Abstract:
The present invention relates to a refrigerator door dispenser spill shelf drain system that is connected at one end to the spill collection tray of the dispensing unit and is connected at the other end to a collector pan. The water is routed through tubing from the spill shelf to the collector evaporator pan, which is mounted atop the condenser of the refrigerator. The heat from the condenser helps to evaporate the water that accumulates there after draining from the spill shelf.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to a refrigerator door dispenser spill shelf drain for use in connection with refrigerator door mounted ice and water dispensers. The refrigerator door dispenser spill shelf drain has particular utility in connection with production of new refrigerators. 
     2. Description of the Prior Art 
     Refrigerator door dispenser spill shelf drains are desirable for draining spillage or overflow water or ice that would otherwise accumulate in the shelf. The water or ice can spill out of the shelf when the shelf is removed to be emptied and create a mess or potential slip hazard. The accumulated water or ice melt can also mold or mildew in the shelf. 
     The use of door mounted water and ice dispensers is known in the prior art. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,971,213 to Lee discloses one way to provide cooled water for the consumer&#39;s convenience from a refrigerator door mounted water dispenser. However, the Lee &#39;213 patent does not provide overflow protection, and has further drawbacks of not providing drainage for spilled water from the water collection and receiving tray to a separate collection pan for evaporation. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 6,058,718 to Forsberg et al. discloses a portable potable water recovery and dispensing apparatus that provides a means for collecting water from the ambient air and dispensing the collected water, either heated or chilled or as ice. However, the Forsberg &#39;718 patent does not provide overflow protection for the spill collection tray, and has further drawbacks of not providing drainage for spilled ice or water from the water collection tray, as the tray requires intervention by the user to drain the water. 
     Similarly, U.S. Pat. No. 5,906,110 to Choi discloses a receiving and discharging apparatus that fits within a refrigerator that collects water produced during the defrosting and operation of the cooler coils. However, the Choi &#39;110 patent does not provide the same structure or function as the present invention, and can not provide removal of the accumulated water from the drip collection tray of a door mounted ice and water dispenser without user intervention. 
     Also, U.S. Pat. No. 5,542,265 to Rutland discloses a door mounted water dispenser that has an internally mounted water container in which the water is cooled. However, the Rutland &#39;265 patent does not contain the same structure as the present invention as it requires user intervention to empty the accumulated water, and cannot provide drainage for the water spilled from the dispenser and route the water to a collection and evaporation pan. 
     Additionally, U.S. Pat. No. 5,279,445 to Fisher et al. discloses a cable operated ice dispensing door that operates to rapidly close the ice dispensing door of a drink dispensing machine to thereby curtail the loss of ice from the insulated ice storage area. However, the Fisher &#39;445 patent does not have the same structure as the present invention, and can not provide for the collection of the melted ice and spilled water for evaporation as does the present invention. 
     Lastly, U.S. Pat. No. Des. 369,719 to Eddy et al. discloses a drip tray for a domestic water cooler that attaches to slots on the cooler to collect drips and spills from the cooler. However, the Eddy &#39;719 patent does not provide the same structure as the present invention, and has the additional deficiency of not being self-draining to an internally contained evaporation pan and therefore requires user intervention to empty the accumulated water from the tray. 
     While the above-described devices fulfill their respective, particular objectives and requirements, the aforementioned patents do not describe a refrigerator door dispenser spill shelf drain that allows for internal collection and disposal of the water drained from the spill tray. The Choi &#39;110 patent is directed towards a different problem with refrigerators, and thus makes no provision for self-draining of the collected water, as the disclosed drip collector requires intervention by the user to remove the accumulated water. The Fisher &#39;445 patent is an improvement in its area, as it provides a drain mechanism for spilled ice or melt water but does not have the same structure of the present invention, as it does not provide an internal evaporation container to collect and evaporate the collected water but requires attachment to an external drain. 
     Therefore, a need exists for a new and improved refrigerator door dispenser spill shelf drain that can be used for integration on door mounted refrigerator ice and water dispenser spill trays. In this regard, the present invention substantially fulfills this need. In this respect, the refrigerator door dispenser spill shelf drain according to the present invention substantially departs from the conventional concepts and designs of the prior art, and in doing so provides an apparatus primarily developed for the purpose of obviating the need for user intervention to remove spilled ice or water from the spill collection tray. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     In view of the foregoing disadvantages inherent in the known types of door mounted ice and water dispenser spill trays now present in the prior art, the present invention provides an improved refrigerator door dispenser spill shelf drain, and overcomes the above-mentioned disadvantages and drawbacks of the prior art. As such, the general purpose of the present invention, which will be described subsequently in greater detail, is to provide a new and improved refrigerator door dispenser spill shelf drain which has all the advantages of the prior art mentioned heretofore and many novel features that result in a refrigerator door dispenser spill shelf drain which is not anticipated, rendered obvious, suggested, or even implied by the prior art, either alone or in any combination thereof. 
