KR102489117B1 - Ice maker and refrigerator comprisng the same - Google Patents

Abstract

An ice tray is connected to one side and a control box including a case; A drive unit provided in the control box and including a motor unit; A control unit including a printed circuit board which controls the motor unit and is arranged such that one surface faces the bottom; and a test button positioned in a direction opposite to the one surface of the printed circuit board to operate the driving unit.

Description

Ice maker and refrigerator including the same {ICE MAKER AND REFRIGERATOR COMPRISNG THE SAME}

The present invention relates to an ice maker and a refrigerator including the same.

In general, an ice maker is placed at a temperature below zero to receive ice-making water and produce ice. In order to perform these functions, the ice maker may be exposed to a harsh environment during manufacturing and subjected to a test run. The test run includes confirming normal operation in an environment exposed to moisture, and specifically, repetitive operation is tested while spraying ice-making water. In this case, in order for normal operation to occur, ice water may scatter and splash on the electric field of the ice maker to affect the control. As a structure to prevent this, a structure in which moisture does not flow into the ice maker is required.

Republic of Korea Patent Registration No. 10-0583345 (2006. 05. 18)

In one embodiment of the present invention, a printed circuit board, which is a component of a control unit for controlling an ice machine, is disposed facing downward in a control box, and a test button protruding downward from a surface facing the lower side of the printed circuit board is provided. It is an object of the present invention to provide an ice maker that is not directly exposed to ice making water in a refrigerator.

In one embodiment of the present invention, one surface of a printed circuit board, which is a component of a control unit for controlling an ice maker, is disposed to face downward in a control box, and the other surface is disposed to face upward, and a sensing unit provided on the other surface is a rotating body among driving units. It is an object of the present invention to provide an ice maker capable of detecting the position of a rotating body by being disposed toward the center of the body.

An ice tray is connected to one side and a control box including a case; A drive unit provided in the control box and including a motor unit; A control unit including a printed circuit board which controls the motor unit and is arranged such that one surface faces the bottom; and a test button positioned in a direction opposite to the one surface (etching surface or printing surface) of the printed circuit board to operate the driving unit.

An ice tray is connected to one side and a control box including a case; A drive unit provided in the control box and including a motor unit; A controller including a printed circuit board and a sensing unit that controls the motor unit and has one surface disposed toward the bottom; and a test button located on a direction opposite to one surface of the printed circuit board and capable of performing an operation of the driving unit, wherein the sensing unit is located on the other surface of the printed circuit board and the test button, and is rotated by the motor unit. It is possible to detect the position of the rotating body within at least a part of the entire rotating section.

An ice tray is connected to one side and a control box including a case; A drive unit provided in the control box and including a motor unit; A controller including a printed circuit board and a transceiver that controls the motor and has one surface disposed toward the bottom; and a test button located in a direction opposite to one surface of the printed circuit board to perform an operation of the drive unit, wherein the transceiver unit is capable of communicating with at least one of the refrigerator and external devices and information received through the communication. As a result, the control unit can control the driving unit.

And, the case may include a rib supporting the direction in which the test button is pressed.

In addition, the case may further include a rib supporting the motor unit.

In addition, the case may further include a rib supporting the printed circuit board.

In addition, a vibration isolating member for mitigating vibration generated during operation of the motor unit may be included.

In addition, the body of the motor unit may be formed in a polygonal shape and coupled to the case.

In addition, the control unit may further include a transceiver capable of communicating with the refrigerator or an external device.

In addition, the transceiver may communicate temperature and location information of the driving unit.

Also, the motor unit may be a brush motor.

In addition, the motor unit may be a step motor, and the control unit may include a driving driver of the step motor.

In addition, the motor unit may be an explosion-proof motor.

In addition, a printed board assembly (PBA) prepared on the basis of a printed circuit board (PCB) may be treated with an insulating coating.

In addition, the wiring introduced into the case may be fixed by coupling between the printed circuit board and the case.

In addition, the open type through hole and the non-open type through hole fix the wiring, but the open type through hole can fix the wiring by the arrangement of the printed circuit board.

In addition, the case may include a pair of gripping parts into which both ends of the printed circuit board are respectively inserted and fixed.

