Ice maker

Abstract

An ice maker (100), comprising a housing (10), an ice-making module (50), and a water supply module (30). The housing (10) comprises a base (11) and a connecting bracket (12) arranged on the base (11). The ice-making module (50) is used for making ice and is connected to the base (11). The connecting bracket (12) is located on one side of the ice-making module (50). The water supply module (30) is used for supplying water to the ice-making module (50) and providing drinking water, and is mounted on the connecting bracket (12), so that the water supply module (30) and the ice-making module (50) are arranged side by side.

Description

ice maker

[0001] This application claims priority to Chinese Patent Application No. 2024229467444, filed on November 29, 2024, entitled "Ice Maker", the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. Technical Field

[0002] This application relates to the field of ice-making equipment technology, and in particular to an ice maker. Background Technology

[0003] As people's living standards improve, the uses and scope of ice makers, whether for home or commercial use, are constantly expanding. An ice maker is a machine used to make ice cubes, mainly based on the circulation of refrigerant and the freezing process of water.

[0004] In related technologies, ice makers have relatively simple functions. When adding functions, the newly added structural layout is often unreasonable, resulting in a large overall size of the ice maker, making it difficult to design and resulting in an unclear structure. Summary of the Invention

[0005] This application provides an ice maker that improves the structural compactness of the ice maker.

[0006] The ice maker proposed in this application includes:

[0007] The housing includes a base and a connecting bracket disposed on the base;

[0008] An ice-making module, configured to make ice, is connected to the base, and the connecting bracket is located on one side of the ice-making module; and

[0009] A water supply module, configured to supply water to the ice-making module and provide drinking water, is installed on the connecting bracket so that the water supply module and the ice-making module are arranged side by side.

[0010] In one embodiment, the water supply module includes:

[0011] A water supply pipeline is configured to connect to a water source to supply water to the ice-making module; and

[0012] A drinking water pipeline, and connected to the water supply pipeline, includes a drinking water pipe and an outlet valve provided on the drinking water pipe. The drinking water pipe has an outlet, and the outlet valve is configured to control the on / off state of the drinking water pipe.

[0013] In one embodiment, the water supply module further includes:

[0014] A filtration device is installed on the water supply pipeline and is configured to filter the water flowing through the filtration device.

[0015] The connecting bracket has a mounting groove on its side, and the filter device is installed in the mounting groove. The housing also includes a first cover plate, which is detachably connected to the connecting bracket and covers the opening of the mounting groove.

[0016] In one embodiment, the connecting bracket includes:

[0017] The main bracket connects to the base and is provided with the mounting slot; and

[0018] A water outlet bracket is connected to the top of the main bracket and extends forward from the main bracket to form a water outlet section. The water outlet valve is installed in the water outlet section, and the water outlet is exposed from the water outlet section.

[0019] In one embodiment, the outlet is configured to open downwards; and / or,

[0020] The water outlet is equipped with a water outlet button, which is connected to the water outlet valve and configured so that water flows from the water outlet when the water outlet button is pressed; and / or,

[0021] The ice maker also includes a water receiving box, which is connected to the base and is positioned opposite to the water outlet in the vertical direction.

[0022] In one embodiment, it further includes:

[0023] A pressure reducing valve is installed on the water supply pipeline and located upstream of the filter device. The pressure reducing valve is connected to the side of the connecting bracket facing the ice-making module.

[0024] In one embodiment, the ice-making module includes:

[0025] An ice-making pipeline, connected to the water supply module, includes an inner tank and an ice-making water box disposed within the inner tank, allowing water from the inner tank to flow into the ice-making water box; and

[0026] A refrigeration system is installed in the housing, with a portion located in the ice-making water tank, to exchange heat with the water in the ice-making water tank to make ice;

[0027] The inner liner portion and the refrigeration system portion are stacked vertically.

[0028] In one embodiment, the inner liner includes a water storage chamber and an ice-making chamber, the ice-making water box is located in the ice-making chamber, and water in the water storage chamber can flow into the ice-making water box;

[0029] The bottom of the ice-making cavity is spaced apart from the base, and part of the ice-making system is located between the bottom of the ice-making cavity and the base.

[0030] In one embodiment, the refrigeration system includes:

[0031] compressor;

[0032] The heat exchange assembly includes a condenser and an evaporator. The compressor, the evaporator, and the condenser are connected in sequence. The compressor and the condenser are located between the bottom of the ice-making chamber and the base. The evaporator is located inside the ice-making water box.

[0033] In one embodiment, the condenser is located on the side of the compressor, and the housing further includes a second cover connected to the base. The second cover has an air inlet grille disposed opposite to the condenser. The heat exchange assembly further includes a fan connected to the second cover and located on the side of the air inlet grille facing the condenser.

[0034] In one embodiment, a heat insulation plate is provided between the bottom of the ice-making chamber and the compressor; and / or,

[0035] The water storage chamber is arranged side-by-side with the compressor; and / or,

[0036] The ice maker also includes an insulation component that covers at least a portion of the outer wall surface of the inner liner.

[0037] In one embodiment, the housing further includes:

[0038] The front cover, connected to the connecting bracket, is configured to shield the front side of the water supply module and the ice-making module; and

[0039] The rear cover, connected to the connecting bracket, is configured to shield the rear side of the water supply module and the ice-making module;

[0040] At least one of the front shell and the rear shell is an integral component.

[0041] In one embodiment, the rear housing is provided with an air vent grille corresponding to the portion of the ice-making module; and / or,

[0042] The water supply module includes a water supply connector, which is configured to connect to an external water source. The water supply connector is connected to the rear shell and is partially exposed outside the rear shell.

[0043] Based on the above embodiments, in this application embodiment, by dividing some structures of the ice maker into an ice-making module and a water supply module, a modular design of the ice maker is achieved, making the structure clearer and more transparent. Simultaneously, the ice-making module and the water supply module share a base, and the water supply module is positioned on one side of the ice-making module via a connecting bracket, shortening the distance between them. This makes the overall structure formed by the water supply module and the ice-making module more compact, which helps reduce the overall size of the ice maker and minimizes space occupation. The installation of the water supply module via the connecting bracket not only makes the structure clearer but also facilitates the disassembly and assembly of the water supply module and the overall maintenance of the ice maker, thereby improving the efficiency of disassembly, assembly, and maintenance. Attached Figure Description

[0044] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of this application or the prior art, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments or the prior art 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 based on the structures shown in these drawings without creative effort.

