Container and ice maker

Abstract

The utility model relates to the technical field of electrical equipment, and discloses a container and an ice maker, the container comprises a first shell, a second shell and a dynamic adjustment assembly, the dynamic adjustment assembly is connected between the first shell and the second shell, and a first side wall of the first shell and a second side wall of the second shell are mutually sleeved and can relatively move along the sleeving direction; a containing cavity is defined by the second side wall, the bottom wall and at least part of the first side wall, and the dynamic adjusting assembly adjusts the bottom wall to move between the first position and the second position according to the weight of an object in the containing cavity so as to adjust the volume of the containing cavity, so that the effective volume of the containing cavity is dynamically adjusted. And the frequency of emptying the container can be reduced under the condition that the requirement of large water storage capacity is met.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present application relates to the technical field of electrical equipment, and in particular to a container and an ice maker. Background Art

[0002] Commonly used containers generally have a fixed volume. When the number of objects to be accommodated is small, the space occupied by the container constitutes a waste of space. If a smaller volume container is configured to save space, it cannot meet the greater storage needs. Therefore, it is difficult to adapt to changes in the objects to be accommodated during application, and the flexibility is poor. For example, when applied to ice makers, in the related art, some ice makers are provided with an ice storage container and a water storage tank inside. The container is placed above the water tank. The ice maker uses an ice making system to make ice from the water in the water tank and then puts it in the container. When the container is full of ice, the ice maker lid needs to be opened, and the container needs to be taken out and emptied before the ice maker can continue to make ice. When the water in the water tank is consumed, the water tank also needs to be refilled. During use, there is a problem of needing to frequently empty the container or frequently add water. This is because, if the volume of the container is increased in order to reduce the frequency of needing to empty the container while the internal space of the ice maker remains unchanged, the space available for water storage will be reduced, resulting in the problem of needing to frequently add water. Conversely, increasing the space for water storage will result in a reduction in the volume of the container, requiring frequent emptying of the container. Therefore, the use effect is not ideal. Utility Model Content

[0003] The present application aims to solve at least one of the technical problems existing in the prior art. To this end, the present application proposes a container with a variable volume, and an embodiment of the present application also provides an ice maker having the container.

[0004] The container of the first embodiment of the present application comprises a first shell, a second shell and an elastic member.

[0005] A first housing including a first side wall;

[0006] A second shell includes a bottom wall and a second side wall, wherein the second side wall is sleeved with the first side wall, and the first side wall and the second side wall can move relative to each other along the sleeved direction so that the bottom wall moves between a first position and a second position, wherein the bottom wall, the second side wall and the first side wall together form a receiving cavity;

[0007] A dynamic adjustment component is connected between the first shell and the second shell, and the dynamic adjustment component is configured to dynamically adjust the movement of the bottom wall between the first position and the second position according to the weight of the object contained in the accommodating cavity to adjust the volume of the accommodating cavity.

[0008] The container according to the embodiment of the present application has at least the following beneficial effects: when the container is in use, the first side wall and the second side wall can be nested in the up-down direction. The dynamic adjustment component adjusts the bottom wall to move between the first position and the second position in the up-down direction, which can change the effective volume of the accommodating cavity. For example, the bottom wall moves downward to expand the effective volume of the accommodating cavity, and the bottom wall moves upward to reduce the volume of the accommodating cavity, while reducing the occupation of the space below, thereby realizing a variable volume container. The variable volume container improves applicability. When in use, the position of the bottom wall can be adjusted according to the weight change of the object contained in the accommodating cavity, so that the effective volume of the accommodating cavity can change dynamically with the weight of the object. When used in an ice maker, the container can be used to hold ice cubes. As more ice cubes are made, the liquid level in the water storage chamber of the ice maker drops due to water consumption, releasing space under the bottom wall of the container for the bottom wall to drop. The variable-volume container can effectively use the space released by the drop in the liquid level to expand the effective volume of the accommodating chamber. After the amount of ice decreases or is emptied, the bottom wall moves upward to reduce the occupancy of the water storage chamber, thereby expanding the effective volume of the water storage chamber. As a result, the frequency of needing to empty the container can be reduced while meeting a larger water storage capacity.

[0009] In the containers of some embodiments of the present application, the dynamic adjustment component includes an elastic member, which is used to provide elastic force along the sleeve direction to make the bottom wall located in the first position, and the bottom wall is driven by the gravity of the object contained in the accommodating cavity to move between the first position and the second position.

[0010] In the containers of some embodiments of the present application, the elastic member is a spring extending along the socketing direction, one of the first side wall and the second side wall is provided with a first mounting seat, and the other is provided with a second mounting seat, the spring is connected between the first mounting seat and the second mounting seat, and during the movement of the bottom wall from the first position to the second position, the deformation of the spring gradually increases.

[0011] In the containers of some embodiments of the present application, the first mounting seat includes a first connecting portion and a first mounting groove extending along the socket direction, the second mounting seat includes a second connecting portion, the spring is arranged in the first mounting groove, the first connecting portion and the second connecting portion are respectively connected to the two ends of the spring, and the second connecting portion can slide along the first mounting groove.

[0012] In the containers of some embodiments of the present application, the second mounting seat also includes a second mounting groove extending along the socketing direction, the first mounting seat is socketed with the second mounting seat, the first mounting groove and the second mounting groove form a mounting cavity, the spring is arranged in the mounting cavity, and the first connecting part can slide along the second mounting groove.

[0013] In some embodiments of the container of the present application, the container also includes a limit member, which is connected to the first side wall or the second side wall, and the limit member is at least partially located in the first mounting groove. When the bottom wall is located in the first position, the limit member and the second connecting portion abut against each other along the sleeve direction to limit the movement of the bottom wall in a direction away from the second position.

[0014] In the container of some embodiments of the present application, one of the first side wall and the second side wall is provided with a guide groove, and the other is provided with a guide portion, the guide groove extends along the socketing direction, the guide portion is located in the guide groove, and the guide portion can move along the guide groove.

[0015] In the containers of some embodiments of the present application, the first side wall is provided with a first limiting portion, and the second side wall is provided with a second limiting portion. When the bottom wall is located at the first position, the first limiting portion and the second limiting portion abut against each other along the socket direction to limit the movement of the bottom wall in a direction away from the second position.

[0016] In the container of some embodiments of the present application, the second side wall is sleeved with the inner wall or the outer wall of the first side wall, and the bottom wall in the second position is located below the bottom of the first side wall;

[0017] Alternatively, the first side walls enclose a first cavity, the second side wall and the bottom wall are located in the first cavity, the second side wall is sleeved with the inner wall of the first side wall, and the bottom wall in the second position is flush with or higher than the bottom of the first side wall.

[0018] An ice-making machine according to an embodiment of a second aspect of the present application comprises: a body and a container of any one of the embodiments of the first aspect, a cavity being provided inside the body, the container being provided in the cavity to form a container for storing ice, the first side wall and the second side wall being sleeved in an up-and-down direction, the first side wall being connected to or abutting against the body, the bottom wall being located above the bottom of the cavity, and a water storage cavity being formed in the cavity in a space below the bottom wall, the bottom wall being movable between the first position and the second position to adjust the volume ratio of the accommodating cavity and the water storage cavity.

[0019] The ice-making machine of the embodiment of the present application has at least the following beneficial effects: the ice-making machine adopts the container of the above embodiment to realize the dynamic change of the volume of the accommodating chamber. During the ice-making process, as the ice cubes increase, the liquid level of the water in the water storage chamber will drop due to the water consumption, and space can be reserved below the bottom wall. The dynamic adjustment component makes the bottom wall of the second shell move downward, and the space formed by the drop of the liquid level in the water storage chamber can be effectively utilized, so as to realize the expansion of the effective volume of the accommodating chamber and increase the amount of ice that can be contained. After taking out some ice cubes or emptying the container, the bottom wall of the second shell moves upward under the action of the dynamic adjustment component, and makes room for adding water, thereby increasing the effective volume of the water storage chamber. The volume ratio of the accommodating chamber and the water storage chamber is thus dynamically adjusted, so that the frequency of emptying the container can be reduced while satisfying a large water storage capacity.

[0020] Additional aspects and advantages of the present application will be given in part in the description below, and in part will become apparent from the description below, or will be learned through the practice of the present application. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0021] Figure 1 It is a structural schematic diagram of a container according to an embodiment of the present application, wherein the bottom wall is in a first position;

[0022] Figure 2 for Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the container in a zero-one state is shown, wherein the bottom wall is in a second position;

[0023] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the structural decomposition of a container according to an embodiment of the present application;

[0024] Figure 4 for Figure 2 A schematic diagram of a container shown in longitudinal cross section;

[0025] Figure 5 for Figure 2 A schematic diagram of another perspective of the container is shown;

[0026] Figure 6 This is a schematic structural diagram of a container according to another embodiment of the present application;

[0027] Figure 7 for Figure 6 A schematic diagram of the structure of the container shown;

[0028] Figure 8 for Figure 6 A schematic diagram of a container shown in longitudinal cross-section, wherein the bottom wall is in a first position;

[0029] Fig. 9 for Figure 6 A schematic diagram of a container shown in longitudinal cross-section, wherein the bottom wall is in a second position;

[0030] Fig.10 for Fig. 9 A schematic structural diagram of a container from another perspective is shown.

[0031] Reference numerals:

[0032] Container 10; Accommodating chamber 11;

[0033] The first housing 100; the first side wall 110; the guide portion 111; the first position-limiting portion 112; the first cavity 113; the notch 114; the bottom 115; the first mounting seat 120; the first connecting portion 121; the first mounting groove 122;

[0034] The second housing 200; the second side wall 210; the guide groove 211; the second limiting portion 212; the opening 213; the bottom wall 220; the second mounting seat 230; the second connecting portion 231; the second mounting groove 232;

[0035] Elastic member 300. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0036] The following will clearly and completely describe the concept of the present application and the technical effects produced in combination with the embodiments, so as to fully understand the purpose, features and effects of the present application. Obviously, the described embodiments are only part of the embodiments of the present application, not all of them. Based on the embodiments of the present application, other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative work are all within the scope of protection of the present application.

[0037] In the description of the embodiments of the present application, if orientation descriptions are involved, the orientations or positional relationships indicated by "up", "down", "front", "back", "left", "right", etc. are based on the orientations or positional relationships shown in the accompanying drawings. They are only for the convenience of describing the present application and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or device referred to must have a specific orientation, be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, they cannot be understood as limitations on the present application.

[0038] In the description of the embodiments of the present application, if a feature is referred to as being “set,” “fixed,” “connected,” or “installed” on another feature, it may be directly set, fixed, or connected to another feature, or it may be indirectly set, fixed, connected, or installed on another feature. In the description of the embodiments of the present application, if “several” is involved, it means more than one; if “multiple” is involved, it means more than two; if “greater than,” “less than,” or “exceeds” is involved, it should be understood as not including the number itself; if “above,” “below,” or “within” is involved, it should be understood as including the number itself. If “first” or “second” is involved, it should be understood as being used to distinguish technical features, and should not be understood as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly indicating the number of the indicated technical features or implicitly indicating the order of the indicated technical features.

[0039] The present application proposes a variable volume container and an ice maker having the container. The effective volume of the container's accommodating chamber can change dynamically with the weight of the object stored in the accommodating chamber, thereby flexibly adjusting the volume and improving applicability. The ice maker having the container can change the volume of the accommodating chamber according to the change in the amount of ice contained by placing the ice cubes in the container, thereby dynamically adjusting the volume ratio of the accommodating chamber and the water storage chamber, and can reduce the frequency of emptying the container while satisfying a large water storage capacity. The following is an introduction to the embodiments of the present application in conjunction with the drawings in the specification:

[0040] refer to Figures 1 to 10 The first embodiment of the present application provides a container 10, including a first shell 100, a second shell 200 and a dynamic adjustment component.

[0041] The first shell 100 includes a first side wall 110 , and the second shell 200 includes a bottom wall 220 and a second side wall 210 , and the second side wall 210 is sleeved with the first side wall 110 , for example, the first side wall 110 is sleeved on the outside of the second side wall 210 , or the second side wall 210 is sleeved on the outside of the first side wall 110 .

[0042] The first side wall 110 and the second side wall 210 can move relative to each other along the socketing direction so that the bottom wall 220 moves between the first position and the second position. During the movement of the bottom wall 220 between the first position and the second position, the bottom wall 220, the second side wall 210 and at least a portion of the first side wall 110 together form a receiving cavity 11 for storing objects. The movement of the bottom wall 220 causes the volume of the receiving cavity 11 to change. When the bottom wall 220 is in the second position, the volume of the receiving cavity 11 is greater than the volume of the receiving cavity 11 when the bottom wall 220 is in the first position.

[0043] The dynamic adjustment component is connected between the first shell 100 and the second shell 200 , and is configured to dynamically adjust the movement of the bottom wall 220 between the first position and the second position according to the weight of the object contained in the accommodating cavity 11 to adjust the volume of the accommodating cavity 11 .

[0044] When the container 10 is used, the first side wall 110 and the second side wall 210 can be nested in the up-down direction. As the weight of the object contained in the accommodating chamber 11 changes, the bottom wall 220 can be moved in the up-down direction to the first position or the second position or any position between the first position and the second position under the action of the dynamic adjustment component, thereby changing the effective volume of the accommodating chamber. For example, the bottom wall 220 moves downward, and the space enclosed by the first side wall 110 above the second side wall 210 and the space enclosed by the second side wall 210 and the bottom wall 220 constitute the accommodating chamber 11, thereby expanding the effective volume of the accommodating chamber 11 and being able to hold more objects. Conversely, the bottom wall 220 moves upward, which can reduce the volume of the accommodating chamber and reduce the occupation of the space below, thereby realizing a container 10 with a variable volume. When the container 10 of the embodiment of the present application is used in an ice maker, as more ice cubes are made, the liquid level in the water storage chamber of the ice maker drops due to water consumption, and space is released below the bottom wall 220 for the bottom wall 220 to drop. The variable-volume container 10 can effectively use the space released by the drop in the liquid level to expand the effective volume of the accommodating chamber 11. After the amount of ice is reduced or emptied, the bottom wall 220 moves upward to reduce the occupancy of the water storage chamber, thereby expanding the effective volume of the water storage chamber. As a result, the frequency of needing to empty the container 10 can be reduced while satisfying a larger water storage capacity.

[0045] A second aspect of the present application provides an ice-making machine, including a body and a container 10 according to the embodiment of the present application. A cavity is provided inside the body, and the container 10 is disposed in the cavity.

[0046] It is understandable that in some technical ice machines, in order to reduce the frequency of opening the cover to empty the container, a container with a larger volume is configured. The expansion of the container volume will lead to an increase in the volume of the container, thereby occupying the volume of the water tank inside the ice maker, resulting in a decrease in the volume of the water storage chamber in the water tank, and a decrease in the amount of water that can be stored at a time, which increases the frequency of adding water during use. If the single water storage volume is increased in order to reduce the frequency of adding water, the volume of the container needs to be reduced to prevent the bottom from being immersed in water, resulting in a decrease in the volume, so that the amount of ice that can be stored at a time is reduced, and the frequency of emptying the container increases.

[0047] The ice making machine of the embodiment of the present application adopts the container 10 of the above embodiment to realize the dynamic change of the volume of the accommodating chamber 11, wherein the first side wall 110 and the second side wall 210 are connected in the up-down direction. During the ice making process, as the ice cubes increase, the liquid level of the water in the water storage chamber will drop due to the water consumption, and a space can be reserved below the bottom wall 220. Under the action of the dynamic adjustment component, the bottom wall 220 of the second shell 200 moves downward, and the space formed by the drop of the liquid level in the water storage chamber can be effectively utilized, so as to realize the expansion of the effective volume of the accommodating chamber 11 and increase the amount of ice that can be contained. After taking out some ice cubes or emptying the container 10, the bottom wall 220 of the second shell 200 moves upward under the action of the dynamic adjustment component, and makes room for water addition, thereby increasing the effective volume of the water storage chamber. Thus, the volume ratio of the accommodating chamber 11 and the water storage chamber is dynamically adjusted, and the frequency of emptying the container can be reduced when a large amount of water is stored, which effectively solves the problem that the ice making machine needs to frequently empty ice cubes and frequently add water.

[0048] The container 10 of the embodiment of the present application can also be applied to various other devices. By changing the volume of the accommodating cavity 11 according to the weight of the stored object, the storage capacity of the container 10 can be flexibly adjusted and the space utilization rate can be improved. The following is a further description using the application of the container 10 of the embodiment of the present application to an ice maker as an example.

[0049] In some embodiments, the dynamic adjustment component includes an elastic member 300, which is connected between the first shell 100 and the second shell 200, and is used to provide elastic force along the socket direction so that the bottom wall 220 is located in the first position. The bottom wall 220 is driven by the gravity of the object accommodated in the accommodating cavity 11 to move between the first position and the second position.

[0050] When in use, when the accommodating chamber 11 is in an empty state without ice cubes, the elastic force of the elastic member 300 keeps the bottom wall 220 in the first position. After ice cubes are placed in the accommodating chamber 11, the bottom wall 220 is supported below the ice. As the amount of ice cubes increases, the weight of the ice cubes and the second shell 200 increases. Driven by gravity, the bottom wall 220 can drive the second side wall 210 to move downward against the elastic force of the elastic member 300, thereby expanding the effective volume of the accommodating chamber 11 and being able to accommodate more objects. After the amount of ice in the accommodating chamber 11 is reduced or emptied, the bottom wall 220 moves upward toward the first position under the elastic force of the elastic member 300, and the effective volume of the accommodating chamber 11 is reduced, while reducing the occupation of the space below. Thus, the effective volume of the accommodating chamber 11 can change dynamically with the amount of ice storage.

[0051] The container 10 is placed in the cavity of the ice maker, the first side wall 110 is connected to or abuts against the body, the bottom wall 220 is located above the bottom of the cavity, and the space below the bottom wall 220 in the cavity forms a water storage cavity for storing water. The bottom wall 220 moves between the first position and the second position to adjust the volume ratio.

[0052] During the ice-making process of the ice-maker, as the amount of ice cubes increases, the liquid level of water in the water storage chamber will drop due to water consumption, and space can be left below the bottom wall 220. The bottom wall 220 of the second shell 200 moves downward under the force of gravity, and the space formed by the drop in the liquid level of the water storage chamber can be effectively utilized, thereby expanding the effective volume of the accommodating chamber 11 and increasing the amount of ice that can be contained. After taking out some ice cubes or emptying the container 10, the bottom wall 220 of the second shell 200 moves upward under the elastic force of the elastic member 300, leaving space for adding water, and increasing the effective volume of the water storage chamber. In this way, the volume ratio of the accommodating chamber 11 and the water storage chamber can be adjusted, and the frequency of emptying the container 10 can be reduced while satisfying a larger water storage capacity.

[0053] refer to Figure 3 and Figure 4 , Figure 7 and Figure 8 In some embodiments of the present application, the elastic member 300 may be a spring extending along the sleeve direction, and the elastic member 300 may be connected between the first side wall 110 and the second side wall 210. One of the first side wall 110 and the second side wall 210 is provided with a first mounting seat 120, and the other is provided with a second mounting seat 230, and the spring is connected between the first mounting seat 120 and the second mounting seat 230. The elastic member 300 may be provided in each of the left and right directions, and the number and position of the corresponding first mounting seat 120 and the second mounting seat 230 are also increased accordingly. Of course, the elastic member 300 and the corresponding first mounting seat 120 and the second mounting seat 230 may also be provided in the front and rear directions.

[0054] Figures 1 to 10 In the illustrated embodiment, the first side wall 110 is sleeved on the outer wall of the second side wall 210, the first mounting seat 120 is provided on the inner side of the first side wall 110, and the second mounting seat 230 is provided on the outer side of the second side wall 210 at a position corresponding to the first mounting seat 120; or, the positions of the first mounting seat 120 and the second mounting seat 230 are swapped. The first mounting seat 120 may also be provided on the outer side of the second side wall 210, and the second mounting seat 230 may also be provided on the inner side of the first side wall 110. Alternatively, in the scheme where the first side wall 110 is sleeved on the inner side of the second side wall 210, the first mounting seat 120 is provided on the outer side of the first side wall 110, and the second mounting seat 230 is provided on the inner side of the second side wall 210, or the positions of the first mounting seat 120 and the second mounting seat 230 are swapped.

[0055] The first mounting seat 120 and the second mounting seat 230 form a mounting structure for mounting a spring between the first side wall 110 and the second side wall 210, so as to achieve stable mounting of the spring. During the movement of the bottom wall 220 from the first position to the second position, the deformation of the compression spring gradually increases, thereby providing a gradually increasing elastic force. Therefore, as the amount of ice in the accommodating chamber 11 increases, the deformation of the spring increases when the bottom wall 220 moves toward the second position, and the elastic force provided by the spring also increases accordingly, thereby effectively balancing the increased weight and achieving effective support for the second side wall 210.

[0056] For example, the elastic member 300 may be a compression spring extending in the sleeve direction, the compression spring abuts between the first mounting seat 120 and the second mounting seat 230, and in the process of the bottom wall 220 moving from the first position to the second position, the compression amount of the compression spring gradually increases, thereby providing a gradually increasing elastic force, so that as the amount of ice in the accommodating chamber 11 increases, the compression amount of the compression spring increases when the bottom wall 220 moves toward the second position, and the elastic force provided by the compression spring also increases accordingly, thereby effectively balancing the increased weight and achieving effective support for the second shell 200. Alternatively, the elastic member 300 may also be a tension spring extending in the sleeve direction, the tension spring is connected between the first mounting seat 120 and the second mounting seat 230. In the process of the bottom wall 220 moving from the first position to the second position, the tension amount of the tension spring gradually increases, thereby providing a gradually increasing elastic force, so that as the amount of ice in the accommodating chamber 11 increases, the elongation of the tension spring increases when the bottom wall 220 moves toward the second position, and the elastic force provided by the tension spring also increases accordingly, thereby effectively balancing the increased weight and achieving effective support for the second shell 200. Alternatively, the elastic member 300 may also be a coil spring, the first end of which is fixed to the first mounting seat 120, and the second end of which is fixed to the second mounting seat 230, wherein the first end may be one of the winding end and the free end of the coil spring, and the second end may be the other of the winding end and the free end of the coil spring. During the movement of the bottom wall 220 from the first position to the second position, the stretching amount of the coil spring gradually increases, thereby providing a gradually increasing elastic force. Therefore, as the amount of ice in the accommodating chamber 11 increases, the elongation of the coil spring increases when the bottom wall 220 moves toward the second position, and the elastic force provided by the coil spring also increases accordingly, thereby effectively balancing the increased weight and achieving effective support for the second shell 200.

[0057] In some embodiments, the elastic member 300 may also be disposed at the bottom of the bottom wall 220, and the elastic member 300 may be a compression spring. When used in an ice maker, the elastic member 300 abuts against the bottom wall 220 and the bottom of the water storage chamber of the ice maker, thereby achieving effective support for the second housing 200. Alternatively, the first housing 100 further includes a mounting portion, which is located below the bottom wall 220. The mounting portion may be a protruding structure protruding from the inner wall of the first side wall 110, or a bottom plate structure disposed at the bottom of the first side wall 110. The elastic member 300 abuts between the bottom wall 220 and the mounting portion, and the elastic member 300 may be a compression spring, thereby achieving effective support for the second housing 200. When the accommodating chamber 11 is in an empty state without ice cubes, the elastic member 300 is supported on the bottom of the bottom wall 220, and the bottom wall 220 is kept in the first position under the action of the elastic force; after ice cubes are placed in the accommodating chamber 11, the bottom wall 220 can move downward under the force of gravity to resist the elastic force of the elastic member 300, and the effective volume of the accommodating chamber 11 increases; after the amount of ice in the accommodating chamber 11 decreases or is emptied, the bottom wall 220 moves upward toward the first position under the action of the elastic force of the elastic member 300, and the effective volume of the accommodating chamber 11 decreases. In this way, the effective volume of the accommodating chamber 11 can be dynamically changed with the amount of ice storage.

[0058] In specific implementation, by properly configuring the elastic member 300, the bottom wall 220 and the second side wall 210 can start to move after the amount of ice in the accommodating chamber 11 reaches a set amount. For example, in the initial state (no ice in the accommodating chamber 11), the gravity of the second shell 200 is G1, the bottom wall 220 is in the first position, and the initial elastic force of the elastic member 300 is configured to be F1, F1>G1, and the weight of the ice cubes in the accommodating chamber 11 is g, and g increases with the increase of the amount of ice. When a certain amount of ice is reached (for example, the accommodating chamber 11 is filled with ice in the initial state or only a part of it is filled), the water level is also gradually decreasing. When G1+g>F1, the water level drops to a certain height, thereby leaving a certain space below the bottom wall 220, and the bottom wall 220 and the second side wall 210 start to move downward to prevent the bottom wall 220 from being immersed in water.

[0059] It is understandable that the setting of the required initial elastic force F1 can be achieved by configuring the parameters and / or the installation state of the elastic member 300. For example, when a spring is selected as the elastic member 300, the setting of the elastic force F1 can be achieved by selecting the material and configuring the geometric dimensions such as the diameter and the number of effective turns of the wire diameter, or by setting the initial elastic force F1 through the installation state. For example, when a compression spring is used, the required initial elastic force can be obtained by setting the compression amount of the spring after installation in the initial state. When a tension spring is used, the required initial elastic force can be obtained by setting the tension amount of the spring after installation in the initial state. The specific parameter configuration and design method can be easily known by those skilled in the art based on mechanical principles, and will not be elaborated here.

