KR100565500B1 - Control method of ice maker - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to an ice maker capable of accurately detecting the completion of ice making and preventing malfunction, comprising: an ice maker mold having a plurality of ice making spaces in which water is iced; A plurality of temperature sensors mounted to the ice maker mold; And an ejector for discharging ice in the ice making space.

Refrigerator, ice maker, ice maker mold, temperature sensor, ejector, heater, ice maker

Description

Control method of ice maker

1 is a perspective view of a refrigerator equipped with an ice maker according to the prior art,

2 is a perspective view showing an ice maker and an ice bank according to the prior art,

3 is a cross-sectional view of an ice maker according to the prior art.

4 is a longitudinal sectional view of an ice maker according to the prior art,

5 is a partially cutaway perspective view of an ice maker 1 embodiment according to the present invention;

6 is a cross-sectional view of an ice maker 1 embodiment according to the present invention;

7 is a longitudinal sectional view of an ice maker 1 embodiment according to the present invention;

8 is a perspective view showing a sensor holder of an ice maker 1 embodiment according to the present invention;

9 is a flowchart illustrating an embodiment of a control method of an ice maker according to the present invention;

10 is a cross-sectional view of an ice maker 2 embodiment according to the present invention.

<Explanation of symbols on main parts of the drawings>

50: ice maker 51: freezer door

52: ice maker molds 52a, 52b: sidewalls of the ice maker mold

53,54,55,56,57,58: Temperature sensor 60: Ejector

60a: axis of ejector 60b: pin of ejector

61,62,63,64,65,66: Ice-making space 71,72,73,74,75: Partition wall

77: connection part 78: water overflow prevention part

80: water supply cup 86: ice making control unit

87: motor 90: water supply hose

92: ice detection lever 94: drive gear

96: driven gear 98: control panel

99: sensor hold 101: step

102: connecting portion 103: through hole

110,111,112: temperature sensor

The present invention relates to an ice maker in which water is iced, and a control method of an ice maker in which a plurality of temperature sensors are mounted on an ice maker mold in which water is iced.

In general, an ice maker is an ice making space in which water is contained and ices water as it is cooled by cold air, and is mounted in a refrigerating device such as a refrigerator.

1 is a perspective view of a refrigerator equipped with an ice maker according to the prior art.

As shown in FIG. 1, a conventional refrigerator includes a refrigeration cycle device for freezing compartment F and a refrigerating compartment R partitioned by a barrier 1 and cooling the freezing compartment F and a refrigerating compartment R to low temperature. A main body 2 mounted, a freezer compartment door 4 connected to the main body 2 to open and close the freezer compartment F, and a refrigerating compartment door connected to the main body 2 to open and close the refrigerating compartment R; 6) is configured to include.

The refrigeration cycle apparatus includes a compressor for compressing a low-temperature low-pressure gas refrigerant, a condenser in which the high-temperature and high-pressure refrigerant compressed by the compressor is radiated to outside air to condense, an expander for reducing the refrigerant condensed in the condenser, and the expander The refrigerant expanded in the evaporator is configured to evaporate by taking heat of air circulated from the freezing compartment (F) or the refrigerating chamber (R).

In recent years, an automatic ice making apparatus for ice-making by using cold air in the freezing chamber F and taking out to the outside is installed.

The automatic ice making apparatus is mounted on an inner upper portion of the freezing chamber F to make an ice maker 8 for ice-making water supplied with cold air in the freezing chamber F, and the ice iced in the ice maker 8 is iced and contained therein. On the ice bank 9 mounted inside the freezer compartment F, the dispenser 10 mounted on the freezer compartment door to take out ice to the outside without opening and closing the freezer compartment door 4, and on the ice bank 9 It is composed of an ice chute 11 for guiding the contained ice to fall to the dispenser (10).

 2 is a perspective view showing an ice maker and an ice bank according to the prior art, Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view of the ice maker according to the prior art, Figure 4 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the ice maker according to the prior art.

As shown in FIGS. 2 to 4, the ice maker 8 supplies water to the ice maker mold 13 in which the ice making space 12 is formed, and the ice making space 12 of the ice maker mold 13. A water supply cup 15 for supplying, a heater 16 for separating the iced ice from the ice maker mold 13, an ejector 18 for spreading the ice iced in the ice maker mold 13, An ice making control unit for controlling the heater 16 and the ejector 18 while controlling the water supply to the slider 20 and the water supply cup 15 provided to allow the ice to slip into the ice bank 9. It comprises a 22.

The ice maker mold 13 is formed with a plurality of partition walls 14 that divide the ice making space 12 into a plurality of ice making spaces.

The heater 16 dissolves a part of iced ice and separates it from the ice maker mold 13, and is mounted on the bottom surface of the ice maker mold 12.

The ejector 18 is arranged such that its axis 18a crosses the center upper side of the ice maker mold 13, and a plurality of ejector pins 18b protrude from the side of the axis 18a of the ejector 18. do.

One end of the shaft 18a of the ejector 18 protrudes into the ice making controller 22, and a driven gear 18c is connected.

In addition, the ice making control unit 22 includes a motor 23 generating a driving force for rotating the ejector 18 and a temperature sensor 24 measuring the temperature of the ice maker mold 12.

A drive gear 23a meshed with the driven gear 18c is connected to the shaft of the motor 23.

The temperature sensor 24 is mounted in close contact with the side wall 13b opposite the side wall 13a on which the water supply cup 15 is mounted in the ice maker mold 13 to measure the temperature of the ice maker mold 13. do.

Reference numeral 26 is a water supply hose for supplying water to the water supply cup, and 28 is a control panel mounted in the ice making control unit 22 to turn on / off the motor 23 and the heater 16.

Looking at the operation of the ice maker according to the prior art configured as described above are as follows.

First, the ice making control unit 22 turns on and turns off the water supply valve for intermittently controlling the water supplied to the water supply cup 15 for a predetermined time.

Water supplied from the outside when the water supply valve is turned on is contained in the water supply cup 15, and then is contained in an ice making space closest to the water supply cup 15 among the plurality of ice making spaces, and the plurality of partition walls 14 ) Is sequentially filled to the water supply cup 15 and the furthest ice making space.

Thereafter, the water contained in the plurality of ice making spaces of the ice maker mold 12 is cooled by heat exchange with the cold air or ice maker mold 12 in the freezer compartment.

Meanwhile, the temperature sensor 24 measures the temperature of one side 13b of the wall surfaces 13a and 13b of the ice maker mold 13 to output the temperature value measured by the ice making controller 22, and the ice making controller The controller 22 compares the temperature value output from the temperature sensor 24 with the set temperature value, and when it is determined that the output temperature value is smaller than the set temperature value, determines that ice making is completed and turns on the heater 16. .

When the heater 16 is turned on, the ice maker mold 12 is heated to the heater 16 to increase its temperature, and the ice maker I begins to melt from the contacted portion of the ice maker mold 12 with the ice maker mold 12. It is separated from the mold 12.

When the set time (for example, two minutes) elapses after the heater 16 is turned on, or the temperature of the ice maker mold 12 is greater than the second set temperature value, the ice maker 22 Turn off 16).

The ice making control unit 22 controls the motor 23 to rotate the pin 18b of the ejector 18 from the initial position A to the ice position B, and then returns to the initial position A. FIG. Return

As the ejector 18 rotates, the ice I in the ice maker mold 12 is lifted and raised to the slider 20, guided to the slider 20, and iced to the ice bank 9.

However, in the ice maker according to the prior art, since the temperature sensor 24 measures only the temperature of one side wall 13b of both side walls 13a and 13b of the ice maker mold 13, ice making of water supplied to each ice making space is completed. The heater 23 and the ejector 26 operate in a state where only a part of the water in the ice making space far from the one side wall 13b of the ice maker mold 13 is deiced (that is, partial ice making). Since there is a problem that can be malfunctioned.

In the ice maker control method according to the related art, when the temperature value measured by the temperature sensor 24 is less than a set temperature value, the heater 23 and the ejector 26 may be used even if the water supplied to the ice making space has been de-iced. Since is not operated, there is a problem in that the total ice making time including ice making and ice making is long.

The present invention has been made to solve the above problems of the prior art, to provide a control method of an ice maker that can accurately detect the completion of ice making and prevent malfunction, and can shorten the overall ice making time.

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According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a control method of an ice maker including: an ice maker mold having a plurality of ice making spaces in which water is iced; A plurality of temperature sensors mounted at peripheral portions of each of the plurality of ice making spaces of the ice maker mold; A heater mounted to the ice maker mold to heat the ice maker mold; An ice maker including a ejector rotatably disposed above the ice maker mold to discharge ice in the ice making room, the ice maker comprising: a first step of outputting a measured temperature value by the plurality of temperature sensors; A second step of comparing the maximum value among the plurality of temperature values output from the plurality of temperature sensors with the set temperature value and determining that the ice making is completed when the maximum value is less than or equal to the set temperature value; A third step of turning on and off the heater when it is determined that the ice making is completed in the second step; And after the third step, rotate the ejector from the initial position to the icing position, and then restore the initial position to pour up the ice to rip the ice.

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The control method of the ice maker according to the present invention may further include comparing the minimum value of the plurality of temperature values measured and output by the plurality of temperature sensors with a second set temperature value, wherein the minimum value is greater than or equal to the second set temperature value. Judging by the fact that the heater is off.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Fig. 5 is a partially cutaway perspective view of the first embodiment of the ice maker according to the present invention, Fig. 6 is a cross sectional view of the first embodiment of the ice maker according to the present invention, and Fig. 7 is a longitudinal sectional view of the first embodiment of the ice maker according to the present invention.

As shown in FIG. 5, the ice maker 50 according to the present embodiment is not mounted inside the freezer compartment or the refrigerating compartment so as to increase the effective content of the freezer compartment or the refrigerating compartment of the refrigerator, and is not the rear side of the freezer compartment door 51 or the refrigerating compartment door. It is mounted on the back.

As shown in FIGS. 5 to 7, the ice maker 50 includes an ice maker mold 52 in which water is iced and a plurality of temperature sensors 53, 54, 55, mounted on the ice maker mold 52. 56, 57, 58, and an ejector 60 for discharging ice in the ice making space.

The ice maker mold 52 includes a plurality of partitions each having an approximately semi-cylindrical ice making space long in the horizontal direction and partitioning the ice making space into a plurality of ice making spaces 61, 62, 63, 64, 65 and 66. Walls 71, 72, 73, 74, 75 are formed vertically.

Each of the partition walls 71, 72, 73, 74, and 75 is spaced apart from each other to the left and right between both side walls 52a and 52b of the ice maker mold 52 and both side walls of the ice maker mold 52. It is formed in parallel with (52a, 52b).

In addition, the ice maker mold 52 has a connecting portion 77 for fixing to the rear surface of the freezer compartment door 51 protruding from the upper side of the front side, and the flat plate overflow protection portion 78 extending from the upper side of the front side. Is formed.

The plurality of temperature sensors 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, and 58 are mounted on one side of each of the plurality of ice making spaces 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, and 66.

The plurality of temperature sensors 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, and 58 are preferably mounted on the bottom surface of the ice maker mold 52 among the peripheral parts.

The ejector 60 is arranged such that its axis 60a crosses the center upper side of the ice maker mold 52, and a plurality of ejector pins 60b protrude from the side of the axis 60a of the ejector 60. do.

The shaft 60a of the ejector 60 is rotatably supported by a water supply cup, one end of which is described later, and disposed so as to protrude into an ice making control unit, the other end of which is described later.

Meanwhile, the ice maker 50 has a water supply cup 80 for supplying water to the ice maker mold 52 and a heater for heating the ice maker mold 52 to separate the iced ice from the ice maker mold 52. 82, a slider 84 provided so that the ice swept by the ejector 60 can slide into an ice bank, which will be described later, and the water supply to the water supply cup 80, and the ejector It is configured to further include an ice making control unit 86 for controlling (60).

The water supply cup 80 is mounted on the opposite sidewall 52a of the ice making control unit 86 among the ice maker molds 52, and a water supply hole 80a is formed at one side to make the water closest to the water supply cup 70. Water is supplied to the space 61.

The heater 82 is mounted to be disposed in a '제' shape on the bottom surface of the ice maker mold 52.

The ice making control unit 86 includes a motor 87 generating a driving force for rotating the ejector 60.

