Rotatable Mold Ice Making Assembly for Shaped Ice Ejection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing ice makers typically produce small, irregularly shaped ice pieces, and manual methods for creating larger or specifically shaped ice are inefficient and labor-intensive, lacking the ability to produce clear or transparent ice automatically.
Innovation Solution
An ice making assembly with a rotatable mold and ejector system that forms and ejects larger, uniformly shaped ice pieces, such as spheres, within a refrigerated appliance, using a motor to rotate the mold and ejector between positions to facilitate ice ejection and automatic production.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If a bulk ice maker is used to produce multiple ice pieces, then the production quantity is increased, but the individual ice pieces become smaller in size
Solution Approach 1:
The mold is divided into multiple cavities (e.g., six cavities arranged in a circular pattern) that can be independently filled with water. Each cavity forms a separate ice piece, allowing simultaneous production of multiple ice pieces while maintaining control over individual piece size through the dimensions of each cavity.
2Manufacturing precision
If manual ice molds are used to create larger or specifically shaped ice pieces, then the ice shape and size can be controlled, but the production process becomes labor-intensive and time-consuming
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs automatic water filling into the mold cavities through filling channels, automatic freezing control, and automatic ejection of ice pieces. The motor-driven mechanism rotates the mold to position cavities for filling and then automatically ejects frozen ice pieces, eliminating the need for manual filling, freezing monitoring, and ice removal operations.
Solution Approach 2:
The mold cavities are pre-configured with specific geometries to define the desired ice piece shapes (e.g., spherical, cylindrical). The filling channels are pre-positioned to deliver water to each cavity at the correct location and volume, ensuring consistent ice piece formation without manual intervention.
3Manufacturing precision
If manual ice molds are used to produce ice pieces, then specific shapes can be achieved, but the production rate is limited by the number of molds and manual refilling speed
Solution Approach 1:
The motor continuously rotates the mold to bring different cavities into position for water filling, freezing, and ejection in a continuous cycle. Multiple cavities are filled simultaneously, and as one set of cavities is freezing, another set is being filled, maintaining continuous production flow without idle time between batches.
Solution Approach 2:
The mold is configured with cavities arranged in a circular pattern around a central axis, allowing rotation to access different cavities. This spatial arrangement enables multiple ice pieces to be produced simultaneously in parallel, dramatically increasing production rate compared to single-cavity molds while maintaining shape consistency through precise cavity geometry.
4Productivity
If existing ice makers are used to produce bulk ice, then the production quantity is high, but the ice pieces are irregularly shaped and relatively small
Solution Approach 1:
Each mold cavity is designed with specific local geometries (e.g., spherical, cylindrical) to produce ice pieces with uniform, predetermined shapes. The filling channels are positioned to deliver water to specific locations in each cavity, ensuring consistent filling volumes and shapes. This localized precision in each cavity, combined with multiple cavities, achieves both uniformity and high production quantity.
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
Enables efficient and automatic production of larger, uniformly shaped ice pieces, including clear ice, with increased production rate and reduced user effort, addressing the limitations of manual methods and existing ice makers.
Implementation Method 1
motor providing for rotating the mold and the ejector from the first position to the second position
Implementation Method 2
ejector configured to push the ice shape out of the chamber through the opening as the mold rotates between the first position and the second position
Implementation Method 3
mold defining a chamber for the formation of an ice shape
Data Source
AI summary
An ice making assembly for a refrigerated appliance can include a mold defining a chamber for the formation of an ice shape, the mold rotatable between a first position and a second position. An ejector may be positioned adjacent to the mold and is rotatable with the mold between the first position and the second position. The ejector can be configured to push the ice shape out of the chamber through an opening as the mold rotates between the first position and the second position.