Abstract:
In one aspect, a fill tube assembly for supplying water to an icemaker is described. In one embodiment, the assembly comprises a grommet comprising and inlet and an outlet, and a fill tube configured for coupling to the grommet outlet. The fill tube comprises a slot extending from one end thereof. In another embodiment, the assembly comprises tape at least partially wrapped around a portion of the fill tube for facilitating heating at least the fill tube portion.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0001]    This invention relates generally to refrigerators/freezers and more particularly, to icemakers.  
           [0002]    Refrigerators and freezers typically include an icemaker. The icemaker receives water for ice production from a water valve typically mounted to the exterior of the refrigerator or freezer case. The water valve typically is coupled to a fill tube via polyethylene tubing. Water is dispensed from the fill tube into a tray in which ice cubes are formed. Specifically, the fill tube transports water from the polyethylene tubing to the icemaker located inside the freezer. The fill tube typically is either foamed in place or extends through an opening in the case.  
           [0003]    Water in the fill tube is subject to freezing, i.e., the fill tube is exposed to the cold air in the freezer. Several conditions can cause water in the fill tube to freeze. For example, a leaking or weeping water valve, freezing/thawing of natural forming frost, or frozen water droplets can cause fill tube freezing.  
           [0004]    If water in the fill tube freezes, then water cannot be delivered to the icemaker. That is, if the fill tube freezes, no ice is made since water cannot be delivered to the icemaker. Additionally, if the fill tube freezes, then water pressure between the water valve and an ice plug in the fill tube can increase. A water leak can result from such increased pressure, and water may leak into the freezer or outside the case and accumulate or seep through the floor.  
         BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0005]    In one aspect, a fill tube assembly for supplying water to an icemaker is provided. In one embodiment, the assembly comprises a grommet comprising and an inlet and an outlet, and a fill tube configured for coupling to the grommet outlet. The fill tube comprises a slot extending from one end thereof. In another embodiment, the assembly comprises tape at least partially wrapped around a portion of the fill tube for facilitating heating at least the fill tube portion.  
           [0006]    In another aspect, a fill tube assembly comprising an insulator and a grommet for at least partially fitting within the insulator is provided. The grommet comprises an inlet and an outlet. The assembly further comprises a plate comprising a boss, and the grommet outlet extends at least partially through the boss. A fill tube has one end in engagement with the boss.  
           [0007]    In another aspect, a freezer is provided. The freezer comprises an icemaker and a fill tube assembly. The fill tube assembly comprises a grommet comprising an inlet and an outlet. The assembly further comprises a fill tube coupled to the grommet outlet. The fill tube assembly comprises at least one ice formation prevention component. In one embodiment, the ice formation prevention component comprises an aluminum plate. In another embodiment, the ice formation prevention component comprises at least one of a slot in the fill tube, tape at least partially wrapped around a portion of the fill tube, and a foam pad at least partially wrapped around a portion of the fill tube. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0008]    [0008]FIG. 1 illustrates a side-by-side type refrigerator;  
         [0009]    [0009]FIG. 2 is an exploded view of one embodiment of a fill tube assembly;  
         [0010]    [0010]FIG. 3 is a top plan view of the foam pad shown in FIG. 2;  
         [0011]    [0011]FIG. 4 is a top plan view of the aluminum tape shown in FIG. 2;  
         [0012]    [0012]FIG. 5 is a side view of the tube shown in FIG. 2;  
         [0013]    [0013]FIG. 6 is an end view of the fill tube with the foam pad and aluminum tape wrapped thereon; and  
         [0014]    [0014]FIG. 7 is an exploded view of another embodiment of a fill tube assembly. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0015]    Icemakers are utilized in residential, or domestic, refrigerators as well as in stand alone freezers. Although the fill tube assembly is described herein in the context of a residential refrigerator, such fill tube assembly can be utilized in connection with commercial refrigerators as well as in stand-alone icemakers, i.e., icemakers that are not part of a larger freezer compartment or refrigerator. Therefore, the fill tube assembly is not limited to use in connection with only icemakers utilized in residential refrigerators, and can be utilized in connection with icemakers in many other environments. In addition, a side-by-side type refrigerator is described below in detail. The fill tube assembly is not, however, limited to use in connection with side-by-side type refrigerators and can be used with other types of refrigerators, e.g., a top mount type refrigerator.  
         [0016]    [0016]FIG. 1 illustrates a side-by-side refrigerator  100  including a fresh food storage compartment  102  and a freezer storage compartment  104 . Freezer compartment  104  and fresh food compartment  102  are arranged side-by-side. A side-by-side refrigerator such as refrigerator  100  is commercially available from General Electric Company, Appliance Park, Louisville, Ky. 40225.  
         [0017]    Refrigerator  100  includes an outer case  106  and inner liners  108  and  110 . A space between case  106  and liners  108  and  110 , and between liners  108  and  110 , is filled with foamed-in-place insulation. Outer case  106  normally is formed by folding a sheet of a suitable material, such as pre-painted steel, into an inverted U-shape to form top and side walls of case. A bottom wall of case  106  normally is formed separately and attached to the case side walls and to a bottom frame that provides support for refrigerator  100 . Inner liners  108  and  110  are molded from a suitable plastic material to form freezer compartment  104  and fresh food compartment  102 , respectively. Alternatively, liners  108 ,  110  may be formed by bending and welding a sheet of a suitable metal, such as steel. The illustrative embodiment includes two separate liners  108 ,  110  as it is a relatively large capacity unit and separate liners add strength and are easier to maintain within manufacturing tolerances. In smaller refrigerators, a single liner is formed and a mullion spans between opposite sides of the liner to divide it into a freezer compartment and a fresh food compartment.  
         [0018]    A breaker strip  112  extends between a case front flange and outer front edges of liners. Breaker strip  112  is formed from a suitable resilient material, such as an extruded acrylo-butadiene-syrene based material (commonly referred to as ABS).  
         [0019]    The insulation in the space between liners  108 ,  110  is covered by another strip of suitable resilient material, which also commonly is referred to as a mullion  114 . Mullion  114  also preferably is formed of an extruded ABS material. It will be understood that in a refrigerator with separate mullion dividing a unitary liner into a freezer and a fresh food compartment, a front face member of mullion corresponds to mullion  114 . Breaker strip  112  and mullion  114  form a front face, and extend completely around inner peripheral edges of case  106  and vertically between liners  108 ,  110 . Mullion  114 , insulation between compartments, and a spaced wall of liners separating compartments, sometimes are collectively referred to herein as a center mullion wall  116 .  
         [0020]    Shelves  118  and slide-out drawers  120  and  122  normally are provided in fresh food compartment  102  to support items being stored therein. A control interface  124  is mounted in an upper region of fresh food storage compartment  102 . A shelf  126  and wire baskets  128  are also provided in freezer compartment  104 . In addition, an icemaker  130  is provided in freezer compartment  104 .  
         [0021]    A freezer door  132  and a fresh food door  134  close access openings to fresh food and freezer compartments  102 ,  104 , respectively. Each door  132 ,  134  is mounted by a top hinge  136  and a bottom hinge (not shown) to rotate about its outer vertical edge between an open position, as shown in FIG. 1, and a closed position (not shown) closing the associated storage compartment. Freezer door  132  includes a plurality of storage shelves  138  and a sealing gasket  140 , and fresh food door  134  also includes a plurality of storage shelves  142  and a sealing gasket  144 .  
         [0022]    Regarding icemaker  130 , icemaker  130  receives water for ice production from a water valve typically mounted to the exterior of the refrigerator. In one embodiment, the water valve is coupled to a fill tube via polyethylene tubing. Water is dispensed from the fill tube into a tray in which ice cubes are formed. Specifically, the fill tube transports water from the polyethylene tubing to icemaker  130 . As explained above, water in the fill tube is subject to freezing, i.e., the fill tube is exposed to the cold air in the freezer, and ice plugs can form in the fill tube. The ice plug prevents water from flowing to icemaker  130  and also can result in water leaks due to increased water pressure in the polyethylene tubing.  
         [0023]    [0023]FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of one embodiment of a fill tube assembly  150 . FIGS.  3 - 5  illustrate components of fill tube assembly  150 . Referring specifically to FIG. 2, assembly  150  includes a grommet  152  which includes an inlet  154  and an outlet  156 . Inlet  154  is configured to couple to a polyethylene tube (not shown) which extends from a water valve (not shown) to inlet  154 . In one embodiment, one end of the polyethylene tube slides over inlet  154  and forms a tight fit with inlet  154 . Assembly  150  also includes a fill tube  158  configured to couple to grommet outlet  156 . In one embodiment, an end  160  of tube  158  slides over outlet  156  and forms a tight fit with outlet  106 . Fill tube  158  includes a tapered slot  162  starting at an end  163  opposite end  160 , and slot  162  facilitates preventing an ice slug binding in tube  158 . Specifically, slot  162  shortens the length of tube  158  in which an ice slug can form, i.e., rather than the entire length of tube  158 , an ice slug can only form in the non-slotted portion of tube  158 . In addition, slot  162  similarly shortens the length of tube  158  in which frost can form, i.e., the frosting length is reduced from the full length of tube  158  to the non-slotted portion of tube  158 . Slot  162  also facilitates preventing mechanical binding of an ice slug during a defrost operation.  
         [0024]    Assembly  150  further includes a foam pad  164  and aluminum tape  166 . Generally, aluminum tape  166  is first wrapped around a portion of tube  158 , and then foam pad  164  is wrapped around tape  166 .  
         [0025]    [0025]FIG. 3 is a top plan view of foam pad  164  and FIG. 4 is a top plan view of aluminum tape  166 . As shown in FIG. 3, foam pad  164  includes opposing cut-out sections  168 .  
         [0026]    [0026]FIG. 5 is a side view of tube  158 . A portion  170  of tube  158  is configured to have pad  164  and tape  166  wrapped therearound, as described below in more detail. In one embodiment, tube portion  170  is located in the foamed wall of the refrigerator. Aluminum tape  166  facilitates warming portion  170  of tube such that the tube walls exceed 32° F. during the refrigerator compressor off cycle. In one specific embodiment, aluminum tape  166  maintains the fill tube temperature in the area of tape  166  above freezing in an off cycle and during a defrost operation with a 70° F. termination temperature being utilized.  
         [0027]    Closed cell foam pad  164  is wrapped around portion  170  of tube that is placed through the cored foam hole. Pad  164  facilitates preventing cold air from surrounding tube  158  and facilitates preventing freezing of water in tube  158 . That is, pad  164  provide friction holding force between fill tube  158  and the refrigerator case insulation. Consequently, fill tube  158  is less likely to shoot out into the icemaker fill cup during a fill operation and such friction forces also facilitate utilizing higher water pressure to clear an ice plug from fill tube.  
         [0028]    Slot  112 , foam pad  114 , and aluminum tape  116  are separately and collectively sometimes referred to herein as ice formation prevention components since such components facilitate preventing the formation of ice in fill tube  108 . Example dimensions for the components of fill tube assembly  150  are set forth below. Such dimensions are in inches unless otherwise indicated. Of course, in other embodiments, other dimensions can be employed and the dimensions below are by way of example only.  
         [0029]    A=2.25  
         [0030]    B=2.50  
         [0031]    C=2.00  
         [0032]    D=2.00  
         [0033]    E=0.25ø 
         [0034]    F=1.50  
         [0035]    G=2.00  
         [0036]    H=0.100+/−0.100 (0.200 max)  
         [0037]    I=4.50  
         [0038]    J=0.25  
         [0039]    [0039]FIG. 6 is an end view of fill tube  158  with tape  166  and pad  166  wrapped thereon. Tape  166  is wrapped with a seam  172  down. Pad  166  is wrapped with a seam  174  up. Staggering seams  172  and  174  facilitates preventing ice plugs in tube  158 .  
