U.S. patent application number 16/268573 was filed with the patent office on 2020-08-06 for refrigerator appliance with direct-cooled in-door chamber.
The applicant listed for this patent is Haier US Appliance Solutions, Inc.. Invention is credited to John Keith Besore, Brian Michael Schork.
Application Number | 20200248950 16/268573 |
Document ID | 20200248950 / US20200248950 |
Family ID | 1000003885828 |
Filed Date | 2020-08-06 |
Patent Application | download [pdf] |
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United States Patent
Application |
20200248950 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Schork; Brian Michael ; et
al. |
August 6, 2020 |
REFRIGERATOR APPLIANCE WITH DIRECT-COOLED IN-DOOR CHAMBER
Abstract
A refrigerator appliance includes a cabinet that defines a
chilled chamber. A door is rotatably mounted to the cabinet at a
front portion of the chilled chamber. A food storage chamber is
defined within the door. The refrigerator appliance also includes a
sealed system configured for generating chilled air. The sealed
system is in direct fluid communication with the in-door food
storage chamber to provide the chilled directly to the in-door food
storage chamber.
Inventors: |
Schork; Brian Michael;
(Louisville, KY) ; Besore; John Keith; (Prospect,
KY) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Haier US Appliance Solutions, Inc. |
Wilmington |
DE |
US |
|
|
Family ID: |
1000003885828 |
Appl. No.: |
16/268573 |
Filed: |
February 6, 2019 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
1/1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
F25D 17/065 20130101;
F25D 2317/062 20130101; F25D 23/02 20130101; F25D 2317/061
20130101 |
International
Class: |
F25D 17/06 20060101
F25D017/06; F25D 23/02 20060101 F25D023/02 |
Claims
1. A refrigerator appliance defining a vertical direction, a
lateral direction and a transverse direction, the vertical, lateral
and transverse directions being mutually perpendicular, the
refrigerator appliance comprising: a cabinet extending from a top
to a bottom along the vertical direction, the cabinet also
extending from a left side to a right side along the lateral
direction, the cabinet defining a fresh food chamber, the fresh
food chamber extending along the vertical direction between the top
and the bottom of the cabinet, along the lateral direction between
the left and right sides of the cabinet, and along the transverse
direction between a front portion and a back portion, the front
portion of the fresh food storage chamber defining an opening for
receipt of food items; a door rotatably mounted to the cabinet at
the front portion of the fresh food storage chamber such that the
door rotates between a closed position where the door sealingly
encloses at least a portion of the fresh food storage chamber and
an open position to permit access to the fresh food chamber, the
door comprising an outer casing comprising a thermally insulated
wall that defines an in-door chamber within the outer casing, the
door further comprising a front panel rotatably mounted to the
outer casing of the door such that the front panel of the door
permits access to the in-door chamber when the door is in the
closed position; a sealed system configured for generating chilled
air; and a duct directly fluidly connecting the sealed system with
the in-door chamber to provide the chilled air directly from the
sealed system to the in-door chamber.
2. The refrigerator appliance of claim 1, further comprising a
variable speed blower fan in fluid communication with the sealed
system to urge the chilled air from the sealed system into the duct
and directly to the in-door chamber from an evaporator of the
sealed system.
3. The refrigerator appliance of claim 1, wherein the cabinet also
defines a freezer chamber extending along the vertical direction
between the top and bottom of the cabinet and spaced apart from the
fresh food chamber along the vertical direction, wherein the duct
is a first duct, and further comprising a second duct extending
from the in-door chamber to the freezer chamber.
4. The refrigerator appliance of claim 3, further comprising a
valve in the first duct, the valve configured to divert a portion
of the chilled air to a third duct, the third duct extending from
the valve to the freezer chamber.
5. The refrigerator appliance of claim 4, further comprising a
variable speed blower fan in fluid communication with the sealed
system to urge the chilled air from the sealed system into the
first duct.
6. The refrigerator appliance of claim 3, further comprising a
variable speed blower fan in fluid communication with the sealed
system to urge a first portion of the chilled air from the sealed
system into the first duct and an axial fan in fluid communication
with the sealed system to urge a second portion of the chilled air
from the sealed system directly into the freezer chamber.
7. The refrigerator appliance of claim 6, further comprising a
check valve in the second duct, the check valve oriented within the
second duct such that air flow from the freezer chamber to the
in-door chamber through the second duct is obstructed by the check
valve.
