Vacuum ice-making and high-temperature uv self-cleaning method for multifunctional ice-sand making device

Abstract

This invention provides a vacuum ice-forming and high-temperature UV self-cleaning method for a multifunctional ice-making device. The device includes a metal inner liner with micro-protruding tips on its inner wall or surface. These micro-protruding tips are conical, serrated, or other shaped micro-protrusions designed to preferentially nucleate ice crystals at these tips. An ice-scraping and stirring mechanism is located inside the metal inner liner. A magnetic coupling transmission device includes an outer magnetic drive component, an inner magnetic drive component, and a non-magnetic isolation sleeve, which is sealed and fixed to the inner liner wall, forming a fully enclosed cavity without mechanical penetration. A vacuum pump module is connected to the fully enclosed cavity and used to evacuate the metal inner liner cavity to a micro-vacuum state. This invention integrates multiple functions such as anti-jamming, efficient ice-forming, fully sealed vacuum, self-cleaning and sterilization, and multi-scenario adaptability. It features a reliable structure, high food safety standards, and represents a significant technological advancement.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to a vacuum ice-forming and high-temperature UV self-cleaning method for a multifunctional ice-making and smoothie-making device. Background Technology

[0002] Ice makers and smoothie makers are widely used in homes, restaurants, and commercial establishments. Their basic working principle involves cooling the inner wall of the refrigeration system to freeze the liquid, which is then scraped off by a scraping mechanism to form smoothies or ice granules. In existing ice-making equipment, the inner wall is often smooth, resulting in uniform freezing of the liquid throughout the surface during refrigeration, forming a continuous and dense ice layer. The scraping mechanism must overcome significant adhesion to remove this ice layer, resulting in high operating resistance. Furthermore, traditional equipment often uses a mechanical shaft that passes through the inner cavity to drive the scraping mechanism, requiring a dynamic seal between the shaft and the inner wall. In addition, different usage scenarios have significantly different requirements for refrigeration power, power supply, and equipment size; existing equipment designs are often tailored to a single scenario, limiting their versatility.

[0003] In view of the above situation, the present invention provides an improved ice-making sand making device to further optimize ice-forming efficiency, operational stability, sealing performance and scene adaptability. Summary of the Invention

[0004] This invention provides a vacuum ice-forming and high-temperature UV self-cleaning method for a multifunctional ice-making and smoothie-making device, which can effectively solve the above-mentioned problems.

[0005] This invention is implemented as follows: A multifunctional ice smoothie maker includes a metal inner liner with micro-protruding tips on its inner wall. The micro-protruding tips are cone-shaped or serrated protrusions used to preferentially nucleate ice crystals at the tips. An ice-scraping and stirring mechanism is located inside the metal inner liner; A magnetic coupling transmission device includes an outer magnetic drive component, an inner magnetic drive component, and a non-magnetic isolation sleeve. The non-magnetic isolation sleeve is sealed and fixed to the inner liner wall, so that the metal inner liner forms a fully enclosed cavity without mechanical penetration. A vacuum pump module, connected to the fully enclosed cavity, is used to evacuate the metal inner cavity to a micro-vacuum state. A refrigeration module, the refrigeration end of which is thermally coupled to the metal inner liner, is used to cool and reduce the temperature of the metal inner liner cavity; The heating module is used for heating, high-temperature cleaning, and drying of the inner cavity; The UV disinfection module is used in conjunction with high-temperature hot water to achieve sterilization, and after drainage, it works with the heating module to dry the inner cavity. Pressure relief valve, used to restore normal pressure after vacuuming is completed; The temperature control module is used to achieve precise constant temperature control in various working modes.

[0006] A vacuum ice-forming and high-temperature UV self-cleaning method for a multifunctional ice-making and smoothie-making device includes the following steps: S1, Cooling Start: The temperature control module controls the operation of the cooling module, so that ice crystals preferentially nucleate and grow at the micro-protrusion tips of the metal liner; S2, Ice Seed Induced Crystallization: The magnetic coupling transmission device drives the ice scraping and stirring mechanism to rotate at low speed, scraping off the loose ice crystals at the tip of the micro-protrusion to form active ice seed, inducing the liquid to crystallize rapidly in an avalanche-like manner. S3, Micro-vacuum assistance: The vacuum pump module draws the fully enclosed cavity to a micro-vacuum state, which refines the ice crystal structure and weakens the adhesion to the wall. S4. Constant Temperature Control: The temperature control module provides closed-loop constant temperature control to stably maintain the temperature range for smoothie formation. S5. Pressure relief and material discharge: After the ice slush preparation is completed, open the pressure relief valve to balance the air pressure, and after restoring normal pressure, safely open the lid to discharge the material. S6. High-temperature water washing and sterilization: Water is replenished inward during the self-cleaning stage, the heating module heats up to the set high-temperature range for circulating water washing, and the UV disinfection module is simultaneously turned on to sterilize and remove scale in the whole area. S7. Drying and sterilization: After the wastewater is automatically discharged, the heating module continues to dry at a constant temperature, and in conjunction with the long-term irradiation of the UV disinfection module, the inner cavity of the metal liner is deeply dried and sterilized, completing the entire process of self-cleaning without disassembly.

[0007] The beneficial effects of this invention are: (1) The present invention uses the pointed or serrated micro-protrusions on the inner wall of the metal liner to make ice crystals preferentially nucleate at the tips, forming dispersed and loose initial ice crystals. This significantly reduces the adhesion between the ice layer and the inner wall from the structural source, and completely solves the common industry problem of ice layer sticking together, causing the ice scraping mechanism to jam and the motor to stall. The fully enclosed cavity without mechanical penetration, achieved by the magnetic coupling transmission device, not only maintains the vacuum environment for a long time, but also eliminates the sanitary dead corners where dirt and grime accumulate in the shaft hole. On this basis, the vacuum pump module draws the cavity to a micro-vacuum state, further refining the ice crystal structure and inhibiting the formation of dense hard ice layer. After the ice scraping and stirring mechanism scrapes off the loose ice crystals at the tips, it forms active ice seeds, which induce the liquid to crystallize rapidly in an avalanche-like manner, significantly improving the ice formation efficiency and the fineness of the ice sand. At the same time, the heating module, UV disinfection module and temperature control module work together to achieve an integrated self-cleaning closed loop of high temperature water washing, ultraviolet sterilization and constant temperature drying, which effectively inhibits bacterial growth. The pressure relief valve ensures the safety of opening the lid after vacuum operation. In summary, this invention integrates multiple functions such as anti-jamming, efficient ice formation, fully sealed vacuum, self-cleaning sterilization, and multi-scenario adaptability. It has a reliable structure, a high level of food safety, and represents a significant technological advancement. Attached Figure Description

[0008] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention, the accompanying drawings used in the embodiments will be briefly introduced below. It should be understood that the following drawings only show some embodiments of the present invention and should not be regarded as a limitation of the scope. For those skilled in the art, other related drawings can be obtained from these drawings without creative effort.

[0009] Figure 1 This is the front view of the present invention.

[0010] Figure 2 This is a structural block diagram of the present invention.

[0011] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram illustrating the principle of rapid crystallization induced by ice seed in this invention.

[0012] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the arrangement of the pulsed electromagnetic field (PEMF) module of the present invention.

[0013] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the self-cleaning process of the device of the present invention. Detailed Implementation

[0014] 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 a part of the embodiments of the present invention, not all of them. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of the present invention. Therefore, the following detailed description of the embodiments of the present invention provided in the accompanying drawings is not intended to limit the scope of the claimed invention, but merely to illustrate selected embodiments of the invention.

[0015] In the description of this invention, the terms "first" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of indicated technical features. Thus, a feature defined as "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of that feature. In the description of this invention, "a plurality of" means two or more, unless otherwise explicitly specified.

[0016] Reference Figure 1-5 As shown, a multifunctional slush-making device includes... The metal inner liner 10 has micro-protruding tips 40 on its inner wall. The micro-protruding tips are cone-shaped or serrated protrusions, which are used to make ice crystals preferentially nucleate at the tips.

[0017] Specifically, the metal inner liner 10 is preferably made of food-grade 304 stainless steel. The micro-protruding tips 40 on its inner wall are cone-shaped or serrated protrusions, arrayed throughout the entire inner wall of the liner, with a protrusion height of 0.8mm to 1.5mm. The micro-protruding tips 40 can be formed by one of the following methods: chemical etching, i.e., coating the stainless steel inner liner surface with an etching-resistant mask and then selectively etching with an etching solution to form the protruding structure; precision mechanical imprinting, i.e., using an imprinting roller with a concave die to roll and form on the inner wall of the liner; or laser engraving, i.e., using a pulsed laser beam to scan and engrave point by point on the inner wall of the liner.

[0018] Furthermore, the working principle of the micro-protrusion tip 40 is as follows: when the refrigeration system is started, the temperature of the metal inner liner 10 wall decreases, and water molecules in the liquid preferentially undergo directional nucleation at the tip of the cone or serration, forming dispersed, discontinuous, and loose initial ice crystals, rather than the overall dense hard ice layer formed on the traditional smooth inner liner surface. This changes the growth morphology of the ice crystals, greatly reducing the adhesion between the ice layer and the metal inner liner 10 wall, thereby avoiding long-standing technical problems such as ice layer adhesion, ice scraping mechanism jamming, and motor stalling in ice-making equipment.

[0019] To further verify the comparison of ice-scraping torque during the use of the cone mechanism, refer to the verification table below (all experimental data were tested using the following methods: starting torque and running torque were measured using a torque sensor (range 0~5N·m, accuracy ±0.01N·m) at -5℃; the average ice crystal particle size was measured using a laser particle size analyzer (Masterizer 3000) at -5℃, and the D50 value was taken; the crystallization activation energy was measured using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC, model TA Q2000) at a cooling rate of 5℃ / min; the total bacterial count was tested according to the national food safety standard GB 4789.2-2022):

[0020] Comparative tests show that the equipment with a pointed conical protrusion inner liner with a height of 0.8~1.5mm has a starting torque of only 25%~30% of that with a smooth inner liner, and the running torque is reduced by more than 65%. The jamming rate is less than 0.5% after 1000 hours of continuous operation, while the jamming rate of traditional smooth inner liner equipment is as high as 15%~20%.

[0021] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the height of the conical protrusion is 0.8~1.5mm. Preferably, the ratio of protrusion height to protrusion spacing is 1:2~1:3. Experiments have verified that this ratio range results in the lowest ice adhesion. More preferably, the tip of the protrusion adopts a rounded transition with a radius R of 0.05~0.1mm to avoid stress concentration while ensuring the nucleation effect at the tip.

