Adjustable air flow system for a refrigerator appliance
AssigneeHaier US Appliance Solutions, Inc.
InventorsChoonjae Ryu, Stephanos Kyriacou
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A refrigerator appliance includes a controller disposed in a cabinet, and the controller is in operable communication with a freezer damper assembly. The controller is configured to operate the compressor in order to simultaneously cool down both of the refrigerating compartment and the freezer compartment, as well as calculate a new open area of the freezer damper assembly based on a target temperature state. The target temperature state includes a refrigerator target temperature of the refrigerating compartment and a freezer target temperature of the freezer compartment. The controller is further configured to adjust a position of the freezer damper assembly to provide the calculated new open area.
Claims20
A refrigerator appliance comprising:
- a cabinet defining a refrigerating compartment and a freezer compartment;
- a sealed cooling system comprising a compressor and an evaporator;
- an air circulation duct system in fluid communication with the refrigerating compartment and the freezer compartment, the air circulation duct system comprising a refrigerator duct and a freezer duct;
- a refrigerator damper assembly disposed in the refrigerator duct, the refrigerator damper assembly positioned and configured to selectively allow air to pass through the refrigerator duct and into the refrigerating compartment;
- a freezer damper assembly disposed in the freezer duct, the freezer damper assembly positioned and configured to selectively allow air to pass through the freezer duct and into the freezer compartment;
- and
- a controller disposed in the cabinet, the controller in operable communication with the freezer damper assembly, the controller configured to:
- operate the compressor in order to simultaneously cool down both of the refrigerating compartment and the freezer compartment;
- calculate a new open area of the freezer damper assembly based on a target temperature state, the target temperature state comprising a refrigerator target temperature of the refrigerating compartment and a freezer target temperature of the freezer compartment;
- and
- adjust a position of the freezer damper assembly to provide the calculated new open area.
A method of operating a refrigerator appliance, the refrigerator appliance comprising a cabinet defining a refrigerating compartment and a freezer compartment, a sealed cooling system comprising a compressor and an evaporator, an air circulation duct system in fluid communication with the refrigerating compartment and the freezer compartment, the air circulation duct system comprising a refrigerator duct and a freezer duct, a refrigerator damper assembly disposed in the refrigerator duct, the refrigerator damper assembly positioned and configured to selectively allow air to pass through the refrigerator duct and into the refrigerating compartment, a freezer damper assembly disposed in the freezer duct, the freezer damper assembly positioned and configured to selectively allow air to pass through the freezer duct and into the freezer compartment;
- and a controller disposed in the cabinet, the controller in operable communication with the freezer damper assembly, the method comprising:
- operating, by the controller, the compressor in order to simultaneously cool down both of the refrigerating compartment and the freezer compartment;
- calculating, by the controller, a new open area of the freezer damper assembly based on a target temperature state, the target temperature state comprising a refrigerator target temperature of the refrigerating compartment and a freezer target temperature of the freezer compartment;
- and
- adjusting, by the controller, a position of the freezer damper assembly to provide the calculated new open area.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.