KR101195880B1 - A refrigerator and the powder ice manufacture method - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a refrigerator and a method for manufacturing powdered ice, and an object of the present invention is to control a time for supplying ice to an ice cube room to improve ice breakout and component breakage due to excessive amount of ice. In providing.

In addition, to minimize the amount of ice remaining inside the ice machine after the manufacture of ice powder to provide a refrigerator and powder ice manufacturing method that can prevent the falling ice clings or melted ice after the falling ice.

To this end, the present invention provides a powder ice manufacturing method of a refrigerator for manufacturing powdered ice by supplying ice stored in an ice storage unit provided in a freezer compartment to a powdered ice manufacturing unit provided at an outlet side of the ice storage unit through an ice supplying unit. Characterized in that the drive time of the powder ice production unit is set longer than the drive time of the ice supply unit.

Description

A refrigerator and the powder ice manufacture method

1 is a flowchart illustrating a conventional powder ice manufacturing method.

2 is a graph showing the driving time of the conventional powder ice manufacturing motor and the ice supply motor.

3 is a cross-sectional view illustrating an internal structure of a refrigerator according to an embodiment of the present invention.

4 is a block diagram illustrating components of the refrigerator illustrated in FIG. 3.

5 is a graph showing the driving time of the powder ice production motor and the ice supply motor according to an embodiment of the present invention.

6 is a flowchart illustrating a powder ice manufacturing method of the refrigerator illustrated in FIG. 4.

Explanation of symbols on the main parts of the drawings

20: Ice storage container

30: powder ice manufacturing unit

32: powder ice manufacturing motor

50: ice supply unit

51: ice supply motor

60 control unit

The present invention relates to a refrigerator and a method for producing powdered ice, and more particularly, to a refrigerator and a method for producing powdered ice, by supplying ice in an optimum amount necessary for preparing the powdered ice by adjusting the amount of ice supply.

In general, the refrigerator is divided into a refrigerator compartment and a freezer compartment having a temperature difference, and a part of the cold air provided by the evaporator of the freezer compartment is supplied to the refrigerator compartment or a separate evaporator is installed in the refrigerator compartment to lower the temperature of the refrigerator compartment. As a result, the food stored in the refrigerator maintains freshness.

Recently, as refrigerators become more advanced and larger in capacity, refrigerators equipped with water / ice dispensers that can draw chilled water or ice without opening the doors of refrigerators are on the rise. In addition, if you want to produce ice water there is an inconvenience to have a separate ice ice unit. In order to solve this problem, a refrigerator equipped with an ice shaver is required to ice cubed ice made in a freezing compartment with shaved ice and discharge it to the outside of the freezing compartment.

In this way, the ice machine of the refrigerator is located below the outlet of the ice bucket for storing ice cubes manufactured by the ice maker, and the ice discharged from the ice reservoir is made into powder ice through the ice machine. The ice storage chamber is provided with a spiral supply unit for supplying the stored ice to the discharge port, which is connected to the ice supply motor disposed behind the storage chamber. In addition, the ice machine is provided with an ice cutter having an ice cutter and an outlet, making ice cubes discharged from the ice storage chamber into powder ice using the ice cutter to discharge through the outlet. Powder ice production motor is connected to drive the ice machine. As shown in Figure 1, when the user presses the powder ice production button to produce ice water, the control unit of the refrigerator determines whether the powder ice production signal is input. (S10) If it is determined that the powder ice production signal is input The control signal is output to the powder ice production motor and the ice supply motor to start driving of each motor. (S20, S30)

When the drive is started, the ice supply motor supplies the ice cubes in the ice storage room to the ice cube room, and in the ice cube room, the motor for powder ice production operates the cutter installed inside the ice cube room to ice the supplied ice cubes with powdered ice Discharge through

The control unit determines whether the powder ice production cycle is finished by the amount set by the user (S40). If it is determined that the powder ice production is finished, the control unit outputs a stop signal to the powder ice manufacturing motor and the ice supply motor. Stop driving of the motor (S50)

In the conventional powder ice manufacturing method, as shown in FIG. 2, when the powder ice manufacturing signal is input, the powder ice manufacturing motor and the ice supply motor start operation at the same time, and when the powder ice production is completed, the operation is performed at the same time. Control to stop.

