Ice maker

Abstract

To supply a suitable amount of water into a tank when washing operation is performed.SOLUTION: An ice-making machine 10 can perform washing operation in which washing water consisting of water supplied into a tank 24 by water supply means 31 is sent to an ice-making unit 21 by a pump 25, and then is returned into the tank 24 so as to be circulated, and washing is performed. As water supply treatment for executing the washing operation, water is supplied into the tank 24 for prescribed water supply time T1 by the water supply means 31, and when a water level lower than a washing water level L1 that is the water level required for executing the washing operation is detected by a water level sensor 30 upon elapse of the water supply time T1, the water is controlled to be supplied into the tank 24 by the water supply means 31 for additional water supply time T2 set by time required to supply water equal to or less than a water amount between the washing water level L1 and a water level L2 at which water overflows from the tank 24.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 10

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to an ice maker that sends the ice-making water in a tank to an ice-making section, then returns it to the tank again for circulation, and freezes the ice-making water circulating between the tank and the ice-making section in the ice-making section to produce ice, and relates to an ice maker in which the path through which the ice-making water passes can be washed with washing water.

Background Art

[0002] Patent Document 1 discloses an invention of an ice maker for producing ice. This ice maker includes an ice-making section having an ice-making chamber opened downward, a refrigeration device for cooling the ice-making section, a water tray that opens and closes the lower side of the ice-making chamber of the ice-making section, an ice-making water tank integrally provided below the water tray for storing ice-making water, a pump for supplying the ice-making water in the ice-making water tank to the ice-making section, a water supply pipe for supplying water into the ice-making water tank, and a water supply valve interposed in the water supply pipe.

[0003] This ice maker is controlled to produce ice by alternately executing an ice-making operation for producing ice and a defrosting operation for detaching the ice produced in the ice-making operation. When the ice-making operation is executed in this ice maker, the ice-making water supplied into the ice-making water tank is jet-supplied to the ice-making chamber of the ice-making section by a pump, flows down from the ice-making chamber of the ice-making section, and is recovered into the ice-making water tank. The ice-making water in the ice-making water tank is cooled by circulating between the ice-making section cooled by the refrigeration device, and gradually freezes in the ice-making chamber to become ice. When the defrosting operation is executed after the ice-making operation, the ice-making chamber of the ice-making section is heated by supplying hot gas by the refrigeration device, and the ice generated in the ice-making chamber of the ice-making section falls downward and detaches.

[0004] When this ice maker operates, the ice-making water in the ice-making water tank gradually freezes in the ice-making chamber of the ice-making unit, causing scale components such as calcium to become concentrated. Repeated ice-making operations make it easier for scale to accumulate in the circulation paths of the ice-making water, such as the ice-making water tank and the ice-making unit. Therefore, this ice maker has two cleaning modes to remove the scale accumulated in the circulation paths of the ice-making water, such as the ice-making water tank and the ice-making unit: a normal cleaning mode that uses cleaning water made from the same water as the ice-making water, and a special cleaning mode that uses chemicals. When the normal cleaning mode is executed, the water supply valve is opened for a predetermined water supply time, and cleaning water made from the same water as the ice-making water supplied to the ice-making water tank is injected by a pump into the ice-making chamber of the ice-making unit, and the circulation paths of the ice-making water are cleaned with cleaning water made from the same water as the ice-making water.

[0005] In the special cleaning mode, the cleaning operation involves a chemical cleaning process in which the chemical supplied to the ice-making water tank is injected into the ice-making section by a pump, then returned to the ice-making water tank and circulated for cleaning with the chemical, and multiple rinsing cleaning processes in which the rinsing water supplied to the ice-making water tank is injected into the ice-making section by a pump, then returned to the ice-making water tank and circulated for cleaning with the rinsing water. When the chemical cleaning process in special cleaning mode is executed, the chemical supplied by the chemical pump is supplied to the ice-making water tank, the chemical in the ice-making water tank is injected into the ice-making section by the pump, and then returned to the ice-making water tank and circulated for cleaning, so that the circulation path through which the ice-making water circulates, such as the ice-making water tank and the ice-making section, is cleaned with the chemical. Before executing the rinsing cleaning process, the water tray is tilted from a closed position to an open position to discharge the chemical in the ice-making water tank, and then the water tray is returned to the closed position. When the rinsing process is performed after the chemical cleaning process, the water supply valve is opened for a predetermined water supply time to supply rinsing water to the ice-making water tank. The rinsing water in the ice-making water tank is then pumped into the ice-making section and returned to the ice-making water tank for circulation. The circulation path of the ice-making water, including the ice-making water tank and ice-making section where chemicals remain, is then cleaned by the rinsing water. [Prior art documents] [Patent Documents]

[0006] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2013-245923 [Overview of the Initiative] [Problems that the invention aims to solve]

[0007] In the ice maker described in Patent Document 1, when performing the rinsing process in the normal cleaning mode and the special cleaning mode, cleaning water is supplied to the ice water tank by opening the water supply valve for a predetermined water supply time. The water pressure of the water supply source, such as a water tap, may vary depending on the installation location of the ice maker, resulting in variations in the amount of cleaning water supplied for the predetermined water supply time. If the amount of cleaning water supplied to the ice water tank is insufficient, there is a risk of air being drawn into the cleaning water drawn by the pump when the cleaning water in the ice water tank is circulated between the ice-making unit and the ice-making unit. Furthermore, unlike the ice maker described in Patent Document 1, which supplies chemicals with adjusted concentrations to the ice water tank, there are also ice makers that dissolve concentrated or solid chemicals in cleaning water using the same water as the ice-making water in the ice water tank, and clean the circulation path of the ice water with the cleaning water containing the chemicals. In this case, if the amount of cleaning water supplied to the ice-making water tank is large, the concentration of the chemicals added to the cleaning water in the ice-making water tank will be low, and there is a risk that the cleaning power of the chemicals contained in the cleaning water will not be fully exerted.

[0008] The ice maker described in Patent Document 1 is a so-called closed-cell type ice maker in which the lower part of the ice-making section is covered by a water tray that can be opened and closed, and the ice-making water tank is integrally provided below the water tray that covers the lower part of the ice-making section in an openable and closable manner. In this closed-cell type ice maker, the ice-making water tank rotates together with the water tray around a horizontal axis, and the water in the ice-making water tank is collected by a drain pan located below it. In a closed-cell type ice maker, as described above, when concentrated or solid drugs are dissolved in washing water using the same water as the ice-making water, if the amount of washing water supplied to the ice-making water tank is large and the washing water containing the drugs overflows from the ice-making water tank, the washing water containing the drugs may splash up on the drain pan, and the splashed washing water containing the drugs may adhere to the ice in the ice storage chamber below the drain pan.

[0009] Patent Document 1 describes an ice maker equipped with a float switch (water level sensor) in the ice-making water tank to detect the water level of the ice-making water (cleaning water), and also describes controlling the opening and closing of the water supply valve based on the water level detected by the float switch. Therefore, by controlling the opening and closing of the water supply valve based on the water level detected by the float switch, it is possible to prevent variations in the amount of ice-making water (cleaning water) supplied to the ice-making water tank. However, as described above, as the ice-making water in the ice-making water tank gradually freezes in the ice-making chamber of the ice-making unit, scale components such as calcium become concentrated, and if concentrated scale adheres to the water level sensor installed in the ice-making water tank, the water level sensor may not be able to detect the cleaning water level required for cleaning the ice-making water tank. If the water level sensor can no longer detect the cleaning water level in the ice-making water tank, the water supply valve cannot be closed even if the water level exceeds the cleaning water level, and the ice-making water will overflow from the ice-making water tank. In particular, when washing with cleaning water containing concentrated or solid agents dissolved in the cleaning water in the ice-making water tank, there is a risk that the cleaning water containing the agents that overflows from the ice-making water tank may adhere to the stored ice. The present invention aims to supply an appropriate amount of cleaning water into the tank when performing a cleaning operation. [Means for solving the problem]

[0010] To solve the above problems, the present invention comprises an ice-making unit that freezes water to produce ice, a refrigeration device that cools the ice-making unit, a tank that stores water to be sent to the ice-making unit, a water supply means that supplies water from a water source into the tank, and a pump that sends the water in the tank to the ice-making unit. The water supplied to the tank by the water supply means is used as ice-making water, and this ice-making water is sent by the pump to the ice-making unit cooled by the refrigeration device, and then returned to the tank for circulation, where the ice-making unit freezes the ice-making water to produce ice. The water supplied to the tank by the water supply means is used as washing water, and this washing water is sent by the pump to the ice-making unit, and then returned to the tank. This ice maker is capable of performing a cleaning operation in which the water is returned and circulated to clean the tank and ice-making unit with cleaning water. The ice maker is equipped with a water level sensor that detects the cleaning water level required when performing the cleaning operation in the tank, and as a water supply process when performing the cleaning operation, water is supplied into the tank by a water supply means for a predetermined water supply time, and when the water level sensor detects a water level lower than the cleaning water level after the water supply time has elapsed, the water supply means is controlled to supply water into the tank for an additional water supply time set to the time required to supply water at or below the amount between the cleaning water level and the water level at which water overflows from the tank.

[0011] In the ice maker configured as described above, a water level sensor is provided to detect the cleaning water level, which is the water level required when performing a cleaning operation in the tank. As part of the water supply process when performing a cleaning operation, water is supplied to the tank by a water supply means for a predetermined water supply time. When the water level sensor detects a water level lower than the cleaning water level after the water supply time has elapsed, the water supply means is controlled to supply water to the tank for an additional water supply time set to the time required to supply water at or below the amount between the cleaning water level and the water level at which water overflows from the tank. When water is supplied to the tank by the water supply means for a predetermined water supply time as part of the water supply process when performing a cleaning operation, the amount of water in the tank may vary depending on the water supply pressure of the water source at the location where the ice maker is installed. When the water level sensor detects a water level lower than the cleaning water level after the water supply time has elapsed, the water supply means is controlled to supply water to the tank for an additional water supply time set to the time required to supply water at or below the amount between the cleaning water level and the water level at which water overflows from the tank, so that an appropriate amount of water can be supplied to the tank when performing a cleaning operation. In particular, since the water supply system is not controlled based on the water level detected by the water level sensor, even if the water level sensor malfunctions, water will not overflow from the tank.

[0012] In the ice maker configured as described above, it is preferable to have a notification means that notifies of a shortage of cleaning water when the water level sensor detects a water level lower than the cleaning water level after the water supply process when performing a cleaning operation, and that the notification means does not notify of a shortage of cleaning water even if the water level sensor detects a water level lower than the cleaning water level while the pump is operating during the cleaning operation. When the water supply process when performing a cleaning operation is insufficient, if there is insufficient cleaning water in the tank, the water level sensor will detect a water level lower than the cleaning water level, and the notification means will notify that there is insufficient cleaning water, allowing the user to know that there is insufficient cleaning water. When the pump is operated during the cleaning operation, the cleaning water in the tank circulates between the tank and the ice making unit, which may cause the water level in the tank to fall below the cleaning water level. Even if the water level sensor detects a water level lower than the cleaning water level while the pump is operating during the cleaning operation, the notification means does not notify of a shortage of cleaning water, thus preventing the user from being misled into thinking that there is insufficient cleaning water.

[0013] In an ice maker configured as described above, the ice-making section may be equipped with multiple ice-making chambers opening to the bottom, and below the ice-making section, there may be a water tray that is integrally supported with the tank so as to be rotatable around a horizontal axis and can open and close the ice-making chambers of the ice-making section, a drain pan that covers the bottom of the tank and receives the water discharged from the tank and has an outlet for dropping the ice produced in the ice-making section, and an ice storage chamber provided below the drain pan for storing the ice produced in the ice-making section. In a configuration where the tank is integrally provided with the water tray so as to be rotatable around a horizontal axis and the water discharged from the tank is received by the drain pan below, when an excess of water is supplied into the tank as cleaning water by a water supply means as part of the water supply process when performing a cleaning operation, and the water overflows from the tank, there is a risk that the water overflowing from the tank will splash out of the drain pan, pass through the outlet and adhere to the ice in the ice storage chamber. In this ice maker, the appropriate amount of water can be supplied to the tank when the cleaning cycle is performed, so that the cleaning water does not overflow from the tank and does not come into contact with the ice in the ice storage chamber. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0014] [Figure 1] This is a perspective view of the ice maker of the present invention. [Figure 2] This is a schematic diagram of the ice maker of the present invention. [Figure 3] This is a schematic diagram showing the ice-making section and water tray. [Figure 4] This is a schematic diagram showing the water tray in the open position as shown in Figure 3. [Figure 5] This is a cross-sectional view showing a drug supply means. [Figure 6] This is a block diagram of the control device. [Figure 7] This is a flowchart showing the main washing operation. [Figure 8] This is a flowchart showing the rinse and wash cycle. [Figure 9] This is a time chart showing the time taken when the cleaning program was executed. [Figure 10] This is a time chart for when water is supplied for an additional period if the water level is not detected during the main water supply time of the washing program's main washing operation. [Figure 11] This is a time chart showing what happens when a malfunction occurs in a drain valve or other component during the main cleaning operation of the cleaning program. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0015] An embodiment of the ice maker of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. The ice maker of the present invention is a so-called closed-cell type ice maker, and is capable of performing an ice-making operation in which ice-making water is frozen in the ice-making section 21 to produce ice, and a cleaning operation in which the circulation path through which the ice-making water circulates is cleaned with cleaning water. As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the ice maker 10 of this embodiment is equipped with an ice-making chamber 12 and a machine chamber 13 in the upper part of the housing 11, and an ice storage chamber 14 in the lower part of the housing 11. In Figure 1, the ice in the ice storage chamber 14 is shown by a dashed line.

