Quick release structure of ice maker water receiving box

Abstract

This utility model discloses a quick-release structure for the water collection box of an ice maker, relating to the technical field of ice maker components, and solves the problem of inconvenient disassembly and reassembly of existing water collection boxes fixed with screws. It includes a body and a water collection box disposed within the body. The right side of the water collection box is inserted into the body from top to bottom and can move back and forth between locked and unlocked positions. The body is equipped with a limiting element that cooperates with the water collection box to constrain its back-and-forth and up-and-down movement. This structure enables tool-free quick disassembly of the water collection box, balancing stability and ease of maintenance, improving the user experience, and is simple and reliable.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model relates to the field of ice maker technology, and in particular to a quick-release structure for the water receiving box of an ice maker. Background Technology

[0002] With the improvement of living standards and the rapid development of the catering industry, ice makers, as devices that can quickly produce ice, have been widely used in various scenarios such as home kitchens, convenience stores, restaurants, and hotels, providing great convenience for people's lives and business activities. In the overall structure of an ice maker, the water collection box is an indispensable core component. Its main function is to collect condensate generated during the ice-making process, residual water carried by falling ice cubes, and water accidentally spilled by the user during ice removal. This prevents water from dripping directly into the internal circuitry of the ice maker or the external environment, thereby ensuring stable operation of the equipment, extending its service life, and maintaining a dry and clean working environment.

[0003] The performance of the water collection box directly affects the overall user experience and ease of maintenance of the ice maker, therefore, the rationality of its structural design is of great concern. In existing ice maker products, the installation and fixing methods for the water collection box are relatively simple; the industry generally uses several screws to directly lock the water collection box to the ice maker's frame or internal support. This fixing method ensures a stable installation of the water collection box during the equipment assembly stage, ensuring that it will not shift due to vibration or other factors during ice maker operation, thus possessing a certain structural stability advantage.

[0004] However, after long-term market application and user feedback, it has been found that the screw-fixed water collection box has obvious defects and urgently needs technical improvement. Specifically, the defects are mainly reflected in the ease of disassembly and subsequent maintenance and cleaning: On the one hand, because the screw fixing method requires special tools such as screwdrivers to complete the disassembly operation, when a certain amount of water and impurities accumulate in the water collection box and need to be cleaned, users must first find the matching tools and then unscrew the fixing screws one by one. The entire disassembly process is time-consuming and laborious, with a high operational threshold, which is particularly inconvenient for home users or ordinary operators in the catering industry. On the other hand, as the component that directly receives water, the water collection box of the ice maker is prone to the growth of bacteria, mold, or residual scale, food residue and other contaminants after long-term use. If the disassembly process is too cumbersome, it will reduce users' willingness to clean it, thus causing contaminants to accumulate in the water collection box. This may not only produce odors and affect the quality of ice, but may also cause cross-contamination inside the equipment, endangering the health of users.

[0005] In addition, frequent screw removal and installation operations may cause wear and stripping between the screw and the threaded hole, reducing the installation stability of the water receiving box, or even causing the water receiving box to fail to be effectively fixed, increasing the maintenance cost of the equipment. Utility Model Content

[0006] The present invention aims to solve at least one of the technical problems existing in the prior art. To this end, the present invention proposes a quick-release structure for the water receiving box of an ice maker.

[0007] A quick-release structure for a water collection box of an ice maker designed for this purpose includes a body and a water collection box. The water collection box is located inside the body. The right side of the water collection box is inserted into the body from top to bottom and can move between a locked position and an unlocked position relative to the body in the front-back direction. The machine body is provided with a limiting element, which cooperates with the water receiving box to restrict the water receiving box from moving back and forth and up and down relative to the machine body.

[0008] Preferably, the water receiving box is provided with a through hole running vertically through it; when the water receiving box is in the locked position, the limiting element is at least partially inserted into the through hole.

[0009] Preferably, the limiting element is an elastic sheet or an elastic plunger; The elastic sheet includes a fixed part and a deformable part that are connected to each other; the deformable part is provided with a protrusion. When the water receiving box is in the locked position, the deformable part abuts against the upper surface of the water receiving box and the protrusion is inserted into the through hole; When the water receiving box is in the unlocked position, the deformed part separates from the upper surface of the water receiving box and the protrusion completely disengages from the through hole.

[0010] Preferably, the body is provided with a positioning post extending in the front-to-back direction; the water receiving box is provided with a positioning hole that extends in the front-to-back direction. When the water receiving box is in the locked position, the positioning pin is movably inserted into the positioning hole; When the water receiving box is in the unlocked position, the positioning post is completely separated from the positioning hole.

[0011] Preferably, the plate on the right side of the body is provided with a slot, and the right side of the water receiving box is provided with a track flange that folds to the right, and a track groove with a lower opening is formed between the track flange and the outer wall of the right side of the water receiving box. The track flange engages with the plate, allowing the plate to be inserted into the track groove.

[0012] Compared with existing technologies, this invention's quick-release water tray structure for an ice maker eliminates the traditional screw fixing method. Through the plug-in connection between the right side of the water tray and the machine body, combined with a locking / unlocking movement design along the front-to-back direction, users can lock or unlock the water tray simply by manually pushing it, without the need for any special tools. The entire disassembly process requires no screws, simplifying the operation and significantly reducing time. Whether for daily cleaning by home users or frequent maintenance by restaurant staff, the water tray can be easily disassembled and assembled, effectively lowering the operational threshold and solving the core pain point of inconvenient disassembly in traditional structures.

[0013] This structure uses limiting elements on the machine body to reliably limit the water collection box, constraining it from both front-to-back and top-to-bottom dimensions. This ensures the water collection box will not shift or loosen during ice maker operation. While achieving quick-release functionality, it also ensures structural stability, overcoming the cumbersome issues of traditional screw fixing and avoiding risks such as water collection box displacement and leakage due to insecure fixing. This guarantees the stable performance of the water collection box's core function of receiving water. Attached Figure Description

[0014] Figure 1 One of the three-dimensional structural diagrams showing the water receiving box in the locked position; Figure 2 The second three-dimensional structural diagram showing the water receiving box in the locked position; Figure 3 One of the three-dimensional structural diagrams showing the water receiving box in the unlocked position; Figure 4 for Figure 3 Enlarged structural diagram at point A in the middle; Figure 5 The second 3D structural diagram showing the water collection box in the unlocked position; Figure 6 for Figure 5 Enlarged structural diagram at point B; Figure 7 A cross-sectional view of the water receiving box in the locked position. Figure 8 for Figure 7 Enlarged structural diagram at point C; Figure 9 This is one of the schematic diagrams of the three-dimensional structure of the organism; Figure 10 This is the second schematic diagram of the three-dimensional structure of the organism; Figure 11 This is one of the three-dimensional structural diagrams of the water receiving box; Figure 12 This is the second schematic diagram of the three-dimensional structure of the water receiving box. Detailed Implementation

[0015] The present invention will be further described below with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments.

[0016] See Figures 1-12 A quick-release structure for a water collection box of an ice maker includes a body 10 and a water collection box 20. The water collection box 20 is disposed inside the body 10. The right side of the water collection box 20 is inserted into the body 10 from top to bottom and can move relative to the body 10 in the front-back direction between a locked position and an unlocked position. The body 10 is provided with a limiting element 30. The limiting element 30 cooperates with the water collection box 20 to restrict the front-back and up-down movement of the water collection box relative to the body 10.

[0017] The core of this ice maker's quick-release water tray design lies in its installation and fixation via "plug-in positioning + front and rear locking," and disassembly via "reverse unlocking + separation and removal." The entire process relies on the precise coordination of the mechanical structure and requires no additional tools. The specific principle is as follows: Installation Principle: Before installation, the water receiving box 20 must be placed in the unlocked position. At this time, the right side structure of the water receiving box 20 and the insertion part of the body 10 are in a dockable state. The operator places the water receiving box 20 into the preset area inside the body 10, aligns it with the insertion structure of the body 10, and then inserts the right side of the water receiving box 20 into the body 10 from top to bottom, completing the initial insertion. This insertion action can achieve the basic positioning of the water receiving box 20 and the body 10, limiting the left and right displacement of the water receiving box 20. Then, manually push the water receiving box 20 to move it in the front-back direction towards the locked position. When the water receiving box 20 moves to the preset position, the limiting element 30 on the body 10 will form a tight fit with the corresponding limiting structure of the water receiving box 20, constraining the displacement of the water receiving box 20 in the front-back direction. At the same time, the insertion structure restricts its movement in the vertical direction. The double constraint makes the water receiving box 20 stable and fixed.

[0018] Disassembly principle: When it is necessary to disassemble the water receiving box 20, first push the water receiving box 20 in the opposite direction, so that it moves from the locked position to the unlocked position in the front-back direction. During this process, the limiting structure of the water receiving box 20 and the limiting element 30 gradually separate, and the limiting constraint is released. After the water receiving box 20 is fully in the unlocked position, its insertion and engagement with the body 10 only maintains a basic contact state. At this time, lift the water receiving box 20 upward, and the right side of the water receiving box 20 will be disengaged from the insertion structure of the body 10, thus completing the disassembly.

[0019] See Figure 8The water receiving box 20 is provided with a through hole 230 extending vertically. When the water receiving box 20 is in the locked position, the limiting element 30 is at least partially inserted into the through hole 230. The core function of this structure is to provide a precise insertion and positioning reference for the limiting element 30: when the water receiving box 20 moves to the locked position in the front-back direction, the limiting element 30 on the body 10 can be directly inserted into the through hole 230 to form a mechanical lock. The hole wall of the through hole 230 is tightly fitted with the outer peripheral surface of the limiting element 30, which on the one hand restricts the displacement of the water receiving box 20 in the front-back direction and prevents it from accidentally sliding when the ice maker vibrates during operation; on the other hand, the vertical structure of the through hole 230 allows the limiting element 30 to provide vertical support and constraint to the hole wall, preventing the water receiving box 20 from moving up and down, and ultimately achieving a stable fixation of the water receiving box 20 in the locked position. Meanwhile, the plug-in structure is simple and reliable. When unlocking, the water box 20 only needs to be pushed in the opposite direction to disengage the limiting element 30 from the through hole 230, which does not affect the quick-release function and takes into account both the stability of the fixation and the convenience of disassembly and assembly.

[0020] In this invention, the limiting element 30 is an elastic sheet or an elastic plunger; the elastic plunger uses an existing product, and when locked, the ball bearing of the elastic plunger is inserted into the through hole 230 under the action of the spring. As for the elastic sheet, see [link to relevant documentation]. Figure 8 It includes a fixed part 310 and a deformable part 320 connected to each other; the deformable part 320 is provided with a protrusion 330; when the water receiving box 20 is in the locked position, the deformable part 320 abuts against the upper surface of the water receiving box 20 and the protrusion 330 is inserted into the through hole 230; when the water receiving box 20 is in the unlocked position, the deformable part 320 separates from the upper surface of the water receiving box 20 and the protrusion 330 completely disengages from the through hole 230. The elastic plate and elastic plunger serve as limiting elements 30, and their core function is to achieve adaptive locking with the through hole 230 through elastic deformation. The elastic plunger, aided by spring force, pushes a ball bearing into the through hole 230, forming a point-contact lock and quickly restraining the displacement of the water receiving box 20. The elastic plate, with the fixing part 310 as the fixing base, when locked, the deformable part 320 abuts against the upper surface of the water receiving box 20, and the protrusion 330 inserts into the through hole 230. The fixation is strengthened through the dual action of surface pressure and fitting. When unlocked, the deformable part 320 returns to its original position and disengages, and the protrusion 330 exits the through hole 230. Both use their elastic characteristics to ensure reliable locking and smooth unlocking, balancing the need for fixation and quick release.

[0021] See Figure 6The body 10 has a positioning post 120 extending in the front-to-back direction; the water receiving box 20 has a positioning hole 220 extending in the front-to-back direction; when the water receiving box 20 is in the locked position, the positioning post 120 is movably inserted into the positioning hole 220; when the water receiving box 20 is in the unlocked position, the positioning post 120 is completely separated from the positioning hole 220. The core function of this structure is reflected in three dimensions: guidance, positioning, and auxiliary fixation. Firstly, it provides a precise movement trajectory for the water receiving box 20. When the water receiving box 20 switches between the locked and unlocked positions in the front-to-back direction, the positioning hole 220 always slides against the inner wall of the positioning post 120, effectively preventing the water receiving box 20 from shifting left or right or shaking, ensuring a smooth and controllable movement process. Secondly, it enables installation positioning and calibration. During installation, the insertion and engagement of the positioning hole 220 and the positioning post 120 quickly guides the water receiving box 20 into position, ensuring that the through hole 230 on the water receiving box 20 can accurately align with the limiting element 30 of the machine body 10, thus improving the docking efficiency of the locking structure. Thirdly, it enhances overall stability. When the water receiving box 20 is in the locked position, the insertion of the positioning post 120 and the positioning hole 220 helps limit the vertical and horizontal movement of the water receiving box 20, forming a double constraint with the limiting element 30, further improving the installation stability of the water receiving box 20 and preventing it from loosening during the vibration of the ice maker. The number of positioning posts 120 and positioning holes 220 can be set according to different fixing requirements.

[0022] See Figure 9 and Figure 12 The plate 100 on the right side of the body 10 has a slot 110, and the right side of the water receiving box 20 has a right-folding track flange 210. A track groove 200 with a lower opening is formed between the track flange 210 and the outer right wall of the water receiving box 20. The track flange 210 and the plate 100 are inserted into each other, allowing the plate 100 to be inserted into the track groove 200. The core function of this structure is to construct the basic installation and guiding structure for the water receiving box 20. The track flange 210 and the outer wall of the water receiving box 20 enclose the track groove 200 with a lower opening. The slot 110 can accommodate the insertion of the track flange 210, guiding the plate 100 to be precisely inserted into the track groove 200, achieving initial positioning of the water receiving box 20 and the right side of the body 10, and limiting the left and right deviation of the water receiving box 20. Meanwhile, the plug-in connection provides a stable track for the water receiving box 20 to move back and forth, forming a two-way guide with the positioning column 120, ensuring that the water receiving box 20 moves smoothly and the locking structure is precisely connected, thus improving the overall installation reliability.

[0023] In the description of this utility model, it should be understood that the terms "center", "longitudinal", "lateral", "length", "width", "thickness", "upper", "lower", "front", "rear", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", "inner", "outer", "clockwise", "counterclockwise", etc., indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings. They are only for the convenience of describing this utility model and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or component referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, they should not be construed as limitations on this utility model. The terms "first" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of technical features indicated.

[0024] The foregoing has shown and described the basic principles, main features, and advantages of this utility model. Those skilled in the art should understand that this utility model is not limited to the above embodiments. The embodiments and descriptions in the specification are merely illustrative of the principles of this utility model. Various changes and modifications can be made to this utility model without departing from its spirit and scope, and all such changes and modifications fall within the scope of the claims. The scope of protection of this utility model is defined by the appended claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. A quick-release structure for a water receiving box of an ice maker, comprising a body (10) and a water receiving box (20), wherein the water receiving box (20) is disposed inside the body (10), characterized in that: The right side of the water receiving box (20) is inserted into the body (10) from top to bottom and can move between the locked position and the unlocked position relative to the body (10) in the front-back direction; The body (10) is provided with a limiting element (30), which cooperates with the water receiving box (20) to restrict the water receiving box (20) from moving back and forth and up and down relative to the body (10).

2. The quick-release structure for the water receiving box of an ice maker according to claim 1, characterized in that: The water receiving box (20) is provided with a through hole (230) that runs vertically through the water; when the water receiving box (20) is in the locked position, the limiting element (30) is at least partially inserted into the through hole (230).

3. The quick-release structure for a water receiving box of an ice maker according to claim 2, characterized in that: The limiting element (30) is an elastic sheet or an elastic plunger; The elastic sheet includes a fixed part (310) and a deformable part (320) connected to each other; the deformable part (320) is provided with a protrusion (330). When the water receiving box (20) is in the locked position, the deformable part (320) abuts against the upper surface of the water receiving box (20) and the protrusion (330) is inserted into the through hole (230); When the water receiving box (20) is in the unlocked position, the deformable part (320) separates from the upper surface of the water receiving box (20) and the protrusion (330) completely disengages from the through hole (230).

4. The quick-release structure for the water receiving box of an ice maker according to claim 1, characterized in that: The body (10) is provided with a positioning post (120) extending in the front-to-back direction; the water receiving box (20) is provided with a positioning hole (220) extending in the front-to-back direction. When the water receiving box (20) is in the locked position, the positioning pin (120) is movably inserted into the positioning hole (220). When the water receiving box (20) is in the unlocked position, the positioning post (120) is completely separated from the positioning hole (220).

5. The quick-release structure for a water receiving box of an ice maker according to claim 1, characterized in that: The plate (100) on the right side of the body (10) is provided with a slot (110), and the right side of the water receiving box (20) is provided with a track flange (210) that folds to the right. A track groove (200) with a lower opening is formed between the track flange (210) and the right outer wall of the water receiving box (20). The track flange (210) is inserted into the plate (100) so that the plate (100) is inserted into the track groove (200).

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