Ice making assembly and ice maker

Abstract

The utility model relates to the technical field of ice making discloses an ice making assembly and ice maker, ice making assembly includes groove, evaporimeter, ice maker and liquid discharger. The inside of groove defines and holds the chamber, and the groove still includes first opening and bottom wall, and first opening communicates holding chamber, evaporimeter is held in holding chamber, and the inside of evaporimeter defines first channel, ice maker is connected to one side of evaporimeter towards bottom wall, and the inside of ice maker defines second channel, and second channel communicates first channel, liquid discharger is connected to the groove, and liquid discharger is suitable for reducing the liquid level of liquid in holding chamber to make evaporimeter switch from cooling state to working state, wherein, in cooling state, evaporimeter is immersed in liquid, and in working state, evaporimeter is exposed above the liquid level of liquid. The ice making assembly of the utility model can improve the heat exchange efficiency with liquid water, improve ice making efficiency and ice body quality. The ice maker with the ice making assembly also has the advantages.

Description

Technical Field

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

[0002] The ice-making assembly includes an evaporator and an ice maker. During ice-making, the ice maker needs to come into contact with liquid water. Then, a cooling medium is introduced into the ice maker through the evaporator. Heat exchange occurs between the ice maker and the liquid water, thereby lowering the temperature of the liquid water to turn it into ice.

[0003] In related technologies, when the ice-making component lowers the temperature of liquid water to condense it into ice, only the ice maker comes into contact with the liquid water to perform the cooling work. This results in low heat exchange efficiency between the ice-making component and the liquid water, reducing the ice-making efficiency and ice quality of the ice maker. Utility Model Content

[0004] This invention aims to solve at least one of the technical problems existing in the prior art. To this end, this invention proposes an ice-making assembly that can improve the heat exchange efficiency between the ice-making assembly and liquid water, thereby improving ice-making efficiency and ice quality.

[0005] This utility model also proposes an ice maker having the above-mentioned ice-making components.

[0006] According to a first aspect of the present invention, the ice-making assembly is suitable for manufacturing ice and includes a tank, an evaporator, an ice maker, and a drainer.

[0007] A tank body, with an internally defined receiving cavity for containing liquid, the tank body further includes a first opening and a bottom wall, the first opening communicating with the receiving cavity and for introducing liquid into the receiving cavity; an evaporator, housed in the receiving cavity, the evaporator having an internally defined first channel; an ice maker, connected to the side of the evaporator facing the bottom wall, the ice maker having an internally defined second channel communicating with the first channel, the first channel and the second channel for conducting cooling medium; and a drain device, connected to the tank body, the drain device being adapted to lower the liquid level in the receiving cavity to switch the evaporator from a cooling state to an operating state.

[0008] In the cooling state, the evaporator is immersed in the liquid; in the operating state, the evaporator is exposed above the surface of the liquid.

[0009] The ice-making assembly according to the embodiments of this utility model has at least the following beneficial effects: In the cooling state, both the evaporator and the ice maker are immersed in the liquid. When a cooling medium is introduced into the ice-making assembly, the evaporator and the ice maker can be used simultaneously to cool the liquid in the containment cavity, thereby promoting the heat exchange efficiency with the liquid and increasing the cooling rate. Furthermore, before the liquid freezes into ice, excess liquid in the containment cavity is drained through a drain valve, allowing the evaporator to be exposed above the liquid surface, thus preventing the evaporator from affecting the quality of the produced ice. This utility model allows for precise control of the liquid level in the containment cavity of the ice-making assembly. By dynamically adjusting the liquid level, the maximum heat exchange efficiency between the cooling medium and the liquid is achieved, which can quickly reduce the temperature of the liquid in the containment cavity without affecting the quality of the produced ice.

[0010] According to some embodiments of the present invention, the tank further includes a second opening, the second opening communicating with the receiving cavity, and the drain device includes a drain valve and a control component connected together. The drain valve is disposed in the second opening, and the drain valve is controlled by the control component to open or close the second opening.

[0011] According to some embodiments of the present invention, the drain device includes a drain pump and a control component connected together, wherein:

[0012] The drain pump is located at the first opening, and the drain pump is controlled by the control element to introduce liquid into the receiving cavity or to drain liquid from the receiving cavity;

[0013] Alternatively, the tank may also have a third opening communicating with the receiving cavity, and the drain pump may be located at the third opening to drain the liquid from the receiving cavity.

[0014] According to some embodiments of the present invention, the drain device includes a rotating component and a control component connected together. The rotating component is movably connected to the tank body, and the rotating component is controlled by the control component to drive the tank body to rotate.

[0015] According to some embodiments of the present invention, the rotating component includes a rotating shaft connected to the tank body, and the drain device further includes a rotation sensor connected to the rotating component to sense the angle of rotation of the rotating shaft; or, the rotating component includes a rotating shaft and a trigger switch, the trigger switch being located on the flipping path of the tank body, and the rotating shaft stopping rotating when the trigger switch is triggered.

[0016] According to some embodiments of the present invention, in the operating state, the ice maker is at least partially immersed in liquid.

[0017] According to some embodiments of this utility model, the evaporator includes at least two first tubes arranged side by side, each first tube including a first refrigerant port and a second refrigerant port, wherein the first refrigerant ports of at least two first tubes are connected to each other and the second refrigerant port is also connected to each first tube, and each first tube is connected to a plurality of ice makers arranged at intervals along its axial direction; or...

[0018] The evaporator includes a connecting pipe and at least two first pipe bodies arranged side by side. Each first pipe body includes a first refrigerant port and a second refrigerant port. The first refrigerant port or the second refrigerant port of two adjacent first pipe bodies are connected through the connecting pipe, and each first pipe body is connected to a plurality of ice makers arranged at intervals along its axial direction.

[0019] According to some embodiments of the present invention, the ice-making assembly further includes a temperature sensor and a controller. The temperature sensor detects the temperature of the liquid in the receiving cavity and outputs a liquid temperature signal to the controller. The controller communicates with the drain device and controls the drain device to drain the liquid according to the liquid temperature signal; and / or,

[0020] The ice-making assembly also includes a liquid level sensor for detecting the liquid level in the containment cavity and configured to control the drain device to stop draining liquid when the evaporator is exposed above the liquid surface.

[0021] According to some embodiments of the present invention, the ice-making assembly further includes a liquid remover configured to operate in the working state to remove liquid adhering to the evaporator.

[0022] An ice maker according to a second aspect of the present invention includes a water tank and an ice-making assembly as described in any of the above embodiments. A liquid storage chamber is defined inside the water tank; the first opening is connected to the liquid storage chamber via a pipe.

[0023] The ice maker according to the embodiments of this utility model has at least the following beneficial effects: During the ice-making process, the ice-making component draws liquid from the water tank into the receiving cavity through pipes until the liquid submerges the evaporator and the ice maker, thereby increasing the contact area between the ice-making component and the liquid to improve the heat exchange rate. Subsequently, the drain valve discharges part of the liquid to lower the liquid level, exposing the evaporator to the liquid to prevent the evaporator from affecting the quality of the ice produced.

[0024] Additional aspects and advantages of this invention will be set forth in part in the description which follows, and in part will be obvious from the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention. Attached Figure Description

[0025] The present invention will be further described below with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments, wherein:

[0026] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the ice-making component in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0027] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the ice-making component in an embodiment of the present utility model;

[0028] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the ice-making component in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0029] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the ice-making component in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0030] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the ice-making component in an embodiment of the present utility model;

[0031] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the ice-making component in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0032] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the ice-making component in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0033] Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of the evaporator in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0034] Figure 9 This is a schematic diagram of the evaporator in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0035] Figure 10 This is a schematic diagram of an ice maker in an embodiment of the present invention.

[0036] Figure label:

[0037] 10 ice makers;

[0038] Ice-making assembly 100; tank 110; receiving cavity 111; first opening 1111; second opening 1112; third opening 1113; evaporator 120; first channel 121; connecting pipe 122; curved structure 1221; first pipe body 123; first refrigerant port 1231; second refrigerant port 1232; ice maker 130; first end 131; second end 132; second channel 133; ice-making section 134; drain device 140; drain valve 141; drain pump 142; rotating component 143; rotating shaft 1431; trigger switch 144; liquid level sensor 150; rotation axis X;

[0039] Water tank 200; liquid storage chamber 210; liquid 300. Detailed Implementation

[0040] The embodiments of this utility model are described in detail below. Examples of these embodiments are shown in the accompanying drawings, wherein the same or similar reference numerals denote the same or similar elements or elements having the same or similar functions throughout. The embodiments described below with reference to the accompanying drawings are exemplary and are only used to explain this utility model, and should not be construed as limiting this utility model.

[0041] In the description of this utility model, it should be understood that the directional descriptions, such as up, down, front, back, left, right, etc., indicate the directional or positional relationship based on the directional or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings. They are only for the convenience of describing this utility model 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 utility model.

[0042] In the description of this utility model, "several" means one or more, "multiple" means two or more, "greater than," "less than," and "exceeding" are understood to exclude the stated number, while "above," "below," and "within" are understood to include the stated number. The use of "first" and "second" in the description is merely for distinguishing technical features and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance, or implicitly indicating the number of indicated technical features, or implicitly indicating the order of the indicated technical features.

[0043] In the description of this utility model, unless otherwise explicitly defined, terms such as "setting," "installation," and "connection" should be interpreted broadly, and those skilled in the art can reasonably determine the specific meaning of the above terms in this utility model in conjunction with the specific content of the technical solution.

