Vehicle-mounted ice-making system and control method thereof

Abstract

The application provides a vehicle-mounted ice making system and a control method thereof, and relates to the technical field of vehicle-mounted refrigeration equipment. The vehicle-mounted ice making system comprises an ice maker assembly and a refrigeration system. A water circuit system comprises a raw water tank, a pumping assembly, an ice making evaporator, an ice storage bin and pipelines connecting the raw water tank, the pumping assembly, the ice making evaporator and the ice storage bin. The pipelines form an ice making water circuit and a circulating water circuit. The ice making water circuit is used for conveying water in the raw water tank to the ice making evaporator for ice making. The circulating water circuit is used for returning ice water in the ice storage bin to the raw water tank. The refrigeration system is in communication with the ice making evaporator. A controller is electrically connected with the pumping assembly and a control valve arranged on the pipelines. The technical problems of low space utilization, high cost of repeated setting of the refrigeration system, single water circuit of the existing ice maker, inability to realize water recycling for ice making, and difficulty in simultaneously meeting the demand of users for obtaining ice blocks and ice water are solved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of vehicle-mounted refrigeration equipment, and more specifically, to a vehicle-mounted ice-making system and its control method. Background Technology

[0002] With the development of new energy vehicles, in-vehicle refrigerators have limited functionality. Users often need to configure separate ice-making equipment to obtain ice, which is time-consuming and provides a poor user experience. Currently, in-vehicle refrigerators and ice makers are mostly separate configurations with redundant refrigeration systems, resulting in low space utilization, high costs, and a single water circuit in the ice maker, making it impossible to recycle water for ice making and simultaneously meet users' needs for both ice and ice water. Therefore, there is an urgent need for an in-vehicle refrigerator ice-making system that can be highly integrated with the refrigerator, has a flexibly configurable refrigeration system that can be shared or independently configured, and features a circulating water circuit. Summary of the Invention

[0003] The purpose of this invention is to provide a vehicle-mounted refrigerator ice-making system and its control method, in order to alleviate the technical problems in the prior art, such as low space utilization, high cost of repeated refrigeration system setup, and the single water circuit of existing ice makers, which cannot realize the recycling of ice-making water and cannot simultaneously meet the user's needs for ice cubes and ice water.

[0004] This invention provides an on-board ice-making system, comprising an ice maker assembly and a refrigeration system. The ice maker assembly includes a water system comprising a raw water tank, a pumping assembly, an ice-making evaporator, an ice storage chamber, and pipelines connecting the raw water tank, the pumping assembly, the ice-making evaporator, and the ice storage chamber. The pipelines form an ice-making water path and a circulating water path. The ice-making water path transports water from the raw water tank to the ice-making evaporator for ice making, and the circulating water path returns the ice water from the ice storage chamber to the raw water tank. The pumping assembly re-pumps the ice to the ice-making evaporator to participate in the ice-making cycle; the refrigeration system is connected to the ice-making evaporator to provide cooling capacity to the ice-making evaporator; the refrigeration system is configured such that, when the vehicle-mounted ice-making system includes a vehicle-mounted refrigerator, the refrigeration system is a shared refrigeration system shared by the ice maker assembly and the vehicle-mounted refrigerator; the vehicle-mounted ice-making system also includes a controller, which is electrically connected to the pumping assembly and a control valve located on the pipeline to control the on / off state of the ice-making water circuit and the circulating water circuit.

[0005] In some embodiments of the present invention, the water system further includes a cold water outlet, which is used to transport ice water in the ice storage chamber to the water tap module.

[0006] In some embodiments of the present invention, the pumping assembly includes a first water pump and a second water pump, and the control valve includes a faucet solenoid valve and a return water solenoid valve; the first water pump is located in the ice-making water circuit, the second water pump is located in the cold water outlet circuit, the faucet solenoid valve is located at the end of the cold water outlet circuit, and the return water solenoid valve is located in the circulating water circuit.

[0007] In some embodiments of the present invention, the water system further includes an air pump and a heating wire, the air pump being used to introduce compressed air into the pipeline to discharge residual moisture, and the heating wire being used to heat the pipeline to evaporate and vaporize the residual moisture.

[0008] In some embodiments of the present invention, quick-connect fittings are provided at each connection node of the connecting pipeline. The quick-connect fittings include at least one of L-type quick-connect fittings, L-type plug fittings, T-type plug quick-connect fittings, L-type plug quick-connect fittings, and Y-type tees. The connecting pipeline is a PE water pipe connection or a direct plug-in connection.

[0009] In some embodiments of the present invention, the ice-making evaporator includes an evaporator body, an ice-dispensing column, and an ice-dispensing drive motor. The evaporator body has a refrigerant inlet, a refrigerant outlet, a water inlet, and an ice outlet. The evaporator body is provided with a screw extrusion mechanism inside. The ice-dispensing column is rotatably connected to the ice outlet. The ice-dispensing drive motor is used to drive the ice-dispensing column to rotate in order to dispense ice blocks.

[0010] In some embodiments of the present invention, the ice storage chamber is located below the ice outlet of the ice-making evaporator, the top of the ice storage chamber is provided with an ice storage cover, the ice storage cover is made of heat-insulating material, the ice storage chamber is provided with a draining bracket, the draining bracket is detachably installed at the bottom of the ice storage chamber, and the water outlet and water return of the ice storage chamber are both located below the draining bracket.

[0011] In some embodiments of the present invention, the top of the ice storage chamber is provided with an ice guide slope inclined toward the ice outlet, the ice guide slope being used to guide the ice blocks to slide down.

[0012] In some embodiments of the present invention, the refrigeration system includes a compressor, a condenser, a dryer filter, and a capillary tube.

[0013] In some embodiments of the present invention, when the vehicle-mounted ice-making system includes the vehicle-mounted refrigerator, the refrigeration pipeline of the refrigeration system is sequentially connected to the compressor, the condenser, the dryer filter, the solenoid valve and the capillary tube, and the outlet end of the capillary tube is connected to the ice-making evaporator and the refrigerator evaporator in the vehicle-mounted refrigerator through a diversion pipeline.

[0014] In some embodiments of the present invention, when the system includes the vehicle refrigerator, the shared refrigeration system dynamically allocates the amount of refrigerant flowing to the ice-making evaporator and the refrigerator evaporator by adjusting the opening of the solenoid valve, so as to meet the cooling demand of the ice-making and refrigeration conditions respectively.

[0015] In some embodiments of the present invention, the top of the raw water tank is provided with a water storage cover, the bottom of the raw water tank is provided with a return water inlet, and the circulating water circuit is connected to the interior of the raw water tank through the return water inlet.

[0016] The present invention also provides a control method for the above-mentioned vehicle-mounted ice-making system, comprising the following steps: Ice-making steps: In ice-making mode, the controller controls the pumping component to transport water from the raw water tank to the ice-making evaporator along the ice-making water path for ice making, and the generated ice blocks are stored in the ice storage bin. Cyclic Step: The controller controls the circulating water circuit to return the ice water in the ice storage chamber to the raw water tank, so that the pumping component can pump it again to the ice-making evaporator to participate in the ice-making cycle.

[0017] In some embodiments of the present invention, the control method of the vehicle-mounted ice-making system further includes a cold water dispensing step: in the cold water dispensing mode, the controller controls the pumping component to transport the ice water in the ice storage chamber along the cold water dispensing path to the water faucet module.

[0018] In some embodiments of the present invention, the control method of the vehicle-mounted ice-making system further includes a pipeline cleaning step: after the vehicle-mounted ice-making system stops working, the controller controls the air pump to introduce compressed air into the pipeline to blow away residual moisture, and at the same time or subsequently activates the heating wire to heat the pipeline, so that the residual moisture evaporates and vaporizes and is discharged together with the compressed air.

[0019] In some embodiments of the present invention, during the pipeline cleaning step, the air pump and the heating wire are started alternately according to a preset timing sequence, or the air pump works continuously for a first duration, and then the heating wire starts working for a second duration.

[0020] The beneficial effects of this invention are: The vehicle-mounted refrigerator ice-making system and its control method of the present invention, by highly integrating the ice maker assembly with the vehicle-mounted refrigerator and configuring a shared or independent refrigeration system, while constructing an ice-making water circuit and a circulating water circuit, can achieve at least the following beneficial effects: First, by integrating the ice maker assembly with the vehicle refrigerator and configuring the refrigeration system as either a shared or independent system, modular integration of the vehicle refrigerator and ice maker is achieved. This avoids redundant refrigeration components, effectively saves interior space, and reduces overall vehicle cost and energy consumption. When the vehicle is equipped with a vehicle refrigerator, both can share a single refrigeration system to simultaneously meet refrigeration and ice-making needs. When the refrigerator function is not required, the ice maker can operate independently using its own refrigeration system. The system configuration is flexible and applicable to a wider range of scenarios.

[0021] Secondly, by setting up a circulating water system, the ice water in the ice storage tank is returned to the original water tank, so that the pumping component can pump it back to the ice-making evaporator to participate in the ice-making cycle. This achieves closed-loop reuse of ice-making water, improves water resource utilization, and reduces the frequency of water replenishment for users. At the same time, the circulating water system can work in conjunction with the ice-making water system to form a continuous automated process of ice making, ice storage, and water return, which improves the convenience of users obtaining ice and water.

[0022] Third, by centrally controlling the pumping components and pipeline control valves through the controller, precise control of the ice-making water circuit and the circulating water circuit is achieved, enabling the ice-making, water return and subsequent possible water discharge processes to automatically switch according to preset logic, thereby improving the automation level and operational reliability of the system. Attached Figure Description

[0023] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions of the embodiments of this application, the accompanying drawings used in the embodiments of this application will be briefly introduced below. It should be understood that the following drawings only show some embodiments of this application and should not be regarded as a limitation of the scope. For those skilled in the art, other related drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0024] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the integrated vehicle-mounted ice maker and refrigerator in the assembled state of the present invention; Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the integrated vehicle-mounted ice maker and refrigerator in the explosion state of this invention; Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the integrated vehicle-mounted ice maker in the present invention under explosion conditions. Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the water tap module in this invention; Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the evaporator structure in this invention; Figure 6 for Figure 5 Cross-sectional view at point C; Figure 7 This is a top-view structural diagram of the integrated vehicle-mounted ice maker in this invention; Figure 8 for Figure 7 Cross-sectional view at point AA; Figure 9 for Figure 7 Cross-sectional view at point BB; Figure 10 This is a schematic diagram of the water system of the vehicle-mounted ice maker in this invention; Figure 11 This is a schematic diagram of the integrated vehicle-mounted ice maker in the present invention with its outer shell removed. Figure 12 This is a schematic diagram of the air pump and heating wire in this invention; Figure 13 This is a schematic diagram of the refrigeration system in this invention.

[0025] icon: 100-Ice maker assembly; 111-Water storage cap; 112-Ice storage cap; 113-Ice outlet cap; 114-Ice storage compartment; 115-Ice outlet; 116-Raw water tank; 117-Cold water outlet; 118-Ice making unit base; 119-Return water solenoid valve; 120-Ice scoop; 130-Draining bracket; 140-Water faucet module; 141-Steering motor; 142-Angle plate; 143-Faucet bracket; 144-Faucet solenoid valve; 150-Ice maker evaporator; 151-Evaporator body; 152-Ice scoop; 153-Refrigerant inlet; 154-Refrigerant outlet; 155-Water inlet; 156-Ice scoop drive motor; 170-Pumping assembly; 171-First water pump; 172-Second water pump; 180-Air pump; 190-Heating wire; 200 - Car refrigerator; 300 - Refrigeration system. Detailed Implementation

[0026] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of the embodiments of the present invention clearer, the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some, not all, of the embodiments of the present invention. The components of the embodiments of this application described and shown in the accompanying drawings can generally be arranged and designed in various different configurations.

[0027] In the description of this invention, it should be noted that the terms "inner," "outer," "upper," "lower," "left," and "right," etc., indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings, or the orientation or positional relationship commonly used when the product of this application is in use. They are only used for the convenience of describing this application 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, and therefore should not be construed as a limitation on this application. In addition, the terms "first," "second," etc., are only used to distinguish descriptions and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance.

[0028] In the description of this invention, it should also be noted that, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, the terms "set" and "connection" 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 direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; and they can refer to the internal connection of two components. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this application based on the specific circumstances.

[0029] like Figures 1 to 13 As shown, this invention provides an on-board ice-making system, which includes an ice maker assembly 100 and a refrigeration system 300. The ice maker assembly 100 has a water system, which includes a raw water tank 116, a pumping assembly 170, an ice-making evaporator 150, an ice storage chamber 114, and pipelines connecting the raw water tank 116, the pumping assembly 170, the ice-making evaporator 150, and the ice storage chamber 114. The pipelines form an ice-making water path and a circulating water path. The ice-making water path is used to transport water from the raw water tank 116 to the ice-making evaporator 150 for ice making, and the circulating water path is used to circulate the ice water in the ice storage chamber 114. The water flows back to the original water tank 116 so that the pumping assembly 170 can pump it again to the ice-making evaporator 150 to participate in the ice-making cycle; the refrigeration system 300 is connected to the ice-making evaporator 150 to provide cooling capacity to the ice-making evaporator 150; the refrigeration system 300 is configured such that when the vehicle-mounted ice-making system includes the vehicle-mounted refrigerator 200, the refrigeration system 300 is a shared refrigeration system 300 shared by the ice maker assembly 100 and the vehicle-mounted refrigerator 200; the vehicle-mounted ice-making system also includes a controller, which is electrically connected to the pumping assembly 170 and the control valve located on the pipeline to control the on / off of the ice-making water circuit and the circulating water circuit.

[0030] The vehicle-mounted refrigerator 200 ice-making system and its control method of the present invention, by highly integrating the ice maker assembly 100 with the vehicle-mounted refrigerator 200 and configuring a shared or independent refrigeration system 300, and simultaneously constructing an ice-making water circuit and a circulating water circuit, can achieve at least the following beneficial effects: First, by integrating the ice maker assembly 100 with the vehicle refrigerator 200 and configuring the refrigeration system 300 as either a shared refrigeration system 300 or an independent refrigeration system 300, the modular integration of the vehicle refrigerator 200 and the ice maker is achieved. This avoids redundant refrigeration components, effectively saves interior space, and reduces overall vehicle cost and energy consumption. When the vehicle is equipped with the vehicle refrigerator 200, both can share a single refrigeration system 300 to simultaneously meet refrigeration and ice-making needs. When the refrigerator function is not required, the ice maker can also operate independently using the independent refrigeration system 300. The system configuration is flexible and applicable to a wider range of scenarios.

[0031] Secondly, by setting up a circulating water system, the ice water in the ice storage tank 114 is returned to the original water tank 116, so that the pumping component 170 can pump it again to the ice-making evaporator 150 to participate in the ice-making cycle. This realizes the closed-loop reuse of ice-making water, improves the water resource utilization rate, and reduces the frequent water replenishment operations for users. At the same time, the circulating water system can work in conjunction with the ice-making water system to form a continuous automated process of ice making, ice storage, and water return, which improves the convenience of users to obtain ice and water.

[0032] Third, the centralized electrical control of the pumping component 170 and the control valves on the pipeline by the controller enables precise control of the on / off state of the ice-making water circuit and the circulating water circuit, so that the ice-making, water return and subsequent possible water discharge processes can be automatically switched according to the preset logic, thereby improving the automation level and operational reliability of the system.

[0033] In some embodiments of the present invention, the water system further includes a cold water outlet path, which is used to transport the ice water in the ice storage compartment 114 to the water tap module 140. By adding the cold water outlet path, the ice water produced by the melting of ice in the ice storage compartment 114 can be directly guided to the water tap module 140 for users to use, enabling the vehicle-mounted ice-making system to provide cold water output in addition to providing ice, thus meeting the diverse needs of users for drinking cold water or making cold drinks. At the same time, the cold water outlet path and the circulating water path share the ice water source in the ice storage compartment 114. When users do not need to take water immediately, the ice water can flow back to the original water tank 116 through the circulating water path to participate in re-ice making. When water is needed, it is directly supplied through the cold water outlet path, realizing flexible allocation and efficient utilization of ice water resources, and significantly improving the functional integration and user experience of the vehicle-mounted ice-making system.

