Ice making mechanism and ice maker
By incorporating a connecting port and a lid in the ice maker, the problem of ice cubes sticking together is solved, enabling the independent preparation and convenient use of 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
In the process of making transparent ice blocks, the ice blocks in existing ice makers tend to stick together and need to be broken and separated manually.
Design an ice-making mechanism that forms independent ice-making chambers by setting a connecting port and a cover in the ice tray, uses flowing water to make ice, and the ice-making chambers are interconnected by the sealing effect of the cover to prevent sticking.
It enables the independent preparation of transparent ice cubes, avoiding manual separation and improving ease of use.
Smart Images
Figure CN224302415U_ABST
Abstract
Description
Technical Field
[0001] This utility model relates to the field of ice-making equipment technology, and in particular to an ice-making mechanism and an ice maker. Background Technology
[0002] An ice maker is a refrigeration machine that turns water into ice. It is widely used in supermarket food preservation, fishery refrigeration, medical applications, chemical industry, food processing, and catering. To produce transparent ice, the water inside the ice maker needs to freeze while flowing. However, freezing while the water is flowing can cause the ice blocks to stick together between the ice compartments, requiring manual breaking and separation during use. Utility Model Content
[0003] To address at least one problem existing in the prior art, this utility model provides an ice-making mechanism and an ice maker.
[0004] This application provides an ice-making mechanism, including an ice tray and a cover. The ice tray has at least two ice-making slots, and the side walls of adjacent ice-making slots have communication openings. The cover is disposed on the side of the ice tray where the ice-making slots are located, for covering the openings of the ice-making slots to form at least two ice-making cavities. The ice tray has a water inlet for filling the ice-making slots with ice-making water, and the water inlet is connected to at least one of the ice-making cavities. The cover has a water outlet, and the water outlet is connected to at least one of the ice-making cavities.
[0005] In some embodiments, the water inlet section has at least one water inlet hole, and the water inlet hole communicates with at least one of the ice-making chambers;
[0006] And / or, the cover assembly includes a main body and a cover plate, the cover plate is connected to the main body, the cover plate abuts against the ice tray on one side of the ice-making tank, the cover plate has at least one water outlet hole, and the water outlet hole communicates with at least one of the ice-making chambers.
[0007] In some embodiments, a drainage channel is formed inside the cover, one end of which is connected to the water outlet and the other end is used to connect to the water storage tank.
[0008] In some embodiments, the ice-making mechanism is further provided with a refrigeration device, which has a refrigeration end connected to the ice tray; the water inlet and the connecting port are both located on the ice tray away from the refrigeration end.
[0009] In some embodiments, the ice-making mechanism is further provided with a water storage section for storing ice-making water. The water storage section forms a chamber and has an outlet that communicates with the water inlet and the chamber.
[0010] In some embodiments, the water storage section is further provided with an overflow port, which is used to connect the chamber and the water storage tank.
[0011] In some embodiments, during the ice-making process, the rising direction of the water level in the chamber is the X direction, and along the X direction, the outlet is connected to the bottom of the chamber, and the overflow port is located near the top of the chamber at the point of connection with the chamber.
[0012] In some embodiments, the cover further includes a retaining sleeve made of elastic material. The retaining sleeve includes an adhesive portion and a sleeve portion. The adhesive portion is connected to the sleeve portion. The adhesive portion is attached to the side of the cover plate opposite to the ice tray. The sleeve portion is sleeved with the edge of the cover plate. An avoidance hole is provided at the location of the retaining sleeve opposite to the water outlet.
[0013] In some embodiments, the ice-making mechanism further includes a movable mechanism for driving the lid and the ice tray to abut or separate from each other, the movable mechanism having a movable end to which at least one of the lid and the ice tray is connected.
[0014] This application also provides an ice maker, including a housing, a water tank, the aforementioned ice-making mechanism, and a water pumping device. The water tank is disposed inside the housing; the ice-making mechanism is disposed inside the housing; the water pumping device is disposed inside the housing, and the water pumping device has a water suction end and a water discharge end. The water suction end is connected to the water tank, and the water discharge end is connected to the water inlet of the ice-making mechanism.
