JPH08303916A - Refrigerator with automatic ice maker - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: To impart also an operation of a solenoid to an ice making tray-rotating/driving body by a method wherein by utilizing the rotation of a driving motor of the ice making tray rotating/driving body, the valve of a cap with valve of a water supply bottle is opened upward to the water supply bottle from the ice making tray rotating/driving body, and after a specified period of time, an extension rod is extended and retracted so that the valve may be closed. CONSTITUTION: The operation time of a pushing force connecting rod 30 is controlled by a base plate, and the pushing force connecting rod 30 is pushed up by linking with an extension rod 31 which extends upward and retracts while interlocking with the motion of an ice making tray rotating/driving body 26. At the point when the instruction for a water supply to an ice making tray is emitted, the extension rod 31 moves upward, and pushes up through the pushing force connecting rod 30 and silicon rubber cap 32 for a period of time which is set in advance. By this motion, a valve 13 which is provided on a pushing rod 13a is opened, and water in a quantitative chamber 14 flows out to a water receiving base 9. Then, the freezing of the water is detected, the ice making tray rotating/driving body 26 operates, and the ice making tray rotates, and ice is released. Then, the ice making tray rotating/driving body 26 makes the extension rod 31 vertically move, and a fixed quantity of water is fed to the ice making tray.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a refrigerator with an automatic ice maker, and more particularly to an automatic water supply structure for a refrigerator in which a refrigerator compartment and a freezer compartment are arranged in this order from above.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A conventional example will be described with reference to FIGS.

FIG. 4 is a longitudinal sectional view of a main part of a conventional refrigerator with an automatic ice maker, FIG. 5 is a detailed view of part A of FIG. 4, FIG. 6 is a top view of a water receiving stand shown in FIG. 5, and FIG. FIG. 8 is an explanatory view of a main part of a water supply bottle part incorporating the water receiving stand shown in FIG. 6, and FIG. 8 is an explanatory view showing a relationship between the water supply conduit of FIG. 4 and an ice tray.

First, in FIGS. 4 and 5, reference numeral 1 is a refrigerator main body in which the refrigerating compartment 2 is above the freezing compartment 3, and 4, 5 are doors for closing front opening portions of the refrigerating compartment 2 and the freezing compartment 3. The freezer compartment 3 is formed by a drawer container 6 attached to the door 5. 7 is a water supply unit provided at the bottom of the refrigerator compartment 2,
The water supply unit 7 is composed of a water supply bottle 8, a water pedestal 9, a water supply conduit 11 with a heater 10, a solenoid 12, and the like.

Reference numeral 25 denotes an ice making section provided in the freezer compartment 3,
The ice making unit 25 includes an ice making tray 24, an ice making tray rotation driving body 26, an ice bank 27, and the like.

The detailed structure of the water bottle 8 will be described with reference to FIG.

The water bottle 8 is formed by blow molding. Further, the water bottle 8 is the water bottle body 8
a and a water supply port portion having a constricted portion 8b and a screw portion 8c are integrally formed.

Reference numeral 16 is a cap which is detachably fastened to the screw portion 8c of the water supply bottle water supply port. Reference numeral 13 is a valve incorporated in the cap 16, and the valve 13 has a push rod 13a of a valve rod and a spring 13b.

Reference numeral 15 denotes a leg 1 in a cap 16 having a valve 13.
The partition plate connected by 8 is a partition plate 15 having a constricted portion 8b.
Abuts inside. Reference numeral 17 denotes a cover formed at the boundary between the water supply bottle body 8a and the water supply port, and the cover 17 is provided with a water intake port 17a. 14 is a metering chamber formed as part of the water bottle 8
Is a space area formed by being surrounded by the partition plate 15, the constricted portion 8 b, and the cap 16.

Reference numeral 19 is a water purifying chamber formed between the partition plate 15 and the cover 17, 20 is a water purifier installed in the water purifying chamber 19, and the water purifier 20 is made of activated carbon for water purification.

A small hole 15a for supplying water to the metering chamber 14 is formed in the partition plate 15 at a position facing the water intake 17a and the water purifier 20.

