Refrigerator Ice Discharge Mechanism for Fixed-Amount Dispensing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional ice discharging devices in refrigerators do not consistently discharge a fixed amount of ice, leading to operational failures and malfunctions due to uneven ice distribution and excessive load on the discharge mechanism.
Innovation Solution
A device with a rotation member and discharge adjustment part that controls the amount of ice transferred, using a rotation shaft with wing portions and a flexible adjustment mechanism to ensure a predetermined amount of ice is discharged, along with an ice processing unit for crushing or cubing, managed by a single motor and gear system.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the transfer member rotates to transfer ice without a discharge adjustment part, then the ice discharge mechanism is simple, but the amount of discharged ice is not fixed and operational failures occur
Solution Approach 1:
The discharge adjustment part is divided into multiple adjustment members that can independently control the discharge amount. Each adjustment member can be positioned at different locations to segment the ice discharge path, allowing precise control over the amount of ice discharged while maintaining a relatively simple overall structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The adjustment members are designed to be automatically positioned by the ice itself during the discharge process. The ice naturally pushes the adjustment members to their appropriate positions, eliminating the need for complex external control mechanisms and reducing overall device complexity while ensuring consistent discharge amounts.
2Reliability
If the shutter closes to prevent ice discharge, then ice can be crushed properly, but the ice discharge amount becomes uncontrolled and excessive load occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The adjustment members are designed to be dynamically adjustable during operation. They can move between different positions to control the discharge amount, and their positions can be changed based on the ice conditions. This dynamic adjustment capability ensures operational stability while providing easy control over discharge amounts.
Solution Approach 2:
The system controls the discharge amount by changing the positional parameters of the adjustment members. By adjusting the position of these members along the discharge path, the system can precisely control how much ice is discharged, ensuring operational stability and preventing excessive load on the crushing unit.
3Productivity
If more ice is transferred at once to increase productivity, then ice discharge speed increases, but operational failures and malfunctions occur due to uneven distribution
Solution Approach 1:
The discharge process is segmented into multiple controlled stages using multiple adjustment members. Instead of discharging all ice at once, the system segments the ice into smaller batches that are discharged sequentially, maintaining high productivity while ensuring even distribution and preventing operational failures.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses periodic action by repeatedly adjusting the positions of the adjustment members during the discharge process. This periodic adjustment ensures that ice is discharged in controlled intervals rather than all at once, maintaining productivity while ensuring reliable operation through even distribution.
Data Source
AI summary
A refrigerator and a device for ice discharging are disclosed. The device for ice discharging includes a case having an ice introduction opening and an ice discharge opening (312); a rotation member (320) rotatable in the case to transfer ice that is held in a predetermined amount to be discharged; and a discharge adjustment part (340) spaced apart a predetermined space from the rotation member (320) to adjust the number of the ices transferred by the rotation member, such that a fixed amount of the ice is substantially discharged. The refrigerator includes the device for ice discharging therein.