JPH05280846A - Automated ice making device for refrigerator - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To prevent a water supply pipe from being frozen with minimum power consumption in a refrigerator equipped with an automated ice making machine by controlling power supply to a water supply pipe heater. CONSTITUTION:A freezing chamber 3 includes therein an ice making pan 5 and an ice separating device 6 and the like, and a refrigeration chamber 4 includes therein a water reception pan 8 and a water supply pump 9 and the like. Water sucked by the water supply pump 9 is supplied to the ice making pan 5 through a water supply pipe 11. A water supply pipe heater 12 is provided around the water supply pipe 11. A tank switch 14 detects the state of the water supply tank 10 where it is mounted and demounted. An ice making sensor 15 detects the temperature of the ice making tray 5, and a controller 16 controls power supply to the water supply pipe heater 12.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a refrigerator equipped with an automatic ice making machine.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, refrigerators having an automatic ice making machine have been widely used because they are convenient.

Conventionally, this type of refrigerator has a structure as shown in FIGS. The configuration will be described below with reference to the drawings. As shown in the figure, the inside of the refrigerator body 1 is divided into a freezing compartment 3 and a refrigerating compartment 4 by a partition wall 2. In the freezer compartment 3, an ice separator 5, an ice tray 6, an ice storage box 7 and the like are arranged.

Further, a water tray 8, a water supply pump 9, a water supply tank 10 and the like are provided in the refrigerating chamber 4, and the water supply pump 9
The water pumped up in is supplied to the ice tray 6 through the water supply pipe 11. A water supply pipe heater 12 is provided around the water supply pipe 11 and is connected to a power source to prevent the water supply pipe 11 from freezing. Further, the heat insulating tube 1 made of a heat insulating material is provided around the water supply pipe heater 12.
Covered with 3.

The tank switch 14 detects the detached state of the water supply tank 10, and its contact is ON when the water supply tank 10 is mounted. Reference numeral 15 is an ice making sensor that detects the temperature of the ice making tray, and 16 is a control device that controls energization of the ice separating device 5 and the water supply pump 9.

[0006]

However, in the above-mentioned conventional configuration, the water supply pipe heater 12 is always energized when the refrigerator is in operation, so that there is a problem in that wasteful power is consumed.

The present invention solves the above-mentioned conventional problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a refrigerator capable of preventing the freezing of the water supply pipe by controlling the energization of the water supply pipe heater with minimum power consumption.

[0008]

To achieve the above object, the present invention has a refrigerator body having a freezer compartment and a refrigerating compartment, an ice tray provided in the freezer compartment, and an ice making sensor for detecting the temperature of the ice tray. And an ice removing device that rotates the ice tray to twist and remove the ice, and a water supply pipe that supplies water to the ice tray,
A water supply pump, a water supply tank, and a tank switch for detecting attachment / detachment of the water supply tank are provided, a water supply pipe heater is disposed in the water supply pipe, and the water supply pipe heater is energized to set the water supply tank. At the same time, the water supply heater is turned on, and after the predetermined time T0 has elapsed from the operation of the water supply pump, if the ice making sensor is below the water supply amount determination temperature K1, the predetermined time T2 has elapsed and then the water supply pipe heater is turned off. And a control device for controlling the energization of the water supply pipe heater.

After the ice-making sensor-water supply amount determination, if the water supply amount determination temperature K1 or less, the control device repeats control of energizing the water supply pipe heater for a predetermined time T3 after a predetermined time T2 has elapsed. is there.

[0010]

In the above structure, when the control device inputs the signal of the tank switch and the tank switch is closed,
Since the water supply pipe heater is energized, it is possible to prevent the water in the water supply pipe from freezing, and after the lapse of a predetermined time, if the ice making sensor is below a predetermined temperature, the water supply pipe heater can be de-energized to eliminate wasteful energization. . In addition, the power supply pipe heater is de-energized after a lapse of a predetermined time from the operation of the water supply pump, and the water supply pipe heater is energized after a predetermined time has passed. The water supply pump is operated and then the power supply to the water supply pipe heater is de-energized.

If the ice making sensor is below a predetermined temperature after a lapse of a predetermined time from the operation of the water supply pump, the water supply pipe heater is energized, and after a lapse of a predetermined time from the next water supply operation, the water supply pipe heater is de-energized. Further, after a lapse of a predetermined time from the operation of the water supply pump, the water supply pipe heater is energized for a certain time.

[0012]

EXAMPLES Examples of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS.
Will be described with reference to. In this embodiment, the same components as those shown in the above-mentioned conventional example are designated by the same reference numerals, and the description thereof will be omitted. The characteristic configuration of this embodiment is that the water supply pipe heater 12 described in the conventional example is energized.

That is, the control device 16 is composed of various electronic circuits including a microcomputer, takes in signals from the tank switch 14, the ice making sensor 15, etc., and controls the energization of the water supply pipe heater 12. To do.

Next, the operation will be described based on each pattern. FIG. 2 shows an operation pattern in the first embodiment. That is, when the water supply tank 10 is set, the tank switch 14 is turned on, and this signal is input to the control device 16 to energize the water supply pipe heater 12. When the ice making cycle is repeated and the water in the water supply tank 10 becomes empty, the water is no longer supplied to the ice making tray 5, and the ice making sensor 15
Since the temperature rise is insufficient, the control device 16 determines that the water supply amount is insufficient and then the water supply pipe heater 12
Energize.

Therefore, freezing of the water supply pipe can be guaranteed without leaving a small amount of water droplets remaining at the tip of the water supply pipe 11, and the water supply pipe heater 12 is energized almost only during the ice making operation. Compared with the conventional example in which power is consumed even during normal operation in which a person does not make ice, a large amount of energy is saved.

FIG. 3 shows an operation pattern in the second embodiment, showing an energization pattern of the water supply pipe heater 12, and energization during ice making is similar to that in the first embodiment.
Is set on the water pan 8, the tank switch 14
Turns on and starts.

After that, after the controller 16 judges that the water supply is insufficient, the timer control is performed and the water supply pipe heater 12 is operated for a predetermined time T4 (60 hours) after a predetermined time T3 (24 hours) has elapsed.
Min) energizing is repeated.

The second embodiment is based on the first embodiment, in which the prevention of freezing of the water supply pipe other than during the ice making operation is strengthened, and the power consumption during the normal operation is reduced as much as possible to save energy.

[0019]

As is clear from the above embodiments, the refrigerator of the present invention comprises a refrigerator body having a freezer compartment and a refrigerator compartment,
An ice tray provided in the freezer compartment, an ice removing device for removing ice from the ice tray, a water tray provided in the refrigerating compartment, a water pump for pumping water from the water tray, and a discharge of the water pump A water supply pipe connected to the side, a water supply pipe heater provided near the water supply pipe for releasing the freezing, an ice making sensor for detecting the temperature of the water tray, and a tank switch for detecting attachment / detachment of the water supply tank. It is provided with a control device for inputting signals of the ice making sensor and the tank switch and controlling the energization of the water supply pipe heater. With this configuration, the water supply pipe is heated for an appropriate time when necessary. Therefore, it is possible to eliminate wasteful power consumption without freezing the water supply pipe and save energy.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a sectional view of a main part of a refrigerator according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an operation explanatory diagram of the control device in the first embodiment of the same refrigerator.

FIG. 3 is an operation explanatory view of a control device in the second embodiment of the refrigerator.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view of a main part of a conventional refrigerator.

FIG. 5 is an operation explanatory diagram of a conventional refrigerator control device.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Refrigerator main body 3 Freezer room 4 Refrigerator room 5 Ice tray 6 Ice removing device 8 Water receiving tray 9 Water feed pump 10 Water tank 11 Water pipe 12 Water heater 14 Tank switch 15 Ice sensor 16 Controller

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A refrigerator main body having a freezer compartment and a refrigerating compartment, an ice tray provided in the freezer compartment, an ice making sensor for detecting the temperature of the ice tray, and an ice removing device for rotating the ice tray to twist and remove ice. A device and a water supply pipe for supplying water to the ice tray,
A water supply pump, a water supply tank, and a tank switch for detecting attachment / detachment of the water supply tank are provided, a water supply pipe heater is disposed in the water supply pipe, and the water supply pipe heater is energized to set the water supply tank. At the same time, the water supply heater is turned on, and after a lapse of a predetermined time T0 from the operation of the water supply pump, if the ice making sensor is below the water supply amount determination temperature K1, the water supply pipe heater is turned off after a lapse of the predetermined time T2. An automatic ice making device for a refrigerator, comprising a control device for controlling energization of the water supply pipe heater. 2. The control device repeats an operation of energizing the water supply pipe heater for a predetermined time T3 after a predetermined time T2 has elapsed if the water supply amount judgment temperature K1 or less after the ice making sensor-water supply judgment. The automatic ice making device for a refrigerator according to 1.