Shaved ice making device and refrigerator having same

Abstract

A shaved ice making device (100) and a refrigerator (1) having same. The shaved ice making device (100) comprises a housing (110), an ice making drum (120), a driving assembly (121), a spraying portion (132), a scraper assembly and a controller (102). The housing (110) comprises a first cavity (111), an air inlet portion (112), and a discharge portion (117). The ice making drum (120) is located in the first cavity (111). The driving assembly (121) is connected to the ice making drum (120), and the driving assembly (121) is configured to drive the ice making drum (120) to rotate. The spraying portion (132) is located in the first cavity (111), and the spraying portion (132) is configured to spray a liquid to the ice making drum (120) so as to form an ice layer on the ice making drum (120). The scraper assembly is arranged in the first cavity (111), and the driving assembly (121) is further configured to drive the scraper assembly to move.

Description

Smoothie preparation device and refrigerator having the same

[0001] This application claims priority to Chinese patent application No. 202311417395.0 filed on October 27, 2023; priority to Chinese patent application No. 202322867567.6 filed on October 24, 2023; and priority to Chinese patent application No. 202322867615.1 filed on October 24, 2023, the entire contents of which are incorporated by reference into this application. Technical Field

[0002] The present invention relates to the technical field of refrigeration equipment, and in particular to a smoothie preparation device and a refrigerator having the same. Background Art

[0003] As people's living habits change, the use of ice machines is becoming more and more popular, and the corresponding ice types are also constantly changing.

[0004] Summary of the Invention

[0005] In one aspect, a smoothie making device is provided, comprising a housing, an ice making cylinder, a drive assembly, a spray unit, a scraper assembly, and a controller. The housing comprises a first chamber, an air inlet, and an air outlet. The ice making cylinder is located within the first chamber. The drive assembly is connected to the ice making cylinder and is configured to drive the ice making cylinder to rotate. The spray unit is located within the first chamber and is configured to spray liquid toward the ice making cylinder to form an ice layer thereon. The scraper assembly is disposed within the first chamber and is further configured to drive the scraper assembly to move. The controller is coupled to the drive assembly, and is configured to: upon receiving an instruction to prepare smoothies, if it is determined that the ice-making temperature reaches the ice-making requirement, control the spray part to spray liquid onto the ice-making cylinder and rotate the ice-making cylinder; if it is determined that the thickness of the ice layer reaches a set threshold, control the spray part to stop spraying liquid onto the ice-making cylinder; control the movement of the scraper assembly to cut the ice layer to form smoothies, and the smoothies are suitable for being discharged through the lead-out portion; during the process of cutting the ice layer, if it is determined that a preset condition is met, stop cutting.

[0006] In another aspect, a refrigerator is provided, comprising a refrigerator body, a door body, and a smoothie making device, wherein the door body is connected to the refrigerator body, and the smoothie making device is disposed in the refrigerator body. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0007] FIG1 is a front view of a refrigerator according to some embodiments;

[0008] FIG2 is a structural diagram of a smoothie preparation device according to some embodiments;

[0009] FIG3 is a top view of a smoothie preparation device according to some embodiments;

[0010] FIG4 is another structural diagram of a smoothie preparation device according to some embodiments;

[0011] FIG5 is another structural diagram of a smoothie preparation device according to some embodiments;

[0012] FIG6 is another structural diagram of a smoothie preparation device according to some embodiments;

[0013] FIG7 is another structural diagram of a smoothie preparation device according to some embodiments;

[0014] FIG8 is another structural diagram of a smoothie preparation device according to some embodiments;

[0015] FIG9 is another structural diagram of a smoothie preparation device according to some embodiments;

[0016] FIG10 is another structural diagram of a smoothie preparation device according to some embodiments;

[0017] FIG11 is a perspective view of a scraper assembly and a first rod according to some embodiments;

[0018] 12 is a front view of the scraper assembly and the first rod according to some embodiments;

[0019] FIG13 is a block diagram of a smoothie preparation device according to some embodiments;

[0020] FIG14 is another block diagram of a smoothie preparation apparatus according to some embodiments;

[0021] FIG15 is a flow chart of a controller according to some embodiments;

[0022] FIG16 is a structural diagram of another smoothie preparation device according to some embodiments;

[0023] FIG17 is another structural diagram of another smoothie preparation device according to some embodiments;

[0024] FIG18 is a structural diagram of a spray portion according to some embodiments;

[0025] FIG19 is another structural diagram of another smoothie preparation device according to some embodiments;

[0026] FIG20 is a structural diagram of another smoothie preparation device according to some embodiments, with the first side plate removed from the housing;

[0027] FIG21 is another structural diagram of another smoothie preparation device according to some embodiments, wherein the housing is free of the first side plate;

[0028] 22 is a top view of the housing of another smoothie preparation device with the top panel removed, according to some embodiments;

[0029] FIG23 is another structural diagram of another smoothie preparation device according to some embodiments, wherein the housing is free of the first side plate;

[0030] FIG24 is another structural diagram of another smoothie preparation device according to some embodiments, wherein the housing is free of the first side plate;

[0031] FIG25 is a partial enlarged view of the box A in FIG24.

[0032] FIG26 is another structural diagram of another smoothie preparation device according to some embodiments, wherein the housing is free of the first side plate;

[0033] FIG27 is a structural diagram of another smoothie preparation device according to some embodiments;

[0034] FIG28 is a structural diagram of a housing of another smoothie preparation device with the top plate removed according to some embodiments;

[0035] FIG29 is a top view of the structure shown in FIG28;

[0036] FIG30 is a partial enlarged view of the area circled at B in FIG29;

[0037] FIG31 is another structural diagram of yet another smoothie preparation device according to some embodiments;

[0038] FIG32 is a structural diagram of another smoothie preparation device without the housing according to some embodiments;

[0039] FIG33 is a structural diagram of an ice making cylinder according to some embodiments;

[0040] FIG34 is a structural diagram of another smoothie preparation device according to some embodiments without the housing and ice making cylinder;

[0041] FIG35 is a structural diagram of a scraper assembly, a second fixing frame, and a rotating portion according to some embodiments;

[0042] FIG36 is a structural diagram of a scraper assembly and a second fixing frame according to some embodiments;

[0043] FIG37 is a block diagram of a scraper assembly according to some embodiments;

[0044] 38 is a structural diagram of a first mounting bracket and a third tube according to some embodiments. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0045] The following will be combined with the accompanying drawings to clearly and completely describe the technical solutions in some embodiments of the present disclosure. Obviously, the embodiments described are only some embodiments of the present disclosure, not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments provided by the present disclosure, all other embodiments obtained by ordinary technicians in this field are within the scope of protection of the present disclosure.

[0046] Unless the context requires otherwise, throughout the specification and claims, the term "comprise" and its other forms, such as the third person singular form "comprises" and the present participle form "comprising", are to be interpreted as open and inclusive, that is, "including, but not limited to". In the description of the specification, the terms "one embodiment", "some embodiments", "exemplary embodiments", "example", "specific example" or "some examples" are intended to indicate that the particular features, structures, materials or characteristics associated with the embodiment or example are included in at least one embodiment or example of the present disclosure. The schematic representation of the above terms does not necessarily refer to the same embodiment or example. In addition, the particular features, structures, materials or characteristics may be included in any one or more embodiments or examples in any appropriate manner.

[0047] In the following, the terms "first" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be understood to indicate or imply relative importance or implicitly specify the number of the technical features indicated. Therefore, a feature defined as "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of the features. In the description of the embodiments of the present disclosure, unless otherwise specified, "plurality" means two or more.

[0048] When describing some embodiments, the expressions "coupled" and "connected" and their derivatives may be used. The term "connected" should be understood in a broad sense. For example, "connection" can be a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; it can be directly connected or indirectly connected through an intermediate medium. The term "coupled" indicates that two or more components are in direct physical or electrical contact. The term "coupled" or "communicatively coupled" may also refer to two or more components that are not in direct contact with each other, but still cooperate or interact with each other. The embodiments disclosed herein are not necessarily limited to the contents of this document.

[0049] “At least one of A, B and C” has the same meaning as “at least one of A, B or C” and both include the following combinations of A, B and C: A only, B only, C only, the combination of A and B, the combination of A and C, the combination of B and C, and the combination of A, B and C.

[0050] “A and / or B” includes the following three combinations: A only, B only, and a combination of A and B.

[0051] The use of "adapted to" or "configured to" herein is intended to be open and inclusive language that does not exclude devices adapted or configured to perform additional tasks or steps.

[0052] As used herein, "about," "substantially," or "approximately" includes the stated value and an average value that is within an acceptable range of deviation from the particular value as determined by one of ordinary skill in the art taking into account the measurements in question and the errors associated with the measurement of the particular quantity (i.e., the limitations of the measurement system).

[0053] As used herein, "parallel", "perpendicular", and "equal" include the situations described and situations similar to the situations described, and the range of the similar situations is within an acceptable deviation range, wherein the acceptable deviation range is as determined by a person of ordinary skill in the art taking into account the measurement in question and the errors associated with the measurement of the specific quantity (i.e., the limitations of the measurement system). For example, "parallel" includes absolute parallelism and approximate parallelism, wherein the acceptable deviation range of approximate parallelism can be, for example, a deviation within 5°; "perpendicular" includes absolute perpendicularity and approximate perpendicularity, wherein the acceptable deviation range of approximate perpendicularity can also be, for example, a deviation within 5°. "Equal" includes absolute equality and approximate equality, wherein the acceptable deviation range of approximate equality can be, for example, that the difference between the two equals is less than or equal to 5% of either one.

[0054] The smoothie preparation device in some embodiments of the present disclosure can be used in conjunction with a refrigerator. Referring to Figure 1, in some embodiments, the refrigerator 1 generally includes a cabinet 2, a door 3 and a refrigeration system. At least one refrigeration compartment 5 is formed in the cabinet 2, and the door 3 is configured to open or close the corresponding refrigeration compartment 5 to meet the user's needs for storing and accessing items.

[0055] A refrigeration compartment 5 is formed in the box body 2 and is opened and closed by a door body 3 . The refrigeration system can provide cooling capacity to cool the refrigeration compartment 5 .

[0056] The box body 2 needs to meet the heat preservation requirement of the refrigeration compartment 5 , so the box body 2 can adopt a foaming method to form a foam layer to achieve heat preservation.

[0057] The refrigeration system performs a refrigeration cycle of the refrigerator 1 by using a compressor, a condenser, an expansion valve, and an evaporator. The refrigeration cycle includes a series of processes involving compression, condensation, expansion, and evaporation to achieve cooling of the items in the cabinet 2.

[0058] Low-temperature, low-pressure refrigerant enters the compressor, where it is compressed into high-temperature, high-pressure refrigerant gas. The compressor then discharges the compressed refrigerant gas, which flows into the condenser. The condenser condenses the compressed refrigerant into a liquid phase, releasing heat into the surrounding environment.

[0059] The expansion valve expands the high-temperature, high-pressure liquid refrigerant condensed in the condenser to a lower-pressure liquid. The evaporator evaporates the refrigerant expanded in the expansion valve and returns the low-temperature, low-pressure refrigerant gas to the compressor. The evaporator cools the contents of the cabinet by utilizing the latent heat of evaporation.

[0060] Currently, the functions of ice makers are relatively simple. For example, some ice makers only have the function of making ice, while some ice makers only have the functions of making ice and crushing ice, but do not have the function of making smoothies.

[0061] In the related art, most smoothie preparation devices are manual devices. After the user places ice cubes or crushed ice into the smoothie preparation device, the user operates the manual joystick to make the ice cubes or crushed ice into smoothies. However, this method of preparing smoothies is cumbersome to operate and has low smoothie preparation efficiency.

[0062] In order to solve the above technical problems, some embodiments of the present disclosure provide a smoothie preparation device, which can spray liquid into an ice-making cylinder through a spray part to form an ice layer on the ice-making cylinder, and use a scraper assembly to cut the ice layer to form smoothie, thereby improving the efficiency of smoothie preparation.

[0063] In some embodiments, the smoothie preparation device 100 can be used in a refrigerator 1, utilizing the cold airflow generated by the refrigerator 1's refrigeration system during cooling to provide cooling to the first chamber. Alternatively, the smoothie preparation device can be used independently and equipped with an independent refrigeration system to provide cold airflow to the first chamber. Here, the first chamber is a chamber for preparing smoothies.

[0064] In some embodiments, the smoothie preparation device 100 can prepare different types of smoothies with the help of external liquid (eg, purified water, beverages, etc.), thereby meeting the diverse needs of users.

[0065] In some embodiments, referring to FIG. 2 , the smoothie preparation device 100 includes a housing 110 . The housing 110 includes a housing body. The housing body includes a plurality of first side panels 116 , a bottom panel 113 , and a top panel 115 . The plurality of first side panels 116 are sequentially connected, and the bottom panel 113 and the top panel 115 are connected to the bottom and top of the plurality of first side panels 116 , respectively.

[0066] 2 and 4 , the smoothie preparation device 100 includes a first cavity 111 . A second side plate 216 is further provided in the housing 110 , and the housing body and the second side plate 216 together define the first cavity 111 .

[0067] The ice smoothie preparation device 100 further includes a scraper assembly and an ice making cylinder 120. The scraper assembly and the ice making cylinder 120 are located in the first chamber 111. In this way, it is convenient to prepare ice smoothies by cooperating with the scraper assembly and the ice making cylinder 120.

[0068] The smoothie making device 100 also includes an air inlet 112. At least one air inlet 112 is provided on the top plate 115. The air inlet 112 communicates with the first chamber 111, thereby connecting the first chamber 111 to the exterior of the housing 110. The cold air flow generated by the refrigeration system during cooling can enter the first chamber 111 through the air inlet 112. For example, the air inlet 112 may be a through-hole structure extending through at least a portion of the top plate 115.

[0069] 5 and 6 , the scraper assembly includes a first scraper 141 and a second scraper 142 . The first scraper 141 and the second scraper 142 are disposed opposite to each other and are located on both sides of the ice making cylinder 120 .

[0070] In some embodiments, as shown in FIG2 , the at least one air inlet 112 includes multiple air inlets. For example, the multiple air inlets 112 include a first air inlet 1121 and a second air inlet 1122. The first air inlet 1121 and the second air inlet 1122 are respectively connected to the first chamber 111. By providing multiple air inlets, the amount of cold air entering the first chamber 111 can be increased, thereby improving the efficiency of making smoothies.

[0071] 4 , the housing 110 further includes a discharge portion 117 . The discharge portion 117 is located below the housing 110 . The discharge portion 117 is configured to discharge the smoothie in the first chamber 111 .

[0072] In some embodiments, the lead-out portion 117 includes a through portion 1131 and a discharge portion 170 (such as a discharge hopper). The through portion 1131 is located at the bottom of the shell 110. A through portion 1131 is defined between the bottom plate 113 and the discharge portion 170. For example, the bottom plate 113 includes a first through hole, and one end of the discharge portion 170 close to the bottom plate 113 is opened to form a second through hole (i.e., the inlet of the discharge portion 170), and the second through hole is connected to the first through hole to form a through portion 1131. The through portion 1131 is connected to the first cavity 111. The discharge portion 170 is located below the bottom plate 113. This allows the smoothie to be discharged through the first cavity 111, the through portion 1131 and the discharge portion 170 in sequence.

[0073] To facilitate the dispensing of smoothies, in some embodiments, one end of the discharge portion 170 is located below or directly below the ice making cylinder 120. The discharge portion 170 is configured to receive the smoothies cut from the ice making cylinder 120 by the first and second scrapers 141, 142. For example, the smoothie making device 100 includes a receiving tray. This receiving tray is located at the lower end of the discharge portion 170 and receives the smoothies.

[0074] In some embodiments, referring to Figures 3 and 6 , the smoothie making device 100 further includes at least one air deflector (i.e., one or more air deflectors). The at least one air deflector is disposed in the first air inlet 1121 and the second air inlet 1122, respectively, and is configured to direct the cold air flow into the first chamber 111. Thus, by providing two air inlets, the amount of cold air entering the first chamber 111 can be increased. The cold air flow entering the first chamber 111 can lower the temperature of the ice making cylinder 120, thereby improving the efficiency of smoothie making.

[0075] In some embodiments, the smoothie making device 100 includes a first door and a second door. The first door is located in the first air inlet 1121, and the second door is located in the second air inlet 1122. The opening angles of the first door and the second door can be adjusted to adjust the amount of cold airflow entering the first chamber 111 through the first air inlet 1121 and the second air inlet 1122.

[0076] For example, the first door can be equipped with a louver and a stepper motor, the drive shaft of the stepper motor is connected to the main connecting rod, the main connecting rod is rotatably connected to one end of the louver through a first crankshaft, and the other end of the louver is rotatably connected to a second crankshaft set at the first air inlet 1121, and the louver is configured to guide outgoing air.

[0077] It should be noted that the opening of the first door can be adjusted by adjusting the rotation angle of the stepper motor, thereby adjusting the corresponding cooling capacity.

[0078] In some embodiments, when the smoothie preparation device 100 is in the standby state, the temperature of the first chamber 111 is reduced to a preset temperature state.

[0079] Since the temperature of the first chamber 111 is positively correlated with the temperature of the outer wall surface of the ice making cylinder 120 , the temperature of the outer wall surface of the ice making cylinder 120 can be adjusted by adjusting the amount of cold air flow in the first chamber 111 .

[0080] In order to control the temperature of the outer wall surface of the ice making cylinder 120, referring to FIG. 13 , the smoothie making device 100 further includes a first detection assembly 103 (e.g., a temperature detection assembly). The first detection assembly 103 is disposed within the first cavity 111. The first detection assembly 103 includes a first sensor (e.g., a temperature sensor). The first sensor is configured to detect the temperature within the first cavity 111 (e.g., equivalent to detecting the temperature of the outer wall surface of the ice making cylinder 120).

[0081] The smoothie preparation device 100 includes a controller 102 . The controller 102 is coupled to a first detection component 103 .

[0082] When the detected temperature does not meet the preset temperature, the controller 102 adjusts the amount of cold airflow entering the first cavity 111 based on the temperature feedback from the first detection component 103. For example, the controller 102 adjusts the opening of at least one of the first door at the first air inlet 1121 or the second door at the second air inlet 1122.

[0083] When the smoothie preparation device 100 is in the ice-making state, the temperature of the surface of the ice-making cylinder 120 needs to meet the ice-making requirements. At this time, the controller 102 can also adjust the opening of at least one of the first door or the second door based on the temperature feedback from the first detection component 103 to control the amount of cold air flow entering the first cavity 111.

[0084] In some embodiments, referring to FIG. 6 , the smoothie making device 100 further includes a spraying portion 132 , which is configured to spray liquid toward the ice-making cylinder 120 to form an ice layer on the outer wall of the ice-making cylinder 120 .

[0085] In some embodiments, the spray unit 132 is coupled to the controller 102. The spray unit 132 is located above the ice making cylinder 120. For example, the spray unit 132 can be connected to the top panel 115; the spray unit 132 can also be connected to the first side panel 116; or the spray unit 132 can be connected to both the top panel 115 and the side panel 116. This facilitates greater flexibility in the placement of the spray unit 132.

[0086] In some embodiments, referring to Figures 7, 8, and 10, the smoothie making device 100 further includes a drive assembly 121. The drive assembly 121 is located within the housing 110 and is coupled to the controller 102. The drive assembly 121 is connected to the second side plate 216 within the housing 110. The ice making cylinder 120 is also connected to the drive assembly 121.

[0087] When the driving assembly 121 is in operation, the driving assembly 121 drives the ice making cylinder 120 to rotate; and when the driving assembly 121 is in shutdown, the ice making cylinder 120 is in a stationary state. In some embodiments, the rotation speed of the ice making cylinder 120 can also be controlled by controlling the rotation speed of the driving assembly 121.

[0088] In order to form an ice layer on the outer wall of the ice-making cylinder 120 , in some embodiments, referring to FIG. 6 , FIG. 9 and FIG. 10 , external liquid is sprayed toward the outer wall of the ice-making cylinder 120 through the spray portion 132 .

[0089] The spray portion 132 is located in the first cavity 111 . Therefore, the temperature of the spray portion 132 is positively correlated with the temperature in the first cavity 111 . The temperature of the outer wall of the ice making cylinder 120 is also positively correlated with the temperature of the spray portion 132 .

[0090] That is, the liquid sprayed onto the outer wall of the ice-making cylinder 120 by the spray portion 132 is also cold.

[0091] In some embodiments, referring to FIG10 , the spray unit 132 includes a first tube 130 (e.g., a spray tube) and at least one spray unit 131. The at least one spray unit 131 is disposed along the length of the first tube 130 and is located above the ice-making cylinder 120. The at least one spray unit 131 is configured to spray liquid outside the housing 110 onto the outer wall of the ice-making cylinder 120.

[0092] The spraying portion 132 includes a plurality of spraying portions 131, which are evenly spaced along the length of the first tube 130. This allows each area of ​​the outer wall of the ice making cylinder 120 to be sprayed with substantially the same amount of liquid, thereby improving the uniformity of the thickness of the ice layer formed on the outer wall of the ice making cylinder 120.

[0093] In some embodiments, as shown in FIG10 , a first pipe 130 is located below the top plate 115 and above the ice-making cylinder 120. The first pipe 130 is connected to a plurality of spraying portions 131. The plurality of spraying portions 131 are located on a side of the first pipe 130 near the ice-making cylinder 120. This facilitates the liquid in the first pipe 130 to be sprayed onto the outer wall of the ice-making cylinder 120 through the plurality of spraying portions 131.

[0094] In some embodiments, as shown in FIG9 , the first tube 130 is located directly above the ice making cylinder 120. This allows the first tube 130 to spray the received liquid onto the outer wall of the ice making cylinder 120 through the multiple spraying portions 131, thereby facilitating the formation of an ice layer on the outer wall of the ice making cylinder 120 and increasing the volume of the ice layer.

[0095] In some embodiments, referring to Figures 9 and 10 , multiple spraying portions 131 are located directly above the ice-making cylinder 120, with a gap between the multiple spraying portions 131 and the ice-making cylinder 120. This allows the temperature of the external liquid to be lowered within the first chamber 111 while being sprayed by the multiple spraying portions 131. By the time the liquid reaches the outer wall of the ice-making cylinder 120, it has already reached a predetermined temperature. When the liquid at this temperature again encounters the ice-making cylinder 120 at the predetermined temperature, it forms an ice layer on the ice-making cylinder 120, improving ice-making efficiency and, at the same time, smoothie preparation efficiency.

[0096] For example, when the room temperature is 25°C and the freezing point is 0°C, the preset temperature of the ice making cylinder 120 is lower than 0°C, such as -5°C, -10°C, -15°C, etc. The preset temperature of the ice making cylinder 120 can be set as long as the liquid can form an ice layer on the ice making cylinder 120.

[0097] 8 and 9 , when the driving assembly 121 is in operation, the driving assembly 121 drives the ice making cylinder 120 to rotate. In this way, the ice layer formed on the outer wall of the ice making cylinder 120 can accumulate to form icicles, and the thickness of the icicles in the radial direction of the ice making cylinder 120 is substantially equal.

[0098] For example, the distances between the outer surface of the icicle and the outer wall of the ice making cylinder 120 are substantially equal. The icicle is a circular column formed on the ice making cylinder 120, and the radius of the circular column is substantially equal. In this way, the uniformity of the prepared smoothie can be improved.

[0099] In some embodiments, the spraying portion 131 includes a plurality of spray ports (eg, nozzles). Alternatively, the first tube 130 is provided with a plurality of spray ports. Any method is sufficient as long as the liquid can be introduced onto the outer wall of the ice making cylinder 120 .

[0100] In this way, the liquid sprayed from the spraying portion 131 can be sprayed more evenly onto the outer wall of the ice making cylinder 120 .

[0101] To allow external liquid to be delivered to first tube 130, in some embodiments, as shown in Figures 6 and 14, spray portion 132 includes a second tube 160 (e.g., a liquid inlet tube). One end of second tube 160 is connected to the external liquid, and the other end of second tube 160 is connected to first tube 130. This allows external liquid to pass through first tube 130 and second tube 160 and then be sprayed onto the outer wall of ice making cylinder 120.

[0102] The spray section 132 includes a first valve body 133. The first valve body 133 is disposed within the second tube 160 to allow external liquid to flow into the second tube 160. The spray section 132 also includes a first pump 134. One end of the first pump 134 is connected to the second tube 160, and the other end of the first pump 134 is connected to the first tube 130. The first pump 134 is configured to pump the liquid in the second tube 160 to the first tube 130.

[0103] In this way, the flow rate of the liquid can be increased, thereby improving the efficiency of preparing the smoothie to a certain extent.

[0104] In order to meet the needs of preparing smoothies with different types of liquids (such as purified water, milk, beverages, etc.), in some embodiments, referring to FIG. 14 , the smoothie preparation device 100 further includes a fourth tube 161. One end of the fourth tube 161 is connected to the external liquid, and the other end of the fourth tube 161 is connected to the first tube 130.

[0105] The spraying portion 132 further includes a second valve body 135. The second valve body 135 is disposed within the fourth tube 161 to allow external liquid to flow into the fourth tube 161. One end of the first pump 134 is connected to the fourth tube 161, and the other end of the first pump 134 is connected to the first tube 130. The first pump 134 is configured to pump the liquid in the fourth tube 161 into the first tube 130.

[0106] It should be noted that even if the types of the external liquids are different, they can share the same first pump 134. This can reduce the number of parts and components, thereby reducing costs.

[0107] For example, by opening the first valve body 133 and closing the second valve body 135 to put the first pump 134 into operation, a smoothie corresponding to the liquid connected to one end of the second tube 160 can be prepared.

[0108] For another example, by closing the first valve body 133 and opening the second valve body 135 to put the first pump 134 into operation, a smoothie corresponding to the liquid connected to one end of the fourth tube 161 can be prepared.

[0109] In this way, different types of smoothies can be prepared by using one smoothie preparation device 100, thereby meeting the diverse needs of different users.

[0110] In some embodiments, the first tube 130, the second tube 160 and the fourth tube 161 can be connected by a three-way valve. In order to prevent the liquid from flowing back to another tube (such as the second tube 160 or the fourth tube 161, etc.), a one-way valve can be added to the second tube 160 and the fourth tube 161.

[0111] In some embodiments, the length of the first tube 130 is substantially equal to that of the ice making cylinder 120, and the first tube 130 is located directly above the ice making cylinder 120. In this way, the area of ​​the outer wall surface of the ice making cylinder 120 where icicles are formed can be increased.

[0112] In order to prepare smoothies, after icicles are formed on the ice making cylinder 120 , the first scraper 141 and the second scraper 142 are used to scrape off the icicles on the ice making cylinder 120 layer by layer to prepare smoothies.

[0113] In some embodiments, in order to ensure the quality of the smoothie, the thickness of the icicles needs to be tested. When the thickness of the icicles meets the preset thickness, the first scraper 141 and the second scraper 142 are used to scrape off the icicles on the ice-making cylinder 120 layer by layer. In this way, the smoothie particles cut by the first scraper 141 and the second scraper 142 are uniform in size.

[0114] It should be noted that the thickness of the preset ice column is related to the flow rate of the spray portion 132 sprayed to the ice making cylinder 120, the rotation speed of the ice making cylinder 120, the radial dimension of the ice making cylinder 120, the surface temperature of the outer wall of the ice making cylinder 120, and the temperature within the first chamber 111. The present disclosure does not limit the thickness of the preset ice column.

[0115] 13 , the smoothie preparation device 100 further includes a second detection component 104 (eg, an ice thickness detection component) configured to detect the thickness of the ice layer of the icicle. The second detection component 104 is coupled to the controller 102 and disposed within the first chamber 111 .

[0116] In order to facilitate the measurement of the thickness of the ice layer of the icicle, in some embodiments, the second detection assembly 104 includes a second sensor. The second sensor is disposed on the outer surface of the spray portion 132 and above the ice making cylinder 120.

[0117] It should be noted that the ice layer thickness refers to the thickness of the icicles in the radial direction of the ice-making cylinder 120 .

[0118] In some embodiments, referring to FIG. 9 , the first scraper 141 and the second scraper 142 are located in the first cavity 111 and on opposite sides of the ice-making cylinder 120 in the radial direction.

[0119] When ice columns are formed on the ice making cylinder 120 and the ice making cylinder 120 rotates, the driving assembly 121 drives the first scraper 141 and the second scraper 142 to cut the ice columns. The ice scraped off by the first scraper 141 and the second scraper 142 forms smooth ice, which is discharged through the outlet 117.

[0120] In some embodiments, the driving assembly 121 drives the first scraper 141 and the second scraper 142 to move in a direction close to each other. The first scraper 141 and the second scraper 142 continuously cut the icicle, and the thickness of the icicle tends to decrease.

[0121] To protect the first scraper 141 and the second scraper 142 and prevent contact between the first scraper 141, the second scraper 142, and the ice making cylinder 120, in some embodiments, referring to FIG. 13 , the smoothie making device 100 further includes a third detection assembly 105, which is configured to detect the distance between the first scraper 141 and the second scraper 142. The third detection assembly 105 is coupled to the controller 102 and disposed within the first chamber 111. The third detection assembly 105 includes a third sensor (e.g., a distance sensor) that facilitates detecting the distance between the first scraper 141 and the second scraper 142.

[0122] The thickness of the icicle is proportional to the distance between the first scraper 141 and the second scraper 142 .

[0123] When the thickness of the icicle is large, the distance between the first scraper 141 and the second scraper 142 is also large. When the thickness of the icicle decreases, the distance between the first scraper 141 and the second scraper 142 also decreases.

[0124] That is, when cutting icicles, as the thickness of the icicles decreases, the distance between the first scraper 141 and the second scraper 142 also decreases. In some embodiments, referring to Figures 5 and 11, the third detection assembly 105 includes a seventh sensor 143 (e.g., a distance sensor) and an eighth sensor 144 (e.g., a distance sensor). The seventh sensor 143 is provided on the first scraper 141, and the eighth sensor 144 is provided on the second scraper 142.

[0125] When the controller 102 receives feedback from the third detection component 105 that the distance between the first scraper 141 and the second scraper 142 reaches the lower limit of the distance threshold, for example, when the distance between the first scraper 141 and the second scraper 142 is less than the set distance, it means that the thickness of the ice layer on the outside of the ice-making cylinder 120 has become very small, and the distance between the first scraper 141 and the second scraper 142 has also become smaller. If the first scraper 141 and the second scraper 142 continue to be relatively close, there may be a risk of collision.

[0126] Therefore, at this time, the process of preparing the smoothie should be stopped immediately, that is, the controller 102 controls the driving assembly 121 to stop driving the first scraper 141 and the second scraper 142 to work, and can also stop the rotation of the ice making cylinder 120 to complete the process of preparing the smoothie.

[0127] In some embodiments, referring to FIG13 , the smoothie preparation device 100 further includes a control alarm component 106 configured to issue an alarm to notify a user. The alarm component 106 is coupled to the controller 102 to issue an alarm message when the distance between the first scraper 141 and the second scraper 142 reaches a lower limit of a distance threshold.

[0128] It should be noted that the lower limit of the distance threshold is related to the size of the housing, the size of the ice making cylinder 120, and the distance between the first scraper 141 and the second scraper 142. The lower limit of the distance threshold needs to be set differently for different products. In other words, the distance set by the lower limit can ensure a gap between the first scraper 141 and the second scraper 142, so that the first scraper 141 and the second scraper 142 do not collide.

[0129] In some embodiments, referring to Figures 7 and 8, the drive assembly 121 includes a drive member. The drive member is configured to generate a driving force during operation. For example, the drive member can be a synchronous motor.

[0130] 5 and 6 , the drive assembly 121 further includes a transmission member 150 and at least one first rod 153 (e.g., a drive screw). The transmission member 150 is connected to the drive member, and at least a portion of the transmission member 150 is connected to the first rod 153. The transmission member 150 can transmit the driving force generated by the drive member during operation to the corresponding first rod 153.

[0131] The outer side of at least one first rod 153 is provided with threads, and corresponding screw holes are provided in the first scraper 141 and the second scraper 142. The first rod 153 is threadedly connected to the first scraper 141 and the second scraper 142. When the at least one first rod 153 includes multiple first rods 153, the multiple first rods 153 extend in parallel with each other, which helps to improve the movement smoothness of the first scraper 141 and the second scraper 142.

[0132] When the transmission member 150 drives the plurality of first rods 153 to rotate, the first scraper 141 and the second scraper 142 move along the extending direction of the plurality of first rods 153. In this way, the first scraper 141 and the second scraper 142 can be moved toward or away from each other, thereby changing the distance between the first scraper 141 and the second scraper 142.

[0133] In some embodiments, in order to make the first scraper 141 and the second scraper 142 move simultaneously in a relatively close direction or simultaneously in a relatively distant direction, the rotation direction of the threaded hole on the first scraper 141 is opposite to that of the threaded hole on the second scraper 142.

[0134] In this way, when the first rod 153 is driven to rotate in a first direction (such as clockwise rotation), the first scraper 141 and the second scraper 142 move in a direction away from each other so that the first scraper 141 and the second scraper 142 move away from each other. When the first rod 153 is driven to rotate in a second direction (such as counterclockwise rotation), the first scraper 141 and the second scraper 142 move in a direction close to each other so that the first scraper 141 and the second scraper 142 approach each other.

[0135] In some embodiments, referring to Figures 5, 7, and 8, the transmission member 150 includes a driving gear 151 and one or more driven gears 152. The driven gears 152 are respectively engaged with the driving gear 151. When the transmission member 150 includes multiple driven gears 152, when the driving gear 151 rotates, the multiple driven gears 152 are respectively engaged and rotated.

[0136] The driven gear 152 is connected to the first rod 153. When the driven gear 152 rotates, it drives the first rod 153 to rotate. The number of driven gears 152 and the number of first rods 153 can be equal. This ensures smoother transmission and improves the stability of the movement of the first scraper 141 and the second scraper 142 along the length of the first rod 153.

[0137] In some embodiments, under the premise of ensuring transmission stability, the number of driven gears 152 may be greater than the number of first rods 153 .

[0138] In some embodiments, referring to FIG5 , the transmission member 150 includes two driven gears 152 and two first rods 153. In some embodiments, the smoothie making device 100 further includes a second rod 154 (e.g., a sliding rod). The length direction of the second rod 154 is substantially parallel to the length direction of the first rod 153. This improves the movement stability of the first scraper 141 and the second scraper 142 along the length direction of the first rod 153.

[0139] It should be noted that the second rod 154 is connected to the first scraper 141 and the second scraper 142. For example, the first scraper 141 includes a third through hole, and the second scraper 142 includes a fourth through hole. The size of the third through hole is larger than the size of the cross section of the second rod 154, and the size of the fourth through hole is larger than the size of the cross section of the second rod 154. The second rod 154 is adapted to pass through the third and fourth through holes, so that the first scraper 141 and the second scraper 142 are respectively slidably connected to the second rod 154.

[0140] When the first scraper 141 and the second scraper 142 move along the length direction of the first rod 153, since the first scraper 141 and the second scraper 142 can move smoothly, the thickness of the ice layer cut from the outer wall of the ice making cylinder 120 will be more uniform, which is beneficial to improving the quality of preparing smoothies.

[0141] 6 and 7 , the smoothie preparation device 100 includes four driven teeth 152 and four first rods 153. In this way, the force for driving the first scraper 141 and the second scraper 142 can be increased.

[0142] In some embodiments, to control the movement speed of the first scraper 141 and the second scraper 142 on the first rod 153, referring to FIG13 , the smoothie preparation device 100 includes a fourth detection component 107 (e.g., a torque detection component). The fourth detection component 107 is configured to detect the torque output by the driving component 121 of the driving gear 151. The fourth detection component 107 includes a fourth sensor (e.g., a torque detection sensor) and is coupled to the controller 102.

[0143] For example, the greater the torque output, the greater the driving force transmitted to the first rod 153 by the transmission member 150. Under the action of the driving force of the first rod 153, the first scraper 141 and the second scraper 142 move faster on the first rod 153, and the speed of cutting the ice layer is faster, thereby improving the cutting efficiency. However, the speed of cutting the ice layer should not be too fast to avoid damaging the scraper assembly.

[0144] For example, the smaller the output torque, the smaller the driving force transmitted to the first rod 153 by the transmission member 150, and the first scraper 141 and the second scraper 142 move slower on the first rod 153 under the driving force of the first rod 153, and the speed of cutting the ice layer is slower.

[0145] Therefore, the fourth sensor can detect the magnitude of the torque and feed it back to the controller 102. The controller 102 then adjusts the driving force transmitted by the transmission member 150 to the first rod 153, thereby changing the moving speed of the first scraper 141 and the second scraper 142 along the length of the first rod 153. This can improve the stability of the first scraper 141 and the second scraper 142 in cutting icicles. This can improve the efficiency of ice cutting and extend the service life of the first scraper 141 and the second scraper 142.

[0146] In some embodiments, referring to Figures 11 and 12 , the first scraper 141 includes a first scraper body 1411 and first cutting teeth 1412. The first cutting teeth 1412 are located on a side of the first scraper body 1411 near the ice making cylinder 120. The first scraper 141 also includes a guide portion 1413. The first scraper body 1411 and the first cutting teeth 1412 collectively define the guide portion 1413. The guide portion 1413 is configured to guide the smoothie cut by the first cutting teeth 1412.

[0147] 12 , the second scraper 142 includes a second scraper body 1420 and second blade teeth 1421. The second blade teeth 1421 are located on a side of the second scraper body close to the ice making cylinder 120.

[0148] The first blade teeth 1412 and the second blade teeth 1421 are inclined in opposite directions. In the rotation direction of the ice making cylinder 120 , both the first blade teeth 1412 and the second blade teeth 1421 are inclined toward the rear side of the rotation direction of the ice making cylinder 120 .

[0149] For example, referring to Figures 4 and 12, when the ice-making cylinder 120 rotates clockwise, the first tooth 1412 of the first scraper 141 is tilted toward the rear side of the rotation direction. After cutting the icicles, the cut smoothie is guided by the tilted first tooth 1412 and slides out (see the dotted arrow shown in Figure 12) to the outlet portion 1413, and then falls to the outlet portion 117.

[0150] The second blade teeth 1421 are inclined toward the rear side of the rotation direction. After cutting the icicles, the cut smoothie falls to the outlet portion 117 (see the solid arrow shown in FIG. 12 ). The outlet portion 117 is configured to discharge the prepared smoothie.

[0151] In order to prevent the liquid in the first tube 130 from freezing and being unable to be sprayed out from the spraying portion 131 during ice making, as shown in FIG. 13 , the smoothie preparation device 100 further includes a heating assembly 108 .

[0152] The heating assembly 108 may be a heating wire or a heating tube, which may be wound around or attached to the outer wall of the first tube 130. In some embodiments, the heating assembly 108 may be coupled to the controller 102 to set a preset heating temperature, and the controller 102 may control the heating assembly 108 to heat or stop heating.

[0153] In some embodiments, the heating assembly may also provide for cleaning of the smoothie preparation device 100 .

[0154] For example, when some ice debris remains in the smoothie preparation device 100 , it is necessary to clean the interior of the smoothie preparation device 100 . The controller 102 includes a control panel 109 , so that a cleaning signal can be input to the controller 102 via the control panel 109 .

[0155] When entering the cleaning function, the air inlet 112 is closed, and the heating component 108 is turned on to raise the temperature in the first cavity 111. After the residual ice residue melts, the melted liquid drips into the receiving tray through the discharge portion 170.

[0156] After the cleaning function is completed, the heating component 108 is turned off and the smoothie preparation device 100 enters the ice making standby state.

[0157] In some embodiments, the smoothie making device 100 further includes an air pump connected to the first tube 130. Thus, before cutting the ice layer, the air pump can pump high-pressure gas into the first tube 130 to clear the remaining liquid in the first tube 130 and prevent the remaining liquid in the first tube 130 from freezing.

[0158] The smoothie preparation device 100 in some embodiments of the present disclosure can facilitate users to automatically prepare smoothies by spraying external liquid.

[0159] Furthermore, by controlling the torque of the first scraper 141 and the second scraper 142 , the advancing speeds of the first scraper 141 and the second scraper 142 are adjusted, thereby adjusting the cutting speed.

[0160] External liquid can select liquid of various types and flavors to satisfy the multiple flavors and different types of smoothie demand of user.For example, different buttons can also be set on control panel 109, and pressing corresponding button triggers corresponding preparation signal.

[0161] In some embodiments, the controller includes a processor. The processor may include a central processing unit (CPU), a microprocessor (microprocessor), or an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), and may be configured to perform the corresponding operations described in the controller when the processor executes a program stored in a non-transitory computer-readable medium coupled to the controller.

[0162] 15 , a method for preparing smoothies by the smoothie preparation device 100 is applied to a controller. The method includes steps S1 to S6 .

[0163] Step S1: After receiving the instruction to prepare smoothie, the controller 102 starts the ice making process.

[0164] It should be noted that, in order to facilitate the user's operation of preparing smoothies, the smoothie preparation device 100 further includes a control panel 109, which is coupled to the controller 102. The user triggers the corresponding button on the control panel 109 to issue a command to prepare smoothies.

[0165] Step S2: Determine whether the temperature in the first chamber 111 meets the ice-making requirement; if so, execute step S3; if not, execute step S2.

[0166] For example, the temperature in the first chamber 111 needs to be lower than 0°C.

[0167] It should be noted that the temperature in the first cavity 111 can be detected by the first sensor.

[0168] When the temperature does not meet the requirement, ice making is not performed. At this time, the amount of cold air entering the first cavity 111 through the first air inlet 1121 and the second air inlet 1122 can be adjusted to achieve cooling of the air in the first cavity 111.

[0169] Step S3: spraying liquid onto the outer wall of the ice-making cylinder 120 and driving the ice-making cylinder 120 to rotate.

[0170] For example, liquid may be sprayed toward the outer wall of the ice-making cylinder 120 through the spray portion 132 , and the controller controls the driving assembly 121 to operate so as to drive the ice-making cylinder 120 to rotate.

[0171] When the temperature in the first chamber 111 meets the ice-making requirements, the controller 102 controls the first pump 134 and the first valve body 133 to open, and the external liquid is pumped into the first tube 130 after passing through the second tube 160, the first valve body 133 and the first pump 134, and the external liquid is sprayed by the spraying part 131 to the outer wall of the ice-making cylinder 120.

[0172] The liquid sprayed onto the outer wall of the ice making cylinder 120 freezes to form ice layers. As the ice making cylinder 120 rotates, the multiple ice layers form icicles.

[0173] Step S4: Determine whether the thickness of the icicles on the ice making cylinder 120 reaches a set threshold; if so, execute step S5; if not, execute step S3.

[0174] It should be noted that the thickness of the icicle can be detected by the second detection component 104 .

[0175] When the thickness of the icicle reaches a set threshold, the smoothie is prepared.

[0176] Step S5: Stop spraying the liquid.

[0177] It should be noted that when the thickness of the icicle reaches a set threshold, the controller 102 controls the first pump 134 and the first valve body 133 to stop working, and at this time the spraying part 132 stops spraying.

[0178] Step S6: First scraper 141 and second scraper 142 are driven toward each other to cut the icicles. For example, controller 102 controls drive assembly 121 to drive first scraper 141 and second scraper 142 toward each other to cut the icicles into smoothies. When the distance between first scraper 141 and second scraper 142 reaches the lower limit of a distance threshold, controller 102 controls drive assembly 121 to stop moving, thereby stopping first scraper 141 and second scraper 142 from moving toward each other.

[0179] In some embodiments, the driving assembly 121 can be controlled to drive the first scraper 141 and the second scraper 142 to move away from each other and reset to their initial positions.

[0180] In some embodiments, as shown in FIG16 , the housing 110 has a second cavity 1101 therein. The housing body and the second side panel 216 together define the second cavity 1101. As shown in FIG23 , the smoothie making device 100 includes an air outlet plate 114 . The air outlet plate 114 is disposed within the first cavity 111. The air outlet plate 114 can be a flat plate or a curved plate.

[0181] The housing 110 further has a third cavity 1102 . The air outlet plate 114 and the housing 110 together define the third cavity 1102 . The third cavity 1102 is located within the first cavity 111 .

[0182] In some embodiments, referring to FIG. 23 and FIG. 24 , the air outlet plate 114 has an arcuate segment that is curved (eg, concave) away from the ice-making cylinder 120 , that is, the lowest point of the arcuate segment is farthest from the ice-making cylinder 120 .

[0183] It should be noted that the air outlet plate 114 may also have a straight line segment. The shape of the air outlet plate 114 is not limited here, as long as the air outlet plate 114 and the housing 110 can jointly define the third cavity 1102.

[0184] Referring to Figure 22 , the housing 110 includes an air outlet portion 17. Air outlet portion 17 is provided on an air outlet plate 114. Air outlet portion 17 includes one or more first air outlets 171. If air outlet portion 17 includes multiple first air outlets 171, these first air outlets 171 are located on the air outlet plate 114 and can be spaced apart along the arcuate section of the air outlet plate 114 in a direction parallel to the rotation axis of the ice making cylinder 120.

[0185] In this way, referring to the wind direction of the cold air flow indicated by the arrow in Figure 24, most of the cold air flow discharged from the multiple first air outlets 171 can be blown toward the outer wall of the ice-making cylinder 120 under the action of the arc segment, thereby improving the utilization rate of the cold air flow and making the ice-making cylinder 120 fully contact with the cold air flow, so that the outer wall of the ice-making cylinder 120 reaches a temperature suitable for freezing.

[0186] In some embodiments, under the premise of ensuring that the outer wall of the ice-making cylinder 120 can reach a temperature suitable for ice formation, the plurality of first air outlets 171 can also be staggered with the direction of the rotation axis of the ice-making cylinder 120 .

[0187] 19 and 23 , the smoothie making device 100 includes a third air inlet 1161. The third air inlet 1161 is provided on one of the multiple side panels 116, which is adjacent to the air outlet panel 114. The third air inlet 1161 is in communication with the third chamber 1102. The third air inlet 1161 is configured to introduce a cold air flow into the third chamber 1102. The first air outlet 171 is configured to introduce the cold air flow within the third chamber 1102 into the first chamber 111, with the cold air flow within the third chamber 1102 directed toward the outer wall of the ice making cylinder 120, thereby reducing the temperature of the outer wall of the ice making cylinder 120.

[0188] 19 and 20 , in some embodiments, the smoothie making device 100 further includes a fourth air inlet 1162. The fourth air inlet 1162 is disposed on a first side panel 116 of the plurality of first side panels 116 adjacent to the air outlet panel 114. The fourth air inlet 1162 communicates with the second chamber 1101 and is configured to introduce a cold air flow into the second chamber 1101.

[0189] In some embodiments, a third door and a fourth door are respectively provided at the third air inlet 1161 and the fourth air inlet 1162. The structures and functions of the third door and the fourth door are similar to those of the first door and the second door described above, and are not described in detail here.

[0190] In some embodiments, when the smoothie preparation device 100 is in the standby state, the temperature of the first chamber 111 is lowered to a preset temperature.

[0191] Since the temperature in the third chamber 1102, the temperature in the first chamber 111 and the surface temperature of the outer wall of the ice-making cylinder 120 are positively correlated with each other, the surface temperature of the outer wall of the ice-making cylinder 120 can be adjusted by adjusting the amount of cold air flow in the third chamber 1102.

[0192] In order to control the temperature of the outer wall surface of the ice making cylinder 120 , in some embodiments, referring to FIG. 19 , a first sensor 180A (eg, a temperature sensor) is provided in the first cavity 111 , and the first sensor 180A is configured to detect the temperature in the first cavity 111 .

[0193] When the detected temperature does not meet the preset temperature, the controller 102 adjusts the amount of cold airflow entering the third chamber 1102 based on the temperature feedback from the first sensor 180A. For example, the controller 102 adjusts the opening of the third door at the third air inlet 1161 .

[0194] In some embodiments, when the smoothie preparation device 100 is in a standby state, the temperature of the second chamber 1101 is maintained slightly higher than the freezing point of the liquid for preparing the smoothie, so as to improve the efficiency of preparing the smoothie.

[0195] In some embodiments, when the room temperature is 25°C and the freezing point of the liquid is 0°C, the temperature of the second chamber 1101 can be any value between 0°C and 25°C. For example, the temperature of the second chamber 1101 can range from 0°C to 5°C, 6°C to 10°C, 11°C to 15°C, 16°C to 20°C, or 21°C to 25°C. For example, the temperature is 5°C, 10°C, or 15°C. In this way, the external liquid is cooled before being sprayed onto the ice-making cylinder 120, which facilitates the formation of an ice layer on the ice-making cylinder 120, thereby improving the efficiency of making smoothies.

[0196] In some embodiments, referring to FIG. 17 , in order to control the temperature in the second cavity 1101 , a fifth sensor 180 (such as a temperature sensor) is provided in the second cavity 1101 . The fifth sensor 180 is configured to detect the temperature of the environment in the second cavity 1101 .

[0197] When the detected temperature does not meet the freezing point, the controller 102 adjusts the amount of cold airflow entering the second cavity 1101 based on the temperature feedback from the fifth sensor 180 , for example, by adjusting the opening size of the fourth door at the fourth air inlet 1162 .

[0198] In some embodiments, referring to Figures 20 and 21 , an ice making cylinder 120 is connected to a drive assembly 121. The structure and function of the ice making cylinder 120 and the drive assembly 121 in this embodiment are similar to those of the ice making cylinder 120 and the drive assembly 121 in Figures 7 , 8 , and 9 above, and are not further described here.

[0199] In some embodiments, referring to Figures 16, 17, and 18, the spray portion 132 includes a first tube 130 (e.g., a spray pipe) and at least one spray portion 131. The structure and function of the spray portion 132 in this embodiment are similar to those of the spray portion 132 in Figure 9 above, and are not further described here.

[0200] In some embodiments, referring to FIG. 14 and FIG. 16 , this embodiment differs from some of the above embodiments in that the liquid received by the second tube 160 in this embodiment is the liquid in the second cavity 1101 , and the liquid is stored in the second cavity 1101 .

[0201] In order to satisfy the storage of liquid in the second chamber 1101. Referring to Figure 16, in some embodiments, the smoothie preparation device 100 includes a liquid storage box 139. The liquid storage box 139 is disposed in the second chamber 1101. The liquid storage box 139 is configured to store liquid for preparing smoothies, and the liquid can be purified water or beverages.

[0202] Since the liquid storage box 139 is located in the second cavity 1101, the ambient temperature in the second cavity 1101 can be controlled by adjusting the amount of cold air flow entering the second cavity 1101, thereby adjusting the temperature of the liquid to be used for preparing the smoothie in the liquid storage box 139 (close to the freezing point of water).

[0203] In this way, after the second tube 160 receives the liquid in the liquid storage box 139, the liquid is sprayed on the outer wall of the ice making cylinder 120, thereby shortening the time for forming an ice layer on the outer wall of the ice making cylinder 120, thereby improving the efficiency of preparing smoothies.

[0204] 23 , the scraper assembly includes a third scraper 140. The third scraper 140 is located on one side of the ice making cylinder 120 and is configured to scrape off the ice layer on the outer wall of the ice making cylinder 120 to form slush when the ice making cylinder 120 rotates.

[0205] To improve the efficiency of the third scraper 140 in scraping off the ice layer on the ice making cylinder 120, the length of the third scraper 140 is substantially equal to the length of the ice making cylinder 120. Thus, when the ice making cylinder 120 rotates one circle, the third scraper 140 can scrape off more ice layer on the outer wall of the ice making cylinder 120, thereby improving the efficiency of the smoothie making device 100 in making smoothies.

[0206] In some embodiments, under the premise of ensuring the efficiency of smoothie preparation, the length of the third scraper 140 can be greater than or less than the length of the ice-making cylinder 120 .

[0207] In some embodiments, the third scraper 140 can be provided in various forms. Referring to Figures 24 and 25 , the third scraper 140 includes a third scraper body and a guide surface. The function of the guide surface is explained based on the rotation direction of the ice making cylinder 120 and the scraping direction of the third scraper 140.

[0208] Referring to FIG. 25 , the guide surface includes a first guide surface 147. When the ice-making cylinder 120 rotates in the direction indicated by the dotted arrows in FIG. 24 and FIG. 25 (clockwise rotation), the third scraper body forms the first guide surface 147 at a position on one side of the rear side of the rotation direction. The first guide surface 147 is configured to extend from the blade tip of the third scraper body in a direction away from the outer wall of the ice-making cylinder 120, with the blade tip contacting the outer wall of the ice-making cylinder 120 or being at a first predetermined distance therefrom.

[0209] As the ice making cylinder 120 rotates clockwise, the blade tip scrapes off the ice layer on the outer wall of the ice making cylinder 120, forming a smoothie. This smoothie is then guided by the first guide surface 147 and slides into the housing 110, completing the smoothie preparation process. In some embodiments, referring to Figures 23 and 24, the outlet portion 117 includes a discharge portion 170. Discharge portion 170 is located within the first chamber 111 and above the bottom plate 113. This facilitates the discharge of the smoothie through discharge portion 170.

[0210] For example, referring to FIG. 25 , the guide surface further includes a second guide surface 147A. When the ice-making cylinder 120 rotates in the direction indicated by the solid arrow in FIG. 25 (counterclockwise rotation), the third scraper body forms the second guide surface 147A at a position on one side of the rear side of the rotational direction. The second guide surface 147A is configured to extend from the blade tip of the third scraper body in a direction away from the outer side wall of the ice-making cylinder 120, with the blade tip contacting the outer side wall of the ice-making cylinder 120 or being at a second predetermined distance therefrom.

[0211] In this way, when the ice making cylinder 120 rotates counterclockwise, the blade tip scrapes off the ice layer on the outer wall of the ice making cylinder 120 to form smoothie, which is guided by the second guide surface 147A and then slides into the housing 110, completing the smoothie preparation process.

[0212] It should be noted that the first predetermined distance and the second predetermined distance may be substantially the same as the preset thickness of the ice column, so as to improve the efficiency of preparing the smoothie.

[0213] Of course, in some embodiments, the first predetermined distance and the second predetermined distance may also be greater than the preset thickness of the icicle, which is not limited in the present disclosure.

[0214] In some embodiments, referring to Figures 24 and 25 , the guide surface includes a first guide surface 147 and a second guide surface 147A. The first guide surface 147 and the second guide surface 147A are respectively disposed on either side of the blade tip of the third scraper body. The second guide surface 147A is closer to the air outlet plate 114 than the first guide surface 147. The distance between the second guide surface 147A and the ice making cylinder 120 increases as it moves away from the blade tip. This prevents ice on the ice making cylinder 120 from obstructing the third scraper 140, thereby extending the service life of the third scraper 140.

[0215] In some embodiments, a first angle formed between the first guide surface 147 and the outer wall of the ice-making cylinder 120 may be greater than a second angle formed between the second guide surface 147A and the outer wall of the ice-making cylinder 120. Here, the outer wall of the ice-making cylinder 120 refers to a section at the intersection of the corresponding guide surface and the outer wall of the ice-making cylinder 120.

[0216] In some embodiments, a lead-out portion is also provided below the housing 110 to facilitate taking out the prepared smoothie. The structure and function of the lead-out portion in this embodiment are similar to those of the lead-out portion 117 in FIG. 4 above, and will not be described in detail here.

[0217] In some embodiments, as shown in Figures 17 and 24 , the outlet portion 117 further includes a through-portion 1131. The bottom plate 113 and the discharge portion 170 together define the through-portion 1131. The through-portion 1131 communicates with the first chamber 111. Thus, the prepared smoothie passes through the first chamber 111, the discharge portion 170, and the through-portion 1131 in sequence before being discharged.

[0218] 24 and 25 , the discharge portion 170 is connected to a side of the third scraper body away from the ice making cylinder 120. A side wall of the discharge portion 170 near the third scraper 140 is configured to extend obliquely to receive the scraped ice.

[0219] For example, the smoothie preparation device 100 further includes a receiving tray, which can be disposed at the bottom of the discharge portion 170 to collect the smoothie.

[0220] In some embodiments, as shown in FIG26 , the top portion of the discharge portion 170 near the third scraper is open, and the discharge portion is configured to decrease in size from top to bottom. The discharge portion 170 is an open structure, for example, it can be conical or funnel-shaped. This facilitates receiving the smoothie scraped off by the third scraper 140.

[0221] For another example, the discharge portion 170 is located below or directly below the tip of the third scraper body. In this way, the discharge portion 170 can better receive the shaved ice scraped off by the third scraper 140.

[0222] In some embodiments, when the smoothie preparation device 100 is in standby mode, the third air inlet 1161 and the fourth air inlet 1162 are both opened, or at least partially opened (e.g., half opened) to maintain the temperature in the second chamber 1101 and the temperature in the first chamber 111 at a predetermined temperature state.

[0223] In the ice-making state, the amount of cold airflow entering the third chamber 1102 and the second chamber 1101 is controlled according to the temperature feedback from the fifth sensor 180 and the temperature feedback from the first sensor 180A, thereby ensuring that the temperature in the second chamber 1101 and the temperature in the first chamber 111 meet the ice-making requirements.

[0224] After that, the controller 102 controls the first valve body 133 and the first pump 134 to open, so that the liquid enters the first tube 130 through the second tube 160, the first valve body 133, and the first pump 134, and then sprays onto the outer wall of the ice-making cylinder 120, and synchronously turns on the drive assembly 121, so that the ice-making cylinder 120 rotates, and the third scraper 140 scrapes off the ice layer formed on the outer wall of the ice-making cylinder 120.

[0225] During ice making, the heating assembly 108 may be turned on to transfer heat to the liquid in the first tube 130 , thereby preventing the liquid in the first tube 130 from freezing.

[0226] In some embodiments, referring to FIG13 , a ninth sensor (e.g., a liquid level sensor) is provided within the liquid storage box 139. The ninth sensor is configured to detect the liquid level within the liquid storage box 139. When the liquid level detected by the ninth sensor is lower than a set level, the controller 102 controls the alarm component 106 to issue a liquid shortage warning, notifying the user to replenish the liquid promptly.

[0227] In some embodiments, after the smoothie preparation is completed, the smoothie preparation device 100 can be cleaned. To this end, the smoothie preparation device 100 further includes a second pump configured to pump high-pressure gas into the first tube 130. In this way, the residual liquid in the first tube 130 can be cleaned.

[0228] Afterwards, the controller controls the first valve body 133 and the first pump 134 to reset, and the third air inlet portion 1161 and the fourth air inlet portion 1162 to enter a standby state.

[0229] In some embodiments, after the smoothie is prepared, the controller controls the second valve body 135 to close, the first valve body 133 to open, the third air inlet 1161 to close, and the first pump 134 to pump clean water into the first tube 130 and spray it onto the outer wall of the ice making cylinder 120 to flush the residual liquid.

[0230] 24 , the housing 110 further includes a drain port 1152 . The drain port 1152 is provided on the bottom plate 113 . The water after flushing the first pipe 130 flows out of the housing 110 through the drain port 1152 and the outlet portion 117 .

[0231] Afterwards, a second pump is used to pump high-pressure gas into the first tube 130 to remove residual liquid inside the first tube 130 .

[0232] After the smoothie is prepared, hot air can be introduced into the third chamber 1102 to melt the ice residue on the ice making cylinder 120 and drain it out through the drain port 1152 and the outlet 117. This facilitates timely cleaning of the smoothie preparation device 100 and helps ensure the quality of the prepared smoothie.

[0233] In some embodiments, as shown in FIG. 28 , the smoothie making device 100 further includes a fourth chamber 1103 . The fourth chamber 1103 is defined between the housing and the outer wall of the ice making cylinder 120 . The fourth chamber 1103 is disposed within the first chamber 111 . The plurality of air inlets 112 further includes a fifth air inlet 1163 . Cold air flows through the fifth air inlet 1163 into the fourth chamber 1103 , allowing the cold air within the fourth chamber 1103 to cool the ice making cylinder 120 .

[0234] 27 and 28 , the smoothie preparation device 100 includes an air outlet 17 . The air outlet 17 is provided on the first side plate 116 . The air outlet 17 includes one or more second air outlets 172 . The second air outlets 172 are configured to discharge the cold air in the fourth chamber 1103 .

[0235] For example, the fifth air inlet 1163 and the second air outlet 172 are spaced apart on the same first side panel 116, see Figure 29, the cold air flow enters the fourth cavity 1103 through the fifth air inlet 1163, and the cold air flow flows through the fourth cavity 1103 and then flows out from the second air outlet 172 (see the arrow direction shown in Figure 29).

[0236] In this way, the contact area between the outer wall of the ice-making cylinder 120 and the cold air flow in the fourth chamber 1103 can be increased, thereby facilitating improving the efficiency of cooling the side wall of the ice-making cylinder 120 .

[0237] For another example, referring to Figure 29, at least a portion of the fourth cavity 1103 is constructed in an arc shape. When the cold air flow enters the fourth cavity 1103 through the fifth air inlet 1163, it is helpful to reduce the wind resistance, so that the cold air flow can better contact the side wall of the ice-making cylinder 120, thereby improving the efficiency of the cold air flow in cooling the side wall of the ice-making cylinder 120.

[0238] In some embodiments, a fifth door is provided at the fifth air inlet 1163. When the fifth door is closed, cold air cannot enter the fourth cavity 1103 through the fifth air inlet 1163. When the fifth door is opened, cold air enters the fourth cavity 1103 through the fifth air inlet 1163.

[0239] A sixth door may be provided at the second air outlet 172. When the sixth door is closed, the cold air cannot flow out through the second air outlet 172. When the sixth door is opened, the cold air flows out through the second air outlet 172. Thus, by controlling the opening or closing of the fifth and sixth doors, the amount of cold air entering the fourth chamber 1103 can be adjusted, thereby facilitating the adjustment of the temperature of the ice making cylinder 120.

[0240] It should be noted that the structures and functions of the fifth door and the sixth door in this embodiment are similar to those of the first door and the second door described above, and will not be described in detail here.

[0241] In some embodiments, referring to FIG. 35 , the smoothie making device 100 further includes a rotating unit 1300. The rotating unit 1300 is rotatably disposed within the ice making cylinder 120 and rotates coaxially with the ice making cylinder 120. The rotating unit 1300 includes a third tube 1301. One end of the third tube 1301 is in fluid communication with an external source, and the third tube 1301 is configured to transport the liquid for making the smoothie.

[0242] In some embodiments, referring to Figures 33, 35, and 38, the smoothie making device 100 includes a first fixed frame 1200. A rotating portion 1300 is rotatably connected to the first fixed frame 1200, thereby rotatably connecting the third tube 1301 to the first fixed frame 1200. This facilitates placement of the third tube 1301 within the ice making cylinder 120, and allows the length of the third tube 1301 to be substantially parallel to the length of the ice making cylinder 120, resulting in a more compact structure.

[0243] For example, referring to Figures 31, 33, and 38, first fixing frame 1200 includes a first sub-fixing frame 1201 and a second sub-fixing frame 1202. First fixing frame 1201 is fixedly connected to ice making cylinder 120. For example, first sub-fixing frame 1201 is fixedly connected to one end of ice making cylinder 120 near top plate 115. Second sub-fixing frame 1202 is fixedly connected to one end of ice making cylinder 120 near bottom plate 113.

[0244] Referring to Figures 35 and 38 , the third tube 1301 includes multiple spraying portions 131 (e.g., nozzles 1303). The multiple spraying portions 131 can be spaced apart along the length of the third tube 1301. For example, the multiple spraying portions 131 can be located on the same side of the third tube 1301; alternatively, the multiple spraying portions 131 can be staggered along the length of the third tube 1301. This facilitates spraying the liquid within the third tube 1301 onto the inner wall of the ice making cylinder 120 via the multiple spraying portions 131.

[0245] In some embodiments, the first valve body 133 is disposed in the third tube 1301. The first pump 134 is also disposed in the third tube 1301. This helps to increase the pumping speed of the liquid, thereby improving the efficiency of preparing the smoothie.

[0246] It should be noted that the structure and function of the first valve body 133 and the first pump 134 in this embodiment are similar to the structure and function of the first valve body 133 and the first pump 134 in Figure 14 above, and will not be repeated here.

[0247] In order to ensure the quality of the prepared smoothie, the smoothie preparation device 100 further includes a sixth sensor (eg, a temperature sensor) coupled to the controller 102 . The sixth sensor is configured to detect the temperature of the inner wall surface of the ice making cylinder 120 .

[0248] For example, when the temperature of the inner wall of the ice making cylinder 120 reaches the preset ice making temperature, the controller 102 can control the first valve body 133 and the first pump 134 to work, so that the external liquid is sprayed onto the inner wall of the ice making cylinder 120 through multiple nozzles 1303.

[0249] In some embodiments, referring to Figures 32 and 35 , the third tube 1301 is connected to the drive assembly 121. When a smoothie is to be prepared, the drive assembly 121 drives the third tube 1301 to rotate within the ice-making cylinder 120, causing the rotating portion 1300 to also rotate within the ice-making cylinder 120. This helps to improve the uniformity of the liquid sprayed onto the inner wall of the ice-making cylinder 120 by the multiple nozzles 1303 of the third tube 1301, thereby improving the quality of the smoothie.

[0250] Since the temperature of the inner wall of the ice-making cylinder 120 is relatively low, a layer of ice will be formed on the inner wall of the ice-making cylinder 120 when the liquid contacts the inner wall of the ice-making cylinder 120 .

[0251] To scrape off the ice to form smoothies, as shown in Figures 34, 36, and 37, the smoothie making device 100 includes a scraper assembly 14. The scraper assembly 14 is disposed within the ice-making cylinder 120 and rotates in conjunction with the rotating unit 1300. Specifically, the rotation of the rotating unit 1300 drives the scraper assembly 14 to rotate within the ice-making cylinder 120. The scraper assembly 14 is configured to scrape off the ice on the inner wall of the ice-making cylinder 120 to form smoothies.

[0252] 33 , the second sub-fixing frame 1202 and one end of the ice making cylinder 120 close to the bottom plate 113 jointly define an opening 123. The opening 123 is configured to guide the ice shavings scraped out of the ice making cylinder 120 out.

[0253] 31 , the housing 110 includes a through portion 1131 . The through portion 1131 is provided on the bottom plate 113 . The through portion 1131 is connected to the opening 123 . Thus, the scraped smoothie passes through the opening 123 and the through portion 1131 in sequence and is discharged.

[0254] 34 and 36 , in some embodiments, the smoothie preparation device 100 further includes a second fixing frame 1203. The second fixing frame 1203 is fixedly connected to the scraper assembly 14, and the second fixing frame 1203 is also fixedly connected to the rotating portion 1300. In this way, when the rotating portion 1300 rotates, the scraper assembly 14 can be driven to rotate together via the second fixing frame 1203, thereby achieving linkage between the scraper assembly 14 and the rotating portion 1300.

[0255] In some embodiments, as shown in FIG35 , the rotating portion 1300 includes a first connecting portion 1302, the engaging portion 1302 being fixedly connected to the third tube 1301. The rotating portion 1300 includes a plurality of sliding portions (e.g., sliding grooves). The plurality of sliding portions are disposed on the first connecting portion 1302 and extend through the third tube 1301 in a direction perpendicular to the rotation axis.

[0256] In this way, when the scraper assembly 14 encounters a layer of ice with greater resistance, the scraper assembly 14 can retract in a direction perpendicular to the rotation axis of the third tube 1301 to protect the scraper assembly 14, thereby helping to extend the service life of the scraper assembly 14. In some embodiments, referring to Figures 35 and 36, the second fixed frame 1203 includes a plurality of mating portions 1501. The plurality of mating portions 1501 slidably engage with the plurality of sliding portions, thereby limiting the movement of the second fixed frame 1203 along the length direction of the rotating portion 1300 (e.g., the axial direction of the rotating shaft) and ensuring that the second fixed frame 1203 moves in conjunction with the rotating portion 1300. In some embodiments, the smoothie preparation device 100 further includes a second connecting portion 280.

[0257] It should be noted that the second connecting portion 280 is elastic and is disposed between the scraper assembly 14 and the rotating portion 1300. For example, one end of the second connecting portion 280 can be connected to the scraper assembly 14, and the other end of the second connecting portion 280 can be connected to the first connecting portion 1302. When the second connecting portion 280 is subjected to pressure from the scraper assembly 14, it applies this pressure to the first connecting portion 1302. This prevents the second fixing frame 1203 from sliding along an axis perpendicular to the third tube 1301.

[0258] For example, referring to FIG. 34 and FIG. 35 , the second connecting portion 280 is a spring, etc., one end of the spring can be welded to the scraper assembly 14 , and the other end of the spring can be welded to the first connecting portion 1302 .

[0259] In some embodiments, the second connecting portion 280 includes at least one spring. The at least one spring includes multiple springs, and the multiple springs are arranged in parallel. This is conducive to achieving the retraction and reset of the scraper assembly 14.

[0260] 34 , the smoothie making device 100 further includes an adjustment portion 290 (e.g., an adjustment screw). The adjustment portion 290 is connected to the second fixing bracket 1203 and abuts against the rotating portion 1300. The direction of the force applied by the second connecting portion 280 to the rotating portion 1300 is opposite to the direction of the force applied by the adjustment portion 290 to the rotating portion 1300.

[0261] In this way, by setting the second connecting part 280 and the adjusting part 290, it can be ensured that the scraper assembly 14 can elastically retreat within a preset range along the sliding groove direction when encountering an uneven ice layer, thereby preventing damage to the scraper assembly 14 and extending the service life of the scraper assembly 14.

[0262] Furthermore, when the scraper assembly 14 is scraping off the smoothie normally, the cooperation between the second connecting portion 280 and the adjusting portion 290 can ensure that the scraper assembly 14 can cut the ice layer formed on the inner wall surface of the ice making cylinder 120 stably.

[0263] In some embodiments, the adjustment portion 290 is an adjustment stud. Referring to FIG. 34 , the second fixing bracket 1203 includes a threaded hole into which the adjustment stud is threadedly connected. One end (e.g., the free end) of the adjustment stud passes through the threaded hole and abuts against the sidewall of the third tube 1301. This facilitates adjustment of the relative position between the scraper assembly 14 and the inner wall of the ice making cylinder 120.

[0264] The scraper assembly 14 is fixedly connected to the rotating part 1300 through the second fixing frame 1203. At this time, the spring is in a compressed state, and the elastic force separates the scraper assembly 14 from the inner wall of the ice making cylinder 120, that is, there is a gap between the two.

[0265] When it is necessary to adjust the gap between the scraper assembly 14 and the inner wall of the ice making cylinder 120, the adjusting stud is rotated to move the scraper assembly 14 away from (i.e., the gap between the scraper assembly 14 and the inner wall of the ice making cylinder 120 increases) or closer to (i.e., the gap between the scraper assembly 14 and the inner wall of the ice making cylinder 120 decreases) the inner wall of the ice making cylinder 120.

[0266] In some embodiments, the adjusting screw comprises a handle portion and a screw portion, wherein the screw portion is connected to the handle portion.

[0267] When the user adjusts the gap between the scraper assembly 14 and the inner wall of the ice making cylinder 120, the user pinches the handle and rotates the screw portion, causing the screw portion to move forward or backward linearly from the threaded hole, thereby driving the scraper assembly 14 away from or closer to the inner wall of the ice making cylinder 120 through the spring. This helps to improve the convenience of user operation.

[0268] In some embodiments, when the temperature of the inner wall of the ice making cylinder 120 reaches a preset ice-making temperature, the controller 102 controls the first valve body 133 and the first pump 134 to open. This embodiment differs from the above embodiment in that the scraper assembly 14 rotates simultaneously with the rotation of the third tube 1301, scraping the ice layer off the inner wall of the ice making cylinder 120 by the scraper assembly 14 to complete the preparation of the smoothie. Because the third tube 1301 and the scraper assembly 14 rotate simultaneously, the angle between the spraying portion 131 and the scraper assembly 14 along the circumference of the ice making cylinder 120 can be changed. This changes the time that the liquid remains on the inner wall of the ice making cylinder 120 after the spraying portion 131 sprays the liquid onto the inner wall of the ice making cylinder 120 until it is scraped off by the scraper assembly 14. This improves the efficiency of making smoothies while also improving the quality of the smoothies.

[0269] In some implementations, the liquid output of the spraying portion 131 and the rotation speed of the scraper assembly 14 can be adjusted according to the surface temperature of the ice-making cylinder 120 to ensure the quality of ice making.

[0270] For example, the amount of liquid discharged from the spraying portion 131 is inversely proportional to the surface temperature of the ice making cylinder 120 . The lower the temperature, the greater the flow rate, thereby ensuring the effect of preparing smoothies.

[0271] The liquid output of the spraying part 131 is related to the rotational speed of the first pump 134. Therefore, a first correspondence table between the surface temperature of the ice-making cylinder 120 and the rotational speed of the first pump 134 can be preset. Through this first correspondence table and based on the surface temperature of the ice-making cylinder 120, the rotational speed of the driving pump can be determined.

[0272] For example, the rotation speed of the scraper assembly 14 is inversely proportional to the surface temperature of the ice making cylinder 120. The lower the temperature, the higher the rotation speed, thereby ensuring the effect of preparing smoothies.

[0273] A second correspondence table between the surface temperature of the ice making cylinder 120 and the rotation speed of the scraper assembly 14 may be preset. Through the second correspondence table, the rotation speed of the fourth scraper 145 may be determined based on the surface temperature of the ice making cylinder 120 .

[0274] It should be noted that the rotation speed of the scraper assembly 14 , the rotation speed of the third tube 1301 and the rotation speed of the first pump 134 are consistent.

[0275] When the first valve body 133 and the first pump 134 stop working, the scraper assembly 14 rotates a predetermined number of times and then stops, and then the fifth air inlet 1163 and the second air outlet 172 are closed.

[0276] In some embodiments, a hot air flow may be introduced into the fourth chamber 1103 to dry the surface of the ice making cylinder 120 , thereby melting the remaining crushed ice and discharging it.

[0277] In order to improve the efficiency of scraping off the ice layer by the scraper assembly 14, in some embodiments, referring to Figures 35 to 37, the scraper assembly 14 includes a fourth scraper 145 and a fifth scraper 146. The fourth scraper 145 includes a fourth scraper body and at least one blade tooth.

[0278] Referring to Figures 29 and 30 , at least one blade tooth includes multiple blade teeth. The multiple blade teeth of the fourth scraper 145 are oriented in the rotational direction of the scraper assembly 14. For example, in the rotational direction of the scraper assembly 14 (e.g., clockwise in Figure 29 ), the side of the fourth scraper 145 teeth away from the fifth scraper 146 is the front side, and the side of the fourth scraper 145 teeth closer to the fifth scraper 146 is the rear side. The gaps between the blade teeth of the fourth scraper 145 and the inner sidewall of the ice making cylinder 120 decrease from front to back (i.e., gaps D1, D2, and D3 decrease in sequence). This allows for layered ice scraping, reducing scraping resistance and blade wear, resulting in smoother and more shaved ice. It should be noted that D1, D2, and D3 represent the three gaps between the blade teeth and the inner sidewall of the ice making cylinder 120, and at least one of the following conditions is satisfied: D1 > D2, D2 > D3, or D1 > D3.

[0279] The structure and function of the fifth scraper 146 are similar to those of the fourth scraper 145 and will not be described again here.

[0280] In the description of the above embodiments, specific features, structures, materials or characteristics may be combined in an appropriate manner in any one or more embodiments or examples.

[0281] The above description is merely a specific embodiment of the present disclosure, but the scope of protection of the present disclosure is not limited thereto. Any changes or substitutions that a person skilled in the art can conceive within the technical scope disclosed in the present disclosure should be included within the scope of protection of the present disclosure. Therefore, the scope of protection of the present disclosure should be based on the scope of protection of the claims.

[0282] Those skilled in the art will understand that the scope of the present invention is not limited to the above specific embodiments, and that certain elements of the embodiments may be modified and replaced without departing from the spirit of the present application. The scope of the present invention is limited by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A smoothie preparation device, comprising: The housing comprises a first cavity, an air inlet portion and an outlet portion, and the cold air flow is suitable for entering the first cavity through the air inlet portion; An ice-making cylinder, located in the first chamber; A driving assembly connected to the ice-making cylinder and configured to drive the ice-making cylinder to rotate; a spraying portion, located in the first chamber and configured to spray liquid toward the ice-making cylinder to form an ice layer in the ice-making cylinder; a scraper assembly, wherein the scraper assembly is disposed in the first cavity, and the drive assembly is further configured to drive the scraper assembly to move; and A controller is coupled to the driving assembly and is configured to: When receiving an instruction to prepare ice smoothies, if it is determined that the ice-making temperature reaches the ice-making requirement, the spraying part is controlled to spray liquid to the ice-making cylinder and the ice-making cylinder is rotated; If it is determined that the thickness of the ice layer reaches a set threshold, controlling the spraying unit to stop spraying liquid to the ice-making cylinder; Controlling the movement of the scraper assembly to cut the ice layer to form smooth ice, wherein the smooth ice is suitable for being discharged through the outlet portion; During the process of cutting the ice layer, if it is determined that the preset conditions are met, the cutting is stopped.

2. The smoothie preparation device according to claim 1, wherein: The spraying part is configured to spray liquid toward the outer wall of the ice-making cylinder to form the ice layer on the outer wall of the ice-making cylinder; The scraper assembly includes a first scraper and a second scraper, wherein the first scraper and the second scraper are located on opposite sides of the ice making cylinder, and the drive assembly is further configured to drive the first scraper and the second scraper to move toward or away from each other; Wherein, the preset condition includes: obtaining the distance between the first scraper and the second scraper in real time, and the distance reaches a lower limit value of a distance threshold.

3. The smoothie preparation device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein: The scraper assembly includes a first scraper and a second scraper, and the controller is further configured to control the first scraper and the second scraper to move toward each other to cut the ice layer to form a smoothie; After controlling the scraper assembly to stop cutting, the controller is further configured to: control the first scraper and the second scraper to move away from each other.

4. The smoothie preparation device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, further comprising: a first sensor coupled to the controller and configured to detect the ice-making temperature in the first chamber; a second sensor coupled to the controller and configured to detect a thickness of the ice layer; and The third sensor is coupled to the controller and configured to detect a distance between the first scraper and the second scraper.

5. The smoothie preparation device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein: The drive assembly comprises: A driving member configured to generate a driving force when in operation; a transmission member connected to the driving member to transmit the driving force; and at least one first rod, threadedly connected to the first scraper and the second scraper, and the transmission member is transmission-connected to the first rod to transmit the driving force to the first rod, so that the first scraper and the second scraper of the scraper assembly move toward or away from each other through the first rod; Wherein, the moving directions of the first scraper and the second scraper are orthogonal to the rotation axis of the ice-making cylinder.

6. The smoothie preparation device according to claim 5, wherein: The transmission member comprises: a driving gear receiving the driving force; and At least one driven gear is meshed with the driving gear and is disposed corresponding to the at least one first rod.

7. The ice smoothie preparation device according to claim 5 or 6, wherein: The drive assembly also includes: at least one second rod, the second rod being connected to the first scraper and the second scraper respectively; Wherein, the at least one second rod is parallel to the at least one first rod.

8. The smoothie preparation device according to any one of claims 5 to 7, wherein: The drive assembly also includes: a fourth sensor, coupled to the controller and configured to detect a torque output by the drive assembly; Wherein, the controller is further configured to control the moving speed of the first scraper and the second scraper of the scraper assembly according to the acquired torque.

9. The smoothie preparation device according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein: The spraying part comprises: A first tube configured to receive the liquid, wherein a length direction of the first tube is parallel to an axial direction of a rotating shaft of the ice-making cylinder; and At least one spraying portion is arranged along the length direction of the first tube, is located above the ice-making cylinder, and is configured to spray liquid toward the outer wall of the ice-making cylinder.

10. The smoothie preparation device according to claim 9, wherein: The spraying part also includes: a second tube configured to receive the liquid; A valve body, disposed on the second pipe; a first pump connected to a liquid outlet end of the second tube and a liquid inlet end of the first tube and configured to pump the liquid in the second tube into the first tube; a second pump configured to pass gas into the first tube; The controller is also configured to: After determining that the ice thickness of the outer wall of the ice making cylinder reaches a set threshold and before driving the first scraper and the second scraper of the scraper assembly to move, the second pump is controlled to start to clear the residual liquid in the first tube.

11. The smoothie preparation device according to any one of claims 1 to 10, wherein: Any one of the first scraper and the second scraper of the scraper assembly comprises: Scraper body; blade teeth, the blade teeth being located on a side of the corresponding scraper body close to the ice making cylinder; and A lead-out portion, formed between the blade teeth and the corresponding scraper body, and configured to lead out the smoothie; Wherein, the blade teeth of the first scraper are inclined in opposite directions to the corresponding blade teeth of the second scraper; In the rotation direction of the ice making cylinder, the blade teeth of the first scraper and the blade teeth of the second scraper are inclined toward the rear side of the rotation direction.

12. The smoothie preparation device according to any one of claims 1 to 11, wherein: The lead-out portion comprises: a through portion, provided on the housing, located below the ice-making cylinder and the first scraper and the second scraper of the scraper assembly, and communicated with the first cavity; and A discharging portion, wherein the inlet of the discharging portion is opposite to the through portion, so as to receive the ice smoothie through the discharging portion.

13. The smoothie preparation device according to claim 1, wherein: The housing further comprises a second chamber and a third chamber, wherein the third chamber and the second chamber receive the cold air flow, and the second chamber stores liquid for preparing ice smoothies; the air outlet of the third chamber is directed toward the ice-making cylinder; The scraper assembly includes a third scraper, which is located at one side of the ice-making cylinder and is configured to scrape off the ice layer on the outer side wall of the ice-making cylinder to form ice smoothies when the ice-making cylinder rotates.

14. The smoothie preparation device according to claim 13, wherein: The housing further comprises: an air outlet plate, the air outlet plate being configured as a side wall of the third cavity and comprising an arc-shaped segment; and An air outlet portion, the air outlet portion comprising at least one air outlet, the at least one air outlet being arranged at intervals along a direction of the arc segment parallel to a rotation axis of the ice making cylinder; Wherein, the lowest point of the arc segment is farthest from the ice-making cylinder.

15. The smoothie preparation device according to claim 13 or 14, further comprising: a fifth sensor, coupled to the controller and configured to detect a temperature in the second cavity; The controller is further configured to adjust the amount of cold air entering the second chamber according to the acquired temperature; and to adjust the amount of cold air entering the third chamber according to the ice-making temperature.

16. The smoothie preparation device according to any one of claims 13 to 15, further comprising: The liquid storage box is disposed in the second cavity and is configured to store liquid for preparing smoothies, wherein the liquid includes purified water or beverages.

17. The smoothie preparation device according to any one of claims 13 to 16, wherein: The third scraper comprises: a scraper body; and A guide surface is formed on the scraper body at a position close to the rear side of the rotation direction of the ice-making cylinder, and the guide surface extends from the tip of the scraper body toward the outer side wall away from the ice-making cylinder.

18. The smoothie making device according to claim 1, wherein: The housing further comprises a fourth cavity and an air outlet, and the cold air flow is adapted to enter the fourth cavity through the air inlet and be discharged through the air outlet; The ice-making cylinder is in contact with the cold air flow in the fourth chamber, an opening is provided at the bottom of the ice-making cylinder, and the shell includes a through portion communicating with the opening; The ice smoothie preparation device also includes: a rotating part, rotatably disposed in the ice-making cylinder, and comprising a third pipe, wherein the third pipe is configured to transport liquid to prepare ice smoothies, and the third pipe comprises a plurality of the spraying parts to spray the liquid onto the inner side wall of the ice-making cylinder; The scraper assembly is linked with the rotating part, and the scraper assembly is configured to scrape off the ice layer formed on the inner wall of the ice-making cylinder to form ice smoothie, and the ice smoothie is suitable for being discharged through the opening part and the through part.

19. The smoothie preparation device according to claim 18, further comprising: A first fixing frame is fixed to the ice making cylinder, and the rotating part is rotatably connected to the first fixing frame; and a second fixing frame is respectively connected to the scraper assembly and the rotating part.

20. The smoothie making device according to claim 19, wherein: The rotating part comprises: a first connection portion, the first connection portion being disposed on the third tube; and A plurality of sliding parts, the plurality of sliding parts are provided on the first connecting part and are arranged parallel to each other, and the plurality of sliding parts penetrate in a direction perpendicular to the rotation axis of the third tube; The second fixing frame includes a plurality of matching portions, and the plurality of matching portions are respectively slidably matched with the plurality of sliding portions.

21. The smoothie preparation device according to claim 20, further comprising: a second connecting portion, disposed between the scraper assembly and the rotating portion, wherein when the second connecting portion is pressed, an elastic force is generated and applied to the rotating portion along a sliding direction of the plurality of sliding portions; and The adjusting part is connected to the second fixing frame and stops at the rotating part. The direction of the force applied by the second connecting part to the rotating part is opposite to the direction of the force applied by the adjusting part to the rotating part.

22. The smoothie making device according to claim 21, wherein: The second connecting portion includes at least one spring, one end of the spring abuts against the scraper assembly, and the other end of the spring abuts against the rotating portion; The adjusting portion comprises an adjusting stud, the adjusting stud is threadedly connected to the second fixing frame, and a free end of the adjusting stud abuts against the rotating portion.

23. The smoothie preparation device according to any one of claims 18 to 22, further comprising: The heating component is configured to heat the liquid in the third tube.

24. The smoothie preparation device according to any one of claims 18 to 23, further comprising: a second tube configured to convey an external liquid; A valve body, disposed on the second pipe; The first pump is coupled to the controller and configured to pump the liquid in the second tube into the third tube.

25. The smoothie preparation device of claim 24, further comprising: The second pump is coupled to the controller and configured to pass gas into the third tube.

26. The smoothie preparation device according to claim 24 or 25, further comprising: a sixth sensor coupled to the controller and configured to detect a temperature of a surface of the ice making cylinder; Wherein, the driving assembly is further configured to drive the rotating part to rotate.

27. The smoothie preparation device according to any one of claims 18 to 26, wherein: The scraper assembly includes a fourth scraper and a fifth scraper, and either one of the fourth scraper and the fifth scraper includes: a scraper body; and At least one blade tooth, wherein a gap between the at least one blade tooth and the inner side wall of the ice making cylinder decreases from front to rear in the rotation direction of the scraper body.

28. A refrigerator, comprising: Box; A door body connected to the box body; and A smoothie preparation device, wherein the smoothie preparation device is arranged in the box, and the smoothie preparation device is the smoothie preparation device according to any one of claims 1 to 27.

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