US 6,422,031 B1 · Refrigeration appliance with impingement cooling system

Abstract

A refrigeration appliance includes a large capacity refrigeration system for developing a flow of cold air that is impinged, preferably through top and side nozzles, upon food items placed within an internal cavity of the appliance to quickly freeze or chill the food items. An additional small capacity refrigeration system is provided to maintain a desired temperature within the cavity when the rapid cooling is not needed. Preferably, an impingement air diffuser arrangement is provided to direct the air flow and includes partition members to divide the internal cavity into subspaces for different food packages, with varying cooling rates being permissible between the various sub-spaces. A vertically adjustable shelf is provided which cooperates with blocking plates which move up and down with the shelf and function to block air flow through nozzles arranged below the shelf such that all of the developed air flow is used for direct impingement on the food product.

Claims23

Dependent claims

A refrigeration appliance comprising:

a housing including an internal cavity having an open portion for accessing the internal cavity from outside the housing;
a fluid flow assembly including first, second and third passages, said first and second passages being interconnected by said third passage;
a plurality of fluid entry ports leading into the internal cavity from the first passage;
at least one fluid exit port leading from the internal cavity into the second passage;
a first, large capacity refrigeration system for developing a flow of and rapidly cooling a fluid medium, said fluid medium being directed into the first passage of the fluid flow assembly, the internal cavity through the plurality of fluid entry ports for impingement upon a food item placed in the internal cavity, the second passage through the at least one fluid exit port and back to the first passage through the third passage;
and
a second, small capacity refrigeration system for maintaining a desired temperature environment within the internal cavity through the fluid medium.

4 more elements

A refrigeration appliance comprising:

a housing including an upper wall, side walls and a rear wall;
an internal cavity arranged within the housing, with the internal cavity being defined by top, bottom and side panels, said top panel being spaced from said upper wall so as to define a first passage therebetween, said side panels being spaced from said side walls to define a pair of spaced vertical channels which open up into the first passage;
a plurality of entry ports provided in each of the top and side panels in order to fluidly interconnect each of the first passage and the side channels with the internal cavity;
a refrigeration system including a blower for generating a flow of cooling air directed into at least the first passage;
and
first and second blocking plates arranged in the opposing side channels, said blocking plates being selectively, vertically adjustable within the side channels for restricting the flow of fluid through a selected number of the entry ports in the side panels.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Refrigeration appliance with impingement cooling system

Life of this patent

Refrigeration appliance with impingement cooling system

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims23