Ice maker

Abstract

The utility model discloses an ice maker and relates to the technical field of electric appliances. The ice tray comprises an ice tray assembly, an ice storage inner container and an ice stirring assembly, and the ice storage inner container is located below the ice tray assembly and provided with an inclined bottom wall and an inclined side wall. The inclined side wall is arranged in the direction, away from the ice tray assembly, of the ice storage inner container, and the inclined bottom wall gradually inclines upwards in the direction close to the ice tray assembly. The ice stirring assembly is installed on the inclined side wall and extends into the ice storage inner container, and when the ice stirring assembly works, large-particle-size ice blocks falling out of the ice tray assembly are cut into small-particle-size ice blocks. Therefore, large-particle-size ice blocks falling from the ice tray assembly can be fully cut through inclined arrangement of the inclined bottom wall and the ice stirring assembly, so that the ice storage inner container is filled with the cut small-particle-size ice blocks, and the actual ice storage capacity of the ice storage inner container can be improved while the overall size of the ice maker can be reduced.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model relates to the field of electrical technology, and in particular to an ice maker. Background Technology

[0002] An ice maker is a refrigeration machine that produces ice by cooling water through an evaporator with a refrigerant in a refrigeration system. It typically includes an ice storage chamber for holding ice blocks. However, during the ice-making process, due to the large size of the ice blocks or the stacking of ice blocks inside the chamber, the ice storage space is not fully utilized. This often results in the ice-full protection mechanism issuing a warning before the machine is filled to its intended capacity. Consequently, despite the overall large size of the ice maker, the actual ice storage capacity is reduced, leading to low space utilization. Utility Model Content

[0003] This invention addresses the problem of low space utilization caused by the small actual ice storage capacity in ice makers with large overall size. It aims to provide an ice maker that overcomes or at least partially solves the aforementioned problems.

[0004] Based on a first aspect of the present invention, an ice maker is provided, the ice maker comprising:

[0005] Ice tray components;

[0006] An ice storage liner is located below the ice tray assembly and has an inclined bottom wall and an inclined side wall. The inclined side wall is located in the direction away from the ice tray assembly, and the inclined bottom wall gradually slopes upward towards the ice tray assembly.

[0007] An ice-scraping assembly is installed on the inclined side wall and extends into the ice storage liner. When the ice-scraping assembly is working, it cuts the ice blocks that fall out of the ice tray assembly.

[0008] An optional utility model embodiment, wherein the ice-stirring assembly comprises:

[0009] An ice-stirring motor is mounted on the outer surface of the inclined sidewall, and the output shaft of the ice-stirring motor extends into the ice-storing liner.

[0010] An ice-stirring shaft, which is connected to the output shaft of the ice-stirring motor;

[0011] The first ice shovel is fixedly connected to the ice shovel shaft and located below the ice tray assembly. When the ice shovel motor is working, it drives the first ice shovel to rotate and cut large ice pieces that fall out of the ice tray assembly.

[0012] In one optional utility model, the ice-stirring assembly further includes:

[0013] The second ice shovel is fixed on the ice shovel shaft and is disposed near the inclined side wall. The second ice shovel extends toward the inclined bottom wall to cut ice blocks that have slid onto the inclined bottom wall.

[0014] In one optional utility model, the ice maker further includes a support bearing seat, which is fixed to the ice storage liner and rotatably connected to the end of the ice-stirring shaft away from the ice-stirring motor.

[0015] In one optional utility model, the ice-stirring shaft is coaxially fixed with the output shaft of the ice-stirring motor.

[0016] In one optional utility model, the ice-stirring assembly further includes a rotary transmission mechanism, which is driveably connected to the ice-stirring motor and also driveably connected to the ice-stirring shaft; wherein,

[0017] The output shaft of the ice-stirring motor is arranged parallel to the ice-stirring shaft, and the ice-stirring motor is located in the direction of the ice-stirring shaft close to the inclined bottom wall.

[0018] An optional utility model further includes:

[0019] An ice churning pan is attached close to the inclined sidewall and is fixed coaxially with the ice churning shaft.

[0020] At least two protrusions are arranged radially spaced along the ice churning plate, and two adjacent protrusions form an ice-collecting groove. When the ice churning motor is working, it drives the ice churning plate to rotate and carries ice blocks into the ice-collecting groove.

[0021] An ice outlet pipe is provided, one end of which is connected to the ice storage liner and the top space of the ice churning pan, so that ice blocks in the ice trough at the top of the ice churning pan can slide out through the ice outlet pipe for discharging.

[0022] In one optional utility model, the ice maker further includes a baffle plate, which is arranged parallel to and fixed to the inclined sidewall. The baffle plate is sleeved on the ice-stirring shaft to cooperate with the inclined sidewall to form an ice outlet cavity for accommodating the ice-stirring disc. The bottom of the baffle plate cooperates with the inclined bottom wall to form an ice guide port for ice blocks to enter the ice outlet cavity.

[0023] In one optional utility model, the ice maker further includes a baffle located at one end of the ice outlet pipe near the ice churning plate.

[0024] In one optional utility model, the baffle is slidably connected to the inclined sidewall, and the ice maker further includes:

[0025] A drive motor is mounted on the ice storage liner;

[0026] A drive gear, which is coaxially fixed with the output shaft of the drive motor;

[0027] A rack is fixed to the baffle and meshes with the drive gear. When the drive motor rotates, it drives the baffle to perform reciprocating linear motion to open or close the ice outlet pipe.

[0028] An optional utility model further includes:

[0029] The shell, the ice storage liner and the ice tray assembly are respectively installed inside the shell;

[0030] A push-cup switch, which is installed inside the housing;

[0031] The controller is electrically connected to the push-cup switch and the drive motor respectively. When the push-cup switch is pushed, the push-cup switch transmits a sensing signal to the controller so that the controller controls the drive motor to start.

[0032] Compared with existing technologies, this utility model includes an ice tray assembly, an ice storage liner, and an ice-stirring assembly. The ice storage liner is located below the ice tray assembly and has an inclined bottom wall and an inclined side wall. The inclined side wall is positioned in the direction away from the ice tray assembly, and the inclined bottom wall gradually slopes upward towards the ice tray assembly. The ice-stirring assembly is mounted on the inclined side wall and extends into the ice storage liner. When the ice-stirring assembly is working, it cuts ice blocks that fall out of the ice tray assembly. Therefore, by using the inclined bottom wall and the inclined arrangement of the ice-stirring assembly, large-diameter ice blocks falling from the ice tray assembly can be fully cut, allowing the cut small-diameter ice blocks to fill the ice storage liner. This reduces the overall size of the ice maker while increasing the actual ice storage capacity of the ice storage liner, thus improving the space utilization of the ice maker.

[0033] The above description is merely an overview of the technical solution of this utility model. In order to better understand the technical means of this utility model and to implement it in accordance with the contents of the specification, and to make the above and other objects, features and advantages of this utility model more obvious and understandable, specific embodiments of this utility model are given below. Attached Figure Description

[0034] Various other advantages and benefits will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon reading the following detailed description of preferred embodiments. The accompanying drawings are for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. Furthermore, the same reference numerals denote the same parts throughout the drawings.

[0035] In the attached diagram:

[0036] Figure 1 This is a cross-sectional structural diagram of an ice maker provided in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0037] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the first cross-section of an ice maker provided in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0038] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the second cross-section of an ice maker provided in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0039] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of a baffle closing an ice outlet pipe according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0040] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of a baffle opening ice outlet pipe provided in an embodiment of the present utility model;

[0041] Figure 6 This is a flowchart illustrating the steps of a control method for an ice maker provided in an embodiment of the present invention.

[0042] Reference numerals: 1. Ice tray assembly; 2. Ice storage liner; 201. Inclined bottom wall; 202. Inclined side wall; 3. Ice stirring assembly; 31. Ice stirring motor; 32. Ice stirring shaft; 33. First ice stirring blade; 34. Second ice stirring blade; 4. Support bearing seat; 5. Rotary transmission mechanism; 6. Ice stirring tray; 7. Protrusion; 701. Ice holding tank; 8. Ice outlet pipe; 9. Sheath; 901. Ice outlet cavity; 902. Ice guide port; 10. Baffle; 11. Drive motor; 12. Drive gear; 13. Rack; 14. Housing; 15. Push cup switch; 16. Controller. Detailed Implementation

[0043] Exemplary embodiments of the present invention will now be described in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. While exemplary embodiments of the present invention are shown in the drawings, it should be understood that the present invention may be implemented in various forms and should not be limited to the embodiments set forth herein. Rather, these embodiments are provided so that this invention will be thorough and complete, and will fully convey the scope of the invention to those skilled in the art.

[0044] An ice maker is a refrigeration machine that produces ice by cooling water through an evaporator with a refrigerant in a refrigeration system. It typically includes an ice storage chamber for holding ice blocks. However, during the ice-making process, due to the large size of the ice blocks or the stacking of ice blocks inside the chamber, the ice storage space is not fully utilized. This often results in the ice-full protection mechanism issuing a warning before the machine is filled to its intended capacity. Consequently, despite the overall large size of the ice maker, the actual ice storage capacity is reduced, leading to low space utilization.

[0045] Based on the aforementioned technical problems, this utility model embodiment is proposed. This utility model embodiment may include an ice tray assembly 1, an ice storage liner 2, and an ice-stirring assembly 3. The ice storage liner 2 is located below the ice tray assembly 1 and has an inclined bottom wall 201 and an inclined side wall 202. The inclined side wall 202 is positioned in the direction away from the ice tray assembly 1, and the inclined bottom wall 201 gradually slopes upwards towards the ice tray assembly 1. The ice-stirring assembly 3 is mounted on the inclined side wall 202 and extends into the ice storage liner 2. When the ice-stirring assembly 3 is in operation, it cuts ice blocks that fall out of the ice tray assembly 1. Therefore, by tilting the bottom wall 201 and the ice-stirring assembly 3, large-diameter ice blocks falling from the ice tray assembly 1 can be fully cut, so that the cut small-diameter ice blocks can fill the ice storage liner 2. This can reduce the overall size of the ice maker while increasing the actual ice storage capacity of the ice storage liner 2 and improving the space utilization of the ice storage machine.

[0046] Reference Figure 1-5 This utility model provides an ice maker, which may include an ice tray assembly 1, an ice storage liner 2, and an ice-stirring assembly 3. The ice storage liner 2 is located below the ice tray assembly 1 and has an inclined bottom wall 201 and an inclined side wall 202. The inclined side wall 202 is disposed in the direction away from the ice tray assembly 1, and the inclined bottom wall 201 gradually slopes upward toward the ice tray assembly 1. The ice-stirring assembly 3 is mounted on the inclined side wall 202 and extends into the ice storage liner 2. When the ice-stirring assembly 3 is working, it cuts the ice blocks that fall out of the ice tray assembly 1.

[0047] In this embodiment of the invention, the ice maker may include an ice tray assembly 1, an ice storage liner 2, and an ice-stirring assembly 3. The ice tray assembly 1 is used to make ice cubes, and the ice storage liner 2 is used to store the ice cubes made by the ice tray assembly 1. The ice storage liner 2 is located below the ice tray assembly 1, allowing the ice cubes made by the ice tray assembly 1 to fall from the ice tray assembly 1 into the ice storage liner 2. For example, during the ice-making process, the temperature inside the ice tray is rapidly cooled, causing water to freeze into ice cubes on the ice tray. Then, using scrapers or other devices, the ice cubes on the ice tray are pushed out and into the ice storage liner 2 located within the ice tray assembly 1.

[0048] The ice storage liner 2 may include an inclined bottom wall 201 and an inclined side wall 202 connected to the inclined bottom wall 201. The inclined bottom wall 201 gradually slopes upwards towards the ice tray assembly 1. In other words, the height between the inclined bottom wall 201 and the bottom of the ice maker gradually decreases from the ice tray assembly 1 to the inclined side wall 202. This means that ice blocks falling from the ice tray assembly 1 onto the ice storage liner 2 preferentially land at higher points on the inclined bottom wall 201. The inclined bottom wall 201 then guides the ice blocks from these higher points to the lowest point on the inclined bottom wall 201. This facilitates the accumulation of ice blocks from the lowest point of the ice storage liner 2, thus increasing the actual ice storage capacity of the ice storage liner 2.

[0049] The ice-scraping assembly 3 is used to cut large-diameter ice cubes. For example, the ice-scraping assembly 3 can be installed on the inclined bottom wall 201 and can extend into the ice storage liner 2. The ice-scraping assembly 3 extends into the ice storage liner 2 and includes ice-scraping blades, so that it can stir and cut the ice cubes that have fallen from the ice tray assembly 1, or large-diameter ice cubes, into smaller-diameter ice cubes within the ice storage liner 2. This reduces the gap between two adjacent large-diameter ice cubes, thereby reducing the overall size of the ice maker while increasing the actual ice storage capacity of the ice storage liner 2, thus improving the space utilization of the ice storage machine.

[0050] An optional utility model embodiment, referring to... Figure 1 , Figure 2 as well as Figure 3As shown, the ice maker may include an ice tray assembly 1, an ice storage liner 2, and an ice churning assembly 3. The ice storage liner 2 is located below the ice tray assembly 1 and has an inclined bottom wall 201 and an inclined side wall 202. The inclined side wall 202 is positioned in the direction away from the ice tray assembly 1, and the inclined bottom wall 201 gradually slopes upwards towards the ice tray assembly 1. The ice churning assembly 3 is mounted on the inclined side wall 202 and extends into the ice storage liner 2. The ice churning assembly 3 may include an ice churning motor 31, an ice churning shaft 32, and a first ice churning blade 33. The ice churning motor 31 is mounted on the outer surface of the inclined side wall 202, and the output shaft of the ice churning motor 31 extends into the ice storage liner 2. The ice churning shaft 32 is drive-connected to the output shaft of the ice churning motor 31. The first ice shovel 33 is fixedly connected to the ice shovel shaft 32 and located below the ice tray assembly 1. When the ice shovel motor 31 is working, it drives the first ice shovel 33 to rotate and cut large-diameter ice pieces that fall out of the ice tray assembly 1.

[0051] In this embodiment of the invention, the ice maker may include an ice tray assembly 1, an ice storage liner 2, and an ice churning assembly 3. The ice tray assembly 1 is used to make ice cubes, and the ice storage liner 2 is used to store the ice cubes made by the ice tray assembly 1. The ice storage liner 2 is located below the ice tray assembly 1, allowing the ice cubes made by the ice tray assembly 1 to fall from the ice tray assembly 1 into the ice storage liner 2.

[0052] The ice storage liner 2 may include an inclined bottom wall 201 and an inclined side wall 202 connected to the inclined bottom wall 201. The inclined bottom wall 201 gradually slopes upwards towards the ice tray assembly 1. In other words, the height between the inclined bottom wall 201 and the bottom of the ice maker gradually decreases from the ice tray assembly 1 to the inclined side wall 202. This means that ice blocks falling from the ice tray assembly 1 onto the ice storage liner 2 preferentially land at higher points on the inclined bottom wall 201. The inclined bottom wall 201 then guides the ice blocks from these higher points to the lowest point on the inclined bottom wall 201. This facilitates the accumulation of ice blocks from the lowest point of the ice storage liner 2, thus increasing the actual ice storage capacity of the ice storage liner 2.

[0053] The ice-scraping assembly 3 is used to cut large-diameter ice cubes. For example, the ice-scraping assembly 3 can be installed on the inclined bottom wall 201 and can extend into the ice storage liner 2. The ice-scraping assembly 3 extends into the ice storage liner 2 and includes ice-scraping blades, thereby stirring and cutting the ice in the ice storage liner 2, cutting slabs of ice or large-diameter ice cubes into smaller ice cubes. This reduces the gap between two adjacent large-diameter ice cubes, thus reducing the overall size of the ice maker while increasing the actual ice storage capacity of the ice storage liner 2, improving the space utilization of the ice storage machine.

[0054] The ice-stirring assembly 3 may include an ice-stirring motor 31, an ice-stirring shaft 32, and a first ice-stirring blade 33. The ice-stirring motor 31 is mounted on the outer surface of the inclined sidewall 202, which is also the outer surface of the ice storage liner 2. The output shaft of the ice-stirring motor 31 extends into the ice storage liner 2; for example, the output shaft of the ice-stirring motor 31 and the ice storage liner 2 can be fixed together by bearings. The ice-stirring shaft 32 is drive-connected to the output shaft of the ice-stirring motor 31. This drive-connection can be understood as the ice-stirring shaft 32 rotating synchronously with the output shaft of the stirring motor when the output shaft of the stirring motor rotates.

[0055] The first ice shovel 33 is fixedly connected to the ice shovel shaft 32. For example, it can be detachably connected by being sleeved on the first ice shovel shaft 32 and fastened with fasteners. Alternatively, the first ice shovel 33 and the ice shovel shaft 32 can be welded together. Those skilled in the art can determine the fixing method between the first ice shovel 33 and the ice shovel shaft 32 according to actual design requirements; no further limitations are imposed here.

[0056] The first ice shovel 33 is located below the ice tray assembly 1, above the higher part of the inclined bottom wall 201. When the stirring motor is working, the first ice shovel 33 can immediately contact the ice blocks falling from the ice tray assembly 1 into the ice storage liner 2. In other words, ice blocks falling from the ice tray assembly 1 into the ice storage liner 2 will preferentially fall into the area that the first ice shovel 33 can cut. After the first cut by the first ice shovel 33, the particle size of the ice blocks is reduced. They then preferentially fall into the higher part of the inclined bottom wall 201, and through the guiding effect of the inclined bottom wall 201, the ice blocks located at the higher part of the inclined bottom wall 201 are guided to the lowest part of the inclined bottom wall 201. This improves the cutting efficiency of the first ice shovel 33 and the cutting effect of the ice blocks. On the other hand, it also facilitates the accumulation of ice blocks from the lowest point of the ice storage liner 2, which is beneficial to increasing the actual ice storage capacity of the ice storage liner 2.

[0057] An optional embodiment of the utility model, referring to... Figure 1 , Figure 2 as well as Figure 3 As shown, the ice-stirring assembly 3 may include an ice-stirring motor 31, an ice-stirring shaft 32, a first ice-stirring blade 33, and a second ice-stirring blade 34. The ice-stirring motor 31 is mounted on the outer surface of the inclined sidewall 202, and the output shaft of the ice-stirring motor 31 extends into the ice storage liner 2. The ice-stirring shaft 32 is drively connected to the output shaft of the ice-stirring motor 31. The first ice-stirring blade 33 is fixedly connected to the ice-stirring shaft 32 and is located below the ice tray assembly 1. When the ice-stirring motor 31 is working, it drives the first ice-stirring blade 33 to rotate, cutting large-diameter ice pieces that fall out of the ice tray assembly 1. The second ice-stirring blade 34 is fixed to the ice-stirring shaft 32 and is disposed close to the inclined sidewall 202. The second ice-stirring blade 34 extends towards the inclined bottom wall 201 to cut ice pieces that slide onto the inclined bottom wall 201.

[0058] In this embodiment of the invention, the ice-stirring motor 31 is mounted on the outer surface of the inclined sidewall 202, which is also the outer surface of the ice storage liner 2. The output shaft of the ice-stirring motor 31 extends into the ice storage liner 2; for example, the output shaft of the ice-stirring motor 31 and the ice storage liner 2 can be fixed together by bearings. The ice-stirring shaft 32 is drivenly connected to the output shaft of the ice-stirring motor 31. This drive connection can be understood as the ice-stirring shaft 32 being able to rotate synchronously with the output shaft when the output shaft of the stirring motor outputs rotational motion.

[0059] The first ice shovel 33 is fixedly connected to the ice shovel shaft 32. For example, it can be detachably connected by being sleeved on the first ice shovel shaft 32 and fastened with fasteners. Alternatively, the first ice shovel 33 and the ice shovel shaft 32 can be welded together. Those skilled in the art can determine the fixing method between the first ice shovel 33 and the ice shovel shaft 32 according to actual design requirements; no further limitations are imposed here.

[0060] The first ice shovel 33 is located below the ice tray assembly 1, above the higher part of the inclined bottom wall 201. When the stirring motor is working, the first ice shovel 33 can immediately contact the ice blocks falling from the ice tray assembly 1 into the ice storage liner 2. In other words, ice blocks falling from the ice tray assembly 1 into the ice storage liner 2 will preferentially fall into the area that the first ice shovel 33 can cut. After the first cut by the first ice shovel 33, the particle size of the ice blocks is reduced. They then preferentially fall into the higher part of the inclined bottom wall 201, and through the guiding effect of the inclined bottom wall 201, the ice blocks located at the higher part of the inclined bottom wall 201 are guided to the lowest part of the inclined bottom wall 201. This improves the cutting efficiency of the first ice shovel 33 and the cutting effect of the ice blocks. On the other hand, it also facilitates the accumulation of ice blocks from the lowest point of the ice storage liner 2, which is beneficial to increasing the actual ice storage capacity of the ice storage liner 2.

[0061] The second ice shovel 34 is fixed to the ice shovel shaft 32. For example, it can be detachably connected by being sleeved on the ice shovel shaft 32 and fastened with fasteners. Alternatively, the second ice shovel 34 and the ice shovel shaft 32 can be welded together. Those skilled in the art can determine the fixing method between the second ice shovel 34 and the ice shovel shaft 32 according to actual design requirements; no further limitations are imposed here.

[0062] The second ice shovel 34 is positioned close to the inclined sidewall 202, meaning it is located above the lowest point of the inclined bottom wall 201. The tip of the second ice shovel 34 can be positioned close to the inclined bottom wall 201. For example, the distance between the tip of the second ice shovel 34 and the inclined bottom wall 201 can be set between 10 mm and 50 mm. Therefore, if larger ice particles remain after the first ice shovel 33 has cut the ice, these larger ice particles can move along the inclined bottom wall 201 into the area that the second ice shovel 34 can cut. This allows for a second cut by the second ice shovel 34, reducing the ice particle size. The resulting smaller ice particles can then fill the ice storage liner 2 with smaller gaps, thus reducing the overall size of the ice maker while increasing the actual ice storage capacity of the ice storage liner 2, thereby improving the space utilization of the ice storage machine.

[0063] An optional utility model embodiment, referring to... Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, the ice maker also includes a support bearing seat 4, which is fixed on the ice storage liner 2 and rotatably connected to the end of the ice stirring shaft 32 away from the ice stirring motor 31.

[0064] In this embodiment of the invention, the ice maker may further include a support bearing seat 4, which supports the end of the ice-stirring shaft 32 away from the ice-stirring motor 31. For example, the support bearing seat 4 is fixed to the ice storage liner 2 and forms a rotatable connection with one end of the ice-stirring shaft 32. Thus, the support bearing seat 4 provides radial support to the ice-stirring shaft 32, preventing damage caused by excessive radial load during rotation, thereby improving the structural stability of the ice-stirring assembly 3.

[0065] In one optional embodiment of the utility model, the ice-stirring shaft 32 is coaxially fixed with the output shaft of the ice-stirring motor 31.

[0066] In this embodiment of the invention, the ice-stirring shaft 32 is coaxially fixed with the output shaft of the ice-stirring motor 31. Coaxial fixing can be understood as the ice-stirring shaft 32 being fixed to the output shaft of the ice-stirring motor 31, and the central axis of the ice-stirring shaft 32 coinciding with the central axis of the output shaft. Therefore, when the ice-stirring motor 31 is operating, the ice-stirring shaft 32 can be directly driven to rotate through the output shaft of the ice-stirring motor 31.

