Automatic ice making machine

• US 9,146,049 B2
• Filed: 11/18/2009
• Issued: 09/29/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 03/25/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hoshizaki Corporation
• Original Assignee: Hoshizaki Denki Kabushiki Kaisha
• Inventors: Yamaguchi, Hiroki, Wakatsuki, Yuji
• Primary Examiner(s): Elve, M. Alexandra
• Assistant Examiner(s): Crenshaw, Henry
• Application Number:
  US13/201,207
• Publication Number:
  US 20120000226A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,141 Days
• Field of Search: 621/35, 621/57, 622/33, 623/47, 623/48, 623/49, 623/52, 623/53
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: F25C 1/12 by freezing water on cooled surfaces, e.g. to form slabs
• CPC Class Codes: F25C 2400/14 Water supply
• CPC Class Codes: F25C 2600/04 Control means
• CPC Class Codes: F25C 2700/04 Level of water
• CPC Class Codes: F25C 2700/14 Temperature of water
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 2700/10 Sensors measuring the temperature of the evaporator

Abstract

An automatic ice making machine is provided that is capable of modifying an amount of feeding water depending on a temperature of makeup water. The automatic ice making machine is equipped with a deicing timer 42 to keep time of a deicing completion time period T₁ in which deicing operation is completed. In addition, in a control means 24, a deicing water longest supply time period U₁ is preset, which is a longest time period to supply deicing water in deicing operation. In a case where the deicing water is low in temperature, so that the deicing progresses slowly and thus the deicing completion time period T₁ becomes equal to or greater than the deicing water longest supply time period U₁, the control means 24 carries out water feeding in a feeding amount of water at low temperature at the time of water feeding. In contrast, in a case where deicing water is high in temperature, so that the deicing is promoted and thus the deicing completion time period T₁ becomes shorter than the deicing water longest supply time period U₁, the control means 24 carries out water feeding in a feeding amount of water at high temperature, which is more than the feeding amount of water at low temperature, at the time of water feeding.

Claims

1. An automatic ice making machine comprising:

an ice making unit where ice making water is supplied to an evaporator that is cooled during an ice making operation to produce ice, and where deicing water is supplied from an external water source to the evaporator that is heated during a deicing operation to separate the ice;

an ice making water tank that supplies ice making water to the ice making unit and that collects ice making water that flows down from the ice making unit during the ice making operation;

a water feeding valve that feeds ice making water from the external water source to the ice making water tank;

a deicing timer that measures a deicing completion time period from a start of the deicing operation until separation of ice on the ice making unit; and

a control circuit that compares the deicing completion time period with a deicing base elapsed time period that is previously stored in the control circuit, wherein

when the deicing completion time period is equal to or longer than the deicing base elapsed time period, the control circuit determines that a temperature of the deicing water is lower than a predetermined base temperature, and controls the water feeding valve so that a certain amount of ice making water required at a low temperature is supplied from the external water source to the ice making water tank,

when the deicing completion time period is shorter than the deicing base elapsed time period, the control circuit determines that the temperature of the deicing water is higher than the predetermined base temperature, and controls the water feeding valve so that an amount of ice making water greater than the certain amount of ice making water required at the low temperature is supplied from the external water source to the ice making water tank,

the ice making water tank has a float switch that detects a lower water level of ice making water and an upper water level of ice making water,

the control circuit has a delay timer that measures a first delay time period,

when the temperature of the deicing water is lower than the predetermined base temperature, the control circuit controls the water feeding valve to start supply of ice making water to the ice making water tank when the float switch detects the lower water level and to stop supply of ice making water to the ice making water tank when the float switch detects the upper water level, and

when the temperature of the deicing water is higher than the predetermined base temperature, the control circuit controls the water feeding valve to start supply of ice making water to the ice making water tank when the float switch detects the lower water level and to stop supply of ice making water to the ice making water tank when the first delay time period measured by the delay timer has elapsed counting from a time that the float switch detects the upper water level.

3. The automatic ice making machine according to claim 1 or 2, wherein when a predetermined temperature of the deicing water is set as a base temperature, a longest time period of deicing water supply that is required from a start of deicing water supply at the base temperature until the separation of ice produced on the ice making unit is established as the deicing base elapsed time period.

2. An automatic ice making machine comprising:

an ice making unit where ice making water is supplied to an evaporator that is cooled during an ice making operation to produce ice, and where deicing water is supplied from an external water source to the evaporator that is heated during a deicing operation to separate the ice;

an ice making water tank that supplies ice making water to the ice making unit and that collects ice making water that flows down from the ice making unit during the ice making operation;

a water feeding valve that feeds ice making water from the external water source to the ice making water tank;

a deicing timer that measures a deicing completion time period from a start of the deicing operation until separation of ice on the ice making unit; and

a control circuit that compares the deicing completion time period with a deicing base elapsed time period that is previously stored in the control circuit, wherein

when the deicing completion time period is equal to or longer than the deicing base elapsed time period, the control circuit determines that a temperature of the deicing water is lower than a predetermined base temperature, and controls the water feeding valve so that a certain amount of ice making water required at a low temperature is supplied from the external water source to the ice making water tank,

when the deicing completion time period is shorter than the deicing base elapsed time period, the control circuit determines that the temperature of the deicing water is higher than the predetermined base temperature, and controls the water feeding valve so that an amount of ice making water greater than the certain amount of ice making water required at the low temperature is supplied from the external water source to the ice making water tank,

the ice making water tank has a float switch that detects a lower water level of ice making water and an upper water level of ice making water,

the control circuit has a delay timer that measures a second delay time period,

when the temperature of the deicing water is lower than the predetermined base temperature, the control circuit controls the water feeding valve to start supply of ice making water to the ice making water tank when the float switch detects the lower water level and to stop supply of ice making water to the ice making water tank when the float switch detects the upper water level, and

when the temperature of the deicing water is higher than the predetermined base temperature, the control circuit controls the water feeding valve to start supply of ice making water to the ice making water tank when the second delay time period measured by the delay timer has elapsed counting from a time that the float switch detects the lower water level and to stop supply of ice making water to the ice making water tank when the float switch detects the upper water level.