Ice maker evaporator assembly and ice maker

Abstract

This application relates to the field of ice maker technology, and discloses an evaporator assembly for an ice maker and an ice maker. The evaporator assembly includes: a refrigerant pipe; multiple evaporator pipes disposed below the refrigerant pipe and respectively connected to the refrigerant pipe; multiple sleeves corresponding to the multiple evaporator pipes, with at least a portion of each evaporator pipe extending into its corresponding sleeve; a fixed structure that fixes the refrigerant pipe and the multiple sleeves; and at least one movable baffle. When the movable baffle is in a first position, it closes the bottom opening of the sleeve, forming an ice-making chamber inside each sleeve. When the movable baffle is in a second position, it opens the bottom opening of the sleeve. Through the above method, this application improves the refrigeration efficiency and ice-making speed.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of ice maker technology, specifically to an ice maker evaporator assembly and an ice maker. Background Technology

[0002] Ice makers cool water into ice cubes to meet the ice needs of restaurants, bars, hotels, supermarkets, and other similar establishments. Among these, ice makers used in homes, small offices, and other spaces with limited space are typically small-sized ice makers. These small ice makers are compact in size, produce a small amount of ice, and consume relatively little power and electricity. They provide a convenient way to make ice in these space-constrained locations, meeting people's daily needs for ice, such as making cold drinks, cooling beverages, and preserving food.

[0003] Most existing small ice makers consist of a refrigeration system (including compressor, condenser, etc.), evaporator, water storage box, ice storage box, and control system. The refrigeration system and evaporator cool the water in the water storage box to freeze it. After the ice is formed, the ice is separated and stored in the ice storage box by temperature change or mechanical device. Utility Model Content

[0004] This application provides an ice maker evaporator assembly and an ice maker to solve the problem of low refrigeration efficiency of ice maker evaporators in the prior art.

[0005] According to one aspect of the embodiments of this application, an evaporator assembly for an ice maker is provided, comprising: a refrigerant pipe; a plurality of evaporator pipes disposed below the refrigerant pipe, each evaporator pipe being connected to the refrigerant pipe; a plurality of sleeves disposed corresponding to the plurality of evaporator pipes, at least a portion of each evaporator pipe extending into its corresponding sleeve; a fixed structure for fixedly connecting the refrigerant pipe and the plurality of sleeves; and at least one movable baffle, wherein when the movable baffle is in a first position, it closes the bottom opening of the sleeve, thereby forming an ice-making chamber inside each sleeve, and when the movable baffle is in a second position, it opens the bottom opening of the sleeve.

[0006] In the evaporator assembly of the ice maker in this application embodiment, by providing a matching sleeve for each evaporator tube, the evaporator tube extends into the sleeve, and water is injected into the sleeve, each evaporator tube only needs to make ice from a small amount of water in the sleeve, reducing water consumption and eliminating excess water that causes energy waste, thereby improving refrigeration efficiency and ice-making speed, and reducing ice-making time.

[0007] In some embodiments, the ice maker evaporator assembly further includes a drive unit for driving the at least one movable baffle to move between the first position and the second position.

[0008] In some embodiments, at least some of the sleeves are arranged in rows and columns, with each movable baffle corresponding to at least one row of sleeves.

[0009] In some embodiments, an installation groove is provided on the at least one movable baffle at a position corresponding to each sleeve, and a sealing ring is provided in the installation groove, the contour of the sealing ring being adapted to the bottom contour of the sleeve.

[0010] In some embodiments, a connecting pipe is provided between at least two adjacent sleeves of the plurality of sleeves, and the connecting pipe connects the ice-making chamber of the adjacent sleeves.

[0011] In some embodiments, the sleeve and the fixing structure are made of metal or metal alloy.

[0012] In some embodiments, the fixing structure includes a horizontal first fixing plate and a vertical second fixing plate, the first fixing plate being connected to the first fixing plate, the first fixing plate being fixedly in contact with the refrigerant pipe, and the second fixing plate being fixedly in contact with the outer wall of each sleeve.

[0013] In some embodiments, the fixing structure includes a plurality of fixing connection parts, each of the plurality of sleeves corresponding to at least one fixing connection part, each fixing connection part including a curved upper end and a vertical lower end, the shape of the curved upper end being adapted to the shape of the refrigerant pipe, the curved upper end of each fixing connection part being fixedly connected to the top of the refrigerant pipe, and the vertical lower end being fixed to the outer wall of the sleeve corresponding to the fixing connection part.

[0014] In some embodiments, at least a portion of the fixing structure is integral with the sleeve.

[0015] In some embodiments, the plurality of sleeves are cylindrical or hexagonal prisms, and adjacent rows of sleeves are staggered and closely arranged to minimize the gap between adjacent rows of sleeves.

[0016] According to a second aspect of the embodiments of this application, an ice maker is provided, including an ice maker evaporator assembly as described in any of the above embodiments.

[0017] The above description is only an overview of the technical solution of this application. In order to better understand the technical means of this application and to implement it in accordance with the contents of the specification, and to make the above and other objects, features and advantages of this application more obvious and understandable, the following are specific embodiments of this application. Attached Figure Description

[0018] Various other advantages and benefits will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon reading the following detailed description of preferred embodiments. The accompanying drawings are for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to limit the scope of this application. Furthermore, the same reference numerals denote the same parts throughout the drawings.

