Clear Ice Maker Heater Layout for Uniform Spherical Ice
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing ice makers struggle to produce transparent sphere-shaped ice with uniform transparency across different heights and prevent ice cubes from connecting, while also ensuring the heater wire remains connected during the rotation of the lower tray.
Innovation Solution
An ice maker design featuring an upper tray, a lower tray, and a lower heater with a round portion surrounding the ice chamber to ensure even heat transfer, along with a support system that prevents wire disconnection and allows for the production of transparent sphere-shaped ice by controlling heat output based on water mass per unit height.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If a heater is installed in the lower cell of the lower tray to produce transparent ice, then the transparency of the ice is improved, but the heater may interfere with the lower ejecting pin during the rotation process of the lower tray
Solution Approach 1:
The lower tray is divided into an upper portion and a lower portion, with the heater installed only in the upper portion. This segmentation allows the heater to be positioned away from the rotation axis, preventing interference with the lower ejecting pin while still enabling transparent ice production through controlled heating during the ice-making process.
Solution Approach 2:
The heater is positioned locally in the upper portion of the lower cell rather than throughout the entire lower tray. This localized heating approach enables transparent ice formation in the specific region where heating is needed, while leaving the lower portion free for ejecting pin operation during rotation.
2Device complexity
If the heater extends in a straight line to contact multiple ice-making blocks, then the device complexity is reduced, but the contact area between the heater and ice-making block is small, which takes longer for heat transfer
Solution Approach 1:
The heater is designed with a curved or bent configuration that follows the contour of the ice-making blocks in the upper portion of the lower cell. This curved shape increases the contact area between the heater and the ice blocks compared to a straight line configuration, enabling faster and more efficient heat transfer while maintaining relatively simple device structure.
3Manufacturing precision
If the heater contacts one side surface and bottom surface of the ice-making block to suppress solidification rate increase, then the transparency is improved, but the heating amount must be increased when water volume is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The heater is positioned to contact only the bottom surface of the ice-making blocks in the upper portion of the lower cell, rather than contacting multiple surfaces. This localized heating approach maintains uniform transparency by controlling solidification from the bottom, while reducing the total heating amount required compared to heating multiple surfaces, especially when water volume is reduced.
4Shape
If ice is frozen in each of the upper and lower cells to produce sphere-shaped ice, then the shape is improved, but bubbles are present in the completed ice making it opaque
Solution Approach 1:
The ice-making process is segmented into two distinct phases: first, the lower tray (upper portion only) freezes water to form the bottom half of spherical ice; second, the upper tray freezes water to form the top half. This segmentation prevents bubble entrapment by avoiding simultaneous freezing in both trays, while still achieving the desired sphere shape through combination of the two halves.
Solution Approach 2:
The bottom half of the spherical ice is preliminarily formed in the lower tray before the top half is added in the upper tray. This preliminary action establishes a bubble-free base structure, and subsequent addition of the top half completes the sphere shape without introducing bubbles that would compromise transparency.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The design achieves transparent ice with uniform transparency across heights, prevents ice cubes from connecting, and ensures the heater wire remains connected during tray rotation, enhancing the efficiency and effectiveness of ice production.
Implementation Method 1
a lower heater with a round portion surrounding the ice chamber to ensure even heat transfer
Implementation Method 2
solidification proceeds on a surface of the water
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3~4
AI summary
Provided is an ice maker for a home appliance, in particular for a refrigerator or freezer, including: an upper assembly (110) including an upper tray (150) having at least one upper chamber part (152); a lower assembly (200) including a lower support (270) and a flexible lower tray (250) having at least one lower chamber part (252), wherein the lower assembly (200) is movable with respect to the upper assembly (110) between an open position and a closed position, wherein in the closed position, the lower chamber part (252) and the upper chamber part (152) form at least one ice chamber (111) in which ice is to be formed, and a lower heater (296) for making clear ice, the lower heater (296) being provided in the lower assembly (200) between the lower support (270) and the lower tray (250).