WO2021175129A1 - 制冰组件及其操作方法 - Google Patents

制冰组件及其操作方法 Download PDF

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Publication number
WO2021175129A1
WO2021175129A1 PCT/CN2021/077331 CN2021077331W WO2021175129A1 WO 2021175129 A1 WO2021175129 A1 WO 2021175129A1 CN 2021077331 W CN2021077331 W CN 2021077331W WO 2021175129 A1 WO2021175129 A1 WO 2021175129A1
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WO
WIPO (PCT)
Prior art keywords
ice
mold
center seat
assembly
speed
Prior art date
Application number
PCT/CN2021/077331
Other languages
English (en)
French (fr)
Inventor
弗雷利彻·斯蒂芬·伯纳德
奥尔盖尔·布莱恩
Original Assignee
海尔智家股份有限公司
青岛海尔电冰箱有限公司
海尔美国电器解决方案有限公司
Priority date (The priority date 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 date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by 海尔智家股份有限公司, 青岛海尔电冰箱有限公司, 海尔美国电器解决方案有限公司 filed Critical 海尔智家股份有限公司
Priority to CN202180018833.9A priority Critical patent/CN115210515A/zh
Priority to EP21765258.5A priority patent/EP4116645A4/en
Publication of WO2021175129A1 publication Critical patent/WO2021175129A1/zh

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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
    • F25C1/18—Producing ice of a particular transparency or translucency, e.g. by injecting air
    • F25C1/20—Producing ice of a particular transparency or translucency, e.g. by injecting air by agitation
    • 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
    • F25C1/10—Producing ice by using rotating or otherwise moving moulds
    • 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
    • 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
    • F25C2301/00—Special arrangements or features for producing ice
    • 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
    • F25C2400/00—Auxiliary features or devices for producing, working or handling ice
    • F25C2400/02—Freezing surface state
    • 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
    • F25C2600/00—Control issues
    • F25C2600/04—Control means

Definitions

  • the present invention relates generally to ice making assemblies, and more particularly to ice making assemblies that use centrifugal force to produce transparent ice cubes.
  • ice In domestic and commercial applications, ice is usually formed as a solid block, such as a crescent block or a generally rectangular block.
  • some ice making machines include a freezing mold that defines a plurality of cavities, the plurality of cavities can be filled with liquid water, and this liquid water can be frozen in the plurality of cavities to form solid ice cubes.
  • Typical solid cubes or blocks can be relatively small to accommodate multiple uses, such as temporary refrigeration and rapid cooling of liquids in various size ranges.
  • the water in the cavity first freezes and freezes from its side and outer surface (including the top water surface that can be directly exposed to the frozen air), and then the water occupying the remaining volume of the cavity freezes and freezes.
  • the outer surface of the ice cube freezes first.
  • impurities and gases contained in the water to be frozen may be trapped in the frozen ice during the freezing process.
  • the impurities and gas may be trapped near the center or bottom surface of the ice block.
  • a dark or turbid finish may be formed on the outer surface of the ice cube (for example, during the rapid freezing of the ice cube).
  • turbid or opaque ice cubes are the product of typical ice making appliances.
  • typical ice cubes can be suitable for many purposes, such as temporary refrigeration and rapid cooling of liquids of various sizes, they may have several disadvantages.
  • impurities and gas trapped in the ice cubes may give an undesirable taste to the cooled beverage (ie, the beverage in which the ice cube is placed).
  • Such impurities and gases may also cause ice cubes to melt unevenly or faster (for example, by increasing the exposed surface area of the ice cubes).
  • a uniform distribution or slow melting of the ice may be particularly desirable.
  • substantially transparent ice cubes e.g., without any visible impurities or matte finishes
  • an ice-making assembly comprising: a refrigeration compartment; a center seat rotatably installed in the refrigeration compartment; a mold assembly, the mold assembly is mechanically connected to A center seat, the mold assembly defining a mold cavity for receiving water; and a driving mechanism operatively connected to the center seat for selectively rotating the center seat at a rotational speed.
  • the controller is operatively connected to the driving mechanism and is used to accelerate the center seat until the rotation speed reaches the target speed, and periodically reduce the rotation speed of the center seat to the reduced speed before accelerating back to the target speed.
  • a method of operating an ice making assembly includes: a center seat that is rotatably installed in the refrigerating compartment; and a mold assembly that is mechanically connected to the center seat and defines a mold cavity for receiving water.
  • the method includes the steps of: accelerating the center seat until the rotation speed reaches the target speed; and periodically reducing the rotation speed of the center seat to the reduced speed before accelerating back to the target speed.
  • Fig. 1 provides a schematic side view of an ice making assembly according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.
  • FIG. 2 provides a schematic diagram of a mold assembly for use with the exemplary ice making assembly of FIG. 1 according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.
  • FIG. 3 provides a perspective view of an ice making assembly according to another exemplary embodiment of the present invention.
  • FIG. 4 provides a perspective view of a mold assembly for use with the exemplary ice making assembly of FIG. 3 according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.
  • FIG. 5 provides a perspective view of an ice mold of the exemplary mold assembly of FIG. 4 according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.
  • FIG. 6 illustrates a method of operating an ice making assembly according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.
  • the terms “includes” and “including” are intended to be inclusive in a manner similar to the term “comprising.” Similarly, the term “or” is generally intended to be inclusive (ie, “A or B” is intended to mean “A or B or both”). Similar language as used herein throughout the specification and claims is used to modify any quantitative expression that can be allowed to change without causing its related basic function to change. Therefore, values modified by terms such as “approximately”, “approximately” and “substantially” are not limited to the precise values specified. In at least some cases, the approximate language may correspond to the accuracy of the instrument used to measure the value. For example, approximate language can mean within a 10% margin.
  • FIG. 1 provides a side schematic view of an ice making assembly 100 according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.
  • FIG. 2 provides a schematic diagram of certain components of the ice making assembly 100 according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.
  • the ice making assembly 100 includes a box body 102 (for example, a heat-insulating housing), and defines a vertical direction V, a lateral direction, and a lateral direction (not shown) orthogonal to each other.
  • the lateral and lateral directions can generally be understood as the horizontal direction H.
  • the box 102 defines one or more refrigerated compartments, such as the refrigerated compartment 104.
  • the ice making assembly 100 is understood to be formed as an independent ice making appliance (such as a countertop ice making machine) or a part thereof.
  • additional or alternative embodiments may be provided in the context of other ice making or refrigeration appliances.
  • the benefits of the present disclosure can be applied to any type or style of refrigeration appliances including freezer compartments (for example, ceiling-mounted refrigeration appliances, bottom-mounted refrigeration appliances, side-by-side refrigeration appliances, etc.). Therefore, the description set forth herein is for exemplary purposes only, and is not intended to limit any electrical configuration in any respect.
  • the ice making assembly 100 may further include a sealed refrigeration system 110 for performing a vapor compression cycle for cooling water in the ice making assembly 100 (for example, in the refrigeration compartment 104).
  • the sealed refrigeration system 110 includes a compressor 112, a condenser 114, an expansion device 116, and an evaporator 118 connected in series and filled with refrigerant in fluid.
  • the sealed refrigeration system 110 may include additional components (for example, one or more directional flow valves or additional evaporators, compressors, expansion devices, and/or condensers).
  • At least one component e.g., evaporator 118
  • thermal connection e.g., thermally conductive connection
  • the evaporator 118 is installed in the refrigerating compartment 104, as mainly illustrated in FIG. 1.
  • gaseous refrigerant flows into the compressor 112, which operates to increase the pressure of the refrigerant.
  • the compression of the refrigerant raises its temperature, and the gaseous refrigerant passes through the condenser 114 to lower the temperature.
  • heat exchange is performed with the surrounding air to cool the refrigerant and condense the refrigerant into a liquid state.
  • the expansion device 116 receives the liquid refrigerant from the condenser 114.
  • the liquid refrigerant enters the evaporator 118 from the expansion device 116.
  • the pressure of the liquid refrigerant drops and evaporates. Due to the pressure drop and phase change of the refrigerant, the evaporator 118 is cooler with respect to the refrigeration compartment 104. It can be seen that the cooled water and ice or air are generated, and the ice making assembly 100 or the refrigerating compartment 104 is refrigerated.
  • the evaporator 118 is a heat exchanger that transfers heat from the water or air thermally connected to the evaporator 118 to the refrigerant flowing through the evaporator 118.
  • the user interface panel 120 is provided to control the operation mode.
  • the user interface panel 120 may include a plurality of user inputs 122, such as a touch screen or a button interface, which are used to select a desired operating mode.
  • the display 124 indicates selected features, countdown timers, and/or other items of interest to the user of the appliance.
  • the user interface panel 120, the input selector 122, and the display 124 together form a user interface input or control panel for the operator to select the period and characteristics of the electrical appliance, and to receive useful information about the operation of the electrical appliance.
  • the operation of the ice making assembly 100 may be adjusted by the controller 126, which is operatively coupled to the user interface panel 120 or various other components, as will be described below.
  • the user interface panel 120 provides a user's selection of manipulation of the operation of the ice making assembly 100, such as (for example, a selection of a chamber temperature, an ice making speed, or other various options).
  • the controller 126 may manipulate various components of the ice making assembly 100.
  • the controller 126 may include a memory (for example, a non-removable memory) and one or more microprocessors, CPUs, etc., such as general-purpose or special-purpose microprocessors, which may be operated to perform operations associated with the ice making assembly 100 Programming instructions or micro-control codes.
  • the memory may mean random access memory such as DRAM or read-only memory such as ROM or FLASH.
  • the processor executes programming instructions stored in the memory.
  • the memory may be a separate component from the processor, or may be included on a board including the processor.
  • controller 126 may perform control functions without using a microprocessor (for example, using a combination of discrete analog or digital logic circuits, such as switches, amplifiers, integrators, comparators, flip-flops, AND gates, etc. , Instead of relying on software).
  • a microprocessor for example, using a combination of discrete analog or digital logic circuits, such as switches, amplifiers, integrators, comparators, flip-flops, AND gates, etc. , Instead of relying on software).
  • the controller 126 may be provided at various positions throughout the ice making assembly 100. In an alternative embodiment, the controller 126 is located in the user interface panel 120. In other embodiments, the controller 126 may be disposed at any suitable location within the ice making assembly 100, such as, for example, the box 102. Input/output ("I/O") signals may be transmitted between the controller 126 and various operating components of the ice making assembly 100. For example, the user interface panel 120 may communicate with the controller 126 via one or more signal lines or a shared communication bus.
  • I/O Input/output
  • the controller 126 may communicate with various components of the ice making assembly 100 and may control the operation of the various components. For example, various valves, switches, etc. may be actuated based on commands from the controller 126. As discussed, the user interface panel 120 may additionally communicate with the controller 126. Thus, various operations can automatically occur based on user input or instructions via the controller 126.
  • the ice making assembly 100 includes a door 128 that is rotatably attached to the box 102 (e.g., at the top thereof).
  • the door 128 may selectively cover the opening defined by the box 104 to provide selective access to the refrigerated compartment 104.
  • the door 128 can rotate on the box 102 between an open position (FIG. 1) that allows access to the refrigerated compartment 104 and a closed position (not shown) that restricts access to the refrigerated compartment 104.
  • the door 128 may be insulated to help keep the refrigerated compartment 104 at an appropriate low temperature.
  • FIGS. 1 and 2 the ice making assembly 100 will be described in more detail according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.
  • this document may also refer to FIGS. 3 to 5, which provide exemplary embodiments of the ice-making assembly 100. It is worth noting that due to the similarity between the ice making assembly 100 of FIGS. 1 to 2 and FIGS. 3 to 5, the same reference numerals may be used to refer to the same or similar features.
  • the illustrated embodiments are only exemplary, and are not intended to limit the scope of the present invention in any way.
  • the ice making assembly 100 includes a center seat 140 rotatably installed in the refrigerating compartment 104. More specifically, as shown in the example, the center seat 140 can rotate about a center axis 142 extending substantially along the vertical direction V. As shown in FIG.
  • the ice making assembly 100 may further include a driving mechanism, such as a driving motor 144, which is operatively coupled to the center seat 140 to selectively rotate the center seat 140 at a desired rotational speed.
  • the motor 144 may be positioned below the center seat 140 and may be operatively or mechanically connected to the center seat 140 via the drive shaft 146.
  • the controller 126 is in operative communication with the driving motor 144 to adjust the rotation of the center seat 140 within the ice making assembly 100.
  • motor can refer to any suitable drive motor and/or transmission assembly for driving the center seat 140.
  • the drive motor 144 may be a brushless DC electric motor, a stepper motor, or any other suitable type or configuration of motor.
  • the drive motor 144 may be an AC motor, an induction motor, a permanent magnet synchronous motor, or any other suitable type of AC motor.
  • the drive motor 144 may include any suitable motor or transmission subassembly, clutch mechanism, or other components.
  • the ice making assembly 100 also includes a mold assembly 150 mechanically connected to the center seat 140.
  • the mold assembly 150 includes one or more yokes 152 that are mounted to the center seat 140 and have a pin or axle 154 attached at its distal end.
  • the mold assembly 150 also includes one or more ice molds 156 rotatably coupled to the axle 154 so that they can rotate during the operation of the ice making appliance 100. More specifically, as the center seat 140 rotates, centrifugal force can cause the ice mold 156 to rotate from the vertical direction (for example, as shown by the solid line in FIG. 1 or FIG. 3) to the horizontal direction (for example, as shown in FIG. 1 or FIG. 4). Shown by the dotted line in).
  • the center seat 140 is a cylindrical structure, and a plurality of yokes 152 are attached to the inner surface 158 of the center seat 140.
  • the center seat 140 contains or surrounds the mold assembly 150.
  • the center seat 140 may be any other suitable structure that can constrain the ice mold 156 during the rotation of the center seat 140.
  • the center seat 140 may be an extension of the vertical shaft or the drive shaft 146, which is surrounded by the ice mold 156 and the corresponding support arm.
  • the mold assembly 150 includes three yokes 152 that are circumferentially spaced in the center seat 140.
  • each yoke is designed to rotatably support a single ice mold 156.
  • any other suitable number and configuration of yokes 152 and ice molds 156 may be used.
  • the ice mold 156 includes a cylindrical side wall 160 and a bottom wall 162 that engage to define a mold cavity 164.
  • the mold cavity 164 is generally used to receive and contain water (e.g., as indicated by reference numeral 166 in FIG. 2).
  • the cylindrical side wall 160 opposite to the bottom wall 162 defines an opening 168 leading to the mold cavity 164.
  • the ice mold 156 includes a top cover 170 positioned above the opening 168 of the ice mold 156 for selectively closing the mold cavity 164.
  • the top cover 170 may be fixed to the cylindrical side wall 160 in any suitable manner.
  • the top cover 170 and the cylindrical side wall 160 define a threaded connection 172.
  • the top cover 170 may be fixed in any other suitable manner, such as press fit, snap fit, or fixation by mechanical fasteners. It should be understood that the top cover 170 may also define one or more exhaust ports (not shown) that allow exhaust during ice making.
  • the ice mold 156 may define or include features that promote the directional freezing of the water 166 in the mold cavity 164.
  • the cylindrical side wall 160 and the top cover 170 are covered in the insulating material 174.
  • the ice mold 156 may include one or more heat dissipation elements 176 defined on the bottom wall 162 of the ice mold 156 or mounted to the bottom wall to promote improved heat dissipation from the bottom of the ice mold 156.
  • the heat dissipation element 176 may also be defined on the bottom or lower end of the cylindrical side wall 160.
  • the ice mold 156 and its components may be formed of any suitable material to achieve the desired thermal characteristics of the ice mold 156 in order to improve the ice making process.
  • the ice mold 156 is usually made of a thermally conductive material (e.g., metal, such as copper, aluminum, or stainless steel, including alloys thereof), while the heat-insulating material 174 is usually made of a heat-insulating material (e.g., a heat-insulating polymer, such as used in Synthetic silicone resin used in temperatures below freezing point without significant deterioration) is formed.
  • the insulating material 174 may be formed using closed cell extruded polystyrene foam (XPS) or any other suitable material.
  • XPS closed cell extruded polystyrene foam
  • one or more parts of the sealed refrigeration system 110 may be thermally connected to the mold assembly 150.
  • the evaporator 118 may be placed on or in contact with a portion of the mold assembly 150 (e.g., conductive contact).
  • the evaporator 118 may be used to absorb heat from the refrigeration compartment 104. In this way, the evaporator 118 can selectively extract heat from the mold cavity 164, as will be described further below.
  • the water supply system 180 (FIG. 2) may be disposed above the mold assembly 150 and may selectively distribute the water stream 166 into the mold cavity 164.
  • the water supply system 180 includes at least one nozzle 182 for selectively filling the mold cavity 164.
  • the water supply system 180 may include a plurality of nozzles 182 or fluid pumps that are vertically aligned with the plurality of mold cavities 164.
  • each mold cavity 164 may be vertically aligned with an independent nozzle 182.
  • the controller 126 may communicate (e.g., electrically communicate) with one or more portions of the ice making assembly 100.
  • the controller 126 communicates with the water supply system 180, the compressor 112, the flow regulating valve or nozzle 182, the drive motor 144, the user interface panel 120, and the like.
  • the controller 126 may be configured to initiate an independent ice making operation, as will be described in more detail below.
  • the controller 126 may activate or direct the water supply system 180 to provide a flow of water 166 through the nozzle 182 and into the mold cavity 164 (e.g., through the mold opening 168).
  • the controller 126 may also direct the sealed refrigeration system 110 (for example, at the compressor 112) (FIG. 1) to push the refrigerant through the evaporator 118 and extract heat from the cavity 164.
  • the heat dissipation element 176 and the insulating material 174 work together to promote cooling of the water 166 in the cavity 164 from bottom to top (e.g., starting from the bottom wall 162). In this way, a portion of the water 166 may freeze in a progressive layer from the bottom wall 162 to the opening 168.
  • the drive shaft 146 may rotate during operation, thereby causing the center seat 140 to rotate and the ice mold 156 to rotate from the vertical direction to the horizontal direction. It is worth noting that, as described below, the centrifugal force exerted on the water 166 in the ice mold 156 can promote the improvement of the freezing process, which results in less impurities in the turbidity in the formed ice mass.
  • an exemplary method 200 of operating the ice making assembly will be described. Although the following discussion relates to an exemplary method 200 of operating the ice making assembly 100, those skilled in the art should understand that the exemplary method 200 is applicable to operating various other ice making assemblies and/or ice making methods.
  • the method 200 includes: at step 210, supplying water into the cavity of the mold assembly, wherein the mold assembly is pivotally mounted to a center seat in the refrigeration compartment.
  • the water supply system 180 can open the nozzle 182 to supply the water stream 166 into the cavity 164 of the ice mold 156.
  • the sealing system 110 may operate to reduce the temperature of the refrigeration compartment 104 to a suitable temperature in order to freeze the water 166 into ice mass (not shown).
  • the temperature in refrigerated compartment 104 may be reduced to below the freezing point of approximately 0°F, or any other suitable temperature.
  • the controller 126 can operate the driving motor 144 to rotate the center seat 140. More specifically, the drive motor 144 may accelerate the center seat 140 until the rotation speed reaches the target speed, and may periodically reduce the rotation speed of the center seat 142 or reduce the speed before accelerating back to the target speed or another appropriately increased speed. As explained in more detail below, this method of accelerating and periodically decelerating the center seat 140 results in the formation of a transparent ice cube with minimal impurities.
  • step 220 includes: accelerating the center seat until the rotation speed of the center seat reaches the target speed.
  • the target speed may be any suitable rotation speed that generates centrifugal force on the water 166 to increase the pressure of the water 166 near the bottom wall 162.
  • the target speed may be greater than about 200 revolutions per minute (RPM), greater than about 400 RPM, greater than about 600 RPM, or about 800 RPM. Additionally or alternatively, the target speed may be less than about 3000 RPM, less than about 2500 RPM, less than about 2000 RPM, less than about 1000 RPM, less than about 600 RPM, or any other suitable speed.
  • Step 230 includes periodically reducing the rotational speed of the center seat to a reduced speed before accelerating back to the target speed. More specifically, according to an exemplary embodiment, the periodic deceleration may include: (a) accelerating the center seat until the rotation speed reaches the target speed; (b) maintaining the rotation speed of the center seat at the target speed during the rotation time; c) Reduce the rotation speed of the center seat to a reduced speed during the dwell time; and (d) Repeat steps (a)-(c) until the water in the mold cavity forms an ice mass.
  • step (c) describes reducing the rotation speed to a reduced speed during the dwell time, it should be understood that, according to an exemplary embodiment, this may involve two steps of decelerating and maintaining the rotation speed during the dwell time.
  • the speed of reduction is usually selected as the speed at which the gas or impurities in the water 166 can be discharged, degassed, effervescent or otherwise make the frozen part of the water 166 transparent at or below it, as will be described below. Described in detail.
  • the lowering speed may be zero, so that the drive motor 144 is completely turned off during the dwell time.
  • the reduction speed may be zero, greater than zero, and so on.
  • the rate of decrease may be between about 0% and 70%, between about 5% and 50%, or about 20% of the target speed.
  • the rate of decrease may be less than about 30%, less than about 20%, less than about 10%, less than about 5%, less than about 1%, less than about 0.1% or less of the target speed.
  • Other speed reductions are feasible and are within the scope of the present invention.
  • the rotation time during which the center seat 140 rotates at the target speed may be any suitable duration.
  • the rotation time can be between about 1 minute to 20 minutes, about 2 minutes to 7 minutes, about 3 minutes to 5 minutes, or about 4 minutes.
  • the residence time may be any suitable duration that promotes degassing or removal of impurities from the water 166 during the freezing process.
  • the residence time may be between about 1 second and 5 minutes, between about 3 seconds and 45 seconds, between about 5 seconds and 30 seconds, or any other suitable duration.
  • the ice making assembly 100 may also include one or more vibration devices 190, for example for introducing vibrations into the mold assembly 150 during any part of the rotation time, the residence time, or both, so as to further promote the removal of impurities from the water 166. Draining/degassing/effervescent.
  • the mold assembly 150 may include one or more heating elements 192 for selectively heating the ice mold 156 or the water 166 stored therein. For example, a heating element may be provided for controlled heating of the top surface of the water 166 in the ice mold 156 to maintain liquid water and ensure an escape path for outgassing during the entire ice making cycle.
  • the controller 126 may operate the driving motor 144 so that the rotation ratio of the rotation time to the total time falls within an appropriate range.
  • the total time can be equal to the rotation time plus the residence time, for example, or the total cycle time.
  • a suitable range of the rotation ratio may be between about 0.5 and 0.99, between about 0.6 and 0.95, between about 0.7 and 0.85, or about 0.8.
  • parameters such as the target speed in the deceleration cycle described herein are only exemplary and are not intended to limit the scope of the present invention.
  • the center seat 140 is described as turning back to the target speed after each deceleration, it should be understood that according to alternative embodiments, the elevated speed or target speed may be changed while remaining within the scope of the present invention. .
  • FIG. 6 depicts the steps performed in a specific order for purposes of example and discussion. Using the content of the invention provided herein, those of ordinary skill in the art will understand that the steps of any method described herein can be adapted, rearranged, expanded, omitted or modified in various ways without departing from the scope of the present invention. Moreover, although the ice making assembly 100 is used as an example to illustrate various aspects of the method 200, it should be understood that these methods can be applied to the operation of any ice making assembly or appliance having any other suitable configuration.
  • ice making assembly 100 and method 200 provide an improved ice making assembly and process for obtaining ice cubes with improved purity and quality.
  • the high-speed rotation of the ice mold during freezing provides several significant benefits in producing transparent ice.
  • a plurality of stainless steel ice molds may be fastened to a rotating mechanism, such as a center seat, via a swing yoke and a supporting system.
  • Each ice mold may include a heat dissipation element fixed to its lower side and a heat insulating material surrounding the wall and the top.
  • the heat dissipating element and the insulating material force the main heat transfer through the bottom surface of the ice mold, which allows directional freezing in water from the bottom up (from the outer diameter toward the center of rotation). This directional freezing allows the freezing top surface to push dissolved air and other impurities into the remaining liquid water instead of trapping them in the frozen ice shell.
  • the ice mold can be filled with filtered water to a controlled depth while the entire ice mold is located in a thermal chamber set to a suitable low temperature (such as 0°F). Then rotate the center seat to the desired speed, such as the maximum speed of 800 RPM.
  • a suitable low temperature such as 0°F
  • This provides a large centrifugal acceleration (200g at the basket radius) in the center seat and the ice mold; as a result, the weight of the water increases proportionally, and the pressure relative to the depth (due to the increased weight) also increases significantly (at 3x atmospheric pressure at the bottom of the cup). Since pressure is directly related to water depth, the total height of the water column in the ice mold may be large.
  • solubility of air in water can be directly proportional to the water pressure; thus, the solubility can be increased as a direct response to the rotation of the center seat.
  • the progress of the top freezing can reduce The dissolved air is pushed into the remaining liquid water; as this happens, the density of the solute increases and the solution quickly becomes supersaturated, which forces the air out of the solution and makes the ice turbid.
  • the increased solubility can allow more freezing to occur before the solution is supersaturated with air.
  • the speed of the center seat can be routinely reduced to zero every few minutes or reduced for a few moments; these static or slow cycles can allow the pressure and solubility of the solution to return to normal atmospheric pressure, which causes the solution to be reduced due to the increased solute density It immediately becomes oversaturated. As a result, the solution can release excess dissolved air, which is similar to the release of carbonic acid after opening a soda bottle. In this way, the speed of the center seat can jump every few minutes to periodically cause forced effervescence to remove excess air in the solution and continue to freeze the transparent ice. Vibrating the mold assembly during any residence speed or residence time can also release dissolved gases from the water, which is similar to shaking and opening a soda water container.

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  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • Thermal Sciences (AREA)
  • General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
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Abstract

一种制冰组件包括可旋转地安装在制冷间室内的中心座。模具组件附接到中心座并且包括冰模具，该冰模具枢转地联接到轭并且限定有用于接收水的模腔。驱动机构通过以下方式来使中心座旋转：使中心座加速直到转速达到目标速度，并且在加速回到目标速度之前周期性地降低中心座的转速到降低速度，直到形成冰坯。

Description

制冰组件及其操作方法 技术领域
本发明总体涉及制冰组件，更具体地涉及使用离心力来产生透明冰坯的制冰组件。
背景技术
在家庭和商业应用中，冰通常形成为固体方块，诸如月牙形方块或大体矩形块。具体地，某些制冰机包括限定有多个腔的冻结模具，多个腔可以填充液态水，并且这种液态水可以在多个腔内冻结，以形成固体冰块。典型的固体方块或块可以相对较小，以便适应多种用途，诸如各种尺寸范围的液体的临时冷藏和快速冷却。
在典型的制冰电器中，腔中的水首先从其侧面和外表面(包括可以直接暴露于冷冻空气的顶部水面)开始冻结和凝固，然后是占据腔的剩余体积的水冻结和凝固。换言之，冰块的外表面首先冻结。然而，包含在待冻结的水中的杂质和气体在冻结过程期间可能被截留在凝固的冰块中。例如，由于杂质和气体不能逸出并且由于冰块表面的冻结的液体到固体的相变，杂质和气体可能被截留在冰块的中心或底面附近。从被截留的杂质和气体中分离出来或除了截留的杂质和气体之外，在冰块的外表面上(例如，在冰块的快速冻结期间)可能形成阴暗或混浊的饰面。通常，混浊或不透明的冰块是典型制冰电器的产物。
尽管典型的冰块可以适合于许多用途，诸如临时冷藏和快速冷却各种尺寸的液体，但它们可能存在若干缺点。作为示例，随着冰块融化，冰块内截留的杂质和气体可能给被冷却的饮料(即，放置冰块的饮料)带来不期望的味道。这种杂质和气体也可能导致冰块不均匀地或更快地融化(例如，通过增加冰块的暴露表面积)。在某些酒或鸡尾酒中，可能特别期望冰的均匀分布或缓慢的融化。另外或可选地，已经发现，基本上透明的冰块(例如，不含任何可见杂质或无光泽的饰面)可以为用户提供独特或高档印象。
因此，将期望对制冰领域进行进一步的改进。特别地，可能期望提供一种用于快速且可靠地产生基本上透明的冰的电器或方法。
发明内容
本发明的各个方面以及优点将会在下文的描述中进行阐述，或者是通过描述可以显而易见的，或者是可以通过实施本发明而学到。
在本发明的一个方面，提供了一种制冰组件，该制冰组件包括：制冷间室；中心座，该中心座可旋转地安装在制冷间室内；模具组件，该模具组件机械地连接到中心座，所述模具组件限定了用于接收水的模腔；以及驱动机构，该驱动机构可操作地连接到中心座，以用于选择性地使中心座以转速旋转。控制器可操作地连接到驱动机构，并且用于使中心座加速直到转速达到目标速度，并且在加速回到目标速度之前周期性地降低将中心座的转速到降低速度。
在本发明的另一方面，提供了一种操作制冰组件的方法。制冰组件包括：中心座，该中心座可旋转地安装在制冷间室内；和模具组件，该模具组件机械地连接到中心座并限定有用于接收水的模腔。方法包括以下步骤：使中心座加速直到转速达到目标速度；以及在加速回到目标速度之前周期性地降低将中心座的转速到降低速度。
参照下文的描述以及所附权利要求，本发明的这些和其它的特征、方面以及优点将变得更容易理解。结合在本说明书中并且构成本说明书一部分的附图显示了本发明的实施方式并且与描述一起用于对本发明的原理进行解释。
附图说明
参照附图，说明书中阐述了面向本领域普通技术人员的本发明的完整公开，这种公开使得本领域普通技术人员能够实现本发明，包括本发明的最佳实施例。
图1提供了根据本发明的示例性实施方式的制冰组件的侧面示意图。
图2提供了根据本发明的示例性实施方式的用于与图1的示例性制冰组件一起使用的模具组件的示意图。
图3提供了根据本发明的另一示例性实施方式的制冰组件的立体图。
图4提供了根据本发明的示例性实施方式的用于与图3的示例性制冰组件一起使用的模具组件的立体图。
图5提供了根据本发明的示例性实施方式的图4的示例性模具组件的冰模具的立体图。
图6示例了根据本发明的示例性实施方式的操作制冰组件的方法。
附图标记在本说明书和附图中的重复使用旨在表示本发明的相同或相似的特征或元件。
具体实施方式
现在将详细地参照本发明的实施方式，其中的一个或多个示例示于附图中。每个示例都以对发明进行解释的方式给出，并不对本发明构成限制。实际上，对于本领域技术人员而言显而易见的是，能够在不偏离本发明的范围或者精神的前提下对本发明进行多种改型和变型。例如，作为一个实施方式的一部分示出或者进行描述的特征能够用于另一个实施方式，从而产生又一个实施方式。因此，期望的是，本发明覆盖落入所附权利要求及其等同形式的范围内的这些改型以及变型。
如本文所用的，术语“包括(includes)”和“包括(including)”旨在以类似于术语“包括(comprising)”的方式为包括的。类似地，术语“或”通常旨在是包括的(即，“A或B”旨在意指“A或B或两者”)。如本文在整个说明书和权利要求书中使用的近似语言被应用于修饰任何定量表示，该定量表示可容许在不导致其相关的基本功能改变的情况下变化。因此，由诸如“大约”、“近似”以及“基本上”的术语修饰的值不限于所指定的精确值。在至少一些情况下，近似语言可对应于用于测量值的仪器的精度。例如，近似语言可以指在10％的裕度内。
现在转向附图，图1提供了根据本发明的示例性实施方式的制冰组件100的侧面示意图。图2提供了根据本发明的示例性实施方式的制冰组件100的某些部件的示意图。通常，制冰组件100包括箱体102(例如，隔热壳体)，并且限定有相互正交的竖向V、侧向以及横向(未示出)。侧向和横向通常可以理解为水平方向H。
如图所示，箱体102限定有一个或多个制冷间室，诸如制冷间室104。在某些实施方式中，诸如图1所示例的实施方式，制冰组件100被理解为形成为独立的制冰电器(诸如工作台面制冰机)或其一部分。然而，认识到，可以在其他制冰或制冷电器的背景下提供额外或可选的实施方式。例如，本公开的益处可以应用于包括冷冻室的任意类型或样式的制冷电器(例如，顶置式制冷电器、底置式制冷电器、对开门式制冷电器等)。因此，本文阐述的描述仅出于示例目的，而无意于在任何方面限制任何电器配置。
如图1示意性所示，制冰组件100还可以包括用于执行蒸汽压缩循环的密封制冷系统110，该蒸汽压缩循环用于冷却制冰组件100内(例如，制冷间室104 内)的水。密封制冷系统110包括流体串联连接并填充有制冷剂的压缩机112、冷凝器114、膨胀装置116以及蒸发器118。如本领域技术人员理解的，密封制冷系统110可以包括额外部件(例如，一个或多个方向流量阀或额外的蒸发器、压缩机、膨胀装置和/或冷凝器)。而且，至少一个部件(例如，蒸发器118)设置成与冰模具或制冷间室104热连接(例如，导热连接)，以冷却冰模具，诸如在制冰运行期间。可选地，蒸发器118安装在制冷间室104内，如主要在图1中示例的。
在密封制冷系统110内，气态制冷剂流入压缩机112中，该压缩机运行为增大制冷剂的压力。制冷剂的压缩升高其温度，通过气态制冷剂经过冷凝器114使温度降低。在冷凝器114内，与周围空气进行热交换，以便冷却制冷剂并使得制冷剂冷凝为液态。
膨胀装置116(例如，机械阀、毛细管、电子膨胀阀或其他限制装置)接收来自冷凝器114的液态制冷剂。液态制冷剂从膨胀装置116进入蒸发器118。在液态制冷剂离开膨胀装置116并进入蒸发器118时，液态制冷剂的压力下降并蒸发。由于制冷剂的压降和相变，蒸发器118相对于制冷间室104是凉的。由此可见，产生冷却的水和冰或空气，并对制冰组件100或制冷间室104进行制冷。由此，蒸发器118是热交换器，该热交换器将热量从与蒸发器118热连接的水或空气传递到流过蒸发器118的制冷剂。
设置用户界面面板120，以便控制操作模式。例如，用户界面面板120可以包括多个用户输入122，诸如触摸屏或按钮界面，这些用户输入用于选择期望的运行模式。根据示例性实施方式，显示器124指示所选特征、倒计时定时器和/或电器用户感兴趣的其它项。用户界面面板120、输入选择器122以及显示器124共同形成用户界面输入或控制面板，用于操作者选择电器周期和特征，以及接收关于电器运行的有用信息。
制冰组件100的运行可以由控制器126来调节，该控制器可操作地联接到用户界面面板120或各种其他部件，如下面将描述的。用户界面面板120提供用户对制冰组件100的运行的操纵的选择，诸如(例如，关于腔室温度、制冰速度或其他各种选项的选择)。响应于用户对用户界面面板120的操作或一个或多个传感器信号，控制器126可以操纵制冰组件100的各个部件。
控制器126可以包括存储器(例如，非可递存储器)和一个或多个微处理器、CPU等，诸如通用或专用微处理器，该微处理器可运行为执行与制冰组件100的 运行关联的编程指令或微控制代码。存储器可以表示诸如DRAM的随机存取存储器或诸如ROM或FLASH的只读存储器。在一个实施方式中，处理器执行存储在存储器中的编程指令。存储器可以是与处理器分开的部件，或者可以包含在处理器在内的板上。另选地，控制器126可以在不使用微处理器(例如，使用离散的模拟或数字逻辑电路的组合，诸如开关、放大器、积分器、比较器、触发器、与门等，来执行控制功能，而不是依靠软件)的情况下来构建。
控制器126可以设置在遍及制冰组件100中的各种位置。在可选实施方式中，控制器126位于用户界面面板120内。在其它实施方式中，控制器126可以设置在制冰组件100内的任何合适的位置处，诸如例如箱体102内。输入/输出(“I/O”)信号可以在控制器126与制冰组件100的各种运行部件之间传输。例如，用户界面面板120可以经由一条或多条信号线或共享的通信总线与控制器126通信。
如图例示，控制器126可以与制冰组件100的各种部件通信，并且可以控制各种部件的运行。例如，可以基于来自控制器126的命令来致动各种阀、开关等。如所讨论的，用户界面面板120可以另外与控制器126通信。由此，各种运行可以基于用户输入或借助控制器126指令自动发生。
在一些实施方式中，制冰组件100包括门体128，该门体可旋转地附接到箱体102(例如，在其顶部)。如将理解的，门体128可以选择性地覆盖由箱体104限定的开口，以提供对制冷间室104的选择性的进入。比如，门体128可以在箱体102上在允许进入制冷间室104的打开位置(图1)与限制进入制冷间室104的关闭位置(未示出)之间旋转。门体128可以是隔热的，以帮助将制冷间室104保持在适当的低温。
仍然参照图1和图2，将根据本发明的示例性实施方式更详细地描述制冰组件100。在描述制冰组件100时，本文还可参考图3至图5，这些图提供了制冰组件100的示例性实施方式。值得注意的是，由于图1至图2以及图3至图5的制冰组件100之间的相似性，同样的附图标记可以用于指代相同或相似的特征。另外，应当理解，所示实施方式仅是示例性的，而不旨在以任何方式限制本发明的范围。
如图所示，制冰组件100包括可旋转地安装在制冷间室104内的中心座140。更具体地，如图示例，中心座140可围绕基本上沿着竖向V延伸的中心轴线142旋转。制冰组件100还可包括驱动机构，诸如驱动马达144，该驱动马达可操作地联接到中心座140，以便以期望的转速选择性地使中心座140旋转。具体地， 如图所示，马达144可定位在中心座140下方，并且可经由驱动轴146可操作地或机械连接到中心座140。根据示例性实施方式，控制器126与驱动马达144可操作地通信，以便调节中心座140在制冰组件100内的旋转。
如本文使用的，“马达”可以指代用于驱动中心座140的任意合适的驱动马达和/或传动组件。例如，驱动马达144可以是无刷DC电动马达、步进马达或任意其他合适类型或配置的马达。例如，驱动马达144可以是AC马达、感应马达、永磁同步马达或任意其他合适类型的AC马达。另外，驱动马达144可以包括任意合适的马达或传动子组件、离合器机构或其他部件。
制冰组件100还包括机械连接到中心座140的模具组件150。具体地，根据所示实施方式，模具组件150包括一个或多个轭152，该一个或多个轭安装到中心座140并在其远端处附接有销或轮轴154。如图所示，模具组件150还包括一个或多个冰模具156，该一个或多个冰模具可旋转地联接到轮轴154，使得它们可以在制冰电器100的运行期间旋转。更具体地，随着中心座140旋转，离心力可以使冰模具156从竖直方向(例如，如图1或图3中的实线所示)旋转至水平方向(例如，如图1或图4中的虚线所示)。
根据所示实施方式，中心座140是圆柱形结构，多个轭152附接到中心座140的内表面158。具体地，中心座140包含或包围模具组件150。然而，应当理解，根据可选实施方式，中心座140可为可在中心座140的旋转期间约束冰模具156的任何其它合适的结构。例如，根据可选实施方式，中心座140可以是竖直轴或驱动轴146的延伸部，其被冰模具156和对应的支撑臂包围。根据所示实施方式，模具组件150包括在中心座140内沿着周向隔开的三个轭152。另外，各个轭被设计为可旋转地支撑单个冰模具156。然而，应当理解，根据可选实施方式，可以使用任何其它合适数量和结构的轭152和冰模具156。
现在具体参考图2，将根据示例性实施方式更详细地描述冰模具156。如图所示，冰模具156包括圆柱形侧壁160和底壁162，它们接合来限定模腔164。模腔164通常用于接收和容纳水(例如，如图2中的附图标记166指示)。与底壁162相对的圆柱形侧壁160限定通向模腔164的开口168。如图所示，冰模具156包括顶盖170，该顶盖定位在冰模具156的开口168上方，用于选择性地关闭模腔164。顶盖170可以以任何合适的方式固定到圆柱形侧壁160。例如，根据所示实施方式，顶盖170和圆柱形侧壁160限定有螺纹连接172。根据可选实施方式，顶盖170可以以任何其它合适的方式固定，诸如压配合、卡扣配合或通 过机械紧固件固定。应当理解，顶盖170还可限定有允许在制冰期间排气的一个或多个排气口(未示出)。
同样如图2所示，冰模具156可限定有或包括促进模腔164内的水166的定向冻结的特征。例如，根据所示实施方式，圆柱形侧壁160和顶盖170被覆盖在隔热材料174中。另外，冰模具156可以包括限定于冰模具156的底壁162或安装到该底壁的一个或多个散热元件176，以促进改善从冰模具156的底部散热。根据可选实施方式，散热元件176还可以限定在圆柱形侧壁160的底部或下端上。
通常，冰模具156及其部件可以由任何合适的材料形成，以实现冰模具156的期望的热特性，以便改善制冰过程。例如，冰模具156通常由导热材料(例如，金属，诸如铜、铝或不锈钢，包括其合金)制成，而隔热材料174通常由隔热材料(例如，隔热聚合物，诸如用于在冰点以下温度内使用而不会显著劣化的合成硅树脂)形成。根据可选实施方式，隔热材料174可以使用闭孔挤压聚苯乙烯泡沫(XPS)或任何其它合适的材料形成。
值得注意的是，密封制冷系统110的一个或多个部分可以与模具组件150热连接。特别地，蒸发器118可以放置在模具组件150的一部分上或与其接触(例如，传导接触)。可选地，蒸发器118可以用于从制冷间室104吸收热量。这样，蒸发器118可以选择性地从模腔164吸取热量，如下面将进一步描述的。在运行期间，供水系统180(图2)可以设置在模具组件150上方，并且可选择性地将水流166分配到模腔164中。通常，供水系统180包括用于选择性地填充模腔164的至少一个喷嘴182。在由模具组件150限定有多个分离的模腔164的实施方式中，供水系统180可以包括与多个模腔164竖直对齐的多个喷嘴182或流体泵。比如，各个模腔164可以与一个独立的喷嘴182竖直地对齐。
如图所示，控制器126可以与制冰组件100的一个或多个部分通信(例如，电气通信)。在一些实施方式中，控制器126与供水系统180、压缩机112、流量调节阀或喷嘴182、驱动马达144、用户界面面板120等通信。控制器126可以被配置为启动独立的制冰操作，如将在下面更详细地描述的。例如，控制器126可以启动或引导供水系统180来提供通过喷嘴182并进入模腔164(例如，通过模具开口168)的水流166。控制器126还可以引导密封制冷系统110(例如，在压缩机112处)(图1)推动制冷剂经过蒸发器118，并且从模腔164内吸取热量。
值得注意的是，根据上述示例性实施方式，散热元件176和隔热材料174一 起运行来促进从下到上(例如，从底壁162开始)冷却模腔164内的水166。这样，一部分水166可以从底壁162到开口168以渐进层冻结。另外，驱动轴146可以在运行期间旋转，由此导致中心座140旋转并且冰模具156从竖直方向旋转到水平方向。值得注意的是，如下所述，施加在冰模具156内的水166上的离心力可以促进冻结过程的改进，该冻结过程导致在所形成的冰坯内的混浊中的更少杂质。
既然已经根据示例性实施方式描述了制冰组件100的结构，则将描述操作制冰组件的示例性方法200。尽管以下讨论涉及操作制冰组件100的示例性方法200，但是本领域技术人员应当理解，示例性方法200适用于操作各种其他制冰组件和/或制冰方法。
现在参考图6，方法200包括：在步骤210处，将水供应到模具组件的模腔中，其中，模具组件可枢转地安装到制冷间室内的中心座。在这点上，从上面继续示例，供水系统180可以打开喷嘴182，将水流166供应到冰模具156的模腔164中。密封系统110可运行为将制冷间室104的温度降低到合适的温度，以便将水166冻结成冰坯(未示出)。例如，根据示例性实施方式，制冷间室104内的温度可以降低至大约0°F的冰点以下、或任何其他合适的温度。
值得注意的是，当水166在冻结的同时，控制器126可以操作驱动马达144以旋转中心座140。更具体地，驱动马达144可使中心座140加速直到转速达到目标速度为止，并且可周期性地降低中心座142的转速或在加速回到目标速度或另一适当升高的速度之前降低速度。如下面更详细地说明的，该使中心座140加速和周期性减速的方法导致形成具有最少杂质的透明冰坯。
更具体地，步骤220包括：使中心座加速，直到中心座的转速达到目标速度为止。例如，目标速度可以是在水166上产生离心力从而增加底壁162附近的水166的压力的任何合适的转速。例如，根据示例性实施方式，目标速度可以大于大约200转/分钟(RPM)、大于大约400RPM、大于大约600RPM或大约800RPM。另外或可选地，目标速度可以小于大约3000RPM、小于大约2500RPM、小于大约2000RPM、小于大约1000RPM、小于大约600RPM或任何其它合适的速度。
步骤230包括：在加速回到目标速度之前周期性地降低中心座的转速到降低速度。更具体地，根据示例性实施方式，该周期性降速可以包括：(a)加速中心座，直到转速达到目标速度为止；(b)在旋转时间内将中心座的转速保持在目标速度；(c)在停留时间内将中心座的转速降低到降低速度；以及(d)重复步骤 (a)-(c)，直到模腔中的水形成冰坯为止。尽管步骤(c)叙述了在停留时间内将转速降低到降低速度，但应当理解，根据示例性实施方式，这可以涉及在停留时间内减速和保持转速的两个步骤。
值得注意的是，降低速度通常被选择为水166内的气体或杂质可以在其处或以下排出、除气、泡腾或以其他方式使水166的冻结部分透明的速度，如将在下面更详细地描述的。根据示例性实施方式，降低速度可以为零，使得驱动马达144在停留时间期间完全关闭。根据可选实施方式，降低速度可以为零、大于零等。例如，降低速度可以在目标速度的大约0％与70％之间、大约5％与50％之间、或大约20％。根据示例性实施方式，降低速度可以小于目标速度的大约30％、小于大约20％、小于大约10％、小于大约5％、小于大约1％、小于大约0.1％或更小。其它降低速度是可行的，并且在本发明的范围内。
根据示例性实施方式，中心座140以目标速度旋转的旋转时间可以是任何合适的持续时间。例如，旋转时间可以在大约1分钟至20分钟之间、大约2分钟至7分钟之间、大约3分钟至5分钟之间或大约4分钟。类似地，停留时间可以是在冻结过程期间促进从水166脱气或去除杂质的任何合适的持续时间。例如，停留时间可以在大约1秒至5分钟之间、大约3秒至45秒之间、大约5秒至30秒之间、或任何其他合适的持续时间。
应当理解，制冰组件100还可以包括一个或多个振动装置190，例如用于在旋转时间、停留时间或两者的任何部分期间将振动引入模具组件150中，以便进一步促进杂质从水166中排出/脱气/泡腾。此外，模具组件150可以包括一个或多个加热元件192，用于选择性地加热冰模具156或储存在其中的水166。例如，可以提供加热元件，用于冰模具156中的水166的顶面的受控加热，以保持液态水并确保在整个制冰循环期间的除气逸出路径。
根据示例性实施方式，控制器126可以操作驱动马达144，使得旋转时间与总时间的旋转比落入合适的范围内。在这点上，总时间可以等于旋转时间加上停留时间，例如，或总循环时间。根据示例性实施方式，旋转比的合适范围可以在大约0.5至0.99之间、大约0.6至0.95之间、大约0.7至0.85之间、或大约0.8。应当理解，诸如本文所述的减速循环中的目标速度的参数仅是示例性的，而不旨在限制本发明的范围。例如，尽管中心座140被描述为在每次减速之后转回到目标速度，但是应当理解，根据可选实施方式，在保持在本发明的范围内的同时，升高的速度或目标速度可以变化。
图6描述了为了示例和讨论的目的而以特定顺序执行的步骤。使用本文所提供的发明内容，本领域普通技术人员将理解，本文所述的任何方法的步骤可以以各种方式改编、重新排列、扩展、省略或修改，而不脱离本发明的范围。而且，尽管使用制冰组件100作为示例来说明了方法200的各方面，但是应当理解，这些方法可以应用于具有任意其他合适配置的任何制冰组件或电器的运行。
值得注意的是，上述制冰组件100和方法200提供了一种用于获得具有提高的纯度和质量的冰坯的改进的制冰组件和过程。在这点上，冰模具在冻结期间的高速旋转在产生透明冰方面提供了几个显著的益处。具体地，如上所述，多个不锈钢冰模具可以经由摆动轭和支撑系统紧固到旋转机构，诸如中心座。各个冰模具可以包括固定到其下侧的散热元件和包围壁和顶部的隔热材料。散热元件和隔热材料迫使主要的热传递通过冰模具的底面，这允许在水中从底部向上(从外径朝向旋转中心)定向冻结。该定向冻结允许冻结顶面将溶解的空气和其它杂质推入剩余的液态水中，而不是将它们截留在冻结冰壳内。
例如，根据示例性的制冰循环，冰模具可以被过滤后的水填充到受控的深度，同时整个冰模具位于被设置到适当的低温(诸如0°F)的热腔室内。然后将中心座旋转至期望的转速，诸如800RPM的最大转速。这在中心座和冰模具内提供了大的离心加速度(在篮半径处为200g)；结果是，水的重量成比例地增加，并且压力相对于深度(由于增加的重量)也显著增加(在杯底部处达到3x大气压力)。由于压力与水深直接相关，所以冰模具内的水柱的总高度可能很大。
进一步地，空气在水内的溶解度可以与水压成正比；由此，溶解度可以作为对中心座旋转的直接响应而增加.在典型的大气压力和正常的溶解度条件下，顶部冻结的进行可以将溶解的空气推入剩余的液态水中；随着这种情况发生，溶质密度增加，溶液很快会变得过饱和，这迫使空气从溶液中出来并使冰混浊。然而，增加的溶解度可以允许在溶液被空气过饱和之前发生更多的冻结。
另外，中心座的速度可以例行地每几分钟降低到零或降低速度片刻；这些静态或缓慢的周期可以允许溶液的压力和溶解度恢复到正常的大气压值，这导致溶液由于增加的溶质密度而立即变得过饱和。结果是，溶液可释放过量的溶解空气，这类似于打开苏打瓶后碳酸的释放。这样，中心座的速度可以每几分钟跳动一次，以定期引起强制泡腾，以去掉溶液中的过量空气并继续冻结透明冰。在任何停留速度或停留时间期间振动模具组件还可以从水中释放溶解的气体，这类似于摇动和打开苏打水容器。也可以引入对模具组件中的水的顶面的受控加热，以保持液 态水，以便确保整个制冰循环中的除气逸出路径。高转速(除了空腔散热元件的翅片之外)可以允许非常大的冷却对流系数，这意味着冰可以在旋转周期期间非常快速地形成。另外，大的离心效应可以增加在水内的典型气泡上感受到的浮力，该浮力很可能迫使任何气泡比在普通条件下更快地释放到表面。最后，中心座在旋转状态期间的小但连续的搅拌振动可以在帮助释放可能粘附到冰模具壁的气泡方面起到有益的作用。
本书面描述使用示例对本发明进行了公开(其中包括最佳实施例)，并且还使本领域技术人员能够实施本发明(其中包括制造和使用任何装置或系统并且执行所包含的任何方法)。本发明的可专利范围通过权利要求进行限定，并且可以包括本领域技术人员能够想到的其它的示例。如果这种其它的示例包括与权利要求的字面语言没有区别的结构元件，或者如果这种其它的示例包括与权利要求的字面语言没有实质区别的等同结构元件，则期望这种其它的示例落入权利要求的范围中。

Claims (20)

  1. 一种制冰组件，其特征在于，所述制冰组件包括：
    制冷间室；
    中心座，所述中心座可旋转地安装在所述制冷间室内；
    模具组件，所述模具组件机械连接到所述中心座，所述模具组件限定有用于接收水的模腔；以及
    驱动机构，所述驱动机构可操作地连接到所述中心座，以用于选择性地使所述中心座旋转；以及
    控制器，所述控制器可操作地连接到所述驱动机构，所述控制器用于：
    使所述中心座加速直到转速达到目标速度；并且
    在加速回到所述目标速度之前周期性地降低所述中心座的转速到降低速度。
  2. 根据权利要求1所述的制冰组件，其特征在于，所述降低速度小于所述目标速度的20％。
  3. 根据权利要求1所述的制冰组件，其特征在于，所述目标速度在600转/分钟至2000转/分钟之间。
  4. 根据权利要求1所述的制冰组件，其特征在于，所述降低速度在所述目标速度的0％至50％之间。
  5. 根据权利要求1所述的制冰组件，其特征在于，步骤“在加速回到所述目标速度之前周期性地降低所述中心座的转速到降低速度”包括：
    (a)使所述中心座加速直到转速达到所述目标速度；
    (b)在旋转时间内将所述中心座的转速保持在所述目标速度；
    (c)在停留时间内将所述中心座的转速降低到所述降低速度；以及
    (d)重复步骤(a)-(c)，直到所述模腔中的水形成冰坯。
  6. 根据权利要求5所述的制冰组件，其特征在于，旋转比在0.8至0.99之间，所述旋转比为所述旋转时间与总时间的比，所述总时间为所述旋转时间与所述停留时间的和。
  7. 根据权利要求6所述的制冰组件，其特征在于，所述旋转比在0.9至0.99之间。
  8. 根据权利要求5所述的制冰组件，其特征在于，所述旋转时间在2分钟至15分钟之间。
  9. 根据权利要求5所述的制冰组件，其特征在于，所述停留时间在5秒至5分钟之间。
  10. 根据权利要求1所述的制冰组件，其特征在于，所述模具组件包括：
    轭；
    冰模具，所述冰模具限定有所述模腔和通向所述模腔的开口，所述冰模具枢转地安装到所述轭，使得所述开口在填充过程期间朝向上，并且当所述中心座旋转时朝向侧向枢转。
  11. 根据权利要求10所述的制冰组件，其特征在于，所述模具组件包括：
    顶盖，所述顶盖设置在所述冰模具中的所述开口上方，其中，所述顶盖是隔热的。
  12. 根据权利要求10所述的制冰组件，其特征在于，所述模具组件包括：
    振动装置，所述振动装置可操作地连接到所述冰模具，用于选择性地振动所述冰模具。
  13. 根据权利要求10所述的制冰组件，其特征在于，所述模具组件包括：
    加热元件，所述加热元件与所述冰模具热连接，用于选择性地加热所述冰模具。
  14. 根据权利要求10所述的制冰组件，其特征在于，所述冰模具包括圆柱形侧壁，并且其中，隔热材料包围所述圆柱形侧壁。
  15. 根据权利要求10所述的制冰组件，其特征在于，所述冰模具包括：
    一个或多个散热元件，所述一个或多个散热元件安装到所述冰模具的底壁以促进定向冻结。
  16. 根据权利要求10所述的制冰组件，其特征在于，所述冰模具由铝制造。
  17. 根据权利要求1所述的制冰组件，其特征在于，所述中心座是圆柱形的且限定有内表面，所述模具组件安装在所述内表面上。
  18. 根据权利要求1所述的制冰组件，其特征在于，所述驱动机构包括安装在所述中心座下方的电动马达。
  19. 一种操作制冰组件的方法，所述制冰组件包括：中心座，所述中心座可旋转地安装在制冷间室内；和模具组件，所述模具组件机械连接到所述中心座并限定有用于接收水的模腔，所述方法包括以下步骤：
    使所述中心座加速直到转速达到目标速度；以及
    在加速回到所述目标速度之前周期性地降低所述中心座的转速到降低速度。
  20. 根据权利要求19所述的方法，其特征在于，步骤“在加速回到所述目标速 度之前周期性地降低所述中心座的转速到降低速度”包括：
    (a)使所述中心座加速直到所述转速达到所述目标速度；
    (b)在旋转时间内将所述中心座的转速保持在所述目标速度；
    (c)在停留时间内将所述中心座的转速降低到所述降低速度；以及
    (d)重复步骤(a)-(c)，直到所述模腔中的水形成冰坯为止。
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