Reference numeral 88 denotes an ice bank containing ice iced from the ice maker 50, reference numeral 90 denotes a water supply hose for supplying water to the water supply cup 80, and reference numeral 92 denotes the ice bank ( 88 is a full-sealing detection lever for sensing full-water.

Reference numeral 94 denotes a drive gear connected to the shaft of the motor 87, reference numeral 96 denotes a driven gear connected to the other end of the shaft of the ejector 60 and engaged with the drive gear 94. 98 is a control panel built in the ice making control unit 86 to turn on / off the motor 87 and the heater 82.

Meanwhile, the ice maker 50 further includes a sensor holder 99 that supports the plurality of temperature sensors 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, and 58 in close contact with the ice maker mold 52.

8 is a perspective view showing the sensor holder of the ice maker 1 embodiment according to the present invention.

As illustrated in FIG. 8, the sensor holder 99 includes a plurality of stepped portions 101, in which any one of a plurality of temperature sensors are engaged, formed in a line in the arrangement direction of the temperature sensor, and the plurality of stepped portions. A connection portion 102 is formed integrally with the stepped portion between the 101.

Each of the stepped portions 101 has a through hole 103 through which a signal line connected to each of the temperature sensors passes.

Looking at the operation and control method of the present invention configured as described above are as follows.

9 is a flowchart illustrating an embodiment of a control method of an ice maker according to the present invention.

First, when power is input, the ice making control unit 86 controls the motor 87 to set the pin 60b of the ejector 60 to the initial position A. (S1)

The ice making control unit 86 turns on and turns off the water supply valve for intermitting the water supplied to the water supply cup 80 for a predetermined time (S2).

Water supplied from the outside when the water supply valve is turned on is filled in the water supply cup 80, and transferred to the plurality of ice making spaces 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, and then the cold air or ice maker mold ( Heat exchanged with 52) to cool.

Meanwhile, the temperature sensors 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, and 58 measure the temperature at one side of each of the plurality of ice making spaces 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, and 66 to determine the ice making control unit ( 86) and output the temperature value measured.

The ice making control unit 86 determines the completion of ice making using the outputted plurality of temperature values and the set temperature value.

Here, the set temperature value is a temperature set to any one of -2 ℃ ~ -10 ℃, ice maker when the water contained in the plurality of ice making space (61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66) is completed ice making Temperature of the mold 52.

The ice making control unit 86 receives a temperature value output from each of the plurality of temperature sensors 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, and 58, and indicates a maximum value Tmax and a set temperature value among the output temperature values. For example, -7 ° C) is compared. (S3)

Then, when the maximum value Tmax is higher than the set temperature value, the ice making control unit 86 determines that ice making is not completed yet, and when the maximum value Tmax is determined to be equal to or less than the set temperature value. It is determined that ice making is completed (S3).

For example, each temperature value measured by the plurality of temperature sensors 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58 is -8 ℃, -8 ℃, -6.9 ℃, -7 ℃, -8 ℃, When the set temperature value is -7 ° C and -7 ° C, since -6.9 ° C, which is the maximum value of the measured temperature values, is higher than -7 ° C, which is the set temperature value, it is determined that ice making is not completed yet. Each temperature value measured by the plurality of temperature sensors 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58 is -8 ° C, -8 ° C, -7.1 ° C, -7.2 ° C, -8 ° C, -9 ° C, When the set temperature value is -7 ° C, it is determined that ice making is completed because -7.2 ° C, the maximum value of the measured temperature values, is -7 ° C or less, which is the set temperature value.

The ice making control unit 86 turns on and off the heater 82 when it is determined that the ice making is completed (S4).

When the heater 82 is turned on, the ice maker mold 52 is heated by the heater 82 to increase its temperature, and the ice maker I begins to melt from a portion in contact with the ice maker mold 52 while the ice maker mold 52 is melted. It is separated from the mold 52.

On the other hand, the heater 82 may be turned off after a set time (for example, two minutes) has elapsed since the heater 82 is turned on. The plurality of ice making spaces 61, 62, 63, Of course, it is also possible to compare the temperature of any one of the peripheral temperature of 64, 65, 66 with the 2nd set temperature.

