Ice making device and water dispenser

Abstract

The utility model discloses an ice-making device which comprises an ice-making module, an inner container, an ice basket and an ice water box, wherein the ice basket and the ice water box are arranged in the inner container; the ice-making module comprises a cover body, an ice-making box, an evaporator, a compressor and a condenser, a water outlet is formed in the bottom wall of the ice-making box, a plugging piece is installed on the water outlet, the water outlet is opened by the plugging piece through the rotation action of the original ice-making box, and the water outlet and an opening of the ice basket are staggered in the vertical direction, that is, when the water outlet releases ice water, the ice-making box is opened. Ice water can directly fall into the ice water box from the side of the ice basket and cannot enter the ice basket to spray ice blocks, after the ice blocks are made by the ice making module, the ice water can be released firstly, then the ice blocks are poured out, the situation that the ice blocks are sprayed by the ice water is effectively avoided, and then the ice blocks can be stored for a longer time. A water outlet module and the ice making device are arranged in the machine body, a water outlet nozzle assembly of the water outlet module is communicated with an ice water box of the ice making device through a water suction pump, ice water in the ice water box is pumped and released from the water outlet nozzle assembly to be supplied to a user for drinking, and the water dispenser has the ice water function.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The utility model relates to the field of water dispensers, in particular to an ice making device and a water dispenser. Background Art

[0002] Water dispensers are common household drinking water appliances, but traditional ones only have the function of dispensing water by heating or cooling it. In the prior art, there are water dispensers with ice-making functions, such as those disclosed in prior patent CN101949688B. An ice-making module produces ice cubes and ice water. The ice cubes are poured onto a receiving platform through a dumping structure and slide into an ice basket below. The ice water then falls along the receiving platform into an ice water chamber below. After the ice basket receives the ice cubes, some of the ice water also falls through the ice basket's water leakage hole into the ice water chamber below. The ice water chamber stores the ice water for further ice making or supplying to people.

[0003] However, when the ice making module makes ice water again, the ice water will be poured onto the ice cubes in the ice basket, accelerating the melting of the ice cubes and shortening the storage time of the ice cubes. Summary of the Invention

[0004] In order to overcome the deficiencies of the prior art, the utility model provides an ice making device and a water dispenser.

[0005] The technical solution adopted by the utility model to solve its technical problems is:

[0006] An ice-making device comprises a control unit, an ice-making module, and an inner tank, wherein the ice-making module comprises an ice-making box, an evaporator, a compressor, and a condenser; the working end of the evaporator extends into the ice-making box; the ice-making box and the evaporator are arranged at the top of the inner cavity of the inner tank; the two ends of the ice-making box are rotatably connected to the wall surfaces on opposite sides of the inner tank, and a motor is provided on the outer side of the inner tank to drive and connect one end of the ice-making box; an ice basket and an ice water box are also installed in the inner tank; the ice basket and the ice water box are arranged up and down and placed in the inner tank below the ice-making box, the ice water box is connected to the input end of the ice-making water pump, and the output end of the ice-making water pump is connected to the ice-making box; a drain outlet is provided on the bottom wall of the ice-making box, and the drain outlet and the opening of the ice basket are staggered in the vertical direction. The ice box is in the first position, and the blocking member is away from the protrusion and continuously closes the drain outlet. When the ice box is in the second position, the ice box is tilted so that the protruding end of the blocking member abuts and cooperates with the protrusion on the side wall of the inner tank, and the blocking member is pushed open to allow the drain outlet to drain, and water falls directly from the side of the ice basket into the ice water box below. When the ice box is in the third position, the ice box flips over and pours the ice cubes made therein into the ice basket.

[0007] The blocking member is sealed by a spring, and includes a valve stem inserted into the drain outlet and a plug and a locking portion at both ends of the valve stem, the plug being located on the inner side of the ice box, and the locking portion being located on the outer side of the ice box to form a protruding end, and a spring clip being provided on the valve stem and arranged between the locking portion and the outer wall of the ice box, and the plug is pressed against the inner wall of the ice box by the torque of the spring to block the drain outlet, and when the ice box is rotated to the second position, the protrusion abuts and cooperates with the locking portion, pushing the locking portion to overcome the torque of the spring and cause the plug to leave the inner wall of the ice box, thereby connecting the drain outlet.

[0008] The protrusion is an abutting boss protruding from the inner wall of the inner container; the periphery of the abutting boss is inclined to form a slope and smoothly engage with the inner wall of the inner container.

[0009] The outer wall of the inner container is provided with a limit switch according to the first position, the second position and the third position, and the rotating end of the ice making box is connected with a triggering member for triggering the limit switch.

[0010] The top of the side wall of the ice making box is also provided with an overflow port, and the overflow port and the opening of the ice basket below the ice making box are staggered in the vertical direction.

[0011] The overflow port is formed by a drainage groove extending outward from the top of the side wall of the ice making box. Both side walls of the drainage groove are connected to the side wall of the ice making box, and the bottom wall of the drainage groove is inclined outward.

[0012] The inner tank is divided into a first installation cavity located on the upper layer and a second installation cavity located on the lower layer by a partition. The ice basket is installed in the first installation cavity, and the ice water box is installed in the second installation cavity. A drain is provided on the partition. The ice water made by the ice making module falls into the first installation cavity and then leaks into the ice water box below through the drain.

[0013] The drain outlet is close to the back side of the inner tank, and a water diversion slope is formed on the portion of the top surface of the partition located on the back side of the inner tank, and the water diversion slope is inclined toward the drain outlet.

[0014] A water dispenser includes a body, in which a water outlet module and the above-mentioned ice-making device are arranged. The water outlet module includes a water pump and a water outlet nozzle assembly. The water outlet nozzle assembly extracts ice water from an ice water box of the ice-making device through the water pump.

[0015] A water tank is also arranged on the fuselage, and the water tank supplies water to the water outlet module and the ice water box of the ice making device.

[0016] The beneficial effects of the present invention are as follows: the ice making box of the present invention has a drain port for releasing ice water separately, the drain port is controlled and connected by a blocking member, the drain port and the opening of the ice basket are staggered in the vertical direction, that is, when the drain port releases ice water, the ice water will directly fall into the ice water box from the side of the ice basket, and will not enter the ice basket and splash the ice cubes; and after the ice making module makes ice cubes, the ice making box will first pass through the second position to release the ice water during the driving rotation of the motor, and then reach the third position to dump the ice cubes into the ice basket, effectively avoiding The ice water splashes onto the ice cubes, thereby allowing the ice cubes to have a longer storage time, and the opening of the blocking piece is achieved by utilizing the original rotation of the ice box, without the need for an additional related driving structure. At the same time, after the blocking piece is opened, the ice water in the ice box directly falls into the ice water box under the action of gravity, and there is no need to arrange an additional drainage pipe in the inner tank. Compared with the electric control opening method, this solution does not require the arrangement of circuits in the inner tank, is more reliable in low temperature and humid environments, and makes the structural layout of the inner tank simpler. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0017] The present invention will be further described below with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments.

[0018] Figure 1 It is a structural diagram of the utility model water dispenser;

[0019] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the disassembled internal structure of the utility model water dispenser;

[0020] Figure 3 yes Figure 2 Schematic diagram of splitting from another perspective;

[0021] Figure 4 It is a cross-sectional view of the ice-making device of the utility model;

[0022] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the back of the inner liner of the utility model

[0023] Figure 6 yes Figure 4 Enlarged view of point B in FIG.

[0024] Figure 7 yes Figure 2 Further splitting diagram at A in ;

[0025] Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of the disassembly of the ice making box of the utility model;

[0026] Figure 9 This is a schematic diagram of the ice making box of the utility model in the first position;

[0027] Figure 10 It is a schematic diagram of the ice making box of the utility model in the second position;

[0028] Figure 11 This is a schematic diagram of the ice making box of the utility model in the third position;

[0029] Figure 12 It is a disassembled schematic diagram of the utility model water dispenser. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0030] Reference Figures 1 to 12 A water dispenser has ice making and water discharging functions, can release drinking water for users to drink and can make ice cubes for users to use, and includes a body 1 and an ice making device and a water discharging module 4 arranged in the body 1.

