WO2022143416A1

WO2022143416A1 - Ice maker

Info

Publication number: WO2022143416A1
Application number: PCT/CN2021/140886
Authority: WO
Inventors: 豊岛昌志; 增田英夫; 加藤直树
Original assignee: 海尔智家股份有限公司; 青岛海尔电冰箱有限公司; Aqua 株式会社
Priority date: 2020-12-28
Filing date: 2021-12-23
Publication date: 2022-07-07
Also published as: CN116745565A; JP2022103738A

Abstract

Provided is an ice maker capable of efficiently generating transparent ice. The ice maker (2) comprises: a cooling portion (10) comprising a cooled metal rod-shaped component (16); a liquid container (20) for accommodating a liquid; moving mechanisms (22, 26) for moving at least one of the cooling portion (10) and the liquid container (20); and a control portion (60) for controlling the moving mechanisms (22, 26). The control portion (60) controls the moving mechanism (22, 26) to move at least one of the cooling portion (10) and the liquid container (20) and maintains the liquid in the liquid container (20) to repeatedly form a state in which a predetermined region of the rod-shaped component (16) is immersed in the liquid in the liquid container (20), and a state in which the predetermined region of the rod-shaped component (16) is exposed from the liquid in the liquid container (20), thereby achieving intermittent ice making.

Description

Ice maker

technical field

The present invention relates to an ice maker that freezes liquid to generate ice, and particularly relates to an ice maker installed in a room of a refrigerator.

Background technique

In an ice maker that freezes liquid to generate ice, it is proposed to use a refrigerant in a cooling system of a refrigerator to cool a liquid immersed in a tray to make ice (for example, refer to Patent Document 1 - Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2004-150785 ). Gazette). In the invention described in Patent Document 1, since ice is formed around the cooling projections of the liquid immersed in the ice-making water tank of the tray, ice-making can be efficiently performed.

However, in the ice maker described in Patent Document 1, since the cooling protrusion is cooled by being connected to a cooling system of a refrigerator using a refrigerant, there is a problem that the liquid in the ice making water tank is rapidly cooled and the ice is cloudy. In order to generate transparent ice, when ice is generated at a relatively high temperature close to 0°C while heating with a heater or the like, transparent ice can be generated, but it takes a long time to generate ice, and ice cannot be generated efficiently.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Then, the objective of this invention is to provide the ice maker which solves the above-mentioned problem and can generate|occur|produce transparent ice efficiently.

The ice maker of the present invention includes: a cooling unit including a metal rod-shaped member to be cooled; a liquid container for accommodating liquid; and a moving mechanism for causing at least one of the cooling unit and the liquid container moving; and a control unit for controlling the moving mechanism, the control controls the moving mechanism to move at least one of the cooling unit and the liquid container, hold the liquid in the liquid container, and repeat Intermittent ice making is performed in a state in which a predetermined region of the rod-shaped member is immersed in the liquid in the liquid container and in a state in which the predetermined region of the rod-shaped member is exposed from the liquid in the liquid container.

According to the present invention, intermittent ice making is performed by repeatedly forming the predetermined region of the rod-shaped member in a state immersed in the liquid in the liquid container and a state in which it is exposed from the liquid. Thus, in the process of direct cooling by the metal rod-shaped member, ice is first produced from pure ice, and ice is produced while extruding impurities from the inside to the outside, and transparent ice that does not contain impurities can be efficiently produced. Therefore, an ice maker capable of efficiently producing transparent ice can be provided.

In addition, the ice maker of the present invention uses the moving mechanism to rotationally move the liquid container or the cooling portion between an ice-making position and a non-ice-making position in which the predetermined position of the rod-shaped member is The region is immersed in the liquid of the liquid container, and the predetermined region of the rod-shaped member is exposed from the liquid in the liquid container in the non-ice making position.

According to the present invention, by rotationally moving the liquid container or the cooling unit between the ice-making position and the non-ice-making position, intermittent ice-making can be reliably performed, and transparent ice can be efficiently produced.

In addition, the ice maker of the present invention uses the moving mechanism to cause the cooling unit or the liquid container to be immersed in the ice making position of the liquid in the liquid container in the predetermined region of the rod-shaped member, and the rod-shaped member. The predetermined area of the liquid container moves up and down between non-icing positions where the liquid in the liquid container is exposed.

According to the present invention, by moving the cooling unit or the liquid container up and down between the ice-making position and the non-ice-making position, intermittent ice-making can be reliably performed, and transparent ice can be efficiently produced.

Moreover, the ice maker of this invention is provided with the heater for deicing in the inside of the said rod-shaped member, and the said heater for deicing heats the ice produced|generated around the said rod-shaped member.

According to the present invention, since the deicing heater is provided inside the rod-shaped member, the ice formed around the rod-shaped member is partially melted, and the ice can be quickly detached from the rod-shaped member. In addition, a deicing heater is provided inside the rod-shaped member, and when the deicing heater is operated, the temperature rise of the cooling fins can be suppressed, and the decrease in ice-making efficiency can be reduced.

Further, the cooling unit of the ice maker of the present invention includes: the rod-shaped member; and a metal plate provided with a plurality of metal cooling fins on the upper side of the metal plate and mounted on the lower side of the metal plate There is the rod-shaped member, and also includes a cooling air duct, the cooling fins are arranged in the cooling air duct, the cooling air flows along the extending direction of the cooling fins; and an ice storage container, which is arranged in the cooling part The lower side of the cooling duct is used to accommodate the ice falling from the rod-shaped member, and the cold air passing between the cooling fins flows downward along the inner wall of the cooling air duct, and flows from the bottom of the ice storage container to the lower side. air flow out.

According to the present invention, the cool air passing between the cooling fins flows downward along the inner wall of the air duct and flows out from the air duct at the bottom of the ice storage container, so that the cool air does not flow into the liquid container. Therefore, it is possible to prevent freezing of the liquid other than around the rod-shaped member in the liquid container.

As described above, in the present invention, an ice maker capable of efficiently producing transparent ice can be provided.

Description of drawings

Fig. 1(a) is a plan view showing a cooling part of the ice maker according to the first embodiment of the present invention;

Figure 1 (b) is a side view of the ice maker shown in Figure 1 (a);

Figure 1 (c) is another side view of the ice maker shown in Figure 1 (a);

Fig. 2(a) is a diagram showing a rod-shaped member in a cooling portion according to another embodiment of the present invention;

Fig. 2(b) is a side view of the cooling part shown in Fig. 2(a);

Fig. 2(c) is an enlarged view of a rod-shaped member according to an embodiment of the present invention;

Figure 2(d) is an enlarged view of a rod-shaped member according to another embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 3( a ) is a schematic diagram showing that the cooling part and the liquid container of the ice maker according to the first embodiment of the present invention are in the ice making position;

3(b) is a schematic diagram showing that the cooling part and the liquid container of the ice maker according to the first embodiment of the present invention are in a non-ice making position;

FIG. 3( c ) is a schematic diagram showing that the cooling part and the liquid container of the ice maker according to the first embodiment of the present invention are in a retracted position;

4 is a side cross-sectional view schematically showing the flow of cold air in a cooling air duct in which cooling fins are arranged;

Fig. 5(a) is a side sectional view schematically showing the flow of cool air passing between cooling fins in the cooling air duct and the ice storage container;

Figure 5 (b) is a side view of Figure 5 (a) viewed from direction C;

Fig. 6(a) is a perspective view showing a cooling part according to an embodiment of the present invention;

Fig. 6(b) is a side view showing a rod-shaped member provided with a deicing heater according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing an antifreeze heater according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 8( a ) is a schematic diagram showing that the cooling part and the liquid container of the ice maker according to the second embodiment of the present invention are in the ice making position;

Fig. 8(b) is a schematic diagram showing that the cooling part and the liquid container of the ice maker according to the second embodiment of the present invention are in a non-ice making position;

FIG. 8( c ) is a schematic view showing that the cooling part and the liquid container of the ice maker according to the second embodiment of the present invention are in the retracted position;

Fig. 9(a) is a schematic diagram showing that the cooling part and the liquid container of the ice maker according to the third embodiment of the present invention are in the ice making position;

Fig. 9(b) is a schematic diagram showing that the cooling part and the liquid container of the ice maker according to the third embodiment of the present invention are in a non-ice making position;

FIG. 9( c ) is a schematic diagram showing that the cooling part and the liquid container of the ice maker according to the third embodiment of the present invention are in the retracted position;

Fig. 10(a) is a schematic diagram showing that the cooling part and the liquid container of the ice maker according to the fourth embodiment of the present invention are in the ice making position;

10(b) is a schematic diagram showing that the cooling part and the liquid container of the ice maker according to the fourth embodiment of the present invention are in the non-ice making position;

FIG. 10( c ) is a schematic view showing that the cooling part and the liquid container of the ice maker according to the fourth embodiment of the present invention are in the retracted position;

11 is a block diagram showing a control structure of the ice maker according to the embodiment of the present invention;

12 is a flowchart showing the control of the ice making process by the control unit according to the embodiment of the present invention;

Fig. 13(a) is a perspective view showing a disassembly and assembly mechanism of a liquid container according to an embodiment of the present invention;

Figure 13(b) is another schematic diagram showing the disassembly and assembly mechanism of the liquid container according to an embodiment of the present invention;

Fig. 14(a) is a diagram showing an auxiliary mechanism for deicing provided in a liquid container according to an embodiment of the present invention;

Fig. 14(b) is a schematic diagram showing that the liquid container is in the ice-making position in an embodiment of the present invention;

Fig. 14(c) is a schematic diagram showing the rotation of the liquid container from the ice making position to the retreat position in an embodiment of the present invention;

Fig. 15(a) is a diagram showing an example of an ice-full detection mechanism that detects whether or not the ice storage container is full of ice using a liquid container;

Fig. 15(b) is a schematic diagram of the liquid container in Fig. 15(a) in the ice-making position;

Fig. 15(c) is a schematic diagram of the liquid container in Fig. 15(a) in a retracted position;

FIG. 16 is a diagram schematically showing a refrigerator provided with the ice maker according to the embodiment of the present invention.

Detailed ways

Hereinafter, embodiments and examples for implementing the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. In addition, the apparatus described below is for embodying the technical idea of the present invention, but the present invention is not limited to the following unless otherwise specified.

In each of the drawings, the same reference numerals may be assigned to components having the same function. In consideration of the ease of explanation or understanding of the main points, it may be divided into embodiments or examples for convenience, but the structures shown in different embodiments or examples can be partially replaced or combined. In the embodiments and examples to be described later, only the differences will be described with respect to the description of the same matters as those described above. In particular, the same functions and effects of the same structure are not mentioned in sequence according to each embodiment or example. The size, positional relationship, and the like of components shown in the drawings may be exaggerated for the sake of clarity.

In the following description and drawings, the ice maker and the refrigerator are assumed to be installed on a horizontal plane, and the vertical direction is shown.

(Ice maker of the first embodiment)

FIGS. 1( a ), 1 ( b ) and 1 ( c ) are views showing the cooling unit 10 of the ice maker 2 according to the first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 1( a ) is a plan view, FIG. 1( b ) is a side view viewed from arrow A in FIG. 1( a ), and FIG. 1( c ) is a side view viewed from arrow B in FIG. 1( a ). FIGS. 2( a ), 2 ( b ), 2 ( c ) and 2 ( d ) are diagrams showing other arrangements of the rod-shaped members 16 in the cooling unit 10 . FIG. 2( a ) is a plan view, FIG. 2( b ) is a side view viewed from arrow A in FIG. 2( a ), FIG. 2( c ) is an enlarged view showing an example of the rod-shaped member 16 , and FIG. 2( d ) It is an enlarged view showing another example of the rod-shaped member 16 . FIGS. 3( a ), 3 ( b ) and 3 ( c ) are diagrams showing an ice making process of the cooling unit 10 and the liquid container 20 of the ice maker 2 according to the first embodiment of the present invention. Fig. 3(a) shows the liquid container 20 at the ice making position, Fig. 3(b) shows the liquid container 20 at the non-ice making position, and Fig. 3(c) shows the liquid container 20 at the retracted position. FIG. 4 is a side cross-sectional view schematically showing the flow of cold air in the cooling air duct 40 in which the cooling fins 12 are provided. FIGS. 5( a ) and 5 ( b ) are diagrams schematically showing when cool air passing between the cooling fins 12 flows in the cooling air duct 40 and the ice storage container 50 . FIG. 5( a ) is a side sectional view, and FIG. 5( b ) is a side view as viewed from arrow C in FIG. 5( a ).

First, an outline of the ice maker 2 according to the first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 5 .

