KR200153893Y1 - Refrigerator - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention is a refrigerator having an automatic ice maker which is provided with a water supply path freezing heater from a water supply source to an ice making plate, wherein a time until a predetermined time elapses after the defrosting operation of the cooling device is started, During the rapid freezing operation, the time until the predetermined time elapses after the end of the rapid freezing operation, and during the water supply operation to the ice making plate, the freeze prevention heater generates heat at the rated output, and at other times, the freeze prevention heater is reduced. It provides a refrigerator comprising a means for controlling to generate heat.

Description

Refrigerator

1 is a first flow chart showing the control content according to an embodiment of the present invention.

2 is a second flowchart showing control contents according to an embodiment of the present invention.

3 is a functional block diagram showing an electrical configuration.

4 is a sectional view of the main part.

5 is a perspective view of a refrigerator.

* Explanation of symbols for main parts of the drawings

1: refrigerating chamber 2: refrigerator body

3: ice-making room 4, 5: freezer

6: vegetable room 7: automatic ice maker

8: water supply tank 11: water supply pump

12: ice tray 14: ice tray

18, 19: freezing heater 22: control circuit device (control means)

23: room temperature detection circuit 27: compressor

28: fan device 30: integration timer

The present invention relates to a refrigerator having an automatic ice maker in the refrigerator, and more particularly, to a refrigerator in which an frost preventing heater is installed in a water supply path from a water supply source to an ice making plate.

Conventionally, in an automatic ice maker installed in such a refrigerator, the ice tray is placed in the ice-making space of the freezer compartment and at the same time, water is supplied from the water supply tank (which is usually installed in the refrigerating chamber), and then the temperature of the ice tray in the water supply state. Is rotated while twisting the ice tray when the ice making temperature is reached, the ice separation operation to drop the ice generated in the ice tray to the lower storage box.

In this case, when water inside the water path from the water supply tank, which is the water source, to the ice making plate freezes, the water supply to the ice making plate does not run smoothly. Therefore, a heater for preventing water in the water supply path from freezing is conventionally used. Installation is running. Specifically, the freezing heater is installed at at least two places around the water supply hose extending from the water supply tank to the ice making plate from the bottom surface of the water supply tank and is always configured to continuously conduct electricity.

As described above, the rated output of the freeze prevention heater that is continuously energized is assumed to be the worst condition where freezing occurs most easily in the water supply path. Therefore, the refrigerator generates heat more than necessary in a period other than the condition. There is a problem that causes a decrease in cooling efficiency. In addition, there is a problem that the power consumption is relatively large because it always generates heat at the maximum output.

The present invention has been proposed to solve the problems of the prior art, and its purpose is to provide a refrigerator that can exhibit a function of preventing freezing in a water supply path from a water supply source to an ice making plate with low power consumption without causing a decrease in cooling efficiency of the refrigerator. To provide.

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a refrigerator having an automatic ice maker including a water supply path freezing heater from a water supply source to an ice making plate, wherein a predetermined time has elapsed after the defrosting operation of the cooling device is started. During the freezing operation of the freezer compartment, during this time until a certain time elapses after the end of the quick freezing operation, and during the water supply operation to the ice making plate, the freeze prevention heater is heated to the rated output, and the freezing prevention is performed at other times. A refrigerator is provided, which has means for controlling the heater to generate heat at a reduced output. In addition, the present invention is configured such that the rate at which heat generation of the freezing heater is reduced according to the height of the temperature of the room where the refrigerator is installed is determined.

