Ice storage bucket ice quantity detection device of full-automatic ice maker

Abstract

The utility model provides an ice storage bucket ice quantity detection device of a full-automatic ice maker, the full-automatic ice maker comprises an ice making system and an ice storage bucket suitable for storing ice blocks, the ice storage bucket comprises a bucket body, a bucket cover suitable for sealing the bucket body and a stirrer arranged in the bucket body, the stirrer is suitable for being driven by the stepping motor to rotate so as to adjust the stacking posture of the ice blocks and comprises a detector and a controller, and the detector comprises a signal emitter suitable for emitting detection signals towards the ice blocks, a signal receiver suitable for receiving the reflected detection signals and a signal processor suitable for receiving, processing and transmitting the detection signals. And the controller is suitable for receiving the detection signal, converting the detection signal into a level signal, converting the level signal into an ice amount, and controlling the start and stop of the detector and the ice making system according to the ice amount. According to the utility model, the position and the posture of the ice block are detected by arranging the signal emitter and the signal receiver facing the barrel body, so that the detection precision and reliability are improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The utility model belongs to the technical field of ice making machines, and in particular relates to an ice quantity detection device for an ice storage bucket of a full-automatic ice making machine. Background Art

[0002] In traditional fully automatic ice makers, ice level detection in the ice storage bucket typically relies on mechanical switches or simple electronic sensors. These methods are often imprecise or susceptible to environmental factors, resulting in low accuracy. Furthermore, the agitator generates interference signals, affecting accuracy. Therefore, a more accurate and reliable ice level detection device is needed to improve ice maker efficiency and user experience. Utility Model Content

[0003] In view of the above-mentioned defects of the prior art, the purpose of the present invention is to provide an ice quantity detection device for an ice storage bucket of a fully automatic ice maker to meet the needs of users.

[0004] To achieve the above-mentioned purpose, the utility model provides an ice quantity detection device for an ice storage bucket of a fully automatic ice maker, the fully automatic ice maker comprising an ice making system and an ice storage bucket suitable for storing ice cubes, the ice storage bucket comprising a barrel body, a barrel cover suitable for sealing the barrel body and an agitator arranged in the barrel body, the agitator being suitable for rotating under the drive of a stepping motor to adjust the stacking posture of the ice cubes, comprising a detector and a controller, the detector comprising

[0005] A signal transmitter is adapted to emit a detection signal toward the ice, wherein the detection signal is an infrared beam and / or an ultrasonic pulse.

[0006] a signal receiver adapted to receive the reflected detection signal,

[0007] a signal processor adapted to receive, process and transmit the detection signal,

[0008] The controller is adapted to receive the detection signal and convert it into a level signal, and then convert the level signal into the amount of ice, and control the start and stop of the detector and the ice making system according to the amount of ice.

[0009] Preferably, the signal processor includes a first-stage amplifier, a second-stage amplifier, a third-stage amplifier and a fourth-stage amplifier, the input end of the first-stage amplifier is connected to a band-pass filter, a band-pass filter is connected between the output end of the first-stage amplifier and the input end of the second-stage amplifier, and a band-pass filter is connected between the output end of the second-stage amplifier and the input end of the third-stage amplifier.

[0010] Preferably, the first-stage amplifier, the second-stage amplifier, and the third-stage amplifier are all inverting amplifiers, the fourth-stage amplifier is a non-inverting amplifier, and an input resistor is connected between the output end of the third-stage amplifier and the input end of the fourth-stage amplifier, and the input resistor is suitable for providing a DC bias for the input end of the four-stage amplifier.

[0011] As a preference: the controller further includes

[0012] A stepper motor driver is adapted to receive a control signal and generate a drive signal. The stepper motor driver comprises two control pins Ph1 and Ph2, which are connected to two phase control terminals SMoto1 and SMoto2 of the stepper motor respectively.

[0013] a pulse counter adapted to count the number of pulses sent by the stepper motor driver to the stepper motor, each pulse corresponding to a step angle of the stepper motor;

[0014] A direction detection module, which is suitable for determining the rotation direction of the stepper motor by detecting the signal sequence of Ph1 and Ph2,

[0015] a rotary encoder that rotates synchronously with the motor shaft of the stepper motor and is adapted to output a position signal to the controller,

[0016] The calculation module is adapted to read the position signal of the encoder in real time and calculate the current position of the stepper motor according to the number and direction of pulses, thereby determining the position of the stirrer.

[0017] As a preference: the controller further includes

[0018] A display unit, wherein the display unit displays the appropriate amount of ice as a percentage, or the display unit includes a full ice indicator light and a low ice indicator light to display the amount of ice;

[0019] The user interface is used to receive user operation instructions and display the status of the ice maker.

[0020] Preferably, the ice storage bucket includes an ice outlet and a door suitable for closing the ice outlet, and the controller also includes a timer suitable for accumulating the opening time of the door. In the full ice state, the controller is suitable for controlling the start and stop of the detector according to the accumulated opening time of the door.

[0021] Preferably, the diffusion angle of the infrared light beam is between 10° and 20°, and / or the sound beam angle of the ultrasonic pulse is between 10° and 20°.

[0022] Preferably, the ice storage bucket is cylindrical, the detector is arranged on the bucket cover, and the distance between the detector and the center of the bucket cover is 0.2 times to 0.4 times the diameter of the ice storage bucket.

[0023] Preferably, the detector includes a shell, the signal transmitter, the signal receiver and the signal processor are sealed in the shell, the barrel cover is provided with a mounting hole, the shell includes a wave-transparent shell arranged facing the signal transmitter and a mounting shell assembled on the barrel cover, and the wave-transparent shell extends into the barrel body through the mounting hole.

[0024] Preferably, the outer surface of the wave-transparent shell is coated with a super-hydrophobic coating, and / or the inner surface of the wave-transparent shell is coated with a heating coating, which is suitable for absorbing light energy or electrical energy and converting it into thermal energy, thereby increasing the surface temperature of the wave-transparent shell.

[0025] The beneficial effects of the utility model are:

[0026] (1) By setting a signal transmitter and a signal receiver facing the barrel, infrared beams and / or ultrasonic pulses are used as detection signals to detect the position and posture of ice cubes, thereby improving the accuracy and reliability of detection.

[0027] (2) The signal processor includes a multi-stage amplifier and a bandpass filter, which amplifies and filters the reflected detection signal, improves the signal-to-noise ratio and processing capability of the signal, and converts it into a level signal.

[0028] (3) The controller also includes a stepper motor driver, a pulse counter, a direction detection module, and a rotary encoder to precisely control the position of the stirrer and eliminate signal interference caused by the stirrer reflecting infrared beams or ultrasonic pulses, further improving detection accuracy.

[0029] (4) The controller also includes a timer, which estimates the amount of ice by accumulating the time the door is open, and controls the opening and closing of the detector more intelligently, which is energy-saving and environmentally friendly, and helps to extend the service life of the detector.

[0030] (5) A super-hydrophobic coating and a heating coating are applied to the wave-transparent shell of the detection device to reduce the formation of ice crystals and the accumulation of condensed water on the wall, thereby improving the stability and accuracy of the detector. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0031] Figure 1 The utility model provides a cross-sectional schematic diagram of an ice quantity detection device for an ice storage bucket of a fully automatic ice maker.

[0032] Figure 2 This is an explosion diagram of the detector provided by the utility model.

[0033] Figure 3 This is a circuit diagram of the signal processor provided by the utility model.

[0034] Figure 4This is a circuit diagram of the stepper motor controller provided by the utility model.

[0035] Figure 5 The utility model provides a working flow diagram of an ice quantity detection device for an ice storage bucket of a fully automatic ice maker.

[0036] In the figure, there are a detector 101, a mounting shell 102, a wave-transmitting shell 103, a barrel body 201, a barrel cover 202, an agitator 203, and a stepping motor 204. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0037] In order to make the purpose, technical solutions and advantages of the present invention more clear, the present invention is described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments.

[0038] It should also be noted here that, in order to avoid obscuring the present invention due to unnecessary details, only structures and / or processing steps closely related to the scheme of the present invention are shown in the accompanying drawings, while other details that are not closely related to the present invention are omitted.

[0039] In addition, it should be noted that the terms "comprises", "includes" or any other variations thereof are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion, so that a process, method, article or apparatus that includes a series of elements includes not only those elements, but also includes other elements not explicitly listed, or also includes elements inherent to such process, method, article or apparatus.

[0040] The fully automatic ice maker includes an ice making system and an ice storage bucket suitable for storing ice cubes. The ice storage bucket includes a barrel body 201, a barrel cover 202 suitable for sealing the barrel body 201, and an agitator 203 arranged in the barrel body 201. The agitator 203 is suitable for rotating under the drive of a stepper motor 204 to adjust the stacking posture of the ice cubes. The ice storage bucket is cylindrical.

[0041] like Figure 1-5 A device for detecting the amount of ice in an ice bucket of a fully automatic ice maker includes a detector 101 and a controller. Detector 101 is disposed on bucket lid 202, and the distance between detector 101 and the center of bucket lid 202 is 0.5 times the diameter of the ice bucket. Detector 101 includes a signal transmitter adapted to emit a detection signal directed toward the ice cubes, a signal receiver adapted to receive the reflected detection signal, and a signal processor adapted to receive, process, and transmit the detection signal. The detection signal is an ultrasonic pulse with a beam angle of 19°. The controller is adapted to receive the detection signal and convert it into a level signal, then convert the level signal into the amount of ice, and control the start and stop of detector 101 and the ice-making system based on the amount of ice.

[0042] In this embodiment, the detector 101 includes a housing, in which a signal transmitter, a signal receiver, and a signal processor are hermetically enclosed. The barrel lid 202 has a mounting hole. The housing comprises a wave-transmitting housing 103, which faces the signal transmitter, and a mounting housing 102, which is mounted on the barrel lid 202. The wave-transmitting housing 103 extends into the barrel body 201 through the mounting hole. The outer surface of the wave-transmitting housing 103 is coated with a superhydrophobic coating, and the inner surface of the wave-transmitting housing 103 is coated with a heating coating. The heating coating is suitable for absorbing light energy or electrical energy and converting it into heat energy, thereby increasing the surface temperature of the wave-transmitting housing 103.

[0043] In this embodiment, the signal processor includes a first-stage amplifier, a second-stage amplifier, a third-stage amplifier, and a fourth-stage amplifier. A bandpass filter is connected to the input of the first-stage amplifier, a bandpass filter is connected between the output of the first-stage amplifier and the input of the second-stage amplifier, and a bandpass filter is connected between the output of the second-stage amplifier and the input of the third-stage amplifier. Furthermore, the first-stage amplifier, the second-stage amplifier, and the third-stage amplifier are all inverting amplifiers, the fourth-stage amplifier is a non-inverting amplifier, and an input resistor is connected between the output of the third-stage amplifier and the input of the fourth-stage amplifier. The input resistor is suitable for providing a DC bias for the input of the fourth-stage amplifier.

[0044] In this embodiment, the controller further includes a stepper motor 204 driver, a pulse counter, a direction detection module, a rotary encoder, and a calculation module. The stepper motor 204 driver is adapted to receive control signals and generate drive signals. The stepper motor 204 driver includes two control pins, Ph1 and Ph2, which are respectively connected to the two phase control terminals, SMoto1 and SMoto2, of the stepper motor 204. The pulse counter is adapted to count the number of pulses sent by the stepper motor 204 driver to the stepper motor 204, with each pulse corresponding to a step angle of the stepper motor 204. The direction detection module is adapted to determine the rotation direction of the stepper motor 204 by detecting the sequence of the Ph1 and Ph2 signals. The rotary encoder rotates synchronously with the motor shaft of the stepper motor 204 and is adapted to output a position signal to the controller. The calculation module is adapted to read the encoder's position signal in real time and calculate the current position of the stepper motor 204 based on the number and direction of the pulses, thereby determining the position of the agitator 203 and, in turn, the interference signal introduced by the agitator 203.

