Flexible Ice Bin Auger for One-by-One Ice Discharge
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Solution Overview
Problem
Ice pieces stored in refrigerator ice bins often stick together, making smooth discharge difficult and leading to inconsistent or excessive ice discharge when attempting to remove them.
Innovation Solution
An auger with spiral-shaped transfer blades is designed to rotate and transfer ice pieces one by one, featuring a configuration that prevents crushing and allows for precise control of ice discharge, including a flexible material and a grind chamber with an ice grinder for adjusting ice size.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If ice pieces are stored in a large quantity in the storage chamber, then the ice bin can meet user demand, but the ice pieces stick together making discharge difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The auger is equipped with spiral-shaped transfer blades that divide the storage chamber into multiple spaces, with each space accommodating exactly one ice piece. This segmentation prevents ice pieces from sticking together by providing individual compartments, while still allowing large quantities of ice to be stored across multiple compartments.
2Productivity
If ice pieces are discharged from the storage chamber, then user demand is met, but the ice pieces may be crushed varying the discharge amount
Solution Approach 1:
The spiral transfer blades create discrete spaces that hold individual ice pieces during transfer. This segmentation ensures that ice pieces are moved one at a time through the auger mechanism, preventing crushing and maintaining consistent discharge amounts.
Solution Approach 2:
The auger is made of flexible material that can adapt to the shape and size of ice pieces without crushing them. The flexibility allows the auger to gently accommodate various ice piece geometries while maintaining the integrity of each piece during the discharge process.
3Device complexity
If a conventional auger design is used, then the structure is simple, but ice pieces cannot be discharged one by one regularly
Solution Approach 1:
The spiral-shaped transfer blades are designed with specific spacing to create individual spaces for each ice piece. This segmented structure naturally enforces regular discharge by allowing only one ice piece per space, achieving precise control without complex mechanisms.
Solution Approach 2:
The auger rotates in periodic cycles, with each rotation delivering a predetermined number of ice pieces based on the spacing of the transfer blades. This periodic rotation ensures regular, consistent discharge intervals while maintaining a relatively simple mechanical structure.
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
Enables regular, uncrushed discharge of individual ice pieces and prevents excessive ice discharge, ensuring consistent and efficient ice delivery based on user selection.
Implementation Method 1
an auger having a rotational axis about which the auger is rotatable; and spiral-shaped transfer blades extending in a circumferential direction along the rotational axis of the auger
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed is the auger in an ice bin mounted in a refrigerator, and the like. The auger in the ice bin is configured to rotate an auger having spiral-shaped transfer blades and to dispose ice in each space between the transfer blades of the auger for transfer. Accordingly, a certain amount of ice can always be discharged without simultaneously discharging a great amount of ice, and a user may select the number of ice, thus to diversity functions of an ice dispenser. In addition, since the auger is made of a flexible material, the ice can be prevented from being crushed during transfer, thereby enhancing the reliability of the ice dispenser.