Ice maker

Abstract

The utility model relates to an ice maker. The ice maker comprises a mounting frame, a cold supply module, a first mold, a second mold, a moving module and a first heating piece, the cooling module is arranged on the mounting frame. The first mold is movably arranged on the cold supply module, the first mold is provided with an ice making space, and the ice making space comprises a first forming cavity and a modeling cavity which communicate with each other. The second die is movably connected to the mounting frame and provided with a second forming cavity. The moving module is arranged on the mounting frame, is in transmission connection with the second mold and is used for driving the second mold to move to a first position or a second position relative to the mounting frame. The first heating piece is arranged on the second mold, when the second mold is located at the second position, the second forming cavity is located in the molding cavity, and the first heating piece is used for heating ice in the molding cavity. The ice maker is high in ice making efficiency and relatively low in sealing requirement.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present application relates to the technical field of ice making, and in particular to an ice making machine. Background Art

[0002] An ice maker is a refrigeration mechanical device that generates ice cubes by cooling the water in a container through a refrigeration system. At present, some beverage shops, dessert shops, bars and other consumer places on the market use spherical ice cubes to meet the preferences of consumers. Traditional ice makers for preparing spherical ice cubes usually use spherical molds or two semicircular molds. In order to prepare spherical ice cubes with a more standard shape, the sealing of the mold is required to be high during the ice making process. If the sealing of the mold is not in place, the standard shape of the prepared ice cubes will be reduced, and grinding and shaping will be required again. The production efficiency is very low, labor-intensive and uneconomical. Utility Model Content

[0003] In view of this, the present application provides an ice-making machine with low sealing requirements, high processing efficiency and low cost, so as to solve the above-mentioned technical problems.

[0004] The present application provides an ice-making machine, which includes a mounting frame, a cooling module, a first mold, a second mold, a moving module and a first heating element. The cooling module is arranged on the mounting frame. The first mold is movably arranged on the cooling module, and the first mold has an ice-making space, and the ice-making space includes a first molding cavity and a molding cavity that are connected. The second mold is movably connected to the mounting frame, and the second mold has a second molding cavity. The moving module is arranged on the mounting frame and is transmission-connected to the second mold. The moving module is used to drive the second mold to move to a first position or a second position relative to the mounting frame. When the second mold is in the first position, the first mold and the second mold are spaced apart; when the second mold is in the second position, the second mold is embedded in the molding cavity, and the second molding cavity and the first molding cavity are closed to form an ice-making cavity together. The first heating element is arranged on the second mold. When the second mold is in the second position, the second molding cavity is located in the molding cavity, and the first heating element is used to heat the ice in the molding cavity.

[0005] In some optional examples, the ice maker also includes a cover body and a first drive module, the cover body is movably connected to the mounting frame, the first drive module is disposed on the mounting frame and is transmission-connected to the cover body, and the first drive module is used to drive the cover body to move relative to the mounting frame to cover the ice-making space of the first mold.

[0006] In some optional examples, the ice maker also includes a stirring member and a driving member. The driving member is arranged on the cover body. The stirring member is movably arranged on the cover body and is transmission-connected to the driving member. When the cover body covers the ice-making space, the stirring member is located in the molding cavity. The driving member is used to drive the stirring member to move in the molding cavity relative to the first mold.

[0007] In some optional examples, the ice maker further includes a second heating element, which is disposed on the cover body. When the cover body covers the ice making space, the second heating element is located in the molding cavity.

[0008] In some optional examples, the first mold includes a first molding part and a modeling part, the first molding part can be movably embedded in the cooling module, the first molding cavity is arranged in the first molding part, the modeling part is connected to the first molding part, and the modeling cavity is arranged in the modeling part.

[0009] In some optional examples, the second mold includes a second molding part and a connecting part, the second molding part is arranged in the connecting part, the second molding cavity is arranged in the second molding part, the connecting part is slidably connected to the mounting frame and transmission connected to the moving module, and the first heating element is arranged in the connecting part; when the second mold is located in the second position, the connecting part is at least partially embedded in the shaping part, and the first molding part and the second molding part are abutted and connected to jointly define the ice making cavity.

[0010] In some optional examples, there are multiple first molds, and the multiple first molds are arranged in parallel in the cooling module. The molding parts of the multiple first molds are connected in sequence, the molding cavities of two adjacent molding parts are connected by a connecting notch, and the two adjacent first molding parts are spaced apart.

[0011] In some optional examples, there are multiple second molds, the multiple second molds are arranged in one-to-one correspondence with the multiple first molds, the multiple second molds are arranged in parallel on the mounting frame, and the connecting parts of the multiple second molds are connected in sequence.

[0012] In some optional examples, the ice maker further includes a second driving module, which is disposed on the mounting frame and is transmission-connected to the first mold, and the second driving module is used to drive the first mold to rotate relative to the cooling module to remove ice.

[0013] In some optional examples, the mounting frame includes a first mounting seat, a second mounting seat and a connecting column, the first mounting seat and the second mounting seat are arranged relatively spaced apart, and the connecting column is connected between the first mounting seat and the second mounting seat; the cooling module is arranged on the first mounting seat, and the moving module can drive the second mold to move between the first mounting seat and the second mounting seat.

