Ice maker

Abstract

The ice maker comprises an ice bucket, a heating assembly and a conveying mechanism, a water outlet is formed in the bottom of the ice bucket, and the heating assembly communicates with the ice bucket through the conveying mechanism. The heating assembly is used for heating the deicing fluid, and the conveying mechanism is configured to be capable of conveying the deicing fluid into the ice bucket from the heating assembly. According to the ice maker, the heating assembly can generate hot water, the obtained hot water enters the ice bucket through the conveying mechanism, and residual ice blocks in the ice bucket are poured and mixed with the ice blocks, so that melting of the ice blocks is promoted. Therefore, the ice blocks become water with flowability after being melted, and the water is discharged from the water outlet opened at the bottom of the ice bucket, so that the residual ice blocks in the ice bucket are automatically cleaned.

Description

Technical Field

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

[0002] In the related art, the contactless ice maker has an ice stirring and discharging structure due to its internal structure, and can automatically take ice as needed, making it easy for users to obtain it.

[0003] However, while these ice makers offer convenience, they also have a drawback. Most contactless ice makers are not user-accessible, making it difficult for users to access the interior. Even for models that are user-accessible, the height of the ice maker makes it difficult to operate. Consequently, unchurned ice cubes often remain in the ice bucket, making it difficult to clean any unwanted ice. Utility Model Content

[0004] Based on this, it is necessary to provide an ice maker that is convenient for cleaning residual ice cubes in order to solve the above problems.

[0005] An ice making machine, comprising:

[0006] An ice bucket having an openable and closable drain port at the bottom;

[0007] A heating component and a conveying mechanism, wherein the heating component is connected to the ice bucket through the conveying mechanism; the heating component is used to heat the ice-melting fluid, and the conveying mechanism is configured to be able to convey the ice-melting fluid from the heating component to the ice bucket.

[0008] In one embodiment, the ice maker further includes an ice stirring mechanism, which is disposed in the ice bucket; the ice stirring mechanism has a flow channel therein, and a water outlet hole on the surface thereof connected to the flow channel, and the heating component is connected to the flow channel through the conveying mechanism.

[0009] In one embodiment, the ice-stirring mechanism includes a rotating joint, an ice-stirring shaft and an ice-stirring stick, the rotating joint is connected to the conveying mechanism, the ice-stirring shaft can be rotatably connected around its own axis and connected to the rotating joint; the ice-stirring shaft and the ice-stirring stick have flow channels that are interconnected, the ice-stirring stick is connected to the ice-stirring shaft and is located on the circumferential side of the ice-stirring shaft, and the water outlet is at least located on the surface of the ice-stirring stick.

[0010] In one embodiment, the ice-mixing mechanism further includes an ice-mixing motor, which is transmission-connected to the ice-mixing shaft, and is a forward-reversing motor; and / or, the ice-mixing mechanism further includes an ice-rotating tray, which has an ice-picking blade, and the ice-picking blade has an arc-shaped guide surface inclined toward the inside of the ice bucket.

[0011] In one embodiment, the heating assembly includes a heating tank, the heating tank being used to contain the de-icing fluid;

[0012] The heating assembly further includes an electric heating element, which is disposed in the heating tank; and / or the ice maker further includes an ice-making compressor, and the heating assembly further includes an exhaust pipe, which is connected to the exhaust port of the ice-making compressor and is at least partially disposed in the heating tank.

[0013] In one embodiment, the heating assembly further includes a temperature detecting member, which is disposed in the heating tank and is used to detect the temperature of the deicing fluid in the heating tank.

[0014] In one embodiment, the heating assembly further includes a liquid level detection member, which is provided in the heating tank and is used to detect the liquid level of the de-icing fluid in the heating tank;

[0015] And / or, the top of the heating tank has a water inlet, and the bottom has a water outlet.

[0016] In one embodiment, the ice maker further includes a water inlet assembly, the water inlet assembly including a main water inlet pipe, a first water inlet pipe, and a second water inlet pipe, the main water inlet pipe being used to connect to an external water source, the first water inlet pipe connecting the main water inlet pipe and the ice bucket, and the second water inlet pipe connecting the main water inlet pipe and the heating tank;

[0017] The water inlet assembly also includes an electromagnetic three-way valve, and the first water inlet pipe and the second water inlet pipe are connected to the main water inlet pipe through the electromagnetic three-way valve; and / or, the water inlet assembly also includes a water inlet valve, which is arranged on the main water inlet pipe and is configured to control the on and off of the main water inlet pipe.

