TWI682136B - Ice making device - Google Patents

Abstract

An ice-making device for a refrigerator is provided, which suppresses the dimension in the height direction, and at the same time enables cold air to be evenly distributed on the ice-making tray to uniformly perform ice-making. The ice-making device of the refrigerator includes: an ice-making chamber internally arranged from the proximal side of the refrigerator to the deep side toward the long-side direction, and arranged above the depth-side of the ice-making chamber relative to the ice-making tray to blow out cold air to the ice making The upper air outlet of the upper space of the tray is opened in a direction crossing the direction of the opening of the upper air outlet to blow out cold air to the side air outlet of the upper space of the ice making tray. The side outlet is provided below the upper outlet.

Description

Ice making device

The present invention relates to an ice-making device installed in a refrigerator, and particularly to a structure of a cold air circulation.

In the past, refrigerators equipped with an ice making device for automatic ice making have been known. As disclosed in Patent Document 1, the refrigerator is provided with an ice-making chamber, and an ice-making tray provided so as to freely rotate by the driving section is provided inside. The cold air from the cooler is supplied to the ice making room, and the water on the ice making tray is frozen by the cold air for ice making. The ice obtained from the ice making on the ice making tray is rotated by the driving unit and dropped into an ice storage box arranged below the ice making tray for storage.

The cold air pipe system that guides cold air to the ice tray is composed of the upper side cold air pipe and the side cold air pipe. The upper side cold air duct and the side side cold air duct are provided to avoid the driving part. The upper side cold air pipe is arranged above the ice making tray, and cool air is supplied from above the ice making tray through the cold air introduction hole. The side cold air pipe supplies cold air to the ice tray from the cold air introduction hole provided on the side of the ice tray. The cold air heated by the water on the ice tray is discharged from the side opposite to the side cold air introduction hole.

Advanced technical literature

Patent Literature:

Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2006-250489

In the ice making device of the refrigerator disclosed in Patent Document 1, the purpose is to make ice uniformly at all positions on the ice making tray. Therefore, the cold air introduction holes corresponding to the divided water storage sections on the ice making tray are provided on the upper side cold air duct, whereby the cold air is equally distributed and the heat exchange can be performed stably without following the ice making tray The location varies. However, if an upper side cold air pipe provided with a cold air introduction hole is arranged above the ice making tray, and a slewing drive space for separating ice from the ice making tray is secured, there is a problem that the height dimension of the entire ice making apparatus becomes large .

In addition, the cold air system supplied from the upper cold air pipe to the ice tray through the cold air introduction hole is blown out vertically. Therefore, after colliding with the water surface on the ice tray, it circulates in the vertical direction between the upper cold air pipe and the water surface. The circulating cold air contains water, and there is a problem that the water adheres to the wall surface facing the space between the upper side cold air pipe and the water surface and causes frost. Furthermore, if there is too much frost in the ice making room, there will be a problem that the rotation of the ice making tray is hindered, the ice cannot be separated from the ice making tray, and the ice cannot be made.

If the amount of cold air introduction from the cold air introduction hole of the side cold air pipe is increased to prevent frost formation, the cold air flowing in from the upper side cold air pipe collides with the cold air from the side cold air pipe and flows to the side. Therefore, there is a problem that the cold air cannot be evenly distributed on the ice tray and ice cannot be evenly produced.

The present invention is to solve the above-mentioned problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide an ice-making device for a refrigerator, which can suppress the size in the height direction and meanwhile distribute cold air evenly on the ice-making tray and perform ice-making uniformly.

The ice-making device of the present invention is an ice-making device provided in a refrigerator, which includes: an ice-making chamber in which an ice-making tray toward the long side direction is arranged from the proximal side to the deep side of the refrigerator; The outlet, which is arranged above the deep side of the previous ice making chamber than the previous ice making tray, blows out the cold air to the space above the previous ice making tray; the side blowing outlet, whose opening crosses in the direction of the opening of the upper blowing outlet Direction, blow out the cold air from the previous note to the space above the previous note of the ice tray. The side blowing outlet of the previous note is set below the upper blowing outlet of the previous note

According to the ice-making device of the present invention, it is possible to supply cold air to the water on the ice-making tray on the proximal side of the ice-making chamber without providing a tube above the ice-making tray, suppressing the height dimension of the ice-making apparatus to save Spatialization.

By providing the upper outlet on the deep side of the ice making tray, the cold air from the upper outlet can be supplied to the water on the ice making tray located on the proximal side of the ice making compartment. In addition, the side air outlet is provided below the upper air outlet, so the cold air blown from the upper air outlet and the cold air blown from the side air outlet do not collide, and the cold air from the upper air outlet is easily supplied to Water on the ice making tray located on the proximal side of the ice making room. In addition, it is possible to suppress the cold air rich in moisture from staying in the space above the ice tray, and to suppress frost formation.

