JPH0426867Y2 - - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] a. Field of Industrial Application The present invention relates to an ice presence/absence detection device for an ice storage such as an automatic ice maker. This invention relates to a novel improvement for preventing malfunctions due to tight contact between the switch base and the switch case in a configuration having a case.

b. Prior Art Conventionally, various configurations have been proposed and adopted as ice detection devices for this type of ice storage.
To enumerate the main ones, they are:
Publication No. 12976, Publication of Utility Model Publication No. 1982-78476, Publication of Utility Model Application No. 1987-78476
There are some disclosed in Publication No. -63254, etc.

Among these conventional examples, a typical structure is
The structure of Japanese Utility Model Application Publication No. 58-78476 shown in FIG. 6 will be described. That is, in FIG. 6, what is indicated by the reference numeral 6 is an ice presence/absence detection device fixed to the wall of the ice storage 5.
A switch 20 consisting of a micro switch is fixedly provided on the switch base 11, and
A switch case 14 is rotatably supported via a shaft support 13 of the holding portion 12.

The movable lever 23 of the switch 20 is always in contact with the inside of the switch case 14, and the switch case 14 is configured to return to its rotational position by the return force of a spring (not shown) of the movable lever 23.

Furthermore, the end face 14a of the switch case 14
is configured such that most of it can come into contact with the end surface 11a of the switch base 11.

The conventional ice detection device is configured as described above, and its operation will be explained below.

When there is no ice block (not shown) in the ice storage 5 or when there is a small amount of ice block, the ice block does not come into contact with the switch case 14, so the switch case 1
4 is held at the position shown by the solid line, and the ice-free state is detected.

When ice cubes are stored in the ice storage 5 and the ice soul comes into contact with the switch case 14, the switch case 1
4 is pushed and rotated from the position shown by the solid line to the position shown by the dotted line, the switch 20 is turned on, ice storage is detected, and the end face 14 of the switch case 14 is turned on.
a comes into contact with the end surface 11a of the switch base 11, and ice accumulation detection is completed.

c Problems to be solved by the invention Since the conventional ice storage ice detection device is configured as described above, the joint surface between the switch case and the switch base has a flat structure, and there is no ice in the ice storage. When the ice block is full and the ice cube comes into contact with the switch case, the switch case is pressed and the switch is turned on, and the switch case is joined to the switch base to complete the ice storage detection operation.

In the case described above, water, that is, ice-melting water, enters the small space between the switch base and the switch case due to capillary action, and the air inside is expelled, creating a negative pressure inside. , end surface 11a, 1
An adsorption action occurs between the parts 4a, and the switch case and the switch base are brought into close contact and adsorbed. Therefore, in the above-mentioned condition, if the ice in the automatic ice maker is sold or used and the amount of ice decreases, even though the ice block around the switch case of the ice detection device has disappeared, the switch case and the switch base Due to the adsorption effect, the switch case was unable to return to its original position, and the internal switch remained in the on state, continuing to send out false signals.

The aforementioned adsorption phenomenon is further amplified by the adhesion of water itself and impurities in the water.

If the return spring force of the switch case is made larger than this adsorption force, the above-mentioned problem can be solved, but since the weight of each ice block is very light at 10g to 30g, the return spring force of the switch case is Power too
The problem was that it had to be within 10 to 30 g, making it extremely difficult to design.

Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide an ice storage ice detection device that can reliably prevent the switch base and switch case from adhering even with a small return force and has relatively high structural strength. That's true.

d Means for Solving the Problems In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, the ice storage ice detection device according to the present invention includes a box-shaped switch base having an opening, which is installed in the ice storage to receive the ice that has been made. a box-shaped self-resetting switch case whose upper end is rotatably supported on the opening side of the switch base, and rotates toward the opening when ice is detected in the ice storage; and a switch that is operated when the switch case rotates toward the opening, and the switch base and the switch case have annular end surfaces having substantially the same dimensions on opposing sides, and a A plurality of protrusions projecting toward the other end surface are provided on one end surface at a distance from each other.

e Effect: In the ice storage ice detection device according to the present invention, even when the ice storage is full and the switch cover of the ice detection device is pressed by the ice blocks and is connected to the switch base, the multiple protrusions are Due to the action, the switch case and the switch base do not come into close contact with each other, and a gap is always maintained, so if the amount of ice in the ice storage decreases, the switch case will return to its original position with a smaller return force, and the ice will disappear. Presence detection is reliably performed.

Furthermore, since the protrusion is provided on the end face of the switch base or switch case, which has relatively strong structural strength, even if a large force is inadvertently applied between the switch base and the switch case, there is no possibility that the parts will be deformed. Not at all.

f. Embodiment Hereinafter, a preferred embodiment of the ice storage ice detection device according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

Figures 1 to 5 are for illustrating the ice storage ice detection device according to the present invention.
The figure shows an ice vending machine with an ice storage to which an ice presence/absence detection device is applied. An ice making mechanism section 2 is provided at an upper position within the main body 1, and this ice making mechanism section 2
An ice storage 5 equipped with an anti-arching screw 3 and an ice conveying screw 4 is provided at a lower position, and an ice presence/absence detection device 6 for detecting ice storage is suspended from the lower end of the ice making mechanism section 2. At the rear end of the bottom of the ice storage 5, an ice presence/absence detection device 6a for detecting whether the ice is sold out or whether it is available for sale is provided. They are composed of the same structure.

