US3611741A

US3611741A - Ice maker refrigeration control

Info

Publication number: US3611741A
Application number: US872857A
Authority: US
Inventors: William J Linstromberg
Original assignee: Whirlpool Corp
Current assignee: Whirlpool Corp
Priority date: 1969-10-31
Filing date: 1969-10-31
Publication date: 1971-10-12
Anticipated expiration: 1988-10-12

Abstract

A CONTROL FOR PROVIDING IMPROVED OPERATION OF A REFRIGERATION. APPARATUS WHEREBY EFFECTIVE MAXIMUM EFFICIENCY IN THE OPERATION OF AN ICE MAKER ASSOCIATED WITH THE REFRIGERATION APPARATUS IS OBTAINED. THE CONTROL EFFECTS A CONTINUOUS DIRECTING OF REFRIGERATED AIR AGAINST THE ICE MAKER APPARATUS WHENEVER THE ICE BODY COLLECTING MEANS IS LESS THAN FULL THEREBY PERMITTING THE ICE MAKER TO RAPIDLY PRODUCE ICE BODIES FOR BRINGING THE COLLECTING MEANS TO A FULL CONDITION.

Description

Oct. l2, 1971 W, n lNS-n-RQMBERG 3,6119741 ICE MAKER REFRIGERATION CONTROL Filed Oct. 3l. 1969 3,611,741 ICE MAKER REFRIGERATION CONTROL William l'. Linstromberg, Evansville, Ind., assignor to Whirlpool Corporation lFiled Oct. 31, 1969, Ser. No. 872,857 llnt. Cl. lFZSc 1/00 Us. ci. 62-137 6 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A control for providing improved operation of a refrigeration apparatus whereby effective maximum efficiency in the operation of an ice maker associated with the refrigeration apparatus is obtained. The control effects a continuous directing of refrigerated air against the ice maker apparatus whenever the ice body collecting means is less than full thereby permitting the ice maker to rapidly produce ice bodies for bringing the collecting means to a full condition.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Field of the invention This invention relates to refrigeration apparatus and in particular to control means for providing improved operation of an ice maker means provided in such refrigeration apparatus.

Description of the prior art 3 In one form of refrigeratlon apparatus, an 1ce maker 4 One proposed method of effecting such a desirable arrangement is to provide means for accelerating the forming of the ice bodies so that relatively rapid recovery of the ice body quantity in the collecting space is provided whereby the collecting space may be made relatively small. One method of accelerating such ice body formation is to provide a flow of refrigerated air in heat transfer association with the ice maker mold at all times. In one form of such refrigeration apparatus, the provision of such refrigerated air in heat transfer association with the ice maker mold is provided by means causing the compressor and evaporator fan of the refrigeration apparatus to be operated continuously whenever the collecting means is less than fully filled. Such refrigeration apparatus providing continuous flow of the refrigerated air in heat transfer association with the ice maker mold, as well as the apparatus providing continuous operation of the compressor and fan as discussed above, are wasteful of power and, thus, have a serious disadvantage as an attempted solution to the problem of providing effectively maximum efficiency in the ice forming operation permitting the utilization of the desired effectively minimum size collecting space means.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention comprehends an improved re- 6 frigeration apparatus avoiding the disadvantages of the above discussed prior art refrigeration apparatus while yet providing an improved control of the apparatus to effectively maximize efciency of ice body forming for permitting the use of effectively minimum size ice body collectng space means.

l ted States 3,611,741 Patented Oct.. 12, 1971 More specifically, the invention comprehends the provision of such refrigeration apparatus wherein means are provided for causing concurrent continuous operation of the evaporator fan and cyclical operation of the compressor when the level of ice bodies in the collecting space means is below a preselected level. The compressor control permits operation of the compressor whenever the temperature sensed by the thermostatic sensing means of the refrigeration apparatus rises above a preselected high level while permitting the discontinuation of the compressor operation whenever the temperature so sensed drops below a preselected low level..

The control circuit providing such improved functioning is extremely simple and economical of construction while yet providing substantially foolproof maintenance-free control of the pertinent portions of the refrigeration apparatus to provide the desirable functioning.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING Other features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the refrigeration apparatus embodying therein the ice maker refrigeration control means;

FIG. 2 is a schematic vertical section thereof; and

FIG. 3 is a schematic Wiring diagram showing the electrical circuitry of the refrigeration apparatus control including the ice maker refrigeration control means.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT In the exemplary embodiment of the invention as disclosed in the drawing, a refrigeration apparatus generally designated 10 illustratively comprises a refrigerator-freezer apparatus having a lower refrigerator portion 11 and an upper freezer portion 12. The particular arrangement of the refrigeration apparatus is exemplary only, it being understood that other suitable arrangements may be utilized. The invention comprehends the provision of an ice maker apparatus 13 in a freezer space 14 in portion 12 of the apparatus 10 and improved means for controlling the delivery of refrigerated air in heat transfer association with an ice forming mold portion 15 of the ice maker 13.

More specifically, ice maker 13 includes a control portion 16 for automatically forming a plurality of ice bodies in the mold 15 and delivering them to a subjacent collecting space means 17. The ice maker 13 further includes means 18 for sensing the level of ice bodies collected in collecting space means 17 for automatically controlling the operation of the ice maker control portion 16 whereby the apparatus is operated to effectively maintain the collecting space means 17 full.

Such ice body forming and harvesting apparatus are well known in the art and require no further description herein as the details thereof form no part of the present invention.

As discussed briefly above, the invention comprehends effectively maximizing the efficiency of ice body formation to permit the collecting space means 17 to have relatively small size while yet meeting the normal demands of the user of the refrigeration apparatus. To this end, the invention comprehends directing refrigerated air in heat transfer association with the moldl 15 at all times when the level of ice bodies in collecting space means 17 is below the preselected full level.

As shown in FIG. 2, refrigeration apparatus 10 includes a cabinet 19 defining in addition to freezer space 14, an above-freezing refrigeration space 20 and a subjacent apparatus space 21. A portion of the refrigeration apparatus is shown in FIG. 2 to include a compressor 22,

an evaporator 23 and a fan 24. The apparatus further includes suitable duct means 25 for delivering refrigerated air to each of the freezer space 14 and refrigeration space 20. A temperature responsive damper control generally designated 26 may be provided for controlling the proportion of the air delivered from fan 24 to the refrigerator space 20. The duct means 25 may include an outlet 27 in the freezer space 14 arranged to direct refrigerated air in heat transfer relationship with the mold 1S. A thermoplastic sensing means 28 may be provided in the freezer space 14 for sensing the temperature within the freezer space 14. Return air ducts (not shown) provide a circuitous path for air within the refrigeratorfreezer as is conventional in modern frost-free refrigeration apparatus.

Referring now to FIG. 3, motor driven fan 24 is connected between one power supply lead L1 and the moving contact 29a of a double pole, double throw switch generally designated 29. The moving contact 29a is selectively engageable with a rst fixed Contact 2919 connected through a single pole switch contact 30a of a defrost timer 30 to the other power supply lead L2, and a second xed contact 29e connected to one side of the motor compressor 22. The other side of motor compressor 22 is connected to power supply lead L1 and a condenser fan 31 is connected in parallel with the motor compressor 22. Freezer thermostat 28 defines a single pole switch having a moving contact 28a connected to switch contact 29c and having a fixed contact 28b connected to defrost timer switch contact 30a. A second moving contact 29d of switch 29 is connected through an ice maker thermostat switch generally designated 32 to a mold heater or ice release means 33 connected to the power supply lead L1. Moving contact 29d is selectively engageable with a first xed contact 29e connected to defrost timer switch contact 30a and a second fixed contact 29j connected to an ice maker motor 34, in turn connected to the power supply lead L1. A holding switch generally designated 35 includes a fixed contact 35a connected to ice maker thermostat switch 32 and mold heater 33 and through a single pole valve switch 36 and water fill solenoid valve 37 to defrost timer switch 30a. Switch 35 includes a second fixed Contact 35b connected to the defrost timer switch 30a. The moving contact 35e of switch 35 is connected to contact 29f and ice maker motor 34. A single pole, bi-metallic defrost switch 38 is connected between a defrost heater 39 and a xed contact 30th of defrost timer switch 30.

The operation of motor voperated evaporator fan 24 is under the control of switch 29 as follows. Switch 29 is suitably mechanically associated with sensing arm 18 so that the switch is thrown to the On position, as shown in FIG. 3 when the level of ice bodies in collecting space means 17 is below the preselected level. Thus, assuming that the refrigeration apparatus is not in the defrost cycle, a circuit is completed from power supply lead L2 through defrost timer switch contact 30a, fixed contact 2912 and moving contact 29a of switch 29, and motor operated fan 24 to power supply lead L1. Thus, refrigerated air is delivered continuously by fan 24 in heat transfer association with mold 15.

Concurrent with such operation of the evaporator fan 24, freezer thermostat 28 may cycle the operation of compressor 22. Thus, a parallel circuit is established through switch 28 and compressor 22 between power supply leads L2 and L1. As seen in FIG. 3, the motor operated condenser fan 31 cycles together with compressor 22.

When the level of ice bodies in collecting space means 17 reaches the full level, switch 29 is thrown so as to cause moving contact 29a to be spaced from xed contact 29b and engage fixed contact 29o. A circuit to the motor operated fan 24 is now established through the freezer thermostat switch 28, fixed contact 29e, moving contact t 4 29a, and motor operated fan 24 so that the fan is effectively electrically paralleled with motor operated compressor 22 for concurrent cyclical operation of each.

As further shown in FIG. 3, when the level of ice bodies in collecting space means 17 is below the full level, a circuit is established through fixed contact 29e, moving contact 29d, and switch 32 to the mold heater 33 and through switch 35 to the ice maker motor 34. In the event that the ice making operation has commenced prior to the throwing of the switch 29, the holding switch 35 maintains a circuit through the moving contact 29d of switch 29 now engaging fixed contact 29f to continue the operation of the mold heater 3.3 and ice maker motor 34.

Thus, refrigeration apparatus 10 provides an improved controlled operation effectively maximizing the efliciency of ice maker production so as to permit utilization of an effectively minimum size ice body collecting space means 17.

The foregoing disclosure of specific embodiments is illustrative of the broad inventive concepts comprehended by the invention.

I claim:

1. In a refrigeration apparatus having a refrigerating chamber, means for sensing the temperature of said chamber, an ice maker, means for collecting ice bodies made by the ice maker, means for sensing the level of ice bodies in said collecting means, a compressor, an evaporator, and a fan for circulating cold air from said evaporator to said chamber and ice maker, control means comprising means for causing concurrent continuous operation of said fan and cyclical operation of said compressor when the level of ice bodies in said collecting means sensed by said level sensing means is below a preselected level, said control means including means for causing operation of said compressor when the temperature sensed by said sensing means rises above a preselected high level and discontinuing operation of said compressor when the temperature sensed by said sensing means drops below a preselected low level.

2. The refrigeration apparatus of claim 1 further including means for causing said fan to operate cyclically concurrently with said compressor when the level of ice bodies in said collecting means is at least said preselected level.

3. The refrigeration apparatus of claim 1 further including means for defrosting said evaporator comprising means for preventing all operation of said fan during a defrosting operation.

4. The refrigeration apparatus of claim 1 wherein said temperature sensing means comprises a thermostat switch and said means for causing said operation of said fan and compressor comprises a double throw switch arranged to selectively connect said fan directly across a power supply or through said thermostat switch across the power supply.

5. The refrigeration apparatus of claim 4 wherein said double throw switch includes a moving contact electrically connected to said fan and a fixed contact electrically connected to said thermostat.

6. The refrigeration apparatus of claim `4 further including a control switch for controlling the energization of said ice maker.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS MEYER PERLIN, Primary Examiner U.S. Cl. X.R. 62-180, 344