US 2022/0146183 A1Published application

Refrigeration unit

AssigneeWhirlpool Corporation

InventorsJUAN PABLO MEZA SILVA, HECTOR TORRES GONZALEZ

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Abstract

A refrigeration unit having an evaporator tube, a heater tube in a spaced relationship with the evaporator tube, a wire that couples the evaporator tube to the heater tube, and a bracket having a first panel configured to contact the heater tube and a second panel that defines a recess configured to receive the heater tube therein.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A refrigeration unit, comprising:

a serpentine evaporator tube having a plurality of elongated portions and a plurality of U-shaped bends that connect the elongated portions;
a heater tube in a spaced relationship with the serpentine evaporator tube and comprising:
a bottom portion that extends generally parallel to at least one of the plurality of elongated portions;
and
a side portion that extends upward from the bottom portion generally perpendicular to the at least one elongated portion;
a wire that couples the at least one elongated portion of the serpentine evaporator tube to the bottom portion of the heater tube, the wire comprising:
a first evaporator tube receiving section that wraps about a portion of a circumference of the at least one elongated portion of the serpentine evaporator tube;
a first heater tube receiving section that wraps about a portion of a circumference of the bottom portion of the heater tube;
and
a first spacer section that extends between the first evaporator tube receiving section and the first heater tube receiving section and is configured to inhibit movement of the first evaporator tube receiving section relative to the first heater tube receiving section, wherein the first evaporator tube receiving section contacts the at least one elongated portion of the serpentine evaporator tube and the first heater tube receiving section contacts the bottom portion of the heater tube, such that movement of the bottom portion of the heater tube toward and away from the at least one elongated portion of the serpentine evaporator tube is inhibited;
and
a bracket comprising:
a first panel that extends from a corner to a contact surface that is distal from the corner and configured to contact the side portion of the heater tube;
and
a second panel that extends outward from the corner, wherein the second panel defines at least one aperture configured to receive at least one of the plurality of U-shaped bends of the serpentine evaporator tube there through, and a recess configured to receive the bottom portion of the heater tube therein.

12 more elements

A wire for coupling an evaporator tube to a heater tube, the wire comprising:

a first evaporator tube receiving section configured to wrap about a portion of a circumference of said evaporator tube;
a first heater tube receiving section configured to wrap about a portion of a circumference of said heater tube;
and
a first spacer section that extends between the first evaporator tube receiving section and the first heater tube receiving section and inhibits movement of the first evaporator tube receiving section relative to the first heater tube receiving section, wherein the first evaporator tube receiving section is configured to contact said evaporator tube and the first heater tube receiving section is configured to contact said heater tube, such that movement of said heater tube toward and away from said evaporator tube is inhibited.

1 more element

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

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Abstract

A refrigeration unit, comprising:

a serpentine evaporator tube having a plurality of elongated portions and a plurality of U-shaped bends that connect the elongated portions;
a heater tube in a spaced relationship with the serpentine evaporator tube and comprising:
a bottom portion that extends generally parallel to at least one of the plurality of elongated portions;
and
a side portion that extends upward from the bottom portion generally perpendicular to the at least one elongated portion;
a wire that couples the at least one elongated portion of the serpentine evaporator tube to the bottom portion of the heater tube, the wire comprising:
a first evaporator tube receiving section that wraps about a portion of a circumference of the at least one elongated portion of the serpentine evaporator tube;
a first heater tube receiving section that wraps about a portion of a circumference of the bottom portion of the heater tube;
and
a first spacer section that extends between the first evaporator tube receiving section and the first heater tube receiving section and is configured to inhibit movement of the first evaporator tube receiving section relative to the first heater tube receiving section, wherein the first evaporator tube receiving section contacts the at least one elongated portion of the serpentine evaporator tube and the first heater tube receiving section contacts the bottom portion of the heater tube, such that movement of the bottom portion of the heater tube toward and away from the at least one elongated portion of the serpentine evaporator tube is inhibited;
and
a bracket comprising:
a first panel that extends from a corner to a contact surface that is distal from the corner and configured to contact the side portion of the heater tube;
and
a second panel that extends outward from the corner, wherein the second panel defines at least one aperture configured to receive at least one of the plurality of U-shaped bends of the serpentine evaporator tube there through, and a recess configured to receive the bottom portion of the heater tube therein.

12 more elements