Refrigerator with Water Collector

The present disclosure relates to a refrigerator. In particular 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.

In a refrigerator, water, such as condense water, is typically produced in the different compartments. To dispose of the 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.

There is a constant desire to improve the operation of refrigerators and to reduce the cost for operating and manufacture a refrigerator. Hence, there exists a need for an improved refrigerator.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved refrigerator. In particular it is an object of the present invention to improve the collection of drain water produced in a refrigerator.

This object and/or others are obtained by the refrigerator as set out in the appended claims.

As has been realized by the inventors, 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.

It is an object of the invention to provide a refrigerator that facilitates assembly of the water drain arrangement in a refrigerator and that can reduce the cost for manufacturing a refrigerator.

In accordance with the invention 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. Hereby drain water from multiple cooled compartments can be collected in a single water collector for disposal of the drain water from multiple cooled compartments. This saves components in the refrigerator and allows for a simpler assembly.

In accordance with some embodiments, the support is laterally distanced from the water collector part. For example, the support can be laterally distanced from the water collector part by a few centimeters. Hereby, 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.

In accordance with one embodiment, a channel is formed in the main water collector to provide a fluid connection between the outlet of the support. Hereby an efficient disposal of drain water can be obtained.

In accordance with one embodiment, a vacuum valve is housed inside the water collector. Hereby efficient assembly of the refrigerator when a vacuum valve is present in the refrigerator can be obtained.

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. Hereby a refrigerator with an efficient and cost-effective drainage arrangement can be obtained.

In accordance with one embodiment, 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.

In accordance with one embodiment, the refrigerator comprises a water tray located beneath the water collector. Hereby disposal of drain water from the water collector can be made easy.

In accordance with one embodiment, the refrigerator comprises a compressor wherein the water tray is located above the compressor. Hereby water on the water tray can be efficiently heated.

In accordance with one embodiment, 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. Hereby an effective implementation of a refrigerator with a drain water arrangement can be obtained.

In, a refrigeratoris depicted in a front view with the door(s) removed. The refrigeratorcan 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 refrigeratorhas a first cooled compartment. The first cooled compartmentis in this example a refrigerator compartment configured to store items such as food at a cooled temperature above the freezing point. The exemplary refrigeratorfurther has a second cooled compartment. The second cooled compartmentis in this example a freezer compartmentconfigured to store items such as food at a cooled temperature below the freezing point. The first cooled compartmentis located above the second cooled compartment.

In, the refrigeratoris shown in a left side view with a side wall.

In, the refrigeratoris shown in a back view along the section A-A of. In other words,depicts the components behind the rear wall of the refrigerator. The cooled compartments,are cooled by a cooling arrangement comprising a compressor. Also seen inis an arrangementfor draining water from the respective cooled compartments,as will be described in more detail below.

In, the water draining arrangementofis shown. The water draining arrangementhas an upper water collector. The upper water collectoris configured to collect water from a first upper cooled compartment. In this exemplary embodiment, the first, upper, cooled compartment is the refrigerator compartment. Water from the upper water collectoris discharged via a drain pipe. The drain pipeends in a main water collector. The main water collectorcollects water from a second, lower cooled compartment. In this exemplary embodiment the second lower cooled compartment is the freezer compartment.

Water collected in the main water collectorcan then be disposed of from the refrigeratorin a suitable manner. For example, a water traycan be arranged above the compressoras is seen in. When the compressoris run and generates heat, water on the water trayis heated and can evaporate. Other conventional ways of disposing the water from the main water collectorcan also be used.

is a closer view of the detail B of. Inthe main water collectoris shown mounted in position. The main water collectoris advantageously located at the back side of the appliance, in the bottom side of the lower cooled compartment, here the freezer compartment. The main water collector can be located laying down on a bottom panel, above the water tray. Hereby water collected in the main water collectorcan exit from the bottom of the main water collectoronto the water tray. In accordance with some embodiments, the main water collectoris located between the inner liner of the refrigerator and a bottom metal panel.

The main water collectorhas the main function of collecting defrost water from the lower cooled compartment. In addition, the main water collectorsupports the drain pipefrom the upper cooled compartment.

In accordance with some exemplary embodiments, a vacuum valveis also located in the main water collector. The vacuum valveserves to facilitate opening of a door to the freezer compartment. By locating the vacuum valvein the main water collectorspace is saved and also the assembly of the refrigerator can be facilitated.

In, a top view in perspective of the main water collectoris shown.shows the same main water collectorin a bottom view in perspective. The main water collectorcomprises a water collector partfor the lower cooled compartment and a supportfor the drain water pipefrom the upper cooled compartment. In addition, the vacuum valvecan be located inside the main water collectoras described above. The supportcan thus be connected to the drain water pipe and has an outlet to transfer drain water downstream as is better shown in

Further, the supportfor the drain water pipecan be placed on the main water collectorto provide a distance to the inner liner for the drain water pipe. Typically, the supportcan be laterally distanced from the water collector part. Hereby, ice formation on the drain water pipecan be avoided. For example, the supportfor the drain water pipecan be arranged to distance the drain water pipea few centimeters such as between 1-10 cm from the inner liner of the refrigerator. Similarly, the supportcan be laterally distanced from the water collector partby a corresponding distance. Thus, when the drain water pipepasses the outside of the inner liner of a freezer compartment, the distance between the inner liner (which can be cool and below the freezing point) and the drain water pipeprovides a safety measure that prevents water in the drain water pipeto freeze.

shows the same main water collectorin a bottom view in perspective. The main water collectorcomprises a water drain outletfor expelling water. In the exemplary embodiment of, the water drain outlet is formed by a common spaceto which both the outletfrom the water collector partand the outletfrom the supportis led. To direct the water from the outletof the support, a channelcan be formed in the main water collectorto provide a fluid connection between the outletof the supportand the water drain outlet. Hereby it is possible to collect drain water from both a first upper cooled compartmentand a second lower cooled compartmentin the same main water collector. The water collected in the main water collectorwill exit in a common water drain outletsuch that drain water from both the first upper cooled compartmentand the second lower cooled compartmentis expelled via a common water drain outlet.

The main water collectorcan advantageously be formed as one single component. For example, the main water collectorcan be a monolithic component formed by a plastics material. In accordance with one embodiment, of the main water collectoris formed as one single plastic part that is foamed inside the appliance cabinet. Hereby it is possible to avoid handling of a separate part, so that complexity is reduced by eliminating one part from the assembly process. In other words, a simplified assembling and handling can be obtained.