GB2253688A - Control for ice making device - Google Patents

Abstract

A time-delay relay ice maker comprising a housing wherein an evaporator (201), a compressor (104) and a condenser (206) are mounted. a duct for low pressure freezing mixture is connected between the outlet of the evaporator and the inlet of the compressor. a duct for high pressure freezing mixture is connected from the outlet of the compressor to the inlet of the condenser via a pressure regulator (204), a duct for high pressure freezing mixture is linked from the outlet of the condenser to an expansion valve (209) through a drier (208), a duct for low pressure freezing mixture is connected between the expansion valve and the inlet of the evaporator. and a duct for high pressure freezing mixture is connected from the outlet of the compressor to the inlet of the evaporator through the electromagnetical valve (107) and a non-return valve (211) for high pressure gaseous freezing mixture. The ice maker also comprises an ice mould, an ice container, a water pump and a fan. A control circuit includes a time controller consisting of two time relays and two intermediate relays, controlling the cycles of operation of the ice maker. <IMAGE>

Description

Time-Delav RelaY Ice Maker The present invention relates to an improved ice maker, and more particularly it relates to a time-delay relay ice maker which is able to produce the qualified and plump-eared ice from beginning to end and is very easy to be maintained. The time controller consisting of its timedelay relays is suitable for the various ice makers.

As shown from Figure 1, it is a prior art ice maker which is controlled by time controller of the timer motor (TM), wherein continuous exchange between the ice making cycles and the ice harvesting cycles is carried out by the timer motor (TM). As the output cam of the gear reduction mechanism is drived by the timer motor, it takes 15 minutes to make one revolution (360") wherein the ice harvesting cycle takes 1.5 minutes and the latter half of the ice making cycle takes 13.5 minutes (the first half of one is controlled by the temperature meter).Therefore, after the ice maker is drived, the following two situations will arise: 1) As the contacts 1 and 4 of the timer motor are connected, the ice maker first perform pouring water (its time has to be less than 1.5minutes) and then makes ice, again pouring water (harvesting ice) and making ice, and this process is repeatedly carried out.

2) As the contacts 1 and 2 of the timer motor are connected, the ice maker makes ice so soon as it is started, and its latter half of the ice making cycle must be less than 13.5 minutes. The first made ice is unqualified and hollow one. Then the ice maker continues pouring water (harvesting ice), and gets into the automatical cycle of making ice.

In general, probability of presenting the latter is about 90%, i.e., it is nine times larger than probability of presenting the first. It is well known that the first made ice is unqualified and hollow one.

Because pre revolution (360 ) takes 15 minutes and it is constant (when the output cam of the gear reduction mechanism is drived by the timer motor), the ice making cycle (or harvesting one ) should be adjusted as outside water temperature is changed, and the corresponding harvesting cycle (or ice making one) is changed accordingly: if one is increased, the other is decreased. It is obvious that it is no easy to control size of ice.

In addition, structure of the timer motor is complex and it is used for special purpose. Once the timer motor has broken down, it is very difficult to maintain, thus taking a lot of trouble and costing a lot.

Therefore, there exist some problems, for example, quality of ice and difficult to maintain etc., in the general timer motor.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an improved time-delay relay ice maker which either can reach the Technical condition of the timer motor ice maker or can overcome the above mentioned disadvantages thereof.

The ice maker of the present invention can make plump-eared ice which is in correspondence with ice mould, and its qualified rate is approaching to 100%.

Alternatively, its maintenance is simple and convenient, and the used time-delay relay is available and its cost and consumed energy are lower.

The object of the present invention is performed by the following ways: the time-delay relay ice maker of the present invention includes a housing, wherein an evaporator, a compressor and a condenser are mounted, a gaseous duct of low pressure freezing mixture is connected between the outlet of the evaporator and the inlet of the compressor, a gaseous duct of high pressure freezing mixture is joined from the outlet of the compressor to the condenser through a pressure regulator, a liquid duct of high pressure freezing mixture is linked from the outlet of the condenser to a expansion valve through a drier, a liquid duct of low pressure freezing mixture is connected between the inlets of the expansion valve and the evaporator, another gaseous duct of high pressure freezing mixture is joined from the outlet of the compressor to the inlet of the evaporator through the electromagnetical valve and the non-return valve of high pressure gaseous freezing mixture; and also includes an ice mould, an ice container, a water pump and a fan etc.

The present invention is characterized in that the said ice maker also includes a control circuit, which has time controller consisting of two time relays and two intermediate relays, thus controlling the cycles of operation of the ice maker, for example, pouring water and making ice; pouring water (harvesting ice) and making ice, through predetermined timing control, and which also has another intermediate relay.

