U.S. patent application number 13/501410 was filed with the patent office on 2012-08-09 for cleaning device of ice maker and cleaning method thereof.
This patent application is currently assigned to LG ELECTRONICS INC.. Invention is credited to Taehee Lee.
Application Number | 20120198861 13/501410 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 43876682 |
Filed Date | 2012-08-09 |
United States Patent
Application |
20120198861 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Lee; Taehee |
August 9, 2012 |
CLEANING DEVICE OF ICE MAKER AND CLEANING METHOD THEREOF
Abstract
Disclosed are a cleaning device of an ice maker and a method
thereof. In the cleaning device of an ice maker and a method
thereof according to embodiments of the present invention, since
the cleaning block is detachably coupled to the ejector to clean
the ice making container, a cleaning operation can be easily
performed on the ice making container, which is difficult for an
operator to directly clean, thereby enhancing quality of ice made
by the ice maker.
Inventors: |
Lee; Taehee; (Seoul,
KR) |
Assignee: |
LG ELECTRONICS INC.
Seoul
KR
|
Family ID: |
43876682 |
Appl. No.: |
13/501410 |
Filed: |
October 11, 2010 |
PCT Filed: |
October 11, 2010 |
PCT NO: |
PCT/KR10/06946 |
371 Date: |
April 11, 2012 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
62/71 ;
62/303 |
Current CPC
Class: |
F25C 2400/12 20130101;
F25C 1/04 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
62/71 ;
62/303 |
International
Class: |
F25D 31/00 20060101
F25D031/00; F25C 5/00 20060101 F25C005/00 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Oct 12, 2009 |
KR |
10-2009-0096918 |
Claims
1. A cleaning device of an ice maker, the cleaning device
comprising: an ice making container having one or more ice making
spaces formed to receive water to make ice; an ejector installed at
an upper portion of the ice making container, having at least one
ejector pin, and drawing up ice to release ice; and a cleaning
block detachably coupled to the ejector and cleaning the ice making
spaces of the ice making container.
2. The cleaning device of claim 1, wherein the cleaning block
includes a fixed unit detachably coupled to the ejector and a
cleaning unit coupled to the fixed unit to wipe out the ice making
space of the ice making container.
3. The cleaning device of claim 2, wherein the fixed unit includes
pin insertion recesses formed to correspond to the ejector pins to
allow the ejector pins to be insertedly coupled thereto.
4. The cleaning device of claim 2, wherein the fixed unit is made
of a material having a relatively greater strength than that of the
cleaning unit.
5. The cleaning device of claim 2, wherein a single fixed unit is
provided and a plurality of cleaning u nits are provided, and the
plurality of cleaning units are coupled to the single fixed
unit.
6. The cleaning device of claim 2, wherein the fixed units and the
cleaning unit are formed as a single piece, respectively, by the
number corresponding to the ice making spaces.
7. The cleaning device of claim 1, wherein the ejector is coupled
to a rotational motor which makes a forward and reverse rotation,
and in the cleaning mode, the rotational motor is rotated in both
directions within a certain angle to perform cleaning.
8. A cleaning method of an ice maker, the method comprising: a
cleaning preparation step of rotating an ejector configured to draw
up ice from an ice making container such that the ejector is
positioned to allow a cleaning block for cleaning the ice making
container to be easily inserted thereto; a cleaning step of
rotating the ejector to allow the cleaning block to clean the ice
making container; and a cleaning separation step of rotating the
ejector such that the ejector is positioned to allow the cleaning
block to be easily separated from the ejector.
9. The cleaning method of claim 8, wherein an ice making operation
is stopped before performing the cleaning preparation step.
10. The cleaning method of claim 9, further comprising: determining
whether or not ice remains in the ice making container before the
ejector is positioned at an angle at which the cleaning block is
easily inserted.
11. The cleaning method of claim 10, further comprising: when it is
determined that ice remains in the ice making container in the
determining of whether or not ice remains in the ice making
container, rotating the ejector to remove the remaining ice.