[0044] In the description of this utility model, the terms "one embodiment," "some embodiments," "illustrative embodiment," "example," "specific example," or "some examples," etc., refer to specific features, structures, materials, or characteristics described in connection with that embodiment or example, which are included in at least one embodiment or example of this utility model. In this specification, the illustrative expressions of the above terms do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment or example. Furthermore, the specific features, structures, materials, or characteristics described may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments or examples.

[0045] The ice-making assembly of the first aspect embodiment and the ice maker of the second aspect embodiment of the present invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. It should be noted that in practical applications of the ice-making assembly and the ice maker, the liquid condensed into ice by the ice-making assembly and the ice maker can be liquid water or liquid substances such as liquid fruit juice.

[0046] A first aspect of this utility model provides an ice-making assembly 100 for manufacturing ice, see below. Figure 1 and Figure 2As shown, the ice-making assembly 100 includes a tank 110, an evaporator 120, an ice maker 130, and a drain 140. The tank 110 has an internal cavity 111 for containing liquid 300. The outer wall of the tank 110 has a first opening 1111 communicating with the cavity 111 to guide the liquid 300 from the external environment into the cavity 111 to meet ice-making requirements. The tank 110 also has a bottom wall, and the first opening 1111 can be located on the bottom wall, side wall, or top wall of the tank 110. The evaporator 120 is disposed in the cavity 111, and its interior has a first channel 121 for conducting cooling medium to cool the liquid 300. The ice maker 130 is connected to the evaporator 120 and is disposed on the side of the evaporator 120 facing the bottom wall, i.e., the ice maker 130 is located between the evaporator 120 and the bottom wall. The interior of the ice maker 130 defines a second channel 133, which is connected to the first channel 121. When the cooling medium enters the first channel 121, it is conducted along the path of the first channel 121 to the second channel 133, so that the evaporator 120 and the ice maker 130 together cool the liquid 300 in the receiving cavity 111.

[0047] A drain valve 140 is connected to the tank 110. The drain valve 140 is used to drain the liquid 300 from the receiving cavity 111, lowering the liquid level of the liquid 300 to change the relative position of the evaporator 120 and the liquid 300, thereby switching the evaporator 120 from a cooling state to a working state. See also... Figure 2 As shown, the evaporator 120 is in a cooling state, at which time the evaporator 120 is immersed in the liquid 300 to increase the contact area between the ice-making assembly 100 and the liquid 300. See reference. Figures 3 to 7 As shown, the evaporator 120 is in operation, and at this time the evaporator 120 is exposed from the liquid 300 and placed on the surface of the liquid 300.

[0048] Specifically, in practical applications, during the liquid 300 addition stage, the drain valve 140 remains closed. When the liquid level of 300 is higher than the height set by the evaporator 120, the tank 110 stops introducing liquid 300 into the receiving cavity 111. During ice production, the liquid 300 needs to undergo a cooling stage and a freezing stage. During the cooling stage, the evaporator 120 and the ice maker 130 are both immersed in the liquid 300 in the receiving cavity 111, at which point the evaporator 120 is in a cooling state. The cooling medium is introduced into the first channel 121 and the second channel 133 to exchange heat with the liquid 300. When the temperature of liquid 300 drops to a set temperature (e.g., the temperature before freezing), drain valve 140 opens to drain a portion of the liquid 300 from the receiving chamber 111. When the liquid level of liquid 300 falls below the set height of evaporator 120, drain valve 140 stops draining, at which point evaporator 120 is exposed to the atmosphere and is in operation. Then, ice maker 130 continuously cools the liquid 300 to freeze it into ice. During ice making, because evaporator 120 is exposed to the liquid 300, only ice maker 130 can perform the freezing operation, ensuring that the shape of the ice produced is not affected by evaporator 120.

[0049] In this embodiment, the ice maker 130 has a cylindrical structure. During ice making, the cooling medium gradually lowers around the ice maker 130, with the axis of the ice maker 130 as the center, so that the ice formed by the liquid 300 is arranged around the cylindrical structure of the ice maker 130 to conform to a predetermined shape, such as a bullet shape. In other embodiments, the ice-making assembly 100 can also use molds or other tools to make the ice into a square or spherical shape. The evaporator 120 is a tubular structure laid horizontally in the receiving cavity 111. Therefore, when the ice is condensed, the evaporator 120 needs to be exposed on the liquid surface to prevent the liquid 300 around the evaporator 120 from continuously cooling and condensing into ice, which would result in an incorrect ice shape and reduce the quality of the ice.

[0050] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the ice-making assembly 100 can determine whether the liquid 300 submerges the evaporator 120 during injection and exposes the evaporator 120 during drainage by setting a sensor with a liquid level detection function.

