JPS6318109B2 - - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION (A) Field of Industrial Application The present invention relates to an automatic ice-making time control device that includes a semiconductor timing element that is controlled by temperature and applies this to ice-making time control.

(b) Conventional technology Generally, the ice making capacity of an ice maker varies greatly depending on the outside temperature and other factors. Therefore, ice-making machines that use a thermostat to end ice-making operation have the trouble of having to adjust the set temperature each time depending on the outside temperature, and also use a mechanical timer to stop ice-making operation for a certain period of time. Those who operated the machine could not avoid considerable variation in ice-making capacity depending on the outside temperature. When such a fixed time-limiting element is applied to an ice maker, the ice thickness varies significantly when the outside temperature of the ice maker differs, such as in summer and winter.

In recent years, there has been a system that uses a potential storage element to variably adjust the ice-making time, as disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 11256/1983. This causes the ice-making operation to end when the terminal voltage of the potential storage element drops to a constant voltage _e1 , but the potential storage element continues to discharge during the de-icing operation after the ice-making operation ends, and the ice-making operation ends. Works when recharged.

(C) Problems to be Solved by the Invention According to the prior art, the potentials when the potential storage elements are recharged vary depending on changes in temperature conditions, and this can be prevented in time by delay relays. Therefore, if the temperature conditions differ for each ice-making cycle, there will be considerable variation in the charging potential, and this variation in potential will result in variation in the discharging time. This has the drawback that it is difficult to adjust the ice making time appropriately in response to changes.

(d) Means for Solving the Problems The present invention provides an ice making machine in which an ice making member equipped with a refrigeration system is disposed in the ice making compartment and freezes the ice making member, and the present invention solves temperature changes in parts that affect the ice making capacity. a temperature sensing element that senses the temperature; a temperature detection circuit that includes the temperature sensing element and generates a voltage according to the temperature change;
a reference voltage setting circuit section that includes a variable resistor and generates a reference voltage according to an arbitrary preset resistance value; and an output voltage that corresponds to the difference between the voltage of the detection circuit section and the reference voltage of the setting circuit section. an oscillator that oscillates periodic pulses conditioned by the output voltage of the amplifier, a capacitor, and a resistor; a counter circuit that counts the periodic pulses; and an output that generates an output at a predetermined pulse count by the circuit. Automatic ice-making time control for an ice-making machine that solves the above problems by providing an integrating device having stages and a control device that stops ice-making operation and starts de-icing operation based on the output of the output stage of the device. It is a device.

(E) Effect According to the above configuration, if there is a temperature change in a part that affects the ice making capacity, for example if the outside temperature of the ice maker is higher than the standard value, the ice making time by the integrating device is lengthened, and the ice maker When the outside temperature is low, the ice making time using the integration device is shortened, and as a result, the ice thickness at the end of the ice making operation is kept constant without being affected by temperature changes in areas that affect ice making capacity, such as the outside temperature of the ice maker. Furthermore, by changing the reference value using a variable resistor, the ice thickness can be arbitrarily set.

(F) Embodiment An embodiment of the present invention will be described below based on the drawings.

As shown in the internal block diagram in Fig. 2, 1 is an integration device mainly composed of an oscillator 2, a counter circuit 3, an output stage 4, etc., and a resistor 6 connected in series to power terminals 5A and 5B of a DC power supply. An oscillator 2 oscillates periodic pulses conditioned by the time constant of a capacitor 7 and the voltage of an input terminal 8, and after the pulses are counted a predetermined number of times by a counter circuit 3, they are taken out from an output terminal 9 via an output stage 4. 2 between output terminal 9 and power supply terminal 5B.
resistors 10 and 11 are connected in series. Further, a first relay 12 and a transistor 13 are connected in series between both power supply terminals 5A and 5B.
The base of is connected to the connection point of both the resistors 10 and 11, and the transistor 13 is turned on by the output of the integrating device 1.

Since the periodic pulse of the oscillator 2 in the integrating device 1 is conditioned by the time constant of the resistor 6 and capacitor 7 and the voltage of the input terminal 8, in this invention, the periodic pulse can be varied by varying the voltage of the input terminal 8. Finally, the time of the output pulse taken out from the output stage 4 of the integrating device 1 is controlled.

