CN104422220B - Ice making machine - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention provides an ice maker for reliably performing an ice separating operation. The ice maker includes: an evaporator; a vertically disposed ice making plate, a rear side of which is in contact with the evaporator, the ice maker including a plurality of ice forming parts formed by dividing a front side thereof, surfaces of the ice forming parts being inclined downward; a water tub disposed under the ice making plate to collect water flowing down from the ice making plate; and an ice bin forming an ice storage area around the water tub to collect ice falling from the ice making plate. Since the ice making plate has an inclined structure, ice can be reliably separated from the ice making plate, and the quality of ice can be improved.

Description

Ice maker

Cross References to Related Applications

This application claims priority from Korean Patent Application No. 10-2013-0106019 filed with the Korean Intellectual Property Office on September 4, 2013, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

technical field

The present invention relates to an ice making machine, and more particularly, to an ice making machine for reliably performing an ice separation operation.

Background technique

In a down-flow type ice maker, when water flows down from the ice-making plate cooled by the evaporator, the water freezes into ice, and the ice is separated from the ice-making plate and stored in the freezer.

1 is a perspective view illustrating components included in a prior art ice maker, the assembly including an ice making plate 20 and an evaporator 10; FIG. A cross-sectional view of forming ice on the ice-making plate 20 of FIG.

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2 , the related art ice maker includes: an ice making plate 20 disposed vertically; and an evaporator 10 in contact with a rear surface of the ice making plate 20 .

The ice making plate 20 includes: a plurality of partitions 22 that divide the ice making plate 20 along the width direction of the ice making plate 20 so as to form a plurality of ice cubes in the width direction of the ice making plate 20; ice separation protrusions 24, It is used to separate ice cubes from the ice making plate 20 in the ice separating operation.

However, in the prior art, the ice-forming surface of the ice-making plate 20 is vertical. Therefore, the ice cubes may not be easily separated from the ice making plate 20 but may be stuck on the ice making plate 20 during the ice separating operation.

Therefore, in the prior art, a large amount of hot air may be used to separate the ice cubes stuck on the ice making plate 20 , which may cause the ice cubes to melt, thereby reducing the quantity and quality of ice.

Contents of the invention

An aspect of the present invention may provide an ice making machine in which ice may be completely separated from an ice making plate during an ice separating operation.

According to one aspect of the present invention, an ice maker may include: an evaporator; an ice making plate arranged vertically, the rear side of the ice making plate is in contact with the evaporator, and the ice making machine includes an a plurality of ice forming parts formed by dividing the sides, the surface of the ice forming part is inclined downward; a water bucket disposed under the ice making plate to collect water flowing down from the ice making plate; and a freezer, It forms an ice storage area around the bucket to collect ice falling from the ice making plate.

Each of the ice forming parts may include: an upper end protruding forward from the ice making plate; and a slope inclined downward toward a rear side of the ice making plate.

A jaw protruding forward from the ice making plate may be formed on a lower end of the ice forming part.

Each of the jaws may extend from a lower end of an upper ice-making portion to an upper end of a lower ice-making portion just below the upper ice-making portion.

The ice forming portion and the jaw plate are integrally formed by bending the ice making plate.

The jaws can be inclined downwards.

The ice making plate further includes a plurality of grilles for dividing each of the ice forming parts provided in a width direction of the ice making plate.

The grill may be formed by bending portions of the ice making plate to protrude forward.

The evaporator includes a pipe in which refrigerant flows, the pipe is in contact with a rear side of the ice forming part, and both sides of the pipe are inclined according to an inclined shape of the ice forming part.

Description of drawings

The above and other aspects, features and advantages of the present invention will be more clearly understood from the following detailed description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing components included in a prior art ice maker, including an ice making plate and an evaporator;

Fig. 2 is a sectional view showing how ice is formed on the ice making plate of the ice maker shown in Fig. 1;

3 is a sectional view showing components included in an ice maker according to an embodiment of the present invention, the components including an evaporator, an ice making plate, a bucket, a freezer, and a guide;

Fig. 4 is a perspective view showing an ice making plate of the ice making machine shown in Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a sectional view showing how ice is separated from the ice making plate of the ice maker shown in Fig. 3; and

FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing ice formed on an ice making plate of the ice maker shown in FIG. 3 .

detailed description

Exemplary embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

This invention may, however, be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the specific embodiments set forth herein. Rather, these embodiments are provided so that the present invention will be detailed and complete, and will fully convey the scope of the present invention to those skilled in the art.

In the drawings, the shapes and sizes of elements may be exaggerated for clarity, and the same reference numerals designate the same or like elements throughout.

In the following description, technical terms are only used to explain specific exemplary embodiments, and do not limit the scope and spirit of the present invention. Terms in a singular form may also include plural forms unless the opposite is meant.

Hereinafter, exemplary embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Referring to FIGS. 3 to 6 , an ice maker 100 will hereinafter be described according to an embodiment of the present invention.

3 is a cross-sectional view illustrating components included in the ice maker 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention, including an evaporator 110, an ice making plate 200, a bucket 120, a freezer 130, and a guide 140. Referring to FIG. FIG. 4 is a perspective view illustrating the ice making plate 200 . FIG. 5 is a sectional view showing how to separate ice from the ice making plate 200. Referring to FIG. FIG. 6 is a side view showing ice formed on the ice making plate 200. Referring to FIG.

Referring to FIGS. 3 to 6 , according to an embodiment of the present invention, an ice maker 100 may include an evaporator 110 , a bucket 120 , a freezer 130 , a guide 140 and an ice making plate 200 .

The evaporator 110 may include pipes in which refrigerant flows. The duct may be zigzag with multiple bends.

As shown in FIGS. 3 to 5 , the evaporator 110 may be in contact with the rear side of the ice-making plate 200 (which will be described in detail below), and as the refrigerant flowing in the evaporator 110 evaporates, the surrounding heat is taken away. The ice making plate 200 may be cooled.

The water bucket 120 may be disposed under the ice making plate 200 so as to collect water (ice making water and water separated from ice) flowing down from the ice making plate 200 .

The freezer 130 may form an ice storage area around the bucket 120 so as to collect ice (I) falling from the ice making plate 200 .

The guide 140 may separate the ice (I) and water falling from the ice making plate 200, and guide the ice (I) to the freezer 130 and water to the water tub 120 through holes.

The ice making plate 200 is a plate-like member arranged vertically, and its rear surface is in contact with the evaporator 110 . The ice making plate 200 is cooled by the evaporator 110 to form ice (I) on the ice making plate 200 .

The ice making plate 200 includes a plurality of ice forming parts 210 formed by dividing a front surface thereof. That is, the front surface of the ice making plate 200 may be divided into ice forming parts 210 arranged in a lattice form.

Each ice formation 210 is a region where a single piece of ice (I) is formed.

The surface of the ice forming part 210 may be inclined so that the surface faces downward.

In an embodiment, as shown in FIGS. 4 to 5 , the upper end of the ice forming part 210 may protrude forward, and slope backward while going downward along the surface of the ice forming part 210 .

That is, the surface of the ice forming part 210 is not vertical. On the contrary, the surface of the ice formation part 210 may be inclined backward in a downward direction.

As shown in FIG. 5 , both sides of the evaporator 110 may be shaped according to the inclined surface of the ice forming part 210 .

In this case, a contact surface of the evaporator 110 and the ice forming part 210 may be increased.

That is, heat exchange efficiency between the evaporator 110 and the ice forming part 210 may be increased.

Further, in an embodiment, a jaw plate 220 protruding forward from the ice making plate 200 may be formed at a lower end of the ice forming part 210 .

In an embodiment, each jaw plate 220 may be formed on a lower end of the ice forming part 210 , and each jaw plate 220 may extend to an upper end of the lower ice forming part 210 adjacent to the ice forming part 210 .

In other words, the ice forming part 210 and the jaw plate 220 may be alternately formed in the vertical direction of the ice making plate 200 .

Accordingly, the front surface of the ice making plate 200 may be shaped in a stepped shape due to the ice forming part 210 and the jaw plate 220 .

If the jaw plate 220 protrudes horizontally instead of being inclined, water falling on the front surface of the ice making plate 200 may be separated from the front surface of the ice making plate 200 at the jaw plate 220 .

In this case, water may not flow to the ice forming part 210 located under the jaw plate 220, and thus the efficiency of making ice may decrease. Further, water separated from the ice making plate 200 may permeate into the freezer 130 , thereby melting ice stored in the freezer 130 .

To prevent this from happening, the jaws 220 can be sloped downwards. That is, the jaw plate 220 does not protrude horizontally but slopes downward.

In an embodiment, the ice forming part 210 and the jaw plate 220 may be integrally formed with the ice making plate 200 by bending the front surface of the ice making plate 200 .

For example, when the ice making plate 200 is manufactured, a portion of the ice making plate 200 bent multiple times in a zigzag manner may be formed as the ice forming part 210 and the jaw plate 220 .

The grill 230 may divide the ice forming part 210 disposed in the width direction of the ice making plate 200 .

The grilles 230 may be plates extending along the height direction of the ice making plate 200 , and the grilles 230 may be disposed at regular intervals in the width direction of the ice making plate 200 .

In an embodiment of the present invention, the grill 230 may be formed by bending a portion of the ice making plate 200 to protrude forward. However, embodiments of the present invention are not limited thereto. For example, a separation plate may be connected to the ice making plate 200 to form the grill 230 .

Hereinafter, an ice separation operation of the ice maker 100 will be described according to an embodiment of the present invention.

As shown in FIG. 5 , during the ice separating operation, ice cubes (I) formed on the ice forming part 210 of the ice making plate 200 may melt on a surface in contact with the ice forming part 210 to be separated from the ice making plate 200 .

During the ice separation operation, the ice cube (I) can move downwards under the drag of gravity. Specifically, since the ice forming part 210 is inclined downward, the ice cube (I) may be stressed in a direction away from the ice forming part 210 .

At the same time, the upper end of the ice cube (I) may tend to rotate downward due to the jaws 220 located on the lower end of the ice cube (I).

Therefore, during the ice separating operation, the ice cube (I) may be subjected to gravity and rotational force, and thus the upper end of the ice cube (I) may be easily separated from the ice forming part 210 . Then, air may infiltrate into the gap between the ice cube (I) and the ice forming part 210 to help the ice cube (I) separate from the ice forming part 210 .

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 6, the upper end of the ice forming portion 210 may be aligned with the upper end of a fully formed ice cube (I).

In this case, air may easily infiltrate into a gap between the upper end of the ice cube (I) and the upper end of the ice forming part 210 during the ice separation operation, thereby facilitating the separation of the ice cube (I).

For example, if hot air is used in the ice separation operation, a gap may be rapidly formed between the upper end of the ice cube (I) and the upper end of the ice forming part 210, into which air may infiltrate. Therefore, the upper end of the ice cube (I) as well as the rest of the ice cube (I) can be easily separated from the ice forming part 210 .

In an embodiment of the present invention, the ice making plate 200 of the ice maker 100 has a structure inclined downward, so that ice may be subjected to force in a direction away from the ice making plate 200 . Therefore, ice can be reliably separated.

As listed above, according to the exemplary embodiments of the present invention, since the ice making plate has an inclined structure, ice may be reliably separated from the ice making plate, so that the quality of ice may be improved.

While exemplary embodiments have been illustrated and described above, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims. modifications and changes.

Claims (7)

1. An ice machine, comprising: Evaporator; an ice making plate which is vertically arranged and whose rear side is in contact with the evaporator, the ice maker including a plurality of ice forming parts divided by dividing the front side of the ice making plate forming, the surface of the ice formation slopes downward; a water bucket disposed under the ice-making plate to collect water flowing down from the ice-making plate; and a freezer forming an ice storage area around the bucket to collect ice falling from the ice making plate; Each of the ice forming parts for forming ice cubes includes: an upper end protruding forward from the ice making plate; a slope inclined downward toward a rear side of the ice making plate; A jaw protruding forward from the ice-making plate is formed on the lower end of the forming part; Wherein, the ramp and the jaws are configured to facilitate separation of ice cubes from the ice formation by gravity and rotational forces, and to form an ice cube between the ice cube and the ice formation. The air seeps through the gaps so that the detachment of the ice cubes from the ice formations is accordingly facilitated. 2. The ice making machine according to claim 1, wherein each of the jaw plates extends from a lower end of an upper ice making part to an upper end of a lower ice making part just below the upper ice making part. [3] The ice making machine according to claim 2, wherein the ice forming part and the jaw plate are integrally formed by bending the ice making plate. 4. The ice maker of claim 1, wherein the jaws are sloped downward. 5. The ice making machine according to claim 1, wherein the ice making plate further comprises a plurality of louvers forming ice for each of the ice plates disposed along a width direction of the ice making plate. Department is divided. 6. The ice maker of claim 5, wherein the grill is formed by bending a portion of the ice making plate to protrude forward. 7. The ice making machine according to claim 1, wherein the evaporator includes a pipe in which refrigerant flows, the pipe is in contact with the rear side of the ice forming part, and a portion of the pipe Both sides are inclined according to the inclined shape of the ice formation.