KR100697415B1 - Ice storing apparatus of refrigerator - Google Patents

Abstract

An ice storing apparatus of a refrigerator is provided to prevent ice cubes from being lumped with each other, reduce power consumption by easily pulverizing ice without opening a refrigerator door, and accurately detect an amount of ice left in an ice storage container. A case stores ice. A transporter(12) includes a base plate(121) mounted in the case for transferring ice to a front and adhered closely to an inner peripheral surface of the case, having a predetermined diameter, a shaft(122) extended from the center of the base plate to a front in predetermined length, and a push blade(123) wound in a spiral shape from a front side of the base plate along an outer peripheral surface of the shaft. A motor rotates the transporter.

Description

Ice storing apparatus of refrigerator

1 is a perspective view showing a refrigerator equipped with an ice storage device according to the spirit of the present invention.

Figure 2 is an external perspective view showing an ice maker according to the spirit of the present invention.

3 is an external perspective view of an ice bank according to the spirit of the present invention;

4 is a side cross-sectional view of the ice bank.

5 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line II ′ of FIG. 1.

6 is an external perspective view of a transporter according to the spirit of the present invention;

7 to 9 are views showing the ice is transported as the transporter rotates.

<Explanation of symbols for the main parts of the drawings>

1: refrigerator 2: body

4: door 5: ice maker

7: dispenser 10: ice bank

11: case 12: transporter

13: pressure plate 14: motor

The present invention relates to a refrigerator, and more particularly, to an ice storage device of a refrigerator which stores ice produced in an ice maker and prevents the ice discharged from the ice maker from coming into contact with each other.

In general, a refrigerator is a home appliance that maintains a high temperature inside a room temperature so that food is kept in a refrigerated or frozen state so as not to be damaged for a long time.

In hot summers, the demand for cold water is soaring, and ice is consumed in large quantities. In order to satisfy these demands, refrigerators having a separate ice maker inside the freezer are generally spread. In recent years, refrigerators capable of extracting ice without having to open a freezer door have emerged. As a result, when the freezer door is opened to take out the ice, the load in the refrigerator is increased and power consumption is solved.

On the other hand, the conventional ice making device was composed of a plate formed with a plurality of grooves and an ice storage container provided below the plate. Therefore, in order to make ice again after the ice is completely consumed, the user has to fill the groove formed in the plate with water and then put it in the freezer. In order to eliminate this inconvenience, an ice making apparatus has been developed that automatically detects the amount of ice stored in the ice storage container and automatically performs an ice making process. As a result, the user does not have to open the freezer door to directly check the amount of ice remaining in the ice storage container. In addition, the water is automatically supplied to the ice making apparatus by detecting the time when the ice making process is required, so that the user does not need to fill the plate with ice every time.

By the development of the automatic ice making device as described above, there is an advantage in that an appropriate amount of ice is always maintained in the ice storage container, but has the following problems.

In detail, when the ice is stored in the ice storage container for a long time, there is a problem that the ice cubes are in contact with each other and entangled. Therefore, the volume of the ice chunk becomes large so that it does not pass through the ice outlet, and thus there is a disadvantage that the ice extraction is not easily performed.

As such, when a plurality of ice is tangled into one, there is a disadvantage in that the user takes out the ice storage container and grinds it by hand. In addition, since the freezer door must be opened to take out the ice storage container, there is a disadvantage in that power consumption increases.

In addition, when the ice is tangled, even though the ice is not filled in the ice storage container, the controller of the ice maker detects that the ice is filled. In this case, ice makers continue to produce ice and eventually malfunction of the ice makers, which causes the ice makers to fail.

The present invention has been proposed to solve the above problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide an ice storage device of a refrigerator that prevents the ice stored in the ice storage container from being entangled with each other to facilitate the extraction of the ice.

Ice storage device of the refrigerator according to the present invention for achieving the object as described above is a case in which ice is stored; A base plate mounted inside the case to transfer ice forward, the base plate having a predetermined diameter to be in close contact with the inner circumferential surface of the case, a shaft extending a predetermined length forward from the center of the base plate, and from the front surface of the base plate; A transporter including a push blade wound spirally along an outer circumferential surface of the shaft; And a motor for rotating the transporter. The angle formed by the top surface of the push blade and the shaft is different from the angle formed by the bottom surface and the shaft.