[0014] In some optional examples, the ice maker further includes a guide wheel connected to the second mold, and when the second mold moves relative to the mounting frame, the guide wheel and the connecting column are slidably matched.

[0015] In the initial state of the ice-making machine provided by the present application, the second mold is located at the first position, and the second mold is spaced apart from the first mold. When in use, water is first poured into the ice-making space of the first mold. After the water is poured, the cooling module refrigerates the first mold to condense the water in the ice-making space into ice. The moving module drives the second mold to move to the second position relative to the mounting frame. During the movement, the first heating element is started, and the second mold approaches the first mold. The heat of the first heating element melts the ice in the molding cavity that blocks the entry of the second mold, allowing the second mold to smoothly enter the molding cavity until the second molding cavity and the first molding cavity are closed to form an ice-making cavity together, and the first heating element is turned off. The ice in the ice-making cavity is the final ice made.

[0016] The ice-making machine provided in the embodiment of the present application performs secondary molding processing on the ice formed in the first mold through the movable second mold and the first heating element thereon, melts the excess ice, and finally processes the ice with a defined shape after the second molding cavity and the first molding cavity are closed. Not only is the shape standard, but there is no need to ensure the sealing of the mold, and the processing efficiency is high and the cost is low. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0017] In order to more clearly illustrate the technical solution of the present application, the drawings required for use in the implementation manner will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some implementation manners of the present application. For ordinary technicians in this field, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without paying any creative work.

[0018] Figure 1 It is a structural schematic diagram of an ice maker provided in one embodiment of the present application.

[0019] Figure 2 yes Figure 1 The cross-sectional structure diagram of the second mold of the ice maker shown is when the second mold is in the second position and the first mold.

[0020] Figure 3 yes Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the exploded structure of the first mold and the cooling module of the ice maker is shown.

[0021] Figure 4 yes Figure 1 The simplified structural diagram of the ice making machine when the second mold is in the first position is shown.

[0022] Figure 5 yes Figure 1 A simplified schematic diagram of an ice machine is shown to illustrate the dimensions of the stirring element.

[0023] Explanation of reference numerals: 100, ice maker; 10, mounting frame; 12, first mounting seat; 14, second mounting seat; 141, mounting plate; 143, mounting bracket; 16, connecting column; 20, cooling module; 21, cooling slot; 30, first mold; 31, ice making space; 312, first molding cavity; 314, molding cavity; 32, first molding part; 34, molding part; 36, connecting notch; 38, second rotating shaft; 40, second mold; 41, first Second forming cavity; 412, ice-making cavity; 43, second forming part; 45, connecting part; 47, movable connecting part; 472, horizontal plate; 474, vertical plate; 50, movable module; 52, driving motor; 54, screw rod; 56, screw rod nut; 58, guide wheel; 60, first heating part; 70, cover body; 72, first rotating shaft; 74, second heating part; 76, stirring part; 78, driving part; 80, first driving module; 90, second driving module. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0024] In order to enable those skilled in the art to better understand the present application, the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present application will be clearly and completely described below in conjunction with the drawings in the embodiments of the present application. Obviously, the described embodiments are only part of the embodiments of the present application, rather than all of the embodiments. Based on the embodiments in the present application, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without making creative work are within the scope of protection of the present application.

[0025] If certain words are used in the specification and claims to refer to specific components, those skilled in the art should understand that hardware manufacturers may use different terms to refer to the same component. The specification and claims do not use differences in names as a way to distinguish components, but use differences in components' functions as the criteria for distinction. For example, "including" mentioned throughout the specification and claims is an open term, so it should be interpreted as "including but not limited to"; "substantially" means that those skilled in the art can solve technical problems within a certain error range and basically achieve technical effects.

[0026] See also Figure 1 The embodiment of the present application provides an ice maker 100, which is used to make ice. The ice maker 100 can be set in a refrigerator, a freezer, or other equipment, or can be used independently. This specification does not limit the shape of ice made by the ice maker 100, such as an ellipsoid, a sphere, or other shapes of ice that are not convenient to be made with a single mold. In this embodiment, the ice maker 100 is used to make spherical ice.

[0027] Please also see Figure 1 and Figure 2In this embodiment, the ice maker 100 may include a mounting frame 10, a cooling module 20, a first mold 30, a second mold 40, a moving module 50, and a first heating element 60. The cooling module 20 is disposed on the mounting frame 10, and the first mold 30 is movably disposed on the cooling module 20. The first mold 30 has an ice-making space 31, and the ice-making space 31 includes a first molding cavity 312 and a molding cavity 314 that are connected. The second mold 40 is movably connected to the mounting frame 10, and the second mold 40 has a second molding cavity 41. The moving module 50 is disposed on the mounting frame 10 and is transmission-connected to the second mold 40. The moving module 50 is used to drive the second mold 40 to move to the first position or the second position relative to the mounting frame 10. When the second mold 40 is located at the first position, the first mold 30 and the second mold 40 are spaced apart. When the second mold 40 is located at the second position, the second mold 40 is embedded in the molding cavity 314, and the second molding cavity 41 and the first molding cavity 312 are closed to form the ice-making cavity 412. The first heating element 60 is disposed on the second mold 40 . When the second mold 40 is located at the second position, the second molding cavity 41 is located in the molding cavity 314 . The first heating element 60 is used to heat the ice in the molding cavity 314 .

