Ice Maker Cooling Fin Layout for Uniform Cold Air Distribution
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing ice makers face challenges in achieving uniform cooling efficiency across multiple ice chambers due to uneven cold air distribution, leading to increased ice production time and reduced output.
Innovation Solution
The ice maker design includes an upper tray with multiple upper chambers and a lower tray with multiple lower chambers, featuring cooling fins and inlet guides that optimize cold air flow and contact area, thereby improving cooling efficiency and reducing cold air flow path resistance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If the number of ice chambers is increased to produce more ice, then the ice production amount increases, but the cooling efficiency of each ice chamber decreases and the difference in cooling speeds between chambers increases
Solution Approach 1:
The ice maker is divided into multiple independent ice chambers (first ice chamber, second ice chamber, third ice chamber, fourth ice chamber) arranged in a 2x2 matrix, allowing simultaneous ice production in multiple locations while maintaining individual cooling efficiency through dedicated airflow paths and cooling fins for each chamber
Solution Approach 2:
Different regions of the ice maker are provided with differentiated cold air supply characteristics. The first and second ice chambers receive cold air from the first cold air inlet with associated first cooling fins, while the third and fourth ice chambers receive cold air from the second cold air inlet with associated second cooling fins, optimizing local cooling conditions for each chamber
2Device complexity
If cold air is introduced from one side, then the device complexity is reduced, but the cold air distribution becomes uneven and the difference in cooling speeds between ice chambers increases
Solution Approach 1:
The cold air supply structure uses asymmetric positioning of the first and second cold air inlets on opposite sides of the ice maker, with the first inlet positioned at the front and the second inlet positioned at the rear, creating a balanced airflow pattern that ensures uniform cold air distribution across all ice chambers while maintaining structural simplicity
3Productivity
If the contact area between cooling fin and cold air is increased, then the cooling efficiency improves, but the cold air flow path resistance increases
Solution Approach 1:
The cooling fins are arranged in multiple dimensions and orientations within the ice maker. First cooling fins extend from the first cold air inlet toward the second cold air inlet, while second cooling fins extend from the second cold air inlet toward the first cold air inlet, creating a three-dimensional heat exchange network that maximizes contact area between cooling fins and cold air while maintaining smooth airflow paths and minimizing resistance
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 enhances the cooling efficiency of the ice chamber, reduces ice production time, and increases the ice-making amount by ensuring uniform cold air distribution and maximizing contact areas between cooling fins and cold air.
Implementation Method 1
a plurality of first cooling fins, each first cooling fin being disposed between the first-row inlet guide and the second-row inlet guides, wherein each first cooling fin extends from each first-row inlet guide along a second direction intersecting the first direction
Implementation Method 2
Ice may be made as the water introduced into the ice chamber is cooled by the cold air flowing through the ice tray
Data Source
AI summary
Each of an ice maker and a refrigerator includes a first cooling fin extending from a first-row inlet guide along a second direction intersecting a first direction in which inlet guides are arranged, so that the cooling fin extends along a direction in which cold air is introduced, thereby minimizing a cold air flow path resistance and improving cooling efficiency of an ice chamber.