Refrigerator Ice Maker Tray Assembly for Transparent Ice Production
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing ice makers produce opaque ice due to undischarged bubbles, and struggle to maintain a high transparency and efficient ice making rate, as they lack effective control over the heating process and ice formation direction.
Innovation Solution
The refrigerator incorporates a tray assembly with a first and second region, where the second region has a higher degree of deformation resistance and restoration, and a transparent ice heater that adjusts heating based on the ice making cell's temperature and water level, guiding bubbles out of the ice making cell to enhance transparency and maintain a consistent ice making rate.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If water is cooled in the ice making cell to produce ice, then ice is formed, but bubbles remain dispersed in the water making opaque ice
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts bubbles from the water during the ice making process by applying heat to the bottom surface of the ice making cell. This causes bubbles to rise and escape through the bottom surface before the ice solidifies, resulting in transparent ice without compromising the ice making rate.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the temperature parameter by applying heat to the bottom surface of the ice making cell during the ice making process. This localized heating creates convection currents that facilitate bubble removal while maintaining overall cooling for ice formation.
2Manufacturing precision
If a heater is used to heat water during ice making to produce transparent ice, then transparency improves, but the heating control logic is insufficient to maintain high transparency without reducing ice making rate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs feedback control by using a temperature sensor to detect the temperature of water in the ice making cell and adjusting the heater's operation accordingly. The controller increases heating power when bubble removal is needed and reduces it when ice formation progresses, maintaining both transparency and ice making rate.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies periodic heating action to the bottom surface of the ice making cell. The heater is activated at specific intervals during the ice making process to periodically remove bubbles, ensuring continuous transparent ice production without interrupting the overall ice making rate.
3Manufacturing precision
If the bottom surface of the ice making cell is heated to remove bubbles, then transparent ice is produced, but energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies partial heating action only to the bottom surface of the ice making cell rather than heating the entire water volume. This localized heating is sufficient to remove bubbles through convection and bubble rise, minimizing energy consumption while achieving transparent ice.
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 produces transparent ice by removing bubbles and optimizing the ice formation process, ensuring high transparency and efficient ice production without compromising the ice making rate.
Implementation Method 1
a cooler supplying cold air to the ice making cell
Implementation Method 2
a transparent ice heater disposed in the ice making cell and heating the ice making cell
Data Source
AI summary
A refrigerator according to the present invention may comprise a first tray assembly forming one part of ice-making cells, and a second tray assembly forming the other part of same. Any one tray assembly, from among the first and second tray assemblies, comprises a first part forming at least a part of the ice-making cells, and a second part extending from a set point on the first part so as to reduce water supplied to the ice-making cells from leaking through a space between the first and second tray assemblies.