KR20160051224A - Ice maker - Google Patents

Abstract

Disclosed is an ice maker having an air cooling type freezer on a lower part thereof capable of driving both an ice making chamber and a freezing chamber. The ice maker having an air cooling type freezer on a lower part thereof comprises: a machinery chamber (10) including a compressor (11) and a condenser (12); a freezing chamber (20) coupled with the machinery chamber (10); an ice making chamber (30) positioned above an upper part of the freezing chamber (20); a refrigerant line (40) connected from the machinery chamber (10) to the ice making chamber (30) and the freezing chamber (20); and a control unit (50) controlling a refrigerant supplied to the ice making chamber (30) and the freezing chamber (20). The refrigerant line (40) includes: an ice making chamber capillary tube (41) connected from the condenser (12) to an ice making module (31) of the ice making chamber (30); a first shutdown valve (411) coupled with the ice making chamber capillary tube (41); a freezing chamber capillary tube (42) connected from the compressor (12) to a unit cooler (21) of the freezing chamber (20); a second shutdown valve (421) coupled with the freezing chamber capillary tube (42); an ice making chamber low pressure tube (43) connected from the ice making module (31) to the compressor (11) of the machinery chamber (10); and a hot line valve (461) coupled to the hot line (46).

Description

 Ice maker equipped with an air-cooled freezer at the bottom {Ice maker}

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an ice maker, and more particularly, to a combi-ice maker having an air-cooled freezer at a lower portion thereof.

An ice maker is a device that continuously mass-produces ice blocks with a uniform shape. These ice machines are used in shipyards, factories, restaurants, and cafes. The ice maker consists largely of an ice making room for ice generation and ice storage, and a machine room in which a cooling system for circulation and cooling of the refrigerant is installed.

On the other hand, a refrigerator was separately provided in a shop, and the food was frozen and stored. Therefore, the employer had to purchase the refrigerator and the ice maker separately.

However, in the case of a narrow space, there was not enough room to place the freezer and ice maker. Also, it was an economic burden if they were to be separately provided.

Accordingly, it has become necessary to develop an ice maker having both functions of an ice maker and a freezer.

Technical documents related to the ice maker include Korean Patent Laid-Open Nos. 10-2001-0051251 and Korean Patent Laid-Open No. 10-2006-0036986.

The present invention provides an ice maker having a freezing chamber and a freezing chamber together.

The present invention also provides an ice maker for driving both the ice making chamber and the freezing chamber by using one compressor and a condenser.

The present invention also provides an ice maker having a freezer which operates in air-cooling mode.

According to an aspect of the present invention,

A machine room (10) having a compressor (11) and a condenser (12);

A freezer compartment 20 coupled with the machine room 10;

An ice making chamber 30 located above the freezing chamber 20;

A refrigerant line (40) starting from the machine room (10) and connected to the freezing chamber (20) and the ice making chamber (30);

And a controller (50) for controlling the refrigerant supplied to the ice making chamber (30) and the freezing chamber (20)

The refrigerant line (40)

An ice-making chamber capillary (41) connected to the ice-making module (31) of the ice-making chamber (30) in the condenser (12);

A first shut-off valve 411 coupled to the ice-making chamber capillary 41;

A freezer compartment capillary 42 connected to the unit cooler 21 of the freezer compartment 20 in the condenser 12;

A second shutoff valve (421) coupled to the freezer compartment capillary (42);

An ice making chamber low pressure pipe (43) connected from the ice making module (31) to the compressor (11) of the machine room (10);

A freezing chamber low pressure pipe (44) connected to the compressor (11) of the machine room (10) in the unit cooler (21);

A third shut-off valve (441) coupled to the freezing compartment low pressure pipe (44);

A hot line (46) coupled to the connection pipe (45) located between the compressor (11) and the condenser (12) and connected to the ice making module (31);

An ice maker is provided with an air-cooled freezer at the bottom including a hotline valve (461) coupled to the hotline (46).

Also,

The control unit (50)

The first shut-off valve 411, the second shut-off valve 421 and the third shut-off valve 441 are opened and the hot-line valve 461 is shut off so that the freezing chamber 20 and the The refrigerant circulated through the freezing chamber 20 and the ice making chamber 30 is recovered by the compressor 11,

The second shutoff valve 421 and the third shutoff valve 441 are shut off and the hotline valve 461 is opened to prevent the hot gas from flowing into the freezing chamber 20, An ice-maker provided with an air-cooled freezer at the bottom is provided, in which hot gas is supplied to the module (31).

