Countertop Water Dispenser Ice Maker With Filtered Tank Buffer
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing ice makers and water dispensers are either cumbersome when integrated or inefficient when separate, with standalone ice makers facing challenges in maintaining a steady water supply and dealing with contaminants that affect ice quality and appliance performance.
Innovation Solution
A countertop appliance with a modular design, featuring a water path with filters, a dispenser valve, an output storage tank, and an internal storage valve, which provides a filtered water supply to an ice maker, ensuring a steady and clean water source for ice production.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a stand-alone ice maker is used, then independence from refrigerator appliances is achieved, but difficulty in maintaining a steady water supply occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The patent incorporates a storage tank that pre-accumulates water before it is needed for ice making. This preliminary storage of water ensures that when the ice maker operates, there is already a sufficient supply available, eliminating the reliability issue of maintaining steady water supply while keeping the appliance stand-alone and independent.
2Device complexity
If water is supplied directly to the ice maker, then simplicity is maintained, but contaminants affect ice quality and appliance performance
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a storage tank as an intermediary component between the water source and the ice maker. This intermediate storage allows for settling of contaminants and provides a buffer that improves ice quality without significantly complicating the overall system design, thus resolving the contradiction between simplicity and contaminant removal.
3Area of stationary object
If integrated appliances are used, then space efficiency is improved, but cumbersome operation and difficulty in management occur
Solution Approach 1:
The patent designs a stand-alone ice maker as a separate, modular unit that can be independently operated and managed. This segmentation from refrigerator appliances maintains space efficiency on countertops while improving ease of operation, as each unit can be managed separately without the complexity of integrated systems.
4Adaptability or versatility
If separate ice makers and water dispensers are used, then functional independence is achieved, but inefficiency due to lack of cooperation occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the water dispenser and ice maker into a single integrated unit with shared components such as the storage tank and water supply system. This merging maintains functional independence for each feature while improving operational efficiency through cooperative operation of shared resources, eliminating the waste and inefficiency of completely separate appliances.
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 efficient and independent operation of water dispensing and ice making, improving ice quality and extending appliance life by providing a filtered and consistent water supply, while allowing for easy management and placement.
Implementation Method 1
The water filter may be disposed along the water path to filter water from the water inlet
Implementation Method 2
The internal storage valve may be disposed along the second water line downstream from the water filter. The internal storage valve may be configured to maintain the preset volume of water within the output storage tank
Implementation Method 3
The ice maker may be downstream from the output storage tank to receive water therefrom
Data Source
AI summary
A countertop appliance, as provided herein, may include a dispenser casing, a water path, a water filter, a dispenser valve, an output storage tank, an internal storage valve, and an ice maker. The dispenser casing may define an interior cavity. The water path may be enclosed within the interior cavity. The water path may define a water inlet and an assembly water outlet. The output storage tank may be disposed along the water path to hold a preset volume of water upstream from the assembly water outlet. The internal storage valve may be disposed along the water path and configured to maintain the preset volume of water within the output storage tank. The ice maker may be downstream from the output storage tank to receive water therefrom.