Movable Spherical Ice Tray Assembly for Sealed Filling and Release
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional ice makers lack an efficient mechanism for producing and separating spherical ice, leading to issues with ice shape consistency and water leakage during the ice-making process.
Innovation Solution
The ice maker employs an upper tray with hemispherical recessed parts and a lower tray with hemispherical recessed parts, connected by a driving unit that changes orientation to form spherical shells, allowing for efficient water supply and ice separation using an ejecting unit with pins and heaters to facilitate the separation of ice pieces.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If conventional ice makers use a simple tray structure, then the device complexity is low, but the ice shape consistency and separation efficiency deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The ice maker tray is divided into an upper tray and a lower tray that can move relative to each other. Each tray has recessed parts that form spherical shells when attached, allowing precise control of ice shape while maintaining structural simplicity through modular design
Solution Approach 2:
The upper tray or lower tray is made movable by a driving unit, transitioning between attached and separated orientations. This dynamic structure enables consistent spherical ice formation during attachment while facilitating easy separation and ejection during detachment, improving both ice shape consistency and device operability
2Reliability
If the trays are firmly attached to ensure sealing, then water leakage is reduced, but the ease of separation and ejection of ice pieces deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The driving unit enables the upper and lower trays to transition between firmly attached and easily separated states. During attachment, the trays form a sealed structure for reliable water containment; during separation, the trays can be easily moved apart for ice ejection, resolving the contradiction between sealing reliability and operational ease
Solution Approach 2:
The relative position and orientation of the upper and lower trays are changed between attached and separated states. This parameter change allows the system to switch between high sealing performance during ice making and easy separation during ejection, accommodating both requirements at different operational stages
3Manufacturing precision
If spherical shells are formed for ice making, then the ice shape consistency is improved, but the device complexity increases due to the need for precise tray attachment
Solution Approach 1:
The spherical shell formation is achieved by segmenting the tray into upper and lower parts with complementary recessed shapes. When attached, these segments form the complete spherical cavity needed for consistent ice shape, while the modular segmentation keeps the attachment mechanism simple and manageable
Solution Approach 2:
The upper tray and lower tray have asymmetric recessed parts designed to complement each other when attached. This asymmetric design ensures precise spherical shell formation for consistent ice shape while allowing straightforward attachment and separation without complex alignment mechanisms
4Productivity
If the ice maker uses automated water supply and separation, then the productivity is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The driving unit serves multiple functions: it attaches the upper and lower trays for ice making, separates them for ejection, and positions the trays for water supply. This multi-functionality improves productivity through automation while minimizing device complexity by using a single mechanism for multiple operations
Solution Approach 2:
The ice maker system performs automated water supply into the spherical shells and self-separates the trays for ice ejection through the driving unit. This self-service capability increases productivity by reducing manual intervention while keeping the system structure relatively simple through automated cyclic operation
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 design enables the consistent production of spherical ice, reduces water leakage, and allows for continuous ice-making by effectively separating ice pieces from the trays, improving the overall efficiency and functionality of the ice-making process.
Implementation Method 1
an ejecting unit configured to provide a separation force that separates the upper tray and the lower tray from each other
Implementation Method 2
an elastic member having a first end connected to a second end of the rotating arm and a second end connected to the lower tray, wherein the elastic member provides an elastic force to secure the lower tray and the upper tray in the attached orientation
Data Source
AI summary
Provided is an ice maker. The ice maker includes an upper tray including a plurality of first recessed parts, each having a hemispherical shape, and a lower tray including a plurality of second recessed parts, each having a hemispherical shape. The ice maker also includes a driving unit that moves at least one of the upper tray and the lower tray to change between an attached orientation in which the upper tray is attached to the lower tray to define a plurality of spherical shells and a separated orientation in which the upper tray is separated from the lower tray. The ice maker further includes a water supply part configured to supply water into the shells and an ejecting unit disposed outside the shells and configured to facilitate separation of ice pieces made in the shells.