Ice making method and ice maker

Abstract

The invention relates to the technical field of ice making, and provides an ice making method and an ice maker, the ice making method comprises the following steps: S1, executing an ice making working condition; s2, after ice making is finished, water in the ice making container is discharged, and an ice making program is continuously operated; and S3, executing a deicing working condition. According to the ice making method, the problem of ice block adhesion is effectively solved through the step of prolonging the refrigeration time after ice making is finished, the ice unloading convenience is improved, potential damage to the ice making device caused by ice block adhesion is reduced, the service life of the ice making device is prolonged, complex equipment or mechanisms do not need to be introduced, and the cost is reduced. And the method can be realized only by adjusting the running time of the ice-making program, so that the cost is low and the implementation and popularization are easy.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the technical field of ice making, and particularly to an ice making method and an ice maker. Background Art

[0002] With the continuous progress of society and the increasing improvement of people's living standards, ice cubes are increasingly widely used in daily life. They are not only in great demand in fields such as cold drinks and food preservation, but also play an important role in industries such as medical and chemical industries.

[0003] Traditional ice makers, as the earliest ice making equipment, have a relatively simple working principle. They mainly freeze a certain amount of water supplied to the ice making tray by applying cold air or refrigerant evaporation. The ice making tray is usually arranged in a freezing state below 0°C, and the water is gradually frozen into ice by using a cold core or an evaporation plate. However, this ice making method has significant defects. Specifically, the water on the ice making tray starts to freeze from the position close to the cold core or the evaporation plate, and then the ice making thickness gradually increases towards the outside. This ice making method causes the ice cubes to easily adhere under the action of the outer layer of ice making water, which is not convenient for subsequent ice removal operations. In addition, traditional ice makers often need to knock or pry the ice cubes during the ice removal process, which not only increases the operation difficulty, but also may damage the ice making tray or the ice cubes themselves, further reducing the ice making efficiency and quality.

[0004] To solve the problems existing in traditional ice makers, bullet-shaped ice making modules have emerged. This type of ice making module improves the ice making efficiency and the convenience of ice removal by improving the structure of the evaporator. However, some melting water is still generated when the bullet-shaped ice making module removes ice. This part of the melted water flows into the ice storage box together with the ice cubes under the action of the ice scraping device, and will cause adhesion after long-term storage, which is not conducive to the removal and use of the ice cubes. At the same time, since the bullet-shaped ice making module needs to frequently turn on and off the refrigerant cycle during the ice making process, this not only increases the energy consumption, but also may have an adverse impact on the stability and lifespan of the ice maker.

[0005] To address these challenges, the industry has been continuously researching and developing new ice making technologies and equipment. Chinese Patent Publication No. CN205980500U discloses a ice turning assembly and an ice maker. The ice turning assembly includes an ice box and an ice turning rod. The ice box is provided with a plurality of ice grooves arranged in rows, and a notch is opened on the partition wall between adjacent two ice grooves. The two ends of the ice turning rod are rotatably connected to the two side walls of the ice box, and a plurality of ice turning ribs corresponding to the ice grooves one by one are arranged on the ice turning rod for scraping the ice in the corresponding ice grooves. Adjacent two ice turning ribs are arranged in a staggered manner, so that when the ice turning rod rotates to scrape the ice, the turned-out ice cubes can be non-connected. However, this solution has problems such as complex structure, high maintenance difficulty, and limited ice turning efficiency in actual use.

[0006] A Chinese patent with the patent publication number CN111981738B proposes an ice-making device and method. By means of a spraying mechanism, water is transformed into water mist, increasing the contact area between water and cold air, thereby shortening the time for water to form ice. In addition, this patent further reduces the ice-forming time by first forming an ice-water mixture and then cooling it. However, although this method effectively shortens the ice-making time, ice adhesion still easily occurs during the ice removal process, resulting in the ice not being easily detached and affecting the user experience.

[0007] A Chinese patent with the patent publication number CN118517854A proposes a freezing anti-adhesion control method and a refrigerator controller. This method determines whether the refrigerator performs an opening action, and after opening the door, detects the ambient temperature and the weight of the items in the freezing compartment. According to these parameters, the actions of the refrigeration and electromagnetic suction components are controlled to prevent the items in the freezing compartment from adhering. Although this method has achieved remarkable results in preventing the adhesion of frozen items, it mainly targets the food in the freezing compartment and is not directly applied to the problem of ice adhesion during the ice-making process. Its application scenario does not fully match the problem of ice adhesion during the ice-making process.

[0008] Therefore, there is an urgent need in the art to develop an ice-making method that can simultaneously shorten the ice-making time and effectively prevent ice adhesion, so as to improve the user experience and protect the ice-making device. Summary of the Invention

[0009] In view of this, the present invention aims to propose an ice-making machine and an ice-making method to solve the problem that the outer surface of the ice cubes produced by the existing ice-making machines is prone to adhesion.

[0010] To achieve the above object, the technical solution of the present invention is realized as follows:

[0011] The first object of the present application is to disclose an ice-making method, including the following steps:

[0012] S1: Execute the ice-making working condition;

[0013] S2: After the ice-making is completed, drain the water in the ice-making container and continuously run the ice-making program;

[0014] S3: Execute the ice removal working condition.

[0015] Further, in step S1, it includes the following steps:

[0016] S11: Inject water into the ice-making container and set an evaporator device in the ice-making container;

[0017] S12: Start the compressor, and the temperature around the evaporator device drops and ice cubes condense.

[0018] Further, in step S2, it includes the following steps:

[0019] S21: After ice making is completed, drain the water in the ice making container;

[0020] S22: The compressor continues to operate to freeze the water on the outer surface of the ice cubes.

