Refrigerator appliance with dual freezer compartments

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10281190-B2
Application number	US-201715428211-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 9, 2017
Priority date	Feb 9, 2017
Publication date	May 7, 2019
Grant date	May 7, 2019

Abstract

A refrigerator appliance is provided including a freezer chamber divided into a first compartment and a second compartment by a removable mullion. An evaporator is positioned within an evaporator chamber and a diverter assembly is configured for selectively directing cooled air from the evaporator chamber into the freezer chamber. The diverter assembly includes a diverter housing defining a plenum chamber and a damper pivotally mounted within the plenum chamber for selectively directing the cooled air through a first outlet into the first compartment and a second outlet into the second compartment. Diverter assembly may further include a fan for urging cooled air through the plenum chamber.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A refrigerator appliance defining a vertical direction, a lateral direction, and a transverse direction, the vertical, lateral, and transverse directions being mutually perpendicular, the refrigerator appliance comprising:
a cabinet comprising an inner liner defining a freezer chamber;
a mullion positioned within the freezer chamber and extending along the transverse direction to divide the freezer chamber into a first freezer compartment and a second freezer compartment, the mullion defining a recess having a recess depth measured along the transverse direction and a recess height measured along the vertical direction;
an evaporator positioned within an evaporator chamber behind an evaporator cover along the transverse direction, the evaporator configured for cooling air in the evaporator chamber; and
a diverter assembly positioned in front of the evaporator cover along the transverse direction and being configured for selectively directing cooled air from the evaporator chamber into the freezer chamber, the diverter assembly comprising:
a diverter housing defining a plenum chamber, an inlet through which cooled air flows from the evaporator chamber into the plenum chamber, a first outlet in fluid communication with the first freezer compartment, and a second outlet in fluid communication with the second freezer compartment, wherein the diverter housing defines a housing depth that is substantially equivalent to the recess depth and a housing height that is substantially equivalent to the recess depth;
a fan for urging cooled air through the plenum chamber; and
a damper pivotally mounted within the plenum chamber for selectively directing the cooled air through the first outlet and the second outlet.

2. The refrigerator appliance of claim 1 , wherein the fan is an axial fan positioned at the inlet of the diverter housing.

3. The refrigerator appliance of claim 1 , wherein the damper is pivotable between a first position such that the first outlet is sealed and cooled air passes only through the second outlet and a second position such that the second outlet is sealed and cooled air passes only through the first outlet.

4. The refrigerator appliance of claim 3 , wherein the damper is positionable at any intermediate position between the first position and the second position.

5. The refrigerator appliance of claim 1 , wherein the plenum chamber extends along the transverse direction, and wherein the diverter housing further defines:
a first passageway providing fluid communication between the first outlet and the first freezer compartment, the first passageway extending from the plenum chamber at an angle of approximately forty-five degrees; and
a second passageway providing fluid communication between the second outlet and the second freezer compartment, the second passageway extending from the plenum chamber at an angle of approximately forty-five degrees.

6. The refrigerator appliance of claim 5 , wherein the first passageway defines a first cross-sectional area and the second passageway defines a second cross-sectional area, the first cross sectional area being different than the second cross sectional area.

7. The refrigerator appliance of claim 1 , wherein the damper is pivotally mounted at a downstream location within the plenum chamber and a leading edge of the damper extends upstream within the plenum chamber.

8. The refrigerator appliance of claim 7 , wherein the leading edge of the damper is tapered.

9. The refrigerator appliance of claim 1 , wherein the first outlet comprises a first outlet flange that is configured for forming a seal with the damper and the second outlet comprises a second outlet flange that is configured for forming a seal with the damper.

10. The refrigerator appliance of claim 1 , wherein the evaporator chamber comprises a first side and a second side, the refrigerator appliance further comprising:
a crossover duct providing fluid communication between the first side evaporator chamber and the second side of the evaporator chamber; and
a crossover damper positioned within the crossover duct and configured for selectively opening or closing the crossover duct.

11. The refrigerator appliance of claim 1 , further comprising a first return duct providing fluid communication between the first freezer compartment and the evaporator chamber and a second return duct providing fluid communication between the second freezer compartment and the evaporator chamber,
wherein the first return duct and the second return duct are positioned at a bottom of the freezer chamber and the diverter assembly is positioned at a top of the freezer chamber.

12. The refrigerator appliance of claim 11 , further comprising a damper assembly configured for selectively opening and closing the second return duct.

13. A diverter assembly for a refrigerator appliance, the refrigerator appliance defining a vertical direction, a lateral direction, and a transverse direction, the vertical, lateral, and transverse directions being mutually perpendicular, the refrigerator appliance comprising a mullion positioned within a freezer chamber to divide the freezer chamber into a first freezer compartment and a second freezer compartment and an evaporator positioned behind an evaporator cover along the transverse direction, the mullion defining a recess having a recess depth measured along the transverse direction and a recess height measured along the vertical direction, the diverter assembly comprising:
a diverter housing positioned in front of the evaporator cover along the transverse direction and defining a plenum chamber, an inlet through which cooled air flows into the plenum chamber, a first outlet in fluid communication with the first freezer compartment, and a second outlet in fluid communication with the second freezer compartment, wherein the diverter housing defines a housing depth that is substantially equivalent to the recess depth and a housing height that is substantially equivalent to the recess depth;
a fan for urging cooled air through the plenum chamber; and
a damper pivotally mounted within the plenum chamber for selectively directing the cooled air through the first outlet and the second outlet.

14. The diverter assembly of claim 13 , wherein the damper is pivotable between a first position such that the first outlet is sealed and cooled air passes only through the second outlet and a second position such that the second outlet is sealed and cooled air passes only through the first outlet.

15. The diverter assembly of claim 13 , wherein the diverter housing further defines:
a first passageway providing fluid communication between the first outlet and the first freezer compartment, the first passageway extending from the plenum chamber at an angle of approximately forty-five degrees; and
a second passageway providing fluid communication between the second outlet and the second freezer compartment, the second passageway extending from the plenum chamber at an angle of approximately forty-five degrees.

16. The diverter assembly of claim 15 , wherein the first passageway defines a first cross-sectional area and the second passageway defines a second cross-sectional area, the first cross sectional area being different than the second cross sectional area.

17. The diverter assembly of claim 13 , wherein the damper is pivotally mounted at a downstream location within the plenum chamber and a leading edge of the damper extends upstream within the plenum chamber.

Assignees

• Haier Us Appliance Solutions Inc

Inventors

• Besore John Keith
• O'Malley Christopher Edward
• Schork Brian Michael

Classifications

• F25D17/065 Primary

  with compartments at different temperatures · CPC title

• F25D2400/16

  Convertible refrigerators · CPC title

• F25D2700/14

  Sensors measuring the temperature outside the refrigerator or freezer · CPC title

• F25D17/045

  Air flow control arrangements · CPC title

• F25D2400/06

  Refrigerators with a vertical mullion · CPC title