Ice-making mould and ice-making device

Abstract

The application relates to an ice making mold and an ice making device. The ice making mold comprises a mold body and an ice grid piece. The mold body comprises a bottom wall part and a peripheral wall part arranged around the bottom wall part, the peripheral wall part is connected to the bottom wall part to jointly define a containing cavity with the bottom wall part, and the bottom wall part is used for being in contact with a refrigeration piece of the ice making device. The ice grid piece is arranged in the containing cavity and divides the containing cavity into a plurality of ice grid cavities, the ice grid piece is connected to the peripheral wall part, there is a communication gap between at least part of the structure of the ice grid piece and the bottom wall part, and at least two adjacent ice grid cavities are communicated through the communication gap. The ice making mold can preferentially trigger crystallization in the communication gap area during ice making, so that supercooling phenomenon does not occur in the whole water body, and the ice block formed by condensation is pure and transparent.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of ice-making technology, and in particular to an ice-making mold and ice-making equipment. Background Technology

[0002] In the field of ice-making equipment technology, when traditional ice molds are slowly frozen in the freezer compartment of a refrigerator, dissolved gases and impurities in the water are often trapped inside the ice crystals during the solidification process, forming light scattering centers. This results in the ice cubes having a cloudy and opaque appearance, affecting both aesthetics and the drinking experience.

[0003] In the freezing process, the water in existing household ice molds tends to cool down and enter a supercooled state. When crystallization is randomly triggered at a certain location, the remaining liquid water often freezes quickly, causing air bubbles and impurities to be trapped inside the ice block before they can be expelled, resulting in cloudy and opaque ice blocks. Summary of the Invention

[0004] This application provides an ice-making mold and an ice-making device.

[0005] In a first aspect, this application provides an ice-making mold for use in an ice-making device. The ice-making mold includes a mold body and an ice tray component. The mold body includes a bottom wall portion and a peripheral wall portion surrounding the bottom wall portion. The peripheral wall portion is connected to the bottom wall portion to define a receiving cavity together with the bottom wall portion. The bottom wall portion is used to contact the cooling component of the ice-making device. The ice tray component is disposed within the receiving cavity and divides the receiving cavity into multiple ice tray cavities. The ice tray component is connected to the peripheral wall portion, and at least a portion of the structure of the ice tray component has a communicating gap with the bottom wall portion. At least two adjacent ice tray cavities are connected through the communicating gap.

[0006] Secondly, this application also provides an ice-making device, which includes a refrigeration box and the aforementioned ice-making mold, with the ice-making mold disposed inside the refrigeration box.

[0007] In the ice-making mold provided in this application, the mold body is used to contain ice-making water, and the ice grid is used to restrict the shape of the ice formed by the ice-making water. At least a portion of the ice grid structure has a connecting gap with the bottom wall. Water in the connecting gap has a large cross-sectional angle, reducing its surface free energy and significantly lowering the nucleation energy barrier. This promotes preferential crystallization in the connecting gap region during ice making, thereby preventing supercooling of the entire water body. At least two adjacent ice grid cavities are connected by the connecting gap, allowing water to slowly circulate between different ice grid cavities. Furthermore, crystalline microparticles at the bottom of the ice-making mold can spread from the initial ice block region to other ice block regions through the connecting gap, achieving better crystal embryo migration and forming a more uniform crystallization trigger.

[0008] When water becomes supercooled, it can induce ice flash. This embodiment of the application, by utilizing a connecting gap between the ice grid and the bottom wall, avoids a rapid and large-scale crystallization chain reaction in the water used for ice making, thus preventing the freezing speed from being too fast and preventing the gas in the water from escaping. In this way, the phenomenon of gas-encased crystal textures in the ice block caused by ice flash is avoided, resulting in pure and transparent ice. Attached Figure Description

[0009] To more clearly illustrate the technical solution of this application, the drawings used in the embodiments will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of this application. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained from these drawings without creative effort.

[0010] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of an ice-making device provided in one embodiment of this application.

[0011] Figure 2 yes Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the cross-sectional structure of the ice-making equipment shown.

[0012] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of an ice-making mold provided in one embodiment of this application.

[0013] Figure 4 yes Figure 3 A cross-sectional structural schematic diagram of one embodiment of the ice-making mold shown.

[0014] Figure 5 yes Figure 4 A magnified structural diagram of part A in the middle.

[0015] Figure 6 yes Figure 3 A cross-sectional structural schematic diagram of another embodiment of the ice-making mold shown.

[0016] Figure 7 yes Figure 6 A magnified structural diagram of part B.

[0017] Figure 8 yes Figure 3 An exploded structural diagram of another embodiment of the ice-making mold shown.

[0018] Figure 9 yes Figure 8 A schematic diagram of the cross-sectional structure of the ice-making mold shown.

[0019] Figure 10 yes Figure 9 A magnified structural diagram of section C.

[0020] Labeling Explanation: 100, Refrigeration Box; 10, Cover Module; 101, Installation Space; 11, Top Cover; 12, First Cover; 14, Second Cover; 30, Drive Assembly; 50, Stirring Assembly; 52, Connector; 54, Stirring Component; 80, Box Body; 812, Open End; 814, Bottom End; 200, Ice Making Equipment; 20, Body; 21, Installation Cavity; 40, Ice Mold; 401, Receiving Cavity; 4012, Ice Grid Cavity; 403, Connecting Gap; 4032, Cross-section; 4033, First Inclined Surface; 4034, Second Inclined Surface; 4 1. Mold body; 412. Bottom wall; 4121. Groove; 4123. First contact part; 4125. Second contact part; 414. Peripheral wall; 416. Limiting component; 43. Ice tray component; 431. Dividing frame; 4312. First end; 4314. Second end; 432. First dividing part; 4321. Auxiliary groove; 434. Second dividing part; 436. Surrounding part; 438. Rib part; 4381. First rib; 4383. Second rib; 45. Ice tray; 47. Connecting strip; 60. Refrigeration system; 61. Refrigeration component. Detailed Implementation

[0021] To enable those skilled in the art to better understand the present application, the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present application will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are merely some embodiments of the present application, and not all embodiments. All other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art based on the embodiments of the present application without creative effort are within the scope of protection of the present application.

[0022] If certain terms are used in the specification and claims to refer to specific components, those skilled in the art will understand that hardware manufacturers may use different names to refer to the same component. The specification and claims do not distinguish components based on differences in name, but rather on differences in function. For example, the term "comprising" used throughout the specification and claims is an open-ended term and should be interpreted as "including but not limited to"; "generally" means that those skilled in the art can solve the technical problem and basically achieve the technical effect within a certain margin of error.

[0023] Please see Figure 1 This application provides a refrigeration box 100, which can be applied to an ice-making device 200.

[0024] Please see Figure 2This application also provides an ice-making device 200 equipped with the aforementioned refrigeration box 100. The ice-making device 200 can be any device capable of making ice, such as an ice maker, a freezer with a built-in ice-making function, or a refrigerator with a built-in ice-making function. In this embodiment, the ice-making device 200 is described using an ice maker as an example. An ice maker is used to quickly cool liquid water to form ice cubes for user use. The ice-making device 200 can be used as industrial equipment in production operations, or as food processing equipment to produce food ice cubes. It can also be used in medical, cold chain transportation, and other fields; this embodiment does not impose specific limitations in these areas. As an example, the ice-making device 200 in this embodiment is used as a household appliance, configured in offices, kitchens, restaurants, and other locations to produce food ice cubes. When used for ice making, the ice-making device 200 can be installed inside a refrigerator, freezer, or other similar equipment, or it can be used independently.

[0025] This specification does not limit the specific structure of the ice-making equipment 200. For example, the ice-making equipment 200 may include a body 20, an ice-making mold 40, a refrigeration system 60, and the aforementioned refrigeration box 100. Both the refrigeration box 100 and the refrigeration system 60 are housed within the body 20. The ice-making mold 40 is housed within the refrigeration box 100 and has a receiving cavity 401 for holding water used for ice making. The refrigeration system 60 is used to cool the ice-making mold 40, thereby causing the liquid water within the ice-making mold 40 to solidify and form ice blocks.

[0026] The refrigeration component 61 of the refrigeration system 60 is in contact with the ice-making mold 40. The refrigeration system 60 is used to cool the ice-making mold 40 through the refrigeration component 61, thereby causing the liquid water inside the ice-making mold 40 to freeze into ice. This specification does not limit the specific structure of the refrigeration system 60. As an example, the refrigeration system 60 may include a compressor, a condenser (not shown in the figure), and the aforementioned refrigeration component 61. The compressor, condenser, and refrigeration component 61 can be connected through refrigerant pipes to form an ice-making circuit. The compressor compresses low-pressure gaseous refrigerant into high-temperature, high-pressure gaseous refrigerant. This high-temperature, high-pressure gaseous refrigerant is then cooled and liquefied by the condenser to form high-pressure liquid refrigerant. The liquid refrigerant is then transported to the refrigeration unit 61. Inside the refrigeration unit 61, the liquid refrigerant absorbs heat and changes from a liquid to a gaseous state to cool the liquid water and make ice. The gaseous refrigerant then passes through the compressor and condenser again to become liquid refrigerant. The liquid refrigerant returns to the refrigeration unit 61 to continue evaporating, absorbing heat, and making ice. This process is repeated continuously, achieving continuous cooling to freeze the liquid water into ice. In some embodiments, the condenser may also be equipped with a cooling fan for heat dissipation to ensure the condenser's operational status.

[0027] In some embodiments, the ice-making mold 40 described above can be a flowing water ice-making tray, a still water ice-making tray, a bullet-shaped ice-making water container, or other types of ice-making box structures. This application embodiment does not limit this. The ice-making mold 40 in this application embodiment is described using a still water ice-making tray as an example. The cooling component 61 can be a liquid-cooled plate, an evaporator coil, or other cooling structures. This specification does not limit the positional relationship between the cooling component 61 and the ice-making mold 40. For example, the cooling component 61 can be disposed on and in contact with the peripheral wall of the ice-making mold 40, disposed at the bottom of the ice-making mold 40, or disposed inside the ice-making mold 40. In this embodiment, the cooling component 61 is disposed at the bottom of the ice-making mold 40 and in contact with the bottom of the ice-making mold 40.

[0028] The body 20 is used to house the aforementioned refrigeration box 100 and ice-making mold 40, and can also be used to house the inner liner of the ice-making device 200. A support structure for supporting the refrigeration box 100 and ice-making mold 40 may be provided inside the body 20, and the ice-making mold 40 can be detachably placed inside the refrigeration box 100. The ice-making device 200 can be configured with multiple different ice-making molds 40, thereby enabling the preparation of ice blocks of different shapes. In this embodiment, the body 20 is provided with a mounting cavity 21, which is used to house the refrigeration box 100 and ice-making mold 40, and can also be used to house the inner liner of the ice-making device 200. Furthermore, the mounting cavity 21 extends through one end of the body 20, therefore the body 20 is generally a cylindrical structure open at one end.

[0029] In this embodiment, a refrigeration box 100 is disposed within the body 20 to accommodate an ice-making mold 40. The refrigeration box 100 may include a cover module 10 and a box body 80. The ice-making mold 40 is housed within the box body 80. The cover module 10 is connected to the box body 80 to cover the receiving cavity 401. The cover module 10 may include a top cover 11, a drive assembly 30, and a stirring assembly 50. The top cover 11 is connected to the box body 80 and covers the receiving cavity 401. The top cover 11 may include a first cover 12 and a second cover 14. The second cover 14 is connected to the first cover 12 and together with the first cover 12 defines an installation space 101. When the top cover 11 covers the receiving cavity 401, the installation space 101 and the ice-making mold 40 are located on opposite sides of the second cover 14. The drive assembly 30 is disposed within the installation space 101 and fixed to the first cover 12. The stirring assembly 50 is drive-connected to the drive assembly 30. At least a portion of the structure of the stirring assembly 50 is designed to extend into the ice mold 40.

