REFRIGERATOR APPLIANCE AND AIRFLOW SYSTEM

Abstract

A refrigerator appliance is provided, including an outer case forming a refrigeration compartment and an inlet flow passage configured to provide cooled air from a cooling system to the refrigeration compartment. An airflow panel is positioned at a top wall at the refrigeration compartment. The airflow panel is positioned in fluid communication with the inlet flow passage to receive a flow of fluid. The airflow panel includes a plurality of openings providing fluid communication from a volume between the airflow panel and the top wall to the refrigeration compartment.

Claims

1. A refrigerator appliance, comprising: an outer case forming a refrigeration compartment, the outer case forming an inlet flow passage configured to provide cooled air from a cooling system to the refrigeration compartment; and an airflow panel positioned at a top wall at the refrigeration compartment, wherein the airflow panel is positioned in fluid communication with the inlet flow passage to receive a flow of fluid, the airflow panel comprising a plurality of openings providing fluid communication from a volume between the airflow panel and the top wall to the refrigeration compartment.

2. The refrigerator appliance of claim 1, wherein an interior wall separates the refrigeration compartment from a freezer compartment, and wherein the inlet flow passage is formed through the interior wall to provide fluid communication between the freezer compartment and the refrigeration compartment.

3. The refrigerator appliance of claim 1, wherein the inlet flow passage is formed through a rear wall of the outer case.

4. The refrigerator appliance of claim 1, comprising: a shelf releasably mountable to a plurality of mounts, the plurality of mounts positioned at an inner liner at the refrigeration compartment, wherein two or more of the plurality of mounts form a gap between one another.

5. The refrigerator appliance of claim 1, the interior wall forming an outlet flow passage providing fluid communication between the refrigeration compartment and the freezer compartment.

6. The refrigerator appliance of claim 1, comprising: a damper device positioned at the inlet flow passage, the damper device configured to modulate the flow of fluid from a freezer compartment to the refrigeration compartment.

7. The refrigerator appliance of claim 1, the airflow panel forming at least one protrusion into the refrigeration compartment.

8. The refrigerator appliance of claim 1, the airflow panel forming a platform configured to receive a lighting assembly.

9. The refrigerator appliance of claim 8, wherein the lighting assembly is positionable at the platform in the refrigeration compartment.

10. The refrigerator appliance of claim 8, wherein the lighting assembly is positionable at a volume between the airflow panel and the top wall at the refrigeration compartment.

11. The refrigerator appliance of claim 1, the outer case forming an insulation layer extending between the top wall and an outer wall substantially co-directional to the top wall, wherein a cross-sectional area of the insulation layer is substantially uniform between the top wall and the outer wall.

12. The refrigerator appliance of claim 11, wherein the substantially uniform cross-sectional area of the insulation layer extends along a vertical direction and a width direction.

13. The refrigerator appliance of claim 1, wherein the outer case forms a freezer compartment, and wherein the freezer compartment and the refrigeration compartment are positioned in side-by-side arrangement.

14. The refrigerator appliance of claim 13, wherein the interior wall extends along a vertical direction from the top wall to a base wall to form the refrigerator appliance in side-by-side arrangement.

15. The refrigerator appliance of claim 1, the outer case forming a molded plastic or foam outer case, the outer case comprising a substantially uniform cross-sectional area along a vertical direction and width direction between the top wall and an outer wall of the outer case.

16. A refrigerator appliance, comprising: an outer case forming a refrigeration compartment, the outer case forming an inlet flow passage configured to provide cooled air from a cooling system to the refrigeration compartment, the outer case forming an insulation layer extending between the top wall and an outer wall substantially co-directional to the top wall, wherein a cross-sectional area of the insulation layer is substantially uniform between the top wall and the outer wall; and an airflow panel positioned at a top wall at the refrigeration compartment, wherein the airflow panel is positioned in fluid communication with the inlet flow passage to receive a flow of fluid, the airflow panel comprising a plurality of openings providing fluid communication from a volume between the airflow panel and the top wall to the refrigeration compartment.

17. The refrigerator appliance of claim 16, wherein an interior wall separates the refrigeration compartment from a freezer compartment, and wherein the inlet flow passage is formed through the interior wall to provide fluid communication between the freezer compartment and the refrigeration compartment.

18. The refrigerator appliance of claim 16, wherein the inlet flow passage is formed through a rear wall of the outer case.

19. The refrigerator appliance of claim 16, wherein the outer case forms a freezer compartment and the refrigerator compartment in a side-by-side arrangement.

20. The refrigerator appliance of claim 16, wherein the outer case forms a freezer compartment and the refrigerator compartment in a top-bottom arrangement.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0008] A full and enabling disclosure of the present invention, including the best mode thereof, directed to one of ordinary skill in the art, is set forth in the specification, which makes reference to the appended figures.

[0009] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a refrigerator appliance according to an exemplary embodiment of the present subject matter with doors of the example refrigerator appliance shown closed.

[0010] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the exemplary refrigerator appliance with doors shown open.

[0011] FIG. 3 is a schematic front cross-sectional view of an exemplary embodiment of the refrigerator appliance in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure.

[0012] FIG. 4 is a schematic side cross-sectional view of an exemplary embodiment of the refrigerator appliance in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure.

[0013] FIG. 5A is a perspective view of a refrigerator appliance with doors removed to depict interior volumes in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure.

[0014] FIG. 5B is a detailed view of a portion of the refrigerator appliance of FIG. 5A.

[0015] FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view along Section 6-6 of the exemplary embodiment of the refrigerator appliance of FIG. 3 in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure.

[0016] FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view along Section 7-7 of the exemplary embodiment of the refrigerator appliance of FIG. 3 in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure.

[0017] FIG. 8 is a schematic perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of the refrigerator appliance in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure.

[0018] FIG. 9A is a side view of an exemplary embodiment of an airflow panel for a refrigerator appliance in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure.

[0019] FIG. 9B is a plan view of an exemplary embodiment of the airflow panel of FIG. 9A in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure.

[0020] FIG. 9C is a perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of the airflow panel of FIG. 9B in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure.

[0021] FIG. 10A is a side view of an exemplary embodiment of an airflow panel for a refrigerator appliance in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure.

[0022] FIG. 10B is a plan view of an exemplary embodiment of the airflow panel of FIG. 10A in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure.

[0023] FIG. 10C is a perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of the airflow panel of FIG. 10B in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure.

[0024] FIG. 11A is a side view of an exemplary embodiment of an airflow panel for a refrigerator appliance in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure.

[0025] FIG. 11B is a plan view of an exemplary embodiment of the airflow panel of FIG. 11A in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure.

[0026] FIG. 11C is a perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of the airflow panel of FIG. 11B in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure.

[0027] FIG. 12 is a perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of an airflow panel for a refrigerator appliance in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure.

[0028] FIG. 13 is a schematic view of an exemplary embodiment of a refrigerator appliance in a top-bottom configuration accordance with aspects of the present disclosure.

[0029] FIG. 14 is a schematic view of an exemplary embodiment of a refrigerator appliance in a top-bottom configuration accordance with aspects of the present disclosure.

[0030] FIG. 15 is a schematic view of an exemplary embodiment of a refrigerator appliance in a side-by-side configuration accordance with aspects of the present disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0031] Reference now will be made in detail to embodiments of the invention, one or more examples of which are illustrated in the drawings. Each example is provided by way of explanation of the invention, not limitation of the invention. In fact, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and variations can be made in the present invention without departing from the scope or spirit of the invention. For instance, features illustrated or described as part of one embodiment can be used with another embodiment to yield a still further embodiment. Thus, it is intended that the present invention covers such modifications and variations as come within the scope of the appended claims and their equivalents.

[0032] FIG. 1 provides a perspective view of a refrigerator appliance 10 according to an exemplary embodiment of the present subject matter. FIG. 2 provides a perspective view of the refrigerator appliance 10 with doors 38, 40 open to view refrigeration and freezer compartments 12, 14 formed within an outer case 16.

