Ice making device

Abstract

The utility model relates to the technical field of household appliances, in particular to an ice making device. The ice making device comprises an ice making mechanism, an ice storage mechanism, a turnover mechanism and a detection mechanism, the ice making mechanism is configured to make ice blocks, the turnover mechanism is rotationally connected to the ice making mechanism, and after the ice blocks fall off from the ice making mechanism, the turnover mechanism can be switched between an initial position and a triggering position for triggering the detection mechanism; the ice storage mechanism is configured to store ice blocks falling from the ice making mechanism, and the detection mechanism is used for detecting whether the ice making mechanism is uniced or not and detecting whether the ice storage mechanism is full of ice or not and sending a signal to the ice making mechanism. And when the detection mechanism detects that the ice storage mechanism is full of ice, the ice making mechanism stops making ice, so that excessive ice blocks in the ice storage mechanism are avoided, the control in the ice making process is intelligent, the energy loss is reduced, the automation degree of the ice making process of the ice making device is improved, and the use experience of a user is improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model relates to the field of household appliance technology, and in particular to an ice-making device. Background Technology

[0002] An ice-making device is a refrigeration mechanical device that produces ice by cooling water through an evaporator with a refrigerant in a refrigeration system. It uses a refrigeration system with water as the carrier and produces ice by passing it through a device when the device is powered on.

[0003] Current ice-making processes typically involve injecting a suitable amount of liquid water into a storage tank for pre-cooling, then pumping the liquid water to an evaporator. Under the action of a refrigerant, the liquid water solidifies into ice blocks, which are then de-iced and stored in an ice storage box. Current ice-making devices cannot determine whether the ice storage box is full during the ice-making process. This leads to situations where the ice storage box is full but the ice-making device continues to produce ice, causing ice to overflow. This not only wastes energy but also affects the ice-making efficiency and may even damage the device, impacting the user experience.

[0004] Therefore, there is an urgent need for an ice-making device to solve the above problems. Utility Model Content

[0005] The purpose of this invention is to provide an ice-making device that can detect whether ice blocks have detached and whether the ice storage mechanism is full, thus preventing excessive ice in the ice storage mechanism, making the control of the ice-making process intelligent, reducing energy consumption, and improving the automation level of the ice-making process.

[0006] To achieve the above objectives, the following technical solution is provided:

[0007] Ice-making apparatus, including:

[0008] An ice-making mechanism, configured to make ice blocks;

[0009] The system includes a flipping mechanism and a detection mechanism. The flipping mechanism is rotatably connected to the ice-making mechanism. When the ice block falls out of the ice-making mechanism, the flipping mechanism can switch between an initial position and a trigger position that triggers the detection mechanism.

[0010] An ice storage mechanism is configured to store the ice blocks that have fallen from the ice-making mechanism. A detection mechanism is used to detect whether the ice-making mechanism has lost ice and whether the ice storage mechanism is full of ice, and to send a signal to the ice-making mechanism.

[0011] As an optional solution, the testing institution includes:

[0012] The detection component is mounted on the ice-making mechanism;

[0013] The device includes a trigger and a rotating component. One end of the rotating component is connected to the flipping mechanism, and the trigger is connected to the other end of the rotating component. The detection component can be triggered by the trigger.

[0014] As an optional solution, the testing institution also includes:

[0015] An elastic reset member is provided, with one end connected to the rotating member and the other end connected to the ice-making mechanism. The elastic reset member is used to switch the flipping mechanism from the trigger position to the initial position.

[0016] As an optional solution, the testing institution also includes:

[0017] Two connecting members are provided, and the two ends of the elastic reset member are respectively detachably connected to the rotating member and the ice-making mechanism through the corresponding connecting members.

[0018] As an optional solution, the connector includes:

[0019] The device includes a connecting portion and a limiting portion. The connecting portion is used to connect with the rotating member or the ice-making mechanism. The elastic reset member is connected to the connecting portion. The limiting portion protrudes from the end of the connecting portion to prevent the elastic reset member from falling off the connecting portion.

[0020] As an optional solution, the ice-making mechanism includes:

[0021] An abutment is provided on the ice-making mechanism, and the abutment can abut against the end of the rotating member away from the flipping mechanism.

[0022] As an optional solution, the flipping mechanism includes:

[0023] Flip-up board;

[0024] The rotating shaft is located at both ends along the length of the flip plate and is rotatably connected to the ice-making mechanism.

[0025] As an optional feature, the flip plate has a groove located in the middle of the flip plate.

[0026] As an optional solution, the rotating shaft is provided with a insertion slot, and the detection mechanism is provided with an insertion part, which is inserted into the insertion slot.

[0027] As an optional solution, a limiting groove is provided on the rotating shaft, and a limiting block is provided on the rotating component in the detection mechanism. The limiting block is inserted into the limiting groove to restrict the relative rotation of the rotating shaft and the detection mechanism.

[0028] Compared with the prior art, the beneficial effects of this utility model are as follows:

[0029] The ice-making device provided by this utility model allows the ice block to switch between an initial position and a triggered position of a detection mechanism. The detection mechanism detects whether the ice-making mechanism is shedding ice and whether the ice storage unit is full, and sends signals to the ice-making mechanism. When the detection mechanism detects that the ice storage unit is full, the ice-making mechanism stops making ice, preventing excessive ice in the ice storage unit, making the control of the ice-making process intelligent, reducing energy consumption, improving the automation level of the ice-making process, and enhancing the user experience. Attached Figure Description

[0030] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of this utility model, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments of this utility model will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of this utility model. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on the content of the embodiments of this utility model and these drawings without creative effort.

[0031] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the ice-making device provided in an embodiment of the present utility model;

[0032] Figure 2 A schematic diagram of the flipping mechanism and the detection mechanism provided in the embodiments of this utility model;

[0033] Figure 3 A schematic diagram of the flipping mechanism provided in an embodiment of this utility model;

[0034] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the rotating component and the triggering component provided in the embodiment of this utility model.

[0035] Figure label:

[0036] 100. Ice-making equipment;

[0037] 10. Ice-making mechanism; 11. Evaporator; 12. Water storage tank; 121. Abutment part; 13. Mounting part;

[0038] 20. Flipping mechanism; 21. Flipping plate; 22. Rotating shaft; 221. Insertion slot; 222. Limiting slot; 223. Groove;

[0039] 30. Testing mechanism; 31. Testing component; 32. Trigger; 33. Rotating component; 331. Limiting block; 332. Insertion part; 34. Elastic reset component; 35. Connecting component; 351. Connecting part; 352. Limiting part. Detailed Implementation

[0040] To make the above-mentioned objectives, features, and advantages of this application more apparent and understandable, the specific embodiments of this application are described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Many specific details are set forth in the following description to provide a thorough understanding of this application. However, this application can be implemented in many other ways different from those described herein, and those skilled in the art can make similar modifications without departing from the spirit of this application. Therefore, this application is not limited to the specific embodiments disclosed below.

[0041] In the description of this application, it should be understood that if terms such as "center", "longitudinal", "lateral", "length", "width", "thickness", "upper", "lower", "front", "rear", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", "inner", "outer", "clockwise", "counterclockwise", "axial", "radial", "circumferential" appear, these terms indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings, and are only for the convenience of describing this application and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore should not be construed as a limitation of this application.

[0042] Furthermore, where the terms "first" and "second" appear, these terms are for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of technical features indicated. Thus, a feature defined with "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include at least one of that feature. In the description of this application, where the term "multiple" appears, "multiple" means at least two, such as two, three, etc., unless otherwise explicitly specified.

