U.S. patent application number 14/952529 was filed with the patent office on 2016-12-01 for combination refrigerator-freezer with dividing air-impermeable air-to-air heat exchanger.
This patent application is currently assigned to H&K International. The applicant listed for this patent is Norman Craig Glaze, Liqun Ren. Invention is credited to Norman Craig Glaze, Liqun Ren.
Application Number | 20160348955 14/952529 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 57397525 |
Filed Date | 2016-12-01 |
United States Patent
Application |
20160348955 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Ren; Liqun ; et al. |
December 1, 2016 |
Combination Refrigerator-Freezer with Dividing Air-Impermeable
Air-to-Air Heat Exchanger
Abstract
A combination refrigerator-freezer with dividing air-impermeable
air-to-air heat exchanger is a system for cooling a refrigerator
compartment and a freezer compartment utilizing a single cooling
system and without mixing or exchanging air between the
refrigerator compartment and the freezer compartment. Cold air is
generated by the cooling system and circulated into the freezer
compartment and into a freezer airflow compartment where the cold
air cools an air-to-air heat exchanger. Warmer air circulating
through a refrigerator airflow compartment positioned opposite to
the freezer airflow compartment is cooled by the air-to-air heat
exchanger and is in turn able to cool the refrigerator compartment.
A control unit is utilized to control the temperatures within the
refrigerator compartment and the cooling compartment and to ensure
that the system is not active while defrosting is in progress. A
first defroster and a second defroster are utilized to prevent key
components from icing up.
Inventors: |
Ren; Liqun; (Dallas, TX)
; Glaze; Norman Craig; (Dallas, TX) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Ren; Liqun
Glaze; Norman Craig |
Dallas
Dallas |
TX
TX |
US
US |
|
|
Assignee: |
H&K International
Mesquite
TX
|
Family ID: |
57397525 |
Appl. No.: |
14/952529 |
Filed: |
November 25, 2015 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
62166455 |
May 26, 2015 |
|
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|
Current U.S.
Class: |
1/1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
F25D 2317/0653 20130101;
F25D 23/069 20130101; F25D 17/065 20130101; F25D 2317/0665
20130101; F25D 2317/0682 20130101 |
International
Class: |
F25D 17/08 20060101
F25D017/08; F25D 11/02 20060101 F25D011/02; F25B 13/00 20060101
F25B013/00 |
Claims
1. A combination refrigerator-freezer with dividing air-impermeable
air-to-air heat exchanger comprises: a freezer compartment; a
refrigerator compartment; a cooling compartment; a freezer airflow
compartment; a refrigerator airflow compartment; an air-to-air heat
exchanger; a cooling system; a control unit; the refrigerator
airflow compartment, the freezer airflow compartment, and the
cooling compartment each comprise an inlet and an outlet; the
cooling compartment being adjacently connected to the freezer
compartment; the cooling compartment being in fluid communication
with the freezer compartment through the inlet of the cooling
compartment and the outlet of the cooling compartment; the freezer
compartment being in fluid communication with the freezer airflow
compartment through the inlet of the freezer airflow compartment
and the outlet of the freezer airflow compartment, wherein air is
circulated through the freezer compartment and the freezer airflow
compartment through the inlet of the freezer airflow compartment
and the outlet of the freezer airflow compartment; the air-to-air
heat exchanger being connected in between the refrigerator airflow
compartment and the freezer airflow compartment; the air-to-air
heat exchanger being in thermal contact with the refrigerator
airflow compartment and the freezer airflow compartment; the
refrigerator compartment being in fluid communication with the
refrigerator airflow compartment through the inlet of the
refrigerator airflow compartment and the outlet of the refrigerator
airflow compartment, wherein air is circulated through the
refrigerator compartment and the refrigerator airflow compartment
through the inlet of the refrigerator airflow compartment and the
outlet of the refrigerator airflow compartment; and the control
unit being electronically connected to the cooling system.
