Refrigerator with an ice level sensing apparatus
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing refrigerator ice level sensing systems are unreliable due to mechanical failures, such as the freezing of full ice detection levers, leading to continuous ice supply and overflow issues.
Innovation Solution
An ice level sensing apparatus using infrared sensors and alignment devices to detect the full ice level by transmitting and receiving signals, with a heating element to prevent frosting and maintain signal reliability, ensuring accurate detection of ice levels in the ice container.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a mechanical full ice detection lever is used to detect ice level, then the device structure is simple, but the reliability of sensing is low due to freezing of the lever
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical full ice detection lever with an optical sensing system consisting of an infrared emitter and receiver. This substitution eliminates the mechanical components that are prone to freezing and failure, thereby improving reliability. The infrared sensor system detects ice level through optical signals that are not affected by the cold environment causing mechanical lever freezing.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a heating element as an intermediary component to prevent the infrared receiver from freezing. This heating element maintains the receiver temperature above freezing point, ensuring continuous operation of the optical sensing system. The intermediary heating component protects the sensing system from the harmful freezing conditions without interfering with the primary detection function.
2Reliability
If a mechanical detection lever is used, then the device is simple to manufacture, but it fails when frozen leading to continuous ice supply and overflow
Solution Approach 1:
The mechanical detection lever is replaced with an infrared optical sensing system that includes an emitter, receiver, and associated circuitry. This substitution improves reliability by eliminating mechanical components that freeze and fail, while the optical system provides consistent performance in cold environments. The manufacturing complexity increases slightly due to the electronic components, but the overall system reliability is significantly enhanced.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the operating parameters of the sensing system by using infrared radiation detection instead of mechanical displacement detection. This parameter change allows the system to detect ice level through optical means that are not affected by freezing temperatures, thereby improving detection accuracy and reliability while maintaining reasonable manufacturing feasibility.
3Measurement precision
If no heating element is provided, then the device complexity is low, but the sensing accuracy deteriorates due to frosting on the sensor
Solution Approach 1:
A heating element is introduced as an intermediary component to prevent frosting on the infrared receiver. This heating element maintains the receiver surface temperature above the dew point, preventing moisture condensation and frosting that would otherwise block the optical signal. The added complexity of the heating element is justified by the significant improvement in measurement precision and continuous operation capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The heating element provides preliminary anti-action by preventing frosting before it can occur. By maintaining the receiver temperature above freezing and dew point conditions, the system proactively prevents the formation of ice or condensation on the optical sensor, ensuring continuous accurate measurement without signal blockage.
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
Enhances the reliability of ice level sensing, preventing ice overflow by accurately determining when the ice container is full, thereby optimizing ice production and storage.
Implementation Method 1
An ice level sensing apparatus using infrared sensors and alignment devices to detect the full ice level by transmitting and receiving signals
Implementation Method 2
with a heating element to prevent frosting and maintain signal reliability
Data Source
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AI summary
A refrigerator and a full ice level sensing apparatus (220, 320) are provided. The refrigerator includes a main body (110), and a full ice level sensing apparatus (220, 320) provided with an electronic optical element unit (240) for sending or receiving a signal, and an alignment unit device (250) for aligning and maintaining alignment of the electronic optical element unit (240) in a preset direction. The sensing apparatus (220, 320) may sense whether a storage container (180) in which ice cubes made by an ice maker (150) disposed at the refrigerator main body (110) is at a full ice level, whereby, the electronic optical element unit (240) is allowed to be aligned at a preset position, thus preventing the movement of the electronic optical element unit (240), resulting in improved reliability of the sensing of the full ice level apparatus (220, 320).