Water purifying and drinking machine

Abstract

The invention discloses a water purifying and drinking machine which comprises a shell provided with a crushed ice outlet and a whole ice outlet; the ice making assembly is arranged in the shell and comprises an ice making mechanism and an ice storage box, the ice making mechanism is located above the ice storage box and used for condensing ice blocks, the ice storage box is provided with an ice storage outlet, and the ice storage outlet communicates with the crushed ice outlet and the whole ice outlet; the ice crushing assembly is arranged in the shell and located at the crushed ice outlet; the spiral ice outlet assembly is arranged in the ice storage box, and the spiral ice outlet assembly is used for guiding ice blocks from the ice storage outlet to the crushed ice outlet or the whole ice outlet. According to the water purifying and drinking machine, the linkage performance of ice making, ice unloading, ice storage and ice discharging can be improved, the ice making efficiency is higher, ice discharging is smoother, automatic switching between whole ice discharging and broken ice discharging can be achieved, and the user practical experience is better.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of water purifier technology, and in particular to a water purifier. Background Technology

[0002] Water purifiers in related technologies are usually equipped with an ice-making structure, which can freeze water into ice cubes. After the ice is removed, the ice cubes can be guided into the ice storage box through components such as ice guide plates for easy access by users.

[0003] However, due to the unreasonable structural design of the water purifiers in the relevant technologies, after the ice is removed, the ice guide plate needs to be moved or adjusted to guide the ice into the ice storage box, which increases the time of a single ice-making cycle and affects the ice-making efficiency. Moreover, since the water purifier can only produce whole blocks of ice or crushed ice, the ice-making function of the water purifier is limited. In addition, the linkage between ice making, ice storage and ice dispensing of the water purifier is poor, and it is not possible to smoothly realize ice making and ice dispensing. Problems such as ice jamming or uneven ice dispensing are prone to occur, resulting in a poor user experience. Summary of the Invention

[0004] This invention aims to at least solve one of the technical problems existing in the prior art. Therefore, one objective of this invention is to provide a water purifier that not only improves the coordination of ice making, ice removal, ice storage, and ice dispensing, resulting in higher ice making efficiency and smoother ice dispensing, but also enables automatic switching between dispensing whole ice and crushed ice, providing a better user experience.

[0005] To achieve the above objectives, an embodiment of the present invention provides a water purifier, comprising: a housing having a crushed ice outlet and a whole ice outlet; an ice-making assembly disposed within the housing and including an ice-making mechanism and an ice storage box, the ice-making mechanism being located above the ice storage box and used for condensing ice cubes, the ice storage box having an ice storage outlet communicating with both the crushed ice outlet and the whole ice outlet; an ice-crushing assembly disposed within the housing and located at the crushed ice outlet; and a spiral ice-discharging assembly disposed within the ice storage box and used to guide ice cubes from the ice storage box to the crushed ice outlet or the whole ice outlet.

[0006] Therefore, the water purifier according to the present invention can not only improve the linkage between ice making, ice removal, ice storage and ice dispensing, resulting in higher ice making efficiency and smoother ice dispensing, but also achieve automatic switching between dispensing whole ice and crushed ice, providing a better user experience.

[0007] According to some embodiments of the present invention, the ice crushing assembly is located directly below the ice storage outlet and communicates with the ice crushing outlet.

[0008] According to some embodiments of the present invention, the crushed ice outlet is adjacent to the ice storage outlet, and the whole ice outlet is located in front of the crushed ice outlet.

[0009] According to some embodiments of the present invention, the water purifier further includes: an ice dispensing valve assembly, which is disposed inside the housing and located in front of the ice storage outlet, and is used to close the ice storage outlet or connect the ice storage outlet to the crushed ice outlet or the whole ice outlet.

[0010] According to some embodiments of the present invention, the housing has a first side in a first direction, the crushed ice outlet and the whole ice outlet are adjacent to the first side of the housing, and the ice storage outlet faces the first side of the housing along the first direction, and the ice outlet valve assembly is disposed above the crushed ice outlet and the whole ice outlet.

[0011] According to some embodiments of the present invention, the ice outlet valve assembly includes: a valve seat fixed within the housing; a valve rotatably connected within the valve seat; and a first drive motor mounted on the valve seat and pulsatorically connected to the valve, the first drive motor driving the valve to rotate to close the ice storage outlet or control the ice storage outlet to communicate with the crushed ice outlet or the whole ice outlet.

[0012] According to some embodiments of the present invention, the valve has switchable first, second, and third positions; wherein, when the valve is in the first position, the valve closes the whole ice outlet and opens the crushed ice outlet and the ice storage outlet; when the valve is in the second position, the valve closes the crushed ice outlet and opens the whole ice outlet and the ice storage outlet; and when the valve is in the third position, the valve closes the ice storage outlet.

[0013] According to some embodiments of the present invention, the spiral ice dispensing assembly includes: a second drive motor, the second drive motor being fixed relative to the housing; and a spiral blade, the spiral blade being rotatably disposed within the ice storage box, one end of the spiral blade extending from the ice storage outlet and being drively connected to the second drive motor.

[0014] According to some embodiments of the present invention, the water purifier further includes: a plurality of ice cube detection sensors, at least one of the plurality of ice cube detection sensors being disposed at the bottom of the ice storage box, and at least another of the plurality of ice cube detection sensors being adjacent to the ice storage outlet, so as to detect whether the ice storage box is short of ice or full of ice.

[0015] According to some embodiments of the present invention, the ice storage box includes: an ice storage section for storing ice blocks, and the ice storage section forms the ice storage outlet; and an ice guide section disposed below the ice-making mechanism, the ice guide section being connected to the ice storage section and extending downward at an inclination toward the ice storage section, wherein ice blocks de-iced by the ice-making mechanism slide along the ice guide section to the ice storage section.

[0016] According to some embodiments of the present invention, the ice-making assembly further includes: a spraying device, the spraying device being disposed below the ice-guiding part, and the ice-guiding part being provided with a spraying clearance hole, the spraying device spraying water upward through the spraying clearance hole to the ice-making box.

[0017] Additional aspects and advantages of the invention will be set forth in part in the description which follows, and in part will be obvious from the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention. Attached Figure Description

[0018] The above and / or additional aspects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent and readily understood from the description of the embodiments taken in conjunction with the following drawings, in which: Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a water purifier according to an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 2 This is a cross-sectional view of a water purifier according to an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 3 This is an exploded view of a water purifier according to an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 4 This is another exploded view of a water purifier according to an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the assembly structure of the ice discharge valve assembly and the spiral ice discharge assembly according to an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the ice discharge valve assembly according to an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the spiral ice-discharging assembly according to an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of an ice storage box according to an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 9 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of an ice storage box according to another embodiment of the present invention.

[0019] Figure label: 1. Water purifier; 100. Shell; 110. Crushed ice outlet; 120. Whole ice outlet; 200. Ice-making assembly; 210. Ice-making mechanism; 211. Ice container; 212. Spray device; 220. Ice storage container; 221. Ice guide section; 222. Spray clearance hole; 223. Ice storage section; 224. Ice storage outlet; 225. Drain hole; 300. Ice crushing component; 310. Feed inlet; 320. Discharge outlet; 400. Spiral ice-discharging assembly; 410. Spiral blades; 430. Second drive motor; 500, Ice discharge valve assembly; 510, Valve seat; 520, Valve; 530, First drive motor; 600, Ice Detection Sensor; 700, Ice Chamber. Detailed Implementation

[0020] Embodiments of the present invention are described in detail below. Examples of these embodiments are shown in the accompanying drawings, wherein the same or similar reference numerals denote the same or similar elements or elements having the same or similar functions throughout. The embodiments described below with reference to the accompanying drawings are exemplary and are only used to explain the present invention, and should not be construed as limiting the present invention.

[0021] In the description of this invention, it should be understood that the terms "center," "longitudinal," "lateral," "length," "width," "thickness," "upper," "lower," "front," "rear," "left," "right," "vertical," "horizontal," "top," "bottom," "inner," "outer," "axial," "radial," and "circumferential" indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings. They are used only for the convenience of describing this invention and simplifying the description, and are not intended to indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, they should not be construed as limitations on this invention.

[0022] In the description of this invention, "first feature" and "second feature" may include one or more of the features.

[0023] In the description of this invention, "a plurality of" means two or more, and "several" means one or more.

[0024] The water purifier 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention is described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0025] like Figures 1-9 As shown in the attached diagram, the up-down direction is the up-down direction of the water purifier 1, the left-right direction is the left-right direction of the water purifier 1, and the front-back direction is the front-back direction of the water purifier 1.

[0026] The water purifier 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a housing 100, an ice-making component 200, an ice-crushing component 300, and a spiral ice-dispensing component 400.

[0027] The housing 100 is provided with a crushed ice outlet 110 and a whole ice outlet 120. The ice-making component 200 is located inside the housing 100 and includes an ice-making mechanism 210 and an ice storage box 220. The ice-making mechanism 210 is located above the ice storage box 220 and is used to condense ice. The ice storage box 220 has an ice storage outlet 224, which is connected to the crushed ice outlet 110 and the whole ice outlet 120 respectively. The crushed ice component 300 is located inside the housing 100 and at the crushed ice outlet 110. The inlet 310 of the crushed ice component 300 is located below the ice storage outlet 224 and the outlet 320 of the crushed ice component 300 is connected to the crushed ice outlet 110. The spiral ice-discharging component 400 is located inside the ice storage box 220 and is used to guide the ice in the ice storage box 220 from the ice storage outlet 224 to the crushed ice outlet 110 or the whole ice outlet 120.

[0028] According to the embodiments of the present invention, the ice-making mechanism 210 is located above the ice storage box 220. This means that the ice-making mechanism 210 can be located above a local area of ​​the ice storage box 220. This allows the ice storage box 220 itself to collect and guide the ice blocks that have detached from the ice-making mechanism 210. In other words, the ice blocks can fall directly into the ice storage box 220 after detaching from the ice-making mechanism 210. This eliminates the need for additional components such as ice guide plates to guide the ice blocks, which helps to increase the time of a single ice-making cycle and improve the ice-making efficiency of the water purifier 1.

[0029] In addition, by setting a spiral ice dispensing component 400 inside the ice storage box 220, the ice blocks can be automatically conveyed to the ice storage outlet 224 to achieve automatic ice dispensing. Furthermore, the ice storage outlet 224 is connected to both the crushed ice outlet 110 and the whole ice outlet 120. In this way, the ice blocks delivered from the ice storage outlet 224 can be directly guided to either the crushed ice outlet 110 or the whole ice outlet 120. That is, the ice blocks can choose to slide out from either the whole ice outlet 120 or the crushed ice outlet 110. Specifically, when the user selects the water purifier 1 to dispense crushed ice, the spiral ice dispensing component 400 can convey ice cubes to the ice storage outlet 224. The water purifier 1 can then choose to guide the ice cubes to the ice crushing component 300, which will then crush the ice cubes. The crushed ice can then be output through the ice crushing outlet 110. When the user selects the water purifier 1 to dispense whole ice, the spiral ice dispensing component 400 can convey ice cubes to the ice storage outlet 224. The water purifier 1 can then choose to directly guide the ice cubes from the ice storage outlet 224 to the whole ice outlet 120, thus enabling the water purifier 1 to dispense whole ice.

[0030] In summary, the water purifier 1 can dispense both whole ice and crushed ice, offering a richer ice-dispensing function and a better user experience. Moreover, the water purifier 1 can coordinate the steps of ice making, ice removal, ice storage, and dispensing whole or crushed ice, making it less prone to problems such as ice jams or uneven ice dispensing, thus ensuring smoother ice making and dispensing.

[0031] Furthermore, by setting a spiral ice dispensing component 400 inside the ice storage box 220 and setting an ice crushing component 300 at the ice crushing outlet 110, the present invention can avoid the interference of component movement caused by the crowded internal structure of the ice storage box 220, and the ice crushing component 300 can be directly discharged from the ice crushing outlet 110, thereby avoiding problems such as ice crushing contaminating the whole ice channel. The internal component layout structure of the water purifier 1 is more reasonable.

[0032] Thus, the water purifier 1 according to the present invention can not only improve the linkage between ice making, ice removal, ice storage and ice dispensing, resulting in higher ice making efficiency and smoother ice dispensing, but also achieve automatic switching between dispensing whole ice and crushed ice, providing a better user experience.

[0033] In some specific embodiments of the present invention, such as Figure 2 As shown, the ice crushing component 300 is located directly below the ice storage outlet 224 and is connected to the ice crushing outlet 110. This arrangement allows ice blocks from the ice storage outlet 224 to fall directly into the ice crushing component 300 under gravity when ice needs to be crushed. This not only facilitates ice dispensing but also eliminates the need for additional components to guide the ice blocks, thus simplifying the structure of the water purifier 1 and the ice dispensing process. The smoother ice dispensing process also prevents ice jamming.

