Isolated Gas Compartment, E.g., Cold Air Jacket Patents (Class 62/405)
  • Patent number: 11525610
    Abstract: A refrigerator includes evaporator cases arranged in a freezing chamber and located on a bottom surface of a partition wall, an evaporator installed inside the evaporator cases, and grill covers arranged on a rear side of the evaporator cases and having a blowing fan installed therein. The refrigerator includes a refrigerating chamber discharge passage which extends from the grill covers to a refrigerating chamber and through which at least a portion of cold air passing through the blowing fan flows, and a freezing chamber discharge passage which extends from the grill covers to the freezing chamber and through which the remaining cold air among the cold air passing through the blowing fan passes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2022
    Assignee: LG ELECTRONICS INC.
    Inventors: Junsoo Han, Dongseok Kim, Kangsoo Byun, Younseok Lee
  • Patent number: 10690390
    Abstract: A refrigerator may include: a refrigerator compartment, a convertible compartment, an evaporator disposed in the convertible compartment; and a grill pan assembly forming a space where the evaporator is disposed by dividing the inside of the convertible compartment. The grill pan assembly may include an insulating member, a convertible compartment fan, a refrigerator compartment fan, and an opening device formed at the insulating member from the convertible compartment channel to the refrigerator compartment channel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2020
    Assignee: LG ELECTRONICS INC.
    Inventors: Kihwang Kim, Sunghee Kang, Donghyoung Lee
  • Patent number: 10527338
    Abstract: A refrigerator may include: a refrigerator compartment, a convertible compartment, an evaporator disposed in the convertible compartment; and a grill pan assembly forming a space where the evaporator is disposed by dividing the inside of the convertible compartment. The grill pan assembly may include an insulating member, a convertible compartment fan, a refrigerator compartment fan, and an opening device formed at the insulating member from the convertible compartment channel to the refrigerator compartment channel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2020
    Assignee: LG ELECTRONICS INC.
    Inventors: Kihwang Kim, Sunghee Kang, Donghyoung Lee
  • Patent number: 10006693
    Abstract: A refrigerating appliance includes an interior volume divided by a medial wall into refrigerating and freezing compartments. A horizontal false mullion extends through one of the compartments, parallel with the medial wall to define a pantry compartment in thermal communication with at least one of the refrigerating and freezing compartments. A center vertical mullion is removably engaged with the medial wall and divides the pantry compartment into first and second pantry sub compartments. First and second outer drawer glides are positioned on the cabinet structure within the pantry compartment and opposite first and second inner drawer glides of the center vertical mullion. The first inner and first outer drawer glides partially define the first pantry sub compartment. The second inner and second outer drawer glides partially define the second pantry sub compartment. First and second pantry drawers are slidably engaged with first and second pantry sub compartments, respectively.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2018
    Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
    Inventors: Axel Julio Ramm, Michael S. Richards, Rahul Wadke, Joshua J. Wittes
  • Patent number: 9157674
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a refrigerated air supply system (21) for a freezer and/or refrigerator cabinet having at least one cabinet compartment (17) at least partly defined by inner walls (16), an insulation layer at least partly enclosing the cabinet compartment. The cabinet compartment (17) has an compartment opening facing substantially upwards, which compartment opening connects the cabinet compartment (17) with the space surrounding the cabinet, the cabinet also including, a door which in one position covers the compartment opening and substantially encloses the cabinet compartment (17). The cabinet further includes a machine compartment (23) for storing at least a compressor, at least one of the inner walls (16) having a substantially horizontal shelf plane (52) where at least one of the planes (52) is being positioned vertically above the machine compartment (23).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2004
    Date of Patent: October 13, 2015
    Assignee: ELECTROLUX HOME PRODUCTS CORPORATION N.V.
    Inventors: Martin Collins, Jack Bailey, József Nagy
  • Patent number: 8919146
    Abstract: A soft freeze assembly is provided within a freezer compartment of a refrigerator assembly. The refrigerator assembly includes a fresh food compartment maintained at a first temperature arranged adjacent the freezer compartment maintained at a second temperature. The soft freeze assembly includes a support structure attached to a wall within the freezer compartment. The soft freeze assembly further includes a storage bin being supported by the support structure and movable with respect to the support structure. The storage bin is structured to allow air exterior from the freezer compartment to enter the storage bin and maintain the storage bin at a third temperature that is colder than the first temperature and warmer than the second temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 3, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2014
    Assignee: Electrolux Home Proucts, Inc.
