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US 9,140,480 B2Granted
Active insulation hybrid dual evaporator with rotating fan
AssigneeWhirlpool Corporation
InventorsSteven Kuehl, Alberto Gomes
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An appliance having a fresh food storage compartment and a freezer compartment. The appliance includes a forced air coil system disposed between the fresh food storage compartment and the freezer compartment and is configured to selectively provide cooling to one or both of the at least one fresh food storage compartment and the at least one freezer compartment. The forced air coil system includes an evaporator fan configured to provide cooling to the food storage compartment, the freezer compartment, or both.
Claims19
An appliance comprising:
- an appliance cabinet comprising an interior that includes at least one fresh food storage compartment and at least one freezer compartment separated by at least one mullion;
- a fresh food compartment direct cooling evaporator disposed in thermal communication with the at least one fresh food storage compartment to provide cooling to the at least one fresh food storage compartment;
- a freezer compartment direct cooling evaporator disposed in thermal communication with the at least one freezer compartment to provide cooling to the at least one freezer compartment;
- and
- a forced air coil system disposed between the at least one fresh food storage compartment and the at least one freezer compartment and configured to selectively provide cooling to one or both of the at least one fresh food storage compartment and the at least one freezer compartment and comprising:
- at least one turbo chilling evaporator;
- and
- at least one moving evaporator fan operably and rotatably connected to the at least one fresh food storage compartment and the at least one freezer compartment,
- wherein the appliance further comprise appliance walls and the forced air coil system is at least partially disposed in at least one wall or the mullion and wherein the at least one turbo chilling evaporator is free of evaporator fins.
6 more elements
An appliance comprising:
- an appliance cabinet comprising:
- at least one food storage compartment;
- at least one freezer compartment;
- and
- a forced air coil system in thermal communication and configured to provide cooling to the at least one food storage compartment and the at least one freezer compartment disposed within a cavity between the at least one food storage compartment and the at least one freezer compartment wherein the forced air coil system comprises:
- at least one turbo evaporator;
- and
- at least one pivoting evaporator fan operably and rotatably connected to be positioned to a first position to provide cooling to the at least one food storage compartment and rotatably connected to be positioned in a second position to provide cooling to the at least one freezer compartment;
- wherein the appliance further comprises appliance walls and the forced air coil system is at least partially disposed in at least one wall or a mullion and wherein the at least one turbo chilling evaporator is free of evaporator fins.
6 more elements
A method of providing cooling to a fresh food storage compartment and a freezer storage compartment within an appliance comprising the steps of:
- providing an appliance cabinet comprising:
- at least one fresh food storage compartment that receives cooling from a fresh food compartment evaporator;
- at least one freezer compartment that receives cooling from a freezer compartment evaporator;
- and
- a forced air coil system disposed between and in airflow communication with both the at least one food storage compartment and the at least one freezer compartment and wherein the forced air coil system comprises:
- a booster evaporator;
- and
- an evaporator fan;
- pivoting the evaporator fan in rotational motion to a first position to provide air flow to the at least one fresh food storage compartment;
- sublimating moisture from the booster evaporator and into the at least one fresh food compartment thereby defrosting the booster evaporator and hydrating air within the fresh food compartment;
- pivoting the evaporator fan in rotational motion to a second position to provide air flow to the at least one freezer compartment;
- and
- pivoting the evaporator fan to split the air flow between the at least one food storage compartment and the at least one freezer compartment;
- wherein the appliance further comprises appliance walls and the forced air coil system is at least partially disposed in at least one wall or a mullion and wherein the at least one booster chilling evaporator is free of evaporator fins.
11 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.