JPH10160307A - Automatic ice machine mounting refrigerator - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To largely improve ice making capacity by providing an air supply fan of an ice making tray provided in a deep freezing chamber in the case of supplying water to the tray, ice making, inverting the tray after the ice making, and twisting the tray to release ice. SOLUTION: In the automatic ice machine mounting refrigerator for supplying water to an ice making tray 6 provided in a deep freezing chamber 5, ice making, inverting the tray 6 after the ice making and twisting the tray to release ice, a cooling fan 9 of the tray 6 is provided. Thus, the fan 9 is operated at the time of ice making to guide cold air in the chamber 5 to the tray 6 to directly blow it to the tray. Accordingly, ice making capacity of the ice machine can be largely improved, and odor of water in the tray 6 can be simultaneously diffused. In this case, a mounting position or number of the fan 9 is not particularly limited. Different ice making capacity can be arbitrarily selected by switching operation or stop of the fan 9.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a refrigerator equipped with an automatic ice making device that supplies water to an ice tray provided in a freezing room to make ice, and after making ice, turns the ice tray and twists it to release ice. The present invention relates to a refrigerator equipped with an automatic ice making device that has improved ice making capacity.

[0002]

Generally, an automatic ice maker mounted on a refrigerator of this type supplies a predetermined amount of water from a water supply tank provided in a refrigerator compartment, that is, an ice tray provided in the freezer compartment. Then, when an ice-making sensor provided below the ice-making tray and covered with a heat insulating material lowers to a predetermined detection temperature, a voltage is applied to a motor of a mechanism for driving the ice-making tray. Then, the ice tray rotates and turns upside down, and abuts against the stopper and is twisted, so that the ice in the ice tray falls into an ice storage unit such as an ice box and is stored here. .

[0003] However, the conventional automatic ice making apparatus has a poor ice making capacity because ice making is performed only depending on the cooling capacity of the freezer compartment, and the ice making time is long, for example, about 100 minutes. Especially in the summer when ice is most needed, even if the compressor constituting the refrigerator's cooling device is fully operated, the freezing room can only cool down to a predetermined temperature, which further shortens the ice making time. That was impossible.

[0004] In view of the above problems, an object of the present invention is to provide a refrigerator equipped with an automatic ice making device capable of greatly improving the ice making capacity.

[0005]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a refrigerator equipped with an automatic ice making device, wherein water is supplied to an ice tray provided in a freezing room to make ice, and the ice is made after the ice is made. A refrigerator equipped with an automatic ice making device that turns over the ice tray and twists the ice to separate ice, provided with a cooling fan for the ice tray.

According to the first aspect of the invention, by operating the cooling fan during ice making, the cool air in the freezer compartment can be guided to the ice tray and blown directly. Therefore, the ice making capacity of the automatic ice making device can be greatly improved, and at the same time, the odor of water in the ice making tray can be diffused.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, in addition to the configuration of the first aspect, the refrigerator equipped with the automatic ice making device is provided with an operation switch provided inside or outside the refrigerator to start or stop the cooling fan. The configuration is such that switching can be performed.

According to the configuration of the second aspect, by switching the operation or stop of the cooling fan from the outside by operating the operation switch, it is possible to arbitrarily select a different ice making capacity. In addition, it is possible to extend the life of the cooling fan by the user's intention by not operating the cooling fan unless necessary.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, in addition to the configuration of the first aspect, the refrigerator equipped with the automatic ice making device further comprises a duct provided with a stopper which comes into contact with the ice tray when the ice tray is inverted and twisted.
The ice tray and a mechanism for inverting and twisting the ice tray are fixed, the cooling fan is provided integrally with this duct, and when the duct is removed, the ice making device body can be removed. Things.

According to this configuration, the cool air guided to the cooling fan can be efficiently blown to the ice tray while being concentrated to some extent in the duct. Further, by removing the duct, the ice making device main body including the ice tray, the mechanism, and the cooling fan can be integrally removed.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in addition to the configuration of the first aspect, the cooling fan starts operation after supplying water to the ice tray, and separates the ice tray. The operation is stopped before the ice operation.

According to the configuration of the fourth aspect, when the ice tray does not contain water or ice, the cooling fan is not operated, so that unnecessary power consumption is prevented and the life of the cooling fan is reduced. Can be extended.

According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, in addition to the configuration of the first aspect, the refrigerator with the automatic ice making device according to the present invention further comprises a room temperature sensor for detecting a temperature in the freezer compartment, and a heat insulating material provided below the ice tray. An ice-making sensor provided so as to cover the cooling fan, wherein the cooling fan stops operation when the temperature of the ice-making sensor becomes lower than a predetermined temperature or the temperature of the room temperature sensor becomes higher than a predetermined temperature.

According to the fifth aspect of the present invention, when the growth of ice in the ice tray progresses to a certain extent or when the temperature in the freezing compartment rises, the operation of the cooling fan stops, thereby preventing wasteful power consumption. Thus, the life of the cooling fan can be extended. Further, when the temperature in the freezer compartment rises at the time of defrosting or opening the door, the operation of the cooling fan is stopped, so that the warm air is directly blown onto the ice making tray, thereby eliminating a problem that hinders the growth of ice. Furthermore, since the ice making sensor is covered with heat insulating material, the ice making sensor is shut off from the outside air,
Accurate temperature detection of the ice tray can be performed.

According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, in addition to the configuration of the first aspect, the refrigerator with the automatic ice making device according to the first aspect of the present invention has a function as the temperature of the ice making sensor provided below the ice tray and covered with a heat insulating material decreases. The number of rotations of the cooling fan is reduced.

According to this configuration, as the ice making in the ice tray progresses gradually, the number of revolutions of the cooling fan also gradually decreases, so that the cooling fan can be efficiently operated according to the ice making state. In addition, the life of the cooling fan can be extended. Also, since the ice making sensor is covered with a heat insulating material, the rotation speed of the cooling fan can be changed to a desired state based on accurate temperature detection of the ice tray.

According to a seventh aspect of the present invention, in addition to the configuration of the first aspect, the refrigerator with the automatic ice making device according to the present invention further comprises an operation switch for switching the operation or stop of the cooling fan, and detaching from the ice tray. An ice storage unit for storing the collected ice, and a water supply device for supplying water to the ice tray, wherein the operation switch is provided when the ice in the ice storage unit is full or the water supply device is empty. Even if you operate
The cooling fan is configured not to operate.

According to the configuration of claim 7, since the cooling fan is not operated while the ice making operation is not substantially performed, useless operation of the cooling fan is prevented, and cooling operation is prevented. It is possible to extend the life of the fan.

An eighth aspect of the present invention provides the refrigerator with the automatic ice making device according to the fifth aspect of the present invention, further comprising an operation switch for switching between operation and stop of the cooling fan. During the water supply operation or the ice releasing operation, or after the operation of the cooling fan is stopped and before the ice making tray is released, the operation of the cooling fan is started by the operation switch. When the ice making sensor reaches a predetermined temperature or more after the water supply operation to the ice making tray and a normal fan operating condition that the room temperature sensor becomes a predetermined temperature or less after the water supply operation to the ice making tray, the cooling fan is operated. It is configured as follows.

According to this configuration, even when it is not necessary to actually operate the cooling fan, only the operation of the operation of the cooling fan by the operation switch is accepted. Have no discomfort. And
The cooling fan is started for the first time under the condition that the inside of the ice tray is in water and the temperature in the freezing room has dropped to some extent, so that the warm air does not directly blow on the ice tray, and the ice making operation is started immediately. Can do it. Further, since the cooling fan is operated only when necessary, there is no unnecessary power consumption, and the life of the cooling fan is extended.

According to a ninth aspect of the present invention, in addition to the configuration of the first aspect, the refrigerator with the automatic ice making device according to the present invention further comprises an operation switch for switching the operation or stop of the cooling fan, and detaching from the ice tray. An ice storage unit for storing the ice that has been collected, and when the operation of the cooling fan is started by the operation switch, the operation of the cooling fan is performed in a predetermined operation procedure until the ice in the ice storage unit is full. Is performed continuously.

According to the configuration of the ninth aspect, once the operation of the cooling fan is operated by the operation switch, the operation of the cooling fan is performed according to a predetermined operation procedure until the ice in the ice storage unit becomes full. It is. Therefore, even when the demand for ice increases in summer or the like, it is possible to continuously make ice, and it is possible to eliminate chronic ice shortage. Further, when the ice is full, the cooling fan automatically stops this time, so that useless operation of the cooling fan can be prevented, and the life of the cooling fan can be extended.

[0023]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, embodiments of the refrigerator equipped with an automatic ice making device according to the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. FIGS. 1 to 13 show a first embodiment of the present invention. First, a description will be given of the entire configuration of a refrigerator based on FIGS. In FIG. 1, reference numeral 1 denotes a refrigerator main body, and 2 denotes a refrigerator compartment located at the uppermost portion of the refrigerator main body 1 partitioned by the partition wall 3. A water supply device 4 such as a water supply tank is placed inside the refrigerator compartment 2. Further, a freezer compartment 5 provided at the lower stage of the refrigerator compartment 2 has a rotatable ice tray 6 having an open upper surface, a driving device 7 as a mechanism for inverting and twisting the ice tray 6, and an ice tray 6 Each of the ice boxes 8 is provided as an ice storage unit for storing ice detached from the ice tray 6 so as to be detachably mounted facing the lower surface of the ice tray 6. Then, the water stored in the water supply device 4 is supplied to the ice tray 6 through a water supply pipe (not shown).

Reference numeral 9 denotes a cooling fan provided opposite to the upper surface of the ice tray 6. As shown in FIG. 3, the cooling fan 9 is provided with a blade 11 which can be rotated by a motor (not shown) substantially at the center of the frame 10. Reference numeral 12 denotes a duct which fixes the ice tray 6 and the driving device 7 and integrally has a cooling fan 9 therein. In the present embodiment, the duct 12 covers the side surface of the ice tray 6. The ice making tray 6 is provided in the freezer compartment 5 with its lower surface opened. Then, when the duct 12 is removed from the freezer 5, the ice tray 6,
The driving device 7 and the ice making device main body 13 provided with the cooling fan 9 are also configured to be removable.
Reference numeral 14 denotes a compressor of a cooling device that circulates and introduces cool air into the refrigerator compartment 2 and the freezer compartment 5. By rotating the blades 11 of the cooling fan 9, the cool air cooled by the cooling device is cooled by an ice tray. 6 is forcibly sprayed on the upper surface. The cooling fan 9 has, for example, a rotation speed of 2000 rpm and is installed at a position about 15 cm away from the upper surface of the ice tray 6. After the water is supplied to the plate 6,
The time required until the ice making sensor 32 described later detects the ice making completion state can be reduced to half or less.

An operation section 15 having various operation means and display means is provided on the front side of the refrigerator body 1. The operation unit 15 includes a temperature adjustment dial 16 for adjusting the temperatures of the refrigerator compartment 2 and the freezer compartment 5, a forced refrigeration button 17 for continuously operating the compressor 14 to forcibly cool the interior of the freezer compartment 5, and the like. A quick ice making button 18 corresponding to an operation switch is provided. By operating the rapid ice making button 18, the cooling fan 9 can be externally operated (on) or stopped (off) as necessary, for example, when the cooling fan 9 reaches the end of its life. In addition, it can be stopped, that is, kept in a safe state. In the embodiment, the quick ice making button 18 is provided outside the refrigerator main body 1, that is, outside the refrigerator, but may be provided inside the refrigerator.

