Ice-Making Chamber Temperature Control for Transparent Ice Cubes
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional ice making devices produce opaque ice cubes due to trapped air bubbles, and existing methods to produce transparent ice cubes are either slow or result in lower ice quality and quantity.
Innovation Solution
An ice making device with a controller that adjusts the rate of change of temperature in the ice making container using a cooler, fan, and heater, allowing for the production of ice cubes with varying transparency by controlling the output of these components based on real-time temperature measurements, enabling fast or transparent ice making modes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If the surface is firstly frozen to discharge air bubbles, then transparent ice cubes are produced, but the ice making speed slows down and the quantity of ice cubes reduces
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies dynamics by making the cooling system adjustable - the cooling fan speed and cooling power can be dynamically changed during the ice making process. The controller increases cooling power initially to freeze the surface quickly for transparency, then reduces cooling power to maintain the transparent state without excessive slowing. This dynamic adjustment resolves the contradiction between achieving transparency and maintaining ice making speed.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements periodic action through multi-stage cooling control. The cooling process is divided into distinct phases: an initial high-power cooling phase to freeze the surface and discharge air bubbles, followed by a reduced-power phase to complete freezing while maintaining transparency. This periodic variation in cooling intensity allows the system to achieve both transparency and reasonable production speed.
2Productivity
If the entire inner circumference starts forming ice toward the center simultaneously, then ice making speed increases, but air bubbles remain trapped and ice cubes become opaque
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by creating different freezing conditions in different regions of the ice making container. The cooling system is designed to concentrate cooling power at the surface region initially, causing localized freezing that propagates downward. This non-uniform, location-specific cooling approach allows air bubbles to be discharged at the surface while ice forms progressively, achieving both speed and transparency.
3Manufacturing precision
If transparent ice cubes of high quality are made, then transparency is improved, but the quantity of ice cubes produced reduces
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies parameter changes by dynamically adjusting multiple parameters during the ice making process - cooling fan speed, heater power, and cooling duration. By optimizing these parameters in sequence (high cooling initially for transparency, then adjusted parameters for quantity), the system produces transparent ice cubes while maximizing the number of cubes that can be made within a given time frame.
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 device can produce ice cubes with desired transparency levels, improving transparency and quantity while maintaining a simple structure and enhancing durability through controlled heating and ice separation processes.
Implementation Method 1
a cooler configured to supply cool air to the ice making chamber to cool the ice making water
Implementation Method 2
an ice making heater configured to supply heat to the ice making water when the ice making water is cooled
Implementation Method 3
an ice making fan configured to circulate the supplied cool air
Implementation Method 4
a controller configured to control at least one of the cooling unit, the ice making fan and the ice making heater to adjust a rate of change of temperature of the ice making container to generate one of two types of ice having different transparency
Data Source
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AI summary
The present invention is directed to a refrigerator comprising a main body comprising an ice making chamber; an ice making unit arranged inside the main body and provided to generate ice; and a controller configured to control the ice making unit in an ice-making mode selected from a plurality of ice-making modes, the plurality of ice-making modes including a first ice-making mode and a second ice-making mode, wherein the ice making unit includes an ice-making container including a plurality of ice-making cells to accommodate ice-making water therein; a heater provided to supply the ice-making cells with heat when cooling the ice-making water; and a container support arranged to cover at least an upper portion of the ice-making container, wherein the container support is configured to be coupled to the ice-making container, and mounted on the ice making chamber, and wherein the controller is configured to turn on the heater in the first ice-making mode and the second ice-making mode and differently control an output of the heater in each of the first and second ice-making modes.