Ice Maker Length-Direction Ejection to Reduce Door Installation Width
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing ice makers in refrigerators often experience water overflow when the door is opened or closed, leading to interference with food storage and increased installation width due to the protrusion of the ice bank, which reduces space utilization.
Innovation Solution
An ice maker design featuring an ejector with a shaft and fingers that removes ice in the length direction, combined with a transfer unit and a screw fin system, allows for efficient ice transfer without the need for a protruded ice bank, reducing installation width and preventing water overflow through a cover mechanism.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If the ice bank is disposed to be protruded from a lateral side of the ice tray to accommodate and store ice, then the ice maker can store removed ice, but the size of the ice maker is increased in the width direction
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the storage dimension from lateral (width direction) to longitudinal (length direction). The ice bank is disposed to extend in the length direction of the ice tray rather than protruding from the lateral side, thereby maintaining a compact width while providing adequate ice storage capacity.
Solution Approach 2:
The ice bank is nested within the longitudinal space of the ice tray assembly, utilizing the length direction space that would otherwise be underutilized. This nesting approach allows the ice bank to be integrated into the existing structure without increasing the overall width of the ice maker.
2Area of stationary object
If the ice maker and ice bank are provided at the freezing chamber door, then space utilization is improved, but the ice maker and/or ice bank protrudes from a rear side of the door, causing interference with foods when storing foods
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs asymmetric disposition of the ice bank, extending it primarily in the length direction rather than symmetrically in all directions. This asymmetric layout allows the ice maker to fit into the door space efficiently while minimizing protrusion that would interfere with food storage in the freezing chamber.
Solution Approach 2:
The ice bank is oriented to extend in the length direction of the ice tray rather than protruding from the rear side of the door. This dimensional reorientation reduces interference with food storage while maintaining space utilization in the door area.
3Productivity
If the ejector is disposed in the length direction of the ice tray at an upper side of the ice tray, then ice can be removed efficiently, but the ice bank should be disposed to be protruded from a lateral side of the ice tray, increasing the installation width
Solution Approach 1:
The patent resolves this contradiction by changing the ice bank orientation from lateral protrusion to longitudinal extension. The ejector remains disposed in the length direction for efficient ice removal, while the ice bank extends in the same length direction rather than protruding laterally, thereby maintaining compact width while supporting efficient ice removal operations.
Data Source
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AI summary
Disclosed herein is an ice maker for a refrigerator and a refrigerator having the same. The ice maker for a refrigerator may include an ice tray having a plurality of cells thereinside, an ejector configured to remove ice inside the cells, and a transfer unit configured to transfer the ice removed by the ejector in the length direction of the ice tray. Accordingly, the width of the ice maker can be reduced, thereby reducing the size of its occupied area in the width direction when the ice maker is provided therein.