12 is attached to a bracket 45 which is rotatably pivoted via a pivot 16 to a fixed part inside the ice maker casing. The first ice-making chamber 13 is rotated largely clockwise around the center, and the first ice-making chamber 13 is turned over as shown in FIG.
can be opened. On the back side of the second ice making chamber 12, a distribution pipe 24 having a pressure chamber 23 is arranged close to it with a slight gap.
A fountain hole 25 corresponding to each of the ice chambers 15 is bored. As shown in FIG. 13, when the second ice making compartment 12 is closed to the first ice making compartment 11, each of the water fountain holes 25 is connected to the through hole 12a formed in the second ice making compartment 15. It is designed to be responsive.

Note that side plates 49 extending downward are fixed to the lower edge of each periphery of the back surface of the second EI5 ice chamber 12.

It forms a rectangular weir. As shown in FIG. 14, this rectangular weir consisting of the side plate 49 is used to supply water when the second ice-making chamber 12 is turned over significantly and the back surface of the second ice-making chamber 12 is directed diagonally upward. By storing the required amount of water supplied from the pipe 27 and overflowing the excess water,
It functions to promote the separation of the spherical water 1 from the second ice making chamber 15.

Also in the apparatus according to the fourth embodiment, an ice-making water tank 19 is installed separately from the second ice-making chamber 12. That is, the ice-making water tank 19 is provided below the flute body of the ice-making machine, and is provided with a water guide plate 48 extending obliquely upward from the tank body. The lowermost edge of the second water guiding plate 48 is bent downward to face above one end of the tank 19, and unfrozen water is guided to the tank 19 through this bent end. During deicing, ice blocks can slide down the second water guide plate 48'' and be collected in the water storage. Therefore, this fourth
In the mechanism according to the embodiment, unlike the third embodiment, the water guide plate 47 is not provided, and unfrozen water that falls from the through hole 12a of the second ice making chamber 15 during ice making operation is directly passed through the water guide plate 4.
8.

The water supply pipe 21 led out from the ice-making water tank 19 is communicated with the pressure chamber 23 via the water supply pump 22, and the water supply to the tank 19 is connected to the external water system by opening the water supply valve W■. This is done through the water supply pipe 27 that is connected to the water supply pipe 27.

In addition, a temperature detection thermometer Th
, is provided so that the temperature of the second ice making compartment 12 can be monitored.

(Regarding Electrical Control Circuit) An example of a control circuit for operating the device shown in the fourth embodiment is shown in FIG. 15. In the figure, a fuse F and a water storage detection switch S are connected between the power supply line R and the connection point.
are provided in series, and this connection point and the power supply line T
between the compressor 0mm body and the normally closed contact X of the relay
-1b, the fan motors FM are connected in parallel. Further, during the deicing operation, the terminal a of the changeover switch S, which is energized by the tilting of the second ice making chamber 12, is connected to the connection point, and the changeover contact of the changeover switch S is
The following elements are connected in parallel with the power supply line T.

■Timer T ■Series system of ice-making detection thermometer Th, contact C2 contact a, normally closed contact X-2b of relay X, and pump motor PM.

In addition, when the changeover contact of the changeover switch S2 is connected to the pump motor P
A normally closed contact Tb of a timer T is interposed between the timer T and M.

■ Normally open contact X -1a of relay X, ice making detection thermo T
Contact h1, normally open contact T a of timer T, relay X
Series system of.

■Series system between normally open contact X-2a of relay X and hot gas valve HV. Furthermore, a deicing detection thermometer Th is interposed between the normally open contact X-2a of the relay X and the tilting drive terminal m of the actuator motor AM, and the terminal of the motor AM is connected to the line T. There is.

Fourth, the changeover contact C of the changeover switch S2 is connected to the return drive terminal n of the motor AM via the contact a-b side of the temperature detection thermometer Th. Further, between the contact point C of the temperature detection thermometer Th and the line T, a water supply valve Wv and a heater H are connected in parallel. Note that the timer T
starts integrating the required set time at the start of the ice-making operation, and when the required set time expires, opens the normally closed contact Tb and closes the normally open contact 1'a. It has become.

