US 7,051,539 B2 · Convertible refrigerator-freezer

Abstract

A refrigerator freezer having an upper refrigerator compartment and a lower below freezing freezer compartment. The upper compartment can be a convertible compartment selectively operable by the user as an above freezing refrigerator compartment or as a below freezing freezer compartment. The evaporator for supplying refrigerated air is located in the upper compartment along with an auxiliary heater and upper compartment thermostat to control the temperature in the upper compartment. A control discharges an amount of refrigerated air to the upper compartment for refrigerator operation and a larger amount of refrigerated air for freezer operation. The control also energizes the auxiliary heater under control of the upper compartment thermostat during refrigerator operation to assure above freezing temperatures in the upper compartment. A low ambient heater can be provided for the upper compartment for use of the refrigerator freezer in low ambient temperature conditions such as an unheated garage.

Claims38

Dependent claims

A convertible refrigerator freezer comprising:

an insulated cabinet having an upper convertible compartment selectively operable by the user as an above freezing refrigerator compartment or as a below freezing freezer compartment, and a lower below freezing freezer compartment;
insulation between the upper convertible compartment and the lower freezer compartment;
a refrigerating system for the convertible refrigerator freezer including:
an evaporator mounted adjacent the rear wall of the upper convertible compartment;
an evaporator cover forming an evaporator compartment for separating the evaporator from the upper convertible compartment;
an evaporator fan mounted in the evaporator compartment for drawing air from the lower freezer compartment through the insulation between the compartments and from the upper convertible compartment and circulating the air over the evaporator;
an air tower for conveying refrigerated air from the evaporator fan to the lower freezer compartment through the insulation between the compartments;
and
a control for selectively discharging a first amount of refrigerated air through the evaporator cover to the upper convertible compartment when the control is set for operating the upper compartment as an above freezing refrigerator compartment, or a second larger amount of refrigerated air through the evaporator cover to the upper convertible compartment when the control is set for operating the upper convertible compartment as a freezer compartment.

6 more elements

A refrigerator freezer comprising:

an insulated cabinet having an upper compartment operable as an above freezing refrigerator compartment, and a lower below freezing freezer compartment;
insulation between the upper compartment and the lower freezer compartment;
a refrigerating system for the refrigerator freezer including:
an evaporator mounted adjacent the rear wall of the upper compartment;
an evaporator cover forming an evaporator compartment for separating the evaporator from the upper compartment;
an evaporator fan mounted in the evaporator compartment for drawing air from the lower freezer compartment through the insulation between the compartments and from the upper compartment and circulating the air over the evaporator;
a defrost heater adjacent the evaporator for periodically defrosting the evaporator;
an air tower for conveying refrigerated air from the evaporator fan to the lower freezer compartment through the insulation between the compartments and to the upper compartment;
a defrost control for periodically defrosting the evaporator during defrost cycles by energizing the defrost heater;
and
a control for adjusting the temperature of the upper compartment including an auxiliary heater for the upper compartment and connected in circuit with an upper compartment thermostat to maintain the temperature in the upper compartment above freezing.

8 more elements

A convertible refrigerator freezer comprising:

an insulated cabinet having an upper convertible compartment selectively operable by the user as an above freezing refrigerator compartment or as below freezing freezer compartment, and a lower below freezing freezer compartment;
insulation between the upper convertible compartment and the lower freezer compartment;
a refrigerating system for the convertible refrigerator freezer including:
an evaporator mounted adjacent the rear wall of the upper convertible compartment;
an evaporator cover forming an evaporator compartment for separating the evaporator from the upper convertible compartment;
an evaporator fan mounted in the evaporator compartment for drawing air from the lower freezer compartment and from the upper convertible compartment and circulating the air over the evaporator;
a defrost heater adjacent the evaporator for periodically defrosting the evaporator
an air tower for conveying refrigerated air from the evaporator fan to the lower freezer compartment through the compartment separator;
a defrost control for periodically defrosting the evaporator;
and
a control for setting the convertible compartment to operate as an above freezing refrigerator or as a below freezing freezer compartment including:
an air controller for selectively discharging a first amount of refrigerated air through the evaporator cover to the upper convertible compartment when the upper convertible compartment is operated as an above freezing refrigerator compartment, or a second larger amount of refrigerated air through the evaporator cover to the upper convertible compartment when the upper convertible compartment is operated as a below freezing freezer compartment;
and
an auxiliary heater for the upper convertible compartment and connected in circuit with a convertible compartment thermostat to maintain the upper convertible compartment at above freezing temperatures when the control is set for refrigerator operation.

11 more elements

A convertible refrigerator freezer comprising:

an insulated cabinet having an upper convertible compartment selectively operable by the user as an above freezing refrigerator compartment or as a below freezing freezer compartment, and a lower below freezing freezer compartment;
insulation and a compartment separator between the upper convertible compartment and the lower freezer compartment;
an evaporator compartment in the rear of the upper convertible compartment formed by an evaporator cover assembly spaced from the rear wall of the upper convertible compartment including;
an inner evaporator cover spaced inwardly from the rear wall of the convertible compartment;
an air tower overlying the inner evaporator cover and connecting an opening in the inner evaporator cover to an opening in the compartment separator for supplying refrigerated air from the evaporator compartment to the freezer compartment;
a sheet of insulation material overlying the inner evaporator cover and the air tower;
an outer evaporator cover overlying the insulation material;
a refrigerating system for the convertible refrigerator freezer including:
an evaporator mounted in the evaporator compartment;
an evaporator fan mounted in the evaporator compartment for drawing air from the lower freezer compartment through the compartment separator and from the upper convertible compartment and circulating the air over the evaporator and discharging refrigerated air into the air tower for cooling the lower freezer compartment and the upper convertible compartment;
and
a control for selectively discharging a first amount of refrigerated air from the air tower through the evaporator cover to the upper convertible compartment when the control is set to operate the upper convertible compartment as an above freezing refrigerator compartment, and for discharging a second larger amount of refrigerated air through the evaporator cover to the upper convertible compartment when the control is set to operate the upper convertible compartment as a below freezing freezer compartment.

