Lifting type ice basket structure and ice maker

Abstract

The utility model relates to the technical field of ice makers, in particular to a lifting type ice basket structure, and discloses an ice maker at the same time. Comprising an ice storage basket, an ice outlet and a lifting assembly and further comprises a water tank, the upper end of the water tank is open, the ice storage basket and the water tank are vertically arranged in a paired mode, and the lifting assembly is connected with the ice storage basket in a paired mode; the lifting assembly can support the ice storage basket so that the ice storage basket can be matched with the ice outlet, and the lifting assembly can be compressed so that the ice storage basket can sink into the water tank; according to the lifting type ice basket structure and the ice maker, when ice blocks in the ice storage basket are gradually increased, the ice storage basket can sink into the water tank under the action of gravity, so that the space above the ice storage basket can continuously store the ice blocks, the space of the water tank in the ice maker is effectively utilized, and the ice making and storing quantity is increased.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The utility model relates to the technical field of ice making machines, in particular to a lifting ice basket structure, and also discloses an ice making machine. Background Art

[0002] In the hot summer, people often use ice cubes, which can cool down drinks and bring people a cool and refreshing experience. Common ice cubes are obtained by freezing in a refrigerator using an ice tray, and ice cubes are usually solid. Chinese patent CN216644642U discloses an ice-making module, including an ice bucket, and the ice-making module also includes an ice scraper and an ice squeezer. The ice scraper is arranged in the ice bucket, and the upper end of the ice scraper is connected to the ice squeezer through a shaft sleeve. The ice layer on the inner wall of the ice bucket is scraped into smoothie by the ice scraper, and squeezed out from the ice squeezer into granular ice. The granular ice cubes can be chewed and eaten by people or used to make iced drinks.

[0003] Currently, ice makers on the market are equipped with a water tank and an ice storage basket. The internal layout of the ice maker typically places the ice storage basket above the water tank, pairing it with the ice outlet of the ice making module to store ice cubes. Chinese patent CN116123775A discloses an ice storage device, an ice maker, and a control method. The ice storage device includes an ice storage basket and a lifting unit. The ice storage basket is used to store ice cubes removed from the ice removal tray and is supported at the upper end of the lifting unit. The lifting unit is used to drive the ice storage basket in a vertical direction. The lifting unit includes a lifting platform and a support plate. The support plate is connected above the lifting platform. The ice storage basket is located above the support plate. The lifting platform is used to drive the ice storage basket in the vertical direction.

[0004] The existing technical solution is to place a lifting platform on a water barrier, which is usually referred to as the top plate of the water tank. It serves as the support structure for the lifting platform and the ice storage basket. The lifting platform lifts the support plate so that the ice storage basket is close to the ice cubes that have fallen out of the de-icing tray. As the ice cubes gradually accumulate, the lifting platform can be lowered so that the upper layer of the ice storage basket is always close to the de-icing tray, until the lifting platform between the support plate and the water barrier shrinks to the limit, indicating that the ice cubes are full. In the above-mentioned existing technology, the height difference between the extreme position of the ice storage basket's descending stroke and the de-icing tray corresponds to the volume of the ice storage basket, and the water barrier limits the travel position of the ice storage basket. The volume of the ice storage basket is limited, so that the upper limit of the number of ice cubes that the ice maker can produce in one ice-making cycle is fixed.

[0005] Therefore, the existing technology still needs to be improved and developed. Utility Model Content

[0006] The purpose of the present invention is to address the defects and shortcomings of the existing technology and provide a lifting ice basket structure and an ice maker with a reasonable structure, which utilizes the water tank space and increases the amount of ice stored in a single ice making process.

[0007] In order to achieve the above purpose, the technical solution adopted by the utility model is as follows:

[0008] The utility model discloses a lifting ice basket structure, comprising an ice storage basket, an ice outlet and a lifting assembly, and also comprising a water tank. The upper end of the water tank is open, the ice storage basket and the water tank are arranged in pairs up and down, and the lifting assembly is connected to the ice storage basket in pair. The lifting assembly can support the ice storage basket so that it is arranged in pair with the ice outlet, and the lifting assembly can be compressed to allow the ice storage basket to sink into the water tank.

[0009] The utility model is applied to ice making machines, including squeeze-type ice making machines and ice-cube forming ice making machines. A water tank and an ice storage basket are components of the ice making machine. The ice storage basket is matched with an ice outlet of the ice making machine to receive ice cubes dropped from the ice outlet.

