Rocking Ice Tray Mechanism for Clear Ice Formation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing ice makers produce cloudy ice due to trapped air, which affects the taste and appearance of beverages, and require costly processing techniques to produce clear ice.
Innovation Solution
An ice maker assembly with a rocking ice tray mechanism that oscillates after ice formation begins, allowing air bubbles to escape and promoting clear ice production without the need for a drain.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If water is frozen in a stationary ice tray, then ice cubes are formed efficiently, but trapped air makes the ice cloudy and undesirable
Solution Approach 1:
The ice tray is transformed from a stationary component to a dynamic one that rocks back and forth during the freezing process. This rocking motion is achieved through a mechanical linkage system connected to the freezer's existing motor, allowing the tray to oscillate between two positions while freezing occurs, thereby preventing air bubble entrapment without requiring complex additional machinery
Solution Approach 2:
The ice tray undergoes periodic rocking motion during the freezing cycle, alternating between left and right positions. This periodic movement creates continuous disturbance in the water, preventing air bubbles from becoming trapped in the ice structure. The rocking continues throughout the freezing process, ensuring clear ice formation without requiring constant manual intervention
2Manufacturing precision
If costly processing techniques are used to produce clear ice, then ice clarity is improved, but manufacturing cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The rocking mechanism utilizes the freezer's existing motor and power system to drive the ice tray's oscillation, rather than requiring a separate dedicated motor or complex mechanical system. The tray's rocking motion is achieved through a simple linkage system that converts the motor's rotational motion into back-and-forth movement, eliminating the need for additional expensive components while maintaining clear ice production
Solution Approach 2:
The existing freezer motor serves dual purposes: it both cools the freezer compartment and drives the rocking motion of the ice tray through the mechanical linkage system. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for a separate motor dedicated solely to tray oscillation, reducing overall system complexity and manufacturing cost while achieving the desired clear ice effect
3Manufacturing precision
If a drain is added to remove air bubbles, then ice clarity is improved, but device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of trying to remove air bubbles through a drain system, the invention converts the harmful effect of stationary freezing into a beneficial rocking motion. The mechanical linkage system transforms the motor's rotational output into oscillating tray movement, which naturally expels air bubbles during freezing. This approach eliminates the need for drains, valves, or complex fluid management systems while achieving superior ice clarity
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 effectively removes air bubbles from the ice, resulting in clear ice that enhances the taste and appearance of beverages without the need for expensive processing techniques.
Implementation Method 1
cooling a bottom surface of the cold plate until the water on the top surface of the cold plate forms a layer of ice on the top surface of the cold plate
Implementation Method 2
A mechanical oscillating mechanism is coupled to the ice tray, and the oscillating mechanism rotates the tray in a rocking cycle about the transverse axis after ice has started to form
Data Source
AI summary
A clear ice maker having an ice tray with a thermally conductive cold plate, where the cold plate has a top surface and a bottom surface, with a thermoelectric cooling device thermally coupled to the bottom surface. Water is dispensed onto the top surface, and the bottom surface is cooled such that a portion of the water adjacent the top surface is frozen, to form a layer of ice. Then the ice tray is oscillated about a transverse axis of the ice tray, such that the water freezes in successive layers from the top surface of the cold plate upwards.