Combined ice maker
By designing a layered structure for the combined ice maker, the issues of space and cost-effectiveness in purchasing both the ice maker and freezer are resolved. This allows for separate storage of ice and food, improving ease of use and efficiency.
Patent Information
- Authority / Receiving Office
- CN · China
- Patent Type
- Utility models(China)
- Current Assignee / Owner
- Filing Date
- 2024-12-31
- Publication Date
- 2026-03-31
AI Technical Summary
Existing ice makers and freezers are often space-constrained or present a double financial burden, and the internal cavity of ice makers is difficult to effectively separate food from ice, which can easily lead to confusion and food contamination.
A combined ice maker was designed, comprising a first drawer and a second drawer with a layered structure. The first drawer is used to store ice cubes, and the second drawer is used to store food. Independent sealing is achieved through slide rails and partitions. Combined with ice-making components and a compressor refrigeration system, the ice-making and freezing functions are integrated.
It enables separate storage of ice and food, avoiding food contamination, improving ease of use and space utilization, and is highly functional while saving equipment costs.
Smart Images
Figure CN224065721U_ABST
Abstract
Description
Technical Field
[0001] This utility model relates to the field of ice maker technology, and more specifically to a combined 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. Ice makers are typically used to continuously produce large quantities of ice cubes of a specified shape. They are widely used in the catering industry, such as coffee shops, milk tea shops, and various restaurants. An ice maker usually includes an inner cavity for making and storing ice cubes. The ice-making components in the inner cavity turn externally supplied drinking water into ice cubes and store them inside. When needed, the door is opened to retrieve them. However, in addition to ice makers, the catering industry usually requires freezers to freeze and preserve food or raw materials. Therefore, it is necessary to purchase freezers separately. However, in situations where space is limited, it is difficult to place both freezers and ice makers at the same time. Even if there is enough space, purchasing two devices can be an economic burden. Some ice makers on the market also function as freezers, but simply using the inner cavity of the ice maker to store ice cubes and food at the same time can easily lead to confusion. Even with simple partitions in some inner cavities, it is difficult to ensure that food does not contaminate the ice cubes. Utility Model Content
[0003] In view of this, the present invention provides a combined ice maker.
[0004] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention adopts the following technical solution:
[0005] A combination ice maker includes a cabinet with a cavity formed inside it. The cavity has an opening on the front side of the cabinet. The cabinet has a first drawer and a second drawer embedded in the cavity, respectively, at the top and bottom. The first and second drawers are movable and can be pulled out of the cabinet. The opening can be sealed by the cabinet doors of the first and second drawers. An ice-making component is provided in the cavity above the first drawer.
[0006] In a preferred embodiment, the first drawer and the second drawer are installed in the cabinet via slide rails. A partition is provided in the center of the opening, which divides the opening into upper and lower parts. The first drawer can seal the upper half of the opening, and the second drawer can seal the lower half of the opening.
[0007] In a preferred embodiment, the ice-making component includes an ice tray with multiple grooves, an evaporation tube at the bottom of the ice tray corresponding to the grooves, an ice-hanging column above the ice tray with multiple columns extending vertically into the grooves, and an ice scraper rotatably mounted on the side of the ice tray with multiple scraping plates corresponding to the columns.
[0008] In a preferred embodiment, the cabinet is provided with a water outlet pipe extending into the cavity and extending towards the ice-making component. The cabinet is also provided with a water tank and a water pump connected to the water outlet pipe.
[0009] In a preferred embodiment, the first drawer and the second drawer have multiple through holes on their side walls.
[0010] In a preferred embodiment, the second drawer has a handle on the front side of its door.
[0011] In a preferred embodiment, a fixed cavity is provided at the lower rear of the cabinet to accommodate the compressor and the water tank, and the pipeline connected to the compressor is inserted into the cavity.
[0012] As can be seen from the above technical solution, compared with the prior art, the present invention has the following beneficial technical effects:
[0013] This ice maker features a first drawer and a second drawer, with a large-capacity cavity. Its layered structure allows it to not only make and store ice but also function as a freezer. The first drawer at the top stores ice cubes, while the second drawer at the bottom stores food, preventing food from contaminating the ice and ensuring food safety. The drawer structure makes it easy for users to open and close, and to conveniently retrieve items and ice cubes. Attached Figure Description
[0014] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of this utility model or the prior art, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only embodiments of this utility model. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on the provided drawings without creative effort.
[0015] Figure 1 This is a three-dimensional structural diagram of the drawer of this utility model when it is opened.
[0016] Figure 2 This is a three-dimensional structural diagram of the drawer closure of this utility model.
[0017] Figure 3 This is an exploded structural diagram of the present invention.
[0018] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the exploded structure of the ice-making component.
[0019] Reference numerals: 100, cabinet body; 110, cavity; 120, opening; 130, first drawer; 140, second drawer; 150, ice-making assembly; 121, partition; 151, ice tray; 152, ice hanger; 153, evaporator pipe; 154, ice column; 160, water outlet pipe; 131, cabinet door; 132, through hole; 141, handle; 170, fixed cavity. Detailed Implementation
[0020] The present invention will now be described in further detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. These drawings are simplified schematic diagrams, illustrating only the basic structure of the invention, and therefore only show the components relevant to the invention.
[0021] In the description of this application, it should be understood that the terms "longitudinal," "radial," "length," "width," "thickness," "upper," "lower," "left," "right," "front," "rear," "vertical," "horizontal," "top," "bottom," "inner," and "outer," etc., indicating orientation or positional relationships based on the orientation or positional relationships shown in the accompanying drawings, are used 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. In the description of this application, unless otherwise stated, "a plurality of" means two or more.
[0022] In the description of this application, it should be noted that, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, the terms "installation," "connection," and "linking" should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to fixed connections, detachable connections, or integral connections; they can refer to mechanical connections or electrical connections; they can refer to direct connections or indirect connections through an intermediate medium; and they can refer to the internal connection between two components. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this application according to the specific circumstances.
[0023] Please refer to a combination ice maker. Figure 1-4The system includes a cabinet 100 with a metal outer shell and a cavity 110 formed inside. The cavity 110 has an opening 120 on its front side. The cabinet 100 has a first drawer 130 and a second drawer 140 embedded in the cavity 110, respectively. The first drawer 130 and the second drawer 140 are pull-out and movable within the cabinet 100. The cavity 110 accommodates the first drawer 130 and the second drawer 140. The first drawer 130 and the second drawer 140 are drawer structures with open tops. The opening 120 can be sealed by cabinet doors 131 on the first drawer 130 and the second drawer 140. The structure of the first drawer 130 and the second drawer 140, excluding the front cabinet door 131, consists of side and bottom panels. In this embodiment, the panels are made of stainless steel. Multiple panels are combined with the cabinet door 131 to form a drawer structure, but the material of the panels is not limited to this embodiment. The cavity 110 is cooled by a compressor to below 0°C, keeping the cavity cool. The body 110 allows for the freezing of items such as ice or food. After ice blocks and items to be frozen are placed in the first drawer 130 and the second drawer 140 respectively, the first drawer 130 and the second drawer 140 are pushed inward to seal the body 110, maintaining a low temperature inside the body 110 to achieve the freezing and preservation function. To remove ice blocks, the first drawer 130 is pulled open and the ice blocks are taken out. To remove frozen food or ice blocks stored in the second drawer 140, the second drawer 140 is pulled out. The two drawers are used independently, ensuring sufficient space for partitioned storage of ice blocks and allowing the use of the second drawer 140 to freeze and store items other than ice blocks. This gives the ice maker both the function of making and storing ice blocks and the function of a freezer for freezing items. It is highly functional, has two uses, and optimizes the user experience. An ice-making component 150 is located above the first drawer 130 in the body 110. The ice-making component 150 is used to make ice blocks from drinking water and drop them into the first drawer 130 for storage, so that the ice blocks can be taken out at any time.
[0024] Furthermore, the first drawer 130 and the second drawer 140 are installed in the cabinet 100 via slide rails. The slide rails are respectively connected to the outer walls of the side panels of the first drawer 130 and the second drawer 140, as well as the sides of the cavity 110, facilitating the opening and closing of the first drawer 130 and the second drawer 140 by sliding and pulling. A partition 121 is provided in the center of the opening 120, dividing the opening 120 into upper and lower parts. The first drawer 130 can seal the upper half of the opening 120, and the second drawer... Drawer 140 can seal the lower half of opening 120. The partition 121 separates opening 120, better reflecting the double-layer structure of the ice maker. In addition, partition 121 allows the first drawer 130 and the second drawer 140 to seal the upper and lower parts of the opening respectively. If partition 121 is not provided, the first drawer 130 and the second drawer 140 need to be sealed together to close the opening 120 as a whole. Otherwise, the air in the cavity 110 will leak out in the gap between the first drawer 130 and the second drawer 140.