Next, the configuration around the automatic ice making device will be described in detail with reference to FIGS. Reference numeral 21 denotes a substantially rectangular box-shaped body forming an outer shell of the driving device 7. Inside the body 21, a motor 22 as a drive source, a first-stage worm gear 23 provided on a rotation shaft of the motor 22, and a first-stage worm gear
An intermediate gear 25 corresponding to a reduction mechanism for transmitting the rotational force of the gear 23 to the final gear 24 is provided. An output shaft 26 connected to the ice tray 6 is provided behind the final gear 24 so as to protrude from the body 21. The ice making tray 6 is made of a deformable material such as plastic, for example, and is internally formed by a plurality of blocks 27 for ice making. The output shaft 26 is connected to the front center portion of the ice tray 6, and a support shaft 28 that is supported on the inner surface of the duct 12 is connected to the rear center portion on the opposite side. The ice tray 6 has an output shaft
It is supported so as to be rotatable around the support shaft 26 and the support shaft 28.
Also, on one side of the rear part of the ice tray 6, a convex portion 30 protruding outward is provided.
Is formed, and when the ice tray 6 rotates in the normal rotation direction or the reverse direction, a convex portion is formed on a stopper 31 formed on the inner surface of the duct 12.
30 is in contact with the pin to restrict its rotation.
Reference numeral 32 denotes an ice making sensor mounted on the back side of the ice making tray 6, and the temperature of the ice making tray 6 is detected by the ice making sensor 32. The lead wire 33 of the ice making sensor 32 is connected to the output shaft
26 is pulled out into the body 21 through the inside. The ice making sensor 32 is provided under the ice tray 6 so as to be covered with a heat insulating material 34. The heat insulating material 34 eliminates a temperature detection error caused by the cold air in the freezer 5 directly hitting the ice making sensor 32. There is for.

On the side of the body 21, a pair of upper and lower first photosensitive elements 41 and 42 as ice storage amount detecting means for optically detecting the amount of ice stored in the ice box 8, and the position of the ice tray 6 are similarly set. There is provided a printed circuit board 44 on which a second photosensitive element 43 as an ice tray position detecting means for optically detecting is mounted.
These first photosensitive elements 41 and 42 and second photosensitive element 43
Is configured by arranging a light emitting element and a light receiving element (not shown) on both sides of the concave portion 45. The printed circuit board 44 is also connected to the lead wire 46 of the motor 22 and the lead wire 33 of the ice making sensor 32, and functions as a relay board with the outside of the body 21. 47 is the airframe from the printed circuit board 44
An external lead wire is drawn out of the connector 21, and a connector 48 is attached to a tip of the external lead wire 47.

Reference numeral 51 denotes an ice storage detecting arm which is located above the ice box 8 and is rotatably provided along the front and rear direction of the ice tray 6 from the other side of the body 21. A base shaft 52 of the ice storage detection arm 51 is provided with an arm drive lever 54 that is rotatable about a shaft 53, and a base end of the arm drive lever 54 is formed on a front surface of the final gear 24. The first cam groove 55. Then, by the first cam mechanism 56 including the arm drive lever 54 and the first cam groove 55, the ice storage detection arm 51 is moved up and down in synchronization with the rotation of the final gear 24 and thus the ice tray 6. I have. The base 52 of the ice storage detection arm 51 is provided with an arm position detection lever 57 that can rotate about the base 52 in addition to the arm drive lever 54. At the tip of the arm position detecting lever 57, a concave portion 45 of the first photosensitive element 41, 42 is provided.
A plate-like light-shielding member 58 that can be inserted through the light-shielding member 58 is mounted and fixed.
The on / off state of the ice box 8 is switched to detect the fullness, the shortage, and the appropriate amount of the ice storage in the ice box 8. In addition, a Hall element is used instead of the first photosensitive elements 41 and 42 as the ice storage amount detecting means, and a magnet is used instead of the light blocking member 58 to convert a magnetic signal into an electric signal. The detection of the fullness and the shortage of the ice storage amount may be performed.

On the other hand, a second cam groove 61 having a different shape from the first cam groove 55 is formed on the rear surface of the final gear 24. A base end of an ice tray position detecting lever 63 provided rotatably about a shaft 62 contacts the second cam groove 61. A second cam mechanism 64 comprising a second cam groove 61 and an ice tray position detecting lever 63 allows the final gear 24 and thus the ice tray 6 to be moved.
The ice tray position detection lever 63 is moved up and down in synchronization with the turning operation of the ice tray, and the on / off state of the second photosensitive element 43 facing the tip of the ice tray position detection lever 63 is switched to change the position of the ice tray 6.
Is detected.

FIG. 9 shows an electrical configuration. In the figure, reference numeral 71 denotes a microcomputer (hereinafter, referred to as a microcomputer) for controlling each process relating to ice making and ice separation. The microcomputer 71 includes operation signals from a temperature adjustment dial 16, a forced freezing button 17, and a rapid ice making button 18, which constitute the operation unit 15, and a temperature from a room temperature sensor 72 for detecting the temperature in the freezing compartment 5. A water supply sensor 73 for detecting the detection signal and the presence or absence of water contained in the water supply device 4
Water detection signal from the ice making sensor 32 for detecting the temperature of the ice tray 6, and the first light-sensitive elements 41 and 42.
, And an ice tray position detection signal from the second photosensitive element 43. On the output side of the microcomputer 71, an LED drive circuit 75 for driving a display LED 74 constituting the operation unit 15, a fan drive circuit 76 for driving the cooling fan 9, and a compressor 14
, A motor driving circuit 78 for driving the motor 22, and a water supply pump driving circuit 80 of a water supply pump 79 for feeding water from the water supply device 4 to the ice tray 6.

Next, the functional configuration of the microcomputer 71 of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. In the figure, the microcomputer 71
9 are the same as those in FIG. 9 described above, and a description thereof will be omitted.

The microcomputer 71 includes, as a control sequence stored in its own storage device, a cooling fan 9, a compressor 14, a motor 22, and an LED on the output side of the microcomputer 71.
Ice making control means 81 for appropriately controlling the water supply pump 79 and the water supply pump 79 to execute a series of ice making steps from a water supply operation to an ice removal operation.
It has. The ice making control means 81 includes a motor drive control means 82 for controlling the drive of the motor 22 at the time of ice removal operation, and a water supply control for driving a water supply pump 79 to perform a water supply operation when predetermined conditions are satisfied after the ice removal operation. When an ON signal for operating the cooling fan 9 is input by the means 83 and the rapid ice making button 18, or when the first light-sensitive elements 41 and 42 detect a shortage of ice storage in the ice box 8. To
Fan operation control means 84 for controlling the operation of the cooling fan 9 according to a predetermined operation procedure, and a compressor for maintaining the refrigerator compartment 2 and the freezer compartment 5 at a predetermined temperature, usually based on an operation signal from the temperature adjustment dial 16. On the other hand, when the first photosensitive elements 41 and 42 detect the shortage of the ice storage amount in the ice box 8 while controlling the operation of the compressor 14, the compressor operation control means 85 for forcibly continuously operating the compressor 14 and the cooling fan 9 And LED lighting control means 86 for turning on the LED 74 during the operation control of.

