Refrigerator Ice Maker Tray Motion for Clear Spherical Ice
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing ice makers in refrigerators produce opaque ice due to uniform freezing, and methods to create transparent or spherical ice are not applicable in refrigerator environments where water cannot be spilled or sprinkled.
Innovation Solution
A refrigerator design with a first and second tray forming an ice making cell, a full ice detection lever, and a heater adjacent to the first tray, allowing for the production of transparent and spherical ice by controlling ice formation and separation through tray movement and heat management.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If water is frozen in all directions uniformly, then ice is produced quickly, but the ice becomes opaque due to trapped air
Solution Approach 1:
The ice making cell is divided into two separate trays (first tray and second tray) that can move relative to each other. This segmentation allows water to be frozen in a controlled sequential manner rather than all at once, enabling transparent ice formation while maintaining production efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
The second tray is designed to move relative to the first tray during the ice making process. This dynamic adjustment allows for controlled freezing progression and facilitates the formation of transparent spherical ice by managing the freezing direction and rate.
2Manufacturing precision
If water is spilled or sprinkled to grow ice in one direction, then transparent ice can be made, but this method cannot be applied in refrigerator environments
Solution Approach 1:
The traditional method of spilling or sprinkling water is replaced with a mechanical tray movement system. The second tray moves relative to the first tray to control the freezing process, achieving the same effect of directional ice growth suitable for refrigerator environments.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the physical parameters of the freezing process by controlling tray movement and position. Instead of changing water application methods, the invention adjusts the geometric and positional parameters of the trays to achieve directional freezing and transparent ice formation.
3Weight of moving object
If a common driving motor is used to rotate the ice making dish and vertically move the detection portion, then the driving mechanism can be miniaturized, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
A single driving motor is designed to perform multiple functions: rotating the ice making dish and vertically moving the full ice detection lever. This multi-functionality reduces the overall number of motors and components, minimizing weight while avoiding excessive complexity through unified control.
4Device complexity
If the second tray is stationary, then the structure is simple, but full ice detection in low-height ice buckets is inaccurate
Solution Approach 1:
The second tray is designed to move relative to the first tray, creating a dynamic detection system. This movement allows the full ice detection lever to accurately detect ice levels in low-height ice buckets by adjusting its position relative to the ice making cell.
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 enables the consistent production of transparent and spherical ice by adjusting ice making rates and ensuring reliable separation, while detecting full ice levels accurately even in low-height ice buckets.
Implementation Method 1
a heater disposed adjacent to the first tray
Implementation Method 2
the heater is in contact with the tray made of the soft material as necessary
Implementation Method 3
an ice making cell that is a space in which water is phase-changed into ice by cold air supplied to the storage chamber
Implementation Method 4
water is phase-changed into ice
Data Source
Figure 1(a)~1(b)
Figure 2
Figure 3(a)~3(b)
AI summary
The present invention comprises: a first tray for forming a portion of an ice-making cell; a second tray forming the other portion of the ice-making cell, and capable of moving relative to the first tray; an ice bin for storing ice separated from the first and second trays; and a full-ice sensing lever for moving together with the second tray in a predetermined range.