The control circuit is configured as follows. That is, the diode 15 of the temperature detection circuit section T, which has a resistor 14 and a diode 15 connected in series to the power supply terminals 5A and 5B, is a temperature sensing element that detects changes in the temperature of a portion that affects the ice making capacity, for example, the temperature outside the ice maker. It has the characteristic that impedance increases when the temperature is low and impedance decreases when the temperature is high. The connection point between the resistor 14 and the diode 15 is connected to the operational amplifier 1.
It is connected to the negative input terminal 17 of 6. Also, variable resistor 18 and resistor 1 are connected to power terminals 5A and 5B.
The reference voltage setting circuit section V, in which the variable resistor 18 and the resistor 19 are connected in series, connects the connection point between the variable resistor 18 and the resistor 19 to the positive input terminal 20 of the operational amplifier 16. In addition, the output terminal 21 of the operational amplifier 16 and the negative input terminal 1
A negative feedback resistor 22 is connected between the operational amplifier 16 and the operational amplifier 16, and by applying negative feedback to the input of the operational amplifier 16, the output voltage of the operational amplifier 16 is made proportional to the input voltage. Furthermore, the output terminal 21 of the operational amplifier 16 and the power supply terminal 5
Two resistors 23 and 24 are connected in series between
is connected to input terminal 8 of. Also, power terminal 5
A Zener diode 25 is connected to A and 5B. Therefore, since an increase or decrease in the voltage change at the output terminal 21 of the operational amplifier 16 appears at the input terminal 8 of the integrating device 1, the output pulse time of the integrating device 1 can be varied in response to changes in the external temperature. be controlled.

On the other hand, the normally open contact 12b of the first relay 12, the second relay 27, and the deicing end detection switch 28 are connected in series to the power supply terminals 26A and 26B of the AC power supply, and the second relay 27 has a normally open self-holding contact 27h.
is provided, and a second
A normally closed reset contact 27r of the relay 27 is provided, and the reset contact 27r cuts off the power supply to reset the function of the integrating device 1. Also,
A circulation pump 29 that circulates ice-making water in a water tank (not shown) to an ice-making member (not shown) is connected to the power terminals 26A and 26B via the normally closed contact 27a of the second relay 27, and the power terminal 26A ,26
A hot gas valve 30 and a water supply valve 31 are connected in parallel to B via the normally open contact 27b of the second relay 27, and an electric compressor 32 for the refrigeration system is connected to the power terminals 26A and 26B.

Next, the operation of the embodiment of the present invention configured as described above will be explained. When the DC power source and the AC power source are turned on, the electric compressor 32 operates and starts cooling the ice making member, and the normally closed contact 27 of the second relay 27 is turned on.
The circulation pump 29 is energized via a, and the ice-making water previously supplied to the water tank is circulated to the ice-making member to start ice-making operation.

The time until the ice making operation ends varies depending on the temperature state based on the outside temperature sensed by the diode 15. That is, when the outside temperature is high, the impedance of diode 15 is small and diode 1
The voltage across 5 is low. Therefore, the potential difference between the plus input terminal 20 and the minus input terminal 17 of the operational amplifier 16 is large, the voltage at the output terminal 21 of the operational amplifier 16 increases, and the voltage at the input terminal 8 of the integrating device 1 increases. Therefore, the periodic pulse of the pulse signal oscillated by the oscillator 2 becomes longer, and as a result, the output pulse time from the output stage 4 becomes longer.

On the other hand, when the outside temperature is low, the impedance of the diode 15 is large and the voltage across the diode 15 is high. Therefore, the potential difference between the positive input terminal 20 and the negative input terminal 17 of the operational amplifier 16 is small, the voltage at the output terminal 21 of the operational amplifier 16 decreases, and the voltage at the input terminal 8 of the integrating device 1 decreases.
Therefore, the periodic pulse of the pulse signal oscillated by the oscillator 2 is shortened, and as a result, the output pulse time from the output stage 4 is shortened.

In any of the above cases, when a timer output is generated from the output stage 4 of the integrating device 1, the transistor 13 is turned on. For this reason, the first relay 12
is energized, its normally open contact 12b is closed, and the second relay 27 is energized. This excitation closes the self-holding contact 27h of the second relay 27.
7 is self-held, and when the reset contact 27r is opened, the DC power supply is cut off, the oscillator 2 stops oscillating, the counter circuit 3 is reset, and the output stage 4
The timer output is stopped, and the integrating device 1 is reset to the standby state for the next cycle.