9 more elements

A convertible refrigerator freezer comprising:

an insulated cabinet having an upper convertible compartment selectively operable by the user as an above freezing refrigerator compartment or as a below freezing freezer compartment, and a lower below freezing freezer compartment;
insulation between the upper convertible compartment and the lower freezer compartment;
a refrigerating system for the convertible refrigerator freezer including:
an evaporator mounted adjacent the rear wall of the upper convertible compartment;
an insulated evaporator cover for separating the evaporator from the upper convertible compartment;
a defrost heater adjacent the evaporator;
a defrost control for periodically energizing the defrost heater for melting accumulated frost and ice on the evaporator;
an evaporator fan mounted in the upper convertible compartment for drawing air from the lower freezer compartment and the upper convertible compartment and circulating the air over the evaporator and to the upper convertible compartment and the lower freezer compartment;
an auxiliary heater for the upper convertible compartment and connected in circuit with a convertible compartment thermostat and a selector switch operable to a first position to connect the auxiliary heater and convertible compartment thermostat to a power supply;
and
a control for selectively permitting discharge of a first amount of refrigerated air to the upper convertible compartment and for operating the selector switch to the first position when the control is set to operate the upper convertible compartment as an above freezing refrigerator compartment.

8 more elements

A method of manufacturing (i) a refrigerator freezer product having an upper freezer compartment and a lower refrigerator compartment configuration, or (ii) a convertible refrigerator freezer product having an upper convertible compartment selectively operable as an above freezing refrigerator compartment or as a below freezing freezer compartment and a lower freezer compartment configuration utilizing a common platform comprising:

providing a common cabinet for use with both product configurations;
providing common compartment liners for use with both product configurations;
providing a first compartment separator for use in the refrigerator freezer product configuration or a second compartment separator for use in the convertible refrigerator freezer product configuration;
providing a first air system for supplying refrigerated air from an evaporator and evaporator fan in the upper freezer compartment to the upper freezer compartment and lower refrigerated compartment in the refrigerator freezer product configuration including an air tower for directing refrigerated air from the evaporator to the lower refrigerated compartment and to the upper freezer compartment, or providing a second air system for supplying refrigerated air from an evaporator and evaporator fan in the upper convertible compartment to the upper convertible compartment and to the lower freezer compartment in the convertible refrigerator freezer product configuration including an air tower for directing refrigerated air from the evaporator fan to the lower freezer compartment and a control for selectively directing a first amount of refrigerated air from the evaporator fan to the upper convertible compartment when the convertible upper compartment is operated as an above freezing refrigerator compartment, and a second larger amount of refrigerated air to the upper convertible compartment when the upper convertible compartment is operated as a freezer compartment.

1 more element

A method of manufacturing (i) a refrigerator freezer product having an upper freezer compartment and a lower refrigerator compartment configuration, or (ii) a convertible refrigerator freezer product having an upper convertible compartment selectively operable as an above freezing refrigerator compartment or as a freezer compartment and a lower freezer compartment configuration utilizing a common platform and a common assembly process comprising:

fabricating a common cabinet for use with both product configurations;
fabricating a common upper compartment liner and a common lower compartment liner for use in both product configurations;
assembling a first compartment separator to the upper compartment liner for the refrigerator freezer product configuration, or assembling a second compartment separator to the upper compartment liner for the convertible refrigerator freezer product configuration;
assembling a wiring harness in the common cabinet for connecting electrical components in the upper and lower compartment liners;
assembling a first refrigerant line and heat loop set in the common cabinet for the refrigerator freezer product configuration, or assembling a second refrigerant line and heat loop set in the common cabinet for the convertible refrigerator freezer product configuration;
assembling the upper compartment liner to the cabinet;
assembling the lower compartment liner to the cabinet;
providing foam in place insulation between the cabinet and the liners;
assembling a first refrigeration system including an evaporator, defrost heater, condenser and compressor in the refrigerator freezer product configuration, or a second refrigeration system including an evaporator, defrost heater, condenser and compressor in the convertible refrigerator freezer product configuration;
assembling a first evaporator cover including an air tower for transmitting refrigerated air to the lower refrigerator compartment and to the upper freezer compartment in the refrigerator freezer product configuration, or a second evaporator cover assembly including an inner evaporator cover, an air tower for transmitting refrigerated air from the evaporator fan to the lower freezer compartment, a sheet of insulation material and an outer evaporator cover in the convertible refrigerator freezer product configuration;
and
assembling a first control for controlling operation of a refrigerator freezer product configuration, or a second control for controlling operation of a convertible product configuration wherein the second control includes an air controller for selectively directing a first amount of refrigerated air from the evaporator fan to the upper convertible compartment for operation as an above freezing refrigerator, or a second larger amount of refrigerated air to the convertible compartment for operation as a below freezing freezer;
assembling a common lower compartment door and door liner;
and
assembling a common upper door having a first inner door for the refrigerator freezer product configuration, or a common upper door having a second inner door for the convertible refrigerator freezer product configuration.

12 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Convertible refrigerator-freezer

Life of this patent

Convertible refrigerator-freezer

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims38