Controlled temperature compartment for refrigerator

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-8997517-B2
Application number	US-39418909-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 27, 2009
Priority date	Feb 27, 2009
Publication date	Apr 7, 2015
Grant date	Apr 7, 2015

Abstract

A storage compartment assembly is located within the interior of a compartment of a refrigerator such as a fresh food compartment of a refrigerator. The storage compartment assembly includes a storage container the temperature of which can be controlled independently of the temperature in the fresh food compartment. At least one of the sides of the storage container can be spaced away from a respective interior side of the refrigerator compartment and a housing located in the space between the side of the storage container and the interior side of the refrigerator compartment. The housing can contain components that are configured to function in the operation of the refrigerator, including the storage compartment assembly. The refrigerator can comprise a bottom-mount refrigerator and the fresh food compartment can be provided with double-doors for closing and opening the interior of the fresh food compartment.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A refrigerator including:
a refrigerator compartment including an interior and opposing first and second interior sides, and at least one door closing off an open front of the refrigerator that is located between the opposing first and second interior sides;
a storage compartment assembly located within the interior of the refrigerator compartment between the opposing first and second interior sides of the refrigerator compartment, the storage compartment assembly including a storage container including an open top for providing access to the interior of the storage container, the storage container including a first side located opposite the first interior side of the refrigerator compartment and a second side located opposite the second interior side of the refrigerator compartment, at least one of the first side and the second side of the storage container being spaced away from the first interior side and the second interior side, respectively, of the refrigerator compartment, thereby providing a respective space between at least one of the first side of the storage container and the first interior side of the refrigerator compartment and the second side of the storage container and the second interior side of the refrigerator compartment; and
at least one of the respective spaces between at least one of the first side of the storage container and the first interior side of the refrigerator compartment and the second side of the storage container and the second interior side of the refrigerator compartment including a housing, wherein the storage compartment assembly includes a cover that covers the open top of the storage container when the storage container is in place within the refrigerator compartment, the cover extending over and being supported by the housing, and
wherein the storage container is configured for withdrawal from between the opposing first and second interior sides of the refrigerator compartment and from the housing located in at least one of the respective spaces between at least one of the first side of the storage container and the first interior side of the refrigerator compartment and the second side of the storage container and the second interior side of the refrigerator compartment and for reentry into the interior of the refrigerator compartment after having been withdrawn, the withdrawal and reentry of the storage container being facilitated by a rail system including a rail mounted to at least one of the first side and second side of the storage container and a complementary rail mounted to an adjacent side of the housing, whereby the storage container can be withdrawn from and returned to the interior of the refrigerator compartment along the rail system and, when withdrawn, supported from the interior of the refrigeration compartment at the rail system.

2. The refrigerator of claim 1 wherein the housing contains at least components that are configured to function in the operation of the refrigerator.

3. The refrigerator of claim 2 wherein the components that are configured to function in the operation of the refrigerator comprise at least components that are configured to function in the operation of the storage compartment assembly.

4. The refrigerator of claim 3 wherein the components that are configured to function in the operation of the storage compartment assembly comprise at least components that are configured to function in controlling the movement of air through the storage container.

5. The refrigerator of claim 4 wherein the components that are configured to function in controlling the movement of air through the storage container comprise at least components that are configured to function in controlling the movement of air through the storage container at temperatures of the air that range from a temperature below the temperature of the refrigerator compartment to a temperature above the temperature of the refrigerator compartment.

6. The refrigerator of claim 5 wherein the refrigerator compartment comprises a fresh food compartment.

7. The refrigerator of claim 6 wherein the at least one door comprises a door for opening and closing the interior of the fresh food compartment to the exterior of the fresh food compartment, the door being pivotally mounted at the same side of the fresh food compartment at which the housing is located.

8. The refrigerator of claim 6 including a freezer compartment and an evaporator located beneath the fresh food compartment.

9. The refrigerator of claim 1
wherein the housing comprises a first housing and a second housing, the first housing being located in the respective space between the first interior side of the refrigerator compartment and the first side of the storage container and the second housing being located in the respective space between the second interior side of the refrigerator compartment and the second side of the storage container, a rail system including a rail mounted to the first side of the storage container and a complementary rail mounted to an adjacent side of the first housing, and a rail mounted to the second side of the storage container and a complementary rail mounted at an adjacent side of the second housing, whereby the storage container can be withdrawn from and returned to the interior of the refrigerator compartment along the rail system and, when withdrawn, supported from the interior of the refrigeration compartment at the rail system.

10. The refrigerator of claim 9 wherein the refrigerator compartment comprises a fresh food compartment.

11. The refrigerator of claim 10 including a freezer compartment and an evaporator located beneath the fresh food compartment.

12. The refrigerator of claim 11 wherein the at least one door comprises two doors configured to open and close off the interior of the fresh food compartment to the exterior of the fresh food compartment, each door including a first side and a second side opposite the first side, the first side of each door being pivotally mounted at a respective side of the fresh food compartment and the second side of each door adjoining the second side of the other door when the two doors are in a position closing off the interior of the fresh food compartment.

13. The refrigerator of claim 12 wherein the cover that covers over the open top of the storage container when the storage container is in place within the fresh food compartment extends over and is supported by each of the first housing and the second housing.

14. The refrigerator of claim 13 wherein at least one of the first housing and the second housing contains at least components that are configured to function in the operation of the refrigerator.

15. The refrigerator of claim 14 wherein the components that are configured to function in the operation of the refrigerator comprise at least components that are configured to function in the operation of the storage compartment assembly.

16. The refrigerator of claim 15 wherein the components that are configured to function in the operation of the storage compartment assembly comprise at least components that are configured to function in controlling the movement of air through the storage container.

17. The refrigerator of claim 9 wherein the at least one door comprises two doors configured to open and close off the interior of the refrigerator compartment to the exterior of the refrigerator compartment, each door including a first side and a second side opposite the first side, the first side of each door being pivotally mounted at a respective side of the refrigerator compartme

Assignees

• Bertolini Nilton Carlos
• Richardson Edmund S
• Baack Jerry R
• Hall David L
• Simpson Cory Dale
• Electrolux Home Prod Inc

Inventors

• Bertolini Nilton Carlos
• Richardson Edmund S
• Baack Jerry R
• Hall David L
• Simpson Cory Dale

Classifications

• F25D2325/022

  Shelves made of glass or ceramic · CPC title

• F25D2700/121

  of particular compartments · CPC title

• F25D2400/02

  Refrigerators including a heater · CPC title

• F25D2323/021

  French doors · CPC title

• F25D2400/361

  Interactive visual displays · CPC title