Ice maker

Abstract

The ice maker comprises an ice bucket, a heating assembly and a conveying mechanism, a water outlet is formed in the bottom of the ice bucket, and the heating assembly communicates with the ice bucket through the conveying mechanism. The heating assembly is used for heating the deicing fluid, and the conveying mechanism is configured to be capable of conveying the deicing fluid into the ice bucket from the heating assembly. According to the ice maker, the heating assembly can generate hot water, the obtained hot water enters the ice bucket through the conveying mechanism, and residual ice blocks in the ice bucket are poured and mixed with the ice blocks, so that melting of the ice blocks is promoted. Therefore, the ice blocks become water with flowability after being melted, and the water is discharged from the water outlet opened at the bottom of the ice bucket, so that the residual ice blocks in the ice bucket are automatically cleaned.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present application relates to the technical field of ice making equipment, and in particular to an ice making machine. Background Art

[0002] In the related art, the contactless ice maker has an ice stirring and dispensing structure due to its internal structure, and can automatically take ice as needed, making it easy for users to obtain it.

[0003] However, while this type of ice maker provides convenience, it also has a drawback. Since most non-contact ice makers cannot be disassembled by users, it is difficult for users to access the inside of the ice maker. Even if there are models that can be disassembled by users, it is inconvenient to operate the ice maker because the ice maker is at a certain height. Therefore, there will be more or less ice cubes that cannot be stirred out of the ice bucket. Similarly, it is difficult to clean up the remaining ice cubes that users do not need. Summary of the invention

[0004] Based on this, it is necessary to provide an ice maker that is convenient for cleaning residual ice cubes in order to solve the above problems.

[0005] An ice making machine, comprising:

[0006] An ice bucket having an openable and closable drain port at the bottom;

[0007] A heating component and a conveying mechanism, wherein the heating component is connected to the ice bucket through the conveying mechanism; the heating component is used to heat the ice-melting fluid, and the conveying mechanism is configured to be able to convey the ice-melting fluid from the heating component to the ice bucket.

[0008] In one embodiment, the ice maker further includes an ice stirring mechanism, which is disposed in the ice bucket; the ice stirring mechanism has a flow channel in it, and a water outlet hole on its surface that is connected to the flow channel, and the heating component is connected to the flow channel through the conveying mechanism.

[0009] In one embodiment, the ice-stirring mechanism includes a rotating joint, an ice-stirring shaft and an ice-stirring rod, the rotating joint is connected to the conveying mechanism, the ice-stirring shaft can be rotatably connected around its own axis and connected to the rotating joint; the ice-stirring shaft and the ice-stirring rod have flow channels that are interconnected, the ice-stirring rod is connected to the ice-stirring shaft and is located on the circumference of the ice-stirring shaft, and the water outlet is at least located on the surface of the ice-stirring rod.

[0010] In one embodiment, the ice-stirring mechanism further includes an ice-stirring motor, which is transmission-connected to the ice-stirring shaft, and is a forward and reverse motor; and / or, the ice-stirring mechanism further includes a rotating ice tray, which has an ice-taking blade, and the ice-taking blade has an arc-shaped guide surface inclined toward the inside of the ice bucket.

[0011] In one embodiment, the heating assembly includes a heating tank, and the heating tank is used to contain the de-icing fluid;

[0012] The heating assembly further includes an electric heating element, which is disposed in the heating tank; and / or the ice maker further includes an ice-making compressor, and the heating assembly further includes an exhaust pipe, which is connected to the exhaust port of the ice-making compressor and is at least partially disposed in the heating tank.

[0013] In one embodiment, the heating assembly further includes a temperature detecting member, which is disposed in the heating tank and is used to detect the temperature of the deicing fluid in the heating tank.

[0014] In one embodiment, the heating assembly further comprises a liquid level detection member, which is disposed in the heating tank and is used to detect the liquid level of the deicing fluid in the heating tank;

[0015] And / or, the heating tank has a water inlet on the top and a water outlet on the bottom.

[0016] In one embodiment, the ice maker further includes a water inlet assembly, the water inlet assembly includes a main water inlet pipe, a first water inlet pipe and a second water inlet pipe, the main water inlet pipe is used to connect to an external water source, the first water inlet pipe connects the main water inlet pipe and the ice bucket, and the second water inlet pipe connects the main water inlet pipe and the heating tank;

[0017] The water inlet assembly also includes an electromagnetic three-way valve, and the first water inlet pipe and the second water inlet pipe are connected to the main water inlet pipe through the electromagnetic three-way valve; and / or, the water inlet assembly also includes a water inlet valve, which is arranged on the main water inlet pipe and is configured to control the opening and closing of the main water inlet pipe.

