Ice maker
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing ice makers have low cooling efficiency and longer ice making cycles due to the discharge of unfrozen liquid from the tray, requiring new uncooled liquid for each ice making operation.
Innovation Solution
The ice maker design incorporates a liquid removing part to reduce the remaining liquid in the container, allowing for the reuse of low-temperature liquid from previous ice making processes, and includes a semiconductor chilling plate to enhance cooling efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If liquid is discharged from the tray after ice making, then the ice making process is completed, but new uncooled liquid must be supplied which reduces cooling efficiency and extends the ice making cycle
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies the discarding and recovering principle by retaining the unfrozen liquid in the tray after ice making instead of discharging it. The liquid is recovered and reused in the next ice making cycle, maintaining its low temperature to improve cooling efficiency and reduce the ice making cycle time.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements continuity of useful action by keeping the liquid in the tray continuously cooled and ready for the next ice making operation. The liquid remains in the tray and is reused without being discharged and replaced, ensuring continuous cooling action without interruption.
2Productivity
If a semiconductor chilling plate is added to enhance cooling, then cooling efficiency is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the semiconductor chilling plate with the existing tray structure, integrating the cooling function directly into the liquid container. This combination approach improves cooling efficiency while minimizing the increase in device complexity by consolidating components rather than adding separate systems.
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
This approach results in a higher cooling efficiency and shorter ice making cycles, enabling the production of ice in a more efficient and timely manner.
Implementation Method 1
a heat dissipation device (10) having a flow passage (12) for a refrigerant to flow
Implementation Method 2
a metal piece (20)... wherein a predetermined range from a tip of the rod-shaped component (24) is cooled using the heat dissipation device (10)
Implementation Method 3
a semiconductor chilling plate (30) provided between the heat dissipation device (10) and the metal piece (20)... one side surface of the semiconductor chilling plate (30) is in contact with a surface of the heat dissipation device (10), and the other side surface thereof is in contact with a surface of the metal piece (20)
Implementation Method 4
a flow passage (12) for a refrigerant to flow
Implementation Method 5
a heat dissipation device (10) having a flow passage (12) for a refrigerant to flow
Data Source
Figure 1A~1B
Figure 2~3
Figure 4~5
AI summary
An ice maker and a refrigerator having same. The ice maker comprises: a cooling part (40) having a heat dissipation device (10) and a metal piece (20); a liquid container (50) configured to store liquid; a liquid supply part (72) configured to supply liquid to the liquid container (50); a moving mechanism (60) configured to rotate and move the liquid container (50); and a control part (90). The metal piece (20) is mounted, so that a rod-shaped component (24) made of metal extends downward from a base end to the tip, and the rod-shaped component (24) is cooled by means of the heat dissipation device (10). The ice-making process is repeated multiple times under the control of the control part (90), and the following steps are carried out in the ice-making process: a liquid supply step, an ice making step, an avoidance step, a deicing step, and a recovering step. The ice maker is high in cooling efficiency, and can make ice within a short period of time.