# US 11,079,157 B2 · Refrigerator > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,079,157 B2 - Document ID: US11079157B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/776,021 - Filed: 2020-01-29 - Published: 2020-05-28 - Granted: 2021-08-03 - Earliest claimed: 2015-05-20 - Assignees: LG Electronics Inc. - Applicants: LG Electronics Inc. - Inventors: Wonsu Kim - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11079157B2 ## CPC - F25C 5/22: {particularly adapted for household refrigerators} - F25D 11/02: with cooling compartments at different temperatures - F25D 17/06: by forced circulation - F25D 23/028: {Details} - F25D 23/04: with special compartments, e.g. butter conditioners - F25D 23/068: {Arrangements for circulating fluids through the insulating material} - F25D 23/126: {Water cooler} - F25C 2400/14: Water supply - F25D 2323/024: Door hinges - F25D 2323/121: the refrigerator is characterised by a water filter for the water/ice dispenser - F25D 2323/122: the refrigerator is characterised by a water tank for the water/ice dispenser - F25D 2400/40: Refrigerating devices characterised by electrical wiring - F25C: PRODUCING, WORKING OR HANDLING ICE - F25D: REFRIGERATORS; COLD ROOMS; ICE-BOXES; COOLING OR FREEZING APPARATUS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR (refrigerated showcases A47F3/04; thermally-insulated vessels for domestic use A47J41/00; refrigerated vehicles, see the appropriate subclasses of classes B60 - B64; containers with thermal insulation in general B65D81/38; heat-transfer, heat-exchange or heat-storage materials, e.g. refrigerants, or materials for the production of heat or cold by chemical reactions other than by combustion C09K5/00; thermally-insulated vessels for liquefied or solidified gases F17C; air-conditioning or air-humidification F24F; refrigeration machines, plants, or systems F25B; cooling of instruments or comparable apparatus without refrigeration G12B) ## Abstract A refrigerator includes a cabinet that includes a refrigerator compartment and a freezer compartment. The refrigerator includes a refrigerator compartment door that is located at a left or a right side of the refrigerator compartment, wherein an ice maker and a dispenser are located at the refrigerator compartment door. The refrigerator includes a main water tank that is located in the refrigerator compartment, and that is configured to cool water. The refrigerator includes a water purifying device that is located at the cabinet, and that is configured to purify water. The refrigerator includes a sub-water tank that is located on the refrigerator compartment door, and that is configured to additionally cool water cooled by the main water tank. The refrigerator includes a water supply path that is defined by connections between the water purifying device, the main water tank, the sub-water tank, the dispenser, and the ice maker. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A refrigerator comprising: a cabinet including a refrigerator compartment that is located at an upper portion of the cabinet and a freezer compartment that is located at a lower side of the refrigerator compartment; a refrigerator compartment door that is configured to open and close the refrigerator compartment and that includes a dispenser; a water purifying device that includes a plurality of filters and that is located at the refrigerator compartment; a main water tank that is located at the refrigerator compartment and that is configured to receive and cool water supplied from the water purifying device; an ice making chamber located at a rear side of the refrigerator compartment door; an ice maker that is located in the ice making chamber; a door recessed portion that is recessed from a rear surface of the refrigerator compartment door and that is located under the ice making chamber; a cover plate that is configured to shield the door recessed portion; a sub-water tank that is located at the cover plate and that is configured to additionally cool water supplied from the main water tank; a water supply path that is defined by connections between the water purifying device, the main water tank, the sub-water tank, and the dispenser and that is configured to selectively guide cold water and purified water; a dispensing valve that is located at the door recessed portion, that is configured to open and close the water supply path, and that is configured to supply cold water to the dispenser; and a branch valve that is located at the door recessed portion, and that is configured to selectively supply water from the water purifying device to the dispenser and the ice maker by switching the water supply path, wherein the cover plate is coupled to the refrigerator compartment door based on the sub-water tank being installed on the cover plate. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The refrigerator of claim 1, wherein the dispensing valve and the branch valve are connected to a rear surface of the cover plate. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The refrigerator of claim 1, wherein: the sub-water tank comprises: a tube through which water flows, and a tube reel around which the tube is wound and that is fixed to the cover plate, wherein the tube is wound several times in one row on the tube reel. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The refrigerator of claim 3, wherein the tube reel comprises: a base that is fixed to the cover plate; a tube base that protrudes from a center of the base and around which the tube is wound; and a plurality of alignment guides that extend radially from a protruding end of the tube base and that are configured to align the tube. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The refrigerator of claim 4, wherein the base and the alignment guides are spaced apart from each other by a distance corresponding to a diameter of the tube. ### Claim 6 (depends on 4) The refrigerator of claim 4, wherein a guide opening that is formed in a shape that corresponds to the alignment guide is located at the base. ### Claim 7 (depends on 4) The refrigerator of claim 4, wherein one of the plurality of alignment guides is shorter than other alignment guides. ### Claim 8 (depends on 3) The refrigerator of claim 3, wherein: a tank connector connects the water supply path to the sub-water tank, and a connector fixing part that is configured to stabilize the tank connector is located at the tube reel. ### Claim 9 (depends on 3) The refrigerator of claim 3, further comprising a folding prevention member that is configured to receive the tube, that is configured to prevent the tube from folding, and that is formed with a predetermined curvature. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The refrigerator of claim 9, wherein the folding prevention member is connected to the tube reel. ### Claim 11 (depends on 3) The refrigerator of claim 3, wherein: a screw hole is located at the cover plate and is configured to receive a screw that passes through the cover plate, that fastens to the refrigerator compartment door, and that is configured to fix the cover plate to the refrigerator compartment door, and a plate guide that is configured to guide the tube to bypass the screw hole and is located at a lateral side of the screw hole. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The refrigerator of claim 1, wherein an inlet port of the branch valve extends downward, and is directly connected to the water supply path that is connected to the water purifying device. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The refrigerator of claim 1, wherein an opening part is located at the door recessed portion, is configured to open vertically, and is configured to receive the water supply path. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The refrigerator of claim 1, wherein a connector installation part is located at an upper surface of the door recessed portion, is connected to a control part, and is configured to connect to a connector of an electric wire that is connected to the dispensing valve and the branch valve.