[0045] In this embodiment, the controller further includes a display unit and a user interface. The display unit includes a full ice indicator and a low ice indicator to indicate the amount of ice. The user interface is configured to receive user operation instructions and display the status of the ice maker.

[0046] In this embodiment, the ice storage bucket includes an ice outlet and a door suitable for closing the ice outlet. The controller also includes a timer suitable for accumulating the door opening time. When the ice is full, the controller is suitable for controlling the start and stop of the detector 101 according to the accumulated door opening time.

[0047] The workflow of this utility model is as follows:

[0048] 1. When the ice maker is turned on, the controller first performs a self-test and initializes all components, including the signal transmitter, signal receiver, stepper motor 204 driver, etc.

[0049] 2. The controller determines the speed of the stepper motor 204 and the real-time position of the stirrer 203, and then determines the interference signal.

[0050] 3. The signal transmitter sends a detection signal towards the ice, which is an ultrasonic pulse.

[0051] 4. The signal receiver receives the reflected detection signals and processes them. Specifically, they are amplified in multiple stages, from the first to the fourth amplifier, and noise is filtered out between each stage through a bandpass filter. To improve signal stability, the signal processor performs anti-shake processing on the detection signals. The processed signals are converted into digital signals through an analog-to-digital converter (A / D converter).

[0052] 7. The controller identifies the digital signal, converts it into a level signal and eliminates interference signals. After three consecutive tests, the controller determines the ice accumulation height, that is, the amount of ice in the ice storage bucket. The controller displays the current ice amount to the user through the display unit and the full ice indicator and low ice indicator.

[0053] 8. If the detection signal indicates that the ice storage bucket is full, the controller will stop the ice making process and display the full ice status; if the detection signal indicates that the ice storage bucket is not full, the controller will maintain the working state of the ice making system and turn on the stepper motor 204 driver to adjust the stacking posture of the ice cubes.

[0054] 9. When the ice storage bucket is full, the controller accumulates the door opening time. When the opening time reaches or exceeds 100 seconds, the controller will start the ice making process and restart the detector 101.

[0055] 10. When the user turns off the ice maker or the preset ice quantity is reached, the controller will shut down the ice making system and ensure that all components stop operating safely.

[0056] The above embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of the present invention and are not intended to limit the present invention. Although the present invention has been described in detail with reference to the preferred embodiments, those skilled in the art should understand that the technical solutions of the present invention may be modified or replaced by equivalents without departing from the spirit and scope of the technical solutions of the present invention.

Claims

1. A device for detecting the amount of ice in an ice storage bucket of a fully automatic ice maker, wherein the fully automatic ice maker comprises an ice making system and an ice storage bucket adapted to store ice cubes. The ice storage bucket comprises a bucket body, a bucket lid adapted to seal the bucket body, and an agitator disposed within the bucket body. The agitator is adapted to rotate under the drive of a stepper motor to adjust the stacking posture of the ice cubes. The device is characterized in that: A detector and a controller are included, wherein the detector includes A signal transmitter is adapted to emit a detection signal toward the ice, wherein the detection signal is an infrared beam and / or an ultrasonic pulse. a signal receiver adapted to receive the reflected detection signal, a signal processor adapted to receive, process and transmit the detection signal, The controller is adapted to receive the detection signal and convert it into a level signal, and then convert the level signal into the amount of ice, and control the start and stop of the detector and the ice making system according to the amount of ice.