[0045] Figure 1 is a structural schematic diagram of an embodiment of the ice maker of this application;

[0046] Figure 2 is a schematic diagram of the water circuit structure of an embodiment of the ice maker of this application;

[0047] Figure 3 is a schematic diagram of the structure of an embodiment of the refrigeration system of this application;

[0048] Figure 4 is a structural schematic diagram of the ice maker in Figure 1 from another perspective;

[0049] Figure 5 is a cross-sectional structural schematic diagram of an embodiment of the ice maker of this application;

[0050] Figure 6 is a structural schematic diagram of an embodiment of the ice basket of this application;

[0051] Figure 7 is a partial exploded view of the structure of an embodiment of the ice maker of this application;

[0052] Figure 8 is an exploded structural diagram of an embodiment of the filtering device of this application;

[0053] Figure 9 is an exploded structural diagram of another embodiment of the ice maker of this application;

[0054] Figure 10 is a cross-sectional structural schematic diagram of an embodiment of the ice maker of this application from another perspective;

[0055] Figure 11 is an exploded view of part of the structure of an embodiment of the ice maker of this application.

[0056] Reference numerals: 100, Ice maker; 10, Housing; 11, Base; 12, Connecting bracket; 121, Main bracket; 1211, Mounting slot; 1213, Limiting ring; 123, Water outlet bracket; 1231, Water outlet section; 1233, Water outlet button; 13, First cover plate; 14, Second cover plate; 141, Air inlet grille; 15, Front housing; 16, Rear housing; 161, Air outlet grille; 17, Ice dispensing cover plate; 171, Ice dispensing port; 18, Water receiving box; 30, Water supply module; 31, Water supply pipeline; 311, Water supply connector; 313, Water supply pipe; 314, One-way valve; 316, Pressure reducing valve; 33, Filter device; 331, Filter head assembly; 3311, Connecting slot; 333, Filter element; 3331, Connector; 35, Drinking water pipeline; 35 1. Drinking water pipe; 353. Water outlet valve; 355. Water outlet; 37. Cold water pipe; 371. Cold water pump; 373. Cold water pipe; 375. Cold water outlet valve; 377. Cold water outlet; 50. Ice making module; 51. Refrigeration system; 511. Compressor; 513. Condenser; 515. Evaporator; 53. Ice making pipe; 531. Inner liner; 5311. Water storage chamber; 5313. Ice making chamber; 5315. Limiting step; 5317. Limiting surface; 533. Ice dispensing assembly; 5331. Ice water box; 5333. Ice scraper; 534. Water suction pipe; 535. Ice making pump; 537. Ice baffle; 5371. Water guide channel; 55. Heat insulation board; 57. Insulation component; 60. Ice basket; 61. Handle; 63. Joint.

[0057] The realization of the purpose, functional features and advantages of this application will be further explained in conjunction with the embodiments and with reference to the accompanying drawings. Detailed Implementation

[0058] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of this application clearer, the embodiments of this application will be described in further detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0059] Where the following description relates to the accompanying drawings, unless otherwise indicated, the same numbers in different drawings denote the same or similar elements. The embodiments described in the following exemplary embodiments do not represent all embodiments consistent with this application. Rather, they are merely examples of apparatuses and methods consistent with some aspects of this application as detailed in the appended claims.

[0060] In the description of this application, it should be understood that the terms "first," "second," etc., are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this application based on the specific circumstances. Furthermore, in the description of this application, unless otherwise stated, "multiple" refers to two or more. "And / or" describes the relationship between related objects, indicating that three relationships can exist. For example, A and / or B can represent: A existing alone, A and B existing simultaneously, or B existing alone. The character " / " generally indicates that the preceding and following related objects are in an "or" relationship.

[0061] Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this application belongs. The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of this application. The term "and / or" as used herein includes any and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed items.

[0062] As people's living standards improve, the uses and scope of ice makers, both household and commercial, are constantly expanding. An ice maker is a machine used to make ice cubes, primarily based on the circulation of refrigerant and the freezing process of water. In related technologies, ice makers have relatively simple functions, and when adding functions, the resulting structural layout is often unreasonable, leading to a large overall size, difficulty in design, and unclear structure.

[0063] To address the above problems, this application proposes an ice maker 100. Referring to Figures 1 to 3, the ice maker 100 proposed in this application includes a housing 10, an ice-making module 50, and a water supply module 30.

[0064] For ease of description, the ice maker 100 has left and right directions (XX), front and back directions (YY), and up and down directions (ZZ).

[0065] The housing 10 serves as the mounting base for the ice-making module 50 and the water supply module 30, and forms the main exterior surface of the ice maker 100. The housing 10 can be made of lightweight plastic material, or partially of high-strength materials such as metal. The pattern and design on the housing 10 can be customized, which will not be elaborated here.

[0066] An ice-making module 50 is mounted on the housing 10 and is used for ice making. It includes a refrigeration system 51 and an ice-making pipeline 53. Optionally, the refrigeration system 51 includes a compressor 511 and a heat exchange assembly. The heat exchange assembly includes a condenser 513 and an evaporator 515, and the compressor 511, evaporator 515, and condenser 513 are connected in sequence. Specifically, the compressor 511 operates and undergoes processes such as suction, compression, discharge, condensation (liquefaction), and throttling, ultimately vaporizing at a low temperature in the evaporator 515. Water continuously condenses into an ice layer on the low-temperature surface of the evaporator 515. The ice-making pipeline 53 is connected to the water supply module 30 and is used to obtain water for ice making through the water supply pipeline 31. The specific structure of the ice-making pipeline 53 will be described in detail later.

[0067] A water supply module 30 is installed on the housing 10 and is used to connect to a water source to supply water to the ice-making pipeline 53. In this embodiment, in addition to supplying water to the ice-making pipeline 53, the water supply module 30 is also used to provide drinking water to users. As shown in the figure, the water supply module 30 includes a water supply pipeline 31 and a drinking water pipeline 35. The water supply pipeline 31 is used to connect to an external water source, and both the drinking water pipeline 35 and the ice-making pipeline 53 are connected to the water supply pipeline 31 so that the water supply pipeline 31 supplies water to the ice-making pipeline 53 and the drinking water pipeline 35.

[0068] The external water source connected to the water supply pipe 31 can be located on one side of the ice maker 100 in the form of a bucket or tank, or the water supply pipe 31 can be directly connected to an external water source through an external pipe. The water supply pipe 31 includes a water supply pipe 313 for transporting water, and the ice-making pipe 53 and the drinking water pipe 35 are connected to the water supply pipe 313. The water supply module 30 also includes a filter device 33, which is connected to the water supply pipe 313 so that water in the water supply pipe 313 flows through the filter device 33 between the ice-making pipe 53 and the drinking water pipe 35. The filter device 33 filters the water flowing through it. With the filter device 33 on the water supply pipe 31, the water supply pipe 31 can be directly connected to a tap water pipe, making the ice maker 100 more convenient to use.

[0069] The drinking water pipeline 35 includes a drinking water pipe 351 and a water outlet valve 353 provided on the drinking water pipe 351. One end of the drinking water pipe 351 is connected to the water supply pipe 313 to connect the water supply pipeline 31, and the other end is provided with a water outlet 355. The water outlet valve 353 is used to control the opening and closing of the water supply pipe 313. When the water outlet valve 353 is opened, the water flowing through the filter device 33 flows out from the water outlet 355 through the drinking water pipe 351.