[0018] In one embodiment, the delivery mechanism includes a delivery pipeline and a delivery pump, the delivery pipeline connects the ice bucket and the heating component, the delivery pump is arranged in the delivery pipeline and is configured to provide power to deliver the ice-melting fluid from the heating component to the ice bucket.

[0019] In one embodiment, the ice maker further includes an ice cube detector, which is disposed in the ice bucket and is used to detect the amount of ice in the ice bucket.

[0020] The ice maker's heating assembly generates hot water, which is then pumped into the ice bucket via a conveyor mechanism. The hot water then flows over the remaining ice cubes and mixes with them, thereby promoting their melting. The melted ice then becomes fluid water, which is then drained from a drain port at the bottom of the ice bucket, automatically clearing the remaining ice cubes from the ice bucket. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0021] In order to more clearly illustrate the embodiments of the present application or the technical solutions in the prior art, the following briefly introduces the drawings required for use in the embodiments or the description of the prior art. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of the present application. For ordinary technicians in this field, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without paying any creative work.

[0022] Figure 1 Schematic diagram of the structure of an ice maker in one embodiment of the present application.

[0023] Figure 2 for Figure 1 Another perspective structural diagram of the ice maker is shown.

[0024] Figure 3 for Figure 1 The partial cross-sectional structural diagram of the ice maker shown.

[0025] Figure 4 for Figure 1 The schematic diagram of the partial cross-section structure of the heating component in the ice maker is shown.

[0026] Figure 5 for Figure 1 The schematic diagram of the working process of the ice maker shown is shown in FIG.

[0027] Explanation of Reference Numerals: 100, ice maker; 11, ice bucket; 12, drain pipe; 20, heating assembly; 21, heating tank; 211, water inlet; 212, water outlet; 213, drain pipe; 22, electric heating element; 23, exhaust pipe; 24, temperature detection element; 25, liquid level detection element; 26, bracket; 30, conveying mechanism; 31, conveying pipeline; 311, first water outlet; 312, second water outlet 32. Delivery pump; 51. Base; 52. Bottom plate; 53. Partition; 60. Ice-making compressor; 70. Ice-stirring mechanism; 71. Water outlet; 72. Rotating joint; 73. Ice-stirring shaft; 74. Ice-stirring stick; 75. Rotating ice tray; 751. Ice-removing blade; 81. Main water inlet pipe; 82. First water inlet pipe; 83. Second water inlet pipe; 84. Solenoid three-way valve; 85. Water inlet valve; 91. Ice detection unit; 92. Ice retaining plate. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0028] To make the above-mentioned objects, features, and advantages of the present application more clearly understood, the specific embodiments of the present application are described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. The following description sets forth many specific details to facilitate a full understanding of the present application. However, the present application can be implemented in many other ways than those described herein, and those skilled in the art can make similar improvements without violating the scope of the present application. Therefore, the present application is not limited to the specific embodiments disclosed below.

[0029] In the description of this application, it should be understood that if the terms "center", "longitudinal", "lateral", "length", "width", "thickness", "up", "down", "front", "back", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", "inside", "outside", "clockwise", "counterclockwise", "axial", "radial", "circumferential", etc. appear, the orientation or position relationship indicated by these terms is based on the orientation or position relationship shown in the accompanying drawings, which is only for the convenience of describing and simplifying the description of this application, and does not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore cannot be understood as a limitation on this application.

[0030] In addition, if the term "and / or" appears, "and / or" is merely a way to describe the association relationship between associated objects, and indicates that there may be three relationships, for example, A and / or B can represent the association relationship between A and B: A exists alone, A and B exist at the same time, and B exists alone. In addition, the character " / " in this article generally indicates that there is an "or" relationship between the associated objects before and after it. If the terms "first" and "second" appear, these terms are only used for descriptive purposes and cannot be understood as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly indicating the number of technical features indicated. Therefore, the features defined as "first" and "second" may explicitly or implicitly include at least one of the features. In the description of this application, if the term "multiple" appears, the meaning of "multiple" is at least two, such as two, three, four, five, etc., unless otherwise clearly and specifically defined.

