KR20060004548A - Ice processing device - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to an ice processing apparatus, which is housed in a freezer compartment of a refrigerator and ice-making unit for manufacturing ice of a predetermined size by ice-making water supplied from the outside; An ice storage unit for receiving and storing the manufactured ice therein; an ice transporting unit provided in the ice storage unit to transport the ice stored in the ice storage unit to be individually discharged to different discharge ports; Ice processing unit for crushing each of the ice discharged to the different discharge port of the ice storage unit by a predetermined size or in a sludge state to supply to the dispenser room of the refrigerating chamber door, and a piece of ice to the dispenser room The ice conveying water to selectively supply the ice powder in the form of sludge or sludge It is composed of a control unit having a control algorithm having a stage and an ice processing unit, the ice is made in the ice manufacturing unit has an effect that can be processed into a variety of forms according to the user's request to provide the ice stored in the ice storage unit.

Ice storage container, ice conveying member, crusher, crusher.

Description

Ice Processing Equipment {ICE PROCESSING DEVICE}

1 is a perspective view of a refrigerator having an ice processing apparatus of the present invention,

Figure 2 is a partial front cross-sectional view of the refrigerator shown ice processing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention,

Figure 3 is a perspective view of the ice storage unit and the ice conveying means of the ice processing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention,

Figure 4 is a front cross-sectional view of the ice storage unit of the ice processing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

5 is a flow chart showing a control algorithm of the ice processing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

6 is a partial front sectional view of a refrigerator showing an ice processing device according to another embodiment of the present invention;

7 and 8 are a perspective view showing the ice conveying means and the ice processing unit of the ice processing apparatus according to another embodiment of the present invention,

9 is a plan sectional view of an ice storage unit according to another embodiment of the present invention.

* Description of the main parts of the drawings *

1: refrigerator 2: freezer

3: freezer door 4: dispenser room

5, 5a, 5b: Ice Supply Path 6: Cold Room Door

10: ice maker 11: ice maker

20: ice storage 21: case

22, 22a, 22b: discharge port 23: shaft coupling member

24: bulkhead 30: ice transport means

31, 31a, 31b: drive motor 32, 32a, 32b: spiral shaft

40: ice processing part 41: crusher

42: shredder cover 43: fixed blade

44: rotary blade 45: grinding machine

46: crusher cover 47: knife plate

48: pressure blade 50: control unit

51: selection button

The present invention relates to an ice processing apparatus, and more particularly, to store ice by ice-making water supplied into a refrigerating chamber of a refrigerator, and separately storing the ice into pieces of a predetermined size or sludge state according to a user's selection. An ice processing apparatus is constructed and controlled to be crushed with ice powder and supplied to a dispenser room formed in a freezer compartment door.

Generally, a refrigerator absorbs heat by evaporating a refrigerant, which is a working fluid, in an internal heat exchanger disposed inside a storage compartment, and vice versa in an external heat exchanger disposed outside, and dissipates heat absorbed by the storage compartment to the outside to lower the temperature inside the storage compartment. Keep it frozen to freeze ice or keep food at low temperatures.

The storage compartment is divided into a refrigerating compartment and a freezing compartment to have an appropriate temperature for effectively storing the storage, and the separated refrigerating compartment and the freezing compartment are opened and closed individually by each door to improve efficiency.

Nowadays, as the refrigerator becomes larger, an ice making unit capable of manufacturing ice by freezing water supplied from the outside and automatically extracting the produced ice and an ice storage unit for storing the ice taken out of the ice manufacturing unit are provided in the freezer. It is provided.

In addition, a predetermined volume of dispenser room having an ice supply path is formed in the freezer door so that a user can take out the ice stored in the ice storage without opening the freezer door. Ice conveying means for feeding the dispenser room through the furnace shall be provided.

However, since the ice supplied to the dispenser room is provided as large ice cubes prepared in the ice manufacturing unit, the ice is crushed to a certain size or crushed into sludged ice powder according to the user's intended use. There is a problem that can not meet the various needs of the user is not provided with an ice processing unit for making.

 According to the present invention devised to solve the above problems, the user can configure the ice transfer unit and the ice processing unit to process the ice produced in the ice manufacturing unit and stored in the ice storage unit in various forms required by the user It is an object of the present invention to provide an ice processing apparatus in which the ice conveying unit and the ice processing unit are individually controlled so as to selectively process and provide ice in a required form.

In addition, the ice processing apparatus is configured so that the user can simultaneously process and supply a plurality of types of ice required by the user, and has an object of controlling the selective operation of the ice processing device so as to satisfy a wider demand of the user.

