Rotary air damper with shutoff bypass
AssigneeRobertshaw Controls Company
InventorsJames Pearson, Robert Van der Linde
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A damper assembly for use in a refrigeration system having a temperature adjustable compartment is presented. The damper assembly comprises a housing and a damper door assembly rotatable therein. The housing includes a flange that cooperates with a semicircular flange of the damper door assembly to form two air flow channels in the housing. When the damper door is open, chilled air from the freezer compartment is allowed to circulate through the damper assembly and through the compartment to provide a quick chill mode of operation. The damper door is also rotatable to a closed position that allows air to circulate within the damper assembly and the compartment. A heater may be included to provide a quick defrost mode of operation.
Claims20
A damper assembly for use in a refrigeration system, the damper assembly comprising:
- a housing defining a damper door aperture and having a vertical flange and a horizontal flange;
- a damper door assembly having a damper door and a blocking wall, the damper door assembly insertable into the damper door aperture and rotatable to alternatively:
- position the blocking wall relative to the vertical flange such that the damper door, the blocking wall, the vertical flange, and the housing form a first air flow aperture and a second air flow aperture;
- and
- engage the door with the horizontal flange such that that the damper door, the vertical flange, and the housing block the first air flow aperture, block the second air flow aperture, and form a conduit between the first air flow aperture and the second air flow aperture.
A temperature adjustment system comprising:
- a damper assembly comprising:
- a housing with a front portion and a back portion, the housing defining a damper door aperture and having a vertical flange and a horizontal flange;
- a damper door assembly having a damper door and a blocking wall, the damper door assembly insertable into the damper door aperture and rotatable to alternatively:
- position the blocking wall relative to the vertical flange such that the damper door, the blocking wall, the vertical flange, and the housing form a first air flow aperture and a second air flow aperture;
- and
- engage the damper door with the horizontal flange such that that the damper door, the vertical flange, and the housing block the first air flow aperture, block the second air flow aperture, and form a conduit between the first air flow aperture and the second air flow aperture;
- a temperature adjustment drawer proximate the back portion of the housing;
- and
- a heater disposed within the temperature adjustment drawer.
A method of alternatively heating and cooling a drawer using a damper assembly having a rotatable damper door, the method comprising the steps of:
- opening the damper assembly by rotating the damper door;
- permitting refrigerated air to flow into the damper assembly and the drawer;
- circulating the refrigerated air through the drawer;
- expelling the circulated refrigerated air from the drawer and the damper assembly;
- closing the damper assembly by rotating the damper door to seal the damper assembly and the drawer;
- heating air within the drawer;
- and
- circulating the heated air through the drawer and the damper assembly.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.