Ice maker and refrigerator

Abstract

The invention relates to the technical field of ice making, in particular to an ice maker and a refrigerator, and the ice maker comprises a shell with a horizontal opening; the water supply device comprises a water tank and a water inlet pipe, one end of the water inlet pipe penetrates through the shell, and the other end of the water inlet pipe is communicated with the water tank; an ice making cavity is formed in the ice mold, the ice mold is provided with a water injection part, the water injection part is communicated with the ice making cavity, the ice mold is suitable for entering and exiting the shell from the opening, the water injection part is communicated with the end, located in the shell, of the water inlet pipe when entering the shell, and the water injection part is separated from the end, located in the shell, of the water inlet pipe when leaving the shell. The water supply device and the shell are relatively fixed in position, the opening design of the shell is matched, the connection relation between the ice mold and the shell and the connection relation between the ice mold and the water inlet pipe are combined, only the position of the ice mold is changed in the ice making and taking process, the water injection part is detachably communicated with the water inlet pipe, and it can be guaranteed that ice removing operation is convenient while ice making water supply is guaranteed.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the technical field of ice making, in particular to an ice maker and a refrigerator. Background Art

[0002] Ice-making products on the market are mainly divided into two categories: manual ice-making and automatic ice-making. Both categories use the method of still water ice-making. The ice made by the still water ice-making method is non-transparent and has bubbles inside. This will accelerate the melting speed of the ice body when cooling the beverage, affecting the taste of the beverage, and the opacity of the ice body will also affect the user experience. In the existing ice-making equipment, when the ice is taken out of the ice-making chamber after the ice-making is completed, the water in the large drainage area needs to be cleared first, which is inconvenient to operate, and the ice cannot be taken out and thawed in time, which is difficult to meet user needs. In addition, in order to prevent the drainage channel from freezing during the ice-making process, a heating component needs to be set near the drainage area, which is relatively cumbersome and requires a lot of equipment. At the same time, the spherical ice made is difficult to take out due to the ice on the surroundings and the bottom, and the device composition is complex and inconvenient to use. Summary of the invention

[0003] The present invention aims to solve at least one of the technical problems existing in the related art. To this end, the present invention proposes an ice maker, which fixes the water supply device and the shell relative to each other through the position of the water inlet pipe and the shell, cooperates with the open design of the shell, and combines the connection relationship between the ice mold, the shell and the water inlet pipe, so that during ice making and ice taking, only the position of the ice mold changes, and the detachable connection between the water injection part and the water inlet pipe can ensure the water supply for ice making and the convenient ice removal operation. The ice maker has a simple composition and an integrated structure, and can realize manual and convenient removal of ice cubes without the support of heating components and fans.

[0004] The invention also provides a refrigerator.

[0005] An ice making machine according to a first embodiment of the present invention comprises: A housing having a horizontally oriented opening; A water supply device, the water supply device comprising a water tank and a water inlet pipe, one end of the water inlet pipe is passed through the shell, and the other end of the water inlet pipe is connected to the water tank; An ice mold, wherein an ice-making cavity is provided inside the ice mold, and the ice mold is provided with a water injection portion, wherein the water injection portion is communicated with the ice-making cavity, and the ice mold is suitable for entering and exiting the shell through the opening, wherein when entering the shell, the water injection portion is communicated with one end of the water inlet pipe located in the shell, and when leaving the shell, the water injection portion is separated from one end of the water inlet pipe located in the shell.

[0006] According to the ice maker of the embodiment of the present invention, the water supply device and the housing are relatively fixed by the position of the water inlet pipe and the housing, and the open design of the housing is matched with the connection relationship between the ice mold, the housing and the water inlet pipe, so that during ice making and ice taking, only the position of the ice mold changes, and the water injection part and the water inlet pipe are detachably connected, which can ensure the water supply for ice making and convenient ice removal operation. The ice maker has a simple composition and an integrated structure, and can realize manual and convenient removal of ice cubes without the support of heating components and fans.

[0007] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the ice mold is provided with a drainage portion, and the water supply device further comprises a water return pipe, one end of the water return pipe is passed through the shell, and the other end of the water return pipe is connected to the water tank.

[0008] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the water supply device further comprises: a water supply pipe, the water supply pipe being in communication with the water tank; A water level sensor, wherein the water level sensor is disposed in the water tank; A control valve is provided on the water supply pipe, the control valve is electrically connected to the water level sensor, and the control valve is suitable for controlling the water supply pipe to inject water into the water tank according to the water level in the water tank detected by the water level sensor.

[0009] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the water injection part comprises: a first water injection channel, the first water injection channel extending from the surface of the ice mold to the inside of the ice mold in a horizontal direction, and one end of the water inlet pipe located in the shell is detachably connected to the first water injection channel; A second water injection channel is communicated with the first water injection channel and extends toward the ice making chamber at a set angle, wherein the set angle is an acute angle with the horizontal direction.

[0010] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the water inlet pipe comprises: A first pipe interface, the housing is provided with a first mounting hole, a first end of the first pipe interface is arranged in the first mounting hole, and a second end of the first pipe interface is plugged into the first water injection channel by interference fit; A tube body, one end of which is inserted into the first end of the first tube interface, and the other end of which is communicated with the water tank.

[0011] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the drainage portion comprises: a drainage groove, the drainage groove being arranged at the top edge of the ice mold; A drain port, the drain port being arranged at the highest position of the ice-making chamber, and water in the ice-making chamber overflows from the drain port and gathers into the drain groove; The second pipe interface is arranged in the drainage groove, the shell is provided with a second mounting hole, the return pipe is inserted in the second mounting hole, and the second pipe interface is plugged into the return pipe by interference fit.

[0012] According to an embodiment of the present invention, a plurality of ice molds are arranged in the shell, the plurality of ice molds are independent of each other, the water inlet pipes are arranged in a one-to-one correspondence with the ice molds, and the water return pipes are arranged in a one-to-one correspondence with the ice molds.

[0013] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the ice mold is provided with a handle on a side facing the opening.

[0014] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the ice maker further comprises a cooling device, and the cooling device is arranged at the bottom of the ice mold.

[0015] A refrigerator according to an embodiment of the second aspect of the present invention comprises a refrigerator body and the ice maker as described above, wherein the ice maker is arranged in the refrigerator body.

[0016] The above one or more technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention have at least one of the following technical effects: In the ice making machine of the embodiment of the present invention, the ice mold is arranged in a shell, and the shell is provided with an opening facing the horizontal direction, the ice mold can be put into the shell or taken out from the shell through the opening, that is, the ice mold can be horizontally pulled out of the shell through the opening, and can also be horizontally pushed into the shell through the opening to form a pull-out ice mold, the water supply device consists of a water tank and a water inlet pipe, the water tank and the shell are relatively independently arranged, one end of the water inlet pipe passes through the shell and enters the inside of the shell, and the other end of the water inlet pipe is connected to the water tank, that is, the shell forms a fixed whole with the water tank through the water inlet pipe, the ice mold is provided with an ice making cavity and a water injection part connected with the ice making cavity, when the ice mold is put into the shell, the water injection part is connected with the end of the water inlet pipe, when the ice mold is taken out from the shell, the water injection part is disconnected from the end of the water inlet pipe.

