Ice maker with replaceable mold, ice making mold thereof, and stirring mechanism

Abstract

An ice maker with a replaceable mold (5), comprising a refrigeration mechanism (1), a lifting plate (2), and a lifting mechanism (3). The mold (5) is detachably mounted on the lifting plate (2), and the mold (5) is provided with a stirring component (4). The ice maker further comprises a stirring mechanism. The stirring mechanism comprises a driving gear (61) and at least one driven gear provided on the lifting plate (2), and a first driving device (66) used for driving the driving gear (61) to rotate. The driving gear (61) meshes with the driven gear; at least one driving magnetic element (67) is provided on the driven gear; and at least one driven magnetic element (41) matching the driving magnetic element (67) is provided on the stirring component (4). By means of the mold (5) and a main body of a refrigeration machine being split, as well as the stirring mechanism and the stirring component (4) being split, the entire refrigeration machine is made more lightweight and compact while also facilitating replacement.

Description

An ice maker with interchangeable molds, including the ice molds and stirring mechanism. Priority application

[0001] This application claims priority to Chinese invention patent applications filed on August 29, 2024: [Application No.: 2024111992165] [Title: An Ice Maker with a Replaceable Mold], [Application No.: 2024111992362] [Title: A Stirring Mechanism for an Ice Maker], and [Application No.: 2024221093359] [Title: An Ice Mold for an Ice Maker], all of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety. Technical Field

[0002] This invention belongs to the field of refrigeration equipment technology, specifically relating to an ice maker with replaceable molds, its ice-making molds, and a stirring mechanism. Background Technology

[0003] An ice maker is a device that uses a hydraulic stirring device in an ice storage tank to produce ice using water as a carrier when powered on. It is a refrigeration machine that cools water through an evaporator by a refrigerant in a refrigeration system to produce ice. For example, Chinese invention patent CN101738042A discloses an ice maker, which includes a shell, a water tank, and an evaporator. The evaporator is mounted inside the shell and located above the water tank. The lower part of the evaporator has an ice-making rod that extends into the water tank. An air removal device is also included to remove air from the water in the tank. The air removal device includes a stirring motor located above the water tank and an impeller driven by the stirring motor, which is located below the ice-making rod. This solution uses a motor to drive an impeller to rotate, thereby expelling air from the water. The structure is simple, but the device requires a stirring device to be installed above the ice-making chamber with an opening at the top. The stirring component of the stirring device extends into the ice-making chamber through a rotating shaft connected to the motor to stir. Because this method requires a separate stirring device and a separate stirring motor for each stirring device, the overall size of the equipment is relatively large. In addition, since the stirring device is a one-piece design, it is inconvenient to replace, thus it is impossible to change the main shape of the ice cubes. However, in real life, there is a demand for ice cubes of different sizes and shapes. For example, Chinese utility model patent CN220750461U discloses a waterproof ice-making cavity stirring base, including a base body with an open top and comprising a square column-shaped straight section and a square cone-shaped constricted section; a water inlet pipe is provided on the constricted section; it also includes a motor stator and a motor rotor, the motor stator being installed at the bottom of the base body and sealing the bottom of the base body; the motor stator is sealed by a housing, and a groove is provided in the middle of the housing; the motor rotor is disposed in the groove, and stirring blades are installed on the motor rotor; this solution installs the motor stator at the bottom of the ice-making cavity base, while the rotor, which is inherently waterproof, is used to install the stirring blades, thus solving the water leakage problem. However, this solution also has the problem of requiring a separate stirring motor to be installed for each stirring device. To address this issue, Chinese invention patent CN117847878A discloses an ice maker. The housing includes a moving mold and a stationary mold, and a separation mechanism. One end of the separation mechanism is connected to the stationary mold, driving it to rise and fall to close with the moving mold for ice making or to separate from it. The other end is connected to the moving mold, driving it to flip and release ice. This design employs an exhaust device 701 to drive a motor and a water-stirring component. The water-stirring component extends into the ice-making chamber, rotating the ice-making water to expel gas. Multiple water-stirring components are connected to the same drive motor via connecting rods, solving the problem of needing separate motors for each component, which leads to a large size.

[0004] However, the above-mentioned solution uses a fixed, integrated connection between the stirring component and the motor, which makes disassembly and assembly inconvenient. Furthermore, the fixed position and size of the stirring component often cannot meet the diverse stirring requirements needed to produce ice cubes of different sizes and shapes. Therefore, to meet users' demands for ice cubes of different sizes and shapes, as well as their desired ice transparency, there is an urgent need for an ice maker with a stirring function and interchangeable molds. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The purpose of this invention is to provide an ice maker with a replaceable mold, as well as its ice-making mold and stirring mechanism, to partially alleviate or solve the above-mentioned problems and meet the needs of different users for ice cubes of different sizes and shapes.

[0006] To solve the aforementioned technical problems, the present invention adopts the following technical solution:

[0007] A first aspect of the present invention is to provide an ice maker with a replaceable mold, comprising: a refrigeration mechanism including a refrigeration body and a refrigeration panel disposed on the refrigeration body; a lifting plate and a lifting mechanism for driving the lifting plate to move between an ice-making position and an ice-removing position, wherein a mold is detachably mounted on the lifting plate, the mold including a mold body and at least one ice-making cavity disposed inside the mold body, wherein at least one first slide rail is disposed on the lifting plate, and at least one slider cooperating with the first slide rail is disposed on the mold body; a stirring component and a drainage channel are disposed at the top of the ice-making cavity; and a stirring mechanism including a driving gear and at least one driven gear disposed on the lifting plate, and a mechanism for driving the driving gear... The first driving device for rotating the driving gear includes a driving gear meshing with a driven gear. The driven gear is equipped with at least one driving magnetic element, and the stirring component is equipped with at least one driven magnetic element that cooperates with the driving magnetic element. When the ice maker is in ice-making mode, the bottom of the mold is in contact with the refrigeration panel for heat exchange. The driving motor drives the driving gear to rotate, which in turn drives the driven gear to rotate. The driving magnetic element rotates along with the driven gear and, under the action of magnetic attraction, drives the driven magnetic element to rotate, thereby causing the stirring component to rotate and stir the liquid in the ice-making chamber. When changing the mold, the mold is pulled along the extension direction of the first slide rail, causing the mold to detach from the lifting plate.