[0070] In this embodiment, the ice maker 100 also includes a filter device 33 connected to the water supply pipe 31. The filter device 33 can filter the water supplied from the water supply pipe 31 to the drinking water pipe 35 and the ice-making pipe 53, ensuring the hygiene of ice making and drinking water, reducing the water source requirements of the ice maker 100, making the ice maker 100 more convenient to use, and providing a prerequisite for the ice maker 100 to provide drinking water function. By setting up the drinking water pipe 35, which is connected to the water supply pipe 31 of the ice maker 100, and controlling the water outlet valve 353, water can be directly discharged from the water outlet 355. The ice maker 100 can provide drinking water while providing ice making function, and drinking water and ice making do not interfere with each other, making the functions of the ice maker 100 more diversified and improving the user experience.

[0071] Referring to Figures 1 and 4, in some embodiments, the water supply pipe 31 further includes a water supply connector 311 connected to the water supply pipe 313. The water supply connector 311 is connected to the housing 10 and may be exposed outside the housing 10. For example, the water supply connector 311 may be located on the rear side of the housing 10 and partially exposed thereon, facilitating connection of the water supply pipe 313 to an external water source. The water supply connector 311 is a standard water pipe connector to facilitate docking with the external water source connector. Furthermore, the water supply connector 311 may be a quick-release connector to improve the connection and disassembly speed between the water supply connector 311 and the external connector, thereby improving work efficiency. Optionally, the water supply connector 311 may be directly used to connect to a tap water pipe.

[0072] Referring to Figure 2, the water supply pipeline 31 also includes a one-way valve 314 and a pressure reducing valve 316. Both the one-way valve 314 and the pressure reducing valve 316 are installed on the water supply pipeline 313. The pressure reducing valve 316 is located upstream of the filter device 33, and the one-way valve 314 is located upstream of the pressure reducing valve 316. The one-way valve 314 is used to ensure that the water in the water supply pipeline 313 flows unidirectionally from the water supply connector 311 to the pressure reducing valve 316, preventing backflow of water and causing malfunctions or structural damage to the ice maker 100, thus improving the reliability of the ice maker 100. For some external water source pipelines, in order to ensure that the water source can be delivered to various locations, the water pressure in the external water source is relatively high. The water flowing into the water supply pipeline 31 can be reduced in pressure by passing through the pressure reducing valve 316, preventing the high water pressure from affecting the water supply of the water supply pipeline 31, and improving the filtration effect of the filter device 33.

[0073] In some embodiments, the outlet valve 353 is a mechanical valve and is configured such that when the outlet valve 353 is pressed or actuated, water in the drinking pipe 351 flows out from the outlet 355. Mechanical valves are less expensive, and some mechanical valves can withstand a certain level of water pressure. When the water pressure is appropriate, simply controlling the outlet valve 353 to open will allow water to flow out from the outlet 355 through the drinking pipe 351 under water pressure.

[0074] Referring to Figures 2 to 5, in some embodiments, the ice-making pipeline 53 includes an ice-making water valve, an inner tank 531, an ice-discharging assembly 533, and an ice-making water pump 535. The inner tank 531 is connected to the housing 10 and is connected to the water supply pipeline 31 via a connecting pipe. The ice-making water valve is installed on the connecting pipe to control the opening and closing of the connecting pipe and the water supply pipeline 31, thereby controlling the opening and closing of the ice-making pipeline 53 and the water supply pipeline 31. Optionally, the ice-making water valve is a solenoid valve, which facilitates the control of water supply to the ice-making pipeline 53. The ice-discharging assembly 533 includes an ice-making water box 5331 and an ice-scraping plate 5333 movably connected to one side of the ice-making water box 5331. The ice-making water box 5331 is rotatably installed inside the inner tank 531 and forms an ice-making trough. Part of the evaporator 515 is located inside the ice-making trough for heat exchange with the ice-making trough to make ice. The ice-making water box 5331 is connected to the inner tank 531 through a water pumping pipe 534. The ice-making water pump 535 is connected between the inner tank 531 and the ice-making water box 5331 and is installed on the water pumping pipe 534 to pump water from the inner tank 531 to the ice-making water box 5331.

[0075] Thus, by controlling the ice-making water valve, water in the water supply pipe 31 flows into the inner tank 531, and by controlling the refrigeration water pump, water in the inner tank 531 is drawn into the ice-making water box 5331, where the water in the ice-making water box 5331 exchanges heat with the evaporator 515 to form an ice layer.

[0076] Furthermore, the refrigeration system 51 is equipped with a mode switching valve. When the ice layer reaches the target level, the mode switching valve is controlled to heat the original evaporator 515 located in the ice-making water box 5331, causing the ice to fall into the ice-making tank and completing the ice-making operation.

[0077] Referring to Figure 5, in a specific embodiment, the inner liner 531 is provided with an ice-making chamber 5313 and a water storage chamber 5311 that are connected to each other. The ice-making chamber 5313 is located above the water storage chamber 5311, and the ice-making water box 5331 is located inside the ice-making chamber 5313. The ice-making water pump 535 is used to pump water from the water storage chamber 5311 to the ice-making water box 5331. In this way, water is stored in the water storage chamber 5311, and the water in the water storage chamber 5311 is pumped to the ice-making water box 5331 for ice making, ensuring the continuity of the ice-making process, avoiding interruption of ice making due to untimely water supply, and avoiding energy waste.

[0078] Referring to Figure 5, the ice maker 100 also includes an ice basket 60. The ice basket 60 is removably disposed inside the inner liner 531 and is located above the water storage chamber 5311 and on one side of the ice making chamber 5313. The ice made in the ice-making water box 5331 is transported to the ice basket 60 for temporary storage.

[0079] The ice basket 60 is open facing upwards, and the housing 10 has an ice-retrieving opening 171 opposite to the opening of the ice basket 60. The ice-retrieving opening 171 is configured to be openable and closable. For example, the housing 10 has an ice-retrieving cover 17 at the ice-retrieving opening 171. The ice-retrieving cover 17 is detachable or flip-up, and the opening and closing of the ice-retrieving opening 171 can be controlled by operating the ice-retrieving cover 17. In this embodiment, the ice basket 60 is positioned below the ice-retrieving opening 171 for easy ice retrieval by the user. Optionally, the ice-retrieving cover 17 is a transparent plate for easy observation by the user.

[0080] Understandably, users can directly take ice from the ice basket 60 or remove the ice basket 60 from the inner liner 531. To facilitate user gripping, handles 61 are provided on both sides of the ice basket 60. The ice basket 60 is not fixed to the inner wall of the inner liner 531, thus allowing the ice basket 60 to be freely removed from the inner liner 531, making the operation convenient and quick.