Also,

An ice tray ice reservoir (61) located in the ice making chamber (30);

A freezer compartment ice reservoir (62) located in the freezer compartment (20) and positioned below the ice making compartment ice reservoir (61);

An ice-maker provided with an air-cooled freezer at a lower portion including an opening / closing door (64) coupled via a spring hinge portion (63) is provided between the ice-making room ice reservoir (61) and the freezing room ice reservoir (62).

Also,

An ice tray ice reservoir (61) located in the ice making chamber (30);

An ice-maker having an air-cooled freezer at a lower portion including an opening / closing door (63) formed in a lower portion of the ice-making room ice storage box (61) so as to communicate with the freezing chamber (20).

The present invention provides an ice maker having a freezing chamber and a freezing chamber together.

The present invention also provides an ice maker for driving both the ice making chamber and the freezing chamber by using one compressor and a condenser.

Further, the present invention provides an ice-maker having a freezer that operates in an air-cooling mode.

1 is a cross-sectional view (icing and freezing process) of an ice-maker having an air-cooled freezer at the bottom according to an embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 2 is a sectional view (ice-removing process) of an ice-maker provided with an air-cooled freezer at the bottom according to an embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of an ice-maker provided with an air-cooled freezer at the bottom according to an embodiment of the present invention (a state of ice removal,

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Reference will now be made in detail to the preferred embodiments of the present invention, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein like reference numerals refer to the like elements throughout. , Thereby not limiting the spirit and scope of the present invention.

The freezing chamber of the present embodiment may have only a refrigerating function or a refrigerating function.

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view (icing and freezing process) of an ice-maker provided with an air-cooled freezer at the bottom according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a cross- FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the ice-maker having the air-cooled freezer at the bottom according to an embodiment of the present invention (the ice is moved to the freezer).

The ice-maker 100 equipped with the air-cooled freezer at the bottom of the present embodiment,

A machine room (10) having a compressor (11) and a condenser (12);

A freezer compartment 20 coupled with the machine room 10;

An ice making chamber 30 located above the freezing chamber 20;

A refrigerant line 40 starting from the machine room 10 and connected to the machine room 10 via the freezing room 20 and the ice making room 30;

And a controller (50) for controlling the refrigerant supplied to the ice making chamber (30) and the freezing chamber (20)

The refrigerant line (40)

An ice-making chamber capillary (41) connected to the ice-making module (31) of the ice-making chamber (30) in the condenser (12);

A first shut-off valve 411 coupled to the ice-making chamber capillary 41;

A freezer compartment capillary 42 connected to the unit cooler 21 of the freezer compartment 20 in the condenser 12;

A second shutoff valve (421) coupled to the freezer compartment capillary (42);

An ice making chamber low pressure pipe (43) connected from the ice making module (31) to the compressor (11) of the machine room (10);

A freezing chamber low pressure pipe (44) connected to the compressor (11) of the machine room (10) in the unit cooler (21);

A third shut-off valve (441) coupled to the freezing compartment low pressure pipe (44);

A hot line (46) coupled to the connection pipe (45) located between the compressor (11) and the condenser (12) and connected to the ice making module (31);

And a hotline valve (461) coupled to the hotline (46).

The ice maker 100 of the present embodiment has a freezing function and an ice-making function at the same time. In order for these functions to operate in combination, the controller 50 effectively controls the flow of the refrigerant. Further, a unit cooler 21 is coupled to the freezing chamber 20.

The unit cooler 21 may include a fan and a temperature controller.

The machine room 10 is generally located below the ice maker 100. The machine room 10 includes a compressor 11, a condenser 12, a blower 13, and the like, which are similar to the machine room of a general ice maker. Therefore, detailed description of the specific configuration of the machine room 10 is omitted.

The freezing chamber (20) is coupled to the machine room (10). The refrigerant compressed in the machine room (10) is transferred to the freezer compartment (20). The freezing chamber 20 of the present embodiment operates in an air-cooling manner, and the unit cooler 21 is located inside. Heat exchange occurs immediately in the unit cooler 21.

The ice making chamber 30 is located at an upper portion of the freezing chamber 20. An ice making module (31) is located inside the ice making chamber (30) to form ice pieces. The ice-making module 31 can use all known techniques.

The ice making module 31 generates ice through an ice-making process and a de-ice process. In the ice-making process, the low-temperature refrigerant is supplied to the ice-making module 31, and the water sprayed from the lower portion is frozen on the surface of the ice-making module 31 to grow ice. Thereafter, when the ice is sufficiently grown, the hot gas is supplied to the ice-making module 31 in the course of the ice-making process. This removes the ice combined with the ice frame.

The core technology of the present embodiment is such that the low temperature coolant is supplied to the unit cooling unit 21 of the ice making chamber 31 and the unit cooler 21 of the freezing unit 20 in the ice making chamber 30, And controls the valves so that no gas is supplied.

The refrigerant line 40 is connected to the freezing chamber 20 and the ice making chamber 30 starting from the machine room 10. In this refrigerant line 40, valves are coupled, and the control unit 50 controls these valves to control the refrigerant supplied to the ice making chamber 30 and the freezing chamber 20.

The ice-making chamber capillary tube 41 is connected from the condenser 12 to the ice-making module 31 of the ice-making chamber 30. The ice-making chamber capillary tube 41 absorbs heat while the liquid-state refrigerant in the ice-making chamber 31 is converted into a gas by the ice-making module 31 in the ice-making chamber 30. The first shutoff valve 411 is coupled to the ice-making chamber capillary tube 41, and the first shutoff valve 411 is automatically opened and closed under the control of the controller 50.

The freezer capillary tube 42 is connected from the condenser 12 to the unit cooler 21 of the freezer compartment 20. The refrigerant supplied to the freezing compartment capillary tube 42 is converted into a gas from the unit cooler 21 of the freezing compartment 20, and takes heat. A second shutoff valve 421 is coupled to the freezing compartment capillary tube 42. The second shutoff valve 421 is automatically opened and closed under the control of the controller 50.

The ice making room low pressure pipe 43 is connected from the ice making module 31 to the compressor 11 of the machine room 10. The refrigerant expanded by the ice-making module 31 to absorb heat and gasified is recovered to the compressor 11 along the ice-making chamber low-pressure pipe 43.

The freezing compartment low pressure pipe 44 is connected from the unit cooler 21 to the compressor 11 of the machine room 10. The refrigerant expanded in the unit cooler 21 and converted into gas is recovered to the compressor 11 again along the freezer compartment low pressure pipe 44. And the third shutoff valve 441 is coupled to the freezing room low pressure pipe 44).

Meanwhile, a coupling pipe 45 is coupled between the compressor 11 and the condenser 12. The high-temperature and high-pressure refrigerant which has passed through the compressor 11 is moved to the condenser 12. [ A hot line (46) is branched to the connector (45). The hot line 46 is connected to the ice making module 31 of the ice making chamber 30 to supply hot gas to the ice making module 31. Hot gas is needed in the process of evacuation. A hot line valve 461 is coupled to the hot line 46, and the hot line valve 461 is controlled by the control unit 50.

A method in which the control unit 50 controls the valves during the deicing process and the deicing process is as follows.

The controller 50 opens the first shut-off valve 411, the second shut-off valve 421, and the third shut-off valve 441 during the de-icing process. Further, the controller 50 cuts off the hot-line valve 461 in the ice-making process. As a result, the refrigerant is supplied to the freezing chamber 20 and the ice making chamber 30 in the ice-making process. In the ice-making process, the refrigerant circulating through the freezing compartment 20 and the ice-making compartment 30 is recovered by the compressor 11.

The control unit 50 cuts off the second shut-off valve 421 and the third shut-off valve 441 during the descaling process. Further, the control unit 50 opens the hot-line valve 461. [ As a result, the hot gas moves to the ice-making module 31 through the hot line 46. The ice of the ice-making module 31 is removed. In addition, the second shutoff valve 421 and the third shutoff valve 441 are shut off so that hot gas does not flow into the freezing chamber 20. Therefore, the foods in the freezing compartment 20 are not dissolved.

On the other hand, the icemaker 100 of the present embodiment includes a ice-making chamber ice reservoir 61 located in the ice-making chamber 30; A freezer compartment ice reservoir (62) located in the freezer compartment (20) and positioned below the ice making compartment ice reservoir (61); And an opening / closing door (63) formed between the ice-making room ice storage box (61) and the freezing room ice storage box (62).

If the ice storage capacity of the ice making chamber 30 in the ice making chamber 30 is insufficient, the ice is stored in the freezing chamber and stored. When a large amount of ice in the ice making chamber 30 is accumulated, the opening and closing door 63 can be opened to allow the ice in the ice making chamber ice reservoir 61 to move to the freezing chamber ice reservoir 62. When a lot of ice is needed, ice can be stored in the freezing room 20, which is effective.

In addition, the system closing door 63 may be automatically opened through the spring hinge when the ice reaches a predetermined weight.

The controller 50 effectively controls the valves during the ice-making process and the de-icing process so that both the ice-making chamber 30 and the freezing chamber 20 are operated by the single compressor 11 and the condenser 12.

When the ice maker 100 of the present embodiment is used, the ice making chamber 30 and the freezing chamber 20 can be completed as a single product.

The icemaker 100 of the present embodiment may have all or some of the functions of the existing icemaker in the icemaker 30. For example, a device such as a water jetting device for supplying water from the outside and jetting to an ice-making module, a circulating pump for circulating water, a drain for discharging overflowed water to the outside can be installed in the ice- In addition, a door for taking out ice and an ice reservoir for storing ice can be installed in the ice making chamber 30.

In addition, the air-cooled freezer compartment 20 of the present embodiment can have all or selectively the functions of the conventional air-cooled freezer compartment.

While the present invention has been particularly shown and described with reference to exemplary embodiments thereof, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the disclosed exemplary embodiments. Modifications and additions by those skilled in the art to an equivalent range based on the embodiment will also fall within the scope of the present invention.

An ice-maker 100 having an air-
Compressors (11) Condensers (12)
Machine room (10) Freezer room (20)
In the ice making chamber 30, the refrigerant line 40,
The ice-making chamber capillary (41)
The first shutoff valve 411, the freezer compartment capillary 42,
The second shut-off valve 421, the ice-making chamber low-pressure pipe 43,
Freezer Low Pressure Tube (44) Third Isolation Valve (441)
Hotline (46) Hotline Valves (461)

Claims (3)

A machine room (10) having a compressor (11) and a condenser (12);
A freezer compartment 20 coupled with the machine room 10;
An ice making chamber 30 located above the freezing chamber 20;
A refrigerant line (40) starting from the machine room (10) and connected to the freezing chamber (20) and the ice making chamber (30);
And a controller (50) for controlling the refrigerant supplied to the ice making chamber (30) and the freezing chamber (20)

The refrigerant line (40)
An ice-making chamber capillary (41) connected to the ice-making module (31) of the ice-making chamber (30) in the condenser (12);
A first shut-off valve 411 coupled to the ice-making chamber capillary 41;
A freezer compartment capillary 42 connected to the unit cooler 21 of the freezer compartment 20 in the condenser 12;
A second shutoff valve (421) coupled to the freezer compartment capillary (42);
An ice making chamber low pressure pipe (43) connected from the ice making module (31) to the compressor (11) of the machine room (10);
A freezing chamber low pressure pipe (44) connected to the compressor (11) of the machine room (10) in the unit cooler (21);
A third shut-off valve (441) coupled to the freezing compartment low pressure pipe (44);
A hot line (46) coupled to the connecting pipe (45) between the compressor (11) and the condenser (12) and connected to the ice making chamber;
And an air-cooled freezer at a lower portion including a hot-line valve (461) coupled to the hot line (46).
The method according to claim 1,
The control unit (50)
The first shut-off valve 411, the second shut-off valve 421 and the third shut-off valve 441 are opened and the hot-line valve 461 is shut off so that the freezing chamber 20 and the The refrigerant circulated through the freezing chamber 20 and the ice making chamber 30 is recovered by the compressor 11,
The second shutoff valve 421 and the third shutoff valve 441 are closed and the hot line valve 461 is opened to control the flow of hot gas into the freezing chamber 20 And an air-cooled freezer at the lower part.
The method according to claim 1,
An ice tray ice reservoir (61) located in the ice making chamber (30);
And an air-cooled freezer installed at a lower portion including an opening / closing door (63) formed in the lower portion of the ice making chamber (61) so as to communicate with the freezing chamber (20).
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