Ice-Maker Metal Tray Preheating Control for Clean Ice Separation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Refrigerators with ice-makers experience issues such as ice separation defects, noise, damage, and deteriorated ice appearance due to improper preheating during the ice separation process.
Innovation Solution
The refrigerator is equipped with a metal upper tray having a heater and a temperature sensor to control the preheating process, ensuring the preheating operation is completed by comparing temperatures at specific intervals and conditions, thereby facilitating accurate ice separation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the door is opened and closed during ice-making, then the refrigerator can access stored ice, but ice separation defects occur
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by detecting door opening/closing events and adjusting the ice-making cycle accordingly. When door operations are detected, the controller modifies preheating timing and duration to ensure proper ice separation despite the interruption, preparing the tray temperature in advance for the next separation cycle.
2Reliability
If preheating is performed to separate ice, then ice separation improves, but noise and damage to the ice-maker occur
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically changes heating parameters (power level, duration, timing) based on real-time temperature sensor feedback. By adjusting these parameters, the heater applies optimal heat to separate ice cleanly without excessive force or prolonged heating that would cause noise, vibration, and potential damage to ice-maker components.
Solution Approach 2:
The temperature sensor provides continuous feedback to the controller during the preheating process. When the sensor detects that the tray has reached the appropriate temperature for ice separation, the controller stops heating, preventing overheating that would cause noise and damage. This closed-loop control ensures separation occurs at optimal conditions.
3Productivity
If preheating temperature is increased to improve separation, then ice separation efficiency improves, but ice appearance deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The system optimizes heating parameters by adjusting power levels and timing based on temperature sensor feedback. Instead of using high temperature continuously, the controller applies moderate heat over a controlled period, then stops heating when the optimal separation temperature is reached. This prevents ice melting and maintains appearance while achieving efficient separation.
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 solution improves ice separation efficiency, reduces noise, prevents damage to the ice-maker, and enhances the appearance of separated ice by ensuring optimal preheating conditions are met.
Implementation Method 1
a heater configured to heat the upper tray to perform a preheating operation for separating the ice
Implementation Method 2
a temperature sensor configured to measure a temperature of the upper tray
Data Source
AI summary
A refrigerator includes a cabinet forming a storage space, a door configured to open and close the storage space and define an ice-making chamber, an ice-maker provided in the ice-making chamber, and a controller configured to control the ice-maker. The ice-maker includes an upper tray made of a metal material and having a plurality of upper cells, a lower tray mounted to be movable with respect to the upper tray and having a plurality of lower cells that forms spaces, in which ice is made, together with the upper cells, a heater configured to heat the upper tray to perform a preheating operation for separating the ice, and a temperature sensor configured to measure a temperature of the upper tray. The controller is configured to determine whether the preheating operation is completed based on the temperature measured by the temperature sensor.