[0081] In some embodiments, the ice in the ice-making water tank 5331 is transported to the ice basket 60 in the following manner:

[0082] An ice basket 60 is positioned on one side of the ice dispensing assembly 533, with the side of the ice dispensing assembly 533 closest to the ice basket 60 serving as the ice dispensing side. An ice scraper 5333 is positioned on the side of the ice-making water box 5331 closest to the ice basket 60 and can rotate relative to the ice-making water box 5331 about its side closest to the ice basket 60. The ice-making water box 5331 is rotatably connected to the inner liner 531, with one end connected to a drive unit via a connecting shaft; the drive unit can be a motor. The ice-making water box 5331 is suspended within the ice-making cavity 5313, and any ice that falls out is located within the ice-making tank. When ice is removed, the ice-making water box 5331 first rotates toward the ice basket 60, causing the ice in the ice-making tank to be removed from the ice-making water box 5331 to the ice-making cavity 5313. At this time, the ice scraper plate 5333 is located at the bottom of the ice block. Then the ice-making water box 5331 is reset. During the reset process, the ice scraper plate 5333 throws the ice on it into the ice basket 60.

[0083] To prevent ice blocks from slipping into the water storage cavity 5311 during the ice-making process, and to facilitate the ice-scraping action of the ice-scraping plate 5333, an ice baffle 537 is also provided inside the inner liner 531. The ice baffle 537 is located between the ice-making cavity 5313 and the ice basket 60, and is positioned higher than the bottom wall of the ice-making cavity 5313. During ice dispensing, the ice blocks are blocked by the ice baffle 537, and the ice-scraping plate 5333, in conjunction with the ice baffle 537, can scoop up as much ice as possible, improving ice dispensing efficiency.

[0084] As the ice-making process continues, the ice in the ice basket 60 gradually increases. To prevent excessive ice in the ice basket 60 from affecting the structure of the ice maker 100, the ice maker 100 in this embodiment of the application also includes a detection component. The detection component is located at the opening of the ice basket 60 to detect the full ice state of the ice basket 60. When the ice basket 60 is full, the detection component detects the full ice state and sends a signal to the controller of the ice maker 100, and the controller stops the ice-making process.

[0085] However, in some related technologies, ice makers still have usable space in the ice basket when the ice is full, indicating that the utilization rate of the ice basket needs to be improved. For example, in some ice makers, the ice thrown into the ice basket by the ice scoop tends to be on the side of the ice basket closer to the ice dispensing component. This makes the ice on the side of the ice basket closer to the ice dispensing component easier to detect by the detection component, while at the same time, there is still some redundant space on the side of the ice basket away from the ice dispensing component.

[0086] Referring to Figures 5 and 6, in some embodiments of this application, the bottom wall of the ice basket 60 is configured to be inclined, and the height of the bottom wall of the ice basket 60 gradually decreases along the direction away from the ice dispensing component 533. The bottom wall of the ice basket 60 is constructed with an incline, with the side closer to the ice dispensing component 533 being higher than the side farther away from the ice dispensing component 533. Ice blocks thrown into the ice basket 60 by the ice dispensing component 533 land on the bottom wall of the ice basket 60. Under the action of gravity, the ice blocks slide down to the side away from the ice dispensing component 533, thereby making the distribution of ice blocks in the ice basket 60 more uniform. As ice blocks continue to accumulate, when the ice basket 60 is detected to be full, the distribution of ice blocks near the opening of the ice basket 60 is also more uniform, thereby improving the space utilization of the ice basket 60, making the full ice state detected by the detection component more accurately reflect the ice block situation in the ice basket 60, and improving the user experience.

[0087] Optionally, the bottom wall of the ice basket 60 can be a sloped surface or an arc surface, or the bottom wall of the ice basket 60 can be a sloped part divided into an arc surface. Provided that the bottom wall of the ice basket 60 can present a structure where the side closer to the ice outlet component 533 is higher and the side farther from the ice outlet component 533 is lower, the specific shape of the bottom wall of the ice basket 60 is not limited in this embodiment. The line connecting the side of the ice basket 60 closer to the ice outlet component 533 and the side of the ice basket 60 farther from the ice outlet component 533 is inclined and forms an angle α with the horizontal plane, where the angle α satisfies the relationship 10°≤α≤45°. Understandably, if the included angle α is too small, less than 10°, the bottom wall of the ice basket 60 will not be tilted significantly enough, resulting in uneven distribution of ice within the ice basket 60 and low space utilization. If the included angle α is too large, greater than 45°, the large angle will compress the space of the ice basket 60, reducing its ice capacity. Alternatively, if its space is not compressed, the dimensions of the ice basket 60 along the vertical ZZ direction within the inner liner will be too large, potentially causing the bottom of the ice basket 60 to extend into the water storage cavity 5311, resulting in the ice being submerged in the water, which is detrimental to ice preservation. Therefore, to improve the space utilization of the ice basket 60 and ensure its ice capacity and preservation effect, this embodiment limits the included angle α to satisfy the relationship 10°≤α≤45°, where α can be selected as 20°, 30°, etc.

[0088] Optionally, the detection component employs infrared light detection, including an infrared emitting sleeve and an infrared receiving sleeve. Both the infrared emitting and receiving sleeves are connected to the controller of the ice maker 100 and are located on opposite sides of the ice basket 60, for example, on the left and right sides of the ice basket 60. Understandably, when there is enough ice in the ice basket 60 and it lies between the infrared emitting and receiving sleeves, the signals from the infrared emitting and receiving sleeves change, allowing the controller to determine that the ice basket 60 is full of ice. The detection component using infrared emitting and receiving sleeves is not only low-cost but also provides precise detection, sensitive triggering, and easy setup.

[0089] Furthermore, the detection component is positioned near the side of the ice basket 60 furthest from the ice dispensing component 533. For example, the detection component can be connected to the inner liner 531. Since the accumulation rate of ice on the side of the ice basket 60 furthest from the ice dispensing component 533 is lower than that on the side of the ice basket 60 closest to the ice dispensing component 533, this embodiment positions the detection component on the side of the ice basket 60 furthest from the ice dispensing component 533. When the detection component detects a full ice state, it ensures that the side of the ice basket 60 furthest from the ice dispensing component 533 is also filled with ice, further reducing the space redundancy of the ice basket 60 in a full ice state and improving the space utilization rate of the ice basket 60.

[0090] Referring to Figure 5, in some embodiments, during ice dispensing, the position of the ice shovel plate 5333 when dispensing ice is higher than the opening of the ice basket 60. In conjunction with the foregoing description of the ice dispensing process, when the ice shovel plate 5333 and the ice-making water box 5331 reset, ice blocks are thrown into the ice basket 60. The position of the ice shovel plate 5333 when dispensing ice is the same as its reset position. By making the position of the ice shovel plate 5333 when dispensing ice higher than the opening of the ice basket 60, the ice blocks shoveled into the ice basket 60 can be more easily thrown to the side of the ice basket 60 away from the ice dispensing component 533, thereby further improving the uniformity of ice distribution within the ice basket 60 and increasing the space utilization rate of the ice basket 60.