The present invention devised to achieve the above object is an ice manufacturing unit for manufacturing a predetermined size ice by ice-making water supplied from the outside is fixed to the inside of the freezer compartment of the refrigerator, and located in the lower portion of the ice manufacturing unit An ice storage unit for receiving and storing the ice produced in the ice storage unit, an ice transporting unit provided in the ice storage unit to transport the ice stored in the ice storage unit to the individual discharge ports, and the ice transport unit; An ice processing unit for crushing the ice discharged to different discharge ports of the ice storage unit by a predetermined size or grinding the sludge into a sludge state, and supplying the ice to the dispenser room of the refrigerating chamber door; The ice may be supplied to selectively supply crushed or sludged ice powder. It characterized by a control unit having means adapted to the ice machining unit control algorithm.

In addition, the ice storage unit is an upper side is opened and one side is provided with a plurality of discharge port is stored in the inside of the ice supplied from the ice manufacturing unit therein and is composed of a case having an inner receiving space to mount the ice transfer means It features.

In addition, the ice conveying unit is a plurality of drive motors driven and controlled by the control unit, each end is coupled to the drive motor is mounted inside the case so as to be rotated individually, the ice stored therein along the axial direction It is characterized by consisting of a plurality of spiral ice conveying member for discharging to the other discharge port.

In addition, the ice processing unit is characterized in that each consisting of a crusher for crushing the ice to a predetermined size, and a crusher for grinding into ice powder in the sludge state.

In addition, the shredder and the shredder is installed on each ice supply path communicating with the dispenser room, characterized in that configured to be individually controlled by the control unit.

In addition, the crusher and the crusher is coupled to each discharge port of the ice manufacturing unit and characterized in that configured to interlock with the spiral shaft.

The control unit may further include a selecting step of selecting a form of ice processed and supplied to the dispenser room; An ice conveying step of controlling each driving motor of the ice conveying means to convey the ice stored in the ice storage part toward the crusher and / or the crusher of the ice processing part according to the ice type selected in the selecting step; It characterized in that it is configured to have a control algorithm of the processing step of processing the ice is supplied by operating the mill and / or crusher of the ice conveyed in the conveying step.

Hereinafter, with reference to the accompanying drawings embodiments of the ice processing apparatus of the present invention will be described in detail the configuration and effect.

1 is a perspective view of a refrigerator having an ice processing apparatus of the present invention, Figure 2 is a partial front cross-sectional view of the refrigerator shown in the ice processing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention, Figure 3 according to an embodiment of the present invention 4 is a perspective view illustrating an ice storage unit and an ice conveying unit, and FIG. 4 is a partial front cross-sectional view of a refrigerator showing an ice processing apparatus according to another embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 5 is an ice processing unit according to an embodiment of the present invention. 6 is a flow chart showing a control algorithm of the apparatus, FIG. 6 is a partial front cross-sectional view of a refrigerator showing an ice processing apparatus according to another embodiment of the present invention, and FIGS. 7 and 8 are ice processing according to another embodiment of the present invention. Ice perspective view and ice processing unit of the device is a perspective view, Figure 9 is a top cross-sectional view of the ice reservoir according to another embodiment of the present invention.

In the ice processing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention, as shown in Figures 1 to 3, the ice is manufactured to produce a predetermined size ice by ice-making water supplied from the outside is fixed to the inside of the freezer compartment door (3) The ice storage unit 20 and the ice storage unit 20 which is located in the lower portion of the ice manufacturing unit 10 and receives the ice produced by the ice manufacturing unit 10 and stored therein, and the ice storage unit 20 The ice storage unit 30 and the ice storage unit 20 by the ice transfer means 30 and the ice transfer means 30 for individually transferring the ice stored in the ice storage unit 20 to different discharge ports 22. Ice processing unit 40 and the dispensing room (40) for supplying to the dispenser room 4 of the refrigerating chamber door by crushing each of the ice discharged to different discharge ports 22 of a predetermined size or in a sludge state 4) Ice cubes or sludge of a certain size It is comprised by the control part 50 which has a control algorithm so that the powdered ice of a state may be selectively supplied.

The ice maker 10 includes an ice maker 11 that is fixed to an inner circumferential upper side of the freezer compartment of the refrigerator 1 to apply a heat of a predetermined temperature to ice the water supplied from the outside to drop the iced ice downward. .

The ice storage unit 20 is open at the top to receive and store the ice that is dropped after ice making in the ice maker 11, and a plurality of discharge ports for discharging the ice to the ice processing unit 40 in different paths ( 22 is formed on one side, and consists of an integrated case 21 formed to have a predetermined volume of receiving space therein.

In addition, in the case 21, vertical partition walls 24 partitioning the inner accommodation spaces in which the plurality of spiral shafts 33 are accommodated are respectively hypothesized to have a predetermined height between the respective spiral shafts 33.

The ice conveying means 30 is axially coupled to the plurality of drive motors 31 individually controlled by the controller 50 and to the rotational shaft end 32 of each drive motor 31, and the case 21. It consists of a plurality of spiral shafts 33 which are accommodated side by side in the longitudinal direction so as to be individually rotated therein and to individually transport the ice stored in the case 21 to each discharge port 22 along the axial direction.

The drive motor 31 is located inside the inner surface of the freezer compartment door 3 facing the case 21 when the case 21 is received, and the rotation shaft end 32 of the drive motor 31 is the freezer compartment door 3. It is formed to interlock the shaft coupling member 23 that is rotatably fixed to one side of the case 21 facing through the inner surface of the.

The spiral shaft 33 is formed such that a round bar having a certain thickness on the imaginary horizontal axis line is spirally wound with a predetermined radius, one end of which is wound around the outer circumferential surface of the shaft coupling member 23, and the other end of the spiral shaft 33 is wound on the case ( It is rotatably coupled to the center of the discharge port 22 of the 21.

The ice processing unit 40 is a crusher 41 for crushing the ice discharged to each discharge port 22 of the case 21 by the ice transfer means into pieces of ice of a predetermined size, and powdered ice in the sludge state It is made of a grinder 45 to change to.

The shredder 41 and the shredder 45 are installed on respective ice supply paths 5 formed inside the freezer compartment door 3 so as to communicate with the dispenser room 4.

The crusher 41 may be rotated to crush the fixed blade 43 fixed to one side of the ice outlet of the crusher cover 42 and the ice fixed on the ice outlet to the fixed blade 43 at a predetermined speed. Rotating blade 44 is coupled to be made.

The crusher 45 is a knife plate 47 is installed a plurality of blades 46 along the inner circumferential surface of the crusher cover 46, and the pressure blade for pressing and rotating the ice so that the ice is crushed by the knife plate 47 It consists of 47.

The control unit 50 is installed on the front side of the refrigerating compartment door 6 to process a plurality of selection buttons 52 for selecting ice in a state desired by the user, and ice in each state selected by the selection button 52. To operate the drive motor 31 of the ice conveying means 30 and the crusher 41 and the crusher 45 of the ice processing part 40 separately or simultaneously to supply the dispenser room 4. It consists of a microcomputer (not shown) having a control algorithm for.

Reference characters a and b in the accompanying drawings indicate the shredder side and the shredder side.

Referring to the action and effect of the ice processing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention having such a configuration in detail as follows.

The ice manufacturing unit 10 accommodated and fixed inside the freezing compartment door 3 of the refrigerator 1 checks the amount of ice stored in the case 21 of the ice storage unit 20 located at the bottom, and freezes the door 3. By cooling the water supplied from the outside by the cold air inside the ice cube is supplied to the ice storage unit 20 located below the ice cube.

In order to receive the square ice stored in the case 21 of the ice storage unit 20 as ice in a user's desired state, first, the user wants to be provided by pressing the selection button 52 of the controller 50. Choose the state of the ice.

According to the ice processing mode selected by the user with the selection button 52, the microcomputer of the control unit 50 operates the drive motor 31 of the ice conveying means 30 selectively or simultaneously to operate in conjunction with the spiral The ice stored in the case 21 by the shaft 33 passes through each discharge port 22 to each ice supply path on which the crusher 41 and the crusher 45 of the ice processing part 40 are installed. 5) and the ice supplied to the ice supply path 5 is processed by the crusher 41 and the crusher 45 in a desired state and controlled to be supplied to the dispenser room 4.

Hereinafter, the process of providing pieces of crushed ice, sludge powdered ice, and pieces of ice and powdered ice at the same time according to a user's selection will be described.

 First, when the user selects ice cubes or ice cubes from the selection button 52 of the controller 50, the helical shaft 33a which drives the crusher side drive motor 31a separately from the drive motor 31 and cooperates with it. The ice stored in the case 21 is separately supplied to the ice supply path 5a in which the crusher 41 is installed through the crusher side discharge port 22a.

The ice supplied to the crusher side ice supply path 5a is supplied to the dispenser room 4 as it is in the ice state by preventing the crusher 41 which is operated and controlled by the microcomputer of the controller 50 from operating. Alternatively, the crusher 41 is operated to supply the crushed ice that is crushed to a predetermined size to the dispenser room 4.

That is, the frozen ice cubes are supplied without being processed or processed into small pieces of ice to control the crusher 41 not to operate or to operate the crusher 41 with respect to the barrel ice supplied to the crusher 41 side. The ice supplied to the supply passage 5a passes through the crusher 41 to be supplied to the dispenser room 4.

In addition, when the user selects the powder ice in the sludge state of the selection button 52 of the controller 50, the drive motor 31b of the crusher 45 side of the drive motor 31 is individually driven to cooperate with it. The ice stored in the case 21 by the spiral shaft 33b is individually supplied to the crusher-side ice supply path 5b on which the crusher 45 is installed through the crusher-side discharge port 22b, and is operated and controlled. Powdered ice ground in the sludge state by the crusher 45 is supplied to the dispenser room 4.

