Ice makers and refrigerators

Abstract

This invention relates to the field of ice-making technology, and more particularly to ice makers and refrigerators. The ice maker includes: an upper ice mold; a lower ice mold; and a driving device. The driving device includes a driving assembly, a transmission assembly, and a guide plate. The guide plate has a first guide hole and a second guide hole. The lower end of the first guide hole communicates with the upper end of the second guide hole. The first guide hole extends vertically, and the second guide hole extends downward at a set angle to the first guide hole. The driving assembly is connected to the transmission assembly, and the transmission assembly is connected to the lower ice mold. The driving assembly is adapted to drive the transmission assembly to switch the lower ice mold from a first state to a second state. In the first state, the transmission assembly moves along the first guide hole to make the opening of the lower ice mold face upward and move downward. In the second state, the transmission assembly moves linearly and rotates along the second guide hole to make the lower ice mold rotate from an upward opening to a downward opening. The lower ice mold first moves downward to open, and then rotates to remove the ice, achieving an automatic ice removal effect.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of ice-making technology, and more particularly to ice makers and refrigerators. Background Technology

[0002] Currently, ice-making equipment for producing spherical ice is divided into two main categories: manual ice making and automatic ice making. Manual ice making is difficult to remove ice from and inconvenient to operate. It requires heating the ice-making module at room temperature or rinsing it with hot water to remove ice smoothly. Existing automatic ice making usually involves the lower ice mold and the upper ice film rotating and separating during ice removal. The lower ice mold rotates out of the space under the upper ice film, and then the spherical ice is pushed out from the upper ice mold and falls off. This method of ice removal makes it difficult to ensure that the spherical ice is completely separated from the lower ice mold before the lower ice mold rotates to its position. During the rotation process, the lower ice mold is also prone to scraping the spherical ice, which damages the shape of the spherical ice. Therefore, it is difficult to guarantee the ice removal effect and the quality of ice making. Summary of the Invention

[0003] This invention aims to at least solve one of the technical problems existing in related technologies. To this end, this invention proposes an ice maker that uses a drive device to first move the lower ice mold downwards to open the mold, and then drives the lower ice mold to rotate and remove ice, thereby achieving an automatic ice removal effect. The ice removal action is clearer and more precise, simpler and more convenient to execute, reduces the time required for ice removal, and does not affect other devices and components, effectively improving ice making and ice removal efficiency.

[0004] The present invention also provides a refrigerator.

[0005] An ice maker according to a first aspect of the present invention includes: Place the ice mold; Lower ice mold; The driving device includes a driving assembly, a transmission assembly, and a guide plate. The guide plate has a first guide hole and a second guide hole. The lower end of the first guide hole communicates with the upper end of the second guide hole. The first guide hole extends vertically, and the second guide hole extends downward at a set angle to the first guide hole. The driving assembly is connected to the transmission assembly, and the transmission assembly is connected to the lower ice mold. The drive assembly is adapted to drive the transmission assembly to switch the lower ice mold from a first state to a second state; in the first state, the transmission assembly moves along the first guide hole to make the opening of the lower ice mold face upward and move downward; in the second state, the transmission assembly moves linearly and rotates along the second guide hole to make the lower ice mold rotate from an opening facing upward to an opening facing downward.

[0006] According to the ice maker of the present invention, the lower ice mold is driven to move downward to open the mold by a drive device, and then the lower ice mold is driven to rotate to remove ice, thereby realizing the automatic ice removal effect of the ice maker. The ice removal action is clearer and more precise, and the execution is simpler and more convenient. It reduces the time required for the ice maker to remove ice, and will not affect other devices and components, effectively improving the ice making and ice removal efficiency.

[0007] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the transmission assembly includes: A lead screw, the lead screw extending vertically along its axis, and a drive assembly connected to the lead screw and adapted to drive the lead screw to rotate. A connecting block, which is threadedly connected to the lead screw and is movable along the lead screw; A drive shaft, one end of which is rotatably connected to the connecting block and the other end of which is connected to the lower ice mold, is adapted to move along the first guide hole and the second guide hole.

[0008] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the drive shaft includes: A first shaft portion, the first shaft portion being adapted to move along the first guide hole and the second guide hole; The second shaft portion, two second shaft portions are symmetrically connected to the two ends of the first shaft portion, and the second shaft portion is at a set angle to the first shaft portion; The third shaft portion is connected to the two second shaft portions respectively. The axial direction of the third shaft portion is parallel to the axial direction of the first shaft portion. The two third shaft portions are connected to the drive assembly and the lower ice mold respectively.

[0009] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the second shaft portion is perpendicularly connected to the first shaft portion, and the horizontal distance between the first end and the last end of the second guide hole is twice the length of the second shaft portion.

[0010] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the guide plate is further provided with a third guide hole, the third guide hole being connected to the end of the second guide hole, the third guide hole extending downward in a vertical direction, and the drive assembly driving the transmission shaft to move along the third guide hole so that the opening of the lower ice mold faces downward and moves downward.

[0011] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the driving component includes: A drive shaft extends horizontally, a first gear is provided on the drive shaft, and a second gear is provided on the lead screw, the second gear meshing with the first gear for transmission. A driver, coaxially connected to the drive shaft, is adapted to drive the drive shaft to rotate the lead screw.

[0012] According to one embodiment of the present invention, a retaining ring is provided between the drive shaft and the connecting block.

[0013] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the two transmission components are respectively located on both sides of the lower ice mold and symmetrically connected to the lower ice mold, the two guide plates are respectively arranged in correspondence with the transmission components, and the two guide plates are disposed between the two transmission components.

[0014] According to one embodiment of the present invention, a support frame is further included, wherein a first support seat and a second support seat are provided on the support frame, the lead screw is rotatably connected to the first support seat, and the drive shaft is rotatably connected to the second support seat.

[0015] A refrigerator according to a second aspect of the present invention includes a cabinet and an ice maker as described above disposed in the cabinet.

[0016] The above-described one or more technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention have at least one of the following technical effects: In the ice maker of this invention, after the upper and lower ice molds are closed, an ice-making cavity is formed. After ice making is completed, the driving device drives the lower ice mold to move and open the mold, so that the lower ice mold and the ice ball are separated from the upper ice mold together. The ice ball is located inside the lower ice mold and moves synchronously with the lower ice mold. Then, under the driving action of the driving device, the lower ice mold changes its posture to separate the ice ball from the lower ice mold, so that the ice ball falls off and the ice removal work is completed.

[0017] The lower ice mold is located below the upper ice mold. In the first state, the driving device drives the lower ice mold to move from top to bottom. The lower ice mold always has its opening facing upward and gradually moves away from the upper ice mold. In the second state, the driving device drives the lower ice mold to move below the upper ice mold. During the movement, the lower ice mold gradually rotates from having its opening facing upward to having its opening facing downward.

[0018] The drive unit mainly consists of a drive assembly, a transmission assembly, and a guide plate. The guide plate has corresponding guide holes. The drive assembly drives the transmission assembly to move. During movement, the transmission assembly, in conjunction with the direction of the guide holes, drives the ice mold to move and rotate. The first guide hole provides a guiding path for the transmission assembly in the first state, and the second guide hole provides a guiding path for the transmission assembly in the second state. The paths in the first and second states are continuous, so the end of the first guide hole connects to the beginning of the second guide hole. That is, after the transmission assembly moves to the end of the first guide hole, it enters the second guide hole and moves along it.

[0019] The first and second guide holes are linear guide holes. The first guide hole is vertically oriented, and the second guide hole is located below the first guide hole. The extension direction of the second guide hole forms a predetermined angle with the extension direction of the first guide hole in the vertical direction. In the first state, the transmission component moves within the first guide hole, causing the lower ice mold to move downwards vertically. The opening of the lower ice mold faces upwards, separating from the upper ice mold and completing the mold opening. Then, in the second state, the transmission component enters the second guide hole. While continuing to move downwards vertically, the transmission component is also rotated due to the inclined second guide hole. This causes the lower ice mold to continue descending while rotating around its axis of rotation, changing from an upward-facing opening to a downward-facing opening, thus achieving the de-icing process.

[0020] The ice maker of the present invention drives the lower ice mold to move downward to open the mold first, and then drives the lower ice mold to rotate to remove the ice, thereby realizing the automatic ice removal effect of the ice maker. The ice removal action is clearer and more precise, and the execution is simpler and more convenient. It reduces the time required for the ice maker to remove ice, and will not affect other devices and components, effectively improving the ice making and ice removal efficiency.

[0021] Additional aspects and advantages of the invention will be set forth in part in the description which follows, and in part will be obvious from the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention. Attached Figure Description

[0022] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention or related technologies, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments or related technologies will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of the present invention. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0023] Figure 1 This is one of the structural schematic diagrams of the ice maker provided in the embodiments of the present invention; Figure 2 yes Figure 1 A sectional view of AA; Figure 3 yes Figure 1 A cross-sectional view of BB; Figure 4 This is the second structural schematic diagram of the ice maker provided in the embodiment of the present invention; Figure 5 This is the third structural schematic diagram of the ice maker provided in the embodiment of the present invention; Figure 6 This is the fourth structural schematic diagram of the ice maker provided in the embodiments of the present invention; Figure 7 This is a schematic flowchart of the ice removal method for an ice maker provided in an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the electronic device provided in an embodiment of the present invention.

[0024] Figure label: 100. Upper ice mold; 200. Lower ice mold; 300. Drive unit; 310. Transmission assembly; 315. Lead screw; 316. Connecting block; 317. Drive shaft; 3171. First shaft portion; 3172. Second shaft portion; 3173. Third shaft portion; 320. Guide plate; 321. First guide hole; 322. Second guide hole; 323. Third guide hole; 330. Drive assembly; 331. Drive shaft; 332. Driver; 334. First gear; 335. Second gear; 336. Countershaft; 400, support frame; 410, first support seat; 420, second support seat. Detailed Implementation

[0025] The embodiments of the present invention will be described in further detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and examples. The following examples are for illustrative purposes only and should not be construed as limiting the scope of the invention.

[0026] In the description of the embodiments of the present invention, it should be noted that the terms "center," "longitudinal," "lateral," "upper," "lower," "front," "rear," "left," "right," "vertical," "horizontal," "top," "bottom," "inner," and "outer," etc., indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings. They are only for the convenience of describing the embodiments of the present invention and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, they should not be construed as limitations on the embodiments of the present invention. In addition, the terms "first," "second," and "third" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance.

[0027] In the description of the embodiments of the present invention, it should be noted that, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, the terms "connected" and "linked" should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; they can refer to a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in the embodiments of the present invention based on the specific circumstances.

[0028] In embodiments of the present invention, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, "above" or "below" the second feature can mean that the first feature is in direct contact with the second feature, or that the first feature is in indirect contact with the second feature through an intermediate medium. Furthermore, "above," "on top of," and "over" the second feature can mean that the first feature is directly above or diagonally above the second feature, or simply that the first feature is at a higher horizontal level than the second feature. "Below," "below," and "under" the second feature can mean that the first feature is directly below or diagonally below the second feature, or simply that the first feature is at a lower horizontal level than the second feature.

[0029] 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 the present invention. 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.

[0030] like Figures 1 to 6 As shown in the figure, an ice maker provided in this embodiment of the invention includes an upper ice mold 100, a lower ice mold 200, and a driving device 300. The lower ice mold 200 is located below the upper ice mold 100. The driving device 300 includes a driving assembly 330, a transmission assembly 310, and a guide plate 320. The guide plate 320 is provided with a first guide hole 321 and a second guide hole 322. The lower end of the first guide hole 321 communicates with the upper end of the second guide hole 322. The first guide hole 321 extends vertically, and the second guide hole 322 communicates with the first guide hole 322. The hole 321 extends downward at a set angle. The transmission component 310 is connected to the lower ice mold 200, and the drive component 330 is connected to the transmission component 310. It is suitable for driving the lower ice mold 200 to switch from a first state to a second state. In the first state, the drive transmission component 310 moves along the first guide hole 321 so that the opening of the lower ice mold 200 faces upward and moves downward. In the second state, the drive transmission component 310 moves linearly and rotates along the second guide hole 322 so that the lower ice mold 200 rotates from an opening facing upward to an opening facing downward.

[0031] In the ice maker of this embodiment, after the upper ice mold 100 and the lower ice mold 200 are closed, an ice-making cavity is formed. After ice making is completed, the driving device 300 drives the lower ice mold 200 to move and open the mold, so that the lower ice mold 200 and the ice ball are separated from the upper ice mold 100 together. The ice ball is located inside the lower ice mold 200 and moves synchronously with the lower ice mold 200. Then, under the driving action of the driving device 300, the lower ice mold 200 changes its posture to separate the ice ball from the lower ice mold 200, so that the ice ball falls off and the ice removal work is completed.

[0032] The lower ice mold 200 is located below the upper ice mold 100. In the first state, the driving device 300 drives the lower ice mold 200 to move from top to bottom. The lower ice mold 200 always has its opening facing upward and gradually moves away from the upper ice mold 100. In the second state, the driving device 300 drives the lower ice mold 200 to always move below the upper ice mold 100. During the movement, the lower ice mold 200 gradually rotates from having its opening facing upward to having its opening facing downward.

[0033] The driving device 300 mainly consists of a driving assembly 330, a transmission assembly 310, and a guide plate 320. The guide plate 320 has corresponding guide holes. The driving assembly 330 drives the transmission assembly 310 to move. During movement, the transmission assembly 310, in conjunction with the direction of the guide holes, drives the ice mold 200 to move and rotate. The first guide hole 321 provides a guiding path for the transmission assembly 310 in the first state, and the second guide hole 322 provides a guiding path for the transmission assembly 310 in the second state. The paths in the first and second states are continuous, so the end of the first guide hole 321 is connected to the beginning of the second guide hole 322. That is, after the transmission assembly 310 moves to the end of the first guide hole 321, it enters the second guide hole 322 and moves along the second guide hole 322.

[0034] The first guide hole 321 and the second guide hole 322 are linear guide holes. The first guide hole 321 is set vertically, and the second guide hole 322 is located below the first guide hole 321. In the vertical direction from top to bottom, the extension direction of the second guide hole 322 forms a set angle with the extension direction of the first guide hole 321. In the first state, the transmission component 310 moves in the first guide hole 321, causing the lower ice mold 200 to move downwards vertically. The opening of the lower ice mold 200 faces upwards and separates from the upper ice mold 100, completing the mold opening. Then, in the second state, the transmission component 310 enters the second guide hole 322. While the transmission component 310 continues to move downwards vertically, it is also rotated due to the influence of the inclined second guide hole 322. This causes the lower ice mold 200 to continue to descend while rotating around the rotation axis, rotating from an upward opening to a downward opening, thus realizing the de-icing operation.

[0035] The ice maker of the present invention drives the lower ice mold 200 to move downward to open the mold through the drive device 300, and then drives the lower ice mold 200 to rotate to remove ice, thereby realizing the automatic ice removal effect of the ice maker. The ice removal action is clearer and more precise, and the execution is simpler and more convenient. It reduces the time required for the ice maker to remove ice, and will not affect other devices and components, effectively improving the ice making and ice removal efficiency.

[0036] In this embodiment, the process from the first state to the second state is the ice-making process of opening and removing ice from the mold. After the ice removal is completed, the driving device 300 can drive the lower ice mold 200 to reverse to the second state. During the movement, the lower ice mold 200 gradually rotates from an opening facing downwards to an opening facing upwards, and then reverses to the first state. The lower ice mold 200 always faces upwards and gradually approaches the upper ice mold 100. The lower ice mold 200 is in a bottom-up movement process, completing the mold closing of the upper ice mold 100 and the lower ice mold 200. In other embodiments, the mold closing process can also be carried out by the driving device 300 driving the lower ice mold 200 to select other paths and methods to move.

[0037] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the transmission assembly 310 includes a lead screw 315, a connecting block 316, and a transmission shaft 317. The axial direction of the lead screw 315 extends vertically. The drive assembly 330 is connected to the lead screw 315 and is adapted to drive the lead screw 315 to rotate. The connecting block 316 is threadedly connected to the lead screw 315 and is movable along the lead screw 315. One end of the transmission shaft 317 is rotatably connected to the connecting block 316, and the other end is connected to the lower ice mold 200. The transmission shaft 317 is adapted to move along the first guide hole 321 and the second guide hole 322.

[0038] In this embodiment, the transmission assembly 310 mainly consists of a lead screw 315, a connecting block 316, and a transmission shaft 317. The drive assembly 330 is connected to the lead screw 315 and drives the lead screw 315 to rotate. The connecting block 316 is threadedly connected to the lead screw 315 to form a lead screw 315 nut structure. While the lead screw 315 rotates, the connecting block 316 can move linearly along the lead screw 315. The lower ice mold 200 is rotatably connected to the connecting block 316 through the transmission shaft 317. The linear movement of the connecting block 316 can drive the transmission shaft 317 and the lower ice mold 200 to move linearly. Since the position of the lead screw 315 is fixed, when the ice maker opens the mold, the drive shaft 317 moves from the first guide hole 321 to the second guide hole 322. While maintaining a vertical downward movement, the drive shaft 317 is subjected to the inclined guiding force of the second guide hole 322, causing it to rotate. The drive shaft 317 is rotatably connected to the connecting block 316 and fixedly connected to the lower ice mold 200. Thus, the rotation of the drive shaft 317 drives the lower ice mold 200 to rotate from an upward opening to a downward opening. When the ice maker closes the mold, the drive shaft 317, while maintaining a vertical upward movement, is subjected to the inclined guiding force of the second guide hole 322, causing it to rotate. The drive shaft 317 is rotatably connected to the connecting block 316 and fixedly connected to the lower ice mold 200. Thus, the rotation of the drive shaft 317 drives the lower ice mold 200 to rotate from an downward opening to an upward opening, and then moves from the second guide hole 322 into the first guide hole 321.

[0039] Through the cooperation of the lead screw 315 and the connecting block 316, and the rotational cooperation of the transmission shaft 317 between the connecting block 316 and the lower ice mold 200, a simple lead screw and nut structure combined with the structural design of the second guide hole 322 ensures linear motion while also generating rotation, thereby realizing the rotation of the lower ice mold 200 and meeting the de-icing requirements. The device structure is simpler, easier to implement, and more stable.

[0040] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the drive shaft 317 includes a first shaft portion 3171, a second shaft portion 3172, and a third shaft portion 3173. The first shaft portion 3171 is adapted to move along a first guide hole 321 and a second guide hole 322. Two second shaft portions 3172 are symmetrically connected to the two ends of the first shaft portion 3171, and the second shaft portions 3172 and the first shaft portion 3171 are at a set angle. Two third shaft portions 3173 are respectively connected to the two second shaft portions 3172, the axial direction of the third shaft portion 3173 is parallel to the axial direction of the first shaft portion 3171, and the two third shaft portions 3173 are respectively connected to the drive assembly 330 and the lower ice mold 200.

[0041] In this embodiment, the transmission shaft 317 mainly consists of a first shaft portion 3171, two second shaft portions 3172, and two third shaft portions 3173. In the connection direction from the connecting block 316 to the lower ice mold 200, the sequence is: one third shaft portion 3173, one second shaft portion 3172, the first shaft portion 3171, another second shaft portion 3172, and another third shaft portion 3173. The first shaft portion 3171, the second shaft portion 3172, and the third shaft portion 3173 are arranged on the same plane, and the first shaft portion 3171 and the third shaft portion 3173 are parallel to each other. The second shaft portion 3172 connects the first shaft portion 3171 and the third shaft portion 3173, forming a U-shaped transmission shaft. The first shaft portion 3171 moves within the first guide hole 321 and the second guide hole 322. When within the second guide hole 322, the third shaft portion 3173 rotates, and the first shaft portion 3171 can rotate around the third shaft portion 3173.

[0042] The lower ice mold 200 can be rotated by using a curved shaft 317, composed of a first shaft portion 3171, a second shaft portion 3172, and a third shaft portion 3173, as the drive shaft 317. This, combined with the inclined second guide hole 322 and the linear drive of the lead screw 315 and connecting block 316, results in a simple and easy-to-implement structure. Furthermore, the drive shaft 317 ensures sufficient structural strength, and the guide plate 320 provides support for the drive shaft 317 as it moves within the second guide hole 322, reducing the load on the drive shaft 317 connected to the lower ice mold 200.

[0043] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the second shaft portion 3172 is perpendicularly connected to the first shaft portion 3171, and the horizontal distance between the first end and the last end of the second guide hole 322 is twice the length of the second shaft portion 3172. In this embodiment, the second shaft portion 3172 serves to connect the first shaft portion 3171 and the third shaft portion 3173, and the second shaft portion 3172 is perpendicularly connected to both the first shaft portion 3171 and the third shaft portion 3173, thereby improving the structural strength of the bent drive shaft 317.

[0044] The length of the second guide hole 322 is related to the tilt angle. If the length of the second guide hole 322 is short, its tilt angle needs to be large to ensure that the lower ice mold 200 can quickly rotate into place after passing through the shorter descent path of the second guide hole 322, so as to avoid the lower ice mold 200 not being able to open downwards at the end of the second guide hole 322 and thus hindering ice removal. If the length of the second guide hole 322 is long, its tilt angle needs to be small to ensure that the lower ice mold 200 rotates into place slowly when passing through the longer descent path of the second guide hole 322, so as to avoid the lower ice mold 200 rotating into place before reaching the end of the second guide hole 322.

[0045] However, the length of the second guide hole 322 cannot be too long; it needs to be approximately twice the length of the second shaft portion 3172. When moving within the second guide hole 322, the first shaft portion 3171 rotates around the third shaft portion 3173. Therefore, the length of the second shaft portion 3172 is the rotation radius of the first shaft portion 3171. The drive shaft 317 needs to drive the opening of the lower ice mold 200 to rotate from upward to downward, i.e., the lower ice mold 200 rotates 180°. Correspondingly, the first shaft portion 3171 rotates 180° around the third shaft portion 3173. Therefore, when the first shaft portion 3171 moves from the beginning to the end of the second guide hole 322, it needs to be horizontally displaced by twice the length of the second shaft portion 3172. If the length of the second guide hole 322 exceeds twice the length of the second shaft portion 3172, the lead screw 315 and connecting block 316 may continue to drive the drive shaft 317 downward. However, the drive shaft 317 does not have a rotation space exceeding 180° and will resist the guide plate 320.