[0031] In this application, unless otherwise specified or limited, the terms "mounted," "connected," "connected," "fixed," etc., should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to fixed connections, removable connections, or integration; mechanical connections, electrical connections; direct connections, indirect connections through an intermediary, and internal communication between two components or interaction between two components, unless otherwise specified. Those skilled in the art will understand the specific meanings of these terms in this application based on the specific circumstances.

[0032] In this application, unless otherwise expressly specified or limited, if a first feature is described as being "above" or "below" a second feature, or similar descriptions, this may mean that the first and second features are in direct contact, or that the first and second features are in indirect contact through an intermediate medium. Furthermore, when a first feature is described as being "above," "above," or "above" a second feature, it may mean that the first feature is directly above or diagonally above the second feature, or simply means that the first feature is at a higher level than the second feature. When a first feature is described as being "below," "below," or "below" a second feature, it may mean that the first feature is directly below or diagonally below the second feature, or simply means that the first feature is at a lower level than the second feature.

[0033] It should be noted that if an element is referred to as being "fixed to" or "disposed on" another element, it may be directly on the other element or there may be an intermediate element. If an element is considered to be "connected to" another element, it may be directly connected to the other element or there may be an intermediate element. If any, the terms "vertical", "horizontal", "upper", "lower", "left", "right" and similar expressions used in this application are for illustrative purposes only and do not represent the only embodiment.

[0034] Please also refer to Figures 1 to 4 An ice maker 100 provided in one embodiment of the present application includes an ice bucket 11, a heating assembly 20, and a conveying mechanism 30. The ice bucket 11 has a drain port (not shown) at its bottom, and the heating assembly 20 is connected to the ice bucket 11 via the conveying mechanism 30. The heating assembly 20 is used to heat a de-icing fluid, and the conveying mechanism 30 is configured to convey the de-icing fluid from the heating assembly 20 to the ice bucket 11.

[0035] As will be understood, to achieve its normal function, the ice maker 100 may also include a base 51, an ice compressor 60, an ice stirring mechanism 70, etc. The base 51 serves as the overall framework of the ice maker 100, and the ice bucket 11, heating assembly 20, and ice compressor 60 are all mounted on the base 51. Ice cubes are produced in the ice bucket 11. The ice compressor 60 is used to generate compressed refrigerant to produce ice and, in conjunction with a heat exchanger, etc., to generate the low temperature required for ice making. The ice bucket 11 also has an ice outlet. The ice stirring mechanism 70 is located within the ice bucket 11 and is used to stir the ice cubes and bring them to the outlet for easy access by the user.

[0036] The ice-melting fluid heated by the heating assembly 20 can flow into the ice bucket 11 through the conveying mechanism 30, thereby bringing heat into the ice bucket 11 and mixing with the remaining ice cubes therein, thereby melting the ice cubes. The ice-melting fluid can be, but is not limited to, water, steam, air, etc. For ease of understanding, the following embodiment uses water as a specific example. The heating assembly 20 can heat and generate hot water, which is then used to melt the remaining ice cubes in the ice bucket 11.

[0037] When the drain outlet at the bottom of ice bucket 11 is opened, the liquid in ice bucket 11 can flow toward the drain outlet under the action of gravity and be discharged. The drain outlet can be provided with a drain valve or other structure to achieve an opening and closing function. Furthermore, ice maker 100 may also include a drain pipe 12, which is connected to the drain outlet and is used to guide the melted ice water to drain, specifically to a drain tank or sewer.

[0038] The heating assembly 20 of the ice maker 100 generates hot water. This hot water flows through the conveying mechanism 30 into the ice bucket 11, where it is poured over the remaining ice cubes in the ice bucket 11 and mixed with the remaining ice cubes, thereby promoting the melting of the ice cubes. The melted ice cubes then become fluid water, which is then discharged from the drain port at the bottom of the ice bucket 11, automatically clearing the remaining ice cubes in the ice bucket 11.

[0039] Please also refer to Figure 2 In some embodiments, the ice stirring mechanism 70 has a flow channel (not shown) therein, and has a water outlet 71 on its surface that is connected to the flow channel. The heating component 20 is connected to the flow channel through the conveying mechanism 30.