The cold air from the upper air outlet will not rush to the ice tray side after being blown out from the upper air outlet, but will flow along the top surface of the ice making chamber on the ice tray on the deep side of the ice making chamber. Therefore, the cold air blown out from the upper air outlet does not cause a pressure loss due to the bending flow, so there is no reduction in the flow rate, and the supply of cold air to the water on the ice making tray on the proximal side of the ice making chamber increases. In addition, the cold air from the side outlet can be supplied to the ice making tray on the deep side of the ice making room, so the cold air can be supplied to the entire range of the ice making tray, so that the water on the ice making tray can make ice in the same way .

1‧‧‧Refrigerator

2‧‧‧Compressor

3‧‧‧cooler

4‧‧‧Supply fan

5‧‧‧Wind Road

6‧‧‧cool air outlet

10‧‧‧Ice making device

11‧‧‧ ice tray

11a‧‧‧Water Storage Department

11b‧‧‧Water

11c‧‧‧ Deep side end

12‧‧‧Drive Department

12a‧‧‧Upper drive unit

13‧‧‧Upper blowout

13a‧‧‧Upper tube

13b‧‧‧Upper

13c‧‧‧lower

14‧‧‧side blowout

14a‧‧‧Side tube

15‧‧‧ Upper limit line

18‧‧‧Ice machine cover

18a‧‧‧Top

18b‧‧‧Bevel

18c‧‧‧Beveled end

19‧‧‧Ice detection lever

20‧‧‧cool air return

100‧‧‧Refrigerator

110‧‧‧Ice making device

113‧‧‧Upper blowout

113a‧‧‧Upper tube

114‧‧‧side blowout

114a‧‧‧Side tube

200‧‧‧Switch room

300‧‧‧Ice making room

301‧‧‧Ice storage box

302‧‧‧ Upper space

400‧‧‧Freezer

500‧‧‧vegetable room

Q ₁ ‧‧‧ volume

Q ₂ ‧‧‧ volume

W ₁ ‧‧‧ width dimension

W ₂ ‧‧‧ width dimension

d ₁ ‧‧‧ equivalent diameter

d ₂ ‧‧‧ equivalent diameter

h ₁ ‧‧‧ Height dimension

h ₂ ‧‧‧ Height dimension

ρ‧‧‧Air density

[Fig. 1] A schematic view of the refrigerator according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention viewed from the front.

[Fig. 2] A schematic diagram showing a cross-sectional structure of a refrigerator according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention.

[Fig. 3] A perspective view of an ice-making device according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention.

[FIG. 4] The top view of the ice-making apparatus of FIG.

[Fig. 5] A cross-sectional view of the ice-making device of Fig. 4.

[Fig. 6] A schematic view of the ice-making device according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention viewed from above the ice-making tray.

[Fig. 7] A schematic diagram showing the structure of an ice-making device of a comparative example.

[Fig. 8] An explanatory diagram including a structure of a cross section perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the ice making tray of the upper blowing port and the side blowing port of the ice making device of Fig. 7.

9 is a cross-sectional view perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the ice making tray of the ice making device of FIG. 4.

Embodiment 1.

FIG. 1 is a schematic view of the refrigerator 1 according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention as viewed from the front. In FIG. 1, the doors that close the storage rooms of the refrigerator 1 are omitted. The refrigerator 1 has the refrigerator compartment 100 in the uppermost part. Below the refrigerator compartment 100, there are switchable compartments that can be switched to various temperature zones such as freezing temperature zone (-18°C), refrigeration (3°C), ice storage (0°C), and soft freezing (-7°C) 200. In addition, the ice making compartment 300 is arranged under the refrigerating compartment 100 in parallel with the switching compartment 200. Below the switching room 200 and the ice making room 300, a freezing room 400 is arranged, and below the freezing room 400, a vegetable room 500 is arranged. The switching room 200, the ice making room 300, the freezing room 400, and the vegetable room 500 are provided with drawer-type doors. In addition, the form of the refrigerator 1 is not limited to what is shown in FIG. 1, for example, the switching room 200 may not be provided.

