Heated Optical Ice Level Sensing for Refrigerator Ice Makers
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Solution Overview
Problem
In refrigerators with ice makers, mechanical full ice detection levers can become frozen, leading to incorrect determination of ice container fullness, resulting in continuous ice supply and overflow.
Innovation Solution
An ice detecting sensor, potentially heated, is used to determine the fullness of the ice container by detecting infrared signals, avoiding mechanical lever issues and ensuring accurate detection.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If a mechanical full ice detection lever is used, then the structure is simple, but the reliability deteriorates when the lever becomes frozen
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical full ice detection lever with an optical sensor system. The optical sensor emits light and detects its reflection to determine ice level, eliminating the mechanical components that become frozen and unreliable. This substitution maintains simplicity while dramatically improving reliability in cold environments.
2Use of energy by moving object
If the ice detecting sensor is not heated, then energy consumption is low, but the sensor becomes frozen and detection accuracy deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies a heater to the optical sensor to change its temperature parameter, preventing the sensor from freezing in the cold ice maker environment. This temperature parameter change ensures the sensor remains operational and accurate without requiring excessive energy consumption.
3Device complexity
If the mechanical detection lever is used, then the device complexity is low, but the detection precision deteriorates when ice accumulates around the lever
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical detection lever with an optical sensor that detects ice level through light reflection principles. This eliminates the problem of ice accumulating around mechanical components and interfering with detection, while maintaining simple device architecture. The optical method provides accurate detection regardless of ice accumulation patterns.
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 ice detecting sensor effectively prevents ice overflow by accurately determining the fullness of the ice container, even when mechanical levers are frozen, ensuring proper operation of the ice maker.
Implementation Method 1
An ice detecting sensor, potentially heated, is used to determine the fullness of the ice container by detecting infrared signals
Implementation Method 2
The ice detecting sensor may also be heated by a heater
Data Source
AI summary
An ice detecting apparatus for an ice maker provided in a refrigerator includes an ice maker, and an ice detecting sensor attached to the ice maker and detecting an amount of ice collected in an ice container. The ice detecting sensor includes at least one optical transmitter or emitter provided on one side of the ice maker and at least one receiver at another side of the ice maker. The optical transmitter and receiver are separated by a prescribed distance and, at least one heater is provided to generate heat to be transferred to at least one of the optical transmitter or receiver.