KR20090121515A - Ice maker, refrigerator using the same and controlling method of the refrigerator - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: An ice maker, a refrigerator including the ice maker and a controlling method of the refrigerator are provided to offer well frozen ice to users by checking the state of the ice. CONSTITUTION: An ice maker, a refrigerator including the ice maker and a controlling method of the refrigerator comprises an ice making tray(11), a heater(24), a temperature sensor(20), and a controller. The ice making tray has a space where the accepted water is transformed to ice. The heat is installed in the ice making tray to supply heat to the water. The temperature sensor measures the temperature of the water. The controller measures the change of the water to determine the formation of ice.

Description

Ice maker, refrigerator and refrigerator control method including same {Ice maker, Refrigerator using the same and Controlling method of the Refrigerator}

The present invention relates to an ice maker, a refrigerator including the same, and a refrigerator control method, and more particularly, to an ice maker for generating ice using subcooling, a refrigerator including the same, and a refrigerator control method.

In general, a refrigerator discharges cold air generated by a refrigeration cycle consisting of a compressor, a condenser, an expansion valve, an evaporator, and lowers the temperature in the refrigerator to freeze or refrigerate food or the like. In addition, the refrigerator is provided with an ice making device for manufacturing ice, and provides iced ice to the user.

Ice can be produced by lowering the water temperature to about 0 degrees Celsius.

In order to produce such ice, the freezer compartment of the refrigerator generally maintains the temperature in the freezer compartment below 0 degrees Celsius.

In general, ice is produced from the side where water and air meet or the side where water contacts the container. This is because freezing tuberculosis is easily generated in the vicinity. And, as time passes, the inside of the water changes to a state of ice. That is, a predetermined time is required from the moment when the outside of the water is frozen to the moment when the outside of the water is completely frozen with ice. Therefore, there is a problem that it cannot be seen that the outside of the water is frozen into the ice to the inside.

In a conventional refrigerator, a temperature sensor is used to determine whether ice is produced. However, since the temperature sensor can measure only the temperature of the outer surface of the water, it cannot be determined whether or not the outer surface has been completely converted to ice even if the outer surface falls to a temperature below zero. That is, according to the conventional method of measuring the temperature using a temperature sensor, it is difficult to accurately determine whether the ice is frozen.

Therefore, when the user is provided that the ice is completely generated even though the ice is not completely generated, the user may be supplied with cold water instead of the ice to satisfy the user's requirements.

In addition, the water does not change the phase of the ice will be buried in the conveyor or rotary blade of the ice supply device. In this case, as ice is generated by water, problems such as wear of the ice supply device may occur.

The present invention is to solve the above problems, the present invention is to provide an ice maker, a refrigerator and a refrigerator control method comprising the same, which can provide the user with the ice frozen both inside and outside the ice.

In addition, the present invention may provide an ice maker, a refrigerator, and a refrigerator control method including the ice maker capable of determining whether both inside and outside of the ice are frozen.

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides an ice making tray formed with a space for converting the received water into ice; A heater installed at the ice making tray to supply heat to the water; A temperature sensor capable of measuring the temperature of water; And a controller configured to determine whether ice is generated according to whether the temperature of the water is changed by a temperature difference of more than a predetermined value for a predetermined time.

The heater may supply heat to supercool the water contained in the ice making tray.

On the other hand, the heater may be installed on the outer surface of the ice making tray, it is preferable that the heater is similarly installed at the height of the surface of the water received in the ice making tray contact with air.

In particular, the set value may be greater than 10 degrees Celsius.

Furthermore, the ice maker may further comprise an impact generator for impacting the supercooled water.

The present invention also provides an ice making tray having a space where water is converted into ice, a heater installed in the ice making tray to supply heat to the water, a temperature sensor that can measure the temperature of the water, and a temperature of the water for a predetermined time. An ice maker including a controller configured to determine whether ice is generated according to whether the temperature is changed by the above temperature difference; And an ice bank installed at a lower portion of the ice maker to accommodate ice discharged from the ice maker.

In this case, the heater may supply heat to supercool the water contained in the ice making tray, and the predetermined value may be greater than 10 degrees Celsius.

Furthermore, the refrigerator may further include a shock generator for impacting the supercooled water.

In addition, the present invention provides a first step of cooling the water, by supplying heat to the water by the heater to supercool the water; It provides a refrigerator control method comprising a; a second step of generating ice while the supercooled state is released.

At this time, the amount of energy taken from the water to cool the water in the first step may be greater than the amount of energy supplied to the water from the heater.

In addition, the refrigerator control method may further include a third step of determining whether ice is produced, and the third step is preferably determined whether the temperature of the water is changed by a temperature difference of a predetermined value or more for a predetermined time.

In particular, the predetermined value may be greater than 10 degrees Celsius.

On the other hand, in the second step, it is possible to apply an impact to the supercooled water.

The ice maker according to the present invention as described above, a refrigerator and a refrigerator control method including the same can satisfy the user's requirements by providing the user with ice frozen in both the inside and the outside of the ice.

In addition, the ice inside and outside the ice can be provided to prevent the ice supply device from being overloaded or operating instability.

Hereinafter, with reference to the accompanying drawings, preferred embodiments of the present invention that can specifically realize the above object will be described.

1 is a view showing a refrigerator according to the present invention. A description with reference to FIG. 1 is as follows.

The refrigerator 100 according to the present invention includes a top mount type in which the freezing compartment 120 and the refrigerating compartment 130 are divided up and down, and the refrigerating compartment 130 and the freezing compartment 120 are divided up and down. Also applicable to the Bottom Freezer-Type.

However, in the present embodiment, for convenience of description, the freezer compartment 120 and the refrigerating compartment 130 will be described based on side-by-side type refrigerators, which are divided into left and right sides.

The refrigerator has a freezing compartment 120 on the left side and a refrigerating chamber 130 on the right side. In general, the freezing chamber 120 maintains the temperature below freezing, and in the refrigerating chamber 130 stores the food while maintaining a relatively higher temperature than the freezing chamber 120.

The refrigerator 100 forms an exterior of the refrigerator by a main body, and seals and protects a mechanical device accommodated therein from the outside.

The refrigerator 100 generally maintains the freshness of foods that are stored at a low temperature by using a refrigerant cycle device accommodated in a machine room (not shown) formed at the bottom of the main body.

Cold air that has fallen to low temperatures is supplied to the freezing chamber 120 by using an evaporator (not shown) which phase-converts a liquid refrigerant into a gas phase to exchange heat with the outside. The cold air keeps the freezing chamber 120 in the freezing state.

In addition, the refrigerator 100 includes a refrigerator compartment door 132 to open and close the freezer compartment 122 and the refrigerating compartment 130 to open and close the freezer compartment 120. The freezer compartment door 122 and the refrigerating compartment door 132 are rotatably installed in the main body of the refrigerator.

Meanwhile, an ice maker 124 is provided in the freezer compartment 122 so that a user can generate ice. Of course, the ice maker 124 may be provided in the freezing chamber 120.

An ice bank 126 is provided below the ice maker 124. Of course, the ice bank 126 may be installed on the side of the ice maker 124, not the bottom.

The ice bank 126 may receive ice discharged from the ice maker 124. That is, after ice is generated in the ice maker 124, the ice is contained in the ice bank 126.

On the other hand, the ice supply device 128 may be able to contain the ice in the cup, such as when the user pushes the container, such as a cup while pushing the lever. That is, the ice contained in the ice bank 126 may provide ice to the user using the ice supply device 128 by a user's manipulation.

The ice maker 124 and the ice bank 126 will be described in detail with reference to FIGS. 2 to 7.

2 is a diagram conceptually illustrating a manner in which subcooling is performed. Of course, in the present invention, unlike in FIG. 2, the supercooled state is formed by using the heat energy of the heater, not the electric energy. However, in the case of an electric field or a heater, similarly, the supercooling is formed by supplying external energy to water, which will be described below with reference to FIG. 2.

First, the liquid 4 to be subcooled is placed between the electrodes 2. Next, in the state where cold air is supplied, the electric field is applied to the liquid 4 using the AC power supply 6. As a result, the liquid 4 does not freeze below its phase transition temperature (for example, 0 ° C. in the case of water under 1 atm) and maintains a supercooled state. It is known that the freezing of water composed of oxygen and hydrogen is prevented because external energy such as an electric field is supplied, thereby preventing hydrogen bonding of water.

When an external force is applied to the supercooled liquid thus produced through the phase converter 8, for example, an electrical force is applied by using an igniter, and the energy or applied energy to the supercooled liquid by this force is applied. The supercooled state maintained by energy (which, depending on the conditions, can be maintained even after the energy is applied for a certain period of time) can be disrupted, forming a freeze nucleus, and the supercooled liquid rapidly converts into a solid phase. Ice is formed. At this time, the temperature of the supercooled liquid is changed from the temperature of the supercooled state to the phase transition temperature.

Of course, in order to maintain supercooling, various methods, such as a method using a magnetic field and a method using a heater, may be used.

3 is a perspective view showing an ice maker and an ice bank according to the present invention. In addition, in FIG. 3, the shape of the ice-making tray 11 attached to the said ice-making machine is expanded and shown. A description with reference to FIG. 3 is as follows.

The ice maker 124 manufactures ice, and the ice bank 126 may serve to store the ice produced by the ice maker 124 or to break the ice into small sizes.

The ice maker 124 includes an ice making tray 11 having a space where ice is generated, and a heater 24 installed in the ice making tray 11 to supply heat to water. In addition, the ice maker 124 includes a temperature sensor 20 capable of measuring the temperature of the water, and a controller for determining whether ice is generated according to whether the temperature of the water changes by a temperature difference of more than a predetermined value for a predetermined time.

The ice maker 124 may be provided at one side of the ice making tray 11 and may include a water supply part 12 for supplying water to the ice making tray 11.

The controller receives information about the temperature of water from the temperature sensor 20. Referring to Figure 7 looks at the temperature change of the water contained in the ice tray (11).

In FIG. 7, the X-axis represents the passage of time. That is, the unit of the X-axis can have a second or minutes unit.

The Y-axis represents the temperature change of the water. In other words, the unit of the y-axis may have a unit of degree.

Meanwhile, as shown in FIG. 7, when the temperature change of the water contained in the ice making tray 11 is greater than 10 degrees Celsius for a predetermined time, the controller may determine that the supercooled state of the water is released. In other words, it may mean that the ice is generated.

This is because the water of the supercooled state contained in the ice making tray 11 is phase-converted to ice while the supercooled state is released, and the temperature of the water rises above a predetermined value. In particular, the predetermined value can have a value of 10 degrees or more.

As shown in FIG. 3, the ice making tray 11 has a substantially semi-cylindrical shape, and the ice making tray 11 has a partition rib 11a projecting upward at predetermined intervals so that ice can be separated. .

The heater 24 is installed on the outer surface of the ice making tray 11. The heater 24 may supply heat to supercool the water contained in the ice making tray 11.

The heater 24 may have a shape of a long string in a form surrounding a part of the outer surface of the ice making tray 11. Of course, it is not limited to this shape. Of course, the cross-sectional area of the heater 24 may have a polygonal or circular shape.

In addition, the heater 24 is preferably installed similarly to the height of the surface of the water accommodated in the ice making tray 11 in contact with the air. That is, it is possible to install the heater 24 similarly to the average value of the height of the water accommodated in the ice making tray 11.

On the other hand, it is preferable that a power cable (not shown) for supplying electricity to the heater 24 is connected to one side of the heater 24. In addition, the controller may control the temperature of the heater 24 according to the temperature of the water measured by the temperature sensor 20.

The ice maker 124 is provided with an ice-covering arm 18 to measure the amount of ice filled in the ice bank 20. The ice detection arm 18 is installed to be movable up and down and is connected to a control unit built in the motor unit 13.

On the other hand, the ice maker 124 may be provided with a shock generator 22 for impacting the supercooled water. In particular, the impact generator 22 may be provided on one side of the ice making tray 11 to be in contact with the water contained in the ice making tray 11. Of course, if the impact generator 22 is not installed, ice is generated when the supercooled state of the water is released without impact.

At this time, the shock generator 22 may include an electric shock using electricity. That is, the shock generated by the shock generator 22 is transmitted to the entire supercooled water contained in the ice making tray 11. Thus, ice is generated while the water contained in the ice making tray 11 is completely overcooled.