In addition, since the printed circuit board is disposed vertically from the inner surface of the case, the sensing area of the sensing unit includes at least a part of the rotation section, so that the rotating body and the sensing unit's distance can be sensed.

A refrigerator including the ice maker described above is provided.

In one embodiment of the present invention, a printed circuit board, which is a component of a control unit for controlling an ice machine, is disposed facing downward in a control box, and a test button protruding downward from a surface facing the lower side of the printed circuit board is provided. However, it is possible to provide an ice maker in which the test button is not directly exposed from the ice making water in the refrigerator.

In one embodiment of the present invention, one surface of a printed circuit board, which is a component of a control unit for controlling an ice maker, is disposed to face downward in a control box, and the other surface is disposed to face upward, and a sensing unit provided on the other surface is a rotating body among driving units. The ice maker may be provided so that the position of the rotating body may be sensed.

1 is a view showing an ice maker according to an embodiment of the present invention;
2 is a view showing the inside of a control box according to an embodiment of the present invention
Figure 3 is an enlarged view showing a printed circuit board according to an embodiment of the present invention
4 is a view showing a sensing unit for sensing a rotating body according to an embodiment of the present invention;
5 is a diagram illustrating transmission of detection information of an ice maker including a detection unit according to an embodiment of the present invention.
6 is a diagram illustrating an ice maker communicating with an external device according to an embodiment of the present invention.
7 is a view showing a through hole according to an embodiment of the present invention

Hereinafter, specific embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. However, this is only an example and the present invention is not limited thereto.

In describing the present invention, if it is determined that a detailed description of the known technology related to the present invention may unnecessarily obscure the subject matter of the present invention, the detailed description will be omitted. In addition, terms to be described later are terms defined in consideration of functions in the present invention, which may vary according to the intention or custom of a user or operator. Therefore, the definition should be made based on the contents throughout this specification.

The technical spirit of the present invention is determined by the claims, and the following examples are only one means for efficiently explaining the technical spirit of the present invention to those skilled in the art to which the present invention belongs.

1 is a view showing an ice maker according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 1 , one embodiment of the present invention includes a control box 100 and an ice tray 200. The control box 100 includes configurations such as a driving unit (110 in FIG. 2 ) and a control unit 120 to be described below, which will be described in detail with reference to the drawings below in FIG. 2 . Meanwhile, components such as a water supply unit and a heater, which are components not covered below, may also be components included in the driving unit 110.

Figure 2 is a view showing the inside of the control box 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 2 , the control box 100 may include a case 101 , a driving unit 110 and a printed circuit board 121 . In the case of the drive unit 110, one or more gears and motor units 111; 111a and 111b may be included. The ice tray 200 described above may receive rotational force through a gear as the rotating shaft 111b of the motor unit, which is the driving unit 110, is rotated. Even in the case of a heater ice maker, rotational force generated as the rotating shaft 111b rotates can be transmitted to rotate the ice dumping lever and the ejector.

Here, the body 111a of the motor unit may have a polygonal cross-section with a surface centered on the rotation axis 111b. The body 111a having a polygonal shape may promote coupling with the case 101, and this coupling maintains a state in which the body 111a is fixed to the case 101 even by a load generated by the rotation of the rotating shaft 111b. can keep

Meanwhile, the case 101 may include a rib 10 . The rib 10 shown in this example may be the rib 10 supporting the test button 130 protruding from the printed circuit board 121 . In addition to the rib 10, ribs for supporting purposes, such as a rib for supporting rotation of the rotating shaft 111b and a rib for fixing and supporting the printed circuit board 121, may be further included.

3 is an enlarged view showing a printed circuit board 121 according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 3 , the printed circuit board 121 may be coupled to the case 101 and disposed such that a printed or etched surface formed on the printed circuit board 121 faces the bottom. The bottom portion refers to a downward direction relative to a vertical direction, and a configuration attached to the printed circuit board 121 by having the printed or etched surface facing downward, for example, in the case of the test button 130, the downward direction. It can be placed facing up.