12. The cleaning method of claim 8, further comprising: determining
whether or not the cleaning block remains in the ice making
container after the ejector is positioned at an angle at which the
cleaning block is easily separated.
13. The cleaning method of claim 12, further comprising: when it is
determined that the cleaning block remains in the determining of
whether or not the cleaning block remains, further rotating the
ejector in a separation direction to secure a withdrawal space.
Description
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0001] The present invention relates to an ice maker and, more
particularly, to a cleaning device of an ice maker and a method
thereof capable of cleaning an ice making container that makes
ice.
BACKGROUND ART
[0002] In general, a household refrigerator is a device having a
certain accommodation space to keep food items, or the like, at a
low temperature. A refrigerator is divided into a refrigerating
chamber maintained above zero in a low temperature range and a
freezing chamber maintained below zero in the low temperature
range. Recently, as demand for ice rises, refrigerators having an
automatic ice maker that makes ice are increasing.
[0003] The automatic ice maker (referred to as an `ice maker`,
hereinafter) may be installed in the freezing chamber or in the
refrigerating chamber according to types of refrigerators. When the
ice maker is installed in the refrigerating chamber, cold air in
the freezing chamber is guided (or provided) to the ice maker to
make ice.
[0004] Ice makers may be divided into a twist type icemaker, an
ejector type ice maker, and a rotation type ice maker depending on
how ice made by the ice maker is released. The twist type ice maker
releases ice by twisting an ice making container. The ejector type
ice maker draws up to release ice from the ice container by an
ejector installed at an upper portion of the ice making container.
The rotation type ice maker releases ice from the ice making
container by rotating the ice making container.
DISCLOSURE
Technical Problem
[0005] However, the related ice makers do not have an apparatus or
method for cleaning debris or a foreign object when such things are
generated in the ice making container as the ice makers are used
for a long time, having a limitation in providing clean ice. In
particular, in case of the ice releasing method using an ejector,
since the ejector is positioned at an upper portion of the ice
making container, a cleaning operation of the ice making container
is limited or the ice maker should be disassembled for a cleaning
operation, causing user inconvenience.
[0006] Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide
a cleaning device of an ice maker and a method thereof capable of
easily cleaning an ice making container although the ice maker has
an ejector disposed at an upper portion of the ice making
container.
Technical Solution
[0007] According to an aspect of the present invention, there is
provided a cleaning device of an ice maker including: an ice making
container having one or more ice making spaces formed to receive
water to make ice; an ejector installed at an upper portion of the
ice making container, having at least one ejector pin, and drawing
up ice to release ice; and a cleaning block detachably coupled to
the ejector and cleaning the ice making spaces of the ice making
container.
[0008] According to another aspect of the present invention, there
is provided a cleaning method of an ice maker, including: a
cleaning preparation step of rotating an ejector configured to draw
up ice from an ice making container such that the ejector is
positioned to allow a cleaning block for cleaning the ice making
container to be easily inserted thereto; a cleaning step of
rotating the ejector to allow the cleaning block to clean the ice
making container; and a cleaning separation step of rotating the
ejector such that the ejector is positioned to allow the cleaning
block to be easily separated from the ejector.
Advantageous Effects
[0009] In the cleaning device of an ice maker and a method thereof
according to embodiments of the present invention, since the
cleaning block is detachably coupled to the ejector to clean the
ice making container, a cleaning operation can be easily performed
on the ice making container, which is difficult for an operator to
directly clean, thereby enhancing quality of ice made by the ice
maker.
DRAWING OF DRAWINGS
[0010] FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a cleaning block
of an ice maker according to an embodiment of the present
invention.
[0011] FIG. 2 is an assembled perspective view of the cleaning
block of the ice maker in FIG. 1.
[0012] FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along line I-I in FIG.
2.
[0013] FIG. 4 is a schematic view showing a cleaning process of the
ice maker in FIG. 1.
[0014] FIG. 5 is a block diagram illustrating a process of making
ice by the ice maker in FIG. 1.
BEST MODES
[0015] A cleaning device of an ice maker and a method thereof
according to embodiments of the present invention will be described
in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.
[0016] FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a cleaning block
of an ice maker according to an embodiment of the present
invention. FIG. 2 is an assembled perspective view of the cleaning
block of the ice maker in FIG. 1. FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken
along line I-I in FIG. 2. FIG. 4 is a schematic view showing a
cleaning process of the ice maker in FIG. 1. FIG. 5 is a flow chart
illustrating a process of making ice by the ice maker in FIG.
1.
[0017] As illustrated, the ice maker according to an embodiment of
the present invention includes an ice making container 110, an
ejector 120 disposed at an upper portion of the ice making
container 110 and releasing ice, a driving unit 130 driving the
ejector 120, and a storage bank 140 receiving ice made in the ice
making container 110 and storing the same.
[0018] The ice making container 110 has an ice making space 111
having a substantially semi-cylindrical shape in section, and
partition projections 113 are formed on an inner circumferential
surface of the ice making container 110 and divide the ice making
space 111 into several unit spaces 112 to make several ice cubes
having a certain size at a time. A sliding plate 114 is formed at
one side of an opening surface of the ice making container 110 in
order to guide ice released by the ejector 120 to the storage bank
140 after being separated by ejector pins 122.
[0019] An ice sensor 115 may be mounted on a lower surface of the
sliding plate 114 in order to determine whether or not ice remains
in the ice making space 111. However, the present invention is not
limited thereto and the ice sensor 115 may be installed in the ice
making space 111 or may be installed on a different member or
position. As the ice sensor 115, any of a contact type sensor or a
non-contact type sensor may be used so long as it can detect
whether or not ice remains in the ice making space 111.
[0020] The ejector 120 includes a rotary shaft 121 installed to
traverse the center of the ice making container 110 and the
plurality of ejector pins 122 vertically protruded from the rotary
shaft 121 to draw up ice I or allowing the cleaning block 150 to be
inserted and rotated for a cleaning operation. The ejector pins 122
are installed to correspond in a one-to-one manner to each of unit
spaces 112 divided by the partition protrusions 113 such that ice
within each unit space 112 can be discharged from the ice making
container 110 as the ejector pins 122 are rotated.
[0021] Here, the cleaning block 150 may be made of one of materials
such as sponge, tissue, nonwoven fabric, and the like, that may be
used to wipe out foreign objects. In this case, there may be a
limitation to firmly couple the cleaning block 150 to the eject
pins 122. Thus, the cleaning block 150 may include a fixed unit
fixed to the ejector pins 122 and a cleaning unit 152 coupled to
the fixed unit to perform cleaning. The fixed unit 151 may be made
of a material, such as plastic, rubber, ceramic, or the like,
having certain strength, and the cleaning unit 152 may be made of a
material having detergency.
[0022] As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the cleaning block 150 may be
formed by grouping (uniting, assembling, or integrating) a
plurality of cleaning block units as a batch, or each of a
plurality of cleaning block units may be separately provided (as a
single piece). For example, when a plurality of cleaning blocks are
grouped as a batch, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the plurality of
cleaning units 152 may be coupled to a single fixed unit 151. Pin
insertion recesses 153 may be formed on an upper surface of the
fixed unit 151 to correspond to the ejector pins 122 such that the
ejector pins 122 can be inserted and coupled therein.
[0023] The driving unit 130 includes a motor box (not shown)
installed at one side of the ejector 120, a driving motor (not
shown) provided within the motor box 131 an rotating the ejector
120 in both directions, and deceleration gear (not shown)
decelerating a rotation speed of the driving motor 132.
[0024] Reference numeral 141 denotes a storage space.
[0025] An ice making process of the ice maker according to an
embodiment of the present invention is as follows.
[0026] Namely, when ice making is required, the ice maker (not
shown) is turned on and an ice making operation starts. When the
ice making starts, a water supply unit (not shown) supplies water
to the ice making space 111 of the ice making container 110. When
the supply of water is completed, water within the ice making
container 110 is exposed to cold air within a cooling chamber for
more than a certain time and frozen.
[0027] And then, when the temperature of the ice making container
110 is dropped to be lower than a certain temperature, or when a
certain time has lapsed after the water supply, it is determined
that ice making has been completed and a process of releasing ice
starts.