[0022] Furthermore, the radius of curvature at the tip of the conical protrusion is ≤0.1mm. Its geometric characteristics result in the lowest free energy barrier for water molecules at the tip, thus forcing ice crystals to nucleate preferentially at the tip, while nucleation is difficult on smooth walls due to the higher free energy barrier. This design transforms the ice layer from "surface contact" in traditional equipment to "point contact," reducing the contact area between the ice layer and the inner liner by more than 90% and decreasing adhesion by about 85%.

[0023] The ice-scraping and stirring mechanism 30 is located inside the metal inner liner 10. Driven by the magnetic coupling transmission device 20, the ice-scraping and stirring mechanism 30 rotates, scraping off the loose ice crystals formed at the micro-protrusion tips 40, forming fine ice particles that act as ice seeds dispersed in the liquid, inducing rapid overall crystallization of the liquid. The ice-scraping and stirring mechanism 30 consists of a rotating scraper or screw. Driven by the magnetic coupling transmission device 20, it rotates to scrape off the loose ice crystals formed at the micro-protrusion tips 40. The scraped ice crystals are in the form of fine ice particles, which act as "active ice seeds" dispersed in the unfrozen liquid. These ice seeds have extremely high crystallization induction activity, triggering rapid avalanche-like crystallization in the supercooled liquid. This allows the liquid in the entire cavity to form a large number of fine, uniform ice crystals in a short time, significantly improving ice-forming efficiency and resulting in a smooth and creamy shaved ice without large chunks of hard ice.

[0024] Furthermore, the assembly gap between the scraper blade of the ice-scraping stirring mechanism 30 and the micro-protruding tip 40 on the inner wall of the metal inner liner 10 is 0.1mm to 0.5mm. Within this gap range, it can ensure that the scraper blade can effectively scrape off the loose ice crystals formed at the tip, while avoiding rigid collision between the scraper blade and the protrusion that could cause damage. When the gap is less than 0.1mm, the scraper blade and the protrusion are prone to interference; when the gap is greater than 0.5mm, the ice crystals at the tip cannot be effectively scraped off, affecting the ice seed induction effect.

[0025] For further verification, please refer to the experimental verification table below.

[0026] Ice-forming kinetics experiments show that, with the ice-induced crystallization mechanism employed in this invention, avalanche crystallization is triggered within 2-4 minutes in a supercooled liquid state, and complete crystallization takes only 8-12 minutes, a reduction of approximately 65% ​​compared to traditional ice-free equipment (25-35 minutes). Combined with a micro-vacuum environment, the crystallization time is further reduced to 6-9 minutes, ice-forming efficiency is increased by 30%-80%, and the fineness score of the ice slush is improved from 4-5 points to 9-10 points (out of 10).

[0027] Furthermore, the active ice seed-induced crystallization mechanism of this invention has significant kinetic advantages. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) tests showed that, at a supercooling of -5°C, after adding the tip ice seed scraped off according to this invention, the crystallization activation energy decreased from 45.2 kJ / mol to 17.8 kJ / mol, and the crystallization rate constant k decreased from 0.15 min⁻¹. -1 Improved to 1.21min -1 The efficiency is improved by approximately 8 times. This data indicates that the present invention is not simply "ice crystal scraping," but rather achieves highly efficient "avalanche-like" crystallization through ice seeds with specific crystal orientations. Furthermore, the "active ice seeds" described in this invention possess specific microcrystalline characteristics. X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis shows that the (0001) basal plane accounts for ≥60% of the diffraction peak intensity in the scraped ice crystal tips, and the lattice mismatch between this basal plane and the pre-ordered water molecule clusters in the supercooled liquid is less than 8%, thus exhibiting extremely high crystallization-inducing activity. In contrast, the (0001) basal plane accounts for less than 30% of the random ice chips produced by traditional ice scraping, resulting in significantly lower induction activity. This microstructural feature is the key to the "avalanche-like" rapid crystallization achieved in this invention.

[0028] The magnetic coupling transmission device 20 includes an outer magnetic drive component 200, an inner magnetic drive component 202, and a non-magnetic isolation sleeve 204. The non-magnetic isolation sleeve is sealed and fixed to the inner wall of the liner, so that the metal inner liner 10 forms a fully enclosed cavity without mechanical penetration.

[0029] The non-magnetic isolation sleeve 204 is sealed and fixed to the inner wall of the liner, completely isolating the outer magnetic drive component 200 from the inner magnetic drive component 202, thus forming a fully enclosed cavity without any mechanical shafts penetrating the metal liner 10. The outer magnetic drive component 200 is fixedly connected to an external geared motor, while the inner magnetic drive component 202 is located inside the liner and fixedly connected to the ice-scraping and stirring mechanism 30. The geared motor drives the ice-scraping and stirring mechanism inside the liner to rotate without contact through magnetic coupling. This structure eliminates the need for shafts or airtight bearings that need to penetrate the cavity in traditional equipment, achieving not only 100% complete sealing and maintaining a stable vacuum environment over a long period, but also eliminating the risk of dirt and bacteria accumulating in the shaft hole area, meeting the high standards of food-grade aseptic production.

[0030] Furthermore, the leakage rate of traditional shaft seals is approximately 10% under a vacuum of -0.05 MPa. - The leakage rate is 2 Pa·m³ / s, and increases sharply with wear of the seals over time. This invention uses a non-magnetic isolation sleeve coupled with a permanent magnet drive, completely eliminating the dynamic sealing structure, and achieving a static sealing leakage rate ≤10%. -5 Pa·m³ / s, the vacuum holding time is extended from 2 hours in the traditional scheme to more than 72 hours.

[0031] In this embodiment, the outer magnetic drive component 200 and the inner magnetic drive component 202 of the magnetic coupling transmission device 20 each contain 6 pairs of magnetic poles (alternating N and S poles), and the permanent magnet material is neodymium iron boron (N35SH). When the geared motor drives the outer magnetic drive component to rotate at 50 rpm, the magnetic field alternation frequency is 5 Hz, which generates an induced electromotive force of 5.2V across the induction coil of the UV disinfection module 90, meeting the 3.2V / 100mA UV-LED driving requirement. When the rotation speed is reduced to 30 rpm, the alternation frequency is 3 Hz, and the induced electromotive force drops to 1.2V, below the UV-LED lighting threshold. This enables linkage.

[0032] The vacuum pump module 80 is connected to the fully enclosed cavity and is used to evacuate the metal inner liner 10 to a micro-vacuum state. The micro-vacuum maintained by the vacuum pump module 80 is -0.02MPa to -0.08MPa, which is used to lower the freezing point of the liquid, refine the ice crystal structure, and prevent the ice layer from sticking together and getting stuck.

[0033] To verify the comparison data of ice crystal size under different vacuum levels, please refer to the table below.

[0034] Experiments show that under a micro-vacuum environment of -0.05MPa to -0.08MPa, the average particle size of ice crystals is 30~60μm, which is about 70% smaller than that of conventionally pressed ice (150~200μm). The adhesion of the ice layer is reduced by more than 80%, eliminating the fault of ice layer sticking and jamming in traditional equipment.

[0035] Furthermore, the vacuum pump module 80 is connected to the aforementioned fully enclosed cavity and is used to evacuate the metal inner liner 10 to a micro-vacuum state. Depending on the application scenario, the vacuum pump module 80 can maintain different micro-vacuum levels: in portable scenarios, it maintains a low negative pressure of -0.02MPa to -0.05MPa to prioritize power saving and battery life; in commercial scenarios, it maintains a high negative pressure of -0.05MPa to -0.08MPa to achieve extremely fine ice crystals. The working principle of the micro-vacuum environment is to lower the freezing point of the liquid, making the ice crystal structure more loose and fragmented during growth, thereby inhibiting the formation of dense, hard ice layers and further preventing large-area ice adhesion and blockage of the ice scraping mechanism. Experimental data shows that under micro-vacuum conditions of -0.05MPa to -0.08MPa, the average ice crystal particle size is 30–60μm, which is about 70% smaller than that of conventionally pressed ice (150–200μm), and the ice adhesion is reduced by more than 80%.

[0036] Optionally, in portable applications, the vacuum pump module 80 employs an intermittent operating mode to reduce power consumption: the vacuum pump starts, pumps the chamber pressure to -0.07 MPa, and then stops operating, allowing the chamber pressure to naturally leak (static seal leakage rate ≤ 10%). -5When the pressure (Pa·m³ / s) rises to -0.03MPa, the vacuum pump restarts and pumps to -0.07MPa, and this cycle repeats. This intermittent working mode reduces power consumption by about 40% compared to the continuous vacuum pumping mode, and the chamber pressure is always maintained within the effective range of -0.07MPa to -0.03MPa, without affecting the ice crystal refining effect.

[0037] Furthermore, the microvacuum environment lowers the boiling point of the liquid and causes dissolved gases to precipitate. On the one hand, this lowers the freezing point, slowing down the ice crystal growth rate; on the other hand, it reduces the number of gas nuclei in the liquid, inhibiting the heterogeneous nucleation of large ice crystals. Experiments show that at a vacuum of -0.05 MPa, the average ice crystal size is 45 μm, only 30% of that under normal pressure (150 μm); and the adhesion work between the ice layer and the inner liner decreases from 12.5 J / m² at normal pressure to 2.1 J / m², a reduction of 83%.

[0038] The refrigeration module, whose refrigeration end is thermally coupled to the metal inner liner 10, is used to cool the cavity of the metal inner liner 10. The refrigeration module is a semiconductor electronic refrigeration module 100 or a compressor refrigeration system. When a semiconductor electronic refrigeration module is used, it is suitable for portable scenarios. When a compressor refrigeration system is used, it is suitable for commercial scenarios.

[0039] The cooling module's cooling end is thermally coupled to the metal inner liner 10 via heat conduction, enabling precise cooling of the inner liner cavity. This cooling module employs a modular design and can be either a semiconductor electronic cooling module 100 or a compressor cooling system. When using the semiconductor electronic cooling module 100, the cold end of the cooling chip is in close contact with the inner liner wall for uniform heat exchange, while the hot end features a forced air cooling structure, making it suitable for low-pressure portable scenarios such as outdoor camping, vehicle-mounted mobile applications, and mobile stalls. It is lightweight, shock-resistant, safe, and has a long operating life. When using a compressor cooling system, the evaporator fully encloses the outer wall of the inner liner, providing a large heat exchange area and a fast cooling rate. This supports continuous, uninterrupted ice-making operations for extended periods, making it suitable for high-frequency indoor commercial scenarios such as offline beverage stores and fixed commercial workstations. It features high production capacity, high-precision temperature control, and deep self-cleaning without disassembly. This invention, through its dual-cooling modular design, allows for flexible matching of the cooling architecture to meet different scenario requirements, achieving full-domain scenario coverage from portable to commercial applications.

