Ice maker

Abstract

The embodiment of the application relates to the technical field of ice making, and discloses an ice maker, which comprises an ice maker body and an ice storage basket assembly, the ice maker body is provided with an ice storage chamber, the ice storage basket assembly is accommodated in the ice storage chamber, the ice storage basket assembly comprises an ice storage basket and an inner basket liner, the inner basket liner is in an elastic deformation structure, the inner basket liner is arranged at the bottom of the ice storage basket, the shape of the inner basket liner is matched with the shape of the bottom of the ice storage basket, a gap exists between the inner basket liner and the bottom of the ice storage basket, and an ice guiding structure is arranged on the inner basket liner. Through the above mode, the ice maker mentioned in the application can improve the problem that the structural strength of the ice storage basket in the related art is low, and the ice storage basket is easily deformed and even damaged due to uneven force.

Description

Technical Field

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

[0002] An ice maker is a machine that operates on the principle of heat to produce various types of ice. Ice is formed in the ice maker's ice-making tray, which then moves to an ice storage basket. The bottom of the ice-making tray is then raised and flipped, causing the ice to fall into the ice storage basket. However, ice makers using this technology have some drawbacks. Specifically, the ice storage basket, which filters the water from the melted ice, is designed with a perforated structure, resulting in lower structural strength. When the ice storage basket holds a large amount of ice, it is prone to uneven stress, deformation, or even damage. Utility Model Content

[0003] The purpose of this application is to provide an ice maker that improves the problem of low structural strength of the ice storage basket in related technologies, which leads to uneven stress and deformation or even damage.

[0004] According to one aspect of this application, an ice maker is provided, comprising:

[0005] The ice maker itself is equipped with an ice storage chamber;

[0006] An ice storage basket assembly is housed within the ice storage chamber; the ice storage basket assembly includes an ice storage basket and a basket liner; the basket liner is an elastically deformable structure, the basket liner is disposed at the bottom of the ice storage basket, the shape of the basket liner matches the bottom shape of the ice storage basket, there is a gap between the basket liner and the bottom of the ice storage basket, and the basket liner is provided with an ice-drawing structure.

[0007] In some embodiments, the ice-guiding structure includes multiple guide walls, the number of which is the same as the number of sides of the basket liner. The multiple guide walls are connected one-to-one to the multiple sides of the basket liner to jointly support the ice blocks made by the ice maker body.

[0008] In some embodiments, the basket liner is detachably located at the bottom of the ice storage basket.

[0009] In some embodiments, the bottom of the basket liner is provided with at least one support portion; the basket liner is elastically supported on the bottom of the ice storage basket by the at least one support portion, so that the gap is formed between the basket liner and the bottom of the ice storage basket.

[0010] In some embodiments, the cross-sectional shape of the support is plano-convex, and the opposite ends of the support are integrally formed with the basket liner.

[0011] In some embodiments, multiple drainage holes are provided at the lowest point of the bottom of the ice storage basket;

[0012] The basket liner has a first water filter hole and a second water filter hole. The first water filter hole penetrates the basket liner, and the second water filter hole penetrates both the basket liner and the ice-drawing structure. The first water filter hole and the second water filter hole are respectively connected to a plurality of the drainage holes.

[0013] In some embodiments, the bottom of the basket liner is provided with at least one buckle, the position of one buckle corresponds to one of the drainage holes, and each buckle passes through the corresponding drainage hole and is fastened to the ice storage basket, so that the basket liner is detachably provided at the bottom of the ice storage basket.

[0014] In some embodiments, there are multiple first filter holes, all of which are oval-shaped holes, and the multiple first filter holes are arranged in an alternating manner.

[0015] There are multiple second filter holes, all of which are oval-shaped holes, and the multiple second filter holes are arranged side by side.

[0016] In some embodiments, the ice maker satisfies at least one of the following conditions:

[0017] (1) The width of the first filter hole and the width of the second filter hole both satisfy 2mm to 6mm;

[0018] (2) The ratio of the length of the first filter hole to its width is 3 to 20, and the ratio of the length of the second filter hole to its width is 3 to 20.

[0019] (3) The distance between two adjacent first filter holes is greater than 2 mm, and the distance between two adjacent second filter holes is greater than 2 mm.

