US3745786A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Refrigeration apparatus
Assignee: Whirlpool Corp
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Filing: 1971-12-01
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Granted: 1973-07-17
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Expires: 1991-12-01
Abstract
Abstract A refrigeration apparatus having means defining a compartment which at least at times is refrigerated to a below-freezing temperature. Air is returned from this compartment to a fin-andtube evaporator by firstly conducting the air over the tube end turns of the evaporator and then through the passages defined by the evaporator fins to be refrigerated by heat exchange relationship therewith. The compartment may comprise a convertible compartment which, at times, is maintained at an above-freezing temperature and at times is maintained at a belowfreezing temperature. The apparatus may further include a refrigerator compartment and a freezer compartment with the air being returned to different portions of the evaporator from the different compartments for improved operation of the refrigeration apparatus.
Inventors
- 👤 J Laughlin
- 👤 Cullough W Mc
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-24 10:40
CPC Classifications
F; F25; F25D; F25D17/00; F25D17/04; F25D17/06; F25D17/062; F25D17/065; F25D2317/00; F25D2317/06; F25D2317/067; F25D2400/00; F25D2400/06
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 12
Claim 1
Independent Claim
198 words
In a forced air refrigeration apparatus having means defining a compartment which may have selectively different humidity conditions including a high humidity condition, a refrigeration means including an evaporator having a serpentine tube portion defining a plurality of end turns and a plurality of fins defining a plurality of paths for flow of air to be refrigerated in heat transfer association therewith from an inlet portion at one end of the evaporator to an outlet portion at the opposite end of the evaporator, and means for circulating air from said evaporator outlet portion through said compartment and back to said evaporator for cooling said compartment to a below-freezing temperature, the improvement comprising means for causing only low humidiTy air to be circulated in heat transfer association with said evaporator fins comprising means for conducting the air from said compartment sequentially in heat transfer association with said end turns and then to said paths defined by said fins, the amount of heat transfer surface of said end turns contacted by said conducted air being preselected to effect dehumidification of high humidity compartment air to convert said air to low humidity air prior to the conduction thereof into said paths.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
198 words
In a forced air refrigeration apparatus having means defining a compartment which may have selectively different humidity conditions including a high humidity condition, a refrigeration means including an evaporator having a serpentine tube portion defining a plurality of end turns and a plurality of fins defining a plurality of paths for flow of air to be refrigerated in heat transfer association therewith from an inlet portion at one end of the evaporator to an outlet portion at the opposite end of the evaporator, and means for circulating air from said evaporator outlet portion through said compartment and back to said evaporator for cooling said compartment to a below-freezing temperature, the improvement comprising means for causing only low humidiTy air to be circulated in heat transfer association with said evaporator fins comprising means for conducting the air from said compartment sequentially in heat transfer association with said end turns and then to said paths defined by said fins, the amount of heat transfer surface of said end turns contacted by said conducted air being preselected to effect dehumidification of high humidity compartment air to convert said air to low humidity air prior to the conduction thereof into said paths.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
47 words
The refrigeration apparatus of claim 1 wherein said means for conducting the air from said compartment comprises a wall member and a divider member cooperating with at least one of said fins to define a boundary of the flow path for the air over said end turns.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
67 words
The refrigeration apparatus of claim 1 wherein said means for conducting the air from said compartment comprises a wall member and a divider member cooperating with at least one of said fins to define a boundary of the flow path for the air over said end turns, said end turns associated with said flow path comprising approximately 20 percent of the heat exchange means of the evaporator.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
60 words
The refrigeration apparatus of claim 1 including an accumulator upstream of the inlet portion of the evaporator, said means for conducting the air from said compartment being constructed to conduct the air firstly in heat exchange relationship with the end turns and then in heat exchange relationship with said accumulator prior to flow through said paths defined by said fins.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
139 words
In a forced air refrigerator-freezer apparatus having means defining a below-freezing compartment, an above-freezing refrigerator compartment, and a compartment convertible selectively to be an above-freezing refrigerator compartment or a below-freezing freezer compartment, refrigeration means including an evaporator having a serpentine tube portion defining a plurality of end turns and a plurality of fins defining a plurality of paths for flow of air to be refrigerated in heat transfer association therewith from an inlet portion at one end of the evaporator to an outlet portion at the opposite end of the evaporator, and means for circulating air from said evaporator outlet portion through said compartments and back to said evaporator, the improvement comprising: means for conducting the air fron said convertible compartment sequentially in heat transfer association with said end turns and then to said paths defined by said fins.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
139 words
In a forced air refrigerator-freezer apparatus having means defining a below-freezing compartment, an above-freezing refrigerator compartment, and a compartment convertible selectively to be an above-freezing refrigerator compartment or a below-freezing freezer compartment, refrigeration means including an evaporator having a serpentine tube portion defining a plurality of end turns and a plurality of fins defining a plurality of paths for flow of air to be refrigerated in heat transfer association therewith from an inlet portion at one end of the evaporator to an outlet portion at the opposite end of the evaporator, and means for circulating air from said evaporator outlet portion through said compartments and back to said evaporator, the improvement comprising: means for conducting the air fron said convertible compartment sequentially in heat transfer association with said end turns and then to said paths defined by said fins.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
42 words
The refrigerator-freezer apparatus of claim 5 wherein said circulating means causes the air from said refrigerator compartment to flow primarily through a portion of said plurality of paths different from the paths through which the air from said convertible compartment is flowed.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
34 words
The refrigerator-freezer apparatus of claim 5 wherein said circulating means includes means for delivering the air from said freezer compartment to a portion of said paths spaced from said inlet portion of the evaporator.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
73 words
The refrigerator-freezer apparatus of claim 5 wherein said circulating means causes the air from said refrigerator compartment to flow primarily through a portion of said plurality of paths different from the paths through which the air from said convertible compartment is flowed, and said circulating means includes means for delivering the air from said freezer compartment to substantially all of said paths at a location spaced from said inlet portions of the evaporator.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
30 words
The refrigerator-freezer apparatus of claim 5 wherein said evaporator is a vertical evaporator and said paths defined by said fins extend vertically with said inlet portion of the evaporator lowermost.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
142 words
The refrigerator-freezer apparatus of claim 5 wherein said evaporator is located in a compartment defined by the rear wall of the below-freezing compartment and an evaporator cover, said means for conducting air from said convertible compartment comprising: a passage within said evaporator compartment defined bY said rear wall, a side wall of the evaporator compartment, a partition wall bridging the space between said rear wall and said cover extending from the top edge of the evaporator compartment to the outlet portion of the evaporator, and an air divider member cooperating with at least one of said evaporator fins to form an extension of said partition wall to the inlet portion of said evaporator to thereby separate air flowing from said convertible compartment in heat transfer association with said end turns and air flowing in heat transfer association with said plurality of paths.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1976-07-16 | 1977-01-15 | 1977-07-17 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1980-07-16 | 1981-01-15 | 1981-07-17 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1984-07-16 | 1985-01-15 | 1985-07-17 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |