KR20060129781A - Method of ice-maker for refrigerator - Google Patents

Abstract

A control method for an ice maker of a refrigerator is provided to drive an ejector and a heater simultaneously at the initial control step for removing errors generated in the procedure that the ejector comes back to an initial position, thereby improving reliability of the refrigerator. A control method for an ice maker of a refrigerator includes the steps of moving an ejector to an initial position for moving ice generated by an ice maker to an ice bank in response to power supply, and driving the ejector with a heater simultaneously for initial driving(S11). The ice maker is supplied with water and makes ice with the water(S12,S13). The ice is moved to the ice bank by driving the ejector(S15).

Description

Control Method of Ice Maker for Refrigerator {Method of Ice-maker for Refrigerator}

1 is a perspective view showing a conventional ice maker for a refrigerator;

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along line II of FIG. 1; FIG.

3 is a flow chart showing an ice making method of a conventional ice maker for a refrigerator.

4 is a flowchart showing a control method according to the first embodiment of the present invention;

5 is a flowchart illustrating a control method according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

<Description of Symbols for Major Parts of Drawings>

10: ice maker 11: ice tray

12: water supply unit 13: blowout motor unit

14: ejector 14a: ejector pin

15: ice sensor 16: slide

17: heater 17 20: ice bank

S11: initial control step S12: water supply step

S13: ice making step S14: ice making step

S15: Ice step S16: Ice detection step

S17: waiting step S21a: initial control step

S21b: status determination step

The present invention relates to a control method of a refrigerator ice maker, and more particularly, to a control method of a refrigerator ice maker by improving a control algorithm to improve the reliability and ice making speed of the ice maker.

A typical refrigerator is divided into a freezer compartment and a refrigerator compartment, and the refrigerator compartment is maintained at a temperature of about 3 to 4 ° C. to keep food and vegetables fresh and long, and the freezer compartment is at a subzero temperature to store meat and food in a frozen state. Is maintained.

Recently, the refrigerator has an ice maker that automatically performs a series of processes related to ice making without user interaction, and a dispenser that makes ice or water available outside the refrigerator. Various features are being added to make it available.

An example of a conventional refrigerator ice maker will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2 as follows.

The apparatus for ice making may be divided into an ice maker 10 in which ice is generated by receiving water, and an ice bank 20 in which ice generated by the ice making unit is taken out and stored.

The ice maker 10 includes an ice making tray 11 in which ice is generated and a water supply part 12 formed at one side of the ice making tray 11 to supply water to the ice making chamber.

At this time, the water supply unit 12 for supplying water to the ice maker 10 is connected to a water source (not shown) outside the refrigerator, the water supply pipe (not shown) for guiding water from the water source to the ice maker 10 On the pipeline, a water supply filter (not shown) for purifying the incoming water, and a water supply valve (not shown) for controlling the opening and closing of the water supply pipe (not shown) may be installed.

The ice tray 11 is formed in a substantially semi-cylindrical shape, and ribs (not shown) are formed at predetermined intervals so as to generate ice of a predetermined size in the ice tray 11.

In addition, one side of the ice making tray 11 has an ejector 14 for extracting the ice generated by the ice making tray 11 to the outside and a blowout motor unit 13 for driving the ejector 14. Is provided.

The ejector 14 is installed so that the rotating shaft crosses the center of the ice making tray 11, and an ejector pin 14a protruding perpendicular to the rotating shaft is formed.

The ejector 14 is installed so that the ejector pin 14a corresponds to the divided section of the ice making tray 11 in one-to-one correspondence, and as the ejector pin 14a rotates, the ice rotates together to form an ice bank 20. Taken out).

In addition, the slide 16 is inclined downward to the vicinity of the rotation axis of the ejector 14 at an upper end of the front side in which the ice is taken out from the ice making tray 11. In addition, the ice maker 10 is provided with an ice sensor 15 for detecting the amount of ice filled in the ice bank 20.

Reference numeral 15a, which is not described, is a hinge for fixing the ice sensing device 15.

Referring to Figure 3, the operation of the refrigerator ice maker 10 configured as described above is as follows.

First, the water supply proceeds and the water is filled up to a predetermined level in the ice making tray 11 (S2), and the water filled in the ice making tray 11 is exposed to cold air in the freezer for a predetermined time (S3).

In addition, an ice detection step is performed to determine whether the water supplied in the ice making step is converted into ice so that only the ice that has been de-iced is iced into the ice bank (S4).

That is, in order to completely generate ice in the ice maker 10, the ice making temperature (T) is compared with the set temperature (T ₀ ), and when the ice making temperature is about -9 ° C., it is determined that ice making is completed (S4). Ebbing proceeds.

In the above-mentioned ice removing process, first, the heaters 17 and 17 installed under the ice maker 10 are operated for a short time to melt and separate the surface of the ice contacting the ice making tray 11, and the take-out motor unit 13 is driven to eject the ejector. As the 14 and the ejector pins 14a rotate, ice is taken out to the ice bank 20 (S5).

Then, water is supplied to the empty ice tray 11 again, and the series of processes described above are repeatedly performed to continue ice making.

On the other hand, the ice sensor 15 is interlocked with the take-out motor unit 13, the take-out motor unit 13 operates to move up and down when the ice is started to detect the amount of ice filled in the ice bank 20 It is made (S6).

Therefore, if the ice bank 20 is not iced, the ice detection device 15 supplies water to the empty ice tray 11 again, and the ice-making process is continued by repeating the series of processes described above. When the ice making stops and waits (S7), the ice bank 20 is always filled with a certain amount of ice. Then, when the user releases ice from the ice bank using ice, water is supplied, and a series of processes are performed to perform ice making.

On the other hand, the refrigerator performs an initial control step (S1) to smoothly control the ice maker when the power is applied, in the initial control step to move the ejector 14 to the initial position. In addition, whether the ejector moves to an initial position and returns to an initial state is detected by a hall sensor (not shown) provided in the ice maker. If the ejector 14 does not come to the initial position for a predetermined time in the initial control step S1, the heater 17 is heated to move the ejector to the initial position. Since the situation in the ice making tray 11 cannot be confirmed in the initial control step S1, the ice making standby mode is performed for about 1 hour.

However, the above-mentioned ice making method of the refrigerator ice maker has the following problems.

First, when the ejector moves to the initial position in the initial control stage, there is a problem in reliability when ice is already iced inside the ice maker. That is, since the ejector does not move to the initial position due to the ice ice, there is a problem in the reliability of the refrigerator because the error for the initial control of the ejector is repeated. This problem is particularly highlighted when the power is reapplied to the refrigerator after a power failure.

Second, in the process of forcibly moving the ejector to the initial position in the ice maker, when the ice is iced inside the ice making tray, the ejector does not come to the initial position due to the contact between the ice and the ice making tray. In this state, the forced ejection of the ejector causes excessive strain on the motor, resulting in a motor failure.

Third, when the ejector fails to move to the initial position for a certain waiting time in the initial control stage, the heater is operated and the ejector is moved to the initial position. there was.

Fourth, there is a problem in that a waiting time for detecting whether the ejector moves to the initial position is additionally generated and an ice making process is not performed during the waiting time.

The present invention is to solve the above problems, an object of the present invention is to ensure the reliability of the refrigerator by eliminating the error occurring in the process of the ejector to the initial position.

Another object of the present invention is to improve the durability of the motor for driving the ejector by not forcibly driving the ejector.

Still another object of the present invention is to omit the ice making standby mode, thereby increasing the ice making amount relatively and improving the ice making speed.

Still another object of the present invention is to increase the time of ice making by eliminating a separate waiting time for detecting whether the ejector moves to the initial position.

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention, in the refrigerator ice maker control method, when the power is applied to move the ejector for moving the ice generated in the ice maker to the ice bank to the initial position, the drive of the ejector An initial control step of driving the heater together; A water supply step of supplying water to the ice maker; An ice making step of converting the water supplied by the water supply step into ice; In addition, the present invention provides a method of controlling a refrigerator ice maker including an ice-making step of moving the ice generated by the ice-making step to the ice bank by driving the ejector.

The initial control step may include a state determination step of detecting a temperature change rate and proceeding a water supply step when the temperature change rate is a predetermined value or more, and performing an ice making step when the temperature change rate is a predetermined value or less. In addition, the detection of the temperature change rate in the state determination step is more preferably made by a thermistor provided inside the ice maker.

On the other hand, the control method of the ice maker for the refrigerator, it is preferable to include an ice detection step for determining whether the water supplied in the ice making step is converted to ice so that only the ice ice is completed to the ice bank.

Since the basic configuration of the ice maker for performing the control method is the same as in the related art, the configuration of the ice maker according to the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2, and the same name and the same reference numeral will be used for the same configuration.

Referring to Figure 4, the control method of the icemaker for a refrigerator according to the first embodiment of the present invention will be described.