[0016] As shown in FIG. 2, the ice maker 10 includes an ice-making mechanism section 20 that manufactures ice. The ice-making mechanism section 20 includes an ice-making section 21 that freezes ice-making water to manufacture ice, a refrigeration device 40 that cools and warms the ice-making section 21, and a water supply means 22 that sends ice-making water to the ice-making section 21. The ice-making section 21 is disposed in the ice-making chamber 12, and a plurality of ice-making compartments 21a that open downward are formed by providing a lattice-shaped partition member inside a shallow box shape that is open at the lower side. Ice-making water is ejected and sent from below to each ice-making compartment 21a, and block-shaped ice is formed in each ice-making compartment 21a by freezing the ice-making water.

[0017] As shown in FIG. 2, an evaporator 44 that constitutes the refrigeration device 40 is disposed on the upper surface of the ice-making section 21. The refrigeration device 40 is capable of cooling or warming the ice-making section 21 by cooling operation and warming operation, and is disposed in the machine room 13 except for the evaporator 44 disposed above the ice-making section 21 in the ice-making chamber 12. The refrigeration device 40 includes a compressor 41 that compresses a refrigerant, a condenser 42 that cools and liquefies the refrigerant pumped from the compressor 41, an expansion valve 43 that expands the liquefied refrigerant liquefied by the condenser 42 into a low-pressure liquefied refrigerant, and an evaporator 44 that vaporizes the liquefied refrigerant expanded by the expansion valve 43 to cool the ice-making section 21. The refrigeration device 40 connects the compressor 41, the condenser 42, the expansion valve 43, and the evaporator 44 annularly by refrigerant pipes to form a refrigeration circuit. When the cooling operation of the refrigeration device 40 is executed, the refrigerant pumped from the compressor 41 is cooled by the condenser 42 to become a liquefied refrigerant, the liquefied refrigerant becomes a low-pressure liquefied refrigerant by the expansion valve 43, and the low-pressure liquefied refrigerant cools the ice-making section 21 by the heat of vaporization when evaporating in the evaporator 44.

[0018] Further, the refrigeration device 40 includes a hot gas pipe (hot gas path) 45 that supplies hot gas to the evaporator 44. The hot gas pipe 45 connects the downstream of the compressor 41 and the upstream of the evaporator 44 to guide the hot gas from the compressor 41 to the evaporator 44. A hot gas valve 46 is interposed in the hot gas pipe 45, and the hot gas valve 46 can open and close the hot gas pipe 45. When the refrigeration device 40 is in the heating operation, the hot gas sent out from the compressor 41 is guided to the evaporator 44 by the opening of the hot gas valve 46, and the hot gas heats the ice making section 21 when passing through the evaporator 44. Thus, the ice making section 21 is cooled by the refrigerant circulating by the cooling operation of the refrigeration device 40 evaporating in the evaporator 44, and is heated by the hot gas sent from the compressor 41 to the evaporator 44 by the heating operation of the refrigeration device 40.

[0019] As shown in FIGS. 2 to 4, water supply means 22 for sending out ice making water is provided below the ice making section 21. The water supply means 22 includes a water tray 23 that closes the lower side of the ice making chamber 21a of the ice making section 21 in an openable and closable manner, a tank 24 that stores ice making water below the water tray 23, and a pump 25 that sends the ice making water in the tank 24 to the ice making section 21. The water tray 23 is pivotally supported (tiltably supported) about a horizontal axis between a closed position (shown in FIGS. 2 and 3) that closes the lower side of the ice making chamber 21a and an open position (shown in FIG. 4) that opens the lower side of the ice making chamber 21a. An opening and closing mechanism 26 is provided on the water tray 23, and the water tray 23 tilts between the closed position and the open position by the drive of the actuator motor 26a of the opening and closing mechanism 26 to open and close the lower side of the ice making chamber 21a. As shown in FIG. 3, an ice making water passage 23a for sending the ice making water sent out from the tank 24 to each ice making chamber 21a is formed in the water tray 23, and injection holes 23b for injecting the ice making water from the ice making water passage 23a into each ice making chamber 21a are formed on the upper surface of the water tray 23.

[0020] As shown in Figures 2 to 4, a tank 24 is integrally provided below the water tray 23, and the tank 24 is tiltable together with the tilting water tray 23. The tank 24 stores ice-making water when performing ice-making operations and cleaning water when performing cleaning operations. A pump 25 is connected to the bottom of the tank 24, and the discharge port of the pump 25 is connected to the ice-making water passage 23a of the water tray 23 via a water supply pipe 25a. The ice-making water in the tank 24 is sent to the ice-making water passage 23a by the operation of the pump 25, and is sprayed from the ice-making water passage 23a through the injection holes 23b to each ice-making chamber 21a.

[0021] As shown in Figures 3 and 4, a drain port 24a is formed at the bottom of the tank 24, and a drain pipe 27 is connected to the drain port 24a. This drain pipe 27 is used to discharge the cleaning water from the tank 24 when the cleaning operation described later is performed. The drain port at the end of the drain pipe 27 opens close to the top surface of the drain pan 34, which will be described later. A drain valve 28 is interposed in the drain pipe 27, and the cleaning water from the tank 24 is discharged to the upper side of the drain pan 34 by opening the drain valve 28. Note that Figures 3 and 4 are schematic diagrams of the ice-making section, etc., and therefore the drain port of the drain pipe 27 is shown to be located not far from the ice discharge port 34a of the drain pan 34. However, the drain port of the drain pipe 27 is actually located far from the ice discharge port 34a of the drain pan 34, making it difficult for the cleaning water discharged from the drain pipe 27 to flow into the ice storage chamber 14 through the discharge port 34a.

[0022] As shown in Figures 3 and 4, an overflow outlet 24b is formed at the top of the tank 24, and an overflow pipe 29 is connected to the overflow outlet 24b. The overflow outlet 24b drains ice-making water that exceeds the upper water level of the tank 24 when the water tray 23 is in the closed position, via the overflow pipe 29. The drain port at the tip of the overflow pipe 29 opens above the drain pan 34, which will be described later. The overflow outlet 24b also discharges ice-making water from the tank 24 through the overflow pipe 29 when the water tray 23 is in the open position. When the overflow pipe 29 is positioned at the angle shown in Figures 3 and 4, when the water tray 23 is in the open position, the ice-making water in the tank 24 is discharged from the overflow outlet 24b through the overflow pipe 29 to the upper side of the drain pan 34, leaving some ice-making water behind. Furthermore, by rotating the overflow pipe 29 downwards, all the ice-making water in the tank 24 is discharged from the overflow outlet 24b through the overflow pipe 29 to the upper side of the drain pan 34 while the water tray 23 is in the open position.

