Blender

Abstract

The application relates to the technical field of ice-making equipment, and discloses a smoothie maker, which comprises a casing, a tray, an evaporator roller, a scraper and a driving assembly; the tray is movably connected to the casing and is used for containing a liquid to be frozen; the evaporator roller is rotatably connected to the casing around an axis of the evaporator roller; a part of the evaporator roller is accommodated in the tray, and the other part is exposed outside the tray; the scraper is fixed to the casing and forms an ice scraping gap with the outer circumferential surface of the evaporator roller; the driving assembly is fixed to the casing and movably connected with the tray; the tray can be driven by the driving assembly to approach the evaporator roller, so that the liquid level of the liquid to be frozen in the tray is raised from a first liquid level to a second liquid level. In the above manner, the smoothie maker mentioned in the application improves the situation that the ice layer formed by different liquids to be frozen on the evaporator roller is easy to break, peel off or not completely generated, and improves the ice-making effect.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of ice-making equipment technology, and in particular to a smoothie machine. Background Technology

[0002] A smoothie maker is a device used to make smoothies. During ice making, the liquid comes into contact with the evaporator drum, absorbing the heat from the liquid and causing the liquid adhering to the outer circumference of the evaporator drum to freeze quickly. As the evaporator drum rotates, a scraper cuts the ice layer on the evaporator drum to obtain a smooth smoothie.

[0003] In related technologies, smoothie machines often use different liquids to be frozen (such as sugar water, ice cream liquid, purified water, etc.) to make smoothies. However, the tray is fixed to the machine casing, and the distance between it and the evaporator roller is fixed. But different liquids to be frozen have different freezing points. The ice layer formed on the evaporator roller by different liquids to be frozen is prone to breakage, peeling, or incomplete formation, which affects the ice-making effect. Utility Model Content

[0004] The purpose of this application is to provide a smoothie machine that improves the ice-making effect by addressing the issue that ice layers formed on the evaporator drum by different liquids to be frozen are prone to breakage, peeling, or incomplete formation.

[0005] According to some aspects of this application, a smoothie machine is provided, comprising: chassis; A tray, movably connected to the housing, is used to hold liquid to be frozen; An evaporator drum is rotatably connected to the housing about its own axis; a portion of the evaporator drum is housed within the tray, while another portion protrudes outside the tray; A scraper is fixed to the housing, and an ice-scraping gap is formed between the scraper and the outer peripheral surface of the evaporator drum. A drive assembly is fixed to the housing and movably connected to the tray. The drive assembly is used to drive the tray to move to a first position or a second position. When the tray is in the first position, the liquid level of the liquid to be frozen in the tray is at the first liquid level. When the tray is in the second position, the liquid level of the liquid to be frozen in the tray is at the second liquid level. The second liquid level is higher than the first liquid level.

[0006] In some embodiments, the drive assembly includes a motor, a rotating rod, and a pry arm; the motor is fixed to the housing; the rotating rod is rotatably connected to the housing about its own axis, the axis of the rotating rod is parallel to the axis of the evaporator drum, and the rotating rod is connected to the shaft of the drive motor via a coupling; one end of the pry arm is sleeved on the rotating rod, and the other end of the pry arm abuts against the tray; The tray can be moved closer to or further away from the evaporator drum under the support of the pry arm, so that it can be moved to the first position or the second position.

[0007] In some embodiments, the outer casing is provided with a first cavity and a second cavity arranged sequentially along the direction of gravity, and the first cavity and the second cavity are interconnected. The tray is inclined relative to the horizontal plane and is divided into a lower part and a higher part. The lower part is suspended above the second cavity, and the higher part is located in the first cavity. Both the evaporator drum and the scraper are suspended above the second chamber, with a portion of the evaporator drum housed in the lower section.

[0008] In some embodiments, the housing has a cavity, and the surface of the housing facing the cavity has a motor mounting position and two bearing mounting slots; the motor is fixed to the motor mounting position; the two bearing mounting slots are arranged at intervals, each bearing mounting slot has a bearing, and each bearing is sleeved on the rotating rod; The housing has two spaced-apart perforations; there are two pry arms, each pry arm includes a sleeve part and an L-shaped swing part, the sleeve part of each pry arm is sleeved on the rotating rod, and the L-shaped swing part of each pry arm extends out of the housing through the corresponding perforation to jointly support the lower part.

[0009] In some embodiments, each of the pry bar's sleeve portion has a shaft hole for the rotating rod to pass through, and the portion of the rotating rod corresponding to the shaft hole has an oval cross-sectional shape.

[0010] In some embodiments, the smoothie machine includes a liquid storage tank; the liquid storage tank is detachably connected to the higher portion and moves synchronously with the tray; The liquid storage tank has an opening, and the liquid storage tank is connected to the tray through the opening, so that the liquid level of the liquid to be frozen in the tray is kept constant.

[0011] In some embodiments, the housing has a notch communicating with the first cavity, and the liquid storage tank has a limiting edge that matches the shape of the notch, the limiting edge passing through the notch and abutting against the housing.

[0012] In some embodiments, the liquid storage tank includes a main body portion and an extension portion that are interconnected; the main body portion is exposed outside the housing, the extension portion is connected to the bottom of the main body portion, and one end of the extension portion away from the main body portion extends through the notch into the first cavity and is detachably connected to the higher portion. The limiting edge is located on the main body portion, and the opening is located at the end of the extending portion away from the main body portion.

[0013] In some embodiments, the bottom wall of the tray is provided with multiple reinforcing ribs, which are located in the higher part and are spaced apart, and the end faces of the multiple reinforcing ribs are all parallel to the horizontal plane. The liquid storage tank abuts against the end faces of the multiple reinforcing ribs, and the liquid storage tank is connected to the tray through the opening and the gaps between the reinforcing ribs.

[0014] In some embodiments, a spring reset valve is installed at the opening; a blocking part protrudes from the bottom wall of the tray, the blocking part is located in the higher part, and the blocking part abuts against the valve core of the spring reset valve so that the liquid storage tank is connected to the tray. Multiple reinforcing ribs are spaced around the blockage portion, and the end face of each reinforcing rib is lower than the end face of the blockage portion.

[0015] The beneficial effects of the embodiments of this application are as follows: The ice blender involved in this application can adjust the distance between the tray and the evaporator roller according to the different adaptability of the liquid to be frozen, so that the evaporator roller is submerged below the appropriate liquid surface of the liquid to be frozen. During ice making, different liquids to be frozen have a good contact area with the evaporator roller, thereby improving the situation that the ice layer formed on the evaporator roller by different liquids to be frozen is prone to breakage, peeling or incomplete formation, thereby improving the ice making effect. Attached Figure Description

[0016] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the specific embodiments of this application or the prior art, the accompanying drawings used in the description of the specific embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. In all the drawings, similar elements or parts are generally identified by similar reference numerals. In the drawings, the elements or parts are not necessarily drawn to scale.

[0017] Figure 1 This is an exploded view of a partial structure of a smoothie machine provided in one embodiment of this application; Figure 2 for Figure 1 The image shows a front view of the smoothie machine; Figure 3 for Figure 1 Another exploded view of the slush machine is shown; Figure 4 for Figure 1 The diagram shows a partial cross-sectional view of some structures in a smoothie machine; Figure 5 for Figure 1A top view of part of the structure of the smoothie machine is shown; Figure 6 for Figure 5 The diagram shows an axonometric view of a portion of the structure of the smoothie machine. Figure 7 for Figure 6 The diagram shown is an exploded view of part of the structure of the smoothie machine; Figure 8 for Figure 1 Axonometric view of the reservoir in the smoothie machine shown; Figure 9 for Figure 1 Axonometric view of the tray in the smoothie machine shown; Figure label: 10. Housing; 10a. First cavity; 10b. Second cavity; 10c. Receptacle; 11. Front shell; 111. End wall; 112. First transition wall; 113. Second transition wall; 114. Bearing wall; 115. Smooth transition wall; 116. Inner eaves wall; 11a. Motor mounting position; 11b. Bearing mounting groove; 11c. Perforation; 12. Back shell; 13. Side shell; 14. Bottom shell; 15. Top shell; 15a. Notch; 21. Evaporator drum; 21A. Evaporator drum's own axis; 24. Compressor; 25. Condenser; 30. Tray; 31. Bottom wall; 311. Reinforcing rib; 312. Blocking part; 32. Rear side wall; 33. Surrounding edge; 30a. Liquid storage tank; 301. Lower part; 302. Higher part; 40. Scraper; 50. Drive assembly; 51. Motor; 52. Rotary rod; 52A. Rotary rod's own axis; 53. Crowbar; 531. Sleeve; 532. L-shaped swing part; 54. Coupling; 55. Bearing; 60. Liquid storage tank; 601. Main body; 602. Insertion part; 611. Limiting edge; 70. Spring return valve. Detailed Implementation

[0018] The technical solutions of the embodiments of this application will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of this application, and not all embodiments. The following description of at least one exemplary embodiment is merely illustrative and is in no way intended to limit this application or its application or use. All other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art based on the embodiments of this application without creative effort are within the scope of protection of this application.

[0019] Techniques, methods, and equipment known to those skilled in the art may not be discussed in detail, but where appropriate, such techniques, methods, and equipment should be considered part of the specification.

[0020] In the description of this application, it should be noted that the orientation or positional relationship indicated by directional terms such as "front, back, up, down, left, right", "horizontal, vertical, horizontal" and "top, bottom" is usually based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings, and is only for the convenience of describing this application and simplifying the description. Unless otherwise stated, these directional terms 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, and therefore should not be construed as a limitation on the scope of protection of this application; the directional terms "inner" and "outer" refer to the inner and outer contours relative to the outline of each component itself.

[0021] In the description of this application, it should be noted that the use of terms such as "first" and "second" to define the components is merely for the purpose of distinguishing the corresponding components. Unless otherwise stated, the above terms have no special meaning and therefore should not be construed as limiting the scope of protection of this application.

[0022] The technical features involved in the different embodiments of this application described below can be combined with each other as long as they do not conflict with each other.

[0023] Please see also Figures 1 to 9 One embodiment of this application provides a smoothie machine, which includes a housing 10, an ice-making component, a tray 30, a scraper 40, and a drive component 50.

[0024] The housing 10 serves not only as the mounting base for the aforementioned components but also as the support structure for the tray 30.

[0025] The tray 30 is located outside the housing 10 and is movably connected to the housing 10. The tray 30 is used to hold liquids to be frozen.

[0026] The ice-making assembly includes an evaporator roller 21. The evaporator roller 21 is located outside the housing 10 and rotates about its own axis relative to the housing 10. A portion of the evaporator roller 21 is housed in a tray 30, and another portion is exposed outside the tray 30.

[0027] The ice-making assembly also includes a power source and a transmission mechanism. Both the power source and the transmission mechanism are fixedly connected within the housing 10. The power source drives the evaporator drum 21, which is inserted into the shaft within the housing 10, via the transmission mechanism, causing the evaporator to rotate around its own axis. For example, the power source can be a DC motor, and the transmission mechanism can be a reduction gearbox, thereby matching the evaporator drum 21 to a suitable rotational speed to meet actual usage requirements.

[0028] In addition, the ice-making assembly also includes a compressor 24 and a condenser 25. Both the compressor 24 and the condenser 25 are fixedly connected inside the housing 10. Refrigerant circulates between the compressor 24, the condenser 25, and the evaporator drum 21. After the refrigerant is input from the compressor 24 to the condenser 25, the refrigerant output from the condenser 25 enters the evaporator drum 21, and the refrigerant output from the evaporator returns to the compressor 24, and so on.

[0029] The scraper 40 is located outside the housing 10 and fixed to the housing 10. A scraping gap (not shown in the figure) is formed between the scraper 40 and the evaporator drum 21. The size of the scraping gap needs to be set by taking into account various factors such as the material and hardness of the scraper 40, the rotation speed and temperature of the evaporator drum 21, and the working conditions and design requirements of the smoothie machine. No specific limit is given here.

[0030] The drive assembly 50 is fixed to the housing 10 and movably connected to the tray 30. The drive assembly 50 is used to drive the tray 30 to move to a first position or a second position. When the tray 30 is in the first position, the liquid level of the liquid to be frozen in the tray 30 is at the first liquid level; when the tray 30 is in the second position, the liquid level of the liquid to be frozen in the tray 30 is at the second liquid level. The second liquid level is higher than the first liquid level.

[0031] To help readers understand the technical solution of the smoothie machine provided in this application, the following example illustrates the operation process of the smoothie machine.

[0032] Before ice making, a suitable amount of liquid to be frozen is placed in the tray 30, allowing part of the evaporator roller 21 to be submerged below the surface of the liquid. The drive assembly 50 is controlled accordingly depending on the type of liquid to be frozen. For example, when the liquid to be frozen is a liquid with a freezing point of 0°C, such as low-concentration sugar water or purified water, the required contact area with the evaporator roller 21 is small. The drive assembly 50 is controlled to move the tray 30 to a first position, allowing the tray 30 to approach the evaporator roller 21, thus raising the liquid level in the tray 30 to the first level. Conversely, when the liquid to be frozen is a liquid with a freezing point below 0°C, such as high-concentration sugar water or ice cream liquid, the required contact area with the evaporator roller 21 is large. The drive assembly 50 is again controlled to move the tray to a second position, allowing the tray 30 to approach the evaporator roller 21 again, raising the liquid level in the tray 30 from the first level to the second level.

[0033] During ice making, the liquid level of the liquid to be frozen in the tray 30 remains unchanged. Here, the current liquid level refers to the liquid level of the liquid to be frozen in the tray 30 before ice making, whether adjusted by the drive component 50 or not. The evaporator drum 21 rotates around its own axis. The liquid to be frozen adheres to the outer circumference of the evaporator drum 21 and exchanges heat with the refrigerant inside the evaporator drum 21, causing the liquid to release heat and its temperature to drop until the temperature of the liquid to be frozen drops below the freezing point, forming an ice layer on the outer circumference of the evaporator drum 21. After the thickness of the ice layer exceeds the ice scraping gap, the scraper 40 cuts the ice layer on the evaporator drum 21 to obtain soft ice slush.

[0034] After ice making is completed, the drive component 50 is driven in a controlled manner, and the tray 30 can move away from the evaporator drum 21 under the drive of the drive component 50. Alternatively, if the drive component 50 is not controlled, the tray 30 moves away from the evaporator drum 21 under the gravity of the liquid to be frozen, so that the liquid level of the liquid to be frozen in the tray 30 drops from the set liquid level to the initial liquid level, thereby achieving a reset.

[0035] The slush machine involved in this application can adjust the distance between the tray 30 and the evaporator roller 21 according to the different adaptability of the liquid to be frozen, so that the evaporator roller 21 is submerged below the appropriate liquid surface of the liquid to be frozen. During ice making, different liquids to be frozen have a good contact area with the evaporator roller 21, thereby improving the situation where the ice layer formed on the evaporator roller 21 by different liquids to be frozen is prone to breakage, peeling or incomplete formation, thus improving the ice making effect.

[0036] For casing 10, please refer to Figure 4 See also Figures 1 to 3 In some embodiments, as shown in any of the accompanying drawings, the housing 10 has a first cavity 10a and a second cavity 10b arranged sequentially along the direction of gravity, and the first cavity 10a and the second cavity 10b are interconnected. The aforementioned tray 30 is housed in the first cavity 10a, and the aforementioned evaporator roller 21 and scraper 40 are both located in the first cavity 10a. The second cavity 10b can accommodate a smoothie cup, facilitating the removal of the smoothie cut by the scraper 40. The housing 10 has a cavity 10c, in which some components of the aforementioned drive assembly 50, the power source 22, the transmission mechanism 23, the compressor 24, and the condenser 25 are all housed. For example, as shown in the figure... Figure 3As shown, the housing 10 is generally rectangular and includes a front shell 11, a back shell 12, two side shells 13, a bottom shell 14, and a top shell 15. The top shell 15 and the bottom shell 14 are positioned opposite each other and spaced apart along the direction of gravity. The two side shells 13 are positioned opposite each other and spaced apart. The front shell 11 and the rear shell are positioned opposite each other in the front-rear direction of the side shells 13, and together with the two side shells 13, the top shell 15, and the bottom shell 14, they enclose the aforementioned cavity 10c. The surface of the front shell 11 near the top shell 15 is recessed towards the side where the rear shell is located to form the aforementioned first cavity 10a. The surface of the front shell 11 near the bottom shell 14 is recessed towards the side where the rear shell is located to form the aforementioned second cavity 10b.

[0037] In some embodiments, the housing 10 has a notch 15a communicating with the first cavity 10a, the notch 15a allowing the tray 30 to pass through, thereby keeping the tray 30 contained within the first cavity 10a. Exemplarily, continuing as... Figure 1 or Figure 3 As shown, the aforementioned notch 15a is located in the middle of the side of the top shell 15 facing the front shell 11. It is roughly rectangular and located at the top of the first cavity 10a. The size of the notch 15a is larger than the size of the tray 30 so that the user can take the tray 30 out.

