Clear ice making appliance and method of same
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional ice making appliances produce cloudy ice due to impurities and air pockets trapped within the ice cubes, and they often require heaters to facilitate ice release, which increases energy consumption and complexity.
Innovation Solution
An ice making appliance with an ice mold featuring a motor-driven rotation mechanism, a seed fill water distribution system, and heat sinks that allows for directional freezing from the bottom to top, preventing impurities from being trapped in the center of the ice cube, and a twisting mechanism for ice release without a heater, utilizing a thermistor-controlled air flow system to maintain optimal freezing temperatures.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If conventional ice making appliances use heaters to facilitate ice release, then ice harvesting is enabled, but energy consumption increases and device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the heater component from the ice making appliance entirely. Instead of using thermal energy to facilitate ice release, the invention relies on the natural thermal contraction of the ice mold and mechanical twisting action to release ice cubes, thereby eliminating the energy consumption and complexity associated with heating systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The ice mold is designed to automatically facilitate ice release through its own thermal properties and mechanical action. The mold's material and geometry are engineered to create sufficient thermal contraction and mechanical leverage during the freezing and harvesting cycles, allowing the system to serve itself without external heating assistance.
2Productivity
If conventional ice making appliances produce ice quickly, then productivity increases, but impurities and air pockets are trapped in the ice cubes
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a seed fill step before the main water fill. A small amount of water is introduced first, frozen partially, and then the remaining water is added. This preliminary action creates a controlled freezing front that moves upward, preventing air pockets and impurities from becoming trapped in the final ice product while maintaining rapid overall production.
Solution Approach 2:
The ice mold is designed with varying wall thicknesses and thermal conductivities at different locations. The bottom and sides have higher thermal conductivity to promote rapid freezing from those directions, while the top allows slower freezing to expel impurities upward. This spatial variation in thermal properties enables both fast production and high clarity.
3Volume of moving object
If the ice mold depth is increased to produce larger ice cubes, then volume increases, but freezing time increases and productivity decreases
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of increasing ice cube volume solely by increasing depth, the patent optimizes the width and surface area of the ice cubes. By distributing the volume across multiple dimensions (wider and shallower rather than deeper and narrower), the freezing time is reduced while still achieving the desired ice cube volume, thereby maintaining productivity.
Solution Approach 2:
The ice mold contains multiple ice cube cavities arranged in a grid pattern. This segmentation allows simultaneous freezing of multiple cubes, increasing overall productivity. Each individual cube maintains optimized dimensions for rapid freezing, while the collective output meets high volume requirements.
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 solution enables the production of clear ice with increased efficiency and reduced energy consumption by directing impurities to the top of the ice cube and using waste heat for temperature control, resulting in faster freezing times and higher ice production rates while eliminating the need for a heater during ice harvesting.
Implementation Method 1
rotating the ice mold clockwise from about 30 degrees to about 50 degrees from horizontal and thereafter pausing for first period of time of at least about 3 seconds
Implementation Method 2
plurality of heat sinks engaged to the bottom of each ice well of the ice mold
Implementation Method 3
a thermistor in electrical communication with the control positioned above the ice mold
Implementation Method 4
a heater disposed above the ice mold and in electrical communication with a control
Implementation Method 5
The ice mold is configured to release the ice cubes by twisting the ice mold and without the use of a heater
Data Source
AI summary
An aspect of the present disclosure is generally directed to an ice making appliance that includes: an ice making compartment and an ice maker including an ice mold having a total water capacity. The ice mold includes a plurality of ice wells and is configured to release the ice cubes without the use of a heater and by twisting the ice mold. The ice wells are typically no more than about 12.2 mm in depth from a top surface of the ice mold and have a volume of about 20 mL or less. The ice maker is capable of producing at least about 3.5 lbs. of ice or more in a 24 hour span.