[0019] In the attached diagram:

[0020] Figure 1 This is a three-dimensional structural schematic diagram of an ice maker according to some embodiments of this application;

[0021] Figure 2 This is a three-dimensional structural schematic diagram of an ice maker according to some embodiments of this application from another angle;

[0022] Figure 3 This is a partial structural diagram of the interior of an ice maker according to some embodiments of this application;

[0023] Figure 4 This is a three-dimensional structural schematic diagram of an ice maker evaporator assembly according to some embodiments of this application;

[0024] Figure 5 This is an exploded structural diagram of an ice maker evaporator assembly according to some embodiments of this application;

[0025] Figure 6 This is a cross-sectional structural schematic diagram of an ice maker evaporator assembly according to some embodiments of this application;

[0026] Figure 7 This is a three-dimensional structural schematic diagram of an ice maker evaporator assembly according to other embodiments of this application;

[0027] Figure 8 This is a three-dimensional structural schematic diagram of the baffle of an ice maker evaporator assembly in an open state according to some embodiments of this application;

[0028] Figure 9 for Figure 6 Enlarged view of section A in the middle;

[0029] Figure 10 This is a three-dimensional structural schematic diagram of an ice maker evaporator assembly according to other embodiments of this application;

[0030] Figure 11 This is a three-dimensional structural schematic diagram of an ice maker evaporator assembly according to other embodiments of this application from another angle;

[0031] Figure 12 This is a cross-sectional structural schematic diagram of an ice maker evaporator assembly according to other embodiments of this application;

[0032] Figure 13This is a three-dimensional structural schematic diagram of an ice maker evaporator assembly according to other embodiments of this application;

[0033] Figure 14 This is a cross-sectional structural schematic diagram of an ice maker evaporator assembly according to other embodiments of this application;

[0034] Figure 15 This is a three-dimensional structural schematic diagram of an ice maker evaporator assembly according to other embodiments of this application;

[0035] Figure 16 This is a schematic diagram of the arrangement of the sleeves in the evaporator assembly of an ice maker according to other embodiments of this application.

[0036] The reference numerals in the detailed embodiments are as follows:

[0037] Ice maker 100, housing 1, water tank 2, water distributor 3, water injection pipe 3a, evaporator assembly 4, ice storage box 5, refrigerant pipe 10, evaporator pipe 20, sleeve 30, fixing structure 40, baffle 50, first pipe 11, second pipe 12, third pipe 13, inlet 10a, outlet 10b, first sleeve 30a, second sleeve 30b, third sleeve 30c, top opening 31a, bottom opening 31b, ice outlet 32, ice making chamber 33, connecting pipe 35, first fixing plate 41, second fixing plate 42, fixing connection part 43, third fixing plate 44, fixing connection part 45, curved upper end 45a, vertical lower end 45b, rotating shaft 51, fixing plate 52, mounting groove 53, sealing ring 54, drive part 60, fixing part 70, fixing hole 71. Detailed Implementation

[0038] The embodiments of the technical solution of this application will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. These embodiments are only used to more clearly illustrate the technical solution of this application and are therefore merely examples, and should not be used to limit the scope of protection of this application.

[0039] 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 pertains; the terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to limit the application; the terms “comprising” and “having”, and any variations thereof, in the specification, claims, and foregoing description of the drawings are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion.

[0040] In the description of the embodiments of this application, technical terms such as "first" and "second" are used only to distinguish different objects and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the number, specific order, or primary and secondary relationship of the indicated technical features. In the description of the embodiments of this application, "multiple" means two or more, unless otherwise explicitly defined.

[0041] In this document, the term "embodiment" means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with an embodiment may be included in at least one embodiment of this application. The appearance of this phrase in various places throughout the specification does not necessarily refer to the same embodiment, nor is it a separate or alternative embodiment mutually exclusive with other embodiments. It will be explicitly and implicitly understood by those skilled in the art that the embodiments described herein can be combined with other embodiments.

[0042] In the description of the embodiments in this application, the term "and / or" is merely a description of the relationship between related objects, representing any combination of the listed objects. For example, "A and / or B" can represent three possibilities: A exists, A and B exist simultaneously, or B exists. Additionally, the character " / " in this document generally indicates that the preceding and following related objects have an "or" relationship.

[0043] In the description of the embodiments of this application, the term "multiple" refers to two or more (including two), similarly, "multiple sets" refers to two or more (including two sets), and "multiple pieces" refers to two or more (including two pieces).

[0044] In the description of the embodiments of this application, the technical terms "center," "longitudinal," "lateral," "length," "width," "thickness," "upper," "lower," "front," "rear," "left," "right," "vertical," "horizontal," "top," "bottom," "inner," "outer," "clockwise," "counterclockwise," "axial," "radial," and "circumferential" indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings. They are only for the convenience of describing the embodiments of 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 the embodiments of this application.

[0045] In the description of the embodiments of this application, unless otherwise expressly specified and limited, technical terms such as "installation," "connection," "joining," and "fixing" should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral part; 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; they can refer to the internal communication of two components or the interaction between two components. For those skilled in the art, the specific meaning of the above terms in the embodiments of this application can be understood according to the specific circumstances.

[0046] In most bullet ice makers on the market, the evaporator has multiple evaporation tubes that extend into a water storage tank. During ice making, the tank is filled with water, and a low-temperature refrigerant supplied by the refrigeration system flows into the evaporation tubes, causing the water in the tank to freeze around each tube, thus producing ice. Only a portion of the water in the tank freezes; after ice making is complete, the remaining unfrozen cold water in the tank is drained.

