Ice Maker

Abstract

An ice maker capable of efficiently producing transparent ice is provided. The ice maker (2) includes: a cooling unit (10) including a cooled metal rod-shaped member (16); a liquid container (20) for storing liquid; a moving mechanism (22, 26) for moving at least one of the cooling unit (10) and the liquid container (20); and a control unit (60) for controlling the moving mechanism (22, 26). The control unit (60) controls the moving mechanism (22, 26) to move at least one of the cooling unit (10) and the liquid container (20) and to keep the liquid in the liquid container (20), repeatedly forming a state in which a predetermined area of ​​the rod-shaped member (16) is immersed in the liquid in the liquid container (20) and a state in which a predetermined area of ​​the rod-shaped member (16) is exposed from the liquid in the liquid container (20), thereby performing intermittent ice making.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to an ice maker for freezing liquid to generate ice, and in particular to an ice maker installed in a refrigerator room. Background Art

[0002] It has been proposed that an ice maker that freezes liquid to produce ice uses refrigerant from a refrigerator's cooling system to cool liquid immersed in a tray, thereby producing ice (see, for example, Patent Document 1 - Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2004-150785). In the invention described in Patent Document 1, ice is produced around protrusions that cool the liquid immersed in the ice making water tank of the tray, thereby enabling efficient ice production.

[0003] However, the ice maker described in Patent Document 1 is connected to the refrigerator's cooling system, which uses refrigerant to cool the cooling protrusions. This causes the liquid in the ice making tank to cool rapidly, resulting in cloudy ice. While transparent ice can be produced by heating the ice at a relatively high temperature close to 0°C while using a heater, it takes a long time to produce ice, making it inefficient. Summary of the Invention

[0004] Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide an ice maker that solves the above-mentioned problem and can efficiently produce transparent ice.

[0005] The ice maker of the present invention includes: a cooling unit including a rod-shaped member made of a cooled metal; a liquid container for containing liquid; a moving mechanism for moving at least one of the cooling unit and the liquid container; and a control unit for controlling the moving mechanism, wherein the control unit controls the moving mechanism to move at least one of the cooling unit and the liquid container and to retain the liquid in the liquid container, repeatedly forming a state in which a predetermined area of ​​the rod-shaped member is immersed in the liquid in the liquid container and a state in which the predetermined area of ​​the rod-shaped member is exposed from the liquid in the liquid container, thereby performing intermittent ice making.

[0006] According to the present invention, intermittent ice making is achieved by repeatedly forming a predetermined region of the rod-shaped member immersed in and exposed from the liquid in the liquid container. Thus, during the direct cooling process using the metal rod-shaped member, the ice is initially formed from pure ice, and then, as impurities are squeezed outward from the inside, ice is formed efficiently, enabling the production of transparent ice free of impurities. Consequently, an ice maker capable of efficiently producing transparent ice can be provided.

[0007] In addition, the ice maker of the present invention utilizes the moving mechanism to rotate and move the liquid container or the cooling part between an ice-making position and a non-ice-making position, wherein the predetermined area of ​​the rod-shaped component is immersed in the liquid in the liquid container in the ice-making position, and the predetermined area of ​​the rod-shaped component is exposed from the liquid in the liquid container in the non-ice-making position.

[0008] According to the present invention, by rotating the liquid container or the cooling unit between the ice-making position and the non-ice-making position, intermittent ice-making can be reliably performed, and transparent ice can be efficiently produced.

[0009] In addition, the ice maker of the present invention utilizes the moving mechanism to move the cooling portion or liquid container up and down between an ice-making position in which the predetermined area of ​​the rod-shaped component is immersed in the liquid in the liquid container and a non-ice-making position in which the predetermined area of ​​the rod-shaped component is exposed from the liquid in the liquid container.

[0010] According to the present invention, by moving the cooling unit or the liquid container up and down between the ice-making position and the non-ice-making position, intermittent ice-making can be reliably performed, and transparent ice can be efficiently produced.

[0011] Furthermore, the ice maker of the present invention includes a de-icing heater provided inside the rod-shaped member, and the de-icing heater is configured to heat ice generated around the rod-shaped member.

[0012] According to the present invention, a de-icing heater is provided inside the rod-shaped member, thereby partially melting ice formed around the rod-shaped member and rapidly removing the ice from the rod-shaped member. Furthermore, the de-icing heater provided inside the rod-shaped member, when operated, suppresses a temperature rise in the cooling fins, thereby minimizing a decrease in ice-making efficiency.

[0013] In addition, the cooling part of the ice maker of the present invention includes: the rod-shaped component; and a metal plate, wherein a plurality of metal cooling fins are provided on the upper side of the metal plate, and the rod-shaped component is installed on the lower side of the metal plate, and further includes a cooling air duct, wherein the cooling fins are provided in the cooling air duct, and cold air flows along the extending direction of the cooling fins; and an ice storage container, which is provided at the lower side of the cooling part and is used to receive ice falling from the rod-shaped component, and the cold air passing through the cooling fins flows downward along the inner wall of the cooling air duct and flows out from the air duct at the bottom of the ice storage container.

[0014] According to the present invention, the cold air passing through the cooling fins flows downward along the inner wall of the air duct and out of the air duct at the bottom of the ice storage container, so the cold air does not flow into the liquid container. This prevents the liquid in the liquid container from freezing except around the rod-shaped member.

[0015] As described above, the present invention can provide an ice maker capable of efficiently producing transparent ice. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0016] FIG1(a) is a plan view showing a cooling unit of an ice maker according to a first embodiment of the present invention;

[0017] FIG1( b ) is a side view of the ice maker shown in FIG1( a );

[0018] FIG1( c ) is another side view of the ice maker shown in FIG1( a );

[0019] FIG2( a) is a diagram showing a rod-shaped member in a cooling unit according to another embodiment of the present invention;

[0020] FIG2( b ) is a side view of the cooling unit shown in FIG2( a );

[0021] FIG2( c ) is an enlarged view of a rod-shaped member according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0022] FIG2( d ) is an enlarged view of a rod-shaped member according to another embodiment of the present invention;

[0023] FIG3( a ) is a schematic diagram showing the cooling unit and the liquid container of the ice maker according to the first embodiment of the present invention in an ice making position;

[0024] 3( b ) is a schematic diagram showing the cooling unit and the liquid container of the ice maker according to the first embodiment of the present invention in a non-ice making position;

