Patent Description:
Conventional ice making molds are used to make irregular or cubic or spherical solid ice. During making the solid ice, the surface is first frozen so that impurities and air in water are squeezed towards the center, such that opaque cloud-like matter occurs in finally made solid ice and the crystallinity of the ice is not enough.

Meanwhile, many ice available in the market are used to chill wine, beverages, etc. Transparent solid ice can make wine, beverages and so on look better; in addition, transparent solid ice free of bubbles naturally have a higher density, melt slowly, and are unlikely to cause the taste of the chilled beverages to be lowered. In addition, the transparent solid ice are not prone to cracking and can maintain the integrity of the shape of the ice.

<CIT> discloses an ice maker having an ice mold that includes a metallic piece and an insulated piece. A cooling source is thermally coupled to the metallic piece. A cavity is formed within the ice mold and has a first reservoir in the metallic piece and a second reservoir in the insulated piece. The first and second reservoirs align to substantially enclose the cavity. An intake aperture in the insulated piece extends to the cavity for receiving water. A drive body, rotatably coupled to the ice mold, repeatedly rotates the mold from an injection position to a tilted position. The cavity receives an incremental amount of water in the injection position and moves to the tilted position to freeze at least a portion of the incremental amount of water over a side surface of the cavity to make an ice piece.

<CIT>, <CIT>, <CIT> and <CIT> disclose subject matter related to the present invention.

In view of the forgoing, it is necessary to provide a new ice making mold to solve the above problems.

The present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments, but the detailed description is not intended to limit the present invention.

In order to make the objectives, technical solutions and advantages of the present invention clearer, the present invention will be further described in detail below with reference to the embodiments and the accompanying drawings. It should be appreciated that the specific embodiments described herein are only intended to explain the present invention, not to limit the present invention.

<FIG> is a schematic view of an ice making mold according to the present invention before being closed. <FIG> is a schematic cross-sectional view of the ice making mold in <FIG>.

The present invention provides an ice making mold <NUM> according to claim <NUM> which is suitable for making transparent ice. An example is taken hereunder in which the ice making mold <NUM> is used to make spherical transparent ice to illustrate the configuration of the ice making mold <NUM> and a method of making the spherical transparent ice.

As shown in <FIG> and <FIG>, the ice making mold <NUM> according to claim <NUM> comprises a base <NUM> and an upper cover <NUM>, wherein a thermal conductivity of the base <NUM> is greater than the thermal conductivity of the upper cover <NUM>, so that when using the ice making mold <NUM> to make ice, water gradually gets frozen from a first water storage chamber <NUM> of the base <NUM> towards a second water storage chamber <NUM> of the upper cover <NUM>, thereby forming the transparent ice.

Preferably, the base <NUM> is for example a metal base, a plastic base, etc. The metal base is for example made of aluminum or an aluminum alloy material; the plastic base is for example made of a polyethylene (PP) material; the upper cover <NUM> is for example an upper cover made of a soft material with a poor thermal conductivity and an excellent thermal insulation performance such as silica gel.

Further referring to <FIG> and <FIG>, the base <NUM> comprises a first body <NUM>, and the first body is provided with a first water storage chamber <NUM>. The first water storage chamber <NUM> comprises a first hemispherical chamber <NUM> located at a lower portion and a cylindrical chamber <NUM> located at an upper portion, and the first hemispherical chamber <NUM> and the cylindrical chamber <NUM> communicate with each other, wherein the wall of the cylindrical chamber <NUM> is disposed partially around the outer wall of the first hemispherical chamber <NUM>, so that a first edge <NUM> of the first hemispherical chamber <NUM> protrudes from an inner side of the wall of the cylindrical chamber <NUM>.

The cylindrical chamber <NUM> protrudes from a first side of the first body <NUM>, and the top of the wall of the cylindrical chamber <NUM> is higher than the first edge <NUM>. In addition, the top of the wall of the cylindrical chamber <NUM> has an overflow port <NUM> for making a volume of the first water storage chamber <NUM> equal to <NUM>% of the volume of the transparent spherical ice to be made. This is because the density of ice is about <NUM> percent of the density of water, and the volume of water increases after water freezes. Considering the volume change caused by the above phase transition, the overflow port <NUM> maintains the volume of the first water storage chamber <NUM> at <NUM>% of the volume of transparent spherical ice to be made, and the water exceeding this volume flows out through the overflow port <NUM>.

The base <NUM> is provided with a drainage hole <NUM>, and the drainage hole <NUM> may be formed on the first body <NUM> for draining the water flowing out through the overflow port <NUM>. In the present embodiment, the drainage hole <NUM> is formed at corners of the first body <NUM>, but not limited to the corners.

A first extension portion <NUM> is provided on one side of the first body <NUM>, and the first extension portion <NUM> extends toward the upper cover <NUM>. The first extension portion <NUM> is disposed around the edge of the first body <NUM>. The first extension portion <NUM>, part of the first body <NUM> and the outer side of the wall of the cylindrical chamber <NUM> form an accommodating space. After the upper cover <NUM> and the base <NUM> are combined together, a lower region of the upper cover <NUM> is combined into the accommodating space.

In other embodiments of the present invention, the drainage hole may also be provided on the first extension portion, or the drainage hole may also be provided at a junction of the first extension portion and the first body. That is, the drainage hole can be substantially disposed on the first body and/or the first extension portion.

A second extension portion <NUM> is disposed on the opposite side of the first body <NUM>, and the second extension portion <NUM> extends away from the upper cover <NUM>. The second extension portion <NUM> is disposed around the edge of the first body <NUM>, wherein the first body <NUM> is for example a quadrilateral, and the second extension portion <NUM> comprises a plurality of extension walls corresponding to the quadrilateral, and the plurality of extension walls are respectively provided with at least one through hole <NUM>. The at least one through hole <NUM> allows cool air to circulate at the second extension portion <NUM> of the base <NUM>, which improves the heat exchange efficiency of the base <NUM> and facilitates the water contained in the first water storage chamber <NUM> to be cooled preferably. The lowest position of the first hemispherical chamber <NUM> protrudes from the second side of the first body <NUM>, so that the cold air passing through the at least one through hole <NUM> first starts to cool the lowest position of the first hemispherical chamber <NUM>, controlling the water in the first hemispherical chamber <NUM> to be cooled and frozen from bottom to top to finally form the transparent ice.

It needs to be appreciated that the focus of the present invention is to control the water contained in the ice making mold <NUM> to freeze in a single direction. In the present embodiment, the direction in which the water freezes is from bottom to top.

In addition, in other embodiments of the present invention, after the ice making mold <NUM> completes ice making, at least one through hole <NUM> can be held by the user to separate the base <NUM> from the upper cover <NUM>.

The base <NUM> may be formed by integral molding such as injection molding, 3D printing, or casting.

As shown in <FIG> and <FIG>, the upper cover <NUM> comprises a second body <NUM> and a second water storage chamber (<NUM>) being a hemispherical chamber and being recessed from a bottom surface <NUM> of the second body <NUM> toward a top surface <NUM>, wherein the second water storage chamber <NUM> is used to form an upper half of a spherical chamber S (as shown in <FIG>). When a second edge <NUM> of the second water storage chamber <NUM> and the first edge <NUM> of the first hemispherical chamber <NUM> abut against each other, the first hemispherical chamber <NUM> and the second water storage chamber <NUM> form the spherical chamber S (as shown in <FIG>). The top surface <NUM> is opposite to the bottom surface <NUM>.

The second edge <NUM> is higher than the bottom surface <NUM> of the second body <NUM>, and the bottom surface <NUM> faces toward the base <NUM>.

A vent hole <NUM> is disposed at the highest position of the second water storage chamber <NUM>, and the vent hole <NUM> communicates the second water storage chamber <NUM> with atmosphere outside the top surface <NUM> of the second body <NUM>. In other words, the vent hole <NUM> is used to communicate the spherical chamber S with ambient atmosphere, and the excess air in the spherical chamber S is discharged to the ambient atmosphere through the vent hole <NUM>. A diameter of the vent hole <NUM> is small, about <NUM>.

