Efficient ice maker with automatic bacteriostatic cleaning function

Abstract

The invention discloses an efficient ice maker with an automatic bacteriostatic cleaning function, which comprises a shell, a layering frame is arranged in the shell, the layering frame is used for layering support of an ice-making space, the ice-making space and a refrigeration assembly space located below the ice-making space are arranged in the shell, one side of the shell is provided with an opening and closing door, and the opening and closing door is provided with an air inlet and an air outlet. A refrigerating assembly space is arranged in the shell, a discharging opening is formed in the position, corresponding to the refrigerating assembly space, of the opening and closing door, a cup carrying disc is arranged below the discharging opening and used for bearing ice blocks discharged from the discharging opening, and a heat dissipation grid is arranged on one side of the upper end of the shell. In the ice making link, the antibacterial coating covering the surface of the ice making disc can continuously inhibit growth of bacteria and microorganisms in the ice making process, and pollution is blocked from the source of ice block generation.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of ice maker technology, and in particular to a high-efficiency ice maker with automatic antibacterial and cleaning functions. Background Technology

[0002] The core pain points of traditional ice makers lie in the area of ​​hygiene and safety. On the one hand, the ice transport path of the ice maker (such as the funnel and ice outlet) is a key area for ice collection and circulation. It is in a low-temperature and humid environment for a long time, and is prone to leaving water stains from melted ice, food residue, or microorganisms from the air, becoming a "breeding ground" for bacteria. Common pathogens such as E. coli and Staphylococcus aureus can easily attach and multiply here. Especially in catering scenarios, contaminated ice directly contacting drinks or food poses a potential threat to consumers' health. On the other hand, the ice-making trays of traditional ice makers are mostly made of ordinary metal or plastic, and the surface lacks a long-term antibacterial mechanism. Water droplets left over during the ice-making process can easily form biofilms, further aggravating bacterial growth. Moreover, some devices do not have an effective cleaning and drainage structure designed for residual water from ice making. The residual water accumulates in the drip tray for a long time, which not only easily produces odors but also contaminates the ice-making water source, leading to a continuous decline in the hygiene quality of the ice. Summary of the Invention

[0003] The purpose of this invention is to solve the problem that traditional ice makers lack automated antibacterial and cleaning capabilities, relying on manual disassembly for periodic internal cleaning. However, manual cleaning has significant limitations: First, the cleaning frequency is difficult to guarantee. Most users reduce the number of cleanings or simplify the cleaning process due to cumbersome operation or equipment downtime, resulting in incomplete cleaning. Second, the internal structure of the equipment (such as the inner wall of the irregular funnel and the gaps of the ice-dispensing components) is complex, and manual cleaning can easily leave blind spots, making it impossible to effectively remove hidden bacteria and residues. Third, frequent disassembly and cleaning may damage the equipment's sealing structure or components, shorten the equipment's service life, and increase labor and time costs.

[0004] The present invention achieves the above objectives through the following technical solutions: A high-efficiency ice maker with automatic antibacterial and cleaning functions includes a housing. A layered rack is provided inside the housing to support the ice-making space. The housing contains an ice-making space and a refrigeration component space located below the ice-making space. A door is located on one side of the housing, and a discharge port is provided on the door corresponding to the refrigeration component space. A cup tray is located below the discharge port to receive ice cubes discharged from the discharge port. A heat dissipation grille is provided on one side of the upper end of the housing. The refrigeration component space includes a compressor and a solenoid valve connected to the compressor. The compressor and the solenoid valve cooperate to provide cooling power to the ice-making space. Ice cubes are placed inside the refrigeration component space. The ice block conveying device includes an antibacterial and cleaning water spray device above it. The ice block conveying device comprises a shaped funnel, a rotating motor, and an ice-dispensing disc driven by the rotating motor. The ice-dispensing disc is used to push ice blocks to the ice outlet of the shaped funnel, and the ice outlet corresponds to the discharge port. The ice block conveying device (including the shaped funnel, rotating motor, and ice-dispensing disc) can effectively and smoothly convey the produced ice blocks to the discharge port, avoiding ice block blockage or accumulation and ensuring continuous ice supply. It can automatically clean and inhibit bacteria along the ice block conveying path, solving the problem of traditional ice machine ice blocks being easily contaminated by bacteria from the source, significantly improving the hygiene and safety of ice blocks, and reducing the frequency and difficulty of manual cleaning.

[0005] Furthermore, the ice-dispensing disc includes a circular base, a cross-shaped ice-breaking blade mounted on the circular base, and ice-dispensing protrusions evenly distributed along the circumference of the circular base. The cross-shaped ice-breaking blade is used to break up ice blocks, and the ice-dispensing protrusions are used to push the broken ice blocks to the ice drain. The design of the cross-shaped ice-breaking blade can effectively break up large or sticky ice blocks, solving the problem of blockage caused by ice block clumping during the conveying process, ensuring the smoothness of ice block conveying. The broken ice blocks are smaller and more uniform in size. Combined with the evenly distributed ice-dispensing protrusions, the ice blocks can be pushed to the ice drain more efficiently and stably, avoiding the accumulation of ice blocks in the conveying device, improving the ice dispensing speed and efficiency. By breaking up large ice blocks, the impact and wear of ice blocks on the conveying mechanism are reduced, the equipment failure rate is reduced, and the service life of the ice maker is extended.

[0006] Furthermore, the antibacterial cleaning spray device includes a mounting base connected to the inner wall of the housing. A spray pipe assembly is mounted on the mounting base, and the spray pipe assembly has several evenly distributed spray holes. The spray pipe assembly is connected to an external liquid supply source via a connecting pipe, used to spray antibacterial cleaning liquid into the irregularly shaped funnel to achieve antibacterial cleaning. The connection between the spray pipe assembly and the inner wall of the housing via the mounting base ensures the stable installation and positioning of the antibacterial cleaning spray device. Its design purpose is to spray antibacterial cleaning liquid into the irregularly shaped funnel, a critical area for ice collection and transport, where the risk of bacterial growth is high. Therefore, it can precisely clean easily contaminated areas. Simultaneously, the rotation of the ice-dispensing plate can complete the overall cleaning of the irregularly shaped funnel, especially when the machine is not in use. When ice is present, or at night, the machine can self-clean, reducing the need for manual cleaning. Several evenly distributed spray holes on the spray nozzles ensure that the antibacterial cleaning solution is sprayed evenly onto the entire inner surface of the shaped funnel in a mist or fine stream form, achieving thorough cleaning and antibacterial action, maximizing the killing of bacteria and inhibiting microbial growth. Connecting to an external liquid supply source via a connecting pipe makes replenishing, replacing, or selecting the antibacterial cleaning solution very convenient. Users can choose different types of cleaning agents as needed without opening the machine, improving maintenance convenience and safety. Regular or automatic spraying of the antibacterial cleaning solution effectively removes ice residue and potential biofilm, fundamentally ensuring the hygienic quality of the ice produced.

[0007] Furthermore, the ice-making space is equipped with a condenser, an ice-making tray, a water outlet device, a circulating water pump, and a water collection tray. The water outlet device is used to supply ice-making water to the ice-making tray. The condenser works with the compressor to provide cooling for the ice-making process. The water collection tray is located below the ice-making tray to collect excess water from the ice-making process. The water collection tray is connected to the water outlet device through the circulating water pump to achieve a circulating supply of ice-making water. The water circulation system ensures that the ice-making water tank always has enough ice-making water, eliminating the need for frequent manual water replenishment, ensuring the continuity and stability of the ice-making process, and improving ice-making efficiency. The design of the water collection tray effectively prevents excess water droplets from overflowing during the ice-making process, keeping the interior of the ice-making space clean and dry, and reducing the risk of bacterial growth due to water accumulation on the outside of the equipment.

[0008] Furthermore, the surface of the ice-making tray is covered with an antibacterial coating, which has a continuous antibacterial effect, eliminating the need for frequent manual cleaning, greatly reducing the frequency and workload of maintenance, and extending the cleaning cycle of the ice-making tray.

[0009] Furthermore, the bottom surface of the water receiving tray is designed as an inclined surface sloping towards the inlet of the circulating water pump, and a drain valve is provided at the lowest point of the water receiving tray, the drain valve being used to discharge the cleaned wastewater.

