JP4064063B2 - Automatic ice making water supply system - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an automatic ice making device for a refrigerator, and more particularly to an automatic ice making and water supply system that draws water from a water supply tank by a pump and enables water supply to a plurality of locations.
[0002]
[Prior art]
In recent years, large refrigerators with an automatic ice making function have become common, and ice making functions with higher added value have been devised. For example, Japanese Patent No. 2854505 and Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 9-310946 describe an automatic ice making machine that makes water by supplying water to a plurality of ice trays. There are many needs regarding the quality, quantity and shape of ice, and it is expected that the number of automatic ice makers with these functions will increase in the future.
[0003]
The conventional automatic ice making machine will be described below with reference to the drawings.
[0004]
FIG. 5 is a structural diagram of an automatic ice making machine described in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 9-310946. In FIG. 5, water necessary for ice making is pumped up from the water supply tank 60 by the pump 50 and flows into the branch valve 16 through the hose 40. The branch valve 16 selects the direction of draining, and water is poured into the selected ice tray 4A or 4B.
[0005]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
However, since the automatic ice maker described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 9-310946 has a branch valve, it must be configured in consideration of the following points.
[0006]
First, a structure that does not leave water in the water supply path is required.
[0007]
If water remains in the water supply path after water supply, it causes breeding of germs, so a structure that does not leave water inside the branch valve is required. When water remains, it may be necessary to control the pump to reversely rotate after water supply to suck up the water remaining in the water supply path and return it to the tank as described in JP-A-7-77371.
[0008]
Second, the branch valve must not leak into an ice tray without water injection.
[0009]
When only one ice tray is used repeatedly, if there is a water leak in the branch valve, there is a problem that the leaked water accumulates in the ice tray that is not used and eventually overflows from the ice tray.
[0010]
Maintenance is also important, and there is an increasing need for specifications that allow the water supply path to be removed and cleaned. However, since the drive source is integrated with the branch valve, and it is necessary to remove the wiring for removal, there remains a big problem for maintenance by the user.
[0011]
If the conventional branch valve is configured in consideration of these, the structure and control become complicated and the price is very high. In addition, it was technically difficult to construct a branch valve with complete water leakage prevention specifications and no water residue at all.
[0012]
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention solves the above-described conventional problems, and an object thereof is to provide an automatic ice-making water supply system that is free from water residue and water leakage in the water supply path and has better maintainability.
[0013]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
In order to solve this problem, an automatic ice making water supply system of the present invention enables one or a plurality of water supply path means extending from a pump to a plurality of locations, and the water supply path means to be moved to supply water to a selected location. It has the structure which has a drive means.
[0014]
Further, the water supply path means and the drive means can be separated.
[0015]
Further, in the automatic ice making water supply system in which water is pumped from a water supply tank and is selectively supplied to two places, the pump has a motor and two pump mechanisms, and one of the pump mechanisms is rotated forward of the motor. The water is poured by the other pump mechanism by reversing the rotation.
[0016]
As a result, it is possible to completely prevent water leakage and remaining water in the water supply path, and to realize an automatic ice making water supply system that is easy to maintain.
[0017]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, reference examples and embodiments of a water supply path switching valve according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
[0018]
( Reference Example 1 )
FIG. 1 is a structural diagram showing the configuration of an automatic ice making water supply system in Reference Example 1 of the present invention.
[0019]
In FIG. 1, reference numeral 4 is a pump that pumps up water in the water supply tank 5. The pumped water flows to the hose 6 connected to the discharge port 4a of the pump 4. The tip 6a of the hose 6 is directed to the ice trays 7a and 7b. The tip 6a of the hose 6 can be moved left and right as indicated by arrows by a solenoid 9 as a drive source, and water can be selectively supplied to the ice trays 7a and 7b. The hose 6 corresponds to the water supply path means of the present invention, and the solenoid 9 corresponds to the drive means of the present invention.
[0020]
The hose 6 is made of a highly water repellent material such as silicon rubber. Therefore, water droplets do not adhere to them. Thus, only the hose 6 is in the water supply path, and there is no other mechanism part in which water is likely to accumulate. In addition, there is no structural leak at all when one ice tray is supplied with water.
[0021]
The tip 6a of the hose 6 and the solenoid 9 are not integrally formed and can be removed. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 1, the tip 6 a of the hose 6 is clamped by a clamping member 10 provided at the tip of the operating rod of the solenoid 9. The clamping member 10 is formed in a U-shape that opens in a direction perpendicular to the axial direction of the hose 6 (the front in the figure). As a result, the hose 6 can be separated from the solenoid 9 from the opening of the clamping member. it can. Therefore, the solenoid 9 can be fixed to the refrigerator body.
[0022]
In this configuration, a solenoid is used as a drive source, but a motor can have the same structure.
[0023]
( Reference Example 2 )
FIG. 2 is a structural diagram showing the configuration of the automatic ice making water supply system in Reference Example 2 of the present invention.
[0024]
In FIG. 2, the same reference numerals are given to the same components as those in the first embodiment. One end 8c, 8d of water injection hoses 8a, 8b is respectively directed to the ice trays 7a, 7b, and the other end 8e, 8f of the water injection hose 8 is moved left and right as indicated by arrows by a solenoid 9 as a driving source. It is possible. Water from the tip 6a of the hose 6 is selectively poured into the other ends 8e and 8f.
[0025]
The hose 6 and the water injection hoses 8a and 8b are made of a highly water-repellent material such as silicon rubber. Therefore, water droplets do not adhere to them. Thus, the water supply path has only the hose 6 and the water injection hoses 8a and 8b, and there is no portion where water is accumulated. In addition, there is no structural leak at all when one ice tray is supplied with water.
[0026]
The other ends 8e and 8f of the water injection hose 8 and the solenoid 9 are not integrally formed and can be removed. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 2, the other ends 8 e and 8 f of the water injection hose 8 are clamped by a clamping member 10 a provided at the tip of the operating rod of the solenoid 9. The sandwiching member 10a is formed in a shape in which a U-shape opened in a direction perpendicular to the axial direction of each of the water injection hoses 8a and 8b (the front in the figure) is continuous. As a result, the water injection hoses 8a and 8b are sandwiched. The solenoid 9 can be separated from the opening of the member 10a. Accordingly, the solenoid 9 can be fixedly installed on the refrigerator main body, which makes it easy to remove the hose 6 and the water injection hoses 8a and 8b.
[0027]
The water injection hoses 8a and 8b correspond to the water supply path means of the present invention, and the solenoid 9 corresponds to the drive means of the present invention. In addition, this configuration uses a solenoid as a drive source, but a motor can have the same structure.
[0028]
(Embodiment 1 )
FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of a pump used in the automatic ice making and water supply system according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention. FIG. 4 is a structural diagram of the automatic ice making and water supply system.
[0029]
In FIG. 3, 11a is a first pump mechanism, 11b is a second pump mechanism, and each is constituted by a gear pump having gears 11g, 11h and 11j, 11k therein. 11m is a motor that drives the gears 11h and 11j simultaneously. Therefore, if the rotation in the direction of the arrow is normal, 11d and 11e become discharge ports and 11c and 11f become suction ports. In the case of reverse rotation, the discharge port and the suction port of each pump mechanism are reversed.
[0030]
In FIG. 4, the same components as those in FIG. A pump 11 is connected to the suction port 11c and the discharge port 11e from the water supply tank 5 by the hoses 6e and 6f, respectively, and the hoses 6c and 6d are connected to the discharge port 11d and the suction port 11f, respectively. During normal rotation of the motor 11m, water is sucked from the hose 6e and poured into the ice tray 7a through the suction port 11c, the discharge port 11d, and the hose 6c. On the other hand, air is sucked from the suction port 11f and discharged from the discharge port 11e. During reverse rotation of the motor 11m, water is sucked from the hose 6f, 11e acts as a water suction port, and 11f acts as a water discharge port to be poured into the ice tray 7b. On the other hand, 11d functions as an air inlet and 11c functions as an air outlet.
[0031]
The hoses 6c, 6d, 6e, and 6f are made of silicon rubber or the like having high water repellency so that water does not adhere to the inside and remain.
[0032]
With the above configuration, water can be supplied to two places without providing other mechanism parts such as a branch valve between the pump and the ice tray.
[0033]
Although FIG. 4 shows a gear pump, the same effect can be obtained if it is a rotary and quantitative pump such as a screw pump or an eccentric pump.
[0034]
According to the reference examples 1 and 2, since the water supply path means through which the water flows is moved by the driving means to supply water to the selected place, the water supply path means can be configured with a simple structure such as a hose, and a branch valve or the like There is no need to provide it. Therefore, there is no water remaining in the water supply path, and an automatic ice-making water supply system that is extremely superior in terms of hygiene can be realized. In addition, there is no water leakage to a water supply destination that is not selected, and it is possible to completely eliminate the trouble of the ice making machine due to accumulation of water leakage. Furthermore, by eliminating water residue and water leakage, the amount of water supply is stabilized, and the quality of the ice size is improved. In particular, the invention of claim 1 of the present invention is simpler and less expensive because only one water supply path from the pump to the water supply destination is required.
[0035]
Further, the water supply path means is separable from the driving means by a substantially U-shaped clamping member provided in the driving means.
[0036]
As a result, the water supply path can be removed and cleaned, and a refrigerator capable of meeting hygiene needs can be supplied. Further, since the power source and the drive source requiring wiring can be separated from the water supply route means, the drive source and the water supply route means can be assembled separately even in the refrigerator assembly process, and this is an automatic ice making and water supply system with excellent productivity.
[0037]
【The invention's effect】
In the present invention , the water supply destination can be switched by normal rotation and reverse rotation of a motor built in the pump, so there is no need to provide any mechanism in the water supply path from the pump to the ice tray, and water leakage and water leakage are considered. It is an automatic ice making water supply system that is not necessary at all. Further, since the power in the water supply operation can be performed by driving only one motor of the pump, the control is simple and the automatic ice making water supply system is very inexpensive.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a structural diagram of Reference Example 1 of an automatic ice making water supply system according to the present invention. FIG. 2 is a structural diagram of Reference Example 2 of an automatic ice making water supply system according to the present invention. Exploded perspective view of the pump used in Form 1 [FIG. 4] Structure of automatic ice making water supply system same as above [FIG. 5] Structure of conventional automatic ice making water supply system [Explanation of symbols]
4 Pump 5 Water supply tank 6 Hose (Water supply route means)
8a, 8b Water injection hose (water supply route means)
9 Solenoid (drive means)
11 pump 11a first pump mechanism 11b second pump mechanism 11c, 11f suction port 11d, 11e discharge port 11m motor

Claims (1)

  In an automatic ice making water supply system in which water is pumped from a water supply tank and selectively supplied to two locations, the pump has a motor and first and second pump mechanisms each having a discharge port and a suction port, An automatic ice-making water supply system, wherein water is injected by the first pump mechanism when the motor is rotating forward and water is injected by the second pump mechanism when the motor is rotating backward.

Images