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US 4,732,009 AGranted
Refrigerator compartment and method for accurately controlled temperature
AssigneeWhirlpool Corporation
InventorEdwin H. Frohbieter
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A refrigerator-freezer has a separate controlled temperature compartment and method that includes a freezer air siphon for drawing air from a horizontal mid-portion of the freezer and mixing the freezer air within a plenum with air circulating through the separate compartment. An air return is provided to the freezer from the separate compartment, while an inlet in the plenum, at which is mounted a temperature sensor for controlling a fan, draws air from the compartment into the plenum for mixing and for recirculation.
Claims22
In a combined refrigerator-freezer of the type including a compartmented cabinet including a freezer compartment and a refrigerator compartment, a controlled temperature compartment for extended storage of perishable items and formed as a separate compartment in said cabinet, comprising:
- means for defining a plenum chamber within said separate compartment including first and second air openings providing communication between said separate compartment and said plenum chamber, said first air opening being spaced from said second air opening;
- first and second air conduits extending between and in communication with said separate compartment and the freezer compartment,
- said first air conduit having first and second opposite ends,
- said first end of said first air conduit extending to a horizontal mid-portion of said freezer compartment and defining a third air inlet opening at said freezer compartment mid-portion,
- said second opposite end of said first air conduit being in communication with said plenum chamber;
- means for driving an air flow through said first air opening from said plenum chamber, said air flow driving means drawing air into said plenum chamber through said second air opening and through said first air conduit;
- and
- means for controlling said air flow driving means depending on the air temperature within said separate compartment.
5 more elements
In a combination refrigerator-freezer unit having a freezer compartment and a refrigerator compartment, a controlled temperature compartment for extended storage of perishable items, comprising:
- an enclosure contained within the refrigerator-freezer unit defining a controlled temperature compartment;
- an openable door mounted for closure over said enclosure;
- a plenum mounted within said enclosure and defining a plenum chamber within said controlled temperature compartment in which air is mixed;
- a fan mounted for directing a flow of air from said plenum chamber into said controlled temperature compartment, said plenum having a fan outlet through which the fan air flow is directed;
- means for controllably driving said fan;
- means for controlling said fan driving means dependent upon predetermined temperatures of the air within said enclosure;
- a first air inlet in said plenum spaced from said fan outlet and providing communication between said controlled temperature compartment and said plenum chamber;
- an air siphon having an outlet in communication with said plenum chamber and an inlet in communication with a horizontal mid-portion of an interior of the freezer compartment;
- and
- an air return communicating between the freezer compartment and said enclosure;
- whereby operation of said fan draws controlled temperature compartment air through said first air inlet and draws freezer compartment air through said air siphon and expels a combination of the two airs from said fan outlet into said controlled temperature compartment.
8 more elements
In a side-by-side refrigerator-freezer unit having a common wall separating a freezer compartment from a refrigerator compartment,
- compartmenting means in said unit forming a separate compartment independent of said freezer compartment and said refrigerator compartment;
- an openable door mounted to close said separate compartment;
- a plenum defining an air mixing chamber and mounted adjacent said common wall within said separate compartment, an air inlet and an air outlet being formed in said plenum, said air inlet being spaced from said air outlet;
- a siphon tube mounted within the freezer compartment and having a first end including a cold air inlet at a horizontal mid-portion of said freezer compartment, a second opposite end of said siphon tube having a cross-over extending through said common wall and communicating with said air mixing chamber in an interior of said plenum;
- an air return conduit in communication between said separate compartment and the freezer compartment and having a cross-over through said common wall, said air return conduit having an opening communicating with a top of said separate compartment;
- a temperature sensor mounted to detect air temperature within said separate compartment;
- a fan and a controllable fan motor mounted to direct an air flow from said plenum air outlet into said separate compartment, said fan and fan motor operable to draw air into said mixing chamber through said air inlet in said plenum and through said siphon tube from the freezer compartment, a portion of the air within said separate compartment flowing through said air return conduit to the freezer compartment as said fan and fan motor operates;
- and
- a control circuit connected to control said fan and said fan motor depending on the temperature sensed by said temperature sensor;
- whereby said fan directed air flow circulates throughout said separate compartment to maintain a low temperature differential.
7 more elements
A top-freezer type refrigerator-freezer unit having a common wall separating a freezer compartment from a refrigerator compartment, comprising:
- compartmenting means in said refrigerator-freezer unit forming a separate compartment independent of said freezer compartment and said refrigerator compartment;
- an openable door mounted to close said separate compartment;
- a plenum housing defining a plenum chamber and mounted adjacent a wall within said separate compartment, said plenum housing having an air inlet and an air outlet spaced from each other;
- a siphon tube having a first end including a freezer air inlet at a horizontal mid-portion of said freezer compartment,
- a second opposite end of said siphon tube in communication with said plenum chamber within said plenum housing;
- a return duct having an inlet end open to said separate compartment outside said plenum housing and an outlet end in communication with a horizontal mid-portion of said freezer compartment to provide an air flow between said separate compartment and said freezer compartment;
- a temperature sensor mounted to detect air temperature within said separate compartment;
- a fan and controllable fan motor mounted to direct an air flow from said plenum air outlet into said separate compartment, said fan and fan motor operable to draw air into said plenum chamber through said plenum air inlet from said separate compartment and through said siphon tube from said freezer compartment, a portion of the air within said separate compartment flowing through said return duct to said freezer compartment as said fan and said fan motor operation;
- a control circuit connected to control said fan and said fan motor corresponding to changes in temperature sensed by said temperature sensor;
- whereby said fan circulates an air flow throughout said separate compartment to maintain a relatively constant temperature for long term food storage.
7 more elements
A method for cooling a separate compartment in a combination refrigerator-freezer unit to a predetermined temperature, comprising the steps of:
- drawing a supply of cold air from a horizontal mid-portion of the freezer, said horizontal mid-portion being a horizontal region spaced from a top and botton of the freezer,
- tempering the supply of cold freezer air with air drawn from the separate compartment;
- directing the thus tempered air in the form of an air stream into the separate compartment;
- and
- directing a flow of return air from the separate compartment to a different portion of the freezer.
2 more elements
A method for cooling a separate compartment in a combination refrigerator-freezer unit to a predetermined temperature, comprising the steps of:
- drawing a supply of cold air from a horizontal mid-portion of the freezer;
- tempering the supply of cold freezer air with air drawn from the separate compartment;
- directing the thus tempered air in the form of an air stream into the separate compartment;
- directing a flow of return air from the separate compartment to a different portion of the freezer;
- sensing the air temperature of the tempered air;
- regulating the flow of air as a function of air temperature;
- selecting a first signal level corresponding to a predetermined temperature;
- generating a second signal level corresponding to said sensed air temperature;
- comparing said first signal level to said second signal level;
- and
- controlling the step of directing the tempered air depending on whether said first signal is greater than said second signal.
8 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.