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US 6,672,094 B1Granted
Pressure relief system for a refrigerator
AssigneeMaytag Corporation
InventorsMichael Scot Carden, John Phillip Myers
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
To allow for easier opening of a refrigerator door, a pressure relief system is provided to relieve a pressure differential or vacuum that develops due to operation and use of the refrigerator. The pressure relief system includes a check valve having an orifice with a flexible membrane. An insulation portion of the pressure relief valve, which is foamed into the cabinet, spans from the fresh food compartment to a top of the cabinet and directs air towards the rear cabinet liner for moisture condensing measures. The pressure relief assembly also includes an adapter which mounts to the cabinet top and provides a mounting surface for an air return assembly.
Claims25
A refrigerator comprising:
- a cabinet shell including a fresh food compartment and a freezer compartment defined by at least one liner mounted within the cabinet shell;
- a fresh food compartment door for selectively accessing the fresh food compartment;
- a freezer compartment door for selectively accessing the freezer compartment;
- a passage for fluidly interconnecting said fresh food compartment with said freezer compartment;
- a refrigeration system for cooling both the freezer compartment and the fresh food compartment;
- and
- a pressure relief assembly for regulating a pressure differential between inside and outside the refrigerator, said pressure relief assembly including a pressure relief member having a main body portion provided with a bore extending there through, wherein the main body portion is mounted in situ between the cabinet shell and the fresh food compartment with a first end portion of the main body portion being exposed to outside the cabinet shell and a second end portion opening into the fresh food compartment, said pressure relief member including a check valve defined by a flexible membrane for automatically controlling a flow of air between inside and outside the refrigerator based on the pressure differential, said second end portion of the main body portion including an air director for controlling the flow of air into the fresh food compartment through the main body portion, wherein the air director includes an opening which directs the flow of air against a rear wall portion of the at least one liner.
4 more elements
A refrigerator comprising:
- a cabinet shell including a fresh food compartment and a freezer compartment defined by at least one liner mounted within the cabinet shell;
- a fresh food compartment door for selectively accessing the fresh food compartment;
- a freezer compartment door for selectively accessing the freezer compartment;
- a passage for fluidly interconnecting said fresh food compartment with said freezer compartment;
- a refrigeration system for cooling both the freezer compartment and the fresh food compartment;
- and
- a pressure relief assembly for regulating a pressure differential between inside and outside the refrigerator, said pressure relief assembly including a pressure relief member having a main body portion provided with a bore extending there through, wherein the main body portion is mounted in situ between the cabinet shell and the fresh food compartment with a first end portion of the main body portion being exposed to outside the cabinet shell and a second end portion opening into the fresh food compartment, said pressure relief member including a check valve defined by a flexible membrane for automatically controlling a flow of air between inside and outside the refrigerator based on the pressure differential.
4 more elements
A refrigerator comprising:
- a cabinet shell including a fresh food compartment and a freezer compartment defined by at least one liner mounted within the cabinet shell;
- a fresh food compartment door for selectively accessing the fresh food compartment;
- a freezer compartment door for selectively accessing the freezer compartment;
- a passage for fluidly interconnecting said fresh food compartment with said freezer compartment;
- a refrigeration system for cooling both the freezer compartment and the fresh food compartment;
- and
- a pressure relief assembly for regulating a pressure differential between inside and outside the refrigerator, said pressure relief assembly including a pressure relief member having a main body portion provided with a bore extending there through with a first end portion of the main body portion being exposed to outside the cabinet shell and a second end portion opening into the fresh food compartment, said second end portion of the main body portion including an air director for controlling the flow of air into the fresh food compartment through the main body portion, wherein the air director includes an opening which directs the flow of air against a rear wall portion of the at least one liner.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.