refrigerator

Abstract

The present invention provides a refrigerator that allows for the efficient design and placement of the ice maker and the processing unit. [Solution] The ice maker 30 comprises a tank 31, a pump 41, an ice tray 38, and an ice-making calculation control unit 42. The tank 31, pump 41, and ice-making calculation control unit 42 are located inside the refrigerator compartment 12. The tank 31 is configured to store ice-making water 36. The pump 41 is configured to transfer the ice-making water 36 from the tank 31 to the ice tray 38. The ice tray 38 is configured to freeze the ice-making water 36 supplied from the tank 31. The ice-making calculation control unit 42 is configured to control the operation of the pump 41 and is located near the pump 41 in the refrigerator compartment 12.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a refrigerator, and particularly to a refrigerator equipped with an ice maker.

Background Art

[0002] In recent years, refrigerators are equipped with an ice maker that automatically produces ice. According to this ice maker, the supply of water to the ice tray and the release of ice from the ice tray are performed without the need for user operation, so that the user can easily use ice.

[0003] An invention related to such an ice maker is described in, for example, Patent Document 1. In the automatic ice maker described in Patent Document 1, a tank portion is provided in the refrigerating chamber, and water for making ice is stored in this tank portion. Further, an ice tray is provided in the freezing chamber, and water is supplied to this ice tray from the tank portion. The supply of water from the tank portion to the ice tray is performed by a pump. When the water supplied to the ice tray is frozen, the ice tray is inverted and twisted to release ice from the ice tray. The released ice is stored in a dedicated container. Further, the ice making operation of the automatic ice maker was controlled by an arithmetic control unit including a CPU mounted on a control board.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0005] However, in the ice making apparatus according to the above-described background art, there is room for improvement from the viewpoint of improving the configuration around the tank.

[0006] Specifically, in refrigerators equipped with an ice maker, the control board that controls the ice maker was placed on the outer surface of the insulated box or at the back of the storage compartment to prevent it from being exposed to the water used for ice making. With this configuration, the ice maker and the control board need to be designed separately. Furthermore, the ice maker and the control board need to be positioned separately. For example, if the control board is placed at the back or side of the storage compartment, the thickness of the insulation material in the area where the control board is located may decrease, potentially reducing the insulation effect of the insulated box. Also, positioning the ice maker and the control board separately may complicate the manufacturing process and lead to higher costs.

[0007] This invention has been made in view of the circumstances described above, and its purpose is to provide a refrigerator that can streamline the design and arrangement of the ice maker and the calculation control unit. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] An embodiment of the present invention is a refrigerator equipped with an ice maker, comprising a tank, a pump, an ice tray, and an ice-making calculation control unit, wherein the tank, the pump, and the ice-making calculation control unit are disposed inside the refrigerator compartment, the tank is configured to store water for ice making, the pump is configured to transfer the water for ice making from the tank to the ice tray, the ice tray is configured to freeze the water for ice making supplied from the tank, and the ice-making calculation control unit is configured to control the operation of the pump and is disposed near the pump in the refrigerator compartment. According to the present invention, by locating the calculation control unit near the pump, if a malfunction occurs in the ice-making calculation control unit during use of the refrigerator, the problem can be addressed by repairing or replacing only the ice-making calculation control unit. Furthermore, since the ice-making calculation control unit is located in the refrigerator compartment, which is relatively dry, the possibility of condensation occurring on the ice-making calculation control unit is low, allowing the ice-making calculation control unit to operate stably.

[0009] Furthermore, in the refrigerator according to an embodiment of the present invention, the ice-making calculation control unit is mounted on a control board as a calculation element, the pump is located at the rear of the tank, and the control board is located at the rear of the tank and is positioned inward of the pump in the width direction. According to the refrigerator of the present invention, since the control board is located at the rear of the tank and inward of the pump in the width direction, the control board does not interfere with the insulated casing, and thus the thermal insulation performance of the insulated casing can be improved.

[0010] Furthermore, in the refrigerator according to the embodiment of the present invention, a storage container forming a small storage compartment is arranged to the side of the tank, and the control board is arranged to the rear of the storage container. According to the refrigerator of the present invention, because the control board is arranged to the rear of the storage container, the control board does not reduce the effective volume of the storage container.

