Abstract:
Dispenser assembly in the refrigerator having a body and a door for opening/closing a front surface of the body, including a dispenser in the front surface of the door for supplying water, a hinge coupled between the door and the body, a water supply pipe passed through insides of the hinge and the door, and connected to the dispenser, and a curved holding member above the hinge to surround and hold the water supply pipe, thereby holding the water supply pipe securely.

Description:
This application claims the benefit of the Korean Application No. P2003-0024212 filed on Mar. 17, 2003, which is hereby incorporated by reference. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to refrigerators, and more particularly, to a dispenser assembly in a refrigerator, for secure holding of a water supply pipe connected to a dispenser, and a refrigerator therewith. 
     2. Background of the Related Art 
     The refrigerators, supplying cold air produced from an evaporator in a refrigerating cycle for long time fresh storage of food. There are a variety of types of refrigerators commercially available for meeting various demands of consumers, such as an upright type having a freezing chamber and a refrigerating chamber arranged in up and down direction, and a standing side by side type having the freezing chamber and the refrigerating chamber arranged in left and right direction for providing larger effective inside spaces. 
     Moreover, recently, refrigerators each having an icemaker and a dispenser are commercially available for meeting various demands of the consumers. The icemaker is in general arranged in an upper portion of the freezing chamber for freezing water supplied from an outside of the refrigerator. The dispenser, in general mounted in a front surface of a door, so that the user is supplied with cold water without opening the door. 
       FIG. 1  illustrates a perspective view of a related art refrigerator. 
     Referring to  FIG. 1 , the related art refrigerator is provided with a body  1 , an upper door  2  and a lower door  3  for opening/closing a front of the body, and a hinge  5  for coupling the upper door  2  to the body  1 . 
     There are a hinge cover  6  on the hinge  5 , and a dispenser  4  in a front surface of the upper door  2 . The dispenser  4  is connected to a water supply pipe  7  for supplying water to the user, and the water supply pipe  7  is extended to an upper portion of the body  1  through the upper door  2  and the hinge  5 . 
     The water supply pipe  7  is connected to a water works (not shown) directly, or through a water supply valve (not shown). 
       FIG. 2  illustrates a section of a related art dispenser assembly of a refrigerator. 
     Referring to  FIG. 2 , the water supply pipe  7  passes through the hinge  5  and the upper door  2 , and is connected to the dispenser  4  (see  FIG. 1 ), and there is a hinge cover  6  on the hinge  5 . 
     The hinge cover  6  covers the water supply pipe  7  for protecting the water supply pipe  7  from an external impact. Moreover, the hinge cover  6  hides the water supply pipe for better overall outside appearance of the refrigerator. 
     In the meantime, the water supply pipe  7  is sharply bent as the water supply pipe  7  passes through the hinge  5  and extended to an upper portion of the body  1 . This structure prevents the water supply pipe  7  from extending high above the upper portion of the body  1 , to reduce a height of the hinge cover  6  that covers the water supply pipe  7 , thereby preventing the height of the refrigerator from becoming high unnecessarily, and improving an overall outside appearance of the refrigerator. 
     However, the related art dispenser assembly of the refrigerator has the following problems. 
     First, as shown in  FIG. 2 , the sharp bending of the water supply pipe  7  liable to forms a block portion  8  in the water supply pipe  7 , to block the water supply pipe  7 . In this case water supply through the water supply pipe  7  is impossible, to affect quality of the refrigerator. 
     Second, the sharp bending of the water supply pipe  7  provides an elastic force for restoring the water supply pipe  7  to an original state, which applies a strong force to the hinge cover  6 . Particularly, water supplied to the water supply pipe  7 , the elastic force of the water supply pipe  7  becomes greater by a hydraulic pressure. 
     Consequently, if the water supply pipe  7  keeps applying a pressure to the hinge cover  6  owing to the elastic force, the hinge cover  6  is liable to break. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     Accordingly, the present invention is directed to a dispenser assembly in a refrigerator, and a refrigerator therewith that substantially obviates one or more of the problems due to limitations and disadvantages of the related art. 
     An object of the present invention is to provide a dispenser assembly in a refrigerator, and a refrigerator therewith, which can hold a water supply pipe, securely. 
     Additional features and advantages of the invention will be set forth in the description which follows, and in part will be apparent to those having ordinary skill in the art upon examination of the following or may be learned from practice of the invention. The objectives and other advantages of the invention will be realized and attained by the structure particularly pointed out in the written description and claims hereof as well as the appended drawings. 
     To achieve these objects and other advantages and in accordance with the purpose of the present invention, as embodied and broadly described herein, the dispenser assembly in the refrigerator having a body and a door for opening/closing a front surface of the body, includes a dispenser in the front surface of the door for supplying water, a hinge coupled between the door and the body, a water supply pipe passed through insides of the hinge and the door, and connected to the dispenser, and a curved holding member above the hinge to surround and hold the water supply pipe. 
     The holding member preferably has an inside diameter smaller than an outside diameter of the water supply pipe. 
     The holding member has an opening for inserting the water supply pipe therethrough, and has holes in the other side surface for pushing out the water supply pipe inserted therein. 
     The holding member has projections from opposite sides of the opening at upper and lower ends of the holding member. The holding member has an inside diameter at the portion of the projections smaller than an outside diameter of the water supply pipe. 
     The holding member has a semi-cylindrical form having one opened side surface, and has an inside diameter smaller than an outside diameter of the water supply pipe. 
     The holding member has a reinforcing rib for preventing the holding member from breaking by an elastic force of the water supply pipe. 
     The dispenser assembly further includes recess portions in a top portion of the door and the hinge portion having the water supply pipe passed therethrough. 
     In other aspect of the present invention, there is provided a refrigerator including a body, a door for opening/closing a front surface of the body, a dispenser in the front surface of the door for supplying water, a hinge coupled between the door and the body, a water supply pipe passed through insides of the hinge and the door, and connected to the dispenser, a hinge cover for covering and protecting the water supply pipe, and a curved holding member above the hinge to surround and hold the water supply pipe. 
     The holding member preferably has an inside diameter smaller than an outside diameter of the water supply pipe. 
     The holding member has an opening for inserting the water supply pipe therethrough, and has holes in the other side surface for pushing out the water supply pipe inserted therein. 
     The holding member has projections from opposite sides of the opening at upper and lower ends of the holding member. The holding member has an inside diameter at the portion of the projections smaller than an outside diameter of the water supply pipe. 
     The holding member has a semi-cylindrical form having one opened side surface, and has an inside diameter smaller than an outside diameter of the water supply pipe. 
     The holding member has a reinforcing rib for preventing the holding member from breaking by an elastic force of the water supply pipe. 
     The dispenser assembly further includes recess portions in a top portion of the door and the hinge portion having the water supply pipe passed therethrough. 
     It is to be understood that both the foregoing description and the following detailed description of the present invention are exemplary and explanatory and are intended to provide further explanation of the invention claimed. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The accompanying drawings, which are included to provide a further understanding of the invention and are incorporated in and constitute a part of this application, illustrate embodiment(s) of the invention and together with the description serve to explain the principle of the invention. 
       In the drawings; 
         FIG. 1  illustrates a perspective view of a related art refrigerator; 
         FIG. 2  illustrates a section of a related art dispenser assembly of a refrigerator; 
         FIG. 3  illustrates a section of a dispenser assembly of a refrigerator in accordance with a first preferred embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 4  illustrates a perspective view of a holding member in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention; and 
         FIG. 5  illustrates a section of a dispenser assembly of a refrigerator in accordance with a second preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Reference will now be made in detail to the preferred embodiments of the present invention, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. In describing the embodiments, identical parts will be given the same names and reference symbols, and repetitive description of which will be omitted.  FIG. 3  illustrates a section of a dispenser assembly of a refrigerator in accordance with a first preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
     Referring to  FIG. 3 , the refrigerator of the present invention includes a body  11 , a door  12 , and a dispenser assembly of the refrigerator. 
     The body  11  forms an outside appearance of the refrigerator, and opens/closes a front surface of the body  11 . The dispenser assembly in the refrigerator supplies water to a user directly. 
     The dispenser assembly in the refrigerator will be described in more detail. 
     The dispenser assembly of the refrigerator includes a dispenser (not shown) in a front surface of the door  11 , for supplying water, a hinge  15  for coupling the body  11  to the door  12 , a water supply pipe  17 , and a holding member  18 . 
     The hinge  15 , on top of the body  11  and the door  12 , enables the door  12  to rotate to open/close the front surface of the body  11 . 
     The water supply pipe  17  passes insides of the hinge  15  and door  12 , and is connected to the dispenser. The door  12  has a water supply pipe passage  20  for guiding the water supply pipe  17  to a portion the dispenser is located. There is a hinge cover  16  above the water supply pipe  17 , for protecting the water supply pipe  17  from an external impact. 
     The holding member  18  is above the hinge  15  for surrounding and holding the water supply pipe  17 . The holding member  18  has curve form to make the water supply pipe  17  bent moderately. 
     According to this, the water supply pipe  17  is bent moderately by the holding member  18 , to prevent the block portion (see  FIG. 2 ) from being formed as the water supply pipe  17  is bent sharply like the related art. 
     In the meantime, it is preferable that an inside diameter of the holding member is smaller than an outside diameter of the water supply pipe  17 . In this case, the water supply pipe  17  is tightly held inside of the holding member  18 , and prevented from breaking away from the holding member  18  by an external impact. 
       FIG. 4  illustrates a perspective view of the holding member of the present invention. 
     Referring to  FIG. 4 , the holding member  18  has an opening  184  in one side for inserting the water supply pipe  17 . The opening  184  is extended along a length direction of the holding member  18 . Therefore, it is handy to insert the water supply pipe  17  into an inside of the holding member  18  through the opening  184 . 
     The holding member  18  has a semi-cylindrical form having one opened side. The inside diameter of the holding member  18  may be smaller than an outside diameter of the water supply pipe  17 . 
     Moreover, the holding member  18  has holes  185  in the other side surface for pushing out the water supply pipe  17  inserted therein. 
     In more detail, the holes  185 , in a portion opposite to the opening  184 , enables handy removal of the water supply pipe  17  from the holding member  18 . It is preferable that the holes  185  are formed in opposite ends of the holding member  18 , respectively. When the user intends to remove the water supply pipe  17  from the holding member  18 , the user inserts fingers into the holes  185 , and pushes away the holding member  18 . 
     Of course, a number and positions of the holes  185  may vary with a mold for fabricating the holding member  18 . 
     In the meantime, the holding member  184  has projections  181  from opposite sides of the opening  184  at upper and lower ends of the holding member  184 , for preventing the water supply pipe  17  from breaking away from the holding member  18 . The projections  181  prevent the water supply pipe  17  inserted in the holding member from breaking away through the opening  184 . 
     That is, it is liable that the water supply pipe  17  escapes through the opening  184  if an external impact is applied to the water supply pipe  17 , because a side surface of the holding member  18  having the opening  184  formed therein is opened. Once the projections  181  are formed, the water supply pipe  17  is caught at the projections  181 , to prevent easy escape therefrom. 
     Moreover, it is preferable that the holding member  18  has an inside diameter smaller than an outside diameter of the water supply pipe  17  in portions having the projections  181  formed thereon. In this instance, the water supply pipe  17  inserted in the holding member  18  is held tightly only at opposite ends by the projections  181 . 
     According to this, the water supply pipe  17  can be inserted into an inside of the holding member  18  with a smaller force compared to a case when an entire inside diameter of the holding member  18  is formed smaller than an outside diameter of the water supply pipe  17 . 
     Of course, there can be many variations, such as the inside diameter of the holding member  18  becomes the smaller as it goes from a center to the opposite ends the farther. 
     In the meantime, the holding member  18  has a reinforcing rib  182  for preventing the holding member  18  from being broken by an elastic force of the water supply pipe  17 . 
     In more detail, the water supply pipe  17 , in general formed of an elastic material, has an elastic force intending to restore to an original state once the water supply pipe  17  is inserted in the holding member  18  in a bent state. Moreover, when water is supplied to the water supply pipe  17 , the elastic force that the water supply pipe  17  intends to restore to an original state becomes stronger by a water pressure. 
     Therefore, since the holding member  18  is liable to break if the elastic force is applied to the holding member  18  for a long time, the reinforcing member  182  is formed at the holding member  18 , so that the holding member  18  endures the elastic force of the water supply pipe  17 . 
       FIG. 5  illustrates a section of a dispenser assembly of a refrigerator in accordance with a second preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
     Referring to  FIG. 5 , the embodiment of the present invention includes recess portions  121 , and  151  in an upper portion of the door  12  and a hinge  15  portion having the water supply pipe  17  passed therethrough. 
     In more detail, the recess portions  121 , and  152  include a door recess portion  121  having a recess formed to downward of the door  12 , and a hinge recess portion  151  in the hinge  15 . 
     The recess portions  121 , and  151  enable to lower a position of the holding member  18  provided to a top portion of the hinge  15 . This means that the bending portion of the water supply pipe  17  moves downward. According to this, a height of the water supply pipe  17  extended up from the refrigerator is lowered, enabling to lower entire height of the refrigerator. 
     As has been described, the dispenser assembly in a refrigerator of the present invention has the following advantages. 
     First, the formation of the block portion caused by bending of the water supply pipe is prevented, thereby permitting smooth supply of water from the dispenser. 
     Second, the rigid holding of the water supply pipe by the holding member can prevent damage to the hinge cover caused by an elastic force generated when the water supply pipe is bent, or water is supplied to the water supply pipe. 
     It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and variations can be made in the present invention without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention. Thus, it is intended that the present invention cover the modifications and variations of this invention provided they come within the scope of the appended claims and their equivalents.