[0091] Referring to Figures 5 and 6, the inner liner 531 is provided with a limiting structure, and the ice basket 60 abuts against the limiting structure. It can be understood that the limiting structure does not restrict the upward movement of the ice basket 60 away from the inner liner 531, so as to realize the removability of the ice basket 60 relative to the inner liner 531.

[0092] Optionally, the limiting structure includes a limiting step 5315 and a limiting surface 5317. The limiting surface 5317 is located on the opposite side of the limiting step 5315, and the opposite sides of the bottom of the ice basket 60 respectively abut against the limiting step 5315 and the limiting surface 5317. For example, the limiting step 5315 is located on the front side of the bottom of the ice basket 60, and the limiting surface 5317 is located on the rear side of the bottom of the ice basket 60, connecting the bottom wall of the ice-making cavity 5313 and the rear side wall of the water storage cavity 5311. The ice basket 60 is placed on the limiting step 5315 and the limiting surface 5317. The limiting step 5315 and the limiting surface 5317 provide structural support for the ice basket 60, ensuring the stability of the ice basket 60. The engagement between the ice basket 60 and the limiting step 5315 and the limiting surface 5317 is abutment, ensuring that the ice basket 60 can be removed upwards for convenient operation.

[0093] Furthermore, the limiting surface 5317 is an arc surface. For example, the limiting surface 5317 is an arc surface that arches towards the ice basket 60. Correspondingly, the rear side of the bottom of the ice basket 60 is also formed as an arc surface, increasing the contact area between the ice basket 60 and the inner liner 531. Moreover, the cooperation between the limiting surface 5317 and the ice basket 60 can provide support forces in multiple directions, such as upward and forward support forces, thereby further improving the stability of the ice basket 60.

[0094] Optionally, the bottom of the ice basket 60 has a retractable abutment 63, which abuts against the limiting step 5315 for cushioning. For example, the bottom wall of the ice basket 60 has a clearance opening, through which the abutment 63 is movably inserted. The ice basket 60 also has a box, and the portion of the abutment 63 inside the ice basket 60 is confined within the box. The box contains elastic elements such as springs, and the abutment 63 is connected to the elastic elements for resetting and cushioning.

[0095] The limiting step 5315 can be formed by the end of the protruding structure set on the front wall of the water storage cavity 5311. The protruding structure extends ZZ along the vertical direction of the inner liner 531. While providing structural support for the ice basket 60, it can also strengthen the inner liner 531 and improve the stability of the ice making module 50.

[0096] Understandably, during ice making and dispensing, water in the ice-making water box 5331 will inevitably fall into the ice-making cavity 5313. In some embodiments, the ice-making cavity 5313 is connected to the water storage cavity 5311, allowing water in the ice-making cavity 5313 to flow back to the water storage cavity 5311 for use in the next ice-making cycle. This not only improves water utilization but also, due to the low temperature of the water in the ice-making water box 5331, allows for the recovery and recycling of cold energy, improving ice-making efficiency and reducing ice-making energy consumption. In embodiments with an ice baffle 537, the ice baffle 537 defines a water guide channel 5371, through which water in the ice-making cavity 5313 flows into the water storage cavity 5311. In conjunction with the foregoing, the arc-shaped limiting surface 5317 connects the bottom wall of the ice-making cavity 5313 and the rear side wall of the water storage cavity 5311, also serving a water guiding function.

[0097] Furthermore, the bottom wall of the ice basket 60 is provided with a drain outlet to allow the water in the ice basket 60 to flow back into the water storage chamber 5311. Understandably, the ice in the ice basket 60 may melt, and the melted ice water produced is at a low temperature. By returning the melted ice water in the ice basket 60 to the water storage chamber 5311, water utilization can be improved on the one hand, and cold energy can be recovered and recycled on the other, thereby lowering the temperature of the water in the water storage chamber 5311. It is understood that a lower water temperature in the water storage chamber 5311 means that the water pumped into the ice-making water box 5331 will also be at a lower temperature and more easily freeze, improving ice-making efficiency and reducing ice-making energy consumption. In this embodiment, the drain outlet of the ice basket 60 can be circular or square, or the bottom of the ice basket 60 can have multiple drain outlets, such as the bottom wall of the ice basket 60 forming a grid shape, to improve the return efficiency of the melted ice water.

[0098] Thus, the water in the ice-making pipe 53 enters the inner tank 531 and is pumped to the ice-making water box 5331. The ice in the ice-making water box 5331 is transported to the ice basket 60 for temporary storage. The melted ice water in the ice basket 60 flows back to the water storage chamber 5311. This is the process of ice-making pipe 53 producing ice and circulating water.

[0099] The above description explains the water supply module 30 and ice-making module 50 of the ice maker 100 according to the embodiments of this application. Please refer again to Figures 1, 7, and 9. In some embodiments, the water supply module 30 and the ice-making module 50 are arranged side by side. The housing 10 includes a base 11, a connecting bracket 12, a front housing 15, a rear housing 16, the aforementioned first cover plate 13, and a second cover plate 14. Optionally, the base 11 serves as the mounting base for the ice-making module 50 and the water supply module 30. The front housing 15 and the rear housing 16 are respectively disposed on the front and rear sides of the base 11, and the first cover plate 13 and the second cover plate 14 are disposed on the left and right sides of the base 11.

[0100] The base 11 can be divided into left and right parts. The ice-making module 50 is located on the right side of the base 11, and the connecting bracket 12 is located on the left side of the ice-making module 50 and connected to the left side of the base 11. The water supply module 30 is installed on the connecting bracket 12.

[0101] Specifically, the connecting bracket 12 is located on the left side of the ice-making module 50, and is narrower than the ice-making module 50, extending roughly along the front-to-back direction (YY). Referring to the aforementioned explanation of the water supply module 30, the water supply pipeline 31 includes a water supply pipe 313, a pressure reducing valve 316, and a one-way valve 314; the drinking water pipeline 35 includes a drinking water pipe 351 and a water outlet valve 353. The water supply pipeline 31, the drinking water pipeline 35, and the filter device 33 are all mounted on the connecting bracket 12 and can be arranged front-to-back on the connecting bracket 12. For example, the drinking water pipeline 35 is located on the front side of the connecting bracket 12, the water supply pipeline 31 is located on the rear side of the connecting bracket 12, and the filter device 33 is connected to the water supply pipeline 31 and located after the drinking water pipeline 35.

[0102] Thus, in this embodiment, by dividing some structures of the ice maker 100 into an ice-making module 50 and a water supply module 30, a modular design of the ice maker 100 is achieved, making the structure clearer and more transparent. Simultaneously, the ice-making module 50 and the water supply module 30 share a base 11, and the water supply module 30 is positioned on one side of the ice-making module 50 via a connecting bracket 12, shortening the distance between them. This makes the overall structure formed by the water supply module 30 and the ice-making module 50 more compact, which helps reduce the overall size of the ice maker 100 and minimizes space occupation. The installation of the water supply module 30 via the connecting bracket 12 not only makes the structure clearer but also facilitates the disassembly and assembly of the water supply module 30 and the overall maintenance of the ice maker 100, thereby improving the efficiency of disassembly and maintenance.

[0103] In one embodiment, the water supply module 30 is distributed front and rear on the connecting bracket 12. The water supply pipe 313 can be made of flexible tubing for easy wiring, and the water supply pipe 313 can be fixed by a locking structure formed on the connecting bracket 12. Of course, the water supply pipe 313 can also be fixed by additional fasteners, such as cable ties, which is not limited in this embodiment. The one-way valve 314 and the pressure reducing valve 316 are located on the side of the connecting bracket 12 facing the ice-making module 50, which facilitates the connection of the pipeline and the protection of the one-way valve 314 and the pressure reducing valve 316. The one-way valve 314 and the pressure reducing valve 316 are located on the rear side of the connecting bracket 12, and the water supply pipe 313 extends from rear to front. The filter device 33 is connected to the water supply pipe 313 and is located in front of the one-way valve 314 and the pressure reducing valve 316. One end of the outlet pipe is connected to the water supply pipe 313 and extends from rear to front. The outlet valve 353 is located on the outlet pipe and is located in front of the filter device 33. The method of fixing the water outlet pipe is the same as that of fixing the water supply pipe 313, and will not be described in detail here. In this way, the water supply module 30 is distributed on the connecting bracket 12, which can effectively reduce the overall width of the water supply module 30, reduce the space occupied, and make the structure more compact.

[0104] Referring to Figures 7 to 10, in some embodiments, the connecting bracket 12 includes a main bracket 121 and a water outlet bracket 123. The main bracket 121 is connected to the base 11 and extends ZZ in the vertical direction. The water outlet bracket 123 is connected to the top of the main bracket 121 and extends forward from the main bracket 121 to form a water outlet 1231. The filter device 33 is connected to the main bracket 121. The main bracket 121 has a mounting groove 1211, which is recessed within the main bracket 121. When the filter device 33 is installed in the mounting groove 1211, it does not protrude from one side of the main bracket 121. The first cover plate 13 is connected to the connecting bracket 12 and covers the opening of the mounting groove 1211. By providing the mounting groove 1211 in the main bracket 121, the filter device 33 is accommodated within the mounting groove 1211. This not only prevents the filter device 33 from protruding and affecting aesthetics but also makes the ice maker 100 more compact and increases space utilization.

[0105] Optionally, the mounting groove 1211 is provided with a side opening facing the housing 10, for example, the mounting groove 1211 is provided with a left opening facing the housing 10, and the first cover plate 13 is connected to the left side of the connecting bracket 12. In this way, while accommodating a filter device 33 of sufficient size, the width of the water supply module 30 is reduced, making the overall structure of the ice maker 100 more compact.

[0106] Furthermore, the first cover plate 13 and the connecting bracket 12 are detachably connected. For example, the first cover plate 13 can be snapped onto the connecting bracket 12. In this way, removing the first cover plate 13 will expose the filter device 33, making it easy to replace the filter device 33.

[0107] In one embodiment, the filtration device 33 includes a filter head assembly 331 and a filter element 333. The filter head assembly 331 is disposed on the water supply pipeline 31 and connected to the main support 121. The filter head assembly 331 has a connecting groove 3311, and the filter element 333 has a connector 3331 located within the connecting groove 3311 and detachably connected to the filter head assembly 331. Thus, when replacing the filter element 333, it is only necessary to remove the filter element 333 from the filter head assembly 331, without repeatedly disassembling and reassembling the pipeline, thereby improving the efficiency of replacing the filter element 333.

[0108] The mounting groove 1211 is also provided with a limiting ring 1213. The limiting ring 1213 has a slot with the opening facing the groove of the mounting groove 1211. The filter element 333 is locked in the slot, which improves the stability of the filter element 333. At the same time, the snap-fit ​​method makes it easy to install and remove the filter element 333, further improving the work efficiency of replacing the filter element 333.

[0109] Referring to Figure 10, in one embodiment, the water outlet bracket 123 extends forward from the bracket 121 to form a water outlet section 1231, a water outlet valve 353 is installed on the water outlet section 1231, and a water outlet 355 is exposed from the water outlet section 1231. It can be understood that the water outlet section 1231 is suspended to facilitate users to place containers such as water cups under the water outlet section 1231 to collect water.

[0110] Optionally, the water outlet section 1231 is provided with a water outlet button 1233, which is movably disposed relative to the rest of the water outlet section 1231, and is connected to the water outlet valve 353. The water outlet button 1233 can be configured to dispense water from the water outlet 355 when the water outlet button 1233 is pressed. The water outlet button 1233 can be located at the top of the water outlet section 1231 and configured to slide ZZ in the vertical direction. The user can press the water outlet button 1233 to trigger the water outlet valve 353 to dispense water from the water outlet 355, facilitating user operation.

[0111] Optionally, the water outlet 355 is oriented downwards to facilitate water intake and prevent water from splashing out.

[0112] Furthermore, the ice maker 100 also includes a water collection box 18, which is connected to the base 11 and is positioned opposite the water outlet 1231 in the vertical direction ZZ. Thus, when filling with water, the user can place a cup or other container on the water collection box 18. On one hand, the water collection box 18 indicates the precise placement of the container, ensuring that water flowing from the outlet 355 falls into the container. On the other hand, the water collection box 18 can also collect water that overflows from the container or drips from the outlet 355, preventing water from falling onto the table. Optionally, the water collection box 18 is detachably connected to the base 11 for easy cleaning.

[0113] Regarding the ice-making module 50, in conjunction with the foregoing explanation of the ice-making module 50, in some embodiments, a portion of the inner liner 531 and a portion of the refrigeration system 51 are stacked in the vertical direction ZZ to make the structure of the ice-making module 50 more compact and to improve the space utilization of the ice-making module 50.

[0114] Please refer to Figure 5 again. The dashed box in Figure 5 represents the compressor 511 and the condenser 513. In the embodiment shown in Figure 5, the bottom of the ice-making chamber 5313 is spaced apart from the base 11. The compressor 511 and the condenser 513 are located between the bottom of the ice-making chamber 5313 and the base 11, and the evaporator 515 is located inside the ice-making water box 5331. The inner liner 531 is connected to the base 11, and the compressor 511 is connected to the base 11 and located in the space between the ice-making chamber 5313 portion of the inner liner 531 and the base 11. The condenser 513 can be connected to the base 11 or the compressor 511, or connected to both the base 11 and the compressor 511, and located on one side of the compressor 511. In this way, the condenser 513 and the compressor 511 fill the space between the ice-making chamber 5313 portion of the inner liner 531 and the base 11, making the structure more compact and improving space utilization. In some embodiments, the top of the compressor 511 may also directly or indirectly contact the bottom of the ice-making chamber 5313 portion of the inner liner 531 to provide structural support for the inner liner 531.

[0115] Optionally, the water storage chamber 5311 of the inner liner 531 is arranged side by side with the compressor 511, making the overall structure of the ice maker 100 more compact.

[0116] Optionally, a heat insulation plate 55 is provided between the bottom of the ice-making cavity 5313 and the compressor 511. The heat insulation plate 55 can be made of foam material or the like. The heat insulation plate 55 serves two purposes: firstly, it provides a buffer between the bottom of the ice-making cavity 5313 and the compressor 511, preventing vibrations from the compressor 511 during operation from affecting the inner liner 531; secondly, it reduces the loss of cold energy from the ice-making cavity 5313, which helps to preserve the cold energy of the ice-making cavity 5313, thereby improving ice-making efficiency and reducing energy consumption.

[0117] Furthermore, the ice maker 100 also includes an insulation component 57, which covers at least a portion of the outer wall of the inner liner 531. For example, the insulation component 57 can be insulation cotton or foam material, which wraps around the water storage cavity 5311 of the inner liner 531, and may further cover the portion above the water storage cavity 5311. By providing the insulation component 57, heat exchange between the inner liner 531 and the external environment can be reduced, further reducing the loss of cold air within the inner liner 531, thereby maintaining a low temperature inside the inner liner 531, which is beneficial for improving ice-making efficiency and further reducing energy consumption.

[0118] Referring to Figure 9, in some embodiments, the condenser 513 is located on the right side of the compressor 511, and the second cover has an air inlet grille 141 opposite to the condenser 513. The heat exchange assembly also includes a fan connected to the second cover and located on the side of the air inlet grille 141 facing the condenser 513. In this embodiment, the fan can guide external airflow through the air inlet grille 141 to the condenser 513, improving the heat dissipation efficiency of the condenser 513, which is beneficial for improving ice-making efficiency and reducing power consumption.

[0119] Optionally, a mounting frame is formed on the side of the second cover facing the condenser 513. The fan is connected to the mounting frame, and the fan is mounted on the second cover for easy disassembly and assembly, thereby improving disassembly and assembly efficiency.

[0120] Furthermore, the rear shell 16 is provided with an air outlet grille 161 corresponding to the ice-making module 50. A heat dissipation air duct is formed between the air inlet grille 141 and the air outlet grille 161. The condenser 513 and the compressor 511 are located in the heat dissipation air duct, and the fan is also located in the heat dissipation air duct. The fan rotates to make the airflow continuously circulate in the heat dissipation air duct to dissipate heat from the condenser 513 and the compressor 511, improve the working efficiency of the condenser 513 and the compressor 511, and reduce the ice-making energy consumption of the ice maker 100.

[0121] As shown in Figure 9, in this embodiment, the front shell 15 is connected to the connecting bracket 12 to shield the front of the water supply module 30 and the ice-making module 50, and the rear shell 16 is connected to the connecting bracket 12 to shield the rear of the water supply module 30 and the ice-making module 50. At least one of the front shell 15 and the rear shell 16 is a single-piece component. That is, the front shell 15 or the rear shell 16 can be a single-piece component, or both the front shell 15 and the rear shell 16 can be single-piece components. By constructing the front shell 15 and the rear shell 16 as a single-piece component, not only can the number of parts be reduced, assembly can be facilitated, and disassembly and assembly efficiency can be improved, but the overall appearance of the ice maker 100 can also be improved, making the ice maker 100 more aesthetically pleasing. Furthermore, when both the front shell 15 and the rear shell 16 are made of plastic, both the front shell 15 and the rear shell 16 can be injection molded as a single piece, resulting in low production difficulty and high production efficiency.

[0122] It is worth noting that the water supply connector 311 of the water supply module 30 is used to connect to an external water source. The water supply connector 311 is connected to the rear shell 16 and is partially exposed outside the rear shell 16. This makes it easy to hide the connection between the water supply connector 311 and the external pipeline, and also makes it easy to arrange the water supply module 30 on the connecting bracket 12.

[0123] As can be seen from the above description, the water in the water storage chamber 5311 of the inner tank 531 is filtered, low-temperature cold water, meaning the water temperature in the water storage chamber 5311 is lower than the water temperature in the drinking water pipe 35. To further enrich the functionality of the ice maker 100, this application embodiment also makes the following improvements to the ice maker 100:

[0124] Referring to Figure 1, in one embodiment, the water supply module 30 further includes a cold water pipeline 37, which is installed on the housing 10 and includes a cold water pipe 373, a cold water outlet valve 375, and a cold water pump 371. One end of the cold water pipe 373 is connected to the inner tank 531, specifically to the water storage chamber 5311 of the inner tank 531, and the other end has a cold water outlet 377. The cold water pump 371 is used to draw water from the inner tank 531, and the cold water outlet valve 375 is used to control the opening and closing of the cold water pipe 373. By opening the cold water outlet valve 375 and the cold water pump 371, water in the water storage chamber 5311 can flow out through the cold water pipe 373 from the cold water outlet 377.

[0125] In other words, this embodiment of the application, by setting up a cold water pipe 37, which connects to the inner tank 531, and the inner tank 531 containing an ice-making water box 5331, a portion of the refrigeration system 51 is located within the ice-making water box 5331 to exchange heat with the water in the ice-making water box 5331 to make ice. Therefore, the water temperature in the inner tank 531 is low, and by controlling the cold water outlet valve 375 and the cold water pump 371, the cold water in the inner tank 531 can flow out from the cold water outlet 377 to provide cold water to the user. This embodiment of the application further enriches the functionality of the ice maker 100, enabling it to supply cold water to the user, and the cold water originates from the ice-making pipe 53. While improving the functionality and user experience of the ice maker 100, it also makes full use of the cooling capacity of the refrigeration system 51, improving energy efficiency.

[0126] Based on the foregoing description, the inner liner 531 is provided with an ice-making chamber 5313 and a water storage chamber 5311 that are connected to each other. The ice-making water box 5331 is located in the ice-making chamber 5313. The ice-making pipeline 53 also includes an ice-making water pump 535. The ice-making water pump 535 is used to pump water from the water storage chamber 5311 to the ice-making water box 5331. The water flowing from the ice-making water box 5331 into the ice-making chamber 5313 can flow back to the water storage chamber 5311, realizing cold energy recovery, improving energy utilization efficiency and ice-making efficiency. At the same time, it can also reduce the water temperature in the water storage chamber 5311, making it easier to provide cold water.

[0127] Furthermore, the melting water from the ice basket 60 can also fall back into the water storage chamber 5311 through the drain outlet of the ice basket 60, further reducing the water temperature in the water storage chamber 5311, facilitating the supply of cold water, and further improving energy utilization efficiency and ice-making efficiency.

[0128] As shown in Figure 11, the inner liner 531 is wrapped with an insulation element 57 to reduce heat exchange between the inner liner 531 and the external environment, which further reduces the loss of cold energy inside the inner liner 531, thereby keeping the temperature inside the inner liner 531 at a low level, which is conducive to improving ice-making efficiency, further reducing energy consumption, and facilitating the supply of cold water.

[0129] It is worth noting that the cold water pump 371 and the ice-making water pump 535 can be two separate, independent pumps, or they can be the same pump. Different flow paths can be switched via valve control to pump water from the storage chamber 5311 to the cold water outlet 377 or to the ice-making water box 5331. The option of using the same pump for both cold water pump 371 and ice-making water pump 535 saves on material costs and reduces the number of parts, thus reducing the size and space occupied by the ice maker 100.

[0130] Of course, when both drinking water pipe 35 and cold water pipe 37 exist, drinking water pipe 35 is used to provide room temperature water and cold water pipe 37 is used to provide cold water, giving users a variety of choices.

[0131] Optionally, both the water outlet valve 353 and the cold water outlet valve 375 are installed in the water outlet section 1231, and both the water outlet 355 and the cold water outlet 377 are exposed from the water outlet section 1231, so that users can collect room temperature water and cold water from the water outlet section 1231.

[0132] The outlet valve 353 and the cold water outlet valve 375 can be the same or different. The cold water outlet valve 375 can be a mechanical valve for more reliable structure; or, the cold water outlet valve 375 can be a solenoid valve for easier control. Furthermore, both the outlet valve 353 and the cold water outlet valve 375 can be solenoid valves for easier overall control of the water outlet type.

[0133] Furthermore, the water outlet 355 and the cold water outlet 377 are configured as the same outlet. In this embodiment, the water outlet pipe and the cold water pipe 373 meet at one end and have one outlet. The water outlet valve 353 and the cold water outlet valve 375 are respectively installed on the water outlet pipe and the cold water pipe 373. When either valve is operated, water flows out from the corresponding pipe through this outlet.

[0134] In the accompanying drawings of this embodiment, the same or similar reference numerals correspond to the same or similar components. In the description of this application, it should be understood that if terms such as "upper," "lower," "left," "right," etc., indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the drawings, they are only for the convenience of describing this application 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. Therefore, the terms used to describe positional relationships in the drawings are only for illustrative purposes and should not be construed as limiting this application. For those skilled in the art, the specific meaning of the above terms can be understood according to the specific circumstances.

[0135] The above are merely preferred embodiments of this application and are not intended to limit this application. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, and improvements made within the spirit and principles of this application should be included within the protection scope of this application.

Claims

1. An ice maker, wherein, include: The housing includes a base and a connecting bracket disposed on the base; An ice-making module, configured to make ice, is connected to the base, and the connecting bracket is located on one side of the ice-making module; and A water supply module, configured to supply water to the ice-making module and provide drinking water, is installed on the connecting bracket so that the water supply module and the ice-making module are arranged side by side.

2. The ice maker as described in claim 1, wherein, The water supply module includes: A water supply pipeline is configured to connect to a water source to supply water to the ice-making module; and A drinking water pipeline, and connected to the water supply pipeline, includes a drinking water pipe and an outlet valve provided on the drinking water pipe. The drinking water pipe has an outlet, and the outlet valve is configured to control the on / off state of the drinking water pipe.

3. The ice maker as described in claim 2, wherein, The water supply module also includes: A filtration device is installed on the water supply pipeline and is configured to filter the water flowing through the filtration device. The connecting bracket has a mounting groove on its side, and the filter device is installed in the mounting groove. The housing also includes a first cover plate, which is detachably connected to the connecting bracket and covers the opening of the mounting groove.

4. The ice maker as described in claim 3, wherein, The connecting bracket includes: The main bracket connects to the base and is provided with the mounting slot; and A water outlet bracket is connected to the top of the main bracket and extends forward from the main bracket to form a water outlet section. The water outlet valve is installed in the water outlet section, and the water outlet is exposed from the water outlet section.

5. The ice maker as described in claim 4, wherein, The water outlet is configured to open downwards; and / or, The water outlet is equipped with a water outlet button, which is connected to the water outlet valve and configured so that water flows from the water outlet when the water outlet button is pressed; and / or, The ice maker also includes a water receiving box, which is connected to the base and is positioned opposite to the water outlet in the vertical direction.

6. The ice maker as described in claim 3, wherein, Also includes: A pressure reducing valve is installed on the water supply pipeline and located upstream of the filter device. The pressure reducing valve is connected to the side of the connecting bracket facing the ice-making module.

7. The ice maker as described in any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein, The ice-making module includes: An ice-making pipeline, connected to the water supply module, includes an inner tank and an ice-making water box disposed within the inner tank, allowing water from the inner tank to flow into the ice-making water box; and A refrigeration system is installed in the housing, with a portion located in the ice-making water tank, to exchange heat with the water in the ice-making water tank to make ice; The inner liner portion and the refrigeration system portion are stacked vertically.

8. The ice maker as described in claim 7, wherein, The inner liner includes a water storage chamber and an ice-making chamber, the ice-making water box is located in the ice-making chamber, and the water in the water storage chamber can flow into the ice-making water box; The bottom of the ice-making cavity is spaced apart from the base, and part of the ice-making system is located between the bottom of the ice-making cavity and the base.

9. The ice maker as described in claim 8, wherein, The refrigeration system includes: compressor; The heat exchange assembly includes a condenser and an evaporator. The compressor, the evaporator, and the condenser are connected in sequence. The compressor and the condenser are located between the bottom of the ice-making chamber and the base. The evaporator is located inside the ice-making water box.

10. The ice maker as claimed in claim 9, wherein, The condenser is located on the side of the compressor. The housing also includes a second cover connected to the base. The second cover has an air inlet grille that is opposite to the condenser. The heat exchange assembly also includes a fan that is connected to the second cover and is located on the side of the air inlet grille facing the condenser.

11. The ice maker as claimed in claim 9, wherein, A heat insulation plate is provided between the bottom of the ice-making chamber and the compressor; and / or, The water storage chamber is arranged side-by-side with the compressor; and / or, The ice maker also includes an insulation component that covers at least a portion of the outer wall surface of the inner liner.

12. The ice maker as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 11, wherein, The housing also includes: The front cover, connected to the connecting bracket, is configured to shield the front side of the water supply module and the ice-making module; and The rear cover, connected to the connecting bracket, is configured to shield the rear side of the water supply module and the ice-making module; At least one of the front shell and the rear shell is an integral component.

13. The ice maker as described in claim 12, wherein, The rear housing, corresponding to the portion of the ice-making module, is provided with an air outlet grille; and / or... The water supply module includes a water supply connector, which is configured to connect to an external water source. The water supply connector is connected to the rear shell and is partially exposed outside the rear shell.

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