According to the refrigerator of the Utility Model Registration Claim 1, the water in the water supply path from the water supply source to the ice making plate is prevented from freezing when the freezing heater is heated, so that the water supply operation to the ice making plate is always performed smoothly. Will be. In this case, the freezing heater not only generates heat at the rated output during the rapid freezing operation of the freezer compartment which is most likely to freeze, but also for a period of time after the end of the quick freezing operation. Since the device generates heat at the rated output even after the defrosting operation of the device starts until a predetermined time has elapsed, the freezing prevention function is reliably exhibited, and at other times, the freeze protection heater is heated to the reduced output. Because of this control, it is possible to suppress the deterioration of the refrigerator due to the heat generation and to suppress waste of power consumption. Further, the energy saving effect can be further achieved by determining the reduction ratio of the heat generation of the freezing prevention heater according to the temperature of the room where the refrigerator is installed.

EXAMPLE

In FIG. 5 showing the appearance of the refrigerator, the refrigerating chamber 1 is installed above the refrigerator main body 2, and the ice making chamber 3 having the drawer door 3a is installed at the middle of the refrigerator main body 2. As shown in FIG. . In addition, the refrigerator main body 2 has a refrigerating chamber 4 with a drawer door 4a, and another freezer 5 with a drawer door (see also FIG. 4) and a vegetable room with a drawer door 6 (Not shown) is installed. The ice making chamber 3 is configured to be cooled to the same temperature as the freezing chambers 4 and 5.

4 shows a schematic configuration of an automatic ice maker 7 installed in the refrigerator body 2, which will be described below. The tank storage coater 1c formed in the lowermost part of the refrigerating compartment 1 has a water supply tank 8 (also shown in FIG. 5) serving as a water supply source, a tank shelf 9 for supporting the water supply tank 8 in a mounted state. A water support plate 10 for supplying purified water from the water supply tank 8 and a water supply pump 11 for drawing water in the water support plate 10 are provided, and the water drawn up by the water supply pump 11 is provided. Is configured to be supplied through the water supply hose 11a in the ice making plate 12 disposed in the ice making chamber 3. The tank switch 13 is configured to be turned on in a state where the water supply tank 8 is set (mounted) on the tank shelf 9. The water supply amount control to the ice making plate 12 is performed by driving the water supply pump 11 for a fixed time.

The ice tray 12 is made of an elastically deformable plastic material and is rotated by an ice maker main body 14 having a motor or the like when the ice is completed, and performs the ice separation operation by twisting at the final stage of the rotation. The ice dropped from the ice making plate 12 by this ice separation operation is accumulated in the storage box 15 below. The storage box 15 is provided with a storage amount detection lever 16 which rotates upward as its storage amount increases, and when the rotation amount of the lever 16 reaches a set value, that is, within the storage box 15. When more than a predetermined amount of ice is accumulated, a limit switch (not shown) in the ice making body 14 is turned on to stop the start of the ice separation operation.

In addition, a temperature sensor 17 for detecting the temperature Ti is provided on the rear surface of the ice making plate 12. The detection temperature such as the completion of ice making time is described later by the detection temperature Ti of the temperature sensor 17. It is supposed to be executed as is. In addition, antifreeze heaters 18 and 19 are provided around the bottom surface of the water supply tank 8 and the water supply hose 11a in the water supply path from the water supply tank 8 to the ice making plate 12, respectively.

Meanwhile, FIG. 3 schematically shows the electrical configuration as an assembly of a functional block, which will be described below. The temperature detection circuit 20 outputs a temperature signal Si at a voltage level corresponding to the detection temperature Ti of the temperature sensor 17 and gives it to the control circuit device 21 serving as a control means. The temperature detecting circuit 22 for the cooling operation includes a temperature sensor installed to detect the temperatures of the freezing chambers 4 and 5, and a temperature sensor installed to detect the temperature of the refrigerating chamber 1, indicating the detection temperature by each temperature sensor. The signal is applied to the control circuit device 21. The room temperature detection circuit 23 detects the temperature of the installation chamber of the refrigerator main body 2, that is, room temperature, outputs a temperature signal Sr of a voltage level corresponding to the detection temperature Tr, and gives it to the control circuit device 21. In addition, the rapid freezing switch 24 is provided at a suitable position on the front surface of the refrigerator main body 1 and outputs the rapid freezing command signal S _f to the control circuit device 21 when it is turned ON. The feed water pump 25 is provided on the front side of the refrigerating chamber door 16. As a result, the feed water pump 25 notifies that the inside of the feed water tank 8 has become empty, and performs abnormal notification such as a defective set of the feed water tank 8. The defrosting heater 26 is attached to a cooler (not shown) and executes a defrosting operation (refrigerator control operation in this article) to melt the accumulated defrost of the cooler according to the notification. The compressor 27 is a well-known constituting refrigeration cycle for cooling operation in a refrigerator, and is supplied with a refrigerant in a liquid form to the cooler according to its operation. The fan apparatus 28 is a well-known structure provided for circulating cold air by cooling in a refrigerator according to the drive. The fan apparatus 29 is a well-known structure provided so that the amount of cold air supplied to the refrigerating chamber 1 from a cooler according to the opening-closing may be adjusted.

