Dual-Tray Icemaker Rotation Control for Continuous Ice Production
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional automatic icemakers are inefficient as they can only produce ice using one face of the icemaking tray at a time, leading to reduced productivity.
Innovation Solution
An automatic icemaker design featuring two icemaking trays arranged back-to-back, with temperature sensors and a signal processor controlling the rotation of the trays to ensure efficient ice production by utilizing one tray while the other is producing ice, and preventing ice or water from dropping during the freezing process.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If a single icemaking tray is used, then the structure is simple, but ice production efficiency is low
Solution Approach 1:
The icemaking system is divided into two separate trays (first and second icemaking trays) that can operate independently. Each tray has its own compartments for making ice, allowing simultaneous ice production on both trays without increasing overall system complexity
Solution Approach 2:
Two icemaking trays are combined into a single integrated assembly that rotates together as one unit. This merging allows both trays to be controlled by a single motor while maintaining independent ice-making capability, resolving the contradiction between productivity improvement and device complexity
2Duration of action of moving object
If the icemaking tray is turned over early, then the freezing cycle is shortened, but ice or water drops out of the compartment
Solution Approach 1:
Temperature detecting sensors monitor the temperature of the icemaking tray or ice within compartments and provide feedback to the signal processor. The system waits until the temperature stabilizes near 0°C before turning over the tray, ensuring ice is properly formed and retained without extending the freezing cycle unnecessarily
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary temperature monitoring and stabilization before the tray turnover action. By detecting when the temperature has stabilized near 0°C, the system ensures that ice is sufficiently formed and will not drop out during rotation, preventing reliability issues before they occur
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 allows for continuous ice production with both trays, enhancing efficiency and ensuring that ice or water does not drop during the freezing process, thereby maintaining productivity and preventing loss.
Implementation Method 1
a first and a second temperature detecting sensor for detecting the temperature of the first and the second ice making tray or the temperature of ice within a compartment of the first and the second ice making tray
Implementation Method 2
when the temperature of an upward-looking ice making tray, or the temperature of the ice within a compartment of the upward-looking ice making tray, has become stabilized in the neighborhood of 0° C., the water at the surface of the opening of the compartment of the ice making tray and the water in contact with the ice making tray, upward-looking, is already frozen. Therefore, even if the icemaking portion in this state is turned over, the ice or water in the process of being frozen will never drop out of the compartments of the ice making tray
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed is an automatic icemaker has a rotatably supported ice making portion having first and second ice making trays arranged in a back-to-back manner, a motor for rotating the ice making portion, a first and a second temperature detecting sensors for detecting the temperature of the first and second ice making tray or the temperature of ice within a compartment of the first and second ice making tray, and a signal processor for controlling the motor to turn over the ice making portion after the temperature of the first or second ice making tray, or the temperature of ice within a compartment of the first or second ice making tray, looking upward, detected by the first temperature detecting sensor or the second temperature detecting sensor has become stabilized in the vicinity of 0° C.