Refrigerator appliance auxiliary evaporation tray

Abstract

A refrigerator appliance includes a cabinet that defines a food storage chamber. An evaporator is in fluid communication with the food storage chamber such that cool dry air flows from the evaporator to the food storage chamber and warm humid air flows to the evaporator from the food storage chamber. The refrigerator appliance also includes a meltwater conduit in fluid communication with the evaporator downstream of the evaporator such that the meltwater conduit receives a flow of meltwater from the evaporator. An auxiliary evaporation tray is immediately downstream of the meltwater conduit such that the auxiliary evaporation tray receives the flow of meltwater directly from the meltwater conduit. A primary evaporation tray is downstream of the auxiliary evaporation tray.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A refrigerator appliance defining a vertical direction, the refrigerator appliance comprising:
 a cabinet defining a food storage chamber;   an evaporator in fluid communication with the food storage chamber whereby cool dry air flows from the evaporator to the food storage chamber and warm humid air flows to the evaporator from the food storage chamber;   a meltwater conduit in fluid communication with the evaporator downstream of the evaporator whereby the meltwater conduit receives a flow of meltwater from the evaporator;   an auxiliary evaporation tray immediately downstream of the meltwater conduit whereby the auxiliary evaporation tray receives the flow of meltwater directly from the meltwater conduit; and   a primary evaporation tray downstream of the auxiliary evaporation tray.   
     
     
         2 . The refrigerator appliance of  claim 1 , wherein the auxiliary evaporation tray comprises a water trap. 
     
     
         3 . The refrigerator appliance of  claim 2 , wherein a downstream end of the meltwater conduit is located within the water trap. 
     
     
         4 . The refrigerator appliance of  claim 2 , wherein the auxiliary evaporation tray comprises a plurality of side walls and a bottom wall, the plurality of side walls and the bottom wall collectively defining an internal volume of the auxiliary evaporation tray, and wherein the water trap is defined within the internal volume of the auxiliary evaporation tray by a partition wall. 
     
     
         5 . The refrigerator appliance of  claim 4 , wherein the partition wall is a first partition wall, and wherein the water trap is defined within the internal volume of the auxiliary evaporation tray by the first partition wall, a second partition wall, and two side walls of the plurality of side walls. 
     
     
         6 . The refrigerator appliance of  claim 4 , wherein each sidewall of the plurality of sidewalls defines a height along the vertical direction, wherein the height of each sidewall of the plurality of sidewalls is equal to the height of every other sidewall of the plurality of sidewalls, wherein the partition wall defines a second height along the vertical direction, and wherein the second height of the partition wall is less than the height of each sidewall of the plurality of sidewalls. 
     
     
         7 . The refrigerator appliance of  claim 1 , further comprising an overflow conduit extending from the auxiliary evaporation tray to the primary evaporation tray. 
     
     
         8 . The refrigerator appliance of  claim 7 , wherein the auxiliary evaporation tray comprises a bottom wall, the overflow conduit comprises an inlet end above the bottom wall of the auxiliary evaporation tray along the vertical direction, and the overflow conduit extends downward along the vertical direction from the inlet end through the bottom wall of the auxiliary evaporation tray and to an outlet end below the bottom wall of the auxiliary evaporation tray. 
     
     
         9 . The refrigerator appliance of  claim 8 , wherein the auxiliary evaporation tray comprises a water trap defined within an internal volume of the auxiliary evaporation tray by a partition wall, the inlet end of the overflow conduit positioned within the internal volume of the auxiliary evaporation tray and outside of the water trap, wherein the partition wall defines a height above the bottom wall of the auxiliary evaporation tray and the height of the partition wall above the bottom wall of the auxiliary evaporation tray is greater than a distance along the vertical direction from the bottom wall of the auxiliary evaporation tray to the inlet end of the overflow conduit. 
     
     
         10 . The refrigerator appliance of  claim 1 , wherein the auxiliary evaporation tray comprises a plurality of side walls, wherein an angled side wall of the plurality of side walls is oriented at an oblique angle to the vertical direction. 
     
     
         11 . The refrigerator appliance of  claim 10 , wherein the primary evaporation tray is below the auxiliary evaporation tray along the vertical direction, and wherein the angled side wall of the plurality of side walls is proximate to and oriented towards a fan of the refrigerator appliance, whereby the angled side wall of the plurality of side walls directs a flow of air from the fan towards the primary evaporation tray. 
     
     
         12 . An auxiliary evaporation tray for a refrigerator appliance, the auxiliary evaporation tray defining a vertical direction, the auxiliary evaporation tray configured to receive a flow of meltwater directly from a meltwater conduit of the refrigerator appliance tray system, and configured for positioning upstream of a primary evaporation tray of the refrigerator appliance. 
     
     
         13 . The auxiliary evaporation tray of  claim 12 , wherein the auxiliary evaporation tray comprises a plurality of side walls and a bottom wall, the plurality of side walls and the bottom wall collectively defining an internal volume of the auxiliary evaporation tray, and a water trap is defined within the internal volume of the auxiliary evaporation tray by a partition wall. 
     
     
         14 . The auxiliary evaporation tray of  claim 13 , wherein the partition wall is a first partition wall, and wherein the water trap is defined within the internal volume of the auxiliary evaporation tray by the first partition wall, a second partition wall, and two side walls of the plurality of side walls. 
     
     
         15 . The auxiliary evaporation tray of  claim 13 , wherein each sidewall of the plurality of sidewalls defines a height along the vertical direction, wherein the height of each sidewall of the plurality of sidewalls is equal to the height of every other sidewall of the plurality of sidewalls, wherein the partition wall defines a second height along the vertical direction, and wherein the second height of the partition wall is less than the height of each sidewall of the plurality of sidewalls. 
     
     
         16 . The auxiliary evaporation tray of  claim 12 , further comprising an overflow conduit configured to extend from the auxiliary evaporation tray to the primary evaporation tray. 
     
     
         17 . The auxiliary evaporation tray of  claim 16 , further comprising a bottom wall, wherein the overflow conduit comprises an inlet end above the bottom wall of the auxiliary evaporation tray along the vertical direction, and the overflow conduit extends downward along the vertical direction from the inlet end through the bottom wall of the auxiliary evaporation tray and to an outlet end below the bottom wall of the auxiliary evaporation tray. 
     
     
         18 . The auxiliary evaporation tray of  claim 17 , further comprising a water trap defined within an internal volume of the auxiliary evaporation tray by a partition wall, the inlet end of the overflow conduit positioned within the internal volume of the auxiliary evaporation tray and outside of the water trap, wherein the partition wall defines a height above the bottom wall of the auxiliary evaporation tray and the height of the partition wall above the bottom wall of the auxiliary evaporation tray is greater than a distance along the vertical direction from the bottom wall of the auxiliary evaporation tray to the inlet end of the overflow conduit 
     
     
         19 . The auxiliary evaporation tray of  claim 12 , further comprising a plurality of side walls, wherein an angled side wall of the plurality of side walls is oriented at an oblique angle to the vertical direction.