Water inlet and ice making control method of ice maker

Abstract

The invention discloses a water inlet and ice making control method for an ice maker, which is characterized in that a temperature sensor for detecting the water temperature in a water tank and a water level sensor for detecting the water level in the water tank are simultaneously arranged in the water tank of the ice maker, and the water inlet of the water tank is controlled through the combination of the water temperature in the water tank and the water level in the water tank. Meanwhile, the ice making time of the ice maker is controlled through the combination of the water temperature in the water tank and the water level in the water tank, a refrigerating system of the ice maker is controlled through the combination of the water temperature in the water tank and the water level in the water tank, and finally the ice making speed and the ice making thickness are controlled. The ice making speed and the ice making thickness can be better controlled, and the ice block quality can be better improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the technical field of ice maker control, and in particular to a water inlet and ice making control method for an ice maker. Background Art

[0002] An ice maker usually includes a refrigeration system and a water supply system. The refrigeration system generally includes a conventional compressor, condenser, throttling device, evaporator and pipes. The evaporator is arranged in the ice-making space, and the ice-making space is cooled by the evaporator to achieve ice making. The water supply system generally includes a water tank, and the water inlet of the water tank is connected to an external water source. The water in the water tank is pumped to the ice-making space by a water pump for ice making.

[0003] The operation process of the ice making machine is generally as follows:

[0004] When the ice maker is turned on, it will first check the water level through the water level sensor in the water tank. If the water level does not reach the set water level, the water inlet valve at the water inlet of the water tank will be opened to let water in. When the water level reaches the set water level, the water inlet will be stopped.

[0005] When cleaning is required, the ice maker is operated to enter the cleaning mode. The ice maker will use the water pump to pump the water in the water tank into the ice making space for circulation cleaning. The cleaning agent can be added manually or automatically during the cleaning process. After the set cleaning time, the drain valve is opened to discharge the cleaned water in the water tank into the ice maker through the drain valve, and finally the cleaning mode is ended.

[0006] When ice making is required, the ice maker is operated to enter the ice making mode. The ice making process is as follows:

[0007] 1. First, check the water level in the sink. If the water level has not reached the set level, open the water inlet valve at the sink's water inlet to allow water in. When the water level reaches the set level, stop adding water.

[0008] 2. Start the refrigeration system and allow the evaporator of the refrigeration system to absorb the heat from the ice-making space to cool it. Before starting the refrigeration system, you can also start the defrost valve to relieve the pressure on the compressor.

[0009] 3. Start the water pump to pump the water in the water tank to the ice-making space, where the water will condense into ice. When the temperature in the ice-making space is lower than the set value, start the defrost valve to bypass the high-temperature and high-pressure refrigerant at the high-pressure end of the compressor directly to the evaporator for defrosting and defrosting. After the defrosting and defrosting (heating) set time, the defrosting sensor switch detects the defrosting situation. If the defrosting sensor switch cannot be reset within the set time, it means that the ice is full, the ice maker enters standby mode, and the refrigeration system stops. After the above-mentioned ice-making cycle, the water in the water tank will gradually decrease. When the water in the water tank drops to the set value, start the water inlet valve to let water in. After the water inlet valve is open for the set time, or when the water level in the water tank is higher than the set value, stop letting water in.

[0010] The above-mentioned existing ice maker is equipped with a water level sensor in the water tank and a temperature sensor in the ice making space. They operate separately. The water level signal detected by the water level sensor is only used to control the water level in the water tank, and the temperature signal detected by the temperature sensor is only used to control the thickness of ice in the ice making space. This will cause the existing ice maker to have the following shortcomings:

[0011] During the ice-making process, the water temperature in the water tank will drop as the ice maker makes ice, and then rise again after the water is added. Regarding ice-making speed and ice thickness, it's certain that when using cooler water in the water tank, ice-making will be faster, resulting in thicker ice in the same amount of time. When the water temperature is higher, ice-making will be slower, resulting in thinner ice in the same amount of time. Furthermore, when there's more water in the water tank, it absorbs more cold air, reducing ice-making efficiency within the ice-making space. Conversely, using cooler water will improve ice-making efficiency.

[0012] It can be seen that the amount of water and the water temperature in the water tank have a greater impact on the output and ice thickness of the ice maker per unit time.

[0013] However, the existing ice maker controls the thickness of ice by directly detecting the temperature in the ice making space, without considering the influence of the water temperature in the water tank, which may result in unstable ice making speed and ice thickness.

[0014] 2. The existing ice maker has water level sensors and temperature sensors arranged in the water tank and ice making space respectively, which requires wiring in both the water tank and the ice making space, increasing the complexity of wiring. Summary of the Invention

[0015] The object of the present invention is to provide a method for controlling water inlet and ice making of an ice maker, which can better control ice making speed and ice thickness.

[0016] The purpose of the present invention is achieved through the following technical solutions:

[0017] A method for controlling water inlet and ice making of an ice maker is characterized in that: a temperature sensor for detecting the water temperature in the water tank and a water level sensor for detecting the water level in the water tank are simultaneously provided in the water tank of the ice maker, water inlet to the water tank is controlled by combining the water temperature and the water level in the water tank, ice making time of the ice maker is controlled by combining the water temperature and the water level in the water tank, and a refrigeration system of the ice maker is controlled by combining the water temperature and the water level in the water tank, thereby ultimately achieving the goal of controlling ice making speed and ice thickness.

[0018] In a further technical solution of the present invention, the method for controlling the water inlet of the water tank by combining the water temperature and the water level in the water tank is:

[0019] When the ice maker just starts making ice, the water level in the water tank is controlled at a set low water level to reduce the amount of cold absorbed by the water in the water tank during the initial ice making process, thereby increasing the ice making speed of the ice maker at the beginning of the ice making process;

[0020] During the ice making process, when the water level sensor detects that the water level in the water tank is lower than the set value, the water inlet valve of the water tank is opened to allow water to flow in. During the water inlet process, the water temperature in the water tank will rise. When the temperature sensor detects that the water temperature in the water tank rises to the set value, the water inlet valve of the water tank is closed to stop water flow.

[0021] After the ice maker has cycled to make ice for the set time, when the water temperature in the water tank reaches the set low temperature value and the water level reaches the set low water level, the water inlet to the water tank is reduced or the water inlet to the water tank is stopped;

[0022] T seconds before the ice maker reaches the set ice making cycle time (i.e., it is executed T seconds before the set time is reached), when the water temperature in the water tank reaches the set low temperature value and the water level reaches the set high water level, the drain pump is started to drain part of the water in the water tank.

[0023] In a further technical solution of the present invention, a method for controlling the ice making time of an ice maker by combining the water temperature and the water level in the water tank is as follows: a corresponding refrigeration time TN is obtained by the temperature value and the water level value, and ice defrosting is started after the refrigeration time TN is reached during ice making.

[0024] In a further technical solution of the present invention, a method for controlling the refrigeration system of an ice maker by combining the water temperature and the water level in the water tank is as follows:

[0025] When the water level in the water tank is at the set high water level and the water temperature is at the set high temperature value, the flow rate of the throttling device of the refrigeration system is increased to increase the cooling capacity of the refrigeration system. In the refrigeration system, the greater the flow rate, the smaller the pressure difference, the higher the evaporation temperature, the greater the cooling capacity, and the faster the ice making speed;

[0026] When the water temperature in the water tank is at the set low temperature value, the flow rate of the throttling device of the refrigeration system is reduced to reduce the cooling capacity of the refrigeration system. In the refrigeration system, the smaller the flow rate, the greater the pressure difference, the lower the evaporation temperature, the lower the ice core temperature, and the better the ice quality.

[0027] In a further technical solution of the present invention, the temperature sensor and the water level sensor are integrated together to form an integrated water tank detection device.