[0038] For pallet 30, please refer to Figure 4 See also Figure 3 In some embodiments, the tray 30 is housed within the first cavity 10a and is limited by the housing 10 and the scraper 40. Exemplarily, the tray 30 includes a bottom wall 31, a rear side wall 32, and a surrounding edge 33. The rear side wall 32 is integrally formed on one edge of the bottom wall 31 near the cavity 10c, and the surrounding edge is integrally formed on the periphery of the bottom wall 31 and the rear side wall 32. The bottom wall 31, the rear side wall 32, and the surrounding edge together form a liquid storage tank 30a with an open top. The bottom wall 31 is supported by the front shell 11, and the surrounding edge and the rear side wall 32 are respectively disposed opposite to and limited by the respective side walls of the front shell 11.

[0039] To improve the ice-making efficiency of the ice-making assembly, in some embodiments, the tray 30 is inclined relative to the horizontal plane and has a lower portion 301 and a higher portion 302, with a portion of the evaporator roller 21 housed in the lower portion 301. Exemplarily, continuing as... Figure 4 As shown, the bottom wall 31 extends downwards gradually from the end closest to the rear side wall 32, causing the tray 30 to tilt relative to the horizontal plane and dividing the tray 30 into a lower part 301 and a higher part 302. When the liquid to be frozen is injected into the storage tank 30a, the liquid can gather in the lower part 301 and make full contact with the evaporator drum 21. In the same freezing time, the evaporator drum 21 needs to freeze less liquid, the ice layer formed on the evaporator drum 21 freezes faster, and the ice-making efficiency of the ice-making component is also higher.

[0040] Please combine Figure 1 See also Figure 4 To further facilitate the handling of the tray 30, the front shell 11 includes an end wall 111, a first transition wall 112, a second transition wall 113, and a support wall 114, integrally formed sequentially along the direction of gravity. The end wall 111 is located at the top of the first cavity 10a. Both the end wall 111 and the first transition wall 112 are positioned opposite to the rear side wall 32 of the tray 30, with the end wall 111 being further away from the rear side wall 32 of the tray 30 than the first transition wall 112. The second transition wall 113 is shaped to correspond to the rear side wall 32 of the tray 30, and the second transition wall 113 and the scraper 40 together can confine the tray 30 within a certain displacement range. The shape of the support wall 114 corresponds to a portion of the bottom wall 31 of the tray 30, and the portion of the bottom wall 31 is supported by the support wall 114. When the tray 30 is housed in the first cavity 10a, an area for the user's palm is formed between the end wall 111 and the rear side wall 32. The user can reach into this area through the notch 15a to grasp or release the grip portion of the tray 30, thereby providing further convenience for taking and putting away the tray 30.

[0041] Furthermore, please combine Figure 5 See also Figure 4 The lower portion 301 of the tray is suspended above the second cavity 10b, while the higher portion 302 is supported by the supporting wall 114. This arrangement provides clearance for the tray 30, within which it can deflect at a certain angle, making it easier for the user to place and retrieve the tray 30. Furthermore, the evaporator roller 21 and the scraper 40 are also suspended above the second cavity 10b, allowing the ice layer cut by the scraper 40 on the evaporator roller 21 to fall into the second cavity 10b and be collected by the smoothie cup to create a smooth, creamy slush.

[0042] Further reading Figure 4 The front shell 11 also includes an inner eaves wall 116. The inner eaves wall 116 is located below the support wall 114 and is integrally formed with the support wall 114 through a smooth transition wall 115. The inner eaves is recessed from the second cavity 10b toward the cavity 10c. When the user cleans the evaporator drum 21, the smooth transition wall 115 can guide the cleaning liquid. Due to the presence of the inner eaves wall 116, the liquid drips from the smooth transition wall 115 and has less contact with the end wall 111 below, making the cleaning of the evaporator drum 21 easier.

[0043] For driver component 50, please refer to Figure 4 See also Figure 6 and Figure 7In some embodiments, the drive assembly 50 includes a motor 51, a rotating rod 52, and a pry arm 53. The motor 51 is fixed to the housing 10. The rotating rod 52 is rotatably connected to the housing 10 about its own axis, with its own axis 52A parallel to the own axis 21A of the evaporator drum. The rotating rod 52 is connected to the shaft of the motor 51 via a coupling 54. One end of the pry arm 53 is fitted onto the rotating rod 52, and the other end of the pry arm 53 abuts against the tray 30. Exemplarily, continuing as... Figure 7 As shown, the front housing 11 has a motor mounting position 11a on the side facing the cavity 10c. The drive motor 51 is fixed to the motor mounting position 11a by, but not limited to, screw connection. The inner wall 116 has two spaced bearing 55 mounting grooves 11b on the surface facing the cavity 10c. Each bearing 55 is installed in each bearing 55 mounting groove 11b, and each bearing 55 is sleeved on the rotating rod 52. The front housing 11 has two spaced through holes 11c. Correspondingly, there are also two pry arms 53. Each pry arm 53 includes a sleeve part 531 and an L-shaped swing part 532. The sleeve part 531 of each pry arm 53 is sleeved on the rotating rod 52. The L-shaped swing part 532 of each pry arm 53 extends out of the housing 10 through the corresponding through hole 11c to jointly abut against the tray 30. The tray 30 can move closer to or further away from the evaporator drum 21 under the abutment of the pry arms 53, so that the tray 30 can move to a first position or a second position. With this configuration, all components of the drive assembly 50 except for the L-shaped swing portion 532 of the pry arm 53 are hidden inside the cavity 10c. Even if the L-shaped swing portion 532 of the pry arm 53 extends out of the housing 10, it is still hidden by the tray 30. Therefore, the components of the drive assembly 50 are not exposed to the user's view, thereby improving the user experience.

[0044] Furthermore, the drive motor 51 is a stepper motor. Compared with DC motors, stepper motors can provide higher torque output at low speeds and still have better operational stability when facing larger loads such as trays 30 containing frozen liquid.

[0045] Furthermore, each pry bar's sleeve portion 531 has a shaft hole (not shown in the figure) through which the rotating rod 52 passes. The cross-sectional shape of the portion of the rotating rod 52 corresponding to the shaft hole is oval, and the shaft hole is also oval. This arrangement ensures that the torque output by the drive motor 51 is transmitted from the rotating rod 52 to the pry bar 53, guaranteeing synchronous rotation between the pry bar 53 and the rotating rod 52. It is understood that the cross-sectional shape of the portion of the rotating rod 52 other than the corresponding shaft hole is not specifically limited here; it can be the same as or different from the cross-sectional shape of the portion of the rotating rod 52 corresponding to the shaft hole. For example, all portions of the rotating rod 52 may have an oval cross-section, or the portion of the shaft 52 other than the corresponding shaft hole may have a circular cross-section. Moreover, the methods by which the rotating rod 52 and the pry bar 53 transmit torque are diverse and not limited to this. For example, the rotating rod 52 and the pry bar 53 may transmit torque through additional gear transmission or key transmission.

[0046] It is also understood that the embodiments of this application do not specifically limit the structure and installation position of the drive component 50, as long as it can meet the condition of driving the tray 30 closer to the evaporator drum 21, so that the liquid level of the liquid to be frozen in the tray 30 rises from the first liquid level to the second liquid level. For example, in some other embodiments, a variable volume airbag is provided between the bottom wall 31 of the tray 30 and the bearing wall 114 of the front shell 11. As the volume of the airbag increases, the tray 30 is lifted as a whole, and the higher part 302 of the tray 30 also becomes higher, so as to achieve the liquid level of the liquid to be frozen in the tray 30 rising from the first liquid level to the second liquid level.

[0047] Please combine Figure 8 and Figure 9 See also Figures 1 to 4 In some embodiments, as shown in any of the accompanying drawings, the smoothie machine includes a liquid reservoir 60. The liquid reservoir 60 is detachably connected to a tray 30 and moves synchronously with the tray 30. The liquid reservoir 60 has an opening (not shown) that communicates with the tray 30 through the opening to maintain a constant liquid level of the liquid to be frozen within the tray 30. Exemplarily, continuing as... Figure 5 or Figure 9As shown, the bottom wall 31 of the tray is provided with multiple reinforcing ribs 311. These reinforcing ribs 311 are located in the higher part 302 and are spaced apart. The end faces of all reinforcing ribs 311 are parallel to the horizontal plane. The liquid storage tank 60 includes a main body part 601 and an extension part 602 that are interconnected. The main body part 601 is generally disc-shaped and is exposed outside the housing 10. The extension part 602 is generally funnel-shaped and is connected to the bottom of the main body part 601. One end of the extension part 602 away from the main body part 601 passes through a notch 15a and extends into the first cavity 10a, abutting against the end faces of each reinforcing rib 311. The end of the extension part 602 away from the main body part has the aforementioned opening. The liquid storage tank 60 is connected to the liquid storage tank 30a through the opening and the gap between each reinforcing rib 311. This design ensures that the liquid level of the liquid to be frozen in the storage tank 30a is maintained at a suitable initial level, thus maintaining good contact with the evaporator drum 21 and ensuring stable ice formation. The principle behind maintaining a constant liquid level in the tray 30 is that when the liquid level of the liquid to be frozen in the storage tank 30a is lower than the plane of the opening, the liquid to be frozen stored in the storage tank 60 can flow into the storage tank 30a through the opening and the gaps between the reinforcing ribs 311 until the opening is submerged below the liquid surface. Since the storage tank 60 cannot exchange gases with the outside, the liquid level of the liquid to be frozen in the tray 30 remains constant.

[0048] Furthermore, the liquid storage tank 60 is provided with a limiting edge 611 that matches the shape of the notch 15a, exemplarily continuing as follows Figure 8 and Figure 4 As shown, the limiting edge 611 extends downward from the bottom of the main body 601 and surrounds the outside of the extension portion 602. The limiting edge 611 passes through the notch 15a and abuts against the housing 10. The limiting edge 611 allows the liquid storage tank 60 to move slightly up and down within the area defined by the notch 15a while maintaining positional stability.

[0049] Furthermore, a spring-loaded return valve 70 is installed at the opening of the liquid storage tank 60. Exemplarily, continuing as follows... Figure 4As shown, the valve body of the spring return valve 70 is made of, but is not limited to, soft silicone material. The valve body is housed in the opening and sealed to the inner circumferential wall of the extension portion 602. The spring push plug (the valve core of the spring return valve 70) is located in the channel of the valve body. A blocking part 312 protrudes from the bottom wall 31 of the tray 30. The blocking part 312 is also located in the higher portion 302. Multiple reinforcing ribs 311 are spaced around the blocking part 312, and the end face of the blocking part 312 is higher than the end face of each reinforcing rib 311. When the liquid storage tank 60 is assembled onto the tray 30, the blocking part 312 pushes up the spring push plug, and the liquid outlet tank communicates with the inside of the tray 30 through the channel of the valve body. When the liquid storage tank 60 is removed from the tray 30, the spring push plug seals the valve port of the spring return valve 70 under its own elastic force, saving users operation and maintenance costs.

[0050] To help readers understand the principle of liquid level change of the liquid to be frozen in the tray 30 of the smoothie machine provided in this application, the following example is given in conjunction with the position change of the tray 30. Here, the liquid storage tank 60 is arranged in the higher part 302 of the tray 30.

[0051] When the liquid level of the liquid to be frozen rises from the first liquid level to the second liquid level, for example, when it needs to rise from the initial liquid level to the set liquid level, the drive motor 51 drives the rotating rod 52 to rotate counterclockwise. The L-shaped swing parts 532 of the two pry arms 53 rotate synchronously with the rotating rod 52 to continuously act on the lower part 301 of the tray 30, lifting the tray 30 upward. The higher part 302 of the tray 30 is lifted to a greater height than the lower part 301, thereby raising the plane where the opening is located, and the liquid level required for the liquid to be frozen to submerge the opening also increases accordingly. Here, the height of the lifting of the plane where the opening is located depends on the distance between the upper and lower ends of the perforation 11c. That is to say, the upper and lower ends of the perforation 11c limit the L-shaped swing parts 532 of the pry arms 53.

[0052] The above description is merely an embodiment of this application and does not limit the patent scope of this application. Any equivalent structural or procedural transformations made using the content of this application's specification and drawings, or direct or indirect applications in other related technical fields, are similarly included within the patent protection scope of this application.

Claims

1. A smoothie maker, characterized in that, include: chassis; A tray, movably connected to the housing, is used to hold liquid to be frozen; An evaporator drum is rotatably connected to the housing about its own axis; a portion of the evaporator drum is housed within the tray. A scraper is fixed to the housing, and an ice-scraping gap is formed between the scraper and the outer peripheral surface of the evaporator drum. A drive assembly is fixed to the housing and movably connected to the tray. The drive assembly is used to drive the tray to move to a first position or a second position. When the tray is in the first position, the liquid level of the liquid to be frozen in the tray is at the first liquid level. When the tray is in the second position, the liquid level of the liquid to be frozen in the tray is at the second liquid level. The second liquid level is higher than the first liquid level.

2. The smoothie machine according to claim 1, characterized in that, The drive assembly includes a motor, a rotating rod, and a pry arm; the motor is fixed to the housing; the rotating rod is rotatably connected to the housing about its own axis, the axis of the rotating rod is parallel to the axis of the evaporator drum, and the rotating rod is connected to the shaft of the drive motor via a coupling; one end of the pry arm is sleeved on the rotating rod, and the other end of the pry arm abuts against the tray; The tray can be moved closer to or further away from the evaporator drum under the support of the pry arm, so that the tray can be moved to the first position or the second position.

3. The smoothie machine according to claim 2, characterized in that, The outer casing is provided with a first cavity and a second cavity arranged sequentially along the direction of gravity, and the first cavity and the second cavity are interconnected. The tray is inclined relative to the horizontal plane and is divided into a lower part and a higher part. The lower part is suspended above the second cavity, and the higher part is located in the first cavity. Both the evaporator drum and the scraper are suspended above the second chamber, with a portion of the evaporator drum housed in the lower section.

4. The smoothie machine according to claim 3, characterized in that, The housing has a cavity, and the surface of the housing facing the cavity has a motor mounting position and two bearing mounting slots; the motor is fixed to the motor mounting position; the two bearing mounting slots are arranged at intervals, each bearing mounting slot is provided with a bearing, and each bearing is sleeved on the rotating rod; The housing has two spaced-apart perforations; there are two pry arms, each pry arm includes a sleeve part and an L-shaped swing part, the sleeve part of each pry arm is sleeved on the rotating rod, and the L-shaped swing part of each pry arm extends out of the housing through the corresponding perforation to jointly support the lower part.

5. The smoothie machine according to claim 4, characterized in that, Each of the pry bar's connecting parts has a shaft hole through which the rotating rod passes, and the portion of the rotating rod corresponding to the shaft hole has an oval cross-sectional shape.

6. The smoothie machine according to any one of claims 3-5, characterized in that, The smoothie machine includes a liquid storage tank; the liquid storage tank is detachably connected to the higher part and moves synchronously with the tray; The liquid storage tank has an opening, and the liquid storage tank is connected to the tray through the opening, so that the liquid level of the liquid to be frozen in the tray is kept constant.

7. The smoothie machine according to claim 6, characterized in that, The housing has a notch that connects to the first cavity, and the liquid storage tank has a limiting edge that matches the shape of the notch. The limiting edge passes through the notch and abuts against the housing.

8. The smoothie machine according to claim 7, characterized in that, The liquid storage tank includes a main body and an extension portion that are interconnected; the main body is exposed outside the housing, the extension portion is connected to the bottom of the main body, and one end of the extension portion away from the main body extends through the notch into the first cavity and is detachably connected to the higher portion. The limiting edge is located on the main body portion, and the opening is located at the end of the extending portion away from the main body portion.

9. The smoothie machine according to claim 6, characterized in that, The bottom wall of the tray is provided with multiple reinforcing ribs, which are located in the higher part and are spaced apart. The end faces of the multiple reinforcing ribs are all parallel to the horizontal plane. The liquid storage tank abuts against the end faces of the multiple reinforcing ribs, and the liquid storage tank is connected to the tray through the opening and the gaps between the reinforcing ribs.

10. The smoothie machine according to claim 9, characterized in that, A spring-reset valve is installed at the opening; a blocking part protrudes from the bottom wall of the tray, the blocking part is located in the higher part, and the blocking part abuts against the valve core of the spring-reset valve so that the liquid storage tank is connected to the tray. Multiple reinforcing ribs are spaced around the blockage portion, and the end face of each reinforcing rib is lower than the end face of the blockage portion.

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