Refrigerator

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9797649-B2
Application number	US-201013510851-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 18, 2010
Priority date	Apr 2, 2010
Publication date	Oct 24, 2017
Grant date	Oct 24, 2017

Abstract

A refrigerator includes a cabinet defining a refrigerating chamber and a freezing chamber, an ice making device and an ice making water supply device. A variable temperature drawer is disposed in lower part of the refrigerating chamber. The ice making water supply device includes a water tank disposed above the variable temperature drawer, a water pump connected with the water tank, and a water pipe connected with the water tank and the ice making device for introducing the water in the water tank into the ice making device. With the refrigerator according to embodiments, the water quality is ensured and the preservation effect is improved. Because the temperature of the variable temperature drawer is generally in the range of −3° C. to 8° C., the water in the water tank is not easy to be frozen, and can be supplied to the ice making device continuously.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A refrigerator, comprising:
a cabinet defining a refrigerating chamber and a freezing chamber therein, in which a variable temperature drawer is disposed in a lower part of the refrigerating chamber;
a thermal layer defined between an inner liner of the refrigerating chamber and an inner liner of the freezing chamber, a foaming agent being inserted within the thermal layer, between the inner liners of the refrigerating chamber and the freezing chamber;
an ice making device disposed in the freezing chamber, and
a water supply device configured to supply water to the ice making device and including:
a water tank disposed above the variable temperature drawer;
a water pump connected to the water tank and having an inlet and an outlet;
a water pipe unit connected to the water tank and the ice making device respectively to deliver water from the water tank into the ice making device, and comprising:
a funnel defining a first end disposed below the outlet for receiving water from the outlet and a second end;
a connecting pipe defining a first end connected to the second end of the funnel and a second end; and
an injection pipe extending through the insulating layer and defining a first end connected to the second end of the connecting pipe and a second end extended into the ice making device, wherein the injection pipe further comprises a first connecting section and a second connecting section; and

a fixing unit disposed in the thermal insulation layer between the refrigerating chamber and the freezing chamber and configured to fix the injection pipe within the thermal insulation layer, wherein the fixing unit comprises:
a first fixing member extending between the inner liner of the refrigerating chamber and the inner liner of the freezing chamber and comprising a support end for supporting the inner liner of the refrigerating chamber and a fixing end with a flange secured to the inner liner of the freezing chamber, the fixing end having a connection hole through which the first connecting section of the injection pipe is fitted, which fixes the first connecting section of the injection pipe to the inner liner of the freezing chamber; and
a second fixing member extending between the inner liner of the refrigerating chamber and the inner liner of the freezing chamber, the second fixing member supporting the second connecting section of the injection pipe in the thermal insulation layer, between the inner liner of the refrigerating chamber and the inner liner of the freezing chamber.

2. The refrigerator as set forth in claim 1 , further comprising first and second containers for storing fruit and/or vegetables disposed above the variable temperature drawer, respectively.

3. The refrigerator as set forth in claim 2 , wherein the first and second containers are disposed at two sides of the water tank in a transverse direction respectively.

4. The refrigerator as set forth in claim 3 , wherein the first and second containers have a same shape and size and are symmetrical about the water tank.

5. The refrigerator as set forth in claim 2 , wherein the first container is a parallelepiped box, a recessed groove is formed at a side of a bottom of the first container, and the water tank is embedded in the recessed groove.

6. The refrigerator as set forth in claim 5 , wherein the first and second containers are symmetrical about a longitudinal center line of the refrigerating chamber.

7. The refrigerator as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the water pump is disposed at a rear side of the water tank and detachably connected to the water tank.

8. The refrigerator as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the water tank comprises:
a tank body;
a cover covering a top opening of the tank body; and
a suction pipe defining a first end extending to a bottom of the tank body and a second end connected to the inlet of the water pump.

9. The refrigerator as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the first fixing member further comprises:
a supporting column between the fixing end and the supporting end,
and wherein the supporting end is spaced apart from the top of the inner liner of the refrigerating chamber by a space.

10. The refrigerator as set forth in claim 9 , wherein the supporting column has a predetermined wall thickness so as to adapt to the first connecting section of the injection pipe.

11. The refrigerator as set forth in claim 9 , wherein the first fixing member is integrally formed.

12. The refrigerator as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the flange is fixed to the inner liner of the freezing chamber using a double-sided adhesive sponge.

13. The refrigerator as set forth in claim 1 , wherein a recess is formed at a top of the second fixing member, and the second connecting section of the injection pipe is received and supported in the recess;
wherein the second connecting section is formed with a boss secured to a lower surface of the inner liner of the refrigerator chamber.

14. The refrigerator as set forth in claim 13 , wherein the second fixing member is made of foam.

15. The refrigerator as set forth in claim 13 , wherein the boss is secured to the top of the thermal insulation layer using a double-sided adhesive sponge.

Assignees

• Li Lingyun
• Li Gang
• Liu Dongxian
• Hefei Midea Refrigerator Co
• Hefei Hualing Co Ltd

Inventors

• Li Lingyun
• Li Gang
• Liu Dongxian

Classifications

• F25D23/126 Primary

  Water cooler · CPC title

• F25D11/02

  with cooling compartments at different temperatures · CPC title

• F25C5/005

  Mechanical Engineering · mapped topic

• F25C5/22

  particularly adapted for household refrigerators · CPC title