In addition, when the user selects the selection button 52 such that the mixed ice of the controller 50 is provided, the microcomputer of the controller 50 simultaneously operates the crusher side and the crusher side drive motors 31a and 31b. The control unit is controlled so that the ice stored in the case 21 is simultaneously supplied to the crusher side and the crusher side ice supply paths 5a and 5b, and is supplied to the crusher side and the crusher side ice supply paths 5a and 5b. The ice is crushed and crushed in the crusher 41 and the crusher 45 so that crushed ice and sludge powder ice are simultaneously supplied to the dispenser room 4.

Therefore, the ice manufactured by the ice manufacturing unit 10 and stored in the ice storage unit 20 may be processed in a form desired by the user, so as to selectively or simultaneously provided, thereby meeting a wider demand.

Hereinafter, as illustrated in FIGS. 5 to 8, the construction and operation effects of the ice processing apparatus according to another embodiment of the present invention will be described, and the same reference numerals are used for the same and similar parts as the embodiment. Duplicate explanations are omitted.

In one embodiment, the crusher 45 and the crusher 41 of the ice processing unit 40 are disposed on the respective ice supply paths 5a and 5b communicating with the dispenser room 4, and the ice conveying means ( Although it is configured to be controlled separately from each of the driving motors 31 of 30, the crusher 41 and the crusher 45 are communicated with each discharge port 22a, 22b of the case 21 of the ice storage unit 20. Combined and coupled to one side end of each of the spiral shaft (33a, 33b) rotated by the drive motor (31a, 31b) of the ice conveying means 30, and is also the same as the embodiment Controlled by the control algorithm of the controller.

Therefore, in order to provide the ice in each state required by the user, the control unit 50 simultaneously controls the crusher side and the crusher side drive motors 31a and 31b to simultaneously control the crusher 41 and the crusher 45. And an installation space problem due to the fact that the crusher 41 and the crusher 45 are installed on the ice supply path 5 formed inside the freezer door 3. And it has the effect of solving the problems of operation and control.

As described above, the ice processing apparatus of the present invention has the effect of processing the ice in the ice manufacturing unit and stored in the ice storage unit in a variety of forms according to the user's request.

In addition, according to the user's choice has the effect that the processing process of the crushed ice and sludge powder ice of a certain size is made individually or simultaneously.

In addition, by configuring the crusher and crusher required for the ice processing in conjunction with the spiral shaft has an effect that can simplify the configuration and control process of the ice maker.

Claims (7)

An ice maker which stores and fixes the inside of the freezer compartment of the refrigerator to make ice of a predetermined size by making ice supplied from the outside; An ice storage unit located at a lower portion of the ice manufacturing unit and receiving and storing the ice manufactured by the ice manufacturing unit; Ice conveying means is provided in the ice storage unit for transporting the ice stored in the ice storage unit to discharge to different discharge ports, respectively; An ice processing unit for crushing the ice discharged to different discharge ports of the ice storage unit by the ice transfer unit to a predetermined size or grinding the sludge into a sludge state and supplying the ice to the dispenser room of the refrigerating chamber door; And a control unit having a control algorithm of the ice transfer unit and the ice processing unit to selectively supply ice cubes of a predetermined size or ice powder to the dispenser room. The method of claim 1, The ice storage unit is an upper side is open and one side is provided with a plurality of discharge ports to store the ice supplied from the ice manufacturing unit therein and comprises a case having an inner receiving space to mount the ice transfer means Ice processing equipment. The method of claim 1, The ice conveying unit is axially coupled to the plurality of drive motors driven by the controller and the drive motor, and is individually mounted to the inside of the case to discharge ice stored therein along different axial directions to different discharge ports. Ice processing apparatus, characterized in that consisting of a plurality of spiral ice conveying member. The method of claim 1, The ice processing unit comprises a crusher for crushing the ice to a predetermined size, and a crusher for grinding the crushed ice powder in the sludge state, respectively. The method of claim 3, wherein And the shredder and the shredder are installed on each ice supply path communicating with the dispenser room, and configured to be individually controlled by the controller. The method according to any one of claims 2 to 4, The crusher and the crusher is in communication with each discharge port of the ice manufacturing unit and ice manufacturing apparatus, characterized in that configured to interlock with the spiral shaft. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 5, The control unit is a selection step of selecting the type of ice to be processed and supplied to the dispenser room; An ice conveying step of controlling each driving motor of the ice conveying means to convey the ice stored in the ice storage part toward the crusher and / or the crusher of the ice processing part according to the ice type selected in the selecting step; Ice processing apparatus characterized in that it has a control algorithm of the processing step of processing and supplying the ice by operating the crusher and / or crusher of the ice transferred in the conveying step.

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