     To attain this, the present invention essentially comprises a drain system that is connected at one end to the spill collection tray of a refrigerator door mounted ice and water dispenser and terminates at a collection and evaporation pan located atop the condenser of the refrigerator. The drain system serves to remove the water that would otherwise collect in the spill collection tray. The drain system uses tubing that can be formed using plastic, vinyl, copper tubing or similar flexible material, either singularly or in combination. The drained water is routed through grommets or similar guides placed in the refrigerator door and wall to prevent pinching or impingement of the drain tube. 
     There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features of the invention in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. 
     The invention may also include a coiled portion in the drain tube to allow for free movement of the drain tube to minimize pinching or impingement of the drain tube when the door is opened. There are, of course, additional features of the invention that will be described hereinafter and which will form the subject matter of the claims attached. 
     Numerous objects, features and advantages of the present invention will be readily apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art upon a reading of the following detailed description of presently preferred, but nonetheless illustrative, embodiments of the present invention when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. In this respect, before explaining the current embodiment of the invention in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and to the arrangements of the components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced and carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein are for the purpose of descriptions and should not be regarded as limiting. 
     As such, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the conception, upon which this disclosure is based, may readily be utilized as a basis for the designing of other structures, methods and systems for carrying out the several purposes of the present invention. It is important, therefore, that the claims be regarded as including such equivalent constructions insofar as they do not depart from the spirit and scope of the present invention. 
     It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a new and improved refrigerator door dispenser spill shelf drain that has all of the advantages of the prior art water and ice spill collectors and none of the disadvantages. 
     It is another object of the present invention to provide a new and improved refrigerator door dispenser spill shelf drain that may be easily and efficiently manufactured and marketed. 
     An even further object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved refrigerator door dispenser spill shelf drain that has a low cost of manufacture with regard to both materials and labor, and which accordingly is then susceptible of low prices of sale to the consuming public, thereby making such refrigerator door dispenser spill shelf drain economically available to the buying public. 
     Still another object of the present invention is to provide a new refrigerator door dispenser spill shelf drain that provides in the apparatuses and methods of the prior art some of the advantages thereof, while simultaneously overcoming some of the disadvantages normally associated therewith. 
     Even still another object of the present invention is to provide a refrigerator door dispenser spill shelf drain for minimizing the potential for slips and falls caused by the spillage of water onto the floor, either as the spill collection tray overflows or is spilled while being emptied. This allows for increased safety in the home and less potential for injuries. 
     The refrigerator door dispenser spill shelf drain further prevents an accumulation of stagnant water is the home, thus helping to reduce mold, mildew or odor potentially caused by the water standing in the spill collection tray. 
     Lastly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a new and improved refrigerator door dispenser spill shelf drain for ease of cleaning. The refrigerator door dispenser spill shelf drain greatly aids in this regard as it does not need to be removed to empty, thus removing any chance of spilling the contained ice or water onto the floor during the emptying of the spill collection tray. 
     These together with other objects of the invention, along with the various features of novelty that characterize the invention, are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this disclosure. For a better understanding of the invention, its operating advantages and the specific objects attained by its uses, reference should be had to the accompanying drawings and descriptive matter in which there is illustrated preferred embodiments of the invention. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The invention will be better understood and objects other than those set forth above will become apparent when consideration is given to the following detailed description thereof. Such description makes reference to the annexed drawings wherein: 
     FIG. 1 is a top, left and front perspective view of the preferred embodiment of the refrigerator door dispenser spill shelf drain constructed in accordance with the principles of the present invention. 
     FIG. 2 is a cross sectional view of the refrigerator door dispenser spill shelf drain spill collector tray connector of the present invention, taken substantially along the line  2 — 2  of FIG.  1 . 
     FIG. 3 is a cross sectional view of the refrigerator door dispenser spill shelf drain tube routing of the present invention, taken substantially along the line  3 — 3  of FIG.  1 . 
     FIG. 4 is a top, left and front perspective view of the refrigerator door dispenser spill shelf drain collector and evaporator pan of the present invention. 
     FIG. 5 is a cross sectional view of the refrigerator door dispenser spill shelf drain collector and evaporator pan of the present invention, taken substantially along the line  5 — 5  of FIG.  4 . 
    
    
     The same reference numerals refer to the same parts throughout the various figures. 
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Referring now to the drawings, and particularly to FIGS. 1-5, a preferred embodiment of the refrigerator door dispenser spill shelf drain of the present invention is shown and generally designated by the reference numeral  10 . 