2. The combination refrigerator-freezer with dividing
air-impermeable air-to-air heat exchanger as claimed in claim 1
further comprises: a freezer circulation fan; a refrigerator
circulation fan; a cooling circulation fan; the cooling system
comprises a compressor, an evaporator, a condenser, and a metering
device; the compressor being in fluid communication with the
condenser; the condenser being in fluid communication with the
metering device; the metering device being in fluid communication
with the evaporator; the evaporator being in fluid communication
with the compressor; the freezer circulation fan being mounted into
the outlet of the freezer airflow compartment; the refrigerator
circulation fan being mounted into the outlet of the refrigerator
airflow compartment; the cooling circulation fan being mounted into
the outlet of the cooling compartment, adjacent to the evaporator;
and the freezer circulation fan, the refrigerator circulation fan,
and the cooling circulation fan being electronically connected to
the control unit.
3. The combination refrigerator-freezer with dividing
air-impermeable air-to-air heat exchanger as claimed in claim 2
further comprises: the compressor, the evaporator, the condenser,
and the metering device being positioned within the cooling
compartment.
4. The combination refrigerator-freezer with dividing
air-impermeable air-to-air heat exchanger as claimed in claim 2
further comprises: the compressor being positioned external to the
refrigerator compartment, the freezer compartment, and the cooling
compartment.
5. The combination refrigerator-freezer with dividing
air-impermeable air-to-air heat exchanger as claimed in claim 1
further comprises: a first defroster; a second defroster; the first
defroster being positioned adjacent to an evaporator of the cooling
system; and the second defroster being positioned adjacent to the
air-to-air heat exchanger.
6. The combination refrigerator-freezer with dividing
air-impermeable air-to-air heat exchanger as claimed in claim 1
further comprises: a first defroster ; a second defroster; the
control unit comprises a refrigerator control unit and a freezer
control unit; the refrigerator control unit being electronically
connected to the freezer control unit; the first defroster and the
second defroster being electronically connected to the freezer
control unit and the refrigerator control unit, respectively; the
refrigerator control unit being electronically connected to a
refrigerator circulation fan and a freezer circulation fan; and the
freezer control unit being electronically connected to a cooling
circulation fan.
7. The combination refrigerator-freezer with dividing
air-impermeable air-to-air heat exchanger as claimed in claim 1
further comprises: a first insulation panel; a second insulation
panel; the first insulation panel being connected in between the
freezer compartment and the freezer airflow compartment; and the
second insulation panel being connected in between the refrigerator
compartment and the refrigerator airflow compartment.
8. The combination refrigerator-freezer with dividing
air-impermeable air-to-air heat exchanger as claimed in claim 1
further comprises: at least one runoff drain pipe; a runoff drain
pan; the at least one runoff drain pipe being positioned adjacent
to the air-to-air heat exchanger and an evaporator of the cooling
system; and the runoff drain pan being positioned adjacent to the
at least one drain pipe.
9. The combination refrigerator-freezer with dividing
air-impermeable air-to-air heat exchanger as claimed in claim 1
further comprises: the air-to-air heat exchanger comprises a plate;
a first surface of the plate being in thermal contact with the
freezer airflow compartment; and a second surface of the plate
being in thermal contact with the refrigerator airflow
compartment.
10. The combination refrigerator-freezer with dividing air
impermeable air-to-air heat exchanger as claimed in claim 9 further
comprises: the air-to-air heat exchanger further comprises a
plurality of fins; and the plurality of fins being evenly
distributed across the first surface and the second surface.
11. A combination refrigerator-freezer with dividing air
impermeable air-to-air heat exchanger comprises: a freezer
compartment; a refrigerator compartment; a cooling compartment; a
freezer airflow compartment; a refrigerator airflow compartment; an
air-to-air heat exchanger; a cooling system; a control unit; a
first defroster ; a second defroster; the refrigerator airflow
compartment, the freezer airflow compartment, and the cooling
compartment each comprise an inlet and an outlet; the control unit
comprises a refrigerator control unit and a freezer control unit;
the cooling compartment being adjacently connected to the freezer
compartment; the cooling compartment being in fluid communication
with the freezer compartment through the inlet of the cooling
compartment and the outlet of the cooling compartment; the freezer
compartment being in fluid communication with the freezer airflow
compartment through the inlet of the freezer airflow compartment
and the outlet of the freezer airflow compartment, wherein air is
circulated through the freezer compartment and the freezer airflow
compartment through the inlet of the freezer airflow compartment
and the outlet of the freezer airflow compartment; the air-to-air
heat exchanger being connected in between the refrigerator airflow
compartment and the freezer airflow compartment; the air-to-air
heat exchanger being in thermal contact with the refrigerator
airflow compartment and the freezer airflow compartment; the
refrigerator compartment being in fluid communication with the
refrigerator airflow compartment through the inlet of the
refrigerator airflow compartment and the outlet of the refrigerator
airflow compartment, wherein air is circulated through the
refrigerator compartment and the refrigerator airflow compartment
through the inlet of the refrigerator airflow compartment and the
outlet of the refrigerator airflow compartment; the control unit
being electronically connected to the cooling system; the
refrigerator control unit being electronically connected to the
freezer control unit; the first defroster and the second defroster
being electronically connected to the freezer control unit and the
refrigerator control unit, respectively; the refrigerator control
unit being electronically connected to a refrigerator circulation
fan and a freezer circulation fan; and the freezer control unit
being electronically connected to a cooling circulation fan.
12. The combination refrigerator-freezer with dividing
air-impermeable air-to-air heat exchanger as claimed in claim 11
further comprises: a freezer circulation fan; a refrigerator
circulation fan; a cooling circulation fan; the cooling system
comprises a compressor, an evaporator, a condenser, and a metering
device; the compressor being in fluid communication with the
condenser; the condenser being in fluid communication with the
metering device; the metering device being in fluid communication
with the evaporator; the evaporator being in fluid communication
with the compressor; the freezer circulation fan being mounted into
the outlet of the freezer airflow compartment; the refrigerator
circulation fan being mounted into the outlet of the refrigerator
airflow compartment; the cooling circulation fan being mounted into
the outlet of the cooling compartment, adjacent to the evaporator;
and the freezer circulation fan, the refrigerator circulation fan,
and the cooling circulation fan being electronically connected to
the control unit.
13. The combination refrigerator-freezer with dividing
air-impermeable air-to-air heat exchanger as claimed in claim 12
further comprises: the compressor, the evaporator, the condenser,
and the metering device being positioned within the cooling
compartment.
14. The combination refrigerator-freezer with dividing
air-impermeable air-to-air heat exchanger as claimed in claim 12
further comprises: the compressor being positioned external to the
refrigerator compartment, the freezer compartment, and the cooling
compartment.
15. The combination refrigerator-freezer with dividing
air-impermeable air-to-air heat exchanger as claimed in claim 11
further comprises: a first defroster; a second defroster; the first
defroster being positioned adjacent to an evaporator of the cooling
system; and the second defroster being positioned adjacent to the
air-to-air heat exchanger.
16. The combination refrigerator-freezer with dividing
air-impermeable air-to-air heat exchanger as claimed in claim 11
further comprises: a first insulation panel; a second insulation
panel; the first insulation panel being connected in between the
freezer compartment and the freezer airflow compartment; and the
second insulation panel being connected in between the refrigerator
compartment and the refrigerator airflow compartment.
17. The combination refrigerator-freezer with dividing
air-impermeable air-to-air heat exchanger as claimed in claim 11
further comprises: at least one runoff drain pipe; a runoff drain
pan; the at least one runoff drain pipe being positioned adjacent
to the air-to-air heat exchanger and an evaporator of the cooling
system; and the runoff drain pan being positioned adjacent to the
at least one drain pipe.
18. The combination refrigerator-freezer with dividing
air-impermeable air-to-air heat exchanger as claimed in claim 11
further comprises: the air-to-air heat exchanger comprises a plate;
a first surface of the plate being in thermal contact with the
freezer airflow compartment; and a second surface of the plate
being in thermal contact with the refrigerator airflow
compartment.
19. The combination refrigerator-freezer with dividing air
impermeable air-to-air heat exchanger as claimed in claim 18
further comprises: the air-to-air heat exchanger further comprises
a plurality of fins; and the plurality of fins being evenly
distributed across the first surface and the second surface.
Description
[0001] The current application claims a priority to the U.S.
Provisional Patent application serial number 62/166,455 filed on
May 26, 2015.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0002] The present invention relates generally to a combination
refrigerator-freezer. More specifically, the present invention is a
combination refrigerator-freezer with dividing air-impermeable
air-to-air heat exchanger that prevents any mixture of air between
the refrigerator and the freezer. The present invention utilizes a
single cooling system to cool the freezer while the refrigerator is
cooled via the heat exchanger.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0003] Conventional combination refrigerator-freezers utilize a
single or dual compressor system in order to cool the refrigerator
compartment and the freezer compartment. In a single compressor
configuration, a single compressor and a single evaporator are
utilized to cool both the refrigerator compartment and the freezer
compartment. This is generally accomplished by cooling the freezer
compartment to a desired temperature. A circulation fan directs
cold air from the freezer compartment to the refrigerator
compartment through a duct in between the freezer compartment and
the refrigerator compartment, thus cooling the refrigerator
compartment. A thermostat is utilized to adjust the amount of cold
air that is transferred from the freezer compartment to the
refrigerator compartment. However, because air and moisture are
mixed between the freezer compartment and the refrigerator
compartment, temperature control can tend to be imprecise.
Additionally, the significantly drier and lower temperature air
from the freezer compartment causes food products in the
refrigerator compartment to become dehydrated and rapidly lose
freshness. Furthermore, because air from the freezer compartment is
being utilized to cool the refrigerator compartment, there may be
wide variations in temperature within the freezer compartment and
the refrigerator compartment themselves. This is due to the fact
that air traveling from the freezer compartment to the refrigerator
compartment is unable to instantaneously cool the entire
refrigerator compartment, leaving areas of the refrigerator
compartment warmer than others for periods of time. Within a dual
compressor system, the freezer compartment and the refrigerator
compartment are each cooled by its own compressor and evaporator
independently. The use of a dual compressor system allows for
stable and consistent temperatures within both the freezer
compartment and the refrigerator compartment. The effectiveness of
a dual compressor system is offset by the fact that a dual
compressor system is more expensive, more complex, and requires
more physical space to implement.
[0004] The present invention is a combination refrigerator-freezer
with dividing air-impermeable air-to-air heat exchanger. The
present invention enables the use of a cooling system consisting of
a single compressor and a single evaporator in order to cool both a
refrigerator compartment and a freezer compartment. The present
invention enables cooling of both the refrigerator compartment and
the freezer compartment without mixing air between the two
compartments. An air-to-air heat exchanger is positioned in between
the refrigerator compartment and the freezer compartment to prevent
air from mixing between the two compartments. The freezer
compartment is cooled by the cooling system and cold air within the
freezer compartment is continuously circulated throughout the
freezer compartment and directed along a first surface of the
air-to-air heat exchanger. Air within the refrigerator compartment
is continuously circulated and directed along a second surface of
the air-to-air heat exchanger. The air within the refrigerator
compartment may thus be cooled as the air passes along the second
surface of the air-to-air heat exchanger and is circulated
throughout the refrigerator compartment. The present invention
additionally includes defrost heaters that prevent essential
components of the present invention from icing up. Cooling
operation is suspended while defrosting occurs in order to ensure
that the freezer compartment and the refrigerator compartment are
not undergoing cooling during defrosting operations.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0005] FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic side view of an embodiment of the
present invention.
[0006] FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional diagrammatic view of an
embodiment of the present invention taken along line A-A of FIG.
1.
[0007] FIG. 3 is a diagrammatic overview depicting electronic
connections between the control unit, the cooling system, the
freezer circulation fan, the refrigerator circulation fan, and the
cooling circulation fan.
[0008] FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional diagrammatic view of an
embodiment of the present invention taken along line A-A of FIG.
1.
[0009] FIG. 5 is a diagrammatic overview depicting electronic
connections between the control unit, the cooling system, the first
defroster, and the second defroster.
[0010] FIG. 6 is an internal diagrammatic view of an embodiment of
the present invention.
[0011] FIG. 7 is a side view of an embodiment of the present
invention.
[0012] FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional diagrammatic view of an
embodiment of the present invention taken along line B-B of FIG.
6.
[0013] FIG. 9 is a front view of a residential embodiment of the
present invention.
[0014] FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view of the residential
embodiment of the present invention taken along line C-C of FIG.
9.
[0015] FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view of the residential
embodiment of the present invention taken along line D-D of FIG.
9.
[0016] FIG. 12 is a front view of a commercial embodiment of the
present invention.
[0017] FIG. 13 is a cross-sectional view of the commercial
embodiment of the present invention taken along line E-E of FIG.
12.
[0018] FIG. 14 is a cross-sectional view of the commercial
embodiment of the present invention taken along line F-F of FIG.
13.
DETAIL DESCRIPTIONS OF THE INVENTION
[0019] All illustrations of the drawings are for the purpose of
describing selected versions of the present invention and are not
intended to limit the scope of the present invention.
[0020] The present invention is a combination refrigerator-freezer
with dividing air-impermeable air-to-air heat exchanger. A
diagrammatic overview of the present invention is shown in FIGS.
1-3. The present invention comprises a refrigerator compartment 1,
a freezer compartment 2, a cooling compartment 3, a refrigerator
airflow compartment 4, a freezer airflow compartment 5, an
air-to-air heat exchanger 8, a cooling system 13, and a control
unit 18. The present invention is able to cool both the
refrigerator compartment 1 and the freezer compartment 2 via the
single cooling system 13. No air is exchanged between the
refrigerator compartment 1 and the freezer compartment 2,
eliminating drastic temperature fluctuations within the
refrigerator compartment 1. Additionally, no moisture is exchanged
between the refrigerator compartment 1 and the freezer compartment
2, preventing food products within the refrigerator compartment 1
from being dehydrated and losing freshness.
[0021] With continued reference to FIGS. 1-3, the freezer
compartment 2 is the compartment in which products such as
perishable food items are cooled at a temperature below the
freezing point of water. The refrigerator compartment 1 is the
compartment in which products are cooled at a temperature above the
freezing point of water. The cooling compartment 3 houses some or
all subcomponents of the cooling system 13 and provides cold air to
the freezer compartment 2. The cold air is produced by the cooling
system 13 and is circulated through the freezer compartment 2. The
cooling compartment 3 is adjacently connected to the freezer
compartment 2, allowing the cold air to flow directly from the
cooling compartment 3 to the freezer compartment 2. Various
subcomponents of the cooling system 13 may or may not be contained
within the cooling compartment 3. The freezer airflow compartment 5
serves as a conduit through which the cold air from the cooling
compartment 3 is able to pass after circulating through the freezer
compartment 2. Similarly the refrigerator airflow compartment 4
serves as a conduit through which air from the refrigerator
compartment 1 is able to pass after circulating through the
refrigerator compartment 1. The air-to-air heat exchanger 8 is
connected in between the refrigerator airflow compartment 4 and the
freezer airflow compartment 5. Additionally, the air-to-air heat
exchanger 8 is in thermal contact with the refrigerator airflow
compartment 4 and the freezer airflow compartment 5. Because of
this, the cold air passing through the freezer airflow compartment
5 is able to cool the air-to-air heat exchanger 8, in turn cooling
the warmer air circulating through the refrigerator airflow
compartment 4 and cooling the refrigerator compartment 1. The
air-to-air heat exchanger 8 additionally prevents air from the
freezer airflow compartment 5 and air from the refrigerator airflow
compartment 4 from being mixed. The refrigerator compartment 1 may
thus be cooled without any air being exchanged between the freezer
compartment 2 and the refrigerator compartment 1. The specific
arrangement of the refrigerator compartment 1, the refrigerator
airflow compartment 4, the freezer compartment 2, the freezer
airflow compartment 5, and the cooling compartment 3 may vary
across embodiments of the present invention.
[0022] The control unit 18 is responsible for regulating the
temperatures within the freezer compartment 2 and the refrigerator
compartment 1. The control unit 18 is electronically connected to
the cooling system 13 as shown in FIG. 3, enabling the control unit
18 to activate, deactivate, and otherwise control the cooling
system 13 during operation of the present invention. The control
unit 18 is able to disable the cooling system 13 during a defrost
cycle in order to ensure that the cooling system 13 is not
producing cold air while other areas of the present invention are
being defrosted. The control unit 18 may include an electronic
display as well as input means such as buttons and knobs to allow
the user to adjust the settings of the present invention.
Furthermore, the control unit 18 may include additional components
such as temperature sensors to monitor the temperatures of various
regions of the present invention.
[0023] Airflow within the present invention is depicted in FIG. 2.
The refrigerator airflow compartment 4, the freezer airflow
compartment 5, and the cooling compartment 3 each comprise an inlet
6 and an outlet 7. The inlet 6 and the outlet 7 allow air to
circulate through the refrigerator airflow compartment 4, the
freezer airflow compartment 5, and the cooling compartment 3.
