Air cooling assembly for a cooling device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12305906-B2
Application number	US-202218065926-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 14, 2022
Priority date	Dec 14, 2022
Publication date	May 20, 2025
Grant date	May 20, 2025

Abstract

A cooling device including a first storage compartment and a second storage compartment disposed adjacent to the first storage compartment. An evaporator is disposed adjacent a wall of the second storage compartment. An air distributor assembly is disposed within the second storage compartment such that the evaporator is positioned between the air distributor assembly and the wall. The air distributor assembly includes an air plenum and a first flow path defined therein. A first damper is disposed within the air distributor assembly. The first damper is movable between first and second positions. When the first damper is in the first position, a first portion of airflow received in the air plenum is permitted to flow into the first flow path. When the first damper is in the second position, the first portion of the airflow is hindered from flowing into the first flow path.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A cooling device comprising:
a first storage compartment;
a second storage compartment disposed adjacent to the first storage compartment;
an evaporator disposed adjacent a wall of the second storage compartment;
an air distributor assembly disposed within the second storage compartment such that the evaporator is positioned between the air distributor assembly and the wall, the air distributor assembly including an air plenum and a first flow path defined therein;
a fan positioned within the air plenum and configured to draw an airflow over the evaporator and into the air plenum; and
a first damper disposed within the air distributor assembly and fluidly between the air plenum and the first flow path, the first damper being movable between a first position and a second position, wherein when the first damper is in the first position, a first portion of the airflow received in the air plenum is permitted to flow into the first flow path, and wherein when the first damper is in the second position, the first portion of the airflow is hindered from flowing into the first flow path.

2. The cooling device of claim 1 , wherein the air distributor assembly comprises a body and a panel, wherein a duct is formed as a recess in a surface of the body, and wherein the panel is disposed adjacent the surface so as to cover the duct to define the first flow path.

3. The cooling device of claim 2 , wherein the body and the panel are separate and distinct from one another.

4. The cooling device of claim 2 , wherein the body and the panel are made from EPS foam.

5. The cooling device of claim 2 , wherein the fan is a centrifugal fan, and wherein the body has a through-hole formed therein, the through-hole being coaxial with a rotational axis of the fan.

6. The cooling device of claim 2 , wherein a drain hole is formed in the body and is located in the air plenum, the drain hole configured to permit draining of liquid condensate collected within the air plenum.

7. The cooling device of claim 2 , the body comprising a ridge standing proud from said surface thereof, said ridge following an outer perimeter of the body, wherein an inner peripheral surface of the ridge circumscribes an outer peripheral edge of the panel.

8. The cooling device of claim 7 , the ridge comprising a peak formed at a bottom portion thereof, said peak being disposed between adjacent, angled sections thereof, wherein said angled sections are angled in opposite directions with respect to one another such that each angled section declines in a lateral direction away from said peak, and wherein each angled section declines to a respective drain passage formed in the body that permits draining of liquid condensate.

9. The cooling device of claim 2 , wherein the panel includes a first cutout and a second cutout formed therein, wherein the first cutout is provided fluidly closer to the first damper than the second cutout, and wherein the first cutout is smaller than the second cutout.

10. The cooling device of claim 9 , the air distributor assembly further comprising a cover plate disposed adjacent to the panel, the cover plate having a first outlet and a second outlet formed therein, wherein the first outlet is aligned with the first cutout, and wherein the second outlet is aligned with the second cutout.

11. The cooling device of claim 10 , further comprising an ice maker disposed within the second storage compartment, wherein the second outlet is aligned with the ice maker.

12. The cooling device of claim 1 , further comprising an air tower disposed within the first storage compartment, the air tower defining a second flow path therein, wherein the second flow path is in fluid communication with the air plenum.

13. The cooling device of claim 12 , wherein a second damper is provided in the second flow path and is configured to selectively permit or hinder a second portion of the airflow received in the air plenum to flow through the second flow path and into the first storage compartment.

14. The cooling device of claim 13 , wherein only one said evaporator is provided to cool the airflow received in the air plenum.

15. The cooling device of claim 1 , further comprising a defrost heater coupled to or positioned adjacent to the evaporator, wherein the defrost heater is configured to melt condensate frozen on the evaporator.

16. The cooling device of claim 15 , wherein a temperature of the second storage compartment can be increased by operating the defrost heater to warm the airflow while operating the fan to draw the airflow over the evaporator and into the air plenum.

17. The cooling device of claim 16 , further comprising an air tower disposed within the first storage compartment, the air tower defining a second flow path therein in fluid communication with the air plenum, and a second damper is provided in the second flow path to selectively permit or hinder a second portion of the airflow into the first storage compartment,
wherein the second damper is closed to hinder the second portion of the airflow into the first storage compartment when the defrost heater is operating.

18. The cooling device of claim 1 , wherein the first storage compartment is disposed vertically above the second storage compartment and is configured to function as a dedicated fresh food compartment, and wherein the second storage compartment is a convertible compartment capable of functioning as either a fresh food compartment or a freezer compartment based on user selection.

19. The cooling device of claim 18 , wherein only said evaporator provides a cooling effect to each of the first and second storage compartments.

20. A cooling device comprising:
a dedicated fresh food compartment;
a convertible compartment disposed vertically below the dedicated fresh food compartment;
an evaporator common to said dedicated fresh food compartment and said convertible compartment, wherein only said evaporator provides a cooling effect to each of the dedicated fresh food compartment and the convertible compartment, and wherein the evaporator is disposed adjacent a rear wall of the convertible compartment;
an air distributor assembly disposed within the convertible compartment such that the evaporator is positioned between the air distributor assembly and the rear wall, the air distributor assembly comprises:
a body including an air plenum and a duct that is formed as a recess in a surface of the body;
a planar panel disposed adjacent the surface of the body so as to cover the duct to define a first flow path therein;

a fan positioned within the air plenum and configured to draw an airflow over the evaporator and into the air plenum;
a first damper disposed within the air distributor assembly and fluidly between the air plenum and the first flow path, the first damper being movable between a first position and a second position, wherein when the first damper is in the first position, a first portion of the airflow received in the air plenum is permitted to flow into the first flow path and into the convertible compartment, and wherein when the first damper is in the second position, the first portion of the airflow is hindered from flowing into the first flow path and into the convertible compartment;
an air tower disposed within the dedicated fresh food compartment, the air tower defining a second flow path therein, wherein the second flow path is in fluid communication with the air plenum; and
a second damper provided in the second flow path, the second damper being conf

Assignees

• Electrolux Home Prod Inc
• Electrolux Consumer Products Inc

Inventors

• Hodnett Kelly
• Battirola Julio
• Richardson Scott
• Francescon Marco
• Keller Patrick
• Werkhauser Michel V
• Pizzatto Leandro
• Venketraj Kalyanasundaram

Classifications

• F25D2317/0681

  Details thereof · CPC title

• F25D17/065 Primary

  with compartments at different temperatures · CPC title

• F25D11/02

  with cooling compartments at different temperatures · CPC title

• F25D21/14

  Collecting or removing condensed and defrost water; Drip trays · CPC title

• F25D2317/0683

  the fans not of the axial type · CPC title