Spherical Ice Maker Water Supply Control Using Flow Sensor Feedback
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing ice making devices in refrigerators face challenges in accurately controlling the amount of water supplied for making globular or spherical ice, leading to issues such as insufficient or excessive water supply, which can result in improper ice shape or damage to the ice making tray due to volume expansion.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of a water supply control method using a flowmeter that adjusts the water supply based on pressure conditions, integrating pulse values and flow rates to ensure accurate water quantity, with a functional formula and table to correct for low water pressure, ensuring the water supply matches the target amount.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If a flow sensor is used to control water supply, then the water supply amount can be controlled, but in low water-pressure areas the impeller may not operate properly causing excessive water supply
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the measurement parameter from flow rate (which fails at low pressure) to water supply time (duration). By measuring how long it takes to supply a standard amount of water, the system can detect pressure variations and adjust accordingly, ensuring reliable operation across different pressure conditions.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses feedback by measuring the actual water supply time and comparing it with a standard time. When the measured time deviates from the standard (indicating pressure changes), the controller adjusts the water supply duration in subsequent cycles to compensate, maintaining accurate water supply amounts despite pressure variations.
2Device complexity
If water supply is controlled by a preset time in the controller, then the control is simple, but the amount of water supplied varies significantly depending on water pressure
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs self-diagnosis by automatically measuring its own water supply time and comparing it with the standard time. The controller uses this self-measured data to automatically adjust the water supply duration, eliminating the need for external calibration or complex manual adjustments while maintaining supply accuracy.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically changes the water supply time parameter based on measured performance. Instead of using a fixed preset time, the controller adjusts the supply duration in real-time based on the measured time from previous cycles, adapting to pressure changes without increasing system complexity.
3Shape
If the amount of supplied water is insufficient, then the ice pieces will not be globular or spherical, but if the amount of supplied water is excessive, the ice making tray may be broken due to volume expansion
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses feedback control to maintain precise water supply amounts. By continuously measuring water supply time and adjusting the supply duration based on deviations from the standard time, the system ensures consistent water amounts that prevent both under-filling (which would deform ice shapes) and over-filling (which would cause tray breakage from ice expansion).
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 method allows for precise control of water supply, preventing both under-supply and over-supply, ensuring the formation of perfect globular or spherical ice pieces and preventing damage to the ice making tray, even under varying water pressure conditions.
Implementation Method 1
a flowmeter that measures a flow rate of supplied water
Implementation Method 2
an ice making tray may be broken due to the volume expansion of ice during the ice making process
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
An ice making device (100), comprising: an upper plate tray (110) defining an upper appearance of the ice maker; a lower plate tray (120) defining a lower appearance of the ice maker; a driving unit (140) for operating one of the upper plate tray and the lower plate tray; a cell (150) which provides an ice making space having a globular or spherical shape; a water supply unit (170) disposed above the upper plate tray, for supplying water into a water supply part (114) of the upper plate tray; an ejecting unit (160) for separating ice pieces made in the upper plate tray or the lower plate tray; and a flow sensor configured to detect water supply flow to the ice making device, wherein recess parts (125) each of which has a hemispherical shape are arranged inside of the water lower plate tray, wherein each of the recess parts defines a lower half of a globular or spherical ice piece.