Pressure relief jumper drain for an appliance

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11732950-B2
Application number	US-202117240135-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 26, 2021
Priority date	Apr 26, 2021
Publication date	Aug 22, 2023
Grant date	Aug 22, 2023

Abstract

A jumper drain for a refrigerator appliance, the jumper drain including a housing with a cavity defined therein and that is in fluid communication with a storage compartment of the refrigerator appliance. An inlet and an outlet extend from the housing and are both in fluid communication with the cavity. The outlet is disposed at a location that is offset from the inlet. A pressure equalizer opening is formed in the housing. The pressure equalizer opening is configured to provide fluid communication between the cavity and an ambient environment external to the refrigerator appliance in order to equalize a pressure differential within the refrigerator appliance.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A jumper drain for a refrigerator appliance that provides fluid communication between a storage compartment and a machine compartment via a drain that collects and transfers liquid condensate from an evaporator, the jumper drain comprising:
a housing extending longitudinally between opposite first and second ends and defining a cavity therein, the cavity being in fluid communication with the storage compartment;
an inlet adjacent the first end and extending from the housing and in fluid communication with the cavity;
an outlet adjacent the second end and extending from the housing and in fluid communication with the cavity, the outlet being disposed at a location that is offset from the inlet; and
a pressure equalizer opening formed in a planar face of the housing provided at the second end thereof, wherein the pressure equalizer opening is configured to provide fluid communication between the cavity and an ambient environment external to the refrigerator appliance in order to equalize a pressure differential within the refrigerator appliance,
wherein a wall projects outwards from an external surface of the planar face in a direction away from the housing, and wherein the wall peripherally surrounds the pressure equalizer opening.

2. The jumper drain of claim 1 , wherein the inlet and the outlet are disposed at opposite respective ends of the housing, and wherein the inlet and the outlet extend in opposite respective directions away from the housing.

3. The jumper drain of claim 1 , the housing having an inner guiding surface within the cavity that is configured to guide a flow of said liquid condensate from the inlet to the outlet, and wherein the inner guiding surface is sloped vertically downwards from the inlet to the outlet.

4. The jumper drain of claim 1 , wherein the housing comprises a body and a lid, the lid being movable to provide selective access to the cavity, wherein a first section of the wall protrudes from the body and a second section of the wall protrudes from the lid.

5. The jumper drain of claim 1 , wherein the housing comprises a body and a lid, the lid being pivotably attached to the body at a side thereof via a hinge such that the lid is pivotable between an opened state and a closed state.

6. The jumper drain of claim 5 , wherein first and second cutout portions are formed in the body and the lid, respectively, such that when the lid is provided in the closed state, the first and second cutout portions define the pressure equalizer opening.

7. The jumper drain of claim 1 , wherein the pressure equalizer opening provides fluid communication between the cavity and the ambient environment at all times.

8. An appliance comprising:
a cabinet defining a storage compartment for storing food items in a cooled environment;
an evaporative cooling system configured to reduce a temperature of the storage compartment, the evaporative cooling system including an evaporator, a condenser, and a condenser fan, wherein the evaporator is positioned within the storage compartment, and wherein the condenser and the condenser fan are positioned within a machine compartment disposed beneath and external to the storage compartment;
a drain disposed below the evaporator and configured to collect and transfer liquid condensate from the evaporator, the drain being in fluid communication with the storage compartment; and
a jumper drain comprising a housing extending longitudinally between opposite first and second ends and defining a cavity therein, the cavity being in fluid communication with the drain, wherein an inlet and an outlet are disposed adjacent the first end and the second end, respectively, and are in fluid communication with the cavity, wherein a pressure equalizer opening is formed in a planar face of the housing provided at the second end thereof, wherein the pressure equalizer opening provides fluid communication between the cavity and an ambient environment external to the appliance, thereby providing fluid communication between the storage compartment and the ambient environment in order to equalize a pressure differential within the appliance,
wherein a wall projects outwards from an external surface of the planar face in a direction away from the housing, and wherein the wall peripherally surrounds the pressure equalizer opening.

9. The appliance of claim 8 , wherein the jumper drain is disposed within the machine compartment and is provided on a negative pressure side of the condenser fan.

10. The appliance of claim 8 , wherein a first conduit connects the drain to the inlet, and wherein a second conduit is connected to the outlet and is configured to guide a flow of said liquid condensate to a drain pan positioned in the machine compartment.

11. The appliance of claim 10 , wherein the inlet and the outlet extend in opposite respective directions away from the housing.

12. The appliance of claim 8 , further comprising a panel removably connected to the cabinet to enclose and conceal the machine compartment, wherein the external surface of the planar face of the housing is disposed adjacent an inner surface of the panel, and wherein the wall is received by and extends through a through-hole formed in the panel.

13. The appliance of claim 12 , further comprising a cover plate disposed adjacent an external surface of the panel, the cover plate having an aperture formed therein that is coaxial with the pressure equalizer opening, wherein a gasket is provided between the cover plate and the external surface of the panel, and wherein the gasket peripherally surrounds the wall.

14. The appliance of claim 13 , the cover plate comprising a tab extending outwards and away therefrom, the tab having at least one ridge configured to engage an inner lip of the pressure equalizer opening in order to secure the cover plate to the housing, and to press the gasket into physical contact with the external surface of the panel.

15. The appliance of claim 8 , wherein the housing comprises a body and a lid, the lid being movable between a closed state and an open state to provide selective access to the cavity, wherein first and second cutout portions are formed in the body and the lid, respectively, such that when the lid is provided in the closed state, the first and second cutout portions define the pressure equalizer opening.

16. The appliance of claim 15 , wherein the lid is pivotably attached to the body at a side thereof via a hinge such that the lid is pivotable between the closed state and the open state.

17. A jumper drain for a refrigerator appliance that provides fluid communication between a storage compartment and a machine compartment via a drain that collects and transfers liquid condensate from an evaporator, the jumper drain comprising:
a housing extending longitudinally between opposite first and second ends and including a body and a lid that collectively define a cavity within the housing, the lid being pivotably attached to the body at a side thereof via a hinge such that the lid is pivotable between a closed state and an open state, the housing being disposed within the machine compartment and on a negative pressure side of a condenser fan;
an inlet and an outlet disposed at the first and second ends of the housing, respectively and extending in opposite respective directions away from the body, the inlet being configured to engage with a first conduit that provides fluid communication between the drain and the cavity, and the outlet being configured to engage with a second conduit that guides a flow of said liquid condensate to a drain pan;

Assignees

• Electrolux Home Prod Inc

Inventors

• Mobley Benjamin
• Moody William Lee
• Candeo Marcelo C
• Schenk Dennis

Classifications

• F25D17/047 Primary

  Pressure equalising devices · CPC title

• F25D21/14

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

• F25D23/006

  for mounting refrigerating machinery components · CPC title

• F25D23/061

  with conduit means · CPC title

• F25D23/062

  defining a cabinet · CPC title