Refrigerator

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10168094-B2
Application number	US-201615131802-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 18, 2016
Priority date	Feb 11, 2014
Publication date	Jan 1, 2019
Grant date	Jan 1, 2019

Abstract

A refrigerator includes a main body having a refrigerating compartment and a freezing compartment, a door for opening or closing the refrigerating compartment or the freezing compartment, a filter unit disposed within the refrigerating compartment for purifying water supplied from a water supply source outside the main body, water tank for receiving the purified water from the filter unit and to cool the received water by using cool air within the refrigerating compartment, and a dispenser disposed in the door to dispense the cooled water stored in the tube tank assembly. The tube tank assembly includes a tube defining a cold water passage that can allow the cooled water to flow therethrough, and a tube support around which the tube is wound multiple times.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A refrigerator comprising:
a cabinet in which a refrigerating compartment and a freezing compartment are defined;
a refrigerating compartment door to open or close the refrigerating compartment;
a freezing compartment door to open or close the freezing compartment;
a water supply passage connected to a water supply source outside the cabinet;
a water supply valve to open or close the water supply passage;
a plurality of filters vertically arranged in the refrigerating compartment;
a first cold water passage connected to an outlet of the plurality of filters;
a first purified water passage separately provided with respect to the first cold water passage, the first purified water passage being branched at the outlet of the plurality of filters;
a water tank having a cylindrical shape and disposed on the first cold water passage in the refrigerating compartment;
a flow adjustment valve connected to the first cold water passage and the first purified water passage;
a first common passage connected to the flow adjustment valve to pass through a hinge of the refrigerating compartment door;
a tube tank disposed on an inner surface of the refrigerating compartment door;
a distribution valve disposed in the refrigerating compartment door and connected to an outlet of the first common passage;
a second cold water passage connected to the distribution valve and a second valve via the tube tank; and
a second purified water passage separately provided with respect to the second cold water passage, the second purified water passage being connected to the distribution valve and a third valve,
wherein the purified water is more purified than supply water, and the cold water is colder than the purified water.

2. The refrigerator according to claim 1 , wherein the flow adjustment valve comprises a three-way flow adjustment valve.

3. The refrigerator according to claim 1 , wherein the third valve comprises a three-way flow adjustment valve, and
wherein the refrigerator further comprises a separate ice making passage that is connected to the third valve and that extends to an ice maker.

4. The refrigerator according to claim 1 , wherein the second cold water passage and the second purified water passage are combined with each other by a dispensing passage disposed outside the refrigerating compartment door.

5. The refrigerator according to claim 1 , wherein the second valve and the third valve are disposed on an inner surface of the refrigerating compartment door.

6. The refrigerator according to claim 1 , wherein the tube tank is radially wound in one layer and mounted on a cover covering the inner surface of the refrigerating compartment door.

7. The refrigerator according to claim 6 , wherein the tube tank is arranged in one layer by a tube support.

8. The refrigerator according to claim 7 , wherein the tube support comprises:
a first plate;
a second plate; and
an extension part disposed between the first and second plates and configured to maintain a distance that is greater than a diameter of the tube tank and less than one and a half times of the diameter of the tube tank.

9. The refrigerator according to claim 8 , wherein the tube tank is wound in a circular shape around the extension part.

10. The refrigerator according to claim 8 , wherein the first plate comprises an insertion part through which the tube tank is inserted, and a withdrawal part through which the tube tank that is wound around the extension part passes.

11. The refrigerator according to claim 8 , wherein a plurality of second plates radially extend from the extension part and are spaced apart from each other.

12. The refrigerator according to claim 8 , wherein a hole is defined in a portion of the first plate, which faces the second plate.

13. A refrigerator comprising:
a cabinet in which a refrigerating compartment and a freezing compartment are defined;
a refrigerating compartment door to open or close the refrigerating compartment;
a freezing compartment door to open or close the freezing compartment;
a water supply passage connected to a water supply source outside the cabinet;
a water supply valve to open or close the water supply passage;
a plurality of filters vertically arranged in the refrigerating compartment;
a first cold water passage connected to an outlet of the plurality of filters;
a first purified water passage separately provided with respect to the first cold water passage, the first purified water passage being branched at the outlet of the plurality of filters;
a water tank having a cylindrical shape and disposed on the first cold water passage in the refrigerating compartment;
a flow adjustment valve connected to the first cold water passage and the first purified water passage;
a first common passage connected to the flow adjustment valve to pass through a hinge of the freezing compartment door;
a tube tank buried in an insulation material of the freezing compartment door;
a distribution valve disposed in the freezing compartment door and connected to an outlet of the first common passage;
a second cold water passage connected to the distribution valve and a second valve via the tube tank; and
a second purified water passage separately provided with respect to the second cold water passage, the second purified water passage being connected to the distribution valve and a third valve,
wherein the purified water is more purified than supply water, and the cold water is colder than the purified water.

14. The refrigerator according to claim 13 , wherein the flow adjustment valve comprises a three-way flow adjustment valve.

15. The refrigerator according to claim 13 , wherein the third valve comprises a three-way flow adjustment valve, and
wherein the refrigerator further comprises a separate ice making passage that is connected to the third valve and that extends to an ice maker.

16. The refrigerator according to claim 13 , wherein the second cold water passage and the second purified water passage are combined with each other by a dispensing passage disposed outside the freezing compartment door.

17. The refrigerator according to claim 13 , wherein the second valve and the third valve are disposed on an inner surface of the freezing compartment door.

18. The refrigerator according to claim 13 , wherein the tube tank is radially wound in one layer and mounted on a front surface of the freezing compartment door.

19. The refrigerator according to claim 13 , wherein the tube tank is arranged in one layer line by a tube support.

20. The refrigerator according to claim 19 , wherein the tube support comprises:
a first plate;
a second plate; and
an extension part disposed between the first and second plates and configured to maintain a distance that is greater than a diameter of the tube tank and less than one and a half times of the diameter of the tube tank.

21. The refrigerator according to claim 20 , wherein a plurality of second plates radially extend from the extension part and are spaced apart from each other.

22. The refrigerator according to claim 21 , wherein a rib for reinforcing strength is disposed on each of the plurality of second plates.

23. The refrigerator according to claim 20 , wherein a hole is defined in a portion of the first plate, which faces the second plate.

24. The refrigerator according to claim 20 , wherein the first plate comprises an insertion part through

Assignees

• Lg Electronics Inc

Inventors

• Tae Dongbeen
• Koak Kyunghoon
• An Siyeon

Classifications

• F25D2700/00

  Means for sensing or measuring; Sensors therefor · CPC title

• F25C5/22

  particularly adapted for household refrigerators · CPC title

• F25D11/02 Primary

  with cooling compartments at different temperatures · CPC title

• F25D2323/024

  Door hinges · CPC title

• B67D1/0857

  Cooling arrangements (cooling systems per se F25B) · CPC title