(About the operation of the fourth embodiment) Next, the operation of the ice maker according to the fourth embodiment will be explained. When power is turned on to the automatic ice maker, the water storage detection switch S is closed, and the changeover switch S2 is connected to contacts a and b.
connected to the side. Since the temperature of the first ice-making compartment 11 is maintained at about room temperature, the ice-making detection thermometer Th, contacts c
- connected to the a side. The water removal detection thermometer Th has a contact that closes when the temperature of the first ice making compartment 11 is above a predetermined value and opens when the temperature is below a predetermined value, and the contact is closed during ice making operation. has been completed. Furthermore, temperature detection thermo T
(1, is the contact point a when the temperature of the second ice making compartment 12 is below a predetermined value.
-0 is closed, and contacts a and b are closed when the value exceeds a predetermined value, and while ice making operation is in progress, contacts a and b are closed and contacts a and 0 are open. I'm letting you do it.

Therefore, at the same time as the power is turned on, compressor CM and fan motor F
M, energization to the pump motor PM is started, ice making operation is started, and the first ice making chamber 11 is cooled. The ice-making water 20 from the ice-making water tank 19 is pumped to the distribution pipe 24, and is passed through each water fountain 25 in the distribution pipe 24 and the through hole 12a drilled in the second ice-making chamber 12 to the corresponding ice-making water 20. It is injected into each second ice making compartment 15. Furthermore, the timer T starts accumulating the required set time at the start of the ice-making operation.

The injected ice-making water comes into contact with the inner surface of the first ice-making chamber 13 and is cooled, and after passing through the second ice-making chamber 15 in the second ice-making chamber 12 located below, it is poured into the bottom of the second ice-making chamber 15. It falls through the drilled through hole L2a, returns to the ice making water tank 19 via the water guide plate 48, and is circulated again. While repeating this ice-making water circulation, tank 19
The temperature of the entire ice-making water stored inside the ice-making water gradually decreases. In addition, the second ice-making compartment 12 is partially connected to the first ice-making compartment 11.
At the same time, the unfrozen water cooled in the second ice-making compartment 15 is in contact with and circulated, so that the second ice-making compartment 12
Similarly, the temperature itself gradually decreases to below the freezing point.

First, a portion of the ice-making water freezes on the inner wall surface of the first ice-making chamber 13 to form an ice layer, and the unfrozen water returns to the ice-making water tank 19 through the through hole 12a, which also serves as a return hole, repeating the cycle. In the meantime, the growth of the ice layer further progresses, and finally spherical water 1 is gradually generated in the spherical space defined by the first ice making compartment 13 and the second ice making compartment 15.

Also, during this time, the timer T times up, opens the normally closed contact Tb, and closes the normally open contact 1'a. As mentioned above, the first ice making compartment 13 and the second! Ice making in the ice chamber 15 progresses, and the first. When the temperature of the ice-making compartment 11 falls to a required temperature range, the ice-making detection thermometer T h detecting this switches from the contact c-a side to the contact a-b side, and the energization to the pump motor PM is stopped. . Also, through the normally open contact 1a during closing,
Relay X is energized, its normally closed contact X-1b is opened, and power to fan motor FM is stopped. Furthermore, by closing the normally open contact X-1a, the relay X is self-held, and by closing the normally open contact X-2a, the hot gas valve HV is
is opened to bypass the high temperature refrigerant discharged from the compression IacM to the evaporator 14. As a result, the 1st m ice room 11
is heated, the frozen surface between the inner surface of the first ice-making chamber 13 and the spherical water starts to melt, and the bonding force between the spherical water 1 and the first ice-making chamber 13 is reduced.

Then, the de-icing detection thermometer '1' b is activated in the first ice-making compartment 1.
1 is detected and the contact is closed, the actuator motor AM4) tilting drive terminal m is energized, the cam lever 17 rotates, and the cam surface 17b formed at the base moves into the second ice making compartment. The side upper surface of 12 is forcibly pressed downward. As already mentioned, since the spherical water in the first ice-making compartment 13 has been thawed, the second ice-making compartment 12 is forcibly separated from the first ice-making compartment 11 and begins to tilt clockwise. Then, the second ice-making chamber 12, with the spherical water 1 still frozen in the second ice-making chamber 15, is finally turned into a substantially reversed state as shown in FIG.
This leads to a posture where the back side is directed diagonally upward. At this time, the lower half of the spherical water 1 exposed from the second ice-making chamber 5 is located above the water guide plate 48 of the ice-making water tank 19.

