Refrigerator and control method therefor
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing ice makers in refrigerators face challenges in determining optimal ice separation times, leading to uneven ice formation, excessive melting, and the formation of ice mats due to differences in ice separation times across cells, resulting in opaque or non-smooth ice surfaces and melting water accumulation in the ice bin.
Innovation Solution
A method for controlling the ice maker that involves turning on the ice separation heater after ice making is complete, moving the second tray to a standby position, and determining the optimal time for ice separation based on temperature and turn-on time conditions, with additional heating to ensure uniform ice formation and prevent melting water accumulation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the ice separation heater is turned on to separate ice from the tray, then ice separation is achieved, but excessive melting occurs causing opaque surfaces and melting water accumulation in the ice bin
Solution Approach 1:
The tray is moved to a standby position before the ice separation heater is activated. This preliminary action positions the tray optimally for heating, allowing the heater to work more efficiently and reduce excessive melting while still achieving reliable ice separation.
Solution Approach 2:
The control method monitors the operating time of the ice separation heater and uses this feedback to determine when to turn off the heater. By tracking how long the heater has been on, the system prevents excessive melting while ensuring ice separation is achieved, thus resolving the contradiction between separation reliability and harmful melting effects.
2Manufacturing precision
If ice separation is delayed to allow uniform ice formation, then ice quality improves, but melting water accumulates in the ice bin forming ice mats
Solution Approach 1:
The tray is moved to the standby position in advance, preparing the system for optimal ice separation timing. This allows the ice formation process to complete uniformly while the tray is positioned correctly, and then enables timely activation of the separation heater to prevent melting water accumulation.
Solution Approach 2:
The control system uses feedback from the heater's operating time and tray position to determine the optimal moment to activate ice separation. This feedback mechanism ensures that separation occurs at the right time to maintain ice quality while preventing melting water from accumulating in the ice bin.
3Power
If the tray remains in the ice making position during heating, then heating efficiency is high, but ice making cells cannot be properly heated and ice separation is incomplete
Solution Approach 1:
The tray is moved to the standby position before heating begins. This preliminary positioning action allows the heating system to access and heat all ice making cells effectively, ensuring complete ice separation while maintaining efficient heating through proper tray placement.
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 ensures reliable ice separation, prevents excessive melting, and maintains the transparency and smoothness of ice cubes, preventing the formation of ice mats in the ice bin by optimizing ice separation timing and using additional heating to manage melting water.
Implementation Method 1
turning on the heater for ice separation
Implementation Method 2
excessive melting is made by the heat of the ice separation heater
Data Source
AI summary
A method for controlling a refrigerator of the present invention includes turning on the heater when ice making is completed; moving the second tray to a standby position in a forward direction when the movement condition of the second tray is satisfied; turning off the heater when a turn-off condition of the heater is satisfied after the second tray moves to the standby position in the forward direction; determining whether the heater is turned off and a predetermined time has elapsed; and moving the second tray to the ice separation position in the forward direction when it is determined that the predetermined time has elapsed.