Refrigerator appliance and water valve mounting system

Abstract

A refrigerator includes a cabinet, a water system, and a bracket. The cabinet defines a machine compartment. The water system is configured to receive water from a supply source. The water system has a valve configured to control water flow through the water system. The bracket is secured to the cabinet within the machine compartment. The bracket includes first, second, and third planar sections. The first planar section is pivotably secured to the second planar section via a first hinge. The second planar section is pivotably secured to the third planar section via a second hinge. The first, second, and third planar sections are oriented along the hinges such that the first, second, and third planar sections form an enclosure. The valve is secured to the bracket within the enclosure.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A refrigerator comprising: 
 a cabinet defining a machine compartment;   a water system (i) configured to receive water from a supply source and (ii) having a valve configured to control water flow through the water system; and   a bracket secured to cabinet within the machine compartment, wherein (i) the bracket includes first, second, and third planar sections, (ii) the first planar section is pivotably secured to the second planar section via a first hinge, (iii) the second planar section is pivotably secured to the third planar section via a second hinge, (iv) the first, second, and third planar sections are oriented along the hinges such that the first, second, and third planar sections form an enclosure, and (v) the valve is secured to the bracket within the enclosure.    
     
     
         2 . The refrigerator of  claim 1 , wherein (i) the first planar section and the second planar section are substantially parallel to each other, (ii) the first planar section and the second planar section are separated by the third planar section, and (iii) the third planar section is substantially perpendicular to the first planar section and the second planar section along an outer region of the enclosure. 
     
     
         3 . The refrigerator of  claim 1 , wherein first hinge and the second hinge are living hinges. 
     
     
         4 . The refrigerator of  claim 1 , wherein (i) the bracket includes snaps extending from the first planar section on an opposing end of the first planer section relative to the first hinge and (ii) the snaps engage the third planar section on an opposing end of the third planar section relative to the second hinge to attach the first planar section to the third planar section and to form the enclosure. 
     
     
         5 . The refrigerator of  claim 1 , wherein (i) the bracket includes a cradle positioned on the first planar section proximate to an opposing end of the first planer section relative to the first hinge and (ii) the cradle is configured to engage an inlet region of the valve to facilitate securing the valve to the bracket. 
     
     
         6 . The refrigerator of  claim 5 , wherein (i) the bracket includes a protrusion extending from the third planer section and (ii) the protrusion is configured to engage an opposing side of the inlet region of the valve relative to the cradle to force the inlet region of the valve into engagement with the cradle. 
     
     
         7 . The refrigerator of  claim 1 , wherein (i) the bracket includes a protrusion extending from the second planar section and (ii) the protrusion is configured to (a) engage the first planar section to maintain a substantially perpendicular orientation of the second planar section relative to the first planar section along an outer region of the enclosure and (b) disengage the first planar section such that the orientation of the second planar section is greater than substantially perpendicular relative to the first planar section. 
     
     
         8 . The refrigerator of  claim 1 , wherein (i) the bracket includes noise absorbers extending from the third planar section and (ii) the noise absorbers are configured to engage the valve to reduce noise and vibration. 
     
     
         9 . The refrigerator of  claim 1 , wherein (i) the bracket includes at least one cradle positioned on the third planar section and (ii) the at least one cradle is configured to engage an outlet region of the valve to facilitate securing the valve to the bracket. 
     
     
         10 . A refrigerator appliance comprising: 
 a cabinet;   at least one conduit secured to the cabinet and configured to transport water toward a dispenser or an ice maker;   a valve configured to control water flow through the at least one conduit; and   a bracket operable to secure the valve to the cabinet, wherein (i) the bracket includes a plurality of sections, (ii) adjacent sections of the plurality of sections are secured to each other via pivots, (iii) the plurality sections are orientated along the pivots such that the plurality of sections forms a cage, and (iv) the valve is secured to the bracket within the cage.    
     
     
         11 . The refrigerator appliance of  claim 10 , wherein (i) the bracket includes snaps extending from a first of the sections on an opposing end of the first of the sections relative to a first of the pivots and (ii) the snaps engage a second of the sections on an opposing end of the second of the sections relative to a second hinge to attach the first of the sections to the second of the sections and to form the cage. 
     
     
         12 . The refrigerator appliance of  claim 10 , wherein (i) the bracket includes a cradle positioned on a first of the sections proximate to an opposing end of the first of the sections relative to a first of the pivots and (ii) the cradle is configured to engage an inlet region of the valve to facilitate securing the valve to the bracket. 
     
     
         13 . The refrigerator appliance of  claim 12 , wherein (i) the bracket includes a protrusion extending from a second of the sections and (ii) the protrusion is configured to engage an opposing side of the inlet region of the valve relative to the cradle to force the inlet region of the valve into engagement with the cradle. 
     
     
         14 . The refrigerator appliance of  claim 10 , wherein (i) the bracket includes a protrusion extending from a first of the sections and (ii) the protrusion is configured to (a) engage a second of the sections to maintain a substantially perpendicular orientation of the first of the sections relative to the second of the sections along an outer region of the cage and (b) disengage the second of the sections such that the orientation of the first of the sections is greater than substantially perpendicular relative to the second of the sections. 
     
     
         15 . The refrigerator appliance of  claim 10 , wherein (i) the bracket includes noise absorbers extending from a first of the sections and (ii) the noise absorbers are configured to engage the valve to reduce noise and vibration. 
     
     
         16 . A refrigerator water valve mounting bracket comprising: 
 a plurality of sections; and   hinges pivotably securing edges of adjacent sections of the plurality of sections to each other, wherein the plurality of sections is operable to transition about the hinges between (i) first positions where each of the plurality of sections are planar relative to each other and (ii) second positions where the plurality of sections forms an enclosure that is operable to receive a valve and secure the valve to a refrigerator appliance.   
     
     
         17 . The refrigerator water valve mounting bracket of  claim 16 , wherein (i) a first of the sections and a second of the sections are substantially parallel to each other, (ii) the first of the sections and the second of the sections are separated by a third of the sections, and (iii) the third of the sections is substantially perpendicular to the first of the sections and the second of the sections along an outer region of the enclosure when plurality of sections are in the second positions. 
     
     
         18 . The refrigerator water valve mounting bracket of  claim 17 , wherein (i) the second of the of the sections is operable to transition to a third position between a corresponding first position and second position and (ii) in the third position, the second of the sections is non-parallel and non-perpendicular to the first and second of the sections. 
     
     
         19 . The refrigerator water valve mounting bracket of  claim 17  further comprising snaps extending from the first of the sections on an opposing end of the first of the sections relative to a first of the hinges, and wherien the snaps engage the second of the sections on an opposing end of the second of the sections relative to a second of the hinges to attach the first of the sections to the second of the sections and to form the enclosure. 
     
     
         20 . The refrigerator water valve mounting bracket of  claim 17  further comprising a protrusion extending from the first of the sections, wherein the protrusion is configured to (i) engage the second of the sections to maintain a substantially perpendicular orientation of the first of the sections relative to the second of the sections along an outer region of the enclosure and (ii) disengage the second of the sections such that the orientation of the first of the sections is greater than substantially perpendicular relative to the second of the sections.