Ice making assembly and ice making device
By incorporating a circulation structure and a power component to drive water flow in the ice-making water tank, the problems of excessive air bubbles and poor transparency in ice cubes in ice makers have been solved, resulting in the production of purer and more transparent ice cubes.
Patent Information
- Authority / Receiving Office
- CN · China
- Patent Type
- Utility models(China)
- Current Assignee / Owner
- GUANGDONG LIZI TECH CO LTD
- Filing Date
- 2025-05-09
- Publication Date
- 2026-05-29
AI Technical Summary
The stagnant water in the ice-making tank of existing ice makers results in ice blocks with many bubbles, poor transparency, fragility, and rapid melting.
A circulation structure is set in the ice-making water tank, and the water is driven to circulate between the ice-making tank and the circulation structure by the circulation power component to maintain the water flow state. Ice blocks are prepared by the ice-forming component under the flowing water condition.
The uniform flow of water reduces the probability of bubble formation, improves the transparency and stability of ice, reduces internal stress and microcracks, and produces purer, more transparent ice.
Smart Images
Figure CN224302411U_ABST
Abstract
Description
Technical Field
[0001] This application relates to the field of ice-making equipment technology, specifically to ice-making components and ice-making equipment. Background Technology
[0002] Compared to refrigerators and freezers, dedicated ice makers produce ice cubes more efficiently and are therefore widely used in homes, restaurants, beverage shops, and many other settings. Common ice makers typically use an ice-making tank to hold water for ice production. An ice-forming component is inserted into the water within the tank. Because the refrigerant passing through the component is extremely cold, the component itself also has a low temperature, thus cooling the water in the tank and creating ice cubes around it. While these ice makers are highly efficient at producing ice cubes, the water in the tank is usually stagnant, resulting in ice cubes with many air bubbles and poor transparency. This type of ice not only has a poor visual appeal but also melts quickly and is easily broken. Utility Model Content
[0003] In view of this, this application provides ice-making components and ice-making equipment that can drive the flow of water in an ice-making tank to produce ice blocks with good transparency.
[0004] To solve the above-mentioned technical problems, one technical solution adopted in this application is: to provide an ice-making assembly, including an ice-making water tank, a circulation power component, and an icing component. The ice-making water tank is provided with an ice-making tank, and the ice-making water tank is provided with a circulation structure for circulating water through the ice-making tank, and the circulation structure is partially or entirely disposed within the wall of the ice-making water tank. The circulation power component is connected to the ice-making water tank and is used to drive the water in the ice-making tank to flow between the circulation structure and the ice-making tank. The icing component is at least partially inserted into the ice-making tank.
[0005] In one specific embodiment, the circulation structure includes a tank inlet, a tank outlet, and a circulation channel. The circulation channel is disposed within the wall of the ice-making water tank. The two ends of the circulation channel are connected to the ice-making tank through the tank inlet and the tank outlet, respectively. The tank inlet and the tank outlet are respectively disposed on two opposite sides inside the ice-making tank. Along the depth direction of the ice-making tank, the tank inlet is higher than the tank outlet.
[0006] In one specific embodiment, the icing component includes an ice-making column and a cooling pipe. The cooling pipe is used to introduce refrigerant. A first end of the ice-making column is connected to the cooling pipe, and a second end of the ice-making column is inserted into the ice-making tank. The ice-making column is spaced apart from the inner wall of the ice-making tank. The distance between the first end and the water inlet of the tank is greater than the distance between the second end and the water inlet of the tank.
[0007] In one specific embodiment, the circulating power component includes a circulating pump body, which has an inlet and an outlet. The circulating channel has a channel inlet and a channel outlet. The inlet is connected to the outlet of the tank, the outlet is connected to the channel inlet, and the channel outlet is connected to the tank inlet.
[0008] In one specific embodiment, the ice-making water tank includes a bottom wall protrusion and a side wall protrusion. The bottom wall protrusion is disposed at the bottom of the ice-making tank, and the side wall protrusion is disposed along the inner wall of the end of the ice-making tank where the water inlet of the tank body is located. The bottom wall protrusion is connected to the side wall protrusion, and the circulation channel is at least partially formed within the bottom wall protrusion and the side wall protrusion.
