Ice Maker Heater Control for Transparent Ice Through Bubble Gathering
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing ice makers produce opaque ice due to incomplete discharge of bubbles during the ice-making process, resulting in uneven transparency and aesthetics.
Innovation Solution
An ice maker design featuring an upper tray and a lower tray with a control unit that varies the output of a lower heater to gather bubbles at the bottom of the ice chamber, ensuring uniform transparency by controlling heat distribution and bubble movement during the ice-making process.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Shape
If ice is made simultaneously in upper and lower cells with hemispherical shapes, then spherical ice can be produced, but bubbles are dispersed in the water resulting in opaque ice
Solution Approach 1:
The ice chamber is divided into upper and lower cells with different functions. The upper cell is dedicated to ice formation while the lower cell serves as a bubble collection chamber. This segmentation allows bubbles to be separated from the ice-making process and collected in the lower cell, preventing bubble dispersion in the final ice product while maintaining spherical shape.
Solution Approach 2:
A heater is introduced as an intermediary element in the lower cell to actively manage bubble movement. The heater creates convection currents that drive bubbles downward toward the lowermost section, preventing them from being trapped in the ice formed in the upper cell. This intermediary mechanism enables control over bubble distribution to achieve transparent ice.
2Object-generated harmful factors
If a heater is used to control bubble movement, then bubble gathering can be achieved, but energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The heater is positioned specifically in the lower cell rather than throughout the entire ice chamber. This localized heating approach focuses energy only where needed to drive bubble movement in the lower section, minimizing overall energy consumption while achieving effective bubble control and gathering.
Solution Approach 2:
The heater converts thermal energy into beneficial convection currents that naturally drive bubbles downward. Instead of using complex mechanical bubble removal systems, the patent utilizes thermal convection to transform heat energy into a useful force for bubble migration, achieving bubble control through a simple and energy-efficient mechanism.
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 enables the production of transparent ice with uniform transparency across each ice cube, enhancing user experience and aesthetics by minimizing bubble inclusion and ensuring consistent ice quality.
Implementation Method 1
the control unit variably controls an output of the lower heater so that bubbles included in water in the ice chamber are gathered in a lowermost section
Data Source
AI summary
An ice maker of the present invention comprises: an upper tray defining an upper chamber that is a portion of an ice chamber, wherein an upper opening is provided in an upper side of the upper tray; a lower tray defining a lower chamber that is another portion of the ice chamber; a lower support supporting the lower tray and provided with a lower heater; and a control unit configured to operate the lower heater in an ice making process, wherein the control unit variably controls an output of the lower heater so that bubbles included in water in the ice chamber are gathered in a lowermost section in the ice making process.