[0025] 3( c ) is a schematic diagram showing the cooling unit and the liquid container of the ice maker according to the first embodiment of the present invention in the retracted position;

[0026] Figure 4 is a side cross-sectional view schematically showing the flow of cold air in a cooling air duct having cooling fins disposed therein;

[0027] FIG5( a ) is a side cross-sectional view schematically showing cold air passing between cooling fins and flowing in the cooling air duct and the ice storage container;

[0028] FIG5( b ) is a side view of FIG5( a ) viewed from the direction C;

[0029] FIG6( a ) is a perspective view showing a cooling unit according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0030] FIG6( b ) is a side sectional view showing a rod-shaped member provided with a de-icing heater according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0031] Figure 7 This is a diagram showing an antifreeze heater according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0032] FIG8( a ) is a schematic diagram showing a cooling unit and a liquid container of an ice maker according to a second embodiment of the present invention in an ice making position;

[0033] 8( b ) is a schematic diagram showing the cooling unit and the liquid container of the ice maker according to the second embodiment of the present invention in a non-ice making position;

[0034] 8( c ) is a schematic diagram showing the cooling unit and the liquid container of the ice maker according to the second embodiment of the present invention in the retracted position;

[0035] 9( a ) is a schematic diagram showing a cooling unit and a liquid container of an ice maker according to a third embodiment of the present invention in an ice making position;

[0036] 9( b ) is a schematic diagram showing the cooling unit and the liquid container of the ice maker according to the third embodiment of the present invention in a non-ice making position;

[0037] 9( c ) is a schematic diagram showing the cooling unit and the liquid container of the ice maker according to the third embodiment of the present invention in the retracted position;

[0038] 10( a ) is a schematic diagram showing a cooling unit and a liquid container of an ice maker according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention in an ice making position;

[0039] 10( b ) is a schematic diagram showing the cooling unit and the liquid container of the ice maker according to the fourth embodiment of the present invention in a non-ice making position;

[0040] 10( c ) is a schematic diagram showing the cooling unit and the liquid container of the ice maker according to the fourth embodiment of the present invention in the retracted position;

[0041] Figure 11 is a block diagram showing a control structure of an ice maker according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0042] Figure 12 This is a flowchart showing the control of the ice making process by the control unit according to one embodiment of the present invention;

[0043] FIG13( a) is a perspective view showing a disassembly mechanism of a liquid container according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0044] FIG13( b ) is another schematic diagram showing the disassembly and assembly mechanism of the liquid container according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0045] FIG14( a) is a diagram showing an auxiliary mechanism for deicing provided on a liquid container according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0046] FIG14( b ) is a schematic diagram showing a liquid container in an ice-making position according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0047] FIG14( c ) is a schematic diagram showing the liquid container rotating from the ice-making position to the retreat position according to one embodiment of the present invention;

[0048] FIG15( a) is a diagram showing an example of a full ice detection mechanism that uses a liquid container to detect whether an ice storage container is full of ice;

[0049] FIG15( b ) is a schematic diagram of the liquid container in FIG15( a ) in an ice-making position;

[0050] FIG15( c ) is a schematic diagram of the liquid container in FIG15( a ) in a retracted position;

[0051] Figure 16 This is a diagram schematically showing a refrigerator equipped with an ice maker according to an embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0052] Hereinafter, embodiments and examples for implementing the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. The devices described below are intended to embody the technical concept of the present invention, but the present invention is not limited to the following unless otherwise specified.

[0053] In the various drawings, there are cases where the same reference numerals are given to components with the same function. Considering the ease of explanation or understanding of the key points, for convenience, there are cases where they are divided into implementation methods or examples, but the structures shown in different implementation methods or examples can be partially replaced or combined. In the implementation methods and examples described later, only the differences are described for the description of things that are common to the above. In particular, the same effects of the same structure are not mentioned in sequence according to each implementation method or example. The size or positional relationship of the components shown in the various drawings may be exaggerated for the purpose of clear explanation.

[0054] In the following description and drawings, the upper and lower directions are shown assuming that the ice maker and the refrigerator are installed on a horizontal surface.

[0055] (Ice Maker of First Embodiment)

[0056] Figures 1(a), 1(b), and 1(c) illustrate the cooling unit 10 of the ice maker 2 according to the first embodiment of the present invention. Figure 1(a) is a top view, Figure 1(b) is a side view as viewed from arrow A in Figure 1(a), and Figure 1(c) is a side view as viewed from arrow B in Figure 1(a). Figures 2(a), 2(b), 2(c), and 2(d) illustrate alternative configurations of the rod-shaped member 16 in the cooling unit 10. Figure 2(a) is a top view, Figure 2(b) is a side view as viewed from arrow A in Figure 2(a), Figure 2(c) is an enlarged view of one example of the rod-shaped member 16, and Figure 2(d) is an enlarged view of another example of the rod-shaped member 16. Figures 3(a), 3(b), and 3(c) illustrate the ice making process of the cooling unit 10 and the liquid container 20 of the ice maker 2 according to the first embodiment of the present invention. FIG3(a) shows that the liquid container 20 is located at the ice-making position, FIG3(b) shows that the liquid container 20 is located at the non-ice-making position, and FIG3(c) shows that the liquid container 20 is located at the retracted position. Figure 4 FIG5 is a side cross-sectional view schematically illustrating the flow of cold air in a cooling duct 40 having cooling fins 12 disposed therein. FIG5(a) and FIG5(b) schematically illustrate the flow of cold air passing between cooling fins 12 in the cooling duct 40 and the ice storage container 50. FIG5(a) is a side cross-sectional view, and FIG5(b) is a side view as viewed from the direction indicated by arrow C in FIG5(a).

[0057] First, an outline of an ice maker 2 according to a first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. 1 to FIG. 5 .

[0058] Ice maker 2 includes a cooling unit 10 that freezes liquid to produce ice; a liquid container 20 that stores the liquid; and a moving mechanism 22 that rotates and moves liquid container 20. Ice maker 2 may also include a liquid supply / drain system that supplies liquid from a liquid storage tank to liquid container 20 and returns the liquid from liquid container 20 to the liquid storage tank.

[0059] like Figure 16 As shown in FIG, the ice maker 2 of this embodiment is set in the room of the refrigerator 100, and the cold air generated by the cooling system 150 of the refrigerator 100 can be supplied to the ice maker 2. The ice maker 2 also includes a control unit 60 (refer to FIG. Figure 11 ). The liquid used for freezing to generate ice can be any liquid such as drinking water.

[0060] <Cooling Section>

[0061] The cooling unit 10 includes cooling fins 12, a metal plate 14 and a rod-shaped component 16 from the upper side to the lower side, and further includes a cooling air duct 40. The cooling fins 12 of the cooling unit 10 are arranged in the cooling air duct, and the cooling unit 10 can be cooled by the cold air flowing therein.

[0062] The cooling unit 10 includes a plurality of cooling fins 12 erected on a metal plate 14 . The plurality of cooling fins 12 are arranged substantially parallel to each other at predetermined intervals. A plurality of rod-shaped members 16 are attached to the lower surface of the sheet metal 14 .

[0063] Cold air generated by the cooling system 150 of the refrigerator 100 flows through the cooling duct 40 and between the cooling fins 12 of the cooling unit 10 disposed therein, thereby cooling the cooling unit 10. In the cooling duct 40 of this embodiment, the cold air flows along the extending direction of the cooling fins 12. Through heat transfer, the metal plate 14 is cooled by the cooling fins 12, which in turn cools the rod-shaped member 16 attached to the metal plate 14 to a temperature below freezing. As will be described later, a predetermined area of ​​the rod-shaped member 16 is immersed in the liquid in the liquid container 20, thereby allowing ice to form around the predetermined area of ​​the rod-shaped member 16.

[0064] The cooling fins 12, metal plate 14, and rod-shaped members 16 that constitute the cooling unit 10 are all formed of a metal with a high thermal conductivity, such as aluminum or copper. The cooling fins 12 include a thin plate-shaped member having a generally rectangular planar shape, which is integrally mounted on the base. The metal plate 14 is a plate-shaped member having a generally rectangular planar shape, and each cooling fin 12 is erected generally perpendicularly relative to the metal plate 14, and each cooling fin 12 is arranged generally parallel to one another. A plurality of rod-shaped members 16 are mounted on the lower surface of the metal plate 14 in a manner extending downward from the base end to the front end. Since the rod-shaped members 16 are mounted on the metal plate 14 having the cooling fins 12, the cooling efficiency of the rod-shaped members 16 can be stably improved, enabling stable cooling.

[0065] FIG. 1( a ), FIG. 1 ( b ), and FIG. 1 ( c ) show a case where nine rod-shaped members 16 are arranged in a row and attached to a metal plate 14 .

[0066] On the other hand, FIG2(a) shows a case where 11 rod-shaped components 16 are arranged in two rows and installed. In this case, more ice can be generated at one time. In particular, in the example shown in FIG2(a), other rows of rod-shaped components 16 are present between adjacent rod-shaped components 16 in a row, adopting a so-called staggered arrangement. As a result, the width dimension of the metal plate 14 for mounting the rod-shaped components 16 can be reduced, and the cooling unit 10 can be compactly arranged. Moreover, the cooling area of ​​the cooling unit 10 that is cooled by cold air can be reduced, thereby improving the efficiency of heat exchange. The number of rows of rod-shaped components 16 is not limited to 2, and any number of rows of 3 or more can be set. The number of rod-shaped components 16 can also be any number.

[0067] In the ice maker 2 shown in the first embodiment and the second to fourth embodiments described later, the rod-shaped members 16 of the cooling unit 10 may be arranged in two rows.

[0068] The rod-shaped member 16 can have any cross-sectional shape, such as circular, oval, square, or rectangular. If the tip of the rod-shaped member 16 is shaped like a rod cut into a circular slice, the cut portion will be at an acute angle, and the thickness of the ice formed in this portion will be thinner. Therefore, in the example shown in Figure 2(c), the tip of the rod-shaped member 16 with a circular cross-sectional shape has a cannonball-like shape with a curved surface. In the example shown in Figure 2(d), the tip of the rod-shaped member 16 with a circular cross-sectional shape has a conical, pencil-like shape. Any tip shape will ensure that the thickness of the ice formed at the tip of the rod-shaped member 16 is uniform.

[0069] In the example shown in Figures 2(c) and 2(d), a flange is provided at the base end of the rod-shaped member 16, and the flange is joined to the metal plate 14. The lead portion 30A shown in Figures 1(a) and 2(a) is used to supply power to a deicing heater 30 provided within the rod-shaped member 16, which will be described later.

[0070] If the specific dimensions of the rod-shaped member 16 are described based on a circular or square cross-section, the outer diameter or length of one side can be approximately 5 to 20 mm, or approximately 30 to 80 mm. The planar shape of the metal plate 14 is determined by the size of the rod-shaped member 16 and the number of rods to be installed. The planar dimensions of the metal plate 14, in terms of both longitudinal and lateral dimensions, can be, for example, approximately 40 to 400 mm. The thickness of the metal plate 14 can be, for example, approximately 2 to 10 mm.

[0071] <Liquid Container>

[0072] As shown in Figure 3 , the liquid container 20 is formed of, for example, an elastic resin material. The liquid container 20 includes a liquid storage area R defined by a bottom portion and sidewall portions connected by a smooth curved portion. The top of the liquid storage area R is open. The driving force of the moving mechanism 22 allows the liquid container 20 to be rotated about a point P located at the end of the liquid container 20 as the rotation center. Thus, the liquid container 20 can be rotated about point P between an ice-making position (see Figure 3(a)), a non-ice-making position (see Figure 3(b)), and a retracted position (see Figure 3(c)).

[0073] The moving mechanism 22 is configured to rotationally move the liquid container 20. When the drive motor of the moving mechanism 22 is activated to rotate the drive shaft, the liquid container 20 rotates about point P. The moving mechanism 22 can rotate the liquid container 20 clockwise or counterclockwise using the driving force of the drive motor, for example.

[0074] When the liquid container 20 is located at the ice making position, the rod-shaped member 16 of the cooling unit 10 is inserted into the liquid storage area R through the opening, and a predetermined area of ​​the rod-shaped member 16 is disposed within the liquid storage area R. If liquid is stored in the liquid storage area R of the liquid container 20, the predetermined area of ​​the rod-shaped member 16 is immersed in the liquid.

