Ice maker capable of rapidly unloading ice

Abstract

The invention discloses a quick deicing ice maker which comprises a control system, a refrigerating system, a deicing system and a shell, the refrigerating system comprises a refrigerating device, an upper ice mold, a lower ice mold and a water adding device, a refrigerating pipeline communicated with the refrigerating device is arranged at the top of the upper ice mold, and the refrigerating pipeline is close to an ice making cavity; the deicing system comprises a liquid storage tank, a heating body, a water pump and a heating pipe, the heating body is arranged in the liquid storage tank, the heating pipe is arranged on the outer side of the ice-making cavity, the water pump is communicated with an inner cavity of the liquid storage tank and the heating pipe, and the two ends of the heating pipe are communicated with the water pump and the inner cavity of the liquid storage tank respectively; the control system, the refrigerating system and the deicing system are all arranged in the shell, and a water box is arranged below the upper ice mold and the lower ice mold and movably connected with the shell. The anti-freezing solution circulating hot bath is adopted to demold ice blocks completing ice making, the provided heat is enough, the temperature rise is fast, the ice block surface dissolution speed is fast, fast demolding can be achieved, and the ice making efficiency is improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of small ice makers, specifically to an ice maker that rapidly removes ice. Background Technology

[0002] An ice maker (English name: ice maker or ice machine) is a refrigeration mechanical device that produces ice by cooling water directly or in a mold through a refrigeration system with a refrigerant. It uses a refrigeration system with water as the carrier and produces ice by passing it through a device when powered on.

[0003] In common ice makers, after the ice is made in the mold, the de-icing valve needs to be opened to allow refrigerant to enter the upper ice mold, and the lower ice mold needs to be heated to separate the ice from the mold. Although this de-icing structure and method can solve the de-icing problem, it affects the ice-making efficiency due to the long de-icing time, low ice production, excessively low temperature of the lower mold, and slow mold opening. Therefore, improvements are needed to address these issues. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The purpose of this invention is to improve the ice removal structure of an ice maker, and to provide an ice maker with a fast ice removal mechanism that makes it easier and faster for ice blocks to separate from the mold, thereby improving ice-making efficiency.

[0005] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention provides the following technical solution: An ice maker with rapid de-icing capability includes a control system, a refrigeration system, a de-icing system, and a housing. The refrigeration system includes a refrigeration device, an upper ice mold, a lower ice mold, and a water filling device. The upper and lower ice molds are connected to each other via a rotating mechanism to form an ice-making cavity. The upper ice mold has an exhaust port, and the lower ice mold has water injection holes that communicate with the water filling device and the ice-making cavity. The top of the upper ice mold has a refrigeration pipe that communicates with the refrigeration device and is close to the ice-making cavity. The water filling device includes a water storage tank. The de-icing system includes a liquid storage tank, a heating element, a water pump, and a heating tube. The heating element is placed inside the liquid storage tank, and the heating tube is located outside the ice-making cavity. The water pump is connected to the inner cavity of the liquid storage tank and the heating tube, and both ends of the heating tube are connected to the water pump and the inner cavity of the liquid storage tank, respectively. The control system, refrigeration system, and de-icing system are all housed within the housing. A water box is located below the upper and lower ice molds, and the water box is movably connected to the housing.

[0006] This solution uses heated antifreeze (hot water) as the heat source for ice removal. The antifreeze (hot water) is circulated by a water pump, providing a large and relatively stable amount of heat, which can quickly transfer heat to the mold, causing the ice surface to melt and detach from the upper and lower ice molds. During the ice-making process, the antifreeze does not circulate and does not continuously provide heat, thus not increasing the burden on the refrigeration unit. The storage tank is kept at a constant temperature by a heating element, and the water pump is responsible for pumping the antifreeze (hot water) to the heating element during demolding. The antifreeze (hot water) circulating in the heating element... The system provides heat to the mold; the refrigeration and water filling devices are consistent with existing products, and all ice-making and de-icing processes are controlled and executed by the control system; the vent of the upper ice mold is connected to the ice-making cavity and the outside air respectively, which can expel excess air in the ice-making cavity; the water filling hole of the lower ice mold is used to inject drinking water into the ice-making cavity; the water filling device includes a water pump and a water storage tank. The water storage tank is used to store drinking water for making ice cubes. The drinking water is transported to the ice-making cavity by the water pump. The water level alarm is installed in the water tank to remind you to add water when the water level is low.

[0007] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the housing has a front cavity and a rear cavity. The upper and lower ice molds are located in the upper part of the front cavity, the water storage tank is located at the bottom of the front cavity, and the water box is located in the middle of the front cavity. The refrigeration device includes a compressor and a condenser. The compressor, condenser, liquid storage tank, and water pump are located in the rear cavity. The ice maker of this embodiment is a small ice maker suitable for home use. Therefore, it has a relatively compact structure and the main structures are rationally arranged. The front side of the housing is used for ice making, ice extraction, and providing water for ice making. The rear side of the housing is mainly used to house the refrigeration device, the liquid storage tank, and the water pump. The refrigeration device and the water pump are connected to the refrigeration pipe and the heating pipe through pipelines.

[0008] As a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the liquid storage tank is equipped with antifreeze and a liquid level detector, and the liquid storage tank is provided with a liquid inlet. In this embodiment, in order to solve the problem that the liquid remaining in the heating element may be frozen by the refrigeration device, a liquid with a low freezing point can be used, such as ordinary glass cleaner: that is, glass cleaner containing a small amount of alcohol or ethylene glycol, whose freezing point is about -5°C to -10°C. Other liquids with a freezing point below 0°C include antifreeze, supercooled water, and hyperfreezing water, etc., whose characteristics are closely related to their composition.

[0009] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the top of the upper ice mold is fixedly connected to the top of the front cavity, and the lower ice mold is placed below the upper ice mold and its side is rotatably connected to the upper ice mold via a rotating mechanism. Both the upper and lower ice molds have open cavities, which form a closed ice-making cavity when the upper and lower ice molds are closed. This embodiment employs an automatic rotating mechanism. After the control system receives a signal indicating that ice-making is complete, it first executes the de-icing system. After de-icing is completed, it then controls the rotating mechanism to start, allowing the ice blocks to fall into the ice box under gravity.

[0010] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the rotating mechanism includes a rotary motor, a rotary shaft, and a rotary shaft seat. The rotary shaft seat is located on one side of the upper ice mold, and the rotary shaft passes through and is rotatably connected to the rotary shaft seat. The stepper motor is connected to the housing, and the output shaft of the stepper motor is connected to the rotary shaft. The lower ice mold is fixedly connected to the rotary shaft. In this embodiment, the stepper motor is a reversible motor that receives commands from the control system and rotates in different directions when the mold is closed or opened. The upper and lower ice molds are rotatably connected by a rotary shaft and a rotary sleeve.

[0011] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the top of the upper ice mold is connected to the shell, and the top of the upper ice mold has a pipe space, in which the heating tube is U-shaped and disposed. In this embodiment, the upper ice mold is fixed in position and does not move or rotate, and the bottom of the upper ice mold has a hemispherical or other shaped cavity, serving as the upper part of the ice-making cavity.

[0012] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the top of the lower ice mold is flush against the bottom of the upper ice mold when they are closed. The bottom of the lower ice mold has a pipe space, and the heating element is U-shaped and located within this pipe space. The heating element is connected to the water pump via a flexible hose. In this embodiment, the side of the lower ice mold is rotatably connected to the upper ice mold, and the top of the lower ice mold has a hemispherical or other shaped cavity, serving as the lower half of the ice-making cavity. When the lower and upper ice molds are closed, a complete ice-making cavity is formed. When the lower and upper ice molds rotate to separate, the ice blocks fall.

[0013] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the front side of the housing is provided with an ice box inlet / outlet, and the two inner side walls of the housing are respectively provided with an upper limit bar and a lower moving guide rail that cooperate with the ice box. In this embodiment, the lower moving guide rail also serves to support the ice box, and the upper limit bar can prevent the ice box from tipping over during the removal process when there are many ice cubes.

[0014] As a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the following ice-making and ice-removing steps are included: the control system is turned on and an ice-making command is issued; the upper and lower ice molds are closed; after the water-adding device injects an appropriate amount of drinking water into the ice-making cavity, the control system starts the refrigeration device and the heating element; the refrigeration device absorbs heat from the drinking water through the refrigeration pipe; the heating element heats the liquid in the storage tank until the drinking water freezes into ice; after the temperature of the liquid in the storage tank reaches the required level, the heating element is turned off; the control system starts the water pump to transport the high-temperature liquid in the storage tank to the periphery of the ice-making cavity through the heating pipe for heating, causing the surface of the ice block in the ice-making cavity to melt and detach from the upper and lower ice molds; at this time, the control system controls the lower ice mold to flip over, and the ice block falls downward into the water box; then the control system controls the lower ice mold to flip over again and close with the upper ice mold. This solution is based on the basic operating principle of an improved ice maker, which is divided into four basic steps: water supply, ice making, demolding, and ice dispensing. The water source for the ice blocks is drinking water stored in a water tank. The drinking water is pumped into the ice-making cavity by a water pump. The ice blocks are formed by absorbing heat from the drinking water through refrigeration pipes. The ice blocks are then heated by circulating liquid at a relatively high constant temperature in the liquid storage tank, which melts the surface of the ice blocks and demolds them. Finally, the lower ice mold is flipped so that the ice blocks fall automatically.

[0015] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the control system monitors the liquid temperature and level in the storage tank. When the liquid temperature is low, the heating element is activated to raise the temperature. When the liquid level falls below a specified height, a signal is sent to replenish the liquid. The storage tank in this embodiment can be equipped with a temperature sensor and a level sensor connected to the control system, providing the control system with signals of the liquid temperature and level in the storage tank. When the temperature is low, the heating element, such as an electric heating tube, is activated; when the liquid level is insufficient, an alarm is issued to remind the user to add liquid.

[0016] Compared with the prior art, the beneficial effects of the present invention are: Using an antifreeze circulating heat bath to demold the ice blocks after they have been made provides sufficient heat for rapid heating and quick melting of the ice surface, enabling rapid demolding and improving ice-making efficiency. Attached Figure Description

[0017] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the front structure of the present invention.

[0018] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the rear structure of the present invention.

[0019] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of a pipeline for the de-icing system of the present invention.

[0020] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of a connection structure for the upper and lower ice molds of the present invention.

[0021] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of a connection structure for separating the upper and lower ice molds according to the present invention.

[0022] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the internal structure of the ice mold of the present invention.

[0023] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of one structure of the ice mold of the present invention.

[0024] In the diagram: 1. Shell; 2. Refrigeration unit; 3. Upper ice mold; 4. Lower ice mold; 5. Liquid storage tank; 6. Heating element; 7. Water pump; 8. Heating tube; 9. Water box; 10. Water storage tank; 21. Compressor; 22. Condenser; 31. Exhaust port; 32. Refrigeration pipe; 41. Water inlet; 51. Liquid level detector; 52. Liquid inlet. Detailed Implementation

[0025] The technical solutions of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the embodiments of the present invention. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present invention, and not all embodiments. All other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art based on the embodiments of the present invention without creative effort are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0026] To facilitate understanding of the present invention, a more comprehensive description of the invention will be given below with reference to the accompanying drawings, and several embodiments of the invention will be provided. However, the present invention can be implemented in many different forms and is not limited to the embodiments described herein. Rather, these embodiments are provided so that the disclosure of the present invention will be more thorough and complete.

[0027] For examples, please refer to Figures 1-7 The present invention provides a technical solution: An ice maker with rapid de-icing capability includes a control system, a refrigeration system, a de-icing system, and a housing 1. The refrigeration system includes a refrigeration device 2, an upper ice mold 3, a lower ice mold 4, and a water filling device. The upper ice mold 3 and the lower ice mold 4 are interconnected by a rotating mechanism to form an ice-making cavity. The upper ice mold 3 is provided with an exhaust port 31, and the lower ice mold 4 is provided with water injection ports 41 that communicate with the water filling device and the ice-making cavity respectively. The top of the upper ice mold 3 is provided with a refrigeration pipe 32 that communicates with the refrigeration device. The refrigeration pipe 32 is close to the ice-making cavity. The ice-making cavity and water-adding device include a water storage tank 10; the de-icing system includes a liquid storage tank 5, a heating element 6, a water pump 7, and a heating tube 8. The heating element 6 is placed inside the liquid storage tank 5, and the heating tube 8 is located outside the ice-making cavity. The water pump 7 is connected to the inner cavity of the liquid storage tank 5 and the heating tube 8. Both ends of the heating tube 8 are connected to the water pump 7 and the inner cavity of the liquid storage tank 5, respectively. The control system, the refrigeration system, and the de-icing system are all located inside the shell 1. A water box 9 is provided below the upper ice mold 3 and the lower ice mold 4. The water box 9 is movably connected to the shell 1.

[0028] The shell 1 has a front cavity and a rear cavity. The upper ice mold 3 and the lower ice mold 4 are located in the upper part of the front cavity. The liquid storage tank 5, the water pump 7, and the water storage tank 10 are located in the bottom of the front cavity. The water box 9 is located in the middle of the front cavity. The refrigeration device 2 includes a refrigeration unit with pipes connected to the compressor 21, the condenser 22, etc. The compressor 21, the condenser 22, the liquid storage tank 5, and the water pump 7 are located in the rear cavity.

[0029] The liquid storage tank 5 is equipped with antifreeze and a liquid level detector 51, and the liquid storage tank 5 is equipped with a liquid inlet 52.

[0030] The top of the upper ice mold 3 is fixedly connected to the top of the front cavity. The lower ice mold 4 is placed below the upper ice mold 3 and its side is rotatably connected to the upper ice mold 3 through a rotating mechanism. The upper ice mold 3 and the lower ice mold 4 are respectively provided with open cavities. When the upper ice mold 3 and the lower ice mold 4 are closed, the open cavities form a closed ice-making cavity.

[0031] The rotating mechanism includes a rotary motor, a rotary shaft, and a rotary shaft seat. The rotary shaft seat is located on one side of the upper ice mold 3. The rotary shaft passes through the rotary shaft seat and is rotatably connected to the rotary shaft seat. The rotary motor is connected to the housing 1. The output shaft of the rotary motor is connected to the rotary shaft. One side of the lower ice mold 4 is fixedly connected to the rotary shaft.

[0032] The top of the upper ice mold 3 is connected to the shell 1. The top of the upper ice mold 3 is provided with a pipe space, and the heating tube is arranged in a U-shape in the pipe space.

[0033] When the lower ice mold 4 is closed with the upper ice mold 3, the top of the lower ice mold 4 is pressed against the bottom of the upper ice mold 3. The bottom of the lower ice mold 4 is provided with a pipe space. The heating tube 8 is U-shaped and is located in the pipe space. The heating tube 8 is connected to the water pump 7 through a flexible hose.

[0034] The front side of the housing 1 is provided with a water box inlet and outlet, and the two inner side walls of the housing 1 are respectively provided with an upper limit bar and a lower moving guide rail that cooperate with the water box 9.

[0035] The workflow of this invention includes the following ice-making and de-icing steps: the control system is turned on and an ice-making command is issued. The upper ice mold 3 and the lower ice mold 4 are closed. After the water-adding device injects an appropriate amount of drinking water into the ice-making cavity, the control system starts the refrigeration device 2 and the heating element 6. The refrigeration device 2 absorbs heat from the drinking water through the refrigeration pipe 32. The heating element 6 heats the liquid in the storage tank 5. After the temperature of the liquid in the storage tank 5 rises to the required level, the heating element 6 is turned off. The ice-making process continues until the drinking water freezes into ice. The control system starts the water pump 7 to transport the high-temperature liquid in the storage tank 5 to the periphery of the ice-making cavity through the heating pipe 8 for heating, causing the surface of the ice in the ice-making cavity to melt and detach from the upper ice mold 3 and the lower ice mold 4. At this time, the control system controls the lower ice mold 4 to flip over, and the ice falls downward into the ice box 9. Then, the control system controls the lower ice mold 4 to flip over again and close with the upper ice mold 3.

[0036] The control system monitors the liquid temperature and level in the storage tank 5. When the liquid temperature is too low, the heating element is turned on to raise the temperature. When the liquid level is below the specified height, a signal is sent to replenish the liquid.

[0037] Although embodiments of the invention have been shown and described, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes, modifications, substitutions and alterations can be made to these embodiments without departing from the principles and spirit of the invention, the scope of which is defined by the appended claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. An ice maker for rapid de-icing, comprising a control system, a refrigeration system, a de-icing system, and a housing, characterized in that: The refrigeration system includes a refrigeration device, an upper ice mold, a lower ice mold, and a water filling device. The upper ice mold and the lower ice mold are connected to each other by a rotating mechanism to form an ice-making cavity. The upper ice mold is provided with an exhaust hole, and the lower ice mold is provided with a water injection hole that is connected to the water filling device and the ice-making cavity respectively. The top of the upper ice mold is provided with a refrigeration pipe that is connected to the refrigeration device. The refrigeration pipe is close to the ice-making cavity. The water filling device includes a water storage tank. The de-icing system includes a liquid storage tank, a heating element, a water pump, and a heating tube. The heating element is placed inside the liquid storage tank, and the heating tube is located outside the ice-making cavity. The water pump is connected to the inner cavity of the liquid storage tank and the heating tube, and both ends of the heating tube are connected to the water pump and the inner cavity of the liquid storage tank, respectively. The control system, refrigeration system, and de-icing system are all housed inside the shell. A water box is located below the upper and lower ice molds, and the water box is movably connected to the shell.

2. The ice maker for rapid de-icing according to claim 1, characterized in that: The housing has a front cavity and a rear cavity. The upper ice mold and lower ice mold are located in the upper part of the front cavity. The water storage tank is located at the bottom of the front cavity. The water box is located in the middle of the front cavity. The refrigeration device includes a compressor and a condenser. The compressor, condenser, liquid storage tank, and water pump are located in the rear cavity.

3. The ice maker for rapid de-icing according to claim 1, characterized in that: The liquid storage tank is equipped with antifreeze and a liquid level detector, and the liquid storage tank is equipped with a liquid inlet.

4. The ice maker for rapid de-icing according to claim 2, characterized in that: The top of the upper ice mold is fixedly connected to the top of the front cavity. The lower ice mold is placed below the upper ice mold and its side is rotatably connected to the upper ice mold through a rotating mechanism. The upper ice mold and the lower ice mold are respectively provided with open cavities. The open cavities form a closed ice-making cavity when the upper ice mold and the lower ice mold are closed.

5. The ice maker for rapid de-icing according to claim 4, characterized in that: The rotating mechanism includes a rotary motor, a rotary shaft, and a rotary shaft seat. The rotary shaft seat is located on one side of the upper ice mold. The rotary shaft passes through the rotary shaft seat and is rotatably connected to it. The rotary motor is connected to the housing. The output shaft of the rotary motor is connected to the rotary shaft. The lower ice mold is fixedly connected to the rotary shaft.

6. The ice maker for rapid de-icing according to claim 1, characterized in that: The top of the upper ice mold is connected to the shell, and the top of the upper ice mold has a pipe space, in which the heating tube is U-shaped and located.

7. The ice maker for rapid de-icing according to claim 1, characterized in that: The top of the lower ice mold is pressed against the bottom of the upper ice mold when they are closed. The bottom of the lower ice mold is provided with a pipe space. The heating tube is U-shaped and located in the pipe space. The heating tube is connected to the water pump through a flexible hose.

8. The ice maker for rapid de-icing according to claim 1, characterized in that: The front side of the housing is provided with an ice box inlet and outlet, and the two inner side walls of the housing are respectively provided with an upper limit bar and a lower moving guide rail that cooperate with the ice box.

9. The ice maker for rapid de-icing according to claim 1, characterized in that: The ice-making and de-icing steps include the following: The control system is activated, issuing an ice-making command. The upper and lower ice molds close together. After the water-adding device injects an appropriate amount of drinking water into the ice-making cavity, the control system starts the refrigeration device and the heating element. The refrigeration device absorbs heat from the drinking water through the refrigeration pipes, and the heating element heats the liquid in the storage tank until the drinking water freezes into ice. Once the temperature of the liquid in the storage tank reaches the required level, the heating element is turned off. The control system then starts the water pump to transport the high-temperature liquid in the storage tank through the heating pipes to the periphery of the ice-making cavity for heating. This causes the surface of the ice in the ice-making cavity to melt and detach from the upper and lower ice molds. At this point, the control system controls the lower ice mold to flip over, and the ice falls downward into the ice box. Then, the control system controls the lower ice mold to flip over again and close together with the upper ice mold.

10. An ice maker for rapid de-icing according to claim 9, characterized in that: The control system monitors the liquid temperature and level in the storage tank. When the liquid temperature is too low, it turns on the heating element to raise the temperature. When the liquid level is below a specified height, it sends a signal to replenish the liquid.

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