That is, the minimum value Tmin of the temperature values measured by the plurality of temperature sensors 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58 is compared with the second set temperature (eg, 0 ° C.), and the minimum value is 2nd. When the temperature is higher than the set temperature, the ice determines that the ice maker mold 52 is separated and turns off the heater 82.

For example, each temperature value measured by the plurality of temperature sensors 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58 is 1 ℃, 1 ℃, 0.7 ℃, 0, 2 ℃, 0 ℃, -1 ℃ When the second set temperature value is 0.5 ° C., since −1 ° C., which is the minimum value of the measured temperature values, is lower than 0.5 ° C., which is the second set temperature value, a part of the ice is not yet melted and is attached to the ice maker mold. And each temperature value measured by the plurality of temperature sensors 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58 is 1 ° C, 1 ° C, 0.7 ° C, 0,7 ° C, 0.1 ° C, 1 ° C, When the second set temperature value is 0.5 ° C, since 0.7 ° C, which is the minimum value of the measured temperature values, is higher than 0.5 ° C, which is the second set temperature value, each ice making space 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, The ice of 66 is determined to be the ice maker mold 52 separated.

Then, the ice making control unit 86 turns on the motor 87 to rotate the pin 60b of the ejector 60 from the initial position A to the ice position B, and then returns to the initial position A again. (S5)

As the ejector 60 rotates, the ice I in the ice maker mold 52 is scooped up and raised to the slider 84, guided to the slider 84, and iced to the ice bank 88.

Then, the ice making control unit 68 determines whether or not the ice bank 70 is full by the ice detection lever 92 (S6).

If it is determined that the ice bank 88 is not full of ice, the ice making control unit 68 repeats the above water supply, ice making, ice breaking, and full ice detection, and when it is determined that the ice bank 88 is full of ice, Stops watering, deicing, heating, ice and ice detection.

10 is a cross-sectional view of an ice maker 2 embodiment according to the present invention.

As shown in FIG. 10, the ice maker according to the present embodiment includes an ice maker mold 52 in which a plurality of ice making spaces 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, and 66 are formed, and the plurality of ice making spaces ( A plurality of temperature sensors (110, 111, 112) mounted to the periphery of the portion (62, 64, 66) of the 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, and the ice making space (61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66) And an ejector 60 for discharging the ice in the shell. Other constructions and operations other than the plurality of temperature sensors 110, 111, and 112 are the same as those of the first embodiment of the present invention, and thus a detailed description thereof will be omitted.

The plurality of temperature sensors 110, 111, and 112 may be mounted on the bottom surface of the ice maker mold 52 among the peripheral parts.

In the control method of the ice maker according to the present invention configured as described above, the plurality of temperature sensors mounted on the ice maker mold outputs the measured temperature value, the ice making control is completed using the plurality of temperature values and the set temperature value output Therefore, it is possible to more accurately determine whether the water contained in each ice making space is completed more accurately, to prevent malfunctions that may occur during partial ice making of the water, and to accurately determine the icebreaking time of the ice making ice making And it has the advantage that can shorten the overall ice making time including the ice.

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Claims (6)

delete delete delete delete  An ice maker mold having a plurality of ice making spaces in which water is iced; A plurality of temperature sensors mounted at peripheral portions of each of the plurality of ice making spaces of the ice maker mold; A heater mounted to the ice maker mold to heat the ice maker mold; An ice maker including an ejector rotatably disposed on an upper side of the ice maker mold to discharge ice in the ice making space, A first step of outputting a temperature value measured by the plurality of temperature sensors; A second step of comparing the maximum value among the plurality of temperature values output from the plurality of temperature sensors with the set temperature value and determining that the ice making is completed when the maximum value is less than or equal to the set temperature value; A third step of turning on and off the heater when it is determined that the ice making is completed in the second step; And a fourth step of rotating the ejector from the initial position to the ice position after the third step, restoring the ejector to the initial position to scoop up and ice the ice.  The method of claim 5, wherein In the third step, the heater may be turned off by comparing the minimum value among the plurality of temperature values measured and output by the plurality of temperature sensors with a second set temperature value and determining that the minimum value is equal to or greater than the second set temperature value. Control method of the ice maker.

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