Ice maker and control method

Abstract

The present application relates to an ice maker and a control method. The ice maker comprises a mounting frame, a cooling module, a first mold, a second mold, a moving module and a first heating member; the cooling module is arranged on the mounting frame; the first mold is movably arranged on the cooling module, and the first mold is provided with an ice-making space, the ice-making space comprising a first molding cavity and a shaping cavity which are communicated with each other; the second mold is movably connected to the mounting frame, and the second mold comprises a second molding cavity; the moving module is arranged on the mounting frame and is drivingly connected to the second mold; the moving module is used for driving the second mold to move to a first position or a second position relative to the mounting frame; the first heating member is arranged on the second mold; when the second mold is located at the second position, the second molding cavity is located within the shaping cavity; the first heating member is used for heating ice inside the shaping cavity.

Description

Ice maker and control method Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of ice-making technology, and in particular to an ice maker and its control method. Background Technology

[0002] An ice maker is a refrigeration machine that cools water in a container to produce ice cubes. Currently, many beverage shops, dessert shops, and bars use spherical ice cubes to cater to consumer preferences. To produce perfectly round ice cubes, the molds must be very well sealed during the ice-making process. If the molds are not properly sealed, the shape of the ice cubes will be less consistent, requiring further grinding and reshaping, which is inefficient, labor-intensive, and uneconomical.

[0003] Application content

[0004] In view of this, this application provides an ice maker and control method with low sealing requirements, high processing efficiency and low cost, to solve the above-mentioned technical problems.

[0005] This application provides an ice maker, which includes a mounting frame, a cooling module, a first mold, a second mold, a moving module, and a first heating element. The cooling module is disposed on the mounting frame. The first mold is movably disposed on the cooling module and has an ice-making space, which includes a first forming cavity and a shaping cavity that communicate with each other. The second mold is movably connected to the mounting frame and has a second forming cavity. The moving module is disposed on the mounting frame and is drively connected to the second mold. The moving module is used to drive the second mold to move relative to the mounting frame to a first position or a second position. When the second mold is in the first position, the first mold and the second mold are spaced apart. When the second mold is in the second position, the second mold is embedded in the shaping cavity, and the second forming cavity and the first forming cavity are closed to form an ice-making cavity. The first heating element is disposed on the second mold. When the second mold is in the second position, the second forming cavity is located in the shaping cavity, and the first heating element is used to heat the ice in the shaping cavity.

[0006] This application provides a control method for an ice maker, comprising: when the ice maker is in an initial state, a second mold is located in a first position, and the second mold is spaced apart from the first mold; when the ice maker is in use, the ice maker injects water into the ice-making space of the first mold; after the water injection is completed, the cooling module of the ice maker cools the first mold, causing the water in the ice-making space to freeze into ice; the moving module of the ice maker drives the second mold to move relative to the mounting frame of the ice maker to a second position; during the movement, the ice maker activates the first heating element and drives the second mold to approach the first mold, causing the second mold to enter the molding cavity of the first mold, until the second molding cavity of the second mold and the first molding cavity of the first mold close together to form the ice-making cavity; the ice maker then shuts off the first heating element, completing the ice-making process. Attached Figure Description

[0007] To more clearly illustrate the technical solution of this application, the drawings used in the embodiments will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of this application. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained from these drawings without creative effort.

[0008] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of the structure of an ice maker provided in an embodiment of this application.

[0009] Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view of the ice maker shown in Figure 1 when the second mold is in the second position and the first mold.

[0010] Figure 3 is an exploded structural diagram of the first mold and cooling module of the ice maker shown in Figure 1.

[0011] Figure 4 is a simplified structural diagram of the ice maker shown in Figure 1 when the second mold is in the first position.

[0012] Figure 5 is a simplified schematic diagram of the ice maker shown in Figure 1, used to characterize the dimensions of the stirring component;

[0013] Figure 6 is a schematic diagram of the control method of an ice maker.

[0014] Labeling Explanation: 100, Ice maker; 10, Mounting bracket; 12, First mounting base; 14, Second mounting base; 141, Mounting plate; 143, Mounting bracket; 16, Connecting column; 20, Cooling module; 21, Cooling tank; 30, First mold; 31, Ice-making space; 312, First forming cavity; 314, Shaping cavity; 32, First forming part; 34, Shaping part; 301, Step surface; 36, Connecting notch; 38, Second rotating shaft; 40, Second mold; 41, Second forming cavity; 412. Ice-making cavity; 43. Second forming part; 45. Connecting part; 47. Movable connecting part; 472. Horizontal plate; 474. Vertical plate; 50. Movable module; 52. Drive motor; 54. Lead screw; 56. Lead screw nut; 58. Guide wheel; 60. First heating element; 70. Cover; 72. First rotating shaft; 74. Second heating element; 76. Stirring element; 761. Stirring rod; 762. Stirring blade; 78. Drive element; 80. First drive module; 90. Second drive module. Detailed Implementation

[0015] To enable those skilled in the art to better understand the present application, the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present application will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are merely some embodiments of the present application, and not all embodiments. All other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art based on the embodiments of the present application without creative effort are within the scope of protection of the present application.