[0023] The overflow pipe 29 is primarily intended to discharge the ice-making water remaining after ice-making operation, while the drain pipe 27 is intended to discharge the cleaning water after cleaning operation. Since the cleaning water may contain chemicals and dirt, if the drain outlet of the drain pipe 27 that discharges the cleaning water is far from the top surface of the drain pan 34, there is a risk that the cleaning water containing chemicals and dirt may splash up above the drain pan 34. The drain outlet of the drain pipe 27 that discharges the cleaning water is positioned closer to the top surface of the drain pan 34 than the drain outlet of the overflow pipe 29, so the cleaning water containing chemicals and dirt discharged from the drain outlet of the drain pipe 27 is less likely to splash up above the top surface of the drain pan 34 and scatter around. Similarly, if the drain outlet of the drain pipe 27 that discharges the cleaning water is close to the ice discharge outlet 34a of the drain pan 34, there is a risk that the cleaning water containing chemicals and dirt may splash up above the drain pan 34. Since the drain outlet of the drain pipe 27 that discharges the cleaning water is located further away from the drain outlet of the overflow pipe 29 than from the outlet 34a of the drain pan 34, the cleaning water containing chemicals and dirt discharged from the drain outlet of the drain pipe 27 is less likely to flow into the ice storage chamber 14 from the outlet 34a of the drain pan 34.

[0024] As shown in Figure 3, a water level sensor 30 is provided inside the tank 24. The water level sensor 30 detects the cleaning water level L1, which is the water level of the cleaning water required when performing a cleaning operation inside the tank 24. The water level sensor 30 outputs an OFF signal when the water level is lower than the cleaning water level L1, and outputs an ON signal when it is equal to or higher than the cleaning water level L1, thereby detecting a water level of L1 or higher. In this embodiment, the water level sensor 30 employs a float switch and detects the cleaning water level L1 inside the tank 24 based on the position of a float that moves up and down inside the tank 24. Note that the water level sensor 30 is not limited to a float switch; an electrode-type level switch with a pair of electrodes may also be used.

[0025] The tank 24 is equipped with a water supply means 31 that supplies water from a water source such as a water supply. The water supply means 31 comprises a water supply pipe 32 that supplies water from a water source such as a water supply, and a water supply valve 33 interposed in the water supply pipe 32. Water from a water source such as a water supply is supplied to the water supply pipe 32 under water supply pressure from the water supply, and is supplied to the tank 24 through the water supply pipe 32 by opening the water supply valve 33.

[0026] A drain pan 34 is provided on the lower side of the tank 24. The drain pan 34 receives a portion of the ice-making water remaining in the tank 24 after the ice-making operation through the drain port of the overflow pipe 29, and receives the cleaning water in the tank 24 after the cleaning operation through the drain port of the drain pipe 27. A drain pipe 35 is connected to the drain pan 34, and the ice-making water received in the drain pan 34 is discharged to the outside of the housing 11 through the drain pipe 35. The drain pan 34 also covers the lower side of the ice-making unit 21 and the water supply means 22 of the ice-making mechanism unit 20, and functions as a partition separating the ice-making room 12 and the ice-storage room 14, with an outlet 34a for discharging the ice produced by the ice-making unit 21 into the ice-storage room 14.

[0027] As shown in Figure 5, the tank 24 is provided with a chemical supply means 36 for supplying chemicals when performing the cleaning operation described later. The chemical supply means 36 comprises a supply port 36a provided on the front panel of the housing 11 and a chemical supply pipe 36b extending from the supply port 36a to the tank 24. The chemical supply pipe 36b can be inserted from the front side of the housing 11 through the supply port 36a to the top of the tank 24, and when the chemical supply pipe 36b is inserted into the supply port 36a, the chemical supply pipe 36b extends from the front side of the housing 11 to the tank 24. In this embodiment, the chemical is a solid chemical in the form of a low cylindrical tablet, which is introduced into the tank 24 via the chemical supply pipe 36b. Note that the chemical is not limited to a solid chemical in the form of a tablet; a powder or granular chemical, or a concentrated liquid chemical with a higher concentration, may also be used. Furthermore, the drug supply means 36 is not limited to one equipped with a supply port 36a and a drug supply pipe 36b, but can be any means that enables the supply of drug into the tank 24.

[0028] As shown in Figure 2, the ice-making unit 21 is equipped with an ice-making unit temperature sensor 37, which detects the temperature of the ice-making unit 21, thereby enabling detection of the completion of ice-making during the ice-making operation and the completion of ice-removal during the de-icing operation, as described later. The ice storage chamber 14 is equipped with an ice storage detector 38, which detects when the ice storage chamber 14 is full of ice by detecting the ice accumulated at the top of the ice storage chamber 14.

[0029] The ice maker 10 is equipped with a control device 50, which, as shown in Figure 6, is connected to the pump 25, the actuator motor 26a of the opening / closing mechanism 26, the drain valve 28, the water level sensor 30, the water supply valve 33, the ice making section temperature sensor 37, the ice storage detector 38, the compressor 41, the hot gas valve 46, and the operation panel 51 located on the front panel of the housing 11. The control device 50 has a microcomputer (not shown), which comprises a CPU, RAM, ROM, and timer (all not shown) connected via a bus.

[0030] The control device 50 has an ice-making program that alternately and repeatedly executes an ice-making operation in the ice-making unit 21 to freeze ice-making water and produce ice, and a de-icing operation in which the ice frozen in the ice-making unit 21 is released and removed. When the ice storage detector 38 does not detect that the ice storage chamber 14 is full of ice, the control device 50 operates in ice-making mode, executing an ice-making program that alternately repeats ice-making and de-icing operations to produce ice to be stored in the ice storage chamber 14. When the ice storage detector 38 detects that the ice storage chamber 14 is full of ice, the control device 50 operates in standby mode, without executing the ice-making program that alternates between ice-making and de-icing operations.

[0031] Furthermore, the control device 50 has a cleaning program that performs a cleaning operation to clean the circulation path through which the ice-making water circulates during the ice-making operation. In this embodiment, the cleaning operation includes a main cleaning operation (chemical cleaning operation) that cleans the circulation path through which the ice-making water circulates with cleaning water containing chemicals, and a rinsing cleaning operation that rinses the circulation path with rinsing cleaning water after the main cleaning operation. In this embodiment, the rinsing cleaning operation is controlled to be performed three (multiple times) after the main cleaning operation.

[0032] The control panel 51 is equipped with a cleaning operation switch for executing a cleaning program. When the cleaning operation switch is activated to execute the cleaning program, the control device 50 controls the system to perform a main cleaning operation and three (or more) rinse cleaning operations according to the cleaning program. The main cleaning operation cleans scale and other dirt adhering to the circulation path through which the ice-making water circulates (in this embodiment, each ice-making chamber 21a of the ice-making unit 21, the water tray 23, the tank 24, the pump 25, and the water supply pipe 25a) using cleaning water containing chemicals. The rinse cleaning operation cleans the circulation path through which the ice-making water circulates using rinse cleaning water, washing away the chemicals contained in the cleaning water used during the main cleaning operation and any dirt that has come into contact with the cleaning water.

[0033] As shown in Figure 7, the main washing operation consists of a water supply process (step 101 in Figure 7) in which water to be used as washing water is supplied to the tank 24 by the water supply means 31, a heating process (step 102 in Figure 7) in which the pump 25 is operated with the ice-making unit 21 heated by sending hot gas to the evaporator 44 after the water supply process, and the washing water in the tank 24 is heated while being circulated between the heated ice-making unit 21 and the tank 24, a washing process (step 103 in Figure 7) in which the washing water in the tank 24 is circulated between the heated ice-making unit 21 and the tank 24 to clean the circulation path through which the ice-making water circulates, and a drainage process (step 104 in Figure 7) in which the water in the tank 24 is drained after the washing process. As shown in Figure 8, the rinsing washing operation performs the water supply process (step 201 in Figure 8), the washing process (step 202 in Figure 8), and the drainage process (step 203 in Figure 8) without performing the heating process shown in the main washing operation.

[0034] Next, the ice-making program will be described. During ice-making mode, the control device 50 executes the ice-making program, repeatedly alternating between ice-making and de-icing operations. When the control device 50 performs ice-making operations, it operates the refrigeration system 40 in a cooling operation. The refrigerant pumped from the compressor 41 is liquefied in the condenser 42 to become liquefied refrigerant. The liquefied refrigerant expands in the expansion valve 43 to become low-pressure liquefied refrigerant. The low-pressure liquefied refrigerant vaporizes in the evaporator 44 and returns to the compressor 41. The ice-making unit 21 is cooled by the vaporization of the liquefied refrigerant in the evaporator 44. In addition, with the water tray 23 tilted to the closed position by the actuator motor 26a of the opening / closing mechanism 26, the control device 50 opens the water supply valve 33 for a water supply time set to provide the amount of water necessary to form ice in the ice-making chamber 21a of the ice-making unit 21 as part of the water supply process. The tank 24 stores the amount of ice-making water necessary to form ice in the ice-making unit 21.

[0035] The control device 50 operates the pump 25 while the refrigeration unit 40 is in cooling operation after the water supply treatment. The ice-making water in the tank 24 is injected into each ice-making chamber 21a of the ice-making unit 21 by the operation of the pump 25. The injected ice-making water is cooled in each ice-making chamber 21a and returns to the tank 24. The ice-making water is cooled as it circulates between the tank 24 and each ice-making chamber 21a, and gradually freezes in each ice-making chamber 21a. When the amount of ice-making water in the tank 24 decreases and the ice-making water freezes in each ice-making chamber 21a to form block-shaped ice, and the temperature detected by the ice-making unit temperature sensor 37 falls below the ice-making completion temperature, the control device 50 terminates the ice-making operation and starts the de-icing operation.

[0036] During the de-icing operation after the ice-making operation, the control device 50 causes the refrigeration unit 40 to operate in a heating mode, and the actuator motor 26a of the opening / closing mechanism 26 tilts the water tray 23 to the open position. By operating the refrigeration unit 40 in a heating mode, the hot gas sent from the compressor 41 is introduced to the evaporator 44 through the hot gas pipe 45, and is heated by the hot gas introduced into the evaporator 44 of the ice-making unit 21. In addition, the water tray 23 is tilted to the open position by the actuator motor 26a of the opening / closing mechanism 26, and the ice detaching from the heated ice-making chamber 21a of the ice-making unit 21 slides down the water tray 23 and falls into the ice storage chamber 14 through the discharge port 34a.

[0037] Furthermore, the tank 24 tilts together with the tilting water tray 23, and a portion of the ice-making water remaining in the tilting tank 24 is discharged from the overflow outlet 24b through the overflow pipe 29 to the upper side of the drain pan 34, leaving a portion of the ice-making water in the tilting tank 24. The ice-making water discharged to the upper side of the drain pan 34 is then discharged to the outside of the housing 11 through the drain pipe 35. Because a portion of the ice-making water cooled during the ice-making operation remains in the tank 24, this cooled portion of the ice-making water mixes with the ice-making water supplied to the tank 24 by the water supply means 31 during the ice-making operation performed after the de-icing operation, and the temperature of the ice-making water in the tank 24 becomes lower than that of the water supplied from the water source. As a result, the time required to lower the temperature of the ice-making water in the tank 24 during the ice-making operation performed after the de-icing operation is shortened, thus reducing the time required for the ice-making operation.

[0038] As the ice-making unit 21 gradually rises as the ice detaches, the control device 50 detects that there is no ice remaining in the ice-making chamber 21a of the ice-making unit 21, i.e., that de-icing is complete, and closes the hot gas valve 46. The actuator motor 26a of the opening / closing mechanism 26 tilts the water tray 23 to the closed position, ending the de-icing operation. If the ice storage detector 38 does not detect that the ice storage chamber 14 is filled with ice, the control device 50 executes the ice-making program again, which alternately repeats the ice-making operation and de-icing operation as described above in ice-making mode. If the ice storage detector 38 detects that the ice storage chamber 14 is filled with ice, the control device 50 enters standby mode and waits without executing the ice-making program that alternately repeats the ice-making operation and de-icing operation as described above.

[0039] When an operation to execute a cleaning program is performed on the operation panel 51 during ice-making mode or standby mode, the control device 50 executes the cleaning program. The cleaning program in this embodiment performs a main cleaning operation and three rinse cleaning operations. As shown in Figure 9, when executing the cleaning program, a de-icing operation and drainage of the tank 24 are performed in advance to ensure that no ice remains in the ice-making chamber 21a of the ice-making unit 21. The control device 50 opens the hot gas valve 46 with the compressor 41 running to heat the refrigeration unit 40, tilts the water tray 23 to the open position using the actuator motor 26a of the opening / closing mechanism 26, and opens the drain valve 28. The ice-making unit 21 is heated by the hot gas sent from the compressor 41 to the evaporator 44, so that no ice remains in the ice-making chamber 21a of the ice-making unit 21. In addition, since the tank 24 is tilted to the open position and the drain valve 28 is opened, any ice-making water remaining in the tank 24 is discharged to the upper side of the drain pan 34. Furthermore, when the refrigeration unit 40 is in heating operation, the water supply valve 33 is controlled to be temporarily opened, so that the melted ice that falls from the ice-making chamber 21a of the ice-making unit 21 is carried away by the water supplied from the water supply pipe 32.

[0040] During the de-icing operation, when the temperature detected by the ice-making unit temperature sensor 37 exceeds the de-icing completion temperature, the compressor 41 is stopped, the hot gas valve 46 is closed, and the heating operation of the refrigeration unit 40 is stopped. The actuator motor 26a of the opening / closing mechanism 26 tilts the water tray 23 to the closed position. The ice-making water remaining in the tank 24 is discharged from the drain port 24a at the bottom through the drain pipe 27 to the upper side of the drain pan 34. After a predetermined time has elapsed, set to ensure that no water remains in the tank 24, the drain valve 28 is closed to complete the draining of the tank 24. Since all the water remaining in the tank 24 is discharged through the drain pipe 27, the amount of cleaning water used during the main cleaning operation can be kept constant, and the concentration of the cleaning agent in the cleaning water during the main cleaning operation can be prevented from becoming diluted.

[0041] The control device 50 executes the main cleaning operation after the de-icing operation of the ice-making unit 21 and the draining of the tank 24 are completed. As part of the water supply process for the main cleaning operation, the control device 50 opens the water supply valve 33 for a water supply time T1 set so that the water level in the tank 24 reaches the cleaning water level. During the water supply process, the control device 50 displays (notifies) on the display unit of the operation panel 51 that it is time to add the chemical. After the water supply time T1 has elapsed, the control device 50 determines whether the water level sensor 30 has detected a water level of L1 or higher (an ON signal has been input from the water level sensor 30). If the water level sensor 30 has detected a water level of L1 or higher, it means that a sufficient amount of cleaning water has been supplied to the tank 24, so the control device 50 controls the water supply valve 33 to close and terminates the water supply process.

[0042] The water pressure may be low depending on the water source, such as the water supply at the installation location of the ice maker 10, and the tank 24 may not be supplied with water up to the cleaning water level L1 even after the water supply time has elapsed. As shown in Figure 10, if the water level sensor 30 does not detect a water level of L1 or higher when the water supply time T1 has elapsed, the water supply valve 33 is not closed but kept open for an additional water supply time T2, and the water supply process is terminated by controlling the system to close the water supply valve 33 after the additional water supply time T2 has elapsed. The additional water supply time T2 is set to the time required to supply water up to or below the amount of water between the cleaning water level L1 and the water level L2 (shown in Figure 3) at which water overflows from the tank 24, which is the lower end position of the overflow outlet 24b. Even if the water supply valve 33 is opened during the additional water supply time T2, the water level in the tank 24 will not exceed the overflow outlet 24b, and the water in the tank 24 will not overflow from the overflow outlet 24b.

[0043] If a malfunction occurs in the drain valve 28 or other components, it may not be possible to store cleaning water at or above the cleaning water level L1 in the tank 24 through the water supply process. For this reason, if the control device 50 does not detect a water level at or above the cleaning water level L1 using the water level sensor 30 after the water supply process (i.e., if it detects a water level lower than the cleaning water level L1), it will display (notify) on the display unit of the operation panel 51 that there is insufficient cleaning water as a notification means. Furthermore, even after cleaning water at or above the cleaning water level L1 has been stored in the tank 24 through the water supply process, if a malfunction occurs in the drain valve 28 or other components, the water level in the tank 24 will gradually decrease, and as shown in Figure 11, the water level sensor 30 will intermittently (intermittently) detect the cleaning water level L1 during the cleaning process after the water supply process. If, after the water supply treatment, the water level sensor 30 stops detecting the washing water level L1, and then intermittently detects the washing water level L1 twice within a predetermined time (when the water level sensor 30 intermittently (intermittently) inputs an ON signal twice), it is detected that the washing water in the tank 24 is gradually decreasing due to a malfunction of the drain valve 28 or the like. The washing program is then stopped, and the display on the control panel 51 is notified (displayed) that there is insufficient washing water. In some cases, the malfunction of the drain valve 28 can be resolved by repeatedly opening and closing the drain valve 28 several times. In this case, the drain valve 28 may be opened and closed several times, and after the water supply process is performed again, if the water level sensor 30 stops detecting the cleaning water level L1, and then intermittently detects the cleaning water level L1 twice within a predetermined time, it may be detected that the cleaning water in the tank 24 is gradually decreasing due to a malfunction of the drain valve 28 or the like, and the cleaning program may be stopped, and the display on the control panel 51 may be notified (displayed) that there is insufficient cleaning water.

[0044] After the water supply treatment, the control device 50 operates the pump 25 to circulate the cleaning water in the tank 24 between it and the ice-making unit 21, opens the hot gas valve 46, and then starts the compressor 41 as a cleaning water heating treatment. The heating treatment is a process to increase the cleaning power of the chemicals contained in the cleaning water by circulating the cleaning water in the tank 24 between it and the ice-making unit 21, which is heated by hot gas, thereby raising the temperature of the cleaning water. The ice-making unit 21 is heated by the hot gas passing through the evaporator 44, and the cleaning water in the tank 24 is heated while circulating between it and the ice-making unit 21. In addition, the chemicals in the cleaning water in the tank 24 dissolve during the process of circulating between it and the ice-making unit 21, so that the cleaning water contains chemicals. When the heating time, which is set to be longer than the minimum operating time of the compressor 41, has elapsed and the temperature detected by the ice-making unit temperature sensor 37 is above a predetermined temperature (10°C or higher in this embodiment), the operation of the compressor 41 is stopped and the hot gas valve 46 is closed to stop heating the cleaning water. Furthermore, since the ice-making unit 21 is not heated continuously after the de-icing operation, and is not heated during the water supply process, the ice-making unit 21 can be prevented from becoming overheated.

[0045] The water level of the cleaning water in tank 24 may drop below the cleaning water level L1 when the pump 25 is operated after the water supply process, causing it to circulate with the ice-making unit 21. When the cleaning water in tank 24 is circulated with the ice-making unit 21 by operating the pump 25, the water level sensor 30 detects a water level lower than the cleaning water level L1, and the notification means described above displays (notifies) on the display of the operation panel 51 that there is a shortage of cleaning water. This could lead the user to mistakenly believe that there is a problem with the drain valve 28 or the like, preventing the tank 24 from storing cleaning water. For this reason, even if the water level sensor 30 detects a water level lower than the cleaning water level L1 while the pump 25 is operating after the water supply process, the notification means does not display (notify) a shortage of cleaning water on the display of the operation panel 51.

