Refrigerator

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2025027710-A1
Application number	US-202418777758-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jul 19, 2024
Priority date	Jul 19, 2023
Publication date	Jan 23, 2025
Grant date	—

Abstract

A refrigerator includes a refrigerated area and a cabinet; a separation wall dividing the refrigerated area and the cabinet; a refrigeration system including an evaporator disposed in the refrigerated area, a condenser unit disposed in the cabinet and a conduit connecting the condenser unit with the evaporator, wherein the conduit extends through the separation wall; and a conduit support having an opening through which the conduit extends. The separation wall includes a recess shaped to receive the conduit support such that the conduit support can be separated from the separation wall for removal of the condenser unit from the cabinet.

First claim

1 . A refrigerator, comprising:
a refrigerated area and a cabinet; a separation wall dividing the refrigerated area and the cabinet; a refrigeration system comprising an evaporator disposed in the refrigerated area, a condenser unit disposed in the cabinet and a conduit connecting the condenser unit with the evaporator, wherein the conduit extends through the separation wall; and a conduit support having an opening through which the conduit extends, wherein the separation wall comprises a recess shaped to receive the conduit support such that the conduit support can be separated from the separation wall for removal of the condenser unit from the cabinet.

2 . A refrigerator according to claim 1 , wherein the condenser unit is removable from the cabinet in a removal direction, wherein the separation wall is parallel to the removal direction and the conduit extends perpendicularly to the separation wall.

3 . A refrigerator according to claim 2 , wherein the refrigerator has a front surface, wherein the refrigerated area has a door on the front surface, wherein the cabinet is located to a side of the refrigerated area and the condenser unit is removable from the front surface of the refrigerator.

4 . A refrigerator according to claim 1 , wherein the separation wall comprises a first wall panel proximal the refrigerated area and a second wall panel proximal the cabinet.

5 . A refrigerator according to claim 4 , wherein the separation wall comprises insulation between the first wall panel and the second wall panel.

6 . A refrigerator according to claim 4 , wherein the recess is arranged between the first wall panel and the second wall panel.

7 . A refrigerator according to claim 1 , wherein an outer surface of the conduit support comprises a ridge.

8 . A refrigerator according to claim 1 , wherein the conduit support comprises a first support portion releasably attached to a second support portion.

9 . A refrigerator according to claim 8 , wherein the first support portion comprises a first portion of the ridge and the second support portion comprises a second portion of the ridge.

10 . A refrigerator according to claim 8 , wherein the recess comprises a groove sized and shaped to receive the ridge of the conduit support.

11 . A refrigerator according to claim 10 , wherein the groove and the ridge are configured to form a seal when the ridge is received in the groove.

12 . A refrigerator according to claim 1 , wherein the first support portion defines a first conduit engaging surface and the second support portion defines a second conduit engaging surface, the first and second conduit engaging surfaces together defining the opening.

13 . A refrigerator according to claim 1 , wherein the conduit support is configured to seal against the recess and the conduit.

14 . A refrigerator according to claim 1 , wherein the conduit support comprises a cavity for receiving a mounting plate for attaching the conduit support to the condenser unit.

15 . A refrigerator according to claim 14 , wherein the first support portion and the second support portion each define a portion of the cavity.

16 . A refrigerator according to claim 14 , wherein a portion of the outer surface of the conduit support comprises a planar surface.

17 . A refrigerator according to claim 16 , wherein the planar surface is arranged flush with the mounting plate when the mounting plate is received in the cavity.

18 . A refrigerator according to claim 1 , wherein the condenser unit comprises a condenser, a compressor and an expansion valve.

19 . A refrigerator according to claim 1 , further comprising a coupling configured for disconnecting the conduit from the evaporator within the refrigerated area.

20 . A refrigerator according to claim 19 , wherein the coupling is arranged on the evaporator.

21 . A refrigerator according to claim 19 , wherein the coupling is arranged between the evaporator and the conduit support.

22 . A conduit support for supporting a conduit that extends through a separation wall between a refrigerated area of a refrigerator and a condenser unit of the refrigerator, the conduit support comprising an opening for the conduit and the conduit support being shaped to engage a recess formed in the separation wall such that the conduit support can be separated from the separation wall for removal of the condenser unit from the refrigerator.

23 . A condenser unit for a refrigerator, the condenser unit comprising a condenser, a conduit, and a conduit support according to claim 22 .

24 . A separation wall for a refrigerator, the refrigerator comprising a refrigerated area and a cabinet for housing a condenser unit, wherein the separation wall divides the refrigerated area and the cabinet, and wherein the separation wall comprises a recess shaped to receive a conduit support of the condenser unit such that the conduit support can be separated from the separation wall for removal of the condenser unit from the refrigerator.

25 . A refrigerator comprising a refrigerated area and a cabinet and the separation wall according to claim 24 .

Assignees

• Illinois Tool Works

Inventors

• Nieuwlaat Jos
• Emmen Janbas
• Van Oorschot Stijn

Classifications

• F25D23/061 Primary

  with conduit means · CPC title

• F25D23/067

  Supporting elements · CPC title

• A47F3/0413

  Cases or cabinets of the counter type · CPC title

• A47F3/0404

  Cases or cabinets of the closed type (A47F3/0482 takes precedence) · CPC title

• A47F3/007

  Cases or cabinets of the counter type · CPC title