[0016] If certain terms are used in the specification and claims to refer to specific components, those skilled in the art will understand that hardware manufacturers may use different names to refer to the same component. The specification and claims do not distinguish components based on differences in name, but rather on differences in function. For example, the term "comprising" used throughout the specification and claims is an open-ended term and should be interpreted as "including but not limited to"; "generally" means that those skilled in the art can solve the technical problem and basically achieve the technical effect within a certain margin of error.

[0017] Please refer to Figure 1. This application embodiment provides an ice maker 100 for making ice. The ice maker 100 can be installed in a refrigerator, freezer, or other equipment, or it can be used independently. This specification does not limit the shape of the ice made by the ice maker 100, such as ellipsoidal, spherical, or other shapes that are not convenient to make with a single mold. In this embodiment, the ice maker 100 is used to make spherical ice.

[0018] Referring to Figures 1 and 2, in this embodiment, the ice maker 100 may include a mounting frame 10, a cooling module 20, a first mold 30, a second mold 40, a moving module 50, and a first heating element 60. The cooling module 20 is disposed on the mounting frame 10, and the first mold 30 is movably disposed on the cooling module 20. The first mold 30 has an ice-making space 31, which includes a first forming cavity 312 and a shaping cavity 314 that communicate with each other. The second mold 40 is movably connected to the mounting frame 10 and has a second forming cavity 41. The moving module 50 is disposed on the mounting frame 10 and is drively connected to the second mold 40. The moving module 50 is used to drive the second mold 40 to move relative to the mounting frame 10 to a first position or a second position. When the second mold 40 is in the first position, the first mold 30 and the second mold 40 are spaced apart. When the second mold 40 is in the second position, the second mold 40 is embedded in the shaping cavity 314, and the second forming cavity 41 and the first forming cavity 312 are closed to form the ice-making cavity 412. The first heating element 60 is disposed on the second mold 40. When the second mold 40 is in the second position, the second molding cavity 41 is located in the molding cavity 314. The first heating element 60 is used to heat the ice in the molding cavity 314.

[0019] In this embodiment, the ice maker 100 is used to prepare ice blocks of a target shape. The shape of the ice-making cavity 412, formed by merging the first forming cavity 312 and the second forming cavity 41, is the target shape. Furthermore, the first forming cavity 312 and the second forming cavity 41 are each half of the target shape cavity. The volume of the shaping cavity 314 is greater than the volume of the second forming cavity 41, that is, greater than half the volume of the target shape ice block. The internal dimensions of the shaping cavity 314 are also greater than the corresponding external dimensions of the target shape ice block. For example, if the target shape ice block is a spherical ice block, both the first forming cavity 312 and the second forming cavity 41 are hemispherical cavities. The volume of the shaping cavity 314 is greater than half the volume of the spherical ice, the inner diameter of the shaping cavity 314 is greater than the diameter of the spherical ice, and the height of the shaping cavity 314 is greater than the radius of the spherical ice.

[0020] In its initial state, the ice maker 100 has the second mold 40 in the first position, spaced apart from the first mold 30. During use, water is first poured into the ice-making space 31 of the first mold 30. After water is poured in, the cooling module 20 cools the first mold 30, causing the water in the ice-making space 31 to freeze into ice. The moving module 50 drives the second mold 40 to move relative to the mounting frame 10 to the second position. During this movement, the first heating element 60 is activated, and the second mold 40 approaches the first mold 30. The heat from the first heating element 60 melts the ice blocking the second mold 40 from entering the molding cavity 314, allowing the second mold 40 to smoothly enter the molding cavity 314 until the second molding cavity 41 and the first molding cavity 312 close together to form the ice-making cavity 412, at which point the first heating element 60 is turned off. The ice in the ice-making cavity 412 is the final ice produced. In this embodiment, the ice-making cavity 412 is a spherical cavity, and the ice in the ice-making cavity 412 is spherical ice.

[0021] The ice maker 100 provided in this application embodiment performs secondary shaping processing on the ice formed in the first mold 30 through the moving second mold 40 and the first heating element 60 thereon, melting away the excess ice, and finally processing the ice (target shape ice) with a defined shape after the second forming cavity 41 and the first forming cavity 312 are closed. Not only is the shape standard, but there is also no need to ensure the sealing of the mold, resulting in high processing efficiency and low cost.

[0022] In this application, unless otherwise expressly specified or limited, the terms "installation," "connection," "linking," and "fixing," etc., should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; they can refer to a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; they can refer to the internal communication of two components or merely surface contact. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this application according to the specific circumstances.

