Ice Maker Three-Branch Pipe Assembly for Constant Water Flow Direction
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing ice makers produce irregular and opaque ice cubes due to inconsistent water flow direction, affecting transparency and quality.
Innovation Solution
An ice maker design featuring a pipe assembly with three branch pipes and a reversing member that controls water flow to create a self-circulation path within the ice-making water tank, ensuring a constant water flow direction for uniform and transparent ice cubes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If water is directly injected into the water box for ice making, then the ice making process is simple, but the water flow direction becomes inconstant causing white bubbles and irregular shapes in ice cubes
Solution Approach 1:
The water injection system is segmented into three separate branch pipes (first, second, and third branch pipes) that are connected to different positions of the water box. This segmentation allows independent control of water flow from different directions, enabling constant and uniform water flow distribution throughout the ice making process, thereby eliminating white bubbles and ensuring regular ice cube shapes with high transparency.
2Device complexity
If a single water injection method is used, then the device structure is simple, but the water flow direction varies causing flawed ice cube quality
Solution Approach 1:
The water injection system employs a dynamic control mechanism through the reversing member that can switch between different water flow paths. The reversing member alternates between connecting the first branch pipe and the second branch pipe to the water source, creating a dynamic water circulation pattern that maintains constant flow direction and prevents stagnant zones, thereby ensuring high reliability and consistent quality of ice cubes throughout the making process.
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 solution results in transparent, flawless, and regular ice cubes with improved quality and performance by maintaining a consistent water flow, enhancing the overall efficiency of the ice-making process.
Implementation Method 1
the driving member operates to drive water to circulate among the ice-making water tank, the second branch pipe, and the third branch pipe
Data Source
AI summary
An ice maker (100) includes an ice-making water tank (10), a water storage tank (20), a pipe assembly, a reversing member (40), and a driving member (50). The pipe assembly comprises a first branch pipe (310), a second branch pipe (320), and a third branch pipe (330). The first branch pipe (310) is connected to the water storage tank (20). The second branch pipe (320) and the third branch pipe (330) are separately connected to the ice-making water tank (10). The reversing member (40) is separately connected to the three branch pipes to control two of the branch pipes to be communicated and the rest one of the branch pipes to disconnected. The driving member (50) is connected to the third branch pipe in series. During ice making, the reversing member (40) controls the second branch pipe (320) and the third branch pipe (330) to be communicated and controls the first branch pipe (310) to be disconnected. The driving member (50) operates to drive the water to circulate among the ice-making water tank (10), the second branch pipe (320) and the third branch pipe (330).