The operation control of the cooling fan 9 by the fan operation control means 84 is, specifically, started when the temperature of the ice making sensor 32 rises to the water supply completion temperature T0 by the water supply to the ice tray 6, Thereafter, the operation is stopped before the temperature detected by the ice making sensor 32 reaches the ice releasing temperature T2 of the ice tray 6, that is, before the ice releasing operation. In particular, in this embodiment, the cooling fan 9 is stopped when the temperature detected by the ice making sensor 32 reaches a predetermined temperature T1 at which the ice freeing temperature T2 of the ice making tray 6 is also set higher. It is. That is, the operation of the cooling fan 9 is actually limited from after the water supply to the ice tray 6 to before the ice releasing operation of the ice tray 6. Also,
The purpose of operating the cooling fan 9 is to directly apply cool air to the ice tray 6. For example, when the temperature of the freezing room 5 rises, the operation of the cooling fan 9 conversely changes the ice in the ice tray 6. Ice making. Therefore, in the present embodiment, when the detected temperature of the room temperature sensor 72 reaches the predetermined temperature T3 or more when the freezing room 5 is defrosted or the door is opened, the operation of the cooling fan 9 is temporarily stopped, and then the room temperature sensor 72 is turned off. Predetermined temperature T3
The fan operation control means 84 is configured to restart the operation of the cooling fan 9 when the following occurs. Further, the fan operation control means 84 does not always operate the cooling fan 9 at the same rotation speed, but decreases the rotation speed of the cooling fan 9 as the temperature detected by the ice making sensor 32 gradually decreases. Operation control.

As described above, while the fan operation control unit 84 controls the operation of the cooling fan 9, the LED lighting control unit 86 lights the LED 74 to indicate to the user that the vehicle is in the fast ice making mode. I do. However, even if the rapid ice making button 18 is turned on and the rapid ice making mode is selected, the cooling fan 9 actually starts operating immediately during the operation of supplying water to the ice tray 6 and removing ice from the ice tray 6. During operation, the first light-sensitive element 41 is provided for a period from when the temperature detected by the ice making sensor 32 reaches a predetermined temperature T1 or lower and the operation of the cooling fan 9 is stopped and before the ice making tray 6 performs the ice removing operation. , 42, when the ice in the ice box 8 is full, and when the water sensor 73 detects an empty water state in which there is no water in the water supply device 4, the conditions are not limited to the above. That is, the fan operation control means 84 is provided with the rapid ice making button.
Even if the operation of the cooling fan 9 is operated by 18, if the above conditions are satisfied, only the fact that this operation has been performed is once stored in the operation storage means 87 corresponding to the storage means,
The operation start of the cooling fan 9 is suspended. After that, after the water supply operation to the ice tray 6, the ice making sensor 32 becomes higher than the water supply completion temperature T0 and the room temperature sensor 72 becomes lower than the predetermined temperature T3, and the normal fan operation conditions other than the above conditions are satisfied. Then, the operation of the cooling fan 9 is started based on the operation signal stored in the operation storage means 87. And
Unless the stop of the cooling fan 9 is operated by the quick ice making button 18, the operation control of the cooling fan 9 is continued according to a predetermined operation procedure in the fast ice making mode until the ice in the ice box 8 becomes full. It is configured to do so.

Next, the operation of the above configuration will be described based on the flowcharts of FIGS. 11 and 12 and the graph of FIG. It should be noted that the graph of FIG. 13 shows the position of the ice storage detection arm 51 after the ice-releasing operation and the ON / OFF states of the first photosensitive elements 41 and 42.
It shows the off-state correlation. For convenience of explanation, it is assumed that the operation of the cooling fan 9 has already been operated by the rapid ice making button 18 at the start of the flowchart of FIG.

First, in the flow chart of FIG. 11 from the start to the ice removing operation, in the water supply step in step S1, the water supply pump 75 is driven for a predetermined time by the water supply control means 83, and the water from the water supply device 4 to the ice tray 6 is supplied. Feeding takes place. As a result, the temperature of the ice tray 6 rises. In the next step S2, when the temperature detected by the ice sensor 32 becomes equal to or higher than the water supply completion temperature T0, the ice making control means 81 rotates the ice tray 6 by the motor drive control means 82. Is started by a counter rotation prohibition timer that prohibits a predetermined time (step S).
3). In this embodiment, the ice making time from the completion of water supply to the completion of ice making is about 9 hours in a state where the cooling fan 9 is not operated.
Because it takes 0 minutes, the count time of the dish rotation prohibition timer is
It is set to 100 minutes in consideration of a certain margin. However, when the cooling fan 9 is operating, the ice making time is 4 hours.
In this case, the count time of the plate rotation prohibition timer may be automatically switched to, for example, 55 minutes because the time is reduced to about 5 minutes.

Thereafter, in step S4, the freezer 5
If the detected temperature of the room temperature sensor 72 for detecting the temperature in the inside is equal to or lower than the predetermined temperature T3, the process shifts to the next step S5 to start the operation of the cooling fan 9. During operation of the cooling fan 9, the cool air sent from the blades 11 is blown almost uniformly onto the upper surface of the ice tray 6 while being guided by the duct 12, and ice making is completed in a short time. In addition, by operating the cooling fan 9, a strange smell of water in the ice tray 6 can be diffused. The ice making in the ice tray 6 gradually progresses, and as the temperature detected by the ice making sensor 32 decreases, the rotation speed of the cooling fan 9 also gradually decreases. This makes it possible to efficiently operate the cooling fan 9 in accordance with the ice-making state, thereby extending the life of the cooling fan 9.

