Refrigerator having ice making compartment with refrigerant pipe support structure

• US 20110162406A1
• Filed: 12/30/2010
• Published: 07/07/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 01/04/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Park, Sang Hyun, Jeong, Jin, Shin, Young Shik, Lim, Chang Hak
• Granted Patent: US 9,448,003 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 62/351
• CPC Class Codes: F25C 1/24 for refrigerators, e.g. freezing trays
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 21/14 Collecting or removing condensed and defrost water; Drip trays
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 23/006 for mounting refrigerating machinery components
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 2317/061 through special compartments
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 2321/1441 inside a refrigerator

Abstract

A refrigerator including a refrigeration cycle including a refrigerant pipe to supply cooling energy to an ice making compartment, an ice making tray, on which at least a portion of the refrigerant pipe is seated, a drainage duct to collect condensed water falling from the ice making tray or from at least a portion of the refrigerant pipe, and to drain the collected water, and at least one fixer to fix at least a portion of the refrigerant pipe to the ice making tray. The fixer is protruded from the drainage duct.

Claims

1. A refrigerator comprising an ice making compartment, the refrigerator further comprising:

a refrigeration cycle comprising a refrigerant pipe to supply cooling energy to the ice making compartment;

an ice making tray, on which at least a portion of the refrigerant pipe is seated;

a drainage duct to collect condensed water falling from the ice making tray or from at least a portion of the refrigerant pipe, and to drain the collected water; and

at least one fixer to fix at least a portion of the refrigerant pipe to the ice making tray,

wherein the at least one fixer is protruded from the drainage duct.

2. The refrigerator according to claim 1, wherein the drainage duct is spaced apart from the ice making tray, to define a flow passage, through which air present in the ice making compartment flows.

3. The refrigerator according to claim 2, wherein the at least one fixer comprises two fixers respectively arranged at opposite sides of the flow passage, to reduce flow resistance of the air in the ice making compartment.

4. The refrigerator according to claim 2, wherein:

the ice making tray comprises at least one heat-exchanging rib to exchange heat with the air in the ice making compartment, which flows through the flow passage; and

the at least one heat-exchanging rib is protruded to approach the drainage duct.

5. The refrigerator according to claim 4, wherein the at least one fixer comprises two fixers respectively arranged at opposite sides of the flow passage, and the heat-exchanging rib is arranged between the fixers.

6. The refrigerator according to claim 2, further comprising:

a fan for the ice making compartment to blow the air in the ice making compartment to the flow passage.

7. The refrigerator according to claim 1, wherein the fixer comprises a pressing portion to bring at least a portion of the refrigerant pipe into close contact with the ice making tray.

8. The refrigerator according to claim 7, wherein the fixer further comprises an elastic portion to come into contact with at least a portion of the refrigerant pipe.

9. The refrigerator according to claim 1, further comprising:

a seat guide provided at the ice making tray, to guide at least a portion of the refrigerant pipe to be seated in position on the ice making tray.

10. The refrigerator according to claim 9, further comprising:

a separation guide provided at the seat guide, to guide the refrigerant pipe to be easily separated from the ice making tray.

11. The refrigerator according to claim 1, wherein the fixer is detachably mounted to the ice making tray.

12. The refrigerator according to claim 1, further comprising:

an ice separation heater to heat the ice making tray,

wherein the drainage duct comprises a heater contact to transfer heat from the ice separation heater to the drainage duct.

13. The refrigerator according to claim 12, wherein the drainage duct further comprises a drainage basin to collect water falling from the ice making tray or from the refrigerant pipe, an anti-frost cover to surround the drainage basin, and an insulator interposed between the drainage basin and the anti-frost cover.

14. The refrigerator according to claim 1, further comprising:

at least one pivotal coupling structure for the drainage duct and the ice making tray.

15. The refrigerator according to claim 14, wherein the at least one pivotal coupling structure comprises a hinge coupling structure for the drainage duct and the ice making tray.

16. The refrigerator according to claim 14, further comprising:

at least one locking structure for the drainage duct and the ice making tray.

17. The refrigerator according to claim 16, wherein the at least one locking structure comprises a screw coupling structure for the drainage duct and the ice making tray.

18. The refrigerator according to claim 17, wherein the screw coupling structure comprises a first screw coupling portion provided at the drainage duct, a second screw coupling portion provided at the ice making tray, and a screw to couple the first and second screw coupling portions.

19. The refrigerator according to claim 18, wherein the screw coupling structure is provided at a position where the screw coupling is achieved outside the ice making compartment, using a tool.

20. The refrigerator according to claim 12, wherein the drainage duct and the heater contact are integrally formed and made of the same material.