# US 2014/0152158 A1 · Adjustable shelf to be accomodated in freezer compartment to improve cooling process speed > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2014/0152158 A1 - Document ID: US20140152158A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 14/117,682 - Filed: 2012-03-29 - Published: 2014-06-05 - Earliest claimed: 2011-05-16 - Assignees: Whirlpool Corporation - Applicants: Whirlpool Corporation - Inventors: Matteo Vanelli; Uday Mathur; Andrea Olivani; Tiemen T. Van Dillen - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140152158A1 ## CPC - F25D 17/06: by forced circulation - F25D 17/04: for circulating air, e.g. by convection - F25D 17/045: {Air flow control arrangements} - F25D 17/062: {in household refrigerators} - F25D 2317/061: through special compartments - F25D 2317/063: with air guides - F25D 2400/30: Quick freezing - 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) ## Abstract A refrigerator with a fast freeze compartment is disclosed. The refrigerator comprises a no frost freezer compartment and a fresh food compartment. The refrigerator has a fast freeze compartment disposed within the fresh food compartment in which a food item can be placed, wherein the fast freeze compartment comprises an adjustable baffle adapted to change the cross section area of the air passage. The refrigerator further has a fan configured to propel cold air toward the fast freeze compartment, wherein the fast freeze compartment has a rear wall provided with at least one fan and a front swinging door, the adjustable baffle being located between side walls. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A fast freezing system comprising: a compartment in which a food item can be placed; a fan configured to propel cold air toward the compartment; wherein the compartment comprises an adjustable baffle adapted to change the cross section area of the air passage. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The fast freezing system according to claim 1, wherein the adjustable baffle is made of flexible material adapted to assume a first configuration in which the cross section area of air passage increases from a position adjacent to the fan to a position far from the fan and a second configuration in which the cross section area of the air passage decreases from a position adjacent the fan to a position far from the fan. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The fast freezing system according to claim 1, wherein adjustable baffle is an extendable telescopic wall adapted to slide on inclined guides in the compartment and adapted to assume a stacked configuration adjacent the fan and an extended configuration which defines an air passage of decreasing cross section area. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The fast freezing system according to claim 1, wherein the compartment comprises a rear wall provided with at least one fan and a front swinging door, the adjustable baffle being interposed between side walls. ### Claim 5 (depends on 2) The fast freezing system according to claim 2, wherein the adjustable baffle is fixed to a front and rear rod mounted transversally in the compartment, the front rod being adjustable in different predetermined positions. ### Claim 6 (depends on 3) The fast freezing system according to claim 3, wherein the guides are disposed on side walls of the compartment so that the height of such guides is lower in the front area of the compartment than in the rear area thereof. ### Claim 7 A refrigerator appliance comprising: a fast freezing system, the fast freezing system comprising: a compartment in which a food item can be placed; a fan configured to propel cold air toward the compartment; wherein the compartment comprises an adjustable baffle adapted to change the cross section area of the air passage. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The refrigerator according to claim 7, wherein the adjustable baffle is made of flexible material adapted to assume a first configuration in which the cross section area of air passage increases from a position adjacent to the fan to a position far from the fan and a second configuration in which the cross section area of the air passage decreases from a position adjacent the fan to a position far from the fan. ### Claim 9 (depends on 7) The refrigerator according to claim 7, wherein the adjustable baffle is an extendable telescopic wall adapted to slide on inclined guides in the compartment and adapted to assume a stacked configuration adjacent the fan and an extended configuration which defines an air passage of decreasing cross section area. ### Claim 10 (depends on 7) The refrigerator according to claim 7, wherein the compartment comprises a rear wall provided with at least one fan and a front swinging door, the adjustable baffle being interposed between side walls. ### Claim 11 (depends on 8) The fast freezing system according to claim 8, wherein the adjustable baffle is fixed to a front and rear rod mounted transversally in the compartment, the front rod being adjustable in different predetermined positions. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The fast freezing system according to claim 10, wherein the adjustable baffle is fixed to a front and rear rod mounted transversally in the compartment, the front rod being adjustable in different predetermined positions. ### Claim 13 (depends on 9) The fast freezing system according to claim 9, wherein the guides are disposed on side walls of the compartment so that the height of such guides is lower in the front area of the compartment than in the rear area thereof. ### Claim 14 (depends on 10) The fast freezing system according to claim 10, wherein the guides are disposed on side walls of the compartment so that the height of such guides is lower in the front area of the compartment than in the rear area thereof. ### Claim 15 (depends on 4) The fast freezing system according to claim 4, wherein the adjustable baffle is fixed to a front and rear rod mounted transversally in the compartment, the front rod being adjustable in different predetermined positions. ### Claim 16 (depends on 4) The fast freezing system according to claim 4, wherein the guides are disposed on side walls of the compartment so that the height of such guides is lower in the front area of the compartment than in the rear area thereof. ### Claim 17 A refrigerator comprising: a no frost freezer compartment; a fresh food compartment; a fast freeze compartment disposed within the fresh food compartment in which a food item can be placed, wherein the fast freeze compartment comprises an adjustable baffle adapted to change the cross section area of the air passage; and a fan configured to propel cold air toward the fast freeze compartment; wherein the fast freeze compartment further comprises a rear wall provided with at least one fan and a front swinging door, the adjustable baffle being interposed between side walls. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The refrigerator according to claim 17, wherein the adjustable baffle is made of flexible material adapted to assume a first configuration in which the cross section area of air passage increases from a position adjacent to the fan to a position far from the fan and a second configuration in which the cross section area of the air passage decreases from a position adjacent the fan to a position far from the fan. ### Claim 19 (depends on 17) The refrigerator according to claim 17, wherein the adjustable baffle is an extendable telescopic wall adapted to slide on inclined guides in the fast freeze compartment and adapted to assume a stacked configuration adjacent the fan and an extended configuration which defines an air passage of decreasing cross section area. ### Claim 20 (depends on 18) The fast freezing system according to claim 18, wherein the adjustable baffle is fixed to a front and rear rod mounted transversally in the fast freeze compartment, the front rod being adjustable in different predetermined positions.