JPH03137469A - Automatic ice making device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To produce an ice having a high degree of transparency and a high purity by a method wherein a thermal insulating action caused by a thermal insulating tank, a heating action got from a lower surface and a freezing action with a cold air are carried out, gaseous substance or some impurities in water are discharged and a control means for performing a continuous operation of a cooling device before a specified period of time after completion of ice making operation is provided. CONSTITUTION:A metallic plate is heated by an ice making heater 32 arranged at a bottom surface within a thermal insulating tank 28 in concurrent with a time in which a cold air cooled by a cooling device 8 is forcedly aerated onto the water surface of an ice making pan 33 through an aeration passage 59. An outer periphery of the ice making pan 33 is enclosed by a thermal insulating material within the thermal insulating tank 28 so as to restrict a cooling action applied form the surrounding atmosphere. A freezing speed is properly delayed to cause gaseous substance in water or impurities contained in it to be drived out of ice crystal as the ice is produced. They are discharged into the non-freezed water below. An ice making operation is completed while an ice formed into a required thickness is produced under a control of the control means 62 for performing a continuous operation of a compressor 53 and an air blower 9 before an ice making time with a timer 61 is completed.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an automatic ice-making device that is installed in a refrigerator and is particularly capable of automatically producing transparent ice.

2. Description of the Related Art An example of an automatic ice making device that has been conventionally employed in some household refrigerators is shown in Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 17139/1983, and will be described with reference to FIGS. 9 and 10.

1 is the refrigerator itself, and 2 is the outer box. It is composed of an inner box 3 and a heat insulating material 4 filled between the outer box 2 and the inner box 3. Reference numeral 6 denotes a partition wall that divides the inside of the refrigerator main body 1 into upper and lower sections, and a freezer compartment 6. A refrigerating chamber 7 is defined in the lower part.

Reference numeral 8 denotes a cooler of a refrigeration cycle provided on the back side of the freezer compartment 6, and 9 is a blower for forcing the cold air cooled by the cooler 8 into the freezer compartment 6 and the refrigerator compartment 7.

Next, 10 is an automatic ice maker provided in the freezer compartment θ,
A drive device 11 containing a motor, a group of reduction gears (not shown), etc. An ice tray 13 with a support shaft 12 connected and fixed in the center.
It is composed of a frame 14 and the like for pivotally supporting the ice tray 12 on the drive device 11. In addition, 15 is a stopper provided on a part of the outer shell of the drive device 11 in order to distort and deform the ice tray 13 to remove ice.
6 is the ice tray 13 so as to come into contact with the stopper 15;
This is the backing plate attached to the top. Further, 17 is a water storage box provided below the automatic ice maker 1o.

18 is a water tank for storing water for ice making;
It is detachably provided in one section of the refrigerator compartment 7. Also 19
is a water supply port of the water supply tank 18, which is opened and closed by a valve 20. 21 is a water storage tray provided below the water supply port 19 of the water supply tank 18, and when the water supply tank 18 is set with the water supply port 19 facing downward, the valve 2o is pushed up and the water supply port 19 is opened. It is configured so that Further, 22 is a water supply pump for pumping water received in the water storage tray 21, and 23 is a water supply pump 2.
This is a water supply pipe that is connected to the ice making machine 2 and is arranged so that its outlet faces the ice making tray 13 of the automatic ice making machine 1o.

In this configuration, when the water supply tank 18 filled with water is set at a predetermined position by the user, the valve 2o is pushed up, the water supply port 19 is opened, and the water storage tray 21 is filled with water. After that, the filled water is transferred to the water supply pump 22
The water is pumped up and poured into the ice tray 13 via the water supply pipe 23.

In this way, a predetermined amount of water is poured into the ice cube tray 13 into the freezer compartment 6.
The cooling effect within the container causes it to freeze, producing ice. When ice making is completed, the ice making tray 13 is rotated and reversed around the support shaft 12 by the rotational action of the drive device 11.
When the backing plate 16 comes into contact with the stopper 16, the ice tray 13 is distorted and deformed, and the ice in the ice tray 13 is released. Further, the ice that has been released falls into the water storage box 1γ and is stored therein, and the ice tray 13 whose ice removal action has been completed is returned to the drive unit 1.
1 returns to its original state by the reverse rotation action.

Thereafter, this action is repeated until the water in the water supply tank 18 is used up, thereby automatically making ice and storing water.

Problems to be Solved by the Invention However, with such an ice making method, the freezing of the water in the ice tray 13 when ice is generated is caused by the contact surface between the ice tray 13 and the water and the contact between the cold air and the water. As it progresses from the contact surface to the center, gaseous components, soluble salts, and insoluble impurities dissolved in the water are trapped in the center of the ice, resulting in a cloudy, opaque center. Furthermore, there is a problem in that the ice is low in purity and does not have a good taste, and is not sensually suitable for use in beverages such as whisky.

The present invention solves the above-mentioned problems, and aims to provide an automatic ice making device that can produce highly transparent and highly pure ice.

Means for Solving the Problems In order to solve the above problems, an automatic ice making device such as a refrigerator according to the present invention is provided in a heat insulating tank provided in one section of the cooling chamber, the top surface of which is open, and a heater provided at the bottom of the inner surface. A water supply tank is provided outside the making chamber, and the apparatus further includes a timer for accumulating the ice making time, and a control means for continuously operating the cooling device from a fixed time before the end of the ice making time.

Effects of the present invention With the above-described configuration, when a predetermined amount of water in the water supply tank is supplied into the ice tray, the ice is removed from the surface of the ice by the cold air in the cooling chamber due to the heat insulation effect of the heat insulation tank and the heating effect of the heater from the bottom. Freezing occurs in one direction downwards, and ice crystals are formed while gaseous components and impurities in the water are discharged into the water below. Then, the ice is made to an appropriate thickness by a timer and a control means that continuously operates the cooling device from a certain time before the end of the ice making time according to the timer,
When the drive device is operated after the inside of the cooling chamber has been sufficiently cooled, the ice making tray rotates and reverses to remove ice, and transparent ice falls onto the draining tray. Next, when the draining tray loaded with ice is rotated and reversed by the driving device, highly transparent and pure ice falls into the water storage box and is stored therein.

Embodiment An automatic ice making apparatus such as a refrigerator according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS. 1 to 8.

Incidentally, the same components as those in the prior art are given the same reference numerals, and detailed explanation thereof will be omitted.

24 is a partition wall containing a heat insulating material 25 inside, and a freezer compartment 26. A refrigerating chamber 27 is defined in the lower part. 2
Reference numeral 8 denotes a concave-shaped heat insulating tank with an open top surface, which is placed on the partition wall 24, and includes an outer frame 29 made of resin, a metal plate 3° (for example, an aluminum plate) placed on the bottom of the concave portion, and the outer frame. 2
9. A heat insulating material 31 surrounded by a metal plate 30 and the metal plate 3
The ice making heater 32 is thermally conductively fixed to the back surface of the ice maker 0. Reference numeral 33 denotes an ice tray whose outer shape is formed so as to overlap the inner surface of the heat insulating tank 28, and an ice tray 33 which has a small section 34, a partition frame 36 that partitions this small section 34, and an ice tray formed on this partition frame to communicate between the small sections 34. It is composed of a communication groove 36 that allows the Reference numeral 37 denotes a grid-shaped draining tray arranged in parallel with the ice tray 33, and a first support shaft 3 is attached to one end of the ice tray 33.
8, and a second support shaft 39 is connected and fixed to one end of the draining plate 37. 4o is a drive device that rotates the first support shaft 38 and the second support shaft 39 to rotate the ice tray 33 and draining tray 37, and includes a motor, a group of reduction gears, etc. (not shown). is built-in. 41 connects the ice making tray 33 and the draining tray 37 to the first driving device 4o.
This is a frame for pivotally supporting the second support shaft 39 at an angle of 38 degrees. 42 and 43 are stoppers provided on a part of the outer shell of the drive device 4o, and 44 and 45 are the ice trays so as to come into contact with the stoppers 42 and 43 when the ice tray 33 and draining tray 37 are reversed. 33 and draining plate 37, respectively. Next, 46 is a drain plate provided below the drain plate 37, 47 is a drain pipe connected to this drain plate 46, and a drain heater 48.
49 are arranged in a thermally conductive manner. Further, 6o is a water storage box provided adjacent to the drain tray 46 below the drain tray 37 when it is in an inverted position. Further, the drain pipe 47 passes through the heat insulating material 25 of the partition wall 24 and the heat insulating material 4 of the main body 1, and communicates with a machine room 51 provided at the bottom of the main body 1. 62 is an evaporator, and a compressor 53 of the refrigeration cycle.
It consists of a heating plate 65 to which a high-temperature, high-pressure heating tube 64 piped from is attached, and an evaporating dish 56 placed on the heating plate 66. Further, 57 is a water conduit pipe connected to the outlet of the drain pipe 47 to introduce water into the evaporating dish 56.

