Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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WATER LINE RETAINING ELEMENT
FOR A REFRIGERATOR DISPENSER
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
s The present invention pertains to the art of refrigerators and, more
particularly, to a retaining element that positions a discharge portion of a
water line above a fill chamber of a refrigerator dispenser.
2. Discussion of the Prior Art
Liquid dispensing assemblies for use in refrigerators are widely
io known in the art and generally include fill chambers that are recessed in a
door of the refrigerator. Such liquid dispensing assemblies include a
liquid supply line that either terminates in, or is attached to, a liquid
discharge spout. Liquid is permitted to flow through the supply line and
out from the discharge spout in response to actuation of a switch by a
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container placed in the fill chamber. It is further known to dispose these
spouts substantially vertically and centrally at the top of the fill chamber.
The liquid supply line is typically secured to the dispensing
assembly, above the filter chamber, by a friction fit arrangement or
s through the use of a bracket. In the case of the friction fit arrangement, a
nozzle or other similar structure is formed in the dispensing assembly.
The nozzle is slightly larger in diameter than the diameter of the liquid
supply line. With this arrangement, an end portion of the liquid supply
line is forced into the nozzle and held in place through a friction force
io developed as a result of the relative size differential between the nozzle
and the liquid supply line. While effective, vibrations can cause the liquid
supply line to slip from the nozzle and discharge liquid in a random
manner. A similar arrangement would provide for the liquid supply line
to be placed about an inlet tube to a nozzle. In any case, a friction fit
is results.
Clamping brackets are another method employed in the prior art for
retaining liquid supply lines in a dispenser assembly. The clamping
bracket is typically placed over a portion of the liquid supply line and
thereafter fastened to a housing or other structure with a mechanical
zo fastener. Depending upon the particular clamp used, one or two
mechanical fasteners may be required to retain the liquid supply line.
While this method is also effective, positioning and securing the bracket
can be time consuming and result in an increase in production costs.
Therefore, despite the existence of supply line retainers employed
Zs in the prior art, there still exists a need for an inexpensive, yet
effective
z
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retainer arrangement for securing a liquid supply line in a refrigerator
dispenser assembly. More specifically, there exists a need for a retainer
that can be readily fitted to a supply line and secured to the dispenser
assembly without requiring the use of mechanical fasteners or employing
s a friction fit between the supply line and a nozzle to retain the line in a
desired position.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is directed to a retaining element for a liquid
supply line employed in a refrigerator dispenser assembly. The dispenser
io assembly includes a fill chamber and a dispenser housing which extends
at least partially above the fill chamber. The dispenser assembly is fed by
a liquid supply line having a first end portion attached to a liquid source,
a second end portion and an intermediate portion. The second end
portion of the liquid supply line terminates at the dispenser housing above
~s the fill chamber. In addition, the dispenser assembly includes a release
mechanism that causes liquid to be released from the supply line in
response to the insertion of a container into the fill chamber.
In accordance with the invention, the second end of the liquid
supply line includes a nozzle held in place by a clamp. The clamp is
Zo fixedly secured to the liquid supply line and includes a protrusion that
engages the dispenser housing to position and secure the second end of
the liquid supply line above the fill chamber. Most preferably, the
dispenser housing is constituted by an ice chute that leads ice from an ice
maker into the fill chamber. The ice chute includes an inlet portion, an
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outlet portion and a main body portion. The ice chute further includes
first and second wall members that project outward from the main body
portion. Each of the first and second wall members include an upper
surface and a lower surface. Preferably, the wall members are spaced one
s from the other to define a slot. The second end of the liquid supply line
passes through the slot so that the protrusion on the clamp engages with
the lower surface of one of the first and second wall members to retain
the nozzle above the fill chamber. That is, the protrusion on the clamp
prevents the second end of the liquid supply line from backing out and
to becoming misaligned or disengaging from the dispenser housing.
In further accordance with the invention, the ice chute includes a
plurality of guide members and a retaining clip that extend outward from
the main body portion. The liquid supply line passes between the
plurality of guide members and is further retained by the clip to establish
is a smooth, curvilinear routing path. With this overall arrangement, once
the second end of the liquid supply line is positioned in the slot, the
intermediate portion is routed between the guide members and snap-fit
into the clip. In this manner, the liquid supply line is easily secured to the
dispenser housing without a concern that vibrations may cause the nozzle
zo to dislodge.
Additional objects, features and advantages of the present
invention will become more readily apparent from the following detailed
description of a preferred embodiment when taken in conjunction with
the drawings wherein like reference numerals refer to corresponding parts
2s in the several views.
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BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Figure 1 is a perspective view of a side-by-side refrigerator
incorporating a liquid supply line retaining element constructed in
accordance with the present invention;
s Figure 2 is a detail view of a liquid supply line portion of the
refrigerator illustrating the retaining element engaging with a dispenser
housing; and
Figure 3 is a detail view of the dispenser housing of Figure 2
illustrating the liquid supply line passing through guide members and a
io clip to establish a curvilinear routing path.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED
EMBODIMENT
With initial reference to Figure 1, a side-by-side refrigerator is
generally indicated at 2. In a manner widely known in the art, side-by-
is side refrigerator 2 is formed from a cabinet shell 3 to which is pivotably
attached a freezer compartment side door 5 and a fresh food compartment
side door 7. Door 7 is shown open to expose a fresh food compartment 8
defined within cabinet shell 3. Fresh food compartment side door 7
supports a plurality of vertically spaced shelves 11-14 and is also
ao preferably provided with a dairy compartment 16. In a preferred
embodiment, fresh food compartment 8 is formed from an integral liner
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20 having opposed side walls 22 and 23, a rear wall 26 and top and
bottom walls 28 and 29. Secured to rear wall 26 by means of mechanical
fasteners (not shown) are a pair of laterally spaced and vertically
extending rails 32 and 33 that adjustably support various vertically spaced
s shelves 35-37. Arranged below shelves 35-37 is a shelf supporting bin
assembly generally indicated at 39.
Also shown mounted within fresh food compartment 8 at top wall
28 is a temperature control unit 43. Temperature control unit 43 is
preferably molded of plastic and includes upper and lower slidable
io temperature control members 46 and 47 which can be used by a consumer
to adjust the temperatures within side-by-side refrigerator 2 to preferable
levels. As will be detailed more fully below, freezer compartment side
door 5 is preferably provided with a dispenser assembly 50 which can be
used to selectively dispense water and/or ice.
is In a manner known in the art, refrigerator 2 includes a replaceable
filter, generally indicated at 55 in Figure 1, which forms part of a water
delivery system. As shown, filter cartridge 55 preferably projects
downward from within a housing portion (not separately labeled) of
temperature control unit 43 at a central rear portion of fresh food
2o compartment 8. This location is utilized to provide a readily visible and
easily accessible filter cartridge 55 that can be replaced by a consumer as
needed. However, it should be understood other locations for replaceable
filter 55 could also be employed. In general, the above-described
structure of side-by-side refrigerator 2 is known in the art and does not
as form part of the present invention. Therefore, this description is provided
for the sake of completeness. Instead, the present invention is
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a
particularly directed to a portion of the water delivery system that supply
water to dispenser assembly 50.
As shown, dispenser assembly 50 includes a fill chamber 70 above
which is arranged a control housing 73 that includes a plurality of control
s elements (not separately labeled) for selecting various functions for
dispenser assembly 50. That is, the control elements enable a consumer
to choose between dispensing water, cubed or crushed ice and/or control
a fill chamber light (not shown). In addition, dispenser assembly 50
includes a dispenser housing 77 provided behind control housing 73 and
to extending above fill chamber 70. In a manner which will be detailed
more fully below, dispenser housing 77 is injection molded from plastic
and serves as a mounting platform for a liquid supply line 80, as well as
other components associated with the operation of dispenser assembly 50.
Finally, in a manner known in the art, dispenser assembly 50 is provided
is with a release mechanism or switch 83 that signals a controller (not
shown) to allow liquid or ice to flow into a container placed within fill
chamber 70.
As best shown in Figures 2 and 3, dispenser housing 77 includes an
ice chute unit 93 designed to guides ice cubes from an icemaker (not
2o shown) of refrigerator 2 into fill chamber 70. Towards that end, ice chute
unit 93 is provided with an inlet portion 94, an outlet portion 95 and a
main body portion 96 having a rear surface 99. Additionally, ice chute
unit 93 includes a light housing 106 having an opening 108 for mounting
a light bulb holder (not shown) that is selectively activated to illuminate
Zs fill chamber 70. Ice chute unit 93 is also preferably formed with a
solenoid housing 112 for mounting a solenoid (not shown). Cavity 114 is
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shown to include a lower opening 118 and an upper opening 120 that
establish a guide path for a solenoid plunger (not shown) that activates a
flapper mechanism (also not shown) that is pivotally secured to a pair of
mounting ears 122 arid 123 provided at inlet portion 94. The flapper
s mechanism is typically maintained in a closed position to prevent ice
cubes from inadvertently falling into fill chamber 70. However, upon
placing a container within fill chamber 70 and activating release
mechanism 83, the solenoid opens the flapper mechanism allowing ice
cubes to pass through ice chute unit 93 into fill chamber 70 in a manner
~o known in the art. Finally, ice chute unit 93 is shown to include a
mounting lug 130 which, long with additional structure associated with
solenoid housing 112, is employed to secure ice chute unit 93 to
dispenser assembly 50 using mechanical fasteners (not shown).
In accordance with the invention, ice chute unit 93 is provided with
is structure which establishes and maintains a curvilinear routing path for
liquid supply line 80. More specifically, a first pair of guide elements
144 and 145 extend from rear surface 99 of ice chute unit 93. Guide
elements 144 and 145 are spaced from a second set of guide elements 147
and 148. Actually, guide element 148 includes an arcuate surface 149
zo that extends to a substantially horizontal surface 150 from which extends
a clip 151. In a manner that will be discussed more fully below, clip 151
retains liquid supply line 80 against rear surface 99 of ice chute unit 93.
In addition to guide elements 144, 145 and 147, 148, ice chute unit 93
includes first and second wall members 160 and 161 that are preferably
zs arranged adjacent to outlet portion 95. As shown, first and second wall
members 160 and 161 include respective upper surfaces 163 and 164, as
well as corresponding lower surfaces 167 and 168. In the most preferred
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form of the invention, first and second wall members 160 and 162 are
spaced from one another so as to define a slot 174 which, as will be
detailed more fully below, positions liquid supply line 80 above fill
chamber 70.
s As set forth above, liquid supply line 80 is secured to rear surface
99 of main body portion 96. Towards that end, liquid supply line 80
includes a first end portion 184 that is connected to a liquid source
through a tube 185, a second end portion 188 and an intermediate portion
189. As shown, second end portion 188 is positioned adjacent outlet
Io portion 95 of ice chute unit 93, while being above fill chamber 70. More
specifically, second end portion 188 is provided with a discharge nozzle
194 that is secured to second end portion 188 by a clamp 197. In the
most preferred form of the invention, clamp 197 constitutes an ear-type
clamp, formed from either metal or plastic, having a projecting ear or
~s protrusion 200. Actually, clamp 197 could be a single ear-type clamp
having a single protrusion 200 or, alternatively, a double ear-type clamp
having multiple protrusions 200. In any case, protrusion 200 is adapted
to abut lower surfaces) 167, 168 of first and/or second wall members)
160 and 161 to fixedly position second end portion 188 of liquid supply
Zo line 80 above fill chamber 70.
In order to properly position liquid supply line 80 on rear surface
99 of ice chute unit 93, second end 188 is placed within slot 174 with
protrusion 200 arranged below either lower surface 167 or 168.
Protrusion 200 is positioned so as to abut lower surfaces) 167 and/or 168
Zs after which intermediate portion 189 is routed between guide members
144, 145 and 147, 148 along rear surface 99. Once in place on rear wall
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99, nozzle 194 is locked in place by guide members 144, 145, 147, 148
and clip 152. In any event, intermediate portion 189 is finally snap-fit in
place at clip 151 and retained by snap element 152 to ensure that liquid
supply line 80 does not come loose while, at the same time, maintaining a
s smooth, curvilinear routing path.
With this overall arrangement, it should be understood that the
present invention allows liquid supply line 80 to be easily mounted to rear
surface 99 of dispenser housing 77. That is, the present invention enables
manufacturing personnel to properly position and align a water supply
to line on a dispenser housing of a refrigerator without the need to employ
mechanical fasteners. Likewise, positioning a clamp having a protrusion
in a manner set forth in accordance with the present invention maintains
the discharge portion of the water supply line in a proper orientation
relative to the fill chamber.
~ s Although described with reference to a preferred embodiment of
the invention, it should be readily understood that various changes andlor
modifications can be made to the invention without departing from the
spirit thereof. For instance, the present invention is described in
connection with a side-by-side refrigerator, it should be understood that a
ao top mount or bottom mount refrigerator could benefit from the present
invention. In general, the invention is only intended to be limited by the
scope of the following claims.
~o
