Refrigerator and corresponding water filter bracket

Inventors: Yogeshkumar G. Bhavsar (Pune, IN); Luiz Afranio Alves Ferreira (Joinville, BR); Adalberto Matias Beppler, Jr. (Joinville, BR); Ishan Khekale (St. Joseph, MI); Humberto Muñiz (García, MX); Chad Rotter (Saugatuck, MI)

Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation

F25D23/067 C02F1/003 C02F2307/12 F25D2323/121

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Quick Facts

Patent No.: US 12680753
App. No.: 18/610,892
Granted: Jul 14, 2026
Kind: B2

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Abstract

A refrigerator includes a liner, a water filter assembly, and a reinforcement bracket. The liner defines an internal cavity. The water filter assembly is disposed within the internal cavity. The reinforcement bracket is disposed on an opposing side of the liner relative to the water filter assembly. The reinforcement bracket includes a projection extending through the liner and engaging the water filter assembly to secure the water filter assembly to the liner within the internal cavity. The reinforcement bracket further includes a tab positioner to secure the reinforcement bracket to the liner. The reinforcement bracket further includes ribs to add stiffness to the bracket and provide a profile to form a channel to be filled with insulating material.

Claims (29)

1 . A refrigerator comprising:

a liner defining an internal cavity;

a water filter assembly disposed within the internal cavity; and

a reinforcement bracket disposed on an opposing side of the liner relative to the water filter assembly, the reinforcement bracket including first and second plates collectively having an L-shaped profile and a projection extending the first plate, wherein the first and second plates engage a top wall of the liner and a side wall of the liner, respectively, along an exterior of the liner, and the projection extends through the top wall and engages the water filter assembly along an interior of the liner to secure the water filter assembly to the liner within the internal cavity.

2 . The refrigerator of claim 1 , wherein the projection extends through the liner along a downward direction and has a tongue extending transversely to the downward direction, wherein the tongue is configured to engage the water filter assembly.

3 . The refrigerator of claim 2 , wherein (i) the water filter assembly defines a slot and (ii) the tongue is configured to engage the water filter assembly within the slot.

4 . The refrigerator of claim 1 , wherein the reinforcement bracket includes a tab engaging the liner on the opposing side of the liner relative to the water filter assembly to position the reinforcement bracket relative to the water filter assembly.

5 . The refrigerator of claim 1 , wherein the first and second plates each include fastening anchors configured to engage fasteners to secure the reinforcement bracket to the liner.

6 . The refrigerator of claim 1 , wherein the reinforcement bracket includes structural ribs, and wherein each of the structural ribs extends along the first plate, from the first plate to the second plate, and along the second plate.

7 . The refrigerator of claim 6 , wherein the structural ribs project from an exterior of the reinforcement bracket, the structural ribs define channels along an interior of the reinforcement bracket, the channels are disposed between the ribs and the liner, and the channels are configured to receive an insulating material.

8 . A refrigerator comprising:

internal walls defining a refrigerated cavity;

a water filter disposed within the refrigerated cavity; and

a reinforcement bracket disposed on an opposing side of the internal walls relative to the water filter, the reinforcement bracket including first and second plates collectively having an L-shaped profile and a tab extending from the first plate, wherein the first and second plates engage a first of the internal walls and a second of the internal walls, respectively, on the opposing side of the internal walls relative to the water filter, the reinforcement bracket engages the water filter through the first of the internal walls to secure the water filter to the internal walls within the refrigerated cavity, and the tab extends from the first plate and engages the first of the internal walls on the opposing side of the internal walls relative to the water filter to position the reinforcement bracket relative to the water filter.

9 . The refrigerator of claim 8 , wherein the reinforcement bracket includes a projection extending from the first plate and through the first of the internal walls, wherein the projection engages the water filter to secure the water filter to the internal walls within the refrigerated cavity.

10 . The refrigerator of claim 9 , wherein the projection extends through the first of the internal walls along a direction and has a tongue extending transversely to the direction, wherein the tongue is configured to engage the water filter.

11 . The refrigerator of claim 10 , wherein (i) the water filter defines a slot and (ii) the tongue is configured to engage the water filter within the slot.

12 . The refrigerator of claim 8 , wherein the reinforcement bracket includes structural ribs, and wherein each of the structural ribs extends along the first plate, from the first plate to the second plate, and along the second plate.

13 . The refrigerator of claim 12 , wherein the structural ribs project from an exterior of the reinforcement bracket, the structural ribs define channels along an interior of the reinforcement bracket, the channels are disposed between the ribs and the internal walls, and the channels are configured to receive an insulating material.

14 . A refrigerator comprising

internal walls defining a refrigerated cavity;

a water filter disposed within the refrigerated cavity; and

15 . The refrigerator of claim 14 , wherein the reinforcement bracket includes a structural rib projecting from an exterior of the reinforcement bracket, the structural rib defines a channel along an interior of the reinforcement bracket, the channel is disposed between the structural rib and the internal walls, and the channel is configured to receive an insulating material.

16 . The refrigerator of claim 15 , wherein the structural rib defines a series of orifices extending from the exterior of the reinforcement bracket to the channel, wherein the orifices facilitate injection of the insulating material into the channel.

17 . The refrigerator of claim 14 , wherein the reinforcement bracket includes a projection extending from the first plate and through the first of the internal walls along a direction, the projection engages the water filter to secure the water filter to the internal walls, the projection has a tongue extending transversely to the direction, and the tongue is configured to engage the water filter.

18 . The refrigerator of claim 17 , wherein (i) the water filter defines a slot and (ii) the tongue is configured to engage the water filter within the slot.

19 . The refrigerator of claim 14 , wherein the first and second plates each include fastening anchors configured to engage fasteners to secure the reinforcement bracket to the internal walls.

20 . The refrigerator of claim 14 , wherein the reinforcement bracket includes a tab engaging the first of the internal walls on the opposing side of the internal walls relative to the water filter to position the reinforcement bracket relative to the water filter.