Ice maker and refrigerator

Abstract

The utility model relates to the technical field of household appliances, and provides an ice maker and a refrigerator, the ice maker comprises an ice making assembly and a shunting piece, and the ice making assembly comprises ice grids; the flow dividing piece is arranged below the ice cube tray and provided with at least two flow dividing channels, each flow dividing channel comprises an inlet and an outlet, and the inlets face the ice cube tray and are larger than the outlets. By arranging the flow dividing piece, the flow dividing channel of the flow dividing piece gathers the ice blocks together, the opening size needed by the corresponding container (such as an ice storage box) for bearing the ice blocks is reduced, the size and the size of the corresponding container are reduced, and the taking convenience of a user is improved; the ice blocks are divided by the multiple branch runners, the ice blocks prepared by the ice maker at a time are divided into multiple parts, a user takes the corresponding number of ice blocks according to actual needs, the user experience is effectively improved, the number of the ice blocks taken by the user at a time is reduced, the total weight of the ice blocks taken at a time is reduced, and convenience is improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The utility model relates to the technical field of household appliances, in particular to an ice maker and a refrigerator. Background Art

[0002] At present, the ice maker with automatic ice-defrosting in the refrigerator uses the twisting deformation of the ice tray to make the ice cubes fall out of the ice tray. In order to ensure that all the ice cubes in the ice tray fall into the ice storage box, the opening size of the ice storage box needs to be set to correspond to the setting of the entire ice tray. However, there is a problem that the overall appearance size of the ice storage box is too large and the convenience of taking is not enough. Utility Model Content

[0003] The utility model aims to solve at least one of the technical problems existing in the related art. To this end, the utility model proposes an ice maker, which is provided with a diverter, and the diverter channel of the diverter gathers ice cubes in multiple ice trays to reduce the opening size required for the corresponding container to receive the ice cubes; the multiple diverters divert the ice cubes, which can reduce the weight of ice cubes received by the user at a time and improve convenience.

[0004] The utility model also provides a refrigerator.

[0005] The ice making machine according to the first embodiment of the utility model comprises:

[0006] An ice-making assembly, the ice-making assembly comprising an ice tray;

[0007] A flow divider is provided below the ice tray, and the flow divider is provided with at least two flow dividers, wherein the flow dividers include an inlet and an outlet, wherein the inlet faces the ice tray and is larger than the outlet.

[0008] According to the ice-making machine of the embodiment of the present invention, a diverter is provided, and the diverter channel of the diverter gathers the ice cubes, thereby reducing the opening size required for the corresponding container (such as an ice storage box) to receive the ice cubes. The volume and size of the corresponding container are reduced, thereby improving the convenience for users to take ice cubes. Moreover, multiple diverter channels divert the ice cubes, dividing the ice cubes prepared by the ice-making machine at one time into multiple portions, and the user can take the corresponding number of ice cubes according to actual needs, thereby effectively improving the user experience, reducing the number of ice cubes taken by the user at a single time, reducing the total weight of ice cubes taken at a single time, and improving convenience.

[0009] According to an embodiment of the utility model, the center line of the branch channel is inclined toward the adjacent branch channel.

[0010] According to one embodiment of the utility model, the flow divider comprises:

[0011] Side panels, enclosed to form an ice channel;

[0012] A diverter plate, at least one of which is disposed in the ice channel and is suitable for dividing the ice channel into at least two diverter channels.

[0013] According to an embodiment of the utility model, the diverter plate is slidably connected to the side panel and is suitable for adjusting the size of the diverter channel.

[0014] According to an embodiment of the utility model, the diverter plate includes a first plate portion and a second plate portion, one end of the first plate portion is fixedly connected to one end of the second plate portion to form an angle, and the opening of the angle faces away from the ice-making assembly.

[0015] and / or,

[0016] The inner side surface of the side panel gradually inclines downward toward the center of the ice channel along the vertical direction.

[0017] According to an embodiment of the utility model, the diverter also includes a partition plate, both ends of which are connected to the side panels and are surrounded to form a wiring hole, and the wiring hole is arranged close to the motor of the ice-making assembly.

[0018] According to one embodiment of the utility model, the ice maker comprises a mounting seat.

[0019] The diverter is detachably connected to the mounting seat.

[0020] and / or,

[0021] The mounting seat is provided with a placement position, and the placement position is suitable for placing an ice storage box.

