Ice cube tray assembly

Abstract

The utility model relates to the technical field of ice cube trays, in particular to an ice cube tray assembly which comprises a double-layer ice cube tray, the double-layer ice cube tray is formed by stacking a silica gel ice cube tray layer and a hard ice cube tray layer, the base face of the silica gel ice cube tray layer is fixedly bonded with the base face of the hard ice cube tray layer, and an ice groove of the silica gel ice cube tray layer is located in an ice groove of the hard ice cube tray layer. A cavity is formed between the two; the bottom wall of an ice groove in the silica gel ice cube tray layer is fixedly connected with the bottom wall of an ice groove in the hard ice cube tray layer through an annular partition plate, the annular partition plate divides a cavity into an annular cavity on the upper side and a bottom cavity on the bottom side, and the annular cavity and the bottom cavity are both filled with anti-freezing liquid; the bottom side of the hard ice cube tray layer is correspondingly provided with automatic pressure adjusting mechanisms right opposite to the ice grooves, the automatic pressure adjusting mechanisms are used for adjusting the amount of anti-freezing liquid in the annular cavity and the bottom cavity, the change of the volume of the annular cavity and the volume of the bottom cavity is controlled by driving the anti-freezing liquid to flow, and therefore ice blocks in the ice grooves are controlled to be automatically pushed out.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model relates to the field of ice tray technology, specifically to an ice tray component. Background Technology

[0002] Silicone ice trays, used for freezing ice cubes, often cause problems with dispensing ice because the ice cubes tend to stick to the inner wall of the tray during the freezing process.

[0003] Ice cube trays made of silicone utilize the soft texture of silicone to prevent sticking when removing ice cubes by bending the tray; ice cubes in the above-mentioned ice cube trays need to be handled one by one.

[0004] Based on this, this solution provides an ice tray assembly, which uses silicone material and other structures to achieve centralized discharge of ice. Utility Model Content

[0005] The present invention aims to at least solve the problem in the prior art that ice cubes in silicone ice trays need to be squeezed out one by one.

[0006] This solution provides an ice tray assembly, achieved by the following specific technical means: including a double-layer ice tray, wherein the double-layer ice tray is formed by stacking a silicone ice tray layer and a hard ice tray layer, and the base surface of the silicone ice tray layer is bonded and fixed to the base surface of the hard ice tray layer, the ice groove of the silicone ice tray layer is located in the ice groove of the hard ice tray layer, and the outer wall of the ice groove of the silicone ice tray layer does not contact the inner wall of the ice groove of the hard ice tray layer, forming a cavity between the two;

[0007] The bottom wall of the ice trough in the silicone ice tray layer is fixed to the bottom wall of the ice trough in the hard ice tray layer by an annular partition. The annular partition divides the chamber into an upper annular cavity and a bottom cavity, both of which are filled with antifreeze liquid. The bottom side of the hard ice tray layer is equipped with an automatic pressure adjustment mechanism corresponding to each set of ice troughs. The automatic pressure adjustment mechanism is used to adjust the amount of antifreeze liquid in the annular cavity and the bottom cavity, thereby controlling the automatic ejection of ice blocks from the ice trough.

[0008] Preferred technical solution 1: The automatic pressure adjustment mechanism includes an annular cover fixed to the bottom of the ice tray in the hard ice grid layer and a flow balance adjustment component located in the annular cover and communicating with the annular cavity and the bottom cavity. When the ice grid assembly is lifted so that the bottom opening of the annular cover is away from the refrigerator partition, the bottom end of the flow balance adjustment component extends from the bottom opening of the annular cover to control the decrease of the amount of antifreeze liquid in the annular cavity and the increase of the amount of antifreeze liquid in the bottom cavity, thereby realizing the automatic separation of the ice tray and the ice blocks.

[0009] After the ice tray is placed in the refrigerator, the flow balance adjustment component retracts back into the annular cover due to gravity, adjusting the amount of antifreeze liquid in the annular cavity to increase and the amount of antifreeze liquid in the bottom cavity to decrease.

