KR20150029978A - Apparatus for ice extraction - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to an ice extraction apparatus. The ice extraction apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention comprises: an ice generation part generating ice by cooling a supplied fluid; an ice storage part storing the ice generated by the ice generation part; and an ice transfer part transferring the ice stored in the ice storage part to an outlet, and may include: an exclusive ice tray positioned at the lower side of the outlet, and receiving the ice from the outlet; a weight detection part generating weight signals corresponding to the weights of the exclusive ice tray and the ice supplied to the exclusive ice tray; and a control part controlling the amount of the ice supplied to the exclusive ice tray when controlling the ice transfer part according to the weight signals. The ice extraction apparatus according to the present invention is capable of extracting the desired amount of the ice using the exclusive ice tray.

Description

[0001] Apparatus for ice extraction [

The present invention relates to an ice extraction device, and more particularly, to an ice extraction device capable of extracting a desired amount of ice using an ice tray.

Generally, an ice water purifier is a device capable of providing purified water produced by filtering raw water such as tap water with a filter and ice produced by cooling the purified water. The ice water purifier generally has a filter unit for purifying the raw water, a water tank for storing purified water, an ice producing unit for making ice, and an ice storage unit for storing ice, and a hot water tank for heating and storing purified water may be further provided have.

Generally, an ice water purifier rotates a rotary screw provided in an ice storage unit to discharge ice. That is, the ice positioned between the wing surfaces of the rotary screw is transferred to the ice discharge port by the rotation of the rotary screw, and can be supplied to the user through the ice discharge port.

However, in the case of the conventional ice water purifier, since the ice is supplied by rotating the rotary screw by the time inputted by the user, ice may not be collected, and sudden extraction may occur. In this case, due to the suddenly provided ice, the ice overflows more than the cup, or the beverage in the cup splashes, causing contamination of the ice discharge port or the periphery, causing hygiene problems and inconveniencing the use.

The present application aims to provide an ice extraction device capable of extracting a desired amount of ice using an ice tray.

The ice extracting apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention includes an ice producing unit for generating ice by cooling a supplied fluid, an ice storing unit for storing ice generated by the ice producing unit, An ice tray for receiving the ice provided by the outlet, the ice tray being disposed below the outlet; A weight sensing unit for generating a weight signal corresponding to the weight of ice delivered to the ice tray and the ice tray; And a control unit for controlling the amount of ice to be supplied to the ice tray by controlling the ice transfer according to the weight signal.

Here, the ice extraction device may include: a waiting space for storing the ice tray; And a guide portion for guiding the movement of the ice tray from the waiting space to the lower portion of the outlet.

Here, the weight sensing unit may include: an elastic member that is compressed by the weight of the ice supplied to the ice tray and the ice tray; And a signal generator for sensing the compression amount by which the elastic member is compressed and outputting the weight signal.

Wherein the signal generating unit includes: a moving contact that moves at a predetermined movement path according to a compression amount of the elastic member and is located at one point on the movement path; A fixed contact provided at a predetermined fixed position on the movement path; And a signal device for outputting a weight signal corresponding to the fixed contact which contacts the moving contact.

Here, the control unit may adjust the amount of rotation of the motor unit, which rotates the rotating screw, with respect to the ice conveying unit that rotates the rotating screw having the spiral wing surface to convey the ice to the discharge opening along the wing surface.

Here, when the weight sensing unit senses the weight of the ice tray, the controller may control the ice tray to start ice supply to the ice tray.

In addition, the means for solving the above-mentioned problems are not all enumerating the features of the present invention. The various features of the present invention and the advantages and effects thereof will be more fully understood by reference to the following specific embodiments.

Since the ice extracting apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a tray for ice discharging, it is possible to prevent the ice from falling out even when the accumulated ice is suddenly discharged.

The ice extracting apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention can accurately provide a sufficient amount of ice by measuring the amount of ice provided by measuring the weight of ice delivered to the ice tray and the ice tray.

