KR20130114930A - Water purifier with ice maker and method for positioning control of ice tray - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: A control method for an ice making tray and an ice making water purifier using the same are provided to rapidly correct the position error of an ice making tray by rapidly removing ice from the ice making tray. CONSTITUTION: A control method for an ice making tray is as follows. An ice making signal is inputted. If an ice making tray is not sensed in an ice making position, a position error signal is generated. When the position error signal is transmitted, ice is removed from the ice making tray (S20). [Reference numerals] (AA) Start; (BB) Generate a location error signal?; (CC) Yes; (DD) No; (EE) End; (S10) Detect a location error; (S20) Remove ice; (S30) Display an error

Description

Ice purifier control method and ice water purifier using the same {Water purifier with ice maker and method for positioning control of ice tray}

The present invention relates to an ice tray control method and an ice water purifier using the same, and more particularly, to an ice tray control method and an ice water purifier using the same when a position error of the ice tray is generated.

In general, ice water purifier is a device for supplying purified water, cold water, hot water and ice to the user by purifying raw water, such as tap water. Ice water purifier typically includes a filter unit for purifying raw water, a water purification tank for storing purified water, a cold water tank for cooling purified water, an ice making unit for making ice, and an ice storage for storing ice. A hot water tank may be further provided.

Such an ice water purifier may generate ice by dipping a cooler in ice making water contained in an ice making tray, and after rotating the ice making tray, defrosting the ice in the cooler to store the generated ice in an ice storage. have. In this case, the defrosted ice may be used to generate cold water by being injected into a cold water tank.

The present invention is to provide an ice tray control method for solving the position error of the ice tray.

The present invention is to provide an ice water purifier that can solve the position error of the ice tray.

An ice tray control method according to an embodiment of the present invention comprises: a position error detecting step of generating a position error signal if an ice tray is not detected at an ice making position after an ice making signal is input; And an ice removal step of waiting for a waiting time when the position error detection signal is transmitted.

The position error detecting step may include: an ice tray tray rotating process of rotating the tray for ice making to the ice making position when the ice making signal is input; An ice making position judging step of generating an undetectable signal if the detection sensor provided at the ice making position does not detect the ice making tray; An angle adjustment process of rotating the ice tray by a motor for rotating the ice tray, when the detection signal is transmitted; And repeating a predetermined number of times of the ice tray operation process, the ice making position discrimination process, and the angle adjusting process, and generating the position error signal when the undetectable signal is generated.

Here, the preset operating angle may be the maximum operating angle of the ice tray.

Here, the ice removing step, the ice-making tray acquisition process for supplying the ice-making purified water to the ice-making tray; And a defrosting heater operation process of heating the deicing water by driving the defrosting heater while the deicing water is stored in the deicing tray.

Here, the defrosting heater operation process may drive the defrosting heater only when the angle of the ice tray is included in a preset angle range.

The ice tray control method may further include an error display step of displaying a position error of the ice tray when the position error signal is generated after the waiting time has elapsed.

Ice purifier according to an embodiment of the present invention, the ice-making tray for storing the supplied de-icing water purification; A motor for moving the ice tray to an ice making position when an ice making signal is input and moving the tray for ice making to a ice making position when an ice making signal is input; A cooler configured to cool the ice making purified water to generate ice when the ice making tray is located at the ice making position; A defrosting heater for separating the ice from the cooler by heating the ice formed in the cooler when the tray for ice making is located in the defrosting position; A detection sensor generating a detection signal when the ice tray reaches the ice making position; And a controller configured to generate a position error signal if the detection signal is not generated after the ice making signal is input and to generate a standby signal for stopping the ice making operation during the waiting time.

Here, when the position error signal is generated, the controller may supply an ice making purified water to the ice making tray, and drive the ice removing heater to heat the ice making purified water.

Here, the controller may control the motor to repeatedly position the ice making tray to a predetermined operating angle, and generate the position error signal if the detection signal is not generated by the detection sensor.

Ice control tray control method and ice water purifier using the same according to an embodiment of the present invention, can be automatically resolved when a position error of the ice tray. Therefore, it is possible to improve user convenience and product reliability.

In addition, the ice tray control method and the ice purifier using the same according to an embodiment of the present invention, it is possible to quickly remove the ice present in the ice trays that cause the position error of the ice tray. Thus, the position error of the ice tray can be solved quickly.

In addition, the ice tray control method and the ice purifier using the same according to an embodiment of the present invention, the burnout of the product that may occur when driving the defrosting heater to remove the ice present in the tray for ice removal or fire It can prevent the danger.

