JPH087321Y2 - Water storage type ice making device - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] [Industrial field of application] The present invention is a so-called water storage type ice making in which ice making water is stored in a water supply tank built in or attached to an ice making machine, and the ice making water is sent to an ice making section to make ice. It is related to the improvement of the machine.

[Prior Art] A typical ice making machine of this type is disclosed in, for example, US Pat.
No. 942. In the ice making machine of the same patent, a relatively large water tank is arranged between the lower machine room and the upper ice making mechanism inside the machine body, and a vertical pump is arranged in the water tank. A vertical pump sends the water in the water tank to the ice making mechanism to make ice. Further, the ice cubes produced by the ice making mechanism are stored in an ice storage located above the water tank, and the ice cube melted water in the ice storage is also introduced into the water tank. .

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] With the configuration described above, the height of the water tank is substantially determined by the length of the vertical pump, and in order to increase the volume of the water tank, the bottom area of the water tank must be increased. There was a problem that the whole ice making machine became very large.

In addition, the ice storage is opened and closed each time the ice cubes are taken out, so dust may enter the ice storage when opening or removing the ice cubes, and the dissolved water from such ice storage is returned to the water tank. However, since this is repeatedly used for ice making, it is not preferable in terms of hygiene and improvement has been desired.

Moreover, the water tank is not provided with a water level sensor or even an alarm device, and the user cannot easily know the remaining amount of the water tank, except by actually checking the remaining amount of the water tank.

Therefore, the main object of the present invention is to provide an improved water storage type ice making device which does not increase the size of the entire ice making machine and causes no problem in hygiene.

Further, another object of the present invention is to provide a water storage type ice making device which is not only improved as described above, but also capable of issuing an alarm when either one of a water supply tank and a drain tank reaches a limit water level. It is to be.

[Means for Solving the Problems] In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, a water storage type ice making device according to the present invention includes a water supply tank for storing water and an upper ice making machine for supplying and storing water from the water supply tank below. A water tank, a water supply pump device for supplying water from the water supply tank to the ice making water tank, an ice making unit for making water supplied from the ice making water tank, and storing ice grains made in the ice making unit. An ice storage, a drainage tank in fluid communication with the bottom of the ice storage, and a pipe line in fluid communication with the ice making water tank and the water supply tank for introducing surplus water from the ice making water tank to the water supply tank. .

As described above, the drainage tank is provided separately from the water supply tank that supplies water to the ice making unit, and the water generated by melting the ice particles in the ice storage is drained to the drainage tank.

Further, according to the present invention, the water storage type ice making device is provided in the water supply tank, and is provided in the drainage tank and the first water level detection device for detecting a predetermined lower limit water level of the water in the water supply tank.
A second water level detecting device for detecting a predetermined upper limit water level of the water in the drainage tank, and the first and second water level detecting devices are connected, and when at least one detects the lower limit water level or the upper limit water level, the ice making is performed. And a control device for stopping the operation of the device.

Further, the water storage type ice making device of the present invention is connected to the ice storage detecting switch which opens when a predetermined amount of ice particles in the ice storage is detected and stops the operation of the ice making device, and is connected to the control device. And a warning device which is activated when the lower and upper limit water levels of the second water level detection device are detected and issues an alarm.

The drainage tank has a capacity capable of accommodating at least the total amount of water generated from a predetermined amount of ice particles in the ice storage, and the upper limit water level is set below the water level when the total amount is accommodated.

[Operation] The water storage type ice making device of the embodiment repeats the deicing cycle and the ice making cycle. When the power switch is turned on, the deicing cycle is started first, and the water in the water supply tank is supplied to the ice making water tank by the water supply pump device through the ice making section (ice making plate). While deicing the water as it passes through the back surface of the ice making plate, an amount corresponding to one ice making is accumulated in the ice making water tank, and excess water returns to the water supply tank through the overflow pipe.

When the deicing cycle ends, the water supply pump device stops and shifts to the ice making cycle. The ice making water in the ice making water tank is supplied to the ice making plate, and a part of the ice making water gradually freezes to grow into ice particles. Along with this, the amount of ice making water in the ice making water tank decreases, and when the amount of ice making water decreases to a predetermined amount, the ice making cycle is terminated and the above-mentioned deicing cycle is started again.

