Horizontal clear ice maker
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Solution Overview
Problem
Forming clear ice in appliances plumbed to water supplies is challenging due to the accumulation of dissolved solids, which can affect ice maker performance and cloud the ice, making it less desirable for consumers.
Innovation Solution
An ice maker design featuring a freezing plate with upwardly facing partitions that divide the surface into bays, a reservoir, a manifold with outlets, a pump to circulate deionized water, and an air conduit to chill the plate, allowing for efficient formation of clear ice cubes while preventing solid accumulation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If water from water supply is used for ice formation, then the ice maker can operate continuously, but dissolved solids accumulate and cloud the ice
Solution Approach 1:
The ice formation surface is divided into multiple bays by partitions, creating separate zones for ice formation. This segmentation allows different water quality requirements in different areas and prevents solid accumulation from affecting the entire ice maker.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts and removes dissolved solids from the water supply before ice formation through filtration systems. The manifold system also extracts pure water from the reservoir to specific bay areas, separating pure water from impurities.
2Device complexity
If traditional ice maker design is used, then the structure is simple, but clear ice formation is difficult to achieve
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a horizontal ice formation dimension with multiple bays arranged side-by-side, rather than traditional vertical or single-zone formation. This dimensional change allows for better control of water flow and heat distribution, enabling clear ice formation.
Solution Approach 2:
The manifold system acts as an intermediary between the water reservoir and ice formation bays, precisely controlling water distribution. The air conduit system serves as an intermediary for heat transfer, enabling controlled freezing conditions for clear ice.
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 design enables the production of clear, uniform ice cubes by filtering out impurities and using chilled air to freeze water, improving ice maker performance and user preference.
Implementation Method 1
heat transfer between liquid water in the ice maker and refrigerant of the sealed system generates the ice
Implementation Method 2
An air conduit is positioned below the freezing plate. The air conduit is configured for guiding a flow of air through the air conduit to chill the freezing plate
Implementation Method 3
A pump is operable to flow water from the reservoir to the manifold
Data Source
AI summary
An ice maker for an appliance includes a freezing plate having an upwardly facing ice formation surface. A plurality of partitions is positioned on the freezing plate. The plurality of partitions divides the ice formation surface into a plurality of bays. A reservoir is positioned below the freezing plate. A manifold has a plurality of outlets directed towards the plurality of bays on the ice formation surface. A pump is operable to flow water from the reservoir to the manifold. An air conduit is positioned below the freezing plate. The air conduit is configured for guiding a flow of air through the air conduit to chill the freezing plate.