[0040] As can be understood, the ice-mixing mechanism 70 is located within the ice bucket 11, and its water outlet is capable of communicating with the inside and outside of the ice-mixing mechanism 70, that is, connecting the flow channel within the ice-mixing mechanism 70 with the interior space of the ice bucket 11 outside the ice-mixing mechanism 70. Hot water output by the heating assembly 20 is transported by the delivery mechanism 30 to the flow channel of the ice-mixing mechanism 70 and can be discharged outwardly into the ice bucket 11 through the water outlet 71 connected to the flow channel.

[0041] In this way, the ice-stirring structure can be fully utilized, and it can not only stir the ice but also spray hot water into the ice bucket 11, thereby simplifying the structure and avoiding the increase in cost due to the addition of new parts.

[0042] Furthermore, the ice-stirring mechanism 70 includes a rotary joint 72, an ice-stirring shaft 73, and an ice-stirring rod 74. The rotary joint 72 is connected to the conveying mechanism 30, and the ice-stirring shaft 73 is rotatably connected to and connected to the rotary joint 72 about its own axis. The ice-stirring shaft 73 and the ice-stirring rod 74 have a flow passage that is interconnected. The ice-stirring rod 74 is connected to the ice-stirring shaft 73 and is located on the side of the ice-stirring shaft 73. The water outlet 71 is located at least on the surface of the ice-stirring rod 74.

[0043] As will be understood, the ice-stirring mechanism 70 also includes an ice-stirring motor (not shown), which is transmission-connected to the ice-stirring shaft 73 and is used to drive the ice-stirring shaft 73 to rotate. The number of ice-stirring rods 74 can be multiple. Furthermore, the ice-stirring mechanism 70 can be rotatably fixed using threads or screws. The functions of the ice-stirring mechanism 70 include stirring ice and spraying water. Specifically, the ice-stirring rods 74 can be welded to the ice-stirring shaft 73.

[0044] In this way, the ice stirring stick 74 can stir the ice while spraying hot water into the ice bucket 11. This arrangement can make the hot water contact and mix with the ice cubes better, thereby improving the effect of automatically cleaning the ice cubes in the ice bucket 11.

[0045] Specifically, the ice-stirring shaft 73 and the ice-stirring rod 74 are both tubular structures, each having a hollow pipe inside as a flow passage, and a water outlet 71 is formed on the pipe wall of the ice-stirring rod 74 .

[0046] In some embodiments, the ice stirring mechanism 70 further includes an ice rotating tray 75 having an ice removing blade 751 .

[0047] The ice tray 75 is rotatable about its axis, and the ice-collecting blade 751 is arranged around it. One side of the ice-collecting blade 751 is a curved guide surface that rotates with the ice tray 75 to collect ice cubes and deliver them to the ice outlet. This makes ice-collecting in the ice maker 100 more convenient.

[0048] In some embodiments, the ice-mixing motor is a forward-reversible motor, and is configured such that the output shaft can selectively rotate along a first direction or a second direction, where the first direction is opposite to the second direction.

[0049] In this way, the ice stirring mechanism 70 can stir the ice cubes in different directions. In addition, the ice stirring motor is also connected to the ice tray 75. When the ice maker 100 cleans the residual ice cubes in the ice bucket 11, the ice stirring motor can prevent the residual ice cubes from being brought to the ice outlet by reversing.

[0050] Specifically, the ice-taking blade 751 has an arc-shaped guide surface inclined toward the inside of the ice bucket 11. When the ice-mixing motor drives it to reverse, the ice cubes can fall back into the ice bucket 11 to wait for melting.

[0051] In some embodiments, the heating assembly 20 includes a heating tank 21 for containing a de-icing fluid. Thus, an external water source can inject water into the heating tank 21 for heating or use.

[0052] Furthermore, the heating assembly 20 further includes an electric heating element 22 , which is disposed in the heating tank 21 .

[0053] The electric heating element 22 may be, but is not limited to, an electric heating tube and may be made of stainless steel. It is disposed in the heating tank 21 and may be fixed by welding.

[0054] In this way, the electric heating element 22 can generate heat to increase the temperature of the water in the heating tank 21, thereby obtaining hot water for melting ice.

[0055] Furthermore, the heating assembly 20 further includes an exhaust pipe 23 , which is connected to an exhaust port of the ice-making compressor 60 and is at least partially disposed in the heating tank 21 .

[0056] The high-temperature refrigerant generated by the ice-making compressor 60 flows into the exhaust pipe 23 from the exhaust port. The exhaust pipe 23 is in contact with the heating tank 21 and can transfer the heat of the high-temperature refrigerant to the heating tank 21 to heat the water therein.

