Automatic ice maker

Abstract

An automatic ice maker installed within a freezing compartment includes an ice tray arranged to hold water and make ice pieces; an ice ejecting mechanism arranged to eject the ice pieces made in the ice tray; an ice releasing heater arranged to melt surfaces of the ice pieces made in the ice tray; a thermostat arranged to detect a temperature of the ice tray and to operate at a specified temperature; and an ice storage amount detecting mechanism arranged to detect an amount of the ice pieces stored within an ice storage box. The automatic ice maker further includes a switch mechanism arranged to stop an operation of the ice releasing heater in conjunction with an operation of the ice ejecting mechanism.

1 . An automatic ice maker installed within a freezing compartment, comprising:
 an ice tray arranged to hold water and make ice pieces;   an ice ejecting mechanism arranged to eject the ice pieces made in the ice tray;   an ice releasing heater arranged to melt surfaces of the ice pieces made in the ice tray;   a thermostat arranged to detect a temperature of the ice tray and to operate at a specified temperature;   an ice storage amount detecting mechanism arranged to detect a total amount of the ice pieces stored within an ice storage box; and   a switch mechanism arranged to stop an operation of the ice releasing heater in conjunction with an operation of the ice ejecting mechanism.   
     
     
         2 . The automatic ice maker of  claim 1 , wherein the switch mechanism includes a thermostat deenergizing mechanism arranged to stop the operation of the heater. 
     
     
         3 . The automatic ice maker of  claim 2 , wherein the switch mechanism is provided in a serial relationship with the thermostat. 
     
     
         4 . The automatic ice maker of  claim 2 , wherein the switch mechanism includes a return switch built in the thermostat. 
     
     
         5 . The automatic ice maker of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a motor; and   a cam mechanism operated by the motor to actuate the ice ejecting mechanism and the ice storage amount detecting mechanism; wherein   the switch mechanism is operated by the cam mechanism.   
     
     
         6 . An automatic ice maker installed within a freezing compartment, comprising:
 an ice tray arranged to hold water and to make ice pieces;   an ice ejecting mechanism arranged to eject the ice pieces made in the ice tray;   an ice releasing heater arranged to melt surfaces of the ice pieces made in the ice tray;   a thermostat arranged to detect a temperature of the ice tray and to operate at a specified temperature;   an ice storage amount detecting mechanism arranged to detect a total amount of the ice pieces stored within an ice storage box; and   a switch mechanism arranged to operate the ice releasing heater in conjunction with an operation of the ice ejecting mechanism until the surfaces of the ice pieces are regarded as having been melted.   
     
     
         7 . The automatic ice maker of  claim 6 , wherein the switch mechanism is provided in a serial relationship with the thermostat and is configured to switch a current supply path of the heater between a current supply circuit including the thermostat and a circuit through which an electric current bypassing the current supply circuit is supplied to the heater regardless of the operation of the thermostat. 
     
     
         8 . The automatic ice maker of  claim 6 , further comprising:
 a motor; and   a cam mechanism operated by the motor to actuate the ice ejecting mechanism and the ice storage amount detecting mechanism; wherein   the switch mechanism is operated by the cam mechanism.   
     
     
         9 . The automatic ice maker of  claim 8 , wherein
 the ice ejecting mechanism includes an ice ejecting lever including ice ejecting claws arranged to rake out the ice pieces from the ice tray in conjunction with rotation of the motor;   the motor is configured to start operation when the thermostat is turned on by detecting an ice making temperature; and   the ice ejecting claws of the ice ejecting lever press against the surfaces of the ice pieces held in the ice tray until the thermostat is turned off at a specified temperature after the ice tray is heated by the heater.