Ice maker

Abstract

The utility model relates to an ice maker which comprises a main body with an ice outlet at the front end, an installation space is arranged in the main body, first baffles are arranged on the inner walls of the left side and the right side, close to the ice outlet, of the main body in a protruding mode, and the upper ends of the first baffles are separated from the inner top wall of the main body by a certain distance; the ice basket is provided with an ice block containing cavity, the end, close to the ice outlet, of the ice basket is the front end, and limiting buckles are arranged on the left outer side and the right outer side of the ice basket in a protruding mode and close to the rear side of the ice basket. When the ice basket slides out of the ice outlet, the limiting buckle can abut against the side, back on to the ice outlet, of the first baffle. When the ice basket is lifted upwards, the limiting buckle can be separated from the upper part of the first baffle plate; the ice making assembly is used for preparing ice blocks; and the water storage tank supplies water to the ice making assembly. The ice basket of the ice maker can be movably pulled out, and when the ice basket is partially pulled out of the ice maker, the ice basket can be hung on the ice maker, so that a user can conveniently take ice. Meanwhile, matching of the first baffle and the limiting buckle can be removed through the opening, and the ice basket is completely taken out.

Description

Technical Field

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

[0002] An ice maker is a device that turns water into ice cubes. It typically uses a refrigeration system to produce ice cubes by using water as a carrier when electricity is applied. Ice makers usually have a built-in ice basket where the ice cubes produced by the system slide down for storage. The ice basket is usually a drawer-type structure. With existing ice basket structures, users have two ways to retrieve ice: partially pulling out the basket or pulling it out completely and placing it on a table. However, when partially pulling out the drawer-type ice basket, the weight of the basket means that if most of it is pulled out, the user needs to use one hand to support the basket while using an ice shovel to retrieve the ice, which is very inconvenient. When the entire basket is pulled out and placed on the table, the high ambient temperature causes the ice to be exposed to room temperature for an extended period, inevitably leading to some melting and waste, thus affecting the user experience. Utility Model Content

[0003] Therefore, the purpose of this utility model is to provide an ice maker.

[0004] An ice maker includes: a main body with an ice outlet at the front end, sealed on all sides, and an internal installation space; first baffles protruding from the inner walls of the main body on the left and right sides near the ice outlet, the upper ends of the first baffles being separated from the inner top wall of the main body by a certain distance; an ice basket having a cavity for holding ice blocks and slidably disposed within the installation space, with the side near the ice outlet being the front end; limiting buckles protruding from the left and right outer sides of the ice basket; the limiting buckles being near the rear end of the ice basket; when the ice basket slides out towards the ice outlet, the limiting buckles can abut against the side of the first baffle facing away from the ice outlet; when the ice basket is lifted upwards, the limiting buckles can disengage from above the first baffle; an ice-making assembly disposed within the installation space for preparing ice blocks; and a water storage tank communicating with the ice-making assembly for supplying water to the ice-making assembly.

[0005] The ice maker of this invention features a pull-out ice basket. Through the cooperation of a limiting opening and a first baffle, the ice basket can be suspended on the ice maker when pulled out, facilitating ice removal for the user. Simultaneously, the ice basket can be completely removed by disengaging the first baffle from the limiting buckle via the opening.

[0006] Furthermore, the limiting buckle includes a curved portion and a straight portion; the curved portion is arc-shaped and protrudes towards the ice outlet; the straight portion is elongated, with one end connected to the upper end of the curved portion and the other end extending away from the ice outlet; when the ice basket slides a certain distance towards the ice outlet, the curved portion and the straight portion respectively abut against the first baffle, and the straight portion is located above the curved portion.

[0007] With the above technical solution, when the ice basket is pulled out, the curved part first contacts the first baffle, and at the same time, after the ice basket rotates outward counterclockwise and tilts, the straight part keeps in contact with the first baffle.

[0008] Furthermore, elastic protrusions are provided on the left and right sides of the ice basket near the ice outlet, respectively; second baffles extending downwards are provided on the left and right sides of the inner top wall of the main body, and the two second baffles can respectively abut against the two elastic protrusions.

[0009] With the above technical solution, when the ice basket is working inside the ice maker, the elastic protrusion abuts against the second baffle to lock it, preventing the ice basket from sliding out due to tilting or vibration of the ice maker.

[0010] Furthermore, the elastic protrusion is an arc shape that protrudes upward in the vertical direction.