The ice maker 124 may further include a motor unit 13. In this case, the motor unit 13 may be installed on one side of the ice making tray 11. The motor unit 13 has a built-in motor, the ejector 14 (ejector) is rotatably connected to the rotating shaft of the motor.

The ejector 14 is installed so that the rotating shaft crosses the center of the ice making tray 11, and a plurality of ejector pins 14a are spaced apart at predetermined intervals so that the rotating shaft of the ejector is substantially perpendicular to the rotating shaft. At this time, each of the ejector pin 14a is disposed for each section partitioned by the partition ribs 11a.

The ejector 14 is rotated by the motor unit 13, and as the ejector 14 is rotated, the ejector pin 14a discharges the ice to the ice bank 20.

In addition, a plurality of slide bars 16 are extended to the upper end of the front side of the ice making tray 11 to about the rotation axis of the ejector 14.

The ice bank 126 has an upper surface open to receive falling ice and an ice outlet is formed at a predetermined portion of the lower surface. In addition, the ice bank 126 is provided with an ice conveying means, a motor device, an ice grinder and an ice discharger. However, for convenience of description, the ice bank 126 is omitted in the detailed description and drawings.

4 is a side view of FIG. 3. Hereinafter, the operation of the ice maker 124 and the ice bank 126 will be described with reference to FIG. 4.

When the ice bank 126 determines that the ice bank 126 lacks ice by the ice detection arm 18, water is supplied to the water supply part 12 of the ice maker 10. The water is filled up to a predetermined level in the ice making tray 11 and is frozen by cold air generated by the refrigerator 100.

In particular, the level of water supplied to the ice making tray 11 is preferably similar to the vicinity of the heater 24 is installed. This is to allow the supercooled state of the water contained in the ice making tray 11 to be easily formed.

At this time, the partition rib 11a of the ice tray 11 serves to divide the ice produced by the ice tray 11 into a predetermined size.

Thereafter, when the heater 24 supplies heat to the water and the heat is taken out by the cold air generated in the refrigerator 100, the water is maintained in a supercooled state. After the supercooling is released, ice is produced.

Subsequently, as the ejector pin 14a is rotated by the motor unit 13, each ice positioned in the corresponding space is discharged to the outside. This ice is discharged to the ice bank 126.

When the ice bank 126 is filled with a predetermined amount of ice by repeating this series of processes, the ice detection arm 18 detects this and terminates the ice making process of the ice maker 124. In addition, when it is determined that the ice is insufficient in the ice detection arm 18, the ice bank 126 is again filled with a predetermined amount of ice.

5 is a flowchart illustrating a first embodiment of a refrigerator control method according to the present invention. A description with reference to FIG. 5 is as follows.

First, when power is applied to the refrigerator 100, the refrigerator 100 is driven by a cooling cycle by a compressor, an evaporator, an expansion valve, or the like installed in a machine room.

Water is supplied from the water supply part 12 to the ice making tray 11. Then, the refrigerator 100 is driven to cool the water contained in the ice making tray 11.

At this time, while the heater 24 is driven to increase the temperature of the water. In particular, the amount of energy supplied by the heater 24 is preferably smaller than the amount of energy taken from the water to cool the water. This is to ensure that the water contained in the ice tray 11 is maintained in a supercooled state.

When the temperature of the water contained in the ice tray 11 is lowered below a certain temperature, the water no longer maintains a supercooled state. In this case, the predetermined temperature may vary depending on various factors such as the amount of energy provided by the heater 24, the amount of water, and the like.

When the supercooled state of the water is released, the temperature of the water at this time is less than 0 degrees Celsius, so the water is phase-converted to ice for a short time (S14). At this time, the generated ice is different from the ice produced without the supercooled state. That is, since the outer and inner surfaces of the water are frozen at the same time, the strength of the ice is even, and there is no fear of water remaining inside the ice.

In addition, the controller determines whether the water contained in the ice making tray 11 has been phase-converted to ice (S16). Of course, the determination of whether the ice is generated is performed as shown in FIG. It is desirable to depend on whether or not the temperature has changed above a predetermined value.

If you think that less ice is still produced, wait for a while. However, when it is determined that ice generation is completed, the ice maker 124 provides ice to the ice bank 126. In this case, the user may be supplied with the ice contained in the ice bank 126 through the ice supply device 128.

6 is a flowchart illustrating a second embodiment of a refrigerator control method according to the present invention. Hereinafter, a description will be given with reference to FIG. 6, but a part overlapping with FIG. 5 will be omitted and briefly described.

5 illustrates an example in which the supercooled state of water is naturally released without the action of the impact generator, thereby producing ice. In the second embodiment of FIG. 6, ice is generated by the action of the impact generator. Explain.

Water is supplied to the ice making tray 11, and the water is supercooled by the action of the heater 24. (S22)

It is possible to generate ice by the ice maker 124 when the user's operation of receiving ice or the amount of ice stored in the ice bank 126 is not sufficient.

In this case, shock is applied to the supercooled water by using the impact generator 22. In this case, the impact applied may be a physical, chemical or electrical impact (S24).

The supercooled state of the water is released by breaking the equilibrium of the supercooled water by the impact generator 22, and the supercooled water is phase-converted into ice (S25). That is, ice is generated as in the first embodiment. However, in the second embodiment, there is a difference in that there is an additional action of the impact generator 22.

The control unit receives the measured value of the water temperature by the temperature sensor 20. The controller determines that ice generation is completed when the temperature of the water is changed to a predetermined value or more for a predetermined time, and provides ice to the user. It is possible to judge with the change of the degree shown in FIG.

The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and as can be seen in the appended claims, modifications can be made by those skilled in the art to which the invention pertains, and such modifications are within the scope of the present invention.

1 is a view showing a refrigerator according to the present invention.

2 conceptually illustrates a supercooling scheme.

Figure 3 is a perspective view showing an ice maker and an ice bank according to the present invention.

4 is a side view of FIG. 3;

5 is a flowchart illustrating a first embodiment of a refrigerator control method according to the present invention;

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

7 is a graph showing a temperature change of water according to the present invention.

<Description of Signs for Main Parts of Drawings>

11: ice tray 12: water supply

14: ejector 20: temperature sensor

22: shock generator 24: heater

100: refrigerator 120: freezer

124 ice maker 126 ice bank

128: ice supply unit 130: refrigerating chamber

Claims (16)

An ice making tray having a space in which the received water is converted into ice; A heater installed at the ice making tray to supply heat to the water; A temperature sensor capable of measuring the temperature of water; And And a controller configured to determine whether ice is generated according to whether the temperature of the water is changed by a temperature difference of more than a predetermined value for a predetermined time. The method of claim 1, The heater is an ice maker, characterized in that for supplying heat to supercool the water contained in the ice tray. The method of claim 1, The heater is an ice maker, characterized in that installed on the outer surface of the ice tray. The method of claim 3, The heater is an ice maker, characterized in that similarly installed at the height of the surface of the water received in the ice tray in contact with the air. The method of claim 1, The predetermined value is greater than 10 degrees Celsius. The method of claim 1, Ice maker further comprising a shock generator for impacting the supercooled water. Ice tray with a space to convert the water received into ice, a heater installed in the ice tray to supply heat to the water, a temperature sensor for measuring the temperature of the water and whether the temperature of the water changes by a temperature difference of more than a predetermined value for a predetermined time An ice maker including a controller configured to determine whether ice is generated depending on whether the ice is produced; And And an ice bank installed at a lower portion of the ice maker to accommodate ice discharged from the ice maker. The method of claim 7, wherein And the heater supplies heat to supercool the water contained in the ice making tray. The method of claim 7, wherein The predetermined value is greater than 10 degrees Celsius. The method of claim 7, wherein A refrigerator further comprising a shock generator for impacting the supercooled water. A first step of cooling the water and supplying heat to the water by the heater to supercool the water; And a second step of generating ice while the supercooled state is released. The method of claim 11, The amount of energy taken from the water to cool the water in the first step is greater than the amount of energy supplied to the water from the heater. The method of claim 11, And a third step of determining whether ice is produced. The method of claim 13, The third step, And determining whether the temperature of the water changes by a temperature difference of more than a predetermined value for a predetermined time. The method of claim 13, And said predetermined value is greater than 10 degrees Celsius. The method of claim 11, The second step, Refrigerator control method characterized in that the impact on the supercooled water.

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