Reference numeral 21 denotes an air bleeding pipe. The air bleeding pipe 21 connects the fixed quantity chamber 14 and the inside of the water bottle main body 8a as shown in FIG. 5, and when the water in the fixed quantity chamber 14 flows out to the water receiving base 9 side. The air is sent to the upper chamber of the partition plate 15 so that the water flows into the fixed amount chamber 14 through the small holes 15a.

Further, the air vent pipe 21 has a push rod 13
It is located just above a and also serves as a guide member when the push rod 13a is pushed upward. Further, by doing so, the water film formed in the air vent pipe 21 by the surface tension or the like is destroyed, so that the air can be circulated reliably.

Reference numeral 22 denotes a packing provided in the contact portion between the constricted portion 8b of the water bottle and the partition plate 15. The packing 22 is slightly compressed when the cap 16 is fastened to the screw portion 8c of the constricted portion 8b. In the shape, it is interposed between the partition plate 15 and the constricted portion 8b to perform water sealing.

Reference numeral 9 is a water receiving stand, and the water receiving stand 9 is a water supply bottle 8.
It is located in the lower part of the fixed amount chamber 14 which is the water supply port. Also,
Reference numeral 12 is a solenoid incorporated in the water pedestal 9, and its iron core 12a is at a position facing the push rod 13a of the valve 13.

A baffle plate 23 is provided so as to surround the upper portion of the water supply conduit 11 as shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, and has a small hole 23a at the bottom.

Next, the operation of such an automatic ice making machine will be described.

The water in the water supply bottle 8 flows out toward the water receiving base 9 side by a push rod 13a of the valve 13 provided in the lower portion of the metering chamber 14 being pushed up by the iron core 12a of the solenoid 12. The water that has flowed out flows through the water pedestal 9 and reaches the water supply conduit 11.

Here, when the solenoid 12 operates,
It will be described that a certain amount of water, for example 100 cc of water, is discharged to the water receiving stand 9.

First, the solenoid 12 has its operating time controlled by a substrate or the like, which is not shown in the figure. For example, the push rod 13a is pushed up for about 6 to 10 seconds to open the valve 13 portion. As a result, about 80 to 90 cc of water in the fixed quantity chamber 14 formed in the water supply bottle 8 is discharged, and the water is supplied into the fixed quantity plate 14 through the small hole 15a provided in the partition plate 15 that divides the water supply bottle 8. Incoming 10-20
About 100 cc of water, which is the sum of cc of water, goes out to the water pedestal 9 side.

Next, the flow of water flowing into the water supply conduit 11 will be described with reference to FIGS. 6 to 8.

When a water supply instruction to the ice tray 24, which will be described later, is issued, the solenoid 12 is operated to set the iron core 12a for a preset time, for example, 6 to 10 seconds, and the push rod 13a is moved to the spring 1.
It works to push up against 3b. As a result, the valve 13 provided on the push rod 13a is opened, and the water in the fixed amount chamber 14 flows out to the water pedestal 9. The water flowing out to the water pedestal 9 reaches the water supply conduit 11 through the small hole 23a of the baffle 23 in front of the water supply conduit 11.

Then, the water supply bottle 8 passing through the water supply conduit 11
The water inside is supplied to the ice tray 24 as shown in FIG.

When it is detected that the water in the ice tray 24 is completely frozen, the ice tray rotation drive 26 starts to operate and instructs the ice tray 24 to rotate. The ice tray 24 that has received the instruction is rotated by the action of the ice tray rotation driving body 26, and the ice made from the ice tray 24 is released from the ice tray 24 into the ice bank 27. The ice tray 24 returns to the horizontal state when the ice removal is completed. At this time, the solenoid 12 operates and the water bottle 8
A certain amount of water is supplied to the ice tray 24 through the water supply conduit 11 for the water inside. By repeating the operation automatically, a predetermined amount of ice can be stored in the ice bank 27.