The integration timer 30 is installed to determine the start time of the defrosting operation of the cooler. The timer 30 performs a timer operation as long as the drive time of the compressor 27, and the timer operation time is set at a predetermined time T (for example, 8 hours). When it arrives, it is comprised so that the defrost removal command signal Sd may be output and given to the control circuit apparatus 21. FIG. The integration timer 30 is configured to be initialized when the defrosting operation of the cooler is started by the control circuit device 21 to stop the output of the defrosting command signal Sd. The control circuit device 21 includes a microcomputer and includes the above-described temperature detection circuit 20, the cooling operation temperature detection circuit 22, the temperature detection circuit 23, the rapid freezing switch 24, and the integrated timer ( In addition to the respective input signals from 30, the ON signal from the tank switch 13 is also received, and the feed water pump 11, the ice making body 14, and the freezing heater 18 are made by these input signals and the program stored in advance. And (19) control of the water supply lamp 25, the defrost heater 26, the compressor 27, the fan device 28, and the damper device 29.

1 and 2, only the part directly related to the gist of the present invention is shown in the control contents by the control circuit device 21, which will be described together with the related operation. In FIG. 1, in the power-on state, in the rapid freezing command signal from the quick freezing switch 24, the input state of the quick freezing command signal Sf from the quick freezing switch 24 is judged (step A1), and the non-input state. In step S2, the input state of the defrost removal command signal Sd from the integration timer 30 is determined (step A2). In a state where the defrost removal command signal Sd is not input, that is, when the integration driving time of the teller machine 27 does not reach 8 hours, it is determined whether 3 hours have elapsed since the last defrost removal operation started (step). A3), if it is determined as "Yes", it is determined whether 90 minutes have passed after the end of the last quick freezing operation (step A4). In addition, when it determines with "Yes" here, it is determined whether the room temperature Tr represented by the temperature signal Sr from the temperature detection circuit 23 is 13 degrees C or less (step A5).

In the case of Tr ≤ 13 ° C, each output of the freezing heaters 18 and 19 is set to 50% of the rated output (step A6). In case of Tr> 13 ° C, each output of the freezing heaters 18 and 19 is Set to 30% of the rated output (step A7). After performing in any of these steps A6 and A7, it is judged whether or not the temperature Ti of the ice making plate 12 indicated by the temperature signal Si from the temperature detection circuit 20 is equal to or lower than -12.5 ° C, which is an ice making temperature ( Step A8) Tr> -12.5 占 폚, i.e., the state in which the ice making in the ice making plate 12 is not completed, returns to the initial state (step A1).

In addition, in the state where 3 hours have not elapsed since the start of the last defrosting operation (No at step A3 and 90 minutes have not elapsed after the completion of the last rapid freezing operation (No at step A4)) , And set each of the outputs of (19) to the rated output (100% output) which is the maximum output (step A9), and then proceed to step A8.

