Clear Icemaker Mold with Angled Bottom Walls for Gravity Harvesting
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional icemakers in refrigerators produce cloudy or opaque ice cubes, are energy-intensive, and occupy valuable space, making it difficult to maintain a sufficient supply of ice during high demand periods.
Innovation Solution
The icemaker features a mold body with angled bottom wall segments that facilitate the formation and harvesting of clear ice cubes by directing water flow and chilled air to form ice cubes quickly and efficiently, while occupying a smaller volume.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If stationary water is frozen within a mold body to form ice cubes, then ice cubes can be produced, but the ice cubes become cloudy or opaque
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of freezing water from the bottom up in a traditional mold, the patent inverts the approach by using a water flow that freezes from the top surface downward. The water distribution manifold positioned above the ice cavity allows water to flow over the back wall and freeze progressively, creating clear ice cubes by eliminating trapped air bubbles that cause cloudiness in conventional freezing methods.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the freezing parameters by controlling water flow rate, temperature distribution, and freeze direction. By adjusting these parameters - specifically flowing water at controlled rates over the back wall while maintaining appropriate temperatures - the system produces clear ice cubes rather than cloudy ones, directly addressing the manufacturing precision issue.
2Productivity
If a heater and auger are used to harvest ice cubes from the mold body, then ice cubes can be collected, but energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the conventional mechanical harvesting system (heater and auger) with a gravity-based passive harvesting mechanism. The angled bottom wall segments create a slope that allows ice cubes to automatically slide down and be collected without requiring mechanical agitation or thermal energy input, significantly reducing energy consumption while maintaining productivity.
Solution Approach 2:
The ice making system is designed to be self-harvesting through the angled bottom walls that utilize gravity to automatically move formed ice cubes out of the cavity and into collection areas. This self-service mechanism eliminates the need for external energy input to facilitate ice cube release and collection.
3Productivity
If ice formation is performed within a traditional mold body, then ice cubes can be produced, but the process is relatively slow
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements continuous water flow through the ice cavity via the distribution manifold, allowing uninterrupted freezing action. Water continuously flows over the back wall and freezes progressively, maintaining continuous ice production rather than batch processing, which increases the production rate and reduces the time to maintain sufficient ice supply during high demand periods.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transitions from traditional single-point or single-area freezing to a distributed three-dimensional freezing approach. The water distribution manifold creates multiple freeze fronts throughout the ice cavity volume, with water freezing along the back wall and throughout the cavity space simultaneously, dramatically increasing the effective freezing surface area and production rate.
4Productivity
If a traditional mold body is used for ice making, then ice cubes can be produced, but the icemaker occupies large volumes of space
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a compact nested arrangement where the water distribution manifold is positioned within or adjacent to the mold body structure, and the angled bottom walls are integrated into the cavity formation. This nesting of components - with the manifold, walls, and cavity working in a tightly integrated fashion - reduces the overall volume required for the icemaker while maintaining full ice production capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent utilizes vertical space more efficiently by positioning the water distribution manifold above the ice cavity and using vertical water flow paths. The angled bottom walls create a compact three-dimensional geometry that maximizes ice production volume while minimizing the horizontal footprint, effectively using another dimension (vertical orientation) to reduce overall space 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
This design enables the production of clear ice cubes efficiently and quickly, reducing energy consumption and space usage within the refrigerator.
Implementation Method 1
liquid water is directed to the icemaker and frozen
Implementation Method 2
The duct extends between the evaporator and the door such that the chilled air is flowable through the duct from the evaporator towards the icemaker to cool the icemaker
Data Source
AI summary
A refrigerator appliance includes an icemaker having a mold body that defines an ice cavity. The ice cavity is defined at least in part by a bottom wall positioned at a bottom portion of ice cavity and a back wall positioned at a rear portion of the ice cavity. First and second bottom wall segments are positioned and oriented such that an upper surface of the first bottom wall segment defines a first angle with a front surface of the back wall and such that an upper surface of the second bottom wall segment defines a second angle with the front surface of the back wall.