JPH0638299Y2 - Automatic ice machine - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Industrial Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an automatic ice maker, and more specifically, to a protection device capable of effectively preventing burnout of a compressor and waste of power consumption during the ice making operation. The present invention relates to an automatic ice making machine provided.

2. Description of the Related Art Automatic ice-making machines for continuously producing a large number of ice cubes, plate ice, and various other types of ice are suitably used according to their use. For example, a large number of small ice-making chambers that are defined in the ice-making chamber and open downwards are opened and closed by a water tray, and ice-making water is jetted from this water tray to gradually supply ice cubes into the ice-making small chamber. The so-called closed-cell type ice-making machine that was formed, or a large number of ice-making small chambers that open downward were directly supplied with ice-making water without using a water tray, and so-called ice cubes were formed in the small chambers. An open cell type ice machine,
2. Description of the Related Art A downflow type ice making machine, etc., in which ice making plates are arranged in an inclined manner and ice making water is supplied to the front surface or the back surface of the ice making plate to form ice cubes on the ice making plate surface is widely used.

Generally, these automatic ice making machines are provided with an ice making mechanism above the fuselage and a refrigeration system for cooling the ice making mechanism at the bottom of the fuselage, and the refrigeration system is a compressor condenser, a capillary tube, an evaporator, etc. It is composed of various members. The evaporator derived from this refrigeration system is arranged in the ice making unit of the ice making mechanism to cool the ice making unit. On the other hand, ice-making water is circulated and supplied to the cooled ice-making section to generate ice, and the ice-making completion detecting device detects that the water has grown to a predetermined size, and stops the supply of ice-making water. Then, by switching the valve element, the high-temperature refrigerant gas from the compressor is supplied to the evaporator through the bypass pipe to heat the ice-making part, and the ice produced in the ice-making part is dropped by its own weight and placed below. It is designed to be collected and stored in the stocker. A fin-and-tube type condenser is generally used as the refrigerating condenser, and the condenser is forcibly cooled by a cooling fan.

As described above, during the deicing operation, the high-temperature refrigerant gas is directly supplied to the evaporator, but at this time, in order to suppress the liquid refrigerant from accumulating in the condenser and increase the internal pressure in the refrigeration circuit. In addition, it is common practice to reduce the condensation capacity of the condenser. In addition, heating of the evaporator is promoted by increasing the circulation amount of the refrigerant gas.

As a method of reducing the condensing capacity of this condenser, usually, in the case of an air-cooled condenser, the operation of the air-cooling fan motor is stopped, and in the case of a water-cooled condenser, the supply of cooling water is stopped. So it is common.

The following methods are generally used to detect the completion of the deicing operation. That is, when the ice blocks generated in the ice making chamber fall (de-ice), the temperature of the ice making chamber rises sharply. The temperature rise of the ice making chamber is monitored by a temperature detecting device composed of a temperature sensitive element such as a thermistor arranged on the side wall of the ice making chamber, and when it is detected that the temperature has risen to a predetermined temperature, the deicing is completed. to decide. Alternatively, while the ice blocks are released from the ice-making chamber and slide down to the ice storage, etc., the ice blocks are brought into contact with a detection member such as a bar, and the position of this member moves the microswitch to activate the deicing operation. To detect.

Problems to be Solved by the Invention In the automatic ice making machine according to the prior art described above, if the deicing completion detecting means fails during the ice making operation or the deicing completion cannot be detected for some reason. However, although the deicing is actually completed, the deicing operation is continued, and the following problems occur. That is, when the deicing operation continues, the temperature of the ice making chamber from which the ice has been released continues to rise rapidly, and the refrigerant sucked into the compressor from the evaporator of the ice making chamber through the suction pipe remains in the high temperature gas state. Therefore, the internal temperature of the compressor in the refrigeration system rises rapidly, and the temperature of the refrigerant gas discharged from the compressor also rises. Therefore, the compressor is overloaded due to an increase in the internal pressure of the refrigeration circuit and an increase in the internal temperature of the compressor, resulting in an increase in the motor current and an abnormally high compressor case temperature.

The compressor is usually provided with an overload protection device, and when the compressor case temperature exceeds a predetermined temperature, this overload protection device operates to shut off the power to the compressor and stop its operation. It is like this. However, when the compressor stops, the refrigerant pressure in the refrigeration circuit gradually decreases, and the temperature of the compressor body also gradually decreases due to natural heat dissipation.
The overload protection device is automatically restored, and the energization of the compressor is restarted, so that the overload operation of the compressor is restarted. Then, the overload protection device is restarted, and the cycle in which the compressor is stopped is repeated.

In other words, if the de-icing completion is not detected and the de-icing operation is continued, unless the user notices this and handles it,
The compressor will cycle between overloaded operating conditions and stopped conditions. This not only leads to waste of power consumption,
This causes deterioration of lubricating oil in the rotating part due to overload operation of the compressor. When the oil deteriorates in this way,
The smooth operation of the sliding portion is obstructed to promote wear, and the compressor itself may seize into a locked state, or the motor may be burned. Further, there is a problem that the ice in the ice storage is melted due to an abnormally high temperature in the ice making chamber, or the members arranged close to the freezing system are deformed or burned due to the abnormally high temperature in the freezing system. Furthermore, there is a problem that a large amount of ice-making water is wasted because the ice-making water is continuously supplied from the external water supply system to the ice-making water supply system by continuing the deicing operation.

Further, if the solenoid valve that controls the opening and closing of the bypass pipe does not open due to the cause of coil burnout or the like, the following problems occur. That is, if the solenoid valve cannot be opened even when the deicing operation is started, the high-temperature refrigerant gas cannot flow into the evaporator from the bypass pipe, and enters the evaporator only via the capillary tube. Inflow. Therefore, in the evaporator, as in the ice making operation, the refrigerant is evaporated at a low temperature to cool the ice making chamber. For this reason,
The deicing operation is continued without being able to drop the ice blocks from the ice making room, resulting in waste of electricity and waste of water.

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been proposed in order to solve these problems in consideration of the problems inherent in the above-mentioned conventional automatic ice making machine, and it is proposed to prevent burnout of the compressor and waste power consumption. It is an object of the present invention to provide an automatic ice maker that can prevent water and save water and that is equipped with an inexpensive protection device.

Means for Solving the Problems In order to overcome the above-mentioned problems and achieve an intended purpose, the present invention provides an ice making chamber provided with an evaporator connected to a refrigeration system, and supplying ice making water to the ice making chamber. An ice making water supply system, a device for removing the ice generated in the ice making chamber, and a means for detecting the completion of the deicing operation are provided, and the deicing is completed despite the lapse of a predetermined time from the start of the deicing. In an automatic ice making machine provided with a control circuit for stopping the deicing operation when the detection means does not detect the completion of the deicing, the control circuit is turned on by the start of the deicing operation, A timer device with a normally open contact that is closed when the time set to be longer than the normally required time has expired, a normally closed contact inserted in one of the power supply lines connected to the ice maker, and the above-mentioned Connected in parallel with the normally open contact of the timer device A relay having a normally open contact that is opened, and the relay is connected to two power supply lines by the closing of the normally open contact of the timer device to be energized to open its own normally closed contact. By shutting off electricity to the compressor motor of the refrigeration system and the fan motor for the condenser, the pump motor of the ice making water supply system, the actuator motor and the water supply valve in the ice removing device, the normally open contact is closed. It is characterized by being configured to hold itself.

Action How long it takes to perform deicing operation is empirically known from the capacity of the ice making machine. In the present invention, even if a predetermined time has passed after starting deicing, due to some trouble,
When the deicing completion detecting unit does not output the deicing completion signal, the protection device operates.

Embodiments Next, an automatic ice making machine according to the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings with reference to preferred embodiments.

FIG. 1 shows an example of an automatic ice maker in which the present invention is preferably implemented. This automatic ice making machine is provided with an ice making chamber 1 defining a large number of ice making small chambers 2 opening downward, and an evaporator 3 connected to a refrigeration system is arranged on an outer upper surface of the ice making chamber 1. A water tray 4 is tiltably arranged below the ice making chamber 1, and the ice making chamber 2 is always closed horizontally from below. The water tray 4 is pivotally supported at its one end by a pivot shaft (not shown), and is forcibly tilted by an actuator during the deicing operation to open the ice making compartment 2. A distribution pipe 6 for supplying ice making water to each ice making small chamber 2 is arranged on the lower surface of the water tray 4, and an ice making water tank 5 is further provided below the water tray 4. A required amount of ice-making water required for one ice-making cycle is supplied to the tank 5 from the external water supply system 10 via the water supply valve WV.

The water in the ice making water tank 5 is sent from the bottom to the distribution pipe 6 via the water supply pipe 11 and the pump PM, and from the large number of fountain holes 7 corresponding to each ice making small chamber 2 in the water tray 4, It is jetted into the small ice making chamber 2. A part of this ice making water freezes on the inner wall surface of each ice making chamber 2, and the water that has not been frozen does not flow through the drain hole 9 formed in the water tray 4 adjacent to the fountain hole 7. It is returned to the ice making water tank 5. By circulating the ice making water in the ice making water supply system 8 according to this configuration, the ice making chamber 1
Gradually grow ice in layers.

On the outer surface of the ice making chamber 1, a temperature detecting device Th _{2 including a} temperature sensitive element such as a thermostat or a thermistor is closely arranged. This temperature detecting device Th ₂ detects the temperature of the ice making chamber 1, and when the ice grows sufficiently in the ice making small chamber 2 and the temperature of the ice making chamber 1 drops, the temperature detecting device Th ₂ operates. The ice making operation is terminated, and the operation is shifted to the deicing operation.

In the present embodiment, the completion of ice making is detected by the temperature detection device Th ₂ , but other than that, for example, a transducer detects a water pressure change in the distribution pipe 6 accompanying the growth of ice to detect the completion of ice making. A method, a method of detecting completion of ice making from the water level change in the ice making water tank 5, or a method of detecting completion of ice making by detecting the length of grown ice may be adopted.

When the automatic ice making machine shown in FIG. 1 shifts to the deicing operation, the pump PM is stopped to stop the supply of ice making water, and the water tray 4 and the ice making water tank 5 are operated under the action of an actuator (not shown).
Is tilted to a certain angle, and all the remaining ice making water in the ice making water supply system 8 is discharged. Further, the valve body is switched, hot gas is supplied to the evaporator 3 connected to the refrigeration system to heat the ice making chamber 1, and the ice in the ice making small chamber 2 is dropped by its own weight, and the ice storage 13
Guided and released inside.

Completion of the falling of ice into the ice storage 13 is performed by detecting the temperature rise of the ice making chamber 1 by a temperature detecting device Th _{3 which} is closely arranged on the side surface of the ice making chamber 1 and is composed of a temperature sensing element such as a thermistor. To detect. After detecting the fall of ice, the actuator is reversed to return the water tray 4 and the ice making water tank 5 to the original horizontal position to close the ice making compartment 2 from below, and the external water supply system 10 through the water supply valve WV. Ice-making water is supplied to the tank 5. Further, the ice-making water is supplied to the ice-making chamber 1 by the pump PM to start ice-making again.

In addition, reference numeral Th 1 in FIG. ₁ denotes an ice storage detecting switch arranged in the ice storage 13, and when the ice in the ice storage 13 runs out, the switch Th ₁ is closed to start the ice making operation,
When a predetermined amount of ice is stored in the ice storage 13, it is opened to stop the ice making machine.

FIG. 2 shows a schematic configuration of the refrigeration system. The refrigerant gas compressed by the compressor 20 is condensed by the condenser 21 and liquefied, dehumidified by the dryer 22, depressurized by the capillary tube 23, and the evaporator disposed on the outer upper surface of the ice making chamber 1. 3 is evaporated and heat is exchanged with the ice-making water supplied to each ice-making small chamber 2 as a fountain, thereby freezing in each ice-making small chamber 2. The refrigerant that has been vaporized and vaporized in the evaporator 3 and the liquid refrigerant that cannot be completely vaporized are in the vaporized mixed phase state, and the accumulator
24, where the vapor-phase refrigerant and the liquid-phase refrigerant are separated,
The gas-phase refrigerant returns to the compressor 20 via the suction pipe 25, and the liquid-phase refrigerant is stored in the accumulator 24. Reference numeral FM in FIG. 2 indicates a fan motor for the condenser 21.

Further, a hot gas pipe 26 branched from the discharge side of the compressor 20
Is communicated with the inlet side of the evaporator 3 via the hot gas valve HV, and the high temperature refrigerant discharged from the compressor 20 during deicing flows into the evaporator 3 from the hot gas pipe 26 via the hot gas valve HV. , The ice making chamber 1 is warmed to heat the peripheral surface of the ice blocks generated in each ice making chamber 2, and each ice block is dropped by its own weight. The high-temperature refrigerant flowing out of the evaporator 3 flows into the accumulator 24, heats and evaporates the liquid-phase refrigerant that has accumulated in the accumulator 24, and serves as a gas-phase refrigerant from the suction pipe 25 to the compressor 20.
To return to.

FIG. 3 shows an example of the electric control circuit of the automatic ice maker according to the present embodiment. In this figure, a fuse F is provided between the power supply line A and the connection point D, and the connection is made. Between the point D and the power supply line B, a normally open contact T ₁ , a relay X, and a push button PB for restoration, which will be described later, are connected in series. The connection point E between the normally open contact T ₁ and the relay X is connected to the connection point D via the normally open contact X ₁ of the relay X.
It is connected to the. Further, as shown by a broken line, an alarm lamp L is connected in parallel to the relay X, and the timer device T, the alarm lamp L, and the relay X constitute a protection device.

Between the connection point D and the connection point H, the normally closed contact X _{2 of the} relay X
And ice storage detection switch Th ₁ are connected in series, and connection point H
A compressor CM is connected between the power supply line B and the power supply line B.
Further, in the deicing operation, the contact a of the changeover switch S ₁ biased by the tilting of the water tray 4 is connected to the connection point H, and the contact b of the switch S ₁ is connected to the contact e of the temperature detecting device Th _2. ing. A cooling fan motor FM of the condenser 21 and an ice making water circulation pump motor PM are connected in parallel between the contact f of the temperature detecting device Th ₂ and the power supply line B. Further, the contact g of the temperature detecting device Th ₂ is connected to the power supply terminal m for tilting direction drive of the actuator motor AM for tilting and returning the water tray 4, and the other power supply terminal k of the motor AM is connected to the power supply line B. Has been done.

The contact c of the change-over switch S ₁ and the power supply terminal n for driving the actuator motor AM in the return direction are connected via the temperature detecting device Th ₃ , and between the contact c and the power supply line B,
The hot gas valve HV, the water supply valve WV, and the timer device T are connected in parallel. The set time of the timer device T is set longer than the deicing time when the normal deicing operation is performed, and when the set time is increased from the start of energization, the normally open contact T ₁ Is closed for the required time.

Next, the operation of the automatic ice maker having the above-mentioned configuration will be described. First, a power source (power switch is not shown) is turned on to the automatic ice maker. At this time, since ice is not stored in the ice storage 13, the temperature detection device Th ₁ is closed. The contact a of the changeover switch S ₁ is connected to the contact b side, and the temperature of the ice making chamber 1 is near room temperature, so the contact e of the temperature detecting device Th ₂ is connected to the contact f side. Therefore, at the same time when the power is turned on, the compressor (CM) 20, the fan motor FM,
Power is supplied to the pump motor PM and the ice making operation starts.
As a result, the circulation of the refrigerant and the circulation of the ice making water described with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2 are performed, and the ice making water and the ice making chamber 1
Temperature gradually decreases. When the ice making operation is normal, the temperature of the ice making water becomes 0 after the required time has elapsed from the start of ice making.
C. and the ice begins to grow in the ice making chamber 1.

When the ice making is completed, the temperature detecting device Th ₂ detects the fall of the ice making chamber 1 to a predetermined temperature, and switches its contact e to the contact g side. As a result, the energization of the fan motor FM and the pump motor PM is stopped, and the actuator AM is energized to start the deicing operation. The rotation of the actuator AM causes the water tray 4 and the ice making water tank 5 to tilt, and when the tilt reaches the end, the contact a of the changeover switch S ₁ is switched to the contact c side. At this time, the temperature detection device Th ₃ is in an open state. By switching this switch S _1, the water supply valve WV is opened, water at room temperature is newly supplied from the external water supply system to the tank 5, and the hot gas valve HV is opened to warm the evaporator 3 and deicing it. Accelerated, the timer device T begins to accumulate the time.

As described above, the ice in the ice making compartment 2 falls by its own weight, the temperature of the ice making compartment 1 rises, and the completion of deicing is detected by the temperature detecting device.
If Th ₃ detects, said apparatus Th ₃ is closed the contacts. When the actuator motor AM is energized by closing the temperature detection device Th _3, the motor AM rotates in the reverse direction to return the water tray 4 to the horizontal state, and the changeover switch is completed when the return operation is completed.
The contact a of S ₁ is switched to the contact b side. As a result, the ice making operation is started again, the above-described operation is repeated, and the timer device T is cleared when the energization is cut off. When a predetermined amount of ice is retained in the ice storage 13 by repeating the ice making operation and the deicing operation, the ice storage detecting switch Th ₁ is opened and the ice making machine is stopped.

If the opening of the hot gas valve HV during deicing operation failure, the water tray 4 of no return due to the failure of the actuator motor AM, contact failure due to the failure of the temperature sensing device Th _3, the gas in the refrigeration circuit leakage hot gas supply failure due to, It is assumed that a trouble such as a refrigerant compression failure occurs due to a compressor failure. When such a failure occurs, the contact a of the changeover switch S ₁ remains connected to the contact c side, the hot gas valve HV and the water supply valve WV are continuously energized, and the deicing operation is continued to perform the above-mentioned compression. Machine failure and waste of electricity, water, etc. occur. However, in the present embodiment, when the contact a of the changeover switch S ₁ remains connected to the contact c side, the timer device T continues to be energized, and the timer device T continues the time coefficient.

Then, at the moment when the timer device T times up and the contact T ₁ is closed, the power supply line A → fuse F
→ Connection point D → Contact point T ₁ → Relay X and alarm lamp L → Push button PB for restoration → Power supply line B is closed, and relay X and alarm lamp L are energized. As a result, the normally open contact X ₁ of the relay X is closed and the normally closed contact X ₂ is opened. Relay X is closed by closing the normally open contact X _1.
Is self-held and the normally closed contact X ₂ is opened
Power supply to the CM, fan motor FM, pump motor PM, hot gas valve HV, and water supply valve WV is cut off, and the ice maker is stopped.

Therefore, in the automatic ice making machine according to the present embodiment, it is possible to prevent repetition of overload operation-stop of the compressor, which is a problem of the prior art, to avoid failure of the compressor, and further to prevent waste of electric power. It is possible to effectively save water. If the alarm lamp L is connected in parallel with the relay X as shown by the broken line in FIG. 3, the user can be visually notified of the occurrence of trouble. Further, in parallel with this, a warning device such as a buzzer may be provided and operated at the same time as the warning lamp L so that the user can be audibly aware of the trouble.

When the ice making operation is to be performed again after repairing the above-mentioned various troubles, the self-holding of the relay X is released by pressing the return push button PB to open its contact.

Although the automatic ice making machine according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention has been described above, the present invention is not limited to the ice making method of the embodiment, and an ice making method that adopts an open cell method or a flow-down type ice making method. It can also be applied to machines. Also, the temperature detection type (temperature detection device Th ₃ ) has been described as an example of the deicing completion detection means, but in addition to this, a timer type, water level detection type, pressure detection type, ice thickness detection type, temperature + timer The present invention can be applied to an ice-making machine that employs any of the following types: water formula, water level + timer, etc.

Effect of the Invention As described above, according to the automatic ice making machine of the present invention, when the deicing operation is not completed within the predetermined time after the start of deicing, the ice making machine is stopped or the alarm device is activated. Since a device is provided, the hot gas valve will not open properly, the actuator motor will not rotate in the direction of return due to a failure, the temperature sensor will fail to close its contacts, and the hot gas will leak due to gas leakage in the refrigeration circuit. Gas supply failure,
Even if refrigerant compression failure etc. occurs due to compressor failure,
Make sure the ice machine stops. Further, since it is not necessary to provide a dedicated protection device for dealing with each abnormal state, there is an effect that the manufacturing can be performed at low cost and maintenance is easy.

[Brief description of drawings]

The drawings show a preferred embodiment of the automatic ice making machine according to the present invention. FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of an ice making part and an ice making water tank part of the automatic ice making machine according to the embodiment, and FIG. FIG. 3 is a refrigeration system diagram of the automatic ice maker according to the example, and FIG. 3 is an electric control circuit diagram of the automatic ice maker according to the embodiment. 1 ... Ice making chamber, 2 ... Ice making chamber 3 ... Evaporator, 4 ... Water tray 5 ... Ice making water tank, 20 ... Compressor (CM) 21 ... Condenser 23 ... Capillary tube 24 ... Accumulator, 26 ... Hot gas pipe Th ₁ , Th ₂ , Th ₃ … Temperature detection device X… Relay X ₁ … Relay X normally open contact X ₂ … Relay X normally closed contact T… Timer device T ₁ … Timer device opening and closing contact FM… Fan motor, PM… Pump motor WV ... water supply valve, HV ... hot gas valve

Claims (1)

[Scope of utility model registration request] 1. An evaporator (3) connected to a refrigeration system (20, 21).
An ice making chamber (1), an ice making water supply system (5, PM) for supplying ice making water to the ice making chamber (1), and a device for removing ice generated in the ice making chamber (1) ( AM, WV) and a means (Th ₃ ) for detecting the completion of the deicing operation, and the deicing completion detecting means (Th ₃ )
₃ ) In an automatic ice making machine provided with a control circuit for stopping the deicing operation when it does not detect the completion of the deicing operation, the control circuit is turned on by the start of the deicing operation, and A timer device (T) having a normally open contact (T ₁ ) that is closed when the time set to be longer than the normal time is up, and a power supply line (A, B) connected to the ice maker ) A relay (X) having a normally closed contact (X ₂ ) inserted in one side and a normally open contact (X ₁ ) connected in parallel to the normally open contact (T ₁ ) of the timer device (T). The relay (X) is connected to the two power supply lines (A, B) by closing the normally open contact (T ₁ ) of the timer device (T) to be energized and urged to maintain its own normal state. By opening the closed contact (X ₂ ), the compressor motor (C
M), condenser fan motor (FM), ice making water supply system pump motor (PM), ice removing device actuator motor (AM), water supply valve (WV), etc. X ₁ ) is an automatic ice machine characterized by being configured to close and hold itself.