In addition, the ice tray control method and the ice purifier using the same according to an embodiment of the present invention, even if the ice existing in the ice tray is removed, if the position error of the ice tray is detected, the user displays a position error Can recognize that there is something wrong with the product.

1 is a schematic diagram showing the operation of an ice water purifier.
Figure 2 is a flow chart showing a tray control method for ice making according to an embodiment of the present invention.
Figure 3 is a flow chart showing a position error detection step of the ice tray control method according to an embodiment of the present invention.
Figure 4 is a flow chart showing the ice removing step of the ice tray control method according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Hereinafter, exemplary embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings so that those skilled in the art may easily implement the present invention. In the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments of the present invention, a detailed description of known functions and configurations incorporated herein will be omitted when it may make the subject matter of the present invention rather unclear. In the drawings, like reference numerals are used throughout the drawings.

In addition, in the entire specification, when a part is referred to as being 'connected' to another part, it may be referred to as 'indirectly connected' not only with 'directly connected' . Also, to "include" an element means that it may include other elements, rather than excluding other elements, unless specifically stated otherwise.

1 is a schematic view showing the operation of the ice water purifier. Referring to FIG. 1, the ice water purifier includes an ice tray 10, a cooler 20, a defrosting heater 30, a water purification tank 40, and an ice storage 50. It may include a cold water tank 60, the purified water supply valve 70 and the tray valve (80). Hereinafter, the operation of the ice water purifier will be described with reference to FIG. 1.

When the ice making signal is input, the ice making tray 10 rotates to move to the ice making position, and when the ice making position reaches the ice making position, the tray valve 60 may be opened to supply the ice making purified water to the ice making tray 10. Here, the ice making position may mean a position where the immersion pipe of the cooler 20 is immersed in the ice making water stored in the ice making tray 10 to generate ice.

Whether or not the ice making tray 10 reaches the ice making position may be determined by providing a protrusion on the ice making tray 10 and a micro switch at the ice making position. Specifically, when the ice making tray 10 rotates to reach the ice making position, the protrusion of the ice making tray 10 may be configured to form a contact with the micro switch. Therefore, when the micro switch and the projection form a contact, the tray 10 for determining the ice making reaches the ice making position, and when the protrusion does not form the contact, the tray for ice making 10 reaches the ice making position. You can determine that you did not.

In addition, it is possible to determine whether the ice tray 10 reaches the ice making position in various ways. For example, including the configuration that can directly measure the rotation angle of the ice tray 10, it is determined that the ice tray has reached the ice making position if the ice tray 10 has a rotation angle corresponding to the ice making position It is possible to. In addition, an infrared sensor or an illuminance sensor may be provided at the ice making position to detect that the ice making tray 10 is located at the ice making position.

That is, it is possible to detect whether the ice tray 10 is located at the ice making position using a micro sensor, a rotation angle measuring device, a sensor such as an infrared sensor or an illumination sensor.

When the deicing purified water is supplied to the deicing tray 10, the cooler 20 may cool the deicing purified water so that ice is formed around the immersion tube according to the submerged ice making method.

Subsequently, when ice having a predetermined size is generated around the immersion tube, the ice tray 10 is rotated to move to a frosting position according to a frosting signal, and the drift heater 30 is driven to form a circumference of the immersion tube. Ice may be separated from the dip tube. Here, the defrosting position may mean a position where the ice tray 10 does not interfere with the falling path of the ice falling from the immersion tube.

In order to defrost the ice, the defrosting heater 30 may be driven. When the defrosting heater 30 is driven, the immersion tube may be heated to partially melt the ice in contact with the immersion tube. When the ice in the portion contacted with the immersion tube is melted, the bonding force between the immersion tube and the ice is weakened, so that the ice falls off the immersion tube.

In this case, a point at which the ice dropped from the immersion tube falls according to the position of the guide member 51 may be selected. That is, in FIG. 1, when the guide member 51 is inclined to the right, the ice falls to the ice reservoir 50, and when the guide member 51 is inclined to the left, the ice is transferred to the cold water tank 60. Will fall.

In the case of the ice water purifier, since the water stored in the cold water tank 60 is cooled by using the ice generated by the cooler 20, when the temperature of the cold water tank 60 is higher than a target temperature, the ice water is generated in the cooler 20. The guide member 51 may be controlled to drop the ice into the cold water tank 60. Ice dropped into the cold water tank 60 is liquefied by absorbing the heat of the water stored in the cold water tank 60, the water stored in the cold water tank 60 is cooled. In particular, when the purified water stored in the purified water tank 40 is introduced by opening the purified water supply valve 70 to replenish water in the cold water tank 60, it is necessary to cool the water stored in the cold water tank 60. have. Therefore, the position of the guide member 51 may be controlled so that the ice falls into the cold water tank 60.

When the ice-making operation is completed, the ice-making tray 10 may be placed in the ice-making position again to repeat ice-making and ice-making operation.

In this case, the ice may not remain in the ice storage 50 or the cold water tank 60 during the defrosting, and may remain in the ice tray 10. In this case, the immersion tube of the cooler 20 and the ice inside the ice making tray 10 collide with each other, causing interference, and the ice making tray 10 is not positioned at the ice making position.

When the ice tray 10 is not located at the ice making position, ice may not be generated at all in the immersion tube of the cooler 20 or ice having an irregular size and shape.

That is, since the immersion tube of the cooler 20 cannot properly generate ice, if the ice making tray 10 does not reach the ice making position, an error may be displayed and the ice making operation may be stopped.

However, stopping the ice making operation due to the ice remaining in the ice making tray 10 and disassembling the ice water purifier to remove the ice is uneconomical and adversely affects the reliability of the product. Accordingly, the ice water purifier may further control an operation of the ice tray 10 by further including a separate control for solving the above problem, and a detailed control method will be described below.

Figure 2 is a flow chart showing a tray control method for ice making according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to Figure 2, the ice tray control method according to an embodiment of the present invention may include a position error detection step (S10) and ice removal step (S20), and further includes an error display step (S30). It may include.

Hereinafter, with reference to Figure 2 looks at the ice tray control method according to an embodiment of the present invention.

The position error detection step S10 may generate a position error signal if the ice tray is not detected at the ice making position after the ice making signal is input.

The ice water purifier generates ice according to an ice making signal. When the ice making signal is input, the ice water purifier may first move the ice tray to the ice making position. Here, the ice making position is a position where the immersion tube of the cooler can be accurately immersed in the ice making tray, and the ice having a predetermined size and shape may be generated only when the ice making tray is located at the ice making position. If the ice tray is not correctly positioned at the ice making position, ice may not be generated or irregularities may be formed in the size and shape of the ice. Therefore, the ice water purifier may further include a configuration for detecting whether the ice tray is correctly positioned at the ice making position, and performing the ice making operation only when the ice tray is in the ice making position.

Specifically, although the ice tray is rotated according to the ice making signal, if the tray for ice making is not detected at the ice making position, ice may remain in the tray for ice making as in the salping bar. Accordingly, the position error signal may be generated to indicate that the ice tray may not be located at the ice making position.

However, due to various factors other than the ice present in the ice tray, the ice tray may not be located at the ice making position, and may be located at the ice making position when the ice tray is operated again. Therefore, it is possible to generate the position error signal if the tray for ice making does not reach the ice making position even after repeatedly rotating the ice making tray several times.

Looking at the position error detection step (S10) in detail, the position error detection step (S10), as shown in Figure 3, ice tray tray rotation process (S11), ice making position determination process (S12), angle adjustment process (S13) and location error generation (S14) process may be further included.

When the ice making signal is input, the tray for ice making is rotated to the ice making position (S11), and if the sensor provided at the ice making position does not detect the tray for ice making, an insensible signal is generated instead of a position error signal. It may be (S12). The sensor may be a micro switch, an illumination sensor, an infrared sensor, or the like.

When the non-detectable signal is transmitted, the ice tray may be rotated at the maximum operating angle that can be rotated to remove ice present in the ice tray (S13). That is, the ice tray may be moved to the ice-dissolving position as much as possible so that the ice may fall by gravity. At this time, it is preferable to adjust the guide member so that the ice dropped from the ice tray to enter the cold water tank.

Thereafter, the ice tray operation process (S11), the ice making position discrimination process (S12), and the angle adjusting process (S13) may be repeatedly performed a predetermined number of times. The position error signal may be generated (S14). That is, after attempting to remove the ice existing in the ice tray several times through the angle adjustment process (S13) and the like, if the ice is not removed despite this, generates a position error determination signal to the ice removal step (S20) You can proceed.