[0028] As an embodiment of the present invention, the temperature sensor of the water tank detection device includes a diode thermistor, and the water level sensor includes a float that slides up and down, a magnetic ring provided on the float, and a reed switch magnetically controlled by the magnetic ring.

[0029] As another embodiment of the present invention, the temperature sensor of the water tank detection device includes a diode thermistor, and the water level sensor includes a cylindrical mounting seat, a high water level reed switch magnetic control switch, a high water level float, a low water level reed switch magnetic control switch, a low water level float, an adjusting screw, an adjusting nut and a magnetic ring arranged in the float. The cylindrical mounting seat is provided with a middle hole, the adjusting nut is rotatably connected to the upper end of the cylindrical mounting seat, the adjusting screw passes through the middle hole from the upper end, and the adjusting screw is threadedly connected to the adjusting nut, the high water level reed switch magnetic control switch is arranged at the bottom of the adjusting screw, the low water level reed switch magnetic control switch and the temperature sensor are both arranged in the cylindrical mounting seat, the temperature sensor is close to the bottom of the cylindrical mounting seat, the low water level reed switch magnetic control switch is located above the temperature sensor, the high water level float and the low water level float are both movably mounted on the cylindrical mounting seat, the low water level float can move in the lower part of the cylindrical mounting seat, and the high water level float can move in the upper part of the cylindrical mounting seat.

[0030] Compared with the prior art, the present invention has the following beneficial effects:

[0031] The present invention simultaneously arranges a temperature sensor and a water level sensor in the water tank, and no longer needs to arrange a temperature sensor in the ice-making space to control the thickness of ice, thereby reducing wiring in the ice-making space and reducing the complexity of the ice-making machine.

[0032] The temperature sensor and the water level sensor arranged in the water tank of the present invention are used in association with each other. The water temperature detected by the temperature sensor in the water tank and the water level detected by the water level sensor in the water tank are combined to control the water inlet of the water tank, the ice making time of the ice maker and the refrigeration system of the ice maker, thereby achieving better control over the ice making speed and ice thickness of the ice maker. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0033] Figure 1 2 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a water tank detection device integrated with a temperature sensor and a water level sensor used in an ice maker according to a first embodiment of the present invention;

[0034] Figure 2 is a front view schematic diagram of a water tank detection device integrated with a temperature sensor and a water level sensor used in an ice maker according to a second embodiment of the present invention;

[0035] Figure 3 2 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a water tank detection device integrated with a temperature sensor and a water level sensor used in an ice maker according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

[0036] Meaning of the reference numerals in the figure:

[0037] 1-Cylindrical mounting base; 1.1-Middle hole; 1.2-Mounting cavity; 2-Float; 2.1-High water level float; 2.2-Low water level float; 3-Magnetic ring; 4-Diode thermistor; 5-Reed switch magnetic control switch; 5.1-High water level reed switch magnetic control switch; 5.2-Low water level reed switch magnetic control switch; 6-Signal line; 7-Adjusting nut; 8-Adjusting screw; 9-Partition plate. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0038] The present invention is further described below with reference to the embodiments.

[0039] In the description of the present invention, it should be understood that descriptions involving orientations, such as up, down, front, back, left, right, etc., indicating orientations or positional relationships, are based on the orientations or positional relationships shown in the accompanying drawings. They are only for the convenience of describing the present invention and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, they cannot be understood as limitations on the present invention.

[0040] In the description of the present invention, "several" means one or more, "many" means more than two, "greater than," "less than," and "exceed" are understood to exclude the number itself, while "above," "below," and "within" are understood to include the number itself. The use of "first" and "second" in the description is solely for the purpose of distinguishing technical features and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance, implicitly specifying the number of the indicated technical features, or implicitly specifying the order of the indicated technical features.

[0041] In the description of the present invention, unless otherwise clearly defined, terms such as setting, installing, and connecting should be understood in a broad sense, and technicians in the relevant technical field can reasonably determine the specific meanings of the above terms in the present invention based on the specific content of the technical solution.

[0042] Example 1:

[0043] The ice maker water inlet and ice making control method of this embodiment is to simultaneously set a temperature sensor for detecting the water temperature in the water tank and a water level sensor for detecting the water level in the water tank in the ice maker. During the design, the temperature sensor and the water level sensor are integrated together to form an integrated water tank detection device, which can further simplify the installation process and further simplify the structure.

[0044] The control method controls the water inlet of the water tank by combining the water temperature and the water level in the water tank, controls the ice making time of the ice maker by combining the water temperature and the water level in the water tank, and controls the refrigeration system of the ice maker by combining the water temperature and the water level in the water tank, thereby ultimately achieving the control of ice making speed and ice thickness.

[0045] Among them, the method of controlling the water inlet of the water tank by combining the water temperature and the water level in the water tank is:

[0046] When the ice maker just starts making ice, the water level in the water tank is controlled at a set low water level to reduce the amount of cold absorbed by the water in the water tank during the initial ice-making process, thereby increasing the ice-making speed of the ice maker at the beginning. Because the temperature of the refrigeration space is still high at the beginning and the refrigeration system has not yet fully operated, controlling the water level at a low water level can greatly increase the ice-making speed at the beginning.

[0047] During the ice making process, when the water level sensor detects that the water level in the water tank is lower than the set value, the water inlet valve of the water tank is opened to allow water to flow in. During the water inlet process, the water temperature in the water tank will rise. When the temperature sensor detects that the water temperature in the water tank rises to the set value, the water inlet valve of the water tank is closed to stop water flow.

[0048] After the ice maker has finished making ice for a set time, when the water temperature in the water tank reaches the set low temperature value and the water level reaches the set low water level, the water inflow to the water tank is reduced (reducing the water inflow to the water tank can specifically be reducing the time the water inlet valve is open) or the water inflow to the water tank is stopped;

[0049] T seconds before the ice maker reaches the set ice-making cycle time (i.e., it is executed T seconds before the set time is reached), when the water temperature in the water tank reaches the set low temperature value and the water level reaches the set high water level, the drain pump is started to drain part of the water in the water tank, so that the ice maker can circulate a more appropriate amount of low-temperature water in the water tank to make ice, thereby increasing the ice maker speed.

[0050] The above process also uses the water temperature to control the water flow into the water tank, allowing for more precise control of water addition, preventing the impact of excessive or insufficient water flow per unit time on ice-making performance due to water pressure fluctuations. Adding too much water can cause overflow and extend ice-making time; adding too little water can lead to water shortages or frequent water inflow during the ice-making cycle.

[0051] The method of controlling the ice making time of the ice maker by combining the water temperature and water level in the water tank is as follows: the corresponding refrigeration time TN is obtained by the temperature value and the water level value, and ice is removed after the refrigeration time TN is reached during ice making. The thickness or weight of ice can be precisely controlled by setting the refrigeration time TN.

[0052] The method of controlling the refrigeration system of the ice maker by combining the water temperature and water level in the water tank is:

[0053] When the water level in the water tank is at the set high water level and the water temperature is at the set high temperature value, the flow rate of the throttling device of the refrigeration system is increased to increase the refrigeration capacity of the refrigeration system, and the water is cooled and cooled with a larger refrigeration cycle volume and a larger refrigeration capacity, thereby accelerating the refrigeration speed. In the refrigeration system, the greater the flow rate, the smaller the pressure difference, the higher the evaporation temperature, the greater the refrigeration capacity, and the faster the ice making speed;

[0054] When the water temperature in the water tank reaches the set low temperature, the flow rate of the throttling device of the refrigeration system is reduced to reduce the cooling capacity of the refrigeration system. Ice is made with a smaller refrigeration cycle and a smaller cooling capacity, thus saving energy consumption. The smaller the flow rate in the refrigeration system, the greater the pressure difference, the lower the evaporation temperature, the lower the ice core temperature, and the better the ice quality.

[0055] In the above process, when the water temperature in the water tank is at the set low temperature value, the flow rate of the throttling device of the refrigeration system is reduced, and the evaporator temperature of the refrigeration system will drop accordingly, thereby reducing the ice core temperature and improving the quality of the ice cubes.

[0056] like Figure 1 The figure shows a water tank detection device of the present embodiment that integrates a temperature sensor and a water level sensor, wherein the temperature sensor includes a diode thermistor 4, the water level sensor includes a float 2, a magnetic ring 3 and a reed switch magnetic control switch 5, and the water tank detection device is provided with a cylindrical mounting seat 1, the diode thermistor 4 and the reed switch magnetic control switch 5 are both arranged inside the lower end of the cylindrical mounting seat 1, and the signal line 6 connected to the diode thermistor 4 and the reed switch magnetic control switch 5 passes through the upper end of the cylindrical mounting seat 1, and the upper end of the cylindrical mounting seat 1 is provided with a thread for fixed connection to the ice maker, the float 2 is movably sleeved on the cylindrical mounting seat 1, and when in use, the float 2 can float up and down along the cylindrical mounting seat 1, and the magnetic ring 3 is fixedly installed on the inner side of the float 2, and the magnetic ring 3 is used in conjunction with the reed switch magnetic control switch 5.

[0057] Example 2:

[0058] like Figure 2 and Figure 3The water tank detection device shown in Example 2 integrates a temperature sensor and a double-float water level sensor, wherein the temperature sensor includes a diode thermistor 4, and the water level sensor includes a cylindrical mounting base 1, a high water level reed switch magnetic control switch 5.1, a high water level float 2.1, a low water level reed switch magnetic control switch 5.2, a low water level float 2.2, an adjusting screw 8, an adjusting nut 7 and a magnetic ring installed in the float, wherein the cylindrical mounting base 1 is provided with a middle hole 1.1, the adjusting nut 7 is rotatably connected to the upper end of the cylindrical mounting base 1, the adjusting screw 8 penetrates into the middle hole 1.1 from the upper end, and the adjusting screw 8 is threadedly connected to the adjusting nut 7, the high water level reed switch magnetic control switch 5.1 is arranged at the bottom of the adjusting screw 8, and by rotating the adjusting nut 7, the height of the high water level reed switch magnetic control switch 5.1 can be adjusted up and down, thereby adjusting the measurement height of the high water level. A mounting cavity 1.2 is located to the side of the center hole 1.1. A low-water-level reed switch 5.2 and a temperature sensor are both located within the cavity 1.2. The temperature sensor is located near the bottom of the cavity 1.2, while the low-water-level reed switch 5.2 is located above the temperature sensor. Both high-water-level floats 2.1 and low-water-level floats 2.2 are flexibly mounted on the cylindrical mounting base 1. The low-water-level float 2.2 can move within the lower portion of the cylindrical mounting base 1, while the high-water-level float 2.1 can move within the upper portion of the cylindrical mounting base 1. A partition plate 9 is provided on the cylindrical mounting base 1 to separate the ranges of movement of the high-water-level float 2.1 and the low-water-level float 2.2. During operation, the high-water-level reed switch 5.1 and the low-water-level reed switch 5.2 measure the low and high water levels, respectively.

[0059] The above embodiments of the present invention are not intended to limit the scope of protection of the present invention, and the implementation methods of the present invention are not limited thereto. All other modifications, replacements or changes made to the above structures of the present invention based on the above contents of the present invention, in accordance with common technical knowledge and customary means in this field, without departing from the above basic technical ideas of the present invention, should fall within the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. A method for controlling water inlet and ice making of an ice maker, characterized by: A temperature sensor for detecting the water temperature in the water tank and a water level sensor for detecting the water level in the water tank are simultaneously arranged in the water tank of the ice maker. The water inlet to the water tank is controlled by combining the water temperature and the water level in the water tank. At the same time, the ice making time of the ice maker is controlled by combining the water temperature and the water level in the water tank. The refrigeration system of the ice maker is controlled by combining the water temperature and the water level in the water tank, thereby ultimately controlling the ice making speed, ice thickness and improving the quality of ice cubes.

2. The ice-making machine water inlet and ice-making control method according to claim 1, characterized in that: The method of controlling the water inlet of the water tank by combining the water temperature and the water level in the water tank is: When the ice maker just starts making ice, the water level in the water tank is controlled at a set low water level to reduce the amount of cold absorbed by the water in the water tank during the initial ice making process, thereby increasing the ice making speed of the ice maker at the beginning of the ice making process; During the ice making process, when the water level sensor detects that the water level in the water tank is lower than the set value, the water inlet valve of the water tank is opened to allow water to flow in. During the water inlet process, the water temperature in the water tank will rise. When the temperature sensor detects that the water temperature in the water tank rises to the set value, the water inlet valve of the water tank is closed to stop water flow. After the ice maker has cycled to make ice for the set time, when the water temperature in the water tank reaches the set low temperature value and the water level reaches the set low water level, the water inlet to the water tank is reduced or the water inlet to the water tank is stopped; Before the ice maker cycles to make ice for the set time, when the water temperature in the water tank reaches the set low temperature value and the water level reaches the set high water level, the drain pump is started to drain part of the water in the water tank.

3. The ice-making machine water inlet and ice-making control method according to claim 1, characterized in that: The method for controlling the ice making time of the ice maker by combining the water temperature and the water level in the water tank is as follows: the corresponding refrigeration time TN is obtained by the temperature value and the water level value, and ice is removed after the refrigeration time TN is reached during ice making.

4. The ice-making machine water inlet and ice-making control method according to claim 1, characterized in that: The method of controlling the refrigeration system of the ice maker by combining the water temperature and water level in the water tank is: When the water level in the water tank is at a set high water level and the water temperature is at a set high temperature value, the flow rate of the throttling device of the refrigeration system is increased to increase the cooling capacity of the refrigeration system; When the water temperature in the water tank is at a set low temperature value, the flow rate of the throttling device of the refrigeration system is reduced to reduce the cooling capacity of the refrigeration system.

5. The ice-making machine water inlet and ice-making control method according to claim 1, characterized in that: The temperature sensor and the water level sensor are integrated together to form an integrated water tank detection device.

6. The ice-making machine water inlet and ice-making control method according to claim 5, characterized in that: The temperature sensor of the water tank detection device includes a diode thermistor, and the water level sensor includes a floating ball that slides up and down, a magnetic ring arranged on the floating ball, and a reed switch magnetically controlled by the magnetic ring.

7. The ice-making machine water inlet and ice-making control method according to claim 5, characterized in that: The temperature sensor of the water tank detection device includes a diode thermistor, and the water level sensor includes a cylindrical mounting seat, a high water level reed switch magnetic control switch, a high water level float, a low water level reed switch magnetic control switch, a low water level float, an adjusting screw, an adjusting nut and a magnetic ring arranged in the float. The cylindrical mounting seat is provided with a middle hole, the adjusting nut is rotatably connected to the upper end of the cylindrical mounting seat, the adjusting screw passes through the middle hole from the upper end, and the adjusting screw is threadedly connected to the adjusting nut, the high water level reed switch magnetic control switch is arranged at the bottom of the adjusting screw, the low water level reed switch magnetic control switch and the temperature sensor are both arranged in the cylindrical mounting seat, the temperature sensor is close to the bottom of the cylindrical mounting seat, the low water level reed switch magnetic control switch is located above the temperature sensor, the high water level float and the low water level float are both movably sleeved on the cylindrical mounting seat, the low water level float can move in the lower part of the cylindrical mounting seat, and the high water level float can move in the upper part of the cylindrical mounting seat.

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