KR100242322B1 - Water level detecting method of automatic ice maker - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to an automatic ice maker, and more particularly, to a water level detection method of the automatic ice maker that can detect the water level of the water stored in the reservoir tank.

To this end, in the water level detection method of the automatic ice maker according to the present invention, the pumping water of the water storage tank detects the driving current of the water supply motor supplied to the ice making container, and determines the detected current value and no water inside the water storage tank. Compared with a predetermined reference value, if the driving current value of the motor is less than the predetermined reference value, it is determined that there is no water in the reservoir tank, so as to alert and display to the outside and to turn off the drive of the water supply motor.

Therefore, in order to detect the water level inside the water storage tank according to the water level detection method of the automatic ice maker according to the present invention, since a separate water level sensor and a float switch are not necessary, the structure inside the water storage tank was complicated for their installation. Solving the problem can simplify the configuration and reduce the number of parts, providing an economical advantage.

Description

Water level detection method of automatic ice maker

The present invention relates to an automatic ice maker, and more particularly, to a water level detecting method of an automatic ice maker that enables to determine the water level in the storage tank of the automatic ice maker mounted on the refrigerator.

As shown in FIG. 1, an automatic ice maker is generally mounted and used in a refrigerator, and a refrigerator 1 having a conventional automatic ice maker includes a freezer compartment 3 and a refrigerating compartment 4 intersected by an intermediate partition 2. ), And the freezer compartment 3 and the refrigerating compartment 4 are opened and closed by the freezer compartment door 5 and the refrigerating compartment door 6, respectively. A cooler 7 is installed at the rear of the freezer compartment 3 to generate cold air, and a cooling fan 8 is installed above the cooler 7 so that the generated cool air is supplied to the freezer compartment 3 and the refrigerating compartment 4. Forced circulation

On the other hand, the freezing chamber (3) is provided with an automatic ice maker (20) for making ice using cold air generated in the cooler (7). As shown in FIG. 1, the automatic ice maker 20 stores ice in a plurality of concave grooves 21 ′ formed therein, and uses the cold air of the freezing chamber 4 to make ice using ice. And an ice storage container 22 for storing the ice cubes formed in the ice making container 21. In the refrigerating chamber 4, a water storage tank 23 and a water supply motor 24 for supplying water to the ice making container 21 are installed, and water in the water storage tank 23 is transferred to the ice making container 21. A water supply hose 25 for delivery is disposed from the water storage tank 23 of the refrigerating compartment over the upper part of the ice maker 21 of the freezing compartment. A drive unit 26 is installed in front of the ice making container 21 to rotate the ice making container 21 at a predetermined angle, for example, about 135 ° and to twist the ice to fall into the ice storage container 22 when ice making is completed.

The automatic ice maker configured as described above is repeatedly repeated ice making, ice-making and water supply operation by the control unit (not shown), wherein the water supply operation is performed when the water supply condition is satisfied, that is, ice cubes made in the ice making container 21. When all of the ice is detected in the ice storage container 22, the water supply motor 24 is driven to pump water from the water storage tank 23 to supply the ice making container 21 to perform the ice making operation.

At this time, in order to detect the amount of water in the water storage tank, one side of the water storage tank is provided with a water level sensor such as a water level sensor or float switch. When it is determined that there is no water in the water storage tank by the water level sensor and the float switch, the control unit turns off the drive of the water supply motor and displays and alerts the external user of the water storage tank lack of water.

However, the water level detection method of the conventional water storage tank detects the water level in the water storage tank by using a separate device such as a sensor or a float switch, and its installation is complicated and receives a detection signal from the sensor or the float switch. There was a problem that a separate wire is required for the structure is complicated.

Accordingly, the present invention has been made in order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the purpose of which is the level of the automatic ice maker to be able to detect the water level in the storage tank according to the magnitude of the current flowing in the water supply motor without using a separate equipment It is to provide a detection method.

1 is a cross-sectional view showing the configuration of an automatic ice maker mounted on a general refrigerator,

2 is a block diagram of an automatic ice maker for a refrigerator according to the present invention;

3 is a detailed circuit diagram of the water level detecting unit and the water supply motor driving unit shown in FIG. 2;

4 is a flowchart showing the overall operation of the automatic ice maker for a refrigerator according to the present invention;

5 is a flowchart illustrating a method of detecting a water level of an automatic ice maker for a refrigerator according to the present invention.

Explanation of symbols on the main parts of the drawings

20 ... automatic ice maker, 21 ...

22 ... storage container, 23 ... storage tank,

24 ... water motor, 25 ... water hose,

100 ... microcom, 110 ... power supply,

120 ice-making temperature detection unit, 130 warning and display unit,

140 ... Iving Motor Drive, 150 ... Water Supply Motor Drive,

160.Water level detector.