[0030] The top cover 11 shields the receiving cavity 401 and provides insulation for it. The drive assembly 30 is housed within the mounting space 101 of the top cover 11, preventing it from being directly exposed to the external environment and effectively preventing dust accumulation and moisture absorption. Driven by the drive assembly 30, the stirring assembly 50 stirs the ice-making water in the ice-making mold 40, allowing air bubbles to escape during the freezing process. This prevents dissolved gases from forming bubbles and freezing in the ice, resulting in purer, more transparent, and more uniform ice.

[0031] In this embodiment, the top cover 11 is movably connected to the housing 80, and the top cover 11 can be opened relative to the housing 80 to facilitate operations such as adding water or removing ice. This specification does not limit the specific connection method between the top cover 11 and the housing 80. For example, the top cover 11 can be connected to the housing 80 by a hinge, and the top cover 11 can rotate relative to the housing 80 to open or close. Alternatively, the top cover 11 can be fastened to the housing 80 by a snap-fit ​​mechanism. In this embodiment, the top cover 11 is hinged to the housing 80.

[0032] In some embodiments, if the cooling box 100 is not used in an ice-making device 200 with a cooling system 60, the cooling box 100 may also include a cooling module. The cooling module may be disposed on the box body 80 or on the cover module 10, and the cooling module is used to cool the ice-making mold 40 inside the box body 80.

[0033] The drive assembly 30 is fixed to the first cover 12. As an example, the drive assembly 30 may include a motor and a reducer. The reducer is driven to the output shaft of the motor, and the output shaft of the reducer passes through the second cover 14 to connect with the stirring assembly 50. The stirring assembly 50 may include a connector 52 and a stirring element 54. The connector 52 is driven to the output shaft of the reducer, and the stirring element 54 is fixedly connected to the connector 52. When the cover module 10 covers the receiving cavity 401, the stirring element 54 extends into the ice-making mold 40. The reducer drives the stirring element 54 through the connector 52 to stir the ice-making water in the ice-making mold 40, so that air bubbles in the water can be discharged during the freezing process, preventing dissolved gases in the water from forming bubbles and freezing in the ice, resulting in purer, more transparent, and more uniform ice.

[0034] This manual does not limit the connection method between the connector 52 and the output shaft of the reducer. As an example, the connector 52 can be fixedly connected to the output shaft of the reducer by fasteners such as screws, or the connector 52 can be fixedly connected to the output shaft of the reducer by plugging in.

[0035] In this embodiment, the housing 80 is connected to the top cover 11 and is used to house the ice-making mold 40. The housing 80 has an ice-making space, which can be used to hold ice-making water or to house the ice-making mold 40. The housing 80 can be connected to the support structure inside the body 20, or it can be connected to the body 20 via the top cover 11. The housing 80 is generally a through-container structure with openings at both ends. Specifically, the housing 80 can have an open end 812 and a bottom end 814. The open end 812 is used for placing and removing the ice-making mold 40, and the bottom end 814 can be connected and installed with the upper surface layer of the cooling component 61 to form a housing structure with a cooling function at the bottom. This housing structure has side walls (housing 80) with good heat insulation and a flat bottom (cooling component 61) that provides stable support for low-temperature operation.

[0036] The ice mold 40 is placed inside the housing 80 and in contact with the refrigeration unit 61. In this embodiment, the ice-making equipment 200 may also include an ice-removing system. This ice-removing system may be equipped with a solenoid valve, through which the capillary tubes of the condenser of the refrigeration system 60 are connected in parallel. During the ice-removing process, high-temperature refrigerant is directly introduced into the evaporator of the refrigeration system 60 to melt the ice at the bottom of the ice mold 40, thereby facilitating ice removal.

[0037] Please also refer to Figure 3 , Figure 4 and Figure 5 In this embodiment, the ice-making mold 40 may include a mold body 41 and an ice tray 43. The mold body 41 may include a bottom wall portion 412 and a peripheral wall portion 414 surrounding the bottom wall portion 412. The peripheral wall portion 414 is connected to the bottom wall portion 412 to define the receiving cavity 401 together with the bottom wall portion 412. The bottom wall portion 412 and the cooling component 61 (such as...) Figure 2 (As shown) are in contact. The ice grid member 43 is disposed in the receiving cavity 401 and divides the receiving cavity 401 into a plurality of ice grid cavities 4012. The ice grid member 43 is connected to the peripheral wall portion 414. At least a part of the structure of the ice grid member 43 has a communication gap 403 between it and the bottom wall portion 412. At least two adjacent ice grid cavities 4012 are connected through the communication gap 403.

[0038] In the ice-making mold 40 provided in this embodiment, the mold body 41 is used to contain ice-making water, and the ice grid 43 is used to restrict the shape of the ice formed by the ice-making water. When the ice-making mold 40 is in use, the cooling component 61 of the ice-making device 200 cools the ice-making mold 40. At least a portion of the structure of the ice grid 43 has a connecting gap 403 with the bottom wall 412. Water in the connecting gap 403 has a large cross-sectional angle, which reduces the surface free energy and significantly reduces the nucleation energy barrier, prompting preferential crystallization in the region of the connecting gap 403, thereby avoiding supercooling of the entire water body. At least two adjacent ice grid cavities 4012 are connected through the connecting gap 403, allowing water to slowly flow between different ice grid cavities 4012. Furthermore, the crystalline microparticles at the bottom of the ice-making mold 40 can spread from the initial ice block region to other ice block regions through the connecting gap 403, achieving better crystal embryo migration and forming a more uniform crystallization trigger.

[0039] When water becomes supercooled, it can induce ice flash. This embodiment of the application, by utilizing a connecting gap 403 between the ice grid 43 and the bottom wall 412, avoids a rapid and large-scale crystallization chain reaction in the water used for ice making, thereby preventing the freezing speed from being too fast and preventing the gas in the water from escaping. In this way, the phenomenon of gas-encased crystal textures in the ice block caused by ice flash is avoided, resulting in pure and transparent ice.

[0040] In this embodiment, the mold body 41 can be a container with one open end, and the open end of the mold body 80 is connected to the open end 812 (e.g., Figure 2 Corresponding to (as shown), this facilitates the placement and removal of the ice tray 43 and the filling of water into the receiving cavity 401. The bottom wall 412 is a generally flat plate-like structure, with its lower surface closely fitted to the upper surface of the cooling component 61 to ensure good heat conduction efficiency, allowing the low temperature to be transferred through the bottom wall 412 to the water in the receiving cavity 401 for ice making. The peripheral wall 414 is vertically connected to the edge of the bottom wall 412, together forming the receiving cavity 401 with an opening at the top. The height of the peripheral wall 414 can be designed according to the required ice block height. In this embodiment, the height of the peripheral wall 414 is higher than the height of the ice tray 43 to prevent water from overflowing from the mold body 41 during water filling. The mold body 41 can be made of silicone elastic material for easier installation and extrusion of ice. The thickness of the peripheral wall 414 can be greater than the thickness of the bottom wall 412. The thicker peripheral wall 414 ensures the strength and rigidity of the entire ice-making mold 40, while the thinner bottom wall 412 avoids poor thermal conductivity due to its larger thickness.

[0041] The water inlet end of the mold body 41 can be provided with an overlapping structure, which facilitates the user in placing and removing the ice mold 40, and the overlapping structure can overlap the opening end 812 to improve the placement stability of the ice mold 40. In this embodiment, the box body 80 can also be provided with a recessed stepped structure to adapt to the overlapping structure of the ice mold 40.

[0042] An ice tray 43 is disposed within the mold body 41. The connection between the water inlet of the ice tray 43 and the inner wall of the mold body 41 forms a first water level mark H1. A second water level mark H2 is also provided on the inner wall of the mold body 41, located between the first water level mark H2 and the cover module 10. The first water level mark H1 represents the maximum height of the ice block made by the ice-making mold 40, and the second water level mark H2 represents the maximum height to which water for ice making is added into the ice-making mold 40. When water for ice making is injected into the ice-making mold 40, the water will first reach the first water level mark H1. As the amount of water increases, the water level will rise to the second water level mark H2. At this point, the amount of water in the ice-making mold 40 reaches a suitable range, and the ice-making process can begin.

[0043] In this embodiment, the ice tray 43 may include a first partition 432 and a second partition 434, which are intersected and connected to form a partition frame 431. The outer edge of the partition frame 431 is connected to the peripheral wall 414, such that the first partition 432, the second partition 434, the peripheral wall 414, and the bottom wall 412 together define a plurality of independent ice trays 45, and an ice tray cavity 4012 is disposed within the ice tray 45. The ice tray 45 is used to hold liquid water to prepare ice cubes adapted to the shape of the ice tray.

[0044] Both the first partition 432 and the second partition 434 are generally plate-like structures. They can extend and intersect along a predetermined direction. For example, the first partition 432 can extend along a first direction, and the second partition 434 can extend along a second direction. The first and second directions can intersect (e.g., be perpendicular) in the same plane. Either the "first direction" or the "second direction" can be the width direction of the mold body 41, and the other can be the length direction of the mold body 41. The first partition 432 and the second partition 434 intersect each other perpendicularly, thereby dividing the receiving cavity 401 into multiple ice tray cavities 4012 arranged in a matrix, such as a 2x2 configuration.

[0045] In some embodiments, the number of first partitions 432 and second partitions 434 can both be multiple. For example, the number of first partitions 432 and second partitions 434 can both be two, with two first partitions 432 spaced apart along a second direction and two second partitions 434 spaced apart along a first direction. The two first partitions 432 and two second partitions 434 intersect each other perpendicularly, dividing the receiving cavity 401 into 3x3 ice tray cavities 4012 arranged in a matrix. The specific number and arrangement of the first partitions 432 and second partitions 434 can be designed according to actual ice-making needs. The material of the ice tray component 43 can be the same as or different from that of the mold body 41. For example, silicone can be used to increase its flexibility, making it easier for ice cubes to be removed from the ice tray cavity 4012. The ice tray component 43 can use a harder silicone material than the mold body 41 to ensure overall strength and rigidity, and to prevent deformation due to internal pressure after water is poured in.

[0046] The first partition 432 and the second partition 434 can be integrally formed to form a partition frame 431. The connection between the outer edge of the partition frame 431 and the peripheral wall 414 can be a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; it can be a direct connection, an indirect connection through an intermediate medium, or only surface contact. This specification does not limit the specific connection method between the ice tray 43 and the mold body 41. The ice tray 43 can be fixedly connected to the mold body 41, for example, it can be integrally formed into the mold body 41; or the ice tray 43 can be detachably disposed within the mold body 41. As an example, the ice tray 43 is integrally formed into the mold body 41. Specifically, both ends of the first partition 432 can be integrally formed and connected to the peripheral wall 414, and both ends of the second partition 434 can be integrally formed and connected to the peripheral wall 414; one side of the first partition 432 can also be integrally formed and connected to the bottom wall 412, and one side of the second partition 434 can also be integrally formed and connected to the bottom wall 412.

[0047] The partition frame 431 is integrally formed and connected to the mold body 41. The partition frame 431 may have a first end 4312 and a second end 4314 facing away from each other. The second end 4314 is connected to the bottom wall portion 412. The first partition portion 432 near the second end 4314 and / or the second partition portion 434 near the second end 4314 are provided with a connecting gap 403, which is an opening penetrating the second end 4314. During ice making, crystallization is preferentially triggered at the connecting gap 403 to prevent the water in the entire ice-making mold 40 from becoming too cold, thereby minimizing ice crystal marks caused by overcooling and achieving the purpose of improving the transparency of the ice.