[0067] Another optional embodiment of the utility model, see below. Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, the ice-stirring assembly 3 further includes a rotary transmission mechanism 5, which is connected to the ice-stirring motor 31 and the ice-stirring shaft 32. The output shaft of the ice-stirring motor 31 is parallel to the ice-stirring shaft 32, and the ice-stirring motor 31 is located on the ice-stirring shaft 32 in a direction close to the inclined bottom wall 201.

[0068] In this embodiment of the invention, the ice-stirring assembly 3 may further include a rotary transmission mechanism 5, which transmits the rotational motion of the ice-stirring motor 31. For example, the power input end of the rotary transmission mechanism 5 is connected to the output shaft of the ice-stirring motor 31, so that the rotational motion output by the output shaft can be input into the rotary transmission mechanism 5 through the power input end. The power output end of the rotary transmission mechanism 5 is connected to the ice-stirring shaft 32, so that the rotational motion can be transmitted to the ice-stirring shaft 32 through the power output end, thereby driving the ice-stirring shaft 32 to rotate.

[0069] In some embodiments, the output shaft of the ice-stirring motor 31 is arranged parallel to the ice-stirring shaft 32. Since the inclined sidewall 202 gradually slopes upwards from the inclined bottom wall 201 towards the outside of the ice storage liner 2, an installation space for the ice-stirring motor 31 can be formed between the inclined sidewall 202 and the housing 14 of the ice maker. The ice-stirring motor 31 is located on the ice-stirring shaft 32 near the inclined bottom wall 201. Through the rotational transmission mechanism 5, the installation position of the ice-stirring motor 31 can be moved downwards towards the bottom of the inclined sidewall 202. This reduces the horizontal width required for the installation of the ice-stirring motor 31 while maintaining the ice-stirring effect of the first ice-stirring blade 33, thereby reducing the gap between the ice storage liner 2 and the housing 14, which helps to reduce the overall size of the ice maker.

[0070] The rotary transmission mechanism 5 may include at least two meshing transmission gears. The first transmission gear is coaxially fixed to the output shaft of the ice-stirring motor 31, and the last transmission gear is coaxially fixed to the ice-stirring shaft 32. Thus, the rotational motion of the ice-stirring motor 31 can be transmitted to the ice-stirring shaft 32 through at least two transmission gears. Furthermore, those skilled in the art can determine the number of transmission gears and the transmission ratio of the rotary transmission mechanism 5 according to actual design requirements, thereby controlling the rotational speed of the ice-stirring shaft 32, etc., without imposing further limitations here.

[0071] An optional utility model embodiment, referring to... Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, the ice maker may further include an ice-stirring plate 6, at least two protrusions 7, and an ice-discharging pipe 8. The ice-stirring plate 6 is close to the inclined sidewall 202 and is coaxially fixed with the ice-stirring shaft 32. At least two of the protrusions 7 are arranged radially spaced along the ice-stirring plate 6, and adjacent two protrusions 7 form an ice-collecting groove 701. When the ice-stirring motor 31 is working, it drives the ice-stirring plate 6 to rotate and carries ice blocks into the ice-collecting groove 701. One end of the ice-discharging pipe 8 communicates with the space of the ice storage liner 2 and the space at the top of the ice-stirring plate 6, so that the ice blocks that reach the top of the ice-stirring plate 6 in the ice-collecting groove 701 slide out from the ice-discharging pipe 8 for discharging.

[0072] In this embodiment of the invention, the ice maker may further include an ice churning plate 6, at least two protrusions 7, and an ice outlet pipe 8. The coaxial fixation of the ice churning plate 6 and the ice churning shaft 32 can be understood as the ice churning plate 6 being fixedly connected to the ice churning shaft 32, and the central axis of the ice churning plate 6 coinciding with the central axis of the ice churning shaft 32. The cross-sectional shape of the ice churning plate 6 along the radial direction of the ice churning shaft 32 is circular. Thus, when the ice churning shaft 32 rotates, it drives the ice churning plate 6 to rotate synchronously. At least two protrusions 7 are arranged radially spaced along the ice churning plate 6, and two adjacent protrusions 7 cooperate to form an ice-collecting groove 701 for ice cubes to enter. The ice churning plate 6 is close to the inclined sidewall 202 and located between the second ice churning blade 34 and the inclined sidewall 202.

[0073] When the ice-stirring motor 31 is working, it drives the ice-stirring shaft 32 to rotate, thereby synchronously driving the ice-stirring plate 6, the first ice-stirring blade 33 and the second ice-stirring blade 34 to rotate. Smaller ice pieces can enter the ice-collecting tank 701 during the ice-stirring process, and the ice pieces can be moved in position, such as being lifted, by the rotation of the ice-stirring plate 6.

[0074] One end of the ice outlet pipe 8 is connected to the space of the ice storage liner 2 and also to the top space of the ice churning pan 6. In some embodiments, the radial top of the ice churning pan 6 is connected to the ice outlet pipe 8. The inclined sidewall 202 has a certain inclination angle, and correspondingly, the ice churning pan 6 also has a certain inclination angle. Thus, when the ice block on the ice churning pan 6 is raised to its highest point, the ice block at the top will slide into the ice outlet pipe 8. Correspondingly, the ice outlet pipe 8 can also be set to gradually slope downwards from the direction close to the ice churning pan 6 to the direction away from the ice churning pan 6, so that the ice block that slides into the ice outlet pipe 8 can quickly slide out of the ice outlet pipe 8, thereby completing the ice removal.

[0075] In other embodiments, since the lowest point of the inclined bottom wall 201 is located below the inclined side wall 202, if the radial length of the ice churning pan 6 is sufficient, the protrusion 7 can extend to the lowest point of the inclined bottom wall 201, thereby guiding the ice blocks at the lowest point of the inclined bottom wall 201 into the ice container 701 and transporting them to the ice outlet pipe 8 for ice discharge, thus ensuring that the ice blocks in the ice storage liner 2 are completely removed.

[0076] Another optional embodiment of the utility model, see below. Figure 1 , Figure 2 , Figure 3 as well as Figure 4As shown, the ice maker may include an ice churning plate 6, at least two protrusions 7, an ice outlet pipe 8, and a baffle 9. The ice churning plate 6 is close to the inclined sidewall 202 and is coaxially fixed with the ice churning shaft 32. At least two of the protrusions 7 are arranged radially spaced along the ice churning plate 6, and adjacent two protrusions 7 form an ice-collecting groove 701. When the ice churning motor 31 is working, it drives the ice churning plate 6 to rotate and carries ice blocks into the ice-collecting groove 701. One end of the ice outlet pipe 8 communicates with the space of the ice storage liner 2 and the top space of the ice churning plate 6, so that the ice blocks that reach the top of the ice churning plate 6 in the ice-collecting groove 701 slide out from the ice outlet pipe 8 for discharging. The baffle 9 is arranged parallel to the inclined sidewall 202 and is fixed to the inclined sidewall 202. The baffle 9 is sleeved on the ice churning shaft 32 to cooperate with the inclined sidewall 202 to form an ice outlet cavity 901 for accommodating the ice churning plate 6. The bottom of the baffle 9 cooperates with the inclined bottom wall 201 to form an ice guide port 902 for ice blocks to enter the ice outlet cavity 901.

[0077] In this embodiment of the invention, the coaxial fixation of the ice churning pan 6 and the ice churning shaft 32 can be understood as the ice churning pan 6 being fixedly connected to the ice churning shaft 32, and the central axis of the ice churning pan 6 coinciding with the central axis of the ice churning shaft 32. The cross-sectional shape of the ice churning pan 6 along the radial direction of the ice churning shaft 32 is circular. Thus, when the ice churning shaft 32 rotates, it drives the ice churning pan 6 to rotate synchronously. At least two protrusions 7 are arranged radially spaced along the ice churning pan 6, and two adjacent protrusions 7 cooperate to form an ice-collecting groove 701 for ice cubes to enter. The ice churning pan 6 is close to the inclined sidewall 202 and is located between the second ice churning blade 34 and the inclined sidewall 202.

[0078] When the ice-stirring motor 31 is working, it drives the ice-stirring shaft 32 to rotate, thereby synchronously driving the ice-stirring plate 6, the first ice-stirring blade 33 and the second ice-stirring blade 34 to rotate. Smaller ice pieces can enter the ice-collecting tank 701 during the ice-stirring process, and the ice pieces can be moved in position, such as being lifted, by the rotation of the ice-stirring plate 6.

[0079] One end of the ice outlet pipe 8 is connected to the space of the ice storage liner 2 and also to the top space of the ice churning pan 6. In some embodiments, the radial top of the ice churning pan 6 is connected to the ice outlet pipe 8. The inclined sidewall 202 has a certain inclination angle, and correspondingly, the ice churning pan 6 also has a certain inclination angle. Thus, when the ice block on the ice churning pan 6 is raised to its highest point, the ice block at the top will slide into the ice outlet pipe 8. Correspondingly, the ice outlet pipe 8 can also be set to gradually slope downwards from the direction close to the ice churning pan 6 to the direction away from the ice churning pan 6, so that the ice block that slides into the ice outlet pipe 8 can quickly slide out of the ice outlet pipe 8, thereby completing the ice removal.

[0080] In other embodiments, since the lowest point of the inclined bottom wall 201 is located below the inclined side wall 202, if the radial length of the ice churning pan 6 is sufficient, the protrusion 7 can extend to the lowest point of the inclined bottom wall 201, thereby guiding the ice blocks at the lowest point of the inclined bottom wall 201 into the ice container 701 and transporting them to the ice outlet pipe 8 for ice discharge, thus ensuring that the ice blocks in the ice storage liner 2 are completely removed.

[0081] The shield 9 is arranged parallel to and fixed to the inclined sidewall 202. For example, the top of the shield 9 has a flange extending towards the inclined sidewall 202, which provides structural support for the shield 9 through its fixation to the inclined sidewall 202. Correspondingly, the ice shovel 32 can pass through the shield 9, or the shield 9 can be sleeved on the ice shovel 32, thus allowing the shield 9 to be movably connected to the ice shovel 32. In other words, the shield 9 will not rotate when the ice shovel 32 rotates.

[0082] The second ice shovel 34 is located near the end face of the baffle 9 away from the inclined sidewall 202, and the baffle 9 and the inclined sidewall 202 cooperate to form an ice outlet cavity 901 for accommodating the ice shovel 6. Therefore, during the rotation of the ice shovel 6, due to the limiting effect of the baffle 9, the ice blocks in the ice container 701 will not be squeezed by other ice blocks or fall off, thereby further improving the ice transport efficiency and ice outlet effect of the ice shovel 6.

[0083] Correspondingly, the bottom of the baffle 9 cooperates with the inclined bottom wall 201 to form an ice guide port 902 for ice blocks to enter the ice outlet cavity 901. The baffle 9 is located near the lowest point of the inclined bottom wall 201, so that ice blocks located in the ice storage liner 2 can slide through the inclined bottom wall 201 into the ice guide port 902 and enter the ice outlet cavity 901. Alternatively, it can be understood that the ice blocks pass through the ice guide port 902 and enter the ice container 701. In this case, the baffle 9 forms a surface contact with the ice stirring plate 6, and the ice stirring plate 6 forms a surface contact with the inclined side wall 202.

[0084] An optional utility model embodiment, referring to... Figure 2 , Figure 4 as well as Figure 5 As shown, the ice maker also includes a baffle 10, which is located at one end of the ice outlet pipe 8 near the ice churning plate 6.

[0085] In this embodiment of the utility model, the baffle 10 is mainly used to close the ice outlet pipe 8, thereby preventing ice blocks in the ice storage liner 2 from sliding out of the ice outlet pipe 8 when ice is not needed.