Ice removal step (S20), if the position error detection signal is transmitted, may wait for a waiting time. When the ice in the ice tray is melted, the ice tray is no longer prevented from moving to the ice making position. Therefore, when the position error detection signal is transmitted, the ice making operation may be stopped and waited until the ice existing in the ice making tray melts. Here, the waiting time is a predetermined value, it can be set in a manner to measure the time it takes to melt the ice experimentally.

However, in this case, since the ice making operation cannot be performed until the ice melts, a user may not provide a sufficient amount of ice, or may not sufficiently cool the water stored in the cold water tank.

Therefore, the ice removing step (S20), as shown in Figure 4, through the ice tray acquisition process (S21) and ice removal heater operation process (S22), to actively melt the ice in the ice tray. Can be.

In the ice tray acquiring process (S21), the purified water for ice making may be supplied to the ice tray. Even if the ice making tray is not located at the ice making position, it is possible to move the ice making tray to a position where the ice making purified water can be supplied. Therefore, the deicing purified water can be supplied to the deicing tray, and the defrosting of the ice present in the deicing tray can be promoted by supplying the deicing purified water.

In addition, the thawing of the ice may be further promoted through a defrosting heater operation process S22 after the ice tray receiving process S21.

Specifically, the defrosting heater operation process (S22) may be to heat the defrosting heater by driving the defrosting heater in a state where the defrosting constant is stored in the defrosting tray. However, when the defrosting heater is driven to heat the deicing water purification, it is necessary to pay attention because there is a risk of burnout or fire of the product by the defrosting heater.

Therefore, the defrosting heater operation process S22 may be limited so that the defrosting heater is driven only when the angle of the ice tray is included in a preset angle range. Here, the preset angle range may correspond to an angle range in which the immersion tube is immersed in the deicing water stored in the ice tray. In general, when the defrosting heater is heated without being immersed, the risk of burnout or fire of the product by the defrosting heater is increased. Thus, the defrosting heater is limited to the case in which the immersion tube is immersed in the deicing water. Can be driven.

In the error display step S30, when the position error signal is generated after the waiting time has elapsed, the position error of the ice tray may be displayed.

The reason why the ice tray does not reach the ice making position may be various in addition to the ice present in the ice tray. Therefore, after the ice removal step S20, the ice tray may not be able to reach the ice making position due to other causes than the ice.

If the cause of the ice tray not reaching the ice making position is other than the ice, it is difficult to remove the cause in the ice water purifier itself, and thus the ice water purifier may display a position error of the ice making tray. In this case, the position error may be visually displayed on the display device provided in the ice water purifier or may be represented by a method of acoustically displaying the sound device provided in the ice water purifier.

Although not shown, there may be an ice water purifier that can solve the position error of the ice tray.

Ice water purifier according to an embodiment of the present invention may include an ice tray, a cooler, a defrosting heater, a purified water tank, an ice storage, a cold water tank, a purified water supply valve, a tray valve and a control unit. Since the configuration except for the controller has been described above, a detailed description thereof will be omitted, and the controller will be described herein.

The controller may generate a position error signal if the detection signal is not generated after the ice making signal is input, and generate a standby signal for stopping the ice making operation during the waiting time. The detection signal is generated by a detection sensor that detects whether the ice tray is in an ice making position. When the detection signal is generated, the detection signal may be regarded as having reached the ice making position, and the ice making operation may be performed.

However, if the detection signal is not generated, the tray for ice making does not reach the ice making position, so that the ice making operation may be stopped and waited. Specifically, the ice making tray may not reach the ice making position may be due to interference by ice remaining in the ice making tray. While the ice should be dropped into an ice reservoir or a cold water tank during the defrosting operation, the ice may be stored in the ice tray. In this case, the ice and the cooler may collide with each other to prevent the ice tray from being positioned at the ice making position. Therefore, the controller may control the ice water purifier to perform a control operation for removing ice stored in the ice tray.

Specifically, when the position error signal is generated, the controller may supply an ice making purified water to the ice making tray, and drive the ice making heater to heat the ice making purified water. The ice may melt faster when ice and water are mixed than when there is only ice, where heating the water may remove the ice faster.

Accordingly, the control unit supplies an ice making purified water to the ice making tray even when the ice making tray is not located at the ice making position, and heats the ice making purified water with the ice making heater to remove the ice placed in the ice making tray. Can dissolve

However, when the ice tray is driven when the tray for ice making is not in the ice making position, there is a high risk of product damage or fire due to overheating of the ice heater and contact of the tray with the ice tray. Therefore, the defrosting heater may be driven only when the angle of the ice tray is included in a preset angle range. Here, the preset angle range may be an angle at which the immersion tube of the cooler does not contact the ice tray, and the immersion tube may be immersed in the deicing water purification. When the ice tray is not included in the preset angle range, only the ice making water may be supplied to the ice tray.

