Refrigerator Ice Bucket Airflow and Optical Full-Ice Detection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing refrigerators lack an efficient cool air flow structure and reliable full-ice detecting mechanism for ice buckets, leading to ice melting and inaccurate full-ice status detection, which affects the automatic ice-making cycle.
Innovation Solution
A refrigerator design featuring a cool air flow structure with guide ribs and a dividing wall in the ice bucket to facilitate cool air circulation, combined with an optical full-ice detecting sensor and a control unit that uses a primary and secondary determination method to ensure accurate full-ice status detection and control the ice-making cycle.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If cool air is supplied to the ice bucket, then ice freshness is maintained, but ice melting occurs due to excessive cool air flow
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by creating different flow resistance zones within the ice bucket. The spacing member positioned at the inlet side has a first resistance, while the spacing member at the outlet side has a second resistance that is different from the first. This gradient structure optimizes cool air distribution locally - allowing sufficient flow to maintain ice freshness at the inlet while reducing excessive flow at the outlet that causes melting.
2Device complexity
If a simple ice level detection method is used, then device complexity is reduced, but detection accuracy deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements preliminary action through a two-stage detection process. Before the main optical detection, a preliminary detection phase is performed where the sensor checks for ice presence in advance. This preliminary action allows the system to prepare for the main detection, improving overall accuracy while keeping the device structure relatively simple by using the same optical sensor for both stages.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies feedback by using the optical sensor to continuously monitor ice levels and providing this information back to the control unit. The control unit then adjusts the ice maker operation based on this feedback signal, creating a closed-loop system that improves detection reliability and prevents false readings from directly triggering incorrect operational changes.
3Ease of manufacture
If the optical sensor is mounted directly on the ice bucket body, then installation is simplified, but detection reliability deteriorates due to signal interference
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary element - a separate mounting structure or positioning mechanism - between the optical sensor and the ice bucket body. This intermediary component facilitates easier installation while simultaneously providing signal shielding or optical path optimization that prevents interference from the ice bucket body, thus maintaining both ease of manufacture and detection reliability.
4Productivity
If the ice-making cycle runs continuously, then ice production is maximized, but energy consumption increases and unnecessary ice melting occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses feedback control where the optical sensor continuously monitors ice levels and provides real-time information to the control unit. The control unit adjusts the ice-making cycle based on this feedback - stopping or reducing operation when the bucket is full and resuming when ice level drops. This prevents continuous operation, optimizing the balance between ice production and energy consumption.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements self-service through automatic detection and control. The optical sensor and control unit work together to automatically determine when the ice bucket is full and when more ice is needed, eliminating the need for manual monitoring or continuous operation. The ice-making system serves itself by responding to actual ice level conditions, maximizing productivity only when necessary and conserving energy when the bucket is full.
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 effectively maintains ice freshness by ensuring cool air circulation and accurately detects full-ice status, optimizing the ice-making cycle to prevent unnecessary ice production and melting.
Implementation Method 1
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
Data Source
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AI summary
A refrigerator is provided. The refrigerator includes a body having a storage compartment, an ice making device, and an ice bucket (110) to store the generated ice. The ice bucket includes an ice bucket body, an ice storage space inside the ice bucket body, and a spacing member to allow ice to be spaced apart from the ice bucket body toward the ice storage space 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.