JPH109732A - Refrigerator - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To improve reliability of an automatic ice making device of a refrigerator, manufacture it at low costs and further improve sanitary state. SOLUTION: An automatic ice making operation is carried out such that a solenoid valve is operated for a predetermined period of time, only a predetermined amount of water in a water feeding bottle is supplied to an ice making pan and a first timer starts counting time after operation of the solenoid valve. The first timer is set to a normal ice making time, the first timer terminates its counting in the case that a door of a freezing chamber is opened, in the case of defrosting operation and in the case that the freezing chamber temperature sensor detects a temperature higher than a first temperature set in advance higher than an operation starting temperature during intermittent operation of a compressor and then counts time until ice is positively formed. After the first timer counts over, the second timer starts counting and the pre-set second timer terminates its counting operation in the case that the door of the freezing chamber is opened, in the case of defrosting operation and in the case that the freezing chamber temperature sensor detects temperature higher than a second pre-set temperature at an approximately intermediate value between the operation starting temperature and the operation stopping temperature during intermittent operation of the compressor and then the automatic ice making machine performs an ice removing operation after the second timer counts over.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to temperature control of a refrigerator having an automatic ice making device and control of the ice making device.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art As disclosed in Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 7-54780,
The ice tray body consists of a temperature sensor that detects the temperature of the ice tray body at the bottom of the ice tray body, an insulating cover that covers the sensor, and a spring wire that holds the heat insulating cover in close contact with the bottom of the ice tray body. Temperature was detected by a temperature sensor to detect that ice had formed. Apart from this temperature sensor, a temperature sensor was provided in the freezer compartment for controlling the temperature of the freezer compartment.

[0003]

In the above prior art, a temperature sensor for detecting the temperature of the ice tray main body is provided at the bottom of the ice tray main body, and the temperature of the ice tray main body is detected by the temperature sensor to remove ice. Detected what could be done.

A temperature sensor is separately provided in the freezer compartment for controlling the temperature of the freezer compartment. A plurality of temperature sensors are required, and a case for accommodating the temperature sensor, a lead wire of the temperature sensor, and a connector for the lead wire are required. Therefore, it was difficult to realize a refrigerator with an automatic ice maker at low cost.

[0005] Further, since the automatic ice making device rotates the ice tray and twists the ice tray at the time of ice removal, it is difficult to maintain the close contact between the temperature sensor and the ice tray for a long time. At the same time, the twisting force acts on the lead wire of the temperature sensor in the low temperature of the freezing room, so there is a failure factor that breaks the lead wire, making it difficult to realize a highly reliable automatic ice maker. .

Further, a temperature sensor is closely attached to the ice tray, and it is difficult to attach and detach the ice tray.
If scales adhere to the ice tray, it cannot be cleaned,
There was a disadvantage of poor hygiene.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems, and it is an object of the present invention to improve the reliability of an automatic ice maker of a refrigerator, to make it possible to manufacture the refrigerator at low cost, and to improve the hygiene. .

[0008]

In the normal freezer compartment temperature control, when the freezer compartment temperature sensor mounted on the frame of the automatic ice making device is higher than the operation start temperature, the compressor is operated by the instruction of the microcomputer. When the temperature is lower than the stop temperature, the compressor is stopped to operate to keep the temperature of the freezing room constant.

The freezing room temperature sensor is attached to the frame of the automatic ice making device and detects the freezing room temperature near the ice tray.

A signal from a switch for detecting the opening and closing of the freezer compartment door is input to a microcomputer, which detects the opening and closing of the freezer compartment door.

The operation of the automatic ice making is performed by operating a solenoid valve for a preset time to supply a predetermined amount of water from a water supply bottle to an ice tray according to an instruction from the microcomputer. Start counting timer.

The first timer is set to a normal ice making time (about 2 hours), and during the counting of the first timer,
If the freezer compartment door does not open and close and there is no defrosting operation, the water in the ice tray becomes ice when the first timer counts up.

However, in the actual use state, after the water supply operation, the temperature of the freezer compartment rises due to the opening and closing of the door, the defrosting operation, the feeding of food, and the like. When the temperature of the freezer compartment temperature rises to a predetermined first temperature higher than the operation start temperature of the intermittent operation of the compressor, the first timer stops counting and sets a time required for freezing. Count.

Further, immediately after the count-up of the first timer, if the operation shifts to the ice-removing operation, the freezer compartment door is opened simultaneously with the count-up of the first timer.
When the defrosting operation is performed or a large amount of food is put into the freezer and the freezer temperature rises, the ice in the ice tray is slightly melted and released, and the ice freezes mutually in the ice storage box. , Stick together.

Therefore, after the first timer counts up, the second timer starts counting, and when the freezer compartment door is opened, when the defrosting operation is performed, and when the freezer compartment temperature sensor operates in the intermittent compressor operation. When the temperature rises to a preset second temperature that is substantially intermediate between the start temperature and the operation stop temperature, a second
The timer stops counting, and after the second timer counts up, the automatic ice making device performs a deicing operation.

After the ice releasing operation, the electromagnetic valve is operated again to supply water, and the ice making operation is repeated. In addition, even if the water in the water bottle runs out, these operations are repeated, but since the water bottle is formed of a transparent or translucent resin,
It is possible to recognize that the water in the water bottle has run out.

As a method of making ice in a shorter time, the compressor is forcibly operated continuously after the water supply operation, and the count of the third timer is started. The third timer is set to a time (approximately one hour) when the water in the ice tray is half-frozen, and the third timer stops counting when the freezer compartment door is open and when the defrosting operation is performed. After the third timer counts up, the operation shifts to the normal freezer compartment temperature control compressor operation.

Until the first timer counts up, the freezing room cooling fan is operated continuously to continuously supply cold air to the ice tray to shorten the ice making time. The operation of the fan is stopped when the freezer compartment door is opened and when the defrosting operation is performed.

[0019]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS One embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIG.
This will be described with reference to FIG.

In FIG. 2, an automatic ice making device 1, a switch 11 for detecting the opening / closing of a freezing room door 12, a freezing room temperature sensor 3 attached to a frame 4 of the automatic ice making device 1,
A water bottle 6 made of transparent or translucent resin,
It comprises an electromagnetic valve 5 provided below the water bottle 6 and a microcomputer 7 for control.

In FIG. 3, the normal freezer temperature control is as follows.
When the freezing room temperature sensor 3 attached to the frame 4 of the automatic ice making device is higher than the operation start temperature, the compressor 8 is operated by the instruction of the microcomputer 7, and when the temperature is lower than the operation stop temperature, the compressor is stopped to freeze. It is working to keep the room temperature constant.

The operation time of the compressor 8 is integrated, and when a preset time is reached, the defroster 9 is energized to remove frost adhering to the cooler.

Switch 1 for detecting opening / closing of freezer compartment door 12
The signal from 1 is input to the microcomputer 7 and detects the opening and closing of the freezer compartment door 12.

In FIG. 1, a freezing room temperature sensor 3 is attached to a frame 4 of an automatic ice making device, and detects a freezing room temperature near an ice tray.

The operation of the automatic ice making will be described with reference to FIG. 4. The microcomputer 7 operates the solenoid valve 5 for a predetermined time to supply a predetermined amount of water from the water supply bottle 6 to the ice tray 2, and After the operation of the valve 5, the microcomputer 7 starts counting by the first timer.

The first timer is set to a normal ice making time (about 2 hours), and during the counting of the first timer,
If there is no opening / closing of the freezer compartment door 12 and no defrosting operation, the first
When the timer has counted up, the water in the ice tray 2 becomes ice.

However, in the actual use state, after the water supply operation, the temperature of the freezer compartment rises due to the opening and closing of the door, the defrosting operation, the feeding of food, and the like. When the freezer compartment temperature sensor rises to a first temperature higher than a preset first temperature higher than the operation start temperature of the intermittent operation of the compressor, the first timer stops counting and sets a time required for freezing. Count.

Further, immediately after the count-up of the first timer, if the operation shifts to the ice-removing operation, the freezer compartment door 12 is opened or the defrosting operation is performed simultaneously with the count-up of the first timer. When a large amount of food is put into the freezer compartment and the freezer compartment temperature rises, the ice in the ice tray 2 is slightly melted and released, and the ice is frozen and stuck together in the ice storage box 13.

Thus, after the first timer counts up, the second timer starts counting, and the freezer compartment door 12
Is open, the case of defrosting operation, and the case where the freezing room temperature sensor 3 has risen to a predetermined second temperature or more that is approximately intermediate between the operation start temperature and the operation stop temperature of the compressor intermittent operation, The second timer stops counting, and after the second timer counts up, the automatic ice making device 1 operates to twist the ice tray 2 and perform the ice releasing operation.