[0023] In this embodiment, the mounting bracket 10 can be disposed on the workbench of the ice maker 100 application environment, and is used to install other structures of the ice maker 100. The mounting bracket 10 may include a first mounting base 12, a second mounting base 14, and a connecting column 16. The first mounting base 12 and the second mounting base 14 are disposed opposite each other at a distance, and the connecting column 16 connects the first mounting base 12 and the second mounting base 14. This specification does not limit the specific structural shape of the mounting bracket 10. As an example, both the first mounting base 12 and the second mounting base 14 are generally rectangular plates, and the first mounting base 12 and the second mounting base 14 are parallel to each other. The connecting column 16 is cylindrical, and the number of connecting columns 16 can be multiple. For example, the number of connecting columns 16 is four, and the four connecting columns 16 are arranged along the circumference of the first mounting base 12, respectively disposed at the four corners of the first mounting base 12. The first mounting base 12, the connecting column 16, and the second mounting base 14 form a stable support structure.

[0024] In the application environment, when the mounting bracket 10 is fixed to the workbench, the first mounting base 12 and the second mounting base 14 are arranged approximately along the direction of gravity, and the second mounting base 14 can be fixed to the workbench.

[0025] Please refer to Figures 1 and 3 simultaneously. In this embodiment, the cooling module 20 is installed on the second mounting base 14 and is used to cool the water inside the first mold 30. The cooling module 20 is provided with a cooling tank 21, which is located on the side of the cooling module 20 facing the first mounting base 12 and is recessed relative to that side surface. This specification does not limit the specific structure of the cooling module 20. As an example, the cooling module 20 may include a compressor, a condenser, an evaporator, a throttling valve, etc. The compressor draws in low-temperature, low-pressure vaporized refrigerant and compresses it into a high-temperature, high-pressure vapor. The high-temperature, high-pressure vaporized refrigerant enters the condenser. The condenser dissipates excess heat and cools the high-temperature, high-pressure vapor into a normal-temperature, normal-pressure liquid. The condenser can be air-cooled, water-cooled, or evaporative-cooled. After cooling, the liquid refrigerant becomes a low-temperature, low-pressure liquid refrigerant after being throttled by the expansion valve and throttling valve, creating conditions for the evaporation of the refrigerant. The low-temperature, low-pressure liquid refrigerant, after being throttled, evaporates rapidly under the action of the evaporator and absorbs heat, thereby rapidly cooling and freezing the water in the first mold 30 set on the cooling module 20.

[0026] Please refer to Figures 2 and 3 simultaneously. The first mold 30 is disposed in the cooling module 20, and its bottom is embedded in the cooling groove 21. In this embodiment, the first mold 30 may include a first forming part 32 and a shaping part 34. The first forming part 32 is movably embedded in the cooling groove 21, and a first forming cavity 312 is disposed in the first forming part 32. The shaping part 34 is connected to the first forming part 32, and the shaping cavity 314 is disposed in the shaping part 34. The first forming part 32 and the shaping part 34 are continuously connected, and the shaping cavity 314 communicates with the first forming cavity 312. The shaping part 34 is used for the insertion of the second mold 40 to process the semi-finished ice, so that the first forming cavity 312 and the second forming cavity 411 are closed to jointly define the final shape of the finished ice.

[0027] In order to improve the stability of the fit between the first mold 30 and the cooling module 20, the outer diameter of the shaping part 34 is larger than the outer diameter of the first forming part 32, so that a stepped surface 301 is formed at the connection between the first forming part 32 and the shaping part 34. When the first forming part 32 is embedded in the cooling groove 21, the stepped surface 301 abuts against the side of the cooling module 20 facing the first mounting base 12.

[0028] This specification does not limit the specific shape of the first mold 30. In this embodiment, the first forming part 32 is approximately hollow hemispherical, and the shaping part 34 is approximately hollow cylindrical. The first forming part 32 is connected to one end of the shaping part 34. The cooling tank 21 is a hemispherical recess, the size of which matches the first forming part 32, so that when the first forming part 32 is embedded in the cooling tank 21, its outer wall can be in close contact with the side wall of the cooling tank 21 over a large area, thereby improving the cooling efficiency of the cooling module 20. The outer diameter of the shaping part 34 is larger than the outer diameter of the first forming part 32. When the first forming part 32 is embedded in the cooling tank 21, the end of the shaping part 34 near the first forming part 32 abuts against the surface of the cooling module 20, improving the stability of the first mold 30 placed in the cooling module 20.

[0029] When in use, water is injected into the first mold 30. After the water injection is completed, the cooling module 20 is started. The water in the first mold 30 is cooled to form a semi-finished ice. The upper part of the semi-finished ice is a cylindrical ice formed by the shaping part 34, and the lower part is a hemispherical ice formed by the first forming part 32.