[0009] In one specific embodiment, the circulation channel includes a horizontal flow section and an outlet section. The inlet end of the channel is located at one end of the horizontal flow section, and the other end of the horizontal flow section is connected to the outlet section. The outlet end of the channel is located at the end of the outlet section away from the horizontal flow section. The horizontal flow section is partially or entirely formed within the protrusion of the bottom wall of the tank, and the outlet section is partially or entirely formed within the protrusion of the side wall of the tank. An inner guide surface is provided at the connection between the horizontal flow section and the outlet section.
[0010] In one specific embodiment, the ice-making water tank includes a main body and a cover plate. The ice-making tank and the circulation structure are disposed on the main body. The main body has a groove on the side surface opposite to the ice-making tank. The groove is connected to the circulation structure, and the cover plate is disposed on the groove.
[0011] In one specific embodiment, the inner wall of the ice-making tank is provided with an arc surface, and the arc surfaces facing each other on the inner wall are symmetrically arranged.
[0012] In one specific embodiment, the circulating power component further includes an impeller and a motor. The motor drives and connects to the impeller, which is disposed inside the ice-making tank. The impeller is used to drive the water in the ice-making tank to flow between the circulating structure and the ice-making tank.
[0013] To solve the above-mentioned technical problems, another technical solution adopted in this application is: to provide an ice-making device, including a refrigerant pipeline and an ice-making component as described in any of the above specific embodiments, wherein the refrigerant pipeline is connected to the ice-forming element of the ice-making component, and the refrigerant pipeline is used to input low-temperature refrigerant into the ice-forming element.
[0014] The beneficial effects of this application include: by setting a circulation structure in the ice-making tank and using a circulation power component to drive the water to circulate between the ice-making tank and the circulation structure, the water in the ice-making tank can be kept in a flowing state during the ice-making process, allowing the ice-forming component to produce ice blocks under flowing water conditions. The flowing water can make the water temperature distribution in the ice-making tank more uniform, reducing the situation of local supercooling of the water. This makes the freezing process of the ice blocks more uniform, stable and orderly under flowing water conditions, which is conducive to the water molecules arranging into a neat crystal structure during the freezing process. It reduces the probability of disordered ice crystal formation caused by sudden freezing of supercooled water, which captures more air bubbles. It can also reduce the internal stress and microcracks of the ice blocks caused by local rapid freezing expansion, thereby improving the transparency of the ice blocks. Moreover, impurities in the ice-making tank can be carried away by the unfrozen water flow instead of being frozen inside the ice blocks, which is conducive to the production of purer and more transparent ice blocks. Attached Figure Description
[0015] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions of the embodiments of this application, the drawings used in the implementation will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are some implementations of this application. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained from these drawings without creative effort.
[0016] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the assembly structure of an embodiment of the ice-making equipment provided in this application;
[0017] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the assembly structure of an embodiment of the ice-making component provided in this application;
[0018] Figure 3 This is a structural diagram of the ice-making water tank and the ice-forming component in the ice-making assembly;
[0019] Figure 4 yes Figure 3 A schematic diagram of the cross-sectional structure shown in section AA;
[0020] Figure 5 This is a structural diagram of the ice-making water tank component in the ice-making assembly;
[0021] Figure 6 This is a structural diagram of the ice-making water tank component in the ice-making assembly from another angle;
[0022] Figure 7 yes Figure 5 A schematic diagram of the cross-sectional structure shown in section BB;
[0023] Figure 8 This is a disassembled structural diagram of the main body and cover of the ice-making water tank.
[0024] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures:
[0025] 1. Ice-making assembly; 2. Ice-making water tank components; 21. Main body; 22. Ice-making tank; 221. Tank inlet; 222. Tank outlet; 223. Arc surface; 23. Circulation channel; 231. Channel inlet; 232. Channel outlet; 233. Horizontal flow section; 234. Outlet section; 236. Inner guide surface; 241. Tank bottom wall protrusion; 242. Tank side wall protrusion; 243. Outer guide surface; 25. Tank opening; 26. Cover plate; 3. Circulation power component; 31. Circulation pump body; 311. Inlet; 312. Outlet; 4. Ice-forming component; 41. Ice-making column; 411. First end; 412. Second end; 42. Cooling pipe; 5. Refrigerant pipeline; 6. Ice-making equipment; 71. Impeller; 72. Motor; Depth direction of the ice-making tank X. Detailed Implementation
[0026] In this application, the terms "set up," "equipped with," and "connected" should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral structure; they can refer to a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium, or an internal connection between two devices, components, or parts. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this application based on the specific circumstances.
[0027] The terms “center,” “longitudinal,” “lateral,” “length,” “depth,” “width,” “thickness,” “upper,” “lower,” “front,” “rear,” “left,” “right,” “vertical,” “horizontal,” “top,” “bottom,” “inner,” and “outer,” etc., indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings. They are used only for the convenience of describing this application and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, they should not be construed as limitations on this application.
[0028] 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, "multiple" means at least two, such as two, three, etc., unless otherwise explicitly specified.
[0029] Furthermore, in addition to indicating location or positional relationship, some of the aforementioned terms may also have other meanings. For example, the term "above" may also be used in some cases to indicate a certain dependency or connection relationship. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of these terms in this application based on the specific circumstances.
[0030] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of this application clearer, the following detailed description is provided in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and embodiments. It should be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are merely illustrative and not intended to limit the scope of this application.
[0031] Compared to refrigerators and freezers, dedicated ice makers produce ice cubes more efficiently and are therefore widely used in homes, restaurants, beverage shops, and many other settings. Common ice makers typically use an ice-making tank to hold water for ice production. An ice-forming component is inserted into the water within the tank. Because the refrigerant passing through the component is extremely cold, the component itself also has a low temperature, thus cooling the water in the tank and creating ice cubes around it. While these ice makers are highly efficient at producing ice cubes, the water in the tank is usually stagnant, resulting in ice cubes with many air bubbles and poor transparency. This type of ice not only has a poor visual appeal but also melts quickly and is easily broken.
[0032] In order to improve or solve the above technical problems, the inventors of this application, after long-term research, have proposed at least the following embodiments.
[0033] To solve the above technical problems, please refer to Figures 2-4 , Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the assembly structure of an embodiment of the ice-making component provided in this application. Figure 3 This is a structural diagram of the ice-making water tank and the ice-forming component in the ice-making assembly. Figure 4 yes Figure 3 The cross-sectional view shown in section AA is a schematic diagram. A specific embodiment of this application provides an ice-making assembly 1, capable of producing ice blocks. The ice-making assembly 1 may include an ice-making water tank 2, a circulation power unit 3, and an ice-forming unit 4.
[0034] The ice-making water tank component 2 is provided with an ice-making tank 22. The ice-making water tank component 2 is equipped with a circulation structure for circulating water through the ice-making tank 22, and the circulation structure is partially or entirely located within the wall of the ice-making water tank component 2. A circulation power component 3 is connected to the ice-making water tank component 2 and is used to drive the water in the ice-making tank 22 to flow between the circulation structure and the ice-making tank 22. An ice-forming component 4 is at least partially inserted into the ice-making tank 22.
[0035] In the structure provided in this specific embodiment, by setting a circulation structure in the ice-making water tank 2 and using the circulation power component 3 to drive the water to circulate between the ice-making tank 22 and the circulation structure, the water in the ice-making tank 22 can be kept in a flowing state during the ice-making process, so that the freezing component 4 can prepare ice blocks under flowing water conditions. The flowing water can make the water temperature distribution in the ice-making tank 22 more uniform, reduce the situation of local supercooling of the water, so that the freezing process of the ice blocks is more uniform, stable and orderly under flowing water conditions. This is conducive to the water molecules arranging into a neat crystal structure during the freezing process, reducing the probability of disordered ice crystals that capture more air bubbles due to the sudden freezing of supercooled water. It can also reduce the internal stress and microcracks of the ice blocks caused by local rapid freezing expansion, thereby improving the transparency of the ice blocks. Moreover, impurities in the ice-making tank 22 can be carried away by the unfrozen water flow instead of being frozen inside the ice blocks, which is conducive to the generation of purer and more transparent ice blocks.