[0010] Specifically, the water tank stores water. When the ice maker starts working, the water in the water tank is gradually turned into ice cubes, which then fall from the ice outlet into the ice storage basket. As the number of ice cubes increases, the weight of the ice storage basket presses the lifting assembly, causing the ice storage basket to gradually sink into the water tank. Because the rate of decrease in the water tank and the rate of increase in the ice cubes in the ice storage basket are roughly the same, the ice storage basket does not contact the water in the water tank.

[0011] Furthermore, after the ice storage basket is full of ice cubes, the ice maker can continue to consume water in the water tank to make ice cubes, and the ice cubes can be accumulated in the space formed after the ice storage basket sinks, so that the ice storage basket can store more ice cubes without increasing the specifications of the ice maker body, thereby increasing the amount of ice made in a single time.

[0012] Of course, the bottom of the ice storage basket can also be set to be airtight, even if the bottom of the ice storage basket sinks into the water tank and contacts the water, it will not affect the ice cubes in the ice storage basket.

[0013] According to the above scheme, the lifting assembly includes two lifting rods and guide sleeves. The two lifting rods are respectively located on either side of the ice storage basket. The guide sleeves are slidably mounted on the lifting rods, and the ice storage basket is mated to the guide sleeves. The lifting rods are provided with springs, the upper ends of which are supported on the guide sleeves. The guide sleeves and the lifting rods are slidably engaged, and the ice storage basket is mated to the lifting rods via the guide sleeves on both sides. The lifting rods can be provided with a support structure for the lower ends of the springs. Of course, the lower ends of the lifting rods and the lower ends of the springs can be mounted on the ice maker. The springs support the empty ice storage basket to rise close to the ice outlet, where ice cubes fall into the ice storage basket for storage. After the ice maker has been operating for a period of time, the full ice storage basket compresses the springs, causing it to sink along the lifting rods. The lower portion of the ice storage basket sinks into the water tank, allowing the space above the ice storage basket to continue to accumulate ice cubes, thereby increasing the ice storage capacity.

[0014] According to the above solution, a stopper is provided at the upper end of the lifting rod, and hooks are provided on both sides of the ice storage basket. The hooks have through-holes that allow them to pass through the stopper and be mounted on the guide sleeve. It is understood that the through-holes in the hooks on both sides of the ice storage basket are larger than the stopper, allowing the hooks to pass through the stopper and be mounted on the guide sleeve. Furthermore, the hooks are detachably connected to the lifting rod, so that when the ice storage basket is full of ice cubes, it can be removed from the ice maker as a whole.

[0015] According to the above solution, the present invention further includes an inner container, wherein the water tank is disposed at the lower portion of the inner cavity of the inner container, and the lower end of the lifting rod is fixedly connected to the inner container; and the ice storage basket is disposed at the upper portion of the inner cavity of the inner container, and the ice storage basket conforms to the inner wall of the inner container so as to be movable up and down along the inner wall. The inner container is used to mount the water tank, ice storage basket, and lifting assembly. In particular, the ice storage basket and the inner cavity of the inner container are adapted to form an adaptable structure, allowing the ice storage basket to slide up and down along the inner container. After the ice storage basket is sunk into the water tank, the inner cavity of the inner container above the ice storage basket can continue to store ice cubes, allowing the ice maker to produce more ice cubes in a single cycle.

[0016] According to the above solution, the inner wall of the liner is provided with a step, and one side of the ice basket is provided with a bent shoulder. When the ice basket is lowered into the water tank, the bent shoulder engages with the step. Once the ice basket is lowered into the water tank, the bent shoulder and the step cooperate to limit the basket's downward travel, preventing excessive compression of the lifting assembly and making it difficult to remove the ice basket. Of course, controlling the ice basket's downward travel and setting a safety threshold for the ice basket's travel are typically used to prevent the ice basket from coming into contact with the water in the water tank.

[0017] According to the above solution, a full ice detector is provided on the inner tank, which includes a transmitter and a receiver. The transmitter and the receiver are respectively arranged on both sides of the upper port of the inner tank and are close to the ice outlet in height. When the ice storage basket and the upper space of the inner tank are full of ice, the full ice detector sends a signal to stop the ice maker from making ice.

[0018] An ice maker includes a housing and a liftable ice basket structure. An ice-making assembly, a compressor, and a water pump are housed within the housing. The water tank, water pump, and ice-making assembly are connected by pipelines, and the compressor is connected to the ice-making assembly via a pipeline. The ice-making assembly includes an evaporator, an ice bucket, an ice-scraping screw, and an extrusion motor. The evaporator is connected to the compressor. The water pump draws water from the water tank and delivers it to the ice bucket. The evaporator cools the water in the ice bucket into ice. The extrusion motor drives the ice-scraping screw to rotate within the ice bucket, squeezing the ice through an ice squeezer at the top of the ice bucket to produce ice cubes of varying shapes. The ice cubes then fall from the ice outlet into the ice storage basket.

[0019] According to the above solution, the housing is provided with a control module, which is connected to the ice-making assembly, the compressor, the water pump, and the ice-full detector via circuits. The control module is used to operate the ice-making assembly, the compressor, and the water pump, and to determine whether to shut down the ice-making assembly based on a signal from the ice-full detector.

[0020] According to the above solution, a movable cover is provided on the shell, the upper end of the shell is provided with an opening, and a movable cover is provided on the opening. The ice cubes in the inner container and the ice storage basket can be taken out by opening the movable cover.

[0021] According to the above solution, a heat-insulating layer is provided between the outer shell and the inner liner, and the heat-insulating layer is used to isolate the heat conduction between the inner liner and the outside, thereby extending the ice storage time in the ice storage basket.

[0022] The utility model provides a lifting ice basket structure and an ice maker. When the ice cubes in the ice storage basket gradually increase, they can sink into the water tank under the action of gravity, so that the space above the ice storage basket can continue to store ice cubes, thereby effectively utilizing the water tank space in the ice maker and increasing the amount of ice made and stored. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0023] Figure 1 It is a schematic diagram of the overall internal structure of the utility model;

[0024] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the disassembled structure of the ice storage basket and lifting assembly of the utility model;

[0025] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the assembly structure of the ice storage basket, water tank and lifting components of the utility model.

[0026] In the picture:

[0027] 1. Ice storage basket; 2. Water tank; 3. Lifting rod; 4. Outer shell; 11. Ice outlet; 12. Bend shoulder; 21. Inner liner; 22. Step; 23. Full ice detector; 24. Insulation layer; 31. Guide sleeve; 32. Spring; 33. Limit head; 41. Ice making assembly; 42. Compressor; 43. Water pump; 44. Control module; 45. Removable cover. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0028] The technical solution of the present utility model is described below with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments.

[0029] like Figure 1-3 As shown, the lifting ice basket structure described in the present invention includes an ice storage basket 1, an ice outlet 11 and a lifting assembly, and also includes a water tank 2. The upper end of the water tank 2 is open, the ice storage basket 1 and the water tank 2 are paired up and down, and the lifting assembly is paired with the ice storage basket 1; the lifting assembly can support the ice storage basket 1 so that it is paired with the ice outlet 11, and the lifting assembly can be compressed so that the ice storage basket 1 sinks into the water tank 2.

[0030] The utility model is applied to ice making machines, including squeeze-type ice making machines and ice cube forming ice making machines. The water tank 2 and the ice storage basket 1 are components of the ice making machine. The ice storage basket 1 is paired with the ice outlet 11 of the ice making machine to receive ice cubes dropped from the ice outlet 11.

[0031] Specifically, water is stored in the water tank 2. When the ice maker begins operating, the water in the water tank 2 is gradually transformed into ice cubes, which then fall from the ice outlet 11 into the ice storage basket 1. As the number of ice cubes increases, the weight of the ice storage basket 1 presses against the lifting assembly, causing the basket 1 to gradually sink into the water tank 2. Because the amount of water in the water tank 2 decreases at a roughly equal rate as the amount of ice cubes in the ice storage basket 1 increases, the ice storage basket 1 does not contact the water in the water tank 2. In other words, compared to the prior art, the present invention cleverly designates an opening in the water tank 2, utilizing the space provided by the water tank 2 as the lowering space for the ice storage basket 1, significantly increasing the ice storage basket 1's ice capacity.

[0032] Furthermore, after the ice storage basket 1 is full of ice cubes, the ice maker can continue to consume the water in the water tank 2 to make ice cubes. The ice cubes can be accumulated in the space formed after the ice storage basket 1 sinks, so that the ice storage basket 1 can store more ice cubes without increasing the specifications of the ice maker body, thereby increasing the amount of ice made in a single time.