[0011] Furthermore, the refrigerator according to the embodiment of the present invention is further equipped with a support module for supporting the tank, and the ice-making calculation control unit is integrated with the support module. According to the refrigerator of the present invention, the control board can be incorporated into the refrigerator body together with the support module.

[0012] Furthermore, the refrigerator according to the embodiment of the present invention is further characterized by comprising a control board cover that covers the ice-making calculation control unit. According to the refrigerator of the present invention, the ice-making calculation control unit can be protected by the control board cover.

[0013] Furthermore, in a refrigerator according to an embodiment of the present invention, the control board cover comprises a cover body and a lid, the cover body being a box-shaped container that houses the ice-making calculation control unit and has an opening that opens to the side, the lid being configured to cover the opening from the side, and further comprising an upper cover that covers the boundary between the cover body and the lid from above. According to the refrigerator of the present invention, the airtightness of the control board cover can be improved and water can be prevented from entering the inside of the control board cover.

[0014] Furthermore, in the refrigerator according to the embodiment of the present invention, the upper cover is characterized in that it straddles the upper opening of the pump housing section that houses the pump and the boundary between the cover body and the lid. According to the refrigerator of the present invention, the upper cover is also a member that covers the opening of the pump housing section, so a dedicated cover that covers the boundary between the cover body and the lid can be eliminated, and the number of parts around the control board cover can be reduced.

[0015] Furthermore, in the refrigerator according to the embodiment of the present invention, the ice-making calculation control unit is arranged above the bottom surface of the refrigerator compartment. According to the refrigerator of the present invention, it is possible to prevent water from entering the ice-making calculation control unit.

[0016] Furthermore, in the refrigerator according to the embodiment of the present invention, a rail support is provided below the ice-making calculation control unit. According to the refrigerator of the present invention, the waterproofness of the ice-making calculation control unit can be further improved. [Effects of the Invention]

[0017] The refrigerator of the present invention provides a refrigerator that can streamline the design and arrangement of the ice maker and the processing unit. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0018] [Figure 1] This is a side cross-sectional view showing the internal configuration of a refrigerator according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] This is a perspective view showing the refrigerator compartment of a refrigerator according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 3A] This is a perspective view showing a storage container and a support module of a refrigerator according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 3B] This is a cross-sectional view showing a storage container and a support module of a refrigerator according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 4A] This is a top view showing a storage container and a support module of a refrigerator according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 4B]It is a front view showing a storage container and a support module of a refrigerator according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 5] It is an exploded perspective view showing a storage container and a support module of a refrigerator according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 6A] It is a perspective view showing a storage container and a support module of a refrigerator according to an embodiment of the present invention from the upper rear side. [Figure 6B] It is a perspective view showing a storage container and a support module of a refrigerator according to an embodiment of the present invention from the lower rear side. [Figure 7A] It is a perspective view showing a support module of a refrigerator according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 7B] It is a side view and a front view showing a support module of a refrigerator according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 8] It is an exploded perspective view showing a support module of a refrigerator according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 9] It is a cutaway perspective view showing a support module of a refrigerator according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 10A] It is a perspective view showing a support module of a refrigerator according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 10B] It is an exploded perspective view showing a support module of a refrigerator according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 11] It is a cutaway perspective view showing a support module of a refrigerator according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 12] It is a cutaway perspective view showing a support module and its vicinity of a refrigerator according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[0019] Hereinafter, the refrigerator 10 according to the embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail based on the drawings. In the following description, the same members are basically denoted by the same reference numerals, and repeated descriptions are omitted. Further, in the following description, the directions of up, down, front, rear, left, and right are used as appropriate, but the left and right refer to the left and right when the refrigerator 10 is viewed from the front. Also, the left - right direction corresponds to the width direction.

[0020] Figure 1 is a side cross-sectional view showing the internal configuration of the refrigerator 10.

[0021] Referring to Figure 1, the interior of the insulated box 11 of the refrigerator 10 is used as a storage compartment. This storage compartment is divided into a refrigerator compartment 12 and a freezer compartment 13 by an insulated partition wall 22. The front opening of the refrigerator compartment 12 is closed by a refrigerator door 15 that can be opened and closed. The front opening of the freezer compartment 13 is closed by a freezer door 16 that can be opened and closed. The refrigerator door 15 and the freezer door 16 are revolving doors whose right end is pivotally supported on the insulated box 11. Pull-out doors or the like may be used for the refrigerator door 15 and the freezer door 16.

[0022] A cooling chamber 18 is partitioned behind the freezer compartment 13, and an evaporator 17 is installed in the cooling chamber 18. A machine room 14 is partitioned at the bottom rear of the insulated box 11, and a compressor 19 and the like are installed in the machine room 14. The evaporator 17 and the compressor 19 are connected to an expansion means and a condenser (not shown) via refrigerant piping, forming a vapor compression refrigeration cycle. A defrost heater 21 is installed below the evaporator 17 to melt frost on the evaporator 17. The refrigerator 10 also has a refrigerator arithmetic control unit 25 that controls its operation. The refrigerator arithmetic control unit 25 is, for example, a CPU. The refrigerator arithmetic control unit 25 may be incorporated into a control board installed on the upper side of the rear surface of the insulated box 11.

[0023] A blower 20 is installed at the top of the cooling chamber 18, and the air inside the cooling chamber 18, which has been cooled by the evaporator 17, is blown to the refrigerator chamber 12 and the freezer chamber 13 via the blower 20.

[0024] The refrigerator control unit 25 controls the operation of the compressor 19 and the blower 20, etc., to cool the internal temperature of each storage compartment to a predetermined temperature range. Specifically, the refrigerator control unit 25 cools the freezer compartment 13 to the freezing temperature range and the refrigerator compartment 12 to the refrigeration temperature range. The air that has cooled the refrigerator compartment 12 and the freezer compartment 13 is returned to the cooling compartment 18 via a return air passage (not shown here).

[0025] The insulated box 11 mainly consists of an outer box 111 made of steel plates that form the outer shape of the refrigerator 10, an inner box 112 made of a box-shaped synthetic resin plate formed inside the outer box 111, and an insulating material 113 disposed between the outer box 111 and the inner box 112. As the insulating material 113, for example, foamed urethane, vacuum insulating material, etc. are used.

[0026] The ice maker 30 includes a tank 31, an ice tray 38, and a water supply pipe 39, etc. The ice maker 30 is a device that performs the ice-making and ice-release processes with virtually no user intervention. The tank 31 is located near the bottom of the refrigerator compartment 12. The ice tray 38 is located near the ceiling of the freezer compartment 13. The water supply pipe 39 is installed through the insulating partition wall 22 to connect the tank 31 and the ice tray 38. Here, an ice-making compartment is partitioned at the upper end of the freezer compartment 13, and the ice tray 38 of the ice maker 30 is located inside this ice-making compartment.

[0027] Tank 31 is a container for storing water to be supplied to the ice maker 30. Since Tank 31 can be easily removed from inside the refrigerator compartment 12, supplying water to Tank 31 and cleaning it are easy. The water stored in Tank 31 is supplied to the ice tray 38 via a water supply pipe 39, driven by a pump (not shown here). The user is responsible for supplying water to Tank 31.

[0028] The water supply pipe 39 is configured to carry ice-making water 36 supplied from the tank 31 to the ice tray 38. Specifically, the water supply pipe 39 is positioned to connect the inside of the tank 31 to the ice tray 38.

[0029] The ice tray 38 has a series of concave sections arranged in a matrix so that the ice-making water 36 supplied from the tank 31 freezes. The ice frozen in the ice tray 38 is stored in the ice storage container 26.

[0030] The ice storage container 26 is a container that partitions the ice-making compartment and is designed to be removable in the front-to-back direction. The ice produced by the ice tray 38 is stored in the ice storage container 26.

[0031] When making ice using the ice maker 30, the user first supplies water to the tank 31. Then, based on instructions from the user or the refrigerator control unit 25, a predetermined amount of water is supplied from inside the tank 31 to the ice tray 38 via the water supply pipe 39 by a pump (not shown). Once the water stored in the ice tray 38 freezes due to cooling inside the freezer compartment 13, the ice tray 38 is inverted and twisted by a rotating mechanism to release the ice. The released ice is stored in the ice storage container 26. When the user wants to use the ice, they open the freezer compartment door 16 and pull the ice storage container 26 forward. In this way, the user can take ice out of the ice storage container 26 and use it.

[0032] Figure 2 is a perspective view showing the refrigerator compartment 12 of the refrigerator 10.

[0033] The tank 31 and the storage container 32 are located at the bottom of the inner box 112 that constitutes the refrigerator compartment 12.

[0034] The tank 31 is positioned at the lower left end of the refrigerator compartment 12. A support module 45, described later, is positioned at the left end of the bottom surface of the refrigerator compartment 12, and the tank 31 is positioned on the upper surface of the support module 45. The tank 31 is positioned to slide along the front-to-back direction relative to the support module 45. Therefore, the user can remove the tank 31 from the refrigerator compartment 12 by pulling it forward. The user can also install the tank 31 into the refrigerator compartment 12 by pushing it backward.

[0035] The storage container 32 is positioned at the bottom of the refrigerator compartment 12 and is located to the right of the tank 31. The storage container 32 is slidably positioned along the front-to-back direction. The top opening of the storage container 32 is covered by the storage shelf 24. This configuration forms a small storage compartment 23 inside the storage container 32. The small storage compartment 23 is a storage compartment separated from other areas of the refrigerator compartment 12. The small storage compartment 23 is, for example, a chilled compartment 231 where the internal temperature is set lower than other areas of the refrigerator compartment 12. Air is blown directly into the chilled compartment 231 from the aforementioned cooling compartment 18 via a separate route from other areas of the refrigerator compartment 12. Therefore, the internal temperature of the chilled compartment 231 may fall below freezing. As will be described later, even if the small storage compartment 23 is a chilled compartment 231, insulating the chilled compartment 231 from the tank 31 prevents the ice-making water 36 stored in the tank 31 from freezing.

[0036] Figure 3A is a perspective view showing the storage container 32 and the support module 45. Figure 3B is a cross-sectional view showing the storage container and the support module 45.

[0037] As mentioned above, the tank 31 and the storage container 32 are located adjacent to each other along the left-right direction.

[0038] Tank 31 is configured to store ice-making water 36. Tank 31 has a roughly rectangular parallelepiped shape that is flattened in the left-right direction. The lid that makes up the top of Tank 31 is removable, and water can be easily supplied by removing the lid.

[0039] The storage container 32 is located adjacent to the right side of the tank 31, and a chilled compartment 231, which is a small storage chamber 23, is formed inside it. The storage container 32 is a roughly box-shaped container made of synthetic resin that opens upwards. The storage container 32 has a front portion 323, a rear portion 324, a first side portion 325, a second side portion 326, and a bottom portion 327. The front portion 323 is a side facing forward, the rear portion 324 is a side facing backward, the first side portion 325 is a side facing left, and the second side portion 326 is a side facing right. The bottom portion 327 is a plate-like member that constitutes the bottom surface of the storage container 32, and the front portion 323 to the second side portion 326 are erected upwards from the periphery of the bottom portion 327. Furthermore, as shown in Figure 3B, a first rail section 321 and a second rail section 322 are provided at the left and right ends of the storage container 32. The first rail section 321 and the second rail section 322 are parts that guide the sliding of the storage container 32 in the front-rear direction, and will be described later with reference to Figure 6A, etc.

[0040] Referring to Figure 3B, a portion of the support module 45 forms a container support wall 452. The container support wall 452 is a wall positioned between the tank 31 and the storage container 32. The specific configuration of the support module 45 will be described later with reference to Figure 7A, etc.

[0041] The upper end of the container support wall 452 is positioned lower than the upper end of the storage container 32. This allows a portion of the storage container 32 to be positioned above the container support wall 452. Specifically, the upper portion of the first side surface 325 of the storage container 32 can be positioned above the container support wall 452. The first side surface 325 is an inclined surface that slopes upward and outward in the width direction to the left. Furthermore, a rim 328 is formed above the first side surface 325, extending outward in the width direction to the left. The rim 328 is also positioned above the container support wall 452. Therefore, the width of the storage container 32 in the left-right direction can be increased, and the effective volume of the chilled compartment 231 formed inside the storage container 32 can be increased.

[0042] The upper end of the first side portion 325 of the storage container 32 is positioned above the water level 37 of the ice-making water 36 when the tank 31 is full. In Figure 3B, the water level 37 when the tank 31 is full of ice-making water 36 is shown by a dotted line. By setting the first side portion 325 of the storage container 32 higher than the water level 37, the air inside the chilled compartment 231, which is cooled to below freezing point, is prevented from moving from the storage container 32 to the tank 31. Therefore, the ice-making water 36 stored in the tank 31 is prevented from freezing.

[0043] Figure 4A is a top view showing the storage container 32 and the support module 45. Figure 4B is a front view showing the storage container 32 and the support module 45.

[0044] Referring to Figure 4A, the support module 45 is a structure that slidably supports the tank 31 and the storage container 32. A control board cover 46 is fixed to the rear right side of the support module 45. Although the control board cover 46 is a separate component from the support module 45, it is integrated with the rear right side of the support module 45 by fastening means such as screws. In the manufacturing process, the support module 45 and the control board cover 46 are fixed together to the bottom surface of the refrigerator compartment 12 described above. As will be described later, the ice-making calculation control unit 42 is housed in the control board cover 46.

[0045] The control board cover 46 is located on the rear right side of the tank 31. Furthermore, the control board cover 46 is located on the left and rear side of the storage container 32. In other words, the control board cover 46 is located on the left and rear side of the chilled compartment 231. This configuration ensures that the control board cover 46, which houses the control board 44, is located further rear than the storage container 32. Therefore, the control board 44 and the control board cover 46 do not reduce the effective volume of the storage container 32.

[0046] Figure 5 is an exploded perspective view showing the storage container 32, the support module 45, and the tank 31.

[0047] The support module 45 has a bottom portion 451, a container support wall portion 452, a rail receiving portion 453, and a pump housing portion 454. A control board cover 46 is fixed to the right side of the pump housing portion 454. Details of the support module 45 will be described later with reference to Figure 10A.

[0048] A tank connection portion 311 is provided at the rear of the top surface of the tank 31. The tank connection portion 311 communicates with the inside of the tank 31 and is a cylindrical part that protrudes toward the rear. When the tank 31 is set on the support module 45, the tank connection portion 311 is inserted into a hole formed on the front surface of the pump housing portion 454. With this configuration, the ice-making water 36 stored in the tank 31 can be drawn out by the pump 41, which will be described later and is built into the pump housing portion 454.

[0049] Figure 6A is a perspective view showing the storage container 32 and support module 45 from the rear upper side. Figure 6B is a perspective view showing the storage container 32 and support module 45 from the rear lower side.

[0050] As described above, a first rail section 321 and a second rail section 322 are formed at both ends of the storage container 32 in the left-right direction. In the front-rear direction, the lengths of the first rail section 321 and the second rail section 322 are approximately the same.

[0051] As shown in Figure 6B, the first rail section 321 is a wall-like projection extending to the left from the lower part of the first side section 325. The first rail section 321 extends in a substantially straight line along the front-rear direction. The first rail section 321 is slidably inserted into the rail receiving section 453 of the support module 45, as shown in Figure 5. As shown in Figure 6B, the rear end of the first rail section 321 protrudes further rearward than the rear end of the first side section 325. In other words, the rear end of the first rail section 321 protrudes further rearward than the rear surface section 324. As shown in Figure 6A, the lower end of the control board cover 46 is positioned above the first rail section 321. Therefore, when the storage container 32 is pushed all the way to the rear, the first rail section 321 is positioned below the control board cover 46. From this, it can be seen that the presence of the control board cover 46 does not hinder the sliding movement of the first rail section 321 in the front-rear direction.

[0052] Referring to Figure 6A, the second rail portion 322 is a wall-like projection extending to the right from the lower part of the second side portion 326. The second rail portion 322 extends in a substantially straight line along the front-rear direction. The second rail portion 322 is slidably inserted into the rail receiving portion formed by recessing the right side of the inner box 112 shown in Figure 2 in the width direction.

[0053] Figure 7A is a perspective view showing the support module 45. Figure 7B is a side view and a front view showing the support module 45. In Figure 7B, the side view is shown on the left and the front view is shown on the right.

[0054] Referring to Figures 7A and 7B, the support module 45 has a bottom portion 451, a container support wall portion 452, a rail receiving portion 453, and a pump housing portion 454. The support module 45 is also configured to support the bottom portion and the right side portion of the tank 31 mentioned above. The support module 45 is made of synthetic resin integrally molded by injection molding or the like. As mentioned above, a control board cover 46 is fixed to the right rear portion of the pump housing portion 454.

[0055] The bottom portion 451 is a roughly plate-shaped part. The bottom portion 451 is fixed to the left end of the lower surface of the inner box 112 shown in Figure 2 by fastening means such as screws. The bottom portion 451 supports the bottom portion of the tank 31 described above so that it can slide along the front-rear direction.

[0056] Referring to the front view on the right side of Figure 7B, the container support wall portion 452 is part of the support module 45. The container support wall portion 452 is a wall-like projection extending upward from the rear portion of the bottom surface portion 451. The container support wall portion 452 extends in a substantially straight line along the front-rear direction. The left side surface of the container support wall portion 452 is substantially flat. As a result, the left side surface of the container support wall portion 452 supports the right side surface of the tank 31 in a slidable manner. The rail receiving portion 453 is formed by recessing the right side surface of the container support wall portion 452. As shown in Figure 7A, the rail receiving portion 453 is a groove that extends in a substantially straight line along the front-rear direction. The first rail portion 321 of the storage container 32 is inserted into the rail receiving portion 453 in a slidable manner.

[0057] Referring to the front view on the right side of Figure 7B, the bottom cover 455 is a plate-shaped member that covers the bottom portion 451 from below. Details of the bottom portion 451 will be described later with reference to Figure 8, etc. A discharge portion 391 protrudes downward from the bottom cover 455. The discharge portion 391 is the part from which the ice-making water 36 mentioned above is discharged.

[0058] Figure 8 is an exploded perspective view showing the support module 45. Figure 9 is a cut-off perspective view showing the support module 45.

[0059] Referring to Figure 8, the lower surface of the bottom portion 451 is almost entirely covered by the bottom cover 455. A nearly sealed space is formed between the bottom portion 451 and the bottom cover 455. As will be described later, the space formed between the bottom portion 451 and the bottom cover 455 is heated by the heating unit 35.

[0060] The lower cover 455 is partially made to protrude downward in a roughly cylindrical shape, thereby forming a downward projection 456. A through hole is formed in the bottom surface of the downward projection 456, and the discharge part 391 protrudes downward from this through hole.

[0061] The water supply pipe 39 is a conduit that extends in the front-rear direction along the lower surface of the bottom portion 451. Stainless steel or other metal materials can be used for the water supply pipe 39. The water supply pipe 39 is connected to the aforementioned tank 31 and is the conduit through which ice-making water 36, transferred from the tank 31 to the ice tray 38, flows. The lower end of the water supply pipe 39 protrudes downward from the downward projection 456 as a discharge portion 391. The discharge portion 391 protrudes downward from the ceiling surface of the freezer chamber 13 shown in Figure 1. The discharge portion 391 is located above the ice tray 38 shown in Figure 1.

[0062] As shown in Figures 8 and 9, the heating unit 35 is configured to raise the temperature of the water supply pipe 39. As shown in Figure 8, the heating unit 35 is arranged to be in close contact with the longitudinal direction of the water supply pipe 39. The heating unit 35 is, for example, an electric heating element that generates heat when energized based on instructions from the ice-making calculation control unit 42, which will be described later. As mentioned above, the water supply pipe 39 is made of a metal with excellent thermal conductivity. Therefore, when the heating unit 35, which is in close contact with the water supply pipe 39, generates heat, the water supply pipe 39 is heated up overall. Thus, it is possible to prevent the ice-making water 36 from freezing in the discharge section 391 exposed to the freezer chamber 13.

[0063] Referring to Figure 9, the heating unit 35 also raises the temperature of the internal space of the container support wall 452, that is, the space formed between the bottom surface 451 and the aforementioned lower cover 455. Therefore, the heating unit 35 is configured to raise the temperature of the inside of the container support wall 452. As shown in Figure 3B, the container support wall 452 is positioned between the tank 31 and the chilled compartment 231. Therefore, even if the internal temperature of the chilled compartment 231 is below freezing, the container support wall 452 insulates the tank 31 from the chilled compartment 231, thus preventing the ice-making water 36 stored in the tank 31 from freezing. With this configuration, a dedicated heater for raising the temperature of the ice-making water 36 stored in the tank 31 is eliminated, simplifying the configuration of the ice maker 30. In other words, in this embodiment, the heating unit 35 has the function of preventing freezing in the water supply pipe 39 and preventing the ice-making water 36 in the tank 31 from freezing.

[0064] Figure 10A is a perspective view showing the support module 45. Figure 10B is an exploded perspective view showing the support module 45.

[0065] Referring to Figures 10A and 10B, a pump housing 454 and a control board cover 46 are provided at the rear end of the support module 45.

[0066] As shown in Figure 10B, a pump 41 is installed inside the pump housing 454. The pump 41 transfers the ice-making water 36 stored inside the tank 31 to the ice tray 38 via the water supply pipe 39. The pump 41 is located at the back of the tank 31.

[0067] The control board cover 46 comprises a cover body 461 and a lid 462. The cover body 461 is a roughly box-shaped member that opens to the right. The lid 462 is configured to close the opening of the cover body 461. The cover body 461 houses an ice-making calculation control unit 42. The ice-making calculation control unit 42 is configured to control the operation of the pump 41 and heating unit 35 included in the ice maker 30, and is located near the pump 41 in the aforementioned refrigerator compartment 12. For example, a calculation element 43, which is a CPU, is used as the ice-making calculation control unit 42. The ice-making calculation control unit 42 is configured separately from the aforementioned refrigerator calculation control unit 25. The calculation element 43 is mounted on the control board 44 and housed in the control board cover 46. With this configuration, the control board 44 is located at the back of the aforementioned tank 31 and on the right side, which is the inside in the width direction of the pump 41. Therefore, the control board cover 46 can be installed without compromising the thickness of the heat insulating material 113 shown in Figure 4A, etc.

[0068] As mentioned above, the tank 31, pump 41, and ice-making calculation control unit 42 are arranged inside the refrigerator compartment 12 shown in Figure 1. With this configuration, the ice-making calculation control unit 42 is located near the pump 41, and if a malfunction occurs in the ice-making calculation control unit 42 while the refrigerator 10 is in use, the problem can be addressed by repairing or replacing only the ice-making calculation control unit 42. Furthermore, since the ice-making calculation control unit 42 is located in the refrigerator compartment 12, which is relatively dry, the possibility of condensation occurring on the ice-making calculation control unit 42 is low, allowing the ice-making calculation control unit 42 to operate stably.

[0069] Figure 11 is a cross-sectional perspective view showing the support module 45.

[0070] The lid portion 457 covers both the pump housing portion 454 and the control board cover 46 from above, straddling them. Specifically, the lid portion 457 closes the upper opening of the pump housing portion 454 and covers the boundary, which is the joint between the cover body portion 461 and the lid portion 462, from above. This configuration enhances the airtightness of the pump housing portion 454 and the control board cover 46, preventing water from entering the interior of the pump housing portion 454 and the control board cover 46. Furthermore, even if the ice-making water 36 overflows from the tank 31, it is possible to prevent the ice-making water 36 from entering the interior of the control board cover 46.

[0071] Furthermore, the control board cover 46 is positioned above the lower surface of the support module 45 shown in Figure 10B. In other words, the control board cover 46 is positioned above the bottom surface of the refrigerator compartment 12 shown in Figure 2. Therefore, even if water accumulates on the bottom surface of the refrigerator compartment 12, that water will not reach the control board cover 46. In addition, a rail support portion 453 is positioned below the ice-making calculation control unit 42. With this configuration, the ice-making calculation control unit 42 is positioned even higher, preventing water from entering the ice-making calculation control unit 42.

[0072] Figure 12 is a cross-sectional view showing the support module 45 and its vicinity. Figure 12 is a cross-sectional view showing the intermediate portions of the support module 45, tank 31, and storage container 32 in the front-to-back direction, including the up-down, left-right, and right-to-back directions.

[0073] In the support module 45, the bottom cover 455 covers the lower surface of the bottom portion 451, thereby forming an internal region 47 between them. The internal region 47 is a closed space inside the refrigerator compartment 12.

[0074] As mentioned above, a water supply pipe 39 and a heating unit 35 are installed inside the internal region 47. When the refrigerator 10 is in operation, the heating unit 35 generates heat when power is supplied, warming the water supply pipe 39 by heat transfer and preventing the ice-making water 36 inside the water supply pipe 39 from freezing. Furthermore, the heat generated by the heating unit 35 raises the temperature of the air inside the internal region 47. The air heated by the heating unit 35 rises inside the internal region 47. Here, the area inside the internal region 47 where the heated air resides is enclosed by a dotted line as the heated region 48. The heated region 48 is located between the tank 31 and the storage container 32. In addition, a part of the heated region 48 is located above the bottom of the tank 31. That is, the upper part of the heated region 48 is a projected region 49 located on the lateral (right) projection plane of the area inside the tank 31 where the ice-making water 36 is stored. Here, the area corresponding to projection area 49 is colored.

[0075] With this configuration, a projection region 49 made of heated air exists between the ice-making water 36 in the tank 31 and the storage container 32 in the left-right direction. Therefore, even if the internal temperature of the chilled compartment 231 formed inside the storage container 32 is below freezing, the projection region 49 insulates the chilled compartment 231 and the tank 31, preventing the ice-making water 36 stored in the tank 31 from freezing.

[0076] Furthermore, the heating region 48 is formed to extend along the lower part of the right side of the tank 31 and the right portion of the bottom of the tank 31. Therefore, by heating the lower part of the right side of the tank 31 and the right portion of the bottom of the tank 31, the heating region 48 prevents an excessive drop in the temperature of the ice-making water 36 stored inside the tank 31. Thus, the ice-making water 36 can be prevented from freezing due to the influence of the chilling chamber 231.

[0077] The present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, and various modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the invention. Furthermore, the embodiments described above can be combined with each other. [Explanation of symbols]

[0078] 10 Refrigerator 11 Insulated box 111 Outer box 112 Inner box 113 Insulation 12 Refrigerator 13 Freezer 14 Machine room 15 Refrigerator door 16 Freezer door 17 Evaporator 18 Cooling room 19 Compressor 20 Blower 21 Defrost heater 22 Insulated partition wall 23 Small Storage Room 231 Chilled compartment 24 Storage shelves 25. Arithmetic Control Unit 26 Ice storage containers 30 Ice makers 31 tanks 311 Tank connection 32 Storage containers 321 First Rail Section 322 Second Rail Section 323 Front part 324 Rear part 325 First side part 326 Second side part 327 Bottom part 328 Edge 35 Heating section 36. Water for ice making 37 Water surface 38 Ice cube trays 39 Water supply pipe 391 Discharge part 41 pumps 42 Ice Making Calculation Control Unit 43 arithmetic elements 44 Control board 45 Support Module 451 Bottom part 452 Container support wall 453 Rail support section 454 Pump storage compartment 455 Bottom cover 456 Downward protrusion 457 Top cover 46 Control board cover 461 Cover body 462 Top cover 47 Internal area 48 Temperature rise region 49 Projection area

Claims

1. It is a refrigerator equipped with an ice maker, It comprises a tank, a pump, an ice tray, and an ice-making calculation and control unit. The tank, the pump, and the ice-making calculation control unit are installed inside the refrigerator compartment. The aforementioned tank is configured to store water for ice making, The pump is configured to transfer the ice-making water from the tank to the ice tray. The ice tray is configured to freeze the ice-making water supplied from the tank. The ice-making calculation control unit is configured to control the operation of the pump and is located near the pump in the refrigerator compartment, characterized in that the refrigerator is provided with the ice-making calculation control unit.

2. The ice-making calculation control unit is mounted on a control board as a calculation element, The pump is located at the rear of the tank. The refrigerator according to claim 1, characterized in that the control board is disposed at the rear of the tank and is disposed inward from the pump in the width direction.

3. A storage container forming a small storage chamber is provided to the side of the aforementioned tank. The refrigerator according to claim 2, characterized in that the control board is disposed behind the storage container.

4. The system further comprises a support module for supporting the aforementioned tank, The refrigerator according to claim 1, characterized in that the ice-making calculation control unit is integrated with the support module.

5. The refrigerator according to claim 1, further comprising a control board cover that covers the ice-making calculation control unit.

6. The control board cover has a cover body and a lid. The cover body is a box-shaped container that houses the ice-making calculation control unit and has an opening that opens to the side. The lid is configured to cover the opening from the side, The refrigerator according to claim 5, further comprising an upper cover that covers the boundary between the cover body and the lid from above.

7. The refrigerator according to claim 6, characterized in that the upper cover covers the upper opening of the pump storage section that houses the pump and the boundary between the cover body and the lid.

8. The refrigerator according to claim 1, characterized in that the ice-making calculation control unit is disposed above the bottom surface of the refrigerator compartment.

9. The refrigerator according to claim 8, characterized in that a rail support is provided below the ice-making calculation control unit.

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