Removable Direct-Cooled Ice Maker for Easier Refrigerant Service
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Solution Overview
Problem
Direct-cooled ice-making systems for refrigeration appliances are complex to manufacture and service due to their added features, particularly when parts need replacement, as they require intricate cooling and heating loops embedded within the ice maker mold.
Innovation Solution
A direct-cooled ice making assembly with a removably attachable ice maker to a cooling plate, allowing for separate replacement without affecting the refrigerant circuit, and an optional heating loop for ice harvesting, maintaining continuous cooling of the refrigerated compartment.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If a direct-cooled ice making system with embedded cooling loops is used, then ice production rate is improved, but device complexity and manufacturing difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
The ice making system is divided into separate functional modules: a removable ice maker assembly containing the mold body and a stationary cooling plate assembly containing the refrigerant circuit. This segmentation allows the complex cooling system to be isolated in a separate module that remains installed, while the ice maker can be independently replaced, thus maintaining high ice production rate while reducing overall system complexity through modular design.
Solution Approach 2:
The refrigerant circuit and cooling plate are extracted from the ice maker mold body and placed in a separate stationary assembly. This extraction removes the complex refrigerant handling components from the removable ice maker, simplifying its design and making it easier to manufacture and service while preserving the direct-cooled functionality through the separate cooling plate assembly.
2Manufacturing precision
If cooling loops are embedded within the ice maker mold, then heat transfer efficiency is improved, but ease of repair and part replacement deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The system is segmented into a removable ice maker mold assembly and a stationary cooling plate assembly with embedded refrigerant circuits. This allows the cooling loops to remain embedded in the stationary assembly where they can be properly sealed and maintained, while the ice maker mold can be independently removed and replaced without affecting the refrigerant circuit integrity.
Solution Approach 2:
The refrigerant circuit is extracted from the removable ice maker mold and placed in the stationary cooling plate assembly. This extraction enables the cooling loops to be permanently installed in a fixed location where they can be properly sealed and maintained, while allowing the ice maker mold to be easily removed and replaced without compromising the refrigerant system.
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
Simplifies maintenance and reduces manufacturing complexity by enabling easy replacement of the ice maker without impacting the refrigerant circuit, while ensuring continuous cooling and efficient ice production and harvesting.
Implementation Method 1
A cooling plate houses the ice maker cooling portion which creates ice within the compartments of the mold body by cooling the mold body via the cooling plate
Implementation Method 2
The ice maker warming portion is operative to warm the mold body via the cooling plate sufficiently to allow harvesting of ice cubes from the compartments
Data Source
AI summary
A direct-cooled ice making assembly for a refrigeration appliance is disclosed. A refrigeration system includes a refrigerant circuit having an ice maker cooling portion for cooling an ice maker mold body. A cooling plate houses the ice maker cooling portion which creates ice within compartments of the mold body by cooling the mold body via the cooling plate. The ice maker is configured to be removably attached to the cooling plate so as to be replaceable without removing the ice maker cooling portion of the refrigerant circuit within the cooling plate or the cooling plate. Related refrigeration appliances are also disclosed.