Refrigerator appliance with dual freezer compartments

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2018224185-A1
Application number	US-201715428211-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Feb 9, 2017
Priority date	Feb 9, 2017
Publication date	Aug 9, 2018
Grant date	—

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 substantially along the transverse direction to divide the freezer chamber into a first freezer compartment and a second freezer compartment; an evaporator positioned within an evaporator chamber, the evaporator configured for cooling air in the evaporator chamber; and a diverter assembly 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;
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 mullion defines a recess for receiving the diverter assembly.

4 . 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.

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

6 . The refrigerator appliance of claim 1 , wherein the plenum chamber extends substantially 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.

7 . The refrigerator appliance of claim 6 , 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.

8 . 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.

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

10 . 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.

11 . The refrigerator appliance of claim 1 , further comprising:
a crossover duct providing fluid communication between a first side evaporator chamber and a 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.

12 . 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 proximate a bottom of the freezer chamber and the diverter assembly is positioned proximate a top of the freezer chamber.

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

14 . A diverter assembly for a refrigerator appliance, 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, the diverter assembly comprising:
a diverter housing 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; 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.

15 . The diverter assembly of claim 14 , 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.

16 . The diverter assembly of claim 14 , 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.

17 . The diverter assembly of claim 16 , 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.

18 . The diverter assembly of claim 14 , 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.

19 . A method for regulating a diverter assembly to control a temperature in a convertible compartment of a refrigerator appliance, the method comprising:
determining a setpoint temperature for the convertible compartment; determining an ambient temperature; obtaining, based on the setpoint temperature and the ambient temperature, a target damper position; and pivoting the damper to the target damper position to regulate a flow of cooling air into the convertible compartment to adjust the temperature to the setpoint temperature.

20 . The method of claim 19 , wherein obtaining the target damper position comprises obtaining the target damper position from a database containing empirically-collected data.

Assignees

• Haier Us Appliance Solutions Inc

Inventors

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

Classifications

• F25D2700/14

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

• F25D2400/16

  Convertible refrigerators · CPC title

• F25D2400/06

  Refrigerators with a vertical mullion · CPC title

• F25D23/069

  Cooling space dividing partitions · CPC title

• F25D17/065 Primary

  with compartments at different temperatures · CPC title