Door-Mounted Ice Maker Cool Air Guide Design to Reduce Ice Making Time
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing refrigerators experience delays in ice making due to cool air moving downward and directly contacting ice cubes, causing them to adhere to each other, which slows down the ice production process.
Innovation Solution
A refrigerator design featuring a cool air guide system with a first guide that directs cool air to surround the ice maker's bottom surface and a second guide that intensively cools the upper and lateral surfaces, enhancing cooling efficiency and preventing ice cubes from adhering to each other.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If cool air inlet port is formed in upper area of ice making chamber, then cool air can be supplied to ice maker, but ice making time is delayed
Solution Approach 1:
The ice making chamber is divided into upper and lower portions with separate cool air inlet ports. The upper inlet port supplies cool air to the upper area, while the lower inlet port supplies cool air to the lower area where the ice maker is located. This segmentation allows targeted cooling of different regions, improving cooling efficiency and reducing ice making time.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of a single upper inlet port, the invention introduces a lower inlet port at a different vertical dimension. This creates multiple cooling zones and allows cool air to reach the ice maker more directly and efficiently, reducing the time required for ice formation.
2Temperature
If cool air moves downward through ice maker, then cooling is provided, but ice cubes adhere to each other in ice bank
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts or removes the harmful effect of downward-moving cool air that causes ice cube adhesion. By introducing a lower cool air inlet port and using guide members, the cool air flow is redirected to move horizontally or upward through the ice bank area, preventing ice cubes from adhering while still providing effective cooling.
Solution Approach 2:
Guide members are introduced as intermediary structures to control and redirect the cool air flow. These guide members prevent cool air from directly contacting the ice cubes in a manner that causes adhesion, while still allowing the cooling function to be performed effectively.
3Adaptability or versatility
If ice maker is separated from freezing chamber door, then installation is flexible, but cool air passage efficiency is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The cooling system is segmented into multiple inlet ports (upper and lower) positioned at different locations. This segmentation allows the ice maker to be positioned flexibly while ensuring that cool air can reach it efficiently through multiple pathways, maintaining both installation flexibility and cooling efficiency.
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 significantly reduces ice making time and prevents ice cubes from adhering, thereby enhancing the ice making capability and efficiency of the ice maker.
Implementation Method 1
a cool air guide 180 configured to guide cool air to the surroundings of the ice maker 151
Implementation Method 2
cool air to surround the ice maker's bottom surface and a second guide that intensively cools the upper and lateral surfaces
Implementation Method 3
water accommodated within the ice-making tray 45 may be cooled down to make ice
Data Source
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AI summary
The present disclosure relates to a refrigerator, and the refrigerator may include a refrigerator body (110) formed with a storage chamber (121) to store foods; a door (131) configured to open or close the storage chamber (121); an ice maker (151) mounted on the door (131); an ice making cover (141) accommodated with the ice maker (151) thereinside and formed with a cool air inlet port (143) for inhaling cool air at an upper portion thereof; and an ice bank (170) provided at a lower portion of the ice maker (151) to store ice, wherein the ice maker (151) includes a first guide (181) coupled to a lower portion of the ice maker (151) to guide cool air to pass through the lower portion of the ice maker (151); and a second guide (191) provided at an upper side of the ice maker (151) to guide cool air inhaled through the cool air inlet port (143) to be branched off and flowed into the upper and lower portions of the ice maker (151). Due to this, it may be possible to enhance the ice making capability of the ice maker (151).