Ice making equipment

Abstract

The invention relates to the technical field of ice making equipment, in particular to ice making equipment, and aims to solve the problems that ice cubes made by existing ice making equipment are poor in shape and easy to melt, and the taste of drinks and the ice using experience are affected. In order to achieve the purpose, the ice-making equipment comprises a shell, an ice-making box and a refrigerating device, the ice-making box and the refrigerating device are installed in the shell, a cold water cavity is formed in the shell, an ice-making cavity is formed in the ice-making box, the cold water cavity and the ice-making cavity are communicated through a circulating pump and a circulating pipeline, water in the cold water cavity can be guided into the ice-making cavity, and the refrigerating device is in heat exchange connection with the ice-making box. And cold energy can be transferred to the ice-making box, so that water in the ice-making cavity is iced. Through the arrangement, solid ice cubes can be prepared, the melting resistance of the ice cubes is improved, the melting time of the ice cubes in drinks is prolonged, the drinks can keep cool taste for a long time, meanwhile, the ice cubes are more attractive, and the ice using experience of a user is improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of ice-making equipment technology, and specifically provides an ice-making device. Background Technology

[0002] With technological advancements and improved living standards, cold drink culture is becoming increasingly popular, especially among younger generations who are increasingly accepting of ice-making practices, which has promoted the rapid development and widespread adoption of home ice-making equipment.

[0003] To achieve rapid ice production, existing ice-making equipment typically inserts a refrigeration component into the ice-making container, allowing the ice layer to grow around the refrigeration component.

[0004] However, the ice produced by existing ice-making equipment is hollow, has an undesirable shape, and melts easily, affecting the taste of drinks and the ice-using experience.

[0005] Accordingly, a new technical solution is needed in this field to solve the above problems. Summary of the Invention

[0006] The present invention aims to solve the above-mentioned technical problems, namely, that the ice blocks produced by existing ice-making equipment are hollow, have poor shape and are easy to melt, which affects the taste of beverages and the ice-using experience.

[0007] This invention provides an ice-making device, which includes a housing, an ice-making box, and a refrigeration device installed inside the housing. The housing has a cold water chamber, and the ice-making box has an ice-making chamber. The cold water chamber and the ice-making chamber are connected through a circulation pump and a circulation pipeline, which can introduce water from the cold water chamber into the ice-making chamber. The refrigeration device is connected to the ice-making box for heat exchange, and can transfer cold energy to the ice-making box to freeze the water in the ice-making chamber.

[0008] In the preferred embodiment of the above-mentioned ice-making equipment, the cold water chamber is located at the bottom of the housing, the ice-making box is located above the cold water chamber, the ice-making box is provided with a circulating water inlet communicating with the ice-making chamber, and the outlet of the circulating pipe is connected to the ice-making chamber through the circulating water inlet, so that water flows into the ice-making chamber through the circulating water inlet, and then flows out from the circulating water inlet and falls into the cold water chamber to form a circulating water flow.

[0009] In the preferred embodiment of the above-mentioned ice-making equipment, the ice-making box includes a front panel and a back panel arranged opposite to each other, the circulating water inlet is disposed on the front panel, the refrigeration device is fixedly connected to the back panel, and the outlet of the circulating pipe is located above the ice-making box, so that water flows sequentially through the top of the ice-making box and the upper edge of the circulating water inlet into the ice-making chamber, and then through the lower edge of the circulating water inlet and the bottom of the ice-making box into the cold water chamber.

[0010] In the preferred embodiment of the ice-making equipment described above, the top of the ice box is provided with a flow guide surface, which is inclined downward along the direction from the back panel to the front panel; and / or the water outlet of the circulation pipe is provided with a plurality of drip nozzles, which are spaced apart along the length of the circulation pipe.

[0011] In the preferred embodiment of the ice-making device described above, the ice-making device further includes an ice storage box with an opening at the top. The ice storage box is located below the front side of the ice-making box and is capable of collecting ice blocks exported from the ice-making chamber.

[0012] In the preferred embodiment of the above-mentioned ice-making equipment, the ice storage box is located above the cold water chamber, and a return channel is formed between the rear part of the ice storage box and the inner wall of the housing, connecting the ice-making chamber and the cold water chamber, so that the circulating water flowing out of the ice-making chamber falls into the cold water chamber through the return channel; and / or an ice-retrieving port is also provided on the housing at a position corresponding to the ice storage box, the ice storage box is slidably connected and / or pivotally connected to the housing, and can be moved to the outside of the housing through the ice-retrieving port for convenient ice retrieval.

[0013] In the preferred embodiment of the ice-making equipment described above, the ice-making equipment further includes a guide plate, which is pivotally connected to the lower part of the ice-making box. The guide plate is configured to tilt downwards in a front-to-back direction when water flows down, so as to guide the water flow into the return channel and the cold water chamber, and to tilt downwards in a back-to-front direction when ice blocks fall, so as to guide the ice blocks into the ice storage box.

[0014] In the preferred technical solution of the above-mentioned ice-making equipment, the refrigeration device includes a compressor, a condenser, an evaporator, and an ice removal pipeline. The compressor, the condenser, and the evaporator are connected by a refrigerant pipeline to form a heat exchange circulation loop. The evaporator is connected to the ice-making box for heat exchange. The two ends of the ice removal pipeline are respectively connected to the exhaust port of the compressor and the inlet of the evaporator. A normally closed valve is provided on the ice removal pipeline.

[0015] In the preferred embodiment of the above-mentioned ice-making equipment, a connecting pipe is provided at the bottom of the cold water chamber, the inlet of the connecting pipe is connected to the cold water chamber, the outlet of the connecting pipe is connected to the circulating pump, and an exhaust port connected to the outside is also provided at the top of the connecting pipe.

[0016] In the preferred embodiment of the ice-making equipment described above, the ice-making equipment further includes a partition disposed within the ice-making cavity, the partition dividing the ice-making cavity into multiple ice-making compartments.

[0017] With the above technical solution adopted, the ice-making device of the present invention includes a housing, an ice-making box, and a refrigeration device installed inside the housing. A cold water chamber is provided inside the housing, and an ice-making chamber is provided inside the ice-making box. The cold water chamber and the ice-making chamber are connected via a circulation pump and circulation pipeline, enabling water from the cold water chamber to be introduced into the ice-making chamber. The refrigeration device is connected to the ice-making box for heat exchange, transferring cold energy to the ice-making box to freeze the water in the ice-making chamber. This configuration enables rapid production of solid ice cubes, extends the melting time of ice in beverages, allows beverages to maintain a refreshing icy taste for a longer period, and enhances the user's ice-using experience.

[0018] Furthermore, in this invention, the cold water chamber is located at the bottom of the housing, and the ice-making box is located above the cold water chamber. The ice-making box is provided with a circulating water inlet communicating with the ice-making chamber. The outlet of the circulation pipe is connected to the ice-making chamber through the circulating water inlet, so that water flows into the ice-making chamber through the circulating water inlet, and then flows out from the circulating water inlet and falls into the cold water chamber to form a circulating water flow. With this arrangement, on the one hand, the internal structure of the ice-making equipment is more compact and reasonable, improving space utilization; on the other hand, using the circulating water flow for ice making can accelerate the cooling speed of the water flow and shorten the ice-making time.

[0019] Furthermore, the ice maker of the present invention includes a front panel and a back panel arranged opposite to each other. A circulation inlet is located on the front panel, and the refrigeration device is fixedly connected to the back panel. The outlet of the circulation pipe is located above the ice maker, allowing water to flow sequentially through the top of the ice maker and the upper edge of the circulation inlet into the ice-making chamber, and then through the lower edge of the circulation inlet and the bottom of the ice maker into the cold water chamber. This arrangement increases the flow rate of the circulating water within the ice-making chamber, prevents water bubbles from accumulating in the ice-making chamber, and thus helps to improve the transparency of the ice cubes, making them more aesthetically pleasing.