[0040] Example 1: Portable outdoor / vehicle-mounted lightweight version In portable outdoor or vehicle-mounted mobile scenarios, this embodiment uses a semiconductor refrigeration module as the refrigeration system. Its cold end is in contact with the metal inner liner 10 wall to achieve uniform heat exchange, while the hot end is equipped with a forced air cooling structure to ensure heat dissipation efficiency. The power supply adopts a dual-compatible design: DC 12V vehicle power supply and 3-4 series built-in rechargeable battery packs. It can be used directly when there is vehicle power available, or rely on the battery pack for power when no external power source is available outdoors. The entire unit features a low-voltage protection design, ensuring safety, reliability, and long battery life. The heating module 70 uses a low-voltage heating element with temperature control or a safe PTC heater. Considering the power limitations of low-voltage portable scenarios, the high-temperature cleaning limit is set to ≤75℃ to ensure cleaning effectiveness while avoiding excessive energy consumption. The vacuum pump module 80 maintains the cavity at -0.02MPa. The vacuum level is optimized to achieve a low negative pressure of -0.05MPa, prioritizing energy saving and extended battery life while refining ice crystals and preventing ice adhesion. The ice scraping mechanism uses food-grade soft silicone flexible scrapers with a working speed range of 8-30rpm. Low torque operation reduces noise and resists bumps, making it particularly suitable for mobile vehicle scenarios. The UV disinfection module uses a 1W-1.5W low-power UVC lamp array embedded in the ice scraping and stirring mechanism. It is powered by induction generator generated by the magnetic coupling transmission device 20 during high-speed rotation and only illuminates in high-speed cleaning mode. Combined with ≤75℃ high-temperature hot water, it achieves cavity sterilization. This embodiment features a lightweight design, excellent shock resistance, and long battery life. It can be widely used in camping, outdoor activities, mobile vehicles, and mobile stalls, producing fine and standard smoothies.

[0041] Example 2: Indoor Commercial Standard Version In indoor commercial fixed scenarios, this embodiment adopts a high-power refrigeration system with a miniature rotary compressor. The evaporator is fully encased in a metal inner liner to enhance heat exchange, resulting in a large heat exchange area and rapid cooling rate. It supports 24-hour uninterrupted or high-frequency intermittent operation, meeting the continuous ice-making needs of commercial scenarios. The power supply uses a stable AC220V industrial mains power supply, eliminating concerns about battery life and supporting high-power refrigeration and long-term continuous operation. The heating module 70 uses a food-grade stainless steel explosion-proof heating tube, and the high-temperature water washing temperature can reach 85℃. At 95℃, it can effectively remove scale and grease, thoroughly cleaning the organic residues such as oil and protein from the inner wall of the cavity; the vacuum pump module 80 maintains the high negative pressure of the cavity stably at -0.05MPa~-0.08MPa. This high negative pressure environment can refine ice crystals to an extreme degree, reducing the ice crystal particle size to 30~60μm, while completely preventing the formation and adhesion of thick and hard ice layers, ensuring the stability of continuous ice making; the ice scraping mechanism adopts a skeleton-reinforced wear-resistant food-grade silicone scraper with a basic stable speed of 3~15rpm, ensuring smooth ice scraping with high torque output.

[0042] Furthermore, this embodiment also supports customized options for heavy-duty commercial use, allowing the height of the protrusion in a localized area of ​​the inner liner to be increased to 3mm-8mm to switch between producing different ice product types such as coarse shaved ice and thick crushed ice. The UV disinfection module 90 uses 2W-3W high-power full-area UVC irradiation and is embedded in the ice scraping and stirring mechanism 30. It is powered by induction generator generated by the magnetic coupling transmission device during high-speed rotation and only lights up in high-speed cleaning mode. Combined with 85℃-95℃ high-temperature hot water, it achieves deep sterilization and deodorization. The entire machine in this embodiment is designed for high capacity and high-precision temperature control, and supports deep self-cleaning without disassembly. It can be widely used in offline beverage stores, commercial fixed workstations, and other scenarios. It can stably produce delicate and dense shaved ice, and can also produce coarse ice through optional customization, achieving multiple uses in one machine.

[0043] Heating module 70 is used for heating, high-temperature cleaning, and drying of the inner cavity. Heating module 70 is a temperature-controlled heating element or PTC heater, with a high-temperature cleaning temperature range of 65℃ to 95℃ and a drying constant temperature range of 40℃ to 65℃. Specifically, heating module 70 uses a temperature-controlled heating element or PTC heater integrated with the refrigeration system. In high-temperature cleaning mode, the heating module raises the water temperature to 65℃ to 95℃, working in conjunction with a high-speed rotating ice-scraping and stirring mechanism to create a high-temperature rinsing effect, effectively dissolving and removing dirt, grease, and organic residues from the inner wall of the cavity. In drying mode, the heating module maintains the cavity temperature within a constant range of 40℃ to 65℃, evaporating residual moisture and achieving deep drying. Experimental verification shows that after washing with high-temperature water at 65℃ to 95℃ for 10 minutes, the total bacterial count in the cavity decreased from 10... 4 ~10 5 CFU / cm² decreased to 10 2 ~10 3 The sterilization rate is over 99% (CFU / cm²). In this case, the heating module 70 is mainly used in conjunction with the self-cleaning process after the preparation of the smoothie, rather than as an independent means of material temperature control.

[0044] The UV disinfection module 90 is used to sterilize the cavity with high-temperature hot water and, after draining, works with the heating module to dry the cavity. The UV disinfection module 90 is embedded in the ice scraping and stirring mechanism 30 and is powered by induction generator generated by the magnetic coupling transmission device 20 when rotating at high speed. It is only lit up in high-speed cleaning or drying mode.

[0045] It should be noted that the UV disinfection module 90 is used in conjunction with high-temperature hot water to achieve efficient sterilization, and after drainage, it works with the heating module 70 to dry the inner cavity. In this case, the UV disinfection module 90 serves as an auxiliary functional module for the self-cleaning closed loop. Its core function is to coordinate high-temperature water washing and drying to maintain the hygiene of the cavity, rather than being an independent antibacterial system.

[0046] The pressure relief valve 50 is used to restore normal pressure after the vacuum process ends; this valve has a manual or electric hybrid structure. After the vacuum icing operation is completed, the pressure relief valve 50 is used to quickly balance the air pressure inside and outside the chamber, ensuring the safety and convenience of opening the lid.

[0047] The temperature control module 60 is used to achieve precise constant temperature control in various operating modes. The temperature control module 60 integrates a high-precision temperature sensor and a main control unit, enabling real-time monitoring of the inner cavity temperature and achieving precise constant temperature control in multiple modes such as cooling, heating, smoothie, cleaning, and drying through a closed-loop control algorithm. The basic temperature control benchmarks are: smoothie mode -2℃~-6℃, regular cooling 0℃~10℃, and drying constant temperature 40℃~65℃.

[0048] It also includes a geared motor, which is connected to the magnetic coupling transmission device 20 and has an adjustable speed. In material preparation mode, it operates at low speed to increase output torque, while in cleaning mode, it switches to high speed to create a flushing effect. The geared motor is connected to the magnetic coupling transmission device 20, and its speed can be adjusted according to the working mode. Specifically: in material preparation mode, the geared motor operates at low speed (e.g., 8-30 rpm) to increase output torque, achieving gentle crushing and uniform mixing of materials, avoiding damage to nutrients due to high temperatures generated by high-speed friction; in cleaning mode, the geared motor switches to high speed (e.g., 50-200 rpm), creating a powerful flushing effect through high-speed rotation, combined with high-temperature hot water and UV irradiation, to achieve efficient self-cleaning of the cavity. In this invention, "high-speed cleaning mode" or "high-speed operation" refers to a geared motor speed of not less than 50 rpm; "low-speed material preparation mode" or "low-speed operation" refers to a geared motor speed of not more than 30 rpm. The above-mentioned speed threshold is matched with the power generation characteristics of the magnetic coupling drive device: when the speed is ≥50rpm, the induced electromotive force is ≥5V, which meets the driving conditions of UV-LED; when the speed is ≤30rpm, the induced electromotive force is ≤1.5V, which cannot drive the UV-LED to light up.

[0049] It also includes a pulse electromagnetic field generating module, located in the metal inner liner 10 or outside the cooling cavity, used to work with the vacuum environment to achieve physical field-assisted rapid ice formation, and to form a triple antibacterial system with high temperature and UV.

[0050] It also includes a power supply module 120, which can be a low-voltage lithium battery, a vehicle-mounted DC power supply module, or a high-voltage AC mains power supply module, respectively adapted to portable mobile scenarios and indoor fixed commercial scenarios. The power supply module 120 is configured in different types according to the application scenario: for portable mobile scenarios (such as outdoor camping, vehicle-mounted mobile), a low-voltage lithium battery or vehicle-mounted DC power supply module (such as DC12V direct supply + 3-4 series built-in rechargeable battery packs) is used, with the entire unit adopting a low-voltage protection design, ensuring safety, reliability, and long battery life; for indoor fixed commercial scenarios (such as beverage stores, central kitchens), a high-voltage AC mains power supply module (such as AC220V industrial AC mains) is used, supporting high-power cooling and long-term continuous operation. Through the differentiated configuration of the power supply module, this invention achieves full compatibility with both portable and commercial mainstream operating conditions under the same core structure.

[0051] A vacuum ice-forming and high-temperature UV self-cleaning method for a multifunctional ice-making and smoothie-making device includes the following steps: S1, Cooling Start: The temperature control module 60 controls the operation of the cooling module, so that ice crystals preferentially nucleate and grow at the micro-protrusion tip 40 of the metal inner liner 10. S2, Ice seed induced crystallization: The magnetic coupling transmission device 20 drives the ice scraping and stirring mechanism 30 to rotate at low speed, scraping off the loose ice crystals at the micro-protrusion tip 40 to form active ice seed, inducing the liquid to crystallize rapidly in an avalanche-like manner. S3, Micro-vacuum Assist: Vacuum pump module 80 draws the fully enclosed cavity to a micro-vacuum state, refining the ice crystal structure and weakening the adhesion to the wall. S4. Constant Temperature Control: The temperature control module provides closed-loop constant temperature control to stably maintain the temperature range for smoothie formation. S5. Pressure relief and material discharge: After the ice slush preparation is completed, open the pressure relief valve to balance the air pressure, and after restoring to normal pressure, safely open the lid to discharge the material. S6. High-temperature water washing and sterilization: Water is replenished from the cleaning stage, the heating module heats up to the set high temperature range for circulating water washing, and the UV disinfection module is turned on at 90° to sterilize and remove scale in the whole area. S7. Drying and sterilization: After the wastewater is automatically discharged, the heating module 70 continues to dry at a constant temperature, and with the long-term irradiation of the UV disinfection module 90, the inner cavity of the metal inner tank 10 is deeply dried and sterilized, completing the whole process of self-cleaning without disassembly.

[0052] Specifically, please refer to the table below for the total bacterial count test before and after the self-cleaning process, as shown below.

[0053] In summary, the self-cleaning effect verification experiment showed that after washing with high-temperature water at 65℃~95℃ for 10 minutes, the total number of colonies in the cavity decreased from 10... 4 ~10 5 CFU / cm² decreased to 10 2~10 3 The sterilization rate is over 99% (CFU / cm²). After irradiation with a UV lamp (wavelength 254nm) for 5 minutes, the total bacterial count further decreases to 10-50 CFU / cm². After drainage, the product is dried at a constant temperature of 40℃-65℃ and continuously irradiated with UV for 10 minutes. The total bacterial count on the cavity surface is <1 CFU / cm², and pathogenic bacteria such as Escherichia coli and mold are not detected, meeting the food-grade sterility standard.

[0054] Working principle: First, the user adds the liquid material to be made into ice into the fully enclosed cavity formed by the metal inner liner 10, and sets the desired working mode through the temperature control module 60. After the equipment is started, the refrigeration module starts working, and its refrigeration end lowers the temperature of the wall surface of the metal inner liner 10 through heat conduction. At this time, the pointed or serrated micro-protrusions 40 distributed in an array on the inner wall of the metal inner liner 10 have extremely small radii of curvature, which makes the free energy barrier of water molecules the lowest at that point. This forces ice crystals to preferentially nucleate at the tips, forming dispersed, discontinuous, and loose initial ice crystals, rather than the overall dense hard ice layer on the traditional smooth inner liner surface. This structural design significantly reduces the contact area between the ice layer and the wall of the metal inner liner 10, resulting in a substantial decrease in adhesion. This prevents ice layer adhesion and ice scraping mechanism jamming from the outset. Simultaneously, the vacuum pump module 80 evacuates the fully enclosed cavity to a micro-vacuum state. This micro-vacuum environment lowers the freezing point of the liquid, making ice crystal growth more loose and fragmented. Furthermore, it causes dissolved gases in the liquid to precipitate, reducing the number of gas nuclei and inhibiting the heterogeneous nucleation of large ice crystals. This further eliminates the formation of dense, hard ice layers at the source. As the temperature of the metal inner liner 10 wall continues to decrease, the ice scraping and stirring mechanism 30 begins to rotate under the contactless drive of the magnetic coupling transmission device 20. The magnetic coupling transmission device 20 includes an outer magnetic drive component 200, an inner magnetic drive component 202, and a non-magnetic isolation sleeve 204. The non-magnetic isolation sleeve 204 is sealed and fixed to the inner liner wall, forming a fully enclosed cavity without any mechanical penetration into the metal inner liner 10. In the material preparation mode, the geared motor operates at low speed and high torque, and the scraper of the ice-scraping stirring mechanism 30 scrapes off the loose ice crystals formed at the micro-protrusion tips 40. These scraped-off fine ice particles, as "active ice seeds," are dispersed in the unfrozen liquid. Due to their special crystal structure, they have extremely high crystallization induction activity, which can trigger rapid avalanche crystallization in the supercooled liquid. This allows the liquid in the entire cavity to form a large number of fine and uniform ice crystals in a short time, greatly improving the ice-forming efficiency and making the final shaved ice smooth with a delicate and dense texture and no large hard ice pieces. During the ice-forming process, the temperature control module 60 monitors the temperature of the metal inner liner 10 cavity in real time through a high-precision temperature sensor and precisely maintains the optimal temperature range for shaved ice formation through a closed-loop control algorithm, ensuring the stability of the shaved ice quality. After the slush is prepared, the pressure relief valve 50 opens automatically or manually to quickly balance the air pressure inside and outside the cavity, ensuring the safety and convenience of opening the lid and discharging the slush. When cleaning the equipment is required, the user starts the self-cleaning program. First, clean water is injected into the cavity, and the heating module 70 raises the water temperature to the high-temperature range. At the same time, the reduction motor switches to high-speed operation mode, and the ice scraping and stirring mechanism 30 rotates at high speed to create a powerful flushing effect, effectively dissolving and removing dirt, grease, and organic residues from the inner wall of the metal inner liner 10. During the high-speed rotation, the magnetic coupling transmission device 20 generates sufficient induced electromotive force at both ends of the induction coil of the UV disinfection module 90 due to the increased frequency of the alternating magnetic field. This automatically illuminates the UVC lamp embedded in the ice scraping and stirring mechanism 30, performing ultraviolet disinfection on the cavity, achieving simultaneous high-temperature water washing and UV sterilization.After cleaning, the drain automatically opens to discharge wastewater. Then, the heating module 70 continues to dry at a constant temperature, while the UV disinfection module 90 continues to irradiate, evaporating residual moisture and inhibiting bacterial growth, ultimately achieving deep drying and long-lasting antibacterial effect in the cavity. Thus, this invention, through a series of synergistic actions including the micro-protrusion tip 40 for directional nucleation, the magnetic coupling transmission device 20 for fully sealed transmission, the vacuum pump module 80 for micro-vacuum assisted ice formation, the ice-scraping and stirring mechanism 30 for ice-induced crystallization, the dual-mode speed regulation of the geared motor, the self-powered sterilization of the UV disinfection module 90, and the high-temperature drying of the heating module 70, completes the entire integrated process from ice preparation to self-cleaning.

[0055] 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 multifunctional ice smoothie making device, characterized in that, include The metal liner (10) has micro-protruding tips (40) on its inner wall and / or surface. The micro-protruding tips are cone-shaped or serrated protrusions used to make ice crystals preferentially nucleate at the tips. An ice-scraping and stirring mechanism (30) is located inside the metal inner liner (10); The magnetic coupling transmission device (20) includes an outer magnetic drive (200), an inner magnetic drive (202) and a non-magnetic isolation sleeve (204). The non-magnetic isolation sleeve is sealed and fixed to the inner wall of the liner, so that the metal inner liner (10) forms a fully enclosed cavity without mechanical penetration. The vacuum pump module (80) is connected to the fully enclosed cavity and is used to evacuate the metal inner liner (10) cavity to a micro-vacuum state. A refrigeration module, the refrigeration end of which is thermally coupled to the metal inner liner (10), is used to cool and reduce the temperature of the cavity of the metal inner liner (10); Heating module (70) is used for heating, high-temperature cleaning and drying of the inner liner cavity; The UV disinfection module (90) is used in conjunction with high-temperature hot water to achieve sterilization, and after drainage, it works with the heating module to dry the inner cavity. Pressure relief valve (50) is used to restore normal pressure after the vacuum is completed; Temperature control module (60) is used to achieve precise constant temperature control for each working mode.

2. The multifunctional ice smoothie maker according to claim 1, characterized in that, The ice-scraping and stirring mechanism (30) rotates under the drive of the magnetic coupling transmission device (20), scraping off the loose ice crystals formed at the micro-protrusion tip (40), forming fine ice particles as ice seeds dispersed in the liquid, and inducing the liquid to crystallize rapidly as a whole.

3. The multifunctional ice smoothie maker according to claim 1, characterized in that, The refrigeration module is a semiconductor electronic refrigeration module (100) or a compressor refrigeration system.

4. The multifunctional ice smoothie maker according to claim 1, characterized in that, It also includes a geared motor, which is connected to the magnetic coupling transmission device (20) and has an adjustable speed; in the material preparation mode, it runs at low speed to increase the output torque, and in the cleaning mode, it switches to high speed to form a flushing effect.

5. The multifunctional ice smoothie maker according to claim 1, characterized in that, The vacuum pump module (80) maintains a micro-vacuum of -0.02MPa to -0.08MPa, which is used to lower the freezing point of the liquid, refine the ice crystal structure, and prevent the ice layer from sticking together and getting stuck.

6. The multifunctional ice smoothie maker according to claim 1, characterized in that, The heating module (70) is a heating tube or PTC heater with temperature control. The high-temperature cleaning temperature range is 65℃~95℃, and the drying constant temperature range is 40℃~65℃.

7. The multifunctional ice smoothie maker according to claim 1, characterized in that, The UV disinfection module (90) is embedded in the ice scraping and stirring mechanism (30). The UV disinfection module (90) is powered by at least one of magnetic coupling induction power generation or direct power supply. The UV disinfection module (90) is only lit in high-speed cleaning or drying mode.

8. The multifunctional ice smoothie maker according to claim 1, characterized in that, It also includes a pulse electromagnetic field generating module, which is located in the metal inner liner (10) or outside the cooling cavity, to work with the vacuum environment to achieve physical field-assisted rapid ice formation, and to form a triple antibacterial system with high temperature and UV.

9. A multifunctional ice smoothie maker according to claim 1, characterized in that, It also includes a power supply module (120), which is a low-voltage lithium battery or vehicle DC power supply module, or a high-voltage mains power supply module.

10. A vacuum ice-forming and high-temperature UV self-cleaning method applicable to the multifunctional ice-making and smoothie-making equipment according to any one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that, Includes the following steps: S1, Cooling Start: The temperature control module (60) controls the operation of the cooling module, so that ice crystals preferentially nucleate and grow at the micro-protrusion tip (40) of the metal inner liner (10); S2, Ice seed induced crystallization: The magnetic coupling transmission device (20) drives the ice scraping and stirring mechanism (30) to rotate at low speed, scraping off the loose ice crystals at the micro-protrusion tip (40) to form active ice seed, inducing the liquid to crystallize rapidly in an avalanche-like manner. S3, Micro-vacuum Assist: The vacuum pump module (80) draws the fully enclosed cavity to a micro-vacuum state, reduces the freezing point of the liquid, refines the ice crystal structure, and weakens the adhesion to the wall. S4. Constant temperature control: The temperature control module (60) provides closed-loop constant temperature control to stably maintain the shaved ice forming temperature range; S5. Pressure relief and material discharge: After the ice shaved ice is prepared, open the pressure relief valve (50) to balance the air pressure, and after restoring normal pressure, safely open the cover to discharge the material; S6. High-temperature water washing and sterilization: Water is replenished from the self-cleaning stage, and the heating module (70) is heated to the set high temperature range for circulating water washing. At the same time, the UV disinfection module (90) is turned on to carry out all-area coordinated sterilization and descaling. S7. Drying and sterilization: After the wastewater is automatically discharged, the heating module (70) continues to dry at a constant temperature, and in conjunction with the UV disinfection module (90) for long-term irradiation, the inner cavity of the metal inner liner (10) is deeply dried and sterilized, completing the whole process of self-cleaning without disassembly.

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