[0051] In another embodiment, the ice-making assembly 100 can also confirm the relationship between the injection volume and injection time, the cooling efficiency of the liquid 300 and time, and the drainage volume and drainage time by conducting multiple sets of experiments. For example, based on the injection volume of the ice-making assembly 100, it can be determined that after one minute of injection, the liquid 300 will submerge the evaporator 120; after one minute of cooling of the liquid 300 in the receiving cavity 111 by the evaporator 120 and the ice maker 130, the liquid 300 can be cooled to the set temperature; and after the drainer 140 drains the liquid 300 in the receiving cavity 111 for twenty seconds, the liquid level of the liquid 300 will be below the set height of the evaporator 120, thus exposing the evaporator 120 above the liquid surface. The liquid level of the liquid 300 can also be controlled through experimental data without the need for sensors.

[0052] The ice-making assembly 100 of this embodiment controls the liquid level change of the liquid 300 when it is injected into the receiving cavity 111, ensuring that the evaporator 120 and the ice maker 130 are submerged in the liquid 300 when it is added. This increases the contact area between the ice-making assembly 100 and the liquid 300 when the cooling medium is introduced to cool the liquid 300, thereby promoting heat exchange efficiency, increasing the cooling rate, and improving the quality of the ice. Specifically, while keeping the overall time constant, the time required to lower the temperature of the liquid 300 is reduced, allowing more time for the ice maker 130 to make ice, resulting in a thicker ice and improved ice quality. Alternatively, because the time required to lower the temperature of the liquid 300 is reduced, the total ice-making time per cycle of the ice-making assembly 100 can be shortened (total ice-making time = liquid cooling time + ice-making time) while keeping the ice-making time constant. Furthermore, by setting up a drain device 140 to lower the liquid level of the liquid 300 in the receiving cavity 111, the evaporator 120 can be exposed above the liquid surface of the liquid 300 before the liquid 300 freezes into ice, thereby avoiding the evaporator 120 from affecting the quality of the produced ice.

[0053] In one example, see Figure 3 As shown, in addition to the first opening 1111, the receiving cavity 111 also has a second opening 1112 spaced apart from the first opening 1111, and the second opening 1112 communicates with the receiving cavity 111. The first opening 1111 and the second opening 1112 can be located on the same side of the tank 110 or on different sides. The drain device 140 includes a drain valve 141 and a control component, wherein the drain valve 141 is connected to the tank 110 and located at the second opening 1112. The control component can be electric, pneumatic, or other types of control elements, and the control component is used to operate the opening and closing of the drain valve 141. In practical applications, the location of the second opening 1112 is not specifically limited, and it can be located on the side wall or bottom wall of the receiving cavity 111.

[0054] Specifically, when the temperature of the liquid 300 in the receiving cavity 111 drops to a preset value, and it is necessary to lower the liquid level in the receiving cavity 111 to expose the evaporator 120, the drain valve 141 can be opened by the control unit, so that some of the liquid 300 is discharged from the second opening 1112, thereby achieving the purpose of regulating the liquid level. During the draining process, when the liquid level reaches the preset value, that is, below the set height of the evaporator 120, the ice-making assembly 100 will transmit a signal to the control unit to close the drain valve 141, stopping the discharge of the liquid 300.

[0055] In another embodiment, the drain device 140 includes a drain pump 142 and a control unit connected to it. The drain pump 142 is connected to the tank 110 and is controlled by the control unit to perform a draining operation.

[0056] In this embodiment, see Figure 4 As shown, a drain pump 142 is disposed at the first opening 1111 for introducing liquid from the external environment into the receiving cavity 111 or discharging liquid from the receiving cavity 111 to lower the liquid level. Specifically, the first opening 1111 can perform both liquid inlet and liquid outlet functions. The drain pump 142 is mounted on the first opening 1111 and configured to have a bidirectional pumping function, so that when liquid 300 needs to be replenished, the drain pump 142 can introduce liquid 300 from the external environment into the receiving cavity 111 to meet the needs of ice making; when liquid 300 needs to be discharged to lower the liquid level, it draws liquid 300 from the receiving cavity 111 for discharge. By enabling the first opening 1111 to both introduce and discharge liquid, the number of openings on the tank 110 can be reduced, thereby reducing the risk of liquid 300 leakage, and also improving the structural compactness of the ice-making assembly 100 and simplifying the overall structure of the ice-making assembly 100.

[0057] In another embodiment, see Figure 5 As shown, the outer wall of the receiving cavity 111 and the channel body 110 has a third opening 1113, which is spaced apart from the first opening 1111. The receiving cavity 111 communicates with the external environment through the third opening 1113 on the channel body 110 for drainage. In practical applications, the position of the second opening 1113 is not specifically limited; it can be located on the side wall or bottom wall of the receiving cavity 111.