[0022] According to one embodiment of the utility model, the diverter is provided with a first connecting column and a second connecting column, the first connecting column and the second connecting column are coaxial and relatively arranged on both sides of the diverter, and a connecting sleeve is provided on the mounting seat corresponding to the first connecting column and the second connecting column, and the diverter is detachably connected to the connecting sleeve of the mounting seat through the first connecting column and the second connecting column.

[0023] According to an embodiment of the utility model, the mounting seat includes at least two placement positions, and adjacent placement positions are separated by a baffle.

[0024] A refrigerator according to an embodiment of the second aspect of the utility model comprises the ice maker as described above.

[0025] The technical effect of the refrigerator according to the embodiment of the utility model corresponds to the technical effect of the ice maker in the embodiment of the first aspect of the utility model, and will not be repeated here.

[0026] Additional aspects and advantages of the present invention will be given in part in the following description, and in part will become apparent from the following description, or will be learned through the practice of the present invention. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0027] In order to more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the utility model or related technologies, the drawings required for use in the embodiments or related technical descriptions are briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of the utility model. For ordinary technicians in this field, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without paying creative work.

[0028] Figure 1 It is an exploded view of the ice making machine provided by the embodiment of the utility model;

[0029] Figure 2 It is a structural schematic diagram of a flow divider of an ice maker provided in an embodiment of the utility model.

[0030] Reference numerals:

[0031] 100, ice making assembly; 110, ice tray; 120, motor;

[0032] 200, diverter; 210, ice channel; 211, diverter channel; 212, inlet; 213, outlet; 220, side panel; 230, diverter plate; 231, first plate portion; 232, second plate portion; 240, partition plate; 241, wiring hole; 251, first connecting column; 252, second connecting column;

[0033] 300, mounting seat; 310, placement position; 320, connecting sleeve; 330, baffle;

[0034] 400. Ice storage box. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0035] The following is a further detailed description of the implementation of the present invention in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and examples. The following examples are used to illustrate the present invention, but cannot be used to limit the scope of the present invention.

[0036] In the description of the embodiments of the present utility model, it should be noted that the terms "center", "longitudinal", "lateral", "upper", "lower", "front", "back", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", "inside", "outside" and the like indicate positions or positional relationships based on the positions or positional relationships shown in the accompanying drawings, and are only for the convenience of describing the embodiments of the present utility model and simplifying the description, rather than indicating or implying that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore cannot be understood as limiting the embodiments of the present utility model. In addition, the terms "first", "second", and "third" are used for descriptive purposes only and cannot be understood as indicating or implying relative importance.

[0037] In the description of the embodiments of the present utility model, it should be noted that, unless otherwise clearly specified and limited, the terms "connected" and "connection" should be understood in a broad sense, for example, it can be a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; it can be a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; it can be directly connected or indirectly connected through an intermediate medium. For ordinary technicians in this field, the specific meanings of the above terms in the embodiments of the present utility model can be understood according to specific circumstances.

[0038] In the embodiments of the present invention, unless otherwise clearly specified and limited, the first feature being "above" or "below" the second feature may mean that the first and second features are in direct contact, or the first and second features are in indirect contact through an intermediate medium. Moreover, the first feature being "above", "above" and "above" the second feature may mean that the first feature is directly above or obliquely above the second feature, or simply means that the first feature is higher in level than the second feature. The first feature being "below", "below" and "below" the second feature may mean that the first feature is directly below or obliquely below the second feature, or simply means that the first feature is lower in level than the second feature.

[0039] In the description of this specification, the description with reference to the terms "one embodiment", "some embodiments", "example", "specific example", or "some examples" etc. means that the specific features, structures, materials or characteristics described in conjunction with the embodiment or example are included in at least one embodiment or example of the utility model embodiment. In this specification, the schematic representations of the above terms do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment or example. Moreover, the specific features, structures, materials or characteristics described may be combined in any one or more embodiments or examples in a suitable manner. In addition, those skilled in the art may combine and combine the different embodiments or examples described in this specification and the features of the different embodiments or examples, without contradiction.

[0040] Combination Figure 1 to Figure 2As shown, the ice-making machine according to the first embodiment of the utility model includes an ice-making assembly 100 and a diverter 200, the ice-making assembly 100 includes an ice tray 110; the diverter 200 is arranged below the ice tray 110, and the diverter 200 is provided with at least two diverter channels 211, the diverter channel 211 includes an inlet 212 and an outlet 213, the inlet 212 faces the ice tray 110, and the inlet 212 is larger than the outlet 213.

