Refrigerator air control heated baffle

• US 4,903,501 A
• Filed: 06/22/1988
• Issued: 02/27/1990
• Est. Priority Date: 06/22/1988
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
• Original Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
• Inventors: Harl, James O.
• Primary Examiner(s): Tapolcai, William E.
• Application Number:
  US07/209,589
• Time in Patent Office: 615 Days
• Field of Search: 62/275, 62/272, 62/408, 62/187, 62/231, 137/341, 137/625.33, 219/200, 219/201, 219/209, 98/41.3
• US Class Current: 62/187
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 17/045 Air flow control arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 2400/06 Refrigerators with a vertical mullion
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/6606 With electric heating element

Abstract

An air baffle for a refrigeration apparatus is provided with means for preventing freeze up of the baffle. The baffle includes a fixed plate and a movable plate each having corresponding apertures therethrough for permitting the control of air flow to a fresh food compartment. The fixed plate is provided with a heating device molded therein which is operable to maintain the fixed plate above the freezing temperature to prevent moisture from freezing thereon. Additionally, spacer means are provided for maintaining the movable plate in spaced relation with the fixed plate, and for preventing the movable plate from coming into contact with an actuator device. The spacer means add to the prevention of freeze up problems as by minimizing moisture which might bridge and freeze up between the movable plates and the fixed plate, or the movable plate and the actuator device.

Claims

1. In a refrigeration apparatus having a compartment to be cooled by refrigerated air, means for providing refrigerated air, a passageway having an opening to said compartment, said passageway being in communication with said providing means, and a selectively positionable air baffle disposed in said passageway, the air baffle including a fixed plate and a movable plate which is movable relative to said fixed plate, wherein the refrigerated air may cause moisture which accumulates on the baffle to freeze to an ice state, the improvement comprising,

means associated with said baffle for preventing moisture in said refrigerated air from preventing said movable plate from become immovable relative to said fixed plate, wherein said preventing means comprises spacer means for maintaining the movable plate in spaced relation with said fixed plate to minimize the amount of ice which can develop between said fixed plate and said movable plate.

2. In a refrigeration apparatus having a compartment to be cooled by refrigerated air, means for providing refrigerated air, a passageway having an opening to said compartment, said passageway being in communication with said providing means, and a selectively positionable air baffle disposed in said passageway, the air baffle including a fixed plate and a movable plate which is movable relative to said fixed plate, and actuator means for selectively moving said movable plate and wherein said refrigerated air may cause moisture which accumulates on said baffle to freeze said movable plate into contact with said actuator, the improvement comprising,

means associated with said baffle for preventing moisture in said refrigerated air from preventing said movable plate from becoming immovable relative to said fixed plate, wherein said preventing means comprises spacer means for maintaining said movable plate in spaced relation with said actuator means to prevent moisture from building up therebetween.

3. In a refrigeration apparatus having wall portions defining a compartment to be cooled, means for providing refrigerated air flow, and an air flow passage through said wall portions in communication with said providing means, an air baffle disposed in said air flow passage comprising:

a first plate including an aperture therethrough defining an opening through which refrigerated air may pass;

a second plate movable relative to said first plate and including an aperture therethrough defining an opening through which refrigerated air may pass;

actuator means for moving said second plate relative to said first plate to position said openings in a preselected alignment to control the movement of refrigerated air through said passage; and

heater means for maintaining said baffle above a preselected minimum temperature, wherein said heater means comprises an electrical resistance wire coupled to an electrical circuit which is operable to develop a current through said wire to generate heat to maintain the baffle above a preselected temperature so that any moisture that accumulates thereon does not freeze and wherein said electrical circuit includes timer means to selectively energize and deenergize said heater in a timed cycle.

4. In a refrigeration apparatus having wall portions defining a compartment to be cooled, means for providing refrigerated air flow, and an air flow passage through said wall portions in communication with said providing means, an air baffle disposed in said air flow passage comprising:

a first plate including an aperture therethrough defining an opening through which refrigerated air may pass;

a second plate movable relative to said first plate and including an aperture therethrough defining an opening through which refrigerated air may pass;

actuator means for moving said second plate relative to said first plate to position said openings in a preselected alignment to control the movement of refrigerated air through said passage; and

heater means for maintaining said baffle above a preselected minimum temperature, wherein said heater means comprises an electrical resistance wire coupled to an electrical circuit which is operable to develop a current through said wire to generate heat to maintain the baffle above a preselected temperature so that any moisture that accumulates thereon does not freeze and wherein said heater is electrically connected to said providing means and said heater is selectively energized responsive thereto.

5. In a refrigeration apparatus having wall portions defining a compartment to be cooled, means for providing refrigerated air flow, and an air flow passage through said wall portions in communication with said providing means, an air baffle disposed in said air flow passage comprising:

a first plate including an aperture therethrough defining an opening through which refrigerated air may pass;

a second plate movable relative to said first plate and including an aperture therethrough defining an opening through which refrigerated air may pass;

actuator means for moving said second plate relative to said first plate to position said openings in a preselected alignment to control the movement of refrigerated air through said passage;

heater means for maintaining said baffle above a preselected minimum temperature; and

spacer means integral with said first plate for maintaining said second plate in spaced relation therewith.

