Rotatable Ice Maker Mold for Overlapping Production Cycles
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional refrigerator ice makers have long production cycles due to the use of stationary molds, and routing ice to multiple storage bins is complex, leading to inefficiencies in ice production and storage.
Innovation Solution
A dual direction ice maker with a rotatable ejector that can overlap ice production cycles by ejecting ice cubes onto drying surfaces before they are fully frozen, allowing for simultaneous initiation of new cycles and simplifying ice routing to multiple storage bins through bidirectional rotation and dedicated drying surfaces.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If a stationary mold is used for ice production, then the ice maker structure is simple, but the production cycle time is long
Solution Approach 1:
The mold is changed from a stationary component to a rotatable component that can rotate between a filling position and an ejection position. This dynamic transformation allows the mold to serve multiple functions during rotation, enabling overlapping production cycles and significantly increasing ice production rate without substantially increasing structural complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The ice production process is segmented into distinct phases (filling, freezing, ejection) that occur at different positions during mold rotation. By dividing the continuous production cycle into discrete segments occurring at different angular positions, the system can overlap multiple cycles, improving productivity while maintaining relatively simple structure.
2Device complexity
If a single mold is used for each batch of ice, then the structure is simple, but the time between production cycles is long
Solution Approach 1:
The rotatable mold enables continuous ice production by eliminating idle time between cycles. While one mold cavity is being ejected, another is being filled, and a third is freezing. This continuous overlapping of production stages ensures that the mold is always engaged in a productive phase, reducing cycle time without adding multiple separate molds.
Solution Approach 2:
The mold is pre-filled with water at the filling position before rotation to the freezing position. This preliminary action allows the next production cycle to begin while the current batch is still freezing, overlapping cycles and reducing total production time while maintaining simple single-mold structure.
3Device complexity
If ice cubes are ejected onto a support structure to refreeze, then the ice cubes do not freeze together, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The harmful element (excess water on ice cube surfaces) is extracted through the drying surface that absorbs moisture from ejected ice cubes. By removing this harmful factor at the ejection position, the need for additional support structures to prevent clumping is eliminated, maintaining device simplicity while solving the ice cube freezing together problem.
Solution Approach 2:
The drying surface acts as an intermediary between the mold and the storage bin, temporarily receiving ejected ice cubes and removing surface moisture before the ice cubes are deposited into storage. This intermediary function prevents ice cube clumping without requiring complex support structures.
4Quantity of substance
If multiple storage bins are used for ice, then the ice storage capacity is increased, but the routing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The rotatable mold serves multiple functions: filling, freezing, drying, and ejection to different storage bins. By making the mold multi-functional through rotation, the system can route ice to multiple storage bins without requiring separate dedicated ejection mechanisms for each bin, thus increasing storage capacity while maintaining relatively simple routing.
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
This solution accelerates ice production by overlapping multiple production cycles and simplifies the routing of ice to multiple storage bins, reducing the time required to refill ice storage and enhancing overall ice production efficiency.
Implementation Method 1
a rotatable ejector configured to push a first set of ice cubes formed in the plurality of mold cavities onto a drying surface
Implementation Method 2
a drying surface configured to receive the first set of ice cubes and remove excess water from outer surfaces of the first set of ice cubes
Implementation Method 3
a mold including a plurality of mold cavities in which a first set of ice cubes are formed
Data Source
AI summary
A refrigerator utilizes a dual direction ice maker capable of overlapping multiple ice production cycles in time to accelerate ice production and/or routing ice to multiple storage bins.