US20090173090A1

US20090173090A1 - Down Flow Type Ice Making Machine

Info

Publication number: US20090173090A1
Application number: US12/227,422
Authority: US
Inventors: Hiroki Yamaguchi; Masaaki Kawasumi; Tomoyuki Sanada; Seiji Kobayashi
Original assignee: Hoshizaki Electric Co Ltd
Current assignee: Hoshizaki Electric Co Ltd
Priority date: 2006-09-12
Filing date: 2006-09-12
Publication date: 2009-07-09
Also published as: WO2008032368A1; JPWO2008032368A1; CN101449119B; CN101449119A

Abstract

A down flow type ice making machine in which an ice storage detector is protected against damage and occurrence of failure can be suppressed. An ice storage bin (12 a) for storing ice cubes (M) is defined in an ice storage compartment (12). Upper rear wall (16) of the ice storage compartment (12) is formed of a wall portion (16 a) extending vertically, and a wall portion (16 b) extending horizontally rearward from the lower end of the vertical wall portion (16 a). At an upper portion in the ice storage bin (12 a), a down flow ice making unit (18) is arranged while spaced apart by a predetermined interval forward from the vertical wall portion (16 a) and ice cubes (M) produced by the ice making unit (18) are stored in the ice storage bin (12 a). Below the ice making unit (18), an ice making water tank (32) equipped with a section (32 a) for collecting ice making water not used for making ice cubes in the ice making unit (18) is disposed. An ice storage detector (40) for detecting the ice cubes (M) fully filled in the ice storage bin (12 a) is mounted on the horizontal wall portion (16 b) of the ice making water tank (32) located in the rear of the collecting section (32 a).

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to a down flow type ice making machine configured to have a down flow ice making unit disposed at an upper portion inside an ice storage bin defined in an ice storage compartment, and store ice cubes, made by the ice making unit, in the ice storage bin.

BACKGROUND ART

As an ice making machine that automatically makes ice cubes, there is known a down flow type ice making machine which has a down flow ice making unit having a pair of ice making plates disposed substantially vertically at an upper portion inside an ice storage bin defined inside an ice making machine, facing each other and sandwiching an evaporation tube constituting a freezing system, and lets ice-making water flow down to the top surface (ice making surface) of each ice making plate, which is to be cooled by a coolant to be circulated into the evaporation tube, in an ice making operation to produce ice cubes, deices the obtained ice cubes in a deicing operation shifted therefrom, and stores the ice cubes in the ice storage bin (see, for example, Patent Document 1).
The down flow type ice making machine has an ice storage detecting device disposed at either one of the left and right inner side walls defining the ice storage bin, and executes operation control so as to stop an ice making-deicing operation when the ice storage detecting device detects that ice cubes stored in the ice storage bin have reached a predetermined amount (detection of full ice), and resume the ice making-deicing operation when some ice cubes are removed from the ice storage bin to reduce the storage amount, so that the ice storage detecting device no longer detects ice cubes.
Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. H11-294912

DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION

Problem to be Solved by the Invention

The down flow type ice making machine is configured in such a way that a take-out port is formed at the front surface of the ice storage compartment, and ice cubes are removed with a scoop or the like inserted in the room through the take-out port. In this case, the ice storage detecting device is located at such a position where the scoop or the like inserted through the take-out port is contactable, so that at the time of removing ice cubes, the scoop or the like may contact the ice storage detecting device, damaging the ice storage detecting device.
If only ice cubes on the side where the ice storage detecting device is located are removed at the time of taking out ice cubes from the ice storage bin, only the ice cubes on that side are reduced, so that even if the ice storage bin is substantially full with ice, the ice storage detecting device does not detect the full ice state, and the ice making-deicing operation will resume. In this case, on the side where ice cubes are not removed, ice cubes are deposited to the position at which the ice making plates are located, so that ice cubes made by the down flow ice making unit thereafter are inhibited from dropping from the ice making plates which results in double ice making, thus causing a failure.
Accordingly, the present invention has been proposed to suitably solve the inherent problems of the conventional down flow type ice making machine, and it is an object of the invention to provide a down flow type ice making machine which can prevent an ice storage detecting device from being damaged and suppress occurrence of a failure.