[0028] In this embodiment, the ice making machine 100 is used to prepare ice cubes of a target shape, and the shape of the ice making cavity 412 after the first molding cavity 312 and the second molding cavity 41 are combined is the target shape. Furthermore, the first molding cavity 312 and the second molding cavity 41 are respectively half of the target shape cavity. The volume of the molding cavity 314 is greater than the volume of the second molding cavity 41, that is, greater than half of the volume of the target shape ice cube, and the internal dimensions of the molding cavity 314 are also greater than the corresponding external dimensions of the target shape ice cube. For example, if the target shape ice cube is spherical ice, the first molding cavity 312 and the second molding cavity 41 are both hemispherical cavities, the volume of the molding cavity 314 is greater than half of the volume of the spherical ice, the inner diameter of the molding cavity 314 is greater than the diameter of the spherical ice, and the height of the molding cavity 314 is greater than the radius of the spherical ice.

[0029] When the ice maker 100 is in the initial state, the second mold 40 is located at the first position, and the second mold 40 is spaced from the first mold 30. When in use, water is first injected into the ice-making space 31 of the first mold 30. After the water injection is completed, the cooling module 20 refrigerates the first mold 30 to condense the water in the ice-making space 31 into ice. The moving module 50 drives the second mold 40 to move to the second position relative to the mounting frame 10. During the movement, the first heating element 60 is started, the second mold 40 approaches the first mold 30, and the heat of the first heating element 60 melts the ice in the molding cavity 314 that blocks the second mold 40 from entering, so that the second mold 40 smoothly enters the molding cavity 314, until the second molding cavity 41 and the first molding cavity 312 are closed to form the ice-making cavity 412, and the first heating element 60 is turned off. The ice in the ice-making cavity 412 is the final ice. In this embodiment, the ice-making cavity 412 is a spherical cavity, and the ice in the ice-making cavity 412 is spherical ice.

[0030] The ice making machine 100 provided in the embodiment of the present application performs secondary molding processing on the ice formed in the first mold 30 through the movable second mold 40 and the first heating element 60 thereon, melts the excess ice, and finally processes the ice (target shape ice) with a defined shape after the second molding cavity 41 and the first molding cavity 312 are closed. Not only is the shape standard, but there is no need to ensure the sealing of the mold, and the processing efficiency is high and the cost is low.

[0031] In this application, unless otherwise clearly specified or limited, the terms "installed", "connected", "connected", "fixed" and the like 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 a direct connection, or it can be indirectly connected through an intermediate medium, it can be internal communication between two elements, or it can be only surface contact. For ordinary technicians in this field, the specific meanings of the above terms in this application can be understood according to specific circumstances.

[0032] In this embodiment, the mounting frame 10 can be set on a workbench in the application environment of the ice maker 100, and is used to install other structures of the ice maker 100. The mounting frame 10 may include a first mounting seat 12, a second mounting seat 14 and a connecting column 16, the first mounting seat 12 and the second mounting seat 14 are arranged opposite to each other at intervals, and the connecting column 16 is connected between the first mounting seat 12 and the second mounting seat 14. This specification does not limit the specific structural shape of the mounting frame 10. As an example, the first mounting seat 12 and the second mounting seat 14 are both roughly rectangular plates, and the first mounting seat 12 and the second mounting seat 14 are parallel to each other. The connecting column 16 is cylindrical, and the number of the connecting columns 16 can be multiple, for example, the number of the connecting columns 16 is four, and the four connecting columns 16 are arranged along the circumference of the first mounting seat 12, and are respectively arranged at the four corners of the first mounting seat 12. The first mounting seat 12, the connecting column 16 and the second mounting seat 14 form a stable bracket structure.

[0033] In an application environment, when the mounting bracket 10 is fixed to a workbench, the first mounting seat 12 and the second mounting seat 14 are arranged substantially along the direction of gravity, and the second mounting seat 14 can be fixed to the workbench.

[0034] Please also see Figure 1 and Figure 3 In this embodiment, the cooling module 20 is mounted on the second mounting seat 14, which is used to cool the water in the first mold 30. The cooling module 20 is provided with a cooling groove 21, which is opened on the side of the cooling module 20 facing the first mounting seat 12 and is recessed relative to the side surface. This specification does not limit the specific structure of the cooling module 20. As an example, the cooling module 20 may include a compressor, a condenser, an evaporator, a throttle valve and other structures. The compressor inhales the low-temperature and low-pressure vapor refrigerant in the steam, compresses the refrigerant into a high-temperature and high-pressure vapor state, and the high-temperature and high-pressure vapor refrigerant enters the condenser. The condenser dissipates heat to eliminate excess heat and cools the high-temperature and high-pressure vapor state into a liquid state at normal temperature and pressure. The condenser has air cooling, water cooling and evaporative cooling. The cooled liquid refrigerant becomes a low-temperature and low-pressure liquid refrigerant after being throttled by the expansion valve throttle valve, creating conditions for the evaporation of the refrigerant. The throttled low-temperature and low-pressure liquid refrigerant evaporates rapidly under the action of the evaporator and absorbs heat so that the water in the first mold 30 disposed on the cooling module 20 is rapidly cooled and frozen.

[0035] Please also see Figure 2 and Figure 3, the first mold 30 is arranged in the cooling module 20, and the bottom of the first mold 30 is embedded in the cooling groove 21. In this embodiment, the first mold 30 may include a first molding part 32 and a modeling part 34, the first molding part 32 is movably embedded in the cooling groove 21, and the first molding cavity 312 is arranged in the first molding part 32. The modeling part 34 is connected to the first molding part 32, and the modeling cavity 314 is arranged in the modeling part 34. The first molding part 32 and the modeling part 34 are connected continuously, and the modeling cavity 314 is connected to the first molding cavity 312. Among them, the modeling part 34 is used for the second mold 40 to be inserted to process the semi-finished ice, so that the first molding cavity 312 and the second molding cavity 41 are closed to jointly define the final shape of the finished ice.

[0036] In order to improve the matching stability between the first mold 30 and the cooling module 20, the outer diameter of the shaping portion 34 is larger than the outer diameter of the first molding portion 32, so that a step surface is formed at the connection between the first molding portion 32 and the shaping portion 34. When the first molding portion 32 is embedded in the cooling groove 21, the step surface is against the side of the cooling module 20 facing the first mounting seat 12.

[0037] The present specification does not limit the specific shape of the first mold 30. In the present embodiment, the first molding part 32 is roughly in the shape of a hollow hemisphere, the molding part 34 is roughly in the shape of a hollow cylinder, and the first molding part 32 is connected to one end of the molding part 34. The cooling groove 21 is a hemispherical sink, and its size is consistent with the first molding part 32, so that when the first molding part 32 is embedded in the cooling groove 21, its outer wall and the side wall of the cooling groove 21 can be in contact with each other over a large area, so as to improve the cooling efficiency of the cooling module 20. The outer diameter of the molding part 34 is larger than the outer diameter of the first molding part 32. When the first molding part 32 is embedded in the cooling groove 21, one end of the molding part 34 close to the first molding part 32 abuts against the surface of the cooling module 20, thereby improving the stability of the first mold 30 placed on the cooling module 20.

[0038] When in use, water is poured into the first mold 30 . After the water is poured, the cooling module 20 is started, and the water in the first mold 30 is cooled to form semi-finished ice. The upper part of the semi-finished ice is cylindrical ice formed by the constraint of the shaping part 34 , and the lower part is hemispherical ice formed by the constraint of the first forming part 32 .

[0039] Please also see Figure 1 and Figure 2, the semi-finished ice formed by the first mold 30 needs to be processed again by the second mold 40 to form spherical ice. In this embodiment, the second mold 40 may include a second molding portion 43 and a connecting portion 45, and the second molding portion 43 is arranged in the connecting portion 45. The second molding cavity 41 is arranged in the second molding portion 43, and the opening of the second molding cavity 41 is opposite to the opening of the ice making space 31. The connecting portion 45 is slidably connected to the mounting frame 10 and is transmission-connected to the moving module 50. The first heating element 60 is arranged in the connecting portion 45. When the second mold 40 is located in the second position, the connecting portion 45 is at least partially embedded in the shaping portion 34, and the first molding portion 32 and the second molding portion 43 are abutted and connected to jointly define the ice making cavity 412.

[0040] After the first mold 30 produces semi-finished ice, the moving module 50 drives the second mold 40 to move to the second position relative to the mounting frame 10 close to the first mold 30. During the movement, the first heating element 60 is started, and the second mold 40 approaches the first mold 30. The heat of the first heating element 60 melts the ice in the molding cavity 314 that blocks the second mold 40 from entering, so that the second mold 40 can smoothly enter the molding cavity 314 until the first molding part 32 and the second molding part 43 are closed to jointly define the ice-making cavity 412, and the first heating element 60 is closed. The second mold 40 melts the excess ice during the movement, and finally processes the ice defined by the shape after the first molding part 32 and the second molding part 43 are closed. In this embodiment, the joint between the first mold 30 and the second mold 40 may not be provided with a seal. The ice prepared by the ice-making machine 100 provided in the embodiment of the present application is not only of standard shape, but also has relatively low sealing requirements during ice making, and has high processing efficiency and low cost.

[0041] In this embodiment, the shape of the second molding part 43 of the second mold 40 is consistent with the shape of the first molding part 32 of the first mold 30. The first molding part 32 is roughly in the shape of a hollow hemisphere, and the second molding part 43 is also roughly in the shape of a hollow hemisphere, and the size is consistent with the first molding part 32, so as to process a relatively standard spherical ice. In order to facilitate the nesting cooperation between the connecting part 45 and the molding part 34, in this embodiment, the connecting part 45 is also roughly in the shape of a hollow cylinder, and the outer diameter of the connecting part 45 is smaller than the outer diameter of the molding part 34. The outer diameter of the second molding part 43 is smaller than the outer diameter of the connecting part 45, and the second molding part 43 is fixedly connected to the connecting part 45 and is located at one end of the connecting part 45 close to the first molding part 32, so as to interfere with the first molding part 32.

