JP4333167B2 - refrigerator - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a refrigerator having an automatic ice making device.
[0002]
[Prior art]
There is a structure of temperature detection means for an ice tray that can be attached and detached with an ice making device provided in a conventional refrigerator of this type (for example, see Patent Document 1).
[0003]
Hereinafter, the conventional refrigerator will be described with reference to the drawings.
[0004]
FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a main part of a conventional refrigerator. In FIG. 8, when the ice tray 1 is attached and detached, the relationship between the thermistor 2 and the ice tray 1 can be cut off without performing the operation of disconnecting the connector and the like, and the attachment and detachment operation can be facilitated.
[0005]
Further, the ice tray 1 can be attached and detached by moving it up and down only when the ice tray 1 is horizontal, so that the ice tray 1 cannot be detached when the ice tray 1 rotates even a little. In addition to being easy, the torque of the motor actuator 3 does not cause problems such as the ice tray 1 coming off and spilling water, and if the ice tray 1 is accidentally removed during the deicing operation, the water does not come off. Prevents spills and malfunctions.
[0006]
[Patent Document 1]
JP 2000-88410 A [0007]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
However, in the automatic ice maker for a refrigerator as described above, since the ice tray 1 is moved up and down to be attached and detached, it is necessary to provide a sufficient space above the motor actuator 3.
[0008]
However, in an almost limited size refrigerator, it is important to increase the effective internal volume and to design a wider storage space, and designing such an invalid space has the disadvantage of being unusable.
[0009]
In addition, once the motor actuator 3 is pulled out of the refrigerator, the ice tray can be attached up and down. However, pulling out the motor actuator 3 is complicated in structure, and the user can easily touch the operating part or touch the electric wire. Because there was a cause of failure or failure.
[0010]
When the thermistor 2 is disposed on the lower surface of the ice tray 1, the ice tray 1 is twisted by the rotation of the output shaft 3a of the motor actuator 3 when the ice is removed. For this reason, the thermistor 2 is also subjected to a force by this twisting operation, and the leaf spring 2a that supports it is deformed, so that the thermistor 2 cannot accurately detect the temperature of the ice tray.
[0011]
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to solve the conventional problems, and to provide a highly reliable temperature detection structure by simply removing the ice tray and accurately detecting the temperature of the ice tray.
[0012]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
The invention according to claim 1 of the present invention includes an ice tray, an output shaft that supports and rotates one end of the ice tray, a drive unit that rotates the output shaft, and a temperature sensor that detects the temperature of the ice tray. The temperature sensor is in close contact with the outer wall surface of the ice tray, and the temperature sensor is held by a sensor holding member supported on the top of the ice tray, and the temperature sensor is placed on the side wall surface of the ice tray during ice making. At the time of deicing, the ice chamber of the ice tray rotates in the direction facing the temperature sensor by the operation of the drive unit, and the rib provided on the ice tray and the contact portion formed on the sensor holding member abut. The temperature sensor and the ice tray are released from contact with each other. When the temperature is detected, the temperature sensor is in contact with the side wall surface of the ice tray, and when the ice tray is rotating, the temperature sensor is separated from the ice tray. The twisting motion related to the ice tray It has the effect that there is no et al.
[0013]
The temperature sensor is in close contact with the outer wall surface of the ice tray, and holds the temperature sensor by a sensor holding member supported on the top of the ice tray. The temperature sensor attached to the movable sensor holding member is made of ice. It has the effect | action that it closely_contact | adheres to the peripheral surface of a plate without variation.
[0014]
Further , the ice chamber of the ice tray rotates in the direction facing the temperature sensor to perform the ice removing operation, and the contact between the ice tray and the temperature sensor due to the rotation operation of the ice tray can be prevented.
[0015]
Also , during the ice making operation of the ice tray, the rib provided on the ice tray and the abutting portion formed on the sensor holding member abut, and the sensor holding member is installed so that the side wall surface of the ice tray does not hit the temperature sensor. Has the effect of letting go.
[0016]
The invention according to claim 2 is the invention according to claim 1, wherein the temperature sensor has a close contact position above the water supply position of the ice chamber of the ice tray, and the temperature sensor can be moved by rotating the ice tray. The area can be reduced.
[0017]
According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided the refrigerator according to the first aspect of the present invention, wherein the frame includes a frame provided in the ice making chamber and a frame on which an ice making tray detachably provided on a rail integrated with the frame is placed. When the frame body is moved in a substantially horizontal direction, the sensor holding member pivotally supported on the frame and the frame body come into contact with each other to release the adhesion of the temperature sensor. The close contact with the dish and the opening operation mechanism can be performed smoothly.
[0018]
The invention according to claim 4 is the ice tray according to the invention according to claim 1, wherein the ice tray is provided with a heat insulating member that covers the outer periphery and the bottom surface of the ice tray. Finally, since the water at the bottom of each ice chamber is frozen, it has the effect of volume expansion toward the top of the ice tray.
[0019]
The invention according to claim 5 is the invention according to claim 4 , wherein the ice tray has a heat conducting member between the ice tray and the heat insulating member, and the temperature sensor contact portion is covered with the heat conducting member. It has the effect of increasing the thermal conductivity to the temperature sensor detector.
[0020]
The invention according to claim 6 is the invention according to any one of claims 1 to 5 , further comprising an ice making device in which ice trays are arranged on the left and right sides. The amount of ice can be secured when frequently used, and ice can be made with the other ice tray even when one is removed for cleaning.
[0021]
The invention described in claim 7 in the invention described in claim 1, arranged ice tray for ice sizes different ice to the left and right, in the refrigerator having the ice making apparatus having a ice box below the ice tray, wherein The ice storage box has partition plates on the left and right corresponding to the ice tray, the temperature sensor detects the outer wall surface of the ice tray, and the ice chamber of the ice tray rotates in a direction facing the temperature sensor to release the ice. The operation is performed, and ice having different sizes can be made by two ice trays, and the ice storage boxes can be separately stored.
[0022]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, embodiments of a refrigerator according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
[0023]
(Embodiment 1)
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a refrigerator body according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention. FIG. 2 shows the first embodiment of the present invention.
It is a principal part side view. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line AA of FIG. 2 according to the first embodiment of the present invention. 4 is a BB cross-sectional view of FIG. 2 according to the first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 5 is an exploded perspective view of the ice tray. FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the ice tray and the frame according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention. FIG. 7 is an enlarged view of a main part of the first embodiment of the present invention.
[0024]
In FIG. 1, an ice making chamber 22 is provided at the lower part of a refrigerator compartment 21 provided at the upper portion of the refrigerator main body 20, and a drawer type ice making chamber door 22 a is provided in front, and an upper heat insulating wall 23, a lower heat insulating wall 24, and a rear heat insulating wall 25. And left and right heat insulation walls.
[0025]
A switching chamber 26 that can be switched from the freezing temperature zone to the refrigeration temperature zone is disposed adjacent to the ice making chamber 22. And the vegetable compartment 27 is arrange | positioned at the lower part, and the freezer compartment 28 is arrange | positioned at the lowest part.
[0026]
In FIG. 2, in the automatic ice making device 29, the ice tray 30 is divided into a plurality of ice chambers 30a, and is supported by a shaft portion 32 of a drive unit 31 that drives the ice tray 30 to rotate. A frame 33 disposed on the upper surface of the ice making chamber 22 is provided with a sensor holding member 34 that detects the temperature of the ice making tray 30. The sensor holding member 34 is provided with a spring member 35 so that a biasing force is applied in the direction of the ice tray 30. Further, the ice tray 30 is placed or fixed on a frame body 36 whose upper and lower surfaces are open, and can be pulled out together with the frame body 36 from the front of the ice making chamber 22.
[0027]
The frame 33 is disposed from the rear in the order of the drive unit 31 and the ice tray 30 engaged with the frame 36, and the sensor holding member 34 is pivotally supported on the side of the frame 33 with respect to the longitudinal direction of the ice tray 30. . In FIG. 3, a temperature sensor 37 for detecting the temperature of water or ice is fixed to a sensor storage portion 34 a formed in the sensor holding member 34 and is disposed in contact with the outer surface of the ice tray 30. The temperature sensor 37 is disposed in contact with the outer surface, but is disposed so as to be in contact with the upper portion of the water supply position of the ice chamber 30a serving as an ice making unit.
[0028]
Further, a heat insulating member 38 is provided between the sensor storage portion 34 a and the temperature sensor 37 so that the temperature sensor 37 detects the temperature of the ice tray 30 and does not detect the air temperature of the ice making chamber 22. An ice storage box 39 is disposed below the ice tray 30.
[0029]
Further, rails 33a having a substantially U-shaped cross-section that engage with the frame body 36 are formed on the vertical walls on both sides of the frame 33 over the longitudinal direction of the frame body 36, and the engaging portions 36a are formed on both side walls of the frame body 36. Is provided.
[0030]
As shown in FIG. 4, during ice making, a rib 30 b that is integral with the ice tray 30 is formed at the upper end of the side surface of the ice tray 30. A first abutting portion 34b is formed integrally with the sensor holding member 34 at a position facing the rib 30b. The first contact portions 34b are formed in the longitudinal direction of the ice tray 30 on both sides of the temperature sensor 37, and ribs 30b are formed on the ice tray 30 at positions facing each other.
[0031]
The first abutting portion 34b is configured to have an inclined surface on the ice tray 30 side, and the second abutting portion 34b continuously
The contact portion 34c is formed below the first contact portion 34b and has a structure having an inclined surface inclined downward from the horizontal direction.
[0032]
In FIG. 5, the other ice trays 40 are smaller in ice than the ice tray 30, and each ice chamber 40 a is formed smaller than the ice chamber 30 a of the ice tray 30. However, the size of the upper surface of the ice tray is almost the same, and the ice tray 30 can be removed from the frame 36a and another ice tray 40 can be mounted.
[0033]
Unlike the other peripheral shapes, the contact portion 40b that contacts the temperature sensor 37 at the peripheral portion of the ice tray 40 has a substantially vertical surface shape. The other ice tray 40 is provided with a heat conductive member (for example, a stainless steel plate) 41 covering the lower surface and a detachable heat insulating member 42 covering the outside of each ice chamber 40a.
[0034]
The heat conducting member 41 is disposed so as to cover the contact portion 40b, and the heat insulating member 42 is formed by a heat insulating portion 42a and a resin decorative portion 42b.
[0035]
Further, from FIG. 6, the frame 36 is formed with a small groove 36 b into which the shaft portion 30 c of the ice tray 30 (or another ice tray 40 may be inserted), and the bearing portion 30 d that engages with the shaft portion 32 of the drive portion 31 is formed. It is placed in the large groove 36c.
[0036]
In FIG. 7, the opening end portion 36d of the small groove 36b is formed smaller than the diameter of the shaft portion 30c, and is inserted into the small groove 36b and fixed while the shaft portion 30c is press-fitted.
[0037]
The operation of the ice making device configured as described above will be described below.
[0038]
When the temperature sensor 37 reaches the deicing temperature, the drive unit 31 operates, and the ice tray 30 supported by the shaft unit 32 rotates. At this time, the rib 30b of the ice tray 30 moves while being in contact with the first contact portion 34b, and at the same time, the temperature sensor 37 is moved without contacting the ice tray due to the movement of the spring member 35. When the rib 30b gets over the first abutting portion 34b, the rib 30b rotates while coming into contact with the second abutting portion 34c, and when the ice tray 30 further rotates, the sensor storage portion 34a is separated from the rib 30b, and the spring member 35 is rotated. Is rotated in the direction of the ice tray 30 about the shaft 34d of the sensor storage portion 34a.
[0039]
Then, after the ice falls from the ice tray 30 to the ice storage box 39 and deiced, the ice tray 30 returns to its original state while following the rotation trajectory at the time of deicing. At this time, the rib 30b rotates while being in contact with the second contact portion 34c, and is then contacted with the first contact portion 34b, and returns to the original position without contacting the temperature sensor 37.
[0040]
For this reason, when the ice tray 30 is rotated, the temperature sensor 37 is not contacted and the sensor holding member 34 is rotated. Therefore, no load is applied to the temperature sensor 37 and the reliability of the sensor can be ensured. The sensor 37 is held in contact with the ice tray 30 above the water supply position of the ice tray 30 (a line for enlightening the position of the optimal water supply amount on the side of the ice tray), so that the ice making condition of the adjacent ice chamber 30a is maintained. Without being affected, it is possible to appropriately detect the ice making state of the entire ice tray and ensure ice making performance. Further, the heat insulating member 38 is disposed between the temperature sensor 37 and the sensor storage portion 34a so that the temperature sensor 37 does not detect the air temperature in the ice making chamber 22.
[0041]
Further, as shown in FIG. 6, the ice tray 30 is mounted on the frame 36 with the shaft portion 30c and the bearing portion 30d, so that the ice tray 30 is removed from the refrigerator by pulling the frame body 36 forward of the ice making chamber 22. Can be withdrawn. Further, since the engaging portion 36a of the frame 36 is engaged with the rail 33a, it can be smoothly moved in the front-rear direction.
[0042]
When the ice tray 30 is stored in the ice making chamber 22, it is placed on the frame 36, and the shaft portion 30c and the bearing portion 30d are inserted into the small groove 36b and the large groove 36c, respectively. Since the open end 36d is formed in the small groove 36b as shown in FIG. 7, the shaft 30c can be press-fitted and fixed.
[0043]
Then, the frame body 36 on which the ice tray 30 is placed is inserted into the frame 33. The upper end portion 36 e of the frame body 36 abuts on the lower end portion 34 e of the sensor holding member 34, and the frame body 36 is inserted while repelling the urging force of the spring member 35. Since the notch 36 f is formed in the frame 36, the temperature sensor 37 can be in direct contact with the side surface of the ice tray 30.
[0044]
Further, as shown in FIG. 5, especially when each ice chamber is small (ice of a size that can enter a mouth of a plastic bottle or the like), the ice tray 40 is covered with the heat insulating member 42, so that it freezes from the surface of the ice chamber of the ice tray. Since the bottom surface freezes at the beginning, an upward force is applied to the ice chamber due to the volume expansion, and it is possible to ensure the deicing property from the ice making tray without changing the twisting degree of the ice making tray at the time of deicing.
[0045]
In addition, the heat conducting member 41 made of a metal plate having excellent heat conductivity is formed in a substantially U shape from both side surfaces to the bottom surface of the ice tray 40, and the temperature of the ice tray covered with the heat insulating member 42 is more accurately controlled. It can be communicated to the sensor 37.
[0046]
Although not shown, the ice tray 30 and the ice tray 40 are arranged on the left and right sides, and are detachably arranged by the mechanism shown in the first embodiment. According to such a configuration, if the sizes of the ice chambers of the ice tray 30 and the ice tray 40 are changed, two types of ice can be made at a time, and even if the ice tray 30 is in ice making. The ice tray 40 can be removed and washed, and ice can be made without interrupting the ice making of one ice tray.
[0047]
【The invention's effect】
As described above, the invention according to claim 1 of the present invention includes an ice tray, an output shaft that supports and rotates one end of the ice tray, a drive unit that rotates the output shaft, and the ice tray. A temperature sensor for detecting the temperature, the temperature sensor is in close contact with an outer wall surface of the ice tray, the temperature sensor is held by a sensor holding member supported on the top of the ice tray, the temperature sensor at the time of ice making, the temperature sensor The ice tray is in close contact with the side wall of the ice tray , and when the ice is removed, the ice chamber of the ice tray rotates in a direction opposite to the temperature sensor by the operation of the drive unit, and a rib provided on the ice tray and a sensor holding member are formed. The temperature at which the temperature sensor and the ice tray are brought into close contact with each other, and the detachable ice tray is in close contact with the side wall surface of the ice tray when ice making, and the temperature that leaves the ice tray when deicing. Sensor Of ensuring reliability, a refrigerator having a freezing apparatus the sensing mechanism can be easily performed.
[0048]
Further, temperature sensors in close contact with the outer wall surface of the ice tray, the is intended for holding the temperature sensor by the top in supported sensor holding member of the ice making tray, it can be performed with high accuracy sensing.
[0049]
It is intended icehouse of manufacturing ice tray performs rotation to ice removing operation in a direction opposite the temperature sensor, can ensure the reliability of the temperature sensor.
[0050]
Also, when ice removing operation of manufacturing ice tray, wherein the rib provided in the ice tray, the contact portions and the contact formed on the sensor holding member, to protect the temperature sensor during the ice removing operation.
[0051]
The invention according to claim 2 is the invention according to claim 1, wherein the temperature sensor has a close contact position above the water supply position of the ice chamber of the ice tray, and can reduce the ineffective space.
[0052]
The invention according to claim 3 has a frame in which the frame provided in the ice making chamber and the ice tray provided detachably on the rail integrated with the frame are placed in the invention according to claim 1. In the refrigerator, when the frame body is moved in a substantially horizontal direction, the sensor holding member pivotally supported on the frame and the frame body come into contact with each other to release the close contact of the temperature sensor, and the operation can be performed smoothly. .
[0053]
Further, the invention according to claim 4 is the ice making tray provided with a heat insulating member covering the outer periphery and the bottom surface of the ice making tray in the invention according to claim 1, and can improve the deicing property.
[0054]
The invention according to claim 5 is the invention according to claim 4 , wherein the heat conducting member is provided between the ice tray and the heat insulating member, and the temperature sensor contact portion is covered with the heat conducting member. The detection accuracy of the sensor can be increased.
[0055]
The invention described in claim 6 is the invention according to any one of claims 1 to 5 , which includes an ice making device in which ice trays are arranged on the left and right, and is easy to use.
[0056]
Further, the invention according to claim 7 in the invention described in claim 1, arranged ice tray for ice sizes different ice to the left and right, in the refrigerator having the ice making apparatus having a ice box below the ice tray The ice storage box has left and right partition plates corresponding to the ice tray, the temperature sensor detects the outer wall surface of the ice tray, and the ice chamber of the ice tray rotates in a direction facing the temperature sensor. It is an ice-breaking operation, and it is good to use ice by storing different sizes of ice separately.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a refrigerator main body according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a side view of a main part of Embodiment 1 of the present invention. Sectional view [FIG. 4] BB sectional view of FIG. 2 according to the first embodiment of the present invention [FIG. 5] FIG. 6 is an exploded perspective view of the ice tray according to the first embodiment of the present invention. 1 is a perspective view of an ice tray and a frame. FIG. 7 is an enlarged view of a main part of a first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a main part of a conventional refrigerator.
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 20 Refrigerator main body 21 Refrigerating room 22 Ice making room 29 Automatic ice making apparatus 30a Ice room 30b Rib 31 Drive part 32 Shaft part 34 Sensor holding member 34a Sensor accommodating part 35 Spring member 36 Frame 36a Engagement part 37 Temperature sensor 40 Ice tray 40a Ice room 41 Heat conduction member 42 Heat insulation member

Claims (7)

An ice tray, an output shaft that supports and rotates one end of the ice tray, a drive unit that rotates the output shaft, and a temperature sensor that detects a temperature of the ice tray, the temperature sensor being outside the ice tray The temperature sensor is held in close contact with the wall surface and supported by a sensor holding member supported on the top of the ice tray. The temperature sensor is in close contact with the side wall surface of the ice tray during ice making , and the operation of the drive unit during ice removal. As a result, the ice chamber of the ice tray rotates in the direction facing the temperature sensor, the rib provided on the ice tray and the contact portion formed on the sensor holding member abut, and the contact between the temperature sensor and the ice tray is released. A refrigerator characterized by that. The refrigerator according to claim 1 , wherein the temperature sensor has a close contact position above the water supply position of the ice chamber of the ice tray.   In a refrigerator having a frame provided in an ice making chamber and a frame on which an ice tray provided on a rail integral with the frame is detachably mounted, the frame is pivotally supported when the frame is moved in a substantially horizontal direction. The refrigerator according to claim 1, wherein the sensor holding member and the frame body come into contact with each other to release the close contact of the temperature sensor.   The refrigerator according to claim 1, wherein the refrigerator is an ice tray provided with a heat insulating member that covers an outer periphery and a bottom surface of the ice tray. The refrigerator according to claim 4 , wherein the refrigerator has a heat conductive member between the ice tray and the heat insulating member, and the temperature sensor contact portion is covered with the heat conductive member. The refrigerator according to any one of claims 1 to 5 , further comprising an ice making device in which ice trays are arranged side by side.   In a refrigerator having an ice making device in which ice making trays for making ices of different sizes are arranged on the left and right and having an ice storage box below the ice making tray, the ice storage box has partition plates on the left and right corresponding to the ice making tray. The refrigerator according to claim 1, wherein the temperature sensor detects an outer wall surface of the ice tray, and the ice chamber of the ice tray rotates in a direction facing the temperature sensor to perform an ice removing operation.

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