JP3839000B2 - Auger assembly - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an auger assembly that transports ice to an ice outlet in an ice making machine, a refrigerator, and the like, and more specifically, can transport and throw out ice while effectively separating the ice sticking to each other in an ice storage. It relates to an auger assembly having an improved structure.
[0002]
[Prior art]
In general, an ice making machine, a refrigerator, and the like are provided with an auger assembly that conveys ice stored in an ice storage to an ice outlet (see, for example, Patent Document 1).
[0003]
FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view schematically showing an ice making machine equipped with a general auger assembly.
[0004]
In general, an ice making machine is an apparatus that cools supplied water to make ice, and includes a case 10, an ice making unit 20, and a refrigeration system 30 as shown in FIG.
[0005]
An ice storage 11 for storing the ice produced by the ice making unit 20 is provided inside the case 10, and a refrigeration system 30 including a compressor 31 and a condenser 32 is provided below the ice storage 11.
[0006]
The ice making unit 20 is composed of a water tray 21 filled with water, a cooling plate 23 and an evaporation pipe 25. The cooling plate 23 is immersed in water on the lower surface of the cooling plate 23 and a large number of cooling protrusions (ices grow on the periphery). (Not shown) is formed.
[0007]
In the ice making machine configured as described above, when the refrigerant flows into the evaporation pipe 25 connected to the refrigeration system 30, the cooling plate 23 and the cooling protrusion are cooled by the heat exchange of the refrigerant, and the ice is frozen.
[0008]
Then, the ice frozen in this manner gathers in the ice storage 11 and is discharged from the ice outlet 13 as required by the user. At this time, an auger 40 for transporting ice to the ice outlet 13 is provided on the bottom surface of the ice storage 11.
[0009]
The auger 40 includes a rotary shaft 41 that is rotated by rotation of a drive motor (not shown), and screw blades 43 that are provided in a spiral direction along the outer peripheral surface of the rotary shaft 41. Therefore, if the rotating shaft 41 is rotated, the ice moves along the screw blades 43 of the auger 40 toward the ice outlet 13 and is finally discharged from the ice storage 11.
[0010]
However, in the conventional auger 40 as described above, since the ice storage 11 has a large width and the auger 40 that conveys ice is disposed at the center of the ice storage 11, the ice storage is separated from the screw blades 43 of the auger 40. 11 ice was not discharged well, or when it was not used for a long time after the ice was manufactured, there was a problem that it was not adhered and transported. That is, the ice separated from the screw blades 43 sticks to each other to form a large lump, and this large lump eventually has a problem that it cannot be conveyed by the screw blades 43 of the auger 40.
[0011]
[Patent Document 1]
Korean Registered Utility Model Publication No. 20-0191367 [0012]
The present invention has been devised to solve the above-described problems, and when ice is produced and not used for a long time and sticks to each other, or separated from the spiral blades of the auger assembly and not discharged, It is an object of the present invention to provide an auger assembly having an improved structure capable of effectively transporting and dispensing the same.
[0013]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
An auger assembly for transporting ice according to the present invention for achieving the above-mentioned object is provided in a lower part of an ice storage provided in an ice making machine or the like, and an auger provided with screw blades for transporting ice on the ice outlet side ( auger), a wheel rotated by a screw blade of the auger around a predetermined rotation axis at a right angle with a rotation direction of the screw blade, and a wheel bracket on which the wheel is rotatably fixed.
[0014]
Here, the wheel has a plurality of protrusions that protrude in the diameter direction of the wheel on the outer peripheral surface of the wheel.
[0015]
Further, it is desirable that the wheel has one or more side blade pieces on both side surfaces.
[0016]
According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, a plurality of ribs extending radially from the center of the rotation axis are formed on both side surfaces of the wheel.
[0017]
Further, it is desirable that the side blade pieces formed on both side surfaces of the wheel are formed such that lines extending in the longitudinal direction are not located on the same line.
[0018]
On the other hand, the wheel bracket has a pair of arm members in which a rotation shaft hole is formed so that a rotation shaft of the wheel is provided, and an attachment portion for fixing the pair of arm members to the ice storage cylinder. Including.
[0019]
Here, the inner walls of the pair of arm members are preferably formed obliquely toward the screw blade side of the auger.
[0020]
Further, it is preferable that a lower portion of the attachment portion is formed obliquely toward the screw blade side of the auger.
[0021]
Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. Reference, in describing the embodiments of the present invention, the conventional and the same part construction and action cited by the same reference numerals.
[0022]
2A is a perspective view schematically showing an auger assembly according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2B is a plan view schematically showing the auger assembly shown in FIG. 2A.