[0021] Furthermore, in step S22, after the water in the ice making container is drained, the compressor continues to operate for a preset time T 1 , the preset time T 1 ranges from 30 s to 360 s.

[0022] Furthermore, in step S22, the compressor continues to operate until the temperature of the ice cubes reaches T 冰 , where T 冰 < 0°C.

[0023] Furthermore, before step S1, add step SA:

[0024] The compressor runs, the refrigerant starts to circulate, and the temperature of the evaporator device and the space where the evaporator device is located drops to T 预 , T 预 is the empirical temperature.

[0025] Furthermore, in step S3, after being acted on by the compressor, the refrigerant flows to the evaporator device through the bypass pipeline and the switching valve, and the refrigerant circulates for a preset time T 2 , and the ice cubes can be detached from the evaporator device.

[0026] Furthermore, in step S3, under the ice removal condition, place the made ice cubes in the ice storage box, set a heat insulation layer or a heat insulation device on the outside of the ice storage box, or set a cold air inlet device in the space where the ice storage box is located, or the evaporator device refrigerates periodically, and the temperature of the ice cubes in the ice storage box is lower than 0°C.

[0027] Compared with the prior art, the ice making method of the present invention has the following advantages:

[0028] (1) In the ice making method of the present invention, by extending the refrigeration time after ice making is completed, the problem of ice cube adhesion is effectively solved, which not only improves the convenience of ice removal, but also reduces the potential damage to the ice making device caused by ice cube adhesion, and prolongs the service life of the ice making device.

[0029] (2) The ice making method of the present invention does not need to introduce complex equipment or mechanisms, and can be realized only by adjusting the running time of the ice making program, so the cost is low and it is easy to implement and popularize.

[0030] (3) The ice-making method of the present invention extends the refrigeration time after ice-making is completed, so that the moisture on the outer surface of the ice cubes is fully frozen, solving the problem that moisture is easily left on the surface of the ice cubes during the ice removal process of traditional ice-making machines, improving the purity and quality of the ice cubes, reducing the melting risk of the ice cubes during storage and transportation, and the evaporator device has a flexible and diverse structure, which can adapt to different ice-making requirements, improving the applicability and production efficiency of the ice-making machine.

[0031] Another object of the present invention is to provide an ice-making machine that can perform the ice-making method as described above, including a water supply mechanism, an ice-making and ice-removing mechanism, and an ice storage box. Among them, the water supply mechanism includes a water pump, an ice-making water tank, a water supply pipe, and a water storage box. The ice-making and ice-removing device includes a compressor, an exhaust pipe, a three-way pipe, a condenser, a capillary tube, an evaporator device, and a return air pipe connected in sequence according to the refrigerant flow direction. The refrigerant flows through the condenser, the capillary tube, and the evaporator device in sequence and then flows back to the compressor. The evaporator device can make ice from the water in the ice storage box during the refrigerant circulation working state and perform ice removal after ice-making is completed.

[0032] Furthermore, the evaporator device is a bullet-shaped ice-making module or a grid-type ice-making module, and the bullet-shaped ice-making module or the grid-type ice-making module can extend into the water storage box.

[0033] The advantages of the ice-making machine and the above-mentioned ice-making method compared with the prior art are the same, and will not be elaborated here. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0034] The accompanying drawings that form a part of the present invention are used to provide a further understanding of the present invention. The schematic embodiments and descriptions thereof of the present invention are used to explain the present invention and do not constitute an improper limitation to the present invention. In the drawings:

[0035] Figure 1 is a schematic structural diagram of the anti-adhesion ice-making machine according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention;

[0036] Figure 2 is Figure 1 a cross-sectional structural diagram of part A-A in

[0037] Figure 3 is Figure 2 a second schematic structural diagram of the assembly of the water separation plate and the bullet-shaped ice-making module in

[0038] Figure 4 is a side view structural diagram of the anti-adhesion ice-making machine according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention;

[0039] Figure 5 is a front view structural diagram of the ice-making mechanism in Embodiment 2 of the present invention;

[0040] Figure 6 isFigure 5 The top view structural schematic diagram of the structure shown in

[0041] Figure 7 is Figure 5 The left view structural schematic diagram of the structure shown in

[0042] Figure 8 is Figure 5 The side view structural schematic diagram of the structure shown in

[0043] Figure 9 The front view structural schematic diagram of the ice-making mechanism in Embodiment 3 of the present invention;

[0044] Figure 10 is Figure 9 The right view structural schematic diagram of the structure shown in

[0045] Figure 11 is Figure 9 The top view structural schematic diagram of the structure shown in

[0046] Figure 12 is Figure 9 The side view structural schematic diagram of the structure shown in

[0047] Explanation of reference numerals:

[0048] 1 - ice-making tray; 2 - evaporator device; 201 - bullet-shaped ice-making module; 202 - main condenser tube; 203 - grid-shaped ice-making module; 3 - ice-shoveling device; 301 - first guiding rib; 4 - guiding plate; 401 - second guiding rib; 5 - ice storage box; 501 - third guiding rib; 6 - water separation plate; 601 - first water baffle; 602 - second water baffle; 7 - water storage box; 701 - first bottom plate; 702 - fourth guiding rib; 703 - drain port; 704 - guiding side wall; 8 - hinge shaft; 9 - guiding mechanism. Detailed implementation manners

[0049] In order to make the technical means, achieved purposes and effects of the present invention easy to understand, the embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to specific drawings.

[0050] It should be noted that all the terms indicating direction and position in the present invention, such as "upper", "lower", "left", "right", "front", "rear", "vertical", "horizontal", "inner", "outer", "top", "bottom", "lateral", "longitudinal", "center", etc., are only used to explain the relative positional relationship and connection situation between components in a specific state (as shown in the attached drawings), and are only for the convenience of describing the present invention, rather than requiring the present invention to be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, it should not be construed as a limitation to the present invention. In addition, the descriptions involving "first", "second", etc. in the present invention are only for descriptive purposes, and should not be construed as indicating or implying their relative importance or implicitly specifying the quantity of the indicated technical features.

[0051] In the description of the present invention, unless otherwise clearly defined and limited, the terms "mounted", "connected", and "coupled" shall be construed in a broad sense. For example, it may be a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; it may be a mechanical connection; it may be directly connected, or indirectly connected through an intermediate medium, and it may be the communication inside two elements. For those of ordinary skill in the art, the specific meanings of the above terms in the present invention can be understood according to specific circumstances.

[0052] In the description of this specification, the descriptions with reference to terms such as "one embodiment", "some embodiments", "schematic embodiments", "examples", "specific examples", or "some examples", etc. mean that the specific features, structures, materials, or characteristics described in connection with the embodiment or example are included in at least one embodiment or example of the present invention. In this specification, the schematic representations of the above terms do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment or example. Moreover, the specific features, structures, materials, or characteristics described can be combined in a suitable manner in any one or more embodiments or examples.

[0053] In the prior art, ice makers generally face the problem of ice adhesion. During the ice-making process of traditional ice makers, since the condensed water easily flows onto the made ice cubes, the surfaces of the ice cubes become wet, and then adhesion occurs during storage, affecting the ice-making quality and subsequent use. In addition, traditional ice makers often have difficulty in completely detaching the ice cubes during ice ejection and are prone to damage the ice cubes. These problems have been plaguing the development of the ice maker industry, and there is an urgent need for a new technology that can effectively solve ice adhesion and improve ice-making quality.

[0054] Embodiment 1

[0055] As Figures 1 to 4As shown in the figure, the present invention discloses an anti - adhesion ice maker, which includes an ice - making tray 1, an evaporator device 2, an ice - shoveling device 3 and an ice storage box 5. The evaporator device 2 includes a bullet - shaped ice - making module 201 and a main condensing pipe 202. The evaporator device 2 is fixed at the upper end of the ice - making tray 1, and part of the bullet - shaped ice - making module 201 is inserted into the ice - making tray 1. Both ends of the ice - making tray 1 are provided with rotating shafts and can rotate relative to the evaporator device 2. The ice - shoveling device 3 is arranged on one side of the ice - making tray 1 and guides and conveys the ice cubes detached from the bullet - shaped ice - making module 201 into the ice storage box 5 for storage after ice - making is completed. A water - isolating plate 6 is arranged at the end of the bullet - shaped ice - making module 201 close to the main condensing pipe 202.

[0056] This application discloses an anti - adhesion ice maker. During the ice - making process, water for ice - making is poured into the ice - making tray 1. The bullet - shaped ice - making module 201 of the evaporator device 2 extends into the ice - making tray 1. When the water level in the ice - making tray 1 reaches the preset position, the compressor is started and the ice - making system begins to work. The temperature around the bullet - shaped ice - making module 201 and the main condensing pipe 202 in the evaporator device 2 drops sharply. Since part of the bullet - shaped ice - making module 201 extends into the water storage box, ice cubes will quickly condense around it. After ice - making is completed, the ice - making tray 1 is rotated to drain the water in the ice - making tray 1. After all the water in the ice - making tray 1 is drained, the defrosting program is started, the switching valve is opened, and the refrigerant cycle isolates the condenser in the heat exchanger device. The refrigerant acted on by the compressor flows through the bypass pipeline and the switching valve to the evaporator device 2. At this time, the refrigerant entering the evaporator device 2 is a refrigerant with a relatively high temperature. In this way, the condensed water generated at the main condensing pipe 202 is isolated by the water - isolating plate 6 and will not flow onto the made ice cubes. The connection part between the bullet - shaped ice - making module 201 and the prepared ice cubes melts slightly, and the ice cubes fall off from the bullet - shaped ice - making module 201, thus ensuring that the ice cubes detached from the bullet - shaped ice - making module 201 are in a relatively dry state. As long as there is no water on the outer surface of the ice cubes, they will not form adhesions during storage. Finally, they fall into the ice storage box 5 under the action of the ice - shoveling device 3, and the defrosting process is completed. For the anti - adhesion ice maker described in this application, by setting a water - isolating plate 6 at the connection part between the bullet - shaped ice - making module 201 and the main condensing pipe 202, through the isolation effect, the condensed water at the main condensing pipe is prevented from flowing onto the made ice cubes, so that only the connection part between the bullet - shaped ice - making module and the prepared ice cubes melts slightly during defrosting, without affecting other parts of the ice cubes, thereby ensuring that the ice cubes detached from the bullet - shaped ice - making module are relatively dry. The setting of the water - isolating plate avoids the melted water in the evaporator device from flowing onto the made ice cubes, reduces the wetness on the surface of the ice cubes, effectively solves the adhesion problem generated during the ice - making process, and improves the ice - making quality.

[0057] The anti - adhesion ice maker described in this application has a compact structure, is easy to operate, and has a relatively low maintenance cost. It effectively solves the adhesion problem during the ice - making process, improves the ice - making efficiency and quality, injects new vitality into the development of the ice - maker industry, and has broad market application prospects.

[0058] As a preferred example of this application, a plurality of bullet - shaped ice - making modules 201 are provided on the main condensing pipe 202. In the example of this application, a plurality of bullet - shaped ice - making modules 201 are provided on the main condensing pipe 202, and these bullet - shaped ice - making modules 201 are arranged in a uniformly distributed manner. Such a design makes the ice - making process more efficient and uniform. When the ice - making system is started, multiple bullet - shaped ice - making modules 201 work simultaneously, and the water around each module quickly condenses into ice cubes. Since the bullet - shaped ice - making modules 201 are evenly distributed, the cooling effect on the entire ice - making tray 1 is also more uniform, avoiding the quality difference of ice cubes caused by uneven temperature, improving the overall quality of the ice cubes, and also making the ice cubes easier to remain intact during the ice - releasing process, reducing the possibility of breakage and adhesion. At the same time, the coordinated work of multiple bullet - shaped ice - making modules 201 also greatly improves the ice - making efficiency, enabling the ice - maker to produce more ice cubes in a shorter time and meeting its high - efficiency ice - making requirements. In addition, the uniformly distributed bullet - shaped ice - making modules 201 also help to reduce the possibility of melted water flowing into the made ice cubes, further reducing the occurrence of adhesion problems.

[0059] As a preferred example of this application, at least two main condensing pipes 202 are provided, and a plurality of bullet - shaped ice - making modules 201 are provided on each main condensing pipe 202. This design greatly improves the overall ice - making capacity of the ice - making system. When the ice - maker is started, multiple main condensing pipes 202 work simultaneously, and the bullet - shaped ice - making modules 201 on each main condensing pipe also carry out ice - making synchronously. This not only increases the total amount of ice - making but also makes the ice - making process on the entire ice - making tray 1 more uniform and efficient by dispersing the ice - making points; at the same time, the coordinated work of multiple main condensing pipes 202 also enhances the stability of the system, reducing the risk of ice - making interruption caused by the failure of a single condensing pipe.

[0060] As a preferred example of the present application, the water baffle 6 is arranged integrally below a plurality of the main condenser tubes 202, and the water baffle 6 is arranged in an inclined flat plate shape. By adopting the inclined flat plate-shaped water baffle 6, the water baffle 6 can have an inclined structure with a higher middle and lower ends, or can be a continuous inclined structure. The inclined drainage structure helps to guide the condensed water during the defrosting process to flow in one direction, so that the condensed water is orderly guided to the specified direction, avoiding its retention on the ice-making tray or ice cubes, thereby reducing the possibility of forming a wet area on the surface of the made ice cubes, more effectively discharging the melted water, ensuring that the condensed water does not flow onto the made ice cubes, maintaining the dry state of the ice cubes, improving the quality and stability of the ice cubes, and reducing the risk of adhesion. In addition, the inclined water baffle 6 has a simple and feasible structure, is easy to manufacture and install, reducing the production cost and maintenance difficulty of the ice maker.

[0061] As a preferred example of the present application, the water baffle 6 is in a continuous "V" shape or a continuous "U" shape, or the water baffle 6 is in an intermittent "V" shape or an intermittent "U" shape, and each "U" or "V" groove corresponds to a row of the main condenser tubes 202. In this setting, the "V" or "U" shape design can form a drainage groove, greatly improving the drainage efficiency of the condensed water, enabling the condensed water to be guided and discharged faster and more accurately, effectively reducing the risk of the condensed water flowing into the made ice cubes during the defrosting process, not only maintaining the dry state of the ice cubes, but also greatly improving the quality and stability of the ice cubes. In addition, the continuous or intermittent "V" or "U" shape design also enhances the structural strength of the water baffle 6, making it more durable and reliable. At the same time, the drainage grooves of this structure are easy to clean and maintain, making the maintenance of the ice maker more convenient and reducing the maintenance cost of the ice maker. As a preferred example of the present application, the water baffle 6 can also be designed as a split structure including a first water baffle 601 and a second water baffle 602, and the first water baffle 601 and the second water baffle 602 are respectively arranged below two of the main condenser tubes 202.

[0062] As a preferred example of the present application, a water storage box 7 is provided below the ice-making tray 1. The rotating shaft of the ice-making tray 1 is connected to the water storage box 7. One end of the water storage box 7 is connected to the ice shoveling device 3 through a hinge shaft 8. One end of the ice shoveling device 3 connected to the hinge shaft 8 can rotate integrally with the ice-making tray 1. The other end of the ice shoveling device 3 is lapped on the guiding side wall 704 of the water storage box 7 close to the ice storage box 5. After each ice-making cycle is completed, the excess water in the ice-making tray 1 is discharged into the water storage box 7. At the same time, one end of the ice shoveling device 3 close to the ice-making tray 1 swings downward to form a low-position ice receiving state. At this time, the ice cubes melted from the deionized bullet ice-making module 201 will smoothly fall onto the ice shoveling device 3. When the ice-making tray 1 returns to its position to prepare for the next ice-making cycle, one end of the ice shoveling device 3 connected to the hinge shaft 8 is lifted, forming a high-position ice delivering state, so as to guide and convey the ice cubes on the ice shoveling device 3 into the ice storage box 5.

[0063] This setting ensures that after each ice-making cycle is completed, the excess water in the ice-making tray 1 can be discharged in time through the ingenious structural design of the water storage box 7, the ice-making tray 1 and the ice shoveling device 3, so that the water quality in the ice-making tray 1 remains fresh at the beginning of a new ice-making cycle, thus greatly improving the ice-making quality. At the same time, the automatic falling, receiving and guiding conveyance of ice cubes are realized, greatly improving the operation efficiency and automation degree of the ice maker, reducing manual intervention, lowering the labor intensity, and improving the overall performance and user experience of the ice maker.

[0064] As a preferred example of the present application, a number of first guiding ribs 301 are provided on the ice shoveling device 3. In this improvement scheme, a number of first guiding ribs 301 are ingeniously provided on the ice shoveling device 3. These guiding ribs can be in the form of continuous lines or waves. This design not only enhances the structural strength of the ice shoveling device 3, but also optimizes its guiding performance, enabling the ice cubes to be more accurately guided into the ice storage box 5, improving the operation efficiency and accuracy of the ice maker. In particular, a number of through holes are provided between any two adjacent first guiding ribs 301. When the ice cubes fall off from the ice-making tray 1 and land on the ice shoveling device 3, the guiding function of the first guiding ribs 301 enables the ice cubes to slide more smoothly and be accurately guided into the ice storage box 5. At the same time, the water droplets or thin ice layers that may exist on the surface of the ice cubes can be quickly discharged into the water storage box 7 under the guidance of the first guiding ribs 301 and with the assistance of the through holes, avoiding the retention of water droplets or thin ice layers on the surface of the ice cubes, thus effectively reducing the risk of adhesion between ice cubes. In addition, this design also makes the structure of the ice shoveling device 3 more reasonable, easy to manufacture and clean, and reduces the maintenance cost of the ice maker.

[0065] As a preferred example of the present application, the ice scraping device 3 is arranged in a grid shape or a mesh shape. This arrangement discloses another structure of the ice scraping device 3, enabling the ice scraping device 3 to have good air permeability and water permeability while maintaining sufficient structural strength. When the ice cubes fall off the ice-making tray 1 and land on the ice scraping device 3, the grid-shaped or mesh-shaped structure can ensure that the ice cubes are evenly supported, ensuring that the ice cubes can be accurately and smoothly conveyed into the ice storage box 5, improving the operation efficiency and accuracy of the ice maker; at the same time, this structure also reduces the contact area between the ice cubes and between the ice cubes and the ice scraping device 3, greatly reducing the risk of ice cube adhesion, thereby improving the ice-making quality. In addition, the grid-shaped or mesh-shaped ice scraping device 3 is also easy to clean and maintain because of its simple structure and no complex dead corners, reducing the cleaning difficulty and cost.

[0066] As a preferred example of the present application, a guide plate 4 is provided between the water storage box 7 and the ice storage box 5, and the guide plate 4 is arranged to incline downward from the side close to the water storage box 7 to the side close to the ice storage box 5, and a plurality of second guide ribs 401 are provided on the upper surface of the guide plate 4.

[0067] This arrangement, through the inclined design of the guide plate 4 and the setting of the second guide ribs 401, greatly improves the guiding performance of the ice-making system, ensures that the ice cubes and water can accurately and smoothly flow into the ice storage box 5, improves the operation efficiency of the system, and at the same time helps to optimize the movement trajectories of the water flow and the ice cubes, reducing the collision and friction of the water flow and the ice cubes during the flowing process, thereby reducing the risk of ice cube breakage and adhesion and improving the ice-making quality. In addition, the design of the guide plate 4 and the second guide ribs 401 also makes the structure of the ice-making system more compact and reasonable, easy to manufacture and install, reducing the production cost and maintenance difficulty.

[0068] As a preferred example of the present application, a plurality of third guide ribs 501 are provided at the bottom of the ice storage box 5.

[0069] By providing a plurality of third guide ribs 501 at the bottom of the ice storage box 5, it is avoided that the ice cubes directly contact the bottom plate of the ice storage box 5. Even if a little moisture adheres to the surface of the ice cubes when the prepared ice cubes are guided and conveyed by the ice scraping device 3 and the guide plate 4, the risk of ice cube adhesion is reduced, which helps to maintain the independence of the ice cubes and improve the ice-making quality.

[0070] As a preferred example of the present application, the water storage box 7 further includes a first bottom plate 701. A fourth guiding rib 702 is provided on the first bottom plate 701. The fourth guiding rib 702 is arranged in a downwardly inclined shape from the side close to the guiding side wall 704 to the side away from the guiding side wall 704. A drain port 703 is provided at the lowest end of the first bottom plate 701. This setting further optimizes the structure of the water storage box 7, enabling the water flowing into the water storage box 7 to smoothly flow along the inclined direction of the fourth guiding rib 702 and be orderly guided to the lowest end of the first bottom plate 701, ensuring that the water can quickly and accurately flow to the drain port 703, avoiding the chaos and retention of water flow inside the water storage box 7, thereby improving the overall operation efficiency of the system. In this process, the fourth guiding rib 702 not only plays a role in guiding the water flow but also helps maintain the cleanliness inside the water storage box 7, reducing the possibility of water retention and scale accumulation. At the same time, the design of the guiding rib reduces scale accumulation and dead corners, making the cleaning work simpler and more efficient.

[0071] In the ice maker with anti-adhesion of the present application, a water isolation plate is introduced between the ice making tray and the evaporator device, effectively preventing the condensed water from flowing to the already made ice cubes, thereby greatly reducing the risk of ice cube adhesion. By ingeniously designing the linkage mechanism between the ice shoveling device and the water storage box and ice storage box, the automatic falling, receiving, and conveying of ice cubes are realized, greatly improving the automation degree and operation efficiency of the ice maker. Combining with the optimized design of setting guiding ribs at multiple key positions, the guiding performance of ice cubes and water flow is further optimized, ensuring that the ice cubes can be smoothly and accurately conveyed into the ice storage box, while reducing the retention and chaos of water flow inside the device, overall improving the performance and user experience of the ice maker. The structure is compact and the design is reasonable, not only improving the ice making efficiency but also ensuring the high quality of ice cubes.

[0072] Embodiment 2

[0073] An ice making method includes the following steps:

[0074] S1: Execute the ice making condition;

[0075] S2: After the ice making is completed, drain the water in the ice making container and continuously run the ice making program;

[0076] S3: Execute the ice releasing condition.

[0077] The ice-making method described in the present invention has a core improvement in a special step after ice-making is completed. In traditional ice-making methods, once the ice cubes are formed, the ice-detaching operation is usually carried out immediately. However, this method often causes moisture to remain on the outer surface of the ice cubes, resulting in adhesion during ice detachment and making it difficult for the ice cubes to fall off smoothly. In the method of the present invention, after the ice cubes are formed, instead of rushing to detach the ice, the water in the ice-making container is first drained, and the ice-making program is continuously run for a period of time. The key to this step is that by extending the refrigeration time, the moisture remaining on the outer surface of the ice cubes is further frozen, thus achieving a water-free state on the outer surface of the ice cubes. Only when the outer surface of the ice cubes is completely water-free does the ice-detaching operation start. This strategy of refrigerating first and then detaching the ice fundamentally solves the problem of ice adhesion and improves the efficiency and success rate of ice detachment.

[0078] The ice-making method described in this application is applied to an ice maker. By the step of extending the refrigeration time after ice-making is completed, the problem of ice adhesion is effectively solved. It not only improves the convenience of ice detachment but also reduces the potential damage to the ice-making device caused by ice adhesion, and extends the service life of the ice-making device. The ice-making method described in this application does not require the introduction of complex equipment or mechanisms and can be achieved only by adjusting the running time of the ice-making program. Therefore, the cost is low, and it is easy to implement and popularize.

[0079] Preferably, in step S1, it includes the following steps:

[0080] S11: Inject water into the ice-making container and set the evaporator device 2 in the ice-making container;

[0081] S12: Start the compressor, and the temperature around the evaporator device 2 drops and ice cubes condense.

[0082] This setting discloses a method of using a heat pump system to rapidly cool down the evaporator device 2 to achieve ice making. Specifically, in step S11, water is first injected into the ice making container, and the evaporator device 2 is arranged inside the container. This setting is the core of the ice making process and lays the foundation for subsequent rapid cooling. Then, in step S12, the compressor is started, and the temperature around the evaporator device 2 drops rapidly, causing the water in the container to start condensing into ice cubes. This process utilizes the refrigeration principle of the heat pump system. Through the operation of the compressor, the evaporator device 2 can quickly absorb the surrounding heat, thus achieving a rapid drop in the temperature inside the ice making container and greatly shortening the ice making time. The entire ice making process is efficient and controllable. By precisely controlling the operating state of the compressor, the ice making speed and the quality of the ice cubes can be accurately regulated. Compared with traditional ice making methods, this method does not require waiting for a long time for the water temperature to naturally drop to the freezing point, thus greatly shortening the ice making time and improving the ice making efficiency. Secondly, by utilizing the precise temperature control ability of the heat pump system, the temperature control during the ice making process can be ensured to be more accurate, which helps to produce ice cubes with higher quality and more regular shapes.

[0083] Preferably, in step S2, it includes the following steps:

[0084] S21: After the ice making is completed, drain the water in the ice making container;

[0085] S22: The compressor continues to operate to freeze the water on the outer surface of the ice cubes.

[0086] In the example of the present application, the ice-making mechanism includes a main box body, an ice-making device, a de-icing device, a water supply device, etc. The water supply device includes a water pump and a water supply pipe, which is used to inject water into the ice-making container. Before the ice-making work starts, the height of the space where the ice-making container is located is higher than the first preset value to prevent the temperature in the ice-making room from being too low due to the just-completed ice-making, which is not conducive to ice-making. After the ice-making system starts running, when the temperature sensor detects that the temperature of the ice-making container is higher than the first preset value, water is injected into the ice-making container through the water pump and the water pipe. After the water injection volume reaches the preset value or the water injection time reaches the preset value, the water injection stops, and the compressor is started. The temperature around the evaporator device 2 drops sharply and ice begins to condense. After the thickness, volume, or weight of the ice condensed on the evaporator device 2 reaches the preset standard, the remaining water in the ice-making container is drained. At this time, the compressor continues to work to freeze the water on the outer surface of the ice, avoiding the adhesion of the ice to other ice blocks when de-icing due to the presence of water on the outer surface of the ice, improving the dryness of the outer surface of the ice. Then the compressor is turned off to stop the refrigerant cycle, and finally the de-icing work is carried out. In the example of the present application, the preset value is an empirical parameter. This setting effectively solves the problem of ice adhesion by extending the refrigeration time and draining the water in the ice-making container, improves the efficiency and success rate of de-icing, reduces the damage to the ice-making equipment caused by ice adhesion. At the same time, through the introduction of an intelligent control system, the ice-making process is made more precise and controllable, and the refrigeration time and water injection volume can be automatically adjusted according to the temperature and water injection volume of the ice-making container, thus ensuring the quality and consistency of the ice.

[0087] For the ice-making method of the present application, on the basis of the original ice-making work, after the ice-making work is completed, the remaining water in the ice-making container is drained, and then the refrigeration work continues for a period of time, so that even if there is a small amount of residual water on the outer surface of the ice, it can be frozen, thus avoiding the adhesion problem caused by the wet outer surface of the ice during the de-icing process.

[0088] As a preferred example of the present application, in step S22, after the water in the ice-making container is drained, the compressor continues to work for a preset time T 1 . Among them, the preset time T 1 is an empirical value, and the value range of the preset time T 1 is 30s to 360s. Preferably, 60s ≤ T 1 ≤ 180. This setting ensures that there is enough time for the residual water on the outer surface of the ice to be frozen, so as to achieve a state where there is no water on the outer surface of the ice, avoiding the influence of ice adhesion on the de-icing effect during de-icing; at the same time, the reasonable setting of the preset time T 1 also avoids excessive freezing for too long, thus preventing the ice from cracking due to over-freezing, ensuring the quality and integrity of the ice. In addition, this improvement also has a certain degree of flexibility and adaptability. Users can, according to the actual situation and needs, within the preset time T 1Adjust within the value range to achieve the best ice-making effect.

[0089] As a preferred example of the present application, in step S22, the compressor continues to operate until the ice temperature reaches T 冰 , where T 冰 < 0°C. At this time, the temperature of the space where the evaporator device 2 is located reaches the preset temperature value T 温 , where T 温 < 0°C. Preferably, T 温 can be -1°C, -2°C, -3°C, -4°C, -5°C, -6°C, -7°C, -8°C, etc. This setting ensures that the outer surface of the ice remains water-free during the ice-making and ice-thawing processes by directly monitoring the ice temperature and the temperature of the space where the evaporator device is located. Even after the ice-thawing operation, due to the low space temperature, the ice will not condense moisture on its surface due to changes in environmental temperature and humidity, thereby further ensuring the purpose of preventing the produced ice from sticking. Thus, even after the ice-thawing operation, due to the low temperature of the space where the evaporator device 2 is located, there is still no water on the outer surface of the ice, further ensuring the purpose of preventing the produced ice from sticking.

[0090] As a preferred example of the present application, in step S3, under the ice-thawing condition, the refrigerant inside the evaporator device 2 flows in a circulation circuit opposite to that during ice-making, and the refrigerant circulates for a preset time T 2 , and the ice can be detached from the evaporator device 2.

[0091] Or, in step S3, under the ice-thawing condition, the refrigerant inside the evaporator device 2 flows through the bypass pipeline and the switching valve to the evaporator device 2 after being acted on by the compressor. In this condition, the heat exchanger device is in an isolated state, and the refrigerant circulates through the bypass pipeline and the switching valve to directly flow to the evaporator device 2 after being acted on by the compressor, and the refrigerant circulates for a preset time T 2 , and the ice can be detached from the evaporator device 2.

[0092] This setting introduces an innovative refrigerant circulation circuit design during the ice-thawing process. Through the design of reverse circulation or bypass pipeline, the flow characteristics of the refrigerant are cleverly utilized to generate more effective heat exchange during ice-thawing, significantly improving the ice-thawing efficiency. This design not only reduces the time required for ice-thawing but also reduces energy consumption and improves the performance of the overall ice-making system. The two improvement schemes can be selected and optimized according to different ice-making requirements and equipment configurations, with high flexibility and adaptability to achieve the best ice-thawing effect.

[0093] As a preferred example of the present application, before step S1, step SA is added:

[0094] The compressor starts running, the refrigerant starts circulating, and the temperature of the evaporator device and the space where the evaporator device is located drops to T 预 , T 预 is the empirical temperature. This setting enables the ice-making device to be started through the preheating and cooling process in step SA before water is injected into the ice-making container, reducing the temperature of the evaporator device and the space where the evaporator device is located. The evaporator device and its surrounding space reach the ideal low-temperature state before ice-making begins, not only shortening the total time required for ice-making but also improving the ice-making efficiency, making the entire ice-making process more efficient and energy-saving. At the same time, by pre-lowering the temperature, the present invention effectively avoids energy waste and time loss caused by slow temperature drop at the initial stage of ice-making, further enhancing the overall performance of the ice-making equipment and ensuring that the evaporator device can quickly make ice after water is injected into the ice-making container.

[0095] As a preferred example of the present application, in step S3, the ice cubes produced under the ice-off condition are placed in the ice storage box 5. A heat-insulating layer or heat-insulating device is provided outside the ice storage box 5, or a refrigerating device is provided in the space where the ice storage box 5 is located, or the evaporator device refrigerates periodically, and the temperature of the ice cubes in the ice storage box 5 is lower than 0°C. This setting not only extends the storage time of the ice cubes but also keeps the ice cubes dry and separated by providing a heat-insulating layer or heat-insulating device outside the ice storage box 5, a refrigerating device in the space where the ice storage box 5 is located, or periodic refrigeration of the evaporator device, providing a more convenient and reliable ice-using experience for users. It successfully solves the problems of easy melting and adhesion of ice cubes during storage. At the same time, the above improvement scheme is simple and easy to implement, with relatively low cost, and is easy to transform and upgrade on existing ice-making equipment, having strong practicability and economy.

[0096] Embodiment 3

[0097] The present invention discloses an ice maker that can implement the ice-making method described in Embodiment 2, including a water supply mechanism, an ice-making and ice-off mechanism, and an ice storage box 5. Among them, the water supply mechanism includes a water pump, an ice-making water tank, a water supply pipe, and a water storage box. The ice-making and ice-off device includes a compressor, an exhaust pipe, a three-way pipe, a condenser, a capillary tube, an evaporator device 2, a return air pipe, etc. connected in sequence according to the refrigerant flow direction. The refrigerant flows through the condenser, the capillary tube, and the evaporator device 2 in sequence and then returns to the compressor. The evaporator device 2 can make ice from the water in the ice storage box 5 during the refrigerant circulation working state and perform ice-off after ice-making is completed.

[0098] As a preferred example of the present application, as Figures 5 to 8As shown, the evaporator device 2 includes a bullet-shaped ice-making module 201, and the bullet-shaped ice-making module 201 can extend into the water storage box. During the ice-making process, the water pump pumps the water in the ice-making water tank through the water supply pipe into the water storage box for ice-making. The water storage box is placed in the ice-making space. When the water storage box is full of water, the compressor is started, and the ice-making system begins to work. The temperature around the bullet-shaped ice-making module 201 drops rapidly. Since the bullet-shaped part of the bullet-shaped ice-making module 201 extends into the water storage box, ice will quickly condense around it. After the ice-making is completed, the control board sends a signal to start the water pump, and the water pump discharges the ice-making water from the water storage box and returns it to the ice-making water tank. After all the water in the water storage box is discharged, the defrosting system is started, the switching valve is opened, the condenser in the heat exchanger device is isolated from the refrigerant cycle, and the refrigerant acted on by the compressor flows through the bypass pipeline and the switching valve to the evaporator device 2. At this time, the refrigerant entering the ice evaporator device 2 is a refrigerant with a relatively high temperature, so that the connection part between the bullet-shaped ice-making module 201 and the prepared ice cubes melts slightly, and the ice cubes fall off from the bullet-shaped ice-making module 201 and finally fall into the ice storage box 5, and the defrosting process is completed.

[0099] As a preferred example of the present application, as Figures 9 to 12 shown, the evaporator device 2 includes a grid-type ice-making module 203, and its ice-making and defrosting working principles are similar to those of the bullet-shaped ice-making module 201, and will not be repeated here.

[0100] As a preferred example of the present application, a guiding mechanism 9 is provided between the ice storage box 5 and the evaporator device 2 for guiding the ice cubes prepared on the evaporator device 2 to move into the ice storage box 5.

[0101] As a preferred example of the present application, a heat insulation layer is provided outside the ice storage box 5.

[0102] Or, a temperature sensor and a cold air inlet device are provided in the space where the ice storage box 5 is located, and the on-off of the cold air inlet device for introducing cold air into the space where the ice storage box 5 is located is controlled according to the temperature detected by the temperature sensor.

[0103] The specific technical solution of the ice maker disclosed in the present application is roughly as follows: "During ice-making, the compressor is turned on, and the refrigerant flows through the condenser, capillary tube, evaporator (freezing plate) in sequence and then flows back to the compressor, and the freezing plate cools the ice grid and the water in the ice grid. When the ice has condensed enough, the water pump is used to drain the water into the ice grid and return it to the water tank, and then keep refrigerating for a period of time to freeze the water on the outer surface of the ice cubes, and then turn off the compressor to stop the refrigerant cycle and perform the defrosting step". The core of this solution is that after the ice-making is completed, refrigeration is extended for a period of time to make the outer surface of the ice cubes free of water.

[0104] By optimizing the ice-making process, especially by extending the refrigeration time after ice-making is completed, the moisture on the outer surface of the ice cubes is fully frozen, effectively solving the problem that water easily remains on the surface of the ice cubes during the ice-discharging process in traditional ice-making machines. This not only improves the purity and quality of the ice cubes but also reduces the melting risk of the ice cubes during storage and transportation. At the same time, the evaporator device adopted in the present invention has a flexible and diverse structure, which can adapt to different ice-making requirements, improving the applicability and production efficiency of the ice-making machine. In addition, the thermal insulation layer provided outside the ice storage box and the intelligent control of the temperature sensor and the cold air inlet device further ensure the stability and energy-saving performance of the ice cubes during storage, overall enhancing the usage experience and performance of the ice-making machine.

[0105] The above are only the preferred embodiments of the present invention and are not intended to limit the present invention. Any modifications, equivalent replacements, improvements, etc. made within the spirit and principle of the present invention shall be included within the protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. An ice making method, characterized in that: The steps include: S1: Execute ice-making operation; S2: After ice making is completed, the water in the ice making container is drained and the ice making program is continued; S3: Execute de-icing operation.

2. The ice making method according to claim 1, characterized in that: In step S1, the following steps are included: S11: injecting water into the ice-making container and installing an evaporator device in the ice-making container; S12: The compressor is started, the temperature around the evaporator device drops and ice condenses.

3. The ice making method according to claim 1, characterized in that: In step S2, the following steps are included: S21: After ice making is completed, the water in the ice making container is discharged; S22: The compressor continues to work, freezing the water on the outer surface of the ice cube.

4. The ice making method according to claim 3, characterized in that: In step S22, after the water in the ice-making container is drained, the compressor continues to work for a preset time T1, and the value range of the preset time T1 is 30s to 360s.

5. The ice making method according to claim 3, characterized in that: In step S22, the compressor continues to operate until the temperature of the ice cubes reaches T 冰 , where T 冰 <0℃.

6. The ice making method according to claim 1, characterized in that: Before step S1, add step SA: The compressor starts running, the refrigerant starts to circulate, and the temperature of the evaporator unit and the space where the evaporator unit is located drops to T 预 , T 预 is the empirical temperature.

7. The ice making method according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that: In step S3, after being acted upon by the compressor, the refrigerant flows to the evaporator device through the bypass line and the switching valve. The refrigerant circulates for a preset time T2, and the ice cubes can be separated from the evaporator device.

8. The ice making method according to claim 7, characterized in that: In step S3, the prepared ice cubes are placed in an ice storage box under de-icing conditions, an insulation layer or insulation device is arranged on the outside of the ice storage box, or a cold air supply device is arranged in the space where the ice storage box is located, or the evaporator device is periodically refrigerated, and the temperature of the ice cubes in the ice storage box is lower than 0°C.

9. An ice making machine, characterized in that: The ice-making method according to any one of claims 1 to 8 can be executed, comprising a water supply mechanism, an ice-making and ice-defrosting mechanism and an ice storage box, wherein the water supply mechanism comprises a water pump, an ice-making water tank, a water supply pipe and a water storage box, the ice-making and ice-defrosting device comprises a compressor, an exhaust pipe, a three-way pipe, a condenser, a capillary tube, an evaporator device and an air return pipe which are connected in sequence according to the flow direction of the refrigerant, the refrigerant flows through the condenser, the capillary tube and the evaporator device in sequence and then flows back to the compressor, and the evaporator device can make ice from the water in the ice storage box when the refrigerant is in a circulating working state, and defrost the ice after the ice making is completed.

10. The ice making machine according to claim 9, characterized in that The evaporator device is a bullet-shaped ice-making module or a grid-shaped ice-making module, and the bullet-shaped ice-making module or the grid-shaped ice-making module can extend into the water storage box.

Images