Ice-making apparatus and refrigerator

Abstract

An ice-making apparatus and a refrigerator are provided. The ice-making apparatus includes an ice-making tray, a temperature sensor, a controller, and a vibration apparatus. The temperature sensor is disposed on the ice-making tray and is coupled to the controller. The temperature sensor is adapted to detect a temperature on the ice-making tray and output a temperature signal to the controller. The controller is coupled to the temperature sensor and the vibration apparatus, and is adapted to receive the temperature signal to obtain the temperature on the ice-making tray and generate a start instruction and send the start instruction to the vibration apparatus. The vibration apparatus is connected to the ice-making tray and is adapted to start vibrating when receiving the start instruction to drive the ice-making tray to vibrate. The foregoing solution can reduce bubbles in water in the ice-making tray and reduce broken ice cubes.

1 . An ice-making apparatus, comprising:
 an ice-making tray adapted for carrying water for making ice;   a controller;   a vibration apparatus;   said controller being coupled to said vibration apparatus, said controller generating a start instruction and sends the start instruction to said vibration apparatus; and   said vibration apparatus is connected to said ice-making tray and is adapted to start vibrating after receiving the start instruction to drive said ice-making tray to vibrate.   
     
     
         2 . The ice-making apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein said vibration apparatus is disposed under said ice-making tray. 
     
     
         3 . The ice-making apparatus according to  claim 2 , wherein said vibration apparatus is in contact with a bottom surface of said ice-making tray. 
     
     
         4 . The ice-making apparatus according to  claim 2 , wherein in a vertical direction, a center of gravity of said ice-making tray is projected to said vibration apparatus. 
     
     
         5 . The ice-making apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein said vibration apparatus is connected to a side wall of said ice-making tray. 
     
     
         6 . The ice-making apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein said vibration apparatus is one of at least two vibration apparatuses, wherein a first of said vibration apparatuses is disposed below said ice-making tray, and a second of said vibration apparatuses is connected to a side wall of said ice-making tray. 
     
     
         7 . The ice-making apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein said ice-making tray has a plurality of cavities formed therein for carrying the water, said vibration apparatus is disposed between neighboring ones of said cavities. 
     
     
         8 . The ice-making apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein said vibration apparatus contains at least one of the following: an eccentric motor, an electromagnetic vibrator, an infrared vibrator, or a piston impact type vibrator. 
     
     
         9 . The ice-making apparatus according to  claim 1 , further comprising a temperature sensor coupled to said controller for detecting a temperature on said ice-making tray and outputting a temperature signal to said controller, said controller is configured to receive the temperature signal to obtain the temperature of said ice-making tray and to generate the start instruction. 
     
     
         10 . The ice-making apparatus according to  claim 9 , wherein said controller determines the temperature on said ice-making tray according to the temperature signal, and generates the start instruction and sends the start instruction to said vibration apparatus when determining that the temperature on said ice-making tray is a preset first temperature value. 
     
     
         11 . The ice-making apparatus according to  claim 10 , wherein:
 said controller sends a stop instruction to said vibration apparatus when determining, according to the temperature signal, that the temperature on said ice-making tray reaches a second temperature value;   said vibration apparatus stops vibrating when receiving the stop instruction; and   the preset first temperature value is greater than the second temperature value.   
     
     
         12 . The ice-making apparatus according to  claim 11 , further comprising a turnover motor coupled to said controller and said ice-making tray, said controller is adapted to send a turnover instruction to said turnover motor when determining, according to the temperature signal, that the temperature on said ice-making tray reaches a third temperature value, said turnover motor is coupled to said ice-making tray and rotates to drive said ice-making tray to turn over when receiving the turnover instruction, wherein the second temperature value is greater than the third temperature value. 
     
     
         13 . The ice-making apparatus according to  claim 12 , wherein said turnover motor has a motor rotor connected to a side wall of said ice-making tray. 
     
     
         14 . The ice-making apparatus according to  claim 11 , wherein:
 said controller sends the stop instruction to said vibration apparatus after a preset duration after sending the start instruction to said vibration apparatus; and   said vibration apparatus stops vibrating upon receiving the stop instruction.   
     
     
         15 . A refrigerator, comprising:
 a freezer compartment;   a door having an inner wall; and   an ice-making apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein said ice-making apparatus is disposed in said freezing compartment on said inner wall of said door.