[0020] In some embodiments, the number of guide walls is the same as the number of walls of the ice storage basket, the guide walls are arranged opposite to the walls of the ice storage basket one by one, and each guide wall gradually slopes towards the center of the basket lining relative to its corresponding wall.

[0021] The ice maker mentioned in this application has an elastically deformable basket liner with a gap between the liner and the bottom of the ice storage basket. This allows the liner to elastically deform to offset part of the weight of the ice while applying a uniform force to the ice storage basket, thereby improving the structural deformation caused by uneven weight distribution of the ice. Furthermore, when the liner carries a large amount of ice, it deforms under pressure towards the bottom of the ice storage basket, releasing space and reducing the adverse effects of the liner occupying internal space. Attached Figure Description

[0022] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the specific embodiments of this utility model or the prior art, the 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 actual scale.

[0023] Figure 1 This is an exploded view of the structure of an ice maker according to one embodiment of this application;

[0024] Figure 2 for Figure 1 The diagram shows the structure of the ice storage basket assembly and water receiving plate assembly assembled on the door assembly in the ice maker.

[0025] Figure 3 for Figure 2 The exploded structural diagrams of the various components are shown;

[0026] Figure 4 for Figure 2 The diagram shows a structural perspective view of the ice storage basket assembly;

[0027] Figure 5 for Figure 4 A cross-sectional view of the ice storage basket assembly is shown.

[0028] Figure 6 for Figure 2 A schematic diagram showing the ice-drawing structure installed on the inner lining of the basket;

[0029] Figure label:

[0030] 10. Ice maker body; 11. Protective shell; 111. Front protective shell; 12. Base plate; 13. Inner liner assembly; 14. Door assembly; 15. Ice making and ice scraping mechanism; 16. Water receiving plate;

[0031] 20. Ice storage basket assembly; 210. Ice storage basket; 2101. Left side wall; 2102. Right side wall; 2103. Front side wall; 2104. Rear side wall; 2105. Bottom wall near the front side wall; 2106. Bottom wall near the rear side wall; 201. Drain hole; 220. Basket liner; 2201. Bottom liner wall; 2202. Support part; 202. First filter hole; 203. Second filter hole; 2203. Buckle; 230. Ice drawing structure; 2301. Guide wall. Detailed Implementation

[0032] The technical solutions of the embodiments of this application will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of this application, and not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of this application, all other embodiments obtained by those of ordinary skill in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of this application.

[0033] It should be noted that when a component / part is said to be "fixed to" another component / part, it can be directly on the other component / part or there may be an intermediate component / part. When a component / part is considered to be "connected to" another component / part, it can be directly connected to the other component / part or there may be an intermediate component / part present; also, when a component / part is considered to be "connected to" another component / part, it can be integrally formed or assembled with the other component / part. When a component / part is considered to be "set on" another component / part, it can be directly set on the other component / part or there may be an intermediate component / part present.

[0034] Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this application belongs. The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of the application. The term "and / or" as used herein includes any and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed items.

[0035] 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.

[0036] Please see also Figures 1 to 6 One embodiment of this application provides an ice maker including an ice maker body 10 and an ice storage basket assembly 20. The ice maker body 10 is provided with an ice storage chamber 13a, and the ice storage basket assembly 20 is housed in the ice storage chamber 13a.

[0037] In some embodiments, the ice maker body 10 includes multiple protective shells 11, a base plate 12, an inner liner assembly 13, a door assembly 14, an ice-making and ice-removing mechanism 15, a water supply assembly (not shown), a refrigeration cycle assembly (not shown), and a controller (not shown).

[0038] Please combine Figure 6 See also Figure 2 The inner liner assembly 13 includes an inner liner (not shown) and a support frame (not shown). The shape of the support frame matches the shape of the inner liner, and the support frame is fitted over the inner liner, with part of the inner liner overlapping the support frame. The support frame and the inner liner are respectively installed and fixed on the base plate 12. Multiple protective shells 11 correspond to different sides of the support frame, and together with the base plate 12, they enclose the inner liner assembly 13. The base plate 12, the inner liner assembly 13, and the multiple protective shells 11 together form an installation space.