Ice particles that have separated from the ice making plate in the deicing cycle enter the ice storage. For example, if you do not take out ice particles from the ice storage for a long time, if there is a power outage, or if you turn off the power switch, the ice particles in the ice storage will melt and become water.
This is all led to the drainage tank. The drainage tank has a capacity capable of accommodating all of the water even if all the ice particles in the ice storage are melted.

The drain tank is equipped with a float-type water level detection device that detects the upper limit water level, and when the upper limit water level is reached, the relay of the control device is energized and its normally closed contact is opened to operate the ice making device. Is stopped. In addition, an alarm device such as a lamp or buzzer is activated to notify that the drain tank has reached the upper limit water level.

Also, the water in the water supply tank gradually decreases due to the repetition of the deicing cycle and the ice making cycle, but there is also a float type water level detection device here, which detects the lower limit water level and When it reaches, the relay of the control device is excited to open its normally closed contact, and the operation of the ice making device is stopped. At that time, an alarm device is activated to notify that the water tank has reached the lower limit water level.

[Embodiment] Next, a preferred embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the drawings, the same reference numerals indicate the same or corresponding portions.

FIG. 1 shows a preferred embodiment of the water storage type ice making device according to the present invention. In the ice making device, a cabinet 17 is provided separately from the ice making machine section 1, and a water tank 20 described later is provided in the cabinet 17. The drainage tank 36 is provided separately, but the cabinet 17 may be integrated with the ice making machine section 1 as a matter of course.

In FIG. 1, a cabinet 17 having a water supply tank 20 and a drainage tank 36 on a dew tray 19 is provided with an opening / closing door 18, and the water supply tank 20 and the drainage tank 36 which are detachably arranged can be taken out. The water supply tank 20 has a water supply hose 22
A water supply pump device having a return hose (pipe line) 24 or an assembly 21 is detachably attached to the drainage tank.
A float assembly 41 including a drain hose 44 is detachably attached to the 36. Water supply hose 22, return hose 24
The drain hose 44 is connected to the ice making machine unit 1 as described later.

Next, since the detailed structure of the ice making machine 1 itself is not directly related to the present invention except the water supply / drainage relationship, a brief description will be given with reference to FIG. 2. In the figure, 2 is the deicing water of the sprinkler 5. Sprinkler 7
At the water inlet to the water supply hose 22 of the water supply pump assembly 21.
Is connected to this water supply port 2.

A pair of ice making plates (ice making parts) 8 are arranged below the water sprinkler 5, and water was sprinkled from the ice making water tank 9 through the ice making water sprinkling part 6 by driving the pump motor 12 during the ice making cycle. The ice-making water is cooled while flowing down the ice-making surface (surface) of the ice-making plate 8 as indicated by an arrow to become ice grains 8a, and the ice-making water that has not been frozen is received in the ice-making water tank 9. An overflow pipe (pipe line) 4 is connected to the ice making water tank 9, and excess water overflowing the ice making water tank 9 is returned to the water supply tank 20 via the overflow pipe 4 and the return hose 24. That is, the return hose 24 of the water supply pump assembly 21 is connected to the overflow pipe 4.

When the ice making cycle is completed and the ice making cycle is started,
The pump motor 26 provided in the water supply tank 20 is driven,
The water in the water supply tank 20 flows into the ice making water tank 9 through the water supply port 2, the deicing water sprinkler 7, and the back surface of the ice making plate 8, and when overflowing, returns to the water supply tank 20 as described above. Compressor
The hot gas from 13 is sent to the evaporation pipe 11 attached to the back surface of the ice making plate 8, and the ice particles adhered to the ice making surface of the ice making plate 8.
By melting the adhered portion of 8a, the ice particles 8a separate from the ice making plate 8, pass through the opening 9a of the ice making water tank 9, and the ice storage 10
Housed inside.

The ice particles 8a in the ice storage 10 may be melted, and the ice making water or deicing water sprayed on the ice making plate 8 may be scattered and enter the ice storage 10. In order to sprinkle the water accumulated at the bottom of the ice storage 10 in this way, the ice storage 10 is formed with the drainage port 3, and the drain assembly 3 is provided with the float assembly 41 provided in the drainage tank 36. The attached drain hose 44 is connected. Incidentally, reference numeral 14 is a condenser forming a well-known refrigeration circuit together with the above-mentioned evaporation pipe 11 and compressor 13,
Reference numeral 15 is an opening / closing door of the ice storage 10.

Next, referring to FIGS. 1, 3, and 4, the water supply tank 20 and the drainage tank 36 will be described. The water supply tank 20 is similar to the box-shaped large-capacity main tank portion 28. It has a box-shaped small-volume sub-tank part 29, and both tank parts 2
There is a twisted portion 27 between 8 and 29, and these tank portions 28 and 29
Is a small-diameter passage defined by the entangled portion 27 and the tank bottom.
It communicates through 30. The main tank portion 28 has handles 34 and 33 formed on the top portion and the side portion on the side of the sub tank portion 29, respectively, and an opening 31 is formed on the side portion above the handle 33. The cap 31 is normally closed with a cap 32. On the other hand, the top of the sub tank portion 29 has an opening 35 that opens in a large rectangular shape, and the mounting plate 25 is inserted into the opening 35.
A water supply pump assembly 21 including a pump motor 26, a return hose 24, a float switch (first water level detecting device) 23, a water supply hose 22 and the like mounted on the is fitted. Mounting plate 25
Is a plate member having a U-shaped cross section having a pair of ears 25a, and by simply placing the ears 25a on the edge of the opening 35, the entire water supply pump assembly 21 can be attached to the water supply tank. Has a geometric dimension.

As described above, the water supply hose 22 is connected to the water supply port 2 of the ice maker 1, and the water in the water supply tank 20 is driven by the pump motor 26 as necessary, so that the water sprinkler 5
It is supplied to the ice making water tank 9 through the deicing water sprinkling unit 7. Further, the return hose 24 is connected to the overflow pipe 4 of the ice making machine section 1.

The box-shaped drainage tank 36 has a square opening 39 that is wide open and a round opening 45 that is normally closed with a cap 40 at the top, and between the openings 39 and 45. handle
38 are formed. A handle 37 is also formed on the side of the drain tank 36. The square opening 39 has a mounting plate 42
Float switch (second water level detection device) 43
The float assembly 41 including the drain hose 44 and the like is fitted. As described above, the drain hose 44 is connected to the drain port 3 of the ice making machine section 1.

The operation of the ice making device having the above configuration will be described. When supplying water to the water supply tank 20, a water supply pump assembly
After removing 21, the tap water is supplied with the water tank 20 taken out of the housing 17 in a posture such that the opening 31 faces upward as shown in FIG. After that, when the cap 32 is screwed into the opening 31 and is hermetically closed, the cap 32 is brought to a normal posture in which the cap 32 faces sideways as shown in FIG.
Even if you carry the water tank 20 in the housing 17 by holding 34,
Since the space in the main tank portion 28 near the opening 31 has a negative pressure, water does not come out from the opening 35. Of course, you may carry the handle 33. After that, the ears of the mounting plate 25
25a is placed on the edge of the opening 35 and the water supply pump assembly 21 is set in the water supply tank 20.

When the power is turned on, the ice making machine section 1 starts to operate, but in the embodiment, it starts from the deicing cycle. That is, in FIG. 1, FIG. 2 and FIG. 6, when the power switch SW is turned on, the hot gas valve HV opens, de-icing with hot gas is performed, and the pump motor 26 (PM ₁ ) is also driven, and the water tank The water in 20 flows into the ice making water tank 9 while performing deicing through the water supply hose 22, the water supply port 2, the deicing water sprinkling section 7, and the back surface of the ice making plate 8, and the water in the ice making water tank 9 is used as water necessary for ice making. Accumulate in. The water level on the side of the sub tank portion 29 of the water supply tank 20 decreases until the water necessary for one ice making is accumulated in the ice making water tank 9, that is, until it overflows. When the water level becomes lower than the entangled part 27 between the main tank part 28 and the sub tank part 29, air flows from the sub tank 29 part side to the main tank part 28 side, and the water on the main tank part 28 side becomes the sub tank part 29. Move to the side. By repeating such an operation, the water required for one ice making is supplied to the ice making water tank 9.

When the water required for ice making once is accumulated in the ice making water tank 9, the water supplied thereafter returns to the water supplying tank 20 as excess water via the overflow pipe 4 and the return hose 24.

When the deicing completion is detected by the known deicing completion detecting device Th ₂ in this way, the ice making device enters the ice making cycle under the control of the known electronic control circuit EC, and the pump Motor 26 (PM ₁ ) stopped, hot gas valve HV
Is closed, the pump motor 12 or PM ₂ is driven, and the ice making water in the ice making water tank 9 is supplied to the ice making water sprinkler 7 of the water sprinkler 5.
It is supplied to the ice making surface of the ice making plate 8 via. When a predetermined amount of ice particles grow on the ice making plate 8, the state is detected by a known ice making completion detecting device FS ₃ which can be a float type water level detecting device provided in the ice making water tank 9, and is removed from the ice making cycle. After shifting to the ice cycle, the ice particles 8a on the ice making plate 8
The ice is deiced from there and stored in the ice storage 10.

When a predetermined amount of ice particles 8a are accumulated in the ice storage 10 by repeating the above-described cycle, the ice storage detection switch Th ₁ connected in series to the power switch SW is activated and turned off to stop the operation of the ice making device. To do.

Further, as shown in FIG. 6, in the control circuit of the ice making device, a float switch 23 (FS ₁ ) provided in the water supply tank 20 for detecting the lower limit water level of the water inside the water supply tank 20 and the drain tank 36.
And a float switch 43 (FS ₂ ) for detecting the upper limit water level of water inside the relay X are connected in parallel to the normally open contact X ₁₁ connected in series to the relay X, and ₁₂ normally closed contacts are connected in series with the power supply.
The above-mentioned relay X, its normally open contact X ₁₁ and normally closed contact X ₁₂ constitute a controller C.

Float switch 23 attached to water tank 20
Is a pump motor so that water can be supplied as effectively as possible.
It is arranged apart from 26 and detects a predetermined level above the lower end of the pump motor 26 as the lower limit water level. The drainage tank 36 has at least a sufficient capacity to accommodate even if all the ice particles 8a stored in the ice storage 10 in a full state are melted and flowed into the drainage tank 36. As shown in, float assembly 43 of float assembly 41
The upper limit water level L _UP to be detected by the float 43a is set lower than the maximum water level L _max when the melted ice water is stored as described above. That is, the capacity of the drainage tank 36 between the upper limit water level L _UP and the maximum water level L _max is larger than the amount of melted ice water generated by melting the total amount of the ice particles 8a stored in the ice storage 10 in a full state.

When the float switch 23 or 43 detects the water level set as described above and closes, the relay X is excited and its normally-open contact X ₁₁ is closed to keep the relay X self-holding. closed contact X ₁₂ is then opened, driving the ice-making device is stopped. At the same time, the lamp (alarm device) L connected to the control device C is turned off to inform that water needs to be supplied to the water supply tank 20 or drained from the drainage tank 36. To return the ice making device, the water supply / drainage process of the water supply / drainage tank may be performed and the power switch SW may be turned on.

Since the lamp L is connected to the line l derived from between the ice storage detecting switch Th ₁ and the normally closed contact X ₁₂ , the lamp L does not turn off even when the ice storing detection switch Th ₁ operates. Further, in the embodiment, since the lamp L is connected to the line 1 described above, the lamp L is turned off when the set water level is detected. For example, another normally closed contact of the relay X is provided on the power switch SW side of the control device C. Alternatively, a normally open contact is provided and the lamp L
May be connected, or if a normally open contact is provided in that case, the lamp L can be turned on when the set water level is detected. In the latter case, a buzzer can be used as the alarm device.

[Advantage of the Invention] As described above, according to the present invention, the water tank is separated into the water supply tank and the drainage tank, so that the degree of freedom in design is increased, and the capacity of the water supply tank and the drainage tank is relatively increased. Even if the size is increased, the size of the ice making device as a whole is not increased, and by separating the ice making device into two pieces, the water of the drainage system is not mixed into the ice making water system, so that a very hygienic ice making device is provided. Further, since the low temperature surplus water in the ice making water tank returns to the water supply tank, the water in the water supply tank is also cooled and kept clean.

In addition, if the water supply tank is provided with the first water level detection device and configured to stop the operation of the ice making device when the lower limit water level is detected, not only the wasteful operation is eliminated, but also the energy is saved. If the water level detection device is provided and the operation of the ice making device is stopped when the upper limit water level is detected, drainage will not overflow and pollute the surroundings.

Moreover, if the alarm device is activated when the set water level of the first and second water level detection devices is detected, the user can be notified of the abnormality quickly, and the user can check the water level in the water tank and the drain tank. It is free from the troublesome work of inspecting.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the entire structure of an embodiment of the ice making device according to the present invention, FIG. 2 is a detailed sectional view showing the internal structure of the ice making machine part in the ice making device of FIG. 1, and FIG. 1, a partially exploded perspective view of a water supply tank used in the ice making device of FIG. 1, FIG. 4 is a perspective view for explaining supply of water to the water supply tank shown in FIG. 3, and FIG. A partially exploded perspective view of a drainage tank used in the ice making device of FIG. 1,
FIG. 6 is a circuit diagram showing a control circuit of the ice making device of FIG.
FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view for explaining the water level in the drain tank of FIG. 4 ... Overflow pipe (pipe line) 8 ... Ice making plate (ice making part), 8a ... Ice grain 9 ... Ice making water tank, 10 ... Ice storage tank 20 ... Water supply tank, 21 ... Water supply pump device 23 ... Float switch (first water level detection) device) 24 ... return hose (pipe), 36 ... drain tank 43 ... float switch (second water level detector) C ... controller, X ... relay (control) X ₁₁ ... normally open contact (controller) X ₁₂ … Normally closed contact (control device) Th ₁ … Ice storage detection switch L… Lamp (alarm device)

Claims (4)

[Scope of utility model registration request] 1. A water supply tank (20) for storing water, an upper ice making water tank (9) for supplying and storing water from the water supply tank (20) below, and water in the water supply tank (20). For supplying water to the ice making water tank (9) (2
1), an ice making section (8) for making water supplied from the ice making water tank (9), an ice storage (10) for storing ice particles made in the ice making section (8), and the ice storage A drainage tank (36) in fluid communication with the bottom of the refrigerator (10), fluid communication with the ice making water tank (9) and the water supply tank (20), and excess water from the ice making water tank (9) is supplied to the water supply tank ( 20) A water storage type ice making device comprising a pipe (4, 24) to be introduced into 2. A first water level detection device (23) provided in the water supply tank (20) for detecting a predetermined lower limit water level of water in the water supply tank (20), and provided in the drainage tank (36). And a second water level detecting device (43) for detecting a predetermined upper limit water level of the water in the drainage tank (36) and the first and second water level detecting devices (23, 43), at least one of which is connected. The water storage type ice making device according to claim 1, further comprising a control device (X, X ₁₁ , X ₁₂ ) which stops the operation of the ice making device when the lower limit water level or the upper limit water level is detected. 3. A predetermined amount of ice particles (8a) in the ice storage (10)
When the ice making device is detected, the ice making device (X, X ₁₁ ,
X ₁₂ ) is connected to the ice storage detection switch (Th ₁ ) for stopping the operation of the control unit (X, X ₁₁ , X ₁₂ ), and the lower limit of the first and second water level detection devices (23, 43) The water storage type ice making device according to claim 2, further comprising: an alarm device (L) which is activated when an upper limit water level is detected and issues an alarm. 4. The drainage tank (36) is the ice storage (1
The water storage type ice making device according to claim 2 or 3, having a capacity capable of accommodating at least a total amount of water generated from a predetermined amount of ice particles (8a) in (0).