Two-temperature refrigerator including moisture control means

Claim 1

A refrigerator comprising: a metal liner defining an upper freezing compartment and having refrigerant tubing engaging the outer surface thereof; a lower fresh food compartment having a top wall spaced from said freezing compartment; a water-collecting receptacle composed of molded foamed-resin, moisture-impervious, heat-insulating material and being positioned between said compartments and generally spaced from said freezer compartment for receiving, during defrost of said freezer compartment, defrost water formed by the melting of frost collecting on the outer surfaces of said freezer compartment during normal refrigerating operation; a unitary drain means for draining defrost water from said receptacle into said fresh food compartment; said drain means being composed of plastic material and comprising a disc-shaped upper portion having a peripheral edge molded into said foamed-resin receptacle and a plurality of perforations in the central portion thereof; said drain means including a tubular bottom portion extending from the perforated central portion into said fresh food compartment; the perforated central portion being cooled by said refrigerant tubing to below-freezing temperatures during normal refrigeration operation of said refrigerator so that frost forms in and seals the perforations to block air flow through said drain means during normal refrigerating operations of said refrigerator.