[0017] The water tank injects water into the water injection part of the ice mold through the water inlet pipe, and the water in the water injection part flows into the ice making chamber to make ice. After ice making is completed, the ice mold is taken out from the opening of the shell, and the water injection part is removed from the water inlet pipe, and the position of the water inlet pipe on the shell remains unchanged. The ice mold can be opened to de-ice, and then the ice mold is put into the shell through the opening, and the water injection part is connected to the water inlet pipe. In this way, ice making and manual de-ice are realized.

[0018] The ice maker of the present invention fixes the water supply device and the shell relative to each other through the position of the water inlet pipe and the shell, cooperates with the open design of the shell, and combines the connection relationship between the ice mold, the shell and the water inlet pipe, so that during ice making and ice taking, only the position of the ice mold changes, and the detachable connection between the water injection part and the water inlet pipe can ensure the water supply for ice making and the convenient ice removal operation. The ice maker has a simple composition and an integrated structure, and can realize manual and convenient removal of ice cubes without the support of heating components and fans.

[0019] Additional aspects and advantages of the present invention will be given in part in the following description and in part will be obvious from the following description, or will be learned through practice of the present invention. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0020] In order to more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention or related technologies, the drawings required for use in the embodiments or related technical descriptions are briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of the present invention. For ordinary technicians in this field, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without paying creative work.

[0021] Figure 1 It is one of the structural schematic diagrams of the ice making machine provided by the embodiment of the present invention; Figure 2 This is the second structural schematic diagram of the ice making machine provided by the embodiment of the present invention; Figure 3 This is the third structural schematic diagram of the ice making machine provided by the embodiment of the present invention; Figure 4 is one of the cross-sectional views of the ice making machine provided by the embodiment of the present invention; Figure 5 is a second cross-sectional view of the ice maker provided by an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 6 It is one of the structural schematic diagrams of the refrigerator provided by the embodiment of the present invention; Figure 7 This is the second structural schematic diagram of the refrigerator provided by the embodiment of the present invention; Figure 8 This is the fourth structural schematic diagram of the ice making machine provided by the embodiment of the present invention; Fig. 9 This is the fifth structural schematic diagram of the ice maker provided by the embodiment of the present invention; Fig.10 It is a schematic structural diagram of a top cover of an ice maker provided in an embodiment of the present invention.

[0022] Reference numerals: 100, ice mold; 110, ice making chamber; 120, drainage part; 121, drainage outlet; 122, drainage groove; 123, second pipe interface; 130, water injection part; 131, first water injection channel; 132, second water injection channel; 140, base; 150, silicone mold; 151, mold petal part; 152, folding part; 153, mounting groove; 154, handle; 160, bottom support; 161, protrusion; 170, insulation layer; 200, water supply device; 210, water tank; 220, water return pipe; 230, water inlet pipe; 231, first pipe interface; 232, pipe body; 240, water pump; 250, water supply pipe; 260, water level sensor; 270, control valve; 300, cooling device; 310, cooling plate; 311, chute; 320, cooling column; 400, top cover; 410, third insulation board; 500, shell; 510, base; 511, vent; 520, enclosure; 530, first insulation board; 540, first mounting hole; 550, second mounting hole; 560, open; 600, cover plate; 610, plate body; 620, second insulation plate; 700, refrigerator body; 710, foaming interlayer; 720, freezing chamber; 730, refrigerating chamber; 800, ice maker; 810, heating component; 820, fan; 830, temperature sensor; 840, thermal insulation box. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0023] The following embodiments of the present invention are described in further detail in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and examples. The following examples are used to illustrate the present invention, but are not intended to limit the scope of the present invention.

[0024] In the description of the embodiments of the present invention, it should be noted that the terms "center", "longitudinal", "lateral", "up", "down", "front", "back", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", "inside", "outside" and the like indicate positions or positional relationships based on the positions or positional relationships shown in the accompanying drawings, and are only for the convenience of describing the embodiments of the present invention and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the devices or elements referred to must have a specific orientation, be constructed and operate in a specific orientation, and therefore cannot be understood as limitations on the embodiments of the present invention. In addition, the terms "first", "second", and "third" are used for descriptive purposes only and cannot be understood as indicating or implying relative importance.

[0025] In the description of the embodiments of the present invention, it should be noted that, unless otherwise clearly specified and limited, the terms "connected" and "connection" should be understood in a broad sense, for example, it can be a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; it can be a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; it can be a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium. For ordinary technicians in this field, the specific meanings of the above terms in the embodiments of the present invention can be understood according to specific circumstances.

[0026] In the embodiments of the present invention, unless otherwise clearly specified and limited, the first feature being "above" or "below" the second feature may mean that the first and second features are in direct contact, or the first and second features are in indirect contact through an intermediate medium. Moreover, the first feature being "above", "above" and "above" the second feature may mean that the first feature is directly above or obliquely above the second feature, or simply means that the first feature is higher in level than the second feature. The first feature being "below", "below" and "below" the second feature may mean that the first feature is directly below or obliquely below the second feature, or simply means that the first feature is lower in level than the second feature.

[0027] In the description of this specification, the description with reference to the terms "one embodiment", "some embodiments", "example", "specific example", or "some examples" etc. means that the specific features, structures, materials or characteristics described in conjunction with the embodiment or example are included in at least one embodiment or example of the embodiment of the present invention. In this specification, the schematic representations of the above terms do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment or example. Moreover, the specific features, structures, materials or characteristics described may be combined in any one or more embodiments or examples in a suitable manner. In addition, those skilled in the art may combine and combine the different embodiments or examples described in this specification and the features of the different embodiments or examples, without contradiction.

[0028] like Figure 1 , Figure 2 , Figure 3 , Figure 4 and Figure 5As shown, the ice maker provided by the embodiment of the present invention includes a shell 500, a water supply device 200 and an ice mold 100, the shell 500 has a horizontal opening 560; the water supply device 200 includes a water tank 210 and a water inlet pipe 230, one end of the water inlet pipe 230 is penetrated through the shell 500, and the other end of the water inlet pipe 230 is communicated with the water tank 210; an ice making cavity 110 is provided inside the ice mold 100, and the ice mold 100 is provided with a water injection portion 130, and the water injection portion 130 is communicated with the ice making cavity 110, and the ice mold 100 is suitable for entering and exiting the shell 500 through the opening 560, when entering the shell 500, the water injection portion 130 is communicated with one end of the water inlet pipe 230 located in the shell 500, and when leaving the shell 500, the water injection portion 130 is separated from one end of the water inlet pipe 230 located in the shell 500.

[0029] In the ice making machine of the embodiment of the present invention, the ice mold 100 is arranged in the housing 500, and the housing 500 is provided with an opening 560 facing the horizontal direction, and the ice mold 100 can be put into the housing 500 or taken out from the housing 500 through the opening 560, that is, the ice mold 100 can be horizontally pulled out of the housing 500 through the opening 560, and can also be horizontally pushed into the housing 500 through the opening 560, forming a pull-out ice mold 100, and the water supply device 200 is composed of a water tank 210 and a water inlet pipe 230, and the water tank 210 and the housing 500 are relatively independent. One end of the water pipe 230 passes through the shell 500 and enters the interior of the shell 500, and the other end of the water inlet pipe 230 is connected to the water tank 210, that is, the shell 500 forms a fixed whole with the water tank 210 through the water inlet pipe 230. The ice mold 100 is provided with an ice making cavity 110 and a water injection portion 130 connected to the ice making cavity 110. When the ice mold 100 is placed in the shell 500, the water injection portion 130 is connected to the end of the water inlet pipe 230. When the ice mold 100 is taken out from the shell 500, the water injection portion 130 is disconnected from the end of the water inlet pipe 230.

[0030] The water tank 210 injects water into the water injection part 130 of the ice mold 100 through the water inlet pipe 230, and the water in the water injection part 130 flows into the ice making chamber 110 to make ice. After ice making is completed, the ice mold 100 is taken out from the opening 560 of the housing 500, during which the water injection part 130 is removed from the water inlet pipe 230, and the position of the water inlet pipe 230 on the housing 500 remains unchanged. The ice mold 100 can be opened to de-ice, and then the ice mold 100 is put into the housing 500 through the opening 560, during which the water injection part 130 is connected to the water inlet pipe 230. In this way, ice making and manual de-ice are achieved.

[0031] The ice maker of the present invention fixes the water supply device 200 and the housing 500 relatively by the position of the water inlet pipe 230 and the housing 500, cooperates with the design of the opening 560 of the housing 500, and combines the connection relationship between the ice mold 100, the housing 500 and the water inlet pipe 230, so that during ice making and ice taking, only the position of the ice mold 100 changes, and the water injection part 130 is detachably connected with the water inlet pipe 230, which can ensure the water supply for ice making and convenient ice removal operation. The ice maker has a simple composition and an integrated structure, and can realize manual and convenient removal of ice cubes without the support of heating components and fans.

[0032] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the ice mold 100 is provided with a drainage portion 120, and the water supply device 200 further includes a return pipe 220, one end of the return pipe 220 is passed through the shell 500, and the other end of the return pipe 220 is connected to the water tank 210. When the ice mold 100 enters the shell 500, the drainage portion 120 is connected to the end of the return pipe 220 located in the shell 500, and when the ice mold 100 leaves the shell 500, the drainage portion 120 is separated from the end of the return pipe 220 located in the shell 500.

[0033] In this embodiment, the water supply device 200 is composed of a water tank 210, a water inlet pipe 230 and a water return pipe 220. The water tank 210 and the shell 500 are relatively independently arranged. One end of the water return pipe 220 passes through the shell 500 and enters the interior of the shell 500, and the other end of the water return pipe 220 is connected to the water tank 210, that is, the shell 500 forms a fixed whole with the water tank 210 through the water inlet pipe 230 and the water return pipe 220. The ice mold 100 is provided with an ice making cavity 110 and a water injection part 130 and a drainage part 120 connected to the ice making cavity 110. When the ice mold 100 is placed in the shell 500, the drainage part 120 is connected to the end of the water return pipe 220. When the ice mold 100 is taken out from the shell 500, the drainage part 120 is disconnected from the end of the drainage pipe.

[0034] The drainage part 120 of the ice mold 100 drains water to the water tank 210 through the return pipe 220, and the water overflowing from the ice making chamber 110 flows into the drainage pipe from the drainage part 120 and is discharged into the water tank 210. After ice making is completed, the ice mold 100 is taken out from the opening 560 of the housing 500, during which the drainage part 120 is removed from the drainage pipe, and the position of the drainage pipe on the housing 500 remains unchanged. The ice mold 100 can be opened to de-ice, and then the ice mold 100 is put into the housing 500 through the opening 560, during which the drainage part 120 is connected to the return pipe 220. In this way, ice making and manual de-ice are achieved.

[0035] The ice maker of the present invention fixes the water supply device 200 and the housing 500 relatively by the position of the water inlet pipe 230 and the housing 500, cooperates with the design of the opening 560 of the housing 500, and combines the connection relationship between the ice mold 100 and the housing 500 and the water inlet pipe 230 and the return pipe 220, so that during ice making and ice taking, only the position of the ice mold 100 changes, and the water injection part 130 is detachably connected to the water inlet pipe 230, and the return pipe 220 is detachably connected to the drainage part 120, which can ensure the water supply and drainage of ice making, and also ensure the convenience of ice removal operation. The ice maker has a simple composition and an integrated structure, and can realize manual and convenient removal of ice cubes without the support of heating components and fans.

[0036] The ice mold 100 has a water injection part 130 and a drainage part 120. The water tank 210 is connected to the water injection part 130 through the water inlet pipe 230 to inject water into the ice making chamber 110. When the water in the ice making chamber 110 is full, it overflows from the drainage part 120. During the ice making process, water is continuously injected into the ice making chamber 110 and the water in the ice making chamber 110 continuously overflows. Therefore, there is an ice layer and flowing water in the ice making chamber 110, which can help and accelerate the precipitation of bubbles in the water, and further ensure the production of transparent ice. The water tank 210 is connected to the drainage part 120 through the return pipe 220, so that the water overflowing from the ice making chamber 110 flows back to the water tank 210, thereby realizing the formation of a circulating water path between the water supply device 200 and the ice mold 100 during the ice making process.

[0037] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the water supply device 200 also includes a water supply pipe 250, a water level sensor 260 and a control valve 270. The water supply pipe 250 is connected to the water tank 210; the water level sensor 260 is arranged in the water tank 210; the control valve 270 is arranged in the water supply pipe 250, and the control valve 270 is electrically connected to the water level sensor 260. The control valve 270 is suitable for controlling the water supply pipe 250 to inject water into the water tank 210 according to the water level in the water tank 210 detected by the water level sensor 260.

[0038] In this embodiment, the water supply device 200 is composed of a water tank 210, a water inlet pipe 230, a water return pipe 220, a water supply pipe 250, a water level sensor 260 and a control valve 270. The water source can supply water to the water tank 210 through the water supply pipe 250. The water level sensor 260 is suitable for detecting the real-time water level in the water tank 210. When the water level in the water tank 210 is lower than the first set water level, the water level sensor 260 triggers the control valve 270, and the control valve 270 opens to control the water supply pipe 250 to start injecting water into the water tank 210. When the water level in the water tank 210 is higher than the second set water level, the water level sensor 260 triggers the control valve 270, and the control valve 270 closes to control the water supply pipe 250 to stop injecting water into the water tank 210.

[0039] In this embodiment, the water level sensor 260 can also be a float sensor. Considering the convenience of continuous ice making, a water supply pipe 250 and a control valve 270 are introduced into the water tank 210, and a water level sensor 260 is installed inside the water tank 210. When the water in the water tank 210 gradually decreases to a certain level as ice is made, the control valve 270 is triggered by the water level sensor 260 to open the quantitative water supply, thereby realizing the automatic water supply of the ice maker.

[0040] A water pump 240 is arranged at the bottom of the water tank 210. One end of the water inlet pipe 230 enters the water tank 210 and is connected with the water pump 240 at the bottom. The water pump 240 provides power for the water inlet pipe 230 to inject water into the ice mold 100. The water pump 240 works continuously, and a circulating water circuit is formed between the entire water supply device 200 and the inside of the ice mold 100.

[0041] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the water injection portion 130 includes a first water injection channel 131 and a second water injection channel 132, the first water injection channel 131 extends from the surface of the ice mold 100 to the inside of the ice mold 100 in a horizontal direction, and one end of the water inlet pipe 230 located in the shell 500 is detachably connected to the first water injection channel 131; the second water injection channel 132 is connected to the first water injection channel 131 and extends toward the ice making chamber 110 at a set angle, and the set angle is an angle that is an acute angle with the horizontal direction.