         [0040]    In operation, water is supplied to tube  158  via grommet  152 , and water flows from tube  158  into icemaker  130 . Tapered slot  162  facilitates preventing frost from forming on tube  158 , and specifically facilitates preventing frost from forming thereon, i.e., on slot  162  itself. Aluminum tape  166  facilitates warming portion  170  of tube  158  that is located in the refrigerator wall, and foam pad  164  facilitates preventing cold air from surrounding tube  158  to prevent freezing.  
         [0041]    [0041]FIG. 7 is an exploded view of another embodiment of a fill tube assembly  200 . Assembly  200  includes a plastic grommet  202  for conveying water. At least a portion of grommet  202  fits within an insulator  204  that facilitates preventing sweat that could subsequently freeze. A cover  206  facilitates preventing damage. An aluminum plate  208  is in intimate contact with the back of the refrigerator case and transfers heat to aluminum fill tube  210 , thus facilitating preventing freeze-up.  
         [0042]    More particularly, grommet  202  includes an inlet  212  and an outlet  214 . Inlet  212  is configured to couple to a polyethylene tube (not shown) which extends from a water valve (not shown) to inlet  212 . In one embodiment, one end of the polyethylene tube slides over inlet  212  and forms a tight fit with inlet  212 . Grommet outlet  214  slides into an opening and through boss  216  of plate  208 . An end  218  of tube  210  slides over outlet  214  and into engagement with boss  216 .  
         [0043]    Insulator  204  includes a cut-out portion  220 , and outlet  212  of grommet  202  fits within insulator cut-out portion  220 . Insulator also includes an indentation portion  222  for mating with a grommet plate  224  of grommet  202 . Insulator  204  facilitates preventing the formation of sweat on grommet  202  and fill tube  210 .  
         [0044]    Cover  206  includes flanges  226  and  228  having openings  230  and  232  therein that align with openings  234  and  236  in plate  208 . Cover  206  is secured to plate  208  by screws (not shown) that extend through aligned openings  230 , 234  and  232 , 236 . Cover  206  facilitates preventing damage to grommet  202  and insulator  204 . Plate  208  is an ice formation prevention component in that plate  208 , by being in intimate contact with the back of the refrigerator, is heated and such heat energy is transferred by plate  208  via boss  216  to tube  210 . Such heat transfer facilitates preventing ice plugs from forming in tube  210 .  
         [0045]    In addition to the fill tube assembly embodiments described herein, operation of the refrigerator defrost cycle can be adjusted so that the fill tube receives adequate energy to defrost any ice build up that might occur on the fill tube. More particularly, a refrigerator typically includes a refrigeration circuit including a compressor, an evaporator, and a condenser connected in series. An evaporator fan is provided to blow air over the evaporator, and a condenser fan is provided to blow air over the condenser. Such refrigerators also typically include defrost heaters coupled to a defrost control for controlling defrost operations. Adjustable parameters include, for example, the defrost termination temperature (i.e., the temperature at which the defrost heaters are de-energized by the defrost control), amount of time the defrost heaters are on, the amount of system dwell time, and the amount of evaporator dwell time. Dwell time generally is the time period after one cycle has been terminated and before another cycle is initiated. For example, defrost dwell time is the time period after defrost heat is terminated and before the compressor is allowed to turn back on, i.e., before a cold control re-energizes the compressor. Increasing the defrost termination temperature raises the peak temperature of the fill tube. Increased evaporator fan delay allows more time at a given temperature of the fill tube.  
         [0046]    While the invention has been described in terms of various specific embodiments, those skilled in the art will recognize that the invention can be practiced with modification within the spirit and scope of the claims.