KR102186818B1 - Ice maker - Google Patents

Abstract

Start the ice maker.
An ice maker according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a cooling unit including an immersion member and cooling for generating ice; A tray member containing water in which the immersion member is immersed; And an ice making guide member provided in the immersion member such that an ice making groove having a predetermined shape is formed and one end of the immersion member is located in the ice making groove. It may include.

Description

Ice maker {ICE MAKER}

The present invention is provided in an ice water purifier or refrigerator, and relates to an ice maker for making ice, and more particularly, a variety of shapes such as a spherical shape by providing an ice making guide member having an ice making groove of a predetermined shape in an immersion member submerged in water contained in a tray member. It relates to an ice maker that can easily and quickly make ice.

The ice maker is installed in an ice water purifier or refrigerator. Then, it makes ice and supplies it to users.

The ice maker makes ice by cooling the supplied water below the freezing point, and uses an evaporator through which a refrigerant flows for cooling water or a thermoelectric module that transfers heat from one side to the other when electricity is applied.

Conventionally, such an ice maker has included a relatively complex configuration to make ice of various shapes such as spherical. For example, ice having various shapes such as a sphere was made by providing a member for relatively less heat transfer in a portion where ice is generated.

However, in this configuration, since the heat transfer is reduced, it takes a lot of time to generate ice, and there is a problem in that it is not possible to easily and quickly generate ice of various shapes desired by the user.

In addition, there is a problem in that it takes a lot of time to separate the generated ice, so that the ice cannot be easily and quickly removed.

The present invention has been made by recognizing at least one of the demands or problems occurring in the conventional ice maker as described above.

One aspect of the object of the present invention is to enable easy and rapid production of ice of a desired shape.

Another aspect of the object of the present invention is to make it possible to easily and quickly separate the ice produced, i.e. to remove ice.

Another aspect of the object of the present invention is to easily and quickly make ice of various shapes such as spherical and supply it to a user.

An ice maker related to an embodiment for realizing at least one of the above tasks may include the following features.

The present invention is basically based on the provision of an ice-making guide member in which an ice-making groove of a predetermined shape is formed in an immersion member submerged in water contained in the tray member.

An ice maker according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a cooling unit including an immersion member and cooling for generating ice; A tray member containing water in which the immersion member is immersed; And an ice making guide member provided in the immersion member such that an ice making groove having a predetermined shape is formed and one end of the immersion member is located in the ice making groove. It may include.

In this case, the cooling unit may include a plurality of immersion members, and there may be a plurality of ice making guide members to be provided in each immersion member.

In addition, the ice making guide member may have one end of the immersion member inserted and an insertion hole connected to the ice making groove.

In addition, a plurality of immersion members may be included in the cooling unit, and a plurality of ice-making grooves may be formed in the ice-making guide member.

In addition, the ice-making guide member may have one end of each immersion member inserted therein and a plurality of insertion holes respectively connected to the ice-making grooves.

In addition, a lower portion of the ice making groove may be opened.

In addition, one end of the immersion member may be positioned to protrude from the open lower end of the ice making groove, or may be positioned inside the ice making groove, or may be positioned to coincide with the lower end of the ice making groove.

In addition, the cross section of the ice making groove may be semicircular, semi-elliptical, or semi-polygonal.

In addition, the cooling unit evaporator through which the refrigerant flows and the immersion member is connected; It may further include.

In addition, the immersion member may be connected to the evaporator so that the refrigerant flows.

In addition, the cooling unit may include a thermoelectric module to which an immersion member is connected; It may further include.

In addition, the tray member may rotate between an ice-making position in which ice is generated in the immersion member and a de-icing position in which ice generated in the immersion member is separated from the immersion member.

As described above, according to the exemplary embodiment of the present invention, by providing an ice-making guide member having an ice-making groove having a predetermined shape in an immersion member submerged in water contained in the tray member, it is possible to easily and quickly generate ice having a desired shape.

