Cold plate shelf assembly for a refrigerator

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10648724-B2
Application number	US-201715696726-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 6, 2017
Priority date	Sep 6, 2016
Publication date	May 12, 2020
Grant date	May 12, 2020

Abstract

A refrigerator includes a refrigerated compartment, at least one door that selectively seals the refrigerated compartment and a cold plate shelf assembly mounted in the refrigerated compartment. The shelf assembly includes a front trim, a rear trim and a first plate directly coupled to the front trim and the rear trim. A second plate extends from the front trim to the rear trim, the second plate being positioned so that a food item supported on the shelf assembly contacts the second plate. The second plate is made from a material having a higher thermal conductivity than glass. In one arrangement, the refrigerator further includes an air duct having an air vent. Air exiting the air duct through the air vent either impinges on and travels across the second plate or enters an interior of the shelf assembly.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A refrigerator comprising:
a refrigerated compartment;
at least one door configured to selectively seal the refrigerated compartment; and
a cold plate shelf assembly mounted in the refrigerated compartment, wherein the cold plate shelf assembly includes:
a first plate made of glass and defining a top surface; and
a second plate extending across the top surface of the first plate such that a food item supported on the cold plate shelf assembly contacts the second plate, and wherein the second plate is made from a material having a higher thermal conductivity than glass and is in direct contact with the top surface of the first plate.

2. The refrigerator of claim 1 , wherein the cold plate shelf assembly further includes front and rear trim, the first plate is directly coupled to the front and rear trim, and the second plate extends from the front trim to the rear trim.

3. The refrigerator of claim 2 , wherein the second plate contacts the front and rear trim, and a shape of the second plate conforms to a shape of the front trim and a shape of the rear trim.

4. The refrigerator of claim 3 , wherein a first top portion, a front portion and an angled portion of the second plate are in contact with a top portion, a front portion and an angled portion of the front trim, respectively, and a second top portion and a rear portion of the second plate are in contact with a top portion and a rear portion of the rear trim, respectively.

5. The refrigerator of claim 4 , wherein an end of the rear portion of the second plate has a short-radius curve, and the short-radius curve and the angled portion of the second plate are configured to conform the second plate to a portion of the cold plate shelf assembly.

6. The refrigerator of claim 5 , wherein the angled portion of the second plate is angled rearward and downward, and the short-radius curve is angled frontward and downward, such that the second plate wraps around the portion of the cold plate shelf assembly.

7. The refrigerator of claim 1 , wherein the second plate is made from aluminum or an aluminum alloy.

8. The refrigerator of claim 1 , wherein the second plate is made from a material having a thermal conductivity greater than 25 W/(m·K) at a temperature of the refrigerated compartment.

9. The refrigerator of claim 1 , wherein the cold plate shelf assembly further includes an air duct including an air vent, wherein the air duct is configured so that air exiting the air duct through the air vent impinges on and travels across the second plate.

10. A refrigerator comprising:
a refrigerated compartment;
at least one door configured to selectively seal the refrigerated compartment;
a cold plate shelf assembly mounted in the refrigerated compartment, wherein the cold plate shelf assembly includes a plate positioned so that a food item supported on the cold plate shelf assembly contacts the plate, and wherein the plate is made from a material having a higher thermal conductivity than glass; and
an air duct including an air vent, wherein the air duct is configured so that air exiting the air duct through the air vent both impinges on and travels across the plate and enters an interior of the cold plate shelf assembly, a bottom edge of the air vent is located level with or below an upper surface of the plate, the bottom edge of the air vent is located above a bottom wall of the cold plate shelf assembly, and a top edge of the air vent is located above the upper surface of the plate.

11. The refrigerator of claim 10 , wherein the cold plate shelf assembly further includes a frame having a bottom wall and a vertical wall extending upward from the bottom wall, and the plate, the bottom wall and the vertical wall define a cavity within the cold plate shelf assembly.

12. The refrigerator of claim 11 , wherein the cold plate shelf assembly further includes an inlet in a rear of the cold plate shelf assembly such that air entering the interior of the cold plate shelf assembly enters the cavity through the inlet.

13. The refrigerator of claim 12 , wherein the cold plate shelf assembly further includes a plurality of fins extending vertically within the cavity, and the plurality of fins defines a plurality of channels within the cavity.

14. The refrigerator of claim 13 , wherein the plurality of fins is formed integral with the plate.

15. The refrigerator of claim 13 , wherein the cold plate shelf assembly further includes an air diffuser located within the cavity, and the air diffuser is configured to direct air entering the inlet to the plurality of channels.

16. The refrigerator of claim 11 , wherein the cold plate shelf assembly further includes an outlet in the rear of the cold plate shelf assembly such that air exiting the interior of the cold plate shelf assembly through the outlet enters the air duct.

17. The refrigerator of claim 10 , wherein the plate is made from aluminum or an aluminum alloy.

18. The refrigerator of claim 10 , wherein the plate is made from a material having a thermal conductivity greater than 25 W/(m·K) at a temperature of the refrigerated compartment.

19. A refrigerator comprising:
a refrigerated compartment;
at least one door configured to selectively seal the refrigerated compartment;
a first cold plate shelf assembly mounted in the refrigerated compartment, wherein the first cold plate shelf assembly includes:
a first plate made of glass and defining a top surface; and
a second plate extending across the top surface of the first plate such that a food item supported on the first cold plate shelf assembly contacts the second plate, and wherein the second plate is made from a material having a higher thermal conductivity than glass and is in direct contact with the top surface of the first plate; and

a second cold plate shelf assembly mounted in the refrigerated compartment, wherein the second cold plate shelf assembly includes a third plate positioned so that a food item supported on the second cold plate shelf assembly contacts the third plate, and wherein the third plate is made from a material having a higher thermal conductivity than glass; and
an air duct including an air vent, wherein the air duct is configured so that air exiting the air duct through the air vent either impinges on and travels across the third plate or enters an interior of the second cold plate shelf assembly.

20. The refrigerator of claim 19 , wherein the second cold plate shelf assembly further includes a frame, and the third plate and frame define a cavity within the second cold plate shelf assembly.

21. The refrigerator of claim 1 , wherein the second plate is in direct contact with the top surface of the first plate at a center of the first plate.

22. The refrigerator of claim 1 , wherein the second plate is in direct contact with at least a majority of the top surface of the first plate.

23. The refrigerator of claim 1 , wherein the second plate is in direct contact with the top surface of the first plate from a front of the first plate to a rear of the first plate.

Assignees

• Whirlpool Co

Inventors

• Quinlan Daniel H
• Avalos Jose Angel
• Wang Yifan
• Ammerman Jason
• Carpenter Christopher L

Classifications

• F25D17/062 Primary

  in household refrigerators · CPC title

• F25D25/028

  Cooled supporting means · CPC title

• F25D2317/067

  characterised by air ducts · CPC title

• F25D25/02

  by shelves · CPC title

• F25D2325/022

  Shelves made of glass or ceramic · CPC title