Ice making device and its control method

An ice making device comprising:

• an ice tray;
• a water-supply part configured to supply water to the ice tray;
• an ice tray drive part configured to perform an ice separating operation on the ice tray;
• an ice storage container in which ice pieces dropped from the ice tray are stored;
• an ice detecting part for detecting whether an ice quantity in the ice storage container is less than a certain amount or not;
• an electrostatic capacity sensor having two or more electrodes which are attached to the ice tray and are respectively insulated;
• and
• a control unit configured to control the water-supply part, the ice tray drive part and the ice detecting part on a basis of variation of an electrostatic capacity between the electrodes of the electrostatic capacity sensor so as to perform:
• confirming that the ice tray is located at a home position and water supply to the ice tray is started through the water-supply part;
• continuing the water supply through the water-supply part until a measured electrostatic capacity value becomes not less than a first threshold value and, in response to the measured electrostatic capacity value becoming not less than the first threshold value, stopping the water supply through the water-supply part;
• after the water supply is stopped, in response to the measured electrostatic capacity value becoming below a second threshold value and it is detected by the ice detecting part that a quantity of ice pieces in the ice storage container is less than a certain amount, performing an ice separating operation by the ice tray drive part;
• after the ice separating operation is finished, returning the ice tray the home position by the ice tray drive part and an operation of the first process is started;
• wherein the first threshold value is a value which is predetermined on a basis of an electrostatic capacity value in a state that a predetermined quantity of water is existed in the ice tray, and the second threshold value is a value which is predetermined on the basis of the electrostatic capacity value in a state that all the predetermined quantity of the water in the ice tray has been frozen.

An ice making device comprising:

• an ice tray;
• a water-supply part configured to supply water to the ice tray;
• an electrostatic capacity sensor having two or more electrodes which are attached to the ice tray and are respectively insulated;
• a water quantity detecting section configured to detect a water quantity in the ice tray which is supplied through the water-supply part on a basis of variation of an electrostatic capacity between the electrodes of the electrostatic capacity sensor;
• an ice frozen detecting section configured to detect water supplied to the ice tray through the water-supply part having been frozen on the basis of the variation of the electrostatic capacity between the electrodes of the electrostatic capacity sensor;
• and
• an ice dropped detecting section configured to detect that ice pieces have been dropped from the ice tray on the basis of the variation of the electrostatic capacity between the electrodes of the electrostatic capacity sensor.

An ice making device comprising:

• an ice tray;
• a water-supply part configured to supply water to the ice tray;
• an ice tray drive part configured to perform an ice separating operation on the ice tray;
• an ice storage container in which ice pieces dropped from the ice tray are stored;
• an ice detecting part configured to detect whether an ice quantity in the ice storage container is less than a certain amount or not;
• an electrostatic capacity sensor having two or more electrodes which are attached to the ice tray and are respectively insulated;
• and
• a control unit configured to control the water-supply part, the ice tray drive part and the ice detecting part on a basis of variation of an electrostatic capacity between the electrodes of the electrostatic capacity sensor so as to perform:
• confirming that the ice tray is located at a home position and water supply to the ice tray is started through the water-supply part;
• continuing the water supply through the water-supply part until a measured electrostatic capacity value becomes not less than a first threshold value and, in response to the measured electrostatic capacity value becoming not less than the first threshold value, stopping the water supply through the water-supply part;
• after the water supply is stopped, in response to the measured electrostatic capacity value becoming below a second threshold value and it is detected by the ice detecting part that a quantity of ice pieces in the ice storage container is less than a certain amount, performing an ice separating operation by the ice tray drive part;
• after the ice separating operation is finished, returning the ice tray to the home position by the ice tray drive part, unless the measured electrostatic capacity value is not less than a third threshold value, in which case the ice separating operation is performed by the ice tray drive part again, and the ice tray is returned to the home position by the ice tray drive part again;
• wherein the first threshold value is a value which is predetermined on a basis of an electrostatic capacity value in a state that a predetermined quantity of water is existed in the ice tray, the second threshold value is a value which is predetermined on the basis of the electrostatic capacity value in a state that all the predetermined quantity of the water in the ice tray has been frozen, and the third threshold value is a value which is predetermined on the basis of the electrostatic capacity value in a state that the ice tray is empty.

An ice making device comprising:

• an ice tray which is formed of an insulator;
• a water-supply part configured to supply water to the ice tray;
• an electrostatic capacity sensor having two or more electrodes which are attached to the ice tray and are respectively insulated;
• and
• a water quantity detecting section configured to detect a water quantity in the ice tray which is supplied through the water-supply part on a basis of variation of an electrostatic capacity between the electrodes of the electrostatic capacity sensor;
• wherein the electrodes of the electrostatic capacity sensor are attached to an outer face of the ice tray.

A control method for an ice making device including an ice tray, a water-supply part for supplying water to the ice tray, an ice tray drive part for performing an ice separating operation on the ice tray, an ice storage container in which ice pieces dropped from the ice tray are stored, an ice detecting part for detecting whether an ice quantity in the ice storage container is less than a certain amount or not, an electrostatic capacity sensor having two or more electrodes which are attached to the ice tray and are respectively insulated, and a control unit for the ice making device, the control method comprising:

• confirming that the ice tray is located at a home position and water supply to the ice tray is started through the water-supply part;
• continuing the water supply through the water-supply part until a measured electrostatic capacity value becomes not less than a first threshold value and, in response to the measured electrostatic capacity value becoming not less than the first threshold value, stopping the water supply through the water-supply part;
• after the water supply is stopped, in response to the measured electrostatic capacity value becoming below a second threshold value and it is detected by the ice detecting part that a quantity of ice pieces in the ice storage container is less than a certain amount, performing an ice separating operation is performed by the ice tray drive part;
• and
• after the ice separating operation is finished, returning the ice tray to the home position by the ice tray drive;
• wherein the first threshold value is a value which is predetermined on a basis of an electrostatic capacity value in a state that a predetermined quantity of water is existed in the ice tray, and the second threshold value is a value which is predetermined on the basis of the electrostatic capacity value in a state that all the predetermined quantity of the water in the ice tray has been frozen.

A control method for an ice making device including an ice tray, a water-supply part for supplying water to the ice tray, an ice tray drive part for performing an ice separating operation on the ice tray, an ice storage container in which ice pieces dropped from the ice tray are stored, an ice detecting part for detecting whether an ice quantity in the ice storage container is less than a certain amount or not, an electrostatic capacity sensor having two or more electrodes which are attached to the ice tray and are respectively insulated, and a control unit for the ice making device, the control method comprising:

• confirming that the ice tray is located at a home position and water supply to the ice tray is started through the water-supply part;
• continuing the water supply through the water-supply part until a measured electrostatic capacity value becomes not less than a first threshold value and, in response to the measured electrostatic capacity value becoming not less than the first threshold value, stopping the water supply through the water-supply part;
• after the water supply is stopped, in response to the measured electrostatic capacity value becoming below a second threshold value and it is detected by the ice detecting part that a quantity of ice pieces in the ice storage container is less than a certain amount, performing an ice separating operation by the ice tray drive part;
• after the ice separating operation is finished, returning the ice tray to the home position by the ice tray drive part, unless the measured electrostatic capacity value is not less than a third threshold value, in which case the ice separating operation is performed by the ice tray drive part again;
• wherein the first threshold value is a value which is predetermined on a basis of an electrostatic capacity value in a state that a predetermined quantity of water is existed in the ice tray, the second threshold value is a value which is predetermined on the basis of the electrostatic capacity value in a state that all the predetermined quantity of the water in the ice tray has been frozen, and the third threshold value is a value which is predetermined on the basis of the electrostatic capacity value in a state that the ice tray is empty.