Patent ID: 7168262

Claim:
An ice making machine comprising: (A) a water supply system including an ice-forming mold; and (B) a cooling system including: a compressor that compresses a refrigerant; a condenser that cools the refrigerant that was compressed by the compressor; a condensing pressure regulating valve comprising two inlets and one outlet, wherein one of the inlets is connected to an outlet side of the condenser; a first bypass line connecting the other inlet of the condensing pressure regulating valve and an outlet side of the compressor; a first valve device comprising two inlets and one outlet, wherein one of the inlets is connected with the outlet side of the condensing pressure regulating valve, and the other inlet is connected to the outlet side of the compressor; a receiver that connects to an outlet side of the first valve device via a refrigerant supply line; an expansion valve that connects to a liquid outlet side of the receiver; an evaporator that connects to an outlet side of the expansion valve and cools the ice-forming mold; a second bypass line comprising a second valve device, wherein the second bypass line connects between the refrigerant supply line and an inlet side of the evaporator by bypassing the expansion valve; a refrigerant return line that connects an outlet side of the evaporator and an inlet side of the compressor; and a valve controller that controls the first valve device and the second valve device and comprises: a ice making function wherein during an ice making operation, the first valve device connects the outlet side of the condensing pressure regulating valve with the inlet side of the receiver and the second valve device is closed, and a first function wherein when the ice making machine switches from the ice making function to a de-icing operation, the first valve device connects the compressor outlet side with the refrigerant supply line at substantially the same time as the second valve device is opened.