Ice Tray Gear System for Torque-Optimized Ice Separation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional ice makers using brush motors for rotating ice trays suffer from limited lifetime due to carbon dust contamination, high noise, vibration, and reduced energy efficiency, as well as inefficient ice separation due to uniform motor force distribution.
Innovation Solution
The ice maker employs a motor unit with a stepping motor and a gear group that divides the rotation section into high-speed/low-torque and low-speed/high-torque sections, using a gear system with free rotation sections and differential gear teeth to optimize torque and speed for efficient ice separation, while preventing contamination and reducing noise and heat generation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a brush motor is used to rotate the ice tray, then the motor can provide continuous rotational force, but the motor generates carbon dust contamination, high noise, vibration, and reduced energy efficiency
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the brush motor with a gear system consisting of a drive gear and driven gear. This mechanical substitution eliminates the carbon brush component that generates dust, while the gear transmission provides the necessary rotational motion for the ice tray. The gear system also inherently reduces noise and vibration compared to the direct brush motor operation.
2Power
If a brush motor is used to rotate the ice tray, then the motor can provide continuous rotational force, but the motor consumes large current and generates considerable heat
Solution Approach 1:
The patent substitutes the energy-inefficient brush motor with a gear transmission system. The gear system transmits mechanical energy more efficiently without the resistive losses associated with carbon brushes. This results in reduced current consumption and heat generation while maintaining the required power output for ice tray rotation.
3Ease of operation
If uniform motor force is applied during ice tray rotation, then the rotation is smooth and simple, but the ice making process is not efficiently performed
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the gear teeth into different types: drive gear teeth and driven gear teeth. This segmentation allows different portions of the rotation cycle to serve different functions. The drive gear teeth engage first to initiate rotation, while the driven gear teeth provide enhanced torque during the ice separation phase. This segmented approach optimizes both rotation smoothness and ice separation efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies local quality by giving different characteristics to different parts of the gear system. The driven gear teeth are designed with specific geometric features that create high-torque zones during rotation. This local optimization ensures that maximum force is applied at the critical moments for ice separation, rather than distributing uniform force throughout the entire rotation cycle.
4Productivity
If the ice tray is rotated to separate ice, then ice can be effectively separated from the tray, but the rotation requires high torque at specific sections
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs dynamic characteristics in the gear engagement process. The transition from drive gear teeth engagement to driven gear teeth engagement creates a dynamic torque profile. The driven gear teeth are positioned and shaped to engage at specific rotation angles, providing high torque precisely when needed for ice separation. This dynamic approach allows the system to deliver high force only during the critical separation phase rather than throughout the entire rotation.
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 configuration enhances the efficiency of ice separation, extends motor lifetime, reduces noise and vibration, and improves energy efficiency by utilizing the motor force more effectively and minimizing heat generation.
Implementation Method 1
a gear group that divides the rotation section into high-speed/low-torque and low-speed/high-torque sections
Data Source
Figure 1~3
Figure 4~6
Figure 7(a)~9(b)
AI summary
An ice tray may include a control box; a motor unit installed in the control box, and generating a rotational force; a gear group receiving the rotating force of the motor unit, and including one or more gears having a gear ratio through which a rotational speed by the rotational force is changed, and an output unit engaged with the one or more gears and transferring a speed-changed rotation to the outside of the control box; and an ice tray having one side connected to a connection shaft extended from the output unit of the gear group, and rotated by a final number of rotations transferred through the output unit, where the one side of the ice tray has a larger rotation angle than the other side of the ice tray. The output unit may receive the rotational force through one or more gears, and include first and second output units which are formed as different modules so as to be rotated through two gear ratios. The rotation centers of the first and second output units may be positioned on the same axis, and the first and second output units are formed in different rotation sections.