Ice Bucket Airflow Structure for Reliable Full-Ice Detection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing refrigerators with ice-making devices struggle to efficiently circulate cool air within the ice bucket to prevent ice melting and accurately detect when the ice bucket is full, leading to inefficiencies in ice production and storage.
Innovation Solution
The design incorporates a cool air communication system with a dividing wall and guide ribs within the ice bucket to facilitate cool air circulation, along with an optical sensor and control unit for reliable full-ice detection, ensuring effective air flow and accurate ice level monitoring.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If cool air is supplied to the ice bucket to prevent ice melting, then ice freshness is maintained, but the air circulation efficiency within the ice bucket is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The ice bucket interior is segmented into multiple regions using guide ribs and a dividing wall. The guide ribs create separate flow paths between the cool air inlet and outlet, while the dividing wall further partitions the space. This segmentation prevents dead zones and ensures comprehensive air circulation throughout the ice bucket, improving both cooling efficiency and air flow productivity.
Solution Approach 2:
The dividing wall is positioned to create different flow characteristics in different regions of the ice bucket. By strategically placing the dividing wall and guide ribs, the patent optimizes air flow distribution locally - ensuring that areas prone to poor circulation receive enhanced cool air flow, thereby maintaining uniform ice freshness across all regions.
2Measurement precision
If an optical sensor is used for full-ice detection, then detection accuracy can be improved, but the reliability of detection is reduced due to improper sensor mounting
Solution Approach 1:
The patent pre-establishes an optimal mounting structure for the optical sensor before detection occurs. The sensor is mounted at a specific position and angle that is predetermined to provide the best detection performance. This preliminary configuration ensures that when full-ice detection is needed, the sensor is already in the optimal position, guaranteeing both accuracy and reliability without requiring adjustment during operation.
3Ease of manufacture
If the ice bucket structure is simplified, then manufacturing ease is improved, but cool air circulation capability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of creating a complex external structure, the patent uses internal segmentation elements (guide ribs and dividing wall) that are integrated into the ice bucket's existing structure. These elements are designed to be manufactured as part of the ice bucket mold, adding minimal manufacturing steps while dramatically improving air circulation capability through the creation of defined flow paths.
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
This solution enhances cool air circulation within the ice bucket, maintaining ice freshness and improving the reliability of full-ice detection, optimizing ice production and storage processes.
Implementation Method 1
an optical sensor and control unit for reliable full-ice detection
Implementation Method 2
an optical sensor serving as a full-ice detecting sensor to provide a mounting structure of the optical sensor capable of increasing reliability of detecting full ice
Implementation Method 3
a cool air flow structure and a full-ice detecting structure of an ice bucket... Cool air is needed to be supplied to the ice bucket to prevent the ice stored at the ice bucket from melting
Implementation Method 4
to supply cool air to the ice bucket to cool the ice stored at the ice bucket
Data Source
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AI summary
A refrigerator is provided. The refrigerator includes a body (10) having a storage compartment (21,22), an ice making device (80), and an ice bucket (110) to store the generated ice. The ice bucket (110) includes an ice bucket body, an ice storage space (101) inside the ice bucket body, and a spacing member (130,131,133,136) to allow ice to be spaced apart from the ice bucket body toward the ice storage space (101) to secure a flow path of cool air, so that the cool air smoothly flows inside the ice bucket body. A full-ice detecting sensor (150) having an emitter and a receiver to receive optical signals is provided. A control unit (200) determines a full-ice status by receiving an output value of signals received from the full-ice detecting sensor (150).