JPH05203303A - Flowing-down type ice making machine - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To provide a flowing-down type ice making machine capable of effectively producing good quality ice by forcing ice making water to uniformly flow along an ice making plate in a thin layer. CONSTITUTION:There is disposed in opposition a pair of ice making plates l, 1 which include concave portions for forming ice blocks and further include cooling pipes on the backs thereof. Once water is sprinkled from an ice making sprinkler 5 provided upward of the ice making plates 1, 1, ice making water is formed on the upper parts of water guide side walls 9, 9 which extend longitudinally and are rendered to rough surface 10, 10 processing along inner surfaces thereof, and on the upper part of an ice separation sprinkler 12. The ice making water flows, expanded longitudinally, on a water guide structure 16 which has been rendered to rough surface 18, 18 processing on a water flow surface thereof, and further flows as a uniform water layer over the entire of an ice making surface. Thus, no bad-shaped ice is formed and there is eliminated any portion where no ice is formed.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a flow-down type ice making machine, and more particularly to improvement of an ice making section capable of producing good quality ice.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art As one type of ice making machine, there is a downflow type ice making machine. As shown in Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 57-2866 and Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 62-1207170, a downflow type ice making machine is an ice making machine in which ice making water is provided above a pair of ice making plates which are cooled by a cooling pipe. Water is sprinkled from a water sprinkler, and unfrozen water is collected at the lower part and repeatedly circulated to form ice blocks on the ice making plate.

When the ice is formed, the ice-breaking water is flown down to the back surface of the ice-breaker sprinkler provided at an upper portion between the ice making plates.

[0004]

Here, the most important thing in a downflow type ice making machine is that water flows uniformly in a thin layer on the ice making surface. If it does not flow evenly, there will be problems such as badly shaped ice or non-iceable parts on the ice making plate. In order to prevent this, various measures have been conventionally made by applying a hydrophilic paint to the ice-making surface or polishing with Scotch Bride.

However, even if such an idea is made on the ice making surface of the ice making plate, in the process that the water flowing out from the upper ice making water sprinkler, which is the starting point of the flow of ice making water, reaches the upper edge of the ice making surface. If it does not spread horizontally, its effect will be insufficient. Normally, the water flowing out from the ice making sprinkler is guided to the ice making plate through the ice making water guide member, but since the ice making water guide member and the ice making sprinkler are made of resin having poor water leakage, Water does not spread easily. Therefore, at the top of the ice-making surface, which is the starting point of the ice-making plate, there is already a situation in which some threads are divided into threads and it flows down. It was not the cause. The present invention has been made in view of the above points, and an object of the present invention is to provide a downflow type ice making machine capable of surely forming good-quality ice by a simple means.

[0006]

According to the present invention, at the same time as cooling a pair of ice making plates vertically opposed to each other, water for making ice is sprinkled from an ice making water sprinkler provided above the ice making plate, and the ice making surface of the ice making plate is cooled. In a flow-down type ice maker that allows the ice lumps to flow down and grow, it is projected to extend in the longitudinal direction at the lower portions on both sides of the ice making sprinkler, forms a running water passage between the ice making plate, and is sprinkled. A water guide side wall for guiding down the ice making water to the ice making plate; and a water guide body having an inclined flowing water surface for guiding down the ice making water sprinkled in the upper part of the flowing water passage to the flowing water passage, It is characterized in that a rough surface is formed on the inside of the guide side wall and on the flowing water surface.

[0007]

When the ice making water is sprinkled from the sprinkling holes of the ice making sprinkler, the water flows down along the inner surface of the water guide side wall. Since the inner surface is formed with a rough surface extending in the horizontal direction, the ice-making water easily spreads and flows in the horizontal direction. At the same time, the ice-making water that hits the sloping water surface of the water guide body also spreads horizontally on the roughened water surface, and flows as a uniform water layer near the starting point where the ice-making water flows out. As a result, water can evenly flow in a thin layer on the ice-making surface, and good water formation can be expected.

[0008]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

Reference numeral 1.1 denotes an ice-making plate formed of a thin metal plate such as a stainless steel plate, which is placed facing each other at a predetermined interval, and has button-shaped ice blocks 2 formed on its ice-making surfaces 1A and 1A. A large number of spherical recesses 3 are formed.
Between the ice making plates 1.1, a cooling pipe 4 of a refrigeration system meandering in the left-right direction is arranged to cool the ice making plates 1.1. The cooling pipe 4 has, in its horizontal portion,
The portion facing the recess 3 is soldered or the like to form the recess 3
It is closely fixed to the back surface, and the other parts are apart from the ice making surface 1A1A and are not in contact therewith.

Although not shown, such a cooling pipe is connected annularly with an electric compressor, a condenser, a capillary tube as a pressure reducing means, etc. to form a refrigeration cycle, and an additional device is a bypass for bypassing the condenser. It has a pipe and a hot gas solenoid valve connected to the bypass pipe.

Reference numeral 5 is an ice making water sprinkler provided on the upper portion of the ice making plates 1 and 1, and water spray holes 6, 6 for sprinkling the ice making water are formed in two rows in the left and right at a plurality of equal intervals in the longitudinal direction. Is formed to project. Reference numeral 7 denotes a water conduit for ice making water. And, on both sides of the lower portion of the main body 5A of the ice sprinkler 5,
The sprinkling holes 6 and 6 prevent the ice making water from scattering and guide the ice making water to flow down to the ice making plates 1 and 1.
Water guide side walls 9 and 9 that form running water passages 8 and 8 are vertically formed between the ice making plates 1 and 1. Then, the inner surfaces of the water guide side walls 9, 9 are polished horizontally with Scotch bright, sandpaper or the like to finish the rough surfaces 10, 10.

As a result, the ice making water flowing down the inner surfaces of the water guide side walls 9, 9 easily spreads in the horizontal direction, and the ice making plate 1,
A uniform thin layer flows down on the ice making surfaces 1A and 1A of No. 1. Further, the rough surfaces 10 and 10 are the water guide side walls 9.
It is also extended to the lower edge of 9. 12 is ice-making surface 1
A, a deicing water sprinkler that flows deicing water on the back surface of the ice making plate 1.1 in order to facilitate deicing of the ice blocks 2 formed in A and 1A,
The water passage portion 13 is provided at an upper portion between the back surfaces of the ice making plate 1.1.
Watering holes 14.14 on the left and right sides for communicating with
Are formed in large numbers. And this sprinkler for ice removal 12
In the upper part of the above, the mountain shape is formed with inclined flowing water surfaces 15 and 15 on the left and right to receive the ice making water from the water sprinkling holes 6.6 of the ice making sprinkler 5 and direct it toward the ice making plate 1.1. A shaped water guide 16 is integrally provided.

Then, each running surface 1 of this water guide body 16
Reference numerals 5 and 15 are also polished in the horizontal direction by Scotch bright or sandpaper to finish the rough surfaces 18 and 18. Therefore, the rough surfaces 18, 18 make it easier for the ice making water to spread in the horizontal direction.
It effectively spreads to A and becomes a thin layer to flow.

At the top of the water guide body 16, there is formed a concave groove 19 for coupling with the sprinkler 5 for ice making. And the connecting projection wall 2 protruding from the center of the bottom portion of the ice making sprinkler 5
The connecting groove 19 is fitted in the groove 0, and the ice separating water sprinkler 5 and the ice making water sprinkler are connected so that the water guiding body 16 exists in the space between the water guiding side walls 9.9. It is installed.
Reference numeral 22 is a guide member that guides the unfrozen water flowing down from the ice making plate 1.1 that has not become the ice block 2 to the water receiving gutter 33, and guides the detached ice block 2 to the outside of the water receiving gutter 33. The guide members 22 have water guide surfaces 24 that are respectively inclined inward.
24 and the ice guide fins 25 projecting from the water guide surfaces 24, 24 and formed with outward ice guide surfaces 25A for guiding the ice blocks 2 in a falling direction. In addition, it also has a drainage port 26 for ice-free water. The unfrozen water is collected in a water storage tank (not shown) or the like through the water receiving gutter 33, and is circulated and supplied again to the ice making sprinkler 5 as ice making water by a circulation pump. The guide member 22 and the ice breaker sprinkler 12 have inwardly facing flanges 30a and 30b provided on the lower part and the upper part of the ice making plate 1.1, on both sides of the guide member 22 and the ice breaker sprinkler 12. Are engaged and fixed in the engaging grooves 31 and 32 formed in 1.

With the above configuration, the operation thereof will be described below. First, tap water is sent to the ice sprayer 12,
Water flows from the water spray holes 14, 14 along the back surface of the ice making plate 1.1, and a constant amount of water is supplied to the water storage tank through the lower guide member 22 and the water receiving gutter 33. Subsequently, the electric compressor operates to circulate the low-temperature refrigerant gas in the cooling pipe 4, and at the same time, the circulation pump operates to cause the ice making water in the water storage tank to be pressure-fed to the ice making water sprinkler 5 through the water conduit 7. The ice making water sprinkled from the water sprinkling holes 6.6 of the ice making sprinkler 5 flows along the inner surface of the water guide side wall 9.9 and the flowing water surfaces 15, 15 of the guide member 22, and flows down the ice making surfaces 1A, 1A. The water guide side wall 9.9 serves as a splash prevention wall that prevents the ice making water from splashing outward. Since the inner surface of the water guide side wall 9.9 and the flowing surfaces 15, 15 are rough surfaces 10.18, the ice making water spreads these surfaces uniformly in the horizontal direction to form a thin water layer. It flows. Further, a uniform layer of water flows on the ice making surfaces 1A and 1A of the ice making plate 1.1. Then, icing gradually starts in the recesses 3 of the ice making surfaces 1A, 1A, and the unfrozen water drops from the guide member 22 to the water receiving gutter 33 and is returned, and is circulated again to the ice making surface 1A. As described above, the circulation operation is repeated, and a predetermined ice block 2 is formed in the recess 3 as shown in FIG. 3. In this case, the ice making water has a water film of a uniform thickness on the ice making surfaces 1A and 1A. Since it is flowing in a straight line, there is no inconvenience such as a recess 3 where the ice block 2 cannot be formed or a badly formed ice block 2, and it is expected that a uniform ice block 2 can be formed in any of the recesses 3. It When the ice block 2 is formed, it is detected by an appropriate means, the cooling operation is stopped, the water circulation is stopped, and the ice making operation is completed. When the desired ice making operation is completed, water is sent to the ice-breaking water sprinkler 12, and water for ice-breaking is sprayed from the water spray holes 14, 14 to the back surface of the ice making surface 1A, and the temperature of the ice making plate 1.1 is caused by the heat of the water. Rises, the close contact between the ice lump 2 and the ice making surface 1A is released, and the ice lump 2 separated from the recess 3 does not fall into the water receiving gutter 33 side by the action of the ice guide fins 25 of the guide member 22. , Drop into a water storage (not shown). In this way, when the ice blocks 2 drop from all the recesses 3, the ice removing operation ends, the water supply operation starts again, and the ice making operation starts.

[0016]

As described above, according to the present invention, between the water guide side wall and the water guide side wall for guiding the ice making water sprinkled from the ice making sprinkler to the upper portions of the pair of ice making plates facing each other. In a water guiding body that is provided and performs the same function on an inclined flowing water surface, the inner surface of the water guiding side wall and the inclined flowing water surface of the water guiding body are each roughened so that the ice making water sprinkled from the ice making water is sprayed. Before it reaches the ice making plate, it already flows down as a uniform layer of water on the water guide side wall and water guide body, so it is possible to ensure that a uniform thin layer of water flows on the ice making surface. It As a result, it is possible to easily eliminate disadvantages such as the formation of badly shaped ice and the non-formation of the ice making plate at various places.

[0017]

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of essential parts of a falling ice machine according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a front view of the same main part.

3 is a sectional view taken along line AA of FIG.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged view of the sprinkler unit of FIG.

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view showing the relationship between the guide member and the water tub of FIG.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1.1 Ice Making Plate 1A1A Ice Making Surface 4 Cooling Pipe 5 Ice Making Sprinkler 9.9 Water Guide Side Wall 10.10 Rough Surface 15.15 Flowing Water Surface 16 Water Guide 18.18 Rough Surface

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. An ice making water is sprinkled from an ice making sprinkler provided above the ice making plate at the same time as cooling a pair of vertically arranged ice making plates, and the ice making plate is made to flow down to grow an ice block. In a downflow type ice making machine, projectingly provided to extend in the longitudinal direction at the lower portions on both sides of the ice making sprinkler, to form a running water passage between the ice making plate and the ice making water to be sprinkled to the ice making plate. A water guide side wall for guiding the flow down, and a water guide body having an inclined flowing water surface for guiding down the ice making water sprinkled in the upper part of the flow water passage to the flow water passage, the inside of the water guide side wall and the running water. Downflow type ice machine characterized by forming a rough surface