[0047] Because the water storage box has a large capacity, during the ice-making process, not only does the water that eventually freezes around the evaporator exchange heat with the evaporator, but the water that fails to freeze around the evaporator also exchanges heat with it, absorbing heat from the evaporator. This undoubtedly results in energy waste. Furthermore, the evaporator's cooling energy is not fully utilized. All of these energy wastes lead to reduced cooling efficiency, thus affecting the ice-making speed and making it difficult to meet consumers' demand for rapid ice making.

[0048] This application provides an ice maker 100 and an ice maker evaporator assembly 4 applied to the ice maker 100. Please refer to... Figures 1 to 3 ,in Figure 1 The three-dimensional structure of an ice maker 100 according to some embodiments of this application is schematically shown; Figure 2 The three-dimensional structure of an ice maker 100 according to some embodiments of this application is schematically shown from another angle. Figure 3 A partial internal structure of an ice maker 100 according to some embodiments of this application is schematically shown.

[0049] As shown in the figure, the ice maker 100 includes a housing 1, a water tank 2, a water distributor 3, a refrigeration system (not shown), an evaporator assembly 4, an ice storage box 5, and a control system (not shown). The water tank 2 and ice storage box 5 are located outside the housing 1, while the control system, water distributor 3, refrigeration system, and evaporator assembly 4 are located inside the housing 1. Those skilled in the art should understand that the relative positions of the above components to the housing 1 are merely examples, and this application does not limit the scope of the invention. For example, in other embodiments, the water tank 2 and ice storage box 5 may also be located inside the housing 1, and the control system may be located outside the housing 1, etc.

[0050] Water tank 2 stores water for ice making, and water from water tank 2 is supplied to evaporator assembly 4 via water distributor 3. The refrigeration system includes components such as a compressor, condenser, dryer, expansion valve, and hot gas solenoid valve. The compressor compresses low-pressure gaseous refrigerant into high-temperature, high-pressure gaseous refrigerant. The gaseous refrigerant is cooled and condensed into a liquid by the condenser. The low-temperature, high-pressure liquid refrigerant flows sequentially through the dryer and expansion valve for drying and pressure reduction. Then, the low-temperature, low-pressure liquid refrigerant flows into evaporator assembly 4. The liquid refrigerant in evaporator assembly 4 absorbs heat from the water injected into it, changing from a liquid to a gaseous state. The evaporation of the refrigerant cools the water in evaporator assembly 4, causing it to freeze. The high-temperature, low-pressure gaseous refrigerant returns to the compressor to begin the next cycle. This is the ice-making process.

[0051] After ice making is complete, the hot gas solenoid valves connected to the compressor and evaporator assembly 4 on both sides open, allowing the high-temperature, high-pressure gaseous refrigerant in the compressor to flow into the evaporator assembly 4. The ice is heated and separated from the evaporator assembly 4, falling into the ice storage box 5 by gravity. This is the de-icing process.

[0052] The control system may include components such as circuit boards and power supplies. The control system is used to control the operation of the water distributor 3 and the refrigeration system, as well as to control the opening and closing of valves within the ice maker 100.

[0053] Those skilled in the art will understand that the ice maker 100 may also include other functional components; the figures shown are merely examples, and this application does not limit the scope of the invention.

[0054] The structure of evaporator assembly 4 is described in detail below. Please refer to [link / reference]. Figures 4 to 6 ,in Figure 4 The three-dimensional structure of an ice maker evaporator assembly 4 according to some embodiments of this application is schematically shown; Figure 5 An exploded view of an ice maker evaporator assembly 4 according to some embodiments of this application is schematically shown; Figure 6 The diagram schematically illustrates a cross-sectional view of an ice maker evaporator assembly 4 according to some embodiments of this application.

[0055] As shown in the figure, the evaporator assembly 4 includes a refrigerant pipe 10, an evaporator pipe 20, a sleeve 30, a fixing structure 40, and a baffle 50. The arrows in the figure indicate the direction of refrigerant flow.

[0056] The refrigerant pipe 10 is used to receive and supply refrigerant. Specifically, it is used to receive the refrigerant provided by the aforementioned refrigeration system, including low-temperature, low-pressure liquid refrigerant during the ice-making process and high-temperature, high-pressure gaseous refrigerant during the de-icing process. Multiple evaporator pipes 20 are disposed below the refrigerant pipe 10, each connected to the refrigerant pipe 10, allowing refrigerant to flow between the refrigerant pipe 10 and the multiple evaporator pipes 20.

[0057] The number of sleeves 30 is the same as the number of evaporator tubes 20, with multiple sleeves 30 corresponding to multiple evaporator tubes 20. Each sleeve 30 is open at both ends, and each evaporator tube 20 extends into the sleeve 30 through the opening 31a at the top of its corresponding sleeve 30. Furthermore, the opening 31a at the top of the sleeve 30 can also serve as a water inlet for receiving ice-making water injected by the aforementioned water distributor 3. The opening 31b at the bottom of the sleeve 30 serves as an ice outlet.

[0058] The fixing structure 40 is connected to the refrigerant pipe 10 and multiple sleeves 30 respectively, and is used to fix the sleeves 30 to the refrigerant pipe 10. The refrigerant pipe 10 and the sleeves 30 are connected as a whole by the fixing structure 40, and the evaporator pipe 20 is fixed to the refrigerant pipe 10. Therefore, the refrigerant pipe 10, the evaporator pipe 20 and the sleeves 30 can be formed into an integral structural component and fixed inside the ice maker 100, which facilitates the installation of the components.

[0059] The sleeve 30 and the fixing structure 40 can each be made of plastic, ceramic, or metal or metal alloy with good thermal conductivity.

[0060] In some embodiments, the sleeves 30 and the fixing structure 40 can be made of metals or metal alloys such as silver, copper, copper alloys, aluminum alloys, and stainless steel. Thus, the fixing structure 40 connects the refrigerant pipe 10 (i.e., the main pipe of the evaporator assembly 4) and each sleeve 30. The high thermal conductivity of these materials allows for rapid transfer of the cold energy from the refrigerant pipe 10 to each sleeve 30, thereby fully utilizing the cold energy generated by the refrigerant pipe 10. This ensures that the water inside the sleeve 30 absorbs heat not only from the evaporator pipe 20 within the sleeve 30 but also from the surrounding sleeves 30, achieving simultaneous cooling from both inside and outside, further improving cooling efficiency and reducing ice-making time. The same simultaneous heating effect is achieved during the heating and de-icing process, accelerating the de-icing speed.

[0061] The baffle 50 is located at the bottom of the multiple sleeves 30 and is a movable part. It is used to close the ice outlet 32 ​​during ice making, so that an ice making chamber 33 is formed inside each sleeve 30, and to open the ice outlet 32 ​​after ice making is completed, so that ice can be released from the ice outlet 32.

[0062] In the embodiments provided in this application, by providing a matching sleeve 30 for each evaporator 20, the evaporator 20 extends into the sleeve 30, and water is injected into the sleeve 30, each evaporator 20 only needs to make ice from a small amount of water in the sleeve 30, reducing water consumption and avoiding excess water that causes energy waste, thereby improving refrigeration efficiency and ice-making speed, and reducing ice-making time.

[0063] In the specific embodiment shown in the figure, the refrigerant pipe 10 is U-shaped and includes a first pipe 11, a second pipe 12, and a third pipe 13. The first pipe 11 and the third pipe 13 are arranged in parallel and spaced apart. The second pipe 12 is used to connect the first pipe 11 and the third pipe 13. The first end of the first pipe 11 is the inlet 10a of the refrigerant pipe 10, and the last end of the third pipe 13 is the outlet 10b of the refrigerant pipe 10. The refrigerant flows in from the inlet 10a of the refrigerant pipe 10, flows through the refrigerant pipe 10 and the evaporator pipe 20, and then flows out from the outlet 10b of the refrigerant pipe 10. The shape of the refrigerant pipe 10 shown in the figure is only an example. In other embodiments, the refrigerant pipe 10 may also be in other shapes, such as S-shaped, Z-shaped, etc. The refrigerant pipe 10 may also consist of two, three, or more pipes arranged in parallel. Correspondingly, the sleeve 30 may also be arranged in two, three, or more rows corresponding to the refrigerant pipe 10. This application does not limit this.

[0064] By setting a U-shaped refrigerant pipe 10, the inlet 10a and outlet 10b of the refrigerant pipe 10 can be arranged on the same side, forming a relatively compact pipe layout between the refrigerant pipe 10 and other internal components of the ice maker 100, which is conducive to the miniaturization of the ice maker 100.

[0065] Evaporator tube 20 is located below refrigerant tube 10 so that liquid refrigerant can flow smoothly from refrigerant tube 10 above to evaporator tube 20 below, and gaseous refrigerant can rise from evaporator tube 20 below to refrigerant tube 10 above. Evaporator tubes 20 are also provided below the first pipe 11 and the third pipe 13. During ice making, liquid refrigerant flows from refrigerant tube 10 into each evaporator tube 20, and after evaporation, gaseous refrigerant flows from evaporator tube 20 into refrigerant tube 10 and then out. During de-icing, gaseous refrigerant flows from refrigerant tube 10 into each evaporator tube 20, and then from evaporator tube 20 into refrigerant tube 10 and then out.

[0066] Below the first pipe 11 and the third pipe 13, a row of evaporator tubes 20 is respectively arranged, that is, the evaporator tubes 20 below the first pipe 11 and the third pipe 13 are arranged in regular rows and columns, forming two rows. Correspondingly, below the first pipe 11 and the third pipe 13, a row of sleeves 30 is arranged, that is, below the first pipe 11 and the third pipe 13, the sleeves 30 are arranged in regular rows and columns, forming two rows. In order to make full use of the cooling capacity of the refrigerant pipe 10, a sleeve 30 is also arranged below the second pipe 12 to avoid wasting the cooling capacity of the second pipe 12. In other embodiments, if the size of the second pipe 12 allows for the arrangement of multiple sleeves 30 below it, the number of sleeves 30 below the second pipe 12 can also be increased.

[0067] Figure 7 The diagram schematically illustrates the three-dimensional structure of an ice maker evaporator assembly 4 according to some embodiments of this application. For example... Figure 7 As shown, there is no sleeve 30 below the second pipe 12, and the sleeves 30 are arranged in regular rows and columns.

[0068] Please continue reading. Figures 4 to 6 At least a portion of each evaporator tube 20 extends into its corresponding sleeve 30. In the specific embodiment shown in the figure, the vast majority of the evaporator tube 20 extends into the sleeve 30, with only a small portion of its upper end exposed outside the sleeve 30. Those skilled in the art should understand that the figure is merely an example, and in other embodiments, the evaporator tube 20 may also extend entirely into the sleeve 30, provided that at least a portion of the opening 31a at the top of the sleeve 30 is exposed, allowing the water distributor 3 to inject ice-making water into the sleeve 30 through this opening.

[0069] In the specific embodiment shown in the figure, the top of the sleeve 30 is fully open, serving not only as an insertion point for the evaporation tube 20 but also as a water inlet. Those skilled in the art should understand that the figure is merely an example. In other embodiments, the top of the sleeve 30 may also have an evaporation tube opening adapted to the size of the evaporation tube 20, allowing only the evaporation tube 20 to extend into it. In addition, water inlets that connect to the water distributor 3 may be opened at other locations on the top of the sleeve 30 or on the side wall of the sleeve 30 for injecting water for ice making.

