Refrigerator

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10161668-B2
Application number	US-201715424722-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 3, 2017
Priority date	Feb 5, 2016
Publication date	Dec 25, 2018
Grant date	Dec 25, 2018

Abstract

The present application discloses a refrigerator capable of easily fixing a drain hose to one side of an inner case without having an additional fixing member used of fixing a drain hose. A refrigerator having an inner case configured to have a storage compartment formed therein; an outer case disposed outside the inner case and spaced a predetermined distance away from the inner case; a drain hose connected to one side of the inner case and disposed in an inner space formed between the inner case and the outer case; and a connector configured to connect the drain hose to the inner case, wherein the connector is mounted in the inner case using a hooking method.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A refrigerator comprising:
an inner case configured to have a storage compartment formed therein;
an outer case disposed outside the inner case and spaced a predetermined distance away from the inner case;
a drain hose connected to one side of the inner case and disposed in an inner space formed between the inner case and the outer case; and
a connector configured to connect the drain hose to the inner case,
wherein the connector is mounted in the inner case using a hooking method comprising a fixing protrusion is formed at one of the inner case and the connector, and a fixing hole into which the fixing protrusion is inserted at the other one of the inner case and the connector.

2. The refrigerator of claim 1 , wherein:
the fixing protrusion is formed at the inner case, and
the fixing hole into which the fixing protrusion is inserted is formed at the connector.

3. The refrigerator of claim 2 , wherein a plurality of fixing protrusions and fixing holes are provided.

4. The refrigerator of claim 2 , wherein the inner case includes a first surface and a second surface bent from the first surface, and the connector includes a first connection surface and a second connection surface corresponding to the first surface and the second surface, respectively.

5. The refrigerator of claim 4 , wherein the fixing protrusion is disposed at each of the first surface and the second surface, and the fixing hole is formed at each of the first connection surface and the second connection surface.

6. The refrigerator of claim 4 , wherein the fixing protrusion includes a first protruding surface configured to extend from one surface of the inner case and a second protruding surface configured to connect the first protruding surface to the one surface of the inner case, and an angle formed between the first protruding surface and the one surface of the inner case is smaller than an angle formed between the second protruding surface and the one surface of the inner case.

7. The refrigerator of claim 2 , wherein the fixing protrusion is formed by a mold unit disposed to be rotatable by an external force.

8. The refrigerator of claim 2 , wherein the fixing hole is formed by cutting a protrusion protruding from one surface of the connector.

9. The refrigerator of claim 1 , wherein an insulator is foamed in the inner space between the inner case and the outer case.

10. The refrigerator of claim 9 , wherein the insulator is foamed after the drain hose is disposed between the inner case and the outer case.

11. The refrigerator of claim 1 , wherein an evaporator is provided at one side of the storage compartment, and a drain pan into which a condensate generated at the evaporator is collected is disposed in the inner case.

12. The refrigerator of claim 11 , wherein the drain hose is disposed to correspond to the drain pan.

13. The refrigerator of claim 11 , wherein the condensate collected in the drain pan flows along the drain hose to be drained.

14. The refrigerator of claim 13 , wherein the drain hose is connected to a water tray provided at one side of the drain hose, and the condensate is drained to the water tray by the drain hose.

15. The refrigerator of claim 1 , wherein the connector and the drain hose are integrally formed.

16. A refrigerator comprising:
an outer case configured to form an exterior;
an inner case disposed inside the outer case and configured to form a storage compartment;
an evaporator installed at the inner case;
a drain pan disposed at the inner case to collect a condensate generated at the evaporator; and
a drain hose configured to drain the condensate collected in the drain pan,
wherein a plurality of fixing protrusions are formed at one side of the inner case, and a plurality of fixing holes are formed at one side of the drain hose such that the drain hose is coupled to the inner case by the plurality of fixing protrusions being inserted into the plurality of fixing holes, respectively.

17. The refrigerator of claim 16 , wherein an inner space is formed between the inner case and the outer case, and the drain hose extends in the inner space.

18. The refrigerator of claim 17 , wherein an insulator is foamed in the inner space after the drain hose is coupled to the inner case.

19. The refrigerator of claim 16 , wherein a first surface and a second surface bent from the first surface are provided at one side of the inner case, and one or more fixing protrusions protrude from each of the first surface and the second surface.

20. The refrigerator of claim 19 , wherein a connector mounted at one side of the inner case is provided at one side of the drain hose, and the connector is formed in a shape corresponding to those of the first surface and the second surface.

Assignees

• Samsung Electronics Co Ltd
• Samsung Electronics Co Ltd

Inventors

• Sim Seong Hyeon
• Park Ho Sang
• Yun Kwon Chul
• Chang Eui Young

Classifications

• F25D21/14 Primary

  Collecting or removing condensed and defrost water; Drip trays · CPC title

• F25D2321/143

  characterised by means to fix, clamp, or connect water pipes or evaporation trays · CPC title

• F25D11/022

  with two or more evaporators · CPC title

• F25D2201/126

  of cellular type · CPC title

• F25D23/066

  Liners · CPC title