Here, the test button 130 may be a manual button that artificially creates a harsh environment in which an ice maker can be exposed in a refrigerator when manufacturing an ice maker and drives the drive unit 110 in the process of being tested in such an environment. . Since the harsh environment includes an environment in which moisture is excessively supplied, the test button 130 protrudes outward from the case 101 and may protrude downward. On the other hand, if it protrudes from the side or top, moisture may flow into the case 101 and cause a failure of the printed circuit board 121 . That is, a through hole through which the test button 130 can protrude may be formed at the bottom of the case 101, and the test button 130 may protrude downward through the through hole formed at the bottom.

In addition, since the direction (downward) of the printed or etched surface of the printed circuit board 121 and the direction in which the test button 130 protrudes from the printed circuit board 121 are the same, the durability of the test button 130 is improved. effect can be expected. For example, when the protruding direction of the test button 130 is not disposed on the same line as the direction in which the printed or etched surface faces and a predetermined angle is formed, the test button 130 and the printed circuit board 121 are coupled One of the points may be broken beyond the fatigue limit by repeated use of the test button 130. Therefore, in order to avoid such breaking force, the protruding direction of the test button 130 is arranged in the same direction as the direction in which the printing or etching surface is directed so that the button can be supported in the direction in which the button is operated. Therefore, for this effect, the printed or etched surface of the printed circuit board 121 may be coupled to the case 101 so that it faces downward.

4 is a view showing the sensing unit 140 for sensing the rotating body 115 according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 4 , the drive unit 110 controlled by the control unit 120 includes a rotating body 115, and the rotating body 115 may be rotated in some sections by rotational force transmitted from the motor unit 111. there is. Although the rotating body 115 is shown in the form of an arm in this example, it may be formed in the form of a plate and provided with one or more sensing units sensed by the sensing unit 140, and by the rotation of the rotating body 115, each The sensing unit may detect a contact with the sensing unit 140 or a degree of distance (far and near) from the sensing unit 140 and transmit a corresponding operation to the driving unit 110 through the control unit 120 .

On the other hand, since the printed surface (121s, or etched surface) of the printed circuit board 121 is facing downward, the sensing unit 140 may be located on the opposite surface, which faces upward, and the sensing unit 140 faces upward. A sensing area may be formed toward the

For example, when the rotating body 115 is the ice tray 200, twist may be applied to the ice tray 200 in order to separate the ice formed in the receiving portion of the ice tray 200. At this time, there are cases where speed or torque is required for rotation of the ice tray 200, respectively. When the rotation area requiring speed is called the first rotation area and the rotation area requiring torque is called the second rotation area, the first When the rotating body 115 rotates in the rotation area, it is sensed by the sensing unit 140 at a non-contact or a predetermined distance or more, so that it can be rotated relatively more correctly than in the rotation area requiring torque. Meanwhile, when the sensing unit 140 senses that the rotating body 115 enters within a predetermined distance or the sensing unit contacts the sensing unit 140, the rotational speed of the motor unit 111 may decrease and the torque may increase. there is.

The above example is an example of a case where the rotating body 115 is the ice tray 200, but is not limited thereto, and the full ice detection lever may also be the rotating body 115. When the full ice detecting lever is the rotating body 115, ice making may be continuously performed depending on whether the full ice detecting lever detects or not, or the ice making may be stopped by stopping water supply from the water supply unit.

5 is a diagram illustrating transmission of sensing information of an ice maker including a sensing unit 140 according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 5 , a process of performing an operation corresponding to sensing information sensed by the sensing unit 140 is illustrated. First, step 1 (S1) in which the driving unit 110 operates may be performed. The driving unit 110 includes a rotating body 115 . At least a portion of the rotation range of the rotating body 115 may overlap with a sensing area detected by the sensing unit 140 . The sensing unit 140 may perform sensing with respect to the sensing area. Therefore, when the rotating body 115 is driven, the sensing unit 140 may detect contact or separation information between the rotating body 115 and the sensing unit 140, and may detect the separation distance when the rotating body 115 is separated. When this process is referred to as step 2 (S2), after step 2 (S2), the first response (S3-1) or the second response (S3-2) may be performed.

For example, the first response ( S3 - 1 ) may be to maintain the operation of the driving unit 110 . It is possible to continuously maintain an operation including information on one or more of predetermined speed, torque, rotation direction, and angle. Therefore, it means that the control unit 120 can continuously maintain the operation of the driving unit 110 according to the information of the initial operation of the driving unit 110 .

