Ice Maker Tray-Evaporator Integration for Compact Refrigerator Design
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional refrigerator ice compartments are bulky, consuming excessive volume in the fresh food compartment and limiting design flexibility, particularly in slimline configurations where taller doors and ergonomic dispenser placement are compromised.
Innovation Solution
A slimline ice compartment design that integrates an ice tray and evaporator into a single, over-molded metallic tray portion, eliminating the need for additional evaporators and optimizing ice production by direct contact between the evaporator cooling tube and ice maker tray, with control logic for ice making, harvesting, and maintenance using a tray temperature sensor.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If the ice compartment is made larger to accommodate traditional over-under ice maker and bucket arrangement, then ice storage capacity is improved, but the volume occupied in the fresh food compartment increases excessively
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the ice maker tray and evaporator into a single integrated component, eliminating the need for separate evaporators. The metallic tray portion serves dual functions as both ice mold and heat exchange surface, directly contacting the refrigerant line. This integration reduces the number of components and overall space required while maintaining ice production capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transitions from the traditional vertical over-under arrangement to a horizontal side-by-side configuration within the ice compartment. This dimensional change allows for a compact footprint that fits within the fresh food compartment without requiring excessive vertical or horizontal space, optimizing the volume utilization.
2Productivity
If the ice compartment is made taller to accommodate traditional ice maker arrangement, then ice production capacity is improved, but design flexibility is limited and ergonomic dispenser placement is compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The patent adopts a horizontal side-by-side arrangement of the ice maker and ice bucket within the ice compartment, replacing the traditional vertical stacking arrangement. This dimensional shift reduces the vertical height requirement while maintaining ice production capacity, thereby enabling better integration with various door configurations and ergonomic dispenser placements.
Solution Approach 2:
The integrated metallic tray/evaporator component serves multiple functions: it acts as the ice mold, the heat exchange surface, and the structural support element. This multi-functionality reduces the overall system complexity and space requirements, allowing the ice compartment to be designed in various configurations including slimline versions that accommodate different door styles and dispenser heights.
3Temperature
If separate evaporators are used for ice compartment cooling, then cooling efficiency is improved, but device complexity and internal volume requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the evaporator function with the ice maker tray into a single integrated metallic component. The refrigerant flows directly through tubes embedded in or contacting the metallic tray, providing efficient heat transfer for ice formation. This eliminates the need for separate evaporators dedicated to the ice compartment, reducing component count and system complexity while maintaining effective cooling.
Solution Approach 2:
The metallic tray/evaporator assembly performs multiple functions simultaneously: it serves as the ice mold cavity structure, the thermal exchange surface for refrigerant heat transfer, and the support framework for the ice maker mechanism. This multi-functional design reduces the number of separate components needed in the ice making system.
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 design reduces the internal volume taken up by the ice compartment, enhances ice production speed, and allows for a more compact, versatile installation in various refrigerator configurations while maintaining ergonomic dispenser placement.
Implementation Method 1
the evaporator cooling tube is in direct contact with the ice maker tray portion... the ice maker tray portion temperature runs as cold as the refrigerant is evaporated
Implementation Method 2
the ice maker tray portion temperature runs as cold as the refrigerant is evaporated
Data Source
AI summary
An ice maker assembly is disposed in the ice compartment of a refrigerator, the ice maker assembly including an ice maker tray/evaporator having an evaporator cooling tube which is in direct contact with an ice maker tray portion, and a tray temperature sensor for sensing a temperature of the ice maker tray portion. A controller is configured to control ice making, ice harvesting, and ice maintenance based on the temperature sensed by the tray temperature sensor. The tray temperature sensor is the only temperature sensor used to control ice making, ice harvesting, and ice maintenance. Alternatively, an additional temperature sensor can be disposed inside an ice maker assembly gear box for sensing a temperature of a housing of the gear box. In that case, the tray temperature sensor and the additional temperature sensor are the only temperature sensors used to control ice making, ice harvesting, and ice maintenance.