US 2025/0180273 A1Published application

Refrigerator appliance chilled air system

AssigneeHaier US Appliance Solutions, Inc.

InventorsMichael Goodman Schroeder, Brent Alden Junge

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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 chamber. The bridge chamber includes a first inlet and a first outlet in fluid communication with the fresh food chamber, as well as a second inlet and a second outlet in fluid communication with the freezer chamber. The refrigerator appliance also includes an evaporator and a fan positioned in the bridge chamber. The refrigerator appliance further includes a movable damper assembly configured to move between a first position and a second position. The second inlet and the second outlet are obstructed by the damper assembly in the first position and the first inlet and the first outlet are obstructed by the damper assembly in the second position.

Claims18

Dependent claims

A refrigerator appliance comprising:

a cabinet;
a fresh food chamber defined in the cabinet;
a freezer chamber defined in the cabinet, the freezer chamber spaced apart from the fresh food chamber and separated from the fresh food chamber by an insulated mullion;
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 inlet in fluid communication with the fresh food chamber, a first outlet in fluid communication with the fresh food chamber, a second inlet in fluid communication with the freezer chamber, and a second outlet in fluid communication with the freezer chamber;
an evaporator positioned in the bridge chamber;
a fan positioned in the bridge chamber;
and
a movable damper assembly configured to move between a first position and a second position, wherein the second inlet and the second outlet are obstructed by the damper assembly in the first position and wherein the first inlet and the first outlet are obstructed by the damper assembly in the second position.

5 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, the freezer chamber spaced apart from the fresh food chamber and separated from the fresh food chamber by an insulated mullion, 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 inlet in fluid communication with the fresh food chamber, a first outlet in fluid communication with the fresh food chamber, a second inlet in fluid communication with the freezer chamber, and a second outlet in fluid communication with the freezer chamber, the refrigerator appliance further comprising a movable damper assembly, an evaporator positioned in the bridge chamber, and a fan positioned in the bridge chamber, the method comprising:

moving the movable damper assembly to a first position, whereby the second inlet and the second outlet are obstructed by the damper assembly in the first position;
and
moving the movable damper assembly to a second position, whereby the first inlet and the first outlet are obstructed by the damper assembly in the second position.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.