8. The refrigerator appliance of claim 1, wherein the cabinet
comprises a plurality of thermally insulated walls, and the duct
extends from the sealed system to the in-door chamber through the
thermal insulation of at least one of the plurality of thermally
insulated walls.
9. The refrigerator appliance of claim 1, wherein the door is a
first fresh food chamber door, further comprising a second fresh
food chamber door mirrored with the first fresh food chamber door
whereby the first fresh food chamber door and the second fresh food
chamber door cooperatively sealingly enclose the fresh food chamber
when the first fresh food door is in the closed position and the
second fresh food door is in a closed position, the second fresh
food door comprising a second outer casing and a second thermally
insulated wall defining a fresh food storage chamber within the
second outer casing.
10. A refrigerator appliance, the refrigerator appliance
comprising: a cabinet defining a chilled chamber, the chilled
chamber comprising a front portion and an opening for receipt of
food items defined at the front portion; a door rotatably mounted
to the cabinet at the front portion of the chilled chamber such
that the door rotates between a closed position where the door
sealingly encloses at least a portion of the chilled chamber and an
open position to permit access to the chilled chamber, the door
comprising an outer casing comprising a thermally insulated wall
that defines an in-door chamber within the outer casing, the door
further comprising a front panel rotatably mounted to the outer
casing of the door such that the front panel of the door permits
access to the in-door chamber when the door is in the closed
position; a sealed system configured for generating chilled air;
and a duct directly fluidly connecting the sealed system with the
in-door chamber to provide the chilled air directly from the sealed
system to the in-door chamber.
11. The refrigerator appliance of claim 10, further comprising a
variable speed blower fan in fluid communication with the sealed
system to urge the chilled air from the sealed system into the duct
and directly to the in-door chamber from an evaporator of the
sealed system.
12. The refrigerator appliance of claim 10, wherein the cabinet
also defines a freezer chamber positioned below and spaced apart
from the fresh food chamber, wherein the duct is a first duct, and
further comprising a second duct extending from the in-door chamber
to the freezer chamber.
13. The refrigerator appliance of claim 12, further comprising a
valve in the first duct, the valve configured to divert a portion
of the chilled air to a third duct, the third duct extending from
the valve to the freezer chamber.
14. The refrigerator appliance of claim 13, further comprising a
variable speed blower fan in fluid communication with the sealed
system to urge the chilled air from the sealed system into the
first duct.
15. The refrigerator appliance of claim 14, further comprising a
variable speed blower fan in fluid communication with the sealed
system to urge a first portion of the chilled air from the sealed
system into the first duct and an axial fan in fluid communication
with the sealed system to urge a second portion of the chilled air
from the sealed system directly into the freezer chamber.
16. The refrigerator appliance of claim 15, further comprising a
check valve in the second duct, the check valve oriented within the
second duct such that air flow from the freezer chamber to the
in-door chamber through the second duct is obstructed by the check
valve.
17. The refrigerator appliance of claim 10, wherein the cabinet
comprises a plurality of thermally insulated walls, and the duct
extends from the sealed system to the in-door chamber through the
thermal insulation of at least one of the plurality of thermally
insulated walls.
18. The refrigerator appliance of claim 10, wherein the door is a
first fresh food chamber door, further comprising a second fresh
food chamber door mirrored with the first fresh food chamber door
whereby the first fresh food chamber door and the second fresh food
chamber door cooperatively sealingly enclose the fresh food chamber
when the first fresh food door is in the closed position and the
second fresh food door is in a closed position, the second fresh
food door comprising a second outer casing and a second thermally
insulated wall defining a fresh food storage chamber within the
second outer casing.
Description
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The present disclosure relates generally to refrigerator
appliances. In particular, the present disclosure relates to
refrigerator appliances having a door-in-door compartment or
chamber which is directly cooled by a sealed cooling system of the
refrigerator appliance.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] Refrigerator appliances generally include a cabinet that
defines chilled chambers for receipt of food items for storage. One
or more insulated, sealing doors are provided for selectively
enclosing the chilled food storage chambers. Consumers generally
prefer chilled chambers that facilitate visibility and
accessibility of food items stored therein.
[0003] In certain refrigerator appliances, commonly referred to as
side-by-side style refrigerator appliance, the fresh food chamber
is positioned next to the freezer chamber within the cabinet. Such
a configuration can permit easy access to food items stored on
doors of the refrigerator appliances. However, the cabinet can be
deep and narrow such that accessing food items at a back of the
fresh food chamber and/or freezer chamber is difficult.
[0004] In other refrigerator appliances, the freezer chamber is
positioned either above or below the fresh food chamber in the
cabinet, which are commonly referred to as top mount or bottom
mount refrigerator appliances. Such a configuration can provide a
relatively wide fresh food chamber and/or freezer chamber, e.g., as
compared to the side-by-side configuration. However, the depth of
the fresh food chamber and the freezer chamber can make accessing
food items at a back of the refrigerator appliance difficult.
[0005] Accordingly, a refrigerator appliance with features for
assisting with accessing food items stored therein would be
useful.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0006] Aspects and advantages of the invention will be set forth in
part in the following description, or may be apparent from the
description, or may be learned through practice of the
invention.
[0007] In an exemplary embodiment, a refrigerator appliance is
provided. The refrigerator appliance defines a vertical direction,
a lateral direction and a transverse direction. The vertical,
lateral and transverse directions are mutually perpendicular. The
refrigerator appliance includes a cabinet extending from a top to a
bottom along the vertical direction. The cabinet also extends from
a left side to a right side along the lateral direction. The
cabinet defines a fresh food chamber. The fresh food chamber
extends along the vertical direction between the top and bottom of
the cabinet, along the lateral direction between the left side and
the right side of the cabinet, and along the transverse direction
between a front portion and a back portion. The front portion of
the fresh food storage chamber defines an opening for receipt of
food items. A door is rotatably mounted to the cabinet at the front
portion of the fresh food storage chamber such that the door
rotates between a closed position where the door sealingly encloses
at least a portion of the fresh food storage chamber and an open
position to permit access to the fresh food chamber. The door
includes an outer casing comprising a thermally insulated wall that
defines an in-door chamber within the outer casing and a front
panel rotatably mounted to the outer casing of the door such that
the front panel of the door permits access to the in-door chamber
when the door is in the closed position. The refrigerator appliance
also includes a sealed system configured for generating chilled air
and a duct directly fluidly connecting the sealed system with the
in-door chamber to provide the chilled air directly from the sealed
system to the in-door chamber
[0008] In another exemplary embodiment, a refrigerator appliance is
provided. The refrigerator appliance includes a cabinet that
defines a chilled chamber. The chilled chamber includes a front
portion and an opening for receipt of food items. A door is
rotatably mounted to the cabinet at the front portion of the
chilled chamber such that the door rotates between a closed
position where the door sealingly encloses at least a portion of
the chilled chamber and an open position to permit access to the
chilled chamber. The door includes an outer casing comprising a
thermally insulated wall that defines an in-door chamber within the
outer casing and a front panel rotatably mounted to the outer
casing of the door such that the front panel of the door permits
access to the in-door chamber when the door is in the closed
position. The refrigerator appliance also includes a sealed system
configured for generating chilled air and a duct directly fluidly
connecting the sealed system with the in-door chamber to provide
the chilled air directly from the sealed system to the in-door
chamber.
[0009] These and other features, aspects and advantages of the
present invention will become better understood with reference to
the following description and appended claims. The accompanying
drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of this
specification, illustrate embodiments of the invention and,
together with the description, serve to explain the principles of
the invention.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0010] A full and enabling disclosure of the present invention,
including the best mode thereof, directed to one of ordinary skill
in the art, is set forth in the specification, which makes
reference to the appended figures.
[0011] FIG. 1 provides a perspective view of an exemplary
refrigerator appliance according to one or more embodiments of the
present subject matter with front panels of the doors in an open
position while the doors are each in a closed position.
[0012] FIG. 2 provides a perspective view of the refrigerator
appliance of FIG. 1 with a first fresh food chamber door and a
second fresh food chamber door both in an open position.
[0013] FIG. 3 provides a schematic illustration of an example
sealed cooling system as may be used with one or more embodiments
of the present subject matter.
[0014] FIG. 4 provides a side section view of the exemplary
refrigerator appliance of FIGS. 1 and 2 taken through the
right-hand door.
[0015] FIG. 5 provides a side section view of the exemplary
refrigerator appliance of FIGS. 1 and 2 taken through the left-hand
door.
[0016] FIG. 6 provides a schematic view of a chilled air supply for
an in-door chamber of a refrigerator appliance according to one or
more embodiments of the present subject matter.