[0046] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the guide plate 320 is further provided with a third guide hole 323, which is connected to the end of the second guide hole 322. The third guide hole 323 extends downward in the vertical direction. The drive assembly 330 drives the transmission shaft 317 to move along the third guide hole 323 so that the opening of the lower ice mold 200 faces downward and moves downward.

[0047] In this embodiment, the guide plate 320 is provided with a first guide hole 321, a second guide hole 322, and a third guide hole 323 from top to bottom. The first guide hole 321 and the third guide hole 323 are both arranged in the vertical direction. The second guide hole 322 connects the first guide hole 321 and the third guide hole 323. The drive shaft 317 enters the second guide hole 322 from the first guide hole 321 and then enters the third guide hole 323 from the second guide hole 322. During the mold opening process, the drive shaft 317 drives the lower ice mold 200 to rotate to an opening facing downwards through the second guide hole 322. Then, it drives the lower ice mold 200 to continue moving downwards for a certain distance while maintaining the opening facing downwards in the third guide hole 323. This helps the lower ice mold 200 to unfreeze and also lowers the height of the lower ice mold 200 so that it reaches a suitable height for the ice ball to fall.

[0048] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the drive assembly 330 includes a drive shaft 331 and a driver 332. The drive shaft 331 extends horizontally and is provided with a first gear 334. The lead screw 315 is provided with a second gear 335, and the second gear 335 meshes with the first gear 334 for transmission. The driver 332 is coaxially connected to the drive shaft 331 and is adapted to drive the drive shaft 331 to drive the lead screw 315 to rotate.

[0049] In this embodiment, the drive assembly 330 mainly consists of a drive shaft 331 and a driver 332. The driver 332 is coaxially connected to the drive shaft 331 and drives the drive shaft 331 to rotate. The drive shaft 331 extends horizontally and is connected to the vertically arranged lead screw 315 through a gear assembly. The gear assembly includes a first gear 334 and a second gear 335. The first gear 334 and the second gear 335 are bevel gears that mesh with each other to realize the transmission of rotation in the horizontal direction to rotation in the vertical direction. The first gear 334 is coaxially connected to the drive shaft 331, and the second gear 335 is coaxially connected to the lead screw 315.

[0050] In this embodiment, the driver 332 is a motor, and the lower end of the lead screw 315 is coaxially connected to the secondary shaft 336 by a screw. The second gear 335 is set on the secondary shaft 336. The first gear 334 set on the drive shaft 331 is a driving bevel gear, and the second gear 335 set on the secondary shaft 336 is a driven bevel gear. The two driving bevel gears transmit the driving force of one drive shaft 331 to the two driven bevel gears, thereby driving the two lead screws 315 to rotate. Through the simple cooperation of the motor, drive shaft 331 and bevel gears, the power for the movement, mold opening and rotation, and ice removal of the lower ice mold 200 can be realized.

[0051] According to one embodiment of the present invention, a retaining ring is provided between the drive shaft 317 and the connecting block 316. In this embodiment, the drive shaft 317 and the connecting block 316 are rotatably connected, and a retaining ring is provided at the connection position. The retaining ring restricts the axial movement of the drive shaft 317 on the connecting block 316, ensuring that the rotation of the drive shaft 317 on the connecting block 316 is not affected, while preventing the drive shaft 317 from shifting or misaligning in the horizontal direction, thus ensuring the safety of the lower ice mold 200 during the mold opening and closing process.

[0052] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the ice maker further includes a support frame 400, on which a first support base 410 and a second support base 420 are provided. A lead screw 315 is rotatably connected to the first support base 410, and a drive shaft 331 is rotatably connected to the second support base 420. In this embodiment, the ice maker mainly consists of an upper ice mold 100, a lower ice mold 200, a drive device 300, and a support frame 400. The support frame 400 surrounds the upper ice mold 100, the lower ice mold 200, and the drive device 300, providing installation space and ice removal space for the upper ice mold 100 and the lower ice mold 200, while also providing support for the drive device 300.

[0053] A first support base 410 and a second support base 420 are provided on the support frame 400. The first support base 410 is provided at the upper and lower ends of the lead screw 315, providing support and fixation for the lead screw 315. The lead screw 315 can rotate on the first support base 410. The connecting block 316 can move between the first support base 410 and the second support base 420. The second support base 420 is provided at both ends of the drive shaft 331, providing support and fixation for the drive shaft 331. The drive shaft 331 rotates on the second support base 420. The driver 332 is fixed to the support frame 400 with screws to ensure the driving stability of the drive device 300. The upper ice mold 100 is fixed on the support frame 400 and remains stationary.

[0054] The refrigerator provided by the present invention will be described below. The refrigerator described below can be referred to in correspondence with the ice maker described above.

[0055] This invention also provides a refrigerator, including an ice maker as described in the above embodiments.

[0056] The refrigerator of this invention includes an ice maker, which mainly consists of an upper ice mold 100, a lower ice mold 200, a water supply device, a drive device 300, and a heating device. The lower ice mold 200 is located below the upper ice mold 100. The drive device 300 is connected to the lower ice mold 200. The water supply device is adapted to supply water to the ice-making cavity enclosed by the upper ice mold 100 and the lower ice mold 200 in ice-making mode. The heating device mainly consists of a first heating component, a second heating component, and a third heating component. The first heating component is located in the water supply device, the second heating component is located in the upper ice mold 100, and the third heating component is located in the lower ice mold 200.

[0057] The ice removal method of the ice maker provided by the present invention will be described below. The ice removal method of the ice maker described below can be referred to in correspondence with the refrigerator described above.