In addition, according to an embodiment of the present invention, it is possible to easily and quickly separate the generated ice, that is, to remove ice.

In addition, according to an embodiment of the present invention, it is possible to easily and quickly make ice of various shapes such as a sphere and supply it to a user.

1 is a view showing a first embodiment of an ice maker according to the present invention.
2 to 6 are views showing the operation of the first embodiment of the ice maker according to the present invention.
7 is a view showing that the ice making guide member is provided at various positions of the immersion member in the first embodiment of the ice maker according to the present invention.
8 is a view showing embodiments of the ice making guide member of the first embodiment of the ice maker according to the present invention.
9 is a view showing a second embodiment of the ice maker according to the present invention.
10 is a view showing that the ice making guide member is provided at various positions of the immersion member in the second embodiment of the ice maker according to the present invention.
11 is a view showing embodiments of the ice making guide member of the second embodiment of the ice maker according to the present invention.
12 is a view showing a third embodiment of the ice maker according to the present invention.

In order to help understand the features of the present invention as described above, an ice maker related to an embodiment of the present invention will be described in more detail below.

Hereinafter, the described embodiments will be described on the basis of embodiments most suitable for understanding the technical features of the present invention, and the technical features of the present invention are not limited by the described embodiments, but the following, It is to illustrate that the present invention can be implemented as in the described embodiments. Accordingly, the present invention can be variously modified within the technical scope of the present invention through the embodiments described below, and such modified embodiments will fall within the technical scope of the present invention. And, with reference to the reference numerals in the accompanying drawings to aid in the understanding of the embodiments to be described below, related elements among the elements that perform the same function in each embodiment are indicated by numbers on the same or extension lines.

Embodiments related to the present invention are basically based on the provision of an ice-making guide member in which an ice-making groove of a predetermined shape is formed in an immersion member submerged in water contained in the tray member.

1 is a view showing a first embodiment of the ice maker according to the present invention, Figures 2 to 6 are views showing the operation of the first embodiment of the ice maker according to the present invention. 7 is a view showing that in the first embodiment of the ice maker according to the present invention, the ice-making guide member is provided at various positions of the immersion member, and FIG. 8 is a view of the ice-making guide member of the first embodiment of the ice maker according to the present invention. It is a diagram showing embodiments.

The ice maker 100 according to the present invention may include a cooling unit 200, a tray member 300, and an ice making guide member 400, as in the embodiment shown in FIG. 1.

The cooling unit 200 may include an immersion member 210. A plurality of immersion members 210 may be included in the cooling unit 200 as in the embodiment shown in FIG. 1. However, the immersion member 210 may be one.

In the cooling unit 200, cooling to generate ice I may be performed. Accordingly, ice I may be generated in the immersion member 210 as shown in FIGS. 3 to 5 and will be described later.

To this end, the cooling unit 200 may further include an evaporator 220 as in the embodiment shown in FIG. 1.

The evaporator 220, together with a compressor (not shown), a condenser (not shown), and a capillary tube or an expansion valve (not shown), are refrigerated, in which temperature, pressure, and phase change while the refrigerant flows. Cycle can be achieved.

In this refrigeration cycle, a refrigerant having a temperature lower than the freezing point of water may generally flow through the evaporator 220. In addition, a refrigerant having a temperature higher than the freezing point of water may flow through the evaporator 220. To this end, a refrigeration cycle may be configured such that, in some cases, the refrigerant is bypassed to the evaporator 220 at the rear end of the compressor through which the refrigerant having a temperature higher than the freezing point of water flows.

The immersion member 210 may be connected to the evaporator 220. Therefore, when a refrigerant having a temperature lower than the freezing point of water flows through the evaporator 220, the immersion member 210 may be cooled to a temperature lower than the freezing point of water by heat transfer. And, accordingly, ice I may be generated in the immersion member 210 as shown in FIGS. 3 to 5.