[0020] Furthermore, the top of the ice maker of the present invention is provided with a guide surface, which slopes downwards along the direction from the back panel to the front panel; and / or the water outlet of the circulation pipe is provided with multiple drip nozzles, which are spaced apart along the length of the circulation pipe. The guide surface can guide the water flow forward into the circulation inlet; by providing multiple water outlets, the water flow can flow more evenly into the ice-making chamber, thereby making the thickness of the ice cubes more uniform.

[0021] Furthermore, the ice-making device of the present invention also includes an ice storage box with an opening at the top, which is located below the front side of the ice-making box and can collect ice blocks discharged from the ice-making chamber. With this arrangement, the produced ice blocks can be stored for convenient use by the user, while the ice-making chamber can be emptied to continue making ice.

[0022] Furthermore, the ice storage box of the present invention is located above the cold water chamber, and a return channel connecting the ice-making chamber and the cold water chamber is formed between the rear part of the ice storage box and the inner wall of the shell, so that the circulating water flowing out of the ice-making chamber falls into the cold water chamber through the return channel; and / or an ice-retrieving port is also provided on the shell of the present invention at a position corresponding to the ice storage box, and the ice storage box is slidably connected and / or pivotally connected to the shell, so that it can be moved to the outside of the shell through the ice-retrieving port for convenient ice retrieval. With this configuration, on the one hand, the compactness and rationality of the internal structure of the ice-making equipment are further improved; on the other hand, the ice retrieval operation of the user is more convenient and faster.

[0023] Furthermore, the ice-making device of the present invention also includes a guide plate, which is pivotally connected to the lower part of the ice-making box. The guide plate is configured to tilt downwards in a front-to-back direction when water flows down, so as to guide the water flow into the return channel and the cold water chamber; and to tilt downwards in a back-to-front direction when ice blocks fall down, so as to guide the ice blocks into the ice storage box. Through a simple structural design, automatic separation and guidance of water flow and ice blocks are achieved, so as to automatically guide water flow and ice blocks into the cold water chamber and the ice storage box.

[0024] Furthermore, the refrigeration device of the present invention includes a compressor, a condenser, an evaporator, and an ice-removing pipeline. The compressor, condenser, and evaporator are connected via refrigerant pipelines to form a heat exchange circulation loop. The evaporator is connected to the ice-making box for heat exchange. The two ends of the ice-removing pipeline are respectively connected to the exhaust port of the compressor and the inlet of the evaporator, and a normally closed valve is provided on the ice-removing pipeline. With this configuration, on the one hand, the refrigeration device can cool rapidly and the temperature can be controlled; on the other hand, after ice forms, the high-temperature gas discharged from the compressor can be directly introduced into the evaporator by opening the normally closed valve, so that the evaporator heats up to melt the part of the ice that is in contact with the ice-making box, thus achieving automatic ice removal.

[0025] Furthermore, the bottom of the cold water chamber of this invention is provided with a connecting pipe, the inlet of which is connected to the cold water chamber, the outlet of which is connected to the circulating pump, and the top of which is provided with an exhaust port connected to the outside. With this arrangement, when water is injected into the cold water chamber, the water flow into the connecting pipe can expel the air accumulated inside the connecting pipe through the exhaust port, allowing it to flow smoothly into the circulating pump and preventing the circulating pump from running dry and affecting the pumping efficiency.

[0026] Furthermore, the ice-making device of the present invention also includes a partition disposed within the ice-making chamber, which divides the ice-making chamber into multiple ice-making grids. This arrangement allows for flexible setting of the shape and number of ice-making grids to meet different user ice-using needs. Attached Figure Description

[0027] The preferred embodiments of the present invention are described below with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1This is a schematic diagram of the ice-making device of the present invention. Figure 1 ; Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the ice-making device of the present invention. Figure 2 ; Figure 3 yes Figure 2 Cross-sectional view at point AA; Figure 4 yes Figure 3 A magnified view of a portion of the image; Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the ice-making box of the present invention. Figure 1 ; Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the ice-making box of the present invention. Figure 2 ; Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the water circuit operation of the ice-making equipment of the present invention.

[0028] List of reference numerals in the attached diagram: 1. Pure water tank; 2. Hot water pipeline; 21. Heating device; 22. Hot water pump; 3. Cold water pipeline; 31. Cold water pump; 4. Control valve; 5. Hot water return pipeline; 6. Cold water chamber; 61. Make-up water pump; 62. Connecting pipe; 621. Exhaust port; 7. Housing; 71. Refrigeration unit; 711. Compressor; 712. Condenser; 713. Evaporator; 714. De-icing pipeline; 715. Normally closed valve; 72. Ice maker; 721. Front panel; 7211. Circulation inlet; 722. Back panel; 723. Guide surface; 724. Partition; 73. Circulation pipeline; 731. Drip outlet; 74. Circulation pump; 75. Ice storage box; 76. Return channel; 77. Ice outlet; 78. Guide plate; 8. Water purification device; 9. Raw water tank; 10. Water intake pipe. Detailed Implementation

[0029] Preferred embodiments of the present invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. Those skilled in the art should understand that these embodiments are merely illustrative of the technical principles of the invention and are not intended to limit the scope of protection of the invention. Those skilled in the art can make adjustments as needed to adapt to specific applications.

[0030] It should be noted that in the description of this invention, the terms "upper," "lower," "left," "right," "front," "rear," etc., which indicate directions or positional relationships, are based on the directions or positional relationships shown in the accompanying drawings. This is merely for the convenience of description and does not indicate or imply that the device or element must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, it should not be construed as a limitation of this invention.

[0031] Furthermore, it should be noted that, in the description of this invention, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, the terms "connected," "linked," and "connected" should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection or a detachable connection; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; and they can refer to the internal connection of two components. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this invention according to the specific circumstances.

[0032] Based on the background art, existing ice-making equipment produces hollow ice cubes, which have poor shape and melt easily, affecting the taste of beverages and the ice-using experience. This invention provides an ice-making device that, by incorporating an ice-making chamber within the housing, forms a circulating water path between the ice-making chamber and the cold water chamber. This circulating water flow through the ice-making chamber is used to make ice, not only producing solid ice cubes and extending the melting time, but also accelerating the ice-making process and improving the transparency and appearance of the ice cubes.

[0033] Specifically, such as Figures 1 to 3 As shown, the ice-making device of the present invention includes a housing 7, an ice-making box 72 and a refrigeration device 71 installed inside the housing 7. A cold water chamber 6 is provided inside the housing 7, and an ice-making chamber is provided inside the ice-making box 72. The inlet end of the circulation pipe 73 is connected to the cold water chamber 6 through a circulation pump 74, and the outlet end of the circulation pipe 73 is connected to the ice-making chamber, which can introduce water from the cold water chamber 6 into the ice-making chamber. The refrigeration device 71 is connected to the ice-making box 72 for heat exchange, and can transfer cold energy to the ice-making box 72 so that the water in the ice-making chamber freezes.

[0034] It should be noted that the ice maker 72 can be set to be either closed or open. When water is introduced into the ice-making chamber, it will be rapidly cooled by the cooling device 71 and then condensed into solid ice cubes. Solid ice cubes prolong the melting time of ice cubes in beverages, allowing beverages to maintain a refreshing taste for a longer period of time and improving the user's ice-using experience.

[0035] Preferably, such as Figure 3 As shown, the bottom space of the shell 7 forms a cold water chamber 6 for storing cold water. The inlet of the cold water chamber 6 is connected to an external water source such as a tap water pipe or a water purification device 8 through a water replenishment pump 61, which can introduce water into the cold water chamber 6 for storage. The outlet of the cold water chamber 6 is connected to the ice-making chamber through a circulation pump 74 and a circulation pipe 73 to supply ice-making water to the ice-making box 72.

[0036] The ice box 72 is located above the cold water chamber 6, and the ice box 72 is provided with a circulation water inlet 7211 that communicates with the ice making chamber to form an open structure. The outlet of the circulation pipe 73 is connected to the ice making chamber through the circulation water inlet 7211, so that water flows into the ice making chamber through the circulation water inlet 7211. The water flowing into the ice making chamber can also flow out through the circulation water inlet 7211 and fall into the cold water chamber 6 below, forming a circulating water flow.