The present invention will be better understood from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a principle view of the prior art ice maker controlled by the time controller of the timer motor; Figure 2 is a principle view of freezing system of the time-delay relay ice maker of the present invention; and Figure 3 is a view of control circuit of the timedelay relay ice maker of the present invention.

In the ice maker of the present invention, referring to Fig. 2, there is a housing (not shown), wherein an evaporator 201, a compressor 104 and a condenser 206 are located; a gas duct 202 of low pressure freezing mixture is connected between the outlet of the evaporator 201 and the inlet of the compressor 104, a gas duct 205 of high pressure freezing mixture is joined from the outlet of the compressor 104 to the inlet of condenser 206 through a pressure regulator 204, a liquid duct 207 of high pressure freezing mixture is linked form the outlet of the condeser 206 to an expansion valve 209 through a drier 208, a liquid duct 212 of low pressure freezing mixture is connected between the inlets of the expansion valve 209 and the evaporator 201, another gas duct of high pressure freezing mixture is linked form the outlet of the compressor 104 to the inlet of the evaporator 201 through an electromagnetical valve 107 of the gaseous freezing mixture of high pressure.and a non-return valve211, in addition, wherein there also exist an ice mould, an ice container, a water pump and a fan etc., and a control circuit (see Fig. 3).

Liquid of the freezing mixture via the expansion valve 209 is evaporated in the evaporator 201, and the gaseous freezing mixtureas evaporated, via the gas duct 202 of low pressure freezing mixture is drawn in the compressor 104, thus making the gaseous freezing mixture compressed and its pressure increased. Then it via the gas duct 205 of high pressure freezing mixture is transferred to the condenser 206. When the condenser 206 is blown by the fan, temperature of the gaseous freezing mixture can be made to decreased continually and the gaseous freezing mixture is gradually condensed and transferred into a liquid. Then, liquid freezing mixture via the liquid duct 207 and the expansion valve 209 is again transported into the evaporator 201, thus absorbing heat and being evaporated. As seen from the above, the freezing mixture is repeatedly circulated in the freezing system of the ice maker.

In a harvesting cycle, the gaseous freezing mixture of high pressure is transported by the electromagnetical valve 107 of the gaseous freezing mixture of high pressure, into the evaporator 201, thus releasing the ice, which then falls, into an ice container.

In a preferable embodiment of the present invention shown in Fig. 3, same parts as that in Fig. 2 are expressed as same reference wherein reference 101 expresses a main switch, 102 - a switch of the compressor; 103 - a contactor controlling the compressor; 104 - the compressor 105 - a contact of the contactor of the compressor; 106 - a water supply electromagnetical valve; 107 - an electromagnetical valve of the gaseous freezing mixture of high pressure; 108 - a water pump; 109 - a fan; 110 - a temperature controller of the ice container; 111 - a temperature controller of the evaporator; 1TR, 2TR and 3TR respectively express three time relays; MR, 1MR and 2MR respectively express three intermediate relays.

When the main switch 101 and the switch 102 of the compressor are closed so that the electric circuit is set up, coil of the relay 1MR is excited. Thus, as the contacts 9 and 11 of the said relay are closed, coil of the relay 3TR is excited. After appropriately relaying time (1-2 seconds), the contacts 6 and 8 of the relay 3TR are closed.

As a consequence, coil of the relay 2MR is excited, and the contacts 3 and 7 of the relay 2MR are opened and the contacts 1 and 4 are closed. Therefore, the water supply electromagnetical valve 106 and the gaseous freezing mixture electromagnical valve 107 are made to operate and to start pouring water. (at the same time, the contacts 1 and 4 of the relay 1MR are used for separating coil of the relay 2MR before coil of the relay 2TR is made to operate and to start timing during the ice making cycle. The contacts 1 and 5 of the relay 2MR are used for automatically stopping.) As mentioned above, when the main switch is closed, coil of the relay 1TR is also excited, and after about 90 seconds, the contacts 6 and 8 of the relay 1TR are closed. Thus, coil of the relay MR is excited, and its contacts 1 and 5 as well as contacts 3 and 7 are opened.

Coil of the relay 1MR is made not to be electrified, and the contacts 9 and 11 of the relay 1MR is opened. As a result, coil of the relay 3TR is made not to be electrified, and its contacts 6 and 8 are opened. Hence, coil of the relay 2MR is made not to be electrified, and its contacts 3 and 7 are closed and contacts 1 and 4 are opened. The water supply electromagnetical valve 106 and the gaseous freezing mixture electromagnetical valve 107 are made to be stopped, thus stopping pouring water. Simultaneously, the water pump and the fan start operating, thus beginning the ice making cycle.

After the ice maker starts producing the ice, water temperature is gradually reduced. As water temperature is down to that of making temperature controller 111 of the evaporator to be operated (for example, 0 C), its contacts 1 and 4 are opened and contacts 1 and 2 are closed.

Consequently, coil of the time-delay relay 2TR is excited.

After about 15 minutes, the contacts 5 and 8 of the timedelay relay 2TR are opened, and coil of the time-delay lTR is made not to be electrified and its contacts 6 and 8 are opened. Thus, coil of the relay MR is made not to be electrified, and its contacts 1 and 5 as well as contacts 3 and 7 are closed. Thereupon, coil of the relay 1MR is excited, and its contacts 9 and 11 are closed. As a result, coil of the relay 3TR is excited, and after appropriately relaying time (1-2 seconds), its contacts 6 and 8 are closed. Therefore, coil of the relay 2MR is excited, and its contacts 3 and 7 are opened and contacts 1 and 4 are closed. The water pump and the fan are stopped operating, thus performing making ice.Meanwhile, the water supply electromagnetical valve 106 and the gaseous freezing mixture electromagnetical valve 107 start operating, thus beginning to harvest ice and pour additional water.

Owing to the fact that coil of the relay MR is made not to be electrified, its contacts 3 and 6 are opened.

Hence, coil of the relay 2TR is made not to be electrified, and its contacts 5 and 8 are closed. From this, coil of the relay 1TR is excited and after 90 seconds, its contacts 6 and 8 are closed. As a result, coil of the relay MR is excited, and its contacts 1 and 5 as well as contacts 3 and 7 are opened. Thus, coil of the relay 1MR is made not to be electrified, and its contacts 9 and 11 are opened.

Therefore, coil of the relay 3TR is made not to be electrified and its contacts 6 and 8 are opened. Thereby, coil of the relay 2MR is made not to be electrified, and its contacts 1 and 4 are opened and contacts 3 and 7 are closed.

The water supply electromagnetical valve 106 and the gaseous freezing mixture electromagnetical valve 107 are stopped operating. After harvesting ice is complete, pouring additional water is stopped. The water pump 108 and the fan 109 start to operate, and the ice making cycle begins again.

It goes round and begins again.

During the harvesting ice, once automatically stopping signal is received, the contacts 1 and 2 of temperature controller 110 of the ice container are opened, and the ice maker is immediately stopped because the contacts 5 and 1 of the relay 2MR are open at that time.

If an automatically stopping signal is received during the ice making cycle, the contacts 2 and 1 of temperature controller 110 of the ice container is opened, and at this time, since the contacts 5 and 1 of the relay 2MR are close, the process of making ice is continued until the ice making is completed.

When the ice maker begins harvesting ice and pouring additional water after the ice making is completed, the time-delay relay 3TR is excited because the contacts 9 and 11 of the relay 1MR are closed, and after appropriately relaying time(l-2 seconds), its contacts 6 and 8 are closed.

Coil of the relay 2MR is excited and its contacts 5 and 1 are opened, thus dumping power. And ice is still retained in the copper mould. After more than on hour, the ice is released and it intermittently falls until all of ice fall down.

The time-delay relay 3TR shown in Fig. 3 is only used for making the ice making cycle and the harvesting cycle more stable. In another preferable embodiment of the present invention, as far as the control circuit of the time-delay relay ice maker is concerned, the relay 3TR is omitted and the similar effect of the invention can be still obtained.

Although the preferred embodiment of the present invention has been described above, but it is to be understood that the present invention is not limited to the above mentioned one and changes and variations will be apparent to those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. These changes and variations can be suitable for ice maker of various size.

Claims (2)

What is claimed is:

1. A time-delay relay ice maker, comprising a housing, wherein an evaporator, a compressor and a condenser are mounted, a gaseous duct of low pressure freezing mixture is connected between the outlet of the evaporator and the inlet of the compressor, a gaseous duct of high pressure freezing mixture is joined from the outlet of the compressor to the inlet of the condenser through a pressure regulator, a liquid duct of high pressure freezing mixture is linked from the outlet of the condenser to an expansion valve through a drier, a liquid duct of low pressure freezing mixture is connected between the expansion valve and the inlet of the evaporator, another gaseous duct of high pressure freezing mixture is joined from the outlet of the compressor to the inlet of the evaporator through the electromagnetical valve and the non-return valve of high pressure gaseous freezing mixture; and also comprising an ice mould, an ice container, a water pump and a fan etc., is characterized in that the said ice maker also includes a control circuit, which has a time controller consisting of two time relays and two intermediate relays, thus controlling the cycles of operation of the ice maker: pouring water and making ice, pouring water (harvesting ice) and making ice, through predetermined timing control, and which has another intermediate relay.

2. The time-delay relay ice maker as claimed in claim 1, wherein said control circuit has a time-delay relay 3TR which makes the ice making cycle and the ice harvesting cycle more stable.