[0075] In the ice maker 2 of this embodiment, the temperature of the metal rod-shaped member 16, cooled by cold air, is below freezing. A predetermined area of ​​the rod-shaped member 16 is located within the liquid storage area R of the liquid container 20. This allows ice to form around the portion of the rod-shaped member 16 immersed in the liquid. The predetermined area can be approximately 8 to 40 mm from the tip of the rod-shaped member 16. The predetermined area of ​​the rod-shaped member 16 is immersed in the liquid in the liquid container 20 for a predetermined time T, thereby forming ice of a predetermined thickness around the rod-shaped member 16.

[0076] After a preset time T, the liquid container 20 can be rotated approximately 30 degrees by the moving mechanism 22, thereby rotating it from the ice-making position shown in Figure 3(a) to the non-ice-making position shown in Figure 3(b). This causes a predetermined area of ​​the rod-shaped member 16 to be exposed from the liquid within the liquid container 20. In this case, even when the rod-shaped member 16 is moved to the non-ice-making position, the liquid within the liquid container 20 does not leak and remains within the liquid container 20. However, in the non-ice-making position, the tip of the rod-shaped member 16 may be immersed in the liquid within the liquid container 20. In this case, the ice formed is larger on the bottom.

[0077] The predetermined ice-forming area of ​​the rod-shaped member 16 is basically the area from the front end of the rod-shaped member 16 to a predetermined distance. If the front end area of ​​the rod-shaped member 16 is immersed in the liquid in the liquid container 20 even in the non-ice-making position, the front end area is outside the predetermined area.

[0078] Next, the liquid container 20 is rotated and moved by the moving mechanism 22 from the non-ice-making position shown in FIG3(b) to the ice-making position shown in FIG3(a). This causes the predetermined area of ​​the rod-shaped member 16 to be immersed in the liquid within the liquid container 20 again. Consequently, ice continues to form outside the ice of a predetermined thickness formed around the rod-shaped member 16. The predetermined area of ​​the rod-shaped member 16 is again immersed in the liquid within the liquid container 20 for a predetermined time T.

[0079] After liquid container 20 has been in the ice-making position for a predetermined time T, it is moved from the ice-making position to the non-ice-making position, and then returned to the ice-making position. This process is repeated N times. While liquid container 20 is in the ice-making position, the direct cooling of metal rod-shaped member 16 allows the ice to initially form pure ice. This allows the ice to be squeezed outward while impurities are being squeezed outward. This intermittent ice-making process efficiently produces transparent ice G free of impurities.

[0080] The predetermined time T for the rod-shaped member 16 to be immersed in the liquid can be, for example, approximately 2 to 8 minutes. The predetermined time T can be the same each time or can be different. The number of repetitions N can be, for example, approximately three to six times.

[0081] After ice is formed in this intermittent ice-making process, the liquid in liquid container 20 is removed by a liquid supply / discharge system, etc., and then the moving mechanism 22 is used to rotate the liquid container 20, for example, approximately 90 degrees, from the ice-making position shown in FIG3(a) to the retracted position shown in FIG3(c). This eliminates the presence of liquid container 20 below the rod-shaped member 16 of the cooling unit 10 and the ice G formed therearound. In this state, the ice around the rod-shaped member 16 is melted by the de-icing heater 30 (described later), allowing the ice G to fall from the rod-shaped member 16. The ice G that falls from the rod-shaped member 16 can be stored in an ice storage container 50, which is located on the lower side and has an upper opening.

[0082] <Cooling air duct>

[0083] The cooling air duct 40 is formed of, for example, a resin material. Figure 4As shown in Figure 5 , the cooling duct 40 is provided with a horizontal duct 40A having an inlet-side end through which cool air flows horizontally; a corner duct 40B connected to the horizontal duct 40A, which changes the direction of the cool air flow from horizontal to vertically downward; and a vertical duct 40C connected to the corner duct 40B, through which cool air flows vertically downward, exiting downward from the outlet-side end. An ice storage container 50 is provided below the cooling duct 40, the cooling unit 10, and the liquid container 20. When ice G formed around the rod-shaped member 16 of the cooling unit 10 falls, the ice storage container 50, which is open at the top, collects the ice G.

[0084] The cooling fins 12 of the cooling unit 10 are installed in the horizontal duct 40A. The extension direction of each cooling fin 12 aligns with the direction of cool air flow. When cool air flows along the extension direction of the cooling fins 12, the portion near the duct inlet is strongly cooled, which may cause temperature variations in the rod-shaped member 16 of the cooling unit 10. Therefore, in this embodiment, a horizontal duct 40A is also provided above the cooling fins 12, and a partition 42 is installed in the space above the cooling fins 12. The cooling fins 12 are divided into four zones along their extension direction, and the partitions 42 guide the cool air into each zone. In other words, the cool air flows into the cooling fins 12 through the four air outlets formed in the partitions 42. To ensure that cool air flows evenly into the cooling fins 12 from each air outlet, the size of the air outlets preferably increases in opening area as it moves toward the rear of the duct. In addition, by adjusting the position of the guide plate of the partition 42 and its angle relative to the air flow direction, the flow rate of cool air into the cooling fins 12 can be made nearly uniform.

[0085] The cool air flowing through cooling fins 12 flows along the inner walls of cooling duct 40. Specifically, it begins at horizontal duct 40A, changes its direction vertically downward at corner duct 40B, flows downward within vertical duct 40C, and then flows out. During this time, the cool air flows within the space enclosed by the inner walls of the duct, preventing it from colliding with liquid container 20.

[0086] The cold air flowing out of the vertical air duct 40C of the cooling air duct 40 flows into the ice storage container 50 having an upper opening. The cold air flows into the vicinity of the inner wall of the ice storage container 50 and flows downward along the inner wall.

[0087] Ice storage container 50 has a slit 56 on its lower rear side, located just before the refrigerator's return air vent. Cold air flowing downward along the inner wall of ice storage container 50 flows through slit 56 into the refrigerator's return air duct. Consequently, most of the cold air passes through the lower surface of the ice storage container and is drawn into the return air duct. Because some of the cold air remains below freezing, the stored ice does not melt.

