Refrigerator with removable cooling unit
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A refrigerator comprising:
- a housing;
a chilled air storage compartment within the housing;
an opening in a front of the housing through which a user may access the chilled air storage compartment;
a door mounted on the front of the housing for selectively closing the opening in the housing;
a cooling unit removable mounted in the housing for generating a flow of chilled air directed into the storage compartment;
a port in the cooling unit through which chilled air exits the cooling unit;
a plenum in the housing in communication with the storage compartment and the port in the cooling unit to direct the chilled air into the storage compartment and to direct warmer air exiting the storage compartment to the cooling unit;
wherein the cooling unit is selectively removable from and replaceable into the front of the housing;
a chamber in the housing accessible from the front of the refrigerator and positioned below the storage compartment such that the cooling unit is removably positioned in the chamber;
a bulkhead between the storage compartment and the chamber, a lower surface of the bulkhead confronting the chamber being sloped downwardly from the front of the refrigerator rearward; and
an upper surface of the cooling unit being sloped downwardly from a front of the cooling unit rearward in a mating arrangement with the lower surface of the bulkhead when the cooling unit is located in the chamber.
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Abstract
A refrigerator includes a refrigerator housing having an open upper end. Fitted beneath the open upper end are a removable cooling unit which has an inlet opening and an outlet opening both in communication with the interior of the refrigerator. The cooling unit draws air into the cooling unit, cools the air, and recirculates it into the refrigerator. The cooling unit can be removed from the lower front end of the housing for repair, and can be replaced with a similar unit so that the refrigerator can continue to be used.
45 Citations
21 Claims
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1. A refrigerator comprising:
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a housing; a chilled air storage compartment within the housing; an opening in a front of the housing through which a user may access the chilled air storage compartment; a door mounted on the front of the housing for selectively closing the opening in the housing; a cooling unit removable mounted in the housing for generating a flow of chilled air directed into the storage compartment; a port in the cooling unit through which chilled air exits the cooling unit; a plenum in the housing in communication with the storage compartment and the port in the cooling unit to direct the chilled air into the storage compartment and to direct warmer air exiting the storage compartment to the cooling unit; wherein the cooling unit is selectively removable from and replaceable into the front of the housing; a chamber in the housing accessible from the front of the refrigerator and positioned below the storage compartment such that the cooling unit is removably positioned in the chamber; a bulkhead between the storage compartment and the chamber, a lower surface of the bulkhead confronting the chamber being sloped downwardly from the front of the refrigerator rearward; and an upper surface of the cooling unit being sloped downwardly from a front of the cooling unit rearward in a mating arrangement with the lower surface of the bulkhead when the cooling unit is located in the chamber. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A refrigerator comprising:
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a housing; a chilled air storage compartment within the housing; an opening in a front of the housing through which a user may access the chilled air storage compartment; a door mounted on the front of the housing for selectively closing the opening in the housing; a cooling unit removable mounted in the housing for generating a flow of chilled air directed into the storage compartment, wherein the cooling unit is removable from and replaceable into the front of the housing; a chamber in the housing accessible from the front of the refrigerator and positioned below the storage compartment such that the cooling unit is removably positioned in the chamber; a port in the cooling unit through which chilled air exits the cooling unit; a plenum in the housing in communication with the storage compartment and the port in the cooling unit to direct the chilled air into the storage compartment and to direct warmer air exiting the storage compartment to the cooling unit; wherein the plenum is configured to direct the chilled air from the cooling unit into a lower portion of the storage compartment and to direct the warmer air from an upper portion of the storage compartment to the cooling unit; wherein the cooling unit is selectively removable from and replaceable into the housing a bulkhead between the storage compartment and the chamber, a lower surface of the bulkhead confronting the chamber being sloped downwardly from the front of the refrigerator rearward; and an upper surface of the cooling unit being sloped downwardly from a front of the cooling unit rearward in a mating arrangement with the lower surface of the bulkhead when the cooling unit is located in the chamber. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. A method of servicing a refrigerator comprising the steps of:
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removing a first cooling unit adapted to deliver chilled air to a storage compartment from a chamber located subjacent to the storage compartment, the first cooling unit being in communication with the storage compartment via ductwork connecting the first cooling unit to the storage compartment; wherein the removing step further comprising pulling the first cooling unit forwardly from a front of the refrigerator without repositioning the refrigerator; and installing a second cooling unit into the chamber from the front of the refrigerator, the second cooling unit being substantially identical in design to the first cooling unit.
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Specification