[0033] Of course, the bottom of the ice storage basket 1 can also be sealed. Even if the bottom of the ice storage basket 1 sinks into the water tank 2 and contacts the water, it will not affect the ice cubes in the ice storage basket 1.

[0034] The lifting assembly includes two lifting rods 3 and guide sleeves 31. The two lifting rods 3 are located on either side of the ice storage basket 1. The guide sleeves 31 slidably fit over the lifting rods 3, and the ice storage basket 1 is mated with the guide sleeves 31. The lifting rods 3 are equipped with springs 32, the upper ends of which are supported on the guide sleeves 31. The guide sleeves 31 and lifting rods 3 are slidably engaged, and the ice storage basket 1 is mated with the lifting rods 3 via the guide sleeves 31 on either side. The lifting rods 3 can be provided with support structures for the lower ends of the springs 32. The lower ends of the lifting rods 3 and the springs 32 can also be mounted on the ice maker. The springs 32 support the empty ice storage basket 1, raising it to near the ice outlet 11, where ice cubes fall into the ice storage basket 1 for storage. After the ice maker has operated for a period of time, the full ice storage basket 1 compresses the springs 32, causing it to sink along the lifting rods 3. The lower portion of the ice storage basket 1 sinks into the water tank 2, allowing the space above the ice storage basket 1 to continue accumulating ice cubes, thereby increasing the ice storage capacity.

[0035] The upper end of the lifting rod 3 is provided with a stopper 33. Hanging ears are provided on both sides of the ice storage basket 1. These ears have through-holes that allow them to pass through the stopper 33 and be mounted on the guide sleeve 31. It will be appreciated that the through-holes in the hanging ears on both sides of the ice storage basket 1 are larger than the stopper 33, allowing the hanging ears to pass through the stopper 33 and be mounted on the guide sleeve 31. Furthermore, the hanging ears are detachably connected to the lifting rod 3, so that when the ice storage basket 1 is full of ice cubes, it can be removed from the ice maker as a whole.

[0036] The present invention also includes an inner liner 21. The water tank 2 is located at the lower portion of the inner cavity of the inner liner 21, and the lower end of the lifting rod 3 is fixedly connected to the inner liner 21. The ice storage basket 1 is located at the upper portion of the inner cavity of the inner liner 21. The ice storage basket 1 fits against the inner wall of the inner liner 21 and can move up and down along the inner liner 21. The inner liner 21 is used to mount the water tank 2, ice storage basket 1, and lifting assembly. In particular, the ice storage basket 1 and the inner cavity of the inner liner 21 are adapted to form an adaptive structure. The ice storage basket 1 can slide up and down along the inner liner 21. After the ice storage basket 1 sinks into the water tank 2, the inner cavity of the inner liner 21 above the ice storage basket 1 can continue to store ice cubes, allowing the ice maker to produce more ice cubes in a single cycle.

[0037] The inner wall of the inner liner 21 is provided with a step 22, and one side of the ice basket 1 is provided with a bent shoulder 12. When the ice basket 1 is lowered into the water tank 2, the bent shoulder 12 engages with the step 22. Once the ice basket 1 is lowered into the water tank 2, the bent shoulder 12 cooperates with the step 22 to limit the downward travel of the ice basket 1, preventing excessive compression of the lifting assembly and preventing difficulty in removing the ice basket 1. Naturally, controlling the downward travel of the ice basket 1 and setting a travel safety threshold are typically used to prevent the ice basket 1 from coming into contact with the water in the water tank 2.

[0038] The inner tank 21 is provided with an ice full detector 23, which includes a transmitter and a receiver. The transmitter and the receiver are respectively arranged on both sides of the upper end of the inner tank 21 and are close to the ice outlet 11 in height. When the ice storage basket 1 and the upper space of the inner tank 21 are full of ice, the ice full detector 23 sends a signal to stop the ice maker from making ice.

[0039] An ice maker includes a housing 4 and a liftable ice basket structure. An ice-making assembly 41, a compressor 42, and a water pump 43 are housed within the housing 4. A water tank 2, water pump 43, and ice-making assembly 41 are connected via pipelines, and the compressor 42 is connected to the ice-making assembly 41 via a pipeline. The ice-making assembly 41 includes an evaporator, an ice bucket, an ice-scraping screw, and an extrusion motor. The evaporator is connected to the compressor 42. The water pump 43 draws water from the water tank 2 and delivers it to the ice bucket. The evaporator cools the water in the ice bucket into ice smoothie. The extrusion motor drives the ice-scraping screw to rotate within the ice bucket, squeezing the ice smoothie from an ice squeezer at the top of the ice bucket to produce ice cubes of various shapes. The ice cubes then fall from an ice outlet 11 into an ice storage basket 1.

[0040] The housing 4 is provided with a control module 44, which is connected to the ice-making assembly 41, the compressor 42, the water pump 43, and the full ice detector 23 via circuits. The control module 44 is used to operate the ice-making assembly 41, the compressor 42, and the water pump 43, and to determine whether to shut down the ice-making assembly 41, the compressor 42, and the water pump 43 based on a signal from the full ice detector 23.

[0041] The housing 4 is provided with a movable cover 45 . The upper end of the housing 4 is opened, and a movable cover 45 is provided on the opening. The ice cubes in the inner container 21 and the ice storage basket 1 can be taken out by opening the movable cover 45 .

[0042] An insulation layer 24 is provided between the outer shell 4 and the inner liner 21 , and the insulation layer 24 is used to isolate heat conduction between the inner liner 21 and the outside, thereby extending the ice storage time in the ice storage basket 1 .

[0043] The above description is only a preferred embodiment of the present invention. Therefore, any equivalent changes or modifications made according to the structure, features and principles described in the scope of the present invention patent application are included in the scope of the present invention patent application.

Claims

1. A lifting ice basket structure, comprising an ice storage basket (1), an ice outlet (11) and a lifting assembly, characterized in that: It also includes a water tank (2), the upper end of the water tank (2) is open, the ice storage basket (1) and the water tank (2) are arranged in pairs up and down, and the lifting assembly is connected to the ice storage basket (1) in pairs; The lifting assembly can support the ice storage basket (1) so that it is paired with the ice outlet (11). The lifting assembly can be compressed to allow the ice storage basket (1) to sink into the water tank (2).

2. The lifting ice basket structure according to claim 1, characterized in that: The lifting assembly comprises two lifting rods (3) and a guide sleeve (31), wherein the two lifting rods (3) are respectively arranged on both sides of the ice storage basket (1); the guide sleeve (31) is slidably mounted on the lifting rod (3), and the ice storage basket (1) is cooperatively connected to the guide sleeve (31); a spring (32) is provided on the lifting rod (3), and the upper end of the spring (32) is supported on the guide sleeve (31).

3. The lifting ice basket structure according to claim 2, characterized in that: The upper end of the lifting rod (3) is provided with a limit head (33), and both sides of the ice storage basket (1) are provided with hanging ears, which have through holes so that they can pass through the limit head (33) and be hung on the guide sleeve (31).

4. The lifting ice basket structure according to claim 1, characterized in that: The invention also includes an inner liner (21), wherein the water tank (2) is arranged at the lower part of the inner cavity of the inner liner (21), and the lower end of the lifting rod (3) is fixedly connected to the inner liner (21); the ice storage basket (1) is arranged at the upper part of the inner cavity of the inner liner (21), and the ice storage basket (1) is in contact with the inner wall of the inner liner (21) so as to be movable up and down along the inner wall.

5. The lifting ice basket structure according to claim 4, characterized in that: A step (22) is provided on the inner wall of the inner container (21), and a bent shoulder (12) is provided on one side of the ice storage basket (1). When the ice storage basket (1) is sunk into the water tank (2), the bent shoulder (12) can be in contact with the step (22).

6. The lifting ice basket structure according to claim 4, characterized in that: The inner container (21) is provided with an ice full detector (23).

7. An ice making machine, characterized in that: The invention comprises a housing (4) and a lifting ice basket structure according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein an ice-making assembly (41), a compressor (42) and a water pump (43) are arranged in the housing (4); the water tank (2), the water pump (43) and the ice-making assembly (41) are connected via a pipeline, and the compressor (42) is connected to the ice-making assembly (41) via a pipeline.

8. The ice making machine according to claim 7, characterized in that The housing (4) is provided with a control module (44), and the control module (44) is respectively connected to the ice-making assembly (41), the compressor (42), the water pump (43) and the full ice detector (23) through lines.

9. The ice making machine according to claim 7, wherein: A movable cover (45) is provided on the housing (4).

10. The ice making machine according to claim 7, wherein: A heat-insulating layer (24) is provided between the outer shell (4) and the inner container (21).

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