[0088] As described above, in the ice maker 2 of this embodiment, the cold air that has passed between the cooling fins 12 flows downward along the inner wall of the cooling air duct 40, flows to the bottom of the ice storage container 50, and then flows out. Therefore, the cold air flows less into the liquid container 20, thereby preventing the liquid in the liquid container 20 from freezing except around the rod-shaped member 16.

[0089] <De-icing Heater>

[0090] Figures 6(a) and 6(b) illustrate a deicing heater 30 according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 6(a) is a perspective view of the cooling unit 10, and Figure 6(b) is an enlarged side cross-sectional view of the rod-shaped member 16 on which the deicing heater 30 is disposed.

[0091] In this embodiment, rod-shaped member 16 has a hollow structure, into which deicing heater 30 is inserted. Deicing heater 30 can be any known heater, such as a wire heater, a PTC heater, a ceramic heater, or a Peltier element. A lead portion 30A for supplying power to deicing heater 30 extends laterally from the upper portion of rod-shaped member 16.

[0092] By operating the deicing heater 30, the temperature of the outer peripheral surface of the rod-shaped member 16 rises, melting the ice in contact with the outer peripheral surface of the rod-shaped member 16, thereby separating the ice from the rod-shaped member 16. In particular, since the deicing heater 30 is provided inside the rod-shaped member 16, the ice can be quickly separated from the rod-shaped member 16, and the temperature rise of the cooling fins 12 can be suppressed, thereby reducing the decline in ice making efficiency.

[0093] (Antifreeze heater)

[0094] Figure 7 FIG is a diagram showing an antifreeze heater 32 according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 7 As shown, in this embodiment, an antifreeze heater 32 is provided around the upper opening of the liquid container 20. A silicon or vinyl chloride wire heater can be used for the antifreeze heater 32. However, this is not limiting; a PTC heater, ceramic heater, Peltier element, or the like can also be used. The antifreeze heater 32 prevents the liquid in the liquid container 20 from freezing outside the area surrounding the rod-shaped member 16. The liquid container 20 is preferably made of a resin material or metal with high thermal conductivity to facilitate heat conduction from the antifreeze heater 32.

[0095] Furthermore, in order to prevent freezing, it is preferable to adopt a heat insulating structure such as providing a heat insulating material on the upper surface of the liquid container 20 .

[0096] (Ice Maker of Second Embodiment)

[0097] Figure 8(a) to Figure 8(c)These are diagrams illustrating the ice-making process of the cooling unit and liquid container of an ice-making machine according to a second embodiment of the present invention. FIG8(a) shows the liquid container 20 in the ice-making position, FIG8(b) shows the liquid container 20 in the non-ice-making position, and FIG8(c) shows the liquid container 20 in the retracted position.

[0098] In the second embodiment, as in the first embodiment, the liquid container 20 is rotated and moved between the ice making position, the non-ice making position, and the retracted position using the moving mechanism 22. However, unlike the first embodiment, the side profile of the liquid container 20 is longer than that of the first embodiment, and a portion of the upper opening of the liquid container 20 is covered by a rib 24.

[0099] The side profile of the liquid container 20 in this embodiment is longer in lateral length than that of the first embodiment, thereby increasing the amount of liquid stored. Furthermore, the area outside the upper opening of the liquid container 20, which is the trajectory of rotation of the liquid container 20, is covered by the ribs 24. Thus, in the non-ice-making position shown in FIG8(b), even if the liquid container 20 is tilted so that the rod-shaped member 16 of the cooling unit 10 is completely exposed from the liquid within the liquid container 20, the ribs 24 prevent the liquid from spilling. The remainder of the description is the same as in the first embodiment, and therefore a further detailed description is omitted.

[0100] In the first and second embodiments, the liquid container 20 rotates, but the present invention is not limited thereto. For example, by rotating the cooling unit 10, similar intermittent ice making can be achieved.

[0101] (Ice Maker of Third Embodiment)

[0102] Figures 9(a) and 9(b) illustrate the ice-making process of the cooling unit 10 and the liquid container 20 of the ice-making machine 2 according to the third embodiment of the present invention. Figure 9(a) shows the liquid container 20 in the ice-making position, Figure 9(b) shows the liquid container 20 in the non-ice-making position, and Figure 9(c) shows the liquid container 20 in the retracted position.

[0103] In the third embodiment, both sides of the liquid container 20 are slidably attached to left and right guide posts 26A and 26B of the moving mechanism 26. The driving force of the moving mechanism 26 causes the liquid container 20 to slide vertically along the guide posts 26A and 26B.

[0104] Figure 9(a) shows the liquid container 20 in the upper ice-making position, with a predetermined area of ​​the rod-shaped member 16 of the cooling unit 10 immersed in the liquid within the liquid container 20. Figure 9(b) shows the liquid container 20 in the lower ice-making position, with a predetermined area of ​​the rod-shaped member 16 of the cooling unit 10 exposed from the liquid within the liquid container 20. By repeatedly moving the cooling unit 10 between the ice-making and non-ice-making positions, intermittent ice making is performed, producing transparent ice G. When intermittent ice making is completed, the liquid container 20 is further lowered downward, for example, by the action of a torsion spring, and rotated approximately 90 degrees to a retracted position (see Figure 9(c)). This can be accomplished using a single drive device. Alternatively, using two drive devices, the cooling unit can be moved up and down for intermittent ice making, while the liquid container 20 is rotated and returned to the retracted position. This eliminates the need for the liquid container 20 below the cooling unit 10, and the generated ice G can be separated from the rod-shaped member 16 by operating the de-icing heater 30. The rest is the same as that of the first and second embodiments described above, and therefore a more detailed description is omitted.

[0105] In the third embodiment, the liquid container 20 moves up and down, but the present invention is not limited thereto. For example, by moving the cooling unit 10 up and down, similar intermittent ice making can be achieved.

[0106] (Ice Maker of Fourth Embodiment)

[0107] Figures 10(a), 10(b), and 10(c) illustrate the ice-making process of the cooling unit 10 and the liquid container 20 of the ice-making machine 2 according to the fourth embodiment of the present invention. Figure 10(a) shows the liquid container 20 in the ice-making position, Figure 10(b) shows the liquid container 20 in the non-ice-making position, and Figure 10(c) shows the liquid container 20 in the retracted position.

[0108] The cooling unit 10 and moving mechanism 26 of the fourth embodiment are the same as those of the third embodiment. However, this embodiment differs from the third embodiment in that first and second liquid containers 20A and 20B are provided corresponding to the two rows of rod-shaped members of the cooling unit 10.