[0017] FIG. 7 provides a schematic view of a chilled air supply for
an in-door chamber of a refrigerator appliance according to one or
more additional embodiments of the present subject matter.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0018] Reference now will be made in detail to embodiments of the
invention, one or more examples of which are illustrated in the
drawings. Each example is provided by way of explanation of the
invention, not limitation of the invention. In fact, it will be
apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and
variations can be made in the present invention without departing
from the scope or spirit of the invention. For instance, features
illustrated or described as part of one embodiment can be used with
another embodiment to yield a still further embodiment. Thus, it is
intended that the present invention covers such modifications and
variations as come within the scope of the appended claims and
their equivalents.
[0019] As used herein, the terms "first," "second," and "third" may
be used interchangeably to distinguish one component from another
and are not intended to signify location or importance of the
individual components. Terms such as "inner" and "outer" refer to
relative directions with respect to the interior and exterior of
the refrigerator appliance, and in particular the food storage
chamber(s) defined therein. For example, "inner" or "inward" refers
to the direction towards the interior of the refrigerator
appliance. Terms such as "left," "right," "front," "back," "top,"
or "bottom" are used with reference to the perspective of a user
accessing the refrigerator appliance. For example, a user stands in
front of the refrigerator to open the doors and reaches into the
food storage chamber(s) to access items therein.
[0020] As used herein, terms of approximation such as "generally,"
"about," or "approximately" include values within ten percent
greater or less than the stated value. When used in the context of
an angle or direction, such terms include within ten degrees
greater or less than the stated angle or direction, e.g.,
"generally vertical" includes forming an angle of up to ten degrees
either clockwise or counterclockwise with the vertical direction
V.
[0021] FIGS. 1 and 2 provide perspective views of an exemplary
refrigerator appliance 100 according to one or more embodiments of
the present subject matter. Refrigerator appliance 100 defines a
vertical direction V, a lateral direction L, and a transverse
direction T, each mutually perpendicular to one another. As may be
seen in, e.g., FIG. 1, refrigerator appliance 100 includes a
cabinet or housing 120 that extends between a top 101 and a bottom
102 along a vertical direction V, between a left side 104 and a
right side 106 along the lateral direction L, and between a front
108 and a rear 110 along the transverse direction T. Cabinet 120
defines chilled chambers for receipt of food items for storage. As
used herein, a chamber may be "chilled" in that the chamber is
operable at temperatures below room temperature, e.g., less than
about seventy-five degrees Fahrenheit (75.degree. F.). In the
exemplary embodiment, cabinet 120 also defines a mechanical
compartment at or near the bottom 102 of the cabinet 120 for
receipt of a sealed cooling system 60. One or more conduits or
ducts, e.g., ducts 54, 56, and 58 as illustrated for example in
FIG. 1 may extend between the sealed cooling system 60 and the
chilled chambers to provide fluid communication therebetween, e.g.,
to provide chilled air from the sealed cooling system to one or
more of the chilled chambers, whereby the chilled chamber(s) may be
operable at temperatures below room temperature.
[0022] In particular, cabinet 120 defines a fresh food chamber 122
(FIG. 2) and a freezer chamber 124 spaced apart from the fresh food
chamber 122 along the vertical direction V. For example, in the
illustrated embodiment of FIGS. 1 and 2, fresh food chamber 122 is
positioned at or adjacent top 101 of cabinet 120 and freezer
chamber 124 is arranged at or adjacent bottom 102 of cabinet 120.
As such, refrigerator appliance 100 is generally referred to as a
bottom mount refrigerator. It is recognized, however, that the
benefits of the present disclosure may apply to other types and
styles of refrigerator appliances such as, e.g., a top mount
refrigerator appliance, or a side-by-side style refrigerator
appliance. Consequently, the description set forth herein is for
illustrative purposes only and is not intended to be limiting in
any aspect to any particular refrigerator chamber
configuration.
[0023] As may be seen in FIG. 2, the fresh food chamber 122 extends
along the vertical direction V between the top 101 and the bottom
102 of the cabinet 120 and along the lateral direction L between
the left side 104 and the right side 106 of the cabinet 120. For
example, the fresh food chamber 122 may extend along the vertical
direction V from the top 101 to the bottom 102 of the cabinet 120
(such as in a side-by-side configuration), or may extend from one
of the top 101 or the bottom 102 to the freezer chamber 124 (such
as in a top or bottom mount configuration), for example, in the
illustrated bottom-mount embodiment, the fresh food chamber 122
extends along the vertical direction V from the top 101 of the
cabinet 120 to the freezer chamber 124. The fresh food chamber 122
also extends along the transverse direction T from a front portion
134 to a back portion 136. The front portion 134 of the fresh food
storage chamber 122 defines an opening 138 for receipt of food
items.
[0024] Refrigerator doors 126 and 128 are rotatably mounted, e.g.,
hinged, to an edge of cabinet 120 for selectively accessing fresh
food chamber 122. Since refrigerator doors 126 and 128 correspond
to the fresh food chamber 122, the refrigerator doors 126 and 128
may also be referred to as fresh food chamber doors. Refrigerator
doors 126 and 128 may be mounted to the cabinet 120 at or near the
front portion 134 of the fresh food storage chamber 122 such that
the doors 126 and 128 rotate between a closed position (FIG. 1)
where the doors 126 and 128 cooperatively sealingly enclose the
fresh food storage chamber 122 and an open position (FIG. 2) to
permit access to the fresh food chamber 122. The doors 126 and 128
may be generally mirrored, e.g., the overall shape and size of each
door 126, 128 may be the same as the other door 126, 128, with
possible internal variations. In addition, a freezer door 130 is
arranged below refrigerator doors 126 and 128 for selectively
accessing freezer chamber 124. Freezer door 130 is coupled to a
freezer drawer 132 (FIGS. 4 and 5) slidably mounted within freezer
chamber 124. Refrigerator doors 126, 128 and freezer door 130 are
shown in the closed configuration in FIG. 1.
[0025] As shown for example in FIGS. 1 and 2, various storage
components are mounted within the chilled chambers to facilitate
storage of food items therein as will be understood by those
skilled in the art. In particular, the storage components may
include various combinations of bins 202, drawers 204, and shelves
206 mounted within one or more of the chilled chambers. Bins 202,
drawers 204, and shelves 206 are configured for receipt of food
items (e.g., beverages and/or solid food items) and may assist with
organizing such food items.
[0026] In addition to the fresh food chamber 122 and the freezer
chamber 124, one or more chilled chambers may be defined in one or
both of the doors 126 and 128. For example, one or both of the
refrigerator doors, e.g., both right door 126 and left door 128 as
in the illustrated example, may include an outer casing 121 (FIG.
2) comprising a thermally insulated wall 125 (FIG. 2) that defines
one or more chilled chambers therein. For example, the right door
126 may include one or more fresh food storage chambers 123 (FIGS.
1 and 4) and the left door 128 may include at least one chilled
chamber 300. In some embodiments, the chamber 300 in the door 128
may be, e.g., a first freezer chamber 300. The freezer chamber 300
may be referred to as an in-door freezer chamber because the
chamber 300 may be provided within one or both of the doors 126 and
128, e.g., left door 128 in the illustrated example, such that the
in-door freezer chamber 300 may be accessible without opening the
respective door. As shown, each door 126 and 128 may include a
front panel 127 rotatably mounted to the outer casing 121 of each
door 126 and 128 such that the front panel 127 permits access to
the chilled chamber(s) within the respective door, e.g., the fresh
food storage chambers 123 in right door 126 and the chamber 300 in
left door 128, when the door 126 or 128 is in the closed position,
as shown for example in FIG. 1. In other embodiments, the chamber
300 may be provided in either one of the right door 126 or the left
door 128, separately or in combination with another in-door
chamber, e.g., the in-door chambers 123, in the other of the right
door 126 or the left door 128.
[0027] In various embodiments, the fresh food storage chambers 122
and 123 may be selectively operable within a first temperature
range and the freezer chamber 300 may be selectively operable
within a second temperature range including lower temperatures than
the first temperature range. For example, the chamber 300 may be an
in-door freezer chamber in that the chamber 300 is operable at a
temperature lower than the temperature of the fresh food storage
chambers 122 or 123, including temperatures at or below the
freezing point of water. Additionally, where the in-door freezer
chamber 300 is directly fluidly connected to the sealed cooling
system 60, the in-door freezer chamber 300 may be operable
independently of the freezer chamber 124, including at temperatures
lower than a temperature of the freezer chamber 124.