[0039] The inner liner, serving as a container for making ice and storing water for ice making, includes an ice storage chamber 13a. The ice storage chamber 13a has an opening 1311 that connects it to the external environment. For example, the inner liner has a roughly inverted 7-shaped cross-section. The ice storage chamber 13a can be divided into an ice-making zone (not shown), an ice storage zone (not shown), and a water storage zone (not shown) based on different height ranges. The ice-making zone is located at the top rear of the ice storage chamber 13a and can accommodate the ice-making and ice-removing mechanism 15. The ice storage zone is located in the middle of the ice storage chamber 13a and is directly connected to the opening 1311, which is located at the front of the ice storage chamber 13a. The ice storage zone can accommodate the stored ice basket 210. The water storage zone is located at the bottom of the ice storage chamber 13a and can store water for ice making.

[0040] Furthermore, there is a gap between the support frame and the inner liner, which is filled with a polyurethane foam layer for cold and heat insulation.

[0041] like Figure 1 As shown, the plurality of protective shells 11 include a front protective shell 111, which is correspondingly mounted and fixed to the front side of the support frame and exposes an opening 1311. The door assembly 14 is rotatably connected to the front protective shell 111 to open or close the opening 1311. The ice storage basket assembly 20 is disposed on one side of the door assembly 14 and is exposed to the external environment or housed in the ice storage chamber 13a as the door assembly 14 rotates.

[0042] An ice-making and ice-shoveling mechanism 15 is located within an ice storage chamber 13a and is configured to flip towards the opening 1311 to scoop out the produced ice blocks. Specifically, the ice-making and ice-shoveling mechanism 15 includes a water container and an ice-shoveling plate. Both the water container and the ice-shoveling plate are located within the ice-making area. The support shaft of the water container is connected in sequence to a motor located outside the ice storage chamber 13a via a drive shaft, a connecting rod, and an eccentric component. The motor is electrically or communicatively connected to a controller. The ice-shoveling plate is hinged to the side of the water container facing the opening 1311.

[0043] The water supply assembly includes a circulation pump and circulation piping. The circulation pump is located within the installation space and is electrically or communicatively connected to the controller. The circulation pump is connected to the water storage area and, via the circulation piping, to the water collection box.

[0044] The ice-making cycle assembly includes a compressor, condenser, dryer filter, evaporator, and return gas connection pipe. The compressor and condenser are located in the installation space and fixedly mounted on the base plate 12. The compressor is electrically or communicatively connected to the controller, and the condenser is connected to the compressor. The evaporator is fixedly connected to the protective housing 11 located at the top and above the water tank. Multiple ice-making tubes of the evaporator are inserted side-by-side into the water tank. The evaporator is connected to the condenser through the dryer filter and simultaneously connected to the compressor through the return gas connection pipe.

[0045] The controller is configured to operate the ice maker based on user input to the ice maker (such as its user interface), input from various sensors located within the ice maker, and / or other suitable input.

[0046] To facilitate readers' understanding of the ice-making principle of the ice maker involved in this application, the ice-making and ice-removal process of the ice maker is described below.

[0047] First, the circulation pump receives a command from the controller and turns on, continuously pumping the ice-making water in the ice storage area into the water container until it overflows.

[0048] Simultaneously, or after the water tank overflows, the compressor receives a command from the controller to activate, and the refrigerant is output from the compressor's exhaust port and enters the condenser. The refrigerant is condensed in the condenser and then enters the dryer filter to be dried. The dried refrigerant enters the evaporator to cool the evaporator, which in turn cools the water in the water tank through multiple ice-making tubes. As time progresses and the refrigeration cycle continues, the water in the water tank is gradually cooled and eventually freezes into ice.

[0049] In the above refrigeration cycle, the refrigerant flowing through the evaporator returns to the compressor through the corresponding pipeline. After ice making is complete, the refrigerant stops working in the evaporator.

[0050] Secondly, the motor receives the instruction from the controller and is turned on. The motor drives the transmission shaft, connecting rod, and eccentric component to rotate the water box toward the opening 1311. The ice scraper plate descends as the water box rotates. The water in the water box is poured into the water storage area, which is convenient for subsequent circulation pump to circulate. The ice blocks are slightly heated and melted so that they fall onto the ice scraper plate under the action of gravity.