[0018] In one embodiment, the delivery mechanism includes a delivery pipeline and a delivery pump, the delivery pipeline connects the ice bucket and the heating component, the delivery pump is arranged in the delivery pipeline and is configured to provide power to deliver the ice-melting fluid from the heating component to the ice bucket.

[0019] In one embodiment, the ice maker further includes an ice cube detector, which is disposed in the ice bucket and is used to detect the amount of ice in the ice bucket.

[0020] The heating component of the ice maker can generate hot water, which enters the ice bucket through the conveying mechanism, pours over the remaining ice cubes in the ice bucket and mixes with the hot water, thereby promoting the melting of the ice cubes. In this way, the ice cubes become flowing water after melting, and are discharged from the drain port opened at the bottom of the ice bucket, so as to automatically clean the remaining ice cubes in the ice bucket. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0021] In order to more clearly illustrate the embodiments of the present application or the technical solutions in the prior art, the drawings required for use in the embodiments or the description of the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of the present application. For ordinary technicians in this field, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without paying creative work.

[0022] FIG. 1 is a schematic structural diagram of an ice-making machine in one embodiment of the present application.

[0023] FIG. 2 is a schematic structural diagram of the ice maker shown in FIG. 1 from another angle.

[0024] FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram of a partial cross-sectional structure of the ice maker shown in FIG. 1 .

[0025] FIG. 4 is a partial cross-sectional structural schematic diagram of a heating assembly in the ice maker shown in FIG. 1 .

[0026] FIG. 5 is a schematic flow chart of the working process of the ice maker shown in FIG. 1 .

[0027] Description of reference numerals: 100, ice maker; 11, ice bucket; 12, drain pipe; 20, heating assembly; 21, heating tank; 211, water inlet; 212, water outlet; 213, drain pipe; 22, electric heating element; 23, exhaust pipe; 24, temperature detection element; 25, liquid level detection element; 26, bracket; 30, conveying mechanism; 31, conveying pipeline; 311, first water outlet; 312, second water outlet; 32. Delivery pump; 51. Base; 52. Bottom plate; 53. Partition; 60. Ice-making compressor; 70. Ice-stirring mechanism; 71. Water outlet; 72. Rotating joint; 73. Ice-stirring shaft; 74. Ice-stirring stick; 75. Rotating ice tray; 751. Ice-removing blade; 81. Main water inlet pipe; 82. First water inlet pipe; 83. Second water inlet pipe; 84. Solenoid three-way valve; 85. Water inlet valve; 91. Ice cube detection component; 92. Ice retaining plate. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0028] In order to make the above-mentioned purposes, features and advantages of the present application more obvious and easy to understand, the specific implementation methods of the present application are described in detail below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. In the following description, many specific details are set forth to facilitate a full understanding of the present application. However, the present application can be implemented in many other ways different from those described herein, and those skilled in the art can make similar improvements without violating the connotation of the present application, so the present application is not limited by the specific embodiments disclosed below.

[0029] In the description of the present application, it should be understood that if the terms "center", "longitudinal", "lateral", "length", "width", "thickness", "up", "down", "front", "back", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", "inside", "outside", "clockwise", "counterclockwise", "axial", "radial", "circumferential", etc. appear, the orientation or position relationship indicated by these terms is based on the orientation or position relationship shown in the accompanying drawings, which is only for the convenience of describing the present application and simplifying the description, and does not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore it should not be understood as a limitation on the present application.

[0030] In addition, if the term "and / or" appears, "and / or" is merely a way to describe the association relationship between associated objects, and indicates that three relationships may exist, for example, A and / or B can represent the association relationship between A and B: A exists alone, A and B exist at the same time, and B exists alone. In addition, the character " / " in this article generally indicates that there is an "or" relationship between the associated objects before and after it. If the terms "first" and "second" appear, these terms are only used for descriptive purposes and cannot be understood as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly indicating the number of technical features indicated. Therefore, the features defined as "first" and "second" may explicitly or implicitly include at least one of the features. In the description of this application, if the term "multiple" appears, the meaning of "multiple" is at least two, such as two, three, four, five, etc., unless otherwise clearly and specifically defined.

[0031] In this application, unless otherwise clearly specified and limited, if the terms "installed", "connected", "connected", "fixed" and the like appear, these terms should be understood in a broad sense. For example, it can be a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integrated 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, it can be the internal connection of two elements or the interaction relationship between two elements, unless otherwise clearly defined. For ordinary technicians in this field, the specific meanings of the above terms in this application can be understood according to specific circumstances.

[0032] In the present application, unless otherwise clearly specified and limited, if there is a description that a first feature is "above" or "below" a second feature, etc., or similar descriptions appear, it may mean that the first and second features are in direct contact, or that 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.

[0033] It should be noted that if an element is referred to as being "fixed to" or "disposed on" another element, it may be directly on the other element or there may be a central element. If an element is considered to be "connected to" another element, it may be directly connected to the other element or there may be a central element at the same time. If any, the terms "vertical", "horizontal", "upper", "lower", "left", "right" and similar expressions used in this application are for illustrative purposes only and do not represent the only implementation method.

[0034] Please refer to Figures 1 to 4 together. An ice maker 100 provided in one embodiment of the present application includes an ice bucket 11, a heating component 20 and a conveying mechanism 30. The bottom of the ice bucket 11 has a drain port (not shown), and the heating component 20 is connected to the ice bucket 11 through the conveying mechanism 30. The heating component 20 is used to heat the ice-melting fluid, and the conveying mechanism 30 is configured to be able to convey the ice-melting fluid from the heating component 20 to the ice bucket 11.

[0035] It can be understood that in order to realize its normal function, the ice maker 100 may also include a base 51, an ice compressor 60, an ice stirring mechanism 70, etc., wherein the base 51 serves as the overall frame of the ice maker 100, the ice bucket 11, the heating assembly 20 and the ice compressor 60 are all installed on the base 51, and ice cubes are produced in the ice bucket 11. The ice compressor 60 is used to generate compressed refrigerant to produce ice and cooperate with a heat exchanger, etc. to produce the low temperature required for ice making. The ice bucket 11 also has an ice outlet, and the ice stirring mechanism 70 is arranged in the ice bucket 11, which is used to stir the ice cubes and can bring the ice cubes to the ice outlet for users to take.

[0036] The ice-melting fluid heated by the heating component 20 can flow into the ice bucket 11 through the conveying mechanism 30, and then bring heat into the ice bucket 11, and mix with the residual ice cubes in it to achieve the purpose of melting the ice cubes. Among them, the ice-melting fluid can be but not limited to water, steam, air, etc. For ease of understanding, the following embodiment uses water as a specific example for explanation, and the heating component 20 can heat to generate hot water, and use the hot water to melt the residual ice cubes in the ice bucket 11.

[0037] When the drain port at the bottom of the ice bucket 11 is opened, the liquid in the ice bucket 11 can flow to the drain port at the bottom under the action of gravity and be discharged. The drain port can be provided with a drain valve or other structures to realize the opening and closing function. In addition, the ice maker 100 can also include a drain pipe 12, which is connected to the drain port and is used to guide the ice water generated by melting to be discharged, and can specifically be directed to a drain tank or a sewer.

[0038] The heating assembly 20 of the ice maker 100 can generate hot water, and the hot water enters the ice bucket 11 through the conveying mechanism 30, pours over the ice cubes remaining in the ice bucket 11 and mixes with the hot water, thereby promoting the melting of the ice cubes. In this way, the ice cubes become flowing water after melting, and are discharged from the drain port opened at the bottom of the ice bucket 11, so as to automatically clean the remaining ice cubes in the ice bucket 11.

[0039] Please also refer to FIG. 2 . In some embodiments, the ice stirring mechanism 70 has a flow passage (not shown) therein, and has a water outlet 71 on its surface connected to the flow passage. The heating component 20 is connected to the flow passage through the conveying mechanism 30 .

[0040] It can be understood that the ice-mixing mechanism 70 is located in the ice bucket 11, and its water outlet can communicate with the inside and outside of the ice-mixing mechanism 70, that is, connect the flow channel in the ice-mixing mechanism 70 with the internal space of the ice bucket 11 outside the ice-mixing mechanism 70. The hot water output by the heating component 20 is transported to the flow channel of the ice-mixing mechanism 70 by the transport mechanism 30, and can be discharged to the outside into the ice bucket 11 through the water outlet 71 connected to the flow channel.

[0041] In this way, the ice-stirring structure can be fully utilized, and it can not only stir the ice, but also spray hot water into the ice bucket 11, thereby simplifying the structure and avoiding the increase of costs due to the addition of new parts.

[0042] Furthermore, the ice stirring mechanism 70 includes a rotating joint 72, an ice stirring shaft 73 and an ice stirring rod 74. The rotating joint 72 is connected to the conveying mechanism 30. The ice stirring shaft 73 is rotatably connected to and connected to the rotating joint 72 around its own axis. The ice stirring shaft 73 and the ice stirring rod 74 have flow passages connected to each other. The ice stirring rod 74 is connected to the ice stirring shaft 73 and is located on the circumference of the ice stirring shaft 73. The water outlet 71 is at least located on the surface of the ice stirring rod 74.

[0043] It can be understood that the ice stirring mechanism 70 also includes an ice stirring motor (not shown), which is connected to the ice stirring shaft 73 and used to drive the ice stirring shaft 73 to rotate. The number of ice stirring rods 74 can be multiple. In addition, the ice stirring mechanism 70 can also be rotatably fixed by threads and screws, etc. The functions of the ice stirring mechanism 70 include stirring ice and spraying water. Specifically, the ice stirring rod 74 can be welded to the ice stirring shaft 73.

[0044] In this way, the ice stirring rod 74 can stir the ice while spraying hot water into the ice bucket 11. This arrangement can make the hot water contact and mix with the ice cubes better, thereby improving the effect of automatic cleaning of the ice cubes in the ice bucket 11.

[0045] Specifically, the ice-stirring shaft 73 and the ice-stirring rod 74 are both tubular structures, with a hollow pipe as a flow passage inside, and a water outlet 71 is formed on the tube wall of the ice-stirring rod 74 .

[0046] In some embodiments, the ice stirring mechanism 70 further includes an ice rotating tray 75 having an ice removing blade 751 .

[0047] The rotating ice tray 75 is rotatable around its own axis, and the ice taking blade 751 is arranged around its axis. One side of the ice taking blade 751 is an arc-shaped guide surface, which can rotate with the rotating ice tray 75 to collect ice cubes and send them to the ice outlet. In this way, the ice making machine 100 is more convenient to take ice.

[0048] In some embodiments, the ice-mixing motor is a forward and reverse motor, and is configured such that the output shaft can selectively rotate along a first direction or a second direction, and the first direction is opposite to the second direction.

[0049] In this way, the ice stirring mechanism 70 can stir the ice cubes in different directions. In addition, the ice stirring motor is also connected to the rotating ice tray 75. When the ice maker 100 cleans the residual ice cubes in the ice bucket 11, the ice stirring motor can prevent the residual ice cubes from being brought to the ice outlet by reversing.

[0050] Specifically, the ice-taking blade 751 has an arc-shaped guide surface inclined toward the inside of the ice bucket 11. When the ice-mixing motor drives it to reverse, the ice cubes can fall back into the ice bucket 11 to wait for melting.

[0051] In some embodiments, the heating assembly 20 includes a heating tank 21, and the heating tank 21 is used to contain ice-melting fluid. In this way, an external water source can inject water into the heating tank 21 to be heated or used.

[0052] Furthermore, the heating assembly 20 also includes an electric heating element 22 , and the electric heating element 22 is disposed in the heating tank 21 .

[0053] The electric heating element 22 may be, but is not limited to, an electric heating tube and may be made of stainless steel. It is disposed in the heating tank 21 and may be fixed by welding.

[0054] In this way, the electric heating element 22 can generate heat to increase the water temperature in the heating tank 21, thereby obtaining hot water for melting ice.

[0055] Furthermore, the heating assembly 20 further includes an exhaust pipe 23 , which is connected to an exhaust port of the ice-making compressor 60 and is at least partially disposed in the heating tank 21 .

[0056] The high-temperature refrigerant generated by the ice-making compressor 60 flows into the exhaust pipe 23 from the exhaust port. The exhaust pipe 23 fits the heating tank 21 and can transfer the heat of the high-temperature refrigerant to the heating tank 21 to heat the water therein.

[0057] In this way, the exhaust pipe 23 can heat the water in the heating tank 21 when the ice making compressor 60 is working, and maintain it at a higher temperature level for use. In addition, the heat exchange between the exhaust pipe 23 and the heating pipe also helps to reduce the temperature before the exhaust of the ice making compressor 60 reaches the condenser.