[0030] Please refer to Figures 1 and 2 simultaneously. The semi-finished ice formed by the first mold 30 needs to be further processed by the second mold 40 to form spherical ice. In this embodiment, the second mold 40 may include a second forming part 43 and a connecting part 45, with the second forming part 43 disposed within the connecting part 45. A second forming cavity 41 is disposed within the second forming part 43, and the opening of the second forming cavity 41 is opposite to the opening of the ice-making space 31. The connecting part 45 is slidably connected to the mounting frame 10 and drively connected to the moving module 50. A first heating element 60 is disposed on the connecting part 45. When the second mold 40 is in the second position, the connecting part 45 is at least partially embedded in the shaping part 34, and the first forming part 32 and the second forming part 43 abut against each other to jointly define the ice-making cavity 412.

[0031] After the first mold 30 produces semi-finished ice, the moving module 50 drives the second mold 40 to move relative to the mounting frame 10 closer to the first mold 30 to a second position. During the movement, the first heating element 60 is activated, and the second mold 40 approaches the first mold 30. The heat from the first heating element 60 melts the ice blocking the second mold 40 from entering the molding cavity 314, allowing the second mold 40 to smoothly enter the molding cavity 314 until the first forming part 32 and the second forming part 43 close together to define the ice-making cavity 412, at which point the first heating element 60 closes. The second mold 40 melts away excess ice during the movement, ultimately producing ice with the shape defined by the closed first forming part 32 and the second forming part 43. In this embodiment, a sealing element may not be provided at the joint between the first mold 30 and the second mold 40. The ice produced by the ice maker 100 provided in this embodiment not only has a standard shape but also has relatively low sealing requirements during ice making, resulting in high processing efficiency and low cost.

[0032] In this embodiment, the shape of the second forming part 43 of the second mold 40 matches the shape of the first forming part 32 of the first mold 30. Since the first forming part 32 is approximately hollow hemispherical, the second forming part 43 is also approximately hollow hemispherical, and its dimensions match those of the first forming part 32, thus producing a relatively standard spherical ice. To facilitate the nesting and fitting between the connecting part 45 and the shaping part 34, in this embodiment, the connecting part 45 is also approximately hollow cylindrical, and its outer diameter is smaller than that of the shaping part 34. The outer diameter of the second forming part 43 is smaller than that of the connecting part 45. The second forming part 43 is fixedly connected within the connecting part 45 and located at the end of the connecting part 45 closest to the first forming part 32, so as to facilitate mutual contact with the first forming part 32.

[0033] The first heating element 60 can be disposed within the connecting portion 45 and located on the side of the second molding portion 43 opposite to the first molding portion 32. It is used to heat the second mold 40 to melt the ice inside the molding cavity 314. The specific melting process of the ice inside the molding cavity 314 by the first heating element 60 can be controlled by controlling the heating time or the moving speed of the second mold 40. This specification does not limit the specific type of the first heating element 60; for example, the first heating element 60 may include a heating wire, a heating rod, or a heating tube. When the first heating element 60 heats, its heat can be conducted to the molding portion 34 through the second mold 40. The material of the molding portion 34 can be a material with good thermal conductivity, such as stainless steel, iron, or aluminum.

[0034] In other embodiments, the first forming part 32 and the second forming part 43 may also be hollow cubes or cavities with other irregular shapes. The specific shapes of the first mold 30 and the second mold 40 can be designed according to the actual ice-making needs of the ice maker 100.

[0035] Please refer to Figure 3 again. This specification does not limit the number of first molds 30; multiple first molds 30 can be provided, arranged side-by-side in the cooling module 20. The shaping parts 34 of the multiple first molds 30 are connected sequentially, and the shaping cavities 314 of two adjacent shaping parts 34 are connected through a connecting notch 36. Two adjacent first forming parts 32 are spaced apart. As an example, there can be two first molds 30, arranged side-by-side, with two first forming parts 32 spaced apart. The two shaping parts 34 are connected together, and a connecting notch 36 is provided at the connection point. The two shaping cavities 314 are connected through this connecting notch 36, allowing both first molds 30 to be filled with water at once, improving ice-making efficiency and the uniformity of water within the two first molds 30.

[0036] Correspondingly, the cooling module 20 also has multiple cooling channels 21, with each cooling channel 21 corresponding to a first mold 30, and the multiple cooling channels 21 are arranged at intervals.

[0037] Please refer to Figures 1 and 2 simultaneously. Multiple second molds 40 are also provided, arranged side-by-side on the mounting frame 10, with each second mold 40 corresponding to a first mold 30. The connecting parts 45 of the multiple second molds 40 are connected sequentially. Specifically, in this embodiment, two second molds 40 are provided, arranged side-by-side, with the two connecting parts 45 connected together. During ice making, the two second molds 40 are respectively embedded in the shaping cavity 314 of the corresponding first mold 30 to perform secondary processing on the semi-finished ice. The second forming part 43 and the corresponding first forming part 32 are closed, and the two first molds 30 and the two second molds 40 produce two spherical ice crystals.

[0038] In this embodiment, the moving module 50 is used to drive the second mold 40 to switch between a first position and a second position. The "first position" can be understood as the position where the second mold 40 is spaced apart from the first mold 30, without affecting the ice-making process of the first mold 30 (see Figure 4 for the position of the second mold 40). The second mold 40 can be spaced apart from the first mold 30, located to one side of the first mold 30, or located at other positions within the first mold 30, satisfying the conditions of spacing and non-interference. The "second position" can be understood as the position where the second mold 40 is embedded within the first mold 30, and the first forming part 32 and the second forming part 43 abut against each other (as shown in Figure 2 for the position of the second mold 40). That is, when the second mold 40 is in the second position, the first mold 30 and the second mold 40 have closed, producing finished ice.

[0039] This specification does not limit the specific structure of the moving module 50. The moving module 50 may include a drive source such as a motor or cylinder, and may also include transmission components such as gears and racks, screws and nuts. In this embodiment, the moving module 50 may include a drive motor 52, a lead screw 54, and a lead screw nut 56. The drive motor 52 is connected to the first mounting base 12, the lead screw 54 is rotatably connected between the first mounting base 12 and the second mounting base 14, and the lead screw nut 56 is threaded to the lead screw 54 and can be fixedly connected to the second mold 40. The drive motor 52 drives the lead screw 54 to rotate relative to the mounting frame 10. The lead screw nut 56 is connected to the second mold 40, and the second mold 40 is slidably connected to the connecting post 16. Under the constraint of the second mold 40, the lead screw nut 56 will not rotate with the lead screw 54, but will move along the length of the lead screw 54 under the drive of the lead screw 54, thereby moving the second mold 40 between the first mounting base 12 and the second mounting base 14, realizing the switching between the first position and the second position.

[0040] To increase the contact area between the second mold 40 and the lead screw nut 56, in this embodiment, the second mold 40 may further include a movable connector 47 connected to the connecting portion 45. The movable connector 47 includes a horizontal plate 472 and two vertical plates 474. The horizontal plate 472 is connected to the connecting portion 45. If there are multiple second molds 40, the horizontal plate 472 is connected to multiple connecting portions 45 simultaneously. The horizontal plate 472 is approximately parallel to the first mounting base 12. The two vertical plates 474 are respectively connected to both ends of the horizontal plate 472 and are both approximately perpendicular to the horizontal plate 472. For ease of connection, the lead screw 54 is disposed between two connecting posts 16 at one end of the movable connector 47, and the lead screw nut 56 can be fixedly connected to one of the vertical plates 474 of the movable connector 47.

[0041] To improve the stability of the movement of the second mold 40, the ice maker 100 may further include an auxiliary component connected between the movable connector 47 and the connecting column 16. This specification does not limit the specific structure of the auxiliary component; it can be either a sliding sleeve structure fitted onto the connecting column 16 or a pulley structure. In this embodiment, the auxiliary component is a guide wheel 58. Multiple guide wheels 58 are provided, with the same number at both ends of the movable connector 47. Taking the guide wheel 58 at the end of the movable connector 47 closest to the lead screw 54 as an example, four guide wheels 58 are provided at this end. The guide wheels 58 are respectively connected to the four corners of the vertical plate 474, and the two guide wheels 58 on the same side of the lead screw 54 are slidably connected to the corresponding connecting columns 16. When the lead screw nut 56 drives the movable connector 47 to move relative to the mounting frame 10, the guide wheels 58 slidably engage with the mounting columns.

[0042] The distribution and connection of the guide wheels 58 at the end of the movable connector 47 away from the lead screw 54 are the same as described above, and will not be repeated here. The guide wheels 58 greatly improve the stability of the second mold 40 moving between the first position and the second position.

[0043] Referring to Figure 3, in this embodiment, the ice maker 100 may further include a cover 70 and a first drive module 80. The cover 70 is movably connected to the mounting frame 10. The first drive module 80 is disposed on the mounting frame 10 and drivenly connected to the cover 70. The first drive module 80 is used to drive the cover 70 to move relative to the mounting frame 10 to cover the ice-making space 31 of the first mold 30. When the first mold 30 is making ice, the cover 70, driven by the first drive module 80, closes to the opening of the first mold 30, improving the cooling efficiency of the first mold 30. After the water in the first mold 30 forms semi-finished ice, the first drive module 80 drives the cover 70 to rotate relative to the mounting frame 10 to expose the ice-making space 31 and the semi-finished ice, so that the second mold 40 can perform secondary processing on it.

[0044] Specifically, the cover 70 is rotatably connected to one side of the second mounting base 14. To facilitate the installation of the cover 70, the second mounting base 14 may include a mounting plate 141 and a mounting bracket 143. The mounting plate 141 is generally plate-shaped, and the mounting bracket 143 is fixedly connected (e.g., by bolts) to the side of the mounting plate 141 facing the first mounting base 12. The mounting bracket 143 is generally openwork frame-shaped, and one side of the cover 70 is rotatably connected to the mounting bracket 143 via a first rotating shaft 72. The first rotating shaft 72 is rotatably connected to the mounting bracket 143 and spaced apart from the mounting plate 141. To save space, the dimension of the side of the cover 70 connected to the first rotating shaft 72 along the axial direction of the first rotating shaft 72 is smaller than the dimension of the side of the cover 70 away from the first rotating shaft 72 along the first rotating shaft 72.

[0045] In this embodiment, the specific structure of the first drive module 80 is not limited. For example, the first drive module 80 may include a drive component, a reducer, etc., wherein the drive component may include a rotary motor, a rotary cylinder, etc. Alternatively, the first drive module 80 may also include a transmission component, which may include a gear and rack transmission combination or a worm gear and worm transmission combination. In this embodiment, the first drive module 80 may include a rotary motor connected to one side of the mounting bracket 143 and drivenly connected to the first rotating shaft 72. The first drive module 80 drives the first rotating shaft 72 to rotate relative to the mounting bracket 143, thereby causing the cover 70 to rotate relative to the mounting bracket 143 to move closer to or further away from the opening of the first mold 30.

[0046] During the ice-making process, the water injection step can be performed before or after the cover 70 is closed. In some embodiments, the cover 70 may have a water injection hole for inserting a water pipe, and water is injected into the first mold 30 through the water injection hole after the cover 70 is closed on the first mold 30.

[0047] To reduce air bubbles in the prepared ice, in some embodiments, the ice maker 100 may further include a stirring element 76 and a driving element 78. The driving element 78 is connected to the cover 70, and the stirring element 76 is movably connected to the cover 70 and drively connected to the driving element 78. When the cover 70 is closed on the first mold 30, the stirring element 76 is located within the molding cavity 314, and the driving element 78 is located on the side of the cover 70 opposite to the molding cavity 314. The driving element 78 can drive the stirring element 76 to move relative to the first mold 30 within the molding cavity 314.

[0048] This specification does not limit the specific structure of the stirring element 76 and the driving element 78. As an example, the stirring element 76 may include a stirring rod 761 and a stirring blade 762, and the driving element 78 is a rotary motor. The stirring rod 761 is rotatably connected to the cover 70 and driven by the driving element 78. The stirring blade 762 is connected to the peripheral wall of the stirring rod 761. The output shaft of the rotary motor is driven by the stirring rod 761. During ice making, the cover 70 is closed onto the first mold 30, the stirring element 76 is located in the molding cavity 314, and water is injected into the first mold 30 through the water injection hole on the cover 70. After water injection is completed, the cooling module 20 is activated to cool the first mold 30. The driving element 78 drives the stirring element 76 to rotate intermittently in the molding cavity 314, and air bubbles in the water are expelled from the water along the rotation direction of the stirring element 76. To reduce the impact on ice making efficiency, the stirring speed of the stirring element 76 should not be too fast, and can be adjusted according to the actual ice making situation.

[0049] As the ice-making process continues, the stirring element 76 stops rotating, and the water in the first mold 30 freezes into ice. The ice in the first forming cavity 312, which is farther away from the stirring element 76, is more transparent, while the ice around the stirring element 76 is relatively opaque. To improve the transparency of the finished ice, the length of the stirring element 76 is set so that it does not touch or only slightly touches the area of ​​the last formed ice-making cavity 412 in the ice-making space 31. Specifically, the position of the stirring element 76 when the cover 70 is closed is described as follows: at this time, the stirring element 76 is vertically positioned and is approximately parallel to the lead screw 54. The length of the stirring element 76 is the dimension of the stirring element 76 along the length of the lead screw 54. When the stirring element 76 is located in the forming cavity 314, the upper end of the stirring element 76 (the end closer to the first mounting base 12) is approximately flush with the upper end of the forming part 34. Referring to Figure 5, the sum of the length dimension h of the stirring element 76 and the inner diameter R of the first forming part 32 is less than or equal to the depth dimension H of the first mold 30.

[0050] Before the water in the first mold 30 completely freezes, the cover 70 rotates, causing the stirring component 76 to leave the molding cavity 314. The water in the first mold 30 then freezes completely under the action of the cooling module 20. The ice near the location where the stirring component 76 was previously placed is relatively opaque compared to other parts of the ice. The second mold 40, under the action of the moving module 50, moves from the first position to the second position. The second mold 40 melts the excess ice in the molding cavity 314 through the first heating component 60, thus melting the relatively opaque parts and greatly improving the transparency of the final product ice.

[0051] Referring again to Figure 3, in some embodiments, the ice maker 100 may further include a second heating element 74, which is disposed on the cover 70. When the cover 70 covers the ice-making space 31, the second heating element 74 is located within the molding cavity 314. The second heating element 74 can heat the water in the first mold 30 to remove air bubbles. This specification does not limit the specific type of the second heating element 74; the second heating element 74 can be a heating wire, heating rod, heating tube, etc. In this embodiment, the second heating element 74 includes a heating rod.

[0052] In this embodiment, the ice maker 100 may further include a second drive module 90, which is disposed on the mounting frame 10 and connected to the first mold 30 via a transmission. The second drive module 90 is used to drive the first mold 30 to rotate relative to the cooling module 20 to remove ice. After the second mold 40 (as shown in Figure 1) and the first mold 30 are closed to complete ice making, the moving module 50 drives the second mold 40 to move from the second position to the first position. Then, the second drive module 90 drives the first mold 30 to rotate relative to the mounting frame 10, pouring out the ice balls inside the first mold 30 to complete the ice removal.

[0053] The first mold 30 is rotatably connected to the mounting bracket 143 via the second rotating shaft 38. The second rotating shaft 38 and the first rotating shaft 72 are located on opposite sides of the cooling module 20. The second drive module 90 is mounted on the mounting bracket 143. This specification does not limit the specific structure of the second drive module 90. For example, the second drive module 90 may include a drive component, a reducer, etc., wherein the drive component may include a rotary motor, a rotary cylinder, etc. Alternatively, the second drive module 90 may also include a transmission component, which may include a gear and rack transmission combination or a worm gear and worm transmission combination. In this embodiment, the second drive module 90 may include a rotary motor, which is connected to one side of the mounting bracket 143 and is drively connected to the second rotating shaft 38. The second drive module 90 drives the second rotating shaft 38 to rotate relative to the mounting bracket 143 away from the first rotating shaft 72, thereby causing the first mold 30 to rotate relative to the mounting bracket 143 and pour out the finished ice to complete the de-icing process.

[0054] This application provides a control method for an ice maker. Referring to Figure 6, in the ice maker 100 provided in this application, in step S10, when the ice maker 100 is in its initial state, the second mold 40 is located in a first position, spaced apart from the first mold 30. In step S20, when the ice maker 100 is in use, water is injected into the ice-making space 31 of the first mold 30. After the water injection is complete, the cooling module 20 of the ice maker 100 cools the first mold 30, causing the water in the ice-making space 31 to freeze. In step S30, the moving module 50 of the ice maker 100 drives the second mold 40 to move relative to the mounting bracket 10 of the ice maker 100 to a second position. During the movement, the first heating element 60 of the ice maker 100 is activated, and the ice maker 100 drives the second mold 40 closer to the first mold 30. The heat from the first heating element 60 melts the ice in the molding cavity 314 that is blocking the second mold 40 from entering, allowing the second mold 40 to smoothly enter the molding cavity 314 of the first mold 30, until the second molding cavity 41 of the second mold 40 and the first molding cavity 312 of the first mold 30 close together to form the ice-making cavity 412, and the first heating element 60 is turned off. The ice in the ice-making cavity 412 is the final ice produced, completing the ice-making process. In this embodiment, the ice-making cavity 412 is a spherical cavity, and the ice in the ice-making cavity 412 is spherical ice.

[0055] The ice maker 100 provided in this application embodiment performs secondary shaping processing on the ice formed in the first mold 30 through the moving second mold 40 and the first heating element 60 thereon, melting away the excess ice, and finally processing ice with a defined shape after the second forming cavity 41 and the first forming cavity 312 are closed. Not only is the shape standard, but there is also no need to ensure the sealing of the mold, resulting in high processing efficiency and low cost.

[0056] In the description of this specification, the references to terms such as "one embodiment," "some embodiments," "example," "specific example," or "some examples," etc., refer to specific features, structures, materials, or characteristics described in connection with that embodiment or example, which are included in at least one embodiment or example of this application. In this specification, the illustrative expressions of the above terms do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment or example. Furthermore, the specific features, structures, materials, or characteristics described may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments or examples. Moreover, without contradiction, those skilled in the art can combine and integrate the different embodiments or examples described in this specification, as well as the features of different embodiments or examples.

[0057] Finally, it should be noted that the above embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of this application, and not to limit them. Although this application has been described in detail with reference to the foregoing embodiments, those skilled in the art should understand that modifications can still be made to the technical solutions described in the foregoing embodiments, or equivalent substitutions can be made to some of the technical features. These modifications or substitutions do not cause the essence of the corresponding technical solutions to deviate from the spirit and scope of the technical solutions of the embodiments of this application.

Claims

1. An ice maker, characterized in that, include: Mounting rack; The cooling module is mounted on the mounting bracket; A first mold is movably disposed in the cooling module. The first mold has an ice-making space, which includes a first forming cavity and a shaping cavity that are connected to each other. A second mold is movably connected to the mounting frame, and the second mold has a second molding cavity; A movable module is disposed on the mounting frame and drivenly connected to the second mold. The movable module is used to drive the second mold to move relative to the mounting frame to a first position or a second position. When the second mold is in the first position, the first mold and the second mold are spaced apart. When the second mold is in the second position, the second mold is embedded in the molding cavity, and the second molding cavity and the first molding cavity are closed to form an ice-making cavity. A first heating element is disposed in the second mold. When the second mold is in the second position, the second molding cavity is located inside the molding cavity. The first heating element is used to heat the ice inside the molding cavity.

2. The ice maker as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The ice maker also includes a cover and a first drive module. The cover is movably connected to the mounting frame, and the first drive module is disposed on the mounting frame and drivenly connected to the cover. The first drive module is used to drive the cover to move relative to the mounting frame to cover the ice-making space of the first mold.

3. The ice maker as described in claim 2, characterized in that, The ice maker further includes a stirring component and a driving component. The driving component is disposed on the cover, and the stirring component is movably disposed on the cover and drivenly connected to the driving component. When the cover covers the ice-making space, the stirring component is located inside the molding cavity. The driving component is used to drive the stirring component to move relative to the first mold inside the molding cavity.

4. The ice maker as described in claim 2, characterized in that, The ice maker also includes a second heating element, which is disposed on the cover. When the cover covers the ice-making space, the second heating element is located inside the shaping cavity.

5. The ice maker as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The first mold includes a first forming part and a shaping part. The first forming part is movably embedded in the cooling module. The first forming cavity is disposed in the first forming part. The shaping part is connected to the first forming part. The shaping cavity is disposed in the shaping part.

6. The ice maker as described in claim 5, characterized in that, The second mold includes a second forming part and a connecting part. The second forming part is disposed within the connecting part, and the second forming cavity is disposed within the second forming part. The connecting part is slidably connected to the mounting bracket and drively connected to the moving module. The first heating element is disposed within the connecting part. When the second mold is in the second position, the connecting part is at least partially embedded in the shaping part, and the first forming part and the second forming part abut against each other to jointly define the ice-making cavity.

7. The ice maker as described in claim 5, characterized in that, The number of first molds is set to multiple, and the multiple first molds are arranged side by side in the cooling module. The shaping parts of the multiple first molds are connected in sequence, and the shaping cavities of two adjacent shaping parts are connected by a connecting notch. The two adjacent first molding parts are spaced apart.

8. The ice maker as described in claim 7, characterized in that, The number of second molds is set to be multiple, and the multiple second molds are arranged one-to-one with the multiple first molds. The multiple second molds are arranged side by side on the mounting frame, and the connecting parts of the multiple second molds are connected in sequence.

9. The ice maker according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that, The ice maker also includes a second drive module, which is disposed on the mounting frame and connected to the first mold via a transmission. The second drive module is used to drive the first mold to rotate relative to the cooling module to remove ice.

10. The ice maker according to any one of claims 5 to 8, characterized in that, The mounting frame includes a first mounting base, a second mounting base, and a connecting column. The first mounting base and the second mounting base are arranged at a distance from each other, and the connecting column connects the first mounting base and the second mounting base. The cooling module is disposed on the first mounting base, and the moving module can drive the second mold to move between the first mounting base and the second mounting base.

11. The ice maker as described in claim 10, characterized in that, The ice maker also includes a guide wheel connected to the second mold. When the second mold moves relative to the mounting frame, the guide wheel slides in engagement with the connecting column.

12. The ice maker as described in claim 10, characterized in that, The cooling module is provided with a cooling groove, which is located on the side of the cooling module facing the first mounting base and is recessed relative to the surface of that side; the bottom of the first mold is embedded in the cooling groove.

13. The ice maker as described in claim 3, characterized in that, The stirring component includes a stirring rod and stirring blades. The stirring rod is rotatably connected to the cover and drively connected to the driving component. The stirring blades are connected to the peripheral wall of the stirring rod.

14. The ice maker as described in claim 12, characterized in that, The outer diameter of the shaping part is larger than the outer diameter of the first molding part, so that a stepped surface is formed at the connection between the first molding part and the shaping part. When the first molding part is embedded in the cooling groove, the stepped surface abuts against the side of the cooling module facing the first mounting base.

15. A control method for an ice maker as described in any one of claims 1 to 14, characterized in that, include: When the ice maker is in its initial state, the second mold is located in the first position, and the second mold is spaced apart from the first mold. When the ice maker is in use, the ice maker injects water into the ice-making space of the first mold. After the water injection is completed, the cooling module of the ice maker cools the first mold, causing the water in the ice-making space to freeze into ice. The moving module of the ice maker drives the second mold to move to a second position relative to the mounting frame of the ice maker. During the movement, the ice maker activates the first heating element and drives the second mold to approach the first mold, so that the second mold enters the molding cavity of the first mold until the second molding cavity of the second mold and the first molding cavity of the first mold close together to form the ice-making cavity. The ice maker then turns off the first heating element to complete the ice-making process.

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