Pressure relief jumper drain for an appliance

Abstract

A jumper drain for a refrigerator appliance, the jumper drain including a housing with a cavity defined therein and that is in fluid communication with a storage compartment of the refrigerator appliance. An inlet and an outlet extend from the housing and are both in fluid communication with the cavity. The outlet is disposed at a location that is offset from the inlet. A pressure equalizer opening is formed in the housing. The pressure equalizer opening is configured to provide fluid communication between the cavity and an ambient environment external to the refrigerator appliance in order to equalize a pressure differential within the refrigerator appliance.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A jumper drain for a refrigerator appliance that provides fluid communication between a storage compartment and a machine compartment via a drain that collects and transfers liquid condensate from an evaporator, the jumper drain comprising:
 a housing having an inlet and an outlet, and defining a cavity therein, said cavity being in fluid communication with the storage compartment so as to transport said liquid condensate into the jumper drain via said inlet and out of the jumper drain via said outlet; and   a pressure equalizer conduit projecting outwards from an external surface of the housing and having an opening provided therein that is configured to provide fluid communication between the cavity and an ambient environment external to the refrigerator appliance in order to equalize a pressure differential within the refrigerator appliance.   
     
     
         2 . The jumper drain of  claim 1 , wherein said pressure equalizer conduit provides fluid communication between the cavity and the ambient environment at all times. 
     
     
         3 . The jumper drain of  claim 1 , wherein said housing extends longitudinally between opposite first and second ends, and wherein said external surface of the housing is provided at the first end of the housing. 
     
     
         4 . The jumper drain of  claim 1 , the housing having an inner guiding surface within the cavity that is configured to guide a flow of said liquid condensate from the inlet to the outlet, and wherein the inner guiding surface is sloped vertically downwards from the inlet to the outlet. 
     
     
         5 . The jumper drain of  claim 1 , the housing comprising first and second portions that are removably secured to one another. 
     
     
         6 . The jumper drain of  claim 5 , wherein first and second sections of the pressure equalizer conduit protrude from the first and second portions of the housing, respectively, such that when the first and second portions of the housing are secured to one another, the first and second sections of the pressure equalizer conduit define the opening. 
     
     
         7 . The jumper drain of  claim 6 , wherein the pressure equalizer conduit protrudes from the first portion or the second portion of the housing. 
     
     
         8 . The jumper drain of  claim 1 , wherein said housing comprises a wall that extends longitudinally between opposite first and second ends of the housing, and wherein said external surface of the housing is provided at said wall. 
     
     
         9 . An appliance comprising:
 a cabinet defining a storage compartment for storing food items in a cooled environment;   an evaporative cooling system configured to reduce a temperature of the storage compartment, the evaporative cooling system including an evaporator, a condenser, and a condenser fan, wherein the evaporator is positioned within the storage compartment, and wherein the condenser and the condenser fan are positioned within a machine compartment disposed beneath and external to the storage compartment;   a drain disposed below the evaporator and configured to collect and transfer liquid condensate from the evaporator, the drain being in fluid communication with the storage compartment; and   a jumper drain comprising a housing with a cavity defined therein, the cavity being in fluid communication with the drain, wherein a pressure equalizer conduit projects outwards from an external surface of the housing and wherein the pressure equalizer conduit has an opening that provides fluid communication between the cavity and an ambient environment external to the appliance, thereby providing fluid communication between the storage compartment and the ambient environment in order to equalize a pressure differential within the appliance.   
     
     
         10 . The appliance of  claim 9 , wherein the jumper drain is disposed within the machine compartment and is provided on a negative pressure side of the condenser fan. 
     
     
         11 . The appliance of  claim 9 , wherein the pressure equalizer conduit provides fluid communication between the cavity and the ambient environment at all times. 
     
     
         12 . The appliance of  claim 9 , wherein the jumper drain further includes an inlet and an outlet, both being in fluid communication with the cavity, wherein a first conduit connects the drain to the inlet, and wherein a second conduit is connected to the outlet and is configured to guide a flow of said liquid condensate to a drain pan positioned in the machine compartment. 
     
     
         13 . The appliance of  claim 9 , wherein said housing extends longitudinally between opposite first and second ends, and wherein said external surface of the housing is provided at the first end of the housing. 
     
     
         14 . The appliance of  claim 9 , the housing comprising first and second portions that are removably secured to one another. 
     
     
         15 . The appliance of  claim 14 , wherein first and second sections of the pressure equalizer conduit protrude from the first and second portions of the housing, respectively, such that when the first and second portions of the housing are secured to one another, the first and second sections of the pressure equalizer conduit define the opening. 
     
     
         16 . The appliance of  claim 14 , wherein the pressure equalizer conduit protrudes from the first portion or the second portion of the housing. 
     
     
         17 . The appliance of  claim 9 , wherein said housing comprises a wall that extends longitudinally between opposite first and second ends of the housing, and wherein said external surface of the housing is provided at said wall. 
     
     
         18 . The appliance of  claim 9 , further comprising a panel configured to conceal the machine compartment, wherein the external surface of the housing is disposed adjacent an inner surface of the panel, and wherein the pressure equalizer conduit is received by and extends through a through-hole formed in the panel. 
     
     
         19 . The appliance of  claim 18 , further comprising a cover plate disposed adjacent an external surface of the panel, the cover plate having an aperture formed therein that is coaxial with the opening of the pressure equalizer conduit, wherein a gasket is provided between the cover plate and the external surface of the panel, and wherein the gasket peripherally surrounds the pressure equalizer conduit. 
     
     
         20 . A jumper drain for a refrigerator appliance that provides fluid communication between a storage compartment and a machine compartment via a drain that collects and transfers liquid condensate from an evaporator, the jumper drain comprising:
 a housing having an inlet and an outlet, and defining a cavity therein, said cavity being in fluid communication with the storage compartment so as to transport said liquid condensate into the jumper drain via said inlet and out of the jumper drain via said outlet; and   a pressure equalizer conduit projecting outwards from an external surface of the housing and having an opening provided therein that is configured to provide fluid communication between the cavity and an ambient environment external to the refrigerator appliance in order to equalize a pressure differential within the refrigerator appliance,   wherein said pressure equalizer conduit provides fluid communication between the cavity and the ambient environment at all times,   wherein said housing comprises first and second portions that are securable to one another,   wherein said inlet and said outlet are provided on said first and second portions of the housing, respectively, and   wherein said housing has an inner guiding surface within the cavity that is configured to guide a flow of said liquid condensate from the inlet to the outlet, and wherein the inner guiding surface is sloped vertically downwards from the inlet to the outlet.