Refrigerator with intermediate temperature icemaking compartment
AssigneeWhirlpool Corporation
InventorsKyle B. Van Meter, Dean A. Martin, Xiaoyong Fu
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An icemaking compartment is provided in the refrigerator compartment of a bottom mount refrigerator. An icemaker is within the icemaking compartment. A cold air duct supplies cold air from the freezer compartment to the icemaker. The cold air duct is formed in the rear wall of the refrigerator. A fan controls the flow of air through the cold air duct. A return air duct is provided to direct a portion of the air from the icemaker back to the freezer compartment. An air vent in the icemaker directs another portion of air into the refrigerator compartment.
Claims14
A bottom mount refrigerator, comprising:
- a freezer compartment having a freezer door;
- a fresh food compartment located over the freezer compartment and having a fresh food door with an ice dispenser;
- an icemaking compartment remote from the freezer compartment and remote from the fresh food door, and having an air temperature 32° F. or less;
- a fan for moving air from the freezer compartment into the icemaking compartment;
- a return air duct remote from the fresh food door and extending between the icemaking compartment and the freezer compartment;
- and
- an icemaker and ice storage area in the icemaking compartment, the icemaker having an ice mold positioned so that ice from the mold can be discharged into the storage area and then dispensed by the ice dispenser in the fresh food door.
A refrigerator, comprising:
- a freezer compartment having a freezer door;
- a fresh food compartment having a fresh food door;
- an insulated intermediate temperature compartment spaced apart from said freezer compartment and from the fresh food door, and having an air temperature between 0-32° F.;
- a stationary cold air duct in a wall of the refrigerator apart from the fresh food door and extending between the freezer compartment and the intermediate compartment;
- a return air duct spaced apart from the fresh food door and extending between the intermediate compartment and the freezer compartment;
- and
- a regulated air outlet extending between the intermediate compartment and the fresh food compartment responsive to the temperature of the fresh food compartment.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.