An ice making apparatus

Abstract

The embodiment of the application relates to the technical field of ice making, and discloses an ice making device, which comprises a shell, an inner container and a first pipeline, the inner container is arranged in the shell, a mounting groove is formed by the inner container and the shell, the mounting groove is used for accommodating a refrigeration module, and the inner container is provided with an ice making space; the first pipeline is arranged in the shell, one end of the first pipeline is communicated with the ice making space, the other end of the first pipeline protrudes out of the shell, the first pipeline and the mounting groove are staggered with each other, and the first pipeline is used for connecting a water source. Through the above mode, the length of the first pipeline can be shortened, and the cleaning difficulty of the first pipeline is reduced.

Description

Technical Field

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

[0002] With the development of the beverage industry, people's demand for cold drinks is gradually increasing. As ice is an important material for making cold drinks, people's demand for ice is also increasing. Therefore, as the main equipment for making ice, the market demand for ice makers is also constantly increasing.

[0003] Please see Figure 1 and Figure 2 An ice maker 100' typically includes a casing 1', an inner liner 2', a refrigeration module 3', and a water inlet pipe 4'. The inner liner 2' and the refrigeration module 3' are located inside the casing 1'. The inner liner 2' is used to hold ice cubes, and the refrigeration module 3' is used to supply cooling to the inner liner 2', thus providing a cold source for ice making. The water inlet pipe 4' connects to the interior of the inner liner 2' to provide water to it. Due to the relatively large weight of the refrigeration module 3', in order to lower the center of gravity of the ice maker 100' and facilitate ice removal by the user, the refrigeration module 3' is usually located in the lower rear part of the casing 1'.

[0004] In related technologies, the water inlet 41' of the water inlet pipe 4' is usually located on the back 11' of the outer casing 1', which is opposite to the door 12', and the water inlet 41' is located near the bottom. Therefore, the water inlet pipe 4' needs to pass through the mounting groove 13' where the refrigeration module 3' is located in order to connect to the internal space of the inner tank 2', resulting in a long length of the water inlet pipe 4', making it difficult to clean the water inlet pipe 4'. Utility Model Content

[0005] The main technical problem addressed by this application is to provide an ice-making device that can shorten the length of the first pipe and reduce the difficulty of cleaning the first pipe.

[0006] To solve the above-mentioned technical problems, one technical solution adopted in this application embodiment is: to provide an ice-making device, including a shell, an inner liner and a first pipe, the inner liner being disposed inside the shell, the inner liner and the shell together forming an installation groove, the installation groove being used to accommodate a refrigeration module, the inner liner being provided with an ice-making space; the first pipe passing through the shell, one end of the first pipe communicating with the ice-making space, the other end of the first pipe protruding outside the shell, and the first pipe being offset from the installation groove, the first pipe being used to connect to a water source.

[0007] In some embodiments, the space between the inner liner and the outer shell is filled with insulating material.

[0008] In some embodiments, the inner liner is provided with a first protrusion extending toward the outer shell, and the first protrusion is provided with a first connecting groove communicating with the bottom of the ice-making space, and at least a portion of the first pipe is inserted into the first connecting groove.

[0009] In some embodiments, the ice-making device further includes a first sealing ring, which is sleeved on the first pipe, with one end of the first sealing ring away from the first pipe abutting against the inner wall of the first connecting groove.

[0010] In some embodiments, the outer shell is provided with a second protrusion extending toward the inner liner, and the outer shell is provided with a first through hole penetrating the second protrusion, and a first pipe passing through the first through hole.

[0011] In some embodiments, the ice-making device further includes a second pipe that passes through the housing, one end of the second pipe is in communication with the ice-making space, and the other end of the second pipe protrudes from the housing. The second pipe is used to drain water from the ice-making space, and the second pipe is offset from the mounting groove.

[0012] In some embodiments, the ice-making device includes an outer water tank, which is provided with a water storage chamber and a water outlet trough. The water outlet trough is connected to the bottom of the water storage chamber, and the end of the first pipe away from the inner tank is inserted into the water storage trough.

[0013] In some embodiments, the ice-making device includes a second sealing ring, which is sleeved on the first pipe, and the end of the second sealing ring away from the first pipe abuts against the inner wall of the water outlet tank.

[0014] In some embodiments, the ice-making device further includes a connector, one end of which is connected to an outer water tank, and the other end of which is provided with a fastening part. A slot is provided at the bottom of the outer casing, and the fastening part is engaged with the slot.

[0015] In some embodiments, the connector is provided with a mounting boss, and the outer water tank is provided with a groove, into which the mounting boss is inserted.

[0016] The beneficial effects of this application embodiment are as follows: Unlike the prior art, in this application embodiment, the inner liner is disposed inside the outer shell, and the inner liner and the outer shell together form an installation groove. The installation groove is used to accommodate the refrigeration module. The inner liner is provided with an ice-making space. The first pipe passes through the outer shell. One end of the first pipe is connected to the ice-making space, and the other end of the first pipe protrudes outside the outer shell. Furthermore, the first pipe and the installation groove are staggered, so that the first pipe does not need to pass through the installation groove, nor does it need to avoid the refrigeration module in the installation groove. This is beneficial to shorten the length of the first pipe and reduce the difficulty of cleaning the inner wall of the first pipe. Attached Figure Description

[0017] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the specific embodiments of this application or the prior art, the accompanying drawings used in the description of the specific embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. In all the drawings, similar elements or parts are generally identified by similar reference numerals. In the drawings, the elements or parts are not necessarily drawn to scale.

[0018] Figure 1 This is a structural diagram of an ice maker in the existing technology;

[0019] Figure 2 This is a cross-sectional structural diagram of an ice maker in the prior art;

[0020] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the ice-making device provided in the embodiments of this application from a first-view perspective;

[0021] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the ice-making device provided in the embodiments of this application from a second perspective;

[0022] Figure 5 It is along Figure 4 A schematic diagram of the cross-sectional structure of the ice-making equipment after AA sectioning;

[0023] Figure 6 yes Figure 5 An enlarged view of the area shown in section A;

[0024] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the ice-making device provided in the embodiments of this application from a third-person perspective;

[0025] Figure 8 It is along Figure 7 A cross-sectional view of the ice-making equipment after the BB section is cut;

[0026] Figure 9 This is an exploded view of the ice-making equipment provided in the embodiments of this application;

[0027] Figure 10 yes Figure 5 An enlarged view of the area shown in section B;

[0028] Figure 11 This is an exploded structural diagram of the external water tank provided in the embodiments of this application;

[0029] Figure 12 This is a cross-sectional view of the external water tank provided in the embodiments of this application when the top rod is in the second position;

[0030] Figure 13 This is a cross-sectional view of the upper housing and valve assembly provided in the embodiments of this application when the top rod is in the first position;

[0031] Figure 14 This is a cross-sectional structural diagram of the ice-making device provided in the embodiments of this application.

[0032] Label Explanation

[0033] 100. Ice-making equipment;

[0034] 1. Outer shell; 11. Top panel; 12. Bottom panel; 121. Slot; 13. Back panel; 14. Cabinet door; 15. First side panel; 151. Second protrusion; 16. Second side panel; 161. Fourth protrusion; 17. First through hole; 18. Second through hole;

[0035] 2. Inner liner; 21. Ice-making space; 211. Ice-forming zone; 212. Water storage zone; 22. First protrusion; 221. First connecting groove; 23. Third protrusion; 231. Second connecting groove;

[0036] 3. First pipe; 31. First sealing groove; 32. Second sealing groove; 33. Fixing lug;

[0037] 4. First sealing ring; 5. Second sealing ring; 6. Second pipe;

[0038] 7. External water tank; 71. Water storage chamber; 72. Valve assembly; 721. Mounting component; 7211. Fixing part; 7212. Insertion part; 7213. Connecting part; 7214. Communicating hole; 7215. Sliding hole; 722. Sealing plug; 723. Push rod; 7231. Limiting boss; 724. Elastic element; 73. Upper housing; 731. Screw connection; 7311. Insertion hole; 732. Upper water chamber; 733. First surface; 74. Lower housing; 742. Water outlet groove; 743. Lifting part; 744. Groove; 745. Lower water chamber;

[0039] 8. Connector; 81. Fastening part; 82. Mounting boss;

[0040] 9. Mounting slot; 10. Refrigeration module; 20. Insulation area; 30. Screw; 40. Ice basket. Detailed Implementation

[0041] To facilitate understanding of this application, a more detailed description is provided below with reference to the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments. It should be noted that when an element is described as "fixed to" another element, it can be directly on the other element, or one or more intermediate elements may exist between them. When an element is described as "connected" to another element, it can be directly connected to the other element, or one or more intermediate elements may exist between them. The terms "upper," "lower," "inner," "outer," "vertical," "horizontal," etc., used in this specification indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings, and are only for the convenience of describing this application and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore should not be construed as a limitation of this application. Furthermore, the terms "first," "second," etc., are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance.

[0042] Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used in this specification have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this application belongs. The terminology used in this specification is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to limit the scope of the application. The term "and / or" as used in this specification includes any and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed items.

[0043] Furthermore, the technical features involved in the different embodiments of this application described below can be combined with each other as long as they do not conflict with each other.

[0044] Please see Figure 3 , Figure 5 and Figure 6 The ice-making device 100 includes an outer shell 1, an inner liner 2, and a first pipe 3. The inner liner 2 is disposed inside the outer shell 1 and has an ice-making space 21. Ice blocks are formed and stored within the ice-making space 21. The first pipe 3 passes through the outer shell 1, with one end connected to the ice-making space 21 and the other end protruding outside the outer shell 1. The first pipe 3 is used to connect to a water source, thereby replenishing the ice-making space 21 with the water needed to make ice blocks.

[0045] For the aforementioned casing 1, please refer to Figure 3 , Figure 4 and Figure 5The outer casing 1 includes a top plate 11, a bottom plate 12, a back plate 13, a cabinet door 14, a first side plate 15, and a second side plate 16. The top plate 11 and the bottom plate 12 are opposite each other, the back plate 13 and the cabinet door 14 are opposite each other, and the first side plate 15 and the second side plate 16 are opposite each other. The top plate 11, the bottom plate 12, the back plate 13, the cabinet door 14, the first side plate 15, and the second side plate 16 are interconnected to form an outer casing 1 that is generally rectangular in shape. The cabinet door 14 is rotatably connected to one of the first side plate 15 and the second side plate 16, and the cabinet door 14 is used to open or close the ice-making space 21. Please refer to... Figure 8 The first side plate 15, the second side plate 16, the bottom plate 12, the back plate 13, and the inner liner 2 together form a mounting groove 9. That is, the mounting groove 9 is located at the corner formed by the back plate 13 and the bottom plate 12. In other words, the mounting groove 9 is located at the bottom rear of the outer shell 1. The mounting groove 9 is used to accommodate the refrigeration module 10. The refrigeration module 10 is used to provide a cold source for making ice. Since the refrigeration module 10 is relatively heavy, placing the refrigeration module 10 in the mounting groove 9, that is, the refrigeration module 10 being located at the bottom rear of the outer shell 1, can lower the center of gravity of the ice-making equipment 100 and reduce the obstruction to the user when taking out ice.

[0046] It is worth noting that in related technologies, references Figure 1 and Figure 2 The water inlet pipe 4' typically passes through the mounting groove 13' from the back 11' of the ice maker 100' and then connects to the ice-making space 21 of the inner tank 2. With this configuration, over time, dirt in the water gradually accumulates in the water inlet pipe 4', thus requiring regular cleaning. However, this method results in a relatively long water inlet pipe 4' because it needs to pass through the mounting groove 13' and avoid the refrigeration module 3' within the mounting groove 13', increasing the difficulty of cleaning it. To at least partially solve the above problems, please refer to the embodiments of this application. Figures 5 to 8 The first pipe 3 is staggered from the mounting groove 9, meaning that the first pipe 3 does not need to pass through the mounting groove 9 and does not need to avoid components such as the refrigeration module 10. This helps to shorten the length of the first pipe 3, thereby shortening the length of cleaning the first pipe 3 and reducing the difficulty of cleaning the first pipe 3.

[0047] Specifically, the first pipe 3 passes through the first side plate 15, and the first pipe 3 is offset from the mounting groove 9. The first pipe 3 is located on the first side plate 15 near the bottom plate 12, so that one end of the first pipe 3 is connected to the bottom of the ice-making space 21.

[0048] In some embodiments, the top plate 11, bottom plate 12, back plate 13, first side plate 15 and second side plate 16 of the outer shell 1 are all separated from the inner liner 2, thereby forming a heat-insulating area 20 between the inner liner 2 and the outer shell 1. The heat-insulating area 20 is filled with heat-insulating material, thereby insulating the ice-making space 21 in the inner liner 2.

[0049] In some embodiments, the insulation material is a foaming liquid, which, after curing, forms an insulation layer in the insulation area 20, thereby insulating the ice-making space 21.

[0050] In some embodiments, please refer to Figure 5 and Figure 6 The inner liner 2 is provided with a first protrusion 22, which is located near the bottom of the inner liner 2 and extends toward the first side plate 15. The first protrusion 22 is provided with a first connecting groove 221, which passes through the first protrusion 22 and connects to the bottom of the ice-making space 21. At least a portion of the first pipe 3 is inserted into the first connecting groove 221 so that water in the first pipe 3 can be injected into the ice-making space 21 through the first connecting groove 221, so that the refrigeration module can make ice cubes from the water in the ice-making space 21. In this embodiment, by providing the first protrusion 22 and at least partially inserting the first pipe 3 into the first connecting groove 221, it is beneficial to increase the length of the first pipe 3 inserted into the first connecting groove 221. Without increasing the wall thickness of the inner liner 2 and the length of the first pipe 3, the contact length between the first pipe 3 and the inner liner 2 is extended, which helps to reduce the risk of the foaming liquid in the insulation area 20 entering the ice-making space 21 from the gap between the first pipe 3 and the inner liner 2, and reduces pollution. In addition, it can also reduce the risk of water in the ice-making space 21 leaking from the gap between the first pipe 3 and the inner liner 2.

[0051] In some embodiments, the ice-making device 100 further includes a first sealing ring 4, which is sleeved on the outer wall of the first pipe 3. One end of the first sealing ring 4 away from the outer wall of the first pipe 3 abuts against the inner wall of the first connecting groove 221, thereby increasing the sealing performance between the first pipe 3 and the inner wall of the first connecting groove 221. This helps to further reduce the risk of foaming liquid entering the ice-making space 21, and can further reduce the risk of water in the ice-making space 21 leaking from the first connecting groove 221.

[0052] In some embodiments, the first pipe 3 is provided with a first sealing groove 31, which is annularly disposed on the outer wall of the first pipe 3. The first sealing ring 4 is fitted onto the first sealing groove 31, and at least part of the first sealing ring 4 protrudes from the first sealing groove 31. The portion of the first sealing ring 4 protruding from the first sealing groove 31 is used to abut against the inner wall of the first connecting groove 221, thereby achieving a sealed connection between the first pipe 3 and the inner liner 2. In this embodiment, by providing the first sealing groove 31 and fitting the first sealing ring 4 onto it, the risk of the first sealing ring 4 moving relative to the first pipe 3 during the insertion of the first pipe 3 into the first connecting groove 221 is reduced, which helps to improve the sealing performance between the first pipe 3 and the inner liner 2.

[0053] In some embodiments, the first side plate 15 is provided with a second protrusion 151 extending toward the inner liner 2. The first side plate 15 is also provided with a first through hole 17, which penetrates the second protrusion 151. One end of the first pipe 3 passes through the first through hole 17 and is then inserted into the aforementioned first connecting groove 221. In this embodiment, by providing the second protrusion 151, the contact length between the first pipe 3 and the first side plate 15 can be extended without increasing the thickness of the first side plate 15. This improves the sealing performance between the first pipe 3 and the first side plate 15 and reduces the risk of foaming liquid in the insulation area 20 leaking from the gap between the first pipe 3 and the first side plate 15.

[0054] In some embodiments, please refer to Figure 6 and Figure 9 The first pipe 3 is provided with a fixing lug 33, which is fixed to the first side plate 15 by screws 30, thereby improving the stability of the connection between the first pipe 3 and the first side plate 15.

[0055] In some embodiments, please refer to Figure 5 and Figure 10 The ice-making device 100 also includes a second pipe 6, which passes through the outer casing 1. One end of the second pipe 6 is connected to the bottom of the ice-making space 21, and the other end protrudes outside the outer casing 1. The second pipe 6 can be used to drain water from the ice-making space 21, and it is offset from the mounting groove 9. By providing the second pipe 6, wastewater generated during cleaning of the ice-making device 100 can be discharged through it. It is worth noting that when cleaning of the ice-making device 100 is not required, the second pipe 6 is closed, thereby reducing the risk of water used to form ice in the ice-making space 21 flowing out through the second pipe 6.

[0056] In some embodiments, the second pipe 6 passes through the second side plate 16, and one end of the second pipe 6 communicates with the bottom of the ice-making space 21. The inner liner 2 has a third protrusion 23 near the end of the second side plate 16, extending towards the second side plate 16. The third protrusion 23 has a second connecting groove 231 that passes through the third protrusion 23 and communicates with the bottom of the ice-making space 21. One end of the second pipe 6 passes through the second side plate 16 and is inserted into the second connecting groove 231, thereby connecting the second pipe 6 to the ice-making space 21. The other end of the second pipe 6 protrudes from the second side plate 16 to facilitate the drainage of water from the ice-making space 21. In this embodiment, by setting the third protrusion 23, one end of the second pipe 6 is inserted into the second connecting groove 231, which helps to extend the contact length between the second pipe 6 and the inner liner 2, reduce the risk of the foaming liquid in the insulation area 20 entering the ice-making space 21 from the gap between the second pipe 6 and the second side plate 16, and reduce the risk of water in the ice-making space 21 leaking from the gap between the second pipe 6 and the second side plate 16.

[0057] In some embodiments, the ice-making device 100 includes a third sealing ring 50, and a third sealing groove 61 is provided on the outer side wall of the second pipe 6. The third sealing groove 61 is generally annular, and the third sealing ring 50 is sleeved on the third sealing groove 61. The third sealing ring 50 protrudes at least partially from the third sealing groove 61, and the portion of the third sealing ring 50 protruding from the third sealing groove 61 abuts against the inner wall of the second connecting groove 231 to increase the sealing performance between the second pipe 6 and the inner liner 2.

[0058] In some embodiments, please refer to Figure 5 and Figure 6 The ice-making equipment 100 also includes an outer water tank 7, which is provided with a water storage cavity 71 and a water outlet trough 742. The bottom of the water outlet trough 742 and the water storage cavity 71 are connected. The end of the first pipe 3 away from the inner liner 2 is inserted into the water outlet trough 742, so that the water in the water storage cavity 71 can flow into the first pipe 3 through the water outlet trough 742, and then flow into the ice-making space 21 through the first connecting groove 221.

[0059] In some embodiments, the ice-making device 100 further includes a second sealing ring 5, which is sleeved on the first pipe 3. The end of the second sealing ring 5 away from the first pipe 3 abuts against the inner wall of the water outlet tank 742, thereby increasing the sealing performance between the first pipe 3 and the outer water tank 7 and reducing the risk of water leakage in the outer water tank 7.

[0060] In some embodiments, the first pipe 3 is further provided with a second sealing groove 32. Along the length of the first pipe 3, the second sealing groove 32 and the first sealing groove 31 are spaced apart from each other. A second sealing ring 5 is fitted onto the second sealing groove 32, and the second sealing ring 5 at least partially protrudes from the second sealing groove 32. The portion of the second sealing ring 5 protruding from the second sealing groove 32 is used to abut against the inner wall of the water outlet tank 742 to achieve a sealed connection between the first pipe 3 and the outer water tank 7. In this embodiment, by providing the second sealing groove 32 and fitting the second sealing ring 5 onto it, the risk of the second sealing ring 5 sliding along the first pipe 3 can be reduced during the process of inserting the first pipe 3 into the water outlet tank 742.

[0061] In some embodiments, please refer to Figure 5 and Figure 10 The second side plate 16 has a fourth protrusion 161 on its surface facing the inner liner 2. The fourth protrusion 161 has a second through hole 18, through which the second pipe 6 passes. In this embodiment, by providing the fourth protrusion 161 and passing the second pipe 6 through the second through hole 18, it is beneficial to extend the contact length between the second pipe 6 and the second side plate 16, and to reduce the risk of foaming liquid in the insulation area 20 leaking from the gap between the second pipe 6 and the second side plate 16.

[0062] In some embodiments, the ice-making device 100 further includes a fourth sealing ring 60, and a fourth sealing groove 62 is provided on the outer side wall of the second pipe 6. The fourth sealing groove 62 is generally annular, and the fourth sealing ring 60 is sleeved on the fourth sealing groove 62. The fourth sealing ring 60 protrudes at least partially from the fourth sealing groove 62. The portion of the fourth sealing ring 60 protruding from the fourth sealing groove 62 is used to abut against the inner side wall of the water outlet groove 742 of the water tank 7, thereby improving the sealing performance between the second pipe 6 and the second side plate 16.

[0063] It is worth noting that the portion of the first pipe 3 protruding from the first side plate 15 is substantially the same as the portion of the second pipe 6 protruding from the second side plate 16. That is, in some embodiments, the first pipe 3 can serve as a water inlet pipe, and the second pipe 6 as a drainage pipe; or, the second pipe 6 can serve as a water inlet pipe, and the first pipe 3 as a drainage pipe. Therefore, the user can choose either the first pipe 3 or the second pipe 6 as the water inlet pipe based on the space where the ice-making equipment 100 is located, thus facilitating the placement of the ice-making equipment 100. This application describes the use of the first pipe 3 as the water inlet pipe in a detailed description, and does not describe the use of the second pipe 6 as the water inlet pipe in a detailed description.

[0064] In some embodiments, please refer to Figure 11 and Figure 12The outer water tank 7 includes a valve assembly 72, an upper tank body 73, and a lower tank body 74. The upper tank body 73 is provided with an upper water chamber 732 and a threaded connection part 731. The threaded connection part 731 is provided with a plug hole 7311, which penetrates the threaded connection part 731 and communicates with the upper water chamber 732. The upper water chamber 732 is used to store water. The lower tank body 74 is provided with a lower water chamber 745. The upper water chamber 732 and the lower water chamber 745 together constitute the aforementioned water storage chamber 71. The opening of the lower water chamber 745 is open upward. A portion of the upper tank body 73 is inserted into the lower water chamber 745, and under the action of its own weight, the upper tank body 73 can maintain the connection between itself and the lower tank body 74. The valve assembly 72 is screwed and fixed to the screw connection 731. The valve assembly 72 is used to control the flow of water in the upper water chamber 732 to the lower water chamber 745. The aforementioned water outlet 742 is located at the end of the lower tank 74 away from the upper tank 73, and the water outlet 742 is connected to the bottom of the lower water chamber 745, so that the water in the upper water chamber 732 flows into the lower water chamber 745 through the valve assembly 72, and then flows into the ice-making space 21 after passing through the water outlet 742 and the first pipe 3. In this embodiment, by dividing the outer water tank 7 into an upper tank 73 and a lower tank 74, and by keeping the upper tank 73 inserted into the lower water chamber 745 by its own gravity, when water needs to be added, the upper tank 73 can be directly removed, water can be added to the upper tank 73, and then the upper tank 73 can be inserted into the lower water chamber 745. The operation is simple and convenient.

[0065] In some embodiments, please refer to Figure 12 and Figure 13 The valve assembly 72 includes a mounting part 721, a sealing plug 722, a push rod 723, and an elastic element 724. The mounting part 721 is provided with a fixing part 7211, a plug-in part 7212, and a connecting part 7213. The fixing part 7211 is provided with an internal thread, and the aforementioned screw-in part 7213 is provided with an external thread. The fixing part 7211 is fixed to the screw-in part 7211 by the engagement of the internal and external threads. One end of the plug-in part 7212 is connected to the fixing part 7211, and the other end is inserted into the plug-in hole 7311. The plug-in part 7212 is provided with a connecting hole 7214, which passes through the fixing part 7211 and the plug-in part 7212 along the arrangement direction of the upper housing 73 and the lower housing 74, and communicates with the drain chamber 745. The connecting part 7213 is fixed to the inner wall of the communicating hole 7214. The connecting part 7213 is provided with a sliding hole 7215, and the sliding hole 7215 passes through the connecting part 7213 along the arrangement direction of the upper housing 73 and the lower housing 74. The push rod 723 passes through the sliding hole 7215 and can slide along the sliding hole 7215. The sealing plug 722 is fixed to the end of the push rod 723 facing the upper water cavity 732. The sealing plug 722 is used to seal the communicating hole 7214. When the push rod 723 slides along the sliding hole 7215 to the first position, such as... Figure 13As shown, the sealing plug 722 blocks the connecting hole 7214, thereby preventing water in the upper water chamber 732 from flowing into each connecting hole 7214; when the push rod 723 slides along the sliding hole 7215 to the second position, as Figure 12 As shown, the sealing plug 722 is separated from the connecting hole 7214. At this time, water in the upper water chamber 732 can flow into the lower water chamber 745 through the connecting hole 7214. A limiting boss 7231 is provided at the end of the push rod 723 away from the upper housing 73. An elastic member 724 is sleeved on the push rod 723. One end of the elastic member 724 abuts against the connecting part 7213, and the other end of the elastic member 724 abuts against the limiting boss 7231. The elastic member 724 is used to drive the push rod 723 to stay in the first position when the upper housing 73 and the lower housing 74 are separated.

[0066] In some embodiments, the lower housing 74 is provided with a lifting portion 743, which is located at the bottom of the lower water cavity 745 and extends toward the upper housing 73. During the assembly of the upper housing 73 to the lower housing 74, the lifting portion 743 contacts the limiting boss 7231 and gradually lifts the push rod 723, causing the push rod 723 to slide from a first position along the sliding hole 7215 toward the upper water cavity 732 to a second position, thereby separating the sealing plug 722 from the connecting hole 7214, and allowing water in the upper water cavity 732 to flow into the lower water cavity 745 through the connecting hole 7214. Further, the height of the end of the connecting hole 7214 away from the upper water cavity 732 relative to the ground is lower than the height of the first surface 733 of the upper housing 73 relative to the ground, wherein the first surface 733 is the surface of the upper housing 73 facing the lower water cavity 745, and the upper housing 73 and the lower housing 74 are sealed together. Therefore, when water flows from the upper water chamber 732 into the lower water chamber 745 through the connecting hole 7214, the liquid level in the lower water chamber 745 gradually rises until it exceeds the height of the end of each connecting hole 7214 furthest from the upper water chamber 732. Due to the sealed connection between the upper chamber 73 and the lower chamber 74, the air in the lower water chamber 745 cannot escape, causing the air pressure above the liquid surface in the lower water chamber 745 to gradually increase. This continues until the air pressure in the lower water chamber 745, the air pressure above the liquid surface in the ice-making space 21, and the air pressure above the liquid surface in the upper water chamber 732 reach equilibrium. At this point, the water in the upper water chamber 732 stops flowing downwards, thus creating a liquid seal effect. In other words, even when the sealing plug 722 and the connecting hole 7214 are separated, the height of the highest liquid level in the lower water chamber 745 and the ice-making space 21 remains unchanged when water is present in the upper water chamber 732. When the water in the upper water chamber 732 is used up, the upper housing 73 can be removed from the lower water chamber 745. At this time, the lifting part 743 separates from the lower water chamber 745. Under the action of the elastic element 724, the push rod 723 returns to the first position, thereby sealing the connecting hole 7214 with the sealing plug 722. When it is necessary to add water to the upper water chamber 732, simply rotate the fixing part 7211 to separate the fixing part 7211 from the screw part 731, and then add water to the upper water chamber 732 through the insertion hole 7311. After adding water... After completion, the fixing part 7211 and the screw connection part 731 are screwed together to seal the upper water chamber 732 and prevent water leakage from the upper water chamber 732. When the upper box 73 is assembled into the lower water chamber 745 of the lower box 74, the lifting part 743 lifts the lifting rod 723, thereby separating the sealing plug 722 from each connecting hole 7214. The water in the upper water chamber 732 can then flow into the lower water chamber 745 through the connecting holes 7214. The water addition operation of this application is simple and does not require manual opening or closing of the sealing plug 722.

[0067] In some embodiments, please refer to Figure 5 , Figure 6 and Figure 8 The ice-making space 21 includes an ice-forming zone 211 and a water storage zone 212. The water storage zone 212 is located below the ice-forming zone 211 and is connected to a first connecting channel 221 so that water in the outer water tank 7 can flow into the water storage zone 212 through the first pipe 3 and the first connecting channel 221. The ice-making device 100 also includes a water pump (not labeled) for pumping water from the water storage zone 212 to the ice-forming zone 211, where the water forms ice blocks.

[0068] In some embodiments, the ice-making device 100 further includes an ice basket 40, which is disposed within the ice-making space 21 and located below the freezing zone 211. When ice blocks are generated in the freezing zone 211, the ice blocks can fall directly into the ice basket 40. The ice basket 40 is located above the water storage zone 212, and the highest liquid level in the water storage zone 212 is lower than the lowest point of the ice basket 40, thereby reducing the risk of the water in the water storage zone 212 coming into contact with the ice blocks in the ice basket 40 and causing the ice blocks to melt.

[0069] In some embodiments, please refer to Figure 14 The ice-making equipment 100 also includes a connector 8. One end of the connector 8 is connected to the lower housing 74, and the other end of the connector 8 is provided with a fastening part 81. The bottom of the outer shell 1 is provided with a slot 121, and the fastening part 81 is engaged with the slot 121, thereby fixing the outer shell 1 to the lower housing 74. Here, the bottom of the outer shell 1 refers to the surface of the bottom plate 12 facing away from the top plate 11. In this embodiment, by setting the slot 121 at the bottom of the outer shell 1, during the assembly of the connector 8, the fastening part 81 can be inserted from the bottom of the outer shell 1 to the bottom of the outer shell 1. When the fastening part 81 is inserted into place, under the gravity of the outer shell 1 and the components inside the outer shell 1, the fastening part 81 is engaged with the slot 121, realizing the assembly of the connector 8. The assembly is simple and convenient.

[0070] In some embodiments, the connector 8 is provided with a mounting boss 82, and the lower housing 74 is provided with a groove 744 on the surface opposite to the upper housing 73. The surface of the lower housing 74 opposite to the upper housing 73 abuts against the part of the connector 8 that protrudes from the outer shell 1, and the mounting boss 82 is inserted into the groove 744. Under the gravity of the outer water tank 7, the mounting boss 82 remains inserted into the groove 744, thereby limiting the outer water tank 7 and reducing the risk of the outer water tank 7 accidentally falling or dropping.

[0071] In this embodiment, the inner liner 2 is disposed inside the outer shell 1, and the inner liner 2 and the outer shell 1 together form an installation groove 9. The installation groove 9 is used to accommodate the refrigeration module 10. The inner liner 2 is provided with an ice-making space 21. The first pipe 3 passes through the outer shell 1. One end of the first pipe 3 is connected to the ice-making space 21, and the other end of the first pipe 3 protrudes outside the outer shell 1. The first pipe 3 and the installation groove 9 are staggered, so that the first pipe 3 does not need to pass through the installation groove 9, nor does it need to avoid the refrigeration module 10 in the installation groove 9. This is beneficial to shorten the length of the first pipe 3 and reduce the difficulty of cleaning the inner wall of the first pipe 3.

[0072] The above description is merely an embodiment of this application and does not limit the patent scope of this application. Any equivalent structural or procedural transformations made using the content of this application's specification and drawings, or direct or indirect applications in other related technical fields, are similarly included within the patent protection scope of this application.

Claims

1. An ice-making device, characterized in that, include: shell; An inner liner is disposed inside the outer shell, and the inner liner and the outer shell together form a mounting groove, which is used to accommodate the refrigeration module. The inner liner is provided with an ice-making space. A first pipe is inserted through the outer shell, one end of the first pipe is connected to the ice-making space, the other end of the first pipe protrudes outside the outer shell, and the first pipe is offset from the mounting groove. The first pipe is used to connect to a water source.

2. The ice-making equipment according to claim 1, characterized in that, The space between the inner liner and the outer shell is filled with thermal insulation material.

3. The ice-making equipment according to claim 2, characterized in that, The inner liner is provided with a first protrusion extending toward the outer shell. The first protrusion is provided with a first connecting groove that connects to the bottom of the ice-making space. At least a portion of the first pipe is inserted into the first connecting groove.

4. The ice-making equipment according to claim 3, characterized in that, The ice-making equipment also includes a first sealing ring, which is sleeved on the first pipe, with the end of the first sealing ring away from the first pipe abutting against the inner wall of the first connecting groove.

5. The ice-making equipment according to claim 2, characterized in that, The outer shell is provided with a second protrusion extending toward the inner liner. The outer shell is provided with a first through hole penetrating the second protrusion, and the first pipe passes through the first through hole.

6. The ice-making equipment according to claim 1, characterized in that, The ice-making equipment also includes a second pipe, which passes through the outer shell. One end of the second pipe is connected to the ice-making space, and the other end of the second pipe protrudes from the outer shell. The second pipe is used to drain water from the ice-making space, and the second pipe is offset from the mounting groove.

7. The ice-making apparatus according to any one of claims 1-6, characterized in that, The ice-making equipment includes an outer water tank, which is provided with a water storage cavity and a water outlet trough. The water outlet trough is connected to the bottom of the water storage cavity, and the end of the first pipe away from the inner tank is inserted into the water storage trough.

8. The ice-making equipment according to claim 7, characterized in that, The ice-making device includes a second sealing ring, which is sleeved on the first pipe, and the end of the second sealing ring away from the first pipe abuts against the inner wall of the water outlet tank.

9. The ice-making equipment according to claim 7, characterized in that, The ice-making equipment also includes a connector, one end of which is connected to the outer water tank, and the other end of which is provided with a fastening part. The bottom of the outer shell is provided with a slot, and the fastening part is engaged with the slot.

10. The ice-making equipment according to claim 7, characterized in that, The connector is provided with a mounting boss, and the outer water tank is provided with a groove, into which the mounting boss is inserted.

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