Vertical Ice Maker Using Continuous Flow for Clear Ice
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing ice makers produce cloudy or impure ice due to air bubbles and imperfections, and current solutions either require frequent water addition or large water flow, leading to inefficient ice production and quality issues.
Innovation Solution
An ice making assembly with an upper fluid chamber supplying fluid to vertical channels, where ice forming members are cooled by the refrigerant circulation system, allowing continuous fluid flow and recirculation, preventing air bubbles and enabling clear ice formation with minimal water usage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If water is agitated or moved in an ice tray during freezing, then clear ice pieces are produced, but water must be added every new freezing cycle and minerals concentrate in the pan
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements continuous water flow over the vertical ice-forming plate throughout the freezing process, eliminating the need to stop and add water. The water circulation system maintains constant movement of water across the freezing surface, ensuring continuous ice formation without interruption and preventing mineral concentration through constant dilution.
Solution Approach 2:
The system recycles and recirculates water that flows over the ice-forming plate, directing it back into the water supply reservoir. This recovery process prevents water loss and minimizes mineral concentration by continuously circulating fresh water through the system rather than allowing stagnant water to accumulate.
2Manufacturing precision
If multiple spaced points contact the evaporator line to freeze water in layers, then ice pieces with higher purity are produced, but large spaces must be left between contact points to prevent ice bridges
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions from horizontal spacing of freezing points to a vertical arrangement where multiple contact points are stacked vertically along the evaporator line. Water flows downward in a thin film across these vertically arranged points, allowing close spacing without ice bridge formation while maintaining high purity through continuous flow and layer-by-layer freezing.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses hydraulic flow of water over the vertical ice-forming plate to control the freezing process. The continuous water flow creates a thin film that freezes in controlled layers as it passes over the evaporator contact points, eliminating the need for large spaces between points while preventing ice bridges through proper flow management.
3Device complexity
If the main evaporator is used for ice formation, then the system utilizes existing refrigerator components, but the icemaker system must be configured around the evaporator location
Solution Approach 1:
The patent designs a self-contained ice-making module that can function with various evaporator configurations and locations within the refrigerator. The vertical ice-forming plate with integrated water circulation and evaporator contact points creates a universal design that can be adapted to different refrigerator layouts without requiring the entire system to be configured around the evaporator position.
4Ease of operation
If ice pieces are collected in an ice bin, then ice storage is simplified, but ice pieces melt over time resulting in diminished ice quality
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts ice pieces from the main refrigerator compartment where temperature fluctuations cause melting. By providing a dedicated ice storage bucket within the freezer compartment, the system separates ice storage from the primary refrigeration space, exposing ice to more stable, colder temperatures that prevent melting and maintain quality while still allowing easy access.
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 effectively produces clear ice pieces with minimal water consumption, preventing air bubbles and maintaining high ice quality by continuously recycling fluid and using a dedicated evaporator, allowing for flexible placement within various refrigerator configurations.
Implementation Method 1
Ice forming members of an evaporator extend into the substantially vertical fluid channels and are cooled by communication with the refrigerant circulation system of the refrigerator. During an ice making cycle, fluid is continuously supplied to the upper fluid chamber, resulting in streams or sheets of fluid flowing through each of the substantially vertical fluid channels and cascading over the ice forming members therein. Fluid contacting the ice forming members freezes, forming clear ice pieces
Implementation Method 2
A pump is utilized to recirculate fluid from the fluid reservoir to the upper fluid chamber
Implementation Method 3
During an ice harvest event, the ice forming members are heated to release ice pieces formed thereon, and the ice pieces are released from the ice maker
Data Source
AI summary
An ice making assembly and method utilizes a housing having an upper fluid chamber, a plurality of distinct, substantially vertical fluid channels, and at least one drain aperture in fluid communication with a fluid reservoir. Ice forming members extend from an ice forming evaporator into respective fluid channels. During an ice making event, fluid continuously supplied to the upper fluid chamber flows into each of the fluid channels and out through at least one drain aperture into a fluid reservoir below. The ice forming members are cooled such that fluid flowing across the fluid channels freezes on the ice forming members over time, forming clear ice pieces. The ice pieces are subsequently released from the ice forming members and transferred for storage and/or dispensing.