The ice maker 2 includes: a cooling unit 10 that freezes liquid and can generate ice; a liquid container 20 that can store liquid; and a moving mechanism 22 that rotates and moves the liquid container 20 . Also, the ice maker 2 may include a liquid supply/discharge system that supplies the liquid in the liquid storage tank to the liquid container 20 and returns the liquid in the liquid container 20 to the liquid storage tank.

As an example shown in FIG. 16 , the ice maker 2 of the present embodiment is installed in the room of the refrigerator 100 , and the cold air generated by the cooling system 150 of the refrigerator 100 can be supplied to the ice maker 2 . The ice maker 2 further includes a control unit 60 (see FIG. 11 ) that controls the components of the ice maker 2 . As the liquid for freezing to generate ice, any liquid such as drinking water can be used.

The cooling part 10 includes cooling fins 12, metal plates 14, and rod-shaped members 16 from the upper side to the lower side, and also includes cooling air ducts 40. The cooling fins 12 of the cooling part 10 are arranged in the cooling air duct and are used therein. The flowing cold air can cool the cooling part 10 .

The cooling unit 10 includes a plurality of cooling fins 12 erected on the metal plate 14 , and the plurality of cooling fins 12 are arranged substantially parallel to each other with a predetermined interval therebetween. A plurality of rod-shaped members 16 are attached to the lower surface of the plate-shaped metal plate 14 .

The cool air generated in the cooling system 150 of the refrigerator 100 flows in the cooling air duct 40 and between the cooling fins 12 of the cooling unit 10 provided in the cooling air duct 40 to cool the cooling unit 10. In the cooling air duct 40 of the present embodiment, the cool air flows along the extending direction of the cooling fins 12 . The metal plate 14 is cooled by the cooling fins 12 by heat transfer, and the rod-shaped member 16 attached to the metal plate 14 is further cooled to a temperature below freezing point. As will be described later, the predetermined region of the rod-shaped member 16 is immersed in the liquid in the liquid container 20 , whereby ice can be generated around the predetermined region of the rod-shaped member 16 .

The cooling fins 12 , the metal plates 14 , and the rod-shaped members 16 constituting the cooling unit 10 are all formed of metals with high thermal conductivity such as aluminum and copper. The cooling fin 12 includes a thin plate-like member having a substantially rectangular planar shape, which is integrally attached to the base. The metal plate 14 is a plate-like member having a substantially rectangular planar shape, the cooling fins 12 are erected substantially perpendicular to the metal plate 14 , and the cooling fins 12 are provided substantially parallel to each other. The plurality of rod-shaped members 16 are attached to the lower surface of the metal plate 14 so as to extend downward from the base end portion to the distal end portion. Since the rod-shaped member 16 is attached to the metal plate 14 having the cooling fins 12, the cooling efficiency of the rod-shaped member 16 can be stably improved, and stable cooling can be achieved.

In FIGS. 1( a ), 1 ( b ), and 1 ( c ), the case where nine rod-shaped members 16 are arranged in a row and attached to the metal plate 14 is shown.

On the other hand, in FIG.2(a), the case where 11 rod-shaped members 16 are arranged and attached in two rows is shown. In this case, more ice can be generated at one time. In particular, in the example shown in FIG. 2( a ), the bar-shaped members 16 of another row exist between the adjacent bar-shaped members 16 in one row, and so-called staggered arrangement is adopted. Thereby, the width dimension of the metal plate 14 for attaching the rod-shaped member 16 can be reduced, and the cooling part 10 can be installed compactly. Furthermore, since the cooling area of the cooling part 10 cooled by cold air can be reduced, the efficiency of heat exchange can be improved. The number of rows of the rod-shaped members 16 is not limited to two, and any number of rows of three or more may be provided. The number of rod-shaped members 16 may be any arbitrary number.

In the ice maker 2 shown in the first embodiment and the second to fourth embodiments described later, the rod-shaped members 16 of the cooling unit 10 may be installed in two rows.

The rod-shaped member 16 may have any cross-sectional shape such as a circle, an ellipse, a square, and a rectangle. If the tip portion of the rod-shaped member 16 has a shape similar to that of cutting a rod into a disc, the cut portion becomes an acute angle, and the thickness of the ice generated in this portion becomes thin. Therefore, in the example shown in FIG.2(c), in the rod-shaped member 16 which has a circular cross-sectional shape, the front-end|tip part is a cannonball shape formed by a curved surface. In the example shown in FIG.2(d), in the rod-shaped member 16 which has a circular cross-sectional shape, the front-end|tip part is a cone-shaped pencil shape. Any tip shape has the effect of making the thickness of the ice generated at the tip portion of the rod-shaped member 16 uniform.

In the example shown in FIG.2(c), FIG.2(d), the flange part is provided in the base end part of the rod-shaped member 16, and the flange part is joined to the metal plate 14. The lead portion 30A shown in Figs. 1(a) and 2(a) is a member for supplying power to the deicing heater 30 provided in the rod-shaped member 16, which will be described later.

If the specific size of the rod-shaped member 16 is described in terms of a circular or square cross-sectional shape, the outer diameter or the length of one side may be about 5 to 20 mm, or may be about 30 to 80 mm. The planar shape of the metal plate 14 can be determined according to the size and the number of the rod-shaped members 16 to be attached. As for the plane size of the metal plate 14, the vertical and horizontal dimensions can be exemplified as about 40 to 400 mm. The thickness of the metal plate 14 can be, for example, about 2 to 10 mm.

As shown in FIG. 3 , the liquid container 20 is formed of, for example, a resin material having elasticity. The liquid container 20 has a liquid storage region R surrounded by a bottom surface portion and a side wall portion connected by a smooth curved portion. The upper part of the liquid storage area R is opened. Using the driving force of the moving mechanism 22 , the liquid container 20 can be rotated and moved with the point P located in the end region of the liquid container 20 as the center of rotation. Thereby, the liquid container 20 can take the point P as the rotation center, and can be in the ice making position (refer to FIG. 3( a )), the non-icing position (refer to FIG. 3( b )), and the retracted position (refer to FIG. 3( c )). Rotate and move between.

The moving mechanism 22 is configured to rotate and move the liquid container 20 . When the drive motor of the moving mechanism 22 is activated and the drive shaft rotates, the liquid container 20 rotates with the point P as the center of rotation. The moving mechanism 22 can rotate the liquid container 20 clockwise and counterclockwise by the driving force of the driving motor, for example.

When the liquid container 20 is located at the ice making position, the rod-shaped member 16 of the cooling part 10 is inserted into the liquid storage region R through the opening, and a predetermined region of the rod-shaped member 16 is provided in the liquid storage region R. When liquid is stored in the liquid storage region R of the liquid container 20, a predetermined region of the rod-shaped member 16 is immersed in the liquid.

In the ice maker 2 of the present embodiment, the temperature of the metal rod-shaped member 16 cooled by cold air is below freezing point. Since the predetermined region of the rod-shaped member 16 is provided in the liquid storage region R of the liquid container 20 , ice can be generated around the portion of the rod-shaped member 16 immersed in the liquid. The predetermined area may be about 8 to 40 mm from the front end of the rod-shaped member 16 . A predetermined area of the rod-shaped member 16 is immersed in the liquid in the liquid container 20 for a predetermined time T, thereby generating ice of a predetermined thickness around the rod-shaped member 16 .

After a preset time T, the liquid container 20 can be rotated about 30 degrees by the moving mechanism 22, so as to rotate and move from the ice making position shown in FIG. 3(a) to the non-ice making position shown in FIG. 3(b). As a result, the predetermined region of the rod-shaped member 16 is in a state of being exposed from the liquid in the liquid container 20 . In this case, even if it moves to the non-icing position, the liquid in the liquid container 20 is maintained in the liquid container 20 without leaking. However, in the non-icing position, the tip region of the rod-shaped member 16 may be immersed in the liquid in the liquid container 20 in some cases. In this case, the generated ice has a shape with a large lower side.

The predetermined area of the rod-shaped member 16 in which the ice is generated is basically an area from the front end of the rod-shaped member 16 to a predetermined distance. If the front end area of the rod-shaped member 16 is immersed in the liquid in the liquid container 20 even in the non-ice making position, the The front end area is outside the predetermined area.

After that, the liquid container 20 is rotationally moved from the non-ice making position shown in FIG. 3( b ) to the ice making position shown in FIG. 3( a ) by the moving mechanism 22 . As a result, the predetermined region of the rod-shaped member 16 is again immersed in the liquid in the liquid container 20 . Therefore, the ice continues to be generated outside the ice of the predetermined thickness generated around the rod-shaped member 16 . The predetermined area of the rod-shaped member 16 is again immersed in the liquid in the liquid container 20 for a predetermined time T.

After the liquid container 20 is at the ice-making position for a preset time T, after the liquid container 20 is moved from the ice-making position to the non-ice-making position, the liquid container 20 is returned to the ice-making position again, and the process is repeated N times. While the liquid container 20 is at the ice making position, the ice is first produced from pure ice by direct cooling by the metal rod-shaped member 16, and the ice can be produced while extruding impurities from the inside to the outside. By making ice intermittently in this way, transparent ice G containing no impurities can be efficiently produced.

The predetermined time T for which the rod-shaped member 16 is immersed in the liquid can be exemplified as about 2 minutes to 8 minutes. The preset time T may be the same each time, or may be different. The number N of repetitions can be exemplified about three to six times.

After ice is produced in such intermittent ice making, the liquid in the liquid container 20 is removed by a liquid supply/discharge system or the like, and then the liquid container 20 is rotated by, for example, about 90 degrees using the moving mechanism 22, so that the liquid container 20 is rotated from the position shown in FIG. 3( a ). The ice making position shown is rotated and moved to the retracted position shown in Fig. 3(c). Thereby, the liquid container 20 does not exist on the lower side of the rod-shaped member 16 of the cooling part 10 and the ice G generated around it. In this state, the ice around the rod-shaped member 16 is melted by the deicing heater 30 to be described later, and the ice G can be dropped from the rod-shaped member 16 . The ice G dropped from the rod-shaped member 16 can be accommodated in the ice storage container 50 provided on the lower side with an upper opening.

The cooling air duct 40 is formed of, for example, a resin material. As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5 , the cooling air duct 40 is provided with: a horizontal air duct 40A, which has an inlet-side end portion, and the cold air flows in the horizontal direction; a corner air duct 40B, which is connected with the horizontal air duct 40A and connects the The flow direction of the cold air is changed from the horizontal direction to the vertical downward direction; and the vertical air duct 40C is connected to the corner air duct 40B, and the cold air flows in the vertical downward direction and flows downward from the outlet side end. An ice storage container 50 is provided below the cooling air duct 40 , the cooling part 10 and the liquid container 20 , and when the ice G generated around the rod-shaped member 16 of the cooling part 10 falls, the ice storage container 50 opened on the upper side stores the ice G.

The cooling fins 12 of the cooling unit 10 are provided in the horizontal air duct 40A, and the extending direction of each cooling fin 12 matches the direction in which the cool air flows. When the cool air flows in the extending direction of the cooling fins 12 , the portion near the inlet side of the air duct is strongly cooled, and the temperature of the rod-shaped member 16 of the cooling unit 10 may vary. Therefore, in the present embodiment, the horizontal air ducts 40A are also provided above the cooling fins 12, and the partitions 42 are provided in the spaces above the cooling fins 12. The cooling fins 12 are divided into four regions in the extending direction, and the cool air is guided by the partition plates 42 to flow into each region. In other words, the cold air flows into the cooling fins 12 through the four air outlets formed on the partition plate 42 . In order to allow the cool air to flow into the cooling fins 12 uniformly from each air outlet, the size of the air outlet is preferably such that the opening area increases toward the rear of the air duct. Moreover, by adjusting the position of the guide plate of the partition plate 42 and the angle with respect to the flow direction, the inflow speed of the cool air to the cooling fins 12 can be made nearly uniform.

The cool air flowing in the cooling fins 12 flows along the inner wall of the cooling air duct 40 . Specifically, from the horizontal air duct 40A, the flow direction becomes vertically downward in the corner air duct 40B, and flows downward in the vertical air duct 40C to flow out. During this period, the cold air flows in the space enclosed by the inner wall of the air duct, and therefore does not touch the liquid container 20 .

The cold air flowing out from the vertical air duct 40C of the cooling air duct 40 flows into the ice storage container 50 which is opened on the upper side. The cool air flows into the vicinity of the inner wall of the ice storage container 50 and flows downward along the inner wall.

The ice storage container 50 has a slit 56 on the lower rear side, and the slit 56 is provided before the air return port of the refrigerator. The cold air flowing downward along the inner wall of the ice storage container 50 flows into the return air duct of the refrigerator through the slit 56 . Therefore, most of the cold air passes through the lower surface of the ice storage container and is sucked into the return air duct, and the stored ice is maintained below the freezing point due to a part of the cold air and will not melt.

As described above, in the ice maker 2 of the present embodiment, the cool air passing between the cooling fins 12 flows downward along the inner wall of the cooling air duct 40 , flows at the bottom of the ice storage container 50 , and flows out. Therefore, the flow of cold air into the liquid container 20 is small, so that the liquid other than around the rod-shaped member 16 in the liquid container 20 can be prevented from freezing.

<De-icing heater>

FIGS. 6( a ) and 6 ( b ) are views showing the deicing heater 30 according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 6( a ) is a perspective view showing the cooling unit 10 , and FIG. 6( b ) is an enlarged side sectional view showing the rod-shaped member 16 on which the deicing heater 30 is arranged.

In this embodiment, the rod-shaped member 16 has a hollow structure, and the deicing heater 30 is inserted therein. Any known heater such as a wire heater, a PTC heater, a ceramic heater, and a Peltier element can be used for the deicing heater 30 . On the upper portion of the rod-shaped member 16, a lead portion 30A for supplying power to the deicing heater 30 extends in the lateral direction.

By operating the deicing heater 30 , the temperature of the outer peripheral surface of the rod-shaped member 16 increases, and the ice in contact with the outer peripheral surface of the rod-shaped member 16 can be melted, and the ice can be released from the rod-shaped member 16 . In particular, since the deicing heater 30 is provided inside the rod-shaped member 16, ice can be quickly detached from the rod-shaped member 16, and the temperature rise of the cooling fins 12 can be suppressed, thereby reducing the drop in ice-making efficiency.

(Antifreeze heater)

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing an antifreeze heater 32 according to an embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 7, the antifreeze heater 32 is provided around the opening of the upper part of the liquid container 20 of this embodiment. The antifreeze heater 32 may use a silicon or vinyl chloride wire heater. However, it is not limited to this, and a PTC heater, a ceramic heater, a Peltier element, or the like can also be used. The antifreeze heater 32 can prevent the liquid in the liquid container 20 from freezing outside the periphery of the rod-shaped member 16 . The liquid container 20 is preferably made of a resin material or metal with a high thermal conductivity, so as to facilitate the heat conduction of the antifreeze heater 32 .

Furthermore, in order to prevent freezing, it is preferable to provide a heat insulating structure such as a heat insulating material on the upper surface of the liquid container 20 .

(Ice maker of the second embodiment)

FIGS. 8( a ) to 8( c ) are diagrams showing an ice making process of the cooling unit and the liquid container of the ice maker according to the second embodiment of the present invention. Fig. 8(a) shows the liquid container 20 at the ice making position, Fig. 8(b) shows the liquid container 20 at the non-ice making position, and Fig. 8(c) shows the liquid container 20 at the retracted position.

Also in the second embodiment, similarly to the first embodiment, the liquid container 20 is rotationally moved by the moving mechanism 22 to the ice-making position, the non-ice-making position, and the retracted position. However, the side surface shape of the liquid container 20 is longer than that of the first embodiment, and a part of the opening of the upper part of the liquid container 20 is covered with the rib 24, which is different from the first embodiment.

The lateral length in the side shape of the liquid container 20 of the present embodiment is longer than that of the first embodiment, so that the storage amount of the liquid can be increased. In addition, in the upper opening of the liquid container 20 , the outer region of the rotation locus when the liquid container 20 is rotated is covered with the ribs 24 . As a result, even if the liquid container 20 is inclined so that the rod-shaped member 16 of the cooling unit 10 is completely exposed from the liquid in the liquid container 20 in the non-ice-making position shown in FIG. 8( b ), the rib 24 prevents the liquid inside from spilling. . The rest is the same as that of the above-described first embodiment, and therefore a more detailed description is omitted.

In the above-described first and second embodiments, the liquid container 20 is rotated, but is not limited thereto. For example, by rotating the cooling unit 10, the same intermittent ice making can be realized.

(Ice maker of the third embodiment)

FIGS. 9( a ) and 9 ( b ) are diagrams showing an ice making process of the cooling unit 10 and the liquid container 20 of the ice maker 2 according to the third embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 9( a ) shows the liquid container 20 at the ice making position, FIG. 9( b ) shows the liquid container 20 at the non-ice making position, and FIG. 9( c ) shows the liquid container 20 at the retracted position.

In the third embodiment, both sides of the liquid container 20 are attached to the

guide columns

26A, 26B on the left and right sides of the moving mechanism 26 in a slidable state. The liquid container 20 slides up and down along the

guide columns

26A and 26B by the driving force of the moving mechanism 26 .

FIG. 9( a ) shows the ice making position of the liquid container 20 on the upper side, and a predetermined region of the rod-shaped member 16 of the cooling unit 10 is immersed in the liquid in the liquid container 20 . FIG. 9( b ) shows the ice making position of the liquid container 20 on the lower side, and a predetermined region of the rod-shaped member 16 of the cooling unit 10 is exposed from the liquid in the liquid container 20 . By repeatedly moving between the ice making position and the non-ice making position in the cooling unit 10 , intermittent ice making is performed, and transparent ice G can be produced. When the intermittent ice making is completed, the liquid container 20 is further lowered downward, rotated about 90 degrees by the action of, for example, a torsion spring, and moved to the retracted position (see FIG. 9( c )). That is, it can be completed by one driving device. In addition, if two drive devices are used, the cooling unit can be moved up and down to make ice intermittently, and the liquid container 20 can be rotated and returned to the retracted position. Thereby, the liquid container 20 does not exist on the lower side of the cooling part 10, and by operating the heater 30 for deicing, the generated ice G can be detached from the rod-shaped member 16. Others are the same as the above-described first and second embodiments, and thus further detailed descriptions are omitted.

In the above-described third embodiment, the liquid container 20 is moved up and down, but it is not limited to this. For example, by moving the cooling unit 10 up and down, the same intermittent ice making can be realized.

(Ice maker of the fourth embodiment)

FIGS. 10( a ), 10 ( b ) and 10 ( c ) are diagrams showing an ice making process of the cooling unit 10 and the liquid container 20 of the ice maker 2 according to the fourth embodiment of the present invention. Fig. 10(a) shows the liquid container 20 at the ice making position, Fig. 10(b) shows the liquid container 20 at the non-ice making position, and Fig. 10(c) shows the liquid container 20 at the retracted position.

The cooling unit 10 and the moving mechanism 26 of the fourth embodiment are the same as those of the third embodiment described above. The present embodiment is different from the third embodiment described above in that the first liquid container 20A and the second liquid container 20B are provided corresponding to each row of the rod-shaped members of the cooling unit 10 arranged in two rows.

After the intermittent ice making shown in FIGS. 10( a ) and 10 ( b ) is completed, the first liquid container 20A and the second liquid container 20B are respectively rotated so as to be opened to both sides from the ice making position. As a result, the first liquid container 20A and the second liquid container 20B rotate about 90 degrees to both sides, and move to the retracted position where the liquid container 20 is not placed below the cooling unit 10 (see FIG. 10( c )). The rotation loci of the first liquid container 20A and the second liquid container 20B are smaller than those of the third embodiment. Therefore, the ice storage container 50 located on the lower side of the cooling unit 10 can also be installed close to the cooling unit 10, so that the compact ice maker 2 can be realized. The rest is the same as that of the third embodiment described above, and thus further detailed description is omitted.

(control unit)

FIG. 11 is a block diagram showing a control structure of the ice maker 2 according to the embodiment of the present invention. Next, with reference to FIG. 11, the control structure of the ice maker 2 including the control part 60 of this embodiment is demonstrated.

In the first and second embodiments, the control unit 60 can rotationally move the liquid container 20 between the ice-making position, the non-ice-making position, and the retracted position by driving control of the drive motor of the moving mechanism 22. In the second and third embodiments, the control unit 60 can move the cooling unit 10 up and down between the ice-making position and the non-ice-making position by driving control of the drive motor or the actuator of the moving mechanism 26 .

The control unit 60 can operate (generate heat) or stop the operation of the deicing heater 30 by controlling the power supply to the deicing heater 30 . Similarly, the control unit 60 can operate (generate heat) or stop the operation of the antifreeze heater 32 by controlling the power supply to the antifreeze heater 32 .

In the case of supplying and removing liquid from the liquid container 20 through the liquid supply/discharge system, the control unit 60 controls the liquid supply/discharge pump of the liquid supply/discharge system to drive in the liquid supply direction, so that the liquid can be discharged from the liquid container 20. The liquid storage tank is supplied to the liquid container 20 . Similarly, the control unit 60 can return the liquid from the liquid container 20 to the liquid storage tank by controlling the liquid supply/discharge pump of the liquid supply/discharge system to drive in the liquid removal direction.

(ice making process)

FIG. 12 is a flowchart showing the control of the ice making process by the control unit 60 according to the embodiment. Next, with reference to FIG. 12, the control of the ice making process by the control part 60 is demonstrated. The cooling unit 10 and the liquid container 20 are in the ice making position, the rod-shaped member 16 of the cooling unit 10 is cooled, and the state in which the liquid container 20 is not supplied with liquid is set as the initial state.

First, the control unit 60 drives the drive motor of the liquid supply/discharge pump of the liquid supply/discharge system in the liquid supply direction, supplies the liquid in the tank to the liquid container 20, and stops the liquid supply/discharge pump (step S2). Thereby, the predetermined area of the rod-shaped member 16 of the cooling unit 10 after cooling is immersed in the liquid in the liquid container 20 , and ice is generated around the predetermined area of the rod-shaped member 16 .

Then, this state is maintained until the time T, which is one ice-making time in the intermittent ice-making, elapses (step S4 ). When the time T has elapsed, the operation of the moving mechanism 22 or the moving mechanism 26 is controlled to move the liquid container 20 or the cooling unit 10 from the ice-making position to the non-ice-making position (step S6 ). Thereby, a predetermined region of the rod-shaped member 16 is exposed from the liquid contained in the liquid container 20 .

Next, the moving mechanism 22 or the moving mechanism 26 is operated again to move the liquid container 20 or the cooling unit 10 from the non-ice making position to the ice making position (step S8). Thereby, the predetermined area of the rod-shaped member 16 is immersed in the liquid in the liquid container 20 again. Then, it returns to step S4 and waits for the time T.

The control from step S4 to step S8 is repeated N times. Thus, intermittent ice making is performed by repeating the time T during which the predetermined region of the rod-shaped member 16 is immersed in the liquid container 20 and the state in which the predetermined region is exposed (not immersed) from the liquid.

After the intermittent ice making is completed, the liquid in the liquid container 20 is returned to the liquid storage tank by controlling the operation of the liquid supply/discharge pump in the liquid removal direction (step S10). Next, the moving mechanism 22 is operated to move the liquid container 20 from the ice making position to the retracted position (step S12). Therefore, the liquid container 20 is not on the lower side of the rod-shaped member 16. Then, the deicing heater 30 provided in the rod-shaped member 16 is operated. Thereby, the contact portion of the generated ice G and the rod-shaped member 16 is melted, the generated ice G is dropped from the rod-shaped member 16, and the operation of the deicing heater 30 is stopped (step S14). The ice G dropped from the rod-shaped member 16 can be stored in the ice storage container 50 provided on the lower side. Thereby, the primary ice making process is completed.

As described above, the ice maker 2 of the above-described embodiment includes: the cooling unit 10 including the cooled metal rod-shaped member 16; the liquid container 20 capable of storing the liquid; and the moving mechanism 22 (26) for causing the cooling unit 10 and at least one of the liquid container 20 to move; and a control unit 60 that controls the moving mechanism 22 (26), the control unit 60 maintains a state in which the liquid is stored in the liquid container 20, and causes the cooling unit 10 to move through the moving mechanism 22 (26). At least one of the liquid containers 20 is moved to repeatedly form a state in which a predetermined region of the rod-shaped member 16 is immersed in the liquid in the liquid container 20 and a state in which a predetermined region of the rod-shaped member 16 is exposed from the liquid in the liquid container 20, thereby intermittently forming ice making.

Thus, in the direct cooling by the metal rod-shaped member 16, ice is first produced from pure ice, and ice is produced while extruding impurities from the inside to the outside, and transparent ice containing no impurities can be efficiently produced. Therefore, an ice maker capable of efficiently producing transparent ice can be provided.

As shown in the first and second embodiments described above, the moving mechanism 22 moves the liquid container 20 in the predetermined region of the rod-shaped member 16 to the ice-making position of the liquid in the liquid container 20 , and the predetermined region of the rod-shaped member 16 is separated from the ice-making position of the liquid in the liquid container 20 . The liquid in the liquid container 20 is rotated between the non-icing positions where the liquid is exposed, and in this case, intermittent ice making can be reliably performed, and transparent ice can be efficiently produced.

As shown in the third and fourth embodiments described above, the movement mechanism 26 allows the cooling unit 26 to be immersed in the liquid in the liquid container 20 in the predetermined region of the rod-shaped member 16 at the ice-making position, and the predetermined region of the rod-shaped member from the liquid container. The liquid inside 20 moves up and down between the non-icing positions where the liquid is exposed. In this case, intermittent ice making can be reliably performed, and transparent ice can be efficiently produced.

By moving the liquid container 20 or the cooling unit 10 , the immersion depth of the liquid into which the rod-shaped member 16 is immersed in the liquid container 20 can be changed. Therefore, ice of various shapes can also be produced by changing the immersion depth of the rod-shaped member 16 during intermittent ice making.

(other embodiment)

FIGS. 13( a ) and 13 ( b ) are perspective views showing an example of the attachment and detachment mechanism of the liquid container 20 . FIG. 13( a ) shows the preparation stage for removing the liquid container 20 from the rotation shaft of the moving mechanism 22 , and FIG. 13( b ) shows the removal of the liquid container 20 from the rotating shaft of the moving mechanism 22 . The ice maker 2 according to the present embodiment may have a detachable and attachable mechanism capable of easily attaching and detaching the liquid container 20 as shown in FIG. 13( a ) and FIG. 13( b ).

To remove the liquid container 20, it is necessary to pull the fixing member 44 upward as indicated by the arrow E in FIG. 13(a). As a result, the liquid container 20 can be slid toward the side having the fixing tool 44 as indicated by the arrow F. As shown in FIG. As a result, the end of the liquid container 20 on the opposite side to the stator 44 is separated from the rotating shaft of the moving mechanism 22 . Thereby, as shown by the arrow G of FIG.13(b), the liquid container 20 can be detached downward. In addition, the liquid container 20 can be attached to the rotating shaft of the moving mechanism 22 in the reverse order to the above.

The liquid container 20 can be easily attached and detached from the ice maker 2 by the attachment and detachment mechanism as described above. Thereby, the liquid container 20 can be easily cleaned.

<De-icing assist mechanism>

FIGS. 14( a ), 14 ( b ), and 14 ( c ) are diagrams showing the deicing assist mechanism provided in the liquid container 20 in one embodiment. FIG. 14( a ) is a perspective view showing the liquid container 20 having the deicing auxiliary claw 28 , FIG. 14( b ) is a side view showing a state where the liquid container 20 is located at the ice making position, and FIG. 14( c ) shows The side view of the state in the middle of the rotational movement of the liquid discharge container 20 from the ice making position to the retracted position.

When the intermittent ice-making is completed, the deicing heater 30 is operated, and the generated ice G is released from the rod-shaped member 16 . However, the ice G may not be detached from the rod-shaped member 16 due to the surface tension of the liquid generated by melting the ice by the deicing heater 30 and the gradient of the ice G. In order to cope with this, it is preferable that the liquid container 20 is provided with a deicing assist mechanism as shown in FIG. 14( a ).

The deicing assist mechanism is shown by the frame indicated by H in FIG. 14( a ), and specifically, includes the deicing assisting claws 28 in a concavo-convex shape arranged at predetermined intervals. The deicing auxiliary claw 28 is provided at a position between the adjacent rod-shaped members 16 , and the position where the rod-shaped members 16 are located is a concave portion. Accordingly, even if the liquid container 20 is rotated, the liquid container 20 does not interfere with the rod-shaped member 16 .

When the deicing heater 30 is operated to melt the ice around the rod-shaped member 16, and the liquid container 20 is rotated from the ice making position to the retracted position, the area indicated by the frame indicated by J in FIG. 14( c ) will appear. Inside, the deicing assist claw 28 is in contact with the ice G. Thereby, the ice G can be pushed by the deicing auxiliary claw 28 and the ice G can be released from the rod-shaped member 16 . For example, it is also possible to perform control such that rotation is temporarily stopped before the deicing assist claw 28 comes into contact with the ice G, and after the ice around the rod-shaped member 16 is surely melted, the liquid container 20 can be rotated again, and the deicing assist claw 28 can be controlled to rotate again. Push Ice G.

FIGS. 15( a ), 15 ( b ) and 15 ( c ) are diagrams showing a full ice detection mechanism for detecting whether or not the ice storage container 50 is full of ice using the liquid container 20 in one embodiment. FIG. 15( a ) shows that the rotating liquid container 20 hits the ice stored in the ice storage container 50 and the rotation stops, FIG. 15( b ) shows that the liquid container is in the ice making position, and FIG. 15( c ) shows that the liquid container is in the retracted position Location.

In the case of an ice maker that freezes all of the liquid in the ice tray, a large torque is usually applied after ice making to twist the resin-made ice tray, so that the generated ice is released from the ice tray. However, in the ice maker 2 of the present embodiment, since ice is formed around the rod-shaped member 16 of the cooling unit 10 , the drive motor of the moving mechanism 22 does not require a large torque to twist the liquid container 20, and can generate the liquid container 20. 20 rotation torque is enough. Therefore, when the ice storage container 50 becomes full of ice and the ice on the upper part interferes with the rotating liquid container 20, the ice is not damaged, and the rotation of the liquid container 20 is stopped.

In the full ice detection mechanism shown in FIGS. 15( a ) to 15 ( c ), the magnet 62 is attached to the liquid container 20 , and the magnetic sensor 64 is attached to the frame side of the ice maker 2 . Then, as shown in FIG. 15( c ), when the liquid container 20 is rotated to the retracted position, the magnetic sensor 64 detects the magnetism of the magnet 62 .

Therefore, for example, when the liquid container 20 is rotated from the ice making position to the retracted position, if the magnetic sensor 64 detects the magnetism of the magnet 62 after a preset time has elapsed, it is determined that the liquid container 20 is not stored in the ice storage container 50 The ice interferes, and rotates to the retreat position. In this case, it can be determined that the ice storage container 50 is not full of ice.

On the other hand, when the liquid container 20 is rotated from the ice making position to the retracted position, when the magnetic sensor 64 does not detect the magnetism of the magnet 62 after a preset time has elapsed, it is determined that the liquid container 20 and the ice storage container 50 are between the liquid container 20 and the ice storage container 50. The stored ice interferes and the rotation stops. In this case, it can be determined that the ice storage container 50 is full of ice.

In this way, in the full ice detection mechanism shown in FIG. 15 , only by adding the magnet 62 and the magnetic sensor 64, it is possible to easily confirm whether the ice storage container 50 is full of ice. However, as the full ice detection means, it is not limited to the case where a magnet and a magnetic sensor are used, and for example, a mechanical microswitch may be used, and an optical sensor may be used.

(Refrigerator of one Embodiment of this invention)

FIG. 16 is a diagram schematically showing a refrigerator provided with the ice maker according to the embodiment of the present invention. Next, referring to FIG. 16 , the refrigerator 100 in which the ice maker 2 is installed indoors according to the present embodiment will be described. In FIG. 16 , the flow of the gas is indicated by the dotted arrow, and the flow of the refrigerant is indicated by the dotted line.

The refrigerator 100 includes a freezer compartment 102A and a cold storage compartment 102B.

Air ducts

104A and 104B partitioned by partitions 106 are provided on the back sides of freezer compartment 102A and cold storage compartment 102B. In the example shown in FIG. 16, the case where the ice maker 2 is installed in the freezer compartment 102A is shown. However, it is not limited to this, and the ice maker 2 may be installed in the cold storage compartment 102B.

The evaporator 140 is provided in the air duct 104A on the side of the freezing compartment 102A, and the fan 170 is provided above the evaporator 140 . The compressor 110 which communicates with the evaporator 140 is provided in the external machine room on the back side of the freezer compartment 102A. The refrigerant (gas) compressed by the compressor 110 is liquefied in the condenser 120 , decompressed in the process of passing through the capillary tube, so that the boiling point is lowered, and then flows into the evaporator 140 through the dryer 130 , and then the refrigerant is in the evaporator 140 . The heat of the indoor gas is taken away to be vaporized, and the vaporized refrigerant is compressed again in the compressor 110, and the cycle is repeated. As described above, the cooling system 150 of the refrigerator including the compressor 110 , the condenser 120 , the dryer 130 and the evaporator 140 is formed.

When the compressor 110 and the fan 170 are driven, air flows, and the cool air passing through the evaporator 140 flows into the inlet side of the cooling air duct 40 of the ice maker 2 from the opening 106A provided in the partition plate 106 . The partition plate 106 is provided with an opening 106A, and an air outlet for allowing the cold air passing through the evaporator 140 to flow directly into the freezer compartment 102A.

The cool air flowing into the cooling air duct 40 passes between the cooling fins 12 and flows out of the ice maker 2 . The cold air flowing out from the ice maker 2 circulates in the freezing compartment 102A, and returns to the lower side of the evaporator 140 in the air duct 104A again. By the flow of such a gas, while cooling the ice maker 2 to make ice, it is possible to cool stored items such as food stored in the freezer compartment 102A.

As described above, the cool air passing between the cooling fins 12 flows downward along the inner wall of the cooling air duct 40 , and is drawn into the return air duct of the refrigerator from the slit 56 of the ice storage container 50 . However, it is also possible to circulate a part of the cold air flowing out of the slit 56 in the freezing compartment 102A.

The embodiments and examples of the present invention have been described, but the disclosure can be changed in the details of the structure, and changes in the combination order of the elements in the embodiments and the examples can be realized without departing from the scope and idea of the claimed invention. .

Claims

An ice maker, characterized in that it includes:

a cooling section comprising a cooled metal rod-like member;

Liquid containers for holding liquids;

a moving mechanism for moving at least one of the cooling portion and the liquid container; and

a control part for controlling the moving mechanism,

The control unit controls the moving mechanism to move at least one of the cooling unit and the liquid container, keeps the liquid in the liquid container in the liquid container, and repeatedly forms a predetermined area of the rod-shaped member Ice making is performed intermittently in a state where the liquid in the liquid container is immersed and the predetermined region is exposed from the liquid in the liquid container.
The ice maker of claim 1, wherein:

the moving mechanism for controlling the liquid container or the cooling part to rotate and move between an ice-making position and a non-ice-making position, in which the predetermined region of the rod-shaped member is immersed in the ice-making position In the liquid in the liquid container, the predetermined region of the rod-shaped member is exposed from the liquid in the liquid container at the non-ice making position.
The ice maker of claim 1, wherein:

The moving mechanism is used to control the cooling part or the liquid container to move up and down between an ice-making position and a non-ice-making position, in which the predetermined area of the rod-shaped member is immersed in the liquid In the liquid in the container, the predetermined region of the rod-shaped member is exposed from the liquid in the liquid container in the non-ice-making position.
The ice maker of claim 1, wherein:

Inside the rod-shaped member, a deicing heater for heating ice generated around the rod-shaped member is provided.
The ice maker according to any one of claims 1, wherein,

The cooling unit includes: the rod-shaped member; and a metal plate, a plurality of metal cooling fins are provided on the upper side of the metal plate, and the rod-shaped member is attached to the lower side of the metal plate,

It also includes a cooling air duct, the cooling fins are arranged in the cooling air duct, and the cold air flows along the extending direction of the cooling fins; and

an ice storage container, which is provided on the lower side of the cooling unit and accommodates ice dropped from the rod-shaped member,

The cool air passing between the cooling fins flows downward along the inner wall of the cooling air duct, and flows out through the air duct at the bottom of the ice storage container.
The ice maker according to claim 5, wherein the cooling air duct comprises: a horizontal air duct, a corner air duct and a vertical air duct, and two ends of the corner air duct are respectively connected to the horizontal air duct and the vertical air duct. The vertical air duct, the horizontal air duct has an inlet side, the vertical air duct has an outlet side, the cooling fins are placed in the horizontal air duct, and the cooling fins located in the horizontal air duct are arranged in the horizontal air duct. The upper shelf is provided with an air outlet.
The ice maker according to claim 5, wherein the moving mechanism is further configured to drive the liquid container to rotate to a retracted position not located on the lower side of the rod-shaped member.
The ice maker according to claim 1, wherein an antifreeze heater is provided around the upper opening of the liquid container.
The ice maker according to claim 1, wherein the liquid container includes a deicing auxiliary mechanism, the deicing auxiliary mechanism includes deicing auxiliary claws arranged at predetermined intervals, and the liquid container starts from the ice making. During the rotation of the position to the retracted position, the deicing auxiliary claw is in contact with the ice.
A refrigerator, comprising a refrigerating compartment and a freezing compartment, is characterized in that, further comprising the ice maker according to claim 1.