[0028] For example, the first temperature range of the fresh food
chamber 122 may be between approximately thirty-three degrees
Fahrenheit (33.degree. F.) and approximately forty (40.degree. F.)
degrees Fahrenheit, such as between approximately thirty-five
degrees Fahrenheit (35.degree. F.) and approximately thirty-eight
degrees Fahrenheit (38.degree. F.). Also by way of example, the
second temperature range may include temperatures less than
thirty-two degrees Fahrenheit (32.degree. F.), such as about ten
degrees Fahrenheit (10.degree. F.), such as about zero degrees
Fahrenheit (0.degree. F.), and temperatures greater than forty
degrees Fahrenheit (40.degree. F.), such as about forty-five
degrees Fahrenheit (45.degree. F.) or higher, such as about sixty
degrees Fahrenheit (60.degree. F.) or higher, such as about seventy
degrees Fahrenheit (70.degree. F.). Still further, it should be
understood that fresh food storage chambers 122 and 123 and freezer
chamber 300 may be selectively operable at any number of various
temperatures and/or temperature ranges as desired or required per
application. For example, the in-door chamber 300 may also or
instead be a flexible chamber or a fresh food chamber.
[0029] The sealed system 60 may be in fluid communication with the
various chilled chambers to provide the chilled air to the chambers
separately or in various combinations. In particular, the sealed
system 60 may be directly in fluid communication with the in-door
chamber 300. For example, a first duct 54 may extend between and
provide fluid communication from the sealed system 60 to one or
both of the fresh food storage chambers 122 and 123, a second duct
56 may extend between the sealed system 60 and the in-door chamber
300 to provide direct fluid communication from the sealed system 60
to the in-door chamber 300, and a third duct 58 may extend between
and provide fluid communication from the sealed system 60 to the
freezer chamber 124.
[0030] FIG. 3 provides a schematic view of the refrigerator
appliance 100, in particular the sealed cooling system 60 thereof.
As illustrated in FIG. 3, refrigerator appliance 100 includes a
machinery compartment 62 that at least partially contains
components for executing a known vapor compression cycle for
cooling air. The components include a compressor 64, a heat
exchanger or condenser 66, an expansion device 68, and an
evaporator 70 connected in series and charged with a refrigerant.
Evaporator 70 is also a type of heat exchanger which transfers heat
from air passing over the evaporator to a refrigerant flowing
through evaporator 70 thereby causing the refrigerant to vaporize.
As such, cooled air C is produced and configured to refrigerate
chambers 122, 123, 124, and 300 of refrigerator appliance 100. The
cooled air C may be directed to the food storage chambers 122, 123,
124, and 300 by a fan 74.
[0031] From evaporator 70, vaporized refrigerant flows to
compressor 64, which operates to increase the pressure of the
refrigerant. This compression of the refrigerant raises its
temperature, which is lowered by passing the gaseous refrigerant
through condenser 66 where heat exchange with ambient air takes
place so as to cool the refrigerant. A fan 72 is used to pull air
across condenser 66, as illustrated by arrows A, so as to provide
forced convection for a more rapid and efficient heat exchange
between the refrigerant and the ambient air.
[0032] Expansion device 68 further reduces the pressure of
refrigerant leaving condenser 66 before being fed as a liquid to
evaporator 70. Collectively, the vapor compression cycle components
in a refrigeration circuit, associated fans, and associated
compartments are sometimes referred to as a sealed refrigeration
system operable to force cold air through refrigeration chambers
122, 123, 124, and 300. The refrigeration system 60 depicted in
FIG. 3 is provided by way of example only. It is within the scope
of the present invention for other configurations of the
refrigeration system to be used as well. For example, fan 74 may be
repositioned so as to push air across evaporator 70, dual
evaporators may be used with one or more fans, and numerous other
configurations may be applied as well.
[0033] As may be seen in FIG. 4, the in-door fresh food storage
chamber 123 and the door 126 may be generally coextensive. For
example, as seen in FIG. 6, the chamber 123 and the door 126 may be
generally coextensive along the vertical direction V, e.g. a
vertical height of the in-door chamber 123 may be about the same
(excepting the thickness of the thermally insulated walls defining
the chamber 123) as a vertical height of the door 126. Referring
back to FIG. 4, the in-door fresh food storage chamber 123 may
extend along the vertical direction V from a bottom 152 of the door
126 to a top 154 of the door 126. The in-door fresh food storage
chamber 123 and the door 126 may also be generally coextensive
along a direction perpendicular to the vertical direction V, e.g.,
at least one of the lateral direction L and the transverse
direction T, e.g., depending on the orientation of the door 126,
e.g. whether the door 126 is in the closed position or the open
position. For example, the door 126 may extend between a left side
and a right side, e.g., along the lateral direction L when the door
126 is in the closed position, as illustrated in FIG. 1. In such
embodiments, the flexible chamber 123 may extend from the left side
of the door 126 to the right side of the door 126 such that the
flexible chamber 123 is generally coextensive with the door 126
along a direction perpendicular to the vertical direction V, e.g.,
the lateral direction L.
