Clear Ice Mold Assembly With Zoned Thermal Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing ice making appliances produce cloudy or opaque ice due to trapped impurities and gases, and require larger ice billets for clear ice, which is inefficient and risks cracking from temperature gradients.
Innovation Solution
An ice making assembly with a conductive ice mold, insulation jacket, and sealed refrigeration system, including a water dispenser that directs an ice-building spray and a separate ice-reducing spray to control freezing and release, ensuring even heat distribution and preventing impurity entrapment.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If a large ice billet is formed to ensure clear ice, then ice clarity is improved, but energy consumption and production time increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The mold has different thermal conductivity regions: the bottom portion is made of thermally conductive material to promote rapid freezing and impurity expulsion, while the upper portion uses thermally insulating material to maintain a stable temperature gradient. This localized quality differentiation enables clear ice formation with reduced energy input compared to uniformly insulated or conductive molds.
2Manufacturing precision
If a large ice billet is formed to ensure clear ice, then ice clarity is improved, but production time increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The differentiated thermal conductivity structure accelerates the freezing process by concentrating heat extraction at the bottom where it is most needed for impurity expulsion, while the insulated upper portion prevents excessive heat loss that would extend freezing time. This enables rapid production of clear ice billets.
3Manufacturing precision
If a large ice billet is formed to ensure clear ice, then ice clarity is improved, but the risk of cracking increases due to temperature gradients
Solution Approach 1:
The insulated upper portion of the mold maintains a more uniform temperature in the upper ice region, reducing thermal stress and cracking risk. The conductive bottom portion is designed to manage heat extraction in a controlled manner that promotes clear ice formation without creating excessive temperature differentials that would cause structural failure.
4Manufacturing precision
If impurities and gases are allowed to escape during freezing, then ice clarity is improved, but the freezing process becomes less controllable
Solution Approach 1:
The mold is segmented into distinct functional zones: a thermally conductive bottom portion that actively promotes impurity and gas escape through controlled heat extraction, and a thermally insulating upper portion that stabilizes the freezing front. This segmentation allows impurity expulsion while maintaining overall process control through predictable thermal behavior in each zone.
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
Enables rapid and reliable production of substantially clear ice billets, reducing energy consumption and minimizing the risk of cracking, while maintaining efficient ice formation and release.
Implementation Method 1
The mold includes a conductive ice mold and an insulation jacket. The conductive ice mold defines an upper portion of a mold cavity... The insulation jacket defines a lower portion of the mold cavity... the sealed refrigeration system includes an evaporator in conductive thermal communication with the conductive ice mold
Implementation Method 2
The plurality of cavities can be filled with liquid water, and such liquid water can freeze within the plurality of cavities to form solid ice cubes... the sealed refrigeration system includes an evaporator in conductive thermal communication with the conductive ice mold
Implementation Method 3
The water dispenser is positioned below the insulation jacket to direct an ice-building spray of water to the mold cavity through the vertically open passage of the insulation jacket
Data Source
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AI summary
An ice making assembly (102) comprising a conductive ice mold (160), an insulation jacket (162), and a water dispenser (132). The conductive ice mold (160) may define an upper portion (136A) of a mold cavity (136) extending from a top end (164) to a bottom end (166). The insulation jacket (162) may extend downward from the conductive ice mold (160). The insulation jacket (162) may define a lower portion (136B) of the mold cavity (136). The lower portion (136B) of the mold cavity (136) may be a vertically open passage aligned with the upper portion (136A) of the mold cavity (136). The water dispenser (132) may be positioned below the insulation jacket (162) to direct an ice-building spray of water to the mold cavity (136) through the vertically open passage of the insulation jacket (162).