Ice maker with rotating ice mold and counter-rotating ejection assembly
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Solution Overview
Problem
Refrigerator ice makers often experience blockages due to inconsistent ice cube sizes, causing jams in the ejection mechanism, which can lead to extended downtime until the blockage is resolved, either manually or through melting/sublimation.
Innovation Solution
An ice maker design featuring a rotatable ice mold and a sweeping element with radially extending fingers that rotate in opposite directions, utilizing a gear train and crank mechanism to ensure efficient ice cube ejection, with fingers incrementally offset and shaped to trace the inner geometry of semi-wheel cavities, reducing the likelihood of blockages and strain on the motor.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If moving or rotating fingers are used to push or dig ice cubes out of cavities, then ice ejection function is provided, but small ice cubes may get stuck between fingers or between finger and ice mold causing blockages and extended downtime
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of rotating fingers pushing ice cubes out, the patent inverts the approach by having the ice mold rotate while stationary fingers sweep across the cavities. This inversion eliminates the complexity of rotating fingers and reduces blockage risks by using a simpler sweeping motion where fingers pass over the ice cubes as the mold rotates, rather than fingers actively pushing the ice out.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the ejection function by separating the rotating ice mold from the stationary sweeping fingers. This segmentation allows the mold to rotate independently while the fingers remain fixed, creating a reliable ejection mechanism where small ice cubes can be swept out without getting stuck between moving finger parts.
2Productivity
If fingers are used to dig or push ice cubes, then ejection is achieved, but the mechanism is prone to jams requiring manual removal or melting/sublimation taking several days
Solution Approach 1:
The patent inverts the traditional ejection mechanism by having the ice mold rotate while fingers remain stationary. This inversion creates a continuous ejection process where ice cubes are swept out during normal operation without risk of jamming, eliminating downtime and maintaining continuous ice production.
Solution Approach 2:
The sweeping finger mechanism is designed to self-clear small ice cubes during the sweeping motion. The geometry of the fingers and the sweeping action automatically eject even small ice cubes without requiring manual intervention or extended melting periods, making the system self-sufficient and continuous.
3Ease of operation
If rotating fingers are used for ejection, then ice cubes can be pushed out, but inconsistencies in ice cube size cause small cubes to get stuck and jam the mechanism
Solution Approach 1:
The patent inverts the ejection mechanism so that stationary fingers sweep across rotating ice mold cavities. This inversion creates a universal ejection system that handles all ice cube sizes effectively, as the sweeping motion naturally accommodates variations in ice cube dimensions without causing jams.
Solution Approach 2:
The sweeping finger design provides universal ejection capability for ice cubes of various sizes. The stationary fingers with appropriate geometry can sweep out both large and small ice cubes effectively, making the mechanism adaptable to different ice production conditions and cube size variations.
Data Source
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AI summary
An ice maker includes an ice mold and a sweeping element. The ice mold includes a plurality of cavities and is configured to be rotatable about an axis that is spaced apart from the cavities and extends longitudinally with respect to the ice mold. The sweeping element is configured to be rotatable about the axis and includes a shaft with a plurality of fingers radially extending from the shaft. Each of the fingers is configured to extend into a corresponding one of the cavities upon rotation of the shaft about the axis. During a harvesting step, the ice mold is configured to rotate in a first direction about the axis while the sweeping element is configured to rotate in a second direction about the axis that is opposite the first direction.