[0060] refer to Figure 3 and Figure 4 In some embodiments, the first mounting seat 120 includes a first connection portion 121 and a first mounting groove 122 extending along the sleeve direction, the second mounting seat 230 includes a second connection portion 231, the elastic member 300 is disposed in the first mounting groove 122, the first connection portion 121 and the second connection portion 231 are respectively connected to the two ends of the elastic member 300, for example, in the scheme where the elastic member 300 is a compression spring, the first connection portion 121 and the second connection portion 231 are respectively abutted against the two ends of the compression spring to achieve the fixation of the compression spring, and in the scheme where the elastic member 300 is a tension spring, the first connection portion 121 and the second connection portion 231 are respectively fixedly connected to the two ends of the tension spring to achieve the fixation of the tension spring. The second connection portion 231 can slide along the first mounting groove 122, and the first mounting groove 122 has a notch for the second connection portion 231 to move. Therefore, when the bottom wall 220 moves as the amount of ice changes, the second connecting portion 231 slides in the first mounting groove 122 to change the deformation of the compression spring, and the elastic force also changes accordingly, thereby effectively balancing the weight change of the ice in the accommodating cavity 11 during use, thereby achieving effective support for the second side wall 210 and the bottom wall 220.

[0061] refer to Figure 3 and Figure 4 , Figures 7 to 9 In some embodiments, the second mounting seat 230 further includes a second mounting groove 232 extending along the sleeve direction, and the first mounting seat 120 and the second mounting seat 230 are sleeved, for example, the first mounting seat 120 is sleeved in the second mounting groove 232, or the second mounting seat 230 is sleeved in the first mounting groove 122. Thus, during the relative movement of the first side wall 110 and the second side wall 210, the sleeved first mounting seat 120 and the second mounting seat 230 can be guided along the sleeve direction, thereby improving the stability of the movement of the first side wall 110 and the second side wall 210. Among them, the groove walls of the first mounting groove 122 and the second mounting groove 232 are surrounded to form an installation cavity, and the elastic member 300 is disposed in the installation cavity, and the installation cavity can be limited from the circumferential direction of the elastic member to prevent the elastic member 300 from bending and deformation. The first connecting portion 121 can slide along the second mounting groove 232, thereby changing the deformation amount of the elastic member 300 together with the second connecting portion 231.

[0062] refer to Figure 7 and Figure 8In some embodiments, the container 10 further includes a stopper, which is connected to the first side wall 110 or the second side wall 210. The stopper is at least partially located in the first mounting groove 122. When the bottom wall 220 is located in the first position, under the elastic force of the elastic member 300, the stopper and the second connecting portion 231 abut against each other along the sleeve direction to limit the movement of the bottom wall 220 in the direction away from the second position. The limiting effect of the stopper allows the elastic member 300 to have a certain initial elastic force F1 after installation. For example, a compression spring may have a certain amount of compression after installation, and a tension spring may have a certain amount of tension after installation, thereby obtaining an initial elastic force F1 to avoid the problem of the second shell 200 being separated upward from the first shell 100 due to the elastic force.

[0063] The stopper can be detachably connected to the first side wall 110 or the second side wall 210, which can facilitate the disassembly and assembly of the first shell 100 and the second shell 200. For example, the stopper can be a screw. By setting a threaded hole on the first side wall 110 at a position corresponding to the first mounting groove 122, the stopper can be detachably installed. The abutment restriction can be released by removing the stopper, which facilitates the disassembly of the first shell 100 and the second shell 200. During assembly, the first side wall 110 and the second side wall 210 can be sleeved first, so that the bottom wall 220 is in the first position, and then the stopper is installed to achieve abutment restriction to prevent the second container 10 from being separated from the first container 10 from above. The detachably connected stopper makes the disassembly and assembly between the first shell 100 and the second shell 200 relatively simple and easy to clean.

[0064] In some embodiments, the dynamic adjustment component can also adjust the position of the bottom wall 220 by active adjustment. For example, the dynamic adjustment component may include a power element, a screw pair and a sensor, wherein the power element is connected to the second shell 200 through the screw pair, and can be connected to the second side wall 210 or to the bottom wall 220. The power element drives the second shell 200 to move through the screw pair to adjust the bottom wall 220 to move between the first position and the second position, thereby adjusting the volume of the accommodating chamber 11.

[0065] The sensor can be a gravity sensor, which is used to detect the weight of the ice in the accommodating chamber 11. When it is detected that the weight has increased to a preset value, the power element is activated to move the bottom wall 220 downward by a set displacement, thereby correspondingly increasing the effective volume of the accommodating chamber 11; when it is detected that the weight has decreased to a preset value, the power element is activated to move the bottom wall upward by a set displacement, thereby correspondingly reducing the effective volume of the accommodating chamber 11 and leaving space below the bottom wall 220 for increasing water storage.

[0066] Alternatively, the sensor may be a liquid level sensor for detecting the liquid level below the bottom wall 220. When it is detected that the liquid level has dropped to a preset value, the power element is activated to move the bottom wall 220 downward by a set displacement, thereby correspondingly increasing the effective volume of the accommodating chamber 11. When it is detected that the liquid level has risen to a preset value, the power element is activated to move the bottom wall 220 upward by a set displacement, thereby correspondingly reducing the effective volume of the accommodating chamber 11 and leaving space below the bottom wall 220 for increasing water storage.

[0067] Alternatively, the sensor may be a distance sensor for detecting the distance between the bottom wall 220 and the liquid surface below the bottom wall 220. When it is detected that the distance between the bottom wall 220 and the liquid surface increases to a preset value, the power element is actuated to move the bottom wall 220 downward by a set displacement, thereby correspondingly increasing the effective volume of the accommodating chamber 11. When it is detected that the distance between the bottom wall 220 and the liquid surface decreases to a preset value, the power element is actuated to move the bottom wall 220 upward by a set displacement, thereby correspondingly reducing the effective volume of the accommodating chamber 11 and leaving space below the bottom wall 220 for increasing water storage.

[0068] refer to Figure 5 and Figure 7 In some embodiments, one of the first side wall 110 and the second side wall 210 is provided with a guide groove 211, and the other is provided with a guide portion 111, the guide groove 211 extends along the sleeve direction, the guide portion 111 is located in the guide groove 211, and the guide portion 111 can move along the guide groove 211. For example, the second side wall 210 is provided with a guide groove 211, and the first side wall 110 is provided with a guide portion 111. In a specific implementation, the positions of the two can be swapped. Among them, the guide groove 211 can be a groove structure formed on the first side wall 110 or the second side wall 210, and the guide portion 111 can be a protrusion structure formed on the other side wall.

[0069] The number of the guide grooves 211 can be one, two or more, and the number of the guide portions 111 and the guide grooves 211 are equal and the positions are corresponding. The cooperation between the guide grooves 211 and the guide portions 111 can guide the relative movement of the first side wall 110 and the second side wall 210 along the sleeve direction, avoid movement stagnation, and enable the bottom wall 220 to move smoothly to ensure the dynamic change of the volume of the accommodating cavity 11.

[0070] refer to Figure 5 In some embodiments, the first side wall 110 is provided with a first limiting portion 112, and the second side wall 210 is provided with a second limiting portion 212. In the first position, the first limiting portion 112 and the second limiting portion 212 abut against each other along the sleeve direction to limit the movement of the bottom wall 220 in a direction away from the second position, thereby preventing the second side wall 210 from detaching upward from the first side wall 110.

[0071] For example, in the scheme where the first side wall 110 is sleeved on the outer side of the second side wall 210, the inner wall of the first side wall 110 is provided with a protruding first limiting portion 112, and the outer wall of the second side wall 210 is provided with a protruding second limiting portion 212. In the initial state, the bottom wall 220 is located at the first position. Under the elastic force of the elastic member 300, the first limiting portion 112 abuts against the second limiting portion 212 downward, and similarly, the second limiting portion 212 abuts against the first limiting portion 112 upward, thereby limiting the second side wall 210 and preventing the second side wall 210 from upwardly separating from the first side wall 110. A notch 114 may be provided on the first side wall 110 at a position below the first limiting portion 112. By inserting a tool into the notch 114, the first limiting portion 112 and / or the second limiting portion 212 may be pushed open to release the abutment between the two, and the second housing 200 may be pulled out of the first housing 100 from the bottom to the top. During assembly, the second side wall 210 can be inserted into the inner side of the first side wall 110 from above the first side wall 110, so that the second side wall 210 moves downward until the first limiting portion 112 and the second limiting portion 212 are mutually engaged to achieve abutment limiting. Disassembly and assembly are relatively simple and easy to clean.

[0072] The limiting effect of the first limiting portion 112 and the second limiting portion 212 allows the elastic member 300 to have a certain initial elastic force F1 after installation. For example, a compression spring may have a certain amount of compression after installation, and a tension spring may have a certain amount of tension after installation, thereby obtaining the initial elastic force F1 and avoiding the problem that the second housing 200 is separated from the first housing 100 upward due to the elastic force.

[0073] In some embodiments, the second side wall 210 is sleeved with the inner wall or outer wall of the first side wall 110, and the bottom wall 220 in the second position is located below the bottom 115 of the first side wall 110. Figures 1 to 5 The second side wall 210 is sleeved with the inner wall of the first side wall 110. Along the sleeved direction, the length of the first side wall 110 is less than the sum of the length of the second side wall 210 and the stroke of the bottom wall 220 between the first position and the second position, which can reduce the material consumption of the first side wall 110.

[0074] refer to Figures 6 to 10In some embodiments, the first side wall 110 encloses and forms a first cavity 113, the second side wall 210 and the bottom wall 220 are located in the first cavity 113, the second side wall 210 is sleeved with the inner wall of the first side wall 110, and the bottom wall 220 in the second position is flush with or higher than the bottom 115 of the first side wall 110, so that during the movement of the bottom wall 220 between the first position and the second position, the bottom wall 220 and the second side wall 210 remain in the first cavity 113. That is, along the sleeve direction, the length of the first side wall 110 is greater than or equal to the sum of the length of the second side wall 210 and the travel of the bottom wall 220 between the first position and the second position. When in use, after the accommodating cavity 11 is filled with ice cubes, when the container 10 is taken out and placed, the bottom 115 of the first side wall 110 can be supported on the placement surface together with the bottom wall 220 to prevent the first side wall 110 from moving downward and causing the ice cubes to overflow. When the container 10 is placed into the cavity of the ice maker after being emptied, the bottom 115 of the first side wall 110 can also be supported on the bottom of the cavity, and the fixing structure between the first side wall 110 and the ice maker body can be omitted.

[0075] Since the second side wall 210 and the bottom wall 220 remain in the first cavity 113, the first side wall 110, the second side wall 210 and the bottom wall 220 together form the accommodating cavity 11. Therefore, in this solution, part of the wall of the second side wall 210 can be omitted, for example Figure 7 In the second housing 200 shown, an opening 213 may be provided on the front side of the second side wall 210, thereby eliminating part of the wall and saving material.

[0076] The container 10 of the embodiment of the present application and the ice maker having such a container 10 can realize the dynamic change of the volume of the accommodating chamber 11. When a large water storage capacity is met, the frequency of emptying the container 10 can be reduced, which helps to improve the user experience. The first shell 100 and the second shell 200 realize the change of the effective volume of the accommodating chamber 11 through the sleeve connection and relative movement of the first side wall 110 and the second side wall 210. Compared with the complex electric control solution, the structure is simpler and has better stability and reliability.

[0077] The embodiments of the present application are described in detail above in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, but the present application is not limited to the above embodiments. Various changes can be made within the knowledge of ordinary technicians in the relevant technical field without departing from the purpose of the present application. In addition, the embodiments of the present application and the features in the embodiments can be combined with each other without conflict.

Claims

1. A container, characterized in that: include: A first housing including a first side wall; A second shell includes a bottom wall and a second side wall connected to the bottom wall, the second side wall is sleeved with the first side wall, the first side wall and the second side wall are relatively movable along the sleeved direction so that the bottom wall moves between a first position and a second position, wherein the bottom wall, the second side wall and at least a portion of the first side wall together form a receiving cavity; A dynamic adjustment component is connected between the first shell and the second shell, and the dynamic adjustment component is configured to dynamically adjust the movement of the bottom wall between the first position and the second position according to the weight of the object contained in the containing cavity, so as to adjust the volume of the containing cavity.

2. The container according to claim 1, characterized in that The dynamic adjustment component includes an elastic member, which is used to provide elastic force along the sleeve direction to make the bottom wall located at the first position. The bottom wall is driven by the gravity of the object contained in the accommodating cavity to move between the first position and the second position.

3. The container according to claim 2, characterized in that The elastic member is a spring extending along the socket direction, one of the first side wall and the second side wall is provided with a first mounting seat, and the other is provided with a second mounting seat, the spring is connected between the first mounting seat and the second mounting seat, and the deformation of the spring gradually increases during the movement of the bottom wall from the first position to the second position.

4. The container according to claim 3, characterized in that The first mounting seat includes a first connecting portion and a first mounting groove extending along the sleeve direction, the second mounting seat includes a second connecting portion, the spring is arranged in the first mounting groove, the first connecting portion and the second connecting portion are respectively connected to the two ends of the spring, and the second connecting portion can slide along the first mounting groove.

5. The container according to claim 4, characterized in that The second mounting seat also includes a second mounting groove extending along the socketing direction, the first mounting seat is socketed with the second mounting seat, the first mounting groove and the second mounting groove form a mounting cavity, the spring is arranged in the mounting cavity, and the first connecting part can slide along the second mounting groove.

6. The container according to claim 4, characterized in that The container also includes a limit member, which is connected to the first side wall or the second side wall. The limit member is at least partially located in the first mounting groove. When the bottom wall is located in the first position, the limit member and the second connecting portion abut against each other along the sleeve direction to limit the movement of the bottom wall in a direction away from the second position.

7. The container according to claim 1, characterized in that One of the first side wall and the second side wall is provided with a guide groove, and the other is provided with a guide portion, the guide groove extends along the sleeve direction, the guide portion is located in the guide groove, and the guide portion can move along the guide groove.

8. The container according to claim 1, characterized in that The first side wall is provided with a first limiting portion, and the second side wall is provided with a second limiting portion. When the bottom wall is located at the first position, the first limiting portion and the second limiting portion abut against each other along the sleeve direction to limit the movement of the bottom wall in a direction away from the second position.

9. The container according to claim 1, characterized in that The second side wall is sleeved with the inner wall or the outer wall of the first side wall, and the bottom wall in the second position is located below the bottom of the first side wall; Alternatively, the first side walls enclose a first cavity, the second side wall and the bottom wall are located in the first cavity, the second side wall is sleeved with the inner wall of the first side wall, and the bottom wall in the second position is flush with or higher than the bottom of the first side wall.

10. An ice machine, characterized in that include: A body having a cavity therein; The container according to any one of claims 1 to 9 is arranged in the cavity to form a container for storing ice, the first side wall and the second side wall are sleeved in the up and down direction, the first side wall is connected to or abuts against the body, the bottom wall is located above the bottom of the cavity, and in the cavity, the space below the bottom wall forms a water storage chamber for storing water, and the bottom wall moves between the first position and the second position to adjust the volume ratio of the accommodating chamber and the water storage chamber.

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