US 5,491,980 A · Reversible refrigerator/freezer system

Abstract

A refrigerator system having a refrigerating mechanism packaged in a separate case from the refrigerated cabinet and adapted to be attached to either side of the refrigerated cabinet. The refrigerated cabinet has discharge and return openings on each of opposite sides. The refrigerating mechanism has matching discharge and return openings on each of opposite sides. The discharge and return openings on the unattached side of the refrigerating mechanism and refrigerated cabinet are covered. The refrigerating mechanism has an evaporator blower which draws warm air through the return opening in the attached refrigerated cabinet, then through a cooling evaporator coil to propel the cooled air into a blower plenum, and then out a discharge outlet of the blower plenum directly into the matching discharge opening in the adjacent refrigerated cabinet. A removable counter top matches and is attached to the top of the refrigerated cabinet, with its top surface in the same plane as the top surface of the refrigerating mechanism. The refrigerating mechanism also has a compressor and condenser cooling system combined with a system for removing water condensed on the evaporator coil of the refrigerating mechanism.

Claims21

Dependent claims

A refrigerator system comprising:

(A) a unitary refrigerated cabinet;
(B) discharge and return openings on each of two opposite vertical sides of said unitary refrigerated cabinet;
(C) a refrigerating mechanism which is separately encased from said unitary refrigerated cabinet;
(D) discharge and return openings on each of two opposite vertical sides of said refrigerating mechanism which correspond with said discharge and return openings on each of two opposite vertical sides of said unitary refrigerated cabinet;
(E) attachment means for attaching said separately encased refrigerating mechanism to either of said two opposite vertical sides of said unitary refrigerated cabinet;
and
(F) opening cover means for covering the discharge and return openings on each of the unattached sides of said unitary refrigerated cabinet and said refrigerating mechanism.

4 more elements

A refrigerator system comprising:

(A) an evaporator section;
(B) a compressor section adjacent said evaporator section;
(C) an insulating wall separating said evaporator section and said compressor section;
(D) an evaporator coil mounted in said evaporator section;
(E) a first condensate container mounted beneath said evaporator coil to contain water condensed on the outside of said evaporator coil;
(F) a compressor mounted in said compressor section;
(G) a condenser coil mounted adjacent said compressor;
(H) a condenser fan mounted adjacent said condenser coil and adapted to force air through said condenser coil and around said compressor to cool said condenser coil and said compressor;
(I) a second condensate container mounted in said compressor section below at least part of said compressor, the bottom of said second condensate container being below the bottom of said first condensate container;
(J) condensate conduit means for conducting condensate in said first condensate container through said insulating wall into said second condensate container;
(K) enclosure means for enclosing said compressor section on all sides except for one side;
(L) a panel on said one side of said compressor section having a top opening adjacent its top and a bottom opening adjacent its bottom;
(M) said condenser fan forcing air drawn through said top opening of said panel, through said condenser coil to warm the forced air, around said compressor to further warm the forced air, then over said condensate in said second condensate container to evaporate said condensate, and then expel said evaporated condensate in the forced air out said bottom opening of said panel.

10 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Reversible refrigerator/freezer system

Life of this patent

Reversible refrigerator/freezer system

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims21