U.S. patent application number 16/216897 was filed with the patent office on 2020-01-23 for pipe assembly, condensate line assembly and refrigerator including the same.
The applicant listed for this patent is Daewoo Electronics Co., Ltd.. Invention is credited to Jang Woo LEE.
Application Number | 20200025436 16/216897 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 69161715 |
Filed Date | 2020-01-23 |
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United States Patent
Application |
20200025436 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
LEE; Jang Woo |
January 23, 2020 |
PIPE ASSEMBLY, CONDENSATE LINE ASSEMBLY AND REFRIGERATOR INCLUDING
THE SAME
Abstract
A pipe assembly, installed in a refrigerator, to function as a
condensate line and comprises: a first pipe extending from an
evaporator of the refrigerator and inclined downward to drain
water; and a second pipe connected to a downstream end of the first
pipe to receive the water, the second pipe extending from the first
pipe so as to be inclined downward at a steeper slope than the
first pipe. The first pipe includes a first connection portion
fastened to the second pipe and a water guide portion extending
further downward from the first connection portion.
Inventors: |
LEE; Jang Woo; (Gwangju,
KR) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Daewoo Electronics Co., Ltd. |
Gwangju |
|
KR |
|
|
Family ID: |
69161715 |
Appl. No.: |
16/216897 |
Filed: |
December 11, 2018 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
1/1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
F25D 2321/142 20130101;
F25D 2321/143 20130101; F25D 2321/146 20130101; F25D 2321/141
20130101; F25D 21/14 20130101 |
International
Class: |
F25D 21/14 20060101
F25D021/14 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Jul 18, 2018 |
KR |
10-2018-0083604 |
Claims
1. A pipe assembly operable to be installed in a refrigerator,
comprising: a first pipe extending from an evaporator of the
refrigerator and inclined downward to drain water; and a second
pipe connected to a downstream end of the first pipe and operable
to receive water, the second pipe extending from the first pipe and
inclined downward at a steeper slope than a slope of the first
pipe, wherein the first pipe comprises: a first connection portion
fastened to the second pipe; and a water guide portion extending
further downward from the first connection portion.
2. The pipe assembly of claim 1, wherein at least a part of the
water guide portion is spaced apart from an inner surface of the
second pipe.
3. The pipe assembly of claim 2, wherein the water guide portion is
further spaced apart from the inner surface of the second pipe as
the water guide portion extends toward an end portion of the water
guide portion.
4. The pipe assembly of claim 3, wherein the second pipe comprises
a second connection portion connected to the first connection
portion of the first pipe, and wherein the second connection
portion surrounds an outer surface of the first connection
portion.
5. The pipe assembly of claim 4, wherein the second pipe further
comprises a bent portion extending from the second connection
portion in a direction away from the first pipe and bent
downward.
6. The pipe assembly of claim 5, wherein the bent portion has a
lower portion spaced downward from the water guide portion.
7. A condensate line assembly operable to be installed in an
appliance having an evaporator, the assembly comprising: a first
pipe operable to extend from the evaporator and inclined downward
to drain water from the evaporator; and a second pipe connected to
a downstream end of the first pipe and operable to receive water,
the second pipe extending from the first pipe and inclined downward
at a steeper slope than a slope of the first pipe, wherein the
first pipe comprises: a first connection portion fastened to the
second pipe; and a water guide portion extending further downward
from the first connection portion.
8. The assembly of claim 7, wherein at least a part of the water
guide portion is spaced apart from an inner surface of the second
pipe.
9. The assembly of claim 8, wherein the water guide portion is
further spaced apart from the inner surface of the second pipe as
the water guide portion extends toward an end portion.
10. The assembly of claim 9, wherein the second pipe comprises a
second connection portion connected to the first connection portion
of the first pipe, and wherein the second connection portion
surrounds an outer surface of the first connection portion.
11. The assembly of claim 10, wherein the second pipe further
comprises a bent portion extending from the second connection
portion in a direction away from the first pipe and bent downward,
and wherein the bent portion has a lower portion spaced downward
from the water guide portion.
12. A refrigerator, comprising: a storage compartment configured to
store items to be cooled; an evaporator configured to cool air by
absorbing heat therefrom using a refrigerant; a return duct
configured to bring the storage compartment and the evaporator into
communication with each other; and a pipe assembly configured to
drain condensed water generated in the evaporator, wherein the pipe
assembly comprises: a first pipe extending from the evaporator and
inclined downward to drain condensed water from the evaporator; and
a second pipe coupled to a downstream end of the first pipe to
receive the condensed water, the second pipe extending from the
first pipe and inclined downward at a steeper slope than a slope of
the first pipe, wherein the first pipe comprising: a first
connection portion fastened to the second pipe; and a water guide
portion extending further downward from the first connection
portion.
13. The refrigerator of claim 12, wherein the first connection
portion and the water guide portion are disposed at positions to
which cold energy of cold air flowing through the return duct is
applied.
14. The refrigerator of claim 12, wherein the evaporator comprise:
a heat exchanger configured to allow the air and the refrigerant to
exchange heat with each other; and a condensed water collector
configured to collect condensed water generated in the heat
exchanger, and wherein the first pipe of the pipe assembly is
connected to the condensed water collector to receive the condensed
water generated in the heat exchanger.
15. The refrigerator of claim 14, wherein a lower central portion
of the condensed water collector has a downwardly concave shape and
is configured to collect the condensed water, wherein the first
pipe is connected to the lower central portion of the condensed
water collector, and the return duct is connected to a rear central
portion of the condensed water collector.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application is based on and claims priority from Korean
Patent Application No. 10-2018-0083604, filed on Jul. 18, 2018, the
disclosure of which is incorporated herein in its entirety by
reference for all purposes.
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0002] The present disclosure relates to a pipe assembly and a
refrigerator including the same.
BACKGROUND
[0003] Generally, a refrigerator is an appliance used for storing
items such as food items, beverages and the like for a long period
of time. For example, the refrigerator may store items in a frozen
state or in a refrigerated state depending on the type of items to
be stored.
[0004] Such a refrigerator maintains the temperature in a storage
compartment at a predetermined value by supplying cold air
generated by a refrigeration cycle into the storage compartment. To
this end, the refrigerator includes a compressor, a condenser, an
expansion valve and an evaporator. The compressor, the condenser,
the expansion valve and the evaporator are accommodated in a
machine compartment located on one side of the refrigerator and are
configured to supply cold air into the storage compartment.
[0005] For example, a refrigerant is sent to the compressor so that
its state is changed into a high-temperature and high-pressure
state. The condensation heat is dissipated to the outside while the
refrigerant passes through the condenser. The refrigerant is
subjected to vaporization which occurs while passing through the
expansion valve. The refrigerant takes the latent heat (resultant
from evaporation) from the air around a cooling compartment through
the evaporator and evaporates to generate cold air. In this cooling
process, condensed water is generated in the evaporator. The
condensed water is drained to the outside of the evaporator through
a pipe assembly.
[0006] However, the condensed water may often seep into, leak into,
or stagnate in any minute gap of a pipe-to-pipe connection portion
of the pipe assembly. On the other hand, at least a part of such a
pipe assembly may be arranged around a return duct or the like
having a relatively low temperature. When the condensed water seeps
into, leaks into, or stagnates in the minute gap of the connection
portion, the condensed water may cool or freeze, thereby
potentially causing damage to the connection portion of the pipe
assembly.
SUMMARY
[0007] Embodiments of the present disclosure provide a pipe
assembly capable of preventing water from seeping into, leaking
into, or stagnating in a pipe-to-pipe connection portion which is
part of a refrigerator's condensate line, and a refrigerator
including the same.
[0008] In accordance with an embodiment, there is provided a pipe
assembly, installed in a refrigerator, and comprising: a first pipe
extending from an evaporator of the refrigerator and inclined
downward to drain water; and a second pipe connected to a
downstream end of the first pipe to receive the drain water, the
second pipe extending from the first pipe and configured to be
inclined downward at a steeper slope than the first pipe, wherein
the first pipe includes a first connection portion fastened to the
second pipe and a water guide portion extending further downward
from the first connection portion.
[0009] In one embodiment, at least a part of the water guide
portion may be spaced apart from an inner surface of the second
pipe.
[0010] The water guide portion may be further spaced apart from the
inner surface of the second pipe as the water guide portion extends
toward an end portion.
[0011] The second pipe may include a second connection portion
connected to the first connection portion of the first pipe, and
where the second connection portion surrounds an outer surface of
the first connection portion.
[0012] The second pipe may further include a bent portion extending
from the second connection portion in a direction away from the
first pipe and bent downward.
[0013] The bent portion may have a lower portion spaced downward
from the water guide portion.
[0014] In accordance with another aspect, there is provided a
refrigerator comprising: a storage compartment configured to store
food and food ingredients; an evaporator configured to cool air by
absorbing heat from the air using a vaporizable refrigerant; a
return duct configured to bring the storage compartment and the
evaporator into communication with each other; and a pipe assembly
configured to drain condensed water generated in the evaporator,
wherein the pipe assembly includes: a first pipe extending from the
evaporator and inclined downward to drain the condensed water from
the evaporator; and a second pipe connected to a downstream end of
the first pipe to receive the condensed water, the second pipe
extending from the first pipe and configured to be inclined
downward at a steeper slope than the first pipe, the first pipe
including a first connection portion fastened to the second pipe
and a water guide portion extending further downward from the first
connection portion.
[0015] The first connection portion and the water guide portion may
be disposed at positions to which cold energy of a cold air flowing
through the return duct is applied.
[0016] The evaporator may include a heat exchanger configured to
allow the air and the refrigerant to exchange heat with each other
and a condensed water collector configured to collect condensed
water generated in the heat exchanger, and where the first pipe of
the pipe assembly is connected to the condensed water collector and
configured to receive the condensed water generated in the heat
exchanger.
[0017] A lower central portion of the condensed water collector may
have a downwardly concave shape to collect the condensed water, the
first pipe may be connected to the lower central portion of the
condensed water collector, and the return duct may be connected to
a rear central portion of the condensed water collector in one
embodiment.
[0018] The pipe assembly according to the various embodiments of
the present disclosure can prevent water from seeping into, leaking
into, or stagnating in a pipe-to-pipe connection portion of a
condensate line of a refrigerator appliance. In addition, the
refrigerator including such a pipe assembly can advantageously
prevent condensed water from freezing when the condensed water is
drained from an evaporator.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0019] FIG. 1 is a side sectional view of a refrigerator including
a pipe assembly according to an embodiment of the present
disclosure.
[0020] FIG. 2 is a rear view of a refrigerator showing a pipe
assembly according to an embodiment of the present disclosure and
an evaporator.
[0021] FIG. 3 is a side sectional view of a pipe assembly according
to an embodiment of the present disclosure.
[0022] FIG. 4 is an enlarged view of a portion indicated by A in
FIG. 3.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0023] Hereinafter, configurations and operations of embodiments
will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying
drawings. The following description is one of various patentable
aspects of the disclosure and may form a part of the detailed
description of the disclosure.
[0024] However, in describing the disclosure, detailed descriptions
of known configurations or functions that may obscure portions of
the disclosure may be omitted.
[0025] The disclosure may be variously modified and may include
various embodiments. Specific embodiments will be exemplarily
illustrated in the drawings and described in the detailed
description of the embodiments. However, it should be understood
that they are not intended to limit the disclosure to specific
embodiments but rather to cover all modifications, similarities,
and alternatives which are included in the spirit and scope of the
disclosure.
[0026] The terms used herein, including ordinal numbers such as
"first" and "second" may be used to describe, and not to limit,
various components. The terms simply distinguish the components
from one another.
[0027] When it is said that a component is "connected" or "linked"
to another component, it should be understood that the former
component may be directly connected or linked to the latter
component or a third component may be interposed between the two
components.
[0028] Specific terms used in the present application are used
simply to describe specific embodiments without limiting the
disclosure. An expression used in the singular encompasses the
expression of the plural, unless it has a clearly different meaning
in the context.
[0029] Hereinafter, a pipe assembly according to an embodiment of
the present disclosure and a refrigerator including the same will
be described with reference to the drawings. In one embodiment, the
pipe assembly is used in the condensate line of a refrigerator
appliance.
[0030] Referring to FIG. 1, a refrigerator 1 according to an
embodiment of the present disclosure may include storage
compartments 10, an evaporator 30, a compressor 40, a condenser 50,
a return duct 60 and a pipe assembly 70 which functions as a
condensate line for the refrigerator appliance to remove excess
liquid that condenses as part of the refrigeration cycle of the
appliance.
[0031] The storage compartments 10 are spaces for storing items to
be cooled including food items and food ingredients. The storage
compartments 10 may include a refrigeration compartment in which
food and food ingredients can be stored in a refrigerated state and
a freezing compartment in which food and food ingredients can be
stored in a frozen state.
[0032] The evaporator 30 cools ambient air by allowing the ambient
air to exchange heat with a refrigerant in accordance with a heat
transfer cycle also called a refrigeration cycle. The evaporator 30
may cool the ambient air to supply a cool air to at least one of
the refrigeration compartment and the freezing compartment.
[0033] In accordance with the heat transfer cycle, the compressor
40 may receive a hot refrigerant heated by the evaporator 30 and
may compress the refrigerant. The compressor 40 may include a pump
or the like.
[0034] The condenser 50 may cool the refrigerant to a low
temperature by allowing the refrigerant to exchange heat with the
ambient air.
[0035] In accordance with the heat transfer cycle, in the
evaporator 30, the refrigerant may cool the ambient air and may be
vaporized. The vaporized hot refrigerant is sent to the compressor
40 and compressed by the compressor 40. The refrigerant compressed
through the compressor 40 is liquefied while dissipating the
condensation heat to the outside through the condenser 50. The
liquefied refrigerant passing through the condenser 50 is sent to
the evaporator 30. The liquefied refrigerant that is sent to the
evaporator 30 is vaporized by heat exchange with the ambient air,
thereby absorbing the ambient heat. The liquefied refrigerant of
the evaporator 30 receives heat from the ambient air. In accordance
with the heat transfer cycle, the entirety or a part of the
liquefied refrigerant of the evaporator 30 is converted into a
gaseous refrigerant. Thereafter, the gaseous refrigerant is
separated from a liquid refrigerant and is introduced into the
compressor 40 again. In the evaporator 30, the refrigerant absorbs
heat from the air existing outside the evaporator 30. Through this
heat exchange, the evaporator 30 cools the air existing in the
refrigerator. In this cooling process, the condenser 50 dissipates
the heat of the refrigerant to the outside. Hereinafter, the
evaporator 30 will be described in more detail with reference to
FIG. 2.
[0036] Referring to FIG. 2, the evaporator 30 cools the ambient air
through heat exchange with the refrigerant. The evaporator 30 may
include a heat exchanger 31 for allowing the refrigerant and the
ambient air to exchange heat with each other, and a condensed water
collector 32.
[0037] The heat exchanger 31 may include a pipe through which the
refrigerant flows. The heat exchanger 31 cools the ambient air
through heat exchange between the ambient air and the refrigerant
existing inside the pipe. In the pipe of the heat exchanger 31, a
refrigerant having a low temperature flows to cool the ambient air.
The air around the pipe may be an uncooled air having a relatively
high temperature. Therefore, in the heat exchanger 31, condensed
water may be generated due to the cooling of the ambient air.
[0038] The condensed water collector 32 may collect condensed water
generated in the heat exchanger 31. The condensed water collector
32 may be a container extending widely in the horizontal direction
and may be disposed below the heat exchanger 31. The condensed
water generated in the heat exchanger 31 may drop or flow into the
condensed water collector 32, and the condensed water in the
condensed water collector 32 may flow toward the pipe assembly 70.
The condensed water collector 32 may be provided as a part of the
housing or frame of the evaporator 30. The lower central portion of
the condensed water collector 32 may have a downwardly concave
shape to effectively collect the condensed water. On the other
hand, the pipe assembly 70 may be connected to the lower central
portion of the condensed water collector 32, and the return duct 60
may be connected to the rear central portion adjacent to the lower
central portion of the condensed water collector 32.
[0039] The return duct 60 may bring the storage compartments 10 and
the evaporator 30 into communication with each other in order to
recover the cold air having a relatively high temperature. For
example, in the case of a refrigerator in which a freezing
compartment is located on the lower side and a refrigeration
compartment is located on the upper side, the return duct 60 may be
installed between the lower portion of the refrigeration
compartment and the upper portion of the freezing compartment. The
return duct 60 may be connected to the rear central portion
adjacent to the lower central portion of the condensed water
collector 32. The pipe assembly 70 will be described with reference
to FIGS. 3 and 4.
[0040] Referring to FIGS. 3 and 4, the pipe assembly 70, or
condensate line 70, may be connected to the condensed water
collector 32 of the evaporator 30 to discharge the condensed water
from the evaporator 30. The condensed water discharged through the
pipe assembly 70 may arise from condensing air in the process of
cooling the air in the evaporator 30. The pipe assembly 70 may be
disposed adjacent to the return duct 60. For example, the pipe
assembly 70 may be arranged so that at least one of a first
connection portion 120, a water guide portion 130 and a second
connection portion 220 can be positioned in a zone or region to
which the cold energy of the cold air flowing in the return duct 60
can be applied.
[0041] The pipe assembly 70 may include a first pipe 100 and a
second pipe 200.
[0042] The first pipe 100 may have one end connected to the
condensed water collector 32 and the other end connected to the
second pipe 200. One end of the first pipe 100 may be provided on
the upstream side to serve as an inflow portion for introducing the
condensed water from the condensed water collector 32, and the
other end of the first pipe 100 may be provided on the downstream
side to serve as a discharge portion for discharging the condensed
water from the first pipe 100. The first pipe 100 may extend from
one end to the other end and configured to be inclined downward
with respect to the horizontal direction. In other words, the first
pipe 100 is formed so as to be inclined downward at a predetermined
angle with respect to a horizontal plane. In addition, the first
pipe 100 may be formed of a non-flexible material having a rigidity
of a certain level or higher. The other end of the first pipe 100
may include a first connection portion 120 for fastening the second
pipe 200, and a water guide portion 130.
[0043] The first connection portion 120 may be connected to the
second connection portion 220 at the end of the second pipe 200. A
groove or protrusion for fastening the second pipe 200 may be
provided on the outer circumferential surface of the first
connection portion 120. The first connection portion 120 may
provide a space through which the condensed water can flow. The
first connection portion 120 may have a circumferential contact
surface that makes contact with the second pipe 200. The contact
surface of the first connection portion 120 may be the inner
circumferential surface of the first connection portion 120.
[0044] The water guide portion 130 may be provided at an end of the
first connection portion 120 and may be shaped like a protrusion
extending downward from an end of the first connection portion 120.
The lower surface of the water guide portion 130 may be spaced
apart from the inner surface of the second pipe 200. The water
guide portion 130 may be disposed to be further spaced apart from
the inner surface of the second pipe 200 as it extends from the
side of the first connection portion 120 toward the end side. The
water guide portion 130 may extend linearly without being bent. For
example, the water guide portion 130 may extend approximately 15 mm
from the end of the first connection portion 120. The end of the
water guide portion 130 may be positioned at the center of the
cross section of the second pipe 200.
[0045] One end of the second pipe 200 may be connected to the first
pipe 100, and the remaining portion of one end of the second pipe
200 may be further downwardly inclined to extend more downward than
the first pipe 100. For example, as shown in FIG. 3, the second
pipe 200 may be formed to have a steeper slope than the first pipe
100 as a whole. The second pipe 200 may be flexibly formed so as to
be bent. In order to secure such flexibility, the second pipe 200
may have wrinkles formed to extend in a direction different from
the extension direction of the second pipe 200.
[0046] One end of the second pipe 200 may include a connection
portion 220 to be connected to the first pipe 100 and a bent
portion 230 bent downward.
[0047] The second connection portion 220 may be connected to the
first connection portion 120 at the end of the first pipe 100. A
groove or protrusion for fastening the second pipe 200 may be
provided on the inner circumferential surface of the second
connection portion 220. The groove or protrusion of the second
connection portion 220 may be formed to engage with the groove or
protrusion of the first connection portion 120. The second
connection portion 220 may provide a space through which the
condensed water can flow. The second connection portion 220 may
have a contact surface formed in the circumferential direction to
make contact with the first pipe 100. The contact surface of the
second connection portion 220 may be the inner circumferential
surface of the second connection portion 220.
[0048] The bent portion 230 may extend from the second connection
portion 220 so as to be away from the first pipe 100 and may be
bent downward. The lower portion of the bent portion 230 may be
spaced downward from the water guide portion 130.
[0049] Advantageously, the pipe assembly 70 according to an
embodiment of the present disclosure can prevent the condensed
water flowing therethrough from seeping into, leaking into, or
stagnating in a pipe-to-pipe connection portion. Therefore, it is
possible to prevent the condensed water from freezing in the
pipe-to-pipe connection portion. In addition, it is not necessary
to provide a heating means such as a heater or the like for
preventing the freezing of the condensed water.
[0050] From the foregoing, it will be appreciated that various
embodiments of the present disclosure have been described herein
for purposes of illustration, and that various modifications may be
made without departing from the scope and spirit of the present
disclosure. The exemplary embodiments disclosed in the
specification of the present disclosure do not limit the present
disclosure. The scope of the present disclosure will be interpreted
by the claims below, and it will be construed that all techniques
within the scope equivalent thereto belong to the scope of the
present disclosure.
* * * * *