Ice maker

Abstract

To provide an ice making device that can prevent a screw, etc. from falling into an ice block storage.SOLUTION: An ice making device comprises an ice maker 10 for producing ice blocks, an ice block storage 20 arranged below the ice maker 10, an openable / closable door provided on a front surface of the ice block storage 20, a guide support member 30 installed on a side plate 24 of the ice block storage 20, and an ice guide 40 of which one end is supported by the guide support member 30, and of which the other end is supported above the door. The guide support member 30 comprises a concave guide support surface 32 supporting the one end of the ice guide 40, and is supported and fixed from the outside of the side plate 24 of the ice block storage 20.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an ice making device. [Background technology]

[0002] Patent Document 1 discloses technology for an ice guide of an ice maker that receives ice that falls from an ice-making mechanism that automatically makes a large number of ice cubes of a specified shape and disperses it into an ice storage tank located below the ice-making mechanism, in which multiple straight grooves are provided on the surface between the part that receives the ice and the part that drops it, so that the ice spreads in the direction of falling. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 09-243222 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] An object of the present disclosure is to provide an ice-making device that can prevent screws or the like from falling into the interior of an ice block storage tank. [Means for solving the problem]

[0005] In order to achieve the above object, the present disclosure provides an ice making device including an ice maker that produces ice blocks, an ice block storage bin arranged below the ice maker, and a door that can be opened and closed freely and is provided on the front of the ice block storage bin, the ice making device including a guide support member that is installed on a side panel of the ice block storage bin, and an ice guide that is supported at one end by the guide support member and at the other end above the door, the guide support member having a concave guide support surface that supports one end of the ice guide, and a support pin on a surface that faces the side panel. and screw holder The side plate has a through hole through which the support pin passes. , a screw hole provided at a position corresponding to the screw receiver With The guide support member The support pin is inserted into the through hole of the side plate. did In status , the side plate A screw is screwed into the screw hole toward the screw receiver of the guide support member. The guide support member fixed to the side plate supports the ice guide. Support fixation do , characterized in that Effect of the Invention

[0006] According to the present disclosure, since the guide support member is fixed from the outside of the side panel, it is possible to prevent the screws from falling into the interior of the ice block storage cabinet. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0007] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is an overall perspective view showing an ice making device according to a first embodiment; [Diagram 2] FIG. 1 is a vertical cross-sectional view of an ice-making device according to a first embodiment. [Diagram 3] FIG. 1 is an enlarged side view of a guide support member and an ice guide portion according to the first embodiment; [Figure 4] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a guide support member according to a first embodiment; [Diagram 5] FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram showing a guide support member and a side plate according to the first embodiment; [Figure 6] FIG. 1 is a view from the side plate side in the first embodiment. [Figure 7] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an ice guide according to a first embodiment; DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0008] (The knowledge and other information that formed the basis of this disclosure) At the time the inventors came up with the idea of ​​this disclosure, there was an ice-making device that was equipped with an ice guide that received ice that had fallen from an ice-making mechanism that automatically made a large number of ice cubes of a specified shape, and dispersed it into an ice storage bin located below the ice-making mechanism. When cleaning the inside of the ice block storage, it is necessary to remove the ice guide before cleaning.

[0009] However, in the conventional technology, the ice guide is attached from the inside of the ice storage shed with a screw, and it is time-consuming to remove the ice guide. In addition, since the ice guide is attached from the inside of the ice storage shed with a screw, the screw may fall into the ice storage shed due to corrosion of the screw caused by aging. The inventors discovered a problem, and in order to solve this problem, they came to constitute the subject of the present disclosure. Therefore, the present disclosure provides an ice-making device that can prevent screws, etc. from falling into the inside of an ice block storage tank.

[0010] Hereinafter, the embodiments will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. However, more detailed explanation than necessary may be omitted. For example, detailed explanation of already well-known matters or duplicate explanation of substantially the same configuration may be omitted. This is to avoid the following explanation becoming more redundant than necessary and to facilitate understanding by those skilled in the art. It should be noted that the accompanying drawings and the following description are provided to enable those skilled in the art to fully understand the present disclosure, and are not intended to limit the subject matter described in the claims.

[0011] (Embodiment 1) Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. Fig. 1 is an overall perspective view showing the ice-making device in embodiment 1. Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view of the ice-making device in embodiment 1.

[0012] [1-1. Configuration] [1-1-1. Ice maker configuration] As shown in Figures 1 and 2, ice making device 1 comprises, from above, ice maker 10 and ice block storage 20. Ice maker 10 and ice block storage 20 are both formed in a box shape with a thermal insulation structure, and ice making device 1 is formed in a box shape as a whole by combining these. The ice making device 1 stores ice blocks produced by the ice maker 10 in the ice block storage 20.

[0013] The ice making machine 10 makes ice blocks formed into a predetermined size and shape. A machine chamber 11 is provided on the right side of ice making machine 10 of the present embodiment in FIG. 1, and an ice making chamber 12 is provided on the left side of ice making machine 10 in FIG. A refrigeration system consisting of a compressor, a condenser, an expansion mechanism, and a cooler 13 is housed inside the machine room 11. The refrigeration system is a refrigeration cycle configured by connecting a compressor that compresses a refrigerant, a condenser, an expansion mechanism, and the cooler 13 (evaporator) in a ring shape with piping, and the refrigerant is sealed in the refrigeration system.

[0014] The ice-making chamber 12 is open at the bottom and communicates with an ice block storage room 20 which is similarly open at the top. A plurality of ice-making cells 14 are provided in the ice-making chamber 12. Each ice-making cell 14 is formed in a box shape that opens downward. A water tray 15 is provided at the bottom end of each ice-making cell 14, covering the entire bottom surface of the ice-making cell 14 from below. A water tank 16 is fixed to the bottom end of this water tray 15, and a circulation pump (not shown) is provided at the bottom end of the water tank 16, which sprays ice-making water supplied to the inside of the water tank 16 from a water spout (not shown) formed on the surface of the water tray 15 to each ice-making cell 14. A cooler 13 constituting a refrigeration system is disposed on the upper surface of the ice-making cell 14.

[0015] Water tray 15 is supported so as to be rotatable at one end in the width direction, and water tray 15, water tank 16 fixed to water tray 15, and circulation pump are provided so as to be rotatable vertically as a unit around one end of water tray 15. Hereinafter, when water tray 15 is in a position covering each ice-making cell 14, it is referred to as a closed state, and when water tray 15 is rotated to a position separated from each ice-making cell 14, it is referred to as an open state. In FIG. 2, water tray 15 is in a closed state.

[0016] When ice maker 10 is operated, refrigerant is discharged from the compressor that constitutes the refrigeration system, condensed in the condenser, reduced in pressure by the expansion mechanism, and supplied to cooler 13. The refrigerant that has evaporated in cooler 13 is returned to the compressor. In addition, the circulation pump is operated, and the ice-making water supplied to the inside of the water tank 16 is sprayed from the water spouts formed on the surface of the water tray 15 to each ice-making cell 14. At this time, the water tray 15 is in a closed state. The ice-making water stored inside each ice-making cell 14 is cooled by the evaporation of the refrigerant in the cooler 13, and becomes ice blocks.

[0017] After a predetermined time has passed during which the ice-making water turns into ice blocks, the water tray 15 rotates to the open state, and the ice blocks drop from each ice-making cell 14 and fall into the ice block storage 20. This allows ice blocks to be supplied from the ice maker 10 to the ice block storage 20.

[0018] As described above, ice block storage 20 is a box-shaped body that functions as an ice block storage section with space provided inside for storing ice blocks, and has an open top that communicates with ice making machine 10. An opening 21 is provided on the front of ice block storage 20, and a sliding door 22 that can be opened and closed by sliding left and right is provided on opening 21. A lower door 23 is provided below sliding door 22 of ice block storage 20, and can be opened and closed freely on the front side with its lower end as the center. A user can remove ice blocks stored in ice block storage room 20 by opening sliding door 22.

[0019] [1-1-2. Guide support member and ice guide configuration] Fig. 3 is an enlarged side view of the guide support member and the ice guide portion. Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the guide support member. Fig. 5 is an explanatory view showing the guide support member and the side plate. Fig. 6 is a view from the side plate side. Fig. 7 is a perspective view of the ice guide. As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, a guide support member 30 is provided on the inside of the side plate 24 of the ice block storage house 20. As shown in FIG. 4, the guide support member 30 has a concave groove 31 formed therein and is formed in a substantially U-shape in plan view. A guide support surface 32 is formed at the innermost part of the groove 31 of the guide support member 30, intersecting at a substantially right angle. At the tip portions of the grooves 31 of the guide support member 30, support projections 33 are formed so as to project inwardly of the grooves 31.

[0020] 5, a plurality of (three in this embodiment) support pins 34 are provided on the surface of guide support member 30 facing side plate 24 of ice block storage 20. Also, a plurality of (three in this embodiment) screw receivers 35 are provided on the surface of guide support member 30 facing side plate 24 of ice block storage 20. Further, a screw recess 36 is formed in the vicinity of the location where the guide support surfaces 32 of the guide support member 30 intersect.

[0021] As shown in Fig. 5, a through hole 25 is formed in the side plate 24 of the ice block storage 20, through which the support pin 34 passes. Also, a screw hole 26 is formed in the side plate 24 of the ice block storage 20 at a position corresponding to the screw receiver 35. Furthermore, spare screw holes 27 are formed at positions corresponding to the screw recesses 36 of the side panels 24 of the ice block storage room 20 .

[0022] 6, guide support member 30 is fixed to side plate 24 of ice block storage 20 by screwing screws 37 into screw receivers 35 of guide support member 30 through screw holes 26 with each support pin 34 inserted into through holes 25 of side plate 24. Guide support member 30 is installed with groove 31 tilted at approximately 45°. In this manner, the guide support member 30 is fixed with each support pin 34 inserted into the through hole 25 of the side plate 24. Therefore, even if force is applied to the guide support member 30, the force applied to the guide support member 30 can be received by the side plate 24 via the support pins 34 and the through holes 25, and the guide support member 30 can obtain sufficient load resistance. After the guide support member 30 is fixed, the screws 37 fixing the guide support member 30 are covered from the outside by installing insulation material on the outside of the side panel 24 and covering it with an outer casing (neither shown).

[0023] As shown in Fig. 7, ice guide 40 has a flat plate shape with an outer periphery bent downward to form a shape with side surface 41. On one side of ice guide 40 (the lower side in Fig. 7), protrusion 42 is formed which protrudes at a substantially right angle to match the shape of guide support surface 32. The other side edge of the ice guide 40 is an abutment surface 43 that abuts against the upper inner surface of the sliding door 22, and the abutment surface 43 is formed at an incline so as to abut against the upper inner surface of the sliding door 22 without any gap when the ice guide 40 is installed. In addition, the ice guide 40 may be supported by abutting against the upper inner surface of the sliding door 22, or may be supported by a member provided on the side panel 24 of the ice block storage room 20 or the upper inner surface of the sliding door 22.

[0024] Then, the protrusions 42 of the ice guide 40 are inserted into the grooves 31 of the guide support member 30, and the protrusions 42 of the ice guide 40 are brought into contact with the guide support surface 32 of the guide support member 30. From this state, the ice guide 40 can be tilted forward so that the contact surface 43 of the ice guide 40 is brought into contact with the upper inner surface of the sliding door 22, thereby allowing the ice guide 40 to be installed. Then, the ice guide 40 can be removed from the guide support member 30 by tilting the ice guide 40 backward to release the abutment surface 43 of the ice guide 40 from the abutment surface 43 of the ice guide 40 and the upper inner surface of the sliding door 22, and removing the protrusion 42 of the ice guide 40 from the groove 31 of the guide support member 30.

[0025] As described above, the configuration in which the ice guide 40 and guide support member 30 are installed at a position corresponding to the upper part of the sliding door 22 has been explained, but as shown in Figure 2, the ice guide 40 and guide support member 30 are similarly installed at a position corresponding to the upper part of the lower door 23.

[0026] 2, guide support member 30, which supports ice guide 40 disposed at a position corresponding to the upper part of lower door 23, is attached near the inside of lower door 23. Ice guide 40 similar to the ice guide corresponding to sliding door 22 is attached to guide support member 30. Ice guide 40 corresponding to lower door 23 is positioned so that its mounting angle is acuter with respect to the vertical direction than ice guide 40 corresponding to sliding door 22.

[0027] Ice guide 40 corresponding to this lower door 23 is also inserted into guide support member 30, and the lower end of ice guide 40 is supported by guide support member 30. From this state, ice guide 40 is tilted forward so that the upper end of ice guide 40 abuts against the inner surface of ice block storage room 20 above lower door 23, making it possible to install ice guide 40. Then, the ice guide 40 can be removed from the guide support member 30 by tilting the ice guide 40 backward to release the contact between the ice guide 40 and the inner surface of the ice block storage 20 and removing the ice guide 40 from the guide support member 30. The configuration of the guide support member 30 and ice guide 40 corresponding to this lower door 23 is similar to the configuration of the guide support member 30 and ice guide 40 corresponding to the sliding door 22 described above, so the same parts are given the same symbols and their descriptions are omitted.

[0028] [1-2. Effect] Next, the operation of this embodiment will be described. When attaching the ice guide 40, the protrusions 42 of the ice guide 40 are inserted into the grooves 31 of the guide support member 30, and the protrusions 42 of the ice guide 40 are brought into contact with the guide support surface 32 of the guide support member 30. From this state, the ice guide 40 is tilted forward so that the contact surface 43 of the ice guide 40 is brought into contact with the upper inner surface of the sliding door 22, thereby installing the ice guide 40. In this case, the guide support member 30 is provided with a support protrusion 33, and when the ice guide 40 is installed, the support protrusion 33 abuts against the upper and lower surfaces of the ice guide 40. As a result, by abutting against the support protrusions 33, the ice guide 40 can be prevented from bouncing upward or shifting forward.

[0029] In this state, the ice blocks produced by the ice making machine 10 fall directly into the ice block storage 20 in a location where there is no ice guide 40, and in a location where there is an ice guide 40, the ice blocks produced by the ice making machine 10 hit the ice guide 40 and fall into the ice block storage 20 while being guided along the ice guide 40 to the rear of the ice block storage 20. At this time, the guide support member 30 is fixed with the support pin 34 inserted into the through hole 25, so that even if an ice block collides with the ice guide 40 and a large force is applied, the force applied to the guide support member 30 is received by the side panel 24 via the support pin 34 and the through hole 25, thereby preventing damage to the guide support member 30.

[0030] When removing the ice guide 40, the ice guide 40 is tilted backward to release the abutment surface 43 of the ice guide 40 from the upper inner surface of the sliding door 22, and the protrusion 42 of the ice guide 40 is removed from the groove 31 of the guide support member 30, thereby removing the ice guide 40 from the guide support member 30.

[0031] Moreover, after many years of use, the guide support member 30 may become damaged due to deterioration over time. In such a case, the guide support member 30 is removed by, for example, cutting the screws 37 that secure the guide support member 30. After that, a new guide support member 30 is to be installed, but because the outside of the side panel 24 is covered with insulation material and an outer housing, it is not possible to fix the guide support member 30 from the outside of the side panel 24.

[0032] Therefore, in this embodiment, a screw recess 36 is provided in the guide support member 30, and by screwing a screw 37 into the spare screw hole 27 through this screw recess 36, the new guide support member 30 can be fixed from the inside of the side plate 24 by the screw 37. Furthermore, by installing the ice guide 40 on the guide support member 30, the screws 37 are covered by the side surfaces of the ice guide 40, thereby preventing the screws 37 from falling off.

[0033] [1-3. Effects, etc.] As described above, this embodiment comprises ice making machine 10 which produces ice blocks, ice block storage tank 20 which is arranged below ice making machine 10, a door which can be opened and closed freely provided on the front of ice block ice storage tank 20, guide support member 30 which is installed on side panel 24 of ice block ice storage tank 20, and ice guide 40 which has one end supported by guide support member 30 and the other end supported by abutting against the upper part of the door, and guide support member 30 has a concave guide support surface 32 which supports one end of ice guide 40, and is supported and fixed from the outside of side panel 24 of ice block ice storage tank 20. As a result, since the guide support member 30 is fixed from the outside of the side plate 24 by the screw 37, it is possible to prevent the screw 37 from falling into the interior of the ice block storage 20.

[0034] In this embodiment, the guide support member 30 is provided with a support protrusion 33 at the tip portion of the guide support surface 32 which protrudes inwardly of the concave portion and abuts against the surface of the ice guide 40 to support the ice guide 40 . As a result, when the ice guide 40 is installed, the support protrusions 33 abut against the upper and lower surfaces of the ice guide 40, and by abutting against the support protrusions 33, the ice guide 40 can be prevented from bouncing upward or shifting forward.

[0035] In this embodiment, guide support member 30 is provided with support pins 34 that penetrate side panels 24 of ice block storage room 20. As a result, the guide support member 30 is fixed with the support pin 34 penetrating it, so that even if an ice block collides with the ice guide 40 and a large force is applied to it, the force applied to the guide support member 30 is received by the side plate 24 via the support pin 34, thereby preventing damage to the guide support member 30.

[0036] In this embodiment, the guide support member 30 has a screw recess 36 at a position hidden by the side plate 24 of the ice guide 40 when the ice guide 40 is supported by the guide support surface 32 . As a result, when replacing the guide support member 30, the new guide support member 30 can be fixed from the inside of the side plate 24 by screwing the screws 37 through the screw recesses 36. Then, by installing the ice guide 40 on the guide support member 30, the screws 37 are covered by the side surfaces of the ice guide 40, preventing the screws 37 from falling off.

[0037] As described above, the first embodiment has been described as an example of the technology disclosed in the present application. However, the technology in the present disclosure is not limited to this, and can be applied to embodiments in which modifications, substitutions, additions, omissions, etc. are made. [Industrial Applicability]

[0038] As described above, the ice-making device of the present invention can be suitably used as an ice-making device that can prevent screws, etc. from falling into the interior of the ice block storage room 20 by fixing the guide support member that supports the ice guide from the outside of the side panel. [Explanation of symbols]

[0039] 1 Ice maker 10 Ice maker 11 Machine room 12 Ice Room 13 Cooler 14 Ice making cell 15 Water Dish 16 Water Tank 20 Ice Block Storage 21 Aperture 22 Sliding door 23 Lower door 24 Side Panel 25 Through hole 26 screw holes 27 Spare screw holes 30 Guide support member 31 Groove 32 Guide support surface 33 Support protrusion 34 Support pin 35 Screw holder 36 Screw recess 40 Ice Guide 41 Side 42 Protruding part 43 Contact surface

Claims

1. An ice maker for generating ice blocks; An ice block storage shed arranged below the ice making machine; In the ice making device, a door is provided on the front of the ice block storage room and can be opened and closed. A guide support member installed on a side panel of the ice block storage; an ice guide having one end supported by the guide support member and the other end supported above the door; The guide support member includes a concave guide support surface that supports one end of the ice guide, and a support pin and a screw receiver on a surface facing the side plate. the side plate includes a through hole through which the support pin passes and a screw hole provided at a position corresponding to the screw receiver, The guide support member is fixed to the side plate by screwing a screw from the screw hole of the side plate to the screw receiver of the guide support member in a state where the support pin of the guide support member is inserted into the through hole of the side plate, and the guide support member supports and fixes the ice guide. An ice making device characterized by:

2. The guide support member is provided with a support protrusion at a tip portion of the guide support surface, which protrudes inwardly of the concave portion and abuts against a surface of the ice guide to support the ice guide.

2. The ice making device according to claim 1 .

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