[0041] According to the ice making machine of the embodiment of the utility model, the ice making assembly 100 prepares ice cubes in the ice groove of the ice tray 110, and the prepared ice cubes are separated from the ice tray 110, and different ice cubes fall into the corresponding branch channels 211 under the ice grooves where they are located. The multiple branch channels 211 divide all the ice cubes into multiple portions, and the ice cubes are gathered along the inlets 212 of the corresponding branch channels 211 to the outlet 213, and are received and used by users from the outlet 213.

[0042] According to the ice-making machine of the embodiment of the present invention, by providing a diverter 200, the diverter channel 211 of the diverter 200 gathers the ice cubes, thereby reducing the opening size required for the corresponding container (such as the ice storage box 400) for receiving the ice cubes, so that the volume and size of the corresponding container can be reduced accordingly, thereby improving the convenience for users to take the ice cubes; and the multiple diverter channels 211 divert the ice cubes, thereby dividing the ice cubes prepared by the ice-making machine at one time into multiple portions, and the user can take the corresponding number of ice cubes according to actual needs, thereby effectively improving the user experience, and can reduce the number of ice cubes taken by the user at a single time, reduce the total weight of the ice cubes taken at a single time, and improve convenience.

[0043] According to one embodiment of the utility model, the ice tray 110 includes eight ice grooves, and two branch channels 211 are correspondingly arranged under the ice tray 110, and each branch channel 211 is arranged corresponding to four ice grooves; in other embodiments, the number of ice grooves and the number of branch channels 211 and the corresponding relationship between the two can be adjusted according to actual needs.

[0044] In this embodiment, the inlet 212 of the diverter channel 211 is larger than the outlet 213, and the cross-sectional area of ​​the diverter channel 211 gradually decreases along the vertical direction. The gradual decrease in cross-sectional area is beneficial to buffering the speed of ice cubes falling and preventing the ice cubes from directly hitting the container below the ice tray 110 and generating excessive noise; in other embodiments, the cross-sectional area of ​​the diverter channel 211 may be unchanged at first and then decreased, thereby ensuring that the ice cubes will not bounce out when they fall into the inlet 212; it may also be expanded first and then decreased to increase the number of ice cubes that can be accommodated in the diverter channel 211.

[0045] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the center line of the branch channel 211 is inclined toward the adjacent branch channel 211, so that the outlets 213 of the adjacent branch channels 211 are close to each other.

[0046] It is understandable that when using an ice storage box 400 of a certain specification (with unchanged opening size) to receive ice cubes, usually one ice storage box 400 is set corresponding to one outlet 213. However, the present application brings the outlets 213 of adjacent branch channels 211 closer together, thereby achieving that one ice storage box 400 can receive ice cubes from multiple branch channels 211. Users can choose to use the ice storage box 400 to receive ice cubes from one outlet 213 or multiple outlets 213 according to the required number of ice cubes, without having to replace ice storage boxes 400 with different opening sizes, thereby effectively improving user convenience.

[0047] In this embodiment, two branch channels 211 are provided. Figure 2 As shown in the directional arrow, the branch channel 211 on the left can be tilted unilaterally toward the branch channel 211 on the right, and the branch channel 211 on the right can also be tilted unilaterally toward the left. The two branch channels 211 can also be tilted toward each other at the same time.

[0048] Of course, the number of diversion channels 211 is not limited to two. When there are multiple diversion channels 211, such as three, the above-mentioned method of unilateral inclination or simultaneous inclination toward each other is also applicable, that is, the rightmost and middle diversion channels 211 can both be inclined toward the diversion channel 211 on the left, or the right and left diversion channels 211 can be inclined toward the middle diversion channel 211 at the same time. The inclination form can be set according to the specific number of diversion channels 211 and the relative position relationship.

[0049] According to one embodiment of the utility model, combined Figure 2 As shown, the diverter 200 includes a side panel 220 and a diverter plate 230. The side panel 220 is arranged to form an ice channel 210, and the ice channel 210 is suitable for ice to pass through. At least one diverter plate 230 is arranged in the ice channel 210, and is suitable for dividing the ice channel 210 into at least two diverter channels 211. Some ice cubes fall directly into the diverter channel 211, and the other part of the ice cubes hit the diverter plate 230 when falling, and then slide along the surface of the diverter plate 230 to different diverter channels 211, so as to achieve the diversion of ice cubes. It can manage and use ice cubes more effectively.

[0050] In this embodiment, a diverter plate 230 is provided to divide the ice channel 210 into two diverter channels 211 ; in other embodiments, a greater number of diverter plates 230 may be provided to obtain a plurality of diverter channels 211 , such as using two diverter plates 230 arranged in parallel to form three diverter channels 211 .

