Ice maker and method for determining abnormality thereof

Abstract

To provide an ice making machine capable of determining abnormality, and to provide an abnormality determination method of the same.SOLUTION: An ice making machine includes: a chemical pump 36 for supplying a chemical to an ice making water tank 15 from a chemical container 34 in normal drive, and for discharging a liquid in the ice making water tank 15 to the outside in reverse drive; a float switch FL for detecting a lower limit water level of the liquid in the ice making water tank 15; and a liquid discharge valve 32 capable of discharging water flowing in a water circulation path to the outside by the drive of a circulation pump PM. It also includes control means C for opening the water discharge valve 32 in a state where water is stored at a prescribed liquid level in the ice making water tank 15, and for determining abnormality in the case where a difference between a first time which is from the time when the drive of the circulation pump PM is started until the time when the float switch FL detects a lower limit liquid level and a second time which is from the time when the drive of the circulation pump PM and the reverse drive of the chemical pump 36 are started until the time when the float switch FL detects the lower limit liquid level is smaller than the preset threshold value.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an ice-making machine that cleans by circulating a cleaning liquid through a circulation path of ice-making water, and a method for determining an abnormality in the ice-making machine. [Background technology]

[0002] Automatic ice makers (ice makers) that produce large quantities of ice blocks by repeating an ice-making cycle, which alternates between an ice-making operation in which ice-making water stored in an ice-making water tank is circulated by a circulation pump between the ice-making unit, which is cooled by a refrigeration unit, and the ice-making water tank, and a de-icing operation in which the ice-making unit is heated to remove the ice blocks, are favorably used in cafes, restaurants, and other facilities, as well as in other kitchens. The ice-making water supplied to the ice-making water tank contains various minerals, such as calcium and magnesium. Repeated ice-making cycles can result in the accumulation of foreign matter, such as scale and limescale, in the ice-making water circulation path. The accumulation of foreign matter in the circulation path can cause various problems, such as a decrease in the amount of ice-making water circulated through the circulation path, resulting in poor ice production or increased ice-making time, or the contamination of the ice blocks with foreign matter, which can impair the cleanliness of the resulting ice blocks. Therefore, an automatic ice maker has been proposed in which a detergent supply device supplies detergent (chemicals) to the ice-making water stored in an ice-making water tank, and the cleaning water in which the detergent is diluted with the ice-making water is circulated through the ice-making water circulation path by a circulation pump for cleaning (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

[0003] The detergent supply device of Patent Document 1 comprises a detergent container in which detergent is stored, a detergent supply pipe (hose) for guiding the detergent from the detergent tank to the ice-making water tank, and a detergent transport pump connected to the detergent supply pipe, and is configured such that by driving the detergent transport pump, detergent is sucked from the detergent container through the inlet detergent supply pipe and supplied to the ice-making water tank through the outlet detergent supply pipe. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Patent Publication No. 2021-109126 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] In the detergent supply device, if an abnormality occurs in which the outlet detergent supply pipe becomes disconnected from the detergent transfer pump due to vibrations generated in the device or detergent pulsation during pump operation, the circulation path will not be properly cleaned. However, if the detergent transfer pump is operated with the outlet detergent supply pipe disconnected, the detergent in the detergent container will decrease normally, making it difficult to detect the abnormality when refilling the detergent container. Therefore, if the abnormality is left unattended for a long period of time, not only will the circulation path not be properly cleaned, but detergent may be wasted, a large amount of detergent may be scattered around the detergent transfer pump, causing soiling, or component deterioration. Therefore, how to determine the abnormality is an issue.

[0006] The present invention has been proposed in consideration of the problems inherent in the above-mentioned conventional technology in order to solve these problems in an optimal manner, and aims to provide an ice making machine that can detect abnormalities and a method for detecting such abnormalities. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] In order to overcome the above problems and achieve the intended purpose, the ice maker according to the invention of claim 1 comprises: An ice making machine is provided with a water circulation path that introduces ice making water from an ice making water tank to an ice making section and recovers the ice making water from the ice making section to the ice making water tank, and is configured to be able to perform an ice making operation in which ice making water is circulated through the water circulation path by driving a circulation pump to produce ice blocks in the ice making section, and a cleaning operation in which cleaning liquid stored in the ice making water tank is circulated through the water circulation path by driving the circulation pump, a chemical pump that supplies the chemical from the chemical container to the ice-making water tank by being driven in a forward direction and discharges the liquid in the ice-making water tank to the outside by being driven in a reverse direction; a detection means for detecting a lower limit liquid level of the liquid in the ice making water tank; a drain valve that can discharge the liquid flowing through the water circulation path to the outside by driving the circulation pump; a determination means, The gist of the judgment means is to judge that an abnormality has occurred if the difference between a first time period from when the drain valve is opened and the circulation pump is started to operate while water is stored at a specified level in the ice-making water tank until the detection means detects the lower limit liquid level, and a second time period from when the reverse drive of the chemical liquid pump is started and the circulation pump is started to operate while the drain valve is opened while water is stored at a specified level in the ice-making water tank until the detection means detects the lower limit liquid level, is smaller than a preset threshold value. In the invention of claim 1, an abnormality is determined from the difference between the first time for drainage when only the circulation pump is driven and the second time for drainage when the circulation pump and the chemical pump are driven, so that even abnormalities that are difficult for some users to find can be detected early. Therefore, it is possible to prevent an abnormal state from being left unattended for a long period of time, and to prevent the water circulation path from not being cleaned with chemicals for a long period of time, a large amount of chemical solution being wasted, the surrounding area being soiled by chemical solution, or component parts being deteriorated by chemical solution.

[0008] The invention according to claim 2 is as follows: In the cleaning operation, a drainage process is carried out in which water is stored in the ice-making water tank up to a specified liquid level, and the circulation pump is driven with the drain valve opened to discharge the water in the ice-making water tank, and then a path cleaning process is carried out in which water is stored in the ice-making water tank up to a specified liquid level, the chemical pump is driven in reverse to cause water to flow in a chemical path connecting the chemical pump and the ice-making water tank, and the circulation pump is driven with the drain valve opened, The gist of the determination means is that it determines an abnormality based on the difference between the first time from when the circulation pump starts operating in the drainage process until the detection means detects the lower limit liquid level, and the second time from when both the chemical pump and the circulation pump start operating in the path cleaning process until the detection means detects the lower limit liquid level. In the invention of claim 2, abnormality determination is performed for the first time in the drainage step and the second time in the path cleaning step performed in the cleaning operation, so there is no need to perform a separate step for abnormality determination.

[0009] The invention according to claim 3 is In the path cleaning step, the reverse drive of the chemical pump is started a predetermined time before the start of the drive of the circulation pump. In the invention of claim 3, the difference between the first time and the second time in a normal state can be widened, and the threshold value used in determining an abnormality can be easily set to a value that does not cause erroneous determination.

[0010] The invention according to claim 4 is The gist of the present invention is that the apparatus is provided with a means for filling the chemical liquid path through which water flows in the path cleaning process with water from the ice-making water tank by driving the chemical liquid pump in the reverse direction. According to the invention of claim 4, it is possible to prevent the water in the chemical solution remaining in the chemical solution path from evaporating and increasing in concentration, and to prevent components in the chemical solution from precipitating inside the tube.

[0011] The invention according to claim 5 is The gist of the present invention is that it comprises a notification means for notifying an abnormality when the determination means determines that an abnormality has occurred. In the invention of claim 5, it is possible to notify the user that an abnormality has occurred and to take appropriate measures.

[0012] The invention according to claim 6 is The gist of the present invention is that the judgment means memorizes that a cleaning operation has been performed, and if the cleaning notification conditions are met without a cleaning operation being performed since the time the memorized cleaning operation was performed, the notification means is configured to notify that it is time to perform a cleaning operation. In the invention of claim 6, if a cleaning operation is not performed between the time the cleaning operation is performed and the time the cleaning notification condition is met, the notification means is configured to notify that it is time to perform a cleaning operation.This prevents a situation in which a cleaning operation is not performed for a long period of time, and prevents foreign matter such as scale from adhering to the water circulation path.

[0013] In order to overcome the above problems and achieve the intended purpose, the method for determining an abnormality in an ice-making machine according to the invention of claim 7 comprises: An ice making machine is provided with a water circulation path that introduces ice making water from an ice making water tank to an ice making section and recovers the ice making water from the ice making section to the ice making water tank, and is configured to be able to perform an ice making operation in which ice making water is circulated through the water circulation path by driving a circulation pump to produce ice blocks in the ice making section, and a cleaning operation in which cleaning liquid stored in the ice making water tank is circulated through the water circulation path by driving the circulation pump, In the cleaning operation, a draining step of discharging the water stored in the ice-making water tank at a specified liquid level to the outside by driving the circulation pump; and a step of storing water in the ice-making water tank at a specified liquid level after the draining step. ,medicine Reverse drive of the liquid pump The aforementioned a path cleaning step in which water is caused to flow through a chemical path that connects the chemical pump and the ice-making water tank, and the water in the ice-making water tank is discharged to the outside by driving the circulation pump; The gist of the method is that the judgment means judges that an abnormality has occurred if the difference between the first time from when the circulation pump starts operating in the drainage process until the detection means detects that the liquid level in the ice-making water tank has reached the lower limit liquid level, and the second time from when both the chemical liquid pump and the circulation pump start operating in the path cleaning process until the detection means detects the lower limit liquid level, is smaller than a preset threshold value. In the invention of claim 7, abnormality judgment is performed at the first hour of the drainage process and the second hour of the path cleaning process during the cleaning operation, making it possible to detect abnormalities early, preventing the abnormal state from being left unattended for a long period of time, and preventing the water circulation path from not being cleaned with chemicals for a long period of time, wasting a large amount of chemical solution, soiling the surrounding area with chemical solution, or deterioration of component parts due to chemical solution.

[0014] The invention according to claim 8 is In the path cleaning step, the reverse drive of the chemical pump is started a predetermined time before the start of drive of the circulation pump, so that the difference between the first time and the second time in a normal state becomes large; The gist of the present invention is that a first difference between the first time and the second time in a normal state and a second difference between the first time and the second time in an abnormal state are widened. In the invention of claim 8, the difference between the first time and the second time in a normal state can be widened, and the threshold value used in abnormality determination can be easily set to a value that does not cause erroneous determination, thereby improving the accuracy of abnormality determination. [Effects of the Invention]

[0015] The ice making machine and its abnormality determination method of the present invention can determine abnormalities such as piping coming loose from the chemical pump, preventing proper cleaning from being performed due to operation in an abnormal state, dirt inside the machine, or deterioration of component parts. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0016] [Figure 1] 1 is a schematic diagram showing an ice-making mechanism and a refrigeration system according to a first embodiment. [Figure 2] 1 is a schematic perspective view of a main part of an ice making machine according to a first embodiment. [Figure 3] 1 is a schematic plan view of a main part showing an ice making mechanism according to a first embodiment. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is a schematic perspective view showing the ice making mechanism according to the first embodiment. [Figure 5]FIG. 2 is a control block diagram of the ice making machine according to the first embodiment. [Figure 6] FIG. 10 is a flowchart showing a cleaning operation. [Figure 7] FIG. 10 is a flowchart showing a water washing step. [Figure 8] FIG. 10 is a flowchart showing a chemical cleaning process. [Figure 9] FIG. 10 is a flowchart showing a rinsing step. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is a flowchart showing a path cleaning process. [Figure 11] FIG. 10 is a schematic perspective view showing a first modified example of the fixing structure of the ice making mechanism. [Figure 12] FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram showing a second modified example of the fixing structure of the ice making mechanism. [Figure 13] FIG. 10 is a timing chart showing the operations of the circulation pump and the chemical pump of the ice making machine according to the second embodiment. [Figure 14] FIG. 10 is a timing chart showing the operations of the circulation pump and the chemical pump of the ice making machine according to the third embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0017] Next, an ice-making machine and an abnormality detection method thereof according to the present invention will be described below by way of a preferred embodiment with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the embodiment, a so-called flow-down type ice-making machine will be described as the ice-making machine. [Example]

[0018] 1 and 2, the flow-down type ice-making mechanism 10 of the ice maker of Example 1 has ice-making plates (ice-making sections) 11, 11 arranged opposite each other at a predetermined distance and extending in the vertical direction, and an evaporator 13 extending laterally from a refrigeration system 12 is tightly fixed to the opposing surfaces (backsides) of the ice-making plates, and is configured to circulate a refrigerant through the evaporator 13 to cool the ice-making plates 11, 11 during the ice-making process. A water collection trough 14 is disposed directly below the ice-making plates 11, 11, and ice-making water that is supplied to the ice-making surfaces (front surfaces) of the ice-making plates 11, 11 during the ice-making process but does not freeze is collected and stored in an ice-making water tank 15 via the water collection trough 14.

[0019] 2 and 3, the ice maker has a main body in the form of housing 16, which is open upward and forward and is constructed by filling the space between an outer box made of resin molded to a desired shape and an inner box made of sheet metal with insulating material. A top panel (not shown) is disposed at the top of housing 16 to close the top opening. A door 50 is disposed at the front of housing 16 to open and close the outlet for ice blocks stored in the ice storage compartment, and a front panel (not shown) is disposed above door 50 to close the front opening. A resin partition member 17, which divides the interior space into front and rear sections, is disposed within housing 16, extending between side walls 16a, 16a spaced apart in the width direction of housing 16. Ice-making mechanism 10 is disposed in the front space defined by partition member 17, and the main components of refrigeration system 12, such as compressor CM and condenser CD, are disposed in the rear space. In addition, the housing 16 has a support member 18 made of sheet metal arranged to extend between both side walls 16a, 16a at the upper rear of the partition member 17, and each end of the support member 18 in the extending direction is fixed by screws to the upper surface of the corresponding side wall 16a, so that the distance between both side walls 16a, 16a is maintained by the support member 18.

[0020] As shown in FIG. 3 , the ice-making mechanism 10 is disposed on the partition member 17 via brackets 19, 19 provided at both widthwise ends of the ice-making plates 11, 11. Each bracket 19 is provided with an extension 19a extending upward from the partition member 17. Furthermore, the support member 18 is provided with fixing portions 18a extending upward from the partition member 17, spaced apart in the widthwise direction and positioned corresponding to each extension 19a. In the first embodiment, with the extension 19a of the bracket 19 sandwiched between the upper surface of the partition member 17 and the fixing portion 18a of the support member 18, a screw 20 is inserted through a through-hole provided in the fixing portion 18a and the extension 19a and threaded into a screw hole provided in the partition member 17, thereby positioning and fixing the upper portion of the bracket 19 to the partition member 17 and the support member 18.

[0021] As shown in Fig. 1, ice-making water supply pipe 21 extending from ice-making water tank 15 via circulation pump PM is connected to ice-making water sprayer 22 provided above ice-making plates 11, 11. Ice-making water sprayer 22 is provided with a number of spray holes (not shown), and during the ice-making process, ice-making water pumped from ice-making water tank 15 by the operation of circulation pump PM is sprayed from the spray holes onto the ice-making surfaces of ice-making plates 11, 11, which are cooled by evaporator 13 through which a refrigerant circulates, and flows down. The ice making water stored in ice making water tank 15 is circulated through ice making water tank 15 and the ice making water circulation path (ice making water supply pipe 21, ice making water sprayer 22, ice making plates 11, 11, and water collection gutter 14) until float switch FL, described later, provided in ice making water tank 15 detects a lower limit water level (lower limit liquid level) at which ice making ends, thereby producing ice blocks of a predetermined size on the ice making surfaces of ice making plates 11, 11. In other words, the ice maker is provided with a water circulation path as a circulation path through which ice making water circulates during the ice making process (ice making operation), and is configured so that the ice making water stored in ice making water tank 15 and liquids such as chemical solutions, described later, can be circulated through the water circulation path by driving circulation pump PM.

[0022] As shown in FIG. 1, in refrigeration system 12, vaporized refrigerant compressed by compressor CM travels through refrigerant discharge pipe 23 and liquefies in condenser CD. The pressure is then reduced by expansion valve EV. During evaporation in evaporator 13, the vaporized refrigerant exchanges heat with ice-making plates 11, 11, cooling each plate 11 to below freezing. The vaporized refrigerant evaporated in evaporator 13 returns to compressor CM through refrigerant suction pipe 24. Symbol FM in FIG. 1 denotes a cooling fan that cools condenser CD. Furthermore, a hot gas pipe 25 branches off from refrigerant discharge pipe 23 of compressor CM, and this hot gas pipe 25 is connected to the inlet side of evaporator 13 via hot gas valve HV. During the de-icing process, the ice maker opens hot gas valve HV to supply hot gas directly from compressor CM through hot gas pipe 25 to evaporator 13, thereby heating both ice-making plates 11, 11.

[0023] The ice making machine is provided with deicing water supply means (water supply means) 26, which is separate from the ice making water supply system including ice making water tank 15 and circulating pump PM, for spraying deicing water on the backside of ice making plates 11, 11 during the deicing process to promote deicing by raising the temperature of the water. As shown in Figure 1, deicing water supply means 26 includes a water supply pipe 27 connected to an external water source, a deicing water sprayer 28 provided at the top between opposing ice making plates 11, 11 and connected to water supply pipe 27, and a water supply valve WV inserted in water supply pipe 27. That is, in the deicing process, the ice making machine opens water supply valve WV to heat the ice with hot gas and spray room-temperature water from an external water source as deicing water onto the backside of ice making plates 11, 11 through numerous spray holes (not shown) drilled in deicing water sprayer 28, melting the frozen surfaces of the ice blocks formed on the ice making surfaces and causing the ice blocks to fall (detach) under their own weight and be stored in the ice storage chamber. The deicing water that flows down the backside of ice making plates 11, 11 is collected in ice making water tank 15 via water collection gutter 14, just like the ice making water, and this is used as ice making water for the next run.

[0024] As shown in FIG. 1, the ice-making water tank 15 is provided with an overflow pipe 29 with its outlet facing a predetermined height above the tank bottom. The overflow pipe 29 determines the upper limit water level WH, which is the level at which ice-making water begins to be used when the ice-making process begins. The pipe is configured to discharge excess water (such as ice-making water and de-icing water) that exceeds the upper limit water level WH to the outside. The ice-making water tank 15 is also provided with a float switch FL as a detector for detecting the water level (liquid level) within the tank. The float switch FL includes a float 30a that moves up and down along a support member depending on the ice-making water level, and a sensor 30b that can detect the float 30a (see FIG. 5). When the float 30a is positioned over the sensor 30b, the float switch FL detects a lower limit water level WL, which is lower than the upper limit water level WH. Furthermore, the outlet of drain pipe 31 connected to ice-making water supply pipe 21 faces above the discharge port of overflow pipe 29, and drain valve 32 is interposed in the middle of drain pipe 31, so that by opening drain valve 32, rinse water and the like discharged from circulation pump PM and flowing through ice-making water supply pipe 21 can be discharged to the outside via overflow pipe 29. That is, in the ice-making machine of Example 1, by opening drain valve 32 and driving circulation pump PM, liquids such as rinse water stored in ice-making water tank 15 are discharged to the outside.

[0025] 1 and 4, the ice maker is provided with a chemical supply device 33 that supplies a chemical (chemical) to the ice-making water tank 15 during a cleaning operation (cleaning mode) described below for cleaning the water circulation path. The chemical supply device 33 includes a chemical container (filling pack, etc.) 34 in which the chemical is stored, a chemical pipe (piping) 35 that guides the chemical from the chemical container 34 to the ice-making water tank 15 and also guides rinsing water and the like in the ice-making water tank 15 to the outside, and a chemical pump 36 that supplies the chemical from the chemical container 34 to the ice-making water tank 15 via the chemical pipe 35 and discharges rinsing water (liquid) and the like in the ice-making water tank 15 to the overflow pipe 29. In the first embodiment, a tube pump is used as chemical pump 36, which compresses a flexible tube with a roller intermittently to pump the liquid in the tube. By switching between forward and reverse rotation of chemical pump 36, the chemical can be supplied to ice-making water tank 15 and rinse water can be discharged to overflow pipe 29. The chemical can be a scale remover such as hydroxyacetic acid, citric acid, or phosphoric acid for dissolving scale primarily composed of minerals contained in tap water, such as calcium and magnesium, or a disinfectant such as sodium hypochlorite for sterilizing the water circulation path. The chemical can be replaced simply by replacing chemical container 34.

[0026] The chemical liquid piping 35 is composed of a plurality of pipes interconnecting the chemical liquid container 34, chemical liquid pump 36, ice-making water tank 15, and overflow pipe 29. That is, as shown in Figures 1 and 4, one end of a suction pipe (tube) 37 is connected to a suction portion (one end of a flexible tube) 36a of the chemical liquid pump 36, the other end of which is connected to one end of a supply pipe 39 via a tee joint 38, and the other end of the supply pipe 39 is connected to the chemical liquid container 34. The other end of a discharge pipe (tube) 40 is connected to a discharge portion (the other end of a flexible tube) 36b of the chemical liquid pump 36, and is connected to the ice-making water tank 15. The other end of the discharge pipe 40 is connected to the bottom of the ice-making water tank 15, so that rinsing water and the like in the ice-making water tank 15 can be sucked into the chemical liquid pump 36 by driving the chemical liquid pump 36 in the reverse direction. One end of discharge pipe 41 is connected to tee 38 and branches off from supply pipe 39, with the other end connected to overflow pipe 29. A first check valve 42 is inserted in supply pipe 39, on the chemical container side of the connection with tee 38, to prevent the chemical solution and the like from returning from chemical pump 36 to chemical container 34, and a second check valve 43 is inserted in discharge pipe 41 to prevent rinsing water and the like from returning from overflow pipe 29 to chemical pump 36. In Example 1, supply pipe 39, tee 38, suction pipe 37, the flexible tube of chemical pump 36, and discharge pipe 40 form a supply path for supplying the chemical solution from chemical container 34 to ice-making water tank 15, and a discharge path for discharging rinsing water and the like from ice-making water tank 15 to the outside is formed by discharge pipe 40, the flexible tube of chemical pump 36, suction pipe 37, tee 38, and discharge pipe 41. That is, when chemical pump 36 is driven in the forward direction, the chemical liquid in chemical container 34 is sucked into the pump from suction port 36a via supply pipe 39, tee 38, and suction pipe 37, and then the chemical liquid discharged from discharge port 36b is supplied to ice-making water tank 15 via discharge pipe 40. When chemical pump 36 is driven in the reverse direction, rinse water and the like stored in ice-making water tank 15 is sucked into the pump from discharge port 36b via discharge pipe 40, and then the rinse water and the like discharged from suction port 36a reaches suction pipe 37 and tee 38, and is discharged into overflow pipe 29 via discharge pipe 41 without flowing back into supply pipe 39 due to first check valve 42.

[0027] As shown in FIG. 5, the ice making machine has various devices, such as a compressor CM, a cooling fan FM, a circulation pump PM, a hot gas valve HV, a water supply valve WV, a drain valve 32, and a chemical pump 36, electrically connected to a control means C and controlled by the control means (determination means) C. The ice making machine also has detection means, such as a float switch FL (sensor 30b), electrically connected to the control means C, and signals from these detection means are input to the control means C. The control means C includes various timers, such as a water supply timer 44, a cleaning timer 45, a chemical timer 46, a drain timer 47, and a cleaning notification timer 60, which measure time. Each of the timers 44, 45, 46, 47, and 60 starts measuring time in response to a command from the control means C. The control means C also includes a rinse counter 48 that counts the number of rinse cycles (number of rinses), which will be described later. The control means C also includes a memory unit 49 that stores various information. Control means C is connected to touch panel 51, which functions as a display means and setting means for inputting various control data, such as data for controlling the operation of various devices, such as water supply time, chemical supply time, water washing time, chemical washing time, wash notification time, and number of rinses, and displaying the set data values. Touch panel 51 can switch the screen display between a screen for inputting and setting information such as various set values ​​and operating conditions set in control means C, and a screen for selecting and switching between ice-making operation and washing operation. Control means C is configured to stop ice-making operation when full ice detection means (not shown) detects that the ice storage compartment is full with ice blocks made by ice-making mechanism 10, and to control various devices to resume ice-making operation from the deicing process when the full ice detection means no longer detects fullness.

[0028] The ice making machine is configured so that control means C controls deicing water supply means 26 to supply water for a preset water supply time so that more ice making water (deicing water) than the upper limit water level WH is supplied to ice making water tank 15 during the initial water supply executed when the ice making machine is started, the supply of deicing water in the deicing process, and the supply of water in each process of the washing operation described below. Specifically, control means C controls so that water supply valve WV is closed when water supply timer 44 times the predetermined water supply time after opening water supply valve WV, and water is stored at the upper limit water level (specified liquid level) WH at the start of the ice making process and the water washing process described below in the washing operation, the chemical washing process described below in the drainage process and the path washing process described below in the rinsing process.

[0029] The ice making machine of the first embodiment is configured to be able to select between an ice making operation, which repeats an ice making cycle consisting of an ice making process for forming ice blocks on the ice making plates 11 and a deicing process for removing the ice blocks from the ice making plates 11, and a cleaning operation, which cleans the water circulation path with a chemical solution or the like. In the first embodiment, the ice making water tank 15 is supplied with water from an external water source, and a predetermined amount of chemical solution is supplied by the chemical solution supply device 33. The chemical solution is diluted with water and the resulting diluted solution is circulated through the ice making water circulation path; hereinafter, the diluted solution may be simply referred to as the chemical solution. In the cleaning operation, the control means C stops the compressor CM and the cooling fan FM and closes the hot gas valve HV, so that the ice making plate 11 is not cooled or heated. 6, the cleaning operation includes a water cleaning process in which water (supplied from an external water source) is circulated through the water circulation path, a chemical cleaning process in which a chemical solution is circulated through the water circulation path, a rinsing process in which the water circulation path is rinsed with water (supplied from an external water source), and a path cleaning process in which the discharge path of the chemical solution supply device 33 is cleaned with water. The rinsing process is configured to be repeated a preset number of times (e.g., three times), and as will be described later, a rinsing counter 48 provided in the control means C adds one count each time the rinsing process is completed. When the rinsing counter 48 reaches the set number of times, the control means C controls various devices to transition to the path cleaning process. During the cleaning operation, water and a chemical solution are circulated through the water circulation path, and these water and chemical solutions serve as cleaning solutions.

[0030] Next, each step of the cleaning operation will be described with reference to FIGS.

[0031] (About the water washing process) 7, in the water flushing step, the drain valve 32 is opened and the circulation pump PM is driven (step S10) to discharge ice-making water remaining in the ice-making water tank 15. When the ice-making water is discharged from the ice-making water tank 15 and the float switch FL detects the lower limit water level WL (the tank is substantially empty and step S11 is answered affirmatively), the drain valve 32 is closed and the circulation pump PM is stopped, and the water supply valve WV is opened to supply clean water to the ice-making water tank 15 (step S12). Also, the water supply timer 44 starts timing. As water is supplied to ice-making water tank 15, the water level in the tank rises, and when float switch FL no longer detects lower limit water level WL (float 30a separates from sensor 30b) (YES in step S13), circulation pump PM is driven (ON) and cleaning timer 45 starts timing (step S14). Note that air entrapment is prevented by driving circulation pump PM only after the water level in the ice-making water tank rises above lower limit water level WL.

[0032] In step S15, when water supply timer 44 times a predetermined water supply time, water supply valve WV is closed (step S16). By driving circulation pump PM, water stored in ice making water tank 15 is circulated through the water circulation path, and the water circulation path is cleaned with water. Then, when cleaning timer 45 times a preset water cleaning time (the water cleaning time has elapsed) (YES in step S17), circulation pump PM is stopped (step S18), and the process proceeds to the chemical cleaning step.

[0033] (Chemical cleaning process) 8, in the chemical cleaning step, similarly to steps S10 to S16 of the water cleaning step, the water used for water cleaning remaining in the ice-making water tank 15 is discharged, and then new clean water is supplied to the ice-making water tank 15, and when a predetermined amount of water has been supplied to the ice-making water tank 15, the water supply is stopped (steps S20 to S26). However, in the chemical cleaning step, the circulation pump PM is temporarily stopped in step S26.

[0034] Next, in step S27, the chemical pump 36 is driven in the forward direction to supply the chemical from the chemical container 34 to the ice-making water tank 15, and the circulation pump 36 is driven to circulate the chemical through the water circulation path. The chemical timer 46 also starts timing. When the chemical timer 46 has timed the chemical supply time (YES in step S28), the chemical pump 36 is stopped, and the cleaning timer 45 starts timing (step S29). By driving the circulation pump PM, the chemical (chemical diluted with water) stored in the ice-making water tank 15 is circulated through the water circulation path, and the water circulation path is cleaned with the chemical. When the cleaning timer 45 has timed a preset chemical cleaning time (the chemical cleaning time has elapsed) (YES in step S30), the circulation pump PM is stopped (step S31), and the process proceeds to the rinsing step.

[0035] (About the rinsing process) 9, in the rinsing process, similar to steps S10 to S14 of the water cleaning process, the chemical solution used in the chemical cleaning remaining in the ice-making water tank 15 is drained, and then new clean water is supplied to the ice-making water tank 15. When the water level in the tank rises and the float switch FL no longer detects the lower limit water level WL, the circulation pump PM is driven (steps S40 to S44). Then, in step S45, when the water supply timer 44 has timed the water supply time, the water supply valve WV is closed and the circulation pump PM is stopped (step S46). In the rinsing process, the circulation pump PM starts to be driven before the water supply timer 44 has timed the water supply time, and water is supplied to the ice-making water tank 15 while circulating water through the water circulation path to rinse the water circulation path.

[0036] When a preset fixed time has elapsed since the circulation pump PM was stopped in step S46 (cleaning timer 45 is timing the fixed time), drain valve 32 is opened and circulation pump PM is started to operate (step S47), thereby starting a drainage process in which water in ice-making water tank 15 is drained to the outside. By stopping circulation pump PM for a fixed time, the water circulating through the water circulation path returns to ice-making water tank 15, and at the start of the drainage process (when circulation pump PM starts to operate), water is stored in ice-making water tank 15 at an upper water level (prescribed liquid level) WH. Then, when the float switch FL detects the lower water level WL as a result of water being drained from ice-making water tank 15 (YES in step S48), the circulation pump PM is stopped and drain valve 32 is closed (step S49), and the process proceeds to step S50. In step S50, rinse counter 48 increments its count by one, and if the count of rinse counter 48 has not reached the set number of times (no in step S51), the process returns to step S40 to repeat the rinsing process. If the count of rinse counter 48 has reached the set number of times (yes in step S51), the process proceeds to the path cleaning process. In the first embodiment, the rinsing process includes a step of rinsing the water circulation path with water (rinse water) by driving circulation pump PM with drain valve 32 closed, followed by a drainage step of discharging the water used for rinsing from ice-making water tank 15 by driving circulation pump PM with drain valve 32 open.

[0037] (Regarding the route cleaning process) 10, in step S60, the water supply valve WV is opened to supply clean water to the ice making water tank 15, and the water supply timer 44 starts timing. At the end of the rinsing step, the drain valve 32 is closed, so that clean water is stored in the ice making water tank 15. In step S61, when the water supply timer 44 times the water supply time, the water supply valve WV is closed. At this time, with the drain valve 32 open, the circulation pump PM is driven to discharge water from the ice making water tank 15 to the outside, and the chemical pump 36 is driven in reverse to suck water stored in the ice making water tank 15 with the chemical pump 36 and discharge it through the discharge path (discharge pipe 40, flexible tube of the chemical pump 36, suction pipe 37, tee 38, discharge pipe 41) and into the overflow pipe 29 (step S62). That is, in the path cleaning process, with a predetermined amount (specified liquid level) of water stored in the ice-making water tank 15, the water in the ice-making water tank 15 is discharged to the outside by the circulation pump PM and the drain valve 32, and is also discharged by the chemical liquid supply device 33.

[0038] Then, when water is discharged from the ice-making water tank 15 and the float switch FL detects the lower limit water level WL (step S63 is positive), the circulation pump PM and chemical pump 36 are stopped, and the drain valve 32 is closed (step S64), ending the cleaning operation.

[0039] In the rinsing step during the cleaning operation, the control means C starts timing of the drain timer 47 when the circulation pump PM starts to operate (step S47), stops timing when the float switch FL detects the lower limit water level WL (yes in step S48), and stores the measured drain time in the memory unit 49. The control means C also stores the drain time each time the rinsing step is performed, and stores the longest drain time among the rinsing steps (drain steps) performed a set number of times as the first time T1. In the path cleaning step, as in the rinsing step, the control means C starts timing of the drain timer 47 when the circulation pump PM (chemical pump 36) starts to operate (step S62), stops timing when the float switch FL detects the lower limit water level WL (yes in step S63), and stores the measured drain time in the memory unit 49 as the second time T2. Then, if the difference between the first time T1 and the second time T2 is smaller than a preset threshold X, the control means C determines that some kind of abnormality has occurred, and is configured to execute an abnormality notification display (abnormality notification) on the touch panel (notification means) 51.

[0040] Here, in a normal state where the discharge pipe 40 is not disconnected from the chemical liquid pump 36, when only the circulation pump PM is driven during the rinsing process (drainage process), the drainage time (first time T1) required for the water (water used for rinsing) stored in the ice-making water tank 15 at the upper limit water level WH to be discharged to the outside through the drain pipe 31 until it reaches the lower limit water level WL is longer than the drainage time (second time T2) required for the water stored in the ice-making water tank 15 at the upper limit water level WH to be discharged to the outside through the drain pipe 31 and the discharge path of the chemical liquid supply device 33 until it reaches the lower limit water level WL when the circulation pump PM is driven and the chemical liquid pump 36 is driven in reverse during the path cleaning process to drain the water. In contrast, in an abnormal state where the discharge pipe 40 is disconnected from the chemical pump 36, even if the chemical pump 36 is driven in reverse during the path cleaning process, the water in the ice making water tank 15 is not sucked into the chemical pump 36, so no drainage is performed by the chemical pump 36, and the drainage time during the path cleaning process (second time T2 during which both pumps PM and 36 are driven) is approximately the same as the drainage time during the rinsing process (first time T1). Therefore, the control means C determines that an abnormality has occurred when the difference between the first time T1 and the second time T2 is smaller than a preset threshold value X. Note that the first time T1 and the second time T2 may fluctuate to some extent even under normal conditions, so the threshold value X is set, through experimentation or the like, to a value that allows for appropriate determination of an abnormality, including error.

[0041] In the ice making machine of Example 1, when the washing operation is performed, the control means C stores in the memory unit 49 that the washing operation has been performed. If the washing notification condition is met without a new washing operation being performed since the most recent washing operation stored in the memory unit 49 was performed, the control means C displays a washing notification display on the touch panel 51, which serves as notification means, to notify the user that it is time to perform the washing operation. In Example 1, a period (time) is set as the washing notification condition. Specifically, when the washing operation is selected via the touch panel 51, the control means C starts timing the washing notification timer 60 and stores the date and time when the washing operation was performed in the memory unit 49. Then, when the washing notification timer 60 times the washing notification time (period) as the washing notification condition, the control means C controls the touch panel 51 to display the washing notification display on the touch panel 51. Note that if the ice making operation or the washing operation is performed before the washing notification timer 60 times the washing notification time, the control means C resets the washing notification timer 60. Furthermore, when a cleaning operation is performed, the control means C displays the date and time of the operation on the touch panel 51, and updates the display every time a cleaning operation is performed.

[0042] [Operation of Example 1] Next, the operation of the ice making machine according to the first embodiment will be described in relation to the abnormality determination method.

[0043] The ice making machine of the first embodiment is configured to compare the drain time (first time T1) during the rinse process (drain process) performed during the wash operation with the drain time (second time T2) during the channel cleaning process. If the difference between the times T1 and T2 is smaller than a preset threshold X, the control unit C determines that an abnormality has occurred. This allows for efficient detection of an abnormality. That is, even if the discharge pipe 40 is disconnected, an abnormality that is difficult to detect when refilling the chemical container 34 in the chemical supply device 33, the abnormality can be detected early. Furthermore, since an abnormality is notified via the touch panel 51, the user can be notified of the occurrence of an abnormality and take appropriate measures. This prevents an abnormal state from being left unattended for a long period of time, preventing the water circulation channel from being cleaned with chemicals for a long period of time, wasting a large amount of chemicals, soiling the surrounding area with chemicals, or deterioration of components with chemicals. In addition, since abnormality determination is performed during the first hour of the rinsing process and the second hour of the path cleaning process performed during the cleaning operation, there is no need to perform a separate process for abnormality determination, and the number of positive results will not increase due to abnormality determination.

[0044] In the ice making machine of Example 1, if a wash operation is not performed within the wash notification time after the wash operation is performed, a wash notification display urging the user to perform the wash operation is displayed on touch panel 51, thereby preventing a situation in which a wash operation is not performed for a long period of time and preventing scale and other foreign matter from adhering to the water circulation path. Also, since the touch panel 51 always displays the date and time when the most recent wash operation was performed, the user can know the date and time when the wash operation was performed and can prevent the wash operation from being not performed.

[0045] In the ice maker of Example 1, ice-making mechanism 10 is fixed by screws at extensions 19a, 19a of brackets 19, 19 provided on ice-making plate 11 to support member 18 disposed between both side walls 16a, 16a of housing 16. The weight of ice-making mechanism 10 acts in a direction that tilts it forward on partition member 17, to which ice-making mechanism 10 is disposed at the upper front part, but because extensions 19a provided on the upper part of bracket 19 are fixed to support member 18 disposed between both side walls 16a, 16a, partition member 17 is prevented from tilting, and thereby ice-making plate 11 is prevented from tilting. Furthermore, in a housing 16 in which the inner box is made of resin and insulation is filled between the inner box and the outer box, both side walls 16a, 16a are prone to outward deformation, but because both side walls 16a, 16a are connected by support member 18, the gap between both side walls 16a, 16a can be prevented from widening. This prevents gaps from forming between partition member 17, which separates the interior of the housing into front and rear sections, and both side walls 16a, 16a, and prevents cold air from the front space where ice-making mechanism 10 is located from leaking into the rear space where refrigeration system 12 is located. Furthermore, because support member 18, bracket 19, and partition member 17 are fixed to one another by common screw 20, with extension portion 19a of bracket 19 sandwiched between fixing portion 18a of support member 18 and the top surface of partition member 17, fewer screw fastening locations can be required compared to when support member 18 and partition member 17, and support member 18 and bracket 19 are fixed separately with screws, thereby shortening the assembly time.

[0046] In conventional ice makers, a top panel on the front side of the housing covers the interior space from above, and a rear panel on the rear side are separated and detachably arranged on the top surface of the housing. To prevent tilting of partition member 17, it is conceivable to design the rear panel to have a length sufficient to cover the rear space and to fix partition member 17 to the front end of the rear panel. However, increasing the length of the rear panel increases costs. Furthermore, inspecting various devices inside the housing requires removing the rear panel as well, which is time-consuming. However, in Example 1, support member 18 installed between both side walls 16a prevents partition member 17 from tilting. This allows the rear panel to be eliminated or its length to be shortened, reducing costs and enabling inspection of the various devices in the rear space by simply removing the top panel, improving maintainability. Furthermore, in a configuration in which partition member 17 is fixed to the rear panel, if the position where the rear panel is fixed to partition member 17 and the position where bracket 19 is fixed to partition member 17 are separated in the width direction, shear stress will occur in partition member 17. However, in Example 1, support member 18, partition member 17, and bracket 19 are fixed with a common screw 20, so no shear stress will occur in partition member 17.

[0047] Figures 11 and 12 show a modified example of the fixing structure of the ice-making mechanism in Example 1. Components that differ from Example 1 will be explained, and the same and similar parts will be given the same symbols and detailed explanations will be omitted.

[0048] 11, an engaging portion 52 extending upward is provided on the extending portion 19a of the bracket 19, and a slit 53 serving as an engaged portion with which the engaging portion 52 can engage is formed at a rear position of the support member 18 corresponding to the fixed portion 18a. The slit 53 is provided so that through holes (not shown) for screwing provided in the extending portion 19a and the fixed portion 18a are aligned in the vertical direction when the engaging portion 52 is inserted and engaged. In other words, when the extending portion 19a of the bracket 19 is positioned on the partition member 17, by positioning the support member 18 so that the engaging portion 52 provided on the extending portion 19a is inserted into the slit 53, the through holes in the extending portion 19a and the fixed portion 18a are aligned, facilitating the screwing operation.

[0049] 12, an engaging claw 54 extending upward is provided on the extending portion 19a of the bracket 19, and a slit 55 is formed in the support member 18 as an engaged portion with which the engaging claw 54 can engage. The engaging claw 54 has an elastically deformable claw portion 54a provided on the extending end, and the engaging claw 54 is configured so that when the claw portion 54a is inserted into the slit 55 while elastically deforming, the claw portion 54a that has come out of the slit 55 elastically returns to its original state, whereby the claw portion 54a is caught on the support member 18 and prevented from coming off. In the second modified example, the extending portion 19a of the bracket 19 and the partition member 17 are not provided with through holes or screw holes for screw fastening, and the extending portion 19a of the bracket 19 is positioned on the support member 18 by the engaging claw 54.

[0050] In the second modified example, with the bracket 19 attached to the partition member 17, the engaging claws 54 of the bracket 19 are inserted into the slits 55 of the support member 18, and then the support member 18 is fixed to the both side walls 16a, 16a with screws. In the second modified example, the engaging claws 54 are attached by engaging with the support member 18, thereby eliminating the need for screwing and improving workability. Furthermore, the claw portions 54a of the engaging claws 54 prevent the bracket 19 from displacing in the up and down direction relative to the support member 18, and the engaging claws 54 will not come out of the slits 55. Furthermore, because the engaging claws 54 are inserted into the slits 55, tilting of the partition member 17 by the support member 18 can be prevented.

[0051] Figures 13 and 14 show other embodiments of the ice maker (embodiment 2 and embodiment 3). For these other embodiments, components that differ from embodiment 1 will be described, and the same and similar parts will be given the same symbols and detailed descriptions will be omitted. [Example]

[0052] In the ice making machine of Example 2, as shown in Fig. 13, the control means C is configured to start reverse driving of the chemical liquid pump 36 a preliminary time t3 before the start of driving of the circulation pump PM during the path cleaning step of the cleaning operation, discharge a predetermined amount of water stored in the ice-making water tank 15, and then start driving the circulation pump PM. Specifically, in the ice making machine of Example 2, during the path cleaning step shown in Fig. 10, when water supply timer 44 times the water supply time in step S61, the control means C closes the water supply valve WV and starts reverse driving of the chemical liquid pump 36. In addition, the control means C starts timing of the cleaning timer 45, and when the cleaning timer 45 times the preliminary time t3, the control means C opens the drain valve 32 and starts driving the circulation pump PM, and also starts timing of the drain timer 47. Then, when float switch FL detects lower limit water level WL, drain timer 47 stops timing, and the timed drain time (the time during which both circulation pump PM and chemical pump 36 are driven) is stored in memory unit 49 as second time T2. In other words, when water is stored in ice-making water tank 15 at upper limit water level (prescribed water level) WH, reverse drive of chemical pump 36 begins, and then drain valve 32 is opened and drive of circulation pump PM begins after a delay of advance time t3. That is, in a normal state where discharge pipe 40 is not disconnected, the difference between the amount of water in ice-making water tank 15 at the start of drive of circulation pump PM in the rinsing process and the amount of water in ice-making water tank 15 at the start of drive of circulation pump PM in the path cleaning process is set to be large, thereby increasing the difference between the first time and the second time.

[0053] Here, if the flow rate (discharge rate) of the chemical pump 36 used is small relative to the flow rate (discharge rate) of the circulation pump PM, the time difference between the first time T1 and the second time T2 in the normal state will also be small, and the difference between the time difference between the times T1 and T2 in the normal state (first difference) and the time difference between the times T1 and T2 in the abnormal state (second difference) will also be small. In this case, in order to prevent the time difference between the times T1 and T2 in the normal state from being determined to be abnormal, the range in which the threshold value X for abnormality determination is set will also be narrow, and there is a risk of erroneous abnormality determination due to the influence of variations in the operating conditions of various devices.

[0054] For example, under normal conditions where the capacity of ice-making water tank 15 is 2.0 L, the flow rate of circulation pump PM is 1.5 L / min, and the flow rate of chemical pump 36 is 0.1 L / min, the first time T1 in the rinsing process is 80 seconds, whereas the second time T2 in the path cleaning process when circulation pump PM and chemical pump 36 start driving simultaneously is 75 seconds, resulting in a time difference (first difference) of 5 seconds. Therefore, threshold value X must be set within a numerical range smaller than 5 seconds, and the possibility of erroneous determination increases when the error in the time difference due to the influence of variations in the operating conditions of various devices becomes large. In contrast, if the preliminary time t3 is set to 2 minutes, for example, under the same conditions as above and in a normal state, the first time T1 in the rinsing process is 80 seconds, whereas the second time T2 in the path cleaning process when the circulation pump PM starts to operate 2 minutes after the start of operation of the chemical pump 36 is 67.5 seconds, resulting in a time difference (first difference) of 12.5 seconds. Therefore, the range in which the threshold value X can be set is wide, and the value of the threshold value X can be set with a margin of error that occurs due to the influence of variations in the operating conditions of various devices.

[0055] That is, in the second embodiment, the time difference between the times T1 and T2 in the normal state is set to be large in advance, so that the difference between the time difference between the times T1 and T2 in the normal state (first difference) and the time difference between the times T1 and T2 in the abnormal state (second difference) is also large, and a value that does not cause erroneous determination can be easily set as the threshold X for abnormality determination. As a result, even if the second difference changes due to the influence of variations in the operating conditions of various devices, it is possible to accurately determine an abnormality without erroneous determination. Furthermore, by changing the advance time t3 according to the flow rate of the chemical pump 36 being used, it is possible to accommodate various flow rates of the chemical pump 36. [Example]

[0056] Here, in the chemical supply device 33, when the path cleaning process is completed, the chemical remains in the supply pipe 39 (between the first check valve 42 and the chemical container 34), but the chemical does not remain in the suction pipe 37 or the discharge pipe 41, and air is present in the suction pipe 37 and the discharge pipe 41. Therefore, at the interface between the chemical remaining in the supply pipe 39 and the air, the moisture in the chemical evaporates into the air over time. If the concentration of the chemical increases, components in the chemical (e.g., citric acid) may precipitate in the pipe, hindering smooth supply of the chemical. Therefore, in the ice maker of the third embodiment, as shown in FIG. 14, during the ice making operation, the chemical pump 36 is driven in reverse to fill the discharge path with water while the ice-making water tank 15 is filled with water and the drain valve 32 is closed. The time for which the chemical pump 36 is driven in the reverse direction is set to a filling time t4 (for example, 5 seconds) that is sufficient to fill the discharge path up to the drain valve 32 with water. In the fourth embodiment, the drain valve 32 serves as a means for filling the chemical path (discharge path) through which water flows in the path cleaning process with water.

[0057] In the ice maker, when the power is turned on or when the full ice detection means changes from full detection to no detection, the ice making water tank 15 discharges the water remaining therein, and then an initial deicing cycle is executed in which the deicing water supply means 26 supplies water to the ice making water tank 15 up to the upper water level WH. When the circulation pump PM starts to operate after the initial deicing cycle has been executed, water (ice making water) has been stored in the ice making water tank 15 up to the upper water level WH. Therefore, in the third embodiment, as shown in Figure 14, when the circulation pump PM starts to operate after the initial deicing cycle, the chemical pump 36 is driven in reverse to reliably fill the drainage path with water.

[0058] In the ice maker of Example 3, while water is stored in the ice-making water tank 15, the chemical pump 36 is driven in reverse to fill the discharge path with water, so that contact between the chemical remaining in the supply pipe 39 and air is replaced by contact between the chemical and water. This prevents the water in the chemical from evaporating and increasing its concentration, and prevents components in the chemical from precipitating in the pipe. Furthermore, because the water in the discharge path of the chemical supply device 33 is replaced every time an initial deicing cycle is performed, there is no risk of deterioration due to the same water remaining in the path for a long period of time.

[0059] [Example of change] The present application is not limited to the configurations of the above-described embodiments, and other configurations can be adopted as appropriate. (1) In Example 1 and other examples, the upper limit water level is determined by the deicing water supply time and the overflow pipe, but a configuration can be adopted in which a float for detecting the upper limit water level is provided in the float switch in addition to a float for detecting the lower limit water level, and the upper limit water level is determined by the float switch. (2) In Example 1, the water sucked from the ice-making water tank by driving the circulation pump is discharged into the overflow pipe via the drain pipe, but a configuration can also be adopted in which the water is discharged directly to the outside from the drain pipe. (3) In Example 1, the water sucked from the ice-making water tank by the reverse drive of the chemical pump is discharged into the overflow pipe, but it is also possible to adopt a configuration in which the water is discharged to the outside without passing through the overflow pipe. (4) In the first embodiment, the cleaning notification condition for displaying the cleaning notification display is based on time, but the number of ice-making operations can also be used as the cleaning notification condition. For example, a configuration can be adopted in which the cleaning notification display is displayed when the ice-making operation has been performed 50 times. (5) In the first embodiment, a touch panel is used as the notification means, but a seven-segment display means, a light-emitting means such as a lamp, or an auditory sound output means such as a buzzer or synthesized voice can also be used. (6) The ice maker may be provided with an external output means capable of outputting information to an external terminal such as a personal computer via communication, allowing the status of the cleaning operation to be checked on the external terminal. In addition, by connecting multiple ice makers to the external terminal, information from multiple ice makers can be consolidated. (7) The configurations shown in the other embodiments and the configurations given in the modified examples can be adopted not only in the first embodiment but also in other embodiments. (8) In the examples, the ice making unit of the flow-down type ice making mechanism is configured with a pair of ice making plates, but the ice making unit may be a single ice making plate, or may be an ice making unit with multiple ice making pairs each consisting of a pair of ice making plates. Also, while the ice making mechanism of the ice maker is a flow-down type in the examples, it may be a jet type or any other type that makes ice by circulating ice making water. [Explanation of symbols]

[0060] 11 Ice making plate (ice making section), 15 Ice making water tank 32 Drain valve (drain valve, means for filling the chemical path with water), 34 Chemical container 36 Chemical pump, 37 Intake pipe (exhaust path), 38 Cheese (exhaust path) 40 Discharge pipe (discharge path), 41 Discharge pipe (discharge path), 51 Touch panel (notification means) C: control means (judgment means), T1: first time, T2: second time, t3: prior time, X: threshold PM Circulation pump, FL Float switch (detection means)

Claims

1. An ice making machine is provided with a water circulation path that introduces ice making water from an ice making water tank (15) to an ice making section (11) and recovers the ice making water from the ice making section (11) to the ice making water tank (15), and is configured to perform an ice making operation in which ice making water is circulated through the water circulation path by driving a circulation pump (PM) to produce ice blocks in the ice making section (11), and a cleaning operation in which cleaning liquid stored in the ice making water tank (15) is circulated through the water circulation path by driving the circulation pump (PM), a chemical pump (36) that supplies chemical liquid from a chemical liquid container (34) to the ice-making water tank (15) by being driven in a forward direction and discharges liquid from the ice-making water tank (15) to the outside by being driven in a reverse direction; a detection means (FL) for detecting a lower limit liquid level of the liquid in the ice making water tank (15); a drain valve (32) capable of discharging the liquid flowing through the water circulation path to the outside by driving the circulation pump (PM); A determination means (C), The determination means (C) determines that an abnormality has occurred when the difference between a first time (T1) from when the drain valve (32) is opened and the circulation pump (PM) is started to operate while water is stored at a specified level in the ice-making water tank (15) until the detection means (FL) detects the lower limit liquid level, and a second time (T2) from when the reverse drive of the chemical liquid pump (36) is started and the circulation pump (PM) is started to operate while the drain valve (32) is opened and the ice-making water tank (15) is filled with water at a specified liquid level until the detection means (FL) detects the lower limit liquid level, is smaller than a preset threshold value (X). An ice maker characterized by:

2. The cleaning operation is configured to perform a drainage process in which water is stored in the ice-making water tank (15) up to a specified liquid level, and the circulation pump (PM) is driven with the drain valve (32) opened to drain the water from the ice-making water tank (15), and then a path cleaning process in which water is stored in the ice-making water tank (15) up to a specified liquid level, the chemical pump (36) is driven in reverse to cause water to flow through the chemical paths (37, 38, 40, 41) connecting the chemical pump (36) and the ice-making water tank (15) and the circulation pump (PM) is driven with the drain valve (32) opened.

2. The ice making machine according to claim 1, wherein the determination means (C) determines whether an abnormality has occurred based on the difference between the first time (T1) from when the circulation pump (PM) starts operating in the drainage process until the detection means (FL) detects the lower limit liquid level, and the second time (T2) from when both the chemical liquid pump (36) and the circulation pump (PM) start operating in the path cleaning process until the detection means (FL) detects the lower limit liquid level.

3. In the path cleaning process, a time (t 3 3. The ice making machine according to claim 2, wherein the reverse rotation of the chemical pump (36) is started before the start of the ice making machine.

4. 4. The ice making machine according to claim 2, further comprising means (32) for filling the chemical liquid paths (37, 38, 40, 41) through which water flows in the path cleaning process with water from the ice making water tank (15) by driving the chemical liquid pump (36) in the reverse direction.

5. 5. The ice making machine according to claim 1, further comprising a notification means (51) that issues an abnormality notification when the determination means (C) determines that an abnormality has occurred.

6. The ice making machine according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the determination means (C) memorizes that a washing operation has been performed, and when the washing notification condition is met without a washing operation being performed since the time of the stored washing operation, the notification means (51) is configured to notify that it is time to perform a washing operation.

7. An ice making machine is provided with a water circulation path that introduces ice making water from an ice making water tank (15) to an ice making section (11) and recovers the ice making water from the ice making section (11) to the ice making water tank (15), and is configured to perform an ice making operation in which ice making water is circulated through the water circulation path by driving a circulation pump (PM) to produce ice blocks in the ice making section (11), and a cleaning operation in which cleaning liquid stored in the ice making water tank (15) is circulated through the water circulation path by driving the circulation pump (PM), In the cleaning operation, a draining step in which water stored in the ice-making water tank (15) at a specified liquid level is discharged to the outside by driving the circulation pump (PM); and a path cleaning step in which, after the draining step, water is stored in the ice-making water tank (15) at a specified liquid level, a chemical pump (36) is driven in reverse to cause water to flow through chemical paths (37, 38, 40, 41) connecting the chemical pump (36) and the ice-making water tank (15), and the circulation pump (PM) is driven to discharge water from within the ice-making water tank (15) to the outside. When the difference between a first time (T1) from when the circulation pump (PM) starts to operate in the drainage process until the detection means (FL) detects that the liquid level in the ice-making water tank (15) has reached the lower limit liquid level, and a second time (T2) from when both the chemical liquid pump (36) and the circulation pump (PM) start to operate until the detection means (FL) detects the lower limit liquid level in the path cleaning process is smaller than a preset threshold value (X), the determination means (C) determines that an abnormality has occurred. A method for determining an abnormality in an ice making machine.

8. In the path cleaning process, a time (t 3 ) before the start of reverse driving of the chemical liquid pump (36) so that the difference between the first time (T1) and the second time (T2) in a normal state becomes large; 8. A method for determining an abnormality in an ice making machine as described in claim 7, wherein a first difference between the first time (T1) and the second time (T2) in a normal state and a second difference between the first time (T1) and the second time (T2) in an abnormal state are widened.

Images