KR20030051546A - Ice maker having a multi-control function - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: An ice maker having a complex control function is provided to reduce the volume of the ice maker, have a complex control function, reduce waste of electric power, and prevent over-melting of ice. CONSTITUTION: An ice maker having a complex control function comprises a flow-detecting unit(50) detecting the pressure of input water input into an ice tray for a refrigerator; a temperature sensor(52) installed on a side of the ice tray, to detect the temperature of ice; an ice size control unit(36) manually controlling the water supply flow to make the size of a piece of ice each different; a motor(40) rotating a shaft mounted to the middle part of the ice tray and discharge ice in the ice tray to the outside; a motor drive unit to drive the motor; a data storage unit(54) in which drive time data of a heater and the water supply time data of a water supply valve(58) by the flow-detecting unit and the temperature sensor is stored and motor drive time date is stored in applying a motor drive signal; and a control unit(66) generating a drive control signal to the motor when an ice discharge signal is generated, receiving a detection signal from the flow-detecting unit and the temperature sensor, and controlling the opening and shutting of the water supply valve. Thus, the volume of the device is reduced and convenience in the use is improved.

Description

ICE MAKER HAVING A MULTI-CONTROL FUNCTION}

The present invention relates to an ice maker with a complex control function, and more particularly, by mounting a DC motor inside the main body, and by coupling a worm gear to the motor shaft to drive the lower gears, On the outside of the main body, LEDs for recognizing power supply, motor driving, heater driving status, and water supply status are installed, and an ice size selection lever for adjusting the ice size is formed, and the discharge ribs discharging the ice are moved. The present invention relates to an ice maker equipped with a complex control function to reduce power consumption and prevent over-melting of ice by allowing the heater to be intermittently operated in association with a state.

As is well known, in the past when artificial ice was not made, it was treated very preciously because no ice could be obtained other than the storage of natural ice, and the storage method was developed long ago. However, since electricity has been used, various types of ice makers have been developed, so that ice can be easily obtained at any time, and a small amount of ice can be made by using a freezer in general households.

In the past, ice has been used mainly during the hot summer months, but as the standard of living increases, the demand for ice is maintained regardless of the season. To this end, an ice extraction apparatus as shown in Fig. 1 has been developed and used.

Referring to the conventional ice extraction apparatus with reference to Figure 1, it is possible to be fixed to a predetermined wall or the like through the body 10, the bracket 14, the motor is built in, a plurality of ice grooves are formed therein It is composed of an ice tray 12 and a shaft 20 which is operatively coupled to the motor and is elongated so as to be rotatable above the ice tray 12. A plurality of ribs 22 are formed in the shaft 20, and once the ice is frozen, it serves to push the ice in the ice groove out of the tray. One side of the tray 12 is attached with a case 16 having a plurality of spacers 18.

In the ice extracting device of this configuration, when ice is frozen and then the motor is operated, the ice in the ice groove is lowered by the ribs 22 attached to the motor shaft 20 while the shaft 20 of the motor is rotated. Drop it out and take it out. Reference numeral 50 is a flow control screw.

In the conventional ice extracting device having such a configuration, since the shaft provided in the longitudinal direction at the center of the ice tray 12 is directly connected to the motor, the motor is configured on the same axis as the shaft. However, such a configuration of the motor has a problem that the volume of the entire apparatus is increased because the volume of the main body 10 is increased. In addition, since the driving power of the motor is operated by the AC power, this also has a limit to limit the motor size.

In addition, since the user does not have a separate recognition means for recognizing the operation state of the ice extraction device was inconvenient, there was a problem that the user can not freely adjust the size of the ice. On the other hand, since the heater (not shown) installed in the lower portion of the ice tray 12 is continuously driven until the ice is discharged to the outside, the power is unnecessarily consumed, and there is a problem that the ice is excessively melted.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the above-described prior art, in which a DC motor is mounted inside the main body, and a worm gear is coupled to the motor shaft to drive the lower gears, thereby reducing the volume of the entire apparatus. Its purpose is to provide an ice maker equipped with a complex control function with an LED that can recognize power supply, motor drive, heater drive status, water supply status, and an ice size selector to adjust the ice size. There is this.

Another object of the present invention is to interlock with the movement state of the discharge rib for discharging ice to reduce the power consumption by allowing the heater to operate intermittently, the ice maker with a composite control function to prevent the ice from over-melting In providing.

1 is a perspective view showing the external appearance of the ice taking apparatus according to a conventional embodiment,

Figure 2 is a perspective view showing the appearance of the ice maker with a composite control function according to an embodiment of the present invention,

Figure 3 is a view showing the internal state of the ice maker with a composite control function according to an embodiment of the present invention,

Figure 4 is a state diagram showing the driving state of the ice maker with a composite control function according to an embodiment of the present invention,

Figure 5a, 5b is a state diagram showing the driving state of the heater built in the ice maker with a composite control function according to an embodiment of the present invention,

6 is a block diagram showing a circuit configuration of an ice maker with a composite control function according to an embodiment of the present invention.

* Description of the symbols for the main parts of the drawings *

36: ice size adjustment part, 40: motor,

52: temperature sensor, 54: data storage,

58: water supply valve, 62: heater,

66: control unit.

In order to achieve the above object, according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the motor is built, the body is provided with a flow rate adjustment screw for manually adjusting the flow rate, and one end is fixed to the upper end of the body, extending in the longitudinal direction An axis provided at the other end to rotate and discharge ice in the ice tray; An ice tray having a plurality of ice grooves formed therein and having the shaft mounted in a longitudinal direction at a central portion thereof; A heater attached to a bottom surface of the ice tray; An ice maker comprising a valve for regulating water supply to an ice tray, the ice maker comprising: a flow rate detecting unit for detecting an inflow pressure introduced into a refrigerator ice tray of each home; A temperature sensor attached to one side of the ice tray 12 to detect a temperature value of ice; An ice size control unit for manually adjusting the water supply flow rate so that the ice size can be produced differently according to the control value; A motor for generating a driving force for discharging the ice provided in the ice tray to the outside by rotating the shaft mounted at the center of the ice tray; A motor driver for driving the motor; A data storage unit for storing the driving time of the heater and the water supply time data of the water supply valve by the flow rate detection unit and the temperature sensor, and the motor driving time data when the motor driving signal is applied; When the ice discharge signal is generated, a driving control signal is generated to the motor, and an ice maker provided with a complex control function comprising a control unit configured to control opening and closing of a water supply valve by receiving a detection signal from the flow rate detection unit and a temperature sensor. do.

Preferably, the shaft of the motor is provided with an ice maker with a combined control function, characterized in that the worm gear is axially coupled to install the motor on the inner front of the main body to reduce the size of the main body.

Preferably, the control unit is provided with an ice maker equipped with a composite control function to prevent over-melting of ice by allowing the heater to continuously or intermittently control in conjunction with the driving state of the motor.

Preferably, the outside of the main body is provided with an ice maker with a complex control function, characterized in that the LED further blinks to indicate the power-on state, the heater and motor driving state, the water supply state separately.

EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION Hereinafter, this invention is demonstrated in detail with reference to drawings.

Figure 2 is a perspective view showing the appearance of the ice maker with a composite control function according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to this, the ice maker equipped with a composite control function according to an embodiment of the present invention is equipped with a DC motor inside the main body, the worm gear is coupled to the motor shaft to drive the lower gears of the entire device In order to reduce power consumption, the LEDs for recognizing power supply, motor driving, heater driving status and water supply status are built in the outside of the main body, and an ice size selection lever for adjusting the ice size is formed.

In addition, the present invention is linked to the movement state of the discharge rib for discharging ice to enable the heater to operate intermittently to reduce the power consumption, and to prevent the ice from being over-melted.

Therefore, the ice maker equipped with a composite control function according to an embodiment of the present invention, the LED 34 indicating the power-on state, motor drive state, heater drive state, water supply state on the front of the main body 10 by the flashing thereof Is provided, the lower portion of the ice size selection lever 36 to adjust the ice size is formed.

In addition, a power switch 30 is formed at a predetermined side surface of the main body 10, and a reset switch 32 for resetting setting data is provided at a lower portion thereof.

