The present invention pertains to the technical field of ice making apparatus, and specifically pertains to an ice maker.
An ice maker is a refrigerating apparatus in which water is cooled by a refrigerating system through an evaporator to generate ice, and ice cubes prepared by the ice maker are stored in the ice maker to be used by a user. The ice makers are widely used in cold drink shops, cafes and ordinary families. The related art ice maker has a structure generally comprising a housing, as well as a compressor, a condenser, an evaporator, a water tank, an ice making machine and a water pump configured to introduce water in the water tank into the ice making machine and the like which are connected in the housing. After the evaporator completes ice making and deicing, ice is collected by an ice receiving basket in the water tank. During the whole ice making process or after ice making is completed, water in the ice making machine or ice-melting water flows back to the water tank for collection, and the water in the water tank is then pumped by the water pump to the ice making machine to make ice. This process is cycled in turn to make ice repeatedly. After long-term use of the ice maker, an inner wall of the water tank thereof tends to be scaled, resulting in contamination of the water in the ice maker, but the water tank is generally fixedly connected in the housing. To remove the scale from the inner wall of the water tank, a professional maintainer is required to disassemble the housing and use tools to remove the water tank for cleaning, which is cumbersome and time-consuming. Moreover, it is also inconvenient to mount the water tank after the cleaning.
A primary object of the present invention is to provide an ice maker, including but not limited to solving the technical problems of complicated disassembly and assembly and inconvenient cleaning of the water tank in the prior art.
In order to solve the above technical problems, a technical solution adopted by the present invention is: an ice maker, comprising:
In some embodiments, a first valve member capable of opening or closing the first connector is slidingly fitted within the first connector in an axial direction; a second valve member capable of opening or closing the second connector is slidingly fitted within the second connector in the axial direction; and when the second connector is matingly spliced with the first connector, the second valve member abuts against the first valve member to cause the second valve member and the first valve member to move axially simultaneously to bring the first connector and the second connector into communication.
In some embodiments, a boss extending into the first accommodating cavity is provided on the cavity wall of the first accommodating cavity, a center of the boss has a central through hole provided in a horizontal direction, and a mounting portion configured to connect the first connector is provided on the boss; and a concave cavity which is recessed and into which the boss is inserted is provided on a side wall of the water box, an insertion portion which is hollow and matingly spliced with the central through hole is connected to the concave cavity, and the second connector is connected within a central hole of the insertion portion.
In some embodiments, the first connector comprises a valve casing connected to the mounting portion, a first valve stem is slidingly fitted within the valve casing in a horizontal direction, a first valve core capable of opening or closing the central through hole is connected to the first valve stem, and one end of the first valve stem is provided in the central through hole; a first elastic member is sheathed on the first valve stem, and the first elastic member is configured to make the first valve core always have a movement tendency to close the central through hole; the second connector comprises a second valve stem slidingly fitted within the central hole of the insertion portion, a second valve core capable of opening or closing the central hole is connected to the second valve stem, a second elastic member is sheathed on the second valve stem, and the second elastic member is configured to make the second valve core always have a movement tendency to close the central hole; when the water box is inserted into the first accommodating cavity, the second valve stem abuts against the first valve stem to cause the second valve core to open the central hole and cause the first valve core to open the central through hole; and when the water box is detached from the first accommodating cavity, the second valve core closes the central hole, and the first valve core closes the central through hole.
In some embodiments, the first elastic member has a stiffness coefficient greater than a stiffness coefficient of the second elastic member.
In some embodiments, an annular limit step against the first valve core is provided on an inner wall of the central through hole, a first annular sealing portion is provided on the annular limit step, and a second annular sealing portion against the central hole is provided on the second valve core.
In some embodiments, the ice maker further comprises an ice collection box, a second accommodating cavity is provided on a side wall of the ice making body facing a user, the second accommodating cavity is in communication with an ice outlet of the ice making assembly, a second insertion port is provided on the second accommodating cavity, the ice collection box is movably inserted into the second accommodating cavity through the second insertion port, a bottom of the ice collection box is provided with a draining hole, the second accommodating cavity is located above and is in communication with the first accommodating cavity, and water melted from ice in the ice collection box flows into the water box through the draining hole.
In some embodiments, an insulating layer is provided in the side wall of the water box and/or a side wall of the ice collection box.
In some embodiments, the ice maker further comprises a makeup water tank, a top of the ice making body is provided with a third accommodating cavity, a third insertion port is provided on the third accommodating cavity, the makeup water tank is movably inserted into the third accommodating cavity through the third insertion port, a bottom of the third accommodating cavity is provided with a third connector, the third connector is in communication with the water inlet end of the water pump, a bottom of the makeup water tank is provided with a fourth connector in communication with an inner cavity of the makeup water tank, and the third connector and the fourth connector are brought into communication when the makeup water tank is inserted into the third accommodating cavity.
In some embodiments, a guide portion extending in a vertical direction and bulging outward is provided on a side wall of the third accommodating cavity, a guide groove which is recessed and matingly spliced with the guide portion is provided on an outer wall of the makeup water tank, and a lower end of the guide groove penetrates the bottom of the makeup water tank.
In some embodiments, both sides of the guide portion are provided with clamping plates which bulge outward and extend in a length direction of the guide portion; and clamping grooves in which the clamping plates are matingly clamped are provided on both inner side walls of the guide groove.
In some embodiments, the clamping plates are arranged as wedge-shaped clamping plates having a thin upper end and a thick lower end, and the clamping grooves are arranged as wedge-shaped clamping grooves having a wide lower end and a narrow upper end.
In some embodiments, a solenoid valve or a makeup water pump is connected to a pipe through which the third connector is in communication with the water pump to control on/off of the pipe.
In some embodiments, a water tank is connected within the ice making body below the ice making assembly, and the water tank is configured to collect water flowing from the ice making assembly, and a bottom of the water tank is in communicated with the water inlet end of the water pump through a pipe.
In summary, compared with the related art, the ice maker of the present application has the following advantages: the water box of the ice maker can be movably inserted into the first accommodating cavity through the first insertion port, and after insertion, the second connector of the water box is connected with the first connector of the first accommodating cavity to bring them into communication, so that the water box can supply water to the ice making assembly; when the water box needs to be filled with water, the water box can be directly taken out for filling with water so as to avoid moving the ice maker as a whole, and when the water box is filled with water, the water box can be directly inserted into the first accommodating cavity through the first insertion port, which enables operation to be very simple and convenient; and when the water box needs to be cleaned, the water box can be directly taken out for cleaning without disassembling of a housing, which enables operation to be very simple, convenient and labor-saving. By providing the makeup water tank, when the ice maker works, it is convenient to make up water for making ice, which increase ice making capacity. By providing the separate ice collection box, ice cubes can be easily accessed at any time during the ice making operation. Providing the water tank reduces a water circulation path, increases low temperature utilization rate, and improves ice making efficiency.
1. ice making body; 11. first accommodating cavity; 111. first insertion port; 112. boss; 1121. central through hole; 1122. annular limit step; 1123. first annular sealing portion; 12. second accommodating cavity; 121. second insertion port; 13. third accommodating cavity; 131. third insertion port; 132. guide portion; 133. clamping plate; 2. ice making assembly; 21. square ice evaporator; 22. water tank; 23. water curtain type water separator; 3. water box; 31. concave cavity; 32. central hole; 4. water pump; 5. first connector; 51. valve casing; 52. first valve stem; 53. first valve core; 54. first elastic member; 6. second connector; 61. second valve stem; 62. second valve core; 63. second elastic member; 64. second annular sealing portion; 7. ice collection box; 71. draining hole; 8. makeup water tank; 81. guide groove; 82. clamping groove; 9. solenoid valve; 10. first water pipe; 20. second water pipe; and 30. third water pipe.
To make the object, the features and the benefits of the present invention more apparent and understandable, specific embodiments of the present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.
In the description of the present invention, it should be noted that the terms “upper”, “lower”, “left”, “right”, “front”, “rear” and the like indicate orientations or positional relationships based on the orientations or positional relationships shown in the drawings, and are only for convenience of description and simplification of description, but do not indicate or imply that the device or element to be referred must have a specific orientation, be constructed and be operated in a specific orientation, and thus, should not be construed as limiting the present invention.
As shown in
In the present embodiment, the ice making body 1 further comprises a controller and a control panel provided at a top or front of an ice making body; and ice making, deicing, and ice receiving of the ice maker body are all structures of a conventional ice maker of the prior art, and will not be described in detail in the present embodiment.