FIG. 2 is a schematic view showing the cross-sectional structure of the refrigerator 1 according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention. Fig. 2 shows the A-A section of Fig. 1. The refrigerator 1 includes a compressor 2 on the back side of the vegetable compartment 500, and a blower fan 4 that blows the cool air cooled by the cooler 3 and the cooler 3 to each compartment in the refrigerator on the back side of the freezer compartment 400. The cold air cooled by the cooler 3 is blown into the freezing compartment 400, the switching compartment 200, the ice making compartment 300, and the refrigerating compartment 100 by the air passage 5 for introducing into each storage compartment of the refrigerator 1, and each storage Room cooling. The vegetable compartment 500 is cooled by circulating the return cold air of the refrigerator compartment 100 through the return air passage (not shown) for the refrigerator compartment. Then, it returns to the cooler 3 via the vegetable compartment return air path (not shown). The temperature of each storage room is detected by the thermistor (not shown) installed in each storage room, by adjusting the air lock (not shown) installed in the air path 5 The opening degree of the compressor, the operating condition of the compressor 2, and the air supply amount of the blower fan 4 are controlled to be the preset temperature.

In FIG. 2, the structure of each storage room is schematically shown. The arrow shown in Fig. 2 represents the cold air flow. The cold air cooled by the cooler 3 is sent into the ice-making chamber 300 by the blowing fan 4. The cold air is sent into the ice making chamber 300 through the cold air blowing port 6. In the ice making chamber 300, an ice making tray 11 provided so as to be freely rotated by the driving unit 12 is arranged. The cold air from the cold air outlet 6 is supplied to the upper space 302 above the ice making tray 11 and exchanges heat with the water stored on the ice making tray 11 to make ice. The ice tray 11 is surrounded by the ice maker cover 18 above and to the side, so that cold air is supplied into the upper space 302 of the ice tray 11 between the ice maker tray 11 and the ice maker cover 18 and does not escape.

3 is a perspective view of the ice-making device 10 according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention. FIG. 4 is a top view of the ice-making device 10 of FIG. 3. FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of the ice-making device 10 of FIG. 4. Fig. 5 shows the B-B section of Fig. 4. The ice making device 10 is arranged in the ice making room 300. As shown in FIG. 2, the ice making device 10 has an ice storage box 301 below the ice making tray 11, but it is omitted in FIGS. 3 to 5.

The upper part of the ice tray 11 is covered by the ice maker cover 18, and an upper space 302 for cold air circulation is formed between the ice maker tray 11 and the ice maker cover 18. The ice-making tray 11 is supported by the driving unit 12 disposed on the deep side of the ice-making chamber 300 in a freely rotatable manner. The driving part 12 is a device that twists the ice making tray 11 so that the ice made on the ice making tray 11 falls into the ice storage box 301. An ice detection lever 19 for detecting the amount of ice accumulated in the ice storage box 301 is provided below the ice tray 11. The ice detection control lever 19 is in contact with the ice in the ice storage box 301, and when it cannot fall below a specific position, the ice making tray 11 does not perform the ice separation action, thereby preventing the ice storage box 301 from being filled with ice.

As shown in FIG. 5, in the ice making chamber 300, an upper outlet 13 is provided above the ice making tray 11 and on the deeper side of the ice making chamber 300 than the ice making tray 11. The upper air outlet 13 blows the cold air from the cold air outlet 6 located on the deep side of the ice making chamber 300 (that is, the back side of the refrigerator 1) and through the upper tube 13 a to the upper space 302 of the ice making tray 11. The upper tube 13a must bypass the depth of the ice tray 11 in the ice making chamber 300 端 adjacent to the driving portion 12. Therefore, the upper tube 13 a is provided adjacent to the upper part of the drive unit 12, and the upper outlet 13 is arranged adjacent to the drive unit 12.

The driving unit 12 is provided adjacent to the deep side of the ice making tray 11 in the ice making chamber 300. The driving unit 12 has a mechanism for driving the ice tray 11 inside. Therefore, the upper portion of the driving portion 12 is provided to protrude upward from the water storage portion 11a of the ice tray 11. The upper outlet 13 is opened above the upper portion of the drive unit 12.

A top surface 18a is provided above the water storage portion 11a of the ice tray 11. The top surface 18a is the lower surface of the ice making machine cover 18, and is especially a portion located above the ice making tray 11 and opposed to the water storage portion 11a of the ice making tray 11. The top surface 18a extends from the upper end 13b of the upper outlet 13 toward the proximal end side of the ice making chamber 300. The top surface 18a is horizontal from the upper end 13b of the upper outlet 13 to the deep side end 11c of the water storage portion 11a of the ice tray 11, and the inclined surface portion 18b is provided from there to face the ice making chamber The proximal side of 300 drops. That is, the top surface 18a is provided with the inclined surface portion 18b, and the closer to the ice-making tray 11 in the region on the deep side of the ice-making chamber 300, the closer to the proximal end side of the ice-making chamber 300. Furthermore, in the first embodiment, the top surface 18a is a part of the ice maker cover 18, but it is not limited to this form. The top surface 18a may be constituted by other structures inside the ice making chamber 300. For example, it may be constituted by the partition wall 150 that separates the ice making compartment 300 and the refrigerating compartment 100.

The inclined surface portion 18b of the top surface 18a is provided from the central portion in the longitudinal direction of the ice tray 11 to the deep side. The inclined end portion 18c of the inclined surface portion 18b on the side closer to the ice tray 11 is located slightly above the deeper side than the central portion of the ice tray 11 in the longitudinal direction. In the range from the inclined end portion 18c to the proximal end side of the ice making chamber 300, the top surface 18a and the water surface 11b of the water storage portion 11a of the ice making tray 11 are almost parallel. The top surface 18a is formed so as not to interfere with the trajectory of the ice making tray 11 when ice is dropped into the ice storage box 301. In FIG. 5, the top surface 18 a is located above the upper limit line 15 of the trajectory of the ice tray 11.

6 is a schematic view of the ice making tray 11 of the ice making device 10 according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention, viewed from above. FIG. 6 is a schematic view of the C-C section of FIG. 5. A side air outlet 14 is provided on the side of the ice tray 11. The side air outlet 14 is provided in the wall of the ice maker cover 18 on the side of the ice tray 11 with its opening facing The direction crossing the direction in which the upper outlet 13 opens. The side air outlet 14 branches the cold air outlet 6 located on the back side of the refrigerator 1 and blows the cold air passing through the side tube 14 a to the upper space 302 of the ice tray 11. The side tube 14a is also arranged to bypass the driving portion 12 as the upper tube 13a.

字形狀的區域，其由貯水部11a的上端、驅動部上部12a、將上部吹出口13之下端13c水平延伸的假想面所圍成。側部吹出口14朝向此

字形狀的內側區域開口。另外，側部吹出口14位於較設置於頂面18a的斜面部18b的斜面端部18c更靠製冰室300的進深側。亦即，側部吹出口14係朝向位於製冰室300的頂面18a之斜面部18b的下方的製冰盤11之上方空間302開口。 In FIG. 5, the portion marked with a broken line as a rectangle indicates the position of the side air outlet 14. The side air outlet 14 blows out cold air onto the water storage portion 11 a of the ice making tray 11 near the drive portion 12. In addition, the side air outlet 14 is located below the lower end 13 c of the upper air outlet 13. That is, the side air outlet 14 is arranged so as to face a corner area formed by the upper portion of the driving portion and the water storage portion 11 a of the ice making tray 11 in the upper space 302 of the ice making tray 11. In other words, the upper space 302 of the ice tray 11 has a section as shown in FIG. 5 and is divided into

The letter-shaped area is surrounded by an imaginary surface of the upper end of the water storage portion 11a, the upper portion 12a of the driving portion, and the horizontally extending lower end 13c of the upper outlet 13. The side outlet 14 faces this

The inner region of the word shape is open. In addition, the side air outlet 14 is located on the deeper side of the ice making chamber 300 than the inclined end portion 18c of the inclined surface portion 18b provided on the top surface 18a. That is, the side air outlet 14 opens toward the upper space 302 of the ice making tray 11 located below the inclined surface 18b of the top surface 18a of the ice making chamber 300.

As shown in FIG. 5, the cold air blown out from the upper air outlet 13 flows along the inclined surface portion 18b of the ice maker cover 18 extending in the blowing direction. Since the slope of the inclined surface portion 18b with respect to the blowing direction is 10 degrees or less, the pressure loss of the cold air flow is suppressed. The cold air blown out from the upper blowing port 13 and flowing along the top surface 18a is difficult to escape from the top surface 18a due to the broad de effect, and easily reaches the proximal side region of the ice making chamber 300.

In addition, the side blower outlet 14 is disposed below the lower end 13 c of the upper blower outlet 13 and on the proximal end side of the drive unit 12 in the ice making chamber 300. Therefore, the cold air blown out from the side air outlet 14 and the cold air blown out from the upper air outlet 13 do not collide near the upper air outlet 13 or the side air outlet 14. Therefore, the cold air blown out from the upper air outlet 13 easily reaches the water storage portion 11 a on the ice making tray 11 located on the proximal end side of the ice making chamber 300.

The cold air blown from the side air outlet 14 is not obstructed by the cold air blown from the upper air outlet 13, but reaches the water storage portion 11 a on the ice tray 11 near the drive unit 12.

FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram showing the structure of the ice-making device 110 of the comparative example. 8 is an explanatory diagram of a structure including a cross section perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the ice tray 11 including the upper outlet 113 and the side outlet 114 of the ice maker 110 of FIG. 7. The ice maker 110 of the comparative example is also provided in the refrigerator 1 like the ice maker 10 of the first embodiment. In the ice making device 110 of the comparative example, an upper tube 113a is provided above the ice making tray 11, and a side tube 114a is provided on the side of the ice making tray 11. The cold air blown out from the cold air outlet 6 branches into the upper tube 113a and the side tube 114a. The cold air that has flowed into the upper pipe 113a is blown out from the plurality of upper outlets 113 provided below the upper pipe 113a. The upper outlet 113 is arranged above the water storage portion 11 a of the ice making tray 11 located on the proximal end side of the ice making chamber 300.

The cold air flowing into the side tube 114a from the cold air outlet 6 is blown out from the plurality of side air outlets 114 disposed on the side of the side tube 114a where the ice tray 11 is located. The side air outlet 114 is arranged on the side of the water storage portion 11 a of the ice making tray 11 located on the deep side of the ice making chamber 300.

As shown in FIG. 8, the cold air blown out from the upper outlet 113 vertically collides with the water surface of the water stored in the water storage portion 11 a on the ice tray 11. Therefore, the cold air that hit the water surface bends horizontally, and then turns upward. That is, in the space 302 above the ice making tray 11 between the ice making tray 11 and the lower surface of the upper tube 13a, the cold air containing water circulates in the up and down direction. In addition, the cold air blown from the side air outlet 114 and the cold air blown from the upper air outlet 113 merge and circulate, and circulate in the upper space 302 of the ice tray 11. Since the cold air containing water circulates in the upper space 302 of the ice tray 11, frost adheres to the wall surface and the like facing the upper space 302. When more frost adheres, the frost hinders the rotation of the ice making tray 11 initiated by the drive unit 12 and becomes a cause of inconveniences such as inability to make ice.

In addition, since the cold air from the upper air outlet 113 collides with the cold air from the side air outlet 114, the cold air from the upper air outlet 113 flows laterally due to the cold air flow from the side air outlet 114. Therefore, the cold air cannot be evenly distributed on the ice making tray 11, resulting in uneven ice making in various parts of the ice making tray 11.

On the other hand, in the ice-making device 10 of the first embodiment, as shown in FIG. The cold air blown out at 13 passes along the top surface 18a above the side air outlet 14 without colliding with the cold air blown from the side air outlet 14. Therefore, the cold air blown out from the upper air outlet 13 surely reaches the water storage portion 11 a on the ice making tray 11 located on the proximal end side of the ice making chamber 300. In addition, the cold air blown out from the side air outlet 14 will not be carried away by the cold air from the upper air outlet 13 but will reach the water storage portion 11 a on the driving portion 12 side of the ice tray 11.

9 is a cross-sectional view perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the ice making tray 11 of the ice making device 10 of FIG. 4. FIG. 9 shows a cross section including the upper tube 13 a, the side tube 14 a, and the driving unit 12. From the height dimension h ₁ and the width dimension W ₁ in the cross section of the upper tube 13a, the equivalent diameter d _{1 of} the upper tube 13a is obtained according to d ₁ = (h ₁ × W ₁ )/(2h ₁ + 2W ₁ ) . Similarly, from the height direction dimension h ₂ and the width direction dimension W _{2 of} the side tube 14a, the equivalent diameter of the side tube 14a is obtained according to d ₂ = (h ₂ × W ₂ )/(2h ₂ + 2W ₂ ) d ₂ . Generally speaking, the pressure loss of the fluid in the tube is inversely proportional to the equivalent diameter d ₁ . That is, as the equivalent diameter d ₁ becomes smaller, the pressure of the fluid flowing through the tube decreases. If the pressure of the fluid in the tube decreases due to the pressure loss, the flow rate of the fluid in the tube decreases. In addition, the equivalent diameter d is calculated by the portion where the cross-sectional area perpendicular to the flow direction of the cold air in the upper tube 13a and the side tube 14a is the smallest.

In the ice-making device 10 of Embodiment 1, the equivalent diameter d ₁ in the upper tube 13a is smaller than the equivalent diameter d ₂ in the side tube 14a. Therefore, the amount Q ₂ of cold air flowing to the side tube 14a is larger than the amount Q ₁ of cold air flowing to the upper tube 13a. Therefore, after the heat exchange between the cold air and the surrounding air is performed, the temperature of the cold air flowing through the upper tube 13a with a small heat capacity will increase more than the cold air flowing through the side tube 14a. When the air temperature is t, e is the water vapor pressure, and P is the atmospheric pressure, the air density ρ can be obtained by the following formula, ρ=1.293×P/(1+t/273.15)×(1-0.378e/P). That is, the higher the air temperature, the lower the air density. Therefore, the density of the cold air flowing through the upper tube 13a whose temperature is increased due to the heat exchange with the surrounding air becomes smaller, and the density of the cold air flowing through the side tube 14a and blown out from the side air outlet 14 is higher. Therefore, the density of the cold air blown out from the upper air outlet 13 is smaller than the air blown out from the side air outlet 14, so buoyancy is generated. Due to this buoyancy, the cold air blown out from the upper outlet 13 is not likely to sink to the ice tray 11 side. Therefore, the cold air just blown out from the upper blowing port 13 does not come into contact with the water accumulated in the ice making tray 11 to exchange heat, and is easily blown into the space above the ice making tray 11 on the proximal side of the ice making chamber 300 302.

The cold air blown out from the upper air outlet 13 does not sink in the vicinity of the driving part 12 due to the buoyancy of the density difference between the cold air blown from the side air outlet 14 and the cold air blown from the side air outlet 14. In addition, the cold air blown out from the upper air outlet 13 flows along the top surface 18a due to the wide-de effect at a position away from the driving unit 12. Therefore, the cold air that has not yet been heat-exchanged with water is supplied to the water storage portion 11 a on the ice making tray 11 located on the proximal end side of the ice making chamber 300.

In addition, the cold air blown out from the upper air outlet 13 does not turn sharply in the region on the driving part 12 side of the ice tray 11, so there is no pressure loss due to bending flow. Moreover, since the top surface 18a is a smooth surface without a structure that obstructs flow, such as protrusions, the pressure loss of the cold air is small and the flow rate is not reduced. Therefore, a sufficient amount of cold air can be supplied to the ice chamber 300. The water storage portion 11a of the ice making tray 11 on the proximal end side.

As shown in FIG. 6, the cold air system blown out from the side outlet 14 is mainly supplied to the water storage portion 11a of the ice making tray 11 on the side of the driving portion 12, exchanges heat with water, and then flows to the proximal end of the ice making chamber 300 Side area. In the space 302 above the ice making tray 11 on the proximal end side of the ice making compartment 300, cold air enters the cold air return port 20 located on the side of the ice making tray 11. In addition, the cold air blown out from the upper air outlet 13 and supplied to the water storage portion 11a of the ice making tray 11 on the proximal side of the ice making chamber 300 also enters the cold air return port 20 after heat exchange with water.

The cool air return port 20 equivalent diameter d ₃ of the equivalent diameter d of _a pipe 13a with the upper portion and the rear portion of said side tube conditions equivalent diameter d ₂ of 14a, satisfy. The equivalent diameter d ₃ of the cold air return port 20 is set to satisfy the relationship of 1/d ₃ ≦1/d ₁ +1/d ₂ . That is, the relationship of d ₃ ≧d ₁ d ₂ /(d ₁ +d ₂ ) is satisfied. When the equivalent diameter d ₃ of the cold air return port 20 on the cold air flow exit side satisfies the above condition, the pressure loss on the cold air flow exit side becomes small, and the amount of inflow into the cold air return port 20 increases. Therefore, the cold air supplied to the upper space 302 of the ice tray 11 does not circulate and stay in the upper space 302 and easily enters the cold air return port 20. Therefore, it is possible to suppress the circulation of the cold air containing moisture in the upper space 302 and to suppress frost formation in the ice making compartment 300. In addition, when the equivalent diameter d _{3 of the} cold air return port 20 satisfies the above condition, the flow rate of the cold air flowing through the upper space 302 of the ice tray 11 also increases.

As described above, the water accumulated on the drive unit 12 side of the ice tray 11 is mainly cooled by the cold air blown out from the side outlet 14. In addition, the water accumulated on the ice-making tray 11 on the proximal side of the ice-making chamber 300 is mainly cooled by the cold air blown out from the upper outlet 13. In this way, the cold air is evenly distributed on the ice making tray 11, so that the ice is evenly made on the ice making tray 11. The ice-making device of the present invention does not need to add components such as a top air path to the conventional ice-making device, and can supply cold air to the entire ice-making tray in a low-cost and space-saving manner, and can perform uniform ice-making.

(Effect of Embodiment 1)

(1) The ice-making device 10 according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention is the ice-making device 10 provided in the refrigerator 1 and includes an ice-making chamber 300 in which the interior is arranged from the proximal end side of the refrigerator 1 to the deep side toward the long side The ice tray 11 in the direction; the upper blowing outlet 13 which is arranged above the deep side of the ice making chamber 300 than the ice tray 11 and blows cold air to the space 302 above the ice tray 11; the side outlet 14 It opens in a direction crossing the opening direction of the upper blowing port 13 and blows cold air out to the space 302 above the ice tray 11. The side air outlet 14 is provided below the upper air outlet 13.

With this configuration, the cold air blown from the upper air outlet 13 and the cold air blown from the side air outlet 14 do not collide in the vicinity of the upper air outlet 13 and the side air outlet, but can reach a specific area on the ice tray 11 . Therefore, the cold air blown out from the upper outlet 13 reaches the water storage portion 11a of the ice making tray 11 located on the proximal end side of the ice making chamber 300. In addition, the cold air blown out from the side outlet 14 reaches the water storage portion 11 a of the ice making tray 11 located on the deep side of the ice making chamber 300. In this way, it is possible to supply cold air to the entire water storage portion 11a on the ice making tray 11 without providing a tube on the upper portion, and it is possible to uniformly make ice on the ice making tray 11 while saving space.

(2) According to the ice-making device 10 of the first embodiment of the present invention, the ice-making tray 11 is arranged such that the ice-storing water storage portion 11a faces upward, and the ice-making chamber 300 has a top surface 18a, which is located above the water storage portion 11a and It faces the water storage part 11a. The top surface 18a has an inclined surface portion 18b which goes from the deep side of the ice making chamber 300 toward the proximal end The side is lowered toward the ice tray 11 more. Among the inclined surface portions 18b, the inclined surface end portion 18c located on the side closer to the ice tray 11 is located on the proximal end side of the ice making chamber 300 than the side outlet 14.

With such a configuration, the side air outlet 14 is located below the inclined surface portion 18b of the top surface 18a, and therefore, the cold air blown out from the upper air outlet 13 passes over the cold air blown from the side air outlet 14 to easily reach the ice making position The water storage portion 11a of the ice making tray 11 on the proximal end side of the chamber 300. In addition, since the cool air system blown out from the upper outlet 13 flows along the gentle slope portion 18b, the pressure loss can be suppressed, and the decrease in the flow rate can be suppressed.

(3) The ice-making device 10 according to the first embodiment of the present invention includes the driving unit 12 for turning the ice-making tray 11, the upper outlet 13 is disposed above the driving unit 12, and the side outlet 14 is disposed relatively The portion 12 is closer to the proximal end side of the ice making chamber 300.

(4) In addition, the driving portion 12 is arranged on the deeper side of the ice making chamber 300 than the ice making tray 11 and is adjacent to the ice making tray 11, and is arranged such that the upper portion 12a of the driving portion is more upward than the ice making tray 11 Fang prominent. The side air outlet 14 opens toward the corner area formed by the upper end of the ice tray 11 and the upper portion 12a of the driving portion in the upper space 302 of the ice tray 11.

With this configuration, the side air outlet 14 supplies cold air to the upper end of the ice tray 11 and the corner portion of the upper portion 12a of the driving portion, so there is no need to turn the cold air blown out from the upper air outlet 13 sharply to supply the cold air to this corner unit. Therefore, the cold air blown out from the upper outlet 13 does not need to bend, and its pressure loss can be suppressed.

(5) The ice-making device 10 according to the first embodiment of the present invention includes the cold air outlet 6 for blowing cold air, the upper pipe 13a branched from the cold air outlet 6 and connected to the upper air outlet 13, and the cold air outlet 6 The side pipe 14a branched and connected to the side outlet 14. The equivalent diameter d ₁ of the cross section of the upper tube 13a is smaller than the equivalent diameter d ₂ of the cross section of the side tube 14a.

With such a configuration, the density of the cold air blown out from the upper air outlet 13 is smaller than the cold air blown out from the side air outlet 14, and it is not easy to sink. Therefore, the cold air does not sink as soon as it comes out of the upper outlet 13, and it easily flows along the top surface 18a.

(6) The ice making device 10 according to the first embodiment of the present invention includes the cold air return port 20 into which the cold air blown from the upper air outlet 13 and the side air outlet 14 flows, and the equivalent diameter d _{3 of the} cold air outlet 20 It is larger than the equivalent diameter d ₂ of the cross section of the side tube 14a.

With such a configuration, the cold air supplied to the upper space 302 of the ice tray 11 does not circulate and stay in the upper space 302 and easily enters the cold air return port 20. Therefore, it is possible to suppress the circulation of the cold air containing moisture in the upper space 302 and to suppress frost formation in the ice making compartment 300.

6‧‧‧cool air outlet

10‧‧‧Ice making device

11‧‧‧ ice tray

11a‧‧‧Water Storage Department

11b‧‧‧Water

11c‧‧‧ Deep side end

12‧‧‧Drive Department

12a‧‧‧Upper drive unit

13‧‧‧Upper blowout

13a‧‧‧Upper tube

13b‧‧‧Upper

13c‧‧‧lower

14‧‧‧side blowout

15‧‧‧ Upper limit line

18‧‧‧Ice machine cover

18a‧‧‧Top

18b‧‧‧Bevel

18c‧‧‧Beveled end

19‧‧‧Ice detection lever

302‧‧‧ Upper space

Claims (10)

An ice-making device, which is an ice-making device provided in a refrigerator, includes: an ice-making chamber in which an ice-making tray directed from the proximal side to the deep side of the previous refrigerator toward the long-side direction is arranged; an upper outlet, It is arranged above the deeper side of the previous ice making chamber than the previous ice making tray, and blows out the cold air to the space above the previous ice making tray; the side blowing outlet is opened in a direction crossing the opening direction of the upper blowing outlet , Blow out the cold air of the previous note to the space above the previous note of the ice tray of the previous note; the side outlet of the previous note is located below the upper outlet of the previous note. As in the ice-making device described in item 1 of the scope of the patent application, the former ice-making tray is configured such that the water storage portion of the ice being made faces upward; the former ice-making chamber has a top surface, which is located above the former water storage portion and is in contact with the former water storage portion Relatively; the top surface of the previous note has a slanted surface, which descends from the deep side of the previous ice making chamber toward the proximal side toward the previous ice tray; the inclined end of the previous slanted portion on the side close to the previous ice tray, is It is located on the proximal side of the ice making chamber in the front of the front side. The ice-making device as described in item 1 or 2 of the patent application scope includes a drive unit for rotating the previous ice tray; the upper blower outlet of the previous note is arranged above the drive unit of the previous note; the side blower outlet of the previous note is arranged for drive more than the previous note The part is closer to the proximal side of the former ice making room. As described in item 3 of the patent application scope, the predecessor drive unit is arranged on the deeper side of the predecessor ice making chamber than the predecessor ice tray and is adjacent to the predecessor ice tray, and is arranged such that the drive unit The upper part protrudes more upwards than the previous ice making tray; the side blowing outlet of the previous record faces the corner area formed by the upper end of the previous ice making tray and the upper part of the previous driving section in the space above the previous record of the previous ice making tray. The ice-making device as described in item 1 or 2 of the patent application scope includes: a cold air outlet for blowing the cold air from the previous record; an upper pipe diverging from the cold air outlet of the previous record and connected to the upper blow outlet of the previous record; a diverging cold air outlet from the previous record It is connected to the side tube of the side blowing outlet of the previous note; the equivalent diameter d ₁ of the cross section of the upper tube of the previous note is smaller than the equivalent diameter d ₂ of the cross section of the side tube of the previous note. The ice-making device as described in item 5 of the patent application scope includes the cold air return opening of the previous cold air flow after being blown out from the upper blow port of the previous note and the side blow port of the previous note; the equivalent diameter d _{3 of the} previous cold air return port satisfies d ₃ ≧d ₁ d ₂ /(d ₁ +d ₂ ). The ice-making device as described in item 3 of the patent application scope includes: a cold air outlet for blowing the cold air from the previous record; an upper pipe diverging from the cold air blowing outlet of the previous record and connected to the upper blow outlet of the previous record; The side tube to the side outlet of the previous note; the equivalent diameter d ₁ of the cross section of the top tube of the previous note is smaller than the equivalent diameter d ₂ of the cross section of the side tube of the previous note. The ice-making device as described in item 7 of the patent application scope has a cold air return port that has entered the previous cold air flow that has been blown out from the previous upper blow port and the previous side blow port; the equivalent diameter d _{3 of the} previous cold air return port satisfies d ₃ ≧d ₁ d ₂ /(d ₁ +d ₂ ). The ice-making device as described in item 4 of the patent application scope includes: a cold air outlet for blowing the cold air from the previous record; an upper pipe diverging from the cold air outlet of the previous record and connected to the upper blow outlet of the previous record; The side tube to the side outlet of the previous note; the equivalent diameter d ₁ of the cross section of the top tube of the previous note is smaller than the equivalent diameter d ₂ of the cross section of the side tube of the previous note. The ice-making device as described in item 9 of the patent application scope has a cold air return port that has entered the previous cold air flow that has been blown out from the previous upper blow port and the previous side blow port; the equivalent diameter d _{3 of the} previous cold air return port satisfies d ₃ ≧d ₁ d ₂ /(d ₁ +d ₂ ).

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