Motor-Driven Ice Tray Release for Heating-Free Automatic Ice Makers
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional automatic ice makers in refrigerators rely on heating elements to release ice cubes, which increases energy consumption, whereas stand-alone ice trays use mechanical means to break ice connections, but these are not integrated into a compact, efficient appliance design.
Innovation Solution
An automatic ice maker within a refrigerator that uses a motor-driven ice tray with weirs and passages to form and release ice cubes without a heating element, capable of producing over 1.6 kg of ice per 24 hours by rotating the tray to break ice connections and drop ice into a bin.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a heating element is used to release ice cubes from the ice tray, then the ice can be released effectively, but energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the thermal field (heating element) with a mechanical field (motor-driven tray rotation). The motor rotates the ice tray to mechanically break the bonds between ice cubes and the tray, eliminating the need for a heating element and reducing energy consumption while maintaining effective ice release
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the operational parameter from thermal energy input to mechanical motion input. By controlling the rotation speed and angle of the ice tray through a motor, the system achieves ice release through mechanical means rather than thermal means, optimizing energy efficiency
2Use of energy by moving object
If stand-alone ice trays use mechanical twisting to break ice connections, then energy consumption is reduced, but the design is not integrated into a compact appliance
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the stand-alone ice tray mechanical release mechanism with an integrated ice bin and motor-driven rotation system. The ice tray is combined with a receptacle that collects released ice cubes, creating a unified appliance component that maintains low energy consumption while achieving compact integration
Solution Approach 2:
The ice tray assembly serves multiple functions: it forms ice cubes, mechanically releases them through rotation, and collects them in an integrated bin. This multi-functional design eliminates the need for separate components while maintaining the energy-efficient mechanical release mechanism
3Use of energy by moving object
If the ice tray is rotated to harvest ice without a heater, then energy efficiency is improved, but the ice production rate may be limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent enables continuous ice production by rapidly rotating the ice tray to harvest ice cubes and immediately preparing for the next freezing cycle. The motor-driven rotation system allows quick ice release and tray resetting, maintaining continuous operation and high productivity without energy-wasting heating elements
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses dynamic rotation of the ice tray at controlled speeds and angles to optimize ice release efficiency. The motor can adjust rotation parameters to match production demands, enabling rapid ice harvest when needed while maintaining energy efficiency through precise mechanical control rather than continuous heating
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 solution enables efficient ice production without heating elements, achieving higher ice output per day while maintaining a compact design, improving energy efficiency and reducing operational costs.
Implementation Method 1
Twisting a stand-alone ice tray breaks the ice connections between ice cubes and ice wells while also deforming the ice tray, thereby forcing the ice cube out of the ice well by mechanical means
Implementation Method 2
The passages of the first set of weirs and the second set of weirs have a greater cross-sectional area than a passage positioned between ice wells adjacent an interior weir
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2A~2B
Figure 3
AI summary
A refrigerator includes a cabinet defining an interior volume and a door for accessing the interior volume. An ice maker is disposed within the interior volume harvesting ice. The ice maker includes a frame and a motor. An an ice tray includes a first end engaged with the motor, a second end engaged to the frame and a plurality ice wells defined by a plurality of weirs including first and second sets of weirs positioned proximate the first and second ends respectively, and interior weirs positioned therebetween. Each of the first and second sets of weirs and the internal weirs include a passage bifurcating each weir into first and second weir portions. Each of the passages defined by the first and second sets of weirs have a cross-sectional area that is greater than a cross-sectional area of any one of the passages defined by the internal weirs.