JPH07218071A - Automatic icemaker for refrigerator - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To realize icemaking without erroneous operation even when a water supply amount to an icemaking tray by a motor operated pump is uneven from a reference value by reoperating the pump when insufficiency of the supply amount to the tray is judged by a controlled and resupplying water. CONSTITUTION:In the case of icemaking, a motor operated pump 5 is first operated for a predetermined time, water in a feed water tank 3 is supplied to an icemaking tray 1 through a feed water pipe 6. Then, whether a temperature sensor 2 provided at a bottom of the tray 1 becomes higher than a set temperature or not within a predetermined time is detected. In the case of YES, supply of sufficient water to the tray l is judged, icemaking is started, then, icemaking completion is judged from an output of the sensor 2, the tray 1 is inverted by a motor 7, and ice is separated. On the other hand, when the sensor 1 does not become higher than the set temperature within the predetermined time, insufficiency of water supply to the tray 1 is judged, the pump 5 is again operated, water is again supplied, and then the icemaking is started.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an automatic ice making device for a refrigerator in which a customer can automatically obtain ice.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A conventional technique will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. First, in step S11, the electric pump is operated for a certain period of time to supply the water in the water supply tank to the ice tray through the water supply pipe. Next, in step S12, it is detected whether the temperature sensor provided at the bottom of the ice tray has become higher than a certain set temperature within a predetermined time. If the temperature sensor becomes higher than the set temperature, the control device determines that a sufficient amount of water has been supplied to the ice tray, and the process proceeds to step S13 to make ice. After that, when the temperature sensor falls below a certain set temperature, the control device judges that the ice making is completed and moves to step S14, and the ice making tray is inverted to remove ice. After that, the process returns to step S11 and the operation is repeated.

On the other hand, if the temperature sensor does not reach a temperature higher than a certain set temperature within a predetermined time in step S12, the control device determines that the amount of water supplied to the ice tray is insufficient, and the process proceeds to step S15. Then, the customer is notified that there is no water in the water supply tank. As the notification means, a light emitting diode installed on the door surface of the refrigerator is turned on.

As a technique related to this type of technique, there is JP-A-2-85663.

[0005]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In the above-mentioned prior art, when water is supplied to an ice tray using an electric pump, even if the electric pump is operated for a certain period of time, variations in the performance of the electric pump, variations in applied voltage value, and water supply. When the amount of water supplied to the ice tray is slightly less than the reference value due to a pipe clogging, etc., the temperature detected by the temperature sensor at the bottom of the ice tray does not rise to a certain set temperature, and it is controlled as insufficient water supply. There is a problem that the device makes a mistake and informs the customer that there is no water in the water supply tank even though the water remains in the water supply tank.

On the contrary, when the amount of water supplied to the ice tray becomes somewhat larger than the reference value, the amount of water more than necessary is supplied to the ice tray, causing water to overflow from the ice tray and being positioned below the ice tray. It has the drawback of spilling in the ice storage tank or on the floor of the freezer compartment, and in order to eliminate this, a fixed quantity tank that maintains a certain amount of water was required in the water pan.

An object of the present invention is to provide an automatic ice-making device for a refrigerator which functions normally without any trouble even when the amount of water supplied to the ice-making tray by the electric pump varies from the reference value.

[0008]

The above object is to operate the electric pump again for a certain period of time when the controller determines that the amount of water supplied to the ice tray by the first electric pump operation is insufficient. This is achieved by providing a control means for resupplying water to the plate and further increasing the volume of the ice tray above the upper limit of the variation in the amount of water supplied to the ice tray by the electric pump.

[0009]

The temperature detected by the temperature sensor provided at the bottom of the ice tray changes according to the amount of water supplied to the ice tray after the electric pump is activated. Then, when the detected temperature becomes higher than a certain set temperature, the control device determines that a sufficient amount of water has been supplied to the ice tray. On the other hand, if the detected temperature does not rise above the set temperature within the specified time, the control device determines that the amount of water supplied to the ice tray is insufficient and restarts the electric pump for a certain period of time. Re-supply water to. This makes it possible to compensate for the shortage of the amount of water supply for the first time, and the automatic ice making device continues the normal ice making operation. However, even after the second water supply, if the control device determines that the amount of water supplied to the ice tray is still insufficient, it is considered that there is no water in the water supply tank and the customer is notified of it.

Further, since the volume of the ice tray is larger than the upper limit value of the variation of the water supply amount, the water overflows from the ice tray at the time of water supply, and the ice storage tank located below the ice tray or the floor of the freezer compartment. There is no spillage.

[0011]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS.

First, in FIG. 2, reference numeral 1 is an ice tray of an automatic ice making device of a refrigerator, and a temperature sensor 2 for determining completion of water supply and completion of ice making is provided at the bottom of the ice tray. 3 is a water supply tank for storing water for making ice.
The water outlet 3a is provided downward. The water in the water supply tank 3 passes through the outflow port 3a and is temporarily stored in the water tray 4. After that, when the electric pump 5 is operated for a certain period of time, the water stored in the water receiving tray 4 is sucked from the water supply port 5a of the electric pump 5 and is supplied to the ice tray 1 through the water supply pipe 6. There is. Further, 7 is a motor for reversing the ice tray 1 for removing ice. The volume of the ice tray 1 is larger than the upper limit of the variation in the amount of water supplied to the ice tray 1 by the electric pump 5 at one time.

The control operation of the automatic ice making device will be described with reference to the flow chart of FIG. First, in step S1, the electric pump 5 is operated for a certain period of time to supply the water in the water supply tank 3 to the ice tray 1 through the water supply pipe 6. Next, in step S2, it is detected whether the temperature sensor 2 provided at the bottom of the ice tray 1 has become higher than a certain set temperature within a predetermined time. If the temperature sensor 2 becomes higher than the set temperature, the control device determines that a sufficient amount of water has been supplied to the ice tray 1, and the process proceeds to step S5 to make ice. After that, if the temperature sensor falls below a certain set temperature, the control device judges that the ice making is completed and moves to step S6, and the ice making tray 1 is inverted by the motor 7 to perform ice removing. After that, the process returns to step S1 and the operation is repeated.

On the other hand, if the temperature sensor 2 does not reach a temperature higher than a certain set temperature within a predetermined time in step S2, the control device determines that the amount of water supplied to the ice tray 1 is insufficient, and the control device determines in step S3. Then, the electric pump 5 is operated again for a certain period of time to re-supply water to the ice tray 1. Then, in step S4, it is detected again whether the temperature sensor 2 has become higher than a certain set temperature within a predetermined time. Therefore, if the temperature sensor 2 becomes higher than the set temperature, the control device determines that the ice tray 1 has been filled with a sufficient amount of water by a total of two times of water supply, and proceeds to step S5 to make ice. After that, if the temperature sensor falls below a certain set temperature, the control device judges that the ice making is completed and moves to step S6, and the ice making tray 1 is inverted by the motor 7 to perform ice removing. After that, the process returns to step S1 and the operation is repeated.

If the temperature sensor 2 does not reach a temperature higher than a preset temperature within a predetermined time despite the total of two times of water supply, it means that the ice tray 1 is not supplied with water. It is considered that there is no water in the water supply tank 3, and the customer is notified of this (step S7). As the notification means, for example, a light emitting diode installed on the surface of the refrigerator door is turned on.

As described above, according to this embodiment, even if the amount of water supplied to the ice tray by the electric pump varies from the reference value, the automatic ice making device of the refrigerator can be controlled without malfunctioning.

[0017]

As described above, according to the present invention, when the control device determines that the amount of water supplied to the ice tray by the first operation of the electric pump is insufficient, the electric pump is operated again for a certain period of time. Water is re-supplied to the ice tray, so even if the amount of water supplied to the ice tray is somewhat less than the reference value due to variations in the performance of the electric pump, variations in the applied voltage value, clogging of the water supply pipe, etc. It is possible to make up for the shortage of water supply. Therefore, even if water remains in the water supply tank, it will not be falsely reported to the customer that there is no water in the water supply tank. Therefore, even if the amount of water supplied to the ice tray by the electric pump varies from the reference value, it is possible to provide an automatic ice making device for a refrigerator that does not malfunction.

Further, conventionally, in order to suppress the upper limit value of the amount of water supplied by the electric pump, a constant quantity tank for keeping a constant amount of water was required in the water tray, but the upper limit of the amount of water supply to the ice tray was limited. Since the upper limit of the variation of the water supply amount is suppressed by making the volume of the ice tray larger than the value, there is an effect that the fixed quantity tank can be removed and an inexpensive automatic ice making device can be provided as compared with the conventional one.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a flowchart showing a control operation of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a vertical sectional side view showing a schematic configuration of the automatic ice making device of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing a conventional control operation.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 ... Ice tray, 2 ... Temperature sensor, 3 ... Water tank, 3a ...
Outflow port, 4 ... Water pan, 5 ... Electric pump, 5a ... Water inlet,
6 ... Water supply pipe, 7 ... Motor.

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. An automatic ice making device for a refrigerator for automatically making water from a water tank installed in a refrigerating compartment to an ice making tray arranged in a freezing compartment by using an electric pump. In the automatic ice making device for a refrigerator, when the control device determines that the amount of water supplied to the ice tray is insufficient, the electric pump is restarted to resupply water to the ice tray. 2. The automatic ice-making device for a refrigerator according to claim 1, wherein the volume of the ice-making tray is larger than the upper limit of the variation in the amount of water supplied to the ice-making tray by the electric pump.