The water in the ice tray 6 grows into ice, and the ice
When the 32 detected temperatures reach the predetermined temperature T1 (step S
6) In the next step S7, the fan operation control means 84 stops the operation of the cooling fan 9. Then, step S8
In step, when the dish rotation prohibition timer reaches the predetermined time and is released, when the detected temperature of the ice making fan 32 reaches the ice-removable temperature T2 (step S9), the ice-removing operation of step S10 is performed. In this ice releasing operation, the motor 22 is energized through the motor drive control means 82 by the output signal given from the ice making control device 81, and the ice tray 6 which operates integrally with the final gear 24 rotates in the reverse direction from the horizontal position. I do. At this time,
The ice storage detection arm 51 is raised by the first cam mechanism 56 in synchronization with the rotation of the ice tray 6. At the same time, the ice tray position detecting lever 63 is moved down by the second cam mechanism 64 in synchronization with the rotation of the ice tray 6 to release the light blocking of the second photosensitive element 43. After that, the convex part 30 of the ice tray 6 is
When the ice tray 6 is twisted by contacting the ice tray 31, ice blocks fall from the blocks 27 of the ice tray 6 into the ice box 8. At this time, the ice storage detecting arm 51 is still at the raised position, but the ice tray position detecting lever 63 is at the position for shielding the second sensitive element 43 again from light, and the motor drive control means 82 controls the second photosensitive element 43. Motor 22
Is rotated in the opposite direction. During the reverse operation of the ice tray 6, the ice storage detection arm 51 is gradually lowered by the first cam mechanism 56, and the ice tray position detection lever 63 is also lowered to release the second light-sensitive element 43 from light shielding. And
The ice tray position detection lever 63 rises again and the second photosensitive element
When the second sensitive element 43 detects the return of the horizontal position of the ice tray 6 by this, the ice making control means 81 sends the ice in the ice box 8 based on the detection signals from the first photosensitive elements 41 and 42. To determine the amount of ice storage.

Specifically, the amount of ice stored in the ice box 8 is determined by the positional relationship between the first light-sensitive elements 41 and 42 forming a pair and the light-shielding member 58 linked to the ice storage detection arm 51. That is, when the ice in the ice box 8 is full when the ice tray 6 returns to the horizontal position,
The ice storage detection arm 51 contacts the ice at a high position,
Is to shield both first photosensitive elements 41 and 42 from light.
In this case, as shown in the graph of FIG. 13, both the first photosensitive elements 41 and 42 are in the OFF state (the position). Also,
When the ice tray 6 returns to the horizontal position, if there is an appropriate amount of ice in the ice box 8, the ice storage detection arm 51 comes into contact with the ice at the intermediate position, and the light-blocking member 58 is located below the first photosensitive element. Shade only 42. Therefore, in this case, the first
While the photosensitive element 41 is turned on, the first photosensitive element 42
Is in the off state (position). Furthermore, when the ice tray 6 returns to the horizontal position, if there is almost no ice in the ice box 8, the ice storage detecting arm 51 is lowered to the position before the ice releasing operation, and the first light-sensitive elements 41 and 42 are blocked. Are released together.
Therefore, in this case, both first photosensitive elements 41, 42
Is turned on.

Returning again to the flowchart of FIG. 12, the first photosensitive element 4 will be described in step S11.
If both 1 and 42 are off, the ice making control means 8
1 judges that the ice in the ice box 8 is full and outputs a signal for ice making standby. And water supply control means
The driving of the water supply pump 79 by 83 is stopped, and the water supply operation is on standby (step S11). This is the ice storage detection arm 51
11 is continued until it falls to the position of FIG. 13 (step S12). When the standby of the water supply operation is released in step S13, the water supply operation is performed in the next step S14, and the steps in the flowchart of FIG. It returns to the procedure after S2.

On the other hand, if neither the first photosensitive element 41 nor the first photosensitive element 42 is in the off state in the procedure of step S11,
The process proceeds to step S15 to determine whether the first photosensitive elements 41 and 42 are both on. Here, the first
When both of the light sensitive elements 41 and 42 are in the ON state, the ice making control means 81 determines that the ice in the ice box 8 is insufficient, and outputs a signal for rapid ice making to the fan operation control means 84. Then, in the next step S16, the water supply control means
After performing the water supply operation by 83, the fan operation control means 84
Forcibly operates the cooling fan 9 to increase the ice making capacity (step S17), and returns to the procedure after step S2. Thereby, the ice making time is greatly reduced, and the shortage of ice in the ice box 8 is eliminated. The forced operation of the cooling fan 9 in step S17 is performed without turning on the rapid ice making button 18. Although not shown in the flowchart of FIG. 12, at the same time, the compressor
, The ice making time can be greatly reduced. If only the first photosensitive element 41 located above is in the ON state in the procedure of step S15, the ice making control means 81 determines that the amount of ice in the ice box 8 is an appropriate amount, and sends a signal for normal ice making. Is output. In this case, the water supply operation is performed in the next step S18, and the procedure returns to the procedure after step S2.

As described above, according to the above embodiment, water is supplied to the ice tray 6 provided in the freezer compartment 5 to make ice, and after the ice is made, the ice tray 6 is inverted and twisted to release ice. Since the cooling fan 9 for the ice tray 6 is provided in the refrigerator mounted on the apparatus, by operating the cooling fan 9 during ice making, the cold air in the freezer compartment 5 can be guided to the ice tray 6 and directly blown. . Therefore, the ice making capacity of the automatic ice making device can be greatly improved (about half of the conventional one), and at the same time, the odor of water in the ice making tray 6 can be diffused. In this case, the mounting position and the number of the cooling fans 9 are not particularly limited.

In the present embodiment, the operation of the cooling fan 9 can be switched between the operation and the stop by the rapid ice making button 18 which is an operation switch provided outside the refrigerator. Therefore, the operation or stop of the cooling fan 9 is
By switching from the outside by operating the rapid ice making button 18, different ice making capabilities can be arbitrarily selected. When unnecessary, the cooling fan 9 is not operated, and the life of the cooling fan 9 can be extended by the user's intention.