[0034] In some embodiments of the present invention, the pumping assembly 170 includes a first water pump 171 and a second water pump 172, and the control valve includes a faucet solenoid valve 144 and a return water solenoid valve 119; the first water pump 171 is located in the ice-making water circuit, the second water pump 172 is located in the cold water outlet circuit, the faucet solenoid valve 144 is located at the end of the cold water outlet circuit, and the return water solenoid valve 119 is located in the circulating water circuit. By dividing the pumping component 170 into a first water pump 171 and a second water pump 172, and correspondingly configuring the control valves as a faucet solenoid valve 144 and a return water solenoid valve 119, the ice-making water circuit, the cold water circuit, and the circulating water circuit each have independent pumping and on / off control units. Each water circuit can operate independently without interfering with each other. When only ice making is needed, the first water pump 171 can be started alone. When cold water needs to be supplied, the second water pump 172 can be started alone and the faucet solenoid valve 144 can be opened. When return water circulation is needed, the return water solenoid valve 119 can be opened. This achieves precise time-sharing control and flexible switching of different functional water circuits, improves the operating efficiency and automation of the vehicle-mounted ice-making system, and avoids the problems of increased energy consumption and control lag caused by frequent switching of water circuits by a single pumping component 170.

[0035] In some embodiments of the present invention, the water system further includes an air pump 180 and a heating wire 190. The air pump 180 is used to introduce compressed air into the pipeline to discharge residual moisture, and the heating wire 190 is used to heat the pipeline to evaporate and vaporize the residual moisture. By adding an air pump 180 and a heating wire 190, the vehicle-mounted ice-making system has the ability to actively clean and dry the pipeline, effectively solving the technical problem that residual water in the pipeline after ice making is stopped can easily breed mold and produce odors. Specifically, the air pump 180 can physically purge the residual water in each branch of the pipeline by introducing compressed air into the pipeline, allowing most of the liquid water to be discharged. The heating wire 190 heats the pipeline, causing the remaining trace amounts of water to vaporize into water vapor, which is discharged together with the compressed air. The two work together to achieve deep drying of the pipeline. In this way, it can avoid bacterial growth and odor accumulation caused by a humid environment when the pipeline is idle for a long time or used infrequently, ensuring the hygiene and safety of the ice water, improving the user's drinking experience, and also helping to extend the service life of the pipeline and related valves, and reduce maintenance costs.

[0036] In some embodiments of the present invention, quick-connect fittings are provided at each connection node of the connecting pipeline. The quick-connect fittings include at least one of L-type quick-connect fittings, L-type plug fittings, T-type plug fittings, L-type plug quick-connect fittings, and Y-type tees. The connecting pipeline is a PE water pipe connection or a direct plug-in connection. By setting quick-connect couplings at each connection node and adapting to various coupling types including L-type quick-connect, L-type plug, T-type plug quick-connect, L-type plug quick-connect, and Y-type tee, the connecting pipeline can be flexibly selected and quickly arranged according to the compact internal space layout of the ice maker assembly 100 and the relative positional relationship between various components. This effectively reduces pipeline bends and space occupation, and improves the structural compactness and assembly efficiency of the vehicle-mounted ice-making system. At the same time, the connecting pipeline adopts PE water pipe connection or direct plug-in method, which enables tool-free quick disassembly and assembly between different sections of the water system, as well as between the pipeline and components such as water pump, solenoid valve, and evaporator. This facilitates modular assembly and subsequent maintenance and replacement within the limited space of the vehicle, reduces assembly time and maintenance difficulty, and also facilitates the rapid adjustment and adaptation of the water circuit route according to the actual vehicle space when integrating the ice maker assembly 100 and the vehicle-mounted refrigerator 200.

[0037] In some embodiments of the present invention, the ice-making evaporator 150 includes an evaporator body 151, an ice-dispensing column 152, and an ice-dispensing drive motor 156. The evaporator body 151 has a refrigerant inlet 153, a refrigerant outlet 154, a water inlet 155, and an ice outlet 115. The evaporator body 151 is provided with a screw extrusion mechanism. The ice-dispensing column 152 is rotatably connected to the ice outlet 115. The ice-dispensing drive motor 156 is used to drive the ice-dispensing column 152 to rotate to dispense ice blocks. By setting a screw extrusion mechanism inside the evaporator body 151 and arranging an ice-dispensing column 152 and an ice-dispensing drive motor 156 at the ice outlet 115, the ice-making and ice-removing processes can be completed continuously inside the ice-making evaporator 150 and at the outlet end: after the ice-making is completed, the screw extrusion mechanism actively pushes the formed ice blocks to the ice outlet 115, and then the ice-dispensing drive motor 156 drives the ice-dispensing column 152 to rotate, dispensing the ice blocks from the ice outlet 115 to the ice storage chamber 114, realizing automated and continuous ice removal and delivery without relying on the overall rotation of the external ice box or manual intervention; this structure highly integrates the evaporation, extrusion, and ice-dispensing functions into the ice-making evaporator 150, reducing the number of independent moving parts, making the overall structure of the ice maker assembly 100 more compact, which is conducive to integrated layout with the vehicle refrigerator 200, and also improves the efficiency and reliability of ice making and ice dispensing, avoiding the accumulation or jamming of ice blocks at the outlet.

[0038] In some embodiments of the present invention, the ice storage chamber 114 is located below the ice outlet 115 of the ice evaporator 150. The top of the ice storage chamber 114 is provided with an ice storage cover 112, which is made of heat-insulating material. The ice storage chamber 114 is provided with a draining bracket 130, which is detachably installed at the bottom of the ice storage chamber 114. The water outlet and water return of the ice storage chamber 114 are both located below the draining bracket 130. By placing the ice storage chamber 114 below the ice outlet 115, ice blocks can fall directly into the ice storage chamber 114, reducing intermediate transfer links and lowering the risk of ice block breakage and scattering. The ice storage cover 112 is made of insulating material, which can effectively block heat exchange between the inside of the ice storage chamber 114 and the external environment, slowing down the melting rate of the ice blocks, extending the storage time of the ice blocks, and reducing energy consumption caused by frequent ice making and replenishment. The draining bracket 130 supports the ice blocks from the melt water deposited at the bottom, preventing the ice blocks from being soaked for a long time. The ice melts faster or adheres to each other in water, ensuring the integrity of the ice cubes and making them easy to use. At the same time, the drain bracket 130 is detachably installed at the bottom of the ice storage tank 114, making it easy for users to remove and clean it regularly, preventing the accumulation of dirt and ensuring the hygiene of the ice storage environment. The water outlet and return water are both located below the drain bracket 130, so that the drained meltwater can be supplied to cold water through the water outlet or returned to the original water tank 116 through the water return water, avoiding the accumulation of meltwater at the bottom of the ice storage tank 114 and realizing the effective separation and recycling of ice and water resources.

[0039] In some embodiments of the present invention, the top of the ice storage chamber 114 is provided with an ice guide slope that is inclined toward the ice outlet 115, and the ice guide slope is used to guide the ice blocks to slide down. By setting an ice guide slope inclined towards the ice outlet 115 on the top of the ice storage compartment 114, the ice blocks that fall from the ice outlet 115 can smoothly slide into the interior of the ice storage compartment 114 along the ice guide slope, avoiding splashing, bouncing, or getting stuck on the top edge of the ice storage compartment 114 when the ice blocks fall vertically. This ensures that the ice blocks fall into the designated area of ​​the ice storage compartment 114 in a concentrated and orderly manner. At the same time, the ice guide slope can buffer the impact force of the falling ice blocks, reduce the direct collision between the ice blocks and the top structure of the ice storage compartment 114, reduce the ice block breakage rate, and maintain the integrity of the ice blocks. In addition, the slope structure and the ice storage cover 112 on the top of the ice storage compartment 114 form a continuous receiving surface, which makes effective use of the top space of the ice storage compartment 114. There is no need to reserve an excessively large vertical gap for the ice blocks to fall, which helps to reduce the overall height of the ice maker assembly 100 and improve the structural compactness when integrated with the vehicle refrigerator 200.

[0040] In some embodiments of the present invention, the ice outlet 115 is provided with an ice outlet cover 113. By providing an ice outlet cover 113 to the ice outlet 115, the ice outlet 115 can be sealed and blocked when not discharging ice, effectively reducing heat exchange between the ice storage chamber 114 and the ice evaporator 150 and the external environment, reducing cold air leakage, thereby slowing down the melting rate of ice in the ice storage chamber 114, extending the storage time of ice, and reducing energy consumption caused by frequent ice replenishment; at the same time, the ice outlet cover 113 can block dust, foreign objects and external... Pollutants from the outside world cannot enter the interior of the ice-making evaporator 150, ensuring a clean and hygienic ice-making environment and preventing impurities from adhering to the evaporator body 151 or the ice column 152, which would affect ice-making efficiency and ice quality. In addition, the sealing function of the ice outlet cover 113 during non-ice-discharging periods can form a coordinated insulation structure with the ice storage cover 112 on top of the ice storage chamber 114, further improving the insulation performance of the ice storage chamber 114 and the interior of the ice-making evaporator 150, thus comprehensively improving the energy efficiency and hygienic reliability of the vehicle-mounted ice-making system in vehicle scenarios.

[0041] In some embodiments of the present invention, the refrigeration system 300 includes a compressor, a condenser, a dryer filter, and a capillary tube. By configuring the refrigeration system 300 as a standard vapor compression refrigeration cycle structure including a compressor, a condenser, a dryer filter, and a capillary tube, the vehicle-mounted ice-making system can achieve efficient ice making using mature and reliable refrigeration technology. Furthermore, the components are compact, cost-effective, and easy to arrange within the limited space of a vehicle. The dryer filter effectively removes moisture and impurities from the refrigerant, preventing ice blockage or dirt blockage in the capillary tube and the ice-making evaporator 150, thus improving the operational reliability and service life of the refrigeration system 300 in a vehicle environment. Simultaneously, this standardized refrigeration architecture is easily integrated with the existing refrigeration circuit of the vehicle-mounted refrigerator 200. When both share the refrigeration system 300, a single compressor, condenser, and corresponding piping can provide cooling capacity to both the ice-making evaporator 150 and the evaporator in the vehicle-mounted refrigerator 200, reducing system redundancy and overall vehicle energy consumption.

[0042] In some embodiments of the present invention, when the vehicle-mounted ice-making system includes a vehicle-mounted refrigerator 200, the refrigeration pipeline of the refrigeration system 300 is sequentially connected to a compressor, a condenser, a dryer filter, a solenoid valve, and a capillary tube. The outlet end of the capillary tube is connected to the ice-making evaporator 150 and the refrigerator evaporator inside the vehicle-mounted refrigerator 200 respectively through a branch pipeline. By sequentially connecting the refrigeration piping of the refrigeration system 300 to the compressor, condenser, dryer filter, solenoid valve, and capillary tube, and setting a branch pipe at the outlet end of the capillary tube to connect the ice-making evaporator 150 and the refrigerator evaporator in the vehicle refrigerator 200 respectively, the ice maker assembly 100 and the vehicle refrigerator 200 can share a complete refrigeration circuit. There is no need to configure a separate compressor and condenser for the ice-making function, which significantly reduces the number of refrigeration components and the overall vehicle layout space. The solenoid valve is located between the dryer filter and the capillary tube, which facilitates unified control of the refrigerant entering the branch pipe. The refrigerant can be delivered to the ice-making evaporator 150 and the refrigerator evaporator respectively through the branch pipe according to the needs of ice-making and refrigeration conditions, realizing the multi-purpose cooling output of one machine. This shared architecture not only reduces the manufacturing cost of the vehicle ice-making system and the energy consumption of the whole vehicle, but also simplifies the connection complexity of the refrigeration piping, and improves the system integration and assembly efficiency.

[0043] In some embodiments of the present invention, when the system includes a vehicle refrigerator 200, the shared refrigeration system 300 dynamically allocates the amount of refrigerant flowing to the ice evaporator 150 and the refrigerator evaporator by adjusting the opening of the solenoid valve, so as to meet the cooling capacity requirements of the ice-making and refrigeration conditions respectively. By adjusting the opening of the solenoid valve, the shared refrigeration system 300 can dynamically allocate the amount of refrigerant flowing to the ice evaporator 150 and the refrigerator evaporator according to the real-time ice-making load and refrigeration load, so that the refrigerant supply matches the cooling capacity requirements of each condition; when the ice-making demand is high and the refrigeration demand is low, the proportion of refrigerant flowing to the ice evaporator 150 can be increased to speed up the ice-making process, and vice versa, the proportion of refrigerant flowing to the refrigerator evaporator can be increased to ensure stable refrigeration temperature; thus, the problem of refrigerant redundancy or insufficient cooling capacity when the ice maker assembly 100 and the vehicle refrigerator 200 operate independently is avoided, the overall energy efficiency of the shared refrigeration system 300 is improved, the compressor power consumption is reduced, and the coordinated optimization and intelligent control of the ice-making and refrigeration functions under the same refrigeration circuit is realized.

[0044] In some embodiments of the present invention, the top of the raw water tank 116 is provided with a water storage cover 111, the bottom of the raw water tank 116 is provided with a return water inlet, and the circulating water circuit is connected to the interior of the raw water tank 116 through the return water inlet. By installing a water storage cover 111 on the top of the raw water tank 116, dust and foreign objects can be effectively prevented from falling into the raw water tank 116, maintaining the cleanliness and hygiene of the ice-making water source and preventing external pollutants from entering the water system and affecting the quality of ice and the health of users. At the same time, the return water outlet is set at the bottom of the raw water tank 116, so that the ice water returning from the circulating water circuit can naturally flow into the bottom of the raw water tank 116 under the action of gravity, without the need for additional lifting or guiding structures. The return path is short and smooth, reducing system energy consumption and structural complexity. In addition, the returning ice water enters from the bottom of the raw water tank 116, which can fully mix with the original water in the raw water tank 116, making the water temperature more uniform. This makes it easier for the pumping component 170 to uniformly draw water from the raw water tank 116 and transport it to the ice-making evaporator 150, ensuring the continuity and stability of the ice-making cycle, and also helping to maintain the dynamic balance of the water level in the raw water tank 116.

[0045] In some embodiments of the present invention, the ice maker assembly 100 includes a housing 110 and an ice-making unit base 118. The housing 110 has a cold water outlet 117 on its side wall. The ice-making unit base 118 provides a stable mounting reference and support platform for core components such as the ice-making evaporator 150 and the ice-dispensing drive motor 156, facilitating precise positioning and integrated assembly of each component within the housing 110, thereby improving the overall structural strength and assembly efficiency of the ice maker assembly 100. By configuring the ice maker assembly 100 to include a housing 110 and an ice-making unit base 118, and providing a cold water outlet 117 on the side wall of the housing 110, the ice maker assembly 100... The system forms a compact and fully functional modular unit. The cold water outlet 117 is directly located on the side wall of the housing 110, which is highly compatible with the user's operating position. This allows the user to directly collect ice water delivered by the cold water outlet from the side wall without opening the housing 110 or configuring an additional water container, simplifying the water collection process and improving ease of use. At the same time, placing the cold water outlet 117 on the side wall rather than the top or front helps to avoid accidental contact or blockage of the outlet, and also saves the front layout space of the ice maker assembly 100. This makes the layout of the vehicle-mounted ice-making system more flexible in the limited space inside the vehicle, further enhancing the user experience in vehicle scenarios.

[0046] In some embodiments of the present invention, an ice spoon 120 is provided inside the box 110 to facilitate the use of ice cubes.

[0047] The present invention also provides a control method for the above-mentioned vehicle-mounted ice-making system, comprising the following steps: Ice making steps: In ice making mode, the controller controls the pumping component 170 to transport the water in the raw water tank 116 along the ice making water path to the ice making evaporator 150 for ice making, and the generated ice blocks are stored in the ice storage bin 114. Circulation steps: The controller controls the circulating water circuit to return the ice water in the ice storage chamber 114 to the original water tank 116, so that the pumping component 170 can pump it again to the ice evaporator 150 to participate in the ice making cycle.

[0048] Through the coordinated control of the ice-making and circulation steps described above, the controller can achieve automated operation and management of the vehicle-mounted ice-making system: In ice-making mode, the controller automatically drives the pumping component 170 to transport water from the raw water tank 116 to the ice-making evaporator 150 for ice making, and stores the generated ice blocks in the ice storage compartment 114, without requiring manual water addition or intervention from the user, thus improving the convenience and automation of the ice-making process; In circulation mode, the controller automatically drives the circulating water circuit to return the ice water in the ice storage compartment 114 to the raw water tank 116, so that the pumping component 170 can pump it again to participate in the ice-making cycle, realizing closed-loop reuse of ice-making water, significantly reducing water consumption and reducing the need for users to frequently add water while driving; The two steps are executed sequentially under the unified scheduling of the controller, making the ice-making and water return processes a continuous automated process, improving the overall operating efficiency and intelligence level of the vehicle-mounted ice-making system, and improving the user's ice-taking experience in vehicle scenarios.

[0049] In some embodiments of the present invention, the control method of the vehicle-mounted ice-making system further includes a cold water dispensing step: in cold water dispensing mode, the controller controls the pumping component 170 to transport the ice water in the ice storage tank 114 along the cold water dispensing path to the water tap module 140. By adding the cold water dispensing step, the vehicle-mounted ice-making system, based on its automatic ice-making and circulating water functions, further expands its cold water output capacity, allowing the ice water generated by the natural melting of ice in the ice storage tank 114 to be directly guided to the water tap module 140 for user use, meeting the diverse needs of users for drinking cold water and brewing beverages while driving, and significantly improving the functional integration and user experience of the vehicle-mounted ice-making system; at the same time, the cold water dispensing step and the circulating step share the ice water source in the ice storage tank 114, under the unified scheduling of the controller. When users do not need to obtain water immediately, the ice water can flow back to the original water tank 116 through the circulating water path to participate in re-ice making. When users need to obtain water, it is directly supplied through the cold water outlet path, realizing flexible allocation and on-demand use of ice water resources and avoiding idle waste of water resources. In addition, the cold water outlet path directly uses the low-temperature ice water in the ice storage compartment 114 without the need for additional refrigeration or heating links, reducing system energy consumption, making the outlet water temperature naturally suitable for drinking, simplifying the control logic, and further improving the practicality and convenience of the vehicle-mounted ice making system in vehicle scenarios.

[0050] In some embodiments of the present invention, the faucet module 140 includes a steering motor 141, an angle plate 142, a faucet bracket 143, and a faucet. The faucet is rotatably connected to the faucet bracket 143. The steering motor 141 is mounted on the faucet bracket 143 and is used to drive the faucet to rotate. The angle plate 142 is disposed on the faucet bracket 143 and has an arc-shaped limiting groove or positioning hole for limiting the rotation angle range of the faucet or setting a specified angle. The faucet solenoid valve 144 is disposed at the water inlet end of the faucet and is used to control the on / off of the cold water path. By configuring the faucet module 140 as a combination structure of the steering motor 141, the angle plate 142, the faucet bracket 143, and the faucet, the vehicle-mounted ice-making system has an electronically controlled rotating water dispensing function.

[0051] In some embodiments of the present invention, the control method of the vehicle-mounted ice-making system further includes a pipeline cleaning step: after the vehicle-mounted ice-making system stops working, the controller controls the air pump 180 to introduce compressed air into the pipeline to blow away residual moisture, and at the same time or subsequently activates the heating wire 190 to heat the pipeline, so that the residual moisture evaporates and vaporizes and is discharged together with the compressed air. By automatically performing a pipeline cleaning step after the vehicle-mounted ice-making system stops working, the controller can drive the air pump 180 and heating wire 190 to work together to deeply dry the pipelines of the water system. This effectively solves the technical problem that residual water in the pipelines after ice making is stopped can easily breed mold and produce odors. Specifically, the air pump 180 introduces compressed air into the pipelines, which can physically purge each section of the ice-making water circuit, the cold water circuit, and the circulating water circuit, removing most of the residual liquid water. Meanwhile, the heating wire 190 heats the pipeline walls, causing the trace amounts of residual water adhering to the pipe walls to vaporize into water vapor, which is then discharged together with the compressed air. The two work together to achieve thorough cleaning and drying of the pipelines. This process is automatically triggered and controlled by the controller, without the need for manual operation by the user. This improves the intelligence level and ease of use of the vehicle-mounted ice-making system, while also ensuring the hygiene of the water system inside when it is started again. This avoids the decline in ice or ice water quality caused by pipeline contamination, extends the service life of the pipelines and related solenoid valves, and reduces maintenance costs.

[0052] In some embodiments of the present invention, during the pipeline cleaning step, the air pump 180 and the heating wire 190 are started alternately according to a preset timing sequence, or the air pump 180 works continuously for a first duration, and then the heating wire 190 starts working for a second duration. By alternately starting the air pump 180 and heating wire 190 according to a preset timing sequence, or by having the air pump 180 operate continuously for a first duration followed by the heating wire 190 operating for a second duration, phased coordination of purging and drainage with heating and vaporization is achieved. This avoids the instantaneous power superposition caused by simultaneous operation of the two, reduces the peak energy consumption of the vehicle-mounted ice-making system, and prevents excessive load on the vehicle's electrical circuits. Simultaneously, the air pump 180's initial purging can quickly remove most of the residual liquid water in the pipeline, creating conditions for the subsequent vaporization and drying by the heating wire 190. This reduces the amount of water that the heating wire 190 needs to vaporize, improves drying efficiency, and avoids interference between high-temperature water vapor and compressed air, which could affect the drainage effect. This timing control strategy is automatically executed by the controller, making the pipeline cleaning process more intelligent and efficient. It helps extend the service life of the air pump 180 and heating wire 190, ensuring the hygiene and safety of the water system after long-term inactivity and reliable operation upon restart.

[0053] It should be noted that, where there is no conflict, the features in the embodiments of this invention can be combined with each other.

[0054] The above description is merely a preferred embodiment of the present invention and is not intended to limit the invention. Various modifications and variations can be made to the present invention by those skilled in the art. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, improvements, etc., made within the spirit and principles of the present invention should be included within the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. A vehicle-mounted ice-making system, comprising an ice maker assembly (100) and a refrigeration system (300), characterized in that, The ice maker assembly (100) is equipped with a water system, which includes a raw water tank (116), a pumping assembly (170), an ice-making evaporator (150), an ice storage chamber (114), and pipes connecting the raw water tank (116), the pumping assembly (170), the ice-making evaporator (150), and the ice storage chamber (114). The pipeline forms an ice-making water path and a circulating water path. The ice-making water path is used to transport the water in the raw water tank (116) to the ice-making evaporator (150) for ice making. The circulating water path is used to return the ice water in the ice storage chamber (114) to the raw water tank (116) so that the pumping assembly (170) can pump it back to the ice-making evaporator (150) to participate in the ice-making cycle. The refrigeration system (300) is connected to the ice-making evaporator (150) and is used to provide cooling capacity to the ice-making evaporator (150); the refrigeration system (300) is configured as follows: When the vehicle-mounted ice-making system includes a vehicle-mounted refrigerator (200), the refrigeration system (300) is a shared refrigeration system (300) shared by the ice maker assembly (100) and the vehicle-mounted refrigerator (200). The vehicle-mounted ice-making system also includes a controller, which is electrically connected to the pumping assembly (170) and the control valve located on the pipeline, and is used to control the on / off of the ice-making water circuit and the circulating water circuit.

2. The vehicle-mounted ice-making system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The water system also includes a cold water outlet, which is used to transport the ice water in the ice storage chamber (114) to the water outlet faucet module.

3. The vehicle-mounted ice-making system according to claim 2, characterized in that, The pumping assembly (170) includes a first water pump (171) and a second water pump (172), and the control valve includes a faucet solenoid valve (144) and a return water solenoid valve (119). The first water pump (171) is located in the ice-making water circuit, the second water pump (172) is located in the cold water outlet circuit, the faucet solenoid valve (144) is located at the end of the cold water outlet circuit, and the return water solenoid valve (119) is located in the circulating water circuit.

4. The vehicle-mounted ice-making system according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that, The water system also includes an air pump (180) and a heating wire (190). The air pump (180) is used to introduce compressed air into the pipeline to discharge residual moisture, and the heating wire (190) is used to heat the pipeline to evaporate and vaporize the residual moisture.

5. The vehicle-mounted ice-making system according to claim 1, characterized in that, Each connection node of the connecting pipeline is equipped with a quick-connect fitting, which includes at least one of L-type quick-connect fitting, L-type plug fitting, T-type plug fitting, L-type plug quick-connect fitting, and Y-type tee fitting. The connecting pipeline is a PE water pipe connection or a direct plug-in connection.

6. The vehicle-mounted ice-making system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The ice-making evaporator (150) includes an evaporator body (151), an ice-dispensing column (152), and an ice-dispensing drive motor (156). The evaporator body (151) has a refrigerant inlet (153), a refrigerant outlet (154), a water inlet (155), and an ice outlet (115). The evaporator body (151) is equipped with a screw extrusion mechanism. The ice-dispensing column (152) is rotatably connected to the ice outlet (115). The ice-dispensing drive motor (156) is used to drive the ice-dispensing column (152) to rotate to dispense ice blocks.

7. The vehicle-mounted ice-making system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The ice storage chamber (114) is located below the ice outlet (115) of the ice evaporator (150). The top of the ice storage chamber (114) is provided with an ice storage cover (112), which is made of heat-insulating material. The ice storage chamber (114) is provided with a drain bracket (130), which is detachably installed at the bottom of the ice storage chamber (114). The water outlet and water return of the ice storage chamber (114) are both located below the drain bracket (130).

8. The vehicle-mounted ice-making system according to claim 7, characterized in that, The top of the ice storage chamber (114) is provided with an ice guide slope that is inclined toward the ice outlet (115), and the ice guide slope is used to guide the ice blocks to slide down.

9. The vehicle-mounted ice-making system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The refrigeration system (300) includes a compressor, a condenser, a dryer filter, and a capillary tube.

10. The vehicle-mounted ice-making system according to claim 9, characterized in that, When the vehicle-mounted ice-making system includes the vehicle-mounted refrigerator (200), the refrigeration pipeline of the refrigeration system (300) is sequentially connected to the compressor, the condenser, the dryer filter, the solenoid valve and the capillary tube. The outlet end of the capillary tube is connected to the ice-making evaporator (150) and the refrigerator evaporator in the vehicle-mounted refrigerator (200) through a branch pipeline.

11. The vehicle-mounted ice-making system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The top of the raw water tank (116) is provided with a water storage cover (111), and the bottom of the raw water tank (116) is provided with a return water inlet. The circulating water circuit is connected to the interior of the raw water tank (116) through the return water inlet.

12. A control method applied to the vehicle-mounted ice-making system according to any one of claims 1 to 11, characterized in that, Includes the following steps: Ice making steps: In ice making mode, the controller controls the pumping assembly (170) to transport the water in the raw water tank (116) along the ice making water path to the ice making evaporator (150) for ice making, and the generated ice blocks are stored in the ice storage chamber (114). Cyclic Step: The controller controls the circulating water circuit to return the ice water in the ice storage tank (114) to the raw water tank (116), so that the pumping assembly (170) can pump it again to the ice evaporator (150) to participate in the ice making cycle.

13. The control method for the vehicle-mounted ice-making system according to claim 12, characterized in that, It also includes a cold water dispensing step: in the cold water dispensing mode, the controller controls the pumping assembly (170) to transport the ice water in the ice storage chamber (114) along the cold water dispensing path to the water tap module.

14. The control method for the vehicle-mounted ice-making system according to claim 12, characterized in that, It also includes a pipeline cleaning step: after the vehicle-mounted ice-making system stops working, the controller controls the air pump (180) to introduce compressed air into the pipeline to blow away residual moisture, and at the same time or subsequently activates the heating wire (190) to heat the pipeline, so that the residual moisture evaporates and is discharged together with the compressed air.

15. The control method for the vehicle-mounted ice-making system according to claim 14, characterized in that, In the pipeline cleaning step, the air pump (180) and the heating wire (190) are started alternately according to a preset time sequence, or the air pump (180) works continuously for a first time, and then the heating wire (190) starts working for a second time.

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