[0010] Furthermore, the antibacterial cleaning spray device is also connected to an external controller, which can automatically activate the spray function to perform cleaning after detecting that there are no ice cubes in the irregular funnel.

[0011] Compared with the prior art, the beneficial effects of the present invention are: 1. This ice maker, through a synergistic design of "multi-level antibacterial + precise automatic cleaning," completely solves the pain point of traditional ice makers' ice cubes being easily contaminated: During the ice-making process, the antibacterial coating covering the surface of the ice-making tray continuously inhibits the growth of bacteria and microorganisms during ice-making, blocking contamination at the source of ice formation; In the ice-carrying and cleaning process, the antibacterial cleaning spray device, with the help of a controller, monitors the state of the ice cubes in the irregularly shaped funnel in real time, and automatically sprays antibacterial cleaning liquid onto the key contaminated area (irregularly shaped funnel) where ice cubes gather during ice-free periods. Combined with the auxiliary rotation of the ice-dispensing tray, it achieves thorough cleaning without dead angles, effectively removing residual ice fragments and potential biofilms; Simultaneously, the inclined bottom of the water tray and the drain valve design allow for rapid discharge of cleaning wastewater, preventing water accumulation and bacterial growth. The entire design forms a complete "ice-making-carrying-cleaning" hygiene protection process, significantly improving the hygiene and safety of ice cubes and meeting the requirements for food-grade ice.

[0012] 2. The ice maker achieves a dual improvement in ice-making efficiency and ice-dispensing stability through multi-component optimized design: On the one hand, the water circulation system in the ice-making space (water receiving tray + circulating water pump + water outlet device) can recover and circulate residual water from ice making, eliminating the need for frequent manual water addition and ensuring continuous ice-making without interruption, thus improving ice-making efficiency; on the other hand, the cross-shaped ice-breaking blades of the ice block conveying device can break up large or stuck ice blocks, and together with the circumferentially evenly distributed ice-pushing protrusions, it avoids ice block blockage or accumulation, ensuring smooth delivery of ice blocks to the outlet and guaranteeing continuous ice supply. In addition, the core components (refrigeration components, conveying device, cleaning device) are intelligently linked through the controller, and the ice-making, conveying, and cleaning processes are switched in an orderly manner, reducing malfunctions caused by improper component coordination; at the same time, the cross-shaped ice-breaking blades reduce the impact and wear of ice blocks on the conveying mechanism, extending the overall service life of the equipment and further ensuring long-term stable operation.

[0013] 3. The automated design and structural optimization of the ice maker reduce overall operating costs in three aspects: "reduced maintenance frequency," "reduced operational difficulty," and "saving resource consumption." Firstly, the automatic antibacterial cleaning function can autonomously clean the machine at night or during ice-free periods, eliminating the need for manual disassembly and wiping. The antibacterial coating on the ice tray extends the cleaning cycle, reducing the number of manual cleaning operations and significantly decreasing maintenance workload. Secondly, the antibacterial cleaning spray device is connected to an external liquid supply source via a connecting pipe, allowing users to replace or replenish the antibacterial cleaning solution without opening the machine's interior, making operation convenient and safe. The water circulation system recovers residual water, reducing water waste and lowering water costs. Thirdly, the structural design of each component (such as the ice tray and water receiving tray) (anti-clogging and easy drainage) reduces the failure rate, decreases maintenance frequency and costs, and balances ease of use with long-term economic efficiency. Attached Figure Description

[0014] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the present invention; Figure 2 This is a spatial schematic diagram of the refrigeration component of the present invention; Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the ice conveying device of the present invention; Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the antibacterial cleaning water spray device of the present invention; Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the ice-making space of the present invention; In the diagram, 1-shell, 2-layer rack, 3-refrigeration component space, 4-ice-making space, 5-opening door, 6-discharge port, 7-cup tray, 8-heat dissipation grille, 31-compressor, 32-solenoid valve, 33-ice block conveying device, 34-antibacterial cleaning spray device, 331-irregular funnel, 332-rotating motor, 333-ice-dispensing tray, 3332-cross ice-breaking blade, 3333-ice-dispensing boss, 341-mounting base, 342-spray pipe assembly, 343-spray hole, 344-connecting pipe, 41-condenser, 42-ice-making tray, 43-water outlet device, 44-circulating water pump, 45-water receiving tray, 46-drain valve. Detailed Implementation