[0023]
An auger assembly 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention includes an auger 110 provided with screw blades 115, a wheel 130 for mixing ice in the ice storage 11 (see FIG. 1), and the wheel 130 provided and fixed. A wheel bracket 120 is included.
[0024]
The auger 110 includes an auger rotating shaft 111 that rotates by a driving force of a driving motor (not shown), and a screw blade 115 that is provided in a spiral direction along the outer peripheral surface of the auger rotating shaft 111. One side of the auger rotating shaft 111 is connected to the shaft of the drive motor, and the other side is rotatably supported on the side wall of the ice storage 11 such as an ice making machine. Accordingly, when the auger rotating shaft 111 is rotated by the drive motor, the screw blades 115 provided on the outer peripheral surface thereof are rotated in conjunction with the rotation and the ice is conveyed along the screw blades 115.
[0025]
At this time, the auger rotary shaft 111 on the ice outlet 13 (see FIG. 1) side provided in the case 10 (see FIG. 1) of the ice making machine or the like is placed at the center of the bottom surface of the ice storage 11 so as to be positioned above the drive motor side. Provided. By installing it diagonally in this way, the ice existing on the lower side of the ice storage 11 can be transferred not only to the ice outlet 13 but also the space above and below the ice storage 11 can be used efficiently. At this time, the internal shape of the ice storage 11 is preferably formed so as to be gathered on the auger 110 side. With such a shape, ice can be effectively transported even when ice gathers on the auger 110 side and the amount of ice stored in the ice storage 11 is not large.
[0026]
Since the auger rotating shaft 111 and the screw blade 115 are manufactured by a generally used method, a description thereof is omitted.
[0027]
The wheel 130 is rotated by a screw blade 115 of the auger 110 about a predetermined rotation shaft 131 as a rotation center at a right angle to the rotation direction of the auger rotation shaft 111. A large number of ribs 133 extending radially from the center of rotation are formed on both side surfaces of the wheel 130. As a result, while the wheel 130 is rotating, the frictional force is applied to the ice on the side surfaces of the ice so that the ices stuck to each other can be separated.
[0028]
On the other hand, a large number of protrusions 135 are formed on the outer peripheral surface of the wheel 130. Such a protrusion 135 is connected to the screw blade 115 of the auger 110 in a structure such as a worm gear. Accordingly, when the screw blade 115 of the auger 110 is rotated, the wheel 130 connected to the worm gear is rotated. That is, the screw blade 115 of the auger 110 functions as a worm, and the wheel 130 having a large number of protrusions 135 functions as a worm gear.
[0029]
Further, such a protrusion 135 not only connects the wheel 130 and the screw blade 115 of the auger 110 with a worm gear, but also rotates the wheel 130 in conjunction with the rotation of the wheel 130 so that the ice stored in the ice storage is stored. The function of mixing up and down. In the present embodiment, only the wheel main body with seven protrusions 135 formed is shown and described, but the present invention is not limited to this, and it is needless to say that a wheel 130 formed with a different number is applicable.
[0030]
A large number of side surface blade pieces 137 are formed on both side surfaces of the wheel 130. According to the preferred embodiment of the present invention, as shown in FIG. 2B, the side blade pieces 137 formed on one side surface and the other side surface are not located on the same line. Thereby, the effect of rotating twice by one rotation is produced, and ice can be mixed efficiently.
[0031]
The wheel bracket 120 rotatably supports the rotating wheel 130 connected to the worm gear in this way. The wheel bracket 120 is fixed to the inner wall of the ice storage 11 by a pair of arm members 123 in which a rotation shaft hole 121 is formed so that a rotation shaft 131 of the wheel is provided, and a fastening means such as a screw. A mounting portion 125 is included. Under the present circumstances, the lower part of the attachment part 125 of the wheel bracket 120 in which the screw hole was formed, and the inner wall of a pair of arm member 123 are formed diagonally toward the screw blade 115 side of the auger 110. As a result, when the ice in the ice storage 11 is mixed up and down by the rotation of the wheel 130 and separated and falls downward, it falls to the screw blade 115 side, and the ice is transported and thrown out efficiently.
[0032]
Hereinafter, the operation of the auger assembly provided in the ice making machine or the like will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2A to 2B.
[0033]
In the ice making machine including the case 10, the ice making unit 20, and the refrigeration system 30, an ice storage 11 for storing ice made by the ice making unit 20 is provided inside the case 10. A refrigeration system 30 including a compressor 31 and a condenser 32 is provided below the ice storage 11. The ice making unit 20 includes a water tray 21 filled with water, a cooling plate 23 and an evaporation pipe 25. A number of cooling protrusions (not shown) are provided on the lower surface of the cooling plate 23 so as to be immersed in water and generate ice on the periphery thereof. The evaporation pipe 25 is provided on the upper surface of the cooling plate 23 and is connected to the refrigeration system 30. The refrigerant flows into the evaporation pipe 25, and the cooling plate 23 and the cooling protrusions are cooled by heat exchange of the refrigerant.
[0034]
In this way, if ice formed by freezing water at the peripheral edge of the cooling protrusion is generated, the high-temperature refrigerant discharged from the compressor 31 without passing through the condenser 32 is directly supplied into the evaporation pipe 25. Ice can be taken from the cooling protrusions and accumulated in the ice storage 11.
[0035]
Thereafter, when ice discharge is required by the user, the drive motor is operated by the operation of an ice discharge lever (not shown) and the auger rotation shaft 111 is rotated. While the screw blade 115 rotates in synchronization with the rotation of the auger rotating shaft 111, ice is conveyed along the blade to the ice outlet 13 side of the ice storage 11. At this time, the wheel 130 connected to the screw blade 115 of the auger 110 and the worm gear rotates.
[0036]
Ice is mixed up and down by a large number of protrusions 135 formed on the outer peripheral surface of the wheel 130 rotated in this way, a large number of side blade pieces 137 and a large number of ribs 133 formed on both side surfaces thereof. Ice is separated.
[0037]
Since the separated ice can be conveyed along the screw blade 115, not only the ice existing on the screw blade 115 side of the ice storage 11, but the whole can be thrown out uniformly. Further, when the ice mixed up and down falls below the ice storage 11, the inner wall of the pair of arm members 123 of the wheel bracket 120 formed obliquely on the screw blade 115 side and the attachment portion 125 bring it to the screw blade 115 side. By falling, efficient ice throwing can be performed.
[0038]
In describing the embodiment of the present invention, the auger assembly provided in the ice making machine has been described above. However, the auger assembly according to the embodiment of the present invention is not limited to an ice making machine, such as a refrigerator. It is also used in devices that store and produce ice.
[0039]
【The invention's effect】
As described above, according to the present invention, the ice in an ice storage such as an ice making machine can be smoothly thrown out while being separated, so that it can be separated from the auger assembly in a conventional ice making machine. The problem that ice that has been thrown out is not thrown out can be solved.
[0040]
While the present invention has been shown and described in connection with a preferred embodiment for describing the present invention, the present invention is not limited to the exact construction and operation as shown and described. On the contrary, those skilled in the art will appreciate that numerous changes and modifications may be made to the present invention without departing from the spirit and scope of the appended claims. Accordingly, all such suitable changes and modifications and equivalents should be considered as falling within the scope of the invention.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of an ice making machine schematically showing a conventional general auger type ice making machine.
FIG. 2A is a perspective view schematically showing an auger assembly of an ice making machine according to an embodiment of the present invention.
2B is a schematic plan view of the auger assembly shown in FIG. 2A.
[Explanation of symbols]
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 100 Auger assembly 110 Auger 111 Auger rotating shaft 115 Screw blade 120 Wheel bracket 121 Rotating shaft hole 123 Arm member 125 Attachment part 130 Wheel 131 Wheel rotating shaft 133 Rib 135 Protrusion part 137 Side blade piece

Claims (8)

An auger provided at the lower part of an ice storage provided in an ice making machine, etc., provided with screw blades that convey ice to the ice throwing side,
A wheel rotated by a screw blade of the auger about a predetermined rotation axis as a rotation center and at a right angle with a rotation direction of the screw blade;
An auger assembly including a wheel bracket on which the wheel is rotatably fixed. The wheel is
The auger assembly according to claim 1, wherein a plurality of protrusions protruding in a diameter direction of the wheel are formed on an outer peripheral surface of the wheel. The auger assembly according to claim 2, wherein the wheel is formed with one or more side blade pieces on both side surfaces thereof. The auger assembly according to claim 3, wherein the wheel is formed with a plurality of ribs extending radially from the center of the rotation axis on both side surfaces thereof. 5. The auger assembly according to claim 3, wherein the side blade pieces formed on both side surfaces of the wheel are formed such that a line extending in a longitudinal direction thereof is not positioned on the same line. The wheel bracket is
A pair of arm members in which a rotation shaft hole is formed so that a rotation shaft of the wheel is provided;
The auger assembly according to claim 1, further comprising an attachment portion that allows the pair of arm members to be fixed to the ice storage cylinder. The inner walls of the pair of arm members are
The auger assembly according to claim 6, wherein the auger assembly is formed obliquely toward the screw blade side of the auger. The lower part of the mounting part is
The auger assembly according to claim 7, wherein the auger assembly is formed obliquely toward the screw blade side of the auger.

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