Ice Maker Heater Breakdown Detection for Reliable Ice Separation
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing ice makers lack effective methods for detecting breakdowns in ice separation heaters, leading to inefficient ice separation, potential damage to components, and increased maintenance challenges.
Innovation Solution
A refrigerator system with a controller that monitors temperature changes to detect heater breakdowns, outputs notifications for maintenance, and employs a transparent ice heater to facilitate smooth ice separation, while adjusting heating amounts based on cooling levels and operational conditions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the ice separation heater is used to heat the upper cell for ice separation, then ice separation can be achieved, but if the heater breaks down due to disconnection or other issues, there are no detection methods or countermeasures, leading to failed ice separation
Solution Approach 1:
The controller monitors the operation status of the ice separation heater by detecting temperature changes or electrical parameters during the heating process. When the heater fails to operate normally (e.g., no temperature rise detected within expected time frame), the controller identifies this as a breakdown condition and responds by activating the transparent ice heater as a backup solution, ensuring continuous ice separation capability.
2Productivity
If the ice separation heater breaks down and ice separation is performed anyway, then the separation process continues, but damage may occur to the upper ejecting pin assembly and debris may flow into the ice bin
Solution Approach 1:
The controller proactively detects heater breakdown conditions before attempting ice separation. When a breakdown is detected, the controller prevents the ice separation process from proceeding by activating the transparent ice heater instead, thereby avoiding potential damage to the ejecting pin assembly and preventing debris from entering the ice bin.
Solution Approach 2:
The system prepares a backup heating solution (transparent ice heater) in advance that can be activated when the primary ice separation heater fails. This cushioning measure ensures that ice separation can still be achieved through an alternative method, preventing operational disruptions and component damage.
3Reliability
If the ice maker operation is stopped when the ice separation heater breaks down, then component damage is prevented, but ice continues to cool inside the tray, resulting in the ice maker becoming bound to the ice
Solution Approach 1:
The transparent ice heater serves as an intermediary heating element that can be activated when the primary ice separation heater fails. This mediator allows the ice making process to continue by providing an alternative heating method for ice separation, preventing the ice maker from becoming bound to the ice while still protecting components from damage.
4Ease of repair
If the ice separation heater is used for heating, then ice separation is achieved, but if breakdown occurs, no notification is provided to users, making maintenance and repair difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The controller continuously monitors the ice separation heater's operation and provides feedback to the user system. When a breakdown is detected (through temperature sensing or electrical parameter monitoring), the controller generates a breakdown notification that can be displayed to the user, enabling timely maintenance and repair actions.
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
Enables reliable ice separation, prevents component damage, and optimizes maintenance by detecting heater failures and adjusting heating processes, ensuring efficient operation.
Implementation Method 1
a heater positioned at a side of a first tray or a second tray forming an ice making cell
Implementation Method 2
turning on a transparent ice heater in response to a breakdown of the ice separation heater
Implementation Method 3
a cold air supply part configured to supply cold air to the storage chamber; a tray configured to form an ice making cell being a space in which water is phase-changed into ice by the cold air
Data Source
AI summary
A refrigerator according to the present invention includes a storage chamber configured to store food, a cold air supply part configured to supply cold air to the storage chamber, a tray configured to form an ice making cell being a space in which water is phase-changed into ice by the cold air, a temperature sensor configured to sense the temperature of water or ice in the ice making cell, a heater configured to provide heat to the tray, and a controller configured to control the heater, in which the controller controls the heater to be turned on so that ice can be easily separated from the tray when the ice making is completed, and the controller controls the heater to be turned off when a temperature sensed by the temperature sensor reaches a first turn-off reference temperature greater than zero after a first reference time elapses in a state in which the heater is turned on.