Classifications

• • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
  • F25—REFRIGERATION OR COOLING; COMBINED HEATING AND REFRIGERATION SYSTEMS; HEAT PUMP SYSTEMS; MANUFACTURE OR STORAGE OF ICE; LIQUEFACTION SOLIDIFICATION OF GASES
  • F25D—REFRIGERATORS; COLD ROOMS; ICE-BOXES; COOLING OR FREEZING APPARATUS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
  • F25D21/00—Defrosting; Preventing frosting; Removing condensed or defrost water
  • F25D21/14—Collecting or removing condensed and defrost water; Drip trays
• • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
  • F25—REFRIGERATION OR COOLING; COMBINED HEATING AND REFRIGERATION SYSTEMS; HEAT PUMP SYSTEMS; MANUFACTURE OR STORAGE OF ICE; LIQUEFACTION SOLIDIFICATION OF GASES
  • F25D—REFRIGERATORS; COLD ROOMS; ICE-BOXES; COOLING OR FREEZING APPARATUS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
  • F25D11/00—Self-contained movable devices, e.g. domestic refrigerators
  • F25D11/02—Self-contained movable devices, e.g. domestic refrigerators with cooling compartments at different temperatures
• • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
  • F25—REFRIGERATION OR COOLING; COMBINED HEATING AND REFRIGERATION SYSTEMS; HEAT PUMP SYSTEMS; MANUFACTURE OR STORAGE OF ICE; LIQUEFACTION SOLIDIFICATION OF GASES
  • F25D—REFRIGERATORS; COLD ROOMS; ICE-BOXES; COOLING OR FREEZING APPARATUS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
  • F25D2321/00—Details or arrangements for defrosting; Preventing frosting; Removing condensed or defrost water, not provided for in other groups of this subclass
  • F25D2321/14—Collecting condense or defrost water; Removing condense or defrost water
  • F25D2321/141—Removal by evaporation
  • F25D2321/1411—Removal by evaporation using compressor heat
• • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
  • F25—REFRIGERATION OR COOLING; COMBINED HEATING AND REFRIGERATION SYSTEMS; HEAT PUMP SYSTEMS; MANUFACTURE OR STORAGE OF ICE; LIQUEFACTION SOLIDIFICATION OF GASES
  • F25D—REFRIGERATORS; COLD ROOMS; ICE-BOXES; COOLING OR FREEZING APPARATUS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
  • F25D2321/00—Details or arrangements for defrosting; Preventing frosting; Removing condensed or defrost water, not provided for in other groups of this subclass
  • F25D2321/14—Collecting condense or defrost water; Removing condense or defrost water
  • F25D2321/144—Collecting condense or defrost water; Removing condense or defrost water characterised by the construction of drip water collection pans
  • F25D2321/1441—Collecting condense or defrost water; Removing condense or defrost water characterised by the construction of drip water collection pans inside a refrigerator

Definitions

• the present disclosure relates to a refrigerator.
• the present invention relates to a refrigerator with a water collector and to a water collector for a refrigerator.
• Refrigerators are used to keep goods such as food and the like at a cooled temperature in a cooled compartment. If the refrigerator is used to keep the goods at a temperature below the freezing point, the refrigerator is sometimes called a freezer. Some refrigerators have multiple cooled compartments such as one refrigerator compartment with a temperature above the freezing point and a freezer compartment with a temperature below the freezing point. Other configurations with multiple cooled compartments can also be provided. However, the term refrigerator will be used for any apparatus used to store goods at a cooled temperature such that the temperature inside the refrigerator can be lower than the ambient air outside the refrigerator.
• water such as condense water
• a water collector can be provided.
• the water drained to the water collector can then be discharged in a suitable manner such to a water drain pan located in the compressor area.
• the draining of water from a refrigerator in particular a refrigerator with multiple compartments, where the different compartments are located on top of each other, can be simplified.
• a water collector for a refrigerator is provided.
• the water collector has a water collector part for collecting drain water from a lower cooled compartment, and a support having an outlet for drain water configured to receive a drain water pipe.
• a common outlet is provided in the water collector for expelling water received both via the water collector part and via the support.
• the support is laterally distanced from the water collector part.
• the support can be laterally distanced from the water collector part by a few centimeters.
• a drain pipe from an upper cooled compartment can be attached to the support without risking contacting the inner liner for a lower cooled compartment.
• a channel is formed in the main water collector to provide a fluid connection between the outlet of the support.
• a channel is formed in the main water collector to provide a fluid connection between the outlet of the support.
• a vacuum valve is housed inside the water collector.
• the invention also extends to refrigerator comprising an upper cooled compartment, a lower cooled compartment, and a water drain arrangement comprising the water collector according to the above.
• the refrigerator further comprises a water collector for the upper cooled compartment, and a drain water pipe interconnecting the water collector with the support.
• a refrigerator with an efficient and cost-effective drainage arrangement can be obtained.
• the drain water pipe is located distanced from the inner liner of the lower cooled compartment. Hereby freezing of water in the drain water pipe can be avoided.
• the refrigerator comprises a water tray located beneath the water collector.
• disposal of drain water from the water collector can be made easy.
• the refrigerator comprises a compressor wherein the water tray is located above the compressor.
• the water tray is located above the compressor.
• the upper cooled compartment is configured to have a temperature above the freezing point and the lower cooled compartment is configured to have a temperature below the freezing point.
• FIG. 1 a - 1 c show different views of a refrigerator
• - Fig. 2 is view of an arrangement for draining water from a refrigerator
• Fig. 3 is a view of a detail in Fig. 2, and
• Figs. 4a and 4b are different views of a water collector for a refrigerator.
• a refrigerator 10 is depicted in a front view with the door(s) removed.
• the refrigerator 10 can be any type of appliance designed to keep goods at a cooled temperature and can typically be a household refrigerator or a household freezer.
• the term refrigerator is used herein to refer to any apparatus used for keeping goods at a temperature cooler than the ambient air.
• the exemplary refrigerator 10 has a first cooled compartment 12.
• the first cooled compartment 12 is in this example a refrigerator compartment configured to store items such as food at a cooled temperature above the freezing point.
• the exemplary refrigerator 10 further has a second cooled compartment 14.
• the second cooled compartment 14 is in this example a freezer compartment 14 configured to store items such as food at a cooled temperature below the freezing point.
• the first cooled compartment 12 is located above the second cooled compartment 14.
• Fig. 1 b the refrigerator 10 is shown in a left side view with a side wall 16.
• Fig. 1 c the refrigerator 10 is shown in a back view along the section A-A of Fig 1 b.
• Fig. 1c depicts the components behind the rear wall of the refrigerator 10.
• the cooled compartments 12,14 are cooled by a cooling arrangement comprising a compressor 18.
• a cooling arrangement comprising a compressor 18.
• an arrangement 20 for draining water from the respective cooled compartments 12, 14 as will be described in more detail below.
• the water draining arrangement 20 of Fig. 1 c is shown.
• the water draining arrangement 20 has an upper water collector 22.
• the upper water collector 22 is configured to collect water from a first upper cooled compartment.
• the first, upper, cooled compartment is the refrigerator compartment 12.
• Water from the upper water collector 22 is discharged via a drain pipe 24.
• the drain pipe 24 ends in a main water collector 26.
• the main water collector 26 collects water from a second, lower cooled compartment.
• the second lower cooled compartment is the freezer compartment 14.
• Water collected in the main water collector 26 can then be disposed of from the refrigerator 10 in a suitable manner.
• a water tray 28 can be arranged above the compressor 18 as is seen in Fig. 2. When the compressor 18 is run and generates heat, water on the water tray 28 is heated and can evaporate.
• Other conventional ways of disposing the water from the main water collector 26 can also be used.
• Fig. 3 is a closer view of the detail B of Fig. 1 c.
• the main water collector 26 is shown mounted in position.
• the main water collector 26 is advantageously located at the back side of the appliance, in the bottom side of the lower cooled compartment, here the freezer compartment 14.
• the main water collector can be located laying down on a bottom panel, above the water tray 28. Hereby water collected in the main water collector 26 can exit from the bottom of the main water collector 26 onto the water tray 28.
• the main water collector 26 is located between the inner liner of the refrigerator and a bottom metal panel.
• the main water collector 26 has the main function of collecting defrost water from the lower cooled compartment. In addition, the main water collector 26 supports the drain pipe 24 from the upper cooled compartment.
• a vacuum valve 29 is also located in the main water collector 26.
• the vacuum valve 29 serves to facilitate opening of a door to the freezer compartment 14. By locating the vacuum valve 29 in the main water collector 26 space is saved and also the assembly of the refrigerator can be facilitated.
• a top view in perspective of the main water collector 26 is shown.
• Fig. 4b shows the same main water collector 26 in a bottom view in perspective.
• the main water collector 26 comprises a water collector part 32 for the lower cooled compartment and a support 34 for the drain water pipe 24 from the upper cooled compartment.
• the vacuum valve 29 can be located inside the main water collector 26 as described above.
• the support 34 can thus be connected to the drain water pipe and has an outlet to transfer drain water downstream as is better shown in Fig. 4b.
• the support 34 for the drain water pipe 24 can be placed on the main water collector 26 to provide a distance to the inner liner for the drain water pipe 24.
• the support 34 can be laterally distanced from the water collector part 32.
• the support 34 for the drain water pipe 24 can be arranged to distance the drain water pipe 24 a few centimeters such as between 1 - 10 cm from the inner liner of the refrigerator.
• the support 34 can be laterally distanced from the water collector part 32 by a corresponding distance.
• Fig. 4b shows the same main water collector 26 in a bottom view in perspective.
• the main water collector 26 comprises a water drain outlet 36 for expelling water.
• the water drain outlet is formed by a common space 36 to which both the outlet 37 from the water collector part 32 and the outlet 38 from the support 34 is led.
• a channel 39 can be formed in the main water collector 26 to provide a fluid connection between the outlet 38 of the support 34 and the water drain outlet 36.
• the water collected in the main water collector 26 will exit in a common water drain outlet 36 such that drain water from both the first upper cooled compartment 12 and the second lower cooled compartment 14 is expelled via a common water drain outlet 36.
• the main water collector 26 can advantageously be formed as one single component.
• the main water collector 26 can be a monolithic component formed by a plastics material.
• of the main water collector 26 is formed as one single plastic part that is foamed inside the appliance cabinet.

Landscapes

• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
• Combustion & Propulsion (AREA)
• Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
• Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
• Thermal Sciences (AREA)
• General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Removal Of Water From Condensation And Defrosting (AREA)

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Publications (1)

Family

ID=81595869

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (5)

Family Cites Families (7)

• 2022
  • 2022-04-11 EP EP22722213.0A patent/EP4508376A1/de active Pending
  • 2022-04-11 WO PCT/EP2022/059608 patent/WO2023198268A1/en not_active Ceased
  • 2022-04-11 US US18/855,387 patent/US20250334319A1/en active Pending
  • 2022-04-11 AU AU2022452569A patent/AU2022452569A1/en active Pending
  • 2022-04-11 CN CN202280094274.4A patent/CN118946774A/zh active Pending

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