Down Flow Type Ice Making Machine

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 ).

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 ).