[0043] In this application, unless otherwise expressly specified and limited, the terms "installation," "connection," "joining," and "fixing," etc., should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral part; they can refer to a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; they can refer to the internal communication of two components or the interaction between two components, unless otherwise expressly limited. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this application based on the specific circumstances.

[0044] In this application, unless otherwise expressly specified and limited, the use of descriptions such as "above" or "below" the second feature indicates that the first and second features are in direct contact or indirect contact via an intermediate medium. Furthermore, "above," "on top of," and "over" the second feature can mean that the first feature is directly above or diagonally above the second feature, or simply that the first feature is at a higher horizontal level than the second feature. Similarly, "below," "below," and "under" the second feature can mean that the first feature is directly below or diagonally below the second feature, or simply that the first feature is at a lower horizontal level than the second feature.

[0045] It should be noted that if an element is referred to as being "fixed to" or "set on" another element, it can be directly on the other element or there may be an intervening element. If an element is considered to be "connected to" another element, it can be directly connected to the other element or there may be an intervening element. If so, 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 possible implementation.

[0046] This embodiment provides an ice-making device 100 with an ice-making function. The ice-making device 100 can be an ice maker. The ice-making device 100 includes an ice-making mechanism 10, which is used to freeze liquid water into ice blocks. Specifically, as... Figure 1 As shown, the ice-making mechanism 10 includes an evaporator 11, a water storage tank 12, and a mounting component 13. The evaporator 11 is mounted on the mounting component 13, which serves to support the evaporator 11. The water storage tank 12 is located below the mounting component 13 and is used to store liquid water and provide a water source for the evaporator 11 to make ice. The evaporator 11 is provided with an ice grid for forming ice blocks.

[0047] The ice-making mechanism 10 also includes a water pump, a water distribution pipe, and a refrigeration system. The water distribution pipe is located above the mounting component 13 and is connected to the water pump. The water pump draws water from the water storage tank 12 into the water distribution pipe. The water flows out of the water distribution pipe, passes through the evaporator 11, and then flows back into the water storage tank 12, forming a closed water circuit. During ice making, the water in the water storage tank 12 circulates continuously in the closed water circuit driven by the water pump. During this process, water flows out from the outlet hole (not shown in the figure) on the water distribution pipe and flows into the ice grid on the evaporator 11 to form ice blocks. Under the action of the refrigeration system, the liquid water flowing through the ice grid is continuously cooled and forms ice blocks with the same shape as the ice grid, thus completing the ice making process.

[0048] It should be noted that the water pump, water distribution pipe, and refrigeration system are all conventional structures in the prior art, and will not be described in detail in this embodiment.

[0049] The ice-making device 100 also includes an ice storage mechanism (not shown in the figure), which is located below the opening of the ice tray in the evaporator 11 to catch ice blocks falling from the ice tray. When the weight or thickness of the ice blocks reaches a preset value, the ice is removed from the ice tray in the evaporator 11 and falls into the ice storage mechanism, which temporarily stores the ice blocks. Users can easily remove the ice blocks from the ice storage mechanism. The ice storage mechanism can be in the form of an ice storage basket, a refrigerator, or the like.

[0050] The current ice maker 100 cannot determine whether the ice storage box is full during the ice-making process. As a result, the ice maker 100 continues to make ice even when the ice storage box is full, causing the ice to overflow. This not only wastes energy but also affects the ice-making effect of the ice maker 100 and may even damage the ice maker 100, thus affecting the user experience.

[0051] To solve the above problems, such as Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, the ice-making device 100 also includes a flipping mechanism 20 and a detection mechanism 30. The flipping mechanism 20 is rotatably connected to the ice-making device 10. After ice blocks fall out of the ice-making device 10, the flipping mechanism 20 can switch between an initial position and a triggered position of the detection mechanism 30. The ice storage mechanism is configured to store the ice blocks that have fallen out of the ice-making device 10. The detection mechanism 30 is used to detect whether the ice-making device 10 has detached ice and whether the ice storage mechanism is full of ice, and sends a signal to the ice-making device 10. When the detection mechanism 30 detects that the ice storage mechanism is full of ice, the ice-making device 10 stops making ice, avoiding excessive ice in the ice storage mechanism, making the control of the ice-making process intelligent, reducing energy consumption, improving the automation level of the ice-making process of the ice-making device 100, and improving the user experience.

[0052] The ice-making device 100 also includes a control mechanism. The ice-making mechanism 10 and the detection mechanism 30 are respectively connected to the control mechanism for communication to coordinate and control the cooperation between the various mechanisms.

[0053] like Figures 1-3 As shown, the flipping mechanism 20 includes a flipping plate 21 and a rotating shaft 22. The rotating shaft 22 is disposed at both ends of the flipping plate 21 along its length. The rotating shaft 22 is rotatably connected to the end of the water storage tank 12 near the ice-making mechanism 10. The rotating shaft 22 is located on one side of the flipping plate 21 in the width direction, so as to save the lower space of the flipping plate 21 when it flips, which helps to realize the miniaturization design of the ice-making device 100. It can be understood that the width of the flipping plate 21 is within the range of the ice block falling path. Therefore, the flipping plate 21 can also guide the ice block to fall into the ice storage mechanism.

[0054] like Figures 1-3As shown, a groove 223 is provided on the flip plate 21. The groove 223 is located in the middle of the flip plate 21. When the flip mechanism 20 is installed on the water storage tank 12, the groove 223 makes it easy to bend the flip plate 21 towards the middle so that the rotating shaft 22 can be inserted into the water storage tank 12, which facilitates the installation of the flip mechanism 20.

[0055] Optionally, the detection mechanism 30 includes a detection element 31, a trigger element 32, and a rotating element 33. The detection element 31 is mounted on the mounting element 13. One end of the rotating element 33 is connected to the rotating shaft 22. The trigger element 32 is connected to the other end of the rotating element 33. The rotating element 33 is L-shaped, so that the trigger element 32 and the flip plate 21 are not on the same plane. The height of the detection element 31 is equal to the length of the rotating element 33. The rotating element 33 rotates around the rotating shaft 22. The detection element 31 can be triggered by the trigger element 32. When ice cubes fall from the ice tray on the evaporator 11, they directly contact the flip plate 21, causing the flip plate 21 to rotate around the pivot 22. That is, the flip plate 21 switches from the initial position to the trigger position, and at the same time drives the rotating component 33 to rotate and swing, so that the trigger component 32 located at one end of the rotating component 33 swings with the rotation of the rotating component 33, thereby approaching the detection component 31. The detection component 31 and the trigger component 32 are sensed to trigger the detection component 31, so that the detection component 31 sends a trigger signal to the control mechanism.

[0056] In this embodiment, the rotation angle of the rotating member 33 is less than 90° to reduce the stroke of the trigger member 32, thereby reducing the triggering time of the detection member 31. In other embodiments, the rotation angle of the rotating member 33 may be greater than or equal to 90° and less than 180°.

[0057] In this embodiment, the trigger 32 is a magnet, and the detection element 31 is a proximity switch. The trigger 32 senses the detection element 31 by means of magnetic flux. In other embodiments, the sensing methods of the detection element 31 and the trigger 32 can also be infrared sensing, etc.

[0058] It should be noted that the magnet, proximity switch, and control mechanism are all existing technologies, and their structure and working principle will not be described in detail here.

[0059] The detection mechanism 30 also includes an elastic reset member 34. One end of the elastic reset member 34 is connected to the rotating member 33, and the other end is connected to the water storage tank 12. The elastic reset member 34 is used to switch the flipping mechanism 20 from the trigger position to the initial position. The elastic reset member 34 is located outside the rotating member 33 and is parallel to the plane on which the rotating member 33 is located. When the ice block falls and contacts the flipping plate 21, the elastic reset member 34 is stretched. When the ice block leaves the flipping plate 21, the pulling force of the elastic reset member 34 pulls the rotating member 33 back to its original initial state, thereby driving the flipping plate 21 back to its initial position. The trigger member 32 moves away from the detection member 31, causing the trigger signal of the detection member 31 to be disconnected, thus detecting that the ice-making mechanism 10 has completed one ice removal cycle.

[0060] When the ice storage mechanism is full, the last ice block falls off and contacts and presses down on the flip plate 21, preventing it from moving. At this time, the weight of the ice block is much greater than the tension of the elastic reset member 34, making it impossible for the rotating member 33 and the flip plate 21 to return to their initial state. At this time, the magnetic field of the trigger member 32 will continuously sense the signal with the detection member 31, and the signal will remain continuous, which can be recorded as ice full. At this time, the control mechanism controls the ice-making mechanism 10 to stop ice making. By checking whether the detection member 31 and the trigger member 32 remain in constant contact and cannot be disconnected, it is possible to detect whether the ice block is pressing down on the flip plate 21, and determine whether ice making needs to continue. If the ice block presses down on the flip plate 21, it indicates that the ice is full and ice making stops; otherwise, ice making continues. This avoids excessive ice in the ice storage mechanism, makes the control of the ice-making process intelligent, reduces energy consumption, and improves the automation level of the ice-making process of the ice-making device 100.

[0061] It is understandable that the initial position is the position where the trigger 32 is farthest from the detector 31 (i.e., Figure 1 The position of the flip plate 21 is as follows: the trigger position is the position where the trigger 32 is close to and in contact with the detection element 31.

[0062] In this embodiment, the elastic reset member 34 is a tension spring. The shape, material, etc. of the elastic reset member can be specifically defined according to the actual situation.

[0063] like Figure 1 As shown, the water storage tank 12 is provided with an abutment 121. The end of the rotating part 33 away from the rotating shaft 22 abuts against the abutment 121. The abutment 121 serves to limit the abutment of the rotating part 33.

[0064] like Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, the detection mechanism 30 also includes two connecting parts 35. The two ends of the elastic reset part 34 are detachably connected to the rotating part 33 and the ice-making mechanism 10 through the corresponding connecting parts 35, which facilitates the quick assembly and disassembly of the elastic reset part 34 and improves the installation efficiency of the elastic reset part 34.

[0065] Specifically, the connector 35 includes a connecting portion 351 and a limiting portion 352. The connecting portion 351 is used to connect with the rotating member 33 or the ice-making mechanism 10. The elastic reset member 34 is connected to the connecting portion 351. The limiting portion 352 protrudes from the end of the connecting portion 351 to restrict the elastic reset member 34 from falling off the connecting portion 351.

[0066] In this embodiment, the connector 35 is a pin. In other embodiments, the connector 35 may also be a screw, rivet, or snap-fit, etc.

[0067] like Figures 2-4 As shown, the rotating shaft 22 is provided with a plug groove 221, and the rotating part 33 is provided with a plug part 332. The plug part 332 is plugged into the plug groove 221 to facilitate the quick installation of the rotating part 33 onto the rotating shaft 22.

[0068] Optionally, a limiting groove 222 is provided on the rotating shaft 22. The limiting groove 222 is located on the periphery of the rotating shaft 22 and is approximately rectangular. The rotating component 33 in the detection mechanism 30 is provided with a limiting block 331. The limiting block 311 is located at the end of the rotating component 33 away from the trigger component 32, and the limiting block 311 is adapted to the limiting groove 222. The limiting block 331 and the limiting groove 222 are inserted into each other to limit the relative rotation of the rotating shaft 22 and the rotating rod.

