Refrigerator that guides residual water from a filter mounting portion to another filter mounting portion

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11767231-B2
Application number	US-202016951025-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 18, 2020
Priority date	Nov 19, 2019
Publication date	Sep 26, 2023
Grant date	Sep 26, 2023

Abstract

Disclosed herein is a refrigerator, and more particularly, to a refrigerator including a water supply system. The refrigerator includes a main body including a storage compartment, and a water supply assembly disposed in the storage compartment. The water supply assembly includes a first filter mounting portion provided to allow a first filter to be mounted thereon, and a second filter mounting portion provided to allow a second filter to be mounted thereon, and including a residual water guide configured to guide residual water in the second filter mounting portion to the first filter mounting portion.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A refrigerator comprising:
a main body comprising a storage compartment; and
a water supply assembly disposed in the storage compartment,
wherein the water supply assembly comprises
a first filter mounting portion provided to allow a first filter to be mounted thereon, and
a second filter mounting portion provided to allow a second filter to be mounted thereon, and comprising a residual water guide that extends from the second filter mounting portion toward the first filter mounting portion and is configured to guide residual water in the second filter mounting portion to the first filter mounting portion.

2. The refrigerator of claim 1 , wherein the second filter mounting portion comprises a guide inclined portion formed to be inclined downward in a direction that the second filter is separable from the second filter mounting portion.

3. The refrigerator of claim 1 , wherein
the water supply assembly further comprises a head to which the second filter is coupleable while mounted on the second filter mounting portion, and from which the second filter is separable, and
the residual water is generated from the second filter or the head upon the second filter being separated from the head.

4. The refrigerator of claim 1 , wherein the water supply assembly further comprises a ventilation hole formed between the first filter mounting portion and the second filter mounting portion.

5. The refrigerator of claim 4 , wherein the ventilation hole extends along a direction in which the second filter is separable from the second filter mounting portion.

6. The refrigerator of claim 1 , further comprising:
a storage box disposed inside the main body,
wherein the water supply assembly is formed to extend along one side and a rear side of the storage box.

7. The refrigerator of claim 6 , wherein the water supply assembly is configured to allow a portion of the first filter and a portion of the second filter to be exposed from the storage box when the storage compartment is opened.

8. The refrigerator of claim 1 , wherein the water supply assembly further comprises:
a residual water tray disposed under the first filter mounting portion.

9. The refrigerator of claim 8 , wherein
the water supply assembly further comprises a first filter separating portion through which the first filter is passable to be mounted on the first filter mounting portion and, after being mounted on the first filter mounting portion, is passable to be separated from the water supply assembly, and
the residual water tray is configured to be withdrawn from the water supply assembly through the first filter separating portion.

10. The refrigerator of claim 8 , wherein the residual water tray is mountable in the water supply assembly, and the water supply assembly further comprises:
a tray guide configured to guide a movement of the residual water tray while the residual water tray is being mounted in the water supply assembly.

11. The refrigerator of claim 1 , wherein
the residual water guide is a first residual water guide, and
the water supply assembly further comprises a third filter mounting portion provided to allow a third filter to be mounted thereon, located above the second filter mounting portion, and comprising a second residual water guide configured to guide residual water in the third filter mounting portion to the second filter mounting portion.

12. The refrigerator of claim 11 , wherein the water supply assembly is configured to guide water supplied from a water supply source to the second filter and the third filter in parallel, and configured to guide water, which passes through the second filter and the third filter, to the first filter.

13. The refrigerator of claim 12 , wherein
the refrigerator further comprises an ice maker, and
the water supply assembly further comprises:
a water tank, and
a valve configured to distribute water, which passes through the first filter, to the water tank or the ice maker.

14. The refrigerator of claim 13 , wherein the water tank comprises:
a water tank inlet connected to the valve,
a water tank outlet configured to discharge water that flows from the water tank inlet, and
a water tank pipe connected to the water tank inlet and provided to extend toward a side opposite to a side on which the water tank outlet is disposed.

15. The refrigerator of claim 13 , wherein
the first filter mounting portion and the second filter mounting portion are configured so that, when the first filter is mounted on the first filter mounting portion and the second filter is mounted on the second filter mounting portion, the first filter and the second filter longitudinally extend in a same direction, and
the water tank is provided to extend in a direction perpendicular to the direction in which the first filter and the second filter longitudinally extend.

Assignees

• Samsung Electronics Co Ltd

Inventors

• Park Sangmin

Classifications

• C02F1/003 Primary

  using household-type filters for producing potable water, e.g. pitchers, bottles, faucet mounted devices (C02F9/20 takes precedence) · CPC title

• F25D23/126

  Water cooler · CPC title

• C02F2307/10

  as part of a potable water dispenser, e.g. for use in homes or offices · CPC title

• C02F2307/12

  as part of household appliances such as dishwashers, laundry washing machines or vacuum cleaners · CPC title

• F25D2323/121

  the refrigerator is characterised by a water filter for the water/ice dispenser · CPC title