Cooling assembly for refrigerator appliance

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11644229-B2
Application number	US-202117147568-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 13, 2021
Priority date	Jan 28, 2020
Publication date	May 9, 2023
Grant date	May 9, 2023

Abstract

A refrigerator appliance includes a cabinet that defines first and second compartments. A fan assembly is configured to direct cooled air from a cooling assembly into the first and second compartments. The fan assembly includes a housing that defines an inlet, a first outlet, and a second outlet. The first outlet is in communication with the first compartment, and the second outlet is in communication with the second compartment. A fan is positioned within the housing and is configured to direct the cooled air from the inlet toward the first and second outlets. A damper assembly is configured to selectively obstruct one of the first outlet and the second outlet.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A cooling assembly for a refrigerator appliance, comprising:
a housing defining an inlet, a first outlet, and a second outlet, wherein the first outlet is defined opposite the second outlet;
an evaporator positioned proximate the inlet of the housing;
a first inlet line operably coupled with the evaporator and configured to provide thermal exchange media to the evaporator at a first flow rate;
a second inlet line operably coupled with the evaporator and configured to provide thermal exchange media to the evaporator at a second flow rate;
a fan positioned within the housing, wherein the fan is configured to direct cooled air through the inlet and toward the first and second outlets;
a damper assembly configured to rotate between a first position and a second position, the damper assembly including:
a rim coupled with a plurality of gear teeth positioned circumferentially about, and extending radially from, the rim; and
a sidewall extending from a surface of the rim, wherein the sidewall extends circumferentially about a portion of a circumference of the rim; and

an actuator including an actuation gear configured to be engaged with the plurality of gear teeth, wherein the actuation gear is configured to rotate the damper assembly between the first and second positions.

2. The cooling assembly of claim 1 , wherein the sidewall of the damper assembly is configured to obstruct the first outlet when the damper assembly is in the first position and is configured to obstruct the second outlet when the damper assembly is in the second position.

3. The cooling assembly of claim 1 , wherein the damper assembly is configured to be moved to an intermediate position between the first and second positions to at least partially obstruct one of the first and second outlets when the damper assembly is in the intermediate position.

4. The cooling assembly of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of gear teeth are integrally formed with the rim.

5. The cooling assembly of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of gear teeth are defined within a surface of the rim.

6. The cooling assembly of claim 1 , wherein the inlet is substantially circular and axially aligned with the fan.

7. The cooling assembly of claim 1 , further including:
a controller configured to actuate the actuator in response to sensor input.

8. The cooling assembly of claim 1 , further comprising:
a controller configured to actuate the actuator in response to user input.

9. A cooling assembly for a refrigerator appliance, comprising:
a housing defining an inlet, a first outlet, and a second outlet, wherein the first outlet is defined distal from the second outlet;
a fan positioned within the housing, the fan configured to direct cooled air from the inlet and toward the first and second outlets; and
a damper assembly configured to selectively obstruct one of the first and second outlets by rotating between a first position and a second position, the damper assembly including:
a first damper having a first plurality of gear teeth extending from a first rim and a first sidewall extending from the first rim parallel with the first plurality of gear teeth; and
a second damper having a second plurality of gear teeth extending from a second rim and a second sidewall extending from the second rim parallel with the second plurality of gear teeth, wherein the first and second dampers are positioned such that the first plurality of gear teeth extend towards the second plurality of gear teeth.

10. The cooling assembly of claim 9 , further comprising:
an actuator including an actuation gear configured to be engaged with the first and second pluralities of gear teeth, wherein the actuation gear is positioned between the first and second dampers.

11. The cooling assembly of claim 9 , wherein the first sidewall extends circumferentially about a portion of the first rim and the second sidewall extends circumferentially about a portion of the second rim.

12. The cooling assembly of claim 9 , wherein the first damper further includes a first stop and the second damper further includes a second stop, and further wherein the first and second stops are substantially flush when the damper assembly is in the first position.

13. A refrigerator appliance comprising:
a cabinet defining first and second compartments; and
a fan assembly configured to direct cooled air from a cooling assembly into the first and second compartments, the fan assembly including:
a housing defining an inlet, a first outlet, and a second outlet, wherein the first outlet is in communication with the first compartment and the second outlet is in communication with the second compartment;
a fan positioned within the housing and configured to direct the cooled air from the inlet toward the first and second outlets; and
a damper assembly configured to selectively and alternatively obstruct one of the first outlet and the second outlet, wherein the cooling assembly includes an evaporator positioned proximate the inlet of the housing, a first inlet line operably coupled with the evaporator and configured to provide thermal exchange media at a first flow rate, and a second inlet line operably coupled with the evaporator and configured to provide thermal exchange media at a second flow rate.

14. The refrigerator appliance of claim 13 , wherein the fan assembly further includes an actuator configured to rotate the damper assembly between first and second positions, and wherein the damper assembly is configured to obstruct the first outlet in the first position and is configured to obstruct the second outlet in the second position.

15. The refrigerator appliance of claim 14 , wherein the damper assembly is movable to an intermediate position between the first and second positions, and further wherein the damper assembly is configured to partially obstruct both of the first and second outlets when the damper assembly is positioned in the intermediate position.

16. The refrigerator appliance of claim 14 , wherein the housing further defines a receiving channel and the damper assembly is movable to a neutral position between the first and second positions, and further wherein the damper assembly is fully received by the receiving channel in the neutral position.

17. The refrigerator appliance of claim 13 , wherein the damper assembly includes a first damper having a first rim with a first plurality of teeth and a first sidewall extending from the first rim, and further wherein the first sidewall extends at least partially about a circumference of the first rim.

18. The refrigerator appliance of claim 17 , wherein the damper assembly includes a second damper having a second rim with a second plurality of teeth and a second sidewall extending from the first rim, and further wherein the second plurality of teeth extend toward the first plurality of teeth.

19. The refrigerator appliance of claim 17 , wherein the first plurality of teeth extend radially from the first rim.

Assignees

• Whirlpool Co

Inventors

• Gupta Deepak
• Olivani Andrea
• Parnisari Matteo
• Sabatin Giorgio
• Sammartano Vincenzo
• Beretta Niccoló
• Ilare Dennis
• Mansutti Alessandro

Classifications

• F25D17/045 Primary

  Air flow control arrangements · CPC title

• F25D17/067 Primary

  Evaporator fan units · CPC title

• F25B39/02

  Evaporators · CPC title

• F25D11/02

  with cooling compartments at different temperatures · CPC title

• F25D2317/067

  characterised by air ducts · CPC title