[0033] Referring to FIG. 2, refrigerator appliance 10 includes the refrigeration compartment 12 and the freezer compartment 14, with the compartments arranged side-by-side and contained within the outer case 16. Outer case 16 and inner liners 18 and 20 are generally molded from a suitable plastic or foam material. For instance, the outer case may form a molded plastic or foam outer case. Thus, refrigerator appliance 10 is generally referred to as a side-by-side style refrigerator appliance. In alternative exemplary embodiments, refrigerator appliance 10 may include a single liner and a mullion that spans between opposite sides of the single liner to divide it into the freezer compartment 14, such as a compartment configured for frozen foods, and the refrigeration compartment 12, such as a compartment configured for fresh foods. Outer case 16 is normally formed by folding a sheet of a suitable material, such as pre-painted steel, into an inverted U-shape to form top and side walls of outer case 16. A bottom wall of outer case 16 normally is formed separately and attached to the case side walls and to a bottom frame that provides support for refrigerator appliance 10. However, it should be appreciated that outer case 16 may be formed by other suitable manufacturing methods. Furthermore, or alternatively, as depicted in FIGS. 13-15, embodiments of the refrigerator appliance 10 described herein may be formed in top-bottom arrangement, including, the freezer compartment 14 above or below the refrigeration compartment 12.

[0034] A breaker strip 22 extends between a case front flange and outer front edges of inner liners 18 and 20. Breaker strip 22 is formed from a suitable resilient material, such as an extruded acrylo-butadiene-styrene based material (commonly referred to as ABS). The insulation in the space between inner liners 18 and 20 is covered by another strip of suitable resilient material, which also commonly is referred to as a mullion 24 and may be formed of an extruded ABS material. Breaker strip 22 and mullion 24 may form a front face, and extend completely around inner peripheral edges of outer case 16 and vertically between inner liners 18 and 20.

[0035] Slide-out drawers 26 and shelves 30 are normally provided in refrigeration compartment 12 to support items being stored therein. In addition, a shelf 30, a basket 32, or both, are generally provided in freezer compartment 14.

[0036] Refrigerator appliance features are regulated with a controller 34 according to user preference via manipulation of a control interface 36 mounted in an upper region of refrigeration compartment 12 and coupled to controller 34. Input/output (I/O) signals may be routed between controller 34 and various operational components of refrigerator appliance 10. The components of refrigerator appliance 10 may be in communication with controller 34 via one or more signal lines or shared communication busses.

[0037] Controller 34 can be any device that includes one or more processors and a memory. As an example, in some embodiments, controller 34 may be a single board computer (SBC). For example, controller 34 can be a single System-On-Chip (SOC). However, any form of controller 34 may also be used to perform the present subject matter. The processor(s) can be any suitable processing device, such as a microprocessor, microcontroller, integrated circuit, or other suitable processing devices or combinations thereof. The memory can include any suitable storage media, including, but not limited to, non-transitory computer-readable media, RAM, ROM, hard drives, flash drives, accessible databases, or other memory devices. The memory can store information accessible by processor(s), including instructions that can be executed by processor(s) to perform aspects of the present disclosure.

[0038] Referring to FIGS. 1-2, a freezer door 38 and a fresh food door 40 close access openings to freezer compartment 14 and refrigeration compartment 12. Freezer door and fresh food door 38 and 40 are each mounted by a top hinge 42 and a bottom hinge (not shown) to rotate about its outer vertical edge between an open position, as shown in FIG. 1, and a closed position. Freezer door 38 may include a plurality of storage shelves 44 and a sealing gasket 46, and fresh food door 40 also includes a plurality of storage shelves 48 and a sealing gasket 50.

[0039] Freezer compartment 14 may include an automatic ice maker 52 and a dispenser 54 (FIG. 1) provided in freezer door 38 such that ice and/or chilled water can be dispensed without opening freezer door 38, as is well known in the art. Freezer door and fresh food door 38 and 40 may be opened by handles 56.

[0040] Referring now to the schematic embodiment of a refrigerator appliance 10 in FIG. 3, refrigerator appliance 10 also includes a machinery compartment (not shown) that at least partially contains a cooling system 60 including components for executing a known vapor compression cycle for cooling air. The cooling system 60 may include a compressor, a condenser, an expansion device, and an evaporator connected in series as a loop and charged with a refrigerant. The evaporator is a type of heat exchanger which transfers heat from air passing over the evaporator to the refrigerant flowing through the evaporator, thereby causing the refrigerant to vaporize. The cooled air is used to refrigerate one or more refrigerator or freezer compartments via fans. Also, a cooling loop can be added to direct cool the ice maker to form ice cubes, and a heating loop can be added to help remove ice from the ice maker. Collectively, the vapor compression cycle components in a refrigeration circuit, associated fans, and associated compartments are conventionally referred to as a sealed system. The construction and operation of the sealed system are well known to those skilled in the art.