[0042] In this embodiment, the water injection portion 130 of the ice mold 100 is mainly composed of a first water injection channel 131 and a second water injection channel 132. The first water injection channel 131 extends from the surface of the ice mold 100 to the location of the ice-making cavity 110 inside the ice mold 100, and the extension direction is horizontal. The second water injection channel 132 is connected to the extended end of the first water injection channel 131. The second water injection channel 132 extends from the ice-making cavity 110 at the end of the first water injection channel 131 and is connected to the ice-making cavity 110, and gradually tilts downward during the extension process, forming an inclined structure with a set angle that is acutely angled with the horizontal direction.

[0043] The water injection portion 130 of the ice mold 100 is constructed as a water channel that penetrates the ice mold 100 through the communication between the first water injection channel 131 and the second water injection channel 132. During ice making, the water pump 240 continuously pumps the water in the water tank 210 to the first water injection channel 131 of the ice mold 100. After the water flows through the first water injection channel 131, it passes through the second water injection channel 132 with a set angle of inclination and is injected into the ice making chamber 110 at a certain inclination angle. The water flows into the ice making chamber 110 in a downwardly inclined manner, which can generate water flow rotation in the ice making chamber 110, which is conducive to promoting the precipitation of gas in the water, so that the transparency of the ice made is better.

[0044] In this embodiment, the setting angle can generally be selected to be around 15°.

[0045] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the water inlet pipe 230 includes a first pipe interface 231 and a tube body 232, the shell 500 is provided with a first mounting hole 540, the first end of the first pipe interface 231 is arranged in the first mounting hole 540, and the second end of the first pipe interface 231 is plugged into the first water injection channel 131 by interference fit; one end of the tube body 232 is inserted into the first end of the first pipe interface 231, and the other end of the tube body 232 is connected to the water tank 210.

[0046] In this embodiment, the water inlet pipe 230 of the water supply device 200 is composed of a first pipe interface 231 and a pipe body 232. A first mounting hole 540 is provided on the housing 500. The first pipe interface 231 is designed in two sections, namely, a first end and a second end of the first pipe interface 231. The first end is inserted into the first mounting hole 540, and the second end is detachably plugged with the first water injection channel 131. When plugged, an interference fit is used to prevent water from leaking from the connection. One end of the pipe body 232 is inserted into the first end, and an interference fit can also be used to prevent water from leaking from the connection. The other end of the pipe body 232 extends into the water tank 210 and communicates with the water pump 240 in the water tank 210. The plug-in fit meets the structural relationship connection requirements of the ice mold 100 horizontally entering and exiting the housing 500 through the open opening 560 of the housing 500, and conveniently and quickly realizes the detachable connection between the water inlet pipe 230 and the ice mold 100, and can effectively ensure that there is no water leakage during ice making and ice taking.

[0047] In this embodiment, the first pipe interface 231 is fixed on the housing 500, and after the ice mold 100 enters the housing 500, the end of the first water injection channel 131 is close to the second end until the second end is inserted into the first water injection channel 131. In other embodiments, the second end of the first pipe interface 231 can also be fixed to the end of the first water injection channel 131 of the ice mold 100, and the tube body 232 is directly fixed in the first mounting hole 540 of the housing 500. After the ice mold 100 enters the housing 500, the first end of the first pipe interface 231 is close to the tube body 232 until the first end is inserted into the tube body 232.

[0048] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the drainage portion 120 includes a drainage groove 122, a drainage port 121 and a second pipe interface 123, the drainage groove 122 is arranged at the top edge of the ice mold 100; the drainage port 121 is arranged at the highest position of the ice making chamber 110, and the water in the ice making chamber 110 overflows from the drainage port 121 and gathers into the drainage groove 122; the second pipe interface 123 is arranged in the drainage groove 122, the shell 500 is provided with a second mounting hole 550, the return pipe 220 is inserted into the second mounting hole 550, and the second pipe interface 123 is plugged into the return pipe 220 by interference fit.

[0049] In the present embodiment, the bottom of the ice mold 100 is the portion concentrated on the lower surface of the ice mold 100, and the top of the ice mold 100 is the portion concentrated on the upper surface of the ice mold 100. The drainage portion 120 on the top of the ice mold 100 is composed of a drainage port 121, a drainage groove 122 and a second pipe interface 123. The drainage port 121 is the highest position of the homemade ice cavity 110 and vertically penetrates upward to the top surface of the ice mold 100. The drainage groove 122 is a recessed groove at the edge of the top surface of the ice mold 100, and the second pipe interface 123 is also a two-section design, which are the first section and the second section of the second pipe interface 123, that is, the first section is connected to the edge of the ice mold 100, corresponds to the position of the drainage groove 122 and extends into the drainage groove 122, and the second section extends out of the ice mold 100. The housing 500 is provided with a second mounting hole 550, and the return pipe 220 is inserted into the second mounting hole 550. When plugged in, an interference fit is used to prevent water from leaking from the connection. The second section is detachably plugged into the return pipe 220, and an interference fit can also be used to prevent water from leaking from the connection. The plug-in fit meets the structural relationship connection requirements of the ice mold 100 horizontally entering and exiting the housing 500 through the opening 560 of the housing 500, and conveniently and quickly realizes the detachable connection between the return pipe 220 and the ice mold 100, and can effectively ensure that there is no water leakage when making and taking ice.

[0050] Water is injected into the ice-making chamber 110 through the water injection portion 130. After the water in the ice-making chamber 110 gathers to the highest position of the ice-making chamber 110, it will overflow into the drain port 121. The overflowing water flows on the top surface of the ice mold 100 and flows into the concave drain groove 122, and flows into the second pipe interface 123 through the drain groove 122. The second end of the second pipe interface 123 is connected to the return pipe 220 to flow out of the ice mold 100 and flow back to the water tank 210.

[0051] In this embodiment, the second pipe interface 123 is fixed on the ice mold 100. After the ice mold 100 enters the housing 500, the second section of the second pipe interface 123 is close to the second mounting hole 550 until the second section is inserted into the return pipe 220 in the second mounting hole 550. In other embodiments, the second section of the second pipe interface 123 can also be fixed to the end of the return pipe 220 in the second mounting hole 550 of the housing 500. After the ice mold 100 enters the housing 500, the second section of the second pipe interface 123 is close to the ice mold 100 until the first section is inserted into the drainage groove 122.

[0052] It can be understood that, in the present embodiment, the drainage portion 120 is exposed on the surface of the ice mold 100. In other embodiments, the drainage portion 120 may also be arranged in a non-exposed state inside the ice mold 100, that is, the top of the ice mold 100 has a certain thickness, and the drainage port 121 and the drainage groove 122 are in the form of internal perforations within the top range.

[0053] According to an embodiment of the present invention, a plurality of ice molds 100 are disposed in a housing 500, the plurality of ice molds 100 are independent of each other, the water inlet pipe 230 is disposed in one-to-one correspondence with the ice molds 100, and the water return pipe 220 is disposed in one-to-one correspondence with the ice molds 100. In this embodiment, the plurality of ice molds 100 are disposed in the housing 500 independently of each other, the direction in which the plurality of ice molds 100 are arranged is the length direction of the housing 500, and the length direction of the housing 500 is perpendicular to the direction in which the opening 560 is directed. A corresponding first mounting hole 540 and a second mounting hole 550 are disposed corresponding to each ice mold 100 on the side of the housing 500 opposite to the opening 560, and each ice mold 100 has its corresponding independent water inlet pipe 230 and water return pipe 220 connected thereto, and the second mounting hole 550 is located above the first mounting hole 540, that is, the horizontal extension section of the water inlet pipe 230 is located below the water return pipe 220.

[0054] In this embodiment, when ice making is required, the water inlet pipe 230 can independently inject water into the corresponding ice mold 100, and the water return pipe 220 can also independently return water to the corresponding ice mold 100. When ice making is completed and ice needs to be taken out, a single ice mold 100 can be taken out from the housing 500 without affecting the states of other ice molds 100 and the water inlet pipe 230 and the water return pipe 220. The water inlet pipe 230 and the water return pipe 220 of the ice mold 100 to be taken out are separated from the ice mold 100, and the ice mold 100 can be taken out from the housing 500 for manual ice taking. In this way, the space occupied by the housing 500 and the water supply device 200 can be saved, the device structure can be simplified, and the water injection part 130130 and the drainage part 120120 on the top of the ice mold 100 can be protected from external pollution, while also adapting to ice making and ice taking operations.

[0055] In this embodiment, by setting a drainage part 120 and a water injection part 130 on the top of each ice mold 100, all ice molds 100 are arranged in parallel, and water is injected into each ice-making cavity 110 through its corresponding water injection part 130. The water overflowing from each ice-making cavity 110 can flow out in the corresponding drainage part 120 without affecting each other, so that each ice mold 100 can independently operate in water injection, freezing and drainage during the ice-making process. The ice-making machine of the present invention can pull out one ice mold 100 at a time, and can produce up to 3 transparent ice balls each time. Of course, if it is not used up at one time, it can continue to be stored in the ice-making cavity 110 of the ice mold 100, and it will not affect the ice-making of other ice molds 100.

[0056] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the ice mold 100 is provided with a handle 154 on a side facing the opening 560. In this embodiment, the handle 154 is provided on the ice mold 100, and the handle 154 extends toward the position where the opening 560 of the housing 500 is located. When ice needs to be taken, the handle 154 can be manually grasped and horizontally moved to the outside of the housing 500 to pull the ice mold 100 out of the housing 500. The handle 154 can be constructed on the surface of the ice mold 100 and formed integrally with the ice mold 100.

[0057] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the ice maker further includes a cover plate 600 and a cooling device 300. The cover plate 600 is covered on the opening 560, and the cover plate 600 is movably connected to the shell 500, and a receiving space is enclosed by the shell 500. The ice mold 100 is arranged in the receiving space, and the ice mold 100 is provided with a handle 154 on a side facing the cover plate 600. The cooling device 300 is arranged in the receiving space, and the top surface of the cooling device 300 is slidably connected to the bottom surface of the ice mold 100, so that the ice mold 100 can enter and exit the receiving space from the opening 560.

[0058] In this embodiment, the cover plate 600 is disposed on the opening 560 of the housing 500 and is movably connected to the housing 500. When the cover plate 600 covers the opening 560, the cover plate 600 and the housing 500 jointly enclose a receiving space. When the cover plate 600 leaves the opening 560 and the opening 560 is opened, the ice mold 100 can be taken out of or put into the receiving space. The handle 154 is disposed on the surface of the ice mold 100 corresponding to the cover plate 600, so that the ice mold 100 can be pushed in or pulled out of the opening 560 by grasping the handle 154.

[0059] The ice mold 100 and the cooling device 300 are both placed in the accommodating space, and the ice mold 100 is arranged on the cooling device 300. The bottom surface of the ice mold 100 contacts the top surface of the cooling device 300. The cooling device 300 provides cold energy for the ice mold 100 during ice making, and conducts the cold energy to the ice making cavity 110 of the ice mold 100, so that the cold energy is gradually conducted upward. The ice making cavity 110 forms a temperature gradient with a gradually increasing temperature from bottom to top, so that the water forms a tendency to freeze layer by layer from bottom to top, further improving the transparency of the ice making.

[0060] The ice mold 100 can be pulled out of the shell 500 horizontally through the opening 560, and can also be pushed into the shell 500 horizontally through the opening 560, so as to form a pull-out ice mold 100, and the ice mold 100 can slide on the cooling device 300. Under the condition that the ice mold 100 and the shell 500 can move in and out in a drawer-like manner, the cooling device 300 can also ensure normal ice making and cooling for the ice mold 100. Moreover, the relatively independent arrangement of the ice mold 100 and the cooling device 300 does not hinder their respective functions, and can realize the convenience of independent modular design, so as to facilitate the quick removal and cleaning of the ice mold 100, and the quick manual ice taking by pull-out method, thus bringing the best ice making experience to the user.

[0061] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the bottom surface of the ice mold 100 is provided with one of the slide groove 311 and the protrusion 161, and the top surface of the cooling device 300 is provided with the other of the slide groove 311 and the protrusion 161. The protrusion 161 is embedded in the slide groove 311 and can slide along the slide groove 311. The slide groove 311 is extended along the direction of the opening 560. In this embodiment, a sliding connection component is provided between the bottom of the ice mold 100 and the top surface of the cooling device 300 in sliding contact. The sliding connection component can be a slide groove 311 and a protrusion 161. The protrusion 161 is embedded in the slide groove 311. When the ice mold 100 slides on the cooling device 300, a relative movement occurs between the protrusion 161 and the slide groove 311, and at the same time, it is ensured that the ice mold 100 and the cooling device 300 always maintain the cold transfer.

[0062] In this embodiment, a protrusion 161 is provided at the bottom of the ice mold 100, and the extension direction of the cooling device 300 is the length direction of the shell 500. Since the opening 560 is oriented perpendicular to the length direction of the shell 500, the direction in which the ice mold 100 enters and exits the shell 500 is also perpendicular to the extension direction of the cooling device 300. When there are multiple ice molds 100, the corresponding slide grooves 311 on the cooling device 300 are also multiple and parallel to each other. The slide grooves 311 are through grooves to ensure that the independent pulling and pulling path of each ice mold 100 is guided.

[0063] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the ice mold 100 is provided with a heat preservation layer 170 on a side facing the cover plate 600. In this embodiment, the heat preservation layer 170 is provided on a side of the ice mold 100 opposite to the cover plate 600, and the ice mold 100 is kept warm at this position by the heat preservation setting between the ice mold 100 and the cover plate 600, so as to isolate the temperature of the ice mold 100 from the influence of the external temperature, thereby ensuring the temperature gradient formed from bottom to top in the ice making chamber 110.

[0064] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the shell 500 includes a base 510, a panel 520 and a first insulation board 530; the panel 520 is arranged around the edge of the base 510, and the two ends of the panel 520 are spaced to form an opening 560; the first insulation board 530 is arranged on the side of the panel 520 to form an accommodation space. In this embodiment, the shell 500 is mainly composed of the base 510, the panel 520 and the first insulation board 530, the panel 520 surrounds the base 510 according to the edge of the base 510, the cooling device 300 and the ice mold 100 are arranged up and down in the shell 500, and a certain distance is formed between the head and tail ends of the panel 520 after surrounding the base 510, and the distance constitutes the opening 560 structure.

[0065] In order to further ensure the ambient temperature of the internal space of the shell 500 and improve the thermal insulation effect of the shell 500, a first thermal insulation board 530 is set on the inner side of the enclosure 520. In order to prevent the shell ice-making cavity 110 from being affected and iced, the first thermal insulation board 530 is set on the side of the enclosure 520 where the opening 560 is not set on the shell 500. The first thermal insulation board 530 can insulate the internal environment of the accommodating space.

[0066] In this embodiment, a vent hole 511 is further provided on the base 510, and the vent hole 511 is arranged corresponding to the position of the cooling device 300. Cold air can contact the cooling device 300 through the vent hole 511, and exchange heat with the cooling column 320 and the cooling plate 310 of the cooling device 300, thereby providing cooling for the ice mold 100.

[0067] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the cover plate 600 includes a plate body 610 and a second insulation plate 620. The plate body 610 is covered on the opening 560, and the plate body 610 is rotatably connected to the base 510; the second insulation plate 620 is arranged on the side of the plate body 610 forming the accommodation space. In this embodiment, the cover plate 600 is mainly composed of the plate body 610 and the second insulation plate 620. The plate body 610 is arranged at the opening 560 corresponding to the shell 500, and the second insulation plate 620 is arranged on the surface of the plate body 610 facing the shell 500, and then the first insulation plate 530 is used as the insulation plate on the inner side of the shell 500, and the second insulation plate 620 is used as the insulation plate on the inner side of the cover body, that is, a complete insulation plate is arranged around the accommodation space, so as to insulate the space where the ice mold 100 is located and isolate the external temperature.

[0068] In this embodiment, the lower end of the plate body 610 is rotatably connected to the edge of the base 510. When the plate body 610 rotates downward, the opening 560 is opened, and when the plate body 610 rotates upward, the opening 560 is closed. The first mounting hole 540 and the second mounting hole 550 are both provided on the enclosure 520. The first insulation board 530 and the second insulation board 620 can both be made of foam material.

[0069] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the ice mold 100 includes a silicone mold 150, and the silicone mold 150 includes a plurality of mold petals 151 and a folding portion 152. The plurality of mold petals 151 enclose an ice-making cavity 110, and adjacent mold petals 151 are connected by the folding portion 152. The folding portion 152 is suitable for switching between an expanded state and a closed state. In the expanded state, the mold petals 151 are dispersed and the ice-making cavity 110 is opened. In the closed state, the mold petals 151 are aggregated, the ice-making cavity 110 is closed, and the ice-making cavity 110 is connected to the water inlet pipe 230.

[0070] In this embodiment, the main part of the ice mold 100 is composed of a silicone mold 150. The silicone mold 150 has a certain degree of flexible deformation ability, can be bent within a certain range, and can also be restored to its original shape. The silicone mold 150 also has a certain degree of plasticity to ensure that its main shape remains unchanged. The silicone mold 150 is composed of a mold petal portion 151 and a folding portion 152. Each mold petal portion 151 is independently arranged, and multiple mold petals 151 are arranged in sequence along the circumferential direction. Adjacent mold petals 151 are connected by the folding portion 152. Each mold petal portion 151 has a recess 1511. The recesses 1511 of all mold petals 151 are combined to form an ice-making cavity 110 inside the silicone mold 150. Connecting surfaces extend from both sides of the recess 1511. The connecting surfaces between two adjacent mold petals 151 are connected by the folding portion 152. The two connecting surfaces have a sealing effect after being combined to ensure the sealing of the ice-making cavity 110.

[0071] When the ice mold 100 is making ice, the folded portion 152 is in a closed state, the mold petals 151 are gathered together, and the recesses 1511 are pieced together to form an ice cavity inside the silicone mold 150, so as to achieve the effect of closing the ice cavity 110, and then water is injected into the ice cavity 110 to make ice. After the ice making is completed, the mold petals 151 can be manually opened, that is, the mold petals 151 are bent in a direction away from the ice cavity 110, thereby driving the folded portion 152 to unfold, and the mold petals 151 are dispersed outward, so that the recesses 1511 constituting the ice cavity 110 are separated from each other, and the mold petals 151 are also separated from the ice, and the ice cavity 110 is opened, and the ice can be taken out, thereby completing manual ice defrosting.

[0072] The structural design of the silicone mold 150 does not require external force and external structure to close the ice-making chamber 110, and can be opened and ice-removed manually, which simplifies the structure of the ice mold 100, facilitates ice-removing operation, and can improve ice-making efficiency and ice-removing efficiency. Therefore, the ice mold 100 of this embodiment adopts a structural design that cooperates with the mold petal part 151 and the folding part 152, which not only realizes the generation of transparent ice of a specific shape, but also solves the problem of difficult ice removal in the traditional ice mold 100, bringing a good interactive experience.

[0073] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the ice mold 100 further includes a base 160, the silicone mold 150 is provided with a mounting groove 153, the mounting groove 153 is correspondingly arranged below the bottom of the ice-making cavity 110, the base 160 is embedded in the mounting groove 153, and the bottom surface of the base 160 is provided with a protrusion 161. In this embodiment, the ice mold 100 is composed of the silicone mold 150 and the base 160, the silicone mold 150 is used as an upper mold, the base 160 is used as a lower mold, the silicone mold 150 is located on the outside and above the base 160 as a whole, the silicone mold 150 is provided with a mounting groove 153 at the bottom, the base 160 is embedded in the mounting groove 153, the lower base 160 is used as a supporting structure of the upper silicone mold 150, the ice-making cavity 110 is constructed inside the silicone mold 150, and the base 160 provides support force and cooling capacity for the ice-making cavity 110 below the ice-making cavity 110.

[0074] A cooling device 300 is provided at the bottom of the ice mold 100, that is, the bottom of the silicone mold 150 is the cooling device 300, and the bottom bracket 160 can be made of a metal material. The cooling performance of the metal material is higher than that of the silicone material, so the cooling device 300 transfers cold to the bottom bracket 160 and the silicone mold 150. Affected by the material, the temperature of the bottom bracket 160 is lower than that of the silicone mold 150. The ice mold 100 is designed to form a structure of cooling device 300→bottom bracket 160→silicone mold 150 with a temperature from low to high, that is, the temperature of the cooling device 300 is the lowest, the bottom bracket 160 is the second, and the temperature of the silicone mold 150 is the highest, and the three form a certain temperature gradient environment from bottom to top.

[0075] In this embodiment, the base 160 and the silicone mold 150 can be assembled to form the ice mold 100, or the base 160 can be placed in the silicone mold to form the ice mold 100. The base 160 has a protrusion 161 that is slidably connected with the slide groove 311 of the cooling plate 310 of the cooling device 300.

[0076] In one embodiment, the ice-making chamber 110 is spherical in shape, and the top surface of the base 160 is provided with a spherical groove adapted to the bottom of the ice-making chamber 110. In this embodiment, the ice-making chamber 110 can make spherical ice. To match the spherical ice-making chamber 110, a spherical groove is provided on the top surface of the base 160, that is, the bottom of the ice-making chamber 110 is convex in a spherical form, adapted to the spherical groove on the top surface of the base 160, and the bottom of the ice-making chamber 110 enters the spherical groove. There is a semicircular silicone film at the middle connection between the surrounding part of the silicone and the metal base 160, with a thickness of between 0.5 and 1.5 mm, which can effectively prevent the ice ball from adhering to the metal base 160160, making it convenient to remove ice.

[0077] In this way, the bottom of the ice-making chamber 110 can be placed in a lower temperature environment, while the portion of the ice-making chamber 110 that is not in the spherical groove is placed in a higher temperature portion, thereby constructing an ice-making chamber 110 with a more distinct temperature gradient. The water at the bottom of the ice-making chamber 110 is placed in the lowest temperature environment, and therefore can freeze first, and then freeze in a directionally directed manner from bottom to top.

[0078] In one embodiment, the silicone mold 150 further includes a base 140, and two mold petals 151 are formed by a protrusion 161 extending upward from the top surface of the base 140. In this embodiment, the bottom of each mold petal 151 is connected as a whole through the base 140. At this time, the base 140 is the structural foundation of the bottom range of the ice-making cavity 110, and the mold petals 151 are the parts extending upward to jointly enclose the middle and top range of the ice-making cavity 110. The bottom bracket 160 is preferably made of stainless steel and aluminum as a metal lower mold. The height of the bottom bracket 160 must be less than the height of the hemisphere of the surrounding part, otherwise the ice will not be transparent.

[0079] The base 140 can not only provide a fixing and supporting foundation for the mold petal 151, but also provide auxiliary force for the mold petal 151 to recover from a bent and dispersed state to a gathered state. In addition, the mounting groove 153 of the silicone mold 150 also extends upward from the bottom surface of the base 140 to the bottom of the ice-making chamber 110, that is, the base 140 is wrapped around the outside of the bottom bracket 160 to install and fix the bottom bracket 160.

[0080] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the cooling device 300 includes a cooling plate 310 and a cooling column 320. The cooling plate 310 is mounted on a base 510. The top surface of the cooling plate 310 is provided with a slide groove 311. The cooling column 320 is provided on the bottom surface of the cooling plate 310. In this embodiment, the cooling device 300 includes a cooling plate 310 and a cooling component. The cooling component can be a fin or a cooling column 320. The upper surface of the cooling plate 310 is provided with an ice mold 100. The lower surface of the bottom support 160 of the ice mold 100 is provided with a protrusion 161. The upper surface of the cooling plate 310 is provided with a slide groove 311, so as to realize the sliding fit connection of the ice mold 100 on the cooling plate 310. The fin or the cooling column 320 is provided on the lower surface of the cooling plate 310, so as to increase the heat conduction area and the cold conduction efficiency. The cold plate 310 is generally a metal plate, and the thermal conductivity of the cold plate 310 must be greater than or equal to the base 160 of the ice mold 100, and aluminum alloy or stainless steel may be selected.

[0081] like Figure 6 and Figure 7As shown, a refrigerator according to an embodiment of the second aspect of the present invention includes a refrigerator body 700 and an ice maker 800, wherein the refrigerator body 700 includes a freezing chamber 720 and a refrigerating chamber 730; the ice maker 800 includes a shell 500, a cover plate 600, a water supply device 200 and an ice mold 100, wherein the shell 500 has a horizontal opening 560, the cover plate 600 is covered on the opening 560, the cover plate 600 is movably connected to the shell 500, and an accommodating space is enclosed by the shell 500; the water supply device 200 includes a water tank 210 and a water inlet pipe 230, one end of the water inlet pipe 230 is passed through the shell 500, and the water inlet pipe 230 is provided at a position adjacent to the shell 500; The other end of 230 is connected to the water tank 210, an ice-making chamber 110 is provided inside the ice mold 100, and the ice mold 100 is provided with a water injection portion 130, the water injection portion 130 is connected to the ice-making chamber 110, the water injection portion 130 is detachably connected to one end of the water inlet pipe 230 located in the shell 500, the cooling device 300 is arranged at the bottom of the ice mold 100, and the ice mold 100 is slidably connected to the cooling device 300, so that the ice mold 100 can enter and exit the refrigeration chamber 730 of the shell 500 through the opening 560, the cooling device 300 is connected to the freezing chamber 720, and the ice mold 100 is located in the refrigeration chamber 730 or the freezing chamber 720.

[0082] In the refrigerator of the embodiment of the present invention, the cooling system provides cooling for the entire interior of the refrigerator. The freezing chamber 720 of the refrigerator can be used as a part of the cooling system. The cooling device 300 is connected to the interior of the freezing chamber 720. The cooling capacity of the freezing chamber 720 is transferred to the ice mold 100 through the cooling device 300. The temperature in the freezing chamber 720 is relatively low, and the ice maker 800 can fully utilize the cooling capacity of the freezing chamber 720 when making ice. At least the top of the ice mold 100 is located in the refrigeration chamber 730. Therefore, as the height of the ice mold 100 changes from the bottom to the top, the cold energy concentrated at the bottom of the ice mold 100 by the cooling device 300 can cause the ice-making cavity 110 of the ice mold 100 to form a gradually increasing temperature gradient change from bottom to top, thereby achieving directional freezing from bottom to top in the ice-making cavity 110, and then achieving the effect of integrating the ice maker 800 into the interior of the refrigerator, and providing cold air for the ice mold 100 through the cold air system of the refrigerator, without the need for a separate cold source, maximizing the utilization of resources, making the device composition simpler and more integrated, and saving cold energy.

[0083] In this embodiment, the ice mold 100 can be located in the foaming interlayer 710 between the refrigerating chamber 730 and the freezing chamber 720, and can maintain the temperature difference from bottom to top, and can save space for the ice maker 800 in the refrigerator body 700. At the same time, the water tank 210 and the upper end of the ice mold 100 are both placed in the refrigerating chamber 730, so that the water channel will not freeze, and finally the ice mold 100 slowly forms transparent spherical ice, and the ice making can be circulated.

[0084] The temperature of the refrigeration chamber 730 is controlled at 2°C~3°C. The higher the temperature, the longer the ice making time. The freezing chamber 720 can control the temperature between -16°C~-24°C. The continuous circulation of the refrigerator cold air can accelerate the ice making speed. The pull-out ice taking design can realize fast ice taking and continuous ice making. The ice mold 100 can make 3 transparent ices at a time. If it is not used up at a time, it can be stored in the ice mold 100 without taking it out. At the same time, it will not affect the ice mold 100 that has been taken out to continue making ice.

[0085] like Figure 8 , Fig. 9 and Fig.10 As shown, according to one embodiment of the present invention, the ice maker 800 further includes a heat preservation box 840, and the water supply device 200 is disposed in the heat preservation box 840. In this embodiment, when the ice maker 800 is located in the freezing chamber 720, that is, the housing 500, the ice mold 100, the cooling device 300 and the water supply device 200 are all located in the freezing chamber 720, in order to prevent the water channel in the water supply device 200 from freezing and affecting the water supply to the ice mold 100, the heat preservation box 840 is disposed outside the water supply device 200, and the ambient temperature of the water supply device 200 is controlled within a certain range to ensure that the water channel is unobstructed and does not freeze.

[0086] In this embodiment, the thermal insulation box 840 can be made of foam material.

[0087] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the ice maker 800 further includes a heating component 810, which is disposed above the ice mold 100 and is suitable for heating and raising the temperature of the space at the position of the drainage portion 120. In this embodiment, when the ice maker 800 is located in the freezing chamber 720, that is, the housing 500, the ice mold 100, the cooling device 300 and the water supply device 200 are all located in the freezing chamber 720, in order to prevent the water in the drainage portion 120 of the ice mold 100 from freezing and affecting the drainage of the ice mold 100 and the water circulation of the ice making chamber 110, a heating component 810 is disposed above the top of the ice mold 100, and the heating component 810 heats the space around the drainage portion 120, thereby controlling the ambient temperature of the drainage portion 120 of the ice mold 100 within a certain range to ensure that the water path is unobstructed and does not freeze.

[0088] In this embodiment, the heating component 810 can be a heater, a heating plate, a heating resistor wire, etc.

[0089] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the ice maker 800 further includes a temperature sensor 830, which is disposed above the ice mold 100 and is suitable for detecting the temperature of the top of the ice mold 100 to control the start and stop of the heating component 810. In this embodiment, since the ice maker 800 is placed in the freezing chamber 720, the internal temperature of the ice maker 800 will gradually decrease after long-term operation, affecting the upper and lower temperature gradients, and the freezing trend from bottom to top cannot be completed. The heating component 810 is arranged above the top of the ice mold 100, and the top temperature of the ice mold 100 is monitored by the temperature sensor 830, so as to control the start and stop of the heating component 810, so that the top temperature of the ice mold 100 of the ice maker 800 is continuously controlled between 1 and 3°C, and the temperature near the drainage part 120 of the ice mold 100 of the ice maker 800 is reasonably controlled to be stable.

[0090] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the ice maker 800 further includes a fan 820, which is located above the ice mold 100 and is suitable for driving the air flow at the position of the drainage portion 120. In this embodiment, when the ice maker 800 is located in the freezing chamber 720, that is, the housing 500, the ice mold 100, the cooling device 300 and the water supply device 200 are all located in the freezing chamber 720, the heating component 810 is arranged above the drainage portion 120 of the ice mold 100, and the fan 820 is arranged on the top of the ice mold 100 in the ice maker 800 to work continuously, driving the air circulation above the ice mold 100, which is conducive to the precipitation of bubbles on the water surface at the upper end of the ice making cavity 110 of the ice mold 100, so that the ice mold 100 forms transparent ball ice.

[0091] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the ice maker 800 includes a top cover 400 , which is disposed on the top of the housing 500 , and a heating component 810 , a temperature sensor 830 , and a fan 820 are all installed on the side of the top cover 400 facing the ice mold 100 . In this embodiment, the heating component 810, the temperature sensor 830 and the fan 820 are all fixed on the side of the top cover 400 facing the accommodating space, and the top cover 400 is covered at the top opening jointly enclosed by the shell 500 and the cover plate 600, that is, the shell 500, the cover plate 600 and the top cover 400 jointly enclose an accommodating space for placing the ice mold 100, and at the same time, the top cover 400 provides an installation position for the heating component 810, the fan 820 and the temperature sensor 830 arranged above the ice mold 100, so the top cover 400, the heating component 810, the fan 820 and the temperature sensor 830 can be integrated into one, and when the top cover 400 is installed and connected to the shell 500, the heating component 810, the fan 820 and the temperature sensor 830 can be directly fixed in place at the same time, which is beneficial to the structural integration and device simplification of the ice maker 800.

[0092] In this embodiment, a corresponding third insulation board 410 may be further provided on a side of the top cover 400 facing the accommodating space, and cooperates with the first insulation board 530 and the second insulation board 620 to jointly maintain the temperature of the accommodating space. The top cover 400 extends into the range of the insulation box 840, covers the upper opening of the insulation box 840, and further seals the space of the water supply device 200. Thus, the top cover 400, the cover plate 600, the shell 500 and the insulation box 840 form an integral shell surrounding the ice mold 100, the cooling device 300 and the water supply device 200.

[0093] Finally, it should be noted that the above embodiments are only used to illustrate the present invention, rather than to limit the present invention. Although the present invention is described in detail with reference to the embodiments, it should be understood by those skilled in the art that various combinations, modifications or equivalent substitutions of the technical solutions of the present invention do not depart from the spirit and scope of the technical solutions of the present invention, and should be included in the scope of the claims of the present invention.

Claims

1. An ice making machine, characterized in that: include: A housing having a horizontally oriented opening; A water supply device, the water supply device comprising a water tank and a water inlet pipe, one end of the water inlet pipe is passed through the shell, and the other end of the water inlet pipe is connected to the water tank; An ice mold, wherein an ice-making cavity is provided inside the ice mold, and the ice mold is provided with a water injection portion, wherein the water injection portion is communicated with the ice-making cavity, and the ice mold is suitable for entering and exiting the shell through the opening, wherein when entering the shell, the water injection portion is communicated with one end of the water inlet pipe located in the shell, and when leaving the shell, the water injection portion is separated from one end of the water inlet pipe located in the shell.

2. The ice making machine according to claim 1, characterized in that: The ice mold is provided with a drainage portion, and the water supply device further comprises a return pipe, one end of the return pipe is passed through the shell, and the other end of the return pipe is communicated with the water tank, when the ice mold enters the shell, the drainage portion is communicated with the end of the return pipe located in the shell, and when the ice mold leaves the shell, the drainage portion is separated from the end of the return pipe located in the shell.

3. The ice making machine according to claim 1, characterized in that: The water supply device also includes: a water supply pipe, the water supply pipe being in communication with the water tank; A water level sensor, wherein the water level sensor is disposed in the water tank; A control valve is provided on the water supply pipe, the control valve is electrically connected to the water level sensor, and the control valve is suitable for controlling the water supply pipe to inject water into the water tank according to the water level in the water tank detected by the water level sensor.

4. The ice making machine according to claim 1, characterized in that: The water injection part comprises: a first water injection channel, the first water injection channel extending from the surface of the ice mold to the inside of the ice mold in a horizontal direction, and one end of the water inlet pipe located in the shell is detachably connected to the first water injection channel; A second water injection channel is communicated with the first water injection channel and extends toward the ice making chamber at a set angle, wherein the set angle is an acute angle with the horizontal direction.

5. The ice making machine according to claim 4, characterized in that: The water inlet pipe comprises: A first pipe interface, the housing is provided with a first mounting hole, a first end of the first pipe interface is arranged in the first mounting hole, and a second end of the first pipe interface is plugged into the first water injection channel by interference fit; A tube body, one end of which is inserted into the first end of the first tube interface, and the other end of which is connected to the water tank.

6. The ice making machine according to claim 2, characterized in that: The drainage part comprises: A drainage groove, the drainage groove is arranged on the top edge of the ice mold; A drain port, the drain port being arranged at the highest position of the ice-making chamber, and water in the ice-making chamber overflows from the drain port and gathers into the drain groove; The second pipe interface is arranged in the drainage groove, the shell is provided with a second mounting hole, the return pipe is inserted in the second mounting hole, and the second pipe interface is plugged into the return pipe by interference fit.

7. The ice making machine according to claim 2, characterized in that: A plurality of ice molds are arranged in the shell, the plurality of ice molds are independent of each other, the water inlet pipes are arranged in a one-to-one correspondence with the ice molds, and the water return pipes are arranged in a one-to-one correspondence with the ice molds.

8. The ice making machine according to claim 1, characterized in that: The ice mold is provided with a handle on a side facing the opening.

9. The ice making machine according to claim 1, characterized in that: The ice making machine further comprises a cooling device, and the cooling device is arranged at the bottom of the ice mold.

10. A refrigerator, characterized in that: The invention comprises a refrigerator body and an ice maker as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein the ice maker is arranged in the refrigerator body.

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