[0025] Furthermore, the ice-making assembly 150 includes an ice tray 151 with multiple grooves. During ice making, ice cubes are formed in the grooves of the ice tray 151, and the shape of the ice cubes depends on the shape of the grooves. An evaporation tube 153 corresponding to the groove position is provided at the bottom of the ice tray 151. The evaporation tube 153 cools the water in the ice tray 151 and solidifies it to form ice cubes. An ice-hanging column 154 is provided above the ice tray 151. The ice-hanging column 154 has multiple columns extending vertically into the grooves. The columns extend into the water in the grooves. While ice cubes are formed in the grooves, the ice cubes can stick to the columns. An ice scraper 152 is rotatably provided on the side of the ice tray 151. The ice scraper 152 has multiple ice scraping plates corresponding to the columns. When the ice scraper 152 rotates, it pushes the ice cubes connected to the columns downwards. The ice cubes fall off the columns and slide down from the ice tray 151 into the first drawer 130 for storage.
[0026] Furthermore, the cabinet 100 is provided with a water outlet pipe 160 extending into the cavity 110 and extending into the ice-making assembly 150. The cabinet 100 is provided with a water tank and a water pump connected to the water outlet pipe 160. When the ice maker is in use, drinking water is poured into the water tank, and the water pump draws the drinking water through the water outlet pipe 160 into the cavity 110 and injects it into the ice-making assembly 150 for ice making. The water pump and the ice-making assembly are controlled by a circuit board provided in the cabinet 100 so that after the ice is made, the ice blocks fall into the first drawer 130, and water is poured into the ice-making assembly 150 again for a new round of ice making. The first drawer 130 and the second drawer 140 have multiple through holes 132 on their side walls. The through holes 132 allow the first drawer 130 and the second drawer 140 in the cavity 110 to be ventilated, maintain a uniform temperature in the cavity 110, and prevent temperature differences between the first drawer 130 and the second drawer 140. The cabinet door 131 of the second drawer 140 has a handle 141 on its front side, which makes it easy for the user to hold the handle 141 to open the second drawer 140. Since the user can pull open the first drawer 130 through the top of the cabinet door 131 of the first drawer 130, there is no need to set a handle 141 on the first drawer 130.
[0027] The cabinet 100 has a fixed cavity 170 at its rear lower part to accommodate the compressor and water tank. The compressor, water tank, or other components can be centrally and fixedly installed in the fixed cavity 170 for easy interconnection and maintenance during use. The compressor's connecting pipes are connected to the cavity 110 to achieve refrigeration within the cavity 110. The attached drawings do not show the compressor, water tank, and their connecting pipes. Generally, the cabinet 100 also has a condenser connected to the compressor, but the condenser is existing technology and will not be described in detail. The following describes the compressor configuration: The compressor is the core component of the ice maker's refrigeration system, used to compress and circulate the refrigerant to achieve ice making and freezing functions. Specifically, in this combined ice maker, the compressor is installed in the fixed cavity 170 at the rear lower part of the cabinet 100. This fixed cavity provides isolated installation space, facilitating the connection between the compressor and the pipes while reducing thermal interference and vibration impact on other components during compressor operation. The compressor in the fixed cavity 170 is fixed to the cabinet by rubber shock-absorbing pads to reduce operating noise and vibration. The compressor's exhaust port is connected to the condenser, which compresses the high-temperature, high-pressure refrigerant gas. After the condenser cools and liquefies the refrigerant, the pressure is reduced through the expansion valve, and the refrigerant enters the evaporator tube 153. The evaporator tube 153 is in close contact with the bottom of the ice tray 151, transferring the cold energy of the refrigerant to the ice tray, thereby cooling the water in the ice tray and forming ice. The evaporated refrigerant gas returns to the compressor inlet, completing one refrigeration cycle. The compressor is connected to the cavity 110 via piping, achieving refrigeration of the entire cavity through the evaporator tube and cooling cycle. The ice-making assembly is located above the first drawer 130, utilizing the low-temperature environment provided by the compressor to generate ice. To ensure temperature uniformity between the first drawer 130 and the second drawer 140, through-holes 132 on the drawer sidewalls allow cold air to circulate within the cavity. The compressor's operation is centrally managed by a control circuit board, working in conjunction with the ice-making assembly 150 and the water pump. When ice making is needed, the control system activates the compressor to begin refrigeration and monitors the cavity temperature and ice-making status using sensors. When the cavity reaches the set temperature or ice making is complete, the control system pauses the compressor to reduce energy consumption. Additionally, the function of the evaporator tube is explained below: The evaporator tube 153 is a key component in the ice maker, absorbing heat from the refrigerant to achieve low-temperature refrigeration. Located at the bottom of the ice tray 151, the evaporator tube can be arranged in a serpentine structure corresponding to the ice tray grooves to maximize coverage of the bottom area of the ice tray and improve heat transfer efficiency. The evaporator tube 153 uses a highly thermally conductive metal material (such as copper or aluminum) to ensure that the refrigerant's cooling capacity is quickly transferred to the ice tray. One end of the evaporator tube is connected to the expansion valve, and the other end is connected to the compressor's return port, forming a complete refrigeration cycle. The low-pressure refrigerant inside the evaporator tube absorbs heat from the ice tray, cooling the water and causing it to freeze into ice. Through compressor refrigeration, the evaporator tube remains at a low temperature to meet the continuous ice-making requirements of the ice-making assembly.The evaporator tube works in conjunction with the ice column 154. When the column is inserted into the water, the cooling energy from the evaporator tube is transferred to the column through the ice tray, causing the ice to adhere firmly to the column. After ice making, the ice scraper 152 rotates and pushes the ice on the column, causing it to detach from the column surface and fall into the first drawer 130 for storage. Through the efficient operation of the compressor and the optimized design of the evaporator tube, this combined ice maker can quickly make and store ice, while also serving as a food freezer, improving efficiency and convenience.
[0028] The above description of the disclosed embodiments enables those skilled in the art to make or use the present invention. Various modifications to these embodiments will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art, and the general principles defined herein may be implemented in other embodiments without departing from the spirit or scope of the present invention. Therefore, the present invention is not to be limited to the embodiments shown herein, but is to be accorded the widest scope consistent with the principles and novel features disclosed herein.
Claims
1. A combination ice maker, comprising a cabinet (100), a cavity (110) is formed in the cabinet (100), the cavity (110) is provided with an opening (120) on the front side of the cabinet (100); characterized in that: The cabinet body (100) is provided with a first drawer (130) and a second drawer (140) embedded in a cavity (110) respectively from top to bottom, the first drawer (130) and the second drawer (140) are movably arranged in the cabinet body (100), the opening (120) is sealed by the cabinet door (131) of the first drawer (130) and the second drawer (140), and the cavity (110) is provided with an ice making assembly (150) above the first drawer (130).
2. A combination ice maker as defined in claim 1, wherein: The first drawer (130) and the second drawer (140) are installed in the cabinet body (100) through slide rails, the opening (120) is centrally provided with a partition column (121), the partition column (121) divides the opening (120) into two parts, the first drawer (130) can seal the upper half of the opening (120), and the second drawer (140) can seal the lower half of the opening (120).
3. The combination ice maker of claim 1 wherein: The ice making assembly (150) comprises an ice grid (151), a plurality of grooves are arranged on the ice grid (151), an evaporation pipe (153) corresponding to the groove position is arranged at the bottom of the ice grid (151), a hanging ice column (154) is arranged above the ice grid (151), a plurality of column bodies extending vertically to the grooves are arranged on the hanging ice column (154), an ice scraping part (152) is rotatably arranged on the side of the ice grid (151), and the ice scraping part (152) is provided with a plurality of ice scraping plates corresponding to the column bodies.
4. The combination ice maker of claim 1 wherein: The cabinet body (100) is provided with a water outlet pipe (160) extending into the cavity (110), the water outlet pipe (160) extends to the ice making assembly (150), and the cabinet body (100) is provided with a water tank and a water pump connected with the water outlet pipe (160).
5. The combination ice maker of claim 1 wherein: A plurality of through holes (132) are arranged on the side wall of the first drawer (130) and the second drawer (140).
6. The combination ice maker of claim 1 wherein: A handle (141) is arranged on the front side of the cabinet door (131) of the second drawer (140).
7. The combination ice maker of claim 1 wherein: A fixing cavity (170) for accommodating a compressor and a water tank is arranged at the lower rear of the cabinet body (100), and a pipeline connected with the compressor is connected to the cavity (110).