[0086] An optional utility model embodiment, referring to... Figure 2 , Figure 4 as well as Figure 5 As shown, the baffle 10 is slidably connected to the inclined sidewall 202. The ice maker may also include a drive motor 11, a drive gear 12, and a rack 13. The drive motor 11 is mounted on the ice storage liner 2, and the drive gear 12 is coaxially fixed with the output shaft of the drive motor 11. The rack 13 is fixed to the baffle 10 and meshes with the drive gear 12. When the drive motor 11 rotates, it drives the baffle 10 to perform reciprocating linear motion to open or close the ice outlet pipe 8.

[0087] In this embodiment of the invention, the baffle 10 can be slidably connected to the inclined sidewall 202. For example, a guide rail can be installed on the inclined sidewall 202, and a slider slidably connected to the guide rail can be installed on the baffle 10, thereby achieving a slidable connection between the baffle 10 and the inclined sidewall 202. The ice maker may also include a drive motor 11, a drive gear 12, and a rack 13. The drive gear 12 and the rack 13 mesh to convert rotational motion into linear motion. The rack 13 is fixed to the baffle 10, and the length direction of the rack 13 is consistent with the sliding direction of the baffle 10. For example, the rack 13 and the baffle 10 can be fixed together by welding, integral molding, or other methods.

[0088] The drive motor 11 is mounted on the ice storage liner 2, specifically on the inclined side wall 202. The drive gear 12 is coaxially fixed with the output shaft of the drive motor 11. This means the output shaft of the drive motor 11 is fixedly connected to the drive gear 12, and the central axis of the output shaft of the drive motor 11 coincides with the central axis of the drive gear 12. When the drive motor 11 operates, it drives the drive gear 12 to rotate, which in turn drives the rack 13 meshing with the drive gear 12 to reciprocate linearly, simultaneously driving the baffle 10 to reciprocate linearly, thereby enabling the opening and closing of the ice outlet pipe 8.

[0089] For example, when the drive motor 11 rotates forward, it drives the baffle 10 to move in a straight line closer to the ice outlet pipe 8 until it closes the ice inlet of the ice outlet pipe 8. As another example, when the drive motor 11 rotates in reverse, it drives the baffle 10 to move in a straight line away from the ice outlet pipe 8 until it fully opens the ice inlet of the ice outlet pipe 8, thereby enabling the ice maker to dispense ice.

[0090] An optional embodiment of the utility model, referring to... Figure 1 As shown, the ice maker may further include a housing 14, a push-cup switch 15, and a controller 16. The ice storage liner 2, the ice tray assembly 1, and the push-cup switch 15 are respectively installed inside the housing 14. The controller 16 is electrically connected to the push-cup switch 15 and the drive motor 11. When the push-cup switch 15 is pushed, it transmits a sensing signal to the controller 16, so that the controller 16 controls the drive motor 11 to start.

[0091] In this embodiment of the invention, the ice maker may further include a housing 14, a push-cup switch 15, and a controller 16. The housing 14 provides structural support for other components of the ice maker. For example, the ice storage liner 2, the ice tray assembly 1, and the push-cup switch 15 can all be mounted on the housing 14. The push-cup switch 15 is electrically connected to the controller 16, and the controller 16 is electrically connected to the drive motor 11. In some embodiments, the push-cup switch 15 may be a push-button switch (usually integrated with a pressure sensor) or a proximity switch (usually integrated with a displacement sensor). When the user presses the push-cup switch 15 or approaches it, the sensing signal of the push-cup switch will change significantly. The controller 16 determines that the user wants to take ice based on the sensing voltage, thereby controlling the drive motor 11 to rotate and open the ice outlet pipe 8.

[0092] In summary, this utility model discloses an ice maker, which may include an ice tray assembly 1, an ice storage liner 2, and an ice churning assembly 3. The ice storage liner 2 is located below the ice tray assembly 1 and has an inclined bottom wall 201 and an inclined side wall 202. The inclined side wall 202 is disposed in the direction away from the ice tray assembly 1, and the inclined bottom wall 201 gradually slopes upward toward the ice tray assembly 1. The ice churning assembly 3 is mounted on the inclined side wall 202 and extends into the ice storage liner 2. When the ice churning assembly 3 is working, it cuts the ice blocks that fall out of the ice tray assembly 1. Therefore, by tilting the bottom wall 201 and the ice-stirring assembly 3, large-diameter ice blocks falling from the ice tray assembly 1 can be fully cut, so that the cut small-diameter ice blocks can fill the ice storage liner 2. This can reduce the overall size of the ice maker while increasing the actual ice storage capacity of the ice storage liner 2 and improving the space utilization of the ice storage machine.

[0093] Reference Figure 6 As shown in the figure, this utility model embodiment also discloses a control method for an ice maker, the control method including:

[0094] S601. In response to the de-icing command, the ice-stirring assembly is activated to cut the ice blocks that have fallen out of the ice tray assembly.

[0095] In this embodiment of the invention, the de-icing command can be triggered upon completion of the ice tray assembly 1, or it can be detected by a pressure sensor installed in the ice storage liner 2. When the pressure sensor detects a pressure change, it determines that there is new ice stored in the ice storage liner 2, meaning that the ice from the ice tray assembly 1 has fallen into the ice storage liner 2. This allows the ice-scraping assembly 3 to be activated, enabling the ice to be cut.

[0096] S602. Monitor the running time of the ice-stirring component.

[0097] S603. If the ice-stirring component is detected to have run for a set duration, the ice-stirring component shall be stopped.

[0098] In this embodiment of the invention, to control the particle size of the ice in the ice storage liner 2, the running time of the ice-stirring component 3 can be preset as a set duration. For example, the set duration can be between 1 minute and 5 minutes, which can be determined by those skilled in the art according to actual design requirements. Thus, when the running time of the ice-stirring component 3 is detected to have reached the set duration, the operation of the ice-stirring component 3 is stopped. Repeating the above steps allows small-diameter ice particles to fill the ice storage liner 2, thereby reducing the overall size of the ice maker while increasing the actual ice storage capacity of the ice storage liner 2, thus improving the space utilization rate of the ice storage machine.