[0010] Preferred technical solution two: The flow balance adjustment component includes a vertical cylinder that is fixed through the bottom wall of the ice trough in the hard ice grid layer. The top opening of the vertical cylinder is connected to the bottom cavity. The vertical cylinder is located in an annular cover, and a bottom partition plate is fixed in the middle of the annular cover. The top surface of the bottom partition plate is fixed to the bottom end of the vertical cylinder. The bottom partition plate, the inner wall of the annular cover, and the outer wall of the vertical cylinder form an adjustment cavity one. At the same time, the bottom partition plate and the inner wall of the vertical cylinder form an adjustment cavity two. The bottom of the vertical cylinder has a hole one that communicates with the adjustment cavity two. At the same time, the bottom wall of the annular cavity has a hole two that communicates with the adjustment cavity one. The flow balance adjustment component also includes a stopper plate that slides up and down in the adjustment cavity one. The stopper plate is located between the hole one and the hole two. A stopper rod fixed to the bottom wall of the stopper plate slides through the bottom partition plate and extends into the lower middle part of the annular cover. At the same time, a spring connects the stopper plate and the bottom partition plate.

[0011] Preferred technical solution 3: The double-layer ice tray is covered with a top cover.

[0012] Preferred technical solution four: A diversion plate is fixed inside the top cover. The diversion plate is located in the middle of the inner cavity of the top cover, and a set of water holes are opened on the diversion plate opposite each set of ice tanks. At the same time, a water injection window is opened on the top wall of the top cover.

[0013] Preferred technical solution five: The top cover sidewall is provided with an observation window below the diversion plate, which is used to observe the water level and freezing condition in the ice tank.

[0014] The above structure gives this solution the following advantages:

[0015] 1. By combining silicone ice trays with rigid ice trays, and with the change in the volume of the chamber formed between the ice grooves on both, the ice cubes in the ice grooves are automatically discharged, eliminating the need to break them out one by one.

[0016] 2. Creatively utilizing the characteristic that antifreeze can flow even at low temperatures, the volume changes of the annular cavity and the bottom cavity are controlled by driving the flow of antifreeze;

[0017] 3. The flow of antifreeze is automatically adjusted by the weight of the ice tray assembly itself and the spring, without the need for any other external force;

[0018] 4. The top cover and diversion plate are designed to allow multiple ice tanks to be filled with water at the same time. Attached Figure Description

[0019] The accompanying drawings are provided to further illustrate the present invention and form part of the specification. They are used together with the embodiments of the present invention to explain the present invention, but do not constitute a limitation thereof. In the drawings:

[0020] Figure 1This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of this solution;

[0021] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the top cover structure of this scheme;

[0022] Figure 3 This is a cross-sectional view of the double-layer ice tray in this design;

[0023] Figure 4 This is an enlarged view of the double-layer ice structure of this scheme;

[0024] Figure 5 This is an exploded view of the double-layer ice grid in this design;

[0025] Figure 6 This is an exploded view of the flow balance adjustment component in this solution.

[0026] Among them, 1. Double-layer ice tray, 11. Silicone ice tray layer, 12. Hard ice tray layer, 13. Ice trough, 14. Annular partition, 15. Annular cavity, 16. Bottom cavity, 2. Automatic pressure adjustment mechanism, 21. Annular cover, 22. Flow balance adjustment component, 221. Vertical cylinder, 222. Bottom partition, 223. Adjustment cavity one, 224. Adjustment cavity two, 225. Hole one, 226. Hole two, 227. Plug plate, 228. Plug rod, 229. Spring, 3. Top cover, 31. Water injection window, 32. Observation window, 4. Diverter plate, 41. Water hole. Detailed Implementation

[0027] The technical solutions of the present utility model will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings of the embodiments of the present utility model. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present utility model, and not all embodiments. All other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art based on the embodiments of the present utility model without creative effort are within the protection scope of the present utility model.

[0028] Please see Figures 3-6 An ice tray assembly includes a double-layer ice tray 1, which is formed by stacking a silicone ice tray layer 11 and a hard ice tray layer 12. The base surface of the silicone ice tray layer 11 is bonded and fixed to the base surface of the hard ice tray layer 12. The ice groove 13 of the silicone ice tray layer 11 is located in the ice groove 13 of the hard ice tray layer 12, and the outer wall of the ice groove 13 of the silicone ice tray layer 11 does not contact the inner wall of the ice groove 13 of the hard ice tray layer 12, forming a cavity between them. The bottom wall of the ice groove 13 in the silicone ice tray layer 11 is fixed to the bottom wall of the ice groove 13 of the hard ice tray layer 12 by an annular partition 14. The annular partition 14 divides the cavity into an upper annular cavity 15 and a bottom cavity 16. Both the annular cavity 15 and the bottom cavity 16 are filled with antifreeze liquid.