[0041] Referring now to the schematic views provided in FIGS. 3-4 and FIG. 8, the outer case 16 forms the freezer compartment 14 and the refrigeration compartment 12. An interior wall 25 separates the freezer compartment 14 from the refrigeration compartment 12. For instance, the interior wall 25 extends along a vertical direction V from a top wall 19 to a base wall 21 to separate the freezer compartment 14 and the refrigeration compartment 12 along a width direction W in a side-by-side arrangement. An inlet flow passage 62 extends in flow communication to provide cold or cooled air from the cooling system 60 to the refrigeration compartment 12, such as further described herein. In various embodiments, inlet flow passage 62 extends from the freezer compartment 14 to the refrigeration compartment 12. In some embodiments, the inlet flow passage 62 extends through the interior wall 25 along the width direction W. For instance, the inlet flow passage 62 is formed through the interior wall 25 to provide fluid communication between the freezer compartment 14 and the refrigeration compartment 12. In still some embodiments, the inlet flow passage 62 extends through a rear wall 27 of the outer case 16. For instance, the inlet flow passage 62 is formed through the rear wall 27 to provide fluid communication between the freezer compartment 14 and the refrigeration compartment 12, such as depicted in FIG. 4.

[0042] The refrigerator appliance 10 includes an airflow panel 70 positioned at the top wall 19 at the refrigeration compartment 12. The airflow panel 70 may be releasably attachable to the top wall 19, such as to allow one or more embodiments of the airflow panel 70 to be positioned or replaced at the refrigeration compartment 12, or to allow for changing of a lighting element positionable at the airflow panel 70. The airflow panel 70 is positionable in fluid communication with the inlet flow passage 62 to receive a flow of fluid from the freezer compartment 14 to the refrigeration compartment 12, such as schematically depicted in FIG. 8 via arrows 71.

[0043] In various embodiments, such as depicted in FIGS. 9A-9C, FIGS. 10A-10C, FIGS. 11A-11C, and FIG. 12, the airflow panel 70 forms a plurality of openings 72. The plurality of openings 72 may form holes, orifices, or elongated slots, extending through the airflow panel 70 forming a wall. Referring back to FIGS. 3-4, when positioned onto the top wall 19, the airflow panel 70 forms a volume 76 between the airflow panel 70 and the top wall 19. The plurality of openings 72 are configured to provide fluid communication from the volume 76 to the refrigeration compartment 12. For instance, the plurality of openings 72 are configured to provide fluid communication from the volume 76 between the airflow panel 70 and the top wall 19 to the refrigeration compartment 12 formed between the airflow panel 70 and the base wall 21.

[0044] Referring still to FIGS. 3-4, in some embodiments, a damper device 66 is positioned at the inlet flow passage 62. The damper device 66 may include any appropriate type of valve or flow control device configured to modulate the flow of fluid from the freezer compartment 14 to the refrigeration compartment 12. For instance, refrigerator appliance 10 may be configured having a single cooling system 60 configured to generate cold air for the freezer compartment 14 and cooled air for the refrigeration compartment 12. Damper device 66 may be configured to selectively allow air from the cooling system 60 to flow from the freezer compartment 14 to the refrigeration compartment 12.

[0045] Referring briefly to FIGS. 13-15, some embodiments of the refrigerator appliance 10 include a dual cooling system 60. For instance, the refrigerator appliance 10 may include a first cooling system configured to generate cold air for the freezer compartment 14 and a second cooling system configured to generate cooled air for the refrigeration compartment 12. Inlet flow passage 62 is configured to extend fluid communication to the volume 76 formed between the top wall 19 and the airflow panel 70. For instance, inlet flow passage 62 may be formed through the rear wall 27 of the outer case 16, such as depicted and described in regard to FIG. 4.

[0046] Referring to FIGS. 2-4, and further depicted in the Section 7-7 view in FIG. 7, in some embodiments, the shelf 30 is releasably mountable to a plurality of mounts 29. The plurality of mounts 29 are positioned at the inner liner 18 at the refrigeration compartment 12. Two or more of the plurality of mounts 29 form a gap 28 between one another. For instance, the mount 29 may form a discontinuous rack or wall extending along a depth direction D. Gap 28 may be formed and extend between a pair of mounts 29. In still some embodiments, gap 28 may be formed between a pair of mounts 29 separated along a width direction W. As generally depicted in FIGS. 3-4, cooled air is permitted to flow from the volume 76 through the airflow panel 70 and downward along the vertical direction V through gaps 28 formed between the mounts 29.

