Ice making device and refrigerator with same

Abstract

The invention provides an ice-making device which comprises an ice-making barrel, an ice-making cover and a control part. The ice-making barrel is provided with an ice-making surface located on the outer surface of the ice-making barrel; the refrigerating system comprises a compressor, a condenser, a throttling element and an evaporator, at least part of the evaporator is fixed in the ice making barrel, and the evaporator is provided with two ports; the connecting hose is used for connecting the port with one of the compressor, the condenser and the throttling element, and the length of the connecting hose is larger than the distance between the port and the connecting point of the compressor or the condenser or the throttling element. The ice making surface is opened to the outer surface of the ice making barrel, a direct cooling mode is adopted, the evaporator is fixed in the ice making barrel and rotates along with the ice making barrel, circulating flow of refrigerants in all parts of the refrigerating system is kept in the rotating process of the evaporator through expansion and contraction of the connecting hose, and efficient ice making is achieved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the technical field of household appliances, in particular to an ice-making device and a refrigerator having the same. Background Art

[0002] Ice making devices generally have two cooling methods: direct cooling and air cooling. Direct cooling has a fast cooling speed, but the piping layout is complex, while air cooling has a slow cooling speed but a flexible structural layout.

[0003] In the direct cooling method, there are usually two types of piping arrangements. One is that the evaporator piping and the ice-making space are separated on both sides, and the other is that the evaporator piping surrounds the ice-making space. Because the ice-making space needs to be relatively surrounded, these two methods have a problem, that is, only about half of the refrigeration space is always in contact with the ice-making space, and the other half mostly does not play a role in cooling, which not only wastes cooling capacity but also reduces ice-making efficiency.

[0004] To increase the ice-making speed of the ice-making system, a direct cooling method is used, where the evaporator pipes directly contact the ice cylinder, forming an integrated structure and transferring cooling energy to the ice cylinder. However, the ice cylinder needs to rotate to achieve continuous ice production. This requires the evaporator pipes and ice cylinder to rotate synchronously, and the pipes need to be connected in a way that can rotate synchronously with the ice cylinder.

[0005] In view of this, it is necessary to provide an ice-making device to solve the above technical problems. Summary of the Invention

[0006] In order to solve one of the above problems, the present invention proposes an ice-making device, which includes an ice-making cylinder having an ice-making surface located on its outer surface; a refrigeration system including a compressor, a condenser, a throttling element and an evaporator, at least part of the evaporator is fixed inside the ice-making cylinder, and the evaporator has two ports; a connecting hose for connecting the port and one of the compressor, the condenser and the throttling element, and the length of the connecting hose is greater than the distance between the port and the connection point of the compressor, the condenser or the throttling element; and a drive assembly for driving the ice-making cylinder and the evaporator to rotate forward and reverse.

[0007] As a further improvement of the present invention, the two ports are respectively a first port and a second port, and the connecting hose includes a first connecting hose connecting the first port and the condenser or the throttling element, and a second connecting hose connecting the second port and the compressor, and the length of the first connecting hose is greater than the distance between the first port and the connection point of the condenser or the throttling element, and the length of the second connecting hose is greater than the distance between the second port and the connection point of the compressor.

[0008] As a further improvement of the present invention, the first connecting hose is a capillary tube.

[0009] As a further improvement of the present invention, the first connecting hose and the second connecting hose are spiral hoses.

[0010] As a further improvement of the present invention, the evaporator is a spiral coil, a spiral groove is opened on the inner wall of the ice-making cylinder, the evaporator is embedded in the spiral groove, and the spiral radius of the first connecting hose and the second connecting hose are both larger than the spiral radius of the evaporator.

[0011] As a further improvement of the present invention, the first port and the first connecting hose are located on the same side of the ice-making cylinder in the axial direction, and the second port and the second connecting hose are located on the same side of the ice-making cylinder in the axial direction;

[0012] Alternatively, the second port and the second connecting hose are located on the same axial side of the ice-making cylinder, the first connecting hose includes a straight pipe section and a spiral pipe section, the straight pipe end passes through the ice-making cylinder from the first port, and the spiral pipe section and the first port are respectively located on opposite axial sides of the ice-making cylinder.

[0013] As a further improvement of the present invention, the drive assembly includes a drive motor, a transmission shaft, and a drive gear connected to the output shaft of the drive motor. The transmission shaft includes a fixed plate fixedly connected to the ice-making cylinder, a penetrating portion axially penetrating the ice-making cylinder from the fixed plate, and a gear groove opened on the fixed plate, and the drive gear is located in the gear groove.

[0014] As a further improvement of the present invention, the driving assembly further includes a limiting member or a position detecting member arranged at the reverse position of the output shaft of the driving motor.

[0015] As a further improvement of the present invention, an ice box is further included. The ice box includes ice cutters rotatably mounted thereon, and an elastic member that keeps the ice cutters in contact with the outer surface of the ice-making cylinder.

[0016] The present invention also provides a refrigerator comprising the above-mentioned ice-making device.

[0017] The beneficial effects of the present invention are as follows: the present invention opens the ice-making surface to the outer surface of the ice-making cylinder, adopts a direct cooling method, the evaporator is fixed inside the ice-making cylinder and rotates with the ice-making cylinder, and the expansion and contraction of the connecting hose is used to maintain the circulation of the refrigerant in the various components of the refrigeration system during the rotation of the evaporator, thereby making ice efficiently. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0018] The drawings described herein are used to provide a further understanding of the present invention and constitute a part of the present invention. The exemplary embodiments of the present invention and their descriptions are used to explain the present invention and do not constitute an improper limitation of the present invention. In the drawings:

[0019] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of an embodiment of a refrigeration device of the present invention;

[0020] Figure 2 for Figure 1 Schematic diagram of the exploded structure of the refrigeration device shown;

[0021] Figure 3 for Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the structure of the ice-making cylinder portion of the refrigeration device shown;

[0022] Figure 4 for Figure 3 Schematic diagram of the decomposition structure;

[0023] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of another embodiment of the refrigeration device of the present invention;

[0024] Figure 6 for Figure 5 Schematic diagram of the exploded structure of the refrigeration device shown;

[0025] Figure 7 for Figure 5 The schematic diagram of the exploded structure of the ice making cylinder part of the refrigeration device shown;

[0026] Figure 8 for Figure 7 The internal structure diagram of the ice making cylinder part is shown;

[0027] Figure 9 for Figure 7 A schematic diagram of a connection method of the evaporator-rotary connector is shown;

[0028] Figure 10 for Figure 7 Schematic diagram of another connection method of the evaporator-rotary connector shown;

[0029] Figure 11 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of another embodiment of the refrigeration device of the present invention;

[0030] Figure 12 for Figure 11 Schematic diagram of the exploded structure of the refrigeration device shown;

[0031] Figure 13 for Figure 11 A schematic structural diagram of a refrigeration device from one perspective;

[0032] Figure 14 for Figure 11 Another perspective structural diagram of the refrigeration device shown;

[0033] Figure 15 for Figure 11 A schematic diagram of the structure of the ice-making cylinder portion of the refrigeration device shown;

[0034] Figure 16 for Figure 15 Schematic diagram of the decomposition structure;

[0035] Figure 17 for Figure 15 Schematic diagram of the internal structure;

[0036] Figure 18 for Figure 15 Schematic diagram of the internal structure;

[0037] Figure 19 Schematic diagram of the internal structure of the housing of the present invention;

[0038] Figure 20 This is a schematic diagram of the water tank-water tank-connecting pipe connection principle of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0039] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of the present invention more clear, the technical solutions of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below in conjunction with specific embodiments of the present invention and corresponding drawings. Obviously, the embodiments described are only some embodiments of the present invention, not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by ordinary technicians in this field without making creative efforts are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0040] The following describes embodiments of the present invention in detail. Examples of the embodiments are shown in the accompanying drawings, wherein the same or similar reference numerals throughout represent the same or similar elements or elements having the same or similar functions. The embodiments described below with reference to the accompanying drawings are exemplary and are intended only to explain the present invention and are not to be construed as limiting the present invention.

[0041] In the description of the present invention, it should be understood that the terms "longitudinal", "transverse", "up", "down", "front", "back", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", "inside", "outside", etc., indicating the orientation or position relationship, are based on the orientation or position relationship shown in the accompanying drawings, and are only for the convenience of describing the present invention and simplifying the description, rather than indicating or implying that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore cannot be understood as limiting the present invention.

[0042] In the description of the present invention, unless otherwise specified and limited, it should be noted that the terms "installed", "connected" and "connected" should be understood in a broad sense. For example, it can be a mechanical connection or an electrical connection, or it can be the internal communication between two components. It can be a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium. For ordinary technicians in this field, the specific meanings of the above terms can be understood according to the specific circumstances.

[0043] like Figures 1 to 20 As shown, the ice-making device provided by the present invention includes an ice-making cylinder 100 and a refrigeration system, a driving assembly 500 and a housing 600.

[0044] In which, the ice-making cylinder 100 is rotatably installed in the shell 600 through the driving assembly 500. In this embodiment, the ice-making cylinder 100 is a hollow cylindrical structure, and the outer surface of the ice-making cylinder 100 is the ice-making surface. Ice making is achieved by coating water on the outer surface of the refrigeration cylinder 100. The evaporator 200 of the refrigeration system is at least partially fixed inside the ice-making cylinder 100, thereby transferring the cold energy to the ice-making cylinder 100, and at the same time, the evaporator 200 is driven to rotate by the rotation of the ice-making cylinder 100 and / or the driving assembly 500.

[0045] The refrigeration system includes a compressor, a condenser, a throttling element and the evaporator 200. The refrigerant circulates between the various components of the refrigeration system, thereby continuously providing cooling for the ice-making cylinder 100. The evaporator 200 is fixed in the ice-making cylinder 100. The rotation of the ice-making cylinder 100 drives the evaporator 200 therein to rotate.

[0046] The evaporator 200 and the ice making cylinder 100 are fixed by, but not limited to, the following solutions:

[0047] In one embodiment, the evaporator 200 has a plurality of heat-conducting fins connected to the ice-making cylinder 100 , and the heat-conducting fins are used to achieve a fixed connection between the evaporator 200 and the ice-making cylinder 100 and to achieve heat exchange therebetween.

[0048] In another embodiment, the ice making cylinder 100 includes an inner wall, an outer wall, and a receiving cavity between the inner and outer walls, and the evaporator 200 is fixed in the receiving cavity. The ice making cylinder 100 adopts a double-layer structure, and the evaporator 200 is fixed between the inner and outer walls, which can increase the contact area between the evaporator 200 and the ice making cylinder 100.

[0049] In another embodiment, a spiral groove 101 is provided on the inner wall of the ice-making cylinder 100, and the evaporator 200 is a spiral coil and is adapted to the spiral groove 101. By screwing the evaporator 200 into the spiral groove 101, the ice-making cylinder 100 and the evaporator 200 are fixedly connected. The rotation of the ice-making cylinder 100 drives the evaporator 200 to rotate synchronously, and at the same time, the contact area between the ice-making cylinder 100 and the evaporator 200 can be increased, thereby effectively improving the cooling efficiency and ice-making efficiency.

[0050] The evaporator 200 is installed in a rotating manner. The evaporator 200 has a certain elasticity. When the evaporator 200 is axially screwed into the ice-making cylinder 100, the evaporator 200 is elastically squeezed by the inner wall of the ice-making cylinder 100 and shrinks, creating a gap with the spiral groove 101, making it loose and able to be easily screwed in. After being screwed into place, the evaporator 200 elastically expands and fits tightly with the spiral groove 101, greatly increasing the contact area between the evaporator 200 and the ice-making cylinder 100.

[0051] Furthermore, the evaporator 200 has a first port 201 and a second port 202. In this embodiment, the first port 201 is a refrigerant inlet, and the second port 202 is a refrigerant outlet. The refrigerant enters the evaporator 200 from the first port 201 and flows out of the evaporator 200 from the second port.

[0052] In order to maintain the circulation of the refrigerant during the rotation of the evaporator 200, the present invention adopts but is not limited to the following solutions:

[0053] Reference Figures 1 to 4 In one embodiment, the first port 201 and the second port 202 are respectively connected to a connecting hose 300 , and the driving assembly 500 drives the ice making cylinder 100 and the evaporator 200 to synchronously cycle forward and reverse.

[0054] The connecting hose 300 includes a first connecting hose 301 connected to the first port 201 and a second connecting hose 302 connected to the second port 202. The first connecting hose 301 is used to connect the throttling element and the first port 201. The throttling element has a connection point connected to the first connecting hose 301, and the length of the first connecting hose 301 is greater than the distance between the first port 201 and the connection point of the throttling element. The low-temperature and low-pressure liquid refrigerant enters the evaporator 200 from the first connecting hose 301; the second connecting hose 302 is used to connect the second port 202 and the compressor. The compressor has a connection point connected to the second connecting hose 302. The length of the second connecting hose 302 is greater than the distance between the second port 202 and the connection point of the compressor. After heat exchange, the refrigerant evaporates into a low-pressure gas and flows into the compressor from the second connecting hose 302.

[0055] During the forward and reverse rotation of the evaporator 200 along with the ice-making cylinder 100, the first connecting hose 301 and the second connecting hose 302 have a margin, so that they can stretch or contract in coordination with the forward and reverse rotation of the evaporator 200, thereby ensuring reliable connection between the various components of the refrigeration system and ensuring that the circulation of the refrigerant in the refrigeration system is not affected during the rotation of the evaporator 200.

[0056] The first connecting hose 301 is a capillary tube, that is, the first connecting hose 301 can not only stretch or shrink in conjunction with the forward and reverse cycles of the evaporator 200, but can also be used as a throttling element. The first connecting hose 301 can directly connect the condenser and the evaporator 200, then the length of the first connecting hose 301 is greater than the distance between the first port 201 and the condenser connection point.

[0057] Preferably, the first connecting hose 301 and the second connecting hose 302 are spiral hoses, and the spiral radius of the first connecting hose 301 and the second connecting hose 302 are both larger than the spiral radius of the evaporator 200, so as to facilitate elastic expansion and contraction in coordination with the forward and reverse rotation of the evaporator 200, ensuring that the evaporator 200 maintains reliable connection with other components during the continuous forward and reverse rotation process.

[0058] In one embodiment, in order to keep the length of the first connecting hose 301 and the second connecting hose 302 to a minimum, regardless of whether the first port 201 and the second port 202 are located on the same side or different sides of the ice-making barrel 100 in the axial direction, the first connecting hose 301 and the first port 201 are located on the same side of the ice-making barrel 100 in the axial direction, and the second connecting hose 302 and the second port 202 are located on the same side of the ice-making barrel 100 in the axial direction, that is, the first connecting hose 301 and the second connecting hose 302 only have spiral pipe sections.

[0059] In another embodiment, in the case where the first port 201 and the second port 202 are located on different axial sides of the ice-making cylinder 100, the second connecting hose 302 has only a spiral section. The second port 202 and the second connecting hose 302 are located on the same axial side of the ice-making cylinder 100. The first connecting hose 301 includes a straight section and a spiral section. The straight section extends from the first port 201 to the second port 202. The spiral section and the first port 201 are located on different axial sides of the ice-making cylinder 100. This allows only a large space to be reserved on one axial side of the ice-making cylinder 100 to allow for the elastic expansion of the spiral section of the first connecting hose 301 and the second connecting hose 302. Of course, in the above embodiment, the first connecting hose 301 can also be replaced with the second connecting hose 302. The above embodiment is preferred.

[0060] The driving assembly 500 is used to drive the ice making cylinder 100 and the evaporator 200 to rotate forward and reverse synchronously.

[0061] The drive assembly 500 includes a drive motor 501 and a transmission shaft 502 connected to the output end of the drive motor 501. The transmission shaft 502 is coaxially fixedly connected to the ice-making cylinder 100. The drive motor 501 is fixedly mounted on the housing 600. The end of the transmission shaft 502, which is remote from the drive motor 501, is rotatably connected to the housing 600. The drive motor 501 is located on the side of the ice-making cylinder 100 remote from the connecting hose 300. The drive motor 501 drives the transmission shaft 502 to rotate, which in turn drives the ice-making cylinder 100 and the evaporator 200 to rotate.