[0029] Each set of ice troughs 13 is equipped with an automatic pressure adjustment mechanism 2 on the bottom side of the rigid ice grid layer 12. The automatic pressure adjustment mechanism 2 is used to adjust the amount of antifreeze liquid in the annular cavity 15 and the bottom cavity 16, thereby controlling the automatic ejection of ice blocks in the ice troughs 13. Before water is added, the automatic pressure adjustment mechanism 2 adjusts the amount of antifreeze liquid in the annular cavity 15 to increase and the amount of antifreeze liquid in the bottom cavity 16 to decrease. Due to the change in the amount of antifreeze liquid, the annular cavity 15 expands, the inner wall is pushed and undergoes elastic deformation, and the bottom cavity 16 contracts. When in use, water is injected into the ice troughs 13 in the silicone ice grid layer 11. After freezing, the automatic pressure adjustment mechanism 2 is used to adjust the amount of antifreeze liquid in the annular cavity 15 to decrease and the amount of antifreeze liquid in the bottom cavity 16 to increase. This causes the side walls and bottom walls of the ice troughs 13 in the silicone ice grid layer 11 to deform to a certain extent, releasing the adhesion between the ice troughs 13 and the ice blocks.

[0030] Please see Figure 4 and Figure 6 The ice tray assembly and automatic pressure adjustment mechanism 2 include an annular cover 21 fixed to the bottom of the ice trough 13 in the rigid ice tray layer 12, and a flow balance adjustment component 22 located in the annular cover 21 and communicating with the annular cavity 15 and the bottom cavity 16. The flow balance adjustment component 22 includes a vertical cylinder 221 that penetrates and is fixed to the bottom wall of the ice trough 13 in the rigid ice tray layer 12. The top opening of the vertical cylinder 221 communicates with the bottom cavity 16, and the vertical cylinder 221 is located in the annular cover 21. A [missing information - likely a device or component] is fixed in the middle of the annular cover 21. Bottom partition 222, the top surface of bottom partition 222 is fixed to the bottom end of vertical cylinder 221 to seal the bottom opening of vertical cylinder 221, bottom partition 222, inner wall of annular cover 21 and outer wall of vertical cylinder 221 form adjustment cavity 1 223, and bottom partition 222 and inner wall of vertical cylinder 221 form adjustment cavity 224, the bottom of vertical cylinder 221 is provided with hole 1 225 communicating with adjustment cavity 224, and the bottom wall of annular cavity 15 is provided with hole 226 communicating with adjustment cavity 1 223;

[0031] The flow balance adjustment assembly 22 also includes a stopper plate 227 that slides up and down in the adjustment chamber 1 223. The stopper plate 227 is located between the hole 1 225 and the hole 226. The stopper rod 228 fixed to the bottom wall of the stopper plate 227 slides through the bottom partition 222 and extends into the lower middle part of the annular cover 21. At the same time, a spring 229 is connected between the stopper plate 227 and the bottom partition 222. When the ice tray assembly is taken out of the refrigerator, the stopper plate 227 is pulled down by the spring 229. At this time, the bottom end of the stopper rod 228 extends out from the bottom opening of the annular cover 21, so that the antifreeze liquid in the adjustment chamber 2 224 is squeezed into the adjustment chamber 1 223 by the stopper plate 227, thereby achieving the technical effect of reducing the amount of antifreeze liquid in the annular cavity 15 and increasing the amount of antifreeze liquid in the bottom cavity 16.

[0032] After the ice tray is placed, the stopper 228 is squeezed back into the annular cover 21 under the weight of the ice tray assembly. At this time, the spring 229 is stretched, and the stopper plate 227 moves upward, causing the antifreeze liquid to flow from the first adjustment chamber 223 to the second adjustment chamber 224, thereby achieving the technical effect of increasing the amount of antifreeze liquid in the annular cavity 15 and decreasing the amount of antifreeze liquid in the bottom cavity 16.

[0033] Please see Figures 1-2 The ice tray assembly has a double-layered ice tray 1 with a top cover 3 on top. The top cover 3 is used to cover and protect the ice blocks that are pushed out. After the ice blocks are separated from the ice tray 13, all the ice blocks can be transferred from the ice tray 13 to the top cover 3 by flipping the ice tray assembly, making it easy to take them out.

