Spherical Ice Maker Tray Structure for Overflow-Free Ejection
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing ice makers face issues with water overflowing due to varying water amounts, cold-air flow inhibition, and damage from ejector interference, which affect ice shape and efficiency.
Innovation Solution
An ice maker design featuring an upper tray made of elastic material with hemispherical chambers and a pivoting lower tray, along with a cold-air guide and ribs to enhance cold-air flow and prevent water overflow, ensuring spherical ice formation and efficient ice removal.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the guide sleeve height is increased to guide the ejecting pin, then the ejecting function is improved, but the cold-air flow is inhibited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the guide sleeve component entirely and replaces it with guide grooves formed directly on the upper tray surface. This extraction eliminates the obstruction to cold-air flow while maintaining the necessary guidance function through the integrated groove structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The guidance function previously performed by the separate guide sleeve is merged into the upper tray structure itself through guide grooves. This integration eliminates the need for an additional component that would obstruct cold-air flow while maintaining precise ejecting pin guidance.
2Reliability
If the guide sleeve diameter is increased to accommodate the ejecting pin, then the ejecting function is improved, but the ice planar shape becomes excessively large and loses spherical appearance
Solution Approach 1:
The guide grooves are designed with specific local dimensions that provide adequate guidance for the ejecting pin while minimizing the space occupied. The groove width and depth are optimized to accommodate pin movement without expanding the overall ice chamber diameter, thus preserving the spherical ice shape.
3Reliability
If the upper tray material is made elastic to prevent water overflow, then water containment is improved, but the structural strength may be reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The upper tray is constructed from composite materials that combine the elasticity needed for water overflow prevention with sufficient structural strength. This composite structure allows the tray to deform elastically under water pressure while maintaining the rigidity required for overall structural integrity.
4Productivity
If the ejector and upper tray are designed to interfere for ice removal, then ice removal efficiency is improved, but damage and deformation may occur
Solution Approach 1:
The elastic material in the upper tray serves as a cushioning element that absorbs impact forces during the ejector-tray interference process. This beforehand cushioning prevents damage and deformation to both the ejector and tray while maintaining effective ice removal through controlled interference.
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 ensures uniform ice formation, prevents water overflow, and reduces the risk of damage from ejector interference, resulting in spherical ice cubes with improved removal efficiency and transparency.
Implementation Method 1
an upper tray (150) made of an elastic material, wherein a plurality of hemispherical upper chambers (151) are defined in the upper tray
Implementation Method 2
smooth flow of cold-air passing through an upper tray to improve an ice making performance
Implementation Method 3
a lower tray (250) made of an elastic material, and having a plurality of lower chambers (251) defined therein in contact with the plurality of upper chambers (151) by pivoting
Data Source
AI summary
Provided is an ice maker including an upper tray and a lower tray made of an elastic material, wherein a plurality of upper chambers defined in the upper tray and a plurality of lower chambers defined in the lower tray are in contact with each other to define a plurality of spherical ice chambers, respectively, each ejector-receiving opening opened to each of the plurality of upper chambers, each opening-defining wall extending upward along a circumference of each ejector-receiving opening, an upper ejector configured to pass through the ejector-defining wall and vertically move to remove each ice from each ice chamber, and a driver for pivoting the lower tray to open and close the upper tray and the lower tray, wherein the upper tray includes a horizontal extension forming a top face of the upper tray, wherein the upper chamber is positioned below the horizontal extension such that the opening-defining wall is formed at a vertical level equal to or lower than a vertical level of the opening-defining wall.