JPH0933150A - Ice making device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To improve an ice making speed and provide an ice with little white impurity and high quality. SOLUTION: An ice making device comprises an ice making member having a fixed ice making part 1 fixed at a prescribed position and a movable ice making part 3 opposed to the fixed ice making part and provided so as to be moved close to and separated from the fixed ice making part 1, a moving device for moving the movable ice making part 3 so as to be moved close to and separated from the fixed ice making part 1, a water feed part for feeding water to the ice making member and a heat exchanging means for heat exchanging the ice making member to heat and cool the ice making member. Then, vertical partitions 2 and horizontal partitions 4 are formed on the respective main surfaces of the fixed ice making part 1 and the movable ice making part 3 which are opposed to each other. The fixed ice making part 1 and the movable ice making part 3 come close to each other, so that a plurality of spaces surrounded by a plurality of upright wall surfaces and main surfaces are formed.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an ice making device, and more particularly to an ice making device for making a plurality of small pieces of ice.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, there are two types of ice making apparatuses, a plate type and a cell type.

Regarding the structure of a conventional cell type ice making device,
This will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 8A is a perspective view of a cell type ice making device. The ice making device has an ice making device 100,
The ice maker 100 includes an ice making plate 102 and a cooling pipe 103 arranged in contact with the ice making plate 102. Ice plate 102
Is composed of a plurality of ice making chambers 101. The cooling pipe 103 is a pipe through which a refrigerant for cooling and heating the ice making plate 102 flows. The ice making chamber 101 includes ice making chamber walls 101a to 101e.

A process for producing ice in the ice making chamber 101 will be described with reference to FIGS. 8 (B) to 8 (E).

First, as shown in FIG. 8B, water 104 is sprayed on the sufficiently cooled ice making chamber walls 101a to 101e.

Next, as shown in FIG. 8C, the water 104 contacting the ice making chamber walls 101a to 101e becomes ice 105. Further, the water 104 that comes into contact with the ice 105 also becomes the ice 105. In this way, the ice 105 grows one after another.

Next, as shown in FIG. 8D, ice 105
Is sufficiently large, the supply of water 104 is stopped. At this time, a hollow portion 106 that does not become ice is generated.

Finally, as shown in FIG. 8 (E), the ice making chamber walls 101a to 101e are warmed. Then, the ice making chamber wall 10
The ice 105 existing near 1a to 101e is melted, and the ice 105 is separated from the ice making chamber walls 101a to 101e. This series of processes completes the ice making.

Next, problems in this ice making process will be described. In this process, FIG. 8 (A)-(E)
As is apparent from the above, the portion directly cooled by the cooling pipe 103 is only one surface of the ice making chamber wall 101a. The other four ice making chamber walls 101b to 101e are indirectly cooled by the ice making chamber wall 101a. Therefore, the ice making chamber walls 101b to 101e are not sufficiently cooled. Further, no cooling is done from the opening side. Therefore, the ice making chamber wall 101
The growth of ice 105 is slow on b to 101e. as a result,
There was a limit to improving the ice making speed, that is, the ice making capacity.

Next, the structure of a conventional plate type ice making device will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 9A is a perspective view of the plate-type ice making device 200, and FIG. 9B is a perspective view of the ice cutting device 210.

In FIG. 9A, the main cooling surface 201 is
This is a surface cooled by a cooling pipe (not shown) arranged below the main cooling surface 201. The side surfaces 202 and 203 are surfaces that form the plate-type ice maker 200 together with the main cooling surface 201. The drain pipe 204 has a hole 205, through which water 206 flows out. In FIG. 9 (B), the heat wire 211 is stretched around the ice cutting device 210 in a grid pattern. The heating wire 211 is mainly composed of a nichrome wire, which generates heat when energized and cuts ice.

Next, the ice making process in the plate type ice making device will be described. In the ice making process,
The main cooling surface 201 of (A) is cooled by a cooling pipe (not shown). The side surfaces 202 and 203 are the main cooling surface 2
It is cooled by transmitting from 01.