After the ice releasing operation, the electromagnetic valve 5 is operated again to supply water, and the ice making operation is repeated. Even when the water in the water bottle 6 runs out, these operations are repeated. However, since the water bottle 6 is formed of a transparent or translucent resin, it is recognized that the water in the water bottle 6 has run out. be able to.

Referring to FIG. 5, a method of making ice in a shorter time will be described. The compressor 8 is forcibly operated continuously after the water supply operation, and the microcomputer 7 starts counting by the third timer. The third timer is set to the time (about 1 hour) for the water in the ice tray to freeze halfway, and the third timer
The timer stops counting when the freezer compartment door 12 is open and when the defrosting operation is performed, and after the third timer counts up, the process shifts to a normal compressor operation for freezer compartment temperature control.

Until the first timer counts up, the freezing room cooling fan 10 is continuously operated and the ice making tray 2 is operated.
Continue to supply cold air to reduce the ice making time. The operation of the freezing room cooling fan 10 is stopped when the freezing room door 12 is opened and when the defrosting operation is performed.

[0033]

The temperature sensor for controlling the temperature of the freezer compartment and the temperature sensor for the automatic ice maker can be covered by a single temperature sensor, and the production can be performed at low cost.

Also, since the temperature sensor is not installed on the ice tray of the automatic ice making device, there is no problem of maintaining the close contact between the temperature sensor and the ice tray, and no twisting force acts on the lead wire of the temperature sensor. In addition, it is possible to realize a highly reliable automatic ice maker without a failure factor in which a lead wire is disconnected.

Further, since the ice tray can be attached and detached, and the ice tray can be cleaned when water scale adheres to the ice tray, hygiene is excellent.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a plan view and a side view showing a structure of an automatic ice making machine of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a front view and a sectional view of the refrigerator of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a configuration of a control circuit of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a logic diagram of the control method of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a logic diagram of a control method of the method for making ice in a short time according to the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Automatic ice making device, 2 ... Ice tray, 3 ... Freezer temperature sensor, 4 ... Frame, 5 ... Solenoid valve, 6 ... Water bottle, 7 ...
Microcomputer, 8: compressor, 9: defroster, 1
0: cooling fan, 11: switch, 12: freezer door, 1
3… Ice storage box.

Claims (2)

[Claims] An automatic ice making device, a switch for detecting opening / closing of a freezing room door, a freezing room temperature sensor attached to a frame of the automatic ice making device, a water supply bottle formed of transparent or translucent resin, A solenoid valve provided at the bottom of the water bottle,
The microcomputer consists of a control microcomputer.When the freezer temperature sensor is higher than the compressor operation start temperature, the compressor is operated, and when the temperature is lower than the compressor operation stop temperature, the compressor is stopped. While controlling the freezer compartment temperature to be constant, the solenoid valve is operated for a preset time to supply a predetermined amount of water from the water bottle to the ice tray. After the solenoid valve is activated, the first timer counts. The first timer is a preset first temperature which is higher than the operation start temperature of the freezer compartment temperature sensor when the freezer compartment door is open, when the defrost operation is performed, and when the freezer compartment temperature sensor is in the intermittent compressor operation. When the timer rises, the counting is stopped. After the first timer counts up, the second timer starts counting. The second timer set in advance is set when the freezer compartment door is opened and when defrosting is performed. Movement In the case of operation, and when the freezing room temperature sensor rises to a preset second temperature which is substantially intermediate between the operation start temperature and the operation stop temperature of the compressor intermittent operation, the counting is stopped, and a second timer is stopped. A microcomputer-controlled refrigerator with an automatic ice making device, characterized in that the automatic ice making device performs a de-icing operation after counting up. 2. An electromagnetic valve is operated to supply a predetermined amount of water from a water supply bottle to an ice tray, and after the electromagnetic valve is operated, the compressor is forcibly operated continuously and the count of a third timer is counted. The third timer starts and stops counting when the freezer compartment door is open and when the defrosting operation is performed.
After the timer has counted up, the compressor shifts to the normal freezer compartment temperature control compressor operation. Until the first timer counts up, the freezing compartment cooling fan is continuously operated, and when the freezer compartment door is open, The refrigerator according to claim 1, wherein the operation of the fan is stopped in the case of the frost operation.