In addition, when a refrigerant having a temperature higher than the freezing point of water flows through the evaporator 220, the immersion member 210 may be heated to a temperature higher than the freezing point of water by heat transfer. In addition, as shown in FIG. 6, the ice I generated in the immersion member 210 may be separated from the immersion member 210.

On the other hand, the separation of the ice (I) generated in the immersion member 210 not only the flow of the refrigerant having a temperature higher than the freezing point of water, but also the evaporator 220 and immersion by a heater (not shown) provided in the evaporator 220 It can also be achieved by heating the member 210. In addition, the heater provided in the evaporator 220 may be an electric heater that is heated when electricity is applied.

However, the heater is not particularly limited, and any known heater may be used as long as it is provided in the evaporator 220 and capable of heating the evaporator 220. When a heater is provided in the evaporator 220 as described above, a refrigerant having a temperature higher than the freezing point of water does not need to flow in the evaporator 220 to separate the ice I generated in the immersion member 210.

The immersion member 210 may be connected to the evaporator 220 so that the refrigerant flows, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4. To this end, a refrigerant passage connected to a refrigerant passage (not shown) formed in the evaporator 220 may be formed in the immersion member 210. In this way, if the refrigerant flows in the immersion member 210 as well, the generation of ice I in the immersion member 210 and separation of the ice I generated in the immersion member 210 from the immersion member 210 It can be done more easily and quickly.

On the other hand, the configuration of the cooling unit 200 for generating ice (I) is not particularly limited, as in the third embodiment to be described later, when electricity is applied, a thermoelectric module 230 that transfers heat from one side to the other side. Any known configuration, such as a configuration to be used, is possible.

The tray member 300 may contain water as shown in FIG. 2. In addition, the water contained in the tray member 300 may contain the immersion member 210 of the cooling unit 200 described above as shown. In addition, the ice making guide member 400 to be described later may be immersed in water contained in the tray member 300.

In this state, when the refrigerant having a temperature lower than the freezing point of water flows through the evaporator 220 and the immersion member 210 as shown in Figs. 3 and 4, the immersion member 210 from the water around the immersion member 210 ), heat can be transferred to the refrigerant flowing. In addition, as shown, water around the immersion member 210 is cooled to below the freezing point, so that ice I may be generated in the immersion member 210.

As in the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 1, the ice maker 100 may be provided with a water supply pipe P. In addition, as shown in FIG. 2, water may be supplied to the tray member 300 through the water supply pipe P.

To this end, the water supply pipe P may be connected to a water supply source (not shown). The water supply source to which the water supply pipe P is connected is, for example, if the ice maker 100 according to the present invention is provided in an ice water purifier (not shown), one or more water purification filters (shown) are provided in the ice water purifier and filter the supplied water. Not included) or a tank that is connected to the filter to store water filtered by the filter.

However, the water supply source to which the water supply pipe P is connected is not particularly limited, and any known water source is possible as long as water can be supplied to the water supply pipe P.

The water supply pipe (P) may be provided with an on-off valve (V) as in the embodiment shown in FIG. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 2, when the opening/closing valve V of the water supply pipe P is opened, water from the water supply source is supplied to the tray member 300 through the water supply pipe P to the tray member 300. Can contain water.

The tray member 300 is an ice making position where ice I is generated in the immersion member 210 as shown in FIGS. 2 to 4, and is created in the immersion member 210 as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6 The frozen ice (I) can be rotated between the ice removal position separating from the immersion member (210).

To this end, as shown in the embodiment shown in Figure 1, the tray member 300 is formed with a rotation axis (A), the tray member 300 may be rotated about this rotation axis (A). In addition, the rotation shaft A of the tray member 300 may be connected to a rotation driving means (not shown) including an electric motor or the like.

However, the configuration in which the tray member 300 rotates between the ice making position and the ice removal position is not particularly limited, and any known configuration may be used.