[0036] Furthermore, since the circulation structure is at least partially located inside the wall of the ice-making water tank 2, it does not rely excessively on structures such as circulation pipes added outside the ice-making water tank 2. Only the circulation power component 3 is needed to provide power for the water flow. Therefore, it is beneficial to simplify the production and assembly process of the ice-making component 1 and can improve the structural stability of the ice-making component 1.
[0037] In a specific embodiment of this application, see [reference]. Figures 4-7 , Figure 5 This is a structural diagram of the ice-making water tank component in the ice-making assembly. Figure 6 This is a structural diagram of the ice-making water tank component in the ice-making assembly from another angle. Figure 7 yes Figure 5 The diagram shows a cross-sectional view of section BB. The circulation structure specifically includes a tank inlet 221, a tank outlet 222, and a circulation channel 23. The circulation channel 23 is located within the wall of the ice-making water tank 2, and its two ends are connected to the ice-making tank 22 via the tank inlet 221 and the tank outlet 222, respectively. The tank inlet 221 and the tank outlet 222 are located on opposite sides within the ice-making tank 22. Along the depth direction X of the ice-making tank 22, the tank inlet 221 is higher than the tank outlet 222.
[0038] In the structure provided in this specific embodiment, the circulation channel 23 and the ice-making tank 22, which are disposed in the wall of the ice-making water tank 2, are connected through the tank inlet 221 and the tank outlet 222. Only the circulation power component 3 needs to provide power to realize the circulation flow of water in the ice-making tank 22 in the body of the ice-making water tank 2, which can simplify the structure of the ice-making component 1 and improve the stability of the ice-making component 1.
[0039] Furthermore, after the bubbles enter the ice-making tank 22 from the tank inlet 221, they naturally rise and break at the surface. A lower tank inlet 221 reduces the number of bubbles entering the circulation channel 23, while a higher tank inlet 221 facilitates the removal of bubbles from the circulation channel 23. The combination of these two factors shortens the time bubbles remain in the water of the ice-making tank 22, resulting in ice with better transparency. If the tank inlet 221 is set deeper than the tank outlet 222, the bubbles entering the circulation channel 23 from the tank outlet 222 will remain in the shallower circulation channel 23 and will not be able to rise to the surface and break naturally, negatively impacting the smoothness of water circulation within the ice-making tank 22.
[0040] Meanwhile, since water with lower temperature has a higher density and will naturally sink, sending the lower layer of cold water into the circulating water path to temporarily leave the ice-making tank 22 where the ice-forming component 4 is located can help this part of the water to heat up. The water that re-enters the ice-making tank 22 from the tank inlet 221 will have its temperature rise, reducing the probability of the presence of supercooled water and reducing the occurrence of disordered ice crystal formation that captures more air bubbles due to sudden freezing, which is more conducive to the preparation of transparent ice.
[0041] In a specific embodiment of this application, see [reference]. Figure 2 , Figure 4 The icing component 4 may include an ice-making column 41 and a cooling pipe 42. The cooling pipe 42 is used to introduce refrigerant. The first end 411 of the ice-making column 41 is connected to the cooling pipe 42, and the second end 412 of the ice-making column 41 is inserted into the ice-making tank 22. The ice-making column 41 and the inner wall of the ice-making tank 22 are spaced apart. The distance between the first end 411 and the water inlet 221 of the tank is greater than the distance between the second end 412 and the water inlet 221 of the tank.