[0058] In some embodiments, the heating assembly 20 further includes a temperature detection member 24 , which is disposed in the heating tank 21 and is used to detect the temperature of the de-icing fluid in the heating tank 21 .

[0059] In this way, the water temperature in the heating tank 21 can be known based on the detection result of the temperature detection element 24, and based on this, the operation of the electric heating tube or the conveying mechanism 30 can be controlled.

[0060] Specifically, the target temperature of heating can be set according to actual needs, or can be set with reference to the specific exhaust temperature of the ice maker 100. At the same time, in order to achieve high temperature and rapid melting of ice cubes, the electric heating element 22 can be used to compensate the temperature to 100°C to achieve the best melting speed of ice cubes.

[0061] In some embodiments, the heating assembly 20 further includes a liquid level detection member 25 , which is disposed in the heating tank 21 and is used to detect the liquid level of the de-icing fluid in the heating tank 21 .

[0062] In this way, the liquid level detection component 25 can reflect whether there is water in the heating tank 21 or how much water there is. Based on its detection result, it can be determined whether the heating tank 21 needs to be replenished with water.

[0063] Furthermore, the liquid level detection element 25 can determine whether the liquid level of the ice-melting fluid in the heating tank 21 has reached a maximum value, so as to stop adding water into the heating tank 21 when the maximum value is reached.

[0064] In some embodiments, the heating tank 21 has a water inlet 211 at the top and a water outlet 212 at the bottom.

[0065] Specifically, the heating tank 21 has an upper cover, a water inlet 211 is welded in the middle of the upper cover, and a water outlet 212 is welded at the bottom of the heating tank 21. In addition, the bottom of the heating tank 21 may also have a drainage outlet 213.

[0066] In this way, the heating tank 21 can be connected to an external water source through the water inlet 211 at the top to replenish water, and output hot water to the outside through the water outlet 212 at the bottom. The drain outlet 213 can drain unnecessary water in the heating tank 21 according to user needs.

[0067] In some embodiments, the delivery mechanism 30 includes a delivery pipeline 31 and a delivery pump 32. The delivery pipeline 31 connects the ice bucket 11 and the heating component 20. The delivery pump 32 is disposed in the delivery pipeline 31 and is configured to provide power to deliver the ice-melting fluid from the heating component 20 to the ice bucket 11.

[0068] In this way, the delivery pump 32 can input additional power, making the position of the heating tank 21 less restricted. Under the action of the delivery pump 32, even if the heating tank 21 is at a lower position than the ice bucket 11, the hot water output from the water outlet 212 can be driven to flow to the ice bucket 11.

[0069] Specifically, the delivery pipeline 31 includes a first water outlet pipe 311 and a second water outlet pipe 312. One end of the first water outlet pipe 311 is connected to the water outlet port 212 of the heating tank 21, and the other end is connected to the inlet of the delivery pump 32. One end of the second water outlet pipe 312 is connected to the outlet of the delivery pump 32, and the other end is connected to the rotary joint 72. The delivery pump 32 drives the hot water from the delivery pipeline 31 to flow into the flow channel of the ice stirring shaft 73 and the ice stirring rod 74, and finally sprays out from the water outlet.

[0070] Specifically, the ice maker 100 further includes a bottom plate 52 and a partition plate 53 disposed on the base 51, the bottom plate 52 and the partition plate 53 are spaced apart in the height direction of the ice maker 100, and the partition plate 53 is located above the bottom plate 52. The ice bucket 11 is disposed on the partition plate 53, and the heating assembly 20 further includes a bracket 26, and the heating tank 21 is mounted on the bottom plate 52 through the bracket 26.

[0071] The delivery pump 32 is mounted on the partition 53 and its function is to pump hot water to the ice stirring structure. The heating tank 21 is mounted on the top platform of the bracket 26 and is fastened by screws.

[0072] In some embodiments, the ice maker 100 also includes a water inlet assembly, which includes a main water inlet pipe 81, a first water inlet pipe 82 and a second water inlet pipe 83. The main water inlet pipe 81 is used to connect to an external water source, the first water inlet pipe 82 connects the main water inlet pipe 81 and the ice bucket 11, and the second water inlet pipe 83 connects the main water inlet pipe 81 and the heating tank 21.

[0073] It can be understood that the first water inlet pipe 82 is used to supply water to the ice bucket 11, and is specifically connected to the ice making water inlet of the ice bucket 11. The second water inlet pipe 83 is used to supply water to the heating pipe, and is specifically connected to the water inlet port 211 of the heating tank 21.

[0074] In this way, the ice maker 100 can supply water to the ice bucket 11 and the heating tank 21 respectively through one main water inlet pipe 81 .

[0075] Furthermore, the water inlet assembly also includes an electromagnetic three-way valve 84 , and the first water inlet pipe 82 and the second water inlet pipe 83 are connected to the main water inlet pipe 81 through the electromagnetic three-way valve 84 .

[0076] The electromagnetic three-way valve 84 can control the conduction relationship between the main water inlet pipe 81 and the first water inlet pipe 82 and the second water inlet pipe 83. Specifically, the electromagnetic three-way valve 84 has a water inlet and two water outlets. The water inlet of the electromagnetic three-way valve 84 is connected to the main water inlet pipe 81, and the two water outlets are respectively connected to the first water inlet pipe 82 and the second water inlet pipe 83. In other words, one end of the first water inlet pipe 82 is connected to one water outlet of the electromagnetic three-way valve 84, and the other end is connected to the ice making water inlet of the ice bucket 11. One end of the second water inlet pipe 83 is connected to the other water outlet of the electromagnetic three-way valve 84, and the other end is connected to the water inlet pipe port 211 of the heating tank 21. The electromagnetic three-way valve 84 can be configured to selectively lower the first water inlet pipe 82 or the second water inlet pipe 83 to communicate with the main water inlet pipe 81.

[0077] In this way, under the control of the electromagnetic three-way valve 84, the ice bucket 11 and the heating pipe can be controlled to receive water supply.

[0078] Furthermore, the water inlet assembly also includes a water inlet valve 85 , which is disposed on the main water inlet pipe 81 and is configured to control the on-off of the main water inlet pipe 81 .

[0079] In this way, the water inlet valve 85 can control the on and off of the overall water inlet, and control whether the ice maker 100 receives water supply from an external water source as needed.

[0080] In some embodiments, the ice maker 100 further includes an ice cube detector 91 , which is disposed in the ice bucket 11 and is used to detect the amount of ice in the ice bucket 11 .

[0081] The ice detection member 91 is used to detect the ice in the ice bucket 11, and can be an infrared emitting member. The ice maker 100 also includes an ice shield 92, which has a mounting position, and the ice detection member 91 is mounted on the mounting position of the ice shield 92, and the angle is adjusted so that the infrared light emitted by the ice detection member 91 (as shown by the dotted lines in FIG. 1 and FIG. 3 ) can be irradiated toward the lowest point of the ice bucket 11 without obstruction. In some other embodiments, the ice detection member 91 can also be a weight detection member, etc., as long as it can reflect whether there are ice cubes in the ice bucket 11, and no specific limitation is made here.

[0082] In this way, according to the detection result of the ice cube detection element 91, it can be known whether there are residual ice cubes in the ice bucket 11 to determine whether it needs to be cleaned.

[0083] Please refer to FIG. 5 together, and the working process of the ice maker 100 is briefly described below:

[0084] The ice detection component 91 continuously detects the ice in the ice bucket 11. Its working principle is: the ice detection component 91 emits a beam of infrared light to the top of the ice pile, and at the same time measures the amount of reflected light. The approximate amount of ice in the ice bucket 11 can be obtained and displayed by conversion. When there is no ice in the ice bucket 11, it prompts that there is no ice and there is no need to clean the ice. 1) When it is detected that there are no ice cubes in the ice bucket 11, the ice cube cleaning operation can only be performed after the ice maker 100 has made at least one round of ice cubes. At this time, it is necessary to detect whether the water level in the heating tank 21 is greater than the minimum water level before making ice cubes. If it is lower, water is added. At this time, the water inlet valve 85 is opened, and the electromagnetic three-way valve 84 is switched to the main water inlet pipe 81 and connected with the second water inlet pipe 83. The external water source flows through the main water inlet pipe 81 through the electromagnetic three-way valve 84 to the second water inlet pipe 83 and enters the heating tank 21 until it is filled up and the water level in the heating tank 21 reaches the maximum water level. After the liquid level detection component 25 senses it, water is stopped, the water inlet valve 85 is closed, and the electromagnetic three-way valve 84 is switched back to the first water inlet pipe 82. In this process, when the water level is not lower than the minimum water level, the heating is turned on to 100°C and then stopped. When the water level is lower than the minimum water level, the heating is turned off to prevent dry burning. 2) When ice cubes are detected in the ice bucket 11, it is also necessary to detect whether the water level in the heating tank 21 is greater than the minimum water level. If it is lower, water is added. It is further necessary to detect whether the ice maker 100 is adding water to make ice. If so, it is necessary to wait for the first water inlet pipe 82 to finish adding water to the ice making water inlet, and then switch the electromagnetic three-way valve 84 to connect the main water inlet pipe 81 with the second water inlet pipe 83. If there is no ice making and water addition, the water inlet valve 85 is directly opened, and the electromagnetic three-way valve 84 is switched to connect the main water inlet pipe 81 with the second water inlet pipe 83. External water flows through the main water inlet pipe 81 through the electromagnetic three-way valve 84 to the second water inlet pipe 83 and enters the heating tank 21 until it is filled and reaches the maximum water level. After the liquid level detection component 25 senses it, stop adding water, close the water inlet valve 85, and switch back to the first water inlet pipe 82. When the water level is not lower than the minimum water level, heating starts immediately and stops after reaching 100°C. Regardless of which of the two states, the electric heating element 22 mainly works when water is added or the water temperature is lower than 70°C, in order to quickly reach a high temperature for the water temperature. During the period when the electric heating element 22 is not working, since the temperature of the exhaust pipe 23 is about 75°C, the water temperature of the heating tank 21 is maintained above 70°C mainly by heat transfer from the exhaust pipe 23. The purpose of doing so is to make full use of the energy consumption of the ice maker 100, reduce the long-term use of the electric heating element 22, and reduce the power consumption of the ice maker 100. At the same time, the effect of reducing the exhaust temperature before the refrigerant reaches the condenser can reduce the condensation amount when designing the condenser and reduce the cost of the condenser.

[0085] In addition, the ice maker 100 also has an operation display screen, and the operation display screen prompts the ice cleaning state. In this state, the user can select and touch the ice cleaning icon through the display screen. The ice maker 100 detects the need for ice cleaning signals, and the delivery pump 32 works to pump the hot water in the heating tank 21 to the ice stirring shaft 73 of the ice stirring structure. The ice stirring shaft 73 is then diverted to the ice stirring rod 74 and sprayed onto the ice through the water spray hole. At the same time, the ice stirring motor reverses to make the ice stirring rod 74 stir continuously. The reversal is mainly to prevent the ice from being brought to the ice outlet. This requires the ice-taking blade 751 of the rotating ice tray 75 to be designed with an arc-shaped guide surface facing the ice bucket 11, so that the ice will eventually fall back into the ice bucket 11 when it is driven. The ice stirring rod 74 sprays hot water while rotating, and the ice is stirred. The area of ​​contact between the ice and the hot water increases, and the number of ice stirring rods 74 with heat that contact the ice increases, which greatly accelerates the melting speed of the ice. During this process, the drain port in the ice bucket 11 continuously drains the ice water melted from the ice bucket 11. When the ice detector 91 senses that there are no ice cubes in the ice bucket 11, the delivery pump 32 stops pumping water, the ice cube cleaning process stops, and the ice maker 100 returns to the standby state. In this way, the ice maker 100 can quickly and automatically clean the residual ice cubes in the ice bucket 11 without manual cleaning.

[0086] The technical features of the above-described embodiments may be arbitrarily combined. To make the description concise, not all possible combinations of the technical features in the above-described embodiments are described. However, as long as there is no contradiction in the combination of these technical features, they should be considered to be within the scope of this specification.

[0087] The above-described embodiments only express several implementation methods of the present application, and the descriptions thereof are relatively specific and detailed, but they cannot be construed as limiting the scope of the patent application. It should be pointed out that, for a person of ordinary skill in the art, several variations and improvements can be made without departing from the concept of the present application, and these all belong to the protection scope of the present application. Therefore, the protection scope of the patent application shall be subject to the attached claims.

Claims

1. An ice making machine (100), characterized in that: The ice making machine (100) comprises: An ice bucket (11) having an openable and closable drain port at the bottom; A heating component (20) and a conveying mechanism (30), wherein the heating component (20) is connected to the ice bucket (11) via the conveying mechanism (30); the heating component (20) is used to heat ice-melting fluid, and the conveying mechanism (30) is configured to be able to convey the ice-melting fluid from the heating component (20) into the ice bucket (11).

2. The ice making machine (100) according to claim 1, characterized in that: The ice maker (100) further comprises an ice stirring mechanism (70), wherein the ice stirring mechanism (70) is arranged in the ice bucket (11); the ice stirring mechanism (70) has a flow passage in the interior thereof, and a water outlet hole (71) on the surface thereof which is in communication with the flow passage; the heating component (20) is in communication with the flow passage via the conveying mechanism (30).

3. The ice making machine (100) according to claim 2, characterized in that: The ice-stirring mechanism (70) comprises a rotating joint (72), an ice-stirring shaft (73) and an ice-stirring rod (74); the rotating joint (72) is connected to the conveying mechanism (30); the ice-stirring shaft (73) is rotatably connected to and connected to the rotating joint (72) around its own axis; the ice-stirring shaft (73) and the ice-stirring rod (74) have flow passages that are interconnected; the ice-stirring rod (74) is connected to the ice-stirring shaft (73) and is located on the circumference of the ice-stirring shaft (73); and the water outlet (71) is at least located on the surface of the ice-stirring rod (74).

4. The ice making machine (100) according to claim 3, characterized in that: The ice-stirring mechanism (70) further comprises an ice-stirring motor, the ice-stirring motor being transmission-connected to the ice-stirring shaft (73), the ice-stirring motor being a forward-reversing motor; and / or the ice-stirring mechanism (70) further comprises a rotating ice tray (75), the rotating ice tray (75) having an ice-taking blade (751), the ice-taking blade (751) having an arc-shaped guide surface inclined toward the inside of the ice bucket (11).

5. The ice making machine (100) according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that: The heating component (20) comprises a heating tank (21), and the heating tank (21) is used to contain the deicing fluid; The heating component (20) further comprises an electric heating element (22), wherein the electric heating element (22) is arranged on the heating tank (21); and / or the ice maker (100) further comprises an ice making compressor (60), and the heating component (20) further comprises an exhaust pipe (23), wherein the exhaust pipe (23) is connected to an exhaust port of the ice making compressor (60) and is at least partially arranged on the heating tank (21).

6. The ice making machine (100) according to claim 5, characterized in that: The heating component (20) further comprises a temperature detection component (24), wherein the temperature detection component (24) is arranged on the heating tank (21) and is used to detect the temperature of the deicing fluid in the heating tank (21).

7. The ice making machine (100) according to claim 5, characterized in that: The heating component (20) further comprises a liquid level detection component (25), wherein the liquid level detection component (25) is arranged on the heating tank (21) and is used to detect the liquid level of the deicing fluid in the heating tank (21); And / or, the heating tank (21) has a water inlet pipe opening (211) at the top and a water outlet pipe opening (212) at the bottom.

8. The ice making machine (100) according to claim 5, characterized in that: The ice maker (100) further comprises a water inlet assembly, the water inlet assembly comprising a main water inlet pipe (81), a first water inlet pipe (82) and a second water inlet pipe (83), the main water inlet pipe (81) being used to connect to an external water source, the first water inlet pipe (82) connecting the main water inlet pipe (81) and the ice bucket (11), and the second water inlet pipe (83) connecting the main water inlet pipe (81) and the heating tank (21); The water inlet assembly further comprises an electromagnetic three-way valve (84), wherein the first water inlet pipe (82) and the second water inlet pipe (83) are connected to the main water inlet pipe (81) via the electromagnetic three-way valve (84); and / or the water inlet assembly further comprises a water inlet valve (85), wherein the water inlet valve (85) is disposed on the main water inlet pipe (81) and is configured to control the on-off of the main water inlet pipe (81).

9. The ice making machine (100) according to claim 1, characterized in that: The delivery mechanism (30) comprises a delivery pipeline (31) and a delivery pump (32); the delivery pipeline (31) connects the ice bucket (11) and the heating component (20); the delivery pump (32) is disposed on the delivery pipeline (31) and is configured to provide power for delivering the ice-melting fluid from the heating component (20) to the ice bucket (11).

10. The ice making machine (100) according to claim 1, characterized in that: The ice maker (100) further comprises an ice cube detection component (91), wherein the ice cube detection component (91) is arranged on the ice bucket (11) and is used to detect the amount of ice in the ice bucket (11).

Images