Ice hockey mold

Abstract

The utility model provides an ice hockey mold, which comprises a forming unit, an upper mold, a lower mold and a forming cavity, and the forming cavity is formed after the upper mold and the lower mold are assembled; a detachably connected replacement plug is arranged at the bottom of the lower die, and a liquid drainage channel is formed in the replacement plug; the liquid discharging channel can discharge separated bubbles and redundant water, it is guaranteed that the pressure in the forming cavity is not too large, then the risk that the ice hockey cracks is reduced, the lower mold and the replacement plug of the ice hockey mold are detachably connected, the lower mold and the replacement plug can be subjected to injection molding separately, the manufacturing process is simplified, the cost is reduced, and meanwhile the production efficiency is improved. And when the replacement plug is damaged, a new replacement plug can be replaced, so that the service life of the ice hockey mold is prolonged.

Description

Technical Field

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

[0002] In daily life, ice cubes are often used to cool down beverages, especially ice balls to cool down alcoholic drinks. To make ice balls, the liquid to be frozen is first poured into a mold, and then the mold is placed in the freezer to freeze into ice balls.

[0003] Existing hockey molds mostly use a full silicone design for their molding cavity. Market research indicates that users prefer to demold the hockey puck by twisting it, a requirement that full silicone molds cannot meet. Therefore, some hockey puck molds use a rigid material for the lower mold to achieve twisting demolding. However, because water expands when it freezes, rigid materials exert significant pressure on the ice during the freezing process, potentially causing cracks or even breakage of the molded hockey puck. Utility Model Content

[0004] The purpose of this invention is to provide an ice hockey mold with a suitable connection structure between the lower mold and silicone parts, based on simplifying the process and optimizing costs.

[0005] The purpose of this utility model is to provide an ice hockey mold, comprising:

[0006] The molding unit has a soft upper mold 1, a hard lower mold 2 and a molding cavity 3. After the upper mold 1 and the lower mold 2 are assembled, the molding cavity 3 is formed. The bottom of the lower mold 2 is provided with a detachable replacement plug 5, and the replacement plug 5 is provided with a drainage channel 51 that can be automatically opened and closed under pressure.

[0007] Furthermore, a fixing hole 22 is provided at the bottom of the lower mold 2, and a replacement plug 5 is engaged in the fixing hole 22.

[0008] Furthermore, the replacement plug 5 is made of soft material and includes a connecting plate 52, a connecting cylinder 53 and a fixing ring 54; the connecting plate 52 has a drainage channel 51 and the connecting cylinder 53 is fixedly connected to its lower surface; the fixing ring 54 is fixedly connected to the lower surface of the connecting cylinder 53, and a groove is formed between the connecting plate 52 and the fixing ring 54. The groove is used to engage with the edge of the fixing hole 22 to fix the replacement plug 5.

[0009] Furthermore, the lower end of the fixing ring 54 is rounded and the outer ring surface, which is far from the connecting cylinder 53, is inclined with a smaller bottom and a larger top.

[0010] Furthermore, the lower end of the connecting plate 52 extends a retaining ring 521, which is embedded in a matching annular groove opened on the inner surface of the lower mold 2 to enhance the stability of the connection between the lower mold 2 and the replacement plug 5.

[0011] Furthermore, the drain channel 51 is a slit or a one-way valve, and the drain channel 51 has two states: open and closed.

[0012] Furthermore, the gap is in the shape of a straight line, a Y-shape, or a cross.

[0013] Furthermore, it also includes an outer casing 4 with an opening at its top for accommodating the support molding unit.

[0014] Furthermore, after the outer shell 4 is assembled with the molding unit, the inner wall of the outer shell 4 and the outer wall of the molding unit form a heat insulation part, and the drain channel 51 is connected to the molding cavity 3 and the heat insulation part 6.

[0015] Furthermore, the top of the outer casing 4 is provided with at least one groove 41, and the lower mold 2 is provided with a protrusion 23 that corresponds to and engages with the groove 41.

[0016] Furthermore, several grooves 41 are evenly distributed around the opening of the outer sleeve 4, and several protrusions 23 are evenly distributed around the lower mold 2.

[0017] Furthermore, the upper mold 1 is provided with ribs.

[0018] The beneficial effects of this utility model are as follows:

[0019] The hockey mold includes a molding unit with an upper mold, a lower mold, and a molding cavity. The upper and lower molds are assembled to form the molding cavity, and the lower mold is made of a rigid material. A detachable replacement plug is provided at the bottom of the lower mold, and the replacement plug is provided with a drainage channel. The drainage channel can discharge air bubbles and excess water released during the molding process to ensure that the pressure inside the molding cavity is not too high, thereby reducing the risk of cracks in the hockey. The lower mold and the replacement plug of this hockey mold are detachably connected, so that the lower mold and the replacement plug can be injection molded separately, which helps to simplify the manufacturing process and reduce costs. At the same time, when the replacement plug is damaged, a new replacement plug can be replaced, extending the service life of this hockey mold. Attached Figure Description

[0020] Figure 1 This is a cross-sectional view of an ice hockey mold.

[0021] Figure 2 This is a cross-sectional view of the replacement plug.

[0022] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the assembled state of the ice hockey mold.

[0023] Figure 4 It's an exploded view of an ice hockey mold.

[0024] Figure 5 This is a diagram showing the location of the protrusion.

[0025] Figure label:

[0026] 1. Upper mold; 2. Lower mold; 21. Main body; 22. Fixing hole; 23. Protrusion; 3. Molding cavity; 4. Outer shell; 41. Groove; 5. Replacement plug; 51. Drainage channel; 52. Connecting plate; 521. Snap ring; 53. Connecting cylinder; 54. Fixing ring; 6. Insulation part. Detailed Implementation

[0027] Preferred embodiments of the present invention will now be described in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. While preferred embodiments of the present invention are shown in the drawings, it should be understood that the present invention may be implemented in various forms and should not be limited to the embodiments set forth herein. Rather, these embodiments are provided so that the present invention will be thorough and complete, and will fully convey the scope of the present invention to those skilled in the art.

[0028] Example 1

[0029] To address the aforementioned issues, Example 1 provides an ice hockey mold with a suitable connection structure between the lower mold and silicone parts, aiming to simplify the process and optimize costs.

[0030] like Figure 1-4 As shown, an ice hockey mold includes:

[0031] Ice hockey molds include:

[0032] The molding unit has a soft upper mold 1, a hard lower mold 2 and a molding cavity 3. After the upper mold 1 and the lower mold 2 are assembled, the molding cavity 3 is formed.

[0033] The bottom of the lower mold 2 is provided with a detachable replacement plug 5, and the replacement plug 5 is provided with a drainage channel 51 that can be automatically opened and closed under pressure.

[0034] In this embodiment, a fixing hole 22 is provided at the bottom of the lower mold 2, and a replacement plug 5 is engaged in the fixing hole 22.

[0035] In this embodiment, the replacement plug 5 is made of soft material and includes a connecting plate 52, a connecting cylinder 53 and a fixing ring 54. The connecting plate 52 has a drainage channel 51 and the connecting cylinder 53 is fixedly connected to its lower surface. The fixing ring 54 is fixedly connected to the lower surface of the connecting cylinder 53. A groove is formed between the connecting plate 52 and the fixing ring 54. The groove is used to engage with the edge of the fixing hole 22 to fix the replacement plug 5.

[0036] In this embodiment, the lower end of the fixing ring 54 is rounded, and the outer side of the fixing ring 54 away from the connecting cylinder 53 is inclined with a smaller bottom and a larger top.

[0037] In this embodiment, the lower end of the connecting plate 52 extends a retaining ring portion 521, which is embedded in a matching annular groove opened on the inner surface of the lower mold 2 to enhance the stability of the connection between the lower mold 2 and the replacement plug 5.

[0038] When using the mold, the upper mold 1 is installed on the lower mold 2 to form the molding cavity 3, and the liquid to be frozen is filled into the molding cavity 3. Finally, the mold is placed in the freezing chamber to freeze and form an ice ball.

[0039] During the freezing process, the volume of the liquid expands after freezing. As the area of ​​the ice blocks frozen in the forming cavity 3 expands, these ice blocks squeeze the remaining liquid in the forming cavity 3, causing the post-frozen part to form in a complex pressure environment, making the post-frozen area prone to cracks. To avoid this, the replacement plug 5 is equipped with a drainage channel 51 that can be automatically opened and closed under pressure.