Figure 3 is a view showing the internal state of the ice maker with a composite control function according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to this, a PCB board 38 having various circuit configurations, device components, and the like mounted therein is mounted inside the main body 10, and a DC motor 40 for generating a rotational driving force on the side thereof is installed. A worm gear 42 is coupled to the motor shaft to vertically transfer the driving force of the motor 40.

In addition, the transmission gear 44 which is coupled to the worm gear 42 and transmits the driving force to the other end, and controls the acceleration and deceleration is configured, and receives the driving force of the motor 40 through the transmission gear 44 A cam gear 46 whose one end is coupled to the shaft 20 on which the discharge rib 22 is formed in the longitudinal side for discharging the ice is constituted.

Figure 4 is a state diagram showing the driving state of the ice maker with a composite control function according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to this, the present invention is linked to the movement state of the discharge rib for discharging ice to enable the heater to operate intermittently to reduce the power consumption, and to prevent the ice from being over-melted. Therefore, the ice maker equipped with a composite control function according to the present invention is a combination of the motor 40, the water supply valve, the heater, and the temperature sensor are operated in conjunction with each other, first to discharge the ice before the motor 40 is driven As the control signal is generated, power is supplied to the heater to heat the ice tray 12.

When the ice tray 12 is heated for a predetermined time, an operation for discharging ice to the outside of the ice tray 12 is performed while the motor 40 is driven. At this time, the discharge rib 22 moves along the ice groove according to the driving of the motor 40, and drives the heater intermittently according to the moving length.

As the heater is driven, the temperature of the ice tray 12 is gradually raised and gradually lowered so that the ice inside the ice tray 12 is not excessively melted and power consumption can be reduced.

5A and 5B are state diagrams showing driving states of a heater built in an ice maker equipped with a complex control function according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to this, the ice tray 12 is heated before the ice is discharged, and the heating operation is continuously or intermittently operated in conjunction with the movement length of the discharge rib 22. For example, the heater is continuously driven while the discharge rib 22 moves from the ice groove in the ice tray 12 to 'A', and when the discharge rib 22 moves in the ice groove by the position of B. C. The heater is intermittently driven by determining that the ice melts properly.

Therefore, as the heater is driven, the temperature of the ice tray 12 gradually rises and gradually falls so that the ice inside the ice tray 12 does not overmelt, and power consumption can be reduced.

6 is a block diagram showing a circuit configuration of an ice maker with a composite control function according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to this, in the ice maker with a complex control function according to an embodiment of the present invention, the reference numeral 50 denotes a flow rate detection unit for detecting the inflow pressure input to the refrigerator ice tray 12 of each home. The flow rate detection is to cause the pulse generator to be generated differently according to the flow rate inherent in the pulse generator. Reference numeral 52 denotes a temperature sensor attached to one side of the ice tray 12 to detect a temperature value of ice.

Reference numeral 36 denotes an ice size control that allows manual adjustment of the feedwater flow rate so that the ice size can be made differently according to the control value.

Reference numeral 40 denotes a motor that generates a driving force for discharging the ice provided in the ice tray 12 to the outside by rotating the shaft 20 mounted at the center of the ice tray 12, and reference numeral 56 denotes the The motor drive part which drives the motor 40 is shown.

Reference numeral 58 denotes a valve provided at the rear end of the flow rate detection unit 50 to control the introduction of drinking water into the ice tray 12 by opening and closing the reference, and reference numeral 60 denotes a valve driving unit for driving the valve 58. As shown, the valve 58 is preferably constituted by a solenoid valve so that the valve 58 is opened and closed according to the application of a pulse.

Reference numeral 62 is mounted to the lower portion of the ice tray 12, and indicates a heater for transferring heat to the ice tray 12 in accordance with the power input, reference numeral 64 denotes a heater drive unit for driving the heater 62 Reference numeral 54 is a drive time of the heater 62 by the flow rate detection unit 50 and the temperature sensor 52 and the water supply time data of the water supply valve 58 is stored, the motor drive when the motor drive signal is applied Represents a data storage unit in which time data is stored.

Reference numeral 66 generates a drive control signal to the motor 40 when the ice discharge signal is generated, and receives the detection signal from the flow rate detection unit 50 and the temperature sensor 52 to control the opening and closing of the water supply valve 58, A control unit for generating a control signal by extracting the corresponding data from the data storage unit 54 so as to continuously or intermittently control the heater 62 in conjunction with the driving state of the motor 40.

With reference to the accompanying drawings, the function and operation of the ice maker with a composite control function according to an embodiment of the present invention of the above configuration will be described in detail.

First, the ice maker equipped with a composite control function according to an embodiment of the present invention, when the power is turned on by the operation of the power button 30, the current driving state of the ice maker to the LED 34 installed outside This can be recognized by the user.

In this case, when the user generates an operation signal for discharging ice, the controller 66 receives the corresponding signal to extract heater driving data from the data storage unit 54 to drive the heater 62 for a preset time. Let's do it.

After the preset time has elapsed, the controller 66 generates a drive control signal to the motor 40 to drive the bar. At this time, since the worm gear 42 is axially coupled to the shaft of the motor 40, the ice maker Can minimize the dose.

When the motor 40 starts to rotate, the discharge rib 22 starts to rotate by the shaft 20, wherein the controller 66 extracts heater time data from the data storage 54. To control the heater 62 to be intermittently driven. Therefore, while the ice is easily discharged, the degree of melting of the ice is minimized and the amount of power applied to the heater 62 can be minimized.

When the discharge of the ice is completed, the control unit 66 controls the drinking water to be introduced into the ice tray 12 by opening the water supply valve 58, wherein the flow rate detection unit 50, respectively, according to the flow rate of the drinking water Generate different pulses. The control unit 66 receives the pulse signal and the temperature detection signal from the temperature sensor 52 to drive and control the water supply valve 58 according to the flow rate and the cooling temperature.

On the other hand, the ice maker equipped with a composite control function according to an embodiment of the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments, but various modifications can be made without departing from the technical gist of the present invention.

As described above, the ice maker with a complex control function according to the present invention is equipped with a plurality of LEDs on the outside of the main body, so that the user can easily recognize the heater driving state, power state, motor driving state, water supply state. By adopting the worm gear inside the main body to be axially coupled to the motor, the main body can be miniaturized.The user can select the ice size according to the flow rate control for convenience of use, and the movement of the discharge rib for discharging the ice By controlling the heater to be driven intermittently according to the position, it is possible to reduce power consumption and prevent over-melting of ice.

Claims (4)

A main body having a built-in motor and having a flow adjusting screw for manually adjusting the flow rate, and one end fixed to the upper end of the main body and provided at the other end extending in the longitudinal direction to rotate and discharge the ice in the ice tray; ; An ice tray having a plurality of ice grooves formed therein and having the shaft mounted in a longitudinal direction at a central portion thereof; A heater attached to a bottom surface of the ice tray; In the ice maker consisting of a valve for regulating the water supply to the ice tray, A flow rate detection unit for detecting an inflow pressure introduced into a refrigerator ice tray of each home; A temperature sensor attached to one side of the ice tray and detecting a temperature value of the ice; An ice size control unit for manually adjusting the water supply flow rate so that the ice size can be produced differently according to the control value; A motor for generating a driving force for discharging the ice provided in the ice tray to the outside by rotating the shaft mounted at the center of the ice tray; A motor driver for driving the motor; A data storage unit for storing the driving time of the heater and the water supply time data of the water supply valve by the flow rate detection unit and the temperature sensor, and the motor driving time data when the motor driving signal is applied; When the ice discharge signal is generated, a driving control signal is generated to the motor, the ice maker with a composite control function comprising a control unit for controlling the opening and closing of the water supply valve by receiving the detection signal from the flow rate detection unit and the temperature sensor. The ice maker according to claim 1, wherein a worm gear is axially coupled to the shaft of the motor so that the main body can be miniaturized by placing the motor on the inner front side of the main body. The ice maker according to claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to prevent over-melting of ice by allowing the control unit to continuously or intermittently control the heater in association with the driving state of the motor. The ice maker of claim 1, wherein the exterior of the main body further includes an LED blinking to separately indicate a power-on state, a heater and a motor driving state, and a water supply state.