However, as previously discussed, no air is exchanged between the
refrigerator compartment 1 and the freezer compartment 2 nor
between the refrigerator airflow compartment 4 and the freezer
airflow compartment 5. The cooling compartment 3 is in fluid
communication with the freezer compartment 2 through the inlet 6 of
the cooling compartment 3 and the outlet 7 of the cooling
compartment 3. Cold air from within the cooling compartment 3 is
thus able to flow into the freezer compartment 2, circulate within
the freezer compartment 2, and then reenter the cooling compartment
3. The freezer compartment 2 is in fluid communication with the
freezer airflow compartment 5 through the inlet 6 of the freezer
airflow compartment 5 and the outlet 7 of the freezer airflow
compartment 5. As such, air is circulated through the freezer
compartment 2 and the freezer airflow compartment 5 through the
inlet 6 of the freezer airflow compartment 5 and the outlet 7 of
the freezer airflow compartment 5. The cold air passes from the
freezer compartment 2 and into the freezer airflow compartment 5
where the cold air is able to cool the air-to-air heat exchanger
8.
[0024] With continued reference to FIG. 2, the refrigerator
compartment 1 is in fluid communication with the refrigerator
airflow compartment 4 through the inlet 6 of the refrigerator
airflow compartment 4 and the outlet 7 of the refrigerator airflow
compartment 4. Warmer air (relative to the cold air produced by the
cooling system 13) is circulated through the refrigerator
compartment 1 and the refrigerator airflow compartment 4 through
the inlet 6 of the refrigerator airflow compartment 4 and the
outlet 7 of the refrigerator airflow compartment 4. The warmer air
is able to pass from the refrigerator compartment 1 into the
refrigerator airflow compartment 4. The warmer air circulating
through the refrigerator airflow compartment 4 is cooled as the
air-to-air heat exchanger 8 is cooled by the cold air circulating
through the freezer airflow compartment 5. Again, no air is
exchanged between the refrigerator compartment 1 and the freezer
compartment 2 nor between the refrigerator airflow compartment 4
and the freezer airflow compartment 5.
[0025] The cooling system 13 comprises a compressor 14, an
evaporator 15, a condenser 16, and a metering device 17. The
compressor 14, the evaporator 15, the condenser 16, and the
metering device 17 are the mechanical components of the cooling
system 13 that are utilized during a conventional refrigeration
cycle to cool the freezer compartment 2. The compressor 14 is in
fluid communication with the condenser 16. A refrigerant is
compressed into a hot gaseous form by the compressor 14 and is
routed to the condenser 16. The condenser 16 removes heat from the
hot compressed gas refrigerant and the hot compressed gas
refrigerant is condensed into a liquid. The condenser 16 is in
fluid communication with the metering device 17. The liquid
refrigerant is routed from the condenser 16 to the metering device
17. The metering device 17 serves to restrict the flow of the
liquid refrigerant, causing a pressure drop and facilitating the
evaporation of the liquid refrigerant. The metering device 17 may
be an expansion valve or a capillary tube. The metering device 17
is in fluid communication with the evaporator 15, allowing the
liquid refrigerant to be pressure dropped and routed to the
evaporator 15. The liquid refrigerant is evaporated back into gas
form in the evaporator 15. As the refrigerant is evaporated, the
liquid absorbs heat from the surrounding area. The evaporator 15 is
in fluid communication with the compressor 14, enabling the
refrigerant to return to the compressor 14, completing the
refrigeration cycle. The compressor 14, the evaporator 15, the
condenser 16, and the metering device 17 may be positioned within
the cooling compartment 3 as shown in FIG. 2. Alternatively,
various subcomponents of the cooling system 13, such as the
compressor 14, may be positioned external to the refrigerator
compartment 1, the freezer compartment 2, and the cooling
compartment 3, as shown in FIG. 4. The cooling compartment 3 may be
compartmentalized in order to separately enclose the subcomponents
of the cooling system 13.
[0026] Again with reference to FIG. 2 and FIG. 3, the present
invention further comprises a freezer circulation fan 21, a
refrigerator circulation fan 22, and a cooling circulation fan 23.