[0034] Please see Figures 1-2 The ice tray assembly has a diversion plate 4 fixed inside the top cover 3. The diversion plate 4 is located in the middle of the inner cavity of the top cover 3, and a set of water holes 41 are opened on the diversion plate 4 facing each set of ice tanks 13. At the same time, a water injection window 31 is opened on the top wall of the top cover 3. When in use, water is injected from the water injection window 31, and the water flows into different ice tanks 13 through the multiple sets of water holes 41 on the diversion plate 4, realizing the simultaneous water injection of multiple sets of ice tanks 13, avoiding the complicated operation of water injection for each individual ice tray. When the ice tray assembly is taken out and flipped over, the ice in the ice tanks 13 falls onto the diversion plate 4.

[0035] The top cover 3 has an observation window 32 located below the diversion plate 4 on its side wall. The observation window 32 is used to observe the water level and freezing condition in the ice tank 13. The height of the observation window 32 is smaller than the size of the ice block to prevent the ice block from falling out of the observation window 32.

[0036] Although embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes, modifications, substitutions and alterations can be made to these embodiments without departing from the principles and spirit of the present invention, the scope of which is defined by the appended claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. An ice tray assembly, characterized in that: The device includes a double-layer ice tray (1), which is formed by stacking a silicone ice tray layer (11) and a hard ice tray layer (12). The base surface of the silicone ice tray layer (11) is fixed to the base surface of the hard ice tray layer (12). The ice groove (13) of the silicone ice tray layer (11) is located in the ice groove (13) of the hard ice tray layer (12). The outer wall of the ice groove (13) of the silicone ice tray layer (11) does not contact the inner wall of the ice groove (13) of the hard ice tray layer (12), and a cavity is formed between the two. The bottom wall of the ice trough (13) in the silicone ice grid layer (11) is fixed to the bottom wall of the ice trough (13) in the hard ice grid layer (12) by an annular partition (14). The annular partition (14) divides the chamber into an upper annular cavity (15) and a bottom cavity (16). Both the annular cavity (15) and the bottom cavity (16) are filled with antifreeze liquid. The bottom side of the hard ice grid layer (12) is provided with an automatic pressure adjustment mechanism (2) corresponding to each set of ice troughs (13). The automatic pressure adjustment mechanism (2) is used to adjust the amount of antifreeze liquid in the annular cavity (15) and the bottom cavity (16).

2. An ice tray assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that: The automatic pressure regulating mechanism (2) includes an annular cover (21) fixed to the bottom of the ice trough (13) in the hard ice grid layer (12) and a flow balance regulating component (22) located in the annular cover (21) and communicating with the annular cavity (15) and the bottom cavity (16).

3. An ice tray assembly according to claim 2, characterized in that: The flow balance adjustment component (22) includes a vertical cylinder (221) that penetrates and is fixed to the bottom wall of the ice trough (13) in the rigid ice grid layer (12). The top opening of the vertical cylinder (221) is connected to the bottom cavity (16). The vertical cylinder (221) is located in the annular cover (21), and a bottom partition plate (222) is fixed in the middle of the annular cover (21). The top surface of the bottom partition plate (222) is fixed to the bottom end of the vertical cylinder (221). The inner wall of the annular cover (21) and the outer wall of the vertical cylinder (221) form an adjustment cavity one (223), while the bottom partition (222) and the inner wall of the vertical cylinder (221) form an adjustment cavity two (224). The bottom of the vertical cylinder (221) is provided with a hole one (225) communicating with the adjustment cavity two (224), and the bottom wall of the annular cavity (15) is provided with a hole two (226) communicating with the adjustment cavity one (223). The flow balance adjustment assembly (22) also includes a plug plate (227) that slides up and down in the adjustment chamber (223). The plug plate (227) is located between the hole (225) and the hole (226). A plug rod (228) fixed to the bottom wall of the plug plate (227) slides through the bottom partition (222) and extends into the lower middle part of the annular cover (21). At the same time, a spring connects the plug plate (227) and the bottom partition (222).

4. An ice tray assembly according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that: The double-layer ice tray (1) is covered with a top cover (3).

5. An ice tray assembly according to claim 4, characterized in that: A diversion plate (4) is fixed inside the top cover (3). The diversion plate (4) is located in the middle of the inner cavity of the top cover (3), and a set of water holes (41) are opened on the diversion plate (4) facing each set of ice tanks (13).

6. An ice tray assembly according to claim 5, characterized in that: The top wall of the top cover (3) is provided with a water injection window (31).

7. An ice tray assembly according to claim 6, characterized in that: The top cover (3) has an observation window (32) on its side wall below the diversion plate (4).

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