According to the configuration as described above, when a large amount of ice is stored in the ice storage container there is an effect that the crushing of ice cubes to each other is prevented.

Hereinafter, specific embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, the spirit of the present invention is not limited to the embodiments presented, and other embodiments included within the scope of other inventive inventions or the scope of the present invention can be easily made by adding, changing, or deleting other elements. I can suggest.

1 is a perspective view showing a refrigerator equipped with an ice storage device according to the spirit of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 1, the refrigerator 1 equipped with an ice storage device according to the present invention includes a main body 2 including a refrigerating chamber 21 and a freezing chamber 22, and rotates in front of the main body 2. The door 4 is installed to be capable of opening and closing the refrigerator compartment 21 and the freezer compartment 22.

In detail, the door 4 includes a refrigerating compartment door 41 for opening and closing the refrigerating compartment 21 and a freezing compartment door 42 for opening and closing the freezing compartment 22.

In addition, an ice maker 5 for manufacturing ice, an ice bank 10 connected directly below the ice maker 5, and an ice bank 10 connected to the inside of the freezer door 42, directly below the ice bank 10. Dispenser 7 is provided.

In detail, the ice produced by the ice maker 5 is stored in the ice bank 10, and the ice stored in the ice bank 10 is an ice drop tube 71 formed in the dispenser 7 (see FIG. 5). Taken out to the outside of the refrigerator 1.

Hereinafter, a process of storing the ice produced by the ice maker 5 in the ice bank 10 and an ice tangling structure for preventing the tangling of the ice will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

2 is an external perspective view showing an ice maker according to the spirit of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 2, the ice maker 5 according to the present invention includes an ice making unit 52 in which water is supplied from the outside, and an ice making chamber in which water supplied through the water supply unit 52 is made of ice having a predetermined size. 53), an ejector 54 for separating the ice produced in the ice making chamber 13, a control box 51 having various components such as a motor and a gear for allowing the ejector 54 to rotate, In addition, the ice bank 10 is included, the ice detection lever 18 for detecting whether the ice is filled.

In detail, the ejector 54 may include a rotating shaft 541 connected to a motor inside the control box 51 and an extension part protruding from the outer circumferential surface of the rotating shaft 541 to pump up ice in the ice making chamber 13. 542). When the ice detection lever 18 detects that the ice bank 10 is sufficiently filled with ice, the operation of the ice maker 5 is stopped.

In addition, the interior of the ice making chamber 13 is partitioned into a plurality of small spaces so that ice is formed to an appropriate size. In addition, the ice produced in each compartment is pumped up by the extension 542 of the ejector 54 and falls into the ice bank 10.

Figure 3 is an external perspective view of an ice bank according to the spirit of the present invention, Figure 4 is a side cross-sectional view of the ice bank.

3 and 4, the ice bank 10 according to the present invention is located directly below the ice maker 5, as described above, so that the ice carried by the ejector 54 falls.

In detail, the ice bank 10 includes a case 11 having an ice chamber 13 for accommodating ice therein, and a transporter mounted in a horizontal direction inside the case 11 to transfer ice ( 12) and a motor 14 mounted in front of the transporter 12 to rotate the transporter 12 and a pressure plate 13 protruding obliquely at a predetermined angle to the rear inner peripheral surface of the case 11. do. In more detail, the pressure plate 13 is inclined downward at a predetermined angle to prevent the ice from shaking during the entanglement of the ice stored in the ice chamber 13.

In addition, the case 11 is coupled to the front surface of the first case 111 and the first case 111 in which the pressing plate 13 is integrally or detachably mounted therein, and has an inclined surface (inside). A second case 112 having a 112a formed therein and a third case 113 coupled to the front surface of the second case 112 and having a motor accommodating portion 113a formed at the front center portion thereof. In detail, the ice transported forward by the transporter 12 rises on the inclined surface 112a of the second case 112 and then descends again. That is, the ice is circulated in the ice chamber 113 by the rotation of the transporter 12, so that the ice does not clump together.

In addition, the transporter 12 is connected to the motor shaft 141 of the motor 14 and rotates, and a plurality of disposers 142 are formed on the outer circumferential surface of the motor shaft at predetermined intervals. The length of the disperser 142 is located in the inner space formed between the second case 112 and the third case 113. A dropping hole 114 is formed at a lower end of the space where the poser 112 is located, and an ice discharge hole 112b is formed below the front part of the second case 112 to form the transporter 111a. The ice pushed forward by the ice is discharged forward through the ice discharge hole 112b, and the ice discharged through the ice discharge hole 112b falls through the drop hole 114, and the dispenser It is taken out through (7).

Hereinafter, the ice tangling process and the ice extraction process will be described in more detail with the accompanying drawings.

5 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line II ′ of FIG. 1.

Referring to FIG. 5, the ice maker 5, the ice bank 10, and the dispenser 7 according to the present invention are attached to the inside of the freezer compartment door 421. In addition, the ice maker 5 is located directly above the ice bank 10, and the ice spread by the ejector 54 is dropped and stored in the ice bank 10. Then, the ice is mixed by the transporter 12 mounted in the ice bank 10, and the tangle is eliminated. At the same time, the ice pushed by the transporter 12 is discharged to the outside of the ice bank 10 through the ice discharge hole 112b and the drop hole 114. The discharged ice falls through the ice drop pipe 71 of the dispenser 7.

Meanwhile, a container outlet 421 is formed at the front side of the freezing compartment door 42 for injecting a container such as a cup for holding ice, and a cup introduced through the container outlet 421 is provided inside the dispenser 7. The cup receiving portion 72 is formed. The cup receiving portion 72 communicates with the ice drop tube 71. By the structure as described above, the ice falling through the ice drop tube 71 is dropped to the cup accommodated in the cup receiving portion (72).

In addition, the ice transported forward by the transporter 12 is crushed to an appropriate size by the disposer 142.

On the other hand, the ice stored in the ice chamber 113 by the rotation of the transporter 12 is simultaneously subjected to the force to the front and the upper side. Therefore, the ice stored in the ice chamber 113 is transported forward and shaken upward while the ice is mixed and the tangles are eliminated. In detail, the ice conveyed by the rotation of the transporter 12 rises and falls along the inclined surface 112a of the second case 112. Then, the rising ice is suppressed by the pressure plate (13). That is, in the process of suppressing the rise of the ice pushed upward by the transporter 12 by the pressure plate 13, the entanglement of the ice is eliminated.

6 is an external perspective view of a transporter according to the spirit of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 6, the transporter 12 according to the present invention transfers the pieces of ice stored in the ice bank 10 to the front and simultaneously pushes upwards to make the ice shake so that the tangles are eliminated. do.

In detail, the transporter 12 includes a base plate 121 having a predetermined diameter d, which is in close contact with the inner circumferential surface of the case 11, and a shaft extending a predetermined length forward from the center of the base plate 121. And a push blade 123 wound around the outer surface of the shaft 122 from the base plate 121 in a spiral shape and a rear surface of the push blade 123 to have a predetermined length. Reinforcement ribs 124 are included to reinforce the strength of 123.

In more detail, a motor shaft insertion hole 122a for inserting the motor shaft 141 is formed in the shaft 122.

In addition, the push blade 123 is spirally wound along the outer circumferential surface of the shaft 122 from the front surface of the base plate 121, the twist angle (θ) formed by the upper surface and the shaft 122 and the lower surface and the shaft The twist angle δ formed by the 122 is formed differently.

In detail, the general spiral-shaped screw is wound in the same state as the angle between the top surface of the blade and the rotation center axis is the same as the angle between the bottom surface and the rotation center of the blade. In this case, the blade only performs the function of transporting the object forward or backward.

However, in the case of the push blade 123 according to the present invention so that the upper surface twist angle (θ) and the lower surface twist angle (δ) of the blade is formed differently, the object, that is, ice as the push blade 123 is rotated This forces you forward and upward.