Means for Solving the Problems

To overcome the problems and suitably achieve the expected object, a down flow type ice making machine according to the subject matter in claim 1 is a down flow type ice making machine having an ice storage compartment having an ice storage bin to store ice cubes defined therein, and a take-out port for ice cubes formed on a front side, a down flow ice making unit which is disposed at an upper portion inside the ice storage bin in such a way as to extend in a left and right direction and makes ice from ice-making water supplied in a flow-down manner, and collecting means disposed below the down flow ice making unit to collect ice-making water which has not been used in making ice in the down flow ice making unit, characterized in that
an ice storage detecting device which detects that ice cubes are stored in a full ice state in the ice storage bin is arranged rearward of the collecting means.
According to the subject matter in claim 1, the collecting means can inhibit a scoop or the like inserted in the ice storage bin through the take-out port from contacting the ice storage detecting device, thus preventing the ice storage detecting device from being damaged.
The gist of the subject matter of claim 2 is that the ice storage detecting device has a detection plate extending in a left and right direction along the down flow ice making unit by a predetermined length, and detects the full ice state as the detection plate is activated by ice cubes stored in the ice storage bin.
According to the subject matter in claim 2, even when ice cubes are removed unevenly from either the left or right side in the ice storage bin, the full ice state of ice cubes can be detected by the detection plate extending in the left and right direction, and it is possible to prevent occurrence of double ice making and a failure thereby by performing adequate ice making-deicing operation control.
The gist of the subject matter of claim 3 is that the down flow ice making unit is configured to have a pair of ice making plates arranged back and forth, facing each other, so that ice cubes dropping from both ice making plates are guided back and forth of the ice storage bin via an ice guide member disposed directly below the down flow ice making unit.
According to the subject matter in claim 3, ice cubes can be stored substantially evenly in the ice storage bin, so that the ice storage detecting device arranged rearward of the collecting means can properly detect the full ice state.

Advantage of the Invention

The down flow type ice making machine according to the present invention can prevent the ice storage detecting device from being damaged at the time ice cubes are removed.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a longitudinal cross-sectional side view of a down flow type ice making machine according to an embodiment.

FIG. 2 is a longitudinal cross-sectional front view of the down flow type ice making machine according to the embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a longitudinal cross-sectional side view showing an ice storage detecting device according to the embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a schematic plan view showing the relationship between the ice storage detecting device and an ice-making water tank according to the embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a front view of the ice storage detecting device according to the embodiment.

DESCRIPTION OF REFERENCE NUMERALS

12 ice storage compartment
12 a ice storage bin
18 down flow ice making unit
20 a take-out port
26 ice making plate
32 a collecting section (collecting means)
38 ice guide member
40 ice storage detecting device
52 detection plate
M ice cubes

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

Next, a down flow type ice making machine according to the present invention will be described below by way of a preferred embodiment referring to the accompanying drawings. The “front”, “rear”, “left”, and “right” in the following description are the terms used when viewing a down flow type ice making machine from the front side as shown in FIG. 2 unless otherwise specified.

Embodiment

FIG. 1 is a longitudinal cross-sectional side view showing a down flow type ice making machine according to an embodiment, and an ice storage compartment 12 with a heat insulating structure and an ice storage bin 12 a for storing a predetermined amount of ice cubes M are defined in the down flow type ice making machine 10. The ice storage compartment 12 is formed like a box open upward, and a top plate 14 is disposed at the upper end of the ice storage compartment 12 in an attachable/detachable manner to close the upper opening. An upper rear wall 16 forming the ice storage compartment 12 includes a vertical wall portion 16 a extending vertically and a horizontal wall portion 16 b extending horizontally rearward from a lower end of the vertical wall portion 16 a. Then, a down flow ice making unit 18 is disposed at an upper portion inside the ice storage bin 12 a in front of the vertical wall portion 16 a at a predetermined distance apart, and extending in the left and right direction by a predetermined length, so that ice cubes M are dropped and stored in the ice storage bin 12 a.
A take-out port 20 a is formed on the upper side of a front wall 20 of the ice storage compartment 12 in such a way as to face obliquely upward, as shown in FIG. 1, so that a scoop or the like can be inserted in the ice storage bin 12 a through the take-out port 20 a to remove the ice cubes M. Rail parts 22 a extending rearward from the front side by a predetermined length are formed at upper end portions of both left and right side walls 22, 22 forming the ice storage compartment 12 and facing each other in the widthwise direction (see FIG. 2), and a pull-out type open/close door 24 which can open and close the take-out port 20 a is mounted between both rail parts 22 a, 22 a in a slidable manner. That is, as the open/close door 24 is pulled out frontward from inside the ice storage bin 12 a along the rail parts 22 a, 22 a, the take-out port 20 a is closed by the open/close door 24, whereas as the open/close door 24 is retained in the ice storage bin 12 a along the rail parts 22 a, 22 a, the take-out port 20 a is opened.
The down flow ice making unit 18 basically comprises a pair of ice making plates 26, 26 arranged opposite to each other in a substantially vertical state, and an evaporation tube 28 constituting a freezing system and formed in a zigzag pattern are disposed between both ice making plates 26, 26, and the ice making plates 26, 26 are disposed in the ice storage bin 12 a in a state facing forward and backward as shown in FIG. 1. The ice making plate 26 positioned rear with respect to the vertical wall portion 16 a is spaced apart therefrom at an interval which permits dropping of ice cubes M made by the ice making plate 26. As shown in FIG. 2, the evaporation tube 28 has a linear portion 28 a reciprocally extending in a zigzag pattern in the left and right direction of the ice making plate 26 and contacting the back surfaces of both ice making plates 26, 26. Then, as a coolant is circulated into the evaporation tube 28 at the time of executing an ice making operation, both ice making plates 26, 26 are compulsively cooled. At the time of a deicing operation, hot gas (high-temperature coolant) is supplied to the evaporation tube 28 by valve switching of the freezing system to heat the ice making plates 26, 26, melting the freezing surfaces of ice cubes M produced on the top surface (hereinafter also called “ice making surface”), so that the ice cubes M drop by the dead weight.
A plurality of projecting portions 26 a extending in an up and down direction are provided on the ice making surface of the ice making plate 26 at predetermined intervals in the left and right direction, and an ice making area 30 extending vertically is defined by a pair of projecting portions 26 a, 26 a adjacent in the left and right direction, as shown in FIG. 2. That is, a plurality of ice making areas 30 are defined on the ice making surface side of the ice making plate 26 according to the embodiment in parallel in the left and right direction. As shown in FIG. 2, projections 26 b for surely separating ice cubes M which are deiced from the ice making surface by the deicing operation are formed at the ice making surface facing each ice making area 30 at a lower end and approximately the middle position between the linear portions 28 a, 28 a spaced apart up and down in the evaporation tube 28.
An ice-making water tank 32 which stores a predetermined ice-making water is disposed under the down flow ice making unit 18. As shown in FIG. 4, this ice-making water tank 32 includes a collecting section (collecting means) 32 a located directly under the down flow ice making unit 18, and a tank portion 32 b connected to one end of the collecting section 32 a (right end in the embodiment) in the left and right direction and extending rearward. The collecting section 32 a has a tub shape with the bottom inclined downward toward the tank portion 32 b, allowing ice-making water deicing water received at the collecting section 32 a to quickly flow down to the tank portion 32 b. An unillustrated circulation pump is disposed at the tank portion 32 b, so that ice-making water is fed under pressure to an ice-making water sprayer 34 provided above the down flow ice making unit 18 via the pump. Multiple spray holes (not shown) are formed in the ice-making water sprayer 34 shown in FIG. 1, ice-making water pumped out from the ice-making water tank 32 is sprayed onto the ice making surfaces of the ice making plates 26, 26 which have been cooled down to an ice-making temperature through the spray holes at the time of executing the ice making operation. Then, as ice-making water flowing down on each ice making surface is frozen at that portion of the ice making area 30 which contacts the linear portion 28 a of the evaporation tube 28, ice cubes M with a predetermined shape are produced on the ice making surface.
As shown in FIG. 1, a deicing water supply tube connected to an external water supply system is connected via a water supply valve (neither shown) to a deicing water sprayer 36 provided at the upper portions of the back sides of the ice making plates 26,26. As the water supply valve is released at the time of executing the deicing operation, deicing water supplied to the deicing water sprayer 36 from the external water supply system is supplied to the back sides of the ice making plates 26, 26 via multiple spray holes (not shown) formed in the deicing water sprayer 36 and flows down on the back sides to accelerate melting of the freezing surface between each ice making plate 26 and ice cubes M.
An ice guide member 38 attached to the upper end portion of the collecting section 32 a of the ice-making water tank 32 is disposed close to and directly under the down flow ice making unit 18. The ice guide member 38 has a length larger than the width of the ice making plate 26, and its cross section in the short side direction (back and forth direction) orthogonal to the lengthwise direction is formed angular as shown in FIG. 1. The ice guide member 38 is disposed in such a way that its angular top is at the intermediate position between the back sides of both ice making plates 26, 26, so that ice cubes M dropping from the ice making plate 26 located on the front side are guided frontward of the ice storage bin 12 a through an inclined surface of the ice guide member 38 which is inclined downward toward the front side, and ice cubes M dropping from the ice making plate 26 located on the rear side are guided rearward of the ice storage bin 12 a through an inclined surface of the ice guide member 38 which is inclined downward toward the rear side. A plurality of through holes 38 a are formed in each inclined surface of the ice guide member 38, so that ice-making water supplied to the ice making surfaces of the ice making plates 26, 26 at the time of executing the ice making operation and deicing water supplied to the back sides of the ice making plates 26, 26 at the time of executing the deicing operation are collected in the ice-making water tank 32 via the through holes 38 a of the ice guide member 38.
The down flow type ice making machine 10 according to the embodiment is set in such a way that on condition that dropping of the water level in the ice-making water tank 32 to a specified water level is detected by a float switch (not shown) after the ice making operation starts, unillustrated control means executes control to stop the ice making operation and shift it to the deicing operation. The ice making machine is also set in such a way that when temperature detection means detects that the temperature of hot gas after heat exchange with the ice making plates 26, 26 in the deicing operation shifted becomes a preset deicing completion temperature, the control means executes control to stop the deicing operation and switch it to the ice making operation.
As shown in FIG. 1, an ice storage detecting device 40 which detects that ice cubes M stored in the ice storage bin 12 a becomes a full ice state is disposed at the horizontal wall portion 16 b facing rearward of the collecting section 32 a of the ice-making water tank 32. The ice storage detecting device 40 basically includes a lead switch 44 as detection means attached to a retaining member 42 disposed at the horizontal wall portion 16 b in an attachable/detachable manner, a detection member 46 which is disposed at the retaining member 42 and swings back and forth, and a magnet 48 as to-be-detected means which is disposed at the detection member 46.
As shown in FIG. 5, the horizontal wall portion 16 b is provided with a pair of guide members 50, 50 spaced apart from each other in the widthwise direction. Flange portions 42 c, 42 c are provided on both left and right sides of the retaining member 42, which is configured to be pullable back and forth with the flange portions 42 c, 42 c being supported by the guide members 50, 50. As shown in FIG. 3, the retaining member 42 is formed like a box open upward and frontward, and a mount part 42 a open upward is formed at the center of the inner bottom surface of the retaining member 42 in the widthwise direction. The lead switch 44 is mounted on the mount part 42 a. Bearings 42 b are formed at the inner front side of the retaining member 42 on both side portions thereof in the widthwise direction, and the detection member 46 is pivotally supported in such a way as to be swingable forward and backward via both bearings 42 b, 42 b.
The detection member 46 basically includes a detection plate 52 extending in the left and right direction by a predetermined length, support shafts 54, 54 provided at both widthwise ends of the detection plate 52, a holding part 56 extending rearward from the widthwise center of the detection plate 52, and the magnet 48 disposed at the rear end of the holding part 56. As the support shafts 54, 54 are pivotally supported at the bearings 42 b, 42 b provided at the retaining member 42, the detection member 46 can swing back and forth about the support shafts 54, 54. The detection member 46 is structured so that at a normal position (solid-line position in FIG. 3) in a free state where no external force is applied, the detection plate 52 extends obliquely downward in the ice storage bin 12 a from the front end of the retaining member 42, and the magnet 48 comes close to the lead switch 44 attached to the retaining member 42. The size of the detection plate 52 in the left and right direction is set to ½ or greater than the size of the ice storage bin 12 a in the left and right direction, so that the storage state of ice cubes M to be stored in the ice storage bin 12 a can be detected over a wide range.
When the ice cubes M abut on the detection plate 52 and receive the pressure, the detection member 46 at the normal position swings rearward, and the magnet 48 is displaced obliquely upward to reach a full-ice detection position (position of the two-dot chain line in FIG. 3) spaced apart from the lead switch 44. When the pressing state by the ice cubes M is released, the detection member 46 swings and shifts frontward under action of gravity to return to the normal position.
The lead switch 44 is connected to the control means. With the detection member 46 being at the normal position and the magnet 48 being close to the lead switch 44, the lead switch 44 is set not to output a full-ice signal to the control means. Further, when the lead switch 44 is spaced apart from the magnet 48 as the detection member 46 swings and shifts from the normal position to the full-ice detection position, the lead switch 44 is set to output a full-ice signal to the control means. The control means is set in such a way that when the full-ice signal is input from the lead switch 44 as the detection member 46 swings and shifts from the normal position to the full-ice detection position, the control means determines that ice cubes M has become the full ice state where the ice cubes M are stored up to a predetermined position in the ice storage bin 12 a, and stops the ice making-deicing operation. The control means is set in such a way that when the full-ice signal is no longer input from the lead switch 44 as the detection member 46 swings and shifts from the full-ice detection position to the normal position, the control means determines that the storage mount of ice cubes M in the ice storage bin 12 a is reduced from the full ice state, and starts the ice making-deicing operation.
As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the detection member 46 in the ice storage detecting device 40 are positioned lower than the lower end of the ice making plate 26 of the down flow ice making unit 18, so that the storage level of ice cubes M when the ice storage detecting device 40 makes full-ice detection does not go beyond the lower end of the ice making plate 26. The detection member 46 is structured in such a way that the detection member 46 is positioned rearward of the collecting section 32 a of the ice-making water tank 32, and the lower end of the detection member 46 is positioned higher than the lower end of the collecting section 32 a, and cannot therefore be viewed directly through the take-out port 20 a formed in the ice storage compartment 12. In other words, the collecting section 32 a of the ice-making water tank 32 is positioned between the take-out port 20 a and the detection member 46, so that the detection member 46 is hid behind the collecting section 32 a, and the ice storage detecting device 40 is disposed at such a position where a scoop or the like inserted through the take-out port 20 a does not easily contact the detection member 46.

Operation of Embodiment

Next, the operation of the down flow type ice making machine according to the embodiment will be described. It is assumed that when the detection member 46 in the ice storage detecting device 40 is at the normal position, the control means determines that the ice storage bin 12 a is not in the full ice state.
In the ice making operation, ice-making water stored in the ice-making water tank 32 is pumped out to the ice-making water sprayer 34 by the circulation pump, and is supplied to the individual ice making areas 30 of both of the ice making plates 26, 26 via the ice-making water sprayer 34. The ice making plates 26, 26 exchange heat with the coolant circulating in the evaporation tube 28 to be compulsively cooled, and ice-making water supplied to the ice making areas 30 of the ice making plates 26, 26 start gradually being frozen at the contact portions where the water contacts the linear portion 28 a of the evaporation tube 28. The ice-making water which drops from the ice making plates 26, 26 without being frozen is collected in the ice-making water tank 32 via the through holes 38 a of the ice guide member 38, and is circulated to be supplied to the ice making plates 26, 26 again.
When a predetermined time elapses and the float switch detects the specified water level, the control means terminates the ice making operation and starts the deicing operation. When the ice making operation is complete, as shown in FIG. 2, a plurality of ice cubes M are produced, spaced apart in the up and down direction in correspondence to the contact portions of the linear portion 28 a of the evaporation tube 28 with the ice making plate 26, in the ice making areas 30 of the ice making plate 26.
As the deicing operation starts, the valve of the freezing system is switched to circulate hot gas into the evaporation tube 28, and the water supply valve is released to supply the deicing water to the back sides of the ice making plates 26, 26 via the deicing water sprayer 36, thereby heating the ice making plates 26, 26 to melt the freezing surface with the ice cubes M. Note that the deicing water flowing down on the back sides of the ice making plates 26, 26, like the ice-making water, is collected in the ice-making water tank 32 via the through holes 38 a of the ice guide member 38, and is used as ice-making water next time.
When the ice making plate 26 is heated by the deicing operation, the freezing surface between ice cubes M and the ice making plate 26 is melted, so that the ice cubes M start sliding down on the ice making plate 26. The ice cubes M sliding down on the ice making plate 26 ride over the underlying projections 26 b, so that the ice cubes M are surely spaced apart and separated from the ice-making surface of the ice making plate 26. The ice cubes M separated and falling from the ice making plate 26 are received at the corresponding inclined surface of the ice guide member 38, and slide down along the inclined surface to be discharged into the ice storage bin 12 a. In the embodiment, ice cubes M dropping from both ice making plates 26, 26 are discharged forward and backward by the inclined surface of the ice guide member 38, and are stored dispersed in a wide range in the ice storage bin 12 a.
When all the ice cubes M are separated from the ice making plates 26, 26 and the temperature detection means detects a deicing completion temperature due to a rise in the temperature of the hot gas, the control means terminates the deicing operation and then starts the ice making operation.
When the above-described ice making-deicing operation is repeated and ice cubes M to be stored in the ice storage bin 12 a reach the layout position of the ice storage detecting device 40, the ice cubes M abut on the detection plate 52 of the detection member 46 from the front side. As the detection plate 52 is pressed by the ice cubes M from the front side, the detection member 46 swings rearward about the support shafts 54, 54. Accordingly, as shown in FIG. 3, the magnet 48 disposed at the detection member 46 is spaced apart from the lead switch 44, at which time the full-ice signal is input to the control means from the lead switch 44. Then, the control means determines that the ice storage bin 12 a has become the full ice state, and performs control to stop the ice making-deicing operation.
With the take-out port 20 a being opened as the open/close door 24 is moved along the rail parts 22 a, 22 a to be retained in the ice storage bin 12 a, the ice cubes M can be taken out with the scoop or the like inserted in the ice storage bin 12 a through the take-out port 20 a. Because the detection member 46 in the ice storage detecting device 40 is hid behind the collecting section 32 a of the ice-making water tank 32, the scoop or the like does not easily contact the detection member 46 at the time of removing the ice cubes M, thus making it possible to prevent the ice storage detecting device 40 from being damaged.
When the storage amount becomes smaller as a consequence of the removal of the ice cubes M from the ice storage bin 12 a and the pressing state of the detection member 46 by the ice cubes M is released, the detection member 46 swings and shifts frontward under the action of gravity, so that the magnet 48 returns to the normal position to come close to the lead switch 44. At this time, the full-ice signal is no longer output from the lead switch 44, so that the control means determines that the storage amount of ice cubes M in the ice storage bin 12 a is reduced from the full ice state, and performs control to resume the ice making-deicing operation.
When the take-out position for ice cubes M from the ice storage bin 12 a is unevenly set either the left or right side, the top of a mountain MO of ice cubes M deposited comes to either the left or right side. In this case, because the detection plate 52 of the detection member 46 in the ice storage detecting device 40 extends in the left and right direction in the ice storage bin 12 a by a predetermined length, as shown in FIG. 2 or FIG. 4, so that even if the top of the mountain MO becomes the deposited state unevenly set on either the left or right side, the state where ice cubes M contact the detection plate 52 is maintained. This can avoid the situation that although the ice storage bin 12 a is substantially the full ice state inside, the ice storage detecting device 40 does not detect the full ice state, thus preventing the ice making-deicing operation from being resumed. That is, ice cubes M are not deposited to the layout position of the ice making plate 26 on that side where the ice cubes M are not taken out, thus preventing occurrence of double ice making and a failure in the down flow ice making unit 18.

[Modifications]

The present application is not limited to the structure of the foregoing embodiment, and other structures can be adopted as needed.

1. Although the lead switch which enables or disables the full-ice signal as the magnet approaches or moves away, is employed as the detection means of the ice storage detecting device in the embodiment, which is not restrictive, and it is possible to use a micro switch or another optoelectric proximity switch or the like which can enable or disable the full-ice signal as the pressing portion (to-be-detected means) provided at the detection member contacts the. switch piece or moves away therefrom.
2. Although the detection member is disposed at the retaining member provided on the horizontal wall portion in the embodiment, it is possible to take the structure where the detection member is directly disposed on the horizontal wall portion. In this case, the detection means should be provided at the horizontal wall portion at the position where the to-be-detected means contacts or moves away according to the swinging of the detection member.
3. The structure of the detection member is not limited to that of the embodiment, and may take any form as long as full ice can be detected by the swinging and displacement of the detection plate extending in the left and right direction by a predetermined length when the detection plate is activated by ice cubes.
4. Although the foregoing description of the embodiment has been given of the case where the collecting section constituting a part of the ice-making water tank is the collecting means, the shape of the ice-making water tank may be modified so that the tank itself becomes the collecting means. Alternatively, the collecting means and the ice-making water tank may be designed as separate parts, so that ice-making water or deicing water collected by the collecting means can be allowed to flow into the ice-making water tank via an adequate tube passage.

Claims

1. A down flow type ice making machine having an ice storage compartment (12) having an ice storage bin (12 a) to store ice cubes (M) defined therein, and a take-out port (20 a) for ice cubes (M) formed on a front side, a down flow ice making unit (18) which is disposed at an upper portion inside the ice storage bin (12 a) in such a way as to extend in a left and right direction and makes ice from ice-making water supplied in a flow-down manner, and collecting means (32 a) disposed below the down flow ice making unit (18) to collect ice-making water which has not been used in making ice in the down flow ice making unit (18), characterized in that

an ice storage detecting device (40) which detects that ice cubes (M) are stored in a full ice state in the ice storage bin (12 a) is arranged rearward of the collecting means (32 a).

2. The down flow type ice making machine according to claim 1, wherein the ice storage detecting device (40) has a detection plate (52) extending in a left and right direction along the down flow ice making unit (18) by a predetermined length, and detects the full ice state as the detection plate (52) is activated by ice cubes (M) stored in the ice storage bin (12 a).

3. The down flow type ice making machine according to claim 1, wherein the down flow ice making unit (18) is configured to have a pair of ice making plates (26, 26) arranged back and forth, facing each other, so that ice cubes (M) dropping from both ice making plates (26, 26) are guided back and forth of the ice storage bin (12 a) via an ice guide member (38) disposed directly below the down flow ice making unit (18).