6. In a refrigeration apparatus having wall portions defining a compartment to be cooled, means for providing refrigerated air flow, and an air flow passage through said wall portions in communication with said providing means, an air baffle overlying said air flow passage comprising:

a fixed plate fixedly mounted relative to said passage and including an aperture therethrough, defining an opening through which refrigerated air may pass, wherein said fixed plate is of generally rectangular construction and includes a plurality of longitudinally spaced laterally extending openings therethrough;

a movable plate movably mounted relative to said fixed plate and including an aperture therethrough, defining an opening through which refrigerated air may pass;

actuator means secured to said fixed plate and said movable plate for selectively moving said movable plate relative to said fixed plate between an open position wherein their respective openings are in alignment to permit refrigerated air to flow through said passage, and a closed position wherein the respective openings are in disalignment to prevent refrigerated air flow through said passage; and

heater means for maintaining said baffle above a preselected minimum temperature, wherein said heater means comprises an electrically conductive resistance wire which develops heat responsive to an electrical current flowing therethrough, and wherein said heater wire extends between adjacent ones of said apertures.

7. In a refrigeration apparatus having wall portions defining a compartment to be cooled, means for providing refrigerated air flow, and an air flow passage through said wall portions in communication with said providing means, an air baffle overlying said air flow passage comprising:

a fixed plate fixedly mounted relative to said passage and including an aperture therethrough, defining an opening through which refrigerated air may pass, wherein said fixed plate includes a plurality of spacer studs extending outwardly therefrom;

a movable plate movably mounted relative to said fixed plate and including an aperture therethrough, defining an opening through which refrigerated air may pass, said movable plate bearing on said spacer studs to maintain said movable plate in spaced relation with said fixed plate to minimize contact therebetween;

actuator means secured to said fixed plate and said movable plate for selectively moving said movable plate relative to said fixed plate between an open position wherein their respective openings are in alignment to permit refrigerated air to flow through said passage, and a closed position wherein the respective openings are in disalignment to prevent refrigerated air flow through said passage; and

heater means for maintaining said baffle above a preselected minimum temperature.

8. In a refrigeration apparatus having wall portions defining a compartment to be cooled, means for providing refrigerated air flow, and an air flow passage through said wall portions in communication with said providing means, an air baffle overlying said air flow passage comprising:

a fixed plate fixedly mounted relative to said passage and including an aperture therethrough, defining an opening through which refrigerated air may pass;

a movable plate movably mounted relative to said fixed plate and including an aperture therethrough, defining an opening through which refrigerated air may pass;

actuator means secured to said fixed plate and said movable plate for selectively moving said movable plate relative to said fixed plate between an open position wherein their respective openings are in alignment to permit refrigerated air to flow through said passage, and a closed position wherein the respective openings are in disalignment to prevent refrigerated air flow through said passage, wherein said actuator means comprises a solenoid coil fixedly secured to said fixed plate and an actuator axially movable relative to said solenoid and fixedly secured to said movable plate to selectively move said movable plate relative to said fixed plate, and wherein said fixed plate includes a stop member extending outwardly therefrom which is operable to limit movement of said movable plate in a direction toward said actuator means; and

heater means for maintaining said baffle above a preselected minimum temperature.

9. In a refrigeration apparatus having wall portions defining a compartment to be cooled, means for providing refrigerated air flow, and an air flow passage through said wall portions in communication with said providing means, an air baffle overlying said air flow passage comprising:

a fixed plate fixedly mounted relative to said passage and including an aperture therethrough, defining an opening through which refrigerated air may pass;

a movable plate movably mounted relative to said fixed plate and including an aperture therethrough, defining an opening through which refrigerated air may pass;

actuator means secured to said fixed plate and said movable plate for selectively moving said movable plate relative to said fixed plate between an open position wherein their respective openings are in alignment to permit refrigerated air to flow through said passage, and a closed position wherein the respective openings are in disalignment to prevent refrigerated air flow through said passage; and

heater means for maintaining said baffle above a preselected minimum temperature, wherein said heater means comprises an electrically conductive resistance wire which develops heat responsive to an electrical current flowing therethrough and timer means to selectively energize and deenergize said wire in a timed cycle.

10. In a refrigeration apparatus having wall portions defining a compartment to be cooled, means for providing refrigerated air flow, and an air flow passage through said wall portions in communication with said providing means, an air baffle overlying said air flow passage comprising:

a fixed plate fixedly mounted relative to said passage and including an aperture therethrough, defining an opening through which refrigerated air may pass;

a movable plate movably mounted relative to said fixed plate and including an aperture therethrough, defining an opening through which refrigerated air may pass;

actuator means secured to said fixed plate and said movable plate for selectively moving said movable plate relative to said fixed plate between an open position wherein their respective openings are in alignment to permit refrigerated air to flow through said passage, and a closed position wherein the respective openings are in disalignment to prevent refrigerated air flow through said passage; and

heater means for maintaining said baffle above a preselected minimum temperature, wherein said heater means comprises an electrically conductive resistance wire which develops heat responsive to an electrical current flowing therethrough, wherein said heater means is electrically connected to said providing means and said heater means is selectively energized responsive thereto.