In addition, the contents of the above are described in Japanese Patent Application No. 6-682.
There is a 45 specification. A known example in which a pump is used instead of a solenoid to control water supply is disclosed in JP-A-4-
No. 313665 is cited. The known example is different in the arrangement of the refrigerating room and the freezing room, but in general, the electric component for controlling the water supply of the refrigerator with the automatic ice maker is a solenoid or,
Either pump is in use.

[0026]

The conventional refrigerator with an automatic ice maker having the above-mentioned structure has the following problems.

(1) With the generalization of refrigerators with an automatic ice maker, it is inevitable to simplify the structure of the refrigerator with an automatic ice maker. This is specifically due to the ease of assembly and the simplification of wiring of electrical products. In the case of the conventional example, the main electrical products in the conventional example are an ice tray rotation drive, an ice making completion sensor, a solenoid (or pump), and a control board. Can be given. Electrical components cannot be omitted at the minimum, and the structure of the conventional example has a limit in order to simplify the structure and reduce the cost.

(2) In a refrigerator with an automatic ice maker, the refrigerator compartment and the freezer compartment are arranged in this order from the top, the water supply bottle is located at the bottom of the refrigerator compartment, and the ice tray and the ice tray rotation driver are disposed at the top of the refrigerator compartment. , The water pipe connecting the water bottle and the ice tray has no choice but to establish a communication structure. When the cold air in the freezer compartment flows back to the refrigerator compartment by the communication part, the vicinity of the water bottle and the water cradle in the refrigerator compartment may be cooled and frozen. The water pedestal can be protected from freezing by a heater,
The reality is that the water bottle that can be detached and attached can only be slowed down by baffles, and if it has a mode to cool to extremely low temperatures, such as rapid freezing, it is impossible to continue ice-making operation due to freezing. Will be.

[0029]

[Means for Solving the Problems] In order to achieve the purpose,
The refrigerator with an automatic ice maker of the present invention is arranged in the order of a refrigerating room and a freezing room from the top, and a water bottle having a cap with a valve that opens and closes by a movement of a valve rod at a water supply port is arranged on the refrigerating room side to supply water. The water stored in the bottle is supplied to the ice making tray on the lower freezer side by its own weight, and after completion of ice making, the ice making tray is driven by the ice making tray rotation drive, and a twist is added to separate the ice from the ice making tray. In a refrigerator with an automatic ice maker having an ice making unit, using the rotation of the drive motor of the ice tray rotary drive, open the valve of the valve cap of the water bottle from the ice tray rotary drive to the upper direction of the water bottle, Further, the extension rod is extended and retracted so as to be closed after a certain time.

Further, the refrigerator with the automatic ice maker of the present invention,
In the refrigerator with the automatic ice maker, in which the refrigerator and the freezer are arranged in this order from the top, the water bottle is located at the bottom of the refrigerator, and the ice tray and the ice tray rotary drive are placed on the top of the refrigerator, The water pipe that guides the water from the water supply bottle to the ice tray on the freezer compartment connects the refrigerating compartment with the freezer compartment. By extending and retracting the extension rod from the dish rotation driving body, the communication part can be opened and closed.

[0031]

The operation of the technical means of each of the above inventions is as follows.

According to the first aspect of the present invention, the operation of the solenoid for the ice tray rotation driving member among the ice tray rotation driving member, the ice making completion sensor, the solenoid (or pump), and the control board, which is always necessary in the conventional example. By using the dual function, the solenoid can be omitted. That is, the cost can be reduced, including the simplification of the structure of the refrigerator with the automatic ice maker, the simplification of the wiring of electrical products, and the improvement of the assembling property.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, the communicating portion between the refrigerating chamber and the freezing chamber can be closed during ice making and can be opened only when water is supplied (6 to 10 seconds), and the cold air flows backward from the freezing chamber side. Can be prevented
There is no need to worry about freezing of the water bottle.

[0034]

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

FIG. 1 is a vertical cross-sectional view of a main part of a refrigerator with an automatic ice maker according to an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a detailed view of a portion B in FIG. 1, and FIG. 3 is a water pedestal shown in FIG. It is explanatory drawing of the principal part of a water supply bottle part.