[0034] Specifically, the ice crushing assembly 300 may be provided with an inlet 310 and an outlet 320. The inlet 310 may be arranged horizontally and located directly below the ice storage outlet 224, so that the ice blocks sent from the ice storage outlet 224 can fall directly into the ice crushing assembly 300 through the inlet 310 for crushing. In addition, the outlet 320 may be adjacent to the lower side of the ice crushing assembly 300 and connected to the ice crushing outlet 110. The crushed ice after being crushed by the ice crushing assembly 300 can be discharged from the outlet 320 to the ice crushing outlet 110, and then the crushed ice can be discharged through the ice crushing outlet 110.

[0035] In some specific embodiments of the present invention, such as Figure 2 As shown, the crushed ice outlet 110 is adjacent to the ice storage outlet 224, and the solid ice outlet 120 is located in front of the crushed ice outlet 110. That is, the crushed ice assembly 300 can be adjacent to the ice storage outlet 224.

[0036] It is understandable that the ice crushing component 300 needs to occupy a certain space for installation and fixation. If the ice crushing component 300 is fixed against the wall of the housing 100, the installation is easily restricted and may cause space waste. In this invention, the ice crushing component 300 is set at the ice crushing outlet 110, and by setting the ice crushing outlet 110 adjacent to the ice storage outlet 224, the ice crushing component 300 can be set close to the interior of the housing 100, which facilitates the layout and fixation of the ice crushing component 300, and makes the arrangement of the components of the water purifier 1 more compact, so as to further miniaturize the water purifier 1.

[0037] Furthermore, by arranging the whole ice outlet 120 and the crushed ice outlet 110 adjacent to each other in the front-to-back direction, with the crushed ice outlet 110 near the ice storage outlet 224, ice cubes can fall from the ice storage outlet 224 into the crushed ice outlet 110 under gravity. This allows the ice cubes to enter the crushing component 300 more smoothly, eliminating the need for an additional guide structure. This simplifies the structure of the water purifier 1 and facilitates guiding the ice cubes from the ice storage outlet 224 to either the whole ice outlet 120 or the crushed ice outlet 110. The ice dispensing process of the water purifier 1 is simpler, making it easier to switch between dispensing whole ice and crushed ice. In addition, this arrangement allows the crushed ice outlet 110 and the whole ice outlet 120 to be set independently, avoiding interference between the two ice dispensing paths. This allows the ice dispensing valve component 500 to more precisely control the on / off state of the crushed ice outlet 110 and the whole ice outlet 120, enabling the water purifier 1 to switch stably between crushed ice mode and whole ice mode.

[0038] In some specific embodiments of the present invention, such as Figure 2 and Figure 3 As shown, the water purifier 1 also includes an ice dispensing valve assembly 500.

[0039] The ice discharge valve assembly 500 is located inside the housing 100 and in front of the ice storage outlet 224. The ice discharge valve assembly 500 is used to close the ice storage outlet 224 or connect the ice storage outlet 224 to the crushed ice outlet 110 or the whole ice outlet 120.

[0040] Specifically, the ice outlet valve assembly 500 is used to close the ice storage outlet 224 or connect the ice storage outlet 224 to the crushed ice outlet 110 or the whole ice outlet 120. This means that the ice outlet valve assembly 500 can directly close the ice storage outlet 224, meaning the ice storage outlet 224 is not connected to either the crushed ice outlet 110 or the whole ice outlet 120; or, the ice outlet valve assembly 500 can connect the ice storage outlet 224 to the crushed ice outlet 110 and disconnect it from the whole ice outlet 120. In this case, the ice blocks in the ice storage box 220 can slide through the ice storage outlet 224 to the crushing ice assembly 300 for crushing, and then be output through the crushed ice outlet 110; or, the ice outlet valve assembly 500 can connect the ice storage outlet 224 to the whole ice outlet 120 and disconnect it from the crushed ice outlet 110. In this case, the ice blocks in the ice storage box 220 can slide through the ice storage outlet 224 to the whole ice outlet 120 and be output as whole ice through the whole ice outlet 120. Therefore, the ice dispensing valve assembly 500 can control the connection and closure of the ice storage outlet 224, the crushed ice outlet 110, and the whole ice outlet 120, thereby enabling the water purifier 1 to switch between three modes: dispensing ice, dispensing whole ice, and dispensing crushed ice, to meet the user's needs.

[0041] In addition, by placing the ice dispensing valve assembly 500 directly in front of the ice storage outlet 224, the layout of the water purifier 1 in the front-back direction can be effectively utilized. It is also convenient to open or close the ice storage outlet 224 using the ice dispensing valve assembly 500, so as to realize the connection between the ice storage outlet 224 and the crushed ice outlet 110 or the whole ice outlet 120. This further simplifies the switching of the ice dispensing state of the water purifier 1, making the ice dispensing of the water purifier 1 smoother and improving the smoothness of ice making, ice removal and ice dispensing of the water purifier 1.

[0042] Furthermore, by setting the ice valve assembly 500 in the housing 100, there is no need to set multiple valve bodies to control the opening and closing of multiple outlets. The structure is simple and reasonable, easy to assemble, and can simplify the structure of the water purifier 1. Users can adjust the state of the ice valve assembly 500 according to actual needs so that the water purifier 1 outputs whole ice or crushed ice to better meet user needs.

[0043] In some specific embodiments of the present invention, the housing 100 has a first side in a first direction, and the crushed ice outlet 110 and the whole ice outlet 120 are adjacent to the first side of the housing 100.

[0044] For example, such as Figure 2 As shown, the first direction can be the front-to-back direction of the housing 100, and the first side can be the front side of the housing 100. That is, the crushed ice outlet 110 and the whole ice outlet 120 can be adjacent to the front side of the housing 100, which makes it convenient for users to take ice. The ice storage outlet 224 faces the front side of the housing 100, and the ice outlet valve assembly 500 is located above the crushed ice outlet 110 and the whole ice outlet 120.

[0045] Furthermore, the ice storage outlet 224 faces the first side of the housing 100 along the first direction, that is, the ice storage outlet 224 faces the front side of the housing 100. This arrangement allows the ice storage outlet 224 to be adjacent to the crushed ice outlet 110 and the whole ice outlet 120, thereby shortening the conveying path of ice from the ice storage box 220 to the crushed ice outlet 110 and the whole ice outlet 120, facilitating ice dispensing. Moreover, facing the front side of the housing 100 with the ice storage outlet 224 makes it easier for users to clean the inside of the ice storage box 220 from the front, that is, it makes it easier for users to clean the ice storage area of ​​the water purifier 1, making operation more convenient.

[0046] In addition, the ice dispensing valve assembly 500 can be located directly above the crushed ice outlet 110 and the whole ice outlet 120. That is, the ice dispensing valve assembly 500 can be arranged vertically with the crushed ice outlet 110 and the whole ice outlet 120. In this way, the ice storage box 220, the ice dispensing valve assembly 500, the crushed ice outlet 110 and the whole ice outlet 120 can be arranged vertically and horizontally to make full use of the space of the housing 100 in the vertical and horizontal directions. The component layout of the water purifier 1 can be more compact, avoiding space waste. The layout is reasonable and makes it easy to control the state of dispensing whole ice or crushed ice using the ice dispensing valve assembly 500.

[0047] In some specific embodiments of the present invention, such as Figure 5 and Figure 6 As shown, the ice discharge valve assembly 500 includes a valve seat 510, a valve 520, and a first drive motor 530.

[0048] The valve seat 510 is fixed inside the housing 100, and the valve 520 is rotatably connected inside the valve seat 510. The first drive motor 530 is installed on the valve seat 510 and is connected to the valve 520 in a transmission manner. The first drive motor 530 drives the valve 520 to rotate, so as to close the ice storage outlet 224 or control the ice storage outlet 224 to connect with the crushed ice outlet 110 or the whole ice outlet 120.

[0049] The valve 520 can be constructed in an arc shape, so that the valve 520 can better cooperate with the valve seat 510 to improve the sealing performance of the ice storage outlet 224, the crushed ice outlet 110 and the whole ice outlet 120. In addition, the valve 520 itself can guide the ice blocks. When the valve 520 closes the whole ice outlet 120, the ice blocks falling on the valve 520 can be guided by the valve 520 to the crushed ice outlet 110. When the valve 520 closes the crushed ice outlet 110, the ice blocks falling on the valve 520 can be guided by the valve 520 to the whole ice outlet 120.

[0050] Moreover, by driving the valve 520 through the first drive motor 530, the ice storage outlet 224, the crushed ice outlet 110, and the whole ice outlet 120 can be controlled to switch between three working modes: whole ice, crushed ice, and ice stop. This eliminates the need for multiple independent valves 520 to control the opening and closing of each outlet, which not only simplifies the structure of the water purifier 1 and facilitates assembly, but also improves the space utilization rate inside the housing 100. As a result, the internal layout of the water purifier 1 can be more compact, and a miniaturized overall layout can be achieved.

[0051] Specifically, such as Figure 2 As shown, valve 520 has switchable first position, second position and third position.

[0052] When valve 520 is in the first position, valve 520 closes the whole ice outlet 120 and opens the crushed ice outlet 110 and the ice storage outlet 224. At this time, the ice storage outlet 224 can be connected to the crushed ice outlet 110. The ice in the ice storage box 220 can slide into the ice crushing component 300 through the ice storage outlet 224. The ice crushing component 300 can crush the whole ice into crushed ice and discharge it from the crushed ice outlet 110, so that the water purifier 1 is in the crushed ice mode.

[0053] In addition, when valve 520 is in the second position, valve 520 closes the crushed ice outlet 110 and opens the whole ice outlet 120 and the ice storage outlet 224. At this time, the ice storage outlet 224 is connected to the whole ice outlet 120, and ice blocks can slide from the ice storage box 220 through the ice storage outlet 224 to the whole ice outlet 120 and be discharged directly, so that the water purifier 1 is in the whole ice mode.

[0054] Furthermore, when valve 520 is in the third position, valve 520 closes the ice storage outlet 224. That is, the ice storage outlet 224 can be disconnected from both the crushed ice outlet 110 and the whole ice outlet 120, so that ice cannot be discharged from the ice storage box 220, and the water purifier 1 is in a stopped ice dispensing state. Moreover, with this setting, when the water purifier 1 stops dispensing ice, the ice dispensing valve assembly 500 can also be used to seal the ice storage outlet 224 to prevent ice from falling out, and to prevent external dust and impurities from entering the ice storage box 220 through the ice storage outlet 224, thereby ensuring the cleanliness of the inside of the ice storage box 220 and the cleanliness of the ice inside the ice storage box 220.

[0055] In some specific embodiments of the present invention, such as Figure 5 and Figure 7 As shown, the spiral ice-discharging assembly 400 includes a second drive motor 430 and a spiral blade 410.

[0056] The second drive motor 430 is fixed relative to the housing 100, and the spiral blade 410 is rotatably disposed in the ice storage box 220. One end of the spiral blade 410 extends out from the ice storage outlet 224 and is connected to the second drive motor 430 for transmission.

[0057] The second drive motor 430 can be fixed to the valve seat 510, allowing it to drive the spiral blades 410 to rotate. The spiral blades 410 then gradually push the ice blocks at the bottom of the ice storage box 220 towards the ice storage outlet 224, thus ejecting the ice blocks from the ice storage box 220 through the outlet 224. Therefore, this invention can automate the ice dispensing process by driving the ice blocks with the spiral ice dispensing assembly 400, improving both dispensing efficiency and convenience, resulting in a better user experience.

[0058] In some specific embodiments of the present invention, such as Figure 3 As shown, the water purifier 1 also includes a plurality of ice cube detection sensors 600. At least one of the plurality of ice cube detection sensors 600 is located at the bottom of the ice storage box 220, and at least another of the plurality of ice cube detection sensors 600 is adjacent to the ice storage outlet 224 to detect whether the ice storage box 220 is short of ice or full of ice.

[0059] For example, the multiple ice detection sensors 600 may include a first sensor and a second sensor. The first sensor may be located at the end of the ice storage box 220 near the ice storage outlet 224, and the second sensor may be located at the bottom of the ice storage box 220. The two sensors may be located on the same straight line. The ice storage box 220 faces the ice storage outlet 224 in the front-to-back direction and extends upward at an angle. When the ice inside the ice storage box 220 is full, the ice near the ice storage outlet 224 can block the signal path between the first sensor and the second sensor. At this time, after the controller of the water purifier 1 receives the "full ice" signal, it can control the ice making mechanism 210 to stop operating to avoid over-making ice.

[0060] Additionally, a third sensor can be installed near the ice storage outlet 224 in the ice storage box 220 to detect the actual ice dispensing status of the outlet 224, thus detecting whether the ice storage box 220 is short of ice. For example, the third sensor can be preset to a time period, such as 5 seconds, 8 seconds, 10 seconds, or 12 seconds, but not limited to these. If the third sensor does not detect ice passing through the ice storage outlet 224 within the preset time period, it can be determined that the ice storage box 220 is short of ice. In this case, the third sensor can send a signal to the controller to control the ice-making mechanism 210 to restart ice making.

[0061] In summary, by working together, multiple ice detection sensors 600 can form a closed-loop control logic. When the ice storage box 220 is full of ice, the ice-making mechanism 210 can be controlled to stop making ice in time to avoid over-making ice and causing ice to overflow. When the ice storage box 220 is short of ice, the ice-making mechanism 210 can be controlled to make ice in time to avoid the ice storage box 220 being short of ice for a long time, so as to facilitate user use and further improve the ice-making intelligence of the water purifier 1.

[0062] In some specific embodiments of the present invention, such as Figure 4 , Figure 8 and Figure 9 As shown, the ice storage box 220 includes an ice storage section 223 and an ice guiding section 221.

[0063] The ice storage section 223 is used to store ice blocks. The ice guide section 221 is located below the ice making mechanism 210. The ice guide section 221 is connected to the ice storage section 223 and extends downward in a direction close to the ice storage section 223. The ice blocks after the ice making mechanism 210 de-ices slide along the ice guide section 221 to the ice storage section 223.

[0064] With this configuration, the ice cubes after being de-iced from the ice-making mechanism 210 can fall onto the ice guide section 221 under their own gravity, and the ice cubes can slide into the ice storage section 223 along the inclined ice guide section 221. That is, the ice storage box 220 itself can collect and store the de-iced ice cubes, thus eliminating the need for additional ice guide components to guide the ice cubes. This simplifies the structure of the ice-making component 200. Furthermore, there is no need to adjust the position of the ice guide section 221 during the ice-making and de-icing processes, making the ice-making and de-icing steps simpler and shortening the time of a single ice-making cycle, thereby improving the reliability and ice-making efficiency of the water purifier 1.

[0065] In some specific embodiments of the present invention, such as Figure 3 and Figure 4 As shown, the ice-making assembly 200 also includes a spray device 212.

[0066] The ice-making mechanism 210 may include ice boxes 211, which are spaced above the ice-guiding section 221 and are used to condense ice. The spraying device 212 is located below the ice-guiding section 221 and the ice-guiding section 221 is provided with spray avoidance holes 222. The spraying device 212 sprays water upward through the spray avoidance holes 222 onto the ice boxes 211.

[0067] With this configuration, the spray device 212 will not interfere with the position of the de-iced ice, so that the ice-making mechanism 210 can de-ice. Moreover, the spray avoidance hole 222 can avoid the water sprayed by the spray device 212. That is, the ice guide part 221 will not block the spray device 212 from spraying water onto the ice-making mechanism 210, so that the ice can be condensed by the ice-making mechanism 210. The structural configuration is more reasonable.

[0068] The ice-making component 200 may be equipped with a driving mechanism, such as a centrifugal pump. The driving mechanism can pump water to the spray device 212, and the spray device 212 can spray water through the spray avoidance hole 222 to the ice-making box 211. The ice-making box 211 can cool the water and cause it to freeze into ice. After the ice is formed, the ice-making box 211 is heated to remove the ice. The ice that is removed from the ice-making box 211 can fall onto the ice guide section 221 and slide along the ice guide section 221 into the ice storage section 223. Thus, the spray ice making, ice removal and ice storage of the water purifier 1 can be completed. The structure is simple and reasonable and is conducive to improving the ice making efficiency.

[0069] In addition, such as Figure 4 As shown, the ice guiding part 221 may be provided with a drain hole 225. The drain hole 225 is close to the ice storage part 223 and is located between the ice storage part 223 and the spray avoidance hole 222. The drain hole 225 is used to return the water on the ice guiding part 221 to the ice tank 700 of the water purifier 1. Understandably, during the ice-making process, not all the water sprayed by the spray device 212 onto the ice-making box 211 will be frozen into ice. The unfrozen water will drip from the ice-making box 211 onto the ice-guiding section 221 and flow along the ice-guiding section 221 to the ice-storage section 223. However, by providing a drain hole 225 between the ice-storage section 223 and the spray avoidance hole 222, the dripping water can flow back into the ice chamber 700 through the drain hole 225 to recycle the ice water. This not only reduces water waste but also prevents ice water from flowing into the ice-storage section 223 and causing the ice in the ice-storage section 223 to melt. The structural design is more reasonable.

[0070] Other configurations and operations of the water purifier 1 according to embodiments of the present invention are known to those skilled in the art and will not be described in detail here.

[0071] In the description of this specification, references to terms such as "specific embodiment" or "specific example" refer to a specific feature, structure, material, or characteristic described in connection with that embodiment or example, which is included in at least one embodiment or example of the present invention. In this specification, illustrative expressions of the above terms do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment or example.

[0072] Although embodiments of the invention have been shown and described, those skilled in the art will understand 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 claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. A water purifier (1) characterized in that, include: The housing (100) is provided with a crushed ice outlet (110) and a whole ice outlet (120). An ice-making assembly (200) is disposed within the housing (100) and includes an ice-making mechanism (210) and an ice storage box (220). The ice-making mechanism (210) is located above the ice storage box (220) and is used to condense ice. The ice storage box (220) has an ice storage outlet (224), which is connected to the crushed ice outlet (110) and the whole ice outlet (120) respectively. An ice-crushing assembly (300) is disposed within the housing (100) and located at the ice-crushing outlet (110); A spiral ice dispensing assembly (400) is disposed inside the ice storage box (220) and is used to guide the ice blocks in the ice storage box (220) from the ice storage outlet (224) to the crushed ice outlet (110) or the whole ice outlet (120).

2. The water purifier (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that The ice crushing component (300) is located directly below the ice storage outlet (224) and is connected to the ice crushing outlet (110).

3. The water purifier (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that The crushed ice outlet (110) is adjacent to the ice storage outlet (224), and the whole ice outlet (120) is located in front of the crushed ice outlet (110).

4. The water purifier (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that Also includes: An ice outlet valve assembly (500) is disposed inside the housing (100) and located in front of the ice storage outlet (224). The ice outlet valve assembly (500) is used to close the ice storage outlet (224) or connect the ice storage outlet (224) to the crushed ice outlet (110) or the whole ice outlet (120).

5. The water purifier (1) according to claim 4, characterized in that The housing (100) has a first side in a first direction, the crushed ice outlet (110) and the whole ice outlet (120) are adjacent to the first side of the housing (100), and the ice storage outlet (224) faces the first side of the housing (100) along the first direction, and the ice outlet valve assembly (500) is disposed above the crushed ice outlet (110) and the whole ice outlet (120).

6. The water purifier (1) according to claim 4, characterized in that The ice discharge valve assembly (500) includes: Valve seat (510), the valve seat (510) is fixed inside the housing (100); A valve (520) is rotatably connected to the valve seat (510); A first drive motor (530) is mounted on the valve seat (510) and is connected to the valve (520) in a transmission manner. The first drive motor (530) drives the valve (520) to rotate so as to close the ice storage outlet (224) or control the ice storage outlet (224) to connect with the crushed ice outlet (110) or the whole ice outlet (120).

7. The water purifier (1) according to claim 6, characterized in that The valve (520) has switchable first position, second position and third position; When the valve (520) is in the first position, the valve (520) closes the whole ice outlet (120) and opens the crushed ice outlet (110) and the ice storage outlet (224). When the valve (520) is in the second position, the valve (520) closes the crushed ice outlet (110) and opens the whole ice outlet (120) and the ice storage outlet (224). When the valve (520) is in the third position, the valve (520) closes the ice storage outlet (224).

8. The water purifier (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that The spiral ice-discharging assembly (400) includes: The second drive motor (430) is fixed relative to the housing (100); A spiral blade (410) is rotatably disposed inside the ice storage box (220). One end of the spiral blade (410) extends out from the ice storage outlet (224) and is connected to the second drive motor (430) for transmission.

9. The water purifier (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that Also includes: Multiple ice detection sensors (600) are provided, at least one of which is located at the bottom of the ice storage box (220), and at least another of which is adjacent to the ice storage outlet (224) to detect whether the ice storage box (220) is short of ice or full of ice.

10. The water purifier (1) according to any one of claims 1-9, characterized in that The ice storage box (220) includes: An ice storage section (223) is used to store ice blocks, and the ice storage section (223) forms the ice storage outlet (224). Ice guiding part (221) is located below the ice making mechanism (210). The ice guiding part (221) is connected to the ice storage part (223) and extends downward in a direction close to the ice storage part (223). The ice block after the ice making mechanism (210) is de-iced slides along the ice guiding part (221) to the ice storage part (223).

11. The water purifier (1) according to claim 10, characterized in that The ice-making assembly (200) also includes: A spraying device (212) is located below the ice guiding part (221), and the ice guiding part (221) is provided with a spraying avoidance hole (222). The spraying device (212) sprays water upward through the spraying avoidance hole (222) to the ice box (211).

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