Horizontal Ice Bank Mounting for Spill-Free Refrigerator Ice Removal
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional ice making systems for refrigerators face difficulties in detaching the ice bank without spilling ice pieces and inefficient use of freezing chamber space, making it hard for users to access and store ice effectively.
Innovation Solution
An ice making system with a base member, icemaker, and a horizontally detachable ice bank that prevents ice spillage during detachment, featuring a detachable mounting unit and an ice crusher assembly for easy operation and enhanced spatial utilization of the freezing chamber.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the ice bank is detachably mounted to the refrigerator door in a vertical direction, then the ice bank can be removed for use, but the user has difficulty in detaching the ice bank and ice pieces may be discharged during detachment
Solution Approach 1:
The patent inverts the conventional vertical detachment direction to a horizontal direction. The ice bank is detachably mounted to the rear surface of the base member in a horizontal direction, allowing users to easily detach it by simply pulling it horizontally without lifting. This inversion eliminates the difficulty of vertical alignment and prevents ice pieces from spilling during the detachment process.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the detachment dimension from vertical to horizontal. By mounting the ice bank to detach in the horizontal direction rather than vertically, the system transforms the operation into a simpler side-to-side motion that is easier to perform and prevents ice pieces from falling out during removal.
2Productivity
If the icemaker is mounted to the refrigerator body in the freezing chamber, then ice pieces can be made, but the freezing chamber has insufficient space
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the ice bank from the conventional location on the refrigerator door and relocates it to be detachably mounted on the rear surface of the base member. This extraction and relocation allows the ice making system to be integrated into the base member structure, freeing up space in the freezing chamber while maintaining ice making capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The base member serves multiple functions: it acts as the mounting structure for the icemaker, provides the horizontal detachment mechanism for the ice bank, and optimizes space utilization in the freezing chamber. This multi-functionality resolves the contradiction between maintaining ice making capability and preserving freezing chamber space.
Data Source
AI summary
An ice making system for a refrigerator includes a base member; an icemaker mounted to the base member for making ice pieces; a driving unit mounted to a rear surface of the base member such that a motor shaft thereof is in a horizontal state; an ice bank horizontally inserted into the base member in a detachable manner, for storing the ice pieces made by the icemaker; a detachable mounting unit for detachably mounting the ice bank to the base member; and an ice crusher assembly provided at the ice bank so as to be connected to or separated from the driving unit, for crushing the ice pieces. Since the ice bank has only to be horizontally pushed into the base member for coupling, or horizontally pulled out of the base member for separation, processes for coupling or separating the ice bank to/from the base member are facilitated.