Ice maker
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing ice makers with open structures for making spherical ice require complex mechanisms involving vertical elevation and rotational motions, leading to a complicated design and increased risk of ice pieces sticking together due to reduced contact area.
Innovation Solution
An ice maker design featuring upper and lower trays with hemispherical cells, where the lower tray rotates to attach and detach from the upper tray for water supply and ice separation, utilizing a rotation shaft and ejecting pins to facilitate spherical ice production and separation without vertical straight line motion, simplifying the operation mechanism.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If an open structure is used to separate spherical ice, then ice separation is facilitated, but the structure becomes complicated requiring separate upper and lower trays
Solution Approach 1:
The ice maker is divided into an upper tray with hemispherical cells and a lower tray with corresponding cells. The lower tray can be rotated independently to facilitate ice separation while maintaining a relatively simple overall structure. This segmentation allows the separation function to be achieved without complicating the entire device.
2Ease of manufacture
If vertical elevation motion is added to prevent water leakage during pressing, then water supply is improved, but the operation structure becomes more complicated
Solution Approach 1:
The lower tray is designed to rotate horizontally to bring cells under the upper tray for water supply and pressing, eliminating the need for vertical elevation motion. This horizontal rotation approach achieves the same water supply and pressing functions without adding complex vertical motion mechanisms.
3Ease of operation
If rotation motion is added to prevent ice pieces from staying in lower tray, then ice separation is improved, but the structure becomes more complicated
Solution Approach 1:
The rotation function of the lower tray is combined with its water supply function. The same rotational motion that positions cells for water supply also facilitates ice separation by moving ice pieces away from the upper tray. This merging of functions avoids adding separate rotation mechanisms and simplifies the overall structure.
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 design allows for efficient production and separation of spherical ice without the need for complex vertical motions, reducing the likelihood of ice pieces sticking together and simplifying the ice maker's operation, while maintaining effective ice production and separation.
Implementation Method 1
an ice making tube disposed on outer circumferential surfaces of the upper cells and configured to cool the upper cells
Implementation Method 2
a rotation shaft connected to a rear end of the lower tray and a rear end of the upper tray, and configured to rotate the lower tray with respect to the upper tray
Implementation Method 3
upper ejecting pin assembly and a plurality of lower ejecting pins respectively pressing bottom surfaces of the lower cells
Data Source
AI summary
An ice maker includes an upper tray that includes a plurality of upper cells that each have a hemispherical shape and an ice making tube disposed at outer circumferential surfaces of the upper cells and configured to cool each of the upper cells. The ice maker also includes a lower tray that includes a plurality of lower cells that each have a hemispherical shape. The lower tray is rotatably connected to the upper tray. The ice maker further includes a rotation shaft connected to a rear end of the lower tray and a rear end of the upper tray, and configured to rotate the lower tray with respect to the upper tray.