[0040] To facilitate demolding, the lower mold 2 is made of a rigid material. However, to mitigate damage to the replacement plug 5 caused by the expansion of ice crystals formed when water freezes in the drainage channel 51, the replacement plug 5 is made of a flexible, soft material. The lower mold 2 and the replacement plug 5 are designed to be detachable. In practical applications, if the lower mold 2 and the replacement plug 5 were to be fixed together, complex processes such as secondary injection molding would be required to integrate them, increasing product costs. Furthermore, repeated use of the mold would cause ice crystals to repeatedly form in the drainage channel 51, leading to repeated compression and potential damage to the replacement plug 5. If the lower mold 2 and the replacement plug 5 were integrated, the damaged portion could not be replaced individually, requiring a complete replacement, which would increase costs and reduce the user experience.

[0041] When installing the replacement plug 5, insert the replacement plug 5 into the lower mold 2 from above the opening of the lower mold 2. Then, align the fixing ring 54 with the fixing hole 22 and move the replacement plug 5 from top to bottom in the direction of the fixing hole 22. The outer ring surface of the fixing ring 54 first contacts the edge of the fixing hole 22. Since the outer ring surface of the fixing ring 54 is inclined, when the fixing ring 54 moves down, the edge of the fixing hole 22 squeezes the fixing ring 54, causing the fixing ring 54 to contract inward. When the fixing ring 54 is separated from the edge of the fixing hole 22, the fixing ring 54 springs back to its original shape. The edge of the fixing hole 22 is just embedded in the groove between the connecting plate 52 and the fixing ring 54. At this time, the replacement plug 5 is fixed on the lower mold 2, and the connecting plate 52 is also close to the inner wall of the lower mold 2. The retaining ring part 521 is embedded in the matching annular groove opened on the inner surface of the lower mold 2.

[0042] When removing the replacement plug 5, the user should press the retaining ring 54 inward to shrink the retaining ring 5 to a diameter smaller than the retaining hole 22, and then push the replacement plug 5 out towards the inner wall of the lower mold 2.

[0043] In this embodiment, the drainage channel 51 has two states: open and closed.

[0044] In this embodiment, the replacement plug 5 is a silicone part, and the drainage channel 51 is a slit, which is in the shape of a straight line, a Y-shape, or a cross.

[0045] If a simple opening on plug 5 is used as the drainage channel 51, the liquid to be frozen will flow out of the molding cavity 3 through the unobstructed opening, preventing the cavity from filling completely and resulting in incomplete ice blocks. Therefore, the drainage channel 51 in this mold is designed to have both open and closed states. In the early stages of freezing, the drainage channel 51 is closed to prevent the liquid to be frozen from flowing out. When freezing reaches a certain stage, the drainage channel 51 opens to release pressure from the molding cavity 3. Thus, the drainage channel 51 in this mold can be designed to control its opening and closing using pressure. Furthermore, this mold adopts a slit in the replacement plug 5 as a drainage channel 51. When not frozen, due to the elasticity of silicone, the edges of the slit are squeezed against each other, and the drainage channel 51 is naturally closed, so the liquid will not flow out from the drainage channel 51. When the liquid to be frozen begins to freeze, and the internal pressure of the molding cavity 3 increases, the edges of the slit are squeezed by the increased pressure of the liquid, and the drainage channel 51 opens due to the pressure, allowing some liquid to flow out, which reduces the internal pressure of the molding cavity 3. This allows the internal pressure of the molding cavity 3 to be kept at a low level, avoiding the formation of cracks in the ice block due to freezing under high pressure.

[0046] In this embodiment, an outer casing 4 is also included, with an opening at the top for accommodating the support molding unit.

[0047] In this embodiment, after the outer shell 4 is assembled with the molding unit, the inner wall of the outer shell 4 and the outer wall of the molding unit form a heat insulation part, and the drain channel 51 is connected to the molding cavity 3 and the heat insulation part 6.

[0048] When using this mold, the outer shell 4 and the lower mold 2 are fitted together to form the heat insulation part 6. Then, the liquid to be frozen is injected into the lower mold 2. Next, the upper mold 1 is installed on the lower mold 2 to form the molding cavity 3, and the liquid to be frozen fills the molding cavity 3. Finally, the mold is placed in the freezing chamber to freeze the ice.

[0049] At the start of freezing, the liquid in the forming chamber 3 freezes first when it comes into contact with the cold air at the top. Then, the liquid in the forming chamber freezes gradually from bottom to top, forcing the bubbles in the liquid to gather at the bottom of the forming chamber. At the same time, the drainage channel can discharge some of the precipitated bubbles to prepare ice blocks that are only opaque at the bottom.

[0050] When demolding ice cubes, users often prefer to twist the mold to create a sliding motion between the mold and the ice cube, facilitating demolding. When the lower mold 2 is made of hard materials such as hard plastic or metal alloy, it is easier for users to apply force to twist it compared to a lower mold 2 made of soft materials, thus providing a better user experience. When twisting the mold, the upper part of the upper mold 1 serves as the user's grip area and bears the force during demolding. To improve the stability of the upper part of the upper mold 1, ribs can be provided on the inner side of the upper part of the upper mold 1.

[0051] In this embodiment, the top of the outer casing 4 is provided with at least one groove 41, and the lower mold 2 is provided with a protrusion 23 that corresponds to and cooperates with the groove 41.

[0052] In this embodiment, a number of grooves 41 are evenly distributed around the opening of the outer sleeve 4, and a number of protrusions 23 are evenly distributed around the lower mold 2.

[0053] Because the lower mold 2 has a smooth surface and a special shape, it is inconvenient to hold and therefore difficult to apply force to it. To improve this, a groove 41 is provided on the outer sleeve 4, and a protrusion 23 is provided on the lower mold 2. After the outer sleeve 4 is fitted onto the lower mold 2, the protrusion 23 is embedded in the groove 41. When demolding, one hand holds the upper mold 1 and the other hand holds the outer sleeve 4. When the outer sleeve 4 is twisted, the groove 41 drives the protrusion 23, thereby causing the lower mold 2 to rotate relative to the upper mold 1 along with the outer sleeve 4. Since the outer sleeve 4 is easy to hold, this indirect way of twisting the lower mold 2 is more suitable for applying force, making demolding easier.

[0054] Example 2

[0055] Example 2 further designs the installation mechanism of the replacement plug 5 based on Example 1.

[0056] In this embodiment, the ice-making mold includes:

[0057] The molding unit has a soft upper mold 1, a hard lower mold 2 and a molding cavity 3. After the upper mold 1 and the lower mold 2 are assembled, the molding cavity 3 is formed.

[0058] The bottom of the lower mold 2 has a fixing hole 22, and a replacement plug 5 is engaged in the fixing hole 22. The replacement plug 5 is made of soft material and has a drainage channel 51 that can automatically open and close under pressure.

[0059] In this embodiment, an outer casing 4 is also included, with an opening at the top for accommodating the support molding unit. The outer casing 4 may also be provided with a connector, the other end of which is away from the outer casing 4 and connected to the replacement plug 5.

[0060] Since the replacement plug 5 and the lower mold 2 are detachably connected, if the gap between them is not thoroughly cleaned, liquid can easily remain in the gap, leading to the growth of a large number of bacteria. Since this gap is close to the molding cavity 3, the ice balls are easily contaminated during the ice-making process. Therefore, after each ice-making process, the replacement plug 5 needs to be removed from the lower mold 2 to expose the seam between them for thorough cleaning. However, the replacement plug 5 is small and easy to lose. Therefore, the replacement plug 5 is connected to the outer shell 4 through a connector, so that after the replacement plug 5 is removed from the lower mold 2, it can still be bound to the outer shell 4 by the connector, reducing the risk of losing the replacement plug 5.

[0061] In this embodiment, the replacement plug 5 is installed on the outer casing 4 from bottom to top. When separating, the replacement plug 5 separates from the outer casing 4 from top to bottom. The connecting part can be a rigid part such as a straight rod, a bent rod, or a plate, or a flexible part such as a rope. When the connecting part is a rigid part, the replacement plug 5 can be connected to the lower mold 2 as long as the outer casing 4 and the molding unit are correctly connected. After the outer casing 4 and the lower mold 2 are separated, the replacement plug 5 also detaches from the lower mold 2, thereby exposing the gap between the replacement plug 5 and the lower mold 2 for easy cleaning. Since only the splicing and separation of the outer casing 4 and the lower mold 2 need to be considered, the replacement plug 5 does not need to be installed separately, which simplifies the installation process.

[0062] It is worth noting that the connector can be fixedly connected to the outer casing 4 or detachably connected to the outer casing 4. The connector can also be fixedly connected to the replacement plug 5 or detachably connected to the replacement plug 5.

[0063] Unless otherwise specifically stated, the relative arrangement, numerical expressions, and values ​​of the components and steps set forth in these embodiments do not limit the scope of this application. Any specific values ​​in all examples shown and discussed herein should be interpreted as merely exemplary and not as limitations. Therefore, other examples of exemplary embodiments may have different values. It should be noted that similar reference numerals and letters in the following figures denote similar items; therefore, once an item is defined in one figure, it need not be further discussed in subsequent figures.

[0064] In the description of this application, it should be understood that the orientation or positional relationship indicated by directional terms such as "front, back, up, down, left, right", "horizontal, vertical, horizontal" and "top, bottom" is usually based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings, and is only for the convenience of describing this application and simplifying the description. Unless otherwise stated, these directional terms 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 on the scope of protection of this application; the directional terms "inner" and "outer" refer to the inner and outer contours relative to the outline of each component itself.

[0065] For ease of description, spatial relative terms such as "above," "on top of," "on the upper surface of," "above," etc., are used herein to describe the spatial positional relationship of a device or feature as shown in the figures to other devices or features. It should be understood that spatial relative terms are intended to encompass different orientations in use or operation beyond the orientation of the device as described in the figures. For example, if the device in the figures were inverted, a device described as "above" or "on top of" other devices or structures would subsequently be positioned as "below" or "under" other devices or structures. Thus, the exemplary term "above" can include both "above" and "below." The device may also be positioned in other different ways (rotated 90 degrees or in other orientations), and the spatial relative descriptions used herein will be interpreted accordingly.

[0066] Furthermore, it should be noted that the use of terms such as "first" and "second" to define components is merely for the purpose of distinguishing the corresponding components. Unless otherwise stated, the above terms have no special meaning and therefore cannot be construed as limiting the scope of protection of this application.

[0067] The above description is merely a preferred embodiment of this utility model and is not intended to limit the utility model. Various modifications and variations can be made to this utility model by those skilled in the art. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, improvements, etc., made within the spirit and principles of this utility model should be included within the protection scope of this utility model.

Claims

1. An ice hockey mold, characterized in that, Including: The molding unit has a soft upper mold (1), a hard lower mold (2) and a molding cavity (3). The upper mold (1) and the lower mold (2) are assembled to form the molding cavity (3). The bottom of the lower mold (2) is provided with a detachable replacement plug (5), and the replacement plug (5) is provided with a drainage channel (51) that can be automatically opened and closed under pressure. The bottom of the lower mold (2) has a fixing hole (22), and a replacement plug (5) is engaged in the fixing hole (22).

2. The ice hockey mold according to claim 1, characterized in that, The replacement plug (5) is made of soft material and includes a connecting plate (52), a connecting cylinder (53) and a fixing ring (54); the connecting plate (52) has a drainage channel (51) and the connecting cylinder (53) is fixedly attached to its lower surface; the fixing ring (54) is fixedly attached to the lower surface of the connecting cylinder (53), and a groove is formed between the connecting plate (52) and the fixing ring (54), which is used to engage with the edge of the fixing hole (22).

3. The ice hockey mold according to claim 2, characterized in that, The lower end of the connecting plate (52) extends a retaining ring (521), which is embedded in a matching annular groove opened on the inner surface of the lower mold (2) to enhance the stability of the connection between the lower mold (2) and the replacement plug (5).

4. The ice hockey mold according to claim 2, characterized in that, The drainage channel (51) is a slit with two states: open and closed.

5. The ice hockey mold according to claim 4, characterized in that, The gap is in the shape of a straight line, a Y-shape, or a cross.

6. The ice hockey mold according to claim 1, characterized in that, It also includes an outer casing (4) with an opening at the top for accommodating the support molding unit.

7. According to claim 6, after the outer shell (4) is assembled with the molding unit, the inner wall of the outer shell (4) and the outer wall of the molding unit form a heat insulation part (6), and the drain channel (51) is connected to the molding cavity (3) and the heat insulation part (6).

8. The ice hockey mold according to claim 7, characterized in that, The top of the outer casing (4) is provided with at least one groove (41), and the lower mold (2) is provided with a protrusion (23) that corresponds to and cooperates with the groove (41).

9. The ice hockey mold according to claim 8, characterized in that, Several grooves (41) are evenly distributed around the opening of the outer sleeve (4), and several protrusions (23) are evenly distributed around the lower mold (2).

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