Further, in this embodiment, the ice tray 6 and a driving device 7 as a mechanism for turning the ice tray 6 upside down and twisting it are fixed to the duct 12 provided with a stopper 31 which comes into contact when the ice tray 6 is turned upside down. The cooling fan 9 is integrally provided in the duct 12, and when the duct 12 is removed, the ice making device main body 13 can be removed together. Therefore, the cool air guided to the cooling fan 9 can be efficiently blown to the ice tray 6 while being concentrated to some extent in the duct 12. Also, by removing the duct 12, the ice making device main body 13 including the ice tray 6, the driving device 7, and the cooling fan 9 can be integrally removed.
Workability can be improved during assembly and replacement.

By simply operating the cooling fan 9 continuously by operating the rapid ice making button 18 or the like, the cooling fan 9 can be operated even when the ice tray 6 does not contain water or ice. Unnecessary operation is performed, and wasteful power consumption and the life of the cooling fan 9 are significantly adversely affected. Therefore, in this embodiment, after the ice tray 6 is supplied with water (after the temperature detected by the ice making sensor 32 rises to the water supply completion temperature T0), the operation of the cooling fan 9 is started, and before the ice tray 6 is released from ice. The operation of the cooling fan 9 is stopped (before the temperature detected by the ice making sensor 32 reaches the ice releasing temperature T2 of the ice tray 6). Thereby, the ice tray 6
When no water or ice is stored in the cooling fan 9
Is not performed, so that wasteful power consumption can be prevented and the life of the cooling fan 9 can be extended.

In the present embodiment, a room temperature sensor 72 for detecting the temperature in the freezer compartment 5 and an ice making sensor 32 provided below the ice tray 6 with a heat insulating material 34 are used. The operation of the cooling fan 9 is stopped when the temperature becomes lower than the temperature T1 or when the room temperature sensor 72 becomes higher than the predetermined temperature T3. Therefore, when the growth of ice in the ice tray 6 progresses to some extent or when the temperature in the freezing compartment 5 rises, the operation of the cooling fan 9 is stopped. It is possible to extend the life of the device. Further, when the temperature of the freezing compartment 5 rises during defrosting or opening of the door, if the cooling fan is operated, warm air is directly blown to the ice tray 6 and the growth of ice is prevented. In this embodiment, when the temperature in the freezer compartment 5 rises, the operation of the cooling fan 9 is stopped, so that such a problem can be eliminated. further,
Since the ice making sensor 32 is covered with the heat insulating material 34, the ice making sensor 32 can be shielded from the outside air, and the temperature of the ice making tray 6 can be accurately detected.

Further, in this embodiment, an ice making sensor 32 provided under the ice tray 6 with a heat insulating material 34 is used, and as the temperature of the ice making sensor 32, that is, the detection temperature decreases, the cooling fan 9 rotates. It is configured to reduce the number. In this case, as the ice making in the ice tray 6 progresses gradually,
Since the rotation speed of the cooling fan 9 also gradually decreases, it is possible to extend the life of the cooling fan 9 while efficiently operating the cooling fan 9 according to the ice making condition. Also,
Since the ice making sensor 32 is covered with the heat insulating material 34, the rotation speed of the cooling fan 9 can be changed to a desired state based on accurate temperature detection of the ice making tray 6.

By the way, when the inside of the ice box 8 serving as the ice storage section is full, or when the inside of the water supply device 4 is empty, the ice making control means 81 performs the ice making operation until these states are eliminated. Force stop. Therefore, it is meaningless that the cooling fan 9 is operated during this time, which is a factor of shortening the life of the cooling fan 9. In consideration of this point, in the present embodiment, a rapid ice making button 18 as an operation switch for switching the operation or stop of the cooling fan 9, an ice box 8 for storing ice separated from the ice tray 6, and an ice making The cooling fan can be operated by using the water supply device 4 for supplying water to the plate 6 and operating the rapid ice making button 18 when the ice in the ice box 8 is full or when the water supply device 4 is empty. 9 is not operated. As a result, while the ice making operation is not substantially performed, the operation of the cooling fan 9 is not performed, so that useless operation of the cooling fan 9 is prevented and the life of the cooling fan 9 is extended. Becomes possible.

Further, in this embodiment, the operation switch is operated during the water supply operation or the ice releasing operation of the ice tray 6, or before the ice releasing operation of the ice tray 6 is performed after the operation of the cooling fan 9 is stopped. Cooling fan 9 by the quick ice making button 18
The operation storage means is a storage means when the operation of the
After the water supply operation to the ice tray 6, the ice making sensor 32 reaches a predetermined temperature or higher and the room temperature sensor 72 reaches a normal fan operating condition of a predetermined temperature or lower. It is configured in. That is, during the water supply operation of the ice tray 6, during the ice releasing operation of the ice tray 6, the ice making sensor 32
Reaches the predetermined temperature T1 or lower, and the cooling fan 9
During the period before the ice making operation of the ice tray 6 is stopped after the operation of the ice making tray 6 is stopped, the cooling fan 9 is operated by the rapid ice making button 18.
Even if this operation is operated, only the fact that this operation has been performed is once stored in the operation storage means 87, and the operation start of the cooling fan 9 is suspended until the normal fan operation condition is satisfied. Thus, even when it is not necessary to actually operate the cooling fan 9, the cooling fan 9 can be operated by the rapid ice making button 18.
Only the operation of driving is accepted (in this case, LED
74 is illuminated), so that the user does not feel uncomfortable in operation. Then, the cooling fan 9 starts operating for the first time under the condition that the inside of the ice tray 6 is in a water state and the temperature in the freezing room 5 has been lowered to some extent, so that the warm air does not directly blow to the ice tray 6. And the ice making operation can be performed quickly. Further, since the operation of the cooling fan 9 is performed only when necessary, there is no unnecessary power consumption, and the life of the cooling fan 9 can be extended.