On the other hand, 58 is a water supply pipe through which water temporarily stored in the water storage tray 21 from the water supply tank 18 is supplied to the ice making tray 33 by the water supply pump 22. One end is connected to the water supply pump 22, and the other end is connected to the ice tray 33. It is opened so as to face the top surface of the ice tray 33. Further, 69 is a ventilation passage located in the freezer compartment 26 and for guiding cold air to the upper surface of the ice tray 33;
detects the temperature inside the freezer compartment 26 and operates the blower 9. This is a temperature control device that controls operation and stop of the compressor 53.

Reference numeral 61 is a timer for integrating the ice making time, and reference numeral 62 is a control means for continuously operating the cooling device from a certain time before the end of the ice making time set by the timer 61.

In this configuration, when the water supply tank 18 filled with water is set at a predetermined position by the user, the valve 2o is pushed up, the water supply port 19 is opened, and the water storage tray 21 is filled with water. After that, the filled water will be removed from the water supply bowl 22.
The water is pumped up and water starts to be supplied to the ice tray 33 via the water supply pipe 68. When water is supplied to one of the small sections 34 of the ice tray 33, a predetermined amount of water is supplied into the other small sections 34 through the communication groove 36.
2). The above is water supply mode A and this state is shown in FIG.

Next, move to ice making mode B. The cool air cooled by the cooler 8 is forcedly ventilated by the blower 9 onto the ice surface of the ice tray 33 through the ventilation path 69, and the cooling action is started. At the same time, the heating action of the ice-making heater 32 disposed on the bottom of the heat insulating tank 28 is started, and the metal plate 3o on the bottom is heated. Furthermore, since the outer periphery of the ice tray 33 is surrounded by the heat insulating material 31 in the heat insulating tank 28, the cooling effect from the outer periphery is also suppressed, and the freezing effect progresses in one direction from the top to the bottom of the ice tray 33. To go. For this reason, if the freezing rate is slowed down to an appropriate level (for example, about 5 ran/h), gas components dissolved in the water and various impurities contained in the water will be precipitated outside the ice crystals as ice forms, and the unfrozen portions below will be removed. It is discharged into the water.

In this way, the ice that is formed over time becomes extremely transparent and highly pure ice with few impurities.

and a timer 61 for accumulating ice making time (1 hour);
A control means 62 that continuously operates the compressor 63 and the blower 9 from a certain time (T1 time) before the end of the ice-making time set by the timer 61 controls the ice making time to an appropriate thickness (for example, 25 f).
It is possible to end ice making in a state in which the ice of i) has been generated, and to end ice making mode B in a state in which the inside of the freezer compartment 26 has been sufficiently cooled. This is to prevent the temperature inside the freezer compartment 26 from rising when the drain heaters 48 and 49 are heated in the next ice removal mode C.

The control means 62 will now be explained according to the flowchart in FIG.

Simultaneously with the start of ice making, in step f53, the timer 61 starts integrating the ice making time. In step 64, the time (T
-T,) has elapsed. If the time has elapsed, the transfer compressor 53 and the blower 9 are forced into operation in step 66. In step 66, it is determined whether T1 time has elapsed since the forced operation of the compressor 53 and the blower 9 was started.

Then, ice making is finished when T1 time has elapsed.

By the above control, ice of the appropriate thickness required is generated for the ice making time T, and the υ freezing chamber 26 is sufficiently cooled by forced operation of the compressor 63 and the blower 9 for T1 hours, and the ice making mode B is set. ends. FIG. 4 shows a state diagram at the end of ice making mode B, in which ice with high transparency and purity is in the upper part of each subdivision 34 of the ice making tray 33, and unfrozen ice with reduced purity is in the lower part. Water coexists.

Next, shift to ice release mode C, first, drain tray 46, drain pipe 4.
Drain heater 48.4 to prevent running water from freezing at 7.
9 is energized and heated. Then, the drive device 4o operates to move the first support shaft 38. The second support shaft 39 starts rotating,
First, the draining tray 37 was reversed and set above the draining tray 46, and then the ice tray 33 was rotated and removed from the heat insulating tank 28, and came close to overlapping the draining tray 37 that had been set earlier. Flip to position. At the same time, the heating action of the ice making heater 32 in the heat insulating tank 28 stops.

Then, a cover plate 44 fixed to the ice tray 33 is attached to the drive device 4.
The ice making tray 33 is distorted and deformed by contacting the stopper 42 provided at the ice tray 33, and the driving device 4o continues to apply rotational force to the ice making tray 33, and the ice in each small section 34 is released and set downward. The water drops onto a grid-like draining tray 37. At the same time, unfrozen water with increased concentration of gaseous components and impurities remaining in each subdivision 34 also flows out and falls, but since the draining tray 37 is formed in a lattice shape and most of the through holes are occupied, Then, the ice does not accumulate on the draining tray 37, but instead falls into the draining tray 46, where the ice and water are separated.

That is, only ice with high transparency and purity is left on the draining tray 37. The above is ice removal mode C, and this state is shown in FIG. On the other hand, the unfrozen water that has fallen into the drain tray 46 is drained from the drain pipe 4.
7 to the evaporator 52 in the machine room 61 from the water conduit 57
The water is drained into the evaporating dish 56. Thereafter, the water drained into the evaporating dish 56 is evaporated by the heating action of the heating plate 66 that is brought into close contact with the heating tube 64 through which the high-temperature, high-pressure refrigerant gas from the compressor 53 flows.

Next, cooling drying mode D will be explained. Since the ice left on the draining tray 37 has moisture attached to a portion of its surface, it is cooled and dried as it is for an appropriate period of time. Thereafter, the drive device 40 operates again as shown in FIG.
Support shaft 38. The second support shaft 39 rotates, and first the ice cube tray 33 is rotated and set in the heat insulating tank 28, while the drain tray 37 is turned over from the top of the drain tray 46 and placed in the water storage box 50.
A contact plate 46 fixed to the draining plate 37 above contacts a stopper 43 provided on the drive device 40.

Then, as the drive device 40 further applies rotational force to the draining plate 37, the draining plate 37 is distorted and deformed, and the ice placed on the draining plate 37 is released and placed in the water storage box 60 provided below. falls and is stored as ice. The above is the cooling drying mode D and this state is shown in FIG.

In this way, after the water supply tank 18 is sected by the user, these series of steps are automatically repeated until the water in the water supply tank 18 is used up.

As a result, a large amount of highly transparent and highly pure ice is stored in the water storage box 50, and the user can produce extremely sensually excellent ice for eating and drinking without much effort. It can be used at any time. In addition, it is possible to suppress the temperature rise in the freezer compartment when the automatic ice maker is operating.

Effects of the Invention As described above, according to the present invention, by separating unfrozen water containing gas components and impurities discharged as ice is formed, highly transparent and pure ice can be kept in the water storage box. Since a large amount of ice is automatically stored, the user can use a sufficient quantity of highly sensually excellent ice for eating and drinking at any time.

In addition, it is possible to suppress the temperature rise in the freezer compartment when the automatic ice maker is operating.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is an enlarged perspective view of essential parts of an automatic ice-making device such as a refrigerator showing an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a vertical cross-sectional view of a refrigerator equipped with the automatic ice-making device shown in FIG. 1, and FIG. Fig. 1 is a sectional view showing a state where water is supplied to the automatic ice making device (water supply mode A), Fig. 4 is a sectional view showing a state in which ice making has progressed from the state shown in Fig. 3 (ice making mode B), Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view showing a state where ice is removed and water is separated from the state shown in Figure 4 (de-icing mode C), and Figure 6 is a cross-sectional view showing the operation of releasing ice into the water storage box from the state shown in Figure 6. , Fig. 7 is a chart showing the flow of a series of automatic ice making operations, Fig. 8 is a flow chart showing a control means for continuously operating the cooling device from a certain time before the end of the ice making time, and Fig. 9 is an automatic ice making example showing a conventional example. FIG. 10 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of a refrigerator equipped with the apparatus, and FIG. 10 is an enlarged perspective view of the main parts of the automatic ice-making apparatus shown in FIG. 9. 18... Water supply tank, 22... Water supply pump, 28... Heat insulation tank, 32... Ice making heater, 33... Ice making tray, 37... Draining plate, 4o... Drive device, 48.49...
...Drain heater, 61...Timer 62...
...control means.

Claims (1)

[Claims] an insulating tank with an open top surface provided in one section of the cooling chamber; an ice-making heater disposed centering on the bottom of the inner surface of the insulating tank; an ice-making tray superimposed on the inner surface from the opening of the insulating tank; and the ice-making tank. A draining tray installed in parallel with the tray, a drain heater provided near the draining tray, a drive device for rotating the ice tray and the draining tray, a water tank provided outside the cooling chamber, and water from the water tank. An automatic ice-making device comprising: a water supply pump for pumping water; a timer for accumulating ice-making time; and a control means for continuously operating a cooling device from a predetermined time before the ice-making time ends according to the timer.