Refrigerator Ice Maker Hopper Cover for Splash Containment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional ice makers for refrigerators face the issue of water splashing outside due to high water pressure in the water supply tube, leading to potential ice or frost formation inside the refrigerator.
Innovation Solution
An ice maker design featuring a water supply hopper with a hexahedral shape and a hinged cover that selectively opens and closes, utilizing locking protrusions and latching mechanisms to prevent water from splashing, with the cover able to be secured by locking ribs and an elastic latching hook.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If water is supplied through the water supply tube under high water pressure to prevent freezing, then water flow reliability is improved, but water may splash to the outside of the water supply hopper
Solution Approach 1:
A hopper cover is introduced as an intermediary component between the water supply tube and the external environment. The cover selectively opens and closes the open portion of the water supply hopper, containing the high-pressure water flow inside the hopper and preventing it from splashing outward while still allowing water to be supplied reliably to the ice-making tray
2Ease of operation
If the water supply hopper has an open top face and open side face for easy water supply, then ease of operation is improved, but water may escape to the outside
Solution Approach 1:
The hopper cover is designed to be movable rather than fixed, allowing it to selectively open and close the open portion of the water supply hopper. This dynamic structure enables the system to switch between an open state (for easy water supply operation) and a closed state (for preventing water leakage), resolving the contradiction between accessibility and containment
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention relates to an ice maker for a refrigerator. The present invention provides an ice maker for a refrigerator, which is provided at one side of the refrigerator to make ice. The ice maker comprises an ice maker body provided with an ice-making tray for making ice; an ejector rotatably mounted at one side of the ice maker body so as to eject ice made in the ice-making tray to the outside; a water supply hopper provided at one side of the ice maker body and having at least an open portion so that the water supply hopper is supplied with water from a water supply source through a water supply tube and then transfers the water to the ice-making tray; and a hopper cover coupled to the water supply hopper so as to selectively open and close the open portion of the water supply hopper. According to the present invention, it is possible to avoid a phenomenon in which water supplied from an outer water supply source to the water supply hopper splashes to the outside.