The upper cover <NUM> further comprises a combining slot <NUM> which is disposed around an outer wall <NUM> of the second water storage chamber <NUM>, and the outer wall <NUM> can be regarded as a wall of the combining slot <NUM>. The combining slot <NUM> is adapted to fit with the wall of the cylindrical chamber <NUM>. When the upper cover <NUM> fits with the base <NUM>, the wall of the cylindrical chamber <NUM> extends into the combining slot <NUM>. Since the upper cover <NUM> is made of a silica gel material which has a certain elasticity, when the groove wall of the cylindrical chamber <NUM> is combined with the combining slot <NUM>, the combining slot <NUM> and the groove wall of the cylindrical chamber <NUM> are in close contact with each other, and the excess air between the upper cover <NUM> and the base <NUM> can be squeezed and discharged out through the vent hole <NUM>.

In addition, the second water storage chamber <NUM> is located inside the wall of the cylindrical chamber <NUM>, and the second water storage chamber <NUM> is closely fitted with the wall of the cylindrical chamber <NUM>, so that the second water storage chamber <NUM> and the first hemispherical chamber <NUM> are in a relatively sealed space. When cooling the water contained in the first hemispherical chamber <NUM> and the second water storage chamber <NUM>, the air dissolved in the water gradually escapes from the first hemispherical chamber <NUM> toward the second water storage chamber <NUM> and is discharged out through the vent hole <NUM> at the bottom of the second water storage chamber <NUM> of the upper cover <NUM>.

On the other hand, a top end of the wall of the cylindrical chamber <NUM> is further provided with a guiding slope <NUM> corresponding to the combining slot <NUM>, and the guiding slope <NUM> enables smoother combination of the wall of the cylindrical chamber <NUM> and the combining slot <NUM>.

As shown in <FIG>, a thickness of the lowest position of the first hemispherical chamber <NUM> is smaller than the thickness of the highest position of the second water storage chamber <NUM>. Furthermore, since the thermal conductivity of the base <NUM> of the ice making mold <NUM> is greater than the thermal conductivity of the upper cover <NUM>, the direction in which water freezes can be better controlled when the thickness of the lowest position of the first hemispherical chamber <NUM> is smaller than the thickness of the highest position of the second water storage chamber <NUM>.

<FIG> is a schematic view of the ice making mold according to the present invention after being closed. <FIG> is a schematic cross-sectional view of the ice making mold in <FIG>.

The ice making mold <NUM> of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to <FIG>.

As shown in <FIG>, the ice making mold <NUM> according to claim <NUM> is closed by combining the upper cover <NUM> with the base <NUM>, wherein the wall of the cylindrical chamber <NUM> of the first water storage chamber <NUM> of the base <NUM> is inserted into the combining slot of the upper cover <NUM>. At this time, the wall of the cylindrical chamber <NUM> is closely fitted with the combining slot <NUM>, and the outer wall <NUM> of the second water storage chamber <NUM> is closely fitted with the inner side of the groove wall of the cylindrical chamber <NUM>, so that the spherical chamber S formed by the first hemispherical chamber <NUM> and the second water storage chamber <NUM> is in a relatively sealed space. The interior of the spherical chamber S communicates with the external through the vent hole <NUM> in the upper cover <NUM>. In addition, a lower portion of the second body <NUM> of the upper cover <NUM> is caught in an accommodating space between the outer side of the wall of the cylindrical chamber <NUM> and the inner side of the first extension portion <NUM>, and the upper cover <NUM> is stably combined to the base <NUM>.

When the ice making mold <NUM> is used to make spherical transparent ice, it is placed in a freezing environment, and cold passes through at least one through hole <NUM> in the second extension portion <NUM> of the first body <NUM> of the base <NUM> and performs heat exchange with the bottom (the lowest position) of the first hemispherical chamber <NUM>. Since the bottom (the lowest position) of the first hemispherical chamber <NUM> has a small thickness and a high thermal conductivity, it is cooled down first. However, the upper cover <NUM> has a small thermal conductivity, and the bottom of the second water storage chamber <NUM> in the second body <NUM> of the upper cover <NUM> has a large thickness, so it is difficult for the bottom of the second water storage chamber <NUM> to exchange heat with the cold in the freezing environment. When the water in the lower portion of the first hemispherical chamber <NUM> is cooled and frozen, the cold will be gradually transferred from the first hemispherical chamber <NUM> towards the second water storage chamber <NUM>, so that the ice is gradually formed from bottom to top, and the air dissolved in the water is squeezed toward the upper portion of the water and discharged out through the vent hole <NUM> to obtain spherical transparent ice with a high degree of transparency.

According to an example, not being disclosed in the following claims, an ice making method for making ice is provided by using the ice making mold <NUM> shown in <FIG>, the ice making method comprising:.

Wherein, the volume of water entering the spherical chamber accounts for <NUM>% of the volume of the spherical chamber, and the ice making mold <NUM> is as stated above.

In addition, the ice making method further comprises step S5: opening the base <NUM> and the upper cover <NUM>, and taking out the transparent ice ball. The user holding at least one through hole <NUM> on the second extension portion <NUM> of the base <NUM> with one hand and holding an anti-slip pattern <NUM> on the outer surface of the upper cover <NUM> with the other hand, rotates the base <NUM> and the upper cover <NUM> in opposite directions and/or draws the base <NUM> and the upper cover <NUM> to separate them, and then takes out the transparent ice ball.

In addition, in step S3 of combining the upper cover of the ice making mold with the base, since the first water storage chamber <NUM> is filled with water in advance, when the outer wall <NUM> of the second water storage chamber <NUM> slides against the inner side of the wall of the cylindrical chamber <NUM> until the second edge <NUM> abuts against the first edge <NUM>. At this time, a small amount of water in the first water storage chamber <NUM> overflows through the overflow port <NUM> at the top of the groove wall of the cylindrical chamber <NUM> and might flow along the outer surface of the groove wall of the cylindrical chamber to the first side of the first body <NUM>, and be discharged out through the drainage hole <NUM>.

To sum up, the present invention provides an ice making mold according to claim <NUM>. The thermal conductivity of the base of the ice making mold is greater than the thermal conductivity of the upper cover, so that the freezing direction of the water contained in the ice making mold can be controlled to form a single direction freezing manner to obtain transparent ice with a higher transparency.

Claim 1:
An ice making mold (<NUM>) for making transparent ice, wherein the ice making mold (<NUM>) comprises:
a base (<NUM>) having a first body (<NUM>), the first body (<NUM>) is provided with a first water storage chamber (<NUM>), and
an upper cover (<NUM>) having a second body (<NUM>), the second body (<NUM>) is provided with a second water storage chamber (<NUM>), the second water storage chamber (<NUM>) being a hemispherical chamber and corresponding to the first water storage chamber (<NUM>);
wherein the thermal conductivity of the first body (<NUM>) is greater than the thermal conductivity of the second body (<NUM>), and wherein when the upper cover (<NUM>) is combined with the base (<NUM>), the first water storage chamber (<NUM>) and the second water storage chamber (<NUM>) form a chamber for containing water for making transparent ice;
wherein the first water storage chamber (<NUM>) comprises a first hemispherical chamber (<NUM>) located at a lower portion and a cylindrical chamber (<NUM>) located at an upper portion, wherein the first hemispherical chamber (<NUM>) and the cylindrical chamber (<NUM>) communicate with each other,
wherein when the upper cover of the ice making mold (<NUM>) is combined with the base (<NUM>), a first edge (<NUM>) of the first hemispherical chamber (<NUM>) of the base (<NUM>) and a second edge (<NUM>) of the second water storage chamber (<NUM>) of the upper cover (<NUM>) abut against each other to form a spherical chamber, the water in the first water storage chamber (<NUM>) entering the spherical chamber; wherein when freezing the ice making mold (<NUM>) the water in the spherical chamber gradually freezes from the first hemispherical chamber (<NUM>) toward the second water storage chamber (<NUM>) to form a transparent ice ball;
wherein a volume of water entering the spherical chamber accounts for <NUM>% of the volume of the spherical chamber;
and wherein an overflow port (<NUM>) is provided at an upper end of a wall of the cylindrical chamber (<NUM>).