On the other hand, since the normally closed contact 27a of the second relay 27 opens and the normally open contact 27b closes, the circulation pump 2
9 stops and the ice making operation ends. At the same time, the hot gas valve 30 and the water supply valve 31 are activated to flow the hot gas of the refrigeration system to the ice making member to start the deicing operation of the ice (sheet ice, ice cubes, etc.) connected to the ice making member. At this time, ice-making water necessary for the next cycle of ice-making operation is supplied to the water tank.

When the de-icing end detection switch 28 detects that the ice has left the ice-making member, its contact opens, de-energizes the second relay 27, and switches from the normally open contact 27b to the normally closed contact 27a again. Start the ice making operation of the cycle. Note that the self-holding contact 27h and reset contact 2 of the second relay 27
7r also returns to normal, and the above-described operation is repeated.

To summarize the above explanation, when the temperature outside the ice maker is high, the ice making time by integrating device 1 is lengthened, and when the temperature outside the ice maker is low, the ice making time by integrating device 1 is shortened. Ice thickness at the end of ice-making operation can be kept constant regardless of temperature changes.

Furthermore, since the present invention determines the thickness or size of ice by arbitrarily setting the reference voltage using the variable resistor 18 of the reference voltage setting circuit section V, the reference voltage setting circuit section V variable resistance 18
By variably adjusting the reference voltage, for example, from 20 mm constant ice to 25 mm constant ice,
Alternatively, the thickness or size can be changed from a constant ice of 20 mm to a constant ice of 15 mm.

Although the above embodiment uses the diode 15 as the temperature sensing element, other elements such as a thermistor or a transistor with positive or negative characteristics may also be used.

(G) Effects of the Invention As described above, the present invention includes a temperature sensing element that senses temperature changes in a portion that affects ice making ability, and a temperature sensor that includes the temperature sensing element and generates a voltage according to the temperature change. a detection circuit section, a reference voltage setting circuit section that includes a variable resistor and generates a reference voltage according to an arbitrary resistance value set in advance, and a difference between the voltage of the detection circuit section and the reference voltage of the setting circuit section. an amplifier that generates an output voltage according to the output voltage, an oscillator that oscillates periodic pulses that vary based on the output of the amplifier, a counter circuit that counts the periodic pulses, and an output stage that generates an output at a predetermined pulse count by the circuit. This is an automatic ice making time control device for an ice maker, which is equipped with an integrating device having an integrated circuit and a control device that stops ice making operation and starts deicing operation based on the output of the output stage of the device, so it can respond to temperature changes. Because periodic pulses can be created automatically, compared to conventional methods that are subject to large variations in charging time,
Not only can ice making time be extremely accurately controlled to keep ice thickness or size constant, but ice thickness or size can also be changed by variably adjusting the reference voltage. It's an ice machine.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is an electric circuit diagram of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the basic internal operation of the integrating device shown in FIG. 1 ... Integration device, 2... Oscillator, 3... Counter circuit, 4... Output stage, 15... Diode (temperature sensing element), T... Temperature detection circuit section, 16... Amplifier, 18... Variable Resistance, V...Reference voltage setting circuit section, 27...Second relay, 27a...Normally closed contact, 27b...Normally open contact.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. In an ice making machine that has an ice making member equipped with a refrigeration system in the ice making compartment and freezes the ice making member, an ice making machine that includes a temperature sensing element that senses temperature changes in parts that affect ice making capacity, and , a temperature detection circuit section that generates a voltage according to the temperature change; a reference voltage setting circuit section that includes a variable resistor and generates a reference voltage according to an arbitrary resistance value set in advance; an amplifier that generates an output voltage according to the difference between the voltage and a reference voltage of the setting circuit section, an oscillator that oscillates periodic pulses conditioned by the output voltage of the amplifier, a capacitor, and a resistor, and that counts the periodic pulses. An integrating device having a counter circuit and an output stage that generates an output at a predetermined pulse count by the circuit, and a control device that stops the ice making operation and starts the ice removal operation based on the output of the output stage of the device, An automatic ice making time control device for an ice maker, characterized in that the ice making time is automatically adjusted.