Ice Maker Mold Twist Release for Clear Ice Without Heater
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional ice makers in refrigerators often produce cloudy ice due to impurities and air pockets, and they require heaters to release ice cubes, which can be energy inefficient and complicate the ice production process.
Innovation Solution
The design includes an ice mold with shallower ice wells and a motor-driven mechanism that rotates the ice mold to facilitate directional freezing, using a heater to warm air flowing over the ice mold while cold air is directed underneath, and heat sinks to enhance heat transfer, allowing ice cubes to be released by twisting the mold without a heater, thereby producing clear ice efficiently.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If conventional ice makers use heaters to release ice cubes, then ice cubes can be released from the mold, but energy efficiency deteriorates and the process becomes more complicated
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the heater component from the ice making system entirely. Instead of using thermal energy to release ice cubes, the system employs a mechanical twisting motion of the ice mold that flexes the mold and releases the ice cubes through gravity and mechanical force alone, thereby eliminating the energy-wasting heating step.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the thermal field (heater) with a mechanical field (twisting mechanism). The motor-driven twisting motion of the ice mold creates mechanical stress that flexes the mold walls, causing ice cubes to detach and fall out without requiring any thermal energy input.
2Productivity
If conventional ice makers produce ice quickly, then productivity increases, but ice clarity deteriorates due to impurities and air pockets
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-freezing the bottom portion of the ice mold first before filling with water. This creates a solid base that directs subsequent freezing upward, ensuring impurities and air pockets are pushed to the top where they can be removed, while maintaining rapid overall freezing speed.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies local quality by creating different freezing conditions in different regions of the ice mold. The bottom region experiences intense cold air flow and rapid freezing, while the top region allows impurities to accumulate. This spatial differentiation of freezing quality produces clear ice at the bottom while managing impurity distribution throughout the mold.
3Quantity of substance
If ice wells are deeper in the ice mold, then ice cube volume increases, but freezing time increases and productivity decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions from vertical freezing (top-down) to horizontal/bottom-up freezing by directing cold air flow horizontally across the bottom of the mold. This dimensional change in heat transfer approach allows rapid freezing of large-volume ice cubes by attacking the freezing front from the bottom upward, rather than waiting for heat to conduct from the top surface.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs dynamics by using a rotating fan to create dynamic cold air flow that continuously moves across the bottom of the ice mold. This dynamic airflow maintains a steep temperature gradient at the freezing front, enabling rapid heat extraction and fast freezing of deep ice wells without requiring excessively deep well designs.
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 20-40% increase in ice production rate, producing clear ice by directing freezing from the bottom to the top, forcing impurities to the top, and allowing for efficient ice cube release without the need for a heater, improving energy efficiency and ice clarity.
Implementation Method 1
rotating the ice mold to facilitate directional freezing, using a heater to warm air flowing over the ice mold while cold air is directed underneath
Implementation Method 2
using a heater to warm air flowing over the ice mold while cold air is directed underneath
Implementation Method 3
heat sinks to enhance heat transfer, allowing ice cubes to be released by twisting the mold
Implementation Method 4
allowing ice cubes to be released by twisting the mold without a heater
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2A
Figure 2B
AI summary
An aspect of the present disclosure is generally directed to an ice making appliance that includes: an ice making compartment and an ice maker including an ice mold having a total water capacity. The ice mold includes a plurality of ice wells and is configured to release the ice cubes without the use of a heater and by twisting the ice mold. The ice wells are typically no more than about 12.2mm in depth from a top surface of the ice mold and have a volume of about 20 mL or less. The ice maker is capable of producing at least about 3.5 lbs. of ice or more in a 24 hour span.