[0051] Furthermore, as the motor reverses, the water box flips back to its original position, the ice scraper lifts up to scrape out the ice, and the ice rolls down and collects in the ice storage basket assembly 20.

[0052] Finally, the door assembly 14 is flipped open to open the opening 1311, and the ice storage basket assembly 20 is flipped synchronously with the door assembly 14 and exposed to the outside environment, so that the ice stored in the ice storage basket assembly 20 can be taken out.

[0053] In some embodiments, the ice storage basket assembly 20 includes an ice storage basket 210 and a basket liner 220.

[0054] like Figure 2 or Figure 3 As shown, the ice storage basket 210 is detachably fixed to one side of the door assembly 14 and reciprocates through the opening 1311 as the door assembly 14 moves. The ice storage basket 210 is capable of storing manufactured ice blocks. Exemplarily, the ice storage basket 210 has a generally open-top box-shaped structure, including a left side wall 2101 and a right side wall 2102 arranged opposite to each other, a front side wall 2103 and a rear side wall 2104 arranged opposite to each other, and two bottom walls arranged at an angle to each other. The height of the front side wall 2103 near the opening is higher than the height of the rear side wall 2104 near the opening, and the height of the front side wall 2103 away from the opening is higher than the height of the rear side wall 2104 away from the opening. From the front side wall 2103 to the rear side wall 2104, the end faces of the left and right side walls near the opening and the side face of the bottom wall 2105 near the front side wall are smoothly curved, while the side face of the bottom wall 2106 near the rear side wall is straight. The ice storage basket 210 is formed by the left and right side walls, front and rear side walls, and two bottom walls, creating a cavity for storing ice. A snap-fit ​​structure is provided on the surface of the front side wall 2103 facing away from the cavity, allowing the ice storage basket 210 to be detachably fixed to one side of the door assembly 14. Alternatively, the ice storage basket 210 can be fixed to the door assembly 14 using other connection methods besides the snap-fit ​​structure. For example, the ice storage basket 210 can be fixed to the door assembly 14 by screwing, bonding, or integral molding, which will not be elaborated here. Furthermore, the construction of the ice storage basket 210 is not limited to this; it can be adapted to suit different usage scenarios, as long as it can store the ice.

[0055] Furthermore, such as Figure 4As shown, the ice storage basket 210 has multiple drainage holes 201 at its lowest point, all of which connect to the water storage area. This allows the ice storage basket 210 to effectively filter out the water from the melted ice, thus maintaining the loose structure of each ice block for easy access by the user. For example, the lowest point of the bottom of the ice storage basket 210 is the aforementioned bottom wall 2106 near the rear sidewall. The multiple drainage holes 201 are oval-shaped holes, arranged side-by-side at intervals at the end of the bottom wall adjacent to the rear sidewall 2104 and connected to the water storage area.

[0056] like Figures 4 to 6 As shown in any of the attached figures, the basket liner 220 is an elastically deformable structure. The basket liner 220 is located at the bottom of the ice storage basket 210, and its shape matches the bottom shape of the ice storage basket 210. A gap exists between the basket liner 220 and the bottom of the ice storage basket 210, and an ice-drawing structure 230 is provided on the basket liner 220. In this technical solution, because the basket liner 220 is an elastically deformable structure, and there is a gap between the basket liner 220 and the bottom of the ice storage basket 210, the basket liner 220 can elastically deform to offset part of the weight of the ice blocks while applying a uniform force to the ice storage basket 210, thereby improving the structural deformation of the ice storage basket 210 caused by uneven weight distribution of the ice blocks. Furthermore, when the basket liner 220 carries a large number of ice blocks, the basket liner 220 deforms towards the bottom of the ice storage basket 210 under pressure, releasing space and reducing the adverse effects of the basket liner 220 occupying the internal space of the ice storage basket 210.

[0057] Furthermore, such as Figure 3 As shown, the ice-guiding structure 230 includes multiple guide walls 2301. The number of guide walls 2301 is the same as the number of sides of the basket liner 220. Each guide wall 2301 is connected to one side of the basket liner 220 to support the ice blocks. In this technical solution, the multiple guide walls 2301 surrounding the basket liner 220 can limit the lateral displacement between the ice blocks, thereby reducing the noise generated by the ice blocks directly colliding with the side walls of the ice storage basket 210 when they are housed in the receiving cavity. Furthermore, after the ice blocks made by the ice maker body 10 fall into the receiving cavity, they can be guided to the basket liner 220 by the ice-guiding structure 230, which also improves the situation where ice blocks get stuck in the bottom corner of the receiving cavity.