Water 206 flows into the plate type ice maker 200 from the hole 205 of the water supply pipe 204. At this time, water 206
It is preferable that the temperature is close to 0 ° C. Plate type ice maker 2
A part of the water 206 flowing into 00 is the main cooling surface 201.
The ice 207 is cooled by the side surfaces 202 and 203. Further, the water 206 that has not become the ice 207 flows out of the ice maker 200. In this way, the water 206 is supplied one after another, and the ice 207 grows. When the ice 207 has grown sufficiently large, the ice 207 is transferred onto the ice cutting device 210 of FIG. 9B. A heat wire 211 is stretched around the ice cutting device 210 in a grid pattern. Therefore, the ice 207 is the heat ray 21.
1 cuts into a predetermined shape (in this case, a square pole). This series of processes completes the ice making.

Next, problems in this ice making process will be described. In this process, as is apparent from FIG. 9A, only one of the main cooling surfaces 201 is directly cooled by the cooling pipe (not shown). The other three side walls 20
2, 203 are indirectly cooled by the main cooling surface 201. Therefore, the side walls 202 and 203 are not sufficiently cooled as compared with the main cooling surface 201. Further, the plate system has less side walls for indirectly cooling than the cell system, and thus has a low ice making capacity. Therefore, there is a limit in improving the ice making speed, that is, the ice making capacity.

An object of the present invention is to provide an ice making device for improving the ice making speed which has been a problem in the conventional cell system and plate system while maintaining high quality with little white turbidity.

[0016]

The ice-making device of the present invention is arranged so as to face a fixed ice-maker unit fixed to a predetermined position, and can approach and separate from the fixed ice-maker unit. An ice maker having a movable ice maker unit provided in, a moving means for moving the movable ice maker unit so as to approach and separate from the fixed ice maker unit, and a water supply unit for supplying water to the ice maker. , A heat exchanging means for exchanging heat with the ice maker to heat and cool the ice maker, and the fixed ice maker part and the moving ice maker part are close to each other, so that the fixed ice maker part and the moving ice maker part The present invention is characterized in that a plurality of spaces surrounded by a plurality of standing wall surfaces and a main surface formed respectively are formed.

In the ice making device having such a configuration, when both the fixed ice making unit and the moving ice making unit are cooled,
The plurality of spaces surrounded by the plurality of vertical wall surfaces and the main surface enables a plurality of ice pieces to be produced in a shorter time than conventional.

Further, the heat exchanging means has a first heat exchanging path arranged on the main surface of the fixed ice making section and a second heat exchanging path arranged on the main surface of the moving ice making section. It is a feature.

In the ice making device thus constructed, both the fixed ice making unit and the moving ice making unit are cooled.
Therefore, the growth rate of ice growing in the plurality of spaces surrounded by the plurality of vertical wall surfaces and the main surface is the growth rate of ice when either one of the fixed ice making unit and the moving ice making unit is cooled. Will be larger than.

Further, the movable ice maker unit has a plurality of holes extending so as to reach each of the plurality of spaces and correspondingly arranged, and having a plurality of holes penetrating the main surface of the movable ice maker unit. It is characterized in that it further comprises a heating means having a plurality of heating bodies that can be inserted into individual holes, and the heating means is moved by the moving means.

In the ice making device having such a structure, a plurality of holes are formed so as to reach each of the plurality of spaces, are arranged corresponding to each of the plurality of spaces, and are provided in a plurality of holes penetrating the main surface of the moving ice maker unit. It is possible to insert individual heating elements. Therefore, it is possible to remove the white turbidity generated in the center of the produced ice.

Further, each of the plurality of spaces has a shape of a substantially square pole.

In the ice making device thus constructed, almost square prism-shaped ice can be produced.

Further, each of the plurality of spaces has a substantially triangular prism shape.

With the ice-making device thus constructed, it is possible to produce ice having a substantially triangular prism shape.

Further, each of the plurality of spaces is characterized by having a substantially hexagonal prism shape.

In the ice making device thus configured, it is possible to produce ice having a substantially hexagonal prism shape.

