US3590594A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Single evaporator multiple temperature refrigerator
Assignee: GOLCONDA CORP
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Filing: 1969-05-13
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Granted: 1971-07-06
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Expires: 1989-05-13
Abstract
Abstract A one compartment refrigerator convertible by a removable insulated shelf into two chambers with a narrow cross-sectionally elongated open passageway past the shelf providing restricted airflow between the chambers whereby either chamber can be a freezing chamber while the other one can be an above-freezing refrigerating chamber, in both of which there is rapid temperature pulldown and the different temperatures are maintained with a high degree of accuracy with minimum sweating and frosting in the chambers.
Inventors
- 👤 Raymond Arend
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-01 12:07
CPC Classifications
F; F25; F25D; F25D17/00; F25D17/04; F25D17/06; F25D17/062; F25D17/065; F25D2317/00; F25D2317/06; F25D2317/067; F25D2400/00; F25D2400/04; F25D2400/16
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 19
Claim 1
Independent Claim
252 words
In a refrigerator cabinet having insulated walls and an insulated closure means defining a refrigerating compartment, removable insulated shelf means separating said compartment into chambers for different temperatures, an insulated housing adjacent to said compartment defining an evaporator compartment, an evaporator means therein for pulling down the temperature of air to a temperature below freezing to chill and dry the air and including a temperature controlled refrigerant expansion valve, a cold air supply duct in one of said walls connected to the air outlet of said evaporator compartment and having vertically spaced supply openings opening into said compartment on opposite sides of said shelf means, a warm air return duct in one of said walls connected to the air intake of said evaporator compartment and having vertically spaced return openings openIng into said compartment on opposite sides of said shelf means at points remote from said supply openings, means for supplying freezing air through said supply duct continuously under forced draft while the closure is closed, means for closing the supply opening in one of said chambers, means for returning warmed return air from the other chamber including a flow limiting grille over the return opening in said one chamber and a thermostat variably closing the other return opening responsive to the above freezing temperature in the other chamber, said shelf means defining with said closure a cross-sectionally elongated continuously open passage interconnecting the chambers having approximately 1 square inch flow area per cubic foot of space present in said other chamber.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
252 words
In a refrigerator cabinet having insulated walls and an insulated closure means defining a refrigerating compartment, removable insulated shelf means separating said compartment into chambers for different temperatures, an insulated housing adjacent to said compartment defining an evaporator compartment, an evaporator means therein for pulling down the temperature of air to a temperature below freezing to chill and dry the air and including a temperature controlled refrigerant expansion valve, a cold air supply duct in one of said walls connected to the air outlet of said evaporator compartment and having vertically spaced supply openings opening into said compartment on opposite sides of said shelf means, a warm air return duct in one of said walls connected to the air intake of said evaporator compartment and having vertically spaced return openings openIng into said compartment on opposite sides of said shelf means at points remote from said supply openings, means for supplying freezing air through said supply duct continuously under forced draft while the closure is closed, means for closing the supply opening in one of said chambers, means for returning warmed return air from the other chamber including a flow limiting grille over the return opening in said one chamber and a thermostat variably closing the other return opening responsive to the above freezing temperature in the other chamber, said shelf means defining with said closure a cross-sectionally elongated continuously open passage interconnecting the chambers having approximately 1 square inch flow area per cubic foot of space present in said other chamber.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
30 words
The refrigerator cabinet defined in claim 1 in which said insulated closure means is a door and includes a low voltage electric heater disposed along one side of said passage.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
33 words
The refrigerator defined in claim 1 in which said closure means comprises two doors engaging in sealing relationship along their adjacent edges at the level of said passage and forms a side thereof.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
179 words
In a refrigerator a cabinet having insulated walls and an insulated closure means defining a refrigerating compartment, an insulated housing adjacent to the compartment defining an evaporator compartment, an evaporator in said compartment, air supply duct means connecting the cold air supply outlet of the evaporator compartment to the refrigerating compartment adjacent to the top thereof through an air supply opening, fan means for moving the cold air supply at a freezing temperature through the supply duct and into the compartment, warm air return duct means connecting the refrigerating compartment through an outlet opening adjacent the bottom thereof to the warm return air intake of the evaporator compartment, thermostatically controlled valve means at said outlet opening to enable the flow of warm air therethrough above a predetermined temperature above freezing, and insulated means between said supply opening and return opening separating said compartment into a freezing chamber and an above freezing chamber and defining in said compartment a cross-sectionally elongated and narrow flow restricting open passage directly interconnecting said chambers to provide a variable pressure differential between said chambers.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
179 words
In a refrigerator a cabinet having insulated walls and an insulated closure means defining a refrigerating compartment, an insulated housing adjacent to the compartment defining an evaporator compartment, an evaporator in said compartment, air supply duct means connecting the cold air supply outlet of the evaporator compartment to the refrigerating compartment adjacent to the top thereof through an air supply opening, fan means for moving the cold air supply at a freezing temperature through the supply duct and into the compartment, warm air return duct means connecting the refrigerating compartment through an outlet opening adjacent the bottom thereof to the warm return air intake of the evaporator compartment, thermostatically controlled valve means at said outlet opening to enable the flow of warm air therethrough above a predetermined temperature above freezing, and insulated means between said supply opening and return opening separating said compartment into a freezing chamber and an above freezing chamber and defining in said compartment a cross-sectionally elongated and narrow flow restricting open passage directly interconnecting said chambers to provide a variable pressure differential between said chambers.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
48 words
The refrigerator defined in claim 4 in which said evaporator dehumidifies the return air entering the air supply duct in the form of frost and including means for periodically melting the frost to clear the refrigerant evaporator, and means for draining the melted frost from the evaporator compartment.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
46 words
The refrigerator defined in claim 4 including therethrough an opening between the freezing chamber and the air return duct restricting air flow to less than the airflow capacity of the fan to maintain a pressure in the freezing chamber higher than that in said return conduit.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
29 words
The refrigerator defined in claim 4 in which said insulated closure means is a door and includes a low voltage electric heater disposed along one side of said passage.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
33 words
The refrigerator defined in claim 4 in which said closure means comprises two doors engaging in sealing relationship along their adjacent edges at the level of said passage and forming a side thereof.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
113 words
In a refrigerator having an insulated cabinet and closure defining an insulated refrigerating compartment, insulated means separating said compartment into chambers for different temperatures, means for supplying freezing air to one chamber continuously under forced draft while the closure is closed, means withdrawing warmed air from the other chamber at an opening remote from said insulating means and including a variable flow control valve covering said opening and a temperature responsive element responsive to the temperature of the other chamber controlling the valve opening, said insulated separating means defining a cross-sectionally elongated passage interconnecting the chambers having approximately 1 square inch flow area per cubic foot of space present in said other chamber.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
113 words
In a refrigerator having an insulated cabinet and closure defining an insulated refrigerating compartment, insulated means separating said compartment into chambers for different temperatures, means for supplying freezing air to one chamber continuously under forced draft while the closure is closed, means withdrawing warmed air from the other chamber at an opening remote from said insulating means and including a variable flow control valve covering said opening and a temperature responsive element responsive to the temperature of the other chamber controlling the valve opening, said insulated separating means defining a cross-sectionally elongated passage interconnecting the chambers having approximately 1 square inch flow area per cubic foot of space present in said other chamber.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
30 words
The refrigerator defined in claim 9 in which said passage is defined by a space between said closure and said insulated means of a spaced distance less than one-half inch.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
55 words
The refrigerator defined in claim 9 in which a supply means includes an evaporator compartment and a refrigerant evaporator therein, and said withdrawing means comprises a return duct subjected to the air intake pressure of the evaporator compartment and flow control means interconnecting said one chamber and said return duct having an airflow restricting opening.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
43 words
The refrigerant defined in claim 9 in which said withdrawing means comprises a return duct opening in the lower temperature chamber and leading to the intake of the evaporator, said valve opening being the opening closer to the intake of the evaporator chamber.
Claim 16
Independent Claim
107 words
The method of refrigerating two insulated compartments at different temperatures comprising supplying by forced draft a continuous flow of freezing cold air from a source of supply to one of the compartments, restricting withdrawal of return air from said one compartment to provide relative pressure therein, absorbing thermal units from the contents of the two compartments, withdrawing from said other compartment air therein warmer than a predetermined temperature above freezing, and conducting replacement air under said pressure from said one compartment to the other compartment in a cross-sectionally elongated column whose flow area is approximately 1 square inch per cubic foot of space in the other compartment.
Claim 17
Independent Claim
107 words
The method of refrigerating two insulated compartments at different temperatures comprising supplying by forced draft a continuous flow of freezing cold air from a source of supply to one of the compartments, restricting withdrawal of return air from said one compartment to provide relative pressure therein, absorbing thermal units from the contents of the two compartments, withdrawing from said other compartment air therein warmer than a predetermined temperature above freezing, and conducting replacement air under said pressure from said one compartment to the other compartment in a cross-sectionally elongated column whose flow area is approximately 1 square inch per cubic foot of space in the other compartment.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
40 words
The method recited in claim 13 in which the minor dimension of said column is less than one-half inch for quick dispersion of the freezing cold air to eliminate localized freezing concentrations of said cold air in said other compartment.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
32 words
The method recited in claim 13 in which said column of freezing cold air is thin and fanned out to enter said other compartment along and in contact with a wall thereof.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1974-07-05 | 1975-01-04 | 1975-07-06 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1978-07-05 | 1979-01-04 | 1979-07-06 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1982-07-05 | 1983-01-04 | 1983-07-06 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |