False-Bottom Ice Storage for Contaminated Ice Separation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing ice machines do not effectively isolate and remove contaminated ice without exposing it to clean ice, posing a risk of cross-contamination.
Innovation Solution
A multi-level storage ice machine with a movable panel that separates clean and contaminated ice, utilizing a track system and drain mechanism to segregate and dispose of contaminated ice without mixing it with clean ice.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If contaminated ice is removed from the ice machine, then hygiene and cleanliness are improved, but the risk of cross-contamination to clean ice increases during the removal process
Solution Approach 1:
The ice storage chamber is divided into two separate compartments: a clean ice storage chamber and a contaminated ice storage chamber. This segmentation physically isolates contaminated ice from clean ice, allowing removal of contaminated ice without exposing it to clean ice, thereby eliminating cross-contamination risk while maintaining ease of operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The false bottom panel is extracted and removed from the contaminated ice storage chamber to release trapped contaminated ice into a collection pan. This extraction mechanism enables complete removal of contaminated ice without manual contact or exposure to the clean ice storage chamber, resolving both hygiene and operational ease requirements.
2Reliability
If a false bottom panel is added to separate clean and contaminated ice, then cross-contamination is prevented, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
A false bottom panel creates a structural division within the ice storage chamber, forming separate clean and contaminated ice storage chambers. This segmentation ensures reliable isolation of ice types while maintaining a relatively simple overall structure that does not significantly increase device complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The false bottom panel is designed to be movable rather than fixed, allowing it to be extracted when needed to release contaminated ice. This dynamic design provides the reliability of separation during storage while simplifying the removal process, balancing structural integrity with operational ease.
3Reliability
If contaminated ice is trapped in a lower chamber, then separation from clean ice is achieved, but difficulty in removing trapped ice increases
Solution Approach 1:
The false bottom panel is designed as a movable component that can be extracted from the contaminated ice storage chamber. When extracted, it releases any trapped contaminated ice into a collection pan, ensuring complete removal without manual intervention. This dynamic design maintains reliable separation during storage while eliminating removal difficulty.
Solution Approach 2:
The false bottom panel itself is extracted to release trapped contaminated ice. This extraction mechanism ensures that no ice remains trapped in the lower chamber, as the panel removal creates a direct path for ice to fall into the collection pan, resolving the removal difficulty while maintaining separation effectiveness.
4Ease of operation
If a movable panel with track system is used for ice release, then controlled separation is achieved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The false bottom panel is designed to move along a track system within the ice storage chamber. This dynamic mechanism allows controlled release of contaminated ice by sliding the panel to a predetermined position, providing ease of operation through simple, guided motion while keeping the overall device complexity manageable through the use of a straightforward track design.
Data Source
AI summary
The multi-level storage assembly for storing clean ice discretely from contaminated ice includes a housing that may contain ice. A panel is movably coupled to the housing. The panel defines an upper portion and a lower portion of an interior of the housing. The upper portion stores the clean ice. The lower portion stores the contaminated ice. A drain is coupled to the housing.