[0037] As the circulating water flows through the ice-making chamber, a portion of the water condenses to form ice, while the remaining partially condensed water flows out through the circulation port 7211 and returns to the cold water chamber 6 for continued circulation. This process simultaneously lowers the water temperature in the cold water chamber 6. Using circulating water for ice making accelerates the cooling rate of the water flow, shortens the ice-making time, and also allows the ice water in the cold water chamber 6 to be exported to meet the user's demand for ice water, thus enriching the functionality of the ice-making equipment.

[0038] It should be noted that, in practical applications, those skilled in the art can flexibly set the position of the circulating water inlet 7211, such as the top or side of the ice-making box 72, as long as water can flow in and out of the ice-making cavity. Such flexible adjustments and changes do not deviate from the principles and scope of the present invention and should be limited to the protection scope of the present invention.

[0039] Preferably, such as Figure 5 and Figure 6 As shown, the ice maker 72 of the present invention includes a front panel 721 and a back panel 722 disposed opposite to each other. A circulation inlet 7211 is disposed on the front panel 721. A refrigeration device 71 is fixed on the back panel 722. The outlet of the circulation pipe 73 is located above the ice maker 72. The water flow it produces can flow into the ice-making chamber through the top of the ice maker 72 and the upper edge of the circulation inlet 7211 in sequence, and flow from top to bottom through the ice-making chamber. Finally, it flows into the cold water chamber 6 through the lower edge of the circulation inlet 7211 and the bottom of the ice maker 72.

[0040] As water flows through the ice-making chamber, the refrigeration device 71 installed on the back panel 722 quickly absorbs the heat from the circulating water to make ice from the flowing water.

[0041] This design increases the flow rate of circulating water within the ice-making chamber. Utilizing flowing water for ice making prevents air bubbles from accumulating and condensing within the chamber, which would affect the transparency of the ice and thus improve its appearance.

[0042] Preferably, such as Figure 6As shown, the top of the ice box 72 is provided with a guide surface 723. The guide surface 723 is inclined downward along the direction from the back panel 722 to the front panel 721, so that the water flow from the circulation pipe 73 can flow forward into the circulation water inlet 7211 along the guide surface 723.

[0043] Preferably, such as Figure 5 As shown, the outlet end of the circulation pipe 73 is provided with multiple drip nozzles 731, and the multiple drip nozzles 731 are distributed at intervals. For example, the portion of the circulation pipe 73 located above the ice box 72 extends along the length direction of the ice box 72, and the multiple drip nozzles 731 are arranged at intervals along the extension direction of the circulation pipe 73, so that the water flow is evenly dripped onto the guide surface 723, so that the water flow can flow into the ice-making cavity more evenly, thereby making the thickness of the ice more uniform.

[0044] Preferably, such as Figure 3 As shown, the ice-making device of the present invention also includes an ice storage box 75 with an opening at the top. The ice storage box 75 is located below the front side of the ice-making box 72 and can collect ice blocks discharged from the ice-making chamber. That is, after the ice blocks are discharged from the circulating water inlet 7211, they can fall into the ice storage box 75. This not only stores the ice blocks so that users can take them at any time, but also empties the ice-making chamber so that ice making can continue.

[0045] Regarding the specific location of the ice storage box 75 within the housing 7, preferably, the ice storage box 75 is also located above the cold water chamber 6, that is, the ice making box 72, the ice storage box 75, and the cold water chamber 6 are distributed vertically from top to bottom within the housing 7, and a return channel 76 is formed between the rear part of the ice storage box 75 and the inner wall of the housing 7, connecting the ice making chamber and the cold water chamber 6, so that the circulating water flowing out of the ice making chamber can fall into the cold water chamber 6 through the return channel 76.

[0046] Specifically, the housing 7 of the present invention is divided into an upper chamber, a middle chamber and a lower chamber. The ice-making box 72 is located at the rear of the upper chamber, the ice storage box 75 is located at the front of the middle chamber, the cold water chamber 6 is formed in the lower chamber, and the return channel 76 is located at the rear of the middle chamber. Its two ends are connected to the upper chamber and the lower chamber respectively. The water flowing out from the circulation port 7211 can fall into the cold water chamber 6 through the return channel 76.