[0015] Compared with the prior art, the ice-making mechanism provided by this utility model has the following advantages: Since the ice-making chambers are interconnected through connecting ports, only one ice-making chamber needs to be connected to the water inlet to supply water to all the ice-making chambers. During the ice-making process, the water inside each ice-making chamber is in a flowing state, so transparent ice blocks can be formed inside each ice-making chamber. Furthermore, under the abutment of the cover, each ice-making chamber exists independently, connected only through a narrow connecting port. Therefore, the ice-making mechanism provided by this application can easily form individual ice blocks while producing transparent ice blocks, making it convenient to use. Attached Figure Description
[0016] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the internal structure of an ice maker with its lid and ice tray in contact, provided in one embodiment of this application.
[0017] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the internal structure of an ice maker with the lid and ice tray separated in one embodiment of this application;
[0018] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the internal structure of the ice-making mechanism provided in one embodiment of this application, showing the cover and ice tray in a contacting state;
[0019] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the internal structure of the ice-making mechanism provided in one embodiment of this application, in which the cover and ice tray are separated.
[0020] Figure 5 This is a cross-sectional structural schematic diagram of an ice-making mechanism provided in one embodiment of this application;
[0021] Figure 6 yes Figure 7 Enlarged schematic diagram of a local structure at point A;
[0022] Figure 7 This is an exploded structural diagram of an ice-making mechanism provided in one embodiment of this application;
[0023] Figure 8 This is an exploded view of the structure of an ice-making mechanism provided in one embodiment of this application from another perspective;
[0024] Figure 9 This is a schematic diagram of the cover plate, the retaining sleeve, and the ice grid structure provided in one embodiment of this application.
[0025] 100. Ice-making mechanism; 11. Frame; 12. Ice tray; 1201. Water inlet; 13. Cover; 131. Main body; 132. Cover plate; 133. Support sleeve; 1331. Covering part; 1332. Connecting part; 1301. Water outlet; 14. Movable mechanism; 141. Movable end; 15. Refrigeration device; 151. Refrigeration end; 101. Water storage part; 1011. Chamber; 1012. Outlet; 1013. Overflow outlet; 1014. Guide component; 01. Ice-making tank; 02. Connecting port; 03. Ice-making cavity; 04. Water inlet; 05. Water outlet; 06. Clearance hole; 07. Flow channel; 200. Outer shell; 300. Water storage tank. Detailed Implementation
[0026] To enable those skilled in the art to better understand the technical solution of this utility model, the present utility model will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. The description in this part is only exemplary and explanatory, and should not be used to limit the scope of protection of this utility model in any way.
[0027] It should be noted that similar labels and letters in the following figures indicate similar items. Therefore, once an item is defined in one figure, it does not need to be further defined and explained in subsequent figures.
[0028] It should be noted that the terms "center," "upper," "lower," "left," "right," "vertical," "horizontal," "inner," and "outer," etc., indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings, or the orientation or positional relationship commonly used when the product is in use. They are only for the convenience of describing the present invention 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 the present invention. In addition, the terms "first," "second," and "third," etc., are only used to distinguish descriptions and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance.
[0029] Furthermore, terms such as "horizontal," "vertical," and "sag" do not imply that components must be absolutely horizontal or suspended, but rather that they can be slightly tilted. For example, "horizontal" simply means that its direction is more horizontal relative to "vertical," and does not mean that the structure must be completely horizontal, but can be slightly tilted.
[0030] 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 invention pertains. The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of the invention.
[0031] The present invention will now be described in further detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.
[0032] like Figure 3 , Figure 4 , Figure 5 An ice-making mechanism 100 is shown, including an ice tray 12 and a cover 13. The ice tray 12 is a mold for forming ice cubes. The ice tray 12 is provided with at least two ice-making slots 01, each of which can form one ice cube. The side walls of adjacent ice-making slots 01 have communication openings 02, through which water for making ice in one ice-making slot 01 can flow into the adjacent ice-making slot 01.