    Inventors: Adam Ellis, Timothy Bryan Rackley, Christopher W. Baum
  • Patent number: 6957549
    Abstract: A cool air supplying apparatus of a refrigerator comprises a guide passage formed at a rear wall of a refrigerating chamber and provided with a plurality of discharge ports towards the refrigerating chamber for guiding cool air to a rear side of the refrigerating chamber, and a direction control unit installed at the guide passage for selectively opening and closing the discharge ports in order to control a discharge direction of cool air discharged into the refrigerating chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2003
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2005
    Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Sang-Bae Kim, Sang-Ho Park, Byeong-Gyu Kang, Youn-Chul Choi
  • Publication number: 20040194496
    Abstract: A portable refrigeration apparatus includes a base defining an open interior cavity. An electric refrigeration unit is operably disposed in the base for cooling the contents of the interior cavity. A food container is configured to be removably disposed within the interior cavity of the base such that the cooled air is prevented from entering the food container and instead is trapped and circulated within the interior cavity surrounding the food container. A lid is positionable over the food container and configured to be removably placed onto an upper edge of the base or onto the food container to form a generally air-tight seal therebetween.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 26, 2004
    Publication date: October 7, 2004
    Inventors: Patrick T. Gleason, Penny A. Gleason
  • Patent number: 6742353
    Abstract: A refrigerator is improved in storage environment by suppressing drying and oxidation and enhanced in volume efficiency and cooling efficiency. The refrigerator includes a refrigerating chamber, a vegetable chamber, and a freezing chamber in order from its top to its bottom. Cool air is introduced into the freezing chamber by a first cooler and a first fan, and is introduced into the refrigerating chamber by a second cooler and a second fan. These chambers function as a direct cooling chamber. The vegetable chamber functions as an indirect cooling chamber cooled by a cooling plate which is disposed at the top of the chamber and has a large thermal conductivity, which is cooled by forced convection by the second cooler and the second fan, producing the effects of low temperature radiation and natural convection in the chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 2003
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2004
    Assignee: Matsushita Refrigeration Company
    Inventors: Yoshiki Ohashi, Masatoshi Sasaki, Yohei Nomoto, Hiroshi Yamada
  • Patent number: 6615908
    Abstract: The invention allows cool rooms or sea containers designed for frozen goods to handle produce requiring more precisely controlled temperatures and conditions, e.g., vegetables and fruits requiring temperatures in the chilling range and often also needing control or modification of the atmosphere. Each load of produce (100) (e.g. of pallet size) is held in the sea container or cool room but is sealed from the air of the refrigerated environment by, for example, a plastics bag (56). The atmosphere within the bag is then circulated by a fan (12) (or by convection currents from a heating element) so as to pass through the load and around it via ducts (30) provided adjacent the bag (56). Heat exchange (50) between the circulating gas and the refrigerated environment, via the plastics film, serves to cool the load. However, if cooling is excessive a heating element can be used to raise the temperature of the circulating atmosphere. Gas composition of the atmosphere can be controlled by scrubbing, flushing, etc.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 2000
    Date of Patent: September 9, 2003
    Assignee: Transphere Systems Limited
    Inventors: Paul Raymond Bosher, Robert Barnes
  • Patent number: 6363740
    Abstract: A chilled beverage display container has an outer casing that includes a base, a top rim member, a cover hinged to the top rim member so that the cover can be pivoted between a closed position and an open position, and a circular cylindrical peripheral wall member of a transparent material, the peripheral wall member being sealed to the base and to the top rim member so as to prevent substantially any flow of a gas into or out of the outer casing. A tub of a transparent material having an upper rim portion, a peripheral wall, and a bottom wall, is supported within the outer casing solely by attachment of the upper rim portion of the tub to the top rim member of the casing. The peripheral wall of the tub is spaced apart from the peripheral wall of the outer casing and the bottom wall of the tub is spaced apart from the base of the outer casing so as to form a dead air space between the tub and the outer casing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 1999
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2002
    Inventor: Gregory J. H. Hansen
  • Patent number: 5979174