The freezer circulation fan 21 facilitates airflow from the freezer
airflow compartment 5 and the freezer compartment 2. The freezer
circulation fan 21 is mounted into the outlet 7 of the freezer
airflow compartment 5, allowing air within the freezer airflow
compartment 5 to exit back into the freezer compartment 2. Similar
to the freezer circulation fan 21, the refrigerator circulation fan
22 generates airflow from the refrigerator airflow compartment 4 to
the refrigerator compartment 1. The refrigerator circulation fan 22
is mounted into the outlet 7 of the refrigerator airflow
compartment 4, allowing the warmer air that is cooled by the
air-to-air heat exchanger 8 within the refrigerator airflow
compartment 4 to exit back into and cool the refrigerator
compartment 1. The cooling circulation fan 23 forces cold air
generated by the cooling system 13 into the freezer compartment 2.
The cooling circulation fan 23 is mounted into the outlet 7 of the
cooling compartment 3, adjacent to the evaporator 15. As such, cold
air generated during a conventional refrigeration cycle by the
cooling system 13 is forced into the freezer compartment 2 by the
cooling circulation fan 23. The freezer circulation fan 21, the
refrigerator circulation fan 22, and the cooling circulation fan 23
are electronically connected to the control unit 18 as shown in
FIG. 3, enabling the control unit 18 to activate and deactivate the
freezer circulation fan 21, the refrigerator circulation fan 22,
and the cooling circulation fan 23 as needed. The control unit 18
is able to disable the freezer circulation fan 21, the refrigerator
circulation fan 22, and the cooling circulation fan 23 during a
defrost cycle in order to halt air circulation within the present
invention while the present invention is underdoing defrosting.
However, during normal operation of the present invention, the
freezer circulation fan 21, the refrigerator circulation fan 22,
and the cooling circulation fan 23 are continuously run. This
ensures that air is constantly circulating through the refrigerator
compartment 1, the refrigerator airflow compartment 4, the freezer
compartment 2, the freezer airflow compartment 5, and the cooling
compartment 3.
[0027] Again with reference to FIG. 2, the present invention
further comprises a first defroster 24 and a second defroster 25
that are utilized during a defrost cycle for the present invention.
The defrost cycle is able to prevent the evaporator 15 and the
air-to-air heat exchanger 8 from becoming iced up during operation
of the present invention. The first defroster 24 is positioned
adjacent to the evaporator 15 while the second defroster 25 is
positioned adjacent to the air-to-air heat exchanger 8. The first
defroster 24 and the second defroster 25 are thus able to prevent
ice from forming on the evaporator 15 and the air-to-air heat
exchanger 8 and compromising the functionality of the present
invention. The present invention is not limited with respect to the
specific type of defroster utilized for the first defroster 24 and
the second defroster 25. For example, the first defroster 24 for
the evaporator 15 may be a hot gas defrost system or an electrical
heater. The second defroster 25 for the air-to-air heat exchanger 8
may be an electrical defroster. Alternatively, an off cycle may be
implemented during defrosting in which the cooling system 13 is
deactivated.
[0028] As shown in FIG. 5, the control unit 18 comprises a
refrigerator control unit 19 and a freezer control unit 20. The
refrigerator control unit 19 and the freezer control unit 20
regulate the temperature and the cooling of the refrigerator
compartment 1 and the freezer compartment 2, respectively. The
refrigerator control unit 19 is electronically connected to the
refrigerator circulation fan 22 and the freezer circulation fan 21,
allowing the refrigerator control unit 19 to activate the
refrigerator circulation fan 22 and the freezer circulation fan 21
to enable cooling of the refrigerator compartment 1 or deactivate
the refrigerator circulation fan 22 and the freezer circulation fan
21 to cease cooling during defrosting. Similarly, the freezer
control unit 20 is electronically connected to the cooling
circulation fan 23, allowing the freezer control unit 20 to
activate the cooling circulation fan 23 to enable cooling of the
freezer compartment 2 or deactivate the cooling circulation fan 23
to cease cooling during defrosting. The refrigerator control unit
19 is electronically connected to the freezer control unit 20 while
the first defroster 24 and the second defroster 25 are
electronically connected to the freezer control unit 20 and the
refrigerator control unit 19, respectively. The first defroster 24
and the second defroster 25 are able to commence defrosting
together, but may complete defrosting separately. The refrigerator
control unit 19 and the freezer control unit 20 are interlocked in
order to ensure that cooling operations do not resume while
defrosting is underway in another area of the present invention.