When the rapid freezing command signal Sf is input from the quick freezing switch 24 (YES in step A1), the freezing prevention heaters 18 and 19 are set to the rated output (after step A10) and the compressor 27 ) And the fan apparatus 28 are forcibly operated to start the rapid freezing operation of the freezing chambers 4 and 5 (step A11). After the rapid freezing operation is started, it is judged whether or not the temperature in the freezing chambers 4 and 5 has reached the rapid freezing end temperature by a signal from the temperature detection circuit 22 for cooling operation (step A12). In the state where the temperature has not been reached, the determination step A8 is executed.

When the temperature in the freezer compartments 4 and 5 reaches the rapid freezing end temperature, the compressor 27 and the fan apparatus 28 are stopped to stop the rapid freezing operation (step A13), and then the determination step A4 is executed. . As described above, when the defrost removal command signal Sd is input from the integration timer 30 in the execution state of steps A1 to A13 (step A2DPTJ "Yes"), it is judged whether or not the rapid freezing operation is being executed (step A14). Determination operation by defrosting heater 26 in the state which stopped the operation of compressor 27 and fan apparatus 28, if the judgment step A12 is performed, but rapid freezing operation is not performed. (Step A15), the process returns to the initial state A1. On the other hand, when the temperature Ti of the ice making plate 12 falls below -12.5 degreeC (YES in step A8), it is determined whether the ice separation plug RF is "0" (step A16). Here, the ice separation plug RF becomes "0" when the ice separation operation of the ice making plate 12 is incomplete or in the state of supplying the water in the ice making plate 12, as described below. Later, it becomes "1" in the state in which water supply to the ice-making plate 12 is not complete. If the ice separation plug RF is "0", the ice separation operation is performed by the ice making body 14, and the ice separation plug RF is changed to "1" (step A17, step A18). The input state of the defrost removal command signal Sd from the timer 30 is determined (step A19). If the ice separation plug RF is "1" (No at step A16), step A17 and step A18 are jumped to execute step A19.

When the defrost removal command signal Sd is not input at the time of execution of said step A19, the set state of the water supply tank 8 is judged based on the signal from the tank switch 13 (step A20), and the water supply tank 8 Is not set correctly, the state where the water supply lamp 25 is turned on is continued until the water supply tank 8 is correctly set (step A121).

In the state where the water supply tank 8 is correctly set, it waits for time Ta (step A22), and after that, each output of the freezing prevention heaters 18 and 19 is set to a rated output as shown in FIG. 2 (step A23). Subsequently, the water supply pump 11 is driven for a predetermined time to supply water to the ice making plate 12, and the ice separation plug RF is changed to "0" (steps A24 and A25) and then control after judgment step A30. Run On the other hand, when the defrost removal command signal Sd is input at the execution point of the step A9, defrost removal operation by the defrost removal heater 26 is executed while the compressor 27 and the fan device 28 are stopped. (Step A26).

Thereafter, the set state of the water supply tank 8 is judged based on the signal from the tank switch 13 (step A27). When the water supply tank 8 is not set correctly, the state in which the water supply lamp 25 is turned on is shown. It continues until water feed tank 8 is set correctly (step A28).

At this time, in a state where the water supply tank 8 is correctly set, it waits for a time Ta (step A29), and after that, the output setting step A23, water supply operation step A24, and plug change step A25 shown in FIG. Control after step A30 is executed.

In decision step A30 in FIG. 2 to be executed after the water supply operation to the ice making plate 12 is completed, it is determined whether or not the temperature of the ice making plate 12 is -9.5 ° C or higher. At this time, when the water supply to the ice making plate 12 is normally performed, the temperature Ti rises, but when the water supply is not normally performed due to lack of water in the water supply tank 8, the temperature Ti of the ice making plate 12 is-. It does not rise above 9.5 ℃.

In this case, when Ti ≥-9.5 ° C, that is, when the water supply to the ice making plate 12 is normally executed, the process returns to step A1 of FIG. 1 which is the initial state, but repeatedly executes the judgment step A30 when the state of Ti <-9.5 ° C. Make a loop and wait for a predetermined time τb (about 5 to 6 minutes) (step A31). If Ti ≥-9.5 ° C does not occur during the waiting period, it is abnormal to the water supply operation to the ice making plate 12 (water supply tank ( 8) is also empty), and the water supply lamp 25 is turned on (step A32).

In this manner, the lamp is waited until the water supply tank 8 is set again or until the temperature of the ice making plate 12 rises by -9.5 ° C or more (steps A33 and A34).

Then, when the water supply tank 8 is reset or when Ti? -9.5 ° C, the water supply lamp 25 is turned on (step A35) and then returns to the initial state. Although not shown in FIG. 1, the control circuit device 21 performs the ice separation operation when the limit switch (not shown) is turned on by the storage amount detecting lever 16 at the time of performing the ice-making operation A17. It is configured to return to the initial state without doing so. Although not shown in the figure, defrosting operation of the cooler is configured to be stopped when the temperature of the cooler rises to a predetermined defrosting completion temperature in accordance with the defrosting operation.

Eventually, the freezing heaters 18 and 19 have a period until the defrosting operation of the refrigerator, which is a refrigerator control operation performed at a predetermined cycle, until 3 hours has elapsed, and ② the rapid freezing operation of the freezing chambers 4 and 5. During the period and until 90 minutes have elapsed after the corresponding rapid freezing operation is completed, ③ During the rapid operation period to the ice making plate 12, the heat is generated at the rated output, which is the maximum output, and at other times, it is rated according to the elevation of the room temperature Tr. The output is reduced to either 30% or 50% of the output. Therefore, the freezing prevention function by the freezing heaters 18 and 19 is regularly increased to the maximum, and at the same time, the water supply tank (such as during the water supply operation to the ice making plate 12 or during the rapid freezing operation of the freezing chambers 4 and 5). The freezing prevention function by the freezing prevention heaters 18 and 19 becomes as high as possible even in the state where the water in the water supply path from 8) to the ice making plate 12 tends to freeze.

In addition, the output of the freezing heaters 18 and 19 can be suppressed to a minimum within the required range in a period other than the above ① to ③, and as a result, the cooling efficiency of the refrigerator due to the heat generation of the heaters 18 and 19 is reduced. The reduction and unnecessary power consumption can be suppressed. In addition, since the output suppression function of the freezing prevention heaters 18 and 19 is suppressed as a high-lowness parameter at room temperature, the effect of suppressing unnecessary power consumption can be further enhanced.

Further, in the above embodiment, the so-called fleece operation may be performed such that the compressor 27 and the fan device 28 are forcedly driven for a predetermined time prior to the start of the defrosting operation. In the period, the heat generation function at the rated output of the freezing heaters 18 and 19 becomes more effective. In addition, the water holding plate 10, the water supply pump 11 and the like may be configured to provide an anti-freezing heater.

As described above, according to the present invention, the time until the predetermined time elapses after the defrosting operation of the cooling apparatus is started, during the rapid freezing operation of the freezer compartment, the time until the predetermined time elapses after the end of the rapid freezing operation, and In the water supply operation time to the ice making plate, the freezing heater is heated at a rated output, and at other times, the freezing heater is controlled to generate heat at a reduced output. It is possible to obtain an excellent effect of reliably exerting the freezing function while suppressing the waste of power.

Claims (1)

A refrigerator having an automatic ice maker equipped with an anti-icing heater in a water supply path from a water supply source to an ice making plate, wherein the freezer defrosting operation is started for a period of time until a predetermined time elapses, and during a rapid freezing operation of the freezer compartment. And outputting the freezing prevention heater at a rated output during a period until a predetermined time elapses after the end of the quick freezing operation, and during a water supply operation to the ice making plate, and outputting the freezing prevention heater at another period. And means for controlling the heat to be generated, wherein a rate at which the output of the freezing prevention heater is reduced by the output of the room temperature detection means in the room where the refrigerator is installed.