[0042] The first heating element 60 can be arranged in the connecting portion 45 and located on the side of the second molding portion 43 away from the first molding portion 32, and is used to heat the second mold 40 to melt the ice in the molding cavity 314. The specific melting process of the ice in the molding cavity 314 by the first heating element 60 can be regulated by controlling the heating time or controlling the moving speed of the second mold 40. This specification does not limit the specific type of the first heating element 60. For example, the first heating element 60 can include a heating wire, a heating rod, and a heating tube. When the first heating element 60 is heated, its heat can be conducted to the molding portion 34 through the second mold 40. The material of the molding portion 34 can be selected from materials with good thermal conductivity, such as stainless steel, iron, aluminum, etc.

[0043] In other embodiments, the first forming portion 32 and the second forming portion 43 may also be in the shape of a hollow cube or have other irregularly shaped cavities, and the specific shapes of the first mold 30 and the second mold 40 may be designed according to the actual ice-making requirements of the ice-making machine 100.

[0044] Please refer again Figure 3 , this specification does not limit the number of the first molds 30, and the number of the first molds 30 can be multiple, and the multiple first molds 30 are arranged in parallel on the cooling module 20. The modeling parts 34 of the multiple first molds 30 are connected in sequence, and the modeling cavities 314 of two adjacent modeling parts 34 are connected through a connecting notch 36, and the two adjacent first molding parts 32 are arranged at intervals. As an example, the number of the first molds 30 can be two, and the two first molds 30 are arranged in parallel, and the two first molding parts 32 are spaced from each other. The two modeling parts 34 are connected together, and a connecting notch 36 is opened at the connection between the two. The two modeling cavities 314 are connected through the connecting notch 36. When water is injected, the two first molds 30 can be filled at one time, which improves the ice making efficiency and also improves the uniformity of water in the two first molds 30.

[0045] Correspondingly, the number of the cooling slots 21 of the cooling module 20 is also multiple, and the multiple cooling slots 21 and the multiple first molds 30 are arranged in a one-to-one correspondence, and the multiple cooling slots 21 are arranged at intervals.

[0046] Please also see Figure 1 and Figure 2, there are also multiple second molds 40, and the multiple second molds 40 are arranged in parallel on the mounting frame 10, and the multiple second molds 40 are arranged one by one with the multiple first molds 30. The connecting parts 45 of the multiple second molds 40 are connected in sequence. Specifically in the present embodiment, there are also two second molds 40, and the two second molds 40 are arranged in parallel, and the two connecting parts 45 are connected together. When making ice, the two second molds 40 are respectively embedded in the molding cavity 314 of the corresponding first mold 30 to perform secondary processing on the semi-finished ice, the second molding part 43 and the corresponding first molding part 32 are closed, and the two first molds 30 and the two second molds 40 prepare two spherical ices.

[0047] In this embodiment, the moving module 50 is used to drive the second mold 40 to switch between the first position and the second position, wherein the "first position" can be understood as a position where the second mold 40 is spaced apart from the first mold 30 and does not affect the ice making of the first mold 30 (see Figure 4 The second mold 40 may be spaced apart from the first mold 30, or may be located on one side of the first mold 30, or located at another position of the first mold 30, so as to satisfy the position conditions of spacing and non-interference. The "second position" is understood to be a position where the second mold 40 is embedded in the first mold 30 and the first molding portion 32 and the second molding portion 43 are in conflict with each other (such as Figure 2 That is, when the second mold 40 is in the second position, the first mold 30 and the second mold 40 have been molded together to prepare finished ice.

[0048] The present specification does not limit the specific structure of the mobile module 50. The mobile module 50 may include a driving source such as a motor and a cylinder, and may also include a transmission component such as a gear rack, a screw nut, and the like. In the present embodiment, the mobile module 50 may include a driving motor 52, a screw 54, and a screw nut 56. Among them, the driving motor 52 is connected to the first mounting seat 12, the screw 54 is rotatably connected between the first mounting seat 12 and the second mounting seat 14, and the screw nut 56 is threadedly connected to the screw 54 and can be fixedly connected to the second mold 40. The driving motor 52 drives the screw 54 to rotate relative to the mounting frame 10, the screw nut 56 is connected to the second mold 40, and the second mold 40 is slidably connected to the connecting column 16. The screw nut 56 will not rotate with the screw 54 under the restriction of the second mold 40, and will move along the length direction of the screw 54 under the drive of the screw 54, thereby driving the second mold 40 to move between the first mounting seat 12 and the second mounting seat 14, and realizing the switching between the first position and the second position.