When a plurality of immersion members 210 are included in the cooling unit 200 as in the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 1, there may be a plurality of ice-making guide members 400 to be provided in the immersion member 210, respectively. That is, each of the plurality of ice making guide members 400 may be provided in each of the plurality of immersion members 210.

Accordingly, the plurality of ice-making guide members 400 can also be immersed in water contained in the tray member 300 when the ice I is generated together with the immersion member 210 as shown in FIGS. 2 to 4.

Therefore, as will be described later, ice having a desired shape can be generated by the ice making guide member 400, and since the ice making guide member 400 is immersed in water together with the immersion member 210, the ice (I) is easily and quickly Can be generated. In addition, it is also possible to easily and quickly separate the ice (I) generated in the immersion member 210 by this. Therefore, it is possible to easily and quickly make ice I of various shapes such as a sphere and supply it to a user.

An ice making groove 410 having a predetermined shape may be formed in the ice making guide member 400 as in the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 1. The ice making groove 410 may have a lower portion open as in the illustrated embodiment. In addition, the cross section of the ice making groove 410 is semicircular, not shown, but semi-elliptical, as in the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 and 8(a), or the implementation shown in FIGS. 8(b) and (c) It can be semi-polygonal, as in the example.

However, the shape of the ice making groove 410 is not particularly limited, and any shape may be used. In addition, ice making grooves 410 of each ice-making guide member 400 may not have the same shape but different from each other, so that ice I of various shapes may be simultaneously generated.

The ice making guide member 400 may be provided in the immersion member 210 so that one end of the immersion member 210 is located in the ice making groove 410. To this end, one end of the immersion member 210 is inserted into the ice making guide member 400 and an insertion hole 420 connected to the ice making groove 410 may be formed.

In this case, the ice-making guide member 400 may be configured such that the insertion hole 420 of the ice-making guide member 400 extends upward, as in the embodiment shown in FIG. 8A. Accordingly, it is possible to prevent the ice making guide member 400 from being easily separated from the immersion member 210.

1, the ice making guide member 400 may be provided in the immersion member 210 such that one end of the immersion member 210 protrudes from the open bottom of the ice making groove 410.

In this case, the lower portion of the ice I generated in the immersion member 210 may have a shape corresponding to the shape of one end of the immersion member 210. For example, in the illustrated embodiment, since one end of the immersion member 210 has a round shape, the shape of the lower portion of the ice I may also have a round shape. In addition, the upper portion of the ice I may have a shape corresponding to the ice making groove 410 of the ice making guide member 400. For example, in the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 and 8(a), since the cross section of the ice making groove 410 is semicircular, the top of the ice I may be hemispherical. As a result, the ice I generated in the immersion member 210 may be spherical.

In addition, in the embodiment shown in FIGS. 8(b) and 8(c), since the ice making groove 410 has a semi-polygonal cross section, the immersion member 210 has a rounded lower portion and an upper half-polygonal ice ( I) can be created.

One end of the immersion member 210 may be positioned to coincide with the lower end of the ice making groove 410 as in the embodiment shown in FIG. 7A. In this case, ice I having a shape corresponding to the ice making groove 410 may be formed in the immersion member 210, which is smaller than the above-described case, but has a round lower portion and an upper portion thereof.

In addition, one end of the immersion member 210 may be located inside the ice making groove 410 as in the embodiment shown in FIG. 7B. In this case, the immersion member 210 may have a shape corresponding to the shape of the ice making groove 410, for example, ice I having a semicircular, semi-elliptical, or semi-polygonal cross section.

The material of the ice making guide member 400 may be a metal such as synthetic resin or stainless steel. If the ice making guide member 400 is a synthetic resin, it is easy to manufacture, and if it is a metal such as stainless steel, the generation and ice removal of ice (I) can be made more easily and quickly.

