Ice Maker Tray Segmentation for Cold-Air Flow and Spherical Ice Shape
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing ice-makers face issues with water overflowing, cold-air flow inhibition, and ice deformation due to excessive guide sleeve height and diameter, leading to non-spherical ice formation and potential damage to components.
Innovation Solution
An ice-maker design featuring an upper tray made of elastic material with hemispherical chambers and a pivoting lower tray, incorporating a cold-air guide and ribs to ensure smooth cold-air flow and prevent water overflow, while maintaining the spherical shape of ice cubes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a guide sleeve is provided to guide the ejecting pin, then the ejecting pin can be properly positioned, but the guide sleeve excessively inhibits the flow of cold-air when its height is large
Solution Approach 1:
The guide sleeve is divided into two parts: an upper guide sleeve with a smaller diameter positioned above the upper tray, and a lower guide sleeve with a larger diameter positioned below the upper tray. This segmentation allows the upper part to provide guiding function while the lower part allows sufficient cold-air flow, resolving the contradiction between guiding reliability and energy loss.
Solution Approach 2:
Different sections of the guide sleeve have different diameters tailored to their specific functions. The upper section has a smaller diameter for precise guiding, while the lower section has a larger diameter for optimal cold-air flow. This local differentiation resolves the contradiction by optimizing each section for its primary purpose.
2Loss of energy
If the guide sleeve diameter is excessively large to allow cold-air flow, then cold-air can flow smoothly, but the planar shape of the ice becomes excessively large and does not appear as spherical ice
Solution Approach 1:
The guide sleeve is segmented into upper and lower parts with different diameters. The lower guide sleeve has a larger diameter that allows sufficient cold-air flow, while the upper guide sleeve has a smaller diameter that confines the water to form spherical ice. This segmentation resolves the contradiction between cold-air flow and ice shape.
Solution Approach 2:
Different diameter sections are assigned to different functional zones: the lower section prioritizes cold-air flow with larger diameter, while the upper section prioritizes spherical ice formation with smaller diameter. This local quality differentiation resolves the contradiction.
3Ease of operation
If the ejecting pin moves to remove ice, then ice can be ejected from the tray, but the ejecting pin may be caught to the upper tray and guide sleeve, causing breakage
Solution Approach 1:
The upper tray is made of elastic material that can deform elastically. When the ejecting pin moves, the elastic tray can flex to accommodate the pin's movement, preventing the pin from being caught or broken. This resolves the contradiction between ease of operation and component durability.
Solution Approach 2:
The elastic material of the upper tray changes its physical parameters (shape, volume) in response to the ejecting pin's movement. This parameter change allows the tray to adapt to the pin's motion, preventing mechanical interference and breakage while maintaining effective ice ejection.
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 design enhances ice formation speed, maintains spherical shape, prevents water overflow, and reduces the risk of component damage, ensuring efficient and uniform ice production.
Implementation Method 1
an upper tray made of an elastic material, wherein a plurality of hemispherical upper chambers are defined in the upper tray
Implementation Method 2
smooth flow of cold-air passing through an upper tray to improve an ice making performance
Implementation Method 3
a plurality of hemispherical upper chambers are defined in the upper tray... to define a plurality of spherical ice chambers
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3~4
AI summary
Provided is an ice maker including an upper tray (150) and a lower tray made of an elastic material, wherein a plurality of upper chambers defined in the upper tray and a plurality of lower chambers defined in the lower tray are in contact with each other to define a plurality of spherical ice chambers, respectively, an ejector-receiving opening (154) is opened to each of the plurality of upper chambers, an opening-defining wall (155) extending upward along a circumference of each ejector-receiving opening, an upper ejector configured to pass through the ejector-defining wall and vertically move to remove each ice from each ice chamber, and a driver for pivoting the lower tray to open and close the upper tray and the lower tray, wherein the upper tray includes a horizontal extension (164) forming a top face of the upper tray, wherein the upper chamber is positioned below the horizontal extension such that the opening-defining wall is formed at a vertical level equal to or lower than a vertical level of the opening-defining wall.