Ice Maker Drive Assembly with Pawl Locking and Space Reuse
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional ice making devices face challenges in assembling due to the requirement of a large space for the turning drive part, which results in unnecessary space usage and reduced structural strength, making the assembly process complex and inefficient.
Innovation Solution
The ice making device incorporates an ice detecting member that utilizes the unnecessary space during assembly as an attaching space for the drive part, featuring a drive side attaching part with a pawl piece and a frame body side attaching part with a pawl insertion part, where the drive part is attached perpendicular to the output shaft, enhancing the holding force and preventing disengagement during twisting operations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If the turning drive part is accommodated without a case and components are assembled individually, then the device structure is simplified, but the assembly process becomes complex and time-consuming
Solution Approach 1:
The drive part is segmented into modular components (motor, power transmitting apparatus, attaching part) that can be independently manufactured and then quickly assembled using the pawl piece and pawl insertion part mechanism, resolving the contradiction between structural simplicity and assembly efficiency
Solution Approach 2:
The pawl piece is pre-formed with a bending portion that enables automatic engagement with the pawl insertion part during assembly, eliminating the need for complex fastening operations and significantly reducing assembly time while maintaining structural simplicity
2Device complexity
If the fixing pawl piece is deformed to be inserted into the pawl piece fixing part, then the attaching structure is simplified, but the strength and reliability are insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The pawl piece is designed with non-uniform cross-sectional properties: the bending portion has reduced thickness for ease of deformation during assembly, while the tip portion maintains sufficient thickness to provide reliable engagement strength, resolving the contradiction between assembly simplicity and structural reliability
Solution Approach 2:
The pawl piece features asymmetric geometry with a bending portion at one end and a tip portion at the other, allowing differential mechanical properties in different regions to simultaneously satisfy ease of insertion and sufficient holding force requirements
3Area of stationary object
If the frame body is extended or wall parts are removed to accommodate the turning drive part, then the assembly space is increased, but the structural strength is decreased or the device size is unnecessarily increased
Solution Approach 1:
The attaching part utilizes the depth dimension of the frame body by positioning the pawl insertion part on the inner surface, effectively using three-dimensional space without extending the frame body outward or removing structural wall parts, thus maintaining strength while providing adequate assembly space
Data Source
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AI summary
This invention relates to an ice making device whose assembling property is improved by restraining an unnecessary space used at the time of assembling. In the ice making device, when ice pieces are to be separated from the ice tray, the ice tray is reversed and an twisting operation is applied to the ice tray. At the time of assembling, the drive part 3 provided with the output shaft 32, which turns the ice tray in the arrow "R" direction at the time of an ice separating operation, is slid to the right direction and the pawl pieces 34a and 34b of the drive part 3 are inserted into pawl insertion parts 45a and 45b of the frame body 4 and the drive part 3 is attached to the frame body 4. A space is formed on a rear side in the slide direction of the drive part 3 and the ice detecting shaft 33 for swinging the ice detecting member detecting an amount of ice pieces within an ice storage container is disposed in the space and the ice detecting member is fitted to the ice detecting shaft 33.