[0047] In various embodiments, the interior wall 25 forms an outlet flow passage 64 providing fluid communication between the refrigeration compartment 12 and the freezer compartment 14. Outlet flow passage 64 may allow for cooled air from the refrigeration compartment 12 to transmit to the cooling system 60 and/or through the freezer compartment 14 and circulate into the volume 76 and through the inlet flow passage 62 and airflow panel 70.

[0048] Referring back to FIGS. 9A-9C, FIGS. 10A-10C, FIGS. 11A-11C, and FIG. 12, in various embodiments, the airflow panel 70 forms at least one protrusion 78 into the refrigeration compartment 12. For instance, the protrusion 78 may generally extend along the vertical direction V away from the top wall 19 (FIG. 3), such as downward toward the base wall 21. In some embodiments, the protrusion 78 is positioned substantially at a center portion of the airflow panel 70 (e.g., +/25% span along the width direction W and/or depth direction D from a centerline axis). FIGS. 9A-9C, FIGS. 11A-11C, and FIG. 12 each depict a single protrusion 78 extending along the vertical direction V. FIGS. 10A-10C depict a plurality of protrusions 78 extending along the vertical direction V. Protrusions 78 may generally extend into the refrigeration compartment 12, such as to form an upper limit of volume at which food, foodstuffs, bottles, containers, etc. may be stored in the refrigeration compartment 12.

[0049] In still some embodiments, such as depicted in FIGS. 11A-11C and FIG. 12, airflow panel 70 forms a platform 74 at which a lighting assembly 80 is receivable. In some embodiments, lighting assembly 80 is positionable within the volume 76. In still some embodiments, lighting assembly 80 is positionable outside of the volume 76, such as in the refrigeration compartment 12. In such embodiments, openings 72 may further allow for light to diffuse from the volume 76 into the refrigeration compartment 12.

[0050] Embodiments of the refrigerator appliance 10 depicted and described herein may beneficially and advantageously facilitate energy reduction, such as through embodiments of the airflow structure formed at least by the inlet flow passage 62 extending between the freezer compartment 14 and the refrigeration compartment 12. Various embodiments of the refrigerator appliance 10 including the airflow panel 70 may beneficially and advantageously facilitate flow and diffusion of cool air through openings 72. Still various embodiments may improve flow and diffusion of cooled air through gaps 28 such as described herein.

[0051] Various embodiments of the refrigerator appliance 10 depicted and described herein may provide one or more benefits and advantages such as described herein while further allowing for the outer case 16 to include an insulation layer extending between the top wall 19 and an outer wall 17 to be substantially uniform in cross-sectional area. For instance, the top wall 19 within the refrigeration compartment 12, the freezer compartment 14, or both, may extend substantially co-directional to the outer wall 17 of the outer case 16, such as substantially along width direction W. A cross-sectional area 23 of the insulation layer, such as depicted between top wall 19 and outer wall 17 in FIG. 3, may be substantially uniform along the vertical direction V and the width direction W, or furthermore, along the depth direction D. In still some embodiments, the outer case 16 may form a molded plastic or foam outer case having a substantially uniform cross-sectional area 23.

[0052] Airflow structures such as depicted and described herein, such as extending through interior wall 25, may improve energy efficiency while allowing for simplified construction of the outer case 16, inner liners 18, 20, or both.

[0053] Airflow structures such as depicted and described herein may provide benefits such as described herein without requiring utilization of area or volume between the top wall and outer wall, such as to allow for substantially uniform cross-sectional areas of insulation layers, which may allow for improved insulation while further allowing for improved flow and distribution of cooled air through the refrigeration compartment 12.

[0054] This written description uses examples to disclose the invention, including the best mode, and also to enable any person skilled in the art to practice the invention, including making and using any devices or systems and performing any incorporated methods. The patentable scope of the invention is defined by the claims, and may include other examples that occur to those skilled in the art. Such other examples are intended to be within the scope of the claims if they include structural elements that do not differ from the literal language of the claims, or if they include equivalent structural elements with insubstantial differences from the literal languages of the claims.