Water supply system for a refrigerator

Abstract

A water supply system for supplying water to a first icemaker, a second icemaker, and a water dispenser mounted to a door of a refrigerator appliance includes a water source, a water dispenser supply line passing from the water source, through a hinge of the door, and to the water dispenser, an icemaker supply line passing from the from the water source, through the hinge, and to the first icemaker and the second icemaker, a first multi-way valve fluidly coupled to the icemaker supply line, the first multi-way valve comprising a plurality of outlets, a first supply line providing fluid communication between the first icemaker and a first outlet of the plurality of outlets, and a second supply line providing fluid communication between the second icemaker and a second outlet of the plurality of outlets.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A refrigerator appliance defining a vertical direction, a lateral direction, and a transverse direction, comprising:
 a cabinet defining a chilled chamber;   a door being rotatably mounted to the cabinet using a hinge and being rotatable to provide selective access to the chilled chamber;   a first icemaker mounted to the door;   a second icemaker mounted to the door;   a water dispenser mounted to the door; and   a water supply system for supplying water to the first icemaker, the second icemaker, and the water dispenser, the water supply system comprising:
 a water source; 
 a water dispenser supply line passing from the water source, through the hinge, and to the water dispenser; 
 an icemaker supply line passing from the from the water source, through the hinge, and to the first icemaker and the second icemaker; 
 a first multi-way valve fluidly coupled to the icemaker supply line, the first multi-way valve comprising a plurality of outlets; 
 a first supply line providing fluid communication between the first icemaker and a first outlet of the plurality of outlets; and 
 a second supply line providing fluid communication between the second icemaker and a second outlet of the plurality of outlets. 
   
     
     
         2 . The refrigerator appliance of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a second multi-way valve comprising an inlet, a first outlet, and a second outlet, wherein the water dispenser supply line provides fluid communication between the first outlet of the second multi-way valve and the water dispenser, and wherein the icemaker supply line provides fluid communication between the second outlet of the second multi-way valve and the first multi-way valve; and   a water supply line providing fluid communication between the water source and the inlet of the second multi-way valve.   
     
     
         3 . The refrigerator appliance of  claim 2 , further comprising:
 a water filter fluidly coupled to the water supply line between the water source and the inlet of the second multi-way valve.   
     
     
         4 . The refrigerator appliance of  claim 2 , further comprising:
 a water tank fluidly coupled to the water dispenser supply line for storing a volume of water from the water source.   
     
     
         5 . The refrigerator appliance of  claim 4 , wherein the water tank is positioned within a fresh food chamber of the refrigerator appliance to chill the volume of water. 
     
     
         6 . The refrigerator appliance of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a water tank fluidly coupled to the water source; and   a third multi-way valve comprising an inlet in fluid communication with the water source, a first outlet fluidly coupled to the water dispenser by the water dispenser supply line, and a second outlet fluidly coupled to the first multi-way valve by the icemaker supply line.   
     
     
         7 . The refrigerator appliance of  claim 6 , further comprising:
 a water filter fluidly coupled to a water supply line between the water source and the inlet of the third multi-way valve.   
     
     
         8 . The refrigerator appliance of  claim 1 , wherein the first multi-way valve is a double valve. 
     
     
         9 . The refrigerator appliance of  claim 1 , wherein the water supply system comprises:
 a junction housing mounted to the door and containing the first outlet and the second outlet of the first multi-way valve.   
     
     
         10 . The refrigerator appliance of  claim 9 , wherein the junction housing is positioned on a top side of the door. 
     
     
         11 . The refrigerator appliance of  claim 9 , wherein the junction housing is recessed within the door and is surrounded by insulating foam. 
     
     
         12 . The refrigerator appliance of  claim 9 , wherein the junction housing is mounted above an upper hinge of the door along the vertical direction. 
     
     
         13 . The refrigerator appliance of  claim 1 , wherein the refrigerator appliance is a side-by-side refrigerator appliance. 
     
     
         14 . A water supply system for supplying water to a first icemaker, a second icemaker, and a water dispenser mounted to a door of a refrigerator appliance, the water supply system comprising:
 a water source;   a water dispenser supply line passing from the water source, through a hinge of the door, and to the water dispenser;   an icemaker supply line passing from the from the water source, through the hinge, and to the first icemaker and the second icemaker;   a first multi-way valve fluidly coupled to the icemaker supply line, the first multi-way valve comprising a plurality of outlets;   a first supply line providing fluid communication between the first icemaker and a first outlet of the plurality of outlets; and   a second supply line providing fluid communication between the second icemaker and a second outlet of the plurality of outlets.   
     
     
         15 . The water supply system of  claim 14 , further comprising:
 a second multi-way valve comprising an inlet, a first outlet, and a second outlet, wherein the water dispenser supply line provides fluid communication between the first outlet of the second multi-way valve and the water dispenser, and wherein the icemaker supply line provides fluid communication between the second outlet of the second multi-way valve and the first multi-way valve; and   a water supply line providing fluid communication between the water source and the inlet of the second multi-way valve.   
     
     
         16 . The water supply system of  claim 15 , further comprising:
 a water filter fluidly coupled to the water supply line between the water source and the inlet of the second multi-way valve.   
     
     
         17 . The water supply system of  claim 15 , further comprising:
 a water tank fluidly coupled to the water dispenser supply line for storing a volume of water from the water source.   
     
     
         18 . The water supply system of  claim 17 , wherein the water tank is positioned within a fresh food chamber of the refrigerator appliance to chill the volume of water. 
     
     
         19 . The water supply system of  claim 14 , further comprising:
 a water tank fluidly coupled to the water source; and   a third multi-way valve comprising an inlet in fluid communication with the water source, a first outlet fluidly coupled to the water dispenser by the water dispenser supply line, and a second outlet fluidly coupled to the first multi-way valve by the icemaker supply line.   
     
     
         20 . The water supply system of  claim 19 , further comprising:
 a water filter fluidly coupled to a water supply line between the water source and the inlet of the third multi-way valve.