Spherical Ice Maker Cold-Air Layout for Clear Ice Formation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing ice makers produce spherical ice with irregular shapes due to uneven ice formation speeds and bubble entrapment, leading to opaque and deformed ice cubes, as well as inefficient heat transfer and insulation issues.
Innovation Solution
The design includes a cold-air guide to direct cold air uniformly over spherical ice chambers, a thermally-insulating portion to delay ice formation, and a shield to prevent cold air invasion, ensuring uniform ice formation and preventing deformation during ice removal.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If cold air is supplied from one side to the ice maker, then the ice-making process is simplified, but the ice formation speed becomes uneven across different cells causing deformed ice shapes
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the ice maker into multiple independent cells (first cell, second cell, third cell, fourth cell) arranged in a circular pattern. Each cell can receive cold air independently through separate cold air holes, allowing individual control of ice formation in each cell. This segmentation enables uniform ice formation across all cells despite the simplified single-side cold air supply structure.
2Use of energy by moving object
If cells are arranged in line to maximize heat transfer, then cooling efficiency is improved, but ice formation speed varies at both ends causing water flow and shape deformation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent arranges the cells in a circular pattern rather than a linear arrangement. The first and third cells are positioned opposite each other, as are the second and fourth cells. This circular configuration ensures that all cells are equidistant from the cold air source and maintain uniform heat transfer efficiency, preventing the end-effect problems associated with linear arrangements.
3Productivity
If ice formation occurs rapidly in cells, then productivity is improved, but bubbles become trapped causing opaque ice
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a two-stage ice formation process. In the first stage, cold air is supplied to initiate ice formation. In the second stage, the direction of cold air flow is reversed or adjusted to allow bubbles to escape from the forming ice. This periodic action enables rapid ice formation while maintaining transparency by periodically removing trapped bubbles.
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 achieves uniform ice formation speeds, transparent ice, and improved insulation, maintaining the spherical shape of ice cubes and enhancing the ice-making process efficiency.
Implementation Method 1
a cold-air guide to guide the cold-air
Implementation Method 2
a thermally-insulating portion to delay an ice-making speed
Implementation Method 3
a shield to delay the ice-making speed
Implementation Method 4
an ice maker for making ice
Data Source
AI summary
Provided is a refrigerator including a cabinet having a refrigerating compartment and a freezing compartment defined therein and an ice maker disposed in the freezing compartment. The ice maker includes a cold-air hole for receiving cold air, an upper tray made of an elastic material, wherein the upper tray is positioned to be exposed to the cold-air flowing from the cold-air hole, a lower tray made of an elastic material, wherein the lower tray is coupled to the upper tray to define a plurality of spherical ice chambers therebetween, a driver for pivoting the lower tray to open the spherical ice chambers, at least one thermally-insulating portion formed at a top face of the upper tray and corresponding to at least one of the ice chambers respectively, wherein the at least one thermally-insulating portion is constructed to prevent the cold-air from invading the at least one corresponding ice chamber.