First, in FIGS. 1 and 2, 1 is a refrigerator main body in which the refrigerator 2 is above the freezer compartment 3, and 4 and 5 are:
It is a door that closes front opening portions of the refrigerator compartment 2 and the freezer compartment 3.

The freezer compartment 3 is formed by a drawer container 6 attached to the door 5. Reference numeral 7 denotes a water supply unit provided at the bottom of the refrigerating compartment 2, and the water supply unit 7 is composed of a water supply bottle 8, a water receiving stand 9, a water supply conduit 11 with a heater 10, and the like.

Reference numeral 25 denotes an ice making section provided in the freezer compartment 3. The ice making section 25 includes the ice making tray 24 and the ice making tray rotary drive unit 2.
6 and the ice bank 27 and the like.

Reference numeral 9 is a water receiving tray, and the water receiving tray 9 is a water supply bottle 8
It is located in the lower part of the fixed amount chamber 14 which is the water supply port. Also,
30 is a pushing force connecting rod disposed inside the water receiving base 9,
It is located at a position facing the push rod 13a of the valve 13.

Next, the operation of such an automatic ice making machine will be described.

The water in the water bottle 8 is pushed by the push rod 13a of the valve 13 provided at the lower portion of the metering chamber 14 into the push connecting rod 30.
By being pushed up by, a certain amount of water flows out to the water pedestal 9 side. The water that has flowed out flows through the water pedestal 9 and reaches the water supply conduit 11.

Here, it will be described that a certain amount of water, for example, 100 cc of water is discharged to the water receiving base 9 when the pushing force connecting rod 30 is operated.

First, the pushing force connecting rod 30 has its operating time controlled by a substrate or the like.
Is linked to the extension bar 31 that extends upward and backward and is pushed up. For example, the push rod 13a is pushed up for about 6 to 10 seconds to open the valve 13 portion. As a result, about 80 to 90 cc of water in the fixed quantity chamber 14 formed in the water supply bottle 8 is discharged, and the water is supplied into the fixed quantity plate 14 through the small hole 15a provided in the partition plate 15 that divides the water supply bottle 8. About 100 cc of water, which is the total of 10 to 20 cc of incoming water, goes out to the water pedestal 9 side.

Next, the flow of water flowing into the water supply conduit 11 will be described.

When a water supply instruction is issued to the ice tray 24, the extension rod 31 moves upward, and the pushing force connecting rod 30 and the expandable silicon rubber cap are set for a preset time, for example, 6 to 10 seconds. It operates to push the push rod 13a up against the spring 13b via 32. Therefore, the push rod 13
The valve 13 provided in a is opened, and the water in the fixed amount chamber 14 flows out to the water pedestal 9. The water flowing out to the water receiving stand 9 is the water supply conduit 1
To 1.

Then, the water supply bottle 8 passing through the water supply conduit 11
The water inside is supplied to the ice tray 24 as shown in FIG.

When it is detected that the water in the ice tray 24 is completely frozen, the ice tray rotation drive 26 starts to operate and instructs the ice tray 24 to rotate. The ice tray 24 that has received the instruction is rotated by the action of the ice tray rotation driving body 26, and the ice made from the ice tray 24 is released from the ice tray 24 into the ice bank 27. The ice tray 24 returns to the horizontal state when the ice removal is completed. After that, the mechanism for moving the extension rod 31 up and down is provided to the ice tray rotation driving body 26, so that the water in the water bottle 8 is passed through the water supply conduit 11 and fixed to the ice tray 24 without using a solenoid. Supply a quantity of water. By repeating the operation automatically, a predetermined amount of ice can be stored in the ice bank 27.

Similarly, by utilizing the movement of the pushing force connecting rod which is linked to the operation of the extension rod 31, the communication portion 36 between the refrigerating compartments 2 and 3 is set with the shaft 35 as a fulcrum. The rotating closing plate 34 is lifted up through the silicone rubber cap 33 so that the communication portion 36 is opened only when water is supplied.