[0046] After the heating of the ice-making unit 21 is stopped by the heating process, the control device 50 continues to operate the pump 25 as a cleaning process. The cleaning water in the tank 24, which now contains the cleaning agent, circulates between the tank and the ice-making unit 21 by the operation of the pump 25, and the circulation path through which the ice-making water circulates is cleaned by the circulating cleaning water containing the cleaning agent. When a predetermined cleaning time has elapsed in the cleaning process, the control device 50 controls the operation of the pump 25 to stop and the drain valve 28 to open as a drainage process. The cleaning water circulating between the tank and the ice-making unit 21 returns to the tank 24, and the cleaning water in the tank 24 is discharged to the upper side of the drain pan 34 through the drain pipe 27. When the time required for the cleaning water circulating between the tank and the ice-making unit 21 to fall into the tank 24 and the time required for the cleaning water in the tank 24 to be discharged to the upper side of the drain pan 34 through the drain pipe 27 has elapsed, the control device 50 closes the drain valve 28 to end the drainage process and the main cleaning operation using the cleaning water containing the cleaning agent is completed.

[0047] The control device 50 performs a rinsing wash operation after the main wash operation using cleaning water containing chemicals, in which the cleaning water containing chemicals and dirt from the main wash operation is washed away by rinsing. For the water supply process during the rinsing wash operation, the control device 50 opens the water supply valve 33 to start supplying water into the tank 24 from the water supply pipe 32, and activates the pump 25 when the water supply time T3, which is set so that the water level in the tank 24 reaches a level suitable for washing, has elapsed. The cleaning water supplied into the tank 24 is circulated between the tank 24 and the ice-making unit 21 by the pump 25, so the water level in the tank 24 will be lower than after the water supply time T3 has elapsed, but the water level in the tank 24 that has been lowered by activating the pump 25 will rise as water continues to be supplied from the water supply pipe 32. When the additional water supply time T4 after the water supply time T3 has elapsed has elapsed, the water supply valve 33 is closed to end the water supply process.

[0048] Although the water supply time T3 for the rinse wash operation is set shorter than the water supply time T1 for the main wash operation, the water supply time T3+T4 for the rinse wash operation, which includes an additional water supply time T4, is set longer than the water supply time T1 for the main wash operation. The water level in the tank 24 supplied by the water supply time T3+T4, including the additional water supply time for the rinse wash operation, is higher than the water level in the tank 24 supplied by the water supply time T1 for the main wash operation. In particular, since the water level in the tank 24 decreases as the wash water circulates when the pump 25 is operated, the water supply time T3+T4 for the rinse wash operation is set so that the water level in the tank 24 when the pump 25 is operated during the rinse wash operation is higher than the water level in the tank 24 before the pump 25 was started after the water supply treatment of the main wash operation.

[0049] After the water supply valve 33 is closed to allow water to be supplied for the rinsing wash operation, the pump 25 continues to operate to perform the washing process of the rinsing wash operation. The washing water for rinsing in the tank 24 is circulated between the tank and the ice-making unit 21 by the pump 25, and the circulation path, which was washed by the washing water containing chemicals during the main wash operation, is rinsed and washed by the circulating washing water. In particular, the washing water remaining in the circulation path contains chemicals and dirt from when the main wash operation was performed, but the amount of washing water supplied by the water supply process for the rinsing wash operation is greater than the amount of washing water used in the main wash operation. In this embodiment, with the washing water for rinsing circulating between the tank and the ice-making unit 21, the washing water in the tank 24 is at or slightly below the water level at the lower end of the overflow outlet 24b, which is the position where the washing water overflows from the tank 24. Therefore, it is difficult for chemicals and dirt contained in the washing water that remains on the inner surface of the side wall inside the tank 24 during the main wash operation to remain.

[0050] When a predetermined rinsing time has elapsed, the control device 50 controls the operation of the pump 25 to stop as part of the drainage process and opens the drain valve 28. The cleaning water circulating between the ice-making unit 21 and the control device returns to the tank 24, and the cleaning water in the tank 24 is discharged from the drain pipe 27 to the upper side of the drain pan 34. When the time required for the cleaning water circulating between the ice-making unit 21 and the control device 50 to fall into the tank 24, and the time required for the cleaning water in the tank 24 to be discharged from the drain pipe 27 to the upper side of the drain pan 34 has elapsed, the control device 50 closes the drain valve 28 to end the drainage process and the rinsing operation using the rinsing cleaning water ends. In this embodiment, the cleaning program is set to execute the rinsing operation three times, and the cleaning program ends after executing the rinsing operation three times. If the ice storage detector 38 does not detect that the ice storage compartment 14 is filled with ice after the cleaning program has finished, the system is controlled to execute an ice-making program that alternately repeats ice-making and de-icing operations in ice-making mode. If the ice storage detector 38 detects that the ice storage compartment 14 is filled with ice, the system is controlled to wait in standby mode without executing an ice-making program that alternates ice-making and de-icing operations.

[0051] In this ice maker 10, if an error occurs while the cleaning program is running, the cleaning program is controlled to be stopped or interrupted. When the main cleaning operation of the cleaning program is stopped due to a mechanical failure of various parts of the ice maker 10, the cleaning water containing chemicals and dirt will not overflow from the tank 24, and the cleaning water containing chemicals and dirt will not flow into the ice storage chamber 14. On the other hand, if the main cleaning operation of the cleaning program is interrupted due to only a temporary malfunction of the ice maker 10, the error may be cleared by retrying the cleaning program. In this case, if the cleaning program is restarted from the water supply process of the main cleaning operation, new cleaning water will be supplied to the tank 24, which still contains cleaning water containing chemicals and dirt, and there is a risk that the cleaning water containing chemicals and dirt will overflow from the tank 24 and flow into the ice storage chamber 14. For this reason, when the cleaning program is retried, the de-icing operation and draining of the tank 24 described above are performed before the water supply process of the main cleaning operation of the cleaning program is performed. This prevents cleaning water containing chemicals and dirt from leaking into the ice storage chamber 14, even if the cleaning program is retried.

[0052] The ice maker 10 configured as described above includes an ice-making unit 21 that freezes water to produce ice, a refrigeration device 40 that cools the ice-making unit 21, a tank 24 that stores water to be sent to the ice-making unit 21, a water supply means 31 that supplies water from a water source into the tank 24, and a pump 25 that sends the water in the tank 24 to the ice-making unit 21. In this ice maker 10, the water supplied into the tank 24 by the water supply means 31 is used as ice-making water, and this ice-making water is sent by the pump 25 to the ice-making unit 21 cooled by the refrigeration device 40, and then returned to the tank 24 for circulation, enabling an ice-making operation in which the ice-making unit 21 freezes the ice-making water to produce ice, and a cleaning operation in which the water supplied into the tank 24 by the water supply means 31 is used as cleaning water, and this cleaning water is sent to the ice-making unit 21 by the pump 25, and then returned to the tank 24 for circulation, cleaning the tank 24 and the ice-making unit 21 with the cleaning water. The cleaning operation in this embodiment includes a main cleaning operation (chemical cleaning operation) in which the circulation path through which the ice-making water circulates is cleaned with cleaning water containing chemicals, and a rinsing operation in which the main cleaning operation is followed by rinsing with rinsing water.

