US20090165467A1 - Ice maker and method of making ice - Google Patents
Ice maker and method of making ice Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- US20090165467A1 US20090165467A1 US12/279,500 US27950006A US2009165467A1 US 20090165467 A1 US20090165467 A1 US 20090165467A1 US 27950006 A US27950006 A US 27950006A US 2009165467 A1 US2009165467 A1 US 2009165467A1
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- United States
- Prior art keywords
- ice
- tray
- supercooled liquid
- energy
- ice maker
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- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Abandoned
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Classifications
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- F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
- F25—REFRIGERATION OR COOLING; COMBINED HEATING AND REFRIGERATION SYSTEMS; HEAT PUMP SYSTEMS; MANUFACTURE OR STORAGE OF ICE; LIQUEFACTION SOLIDIFICATION OF GASES
- F25C—PRODUCING, WORKING OR HANDLING ICE
- F25C1/00—Producing ice
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- F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
- F25—REFRIGERATION OR COOLING; COMBINED HEATING AND REFRIGERATION SYSTEMS; HEAT PUMP SYSTEMS; MANUFACTURE OR STORAGE OF ICE; LIQUEFACTION SOLIDIFICATION OF GASES
- F25C—PRODUCING, WORKING OR HANDLING ICE
- F25C5/00—Working or handling ice
- F25C5/02—Apparatus for disintegrating, removing or harvesting ice
- F25C5/04—Apparatus for disintegrating, removing or harvesting ice without the use of saws
- F25C5/08—Apparatus for disintegrating, removing or harvesting ice without the use of saws by heating bodies in contact with the ice
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- F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
- F25—REFRIGERATION OR COOLING; COMBINED HEATING AND REFRIGERATION SYSTEMS; HEAT PUMP SYSTEMS; MANUFACTURE OR STORAGE OF ICE; LIQUEFACTION SOLIDIFICATION OF GASES
- F25C—PRODUCING, WORKING OR HANDLING ICE
- F25C2700/00—Sensing or detecting of parameters; Sensors therefor
- F25C2700/14—Temperature of water
Definitions
- the present invention relates to an ice maker and a method of making ice, and more particularly, to an ice maker and a method of making ice which can rapidly make slush or ice by using a supercooled liquid made by supplying energy such as an electric field, and easily separate the ice by converting the ice into a supercooled state by supplying energy.
- Supercooling means that a liquid such as water is not transited to a solid but maintained in a high temperature phase, namely, a liquid phase even below a phase transition temperature to the solid. Water drops can be supercooled in the natural state. In addition, water or beverages may be incidentally supercooled in a general refrigerator.
- a freezing method disclosed under Japan Laid-Open Patent Official Gazette S59-151834 and a freezing method and a refrigerator disclosed under Japan Laid-Open Patent Official Gazette 2001-086967 apply the supercooling principle to the refrigerator.
- An electric field or a magnetic field is applied to foods of the refrigerator, so that the foods can be maintained in a supercooled state below a phase transition temperature.
- An electrostatic field processing method disclosed under International Publication Official Gazette WO/98/41115 suggests various types of electrode strictures that can be used to supercool and thaw foods.
- FIG. 1 is a structure view illustrating a transparent ice maker disclosed under Korea Laid-Open Patent Official Gazette 2006-0013721.
- the transparent ice maker 100 includes a supercooling means 120 using blades 122 .
- Thin plate ice is laminated by supplying supercooled water made by the supercooling means 120 to an ice making means 110 including an ice tray 111 , an ice making chamber 112 , a rotating shaft 114 , ejectors 113 and a heater 117 at very small quantities, thereby making transparent ice.
- heat is applied to the ice tray 111 by the heater 117 to separate the ice from the ice tray 111 .
- the ice is slightly thawed to be easily separated from the ice tray 111 .
- the ice is separated from the ice tray 111 by the ejectors 113 by rotating the rotating shaft 114 .
- the conventional ice maker supercools water by the mechanical method using the blades, and makes the thin plate ice by supplying the supercooled water at very small quantities. Therefore, the ice maker can not rapidly make the slush or ice.
- the conventional ice maker uses only the heater to thaw the ice for easy ice separation. Accordingly, a temperature of the ice tray 111 must be increased to a phase transition temperature of water.
- An object of the present invention is to provide an ice maker and a method of making ice which use supercooling.
- Another object of the present invention is to provide an ice maker and a method of making ice which can make slush or ice.
- Yet another object of the present invention is to provide an ice maker and a method of making ice which can rapidly make slush or ice.
- Yet another object of die present invention is to provide an ice maker and a method of making ice which can make slush or ice at need.
- Yet another object of the present invention is to provide an ice maker and a method of making ice which can make a supercooled liquid by using energy such as an electric field or a magnetic field, and make slush or se by using the supercooled liquid.
- Yet another object of the present invention is to provide an ice maker and a method of making ice which can convert a supercooled liquid into a solid phase by applying an external forces and make slush or ice by using the resulting object.
- Yet another object of the present invention is to provide an ice maker and a method of making ice which can rapidly separate ice by lowering a phase transition temperature by using a supercooling principle.
- Yet another object of the present invention is to provide an ice maker and a method of making ice which can rapidly separate ice by supplying electric field type energy by electrodes and heat type energy by a heater.
- an ice maker including: an ice Way for containing water and making ice; and at least one energy generator disposed to supply energy to at least one of the water contained in the ice tray and the ice made in the ice tray. This configuration serves to make the ice from the supercooled water or rapidly separate the ice from the ice tray.
- the at least one energy generator is an energy generator for supplying energy in the form of at least one of an electric field and a magnetic field.
- the at least one energy generator includes an electrode for supplying electric energy.
- the ice maker includes a storing tank for supplying water to be contained in the ice tray, and the at least one energy generator is disposed to supply energy to the water in the storing tank.
- the at least one energy generator is disposed to supply energy to the ice made in the ice tray.
- the ice maker includes a heater for supplying heat to the ice tray.
- an ice maker including: a tray for containing a supercooled liquid; and a phase converter for applying an external force to convert the supercooled liquid contained in the tray into a solid phase.
- an ice maker including: a storing tank for storing a supercooled liquid; a tray disposed to be supplied with the supercooled liquid of the storing tank; and a phase converter for applying an external force to the supercooled liquid contained in the tray.
- a storing tank for storing a supercooled liquid
- a tray disposed to be supplied with the supercooled liquid of the storing tank
- a phase converter for applying an external force to the supercooled liquid contained in the tray.
- the ice can be made to solve the above problem.
- the supercooled liquid is not necessarily water
- the final product is not necessarily ice (can be slush).
- the ice maker includes an energy generator for supplying energy to the supercooled liquid to maintain the supercooled state.
- the phase converter is an electric igniter.
- At least a part of the tray is made of a conductive material. It serves to facilitate heat transmission and efficiently transmit an external force of the phase converter.
- the tray is formed for the contained supercooled liquid so as to communicate with one another.
- the external force of the phase converter applied to a specific point can be transmitted to the whole supercooled liquid (or the whole supercooled liquid can be converted into the solid phase by freezing cores generated by the external force of the phase converter applied to the specific point.).
- the ice maker includes a bank disposed to contain a solid phase supercooled liquid dropped from the tray. Especially, this configuration can be applied to a structure of a general refrigerator including an ice maker.
- the ice maker includes a heater attached to the tray.
- an ice maker including: a storing tank for storing a supercooled liquid, the storing tank including an energy generator for supplying energy by using at least one of an electric field and a magnetic field to maintain the supercooled state; a tray disposed to be supplied with the supercooled liquid of the storing tank; and a bank disposed to contain a solid phase supercooled liquid dropped from the tray.
- the tray is formed for the contained supercooled liquid to communicate with one another.
- a method of making ice including: a first step for supplying a supercooled liquid to a tray; and a second step for applying an external force to the supercooled liquid supplied to the tray.
- the tray is not essentially divided into a plurality of sections. That is, the tray can be formed as one section. This configuration is preferable when slush is a final product of an ice maker.
- the method of making ice includes a third step for discharging a solid phase supercooled liquid to which the external force has been applied from the tray.
- the method of making ice includes a step for freezing the solid phase supercooled liquid to which the external force has been applied, prior to the third step.
- the method of making ice includes a step for applying heat to the tray prior to the third step.
- the method of malting ice includes a step for supplying energy to the supercooled liquid to maintain the supercooled state, prior to the first step.
- a method of making ice including: a first step for supplying energy to a supercooled liquid to maintain a supercooled state; a second step for supplying the supercooled liquid to a tray; and a third step for freezing the supplied supercooled liquid.
- the method of making ice includes a fourth step for discharging the frozen supercooled liquid to a bank.
- slush means that the supercooled liquid has been converted into a solid phase by an external force.
- the liquid needs not to be water. Any kinds of liquids that can be supercooled or converted into the slush by external force can be used.
- Energy can be supplied to the liquid or the supercooled liquid in the form of an elect field or a magnetic field.
- energy can be supplied in various types (for example, ultrasonic waves, magnetrons, etc.) so far as it maintains a liquid phase below a phase transition temperature of the liquid. It must be recognized that the present invention includes these types of energy.
- an ice maker including: a tray having sections for containing ice; a heater for applying heat to the tray to easily separate the ice from the sections; and an energy generator for supplying energy to the ice side to lower the freezing point of the ice.
- Energy can be supplied to the tray or ice in the form of an electric field or a magnetic field.
- energy can be supplied in various types (for example, ultrasonic waves) so far as it lowers a phase transition temperature of an object. It must be recognized that the present invention includes these types of energy.
- the tray is made of a conductor.
- the ice maker includes an ice separator disposed at the sections side of the tray, for separating the ice from the sections.
- the energy generator is a unit for supplying energy by using an electric field.
- a method of making ice including: a first step for freezing ice in a tray; and a second step for applying energy to the ice side to lower the freezing point of the ice, and applying heat to the tray.
- the method of making ice includes a third step for separating the ice from the tray.
- energy is generated by at least one of an electric field and a magnetic field.
- an ice maker and a method of making ice can make and separate the ice by using supercooling.
- an ice maker and a method of making ice can make the slush or ice.
- an ice maker and a method of making ice can rapidly make the slush or ice.
- an ice maker and a method of making ice can make the slush or ice at need.
- an ice maker and a method of making ice can make the supercooled liquid by using energy such as the electric field or the magnetic field, and make the slush or ice by using the supercooled liquid.
- an ice maker and a method of making ice can convert the supercooled liquid into the solid phase by applying an external force, and make the slush or ice by using the resulting object.
- an ice maker and a method of making ice can rapidly separate the ice by lowering the phase transition temperature by using the supercooling principle.
- an ice maker and a method of making ice can rapidly separate the ice by supplying electric field type energy by the electrodes and heat type energy by the heater.
- FIG. 1 is a structure view illustrating a transparent ice maker disclosed under Korea Laid-Open Patent Official Gazette 2006-0013721;
- FIG. 2 is a concept view illustrating slush making or supercooling in accordance with the present invention
- FIG. 3 is a graph showing one example of an experiment result in accordance with the present invention.
- FIG. 4 is a structure view illustrating an ice maker in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention.
- FIG. 5 is a block diagram illustrating a method of operating an ice maker in accordance with the present invention.
- FIG. 6 is a graph showing another example of the experiment result in accordance with the present invention.
- FIG. 7 is a structure view illustrating an ice maker in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention.
- FIG. 2 is a concept view illustrating slush making or supercooling in accordance with the present invention.
- a liquid 41 which is a supercooling object is disposed between electrodes 40 .
- an electric field is applied to the liquid 41 by using an AC power source 43 . Therefore, the liquid 41 is not frozen but supercooled below its phase transition temperature (for example, water in 0° C. under 1 atm pressure). It is know that supply of energy such as an electric field interrupts hydrogen bonding of water consisting of oxygen and hydrogen, and thus water is not frozen.
- phase converter 44 When an external force is applied to the supercooled liquid by a phase converter 44 , for example, when electric force is applied to the supercooled liquid by an electric igniter, die supercooled state maintained by the energy which is being applied to the supercooled liquid or the energy which has been applied to the supercooled liquid (it means that the supercooled state can be maintained although energy supply is interrupted after a predetermined time) is disturbed by the force. Accordingly, freezing cores are formed, and toe supercooled liquid is rapidly converted into a solid phase, thereby generating slush.
- a temperature of the supercooled liquid is changed from a supercooled state temperature to a phase transition temperature.
- Two electrodes having width and length of 100 mm were installed at an interval of 200 nm.
- a container containing 1 L of water was positioned between the two electrodes at a predetermined interval.
- the above apparatus was put in a refrigerator having a temperature of ⁇ 6.8° C. and an electric field of 40 kHz and 2 kV was applied thereto. As soon as the apparatus was put into the refrigerator, the electric field was applied to the apparatus. After sufficient supercooling, the supercooled liquid was converted into a solid phase by using an electric igniter for 1500V electric lighter. The result was shown in FIG. 6 .
- FIG. 3 is a graph showing one example of the experiment result, especially, correlation between the applied power and the temperature of the supercooled liquid. As shown in FIG. 3 , the applied power and the temperature of the supercooled liquid show almost linear proportion. It means that, in the given ambient temperature, the set temperature of the supercooled liquid can be controlled by adjusting power applied from an energy generator.
- FIG. 4 is a stricture view illustrating an ice maker in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention.
- a water tank 21 , a tray 22 and a bank 23 are installed in order on a freezing chamber door 20 .
- the water tank 21 is necessary to make a supercooled liquid.
- Electrodes 21 a for applying electric field type energy axe installed as an energy generator.
- a passage 21 b is connected to the water tank 21 , for supplying water.
- a valve 21 c controls water supply to the water tank 21 , and a valve 21 d controls supercooled water supply to the tray 22 .
- a temperature sensor 21 e is formed at one side of the water tank 21 , for measuring a temperature of the supercooled water.
- the tray 22 is rotatably installed, and rotation of the tray 22 is controlled by a motor 22 a .
- the tray 22 is made of a conductive material such as aluminum.
- a heater 22 b is formed at the lower portion of the tray 22 for ice separation.
- an electric igniter 22 c is installed at one side of the tray 22 as a phase converter. The electric igniter 22 c is disposed to apply an electric shock to the tray 22 or the supercooled water contained in the tray 225 thereby converting the supercooled liquid into a solid phases namely, slush.
- the tray 22 is divided into a plurality of sections by partitions 22 d , Grooves are formed on connecting units 22 e to link the supercooled liquid together, or for the supercooled liquid so as to communicate with one another, so that the electric shock applied to a specific point can be transmitted to the whole supercooled water.
- a bank 23 is formed at the lower portion of the tray 22 , for containing slush or ice supplied from the rotated tray 22 .
- FIG. 5 is a block diagram illustrating a method of operating the ice maker in accordance with the present invention.
- the valve 21 c When the valve 21 c is opened, water is supplied to the water tank 21 .
- the supplied water is supercooled by cool air of a freezing chamber and electric field type energy generated by the electrodes 21 a , and maintained below a phase transition temperature without phase transition.
- the valve 21 d According to a command of the user or temperature measurement of the temperature sensor 21 e , the valve 21 d is opened to supply the supercooled water to the tray 22 .
- the supercooled water is frozen without the operation of the electric igniter 22 c converted into slush by the operation of the electric igniter 22 c and then frozen, or converted into slush by the operation of the electric igniter 22 c .
- the tray 22 is rotated by the operation of the motor 22 a , so that the slush or ice can be contained in the bank 23 .
- the motor 22 a serves to rotate ejectors (not shown). It is also possible to supply the ice to the bank 23 by the operation of the ejectors without rotating the tray 22 .
- the heater 22 d is operated to separate the ice from the tray 22 .
- FIG. 7 is a structure view illustrating an ice maker in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention.
- the ice maker 50 includes a tray 51 and an ice separator 52 disposed at the upper portion of the tray 51 .
- the tray 51 includes a plurality of sections 51 a . Ice 51 b is contained in each section 51 a .
- a heater 53 is installed at the lower portions of the plurality of sections 51 a .
- Electrodes 54 for supplying electric field type energy are formed at both sides of the tray 51 .
- the ice separator 52 includes a rotating shaft 52 a , ejectors 52 b connected to the rotating shaft 52 a , and a motor 52 c for rotating the rotating shaft 52 a .
- the tray 51 is made of a material having high electricity and heat conductivity for heat transmission and electric field type energy transmission.
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- Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
- Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
- Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
- Thermal Sciences (AREA)
- General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
- Production, Working, Storing, Or Distribution Of Ice (AREA)
Abstract
The present invention discloses an ice maker including an ice tray (51) for containing water and making ice, and at least one energy generator (54) disposed to supply energy to at least one of the water contained in the ice tray and the ice made in the ice tray, and a method of making ice.
Description
- The present invention relates to an ice maker and a method of making ice, and more particularly, to an ice maker and a method of making ice which can rapidly make slush or ice by using a supercooled liquid made by supplying energy such as an electric field, and easily separate the ice by converting the ice into a supercooled state by supplying energy.
- Supercooling means that a liquid such as water is not transited to a solid but maintained in a high temperature phase, namely, a liquid phase even below a phase transition temperature to the solid. Water drops can be supercooled in the natural state. In addition, water or beverages may be incidentally supercooled in a general refrigerator. A freezing method disclosed under Japan Laid-Open Patent Official Gazette S59-151834 and a freezing method and a refrigerator disclosed under Japan Laid-Open Patent Official Gazette 2001-086967 apply the supercooling principle to the refrigerator. An electric field or a magnetic field is applied to foods of the refrigerator, so that the foods can be maintained in a supercooled state below a phase transition temperature. An electrostatic field processing method disclosed under International Publication Official Gazette WO/98/41115 suggests various types of electrode strictures that can be used to supercool and thaw foods.
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FIG. 1 is a structure view illustrating a transparent ice maker disclosed under Korea Laid-Open Patent Official Gazette 2006-0013721. Thetransparent ice maker 100 includes a supercooling means 120 usingblades 122. Thin plate ice is laminated by supplying supercooled water made by the supercooling means 120 to an ice making means 110 including anice tray 111, anice making chamber 112, a rotatingshaft 114,ejectors 113 and aheater 117 at very small quantities, thereby making transparent ice. Here, heat is applied to theice tray 111 by theheater 117 to separate the ice from theice tray 111. The ice is slightly thawed to be easily separated from theice tray 111. Thereafter, the ice is separated from theice tray 111 by theejectors 113 by rotating the rotatingshaft 114. - The conventional ice maker supercools water by the mechanical method using the blades, and makes the thin plate ice by supplying the supercooled water at very small quantities. Therefore, the ice maker can not rapidly make the slush or ice.
- In addition, the conventional ice maker uses only the heater to thaw the ice for easy ice separation. Accordingly, a temperature of the
ice tray 111 must be increased to a phase transition temperature of water. - An object of the present invention is to provide an ice maker and a method of making ice which use supercooling.
- Another object of the present invention is to provide an ice maker and a method of making ice which can make slush or ice.
- Yet another object of the present invention is to provide an ice maker and a method of making ice which can rapidly make slush or ice.
- Yet another object of die present invention is to provide an ice maker and a method of making ice which can make slush or ice at need.
- Yet another object of the present invention is to provide an ice maker and a method of making ice which can make a supercooled liquid by using energy such as an electric field or a magnetic field, and make slush or se by using the supercooled liquid.
- Yet another object of the present invention is to provide an ice maker and a method of making ice which can convert a supercooled liquid into a solid phase by applying an external forces and make slush or ice by using the resulting object.
- Yet another object of the present invention is to provide an ice maker and a method of making ice which can rapidly separate ice by lowering a phase transition temperature by using a supercooling principle.
- Yet another object of the present invention is to provide an ice maker and a method of making ice which can rapidly separate ice by supplying electric field type energy by electrodes and heat type energy by a heater.
- In order to achieve the above-described objects of the invention, there is provided an ice maker, including: an ice Way for containing water and making ice; and at least one energy generator disposed to supply energy to at least one of the water contained in the ice tray and the ice made in the ice tray. This configuration serves to make the ice from the supercooled water or rapidly separate the ice from the ice tray.
- In another aspect of the present invention, the at least one energy generator is an energy generator for supplying energy in the form of at least one of an electric field and a magnetic field.
- In another aspect of the present invention, the at least one energy generator includes an electrode for supplying electric energy.
- In another aspect of the present invention, the ice maker includes a storing tank for supplying water to be contained in the ice tray, and the at least one energy generator is disposed to supply energy to the water in the storing tank.
- In another aspect of the present invention, the at least one energy generator is disposed to supply energy to the ice made in the ice tray.
- In another aspect of the present invention, the ice maker includes a heater for supplying heat to the ice tray.
- According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided an ice maker, including: a tray for containing a supercooled liquid; and a phase converter for applying an external force to convert the supercooled liquid contained in the tray into a solid phase.
- According to yet another aspect of the present invention, there is provided an ice maker, including: a storing tank for storing a supercooled liquid; a tray disposed to be supplied with the supercooled liquid of the storing tank; and a phase converter for applying an external force to the supercooled liquid contained in the tray. As compared with the case in that slush or ice is made by using water having a temperature over the freezing point, the ice or slush can be rapidly made by this configuration. Generally, the ice is frozen from the outer surface in the tray. If an ice making time is short, the inner portion of the ice may be maintained in a liquid state. In accordance with the present invention, after the supercooled liquid is converted into the slush by the phase converter, the ice can be made to solve the above problem. Here, the supercooled liquid is not necessarily water, and the final product is not necessarily ice (can be slush).
- In another aspect of the present invention, the ice maker includes an energy generator for supplying energy to the supercooled liquid to maintain the supercooled state.
- In another aspect of the present invention, the phase converter is an electric igniter.
- In another aspect of the present invention, at least a part of the tray is made of a conductive material. It serves to facilitate heat transmission and efficiently transmit an external force of the phase converter.
- In another aspect of the present invention, the tray is formed for the contained supercooled liquid so as to communicate with one another. By this configuration, the external force of the phase converter applied to a specific point can be transmitted to the whole supercooled liquid (or the whole supercooled liquid can be converted into the solid phase by freezing cores generated by the external force of the phase converter applied to the specific point.).
- In another aspect of the present invention, the ice maker includes a bank disposed to contain a solid phase supercooled liquid dropped from the tray. Especially, this configuration can be applied to a structure of a general refrigerator including an ice maker.
- In another aspect of the present invention, the ice maker includes a heater attached to the tray.
- According to yet another aspect of the present invention, there is provided an ice maker, including: a storing tank for storing a supercooled liquid, the storing tank including an energy generator for supplying energy by using at least one of an electric field and a magnetic field to maintain the supercooled state; a tray disposed to be supplied with the supercooled liquid of the storing tank; and a bank disposed to contain a solid phase supercooled liquid dropped from the tray. By this configuration, the supercooled liquid can be made in the ice maker by using the energy generator, and the slush or ice can be rapidly made by using the supercooled liquid.
- In another aspect of the present invention, the tray is formed for the contained supercooled liquid to communicate with one another.
- According to yet another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of making ice, including: a first step for supplying a supercooled liquid to a tray; and a second step for applying an external force to the supercooled liquid supplied to the tray. The tray is not essentially divided into a plurality of sections. That is, the tray can be formed as one section. This configuration is preferable when slush is a final product of an ice maker.
- In another aspect of the present invention, the method of making ice includes a third step for discharging a solid phase supercooled liquid to which the external force has been applied from the tray.
- In another aspect of the present invention, the method of making ice includes a step for freezing the solid phase supercooled liquid to which the external force has been applied, prior to the third step.
- In another aspect of the present invention, the method of making ice includes a step for applying heat to the tray prior to the third step.
- In another aspect of the present invention, the method of malting ice includes a step for supplying energy to the supercooled liquid to maintain the supercooled state, prior to the first step.
- According to yet another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of making ice, including: a first step for supplying energy to a supercooled liquid to maintain a supercooled state; a second step for supplying the supercooled liquid to a tray; and a third step for freezing the supplied supercooled liquid.
- In another aspect of the present invention, the method of making ice includes a fourth step for discharging the frozen supercooled liquid to a bank.
- Here, slush means that the supercooled liquid has been converted into a solid phase by an external force. The liquid needs not to be water. Any kinds of liquids that can be supercooled or converted into the slush by external force can be used.
- Energy can be supplied to the liquid or the supercooled liquid in the form of an elect field or a magnetic field. However, energy can be supplied in various types (for example, ultrasonic waves, magnetrons, etc.) so far as it maintains a liquid phase below a phase transition temperature of the liquid. It must be recognized that the present invention includes these types of energy.
- According to yet another aspect of the present invention, there is provided an ice maker, including: a tray having sections for containing ice; a heater for applying heat to the tray to easily separate the ice from the sections; and an energy generator for supplying energy to the ice side to lower the freezing point of the ice. Energy can be supplied to the tray or ice in the form of an electric field or a magnetic field. However, energy can be supplied in various types (for example, ultrasonic waves) so far as it lowers a phase transition temperature of an object. It must be recognized that the present invention includes these types of energy.
- In another aspect of the present invention, the tray is made of a conductor.
- In another aspect of the present invention, the ice maker includes an ice separator disposed at the sections side of the tray, for separating the ice from the sections.
- In another aspect of the present invention, the energy generator is a unit for supplying energy by using an electric field.
- According to yet another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of making ice, including: a first step for freezing ice in a tray; and a second step for applying energy to the ice side to lower the freezing point of the ice, and applying heat to the tray.
- In another aspect of the present invention, the method of making ice includes a third step for separating the ice from the tray.
- In another aspect of the present invention, in the second step, energy is generated by at least one of an electric field and a magnetic field.
- In accordance with the present invention, an ice maker and a method of making ice can make and separate the ice by using supercooling.
- In accordance with the present invention, an ice maker and a method of making ice can make the slush or ice.
- In accordance with the present invention, an ice maker and a method of making ice can rapidly make the slush or ice.
- In accordance with the present invention, an ice maker and a method of making ice can make the slush or ice at need.
- In accordance with the present invention, an ice maker and a method of making ice can make the supercooled liquid by using energy such as the electric field or the magnetic field, and make the slush or ice by using the supercooled liquid.
- In accordance with the present invention, an ice maker and a method of making ice can convert the supercooled liquid into the solid phase by applying an external force, and make the slush or ice by using the resulting object.
- In accordance with the present invention, an ice maker and a method of making ice can rapidly separate the ice by lowering the phase transition temperature by using the supercooling principle.
- In accordance with the present invention, an ice maker and a method of making ice can rapidly separate the ice by supplying electric field type energy by the electrodes and heat type energy by the heater.
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FIG. 1 is a structure view illustrating a transparent ice maker disclosed under Korea Laid-Open Patent Official Gazette 2006-0013721; -
FIG. 2 is a concept view illustrating slush making or supercooling in accordance with the present invention; -
FIG. 3 is a graph showing one example of an experiment result in accordance with the present invention; -
FIG. 4 is a structure view illustrating an ice maker in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention; -
FIG. 5 is a block diagram illustrating a method of operating an ice maker in accordance with the present invention; -
FIG. 6 is a graph showing another example of the experiment result in accordance with the present invention; and -
FIG. 7 is a structure view illustrating an ice maker in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention. - An ice maker and a method of making ice in accordance with the present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.
-
FIG. 2 is a concept view illustrating slush making or supercooling in accordance with the present invention, Referring toFIG. 2 , a liquid 41 which is a supercooling object is disposed betweenelectrodes 40. In a state wherecool air 42 is supplied, an electric field is applied to the liquid 41 by using an AC power source 43. Therefore, the liquid 41 is not frozen but supercooled below its phase transition temperature (for example, water in 0° C. under 1 atm pressure). It is know that supply of energy such as an electric field interrupts hydrogen bonding of water consisting of oxygen and hydrogen, and thus water is not frozen. When an external force is applied to the supercooled liquid by aphase converter 44, for example, when electric force is applied to the supercooled liquid by an electric igniter, die supercooled state maintained by the energy which is being applied to the supercooled liquid or the energy which has been applied to the supercooled liquid (it means that the supercooled state can be maintained although energy supply is interrupted after a predetermined time) is disturbed by the force. Accordingly, freezing cores are formed, and toe supercooled liquid is rapidly converted into a solid phase, thereby generating slush. Here, a temperature of the supercooled liquid is changed from a supercooled state temperature to a phase transition temperature. - The experiment result of the present invention will now be explained.
- 1. Installation of Electrodes and Container
- Two electrodes having width and length of 100 mm were installed at an interval of 200 nm. A container containing 1 L of water was positioned between the two electrodes at a predetermined interval.
- 2. Supercooling
- The above apparatus was put in a refrigerator having a temperature of −6.8° C. and an electric field of 40 kHz and 2 kV was applied thereto. As soon as the apparatus was put into the refrigerator, the electric field was applied to the apparatus. After sufficient supercooling, the supercooled liquid was converted into a solid phase by using an electric igniter for 1500V electric lighter. The result was shown in
FIG. 6 . -
FIG. 3 is a graph showing one example of the experiment result, especially, correlation between the applied power and the temperature of the supercooled liquid. As shown inFIG. 3 , the applied power and the temperature of the supercooled liquid show almost linear proportion. It means that, in the given ambient temperature, the set temperature of the supercooled liquid can be controlled by adjusting power applied from an energy generator. -
FIG. 4 is a stricture view illustrating an ice maker in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention. Awater tank 21, atray 22 and abank 23 are installed in order on a freezingchamber door 20. Thewater tank 21 is necessary to make a supercooled liquid.Electrodes 21 a for applying electric field type energy axe installed as an energy generator. Apassage 21 b is connected to thewater tank 21, for supplying water. Avalve 21 c controls water supply to thewater tank 21, and avalve 21 d controls supercooled water supply to thetray 22. Atemperature sensor 21 e is formed at one side of thewater tank 21, for measuring a temperature of the supercooled water. Thetray 22 is rotatably installed, and rotation of thetray 22 is controlled by amotor 22 a. Preferably, thetray 22 is made of a conductive material such as aluminum. Aheater 22 b is formed at the lower portion of thetray 22 for ice separation. On the other hands anelectric igniter 22 c is installed at one side of thetray 22 as a phase converter. Theelectric igniter 22 c is disposed to apply an electric shock to thetray 22 or the supercooled water contained in the tray 225 thereby converting the supercooled liquid into a solid phases namely, slush. Thetray 22 is divided into a plurality of sections by partitions 22 d, Grooves are formed on connecting units 22 e to link the supercooled liquid together, or for the supercooled liquid so as to communicate with one another, so that the electric shock applied to a specific point can be transmitted to the whole supercooled water. Abank 23 is formed at the lower portion of thetray 22, for containing slush or ice supplied from the rotatedtray 22. -
FIG. 5 is a block diagram illustrating a method of operating the ice maker in accordance with the present invention. When thevalve 21 c is opened, water is supplied to thewater tank 21. The supplied water is supercooled by cool air of a freezing chamber and electric field type energy generated by theelectrodes 21 a, and maintained below a phase transition temperature without phase transition. According to a command of the user or temperature measurement of thetemperature sensor 21 e, thevalve 21 d is opened to supply the supercooled water to thetray 22. The supercooled water is frozen without the operation of theelectric igniter 22 c converted into slush by the operation of theelectric igniter 22 c and then frozen, or converted into slush by the operation of theelectric igniter 22 c. Thetray 22 is rotated by the operation of themotor 22 a, so that the slush or ice can be contained in thebank 23. As shown inFIG. 1 , themotor 22 a serves to rotate ejectors (not shown). It is also possible to supply the ice to thebank 23 by the operation of the ejectors without rotating thetray 22. When the ice is supplied to thebank 23, the heater 22 d is operated to separate the ice from thetray 22. -
FIG. 7 is a structure view illustrating an ice maker in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention. The ice maker 50 includes atray 51 and anice separator 52 disposed at the upper portion of thetray 51. Thetray 51 includes a plurality ofsections 51 a.Ice 51 b is contained in eachsection 51 a. Aheater 53 is installed at the lower portions of the plurality ofsections 51 a.Electrodes 54 for supplying electric field type energy are formed at both sides of thetray 51. Theice separator 52 includes arotating shaft 52 a, ejectors 52 b connected to therotating shaft 52 a, and amotor 52 c for rotating therotating shaft 52 a. Preferably, thetray 51 is made of a material having high electricity and heat conductivity for heat transmission and electric field type energy transmission. - A method of making and separating ice in accordance with the present invention will now be described. When the
ice 51 b is made by freezing water contained in thetray 51 in the freezing chamber, energy is applied to the ice side by theelectrodes 54 to lower the phase transition temperature of water, and heat is applied to the ice side by theheater 53. As a result, the ice maker 50 can more rapidly separate theice 51 b than the general ice maker. Thereafter, theice 51 b is separated from thetray 51 by theejectors 52 b by driving themotor 52 c.
Claims (30)
1. An ice maker, comprising.
an ice tray for containing water and making ice; and
at least one energy generator disposed to supply energy to at least one of the water contained in the ice tray and the ice made in the ice tray.
2. The ice maker of claim 1 , wherein the at least one energy generator is an energy generator for supplying energy in the form of at least one of an electric field and a magnetic field.
3. The ice maker of claim 1 , wherein the at least one energy generator comprises an electrode for supplying electric energy.
4. The ice maker of claim 1 , comprising a storing tank for supplying water to the contained in the ice tray,
wherein the at least one energy generator is disposed to supply energy to the water in the storing tank.
5. The ice maker of claim 1 , wherein the at least one energy generator is disposed to supply energy to the ice made in the ice tray.
6. The ice maker of claim 1 , comprising a heater for supplying heat to the ice tray.
7. An ice maker, comprising:
a tray for containing a supercooled liquid; and
a phase converter for applying an external force to convert the supercooled liquid contained in the tray into a solid phase.
8. An ice maker, comprising:
a storing tank for storing a supercooled liquid;
a tray disposed to be supplied with the supercooled liquid of the storing tank; and
a phase converter for applying an external force to the supercooled liquid contained in the tray.
9. The ice maker of claim 8 , comprising an energy generator for supplying energy to the supercooled liquid to maintain the supercooled state.
10. The ice maker of claim 8 , wherein the phase converter is an electric igniter.
11. The ice maker of claim 8 , wherein at least a part of the tray is made of a conductive material.
12. The ice maker of claim 8 , wherein the tray is formed for the contained supercooled liquid so as to communicate with one another.
13. The ice maker of claim 8 , comprising a bank disposed to contain a solid phase supercooled liquid dropped from the tray.
14. The ice maker of claim 8 , comprising a heater attached to the tray.
15. An ice maker, comprising:
a storing tank for storing a supercooled liquid; the storing tank including an energy generator for supplying energy by using at least one of an electric field and a magnetic field to maintain the supercooled state;
a tray disposed to be supplied with the supercooled liquid of the storing tank; and
a bank disposed to contain a solid phase supercooled liquid dropped from the tray.
16. The ice maker of claim 15 , wherein the tray is formed for the contained Supercooled liquid so as to communicate with one another.
17. A method of making ice, comprising
a first step for supplying a supercooled liquid to a tray; and
a second step for applying an external force to the supercooled liquid supplied to the tray.
18. The method of claim 17 , comprising a third step for discharging a solid phase supercooled liquid to which the external force has been applied from the tray.
19. The method of claim 18 , comprising a step for freezing the solid phase supercooled liquid to which the external force has been applied, prior to the third step.
20. The method of claim 18 , comprising a step for applying heat to the tray prior to the third step.
21. The method of claim 17 , comprising a step for supplying energy to the Supercooled liquid to maintain the supercooled state, prior to the first step.
22. A method of making ice, comprising:
a first step for supplying energy to a supercooled liquid to maintain a supercooled state;
a second step for supplying the supercooled liquid to a tray; and
a third step for freezing the supplied supercooled liquid.
23. The method of claim 22 , comprising a fourth step for discharging the frozen supercooled liquid to a bank.
24. An ice maker, comprising:
a tray having sections for containing ice;
a heater for applying heat to the tray to easily separate the ice from the sections; and
an energy generator for supplying energy to the ice side to lower the freezing point of the ice.
25. The ice maker of claim 24 , wherein the tray is made of a conductor.
26. The ice maker of claim 24 , comprising an ice separator disposed at the sections side of die tray, for separating the ice from the sections.
27. The ice maker of claim 24 , wherein the energy generator is a unit for supplying energy by using an electric field.
28. A method of making ice, comprising:
a first step for freezing ice in a tray; and
a second step for applying energy to the ice side to lower the freezing point of the ice, and applying heat to the tray.
29. The method of claim 28 , comprising a third step for separating the ice from the tray.
30. The method of claim 28 , wherein, in the second step, energy is generated by at least one of an electric field and a magnetic field.
Applications Claiming Priority (7)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
KR10-2006-0014692 | 2006-02-15 | ||
KR1020060014692A KR101284592B1 (en) | 2006-02-15 | 2006-02-15 | Refrigerator |
KR10-2006-0061699 | 2006-07-01 | ||
KR1020060061690A KR100810841B1 (en) | 2006-07-01 | 2006-07-01 | Ice maker and ice making method using the same |
KR10-2006-0061690 | 2006-07-01 | ||
KR1020060061699A KR100783235B1 (en) | 2006-07-01 | 2006-07-01 | Ice maker and ice making method using the same |
PCT/KR2006/003852 WO2007094542A1 (en) | 2006-02-15 | 2006-09-27 | Ice maker and method of making ice |
Publications (1)
Publication Number | Publication Date |
---|---|
US20090165467A1 true US20090165467A1 (en) | 2009-07-02 |
Family
ID=38371702
Family Applications (1)
Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
---|---|---|---|
US12/279,500 Abandoned US20090165467A1 (en) | 2006-02-15 | 2006-09-27 | Ice maker and method of making ice |
Country Status (5)
Country | Link |
---|---|
US (1) | US20090165467A1 (en) |
EP (2) | EP1991819A4 (en) |
AU (1) | AU2006338353A1 (en) |
BR (1) | BRPI0621338A2 (en) |
WO (1) | WO2007094542A1 (en) |
Cited By (6)
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US20100186421A1 (en) * | 2007-09-17 | 2010-07-29 | BSH Bosch und Siemens Hausgeräte GmbH | Ice cube preparer and method for operating the ice cube preparer |
US20120167596A1 (en) * | 2011-01-05 | 2012-07-05 | General Electric Company | Ice and cold water dispensing assembly and related refrigeration appliance |
US20150184914A1 (en) * | 2013-03-14 | 2015-07-02 | Whirlpool Corporation | Ice maker with heatless ice removal and method for heatless removal of ice |
US20190219317A1 (en) * | 2018-01-16 | 2019-07-18 | Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. | Ice maker |
US10928114B2 (en) | 2017-01-03 | 2021-02-23 | Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. | Ice maker, refrigerator having the same, and method for making ice |
EP3862697A4 (en) * | 2018-10-02 | 2022-08-10 | LG Electronics Inc. | Refrigerator and controlling method therefor |
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- 2006-09-27 US US12/279,500 patent/US20090165467A1/en not_active Abandoned
- 2006-09-27 AU AU2006338353A patent/AU2006338353A1/en not_active Abandoned
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Also Published As
Publication number | Publication date |
---|---|
EP1991819A4 (en) | 2010-06-02 |
WO2007094542A1 (en) | 2007-08-23 |
EP3029398A1 (en) | 2016-06-08 |
EP1991819A1 (en) | 2008-11-19 |
AU2006338353A1 (en) | 2007-08-23 |
WO2007094542A8 (en) | 2008-09-12 |
BRPI0621338A2 (en) | 2011-12-06 |
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Owner name: LG ELECTRONICS INC., KOREA, REPUBLIC OF Free format text: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST;ASSIGNORS:KIM, SU-CHEONG;SHIN, JONG-MIN;LEE, SU-WON;AND OTHERS;REEL/FRAME:021694/0501;SIGNING DATES FROM 20080808 TO 20080822 |
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