Other ice machines of the refrigerator are disclosed in detail in Korean Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 1999-40637 and Korean Patent Publication No. 10-360863.

However, the conventional powder ice manufacturing method is because the ice supply motor also operates during the operation of the powder ice production motor to continue to supply ice to the ice cube room, according to the amount of ice is excessive, the ice is out of the ice cube room or the ice breaker is broken There was this.

In addition, since the ice supply continues until the end of powder ice production, a large amount of ice remains inside the ice machine after the powder ice is manufactured, and after the ice is entangled in the ice machine or the ice is melted, the water falls out of the refrigerator. There was a problem.

The present invention is to solve the above-mentioned problems, an object of the present invention is to provide a refrigerator and powder ice manufacturing method that can improve the ice breakout and parts breakage phenomenon due to the excessive amount of ice by controlling the time the ice is supplied to the ice machine To provide.

In addition, another object of the present invention to provide a refrigerator and a method for producing powdered ice which can prevent the occurrence of falling water by minimizing the amount of ice remaining inside the ice machine after the production of powdered ice and the remaining ice melted. will be.

The present invention for achieving the above object of the refrigerator to supply the ice cubes stored in the ice storage unit provided in the freezer compartment to the powder ice production unit provided on the outlet side of the ice storage unit through the ice supply unit to produce powdered ice In the powder ice manufacturing method, it characterized in that the drive time of the powder ice production unit is set longer than the drive time of the ice supply unit.

It characterized in that the ice supply unit is stopped before the powder ice production unit.

It characterized in that for further driving the powder ice manufacturing unit for a predetermined time after the ice supply unit is stopped.

Maintaining the drive of the powder ice production unit, it characterized in that to generate the powder ice by repeating the drive and stop of the ice supply unit.

When the driving of the powder ice manufacturing unit is started, the process of driving the ice supply unit for a predetermined first reference time and then stopping for a predetermined second reference time is repeated.

When the driving frequency of the ice supply unit is a predetermined number or more, characterized in that the ice supply unit is stopped.

When the predetermined time elapses, the powder ice manufacturing unit may be further driven for a preset third reference time to generate powder ice.

In addition, the present invention provides a powder ice manufacturing method of a refrigerator for manufacturing powder ice by supplying the ice stored in the ice storage unit provided in the freezer compartment to the powder ice manufacturing unit provided on the outlet side of the ice storage unit through the ice supply unit, The powder ice manufacturing unit is driven for a preset time, and the ice supply unit is controlled to repeat driving and stopping for the preset time.

When the driving of the powder ice manufacturing unit is started, the process of driving the ice supply unit for a predetermined first reference time and then stopping for a predetermined second reference time is repeated for the predetermined time.

When the driving frequency of the ice supply unit is a predetermined number or more, the ice supply unit may be immediately stopped without stopping for the second preset reference time.

In addition, the present invention provides an ice maker provided in the freezer compartment for producing ice, an ice storage unit for storing the ice iced in the ice maker, an ice supply unit for supplying the ice stored in the ice storage unit to the outside, the ice supply unit It characterized in that it comprises a powder ice production unit for producing the ice supplied by the powder ice, and a control unit for controlling the powder ice production unit to drive longer than the ice supply unit.

The control unit is characterized in that to stop the ice supply unit before the powder ice production unit.

When the driving of the powder ice manufacturing unit is started, the control unit may repeat the process of driving the ice supply unit for a predetermined first reference time and then stopping for a preset second reference time.

The control unit drives the powder ice manufacturing unit for a predetermined time, and repeats the process of driving the ice supply unit for a predetermined first reference time and then stopped for a predetermined second reference time for a predetermined time, When the predetermined time has elapsed, the powder ice manufacturing unit is further driven for a preset third reference time.

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

As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the refrigerator according to the present invention includes a housing 1 having an open front, a freezer door 2 hinged to an open front of the housing 1, and a refrigerator compartment door (not shown). ) To form an external appearance, and the freezer compartment 4 and the refrigerating compartment (not shown) which are opened and closed by the freezer compartment door 2 and the refrigerating compartment door (not shown) are respectively provided inside the housing.

An evaporator 5 for generating cold air is installed on the rear wall of the housing 1, and a compressor 6 for compressing a refrigerant is installed at the lower rear of the housing 1, and an upper portion of the freezing chamber 4 has a predetermined size. An automatic ice maker 10 for automatically making and supplying ice is installed.

The automatic ice maker 10 is provided with an ice container 11 for making ice by supplying water, and an ice storage container 20 disposed under the ice container 11 to store ice cubes formed in the ice container 11. And a water supply pipe 12 connected to an external water supply source and extending to an upper portion of the ice production container 11 to supply water for making ice to the ice production container 11.

The freezing chamber door 2 is provided with a powder ice manufacturing unit 30 for supplying the ice cubes supplied from the ice storage container 20 into powder ice, and a recess for installing the powder ice manufacturing unit 30. 17) and the powder ice outlet 13 is formed, the ice storage container 20 is provided with a cube ice supply unit 50 for supplying ice cubes to the powder ice production unit 30. An ice supply motor 51 is installed behind the ice supply unit 50 to drive the supply unit 50.

As described above, if a predetermined time elapses after the water is filled in the ice container 11 through the water supply pipe 12, the water inside the ice container 11 is frozen by cold air circulating in the freezing chamber 4, resulting in ice cubes. It is made, the ice cube is made is automatically delivered to the ice storage container 20 to fill the ice storage container (20).

In this state, when the user inputs the powder ice production signal, the ice supply unit 50 and the powder ice production unit 30 are operated so that the powder ice is discharged to the outside of the freezing chamber door through the powder ice outlet 13.

In addition, the ice supply unit 50 is connected to the ice supply motor 51 installed at one end of the ice storage container 20 to the powder ice manufacturing unit 30 installed in the freezing compartment door ice cubes stored in the ice storage container 20 Will be sent.

The powder ice manufacturing unit 30 is provided inside the freezer compartment door, which is fixed to the recess 17 in communication with the powder ice outlet 13 and disposed on the outside of the inner space of the freezer compartment door 32. And a reduction gear assembly 33 disposed on the powder ice manufacturing motor 32, a case 34 fixed to the inner space and a rotating cylinder rotatably disposed inside the case 34. 35).

The reduction gear assembly 33 which is axially coupled to the powder ice production motor 32 is composed of a plurality of reduction gears engaged with each other to appropriately reduce the rotational speed of the powder ice production motor 32.

The rotating cylinder 35 formed by opening the upper and lower portions has a spiral blade 37 formed extending in a spiral shape from the inner circumferential surface thereof, and a blade (cutter) is formed at the bottom of the case 34 in which the rotating cylinder 35 is rotatably fitted. 41 is fixed so that the spiral blade 37 formed in a spiral shape on the inner circumferential surface of the rotating cylinder 35 is rotated to make powder ice.

In addition to this, a key input unit 61 for allowing a user to select the amount of powdered ice, a production time, and the like, and a control unit 60 for controlling various units of the refrigerator are further included.

When the powder ice production signal is input, the control unit 60 outputs a driving signal to the powder ice production motor 32 and the ice supply motor 51, and receives the powder ice production motor 32 and the ice supply motor. The driving of the 51 causes powder ice production to start. The ice cubes stored in the ice storage container 20 are transferred to the powder ice manufacturing unit 30 through the ice supply unit 50 by the operation of the ice supply motor 51, and the ice cubes are powder ice manufacturing units. (30) When coming into the inside of the case (34) while rotating the ice inside the rotating cylinder 35 by the spiral blades 37 formed in the rotating cylinder 35 by the drive of the powder ice manufacturing motor 32 The blade is iced by the blade 41 disposed on the bottom to be made of powdered ice.

Thus, the ice cubes supplied by the ice supply motor 51 are made into powdered ice by the powdered ice manufacturing motor 32. When the cubed ice is continuously supplied to the powdered ice manufacturing unit 30, the powdered ice manufacturing unit ( 30) The ice cubes in the powder ice manufacturing motor 32 and the ice supply motor 51 are driven more than necessary because the ice cubes may be more than necessary and the ice cubes may deviate outward or the parts of the powder ice manufacturing unit 30 may be damaged. It is controlled as shown in FIG.

The ice supply motor 51 drives the ice supply motor 51 during the first reference time period T1 while the powder ice production motor 32 continues to drive the predetermined time T _M1 by inputting the powder ice production signal. By supplying each ice to the powder ice manufacturing unit 30, by stopping the ice supply motor 51 for a predetermined second reference time (T2) to supply an appropriate amount of ice to the powder ice manufacturing unit 30, Even if the ice supply is stopped for the second reference time, the powder ice is produced continuously after the first reference time T1 and the second reference time T2. After the second reference time T2 has elapsed, the ice supply motor 51 is driven again for the first reference time T1 to supply ice cubes into the powdered ice manufacturing unit 30 and to drive for the second reference time T2. The process of stopping the operation is repeated.

When the ice supply motor 51 has been driven by a predetermined number of driving times (N), the ice supply motor 51 is completely stopped, and the powdered ice manufacturing motor 32 is further driven for a third preset reference time T3. This is for discharging the remaining ice cubes out of the powder ice production unit, which is produced as powder ice in the powder ice production unit 30 and is not discharged.

The first reference time, the second reference time, the third reference time, and the predetermined number of times vary according to the type of powder ice manufacturing process set by the user, and the value is calculated in advance according to each process to the control unit 60. It is stored. For example, if the user wants to produce powdered ice for 1 serving of red bean shaved ice, and presses the 1 serving button, the powdered ice manufacturing motor is driven for 52 seconds, and the ice supply motor 51 is driven for 3 seconds (T1). In the process of stopping for 4 seconds (T2), the ice supply motor 51 repeats driving and stopping for 52 seconds by repeating the driving of 3 seconds (T1) for 8 times (N) for 4 seconds (T2) for 7 times. And, during the last 4 seconds (T3) by driving only the powdered ice manufacturing motor 32 to produce the powdered ice.

Hereinafter, a method of manufacturing powdered ice of the refrigerator shown in FIG. 4 will be described with reference to FIG. 6.

First, when the user selects the powder ice manufacturing process through the key input unit 61 and inputs the powder ice production signal, the control unit 60 determines whether the powder ice production signal is input through the key input unit 61. (S100)

When the powder ice production signal is input, the control unit 60 sets the third reference time T3 to additionally drive the powder ice production motor 32 according to the powder ice manufacturing process set by the user. 32, the first reference time T1 at which the ice supply motor 51 is driven, the second reference time T2 at which the ice supply is stopped, and the driving frequency N are set. 51) (S120)

When the control method setting of the powder ice production motor 32 and the ice supply motor 51 is completed, the powder ice production motor 32 is driven (S130). At the same time, the driving of the ice supply motor 51 is also started. (S140) When the driving of the powder ice manufacturing motor 32 and the ice supply motor 51 is started, the powder ice is manufactured by the above-described method, but after the start of the driving of the ice supply motor 51, the first reference time (T1). If the first reference time T1 has elapsed, the ice supply motor 51 is stopped (S150, S160).

Then, it is determined whether the driving of the ice supply motor 51 is repeated by a predetermined number N. (S170) As a result of the determination, the ice supply motor 51 is driven once, so that the ice supply motor 51 is stopped. After that, it is determined whether the time for the second reference time T2 has elapsed. (S180) When the ice supply motor 51 stops for the second reference time T2, the ice supply motor 51 is removed again. The motor is driven by one reference time T1, and when the first reference time T1 elapses, the process of stopping the ice supply motor by the second reference time T2 is repeated. (S140, S150, S160, S170, and S180).

When the ice supply motor 51 has been driven a predetermined number of times (N), the ice supply motor 51 is completely stopped and the powder ice production motor 32 is additionally driven for the third reference time T3. 30) make the ice remaining in the powdered ice and discharge it out. (S190)

As described in detail above, the present invention can prevent the excessive supply of ice to the powder ice manufacturing unit by repeating the drive and stop the ice supply unit can prevent the phenomenon of the separation of the ice and breakage of parts.

In addition, by further driving the powder ice manufacturing unit after the ice supply unit is stopped, it is possible to minimize the amount of ice remaining in the powder ice manufacturing unit to prevent tangling of the remnants and melting of the remaining ice.

Claims (14)

In the ice cube manufacturing method of the refrigerator for manufacturing powdered ice by supplying the ice cube stored in the ice storage unit provided in the freezer compartment to the powdered ice manufacturing unit provided on the outlet side of the ice storage unit through the ice supply unit, The ice storage unit discharges the ice cube during the ice supply unit driving time, and when the ice supply unit driving time elapses, even if the powder ice manufacturing unit is driven during the ice supply unit stop time, the ice cube of the ice storage unit Is not discharged, The powder ice manufacturing unit is a powder ice manufacturing method of the refrigerator, characterized in that for operating longer than the ice supply unit driving time and the ice supply unit stop time. The method of claim 1, wherein the ice supply unit is stopped before the powder ice production unit. The method of claim 2, wherein the powder ice manufacturing unit is further driven for a predetermined time after the ice supply unit is stopped. The method of claim 1, The powder ice manufacturing unit maintains driving, and the ice supply unit repeats the driving during the ice supply unit driving time and the stopping during the ice supply unit stop time. delete 5. The method of claim 4, And if the driving frequency of the ice supply unit during the driving time of the ice supply unit is greater than or equal to a predetermined number of times, stopping the ice supply unit. The method according to claim 6, When the ice supply unit is stopped, the powder ice manufacturing method of the refrigerator, characterized in that for further driving the powder ice manufacturing unit for a predetermined third reference time to generate powder ice. In the powder ice manufacturing method of the refrigerator for manufacturing powder ice by supplying the ice stored in the ice storage unit provided in the freezer compartment to the powder ice production unit provided on the outlet side of the ice storage unit through the ice supply unit, The powder ice manufacturing unit is driven for a preset time, And a method of controlling the ice supply unit to repeat driving and stopping for the predetermined time. 10. The method of claim 8, wherein when the driving of the powder ice manufacturing unit is started, the process of driving the ice supply unit for a preset first reference time and then stopping for the preset second reference time is repeated for the preset time. Powder ice manufacturing method of the refrigerator, characterized in that. The method of claim 9, wherein if the driving frequency of the ice supply unit is greater than or equal to a predetermined number of times, the ice supply unit is immediately stopped without stopping for the second preset reference time. An ice machine provided in the freezer to make ice, An ice storage unit storing ice iced in the ice maker; The ice supply unit driving time at which the ice of the ice storage unit is discharged, and the ice supply unit stop time at which the ice of the ice storage unit is discharged while the powder ice manufacturing unit is being driven, Ice supply unit to supply to the outside, Powdered ice manufacturing unit for manufacturing the ice supplied by the ice supply unit to the powdered ice, And a control unit for controlling the driving time of the powder ice manufacturing unit to be longer than the driving time of the ice supply unit and the stopping time of the ice supply unit during powder ice production. The refrigerator according to claim 11, wherein the control unit stops the ice supply unit before the powder ice manufacturing unit. The method of claim 11, wherein the control unit, When the driving of the powder ice manufacturing unit is started, the refrigerator characterized in that it is repeatedly controlled to drive during the ice supply unit driving time and the ice supply unit stop time of the ice supply unit. The method of claim 13, wherein the control unit, Driving the powder ice manufacturing unit for a predetermined time, controlling the repetitive control of the ice supply unit for the predetermined time, and further driving the powder ice manufacturing unit for a predetermined time after the predetermined time elapses. Featured refrigerator.

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