In the present embodiment, a first accommodating cavity 11 is provided on a side wall of the ice making body 1 facing the user, a first insertion port 111 is provided on the first accommodating cavity 11, and the water box 3 can be movably inserted into the first accommodating cavity 11 through the first insertion port 111; a first connector 5 is mounted on a cavity wall of the first accommodating cavity 11, and the first connector 5 is in communication with a water inlet end of the water pump 4 by a first water pipe 10; and a second connector 6 is mounted on a side wall of the water box 3 and is in communication with an inner cavity of the water box 3, and when the water box 3 is inserted into the first accommodating cavity 11, the second connector 6 and the first connector 5 are brought into communication so that the water box 3 supplies water to the ice making assembly 2. The water box 3 of the ice maker can be movably inserted into the first accommodating cavity 11 through the first insertion port 111, and after insertion, the second connector 6 of the water box 3 is connected with the first connector 5 of the first accommodating cavity 11 to bring them into communication, so that the water box 3 can supply water to the ice making assembly 2; when the water box 3 needs to be filled with water, the water box 3 can be directly taken out for filling with water so as to avoid moving the ice maker as a whole, and when the water box 3 is filled with water, the water box 3 can be directly inserted into the first accommodating cavity 11 through the first insertion port 111, which enables operation to be very simple and convenient; and when the water box 3 needs to be cleaned, the water box 3 can be directly taken out for cleaning without disassembling of a housing, which enables operation to be very simple, convenient and labor-saving.
Specifically, a boss 112 extending into the first accommodating cavity 11 is provided on the cavity wall of the first accommodating cavity 11, a center of the boss 112 has a central through hole 1121 provided in a horizontal direction, and a mounting portion configured to connect the first connector 5 is provided on the boss 112; and a concave cavity 31 which is recessed and into which the boss 112 is inserted is provided on the side wall of the water box 3, an insertion portion which is hollow and matingly spliced with the central through hole 1121 is connected to the concave cavity 31, and the second connector 6 is connected within a central hole 32 of the insertion portion.
As described above, the first connector 5 can close the central through hole 1121 at the center of the boss 112 in a normal state, and the second connector 6 can close the central hole 32 of the insertion portion on the water box 3 in the normal state. In other embodiments, a connection structure between the first connector 5 and the second connector 6 may be a connection structure between a water dispenser and barreled water in the prior art.
However, in the present embodiment, the first connector 5 comprises a valve casing 51 connected to the mounting portion, a first valve stem 52 is slidingly fitted within the valve casing 51 in a horizontal direction, a first valve core 53 capable of opening or closing the central through hole 1121 is connected to the first valve stem 52, and one end of the first valve stem 52 is provided in the central through hole 1121; a first elastic member 54 is sheathed on the first valve stem 52, and the first elastic member 54 is configured to make the first valve core 53 always have a movement tendency to close the central through hole 1121; the second connector 6 comprises a second valve stem 61 slidingly fitted within the central hole 32 of the insertion portion, a second valve core 62 capable of opening or closing the central hole 32 is connected to the second valve stem 61, a second elastic member 63 is sheathed on the second valve stem 61, and the second elastic member 63 is configured to make the second valve core 62 always have a movement tendency to close the central hole 32; a stiffness coefficient of the first elastic member 54 is greater than a stiffness coefficient of the second elastic member 63; when the water box 3 is inserted into the first accommodating cavity 11, the second valve stem 61 abuts against the first valve stem 52 to cause the second valve core 62 to open the central hole 32 and cause the first valve core 53 to open the central through hole 1121; and when the water box 3 is detached from the first accommodating cavity 11, the second valve core 62 closes the central hole 32, and the first valve core 53 closes the central through hole 1121.
According to the above embodiment, the first valve stem 52 causes the first valve core 53 to close the central through hole 1121 under an elastic force of the first elastic member 54, and the second valve stem 61 causes the second valve core 62 to close the central hole 32 under an elastic force of the second elastic member 63; since the stiffness coefficient of the first elastic member 54 is greater than the stiffness coefficient of the second elastic member 63, when the water box 3 is inserted into the first accommodating cavity 11, the first valve stem 52 pushes the second valve stem 61, so that the second elastic member 63 is elastically deformed, and then the second valve core 62 opens the central hole 32; and when the second elastic member 63 is elastically deformed by a certain amount, the first elastic member 54 is elastically deformed, so that the first valve core 53 opens the central through hole 1121, so that the central hole 32 of the insertion portion on the water box 3 is in communication with the central through hole 1121 of the boss 112 in the accommodating cavity. Similarly, when the water box 3 is detached from the first accommodating cavity 11, the second elastic member 63 and the first elastic member 54 are successively reset to close the central hole 32 and the central through hole 1121.
In the present embodiment, an annular limit step 1122 against the first valve core 53 is provided on an inner wall of the central through hole 1121, a first annular sealing portion 1123 is provided on the annular limit step 1122, and a second annular sealing portion 64 against the central hole 32 is provided on the second valve core 62, thus improving sealing performance.
In the present embodiment, the side close to the user generally refers to a side at which the user stands right in front of the ice maker to operate the ice maker, or a front side of the ice maker. On the contrary, the side away from the user generally refers to a rear side of the ice maker or a side opposite to the front side of the ice maker.
In the present embodiment, the ice maker further comprises a makeup water tank 8, a top of the ice making body 1 is provided with a third accommodating cavity 13, a third insertion port 131 is provided on the third accommodating cavity 13, the makeup water tank 8 is movably inserted into the third accommodating cavity 13 through the third insertion port 131, a bottom of the third accommodating cavity 13 is provided with a third connector, the third connector is in communication with the water inlet end of the water pump 4 through a second water pipe 20, a bottom of the makeup water tank 8 is provided with a fourth connector in communication with an inner cavity of the makeup water tank 8, and the third connector and the fourth connector are brought into communication when the makeup water tank 8 is inserted into the third accommodating cavity 13, so that the makeup water tank 8 supplies water to the ice making assembly 2; and a solenoid valve 9 or a makeup water pump capable of controlling on-off of the second water pipe 20 is connected to the second water pipe 20. When a low water level is detected in the water box 3, the solenoid valve 9 controls the second water pipe 20 to open so that the makeup water tank 8 supplies water to the water box 3; and when the water level of the water box 3 is detected to reach a preset water level, the solenoid valve 9 controls the second water pipe 20 to close, so that the makeup water tank 8 stops supplying water to the water box 3.
In the present embodiment, the third connector has a same structure as the first connector, and the fourth connector has a same structure as the second connector. That is, by providing the makeup water tank 8, it is convenient to make up water for making ice when the ice maker works, which increases ice making capacity, and it is also convenient to take out the makeup water tank 8 for cleaning or filling water without disassembling of the housing, which enables operation to be very simple, convenient and labor-saving.
In the present embodiment, a guide portion 132 extending in a vertical direction and bulging outward is provided on a side wall of the third accommodating cavity 13, a guide groove 81 which is recessed and matingly spliced with the guide portion 132 is provided on an outer wall of the makeup water tank 8, and a lower end of the guide groove 81 penetrates the bottom of the makeup water tank 8; both sides of the guide portion 132 are provided with clamping plates 133 which bulge outward and extend in a length direction of the guide portion 132; clamping grooves 82 in which the clamping plates 133 are matingly clamped are provided on both inner side walls of the guide groove 81; and the clamping plates 133 are arranged as wedge-shaped clamping plates 133 having a thin upper end and a thick lower end, and the clamping grooves 82 are arranged as wedge-shaped clamping grooves 82 having a wide lower end and a narrow upper end, thus improving stability of the makeup water tank 8 inserted into the third accommodating cavity 13.
In the present embodiment, the ice making assembly 2 further comprises a water tank 22 and a water curtain type water separator 23, the water tank 22 is arranged below the square ice evaporator 21 and is configured to collect water flowing from the square ice evaporator 21, a bottom of the water tank 22 is in communication with the water inlet end of the water pump 4 through a third water pipe 30, the water curtain type water separator 23 is arranged above the square ice evaporator 21 and is configured to supply water to the square ice evaporator 21, and the water curtain type water separator 23 is in communication with a water outlet end of the water pump 4. It can be seen therefrom that the water flowing from the square ice evaporator 21 is quickly collected by the water tank 22, flows from the water curtain type water separator 23 again through the third water pipe 30 and the water pump 4, and enters the square ice evaporator 21, which reduces a water circulation path, increase low temperature utilization rate and improving ice making efficiency.
In the present embodiment, an insulating layer is provided in the side wall of the water box 3, thus increasing the low temperature utilization rate and improving the ice making efficiency.
In the present embodiment, the first elastic member 54 and the second elastic member 63 are both springs.
As shown in
In the present embodiment, the evaporator is a bullet type evaporator.
In the present embodiment, an insulating layer is provided in a side wall of the ice collection box 7, thus slowing down melting speed of ice in the ice collection box 7.
Although the present disclosure has been described above, the scope of protection of the present disclosure is not limited thereto. Those skilled in the art can make various changes and modifications without departing from the spirit and scope of the present disclosure, which will fall within the scope of protection of the present invention.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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202310897174.1 | Jul 2023 | CN | national |
202310897176.0 | Jul 2023 | CN | national |
202323283703.3 | Nov 2023 | CN | national |