However, the material of the ice making guide member 400 is not particularly limited, and may be a material other than the above-described synthetic resin or stainless steel, or may be two or more materials instead of one material. In addition, surface treatment may be performed, and a waterproofing agent may be applied to the surface.

9 is a view showing a second embodiment of the ice maker according to the present invention, and FIG. 10 is a view showing that the ice making guide member is provided in various positions of the immersion member in the second embodiment of the ice maker according to the present invention. 11 is a view showing embodiments of the ice making guide member of the second embodiment of the ice maker according to the present invention.

The second embodiment of the ice maker according to the present invention differs from the first embodiment of the ice maker according to the present invention described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 8 in the configuration of the ice making guide member 400. Accordingly, the different configurations will be mainly described, and the remaining configurations may be replaced with those described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 8.

The cooling unit 200 of the second embodiment of the ice maker according to the present invention may also include a plurality of immersion members 210 as in the embodiment shown in FIG. 9. In addition, a plurality of ice-making grooves 410 may be formed in the ice-making guide member 400. In addition, in the ice making guide member 400, one end of each immersion member 210 is inserted and a plurality of insertion holes 420 respectively connected to the ice making groove 410 may be formed.

That is, the ice-making guide member 400 is one, and each end portion of the plurality of immersion members 210 may be respectively located in the plurality of ice-making grooves 410 formed in the ice-making guide member 400.

Accordingly, the ice making guide member 400 can be easily mounted on the plurality of immersion members 210. In addition, it is possible to prevent the ice making guide member 400 from being easily separated from the immersion member 210.

Even in this case, the lower portion of the ice making groove 410 of the ice making guide member 400 may be opened. In addition, the cross section of the ice making groove 410 may be semi-circular as in the embodiment shown in FIG. 9, or semi-elliptical, although not shown, or semi-polygonal as in the embodiments shown in (a) and (b) of FIG. have.

However, the shape of the ice making groove 410 of the ice making guide member 400 is not particularly limited as described above, and any shape may be used. In addition, the shape of each ice making groove 410 may not be the same but different from each other, so that ice I of various shapes may be simultaneously generated.

In addition, even in this case, the ice-making guide member 400 is placed on the immersion member 210 so that one end of the immersion member 210 protrudes from the open bottom of the ice-making groove 410 as in the embodiment shown in FIG. It can be provided. In addition, one end of the immersion member 210 may be positioned to coincide with the lower end of the ice making groove 410 as in the embodiment shown in FIG. 10A. In addition, one end of the immersion member 210 may be located inside the ice making groove 410 as in the embodiment shown in FIG. 10B.

12 is a view showing a third embodiment of the ice maker according to the present invention. The third embodiment of the ice maker according to the present invention differs from the first embodiment of the ice maker according to the present invention described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 8 in the configuration of the cooling unit 200. Accordingly, the different configurations will be mainly described, and the remaining configurations may be replaced with those described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 8.

The cooling unit 200 of the third embodiment of the ice maker according to the present invention may further include a thermoelectric module 230 to which the immersion member 210 is connected.

The immersion member 210 may be connected to the thermoelectric module 230 by a heat transfer member 240 to which the immersion member 210 is connected to one side and the thermoelectric module 230 is connected to the other side, as in the embodiment shown in FIG. have.

However, the configuration in which the immersion member 210 is connected to the thermoelectric module 230 is not particularly limited, and a heat transfer member 240 having a shape other than the flat heat transfer member 240 as shown in the embodiment shown in FIG. 12 Any known configuration, such as connected by

In addition, a heat dissipation member 250 may be provided in the thermoelectric module 230 on the side opposite to the side connected to the immersion member 210 as in the embodiment shown in FIG. 12. In addition, a heat radiation fan 260 may be provided on the heat radiation member 250.

When electricity is applied to the thermoelectric module 230, heat may be transferred from one side to the other side. Accordingly, one side of the thermoelectric module 230 may be cooled, and the other side of the thermoelectric module 230 may be heated. When electricity is applied to the thermoelectric module 230 in a predetermined forward direction, one side of the thermoelectric module 230 to be cooled becomes a cooling side, and the other side of the thermoelectric module 230 to be heated becomes a heating side.

In addition, the immersion member 210 may be connected to the cooling side of the thermoelectric module 230. Accordingly, when electricity in the forward direction is applied to the thermoelectric module 230, the cooling side of the thermoelectric module 230 is cooled and the immersion member 210 may be cooled. Accordingly, when the water in which the immersion member 210 is immersed is cooled to a temperature lower than the freezing point, ice I may be generated in the immersion member 210.

In this case, the heating side of the thermoelectric module 230 may be cooled by the aforementioned heat dissipation member 250 and the heat dissipation fan 260. Thereby, the cooling side of the thermoelectric module 230 may be continuously cooled.

Meanwhile, when electricity in a reverse direction is applied to the thermoelectric module 230, the cooling side of the thermoelectric module 230 is heated and the heating side may be cooled. Accordingly, the immersion member 210 connected to the cooling side of the thermoelectric module 230 can be heated. In addition, when the immersion member 210 is heated higher than the freezing point of water, the ice I generated in the immersion member 210 may be separated from the immersion member 210.

Therefore, if the thermoelectric module 230 is included in the cooling unit 200, the ice I can be separated from the immersion member 210 even without a heater or a configuration in which a refrigerant having a temperature higher than the freezing point of water flows.

As described above, when the ice maker according to the present invention is used, ice of a desired shape can be easily and quickly generated, the generated ice can be easily and quickly separated, that is, ice-removed, and ice of various shapes such as spherical Can be made easily and quickly and supplied to users.

The ice maker described above is not limitedly applicable to the configuration of the embodiments described above, but the embodiments may be configured by selectively combining all or part of each embodiment so that various modifications may be made.

100: ice maker 200: cooling unit
210: immersion member 220: evaporator
230: thermoelectric module 240: heat transfer member
250: radiating member 260: radiating fan
300: tray member 400: ice-making guide member
410: ice making groove 420: insertion hole
P: Water supply pipe A: Rotary shaft
I: Ice V: On-off valve

Claims (12)

A cooling unit including an immersion member and performing cooling for generating ice;
A tray member containing water in which the immersion member is immersed; And
An ice-making guide member provided in the immersion member such that an ice-making groove having a predetermined shape is formed and one end of the immersion member is located in the ice-making groove; Including,
The ice making groove has a lower portion open, and one end of the immersion member protrudes from the open lower end of the ice making groove, is located inside the ice making groove, or is positioned to coincide with the lower end of the ice making groove. The method of claim 1, wherein the cooling unit includes a plurality of immersion members,
The ice maker having a plurality of ice-making guide members so as to be respectively provided in the immersion member. The ice maker of claim 2, wherein one end of the immersion member is inserted into the ice-making guide member and an insertion hole connected to the ice-making groove is formed. The method of claim 1, wherein the cooling unit includes a plurality of immersion members,
An ice maker having a plurality of ice making grooves formed in the ice making guide member. The ice maker according to claim 4, wherein one end of each of the plurality of immersion members is inserted into the ice-making guide member, and a plurality of insertion holes respectively connected to the ice-making grooves are formed. delete delete The ice maker according to claim 1, wherein a cross section of the ice making groove is semi-circular, semi-elliptical, or semi-polygonal. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the cooling unit comprises: an evaporator through which a refrigerant flows and the immersion member is connected; Ice maker further comprising a. The ice maker according to claim 9, wherein the immersion member is connected to the evaporator so that the refrigerant flows. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the cooling unit comprises: a thermoelectric module to which the immersion member is connected; Ice maker further comprising a. The ice maker according to claim 1, wherein the tray member rotates between an ice making position in which ice is generated in the immersion member and a de-icing position for separating ice generated in the immersion member from the immersion member.

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