Ice Maker Mold Shell Segmentation for Leakage Prevention and Demolding
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing ice makers in refrigerators face issues with water leakage at the water inlet, leading to reduced ice cube integrity and difficulty in demolding, and require complex structures that occupy significant space.
Innovation Solution
The ice maker design includes a mold shell with a movable sub-mold shell and a fixed sub-mold shell that can switch between closed and separated states, using a driving mechanism and push rods to facilitate efficient ice cube formation and demolding, with an integrated water inlet to prevent leakage and simplify the structure.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If a complex structure is used to prevent water leakage and improve ice cube integrity, then ice cube quality is improved, but device complexity and space occupancy increase
Solution Approach 1:
The mold shell is divided into a fixed sub-mold shell and a movable sub-mold shell that can separate from each other. This segmentation allows the mold to open for demolding ice cubes without requiring complex demolding mechanisms, while the fixed sub-mold shell provides structural stability to prevent water leakage during the ice making process.
Solution Approach 2:
A connecting rod assembly is introduced as an intermediary mechanism to coordinate the movement between the movable sub-mold shell and the push rods. This simple mechanical linkage ensures synchronized movement of multiple components without requiring complex control systems, maintaining ice cube integrity while avoiding overly complex device structure.
2Productivity
If a complex structure with multiple components is used to facilitate demolding, then demolding efficiency is improved, but device complexity and production costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The mold shell transitions from a static structure to a dynamic one with a movable sub-mold shell that can separate from the fixed sub-mold shell. This dynamic configuration enables automatic demolding through simple separation motion, improving demolding efficiency without requiring complex mechanical mechanisms or multiple moving components.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of using complex mechanisms to push ice cubes out of a closed mold, the invention inverts the approach by allowing the mold itself to open and separate. The fixed sub-mold shell remains stationary while the movable sub-mold shell detaches, enabling ice cubes to be easily removed without complex ejection mechanisms.
3Manufacturing precision
If an integrated water inlet design is used to prevent leakage, then ice cube integrity is improved, but the mold shell structure becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The water inlet is integrated into the fixed sub-mold shell as a separate functional component rather than being part of the overall mold shell structure. This localized integration prevents water leakage at the water inlet while avoiding the need to redesign the entire mold shell, maintaining structural simplicity.
4Productivity
If a movable sub-mold shell design is used to simplify demolding, then demolding efficiency is improved, but the reliability of the mold structure may be reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The mold shell is segmented into a fixed sub-mold shell and a movable sub-mold shell. The fixed sub-mold shell maintains structural stability and reliability during the ice making process, while the movable sub-mold shell provides the necessary movement for demolding. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized for its specific function.
Solution Approach 2:
The connecting rod assembly acts as an intermediary that coordinates the movement between the movable sub-mold shell and the push rods. This mechanical linkage ensures that the movable sub-mold shell moves in a controlled and synchronized manner, maintaining structural reliability during the demolding process while enabling efficient ice cube release.
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 design ensures consistent ice cube integrity, improves demolding efficiency, reduces production costs, and minimizes space occupancy by simplifying the mechanism, while allowing for the production of specially shaped ice cubes.
Implementation Method 1
The first sub-mold shell and the second sub-mold shell are configured to be switchable between a separated state and a closed state
Implementation Method 2
The driving mechanism is configured to drive the first sub-mold shell or the second sub-mold shell to switch between the separated state and the closed state
Implementation Method 3
The first push rod is located on a side of the first sub-mold shell away from the second sub-mold shell. The second push rod is located on a side of the second sub-mold shell away from the first sub-mold shell
Implementation Method 4
injecting water into an ice tray in the ice maker, then supplying cold to the ice making compartment to make the water in the ice tray freeze into an ice cube
Data Source
AI summary
A refrigerator includes an ice maker. The ice maker includes a mold shell, a driving mechanism, a first push rod, a second push rod, and a connecting rod assembly. One of the first sub-mold shell and the second sub-mold shell is fixed, and another one is movable. The driving mechanism is configured to drive the first sub-mold shell or the second sub-mold shell to switch between a separated state and a closed state. One of the first push rod and the second push rod is fixed, and another one is movable. The connecting rod assembly includes a connecting rod. An end of the connecting rod is connected to the movable one of the first sub-mold shell and the second sub-mold shell, and another end of the connecting rod is connected to the movable one of the first push rod and the second push rod.