JPH03137471A - Automatic ice making device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To perform an automatic storing of ice having a high degree of transparency and purity within an ice storing box and get a superior ice for a drinking purpose by a method wherein non-freezed water including gaseous substances or impurities to be discharged as the ice is being produced is separated. CONSTITUTION:Cold air is passed from an air passage 59 onto an ice making pan 33 so as to perform a cooling operation and at the same time a metallic plate 30 at a bottom surface of a thermal insulating tank 28 is heated. A freezing action is promoted from an upper part of the ice making pan 33 to a lower part, some gaseous substances or various impurities in the water are discharged into the non-freezed water. Some ices having a high degree of transparency and purity are present at the upper part of the ice making pan 33, and the non-freezed water having a lower degree of purity is present at the lower part of the pan. A water discharging pan 37 is reversed from the upper part of an ice discharging pan 46 so as to remove the remained ices in the water discharging pan. Then, the pan is reversed again and returned to the upper part of the water discharging pan 46 and subsequently the ice making pan is removed from the thermal insulating tank 28 and reversed to the upper part of the water discharging pan. The ices are dropped from the pan onto a grid-like water discharging pan and then the non-freezed water is also flowed out and dropped. However, a rotating force is given to the water discharging pan and the ices on the water discharging pan are dropped into the ice storing box 50.

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 which has been conventionally employed in some domestic refrigerators is shown in Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 17139/1982, and will be described with reference to FIGS. 7 and 8.

Reference numeral 1 denotes a refrigerator body, which is composed of an outer box 2, 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 interior of the refrigerator main body 1 into upper and lower sections, with a freezer compartment 6 in the upper part and a refrigerating compartment 7 in the lower part.

Reference numeral 8 denotes a cooler for a refrigeration cycle provided on the back side of the freezer compartment 6, and 9 is a blower for forcing 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 6,
A drive device 11 that includes a motor, a group of reduction gears (not shown), etc., an ice tray 13 that has a support shaft 12 connected and fixed to its center;
It is composed of a frame 14 and the like for pivotally supporting the ice making tray 12 on the driving device 11. Note that 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;
is a backing plate attached to the ice tray 13 so as to come into contact with the stopper 15. Further, 17 is the automatic ice making machine 1
This is an ice storage box provided below the o.

18 is a water tank for storing water for ice making)
It is detachably provided on one side 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 connected to the ice making machine 2 and arranged so that its outlet faces the ice making tray 13 of the automatic ice making machine 10.

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 θ.
The cooling effect within the container causes it to freeze, producing ice. When ice making is completed, the ice making tray 13 rotates in reverse around the support shaft 12 due to the rotational action of the drive device 11, and as the backing plate 16 comes into contact with the stopper 16, the ice making tray 13 is distorted and deformed. The ice within 13 is released. Further, the ice that has been released falls into the ice storage box 17 and is stored, and the ice tray 13 whose ice removal action has been completed is returned to the drive device 11.
It 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, and ice is made and water is stored automatically.

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. In addition, there was a problem that the ice was low in purity and did not have a good taste, making it difficult to obtain ice that was 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 driving device is provided for superimposing the ice making tray and rotating the ice making tray and a draining tray arranged in parallel about their respective support shafts. A drain tray and a drain pipe connected to it are installed below the drain tray, and a water supply tank, a water storage tray for receiving this water, and a water supply pump are installed outside the cooling chamber, and the water supply pipe is led to the top of the ice tray. It is composed of

According to the above-described structure, when a predetermined amount of water in the water tank is supplied into the ice tray via the water storage tray and the water supply pipe, the water is heated by the heat insulating effect of the heat insulating tank and the heating effect of the heater from the bottom. The cold air in the cooling chamber causes a unidirectional freezing effect from the ice surface downwards, and ice crystals are formed while gaseous components and impurities in the water are discharged into the water below. Next, when the drive device is activated when the ice reaches an appropriate thickness, the draining tray first rotates and reverses to remove the ice, then the ice tray rotates and reverses to remove the ice, and the ice is removed. Unfrozen water, which has a high concentration of gaseous components and impurities due to ice falling onto the tray, is separated, drained, and drained through the drain tray and drain pipe below. Next, when the draining tray loaded with ice is rotated and reversed by the driving device, highly transparent and pure ice falls into the ice storage box and is stored.

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 7.

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 28. A refrigerator interior 27 is defined in the lower part. 2
Reference numeral 8 denotes a recessed heat insulating section placed on the partition wall 24 and having an open upper surface, an outer frame 29 made of resin, a metal plate 3° (for example, an aluminum plate) placed on the bottom of the recess, and the outer frame 29. Frame 2
9. A heat insulating material 31 surrounded by a metal plate 3o, and the metal plate 3
A heater 32 is thermally conductively fixed to the back surface of the housing. Reference numeral 33 denotes an ice tray whose outer shape is formed to overlap with the inner surface of the heat insulating tank 28, and an ice tray 33, which has a small section 34, a partition frame 35 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 38 is provided at one end of the ice tray 33.
However, a second support shaft 39 is connected and fixed to one end of the draining plate 37. 4o is the first support shaft 38° second
By rotating the support shaft 39 of the ice making tray 33 and the draining tray 3,
This is a drive device that rotates the shaft, and a motor, reduction gear group, etc. (not shown) are built inside. Reference numeral 41 denotes a frame for pivotally supporting the ice making tray 33 and the draining tray 37 via the first support shaft 38 and the second support shaft 39 on the drive device 4o. Reference numeral 42.43 denotes a stopper provided on a part of the outer shell of the drive device 40, and 44.45ii the ice making tray 33 is moved so as to come into contact with the stopper 42.43 when the ice making tray 33 and the draining tray 37 are reversed. and a backing plate attached to the draining plate 37, respectively. Next, 4θ is a drain plate provided below the drain plate 37, 47 is a drain pipe connected to this drain plate 46, and heaters 48 and 49 are connected to the drain plate 46, respectively.
are arranged in a thermally conductive manner. Further, 60 is the draining plate 3
7 is an ice storage box provided adjacent to the drain tray 46 below when in the inverted position. Furthermore, the drain pipe 47 is connected to the partition wall 2.
4 and the inside of the heat insulating material 4 of the main body 1 to communicate with a machine room 61 provided at the bottom of the main body 1. 52 is an evaporator, and a heating plate 6 has a high-temperature, high-pressure heating pipe 54 connected from a compressor 53 of the refrigeration cycle.
5, and an evaporating dish 56 placed on the heating plate 65. Further, "67" is a water conduit pipe connected to the outlet of the drain pipe 47 for guiding water into the inside of the evaporating dish 68.

On the other hand, 58 is a water supply pipe for supplying water temporarily stored in the water storage tray 21 from the water supply tank 18 to the ice making tray 33 using the water supply pump 22. One end is connected to the water supply pump 22 and the other end is connected to the water supply pipe 21. It is opened so as to face the top surface of the ice tray 33. Further, 59 is a ventilation path in the freezer compartment 26 for guiding cold air to the upper surface of the ice tray 33;
is a temperature control device that detects the temperature inside the freezer compartment 26 and controls the operation and stop of the blower 9 and compressor 63.

In this configuration, when the water supply tank 18 filled with water is set at a predetermined position by the user, the valve 20 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 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). This state is shown in FIG. At this time, the draining tray 37 is on top of the draining tray 46.

In this state, the cold air cooled by the cooler 8 is forcedly ventilated by the blower 9 onto the water surface of the ice tray 33 through the ventilation path 69, thereby starting a cooling action. At the same time, the heating action of the heater 32 disposed on the bottom of the heat insulating tank 28 is started, and the metal plate 3o on the bottom is heated. Also, ice tray 33
Since the outer periphery of the ice tray 33 is surrounded by a heat insulating material 31 in the heat insulating tank 28, the cooling effect from the outer periphery is also suppressed, and the freezing effect is suppressed by the ice tray 33.
It progresses in one direction from above to below.

Therefore, if the freezing speed is slowed down appropriately (for example, 5
tx/h) As ice formation progresses, gaseous components dissolved in the water and various impurities contained are precipitated outside the ice crystals and discharged into the unfrozen water below. In this way, the ice that is produced sequentially over time has extremely high transparency and is highly pure ice with few impurities. Then, as a predetermined cooling time elapses, ice of a required appropriate thickness (for example, 25 zm) is generated. That is, the condition,
As shown in FIG. 4, each small section 34 of the ice tray 33
Highly transparent and pure ice coexists in the upper part, and unfrozen water with lower purity coexists in the lower part.

In this state, the drive device 4o is actuated to rotate the second support shaft 39, and the draining tray 37 is inverted from the top of the draining tray 46, and is placed above the ice storage box 60 in a position fixed to the draining tray 37. The plate 46 comes into contact with a stopper 43 provided on the drive device 4o. By further applying rotational force to the draining plate 37, the draining plate 3T is distorted and deformed, and the water that happened to remain on the draining plate 37 during the previous ice removal is released and falls into the ice storage box 6o below. Thereafter, the draining tray 37 is reversed by the driving device 40 and returned to the upper part of the draining tray 46. Subsequently, the ice making tray 33 is rotated and removed from the heat insulating tank 28, and is reversed to a position close to and overlapping the draining tray 37 that was previously set. At the same time, the heating action of the heater 32 in the heat insulating tank 28 stops. Then, the backing plate 44 fixed to the ice tray 33 comes into contact with the stopper 42 provided on the drive device 4o, and the drive device 4o then applies rotational force to the ice tray 33, causing the ice tray 33 to be distorted and deformed. The ice in the small section 34 is released and falls onto a grid-shaped draining tray 37 set below. 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. This state is shown in FIG. On the other hand, the unfrozen water that has fallen into the drain tray 46 is drained through the drain pipe 47 and into the evaporator tray 5e of the evaporator 52 in the machine room 51 from the water guide pipe 57. Thereafter, the water drained into the evaporating dish 66 is evaporated by the heating action of the heating plate 65 that is brought into close contact with the heating tube 54 through which the high-temperature, high-pressure refrigerant from the compressor 63 flows. Incidentally, in order to prevent the running water from freezing in the drain tray 46 and the drain pipe 47, heaters 48 and 49 are used to appropriately heat the water.

On the other hand, since the ice thus left has moisture attached to a portion of its surface, it is cooled and dried as it is for a suitable period of time. Thereafter, as shown in FIG. 6, the drive device 40 is operated again, the second support shaft 39 is rotated, and the draining tray 37 is turned over from the top of the draining tray 46 so that the draining tray 37 is placed above the ice storage box 5o.
A backing plate 46 fixed to 7 contacts a stopper 43 provided on the drive device 40. Then, as the drive device 40 continues to apply rotational force to the draining tray 37, the draining tray 37 is distorted and deformed, and the ice placed on the draining tray 37 is released and released into the ice storage box 6° provided below. It falls inside and is stored as ice. This state is shown in FIG.

Thereafter, the draining tray 37 is reversed by the driving device 40 and returned to the upper part of the draining tray 46.

In this way, after the water supply tank 18 is set 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 ice storage box 6o, allowing the user to produce extremely sensually excellent ice for eating and drinking with almost no effort. It can be used at any time.

Effects of the Invention According to the present invention, by separating unfrozen water containing gaseous components and impurities discharged as ice formation progresses, highly transparent and pure ice can be kept in the ice 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.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is an enlarged perspective view of essential parts of an automatic ice making device such as a cold M storage, showing an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a vertical sectional view of a refrigerator equipped with the automatic ice making device shown in FIG. 1, and FIG. The figure is a sectional view showing the state in which water is supplied to the automatic ice making device shown in Fig. 1, Fig. 4 is a sectional view showing a state in which ice making has progressed from the state shown in Fig. 3, and Fig. 5 is the same. Fig. 6 is a sectional view showing a state in which the draining pan has been rotated from the state shown in Fig. 4; Fig. 6 is a sectional view showing a state in which ice has been removed and water has broken down from the state in Fig. 5; A cross-sectional view showing the operation of releasing ice into an ice storage box, FIG. 8 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of a refrigerator equipped with an automatic ice-making device showing a conventional example, and FIG.
FIG. 2 is an enlarged perspective view of essential parts of the automatic ice making device shown in FIG. 18... Water supply tank, 21... Water storage tray, 22... Water supply pump, 26... Freezer room (cooling room), 28...・Insulation tank, 32...
... Heater, 33 ... Ice tray, 37 ...
・Draining plate, 38...First support shaft, 39...
...Second support shaft, 4o...Drive device, 46
...Drain pan, 47...Drain pipe, 5o.
... Ice storage box, 58 ... Water supply pipe.

Claims (1)

[Claims] a heat insulating tank with an open top surface provided in one section of the cooling chamber; a heater disposed around the bottom of the inner surface of the heat insulating tank; an ice tray that overlaps the inner surface from the opening of the heat insulating tank; and the ice tray. a first support shaft connected and fixed to one end; a draining tray installed in parallel with the ice tray; a second support shaft connected and fixed to one end of the draining tray; a drive device that rotates the ice tray and rotates the draining tray about the second support shaft; a draining tray provided below the draining tray;
a drain pipe connected to the drain tray, an ice storage box provided adjacent to the drain tray, and a water supply tank provided outside the cooling chamber;
A water storage tray that stores water from the water tank, a water pump that pumps up the water in the water storage tray, a water supply pipe that is connected to the water pump and leads to the top surface of the ice tray, and a water supply pipe that is connected to the water supply pump and leads to the top surface of the ice tray. is placed on the top of the insulated tank, and the draining plate is placed on the top of the draining plate. When taking off water, the heater under the draining plate is energized, the draining plate is rotated, and after being distorted by a stopper, it is turned over and the draining plate is placed on the top of the draining plate again. After returning to the upper part, the ice tray is rotated and deformed by a stopper, and the ice cubes are dropped into the draining tray, and then reversed and returned to the upper part of the insulation tank,
After cooling and drying, the automatic ice making device comprises a control device that rotates the draining tray, deforms it with a stopper, then reverses it and returns it to the upper part of the draining tray.