Air exchange device for refrigerated chamber

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9664406-B2
Application number	US-201213981174-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 17, 2012
Priority date	Jan 24, 2011
Publication date	May 30, 2017
Grant date	May 30, 2017

Abstract

A refrigeration unit is provided for conditioning air within a refrigerated chamber for housing perishable goods having an improved air exchange device for selectively admitting fresh air into the refrigerated chamber while simultaneously venting air from within the refrigerated chamber. The air exchange device includes a tubular member having a first chamber and a second chamber isolated from first chamber, the first chamber having an inlet in flow communication with a fresh air source and an outlet opening in flow communication with the refrigerated chamber on a suction side of the evaporator, and the second chamber having an inlet in flow communication with the refrigerated chamber in a discharge side of evaporator fan and an outlet opening in flow communication with a space exterior of the refrigerated chamber.

First claim

We claim:

1. A refrigeration unit for conditioning air within a refrigerated chamber for housing perishable goods, the refrigeration unit comprising:
an evaporator heat exchanger disposed in operative association with the refrigerated chamber;
an evaporator fan for circulating a flow of air drawn from the refrigerated chamber through the evaporator heat exchanger and back into the refrigerated chamber, the evaporator fan having a suction side and a discharge side; and
an air exchange device including a single tubular member, an interior volume of the single tubular member divided into a first chamber and a second chamber isolated from first chamber by a flow impervious division wall within the single tubular member, the first chamber having a first inlet in flow communication with a fresh air source and first outlet in flow communication with the refrigerated chamber on the suction side of the evaporator fan, and the second chamber having a second inlet in flow communication with the refrigerated chamber in the discharge side of the evaporator fan and a second outlet in flow communication with a space exterior of the refrigerated chamber;
wherein the air exchange device further includes a housing disposed about the tubular member, the housing having a first housing opening communicating with the suction side of the refrigerated chamber and a second housing opening communicating to the space exterior of the refrigerated chamber, the tubular member disposed for rotation within and relative to the housing to adjust registration of the first outlet with the first housing opening and the second outlet with the second housing opening;
wherein the second outlet of the second chamber of the tubular member is disposed orthogonally to the first inlet of the first chamber of the tubular member.

2. The refrigeration unit as set forth in claim 1 wherein the first outlet of the first chamber has a first flow area selectively adjustable from fully open to fully closed.

3. The refrigeration unit as set forth in claim 1 wherein the second outlet of the second chamber has a second flow area selectively adjustable from fully open to fully closed.

4. The refrigeration unit as set forth in claim 1 wherein:
the first outlet of the first chamber has a first flow area selectively adjustable from fully open to fully closed;
the second outlet of the second chamber has a second flow area selectively adjustable from fully open to fully closed; and
the adjustment of the first flow area of the first outlet of the first chamber and the adjustment of the second flow area of the second outlet of the second chamber are coordinated whereby the first flow area of the first outlet of the first chamber and the second flow area of the second outlet of the second chamber are simultaneously open and simultaneously closed.

5. The refrigeration unit as set forth in claim 1 wherein the tubular member is selectively rotatable within the housing between a first position relative to the housing whereat the first outlet of the first chamber of the tubular member is juxtaposed in full registration with the first housing opening of the housing and the second outlet of the second chamber of the tubular member is juxtaposed in full registration with the second housing opening of the housing, and a second position relative to the housing whereat the first outlet of the first chamber of the tubular member is juxtaposed out of registration with the first housing opening of the housing and the second outlet of the second chamber of the tubular member is juxtaposed out of registration with the second housing opening of the housing.

6. The refrigeration unit as set forth in claim 5 wherein the tubular member is selectively rotatable within the housing to be positioned in at least one position between the first position and the second position whereat the first outlet of the first chamber of the tubular member is juxtaposed in partial registration with the first housing opening of the housing and the second outlet of the second chamber of the tubular member is juxtaposed in partial registration with the second housing opening of the housing.

7. The refrigeration unit as set forth in claim 1 further comprising a seal member disposed intermediate the tubular member and the housing.

8. The refrigeration unit as set forth in claim 7 wherein the sealing member also comprises a bearing member.

9. The refrigeration unit as set forth in claim 1 further comprising a drive motor operatively associated with the tubular member for rotating the tubular member relative to the housing.

Assignees

• Hill Jr Harold P
• Carrier Corp

Inventors

• Hill Jr Harold P

Classifications

• F24F7/065

  fan combined with single duct; mounting arrangements of a fan in a duct · CPC title

• F24F13/075

  having parallel rods or lamellae directing the outflow, e.g. the rods or lamellae being individually adjustable (F24F13/072 takes precedence) · CPC title

• F24F7/00

  Ventilation · CPC title

• F24F13/065

  formed as cylindrical or spherical bodies which are rotatable · CPC title

• F24F13/0281

  Multilayer duct · CPC title