[0048] This specification does not limit the specific form of the connecting gap 403, and there can be various ways to form the connecting gap 403. For example, the second end 4314 of the ice cube tray 43 may not be in complete contact with the bottom wall portion 412. Instead, several supporting feet or protrusions may be provided on the edge of the second end 4314 of the ice cube tray 43 or the bottom of the partition portion (first partition portion 432 and / or second partition portion 434), so that the ice cube tray 43 is entirely suspended above the bottom wall portion 412, thereby forming a continuous or discontinuous connecting gap 403 between the bottom surface of the ice cube tray 43 (the side where the second end 4314 is located) and the upper surface of the bottom wall portion 412. Alternatively, the bottom of the first partition portion 432 and / or the second partition portion 434 of the ice cube tray 43 may be provided with notches or grooves. These notches or grooves allow adjacent ice cube tray cavities 4012 to communicate with each other at the bottom through the notches or grooves, forming the connecting gap 403. This design allows the water in each ice tray 4012 to exchange and circulate to a certain extent with the water in other ice trays 4012 through the connecting gap 403.

[0049] This specification does not limit the specific number of connecting gaps 403. Taking the initial ice tray 45 (the specific ice tray in the ice-making mold 40 that first triggers freezing) as an example, at least one of the four bottom edges of the initial ice tray 45 has a connecting gap 403, and there is at least one initial ice tray 45 among multiple ice trays 45. At least one initial ice tray 45 among multiple ice trays 45 has a connecting gap 403 on at least one bottom edge around it, ensuring that the crystal embryo can smoothly migrate from the initial ice tray 45 to other ice trays 45. For example, in a 3x3 ice tray 45, the four bottom edges of the central ice tray 45 can be provided with connecting gaps 403, allowing it to connect with the four surrounding ice trays 45. The surrounding ice trays 45 can then share only the connecting gap 403 on the side facing the central ice tray 45, thus forming a crystal embryo migration path radiating outwards from the central ice tray 45.

[0050] In this embodiment, the bottom wall portion 412 can be divided into at least two regions of unequal thickness according to the uneven water flow within the mold body 41. The thinner region can be understood as the side of the bottom wall portion 412 facing the ice tray cavity 4012 being recessed / sunk, thus thinning that area; conversely, the thicker region can be understood as the side of the bottom wall portion 412 facing the ice tray cavity 4012 being convex, thus thickening that area. The thicker region can correspond to areas with poor venting within the mold body 41, increasing thermal resistance and allowing the water to become more transparent. As an example, the cover module 10 (such as...) Figure 2(As shown) When the receiving cavity 401 is covered, the stirring member 54 of the cover module 10 is approximately located in the middle of the mold body 41 and between the first water level mark H1 and the second water level mark H2. Taking a 3x3 ice cube tray 45 as an example, the stirring member 54 corresponds to the position of the central ice cube tray 45. Multiple ice cube tray cavities 4012 may include a first ice cube tray cavity located in the central region of the mold body 31 and second ice cube tray cavities distributed around the first ice cube tray cavity, with the stirring member 54 corresponding to the position of the first ice cube tray cavity. The bottom wall portion 412 may include a first contact portion 4123 located at the bottom of the second ice cube tray cavity and a second contact portion 4125 located at the bottom of the first ice cube tray cavity, wherein the thickness of the second contact portion 4123 is greater than the thickness of the first contact portion 4125, the second contact portion 4123 is the thicker area of ​​the bottom wall portion 412, and the first contact portion 4125 is the thinner area of ​​the bottom wall portion 412. When the drive assembly 30 drives the agitator 54 to agitate, the water circulation in and around the first ice tray cavity directly below the agitator 54 is relatively poor. The second contact portion 4125 is the bottom wall of the area with poor water circulation, while the first contact portion 4123 is the other area of ​​the bottom wall portion 412. The thickness of the second contact portion 4125 is greater than the thickness of the first contact portion 4123. The bottom wall portion 412 is even thicker in the area with poor venting (the second contact portion 4125), thereby increasing thermal resistance and making the water more transparent.

[0051] The second contact portion 4123 is used as the bottom of an area where water flow is poor within the mold body 41. In other embodiments, a water pump can be used instead of the stirring assembly 50 to accelerate water flow and remove air bubbles. In this embodiment, water circulation is usually poor at the end of the flow, and the second contact portion 4123 can be the bottom of the ice tray cavity 4012 at the four corners of the mold body 41.

[0052] The connecting gap 403 forms a cut surface 4032 at the second end 4314 of the separating frame 431. This specification does not limit the specific shape of the cut surface 4032. As an example, the cutting direction of the cut surface 4032 is approximately parallel to the plane containing the bottom wall portion 412. The cut surface 4032 is planar and spaced relative to the bottom wall portion 412. The planar nature of the cut surface 4032 allows water to slowly circulate between different ice trays 45, and allows the crystalline microparticles at the bottom to spread from the initial ice tray 45 to other ice trays 45 through the gap, achieving better crystal embryo migration and forming a more uniform crystallization trigger. The cut of the cut surface 4032 also has rounded corners or chamfers to allow water to smoothly seep into the gap.

[0053] Please also refer to Figure 6 and Figure 7As another example, the cutting direction of the cut surface 4032 is obliquely downward. Specifically, the cut surface 4032 includes a first oblique surface 4033 and a second oblique surface 4034. The end of the first oblique surface 4033 near the bottom wall portion 412 and the end of the second oblique surface 4034 near the bottom wall portion 412 intersect and connect. In this embodiment, obliquely downward cutting is easier to achieve, and the cut extends obliquely downward, with the end of the cut surface 4032 closer to the bottom, resulting in a lower temperature and lower supercooling, which facilitates crystallization. Since the cutting direction of the cut surface 4032 is obliquely downward, the bottom wall portion 412 can be made thicker, ensuring that the entire mold body 41 has better strength and rigidity. A thicker bottom wall portion 412 also increases thermal resistance, preventing excessively rapid crystallization from causing the ice to not have enough time to expel air bubbles, slowing down the freezing speed and making it easier to expel gas, thus improving the transparency of the ice to a certain extent. The cut of the cut surface 4032 also has rounded corners or chamfers to allow water to seep into the gaps smoothly.

[0054] In this embodiment, the depth of the connecting gap 403 can be adjusted according to actual ice-making needs. For example, the maximum distance between the cut surface 4032 and the bottom wall 412 is greater than or equal to 0.5 mm and less than or equal to 1.5 mm, so as to ensure smooth water flow and crystal embryo migration without affecting the overall shape of the ice block. Through this design, the ice-making mold 40 can effectively control the crystallization process, reduce the generation of bubbles, and improve the transparency and uniformity of the ice block.

[0055] Please refer to it again. Figure 3 , Figure 4 and Figure 5 When removing ice, the user can remove the ice mold 40 from the box 80 (e.g., Figure 2 Take the ice cube out of the ice tray 4012 by pressing the bottom of the ice tray 45. In this embodiment, the first partition 432 is integrally formed and connected to the bottom wall 412. The first partition 432 may also be provided with an auxiliary groove 4321, which penetrates the bottom wall 412. A connecting gap 403 is provided between the second partition 434 and the bottom wall 412. The auxiliary groove 4321 is located on the side of the mold body 41 away from the receiving cavity 401. The auxiliary groove 4321 extends along the length of the first partition 432, thereby separating the ice trays 45 on both sides of the first partition 432. When removing ice, the user can press the bottom of the ice tray 45 from below the mold body 41. The area of ​​the auxiliary groove 4321 will form a slight protrusion, which acts as a lever point to help remove the ice cube from the ice tray cavity 4012, making the ice removal process easier.

[0056] Due to the auxiliary groove 4321, the ice trays 45 on both sides of the first partition 432 are separated, and the connecting gap 403 is provided between the second partition 434 and the bottom wall 412. For example, in a 3x3 ice tray 45, the two first partitions 432 divide all the ice trays 45 into three rows of 1x3 ice trays 45. In each row of three ice trays 45, the two bottom edges of the middle ice tray 45 can be provided with connecting gaps 403 so that it can communicate with the two ice trays 45 in front and behind it. The two side ice trays 45 can share the connecting gap 403 on the bottom edge facing the middle ice tray 45, thereby forming a crystal embryo migration path that radiates outward from the middle ice tray 45.

[0057] To improve the connection strength between the second partition 434 and the bottom wall 412, in this embodiment, the ice-making mold 40 may further include a connecting strip 47, which is fixedly connected between the second partition 434 and the bottom wall 412. The connecting strip 47 may be located at the center of the second partition 434 within each ice tray 45, covering the communication gap 403. The connecting strip 47 may also be made of silicone to ensure the connection strength between the second partition 434 and the bottom wall 412 and reduce the possibility of breakage. Multiple connecting strips 47 may be provided. As an example, each ice tray 45 may have two connecting strips 47, which are respectively located on opposite sides of the ice tray 45.

[0058] To further improve the ease of ice removal, the wall thickness of the first partition 432 increases from the first end 4312 to the second end 4314, and / or, the wall thickness of the second partition 434 increases from the first end 4312 to the second end 4314. This design makes the inner wall of the ice tray cavity 4012 inclined, wider at the top and narrower at the bottom, thus facilitating the removal of ice from the ice tray cavity 4012. At the same time, this change in wall thickness also enhances the structural strength of the partition frame 431 at the bottom, ensuring that it is not easily deformed under water pressure and low temperature conditions.

[0059] Please see Figure 8 and Figure 9In other embodiments, the ice tray 43 can be detachably connected to the mold body 41, making it easier to clean and allowing the mold body 41 to accommodate various styles of ice tray 43. The ice tray 43 may also include a surrounding portion 436, which is integrally formed and connected to the outer edge of the dividing frame 431, such that the first dividing portion 432, the second dividing portion 434, the surrounding portion 436, and the bottom wall portion 412 together define multiple independent ice tray cavities 4012. The surrounding portion 436 is generally cylindrical with both ends extending through it, and its outer diameter is smaller than the inner diameter of the mold body 41 to facilitate installation within the mold body 41. The connection of the surrounding portion 436 to the outer edge of the dividing frame 431 makes the ice tray 43 easier to assemble and disassemble, and also improves the structural strength of the ice tray 43.

[0060] During ice removal, the user removes the ice mold 40 from the housing 80 and then presses the bottom wall 412 of the ice tray 45 to remove the ice. To prevent the ice tray 43 from detaching from the mold body 41 during the ice removal process, in this embodiment, the mold body 41 may also include a limiting member 416. The limiting member 416 is connected to the peripheral wall 414 and protrudes relative to the peripheral wall 414. The limiting member 416 is spaced apart from the bottom wall 412, and the separating frame 431 is held between the limiting member 416 and the bottom wall 412. Utilizing the holding effect of the limiting member 416 and the soft mold characteristic of the ice tray 43, the ice in the ice mold 40 is stably positioned after freezing, making disassembly and assembly easy when removing ice.

[0061] The limiting member 416 can be a plurality of protrusions spaced circumferentially along the peripheral wall portion 414. When the ice tray 43 is installed inside the mold body 41, the top end of the surrounding portion 436 abuts against the lower surface of the limiting member 416, and its bottom end contacts the upper surface of the bottom wall portion 412, thereby stably confining the ice tray 43 inside the mold body 41 and preventing the ice tray 43 from moving upward or coming out entirely when pressing to remove ice. The limiting member 416 may also be provided with a guide ramp to facilitate the installation of the ice tray 43 into the mold body 41.

[0062] Please also refer to Figure 8 , Figure 9 and Figure 10 In this embodiment, the ice grid 43 may further include a rib 438, which may be connected to the second end 4314. The bottom wall 412 is provided with a groove 4121, and the rib 438 is embedded in the groove 4121 and spaced from the inner wall of the groove 4121 to form a connecting gap 403. Water has a large cross-sectional angle in the connecting gap 403, thereby reducing the surface free energy and significantly reducing the nucleation energy barrier.

[0063] The raised ribs 438 can be provided along the extending direction of the first partition 432 and / or the second partition 434, and their number and distribution can be adjusted according to the design requirements of the connecting gap 403. When the ice tray 43 is placed in the mold body 41, the raised ribs 438 are embedded in the grooves 4121, and the gap between them constitutes the connecting gap 403 to allow water and crystal embryos to flow. This specification does not limit the specific number of raised ribs 438, and the specific number of raised ribs 438 can be adaptively adjusted according to the number of ice trays 45. As an example, in a 3x3 ice tray 45, multiple raised ribs 438 can be provided along the extending direction of both the first partition 432 and the second partition 434, and each raised rib 438 is embedded in a pre-set groove 4121 on the bottom wall 412. For example, the bottom of the four dividing edges of the central ice tray 45 is provided with raised ribs 438, while the ice trays 45 located at the edge or corner can only have raised ribs 438 at the bottom of the dividing edge shared with the adjacent ice trays 45, so that the adjacent ice tray cavities 4012 can be connected through the communication gap 403 formed by the interval between the raised ribs 438 and the grooves 4121.

[0064] The raised rib 438 and other parts of the ice tray 43 can be integrally formed to enhance its structural strength and prevent breakage or deformation during use. The cross-sectional shape of the raised rib 438 can be semi-circular, rectangular, or trapezoidal, etc. The shape of the groove 4121 is adapted to the raised rib 438 to ensure that the raised rib 438 can be stably embedded, while ensuring the effective width and depth of the connecting gap 403. In this embodiment, the cross-sectional shape of the raised rib 438 is trapezoidal, which can play a guiding role when the ice tray 43 is installed into the mold body 41.

[0065] The depth of the groove 4121 can be set according to the size of the rib 438 and the required size of the communication gap 403 to ensure smooth water flow and successful crystal embryo migration. In this embodiment, the depth of the groove 4121 can be between 0.5mm and 3.0mm (including the endpoints), and preferably, the depth of the groove 4121 can be between 0.5mm and 1.0mm (including the endpoints).

[0066] The groove 4121 is positioned lower than the plane of the cooling element 61, resulting in a lower temperature and lower supercooling at the groove 4121, thus facilitating crystallization initiation more smoothly. The bottom wall 412 can be made thicker in areas other than the groove 4121, ensuring better strength and rigidity for the entire mold body 41. A thicker bottom wall 412 also increases thermal resistance, slowing the freezing process and facilitating gas expulsion, thereby improving the transparency of the ice to some extent. Crystallized microparticles at the bottom of the mold body 41 can spread from the initial ice tray 45 to other ice trays 45 through the gap between the groove 4121 and the rib 438, achieving better crystal embryo migration and forming a more uniform crystallization trigger. Furthermore, due to its low thermal resistance, the groove 4121 can quickly melt any interconnected ice layers that may exist in the bottom wall 412 during the de-icing process, making de-icing smoother.

[0067] In this embodiment, the wall thickness of the first partition 432 and the wall thickness of the second partition 434 remain constant in the direction from the first end 4312 to the second end 4314, making the ice tray cavity 4012 a rectangular cavity with uniform width from top to bottom. Multiple ribs 438 are provided, which may include multiple first ribs 4381 and multiple second ribs 4383. The multiple first ribs 4381 are connected to the first end 4312, and the multiple second ribs 4383 are connected to the second end 4314. The first ribs 4381 are provided on the side of the first partition 432 near the first end 4312, and the second partition 434 is provided on the side of the second partition 434 near the first end 4312. For example, the central ice tray 45 has first ribs 4381 on all four partition edges near the first end 4312, while ice trays 45 located at the edges or corners may only have first ribs 4381 on the partition edges shared with adjacent ice trays 45. Similarly, the second rib 4383 is provided on the side of the first partition 432 near the second end 4314 and on the side of the second partition 434 near the second end 4314. For example, the four partition edges of the central ice cube tray 45 near the second end 4314 are provided with the second rib 4383, while the ice cube tray 45 located at the edge or corner can only have the second rib 4383 provided on the partition edge shared with the adjacent ice cube tray 45.

[0068] The number of first protruding ribs 4381 and second protruding ribs 4383 at both ends of the partition frame 431 are the same, and their positions correspond. Both the first end 4312 and the second end 4314 of the ice tray 43 are provided with protruding ribs 438, allowing the ice tray 43 to be installed on the mold body 41 without needing to distinguish between the front and back, thus enabling bidirectional installation and improving ease of installation. When the ice tray 43 is installed with the first end 4312 facing upwards and the second end 4314 facing downwards, the second protruding rib 4383 is embedded in the groove 4121 of the bottom wall portion 412, forming a connecting gap 403. When the ice tray 43 is flipped over and installed with the second end 4314 facing upwards and the first end 4312 facing downwards, the first protruding rib 4381 is embedded in the groove 4121 of the bottom wall portion 412, forming a connecting gap 403. Both installation methods ensure water flow and crystal migration between the ice tray cavities 4012.

[0069] During the ice-making process, when the cooling component 61 cools the bottom wall 412 of the ice-making mold 40, the water temperature near the bottom wall 412 decreases first. Due to the presence of the connecting gap 403, the water in this area has a larger cross-sectional angle, resulting in a lower surface free energy and a correspondingly lower nucleation energy barrier. Therefore, crystallization is preferentially triggered in the region of the connecting gap 403, forming initial ice crystal nuclei. These initial ice crystal nuclei can act as seed crystals, slowly spreading into each ice compartment 4012 through the connecting gap 403. At the same time, because the connecting gap 403 allows water to flow slowly between different ice compartments 4012, it not only helps the migration and uniform distribution of the crystal embryos, ensuring that the freezing process in each ice compartment 4012 can proceed relatively synchronously and uniformly, avoiding sudden ice flashes in some ice compartments 4012 due to excessive supercooling, but also, with the cooperation of the stirring component 50, the dissolved gases in the water have more time to escape, thereby effectively reducing the generation of bubbles inside the ice and further ensuring the purity and transparency of the ice.

[0070] In the description of this specification, the references to terms such as "one embodiment," "some embodiments," "example," "specific example," or "some examples," etc., refer to specific features, structures, materials, or characteristics described in connection with that embodiment or example, which are included in at least one embodiment or example of this application. In this specification, the illustrative expressions of the above terms do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment or example. Furthermore, the specific features, structures, materials, or characteristics described may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments or examples. Moreover, without contradiction, those skilled in the art can combine and integrate the different embodiments or examples described in this specification, as well as the features of different embodiments or examples.

[0071] Unless otherwise expressly specified or limited, the terms "installation," "connection," "linking," and "fixing," etc., should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; a direct connection or an indirect connection via an intermediate medium; a connection within two components; or merely surface contact. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of these terms in this application based on the specific circumstances.

[0072] Furthermore, the terms "first" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of technical features indicated. Thus, a feature defined as "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include at least one of that feature. In the description of this application, "multiple" means at least two, such as two, three, etc., unless otherwise explicitly specified.

[0073] Finally, it should be noted that the above embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of this application, and not to limit them. Although this application has been described in detail with reference to the foregoing embodiments, those skilled in the art should understand that modifications can still be made to the technical solutions described in the foregoing embodiments, or equivalent substitutions can be made to some of the technical features. These modifications or substitutions do not cause the essence of the corresponding technical solutions to deviate from the spirit and scope of the technical solutions of the embodiments of this application.

Claims

1. An ice-making mold used in ice-making equipment, characterized in that, The ice-making mold includes: A mold body, the mold body including a bottom wall portion and a peripheral wall portion disposed around the bottom wall portion, the peripheral wall portion being connected to the bottom wall portion to jointly define a receiving cavity, the bottom wall portion being for contacting a cooling component of an ice-making device; and An ice grid is disposed within the receiving cavity and divides the receiving cavity into multiple ice grid cavities. The ice grid is connected to the peripheral wall portion, and at least a portion of the structure of the ice grid has a communication gap with the bottom wall portion. At least two adjacent ice grid cavities are connected through the communication gap.

2. The ice-making mold as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The ice cube tray includes a first partition and a second partition, which are intersected and connected to form a partition frame. The outer edge of the partition frame is connected to the peripheral wall, so that the first partition, the second partition, the peripheral wall, and the bottom wall together define a plurality of independent ice cube tray cavities.

3. The ice-making mold as described in claim 2, characterized in that, The partition frame is integrally formed and connected to the mold body. The partition frame has a first end and a second end facing away from each other. The second end is connected to the bottom wall. The first partition part near the second end and / or the second partition part near the second end are provided with the communication gap, which is an opening that penetrates the second end.

4. The ice-making mold as described in claim 3, characterized in that, The connecting gap forms a cross-section at the second end of the partition frame, and the cross-section is planar and spaced apart from the bottom wall portion; Alternatively, the connecting gap forms a cross-section at the second end of the partition frame, the cross-section including a first inclined surface and a second inclined surface, the end of the first inclined surface near the bottom wall and the end of the second inclined surface near the bottom wall intersect and connect.

5. The ice-making mold as described in claim 4, characterized in that, The maximum distance between the cut surface and the bottom wall is greater than or equal to 0.5 mm and less than or equal to 1.5 mm.

6. The ice-making mold as described in claim 3, characterized in that, The wall thickness of the first partition increases in the direction from the first end to the second end; and / or, the wall thickness of the second partition increases in the direction from the first end to the second end.

7. The ice-making mold as described in claim 2, characterized in that, The first partition is integrally formed and connected to the bottom wall. An auxiliary groove is provided in the first partition, and the auxiliary groove penetrates the bottom wall. The connecting gap is provided between the second partition and the bottom wall.

8. The ice-making mold as described in claim 7, characterized in that, The auxiliary groove is located on the side of the mold body away from the receiving cavity, and the auxiliary groove extends along the length direction of the first partition to separate the ice tray cavities on both sides of the first partition.

9. The ice-making mold as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The ice tray is detachably connected to the mold body. The ice tray includes a first partition, a second partition, and an enclosure. The first partition and the second partition are intersected and connected to each other to form a partition frame. The enclosure is integrally formed and connected to the outer edge of the partition frame, so that the first partition, the second partition, the enclosure, and the bottom wall together define a plurality of independent ice tray cavities.

10. The ice-making mold as described in claim 9, characterized in that, The ice cube tray also includes a raised rib connected to the end of the partition frame; the bottom wall is provided with a groove, and the raised rib is embedded in the groove and spaced apart from the inner wall of the groove to form the communication gap.

11. The ice-making mold as described in claim 10, characterized in that, The partition frame includes a first end and a second end facing away from each other, with the second end being disposed opposite to the bottom wall portion; multiple rib portions are provided, each rib portion including multiple first ribs and multiple second ribs, with the multiple first ribs connected to the first end and the multiple second ribs connected to the second end.

12. The ice-making mold as described in claim 9, characterized in that, The mold body also includes a limiting member, which is connected to the peripheral wall and protrudes relative to the peripheral wall. The limiting member is spaced apart from the bottom wall, and the partition frame is held between the limiting member and the bottom wall.

13. The ice-making mold as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The bottom wall is divided into at least two regions of unequal thickness.

14. An ice-making device, characterized in that, include: Refrigeration box; as well as The ice-making mold as described in any one of claims 1 to 13, wherein the ice-making mold is disposed inside the refrigeration box.

15. The ice-making apparatus as described in claim 14, characterized in that, The refrigeration chamber includes a stirring assembly and a driving assembly. The stirring assembly is tractively connected to the driving assembly, and the stirring element of the stirring assembly extends into the ice-making mold. The bottom wall includes a first contact portion and a second contact portion that are smoothly connected. The second contact portion is opposite to the stirring element, and the thickness of the second contact portion is greater than the thickness of the first contact portion.

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