Ice Comminuting Knife Structure for Lower Torque Crushing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing ice comminution devices in household refrigerating appliances require high torque to break ice cubes, leading to potential motor overload and inefficiency, and result in non-uniform crushed ice quality and noise during the comminution process.
Innovation Solution
A device with a rotary shaft and dual knife units, where the fixed knife has a pre-comminuting section and a comminuting section, and the moveable knife has teeth that distribute torque over a larger angular range, reducing the required torque for ice comminution and improving uniformity, allowing for a weaker motor to be used.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Power
If a conventional ice comminution device uses a single knife unit with high torque to break ice cubes, then the ice can be comminuted, but the motor requires high power and may overload
Solution Approach 1:
The single knife unit is divided into two separate knife units: a first knife unit with a fixed knife and a second knife unit with a moveable knife. This segmentation distributes the comminution task across multiple components, reducing the torque burden on any single component and allowing the use of a lower-powered motor while maintaining effective ice comminution capability.
2Manufacturing precision
If a conventional ice comminution device uses a single knife unit, then the structure is simple, but the comminution uniformity is poor
Solution Approach 1:
The knife system is segmented into a first knife unit with a fixed knife and a second knife unit with a moveable knife. This segmentation enables different functional zones (pre-comminuting and comminuting sections) that work together to achieve more uniform ice particle size distribution, accepting increased structural complexity as a trade-off for improved comminution quality.
3Productivity
If a conventional ice comminution device uses high torque to break ice cubes, then the ice can be broken effectively, but noise is generated during the comminution process
Solution Approach 1:
The comminution process is segmented into two stages: pre-comminuting by the fixed knife and final comminution by the moveable knife. This staged approach distributes the impact forces over time and space, reducing peak noise levels while maintaining effective ice breaking capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The fixed knife performs preliminary comminution of the ice cubes before they reach the moveable knife. This preliminary action reduces the size and strength of the ice pieces that need to be broken by the moveable knife, thereby reducing the impact forces and associated noise during the final comminution stage.
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 solution reduces the torque needed for ice comminution, enhances the uniformity of the comminution process, and results in improved crushed ice quality and reduced noise, enabling the use of smaller, less expensive motors.
Implementation Method 1
the moveable knife has teeth that distribute torque over a larger angular range, reducing the required torque for ice comminution
Data Source
AI summary
A device for comminuting ice is particularly suited for a household refrigeration appliance. The device has a rotary shaft, a first cutter unit with at least one fixed blade, and a second cutter unit with at least one moveable blade which is attached to the rotary shaft and can be rotated in a rotational direction. The fixed blade has a comminuting section and a pre-comminuting section which is arranged upstream of the comminuting section counter to the rotational direction.