Insulated Ice Cube Tray With Drainage for Evaporator Wall Cooling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing ice cube trays require a freezing zone in refrigerators, are expensive due to the need for a large quantity of eutectic liquid, and suffer from water condensation issues that prevent ice formation, limiting their adaptability and efficiency.
Innovation Solution
A closed ice cube tray design with a support integrated into the refrigerator wall, featuring thermal insulation, a eutectic liquid cavity, and a water evacuation chute to prevent water accumulation and facilitate water flow away from the evaporator, allowing ice cube formation without a dedicated freezing zone.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If an open receptacle design is used, then the tray can be simple in structure, but it requires a large quantity of eutectic liquid and is expensive to produce
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a nested structure where the ice cube compartments are housed within a sealed container that is itself placed inside the larger receptacle. This nested arrangement allows the eutectic liquid to be contained in a smaller, dedicated cavity rather than filling the entire open receptacle, thereby reducing the quantity of eutectic liquid required while maintaining the simplicity of the overall tray structure.
2Productivity
If the tray is placed on the refrigerator wall with evaporator, then ice cubes can be formed, but water condenses on the wall and forms an insulating layer that prevents ice formation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the water collection function from the ice cube formation process by providing a separate drainage channel that is distinct from the ice cube compartments. This channel specifically removes condensed water from the wall surface before it can form an insulating layer, thereby maintaining the thermal contact necessary for ice cube formation while eliminating the harmful condensation effect.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a drainage channel as an intermediary element between the refrigerator wall and the ice cube compartments. This channel acts as a mediator that intercepts and removes condensed water, preventing it from reaching the thermal interface between the wall and the ice cube trays, thus maintaining efficient heat transfer while managing the condensation byproduct.
3Reliability
If a large quantity of eutectic liquid is used, then ice cubes can be formed effectively, but the tray becomes expensive to produce
Solution Approach 1:
The nested structure allows the eutectic liquid to be confined to a smaller, optimized cavity that is sufficient for effective ice cube formation. This reduces the overall quantity of expensive eutectic liquid required, directly lowering production costs while maintaining the reliability of ice cube formation through proper thermal contact and containment.
4Ease of manufacture
If the compartment has a simplified box shape, then manufacturing cost is reduced, but water may stagnate in the area where the compartment contacts the evaporator
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by modifying only the specific area where water stagnation is problematic - the contact region with the evaporator - while maintaining the overall simplified box shape. The drainage channel is strategically positioned at this critical location to provide localized water removal, preventing stagnation without requiring complex modifications to the entire compartment structure, thus balancing manufacturing simplicity with functional effectiveness.
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 reduces the amount of eutectic liquid needed, prevents frost formation, and adapts to various refrigeration appliances, ensuring efficient ice cube production at a lower cost while maintaining ice cubes during defrosting.
Implementation Method 1
Water condenses on the walls of such a refrigerator and preferentially on the wall comprising an evaporator
Implementation Method 2
an insulating layer of ice water forms between the ice cube tray and the wall of the refrigerator
Implementation Method 3
a cavity containing a eutectic liquid and housings for forming ice cubes
Implementation Method 4
the water evacuation means make it possible to guide the water flowing over the wall of the refrigeration appliance outside the zone where the compartment is in thermal relationship with the evaporator
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention relates to an ice cube tray in a refrigeration appliance comprising an ice cube compartment (2) and a support (3) disposed on a wall of the refrigeration appliance, said compartment (2) being in thermal contact with an evaporator integrated into said wall, said compartment (2) comprising thermal insulation provided with a plastic casing (11) and an insulating layer, a cavity containing a eutectic liquid, and recesses (8) for forming ice cubes. According to the invention, the ice cube tray includes means for draining water (14) in contact with the wall of the refrigeration appliance comprising the evaporator and the ice cube tray support (3). The invention is particularly applicable to refrigerators.