     In FIG. 1, a new and improved refrigerator door dispenser spill shelf drain  10  of the present invention for draining the accumulated water from the spill collection tray  14  of a refrigerator door  56  mounted water and ice dispenser  16  is illustrated and will be described. More particularly, the refrigerator door dispenser spill shelf drain  10  is within a water and ice dispenser enclosure  12  beneath the water and ice dispenser  16  and consists of a spill collection tray  14 , a molded grid  36 , drain tubing  40  and a collection pan  42 . The spill collection tray  14  has a spill collection tray bottom side  18  which abuts the water and ice dispenser enclosure bottom side  20 , a spill collection tray back side  24  which abuts the water and ice dispenser enclosure back side  26 , a spill collection tray right side  28  which abuts the water and ice dispenser enclosure right side  30 , a spill collection tray left side  32  which abuts the water and ice dispenser enclosure left side  34 , and a spill collection tray front side  22 . The spill collection tray  14  has a molded fitting  38 , which is shown on the spill collection tray bottom side  18 . The drain tubing  40 , collection pan  42 , and refrigerator compressor  78  are shown in dashed lines, as they are not visible through the refrigerator door  56  and the refrigerator wall  58 . The drain tubing  40  is shown as being routed the refrigerator door  56  and the refrigerator wall  58 , but other routes are contemplated, and are included within the scope of this invention. 
     In FIG. 2, the refrigerator door dispenser spill shelf drain  10  is shown in cross section, taken along the lines  2 — 2  of FIG.  1 . The spill collection tray  14 , molded grid  36 , molded fitting  38 , and drain tubing  40  of the refrigerator door dispenser spill shelf drain  10  are shown in place within the refrigerator door  56 . The spill collection tray bottom side  18  is shown abutted to the water and ice dispenser enclosure bottom side  20 . The spill collection tray right side  28  is shown abutted to the water and ice dispenser enclosure right side  30 . The spill collection tray left side  32  is shown abutted to the water and ice dispenser enclosure left side  34 . The molded grid  36  is shown in place atop the spill collection tray  14 . The molded fitting  38  is shown with the drain tubing  40  attached to the spill collection tray bottom side  18  and routed through the water and ice dispenser enclosure bottom side  20 , but other routes are contemplated, and are included within the scope of this invention. 
     In FIG. 3 the refrigerator door dispenser spill shelf drain  10  is shown in cross section, taken along the lines  3 — 3  of FIG.  1 . The drain tubing  40  is shown as being routed the refrigerator door  56  and the refrigerator wall  58 , but other routes are contemplated, and are included within the scope of this invention. The drain tubing  40  is shown routed through the tubing guides  76 . The tubing coiled segment  60  is shown within the tubing coiled segment enclosure  62 . The tubing coiled segment enclosure left side  68 , the tubing coiled segment enclosure right side  70 , the tubing coiled segment enclosure front side  72 , and the tubing coiled segment enclosure back side  74  are shown. 
     In FIG. 4 the collection pan  42  is shown. The drain tubing  40  is shown as a straight line, and is terminated at a point before routing through the refrigerator wall  58 . The bottom side  44  of the collection pan  42  retains the water that drains from the spill collection tray  14  and flows through the tubing  40 . The drain tubing  40  is shown attached to the collection pan front side  46 , attachment to the collection pan rear side  48 , the collection pan right side  50 , and the collection pan left side  52  are contemplated, and are included within the scope of this invention. The refrigerator compressor  78  is shown in dashed lines. 
     In FIG. 5, the collection pan  42  is shown atop the refrigerator compressor  78 . The refrigerator compressor  78  is shown using dashed lines. The molded fitting  54  of the collection pan  44  is shown as located on the front side  46  of the collection pan  42 . The collection pan  42  is shown as sized to fit atop and to encompass the refrigerator compressor  78 . The collection pan  42  can also mechanically attach to the refrigerator compressor  78 , and this is claimed as being within the current invention. 
     In use, it can now be understood that the refrigerator door dispenser spill shelf drain is an improvement in the refrigerator dispensing apparatus, in that it obviates the need for intervention to remove the accumulated water from the spill collection tray. While a preferred embodiment of the refrigerator door dispenser spill shelf drain has been described in detail, it should be apparent that modifications and variations thereto are possible, all of which fall within the true spirit and scope of the invention. With respect to the above description then, it is to be realized that the optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of the invention, to include variations in size, materials, shape, form, function and manner of operation, assembly and use, are deemed readily apparent and obvious to one skilled in the art, and all equivalent relationships to those illustrated in the drawings and described in the specification are intended to be encompassed by the present invention. For example, any suitable sturdy water-resistant material such as metal, polycarbonate, or glass may be used instead of the plastic evaporator collector pan described. Also, the drain tubing may also be made of heavy-duty rubber, vinyl, or similar material. And although draining a refrigerator spill shelf has been described, it should be appreciated that the refrigerator door dispenser spill shelf drain herein described is also suitable for removing collected water from a large variety of surfaces and sources. Furthermore, a wide variety of routing of the drain tubing may be used instead of the refrigerator door and refrigerator wall routing described. 
     Therefore, the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention.