JPS5949509B2 - Ice maker ice switching device - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention has an ice switching device that switches between forming an ice block passage that directly leads ice blocks produced by an ice making device to an ice block storage chamber or forming an ice crushing passage that leads ice blocks to an ice crushing device. The ice making machine is constructed so that the ice cubes introduced into the ice crushing device are crushed and then stored in the crushed ice storage chamber. Compared to the conventional system in which the switching of the device was performed completely manually, the present invention provides a water switching device that automates switching from one of the two passages to the other. do.

A further object of the present invention is to automatically switch the ice switching device in conjunction with a thermostat that detects a predetermined amount of water in the storage chamber based on the contact temperature of the ice, so that when the ice cubes produced by the ice making device exceed the predetermined amount of water in the storage chamber. To provide a highly reliable ice maker that switches so that the ice is stored in the other storage room instead of the other one.

Of course, when both of the storage chambers reach a predetermined amount of water, the operation of the ice making device is stopped.

An embodiment of the present invention will be described below based on the drawings.

In FIG. 1, inside the ice making machine body 1, an ice making device 3 for producing ice blocks such as ice cubes is provided in an ice making chamber 2 in the upper part, and an ice block storage chamber 5 divided by a partition plate 4 in the lower part. and crushed ice storage room 6
is formed.

The ice block storage chamber 5 is equipped with a first thermostat 7 that senses the contact temperature of ice to detect a predetermined amount of water in the storage chamber, and the crushed ice storage chamber 6 is also equipped with a second thermostat 8.

Further, between the ice making chamber 2 and each storage chamber 56, the ice blocks produced by the ice making device 3 and falling are directly guided to the ice block storage chamber 5 (by forming an ice block passage A or by forming an ice crushing device 9). The ice crushing device 10 is provided with a water drain switching device 10 that switches whether to form an ice crushing passage B leading to the ice crushing device 9, and the ice cubes guided to the ice crushing device 9 are crushed and then stored in the crushed ice storage chamber 6. There is.

Further, to explain in detail based on FIGS. 1, 2, and 3, the drain changer device 10 is formed at a position to receive ice blocks produced by the ice making device 3 and fallen, and is located in both storage chambers. A hard switching plate 14 is rotatably attached to a manual operation rod 13 with a rotatable handle 12 that passes through the front surface of the ice maker body 1 and is located across the center of a divided opening 11 that communicates with the ice maker body 1. The upper edge of the switching plate 14 is engaged in an inclined state with a tenth engagement part 15 and a second engagement part 16 formed on the left and right upper sides of the opening 11.

When the switching plate 14 is locked to the tenth locking portion 15, the ice block produced by the ice making device 3 is guided to the ice block storage chamber 5 in order to close the crushed ice passage B leading to the crushed ice storage chamber 6. The ice crushing passage forms the ice block passage A and guides ice blocks to the ice crushing device 9 in order to close the ice block passage A leading to the ice block storage chamber 5 when the switching plate 14 is locked to the second locking part 16. B is formed.

Note that when the switching plate 14 is locked to the second locking portion 16, the ice block is guided to the ice crushing device 9 via the guide plate 17.

Furthermore, the switching plate 14 is configured to form an ice crushing passage B (a biasing device consisting of a spring body 18 which urges the switching plate 14 to be switched and a locking device 19 which forms an ice block passage A in opposition to this). A solenoid device 20 is provided for releasing the lock by the locking device 19, and the locking device 19 is a locking means in which a locking piece 22 is locked in a cutout step 21 provided in the operating rod 13. The rear end of the solenoid device 20
The plunger 23 is connected to the plunger 23.

Further, 24 is a spring for returning the locking piece 22 when the solenoid device 20 is de-energized.

The solenoid device 20 and lock device 19 described above are based on the base 2.
The base 25 is set on the base 5 to fulfill its respective role.
is fixed to the substrate 26.

When the solenoid device 20 is energized, the plunger 23 pulls the locking piece 22, and the tip of the locking piece 22 is disengaged from the notch step 21, allowing the spring body 18 to be biased and the locking piece 22 to be pulled. The changing plate 14 is changed to form the ice crushing passage B.

27 is a switch for controlling the ice crushing device 9;
The protrusion 2 provided on the operating rod 13 when forming the ice-breaking passage B
8 closes the switch 27 to form a drive circuit for the ice crushing device 9.

The electric circuit will now be explained based on the above configuration.

As shown in Figure 4, 29 is the power supply, and the power line 30°31
A series circuit of the second thermostat 8 and an electric compressor 32 for ice-making operation of the ice-making apparatus 3 is connected between the two, and the electric compressor 32 is connected to the normally-closed contact 33a of the relay 33 and the first
A closed circuit is also formed via the normally closed contact 7a of the thermostat 7.

Further, the solenoid device 20 is connected between the normally open contact 7b of the first thermostat 7 and the power supply line 31.

Further, 34 is an optional switch that bypasses the first thermostat 7 and energizes the solenoid device 20.

Furthermore, 35 is an electric motor for driving the ice crusher, which connects the other normally open contact 33b of the relay 33 via the second thermostat 8.
It is connected via 2.

Further, 36 is a relay coil which is connected to the ice crushing device control switch 27.

The operation of the present invention constructed as described above will be explained based on the electric circuit and the operational diagrams of FIGS. 5 and 6.

Initially, the locking piece 22 is locked to the notch step 21, so the switching plate 14 forms the ice block passage A (
(Situation shown in Figure 5).

Further, since the protrusion 28 does not press the ice crushing device control switch 27, its contact is open, and even if the power supply 29 is turned on, the relay 33 is not energized.

On the other hand, when the power supply 290 is turned on, the normally closed contact 33a of the relay
1. Since the electric compressor 32 is energized via the normally closed contact 7a of the first thermostat 7, the ice making device 3 starts ice making operation.

The ice cubes produced after a predetermined period of time separate from the ice making device 3 and fall due to the dehydration operation.

Thus, the switching plate 14 forms the ice block passage A (since the switching plate 14 is switched, the falling ice blocks are stored as they are in the ice block storage chamber 5 below).

As the ice making operation by the ice making device 3 is repeated, the amount of ice blocks in the ice block storage chamber 5 increases, and finally comes into contact with the first thermostat 7, and the contact of the thermostat 7 moves to the normally open contact Ib side. The switching causes the solenoid device 20 to be energized.

When the solenoid device 200 is energized, the plunger 23
pulls the locking piece 22 and disengages from the notched step 20, so the lock is released and the switching plate 14 is switched to form the ice-breaking passage B by the action of the spring body 18 (state piece in FIG. 6).

The switching protrusion 28 also energizes the relay coil 36 to close the ice crushing device 9 control switch 2T.
Each contact of the relay 33 is switched to the normally open contact 33b1, 33b2 side.

In this state, the ice crusher driving electric motor 35 is energized via the second thermostat 8.4 and the other normally open contact 33b2 of the relay, and the ice crusher 9 is started.

Since the first thermostat 7 is switched to the normally open contact Ib side, the electric compressor 32 is not energized from the first thermostat 7, but is energized via the second thermostat 8. The ice making operation by the ice making device 3 continues.

The ice cubes manufactured by the ice making device 3 and falling are guided to the ice crushing device 9 through the ice crushing passage B and further through the guide plate 17, and are crushed by the ice crushing device 9 that is operating at this time. It will be stored in

This operation is repeated over and over again (and the amount of crushed ice stored in the crushed ice storage chamber 6 gradually increases until it comes into contact with the second thermostat 8 and closes the contact point of the thermostat 8). Open the circuit.

As described above, when a predetermined amount of water is stored in both the ice block storage chamber 5 and the crushed ice storage chamber 60, both the first thermostat 7 and the second thermostat 8 are in the open state, so that the electric compressor 3
If the power supply 29 to 2 is completely cut off and it becomes inoperable,
Ice making operation is completely stopped.

Further, when the second thermostat 8 is opened, the power supply to the electric motor 35 for driving the ice crushing device is also cut off, and the ice crushing device 9 also becomes inoperable.

Furthermore, when the amount of water in the ice block storage chamber 5 is decreasing, the first thermostat 7 returns, but when the switching plate 14 forms the ice crushing passage B, the relay 33 is energized, so that the electric compressor 32 is not No electricity is applied.

Therefore, if it is desired to store ice blocks in the ice block storage chamber 5 again, the handle 12 of the manual operating rod 13 is turned to switch the switching plate 14 again to the state shown in FIG. 5.

At this time, the locking piece 22 is locked by the action of the return spring 240, and the switching plate 14 is held in the switched position so as to form the ice block passage A.

At this time, the protrusion 28 disables the ice-breaking control switch 27, cutting off the power to the relay 33.
The contacts return to the normally closed contacts 33a1 and 33a2.

Therefore, the electric compressor 32 is energized via the normally closed contact 33a1 of the relay and the normally closed contact 7a of the first thermostat 7, and the ice making operation by the ice making device 3 can be restarted.

If you wish to switch the switching plate 14 to form the ice crushing passage B before a predetermined amount of water is stored in the ice block storage chamber 5, press the optional switch 34 that bypasses the first thermostat 7, and the solenoid device 20 can be operated, and the switching plate 14 can be easily switched to form the ice-breaking passage B.

As described above, the ice switching device 10 described in detail in one embodiment of the present invention is first locked by the locking device 19 so that the switching plate 14 forms the ice block passage A against the biasing device of the spring body 18. has been done.

Then, a predetermined amount of water in the ice block storage chamber A is controlled by the first thermostat 7.
When this is detected, the solenoid device 20 is operated to release the lock, and the spring body 18 is allowed to be biased so that the switching plate 14 is switched to form the ice-breaking passage B.

However, in another embodiment of the present invention, for example, the switching plate is first locked by a locking device so as to form an ice crushing passage against a biasing device such as a spring, and then a predetermined amount of water in the crushed ice storage chamber is locked. It is within the scope of the present invention that the solenoid device is actuated to release the lock when the thermostat senses the lock, allowing the spring body to be energized so that the switching plate is switched to form an ice block passage. It is something that can be done.

Since the present invention is an ice switching device for an ice maker constructed as described above, the switching plate can be easily switched from a position where an ice block passage is formed to a position where an ice crushing passage is formed automatically. .

Furthermore, since the signal for switching is generated from a thermostat that detects a predetermined amount of water, it is highly reliable and designed to prevent the amount of water in the storage chamber from exceeding the predetermined amount.

Furthermore, returning the switching plate to its initial position can be easily accomplished by turning the handle of the manual operating rod.

Furthermore, in the present invention, the thermostat is used as a signal source for the solenoid device, since the thermostat is an element that operates by sensing the contact temperature of ice, so it may malfunction due to contact with ice blocks on the way down. do not have.

Therefore, there is an advantage that ice blocks do not get caught between the switching plate and the locking part when switching.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

Fig. 1 is an explanatory diagram of an ice making machine equipped with the device of the present invention, Fig. 2 is a schematic diagram of the switching device of the present invention, Fig. 3 is a perspective view of main parts of the switching device of the present invention, Fig. 4 is an electric circuit diagram, 5 and 6 are explanatory diagrams of the operation of FIG. 3. A... Ice block passageway, B... Ice crushing passageway, 5... Ice block storage room, 6... Crushed ice storage room, 7... First thermostat, 8... Second thermostat, 9...・Ice crushing equipment,
10...Switching device, 13...Manual operation rod, 19
...Lock device, 20... Lenoid device.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. An ice switching device is provided to switch whether to form an ice block passage that directly leads the ice blocks produced in the ice making device to the ice block storage chamber or to guide the ice blocks to the ice crushing device (forming an ice crushing path), and the ice blocks guided to the ice crushing device In an ice making machine configured such that crushed ice is stored in a storage chamber after being crushed, the switching device is normally configured to form one of the two passages against an urging device such as a spring. a locking device for locking in a position forming the other passage; and a locking device for unlocking the locking device and switching the switching device to a position forming the other passage when a predetermined amount of ice is stored in the one passage. A water drain switching device for an ice maker, characterized in that it is equipped with a solenoid device that allows an energizing device.