    Abstract: A refrigerator includes a fresh food compartment, a freezer compartment defined by inner walls and an outer case respectively, an insulation barrier separating the compartments, and doors for providing access to the compartments. A passageway is formed in the barrier for providing refrigerated air to the fresh food compartment. A connecting duct diverges from the passageway and extends forwardly towards the front portion of the fresh food compartment. A door duct communicating with the connecting duct when the door is closed is coupled to the door. As a result, the fresh food compartment and door-adjacent portions of the fresh food compartment are promptly and uniformly cooled.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 1998
    Date of Patent: November 9, 1999
    Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Seok Ro Kim, San Ho Park, Kyung Seok Yoon, Gyoo Jong Bae, Sung Ho Shin
  • Patent number: 5744696
    Abstract: Sample analysis in a portable analytical instrument, preferably in the form of a gas chromatograph, benefits from temperature control of one or more thermal zones in the instrument by way of a thermal isolation system that includes a novel pumping assembly to effect a selective amount of thermal isolation of the thermal zone. The pumping assembly includes a pumping element in the form of a tubular or planar palladium structure. The pumping assembly makes use of the unique properties of palladium to allow selective control of a nominal gas pressure within a vacuum cavity. A component system, which may include a separation column and a thermal device for heating and/or cooling the component system, may be provided within the vacuum cavity. The thermal device and the pumping assembly are individually controlled by a control system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 1997
    Date of Patent: April 28, 1998
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Company
    Inventors: Tak Kui Wang, James Ward Baker, Terry A. Berger
  • Patent number: 5522216
    Abstract: A refrigerator is provided which combines the benefits of superinsulation materials with thermoelectric devices and phase change materials to provide an environmentally benign system that is energy efficient and can maintain relatively uniform temperatures for extended periods of time with relatively low electrical power requirements. The refrigerator includes a thermoelectric assembly having a thermoelectric device with a hot sink and a cold sink. The superinsulation materials include a plurality of vacuum panels. The refrigerator is formed from an enclosed structure having a door. The vacuum panels may be contained within the walls of the enclosed structure and the door. By mounting the thermoelectric assembly on the door, the manufacturer of the enclosed structure is simplified and the overall R rating of the refrigerator increased. Also an electrical motor and propellers may be mounted on the door to assist in the circulation of air to improve the efficiency of the cold sink and the hot sink.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 12, 1994
    Date of Patent: June 4, 1996
    Assignees: Marlow Industries, Inc., Owens-Corning Fiberglas Corporation, Oceaneering International, Inc.
    Inventors: Brian V. Park, Malcolm C. Smith, Jr., Ralph D. McGrath, Michael D. Gilley, Lance Criscuolo, John L. Nelson
  • Patent number: 5291746
    Abstract: A refrigerated container for receiving, storing, and transporting materials without necessity of personnel contacting the materials after deposit in the container. The container is particularly adapted for use with medical wastes which may contain infectious materials. The container comprises a lower portion and a lid portion. The container lower portion includes an open-topped inner box for holding waste materials, and an open-topped insulated outer box surrounding and spaced apart from the inner box forming an annular space therebetween. The lid is releasably attached to the outer box and has doors for access into the inner box of the container. A refrigeration unit and air circulation fan are attached to the lid, and are in communication with the annular space for cooling the inner box by circularing refrigerated air through the annular space.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 1993
    Date of Patent: March 8, 1994
    Inventor: Derwood C. Abbott
  • Patent number: 5285655
    Abstract: A refrigerator includes a freezing compartment and a refrigerating compartment located therebelow. A front door to the refrigerating compartment carries vertically spaced shelves for storing food. An air path extends from the freezing compartment to the respective shelves for permitting cold air from the freezing compartment to descend into the shelves to maintain an acceptably cool temperature in the shelves.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 1993
    Date of Patent: February 15, 1994
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Park Sung-Il, Kim Myoung-Uk, Lee Su-Il
  • Patent number: 5081850
    Abstract: The refrigerator of this invention includes a thermal insulating box, an upper storing box and a lower storing box within the thermal insulating box, and a cooling unit arranged above the upper storing box. An interior space within the thermal insulating box is divided into a first passage communicating with a cold air blowing side of the cooling unit to cool the storing box while lowering the cold air and a second passage communicating with a cold air sucking side of the cooling unit to cool the storing box while raising the cold air descended down to the bottom part of the thermal insulating box and to return the cold air to the cooling unit. A space having the cooling unit stored therein is divided by a partition wall into a first chamber having the cooling unit arranged therein and a second chamber having an air blowing fan arranged therein. The partition wall is provided with through-holes at locations corresponding to the cold air passage within the first chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 1990
    Date of Patent: January 21, 1992
    Assignee: Hoshizaki Denki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yuji Wakatsuki, Shigekazu Kondo, Mitsuyuki Takaoka, Masaru Hirosawa, Nobuya Suzuki
  • Patent number: 4972682
    Abstract: A cooler cabinet having a refrigeration system, and particularly devised to maintain articles to-be-cooled, such as milk cartons and the like, and permit the continuous entry into the cabinet enclosure for the removal of the articles is disclosed as having a main chamber for the articles, an upper, separated chamber for enclosing the evaporator for the refrigeration system and a lower, separated chamber for enclosing condenser and compressor. Air distribution fans are positioned in the upper chamber and are arranged to produce circulatory air movement across the evaporator to be cooled thereby in the upper chamber, then downwardly along the front wall of the main chamber then across the floor of the main chamber, then upwardly along the back wall of the chamber in an air return path and back to the vicinity of the evaporator for continued recirculation. Wire grates are positioned on the floor and the front wall along which air is moved downwardly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 1989
    Date of Patent: November 27, 1990
    Assignee: Specialty Equipment Companies, Inc.
    Inventors: Phillip A. Smith, Robert A. Johnson, Michael A. Branz
  • Patent number: 4882912
    Abstract: A temperature controllable tank container comprises a cylindrical tank mounted between front and rear end frames. A refrigerating unit is mounted in the front end frame. An insulating shell is provided around the tank. Side ducts for carrying chilled air from the refrigerating unit are provided in similar locations on each side of the tank for chilling the tank and in turn the contents of the tank. Chilled air is returned to the refrigerating unit through top ducts also provided between the insulating shell and the tank. The side ducts and top ducts are connected by a chamber formed between an end cap of the tank and an end cap of the insulating shell.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 1988
    Date of Patent: November 28, 1989
    Assignee: Container Design Limited
    Inventor: Robin E. Fossey
  • Patent number: 4565071
    Abstract: In one embodiment of the invention, conditioning means for providing air at a desired temperature are located adjacent to the front end of a vehicle. The conditioning means have an inlet adjacent the top of the vehicle and an outlet adjacent the bottom. Conditioned air flows from the outlet through an imperforate passageway along the bottom of the vehicle to the rear end of the vehicle where the conditioned air moves vertically through a passageway in the rear door and is discharged adjacent the top of the vehicle. The discharged conditioned air flows in normal convection paths back to the inlet of said conditioning means. In another embodiment, the conditioning means are located adjacent to the bottom of the vehicle between the front and rear ends thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 1984
    Date of Patent: January 21, 1986
    Assignee: Timpte Industries
    Inventors: Jerry W. Bartling, James F. Hofstetter
  • Patent number: 4312190
    Abstract: A refrigerated glass door merchandiser in which heat generated during a defrost cycle of operation is prevented from flowing into the refrigerated display section. The glass door merchandiser is formed by a cabinet having an access opening in one of its walls with a glass door covering such access opening. The glass door is movable for enabling access through the access opening to products within the display section of the merchandiser. An air conduit extends around the cabinet and has an outlet opening at one end of the access opening and an inlet opening at the other end of the access opening. The outlet and inlet openings are arranged in alignment so that air circulated through the conduit and leaving the outlet opening is directed towards and received by the inlet opening for establishing a continuous air band around the cabinet and across the access opening during a refrigeration cycle of operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 1979
    Date of Patent: January 26, 1982
    Assignee: Tyler Refrigeration Corporation
    Inventors: Fayez F. Ibrahim, Arthur Perez