Ice Maker Cool Air Guide Design for Transparent Spherical Ice
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing ice makers produce opaque ice due to incomplete discharge of bubbles from water, and the uneven heat transfer between cool air and ice cells leads to deformation of spherical ice shapes.
Innovation Solution
The ice maker design includes first and second trays forming ice chambers, with a cool air guide system that concentrates cool air to equalize ice generation speeds across multiple chambers, preventing deformation and ensuring transparency of the ice.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If cells are arranged in a line to maximize heat transfer between cool air and cells, then heat transfer efficiency is improved, but ice generation speed becomes uneven across cells causing spherical shape deformation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by providing different numbers of ice chambers in different regions of the tray. Specifically, the number of ice chambers is greater in a first region than in a second region, allowing localized adjustment of heat transfer characteristics. This non-uniform distribution compensates for the uneven heat transfer that would otherwise occur in a uniform linear arrangement, maintaining spherical shape uniformity while preserving overall heat transfer efficiency.
2Loss of time
If upper and lower cells generate ice simultaneously, then ice production time is reduced, but bubbles remain trapped in water resulting in opaque ice
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by first generating ice in the lower cell before generating ice in the upper cell. This sequential approach allows bubbles to be discharged from the water in the lower cell before the upper cell begins freezing, preventing bubble entrapment and ensuring transparent ice while still maintaining relatively efficient ice production timing.
3Productivity
If multiple ice chambers are used to increase ice production, then productivity is improved, but uneven cooling across chambers causes deformation of ice shapes
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by varying the number of ice chambers across different regions of the tray. The first region contains a greater number of ice chambers than the second region, creating a non-uniform distribution that compensates for regional differences in cooling efficiency. This allows multiple ice chambers to operate simultaneously for high productivity while maintaining uniform ice shape across all chambers.
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 design achieves transparent ice production by ensuring uniform cooling across all ice chambers, preventing bubble entrapment, and maintaining the spherical shape of the ice, thus enhancing user experience and storage efficiency.
Implementation Method 1
cool air passing through the cool air hole toward the plurality of ice chambers
Implementation Method 2
water is moved to cells positioned between the opposite ends by expansive force when water at the opposite ends of the cells is phase-changed to ice
Data Source
AI summary
An ice maker includes first and second trays configured to form a plurality of ice chambers configured to make ice, an upper case including a cool air hole through which cool air passes, and a tray opening configured to allow the first tray to contact the cool air passing through the cool air hole, a driver configured to move the second tray, and a connector configured to transfer power of the driver to the second tray, wherein the upper case further includes the cool air guide configured to guide the cool air passing through the cool air hole toward the tray opening.