[0099] The various embodiments in this specification are described in a progressive manner, with each embodiment focusing on the differences from other embodiments. The same or similar parts between the various embodiments can be referred to each other.

[0100] It will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art that any combination of the above embodiments is feasible. Therefore, any combination of the above embodiments is an implementation scheme of this utility model. However, due to space limitations, this specification will not describe them in detail here.

[0101] Numerous specific details are set forth in the specification provided herein. However, it will be understood that embodiments of the present invention may be practiced without these specific details. In some instances, well-known methods, structures, and techniques have not been shown in detail so as not to obscure the understanding of this specification.

[0102] Similarly, it should be understood that, in order to simplify the present invention and aid in understanding one or more of the various aspects of the invention, in the description of exemplary embodiments of the present invention above, various features of the present invention are sometimes grouped together in a single embodiment, figure, or description thereof.

[0103] Furthermore, those skilled in the art will understand that although some embodiments described herein include certain features but not others included in other embodiments, combinations of features from different embodiments are intended to be within the scope of this invention and form different embodiments. For example, in the claims, any of the claimed embodiments can be used in any combination.

Claims

1. An ice maker, characterized in that, The ice maker includes: Ice tray component (1); An ice storage liner (2) is located below the ice tray assembly (1) and has an inclined bottom wall (201) and an inclined side wall (202). The inclined side wall (202) is located in the direction away from the ice tray assembly (1) of the ice storage liner (2), and the inclined bottom wall (201) gradually slopes upward toward the direction closer to the ice tray assembly (1). Ice churning assembly (3) is installed on the inclined side wall (202) and extends into the ice storage liner (2). When the ice churning assembly (3) is working, it cuts the ice blocks that fall out of the ice tray assembly (1).

2. The ice maker according to claim 1, characterized in that, The ice-stirring assembly (3) includes: An ice-stirring motor (31) is mounted on the outer surface of the inclined sidewall (202), and the output shaft of the ice-stirring motor (31) extends into the ice storage liner (2); An ice-stirring shaft (32) is connected to the output shaft of the ice-stirring motor (31) via a transmission connection. The first ice shovel (33) is fixedly connected to the ice shovel shaft (32) and located below the ice tray assembly (1). When the ice shovel motor (31) is working, it drives the first ice shovel (33) to rotate and cut large-diameter ice pieces that fall out of the ice tray assembly (1).

3. The ice maker according to claim 2, characterized in that, The ice-stirring assembly (3) also includes: The second ice shovel (34) is fixed on the ice shovel shaft (32) and is disposed close to the inclined side wall (202). The second ice shovel (34) extends toward the inclined bottom wall (201) to cut ice blocks that have slid onto the inclined bottom wall (201).

4. The ice maker according to claim 2, characterized in that, The ice maker also includes a support bearing seat (4), which is fixed on the ice storage liner (2) and rotatably connected to the end of the ice stirring shaft (32) away from the ice stirring motor (31).

5. The ice maker according to claim 2, characterized in that, The ice-stirring shaft (32) is fixed coaxially with the output shaft of the ice-stirring motor (31).

6. The ice maker according to claim 2, characterized in that, The ice-stirring assembly (3) further includes a rotary transmission mechanism (5), which is connected to the ice-stirring motor (31) and to the ice-stirring shaft (32); wherein, The output shaft of the ice-stirring motor (31) is arranged parallel to the ice-stirring shaft (32), and the ice-stirring motor (31) is located in the direction of the ice-stirring shaft (32) near the inclined bottom wall (201).

7. The ice maker according to claim 2, characterized in that, The ice maker also includes: Ice churning pan (6), which is close to the inclined sidewall (202) and is coaxially fixed with the ice churning shaft (32); At least two protrusions (7) are arranged at a radial distance along the ice churning plate (6), and two adjacent protrusions (7) form an ice-collecting groove (701). When the ice churning motor (31) is working, it drives the ice churning plate (6) to rotate and carries ice blocks into the ice-collecting groove (701). An ice outlet pipe (8) is provided, one end of which is connected to the space of the ice storage liner (2) and the top space of the ice stirring plate (6) so that the ice blocks in the ice container (701) at the top of the ice stirring plate (6) can slide out from the ice outlet pipe (8) to be discharged.

8. The ice maker according to claim 7, characterized in that, The ice maker also includes a baffle (9), which is arranged parallel to the inclined sidewall (202) and fixed to the inclined sidewall (202). The baffle (9) is sleeved on the ice stirring shaft (32) to cooperate with the inclined sidewall (202) to form an ice outlet cavity (901) for accommodating the ice stirring plate (6). The bottom of the baffle (9) cooperates with the inclined bottom wall (201) to form an ice guide port (902) for ice blocks to enter the ice outlet cavity (901).

9. The ice maker according to claim 7, characterized in that, The ice maker also includes a baffle (10) located at one end of the ice outlet pipe (8) near the ice stirring plate (6).

10. The ice maker according to claim 9, characterized in that, The baffle (10) is slidably connected to the inclined sidewall (202), and the ice maker further includes: A drive motor (11) is mounted on the ice storage liner (2); A drive gear (12) is fixed coaxially with the output shaft of the drive motor (11); A rack (13) is fixed on the baffle (10) and meshes with the drive gear (12). When the drive motor (11) rotates, it drives the baffle (10) to reciprocate linearly to open or close the ice outlet pipe (8).

11. The ice maker according to claim 10, characterized in that, The ice maker also includes: The shell (14), the ice storage liner (2) and the ice tray assembly (1) are respectively installed inside the shell (14); A push-cup switch (15) is installed inside the housing (14); The controller (16) is electrically connected to the push cup switch (15) and the drive motor (11). When the push cup switch (15) is pushed, the push cup switch (15) transmits a sensing signal to the controller (16) so that the controller (16) controls the drive motor (11) to start.

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