[0049] In order to increase the contact connection area between the second mold 40 and the screw nut 56, in the present embodiment, the second mold 40 may further include a movable connector 47, which is connected to the connecting portion 45. The movable connector 47 includes a horizontal plate 472 and two vertical plates 474, and the horizontal plate 472 is connected to the connecting portion 45. If the number of the second mold 40 is multiple, the horizontal plate 472 is simultaneously connected to multiple connecting portions 45, and the horizontal plate 472 is roughly parallel to the first mounting seat 12. The two vertical plates 474 are respectively connected to the two ends of the horizontal plate 472, and are roughly perpendicular to the horizontal plate 472. For the convenience of connection, the screw 54 is arranged between the two connecting columns 16, which is located at one end of the movable connector 47, and the screw nut 56 can be fixedly connected to one of the vertical plates 474 of the movable connector 47.

[0050] In order to improve the movement stability of the second mold 40, the ice maker 100 may further include an auxiliary part, which is connected between the movable connecting member 47 and the connecting column 16. The present specification does not limit the specific structure of the auxiliary part, and the auxiliary part may be a sliding sleeve structure set on the connecting column 16, or a pulley structure. In this embodiment, the auxiliary part is a guide wheel 58, and the number of guide wheels 58 is set to be multiple, and the number of guide wheels 58 at both ends of the movable connecting member 47 is the same. The guide wheel 58 at one end of the movable connecting member 47 close to the screw rod 54 is used as an example for description. At this end, the number of guide wheels 58 is set to four, and the guide wheels 58 are respectively connected to the four corners of the vertical plate 474, and the guide wheels 58 on both sides of the same side of the screw rod 54 are slidably connected to the corresponding connecting column 16. When the screw rod nut 56 drives the movable connecting member 47 to move relative to the mounting frame 10, the guide wheels 58 and the mounting column are slidably matched.

[0051] The distribution and connection of the guide wheel 58 at the end of the movable connecting member 47 away from the screw rod 54 are the same as described above and will not be repeated here. The guide wheel 58 greatly improves the stability of the second mold 40 moving between the first position and the second position.

[0052] See also Figure 3 In this embodiment, the ice maker 100 may further include a cover 70 and a first driving module 80, and the cover 70 may be movably connected to the mounting frame 10. The first driving module 80 is disposed on the mounting frame 10 and is transmission-connected to the cover 70, and the first driving module 80 is used to drive the cover 70 to move relative to the mounting frame 10 to cover the ice-making space 31 of the first mold 30. When the first mold 30 makes ice, the cover 70 is driven by the first driving module 80 to cover the opening of the first mold 30, thereby improving the cooling efficiency of the first mold 30. When the water in the first mold 30 forms semi-finished ice, the first driving module 80 drives the cover 70 to rotate relative to the mounting frame 10 to expose the ice-making space 31 and the semi-finished ice, so that the second mold 40 can perform secondary processing on them.

[0053] Specifically, the cover body 70 is rotatably connected to one side of the second mounting seat 14. To facilitate the installation of the cover body 70, the second mounting seat 14 may include a mounting plate 141 and a mounting bracket 143. The mounting plate 141 is generally plate-shaped, and the mounting bracket 143 is fixedly connected (for example, by bolts) to one side of the mounting plate 141 facing the first mounting seat 12. The mounting bracket 143 is generally in the shape of a hollow frame, and one side of the cover body 70 is rotatably connected to the mounting bracket 143 through a first rotating shaft 72. The first rotating shaft 72 is rotatably connected to the mounting bracket 143 and is spaced apart from the mounting plate 141. In order to save space, the dimension of the side of the cover body 70 connected to the first rotating shaft 72 along the axial direction of the first rotating shaft 72 is smaller than the dimension of the side of the cover body 70 away from the first rotating shaft 72 along the first rotating shaft 72.

[0054] In this embodiment, this specification does not limit the specific structure of the first driving module 80. For example, the first driving module 80 may include a driving member, a reducer and other structures, wherein the driving member may include a rotating motor, a rotating cylinder and the like. Alternatively, the first driving module 80 may also include a transmission member, and the transmission member may include a gear, a rack transmission combination or a worm gear, a worm transmission combination. In this embodiment, the first driving module 80 may include a rotating motor, which is connected to one side of the mounting bracket 143 and is transmission-connected to the first rotating shaft 72. The first driving module 80 drives the first rotating shaft 72 to rotate relative to the mounting bracket 143, thereby driving the cover body 70 to rotate relative to the mounting bracket 143 to move closer to or away from the opening of the first mold 30.

[0055] During the ice making process, the step of injecting water can be performed before or after the cover 70 is closed. In some embodiments, the cover 70 can be provided with a water injection hole for inserting a water pipe, and after the cover 70 is closed on the first mold 30, water is injected into the first mold 30 through the water injection hole.

[0056] In order to reduce bubbles in the prepared ice, in some embodiments, the ice maker 100 may further include a stirring member 76 and a driving member 78, wherein the driving member 78 is connected to the cover 70, and the stirring member 76 is movably connected to the cover 70 and is transmission-connected to the driving member 78. When the cover 70 is covered on the first mold 30, the stirring member 76 is located in the molding cavity 314, and the driving member 78 is located on the side of the cover 70 away from the molding cavity 314. The driving member 78 can drive the stirring member 76 to move in the molding cavity 314 relative to the first mold 30.