[0057] Thus, the exhaust pipe 23 can heat the water in the heating tank 21 when the ice making compressor 60 is working, and maintain it at a higher temperature level for use. In addition, the heat exchange between the exhaust pipe 23 and the heating pipe also helps to reduce the temperature of the exhaust gas from the ice making compressor 60 before it reaches the condenser.

[0058] In some embodiments, the heating assembly 20 further includes a temperature detecting member 24 . The temperature detecting member 24 is disposed in the heating tank 21 and is used to detect the temperature of the de-icing fluid in the heating tank 21 .

[0059] In this way, the water temperature in the heating tank 21 can be known based on the detection result of the temperature detection element 24, and based on this, the operation of the electric heating pipe or the conveying mechanism 30 can be controlled.

[0060] Specifically, the target temperature of heating can be set according to actual needs, or can be set with reference to the specific exhaust temperature of the ice maker 100. At the same time, in order to achieve high-temperature rapid melting of ice cubes, the electric heating element 22 can be used to compensate the temperature to 100°C to achieve the optimal melting speed of ice cubes.

[0061] In some embodiments, the heating assembly 20 further includes a liquid level detection member 25 . The liquid level detection member 25 is disposed in the heating tank 21 and is used to detect the liquid level of the de-icing fluid in the heating tank 21 .

[0062] In this way, the liquid level detection component 25 can reflect whether there is water in the heating tank 21 or how much water there is. Based on its detection result, it can be determined whether the heating tank 21 needs to be replenished with water.

[0063] Furthermore, the liquid level detection element 25 can determine whether the liquid level of the ice-melting fluid in the heating tank 21 has reached a maximum value, so as to stop adding water into the heating tank 21 when the maximum value is reached.

[0064] In some embodiments, the heating tank 21 has a water inlet 211 at the top and a water outlet 212 at the bottom.

[0065] Specifically, the heating tank 21 has an upper cover, a water inlet 211 is welded in the middle of the upper cover, and a water outlet 212 is welded at the bottom of the heating tank 21. In addition, the bottom of the heating tank 21 may also have a drain outlet 213.

[0066] In this way, the heating tank 21 can be connected to an external water source through the water inlet port 211 at the top for water replenishment, and hot water can be output to the outside through the water outlet port 212 at the bottom. The drain port 213 can drain unnecessary water in the heating tank 21 according to user needs.

[0067] In some embodiments, the delivery mechanism 30 includes a delivery pipeline 31 and a delivery pump 32. The delivery pipeline 31 connects the ice bucket 11 and the heating component 20. The delivery pump 32 is arranged in the delivery pipeline 31 and is configured to provide power to deliver the ice-melting fluid from the heating component 20 to the ice bucket 11.

[0068] In this way, the delivery pump 32 can input additional power, making the position of the heating tank 21 less restricted. Under the action of the delivery pump 32, even if the heating tank 21 is at a lower position than the ice bucket 11, the hot water output from the water outlet 212 can be driven to flow into the ice bucket 11.

[0069] Specifically, the delivery pipe 31 includes a first water outlet pipe 311 and a second water outlet pipe 312. One end of the first water outlet pipe 311 connects to the water outlet 212 of the heating tank 21, and the other end connects to the inlet of the delivery pump 32. One end of the second water outlet pipe 312 connects to the outlet of the delivery pump 32, and the other end connects to the rotary joint 72. The delivery pump 32 drives hot water through the delivery pipe 31 into the flow channel of the ice-stirring shaft 73 and the ice-stirring stick 74, and is ultimately ejected from the water outlet.

[0070] Specifically, the ice maker 100 further includes a bottom plate 52 and a partition 53 disposed on the base 51. The bottom plate 52 and the partition 53 are spaced apart in the height direction of the ice maker 100, with the partition 53 located above the bottom plate 52. The ice bucket 11 is disposed on the partition 53. The heating assembly 20 further includes a bracket 26, through which the heating tank 21 is mounted to the bottom plate 52.

[0071] The delivery pump 32 is installed on the partition 53, and its effect is that hot water is pumped to the ice stirring structure. The heating tank 21 is installed on the top platform of the bracket 26 and is fastened by screws.