The plurality of spaces are the first standing wall group consisting of a plurality of standing wall surfaces formed on the main surface of the fixed ice-making device section, and the plurality of standing wall surfaces formed on the main surface of the moving ice-making machine section. It is formed by a second standing wall group consisting of.

In the ice making device thus constructed, a plurality of ice pieces can be made at a uniform ice making speed.

The first standing wall group is arranged along the first direction at a predetermined interval, and the second standing wall group is arranged along the second direction perpendicular to the first direction. And are arranged with a predetermined interval therebetween.

In the ice making device thus constructed, ice can be made by flowing water into the gap between the first standing wall group and the second standing wall group.

[0032]

1 is a perspective view schematically showing an ice making device according to one embodiment of the present invention.

An ice making device according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. The ice maker 1 as the fixed ice maker unit and the ice maker 3 as the moving ice maker unit create a plurality of spaces in which the two ice makers are close to each other.

The water supply section 8 is a section for supplying water 10 which is a raw material of ice. The drip portion 9 is located right above the position where the ice makers 1 and 3 are combined, and has a plurality of holes facing downward. Water 10 is a raw material of ice, and the temperature is preferably closer to 0 ° C. The water tray 11 is a place where the water 10, which has not turned into ice even if it passes through the gap between the ice makers 1 and 3, collects. It is also a place to temporarily store ice when ice making is completed. The circulation pump 12 circulates the water 10. The circulation pipe 13 is a pipe for circulating water, and the lower portion thereof is the circulation pump 12
The upper part is connected to the water supply unit 8. The drainage unit 14 drains the water remaining in the water tray 11 when the ice making is completed.

The moving device 15 is an ice maker 3, a heating part base 6
Is a device for moving. The ice maker 1 is fixed to the end of the moving device 15. Further, part of the side surfaces of the ice maker 3 and the heating unit base 6 meshes with the moving device 15 and moves back and forth.

The refrigerant pipe 16 is a pipe for circulating the refrigerant. The refrigerant pipe 16 is in contact with the ice makers 1 and 3.
The portion of the refrigerant pipe 16 that is in contact with the ice makers 1 and 3 functions as an evaporator that vaporizes the refrigerant during ice making and as a condenser that liquefies the refrigerant during heating. The flexible portion 17 of the refrigerant pipe is composed of a pressure resistant hose in which metal is woven so that the flexible portion 17 will not be damaged even if the distance between the ice maker 1 and the ice maker 3 changes due to the movement of the ice maker 3. .
The heat radiating portion 18 exchanges heat with the refrigerant. The heat radiating unit 18 removes heat from the refrigerant during cooling and supplies heat to the refrigerant during heating. In addition, the heat dissipation portion 18 has a large surface area so as to be advantageous for heat exchange. The fan 19 is a fan for efficiently cooling and heating the heat dissipation portion 18. Compressor 20
Compresses the refrigerant. The refrigerant taken in from the lower side of FIG.
It is compressed by the compressor 20 and sent out in the upper part of the figure. The four-way valve 21 is a valve that changes the flow direction of the refrigerant. In the four-way valve 21, the portion shown by the solid line is a refrigerant passage. The accumulator 22 is a device that stores a liquid state refrigerant or a liquid (water or the like) mixed in the refrigerant. The accumulator 22 is provided because the compressor 20 fails when liquid enters the compressor 20.

In FIG. 1, the constituent parts of the device which come into contact with the water 10 are made of a material such as SUS304.

FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view showing in detail the ice makers 1, 3 and the heating section base 6. The ice makers 1 and 3 and the heating unit base 6 will be described with reference to FIG. The ice maker 1 includes a plurality of vertical partitions 2. The ice maker 3 includes a plurality of horizontal partitions 4 and a plurality of heating holes 5. The heating hole 5 is a portion into which the heating unit 7 is inserted. The diameter of the heating hole 5 is preferably around 5 mm. The heating unit base 6 has the same number of heating units 7 as the heating holes 5. A nichrome wire is embedded in the heating part 7, and the heating part 7 is heated by energizing the nichrome wire.

FIG. 3A is a top view showing a state where the ice makers 1 and 3 are combined. A cross-sectional view taken along line BB of FIG. 3A is shown in FIG. In FIG. 3B, ice is generated in the space surrounded by the vertical partition 2 and the horizontal partition 4. It is preferable that the vertical partition 2 and the horizontal partition 4 have the same size. Further, the lengths of the vertical partition 2 and the horizontal partition 4 are both preferably 3 cm. The gap x between the vertical partition 2 and the horizontal partition 4 is preferably 5 mm or less. The diameter of the heating hole 5 is preferably 5 mm or less.

The cross section taken along the line BB in FIG. 3A may have a shape as shown in FIG. 4A or 4B. In FIGS. 4A and 4B, it is preferable that the heating holes 5, the vertical partitions 2, and the horizontal partitions 4 have the same sizes as those in FIG. 3B. Further, the gaps y and z between the vertical partition 2 and the horizontal partition 4 are preferably the same as those in FIG. 3 (B).

Next, the ice making process in the cell type ice making apparatus of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 1, 5, 6 and 7.

As shown in FIG. 1, the refrigerant compressed by the compressor 20 and having a high temperature enters the heat radiating portion 18 via the four-way valve 21. Refrigerant R502 has a low ozone depletion potential
Refrigerants such as The liquefied refrigerant that has been sufficiently cooled by the heat dissipation portion 18 passes through the refrigerant pipe 16 and reaches the refrigerant pipe 16 on the back surface of the ice maker 1. In the refrigerant pipe 16 on the back surface of the ice maker 1, a part of the refrigerant is vaporized and heat is taken from the ice maker 1. Next, the refrigerant passes through the flexible portion 17 of the refrigerant pipe and is vaporized in the refrigerant pipe 16 arranged on the back surface of the cooler 3 to remove heat from the ice maker 3. Further, the refrigerant reaches the compressor 20 via the four-way valve 21 and the accumulator 22 via the flexible portion 17 of the refrigerant pipe. In this way, the ice makers 1 and 3 are cooled.

Water 10 is supplied from the drip portion 9 of the water supply unit 8. The water supplied from the dropping portion 9 enters the gap between the ice maker 1 and the ice maker 3. Water entering the gap between the ice maker 1 and the ice maker 3 is divided into the vertical partition 2 and the horizontal partition 4 shown in FIG.
It is an almost cubic space divided by, and becomes ice in sequence from the wall surface. The water 10 that has not turned into ice flows down through the gap between the ice maker 1 and the ice maker 3, and is collected in the water tray 11. Water dish 1
The water 10 collected in 1 is supplied to the water supply unit 8 again by the circulation pump 12 through the circulation pipe 13.

Next, as shown in FIG. 5, it is assumed that the ice making is completed after a certain period of time, and the supply of the water 10 is stopped. Then, the heating unit base 6 is moved toward the ice maker 3 by the moving device 15, and the heating unit 7 is inserted into the ice from the heating hole 5. By this process, it is possible to melt and remove the white turbid portion that finally became ice. At this time, the water 10 remaining in the water tray 11 is drained from the drainage unit 14.

Next, as shown in FIG. 6, the heating unit base 6
To its original position. Also, the four-way valve 21 is switched. That is, the refrigerant compressed by the compressor 20 and having a high temperature reaches the refrigerant pipe 16 arranged on the back surface of the ice maker 3 via the four-way valve 21 and the flexible portion 17 of the refrigerant pipe. When the refrigerant flows through the refrigerant pipe 16 arranged on the back surface of the ice maker 3, the refrigerant gives heat to the ice maker 3. In addition, the refrigerant flows in the refrigerant pipe 16 arranged on the back surface of the ice maker 1 via the flexible portion 17 of the refrigerant pipe. When the refrigerant flows through the refrigerant pipe 16 arranged on the back surface of the ice maker 1, the refrigerant gives heat to the ice maker 1. The refrigerant that has finished flowing through the refrigerant pipe 16 arranged on the back surface of the ice maker 1 is dissipated by the heat radiating section 1
Enter 8. In the heat dissipation part 18, the refrigerant is vaporized. At this time, heat is applied to the refrigerant from the outside. The refrigerant to which heat is given from the outside returns to the compressor 20 via the four-way valve 21 and the accumulator 22. The ice makers 1 and 3 are heated by this series of refrigerant flows. Therefore, the surface of the ice generated in the substantially cubic space partitioned by the vertical partition 2 and the horizontal partition 4 is melted and the ice leaves the ice makers 1, 3.

Next, as shown in FIG. 7, the ice making device 3 is moved by the moving device 15 to drop the ice. The falling ice is collected by the water tray 11. This series of steps completes the ice making process.

It should be considered that the embodiments disclosed herein are illustrative in all points and not restrictive. The scope of the present invention is shown not by the above description but by the scope of the claims, and is intended to include meanings equivalent to the scope of the claims and all modifications within the scope.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view schematically showing an ice making device according to an embodiment of the present invention and showing a first step of an ice making process.

FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of an ice maker 1 as a fixed ice maker unit, an ice maker 3 as a moving ice maker unit, and a heating unit 6.

FIG. 3 (A) is a top view showing a state where an ice maker 1 as a fixed ice maker and an ice maker 3 as a moving ice maker are close to each other, and FIG. 3 (B) is B- of FIG. It is sectional drawing along the B line.

4A is a diagram showing an example of a cross-sectional view taken along line BB of FIG. 3A, and FIG. 4B is a view of B- of FIG.
It is a figure which shows another example of the cross section along the B line.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a second step of the ice making process of the ice making apparatus of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing a third step of the ice making process of one embodiment of the ice making apparatus of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view showing a fourth step of the ice making process of one embodiment of the ice making apparatus of the present invention.

FIG. 8A is a perspective view of a conventional cell-type ice making device, and FIGS. 8B to 8E show a process of producing ice in the conventional cell-type ice making device. FIG.

9A and 9B are perspective views showing a conventional plate-type ice making device.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Ice Maker 2 Vertical Partition 3 Ice Maker 4 Horizontal Partition 5 Heating Hole 7 Heating Section 8 Water Supply Section 15 Transfer Device 16 Refrigerant Pipe

Claims (8)

[Claims] 1. A fixed ice maker unit fixed at a predetermined position,
An ice maker having a moving ice maker unit that is disposed so as to face the fixed ice maker unit and is capable of approaching and separating from the fixed ice maker unit, and adjacent to and separated from the fixed ice maker unit. So as to move the moving ice maker unit, water supply means for supplying water to the ice maker, and heat exchange means for exchanging heat with the ice maker to heat and cool the ice maker. A plurality of vertical wall surfaces are formed on the main surfaces of the fixed ice maker unit and the movable ice maker unit facing each other, and the fixed ice maker unit and the movable ice maker unit are close to each other. The ice making device is characterized in that a plurality of spaces surrounded by the plurality of vertical wall surfaces and the main surface are formed. 2. The heat exchanging means includes a first heat exchanging path arranged along a main surface of the fixed ice making section and a second heat exchanging path arranged on a main surface of the moving ice making section. The ice-making device according to claim 1, further comprising: 3. The movable ice maker part has a plurality of holes extending so as to reach each of the plurality of spaces, arranged correspondingly, and penetrating a main surface of the movable ice maker part. The heating means having a plurality of heating bodies that can be inserted into the plurality of holes is provided, and the heating means is moved by the moving means. Ice maker. 4. The ice making device according to claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of spaces has a substantially rectangular prism shape. 5. The ice making device according to claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of spaces has a substantially triangular prism shape. 6. The ice making device according to claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of spaces has a substantially hexagonal prism shape. 7. The plurality of spaces are formed on a main surface of the movable ice maker and a first standing wall group including a plurality of standing walls formed on a main surface of the fixed ice maker. The ice making device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the ice making device is formed by a second standing wall group consisting of the standing walls. 8. The first standing wall group is arranged side by side along a first direction at a predetermined interval, and the second standing wall group is a second vertical wall group perpendicular to the first direction. The ice making device according to claim 7, wherein the ice making device is arranged along a direction at a predetermined interval.