Ice maker and control method thereof

Abstract

The invention discloses an ice maker and a control method of the ice maker, and relates to the technical field of electric appliances. The ice tray comprises an ice tray assembly, an ice storage inner container and an ice stirring assembly, and the ice storage inner container is located below the ice tray assembly and provided with an inclined bottom wall and an inclined side wall. The inclined side wall is arranged in the direction, away from the ice tray assembly, of the ice storage inner container, and the inclined bottom wall gradually inclines upwards in the direction close to the ice tray assembly. The ice stirring assembly is installed on the inclined side wall and extends into the ice storage inner container, and when the ice stirring assembly works, large-particle-size ice blocks falling out of the ice tray assembly are cut into small-particle-size ice blocks. Therefore, large-particle-size ice blocks falling from the ice tray assembly can be fully cut through inclined arrangement of the inclined bottom wall and the ice stirring assembly, so that the ice storage inner container is filled with the cut small-particle-size ice blocks, and the actual ice storage capacity of the ice storage inner container can be improved while the overall size of the ice maker can be reduced.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the technical field of electrical appliances, and in particular to an ice maker and a control method for the ice maker. Background Art

[0002] An ice maker is a refrigeration mechanical device that generates ice by cooling water through an evaporator with the refrigerant of a refrigeration system. It usually includes an ice storage room for accommodating ice cubes. However, during the ice making process, the ice cubes are large in size when entering the ice storage room, or the whole plate of ice cubes are stacked on each other, and the ice storage space of the ice storage room is not fully utilized. The ice storage room sends out an ice full protection when the ice cubes are not filled with the rated ice making amount. As a result, when the ice maker is large in size, the space utilization rate is low due to the small actual ice storage capacity. Summary of the invention

[0003] In view of the problem of low space utilization due to the reduction of actual ice storage capacity when the ice maker is large in size, the present invention is proposed to provide an ice maker and an ice maker control method that overcome the above problem or at least partially solve the above problem.

[0004] According to a first aspect of the present invention, an ice making machine is provided, the ice making machine comprising:

[0005] Ice tray assembly;

[0006] An ice storage liner, the ice storage liner is located below the ice tray assembly and has an inclined bottom wall and an inclined side wall, wherein the inclined side wall is arranged in a direction in which the ice storage liner is away from the ice tray assembly, and the inclined bottom wall gradually inclines upward toward a direction close to the ice tray assembly;

[0007] An ice-stirring assembly is installed on the inclined side wall and extends into the ice storage liner. When the ice-stirring assembly is in operation, ice cubes falling out of the ice tray assembly are cut.

[0008] An optional invention content, the ice stirring assembly includes:

[0009] An ice-stirring motor, wherein the ice-stirring motor is mounted on the outer surface of the inclined side wall, and an output shaft of the ice-stirring motor extends into the ice storage tank;

[0010] An ice-stirring shaft, the ice-stirring shaft is drivingly connected to an output shaft of the ice-stirring motor;

[0011] The first ice-stirring blade is fixedly connected to the ice-stirring shaft and is located below the ice tray assembly. When the ice-stirring motor is working, the first ice-stirring blade is driven to rotate to cut the large-diameter ice cubes dropped from the ice tray assembly.

[0012] An optional invention content, the ice stirring assembly also includes:

[0013] A second ice-stirring blade is fixed on the ice-stirring shaft and arranged close to the inclined side wall, wherein the second ice-stirring blade extends toward the inclined bottom wall to cut ice cubes that slide onto the inclined bottom wall.

[0014] An optional invention content, the ice maker also includes a support bearing seat, the support bearing seat is fixed on the ice storage tank, and is rotatably connected to the end of the ice-mixing shaft away from the ice-mixing motor.

[0015] An optional invention content is that the ice-mixing shaft is coaxially fixed with the output shaft of the ice-mixing motor.

[0016] An optional invention content, the ice-mixing assembly also includes a rotary transmission mechanism, the rotary transmission mechanism is connected to the ice-mixing motor and connected to the ice-mixing shaft; wherein,

[0017] The output shaft of the ice-mixing motor is arranged in parallel with the ice-mixing shaft, and the ice-mixing motor is located in a direction where the ice-mixing shaft is close to the inclined bottom wall.

[0018] An optional invention content, the ice making machine also includes:

[0019] An ice-stirring tray, the ice-stirring tray is close to the inclined side wall and is coaxially fixed with the ice-stirring shaft;

[0020] At least two protrusions, at least two of the protrusions are arranged at intervals along the radial direction of the ice-mixing tray, and two adjacent protrusions form an ice-containing groove, when the ice-mixing motor is working, the ice-mixing tray is driven to rotate and ice cubes are driven to enter the ice-containing groove;

[0021] An ice discharging pipe, one end of which is communicated with the ice storage liner space and the top space of the ice stirring tray, so that ice cubes in the ice containing groove at the top of the ice stirring tray can slide out from the ice discharging pipe for discharging.

[0022] An optional invention content, the ice maker also includes a baffle, which is arranged parallel to the inclined side wall and fixed to the inclined side wall, wherein the baffle is sleeved on the ice-mixing shaft to cooperate with the inclined side wall to form an ice-discharging cavity for accommodating the ice-mixing tray, and the bottom of the baffle cooperates with the inclined bottom wall to form an ice-introducing port for ice cubes to enter the ice-discharging cavity.

[0023] An optional invention content, the ice maker also includes a baffle, and the baffle is located at one end of the ice outlet pipe close to the ice stirring tray.

[0024] In an optional invention, the baffle is slidably connected to the inclined side wall, and the ice maker further comprises:

[0025] A driving motor, wherein the driving motor is mounted on the ice storage tank;

[0026] A driving gear, the driving gear is coaxially fixed to the output shaft of the driving motor;

[0027] A rack is fixed on the baffle and meshes with the driving gear. When the driving motor rotates, it drives the baffle to make reciprocating linear motion to open or close the ice outlet pipe.

[0028] An optional invention content, the ice making machine also includes:

[0029] A shell, wherein the ice storage liner and the ice tray assembly are respectively installed in the shell;

[0030] A cup push switch, the cup push switch is installed in the housing;

[0031] A controller is electrically connected to the cup push switch and the drive motor respectively. When the cup push switch is pushed, the cup push switch transmits a sensor signal to the controller so that the controller controls the drive motor to start.

[0032] Based on the second aspect of the present invention, a control method for an ice maker is further provided, wherein the ice maker includes the ice maker as described in any one of the above inventions, and the control method includes:

[0033] In response to the de-icing instruction, the ice stirring assembly is activated to cut the ice cubes dropped out of the ice tray assembly;

[0034] Monitoring the operating time of the ice stirring assembly;

[0035] When it is monitored that the operation time of the ice-mixing component reaches a set time, the ice-mixing component is stopped.

[0036] Compared with the prior art, the present invention includes an ice tray assembly, an ice storage liner and an ice stirring assembly, wherein the ice storage liner is located below the ice tray assembly and has an inclined bottom wall and an inclined side wall, wherein the inclined side wall is arranged in the direction of the ice storage liner away from the ice tray assembly, and the inclined bottom wall gradually inclines upward in the direction close to the ice tray assembly. The ice stirring assembly is installed on the inclined side wall and extends into the ice storage liner, and when the ice stirring assembly is working, the ice cubes falling out of the ice tray assembly are cut. Thus, the large-diameter ice cubes falling out of the ice tray assembly can be fully cut by the inclined arrangement of the inclined bottom wall and the ice stirring assembly, so that the small-diameter ice cubes cut can be filled into the ice storage liner, thereby reducing the overall volume of the ice maker while increasing the actual ice storage capacity of the ice storage liner and improving the space utilization of the ice storage machine.

[0037] The above description is only an overview of the technical solution of the present invention. In order to more clearly understand the technical means of the present invention, it can be implemented according to the contents of the specification. In order to make the above and other purposes, features and advantages of the present invention more obvious and easy to understand, the specific implementation methods of the present invention are listed below. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0038] By reading the detailed description of the preferred embodiment below, various other advantages and benefits will become clear to those of ordinary skill in the art. The accompanying drawings are only used for the purpose of illustrating the preferred embodiment and are not considered to be limitations of the present invention. In addition, the same reference symbols are used to represent the same components throughout the accompanying drawings.

[0039] In the attached picture:

[0040] Figure 1 is a schematic cross-sectional structure diagram of an ice making machine provided by an embodiment of the present invention;

[0041] Figure 2 is a schematic diagram of a first cross-sectional structure of an ice maker provided by an embodiment of the present invention;

[0042] Figure 3 is a second cross-sectional structural schematic diagram of an ice maker provided by an embodiment of the present invention;

[0043] Figure 4 It is a structural schematic diagram of a baffle closing an ice outlet pipe provided by an embodiment of the present invention;

[0044] Figure 5 It is a structural schematic diagram of an ice outlet pipe with a baffle opening provided by an embodiment of the present invention;

[0045] Figure 6 It is a schematic flow chart of the steps of a control method of an ice maker provided by an embodiment of the present invention;

[0046] Figure numerals: 1. ice tray assembly; 2. ice storage liner; 201. inclined bottom wall; 202. inclined side wall; 3. ice stirring assembly; 31. ice stirring motor; 32. ice stirring shaft; 33. first ice stirring blade; 34. second ice stirring blade; 4. support bearing seat; 5. rotating transmission mechanism; 6. ice stirring tray; 7. protrusion; 701. ice holding groove; 8. ice outlet pipe; 9. shield; 901. ice outlet cavity; 902. ice guide port; 10. baffle; 11. driving motor; 12. driving gear; 13. rack; 14. housing; 15. cup push switch; 16. controller. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0047] The exemplary embodiments of the present invention will be described in more detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Although the exemplary embodiments of the present invention are shown in the accompanying drawings, it should be understood that the present invention can be implemented in various forms and should not be limited by the embodiments set forth herein. On the contrary, these embodiments are provided in order to enable a more thorough understanding of the present invention and to enable the scope of the present invention to be fully communicated to those skilled in the art.

[0048] An ice maker is a refrigeration mechanical device that generates ice by cooling water through an evaporator with the refrigerant of a refrigeration system. It usually includes an ice storage room for accommodating ice cubes. However, during the ice making process, the ice cubes are large in size when entering the ice storage room, or the whole plate of ice cubes are stacked on each other, and the ice storage space of the ice storage room is not fully utilized. The ice storage room sends out an ice full protection when the ice cubes are not filled with the rated ice making amount. As a result, when the ice maker is large in size, the space utilization rate is low due to the small actual ice storage capacity.

[0049] Based on the above technical problems, an embodiment of the present invention is proposed. The embodiment of the present invention may include an ice tray assembly 1, an ice storage liner 2, and an ice stirring assembly 3. The ice storage liner 2 is located below the ice tray assembly 1 and has an inclined bottom wall 201 and an inclined side wall 202, wherein the inclined side wall 202 is arranged in the direction of the ice storage liner 2 away from the ice tray assembly 1, and the inclined bottom wall 201 gradually tilts upward in the direction close to the ice tray assembly 1. The ice stirring assembly 3 is installed on the inclined side wall 202 and extends into the ice storage liner 2. When the ice stirring assembly 3 is working, the ice cubes falling out of the ice tray assembly 1 are cut. Therefore, the large-diameter ice cubes falling out of the ice tray assembly 1 can be fully cut by the inclined arrangement of the inclined bottom wall 201 and the ice stirring assembly 3, so that the small-diameter ice cubes cut can be filled into the ice storage liner 2, thereby reducing the overall volume of the ice maker and increasing the actual ice storage capacity of the ice storage liner 2, thereby improving the space utilization rate of the ice storage machine.

[0050] Reference Figure 1-5An embodiment of the present invention provides an ice maker, which may include an ice tray assembly 1, an ice storage liner 2, and an ice stirring assembly 3. The ice storage liner 2 is located below the ice tray assembly 1, and has an inclined bottom wall 201 and an inclined side wall 202, wherein the inclined side wall 202 is arranged in the direction of the ice storage liner 2 away from the ice tray assembly 1, and the inclined bottom wall 201 gradually tilts upward toward the direction of approaching the ice tray assembly 1. The ice stirring assembly 3 is installed on the inclined side wall 202 and extends into the ice storage liner 2. When the ice stirring assembly 3 is working, it cuts the ice cubes that fall out of the ice tray assembly 1.

[0051] In an embodiment of the present invention, the ice maker may include an ice tray assembly 1, an ice storage liner 2, and an ice stirring assembly 3. The ice tray assembly 1 is used to make ice cubes, and the ice storage liner 2 is used to store the ice cubes made by the ice tray assembly 1. The ice storage liner 2 is located below the ice tray assembly 1, so that the ice cubes made by the ice tray assembly 1 can fall out of the ice tray assembly 1 and enter the ice storage liner 2. For example, during the ice making process of the ice maker, the temperature inside the ice tray is rapidly cooled, so that water solidifies into ice cubes on the ice tray, and then the ice cubes on the ice tray are pushed out by a scraper or other device, so that the ice cubes enter the ice storage liner 2 located in the ice tray assembly 1.

[0052] The ice storage liner 2 may include an inclined bottom wall 201 and an inclined side wall 202 connected to the inclined bottom wall 201. The inclined bottom wall 201 gradually inclines upward toward the direction close to the ice tray assembly 1. In other words, the height between the inclined bottom wall 201 and the bottom of the ice maker gradually decreases from the ice tray assembly 1 to the inclined side wall 202. That is, the ice cubes falling from the ice tray assembly 1 to the ice storage liner 2 preferentially fall at a position with a higher height of the inclined bottom wall 201, and then, through the inclined guiding effect of the inclined bottom wall 201, the ice cubes at a position with a higher height of the inclined bottom wall 201 are guided to the position with the lowest height of the inclined bottom wall 201. This makes it easier for ice cubes to start piling up from the lowest point of the ice storage liner 2, which is beneficial to increasing the actual ice storage capacity of the ice storage liner 2.

[0053] The ice-stirring assembly 3 is used to cut ice cubes with large particle sizes. For example, the ice-stirring assembly 3 can be installed on the inclined bottom wall 201 and can extend into the ice storage liner 2. The ice-stirring assembly 3 can extend into the ice storage liner 2, and the ice-stirring assembly 3 includes an ice-stirring blade, so that the ice-stirring assembly 3 can be used to stir and cut the whole plate of ice cubes dropped from the ice tray assembly 1, or ice cubes with large particle sizes, into ice cubes with smaller particle sizes. In this way, the gap between two adjacent ice cubes with large particle sizes can be reduced, so that while reducing the overall volume of the ice maker, the actual ice storage capacity of the ice storage liner 2 can be increased, thereby improving the space utilization rate of the ice storage machine.

[0054] An optional embodiment of the invention, referring to Figure 1 , Figure 2 as well as Figure 3 As shown, the ice maker may include an ice tray assembly 1, an ice storage tank 2, and an ice stirring assembly 3. The ice storage tank 2 is located below the ice tray assembly 1, and has an inclined bottom wall 201 and an inclined side wall 202, wherein the inclined side wall 202 is arranged in the direction of the ice storage tank 2 away from the ice tray assembly 1, and the inclined bottom wall 201 gradually tilts upward toward the direction close to the ice tray assembly 1. The ice stirring assembly 3 is installed on the inclined side wall 202 and extends into the ice storage tank 2. The ice stirring assembly 3 may include an ice stirring motor 31, an ice stirring shaft 32, and a first ice stirring blade 33. The ice stirring motor 31 is installed on the outer surface of the inclined side wall 202, and the output shaft of the ice stirring motor 31 extends into the ice storage tank 2. The ice stirring shaft 32 is drivingly connected to the output shaft of the ice stirring motor 31. The first ice-stirring blade 33 is fixedly connected to the ice-stirring shaft 32 and is located below the ice tray assembly 1 . When the ice-stirring motor 31 is working, the first ice-stirring blade 33 is driven to rotate to cut the large-diameter ice cubes that fall out of the ice tray assembly 1 .

[0055] In an embodiment of the present invention, the ice maker may include an ice tray assembly 1, an ice storage liner 2, and an ice stirring assembly 3. The ice tray assembly 1 is used to make ice cubes, and the ice storage liner 2 is used to store the ice cubes made by the ice tray assembly 1. The ice storage liner 2 is located below the ice tray assembly 1, so that the ice cubes made by the ice tray assembly 1 can fall out of the ice tray assembly 1 and enter the ice storage liner 2.

[0056] The ice storage liner 2 may include an inclined bottom wall 201 and an inclined side wall 202 connected to the inclined bottom wall 201. The inclined bottom wall 201 gradually inclines upward toward the direction close to the ice tray assembly 1. In other words, the height between the inclined bottom wall 201 and the bottom of the ice maker gradually decreases from the ice tray assembly 1 to the inclined side wall 202. That is, the ice cubes falling from the ice tray assembly 1 to the ice storage liner 2 preferentially fall at a position with a higher height of the inclined bottom wall 201, and then, through the inclined guiding effect of the inclined bottom wall 201, the ice cubes at a position with a higher height of the inclined bottom wall 201 are guided to the position with the lowest height of the inclined bottom wall 201. This makes it easier for ice cubes to start piling up from the lowest point of the ice storage liner 2, which is beneficial to increasing the actual ice storage capacity of the ice storage liner 2.

[0057] The ice-stirring assembly 3 is used to cut ice cubes with large particle sizes. For example, the ice-stirring assembly 3 can be installed on the inclined bottom wall 201 and can extend into the ice storage tank 2. The ice-stirring assembly 3 can extend into the ice storage tank 2, and the ice-stirring assembly 3 includes an ice-stirring blade, so that the ice-stirring assembly 3 can be used to stir and cut the ice cubes in the ice storage tank 2, and the ice cubes with large particle sizes can be cut into ice cubes with smaller particle sizes. In this way, the gap between two adjacent ice cubes with large particle sizes can be reduced, so that while reducing the overall volume of the ice maker, the actual ice storage capacity of the ice storage tank 2 can be increased, thereby improving the space utilization rate of the ice storage machine.

[0058] The ice-stirring assembly 3 may include an ice-stirring motor 31, an ice-stirring shaft 32, and a first ice-stirring blade 33. The ice-stirring motor 31 is installed on the outer surface of the inclined side wall 202, that is, the outer surface of the ice storage liner 2. The output shaft of the ice-stirring motor 31 extends into the ice storage liner 2. For example, the output shaft of the ice-stirring motor 31 and the ice storage liner 2 can be fixed by a bearing. The ice-stirring shaft 32 is transmission-connected with the output shaft of the ice-stirring motor 31. The transmission connection can be understood as that when the output shaft of the stirring motor outputs a rotational motion, the ice-stirring shaft 32 can rotate synchronously with the rotational motion of the output shaft.

[0059] The first ice-stirring blade 33 is fixedly connected to the ice-stirring shaft 32. For example, the first ice-stirring blade 33 can be sleeved on the first ice-stirring shaft 32 and detachably connected by a fastener. For another example, the first ice-stirring blade 33 and the ice-stirring shaft 32 can be welded and fixed. Those skilled in the art can determine the fixing method between the first ice-stirring blade 33 and the ice-stirring shaft 32 according to actual design requirements, and no further limitation is made here.

[0060] The first ice-stirring blade 33 is located below the ice tray assembly 1, that is, above the position where the inclined bottom wall 201 is at a higher height. When the stirring motor is working, the first ice-stirring blade 33 can contact the ice cubes that fall from the ice tray assembly 1 into the ice storage liner 2 at the first time. In other words, the ice cubes that fall from the ice tray assembly 1 into the ice storage liner 2 will preferentially fall into the area that the first ice-stirring blade 33 can cut. After the first cutting by the first ice-stirring blade 33, the particle size of the ice cubes is reduced. The ice cubes preferentially fall into the position where the inclined bottom wall 201 is at a higher height, and then the inclined guiding effect of the inclined bottom wall 201 guides the ice cubes at the position where the inclined bottom wall 201 is at a higher height to the position where the inclined bottom wall 201 is at the lowest height. In this way, the cutting efficiency of the first ice-stirring blade 33 and the cutting effect of the ice cubes can be improved. On the other hand, it can also facilitate the accumulation of ice cubes from the lowest point of the ice storage liner 2, which is conducive to increasing the actual ice storage capacity of the ice storage liner 2.

[0061] An optional embodiment of the invention, referring to Figure 1 , Figure 2 as well as Figure 3 As shown, the ice-stirring assembly 3 may include an ice-stirring motor 31, an ice-stirring shaft 32, a first ice-stirring blade 33, and a second ice-stirring blade 34. The ice-stirring motor 31 is mounted on the outer surface of the inclined side wall 202, and the output shaft of the ice-stirring motor 31 extends into the ice storage liner 2. The ice-stirring shaft 32 is in driving connection with the output shaft of the ice-stirring motor 31. The first ice-stirring blade 33 is fixedly connected to the ice-stirring shaft 32 and is located below the ice tray assembly 1. When the ice-stirring motor 31 is working, it drives the first ice-stirring blade 33 to rotate to cut the large-diameter ice cubes that fall out of the ice tray assembly 1. The second ice-stirring blade 34 is fixed to the ice-stirring shaft 32 and is arranged close to the inclined side wall 202, wherein the second ice-stirring blade 34 extends toward the inclined bottom wall 201 to cut the ice cubes that slide onto the inclined bottom wall 201.

[0062] In the embodiment of the present invention, the ice-stirring motor 31 is installed on the outer surface of the inclined side wall 202, that is, the outer surface of the ice storage tank 2. The output shaft of the ice-stirring motor 31 extends into the ice storage tank 2. For example, the output shaft of the ice-stirring motor 31 and the ice storage tank 2 can be fixed by a bearing. The ice-stirring shaft 32 is transmission-connected with the output shaft of the ice-stirring motor 31. The transmission connection can be understood as when the output shaft of the stirring motor outputs a rotational motion, the ice-stirring shaft 32 can rotate synchronously with the rotational motion of the output shaft.

[0063] The first ice-stirring blade 33 is fixedly connected to the ice-stirring shaft 32. For example, the first ice-stirring blade 33 can be sleeved on the first ice-stirring shaft 32 and detachably connected by a fastener. For another example, the first ice-stirring blade 33 and the ice-stirring shaft 32 can be welded and fixed. Those skilled in the art can determine the fixing method between the first ice-stirring blade 33 and the ice-stirring shaft 32 according to actual design requirements, and no further limitation is made here.

[0064] The first ice-stirring blade 33 is located below the ice tray assembly 1, that is, above the position where the inclined bottom wall 201 is at a higher height. When the stirring motor is working, the first ice-stirring blade 33 can contact the ice cubes that fall from the ice tray assembly 1 into the ice storage liner 2 at the first time. In other words, the ice cubes that fall from the ice tray assembly 1 into the ice storage liner 2 will preferentially fall into the area that the first ice-stirring blade 33 can cut. After the first cutting by the first ice-stirring blade 33, the particle size of the ice cubes is reduced. The ice cubes preferentially fall into the position where the inclined bottom wall 201 is at a higher height, and then the inclined guiding effect of the inclined bottom wall 201 guides the ice cubes at the position where the inclined bottom wall 201 is at a higher height to the position where the inclined bottom wall 201 is at the lowest height. In this way, the cutting efficiency of the first ice-stirring blade 33 and the cutting effect of the ice cubes can be improved. On the other hand, it can also facilitate the accumulation of ice cubes from the lowest point of the ice storage liner 2, which is conducive to increasing the actual ice storage capacity of the ice storage liner 2.

[0065] The second ice-stirring blade 34 is fixed to the ice-stirring shaft 32. For example, the second ice-stirring blade 34 can be sleeved on the ice-stirring shaft 32 and detachably connected by a fastener. For another example, the second ice-stirring blade 34 and the ice-stirring shaft 32 can be welded and fixed. Those skilled in the art can determine the fixing method between the second ice-stirring blade 34 and the ice-stirring shaft 32 according to actual design requirements, and no further limitation is made here.

[0066] The second ice-stirring blade 34 is arranged near the inclined side wall 202, that is, it can be understood that it is above the lowest part of the inclined bottom wall 201, wherein the tip of the second ice-stirring blade 34 can be arranged near the inclined bottom wall 201. For example, the distance between the tip of the second ice-stirring blade 34 and the inclined bottom wall 201 can be set between 10 mm and 50 mm. Thus, after the ice cubes are cut by the first ice-stirring blade 33, if there are still ice cubes with larger particle sizes, the ice cubes with larger particle sizes can move along the inclined bottom wall 201 to the area where the second ice-stirring blade 34 can cut. Thus, the ice cubes can be cut for the second time by the second ice-stirring blade 34, so that the particle size of the ice cubes can be reduced, so that the ice storage tank 2 can be filled with smaller gaps between the ice cubes with smaller particle sizes cut, so that the actual ice storage capacity of the ice storage tank 2 can be increased while reducing the overall volume of the ice maker, thereby improving the space utilization rate of the ice storage machine.

[0067] An optional embodiment of the invention, referring to Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, the ice maker further includes a support bearing seat 4, which is fixed on the ice storage liner 2 and is rotatably connected to the end of the ice stirring shaft 32 away from the ice stirring motor 31.

[0068] In the embodiment of the present invention, the ice maker may further include a support bearing seat 4, and the support bearing seat 4 is used to support the end of the ice-stirring shaft 32 away from the ice-stirring motor 31. For example, the support bearing seat 4 is fixed to the ice storage liner 2, and is rotatably connected to one end of the ice-stirring shaft 32. Thus, the support bearing seat 4 supports the ice-stirring shaft 32 in the radial direction, avoiding problems such as damage caused by excessive radial load during the rotation of the ice-stirring shaft 32, thereby improving the structural stability of the ice-stirring assembly 3.

[0069] In an optional embodiment of the invention, the ice-mixing shaft 32 is coaxially fixed with the output shaft of the ice-mixing motor 31 .

[0070] In the embodiment of the present invention, the ice-stirring shaft 32 is coaxially fixed with the output shaft of the ice-stirring motor 31, wherein the coaxial fixing can be understood as the ice-stirring shaft 32 is fixed with the output shaft of the ice-stirring motor 31, and the central axis of the ice-stirring shaft 32 coincides with the central axis of the output shaft. Therefore, when the ice-stirring motor 31 is working, the ice-stirring shaft 32 can be directly driven to rotate by the output shaft of the ice-stirring motor 31.

[0071] Another optional embodiment of the invention, referring to Figure 1 and Figure 2As shown, the ice-stirring assembly 3 further includes a rotating transmission mechanism 5, which is in transmission connection with the ice-stirring motor 31 and in transmission connection with the ice-stirring shaft 32. The output shaft of the ice-stirring motor 31 is arranged parallel to the ice-stirring shaft 32, and the ice-stirring motor 31 is located in the direction where the ice-stirring shaft 32 is close to the inclined bottom wall 201.

[0072] In the embodiment of the present invention, the ice-stirring assembly 3 may further include a rotation transmission mechanism 5, and the rotation transmission mechanism 5 is used to transmit the rotational motion of the ice-stirring motor 31. For example, the power input end of the rotation transmission mechanism 5 is transmission-connected with the output shaft of the ice-stirring motor 31, so that the rotational motion output by the output shaft can be input into the rotation transmission mechanism 5 through the power input end. The power output end of the rotation transmission mechanism 5 is transmission-connected with the ice-stirring shaft 32, so that the rotational motion can be transmitted to the ice-stirring shaft 32 through the power output end, so as to drive the ice-stirring shaft 32 to perform rotational motion.

[0073] In some embodiments, the output shaft of the ice-stirring motor 31 is arranged in parallel with the ice-stirring shaft 32. Since the inclined side wall 202 is gradually inclined toward the outside of the ice storage tank 2 from the inclined bottom wall 201 upward. Therefore, an installation space for accommodating the ice-stirring motor 31 can be formed between the inclined side wall 202 and the shell 14 of the ice maker. The ice-stirring motor 31 is located in the direction where the ice-stirring shaft 32 is close to the inclined bottom wall 201. The installation position of the ice-stirring motor 31 can be moved downward to the bottom of the inclined side wall 202 by the setting of the rotating transmission mechanism 5, so that the horizontal width required for the installation of the ice-stirring motor 31 can be reduced on the basis of ensuring the ice-stirring effect of the first ice-stirring blade 33, thereby reducing the gap between the ice storage tank 2 and the shell 14, which is conducive to reducing the overall volume of the ice-making machine.

[0074] The rotary transmission mechanism 5 may include at least two mutually meshing transmission gears, the first transmission gear being coaxially fixed to the output shaft of the ice-mixing motor 31, and the last transmission gear being coaxially fixed to the ice-mixing shaft 32, thereby the rotational motion of the ice-mixing motor 31 may be transmitted to the ice-mixing shaft 32 through at least two transmission gears. At the same time, those skilled in the art may determine the number of transmission gears and the transmission ratio of the rotary transmission mechanism 5 according to actual design requirements, so as to achieve the effect of controlling the rotation speed of the ice-mixing shaft 32, and no further limitation is made here.

[0075] An optional embodiment of the invention, referring to Figure 1 and Figure 2As shown, the ice maker may further include an ice-stirring tray 6, at least two protrusions 7, and an ice-discharging pipe 8. The ice-stirring tray 6 is close to the inclined side wall 202 and is coaxially fixed with the ice-stirring shaft 32. At least two protrusions 7 are arranged at intervals along the radial direction of the ice-stirring tray 6, and two adjacent protrusions 7 form an ice-receiving groove 701. When the ice-stirring motor 31 is working, it drives the ice-stirring tray 6 to rotate and drives the ice cubes into the ice-receiving groove 701. One end of the ice-discharging pipe 8 is connected to the space of the ice storage liner 2 and to the top space of the ice-stirring tray 6, so that the ice cubes in the ice-receiving groove 701 that reach the top of the ice-stirring tray 6 slide out from the ice-discharging pipe 8 for ice discharging.

[0076] In the embodiment of the present invention, the ice maker may further include an ice-stirring tray 6, at least two protrusions 7, and an ice-discharging pipe 8, wherein the coaxial fixation of the ice-stirring tray 6 and the ice-stirring shaft 32 may be understood as the ice-stirring tray 6 being fixedly connected to the ice-stirring shaft 32, and the central axis of the ice-stirring tray 6 coincides with the central axis of the ice-stirring shaft 32. The cross-sectional shape of the ice-stirring tray 6 along the radial direction of the ice-stirring shaft 32 is circular. Thus, when the ice-stirring shaft 32 rotates, the ice-stirring tray 6 is driven to rotate synchronously. At least two protrusions 7 are arranged at intervals along the radial direction of the ice-stirring tray 6, and two protrusions 7 at adjacent positions cooperate to form an ice-receiving groove 701 for ice cubes to enter. The ice-stirring tray 6 is close to the inclined side wall 202, and is located between the second ice-stirring blade 34 and the inclined side wall 202.

[0077] When the ice-mixing motor 31 is working, it drives the ice-mixing shaft 32 to rotate, thereby synchronously driving the ice-mixing plate 6, the first ice-mixing blade 33 and the second ice-mixing blade 34 to rotate. Ice cubes with smaller particle sizes can enter the ice holding groove 701 during the ice-mixing process, so that the position of the ice cubes can be transferred, such as lifting the ice cubes, through the rotation of the ice-mixing plate 6.

[0078] One end of the ice outlet pipe 8 is connected to the space of the ice storage liner 2 and to the top space of the ice stirring tray 6. In some embodiments, the radial top of the ice stirring tray 6 is connected to the ice outlet pipe 8. The inclined side wall 202 has a certain inclination angle, and correspondingly, the ice stirring tray 6 also has a certain inclination angle, so that when the ice cubes on the ice stirring tray 6 are lifted to the highest point, the ice cubes at the top will slide into the ice outlet pipe 8. Correspondingly, the ice outlet pipe 8 can also be gradually inclined downward from the direction close to the ice stirring tray 6 to the direction away from the ice stirring tray 6, so that the ice cubes sliding into the ice outlet pipe 8 can quickly slide out of the ice outlet pipe 8, thereby completing ice removal.

[0079] In other embodiments, since the lowest point of the inclined bottom wall 201 is located below the inclined side wall 202, when the radial length of the ice stirring tray 6 is sufficient, the protrusion 7 can extend to the lowest point of the inclined bottom wall 201, so that the ice cubes at the lowest point of the inclined bottom wall 201 can be introduced into the ice holding groove 701 and transported to the ice outlet pipe 8 for ice outlet, thereby ensuring that the ice cubes in the ice storage tank 2 are completely taken out.

[0080] Another optional embodiment of the invention, referring to Figure 1 , Figure 2 , Figure 3 as well as Figure 4 As shown, the ice maker may include an ice-stirring tray 6, at least two protrusions 7, an ice-discharging pipe 8, and a shield 9. The ice-stirring tray 6 is close to the inclined side wall 202 and is coaxially fixed with the ice-stirring shaft 32. At least two protrusions 7 are arranged at intervals along the radial direction of the ice-stirring tray 6, and two adjacent protrusions 7 form an ice-receiving groove 701. When the ice-stirring motor 31 is working, it drives the ice-stirring tray 6 to rotate and drives ice cubes into the ice-receiving groove 701. One end of the ice-discharging pipe 8 is connected to the space of the ice storage liner 2 and to the top space of the ice-stirring tray 6, so that the ice cubes in the ice-receiving groove 701 that reach the top of the ice-stirring tray 6 slide out of the ice-discharging pipe 8 for ice discharging. The baffle 9 is arranged parallel to the inclined side wall 202 and is fixed to the inclined side wall 202, wherein the baffle 9 is sleeved on the ice-mixing shaft 32 to cooperate with the inclined side wall 202 to form an ice-discharging cavity 901 for accommodating the ice-mixing tray 6, and the bottom of the baffle 9 cooperates with the inclined bottom wall 201 to form an ice-introducing port 902 for ice cubes to enter the ice-discharging cavity 901.

[0081] In the embodiment of the present invention, the ice-stirring tray 6 and the ice-stirring shaft 32 are coaxially fixed, which can be understood as the ice-stirring tray 6 is fixedly connected to the ice-stirring shaft 32, and the central axis of the ice-stirring tray 6 coincides with the central axis of the ice-stirring shaft 32. The cross-sectional shape of the ice-stirring tray 6 along the radial direction of the ice-stirring shaft 32 is circular. Therefore, when the ice-stirring shaft 32 rotates, the ice-stirring tray 6 is driven to rotate synchronously. At least two of the protrusions 7 are arranged at intervals along the radial direction of the ice-stirring tray 6, and the two protrusions 7 at adjacent positions cooperate to form an ice-containing groove 701 for ice cubes to enter. The ice-stirring tray 6 is close to the inclined side wall 202, and is located between the second ice-stirring blade 34 and the inclined side wall 202.

[0082] When the ice-mixing motor 31 is working, it drives the ice-mixing shaft 32 to rotate, thereby synchronously driving the ice-mixing plate 6, the first ice-mixing blade 33 and the second ice-mixing blade 34 to rotate. Ice cubes with smaller particle sizes can enter the ice holding groove 701 during the ice-mixing process, so that the position of the ice cubes can be transferred, such as lifting the ice cubes, through the rotation of the ice-mixing plate 6.

[0083] One end of the ice outlet pipe 8 is connected to the space of the ice storage liner 2 and to the top space of the ice stirring tray 6. In some embodiments, the radial top of the ice stirring tray 6 is connected to the ice outlet pipe 8. The inclined side wall 202 has a certain inclination angle, and correspondingly, the ice stirring tray 6 also has a certain inclination angle, so that when the ice cubes on the ice stirring tray 6 are lifted to the highest point, the ice cubes at the top will slide into the ice outlet pipe 8. Correspondingly, the ice outlet pipe 8 can also be gradually inclined downward from the direction close to the ice stirring tray 6 to the direction away from the ice stirring tray 6, so that the ice cubes sliding into the ice outlet pipe 8 can quickly slide out of the ice outlet pipe 8, thereby completing ice removal.

[0084] In other embodiments, since the lowest point of the inclined bottom wall 201 is located below the inclined side wall 202, when the radial length of the ice stirring tray 6 is sufficient, the protrusion 7 can extend to the lowest point of the inclined bottom wall 201, so that the ice cubes at the lowest point of the inclined bottom wall 201 can be introduced into the ice holding groove 701 and transported to the ice outlet pipe 8 for ice outlet, thereby ensuring that the ice cubes in the ice storage tank 2 are completely taken out.

[0085] The shield plate 9 is arranged parallel to the inclined side wall 202 and is fixed to the inclined side wall 202. For example, the top of the shield plate 9 is provided with a flange extending toward the inclined side wall 202, so that the shield plate 9 can be provided with structural support by fixing the flange to the inclined side wall 202. Correspondingly, the ice-stirring shaft 32 can be arranged through the shield plate 9, or the shield plate 9 can be sleeved on the ice-stirring shaft 32, so that the shield plate 9 is movably connected to the ice-stirring shaft 32. In other words, when the ice-stirring shaft 32 rotates, the shield plate 9 will not rotate therewith.

[0086] The second ice-stirring blade 34 is close to the end face of the shield 9 away from the inclined side wall 202, and the shield 9 cooperates with the inclined side wall 202 to form an ice-discharging cavity 901 for accommodating the ice-stirring tray 6. Therefore, during the rotation of the ice-stirring tray 6, due to the limiting effect of the shield 9, the ice cubes in the ice-containing groove 701 will not be squeezed by other ice cubes or fall off during the rotation of the ice-stirring tray 6, thereby further improving the ice cube transportation efficiency and ice-discharging effect of the ice-stirring tray 6.

[0087] Correspondingly, the bottom of the shield 9 cooperates with the inclined bottom wall 201 to form an ice guide port 902 for ice cubes to enter the ice outlet cavity 901. The shield 9 is close to the lowest point of the inclined bottom wall 201, so that the ice cubes in the ice storage liner 2 can slide into the ice guide port 902 through the inclined bottom wall 201 and enter the ice outlet cavity 901. Alternatively, it can be understood that the ice cubes pass through the ice guide port 902 and enter the ice storage groove 701. At this time, the shield 9 forms a surface contact with the ice stirring tray 6, and the ice stirring tray 6 forms a surface contact with the inclined side wall 202.

[0088] An optional embodiment of the invention, referring to Figure 2 , Figure 4 as well as Figure 5 As shown, the ice maker further includes a baffle 10 , which is located at one end of the ice outlet pipe 8 close to the ice stirring tray 6 .

[0089] In the embodiment of the present invention, the baffle 10 is mainly used to close the ice outlet pipe 8, so as to prevent the ice cubes in the ice storage tank 2 from sliding out of the ice outlet pipe 8 when ice is not needed.

[0090] An optional embodiment of the invention, referring to Figure 2 , Figure 4 as well as Figure 5 As shown, the baffle 10 is slidably connected to the inclined side wall 202, and the ice maker may further include a driving motor 11, a driving gear 12, and a rack 13. The driving motor 11 is mounted on the ice storage tank 2, and the driving gear 12 is coaxially fixed with the output shaft of the driving motor 11. The rack 13 is fixed to the baffle 10 and meshes with the driving gear 12. When the driving motor 11 rotates, it drives the baffle 10 to perform reciprocating linear motion to open or close the ice outlet pipe 8.

[0091] In an embodiment of the present invention, the baffle 10 can be slidably connected to the inclined side wall 202. For example, a guide rail can be installed on the inclined side wall 202, and a slider slidably connected to the guide rail can be installed on the baffle 10, so as to achieve the sliding connection between the baffle 10 and the inclined side wall 202. The ice maker can also include a driving motor 11, a driving gear 12 and a rack 13. The driving gear 12 and the rack 13 are meshed to convert rotational motion into linear motion. The rack 13 is fixed to the baffle 10, and the length direction of the rack 13 is consistent with the sliding direction of the baffle 10. For example, the rack 13 and the baffle 10 can be fixed by welding, integral molding, etc.

[0092] The driving motor 11 is mounted on the ice storage tank 2, specifically, on the inclined side wall 202. The driving gear 12 is coaxially fixed with the output shaft of the driving motor 11. It can be understood that the output shaft of the driving motor 11 is fixedly connected to the driving gear 12, and the central axis of the output shaft of the driving motor 11 coincides with the central axis of the driving gear 12. When the driving motor 11 is working, it drives the driving gear 12 to rotate, thereby driving the rack 13 meshing with the driving gear 12 to reciprocate linearly, and synchronously drives the baffle 10 to reciprocate linearly, thereby realizing the closing and opening of the ice outlet pipe 8.

[0093] For example, when the driving motor 11 rotates forward, the baffle 10 is driven to make a linear motion close to the ice outlet pipe 8 until the ice inlet of the ice outlet pipe 8 is closed. For another example, when the driving motor 11 rotates reversely, the baffle 10 is driven to make a linear motion away from the ice outlet pipe 8 until the ice inlet of the ice outlet pipe 8 is completely opened, so that ice can be discharged by the ice maker.

[0094] An optional embodiment of the invention, referring to Figure 1 As shown, the ice maker may further include a housing 14, a cup push switch 15 and a controller 16. The ice storage liner 2, the ice tray assembly 1 and the cup push switch 15 are respectively installed in the housing 14. The controller 16 is electrically connected to the cup push switch 15 and the drive motor 11 respectively. When the cup push switch 15 is pushed, the cup push switch 15 transmits a sensor signal to the controller 16, so that the controller 16 controls the drive motor 11 to start.

[0095] In an embodiment of the present invention, the ice maker may further include a housing 14, a cup push switch 15 and a controller 16, wherein the housing 14 is used to provide structural support for other components of the ice maker. For example, the ice storage liner 2, the ice tray assembly 1 and the cup push switch 15 may all be mounted on the housing 14. The cup push switch 15 is electrically connected to the controller 16, and the controller 16 is electrically connected to the drive motor 11. In some embodiments, the cup push switch 15 may be a push switch (usually integrated with a pressure sensor) or a proximity switch (usually integrated with a displacement sensor). When the user presses the cup push switch 15 or approaches the cup push switch, the sensing signal of the cup push switch will change significantly. The controller 16 determines that the user wants to take ice based on the sensing voltage, thereby controlling the drive motor 11 to rotate and open the ice outlet pipe 8.

[0096] In summary, the embodiment of the present invention discloses an ice maker, which may include an ice tray assembly 1, an ice storage liner 2, and an ice stirring assembly 3. The ice storage liner 2 is located below the ice tray assembly 1 and has an inclined bottom wall 201 and an inclined side wall 202, wherein the inclined side wall 202 is arranged in the direction of the ice storage liner 2 away from the ice tray assembly 1, and the inclined bottom wall 201 gradually tilts upward toward the direction of approaching the ice tray assembly 1. The ice stirring assembly 3 is installed on the inclined side wall 202 and extends into the ice storage liner 2. When the ice stirring assembly 3 is in operation, the ice cubes dropped out of the ice tray assembly 1 are cut. Therefore, the large-diameter ice cubes dropped from the ice tray assembly 1 can be fully cut by the inclined bottom wall 201 and the inclined setting of the ice stirring assembly 3, so that the small-diameter ice cubes obtained by cutting can be filled in the ice storage tank 2, thereby reducing the overall volume of the ice maker and increasing the actual ice storage capacity of the ice storage tank 2, thereby improving the space utilization of the ice storage machine.

[0097] Reference Figure 6 As shown, the embodiment of the present invention further discloses a control method for an ice maker, and the control method may include:

[0098] S601, in response to an ice-removing instruction, starting the ice-mixing assembly to cut ice cubes that fall out of the ice tray assembly.

[0099] In the embodiment of the present invention, the de-icing instruction may be generated based on the triggering of the completion of the production of the ice tray assembly 1, or may be detected by a pressure sensor disposed in the ice storage liner 2. When the pressure sensor detects a pressure change, it is determined that new ice cubes are currently stored in the ice storage liner 2, that is, the ice cubes in the ice tray assembly 1 fall into the ice storage liner 2. Thus, the ice stirring assembly 3 may be activated, so that the ice cubes may be cut by the ice stirring assembly 3.

[0100] S602: Monitor the operating time of the ice-mixing component.

[0101] S603: When it is detected that the operation time of the ice-mixing component reaches a set time, the ice-mixing component is stopped.

[0102] In an embodiment of the present invention, in order to control the particle size of the ice cubes in the ice storage tank 2, the operating time of the ice stirring component 3 can be preset and used as the set time. For example, the set time can be between 1 minute and 5 minutes, and those skilled in the art can determine it according to actual design requirements. Therefore, when it is monitored that the operating time of the ice stirring component 3 reaches the set time, the operation of the ice stirring component 3 is stopped, and the above steps are repeatedly performed, so that small-diameter ice cubes can be filled in the ice storage tank 2, thereby reducing the overall volume of the ice maker while increasing the actual ice storage capacity of the ice storage tank 2 and improving the space utilization of the ice storage machine.

[0103] The various embodiments in this specification are described in a progressive manner, and each embodiment focuses on the differences from other embodiments. The same or similar parts between the various embodiments can be referenced to each other.

[0104] It is easy for a person skilled in the art to think that any combination of the above embodiments is feasible, so any combination of the above embodiments is an implementation scheme of the present invention. However, due to space limitations, this specification will not describe them in detail here.

[0105] In the description provided herein, a large number of specific details are described. However, it is understood that embodiments of the present invention can be practiced without these specific details. In some instances, well-known methods, structures and techniques are not shown in detail so as not to obscure the understanding of this description.

[0106] Similarly, it should be understood that in order to streamline the present invention and aid in understanding one or more of the various inventive aspects, in the above description of exemplary embodiments of the present invention, various features of the present invention are sometimes grouped together into a single embodiment, figure, or description thereof.

[0107] In addition, those skilled in the art will appreciate that, although some embodiments described herein include certain features included in other embodiments but not other features, the combination of features of different embodiments is meant to be within the scope of the present invention and form different embodiments. For example, in the claims, any one of the claimed embodiments can be used in any combination.

Claims

1. An ice making machine, characterized in that: The ice making machine comprises: Ice tray assembly (1); An ice storage liner (2), the ice storage liner (2) being located below the ice tray assembly (1) and having an inclined bottom wall (201) and an inclined side wall (202), wherein the inclined side wall (202) is arranged in a direction of the ice storage liner (2) away from the ice tray assembly (1), and the inclined bottom wall (201) is gradually inclined upwards in a direction approaching the ice tray assembly (1); An ice-stirring assembly (3) is installed on the inclined side wall (202) and extends into the ice storage liner (2). When the ice-stirring assembly (3) is in operation, ice cubes that fall out of the ice tray assembly (1) are cut.

2. The ice making machine according to claim 1, characterized in that: The ice-mixing assembly (3) comprises: an ice-stirring motor (31), the ice-stirring motor (31) being mounted on the outer surface of the inclined side wall (202), and an output shaft of the ice-stirring motor (31) extending into the ice storage liner (2); An ice-stirring shaft (32), the ice-stirring shaft (32) being drivingly connected to an output shaft of the ice-stirring motor (31); A first ice-stirring blade (33), wherein the first ice-stirring blade (33) is fixedly connected to the ice-stirring shaft (32) and is located below the ice tray assembly (1); when the ice-stirring motor (31) is in operation, the first ice-stirring blade (33) is driven to rotate to cut large-diameter ice cubes that fall out of the ice tray assembly (1).

3. The ice making machine according to claim 2, characterized in that: The ice-mixing assembly (3) further comprises: A second ice-stirring blade (34), wherein the second ice-stirring blade (34) is fixed on the ice-stirring shaft (32) and is arranged close to the inclined side wall (202), wherein the second ice-stirring blade (34) is extended toward the inclined bottom wall (201) to cut ice cubes that slide onto the inclined bottom wall (201).

4. The ice making machine according to claim 2, characterized in that: The ice making machine further comprises a supporting bearing seat (4), wherein the supporting bearing seat (4) is fixed on the ice storage liner (2) and is rotatably connected to the end of the ice stirring shaft (32) away from the ice stirring motor (31).

5. The ice making machine according to claim 2, characterized in that: The ice-stirring shaft (32) is coaxially fixed with the output shaft of the ice-stirring motor (31).

6. The ice making machine according to claim 2, characterized in that: The ice-stirring assembly (3) further comprises a rotary transmission mechanism (5), wherein the rotary transmission mechanism (5) is in driving connection with the ice-stirring motor (31) and in driving connection with the ice-stirring shaft (32); wherein: The output shaft of the ice-stirring motor (31) is arranged in parallel with the ice-stirring shaft (32), and the ice-stirring motor (31) is located in a direction where the ice-stirring shaft (32) is close to the inclined bottom wall (201).

7. The ice making machine according to claim 2, characterized in that: The ice making machine also includes: an ice-stirring tray (6), the ice-stirring tray (6) being close to the inclined side wall (202) and being coaxially fixed with the ice-stirring shaft (32); at least two protrusions (7), at least two of the protrusions (7) are arranged at intervals along the radial direction of the ice-stirring tray (6), and two adjacent protrusions (7) form an ice-holding groove (701), and when the ice-stirring motor (31) is in operation, it drives the ice-stirring tray (6) to rotate and drives ice cubes into the ice-holding groove (701); An ice discharging pipe (8), one end of which is in communication with the space of the ice storage liner (2) and with the top space of the ice-mixing tray (6), so that ice cubes in the ice-containing groove (701) at the top of the ice-mixing tray (6) can slide out of the ice discharging pipe (8) for discharging.

8. The ice making machine according to claim 7, characterized in that: The ice maker further comprises a shield (9), the shield (9) being arranged parallel to the inclined side wall (202) and being fixed to the inclined side wall (202), wherein the shield (9) is sleeved on the ice-mixing shaft (32) to cooperate with the inclined side wall (202) to form an ice-discharging cavity (901) for accommodating the ice-mixing tray (6), and the bottom of the shield (9) cooperates with the inclined bottom wall (201) to form an ice-introducing port (902) for ice cubes to enter the ice-discharging cavity (901).

9. The ice making machine according to claim 7, characterized in that: The ice maker further comprises a baffle (10), wherein the baffle (10) is located at one end of the ice outlet pipe (8) close to the ice stirring tray (6).

10. The ice making machine according to claim 9, characterized in that The baffle (10) is slidably connected to the inclined side wall (202), and the ice making machine further comprises: A driving motor (11), wherein the driving motor (11) is mounted on the ice storage liner (2); A driving gear (12), wherein the driving gear (12) is coaxially fixed to an output shaft of the driving motor (11); A rack (13) is fixed on the baffle (10) and meshes with the driving gear (12); when the driving motor (11) rotates, it drives the baffle (10) to perform reciprocating linear motion, so as to open or close the ice outlet pipe (8).

11. The ice making machine according to claim 10, characterized in that The ice making machine also includes: A shell (14), wherein the ice storage liner (2) and the ice tray assembly (1) are respectively installed in the shell (14); A cup push switch (15), wherein the cup push switch (15) is installed in the housing (14); A controller (16) is electrically connected to the cup push switch (15) and the drive motor (11) respectively. When the cup push switch (15) is pushed, the cup push switch (15) transmits a sensor signal to the controller (16), so that the controller (16) controls the drive motor (11) to start.

12. A method for controlling an ice maker, characterized in that: The ice maker comprises the ice maker according to any one of claims 1 to 11, and the control method is applied to a controller (16), and the control method comprises: In response to an ice-removing instruction, the ice-mixing assembly (3) is activated to cut ice cubes that fall out of the ice tray assembly (1); Monitoring the operating time of the ice-mixing assembly (3); When it is detected that the operation time of the ice-mixing component (3) reaches a set time, the ice-mixing component (3) is stopped.

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