[0042] During the ice-making process, ice blocks form around the second end 412 inserted into the water, while the first end 411, connected to the cooling pipe 42, is located above the water surface in the ice-making tank 22. Due to the presence of the water surface, the final ice blocks will form a surface flush with the water surface in the ice-making tank 22 between the first end 411 and the second end 412. In the structure provided in this specific embodiment, by controlling the height of the tank inlet 221, the tank inlet 221 is positioned closer to the second end 412 of the ice-making column 41, thereby reducing the fluctuations and air bubbles caused by the water flow entering the ice-making tank 22 from the tank inlet 221. This makes the surface of the ice blocks flush with the water surface in the ice-making tank 22 smoother, which is more conducive to the preparation of transparent ice.
[0043] Furthermore, the second end 412 of the ice-making column 41 can be vertically inserted into the ice-making tank 22. During ice making, ice forms around the portion of the ice-making column 41 submerged in the water, gradually forming a "bullet"-shaped ice block with one curved end and the other flat end, the flat end being level with the water surface in the ice-making tank 22. By vertically inserting the second end 412 of the ice-making column 41 into the ice-making tank 22, the extension direction of the ice-making column 41 can be perpendicular to the water surface in the ice-making tank 22, thereby making the prepared "bullet"-shaped ice blocks uniform and symmetrical, aesthetically pleasing, and easy to use.
[0044] In a specific embodiment of this application, see [reference]. Figure 4 , Figure 5 and Figure 7 The circulating power component 3 may specifically include a circulating pump body 31. The circulating pump body 31 is provided with an inlet 311 and an outlet 312, and the circulating channel 23 is provided with a channel inlet 231 and a channel outlet 232. The inlet 311 is connected to the tank outlet 222, the outlet 312 is connected to the channel inlet 231, and the channel outlet 232 is connected to the tank inlet 221.
[0045] If the circulating pump body 31 is set at the shallow tank inlet 221, the air bubbles flowing through the circulation channel 23 must pass through the circulating pump body 31 to be discharged. This not only affects the service life of the circulating pump body 31, but also causes the water to flow out of the circulating pump body 31 to be obstructed. The water flow entering the ice making tank 22 through the tank inlet 221 will fluctuate greatly and have many air bubbles, which is not conducive to making ice with good transparency.
[0046] In the structure provided in this specific embodiment, the circulating pump 31 draws water from the deeper tank outlet 222 side. The drawn-in water flows along the circulation channel 23 to the shallower tank inlet 221 and returns to the ice-making tank 22. Because the water level at the tank outlet 222 is deeper, the water drawn in by the circulating pump 31 contains fewer air bubbles, thereby reducing the adverse effects of air bubbles on the circulating pump 31. It also reduces the number of air bubbles entering the ice-making tank 22 from the tank inlet 221 after flowing through the circulating pump 31 and the circulation channel 23, thus improving the transparency of the ice.
[0047] In a specific embodiment of this application, see [reference]. Figures 4-6 The ice-making water tank component 2 includes a bottom wall protrusion 241 and a side wall protrusion 242. The bottom wall protrusion 241 is disposed at the bottom of the ice-making tank 22. The side wall protrusion 242 is disposed on the inner wall of the end of the ice-making tank 22 where the tank body inlet 221 is located. The bottom wall protrusion 241 is connected to the side wall protrusion 242. The circulation channel 23 can be at least partially formed in the bottom wall protrusion 241 and the side wall protrusion 242.
[0048] In the structure provided in this specific embodiment, the ice-making water tank 2 only uses the bottom wall protrusion 241 and the side wall protrusion 242 of the tank to form a circulation channel 23, so that the ice-making tank 22 has a larger volume, which is conducive to accommodating more water. The larger total water volume in the ice-making tank 22 can store more cold energy. With the circulation structure, the water temperature in the ice-making tank 22 can be more uniform and stable, thereby reducing the probability of the existence of supercooled water and reducing the occurrence of disordered ice crystal formation that captures more air bubbles due to sudden freezing. This is more conducive to the preparation of transparent ice and can also produce more ice.
