US 12,455,109 B2
Water routing from cabinet to door of a refrigerator with articulated hinge
Gustavo Frattini, St. Joseph, MI (US); Sarah M. Galea, St. Joseph, MI (US); Daniel E. Lottinville, Stevensville, MI (US); Vikas C. Mruthyunjaya, St. Joseph, MI (US); and Abhay Naik, Stevensville, MI (US)
Assigned to Whirlpool Corporation, Benton Harbor, MI (US)
Filed by WHIRLPOOL CORPORATION, Benton Harbor, MI (US)
Filed on Mar. 31, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/129,586.
Application 18/129,586 is a division of application No. 15/733,612, granted, now 11,644,231, previously published as PCT/US2018/038525, filed on Jun. 20, 2018.
Prior Publication US 2023/0235946 A1, Jul. 27, 2023
Int. Cl. F25C 5/00 (2018.01); F25C 5/20 (2018.01); F25D 11/02 (2006.01); F25D 23/02 (2006.01); F25D 23/08 (2006.01)
CPC F25D 23/028 (2013.01) [F25C 5/22 (2018.01); F25D 11/02 (2013.01); F25D 23/087 (2013.01); F25D 2323/021 (2013.01); F25D 2323/024 (2013.01); F25D 2323/121 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A refrigerator comprising:
a cabinet;
a door operably connected to the cabinet, the door having a closed position relative to the cabinet and an opened position relative to the cabinet, wherein the door transitions from the closed position to the opened position in a non-circular path;
a liquid line configured to transport liquid from the cabinet to the door; and
a retractor fixed within the cabinet or disposed at the door, the retractor comprising a housing, the retractor operably coupled to the liquid line that releases a released portion of the liquid line from the housing when the door moves from the closed position to the opened position and retracts the released portion of the liquid line into the housing when the door moves from the opened position to the closed position, the liquid line having an exposed portion between the door and the housing of the retractor when the door is in the closed position.