And, in the second response (S3-2), while the driving unit 110 performs an operation including one or more information of a predetermined speed, torque, rotational direction, and angle, the sensing unit 140 interacts with the rotating body 115. When contact or detection within a predetermined distance occurs, it may be performed. Specifically, the second response ( S3 - 2 ) means that one or more pieces of information among predetermined speed, torque, rotation direction, and angle are different from previously performed motion information of the driving unit 110 .

6 is a diagram illustrating an ice maker communicating with an external device (OD) according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 6 , the ice maker may be controlled by the controller 120 through feedback information received through communication with the external device (OD). The external device OD may be a terminal such as a mobile phone or may be a controller of a refrigerator in which an ice maker is built-in.

Also, the communication may be performed by the transceiver 150 provided in the ice maker. The transmission/reception unit 150 includes a transmission unit 151 and a reception unit 152, and may perform communication with an external device (OD). The communication may be Local Interconnect Network (LIN) communication or Controller Area Network (CAN) communication.

In other words, the transceiver 150 may perform network communication with an external device (OD), which is a communication device such as a mobile phone, using a LIN protocol or a CAN protocol. At this time, data transmission and reception is performed through a communication bus. In this way, in order to perform LIN communication or CAN communication, the ice maker has a communication bus or indirectly communicates through the communication bus.

According to the disclosed embodiment, the ice maker and the external device (OD) are connected through a communication bus and LIN communication or CAN communication is performed, thereby minimizing the number of wires for data transmission and reception between the ice maker and the external device (OD). there will be That is, when the air cleaning module includes the communication bus, only one wire for the communication bus may be required as an internal wire for transmitting and receiving data between the ice maker and the external device (OD).

Meanwhile, when the communication is LIN communication, the communication module may convert data of each sensing signal received from the manipulation unit according to the LIN protocol and then transmit the data to the external device (OD) through a communication bus. In addition, when the corresponding network communication is CAN communication, after data conversion of each received sensing information according to the CAN protocol, it may be transmitted to an external device (OD) through a communication bus.

Communication is performed with the external device OD by the transceiver 150 through the above-described communication means, and the transceiver 150 may transmit information detected by the sensor 140 to the external device OD. The degree of detection may be state and temperature information including the position of the driving unit. Through the feedback received from the external device OD, the control unit 120 may cause the driving unit 110 to perform a predetermined operation (an operation received from the external device). That is, the ice maker may be controlled by the control of the external device (OD).

7 is a view showing through-holes 20 and 21 according to an embodiment of the present invention. Referring to FIG. 7 (a), the coupling between the printed circuit board 121 and the case 101 is in the case 101. It can be made by being coupled to the formed slot. The slot may be arranged so that the two gripping parts 11 and 12 are spaced apart by a predetermined distance so that the plate-shaped printed circuit board 121 can be inserted. Both ends of the printed circuit board may be slid and coupled to the grooves formed in the two gripping parts 11 and 12, respectively. Accordingly, the distance between the grooves may be equal to the length of both ends of the printed circuit board 121 .

Furthermore, after the printed circuit board 121 is inserted and fixed, it may be fixed to the slot by coupling between the cases 101 . Specifically, the case 101 can be a control box by combining a pair of components, and the gripping parts 11 and 12 to which the printed circuit board 101 can be coupled to one of the pair of components. ) is provided, the printed circuit board 121 can be fixed while another component is combined with the one component. A rib 13 pressurizing the printed circuit board 121 as such a fixing means may be provided in the other configuration.

In addition, an open space may be provided in the case 101 so that wires connected to supply power to the printed circuit board 121 are connected from the inside of the case 101 to the printed circuit board 121 side. The open space may be in the form of an open or non-open through hole 20 .

The through hole 20 may come into contact with the seating portion 121a when the printed circuit board 121 is inserted into the slot formed by the gripping parts 11 and 12 and inserted and coupled to the slide limit point. The seating portion may protrude upward from the lowest surface of the inner surface of the case 101 at a predetermined height. The through-hole 20 is formed in the protruding volume so that wires connected to electric fields in the ice maker, such as the printed circuit board 121 and the motor unit 111, can pass through and extend.

This example shows a non-open through hole 20, and the case of FIG. 7(b) shows an open through hole 21. In the case of the open through hole 21, the printed circuit board 121 is inserted and fixed so that the wiring can be fixed. Of course, although not shown, even when the through holes 20 and 21 are not formed, the wires can be fixed by being pressed by insertion and fixation of the printed circuit board 121 while passing through the space where the slots are formed.

Although representative embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail above, those skilled in the art will understand that various modifications are possible to the above-described embodiments without departing from the scope of the present invention. . Therefore, the scope of the present invention should not be limited to the described embodiments and should not be defined, and should be defined by not only the claims to be described later, but also those equivalent to these claims.

1: Refrigerator, external device
10, 13: rib
11, 12: holding part
20, 21: through hole
100: control box
101: case
110: driving unit
111: motor unit
111a: body
111b: axis of rotation
112: anti-vibration member
115: rotating body
120: control unit
121: printed circuit board
121a: seating part
121s: print side
130: test button
140: sensing unit
150: transceiver
151: transmission unit
152: receiver
200: ice tray
OD: external device
S1: Step 1
S2: Step 2
S3-1: 1st response
S3-2: 2nd response

Claims (19)

delete An ice tray is connected to one side and a control box including a case;
a drive unit provided in the control box and including a motor unit;
a control unit including a printed circuit board and a sensing unit which control the motor unit and are disposed such that the printed surface faces the bottom; and
A test button located in the same direction facing the printed surface of the printed circuit board to perform the operation of the driving unit; includes,
The sensing unit is located on the other surface of the printed circuit board and detects the position of the rotating body within at least a part of the rotation section of the rotating body rotated by the motor unit,
The ice maker according to claim 1 , wherein the printed circuit board is vertically disposed from the inner surface of the case so that a sensing area of the sensing unit includes at least a part of the rotation section so that proximity of the rotating body and the sensing unit is sensed.
An ice tray is connected to one side and a control box including a case;
a drive unit provided in the control box and including a motor unit;
a control unit including a printed circuit board and a transmission/reception unit that controls the motor unit and is arranged such that the printed surface faces the bottom; and
A test button located in the same direction facing the printed surface of the printed circuit board to perform the operation of the driving unit; includes,
The transmission/reception unit can communicate with at least one of a refrigerator and an external device, and a control unit can control the driving unit based on information received through communication,
The sensing unit is located on the other surface of the printed circuit board and detects the position of the rotating body within at least a portion of the rotation section of the rotating body rotated by the motor unit,
The ice maker according to claim 1 , wherein the printed circuit board is vertically disposed from the inner surface of the case so that a sensing area of the sensing unit includes at least a part of the rotation section so that proximity of the rotating body and the sensing unit is sensed.
According to claim 2 or 3,
The ice maker, wherein the case includes a rib supporting a direction in which the test button is pressed.
According to claim 2 or 3,
The case further includes a rib supporting the motor unit.
According to claim 2 or 3,
The case further comprises a rib supporting the printed circuit board.
According to claim 2 or 3,
An ice maker comprising a vibration isolation member that alleviates vibration generated during operation of the motor unit.
According to claim 2 or 3,
The ice maker wherein the body of the motor unit is formed in a polygonal shape and coupled to the case.
The method of claim 2,
The controller further includes a transceiver capable of communicating with a refrigerator or an external device.
The method of claim 9,
The ice maker according to claim 1 , wherein the transceiver communicates temperature and location information of the driving unit.
According to claim 2 or 3,
The motor unit is a brush motor.
According to claim 2 or 3,
The ice maker according to claim 1 , wherein the motor part is a step motor, and the control part includes a driving driver of the step motor.
According to claim 2 or 3,
The motor unit is an explosion-proof motor.
According to claim 2 or 3,
An ice maker, wherein a printed board assembly (PBA) prepared on the basis of the printed circuit board (PCB) is treated with an insulating coating.
According to claim 2 or 3,
The ice maker according to claim 1 , wherein the wire introduced into the case is fixed by coupling between the printed circuit board and the case.
delete According to claim 2 or 3,
The case includes a pair of gripping parts into which both ends of the printed circuit board are respectively inserted and fixed.
delete A refrigerator comprising the ice maker according to claim 2 or 3.

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