[0008] In some embodiments, a baffle plate is provided at the bottom of the lifting plate to separate the driving gear, the driven gear, the motor, and the liquid inside the mold. In some embodiments, the baffle plate is recessed vertically, such that a plurality of first grooves for accommodating the driving gear and the driven gear are formed on the first surface of the baffle plate, and the second surface of the baffle plate and the upper surface of the mold form a drainage chamber. In some embodiments, an exhaust port communicating with the drainage chamber is provided on the lifting plate. In some embodiments, the stirring component is provided at the drainage channel. In some embodiments, a through hole is provided at the bottom of the ice-making chamber, a water inlet corresponding to the through hole is provided at the bottom of the refrigeration panel, and sealing strips are provided at the top and bottom of the mold body; when the ice maker is in the ice-making state, the top and bottom of the mold abut against the lifting plate and the refrigeration panel respectively; when the ice maker is in the de-icing state, the top of the mold abuts against the lifting plate, and the bottom is suspended so that the ice block detaches from the ice-making chamber through the through hole. In some embodiments, the lifting mechanism includes a lifting body, a second slide rail, and a second driving device. The second slide rail is arranged vertically and its two ends are respectively connected to the lifting body and the refrigeration body. The lifting plate is slidably disposed on the second slide rail, and the driving device is used to drive the lifting plate to reciprocate on the second slide rail. In some embodiments, the ice-making cavity includes an upper cavity near the lifting plate and a lower cavity near the refrigeration panel. The thermal conductivity of the upper cavity is lower than that of the lower cavity. In some embodiments, the upper cavity and the lower cavity are integrally formed. In some embodiments, the mold includes an upper mold fixed to the upper cavity and a lower mold fixed to the lower cavity. The slider is disposed on the upper mold. When the ice maker is in the ice-making state, the upper mold and the lower mold are combined to form the mold as a whole, and the upper cavity and the lower cavity cooperate to form the ice-making cavity. When the ice maker is in the de-icing state, the upper mold rises synchronously with the lifting plate, and the upper mold and the lower mold separate.

[0009] A second aspect of the present invention is to provide a stirring mechanism for an ice maker, comprising a driving gear and at least one driven gear disposed on the ice maker, and a first driving device for driving the driving gear to rotate, the driving gear meshing with the driven gear, and the driven gear being provided with at least one driving magnetic element; a stirring component is disposed within the ice-making chamber of the ice maker, and the stirring component is provided with at least one driven magnetic element cooperating with the driving magnetic element; when the ice maker is in a cooling state, the driving motor drives the driving gear to rotate, thereby driving the driven gear to rotate, the driving magnetic element rotates together with the driven gear, and under the action of magnetic attraction, drives the driven magnetic element to rotate, thereby causing the stirring component to rotate and stir the liquid in the ice-making chamber.

[0010] In some embodiments, the driven gear includes at least one first gear and at least two second gears, the first gear meshing with the second gears and the driving gear respectively. In some embodiments, two first gears are provided and symmetrical about the driving gear, and four second gears are provided and evenly distributed on both sides of the driving gear. In some embodiments, an auxiliary gear is provided between the first gear and the driving gear, the auxiliary gear meshing with the first gear and the driving gear respectively. In some embodiments, the driven gear further includes two third gears symmetrically arranged on both sides of the driving gear, the two third gears meshing with the driving gear respectively. In some embodiments, a first line connecting the center points of the driving gear and the two first gears is parallel to the length direction of the lifting plate, and correspondingly, a second line connecting the center points of the third gears located on the same side of the first line and the two second gears is parallel to the first line. In some embodiments, three driving magnetic elements are provided and evenly distributed on the driven gear, and correspondingly, three driven magnetic elements are also provided and evenly distributed on the stirring component. In some embodiments, the ice maker includes a lifting plate and a mold detachably mounted on the lifting plate; when the mold is mounted on the lifting plate, the upper surface of the mold abuts against the bottom of the lifting plate; the mold includes a mold body and at least one ice-making cavity disposed inside the mold body, the driving gear, the driven gear, and the first driving device are all disposed on the lifting plate, and the stirring component is disposed on the top of the ice-making cavity. In some embodiments, the top of the mold body is provided with a drainage channel communicating with the ice-making cavity, and a support frame parallel to the upper surface of the mold body is provided on the drainage channel, and the stirring component is disposed on the support frame. In some embodiments, the support frame is a cross support frame.

[0011] A third aspect of the present invention is to provide an ice-making mold for an ice maker, comprising a mold body and at least one ice-making cavity disposed within the mold body. The mold body is provided with at least one slider that cooperates with a slide rail of the ice maker, the slider extending along the width direction of the mold. The top of the ice-making cavity is provided with at least one drainage channel and a stirring component, the stirring component being provided with a driven magnetic element. Sealing strips are provided at both the top and bottom of the mold. The ice-making cavity includes an upper cavity and a lower cavity, the thermal conductivity of the upper mold being lower than that of the lower mold. In some embodiments, the upper cavity and the lower cavity are integrally formed, and a through hole is provided at the bottom of the lower cavity. When the ice maker is in the ice-making state, the through hole of the lower cavity corresponds to the water inlet on the refrigeration panel of the ice maker; when the ice maker is in the de-icing state, the ice-making cavity rises synchronously with the lifting plate, separating from the refrigeration panel of the ice maker. In some embodiments, the mold includes an upper mold corresponding to the upper cavity and a lower mold corresponding to the lower cavity, and the slider is disposed on the upper mold. When the ice maker is in the ice-making state, the upper mold and the lower mold combine to form the mold as a whole, and the upper cavity and the lower cavity cooperate to form the ice-making cavity with a spherical internal space. When the ice maker is in the de-icing state, the upper mold rises synchronously with the lifting plate, and the upper mold and the lower mold separate. In some embodiments, a support frame parallel to the upper surface of the mold body is provided on the drainage channel, and the stirring component is disposed on the support frame. In some embodiments, the support frame is a cross support frame, making the drainage channel shaped like a grid. In some embodiments, the middle part of the slider is cuboid in shape, and its two ends are arc-shaped. In some embodiments, the slide rail extends sequentially from the bottom of the ice maker towards the height and length directions of the ice maker. In some embodiments, there are two ice-making cavities, and correspondingly, there are also two stirring components and two drainage channels. In some embodiments, six ice-making cavities are provided and evenly distributed within the mold body, and correspondingly, six stirring components are also provided. In some embodiments, the ice maker includes a lifting plate and a lifting mechanism for driving the lifting plate to move between an ice-making position and an ice-removing position. The lifting plate is provided with a stirring mechanism, which includes a driving gear and at least one driven gear, and a first driving device for driving the driving gear to rotate. The driving gear meshes with the driven gear, and the driven gear is provided with at least one driving magnetic element that cooperates with the driven magnetic element.

[0012] The principle and beneficial effects of this invention are as follows: Traditional ice makers adopt a one-piece design, and their molds cannot be replaced, thus failing to meet users' needs for ice cubes of different sizes and shapes. Furthermore, the stirring equipment of the aforementioned refrigeration unit is fixed to the refrigeration unit, making replacement inconvenient. In contrast, this solution adopts a split-type ice maker design, allowing for the replacement of different molds according to user needs while simultaneously stirring, and also allowing for the replacement of the stirring equipment to adapt to different molds, thus meeting users' needs for ice cubes of different sizes and shapes. This makes the molds lighter, smaller, and easier to replace. On one hand, the molds and the main body of the refrigeration unit (including the refrigeration mechanism, lifting mechanism, and lifting plate, etc.) in this application adopt a split design. During use, molds with ice-making chambers of different sizes and shapes are connected to the lifting plate via sliders, enabling quick installation and replacement. This allows for the replacement of different molds according to different user needs, making it convenient and quick to use. On the other hand, the stirring mechanism and stirring components adopt a separate design. Specifically, the stirring mechanism is fixed to the lifting plate, and the stirring components are placed inside the mold. Compared with the existing method of mounting the stirring components on the motor output shaft, the stirring components and stirring mechanism in this solution are non-contact, and the two can be operated together simply by mounting the mold on the mounting plate. Furthermore, the stirring mechanism includes a driving gear driven by a motor and multiple driven gears. The multiple gears are linked and cooperate with different molds, so that the same stirring mechanism can adapt to various types of molds. Moreover, only one motor is needed to drive multiple stirring components inside the mold, making the entire device simpler, lighter, smaller, and easier to replace. In other words, the multiple gears on the stirring mechanism can be combined into multiple gear sets to adapt to the stirring components with different positions in different ice-making molds, realizing the synchronous replacement of the mold and the stirring mechanism, which is convenient and quick.

[0013] In summary, this solution, through the design of a split mold and refrigeration unit, as well as a split stirring mechanism and stirring components, makes the entire refrigeration unit lighter and smaller, while also being easy to replace and convenient to use, meeting the needs of different users for making ice cubes of different sizes and shapes. Attached Figure Description

[0014] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention or the prior art, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. In all the drawings, similar elements or parts are generally identified by similar reference numerals. The elements or parts in the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale. Obviously, the drawings described below are some embodiments of the present invention, and those skilled in the art can obtain other drawings based on these drawings without any creative effort.

[0015] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of the ice maker in an exemplary embodiment of the present invention; Figure 2 is a three-dimensional schematic diagram of the ice maker in the ice-making state in an exemplary embodiment of the present invention; Figure 3 is a three-dimensional schematic diagram of the ice maker in the ice-removing state in an exemplary embodiment of the present invention; Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view of the ice maker in the ice-making state in an exemplary embodiment of the present invention; Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view of the ice maker in the ice-removing state in an exemplary embodiment of the present invention; Figure 6 is a partial schematic diagram of the ice maker in the ice-making state in an exemplary embodiment of the present invention; Figure 7 is a cross-sectional view of the lifting plate of the ice maker in an exemplary embodiment of the present invention; Figure 8 is a top view of the lifting plate of the ice maker in an exemplary embodiment of the present invention; Figure 9a is a schematic diagram of the mold and the lifting plate in the cooperation state in an exemplary embodiment of the present invention; Figure 9b is a schematic diagram of the mold in the replacement state in an exemplary embodiment of the present invention; Figure 10 is a cross-sectional view of the mold in an exemplary embodiment of the present invention; Figure 11 is a three-dimensional schematic diagram of the mold in an exemplary embodiment of the present invention; Figure 12 is a top view of the large ice mold in an exemplary embodiment of the present invention; Figure 13 is a top view of the small ice mold in an exemplary embodiment of the present invention; Figure 14 is a top view of the ball ice mold in an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

[0016] Reference numerals: 1. Refrigeration mechanism; 11. Refrigeration surface outer shell; 12. Refrigeration surface lower shell; 13. Refrigeration surface heating film; 14. Sealing cover; 141. Water outlet channel; 142. Water inlet channel; 15. Sealing ring; 16. Refrigeration panel; 17. Water inlet; 2. Lifting plate; 20. Drainage chamber; 21. Screw nut; 22. Spring; 23. Exhaust port; 3. Lifting mechanism; 30. First slide rail; 31. Synchronous belt; 32. Drive synchronous pulley; 33. Second drive device; 34. Optical shaft; 35. Screw; 4. Stirring component; 41. 42. Driven magnetic element; 5. Stirring fan blade; 6. Mold; 7. Slider; 8. Upper mold; 9. Lower mold; 10. Upper cavity; 11. Lower cavity; 12. Through hole; 13. Upper heating film; 14. Lower heating film; 15. Conductive spring contact; 16. Sealing strip; 17. Sealing strip mounting groove; 18. Support frame; 19. Drive gear; 20. First gear; 21. Second gear; 32. Third gear; 43. Auxiliary gear; 54. First drive device; 65. Driven magnetic element; 66. Drainage channel; 7. Water baffle. Detailed Implementation

[0017] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of the embodiments of the present invention clearer, the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present invention, not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of the present invention. In this document, suffixes such as "module," "component," or "unit" used to represent elements are only for the purpose of illustrative purposes and have no specific meaning in themselves. Therefore, "module," "component," or "unit" can be used interchangeably. In this document, the terms "upper," "lower," "inner," "outer," "front," "rear," "one end," "the other end," etc., indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings, and are only for the convenience of describing the present invention and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore should not be construed as a limitation of the present invention. Furthermore, the terms "first" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance. In this document, unless otherwise expressly specified and limited, the terms "installed," "equipped with," "connected," etc., should be interpreted broadly. For example, "connection" can be a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; it can be a mechanical connection, a direct connection, or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; it can be a connection within two components. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this invention based on the specific circumstances. "And / or" in this document includes any and all combinations of one or more of the listed related items. "A plurality" in this document means two or more, i.e., it includes two, three, four, five, etc.

[0018] Example 1: This invention provides a stirring mechanism for an ice maker, as shown in Figures 7-9b. It includes a driving gear 61 and at least one driven gear (see Example 3 for specific installation details) mounted on the ice maker, and a first driving device 66 for driving the driving gear 61 to rotate. The driving gear 61 meshes with the driven gear, and the driven gear is provided with at least one driving magnetic element 67. A stirring component 4 is provided inside the ice-making chamber of the ice maker, and the stirring component 4 is provided with at least one driven magnetic element 41 that cooperates with the driving magnetic element 67. When the ice maker is in a cooling state, the first driving device 66 drives the driving gear 61 to rotate, thereby driving the driven gear to rotate. The driving magnetic element 67 rotates together with the driven gear and, under the action of magnetic attraction, drives the driven magnetic element 41 to rotate, thereby causing the stirring component 4 to rotate and stir the liquid inside the ice-making chamber.

[0019] In some embodiments, the driven gear includes at least one first gear 62 and at least two second gears 63, wherein the first gear 62 meshes with the second gears 63 and the driving gear 61, respectively. When the driving gear 61 rotates, driving the first gear 62 to rotate, the first gear 62 can drive the second gears 63 to rotate synchronously, thereby matching the stirring components with different positions in different sized ice-making cavities in the ice maker. In some embodiments, there are two first gears 62 arranged symmetrically about the driving gear 61, and four second gears 63 arranged evenly on both sides of the driving gear 61. When an ice-making mold 5 with two large-sized ice-making cavities (as shown in Figures 11 and 12) is installed in the ice maker, the two first gears 62 correspond to one ice-making cavity, and the driving magnetic element 67 on each first gear 62 corresponds to the driven magnetic element 41 arranged on the stirring component 4 in each ice-making cavity, as shown in Figures 11, 12, and 14. In some embodiments, considering the arrangement of the gears, an auxiliary gear 65 is provided between the first gear 62 and the driving gear 61 in this solution. The auxiliary gear 65 meshes with both the first gear 62 and the driving gear 61. The auxiliary gear 65 acts as a transition, making the positional arrangement between the driving gear 61 and the driven gear more reasonable. In some embodiments, the driven gear further includes two third gears 64 symmetrically arranged on both sides of the driving gear 61, and the two third gears 64 mesh with the driving gear 61 respectively. When an ice-making mold 5 with six small ice-making cavities (as shown in Figure 13) is installed inside the ice maker, the two third gears 64 and four second gears 63 correspond to one ice-making cavity, and the driving magnetic element 67 on each third gear 64 and each second gear 63 corresponds to the driven magnetic element 41 provided on the stirring component 4 in each ice-making cavity, as shown in Figure 13. Preferably, the first line connecting the center points of the drive gear 61 and the two first gears 62 is parallel to the length direction of the lifting plate 2. Correspondingly, the second line connecting the center points of the third gear 64 and the two second gears 63, which are located on the same side of the first line, is parallel to the first line.

[0020] Referring to Figure 7, in some embodiments, three driving magnetic elements 67 are evenly distributed on the driven gears (e.g., the second gear 63 and the third gear 64), and correspondingly, three driven magnetic elements 41 are also evenly distributed on the stirring component 4, as shown in Figure 13. Preferably, each stirring component 4 is a stirring paddle with three stirring blades 42, and the three driven magnetic elements 41 are respectively disposed on the three stirring blades 42, as shown in Figures 12 and 13.

[0021] In some embodiments, as shown in FIG8, the drive gear 61 is disposed at the center of the lifting plate 2, two first gears 62 are symmetrically disposed on both sides of the drive gear 61 along the length direction of the lifting plate 2, two third gears 64 are symmetrically disposed on both sides of the drive gear 61 along the width direction of the lifting plate 2, and four second gears 63 are disposed in pairs on both sides of the third gears 64 along the length direction of the lifting plate 2. The second gears 63 and third gears 64 have the same diameter, and their center points (or shafts) are sequentially connected to form a rectangular shape. By setting gears of different sizes at different positions on the lifting plate 2, multiple gear sets are formed (e.g., two first gears 62 form a first gear set, and four second gears 63 and two third gears 64 form a second gear set). This allows for the adaptation to molds with different numbers and sizes of ice-making cavities, enabling the mixing mechanism and mixing components to be engaged simply by changing the mold, which is convenient and quick.

[0022] Example 2: The present invention provides an ice-making mold for an ice-making cavity, as shown in Figure 10. The mold 5 includes a mold body and at least one ice-making cavity disposed within the mold body. The mold body is provided with at least one slider 50 that cooperates with the first slide rail 30 of the ice maker. The slider 50 extends along the width direction of the mold 5. At least one drainage channel 68 and a stirring component 4 are provided at the top of the ice-making cavity. The stirring component 4 is provided with a driven magnetic element 41. Sealing strips 58 are provided at both the top and bottom of the mold 5.

[0023] In some embodiments, the ice-making cavity includes an upper cavity 53 near the lifting plate 2 and a lower cavity 54 near the cooling panel. The thermal conductivity of the upper cavity 53 is lower than that of the lower cavity 54. Ice growth requires a low-temperature freezing environment. To quickly lower the ice cavity temperature, ice makers typically use copper or stainless steel with extremely high thermal conductivity as the ice cavity material. However, using a single metal material makes it difficult for the ice to grow evenly. This is because the ice crystallizes first on the surface in contact with the ice cavity wall, and then gradually grows towards the center. Due to the significant difference in thermal conductivity between the metal ice cavity wall and the ice, the ice on the wall easily grows beyond the wall before the central ice pit has solidified, resulting in uneven ice shapes and longer ice-making times. This solution effectively solves this problem by using different materials for the upper cavity 53 and the lower cavity 54, giving them different thermal conductivity. Preferably, the upper cavity 53 is made of plastic, and the lower cavity 54 is made of metal.

[0024] In some embodiments, the mold 5 includes an upper mold 51 fixed to the upper cavity 53 and a lower mold 52 fixed to the lower cavity 54, with the slider 50 disposed on the upper mold 51. When the ice maker is in the ice-making state, the upper mold 51 and the lower mold 52 combine to form the mold assembly, while the upper cavity 53 and the lower cavity 54 cooperate to form the ice-making cavity. When the ice maker is in the de-icing state, the upper mold 51 rises synchronously with the lifting plate 2, causing the upper mold 51 and the lower mold 52 to separate. With the above structure, the ice block inside the ice-making cavity of the mold 5 can be removed by separating the upper mold 51 from the lower mold 52. Referring to Figures 4 and 5, in this embodiment, since the upper mold 51 and the lower mold 52 are separable, ice-making liquid can be directly injected into the ice-making cavity through the top drainage channel 68, without needing to open a water inlet 17 on the refrigeration panel 16 to inject ice-making liquid into the ice-making cavity. Of course, an injection port can also be provided separately on the upper mold 51 or the lower mold 52.

[0025] Referring to Figures 6 and 10, in some embodiments, the upper cavity 53 and the lower cavity 54 are integrally formed; the bottom of the ice-making cavity is provided with a through hole 540, and the bottom of the refrigeration panel 16 is provided with a water inlet 17 corresponding to the through hole 540. To ensure sealing, sealing strips 58 are provided at both the top and bottom of the mold body. When the ice maker is in ice-making mode, the top and bottom of the mold 5 abut against the lifting plate 22 and the refrigeration panel 16, respectively. When the ice maker is in de-icing mode, the top of the mold 5 abuts against the lifting plate 2 or the baffle plate 7, and the bottom is suspended, allowing the ice to detach from the ice-making cavity through the through hole 540. With this structure, as the mold 5 rises with the lifting plate 2, the ice can automatically detach from the bottom of the mold 5 to achieve de-icing. Furthermore, to accelerate the detachment of ice from the refrigeration panel 16, a refrigeration surface heating film 13 is provided at the bottom of the refrigeration panel 16. This allows the refrigeration surface heating film 13 to be heated when rapid ice removal is required, thereby accelerating the ice removal process. Furthermore, to ensure airtightness, a sealing cover 14 is provided below the refrigeration panel 16. Specifically, the sealing cover 14 has a through hole corresponding to the water inlet 17, allowing the water outlet channel 141 on the lower shell 12 of the refrigeration surface to communicate with the water inlet 17 through the through hole. A sealing ring 15 is provided between the water outlet channel 141 and the water inlet 17. Of course, the other side of the lower shell 12 of the ice-making surface also has a water inlet channel 142 that can be connected to an external water source (e.g., a water tank or water circuit), which communicates with the water outlet channel 141.

[0026] In some embodiments, a support frame 60 parallel to the upper surface of the mold body is provided on the drainage channel 68, and the stirring component 4 is disposed on the support frame 60; preferably, the support frame 60 is a cross support frame, so that the drainage channel 68 is in the shape of a grid.

[0027] Preferably, the slider 50 is cuboid in shape with rounded ends, making it convenient for the user to insert the slider 50 into the first slide rail 30 on the lifting plate 2 inside the ice maker. Preferably, the first slide rail 30 extends sequentially from the bottom of the ice maker towards its height and length. Preferably, referring to Figure 6, the cross-section of the first slide rail 60 is L-shaped. In some embodiments, a limiting block is provided at the first end of the first slide rail 30 for limiting the slider 50. When the first end of the slider 50 contacts the limiting block, the stirring component 4 on the mold 5 corresponds exactly to the stirring mechanism of the ice maker.

[0028] In some embodiments, two ice-making cavities are provided, and correspondingly, two stirring components 4 and two drainage channels 68 are also provided. Specifically, as shown in Figures 11 and 12, the mold 5 is a large ice mold, and both ice-making cavities of this mold are square, with through holes 540 at the bottom of the ice-making cavities, allowing ice blocks to be directly removed from the through holes 540. In other embodiments, as shown in Figure 14, the large ice mold 5 is a spherical ice mold, and both ice-making cavities of this mold are spherical. The mold 5 adopts a split design of upper cavity 53 and lower cavity 54, which facilitates opening the mold 5 to remove ice blocks. Accordingly, when the large ice mold is installed on the lifting plate 2 inside the ice maker (as described in the following embodiment 3) via the first slide rail 30, the stirring component 4 in each ice-making cavity corresponds to a driven gear in the stirring mechanism inside the ice maker, such as the first gear 62 described in the following embodiment 3.

[0029] In some embodiments, as shown in FIG13, the mold 5 is a small ice mold, which has six ice-making cavities evenly distributed within the mold body. Correspondingly, six stirring components 4 are also provided. Accordingly, when the small ice mold is installed on the lifting plate 2 inside the ice maker (as described in the following embodiment 3) via the first slide rail 30, each stirring component 4 in the ice-making cavity corresponds to a driven gear in the stirring mechanism inside the ice maker, such as the four second gears 63 and two third gears described in the following embodiment 3.

[0030] Furthermore, to accelerate ice removal, an upper heating film 55 and a lower heating film 56 are respectively provided on the outer surfaces of the upper cavity 53 and the lower cavity 54. Correspondingly, there is no need to provide a cooling surface heating film 13 at the bottom of the cooling panel 16. After ice making is completed, the upper heating film 55 and the lower heating film 56 can be used to appropriately heat the upper cavity 53 and the lower cavity 54, thereby separating the ice from the inner wall of the ice making cavity and achieving rapid ice removal.

[0031] Furthermore, a conductive spring contact 57 is provided. When the mold 5 is pushed into the lifting mechanism along the first slide rail 30, the conductive spring contact 57 can be electrically connected to the power supply module built into the ice maker, thereby providing power to the upper heating film 55 and the lower heating film 56 that are electrically connected to the conductive spring contact 57.

[0032] Example 3: This example is basically shown in Figures 1-14. As shown in Figure 1, the present invention provides an ice maker with a replaceable mold, including: a refrigeration mechanism 1, including a refrigeration body and a refrigeration panel 16 disposed on the refrigeration body; (since the refrigeration mechanism is prior art, it will not be described in detail here); a lifting plate 2, and a lifting mechanism 3 for driving the lifting plate 2 to move between the ice-making position and the ice-removing position, wherein a mold 5 is detachably installed on the lifting plate 2 (for example, installed in a pull-out manner along the width direction of the lifting plate 2), the mold 5 includes: a mold body, and at least one ice-making cavity disposed inside the mold body, wherein a stirring component 4 and a drainage channel 68 are disposed on the top of the ice-making cavity, wherein the specific structure of the mold 8 can be referred to the mold in Example 2.

[0033] In some embodiments, the lifting plate 2 is provided with at least one first slide rail 30, and the mold body is provided with at least one slider 50 (preferably on both sides of the upper mold 51, as shown in Figures 11-14) that cooperates with the first slide rail 30, so that the lifting plate 2 and the mold 5 are detachably engaged through the first slide rail 30 and the slider 50. Specifically, a force is applied along the width direction of the lifting plate 2, causing the slider 50 to be pushed along the length direction of the first slide rail 30. Correspondingly, when it needs to be removed, a force can be applied in the opposite direction to remove the mold 5 from the first slide rail 30. That is, the slider 50 and the first slide rail 30 realize pull-out installation and pull-out unloading, thereby making mold replacement more convenient.

[0034] As shown in Figures 7 and 8, in some embodiments, the stirring mechanism includes a driving gear 61 and at least one driven gear disposed on the lifting plate 2, and a first driving device 66 for driving the driving gear 61 to rotate. The driving gear 61 meshes with the driven gear, and the driven gear is provided with at least one driving magnetic element 67. The stirring component 4 (as described in Embodiment 2 above) is provided with at least one driven magnetic element 41 that cooperates with the driving magnetic element 67. When the ice maker is in the ice-making state, the The bottom of mold 5 is in contact with the refrigeration panel for heat exchange. A first driving device 66, such as a drive motor, drives the active gear 61 to rotate, which in turn drives the driven gear to rotate. The driving magnetic element 67 rotates along with the driven gear and, under magnetic attraction, drives the driven magnetic element 41 to rotate, thereby causing the stirring component 4 to rotate and stir the liquid in the ice-making cavity of mold 5. When replacing mold 5, as shown in Figures 9a and 9b, mold 5 is pulled along the extension direction of the first slide rail 30, causing mold 5 to detach from the lifting plate 2. The detachable design of mold 5, combined with the lifting plate 2, allows for easy installation and replacement of the mold, thus meeting different ice-making needs of users through molds 5 with ice-making cavities of different sizes.

[0035] It should be noted that the stirring mechanism in this embodiment can also refer to the stirring mechanism described in Embodiment 1. Accordingly, the mold in this embodiment can also be the ice-making mold described in Embodiment 2 above, and the stirring mechanism can be adapted to any of the preparation molds described in Embodiment 2.

[0036] Specifically, referring to Figures 4 and 5, if a split-type ice-making mold is used, during ice making, the bottom of the lower mold 52 contacts the ice-making panel 16, and an appropriate amount of ice-making liquid can be injected into the ice-making cavity through the drainage channel 68 at the top of the upper mold 51.

[0037] Referring to Figure 6, the main body of the refrigeration unit includes a connected upper cooling shell 11 and a lower cooling shell 12, with the refrigeration panel 16 mounted on the upper cooling shell 11. If an integrated ice-making mold is used, since the lower cavity 54 has a through hole 540 at its bottom, a corresponding water inlet 17 is provided on the refrigeration panel 16, allowing ice-making liquid to be injected into the ice-making cavity through the water inlet 17. Correspondingly, a sealing cover 14 is provided at the bottom of the refrigeration panel 16, and a water outlet channel 141 is provided on the lower cooling shell 12, connected to the water inlet 17. Simultaneously, a water inlet channel 142 for connecting to an external water source is provided on the lower cooling shell 12. Furthermore, since the through hole 540 at the bottom of the lower cavity 54 is relatively large, the contact area between the formed ice and the refrigeration panel 16 is large. Therefore, a refrigeration heating film 13 can also be provided at the bottom of the refrigeration panel 16 to accelerate ice removal.

[0038] Referring to Figure 3, in some embodiments, the lifting mechanism includes a lifting body, a second slide rail, and a second drive device 33. The second slide rail is arranged vertically and its two ends are respectively connected to the lifting body and the refrigeration body. The lifting plate 2 is slidably arranged on the second slide rail, and the second drive device 33 is used to drive the lifting plate 2 to reciprocate on the second slide rail.

[0039] In some embodiments, as shown in Figures 2 and 3, the second slide rail includes a lead screw 35 fixed at one end to the elevator body and arranged vertically, and an optical shaft 34 parallel to the lead screw 35 and located on both sides thereon for support; correspondingly, the lifting plate 2 is provided with a through hole through which the optical shaft 34 can pass, and a threaded hole that mates with the lead screw 35; one end of the optical shaft 34 is fixed to the elevator body, and the other end passes through the lifting plate 2 and is fixed to the refrigerator body, and the free end of the lead screw 35 also passes through the lifting plate 2; the second driving device 33 is a drive motor, and the elevator body is provided with a synchronous belt 31 and a drive synchronous pulley 32. When the second driving device 33 rotates, it drives the synchronous belt 31 and the drive synchronous pulley 32 to rotate, thereby causing the lead screw 35 to rotate, driving the lifting plate 2 to move up and down reciprocally.

[0040] In some embodiments, a baffle plate 7 is provided at the bottom of the lifting plate 2 (preferably, the baffle plate 7 is connected to the lifting plate 2 for synchronous lifting, and the first slide rail 30 is provided on both sides of the baffle plate 7) to separate the driving gear 61, the driven gear, the drive motor and the liquid in the mold 5. Preferably, the baffle plate 7 is recessed in the vertical direction, so that the first surface of the baffle plate 7 (i.e. the surface near the lifting plate 2) forms a plurality of first grooves for accommodating the driving gear 61 and the driven gear. When the mold 5 is installed on the lifting plate 2, the second surface of the baffle plate 7 (i.e. the surface near the mold 5) and the upper surface of the mold 5 enclose a drainage chamber 20. The drainage chamber 20 is connected to a drain pipe. In addition, the lifting plate 2 is also provided with an exhaust port 23 communicating with the drainage chamber 20. The gas discharged from the liquid in the mold 5 after stirring can be discharged sequentially through the drainage channel 68, the drainage chamber 20 and the drain pipe. Specifically, referring to Figure 6, the lifting plate 2 and the baffle plate 7 are connected together by a lead screw and a lead screw nut 21. Furthermore, a spring 22 is fitted onto the lead screw, which provides both positioning of the lead screw nut 21 and a certain degree of cushioning.

[0041] In some embodiments, the stirring component 4 is disposed at the drainage channel 68. Specifically, the drainage channel is provided with a support frame 60 parallel to the upper surface of the mold body, and the stirring component 4 is disposed on the support frame 60.

[0042] Preferably, the first driving device 66 can be a drive motor. Preferably, the driving magnetic element 67 and the driven magnetic element 41 can be magnets that attract each other.

[0043] In this article, the ice-making position refers to the position of the lifting plate 2 when the bottom of the mold 5 is in contact with the refrigeration panel for refrigeration; the ice-removing position refers to the position of the lifting plate 2 when the mold 5 rises with the lifting plate 2 and detaches from the refrigeration panel, so that the ice in the mold 5 can be removed from the mold 5; in some embodiments, the ice-removing position may also specifically refer to the position corresponding to the lifting plate 2 when it rises to its maximum extent.

[0044] In summary, this solution, by combining a mold 5 with a specific structure and a stirring mechanism, and by designing the stirring mechanism and stirring component 4 as separate parts, provides an ice maker with a replaceable mold, while making the entire refrigeration unit lighter, smaller, and easier to replace.

[0045] It should be noted that, in this document, the terms "comprising," "including," or any other variations thereof are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion, such that a process, method, article, or apparatus that comprises a list of elements includes not only those elements but also other elements not expressly listed, or elements inherent to such a process, method, article, or apparatus. Unless otherwise specified, an element defined by the phrase "comprising one..." does not exclude the presence of other identical elements in the process, method, article, or apparatus that includes that element.

[0046] The embodiments of the present invention have been described above with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, the present invention is not limited to the specific embodiments described above. The specific embodiments described above are merely illustrative and not restrictive. Those skilled in the art can make many other forms under the guidance of the present invention without departing from the spirit and scope of the claims. All of these forms are within the protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. An ice maker with interchangeable molds, characterized in that, include: The refrigeration mechanism includes a refrigeration unit and a refrigeration panel disposed on the refrigeration unit; A lifting plate and a lifting mechanism for driving the lifting plate to move between an ice-making position and an ice-removing position are provided. A mold is detachably mounted on the lifting plate. The mold includes a mold body and at least one ice-making cavity disposed inside the mold body. At least one first slide rail is provided on the lifting plate, and at least one slider cooperating with the first slide rail is provided on the mold body. A drainage channel is provided at the top of the ice-making cavity, and a stirring component is disposed at the drainage channel. A stirring mechanism is provided, comprising a driving gear and at least one driven gear disposed on the lifting plate, and a first driving device for driving the driving gear to rotate. The driving gear and the driven gear... The gears mesh, and the driven gear is provided with at least one driving magnetic element. The stirring component is provided with at least one driven magnetic element that cooperates with the driving magnetic element. When the ice maker is in the ice-making state, the bottom of the mold is in contact with the refrigeration panel for heat exchange. The first driving device drives the driving gear to rotate, which in turn drives the driven gear to rotate. The driving magnetic element rotates together with the driven gear and drives the driven magnetic element to rotate under the action of magnetic attraction, thereby causing the stirring component to rotate and stir the liquid in the ice-making chamber. When the mold is replaced, the mold is pulled along the extension direction of the first slide rail, so that the mold is disengaged from the lifting plate.

2. The ice maker with replaceable molds according to claim 1, characterized in that, A baffle plate is provided at the bottom of the lifting plate to separate the driving gear, the driven gear, the first driving device from the liquid inside the mold.

3. An ice maker with a replaceable mold according to claim 1, characterized in that, The water baffle is recessed in the vertical direction, so that the first surface of the water baffle forms a plurality of first grooves for accommodating the driving gear and the driven gear, and the second surface of the water baffle and the upper surface of the mold enclose a drainage chamber.

4. An ice maker with replaceable molds according to claim 3, characterized in that, The lifting plate is provided with an exhaust port that communicates with the drainage chamber.

5. An ice maker with a replaceable mold according to claim 1, characterized in that, The lifting mechanism includes a lifting body, a second slide rail, and a second driving device. The second slide rail is arranged vertically and its two ends are respectively connected to the lifting body and the refrigeration body. The lifting plate is slidably arranged on the second slide rail, and the driving device is used to drive the lifting plate to reciprocate on the second slide rail.

6. An ice maker with a replaceable mold according to claim 1, characterized in that, The ice-making cavity includes an upper cavity near the lifting plate and a lower cavity near the cooling panel, wherein the thermal conductivity of the upper cavity is lower than that of the lower cavity.

7. An ice maker with a replaceable mold according to claim 6, characterized in that, The upper cavity and the lower cavity are integrally formed.

8. An ice maker with a replaceable mold according to claim 7, characterized in that, The ice-making chamber has a through hole at the bottom, and the refrigeration panel has a water inlet corresponding to the through hole at the bottom. The top and bottom of the mold body are both equipped with sealing strips. When the ice maker is in the ice-making state, the top and bottom of the mold rest against the lifting plate and the refrigeration panel, respectively. When the ice maker is in the ice-removing state, the top of the mold rests against the lifting plate, and the bottom is suspended, allowing the ice to detach from the ice-making chamber through the through hole.

9. An ice maker with a replaceable mold according to claim 6, characterized in that, The mold includes an upper mold fixed to the upper cavity and a lower mold fixed to the lower cavity, and the slider is disposed on the upper mold; when the ice maker is in the ice-making state, the upper mold and the lower mold are combined to form the mold as a whole, and the upper cavity and the lower cavity cooperate to form the ice-making cavity; when the ice maker is in the de-icing state, the upper mold rises synchronously with the lifting plate, and the upper mold and the lower mold separate.

10. A stirring mechanism for an ice maker, characterized in that: The device includes a drive gear and at least one driven gear mounted on the ice maker, and a first drive device for driving the drive gear to rotate. The drive gear meshes with the driven gear, and the driven gear is provided with at least one driving magnetic element. A stirring component is provided inside the ice-making chamber of the ice maker, and the stirring component is provided with at least one driven magnetic element that cooperates with the driving magnetic element. When the ice maker is in a cooling state, the first drive device drives the drive gear to rotate, which in turn drives the driven gear to rotate. The driving magnetic element rotates together with the driven gear and, under the action of magnetic attraction, drives the driven magnetic element to rotate, thereby causing the stirring component to rotate and stir the liquid in the ice-making chamber.

11. The stirring mechanism of an ice maker according to claim 10, characterized in that: The driven gear includes at least one first gear and at least two second gears, wherein the first gear meshes with the second gears and the driving gear, respectively.

12. The stirring mechanism of an ice maker according to claim 11, characterized in that: The first gear has two parts and is symmetrical about the driving gear, while the second gear has four parts and is evenly distributed on both sides of the driving gear.

13. The stirring mechanism of an ice maker according to claim 11 or 12, characterized in that: An auxiliary gear is provided between the first gear and the driving gear, and the auxiliary gear meshes with the first gear and the driving gear respectively.

14. The stirring mechanism of an ice maker according to claim 12, characterized in that: The driven gear also includes two third gears symmetrically arranged on both sides of the driving gear, and the two third gears respectively mesh with the driving gear.

15. The stirring mechanism of an ice maker according to claim 14, characterized in that: The first line connecting the center points of the drive gear and the two first gears is parallel to the length direction of the lifting plate. Correspondingly, the second line connecting the center points of the third gear and the two second gears, which are located on the same side of the first line, is parallel to the first line.

16. The stirring mechanism of an ice maker according to claim 10, characterized in that: The driving magnetic element is provided in three parts and is evenly distributed on the driven gear. Correspondingly, the driven magnetic element is also provided in three parts and is evenly distributed on the stirring component.

17. An ice-making mold for an ice maker, characterized in that: The mold includes a mold body and at least one ice-making cavity disposed within the mold body. The mold body is provided with at least one slider that cooperates with a first slide rail disposed on the lifting plate inside the ice maker. The slider extends along the width direction of the mold. The top of the ice-making cavity is provided with at least one drainage channel and a stirring component. The stirring component is provided with a driven magnetic element. Sealing strips are provided at both the top and bottom of the mold. The ice-making cavity includes an upper cavity and a lower cavity. The thermal conductivity of the upper mold is lower than that of the lower mold.

18. The ice-making mold of an ice maker according to claim 17, characterized in that: The upper cavity and the lower cavity are integrally formed, and a through hole is provided at the bottom of the lower cavity.

19. An ice-making mold for an ice maker according to claim 17, characterized in that: The mold includes an upper mold corresponding to the upper cavity and a lower mold corresponding to the lower cavity, and the slider is disposed on the upper mold. When the ice maker is in the ice-making state, the upper mold and the lower mold are combined to form the mold as a whole, and the upper cavity and the lower cavity cooperate to form the ice-making cavity with an internal space of spherical shape. When the ice maker is in the de-icing state, the upper mold rises synchronously with the lifting plate, so that the upper mold and the lower mold separate.

20. The ice-making mold of an ice maker according to claim 17, characterized in that: A support frame parallel to the upper surface of the mold body is provided on the drainage channel, and the stirring component is disposed on the support frame.

21. The ice-making mold of an ice maker according to claim 17, characterized in that: The ice-making chamber is provided in two forms, and correspondingly, the stirring component and the drainage channel are also provided in two forms; or, the ice-making chamber is provided in six forms and evenly distributed within the mold body, and correspondingly, the stirring component is also provided in six forms.

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