Ice storage

Abstract

To provide an ice storage capable of suppressing intrusion of abrasion powder generated due to sliding between an outer door and an inner door thereinto.SOLUTION: A facing surface of an outer door 17 facing an inner door 18 is provided with a first surface part 23 with which a tip part 19a of the inner door 18 can be in contact, and a second surface part 24 with which a projection part 19b separated from the tip part 19a of the inner door 18 can be in contact. In the first surface part 23 and the second surface part 24, a first state in which the tip part 19a is in contact with the first surface part 23 and the projection part 19b is separated from the second surface part 24, and a second state in which the projection part 19b is in contact with the second surface part 24 and the tip part 19a is separated from the first surface part 23 are switched while the outer door 17 is rotating.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a storage freezer provided with an inner door inward of an outer door that opens and closes an ice outlet.

Background Art

[0002] Automatic ice makers that store ice produced in an ice making unit in a storage freezer are suitably used in facilities such as coffee shops and restaurants, and other kitchens. The storage freezer of the automatic ice maker defines an ice storage chamber for storing ice inside a heat-insulated housing, and an ice outlet for taking out ice is provided. Further, the lower end of the outer door is pivotally supported rotatably via a hinge on the front surface of the housing below the ice outlet, and the outer door is rotated so that the upper end of the outer door approaches and separates from the front surface of the housing, thereby opening and closing the ice outlet.

[0003] In the storage freezer, when the outer door is opened to take out ice, there are problems such as the ice stored in the ice storage chamber spilling out from the ice outlet to the outside, and the ice that has fallen on the open outer door getting into the space between the front surface of the housing and the hinge, and being bitten in when the outer door is closed. Therefore, an inner door that rotates following the rotation of the outer door is provided inside the outer door (inside the ice storage chamber), and when the outer door is opened, the inner door extends to the inside of the storage up to the upper side of the outer door, and the inner door prevents the ice from spilling out and returns the ice that has fallen on the open outer door to the inside of the storage to prevent the ice from being bitten in. A storage freezer adopting such a configuration has been proposed (for example, see Patent Document 1).

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0005] In the ice storage cabinet disclosed in Patent Document 1, when the outer door rotates, the tip of the inner door (the upper end separated from the pivot point) comes into contact with the surface of the outer door opposite the inner door, and rotates around a different pivot point than the outer door, causing the tip of the inner door to slide against the surface of the outer door. As a result, the sliding portion between the tip of the inner door and the surface of the outer door can wear down over time, generating wear particles. The tip of the inner door is a place that is easily contacted when ice that has fallen onto the outer door slides back into the ice storage compartment during ice removal, and there was a risk that wear particles attached to the ice could enter the ice storage compartment.

[0006] In view of the aforementioned problems inherent in the prior art, the present invention has been proposed to suitably solve these problems, and aims to provide an ice storage unit that can suppress the entry of wear particles generated by the sliding of the outer door and the inner door into the storage unit. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] In order to overcome the aforementioned challenges and achieve the intended objectives, First measure teeth, An ice storage cabinet comprising a housing with an ice outlet, an outer door rotatably supported by the housing and rotating to open and close the ice outlet, and an inner door rotatably supported by the housing and in contact with the outer door, wherein the inner door rotates in accordance with the rotation of the outer door, As the outer door rotates to open, the tip of the inner door moves closer to the surface of the outer door that is opposite to the inner door, and as the outer door rotates to close, the tip of the inner door moves away from the surface of the outer door that is opposite to the inner door. The gist of the inner door is that, when the outer door is open, its tip is positioned to be close to the opposing surface of the outer door, and the side opposite to the surface facing the outer door is in an ice-guiding position that can guide ice into the compartment. This configurationAccording to the specifications, when the outer door is open, the tip of the inner door is positioned close to the opposing surface of the outer door, which guides the ice. This allows ice that has fallen onto the outer door to be guided into the compartment when removing ice, preventing ice from getting stuck between the outer and inner doors. Furthermore, as the outer door rotates, the tip of the inner door moves away from the opposing surface of the outer door. This shortens the sliding distance between the tip and the opposing surface, reducing the amount of wear particles generated by the sliding and preventing them from entering the compartment.

[0008] Second method teeth, The outer door is provided with a first surface portion and a second surface portion on which the inner door can abut. The gist of this configuration is that the first and second surfaces are configured such that a first state, in which the tip of the inner door abuts against the first surface and the inner door is separated from the second surface, and a second state, in which the inner door abuts against the second surface and the tip of the inner door is separated from the first surface, switch between these states while the outer and inner doors are rotating. This configuration According to this, when the outer door is open, the tip of the inner door can be brought into contact with the first surface of the outer door, preventing any gap from forming between the tip and the first surface. This prevents ice from entering between the outer and inner doors, effectively preventing ice from getting stuck. Furthermore, as the outer door rotates, the tip of the inner door separates from the first surface of the outer door, reducing the amount of wear particles generated by the sliding between the tip and the first surface, effectively suppressing the entry of wear particles into the storage compartment.

[0009] Third measure teeth, The gist of the invention is that the inner door has a projection on its opposing surface that is spaced apart from the tip of the inner door toward the pivot point and contacts the opposing surface of the outer door, thereby separating the tip of the inner door from the opposing surface of the outer door. This configuration According to this method, by providing a projection spaced apart from the tip of the inner door towards the pivot point, the contact area between the inner door and the outer door other than the tip can be reduced, thereby reducing the amount of wear debris generated by the sliding motion between the projection and the outer door.

[0010] Fourth means teeth, A stepped portion is provided on the opposing surface of the outer door, spaced apart from the inner door. As the outer door rotates to open, the opposite surface comes into contact with the protrusion The gist of this configuration is that, by transitioning to the stepped portion, the tip of the inner door is positioned close to the opposing surface of the outer door. This configuration According to this, the projection that separates the tip of the inner door from the opposing surface of the outer door is moved to the stepped portion of the outer door, so that the tip of the inner door is brought closer to the opposing surface of the outer door. As a result, the outer door can be rotated without the tip of the inner door coming into contact with the opposing surface of the outer door, and the generation of wear particles due to sliding between the tip and the opposing surface is eliminated.

[0011] Fifth means teeth, A wear-restricting portion is provided on the opposing surface of the inner door, which protrudes toward the outer door and is located between the inner door and the outer door. The gist of the wear-limiting portion is that the tip of the inner door is set to a protruding height such that it comes into contact with the opposing surface of the outer door as it wears down due to contact with the outer door. This configuration According to the specifications, when the tip of the inner door wears down, the wear-limiting part comes into contact with the outer door, increasing the contact area between the inner and outer doors. This reduces the load on the tip, thereby suppressing wear. Furthermore, since the wear-limiting part is located between the inner and outer doors, wear particles generated by the sliding motion between the wear-limiting part and the outer door cannot enter the interior of the storage unit through the inner door.

[0012] Sixth means So, In the open state of the outer door, a stepped portion is provided on the opposing surface of the outer door, where the tip of the inner door in the ice-guiding position is located. The gist of this is that ice is guided from the opposing surface on the free end side of the stepped portion of the outer door to the inner door in the ice-guiding position. This configurationAccording to the invention, when the outer door is in the open state, the tip of the inner door is positioned at the step portion of the outer door, so that the protruding dimension of the tip from the opposing surface of the outer door can be suppressed, and the ice that has fallen on the outer door can be smoothly returned to the interior of the refrigerator.

[0013] Seventh means In this case, The gist is that the outer door is provided with an engaged portion that engages with the engaging portion provided on the inner door to restrict movement in the width direction along the direction of the rotation axis of the inner door. This configuration According to the invention, rattling of the inner door can be prevented.

Advantages of the Invention

[0014] According to the ice storage refrigerator of the present invention, it is possible to prevent the biting of ice by the outer door and suppress the intrusion of wear powder generated by the sliding of the outer door and the inner door into the refrigerator interior.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0015] [Figure 1] It is a schematic perspective view showing the ice storage refrigerator according to Example 1 with the outer door open. [Figure 2] It is a schematic longitudinal sectional view of the ice storage refrigerator according to Example 1. [Figure 3] It is a schematic side view showing the relationship between the outer door and the inner door according to Example 1, where (a) shows the state where the first surface portion and the tip portion are in contact, and (b) shows the state where the second surface portion and the protruding portion are in contact. [Figure 4] It is a schematic front view showing the relationship between the outer door and the inner door according to Example 1, where (a) shows the state where the first surface portion and the tip portion are in contact, and (b) shows the state where the second surface portion and the protruding portion are in contact. [Figure 5] It is a schematic front view showing the relationship between the notch of the inner door and the ridge of the outer door according to Example 1. [[ID= thirty-eight]] [Figure 6] It is a schematic front view showing the relationship between the outer door and the inner door according to Example 2, where (a) shows the state where the first surface portion and the tip portion are in contact, and (b) shows the state where the second surface portion and the protrusion are in contact. [Figure 7]This is a schematic longitudinal cross-sectional view of the main part showing the relationship between the outer door and the inner door according to Example 3. [Figure 8] This is a schematic longitudinal cross-sectional view of the main part showing the relationship between the outer door and the inner door according to Example 4. [Figure 9] This is a schematic perspective view showing the outer door according to Example 5. [Figure 10] This is a schematic vertical cross-sectional view of the main part showing the relationship between the outer door and the inner door according to Embodiment 5, where (a) shows the state in which the protruding part is in contact with the upper opposing surface, and (b) shows the state in which the protruding part has moved to the stepped part for the protruding part. [Figure 11] This is a schematic perspective view showing the outer door according to Example 6. [Figure 12] This is a schematic longitudinal cross-sectional view of the main part showing the relationship between the outer door and the inner door according to Embodiment 6, where (a) shows the state in which the protruding part abuts against the stepped part for the tip, and (b) shows the state in which the protruding part has moved to the stepped part for the protruding part. [Figure 13] This is a schematic vertical cross-sectional view of the main part showing the relationship between the stopper of the outer door and the inner door according to Example 7, where (a) shows the outer door in the fully closed state and (b) shows the outer door in the fully open state. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0016] Next, a preferred embodiment of the ice storage facility according to the present invention will be described below with reference to the attached drawings. [Examples]

[0017] Figures 1 and 2 show an ice storage unit according to Embodiment 1. The ice storage unit has a main body consisting of a housing 13 made of an outer box 10 molded into the required shape, an inner box 11, and an insulating material 12 filled between the two boxes 10 and 11. An ice storage chamber 14 for storing the required amount of ice is defined inside the housing 13, and an ice outlet 15 for removing ice is provided on the front of the housing 13. A hinge 16 is provided on the front of the housing below the ice outlet 15, and an outer door 17 is rotatably supported at its lower end by the hinge 16. By moving the upper end (free end) of the outer door 17 closer to or further away from the front of the housing 13, the outer door 17 rotates in the front-rear direction with the hinge 16 at its lower end as a pivot point, opening and closing the ice outlet 15.

[0018] As shown in Figure 2, an inner door 18 is provided inside the outer door 17 (inside the ice storage chamber 14), with its lower end rotatably supported by the housing 13, and which rotates with its lower end as a pivot point, following the rotation of the outer door 17. The inner door 18 comprises an ice guide plate 19 facing the surface of the outer door 17 that faces the inner door 18 (the surface facing the ice storage chamber 14 when the ice outlet 15 is closed), a pair of side plates 20, 20 arranged on both sides in the width direction of the ice guide plate 19 and facing both inner walls of the inner box 11 in the housing 13, and rotation support parts 21, 21 provided at the lower part of both side plates 20, 20, and the inner door 18 is rotatably supported by the inner wall of the inner box 11 via both rotation support parts 21, 21. In Embodiment 1, a hole is provided in the side plate 20 that penetrates in the thickness direction (width direction along the rotation axis direction) as the rotation support part 21, and the inner box 11 is pivotally supported by passing a pin protruding from the inner wall of the inner box 11 through this hole. The width dimension of the inner door 18 (length between the outer surfaces of both side plates 20, 20) is set to be slightly shorter than the internal width dimension of the ice outlet 15. On the inner door 18 (ice guide plate 19), the surface facing the outer door 17 is referred to as the facing surface, and the opposite surface is referred to as the ice guide surface.

[0019] As shown in Figure 2, the lower end of the outer door 17 is pivotally supported on the housing 13 (outer box 10) below the upper end of the lower wall 22 that defines the lower end of the ice outlet 15 in the housing 13, whereas the lower end of the inner door 18 is pivotally supported on the housing 13 (inner box 11) at approximately the same height as or above the upper end of the lower wall 22, on the interior side of the inner end of the upper end of the lower wall 22. In other words, the outer door 17 and the inner door 18 are configured to rotate around pivot points at different positions in the front-rear and up-down directions, with a portion of the front end of the inner door 18, spaced apart from its pivot point, in contact with the opposing surface of the outer door 17, so that the inner door 18 rotates in accordance with the rotation of the outer door 17.

[0020] As shown in Figure 1, the ice guide plate 19 of the inner door 18 is formed in a roughly rectangular shape that extends between the side walls of the inner box 11. However, the width dimension of the tip portion (upper end) 19a side that is spaced apart from the rotation support portions 21, 21 (rotation pivot points) is set shorter than the other parts up to a position that is spaced a predetermined length apart from the open end (the end opposite to the rotation support portion) toward the rotation support portion. In other words, because the width dimension of the tip portion 19a of the ice guide plate 19 is set shorter, protruding portions (contact portions) 19b, 19b are formed in the portion of the ice guide plate 19 that is closer to the rotation support portion than the narrow tip portion 19a, and that protrude outward in the width direction from the side end of the tip portion 19a.

[0021] As shown in Figure 3, a first surface portion 23 is provided on the opposing surface of the outer door 17 at a position where the opposing surface edge of the open end of the tip portion 19a of the inner door 18 can abut against it, and a second surface portion 24 is provided at a position where the opposing surface edges of the open ends of the protruding portions (parts different from the tip portion 19a) 19b, 19b can abut against it without the tip portion 19a of the inner door 18 abutting against it. Note that the case where the opposing surface edge of the open end of the tip portion 19a abuts against the first surface portion 23, or where the opposing surface edge of the open end of the protruding portion 19b abuts against the second surface portion 24, may be referred to as simply the tip portion 19a abutting against the first surface portion 23, or the protruding portion 19b abutting against the second surface portion 24. Both the first surface portion 23 and the second surface portion 24 extend from the free end side (tip side) of the outer door 17 toward the pivot point side, and the inclination angles in the extending direction of both surfaces 23 and 24 are set to be different. That is, the inclination angles of the first surface portion 23 and the second surface portion 24 are set so that the outer door 17 switches between a first state (see Figure 4(a)) where the tip portion 19a of the inner door 18 abuts against the first surface portion 23 and both protruding portions 19b, 19b of the inner door 18 are separated from the second surface portion 24, and a second state (see Figure 4(b)) where both protruding portions 19b, 19b of the inner door 18 abuts against the second surface portion 24 and the tip portion 19a of the inner door 18 is separated from the first surface portion 23, while the outer door 17 is rotating. Specifically, in the fully open state of the outer door 17 shown in Figure 3(a), the tip 19a of the inner door 18 is in contact with the first surface 23, and the protruding portion 19b of the inner door 18 is separated from the second surface 24. As the outer door 17 rotates from the fully open state towards the closing state, the protruding portion 19b comes into contact with the second surface 24, causing the tip 19a to separate from the first surface 23 (see Figure 3(b)). Then, from the position where the protruding portion 19b is in contact with the second surface 24, the inner door 18 rotates so that the protruding portion 19b slides against the second surface 24 while the outer door 17 rotates to the fully closed state where the ice outlet 15 is closed. Furthermore, when opening the outer door 17 from its fully closed position, the protruding portion 19b that is in contact with the second surface portion 24 separates from the second surface portion 24 as its tip portion 19a comes into contact with the first surface portion 23 during the opening of the outer door 17, and thereafter, the tip portion 19a slides along the first surface portion 23 while the outer door 17 is rotated to the fully open position.Furthermore, when the outer door 17 is fully open, the ice guide plate 19 of the inner door 18 is configured such that its tip 19a approaches (contacts in Embodiment 1) the opposing surface of the outer door 17, and the ice guide surface 19c of the ice guide plate 19 is tilted downward as it moves toward the pivot point, thus enabling the ice that falls onto the outer door during ice removal to be guided into the ice storage chamber (inside the storage chamber) by the ice guide surface 19c of the ice guide plate 19. In other words, in Embodiment 1, the inner door 18, which rotates in accordance with the rotation of the outer door 17, is configured such that as the outer door 17 rotates to open, the tip 19a of the inner door 18 moves closer to the opposing surface of the outer door 17, and as the outer door 17 rotates to close, the tip 19a of the inner door 18 moves away from the opposing surface of the outer door 17, so that when the outer door 17 is fully open, the ice guide plate 19 can guide the ice into the storage chamber.

[0022] As shown in Figure 2, a stopper 25 is provided on the opposing surface of the outer door 17 to restrict the inner door 18 from tilting toward the ice storage chamber. The stopper 25 has a substantially inverted L-shape in cross-section and is configured to open toward the pivot point, with a restricting piece 25a extending for a predetermined length in the width direction, spaced apart from the opposing surface of the outer door 17. The restricting piece 25a of the stopper 25 is positioned inward from the tip 19a of the inner door 18, which is in an upright position in the vertical direction when the outer door 17 is fully closed, and is configured to restrict the inner door 18 from tilting toward the ice storage chamber.

[0023] As shown in Figures 1 and 5, the tip portion 19a of the inner door 18 is provided with a notch 26 as an engaging portion that extends in a direction intersecting the rotation axis direction of the inner door 18 and opens at the open end. In Embodiment 1, three notches 26 are provided parallel to each other and spaced apart in the width direction. Furthermore, on the opposing surface of the outer door 17, protrusions 27 are provided at positions corresponding to each notch 26, as engaging portions that can engage with the notches 26, extending in a direction intersecting the rotation axis direction of the outer door 17. In Embodiment 1, the protrusions 27 are provided on the first surface portion 23. The inner door 18 is configured to rotate in accordance with the rotation of the outer door 17 when the notches 26 are engaged with the protrusions 27 of the outer door 17, and the movement of the inner door 18 in the width direction is restricted by the protrusions 27.

[0024] [Effect of Example 1] Next, we will explain the operation of the ice storage unit of Example 1, which is configured as described above.

[0025] When the outer door 17 is fully closed, the protruding portion 19b of the inner door 18 abuts against the second surface portion 24 of the outer door 17, and the tip portion 19a of the inner door 18 is separated from the first surface portion 23 of the outer door 17. In this state, when the outer door 17 is rotated in the opening direction, the protruding portion 19b of the inner door 18 slides along the second surface portion 24, causing the inner door 18 to rotate in the opening direction, following the outer door 17 (see Figures 3(b) and 4(b)). When the outer door 17 rotates from the fully closed state to a predetermined angular position in the opening direction, as shown in Figures 3(a) and 4(a), the tip portion 19a of the inner door 18 abuts against the first surface portion 23, and the protruding portion 19b separates from the second surface portion 24. From there, only the tip portion 19a slides along the first surface portion 23, and the outer door 17 reaches the fully open state.

[0026] Furthermore, when the outer door 17 is rotated from the fully open position to the closing position, in the opposite direction to when it is opened, the tip portion 19a of the inner door 18 slides along the first surface portion 23, causing the inner door 18 to follow the outer door 17 and rotate in the closing position. When the outer door 17 rotates from the fully open position to a predetermined angular position in the closing position, the protruding portion 19b of the inner door 18 comes into contact with the second surface portion 24, and the tip portion 19a separates from the first surface portion 23. From there, only the protruding portion 19b slides along the second surface portion 24, and the outer door 17 reaches the fully closed position.

[0027] In the ice storage unit of Example 1, the section in which the tip 19a of the inner door 18 slides against the first surface 23 (opposing surface) of the outer door 17 while the outer door 17 rotates between the fully closed and fully open positions is short, thereby reducing the amount of wear dust generated by the sliding between the tip 19a and the first surface 23. Furthermore, the width dimension of the tip 19a of the inner door 18 is shorter than the portion where the protruding parts 19b, 19b are provided, and the area in which the tip 19a and the first surface 23 contact in the width direction is also shortened, further reducing the amount of wear dust generated. In other words, the amount of wear dust generated at the tip 19a of the inner door 18, which is easily contacted by ice that has fallen onto the outer door during ice removal, can be reduced, thereby preventing the wear dust from adhering to the ice and entering the ice storage compartment. Furthermore, when the outer door 17 is fully open, the tip 19a of the inner door 18 is in an ice-guiding position that abuts against the first surface 23. Therefore, ice that falls onto the outer door cannot get between the outer door 17 and the inner door 18, preventing ice from getting caught when the outer door 17 is closed. In other words, it prevents ice from getting caught and also suppresses the generation of wear particles, thereby preventing these wear particles from entering the ice storage chamber.

[0028] Although wear particles are also generated by the sliding between the protruding portion 19b of the inner door 18 and the second surface portion 24, the width of the protruding portion 19b is short, and both sides of the inner door 18 in the width direction are areas that are less likely to come into contact with ice, so there is almost no intrusion of wear particles generated by the protruding portion 19b into the ice storage chamber.

[0029] Here, the inner box 11 that constitutes the insulated housing 13 is a vacuum-formed product, and since insulation material 12 is filled between the two boxes 10 and 11 by foam molding, the dimensional accuracy of the inner box 11 is low. In contrast, the outer door 17 and inner door 18 are injection-molded products with good dimensional accuracy, and even if the inner door 18 is manufactured with good dimensional accuracy, the low dimensional accuracy of the inner box 11 results in a large gap between the side plate 20 of the inner door 18 and the inner wall of the inner box 11 when the two are assembled, causing the inner door 18 to move in the width direction and rattle. Therefore, if the width of the inner door 18 is designed to reduce the gap between the side panel 20 of the inner door 18 and the inner wall of the inner box 11, the gap may become too small due to the low dimensional accuracy of the inner box 11. This could make it difficult to assemble the inner door 18 to the inner box 11, cause malfunctions such as the side panel 20 of the inner door 18 coming into contact with the inner wall of the inner box 11 and hindering smooth rotation, or cause wear on the side panel 20 or the inner wall.

[0030] In the ice storage unit of Embodiment 1, a protrusion 27 that engages with a notch 26 provided in the inner door 18 is provided on the opposing surface of the outer door 17, thereby preventing rattling as the inner door 18 moves in the width direction. Furthermore, since both the inner door 18 and the outer door 17 are injection-molded products with good dimensional accuracy, the positions of the notch 26 and the protrusion 27 are approximately accurate, and rattling of the inner door 18 can be prevented with high precision. As a result, there is no need to make the gap between the side plate 20 of the inner door 18 and the inner wall of the inner box 11 unnecessarily small in order to prevent rattling of the inner door 18, and problems such as difficulty in assembling the inner door 18, obstruction of the smooth rotation of the inner door 18, or wear of the inner door 18 or inner box 11 are avoided.

[0031] Figures 6 to 13 show other embodiments of the ice storage unit (Embodiment 2 to Embodiment 7). For these other embodiments, only the components that differ from those in Embodiment 1 will be described, and the same and similar components will be denoted by the same reference numerals, and detailed descriptions will be omitted. [Examples]

[0032] In the ice storage cabinet of Embodiment 2 shown in Figure 6, projections 28 are provided on the opposing surfaces of each overhang 19b that are spaced apart from the tip 19a of the inner door 18 toward the pivot point, and are capable of contacting the corresponding second surface (opposing surface) 24 of the outer door 17. The projections 28 are positioned spaced apart from the open end of the overhang 19b toward the pivot point and project toward the outer door 17. In other words, Embodiment 2 differs from Embodiment 1 in that, instead of the opposing surface edge of the open end of the overhang 19b contacting the second surface 24, the projections 28 contact the second surface 24, thereby separating the tip 19a of the inner door 18 from the opposing surface of the outer door 17. The projections 28 are smaller than the width dimension of the overhang 19b, and the contact area between the projections 28 and the second surface 24 is smaller than when the overhang 19b directly contacts the second surface 24, thereby suppressing the generation of wear particles. Furthermore, since the projection 28 is provided on the opposing surface spaced apart from the open end of the overhang 19b, the wear particles generated by the sliding of the projection 28 against the second surface 24 are located between the second surface 24 and the opposing surface of the inner door 18, and these wear particles do not adhere to the ice guide surface of the inner door 18 when the outer door 17 is fully open. In other words, when ice is removed, the overhang 19b prevents the ice that falls onto the outer door from adhering to the wear particles generated by the sliding of the projection 28 against the second surface 24, thus preventing the wear particles from adhering to the ice and entering the ice storage chamber. [Examples]

[0033] In the ice storage container of Embodiment 3 shown in Figure 7, a wear limiting portion 29 is provided on the opposing surface of the inner door 18 at a position spaced apart from the open end of the tip portion 19a toward the pivot point, and protruding toward the outer door 17. Specifically, the wear limiting portion 29 is provided at a position offset toward the tip portion 19a from the open end of the overhang portion 19b in a direction intersecting the rotation axis direction of the ice guide plate 19, and is located between the outer door 17 and the ice guide plate 19. Multiple wear limiting portions 29 are provided spaced apart in the width direction and arranged in the width direction, but they may also be configured to extend continuously in the width direction. Furthermore, the protruding height of the wear limiting portion 29 is set such that when the outer door 17 is fully open and the tip 19a of the inner door 18 is in contact with the first surface portion 23 of the outer door 17, the wear limiting portion 29 is separated from the first surface portion 23, but the wear limiting portion 29 contacts the first surface portion 23 before the tip 19a of the inner door 18 is worn at an acute angle due to sliding between the tip 19a and the first surface portion 23.

[0034] In the ice storage container of Example 3, when the tip portion 19a of the inner door 18 wears down to a certain extent, the wear limiting portion 29 slides against the first surface portion 23, thereby suppressing wear on the tip portion 19a and reducing the amount of wear dust generated at the tip portion 19a. In other words, as the tip portion 19a and the wear limiting portion 29 come into contact with the outer door 17, the contact area between the inner door 18 and the outer door 17 is increased. Compared to the case where the inner door 18 is supported only by the tip portion 19a, the load applied to each portion 19a and 29 is smaller when the inner door 18 is supported by the tip portion 19a and the wear limiting portion 29, thereby suppressing wear on the tip portion 19a. Furthermore, the period during which the tip portion 19a wears down to a sharp angle can be extended, and the lifespan before the tip portion 19a becomes thin and prone to breakage due to wear can be extended. Furthermore, since the wear limiting portion 29 provided on the opposing surface of the inner door 18 is located between it and the outer door 17, the wear particles generated by the sliding between the wear limiting portion 29 and the first surface portion 23 are located between the first surface portion 23 and the opposing surface of the inner door 18, and these wear particles do not adhere to the ice guide surface 19c of the inner door 18 when the outer door 17 is fully open. In other words, when ice is removed, the inner door itself prevents the ice that falls onto the outer door from adhering to the wear particles generated by the sliding between the wear limiting portion 29 and the first surface portion 23, thus preventing the wear particles from adhering to the ice and entering the ice storage chamber.

[0035] Here, if there is deflection in the width direction of the outer door 17 and the inner door 18, the tip portion 19a of the inner door 18 may have a portion that is partially separated from the opposing surface of the outer door 17 without contacting it along its entire width. In this way, if a portion of the tip portion 19a of the inner door 18 is separated from the opposing surface of the outer door 17, the load will be applied only to the contact portion, causing the tip portion 19a to wear down partially, and that portion may become thin prematurely. However, in Embodiment 3, once the tip portion 19a wears down by a predetermined amount, the wear limiting portion 29 also comes into contact with the opposing surface of the outer door 17, so that the progress of partial wear of the tip portion 19a can be suppressed. Furthermore, the wear-restricting portion 29 contacts the opposing surface of the outer door 17 only after the tip 19a of the inner door 18 has worn down slightly and the gap between the tip 19a and the opposing surface of the outer door 17 has disappeared. Therefore, when the wear-restricting portion 29 is in contact with the opposing surface of the outer door 17, partial wear of the tip 19a of the inner door 18 can be suppressed, and ice can be prevented from getting under the inner door 18. [Examples]

[0036] In the ice storage cabinet of Embodiment 4 shown in Figure 8, a step portion 30 for the tip (step portion) 30 is provided on the first surface portion 23 on the opposing surface of the outer door 17, spaced apart from the inner door 18, where the tip portion 19a of the inner door 18, which is in the ice-guiding position when the outer door 17 is fully open (open state), is located. The step portion 30 for the tip is provided so as to extend toward the pivot point from a position spaced a predetermined length away from the tip of the outer door 17 toward the pivot point, and the difference in height between the step portion 30 for the tip and the upper opposing surface 31 on the free end side is set to such a size that, when the tip portion 19a is located on the step portion 30 for the tip, the ice sliding down the upper opposing surface 31 can be received by the ice-guiding surface 19c of the ice-guiding plate 19 and guided into the ice storage chamber. In other words, the step is preferably such that even if the side edge of the ice guide surface at the open end of the tip portion 19a located in the step portion 30 for the tip portion protrudes above the extension line L of the upper opposing surface 31, the ice sliding on the upper opposing surface 31 can be transferred (guided) to the ice guide surface 19c of the ice guide plate 19 without obstruction. Most preferably, the side edge of the ice guide surface at the open end of the tip portion 19a does not protrude above the extension line L of the upper opposing surface 31, and the ice guide surface 19c of the ice guide plate 19 faces the extension line L. In Embodiment 4, the step is set such that, with the tip portion 19a located in the step portion 30 for the tip portion, the open end (specifically, the side edge of the ice guide surface) does not protrude above the extension line L (for example, greater than or equal to the thickness of the tip portion 19a).

[0037] In the ice storage cabinet of Embodiment 4, when the outer door 17 is fully closed, the protruding portion 19b of the inner door 18 abuts against the second surface portion 24 of the outer door 17, and the tip portion 19a of the inner door 18 is spaced apart from the upper opposing surface 31 of the first surface portion 23 of the outer door 17. In this state, when the outer door 17 is rotated in the opening direction, the protruding portion 19b of the inner door 18 slides along the second surface portion 24, causing the inner door 18 to rotate in the opening direction, following the outer door 17. When the outer door 17 rotates in the opening direction from the fully closed state to a predetermined angular position, the tip portion 19a of the inner door 18 abuts against the upper opposing surface 31 of the first surface portion 23, and the protruding portion 19b is spaced apart from the second surface portion 24, and thereafter only the tip portion 19a slides along the upper opposing surface 31 of the first surface portion 23. When the outer door 17 is fully open, the tip 19a of the inner door 18 moves to the stepped portion 30 for the tip of the outer door 17, so that the open end of the tip 19a does not protrude beyond the extension line L of the upper opposing surface 31. In other words, when removing ice, ice that falls onto the outer door returns smoothly to the ice storage chamber without getting caught on the open end of the tip 19a of the inner door 18. Also, since the tip 19a of the inner door 18 is located on the stepped portion 30 for the tip, ice that falls onto the outer door does not get stuck between the outer door 17 and the inner door 18, preventing ice from getting caught when the outer door 17 is closed.

[0038] When the outer door 17 is rotated from the fully open position to the closed position, the inner door 18 rotates so that the tip portion 19a of the inner door 18 moves from the tip portion step portion 30 through the transition portion 32 to the upper opposing surface 31. Since the transition portion 32 is an inclined surface, the transition of the tip portion 19a from the tip portion step portion 30 to the upper opposing surface 31 is smooth and does not hinder the rotation of the outer door 17. [Examples]

[0039] In the ice storage container of Embodiment 5 shown in Figures 9 and 10, a projection (protrusion) 33 is provided on the opposing surface of the inner door 18 at a position spaced apart from the tip 19a toward the pivot point, so as to abut against the opposing surface of the outer door 17 and separate the tip 19a from the opposing surface of the outer door 17. Multiple projections 33 are provided so as to be spaced apart in the width direction. In addition, a step portion (step) 34 for projections is provided on the opposing surface of the outer door 17, to which the projection 33 of the inner door 18 moves when the outer door 17 is fully open. The stepped portion 34 for the protruding part is provided so as to extend toward the pivot point from a position a predetermined length away from the free end side of the outer door 17 toward the pivot point side. In Embodiment 5, the step between the stepped portion 34 for the protruding part and the free end side opposing surface 36 is set such that, as shown in Figure 10(b), the tip 19a of the inner door 18 contacts the free end side opposing surface 36 of the outer door 17 when the protruding part 33 moves toward the stepped portion 34 for the protruding part. The transition portion 35 between the free end side opposing surface 36 and the stepped portion 34 for the protruding part is an inclined surface that allows for a smooth transition of the protruding part 33 from the stepped portion 34 for the protruding part to the free end side opposing surface 36.

[0040] In the ice storage cabinet of Embodiment 5, when the outer door 17 is fully closed, the protruding portion 33 of the inner door 18 abuts against the free end opposing surface 36 of the outer door 17, and the tip portion 19a of the inner door 18 is spaced apart from the free end opposing surface 36 of the outer door 17. In this state, when the outer door 17 is rotated in the opening direction, the protruding portion 33 of the inner door 18 slides along the free end opposing surface 36, causing the inner door 18 to rotate in the opening direction, following the outer door 17 (see Figure 10(a)). When the outer door 17 is fully open, as shown in Figure 10(b), the protruding portion 33 of the inner door 18 moves onto the stepped portion 34 for the protruding portion of the outer door 17, causing the tip portion 19a of the inner door 18 to abut against the free end opposing surface 36 of the outer door 17. Furthermore, when the outer door 17 is rotated from the fully open position to the closing position, the protruding portion 33 of the inner door 18 moves from the stepped portion 34 for the protruding portion, through the transition portion 35, to the opposing surface 36 on the free end side of the outer door 17, causing the tip portion 19a of the inner door 18 to separate from the opposing surface 36 on the free end side.

[0041] In the ice storage unit of Example 5, the section in which the tip 19a of the inner door 18 slides against the free-end opposing surface 36 of the outer door 17 while the outer door 17 rotates between the fully closed and fully open positions is very short, and the amount of wear dust generated by the sliding between the tip 19a and the free-end opposing surface 36 can be significantly reduced. In other words, the amount of wear dust generated at the tip 19a of the inner door 18, which is easily contacted by ice that has fallen onto the outer door during ice removal, can be reduced, thus preventing the wear dust from adhering to the ice and entering the ice storage compartment. Furthermore, when the outer door 17 is fully open, the tip 19a of the inner door 18 is in contact with the free-end opposing surface 36, so ice that has fallen onto the outer door cannot get between the outer door 17 and the inner door 18, preventing ice from getting caught when the outer door 17 is closed. In other words, it is possible to prevent ice from getting caught and to suppress the amount of wear dust generated, thereby suppressing the entry of the wear dust into the ice storage compartment.

[0042] Since the protrusion 33 is provided on the opposing surface of the inner door 18 and positioned between it and the outer door 17, the wear particles generated by the sliding between the protrusion 33 and the opposing surface 36 on the free end side of the outer door 17 are located between the opposing surface 36 on the free end side and the opposing surface of the inner door 18, and these wear particles do not adhere to the ice guide surface 19c of the inner door 18 when the outer door 17 is fully open. In other words, when ice is removed, the inner door itself prevents the ice that falls onto the outer door from adhering to the wear particles generated by the sliding between the protrusion 33 and the opposing surface 36 on the free end side, thus preventing the wear particles from adhering to the ice and entering the ice storage chamber. [Examples]

[0043] The ice storage unit of Embodiment 6 shown in Figures 11 and 12 is an ice storage unit of Embodiment 5, in which a step portion 30 for the tip of the inner door 18 is provided on the free end side opposing surface 36 of the outer door 17, similar to Embodiment 4, where the tip portion 19a of the inner door 18 is located when the outer door 17 is fully open. On the opposing surface of the outer door 17, the step portion 30 for the tip of the tip and the step portion 34 for the protruding portion are provided in a stepped manner, extending from the free end side toward the pivot point side. The step portion 30 for the tip of the tip is located on the free end side of the step portion 34 for the protruding portion, and is provided at the position where the tip portion 19a of the inner door 18 is located when the protruding portion 33 moves toward the step portion 34 for the protruding portion. The step of the step portion 30 for the tip of the tip is set to a dimension such that, similar to Embodiment 4, the open end does not protrude above the extension line L when the tip portion 19a is located toward the step portion 30 for the tip of the tip. Furthermore, the step of the protruding portion step 34 is set such that when the protruding portion 33 moves onto the protruding portion step 34, the tip 19a of the inner door 18 comes into contact with the bottom surface (free end side opposing surface 36) of the tip step 30. Alternatively, the step of the tip step 30 may be set such that when the protruding portion 33 moves onto the protruding portion step 34, the tip 19a of the inner door 18 moves away from the free end side opposing surface 36. Also, in the ice storage cabinet of Embodiment 6, the transition portion 32 between the upper opposing surface 31 and the tip step 30 is an inclined surface that allows the tip 19a to move smoothly from the tip step 30 to the upper opposing surface 31.

[0044] In the ice storage unit of Example 6, in addition to the effects and advantages of the ice storage unit of Example 5, when the outer door 17 is fully open, the tip 19a of the inner door 18 is located at the tip step 30, and the open end of the tip 19a does not protrude above the extension line L of the upper opposing surface 31. Therefore, when removing ice, ice that has fallen onto the outer door does not get caught on the tip (open end) 19a of the inner door 18 and returns smoothly to the ice storage unit. Furthermore, because the tip 19a of the inner door 18 is located at the tip step 30, ice that has fallen onto the outer door does not get stuck between the outer door 17 and the inner door 18, thus preventing ice from getting caught when the outer door 17 is closed. [Examples]

[0045] The ice storage unit of Embodiment 7 shown in Figure 13 differs from that of Embodiment 1 in the configuration of the stopper 25. Specifically, in Embodiment 7, the length of the restricting piece 25a (length in the direction intersecting the rotation axis direction of the outer door 17) is set so that the tip 19a of the inner door 18 faces between the opposing surface of the outer door 17 and the restricting piece 25a, regardless of whether the outer door 17 is fully closed (Figure 13(a)) or fully open (Figure 13(b)). Furthermore, the stopper 25 is positioned on the outer door 17 such that, in the fully open state of the outer door 17, the tip 19a of the inner door 18 facing between the opposing surface of the outer door 17 and the restricting piece 25a does not come into contact with the restricting piece 25a. Furthermore, to prevent contact between the restricting piece 25a and the tip 19a of the inner door 18, a configuration can be adopted in which the restricting piece 25a is inclined at an angle that moves away from the opposing surface of the outer door 17 as it approaches the open end.

[0046] In the ice storage cabinet of Embodiment 7, the tip 19a of the inner door 18 faces the space between the restricting piece 25a of the stopper 25 and the opposing surface of the outer door 17, regardless of whether the outer door 17 is fully closed, fully open, or rotating between the fully closed and fully open states. Therefore, the inner door 18 will not fall inward into the ice storage compartment. Furthermore, when the outer door 17 is fully open, the rotation of the tip 19a toward the ice storage compartment is restricted by the stopper 25, preventing customers from accidentally knocking the inner door 18 inward, which would prevent ice from being removed or render the inner door 18 non-functional. Additionally, when the outer door 17 is fully open, the tip 19a of the inner door 18 is covered by the restricting piece 25a of the stopper 25, preventing ice that has fallen onto the outer door during ice removal from getting trapped between the inner door 18 and the outer door 17. Furthermore, since the tip 19a of the inner door 18 is covered by the stopper 25, even a thin layer of melting ice adhering to the opposing surface of the outer door 17 that is not covered by the inner door 18 is restricted by the stopper 25, preventing it from entering between the inner door 18 and the outer door 17. Moreover, the restricting piece 25a of the stopper 25 is configured in such a position that it does not come into contact with the tip 19a of the inner door 18 when the outer door 17 is rotated (configuration of the position of the stopper 25 relative to the outer door 17, configuration of tilting the restricting piece 25a, etc.), so that the generation of wear particles caused by contact between the tip 19a of the inner door 18 and the restricting piece 25a when the outer door 17 is rotated can be suppressed.

[0047] Furthermore, when the outer door 17 is fully open, the tip 19a of the inner door 18 is covered by the stopper 25. Therefore, even if wear particles are generated by the sliding between the tip 19a and the opposing surface of the outer door 17, the ice that falls onto the outer door when being removed will not slide over the tip 19a of the inner door 18, preventing the wear particles from adhering to the ice and entering the ice storage chamber.

[0048] [Example of change] This application is not limited to the configurations of the embodiments described above or other embodiments, and other configurations can be adopted as appropriate. Furthermore, various embodiments can be adopted within the scope of the spirit of the present invention, not limited to the following modified examples, for the configurations described in the embodiments and other embodiments. 1. In the examples, the inner door was configured so that both overhanging portions in the width direction abutted against the second surface, but either one may be used. 2. The tip of the inner door can be made of a material with good sliding properties. 3. In this embodiment, a notch is provided in the inner door and a protrusion is provided in the outer door to prevent rattling of the inner door. However, various configurations can be adopted to prevent rattling, such as a configuration in which a projection is provided in the inner door as an engaging part and a groove is provided in the outer door as an engaged part that the projection engages with. These configurations can restrict the movement of the inner door in the width direction through mutual engagement. 4. Various configurations shown in other embodiments can be adopted in other embodiments. For example, the configuration of Embodiment 3 can be adopted in the configurations of Embodiments 2 and 4 to 7. Also, in the configuration of Embodiment 5, the stepped portion for the protruding part can be omitted, and a configuration can be adopted in which the tip of the inner door moves closer to or further away from the opposing surface of the outer door as the outer door rotates, by providing a protruding part (projection) on the opposing surface of the inner door. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0049] 13 Housing, 15 Ice outlet, 17 Outer door, 18 Inner door, 19a Tip 19c Ice guide surface (the surface opposite to the opposing surface), 23 First surface section, 24 Second surface section 26 Notch (engaging part), 27 Projection (engaged part), 28 Projection 30 Stepped section for the tip (stepped section), 31 Upper opposing surface (opposing surface on the free end side) 33. Protruding part (projection), 34. Stepped part for the protruding part (stepped section) 36. Opposing surface on the free end side (opposing surface)

Claims

1. An ice storage cabinet comprising a housing (13) having an ice outlet (15), an outer door (17) rotatably supported by the housing (13) and rotating to open and close the ice outlet (15), and an inner door (18) located inside the outer door (17) and rotatably supported by the housing (13) and in contact with the outer door (17), wherein the inner door (18) rotates in accordance with the rotation of the outer door (17), As the outer door (17) rotates to open, the tip (19a) of the inner door (18) moves closer to the surface of the outer door (17) that is facing the inner door (18), and as the outer door (17) rotates to close, the tip (19a) of the inner door (18) moves away from the surface of the outer door (17) that is facing the outer door (17). The inner door (18) is configured such that, when the outer door (17) is open, its tip (19a) is close to the opposing surface of the outer door (17) and the surface (19c) opposite to the surface facing the outer door (17) is in an ice-guiding position that can guide ice into the compartment. On the opposing surface of the outer door (17), there is a first surface (23) to which the tip (19a) of the inner door (18) can abut, and a second surface (24) to which protruding portions (19b, 19b) that extend outward from both sides in the width direction along the rotation axis, at a position spaced apart from the tip (19a) of the inner door (18) toward the pivot point, can abut. The first surface portion (23) and the second surface portion (24) are configured to have different inclination angles in the extending direction so that a first state in which the tip portion (19a) of the inner door (18) abuts against the first surface portion (23) and the protruding portion (19b,19b) of the inner door (18) is separated from the second surface portion (24) and a second state in which the protruding portion (19b,19b) of the inner door (18) abuts against the second surface portion (24) and the tip portion (19a) of the inner door (18) is separated from the first surface portion (23) can be switched during the rotation of the outer door (17) and the inner door (18). An ice storage facility characterized by the following features.

2. The ice storage cabinet according to claim 1, wherein the outer door (17) is provided with an engaged portion (27) that engages with an engaging portion (26) provided on the inner door (18) to restrict the movement of the inner door (18) in the width direction along the rotation axis direction.

Images