Ice making device

Abstract

An ice making device includes an ice making tray, and a drive unit which is structured to turn the ice making tray. In an ice separating operation, the drive unit turns and twists the ice making tray to one side as an ice separation preparatory operation, and then, the drive unit turns and twists the ice making tray to the other side to drop ice pieces from the ice making tray.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An ice making device comprising:
 an ice making tray; and   a drive unit which is structured to turn the ice making tray;   wherein the drive unit turns and twists the ice making tray to one side, and then, the drive unit turns and twists the ice making tray to an other side to drop ice pieces from the ice making tray.   
     
     
         2 . The ice making device according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 contact parts, being provided on a turning path of a front end vicinity part of the ice making tray,   wherein   in a case that, in both ends in an axial line direction of the ice making tray, an end part on a side connected with the drive unit is referred to as a rear end of the ice making tray, and an end part on an opposite side is referred to as a front end of the ice making tray, and the front end and a portion near the front end is referred to as the front end vicinity part, and   the contact parts are structured to be contacted with the front end vicinity part to prevent turning of the front end vicinity part when the ice making tray is turned to the one side and to the other side.   
     
     
         3 . The ice making device according to  claim 1 , wherein
 in a case that an arrangement angle of the ice making tray at which the ice making tray holds water is referred to as an ice making position of the ice making tray,   the drive unit comprises a first detector which is a detector detecting that the ice making tray is arranged at the ice making position.   
     
     
         4 . The ice making device according to  claim 3 , further comprising:
 a second detector which is a detector detecting that the ice making tray is turned to a predetermined arrangement angle which is different from the ice making position.   
     
     
         5 . The ice making device according to  claim 3 , wherein
 the drive unit comprises:
 an output part which is connected with the ice making tray to turn the ice making tray; 
 a first lever which is an arm-shaped member whose free end is turned with a turning end as a center; 
 an urging member which urges the first lever to one side in a swing direction of the first lever; and 
 a first lever operation part which is provided in the output part and is capable of contacting with the first lever on a turning path of the first lever operation part to turn the first lever against an urging force of the urging member, 
   wherein the first detector is a mechanical switch and is disposed within a swing range of the first lever.   
     
     
         6 . The ice making device according to  claim 5 , wherein
 the output part comprises a circular plate part which is a flange-shaped part enlarged in a circular shape,   in a case that one end face of the circular plate part is referred to as a front face, and an end face on an opposite side is referred to as a rear face,   the ice making tray is disposed on a front face side of the circular plate part, and the first lever operation part is also provided on the front face side of the circular plate part.   
     
     
         7 . The ice making device according to  claim 6 , further comprising:
 an ice storage part which is a container in which ice pieces are stored; and   an ice detection lever which is an arm-shaped member whose free end is capable of swinging with a turning end as a center and which detects an amount of ice pieces in the ice storage part,   wherein the output part is formed with a teeth part on an outer peripheral face of the circular plate part, and a rear face of the circular plate part structures a driver part of a plane cam mechanism,   the rear face side of the circular plate part is disposed with:
 an electric motor which is a drive source; 
 a speed reduction gear train which decelerates a rotation of the electric motor to transmit the rotation to the output part; 
 a first conversion shaft which is a shaft body structuring a follower part of the plane cam mechanism and which is connected with the ice detection lever directly or through another power transmission member; 
 a second lever which is an arm-shaped member which structures a follower part of the plane cam mechanism and has a turning end and a free end, the free end being swung in cooperation with turning of the output part; 
 a second detector which is a mechanical switch disposed within a swing range of the second lever and is a detector for detecting that the ice making tray is located at a predetermined arrangement angle which is different from the ice making position; and 
 a second lever operation part which is provided on the first conversion shaft and is structured to prevent a swing of the second lever when the second lever operation part is contacted with the second lever on a turning path of the second lever operation part. 
   
     
     
         8 . The ice making device according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 an ice storage part which is a container in which ice pieces are stored; and   an ice detection lever which is an arm-shaped member whose free end is capable of swinging with a turning end as a center and which detects an amount of ice pieces in the ice storage part,   wherein the drive unit comprises:
 an output part which is connected with the ice making tray to turn the ice making tray; 
 a first conversion shaft which is a shaft body turned in cooperation with turning of the output part; and 
 a second conversion shaft which is a shaft body turned in cooperation with turning of the first conversion shaft and connected with the ice detection lever, 
   wherein an axial line of the first conversion shaft is extended at a right angle with respect to a direction of an axial line of the output part,   an axial line of the second conversion shaft is extended at a right angle with respect to a direction of the axial line of the first conversion shaft, and   the axial line of the output part and the axial line of the second conversion shaft are parallel to each other.   
     
     
         9 . The ice making device according to  claim 8 , wherein the ice detection lever comprises:
 a swing part which is extended in a perpendicular direction with respect to the axial line of the second conversion shaft; and   a lifting and lowering part which is horizontally extended in a perpendicular direction from a tip end of the swing part.   
     
     
         10 . The ice making device according to  claim 9 , wherein
 the swing part is arranged on a lower side with respect to a position of the axial line of the output part.   
     
     
         11 . The ice making device according to  claim 9 , wherein
 in a case that an arrangement angle that the ice making tray holds water is referred to as an ice making position of the ice making tray,   the lifting and lowering part is arranged at a position lower than an upper face of the ice making tray at the ice making position.   
     
     
         12 . The ice making device according to  claim 8 , wherein
 in a case that a position at which the ice making tray is disposed with respect to the drive unit is referred to as a front side of the drive unit,   the ice making tray is disposed on the front side of the drive unit, and the ice detection lever is also disposed on the front side of the drive unit.   
     
     
         13 . The ice making device according to  claim 8 , wherein
 the first conversion shaft and the second conversion shaft are connected with each other by bevel gears.