[0033] Please refer to it again. Figure 3 , Figure 4 , Figure 5 The aforementioned cover 13 is placed on the side of the ice tray 12 where the ice-making slot 01 is located, covering the opening of the ice-making slot 01. When the cover 13 is placed on the ice tray 12, the cover 13 is in contact with the side of the ice tray 12 where the ice-making slot 01 is located, and the cover 13 is in a sealed contact with the edge of the open end of each ice-making slot 01. Therefore, the cover 13 forming an contact with the ice tray 12 creates at least two ice-making cavities 03, meaning that each ice-making slot 01 can correspond to one ice-making cavity 03, and adjacent ice-making cavities 03 can be connected only through the connecting port 02.
[0034] like Figure 5 , Figure 6 As shown, the ice tray 12 has a water inlet 1201 for filling the ice-making tank 01 with ice-making water, and the water inlet 1201 is connected to at least one ice-making cavity 03. After the ice-making water enters the ice-making cavity 03 through the water inlet 1201, in this embodiment, since a connecting port 02 is provided to connect each ice-making tank 01, the ice-making water inside the ice-making cavity 03 can flow into other adjacent ice-making cavities 03, thereby achieving water supply to all ice-making cavities 03.
[0035] like Figure 5 As shown, the cover 13 has a water outlet 1301 for draining the ice-making water from the ice-making chamber 03. The water outlet 1301 is directly connected to at least one ice-making chamber 03. In actual use, in order to make the ice formed in the ice-making chamber 03 transparent, the water inside the ice-making chamber 03 needs to be kept in a flowing state during the freezing process. Therefore, the water inlet 1201 of the ice tray 12 needs to continuously fill the ice-making chamber 03 with ice-making water, and excess water flows out through the water outlet 1301 on the cover 132.
[0036] Based on the above description, the ice-making mechanism 100 provided in this application can produce transparent ice blocks using the principle of flowing water ice making. Furthermore, under the sealing action of the cover 13 against each ice-making tank 01, the produced ice blocks are not prone to sticking together and are easy to use.
[0037] It should be noted that the ice grid 12 of the ice-making mechanism 100 provided in this application may have multiple sets of ice-making chambers 03. The ice-making chambers 03 in different sets are not connected, and the ice-making chambers 03 in the same set are connected to each other through a connecting port 02. In the same set, at least one ice-making chamber 03 is connected to the water inlet 1201, or each set of ice-making chambers 03 is connected to at least one water inlet 1201 (i.e., multiple water inlets 1201 are provided).
[0038] The technical details of each component will be introduced below.
[0039] In some implementations, such as Figure 8 , Figure 9 As shown, the water inlet 1201 of the ice tray 12 has at least one water inlet hole 04, which communicates with at least one ice-making chamber 03. The cover 13 includes a main body 131 and a cover plate 132. The cover plate 132 is connected to the main body 131 and abuts against one side of the ice tray 12 located in the ice-making tank 01. The cover plate 132 has at least one water outlet hole 05, which communicates with at least one ice-making chamber 03. Figure 5As shown, when the cover plate 132 abuts against the ice tray 12, the cover plate 132 seals against the edge of the open end of each ice-making chamber 01. In actual use, the water inlet 04 is connected to an external water supply device (such as a water pump). Ice-making water flows into the ice-making chamber 03 through the water inlet 04, and then supplies water to all ice-making chambers 03 under the action of the connecting port 02. When all ice-making chambers 03 are full of water, the excess ice-making water will flow out of the ice-making chambers 03 through the water outlet 05 on the cover plate 132. The water supply and outlet of each ice-making chamber 03 is achieved by making holes in the cover plate 132 and the ice tray 12. The structure is relatively simple and easy to manufacture.
[0040] Please see Figure 8 , Figure 9 If the ice tray 12 is provided with multiple sets of ice-making chambers 03, then at least one of the ice-making chambers 03 in each set of ice-making chambers 03 has a water inlet hole 04 on its side wall, and correspondingly, at least one of the ice-making chambers 03 in each set of ice-making chambers 03 has a water outlet hole 05. In order to ensure that the ice-making water in each set of ice-making chambers 03 can be effectively flowed, the water inlet hole 04 and the water outlet hole 05 can be respectively opened on the side wall of the first ice-making chamber 03 and the side wall of the last ice-making chamber 03 along the direction of ice-making water flow.
[0041] In some implementations, such as Figure 5 As shown, a drainage channel (not shown in the figure) is formed inside the cover 13. One end of the drainage channel is connected to the water outlet 05, and the other end is connected to the water storage tank 300. It should be noted that the water storage tank 300 is a tank installed in the ice maker to store water used for ice making. Excess water used for ice making flows out of the water outlet 05 and can flow back into the water storage tank 300 through the drainage channel, thereby realizing the recycling of water used for ice making.
[0042] In some implementations, such as Figure 5 , Figure 8 As shown, the ice-making mechanism 100 provided in this application is also equipped with a refrigeration device 15. Typically, the refrigeration device 15 can be a compressor refrigeration device 15 or a semiconductor refrigeration device 15. The refrigeration device 15 has a refrigeration end 151, which is connected to the ice tray 12. The water inlet 04 and the connecting port 02 are both located on the ice tray 12 away from the refrigeration end 151. It is understood that when ice forms inside the ice-making cavity 03, it preferentially starts freezing from the position closest to the refrigeration end 151. Positioning the water inlet 04 and the connecting port 02 in the ice-making cavity 03 away from the refrigeration end 151 prevents the water inlet 04 and the connecting port from being blocked, ensuring the normal operation of the water-based ice-making process.
[0043] In some implementations, such as Figure 3 , Figure 4 , Figure 5As shown, the ice-making mechanism 100 provided in this application is further provided with a water storage section 101 for storing ice-making water. The water storage section 101 forms a chamber 1011 and is used to connect a water pumping device. The water storage section 101 has an outlet 1012, which communicates with the water inlet 04 and the chamber 1011. The ice-making water input into the ice-making chamber by the water pumping device is first stored in the chamber 1011 of the water storage section 101, and then flows into the ice-making chamber 03 through the outlet 1012. It is understood that during the water-based ice-making process, it is necessary to ensure a stable input of ice-making water, and the pumping flow rate of the water pumping device must be greater than the outflow flow rate of the outlet of the cover plate 132 (if it is less than the outflow flow rate of the outlet 05, the ice-making chamber 03 cannot be filled with ice-making water). In the above process, the water storage section 101 can play a role in stabilizing the water flow, greatly reducing the impact of the water pumping device on the stability of the water flow inside the ice-making chamber 03.
[0044] In some implementations, such as Figure 4 , Figure 5 As shown, the water storage unit 101 is also provided with an overflow port 1013 to prevent ice-making water from overflowing. The overflow port 1013 is used to connect the chamber 1011 and the water storage tank 300. Since the pump flow rate of the water pumping device is usually greater than the outlet flow rate of the water outlet 05, the water in the chamber 1011 of the water storage unit 101 will gradually increase during the ice-making process. When the water level in the chamber rises to a certain level, the excess ice-making water can flow out of the chamber 1011 through the overflow port 1013, thereby preventing the ice-making water inside the chamber 1011 from overflowing. In some embodiments, the water storage unit 101 has a guide member 1014 to guide excess water in the chamber 1011 into the water storage tank 300. The guide member 1014 has a guide channel 07 inside, one end of which is connected to the overflow port 1013, and the other end is used to connect to the water storage tank 300.
[0045] In some implementations, such as Figure 5 , Figure 6 As shown, during the ice-making process, the water level in chamber 1011 rises in the X direction. Along the X direction, outlet 1012 connects to the bottom of chamber 1011, and overflow outlet 1013 is located near the top of chamber 1011 at its connection point. This design ensures that outlet 1012 is submerged to the maximum extent by the ice-making water during the ice-making process, thereby guaranteeing the stability of the water flow inside the ice-making chamber 03.
[0046] In some implementations, such as Figure 5 , Figure 7 , Figure 8 , Figure 9As shown, the cover 13 also includes a retaining sleeve 133, which is made of an elastic material, such as silicone or rubber. The retaining sleeve 133 includes an adhesive portion 1331 and a fitting portion 1332. The adhesive portion 1331 is connected to the fitting portion 1332. Typically, the retaining sleeve 133 can be a one-piece molded structure. The adhesive portion 1331 is attached to the side of the cover 132 opposite to the ice tray 12, and the fitting portion 1332 is fitted onto the edge of the cover 132. Since the cover 132 needs to support the ice tray 12, the material forming the cover 132 needs to have high hardness and cannot easily deform. However, hard materials are not easy to form a sealing structure. Therefore, the retaining sleeve 133 is made of an elastic material, so that when the cover 132 supports the ice tray 12, the retaining sleeve 133 can be pressed tightly between the two, thereby forming a good sealing structure for each ice-making compartment 01 of the ice tray 12, which is conducive to better forming individual ice cubes.
[0047] like Figure 9 As shown, a clearance hole 06 is provided at the position opposite to the water outlet 05 of the aforementioned support sleeve 133. The clearance hole 06 is used to avoid the water flow from the ice-making chamber 03.
[0048] In some implementations, such as Figure 3 , Figure 4 , Figure 5 As shown, the ice-making mechanism 100 provided in this application also includes an active mechanism 14 for driving the lid 13 and the ice tray 12 to abut or separate from each other. This active mechanism 14 can be a screw mechanism. The active mechanism 14 has a movable end 141, and at least one of the lid 13 and the ice tray 12 is connected to the movable end 141. The active mechanism 14 has a control module, which enables automatic abutment and separation of the lid 13 and the ice tray 12, making the operation more convenient.
[0049] Please refer to the details again. Figure 3 , Figure 4 , Figure 5 The ice-making mechanism 100 provided in this application has a frame 11 that facilitates the assembly of various components. The movable mechanism 14 and the ice tray 12 are fixedly mounted on the frame 11. The cover 13 is mounted on the movable end 141 of the movable mechanism 14. The movable end 141 can carry the cover 13 to gradually approach the ice tray 12 and abut against the ice tray 12. After ice making is completed, the cover 13 can follow the movable end 141 away from the ice tray 12 so as to facilitate the removal of the ice blocks generated inside the ice-making tank 01.
[0050] In some implementations, such as Figure 3 , Figure 4 , Figure 5 As shown, the water storage section 101 can be formed on the frame 11. This design helps to improve the overall integrity of the ice-making mechanism 100 provided in this application.
[0051] like Figure 1 , Figure 2 As shown, this application also provides an ice maker, including a housing 200, a water tank 300, the aforementioned ice-making mechanism 100, and a water pump. The water tank 300 is disposed inside the housing 200; the ice-making mechanism 100 is disposed inside the housing 200; and the water pump (not shown) is disposed inside the housing 200, having a suction end and an outlet end. The suction end communicates with the water tank 300, and the outlet end communicates with the water inlet 1201 of the ice-making mechanism 100. In practical use, the water pump can be a water pump, which draws water from the water tank 300 and then delivers it into the ice-making mechanism 100 provided in this application for ice making. Because of the ice-making mechanism 100 provided in this application, the ice-making equipment can produce transparent, individually independent ice cubes, which is convenient to use.
[0052] In the description of this utility model, it should also be noted that, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, the terms "set," "install," "connect," and "link" should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; 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; and they can refer to the internal connection of two components. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this utility model based on the specific circumstances.
[0053] It should be noted that, in this document, relational terms such as "first" and "second" are used only to distinguish one entity or operation from another, and do not necessarily require or imply any such actual relationship or order between these entities or operations. Furthermore, the terms "comprising," "including," or any other variations thereof are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion, such that a process, method, article, or apparatus that comprises a list of elements includes not only those elements but also other elements not expressly listed, or elements inherent to such a process, method, article, or apparatus. Without further limitations, an element defined by the phrase "comprising one..." does not exclude the presence of other identical elements in the process, method, article, or apparatus that includes said element.
[0054] Although embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes, modifications, substitutions and alterations can be made to these embodiments without departing from the principles and spirit of the present invention, the scope of which is defined by the appended claims and their equivalents.
Claims
1. An ice-making mechanism, characterized in that, include: Ice tray (12), the ice tray (12) is provided with at least two ice-making troughs (01), and the side walls of adjacent ice-making troughs (01) have communication openings (02); Cover (13) is provided on the side of the ice tray (12) where the ice-making groove (01) is opened, and is used to cover the opening of the ice-making groove (01) to form at least two ice-making cavities (03); The ice tray (12) has a water inlet (1201) for filling the ice-making tank (01) with ice-making water, the water inlet (1201) being connected to at least one of the ice-making chambers (03), and the cover (13) has a water outlet (1301) being connected to at least one of the ice-making chambers (03).
2. The ice-making mechanism according to claim 1, characterized in that, The water inlet (1201) is provided with at least one water inlet hole (04), and the water inlet hole (04) is in communication with at least one of the ice-making chambers (03); And / or, the cover (13) includes a main body (131) and a cover plate (132), the cover plate (132) and the main body (131) are connected, the cover plate (132) and the ice tray (12) are disposed on one side of the ice making tank (01), the cover plate (132) is provided with at least one water outlet (05), and the water outlet (05) is connected to at least one of the ice making chambers (03).
3. The ice-making mechanism according to claim 2, characterized in that, The cover (13) has a drainage channel (07) inside. One end of the drainage channel (07) is connected to the water outlet (05), and the other end is used to connect to the water storage tank (300).
4. The ice-making mechanism according to claim 2, characterized in that, The ice-making mechanism (100) is also provided with a refrigeration device (15), which has a refrigeration end (151) and is connected to the ice grid (12). Both the water inlet (04) and the connecting port (02) are located on the ice tray (12) away from the cooling end (151).
5. The ice-making mechanism according to claim 2, characterized in that, The ice-making mechanism (100) is also provided with a water storage section (101) for storing ice-making water. The water storage section (101) forms a chamber (1011). The water storage section (101) has an outlet (1012). The outlet (1012) is connected to the water inlet (04) and the chamber (1011).
6. The ice-making mechanism according to claim 5, characterized in that, The water storage section (101) is also provided with an overflow port (1013), which is used to connect the chamber (1011) and the water storage tank (300).
7. The ice-making mechanism according to claim 6, characterized in that, During the ice-making process, the water level in the chamber (1011) rises in the X direction. Along the X direction, the outlet (1012) is connected to the bottom of the chamber (1011), and the overflow port (1013) is located near the top of the chamber (1011) at the point where it connects with the chamber (1011).
8. The ice-making mechanism according to claim 2, characterized in that, The cover (13) also includes a retaining sleeve (133), which is made of elastic material. The retaining sleeve (133) includes a covering part (1331) and a sleeve part (1332). The covering part (1331) is connected to the sleeve part (1332). The covering part (1331) is attached to one side of the cover plate (132) opposite to the ice tray (12). The sleeve part (1332) is sleeved with the edge of the cover plate (132). An avoidance hole (06) is provided at the position opposite to the water outlet (05) of the abutment sleeve (133).
9. The ice-making mechanism according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that, The ice-making mechanism (100) further includes an active mechanism (14) for driving the cover (13) and the ice tray (12) to abut or separate from each other. The active mechanism (14) has an active end (141), and at least one of the cover (13) and the ice tray (12) is connected to the active end (141).
10. An ice maker, characterized in that, include: Outer shell (200); A water storage tank (300) is disposed inside the outer casing (200); The ice-making mechanism (100) according to any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein the ice-making mechanism (100) is disposed inside the outer casing (200); A water pumping device is disposed inside the outer casing (200). The water pumping device has a water suction end and a water discharge end. The water suction end is connected to the water storage tank (300), and the water discharge end is connected to the water inlet (1201) of the ice making mechanism (100).