[0069] Note that in the description of this specification, references to terms such as "some embodiments," "other embodiments," etc., indicate that a specific feature, structure, material, or characteristic described in connection with that embodiment or example is included in at least one embodiment or example of the present invention. In this specification, the illustrative expressions of the above terms do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment or example. Furthermore, the specific features, structures, materials, or characteristics described may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments or examples.

[0070] The above description is merely a preferred embodiment of the present invention and the technical principles employed. Those skilled in the art will understand that the present invention is not limited to the specific embodiments described herein, and various obvious changes, readjustments, and substitutions can be made without departing from the protection scope of the present invention. Therefore, although the present invention has been described in detail through the above embodiments, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments, and may include many other equivalent embodiments without departing from the concept of the present invention. The scope of the present invention is determined by the scope of the appended claims.

Claims

1. Ice making device, characterized in that The application relates to an ice-making device. The ice-making device comprises: an ice-making mechanism (10) configured to make ice cubes; a turnover mechanism (20) rotatably connected to the ice-making mechanism (10), which can switch between an initial position and a triggering position for triggering a detection mechanism (30) after the ice cubes are dropped from the ice-making mechanism (10); 2. The ice making device according to claim 1, wherein, an ice storage mechanism configured to store the ice cubes dropped from the ice-making mechanism (10), the detection mechanism (30) being used to detect whether the ice-making mechanism (10) is ice-free and whether the ice storage mechanism is full of ice and send a signal to the ice-making mechanism (10). The detection mechanism (30) comprises: a detection piece (31) arranged on the ice-making mechanism (10); 3. The ice making device according to claim 2, wherein, a triggering piece (32) and a rotating piece (33), one end of the rotating piece (33) being connected to the turnover mechanism (20), the other end of the rotating piece (33) being connected to the triggering piece (32), and the detection piece (31) being triggered by the triggering piece (32). The detection mechanism (30) further comprises:

4. The ice making device according to claim 3, wherein a resilient reset piece (34), one end of the resilient reset piece (34) being connected to the rotating piece (33) and the other end of the resilient reset piece (34) being connected to the ice-making mechanism (10), the resilient reset piece (34) being used to switch the turnover mechanism (20) from the triggering position to the initial position. The detection mechanism (30) further comprises:

5. The ice making device according to claim 4, wherein two connecting pieces (35), the two ends of the resilient reset piece (34) being detachably connected to the rotating piece (33) and the ice-making mechanism (10) through the corresponding connecting pieces (35). The connecting piece (35) comprises:

6. The ice making device of claim 2, wherein, a connecting part (351) and a limiting part (352), the connecting part (351) being used to connect the rotating piece (33) or the ice-making mechanism (10), the resilient reset piece (34) being connected to the connecting part (351), and the limiting part (352) being protrusively arranged at the end of the connecting part (351) to limit the resilient reset piece (34) from being detached from the connecting part (351). The ice-making mechanism (10) comprises:

7. The ice-making device according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that, an abutting piece (121) arranged on the ice-making mechanism (10), the abutting piece (121) being capable of abutting against one end of the rotating piece (33) away from the turnover mechanism (20). The turnover mechanism (20) comprises: a turnover plate (21); 8. The ice making device according to claim 7, wherein a rotating shaft (22) arranged at both ends of the turnover plate (21) in the length direction and rotatably connected to the ice-making mechanism (10).

9. The ice making device of claim 7, wherein, The turnover plate (21) is provided with a groove (223) at the middle part of the turnover plate (21). The rotating shaft (22) is provided with an insertion slot (221), the detection mechanism (30) is provided with an insertion part (332), and the insertion part (332) is inserted into the insertion slot (221) in a matched mode.

10. The ice making device according to claim 9, wherein, The rotating shaft (22) is provided with a limiting groove (222), and a limiting block (331) is arranged on a rotating part (33) in the detection mechanism (30), the limiting block (331) and the limiting groove (222) are inserted and matched, so that relative rotation of the rotating shaft (22) and the detection mechanism (30) can be limited.

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