Refrigeration appliance having side air intake vent with sound dampening

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10126039-B2
Application number	US-201514982439-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 29, 2015
Priority date	Dec 29, 2015
Publication date	Nov 13, 2018
Grant date	Nov 13, 2018

Abstract

A refrigeration appliance includes an insulated cabinet having a side wall and a machine compartment positioned adjacent the side wall. An aperture is provided through the first side wall to allow air to flow into the machine compartment. An air vent is provided at the exterior surface of the side wall so as to cover the aperture. The air vent having a first set of louvers. A sound barrier is provided at the interior surface of the side wall at the aperture. The sound barrier has a second set of louvers, where the second set of louvers are positioned with respect to the first set of louvers such that there is no mechanical access to components in the machine compartment through the air vent, and such that sounds from within the machine compartment are dampened while still allowing air to flow through the air vent.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A refrigeration appliance comprising:
an insulated cabinet in which at least one refrigerated storage compartment and a machine compartment are provided, said insulated cabinet including at least a first side wall, a second side wall and a back wall disposed between said first and second side walls, said first side wall including an exterior surface and an interior surface, said machine compartment being positioned adjacent said first side wall;
an aperture provided through said first side wall to allow air to flow from outside said insulated cabinet into said machine compartment;
an air vent provided at said exterior surface of said first side wall so as to cover said aperture, said air vent having a first set of louvers arranged such that air may flow therebetween; and
a sound barrier provided at said interior surface of said first side wall at said aperture, said sound barrier having a second set of louvers arranged such that air may flow therebetween, wherein said second set of louvers of said sound barrier being positioned with respect to said first set of louvers of said air vent such that there is no mechanical access to components in said machine compartment through said air vent and said sound barrier from outside said air vent, and such that sounds from within said machine compartment are dampened to reduce resulting sound levels outside said air vent while still allowing air to flow through said air vent and said sound barrier from outside said insulated cabinet into said machine compartment.

2. The refrigeration appliance of claim 1 , wherein the louvers of said first set of louvers are angled at substantially the same angle.

3. The refrigeration appliance of claim 2 , wherein the louvers of said second set of louvers are angled at substantially the same angle and are angled at substantially the same angle as the louvers of said first set of louvers.

4. The refrigeration appliance of claim 3 , wherein a plurality of louvers of said second set of louvers each has an upper adjacent louver of said first set of louvers and a lower adjacent louver of said first set of louvers, wherein said plurality of louvers of said second set of louvers each has a bottom edge positioned vertically lower than a top edge of the lower adjacent louver of said first set of louvers and a top edge positioned vertically higher than a bottom edge of the upper adjacent louver of said first set of louvers such that there is no mechanical access to components in said machine compartment through said air vent and said sound barrier from outside said air vent.

5. The refrigeration appliance of claim 1 , wherein the louvers of said first set of louvers extend horizontally.

6. The refrigeration appliance of claim 5 , wherein each of the louvers of said first set of louvers has a top edge and a bottom edge, wherein the top edge of the louvers of said first set of louvers is positioned closer to said machine compartment than the bottom edge.

7. The refrigeration appliance of claim 1 , wherein the louvers of said second set of louvers extend horizontally.

8. The refrigeration appliance of claim 7 , wherein each of the louvers of said second set of louvers has a top edge and a bottom edge, wherein the top edge of the louvers of said second set of louvers is positioned closer to said machine compartment than the bottom edge.

9. The refrigeration appliance of claim 1 , wherein planar airflow channels are defined between the louvers of said first set of louvers.

10. The refrigeration appliance of claim 9 , wherein said planar airflow channels are further defined between the louvers of said second set of louvers.

11. The refrigeration appliance of claim 9 , wherein said second set of louvers are vertically offset from said first set of louvers such that said planar airflow channels of said first set of louvers are contiguous with planar airflow channels defined between the louvers of said second set of louvers so that air flows through the planar airflow channels at an angle relative to a horizontal plane into said machine compartment.

12. The refrigeration appliance of claim 1 , wherein said air vent and said sound barrier interlock with one another.

13. The refrigeration appliance of claim 12 , wherein an inner rim of said air vent connects to an inner rim of said sound barrier to form a lining for the edges of said aperture.

14. The refrigeration appliance of claim 1 , wherein said air vent includes a flange that extends outward from said aperture along said exterior surface of said first side wall.

15. The refrigeration appliance of claim 1 , wherein said sound barrier includes a flange that extends outward from said aperture along said interior surface of said first side wall.

16. The refrigeration appliance of claim 1 , wherein said sound barrier provides a sound power reduction of at least 5 db(A) at some octave bands.

17. A refrigeration appliance comprising:
an insulated cabinet in which at least one refrigerated storage compartment and a machine compartment are provided, said insulated cabinet including at least a first side wall, a second side wall and a back wall disposed between said first and second side walls, said first side wall including an exterior surface and an interior surface, said machine compartment being positioned adjacent said first side wall;
an aperture provided through said first side wall to allow air to flow from outside said insulated cabinet into said machine compartment;
an air vent provided at said exterior surface of said first side wall so as to cover said aperture; and
a sound barrier provided at said interior surface of said first side wall at said aperture, said sound barrier dampens sounds from within said machine compartment to reduce resulting sound levels outside said air vent while still allowing air to flow through said air vent and said sound barrier from outside said insulated cabinet into said machine compartment, wherein said sound barrier provides a sound power reduction of at least 5 db(A) at some octave bands, wherein said sound barrier is a separately formed component from the first side wall and is coupled to said air vent within said aperture.

18. The refrigeration appliance of claim 17 , wherein
said sound barrier has a dome that is concave towards said machine compartment and convex towards said air vent.

19. A refrigeration appliance comprising:
an insulated cabinet in which at least one refrigerated storage compartment and a machine compartment are provided, said insulated cabinet including at least a first side wall, a second side wall and a back wall disposed between said first and second side walls, said first side wall including an exterior surface and an interior surface, said machine compartment being positioned adjacent, said first side wall;
an aperture provided through said first side wall to allow air to flow from outside said insulated cabinet into said machine compartment;
an air vent provided at said exterior surface of said first side wall so as to cover said aperture; and
a sound barrier provided at said interior surface of said first wall side at said aperture, said sound barrier dampens sounds from within said machine compartment to reduce resulting sound levels outside said air vent while still allowing air to flow through said air vent and said sound barrier from outside said insulated cabinet into said machine compartment, wherein said sound barrier provides a sound power reduction of at least 5 db(A) at some octave bands,
wherein said air vent has a first set of

Assignees

• Whirlpool Co

Inventors

• Boehringer Bruno
• Cavali Darci
• Lehman Derek
• Lesko Daniel J
• Noel Kevin
• Pohl Douglas

Classifications

• F25D2317/0671

  Inlet ducts · CPC title

• F24F13/084

  with mounting arrangements, e.g. snap fasteners for mounting to the wall or duct · CPC title

• F25D23/006

  for mounting refrigerating machinery components · CPC title

• F24F13/24 Primary

  Means for preventing or suppressing noise · CPC title

• F25D23/00

  General constructional features (F25D21/00 takes precedence) · CPC title