Ice-making assembly for a refrigerator or freezer
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Solution Overview
Problem
High-capacity ice makers in refrigerators and freezers often require more space than available, as they need to be larger to produce a significant quantity of ice, which is not feasible in standard household appliances.
Innovation Solution
The ice-making assembly features two rotatable ice trays arranged behind each other longitudinally, allowing for increased production capacity without expanding the transverse space, utilizing the deeper interior space of refrigerators and freezers, and incorporating a rotary drive device and cold air flow system for efficient ice production and discharge.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If two ice-making trays are arranged side by side (longitudinally adjacent), then the ice production capacity is increased, but the transverse space occupied is enlarged
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions from a side-by-side arrangement (occupying transverse space) to a front-to-back arrangement (occupying longitudinal depth), effectively changing the spatial dimension used for tray placement. This allows two trays to be accommodated in the longitudinal direction without increasing the transverse footprint, resolving the contradiction between increased production capacity and transverse space occupation.
2Productivity
If the tray length is increased to improve ice production capacity, then more ice can be produced, but the twist angle required to break loose ice increases making discharge difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The ice-making system is divided into multiple separate trays (first and second trays) arranged in sequence along the rotational axis. Each tray maintains a manageable length that allows effective ice discharge through twisting, while the combination of multiple trays provides high overall production capacity. This segmentation resolves the contradiction by distributing the production load across multiple smaller units rather than using one large tray.
3Volume of moving object
If a single large ice-making tray is used, then the device size is reduced, but the ice production capacity is limited
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple ice-making trays are nested or stacked in the longitudinal direction within the same transverse footprint. The first and second trays are arranged one behind the other along the rotational axis, allowing them to occupy the same lateral space while providing combined ice production capacity equivalent to or greater than a single large tray. This nesting approach resolves the contradiction between compact device size and high production capacity.
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 enables higher ice production capacity within the existing space constraints of domestic refrigerators and freezers, ensuring efficient ice production and discharge without obstructing the emptying process, while maintaining a compact size.
Implementation Method 1
first and second ice-making trays supported for rotation about a rotational axis with respect to the frame structure between an ice production position and an ice discharge position
Implementation Method 2
To freeze water poured into the ice-making trays, a cold air flow is used in certain embodiments of the present invention
Data Source
AI summary
An ice-making assembly for installation in a domestic refrigerator or freezer is provided. The ice-making assembly comprises: a frame structure; and first and second ice-making trays supported for rotation about a rotational axis with respect to the frame structure between an ice production position and an ice discharge position, wherein the first and second ice-making trays are disposed behind one another in a direction of the rotational axis and each have a tray longitudinal dimension in the direction of the rotational axis that is larger than a tray width direction in a direction transverse to the rotational axis.