KR20100138374A

KR20100138374A - Ice maker for refrigerator and controlling method thereof

Info

Publication number: KR20100138374A
Application number: KR1020090056884A
Authority: KR
Inventors: 이정완
Original assignee: 주식회사 대우일렉트로닉스
Priority date: 2009-06-25
Filing date: 2009-06-25
Publication date: 2010-12-31
Also published as: KR101603337B1

Abstract

PURPOSE: An ice maker for a refrigerator and a method for controlling the same are provided to prevent the breakage of an ice separation lever using a cam and a cantilever in order to block power applied to an ice separation heater. CONSTITUTION: An ice maker for a refrigerator includes a tray(100), a water supplying unit, a driving unit(400), an ice separation lever(110), and an ice separation heater. The water supplying unit is installed at one side of the tray and supplies water to the tray. The driving unit faces the water supplying unit. The ice separation lever is pivotally assembled between the driving unit and the water supplying unit and rotates by the driving unit. The ice separation heater applies heat to the tray in order to separate ice from the tray. The driving unit is composed of a housing, a driving motor, a driven gear, a cantilever, a first hole unit, and a second hole unit.

Description

ICE MAKER FOR REFRIGERATOR AND CONTROLLING METHOD THEREOF}

The present invention relates to a refrigerator ice maker and a control method, and more particularly, to a refrigerator ice maker and a control method which cuts off the power of the ice heater and stops the ice making function by detecting the ice ice. will be.

In general, the refrigerator cools or stores the food stored therein for a long time without deterioration by cooling the air in the refrigerator using a cooling cycle.

The refrigerator includes a main body forming a storage space separated into a refrigerating compartment and a freezing compartment, and a door mounted on one side of the main body to open and close the refrigerating compartment and the freezing compartment. The main body of the refrigerator includes a compressor, a condenser, an evaporator, and the like. Mechanisms for forming the cycle are provided.

In addition, an ice maker may be installed in the freezer compartment, and an example of such an ice maker has been disclosed in the following Document 1 (hereinafter, referred to as 'prior art').

1 and 2, the ice maker of the prior art is mounted on the inner upper portion of the freezer compartment (F), the ice maker (8) for ice water supplied to the cold in the freezer compartment (F), and the ice maker (8) Ice bank 9 mounted inside the freezer compartment F so that the ice deiced in the ice is iced and dispenser 10 mounted on the freezer compartment door to take out ice without opening or closing the freezer compartment door 4. ) And an ice chute 11 for guiding the ice contained in the ice bank 9 to fall into the dispenser 10.

The ice maker 8 includes a tray 12 made of aluminum for containing water for ice making and making ice of a predetermined shape, a water supply unit 14 for supplying water to the tray 12, and the tray 12. ), An ice lever 16 to ice the ice iced in the ice sheet, a slider 20 provided to allow the ice iced by the ice lever 16 to fall into the ice bank 9, and the water supply unit 14. In addition to controlling the water supply to the control unit 22 for controlling the moving lever 16.

In addition, the moving lever 16 is formed such that its axis 16a crosses the center upper side of the tray 12, and a plurality of pins 16b protruding ice toward the side of the axis 16a protrude. Is formed.

And, although not shown, an ice heater (not shown) is mounted to the lower end of the tray 12 to heat the ice iced from the tray 12 to easily separate through the ice lever 16.

[Patent 1] Publication No. 10-2006-0007245 No. 2006.01.26

However, the refrigerator ice maker of the prior art having the configuration as described above is to cut off the power when the ice heater reaches a certain temperature, it is usually made only by the time after the completion of ice making.

Accordingly, in the prior art, when the power of the ice heater is cut off early due to various conditions, the ice ice is not separated from the tray. Therefore, the ice lever is forcibly driven to perform the ice breaking operation. When the power of the ice heater is cut off after a predetermined time, the safety accident occurs due to overheating and the power consumption increases.

The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned conventional problems, an object of the present invention is to accurately cut off the power of the ice heater to the time when the ice is completed, the refrigerator for detecting the ice of the ice to stop the ice making function To provide an ice maker and a control method.

Refrigerator ice maker of the present invention for achieving the above object, the tray containing water to make ice in a predetermined shape; A water supply unit installed at one side of the tray to supply water to the tray; A drive unit disposed to face the water supply unit with the tray interposed therebetween; An moving lever rotatably assembled between the driving unit and the water supply unit to rotate by the driving unit; And an ice moving heater for applying heat to separate ice from the tray, wherein the driving unit includes a driving unit housing, a driving motor provided with a driving gear, a rotating cam and a first magnet, and is coupled to the rotating shaft of the moving lever. A driven gear and a second magnet are provided, and the cantilever rotated by the rotary cam and the first and second hole elements corresponding to the first and second magnets, respectively.

In addition, the cantilever is bent at the upper and lower ends provided with the second magnet with respect to the center of rotation, it is preferable that a protrusion protruding toward the rotating cam from the bent lower end is formed.

When the first magnet is in contact with the first hall element, it is preferable to detect the initial position of the ice lever and start ice-making.

On the other hand, when the contact between the second magnet and the second Hall element is separated it is preferable to cut off the power of the ice heater.

In addition, the cantilever is preferably connected to the ice level lever to check the amount of ice to operate or stop the ice maker.

When the contact between the second magnet and the second hall element is separated while the first magnet and the first hall element are in contact with each other, it is preferable to stop ice making by determining that ice is full of ice.

On the other hand, the cantilever is preferably provided with a return spring for applying an elastic force to contact the second magnet and the second hole element when the rotating cam and the cantilever is not in contact.

In addition, the drive unit housing is further provided with a coupler, it is preferable that the engaging hole is formed is coupled to the return spring.

The control method of the ice maker for refrigerators of this invention,

(I) heating the tray by the ice heater for a predetermined time after the ice making is completed;

(II) detecting an initial position of the ice lever;

(III) rotating the ice lever to ice the iced ice;

(IV) cutting off the power of the ice heater; And

(Iii) further rotating the ice lever to complete the ice ice.

In addition, after the step (iii), it is preferable to further include the step (VI) of detecting the full ice.

After the step (VI), it is preferable to finish the ice making if it is determined to be full ice, and to repeat steps (I) to (~) if it is determined that the ice is not full.

According to the icemaker and the control method for a refrigerator according to the present invention, when the ice is completed by the cam and the cantilever, the power of the ice heater is cut off accurately to prevent breakage of the ice lever, and the ice is iced by the ice lever connected to the cantilever. Detects the effect of stopping the ice making function.

Hereinafter, exemplary embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

3 is a perspective view illustrating an ice maker for a refrigerator according to the present invention, FIG. 4 is a side cross-sectional view schematically showing the ice maker for the refrigerator of FIG. 3, FIG. 5 is an exploded perspective view showing the driving unit of FIG. 3, and FIG. 6. 7 is a perspective view illustrating an operating state of the driving unit, and FIG. 8 is a flowchart illustrating a control method of an ice maker for a refrigerator according to the present invention.

3 to 7, the refrigerator ice maker A according to the present invention includes a tray 100 containing water and making ice in a predetermined shape, and installed on one side of the tray 100. Water supply unit 130 for supplying water to the 100, and the drive unit 400 is installed to face the water supply unit 130 with the tray 100 therebetween and between the drive unit 400 and the water supply unit 130 It is composed of a roving lever 110 is rotatably assembled to rotate by the motor 420 embedded in the drive unit 400.

In addition, a plurality of pins 111 for pushing ice from the tray 100 are integrally formed on the ice lever 110.

And, the lower portion of the tray 100 is provided with an ice storage unit (not shown) for storing iced ice.

Here, the plurality of pins 111 formed on the moving lever 110 are formed at intervals corresponding to the respective compartments of the tray 100 along the longitudinal direction of the moving lever 110.

In addition, a cover 160 that covers an upper portion of the tray 100 and guides the movement of iced ice to an ice storage unit (not shown) is provided at one side of the ice lever 110.

In this case, a groove 161 is formed in the cover 160 so that the pin 111 may pass while rotating.

Meanwhile, an ice heater 300 is further provided at a lower end of the tray 100, and the ice contacting the tray 100 is partially melted by heating the ice heater 300, and thus the ice tray ( Easily separated).

In addition, the tray 100 is preferably formed of aluminum so that heat of the ebbing heater 300 is easily transferred.

The drive unit 400 includes a drive housing 410, a drive motor 420 provided with a drive gear 421, a rotation cam 432, and a first magnet 431, and an moving lever 110. The driven gear 430 and the second magnet 441 coupled to the rotating shaft of the can is provided and correspond to the cantilever 440 and the first and second magnets 431 and 441 rotated by the rotary cam 432, respectively. It consists of 1, 2 hole elements 451 and 452.

First, the first and second hole elements 451 and 452 are installed on the printed circuit board 450 so as to correspond to positions of the first and second magnets 431 and 441, respectively, and measure magnetic forces of the first and second magnets 431 and 441. .

In addition, the cantilever 440 is the upper end 440a and the lower end 440b having the second magnet 441 is bent based on the center of rotation, and protrudes toward the rotary cam 432 from the bent lower end 440b. Formed protrusion 442 is formed.

When the first magnet 431 and the first hall element 451 come into contact with each other, the initial position of the ice lever 110 is detected to start ice making.

In addition, when the contact between the second magnet 441 and the second hall element 452 is separated, the power of the ebbing heater 300 is cut off.

On the other hand, the cantilever 440 is connected to the ice lever 443 to check the amount of ice to operate or stop the ice maker, the ice lever 443 is coupled to the center of rotation of the cantilever 440.

In addition, when the contact between the second magnet 441 and the second hole element 452 is separated by the ice lever 443 while the first magnet 431 is in contact with the first hole element 451. The ice is determined to be full of ice, and ice making is stopped.

As a result, according to whether the second magnet 441 and the second hall element 452 are in contact with each other, the power of the ice heater 300 may be cut off or connected, and the ice may be detected.

In addition, when the rotating cam 432 and the protrusion 442 of the cantilever 440 do not contact the cantilever 440, an elastic force is applied to maintain the contact state between the second magnet 441 and the second hole element 452. The return spring 444 is applied.

In addition, the driving unit housing 410 may further include a coupling hole 460, and the coupling hole 460 may be provided with a locking hole 461 to be coupled to the return spring 444. On the other hand, the return spring 444 may be directly connected to the drive housing 410.

The operation of the refrigerator ice maker A configured as described above will be described.

First, when the first magnet 431 and the first hall element 451 contact with each other, the initial position of the ice lever 110 is sensed to start ice making.

Subsequently, when the ice making condition (temperature, time) is satisfied by the microcomputer (control unit), it is determined that ice making is completed, and the ice making heater 300 separates the ice by applying heat to the tray 100. At this time, the second magnet 441 and the second hall element 452 are in contact with each other.

Then, the power is applied to the motor 420, the moving lever 110 rotates to start the ice, and at the same time the rotary cam 432 of the driven gear 430 also rotates.

Subsequently, when the rotary cam 432 pushes the protrusion 442 of the cantilever 440 to the lower end, the contact between the second magnet 441 and the second hole element 452 is separated, and thus the power source of the moving heater 300 is removed. To block. Subsequently, the rotary cam 432 is further rotated in such a state that the protrusion 442 is pushed to the lower end to complete the ice.

The cantilever 440 receives the force returned by the return spring 444 when the protrusion 442 is separated from the rotary cam 432.

This state is an initial state, and the first magnet 431 and the first hall element 451 are in contact with each other.

At this time, when the contact between the second magnet 441 and the second hall element 452 is released and determined to be full ice, the operation of the ice maker A is stopped, and the second magnet 441 and the second hall element 452 If it is determined that the contact state is not full, the above operation is repeated.

Referring to FIG. 8, a control method for automatically deicing ice through a refrigerator ice maker configured as described above is as follows.

First, after ice making is completed, the tray 100 is heated by the ice heater 300 for a predetermined time (S110).

