Ice maker and refrigerator
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing ice-makers lack an effective mechanism for detecting the ice-full state in an ice bin without false detection, leading to potential breakage and inefficient use of space.
Innovation Solution
An ice-maker with a pivoting lower assembly and an ice-full state detection lever that extends below the pivoting radius, allowing for accurate detection of ice layers above the first layer and preventing interference with the lower tray, while being designed to minimize deformation and breakage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If the ice-full state detection lever extends within the pivoting radius of the lower assembly, then the detection mechanism is simpler, but the lever interferes with the lower tray and causes false detection
Solution Approach 1:
The detection lever is repositioned from extending horizontally within the pivoting radius to extending vertically below the pivoting radius. This dimensional change allows the lever to detect ice-full state without interfering with the lower tray's pivoting motion, eliminating false detection while maintaining detection functionality.
2Reliability
If the pivoting radius of the detection lever is large, then the lever has sufficient clearance, but the ice-maker occupies more space
Solution Approach 1:
The detection lever's extension direction is changed from horizontal to vertical, below the pivoting radius. This allows the lever to achieve sufficient clearance for reliable detection without increasing the horizontal pivoting radius, thereby reducing the overall space occupied by the ice-maker.
3Measurement precision
If the detection lever is positioned to detect the first ice layer, then detection is maximally sensitive, but it causes erroneous detection and potential breakage
Solution Approach 1:
The detection lever is positioned to detect the ice-full state after the first layer is formed, rather than during its formation. This preliminary positioning prevents the lever from interfering with the first layer's formation process, avoiding erroneous detection and potential breakage while maintaining adequate detection sensitivity for subsequent layers.
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 enables accurate detection of the ice-full state, prevents erroneous detection, and allows for a more compact layout by reducing the pivoting radius of the detection lever, thus enhancing the operational efficiency and reliability of the ice-maker.
Implementation Method 1
a lower assembly pivotably disposed below the upper assembly
Implementation Method 2
the ice-full state detection lever pivots in the same direction as the pivoting direction of the lower assembly
Data Source
AI summary
A refrigerator includes a cabinet, an ice maker configured to make spherical ice, and an ice bin for storing the ice. The ice maker includes an upper assembly including a plurality of hemispherical upper chambers, a lower assembly disposed below and pivotably coupled to the upper assembly, where the lower assembly includes a plurality of hemispherical lower chambers that are configured to come in contact with the plurality of hemispherical upper chambers to define a plurality of spherical ice chambers, a driver configured to pivot the lower assembly, and an ice-full state detection lever that is coupled to and configured to be pivoted by the driver, where the ice-full state detection lever is configured to pivot in the same direction as the lower assembly to detect whether the ice bin is in an ice-full state.