Triple Valve Assembly for Space-Efficient Refrigerator Water Routing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional refrigerators require additional valves and T-fittings to accommodate extra features like pitcher fillers or second icemakers, increasing costs and reducing interior storage space due to the need for complex water routing configurations.
Innovation Solution
A configurable triple valve system with three valve bodies and a central core pin that can be continuous or discontinuous, allowing for customizable water flow and redundant shutoff, enabling efficient routing of unfiltered and filtered water to various refrigerator features while minimizing space usage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If additional single or dual valves are added to accommodate extra features, then the refrigerator can support more features, but the device complexity increases and more space is required
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple valve functions into a single integrated valve body with multiple ports and internal passages. This single valve can route water to multiple features (icemaker, dispenser, pitcher filler, second icemaker) simultaneously, eliminating the need for separate single or dual valves and their associated T-fittings, thereby reducing device complexity while maintaining adaptability
Solution Approach 2:
The valve body is designed with multiple ports and configurable internal passages that can be set during manufacturing to route water to different features. This universal design allows the same valve hardware to support various feature configurations without requiring additional valves, resolving the contradiction between versatility and complexity
2Adaptability or versatility
If additional single or dual valves and T-fittings are added, then the refrigerator can support more features, but the volume occupied by water routing units increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent consolidates multiple valve functions and T-fitting connections into a single compact valve body with integrated ports and passages. This eliminates the need for separate valves and T-fittings that would occupy additional space, thereby reducing the volume required for water routing units while supporting multiple features
Solution Approach 2:
The valve body contains multiple internal passages and ports nested within a single structure. Water routing paths are nested within the valve body rather than requiring external T-fittings and separate valve assemblies, significantly reducing the space occupied by water routing units while maintaining the capability to support multiple features
3Device complexity
If a continuous central core pin is used, then all three valve bodies are fluidly connected, but filter replacement requires shutting off water supply
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the central core pin into two separate pins instead of using a single continuous pin. This segmentation creates isolated fluid pathways that allow one valve body to be serviced (filter replaced) while the other valve bodies remain operational with water supply active, thereby improving ease of operation for filter replacement while maintaining simple valve linkage
Data Source
AI summary
Provided herein are embodiments of a refrigerator valve and method of routing water through a refrigerator with the valve. The valve includes three valve bodies that route water in a refrigerator to different features. The middle valve body is higher than the two outer valve bodies, allowing the solenoid actuators to be mounted in a space-saving manner. The three valve bodies are linked by a central core pin that can be continuous or discontinuous such that the central core pin can provide fluid communication between all three valve bodies or divide the valve into two separate but linked valves. In a valve with a discontinuous central core pin, one valve body is isolated from the other two valve bodies so as to provide a redundant shutoff and allow a filter of a filtration unit to be replaced without having to shut off the water being supplied to the refrigerator.