Refrigerator Door Valve Assembly to Eliminate Hinge-Routed Water Lines
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing refrigerator designs face challenges with water supply and drain lines passing through door hinges, which increase installation time and limit the number of water lines that can pass between the door and cabinet.
Innovation Solution
A refrigerator appliance with a door that includes a valve assembly featuring a solenoid and release fitting, allowing selective coupling of valves through a translation axis, and a fluid manifold for compact packaging and easy installation of conduits, eliminating the need for lines to pass through the cabinet.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If water supply and drain lines are routed through door hinges in side-by-side refrigerators, then the ice maker and water dispenser can be mounted in the freezer door, but the arrangement becomes cumbersome and increases installation time
Solution Approach 1:
The valve assembly is extracted from the cabinet body and relocated to the door assembly. The release plate with conduit openings is specifically designed to be positioned in the door, allowing water lines to connect directly at the door location rather than routing through hinges. This extraction resolves the contradiction by enabling door mounting while simplifying the water line connection process.
Solution Approach 2:
The release plate serves as an intermediary component between the door and the valve assembly. It provides a structured interface with predetermined conduit openings that facilitate direct connection of water lines to the valves mounted in the door, eliminating the need for complex hinge routing while maintaining proper fluid communication.
2Adaptability or versatility
If water supply and drain lines are routed through door hinges, then connections can be made between cabinet and door, but the quantity of water lines that may pass is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The release plate is segmented with multiple separate openings specifically designed to accommodate multiple conduits. This segmentation allows several water lines to pass through the door structure independently and directly connect to the valve assembly, increasing the number of water lines from the limited hinge routing to multiple dedicated pathways.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention transitions from one-dimensional hinge routing to a two-dimensional array of conduit openings in the release plate. This dimensional change allows multiple conduits to be arranged in different positions and orientations, enabling greater quantity of water lines to pass through the door-cabinet interface.
3Ease of manufacture
If valves are mounted in the cabinet with lines passing through the door, then the arrangement is traditional, but it increases installation complexity and time
Solution Approach 1:
The valve assembly is pre-assembled with the release plate and mounting brackets in a predetermined configuration before installation. This preliminary assembly of the valve assembly with the release plate and mounting brackets in a predetermined configuration reduces on-site installation complexity and time, as the integrated unit requires fewer separate assembly steps compared to traditional separate mounting of valves and routing of lines.
4Device complexity
If a traditional valve mounting arrangement is used in the cabinet, then the structure is simple, but it does not facilitate easy installation and connection of conduits
Solution Approach 1:
The mounting bracket is designed to nest within or attach to the release plate structure, creating a compact integrated assembly. The bracket receives and secures the valve while being supported by the release plate, which already contains the conduit openings. This nested arrangement maintains structural simplicity while facilitating easy conduit connection, as the conduits connect directly to the valve through the release plate openings without requiring complex external routing structures.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This design reduces installation time, minimizes leakage risk, and facilitates efficient fitment and connection of conduits, while allowing multiple ice maker assemblies to be serviced or replaced easily.
Implementation Method 1
A plurality of valves is included and may include a solenoid and release fitting
Data Source
AI summary
A refrigerator appliance includes a cabinet and a door having an ice maker apparatus. A plurality of valves includes a solenoid and release fitting. A mount member couples together the plurality of valves. The release fitting is configured to articulate along a translation axis to selectively couple the plurality of valves through a valve opening to a plurality of conduits. A fluid manifold couples the plurality of valves together in fluid communication. A release plate includes an opening through which the plurality of conduits is extendable in selective fluid coupling to the plurality of valves. The release plate includes a slot into which the mount member extends to couple the mount member to the release plate. The slot extends along the translation axis to permit movement of the release plate relative to the plurality of valves.