[0062] Furthermore, the driving assembly 500 also includes a driving gear 503 connected to the output end of the driving motor 501, the transmission shaft 502 includes a fixed disk 502a fixedly connected to the ice making cylinder 100, a through portion 502b axially penetrating the ice making cylinder 100 from the fixed disk 502a, and a gear groove 502c opened on the fixed disk 502a, the driving gear 503 is located in the gear groove 502c, and the driving gear 503 and the gear groove 502c are matched to realize the ice making cylinder 100. The rotation of the transmission shaft 502 drives the ice-making cylinder 100 to rotate synchronously through the fixed disk 502a. The radius of the fixed disk 502a is the same as the inner diameter of the ice-making cylinder 100. The fixed disk 502a is connected to the end of the ice-making cylinder 100 away from the connecting hose 300. Bolt holes are provided on the fixed disk 502a and the ice-making cylinder 100, and the two are fixedly connected by bolts. The end of the through portion 502b away from the driving motor 501 is rotatably connected to the shell 600.

[0063] The drive assembly 500 also includes a stopper or position detector disposed at the reverse position of the output shaft of the drive motor 501. The output shaft reverses after rotating to this reverse position. Specifically, the stopper is a first stopper 504 mounted on the output shaft, and the position detector is a microswitch or Hall switch mounted on the output shaft. The housing 600 is also provided with a second stopper that matches the first stopper 504. When the output shaft rotates to the reverse position, the first stopper 504 contacts the second stopper.

[0064] In the initial state, the first connecting hose 301 and the second connecting hose 302 remain relaxed, and the driving motor 501 is started to drive the ice-making cylinder 100 and the evaporator 200 to rotate synchronously. After rotating half a circle, they reach the reverse position, and the first connecting hose 301 and the second connecting hose 302 elastically contract (or elastically expand); the ice-making cylinder 100 and the evaporator 200 reverse, and after rotating half a circle, the first connecting hose 301 and the second connecting hose 302 are restored. After rotating another half circle, the first connecting hose 301 and the second connecting hose 302 elastically expand (or elastically contract) and reach the reverse position again. The ice-making cylinder 100 and the evaporator 200 reverse again, and so on.

[0065] Reference Figures 5 to 18 In another embodiment, the first port 201 and the second port 202 are connected to a rotary connector 400, and the driving assembly 500 drives the ice making cylinder 100 and the evaporator 200 to rotate synchronously in one direction.

[0066] Reference Figures 5 to 10In one embodiment, the first port 201 and the second port 202 are located on the same axial side of the ice making cylinder 100 , and a group of the rotary connectors 400 is provided, and the first port 201 and the second port 202 are connected to the same group of the rotary connectors 400 .

[0067] The rotary connector 400 is coaxially arranged with the ice-making cylinder 100, and a first flow channel 401 connected to the first port 201 and a second flow channel 402 connected to the second port 202 are provided in the rotary connector 400. The first flow channel 401 and the second flow channel 402 are independent of each other. The first flow channel 401 is used to connect the throttling element and the first port 201, and the first flow channel 401 and the first port 201 are always kept in communication during the rotation of the evaporator tube 200. The low-temperature and low-pressure liquid refrigerant enters the evaporator 200 from the first flow channel 401, and the second flow channel 402 is used to connect the second port 202 and the compressor, and the second flow channel 402 and the second port 202 are always kept in communication during the rotation of the evaporator tube 200. After heat exchange, the refrigerant evaporates into a low-pressure gas and flows into the compressor from the second flow channel 402.

[0068] Furthermore, the rotary connector 400 includes a fixed part 403 and a rotating part 404 rotatably connected to the fixed part 403, the inlet of the first flow channel 401 is located on the fixed part 403, and the outlet is located on the rotating part 404, the throttling element is connected to the inlet of the first flow channel 401, and the first port 201 is connected to the outlet of the first flow channel 401; the inlet of the second flow channel 402 is located on the rotating part 404, and the outlet is located on the fixed part 403, the second port 202 is connected to the inlet of the second flow channel 402, and the compressor is connected to the outlet of the second flow channel 402, that is, the first port 201 and the second port 202 are both connected to the rotating part 404.

[0069] Since the first port 201 and the second port 202 are located on the same axial side of the ice-making cylinder 100 and are connected to a group of the rotary connectors 400, the first port 201 and the second port 202 cannot be located on the central axis of the ice-making cylinder 100 at the same time. It is possible to select that the first port 201 and the second port 202 are not located on the central axis of the ice-making cylinder 100, and at this time, the outlet of the first flow channel 401 and the inlet of the second flow channel 402 are also located at non-axial positions of the rotating part 404; or one of the first port 201 and the second port 202 can be placed on the central axis of the ice-making cylinder 100, and at the same time, one of the outlet of the first flow channel 401 and the inlet of the second flow channel 402 is located at the axial position of the rotating part 404.

[0070] In this embodiment, the rotating portion 404 is rotatably installed in the fixing portion 403 , and the first flow channel 401 and the second flow channel 402 are always connected to the first port 201 and the second port 202 through the annular cavity.

[0071] The first flow channel 401 includes a first annular cavity 401a located between the fixed part 403 and the rotating part 404, a first through hole 401b opened on the fixed part 403 and connecting the first annular cavity 401a and the inlet of the first flow channel 401, and a first connecting channel 401c opened in the rotating part 404 and connecting the first annular cavity 401a and the outlet of the first flow channel 401; the second flow channel 402 includes a second annular cavity 402a located between the fixed part 403 and the rotating part 404, a second through hole 402b opened on the fixed part 403 and connecting the second annular cavity 402a and the outlet of the second flow channel 402, and a second connecting channel 402c opened in the rotating part 404 and connecting the second annular cavity 402a and the inlet of the second flow channel 402.

[0072] Specifically, the first annular cavity 401a and the second annular cavity 402a are arranged at intervals, and the annular cavity is formed by opening an annular groove on the inner wall of the fixed part 403 and / or opening an annular groove on the surface of the rotating part 404. The first annular cavity 401a and the second annular cavity 402a are provided with sealing rings on both sides of the axial direction to prevent refrigerant leakage; the first through hole 401b and the second through hole 402b radially penetrate the fixed part 403 to be connected with the first annular cavity 401a and the second annular cavity 402a respectively; the first connecting channel 401c first extends axially from the first port 201, and then extends radially to be connected with the first annular cavity 401a, and the second connecting channel 402c first extends axially from the second port 202, and then extends radially to be connected with the second annular cavity 402a.

[0073] Of course, an annular groove can also be opened at the end where the fixed part 403 is connected to the rotating part 404 and / or the end where the rotating part 404 is connected to the fixed part 403 to form an annular cavity. In this case, the first through hole 401b and the second through hole 402b extend axially along the fixed part 403 to the annular cavity, and the first connecting channel 401c and the first connecting channel 401c extend axially along the rotating part 404 to the annular cavity.

[0074] In other embodiments, the first annular cavity 401a in the first flow channel 401 can also be eliminated, so that the connection between the first through hole 401b and the first connecting channel 401c is located at the axial center position of the rotary connector 400, and the first flow channel 401 and the first port 201 can be kept always connected; the second flow channel 402 remains unchanged.

[0075] Preferably, the first flow channel 401 passes through the rotating connector 400 along the axis, and at this time the first port 201 is connected to the axis position of the rotating part 404. The first flow channel 401 includes a first through hole 401b passing through the fixed part 403 along the axis of the fixed part 403 and a first connecting channel 401c passing through the rotating part 404 along the axis of the rotating part 404.

[0076] Furthermore, the rotating part 404 has a connecting disk 404a extending to the outside of the fixed part 403, and the radius of the connecting disk 404a is greater than the radius of the rotating part 404. The connecting disk 404a is connected to the driving component 500, and the first port 201 and the second port 202 are connected to the connecting disk 404a.

[0077] When the driving component 500 is started, the rotation of the driving component 500 can simultaneously drive the ice-making cylinder 100, the evaporator 200 and the rotating part 404 to rotate synchronously, thereby overcoming the rotational friction between the rotating part 404 and the fixed part 403, and reducing the interaction force between the ice-making cylinder 100 and the evaporator 200. During the rotation of the rotating part 404, under the action of the first annular cavity 401a, the first through hole 401b and the first connecting channel 401c are always kept in a connected state; under the action of the second annular cavity 402a, the second through hole 402b and the second connecting channel 402c are always kept in a connected state, that is, the first flow channel 401 and the second flow channel 402 are always kept in a connected state, thereby achieving the goal of not affecting the circulation flow of the refrigerant in the refrigeration system during the rotation of the evaporator 200.

[0078] In other embodiments, the rotating portion 404 may also be rotatably mounted outside the fixing portion 403 .

[0079] The drive assembly 500 is used to drive the ice-making cylinder 100, the evaporator 200, and the rotating portion 404 to rotate synchronously. The drive assembly 500 includes a drive motor 501 and a drive shaft 502 connected to the output end of the drive motor 501. The drive shaft 502 is coaxially fixedly connected to the ice-making cylinder 100. The drive motor 501 drives the drive shaft 502 to rotate, which in turn drives the ice-making cylinder 100 and the evaporator 200 to rotate. In this embodiment, the drive shaft 502 is also connected to the connecting plate 404a of the rotating portion 404 to drive the rotating portion 404 to rotate synchronously.

[0080] Furthermore, the transmission shaft 502 includes a fixed disk 502a coaxially connected to the ice-making cylinder 100, a through portion 502b axially penetrating the ice-making cylinder 100 from the fixed disk 502a, a clearance groove 502d opened in the through portion 502b, and a connecting portion 502e connecting the through portion 502b and the connecting disk 404a.

[0081] The diameter of the fixed disk 502a is the same as the inner diameter of the ice-making cylinder 100. The fixed disk 502a is fixed to the end of the ice-making cylinder 100 away from the rotary connector 400. Bolt holes are provided on the fixed disk 502a and the ice-making cylinder 100, and the two are fixedly connected by bolts; the through portion 502b passes through the evaporator 200, and the make way groove 502d is used to make way for the evaporator 200. One end of the evaporator 200 extends from the fixed disk 502a through the make way groove 502d to the rotating portion 404; the connecting portion 502e is an arc-shaped plate, used to connect the through portion 502b and the connecting disk 404a, so that the rotating portion 404 is driven to rotate synchronously through the rotation of the transmission shaft 502.

[0082] Furthermore, the connecting portion 502e and the connecting plate 404a are connected through the connecting cover 700, and the connecting cover 700 is composed of a first semicircular ring cover 701 and a second semicircular ring cover 702, and the first semicircular ring cover 701 and the second semicircular ring cover 702 are fixedly connected by bolts, and the two are assembled to form a circular cover, and the connecting plate 404a is located in the circular cover, and the connecting plate 404a is locked by the first semicircular ring cover 701 and the second semicircular ring cover 702; a bolt hole is stamped on the connecting portion 502e, and a through hole corresponding to the bolt hole is opened on the first semicircular ring cover 701, and the connecting portion 502e and the first semicircular ring cover 701 are fixedly connected by bolts.

[0083] Reference Figures 11 to 18In another embodiment, the first port 201 and the second port 202 are respectively located on opposite sides of the ice-making cylinder 100. The difference from the previous embodiment is that the rotary connector 400 is provided with two groups, and the first port 201 and the second port 202 are respectively connected to the two groups of the rotary connector 400.

[0084] The two groups of rotary connectors 400 are rotary connector A and rotary connector B, respectively. The first port 201 is connected to the rotary connector A, and the second port 202 is connected to the rotary connector B. The first port 201 and the second port 202 are both located on the central axis of the ice-making cylinder 100. The first port 201 and the second port 202 are respectively connected to the axial positions of the two groups of rotary connectors 400.

[0085] The rotary connector A is provided with a first flow channel 401 connected to the first port 201, and the first flow channel 401 is used to connect the throttling element and the first port 201. The low-temperature and low-pressure liquid refrigerant enters the evaporator 200 from the first flow channel 401; the rotary connector B is provided with a second flow channel 402 connected to the second port 202, and the second flow channel 402 is used to connect the second port 202 and the compressor. After heat exchange, the refrigerant evaporates into a low-pressure gas and flows into the compressor from the second flow channel 402.

[0086] Furthermore, the rotary connector A includes a fixed part 403 and a rotating part 404 rotatably connected to the fixed part 403, the rotating part 404 is connected to the drive assembly 500, the inlet of the first flow channel 401 is located on the fixed part 403, the outlet is located on the rotating part 404, and the outlet of the first flow channel 401 is located at the axial center position of the rotating part 404, the throttling element is connected to the inlet of the first flow channel 401, and the first port 201 is connected to the outlet of the first flow channel 401; the rotary connector B and the rotary connector A have the same structure, the inlet of the second flow channel 402 is located on the rotating part 404, the outlet is located on the fixed part 403, and the outlet of the second flow channel 402 is located at the axial center position of the rotating part 404, the second port 202 is connected to the inlet of the second flow channel 402, and the compressor is connected to the outlet of the second flow channel 402.

[0087] The first flow channel 401 includes a first inflow section 401d opened on the fixed part 403 and a first outflow section 401e opened on the rotating part 404; the second flow channel 402 includes a second outflow section 402d opened on the fixed part 403 and a second inflow section 402e opened on the rotating part 404.

[0088] In this embodiment, the connection between the first inflow section 401d and the first outflow section 401e is located at the axis of the rotary connector A, thereby maintaining the first flow channel 401 and the first port 201 always connected; the connection between the second outflow section 402d and the second inflow section 402e is located at the axis of the rotary connector B, thereby maintaining the second flow channel 402 and the second port 202 always connected.

[0089] Preferably, the first flow channel 401 passes through the rotary connector A along the axis of the rotary connector A, that is, the first inflow section 401d passes through the fixed part 403 along the axis of the fixed part 403, the first outflow section 401e passes through the rotating part 404 along the axis of the rotating part 404, and the first port 201 is connected to the axis of the rotating part 404; the second flow channel 402 passes through the rotary connector B along the axis of the rotary connector B, that is, the second outflow section 402d passes through the fixed part 403 along the axis of the fixed part 403, the second inflow section 402e passes through the rotating part 404 along the axis of the rotating part 404, and the second port 202 is connected to the axis of the rotating part 404.

[0090] In other embodiments, the first inflow section 401d and the first outflow section 401e are connected through a first annular flow channel and / or the second outflow section 402d and the second inflow section 402e are connected through a second annular flow channel, which can also keep the first flow channel 401 and the first port 201 always connected, and the second flow channel 402 and the second port 202 always connected. For details, please refer to the previous embodiment.

[0091] When the driving component 500 is started, the driving component 500 can simultaneously drive the ice-making cylinder 100, the evaporator 200, and the two rotating parts 404 to rotate synchronously. During the rotation of the rotating part 404, the first inflow section 401d and the first outflow section 401e are always kept in a connected state, that is, the first flow channel 401 is always kept in a connected state; the second outflow section 402d and the second inflow section 402e are always kept in a connected state, and the second flow channel 402 is always kept in a connected state, thereby achieving the goal of not affecting the circulation flow of the refrigerant in the refrigeration system during the rotation of the evaporator 200.

[0092] The driving assembly 500 is used to drive the ice making cylinder 100 , the evaporator 200 , and the rotating parts 404 of the two sets of rotating connectors 400 to rotate synchronously.

[0093] The drive assembly 500 includes a drive motor 501 and a drive shaft 502 connected to the output end of the drive motor 501. The drive shaft 502 is coaxially fixedly connected to the ice making cylinder 100. The drive motor 501 drives the drive shaft 502 to rotate, which in turn drives the ice making cylinder 100 and the evaporator 200 to rotate. In this embodiment, the drive shaft 502 is simultaneously connected to the rotating portions 404 of two sets of the rotary connectors 400, driving the two rotating portions 404 to rotate synchronously.

[0094] Furthermore, the drive assembly 500 further includes a drive gear 503 connected to the output end of the drive motor 501. A linkage gear 502f is provided on the transmission shaft 502, meshing with the drive gear 503. The drive gear 503 and the linkage gear 502f are coupled to rotate the transmission shaft 502. The linkage gear 502f is located at one end of the transmission shaft 502. The transmission shaft 502 axially extends through the ice-making cylinder 100, with both ends of the transmission shaft 502 located outside the ice-making cylinder 100. A fixed disk 502a is provided on the outer wall of the transmission shaft 502, which is fixedly connected to the ice-making cylinder 100. The radius of the fixed disk 502a is the same as the inner diameter of the ice-making cylinder 100. The fixed disk 502a is connected to one end of the ice-making cylinder 100. Bolt holes are provided in the fixed disk 502a and the ice-making cylinder 100, and the two are fixedly connected by bolts.

[0095] In this embodiment, the rotating parts 404 of the two groups of the rotating connectors 400 are respectively connected to the two axial ends of the transmission shaft 502. Specifically, the two rotating parts 404 are clamped in the non-circular clamping holes at the end axis of the transmission shaft 502, so that the two rotating parts 404 are driven to rotate synchronously through the rotation of the transmission shaft 502. The transmission shaft 502 is also provided with a connecting hole 502g, and the connecting hole 502g includes an axial hole axially connecting the two non-circular clamping holes, and a radial hole radially penetrating the transmission shaft 502 from the axial hole. The first port 201 is connected to the rotating part 404 of the rotating connector A through the connecting hole 502g, and the second port 202 is connected to the rotating part 404 of the rotating connector B through the connecting hole 502g.

[0096] The shell 600 is provided with a water tank 601, and the water tank 601 stores water for making ice. A water tank 602 is located below the ice-making cylinder 100, and the water tank 602 is connected to the water tank 601 through a water supply pipe 601b. The ice-making water in the water tank 601 flows into the water tank 602 through the water supply pipe 601b. The ice-making cylinder 100 is partially immersed in the water tank 602. In this way, during the rotation of the ice-making cylinder 100, the water in the water tank 602 continuously adheres to the outer surface of the ice-making cylinder 100, thereby realizing continuous ice making of the ice-making cylinder 100.

[0097] Furthermore, a water inlet 601a is provided at the top of the water tank 601, a sealing plug is installed at the water inlet 601a, the water tank 601 is connected to a connecting pipe 603, the connecting pipe 603 is fixedly installed on the outer wall of the water tank 601, and the connecting pipe 603 is provided with a connecting port 603a connected to the water tank 601, and an air inlet 603b located above the connecting port 603a and connected to the external space.

[0098] The water tank 602 includes a rectangular frame 602a and a water collecting plate 602b fixed on the top of the rectangular frame 602a. The water collecting plate 602b is recessed downward to form a water collecting portion 602c, and the height of the connecting port 603a is the same as the height of the upper edge of the water collecting portion 602c. The height of the air inlet 603b is not lower than the top height of the water tank 601, so that the water tank 601 can be filled. Connecting holes are provided at the bottom of the water tank 601 and the water collecting plate 602b. One end of the water supply pipe 601b is connected to the connecting hole of the water tank 601, and the other end is connected to the connecting hole of the water collecting plate 602b. A water supply valve is provided on the water supply pipe 601b to control the on and off of the water supply pipe 601b.

[0099] Furthermore, an ice box 604 is provided in the shell 600, and the water tank 602 is located between the water tank 601 and the ice box 604. The ice box 604 is used to collect ice on the outer wall of the ice-making cylinder 100. The ice box 604 includes an ice knife 604a rotatably installed on the top thereof, and an elastic member 604b that keeps the ice knife 604a in contact with the outer surface of the ice-making cylinder 100. The elastic member 604b is a spring. During the rotation of the ice-making cylinder 100, the ice knife 604a scrapes the ice layer on the outer wall of the ice-making cylinder 100 and stores it in the ice box 604.

[0100] Before starting to make ice, close the water supply valve on the water supply pipe 601b, and inject ice-making water into the water tank 601 and the connecting pipe 603 through the water filling port 601a. ​​After filling, seal the water filling port 601a with the sealing plug to keep the water tank 601 airtight, and keep the air inlet 603b of the connecting pipe 603 open; open the water supply valve, and under the action of atmospheric pressure, the water in the connecting pipe 603 preferentially flows from the water supply pipe 601b into the water collecting part 602c until the water level in the connecting pipe 603 reaches 0. The water level in the communicating pipe 603 remains unchanged after it drops to the position of the communicating port 603a. The water in the water tank 601 begins to be replenished from the water supply pipe 601b into the water collecting portion 602c. During the replenishing process, the water tank 601 absorbs air bubbles from the air inlet 603b and replenishes them to the air layer at the top of the water tank 601 through the communicating port 603a, thereby maintaining the internal and external air pressure balance of the water tank 601. The water supply is stopped until the liquid level in the water collecting portion 602c is flush with the height of the communicating port 603a.

[0101] During the ice-making process, the refrigerant flows through the evaporator 200 embedded in the ice-making cylinder 100 and transfers the cold energy to the ice-making cylinder 100. The water on the outer wall of the ice-making cylinder 100 begins to freeze. When the ice-making cylinder 100 with the ice layer rotates to the position of the ice blade 604a, the ice blade 604a scrapes off the ice layer and stores it in the ice box 604.

[0102] After the ice layer is scraped off, the ice making cylinder 100 continues to rotate. After reaching the water tank 602 position, the water in the water collecting part 602c coats the outer surface of the ice making cylinder 100 and freezes into an ice layer during the rotation process. When it rotates to the ice blade 604a position, it is cleared again, and continuous ice making is achieved by repeating this process.

[0103] It should be noted that in the embodiment in which the ice-making cylinder 100 cycles forward and reverse, during the forward rotation of the ice-making cylinder 100, the ice knife 604a scrapes the ice layer on the outer wall of the ice-making cylinder 100 and stores it in the ice box 604; during the reverse rotation of the ice-making cylinder 100, the ice knife 604a does not scrape.

[0104] During the continuous ice-making process, the water in the water collecting part 602c is continuously taken away, and the water in the water tank 601 is continuously replenished into the water collecting part 602c through the water supply pipe 601b. Correspondingly, an equal amount of air will enter the upper air layer of the water tank 601 from the connecting pipe 603, and the water levels in the water collecting part 602c and the connecting pipe 603 are always kept unchanged during the ice-making process, and maintained at the height of the connecting port 603a, thereby ensuring that the ice-making cylinder 100 continues to make ice.

[0105] In summary, the present invention breaks through the limitations of the existing direct cooling ice-making scheme, opens the ice-making space to the outer surface of the ice-making cylinder 100, and the inner wall of the ice-making cylinder 100 is provided with a spiral groove 101, and the evaporator 200 is a spiral coil. The evaporator 200 and the spiral groove 101 fit tightly together and are built into the ice-making cylinder 100, which greatly increases the contact area between the evaporator 200 and the ice-making cylinder 100, realizes efficient cooling without wasting cooling capacity; the connecting hose 300 and / or the rotary connector 400 are used to maintain the circulation of the refrigerant during the rotation of the evaporator 200.

[0106] It should be understood that although this specification is described according to embodiments, not every embodiment contains only one independent technical solution. This narrative style of the specification is only for the sake of clarity. Those skilled in the art should regard the specification as a whole. The technical solutions in each embodiment can also be appropriately combined to form other embodiments that can be understood by those skilled in the art.

[0107] The series of detailed descriptions listed above are only specific descriptions of feasible embodiments of the present invention and are not intended to limit the scope of protection of the present invention. Any equivalent embodiments or changes that do not deviate from the technical spirit of the present invention should be included in the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. An ice making device, characterized in that: include: An ice-making cylinder (100) having an ice-making surface located on its outer surface; A refrigeration system comprises a compressor, a condenser, a throttling element and an evaporator (200), at least a portion of the evaporator (200) is fixed inside the ice making cylinder (100), and the evaporator (200) has two ports; a connecting hose (300) for connecting the port to one of the compressor, the condenser, and the throttling element, wherein the length of the connecting hose (300) is greater than the distance between the port and a connection point between the compressor, the condenser, or the throttling element; The driving assembly (500) is used to drive the ice-making cylinder (100) and the evaporator (200) to rotate forward and reverse.

2. The ice-making device according to claim 1, wherein: The two ports are respectively a first port (201) and a second port (202); the connecting hose (300) comprises a first connecting hose (301) connecting the first port (201) and the condenser or the throttling element, and a second connecting hose (302) connecting the second port (202) and the compressor; the length of the first connecting hose (301) is greater than the distance between the first port (201) and the connection point of the condenser or the throttling element, and the length of the second connecting hose (302) is greater than the distance between the second port (202) and the connection point of the compressor.

3. The ice making device according to claim 2, wherein: The first connecting hose (301) is a capillary tube.

4. The ice making device according to claim 2 or 3, characterized in that: The first connecting hose (301) and the second connecting hose (302) are spiral hoses.

5. The ice making device according to claim 4, characterized in that: The evaporator (200) is a spiral coil, the inner wall of the ice making cylinder (100) is provided with a spiral groove (101), the evaporator (200) is embedded in the spiral groove (101), and the spiral radius of the first connecting hose (301) and the second connecting hose (302) are both larger than the spiral radius of the evaporator (200).

6. The ice making device according to claim 2, characterized in that: The first port (201) and the first connecting hose (301) are located on the same axial side of the ice-making cylinder (100), and the second port (202) and the second connecting hose (302) are located on the same axial side of the ice-making cylinder (100); Alternatively, the second port (202) and the second connecting hose (302) are located on the same axial side of the ice-making cylinder (100), the first connecting hose (301) comprises a straight pipe section and a spiral pipe section, the straight pipe end passes through the ice-making cylinder (100) from the first port (201), and the spiral pipe section and the first port (201) are respectively located on opposite axial sides of the ice-making cylinder (100).

7. The ice-making device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The driving assembly (500) comprises a driving motor (501), a transmission shaft (502), and a driving gear (503) connected to the output shaft of the driving motor (501); the transmission shaft (502) comprises a fixed disk (502a) fixedly connected to the ice-making cylinder (100); a penetrating portion (502b) axially penetrating the ice-making cylinder (100) from the fixed disk (502a); and a gear groove (502c) provided on the fixed disk (502a); and the driving gear (503) is located in the gear groove (502c).

8. The ice-making device according to claim 7, characterized in that: The driving assembly (500) further comprises a position limiting member or a position detecting member arranged at the reverse position of the output shaft of the driving motor (501).

9. The ice-making device according to claim 1, wherein: It also includes an ice box (604), which includes an ice knife (604a) rotatably mounted thereon, and an elastic member (604b) for maintaining the ice knife (604a) in contact with the outer surface of the ice-making cylinder (100).

10. A refrigerator, characterized in that: The ice-making device comprises the ice-making device according to any one of claims 1 to 9.

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