In addition, the controller may control the motor to repeatedly position the ice tray to a predetermined operating angle, and then generate the position error signal only when the detection signal is not generated by the detection sensor. Since the ice stored in the ice tray may fall as the ice tray moves, the controller may control the ice water purifier to drop the ice before generating the position error signal.

Therefore, the controller may rotate the ice tray by a predetermined angle, for example, the maximum operating angle of the ice tray, so that the ice may fall by gravity. If the detection signal is still not generated even after the ice tray is rotated 2-3 times by the maximum operating angle, the controller may generate the position error signal.

In addition, the ice water purifier may further include a separate error display device. If the position error signal is still generated after the waiting time has elapsed, the ice water purifier may notify the user that there is a problem in the operation of the ice tray. . In this case, the waiting time may generally be a time taken for all of the ice to melt, and the waiting time may be obtained by an experimental measurement method.

Therefore, if the position error signal is generated even after the waiting time, the position error of the ice tray may be considered to be caused by another cause other than the ice stored in the ice tray. Therefore, it is possible to notify the user of the position error so that the user can solve the position error of the ice tray. In detail, the error display device may include a display device or a speaker, and the user may be informed of the location error visually or audibly using the error display device.

The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments and the accompanying drawings. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various changes in form and details may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.

10: ice tray 11: rotating shaft
20: cooler 30: defrosting heater
40: water purification tank 50: ice storage
51: guide member 60: cold water tank
70: water supply valve 80: tray valve
S10: Position error detection step S11: Rotating tray for ice making
S12: Ice making position discrimination process S13: Angle adjusting process
S14: Position error determination process S20: Ice removal step
S21: process of obtaining tray for ice making S22: driving stage of ice removal heater
S30: error display step

Claims (10)

A position error detecting step of generating a position error signal if the ice tray is not detected at the ice making position after the ice making signal is input; And
If the position error detection signal is transmitted, the ice tray control method comprising the step of removing ice waiting for the waiting time.
The method of claim 1, wherein the position error detection step
An ice making tray rotating process of rotating the ice making tray to the ice making position when the ice making signal is input;
An ice making position judging step of generating an undetectable signal if the detection sensor provided at the ice making position does not detect the ice making tray;
An angle adjustment process of rotating the ice tray by a motor for rotating the ice tray, when the detection signal is transmitted; And
After the ice tray operation process, the ice making position discrimination process and the angle adjustment process is repeated a predetermined number of times, the ice tray control method comprising a position error discrimination process for generating the position error signal when the non-detection signal is generated .
3. The method of claim 2,
And the predetermined operating angle is a maximum operating angle of the ice tray.
The method of claim 1, wherein the ice removal step
An ice making tray acquisition process of supplying an ice making purified water to the ice making tray; And
And a defrosting heater operating process of heating the deicing water by driving the defrosting heater while the deicing water is stored in the deicing tray.
The method of claim 4, wherein the ice removing heater operation process
The ice-making tray control method for driving the ice-breaking heater only when the angle of the ice-making tray is within a preset angle range.
The method of claim 1,
And an error display step of displaying a position error of the tray for making ice when the position error signal is generated after the waiting time has elapsed.
An ice making tray for storing the supplied ice making purified water;
A motor for moving the ice tray to an ice making position when an ice making signal is input and moving the tray for ice making to a ice making position when an ice making signal is input;
A cooler configured to cool the ice making purified water to generate ice when the ice making tray is located at the ice making position;
A defrosting heater for separating the ice from the cooler by heating the ice formed in the cooler when the tray for ice making is located in the defrosting position;
A detection sensor generating a detection signal when the ice tray reaches the ice making position; And
And a controller configured to generate a position error signal if the detection signal is not generated after the ice making signal is input and to generate a standby signal for stopping the ice making operation during the waiting time.
8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the control unit
When the position error signal is generated, the ice water purifier is supplied to the ice tray, the ice water purifier to drive the defrosting heater to heat the ice making water.
8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the control unit
The ice water purifier generates the position error signal if the detection signal is not generated by the detection sensor after repeatedly positioning the tray for ice making by controlling the motor to a predetermined operation angle.
8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the control unit
An ice water purifier for driving the ice-breaking heater only when the angle of the ice tray is included in a predetermined angle range.

Images