In order to achieve the above object, the water level detection method of an automatic ice maker according to the present invention is a control method of an automatic ice maker which ices after supplying water to an ice making machine by pumping water stored in a storage tank by a water supply motor,

Detecting a magnitude of a current flowing in the water supply motor when the water supply motor is driven, comparing a predetermined constant reference current value to determine the driving current of the water supply motor detected in the sensing step and the absence of water in the water storage tank; When the comparison result of the drive current of the motor is less than the predetermined reference current value characterized in that it comprises a step of displaying no water in the reservoir tank.

Hereinafter, the configuration and the effect according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail.

First, Figure 2 is a schematic block diagram of an automatic ice maker according to the present invention. The automatic ice maker according to the present invention is generally mounted and used in a refrigerator. As shown in FIG. 2, the automatic ice maker includes a microcomputer 100 that collectively controls the ice making, ice making, and water feeding operations of the automatic ice maker. Detecting an ice making temperature by inputting a predetermined detection signal to the microcomputer 100 to determine whether the ice making is completed by sensing the temperature of the power supply unit 110 and the ice making container 21 to supply driving power to the microcomputer 100. When the ice making unit 120 is completed, the ice maker 21 rotates the ice maker 21 at a predetermined angle to move the ice cubes from the ice maker 21 to the ice storage container, and the refrigerating chamber 4 when the ice is completed. Water supply motor driving unit 150 for controlling the driving of the water supply motor 24 to supply water from the water storage tank 23 provided in the water supply to the ice making vessel 21, and senses the water level in the water storage tank 23 below the predetermined water level Can warn if outside When it is determined that there is no water in the water level detecting unit 160 and the water storage tank to input a predetermined detection signal to the microcomputer 100, the control signal of the microcomputer 100 is driven and driven to visually display no water externally. It is provided with a warning and display unit 130 to be.

In this configuration, as shown in the detailed circuit diagram shown in FIG. 3, the water supply motor driver and the water level sensing unit are driven with a transistor Q1 driven by receiving a base signal from one output terminal P0 of the microcomputer 100; A transistor Q4 connected to the emitter terminal of the transistor Q1, receiving a base signal on and off, and a resistor R6 connected to the emitter terminal, and a PNP transistor Q3 connected to the transistor Q4 and a collector-collector; ), A transistor Q2 driven by receiving a base signal from the one output terminal P1 of the microcomputer, a transistor Q6 connected to an emitter terminal of the transistor Q2 and applied on and off by a base signal; And a PNP transistor Q5 connected to the transistor Q6 and a collector-collector connected thereto.

The base terminal of the transistor Q3 is connected to the collector-collector connection terminal of the transistors Q5 and Q6 via a resistor R5, and the base terminal of the transistor Q5 is connected to a resistor R7. It is connected to the collector-collector connection terminal of the transistors Q3 and Q4. In addition, both ends of the feed water motors for pumping water stored in the water storage tank and supplying them to the ice making container are connected to the collector-collector connection ends of the transistors Q3, Q4; Q5 and Q6, respectively.

On the other hand, the microcomputer 100 receives a voltage signal applied to the emitter resistor R6 of the transistor Q4 through the input terminal P2 to determine the water level in the storage tank.

The operation of the automatic ice maker according to the present invention having such a configuration will be described below in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

First, Figure 4 is a flowchart showing the overall operation of the automatic ice maker, Figure 5 is a flowchart showing a water level detection method of the automatic ice maker.

As shown in the flowchart shown in FIG. 4, when the power is applied after the initial power is applied or the power failure is returned, it is determined in step S10 whether the ice making container 21 is horizontal. In step S12, the ice motor is driven in a predetermined direction, for example, in a positive direction until the ice maker 21 is horizontal.

When the ice making container 21 is level, the driving of the ice motor is stopped in step S14, and in step S20, the average time required to perform one cycle (ebbing-> water supply-> ice-making) is determined. I will wait. This is to perform ice-making when water is supplied in advance before power is applied to the ice-making container 21 by waiting for one cycle time.

After the step (S30) detects the completion of the de-icing, if the de-icing is completed by driving the ice motor to separate the ice of the ice-making container 21 from the ice-making container 21 to move the ice storage container 22 Will be performed.

In step S40, after the ice is finished, the water supply pump 24 pumps the water stored in the water storage tank 23 by the water supply motor 24 to supply water into the ice making container 21. In addition, in step S60, after the water supply stroke is completed, an ice making stroke is performed to ice the water supplied to the ice making container 21 by cold air in the cooling chamber. In this case, the elapsed time since the water supply stroke is completed. And determining whether the ice making operation is completed based on the detection result of the sensor.

When the ice making stroke is completed, a test stroke is performed in step S70, which is a case where a forced operation is required for the purpose of testing the operation of the automatic ice maker and after-sales service or cleaning. It will run continuously.

In step S80, a dispenser stroke is performed, and when a signal to receive water in the water storage tank 23 is input from the user, the solenoid is driven to change the channel toward the ice maker 21 into the dispenser and perform a water supply operation. do. After the dispenser stroke is completed, the ice stroke is repeatedly performed.

On the other hand, the water level detection method of the automatic ice maker according to the present invention is performed in conjunction with the drive of the water supply motor 24 driven at the water supply stroke as shown in the flowchart shown in FIG. That is, in step S41, it is determined whether the ice breaking is completed. When the ice stroke is completed, in step S42, the water supply motor 24 is driven in a predetermined direction, for example, in a forward direction, so that the water in the water storage tank 23 is pumped and supplied to the ice making container 21.

On the other hand, in step S43 it detects the water level of the reservoir tank (23). When the water supply motor 24 is driven, the value of the current flowing through the motor is changed depending on whether the water supply motor 24 is in the water storage tank 23 so that the water level detection of the water storage tank 23 is performed based on this. In other words, if the water is above a predetermined amount, the water acts as a load to the motor impeller and the current value flowing to the motor is increased. If the water is below a predetermined amount, the load to the motor impeller is reduced, so the current value flowing to the motor is also reduced. Will be reduced.

Therefore, the current value flowing through the motor can be known by determining the voltage applied to the emitter resistance of the transistor Q4. That is, in step S43, a predetermined reference voltage, for example, 1 [V] and a predetermined voltage, is input to determine that there is no water in the storage tank 23 by receiving a voltage signal applied to the resistor R6 when the water supply motor 24 is driven. In comparison, the water level of the storage tank 23 is sensed.

In step S44, it is determined whether water supply is completed based on the time when the water supply motor 24 rotates forward. When it is determined that the water supply motor 24 is driven for a predetermined forward rotation time, for example, 7 seconds or more, the water supply motor 24 ) Is stopped and the water supply is completed, and when the forward rotation driving time of the water supply motor 24 is less than 7 seconds, it is determined whether or not the water level in the water storage tank 23 is low in step S45. That is, if the voltage signal inputted through the resistor R6 of the water level detection unit 160 is less than or equal to the preset reference voltage, the water stored in the storage tank 23 is warned that a predetermined amount is lower than the outside in step S46. Allow the user to supply water to the reservoir tank 23, and in step S47 stops the drive of the water supply motor 24.

On the other hand, if the current flowing in the motor while driving the water supply motor 24 is a predetermined value or more, that is, if it is determined that the water stored in the water storage tank 23 is a predetermined amount or more, step S42 or less is repeated.

On the other hand, when the water supply is completed as a result of the determination in step S44, the forward rotation of the water supply motor 24 is stopped in step S48, and in step S49, a predetermined point is determined from the point at which the driving of the water supply motor 24 is stopped. For example, it is determined whether 1 second has elapsed, and when 1 second has elapsed, the process proceeds to step S50. In step S50, in order to return the remaining water remaining in the water supply hose 25 for guiding the water pumped from the water storage tank 23 to the ice making container 21 to the water storage tank 23 as the water supply is completed. The water supply motor 24 is rotated reversely, which is to prevent the residual water remaining inside the water supply hose 25 from being cooled by the cold air in the freezing chamber to block the water channel. On the other hand, in the step S51, the water supply motor 24 counts the time of reverse rotation and compares the reverse rotation drive time of the preset water supply motor 24, for example, 4 seconds, and the water supply motor 24 is reversed for 4 seconds or more. If it is rotated in step S52 to stop the reverse rotation drive of the water supply motor 24 to complete the water supply stroke.

As described above, it is possible to determine the amount of water stored in the water storage tank by detecting the current flowing in the water supply motor without using a separate water level sensor or float switch by the water level detection method of the automatic ice maker according to the present invention. As a result, the structure of the automatic ice maker can be simplified, and economic effects can be obtained by reducing the number of parts.

Claims (1)

In the control method of the automatic ice maker which is iced after the water stored in the reservoir tank is pumped by the water supply motor and supplied to the ice making container, Detecting the magnitude of the current flowing in the water supply motor when the water supply motor is driven; Comparing the drive current of the feedwater motor sensed in the sensing step with a predetermined reference current value to determine no water in the reservoir tank; And displaying the absence of water in the reservoir tank when the driving current of the motor is equal to or less than a predetermined reference current as a result of the comparison.

Images