[0049] In a specific embodiment of this application, see [reference]. Figure 4 , Figure 6 The circulation channel 23 includes a horizontal flow section 233 and an outlet section 234. The inlet end 231 of the channel is located at one end of the horizontal flow section 233, and the other end of the horizontal flow section 233 is connected to the outlet section 234. The outlet end 232 of the channel is located at the end of the outlet section 234 away from the horizontal flow section 233. The horizontal flow section 233 is partially or entirely formed within the protrusion 241 on the bottom wall of the tank, and the outlet section 234 is partially or entirely formed within the protrusion 242 on the side wall of the tank. An inner guide surface 236 is provided at the connection between the horizontal flow section 233 and the outlet section 234.
[0050] Due to the positional relationship between the inlet 221 and outlet 222 of the ice-making tank, there must be a drop in depth along the X direction between the inlet 231 and outlet 232 of the channel. In the structure provided in this specific embodiment, the horizontal flow section 233 is set in the protrusion 241 of the bottom wall along the bottom of the ice-making tank 22, so that the water entering the circulation channel 23 is kept as horizontal as possible, which can reduce the probability of air bubbles being generated in the horizontal flow section 233.
[0051] The water outlet section 234 is set inside the protrusion 242 on the side wall of the tank. The water outlet section 234 completes the drop change in the depth direction X. An inner guide surface 236 is set at the connection between the horizontal flow section 233 and the water outlet section 234, so that the turn at the connection between the horizontal flow section 233 and the water outlet section 234 is more gradual. The inner guide surface 236 guides the water in the horizontal flow section 233, so that the water can flow smoothly into the water outlet section 234 along the inner guide surface 236. This reduces the turbulence and bubbles caused by the abrupt turn, so that the water entering the ice making tank 22 from the tank inlet 221 contains better bubbles, and the flow state of the water in the ice making tank 22 is more stable. In this way, while improving the transparency of the ice, the surface of the ice produced is more even with the water surface in the ice making tank 22, making the ice more beautiful and practical.
[0052] Optionally, the outer surface of the connection between the bottom wall protrusion 241 and the side wall protrusion 242 can be provided with an outer guide surface 243 whose contour shape corresponds to the inner guide surface 236. The outer guide surface can guide the water in the ice-making tank 22.
[0053] In a specific embodiment of this application, see [reference]. Figure 8 , Figure 8 This is a disassembled structural diagram of the main body and cover of the ice-making water tank component. The ice-making water tank component 2 may include a main body 21 and a cover 26. The ice-making tank 22 and the circulation structure are disposed on the main body 21. The surface of the main body 21 opposite to the ice-making tank 22 is provided with a groove 25, which is connected to the circulation structure. The cover 26 is placed on the groove 25.
[0054] Since the circulation channel 23 is located inside the wall of the ice-making water tank 2, it is not conducive to processing. In this specific embodiment, a slot 25 is provided in the main body 21 and a cover plate 26 is used to cover the slot 25. During processing, part of the circulation structure located inside the wall can be processed through the slot 25. When circulating water is needed, the cover plate 26 is kept covering the slot 25. When cleaning and maintenance are needed, the cover plate 26 is removed to expose at least part of the circulation structure through the slot 25. This simplifies the processing and maintenance of the ice-making water tank 2 and improves the usability of the ice-making water tank 2.
[0055] In a specific embodiment of this application, see [reference]. Figure 5 The inner wall of the ice-making tank 22 is provided with an arc surface 223, and the arc surfaces 223 facing each other are symmetrically arranged. In the structure provided in this specific embodiment, by providing symmetrical arc surfaces 223 on the facing inner walls, the inner wall of the ice-making tank 22 is made smooth and symmetrical. With water circulating in the ice-making tank 22, the smooth and symmetrical inner wall can reduce the generation of turbulence and bubbles in the water, which is beneficial for producing ice blocks with higher transparency.
[0056] In a specific embodiment of this application, see [reference]. Figure 6 The circulating power component 3 may also include an impeller 71 and a motor 72. The motor 72 drives and connects to the impeller 71, which is disposed within the ice-making tank 22. The impeller 71 drives the water in the ice-making tank 22 to flow between the circulation structure and the ice-making tank 22. In the structure provided in this specific embodiment, the impeller 71, in conjunction with the motor 72, drives the water to circulate between the ice-making tank 22 and the circulation structure. The impeller 71 is directly disposed within the ice-making tank 22. During ice making, the impeller 71 is submerged in the water. Driven by the motor 72, the impeller 71 rotates, thereby causing a portion of the water in the ice-making tank 22 to flow into the circulation structure in a predetermined direction. Another portion of the water in the circulation structure is pushed back into the ice-making tank 22, thus maintaining the flow state of the water in the ice-making tank 22, which is beneficial for producing ice blocks with good transparency.
[0057] To solve the above technical problems, please refer to Figures 1-4 , Figure 1This is a schematic diagram of the assembly structure of an embodiment of the ice-making device 6 provided in this application. A further embodiment of this application provides an ice-making device 6, including a refrigerant pipeline 5 and an ice-making component 1 as described in any of the above embodiments. The refrigerant pipeline 5 is connected to an ice-forming element 4 of the ice-making component 1, and the refrigerant pipeline 5 is used to input low-temperature refrigerant into the ice-forming element 4.
[0058] In the structure provided in this specific embodiment, by setting a circulation structure in the ice-making water tank 2 and using the circulation power component 3 to drive the water to circulate between the ice-making tank 22 and the circulation structure, the water in the ice-making tank 22 can be kept in a flowing state during the ice-making process, so that the freezing component 4 can prepare ice blocks under flowing water conditions. The flowing water can make the water temperature distribution in the ice-making tank 22 more uniform, reduce the situation of local supercooling of the water, so that the freezing process of the ice blocks is more uniform, stable and orderly under flowing water conditions. This is conducive to the water molecules arranging into a neat crystal structure during the freezing process, reducing the probability of disordered ice crystals that capture more air bubbles due to the sudden freezing of supercooled water. It can also reduce the internal stress and microcracks of the ice blocks caused by local rapid freezing expansion, thereby improving the transparency of the ice blocks. Moreover, impurities in the ice-making tank 22 can be carried away by the unfrozen water flow instead of being frozen inside the ice blocks, which is conducive to the generation of purer and more transparent ice blocks.
[0059] Furthermore, since the circulation structure is at least partially located inside the wall of the ice-making water tank 2, it does not rely excessively on structures such as circulation pipes added outside the ice-making water tank 2. Only the circulation power component 3 is needed to provide power for the water flow. Therefore, it is beneficial to simplify the production and assembly process of the ice-making equipment 6 and can improve the structural stability of the ice-making equipment 6.
[0060] In this application, the terms "embodiment" and "implementation" mean that a specific feature, element, or characteristic described in connection with an embodiment can be included in at least one embodiment of this application. The appearance of these phrases in various locations throughout the specification does not necessarily refer to the same embodiment, nor are they independent or alternative embodiments mutually exclusive with other embodiments. Those skilled in the art will understand, explicitly and implicitly, that the embodiments described in this application can be combined with other embodiments. Furthermore, it should be understood that the features, elements, or characteristics described in the various embodiments of this application can be arbitrarily combined to form another embodiment that does not depart from the spirit and scope of the technical solution of this application, provided there is no contradiction between them.
[0061] 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 it. Although this application has been described in detail with reference to the above preferred embodiments, those skilled in the art should understand that modifications or equivalent substitutions to the technical solutions of this application should not depart from the spirit and scope of the technical solutions of this application.
Claims
1. An ice-making component, characterized in that, include: An ice-making water tank component (2) is provided with an ice-making tank (22). The ice-making water tank component (2) is provided with a circulation structure for circulating water through the ice-making tank (22), and the circulation structure is partially or entirely located inside the wall of the ice-making water tank component (2). A circulating power component (3) is connected to the ice-making water tank component (2) and is used to drive the water in the ice-making tank (22) to flow between the circulating structure and the ice-making tank (22); The icing component (4) is at least partially inserted into the ice-making tank (22).
2. The ice-making assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that, The circulation structure includes a tank inlet (221), a tank outlet (222), and a circulation channel (23). The circulation channel (23) is located inside the wall of the ice-making water tank (2). The two ends of the circulation channel (23) are connected to the ice-making tank (22) through the tank inlet (221) and the tank outlet (222), respectively. The tank inlet (221) and the tank outlet (222) are respectively located on two opposite sides inside the ice-making tank (22). Along the depth direction of the ice-making tank (22), the tank inlet (221) is higher than the tank outlet (222).
3. The ice-making assembly according to claim 2, characterized in that, The icing component (4) includes an ice-making column (41) and a cooling pipe (42). The cooling pipe (42) is used to introduce refrigerant. The first end (411) of the ice-making column (41) is connected to the cooling pipe (42). The second end (412) of the ice-making column (41) is inserted into the ice-making tank (22). The ice-making column (41) and the inner wall of the ice-making tank (22) are spaced apart. The distance between the first end (411) and the water inlet (221) of the tank is greater than the distance between the second end (412) and the water inlet (221) of the tank.
4. The ice-making assembly according to claim 2, characterized in that, The circulating power component (3) includes a circulating pump body (31), which has an inlet (311) and an outlet (312). The circulating channel (23) has a channel inlet (231) and a channel outlet (232). The inlet (311) is connected to the tank outlet (222), the outlet (312) is connected to the channel inlet (231), and the channel outlet (232) is connected to the tank inlet (221).
5. The ice-making assembly according to claim 4, characterized in that, The ice-making water tank component (2) includes a bottom wall protrusion (241) and a side wall protrusion (242). The bottom wall protrusion (241) is disposed at the bottom of the ice-making tank (22). The side wall protrusion (242) is disposed on the inner wall of the end of the ice-making tank (22) where the tank body inlet (221) is located. The bottom wall protrusion (241) is connected to the side wall protrusion (242). The circulation channel (23) is at least partially formed in the bottom wall protrusion (241) and the side wall protrusion (242).
6. The ice-making assembly according to claim 5, characterized in that, The circulation channel (23) includes a horizontal flow section (233) and an outlet section (234). The inlet end (231) of the channel is located at one end of the horizontal flow section (233), and the other end of the horizontal flow section (233) is connected to the outlet section (234). The outlet end (232) of the channel is located at the end of the outlet section (234) away from the horizontal flow section (233). The horizontal flow section (233) is partially or entirely formed in the protrusion (241) of the bottom wall of the tank, and the outlet section (234) is partially or entirely formed in the protrusion (242) of the side wall of the tank. An inner guide surface (236) is provided at the connection between the horizontal flow section (233) and the outlet section (234).
7. The ice-making assembly according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that, The ice-making water tank component (2) includes a main body (21) and a cover plate (26). The ice-making tank (22) and the circulation structure are disposed on the main body (21). The main body (21) has a slot (25) on the side surface away from the ice-making tank (22). The slot (25) is connected to the circulation structure. The cover plate (26) covers the slot (25).
8. The ice-making assembly according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that, The inner wall of the ice-making tank (22) is provided with an arc surface (223), and the arc surfaces (223) facing each other are symmetrically arranged.
9. The ice-making assembly according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that, The circulating power component (3) also includes an impeller (71) and a motor (72). The motor (72) drives the impeller (71). The impeller (71) is disposed in the ice-making tank (22). The impeller (71) is used to drive the water in the ice-making tank (22) to flow between the circulating structure and the ice-making tank (22).
10. An ice-making device, characterized in that, It includes a refrigerant line (5) and an ice-making assembly (1) as described in any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein the refrigerant line (5) is connected to the ice-forming element (4) of the ice-making assembly (1), and the refrigerant line (5) is used to input low-temperature refrigerant into the ice-forming element (4).