[0057] This specification does not limit the specific structure of the stirring member 76 and the driving member 78. As an example, the stirring member 76 may include a stirring rod and a stirring blade, and the driving member 78 is a rotary motor. The stirring rod is rotatably connected to the cover body 70 and is transmission-connected to the driving member 78, and the stirring blade is connected to the peripheral wall of the stirring rod. The output shaft of the rotary motor is transmission-connected to the stirring rod. When making ice, the cover body 70 covers the first mold 30, the stirring member 76 is located in the molding cavity 314, and then water is injected into the first mold 30 through the water injection hole on the cover body 70. After the water injection is completed, the cooling module 20 starts to cool the first mold 30, and the driving member 78 drives the stirring member 76 to rotate intermittently in the molding cavity 314, and the bubbles in the water are removed from the water along the rotation direction of the stirring member 76. In order to reduce the impact on the ice making efficiency, the stirring speed of the stirring member 76 should not be too fast, and can be adjusted according to the actual ice making situation.

[0058] As the ice-making time continues, the stirring member 76 stops rotating, the water in the first mold 30 condenses into ice, and the ice in the first molding cavity 312 away from the stirring member 76 is more transparent, while the ice around the stirring member 76 is relatively opaque. In order to improve the transparency of the finished ice, the length of the stirring member 76 is set to not touch or slightly touch the area of ​​the ice-making cavity 412 finally formed in the ice-making space 31. Specifically, the position state of the stirring member 76 is described when the cover body 70 is closed. At this time, the stirring member 76 is vertically arranged and is roughly parallel to the screw rod 54. The length dimension of the stirring member 76 is the dimension of the stirring member 76 in the length direction of the screw rod 54. When the stirring member 76 is located in the molding cavity 314, the upper end of the stirring member 76 (the end close to the first mounting seat 12) is roughly flush with the upper end of the molding portion 34. Please refer to Figure 5 The sum of the length dimension h of the stirring member 76 and the inner diameter R of the first molding portion 32 is less than or equal to the depth dimension H of the first mold 30 .

[0059] Before the water in the first mold 30 is completely frozen, the cover 70 rotates to drive the stirring member 76 to leave the molding cavity 314, and the water in the first mold 30 is completely frozen into ice under the action of the cooling module 20. The ice near the position where the stirring member 76 was previously placed is relatively opaque compared to the ice in other parts. The second mold 40 moves from the first position to the second position under the action of the moving module 50. The second mold 40 melts the excess ice in the molding cavity 314 through the first heating member 60, that is, melts the relatively opaque part, which greatly improves the transparency of the final ice product.

[0060] Please refer again Figure 3In other embodiments, the ice maker 100 may further include a second heating element 74, which is disposed on the cover 70. When the cover 70 covers the ice making space 31, the second heating element 74 is located in the molding cavity 314. The second heating element 74 can heat the water in the first mold 30 to remove bubbles in the water. This specification does not limit the specific type of the second heating element 74, and the second heating element 74 can be a heating wire, a heating rod, a heating tube, etc. In this embodiment, the second heating element 74 includes a heating rod.

[0061] In this embodiment, the ice maker 100 may further include a second driving module 90, which is disposed on the mounting frame 10 and is transmission-connected to the first mold 30, and the second driving module 90 is used to drive the first mold 30 to rotate relative to the cooling module 20 to remove ice. Figure 1 After the second mold 40 is molded together with the first mold 30 to complete ice making, the moving module 50 drives the second mold 40 to move from the second position to the first position, and then the second driving module 90 drives the first mold 30 to rotate relative to the mounting frame 10 to pour out the ice ball in the first mold 30 to complete ice removal.

[0062] The first mold 30 can be rotatably connected to the mounting bracket 143 through the second rotating shaft 38, and the second rotating shaft 38 and the first rotating shaft 72 are respectively located on both sides of the cooling module 20. The second driving module 90 is arranged on the mounting bracket 143. The present specification does not limit the specific structure of the second driving module 90. For example, the second driving module 90 may include a driving member, a reducer and other structures, wherein the driving member may include a rotating motor, a rotating cylinder and the like. Alternatively, the second driving module 90 may also include a transmission member, and the transmission member may include a gear, a rack transmission combination or a worm gear, a worm transmission combination. In this embodiment, the second driving module 90 may include a rotating motor, which is connected to one side of the mounting bracket 143 and is transmission-connected to the second rotating shaft 38. The second driving module 90 drives the second rotating shaft 38 to rotate relative to the mounting bracket 143 away from the first rotating shaft 72, thereby driving the first mold 30 to rotate relative to the mounting bracket 143 to dump the finished ice out to complete ice removal.

[0063] In the ice making machine 100 provided in the present application, when the ice making machine 100 is in the initial state, the second mold 40 is located at the first position, and the second mold 40 is spaced from the first mold 30. When in use, water is injected into the ice making space 31 of the first mold 30. After the water injection is completed, the cooling module 20 refrigerates the first mold 30 so that the water in the ice making space 31 condenses into ice. The moving module 50 drives the second mold 40 to move to the second position relative to the mounting frame 10. During the movement, the first heating element 60 is started, the second mold 40 approaches the first mold 30, and the heat of the first heating element 60 melts the ice in the molding cavity 314 that blocks the second mold 40 from entering, so that the second mold 40 smoothly enters the molding cavity 314, until the second molding cavity 41 and the first molding cavity 312 are closed to form the ice making cavity 412 together, and the first heating element 60 is turned off. The ice in the ice making cavity 412 is the final ice made. In this embodiment, the ice making cavity 412 is a spherical cavity, and the ice in the ice making cavity 412 is spherical ice.

[0064] The ice making machine 100 provided in the embodiment of the present application performs secondary molding processing on the ice formed in the first mold 30 through the movable second mold 40 and the first heating element 60 thereon, melts the excess ice, and finally processes the ice with a defined shape after the second molding cavity 41 and the first molding cavity 312 are closed. Not only is the shape standard, but there is no need to ensure the sealing of the mold, and the processing efficiency is high and the cost is low.

[0065] 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 present application. 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.

[0066] Finally, it should be noted that the above embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of the present application, rather than to limit them. Although the present application is described in detail with reference to the above embodiments, a person of ordinary skill in the art should understand that the technical solutions described in the above embodiments can still be modified, or some of the technical features can be replaced by equivalents. However, these modifications or replacements do not drive the essence of the corresponding technical solutions out of the spirit and scope of the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present application.

Claims

1. An ice making machine, characterized in that: include: Mounting frame; A cooling module is arranged on the mounting frame; A first mold is movably disposed on the cooling module, wherein the first mold has an ice-making space, and the ice-making space includes a first molding cavity and a molding cavity that are connected to each other; A second mold, movably connected to the mounting frame, the second mold having a second molding cavity; a moving module, which is arranged on the mounting frame and is transmission-connected to the second mold, and is used to drive the second mold to move to a first position or a second position relative to the mounting frame, and when the second mold is located at the first position, the first mold and the second mold are spaced apart; when the second mold is located at the second position, the second mold is embedded in the molding cavity, and the second molding cavity and the first molding cavity are closed to form an ice-making cavity together; And a first heating element is arranged on the second mold. When the second mold is located at the second position, the second molding cavity is located in the molding cavity, and the first heating element is used to heat the ice in the molding cavity.

2. The ice making machine according to claim 1, characterized in that The ice maker also includes a cover body and a first driving module, wherein the cover body is movably connected to the mounting frame, the first driving module is disposed on the mounting frame and is transmission-connected to the cover body, and the first driving module is used to drive the cover body to move relative to the mounting frame to cover the ice-making space of the first mold.

3. The ice making machine according to claim 2, characterized in that The ice maker also includes a stirring member and a driving member, wherein the driving member is disposed on the cover body, the stirring member is movably disposed on the cover body and is transmission-connected to the driving member, when the cover body covers the ice-making space, the stirring member is located in the molding cavity, and the driving member is used to drive the stirring member to move in the molding cavity relative to the first mold.

4. The ice making machine according to claim 2, characterized in that: The ice maker further comprises a second heating element, which is arranged on the cover body. When the cover body covers the ice making space, the second heating element is located in the shaping cavity.

5. The ice making machine according to claim 1, characterized in that: The first mold includes a first molding part and a modeling part, the first molding part is movably embedded in the cooling module, the first molding cavity is arranged in the first molding part, the modeling part is connected to the first molding part, and the modeling cavity is arranged in the modeling part.

6. The ice making machine according to claim 5, characterized in that The second mold includes a second molding part and a connecting part, the second molding part is arranged in the connecting part, the second molding cavity is arranged in the second molding part, the connecting part is slidably connected to the mounting frame and transmission connected to the moving module, and the first heating element is arranged in the connecting part; when the second mold is located at the second position, the connecting part is at least partially embedded in the shaping part, and the first molding part and the second molding part are abutted and connected to jointly define the ice-making cavity.

7. The ice making machine according to claim 6, characterized in that There are multiple first molds, and the multiple first molds are arranged in parallel on the cooling module. The modeling parts of the multiple first molds are connected in sequence, the modeling cavities of two adjacent modeling parts are connected through a connecting notch, and the two adjacent first molding parts are arranged at intervals.

8. The ice making machine according to claim 7, characterized in that There are multiple second molds, and the multiple second molds are arranged in one-to-one correspondence with the multiple first molds. The multiple second molds are arranged in parallel on the mounting frame, and the connecting parts of the multiple second molds are connected in sequence.

9. The ice making machine according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that: The ice maker further comprises a second driving module, which is arranged on the mounting frame and is transmission-connected to the first mold, and is used for driving the first mold to rotate relative to the cooling module to remove ice.

10. The ice making machine according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that: The mounting frame includes a first mounting seat, a second mounting seat and a connecting column, the first mounting seat and the second mounting seat are arranged relatively spaced apart, and the connecting column is connected between the first mounting seat and the second mounting seat; the cooling module is arranged on the first mounting seat, and the moving module can drive the second mold to move between the first mounting seat and the second mounting seat.

11. The ice making machine according to claim 10, characterized in that The ice maker further comprises a guide wheel connected to the second mold, and when the second mold moves relative to the mounting frame, the guide wheel is slidably matched with the connecting column.

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