AIR FLOW SYSTEM FOR APPLIANCES
A refrigerator includes a body defining a refrigerated compartment and an air duct, and an airflow system configured to circulate air between the refrigerated compartment and the air duct. The air flow system includes a fan configured to move air between the refrigerated compartment and the air duct, an evaporator configured to cool air passing through the air duct, and an air diverter assembly. The air diverter assembly includes a diverter provided at least partially within the air duct and configured to divert at least a portion of the air within the air duct into the refrigerated compartment, and a baffle provided at least partially within the refrigerated compartment and configured to direct air upward within the refrigerated compartment.
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The present invention relates generally to the field of air flow systems for appliances, and more specifically, to an improved system for circulating and/or cooling air in a refrigerated appliance.
Refrigerated appliances are generally known. However, there are many challenges associated with effectively circulating and/or cooling air within refrigerated compartments of such appliances.
Accordingly, it would be desirable to provide an improved air flow system for appliances that provides one or more advantages over conventional systems.
SUMMARYOne embodiment relates to a refrigerator comprising a body defining a refrigerated compartment and an air duct; and an airflow system configured to circulate air between the refrigerated compartment and the air duct, the air flow system comprising a fan configured to move air between the refrigerated compartment and the air duct; an evaporator configured to cool air passing through the air duct; and an air diverter assembly comprising a diverter provided at least partially within the air duct and configured to divert at least a portion of the air within the air duct into the refrigerated compartment; and a baffle provided at least partially within the refrigerated compartment and configured to direct air upward within the refrigerated compartment.
Another embodiment relates to a method of circulating air within a refrigerated appliance, comprising directing air upward to a top portion of a refrigerated compartment; directing the air downward through an air duct in fluid communication with the refrigerated compartment; directing substantially all of the air over an evaporator to cool the air within the air duct; directing a first portion of the air out of the air duct and back into the refrigerated compartment; and directing the first portion of the air upward within the refrigerated compartment upon the air exiting the air duct.
Another embodiment relates to an air flow system for an appliance having a refrigerated compartment and an air duct in fluid communication with the refrigerated compartment, the air flow system comprising a fan configured to direct air upward through the refrigerated compartment and downward through the air duct; an evaporator provided within the air duct and configured to cool the air passing through the air duct; and an air diverter assembly provided at least partially within the air duct and configured to divide the air within the air duct into a first portion and a second portion, the first portion of air exiting the air duct via a first outlet and the second portion of air exiting a second outlet below the first outlet; wherein the evaporator is positioned below the fan and a static pressure column is formed within the air duct above the evaporator.
Referring to
Referring to
As shown in
Referring further to
As shown in
According to one embodiment, evaporator 30 is provided within air duct 28. As shown in
According to one embodiment, air diverter assembly 32 is provided at lease partially within air duct 28 and below evaporator 30. In some embodiments, air diverter assembly 32 may be provided proximate an outlet portion of evaporator 30. As shown in
Outlet 36 is positioned such that a portion of the air (e.g., a first portion) directed by diverter 34 re-enters refrigerated compartment 16. The remaining air (e.g., a second portion) flowing through air duct 28 continues to flow past outlet 36 downward through air duct 28. In one embodiment, outlet 36 includes a generally flat member having a series of generally parallel apertures (e.g., slits, slots, vents, etc.) that permit air to re-enter refrigerated compartment 16 in a generally uniform manner across the width of refrigerated compartment 16. The size and/or positioning of the various apertures along outlet 36 may be varied to adjust and/or control the air flow accordingly.
According to one embodiment, air entering refrigerated compartment 16 via outlet 36 is redirected upward by baffle 38. According to one embodiment, baffle 38 is provided wholly or partially within refrigerated compartment 16, and is shaped (e.g., formed, bent, etc.) to direct air from outlet 36 upward through refrigerated compartment 16. For example, a portion of baffle 38 may be generally “L”-shaped so as to direct air upward. According to various alternative embodiments, other shapes and/or sizes for baffle 38 may be utilized. As shown in
Referring further to
In operation, air flow system 22 circulates and/or cools air within refrigerator 10 by drawing air upward though refrigerated compartment 16, and pushing the air downward through air duct 28 (and over evaporator 30) such that the air re-enters refrigerated compartment 16 via outlets 38, 40. According to one embodiment, as air exits fan 24 and travels downward through air duct 28 above evaporator 30, baffles 42 (see
After passing over evaporator 30, the air is strategically divided by diverter assembly 32. Diverter 34 divides the air between a first portion, which exits air duct 28 via outlet 36, and a second portion, which continues to travel through air duct 28 and exits via outlet 40. The first portion of air exiting air duct 28 via outlet 36 is directed upward into refrigerated compartment 16. The second portion of air exiting air duct 28 via outlet 40 is directed into a bottom portion of refrigerated compartment 16, where it is drawn upward by fan 24 and/or may be directed upward by one or more additional baffles. Eventually, both the first and second portions of air are drawn upward through refrigerated compartment 16 and back to fan 24.
The various features of the air flow system shown in the embodiments provided herein may provide various advantages over more traditional air flow systems. For example, many conventional air flow systems push/pull air downward through a refrigerated compartment, such that the air is pushed/pulled upward through an air duct and evaporator (e.g., in a manner reverse to that shown, e.g., in
It should be noted that the construction and arrangement of the elements of the air flow system as shown in the exemplary embodiments are illustrative only. Although only a few embodiments have been described in detail in this disclosure, those skilled in the art who review this disclosure will readily appreciate that many modifications are possible (e.g., variations in sizes, dimensions, structures, shapes and proportions of the various elements, values of parameters, mounting arrangements, materials, colors, orientations, etc.) without materially departing from the novel teachings and advantages of the subject matter recited in the claims. Accordingly, all such modifications are intended to be included within the scope of the present disclosure as defined in the appended claims. The order or sequence of any process or method steps may be varied or re-sequenced according to alternative embodiments. Other substitutions, modifications, changes and/or omissions may be made in the design, operating conditions and arrangement of the exemplary embodiments without departing from the spirit of the present disclosure.
Claims
1. A refrigerator comprising:
- a body defining a refrigerated compartment and an air duct; and
- an airflow system configured to circulate air between the refrigerated compartment and the air duct, the air flow system comprising: a fan configured to move air between the refrigerated compartment and the air duct; an evaporator configured to cool air passing through the air duct; and an air diverter assembly comprising: a diverter provided at least partially within the air duct and configured to divert at least a portion of the air within the air duct into the refrigerated compartment; and a baffle provided at least partially within the refrigerated compartment and configured to direct air upward within the refrigerated compartment.
2. The refrigerator of claim 1, wherein the fan and evaporator are positioned such that a static pressure column of air is formed above the evaporator.
3. The refrigerator of claim 1, wherein the fan is configured to pull air upward through the refrigerated compartment and push the air downward through the air duct and past the evaporator.
4. The refrigerator of claim 3, wherein the air diverter assembly is provided below the evaporator assembly.
5. The refrigerator of claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the diverter extends downward within the air duct and at least a portion of the baffle extends upward within the refrigerated compartment.
6. The refrigerator of claim 1, wherein a first portion of air is directed out of a first outlet by the diverter and a second portion of air flows downward from the diverter through the air duct and exits the air duct at a second outlet at a bottom portion of the refrigerated compartment.
7. The refrigerator of claim 1, further comprising at least one additional baffle provided within the air duct and proximate the evaporator, the at least one additional baffle configured to direct the air within the air duct such that substantially all of the air flowing through the air duct passes over the evaporator.
8. The refrigerator of claim 1, wherein the fan is provided above the refrigerated compartment and the air duct is provided in a rear wall of the body of the refrigerator.
9. The refrigerator of claim 1, wherein the diverter and the baffle each extend along substantially all of a width of the refrigerated compartment.
10. A method of circulating air within a refrigerated appliance, comprising:
- directing air upward to a top portion of a refrigerated compartment;
- directing the air downward through an air duct in fluid communication with the refrigerated compartment;
- directing substantially all of the air over an evaporator to cool the air within the air duct;
- directing a first portion of the air out of the air duct and back into the refrigerated compartment; and
- directing the first portion of the air upward within the refrigerated compartment upon the air exiting the air duct.
11. The method of claim 10, wherein directing the first portion of the air out of the air duct comprises providing a diverter within the air duct; and
- wherein directing the first portion of the air upward within the refrigerated compartment comprises providing a baffle within the refrigerated compartment.
12. The method of claim 10, wherein at least a portion of the diverter extends downward within the air duct; and
- wherein at least a portion of the baffle extends upward within the refrigerated compartment.
13. The method of claim 10, further comprising forming a static pressure column of air within the air duct and above the evaporator.
14. The method of claim 10, wherein a second portion of the air in the air duct moves downward past the diverter and exits the air duct at a bottom portion of the air duct.
15. An air flow system for an appliance having a refrigerated compartment and an air duct in fluid communication with the refrigerated compartment, the air flow system comprising:
- a fan configured to direct air upward through the refrigerated compartment and downward through the air duct;
- an evaporator provided within the air duct and configured to cool the air passing through the air duct; and
- an air diverter assembly provided at least partially within the air duct and configured to divide the air within the air duct into a first portion and a second portion, the first portion of air exiting the air duct via a first outlet and the second portion of air exiting a second outlet below the first outlet;
- wherein the evaporator is positioned below the fan and a static pressure column is formed within the air duct above the evaporator.
16. The system of claim 15, wherein the air diverter assembly comprises a diverter provided at least partially within the air duct and a baffle provided at least partially within the refrigerated compartment.
17. The system of claim 15, wherein at least a portion of the diverter extends downward within the air duct and is configured to direct air out of the air duct via the first outlet; and
- wherein at least a portion of the baffle extends upward within the refrigerated compartment and is configured to direct the first portion of air upward through the refrigerated compartment.
18. The system of claim 15, wherein at least one additional baffle is provided within the air duct and at least partially above the evaporator, the at least one additional baffle directing the air within the air duct such that substantially all of the air flowing through the air duct passes over the evaporator.
19. The system of claim 15, wherein the first and second outlets extend along substantially all of a width of the refrigerated compartment.
20. The system of claim 15, wherein the fan is positioned above the refrigerated compartment and wherein the air diverter assembly is provided proximate to and below the evaporator.
Type: Application
Filed: Apr 20, 2010
Publication Date: Oct 20, 2011
Applicant:
Inventor: Scott T. Tunzi (Madison, WI)
Application Number: 12/763,702
International Classification: F25D 17/06 (20060101); F28F 13/12 (20060101);