Ice Tray Assembly Layout for Transparent Ice Without Slower Freezing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing ice makers face challenges in producing transparent ice with uniform transparency and maintaining an efficient ice making rate, as heat transfer from the heater to the ice making cell can disrupt the solidification process, leading to opaque ice and reduced efficiency.
Innovation Solution
The design includes a first and second tray assembly with a heater positioned on one tray assembly, where the second tray assembly extends away from the ice making cell to reduce heat transfer, and a controller manages the heating and cooling to control bubble movement and ice formation, ensuring uniform transparency and efficient ice making.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If a heater is positioned adjacent to the ice making cell to control solidification and produce transparent ice, then ice transparency is improved, but heat transfer to the ice making cell increases causing reduced ice making rate
Solution Approach 1:
The ice making system is divided into two separate tray assemblies: a first tray assembly positioned adjacent to the heater for controlled heat transfer, and a second tray assembly positioned away from the heater to minimize heat transfer. This segmentation allows the heater to control solidification in the first tray for transparent ice production while the second tray maintains lower temperatures for efficient ice making rate.
Solution Approach 2:
Different regions of the ice making system are given different thermal characteristics. The first tray assembly receives controlled heat transfer from the heater to enable transparent ice formation, while the second tray assembly is positioned to receive minimal heat transfer to maintain high ice making efficiency. Each tray assembly serves a specific local function in the overall ice making process.
2Manufacturing precision
If heat transfer from the heater to the ice making cell is increased to control solidification rate, then ice transparency is improved, but the ice making rate decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments the ice making process across two tray assemblies with different heat transfer characteristics. The first tray assembly is positioned to receive controlled heat transfer for transparency control, while the second tray assembly is positioned away from the heater to maintain high ice making rate, thus resolving the contradiction between transparency and productivity.
3Manufacturing precision
If the heater is positioned close to the ice making cell to control bubble movement, then ice transparency is improved, but heat loss increases reducing energy efficiency
Solution Approach 1:
The heater is positioned adjacent to only the first tray assembly rather than the entire ice making cell, segmenting the heating zone. This localized positioning reduces unnecessary heat loss to areas where heating is not required, while still providing sufficient heat control for transparent ice production in the first tray assembly.
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 allows for the production of transparent ice with uniform transparency while minimizing the decrease in ice making rate, by reducing heat transfer and optimizing the ice formation process.
Implementation Method 1
a heater, wherein the heater heats the water in the ice making cell to move bubbles in the water
Implementation Method 2
a cooler supplying cold air to the ice making cell
Implementation Method 3
transfer of heat, which is transferred from the heater to the one tray assembly, to the ice making cell
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention relates to a refrigerator. A refrigerator of the present invention may comprise: a first tray assembly forming a part of an ice making cell; and a second tray assembly forming another part of the ice making cell. The first tray assembly includes a first tray defining a part of the ice making cell and a first tray case supporting the first tray, and the second tray assembly includes a second tray defining another part of the ice making cell and a second tray case supporting the second tray. One of the first and second tray cases includes a first region having a through-hole and a second region having a shape corresponding to the ice making cell to support one of the first and second trays.