[0015] The technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present invention, and not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0016] Combination Figure 1-5As shown, a high-efficiency ice maker with automatic antibacterial and cleaning functions includes a housing 1. A layered rack 2 is provided inside the housing 1 to support the ice-making space. The housing 1 contains an ice-making space 4 and a refrigeration component space 3 located below the ice-making space 4. A door 5 is located on one side of the housing 1, and a discharge port 6 is provided on the door 5 corresponding to the position of the refrigeration component space 3. A cup tray 7 is located below the discharge port 6 to receive ice cubes discharged from the discharge port 6. A heat dissipation grille 8 is provided on one side of the upper end of the housing 1. The refrigeration component space 3 includes a compressor 31 and a solenoid valve 32 connected to the compressor 31. The compressor 31 and the solenoid valve 32 cooperate to provide cooling power to the ice-making space 4. An ice cube conveying device 33 is provided inside the refrigeration component space 3. An antibacterial cleaning spray device 34 is also installed above the ice block conveying device 33. The ice block conveying device 33 includes a shaped funnel 331, a rotating motor 332, and an ice-dispensing disc 333 driven by the rotating motor 332. The ice-dispensing disc 333 is used to dispense ice blocks to the ice outlet 334 of the shaped funnel 331, and the ice outlet 334 corresponds to the position of the discharge port 6. The ice block conveying device (including the shaped funnel, rotating motor, and ice-dispensing disc) can effectively and smoothly convey the made ice blocks to the discharge port, avoiding ice block blockage or accumulation, and ensuring continuous ice supply capacity. It can automatically clean and antibacterially treat the ice blocks in the conveying path, solving the problem of traditional ice machine ice blocks being easily contaminated by bacteria from the source, significantly improving the hygiene and safety of ice blocks, and reducing the frequency and difficulty of manual cleaning.

[0017] The ice-dispensing disc 333 includes a circular base 3331, a cross-shaped ice-breaking blade 3332 mounted on the circular base 3331, and ice-dispensing protrusions 3333 evenly distributed around the circumference of the circular base 3331. The cross-shaped ice-breaking blade 3332 is used to break up ice blocks, and the ice-dispensing protrusions 3333 are used to push the broken ice blocks to the ice-drain vent 334. The design of the cross-shaped ice-breaking blade can effectively break up large or sticky ice blocks, solving the problem of blockage caused by ice block agglomeration during transportation, ensuring the smooth transportation of ice blocks, and producing smaller and more uniform ice blocks. Combined with the evenly distributed circumferential ice-dispensing protrusions... The ice-discharging protrusion can more efficiently and stably push ice blocks to the ice outlet, avoiding ice block accumulation in the conveying device, improving ice discharging speed and efficiency. By breaking large ice blocks, it reduces the impact and wear of ice blocks on the conveying mechanism, lowers the equipment failure rate, and extends the service life of the ice maker. The antibacterial cleaning water spray device 34 includes a mounting base 341 connected to the inner wall of the housing 1. A water spray pipe assembly 342 is installed on the mounting base 341. The water spray pipe assembly 342 has several evenly distributed water spray holes 343. The water spray pipe assembly 342 is connected to an external liquid supply source through a connecting pipe 344 for discharging water into the irregular funnel 3. The 31-inch internal spray system sprays antibacterial cleaning fluid to achieve antibacterial cleaning. The spray pipe assembly is connected to the inner wall of the housing via a mounting base, ensuring the stable installation and positioning of the antibacterial cleaning spray device. Its design purpose is to spray antibacterial cleaning fluid into the irregularly shaped funnel, a critical area for ice collection and transport, where the risk of bacterial growth is high. Therefore, it can precisely clean easily contaminated areas. Simultaneously, the rotation of the ice-dispensing plate completes the overall cleaning of the irregularly shaped funnel, especially when the machine has no ice or at night, enabling self-cleaning and reducing manual cleaning. Several evenly spaced spray nozzles are provided on the spray pipe assembly. The spray nozzles on the cloth ensure that the antibacterial cleaning solution is evenly sprayed onto the entire inner surface of the irregularly shaped funnel in the form of atomized or fine water streams, achieving thorough cleaning and antibacterial action without dead angles. This maximizes the killing of bacteria and inhibits the growth of microorganisms. The connection to an external liquid supply source via a connecting pipe makes it very convenient to replenish, replace, or select the antibacterial cleaning solution. Users can select different types of cleaning agents as needed without opening the machine, improving the convenience and safety of maintenance. Regular or automatic spraying of the antibacterial cleaning solution can effectively remove ice residue and potential biofilm, fundamentally ensuring the hygienic quality of the ice produced.The ice-making space 4 is equipped with a condenser 41, an ice-making tray 42, a water outlet device 43, a circulating water pump 44, and a water collection tray 45. The water outlet device 43 supplies ice-making water to the ice-making tray 42. The condenser 41 works with the compressor 31 to provide cooling for the ice-making process. The water collection tray 45 is located below the ice-making tray 42 to collect excess water from the ice-making process. The water collection tray 45 is connected to the water outlet device 43 via the circulating water pump 44, realizing the circulating supply of ice-making water. The water circulation system ensures that the ice-making water tank always has enough ice-making water, eliminating the need for frequent manual water filling, ensuring the continuity and stability of the ice-making process, and improving ice-making efficiency. The design of the water collection tray effectively avoids excess water droplets during the ice-making process. Overflowing water keeps the ice-making space clean and dry, reducing the risk of bacterial growth on the outside of the equipment due to water accumulation. The surface of the ice-making tray 42 is covered with an antibacterial coating, which has a continuous antibacterial effect, eliminating the need for frequent manual cleaning, greatly reducing the frequency and workload of maintenance, and extending the cleaning cycle of the ice-making tray. The bottom surface of the water receiving tray 45 is designed as an inclined surface facing the inlet of the circulating water pump 44, and a drain valve 46 is set at the lowest point of the water receiving tray 45 to drain the wastewater after cleaning. The antibacterial cleaning spray device 34 is also externally connected to a controller, which can automatically start the spray function to spray cleaning after detecting that there are no ice blocks in the irregular funnel 331.

[0018] Working principle: After the ice maker starts, the compressor 31 and condenser 41 work together to provide cooling to the ice-making tray 42; the water outlet device 43 sends ice-making water to the ice-making tray 42, and the water freezes into ice upon contact with the condenser. The excess water from ice making falls into the water receiving tray 45 and is then returned to the water outlet device 43 by the circulating water pump 44, thus realizing water circulation; the antibacterial coating on the surface of the ice-making tray 42 continuously prevents bacteria; after the ice blocks are demolded, they fall into the ice block conveying device 33, and the rotating motor 332 drives the ice-dispensing plate 333 to rotate. The cross-shaped ice-breaking blades 3332 break up large / sticky ice blocks, and the ice-dispensing protrusions 3333 push the ice crushed into the ice. The irregularly shaped funnel 331 allows crushed ice to slide along to the ice outlet 334 and fall into the cup tray 7 through the discharge port 6. When the controller detects that there is no ice in the irregularly shaped funnel 331 through the sensor, it triggers the cleaning function. An external liquid supply source sends antibacterial cleaning liquid to the water spray pipe assembly 342 through the connecting pipe 344. The water spray pipe assembly 342 sprays the liquid evenly onto the inner wall of the irregularly shaped funnel 331 through the water spray holes 343 (which can be linked to the ice-dispensing plate 333 to rotate at low speed to assist in cleaning). The bottom of the irregularly shaped funnel 331 is provided with a discharge hole to discharge wastewater, thereby completing the self-cleaning function.

[0019] It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the present invention is not limited to the details of the exemplary embodiments described above, and that the invention can be implemented in other specific forms without departing from its spirit or essential characteristics. Therefore, the embodiments should be considered in all respects as exemplary and non-limiting, and the scope of the invention is defined by the appended claims rather than the foregoing description. Thus, all variations falling within the meaning and scope of equivalents of the claims are intended to be included within the present invention. No reference numerals in the claims should be construed as limiting the scope of the claims.

[0020] Furthermore, it should be understood that although this specification describes embodiments, not every embodiment contains only one independent technical solution. This narrative style is merely for clarity. Those skilled in the art should consider the specification as a whole, and 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.

Claims

1. A high-efficiency ice maker with automatic antibacterial and cleaning function, comprising a housing (1), characterized in that: The shell (1) is provided with a layered shelf (2) for layered support of ice making space, and the shell (1) has an ice making space (4) and a refrigeration component space (3) below the ice making space (4), and the shell (1) is provided with a switch door (5) on one side, and the switch door (5) is provided with a discharge port (6) corresponding to the position of the refrigeration component space (3), and a cup loading plate (7) is arranged below the discharge port (6), and the cup loading plate (7) is used for receiving ice blocks discharged from the discharge port (6), and the shell (1) is provided with a heat dissipation grille (8) on one side of the upper end, and the refrigeration component space (3) comprises a compressor (31) and an electromagnetic valve (32) connected with the compressor (31), and the compressor (31) cooperates with the electromagnetic valve (32) to provide refrigeration power for the ice making space (4), and the refrigeration component space (3) is provided with an ice block conveying device (33), and the ice block conveying device (33) is further provided with a bacteriostatic cleaning water spraying device (34) above, and the ice block conveying device (33) comprises a special-shaped hopper (331), a rotating motor (332) and an ice pushing plate (333) driven to rotate by the rotating motor (332), and the ice pushing plate (333) is used for pushing ice blocks to the ice discharge port (334) of the special-shaped hopper (331), and the ice discharge port (334) corresponds to the position of the discharge port (6).

2. The high-efficiency ice maker with automatic bacteria-inhibiting and cleaning functions according to claim 1, characterized in that: The ice pushing plate (333) comprises a circular bottom plate (3331), a cross ice breaking knife (3332) arranged on the circular bottom plate (3331), and a plurality of ice pushing bosses (3333) uniformly distributed along the circumference of the circular bottom plate (3331), the cross ice breaking knife (3332) is used for breaking ice blocks, and the ice pushing boss (3333) is used for pushing the broken ice blocks to the ice discharge port (334).

3. The high-efficiency ice maker with automatic bacteria-inhibiting and cleaning functions according to claim 2, characterized in that: The bacteriostatic cleaning water spraying device (34) comprises a mounting seat (341) connected with the inner wall of the shell (1), a water spraying pipe group (342) is mounted on the mounting seat (341), a plurality of water spraying holes (343) are arranged on the water spraying pipe group (342), and the water spraying pipe group (342) is communicated with an external liquid supply source through a connecting pipe (344) to spray bacteriostatic cleaning liquid into the special-shaped hopper (331) to achieve bacteriostatic cleaning.

4. The high-efficiency ice maker with automatic bacteria-inhibiting and cleaning functions according to claim 3, characterized in that: The ice making space (4) is provided with a condenser (41), an ice making plate (42), a water outlet device (43), a circulating water pump (44) and a water receiving plate (45), the water outlet device (43) is used for conveying ice making water to the ice making plate (42), the condenser (41) cooperates with the compressor (31) to provide cold energy for the ice making process, the water receiving plate (45) is arranged below the ice making plate (42) to receive ice making residual water, and the water receiving plate (45) is communicated with the water outlet device (43) through the circulating water pump (44) to realize the circulation of ice making water supply.

5. The high-efficiency ice maker with automatic bacteria-inhibiting and cleaning functions according to claim 4, characterized in that: The surface of the ice making plate (42) is covered with a bacteriostatic coating.

6. The high-efficiency ice maker with automatic bacteria-inhibiting and cleaning functions according to claim 5, characterized in that: The bottom surface of the water pan (45) is designed as an inclined surface inclined towards the water inlet of the circulating water pump (44), and a drain valve (46) is arranged at the lowest part of the water pan (45) and used for discharging cleaned sewage.

7. The high-efficiency ice maker with automatic bacteria-inhibiting and cleaning functions according to claim 6, characterized in that: The bacteriostatic cleaning water spraying device (34) is further connected with a controller, and after detecting that there is no ice block in the special-shaped funnel (331), the spraying function can be automatically started for spraying cleaning.

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