2. The ice quantity detection device for the ice storage bucket of a fully automatic ice maker according to claim 1, characterized in that: The signal processor includes a first-stage amplifier, a second-stage amplifier, a third-stage amplifier and a fourth-stage amplifier. The input end of the first-stage amplifier is connected to a bandpass filter, the output end of the first-stage amplifier and the input end of the second-stage amplifier are connected to a bandpass filter, and the output end of the second-stage amplifier and the input end of the third-stage amplifier are connected to a bandpass filter.

3. The ice quantity detection device for the ice storage bucket of a fully automatic ice maker according to claim 2, characterized in that: The first-stage amplifier, the second-stage amplifier, and the third-stage amplifier are all inverting amplifiers, the fourth-stage amplifier is a non-inverting amplifier, and an input resistor is connected between the output end of the third-stage amplifier and the input end of the fourth-stage amplifier. The input resistor is suitable for providing a DC bias for the input end of the four-stage amplifier.

4. The ice quantity detection device for the ice storage bucket of a fully automatic ice maker according to claim 1, characterized in that: The controller also includes A stepper motor driver is adapted to receive a control signal and generate a drive signal. The stepper motor driver comprises two control pins Ph1 and Ph2, which are connected to two phase control terminals SMoto1 and SMoto2 of the stepper motor respectively. a pulse counter adapted to count the number of pulses sent by the stepper motor driver to the stepper motor, each pulse corresponding to a step angle of the stepper motor; A direction detection module, which is suitable for determining the rotation direction of the stepper motor by detecting the signal sequence of Ph1 and Ph2, a rotary encoder that rotates synchronously with the motor shaft of the stepper motor and is adapted to output a position signal to the controller, The calculation module is adapted to read the position signal of the encoder in real time and calculate the current position of the stepper motor according to the number and direction of pulses, thereby determining the position of the stirrer.

5. The ice quantity detection device for the ice storage bucket of a fully automatic ice maker according to claim 4, characterized in that: The controller also includes A display unit, wherein the display unit displays the appropriate amount of ice as a percentage, or the display unit includes a full ice indicator light and a low ice indicator light to display the amount of ice; The user interface is used to receive user operation instructions and display the status of the ice maker.

6. The ice quantity detection device for the ice storage bucket of a fully automatic ice maker according to claim 5, characterized in that: The ice storage bucket includes an ice outlet and a door suitable for closing the ice outlet. The controller also includes a timer suitable for accumulating the opening time of the door. In a full ice state, the controller is suitable for controlling the start and stop of the detector according to the accumulated opening time of the door.

7. The ice quantity detection device for the ice storage bucket of a fully automatic ice maker according to claim 1, characterized in that: The diffusion angle of the infrared light beam is between 10° and 20°, and / or the sound beam angle of the ultrasonic pulse is between 10° and 20°.

8. The ice quantity detection device for the ice storage bucket of a fully automatic ice maker according to claim 7, characterized in that: The ice storage bucket is cylindrical, the detector is arranged on the bucket cover, and the distance between the detector and the center of the bucket cover is 0.2 times to 0.4 times the diameter of the ice storage bucket.

9. The ice quantity detection device for the ice storage bucket of a fully automatic ice maker according to claim 8, characterized in that: The detector includes a shell, and the signal transmitter, the signal receiver and the signal processor are sealed in the shell. The barrel cover is provided with a mounting hole. The shell includes a wave-transparent shell arranged facing the signal transmitter and a mounting shell assembled on the barrel cover. The wave-transparent shell extends into the barrel body through the mounting hole.

10. The ice quantity detection device for the ice storage bucket of a fully automatic ice maker according to claim 9, characterized in that: The outer surface of the wave-transparent shell is coated with a super-hydrophobic coating, and / or the inner surface of the wave-transparent shell is coated with a heating coating, which is suitable for absorbing light energy or electrical energy and converting it into thermal energy, thereby increasing the surface temperature of the wave-transparent shell.

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