Ice making device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10788249-B2
Application number	US-201816116942-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 30, 2018
Priority date	Aug 31, 2017
Publication date	Sep 29, 2020
Grant date	Sep 29, 2020

Abstract

An ice making device includes an ice tray, a drive unit structured to make the ice tray perform a reversing operation and a twisting operation interlocked with the reversing operation, and a frame on which the drive unit is mounted. The frame comprises, in a mounting part for the drive unit, a fitted part to which a connecting part of the drive unit is fitted when the drive unit has been moved from one side in to the other side, and a first coming-off prevention part structured to prevent coming-off of the connecting part from the fitted part. The first coming-off prevention part comprises a first arm part which is extended from the one side to the other side, and a first restriction part which is protruded from a tip end side of the first arm part and is capable of abutting with the drive unit from the one side.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An ice making device comprising:
an ice tray comprising water storage recessed parts which are disposed upward;
a drive unit structured to make the ice tray perform a reversing operation around an axial line extended in a first direction intersecting an upper and lower direction and perform a twisting operation interlocked with the reversing operation; and
a frame on which the drive unit is mounted;
wherein the frame comprises in a mounting part for the drive unit:
a fitted part to which a connecting part of the drive unit is fitted when the drive unit has been moved from one side in a second direction intersecting the first direction to the other side in the second direction; and
a first coming-off prevention part structured to prevent coming-off of the connecting part from the fitted part when the drive unit has been moved from the one side in the second direction to the other side in the second direction;

wherein the first coming-off prevention part comprises:
a first arm part which is extended from the one side in the second direction to the other side in the second direction; and
a first restriction part which is protruded from a tip end side of the first arm part in a direction intersecting the second direction and is capable of abutting with the drive unit from the one side in the second direction,
wherein the mounting part comprises a support face which supports the drive unit from one side in a third direction intersecting the first direction and the second direction in a state that the connecting part is fitted to the fitted part, and
the first coming-off prevention part is structured so that the first arm part is extended along the support face and the first restriction part is protruded from a tip end side of the first arm part toward the other side in the third direction,
wherein the fitted part comprises a first pawl which is protruded toward the other side in the third direction and a tip end side of the first pawl is bent to the one side in the second direction, and
the drive unit comprises, as the connecting part, a first plate part wherein a plate thickness direction of the first plate part is directed in the third direction and which is protruded from one side in the first direction to the other side in the first direction and is fitted to an inner side of the first pawl,
wherein the fitted part comprises a second pawl which is protruded toward the other side in the third direction and a tip end side of the second pawl is bent to the one side in the second direction at a position separated from the first pawl to the other side in the second direction, and
the drive unit further comprises, as the connecting part, a second plate part wherein a plate thickness direction of the second plate part is directed in the third direction and which is protruded from the one side in the first direction to the other side in the first direction and is fitted to an inner side of the second pawl at a position separated from the first plate part to the other side in the second direction.

2. The ice making device according to claim 1 , wherein the first restriction part is capable of abutting with the first plate part from the one side in the second direction.

3. The ice making device according to claim 1 , wherein the first plate part comprises an inclined part which is inclined so that the plate thickness of the first plate part is reduced from the one side in the first direction toward the other side in the first direction.

4. The ice making device according to claim 1 , wherein the second plate part comprises an inclined part which is inclined so that the plate thickness of the second plate part is reduced from the one side in the first direction toward the other side in the first direction.

5. The ice making device according to claim 1 , wherein the support face is an imaginary face determined by reinforcing ribs which are formed in a portion of the mounting part overlapped with the drive unit.

6. An ice making device comprising:
an ice tray comprising water storage recessed parts which are disposed upward;
a drive unit structured to make the ice tray perform a reversing operation around an axial line extended in a first direction intersecting an upper and lower direction and perform a twisting operation interlocked with the reversing operation; and
a frame on which the drive unit is mounted;
wherein the frame comprises in a mounting part for the drive unit:
a fitted part to which a connecting part of the drive unit is fitted when the drive unit has been moved from one side in a second direction intersecting the first direction to the other side in the second direction; and
a first coming-off prevention part structured to prevent coming-off of the connecting part from the fitted part when the drive unit has been moved from the one side in the second direction to the other side in the second direction;

wherein the first corning-off prevention part comprises:
a first arm part which is extended from the one side in the second direction to the other side in the second direction; and

a first restriction part which is protruded from a tip end side of the first arm part in a direction intersecting the second direction and is capable of abutting with the drive unit from the one side in the second direction
the mounting part comprises a second coming-off prevention part which is provided at a position separated from the first coming-off prevention part in the first direction and is capable of abutting with the drive unit from the one side in the second direction and prevents coming-off of the connecting part from the fitted part when the drive unit has been moved from the one side in the second direction to the other side in the second direction, and
the second corning-off prevention part comprises:
a second arm part which is extended from the other side in the second direction to the one side in the second direction; and
a second restriction part which is protruded from a tip end side of the second arm part in a direction intersecting the second direction and is capable of abutting with the drive unit from the one side in the second direction.

7. The ice making device according to claim 6 , wherein
the mounting part comprises a support face which supports the drive unit from one side in a third direction intersecting the first direction and the second direction in a state that the connecting part is fitted to the fitted part, and
the first corning-off prevention part is structured so that the first arm part is extended along the support face and the first restriction part is protruded from a tip end side of the first arm part toward the other side in the third direction.

8. The ice making device according to claim 7 , wherein
the fitted part comprises a first pawl which is protruded toward the other side in the third direction and a tip end side of the first pawl is bent to the one side in the second direction, and
the drive unit comprises, as the connecting part, a first plate part wherein a plate thickness direction of the first plate part is directed in the third direction and which is protruded from one side in the first direction to the other side in the first direction and is fitted to an inner side of the first pawl.

9. The ice making device according to claim 1 , wherein a moving direction of the drive unit when the connecting part is to be fitted to the fitted part is a same direction as a direction of a force which is generated against twisting of the ice tray and is applied from the ice tray to the drive unit.

10. An ice making device comprising:
an ice tray comprising water storage recessed parts which are disposed upward;
a drive unit str

Assignees

• Nidec Sankyo Corp

Inventors

• Saito Shunji

Classifications

• F25C5/06 Primary

  by deforming bodies with which the ice is in contact, e.g. using inflatable members · CPC title

• F25C2305/0221

  rotating ice mould · CPC title

• F25D23/067

  Supporting elements · CPC title

• F25C2700/12

  Temperature of ice trays · CPC title

• F25C1/10 Primary

  by using rotating or otherwise moving moulds (F25C1/08 takes precedence) · CPC title