According to the embodiment, the following effects can be obtained.

(1) The refrigerator with the automatic ice maker according to the present embodiment is arranged from the top in the order of the refrigerating compartment 2 and the freezing compartment 3. The water supply section 7 is provided on the refrigerating compartment 2 side and the ice making section is provided on the freezing compartment side. 25 is a refrigerator in which a push rod 13a (valve rod) of the valve 13 provided on the side of the valve-equipped cap 16 of the water bottle 8 is provided.
By operating the extension rod 31 of the ice tray rotary drive 26 arranged in the freezer up and down, a low-cost refrigerator with an automatic ice maker can be obtained without using expensive electric parts such as solenoids. .

(2) Further, by linking to the operation of the extending rod to open and close the communication portion 36 between the refrigerating compartment 2 and the freezing compartment 3, it is possible to prevent the flow of cold air from the freezing compartment side. , There is no need to worry about freezing of the water bottle.

[0052]

According to the present invention, the solenoid used in the water supply device of the refrigerator with the automatic ice maker can be removed. It is also advantageous when the water supply section and the ice making section of the automatic ice making machine are developed into a single unit. The specific effects of being able to remove the solenoid are cost reduction, simplification of structure, and simplification of wiring of electric parts.

Further, in the refrigerator with an automatic ice maker, which is arranged in the order of the refrigerating room and the freezing room from the top, the refrigerator and the freezing room cannot be avoided by the structure in which water is supplied by using free fall of water. The communication part of can be mechanically opened and closed, there is no concern about freezing of the water supply bottle part, and structural consideration for freezing prevention can be eliminated.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a vertical cross-sectional view of a main part of a refrigerator with an automatic ice maker according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an explanatory view of a B part in FIG.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory view of a main part of a water supply bottle unit in which the water receiving stand shown in FIG. 2 is incorporated.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view of a main part of a refrigerator incorporating a conventional automatic ice making mechanism.

5 is an explanatory view of a portion A in FIG.

FIG. 6 is a top view of the water receiving stand alone shown in FIG.

FIG. 7 is an explanatory view of a main part of a water supply bottle part in which the water receiving stand shown in FIG. 6 is incorporated.

8 is an explanatory view showing the relationship between the water supply conduit of FIG. 4 and an ice tray.

[Explanation of symbols]

 8 ... Water supply bottle, 9 ... Water cradle, 13 ... Valve, 13a ... Push rod, 25 ... Ice making part, 26 ... Ice tray rotation driving body, 30 ... Pushing force connecting rod, 31 ... Extension rod, 32 ... Silicon rubber cap.

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A water bottle having a cap with a valve, which is arranged in the order of a refrigerating room and a freezing room from the top and which opens and closes by moving a valve rod at a water supply port, is arranged on the refrigerating room side and stored in the water bottle. Water is supplied to the ice making tray on the lower freezer side by its own weight, and after the ice making is completed, the ice making tray is turned over by the rotation driving member of the ice making tray to add ice to separate the ice from the ice making tray. In the refrigerator with an automatic ice maker having the ice making unit configured as described above, by utilizing the rotation of the drive motor of the rotary drive unit, the valve of the valve cap of the water supply bottle is moved upward from the rotary drive unit toward the water supply bottle. A refrigerator with an automatic ice maker, which has a structure in which an extension rod is extended and retracted so as to be opened and then closed after a predetermined time. 2. An automatic ice making machine in which a refrigerating compartment and a freezing compartment are arranged in this order from the top, a water bottle is located at the bottom of the refrigerating compartment, and an ice tray and a rotation driving member for the ice tray are disposed at the upper portion of the freezer compartment. In the refrigerator, the water from the water supply bottle on the refrigerating compartment side is transferred to the ice tray on the freezing compartment side by a water guiding pipe, so that the refrigerating compartment and the freezing compartment communicate with each other. A refrigerator with an automatic ice maker having a structure capable of opening and closing a communication part by extending and retracting an extension rod from the rotary drive body by rotation of a rotary motor of the drive body.