Resilient Mold Ice Making Assembly with Deformation-Based Release
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional ice making assemblies in refrigerators are large, inefficient, and prone to performance issues such as jamming and energy wastage due to ice buildup, leading to suboptimal ice dispensing and increased energy consumption.
Innovation Solution
An ice making assembly featuring a resilient mold with a heat exchanger for freezing water and a lifter mechanism that deforms the mold to release ice cubes, along with a resilient seal for an air-tight seal and a sweep assembly for efficient ice ejection, designed to minimize space and reduce clogging.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If a harvest heater is placed far from the water discharge spout, then the heater can be positioned in a standard location, but the heater must be turned on for a long period to melt ice buildup, increasing energy consumption and time
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by positioning the harvest heater in close proximity to the water discharge spout where ice buildup occurs. This localized placement concentrates heating capacity exactly where needed, allowing the heater to melt ice buildup quickly without requiring extended operation time, thereby reducing overall energy consumption while maintaining ease of manufacture through targeted thermal application
2Productivity
If a sweep arm is used to eject ice cubes, then ice can be discharged from the mold, but water may freeze in locations that cause the sweep arm to jam, resulting in ejection failure
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical sweep arm ejection system with a deformation-based release mechanism. The mold is deformed by upward movement to break the bond between ice cubes and mold walls, eliminating the need for a sweep arm that could jam. This substitution maintains productive ice ejection while significantly improving reliability by removing the mechanical components susceptible to freezing and jamming
3Ease of operation
If a twist tray icemaker is used, then ice cubes can be formed and released, but additional room is required to fully rotate and twist the tray, increasing device size
Solution Approach 1:
The patent inverts the traditional ice release approach by instead of rotating or twisting the mold horizontally, it moves the mold upward and deforms it vertically to release ice cubes. This inversion of the release mechanism eliminates the need for large rotational space, achieving easy ice release while minimizing device volume
4Productivity
If conventional icemakers are used, then ice can be made, but ice cubes are frequently fractured during the twisting process, causing overfilling during the next fill process
Solution Approach 1:
The patent inverts the release mechanism from horizontal twisting to vertical deformation, which gently breaks the bond between ice and mold without subjecting ice cubes to fracturing forces. This maintains ice cube integrity while preserving productive ice production, preventing overfilling issues caused by fractured cubes
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 solution results in a compact, efficient, and reliable ice making system that reduces energy consumption and enhances ice dispensing performance by minimizing jamming and ice buildup, providing consistent and larger ice storage capacity.
Implementation Method 1
A heat exchanger is in thermal communication with the resilient mold to freeze the water and form one or more ice cubes
Data Source
AI summary
An ice making assembly for a refrigerator appliance includes a resilient mold defining a mold cavity and a heat exchanger in thermal communication with the resilient mold to freeze water and form one or more ice cubes therein. The ice making assembly also includes a lifter mechanism positioned below the resilient mold for selectively deforming the mold and raising the ice cubes formed therein. A resilient seal is sealingly engaged with the lifter mechanism and the heat exchanger, whereby an air-tight seal is formed between the lifter mechanism and the resilient seal and between the heat exchanger and the resilient seal.