Ice making assembly for receiving interchangeable mold assemblies
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional ice making assemblies in refrigerators are large, inefficient, and limited to producing only one shape and size of ice cubes, often resulting in fractured cubes during ejection and overfilling issues due to the need for additional space to rotate the tray.
Innovation Solution
An ice maker design featuring a flexible mold supported by a heat exchanger within a receiving chamber, allowing for the formation of multiple ice cube sizes and shapes, with a lifter mechanism to deform the mold for easy ejection and a sweep assembly to facilitate ice cube discharge without fracturing, enhancing efficiency and versatility.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a partitioned plastic mold is physically deformed to break the bond between ice and the tray, then ice cubes can be ejected from the tray, but the icemaker requires additional room to fully rotate and twist the tray and the ice cubes are frequently fractured during the twisting process
Solution Approach 1:
The mold assembly is designed to be rotatable relative to the ice making assembly, allowing dynamic adjustment of the mold orientation. This rotation capability enables the mold to be positioned at different angles during the ice making cycle, facilitating easier ejection of ice cubes without requiring excessive twisting that would cause fracturing. The dynamic repositioning solves the contradiction by optimizing the ejection path while maintaining cube integrity.
Solution Approach 2:
The mold assembly is designed as a separate, removable component that can be independently rotated and ejected. By segmenting the mold from the main ice making assembly, the system allows the mold to be twisted and rotated in isolation during ejection without affecting the structural integrity of the ice cubes. The ice cubes remain stationary in the mold while the mold itself rotates, preventing fracturing.
2Adaptability or versatility
If conventional ice making assemblies are designed to produce one shape or size of ice cube, then the structure is simple, but the versatility is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The mold assembly is designed with interchangeable mold inserts that can be swapped to create different ice cube shapes and sizes. The universal mold assembly structure can accommodate multiple mold configurations, allowing a single ice making assembly to produce various types of ice cubes (cubes, spheres, flake ice, etc.). This multi-functionality resolves the contradiction by providing versatility through modular components rather than requiring multiple dedicated devices.
Solution Approach 2:
The mold assembly includes adjustable and reconfigurable elements that can be dynamically changed to produce different ice cube configurations. The ability to rotate, reposition, and interchange mold components allows the system to adapt to different ice making requirements without permanently fixing the structure for a single ice cube type.
3Volume of moving object
If the mold assembly is compactly designed to reduce space requirements, then storage capacity is improved, but the ability to fully rotate and twist the tray for ejection is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The mold assembly is designed as a compact, self-contained unit that can be rotated and ejected as a single module. By segmenting the mold from the main assembly and designing it as a removable cartridge-like component, the system achieves compact overall size while maintaining full rotation capability of the mold within its housing. The mold rotates on a compact axis mechanism that doesn't require excessive space.
Solution Approach 2:
The rotation and ejection mechanism utilizes three-dimensional space efficiently by allowing the mold to rotate on multiple axes and eject along different directional paths. This multi-dimensional movement capability enables compact design while maintaining full rotational freedom, as the mold can achieve the necessary orientation changes through combined rotational movements rather than requiring large single-axis rotation space.
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 provides a compact, efficient, and reliable ice making assembly capable of producing various ice cube sizes and shapes, reducing waste and improving storage capacity by minimizing space requirements and ensuring smooth ejection without fracturing.
Implementation Method 1
a flexible mold positioned on the mold support surface and being supported by the heat exchanger. The flexible mold may be in thermal communication with the heat exchanger
Data Source
AI summary
An ice maker for a refrigerator appliance includes an ice making assembly defining a receiving chamber in fluid communication with an air duct and a mold assembly removably mounted to the ice making assembly. The mold assembly includes a frame configured for receipt within the receiving chamber of the ice making assembly, a heat exchanger mounted to the frame and defining a mold support surface, and a flexible mold positioned on the mold support surface that is supported by the heat exchanger such that the flexible mold is in thermal communication with the heat exchanger and defines a mold cavity configured to receive a liquid. The mold assembly is replaceable with alternate mold assemblies.