초록 ▼

A water dispenser in a refrigerator door can include a filter casing in the door opening into the bottom of the dispenser housing. The filter casing can include a top wall positioned in the bottom of the dispenser housing, a head assembly at the bottom of the filter casing connected to the water sup

A water dispenser in a refrigerator door can include a filter casing in the door opening into the bottom of the dispenser housing. The filter casing can include a top wall positioned in the bottom of the dispenser housing, a head assembly at the bottom of the filter casing connected to the water supply and to a water outlet in the dispenser, and can include a filter casing drain. A filter cartridge in the filter casing can connect to the head assembly. The filter casing can include a filter retainer mounted adjacent the opening into the filter casing and can hold the filter cartridge connected to the head assembly in a first position and can release the filter cartridge in a second position. The filter casing can include a drain line leading from the filter casing drain to a pan outside the refrigerated space.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A refrigerator having an insulated cabinet forming a refrigerated space; an insulated door closing the refrigerated space having an outer panel and a liner;a water supply to the door;a water dispenser comprising; a dispenser housing having side walls, a top and a bottom in the door extending inwa

1. A refrigerator having an insulated cabinet forming a refrigerated space; an insulated door closing the refrigerated space having an outer panel and a liner;a water supply to the door;a water dispenser comprising; a dispenser housing having side walls, a top and a bottom in the door extending inwardly from the outer panel toward the liner;a water outlet in the dispenser housing adjacent the top;a filter casing in the door positioned below the dispenser housing and opening into the bottom of the dispenser housing including: a head assembly at one end of the filter casing connected to the water supply and to the water outlet;a filter cartridge positioned in the filter casing connected to the head assembly; anda filter retainer mounted adjacent the opening into the filter casing and arranged to hold the filter cartridge connected to the head assembly;wherein the filter casing includes a resilient latch, the filter cartridge includes a shoulder on a sidewall and the filter retainer includes: a filter cover pivotally mounted adjacent the opening to the filter casing including a catch arranged to engage the resilient latch when the filter cover is in a closed position covering the opening to the filter casing;a cam having a cam surface to engage the shoulder on the filter cartridge when the cam is in a first position and to disengage from the shoulder when the cam is in a second position; anda pivotally mounted lever arranged to rotate the cam between the first position and the second position. 2. The refrigerator according to claim 1, wherein the dispenser further includes a tray removably mounted in the bottom of the dispenser housing covering the opening in the filter casing. 3. The refrigerator according to claim 2, wherein the filter retainer is accessible when the tray is removed. 4. The refrigerator according to claim 1, wherein the filter cover is resiliently biased to an open position and wherein the cam engages the resilient latch to disengage the resilient latch from the catch when the cam is rotated from the first position to the second position by the lever thereby releasing the filter cover to pivot to the open position. 5. The refrigerator according to claim 4, wherein rotation of the cam from the first position to the second position first disengages the resilient latch from the catch and then disengages the cam surface from the shoulder to allow removal of the filter cartridge from the filter casing. 6. The refrigerator according to claim 1, wherein the filter casing includes at least one generally funnel shaped recess in a sidewall beginning adjacent the opening into the dispenser housing, and wherein the filter cartridge includes at least one guide rail along a sidewall positioned to engage the funnel shaped recess when the filter cartridge is inserted into the filter casing, whereby the funnel shaped recess rotates the filter cartridge into the correct position to connect with the head assembly when fully inserted into the filter casing. 7. The refrigerator according to claim 6, wherein the filter cartridge and the filter casing are generally cylindrical in cross section. 8. The refrigerator according to claim 6, wherein the widest portion of the generally funnel shaped recess is adjacent the dispenser housing. 9. A refrigerator having an insulated cabinet forming a refrigerated space; an insulated door closing the refrigerated space having an outer panel and a liner;a water supply to the door;a water dispenser comprising; a dispenser housing having side walls, a top and a bottom in the door extending inwardly from the outer panel toward the liner;a water outlet in the dispenser housing adjacent the top of the dispenser housing;a filter casing in the door opening into the bottom of the dispenser housing including: a top wall positioned in the bottom of the dispenser housing;a head assembly at the bottom of the filter casing connected to the water supply and to the water outlet and including a filter casing drain;a filter cartridge positioned in the filter casing connected to the head assembly; anda drain line leading from the filter casing drain to a pan outside the refrigerated space. 10. The refrigerator according to claim 9, wherein the insulated door is hingedly mounted to the insulated cabinet with at least one hollow hinge pin and the drain line passes through the hollow hinge pin to the pan. 11. The refrigerator according to claim 9, wherein the refrigerator includes a machinery compartment having a condensate pan and the drain line extends out of the insulated door and wherein a drain catch extends below the insulated door under the drain line when the insulated door is in a closed position, and the drain catch conducts water from the drain line to the condensate pan. 12. The refrigerator according to claim 9, wherein the refrigerated space includes a below freezing freezer compartment, the insulated door closes the freezer compartment, and wherein the door liner includes an access opening adjacent the filter casing; and further including an insulated closure for the access opening, and insulation in the freezer door to cool the filter cartridge to an above freezing temperature.