[0070] Please continue reading. Figures 4 to 7 In the two embodiments shown in the figure, the sleeve 30 is cylindrical in shape, and correspondingly, the ice-making chamber 33 inside the sleeve 30 is also cylindrical. In other embodiments, the sleeve 30 can also be prismatic (e.g., square prism, hexagonal prism, octagonal prism, etc.), frustum, or other shapes, and correspondingly, its internal ice-making chamber 33 can also be prismatic, frustum, or other shapes. The shape of the ice-making chamber inside the sleeve 30 can also be different from the shape of the sleeve 30; for example, the sleeve 30 may be prismatic in shape, but its internal ice-making chamber may be cylindrical. Different shapes of ice-making chambers 33 can produce ice blocks of different shapes.

[0071] Figure 16 The arrangement of the sleeve 30 in the evaporator assembly 4 of an ice maker according to other embodiments of this application is illustrated schematically. Please refer to... Figure 16 The figure shows the cross-sectional shape and arrangement of the sleeves from a top-down view. The sleeves are cylindrical in shape. Based on the cross-sectional shape of the sleeves in the figure, the sleeves can be hexagonal prisms, as shown in Figures (a) and (b); or cylindrical, as shown in Figure (c). The ice-making chamber 33 inside the sleeves can also be hexagonal prisms, as shown in Figure (b); or cylindrical, as shown in Figures (a) and (c). In the specific embodiment shown in the figure, nine sleeves are arranged. Those skilled in the art should understand that the figures are only examples, and in other embodiments, the number of sleeves can be increased or decreased according to ice-making requirements and the arrangement of refrigerant pipes and evaporators.

[0072] Figure 16 In the embodiments shown, multiple sleeves are also arranged in two rows. The difference from the previous embodiments is that... Figure 16 In the illustrated embodiment, the two rows of sleeves are arranged in an alternating pattern, with the sleeve walls of adjacent sleeves in contact (including the contact between adjacent sleeve walls within each row and between adjacent sleeve walls of two rows), forming a dense array that minimizes the gaps between the two rows of sleeves. In this case, the number and position of the evaporator tubes are also configured corresponding to each sleeve. This sleeve arrangement not only saves space and makes the overall lateral dimensions of the evaporator assembly more compact, but also reduces the amount of cold energy conducted into the air. The entire sleeve array only dissipates cold energy into the air towards the outer sleeve walls, allowing more of the cold energy from the inner sleeve walls to be used for ice-making in the ice-making chamber, further accelerating the ice-making process. Furthermore, in the sleeve layouts shown in figures (a) and (b), adjacent sleeves can also share sidewalls to save material. Of course, adjacent sleeves can also choose not to share sidewalls.

[0073] In the specific embodiment shown in the figure, the fixing structure 40 includes a horizontal first fixing plate 41 and a vertical second fixing plate 42. The top of the second fixing plate 42 is connected to the bottom of the first fixing plate 41. The first fixing plate 41 is in fixed contact with the refrigerant pipe 10, and the second fixing plate 42 is in fixed contact with the outer wall of each sleeve 30. By designing the fixing structure 40 as a plate-shaped first fixing plate 41 and a second fixing plate 42 that are interconnected, the row-and-column arranged sleeves 30 are fixedly connected to the refrigerant pipe 10 in a simple manner.

[0074] In embodiments where the fixed structure 40 and the sleeve 30 are made of highly thermally conductive materials, the first fixed plate 41 is used to conduct the cooling capacity of the refrigerant pipe 10, and the second fixed plate 42 is used to conduct the cooling capacity conducted by the first fixed plate 41 to the sleeve 30, ultimately achieving the transfer of cooling capacity from the refrigerant pipe 10 to the sleeve 30. The plate-shaped fixed plate occupies little space and has high cooling efficiency.

[0075] The bottom sides of the first fixing plate 41 contact the tops of the first pipe 11 and the second pipe 12 in the refrigerant pipe 10, respectively. The shapes of the bottom sides of the first fixing plate 41 are adapted to the shapes of the tops of the first pipe 11 and the third pipe 13, respectively. For example, the bottom sides of the first fixing plate 41 are curved to match the tubular structure shape of the refrigerant pipe 10, increasing the contact area and improving the cooling efficiency. In the specific embodiment shown in the figure, most of the sleeves 30 are arranged in regular rows and columns, and are arranged in two rows (only one sleeve 30 is not arranged in rows and columns). The second fixing plate 42 is located between the two rows of sleeves 30 and its sides contact the outer walls of the two rows of sleeves 30, respectively. The bottom end of the second fixing plate 42 extends to the bottom end of the sleeve 30, which increases the contact area between the second fixing plate 42 and the sleeve 30 and improves the cooling efficiency. By improving the cooling efficiency in the above way, the ice-making speed is further accelerated.

[0076] In the specific embodiment shown in the figure, the fixing structure 40 can be fixed to the refrigerant pipe 10 and the sleeve 30 by welding. Specifically, the first fixing plate 41 is welded to the top of the refrigerant pipe 10, and the second fixing plate 42 is welded to the outer wall of the sleeve 30. Those skilled in the art should understand that the figure is merely an example. In other embodiments, the fixing structure 40 can also be fixed to the refrigerant pipe 10 and the sleeve 30 by other fixing methods, such as threaded connection, riveting, snap-fit, etc. In other embodiments, at least a portion of the fixing structure 40 (e.g., the first fixing plate 41, the second fixing plate 42, or at least a portion thereof) can also be an integral structure with the sleeve 30 or the refrigerant pipe 10; or the fixing structure 40, the sleeve 30, and the refrigerant pipe 10 can be an integral structure. The first fixing plate 41 and the second fixing plate 42 can also be integrally formed, or fixedly connected by welding, riveting, snap-fit, etc.

