Compressor mounting assembly for a refrigerator appliance

Abstract

A compressor support assembly for supporting a compressor of a refrigerator appliance including a compressor tray defining a plurality of compressor mounting bosses and one or more locator features for engaging the compressor to align compressor mounting holes with the compressor mounting bosses and a plurality of mechanical fasteners that pass through the compressor mounting holes and engage the compressor mounting bosses to secure the compressor to the compressor tray.

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 mechanical compartment defined within the cabinet;   a sealed system comprising a compressor positioned within the mechanical compartment, the compressor comprising a mounting bracket defining a plurality of compressor mounting holes; and
 a compressor support assembly mounted within the mechanical compartment for supporting the compressor, the compressor support assembly comprising: 
 a compressor tray defining a plurality of compressor mounting bosses and one or more locator features for engaging the compressor to align the compressor mounting holes with the compressor mounting bosses; and 
 a plurality of mechanical fasteners that pass through the compressor mounting holes and engage the compressor mounting bosses to secure the compressor to the compressor tray. 
   
     
     
         2 . The refrigerator appliance of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more locator features comprises:
 a protruding feature defined on a top surface of the compressor tray and extending upward along the vertical direction.   
     
     
         3 . The refrigerator appliance of  claim 2 , wherein the protruding feature is formed by bridge lancing the compressor tray. 
     
     
         4 . The refrigerator appliance of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more locator features comprises:
 a recess stamped into the compressor tray.   
     
     
         5 . The refrigerator appliance of  claim 4 , wherein the recess defines a complementary geometry to vibration isolators positioned between the compressor tray and the mounting bracket of the compressor. 
     
     
         6 . The refrigerator appliance of  claim 5 , wherein the recess and the vibration isolators have a conical geometry. 
     
     
         7 . The refrigerator appliance of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more locator features are defined on a raised platform of the compressor tray. 
     
     
         8 . The refrigerator appliance of  claim 1 , wherein the compressor tray is formed by stamping or punching sheet metal. 
     
     
         9 . The refrigerator appliance of  claim 1 , wherein the compressor support assembly further comprises:
 one or more vibration isolators positioned between the compressor and the compressor tray.   
     
     
         10 . The refrigerator appliance of  claim 9 , wherein the one or more vibration isolators are formed from rubber and are mounted to a bottom of the mounting bracket. 
     
     
         11 . The refrigerator appliance of  claim 9 , wherein the one or more vibration isolators are positioned between the compressor tray and the mounting bracket of the compressor around each of the plurality of compressor mounting holes. 
     
     
         12 . The refrigerator appliance of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of compressor mounted holes is four mounting holes and the plurality of compressor mounting bosses is four bosses. 
     
     
         13 . A compressor support assembly for supporting a compressor of a refrigerator appliance, the compressor support assembly comprising:
 a compressor tray defining a plurality of compressor mounting bosses and one or more locator features for engaging the compressor to align compressor mounting holes with the compressor mounting bosses; and   a plurality of mechanical fasteners that pass through the compressor mounting holes and engage the compressor mounting bosses to secure the compressor to the compressor tray.   
     
     
         14 . The compressor support assembly of  claim 13 , wherein the one or more locator features comprises:
 a protruding feature defined on a top surface of the compressor tray and extending upward along a vertical direction.   
     
     
         15 . The compressor support assembly of  claim 13 , wherein the one or more locator features comprises:
 a recess stamped into the compressor tray.   
     
     
         16 . The compressor support assembly of  claim 15 , wherein the recess defines a complementary geometry to vibration isolators positioned between the compressor tray and a mounting bracket of the compressor. 
     
     
         17 . The compressor support assembly of  claim 13 , wherein the one or more locator features are defined on a raised platform of the compressor tray. 
     
     
         18 . The compressor support assembly of  claim 13 , wherein the compressor tray is formed by stamping or punching sheet metal. 
     
     
         19 . The compressor support assembly of  claim 13 , further comprising:
 one or more vibration isolators positioned between the compressor and the compressor tray.   
     
     
         20 . The compressor support assembly of  claim 19 , wherein the one or more vibration isolators are formed from rubber and are mounted to a bottom of a mounting bracket.