Refrigerator and corresponding valve system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12298065-B2
Application number	US-202318311410-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 3, 2023
Priority date	May 3, 2023
Publication date	May 13, 2025
Grant date	May 13, 2025

Abstract

A water valve system for a refrigerator appliance includes a bracket and a first set of one or more valves. The bracket is configured secure one or more valves to the refrigerator. The bracket has locating and fastening features configured to locate and secure the one or more valves on and to the bracket in a plurality of configurations. The first set of the one or more valves is arranged in a first of the plurality of configurations and engages at least a portion of the locating and fastening features to locate and secure the first set of the one or more valves on and to the bracket.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A refrigerator comprising:
a cabinet having a plurality of internal walls defining a refrigerated space;
a valve system having,
a bracket (i) secured to a first of the internal walls and (ii) having locating and fastening features configured to locate and secure a plurality of valve configurations on and to the bracket, and
a first of the plurality of valve configurations engaging at least a portion of the locating and fastening features to locate and secure the first of the plurality of valve configurations on and to the bracket; and

a false wall disposed within the refrigerated space and over the valve system such that the valve system is (i) concealed within the refrigerated space and (ii) disposed between the first of the internal walls and the false wall.

2. The refrigerator of claim 1 , wherein (i) one of the first and a second of the plurality of valve configurations is configured to engage all of the locating and fastening features and (ii) the other of the first and the second of the plurality of valve configurations is configured to engage the portion of the locating and fastening features.

3. The refrigerator of claim 1 , wherein one or more of the locating and fastening features are cradles that protrude from a forward-facing surface of the bracket.

4. The refrigerator of claim 3 , wherein outer ends of the cradles are snaps that flex outward during installation of the plurality of valve configurations and snap back upon completing installation of the plurality of valve configurations to retain the plurality of valve configurations.

5. The refrigerator of claim 1 , wherein one or more of the locating and fastening features are snaps or clips that protrude from a forward-facing surface of the bracket.

6. The refrigerator of claim 1 , wherein the bracket defines first and second notches along opposing sides to the bracket, and wherein the first and second notches (i) each have open ends facing a common direction, (ii) are offset relative to each other in a direction that is transverse to the common direction, and (iii) are configured to engage protrusions extending from the first of the internal walls to (a) position the valve system in a desired orientation relative to the first of the internal walls and (b) prevent the valve system from being positioned in orientations other than the desired orientation relative to the first of the internal walls.

7. The refrigerator of claim 1 further comprising a cover secured to the bracket and over the first of the plurality of valve configurations such that the cover is disposed between the bracket and the false wall.

8. The refrigerator of claim 7 , wherein the bracket includes secondary locating and fastening features configured to locate and secure the cover on and to the bracket, wherein the secondary locating and fastening features are configured to (i) position the cover in a desired orientation relative to the bracket and (ii) prevent the cover from being positioned in orientations other than the desired orientation relative to the bracket.

9. A water valve system for a refrigerator appliance comprising:
a bracket (i) configured to secure one or more valves to the refrigerator and (ii) having locating and fastening features configured to locate and secure the one or more valves on and to the bracket in a plurality of configurations; and
a first set of the one or more valves (i) arranged in a first of the plurality of configurations and (ii) engaging at least a portion of the locating and fastening features to locate and secure the first set of the one or more valves on and to the bracket.

10. The water valve system of claim 9 , wherein (i) one of the first set and a second set of the one or more valves is configured to engage all of the locating and fastening features and (ii) the other of the first set and the second set of the one or more valves is configured to engage the portion of the locating and fastening features.

11. The water valve system of claim 9 , wherein one or more of the locating and fastening features are cradles that protrude from a forward-facing surface of the bracket.

12. The water valve system of claim 11 , wherein outer ends of the cradles are snaps that flex outward during installation of the one or more valves and snap back upon completing installation of the one or more valves to retain the one or more valves.

13. The water valve system of claim 9 , wherein one or more of the locating and fastening features are snaps or clips that protrude from a forward-facing surface of the bracket.

14. The water valve system of claim 9 , wherein the bracket defines first and second notches along opposing sides to the bracket, and wherein the first and second notches (i) each have open ends facing a common direction, (ii) are offset relative to each other in a direction that is transverse to the common direction, and (iii) are configured to engage protrusions extending from the refrigerator to (a) position the water valve system in a desired orientation relative to the refrigerator and (b) prevent the water valve system from being positioned in orientations other than the desired orientation relative to the refrigerator.

15. The water valve system of claim 9 further comprising a cover secured to the bracket and over the first set of the one or more valves.

16. The water valve system of claim 15 , wherein the bracket includes secondary locating and fastening features configured to locate and secure the cover on and to the bracket, wherein the secondary locating and fastening features are configured to (i) to position the cover in a desired orientation relative to the bracket and (ii) prevent the cover from being positioned in orientations other than the desired orientation relative to the bracket.

17. A bracket configured to secure one or more valves to a refrigerator comprising:
a base plate;
locating and fastening features (i) protruding from a forward-facing surface of the bracket and (ii) configured to locate and secure valves on and to the bracket in a plurality of configurations; and
first and second protruding regions (i) extending outward from the forward-facing surface and (ii) defining first and second notches, respectively, having open ends facing a common direction, wherein the first and second protruding regions (a) are offset relative to each other in a direction that is transverse to the common direction and (b) the first and second protruding regions are configured to engage locators on the refrigerator to (I) position the bracket in a desired orientation relative to the refrigerator and (II) prevent the bracket from being positioned in orientations other than the desired orientation relative to the refrigerator.

18. The bracket of claim 17 , wherein one or more of the locating and fastening features are cradles that protrude from the forward-facing surface of the bracket.

19. The bracket of claim 18 , wherein outer ends of the cradles are snaps that flex outward during installation of the one or more valves and snap back upon completing installation of the one or more valves to retain the one or more valves.

20. The bracket of claim 17 , wherein one or more of the locating and fastening features are snaps or clips that protrude from the forward-facing surface of the bracket.

Assignees

• Whirlpool Co

Inventors

• Boehringer Bruno
• Chen Chao-Yi
• Karan Pravan
• Naik Abhay
• Sanchez Antonio
• Shaldar Mrunal

Classifications

• F25D2323/121

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

• F25D2331/806

  Dispensers · CPC title

• F25D23/067 Primary

  Supporting elements · CPC title

• F25C2400/14

  Water supply · CPC title

• F25C2400/10

  Refrigerator units · CPC title