[0047] This structural distribution makes the internal structure of the ice-making equipment more reasonable and compact, making full use of the internal space of the shell, maximizing capacity and miniaturizing the equipment.

[0048] To ensure that the ice and water flowing out of the ice-making chamber fall accurately into the front ice storage box 75 and the rear return channel 76, preferably, as follows: Figure 3 , Figure 5 and Figure 6As shown, the ice-making device of the present invention also includes a guide plate 78, which is pivotally connected to the lower part of the ice-making box 72. The guide plate 78 is configured to tilt downward in a front-to-back direction when the water flows down, so as to guide the water flow into the return channel 76 and the cold water chamber 6, and tilt downward in a back-to-front direction when the ice blocks fall, so as to guide the ice blocks into the ice storage box 75.

[0049] For example, the guide plate 78 is pivotally connected to the bottom of the ice box 72 via a pivot, has a water guide position and an ice guide position, and is rotatable between the two positions. When the guide plate 78 is in the water guide position, it tilts downward in a front-to-back direction so as to guide water flow into the rear return channel 76 and the cold water chamber 6. When the guide plate 78 is in the ice guide position, it tilts downward in a back-to-front direction so as to guide ice into the front ice storage box 75.

[0050] When the guide plate 78 is not subjected to any external force, it is in the water guiding position. When water flows onto the guide plate 78, the weight of the water is insufficient to make the guide plate 78 rotate, so that the guide plate 78 can still remain in the water guiding position. When ice blocks fall, due to the large weight of the ice blocks, the guide plate 78 will rotate from the water guiding position to the ice guiding position under the action of gravity of the ice blocks to guide the ice blocks. After the ice guiding is completed, the guide plate 78 will automatically rotate back to the water guiding position.

[0051] It should be noted that in actual use, the weight of the rear of the guide plate 78 can be slightly greater than that of the front, or a torsion spring can be installed on the rotating shaft so that it can be kept at the water guide level when it is not subjected to external force.

[0052] Through a simple structural design, the water flow and ice blocks are automatically separated and guided, so that the water flow and ice blocks are automatically introduced into the cold water chamber 6 and the ice storage box 75.

[0053] Preferably, such as Figures 1 to 3 As shown, an ice dispensing port 77 is also provided on the housing 7 at the position corresponding to the ice storage box 75. The ice storage box 75 is slidably connected and / or pivotally connected to the housing 7, and can be moved to the outside of the housing 7 through the ice dispensing port 77 when ice is taken out, so that the top opening of the ice storage box 75 is exposed, making it convenient for the user to take out ice. After taking out ice, the ice storage box 75 is pushed back into the housing 7 through the ice dispensing port 77.

[0054] Regarding the refrigeration device 71, it can be configured as a semiconductor refrigeration chip or as a heat exchange circulation system.

[0055] Preferably, such as Figures 5 to 7As shown, the refrigeration device 71 of the present invention includes a compressor 711, a condenser 712, an evaporator 713, and a de-icing pipe 714. The compressor 711, the condenser 712, and the evaporator 713 are connected by a refrigerant pipe to form a heat exchange circulation loop. The evaporator 713 is connected to the ice box 72 for heat exchange. The two ends of the de-icing pipe 714 are respectively connected to the exhaust port 621 of the compressor 711 and the inlet of the evaporator 713. A normally closed valve 715 is provided on the de-icing pipe 714.

[0056] On the one hand, it enables the refrigeration device 71 to cool quickly and the temperature to be controllable; on the other hand, after the ice is formed, the high-temperature gas discharged from the compressor 711 can be directly introduced into the evaporator 713 by opening the normally closed valve 715, so that the evaporator 713 can be heated to melt the part of the ice block in contact with the ice box 72, realize automatic de-icing, and allow the ice block to slide out of the ice-making chamber and fall into the ice storage box 75 automatically.

[0057] Preferably, such as Figure 5 As shown, the ice-making device of the present invention also includes a partition 724 disposed in the ice-making chamber. The partition 724 can divide the ice-making chamber into multiple ice-making grids. The shape and number of ice-making grids can be flexibly set as needed to meet different ice-using needs of users.

[0058] Preferably, the partition 724 of the present invention includes several horizontal plates and several vertical plates, the horizontal plates and vertical plates intersecting each other to divide the ice-making cavity into multiple square ice-making grids, thereby enabling the production of square solid ice blocks.

[0059] More preferably, the crossbars are all configured to slope downwards in a back-to-forehead direction to facilitate the outward flow of water and the outward sliding of ice blocks.

[0060] Preferably, such as Figure 3 As shown, the bottom of the cold water chamber 6 of the present invention is provided with a connecting pipe 62, the inlet of the connecting pipe 62 is connected to the cold water chamber 6, the outlet of the connecting pipe 62 is connected to the circulating pump 74, and the top of the connecting pipe 62 is also provided with an exhaust port 621 connected to the outside.

[0061] For example, the top of the connecting pipe 62 is provided with multiple vents 621. When water is injected into the cold water chamber 6, the water can enter through a dedicated inlet or through the vents 621 at the top. After the water enters the connecting pipe 62, as the water level gradually rises, it can push the air accumulated in the connecting pipe 62 upwards so that it can be discharged through the vents 621, and then flow smoothly into the circulating pump 74 to prevent the circulating pump 74 from running dry and affecting the pumping efficiency. The vents 621 can be directly connected to the outside atmosphere or connected to the cold water chamber 6.

[0062] like Figure 7As shown, in a preferred embodiment of the ice-making equipment, the ice-making equipment further includes a raw water tank 9, a water purification device 8, a pure water tank 1, a hot water pipe 2, a cold water pipe 3, a hot water return pipe 5, and a water intake pipe 10. The inlet of the raw water tank 9 is connected to an external water source (such as a tap water pipe) for introducing and storing raw water. The outlet of the raw water tank 9 is connected to the inlet of the pure water tank 1 through the water purification device 8. The water purification device 8 can purify the tap water and introduce the purified pure water into the pure water tank 1.

[0063] The hot water pipe 2 is connected to the outlet of the pure water tank 1 and the water intake pipe 10 at both ends. The hot water pipe 2 is equipped with a hot water pump 22 and a heating device 21 to heat the water flow and send the hot water into the water intake pipe 10 for users to use. The inlet of the cold water chamber 6 is connected to the outlet of the pure water tank 1 through a water replenishment pump 61. The two ends of the cold water pipe 3 are connected to the outlet of the cold water chamber 6 and the water intake pipe 10 at both ends. The cold water pipe 3 is equipped with a cold water pump 31, which can export the ice water in the cold water chamber 6 to meet the user's demand for ice water. This forms a water circuit structure in parallel between the hot water pipe 2 and the cold water pipe 3, realizing the mixing of cold water and hot water at the water intake pipe 10. By controlling the mixing ratio of cold water and hot water, the water temperature at the water intake pipe 10 can be adjusted to meet the drinking water needs of different temperatures.

[0064] One end of the hot water return pipe 5 is connected to the outlet of the heating device 21 through the control valve 4, and the other end of the hot water return pipe 5 is connected to the hot water return port of the pure water tank 1, which can introduce the heated water into the pure water tank 1, the cold water chamber 6, the ice making device 7 and the cold water pipe 3 for high-temperature sterilization.

[0065] The technical solution of the present invention has been described above with reference to the preferred embodiments shown in the accompanying drawings. However, it will be readily understood by those skilled in the art that the scope of protection of the present invention is obviously not limited to these specific embodiments. Without departing from the principles of the present invention, those skilled in the art can make equivalent changes or substitutions to the relevant technical features, and the technical solutions after these changes or substitutions will all fall within the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. An ice-making device, characterized in that, The ice-making equipment includes a housing (7) and an ice-making box (72) and a refrigeration device (71) installed inside the housing (7). The housing (7) is provided with a cold water chamber (6), and the ice box (72) is provided with an ice-making chamber. The cold water chamber (6) and the ice-making chamber are connected by a circulation pump (74) and a circulation pipeline (73), which allows water in the cold water chamber (6) to be introduced into the ice-making chamber. The refrigeration device (71) is heat-exchange connected to the ice box (72) and can transfer cold energy to the ice box (72) so that the water in the ice-making cavity freezes.

2. The ice-making equipment according to claim 1, characterized in that, The cold water chamber (6) is located at the bottom of the shell (7), and the ice box (72) is located above the cold water chamber (6). The ice box (72) is provided with a circulation water inlet (7211) that communicates with the ice box. The outlet of the circulation pipe (73) is connected to the ice box through the circulation water inlet (7211) so that water flows into the ice box through the circulation water inlet (7211), and then flows out from the circulation water inlet (7211) and falls into the cold water chamber (6) to form a circulating water flow.

3. The ice-making equipment according to claim 2, characterized in that, The ice maker (72) includes a front panel (721) and a back panel (722) arranged opposite to each other. The circulation inlet (7211) is located on the front panel (721). The refrigeration device (71) is fixedly connected to the back panel (722). The outlet of the circulation pipe (73) is located above the ice maker (72), so that water flows into the ice-making chamber through the top of the ice maker (72) and the upper edge of the circulation inlet (7211) in sequence, and then flows into the cold water chamber (6) through the lower edge of the circulation inlet (7211) and the bottom of the ice maker (72).

4. The ice-making equipment according to claim 3, characterized in that, The top of the ice maker (72) is provided with a flow guide surface (723), which slopes downward along the direction from the back panel (722) to the front panel (721); and / or The outlet end of the circulation pipe (73) is provided with a plurality of drip nozzles (731), and the plurality of drip nozzles (731) are distributed at intervals along the length direction of the circulation pipe (73).

5. The ice-making equipment according to claim 3, characterized in that, The ice-making device also includes an ice storage box (75) with an opening at the top, which is located below the front side of the ice-making box (72) and is capable of collecting ice blocks exported from the ice-making chamber.

6. The ice-making equipment according to claim 5, characterized in that, The ice storage box (75) is located above the cold water chamber (6), and a return channel (76) is formed between the rear part of the ice storage box (75) and the inner wall of the shell (7) to connect the ice-making chamber and the cold water chamber (6), so that the circulating water flowing out of the ice-making chamber falls into the cold water chamber (6) through the return channel (76); and / or An ice-retrieving port (77) is also provided on the housing (7) at a position corresponding to the ice storage box (75). The ice storage box (75) is slidably connected and / or pivotally connected to the housing (7), and can be moved to the outside of the housing (7) through the ice-retrieving port (77) for convenient ice retrieval.

7. The ice-making equipment according to claim 6, characterized in that, The ice-making device also includes a guide plate (78) pivotally connected below the ice-making box (72). The guide plate (78) is configured to tilt downwards in a front-to-back direction when water flows down to guide the water flow into the return channel (76) and the cold water chamber (6), and to tilt downwards in a back-to-front direction when ice blocks fall to guide the ice blocks into the ice storage box (75).

8. The ice-making apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that, The refrigeration device (71) includes a compressor (711), a condenser (712), an evaporator (713), and an ice removal pipeline (714). The compressor (711), the condenser (712), and the evaporator (713) are connected by a refrigerant pipeline to form a heat exchange circulation loop. The evaporator (713) is connected to the ice box (72) for heat exchange. The two ends of the ice removal pipeline (714) are respectively connected to the exhaust port (621) of the compressor (711) and the inlet of the evaporator (713). A normally closed valve (715) is provided on the ice removal pipeline (714).

9. The ice-making apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that, The bottom of the cold water chamber (6) is provided with a connecting pipe (62), the inlet of the connecting pipe (62) is connected to the cold water chamber (6), the outlet of the connecting pipe (62) is connected to the circulating pump (74), and the top of the connecting pipe (62) is also provided with an exhaust port (621) connected to the outside.

10. The ice-making apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that, The ice-making device also includes a partition (724) disposed in the ice-making cavity, the partition (724) dividing the ice-making cavity into multiple ice-making compartments.

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