[0109] After the intermittent ice making shown in Figures 10(a) and 10(b) is completed, the first liquid container 20A and the second liquid container 20B are rotated so as to open to the sides from the ice making position. As a result, the first liquid container 20A and the second liquid container 20B are rotated approximately 90 degrees to the sides, moving to a retreat position where the liquid containers 20 are not located below the cooling unit 10 (see Figure 10(c)). The rotational trajectory of the first liquid container 20A and the second liquid container 20B is smaller than that of the third embodiment. As a result, the ice storage container 50 located below the cooling unit 10 can also be placed close to the cooling unit 10, thereby achieving a compact ice maker 2. The rest is the same as the third embodiment described above, so a more detailed description is omitted.

[0110] (Control Department)

[0111] Figure 11 1 is a block diagram showing a control structure of the ice maker 2 according to the embodiment of the present invention. Figure 11 , the control structure of the ice maker 2 including the control unit 60 according to this embodiment will be described.

[0112] In the first and second embodiments, the control unit 60 controls the driving motor of the moving mechanism 22 to rotate and move the liquid container 20 between the ice-making position, the non-ice-making position, and the retracted position. In the second and third embodiments, the control unit 60 controls the driving motor or actuator of the moving mechanism 26 to vertically move the cooling unit 10 between the ice-making position and the non-ice-making position.

[0113] The control unit 60 can operate (generate heat) or stop the deicing heater 30 by controlling the power supply to the deicing heater 30. Similarly, the control unit 60 can operate (generate heat) or stop the antifreeze heater 32 by controlling the power supply to the antifreeze heater 32.

[0114] When the liquid supply / discharge system is used to supply liquid to the liquid container 20 or to remove liquid from the liquid container 20, the control unit 60 controls the liquid supply / discharge pump of the liquid supply / discharge system to drive in the liquid supply direction, thereby supplying liquid from the liquid storage tank to the liquid container 20. Similarly, the control unit 60 controls the liquid supply / discharge pump of the liquid supply / discharge system to drive in the liquid removal direction, thereby returning liquid from the liquid container 20 to the liquid storage tank.

[0115] (Ice making process)

[0116] Figure 12 1 is a flowchart showing the control of the ice making process by the control unit 60 according to one embodiment. Figure 12, describing the control of the ice making process by the control unit 60. The cooling unit 10 and the liquid container 20 are in the ice making position, the rod-shaped member 16 of the cooling unit 10 is cooled, and the state where no liquid is supplied to the liquid container 20 is set to the initial state.

[0117] First, the control unit 60 drives the drive motor of the liquid supply / discharge pump of the liquid supply / discharge system in the liquid supply direction, thereby supplying the liquid in the liquid storage tank to the liquid container 20, and then stops the liquid supply / discharge pump (step S2). As a result, a predetermined area of ​​the cooled rod-shaped member 16 of the cooling unit 10 is immersed in the liquid in the liquid container 20, and ice forms around the predetermined area of ​​the rod-shaped member 16.

[0118] This state is maintained until time T, which is the time required for one ice-making operation in intermittent ice-making, has passed (step S4). When time T has passed, the movement mechanism 22 or the movement mechanism 26 is controlled to operate, moving the liquid container 20 or the cooling unit 10 from the ice-making position to the non-ice-making position (step S6). This allows the predetermined area of ​​the rod-shaped member 16 to be exposed from the liquid contained in the liquid container 20.

[0119] Next, the moving mechanism 22 or the moving mechanism 26 is operated again to move the liquid container 20 or the cooling unit 10 from the non-ice-making position to the ice-making position (step S8). This causes the predetermined area of ​​the rod-shaped member 16 to be immersed in the liquid in the liquid container 20 again. The process then returns to step S4 and waits for a time T.

[0120] The control from step S4 to step S8 is repeated N times. Thus, the predetermined area of ​​the rod-shaped member 16 is immersed in the liquid in the liquid container 20 for a time T and the predetermined area is exposed from the liquid (not immersed) repeatedly, thereby performing intermittent ice making.

[0121] After the intermittent ice making is completed, the liquid in the liquid container 20 is returned to the liquid storage tank by controlling the liquid supply / discharge pump to operate in the liquid removal direction (step S10). Next, the moving mechanism 22 is operated to move the liquid container 20 from the ice making position to the retreat position (step S12). As a result, the liquid container 20 is no longer on the lower side of the rod-shaped member 16. Then, the de-icing heater 30 provided in the rod-shaped member 16 is operated. As a result, the contact portion of the generated ice G with the rod-shaped member 16 is melted, causing the generated ice G to fall from the rod-shaped member 16, and the operation of the de-icing heater 30 is stopped (step S14). The ice G that falls from the rod-shaped member 16 can be stored in the ice storage container 50 provided on the lower side. Thus, one ice making process is completed.

[0122] As described above, the ice making machine 2 of the above embodiment includes: a cooling unit 10, which includes a cooled metal rod-shaped member 16; a liquid container 20, which can accommodate liquid; a moving mechanism 22 (26), which moves at least one of the cooling unit 10 and the liquid container 20; and a control unit 60, which controls the moving mechanism 22 (26). The control unit 60 maintains a state in which the liquid is accommodated in the liquid container 20, and moves at least one of the cooling unit 10 and the liquid container 20 through the moving mechanism 22 (26), repeatedly forming a state in which a predetermined area of ​​the rod-shaped member 16 is immersed in the liquid in the liquid container 20, and a state in which a predetermined area of ​​the rod-shaped member 16 is exposed from the liquid in the liquid container 20, thereby performing intermittent ice making.

[0123] Thus, in direct cooling using the metal rod-shaped member 16, ice is first formed from pure ice, and then, while impurities are squeezed out from the inside, ice is formed, making it possible to efficiently produce transparent ice free of impurities. Thus, an ice maker capable of efficiently producing transparent ice can be provided.

[0124] As shown in the first and second embodiments described above, the liquid container 20 is rotated and moved by the moving mechanism 22 between an ice-making position in which a predetermined area of ​​the rod-shaped member 16 is immersed in the liquid in the liquid container 20, and a non-ice-making position in which a predetermined area of ​​the rod-shaped member 16 is exposed from the liquid in the liquid container 20. In this case, intermittent ice making can be reliably implemented, thereby efficiently generating transparent ice.

