Ice making apparatus and refrigerator with it
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing ice making apparatuses in refrigerators lack the ability to accurately control the amount of ice produced based on user needs, often resulting in either too much or too little ice being stored.
Innovation Solution
An ice making apparatus equipped with a first sensor at the bottom of the ice storage box, an input module for user-defined ice quantity, a storage module for single ice cube weight, and a control module that calculates and controls the ice production based on detected weight and user input to maintain the desired ice amount.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If an ice probing rod or sensor is used to detect when the ice storage box reaches the upper storage limit, then the ice making machine can automatically stop making ice, but the users cannot control the amount of ice stored according to their specific needs
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses a first sensor to detect the actual weight of ice in the storage box and feeds this information back to the control module. The control module compares the actual ice weight with the target ice weight (calculated from user-input ice cube quantity and stored single ice cube weight) to determine when to stop ice making, enabling precise user-customizable ice quantity control
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces traditional mechanical level sensors or probing rods with a weight-based detection system using a first sensor (load cell or weight sensor) at the bottom of the ice storage box. This substitution enables more precise and flexible measurement of ice quantity, allowing users to control the exact amount of ice stored rather than relying on fixed upper limit detection
2Ease of operation
If the ice making machine continuously produces ice to maintain the upper storage limit, then the ice storage box is always full, but users cannot obtain fresh ice frequently and the stored ice may become old
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically adjusts the ice making process based on user needs. Users can input different ice cube quantities according to when they need fresh ice, and the control module calculates the corresponding target ice weight and controls the ice making assembly to stop at the precise moment when the target is reached, enabling flexible control between fresh ice availability and total storage amount
3Measurement precision
If traditional sensors are used to detect ice level, then the system can detect when the box is full, but the measurement precision is insufficient for accurate ice quantity control
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces traditional mechanical level sensors with a weight-based detection system using a first sensor (load cell or weight sensor) at the bottom of the ice storage box. This substitution provides continuous, precise weight measurement data that enables accurate calculation of ice quantity, allowing the system to detect and control ice weight with high precision
Solution Approach 2:
The first sensor continuously provides feedback on the actual ice weight to the control module. The control module uses this feedback to calculate the difference between actual and target ice weight, and controls the ice making assembly to stop when the difference is within a preset range, achieving precise ice quantity control
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
Enables users to intuitively set and maintain the desired ice quantity, preventing excess or deficiency by accurately controlling the ice making process, enhancing user experience.
Implementation Method 1
a first sensor disposed at a bottom of the ice storage box and used for detecting an ice storage weight in the ice storage box
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
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AI summary
The present invention provides an ice making apparatus and a refrigerator. The ice making apparatus includes an ice making assembly; an ice storage box for receiving ice cubes made by the ice making assembly; a first sensor disposed at the bottom of the ice storage box and used for detecting an ice storage weight in the ice storage box; an input module for inputting a pre-stored ice cube quantity in the ice storage box; a storage module for storing an amount of ice made in a single process and a single ice cube weight; and a control module for calculating an amount of ice to be made according to the pre-stored ice cube quantity, the single ice cube weight and the ice storage weight, and controlling the ice making assembly according to the amount of ice to be made and the amount of the ice made in the single process.