# US 2014/0150473 A1 · Refrigerator providing air flow to door > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2014/0150473 A1 - Document ID: US20140150473A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 13/691,887 - Filed: 2012-12-03 - Published: 2014-06-05 - Earliest claimed: 2012-12-03 - Assignees: Whirlpool Corporation - Applicants: Whirlpool Corporation - Inventors: Patrick J. Boarman; Mark E. Thomas - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140150473A1 ## CPC - F25D 17/065: {with compartments at different temperatures} - F25C 1/04: by using stationary moulds - F25C 5/182: Ice bins therefor - F25D 11/02: with cooling compartments at different temperatures - F25D 23/028: {Details} - F25D 23/04: with special compartments, e.g. butter conditioners - F25D 29/00: Arrangement or mounting of control or safety devices - F25C 2400/10: Refrigerator units - F25D 2317/061: through special compartments - F25D 2317/062: along the inside of doors - F25D 2323/021: French doors - F25D 2600/04: Controlling heat transfer - F25D 2600/06: Controlling according to a predetermined profile - F25D 2700/122: of freezer compartments - F25D: REFRIGERATORS; COLD ROOMS; ICE-BOXES; COOLING OR FREEZING APPARATUS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR (refrigerated showcases A47F3/04; thermally-insulated vessels for domestic use A47J41/00; refrigerated vehicles, see the appropriate subclasses of classes B60 - B64; containers with thermal insulation in general B65D81/38; heat-transfer, heat-exchange or heat-storage materials, e.g. refrigerants, or materials for the production of heat or cold by chemical reactions other than by combustion C09K5/00; thermally-insulated vessels for liquefied or solidified gases F17C; air-conditioning or air-humidification F24F; refrigeration machines, plants, or systems F25B; cooling of instruments or comparable apparatus without refrigeration G12B) - F25C: PRODUCING, WORKING OR HANDLING ICE ## Abstract A refrigerator includes a refrigerator cabinet, a fresh food compartment disposed within the refrigerator cabinet, a freezer compartment disposed within the refrigerator cabinet below the fresh food compartment, and first and second French doors operatively connected to the refrigerator cabinet to provide access to the fresh food compartment. There is also a mullion between the fresh food compartment and the freezer compartment, an air inlet and an air outlet proximate a bottom of the first French door, and an air outlet and an air inlet on a front face of the mullion. When the first French door is in a closed position, the air inlet proximate the bottom of the first French door aligns with the air outlet on the front face of the mullion and the air outlet proximate the bottom of the first French door aligns with the air inlet on the front face of the mullion. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A refrigerator comprising: a refrigerator cabinet; a fresh food compartment disposed within the refrigerator cabinet; a freezer compartment disposed within the refrigerator cabinet below the fresh food compartment; first and second French doors operatively connected to the refrigerator cabinet to provide access to the fresh food compartment; a mullion between the fresh food compartment and the freezer compartment; an air inlet and an air outlet proximate a bottom of the first French door; an air outlet and an air inlet on a front face of the mullion; wherein when the first French door is in a closed position, the air inlet proximate the bottom of the first French door aligns with the air outlet on the front face of the mullion and the air outlet proximate the bottom of the first French door aligns with the air inlet on the front face of the mullion. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The refrigerator of claim 1 further comprising an ice maker on the first French door. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The refrigerator of claim 2 further comprising a first air pathway through the first French door from the air inlet proximate the bottom of the first French door to the ice maker. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The refrigerator of claim 3 further comprising an ice storage bucket on the first French door and below the ice maker. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The refrigerator of claim 4 further comprising a second air pathway through the first French door from the ice storage bucket to the air outlet proximate the bottom of the first French door. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The refrigerator of claim 1 wherein the air inlet proximate the bottom of the French door and the air outlet on the front face of the mullion have elliptical cross sections. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The refrigerator of claim 1 wherein the air outlet proximate the bottom of the French door and the air inlet on the front face of the mullion have elliptical cross sections. ### Claim 8 A refrigerator comprising: a refrigerator cabinet; a fresh food compartment disposed within the refrigerator cabinet; a freezer compartment disposed within the refrigerator cabinet below the fresh food compartment; first and second French doors operatively connected to the refrigerator cabinet to provide access to the fresh food compartment; an ice maker on the first French door; an ice storage bucket on the first French door and below the ice maker; a mullion between the fresh food compartment and the freezer compartment; a first air opening proximate a bottom of the first French door; a second air opening in a front face of mullion; wherein when the first French door is in a closed position the first air opening is aligned with the second air opening to allow for air flow therebetween. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The refrigerator of claim 8 further comprising a third air opening proximate the bottom of the first French door and a fourth air opening in the front face of the mullion; and wherein when the first French door is in the closed position the third air opening is aligned with the fourth air opening to allow for air flow therebetween. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The refrigerator of claim 9 further comprising a first air passageway in the first French door, the first air passageway between the first air opening and the ice maker. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The refrigerator of claim 10 further comprising a second air passageway in the first French door, the second air passageway between the third air opening and the ice storage bucket. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The refrigerator of claim 11 further comprising a control system for controlling air flow and wherein the control system is adapted to circulate air through the first air opening, through the first air passageway, to the ice maker, to the ice storage bucket, through the second air passageway, and out through the third air opening. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The refrigerator of claim 11 further comprising a control system for controlling air flow and wherein the control system is adapted to circulate air through the first air opening, through the second air passageway, to the ice storage bucket, to the ice maker, through the second air passage way, and out through the third air opening. ### Claim 14 (depends on 8) The refrigerator of claim 8 further comprising a fan disposed within the mullion to assist in controlling air flow. ### Claim 15 (depends on 8) The refrigerator of claim 8 further comprising a fan disposed within the first French door to assist in controlling air flow. ### Claim 16 (depends on 8) The refrigerator of claim 8 further comprising a control system for controlling air flow and wherein the control system is adapted to. ### Claim 17 A method of operating a refrigerator, comprising: providing a refrigerator comprising (a) a refrigerator cabinet, (b) a fresh food compartment disposed within the refrigerator cabinet, (c) a freezer compartment disposed within the refrigerator cabinet, (d) first and second French doors operatively connected to the refrigerator cabinet to provide access to the fresh food compartment, (f) a mullion between the fresh food compartment and the freezer compartment, (g) an ice maker on the first French door, and (h) an ice storage bucket on the first French door; and routing air through one or more openings in the mullion to one or more openings in the French doors when the first French door is in a closed position in order to provide cool air. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The method of claim 17 further comprising routing air through one or more openings in the French doors to one or more openings in the mullion when the first French door is in a closed position. ### Claim 19 (depends on 17) The method of claim 17 further comprising routing the air from the one or more openings in the mullion to the ice maker. ### Claim 20 (depends on 17) The method of claim 17 further comprising routing the air from the one or more openings in the mullion to the ice storage bucket.