[0125] As shown in the third and fourth embodiments described above, the cooling portion 26 is moved up and down by the moving mechanism 26 between an ice-making position in which a predetermined area of ​​the rod-shaped member 16 is immersed in the liquid in the liquid container 20, and a non-ice-making position in which a predetermined area of ​​the rod-shaped member is exposed from the liquid in the liquid container 20. In this case, intermittent ice-making can be reliably implemented, thereby efficiently generating transparent ice.

[0126] By moving the liquid container 20 or the cooling unit 10, the immersion depth of the rod-shaped member 16 in the liquid in the liquid container 20 can be changed. Therefore, during intermittent ice making, by changing the immersion depth of the rod-shaped member 16, ice of various shapes can be produced.

[0127] (Other Embodiments)

[0128] <Liquid Container Disassembly and Assembly Mechanism>

[0129] Figures 13(a) and 13(b) are perspective views illustrating an example of a mechanism for attaching and detaching the liquid container 20. Figure 13(a) illustrates the preparation for detaching the liquid container 20 from the rotating shaft of the moving mechanism 22, while Figure 13(b) illustrates the detachment of the liquid container 20 from the rotating shaft of the moving mechanism 22. The ice maker 2 of this embodiment may include the detachment mechanism illustrated in Figures 13(a) and 13(b) that facilitates the attachment and detachment of the liquid container 20.

[0130] To remove the liquid container 20, pull the fixing member 44 upward, as indicated by arrow E in Figure 13(a). This allows the liquid container 20 to slide toward the side with the fixing member 44, as indicated by arrow F. This separates the end of the liquid container 20 opposite the fixing member 44 from the rotation axis of the moving mechanism 22. As shown by arrow G in Figure 13(b), the liquid container 20 can be removed downward. Alternatively, the liquid container 20 can be attached to the rotation axis of the moving mechanism 22 by following the reverse sequence.

[0131] The above-described attachment and detachment mechanism allows the liquid container 20 to be easily attached and detached from the ice maker 2. This makes it possible to easily clean the liquid container 20.

[0132] <De-icing auxiliary mechanism>

[0133] Figures 14(a), 14(b), and 14(c) illustrate a de-icing assist mechanism provided on a liquid container 20 in one embodiment. Figure 14(a) is a perspective view of the liquid container 20 having the de-icing assist claw 28, Figure 14(b) is a side view of the liquid container 20 in the ice-making position, and Figure 14(c) is a side view of the liquid container 20 in the middle of rotation from the ice-making position to the retracted position.

[0134] When intermittent ice making is completed, the de-icing heater 30 is operated to separate the generated ice G from the rod-shaped member 16. However, due to the surface tension of the liquid generated by the ice melted by the de-icing heater 30 and the slope of the ice G, the ice G may not separate from the rod-shaped member 16. To address this issue, it is preferable to provide the liquid container 20 with a de-icing assist mechanism as shown in FIG14(a).

[0135] The de-icing assist mechanism is shown by the frame indicated by H in Figure 14(a). Specifically, it includes de-icing assist claws 28 with concave and convex shapes arranged at predetermined intervals. The de-icing assist claws 28 are positioned between adjacent, parallel rod-shaped members 16, with the rod-shaped members 16 located at recessed locations. This prevents the liquid container 20 from interfering with the rod-shaped members 16 even when the liquid container 20 rotates.

[0136] When the de-icing heater 30 is operated to melt the ice around the rod-shaped member 16, and the liquid container 20 is rotated from the ice-making position to the retracted position, the de-icing assisting claws 28 come into contact with the ice G within the area indicated by the frame J in FIG14( c ). Thus, the de-icing assisting claws 28 can push the ice G, causing it to separate from the rod-shaped member 16. For example, a control system can be implemented in which the rotation is temporarily stopped before the de-icing assisting claws 28 come into contact with the ice G, and after the ice around the rod-shaped member 16 has completely melted, the liquid container 20 is rotated again, causing the de-icing assisting claws 28 to push the ice G.

[0137] <Full Ice Testing Agency>

[0138] Figures 15(a), 15(b), and 15(c) illustrate an ice-full detection mechanism, using a liquid container 20, that detects whether the ice storage container 50 is full of ice, according to one embodiment. Figure 15(a) shows the rotating liquid container 20 colliding with ice stored in the ice storage container 50, causing the rotation to stop. Figure 15(b) shows the liquid container in the ice-making position, and Figure 15(c) shows the liquid container in the retracted position.

[0139] In ice machines designed to completely freeze the liquid in the ice tray, a high torque is typically applied after ice is made, twisting the resin ice tray and causing the ice to break away from the tray. However, in the ice machine 2 of this embodiment, ice is formed around the rod-shaped member 16 of the cooling unit 10. Therefore, the drive motor of the moving mechanism 22 does not need to generate a high torque that would twist the liquid container 20; it only needs to generate torque sufficient to rotate the liquid container 20. Therefore, when the ice storage container 50 is full of ice and the ice on top interferes with the rotating liquid container 20, the ice is not damaged and the rotation of the liquid container 20 stops.

[0140] exist Figure 15(a) to Figure 15(c) In the full ice detection mechanism shown, a magnet 62 is attached to the liquid container 20, and a magnetic sensor 64 is attached to the frame side of the ice maker 2. Furthermore, as shown in FIG15(c), when the liquid container 20 rotates to the retracted position, the magnetic sensor 64 detects the magnetism of the magnet 62.

[0141] Thus, for example, when the liquid container 20 is rotated from the ice making position to the retracted position, if the magnetic sensor 64 detects the magnetism of the magnet 62 after a predetermined time, it is determined that the liquid container 20 has been rotated to the retracted position without interfering with the ice stored in the ice storage container 50. In this case, it can be determined that the ice storage container 50 is not full of ice.

[0142] On the other hand, when the liquid container 20 is rotated from the ice making position to the retracted position, if the magnetic sensor 64 no longer detects the magnetism of the magnet 62 after a predetermined time, it is determined that the liquid container 20 is interfering with the ice stored in the ice storage container 50, and the rotation is stopped. In this case, it can be determined that the ice storage container 50 is full of ice.

[0143] Thus, in the full ice detection mechanism shown in FIG15 , only the magnet 62 and the magnetic sensor 64 are added, making it easy to check whether the ice storage container 50 is full of ice. However, the full ice detection mechanism is not limited to the use of a magnet and a magnetic sensor, and may also use, for example, a mechanical microswitch or an optical sensor.

[0144] (Refrigerator according to one embodiment of the present invention)

[0145] Figure 16 Schematically shows a refrigerator equipped with an ice maker according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 16 , the refrigerator 100 of this embodiment is provided with an ice maker 2 indoors. Figure 16 In the figure, the flow of gas is represented by dotted arrows, and the flow of refrigerant is represented by dot-dash lines.

[0146] The refrigerator 100 includes a freezer compartment 102A and a refrigerator compartment 102B. Air ducts 104A and 104B are provided on the back sides of the freezer compartment 102A and the refrigerator compartment 102B. The air ducts 104A and 104B are separated by a partition 106. Figure 16 In the illustrated example, the ice maker 2 is installed in the freezer compartment 102A. However, the present invention is not limited thereto, and the ice maker 2 may be installed in the refrigerator compartment 102B.

[0147] An evaporator 140 is installed in the air duct 104A on the side of the freezer compartment 102A, and a fan 170 is installed above the evaporator 140. A compressor 110 is installed in the external machine room on the back side of the freezer compartment 102A, which is connected to the evaporator 140. The refrigerant (gas) compressed by the compressor 110 is liquefied in the condenser 120. The pressure is reduced while passing through the capillary tube, thereby lowering the boiling point. The refrigerant flows into the evaporator 140 through the dryer 130. Then, the refrigerant removes heat from the indoor air in the evaporator 140 and vaporizes. The vaporized refrigerant is compressed again in the compressor 110, and this cycle repeats. As described above, the cooling system 150 of the refrigerator is formed, which includes the compressor 110, the condenser 120, the dryer 130, and the evaporator 140.

[0148] When the compressor 110 and the fan 170 are driven, air flows, and the cold air that has passed through the evaporator 140 flows into the inlet side of the cooling air duct 40 of the ice maker 2 through the opening 106A provided in the partition 106. The partition 106 is provided with the opening 106A and an air outlet that allows the cold air that has passed through the evaporator 140 to flow directly into the freezing chamber 102A.

[0149] The cold air flowing into cooling duct 40 passes between cooling fins 12 and flows out of ice maker 2. The cold air flowing out of ice maker 2 circulates within freezer compartment 102A and returns to the lower side of evaporator 140 within duct 104A. This air flow allows ice maker 2 to be cooled to make ice while also cooling food and other items stored in freezer compartment 102A.

[0150] As described above, the cold air passing through the cooling fins 12 flows downward along the inner wall of the cooling air duct 40 and is sucked into the return air duct of the refrigerator through the slits 56 of the ice storage container 50. However, a portion of the cold air flowing out of the slits 56 can also be circulated in the freezer compartment 102A.

[0151] Although the embodiments and examples of the present invention have been described, the disclosure may be varied in structural details, and the order of combining elements in the embodiments and examples may be varied without departing from the scope and spirit of the claimed invention.

Claims

1. An ice making machine, characterized in that: include: a cooling portion including a cooled metal rod-shaped member; a liquid container for containing liquid; a moving mechanism for moving at least one of the cooling portion and the liquid container; and a control unit for controlling the moving mechanism, The control unit controls the moving mechanism to move at least one of the cooling unit and the liquid container, and keeps the liquid in the liquid container in the liquid container, repeatedly forming a state in which a predetermined area of ​​the rod-shaped member is immersed in the liquid in the liquid container and a state in which the predetermined area is exposed from the liquid in the liquid container, thereby performing intermittent ice making.

2. The ice making machine according to claim 1, wherein: The moving mechanism is used to control the liquid container or the cooling unit to rotate and move between an ice-making position and a non-ice-making position, wherein the predetermined area of ​​the rod-shaped component is immersed in the liquid in the liquid container in the ice-making position and the predetermined area of ​​the rod-shaped component is exposed from the liquid in the liquid container in the non-ice-making position.

3. The ice making machine according to claim 1, wherein: The moving mechanism is used to control the cooling portion or the liquid container to move up and down between an ice-making position and a non-ice-making position. In the ice-making position, the predetermined area of ​​the rod-shaped component is immersed in the liquid in the liquid container. In the non-ice-making position, the predetermined area of ​​the rod-shaped component is exposed from the liquid in the liquid container.

4. The ice making machine according to claim 1, wherein: A deicing heater is provided inside the rod-shaped member to heat ice generated around the rod-shaped member.

5. The ice making machine according to claim 1, wherein: The cooling unit includes: the rod-shaped member; and a metal plate, a plurality of metal cooling fins are provided on the upper side of the metal plate, and the rod-shaped member is installed on the lower side of the metal plate. The system further comprises a cooling air duct, wherein the cooling fins are arranged in the cooling air duct, and cold air flows along the extending direction of the cooling fins; and An ice storage container is provided at the lower side of the cooling portion and is used to receive ice dropped from the rod-shaped member. The cold air passing through the cooling fins flows downward along the inner wall of the cooling air duct and flows out through the air duct at the bottom of the ice storage container.

6. The ice making machine according to claim 5, characterized in that The cooling air duct includes: a horizontal air duct, a corner air duct and a vertical air duct, the two ends of the corner air duct are respectively connected to the horizontal air duct and the vertical air duct, the horizontal air duct has an inlet side, and the vertical air duct has an outlet side. The cooling fins are placed in the horizontal air duct, and a shelf is provided in the horizontal air duct above the cooling fins, and an air outlet is provided on the shelf.

7. The ice making machine according to claim 5, characterized in that The moving mechanism is further configured to drive the liquid container to rotate to a retreat position where the liquid container is not located below the rod-shaped member.

8. The ice making machine according to claim 1, wherein: An antifreeze heater is arranged around the upper opening of the liquid container.

9. The ice making machine according to claim 7, wherein: The liquid container includes an ice removal assisting mechanism including ice removal assisting claws arranged at predetermined intervals. The ice removal assisting claws come into contact with ice during the rotation of the liquid container from the ice making position to the retreat position.

10. A refrigerator comprising a refrigerator compartment and a freezer compartment, characterized in that: Also included is the ice making machine as claimed in claim 1.

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