KR960008178B1 - Ice making apparatus in refrigerator - Google Patents

Abstract

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Description

Refrigerator ice maker

1 is a longitudinal sectional front view showing the main parts of one embodiment of the present invention;

Figure 2 is a longitudinal sectional view showing the main part of one embodiment of the present invention.

3 is a longitudinal sectional side view of the refrigerator shown by partially removing.

4 is a block diagram showing an electrical control configuration.

5 is a flowchart showing the control content regarding ice making.

* Explanation of symbols for main parts of the drawings

12: ice making container 14: water supply device

19: temperature sensor for ice maker 20: cold air duct

21: heat insulation cover 22: heater

23: temperature sensor for the heater 25: microcomputer (control means)

26: freezer temperature sensor 27: rapid cooling operation switch

29: compressor

The present invention relates to an icemaker of a refrigerator, which allows the water stored in the ice maker to freeze from below in order to produce transparent ice.

In fan-cooled refrigerators, the operation of the compressor is performed based on the temperature of the freezer compartment. When the freezer compartment reaches a predetermined temperature or more, the compressor starts to operate. At the same time, the fan is driven to supply cold air to the refrigerator. When the temperature falls below the predetermined temperature, the compressor and the fan are stopped. In addition, in recent fan-cooled refrigerators, a quick freezing operation can be selected to rapidly freeze foods stored in the freezer. In this case, a quick freezing operation can be used, for example, for 90 minutes regardless of the freezer temperature. To operate continuously. An ice making device installed in a fan-cooled refrigerator capable of such rapid cooling operation is configured to cover the upper part of the ice making container with a cover with a heater and blow the cold air to the lower part of the ice making container while heating the upper part of the ice making container by the heater. There is. In this case, since the water stored in the ice making container freezes from the bottom to the top, bubbles generated during the freezing process can freely escape from the surface of unfrozen water to produce transparent ice. In this ice making machine, the temperature sensor is installed at a predetermined position of the ice making container. When the detected temperature of the ice making temperature sensor is about -5 ° C, for example, the freezing part becomes only the surface of the water heater. By turning off the power to freeze the surface last. If the water stored in the ice making container is completely frozen, the temperature of the ice making container decreases drastically afterwards. When the temperature sensor for the ice making machine detects a predetermined low temperature, for example, -13.5 ° C., the ice making is completed. Doing.

On the other hand, if the rapid cooling operation is selected, the cold air is continuously blown into the ice making container during the rapid cooling operation. Therefore, when the temperature sensor for ice-making vessels detects -5 ° C, the temperature sensor for ice-making vessels detects -5 ° C when the water is not frozen in the deep water, not just the water surface. . In this way, a film of ice is formed on the surface of the water, and there is no place for the bubbles to fall out of the water, which becomes opaque ice including bubbles.

The present invention has been invented to solve the problems of the prior art, and its object is to provide an ice making apparatus for a refrigerator which can produce transparent ice even when a rapid cooling operation is selected.

The present invention is an ice making device that is incorporated in the refrigerator and blows cold air to the lower part of the ice making container to perform ice making by heating a mountain part by a heater. When the rapid cooling operation is selected, it is characterized in that it is made larger than the normal cooling operation. When the rapid cooling operation is selected, since the ice is continuously blown into the ice making container, the ice making container tends to lower the temperature in advance. However, in the ice making apparatus according to the present invention, since the total calorific value of the heater until the completion of the ice making in the rapid cooling operation is larger than in the normal operation, there is no fear that an ice film is formed on the water surface.

Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings by applying to the ice making device of the fan-cooled refrigerator.

First, in FIG. 3, the freezer compartment 2, the refrigerating compartment 3, and the dike compartment 4 are formed in the inside of the refrigerator main body 1, and the air cooled by the cooler 5 is carried out by the fan 6 by them. It is to be supplied to each chamber. An ice making apparatus 7 according to the present invention is provided in the ice making chamber 4, and the ice making apparatus 7 will be described in detail with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2. An apparatus body 8 is provided in the upper front side of the ice making chamber 4, and in the apparatus body 8, the gear reduction mechanism (not shown) which uses the motor 9 (refer FIG. 4) as a driving source, The vibration imparting mechanism (not shown) which uses the electromagnet 10 (refer FIG. 4) as a drive source is accommodated. A support edge 11 is provided on the rear side of the device body 8, and an ice making container 12 is disposed inside the support edge 11. As shown in FIG. The ice making container 12 is rotatably supported by the support rim 11 through the center 12a of the rear side, and the center of the front axle is connected to the output shaft of the gear reduction mechanism and the output of the vibration imparting mechanism. have. When the motor 9 rotates in the forward or reverse direction, the ice making container 12 is reversed so as to be upside down and back to the original horizontal position at the reversed position. Moreover, when the electromagnet 10 is driven and the iron core reciprocates, the ice making container 12 vibrates in the front-back direction. In addition, although not shown, a doric is provided at the rear of the ice making container 12, and the protrusion is attached to the support edge 11 at the end of the reversal operation. And even after adhering to the support edge 11 of this protrusion, since the motor 9 continues to rotate for a while to rotate the front part of the ice making container 12 to a normal inverted position, the ice making container 12 is twisted and this twist is carried out. As a result, the ice is separated from the ice making container 12, and the ice is dropped and stored in the lower storage box 13.

Water is supplied to the ice making container 12 by a water supply device 14. The water supply device 14 is a water supply tank 15 installed in the refrigerating chamber 3, a water support container 16 for receiving water from the water supply tank 15, and a water supply pipe 17 for supplying water in the water support container 16. It is composed of a feed water pump (18) is drawn up in the ice making container (12) through. And in order to detect that the water supplied to the ice-making container 12 became ice, the said ice-making container 12 is equipped with the temperature sensor 19 for ice-making containers in the position which can detect the temperature near the water surface. On the other hand, in the back wall of the ice-making chamber 4, the cold air duct 20 which guides the cold air sent by the fan 6 in the said ice-making chamber 4 is provided. The outlet 21a of the cold air duct 20 faces the inclined position, and the cold air discharged from the outlet 20a is blown to the lower surface of the ice making container 12. In order to prevent the cold air discharged from the outlet 20a from returning from the upper surface side of the water accumulated in the ice making container 12, the ice making container 12 is rotatably provided with an insulating cover 21 covering the upper surface thereof. In this heat insulating cover 21, a heater 22 for heating the ice making container 12 from the upper surface and a heater temperature sensor 23 for detecting a temperature near the heater 22 are provided. In addition, during the inverting operation of the ice making container 12, the heat insulating cover 21 is supported by the supporting rod 24 as shown by the double-dotted line in FIG.

The refrigerator provided with the ice-making device 7 comprised in this way is controlled by the microcomputer 25 shown in FIG. The microcomputer 25 receives signals from the freezing chamber temperature sensor 26 and the quick cooling operation switch 27 which detect the temperature in the freezing chamber 2. The microcomputer 25 then controls the compressor 29 and the fan motor 6a through the cooling device drive circuit 28 due to these input signals and the pre-stored control program. In this case, normally, the microcomputer 25 starts the operation of the compressor 29 and the fan motor 6a when the detected temperature of the freezing chamber temperature sensor 26 becomes higher than the predetermined temperature. Stop. When the rapid cooling operation is selected, the compressor 29 and the fan motor 6a are continuously operated for 90 minutes irrespective of the detected temperature of the freezing chamber temperature sensor 26, for example. In addition, the microcomputer 25 receives a signal from the temperature sensor 19 for the ice making vessel and the on-denser 23 for the heater, and simultaneously detects the inverted position and the horizontal position of the ice making vessel 12. Is input. The microcomputer 25 defrosts the motor 9 of the gear reduction mechanism, the electromagnet 10 of the vibration imparting mechanism, the water feed pump 18, and the heater 22 based on these input signals and the pre-stored control program. Control via the device drive circuit 31. In this case, the microcomputer 25 is configured to determine the start and end points of the ice making by the detected temperature of the temperature sensor 19 for the ice making container. In other words, when water is supplied into the ice making container 12, the ice making container 12 is warmed by the water (the temperature of the image) that has been in the refrigerating chamber 3 until then, and the temperature rises, and when the ice making is completed, the ice making container 12 ) Decreases in temperature. Therefore, the microcomputer 25 determines that ice making starts when the temperature sensor 19 for the ice making container detects a predetermined image temperature, and when the predetermined sub-zero temperature (for example, -13.5 ° C.) is detected, the completion of the ice making. It is decided. The microcomputer 25 sets the starting point between the energizers for the heaters 22 as the determination point of the ice making start regardless of the type of operation, and the temperature sensor 19 for the ice making vessel is used for the end point between the energizers during normal cooling operation. A predetermined temperature higher than the ice making completion detection temperature, for example, −5 ° C. is detected, and at the time of the rapid cooling operation, the ice making completion determination time (ie, −13.5 ° C.) is performed. That is, in the energization period of the heater 22, the microcomputer 25 energizes when the detected temperature of the heater temperature sensor 23 becomes 8 ° C. or lower, and cuts off when the temperature reaches 8 ° C. or higher, thereby controlling the temperature of the heater 22. We carry out.

Next, the control contents of the microcomputer 25 related to ice making will be described in detail.

Assume that the ice making container 12 has returned from the inverted position to the horizontal position. The return signal is then output from the switch circuit 30, whereby the microcomputer 25 starts the feed water pump 18 to supply a predetermined amount of water to the ice making container 12. When the water supply is finished, the temperature of the ice making container 12 rises, and when the temperature sensor 19 for the ice making container detects a predetermined image temperature, the microcomputer 25 energizes the heater 22 at the start of ice making. And energizes the electromagnet 10 of the vibration imparting mechanism to warm the ice making container 12 on the upper surface side and simultaneously vibrates the ice making container 12 in the front-rear direction. On the other hand, the cold air discharged from the outlet 20a of the cold air duct 20 is blown into the lower surface of the ice making container 12, and the water in the ice making container 12 is cooled at the lower surface side. As the cold air cools the lower surface of the ice making container 12 and the heater 22 warms the ice making container 12 from the upper surface, the water starts to freeze from the lower surface. In addition, if the current temperature of the freezing chamber temperature sensor 26, due to the detection of the compressor 29, it is said to be in the normal cooling operation state. In this normal cooling operation, when the ice making is started as described above and most of the water in the ice making container 12 freezes and the unfrozen portion leaves only the water surface, the temperature of the ice making container 12 decreases. When the ice sensor temperature sensor 19 detects -5 ° C, the microcomputer 25 cuts off the heater 22. When the water in the surface of the water surface freezes due to the power failure of the heater 22, the temperature of the ice making container 12 rapidly decreases, and when the ice making temperature sensor 19 detects -13.5 ° C, the microcomputer 25 completes ice making. In this case, the electromagnet 10 of the vibration imparting mechanism is cut off. On the other hand, if the rapid cooling operation 27 is operated and is in the rapid cooling operation, in this rapid cooling operation, since the cool air is continuously blown into the ice making container 12 and brought into a strong cooling state, the temperature sensor 19 for the ice making container When the temperature of -5 ° C is detected earlier, the temperature sensor 19 for the ice-making vessel detects -5 ° C even if the water in the surface of the water is not freezing up to a considerable depth. However, in the present embodiment, in the case of the rapid cooling operation, even if the temperature sensor 19 for the ice making container detects -5 ° C, the microcomputer 25 maintains the energized state without disconnecting the heater 22 at that time. Keep it. For this reason, even if cold air is continuously blown into the ice making container 12 during 90 minutes during the rapid cooling operation, since the heater 22 remains energized, the surface portion of the water in the unfrozen state is frozen and there is no place for air bubbles to escape. Irrationality does not occur. When the water is completely frozen, the temperature of the ice making container 12 rapidly decreases, and when the temperature sensor 19 for the ice making container detects -13.5 ° C, the microcomputer 25 determines that the ice making is completed and the electromagnet 10 of the vibration imparting mechanism. And the heater 22 are disconnected. However, as described above, when the ice sensor temperature sensor 19 detects −13.5 ° C. and the microcomputer 25 determines that the ice making is completed, the microcomputer 25 then moves the motor 9 of the gear reduction mechanism in the forward direction. Rotate and the ice tray 12 is reversed up and down. At the end of this reversal operation, the ice making container 12 is twisted and the ice is peeled off the ice making container 12 and dropped and stored in the storage box 13.

In addition, when the ice making container 12 rotates to the inverted locus, since the inversion completion signal is output from the switch circuit 30, the microcomputer 25 rotates the next motor 9 in the reverse direction to rotate the ice making container 12 in the original state. Return to the horizontal position. Since the return signal is output from the switch circuit 30 when the ice making container 12 returns to the horizontal position, the microcomputer 25 must supply water to the ice making container 12 to drive the water supply pump 18. Repeat one ice making operation. In addition, since the detection switch (not shown) operates when the ice is filled in the storage box 13, the subsequent ice making is configured to stop.

As described above, in the present embodiment, the defrosting device temperature sensor 19 disconnects the heater 22 at the time when the defrosting temperature sensor 19 detects −5 ° C., and thus the defrosting temperature sensor 19 during the rapid cooling operation. Since the heater 22 is continuously energized until the time at which −13.5 ° C. is detected, the total calorific value of the heater 22 from the start of ice making to the end is larger than in the normal cooling operation. For this reason, even if there is a situation that cold air continues to be blown into the ice making container 12 for 90 minutes during the rapid cooling operation, there is no fear of freezing of the surface of the water first, so that transparent ice can be manufactured. Further, in the above embodiment, the de-energization period of the heater 22 is completed at the time of the rapid cooling operation, but this means that the temperature sensor 19 for the ice-making vessel has detected a lower temperature than normal cooling operation, for example, -9 ° C. The heater 22 may be disconnected at the time. Even in this way, since the total calorific value of the heater 22 from the start of ice making to the end becomes larger in the case of the rapid cooling operation, the surface of the water surface is freed first of all.

Next, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described.

Since the detailed configuration is the same as in the first embodiment, detailed description thereof will be omitted. The control contents of the microcomputer 25 related to the ice making in this embodiment will be described in detail with reference to FIG. When the ice making container 12 has returned from the inverted position to the horizontal position, a return signal is output from the switch circuit 30, and accordingly, the microcomputer 25 starts the feed water pump 18 to supply a predetermined amount to the ice making container 12. Water is supplied (step S1 of FIG. 5). When the water supply is finished, the temperature of the ice making container 12 rises. Then, when the detected temperature t1 of the temperature sensor 19 for the ice making container rises above the predetermined temperature T0, the microcomputer 25 determines that the starting point is the start point of the ice making (YES in step S5 of FIG. 5). ”). The electromagnet 10 of the vibration imparting mechanism is energized to vibrate the ice making container 12 to shift to the ice making stroke (step S3 in FIG. 5). In addition, when it becomes "NO" in step S2, the microcomputer 25 turns on a water supply lamp which is not shown in figure, and prompts supply of water to the water supply tank 15 (step S4 of FIG. 5). When the water supply is finished, the temperature of the ice making container 12 rises. Then, when the detected temperature t1 of the temperature sensor 19 for the ice making container rises above the predetermined temperature T0, the microcomputer 25 determines that the starting point is the start point of the ice making (in step S2 of FIG. 5). "YES") energizes the electromagnet 10 of the vibrating imparting mechanism, vibrates the ice making container 12, and shifts to the ice making stroke (step S3 in FIG. 5), and becomes "NO" in step S2. In this case, the microcomputer 25 turns on a water supply lamp (not shown) to prompt the supply of water to the water supply tank 15 (step S4 in FIG. 5). When the water supply lamp turns on and the user extracts the water supply tank 15 from the refrigerating compartment 3 and supplies water to the water supply tank 15 and resets it in the refrigerating compartment 3, the microcomputer 25 supplies the water supply tank ( Due to a signal from a switch (not shown) which operates by moving according to the set of 15), the flow returns to step S1 to perform the water supply to the ice making container 12. Then, in the ice making operation, the microcomputer 25 determines whether or not it is in the rapid cooling operation (step S5 in FIG. 5). If the microcomputer 25 is in the normal cooling operation in which the compressor 29 is fully energized based on the detected temperature of the freezing chamber temperature sensor 26, the microcomputer 25 detects the detected temperature t1 of the temperature sensor 19 for the ice making container. A period of time until the predetermined temperature near the completion of de-icing, for example, -5 ° C. or less is set as the energization period of the heater 22, and the heater 22 is detected temperature t2 of the heater temperature sensor 23. Due to the control of disconnection. That is, the microcomputer 25 judges whether or not the detected temperature t1 of the temperature sensor 19 for ice-making container is below -5 degreeC by step S6 of FIG. 5 (step S7 of FIG. 5). When the temperature is lower than or equal to ° C, the heater 22 is energized (step S8 in FIG. 5) and when the temperature exceeds 8 ° C, the heater 22 is turned off (step S9 in FIG. 5). Meanwhile, the cold air discharged from the outlet 20a of the cold air duct 20 is blown into the lower surface of the ice making container 12 to cool the water in the ice making container 12 at the lower side. Thus, since cold air cools the lower surface of the ice making container 12, and the heater 22 warms the ice making container 12 from the upper surface, water starts to freeze at the lower surface side. And when most of the water in the ice-making container 12 freezes and only the unfreezing part will leave a water surface, the temperature of the ice-making container 12 will fall. When the ice sensor temperature sensor 19 detects -5 ° C or lower ("YES" in step S6 of FIG. 5), the microcomputer 25 cuts off the heater 22 (step S9 of FIG. 5). )) After that, the heater 22 is maintained in a neat state ("YES" in step S6 of FIG. 5, "NO" in step S5, "YES" in step S6, and step S9). repeat). When the water left in the water surface freezes due to the short circuit of the heater 22, the temperature of the ice making container 12 rapidly decreases, and the temperature sensor 19 for the ice making container detects -13.5 ° C (step of FIG. In step S10, the microcomputer 25 determines that the ice making is completed and cuts off the electromagnet 10 of the vibration imparting mechanism (step S11 in FIG. 5).

If the rapid cooling operation 27 is operated and the rapid cooling operation is selected during the ice making operation as described above, since the cold air is continuously blown into the ice making container 12 for 90 minutes after the rapid cooling operation is selected, it becomes a strong cooling state. When the temperature sensor 19 for ice-making container detects -5 degreeC, the temperature sensor 19 for ice-making container detects -5 degreeC even if it is unfreezing not only water of the water part but also water of a very deep part. Throw it away. However, if the rapid cooling operation is selected, the microcomputer 25 becomes " YES " in step S5 and then keeps the heater 22 energized (" YES " and step S5 in step S10 of FIG. ), "NO" in step S6, "YES" in step S6, and repetition of step S9). For this reason, in the case of rapid cooling operation, even if there is a situation that cold air is continuously blown into the ice making container 12 for 90 minutes, the heater 22 remains energized. The absurdity of this disappearing does not occur. When the ice is completely frozen, the temperature of the ice making container 12 rapidly decreases, and when the ice making temperature sensor 19 detects -13.5 ° C ("YES" in step S13 of FIG. 5), the microcomputer 25 Judges that the ice making is completed, the heater 22 is disconnected (step S14 of FIG. 5) and the electromagnet 10 of the vibration imparting mechanism is disconnected (step S11 of FIG. 5).

As described above, when the ice sensor temperature sensor 19 detects −13.5 ° C. and determines that the ice making is completed, the microcomputer 25 is moved to the ice ice (step S15 in FIG. 5) and the gears are decelerated. The motor 9 of the mechanism is rotated in the forward direction to reverse the ice making container 12 up and down. At the end of this reversal operation, the ice making container 12 is twisted, and by this twisting, the ice is separated from the ice making container 12 and dropped and stored in the storage box 13. When the ice making container 12 rotates to the inverted position, since the inversion completion signal is output from the switch circuit 30, the microcomputer 25 rotates the next motor 9 in the forward direction to invert the ice making plate 12 up and down. . At the end of this reversal operation, the ice making plate 12 is twisted, and the ice causes the ice making container 12 to be peeled off and falls into the storage box 13. When the ice making container 12 rotates to the inverted position, the inversion completion signal is output from the switch circuit 30. Then, the microcomputer 26 rotates the motor 9 in the reverse direction to return the ice making container 12 to the original position. Return to the horizontal position. Since the return signal is output from the switch circuit 30 when the ice making container 12 returns to the horizontal position, the microcomputer 26 must supply water to the ice making container 12 and drive the water supply pump 18. The above ice making operation is repeated. In addition, since the detection switch (not shown) operates when the ice is filled in the storage box 13, subsequent ice making is configured to stop. As described above, according to the second embodiment, when the rapid cooling operation is selected, as the temperature sensor for the ice making container is configured, the water of the water comes first during the rapid cooling operation even if the cool air is continuously blown into the ice making container for a long time. There is no fear of this happening, and the clear effect is that the ice can be produced.

Claims (1)

In the ice making apparatus of the refrigerator having an ice making means and blows cold air to the lower part of the ice making container and ice-making, the ice making apparatus makes transparent ice by heating the upper part of the ice making container by the said heating means, The ice making apparatus of the refrigerator making the said The ice making apparatus includes a control means for varying the amount of heat generated by the heating means so that the total calorific value of the heating means from the start of the ice making to the completion of the ice making is compared with when the refrigerator is selected when the rapid cooling operation is selected. An ice maker of the refrigerator, which is enlarged.