Further, in this embodiment, when the operation of the cooling fan 9 is started by operating the rapid ice making button 18 which is an operation switch, a predetermined time is kept until the ice in the ice box 8 which is an ice storage section is full. It is configured such that the operation of the cooling fan 9 is continuously performed according to the operation procedure described above. Here, the predetermined operation procedure means that the operation of the cooling fan 9 is performed in accordance with the predetermined procedure in each operation from water supply to ice making through ice making. The operation procedure is not particularly limited here (actually, the cooling fan 9 is operated intermittently). In this case, once the operation of the cooling fan 9 is operated by the rapid ice making button 18, the operation of the cooling fan 9 is performed according to a predetermined operation procedure until the ice in the ice box 8 becomes full. For example, when the demand for ice increases, ice can be continuously produced, and chronic shortage of ice can be eliminated. Further, when the ice in the ice box 8 becomes full, the cooling fan 9 automatically stops this time, so that unnecessary operation of the cooling fan 9 can be prevented, and the life of the cooling fan 9 can be extended. .

Next, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. The same parts as those in the first embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals, and the description of the common parts will be omitted because they are duplicated.

In this embodiment, an ice tray cover 91 corresponding to a duct is provided so as to cover the upper surface of the ice tray 6, and a cool air outlet 92 is formed in the upper center of the ice tray cover 91. The ice tray cover 91 is provided along the direction of the rotation axis of the ice tray 6, that is, the support shaft 28, and its upper surface is formed in an arch shape so that cool air can be uniformly sent to the ice tray 6. Also, a lower surface 93 of the ice tray cover 91 is provided so as not to hinder the ice tray 6 from performing an ice releasing operation.
Is open. Although not shown here, the cooling fan 9 is provided integrally with the cool air outlet 92, and the cool air guided from the cooling fan 9 to the cool air outlet 92 is cooled by the ice tray 91. It is almost uniformly sprayed onto the upper surface of the ice tray 6 without any waste, and the ice making is completed in a short time. Further, since the cool air that has passed through the ice tray 6 is sent out from the lower surface 93 of the ice tray cover 91 into the freezing compartment 5, the ice making capacity of the entire freezing compartment 5 does not decrease. Therefore, when the ice tray cover 91 having the shape as in the present embodiment is provided, especially when the compressor 14 is continuously operated when the ice storage amount is insufficient, the cool air is uniformly and uniformly applied to the upper surface of the ice tray 6. Since it can be sprayed, the ice making ability is further improved. In addition,
The other configuration is completely the same as that of the first embodiment.

The present invention is not limited to the above embodiments, and various modifications can be made within the scope of the present invention. For example, in the embodiment, the first photosensitive element 41,
When 42 detects the shortage of ice storage in the ice box 8,
The operation control of the cooling fan 9 is automatically performed by the fan operation control unit 84. In the rapid ice making mode by the fan operation control unit 84, the detection of the lack of ice in the ice box 8 is canceled and the normal state is set. Or the operation may be continued until the stop of the cooling fan 9 is operated by the rapid ice making button 18 again.

In the embodiment, when the detected temperature of the room temperature sensor 72 reaches the predetermined temperature T3, the operation of the cooling fan 9 is temporarily stopped. 6 can improve the ice-making ability if it can blow cold air, and when a predetermined time has elapsed since the start of the operation of the compressor 14 of the cooling device,
The operation of the cooling fan 9 may be restarted.

Further, in order to prevent the noise of the cooling fan 9, when the door of the freezing room 5 is opened, the operation of the cooling fan 9 is stopped, and when the door of the freezing room 5 is closed, the operation of the cooling fan 9 is stopped. You may make it restart.

[0056]

According to the first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a refrigerator equipped with an automatic ice making device, wherein water is supplied to an ice tray provided in a freezing room to make ice, and after the ice is made, the ice tray is inverted and twisted to release ice. In a refrigerator equipped with an automatic ice making device, a cooling fan for the ice making tray is provided, so that the ice making capacity can be greatly improved, and the odor of water in the ice making tray can also be diffused.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, in addition to the configuration of the first aspect, the refrigerator equipped with the automatic ice making device is further provided with an operation switch provided inside or outside the refrigerator to start or stop the cooling fan. In this case, switching can be performed. In this case, not only the function and effect of claim 1 but also a different ice making capacity can be arbitrarily selected, and the life of the cooling fan is extended by the user's intention. It becomes possible.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, in addition to the configuration of the first aspect, the refrigerator with the automatic ice making device according to the first aspect of the present invention further comprises a duct provided with a stopper which comes into contact with the ice tray when the ice tray is inverted and twisted.
The ice tray and a mechanism for inverting and twisting the ice tray are fixed, the cooling fan is provided integrally with this duct, and when the duct is removed, the ice making device body can be removed. And in this case,
In addition to the functions and effects of the first aspect, the cool air can be efficiently blown to the ice tray, and the workability at the time of assembling and replacing the ice making device main body can be improved.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in addition to the configuration of the first aspect, the cooling fan starts the operation after supplying water to the ice tray, and separates the ice tray. In this case, the operation is stopped before the ice operation. In this case, not only the function and effect of claim 1 but also unnecessary power consumption can be prevented and the life of the cooling fan can be extended. become.

According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, in addition to the configuration of the first aspect, the refrigerator with the automatic ice making device according to the present invention further comprises a room temperature sensor for detecting the temperature in the freezer compartment, and a heat insulating material provided below the ice tray. An ice-making sensor provided so as to cover the cooling fan, wherein the cooling fan stops the operation when the ice-making sensor goes below a predetermined temperature or when the room temperature sensor goes above a predetermined temperature. In this case, In addition to the functions and effects of the first aspect, wasteful power consumption can be prevented, and the life of the cooling fan can be extended. In addition, it is possible to eliminate the problem that the hot air is directly blown onto the ice tray, which hinders the growth of ice, and it is also possible to accurately detect the temperature of the ice tray.

According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, in addition to the configuration of the first aspect, the refrigerator with the automatic ice making device according to the present invention further includes a cooling device provided under the ice making tray and covered with a heat insulating material. In this case, the number of rotations of the cooling fan is reduced. In this case, not only the operation and effect of claim 1 but also the cooling fan can be efficiently operated in accordance with the ice making condition, The life of the cooling fan can be extended, and the rotation speed of the cooling fan can be changed to a desired state based on accurate temperature detection of the ice tray.

