Ice Maker Heater Design for Transparent Ice and Efficient Separation

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional ice makers in refrigerators produce opaque ice due to trapped air and rapid freezing, making it difficult to achieve transparent ice, especially since water cannot flow or be sprinkled in sub-zero temperatures.

Innovation Solution

An ice maker design featuring a first tray and a second tray with a heater positioned on or adjacent to them, allowing for controlled heating and ice growth, which includes a pusher to separate ice while maintaining contact with the heater to prevent temperature fluctuations and ensure uniform heating, thereby producing transparent and spherical ice.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Use of energy by stationary object

If a heater is disposed close to the second tray to increase contact area for heating, then heating efficiency is improved, but the pusher cannot pass through the heater case opening to separate ice

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveheating efficiencyVSAvoidice separation

Core Design Contradiction:

Use of energy by stationary objectVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The heater is designed with a movable portion that can be displaced in the vertical direction. During normal operation, the heater contacts the second tray for efficient heating. During ice separation, the pusher presses the second tray downward, causing the heater to move away from the tray through the opening, allowing the pusher to pass through and separate the ice without interference from the heater.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The heater is disposed within the heater case, with part of the heater extending through an opening in the heater case to contact the second tray. This nested arrangement allows the heater to be protected within the case while still providing direct contact heating to the tray, and enables the pusher to access the tray through the same opening when needed.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #7Nested doll (Nesting)

2Productivity

If water is frozen in all directions in conventional ice makers, then ice is formed quickly, but air is trapped inside creating opaque ice

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveice making speedVSAvoidice transparency

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The heating function is applied locally at the bottom of the ice making cell through the heater contacting the second tray, rather than uniform heating throughout. This localized heating at the base promotes directional ice growth from bottom to top, allowing air bubbles to be expelled upward and resulting in transparent ice while maintaining efficient ice making speed.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

3Stability of the object's composition

If the heater continuously contacts the second tray, then heating is stable, but the pusher cannot press the tray to separate ice

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetemperature stabilityVSAvoidtray pressing

Core Design Contradiction:

Stability of the object's compositionVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

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 energy consumption, improves ice quality by preventing excessive heating, and ensures consistent ice formation, resulting in transparent and spherical ice with reduced deviation in transparency and ice making speed.

Implementation Method 1

a heater disposed on the first tray or the second tray, in which the heater supplies heat to the plurality of ice making cells

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectHeating: Heating

Implementation Method 2

a pusher configured to press the second tray so that ice is separated from the second tray

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectMechanical Force: Mechanical Force

Implementation Method 3

a first tray configured to define a portion of a plurality of ice making cells

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectFreezing: Freezing

Data Source

PatentUS12031763B2Ice maker and refrigerator comprising same

Publication Date: 2024.07.09 LG ELECTRONICS INC

AI summary

An ice maker, may include a first tray forming a part of a plurality of ice-making cells; a second tray forming another part of the plurality of ice-making cells; and a heater arranged on the first tray or the second tray, wherein the heater supplies heat to the plurality of ice-making cells.