The basic configuration of the control method of the refrigerator ice maker according to the present embodiment includes an initial control step (S11) of moving the ejector 14 to an initial position when the power is applied, as in the conventional control method; A water supply step of supplying water to the ice maker 10; Ice making step (S13) for converting the water supplied by the water supply step into ice; Detecting step (S14) to determine whether ice making so that the ice is completed ice; An ice breaking step (S15) of moving the ice generated by the ice making step to the ice bank 20 by driving the ejector (14); Then, the ice bank 20 is subjected to a series of steps of the ice detection step (S16) for detecting the amount of ice filled in.

However, in the control method according to the present embodiment, the initial control step S11 moves the ejector 14 to the initial position and the heater 17 is driven, thereby improving the reliability of the refrigerator and durability of the motor driving the ejector. It is configured to improve it.

The initial control step S11 is a step of initially controlling the ice maker 10 of the refrigerator when power is applied, and moves the ejector 14 to an initial position. The process of moving the ejector 14 to the initial position has no particular problem in the reliability of the ice maker 10 when the initial power is applied.

However, in the case where the power is again applied after the power is cut off due to a power failure or the like, there is an element that hinders reliability in the process of moving the ejector 14 of the ice maker to the initial position. That is, when ice is already iced inside the ice maker 10, since the ice maker tray 11 and the ice are attached, the ejector cannot move to the initial position even by the forced driving by the motor. As a result, the ejector cannot move to the initial position, and the initial position error is repeated in the ice maker.

Accordingly, the hall sensor (not shown) detects that the ejector 14 has not yet come to the initial position, and the ice maker 10 does not enter the ice making mode. Therefore, the ice making performance of the ice maker 10 is not exhibited. In addition, by forcibly moving the ejector 14, the motor driving the ejector 14 is forced, and consequently adversely affects the durability of the motor.

Therefore, in the present embodiment, the heater 17 is driven together with the movement of the ejector 14 to the initial position in the initial control step. That is, the heater 17 is operated simultaneously with the driving of the ejector 14 without checking the movement state of the ejector 14 to the initial position when the power is applied.

The heater 17 is provided in the lower portion of the ice maker 10, and operates for a short time in the ice making process to melt and separate the surface of the ice contacting the ice making tray 11.

On the other hand, by driving the heater 17 in the initial control step, even if ice is iced inside the ice maker when the power is re-applied, the contact surface of the ice and the ice maker is melted and separated to allow the ejector 14 to return to the initial position. Will be. Therefore, the ejector 14 is forcedly driven due to the contact of the ice, so that an excessive force is not applied to the motor driving the ejector 14.

In addition, the conventional ice maker control method sets a time (e.g., 2 minutes) for the ejector 14 to return to the initial state without driving the heater 17, and if the ejector 14 does not come to the initial state within the set time. The heater 17 was made to generate heat. Thus, it is possible to save waiting for the set time moving to the initial position of the ejector 14.

As described above, after the initial control step in which the ejector 14 and the heater 17 are simultaneously driven, water supply proceeds to fill the ice making tray 11 with a predetermined level of water (S12), and the ice making tray ( Water filled in 11 is exposed to cold air in the freezer for a predetermined time to freeze (S13).

Then, the ice-making step (S14) to determine whether the water supplied in the ice making step (S13) is converted to ice so that only the ice ice is completed to the ice bank 20.

At this time, in order to completely generate ice in the ice maker 10, the ice measuring temperature (T) and the set temperature (T ₀ ) is compared and when the ice measuring temperature is approximately -9 ℃ is determined that the ice making is completed (S14) , The ice is proceeded (S15).

In the above-mentioned ice removing process, first, the heaters 17 and 17 installed under the ice maker 10 are operated for a short time to melt and separate the surface of the ice contacting the ice making tray 11, and the take-out motor unit 13 is driven to eject the ejector. As the 14 and the ejector pins 14a rotate, ice is taken out to the ice bank 20 (S15).

Then, water is supplied to the empty ice tray 11 again, and the series of processes described above are repeatedly performed to continue ice making.

On the other hand, the ice sensor 15 is interlocked with the take-out motor unit 13, when the take-out motor unit 13 operates to move the ice up and down to sense the amount of ice filled in the ice bank 20 (S16).

Therefore, if the ice bank 20 is not iced, the ice detection device 15 supplies water to the empty ice tray 11 again, and the ice-making process is continued by repeating the series of processes described above. When the ice making is stopped (S17), the ice bank 20 is always filled with a certain amount of ice. Then, when the user releases ice from the ice bank using ice, water is supplied (S12), and the series of processes are performed to perform ice making.

Referring to Figure 5, the control method of the icemaker for a refrigerator according to the second embodiment of the present invention will be described.

The basic configuration of the control method according to the present embodiment is the same as that of the first embodiment described above. However, the control method of the ice maker in the present embodiment is configured to further include a separate state determination step (S21b) after the initial control step (S21a) in which the ejector 14 and the heater 17 are driven at the same time.

The state determination step (S21b) is configured to detect the temperature change rate and proceed with the water supply step (S22) when the temperature change rate is more than a predetermined value, and to perform the ice making step (S23) when the temperature change rate is less than the predetermined value.

Since the state of the ice present in the ice making tray 11 after the initial control step (S11) is not known, each possible case will be described.

First, in the case where ice is firmly iced in the ice making tray 11, the heater 17 is operated together with the driving of the ejector 14 in the initial control step S11, and the ice is moved to the ice bank 20. . After the initial control step S11, the ice making tray 11 is in an empty state, and in this case, the temperature drop rate detected is large compared to the case where water is supplied to the ice making tray 11. Therefore, it can be seen that it is an empty tray. Therefore, the water supply step S22 is performed to the ice making tray 11.

Next, when water is present in the ice making tray 11, the ejector 14 moves to the initial position through the initial control step (S11). At this time, the temperature drop rate is relatively gentle as compared to the case where the ice tray 11 is empty due to the water present in the ice tray 11. Accordingly, it can be seen that water exists in the ice making tray 11, and the ice making step S23 can be directly performed without passing the step S22 of supplying water to the ice making tray 11.

In addition, when the ice is present in the ice tray 11, the ice is broken due to the mechanical operation of the ejector 14 during the initial control step (S11), the cold water is present in the ice tray (11). . Therefore, in this case, as in the case where water is present, due to the relatively high specific heat of water, the temperature drop rate is lower than the set temperature drop rate, thereby determining that water is present. Therefore, even in this case, the ice making step S23 may be directly performed without passing the step S22 of supplying water to the ice making tray 11.

On the other hand, in the state determination step (S21b) the detection of the temperature change rate can be made by various temperature detection device, more specifically the detection of the temperature change rate is made by a thermistor (not shown) provided in the ice maker 10. It is preferable.

After the initial control step (S21a) and the state determination step (S21b), the water supply step (S22) for supplying water to the ice maker (10); Ice making step (S23) for converting the water supplied by the water supply step into ice; Detecting step (S24) to determine whether ice making so that the ice is completed ice; An ice making step (S25) of moving the ice generated by the ice making step to the ice bank 20 by driving the ejector 14; Then, the ice bank 20 is subjected to a series of steps of the ice detection step S26 for detecting the amount of ice filled in the ice bank 20 to perform ice making by the ice maker 10.

As described above, the preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described, and the fact that the present invention can be embodied in other specific forms in addition to the above-described embodiments without departing from the spirit or scope thereof has ordinary skill in the art. It is obvious to them.

Therefore, the above-described embodiments should be regarded as illustrative rather than restrictive, and thus, the present invention is not limited to the above description and may be modified within the scope of the appended claims and their equivalents.

Referring to the effect of the control method of the icemaker for a refrigerator according to the present invention described above are as follows.

First, by simultaneously driving the ejector and the heater in the initial control step, it is possible to improve the reliability of the refrigerator by eliminating the error occurring in the process of the ejector to the initial position.

Second, ice is present in the ice making tray, thereby forcibly driving the ejector due to the contact between the ice and the ice making tray, thereby preventing the motor from becoming excessive and improving durability of the ejector driving motor.

Third, the omission speed of the ice maker can be increased by omitting the separate ice making standby mode after the initial control step.

Fourth, it is possible to increase the ice making time of the ice maker by omitting a separate detection waiting time for detecting whether the ejector moves to the initial position.

Claims (4)

In the control method of the ice maker for a refrigerator, An initial control step of moving an ejector for moving ice generated by the ice maker to an ice bank to an initial position when the power is applied, and driving a heater together with driving of the ejector; A water supply step of supplying water to the ice maker; An ice making step of converting the water supplied by the water supply step into ice; And, And a freezing step of moving the ice generated by the ice making step to the ice bank by driving the ejector. The method of claim 1, The initial control step, And a state determining step of detecting a temperature change rate and proceeding a water supply step when the temperature change rate is a predetermined value or more, and performing an ice making step when the temperature change rate is a predetermined value or less. The method of claim 2, In the state determination step, The control method of the ice maker for refrigerators characterized by the detection of the temperature change rate by the thermistor provided in an ice maker. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, The control method of the refrigerator ice maker, And an ice making step of determining whether the water supplied in the ice making step is converted into ice so that only ice having been iced is completed into the ice bank.

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