[0011] Furthermore, a sliding guide portion is provided on the inner bottom wall of the main body, and the sliding guide portion extends into the installation space along the front-back direction from the ice outlet; the ice basket is placed on the sliding guide portion.

[0012] Through the above technical solution, the sliding guide part plays a sliding guiding role, ensuring that the ice basket slides smoothly.

[0013] Furthermore, the ice maker also includes a front cover plate that covers the ice outlet; the ice basket is detachably connected to the front cover plate.

[0014] The above technical solution seals the ice outlet to prevent dust from entering and positions the ice basket to prevent it from shaking.

[0015] Furthermore, the front cover plate and the ice basket are installed together by a snap-fit ​​structure.

[0016] The above technical solution uses a snap-fit ​​structure to connect the ice basket and the front cover.

[0017] Furthermore, a handle is provided on the front cover plate away from the ice basket. The handle includes a connecting part and a gripping part. The connecting part extends horizontally, with one end connected to the front cover plate away from the ice basket and the other end connected to the gripping part, so that the gripping part is separated from the front cover plate away from the ice basket.

[0018] The above technical solution makes it easy for users to apply force outwards to pull out the ice basket.

[0019] Furthermore, a water outlet is provided at the bottom of the main body, and the water outlet is connected to the water storage tank.

[0020] The above technical solution allows the meltwater from the ice that may accumulate inside the main body to flow back into the water storage tank.

[0021] Furthermore, the ice basket is provided with a drainage hole, which is connected to the installation space.

[0022] The above technical solution allows the melted water from the ice accumulated in the ice basket to drain out through the drain hole, preventing the ice from sticking together. Attached Figure Description

[0023] Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the overall structure of the ice maker provided by this utility model;

[0024] Figure 2 A sectional side view of the ice maker provided by this utility model, projected along the left-right direction.

[0025] Figure 3 for Figure 2 Enlarged view of point A in the middle;

[0026] Figure 4 A schematic diagram of the structure of the ice maker provided by this utility model when pulling out the ice basket to retrieve ice;

[0027] Figure 5 for Figure 4 Enlarged view of point B in the middle;

[0028] Figure 6 A front view of the main body of this utility model projected along the front-to-back direction;

[0029] Figure 7 for Figure 6 A sectional view taken along the AA direction;

[0030] Figure 8 A schematic diagram of the spatial structure of the ice basket provided by this utility model;

[0031] Figure 9 A schematic diagram of the spatial structure of the front cover plate provided by this utility model;

[0032] Figure 10 A schematic diagram of the structure of the ice basket provided by this utility model when it is installed on the front cover plate from one viewing angle.

[0033] Figure 11 for Figure 10 The front view projected along the front-to-back direction;

[0034] Figure 12 for Figure 11 A magnified view of a section cut along the BB direction. Detailed Implementation

[0035] The applicant investigated the shortcomings of existing ice maker ice basket structures, which made ice retrieval inconvenient. The investigation revealed that the reason users need to support the ice basket with one hand is that existing drawer-type ice baskets lack limiting components. When the ice basket is pulled out of the ice maker, too much of it is exposed to the outside, and the weight of the ice inside makes the basket unstable, forcing users to support it with their hands. Therefore, this invention provides an ice maker with locking parts protruding on the left and right sides near the ice outlet, and limiting buckles on the left and right sides of the ice basket. Through the cooperation of the limiting buckles and locking parts, the ice basket can be suspended on the ice maker when pulled out, stabilizing the basket and facilitating ice retrieval for the user. The following is one embodiment of the ice maker provided by this invention:

[0036] Please refer to the reference. Figures 1 to 12 , Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the overall structure of the ice maker provided by this utility model; Figure 2 A sectional side view of the ice maker provided by this utility model, projected along the left-right direction. Figure 3 for Figure 2 Enlarged view of point A in the middle; Figure 4 A schematic diagram of the structure of the ice maker provided by this utility model when pulling out the ice basket to retrieve ice; Figure 5 for Figure 4 Enlarged view of point B in the middle; Figure 6 A front view of the main body of this utility model projected along the front-to-back direction; Figure 7 for Figure 6 A sectional view taken along the AA direction; Figure 8 A schematic diagram of the spatial structure of the ice basket provided by this utility model; Figure 9 A schematic diagram of the spatial structure of the front cover plate provided by this utility model; Figure 10 A schematic diagram of the structure of the ice basket provided by this utility model when it is installed on the front cover plate from one viewing angle. Figure 11 for Figure 10 The front view projected along the front-to-back direction; Figure 12 for Figure 11 A magnified view of a section cut along the BB direction.

[0037] This utility model provides an ice maker, including a main body 1, an ice basket 2, a front cover 3, an ice-making component, and a water storage tank.

[0038] The main body 1 is a box with an ice outlet 10 at the front end and sealed on all sides. An installation space is provided inside, and the ice basket 2 is installed within this space and can slide back and forth, being pulled out of the installation space from the ice outlet 10. A front cover 3 closes onto the ice outlet 10 and seals it. The ice-making assembly is located within the installation space to make ice, and the produced ice is stored in the ice basket 2. Furthermore, a water outlet 11 is provided at the bottom of the main body 1, and this outlet 11 is connected to a water storage tank via a pipe to drain water from the installation space.

[0039] Preferably, the bottom of the main body 1 is provided with a first inclined plane that is inclined toward the water outlet 11. The height of the first inclined plane on the side closer to the water outlet 11 is lower than the height on the side farther away from the water outlet 11, so that the water in the installation space can naturally flow back into the water storage tank through the water outlet 11.

[0040] Preferably, projected along the front-to-back direction, the bottom of the main body 1 is provided with a sliding guide portion 12. In this embodiment, the sliding guide portion 12 extends from the ice outlet 10 into the installation space along the front-to-back direction on the left and right sides of the inner bottom surface of the main body 1. The ice basket 2 is placed on the sliding guide portion 12, and the bottom surface of the ice basket 2 is respectively connected to the two sliding guide portions 12. The sliding guide portion 12 supports the ice basket 2, so that the bottom surface of the ice basket 2 is spaced apart from the bottom of the main body 1 to facilitate drainage. The sliding guide portion 12 also serves as a guide, sliding along the sliding guide portion 12 when the ice basket 2 is pulled out, ensuring that the ice basket 2 slides out smoothly.

[0041] The ice basket 2 includes a front panel 21, a rear panel 22, two side panels 23, and a bottom panel (not labeled). The front panel 21 and the rear panel 22 are arranged opposite each other, and the two side panels 23 are connected between the front panel 21 and the rear panel 22 and spaced apart by a certain distance. The bottom panel is located at the bottom of the front panel 21, the rear panel 22, and the two side panels 23, thus forming a cavity for storing ice blocks produced by the ice-making component. The cavity has an opening at the top, through which ice blocks enter the cavity for storage. The front panel 21 is located on the side closest to the ice outlet 10. The rear panel 22 has a drain hole 221, through which melted water from the ice blocks stored in the cavity can be drained into the installation space. Furthermore, when the ice basket 2 is placed in the installation space, the two side panels 23 are separated from the left and right inner walls of the main body 1 by a certain distance, and the opening is separated from the inner top wall of the main body 1 by a certain distance. Each of the two side panels 23 has a protruding retaining buckle 231 extending perpendicularly to the side panel 24. The retaining buckle 231 is located on the side closer to the rear panel 22 and near the bottom panel. Projected perpendicularly to the side panel 24, the retaining buckle 231 includes an arc-shaped curved portion 2311 and a long strip-shaped straight portion 2312. The curved portion 2311 protrudes away from the rear panel 22. One end of the straight portion 2312 is connected to the upper end of the curved portion 2311, and the other end extends in a direction close to the rear panel 22. That is, in the front-back direction, the curved portion 2311 is closer to the ice outlet 10 than the straight portion 2312. The extending direction of the straight portion 2312 is inclined relative to the bottom panel.

[0042] The main body 1 has first baffles 13 protruding from the inner walls of the left and right sides of the ice outlet 10. The two first baffles 13 are arranged facing each other, and their surfaces are perpendicular to the inner walls of the main body 1 near the ice outlet 10. In the horizontal direction, the distance between the two first baffles 13 is greater than the distance between the two side panels, and the distance between the two first baffles 13 is less than the distance between the two limiting buckles 231. This ensures that when the ice basket 2 slides outward a certain distance, the curved part 2311 first contacts the first baffle 13, restricting the ice basket 2 from sliding outward further. Furthermore, in the vertical direction, the lower end of the first baffle 13 extends to the inner bottom surface of the main body 1, and the upper end is separated from the inner top wall of the main body 1 by a certain distance to form an opening 131. When the curved portion 2311 abuts against the first baffle 13, the curved portion 2311 is close to the upper end of the first baffle 13, and the end of the straight portion 2312 away from the curved portion 2311 is located below the upper end of the first baffle 13. This causes the ice basket 2 to rotate and tilt outwards under the influence of gravity. The curved portion 2311 rotates relative to the first baffle 13, and the straight portion 2412 remains in contact with the first baffle 13. This allows the ice basket 2 to be suspended on the first baffle 13 under gravity, preventing it from completely detaching from the ice maker. When retrieving ice, the user does not need to support the ice basket with one hand, making it convenient for the user. Furthermore, at this time, the user only needs to lift the ice basket 2 upwards, causing the limiting buckle 231 to disengage from above the first baffle 13, to remove the ice basket 2 from the ice outlet 10 for retrieving ice or cleaning.

[0043] Furthermore, the upper ends of the two side panels 23 near the ice outlet 10 are provided with elastic protrusions 232. Preferably, the elastic protrusions 232 are arc-shaped and protrude upwards in the vertical direction. The left and right sides of the inner top wall of the main body 1 are provided with downwardly extending second baffles 14. In the left-right direction, the distance between the two second baffles 14 is less than the distance between the two elastic protrusions 232, so that the two second baffles 14 can respectively abut against the elastic protrusions 232. One end of the second baffle 14 in the vertical direction is provided with a flange 141. The flange 141 extends from the ice outlet 10 into the installation space, and the extending direction is perpendicular to the surface of the second baffle 14. In the vertical direction, the height of the top of the elastic protrusion 232 is greater than the height of the flange 141. When the ice basket 2 is in operation within the installation space, the elastic protrusion 232 abuts against the flange 141, locking the ice basket 2 inside the ice maker and preventing it from sliding out due to unevenness on the tabletop. When the user needs to remove the ice basket 2, applying a certain amount of force causes the elastic protrusion 232 to elastically deform and separate from the flange 141, thereby releasing the lock on the ice basket 2.

[0044] The front cover 3 covers the ice outlet 10, forming a seal to prevent dust from entering the ice maker through the ice outlet 10. Projected along the front-to-back direction, the cross-sectional area of ​​the front cover 3 is greater than or equal to the cross-sectional area of ​​the ice outlet 10.

[0045] Furthermore, the front cover plate 3 is detachably connected to the ice basket 2 and located within the ice outlet 10 to position the ice basket 2 and prevent it from shaking during operation within the installation space. Specifically, the front panel 21 of the ice basket 2 has a horizontal portion 211 and a vertical portion 212 on its left and right sides. One end of the horizontal portion 211 is connected to the front panel 21, and the other end extends in the front-back direction away from the front panel 21. One end of the vertical portion 212 is connected to the horizontal portion 211, and the other end extends towards the bottom of the main body 1. Positioning strips 2121 protrude from the surface of the vertical portion 212, with two positioning strips 2121 facing each other and their surfaces perpendicular to the surface of the vertical portion 212. The front cover plate 3 has hanging blocks 31 on its left and right sides near the front panel 21. Each hanging block 31 is rectangular, and its left and right sides are parallel to the surface of the side panel 23. The hanging blocks 31 have positioning grooves 311 that mate with the positioning strips 2121. The front cover plate 3 also has positioning holes 32 on its surface near the front panel 21 that mate with the horizontal portion 211. During assembly, the positioning strips 2121 are embedded in the positioning grooves 311, and the horizontal portion 211 is inserted into the positioning holes 32, with the bottom surface of the horizontal portion 211 contacting the top surface of the hanging blocks 31, thus forming a locking structure between the ice basket 2 and the front cover plate 3.

[0046] Furthermore, a handle 33 is provided on the surface of the front cover plate 3 away from the front panel 21. The handle 33 includes a connecting part 331 and a gripping part 332. The connecting part 331 extends in the front-rear direction, with one end connected to the surface of the front cover plate 3 and the other end connected to the gripping part 332. The extending direction of the gripping part 332 is perpendicular to the extending direction of the connecting part 331 and is separated from the surface of the front cover plate 3 by a certain distance to facilitate the user to apply force to pull the ice basket 2 outward.

[0047] The ice-making component is located within the installation space, at the rear side of the installation space, and is used to make ice blocks. It is a heat exchange device in the prior art, and will not be described in detail here.

[0048] The water storage tank is used to store the water required for ice making. The water storage tank is also connected to the ice-making assembly via a pipe, and the water in the water storage tank can be transported to the ice-making assembly to start the ice-making process.

[0049] The working principle of the ice maker provided by this utility model is as follows: The ice-making component produces ice cubes and stores them in the ice basket 2. When the user needs to take ice, they pull the ice basket 2 outward from the ice outlet 10 using the handle 33 until the limiting buckle 231 contacts the first baffle 13. With the cooperation of the limiting buckle 231 and the first baffle 13, the ice basket 2 can tilt outward and hang on the ice maker without completely detaching from it, allowing the user to take ice directly. When the user needs to clean the inside of the ice maker and the ice basket 2, they only need to lift the ice basket 2 upward, causing the limiting buckle 231 to disengage from the opening 131, allowing the user to remove the ice basket 2 from the ice maker for easy cleaning.

[0050] The embodiments described above are merely examples of several implementations of this utility model, and while the descriptions are relatively specific and detailed, they should not be construed as limiting the scope of the utility model patent. It should be noted that those skilled in the art can make various modifications and improvements without departing from the concept of this utility model, and this utility model also intends to include these modifications and variations.

Claims

1. An ice maker characterized by, The ice maker comprises: a main body provided with an ice outlet at a front end, sealed around, and provided with an installation space inside; first baffles are protrudingly arranged on the inner walls of the left and right sides of the main body close to the ice outlet, and the upper ends of the first baffles are separated from the inner top wall of the main body by a certain distance; an ice basket provided with a cavity for accommodating ice blocks and slidingly arranged in the installation space, and the side close to the ice outlet of the ice basket is a front end; limiting buckles are protrudingly arranged on the left and right outer sides of the ice basket, and the limiting buckles are close to the rear end of the ice basket; when the ice basket slides out of the ice outlet, the limiting buckles can abut against the sides of the first baffles away from the ice outlet; when the ice basket is lifted upward, the limiting buckles can be detached from above the first baffles; an ice making assembly arranged in the installation space and used for preparing ice blocks; a water storage tank in communication with the ice making assembly and used for supplying water to the ice making assembly.

2. The ice maker according to claim 1, wherein: the limiting buckles comprise curved portions and straight plate portions; the curved portions are in the shape of arcs and protrude toward the ice outlet; the straight plate portions are in the shape of long strips, one end of each of the straight plate portions is connected to the upper end of the corresponding curved portion, and the other end of each of the straight plate portions extends away from the ice outlet; when the ice basket slides out of the ice outlet by a certain distance, the curved portions and the straight plate portions abut against the first baffles respectively, and the straight plate portions are located above the curved portions.

3. The ice maker of claim 1, wherein: elastic protrusions are protrudingly arranged on the left and right sides of the ice basket close to the ice outlet; second baffles are protrudingly arranged on the left and right sides of the inner top wall of the main body and extend downward, and the two second baffles can abut against the two elastic protrusions respectively.

4. The ice maker of claim 3, wherein: the elastic protrusions are in the shape of arcs protruding upward.

5. The ice maker of claim 1, wherein: a sliding guide portion is protrudingly arranged on the inner bottom wall of the main body, and the sliding guide portion extends from the ice outlet to the inside of the installation space in the front-rear direction; the ice basket is placed on the sliding guide portion.

6. The ice maker of claim 1, wherein: a front cover plate is further provided, the front cover plate covers the ice outlet, the ice basket and the front cover plate are detachably connected.

7. The ice maker of claim 6, wherein: the front cover plate and the ice basket are installed together through a clamping structure.

8. The ice maker of claim 6, wherein: a handle is further arranged on the plate surface of the front cover plate away from the ice basket, the handle comprises a connecting portion and a gripping portion; the connecting portion extends in the horizontal direction, one end of the connecting portion is connected to the plate surface of the front cover plate away from the ice basket, and the other end of the connecting portion is connected to the gripping portion, so that the gripping portion is arranged separately from the plate surface of the front cover plate away from the ice basket.

9. The ice maker of claim 1, wherein: a water outlet is further arranged on the bottom of the main body, and the water outlet is in communication with the water storage tank.

10. The ice maker of claim 1, wherein: a drain hole is arranged on the ice basket, and the drain hole is in communication with the installation space.

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