Refrigeration device with ice maker

Abstract

A refrigeration device has a housing which delimits at least one cooled storage compartment, an ice maker incorporated in the storage compartment, a refrigeration machine for cooling the storage compartment and a device control unit in order to control the operation of the refrigeration machine and of the ice maker. The ice maker has a secondary electronic control unit which is configured in order to convert a single control command from the device control unit into a sequence of commands directed at different actuators of the ice maker.

1 . A refrigeration device, comprising:
 a housing delimiting at least one cooled storage compartment;   an ice maker incorporated in said cooled storage compartment and having actuators;   a refrigeration machine for cooling said cooled storage compartment;   a device control unit for controlling an operation of said refrigeration machine and said ice maker; and   said ice maker having a secondary electronic control unit configured to convert a single control command from said device control unit into a sequence of commands directed at different ones of said actuators of said ice maker.   
     
     
         2 . The refrigeration device according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 said ice maker has a tray; and   said actuators include at least one motor for pivoting said tray of said ice maker and a valve to control a water supply to said tray.   
     
     
         3 . The refrigeration device according to  claim 2 , wherein said ice maker has a shell and a four-sided frame surrounding said tray, said secondary electronic control unit is accommodated in a chamber which is delimited by one side wall of said four-sided frame and said shell attached to said one side wall and projecting over said one side wall. 
     
     
         4 . The refrigeration device according to  claim 3 , wherein said ice maker has a bearing by way of which a pivoting motion of said tray is driven and said bearing is disposed in said one side wall of said four-sided frame. 
     
     
         5 . The refrigeration device according to  claim 1 , wherein said ice maker has a temperature sensor to which said secondary electronic control unit is connected. 
     
     
         6 . The refrigeration device according to  claim 5 , wherein said secondary electronic control unit controls a duration of an ice making cycle. 
     
     
         7 . The refrigeration device according to  claim 1 , wherein said ice maker has a water line with a heater and said heater is controlled by said secondary electronic control unit. 
     
     
         8 . The refrigeration device according to  claim 1 , further comprising a water dispenser having a water outlet accessible on an outer side of said ice maker and is integrated in said ice maker. 
     
     
         9 . The refrigeration device according to  claim 8 , further comprising an operating element disposed on said ice maker for controlling a dispensing of water by way of said water outlet. 
     
     
         10 . The refrigeration device according to  claim 8 , wherein said water outlet from said water dispenser is provided physically separated from said ice maker in an interior of said housing or on an outer surface of said housing, and said secondary electronic control unit of said ice maker is configured to control said water outlet from said water dispenser. 
     
     
         11 . The refrigeration device according to  claim 8 , wherein said secondary electronic control unit of said ice maker is configured to control a water valve for a water supply to said water outlet from said water dispenser. 
     
     
         12 . The refrigeration device according to  claim 1 , wherein said device control unit is in communication with at least one of a display or an operating device which displays a message from said secondary electronic control unit. 
     
     
         13 . The refrigeration device according to  claim 8 , further comprising at least one of a display or an operating device which displays information relating to a status of said ice maker and/or enables settings to be made on said ice maker and is integrated in said ice maker. 
     
     
         14 . The refrigeration device according to  claim 13 , wherein said ice maker has a water usage meter and said secondary electronic control unit is configured to send a message to said device control unit or to said display and/or said operating device of said ice maker if a threshold value for water usage is exceeded. 
     
     
         15 . The refrigeration device according to  claim 13 , further comprising a manually fillable water tank which supplies at least one of said tray of said ice maker or said water outlet from said water dispenser with water. 
     
     
         16 . The refrigeration device according to  claim 15 , wherein said secondary electronic control unit of said ice maker is configured to control a water delivery device which supplies at least one of said tray of said ice maker or said water outlet from said water dispenser with the water from said manually fillable water tank. 
     
     
         17 . The refrigeration device according to  claim 15 , wherein said manually fillable water tank has a sensing device for determining a water level in said manually fillable water tank, and said secondary electronic control unit of said ice maker is configured to send a message to said device control unit and/or to said display and/or said operating device on said ice maker if a threshold value in said manually fillable water tank is undershot. 
     
     
         18 . The refrigeration device according to  claim 1 , wherein the refrigeration device is a household refrigeration device.