Refrigerator Ice Shutter Layout to Prevent Ice Cube Sticking
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Ice cubes in refrigerators tend to stick together due to cold air flowing from the ice maker into the ice bank, which reduces ice making efficiency and increases the likelihood of ice cubes melting, leading to sublimation and heat exchange issues.
Innovation Solution
An ice shutter mechanism is introduced to isolate the ice bank from the freezing compartment, preventing cold air from flowing into the ice bank by redirecting it through an outlet opening, thereby preventing ice cube sticking and enhancing ice making capacity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If cold air is supplied to the ice maker for ice making, then ice making function is achieved, but cold air flows into the ice bank causing ice cubes to stick together
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the internal space into two separate zones: an ice making space for the ice maker and an ice storage space for the ice bank. A partition wall with a selective passage is introduced to physically segment these spaces, allowing cold air to be supplied to the ice maker while preventing it from flowing into the ice bank, thus resolving the contradiction between achieving ice making function and preventing ice cube sticking
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a selective passage as an intermediary element between the ice making space and ice storage space. This passage selectively allows ice cubes to pass from the ice maker to the ice bank while blocking the flow of cold air, thereby mediating the interaction between the two spaces to prevent harmful cold air flow while maintaining useful ice cube transfer
2Quantity of substance
If ice cubes are stored in large quantity in the ice bank, then ice supply availability is improved, but heat exchange causes ice cubes to stick together
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the refrigerator interior into distinct ice making and ice storage zones separated by a partition wall. This segmentation isolates the large quantity of stored ice cubes in the ice bank from the cold air flow path, allowing high storage capacity while preventing heat exchange-induced sticking by blocking cold air from reaching the stored ice cubes
3Adaptability or versatility
If the ice bank is filled with lots of ice cubes to provide ice whenever desired, then ice availability is improved, but ice cubes stick together due to cold air flow
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates separate functional zones for ice making and ice storage, allowing the ice bank to be filled with lots of ice cubes for high availability while the partition wall prevents cold air from flowing into the storage zone, thereby maintaining adaptability for ice supply while preventing the harmful sticking effect
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 ice shutter effectively prevents ice cubes from sticking, improving ice making efficiency by about 15% and maintaining the quality of ice cubes by reducing heat exchange and sublimation.
Implementation Method 1
cold air supplied to the ice maker for ice making flows in the ice bank through a path for conveying ice cubes
Implementation Method 2
a cover for isolating the ice bank and the ice maker from a freezing compartment or a refrigerating compartment
Implementation Method 3
Heat exchange may occur due to a difference in temperature between ambient air and the ice cubes or air flowing in from the outside, causing the ice cubes to stick to each other
Data Source
AI summary
A refrigerator is provided. The refrigerator includes a main body including a compartment, an ice bank configured to store ice cubes, an ice maker configured to generate ice cubes and to move the ice cubes to the ice bank, the ice maker including an ice tray, a cover configured to isolate the ice bank and the ice maker from the compartment, the cover including a first opening and an ice shutter configured to prevent cold air flowing through the first opening of the cover into the ice maker from being introduced into the ice bank.