This is due to the fact that the time required for defrost cycles
may vary for different areas of the present invention. The control
unit 18 is thus able to prevent the cooling system 13, the
refrigerator circulation fan 22, the freezer circulation fan 21,
and the cooling circulation fan 23 from operating simultaneously
with the first defroster 24 and the second defroster 25. Because
the refrigerator control unit 19 and the freezer control unit 20
are interlocked, the control unit 18 is able to ensure that all
defrost cycles have completed before resuming operation of the
cooling system 13.
[0029] Again referring to FIG. 2, the present invention further
comprises a first insulation panel 26 and a second insulation panel
27. The first insulation panel 26 is connected in between the
freezer compartment 2 and the freezer airflow compartment 5. This
reduces cooling of the air-to-air heat exchanger 8 when cold air is
circulating through the freezer compartment 2, thereby reducing the
freezing of the air-to-air heat exchanger 8. The second insulation
panel 27 is connected in between the refrigerator compartment 1 and
the refrigerator airflow compartment 4. The second insulation panel
27 is thus able to minimize cooling of the air-to-air heat
exchanger 8 from the refrigerator compartment 1, allowing the
refrigerator compartment 1 to be cooled more effectively.
[0030] With reference to FIG. 6, the present invention further
comprises at least one runoff drain pipe 28 and a runoff drain pan
29. The at least one runoff drain pipe 28 and the runoff drain pan
29 are utilized to catch and remove runoff from the air-to-air heat
exchanger 8 and the evaporator 15 during defrosting. The at least
one runoff drain pipe 28 is thus positioned adjacent to the
air-to-air heat exchanger 8 and the evaporator 15, allowing runoff
to enter the at least one runoff drain pipe 28. The runoff drain
pan 29 is positioned adjacent to the at least one runoff drain pipe
28 in order to collect runoff exiting the at least one runoff drain
pipe 28.
[0031] The air-to-air heat exchanger 8 may take a number of forms
across various embodiments of the present invention. However, the
present invention is not limited with respect to the specific
design of the air-to-air heat exchanger 8. Most commonly, the
air-to-air heat exchanger 8 comprises a plate 9 as shown in FIG. 2.
A first surface 10 of the plate 9 is in thermal contact with the
freezer compartment 2 and is cooled by cold air circulating through
the freezer airflow compartment 5. A second surface 11 of the plate
9 is in thermal contact with the refrigerator airflow compartment
4, allowing warmer air circulating through the refrigerator airflow
compartment 4 to be cooled by the air-to-air heat exchanger 8. In
the embodiment of the present invention shown in FIG. 7 and FIG. 8,
the air-to-air heat exchanger 8 further comprises a plurality of
fins 12. The plurality of fins 12 is able to improve the efficiency
of the air-to-air heat exchanger 8 and is evenly distributed across
the first surface 10 and the second surface 11. The plurality of
fins 12 is thus positioned within both the freezer airflow
compartment 5 and the refrigerator airflow compartment 4.
[0032] Two example embodiments of the present invention are shown
in FIGS. 9-14. The example shown in FIGS. 9-11 is an embodiment of
the present invention designed for use in residential applications.
The example shown in FIGS. 12-14 is an embodiment of the present
invention designed for use in commercial applications.
[0033] The use of a single cooling system 13 in lieu of a dedicated
system for both the refrigerator compartment 1 and the freezer
compartment 2 provides a number of benefits to the present
invention when compared to conventional refrigeration systems.
Because only a single system is in use, the present invention does
not require more physical space as is required for a dual system.
The single system offers a reduction in cost as well. Additionally,
because there is no air exchanged between the freezer compartment 2
and the refrigerator compartment 1, both the freezer compartment 2
and the refrigerator compartment 1 may be cooled evenly and be
cooled more consistently without fluctuations in temperature. There
is no moisture exchanged between the freezer compartment 2 and the
refrigerator compartment 1 as well, preventing food items within
the present invention from being dehydrated and losing
freshness.
[0034] Although the present invention has been explained in
relation to its preferred embodiment, it is understood that many
other possible modifications and variations can be made without
departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention as
hereinafter claimed.
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