1 and 2 are block diagrams showing an ice extraction apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.
3 is a schematic view showing an ice amount measurement in an ice extraction device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, in order that those skilled in the art can easily carry out 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 and 2 are block diagrams showing an ice extraction apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, the ice extraction apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention may include an ice tray 10, a weight sensing unit 20, and a controller 30.

Hereinafter, an ice extraction apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG.

The ice extracting apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention includes an ice producing unit 1 for cooling the supplied fluid to generate ice (i), an ice storing unit (for storing ice (i) 2) and an ice transfer section 3 for transferring the ice (i) stored in the ice storage section to the discharge port 4. [ Hereinafter, generation, storage, and transfer of ice in the ice extraction device will be described.

Specifically, the ice extraction device can receive a fluid from the outside, and the introduced fluid can move along the flow path. The fluid moved along the flow path may be supplied to a filter unit (not shown), and the filter unit may filter foreign substances or contaminants contained in the fluid to generate clean water. Specifically, the filter unit may include a sediment filter, a pre-carbon filter, a reverse osmosis membrane filter, a post-carbon filter, and a nano filter ). ≪ / RTI > However, the types, the number and the order of the filters provided in the filter unit can be variously changed according to the filtration method of the ice extraction apparatus or the filtration performance required for the ice extraction apparatus.

The purified water filtered in the filter unit may be supplied to an purified water tank (not shown), and the purified water stored in the purified water tank may be supplied to the ice producing unit 1. However, in this case, the ice extraction device may be a direct-current type having no separate water tank. In this case, the purified water filtered by the filter unit may be directly supplied to the ice-

The ice-making section (1) can cool the supplied purified water to generate ice (i). Specifically, after the purified water is supplied to the ice tray (not shown), the cooler may be immersed in the ice tray, and the immersed cooler may be cooled to generate ice (i) on the surface of the cooler. When the ice (i) is generated, a driving heater (not shown) located at the top of the cooler may be operated to drop the ice (i) into the ice storage. At this time, the ice tray may be rotated to prevent the ice tray from being disturbed by the ice tray.

The ice storage section 2 can store the ice i and the ice transfer section 3 can transfer the stored ice i to the discharge port 4 when the extraction of the ice i is requested. Here, when the extraction of the ice (i) is requested, the ice cubes (i) can be discharged to the discharge port 4 in such a manner that the ice cubes (3) rotate the rotary screw using a motor have. The rotating screw may be a rotating shaft having a spiral wing surface. When the rotating screw is rotated, the ice (i) is positioned between the wing surfaces of the rotating screw and can move along the wing surface. Therefore, the discharge amount of the ice (i) may vary according to the number of revolutions of the rotating screw.

The ice tray (10) is located below the discharge port (4) and can receive the ice (i) provided by the discharge port (4). When ice (i) stored in the ice storage part 2 is supplied to the outside through the discharge port 4, a container (container) to receive the ice is required. At this time, have. The ice tray 10 is designed in consideration of the size of the discharge port 4 and the speed at which the ice is supplied so that the ice can be prevented from falling out even if the ice is suddenly discharged at a time.

In addition, the ice tray 10 may be provided to the user together with the ice extracting apparatus. As shown in FIG. 2, the ice tray 10 may be provided inside the waiting space 11 It is possible. Then, when ice is required, the ice tray 10 located in the waiting space 11 is moved to the lower portion of the discharge port 4 so that ice (i) flows into the ice tray 10 . Since the weight and shape of the ice-dedicated tray 10 can be set in advance, the ice-making tray 10 can be installed in the lower part of the outlet 4 through the ice-making tray 10, Can be identified. In addition, when the ice tray 10 provided in the waiting space 11 moves to the lower portion of the discharge port 4, ice discharge can be started based on the user's request for supplying ice. That is, when the weight corresponding to the ice tray 10 is sensed by the weight sensing unit 20 provided at the lower portion of the ejection opening 4, the ice tray 10 may start ejecting ice.

2, the waiting space 11 may be provided on the inner side of the lower portion of the discharge port 4, and the ice tray 10 may be included in the waiting space 11 in a drawer form . Therefore, when the user removes the ice-dedicated tray 10 from the waiting space 11, the ice-dedicated tray 10 may be positioned below the ejection opening 4.

In addition, the guide portion 12 may be included in the ice tray 10 or the waiting space 11, and the guide portion 12 may be provided in the ice tray 10 from the waiting space 11 to the lower portion of the discharge port 4. [ It is possible to guide the movement. 2, the guide portion 12 includes guide grooves formed on both side walls of the atmosphere space 11 and guide grooves formed on both sides of the ice tray 10, And a guide member guided along the groove. Therefore, the ice tray 10 can be stably moved to the lower portion of the discharge port 4 by the guide portion 12. [ FIG. 2 illustrates a guide unit 12 according to an embodiment of the present invention. The guide unit 12 is not limited to FIG. That is, the position, size, shape, material and the like of the guide part 12 may be different. The ice tray 10 may be fixed to the inside of the waiting space 11 when the ice tray 10 is seated in the waiting space 11.

The weight sensing section 20 can generate a weight signal sig_w corresponding to the weight of the ice (i) supplied to the ice tray 10 and the ice tray 10. The weight sensing part 20 may be positioned below the discharge port 4 and a container such as the ice tray 10 may be placed on the weight sensing part 20. [ The weight sensing unit 20 may measure a weight of various containers including the ice tray 10 placed on the weight sensing unit 20 to generate a weight signal sig_w corresponding to the weight of the container , And provides the generated weight signal sig_w to the controller 30. Here, the weight sensing unit 20 may utilize anything that can sense the weight of the container and output a signal corresponding to the weight.

3, the weight sensing part 20 may include an elastic member 21 and a signal generating part 22. [

The elastic member 21 can be compressed by the weight of the ice (i) supplied to the ice tray 10 and the ice tray. The elastic member 21 may be formed of a resilient member such as a ring spring, compressed after an amount proportional to the pressure applied to the elastic member 21, and then returned to the original state when the pressure is released have. The amount of the elastic member 21 compressed by the weight of ice (i) supplied to the ice tray 10 and the ice tray 10 is used to determine the presence or absence of the ice tray 10 And the amount of ice (i) supplied into the ice tray 10 can be measured.

Then, the signal generating unit 22 may be used to sense a compression amount by which the elastic member 21 is compressed, and the signal generating unit 22 outputs a weight signal sig_w corresponding to the compression amount . As described above, since the compression amount of the elastic member 21 is proportional to the weight of the ice (i), the weight of the ice (i) is determined through the compression amount, It is possible to output the signal sig_w.

3, the signal generating unit 22 may include fixed contacts a1, a2, a3, a moving contact b, and a signal unit.

The movable contact b can move along a predetermined movement path according to the amount of compression of the elastic member 21 and the fixed contacts a1, a2 and a3 can be provided at predetermined fixed positions on the movement path.

3 (a), when the ice is stored in the region B (half) of the ice tray 10, the movement of the movable contact b by the compression of the elastic member 21 a2. < / RTI > That is, the moving contact b and the fixed contact a2 are in contact with each other at the position of the fixed contact a2. In this case, the signaler can output the weight signal sig_w corresponding to the signal 2. Therefore, it can be confirmed that ice is stored in the region B (half) in the ice tray 10 by the weight signal sig_w.

3 (b), when ice is stored up to the A area (full bleed) of the ice tray 10, the ice tray 10 and the elastic members 21 , The movable contact b can move to the position of the fixed contact a3. That is, the movable contact b and the fixed contact a3 can be in contact with each other at the position of the fixed contact a3. In this case, the signal device can output the weight signal sig_w corresponding to the signal 3. Therefore, it can be confirmed that ice is stored in the ice tray 10 by the weight signal sig_w up to the area A (full ice).

Although not shown, when the ice tray 10 in a state where no ice is provided is placed on the weight sensing part 20, the elastic member 21 can be compressed by the weight of the ice tray 10 have. That is, the movable contact b can move to the position of the fixed contact a1. In this case, the movable contact b and the fixed contact a1 can be in contact with each other at the position of the fixed contact a1. Therefore, the signaler outputs the weight signal sig_w corresponding to the signal 1, so that it can be confirmed that the ice-making tray 10 is positioned below the ejection opening 4.

The control unit 30 can control the amount of ice supplied to the ice tray 10 by controlling the ice tray 3 according to the weight signal sig_w. The control unit 30 may store an ice extraction amount preset by the user, or may set the ice extraction amount according to a user's input. For example, when the user selects the amount of ice corresponding to one half of the ice tray 10 through the interface device included in the ice extraction device as the ice extraction amount, the controller 30 controls the weight signal it is possible to control the ice dispenser 3 to provide ice until a signal corresponding to the signal 2 is input in the signal sig_w. Thereafter, when the weight signal sig_w corresponding to the signal 2 is inputted, the ice signal transmitter 3 outputs the control signal sig_a for the ice receiver 3 to stop the operation of the ice receiver 3, Ice can be provided for ice extraction.

As described above, the ice transfer section 3 may include a rotary screw having a spiral wing surface. When the rotary screw is rotated, ice is transferred to the discharge port 4 along the wing surface of the rotary screw, And can be supplied to the ice tray (10). Therefore, it is possible to adjust the ice extraction amount by controlling the amount of rotation of the motor unit that rotates the rotation screw.

As described above, the weight sensing part 20 can check whether the ice tray 10 is positioned below the discharge port 4, so that the controller 30 controls the weight sensing part 20, When the ice tray 10 senses the weight of the ice tray 10, it controls the ice tray 3 to start ice supply to the ice tray 10.

In addition, the controller 30 may switch between automatic extraction and manual extraction according to the amount of ice stored in the ice tray 10. That is, there may be a case where ice is already stored in the ice tray 10, and in particular, when ice is stored in the ice tray 10 in a predetermined amount (for example, 1 / 2) is stored, the user may manually extract the ice during the pressing time of the extraction button, and if the predetermined amount is stored, the ice is automatically extracted corresponding to the weight signal sig_w can do.

Although not shown, there may be various types of water treatment devices including the ice extraction device. The water treatment apparatus may be collectively referred to as a water purifier, a functional water heater, a water heater, a water cooler, an icemaker, and a device having a combination of at least a part of these functions.

Particularly, in the water purifier including the ice extracting apparatus, the tray formed at the lower part of the outflow coke for providing the purified water and the ice tray 10 are separated from each other, Can be prevented.

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.

1: Ice producing part 2: Ice storage part
3: Ice transfer 4: Outlet
10: Ice tray 11: Waiting area
12: guide part 20: weight sensing part
30:

Claims (6)

An ice producing unit for cooling the supplied fluid to generate ice, an ice storage unit for storing the ice produced by the ice producing unit, and an ice transferring unit for transferring the ice stored in the ice storage unit to the discharge opening As a result,
An ice tray installed at a lower portion of the discharge port and supplied with ice provided by the discharge port;
A weight sensing unit for generating a weight signal corresponding to the weight of ice delivered to the ice tray and the ice tray; And
And a control unit for controlling the amount of ice supplied to the ice tray according to the weight signal.
The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising: a waiting space for storing the ice tray; And
And a guide portion for guiding the movement of the ice-dedicated tray from the atmospheric space to the lower portion of the outlet.
The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the weight sensing portion
An elastic member which is compressed by the weight of the ice supplied to the ice tray and the ice tray; And
And a signal generating unit for sensing a compression amount by which the elastic member is compressed and outputting the weight signal.
4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the signal generator
A moving contact which moves at a predetermined movement path according to the amount of compression of the elastic member and is located at one point on the movement path;
A fixed contact provided at a predetermined fixed position on the movement path; And
And a signal device for outputting a weight signal corresponding to the fixed contact contacting the moving contact.
The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the control unit
Wherein an amount of rotation of the motor unit for rotating the rotating screw is controlled with respect to the ice conveying unit that rotates the rotating screw having the spiral wing surface to convey the ice to the discharge port along the wing surface.
6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the control unit
And when the weight sensing unit senses the weight of the ice tray, the controller controls the ice tray to start ice supply to the ice tray.

Images