[0031] In this embodiment, the ice-making device includes an ice-making module 3 , an inner container 5 , and an ice basket 6 and an ice water box 7 arranged in the inner container 5 .

[0032] The ice-making module 3 includes an ice-making box 32, an evaporator 33, a compressor 34, and a condenser 35. The evaporator 33, the compressor 34, and the condenser 35 form a refrigeration cycle pipeline through a capillary copper tube. An ice-removing pipeline is also connected in parallel to the capillary copper tube between the compressor 34 and the evaporator 33 on the refrigeration cycle pipeline. The working end of the evaporator 33 extends into the ice-making box 32. In this embodiment, the working end of the evaporator 33 is a plurality of ice condensation columns arranged vertically on the evaporator tube and extending into the ice-making box 32.

[0033] The ice box 32 and the evaporator 33 are placed at the top of the inner cavity of the inner tank 5; the ice basket 6 and the ice water box 7 are placed in the inner tank 5 in an upper and lower arrangement and are located below the ice box 32. The two ends of the ice box 32 are rotatably connected to the walls on opposite sides of the inner tank 5. A motor 8 is provided on the outside of the inner tank 5 to drive and connect one end of the ice box 32.

[0034] The ice water box 7 is connected to the input end of the ice making water pump 38 , and the output end of the ice making water pump 38 is connected to the ice making box 32 through a pipe 39 ; the ice water box 7 stores water for making ice, which can be extracted and transported to the ice making box 32 by the ice making water pump 38 .

[0035] A drain port 321 is provided on the bottom wall of the ice making box 32 , and the drain port 321 is staggered with the opening of the ice basket 6 in the vertical direction. A blocking member 9 is installed on the drain port 321 , and the drain port 321 is blocked by the blocking member 9 under normal conditions.

[0036] The blocking member 9 is provided with a protruding end, and the side wall of the inner tank 5 is provided with a protrusion, which can abut and cooperate with the protruding end. The protrusion pushes the protruding end to push the blocking member 9 open, and the drain outlet is opened for drainage.

[0037] The abutment between the protruding end of the blocking member 9 and the protrusion is achieved by utilizing the original rotational action of the ice box 32, and there is no need to set up a related driving structure. At the same time, after the blocking member is opened, the ice water in the ice box falls directly into the ice water box under the action of gravity, and there is no need to arrange an additional drainage pipe in the inner tank. Compared with the electronically controlled opening method, this solution does not require the arrangement of circuits in the inner tank, is more reliable in low temperature and humid environments, and makes the structural layout of the inner tank simpler.

[0038] The ice box 32 has a first position, a second position and a third position, and can be sequentially moved from the first position to the second and third positions under the drive of the motor 8; when the ice box 32 is in the first position, the blocking member 9 is away from the protrusion, continuously closing the drain outlet; when the ice box 32 is in the second position, the ice box 32 is tilted so that the protruding end of the blocking member 9 abuts against the protrusion of the side wall of the inner tank 5, and the blocking member is pushed open to allow the drain outlet to drain, and water falls directly from the side of the ice basket 6 into the ice water box 7 below; when the ice box 32 is in the third position, the ice box 32 is flipped over to pour the ice cubes made therein into the ice basket 6.

[0039] When making ice, first start the ice making water pump 38 to pump water from the ice water box 7 into the ice making box 32. At this time, the ice making box 32 is in the first position, and the drain outlet 321 is blocked by the blocking member 9, so that the ice making box 32 can quickly reach the working water level and not pass through the working end of the evaporator 33. Then, start the refrigeration cycle pipeline to make the working end of the evaporator 33 cool the water in the ice making box 32 and condense a layer of ice crystals on the working end. At this time, the device can determine whether to rotate the ice making box 32 to the second position according to the program selected by the user. If the user selects fast ice making, the ice making box 32 remains in the first position and continues to To continue making ice, if the user chooses normal ice making to obtain translucent ice cubes, the ice box 32 rotates to the second position, the protruding end of the blocking member 9 tilts so that the protruding end of the blocking member 9 abuts against the protrusion, the blocking member 9 is pushed open to allow drainage of the water outlet 321, and the ice-making water pump 38 adjusts its power so that the water injection flow rate is consistent with the flow rate of the water outlet 321. At this time, a flowing water flow is formed in the ice box 32, which continuously flushes out the bubbles adhering to the newly formed ice crystal layer and removes the bubbles adhering to the ice crystal layer, thereby eliminating the influence of bubbles as much as possible during the ice forming process, and finally accumulating into crystal clear ice cubes.

[0040] After the ice cubes are formed, the ice making water pump 38 is turned off, and the ice making box 32 rotates to the second position (if the ice making box 32 is already in the second position, it remains in the second position). The drain port 321 releases the ice water and drops it back into the ice water box 7. The ice removal pipeline is activated to slightly heat the working end of the evaporator 33, melting the part of the ice cube that contacts the working end, and then the ice cube is removed from the working end.

[0041] After the ice water in the ice box 32 has been drained from the drain port 321, the motor 8 drives the ice box 32 to rotate to the third position, and the ice box 32 flips over to pour the ice cubes into the ice basket 6 for storage. Since the ice water in the ice box 32 has been drained, when the ice cubes are poured out, no ice water is poured onto the ice cubes in the ice basket 6. This prevents the ice water from spilling onto the ice cubes and accelerating their melting, allowing the ice cubes to be stored for a longer time. Furthermore, since the drain port 321 and the opening of the ice basket 6 are staggered in the vertical direction, that is, when the drain port 321 releases ice water, the ice water will fall directly from the side of the ice basket 6 into the ice water box 7 and will not enter the ice basket 6 and spill onto the ice cubes.

[0042] In this embodiment, the inner tank 5 is divided into a first installation cavity 51 located on the upper layer and a second installation cavity 52 located on the lower layer by a partition 53. An ice basket 6 is installed in the first installation cavity 51, and an ice water box 7 is installed in the second installation cavity 52. ​​The ice basket 6 can be taken out from the first installation cavity 51 for users to take ice cubes and use, and the ice water box 7 can be taken out from the second installation cavity 52 for cleaning or use separately. Specifically, a docking joint 71 is provided at the bottom of the ice water box 7, and a docking seat 56 is provided in the second installation cavity 52 for the docking joint 71 to be inserted into and connected to realize water connection between the ice water box 7 and the ice making module 3. The docking seat 56 is connected to the input end of the ice making water pump 38, and a temperature probe serving as a temperature measuring unit is sealed and pierced through the inner cavity wall of the docking seat 56. A drain port 54 is provided on the partition 53. The top of the first installation cavity 51 is open, allowing ice cubes made by the ice-making module 3 to be poured into the ice basket 6, while the ice water made by the ice-making module 3 falls into the first installation cavity 51 and then leaks into the ice water box 7 below through the drain port 54. Furthermore, to make it easier for the ice water falling from the drain port 321 to reach the drain port 54 and leak below, the drain port 321 is arranged toward the back of the inner liner 5. The portion of the partition top surface located on the back of the inner liner 5 is formed with a water diversion slope 531. The water diversion slope 531 is inclined toward the drain port 54. The ice water falling from the drain port 321 first falls on the water diversion slope 531 and is then quickly guided to the drain port 54 and falls into the ice water box 7 below.

[0043] Since the water in the ice water box 7 is at a lower temperature after making ice cubes, the efficiency of ice making can be accelerated when used to make ice cubes, and the ice water in the ice water box 7 can also be drunk by people.

[0044] In this embodiment, the water outlet module 4 includes a water pump 41 and a water outlet nozzle assembly 42. The water outlet nozzle assembly 42 is connected to the ice water box 7 of the ice making device through the water pump 41. The water pump 41 can extract the ice water in the ice water box 7 and release it from the water outlet nozzle assembly 42 for the user to drink, so that the water dispenser has an ice water function.

[0045] In this embodiment, the sealing member 9 is spring-loaded and includes a valve stem 91 extending through the drain outlet 321, a plug 92, and a latch 93 at each end of the valve stem 91. The plug 92 is located inside the ice box 32, while the latch 93 is located outside the ice box 32. A spring 94 is sleeved around the valve stem 91 and clamped between the latch 93 and the outer wall of the ice box 32. Under normal conditions, the plug 92 is pressed against the inner wall of the ice box 32 by the torque of the spring 94, blocking the drain outlet 321. When the ice box 32 is rotated to the second position, the protrusion engages the latch 93, pushing the latch 93 away from the inner wall of the ice box 32, overcoming the torque of the spring 94 and allowing the plug 92 to separate from the inner wall of the ice box 32, thereby opening the drain outlet 321.

[0046] In this embodiment, an overflow port 323 is also provided at the top of the side wall of the ice tray 32. This overflow port 323 is designed to direct overflowing water through the overflow port 323 when the ice tray 32 is about to overflow, preventing water from spilling over the edge of the ice tray 32 and onto the ice cubes in the ice basket below. The overflow port 323 is vertically staggered with the opening of the ice basket 6 below the ice tray 32. This means that water discharged through the overflow port 323 will fall directly into the ice water tray, away from the ice basket, without entering the ice basket and spilling onto the ice cubes. Specifically, the overflow port 323 is formed by a drainage trough extending outward from the top of the side wall of the ice tray 32. The side walls of the drainage trough are joined to the side walls of the ice tray 32, and the bottom wall of the drainage trough is inclined outward. This inclined bottom wall accelerates the drainage of the overflow port 323, allowing overflow water to be completely discharged through the overflow port 323.

[0047] In this embodiment, the protrusion is an abutment boss 55 protruding from the inner wall of the inner tank 5; in order to make it easier for the sealing member 9 to cooperate and abut with the abutment boss 55 during the tilting process of the ice box 32, the periphery of the abutment boss 55 is inclined to form a slope and smoothly engage with the inner wall of the inner tank 5. The sloped periphery reduces the hard contact between the locking portion 93 of the sealing member 9 and the abutment boss 55 when interfering, making it easier for the locking portion 93 to be pushed by the abutment boss 55 to cause the sealing member 9 to open the drain outlet 321.

[0048] In this embodiment, limit switches are provided on the outer wall of the cover 31 for the first, second, and third positions. A trigger member 322 is connected to the rotating end of the ice box 32 to trigger the limit switches. The limit switches control the rotation angle of the ice box 32 by the motor 8, thereby precisely reaching the first, second, and third positions. Furthermore, the motor 8 is a stepper motor that can precisely control the rotation angle of the ice box 32.

[0049] In this embodiment, the water outlet module 4 can also be connected to another water source for drinking water, such as Figure 1 As shown, the body 1 is also equipped with a water tank 2. A water outlet module 4 is connected to the water tank 2 via a second water pump, extracting room-temperature water from the water tank 2 for drinking. The water outlet module 4 can even be equipped with a heating module to heat the room-temperature water extracted from the water tank 2, providing warm or hot water for drinking. The water tank 2 is also connected to the docking station 56 of the inner tank 5 via a solenoid valve, and then to the ice water box 7, which can be replenished with water to replenish the water consumed for ice making or drinking.

Claims

1. An ice-making device, comprising a control unit, an ice-making module (3), and an inner container (5); the ice-making module (3) comprises an ice-making box (32), an evaporator (33), a compressor (34), and a condenser (35); a working end of the evaporator (33) extends into the ice-making box (32); the ice-making box (32) and the evaporator (33) are arranged at the top of the inner cavity of the inner container (5); two ends of the ice-making box (32) are rotatably connected to the wall surfaces of the inner container (5) on opposite sides, and a motor (8) is provided on the outer side of the inner container (5) to drive and connect one end of the ice-making box (32); Its characteristics are: An ice basket (6) and an ice water box (7) are also installed in the inner container (5); the ice basket (6) and the ice water box (7) are arranged vertically and placed in the inner container (5) below the ice making box (32); the ice water box (7) is connected to the input end of the ice making water pump (38), and the output end of the ice making water pump (38) is connected to the ice making box (32); A drain outlet (321) is provided on the bottom wall of the ice making box (32), the drain outlet (321) and the opening of the ice basket (6) are staggered in the vertical direction, a blocking member (9) is installed on the drain outlet (321), and the drain outlet (321) is blocked by the blocking member (9) under normal conditions; The blocking member (9) is provided with a protruding end, and the side wall of the inner tank (5) is provided with a protrusion that abuts against the protruding end. The ice box (32) has a first position, a second position and a third position, and can be rotated from the first position to the second and third positions in sequence under the drive of the motor (8); when the ice box (32) is in the first position, the blocking member (9) is away from the protrusion and continuously closes the drain port; when the ice box (32) is in the second position, the ice box (32) is tilted so that the protruding end of the blocking member (9) abuts against the protrusion of the side wall of the inner tank (5), and the blocking member is pushed open to allow the drain port to drain, and water falls directly from the side of the ice basket (6) into the ice water box (7) below; when the ice box (32) is in the third position, the ice box (32) is turned over to pour the ice cubes made therein into the ice basket (6).

2. The ice-making device according to claim 1, wherein: The blocking member (9) is blocked by a spring, and comprises a valve stem (91) which is inserted into the drain port (321) and a plug (92) and a stopper (93) located at both ends of the valve stem (91). The plug (92) is located inside the ice box (32), and the stopper (93) is located outside the ice box (32) to form a protruding end. A spring (94) is also sleeved on the valve stem (91) and clamped between the stopper (93) and the outer wall of the ice box (32). The plug (92) is pressed against the inner wall of the ice box (32) by the torque of the spring (94) to block the drain port (321). When the ice box (32) rotates to the second position, the protrusion contacts and cooperates with the stopper (93), pushing the stopper (93) to overcome the torque of the spring (94) so ​​that the plug (92) leaves the inner wall of the ice box (32), thereby connecting the drain port (321).

3. The ice making device according to claim 2, wherein: The protrusion is an abutting boss (55) protruding from the inner wall of the inner container (5); the abutting boss (55) is inclined along its periphery to form a slope and smoothly engages with the inner wall of the inner container (5).

4. The ice making device according to claim 1, wherein: The outer wall of the inner container (5) is provided with a limit switch according to the first position, the second position and the third position, and the rotating end of the ice box (32) is connected to a triggering member (322) for triggering the limit switch.

5. The ice making device according to claim 1, wherein: The top of the side wall of the ice making box (32) is also provided with an overflow port (323), and the overflow port (323) and the opening of the ice basket (6) below the ice making box (32) are staggered in the vertical direction.

6. The ice making device according to claim 5, characterized in that: The overflow port (323) is formed by a drainage groove extending outward from the top of the side wall of the ice making box (32), the two side walls of the drainage groove are connected to the side wall of the ice making box (32), and the bottom wall of the drainage groove is inclined outward.

7. The ice-making device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The inner container (5) is divided into a first installation cavity (51) located at the upper layer and a second installation cavity (52) located at the lower layer by a partition (53); the ice basket (6) is installed in the first installation cavity (51), and the ice water box (7) is installed in the second installation cavity (52); a water outlet (54) is provided on the partition (53); ice water produced by the ice making module (3) falls into the first installation cavity (51) and then leaks into the ice water box (7) below through the water outlet (54).

8. The ice-making device according to claim 7, characterized in that: The drain outlet (321) is close to the back side of the inner container (5), and the portion of the top surface of the partition (53) located on the back side of the inner container (5) is formed with a water diversion slope (531), and the water diversion slope (531) is inclined toward the drain outlet (54).

9. A water dispenser, comprising a body (1), characterized in that: A water outlet module (4) and an ice-making device according to any one of claims 1 to 8 are arranged in the body (1); the water outlet module (4) comprises a water pump (41) and a water outlet nozzle assembly (42); the water outlet nozzle assembly (42) extracts ice water from an ice water box (7) of the ice-making device through the water pump (41).

10. The water dispenser according to claim 9, characterized in that: A water tank (2) is also mounted on the body (1), and the water tank (2) supplies water to the water outlet module (4) and the ice water box (7) of the ice making device.

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