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US 12,181,204 B2Granted
Wireless anti-condensation system for a refrigerator appliance mullion
AssigneeHaier US Appliance Solutions, Inc.
InventorsVineeth Vijayan, Jordan Andrew Waymeyer
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A refrigerator appliance having a cabinet defining a chamber and a rotatably hinged door to at least partially seal the chamber or provide access to the chamber. The cabinet includes an induction coil and the door includes a heat pipe to provide a wireless anti-condensation system to a refrigerator mullion.
Claims20
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 comprising:
- a first vertical wall and a second vertical wall spaced laterally from the first vertical wall;
- a bottom wall and a top wall spaced vertically above the bottom wall, the first and second vertical walls and the bottom and top walls defining a lateral and a vertical dimension of a chamber;
- and
- a groove formed in the bottom wall, the groove comprising cam surfaces;
- an induction coil within the bottom wall of the cabinet;
- a door rotatably hinged to the cabinet and supported for rotation between a closed position in which an inner surface of the door abuts at least one of the first and second vertical walls and the bottom and top walls to seal a portion of the chamber, and an open position providing access to a portion of the chamber;
- an articulating mullion rotatably hinged to the door;
- and
- a heat pipe extending between a sealed first end and a sealed second end, the heat pipe positioned within the articulating mullion,
- wherein the induction coil is positioned such that the second sealed end of the heat pipe is adjacent to the induction coil when the door is in the closed position,
- wherein the cam surfaces interact with a tab extending from a bottom portion of the mullion,
- wherein the tab comprises the sealed second end of the heat pipe and the induction coil is integrated with the groove, and
- wherein the heat pipe is operatively coupled to the induction coil when the door is in the closed position.
11 more elements
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 comprising:
- a first vertical wall and a second vertical wall spaced laterally from the first vertical wall;
- a bottom wall and a top wall spaced vertically above the bottom wall, the first and second vertical walls and the bottom and top walls defining a vertical and a lateral dimension of a chamber;
- and
- a groove formed in the top wall, the groove comprising cam surfaces;
- an induction coil within the top wall of the cabinet;
- a door rotatably hinged to the cabinet and supported for rotation between a closed position in which an inner surface of the door abuts the bottom and top walls and at least one of the first and second vertical walls to seal a portion of the chamber, and an open position providing access to a portion of the chamber;
- an articulating mullion rotatably hinged to the door;
- and
- a heat pipe extending between a sealed first end and a sealed second end, the heat pipe positioned within the articulating mullion, the heat pipe including a wick,
- wherein the induction coil is positioned such that an end of the heat pipe is adjacent to the induction coil when the door is in the closed position,
- wherein the cam surfaces interact with a tab extending from a top portion of the mullion,
- wherein the tab comprises the sealed second end of the heat pipe and the induction coil is integrated with the groove, and
- wherein the heat pipe is operatively coupled to the induction coil when the door is in the closed position.
11 more elements
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 comprising:
- a first vertical wall and a second vertical wall spaced laterally from the first vertical wall;
- a bottom wall and a top wall spaced vertically above the bottom wall, the first and second vertical walls and the bottom and top walls defining a vertical and a lateral dimension of a chamber;
- and
- a groove formed in one of the top wall or the bottom wall, the groove comprising cam surfaces;
- an induction coil within one of the top wall or the bottom wall, the location of the induction coil corresponding to the location of the groove;
- a door rotatably hinged to the cabinet and supported for rotation between a closed position in which an inner surface of the door abuts the bottom and top walls and at least one of the first and second vertical walls to seal a portion of the chamber, and an open position providing access to a portion of the chamber;
- an articulating mullion rotatably hinged to the door;
- and
- a heat pipe extending between a sealed first end and a sealed second end, the heat pipe positioned within the articulating mullion,
- wherein the induction coil is positioned such that the second sealed end of the heat pipe is adjacent to the induction coil when the door is in the closed position,
- wherein the cam surfaces interact with a tab extending from one of a top portion or a bottom portion of the mullion, the location of the tab corresponding to the location of the groove,
- wherein the tab comprises the sealed second end of the heat pipe and the induction coil is integrated with the groove, and
- wherein the heat pipe is operatively coupled to the induction coil when the door is in the closed position.
11 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.