Water Supply System for a Refrigeration Device, and Refrigeration Device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2025075970-A1
Application number	US-202418948340-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Nov 14, 2024
Priority date	May 16, 2022
Publication date	Mar 6, 2025
Grant date	—

Abstract

A water supply system for a refrigeration device includes a water purification assembly, a first water path and a second water path; the first water path is suitable for connecting an external water source to a water inlet end of the water purification assembly; the second water path is connected to a water outlet end of the water purification assembly to selectively supply water from the water purification assembly to a water-usage device. The water purification assembly and water supply pipelines are configured to filter the external water source, and directly supply the water-usage device.

First claim

1 . A water supply system for a refrigeration device, comprising:
a water purification assembly; a first water path for connecting an external water source to a water inflow end of the water purification assembly; and a second water path connected to a water outflow end of the water purification assembly to selectively supply water from the water purification assembly to a water-usage device.

2 . The water supply system of claim 1 , further comprising: a valve component, wherein a liquid inlet of the valve component communicates with the water outflow end of the water purification assembly, and a liquid outlet of the valve component is connected to the second water path.

3 . The water supply system of claim 2 , wherein the second water path comprises a first water supply pipe assembly and a second water supply pipe, where the first water supply pipe assembly is used for connecting the valve component to an ice maker unit of the water-usage device, and the second water supply pipe is used for connecting the valve component to a dispenser of the water-usage device.

4 . The water supply system of claim 3 , wherein the ice maker unit comprises a first ice maker provided at a refrigeration compartment and a second ice maker provided at a freezer compartment; and
the first water supply pipe assembly comprises a first water supply sub-pipe and a second water supply sub-pipe, the first water supply sub-pipe is used for connecting the valve component to the first ice maker, and the second water supply sub-pipe is used for connecting the valve component to the second ice maker.

5 . The water supply system of claim 1 , wherein the water purification assembly comprises:
an outer housing assembly, provided with an accommodation cavity; a filter element, provided inside the accommodation cavity; an inner housing, provided between the outer housing assembly and the filter element, where a first flow duct is provided between the inner housing and the outer housing assembly, the first flow duct communicates with a main water inlet, and the main water inlet communicates with the first water path; a second flow duct is provided between the inner housing and the filter element; a third flow duct is provided inside the filter element, the third flow duct communicates with a main water outlet, and the main water outlet communicates with the second water path; and a support member, for supporting the filter element, where a water storage cavity is provided between the support member and a bottom wall of the outer housing assembly, and the water storage cavity communicates with the first flow duct and the second flow duct respectively.

6 . The water supply system of claim 5 , wherein at least one of the first flow duct and the second flow duct is provided with a guide portion, and the guide portion extends along a central axis of the inner housing to form a spiral structure.

7 . The water supply system of claim 5 , further comprising an adapter seat assembly, wherein the adapter seat assembly comprises:
an adapter seat body, where the main water inlet and the main water outlet are provided at the adapter seat body, and the adapter seat body is further provided with a bypass cavity, a dispense cavity and a work cavity, the bypass cavity communicates with the work cavity through the dispense cavity, and the work cavity is used for being detachably connected to the water purification assembly; and a valve core component, movably provided in the dispense cavity and being switchable between a first position and a second position; in the first position, the valve core component turns off the dispense cavity and the work cavity, and the main water inlet communicates with the main water outlet through the dispense cavity and the bypass cavity; and in the second position, the valve core component turns off the dispense cavity and the bypass cavity, and the main water inlet communicates with the main water outlet through the dispense cavity and the work cavity.

8 . The water supply system of claim 5 , further comprising a water stop component, wherein a water stop cavity is provided inside the outer housing assembly, and the water stop component is movably provided at the water stop cavity, and is switchable between a first position and a second position;
a first duct is provided outside the water stop component, a second duct is provided inside the water stop component, and a check valve is provided at the second duct; in the first position, the water stop component turns off the first duct, and the check valve turns off the second duct; and in the second position, the water stop component turns on the first duct, and the check valve turns on the second duct.

9 . A refrigeration device, comprising a refrigeration compartment, a water-usage device, and a water supply system for the refrigeration device, comprising:
a water purification assembly; a first water path for connecting an external water source to a water inflow end of the water purification assembly; and a second water path connected to a water outflow end of the water purification assembly to selectively supply water from the water purification assembly to a water-usage device; the water purification assembly is provided at the refrigeration compartment, a liquid inlet of a valve component communicates with a main water outlet of the water purification assembly, and a liquid outlet of the valve component communicates with at least one of the water-usage devices.

10 . The refrigeration device of claim 9 , wherein the water-usage device comprises a first ice maker, a second ice maker and a dispenser; and
the refrigeration compartment comprises a refrigerator compartment and a freezer compartment, the first ice maker is provided at the refrigerator compartment, the second ice maker is provided at the freezer compartment, and the dispenser is provided at a door body of the refrigeration device.

11 . The refrigeration device of claim 9 , wherein the water supply system for the refrigeration device further comprises: the valve component, wherein the liquid inlet of the valve component communicates with the water outflow end of the water purification assembly, and the liquid outlet of the valve component is connected to the second water path.

12 . The refrigeration device of claim 11 , wherein the second water path comprises a first water supply pipe assembly and a second water supply pipe, where the first water supply pipe assembly is used for connecting the valve component to an ice maker unit of the water-usage device, and the second water supply pipe is used for connecting the valve component to a dispenser of the water-usage device.

13 . The refrigeration device of claim 12 , wherein the first water supply pipe assembly comprises a first water supply sub-pipe and a second water supply sub-pipe, the first water supply sub-pipe is used for connecting the valve component to a first ice maker, and the second water supply sub-pipe is used for connecting the valve component to a second ice maker.

14 . The refrigeration device of claim 9 , wherein the water purification assembly comprises:
an outer housing assembly provided with an accommodation cavity; a filter element provided inside the accommodation cavity; an inner housing provided between the outer housing assembly and the filter element, where a first flow duct is provided between the inner housing and the outer housing assembly, the first flow duct communicates with a main water inlet, and the main water inlet communicates with the first water path; a second flow duct is provided between the inner housing and the filter element;

Assignees

• Hefei Midea Refrigerator Co
• Hefei Hualing Co Ltd
• Midea Group Co Ltd

Inventors

• Xie Yunyun
• Zuo Hong
• Si Zengqiang

Classifications

• B67D2210/00036

  for use with or in refrigerators · CPC title

• B67D2210/0001

  for liquid · CPC title

• C02F2307/10

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

• C02F1/441

  by reverse osmosis · CPC title

• F25D2323/121

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