# US 5,706,669 A · Defrost-water vaporizer for a refrigerator

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- Number: US 5,706,669 A
- Document ID: US5706669A
- Status: Granted
- Kind: A
- Application number: 08/671,295
- Filed: 1996-07-01
- Granted: 1998-01-13
- Earliest claimed: 1996-06-30
- Assignees: Daewoo Electronics Co., Ltd.
- Inventors: Yong-Kweon Lee
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US5706669A

## CPC

- F25D 21/14: Collecting or removing condensed and defrost water; Drip trays
- F25D 2321/147: characterised by capillary, wick, adsorbent, or evaporation elements
- F25D 2400/04: Refrigerators with a horizontal mullion
- 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

Disclosed is a defrost-water vaporizer for a refrigerator capable of vaporizing defrost-water in a short time. The defrost-water vaporizer includes a defrost-water absorption portion disposed between a pair of brackets and for absorbing and transmitting the defrost-water and a blow-off portion for generating rotating force from electric power and sending blowing air to the defrost-water absorption portion. The absorbed defrost-water is rapidly vaporized by the blow-off portion, and accordingly the vaporization efficiency is enhanced.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A defrost-water vaporizer for a refrigerator, comprising:
a water-vaporization tray integrally formed with a pair of brackets and for collecting and containing defrost-water, the brackets being set up on both opposite sides of the tray in an upper direction;
a defrost-water absorption means disposed between and supported by the pair of brackets and for absorbing and moving the defrost-water;
a blow-off means for generating blowing air to be sent to the defrost-water absorption means by way of rotating force obtained from an electric power supplied from outside; and
a driving force transmission means for transmitting the rotating force to the defrost-water absorption means to thereby move the absorbed defrost-water, including:
a motor operating by external electric power;
a rotating shaft rotating according to a rotation of the motor;
a driving pulley for transmitting the rotating force of the rotating shaft;
a driven pulley for receiving the rotating force of the rotating shaft;
a pulley belt for transmitting the rotating force of the driving pulley to the driven pulley by connecting the driving pulley and the driven pulley;
a gear shaft axially connected with the driven pulley;
a driving gear disposed at an end of the driving gear and for rotating according to the rotation of the driven pulley; and
a driven gear for transmitting the rotation of the driving gear to the defrost-water absorption means after having transformed the rotation of the driving gear in a right angle direction, the driven gear being connected to the lower roller shaft.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The defrost-water vaporizer as claimed in claim 1, wherein the defrost-water absorption means includes
a first roller rotatably connected through a lower roller shaft between the pair of brackets and rotating according to a rotation of the driving force transmission means;
a second roller rotatably connected between both upper parts of the pair of brackets; and
a vaporization belt rolling around the first roller and the second roller to rotate the second roller according to the first roller being rotated, and for absorbing and moving the defrost-water according to the rotation of the rollers.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The defrost-water vaporizer as claimed in claim 2, wherein the vaporization belt is made of a material with a high absorption factor.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The defrost-water vaporizer as claimed in claim 1, wherein a diameter of the driving pulley is smaller than that of the driven pulley so as to reduce the rotating speed of the driving pulley.