[0072] In some embodiments, the ice maker 100 also includes a water inlet assembly, which includes a main water inlet pipe 81, a first water inlet pipe 82 and a second water inlet pipe 83. The main water inlet pipe 81 is used to connect to an external water source, the first water inlet pipe 82 connects the main water inlet pipe 81 and the ice bucket 11, and the second water inlet pipe 83 connects the main water inlet pipe 81 and the heating tank 21.

[0073] It can be understood that the first water inlet pipe 82 is used to supply water to the ice bucket 11, and is specifically connected to the ice making water inlet of the ice bucket 11. The second water inlet pipe 83 is used to supply water to the heating pipe, and is specifically connected to the water inlet pipe port 211 of the heating tank 21.

[0074] In this way, the ice maker 100 can supply water to the ice bucket 11 and the heating tank 21 respectively through one main water inlet pipe 81 .

[0075] Furthermore, the water inlet assembly further includes an electromagnetic three-way valve 84 , and the first water inlet pipe 82 and the second water inlet pipe 83 are connected to the main water inlet pipe 81 through the electromagnetic three-way valve 84 .

[0076] The electromagnetic three-way valve 84 controls the flow between the main water inlet pipe 81 and the first and second water inlet pipes 82 and 83. Specifically, the electromagnetic three-way valve 84 has one water inlet and two water outlets. The water inlet of the electromagnetic three-way valve 84 connects to the main water inlet pipe 81, while the two water outlets connect to the first and second water inlet pipes 82 and 83, respectively. In other words, one end of the first water inlet pipe 82 connects to one water outlet of the electromagnetic three-way valve 84, and the other end connects to the ice making water inlet of the ice bucket 11. The second water inlet pipe 83 connects to the other water outlet of the electromagnetic three-way valve 84, and the other end connects to the water inlet 211 of the heating tank 21. The electromagnetic three-way valve 84 can be configured to selectively connect either the first or second water inlet pipe 82 and 83 to the main water inlet pipe 81.

[0077] In this way, under the control of the electromagnetic three-way valve 84 , the ice bucket 11 and the heating pipe can be controlled to receive water supply.

[0078] Furthermore, the water inlet assembly also includes a water inlet valve 85 , which is provided on the main water inlet pipe 81 and is configured to control the on-off of the main water inlet pipe 81 .

[0079] In this way, the water inlet valve 85 can control the on / off of the entire water inlet, and control whether the ice maker 100 receives water from an external water source as needed.

[0080] In some embodiments, the ice maker 100 further includes an ice cube detector 91 . The ice cube detector 91 is disposed in the ice bucket 11 and is used to detect the amount of ice in the ice bucket 11 .

[0081] The ice cube detector 91 is used to detect the ice cubes in the ice bucket 11 and can be an infrared emitting element. The ice maker 100 also includes an ice shield 92. The ice shield 92 has a mounting position. The ice cube detector 91 is mounted on the mounting position of the ice shield 92 and the angle is adjusted so that the infrared light emitted by the ice cube detector 91 is as Figure 1 and Figure 3 In other embodiments, the ice detection element 91 may also be a weight detection element, etc., as long as it can reflect whether there are ice cubes in the ice bucket 11, and is not specifically limited here.

[0082] In this way, based on the detection result of the ice detection element 91 , it can be known whether there are any residual ice cubes in the ice bucket 11 to determine whether cleaning is required.

[0083] Please also refer to Figure 5 , the working process of the ice making machine 100 is briefly described below:

[0084] The ice detection component 91 continuously detects the ice in the ice bucket 11. Its working principle is as follows: the ice detection component 91 emits a beam of infrared light to the top of the ice pile and measures the amount of reflected light. By conversion, the approximate amount of ice in the ice bucket 11 can be obtained and displayed. When there is no ice in the ice bucket 11, it will prompt that there is no ice and there is no need to clean the ice. 1) If ice bucket 11 is detected to be empty, ice maker 100 must produce at least one round of ice before proceeding with ice removal. Before making ice, the water level in heating tank 21 must be checked to see if it is above the minimum water level. If it is, water is added. Water inlet valve 85 opens, and electromagnetic three-way valve 84 switches the connection between main water inlet pipe 81 and secondary water inlet pipe 83. Water from the outside flows through main water inlet pipe 81, through electromagnetic three-way valve 84, into secondary water inlet pipe 83, and into heating tank 21 until the water level in heating tank 21 reaches the maximum water level. When liquid level detector 25 senses this, water addition stops, water inlet valve 85 closes, and electromagnetic three-way valve 84 switches back to primary water inlet pipe 82. During this process, heating is activated when the water level is above the minimum water level and then stops, reaching 100°C. When the water level falls below the minimum water level, heating is turned off to prevent dry boiling. 2) When ice cubes are detected in the ice bucket 11, it is also necessary to detect whether the water level in the heating tank 21 is greater than the minimum water level. If it is lower, water is added. It is further necessary to detect whether the ice maker 100 is making ice and adding water. If so, it is necessary to wait for the first water inlet pipe 82 to finish adding water to the ice making water inlet, and then switch the electromagnetic three-way valve 84 to connect the main water inlet pipe 81 with the second water inlet pipe 83. If there is no ice making and adding water, the water inlet valve 85 is directly opened, and the electromagnetic three-way valve 84 is switched to connect the main water inlet pipe 81 with the second water inlet pipe 83. External water flows through the main water inlet pipe 81 through the electromagnetic three-way valve 84 to the second water inlet pipe 83 and enters the heating tank 21 until it is filled and reaches the maximum water level. After the liquid level detection component 25 senses it, water addition stops, the water inlet valve 85 is closed, and the electromagnetic three-way valve 84 switches back to the first water inlet pipe 82. When the water level is not lower than the minimum water level, heating starts immediately and stops after reaching 100°C. Regardless of the two states, the electric heating element 22 primarily operates when water is added or the water temperature is below 70°C, thereby rapidly increasing the water temperature to a high temperature. When the electric heating element 22 is not operating, since the temperature of the exhaust pipe 23 is approximately 75°C, the water temperature in the heating tank 21 is maintained above 70°C primarily by heat transfer from the exhaust pipe 23. This allows for full utilization of the energy consumption of the ice maker 100, reduces the long-term operation of the electric heating element 22, and reduces the electricity consumption of the ice maker 100. Furthermore, by lowering the exhaust temperature before the refrigerant reaches the condenser, the condenser design can be optimized to minimize condensation and reduce condenser costs.

[0085] The ice maker 100 also features an operation display, which indicates when ice removal is available. In this state, the user can select and touch the ice removal icon on the display. Upon detecting the need for ice removal, the ice maker 100 activates the pump 32, pumping hot water from the heating tank 21 to the ice-stirring shaft 73 of the ice-stirring mechanism. The water is then diverted to the ice-stirring rod 74 and sprayed onto the ice through a water jet. Simultaneously, the ice-stirring motor reverses, causing the ice-stirring rod 74 to continuously stir. This reversal is primarily to prevent the ice from being carried away from the ice outlet. This is achieved by designing the ice-removing blades 751 of the rotating ice tray 75 with curved guide surfaces that face into the ice bucket 11, ensuring that the ice is ultimately returned to the ice bucket 11. As the ice-stirring rod 74 rotates, it sprays hot water, stirring the ice. This increases the area of ​​contact between the ice and the hot water, and the amount of contact between the heated ice-stirring rod 74 and the ice, significantly accelerating ice melting. During this process, the drain in ice bucket 11 continuously drains the melted ice water. When ice detector 91 senses that there are no ice cubes in ice bucket 11, delivery pump 32 stops pumping water, the ice removal process ends, and ice maker 100 returns to standby mode. This allows ice maker 100 to quickly and automatically remove any remaining ice from ice bucket 11, eliminating the need for manual cleaning.

[0086] The technical features of the above-mentioned embodiments can be combined arbitrarily. In order to make the description concise, not all possible combinations of the technical features in the above-mentioned embodiments are described. However, as long as there is no contradiction in the combination of these technical features, they should be considered to be within the scope of this specification.

[0087] The above-described embodiments merely represent several implementation methods of the present application. While the descriptions are relatively specific and detailed, they should not be construed as limiting the scope of the patent application. It should be noted that a person of ordinary skill in the art may make various modifications and improvements without departing from the spirit of the present application, and these modifications and improvements fall within the scope of protection of the present application. Therefore, the scope of protection of the present patent application shall be determined by the appended claims.

Claims

1. An ice making machine (100), characterized in that: The ice making machine (100) comprises: An ice bucket (11) having an openable and closable drain port at the bottom; A heating component (20) and a conveying mechanism (30), wherein the heating component (20) is connected to the ice bucket (11) via the conveying mechanism (30); the heating component (20) is used to heat ice-melting fluid, and the conveying mechanism (30) is configured to be able to convey the ice-melting fluid from the heating component (20) into the ice bucket (11).

2. The ice making machine (100) according to claim 1, characterized in that The ice maker (100) further comprises an ice stirring mechanism (70), wherein the ice stirring mechanism (70) is arranged in the ice bucket (11); the ice stirring mechanism (70) has a flow passage therein, and a water outlet hole (71) on its surface that is in communication with the flow passage; the heating component (20) is in communication with the flow passage via the conveying mechanism (30).

3. The ice making machine (100) according to claim 2, characterized in that The ice-stirring mechanism (70) includes a rotary joint (72), an ice-stirring shaft (73) and an ice-stirring rod (74); the rotary joint (72) is connected to the conveying mechanism (30); the ice-stirring shaft (73) is rotatably connected to and connected to the rotary joint (72) around its own axis; the ice-stirring shaft (73) and the ice-stirring rod (74) have mutually connected flow channels; the ice-stirring rod (74) is connected to the ice-stirring shaft (73) and is located on the circumference of the ice-stirring shaft (73); and the water outlet (71) is at least located on the surface of the ice-stirring rod (74).

4. The ice making machine (100) according to claim 3, characterized in that The ice-stirring mechanism (70) further includes an ice-stirring motor, which is in transmission connection with the ice-stirring shaft (73), and is a forward-reversing motor; and / or, the ice-stirring mechanism (70) further includes an ice-turning tray (75), the ice-turning tray (75) having an ice-taking blade (751), and the ice-taking blade (751) having an arc-shaped guide surface inclined toward the inside of the ice bucket (11).

5. The ice making machine (100) according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that: The heating assembly (20) comprises a heating tank (21), and the heating tank (21) is used to contain the deicing fluid; The heating assembly (20) further comprises an electric heating element (22), and the electric heating element (22) is arranged in the heating tank (21); and / or the ice maker (100) further comprises an ice-making compressor (60), and the heating assembly (20) further comprises an exhaust pipe (23), and the exhaust pipe (23) is connected to the exhaust port of the ice-making compressor (60) and is at least partially arranged in the heating tank (21).

6. The ice making machine (100) according to claim 5, characterized in that The heating assembly (20) further includes a temperature detection component (24), which is provided in the heating tank (21) and is used to detect the temperature of the deicing fluid in the heating tank (21).

7. The ice making machine (100) according to claim 5, characterized in that The heating assembly (20) further includes a liquid level detection component (25), which is provided in the heating tank (21) and is used to detect the liquid level of the deicing fluid in the heating tank (21); And / or, the heating tank (21) has a water inlet (211) at the top and a water outlet (212) at the bottom.

8. The ice making machine (100) according to claim 5, characterized in that The ice maker (100) further includes a water inlet assembly, the water inlet assembly including a main water inlet pipe (81), a first water inlet pipe (82), and a second water inlet pipe (83), the main water inlet pipe (81) being used to connect to an external water source, the first water inlet pipe (82) connecting the main water inlet pipe (81) and the ice bucket (11), and the second water inlet pipe (83) connecting the main water inlet pipe (81) and the heating tank (21); The water inlet assembly further comprises an electromagnetic three-way valve (84), wherein the first water inlet pipe (82) and the second water inlet pipe (83) are connected to the main water inlet pipe (81) via the electromagnetic three-way valve (84); and / or, the water inlet assembly further comprises an inlet valve (85), wherein the inlet valve (85) is provided on the main water inlet pipe (81) and is configured to control the on / off of the main water inlet pipe (81).

9. The ice making machine (100) according to claim 1, characterized in that The delivery mechanism (30) comprises a delivery pipeline (31) and a delivery pump (32); the delivery pipeline (31) connects the ice bucket (11) and the heating component (20); the delivery pump (32) is provided on the delivery pipeline (31) and is configured to provide power for delivering the ice-melting fluid from the heating component (20) to the ice bucket (11).

10. The ice making machine (100) according to claim 1, characterized in that The ice maker (100) further comprises an ice cube detection component (91), wherein the ice cube detection component (91) is provided on the ice bucket (11) and is used to detect the amount of ice in the ice bucket (11).

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