Refrigerator air control heated baffle

In a refrigeration apparatus having wall portions defining a compartment to be cooled, means for providing refrigerated air flow, and an air flow passage through said wall portions in communication with said providing means, an air baffle disposed in said air flow passage comprising:

• a first plate including an aperture therethrough defining an opening through which refrigerated air may pass;
• a second plate movable relative to said first plate and including an aperture therethrough defining an opening through which refrigerated air may pass;
• actuator means for moving said second plate relative to said first plate to position said openings in a preselected alignment to control the movement of refrigerated air through said passage;
• and
• heater means for maintaining said baffle above a preselected minimum temperature, wherein said heater means comprises an electrical resistance wire coupled to an electrical circuit which is operable to develop a current through said wire to generate heat to maintain the baffle above a preselected temperature so that any moisture that accumulates thereon does not freeze and wherein said electrical circuit includes timer means to selectively energize and deenergize said heater in a timed cycle.

In a refrigeration apparatus having wall portions defining a compartment to be cooled, means for providing refrigerated air flow, and an air flow passage through said wall portions in communication with said providing means, an air baffle disposed in said air flow passage comprising:

• a first plate including an aperture therethrough defining an opening through which refrigerated air may pass;
• a second plate movable relative to said first plate and including an aperture therethrough defining an opening through which refrigerated air may pass;
• actuator means for moving said second plate relative to said first plate to position said openings in a preselected alignment to control the movement of refrigerated air through said passage;
• and
• heater means for maintaining said baffle above a preselected minimum temperature, wherein said heater means comprises an electrical resistance wire coupled to an electrical circuit which is operable to develop a current through said wire to generate heat to maintain the baffle above a preselected temperature so that any moisture that accumulates thereon does not freeze and wherein said heater is electrically connected to said providing means and said heater is selectively energized responsive thereto.

In a refrigeration apparatus having wall portions defining a compartment to be cooled, means for providing refrigerated air flow, and an air flow passage through said wall portions in communication with said providing means, an air baffle disposed in said air flow passage comprising:

• a first plate including an aperture therethrough defining an opening through which refrigerated air may pass;
• a second plate movable relative to said first plate and including an aperture therethrough defining an opening through which refrigerated air may pass;
• actuator means for moving said second plate relative to said first plate to position said openings in a preselected alignment to control the movement of refrigerated air through said passage;
• heater means for maintaining said baffle above a preselected minimum temperature;
• and
• spacer means integral with said first plate for maintaining said second plate in spaced relation therewith.

In a refrigeration apparatus having wall portions defining a compartment to be cooled, means for providing refrigerated air flow, and an air flow passage through said wall portions in communication with said providing means, an air baffle overlying said air flow passage comprising:

• a fixed plate fixedly mounted relative to said passage and including an aperture therethrough, defining an opening through which refrigerated air may pass, wherein said fixed plate is of generally rectangular construction and includes a plurality of longitudinally spaced laterally extending openings therethrough;
• a movable plate movably mounted relative to said fixed plate and including an aperture therethrough, defining an opening through which refrigerated air may pass;
• actuator means secured to said fixed plate and said movable plate for selectively moving said movable plate relative to said fixed plate between an open position wherein their respective openings are in alignment to permit refrigerated air to flow through said passage, and a closed position wherein the respective openings are in disalignment to prevent refrigerated air flow through said passage;
• and
• heater means for maintaining said baffle above a preselected minimum temperature, wherein said heater means comprises an electrically conductive resistance wire which develops heat responsive to an electrical current flowing therethrough, and wherein said heater wire extends between adjacent ones of said apertures.

In a refrigeration apparatus having wall portions defining a compartment to be cooled, means for providing refrigerated air flow, and an air flow passage through said wall portions in communication with said providing means, an air baffle overlying said air flow passage comprising:

• a fixed plate fixedly mounted relative to said passage and including an aperture therethrough, defining an opening through which refrigerated air may pass, wherein said fixed plate includes a plurality of spacer studs extending outwardly therefrom;
• a movable plate movably mounted relative to said fixed plate and including an aperture therethrough, defining an opening through which refrigerated air may pass, said movable plate bearing on said spacer studs to maintain said movable plate in spaced relation with said fixed plate to minimize contact therebetween;
• actuator means secured to said fixed plate and said movable plate for selectively moving said movable plate relative to said fixed plate between an open position wherein their respective openings are in alignment to permit refrigerated air to flow through said passage, and a closed position wherein the respective openings are in disalignment to prevent refrigerated air flow through said passage;
• and
• heater means for maintaining said baffle above a preselected minimum temperature.

In a refrigeration apparatus having wall portions defining a compartment to be cooled, means for providing refrigerated air flow, and an air flow passage through said wall portions in communication with said providing means, an air baffle overlying said air flow passage comprising:

• a fixed plate fixedly mounted relative to said passage and including an aperture therethrough, defining an opening through which refrigerated air may pass;
• a movable plate movably mounted relative to said fixed plate and including an aperture therethrough, defining an opening through which refrigerated air may pass;
• actuator means secured to said fixed plate and said movable plate for selectively moving said movable plate relative to said fixed plate between an open position wherein their respective openings are in alignment to permit refrigerated air to flow through said passage, and a closed position wherein the respective openings are in disalignment to prevent refrigerated air flow through said passage, wherein said actuator means comprises a solenoid coil fixedly secured to said fixed plate and an actuator axially movable relative to said solenoid and fixedly secured to said movable plate to selectively move said movable plate relative to said fixed plate, and wherein said fixed plate includes a stop member extending outwardly therefrom which is operable to limit movement of said movable plate in a direction toward said actuator means;
• and
• heater means for maintaining said baffle above a preselected minimum temperature.

In a refrigeration apparatus having wall portions defining a compartment to be cooled, means for providing refrigerated air flow, and an air flow passage through said wall portions in communication with said providing means, an air baffle overlying said air flow passage comprising:

• a fixed plate fixedly mounted relative to said passage and including an aperture therethrough, defining an opening through which refrigerated air may pass;
• a movable plate movably mounted relative to said fixed plate and including an aperture therethrough, defining an opening through which refrigerated air may pass;
• actuator means secured to said fixed plate and said movable plate for selectively moving said movable plate relative to said fixed plate between an open position wherein their respective openings are in alignment to permit refrigerated air to flow through said passage, and a closed position wherein the respective openings are in disalignment to prevent refrigerated air flow through said passage;
• and
• heater means for maintaining said baffle above a preselected minimum temperature, wherein said heater means comprises an electrically conductive resistance wire which develops heat responsive to an electrical current flowing therethrough and timer means to selectively energize and deenergize said wire in a timed cycle.

In a refrigeration apparatus having wall portions defining a compartment to be cooled, means for providing refrigerated air flow, and an air flow passage through said wall portions in communication with said providing means, an air baffle overlying said air flow passage comprising:

• a fixed plate fixedly mounted relative to said passage and including an aperture therethrough, defining an opening through which refrigerated air may pass;
• a movable plate movably mounted relative to said fixed plate and including an aperture therethrough, defining an opening through which refrigerated air may pass;
• actuator means secured to said fixed plate and said movable plate for selectively moving said movable plate relative to said fixed plate between an open position wherein their respective openings are in alignment to permit refrigerated air to flow through said passage, and a closed position wherein the respective openings are in disalignment to prevent refrigerated air flow through said passage;
• and
• heater means for maintaining said baffle above a preselected minimum temperature, wherein said heater means comprises an electrically conductive resistance wire which develops heat responsive to an electrical current flowing therethrough, wherein said heater means is electrically connected to said providing means and said heater means is selectively energized responsive thereto.