US 12,669,278 B2Granted

Refrigerator appliance chilled air system

AssigneeHaier US Appliance Solutions, Inc.

InventorsBrent Alden Junge, Michael Goodman Schroeder

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Abstract

A refrigerator appliance includes a cabinet with a fresh food chamber and a freezer defined in the cabinet. A bridge chamber is defined in the cabinet between the fresh food chamber and the freezer. The bridge chamber includes a first outlet in fluid communication with the fresh food chamber and a second outlet in fluid communication with the freezer. An adjustable louver is positioned at the second outlet of the bridge chamber and an evaporator is positioned in the bridge chamber. The refrigerator appliance further includes a movable fan movably mounted in the bridge chamber. The fan is configured to move between a first position and a second position. The fan is oriented to urge air from the bridge chamber to the fresh food chamber in the first position and to urge air from the bridge chamber to the freezer chamber in the second position.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A refrigerator appliance comprising:

a cabinet;
a fresh food chamber defined in the cabinet;
a freezer chamber defined in the cabinet;
a bridge chamber defined in the cabinet, the bridge chamber positioned between the fresh food chamber and the freezer chamber, the bridge chamber comprising a first outlet in fluid communication with the fresh food chamber and a second outlet in fluid communication with the freezer chamber;
an adjustable louver positioned at the second outlet of the bridge chamber;
an evaporator positioned in the bridge chamber;
a movable fan movably mounted in the bridge chamber, the movable fan configured to move between a first position and a second position, wherein the movable fan is oriented to urge air from the bridge chamber to the fresh food chamber in the first position and wherein the movable fan is oriented to urge air from the bridge chamber to the freezer chamber in the second position;
and
a controller in operative communication with the movable fan and the adjustable louver, wherein the controller is configured for:
moving the movable fan to the first position;
operating the movable fan to urge air from the bridge chamber to the fresh food chamber while the movable fan is in the first position;
moving the movable fan to the second position;
and
operating the movable fan to urge air from the bridge chamber to the freezer chamber while the movable fan is in the second position.

11 more elements

A method of operating a refrigerator appliance, the refrigerator appliance comprising a cabinet, a fresh food chamber defined in the cabinet, a freezer chamber defined in the cabinet, a bridge chamber defined in the cabinet, the bridge chamber positioned between the fresh food chamber and the freezer chamber, the bridge chamber comprising a first outlet in fluid communication with the fresh food chamber and a second outlet in fluid communication with the freezer chamber, an adjustable louver positioned at the second outlet of the bridge chamber, an evaporator positioned in the bridge chamber, a movable fan movably mounted in the bridge chamber, the movable fan configured to move between a first position and a second position, wherein the movable fan is oriented to urge air from the bridge chamber to the fresh food chamber in the first position and wherein the movable fan is oriented to urge air from the bridge chamber to the freezer chamber in the second position, and a controller in operative communication with the movable fan and the adjustable louver, the method comprising:

moving the movable fan to the first position;
operating the movable fan to urge air from the bridge chamber to the fresh food chamber while the movable fan is in the first position;
moving the movable fan to the second position;
and
operating the movable fan to urge air from the bridge chamber to the freezer chamber while the movable fan is in the second position.

2 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.