Ice maker and refrigeration appliance

Abstract

The application relates to an ice maker and refrigeration equipment, which comprises an ice maker support, a water injection box and an ice tray assembly. The water injection box comprises a water storage cavity and a water distribution rib for separating the water storage cavity into a first water injection part and a second water injection part. The water injection box is pivotally connected to the ice maker support and can be switched between a water injection position and a water outlet position. The ice maker is configured such that when the water injection box is in the water outlet position, the water in the first water injection part and the second water injection part flows into different areas of the ice tray assembly, respectively. According to the application, the water storage cavity in the water injection box is separated into the independent first water injection part and the second water injection part by directly arranging the water distribution rib in the water injection box. When the water injection box is in the water outlet position, the first water injection part and the second water injection part can independently provide different water requirements for different ice making areas below, so that the structure is simple, the production cost is reduced, and the production efficiency is improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of refrigeration, specifically to an ice maker and refrigeration equipment. Background Technology

[0002] As users have diversified their needs for ice production capacity, ice block shape, and user experience with refrigerator ice makers, refrigerators are now equipped with multiple partitioned areas to produce ice blocks of different sizes and shapes. However, the amount of water required to produce different ice blocks varies.

[0003] Existing ice makers employ a pivot-type water injection mechanism, typically with an additional complex drainage pipe system below the water injection box to guide water to different ice-making trays. While this directs the ice-making water from the injection box to different sections of the ice-making trays, the additional drainage pipes increase the number of parts and the complexity of the molds, raising manufacturing costs. Furthermore, the increased number of parts and mechanisms leads to more assembly steps and time, reducing production efficiency. Utility Model Content

[0004] To address the aforementioned problems, this application provides an ice maker, including an ice maker support, a water inlet box, and an ice-making tray assembly. The water inlet box includes a water storage chamber and a water-dividing rib that divides the water storage chamber into a first water inlet section and a second water inlet section. The water inlet box is pivotally connected to the ice maker support and can switch between a water inlet position and a water outlet position. The ice maker is configured such that when the water inlet box is in the water outlet position, the water in the first water inlet section and the second water inlet section flow into different areas of the ice-making tray assembly, respectively.

[0005] Furthermore, the water injection box includes an opening at one end of the water storage cavity, a first sidewall and a second sidewall disposed opposite to each other; when the water injection box is in the water outlet position, the second sidewall is closer to the ice-making tray assembly relative to the first sidewall; the water-dividing rib connects the first sidewall and the second sidewall; the end of the water-dividing rib near the opening includes a blocking portion and an overflow outlet recessed relative to the blocking portion in a direction away from the opening; the blocking portion is connected to the second sidewall, and the overflow outlet is located between the blocking portion and the first sidewall.

[0006] Furthermore, the ice maker is configured such that when the water injection box is in the water injection position, both the first sidewall and the second sidewall extend in the vertical direction; and when the water injection box is in the water outlet position, both the first sidewall and the second sidewall extend in the horizontal direction.

[0007] Furthermore, the water injection box includes a sealed end away from the opening; the ice maker is configured such that when the water injection box is in the water injection position, the water level of the first water injection portion and / or the second water injection portion is lower than or equal to the edge of the overflow port near the sealed end; when the water injection box is in the water outlet position, the water level of the first water injection portion and / or the second water injection portion is lower than or equal to the edge of the blocking portion away from the second sidewall.

[0008] Furthermore, the water injection box also includes a drain port disposed on the second side wall, the drain port being recessed in a direction away from the first side wall.

[0009] Furthermore, the drainage port includes a first drainage port and a second drainage port arranged at intervals, the first drainage port being located in the first water injection section and the second drainage port being located in the second water injection section.

[0010] Furthermore, the water injection box is connected to the ice maker bracket via a pivot structure, and the pivot structure is located closer to the sealing end than the opening.

[0011] Furthermore, the ice maker support includes a support body and a support member extending horizontally from the support body into it; the support member is disposed on the rotation path of the water injection box from the water injection position to the water outlet position; the ice maker is configured such that when at least a portion of the outer surface of the second sidewall overlaps with the support member, the water injection box is in the water outlet position.

[0012] Furthermore, the ice-making tray assembly includes a first ice-making tray and a second ice-making tray arranged side by side, wherein the amount of water injected into the first water injection section is adapted to the amount of water required by the first ice-making tray, and the amount of water injected into the second water injection section is adapted to the amount of water required by the second ice-making tray.

[0013] Furthermore, the ice maker also includes an ice removal component, which is disposed at the front end of the first ice-making plate and the second ice-making plate, and drives the first ice-making plate and the second ice-making plate to remove ice synchronously.

[0014] Furthermore, the de-icing assembly includes a first gear, a second gear, and a driving gear. The first gear is connected to the sealed end along the length of the first ice-making disc, and the second gear is connected to the third end along the length of the second ice-making disc. The driving gear is disposed between the first gear and the second gear and meshes with both the first gear and the second gear simultaneously. The de-icing assembly is configured such that when the driving gear rotates in place, it simultaneously drives the first gear and the second gear to rotate in place, thereby driving the first ice-making disc and the second ice-making disc to rotate synchronously around their respective long axes.

[0015] This application also provides a refrigeration device, including the ice maker described above.

[0016] This application relates to an ice maker and refrigeration equipment, including an ice maker support, a water inlet box, and an ice-making tray assembly. The water inlet box includes a water storage chamber and a water-dividing rib that divides the water storage chamber into a first water inlet section and a second water inlet section. The water inlet box is pivotally connected to the ice maker support and can switch between a water inlet position and a water outlet position. The ice maker is configured such that when the water inlet box is in the water outlet position, the water in the first water inlet section and the second water inlet section flow into different areas of the ice-making tray assembly, respectively. This application divides the water storage chamber inside the water inlet box into independent first and second water inlet sections by directly setting the water-dividing rib inside the water inlet box. This allows the first and second water inlet sections to independently provide different water volumes to different ice-making areas below when the water inlet box is in the water outlet position. The structure is simple, reducing production costs while improving production efficiency. Attached Figure Description

[0017] Figure 1 This is a first-person view schematic diagram of the ice maker in this application; Figure 2 This is a second-view schematic diagram of the ice maker in this application; Figure 3 This is a third-person perspective schematic diagram of the ice maker in this application; Figure 4 This is a cross-sectional view of the ice maker of this application; Figure 5 for Figure 4 Enlarged view of part A in the middle; Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the water injection box in this application; Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the ice removal component assembly in the ice maker of this application; Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of the assembly of the ice-making tray assembly and the de-icing assembly of this application.

[0018] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures 100. Ice maker; 1. Ice maker bracket; 11. Support component; 2. Water inlet box; 21. First side wall; 22. Second side wall; 23. Water divider; 231. Blocking part; 232. Overflow outlet; 24. Drain outlet; 241. First drain outlet; 242. Second drain outlet; 25. Sealing end; 26. Pivoting structure; 27. Opening; 3. Ice making tray assembly; 31. First ice making tray; 32. Second ice making tray; 4. Water storage chamber; 41. First water inlet; 42. Second water inlet; 5. De-icing assembly; 51. First gear; 52. Second gear; 53. Drive gear; 54. Rotating handle; 55. Torsion spring; 551. First torsion spring; 5511. First torsion arm; 5512. Second torsion arm; 552. Second torsion spring; 6. Ice storage box. Detailed Implementation

[0019] To gain a more detailed understanding of the features and technical content of the embodiments disclosed herein, the following description is provided in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. Figure 1-8 The implementation of the embodiments of this disclosure is described in detail. The accompanying drawings are for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to limit the embodiments of this disclosure. In the following technical description, for ease of explanation, various details are used to provide a full understanding of the disclosed embodiments. However, one or more embodiments may still be implemented without these details. In other instances, well-known structures and apparatuses may be simplified in their depiction to simplify the drawings.

[0020] The terms "first," "second," etc., used in the specification, claims, and accompanying drawings of this disclosure are used to distinguish similar objects and are not necessarily used to describe a specific order or sequence. It should be understood that such data can be interchanged where appropriate for the embodiments of this disclosure described herein. Furthermore, the terms "comprising" and "having," and any variations thereof, are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion.

[0021] In this disclosure, the terms "upper," "lower," "inner," "middle," "outer," "front," and "rear," etc., indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings. These terms are primarily for better description of the embodiments of this disclosure and their implementations, and are not intended to limit the indicated devices, elements, or components to having a specific orientation, or to require them to be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Furthermore, some of the aforementioned terms may be used to indicate other meanings besides orientation or positional relationship; for example, the term "upper" may in some cases indicate a dependency or connection relationship. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of these terms in the embodiments of this disclosure according to the specific circumstances.

[0022] Furthermore, the terms "set up," "connect," and "fix" should be interpreted broadly. For example, "connection" can be a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral structure; it can be a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; it can be a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium, or it can be an internal connection between two devices, components, or parts. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in the embodiments of this disclosure according to the specific circumstances.

[0023] Unless otherwise stated, the term "multiple" means two or more.

[0024] The term "and / or" describes an association between objects, indicating that three relationships can exist. For example, A and / or B means: A or B, or A and B.

[0025] It should be noted that, unless otherwise specified, the embodiments and features described in the present disclosure can be combined with each other.

[0026] To provide a better understanding of the purpose, structure, features, and functions of this application, detailed descriptions are provided below with reference to specific embodiments.

[0027] This application provides an ice maker 100, including an ice maker support 1, a water inlet box 2, and an ice-making tray assembly 3. The water inlet box 2 includes a water storage chamber 4 and a water dividing rib 23 that divides the water storage chamber 4 into a first water inlet section 41 and a second water inlet section 42. The water inlet box 2 is pivotally connected to the ice maker support 1 and can be switched between a water inlet position and a water outlet position. The ice maker 100 is configured such that when the water inlet box 2 is in the water outlet position, the water in the first water inlet section 41 and the second water inlet section 42 flows into different areas of the ice-making tray assembly 3, respectively.

[0028] The ice maker bracket 1 is the basic load-bearing structure of the ice maker 100, providing mounting points for other components.

[0029] Water injection box 2 is located above ice-making tray assembly 3 and is used to receive and temporarily store ice-making water and inject the ice-making water into ice-making tray assembly 3.

[0030] The water injection box 2 is pivotally connected to the ice maker bracket 1 via a pivoting structure 26, such as a pivot, pin, or hinge. The pivoting structure 26 guides and restricts the movement of the water injection box 2 along a specific arc-shaped path, allowing the water injection box 2 to switch between a water injection position and a water outlet position.

[0031] Water injection box 2 includes an opening 27 located at one end of the water storage chamber 4. When water injection box 2 is in the water injection position, the opening 27 faces upward, and ice-making water can be added into water injection box 2 in this state. When water injection box 2 is in the water outlet position, the opening 27 is horizontal, and ice-making water is injected into ice-making tray assembly 3 in this state.

[0032] The water-dividing rib 23 is disposed inside the water injection box 2 and divides the water storage chamber 4 inside the water injection box 2 into a first water injection section 41 and a second water injection section 42 that are isolated from each other. When the water injection box 2 is in the water outlet position, the water flowing out from the first water injection section 41 and the second water injection section 42 is guided to different ice-making areas in the ice-making tray assembly 3, respectively.

[0033] The water-dividing rib 23 and the water-injection box 2 can be integrally formed, or the water-dividing rib 23 can be set as a longitudinal partition that is added later inside the water-injection box 2.

[0034] The water-distributing rib 23 pre-allocates the water volume in the first water-filling section 41 and the second water-filling section 42 when the water-filling box 2 is in the water-filling position. When the water-filling box 2 rotates to the water-discharge position, the water-distributing rib 23 prevents water flow from crossing between the first water-filling section 41 and the second water-filling section 42, thus enabling the simultaneous supply of different amounts of water to different areas of the ice-making tray assembly 3.

[0035] The water injection box 2 includes a first sidewall 21 and a second sidewall 22 disposed opposite to each other. When the water injection box 2 is in the water outlet position, the second sidewall 22 is closer to the ice-making tray assembly 3 relative to the first sidewall. Specifically, when the water injection box 2 is in the water outlet position, the second sidewall 22 is spatially closer to the lower ice-making tray assembly 3 than the first sidewall 21. That is to say, the second sidewall 22 is in a relatively lower position, while the first sidewall 21 is in a relatively higher position.

[0036] The water-dividing rib 23 connects the first sidewall 21 and the second sidewall 22. The end of the water-dividing rib 23 near the opening 27 includes a blocking portion 231 and an overflow outlet 232 that is recessed relative to the blocking portion 231 in a direction away from the opening 27. In other words, the overflow outlet 232 is recessed into the water storage cavity 4 relative to the blocking portion 231. The blocking portion 231 is connected to the second sidewall 22 and extends on the inner surface of the second sidewall 22, forming a continuous connection with the second sidewall 22. The overflow outlet 232 is located between the blocking portion 231 and the first sidewall 21.

[0037] The blocking part 231 and the overflow outlet 232 work together to ensure that when the water injection box 2 is in the water injection position, if the water level in one of the water injection sections is too high, the excess water can flow horizontally into the other water injection section through the overflow outlet 232, making it convenient to inject water into the water injection box 2. When the water injection box 2 is in the water outlet position, the blocking part 231 completely isolates the water flow in the two water injection sections, so that the metered water injected into the first water injection section 41 and the second water injection section 42 flows into different ice-making tray assembly 3 areas to meet the water demand of different ice-making tray assembly 3 areas.

[0038] In one embodiment, the connection line between the water-dividing rib 23 and the second sidewall 22 extends from the sealing end 25 to the edge of the opening 27.

[0039] In this application, there is no specific limitation on the shape of the water injection box 2, and its cross-section can be square, conical, bowl-shaped or other shapes, etc.

[0040] In one embodiment, the water injection box 2 is configured as a cuboid structure; its first sidewall 21 and second sidewall 22 are parallel and opposite to each other. The ice maker 100 is configured such that when the water injection box 2 is in the water injection position, both the first sidewall 21 and the second sidewall 22 extend vertically, and the opening 27 of the water injection box 2 faces upward, so that the water injection box 2 can effectively receive the externally injected ice-making water; when the water injection box 2 is in the water outlet position, both the first sidewall 21 and the second sidewall 22 extend horizontally, and the opening 27 of the water injection box 2 faces horizontally, so that the water in the water injection box 2 flows smoothly to the opening 27 and flows from the opening 27 into the ice-making tray assembly 3 below.

[0041] The water injection box 2 includes a sealing end 25 away from the opening 27; the ice maker 100 is configured such that when the water injection box 2 is in the water injection position, the water level of the first water injection section 41 and / or the second water injection section 42 is lower than or equal to the edge of the overflow port 232 near the sealing end 25; when the water injection box 2 is in the water outlet position, the water level of the first water injection section 41 and / or the second water injection section 42 is lower than or equal to the edge of the blocking section 231 away from the second side wall 22.

[0042] The overflow port 232 can be configured in any shape. On the orifice profile of the overflow port 232, there is a first location point that is closer to the sealing end 25 than any other location point on the orifice profile of the overflow port 232.

[0043] The first position point can be an endpoint on the orifice profile of the overflow outlet 232, or any point on a section of the edge near the sealing end 25. Taking the overflow outlet 232 of this application as an example of an L-shape, if the L-shaped overflow outlet 232 has a first edge near the sealing end 25, the first position point can be any point on the first edge.

[0044] When the water injection box 2 is rotated to the water receiving position with the opening 27 facing upward, the water level in the first water injection section 41 and / or the second water injection section 42 is restricted to the first position point or the horizontal plane where the first edge is located or below.

[0045] In an optional embodiment, when the water level inside at least one of the first water injection section 41 and the second water injection section 42 reaches the first edge or the first position point, the amount of water inside is equal to the total amount of water needed for ice making in the corresponding ice-making tray area. Therefore, when the water injection box 2 is in the water injection position, water is preferentially injected from this water injection section.

[0046] For example, when the water injection box 2 is in the water injection position, if the water in the first water injection section 41 reaches the first position point of the overflow outlet 232, the total capacity of the ice-making water in the first water injection section 41 is equal to the total amount of ice-making water required by the corresponding ice-making tray assembly 3 area below it. Water can be preferentially drawn from the first water injection section 41. When the water level in the first water injection section 41 rises to the height of the first position point of the overflow outlet 232, the excess water flows through the overflow outlet 232 to the second water injection section 42 with a lower water level. The water level in the second water injection section 42 is not limited, as long as the amount of water flowing into the second water injection section 42 meets the water required by the ice-making tray assembly 3 area below it. That is to say, when the water injection box 2 finishes drawing water, the water level in the first water injection box 2 reaches the first edge of the overflow outlet 232, and the water level in the second water injection box 2 can reach the overflow outlet 232 or be lower than the overflow outlet 232.

[0047] By setting the distance between the first position point of the overflow outlet 232 and the sealing end 25, it is ensured that one of the first water inlet section 41 or the second water inlet section 42 can always store the precise amount of water required for ice making in the area of ​​the ice making tray assembly 3 below it. At the same time, it allows the other of the first water inlet section 41 or the second water inlet section 42 to receive excess water from the first water inlet section 41 or the second water inlet section 42 until its own needs are met.

[0048] The overflow outlet 232 ensures that the total water volume of the first water inlet 41 and the second water inlet 42 is precisely matched with the demand of different areas of the ice-making tray assembly 3 below, eliminating the need for an additional quantitative diversion mechanism, greatly simplifying the overall structure of the ice maker 100 and reducing production costs.

[0049] There is a second location point on the orifice profile of the overflow outlet 232. In other words, there is a second location point on the blocking part 231. The second location point is closer to the second sidewall 22 than other location points on the orifice profile of the overflow outlet 232.

[0050] The second location point can be an endpoint on the orifice profile of the overflow outlet 232, or any point on a section of the edge near the second sidewall 22. Taking the overflow outlet 232 of this application as an example of an L-shape, if the L-shaped overflow outlet 232 has a second edge near the second sidewall 22, the second location point can be any point on the second edge.

[0051] When the water injection box 2 is rotated to the horizontal water outlet position in the direction of the opening 27, the water level in the first water injection section 41 and / or the second water injection section 42 is restricted to the horizontal plane or below the second position point or the second edge.

[0052] The second position point or the second edge ensures that when the water injection box 2 injects water into the ice-making tray assembly 3, the water flow in the first water injection section 41 and the second water injection section 42 will not mix, so that the first water injection section 41 and the second water injection section 42 inject the required amount of ice-making water into the ice-making tray assembly 3 in different areas below them respectively.

[0053] In one embodiment, the length of the first sidewall 21 extending from the sealed end 25 to the opening 27 is greater than the length of the second sidewall 22 extending from the sealed end 25 to the opening 27, so as to ensure that when the water injection box 2 is in the water outlet position, water will not splash out when water is injected into the ice making tray assembly 3.

[0054] The water injection box 2 also includes a drain port 24 disposed on the second side wall 22, the drain port 24 being recessed in a direction away from the first side wall 21.

[0055] The drain port 24 is located at the edge of the opening 27 of the water injection box 2 and is formed on the second sidewall 22. Specifically, the drain port 24 is configured as a part of the second sidewall 22 that is recessed and extends away from the first sidewall 21 to form a groove-shaped flow guiding structure.

[0056] In one embodiment, the cross-section of the inlet 24 is V-shaped. Specifically, the lowest point in the middle of the V-shaped inlet 24 and the two inclined sidewalls extending obliquely upward from the lowest point to both sides together constitute the guide channel of the inlet 24. When the ice-making water in the water injection box 2 enters the V-shaped inlet 24, it is guided to the lowest point by the two inclined sidewalls and precisely guided to the ice-making tray assembly 3, so that when the water injection box 2 injects water into the ice-making tray assembly 3, the water flow is more concentrated and more accurately flowed into the ice-making tray assembly 3.

[0057] Of course, the drainage port 24 can also be set in a U-shape, W-shape or other shapes.

[0058] The drainage port 24 includes a first drainage port 241 and a second drainage port 242 arranged at intervals. The first drainage port 241 is located in the first water injection section 41 and is the outlet of the water flow in the first water injection section 41. The second drainage port 242 is located in the second water injection section 42 and is the outlet of the water flow in the second water injection section. That is, the first drainage port 241 and the second drainage port 242 are respectively arranged on both sides of the water dividing rib 23.

[0059] The first drain port 241 and the second drain port 242 are arranged side by side on the outlet edge of the water injection box 2, with a certain distance between them.

[0060] The first inlet 241 has a gathering and converging effect on the water flow in the first water inlet 41, and the water in the first water inlet 41 flows precisely into a part of the ice-making tray assembly 3 through the first inlet 241; the second inlet 242 has a gathering and converging effect on the water flow in the second water inlet 42, and the water in the second water inlet 42 flows precisely into another part of the ice-making tray assembly 3 through the second inlet 242.

[0061] The first inlet 241 and the second inlet 242 ensure that when water is injected into the ice-making tray assembly 3 from different water injection parts in the water injection box 2, the water can flow accurately and concentrated to different areas of the ice-making tray assembly 3.

[0062] The water injection box 2 is connected to the ice maker bracket 1 via a pivot structure 26. The pivot structure 26 is located closer to the sealing end 25 than the opening 27.

[0063] In this application, the rotation center of the water injection box 2 is set near the sealing end 25, and pivot structures 26 are provided on opposite sides of the sealing end 25 along its length.

[0064] The sealed end 25 of the water injection box 2 is connected to the ice maker bracket 1 through a pivot structure 26, which is similar to a pivot shaft and a shaft hole fitting together, so that the water injection box 2 and the ice maker bracket 1 can rotate relative to each other. The pivot structure 26 is set close to the sealed end 25 so that the water injection box 2 occupies less internal space enclosed by the ice maker bracket 1 when it is in the water injection position.

[0065] The ice maker support 1 includes a support body and a support member 11 extending horizontally from the support body into its interior. The support body encloses and forms an internal accommodating space for accommodating the ice maker tray assembly 3, ice storage box 6, etc. The support member 11 is configured as a support structure extending horizontally from one inner side wall of the support body into the accommodating space. The support member 11 is positioned along the rotation path of the water injection box 2 from the water injection position to the water outlet position. The ice maker 100 is configured such that when at least a portion of the outer surface of the second side wall 22 overlaps with the support member 11, the water injection box 2 is in the water outlet position.

[0066] The support member 11 extends horizontally from one side wall inside the bracket body and can be connected to the opposite or adjacent side wall. Alternatively, it can be configured to extend horizontally from one side wall inside the bracket body and then be suspended. That is, after the support member 11 is connected to one side wall inside the bracket body, it is no longer connected to other side walls, thus becoming a cantilever structure with one end fixed and the other end suspended.

[0067] The support member 11 is positioned along the rotation path of the water injection box 2 from the water injection position to the water outlet position. As the water injection box 2 rotates from the water injection position to the water outlet position, the angle between its second side wall 22 and the horizontal plane gradually decreases until a portion of the lower surface of the second side wall 22 contacts the upper surface of the support member 11 below, thus confining the water injection box 2 to the water outlet position.

[0068] The support 11 restricts the water outlet position of the water injection box 2, precisely limiting the tilt angle of the water injection box 2 when it is filled with water, so as to prevent it from continuing to rotate after the water injection box 2 has turned to the required angle for the water outlet position due to inertia or gravity.

[0069] In an alternative embodiment, the support member 11 may be configured as a platform structure with a flat upper surface.

[0070] In this application, the ice-making tray assembly 3 includes a first ice-making tray 31 and a second ice-making tray 32 arranged side by side. After water is injected, the amount of water injected into the first water injection section 41 is adapted to the amount of water required by the first ice-making tray 31, and the amount of water injected into the second water injection section 42 is adapted to the amount of water required by the second ice-making tray 32.

[0071] The first ice-making tray 31 and the second ice-making tray 32 are arranged side by side on the same plane, with intervals between them.

[0072] The first ice-making tray 31 is spatially located at least partially below the inlet 24 of the first water inlet 41 to ensure that the ice-making water flowing out of the inlet 24 of the first water inlet 41 falls into the first ice-making tray 31. The second ice-making tray 32 is spatially located at least partially below the inlet 24 of the second water inlet 42 to ensure that the ice-making water flowing out of the inlet 24 of the second water inlet 42 falls into the second ice-making tray 32.

[0073] The first ice-making tray 31 and the second ice-making tray 32 are placed side by side, so that two kinds of ice blocks of the same or different shapes and sizes can be produced simultaneously in one ice-making cycle, which meets the user's immediate demand for large quantities and variety of ice blocks and improves the overall ice-making efficiency.

[0074] When the water inlet 2 is in the water-filling position, the amount of water injected into the first water inlet 41 is equal to the amount of water required for all the ice trays of the corresponding first ice tray 31 below it. Similarly, the amount of water injected into the second water inlet 42 is equal to the amount of water required for all the ice trays of the corresponding second ice tray 32 below it.

[0075] The amount of water in the first water inlet 41 and the amount of water in the second water inlet 42 may be the same or different.

[0076] By setting water-dividing ribs 23, the water storage chamber 4 inside the water injection box 2 is divided into a first water injection section 41 and a second water injection section 42. Water is injected into the first water injection section 41 and the second water injection section 42 according to the water demand of the first ice tray 31 and the second ice tray 32, realizing water supply to the first ice tray 31 and the second ice tray 32 on demand. The structure is simple and the water supply is accurate.

[0077] In one embodiment, the ice maker 100 further includes an ice removal component 5, which is disposed at the front end of the first ice-making plate 31 and the second ice-making plate 32, and drives the first ice-making plate 31 and the second ice-making plate 32 to remove ice synchronously.

[0078] The front end is positioned along the length of the first ice-making tray 31 or the second ice-making tray 32, facing the user or facilitating operation.

[0079] The de-icing assembly 5 is connected to the front ends of the first ice-making tray 31 and the second ice-making tray 32 via transmission components such as connecting rods or hinges. This ensures that the de-icing force generated by the de-icing assembly 5 can be synchronously transmitted to the first ice-making tray 31 and the second ice-making tray 32, so that the first ice-making tray 31 and the second ice-making tray 32 de-ice simultaneously.

[0080] The de-icing assembly 5 includes a first gear 51, a second gear 52, and a drive gear 53. The first gear 51 is connected to the first end of the first ice-making tray 31 along its length, and the rotation axis of the first gear 51 coincides with the long axis of the first ice-making tray 31, so that the rotation of the first gear 51 drives the first ice-making tray 31 to rotate. The second gear 52 is connected to the third end of the second ice-making tray 32 along its length, and the rotation axis of the second gear 52 coincides with the long axis of the second ice-making tray 32, so that the rotation of the second gear 52 drives the second ice-making tray 32 to rotate. The drive gear 53 is disposed between the first gear 51 and the second gear 52, and meshes with both the first gear 51 and the second gear 52, forming a compact gear transmission chain among the three. The de-icing assembly 5 is configured such that when the drive gear 53 rotates in place, it simultaneously drives the first gear 51 and the second gear 52 to rotate in place, thereby driving the first ice-making tray 31 and the second ice-making tray 32 to rotate synchronously around their respective long axes.

[0081] The first gear 51 and the second gear 52 are driven gears. When the driving gear 53 rotates, it simultaneously drives the first gear 51 and the second gear 52, so that the first ice-making plate 31 and the second ice-making plate 32 can rotate synchronously around their respective long axes with exactly the same speed and direction.

[0082] When de-icing occurs, the drive gear 53 rotates in place. Through meshing with the teeth of the first gear 51 and the second gear 52, the first gear 51 and the second gear 52 rotate synchronously with the drive gear 53, which in turn transforms into a rotating motion of the first ice-making disc 31 and the second ice-making disc 32 around their own long axes. After the first ice-making disc 31 and the second ice-making disc 32 rotate a certain angle, the ice blocks inside them fall into the ice storage box 6 under the action of gravity, thus achieving automatic de-icing.

[0083] In an optional embodiment, the de-icing assembly 5 further includes a rotating handle 54 disposed on the outside of the drive gear 53, that is, the rotating handle 54 is disposed on the side of the drive gear 53 away from the inner cavity of the box.

[0084] The rotating handle 54 is fixedly connected to the drive gear 53 by screws. The cross section of the connecting shaft is set to be non-circular to ensure that the first ice-making tray 31 and the second ice-making tray 32 can be effectively driven to detach ice when the rotating handle 54 is turned.

[0085] When the first ice-making tray 31 and the second ice-making tray 32 have finished making ice and need to be removed, grasp and turn the rotating handle 54. The rotation of the rotating handle 54 drives the drive gear 53 fixed to it to rotate synchronously. The rotation of the drive gear 53 then drives the first gear 51 and the second gear 52 connected to it, and finally transmits the torque to the first ice-making tray 31 and the second ice-making tray 32.

[0086] The de-icing component 5 in this application requires fewer parts and has a compact overall structure, which effectively reduces the assembly process cost.

[0087] Torsion springs 55 are also installed at the rear ends of the first ice-making tray 31 and the second ice-making tray 32 to ensure that the first ice-making tray 31 and the second ice-making tray 32 can automatically return to the initial horizontal position after the ice is removed.

[0088] Specifically, the first ice-making tray 31 includes a second end disposed opposite to the first end, the second ice-making tray 32 includes a fourth end disposed opposite to the third end, and the torsion spring 55 includes a first torsion spring 551 and a second torsion spring 552. The first torsion spring 551 is disposed between the second end of the first ice-making tray 31 and the rear wall of the box, and the second torsion spring 552 is disposed between the second ice-making tray 32 and the rear wall of the box.

[0089] The rear wall of the box is the side wall that is positioned opposite to the de-icing component 5.

[0090] Taking the first ice-making tray 31 as an example, the specific connection method and working principle of the first torsion spring 551 are explained. The first torsion spring 551 includes a first torsion arm 5511 and a second torsion arm 5512 arranged opposite to each other. The first torsion arm 5511 is fixed to the rear wall of the box body by means of hooks or holes; the second torsion arm 5512 is fixed to the second end of the first ice-making tray 31 and forms a linkage relationship with the first ice-making tray 31. When removing ice, the drive gear 53 drives the first ice-making tray 31 to rotate around its long axis to overcome the resistance of the torsion spring 55, causing the torsion spring 55 to undergo elastic deformation. After the ice removal is completed, the torque applied to the drive gear 53 disappears, and the tightened torsion spring 55 generates a driving torque in the opposite direction of the rotation to remove ice, and drives the first ice-making tray 31 to rotate in the opposite direction, so that it returns to the horizontal position and prepares for the next ice making.

[0091] The connection method and working principle of the second torsion spring 552 in the second ice-making tray 32 are the same as those of the first torsion spring 551, and will not be described again here.

[0092] This application also provides a refrigeration device, including the ice maker 100 described above.

[0093] This application relates to an ice maker 100 and a refrigeration device, including an ice maker support 1, a water inlet box 2, and an ice-making tray assembly 3. The water inlet box 2 includes a water storage chamber 4 and a water-dividing rib 23 that divides the water storage chamber 4 into a first water inlet section 41 and a second water inlet section 42. The water inlet box 2 is pivotally connected to the ice maker support 1 and can switch between a water inlet position and a water outlet position. The ice maker 100 is configured such that when the water inlet box 2 is in the water outlet position, the water in the first water inlet section 41 and the second water inlet section 42 flows into different areas of the ice-making tray assembly 3, respectively. This application directly sets the water-dividing rib 23 inside the water inlet box 2 to divide the water storage chamber 4 inside the water inlet box 2 into independent first water inlet section 41 and second water inlet section 42. This allows the first water inlet section 41 and the second water inlet section 42 to independently provide different water volumes to different ice-making areas below when the water inlet box 2 is in the water outlet position. The structure is simple, reducing production costs while improving production efficiency.

[0094] In the description of this specification, references to terms such as "an embodiment," "some embodiments," "specifically," or "optional embodiments," etc., indicate that a specific feature, structure, material, or characteristic described in connection with that embodiment or example is included in at least one embodiment or example of this application. Furthermore, the specific features, structures, materials, or characteristics described may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments or examples. Moreover, without contradiction, those skilled in the art can combine and integrate the different embodiments or examples described in this specification, as well as the features of those different embodiments or examples.

[0095] This application has been described with reference to the above-mentioned embodiments; however, the above embodiments are merely examples for implementing this application. It must be noted that the disclosed embodiments do not limit the scope of this application. On the contrary, any modifications and refinements made without departing from the spirit and scope of this application are within the scope of patent protection of this application.

Claims

1. An ice maker, comprising an ice maker support (1), a water inlet box (2), and an ice maker tray assembly (3), characterized in that, The water injection box (2) includes a water storage cavity (4) and a water dividing rib (23) that divides the water storage cavity (4) into a first water injection section (41) and a second water injection section (42); The water injection box (2) is pivotally connected to the ice maker bracket (1) and can be switched between the water injection position and the water outlet position; The ice maker (100) is configured such that when the water injection box (2) is in the water outlet position, the water in the first water injection section (41) and the second water injection section (42) respectively flows into different areas of the ice making tray assembly (3).

2. The ice maker according to claim 1, characterized in that, The water injection box (2) includes an opening (27) at one end of the water storage cavity (4), a first side wall (21) and a second side wall (22) disposed opposite to each other; when the water injection box (2) is in the water outlet position, the second side wall (22) is close to the ice making tray assembly (3) relative to the first side wall. The water-dividing rib (23) connects the first sidewall (21) and the second sidewall (22); The end of the water-dividing rib (23) near the opening (27) includes a blocking part (231) and an overflow outlet (232) that is recessed relative to the blocking part (231) in a direction away from the opening (27); The blocking part (231) is connected to the second side wall (22), and the overflow outlet (232) is located between the blocking part (231) and the first side wall (21).

3. The ice maker according to claim 2, characterized in that, The ice maker (100) is configured such that when the water injection box (2) is in the water injection position, both the first side wall (21) and the second side wall (22) extend in the vertical direction; and when the water injection box (2) is in the water outlet position, both the first side wall (21) and the second side wall (22) extend in the horizontal direction.

4. The ice maker according to claim 2, characterized in that, The water injection box (2) includes a sealed end (25) away from the opening (27); The ice maker (100) is configured such that when the water injection box (2) is in the water injection position, the water level of the first water injection section (41) and / or the second water injection section (42) is lower than or equal to the edge of the overflow port (232) near the sealing end (25); when the water injection box (2) is in the water outlet position, the water level of the first water injection section (41) and / or the second water injection section (42) is lower than or equal to the edge of the blocking part (231) away from the second side wall (22).

5. The ice maker according to claim 2, characterized in that, The water injection box (2) also includes a drain port (24) disposed on the second side wall (22), the drain port (24) being recessed in a direction away from the first side wall (21).

6. The ice maker (100) according to claim 5, characterized in that, The drainage port (24) includes a first drainage port (241) and a second drainage port (242) spaced apart. The first drainage port (241) is located in the first water injection section (41), and the second drainage port (242) is located in the second water injection section (42).

7. The ice maker (100) according to claim 4, characterized in that, The water injection box (2) is connected to the ice maker bracket (1) via a pivot structure (26), and the pivot structure (26) is located closer to the sealing end (25) than the opening (27).

8. The ice maker according to claim 2, characterized in that, The ice maker bracket (1) includes a bracket body and a support member (11) extending horizontally from the bracket body into it; the support member (11) is disposed on the rotation path of the water injection box (2) from the water injection position to the water outlet position; The ice maker (100) is configured such that the water injection box (2) is in the water outlet position when at least a portion of the outer surface of the second sidewall (22) overlaps with the support member (11).

9. The ice maker according to claim 1, characterized in that, The ice-making tray assembly (3) includes a first ice-making tray (31) and a second ice-making tray (32) arranged side by side. The amount of water injected into the first water injection section (41) is adapted to the amount of water required by the first ice-making tray (31), and the amount of water injected into the second water injection section (42) is adapted to the amount of water required by the second ice-making tray (32).

10. The ice maker according to claim 9, characterized in that, The ice maker (100) also includes an ice removal component (5), which is located at the front end of the first ice-making plate (31) and the second ice-making plate (32) and drives the first ice-making plate (31) and the second ice-making plate (32) to remove ice synchronously.

11. The ice maker according to claim 10, characterized in that, The de-icing assembly (5) includes a first gear (51), a second gear (52), and a drive gear (53). The first gear (51) is connected to the sealed end (25) along the length of the first ice-making tray (31), and the second gear (52) is connected to the third end along the length of the second ice-making tray (32). The drive gear (53) is disposed between the first gear (51) and the second gear (52) and meshes with both the first gear (51) and the second gear (52). The de-icing component (5) is configured such that when the drive gear (53) rotates in place, it simultaneously drives the first gear (51) and the second gear (52) to rotate in place, thereby driving the first ice-making plate (31) and the second ice-making plate (32) to rotate synchronously around their respective long axes.

12. A refrigeration device, characterized in that, Includes the ice maker (100) according to any one of claims 1-11.

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