At the timing when the 21B ice chamber 12 reaches its maximum inverted posture, the lever piece 37 presses and urges the changeover switch S3 to switch the contacts a-b to the contacts a-c side.

As a result, the drive of the actuator motor AM is stopped, the relay X is deenergized, the normally open contact X-1a is opened, and the self-holding of the relay X is released. Also, normally closed contact
-1b closes and starts energizing the fan motor FM.

The normally open contact X-2a is opened, the hot gas valve HV is opened, and the refrigerant supply to the evaporator 14 is restarted, and the first ice making chamber 11 is opened.
Start cooling.

Since the spherical water 1 is still attached to the second ice-making compartment 12, the temperature detection thermometer Th remains switched to the contact a-Q side. Therefore, by switching the changeover switch s2 from the contacts a-b to the contacts a-a side, the water supply valve Wv is opened, and the external tap water at room temperature is supplied to the second ice making compartment 12 through the water supply pipe 27.
Supplied on the back side of As mentioned above, a rectangular weir is formed on the back side of the second ice-making chamber 12 by the side plate 49, so that the required amount of external tap water at room temperature is stored in this weir, and the second ice-making chamber 12 is stored in the required amount. 5. After the temperature of the ice chamber 12 is raised and excess water overflows, it is guided and collected into the ice-making water tank 19 via the water guide plate 48. The water introduced into the tank 19 raises its water level, and when it reaches a predetermined water level, it is discharged to the outside from the overflow pipe 50. Furthermore, when the water supply valve Wv is opened, the heater I is also energized.
, In polar heating is also performed on the second ice making chamber 12, melting the ice between the 215th ice chamber 15 and the spherical water 1, the ice between the chamber wall surface and the spherical water is released, and the spherical water is heated by its own weight. It falls, slides down along the water guide plate 48 provided directly below it, and is guided and collected in a water storage (not shown).

In this way, all spherical water is second! When separated from the IQ ice compartment 15, the temperature of the second ice making compartment 12 remains the same as that of the water supply pipe 2.
It gradually rises due to the influence of external tap water supplied from 7. When the ice blocking the 01f holes 12a formed in each of the 21A ice compartments 15 in the second ice making compartment 12 melts, the tap water falls through the holes 12a, and the water drops. It is guided to the ice-making water tank 19 via the guide plate 48. Also.

The temperature detection thermometer Th detects the temperature rise in the second ice making compartment 12.
is detected and switches from the contact a-Q side to the contact a-b side. As a result, the water supply valve wV is opened and the heater H is de-energized, and the actuator motor AM
The return drive terminal n is energized. Therefore, the motor AM reversely rotates to drive the cam lever 17,
A coil spring 18 elastically engaged between the lever 17 and the second ice-making chamber 12 rotates and urges the second ice-making chamber 12 in the counterclockwise direction to return it to the tilted state, so that the second ice-making chamber 12 is tilted again. The first ice-making compartment 13 of the first ice-making compartment 11 is closed from below.

Incidentally, due to the reverse rotation of the motor AM, the cam lever 17 also rotates in the reverse direction, presses and energizes the changeover switch S, switches its contacts a-e to its contacts a-b, and restarts the ice-making operation. By the way, in the first ice making chamber 11, during the previous deicing operation, the changeover switch S2 changed from the contact a-b side to the contact a-
From the moment when the switch is switched to the Q side, the switch S2 becomes contact a again.
Until switching from the -Q side to the contact a -b side, cooling is performed in a no-load state, and the temperature drops to below the ice-making completion temperature. Therefore, the ice-making detection thermometer Th has already switched from its contact c-a side to its contact c-b side. In this state, the changeover switch S2 is connected to the contact a-rs.
When switching from the side to the contact a - b side, the ice-making detection thermoT
Since the completion of ice making has been detected, ice removal operation is started again, and thereafter a hunting state occurs in which cooling and heating in the first ice making chamber 11 are repeated.

Therefore, in this embodiment, the timer T starts accumulating the required set time when the ice-making operation starts, and does not accept the signal from the ice-making detection thermometer 1゛h unless the set time expires. .

That is, when the changeover switch S2 is switched to the contact a-b side, the ice-making detection thermometer Th1 is switched to the contact c-b side, but since the normally open contact Ta of the timer T is open, the relay No electricity is applied to the

Therefore, the normally open contact X-2a of the relay X continues to be in the open state, and the normally closed contacts X-1b and normally closed contacts This will continue to be done. Also, since the normally closed contact Tb of the timer T is closed, the pump motor PM is energized and the ice making water tank 1
The ice-making water whose temperature has increased in 9 is passed through each water fountain 25 in the 1-divider pipe 24 and the through hole 1 bored into the second w1 ice chamber 12.
2a into each corresponding second ice-making compartment 15. This ice-making water whose temperature has increased comes into contact with the first ice-making chamber 11, which has been supercooled to below the ice-making completion temperature, and is rapidly cooled, and the temperature of the ice-making water increases in the first ice-making chamber 11 through heat exchange. Then, the temperature of the first N ice chamber 11 is
When the temperature reaches the ice-making completion temperature or higher, the ice-making detection thermo T' b
, is switched from the contact c-b side to the contact a-a side, and the pump motor PM is energized from this system as well.

After a while, the set time of the timer '1' expires, the normally open contact Ta closes, and the normally closed contact Tb opens. Therefore, the pump motor PM is energized only from the contact c-a side of the ice-making detection thermometer Th1. When the ice making operation and deicing operation described above are repeated and a predetermined amount of spherical ice is stored in the water storage, the water storage detection switch S is opened and the operation of the ice maker is stopped.

Effects of the Invention As explained in detail above, according to the automatic ice making machines according to the first to fourth embodiments of the present invention, a large number of spherical ice cubes of a predetermined diameter are continuously produced. It can be effectively used for the various purposes mentioned above. In addition, although the illustrated example has been explained for the production of one spherical ice, by changing the inner surface shapes of the first RJ ice chamber and the second fM ice chamber, a large amount of multifaceted ice as shown in FIG. 6(b) can be produced. It is also suitable for use in production. In addition to uses in restaurants and coffee shops, spherical ice can also be used as a golf ball, for example, since the ice is dense and extremely hard. In this case, when used at a hitting practice range, the spherical ice that is hit melts into water, which has the advantage of saving time and effort in recovering the ball.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

1 to 5 show a first embodiment of the present invention, in which FIG. 1 is a vertical sectional view showing a schematic configuration of an ice making mechanism according to the first embodiment, and FIG. In the ice making mechanism shown in the figure, a schematic perspective view showing the second fM ice chamber in an open state;
The figure is a circuit diagram of the intragranular refrigeration system in an automatic ice maker, part 4.
The figure is a circuit diagram showing an example of an ice-making control circuit for controlling the operation of the apparatus according to the first embodiment, and FIGS.
An explanatory diagram showing the state in which spherical ice is formed in the H ice chamber and the 2I2 ice chamber over time. Figure 6 (a) is an explanatory diagram showing spherical ice, and Figure 6 (b) is an explanatory diagram showing polyhedral ice. An explanatory diagram showing. 7 to 9 show a second embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 7 is a longitudinal sectional view showing a schematic configuration of an ice making mechanism according to the second embodiment, and FIG. 8 is a first ice making mechanism. Fig. 8(a) shows a mechanism for opening the second ice making compartment to the compartment.
8(b) is a schematic perspective view showing a state in which the first ice-making compartment is closed from below by the second ice-making compartment, and FIG. 8(b) shows a state in which the second ice-making compartment is completely evacuated from directly below the first ice-making compartment. The schematic perspective views of FIGS. 9(a) to 9(e) show an apparatus according to the second embodiment in which the water tray is tilted and the second ice-making compartment is separated from the first ice-making compartment to store spherical ice in the water storage. 10 to 12 show a third embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 10 is a schematic diagram of an ice making mechanism according to the third embodiment. FIG. 11 is a longitudinal sectional view showing the configuration, FIG. 11 is a schematic perspective view showing the ice making mechanism shown in FIG. 10 with the 21!5th ice chamber opened, and FIG. 12 is a diagram showing the operation control of the device according to the third embodiment. Circuit diagram showing an example of an ice-making control circuit, No. 13
15 shows a fourth embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 13 is a longitudinal sectional view showing a schematic configuration of an ice making mechanism according to the fourth embodiment, and FIGS. 14(a) to 14(d) ) is the device according to the fourth embodiment, in which the second ice-making compartment is largely turned over and becomes the eleventh ice-making compartment.
An explanatory diagram illustrating over time the state in which spherical ice is separated from the i2 ice compartment and then released from the 21112 ice compartment toward the water storage. FIG. FIG. 2 is a circuit diagram showing an example. 11...First ice making room 12...Second ice making room 13.
...First! l! Ice compartment 14...Evaporator 15...212th ice compartment 19...Ice making water tank 22...Pump 24...Distribution pipe FIo, 7 11...First ice making compartment 12...No. 2 Ice making compartment 13...First ice making compartment 14...Evaporator 15...Second ice making compartment 19...Ice making water tank 22...Pump 24...Distribution pipe 11...First ice making compartment Chamber 12...Second ice making compartment 13...First ice making compartment 14...Evaporator 15...Second ice making compartment 19...Ice making water tank 22...Pump 24...Distribution pipe FIG , 9 e1 /=≦8, - ~ 1st ice making chamber 2nd ice making chamber 1st ice making chamber Evaporator 2nd ice chamber Ice making water tank pump distribution piping FIG, 10

Claims (1)

[Claims] [1] Ice-making water stored in an ice-making water tank (19) is sent under pressure to a distribution pipe (24) via a pump (22), and is cooled by an evaporator (14) connected to a refrigeration system. Ice-making water is injected into the ice-making compartment from the fountain hole drilled in the distribution pipe (24) to form ice cubes in the ice-making compartment, and the ice-making water that has not frozen in the ice-making compartment is In an automatic ice-making machine configured to return water to a water tank (19) for recirculation, the first ice-making chamber (13) is equipped with the evaporator (14) on the back and has a concave portion of a desired shape that opens downward. ), the first ice-making compartment (11) has a large number of recessed ice-making compartments (11);
11) so as to be close to and apart from the first ice-making chamber (13), and during ice-making operation, each of the first ice-making chambers (13) is correspondingly closed from below to create a spherical or polyhedral ice-forming space inside. An automatic ice-making machine characterized in that the ice-making compartment is constituted by a second ice-making compartment (12) having a plurality of second ice-making compartments (15) each having a recessed portion having a predetermined shape. [2] The first ice-making chamber (13) and the corresponding second ice-making chamber (15) face each other, thereby forming a spherical ice-forming space therein. The automatic ice making machine described in 1. [3] The first ice-making chamber (13) and the corresponding second ice-making chamber (15) face each other, thereby forming a polyhedral ice-forming space therein. Automatic ice maker as described. [4] The first ice-making compartment (11) is fixedly arranged substantially horizontally inside the ice-making machine main body, and the second ice-making compartment (12) is pivotably supported to be tiltable and detachable from the first ice-making compartment (11). The automatic ice making machine according to claim 1, wherein: [5] The first ice-making compartment (11) is fixedly arranged in an inclined state inside the ice-making machine main body, and the second ice-making compartment (12) is pivotably supported to be tiltable and separated from the first ice-making compartment (11). 2. The automatic ice maker according to claim 1, wherein the automatic ice maker is configured to be able to hang substantially vertically when the ice maker is at its maximum separation. [6] The first ice-making compartment (11) is fixedly arranged in an inclined state inside the ice-making machine body, and the second ice-making compartment (12) is pivotably supported to be tiltable and detachable from the first ice-making compartment (11). 2. The automatic ice making machine according to claim 1, wherein the second ice making compartment (15) in the second ice making compartment (12) is lifted up until it is oriented downward when the second ice making compartment (15) is separated from the ice making machine at the maximum distance.