[0058] For example, the basket liner 220 and the ice-guiding structure 230 can be an integral elastic deformation structure obtained by injection molding of plastic material into an injection mold, which is generally in the shape of a thin plate. The basket liner 220 includes two substrate walls 2201 arranged at an angle to each other. The shape of one substrate wall 2201 matches the shape of the bottom wall 2105 of the ice storage basket 210 near the front side wall, and there is a gap between this substrate wall 2201 and the bottom wall 2105 of the ice storage basket 210 near the front side wall. The shape of the other substrate wall 2201 matches the shape of the bottom wall 2106 of the ice storage basket 210 near the rear side wall, and there is a gap between this substrate wall 2201 and the bottom wall 2106 of the ice storage basket 210 near the rear side wall. A plurality of guide walls 2301 are connected one-to-one to each side of the two substrate walls 2201 to jointly support ice blocks with the basket liner 220.

[0059] Please combine Figure 6 See also Figure 5 or Figure 4 To enhance the elastic deformation capability of the basket liner 220, in some embodiments, the bottom of the basket liner 220 is provided with at least one support portion 2202. The basket liner 220 is elastically supported on the bottom of the ice storage basket 210 by at least one support portion 2202, thereby forming the aforementioned gap between the basket liner 220 and the bottom of the ice storage basket 210. In this technical solution, since the support of at least one support portion 2202 to the ice storage basket 210 is elastic rather than rigid, there are at least four support portions 2202. The cross-sectional shape of the at least four support portions 2202 is plano-convex, and the opposite ends of each support portion 2202 are integrally formed with the basket liner 220. The at least four support portions 2202 are evenly distributed around the bottom of the basket liner 220. Therefore, when at least one support portion 2202 is subjected to deformation, the integral forming with the basket liner 220 allows for a more uniform distribution of stress, reducing the risk of possible breakage.

[0060] Continue to combine Figure 6 See also Figure 4 To facilitate the filtration of water from melted ice by the basket liner 220 and the ice-drawing structure 230, in some embodiments, the basket liner 220 is provided with a first filter hole 202 and a second filter hole 203. Exemplarily, the first filter hole 202 penetrates both substrate walls 2201, and the second filter hole 203 penetrates both substrate walls 2201 and multiple guide walls 2301. The first filter hole 202 and the second filter hole 203 are respectively connected to multiple drainage holes 201. This structural arrangement allows water from melted ice to be filtered out simultaneously from the first filter hole 202 and the second filter hole 203, eliminating the water accumulation in the transition area (dead corner) between the basket liner 220 and the ice-drawing structure 230.

[0061] Furthermore, there are multiple first filter holes 202, all of which are oval-shaped, and these first filter holes 202 are staggered on the two substrate walls 2201. There are also multiple second filter holes 203, all of which are oval-shaped, and these second filter holes 203 are arranged side-by-side on the two substrate walls 2201 and the multiple guide walls 2301. This arrangement not only effectively filters out the water from the melted ice, but also reduces the stiffness of the basket liner 220 and the ice-guiding structure 230. Reduced stiffness means increased elastic deformation capacity of both structures, allowing the basket liner 220 to counteract more of the weight of the ice, thereby further improving the structural deformation of the ice storage basket 210 caused by uneven weight distribution of the ice.

[0062] In some embodiments, the ratio of the length of the first filter hole 202 to its width is between 3 and 20, and the ratio of the length of the second filter hole 203 to its width is also between 3 and 20. For example, the ratio of the length of the first filter hole 202 to its width can specifically be 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, or any two of the aforementioned values; the ratio of the length of the second filter hole 203 to its width can specifically be 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, or any two of the aforementioned values. This structural design results in relatively long hole lengths for both the first filter hole 202 and the second filter hole 203, thereby evenly distributing the weight borne on the basket liner 220 and preventing the basket liner 220 from being damaged due to excessive local stress.

[0063] In some embodiments, the width of the first filter hole 202 and the width of the second filter hole 203 both satisfy a value between 2mm and 6mm. For example, the width of the first filter hole 202 and the width of the second filter hole 203 can specifically be 2mm, 2.4mm, 2.8mm, 3.2mm, 3.6mm, 4mm, 5mm, 6mm, or any two of the aforementioned values. Limiting the width of the first filter hole 202 and the width of the second filter hole 203 to this range does not affect the normal function of each filter hole in filtering water, nor does it easily cause the ice to wear down due to excessively wide holes.

[0064] In some embodiments, the distance between two adjacent first filter holes 202 is greater than 2 mm, and the distance between two adjacent second filter holes 203 is greater than 2 mm. Thus, the portion of the basket liner 220 between two adjacent first filter holes 202 can have good structural strength to resist the impact when ice blocks fall into the basket liner 220.

[0065] like Figure 5As shown, in some embodiments, the basket liner 220 is detachably disposed at the bottom of the ice storage basket 210. Specifically, the bottom of the basket liner 220 is provided with at least one buckle 2203, the position of which corresponds to a drain hole 201. Each buckle 2203 passes through its corresponding drain hole 201 and is fastened to the ice storage basket 210. This structural arrangement utilizes the drain hole 201 as the fastening hole for the buckle 2203. Without affecting the water filtration function of the drain hole 201, it also eliminates the need for additional fastening holes on the ice storage basket 210, reducing the manufacturing process of the basket liner 220 and lowering its manufacturing cost. For example, the bottom of the basket liner 220 is provided with two buckles 2203, which are respectively located at opposite ends of the basket liner 220. The edge of the drain hole 201 corresponding to the buckle 2203 has a surrounding wall protruding from the surface of the basket liner 220. After a buckle 2203 passes through a drain hole 201, it is fastened to the surrounding wall of the drain hole 201, so that the basket liner 220 is detachably provided at the bottom of the ice storage basket 210. Of course, the detachable method of the basket liner 220 and the ice storage basket 210 is not limited to this. For example, in other embodiments, the basket liner 220 can also be detachable by means of screw connection, interlocking or abutment.

[0066] Furthermore, such as Figure 3 and Figure 4 As shown, the number of guide walls 2301 is the same as the number of walls of the ice storage basket 210. Each guide wall 2301 is positioned opposite to one of the walls of the ice storage basket 210, and each guide wall 2301 gradually slopes towards the center of the basket liner 220 relative to its corresponding wall. This arrangement provides a slope for each guide wall 2301 during installation, facilitating the assembly and fixation of the basket liner 220 to the ice storage basket 210. For example, the left and right side walls 2102 and the front and rear side walls 2104 of the ice storage basket 210 each have a wall surface extending vertically. Along this vertical direction, the guide walls 2301 corresponding to each wall surface gradually slope towards the center of the basket liner 220. It should be noted that the multiple walls of the ice storage basket 210 specifically refer to the aforementioned left side wall 2101, right side wall 2102, front side wall 2103, and rear side wall 2104 facing the receiving cavity.

[0067] like Figure 2 or Figure 3 As shown, to further support the ice storage basket assembly 20, in some embodiments, the ice maker body 10 includes a water receiving plate 16. The water receiving plate 16 is fixed to one side of the door assembly 14 and located below the bottom of the ice storage basket assembly 20. The water receiving plate 16 can support the ice storage basket assembly 20. Exemplarily, the water receiving plate 16 is embedded in one side of the door assembly 14 with an interference fit. Both the water receiving plate 16 and the bottom wall 2105 near the front sidewall are arc-shaped, with the same curvature and corresponding positions.

[0068] In summary, the ice maker mentioned in this application has an elastically deformable basket liner 220, and a gap exists between the basket liner 220 and the bottom of the ice storage basket 210. This allows the basket liner 220 to elastically deform to offset part of the weight of the ice blocks while applying a uniform force to the ice storage basket 210, thereby improving the structural deformation of the ice storage basket 210 caused by uneven weight distribution of the ice blocks. Furthermore, when the basket liner 220 carries a large amount of ice blocks, the basket liner 220 deforms towards the bottom of the ice storage basket 210 under pressure, releasing space and reducing the adverse effects of the basket liner 220 occupying the internal space of the ice storage basket 210.

[0069] In the description of this specification, the references to terms such as "one embodiment," "some embodiments," "example," "specific example," or "some examples," etc., indicate that a specific feature, structure, material, or characteristic described in connection with that embodiment or example is included in at least one embodiment or example of this application. In this specification, the illustrative expressions of the above terms do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment or example. Furthermore, the specific features, structures, materials, or characteristics described may be combined in a suitable manner in any one or at least two embodiments or examples. Moreover, without contradiction, those skilled in the art can combine and integrate the different embodiments or examples described in this specification, as well as the features of different embodiments or examples.

[0070] Furthermore, the terms "first" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of technical features indicated. Thus, a feature defined as "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include at least one of that feature. In the description of this application, "at least two" means at least two, such as two, three, etc., unless otherwise explicitly specified.

[0071] Finally, it should be noted that the above embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of this application, and are not intended to limit them. Although this application has been described in detail with reference to the foregoing embodiments, those skilled in the art should understand that modifications can still be made to the technical solutions described in the foregoing embodiments, or equivalent substitutions can be made to some of the technical features. Such modifications or substitutions do not cause the essence of the corresponding technical solutions to deviate from the spirit and scope of the technical solutions of the embodiments of this application.

Claims

1. An ice maker, characterized in that, include: The ice maker itself is equipped with an ice storage chamber; An ice storage basket assembly is housed within the ice storage chamber; The ice storage basket assembly includes an ice storage basket and a basket liner; the basket liner is an elastically deformable structure, the basket liner is disposed at the bottom of the ice storage basket, the shape of the basket liner matches the bottom shape of the ice storage basket, there is a gap between the basket liner and the bottom of the ice storage basket, and the basket liner is provided with an ice-drawing structure.

2. The ice maker according to claim 1, characterized in that, The ice-guiding structure includes multiple guide walls, the number of which is the same as the number of sides of the basket liner. The multiple guide walls are connected one-to-one to the multiple sides of the basket liner to support the ice blocks made by the ice maker body together with the basket liner.

3. The ice maker according to claim 2, characterized in that, The basket liner is removable and located at the bottom of the ice storage basket.

4. The ice maker according to claim 3, characterized in that, The bottom of the basket liner is provided with at least one support portion; the basket liner is elastically supported on the bottom of the ice storage basket by the at least one support portion, so that the gap is formed between the basket liner and the bottom of the ice storage basket.

5. The ice maker according to claim 4, characterized in that, The cross-sectional shape of the support is flat-convex, and the opposite ends of the support are integrally formed with the inner lining of the basket.

6. The ice maker according to claim 3, characterized in that, The ice storage basket has multiple drainage holes at the lowest point of its bottom; The basket liner has a first water filter hole and a second water filter hole. The first water filter hole penetrates the basket liner, and the second water filter hole penetrates both the basket liner and the ice-drawing structure. The first water filter hole and the second water filter hole are respectively connected to a plurality of the drainage holes.

7. The ice maker according to claim 6, characterized in that, The bottom of the basket liner is provided with at least one buckle, and the position of one buckle corresponds to one of the drainage holes. Each buckle passes through its corresponding drainage hole and is fastened to the ice storage basket, so that the basket liner is detachably provided at the bottom of the ice storage basket.

8. The ice maker according to claim 6, characterized in that, There are multiple first filter holes, all of which are oval-shaped holes, and the multiple first filter holes are arranged in an alternating manner; There are multiple second filter holes, all of which are oval-shaped holes, and the multiple second filter holes are arranged side by side.

9. The ice maker according to claim 8, characterized in that, The ice maker meets at least one of the following conditions: (1) The width of the first filter hole and the width of the second filter hole both satisfy 2mm to 6mm; (2) The ratio of the length of the first filter hole to its width is 3 to 20, and the ratio of the length of the second filter hole to its width is 3 to 20. (3) The distance between two adjacent first filter holes is greater than 2 mm, and the distance between two adjacent second filter holes is greater than 2 mm.

10. The ice maker according to claim 3, characterized in that, The number of guide walls is the same as the number of walls of the ice storage basket. The guide walls are arranged one-to-one with the walls of the ice storage basket, and each guide wall gradually slopes towards the center of the basket lining relative to its corresponding wall.

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