[0058] Specifically, in this embodiment, the drain pump 142 is a one-way pump. When the temperature of the liquid 300 in the receiving cavity 111 drops to a certain value, and it is necessary to lower the liquid level in the receiving cavity 111 to expose the evaporator 120, the control unit will start the drain pump 142. At this time, the drain pump 142 will generate suction to draw the liquid 300 from the receiving cavity 111, thereby realizing the discharge of the liquid 300 and the reduction of the liquid level. The drain pump 142 can generate suction to drain the liquid 300 in the receiving cavity 111, thereby increasing the discharge rate of the liquid 300, thus increasing the ice-making rate and the quality of the ice. That is, it shortens the draining time, prolongs the freezing time of the ice, increases the thickness of the ice, and improves the quality of the ice.

[0059] In another alternative embodiment, the drain device 140 includes a rotating member 143 and a control member connected together, wherein the rotating member 143 is movably connected to the tank body 110. The rotating member 143 is controlled by the control member and can drive the entire tank body 110 to rotate, thereby realizing the discharge of liquid 300. The tank body 110 also has a top wall, with the top and bottom walls arranged opposite each other.

[0060] Among them, see Figure 6 As shown, the first opening 1111 is located on the top wall of the tank 110, serving both as an inlet and outlet for liquid. In this design, the first opening 1111 can connect to a portion of the top wall structure or the entire top wall. When liquid 300 needs to be introduced into the receiving cavity 111, the receiving cavity 111 can be connected to the external environment via a delivery pipe, thereby introducing liquid 300 into the receiving cavity 111. When it is necessary to drain the liquid and lower the liquid level, the rotating component 143 can rotate the tank 110 around the rotation axis X at a certain angle, thereby achieving the discharge of liquid 300.

[0061] Or, see Figure 1 and Figure 7As shown, the receiving cavity 111 has a second opening 1112 connected to the tank 110, which communicates with the external environment. The second opening 1112 and the first opening 1111 are spaced apart. The second opening 1112 is located on the top wall of the tank 110, and the rotating component 143 and the tank 110 have a rotation axis X. During operation, when it is necessary to lower the liquid level in the receiving cavity 111 to switch the evaporator 120 from the cooling state to the working state, the rotating component 143, under the control of the control component, will drive the tank 110 to move together. At this time, the rotating component 143 will drive the tank 110 to rotate around the rotation axis X at a certain angle. After rotating through a certain angle, the liquid 300 in the receiving cavity 111 will flow out through the second opening 1112, thereby achieving the purpose of lowering the liquid level. The rotation angle and speed can be adjusted according to actual needs to precisely control the amount of liquid 300 discharged, as long as the evaporator 120 can be exposed above the liquid surface.

[0062] Furthermore, in one example, see [link to example]. Figure 6 and Figure 7 As shown, the drain device 140 also includes a rotation sensor. The rotating component 143 includes a rotating shaft 1431, which is connected to both sides of the tank 110 and used to drive the tank 110 to rotate. The rotation sensor is connected to the rotating component 143 and is used to sense the angle of rotation of the rotating shaft 1431. The rotation sensor can be connected to the rotating component 143 at a position distinct from the rotating shaft 1431, or it can be connected to the rotating shaft 1431 and rotate with it, thereby sensing the angle of rotation of the rotating shaft 1431.

[0063] Specifically, in this embodiment, the rotation sensor and the rotation shaft 1431 are spaced apart, and the rotation sensor is connected to other positions on the rotating component 143. When the control unit manipulates the rotation shaft 1431 to rotate the tank 110 to discharge the liquid 300, the rotation sensor will sense the angle through which the rotation shaft 1431 rotates in real time. For example, when it is necessary to lower the liquid level to a specified height, this specified height corresponds to a rotation angle. At this time, the rotation sensor can accurately obtain the angle through which the rotation shaft 1431 rotates, thereby accurately discharging the liquid 300 to make the liquid level match the specified height, thus avoiding the problem of inaccurate liquid level caused by excessive rotation of the tank 110 or too small rotation angle.

[0064] Alternatively, in another embodiment, see [reference] Figure 6 and Figure 7As shown, the rotating component 143 includes a rotating shaft 1431 and a trigger switch 144. The trigger switch 144 is located on the rotation path of the tank 110. When the trigger switch 144 is triggered, the rotating shaft 1431 stops rotating. Specifically, the trigger switch 144 is set at a certain position on the rotation path of the tank 110, and this position is set based on the required rotation angle of the tank 110. When the tank 110 rotates together with the rotating shaft 1431 to discharge part of the liquid 300 in the receiving cavity 111, after the tank 110 has rotated through the specified angle, the tank 110 will contact the trigger switch 144. The trigger switch 144 will send a stop rotation signal, causing the ice-making component 100 to control the rotating shaft 1431 to stop operating, thereby stopping the rotation of the tank 110. This also allows for precise discharge of the liquid 300 from the receiving cavity 111 to ensure that the liquid level matches the preset value. Specifically, the rotating component 143 can be a motor, and the rotating shaft 1431 is the output shaft of the motor. In practical applications, the 110° rotation angle of the tank can also be determined by detecting the number of rotations of the motor's output shaft, thus achieving precise liquid discharge.

[0065] In some embodiments, see Figures 3 to 7 As shown, the ice maker 130 has a first end 131 and a second end 132 arranged opposite each other in the vertical direction. The first end 131 is connected to the side of the evaporator 120 facing the receiving cavity 111. A second channel 133 connects to the end of the first end 131 to the first channel 121, allowing the cooling medium to enter the second channel 133 through the first channel 121. When the evaporator 120 is in operation, at least a portion of the first end 131 is exposed above the surface of the liquid 300, while the second end 132 is submerged in the liquid 300. After the ice is made, it needs to be separated from the ice maker 130. By exposing the first end 131 of the ice maker 130, the ice maker 130 is not completely frozen and covered by the ice. When separating the ice and the ice maker 130, the ice can be detached from the exposed first end 131, thereby improving the separation efficiency of the ice and the ice maker 130.

[0066] In some embodiments, see Figure 8 As shown, the evaporator 120 includes at least two first tubes 123 arranged side-by-side in the receiving cavity 111. Each first tube 123 includes a first refrigerant port 1231 and a second refrigerant port 1232. The refrigerant is a cooling medium used to cool the liquid 300 in the receiving cavity 111. The first refrigerant ports 1231 of the at least two first tubes 123 are interconnected, and the second refrigerant ports 1232 of the at least two first tubes 123 are also interconnected. Each first tube 123 has an ice maker 130 spaced axially along its side facing the bottom wall.

[0067] Specifically, in one embodiment, the evaporator 120 includes two connecting pipes 122 with curved structures 1221 and two first pipe bodies 123. A first refrigerant port 1231 and a second refrigerant port 1232 are the ports at both ends of the first pipe bodies 123. The two first pipe bodies 123 are arranged side-by-side at intervals within the receiving cavity 111. The first refrigerant ports 1231 of the two first pipe bodies 123 are connected to the same connecting pipe 122, and the second refrigerant ports 1232 are also connected to another identical connecting pipe 122, thus making the evaporator 120 a closed parallel ring structure. When the cooling medium enters the first channel 121, the cooling medium flows continuously within the first channel 121. The parallel ring structure of the evaporator 120 promotes rapid circulation of the cooling medium within the multiple first channels 121.

[0068] Secondly, the ice maker 130 includes multiple ice-making sections 134, which are spaced apart on the side of the first tube 123 facing the bottom wall. Each ice-making section 134 defines a second channel 133, which communicates with the connecting pipe 122 and the first channel 121 inside the first tube 123, allowing the cooling medium to be introduced from the first channel 121 into the second channel 133 for heat exchange. By providing multiple ice-making sections 134, the ice maker 130 can produce multiple ice pieces at once during ice formation, thereby improving ice production efficiency. Since the ice solidifies on the outer wall of the ice-making section 134 after formation, the spaced-apart arrangement of the multiple ice-making sections 134 prevents ice pieces from connecting between adjacent sections 134, thus avoiding affecting the ice formation quality.

[0069] Alternatively, in another embodiment, see [reference] Figure 9 As shown, the evaporator 120 includes a connecting pipe 122 and at least two first pipe bodies 123 arranged side by side. Each first pipe body 123 includes a first refrigerant port 1231 and a second refrigerant port 1232. The refrigerant is a cooling medium used to cool the liquid 300 in the receiving cavity 111. The first refrigerant ports 1231 or second refrigerant ports 1232 of adjacent first pipe bodies 123 are connected by the connecting pipe 122.

[0070] Specifically, in this embodiment, the evaporator 120 includes a plurality of connecting pipes 122 with curved structures 1221 and a plurality of first pipe bodies 123. The plurality of first pipe bodies 123 are spaced apart in the receiving cavity 111, and one end (first refrigerant port 1231 or second refrigerant port 1232) of adjacent first pipe bodies 123 are connected by connecting pipes 122 to form a series structure, that is, the two ends of the first pipe body 123 are respectively connected to other different adjacent first pipe bodies 123 by different connecting pipes 122.

[0071] Multiple first tubes 123 are sequentially spaced within the receiving cavity 111. Each first tube 123 has a first refrigerant port 1231 and a second refrigerant port 1232. The first refrigerant port 1231 of a first tube 123 is connected to the first refrigerant port 1231 of an adjacent first tube 123 via a connecting pipe 122. Simultaneously, the second refrigerant port 1232 of the same first tube 123 is connected to the second refrigerant port 1232 of another adjacent first tube 123 via another connecting pipe 122. This connection of the first tubes 123 to other different first tubes 123 creates a series structure for the evaporators 120, thereby extending the overall length of the second channel 133 and lengthening the flow path of the cooling medium. This increases the heat exchange time between the cooling medium and the liquid 300, promoting the heat exchange rate. Similarly, in this embodiment, the ice maker 130 also includes a plurality of ice-making sections 134, which are spaced apart along the axial direction of the first tube 123 on the side of the first tube 123 facing the bottom wall, thereby improving the ice-making efficiency and the ice-making quality.

[0072] In some embodiments, the ice-making assembly 100 further includes a temperature sensor and a controller, wherein the temperature sensor is used to detect the temperature of the liquid 300 in the receiving cavity 111. The temperature sensor and the controller are communicatively connected, and the temperature sensor can output a liquid temperature signal to the controller. The controller is communicatively connected to the drain device 140, and when the controller receives the liquid temperature signal, the controller controls the drain device 140 to perform the draining operation based on the liquid temperature signal.

[0073] Specifically, when the evaporator 120 and the ice maker 130 work together to cool the liquid 300, the temperature sensor senses the temperature of the liquid 300 in the receiving cavity 111. After sensing, the temperature sensor outputs a liquid temperature signal to the controller. This liquid temperature signal can be directly output to the controller or transmitted through other components of the ice-making assembly 100. The controller receives the liquid temperature signal and determines whether to activate the drain valve 140 to drain the liquid based on this signal. For example, if the liquid temperature signal is higher than the temperature set by the ice-making assembly 100, it means the liquid 300 in the receiving cavity 111 has not been cooled to the preset temperature, and the controller will not output a signal to activate the drain valve 140. Conversely, if the liquid temperature signal is lower than the temperature set by the ice-making assembly 100, it means the liquid 300 in the receiving cavity 111 has been cooled to the preset temperature, and the controller will output a signal to activate the drain valve 140.

[0074] In another embodiment, see Figure 1As shown, the ice-making assembly 100 also includes a liquid level sensor for detecting the liquid level of the liquid 300 in the receiving cavity 111. The liquid level sensor is configured to control the drain valve 140 to stop draining liquid when the evaporator 120 is exposed above the surface of the liquid 300.

[0075] Specifically, in some embodiments, the liquid level sensor can be located in the housing of the ice maker 130, or in the water tank 200 of the ice maker 130. In this embodiment, the liquid level sensor is located in the receiving cavity 111 to sense the liquid level of the liquid 300 in the receiving cavity 111 and send liquid level information to enable the ice-making assembly 100 to control the operation of the drain device 140. When the liquid 300 in the receiving cavity 111 cools to a preset temperature, the drain device 140 will drain the liquid to expose the evaporator 120 above the liquid surface of the liquid 300. During the draining process, the liquid level sensor detects the liquid level of the liquid 300 in the receiving cavity 111. If the liquid level of the liquid 300 is lower than the set height of the evaporator 120, i.e., the evaporator 120 is exposed above the liquid level of the liquid 300, the liquid level sensor will output a signal to the drain device 140, thereby controlling the drain device 140 to stop the draining operation.

[0076] In some embodiments (not shown), the ice-making assembly 100 further includes a sludge remover. In this embodiment, the sludge remover is connected to the tank 110. In another embodiment, the sludge remover may be connected to the housing of the ice maker 10, or to other components inside the ice maker 10 (such as the water tank 200). The sludge remover is configured to operate when the evaporator 120 is in operation, that is, when the evaporator 120 is exposed above the surface of the liquid 300, the sludge remover will operate to remove the liquid 300 adhering to the surface of the evaporator 120. The sludge remover prevents the liquid 300 from remaining on the evaporator 120, which could cause the liquid 300 on the evaporator 120 to condense into ice during the ice-making process and affect the quality of the ice. The sludge remover can achieve the sludge removal function using various physical or mechanical means, such as airflow purging, spin drying, or ultrasonic sludge removal. In one example, the sludge remover includes one or more fans. The fan is positioned opposite the evaporator 120 so that the airflow generated by the fan can cover the evaporator 120, thereby blowing away the liquid 300 adhering to the evaporator 120. In another embodiment, the liquid remover includes an ultrasonic device, the sound waves generated by the ultrasonic device covering the evaporator 120, thereby causing the liquid 300 adhering to the evaporator 120 to detach from the evaporator 120.

[0077] A second aspect of this utility model provides an ice maker 10, see reference. Figures 1 to 10As shown, the ice maker 10 includes a water tank 200 and an ice-making assembly 100 as described in any of the above embodiments. The water tank 200 defines a liquid storage chamber 210. The receiving cavity 111 of the tank 110 is connected to the liquid storage chamber 210 through a first opening 1111. The liquid storage chamber 210 stores liquid 300 so that when the ice-making assembly 100 needs to make ice, a liquid source can be provided to the receiving cavity 111 through the pipe and the first opening 1111. Furthermore, in one embodiment of this invention, the liquid 300 discharged by the drain valve 140 when lowering the liquid level to expose the evaporator 120 above the liquid surface is returned and stored again in the liquid storage chamber 210, thereby improving the recycling rate of the liquid 300.

[0078] Specifically, in one example, during the ice-making process, the ice-making component 100 draws liquid 300 from the water tank 200 into the receiving cavity 111 through a pipe (such as a water pump) until the liquid 300 submerges the evaporator 120 and the ice maker 130. This increases the contact area between the ice-making component 100 and the liquid 300, thereby improving the heat exchange rate between them. Subsequently, the drain device 140 discharges a portion of the liquid 300 to lower the liquid level, exposing the evaporator 120 to the outside of the liquid 300 to prevent the evaporator 120 from affecting the quality of the produced ice. Simultaneously, the discharged liquid 300 flows back into the receiving cavity 111 to improve the recycling rate of the liquid 300. Once the liquid 300 around the ice maker 130 in the receiving cavity 111 freezes into ice to form a preset shape, the ice maker 10 will discharge the cooling medium to stop cooling and ice making, and then the ice will be detached from the ice maker 130 for use. The liquid 300 that has not frozen into ice will also be recycled back into the liquid storage cavity 210 for reuse.

[0079] The embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail above with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments. Within the scope of knowledge possessed by those skilled in the art, various changes can be made without departing from the spirit of the present invention. Furthermore, the embodiments of the present invention and the features thereof can be combined with each other unless otherwise specified.

Claims

1. An ice-making assembly, suitable for producing ice, characterized in that, include: The tank body defines an internal cavity for containing liquid. The tank body also includes a first opening and a bottom wall. The first opening communicates with the cavity and is used to introduce liquid into the cavity. An evaporator is housed in the receiving cavity, the interior of which defines a first channel; An ice maker is connected to the side of the evaporator facing the bottom wall. The interior of the ice maker defines a second channel that communicates with the first channel. The first channel and the second channel are used to conduct cooling medium. A drain device is connected to the tank body and is adapted to lower the liquid level in the receiving cavity so that the evaporator switches from a cooling state to an operating state. In the cooling state, the evaporator is immersed in the liquid; in the operating state, the evaporator is exposed above the surface of the liquid.

2. The ice-making assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that, The tank also includes a second opening that communicates with the receiving cavity. The drain device includes a drain valve and a control element connected to each other. The drain valve is located at the second opening and is controlled by the control element to open or close the second opening.

3. The ice-making assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that, The drain device includes a drain pump and a control unit connected to each other, wherein: The drain pump is located at the first opening, and the drain pump is controlled by the control element to introduce liquid into the receiving cavity or to drain liquid from the receiving cavity; Alternatively, the tank may also have a third opening communicating with the receiving cavity, and the drain pump may be located at the third opening to drain the liquid from the receiving cavity.

4. The ice-making assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that, The drain device includes a rotating component and a control component connected together. The rotating component is movably connected to the tank body and is controlled by the control component to drive the tank body to rotate.

5. The ice-making assembly according to claim 4, characterized in that, The rotating component includes a rotating shaft connected to the tank body; the drain device further includes a rotation sensor connected to the rotating component to sense the angle of rotation of the rotating shaft; or... The rotating component includes a rotating shaft and a trigger switch. The trigger switch is located on the flipping path of the groove. When the trigger switch is triggered, the rotating shaft stops rotating.

6. The ice-making assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that, In the operating state, the ice maker is at least partially submerged in liquid.

7. The ice-making assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that, The evaporator includes at least two first tubes arranged side by side. Each first tube includes a first refrigerant inlet and a second refrigerant inlet. The first refrigerant inlets of at least two first tubes are connected to each other, and the second refrigerant inlets are also connected to each first tube, which is connected to a plurality of ice makers spaced apart along its axial direction. Alternatively, The evaporator includes a connecting pipe and at least two first pipe bodies arranged side by side. Each first pipe body includes a first refrigerant port and a second refrigerant port. The first refrigerant port or the second refrigerant port of two adjacent first pipe bodies are connected through the connecting pipe, and each first pipe body is connected to a plurality of ice makers arranged at intervals along its axial direction.

8. The ice-making assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that, The ice-making assembly further includes a temperature sensor and a controller. The temperature sensor detects the temperature of the liquid in the receiving cavity and outputs a liquid temperature signal to the controller. The controller communicates with the drain device and controls the drain device to drain the liquid based on the liquid temperature signal; and / or The ice-making assembly also includes a liquid level sensor for detecting the liquid level in the containment cavity and configured to control the drain device to stop draining liquid when the evaporator is exposed above the liquid surface.

9. The ice-making assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that, The ice-making assembly also includes a liquid remover configured to operate in the operating state to remove liquid adhering to the evaporator.

10. An ice maker, characterized in that, include: The water tank has an internally defined liquid storage chamber; The ice-making assembly as described in any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein the first opening is connected to the liquid storage chamber via a pipeline.

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