According to a seventh aspect of the present invention, in addition to the configuration of the first aspect, the refrigerator with the automatic ice making device according to the present invention further comprises an operation switch for switching the operation or stop of the cooling fan, and detaching from the ice tray. An ice storage unit for storing the collected ice, and a water supply device for supplying water to the ice tray, wherein the operation switch is provided when the ice in the ice storage unit is full or the water supply device is empty. Even if you operate
The cooling fan is configured not to operate. In this case, not only the operation and effect of claim 1 but also the useless operation of the cooling fan can be prevented to extend the life of the cooling fan. Will be possible.

The refrigerator equipped with an automatic ice making device according to the present invention according to claim 8 further comprises an operation switch for switching between operation and stop of the cooling fan, in addition to the constitution of claim 5, If the operation of the cooling fan is operated by the operation switch during the water supply operation or the ice releasing operation, or before the ice making tray ice releasing operation is performed after the operation of the cooling fan is stopped, this is stored. The cooling fan is operated when the ice making sensor reaches a predetermined temperature or more and the room temperature sensor reaches a normal temperature or less after the water supply operation to the ice tray, and the room temperature sensor reaches a predetermined temperature or less. It is configured in,
In this case, not only the functions and effects of the first and fifth aspects, but also the user can be prevented from feeling uncomfortable in operating the operation switch. In addition, the ice making operation can be performed quickly without directly blowing warm air onto the ice tray, and by operating the cooling fan only when necessary, unnecessary power consumption is prevented and cooling is performed. The life of the fan can be extended.

According to a ninth aspect of the present invention, in addition to the configuration of the first aspect, the refrigerator equipped with the automatic ice making device further comprises an operation switch for switching the operation or stop of the cooling fan, and a detachable switch from the ice tray. An ice storage unit for storing the ice that has been collected, and when the operation of the cooling fan is started by the operation switch, the operation of the cooling fan is performed in a predetermined operation procedure until the ice in the ice storage unit is full. In this case, the operation of claim 1
In addition to the effect, even when the demand for ice increases in summer or the like, ice can be continuously produced, and chronic ice shortage can be resolved. Further, since the cooling fan stops when the ice becomes full, it is possible to prevent the useless operation of the cooling fan and extend the life of the cooling fan.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a partially cutaway side view of a refrigerator showing a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a front view of the refrigerator.

FIG. 3 is a front view of the fan.

FIG. 4 is an overall perspective view of the automatic ice making device.

FIG. 5 is a plan view of the automatic ice making device.

FIG. 6 is a side view of the automatic ice making device.

FIG. 7 is a sectional view of the same driving device.

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a main part of the above.

FIG. 9 is a block diagram showing a circuit configuration of the same.

FIG. 10 is a block diagram showing a functional configuration of the microcomputer.

FIG. 11 is a flowchart showing a procedure up to the de-icing operation.

FIG. 12 is a flowchart showing a procedure from the de-icing operation to the water supply operation.

FIG. 13 is a graph showing on and off states of the first photosensitive element according to the first embodiment;

FIG. 14 is a perspective view of an automatic ice making device showing a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 15 is a cross-sectional view of the automatic ice making device.

[Explanation of symbols]

 4 Water supply unit 5 Freezer compartment 6 Ice tray 7 Drive unit (mechanical unit) 8 Ice box (ice storage unit) 9 Cooling fan 12 Duct 13 Ice making unit body 18 Rapid ice making button (operation switch) 32 Ice making sensor 72 Room temperature sensor 91 Ice making Dish cover (duct)

Claims (9)

[Claims] 1. A refrigerator equipped with an automatic ice making device, wherein water is supplied to an ice tray provided in a freezing chamber to make ice, and after the ice is made, the ice tray is inverted and twisted to release ice, and a cooling fan for the ice tray is provided. A refrigerator equipped with an automatic ice making device, comprising: 2. The refrigerator according to claim 1, wherein the cooling fan can be operated or stopped by an operation switch provided inside or outside the refrigerator. 3. The ice tray and a mechanism for inverting and twisting the ice tray are fixed to a duct provided with a stopper that comes into contact with the ice tray when the ice tray is inverted and twisted, and the cooling fan is integrated with the duct. 2. The refrigerator equipped with an automatic ice making device according to claim 1, wherein said refrigerator is provided so that said ice making device main body can be removed when said duct is removed. 4. The automatic ice making device according to claim 1, wherein the cooling fan starts the operation after supplying water to the ice tray, and stops the operation before the ice tray operates to release ice. Onboard refrigerator. 5. An ice-making sensor provided at a lower portion of the ice-making tray with a heat-insulating material provided for detecting a temperature in the freezer compartment, and the cooling fan is configured to keep the temperature of the ice-making sensor below a predetermined temperature. The refrigerator according to claim 1, wherein the operation is stopped when the temperature of the room temperature sensor becomes equal to or higher than a predetermined temperature. 6. An automatic apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the cooling fan is rotated at a lower speed as the temperature of an ice-making sensor provided under the ice-making tray and covered with a heat insulating material decreases. Refrigerator with ice making equipment. 7. An operation switch for switching between operation and stop of the cooling fan, an ice storage unit for storing ice separated from the ice tray, and a water supply device for supplying water to the ice tray. The cooling fan is not operated even when the operation switch is operated when the ice in the ice storage unit is full or the water supply device is empty. The refrigerator equipped with the automatic ice making device according to 1. 8. An ice-making tray, comprising: an operation switch for switching between operation and stop of the cooling fan, wherein the ice-making tray is operated during a water supply operation or a de-icing operation of the ice-making tray, or after the operation of the cooling fan is stopped. When the operation of the cooling fan is operated by the operation switch before the deicing operation is performed, the operation is stored in a storage unit, and after the water supply operation to the ice tray, the ice making sensor becomes a predetermined temperature or higher, and 6. The refrigerator equipped with an automatic ice making device according to claim 5, wherein the cooling fan is operated when the room temperature sensor reaches a normal fan operating condition at or below a predetermined temperature. 9. An operation switch for switching the operation or stop of the cooling fan, and an ice storage unit for storing ice separated from the ice tray, wherein the operation of the cooling fan is started by the operation switch. 2. The refrigerator according to claim 1, wherein the operation of the cooling fan is continuously performed in a predetermined operation procedure until the ice in the ice storage unit becomes full.