[0034] FIG. 5 provides a section view taken through second fresh
food chamber door 128, including food storage chamber 300 (which,
as noted above may be but is not necessarily a freezer chamber)
defined within the door 128. The in-door chamber 300 may be
generally coextensive with the door 128, similarly to the chamber
123 and door 126 described above. In the illustrated example
embodiment of FIG. 5, the in-door chamber 300 includes a plurality
of shelves 206 therein. In other embodiments, various additional
storage components may be mounted within the freezer chamber 300,
e.g., various combinations of bins 202 and/or drawers 204, as well
as or instead of shelves 206.
[0035] FIG. 6 provides a schematic view of a chilled air supply for
the in-door chamber 300 according to one example embodiment of the
present disclosure. As shown in FIG. 6, the chilled air supply
includes a direct fluid connection from the sealed system 60, e.g.,
the evaporator 70 thereof, to the in-door chamber 300 via duct 56.
For example, chilled air from the sealed system 60 may travel to
the in-door chamber 300 without passing through the freezer chamber
124 due to the direct connection from the sealed system 60 to the
in-door chamber 300. In some embodiments, e.g., as illustrated in
FIG. 6, a blower fan 160 may be provided proximate the evaporator
70. The blower fan 160 may be operable to urge chilled air 1000
from the evaporator 70 into the duct 56 at an inlet 156 of the duct
56. In some embodiments, the blower fan 160 may be a variable speed
blower fan 160, where the speed of the variable speed blower fan
160 may be adjusted based on a temperature setting or set point for
the in-door chamber 300. In other embodiments, the blower fan 160
may be a single-speed or fixed-speed blower fan. As illustrated,
the second duct 56 extends from the inlet 156 to an outlet 158 in
the in-door chamber 300 and a switching device or valve, for
example, a two-way shuttle valve 162, is located in the duct
56.
[0036] Still referring to FIG. 6, the two-way shuttle valve 162
selectively diverts a portion (which portion may be as little as
zero percent (0%)) of the air flow from the second duct 56 to the
third duct 58. For example, as illustrated in FIG. 6, the two-way
shuttle valve 162 may be connected to an inlet 164 of the third
duct 58. As shown, the third duct 58 extends from the inlet 164 to
an outlet 166 in the freezer chamber 124. The shuttle valve 162 may
thereby direct airflow from the blower fan 160 in any proportion to
one or both of the freezer chambers 124 and 300, including
directing all, e.g., one hundred percent (100%), of the chilled air
to the freezer chamber 124, all, e.g., one hundred percent (100%),
of the chilled air to the in-door chamber 300, or any split or
proportion therebetween.
[0037] Also shown in FIG. 6 is a fourth duct 170 which extends the
in-door chamber 300 to the freezer chamber 124, e.g., from an inlet
168 in the in-door chamber 300 to an outlet 172 in the freezer
chamber 124. Thus, chilled air 1000 may flow from the in-door
chamber 300 back to the sealed system 60 via the freezer chamber
124. For example, when the shuttle valve 162 is set to direct one
hundred percent (100%) of the chilled air from the blower fan 160
to the in-door chamber 300, the freezer chamber 124 may be cooled
secondarily, e.g., the freezer chamber 124 may be downstream of the
in-door chamber 300 and may be cooled by the chilled air 1000 from
the in-door chamber 300. The freezer chamber 124 may be secondarily
cooled when, for example, a temperature set point of the in-door
chamber 300 is the same as or lower than a temperature set point of
the freezer chamber 124. In other cases, e.g., when the temperature
set point of the freezer chamber 124 is less than the temperature
set point of the in-door chamber 300, the shuttle valve 162 may
divert a portion or all of the chilled air from the blower fan 160
into the third duct 58. In various situations, the position of the
shuttle valve 162, e.g., the proportion of chilled air 1000
directed to each chamber 124 and 300, may be adjusted based on the
temperature set points of the chambers 124 and 300 and based on
temperature measurements from one or more temperature sensors,
e.g., thermistors, in each of the chambers 124 and 300. It should
be understood that the various ducts described herein, e.g., the
second duct 56, the third duct 58, and the fourth duct 170 may be
foamed-in-place, e.g., the cabinet 120 of the refrigerator
appliance 100 may be insulated with a foamed insulation, and the
ducts 56, 58, and/or 170 may be embedded within the insulation
whereby the ducts will not intrude into the usable food storage
space of the various chambers 122, 124, and/or 300. Thus, the
cabinet 120 may include a plurality of thermally insulated walls
and the ducts 56, 58, and/or 170 may extend through the thermal
insulation of at least one of the plurality of thermally insulated
walls.
[0038] FIG. 7 provides a schematic view of a chilled air supply for
the in-door chamber 300 according to one or more additional
embodiments of the present disclosure. In some embodiments, such as
the example embodiment illustrated in FIG. 7, the blower fan 160,
which may be a variable speed blower fan, as described above with
respect to FIG. 6, may be directly connected to the inlet 156 of
the second duct 56. In such embodiments, an axial fan 174 may be
provided to urge air directly from the sealed system 60 into the
freezer chamber 124. Thus, the flow of chilled air 1000 may be
apportioned between the in-door chamber 300 and the freezer chamber
124 by cycling the axial fan 174. In an example embodiment, the
axial fan 174 may be a single-speed axial fan, such that cycling
the axial fan 174 includes turning the axial fan 174 on or off,
depending on the temperature set points of the chambers 124 and 300
and/or temperatures monitored by various temperature sensors
therein. As mentioned, the blower fan 160 may be a variable speed
blower fan, where the speed of the variable blower fan 160 may be
adjusted based on the temperature set points and/or monitored
temperatures. In some cases, e.g., when the temperature set point
of the freezer chamber 124 is lower than the temperature set point
of the in-door chamber 300, the axial fan 174 may be activated to
directly cool the freezer chamber 124. Additionally, a check valve
176 may be provided in the fourth duct 170 which extends from the
in-door chamber 300 to the freezer chamber 124. The check valve 176
may be oriented and configured to permit air flow from the in-door
chamber 300 to the freezer chamber 124 while obstructing or
preventing air flow in the opposite direction, e.g., from the
freezer chamber 124 to the in-door chamber 300. Thus, backflow of
chilled air 1000 from the freezer chamber 124 to the in-door
chamber 300 may be prevented or limited, e.g., when the axial fan
174 is activated, e.g., when the temperature setting of the freezer
chamber 124 is less than the temperature setting of the in-door
chamber 300.
[0039] Providing access to the chamber 300 via the front panel 127
of the door 128 may advantageously increase accessibility of food
items stored in the chamber 300. For example, when the in-door
chamber 300 is a freezer chamber, smaller food items such as a bag
of frozen vegetables may be stored in the freezer chamber 300 to
prevent or reduce such items from being obscured under or behind
larger items such as a frozen turkey, frozen pizza, etc., as
compared to when only a single chamber or portion of the
refrigerator appliance 100 is provided for storing frozen items.
Additionally, reducing the number of times the door 130 is opened
may also advantageously reduce the energy consumption of the
refrigerator appliance, where the relatively smaller volume of the
in-door chamber 300 can be more readily chilled after opening the
front panel 127 only as compared to chilling the entire freezer
chamber 124 after opening the door 130.
[0040] Direct fluid communication from the sealed system 60 to the
in-door chamber 300, such as described in the context of various
example embodiments above, provides numerous advantages. For
example, when the in-door chamber 300 is in direct fluid
communication with the sealed system 60 as opposed to being
downstream of the freezer chamber 124 with respect to the flow of
chilled air 1000, the in-door chamber 300 may be operable at a
wider range of temperatures. For example, the in-door chamber 300
may be operable at a temperature lower than that of the freezer
chamber 124. As another example, the in-door chamber 300 may be
operable at a temperature higher than that of the freezer chamber
124, e.g., by adjusting the shuttle valve 162 (FIG. 6) or cycling
the axial fan 174 (FIG. 7).
[0041] This written description uses examples to disclose the
invention, including the best mode, and also to enable any person
skilled in the art to practice the invention, including making and
using any devices or systems and performing any incorporated
methods. The patentable scope of the invention is defined by the
claims, and may include other examples that occur to those skilled
in the art. Such other examples are intended to be within the scope
of the claims if they include structural elements that do not
differ from the literal language of the claims, or if they include
equivalent structural elements with insubstantial differences from
the literal languages of the claims.
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