Patent Application
20100326112
The present invention relates to a fluid drainage system for a refrigerator. More particularly, the present invention relates to a fluid drainage system for removing drain fluid from a door of a refrigerator.
Current refrigerator designs include a trap or other removal means for the collection of water that has, for example, thawed, due to changes in temperature in a freezer section of a refrigerator unit. For example, ice that is in a freezer compartment may release a small amount of water when the temperature of the freezer section changes. Such changes in temperature may occur when the freezer door is left opened for an extended period of time. Water may also be developed through a defrosting of the freezer compartment.
Typically, a collection pan is located in a bottom section of the refrigerator case unit that houses the freezer and other cooling compartments of the refrigerator unit. Water is conveyed through a drain tube to the collection pan where collected water is trapped and evaporated. Usually, the heat of a motor unit in the bottom section assists in the evaporation of the collected water. Such collection of the defrosted water from the main compartment and its evaporation is well-known in the art. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,696,632 discloses a collection pan that is set so that a liquid level therein covers a drain tube end to prevent outside air from entering the refrigerator case. U.S. Pat. No. 4,783,971 discloses a drain pan configuration that has a pair of spaced mounting bracket with longitudinal guide slots and upward cones providing drip areas. U.S. Pat. No. 4,876,861 discloses a defrost water vaporizer having a capillary vaporizing element that increases a surface area to allow for greater evaporation. U.S. Pat. No. 5,271,241 discloses a water spreader that facilitates evaporation.
In some newer refrigerator unit models, an ice maker unit has been included on an upper door of the refrigerator. However, in this configuration, a simple drain tube extending from the ice maker unit to the collection pan is impractical as the tube would be stressed by continual movement as the door is opened and closed. Such movement would create a problem in managing the defrost water flow, particularly if the door is left opened.
Hence, a device is needed for controlling the flow of and/or removing drain fluid developed in a door of a refrigerator.
An embodiment of the invention is directed to a refrigerator including a main body defining an upper compartment and a lower compartment, with the upper compartment having a frontal access opening, the main body including a drain fluid removal system. A door is pivotally mounted to the main body for selectively closing the frontal access opening, the door having a lower portion. The refrigerator further includes a drain fluid transfer system for transfer of drain fluid from the door to the drain fluid removal system.
Another embodiment of the invention is directed to a refrigerator including a main body defining an upper compartment and a lower compartment, the upper compartment having a frontal access opening. A door is pivotally mounted to the main body, and is movable from a closed position for selective access to the interior of the upper compartment through the frontal access opening. The door includes a source of drain fluid. The refrigerator further includes a drain fluid removal system and a drain fluid transfer system extending from the source of drain fluid to the drain fluid removal system. The drain fluid transfer system includes a valve assembly selectively movable between a first position and a second position. The valve assembly is operative in the first position to permit fluid flow from the source of drain fluid to the removal system; and the valve assembly is operative in its second position to inhibit fluid flow from the source to the removal system. The first position is selected when the door in its closed position, and the second position is selected when said door is not in its closed position.
Other features and advantages of this invention will be better appreciated from the following detailed description.
Advantages and features of the invention may become apparent upon reading the following detailed description and upon reference to the drawings in which:
As noted, embodiments of the present invention may relate to a refrigerator having at least a main body (sometimes referred to as a “case” or “main case”), which is defined into an upper compartment and a lower compartment. The upper compartment generally has an opening for frontal access, and at least one door for selectively closing access to this opening. In many cases, the frontal access is for a fresh food compartment of the refrigerator, but the invention is not to be limited to such instances. Similarly, in many embodiments, the lower compartment may also contain a bottom freezer compartment for frozen food, but again, the invention is not to be limited in such manner.
The door for the upper compartment has at least a lower portion thereof. There may optionally also be a second door, to give a French door configuration. The lower compartment of the main body of the refrigerator generally includes at least the feature of a drain fluid removal system. On the main body of the refrigerator, at an upper region thereof, is generally supported a hinge assembly. The hinge assembly in turn pivotally supports the at least one door. The refrigerator further includes a drain fluid transfer system extending from the door to the lower compartment for transfer of drain fluid from the door to the drain fluid removal system.
As used herein, the term drain “fluid” usually will refer to a liquid predominantly composed of water, but which may also contain other components. Typically, a drain fluid removal system in the lower compartment will include any appropriate tubing, valving, collectors (e.g., pan), heaters, and/or evaporators (e.g., fan) capable of removing (e.g., evaporating) unwanted drain fluid. Many drain fluid removal systems are known in the field. A drain fluid removal system may include collection pans and employ the waste heat from a motor to foster removal and evaporation of drain fluid.
In accordance with embodiments of the invention, there may be one or more causes of drain fluid in a door. These may include, but are not limited to, defrost water developed from defrosting of an icemaker, and melting of ice contained in an ice bucket adjacent an icemaker.
In order to solve the problem of transferring drain fluid from the door, the refrigerator further includes the aforementioned drain fluid transfer system. This drain fluid transfer system, which generally extends from the door to the lower compartment, may take a wide variety of forms, all of which have in common the capability of achieving the transfer of drain fluid from the door to the drain fluid removal system. In certain embodiments, the drain fluid transfer system may include a transfer tube through which drain fluid is conveyed. In some embodiments, this transfer tube extends from an appropriate location in the door, and then out of the door into the hinge assembly, in which it will be at least partially enclosed. In such embodiments, the hinge assembly will be configured in a manner effective to both pivotally support the door and to enclose the transfer tube. Such hinge assembly may also be configured to at least partially enclose the piping structure which conveys a cooling medium (e.g., a glycol solution) used to cool a part or all of the refrigerator.
In certain embodiments, the drain fluid transfer system may include a valve assembly typically positioned at the lower portion (e.g., at a bottom edge) of the door, which door selectively closes the frontal access opening of the upper compartment. The characteristic feature of such valve assembly, where employed, is that it is selectively operable in a first position for allowing drain fluid to flow from the door to the lower compartment, and selectively operable in a second position for inhibiting drain fluid to flow from the door. Usually, the valve assembly will be configured to select the first position when the door closes the frontal access opening, and is configured to select the second position when the door is open.
A valve assembly in accordance with embodiments of the invention may be actuated by any appropriate manner, so long as it is selectively operable to inhibit drain fluid to flow from the door when not desired, e.g., when the door is open. Such actuation may be electromechanical (e.g., a motion sensor), or electro-optic (e.g., a photosensor), or mechanical (for example, a cam mechanism). Mechanical actuation provides simplification, and will be thus described in more detail here.
Referring now to
The doors 106, 108 shown in
Also shown in
Valving portion 430 functions to allow or inhibit drain fluid from door 106 (e.g., defrost water from ice generating unit 110) from entering a discharge tube 440. Discharge tube 440, when engaging drain connection 310 (
In operation, valving portion 430 is lifted within valve assembly 114 as arm 420 engages cam 300 to cause valving portion 430 to open and allow the passage of water to discharge tube 440 and drain connection 310. When door 106 is opened (or otherwise not closed or not fully closed), arm surface 415 of arm 420 disengages cam surface 410 of cam 300 causing valving portion 430 to return to a position that inhibits the flow of water from door 106 to discharge tube 440. In some embodiments, the inclined surfaces 410 (camber) of cam 300 and 415 (wedge) of arm 420 operate as a cam to cause the lifting movement of valving portion 430. In order to provide a force to cause valving portion 430 to be pushed down when arm 420 disengages cam 300, a force applier or other form of bias such as a spring may be used. In this lowest position, valving portion 430 is referred to as being in a closed position.
In this closed position, collection area 550 collects drain fluid that may be formed when door 106 is opened. When the door is closed, the valving portion 430 opens and the drain fluid accumulated in collection area 550 is allowed to pass to discharge tube 440.
Although the embodiment of the invention described herein teaches the opening of the valve when the valve assembly is lifted from a first to a second position by the closing of the compartment door and the closing of the valve occurs when the valve assembly is returned to the first position by the opening of the door, it should be recognized that a similar open operation may be performed in a valve assembly in which the valve is lowered from a first position to a second position by the closing of the door and the closing of the valve occurs when the valve assembly returns to its first position by the opening of the door. Such alteration in the operation of the valve assembly has been contemplated and considered to be within the scope of the invention claimed.
As used herein, approximating language may be applied to modify any quantitative representation that may vary without resulting in a change in the basic function to which it is related. Accordingly, a value modified by a term or terms, such as “about” and “substantially,” may not be limited to the precise value specified, in some cases. The modifier “about” used in connection with a quantity is inclusive of the stated value and has the meaning dictated by the context (for example, includes the degree of error associated with the measurement of the particular quantity).
“Optional” or “optionally” means that the subsequently described event or circumstance may or may not occur, or that the subsequently identified material may or may not be present, and that the description includes instances where the event or circumstance occurs or where the material is present, and instances where the event or circumstance does not occur or the material is not present. The singular forms “a”, “an” and “the” include plural referents unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. All ranges disclosed herein are inclusive of the recited endpoint and independently combinable. Finally, as used herein, the phrases “adapted to,” “configured to,” and the like refer to elements that are sized, arranged or manufactured to form a specified structure or to achieve a specified result.
While the invention has been described in detail in connection with only a limited number of embodiments, it should be readily understood that the invention is not limited to such disclosed embodiments. Rather, the invention can be modified to incorporate any number of variations, alterations, substitutions or equivalent arrangements not heretofore described, but which are commensurate with the spirit and scope of the invention. Additionally, while various embodiments of the invention have been described, it is to be understood that aspects of the invention may include only some of the described embodiments. Accordingly, the invention is not to be seen as limited by the foregoing description, but is only limited by the scope of the appended claims.