[0077] Furthermore, adjacent sleeves 30 in each row of sleeves 30 can contact each other, or adjacent sleeves 30 can share a portion of the sleeve wall to achieve heat transfer between sleeves 30, so that the temperature distribution of multiple sleeves 30 is more balanced, thereby keeping the ice-making speed of the ice-making chambers 33 of multiple sleeves 30 consistent.

[0078] Regarding the state of baffle 50, such as Figures 4 to 6 As shown, when ice is needed, the baffle 50 is in the first position (i.e., horizontal state) to close the bottom opening (ice outlet 32) of the sleeve 30, so that an ice-making chamber 33 is formed inside each sleeve 30. Figure 8The diagram schematically illustrates the three-dimensional structure of the baffle 50 of the evaporator assembly 4 of an ice maker according to some embodiments of this application in a second position (i.e., open state). As shown, when ice needs to be removed after ice making, the baffle 50 flips downward to open the ice outlet 32, allowing ice to be released from the outlet 32. If ice making needs to continue, the baffle 50 flips upward to a horizontal state to close the ice outlet 32, and this cycle repeats. In this embodiment, the opening and closing of the ice outlet 32 ​​is achieved by rotating the baffle 50. The opening and closing stroke of the baffle 50 is small, thereby reducing the space occupied, which is particularly advantageous for the miniaturization of the ice maker 100.

[0079] A rotating shaft 51 is provided on the baffle 50. Rotation of the shaft 51 causes the baffle 50 to rotate, thereby closing or opening the ice outlet 32. The rotating shaft 51 is driven to rotate by a drive unit 60. This drive unit can be located within the evaporator assembly 4, or it can be located in the ice maker 100 and be independent of the evaporator assembly 4 (e.g., [missing information]). Figure 3 (As shown). The drive unit 60 can be a motor or other rotation drive device. Taking a motor as an example, the rotating shaft 51 can be fixed to the output shaft of the motor, so that the motor drives the rotating shaft 51 to rotate. In the specific embodiment shown in the figure, a fixing plate 52 is formed extending upward on the baffle 50, and the rotating shaft 51 is fixed to the fixing plate 52.

[0080] In other embodiments, the baffle 50 can also switch between a first position and a second position through other movement methods (e.g., translation, rotation, or any combination of flipping, translation, and rotation) to close or open the ice outlet 32 ​​of the sleeve 30. For example, a translation drive device can be provided in the evaporator assembly 4 or the ice maker 100 to drive the baffle 50 to translate. When ice is needed, the baffle 50 translates to below the sleeve 30 to close the ice outlet 32; when ice is needed to be removed, the baffle 50 moves out from below the sleeve 30 to open the ice outlet 32.

[0081] Figure 9 for Figure 6 The enlarged view in section A schematically illustrates the sealing structure of the baffle 50 and sleeve 30 of the ice maker evaporator assembly 4 according to some embodiments of this application. Please refer to... Figure 9 A mounting groove 53 is provided on the baffle 50 at a position corresponding to each sleeve 30. A sealing ring 54 is provided in the mounting groove 53, and the outline of the sealing ring 54 is adapted to the bottom outline of the sleeve 30. When the sleeve 30 is cylindrical, the sealing ring 54 can be an O-ring. The material of the sealing ring 54 can be silicone, rubber, silicone rubber, etc. By setting the sealing ring 54, when the baffle 50 closes the ice outlet 32, the sealing ring 30 is squeezed by the baffle 50 and the sleeve 30 to seal the ice-making chamber 33 inside the sleeve 30, preventing water injected into the ice-making chamber 33 from leaking out.

[0082] exist Figure 7 In the specific embodiment shown, multiple sleeves 30 are arranged in regular rows and columns, and are arranged in two rows. There are two baffles 50, each corresponding to one row of sleeves 30, used to simultaneously close or open the ice outlet of each sleeve 30 in that row. In other embodiments, when the sleeves 30 are arranged in other rows, the same number of baffles 50 as the number of rows of sleeves 30 can be arranged accordingly, with each baffle 50 corresponding to one row of sleeves 30.

[0083] Please return to the reference. Figures 4 to 6 ,exist Figures 4 to 6 In the specific embodiment shown, although the sleeves 30 located below the first pipe 11 and the third pipe 13 are arranged in regular rows, the sleeves 30 located below the second pipe 12 are arranged separately. Since there is no seal between the two baffles 50, gaps may exist. If only one baffle 50 is provided for each row of sleeves 30, the ice-making chamber 33 inside the sleeves 30 below the second pipe 12 cannot be sealed. For this arrangement of sleeves 30, only one larger baffle 50 can be provided to simultaneously close or open the ice outlet 32 ​​of each sleeve 30 in all of the sleeves 30. Figures 4 to 6 The size of the single baffle 50 used is larger than Figure 7 The dimensions of each of the two baffles 50 used.

[0084] Compared to setting a single large baffle 50 to close or open all ice outlets 32, and setting multiple baffles 50, but with at least one baffle 50 used to close or open the ice outlets 32 of multiple rows of sleeves 30, Figure 7 In the specific embodiment shown, by arranging baffles 50 with the same number of rows as the sleeves 30, each baffle 50 is used to simultaneously close or open the ice outlet of each sleeve 30 in its corresponding row of sleeves 30, so that the size of the baffles 50 can be designed to be smaller, further reducing the space occupied.

[0085] Multiple baffles 50 can also be provided, for example, each baffle 50 corresponds to one or more sleeves 30. The baffles 50 can be driven by their respective drive units, or at least two baffles 50 can be driven by the same drive unit.

[0086] For information on how evaporator assembly 4 is secured, please refer to [link / reference needed]. Figures 4 to 7The ice maker evaporator assembly 4 also includes a fixing member 70 disposed on the refrigerant pipe 10. This fixing member 70 is used to fix the ice maker evaporator assembly 4 as a whole within the ice maker 100. The fixing method can be threaded fastening, welding, riveting, snap-fitting, etc., and this application does not limit it to any particular method. The fixing member 70 can be a fixing plate. The specific embodiment shown in the figure uses a roughly L-shaped fixing plate with fixing holes 71. Threaded fasteners can pass through the fixing holes 71 to fix the ice maker evaporator assembly 4 as a whole within the ice maker 100.

[0087] Please see Figures 10 to 12 The structures of ice maker evaporator assemblies 4 according to other embodiments of this application are schematically shown respectively, wherein, Figure 10 The schematic diagram illustrates the three-dimensional structure of an ice maker evaporator assembly 4 according to other embodiments of this application. Figure 11 The diagram schematically illustrates another perspective view of the evaporator assembly 4 of an ice maker according to other embodiments of this application. Figure 12 The diagram schematically illustrates a cross-sectional view of an ice maker evaporator assembly 4 according to other embodiments of this application.

[0088] Figures 10 to 12 The ice maker evaporator assembly 4 of the illustrated embodiment has an evaporator tube and sleeve layout similar to... Figure 7 The illustrated embodiment is the same. Except for this, it is identical to... Figures 4 to 9 The main difference between the two embodiments shown lies in the different fixing structures 40. The following mainly discusses... Figures 10 to 12 The fixing structure 40 of the illustrated embodiment will be described, and the other components can be referred to. Figures 4 to 9 The description of the illustrated embodiment will not be repeated here. Figures 10 to 12 As shown, in this embodiment, the fixing structure 40 includes a horizontal first fixing plate 41, a vertical third fixing plate 44, and a fixing connection part 43, which is T-shaped. The third fixing plate 44 is connected to the first fixing plate 41 through the fixing connection part 43. The third fixing plate 44 consists of two parallel plates that respectively contact or fix to the outer walls of the sleeves 30 on both sides. By designing the fixing structure 40 into two parts: the first part is a plate-shaped first fixing plate 41; the second part includes the third fixing plate 44 and the fixing connection part 43, wherein the third fixing plate 44 is a double-plate structure, and the T-shaped fixing connection part 43 is also composed of plate-shaped parts. The above structural design also occupies less space. In embodiments where the fixing structure 40 and the sleeves 30 are made of metal or metal alloy, the first fixing plate 41 can be used to conduct the cooling capacity of the refrigerant pipe 10, and the T-shaped fixing connection part 43 and the third fixing plate 44 together conduct the cooling capacity conducted by the first fixing plate 41 to the sleeves 30, resulting in high cooling efficiency.

[0089] Please see Figures 13 to 15The structures of ice maker evaporator assemblies 4 according to other embodiments of this application are schematically shown respectively, wherein, Figure 13 The schematic diagram illustrates the three-dimensional structure of an ice maker evaporator assembly 4 according to other embodiments of this application. Figure 14 The diagram schematically illustrates a cross-sectional view of an ice maker evaporator assembly 4 according to other embodiments of this application.

[0090] Figures 13 to 14 The ice maker evaporator assembly 4 of the illustrated embodiment has an evaporator tube and sleeve layout similar to... Figure 7 The illustrated embodiment is the same. Except for this, it is identical to... Figures 4 to 9 The main difference in the illustrated embodiments lies in the different fixing structure 40, which will be discussed below. Figures 13 to 14 The fixing structure 40 of the illustrated embodiment will be described, and the other components can be referred to. Figures 4 to 9 The description of the illustrated embodiment will not be repeated here. Figures 13 to 15 As shown, in this embodiment, the fixing structure 40 includes multiple fixing connection portions 45 corresponding one-to-one with multiple sleeves 30. Each fixing connection portion 45 includes a curved upper end 45a and a vertical lower end 45b. The upper end 45a of each fixing connection portion 45 is fixedly connected to the top of the refrigerant pipe 10, and the lower end 45b is fixed to the outer wall of the sleeve 30 corresponding to the fixing connection portion 45. When the fixing structure 40 and the sleeves 30 are made of metal or metal alloy, the cooling capacity of the refrigerant pipe 10 is conducted from the upper end 45a of the fixing connection portion 45 to the lower end 45b of the fixing connection portion 45, and then to the sleeve 30. Similarly, the fixing connection portion 45 can also be an integral structure with the sleeve 30 or the refrigerant pipe 10, or the fixing connection portion 45, the sleeve 30, and the refrigerant pipe 10 can all be an integral structure.

[0091] In the specific embodiment shown in the figure, by designing a matching fixing connection part 45 for each sleeve 30, the installation of the fixing structure 40 on the refrigerant pipe 10 and the sleeve 30 can be facilitated. Each fixing connection part 45 is a plate-shaped fixed plate with an upward bend and a downward straightness. The plate-shaped fixing plate occupies little space. The bending shape of the upper end 45a of the fixing connection part 45 is adapted to the tubular structure shape of the refrigerant pipe 10, increasing the contact area between the two and improving the cooling efficiency.

[0092] When the ice maker evaporator assembly 4 of the embodiments of this application is applied to the ice maker 100, such as Figure 3As shown, the water distributor 3 in the ice maker 100 can be configured to have a water inlet pipe 3a corresponding to each sleeve 30. Each sleeve 30 has a water inlet, and water is individually injected into each sleeve 30 through the water inlet pipe 3a. That is, the water inlet of each sleeve 30 is used to directly receive the injected water. By injecting water into each sleeve 30 individually, the water injection of each sleeve 30 can be carried out synchronously, which speeds up the water injection speed and thus improves the ice-making efficiency.

[0093] Figure 15 The three-dimensional structure of the evaporator assembly 4 of an ice maker according to other embodiments of this application is schematically shown. For ease of illustration of the bottom structure of the sleeve 30, the baffle is not shown. As shown, at least two adjacent sleeves 30 are connected by a connecting pipe 35, which is located at the bottom between the two adjacent sleeves 30 and connects the ice-making chambers 33 of the two adjacent sleeves 30. This design allows water in the ice-making chamber 33 of one sleeve 30 (e.g., the first sleeve 30a) to flow into the ice-making chamber 33 of its adjacent sleeve 30 (e.g., the second sleeve 30b), and then into the ice-making chamber 33 of another sleeve 30 (e.g., the third sleeve 30c adjacent to the second sleeve 30b)... until the ice-making chambers 33 of all sleeves 30 are filled with water. At least one of the multiple sleeves 30 has a water inlet for receiving injected water. After entering the ice-making chamber 33 of at least one sleeve 30, the water flows into the ice-making chambers 33 of other sleeves 30 through a connecting pipe 35. In this embodiment, water can be injected into one or a few sleeves 30, and the injected water can be diverted to other sleeves 30 through the connecting pipe 35, thereby filling all sleeves 30 with water. In this embodiment, it is not necessary to configure a water inlet pipe 3a for each sleeve 30 in the water distributor 3, which simplifies the structure of the water distributor 3 and reduces component costs.

[0094] Some embodiments of this application also provide an ice maker 100 that applies the ice maker evaporator assembly 4 of any of the above embodiments.

[0095] Finally, it should be noted that the above embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of this application, and not 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 or all of the technical features therein. These modifications or substitutions do not cause the essence of the corresponding technical solutions to deviate from the scope of the technical solutions of the embodiments of this application, and they should all be covered within the scope of the claims and specification of this application. In particular, as long as there is no structural conflict, the various technical features mentioned in the embodiments can be combined in any way. This application is not limited to the specific embodiments disclosed herein, but includes all technical solutions falling within the scope of the claims.

Claims

1. An evaporator assembly for an ice maker, characterized in that, include: Refrigerant pipe; Multiple evaporator tubes are disposed below the refrigerant tube, and each evaporator tube is connected to the refrigerant tube. Multiple sleeves are provided in one-to-one correspondence with the plurality of evaporation tubes, with at least a portion of each evaporation tube extending into its corresponding sleeve; A fixed structure is used to fix the refrigerant pipe and the plurality of sleeves; At least one movable baffle, when the movable baffle is in the first position, closes the bottom opening of the sleeve, so that an ice-making chamber is formed inside each sleeve, and when the movable baffle is in the second position, opens the bottom opening of the sleeve.

2. The ice maker evaporator assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that, The ice maker evaporator assembly also includes a drive unit for driving the at least one movable baffle to move between the first position and the second position.

3. The ice maker evaporator assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that, At least some of the sleeves are arranged in rows and columns, with each movable baffle corresponding to at least one row of sleeves.

4. The ice maker evaporator assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that, At least one movable baffle has an installation groove corresponding to each sleeve, and a sealing ring is provided in the installation groove. The outline of the sealing ring is adapted to the bottom outline of the sleeve.

5. The ice maker evaporator assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that, A connecting pipe is provided between at least two adjacent sleeves of the plurality of sleeves, and the connecting pipe connects the ice-making chamber of the adjacent sleeves.

6. The ice maker evaporator assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that, The sleeve and the fixing structure are made of metal or metal alloy.

7. The ice maker evaporator assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that, The fixing structure includes a horizontal first fixing plate and a vertical second fixing plate. The first fixing plate is connected to the first fixing plate and is fixedly in contact with the refrigerant pipe. The second fixing plate is fixedly in contact with the outer wall of each sleeve.

8. The ice maker evaporator assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that, The fixing structure includes multiple fixing connection parts. Each sleeve in the multiple sleeves corresponds to at least one fixing connection part. Each fixing connection part includes a curved upper end and a vertical lower end. The shape of the curved upper end is adapted to the shape of the refrigerant pipe. The curved upper end of each fixing connection part is fixedly connected to the top of the refrigerant pipe, and the vertical lower end is fixed to the outer wall of the sleeve corresponding to the fixing connection part.

9. The ice maker evaporator assembly according to claim 7 or 8, characterized in that, At least a portion of the fixing structure is integral with the sleeve.

10. The ice maker evaporator assembly according to claim 3, characterized in that, The multiple sleeves are cylindrical or hexagonal prisms, and adjacent rows of sleeves are staggered and closely arranged to minimize the gap between adjacent rows of sleeves.

11. An ice maker, characterized in that, Includes the ice maker evaporator assembly as described in any one of claims 1 to 10.

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