REFRIGERATED STORAGE STRUCTURE
A drawer for use in a drawer refrigerator including a number of panels, forming a receptacle and including a front receptacle panel, an aesthetic panel configured to cover the front panel, a hanger bracket, fixed to either the aesthetic panel or the front receptacle panel. The hanger bracket includes a main body and a hook extending therefrom. A mounting bracket is fixed to the other of the aesthetic panel and the front receptacle panel, and defines a number of apertures configured to receive the hook of the hanger bracket.
This application claims the benefit of U.S. provisional application Ser. No. 63/286,331 filed Dec. 6, 2021, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated in its entirety by reference herein.
TECHNICAL FIELDThe present disclosure relates to a household appliance such as a refrigerator or a refrigerated storage cabinet.
BACKGROUNDRefrigerators must maintain a low temperature to prevent food and beverages from spoiling while being stored within a food storage space. The food storage space may be insulated to block or mitigate heat from outside air from penetrating the food storage space. The food storage space may be formed of an insulative structure and may include one or more heat exchangers that may absorb heat inside the food storage space or dissipate heat to an area external to the food storage area.
SUMMARYA drawer refrigerator includes an insulated cabinet, a drawer, a base plate, a refrigeration system, and a center brace. The insulated cabinet may define a refrigerated space and the drawer may be disposed in the refrigerated space. The base plate may be provided with a first portion and a second portion. The first and second portions may collectively define a portion of a machine compartment. The refrigeration system may be configured to refrigerate the refrigerated space and may include a condenser, a compressor, a drain tray, a condenser fan, and a drier. The condenser may be disposed on the first portion of the base plate. The compressor may be disposed in the machine compartment on the second portion of the base plate. The drain tray and the condenser fan may each be disposed in the machine compartment on the first portion of the base plate. The drier may be operatively connected to the condenser and may be disposed in the machine compartment on the first portion of the base plate. The center brace may be fixed to the base plate and may be configured to separate the first and second portions of the base plate.
A drawer includes a number of panels, an aesthetic panel, a hanger bracket, and a mounting bracket. The number of panels may form a receptacle and may include a front receptacle panel. The aesthetic panel may be configured to cover the front panel and the hanger bracket may be fixed to either the aesthetic panel or the front receptacle panel. The hanger bracket may include a main body and a hook that may extend from the main body. The mounting bracket may be fixed to the other of the aesthetic panel or the front receptacle panel. The mounting bracket may define a number of apertures and the number of the apertures may be configured to receive the hook of the hanger bracket.
A drawer refrigerator includes an insulated cabinet, a drawer, a base member, a refrigeration system, and a center brace. The insulated cabinet may define a refrigerated space and the drawer may be disposed in the refrigerated space. The base member may be provided with a first portion and a second portion. The first and second portions may collectively define a portion of a machine compartment. The refrigeration system may be configured to refrigerate the refrigerated space and the base member may be configured to support the refrigeration system and the insulated cabinet. The center brace may be fixed to the base member and may separate the first and second portions of the base member.
As required, detailed embodiments of the present invention are disclosed herein; however, it is to be understood that the disclosed embodiments are merely exemplary of the invention that may be embodied in various and alternative forms. The figures are not necessarily to scale; some features may be exaggerated or minimized to show details of particular components. Therefore, specific structural and functional details disclosed herein are not to be interpreted as limiting, but merely as a representative basis for teaching one skilled in the art to variously employ the present invention.
This invention is not limited to the specific embodiments and methods described below, as specific components and/or conditions may, of course, vary. Furthermore, the terminology used herein is used only for the purpose of describing particular embodiments of the present invention and is not intended to be limiting in any way.
As used in the specification and the appended claims, the singular form “a,” “an,” and “the” comprise plural referents unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. For example, reference to a component in the singular is intended to comprise a plurality of components.
The term “substantially” or “about” may be used herein to describe disclosed or claimed embodiments. The term “substantially” or “about” may modify a value or relative characteristic disclosed or claimed in the present disclosure. In such instances, “substantially” or “about” may signify that the value or relative characteristic it modifies is within ±0%, 0.1%, 0.5%, 1%, 2%, 3%, 4%, 5% or 10% of the value or relative characteristic.
When an element or layer is referred to as being “on,” “engaged to,” “connected to,” or “coupled to” another element or layer, it may be directly on, engaged, connected or coupled to the other element or layer, or intervening elements or layers may be present. In contrast, when an element is referred to as being “directly on,” “directly engaged to,” “directly connected to,” or “directly coupled to” another element or layer, there may be no intervening elements or layers present. Other words used to describe the relationship between elements should be interpreted in a like fashion (e.g., “between” versus “directly between,” “adjacent” versus “directly adjacent,” etc.). The term “and/or” includes any and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed items.
Although the terms first, second, third, etc. may be used to describe various elements, components, regions, layers and/or sections, these elements, components, regions, layers and/or sections should not be limited by these terms. These terms may be only used to distinguish one element, component, region, layer or section from another region, layer or section. Terms such as “first,” “second,” and other numerical terms when used herein do not imply a sequence or order unless clearly indicated by the context. Thus, a first element, component, region, layer or section discussed below could be termed a second element, component, region, layer or section without departing from the teachings of the example embodiments.
Spatially relative terms, such as “inner,” “outer,” “beneath,” “below,” “lower,” “above,” “upper,” and the like, may be used for ease of description to describe one element or feature's relationship to another element(s) or feature(s) as illustrated in the figures. Spatially relative terms may be intended to encompass different orientations of the device in use or operation in addition to the orientation depicted in the figures. For example, if the device in the figures is turned over, elements described as “below” or “beneath” other elements or features would then be oriented “above” the other elements or features. Thus, the example term “below” can encompass both an orientation of above and below. The device may be otherwise oriented (rotated 90 degrees or at other orientations) and the spatially relative descriptors used herein interpreted accordingly.
The refrigerated drawer assembly 104 may include a refrigerated drawer 144, represented by hidden lines 144, that may be disposed in a refrigerated space formed by the refrigerated cabinet 107. The refrigerated drawer 144 may include a front panel 108, represented by hidden lines 108, and an outer panel such as an aesthetic panel 110. The aesthetic panel 110 may include a number of images or decorative designs including but not limited to one or more logos, patterns, and engravings. As an example, the aesthetic panel may be formed of wood or other material that may match or compliment finished surfaces of the storage assembly 101, appliances, or other storage assemblies.
In one or more embodiments, the hanger bracket 116 may be formed of metal such as aluminum or another alloy or material suitable to support the aesthetic panel 110. The hanger bracket 116 may be U-shaped and may include a first arm, a second arm, and a medial portion extending therebetween. The medial portion may define a number of apertures 122 and the fasteners may extend through the apertures 122 to fix the hanger bracket 116 to the aesthetic panel 110.
A support bracket 128 may be fixed to the front panel 108. The support bracket 128 may be configured to support and fix a bottom portion of the aesthetic panel 110 to the front panel 108. The support bracket 128 may include a mating portion 132 that may extend and lie along an outer surface of the front panel 108. A support portion 130 may extend from the mating portion 132 in a direction substantially orthogonal to the mating portion 132. The support portion 130 may be configured to carry the aesthetic panel 110. As an example, the support portion 130 may support the aesthetic panel 110 in three separate areas, front and rear ends and a medial area disposed therebetween.
The fan 162 may be configured to draw air over the first portion 112a of the base member 112 and a condenser 168 that may be supported by the first portion 112a of the base member 112. The fan 162 may form a cold air path as indicated by the directional arrow D1. The second portion 112b of the base member 112 may form a warm air path as indicated by the directional arrow D2, in which warm air may flow over the second portion 112b. The cold air path D1 may enter through an air grill 172 and the warm air path D2 may exit the base member 112 through the air grill 172. In one or more embodiments, a number of plates 170 may be positioned above the condenser 168. The plates 170 may be configured to transfer or dissipate heat from the air passing over the plates 170.
As an example, the second leg 178 may cover portions of the condenser 168. The medial portion 176 may extend between the first and second legs 174, 178 in the Y-direction. The medial portion 176 may be configured to block or separate the cold air path D1 from the warm air path D2 (
As best illustrated in
While exemplary embodiments are described above, it is not intended that these embodiments describe all possible forms of the invention. Rather, the words used in the specification are words of description rather than limitation, and it is understood that various changes may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Additionally, the features of various implementing embodiments may be combined to form further embodiments of the invention.
Claims
1. A drawer refrigerator comprising:
- an insulated cabinet defining a refrigerated space;
- a drawer disposed in the refrigerated space;
- a base plate provided with a first portion and a second portion, the first and second portions collectively defining a portion of a machine compartment;
- a refrigeration system configured to refrigerate the refrigerated space and including, a condenser disposed on the first portion of the base plate, a compressor disposed in the machine compartment on the second portion of the base plate, a drain tray disposed in the machine compartment on the first portion of the base plate, a condenser fan disposed in the machine compartment on the first portion of the base plate; and
- a center brace fixed to the base plate and separating the first and second portions of the base plate.
2. The drawer refrigerator of claim 1, wherein the first portion of the base plate forms a cold air path and the second portion forms a warm air path, wherein the center brace is Z-shaped and configured to separate the cold air path and the warm air path.
3. The drawer refrigerator of claim 1, wherein the base plate is hollow and an end of the base plate defines an aperture configured to receive an air grill.
4. The drawer refrigerator of claim 1, where the insulated cabinet is a foamed cabinet including a number of insulated panels each provided with a liner and a wrapper, and wherein the drawer refrigerator further comprises:
- a screw anchor disposed between the liner and the wrapper; and
- a fastener extending through the base plate and into the screw anchor to fix the base plate to the foamed cabinet.
5. The drawer refrigerator of claim 1, further comprising:
- a number of plates disposed on the condenser wherein the plates are configured to dissipate heated air flowing over the condenser.
6. The drawer refrigerator of claim 1, wherein the insulated cabinet includes:
- an outer wrapper provided with a number of joined walls,
- an inner liner spaced apart from the outer wrapper and provided with a second number of joined walls. and
- insulation material disposed between the outer wrapper and the inner liner.
7. The drawer refrigerator of claim 6, further comprising a trim breaker coupled with an edge of the outer wrapper and an edge of the inner liner.
8. The drawer refrigerator of claim 6, wherein a space between the outer wrapper and the inner liner forms an insulation space and the insulation space is sealed at a pressure below ambient pressure.
9. The drawer refrigerator of claim 1, wherein the refrigeration system further comprises a drier operatively connected to the condenser and disposed in the machine compartment on the first portion of the base plate.
10. A drawer for use in a drawer refrigerator comprising:
- a number of panels forming a receptacle and including a front receptacle panel;
- an aesthetic panel configured to cover the front panel;
- a hanger bracket fixed to either the aesthetic panel or the front receptacle panel, wherein the hanger bracket includes a main body and a hook extending therefrom; and
- a mounting bracket fixed to the other of the aesthetic panel and the front receptacle panel, wherein the mounting bracket defines a number of apertures configured to receive the hook of the hanger bracket.
11. The drawer of claim 10, wherein the hanger bracket is fixed to the aesthetic panel.
12. The drawer of claim 10, wherein the mounting bracket is fixed to the front receptacle panel.
13. The drawer of claim 10, further comprising:
- a support bracket fixed to the front receptacle panel and configured to carry the aesthetic panel.
14. The drawer of claim 13, wherein the support bracket includes a mating portion, lying along the front receptacle panel, and a support portion extending orthogonally to the mating portion and configured to carry the aesthetic panel.
15. The drawer of claim 14, wherein the aesthetic panel includes a main body and a protrusion, wherein the protrusion extends beyond a lower edge of the main body to conceal the support portion.
16. A drawer refrigerator comprising:
- an insulated cabinet defining a refrigerated space;
- a drawer disposed in the refrigerated space;
- a base member provided with a first portion and a second portion, the first and second portions collectively defining a portion of a machine compartment;
- a refrigeration system configured to refrigerate the refrigerated space, wherein the base member supports the refrigeration system and the insulated cabinet; and
- a center brace fixed to the base member and separating the first and second portions of the base member.
17. The drawer refrigerator of claim 16, wherein the second portion is disposed closer to the insulated cabinet than the first portion.
18. The drawer refrigerator of claim 17, wherein the center brace includes a first leg, a second leg, and a medial portion extending therebetween, wherein the first and second legs extend in a horizontal direction and the medial portion extends in a vertical direction substantially orthogonal to the horizontal direction.
19. The drawer refrigerator of claim 18, wherein the first leg lies on the first portion of the base member and the second leg lies on the second portion of the base member.
20. The drawer refrigerator of claim 16, wherein the insulated cabinet includes an outer wrapper and an inner liner spaced apart to form an insulation space, wherein the insulation space includes foam insulation.
Type: Application
Filed: Oct 12, 2022
Publication Date: Jun 8, 2023
Inventors: Vishal Chauhan (Nallasopara (E)), Rahul Chhajed (Pune), Mansi Katkar (Pune), Manjunathraddi Navalgund (Pune)
Application Number: 17/964,600