[0028] In order to release ice, as shown in FIG. 4, the driving
motor 132 of the driving unit 130 is rotated in one direction to
rotate the ejector 120 in a forward direction. Then, the ejector
pins 122 rotate in the forward direction to draw up ice from the
unit space 112 of the ice making container and rotate the ice.
Then, the ice (or ice cubes) are rotated along the ejector pins
122, caught by the sliding plate 114 so as to be separated from the
ejector pins 122, and then, slides along the sliding plate 114 and
is dropped to be stored in the storage space 141 of the storage
bank 140.
[0029] However, when the foregoing ice making operation is
repeatedly performed, a foreign object such as scale (or fur), or
the like, are formed on the ice making container 110. When a
cleaning operation is not performed, such a foreign object may
cling to ice to degrade quality of ice, so, preferably, the ice
making operation is stopped at every certain period and a cleaning
operation is performed.
[0030] The cleaning operation is performed as shown in FIG. 5.
[0031] First, an operator selects a cleaning preparation button
(not shown) provided in the refrigerator door or the ice making to
stop the ice making operation (step S1). Then, the ejector pins 122
of the ejector 120 are rotated and stopped at a certain angle,
e.g., an angle of about 30.degree. with respect to a vertical
direction (step S2). At this angle, the operator can easily insert
the cleaning block 150 to the ejector pins 122. At this time, the
ice sensor 114 operates to determine whether or not there is ice in
the ice making container 110. When ice remains, the ejector 120 is
operated to completely release ice, thus removing ice from the ice
making container (step S3).
[0032] Next, the operator inserts the cleaning block 150 to the
ejector pins 122 to prepare a cleaning operation (step S4). In this
case, a detergent or a chemical may be applied to enhance the
cleaning effect.
[0033] And then, the operator presses a cleaning start button.
Then, the ejector 120 is rotated in one direction or in both
directions by the driving motor 132 and the cleaning block 150
coupled to the ejector pins 122 wipes the ice making space 111 of
the ice making container 110 to remove a foreign object such as
scale, or the like (step S5). In this case, a chemical advantageous
for cleaning may be applied to the cleaning block 150 to perform
the cleaning operation. The cleaning operation may be performed for
a period of time previously set by the operator or may be performed
for a period of time set in the cleaning device.
[0034] Thereafter, when the cleaning operation is completed, the
ejector pins 122 of the ejector 120 are rotated to be positioned at
a certain angle, i.e., at the foregoing angle at which the cleaning
block 150 can be easily inserted (step S6). At this angle, the
operator can easily separate the cleaning block 150. At this time,
a step of determining, by the operator, whether or not the cleaning
block 150 separated from the ejector 120 remains in the ice making
container 110 by using an extra sensor (not shown) may be further
performed. When the cleaning block 150 remains, the ejector 120 may
be further rotated in a separation direction to secure a withdrawal
space, and then, the operator may completely collect (or draw out)
the cleaning block 150. This process may be particularly
advantageous when the cleaning block 150 is formed as a single
piece.
[0035] And then, the operator selects a cleaning completion button
(not shown) to transfer information that the cleaning operation has
been completed to a controller of a pertinent refrigerator, so that
an ice making operation may be performed (step S7).
[0036] In this manner, the cleaning block is detachably coupled to
the ejector to clean the ice making container. Thus, the operator
can easily perform cleaning operation on the ice making container,
which is difficult for the operator to directly clean, thus
enhancing quality of ice made in the ice maker.
[0037] Meanwhile, although not shown, in the refrigerator employing
the ice maker, the ice maker is generally installed in a freezing
chamber or on a freezing chamber door of the freezing chamber.
Also, in this case, the cleaning device of the ice maker may be
configured to be operated in the same manner as described above,
and have the same operational effect as described above.
INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY
[0038] The ice cleaning device of the ice maker and the cleaning
method thereof according to embodiments of the present invention
can be applied to a product formed as an ice make alone, as well as
to an ice maker applied to a refrigerator.
* * * * *