More specifically, when the upper surface twist angle θ of the blade is larger than the lower surface twist angle δ, ice is conveyed forward and upward by the push blade 123. Therefore, as the transporter 12 rotates, the ice stored in the ice bank 10 is transferred forward and is shaken by an upward force. Then, the entanglement of the ice is eliminated by this shaking. In addition, two push blades 12 are formed on both sides of the shaft 122 so that one push blade 12 pushes up the ice and the other push blade 12 is below the shaft 122. Ice will be transported forward.

Hereinafter will be described in more detail with reference to the transport process of the ice caused by the rotation of the transporter 12.

7 to 9 are views showing the ice is transported as the transporter rotates.

Referring to FIG. 7, in the initial state just before the transporter 12 rotates, ice is in a position close to the base plate 121 of the transporter 12. In this state, when the transporter 12 rotates at a predetermined angle, ice is transported forward and upward.

Referring to FIG. 8, the transporter 12 is rotated by a predetermined angle so that the ice is at the highest height.

In detail, as the transporter 12 rotates, the push blade 123 rotates and pushes the ice upward and pushes forward. Therefore, the ice placed on the upper surface of the push blade 123 ascends the ice inside the case 11. At the same time, the ice is transported forward and moves towards the disposer 142.

Referring to FIG. 9, as the transporter 12 rotates further, the ice descends from the highest point.

In detail, the ice rising to the highest point slides down the upper surface of the push blade 123 as the transporter 12 rotates. Then, the sliding ice falls to the bottom of the case (11). In this state, the push blade 123 located below the shaft 122 transfers the dropped ice to the front. The ice transported forward moves to the space where the disposer 142 is located through the ice discharge hole 112b of the case 11.

In addition, the ice moved toward the disposer 142 is crushed to a small size by the rotation of the disposer 142, the crushed ice is dropped through the drop hole 114 of the case (11). Then, the falling ice is dropped along the ice drop tube 71 of the dispenser 7 is put in the cup.

On the other hand, when the ice rises while the push blade 123 rotates, the ice contained at the top is suppressed by the pressure plate 13 attached to the inner circumferential surface of the case 11. Therefore, the ice stored in the case 11 is mixed by the pushing force of the push blade 123 and the pressing force of the pressure plate 13 to eliminate the entanglement.

In addition, the pressure plate 13 is formed to be inclined downward by a predetermined angle, thereby guiding the ice falling from the ice maker 5 to fall in front of the case 11. In addition, the ice falling in front of the case 11 flows along the inclined surface 112a inside the case 11 to move toward the transporter 12.

By the above configuration, even if the ice is stored in the ice bank 10 for a long time there is an effect that the entanglement does not occur.

By the ice storage device of the refrigerator according to the present invention having the configuration as described above, when a large amount of ice is stored in the ice storage container there is an effect that the ice cubes are entangled with each other.

In addition, there is no need to manually crush the ice in the ice storage container, there is no need to open the refrigerator door has the effect of reducing the power consumption.

In addition, since the crushing of the ice cubes is eliminated, it is possible to accurately detect the amount of ice remaining in the ice storage container, there is an effect that can prevent the malfunction or failure of the ice maker.

Claims (6)

A case in which ice is stored; A base plate mounted inside the case to transfer ice forward, the base plate having a predetermined diameter to be in close contact with the inner circumferential surface of the case, a shaft extending a predetermined length forward from the center of the base plate, and from the front surface of the base plate; A transporter including a push blade wound spirally along an outer circumferential surface of the shaft; Includes a motor for rotating the transporter, Ice storage device of the refrigerator characterized in that the angle formed by the top surface and the shaft of the push blade is formed differently the angle formed by the bottom surface and the shaft. The method of claim 1, Ice storage device of the refrigerator characterized in that the angle formed by the top surface and the shaft of the push blade is larger than the angle formed by the bottom surface and the shaft. The method of claim 1, The ice storage device of the refrigerator, characterized in that the ice stored in the case is pressed forward and upward in accordance with the rotation of the push blade. The method of claim 1, Ice storage device of the refrigerator further comprises a pressure plate extending on one side of the inner peripheral surface of the case. The method of claim 4, wherein The pressure plate is an ice storage device of the refrigerator, characterized in that formed to be inclined downward by a predetermined angle. The method of claim 1, Ice storage device of the refrigerator further comprises at least one or more reinforcing ribs formed in a predetermined length on the back of the push blade.

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