[0053] In this ice maker 10, a water level sensor 30 is provided to detect the cleaning water level L1, which is the water level required when performing the main cleaning operation (cleaning operation) in the tank 24. As part of the water supply process when performing the main cleaning operation, a water supply means 31 supplies water into the tank 24 for a predetermined water supply time T1. When the water level sensor 30 detects a water level lower than the cleaning water level L1 after the water supply time T1 has elapsed, the water supply means 31 is controlled to supply water into the tank 24 for an additional water supply time T2, which is set to the time required to supply water at or below the amount between the cleaning water level L1 and the water level at the lower end of the overflow outlet 24b, which is the water level at which water overflows from the tank 24. This ensures that an appropriate amount of water is supplied to the tank 24 when performing the main cleaning operation, preventing air from getting trapped in the pump 25 due to insufficient cleaning water volume, and preventing a decrease in the concentration of the chemical agent due to excessive cleaning water volume in the tank 24. Furthermore, since the water supply means 31 is not controlled based on the water level detected by the water level sensor 30, even if the water level sensor 30 malfunctions, water will not overflow from the tank 24.

[0054] Furthermore, in this ice maker 10, after the water supply process when performing the main cleaning operation, if the water level sensor 30 detects a water level lower than the cleaning water level L1, the operating panel 51 displays (notifies) that there is a shortage of cleaning water as a notification means, so the user can know that there is a shortage of cleaning water due to a malfunction of the drain valve 28 or the like. When the pump 25 is operated after the water supply process of the main cleaning operation (in this embodiment, during the heating process and the cleaning process), the cleaning water in the tank 24 circulates between the tank and the ice making unit 21, so that the cleaning water in the tank 24 may fall below the cleaning water level L1. Even if the water level sensor 30 detects a water level lower than the cleaning water level L1 while the pump 25 is operating after the water supply process of the main cleaning operation, the operating panel 51 does not display a shortage of cleaning water as a notification means, so that the user is not misled into thinking that there is a shortage of cleaning water. In this embodiment, the notification means displays information on the display unit of the operation panel 51, but it is not limited to this, and notification may also be provided by sound, such as a warning sound or voice.

[0055] This ice maker 10 is a so-called closed-cell type ice maker, and has an ice-making unit 21 having a plurality of ice-making chambers 21a that open to the bottom and freeze water in these ice-making chambers 21a to produce ice, a refrigeration device 40 for cooling the ice-making unit 21, a water tray 23 that is supported below the ice-making unit 21 so as to be rotatable around a horizontal axis and closes the ice-making chambers 21a of the ice-making unit 21 in an openable and closable manner, and a water tray 23 integrally provided below the water tray 23 inside the ice-making chambers 21a of the ice-making unit 21 The system includes a tank 24 for storing water to be sent out, a water supply means 31 for supplying water from a water source into the tank 24, a pump 25 for sending the water in the tank 24 to the ice-making unit 21, a drain pan 34 that covers the bottom of the tank 24 and receives the water discharged from the tank 24, and an ice storage chamber 14 provided below the drain pan 34 for storing the ice produced in the ice-making unit 21.

[0056] In this closed-cell type ice maker 10, the tank 24 tilts together with the water tray 23 which is rotatably supported below the ice-making unit 21. Therefore, a drain pipe that discharges water to the outside of the housing 11 cannot be directly connected to the tank 24, and the water in the tank 24 is discharged to the upper side of the drain pan 34. Since the water in the tank 24 is discharged to the upper side of the drain pan 34, if the cleaning water containing chemicals and dirt overflows from the tank 24, there is a risk that the cleaning water containing chemicals and dirt will pass through the discharge port 34a of the drain pan 34 and adhere to the ice in the ice storage chamber 14. In this ice maker 10, when the main cleaning operation is performed, an appropriate amount of water can be supplied to the tank 24, so that the cleaning water does not overflow from the tank 24 and does not adhere to the ice in the ice storage chamber 14. In a closed-cell type ice maker 10, when the main cleaning operation, which cleans with cleaning water containing chemicals, is performed, an appropriate amount of water can be supplied to the tank 24, so that the effect of preventing the cleaning water from adhering to the ice in the ice storage chamber 14 can be reliably obtained. Furthermore, the present invention is not limited to so-called closed-cell type ice makers, but is also applicable to other ice makers such as so-called open-cell type ice makers and vertical type ice makers that flow ice-making water down into an ice-making chamber that opens horizontally. [Explanation of symbols]

[0057] 10...Ice maker, 14...Ice storage chamber, 21...Ice making section, 21a...Ice making compartment, 22...Water supply means, 23...Water tray, 24...Tank, 25...Pump, 30...Water level sensor, 31...Water supply means, 40...Refrigeration device.

Claims

1. The ice-making section produces ice by freezing water, A refrigeration device for cooling the ice-making section, A tank for storing water supplied to the ice-making section, A water supply means for supplying water from a water source into the tank, The system includes a pump that sends the water in the tank to the ice-making section, The water supplied into the tank by the water supply means is used as ice-making water, this ice-making water is sent by the pump to the ice-making unit cooled by the refrigeration device, and then returned to the tank and circulated, and the ice-making water is frozen in the ice-making unit to produce ice in the ice-making operation, An ice maker capable of performing a cleaning operation in which water supplied into the tank by the water supply means is used as cleaning water, this cleaning water is sent to the ice making section by the pump and then returned to the tank for circulation, thereby cleaning the tank and the ice making section with the cleaning water, A water level sensor is provided in the tank to detect the water level required for the cleaning operation, An ice maker characterized in that, as a water supply process when performing the cleaning operation, the water supply means supplies water into the tank for a predetermined water supply time, and when the water level sensor detects a water level lower than the cleaning water level after the water supply time has elapsed, the water supply means controls the supply of water into the tank for an additional water supply time set to the time required to supply water at or below the amount between the cleaning water level and the water level at which water overflows from the tank.

2. In the ice maker according to claim 1, The system includes a notification means that, after the water supply process when the washing operation is performed, detects a water level lower than the washing water level using the water level sensor, and notifies of a shortage of washing water. An ice maker characterized in that, even if the water level sensor detects a water level lower than the washing water level while the pump is operating during the washing operation, the notification means does not notify of a shortage of washing water.

3. In the ice maker according to claim 1 or 2, The ice-making section is equipped with multiple ice-making compartments that open downwards. Below the ice-making section, the tank is integrally provided and supported so as to be rotatable around a horizontal axis, and a water tray is provided to open and close the ice-making chamber of the ice-making section. A drain pan is provided to receive water discharged from the tank, and has an outlet for dropping the ice produced in the ice-making section, and covers the lower side of the tank. An ice maker characterized by having an ice storage chamber provided below the drain pan for storing ice produced in the ice-making section.

Images