Here, it is determined by the microcomputer (not shown) whether the ice making is completed.

Next, the initial position of the moving lever 110 is sensed (S120).

That is, the initial position of the moving lever 110 is sensed by the contact between the first magnet 431 and the first hall element 451 and the contact between the second magnet 441 and the second hall element 452.

Then, the ice is rotated by the ice lever 110 to ice the ice from the tray 110 (S130).

Next, after the predetermined angle of rotation of the ice lever 110 is cut off the power of the ice heater 300 (S1440).

Then, the ice lever 110 is further rotated to complete the ice ice (S150).

Next, the ice of the ice is detected (S160). At this time, if it is determined that the ice is finished, the ice making is finished, and when it is determined that the ice is not full, the process returns to the step S110.

1 is a perspective view showing a conventional refrigerator.

2 is a perspective view showing a conventional ice maker for a refrigerator.

3 is a perspective view showing an ice maker for a refrigerator according to the present invention.

4 is a side cross-sectional view schematically illustrating the ice maker for the refrigerator of FIG. 3.

5 is an exploded perspective view illustrating the driving unit of FIG. 3.

6 to 7 are perspective views showing the operating state of the drive unit.

8 is a flowchart illustrating a control method of an ice maker for a refrigerator according to the present invention.

* Description of symbols on main parts of the drawings *

A-Ice Makers for Refrigerators 100-Trays

110-Ice Lever 300-Ice Heater

400-drive section

Claims

A tray containing water to make ice into a certain shape;

A water supply unit installed at one side of the tray to supply water to the tray;

A drive unit disposed to face the water supply unit with the tray interposed therebetween;

An moving lever rotatably assembled between the driving unit and the water supply unit to rotate by the driving unit; And

Includes; an ice sheet heater for applying heat to separate the ice from the tray,

The driving unit includes:

A drive unit housing, a drive motor provided with a drive gear, a rotating cam and a first magnet are provided, and a driven gear coupled to a rotating shaft of an ice lever, and a second magnet are provided and cantilevers rotated by the rotating cam. A refrigerator ice maker comprising: first and second hall elements respectively corresponding to 1,2 magnets.

The method of claim 1,

The cantilever is a refrigerator ice maker, characterized in that the upper end and the lower end provided with a second magnet is bent based on the rotation center, a protrusion protruding toward the rotating cam from the bent bottom.

The method according to claim 1 or 2,

The ice maker for a refrigerator of claim 1, wherein when the first magnet and the first hall element come into contact with each other, the icemaker detects an initial position of the ice lever and starts ice-making.

The method according to claim 1 or 2,

The ice maker for a refrigerator, characterized in that the power of the ice heater is cut off when the contact between the second magnet and the second hall element is separated.

The method according to claim 1 or 2,

The ice maker for refrigerators, characterized in that the cantilever is connected to the ice lever to check the amount of ice to operate or stop the ice maker.

The method of claim 5,

And when the contact between the second magnet and the second hall element is separated while the first magnet and the first hall element are in contact with each other, the ice maker determines that ice is full and stops ice making.

The method according to claim 1 or 2,

The cantilever is provided with a return spring for applying an elastic force to contact the second magnet and the second hole element when the rotating cam and the cantilever is not in contact with the refrigerator.

The method of claim 7, wherein

The drive unit housing is further provided with a coupler, the engaging hole is formed in the engaging portion is a refrigerator ice maker, characterized in that coupled to the return spring.

(II) detecting an initial position of the ice lever;

(III) rotating the ice lever to ice the iced ice;

(IV) cutting off the power of the ice heater; And

(Iii) further rotating the ice lever to complete ice ice;

Control method of an ice maker for a refrigerator comprising a.

The method of claim 9,

After the step (iii), the control method of the icemaker for a refrigerator characterized in that it further comprises the step (VI) of detecting the ice.

The method of claim 10,

After the step (VI), if it is determined that the ice is finished, the ice-making is finished, and if it is determined that the ice is not full, the control method of the ice maker for a refrigerator, characterized by repeating steps (I) to (iii).