[0058] like Figure 7 As shown, this embodiment of the invention also provides a method for de-icing an ice maker, comprising: Once the ice-making time reaches the first set time and the temperature of the upper ice mold 100 reaches the first set temperature, stop the ice-making mode and heat the upper ice mold 100. Once it is determined that the upper ice mold 100 meets the first preset condition, heating of the upper ice mold 100 is stopped. The first preset condition is that at least one of the time and temperature conditions is met. Control the lower ice mold 200 to move vertically downwards and separate from the upper ice mold 100. Then control the lower ice mold 200 to rotate to the set position and stop. Heat the lower ice mold 200. Once it is determined that the lower ice mold 200 meets the second preset condition, heating of the lower ice mold 200 is stopped. The second preset condition is that at least one of the time and temperature conditions is met.

[0059] The ice removal method of the ice maker in this embodiment of the invention determines whether ice making is complete and ice removal can begin by judging the ice making time and the temperature of the upper ice mold 100. If the ice making time reaches a first set time and the temperature of the upper ice mold 100 reaches a first set temperature, the ice making mode is stopped and ice removal begins. When ice removal begins, the upper ice mold 100 is first heated by the second heating element. The increased temperature of the upper ice mold 100 causes the ice ball inside the ice making cavity to separate from the upper ice mold 100. At this time, the ice ball adheres to the lower ice mold 200. Then, at least one of time and temperature is used as a first preset condition to determine whether the upper ice mold 100 has been heated completely. If the upper ice mold 100 meets the first preset condition, then... Stop heating the upper ice mold 100, then control the drive device 300 to drive the lower ice mold 200 to move vertically downwards to separate from the upper ice mold 100, then drive the lower ice mold 200 to rotate to a set position and stop. The set position is the position where the opening of the lower ice mold 200 faces downwards. Then drive the lower ice mold 200 to be heated through the third heating component. Finally, use at least one of time and temperature as the second preset condition to determine whether the lower ice mold 200 has been heated. If the lower ice mold 200 meets the first preset condition, stop heating the lower ice mold 200. The lower ice mold 200 heats up so that the ice ball on it separates from the lower ice mold 200 and falls off, completing the de-icing work.

[0060] This invention improves the automation and intelligence of ice maker's ice removal process by heating the upper ice mold 100 and lower ice mold 200 in stages, combining the separation of the lower ice mold 200 from the upper ice mold 100 with the rotational ice removal action, and coordinating the heating control judgment of the upper ice mold 100 and lower ice mold 200 with time or temperature. This increases the efficiency of ice making and ice removal, while also ensuring the integrity of the ice ball, which is beneficial to improving the quality of ice balls made by the ice maker.

[0061] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the first preset condition is that the heating time of the second heating component reaches a second set time or the temperature of the upper ice mold 100 reaches a second set temperature. In this embodiment, the first preset condition is selected as the heating time of the second heating component on the upper ice mold 100 reaching the second set time or the temperature of the upper ice mold 100 after heating reaching the second set temperature. This condition selection is generally sufficient to melt and separate the ice ball from the upper ice mold 100.

[0062] In other embodiments, the first preset condition may also be selected as the heating time of the second heating component reaching the second preset time and the temperature of the upper ice mold 100 reaching the second preset temperature, which must be satisfied together.

[0063] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the second preset condition is that the heating time of the third heating component reaches a third set time or the temperature of the lower ice mold 200 reaches a third set temperature. In this embodiment, the second preset condition is selected as the heating time of the lower ice mold 200 by the third heating component reaching a third set time or the temperature of the lower ice mold 200 after heating reaching a third set temperature. This condition selection is generally sufficient to melt and separate the ice ball from the lower ice mold 200.

[0064] In other embodiments, the second preset condition can also be selected as the heating time of the third heating component reaching a third preset time and the temperature of the lower ice mold 200 reaching a third preset temperature, which must be satisfied together.

[0065] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the ice-making stop mode includes: The water supply device is controlled to stop supplying water, and the first heating element is controlled to stop heating.

[0066] In this embodiment, when the ice maker is in ice-making mode, the water supply device is turned on to supply water to the ice-making cavity enclosed by the upper ice mold 100 and the lower ice mold 200. At the same time, the first heating component heats the water surface of the water supply device to prevent the water surface from freezing and affecting the water supply circulation. Therefore, when it is necessary to stop the ice-making mode, the water supply device is stopped first, and the heating of the water surface by the first heating component is stopped.

[0067] According to one embodiment of the present invention, controlling the lower ice mold 200 to rotate to a set position and then stop includes: After the duration of the second limit switch signal reaches the first set duration, the rotation of the lower ice mold 200 stops.

[0068] In this embodiment, the driver 332 is controlled by the limit switch signal and the timeout protection. When the second limit switch continuously sends a signal for a period of time until the first set time is reached, it proves that the cam protrusion of the drive device 300 has been in contact with the second limit switch for a period of time. The driver 332 drives the drive shaft 331 to rotate to the limit position, that is, the lower ice mold 200 rotates to the set position and needs to stop rotating. Then the driver 332 is controlled to stop driving.

[0069] Understandably, once the de-icing is complete, a signal is sent to the driver 332, which then begins to rotate in the opposite direction, causing the lower ice mold 200 to rotate in the opposite direction again to close the mold.

[0070] The control method for the ice maker provided by the present invention will be described below. The control method for the ice maker described below can be referred to in correspondence with the de-icing method for the ice maker described above.

[0071] This invention also provides a control method for an ice maker, comprising: Start the water supply device to inject water into the ice-making chamber; The start and stop of the first heating element are controlled according to the water surface temperature of the water supply device; Perform the de-icing method of the ice maker as described in the above embodiments; Control the lower ice mold 200 to rotate until the opening faces upward, then control the lower ice mold 200 to move vertically upward to close with the upper ice mold 100 and stop, then heat the upper ice mold 100, the lower ice mold 200 and the water supply device; Once the upper ice mold 100, lower ice mold 200, and water supply device are determined to meet the fourth preset condition, heating of the upper ice mold 100, lower ice mold 200, and water supply device is stopped. The fourth preset condition is meeting at least one of the time and temperature conditions. Return to the step of starting the water supply device to inject water into the ice-making chamber.

[0072] The ice maker control method of this invention provides a control method for the ice maker from ice-making mode to de-icing mode and then to mold closing. In ice-making mode, the water supply device is activated to inject water into the ice-making chamber. The start and stop of the first heating component are controlled according to the water surface temperature of the water supply device. When the water surface temperature of the water supply device is high, the first heating component does not need to be activated; when the water surface temperature of the water supply device is low, the first heating component is activated for heating. This avoids the water supply device freezing and affecting ice making, and also saves the energy required for heating. During the ice-making process, the ice-making time and the temperature of the upper ice mold 100 are used to determine whether ice making is complete and de-icing can begin. If de-icing can begin, the ice maker enters the de-icing mode and executes the de-icing method of the ice maker described in the above embodiment.

[0073] After de-icing is completed, the control drive device 300 drives the lower ice mold 200 to rotate so that the opening faces upward, and then drives the lower ice mold 200 to move vertically upward to close with the upper ice mold 100 and stop. The water supply device is heated by the first heating component, the upper ice mold 100 is heated by the second heating component, and the lower ice mold 200 is heated by the third heating component, so as to raise the temperature of the water supply device, the upper ice film and the lower ice mold 200. The upper ice film, the lower ice mold 200 and the water supply device are heated completely by using at least one of time and temperature as the fourth preset condition. If the upper ice mold 100, the lower ice mold 200 and the water supply device meet the fourth preset condition, the heating of the upper ice mold 100, the lower ice mold 200 and the water supply device is stopped. This ensures that all the ice crystals in the pipes of the water supply device connected to the upper ice mold 100 and the lower ice mold 200 melt, which is conducive to starting the next ice-making mode.

[0074] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the fourth preset condition is that the heating time of the heating device reaches a fourth set time or the temperatures of the upper ice mold 100, the lower ice mold 200, and the water supply device reach a fourth set temperature. In this embodiment, the fourth preset condition is set separately for the upper ice mold 100, the lower ice mold 200, and the water supply device. That is, the upper ice mold 100, the lower ice mold 200, and the water supply device can each choose at least one of the time and temperature conditions they need to meet as the judgment condition. They can choose to meet one of them or both of them.

[0075] According to one embodiment of the present invention, controlling the lower ice mold 200 to move vertically upward and close with the upper ice mold 100, and then stopping includes: After the duration of the first limit switch signal reaches the second set duration, the movement of the lower ice mold 200 stops.

[0076] In this embodiment, the driver 332 is controlled by limit switch signals and timeout protection. When the first limit switch continuously sends signals for a period of time that reaches the second set duration, it proves that the cam protrusion of the drive device 300 has been in contact with the first limit switch for a period of time. The driver 332 drives the drive shaft 331 to rotate to the limit position, that is, the lower ice mold 200 rises to the upper ice mold 100 and is pressed and sealed with the upper ice mold 100. The mold closing is completed and it is necessary to stop the upward movement. Then the driver 332 is controlled to stop driving.

[0077] This invention also provides a control system for executing the ice removal method of the ice maker as described in the above embodiments or the control method of the ice maker as described in the above embodiments.

[0078] The control system of this invention can send commands to the heating device, water supply device, and drive device 300 to enable the ice maker to perform the ice-making and de-icing processes. First, a fixed amount of water is added to the water tank of the water supply device to start the ice-making mode. At this time, the water pump is turned on, and the fan of the first heating component generates circulating air to blow air onto the heating wire to heat the water surface. The water surface temperature sensor detects the water surface temperature to control the fan's on / off state. When the ice-making time reaches the first set time t0 and the temperature sensor detects that the temperature of the upper ice mold 100 reaches the first set temperature T0, the water pump, fan, and heating wire stop, and the two heating wires of the second heating component are turned on, allowing for simultaneous or time-sharing heating of the upper ice mold 100. Ice mold 100 is heated until the second set time t1 is reached, or the temperature sensor detects that the temperature of the upper ice mold 100 has risen to the second set temperature T1. Then, the heating wire of the second heating component is turned off. At this time, the driver 332 is activated, causing the lower ice mold 200 to move vertically downwards by 60mm, and then rotate 180° to the set position. Then, the two heating wires of the third heating component are turned on, either sequentially or simultaneously, to heat the lower ice mold 200 until the third set time t2 is reached, or the temperature sensor detects that the temperature of the lower ice mold 200 has reached the third set temperature T2. Then, the heating wire of the third heating component is turned off. This completes one ice-making and de-icing process.

[0079] Next, power is supplied to the reverse driver 332. The lower ice mold 200 is reset under the drive of the driver 332. After receiving the first limit switch signal, the driver 332 stops. At this time, the heating wires of the first heating component and the second heating component are turned on. The heating wire of the first heating component heats the water surface to the fourth set time t3, or the temperature sensors of the water surface, the upper ice mold 100 and the lower ice mold 200 detect that the temperature has reached the fourth set temperature T3, and then the heating wire is stopped. At this time, the next round of ice making is started. This process is repeated until the ice storage box is full and the ice is full.

[0080] Figure 8 A schematic diagram of the physical structure of an electronic device is provided. This electronic device may include a processor 810, a communications interface 820, a memory 830, and a communication bus 840. The processor 810, communications interface 820, and memory 830 communicate with each other via the communication bus 840. The processor 810 can call logical instructions stored in the memory 830 to execute the control method of the ice maker as described in the above embodiment.

[0081] Furthermore, the logical instructions in the aforementioned memory 830 can be implemented as software functional units and, when sold or used as independent products, can be stored in a computer-readable storage medium. Based on this understanding, the technical solution of the present invention, or the part that contributes to related technologies, or a part of the technical solution, can be embodied in the form of a software product. This computer software product is stored in a storage medium and includes several instructions to cause a computer device (which may be a personal computer, server, or network device, etc.) to execute all or part of the steps of the methods described in the various embodiments of the present invention. The aforementioned storage medium includes various media capable of storing program code, such as USB flash drives, portable hard drives, read-only memory (ROM), random access memory (RAM), magnetic disks, or optical disks.

[0082] On the other hand, embodiments of the present invention disclose a computer program product, the computer program product including a computer program stored on a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium, the computer program including program instructions, and when the program instructions are executed by a computer, the computer is able to execute the control method of the ice maker as described in the above embodiments.

[0083] In another aspect, embodiments of the present invention also provide a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having a computer program stored thereon, which, when executed by a processor, is implemented to perform the control method of the ice maker as described in the above embodiments.

[0084] The device embodiments described above are merely illustrative. The units described as separate components may or may not be physically separate. The components shown as units may or may not be physical units; that is, they may be located in one place or distributed across multiple network units. Some or all of the modules can be selected to achieve the purpose of this embodiment according to actual needs. Those skilled in the art can understand and implement this without any creative effort.

[0085] Through the above description of the embodiments, those skilled in the art can clearly understand that each embodiment can be implemented by means of software plus necessary general-purpose hardware platforms, and of course, it can also be implemented by hardware. Based on this understanding, the above technical solutions, in essence or the parts that contribute to the related technology, can be embodied in the form of software products. This computer software product can be stored in a computer-readable storage medium, such as ROM / RAM, magnetic disk, optical disk, etc., and includes several instructions to cause a computer device (which may be a personal computer, server, or network device, etc.) to execute the methods described in the various embodiments or some parts of the embodiments.

[0086] Finally, it should be noted that the above embodiments are only for illustrating the present invention and not for limiting the present invention. Although the present invention has been described in detail with reference to the embodiments, those skilled in the art should understand that various combinations, modifications, or equivalent substitutions of the technical solutions of the present invention do not depart from the spirit and scope of the technical solutions of the present invention and should be covered within the scope of the claims of the present invention.

Claims

1. An ice maker, characterized in that, include: Place the ice mold; Lower ice mold; The driving device includes a driving assembly, a transmission assembly, and a guide plate. The guide plate has a first guide hole and a second guide hole. The lower end of the first guide hole communicates with the upper end of the second guide hole. The first guide hole extends vertically, and the second guide hole extends downward at a set angle to the first guide hole. The driving assembly is connected to the transmission assembly, and the transmission assembly is connected to the lower ice mold. The drive assembly is adapted to drive the transmission assembly to switch the lower ice mold from a first state to a second state; in the first state, the transmission assembly moves along the first guide hole to make the opening of the lower ice mold face upward and move downward; in the second state, the transmission assembly moves linearly and rotates along the second guide hole to make the lower ice mold rotate from an opening facing upward to an opening facing downward.

2. The ice maker according to claim 1, characterized in that, The transmission assembly includes: A lead screw, the lead screw extending vertically along its axis, and a drive assembly connected to the lead screw and adapted to drive the lead screw to rotate. A connecting block, which is threadedly connected to the lead screw and is movable along the lead screw; A drive shaft, one end of which is rotatably connected to the connecting block and the other end of which is connected to the lower ice mold, is adapted to move along the first guide hole and the second guide hole.

3. The ice maker according to claim 2, characterized in that, The drive shaft includes: A first shaft portion, the first shaft portion being adapted to move along the first guide hole and the second guide hole; The second shaft portion, two second shaft portions are symmetrically connected to the two ends of the first shaft portion, and the second shaft portion is at a set angle to the first shaft portion; The third shaft portion is connected to the two second shaft portions respectively. The axial direction of the third shaft portion is parallel to the axial direction of the first shaft portion. The two third shaft portions are connected to the drive assembly and the lower ice mold respectively.

4. The ice maker according to claim 3, characterized in that, The second shaft portion is perpendicularly connected to the first shaft portion, and the horizontal distance between the first end and the last end of the second guide hole is twice the length of the second shaft portion.

5. The ice maker according to claim 1, characterized in that, The guide plate is also provided with a third guide hole, which is connected to the end of the second guide hole. The third guide hole extends downward in the vertical direction. The drive assembly drives the transmission shaft to move along the third guide hole so that the opening of the lower ice mold faces downward and moves downward.

6. The ice maker according to claim 2, characterized in that, The driving component includes: A drive shaft extends horizontally, a first gear is provided on the drive shaft, and a second gear is provided on the lead screw, the second gear meshing with the first gear for transmission. A driver, coaxially connected to the drive shaft, is adapted to drive the drive shaft to rotate the lead screw.

7. The ice maker according to claim 2, characterized in that, A retaining ring is provided between the drive shaft and the connecting block.

8. The ice maker according to claim 2, characterized in that, The two transmission components are located on both sides of the lower ice mold and are symmetrically connected to the lower ice mold. The two guide plates are arranged in a one-to-one correspondence with the transmission components and are arranged between the two transmission components.

9. The ice maker according to claim 6, characterized in that, It also includes a support frame, on which a first support seat and a second support seat are provided. The lead screw is rotatably connected to the first support seat, and the drive shaft is rotatably connected to the second support seat.

10. A refrigerator, characterized in that, The device includes a housing and an ice maker as described in any one of claims 1 to 9, which is disposed in the housing.

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