Standalone Ice Maker Filtration With Removable Water Tank
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing stand-alone ice makers are costly, require plumbing connections, and often lack removable ice buckets, limiting their accessibility and efficiency in producing nugget ice while not providing effective water filtration.
Innovation Solution
A stand-alone ice making appliance with a removable container, a non-plumbed water tank, a pump, and a sealed refrigeration system for independent operation, along with a filter to remove contaminants from the water, allowing for the production of nugget ice without relying on a refrigerator's plumbing or refrigeration system.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If stand-alone ice makers are made independent of refrigerator appliances, then ice production independence is improved, but cost increases to cost-prohibitive levels
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the ice making system into separate, modular components including a removable container for ice storage, a detachable water tank, and an ice maker assembly that can function independently. This segmentation allows consumers to purchase only the ice maker portion without needing a full refrigerator appliance, reducing cost while maintaining independence.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts the ice maker functionality from the refrigerator appliance, creating a standalone unit. The ice maker is designed to operate independently with its own water tank and refrigeration system, removing the need for connection to refrigerator plumbing and refrigeration systems, thereby reducing cost while preserving independence.
2Reliability
If stand-alone ice makers require plumbing connections, then water supply reliability is improved, but ease of installation and accessibility deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the requirement for plumbing connections by incorporating a removable water tank that can be filled manually. This extraction of the plumbing dependency allows the ice maker to be installed anywhere without requiring water supply lines, dramatically improving installation accessibility while maintaining reliable water supply through the removable tank.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements self-service by allowing users to manually fill the water tank and remove it for refilling. This eliminates the need for professional plumbing installation while ensuring reliable water supply, as users can easily access and refill the tank without requiring external water connections.
3Stability of the object's composition
If ice buckets are fixed in stand-alone ice makers, then structural stability is improved, but ease of ice access deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the ice storage function from the main body by providing a removable container that can be detached from the ice maker. This allows the container to be easily removed for ice access while maintaining structural stability when attached. The container can be completely removed from the ice maker assembly, providing easy access to ice without compromising the stability of the ice maker during operation.
4Object-affected harmful factors
If water filtration is added to stand-alone ice makers, then water quality is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent incorporates water filtration into the removable water tank, which serves multiple functions: storing water, being manually filled, and filtering contaminants. By integrating the filtration function into the existing water tank structure rather than adding a separate filtration system, the patent improves water quality while minimizing increases in device complexity.
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 provides a cost-effective, independent ice making solution that allows for easy access to ice and effective water filtration, enabling the production of nugget ice at ambient temperatures above freezing, thus addressing the limitations of traditional ice makers.
Implementation Method 1
a pump in fluid communication with the second storage volume for actively flowing water from the water tank
Implementation Method 2
a filter, the filter including a filter medium operable to remove contaminants from water flowing through the filter medium
Implementation Method 3
an ice maker, the ice maker including a sealed refrigeration system
Data Source
AI summary
Stand-alone ice making appliances are provided. An appliance includes a container defining a first storage volume for receipt of ice, a water tank defining a second storage volume for receipt of water, and a pump in fluid communication with the second storage volume. The appliance further includes an ice maker which is in fluid communication with the pump for receiving water from the pump. The appliance further includes a filter, the filter including a filter medium operable to remove contaminants from water flowing through the filter medium, the filter positioned upstream of the ice maker in a flow direction of water from the second storage volume to the ice maker.