[0051] In one embodiment, the diverter plate 230 is slidably connected to the side panel 220 and is suitable for adjusting the size of the diverter channel 211. By sliding the diverter plate 230, the area of ​​the inlet 212 of the diverter channel 211 is enlarged, the number of ice cubes 110 that can be connected to the inlet 212 is increased, and the number of ice cubes that can be received at a time in the diverter channel 211 is increased, and the area of ​​the inlet 212 of another diverter channel 211 adjacent to the diverter plate 230 is correspondingly reduced, and the number of ice cubes that can be received at a time in the diverter channel 211 can be reduced.

[0052] The user can manually adjust the position of the diverter plate 230 according to usage requirements to obtain the required amount of ice cubes, thereby effectively improving the user experience.

[0053] In this embodiment, the sliding direction of the diverter plate 230 may also be completely horizontal or at a certain angle to the horizontal direction, so as to change the size of the inlet 212 of the diverter channel 211 .

[0054] The specific method of sliding connection between the diverter plate 230 and the side panel 220 can be: a protrusion is extended from the diverter plate 230 in the direction corresponding to the side panel 220, and a slide groove is set on the side panel 220 corresponding to the protrusion, and the protrusion and the slide groove cooperate to slide relative to each other; or, the diverter plate 230 is provided with a pulley, and the side panel 220 is provided with a slide rail corresponding to the pulley.

[0055] In one embodiment, in combination Figure 2 As shown, the diverter plate 230 includes a first plate portion 231 and a second plate portion 232, so that when the ice cubes hit the diverter plate 230, they can flow into different diverter channels 211 along the first plate portion 231 or the second plate portion 232. One end of the first plate portion 231 is fixedly connected to one end of the second plate portion 232 to form an angle, and the opening of the angle faces away from the ice-making assembly 100, that is, the top of the angle faces the ice tray 110, thereby reducing the probability of ice cubes falling from the ice tray 110 and vertically hitting the diverter 200, thereby improving the integrity of the ice cubes.

[0056] In this embodiment, the first plate portion 231 and the second plate portion 232 have different angles with the vertical direction, which can be selected according to the actual type of ice cubes. For example, small ice cubes can use the first plate portion 231 or the second plate portion 232 with a small angle with the vertical direction to speed up the ice cubes falling into the ice storage box. For large ice cubes, the first plate portion 231 or the second plate portion 232 with a large angle with the vertical direction can be used to buffer the falling speed of the ice cubes and reduce noise. In other embodiments, the first plate portion 231 and the second plate portion 232 can also be set symmetrically in the vertical direction.

[0057] In one embodiment, the inner side surface of the side panel 220 gradually tilts downward along the vertical direction toward the center of the ice channel 210. The tilted setting is conducive to guiding and buffering the falling of ice cubes, preventing ice cubes from directly hitting the ice storage box 400, and reducing the use cost of the ice maker; and the inner side surface of the side panel 220 is at an angle to the vertical direction and extends downward along the angle direction, which is conducive to the demoulding production of the side panel 220, effectively reducing the production cost.

[0058] In one embodiment, in combination Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, the diverter 200 also includes a partition plate 240, both ends of which are connected to the side panels 220 and are surrounded by wiring holes 241. The wiring holes 241 limit the wiring harness inside the ice maker near the diverter 200 to prevent the wiring harness from moving and affecting the use of the ice maker. The wiring holes 241 are arranged close to the motor 120 of the ice making assembly 100, so that the position for wiring in the ice maker is located on the same side, which effectively reduces the wiring difficulty and maintenance difficulty of the ice maker.

[0059] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the ice maker includes a mounting seat 300, and the diverter 200 is detachably connected to the mounting seat 300. Users can replace the diverter 200 with different specifications according to their needs, such as replacing the diverter 200 with two diverter channels 211 with a diverter 200 with three diverter channels 211, so that the ice maker with the same ice making assembly 100 can also meet the use needs of more users.

[0060] In one embodiment, in combination Figure 1 As shown, the mounting base 300 is provided with a placement position 310, which is suitable for placing the ice storage box 400. The placement position 310 ensures that the user can intuitively identify the placement position of the ice storage box 400, and prevents the ice storage box 400 from falling out of the ice storage box 400 due to the ice storage box 400 not being placed in place.

[0061] According to one embodiment of the utility model, a first connecting column 251 and a second connecting column 252 are provided on the diverter 200, and the first connecting column 251 and the second connecting column 252 are coaxial and relatively arranged on both sides of the diverter 200, and a connecting sleeve 320 is provided on the mounting seat 300 corresponding to the first connecting column 251 and the second connecting column 252, and the diverter 200 is detachably connected to the connecting sleeve 320 of the mounting seat 300 through the first connecting column 251 and the second connecting column 252.

[0062] Combination Figure 1 and Figure 2As shown, the first connecting column 251 and the second connecting column 252 cooperate with the connecting sleeve 320, so that the diverter 200 can only rotate around the axis of the first connecting column 251, and then the diverter 200 is abutted against the surface of the mounting seat 300 by one side of the diverter 200 to ensure that the diverter 200 cannot rotate, thereby achieving the fixation of the diverter 200 on the mounting frame. And through the arrangement of the connecting column (referring to at least one of the first connecting column 251 and the second connecting column 252) and the connecting sleeve 320, the fixing structure required for the diverter 200 on the mounting seat 300 is limited to an axis and an abutting surface, and the installation space required for the axis only needs the width of a connecting sleeve. Compared with the conventional method of using a slide rail plug-in, the volume of the mounting seat 300 is effectively reduced, thereby reducing the overall volume of the ice maker.

[0063] According to one embodiment of the utility model, combined Figure 1 As shown, the mounting base 300 includes at least two placement positions 310, and adjacent placement positions 310 are separated by baffles 330. When multiple placement positions 310 are juxtaposed, the baffles 330 can effectively distinguish different placement positions 310, and guide the user to place the ice storage box 400, thereby improving the user experience.

[0064] A refrigerator according to an embodiment of the second aspect of the utility model includes an ice maker as described in the above embodiment.

[0065] The technical effect of the refrigerator according to the embodiment of the utility model corresponds to the technical effect of the ice maker in the embodiment of the first aspect of the utility model, and will not be repeated here.

[0066] Finally, it should be noted that the above implementation modes are only used to illustrate the present invention, rather than to limit the present invention. Although the present invention is described in detail with reference to the embodiments, a person skilled in the art should understand that various combinations, modifications or equivalent replacements of the technical solutions of the present invention do not depart from the spirit and scope of the technical solutions of the present invention, and should be included in the scope of the claims of the present invention.

Claims

1. An ice making machine, characterized in that: include: An ice-making assembly, the ice-making assembly comprising an ice tray; A flow divider is provided below the ice tray, and the flow divider is provided with at least two flow dividers, wherein the flow dividers include an inlet and an outlet, wherein the inlet faces the ice tray and is larger than the outlet.

2. The ice making machine according to claim 1, characterized in that: The center line of the branch channel is inclined toward the adjacent branch channel.

3. The ice making machine according to claim 1, characterized in that: The flow divider comprises: Side panels, arranged to form an ice channel; A diverter plate, at least one of which is disposed in the ice channel and is suitable for dividing the ice channel into at least two diverter channels.

4. The ice making machine according to claim 3, characterized in that: The diverter plate is slidably connected to the side panel and is suitable for adjusting the size of the diverter channel.

5. The ice making machine according to claim 3, characterized in that: The diverter plate includes a first plate portion and a second plate portion, one end of the first plate portion is fixedly connected to one end of the second plate portion to form an angle, and an opening of the angle faces away from the ice-making assembly. and / or, The inner side surface of the side panel gradually inclines downward toward the center of the ice channel along the vertical direction.

6. The ice making machine according to claim 3, characterized in that: The flow divider also includes a partition plate, both ends of which are connected to the side panels and are surrounded to form a wiring hole, and the wiring hole is arranged close to the motor of the ice-making assembly.

7. The ice making machine according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that: The ice making machine includes a mounting base, The diverter is detachably connected to the mounting seat. and / or, The mounting seat is provided with a placement position, and the placement position is suitable for placing an ice storage box.

8. The ice making machine according to claim 7, characterized in that: The diverter is provided with a first connecting column and a second connecting column, the first connecting column and the second connecting column are coaxial and arranged on both sides of the diverter relatively, and a connecting sleeve is provided on the mounting seat corresponding to the first connecting column and the second connecting column, and the diverter is detachably connected to the connecting sleeve of the mounting seat through the first connecting column and the second connecting column.

9. The ice making machine according to claim 7, characterized in that: The mounting seat includes at least two placement positions, and adjacent placement positions are separated by a baffle.

10. A refrigerator, characterized in that: The invention comprises an ice-making machine as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 9.

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