An ice chute 7 and an ice outlet 8 are provided at the end of the ice conveying screw 4, and an ice chute 7 and an ice outlet 8 are provided at the end of the ice conveying screw 4.
A refrigeration device 9 connected to the ice making mechanism section 2 is provided at a lower position inside the main body 1, and a control plate 10 for controlling the ice making mechanism section 2, the refrigeration device 9, etc. is provided on the surface of the main body 1. It is being

The ice presence detection devices 6 and 6a are shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, and are connected to the ice making mechanism section 2.
The shaft hole 13 of the shaft support 12 of the switch base 11 is fixed to the lower end of the switch case 14.
A rotating shaft 15 is loosely fitted in the switch base 11, and the switch case 14 is rotatably mounted on the switch base 11.

An ice fall cover plate 16 is fixed to the upper part of the switch base 11 with screws 17, and is configured so that the ice soul 18 falling from the ice making mechanism section 2 does not come into direct contact with the ice detection device 6. has been done.

Further, a switch 20 consisting of a micro switch is fixed by a screw 21 to a holding part 19 that is integrally provided with a side wall 18 of the switch base 11 at a substantially central position within the switch base 11. There is.

This switch 20 is movably provided with a movable lever 23 having a roller 22.
2 is always in contact with the inner surface of the switch case 14, and in conjunction with the rotation of the switch case 14, the movable lever 23 of the switch 20 rotates, and the switch 20 can be turned on and off. It is the composition. A lead wire 24 connected to the switch 20 is guided outward from the switch base 11 and connected to the control board 10.

A plurality of protrusions 25 are formed on the end surface 14a of the switch case 14.
is closed and the switch case 14 is closed and the switch base 11 is closed.
When the switch comes into contact with the end face 14a of the switch case 14 and the switch base 11, as shown in FIG.
There is no direct contact with the end surface 11a of the
It is configured to be held in a state with a

Note that the above-mentioned protrusion 25 is not limited to being formed on the switch case 14 as described above, but may be formed on the end face 11a of the switch base 11, and may be formed anywhere on the switch case 14 or the switch base 11. A similar effect can be obtained if

The ice storage ice detection device according to the present invention is constructed as described above, and its operation will be described below.

When the ice cubes 18 are not sufficiently stored in the ice storage 5, the switch case 14 is held in the position shown by the solid line in FIG. 18 indicates a state where ice is not sufficiently stored.

Next, when the ice making cycle has elapsed for a predetermined time and a predetermined amount of ice blocks 18 have been stored in the ice storage 5, the switch case 14 is pushed inward by the ice blocks 18 and rotated, as shown in FIG. The state shown by the dashed line is reached,
The movable lever 23 of the switch 20 rotates from the position shown by the solid line to the position shown by the dotted line, and the switch 20 changes from the off state to the on state.

In the above state, when the switch case 14 is in the closed state and comes into contact with the switch base 11,
Since only the protrusion 25 of the switch case 14 contacts the end surface 11a of the switch base 11, the end surface 14a of the switch case 14 and the end surface 11a of the switch base 11 do not directly contact each other. A dense adsorption state will not occur. Therefore, when the ice soul 18 in the ice storage 5 decreases, the direct contact between the ice block 18 and the switch case 14 disappears, and the switch case 14 is immediately turned off by the restoring force of a spring (not shown). The switch 20 moves away from the base 11 and returns to its original position.
is turned off again and ice-free conditions can be detected.

g. Effects of the invention The ice storage ice detection device according to the invention has a structure in which a plurality of protrusions are provided on the end face of the switch base or the switch case, which has a relatively strong structural strength, so that an inadvertently large force can be applied to the switch. Even if it is applied to the case or the switch base, it will not be deformed, and moreover, it will reliably prevent the switch case from adhering to the switch base, so the return operation of the switch case will be reliable, and malfunctions will be eliminated. The return force of the switch case can be designed to be small, improving ice detection accuracy. Furthermore, even if the switch is used in a place where the water quality is poor and contains many impurities, or where melting water is likely to occur, that is, under conditions where adsorption between the switch case and the switch base is likely to occur, it is possible to reliably detect ice accumulation. It can be carried out.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

Figures 1 to 5 are for illustrating the ice storage ice detection device according to the present invention. Figure 1 is an exploded perspective view showing the overall configuration, Figure 2 is a sectional view, and Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view.
The figure is a perspective view showing the switch case, FIG. 4 is a schematic configuration diagram showing an automatic ice maker to which the ice detection device according to the present invention is applied, FIG.
The figure is a sectional view showing a conventional ice detection device. 5 is an ice storage, 6 and 6a are ice detection devices, 1
1 is a switch base, 11a is an end face of the switch base, 14 is a switch case, 14a is an end face of the switch case, 20 is a switch, and 25 is a protrusion.

Claims (1)

[Scope of utility model registration request] A box-shaped switch base 11 having an opening, which is installed in the ice storage 5 to receive the ice made;
A box-shaped self-returning switch case 14 is rotatably supported at its upper end on the opening side of the switch base 11 and rotates toward the opening when ice in the ice storage 5 is detected; and the switch base 11 and a switch 20 that is activated when the switch case 14 rotates toward the opening, the switch base 11 and the switch case 14 are
Annular end surfaces 11 having substantially the same dimensions on opposite sides
a, 14a, and the annular end surface 11a,
An ice presence/absence detecting device for an ice storage, in which a plurality of protrusions 25 are provided on one end surface of the ice storage 14a and are spaced apart from each other and protrude toward the other end surface.