Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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ROTARY AIR DAMPER WITH SHUTOFF BYPASS
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001] This invention pertains to a damper that controls a flow of
refrigerated air and
heated air in a drawer associated with an appliance. More particularly, the
invention relates
to an air damper that can be employed with a temperature adjustment drawer
that chills or
defrosts either or both food and product.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] A typical appliance, such as a refrigerator-freezer, includes one or
more dampers
to control and divert air movement in the appliance. These dampers contain one
or more
doors and have been used, on occasion, by appliances to operate a temperature
adjustment
drawer. A temperature adjustment drawer is often a slidably removable and
insertable
chamber, bin, and/or compartment coupled to, or inside of, the appliance.
These
temperature adjustment drawers include several openings that can, using doors
in the
dampers to control and divert air movement, open or close a passageway to the
freezer,
evaporator and heater in the appliance.
[0003] When a product such as, for example, soda is to be quickly chilled, a
first door
on damper opens and permits refrigerated air to enter the temperature
adjustment drawer
from the freezer. The refrigerated air circulates around the soda to quickly
chill it. When
the first door opens to permit refrigerated air to enter from the freezer,
most likely a second
door on the damper also opens sucli that the refrigerated air that has already
circulated about
the soda is expelled from the temperature adjustment drawer.
[0004] In contrast, when food such as, for example, chicken or hamburger is to
be
defrosted, the first and second doors on the damper close and a third door on
the damper
opens to permit heated air to enter the temperature adjustment compartment or
air to
recirculate, including past a heating element. This heated air circulates
around the chicken
or hamburger to quickly defrost it. The process of alternatively chilling and
defrosting food
or a product in the temperature adjustment drawer can be repeated as desired
by properly
orchestrating the opening and closing of the several doors in the damper.
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[0005] In other cases, instead of using a damper with numerous doors, several
dampers
having a single door are used to chill or defrost a food or product in the
temperature
adjustment drawer.
[0006] While the chilling and defrosting systems that employ either a damper
having
several doors or numerous dampers having a single door do provide obvious
benefits, the
systems also have their drawbacks. For example, these systems require a
complex control
system capable of operating multiple dampers and/or doors.
[0007] Thus, an apparatus that can alternatively quickly chill or quickly
defrost a food
or product using a single damper with a single door would be desirable. The
invention
provides such an apparatus. These and other advantages of the invention, as
well as
additional inventive features, will be apparent from the description of the
invention
provided herein.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0008] In one aspect, the invention provides a damper assembly for use in a
refrigeration system. The damper assembly comprises a housing and a damper
door
assembly. The housing defines a damper door aperture and has a vertical flange
and a
horizontal flange. The damper door assembly has a damper door and a blocking
wall. The
damper door assembly is insertable into the damper door aperture and rotatable
to
alternatively position the blocking wall relative to the vertical flange and
engage the damper
door with the horizontal flange.
[0009] When the blocking wall is positioned relative to the vertical flange,
the damper
door, the blocking wall, the vertical flange, and the housing form a first air
flow aperture
and a second air flow aperture. When the damper door and the horizontal flange
are
engaged, the damper door, the vertical flange, and the housing block the first
air flow
aperture, block the second air flow aperture, and form a conduit between the
first air flow
aperture and the second air flow aperture.
[0010] In another aspect, the invention provides a temperature adjustment
system. The
temperature adjustment system comprises a damper assembly, a temperature
adjustment
drawer, and a heater. The damper assembly includes a housing and a damper door
assembly. The housing has a front portion and a back portion, defines a damper
door
aperture, and has a vertical flange and a horizontal flange. The damper door
assembly has a
damper door and a blocking wall. The damper door assembly is insertable into
the damper
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door aperture and rotatable to alternatively position the blocking wall
relative to the vertical
flange and engage the damper door with the horizontal flange.
[0011] When the blocking wall is positioned relative to the vertical flange,
the damper
door, the blocking wall, the vertical flange, and the housing form a first air
flow aperture
and a second air flow aperture. When the damper door is engaged with the
horizontal
flange, the damper door, the vertical flange, and the housing block the first
air flow
aperture, block the second air flow aperture, and form a conduit between the
first air flow
aperture and the second air flow aperture.
[0012] A temperature adjustment drawer is proximate the back portion of the
housing
and a heater is disposed within the temperature adjustment drawer.
[0013] In a further aspect, the invention provides a method of alternatively
heating and
cooling a drawer using a damper assembly having a rotatable damper door. The
method
comprises opening the damper assembly by rotating the damper door and
permitting
refrigerated air to flow into the damper assembly and the drawer. The
refrigerated air is
circulated through the drawer and then expelled from the drawer and the damper
assembly.
The dainper assembly is closed by rotating the damper door to seal the damper
assembly
and the drawer. The air within the drawer is heated and the heated air is
circulated through
the drawer and the damper assembly.
[0014] Other aspects, objectives and advantages of the invention will become
more
apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction
with the
accompanying drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0015] The accompanying drawings incorporated in and forming a part of the
specification illustrate several aspects of the present invention, and
together with the
description serve to explain the principles of the invention. In the drawings:
[0016] FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a rotary damper constructed
in
accordance with the teachings of the present invention;
[0017] FIG.2 is a front perspective view of the rotary damper (in shadow) of
FIG.1
illustrating damper door positioning therein and airflow therethrough when the
damper door
is in a open position;
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[0018] FIG.3 is a front perspective view of the rotary damper of FIG. 1
illustrating
airflow therethrough when the damper door is in an open position;
[0019] FIG.4 is a front perspective view of the damper door of FIG.2 disposed
in the
rotary damper (in shadow) of FIG.1 in a closed position;
[0020] FIG.5 is a rear perspective view of the damper door of FIG.2 disposed
in the
rotary damper (in shadow) of FIG. 1 in a closed position illustrating airflow
therethrough;
[0021] FIG.6 is a rear perspective view of the rotary damper of FIG.1
illustrating
airflow therethrough in a closed position;
[0022] FIG.7 is a top cross-section view of the rotary damper of FIG.3, taken
along line
7-7, when coupled with a temperature adjustment drawer; and
[0023] FIG.8 is a top cross-section view of the rotary damper of FIG.6, taken
along line
8-8, when coupled with a temperature adjustment drawer.
[0024] While the invention will be described in connection with certain
preferred
embodiments, there is no intent to limit it to those embodiments. On the
contrary, the intent
is to cover all alternatives, modifications and equivalents as included within
the spirit and
scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0025] Referring to FIG. 1, an exploded view of an embodiment of a damper 10
constructed in accordance with the teachings of the present invention is
shown. Damper 10
includes housing 12 and a damper door assembly 14. Housing 12 defines a damper
door
aperture 16 at one end to accommodate insertion and rotation of the damper
door assembly
14 therein. The housing 12 defines a first and a second air flow aperture 17,
19 separated
by a vertical (as oriented in FIG. 1) flange 18. As will be discussed more
fully below, this
vertical flange 18 cooperates with a blocking wal124 of the damper door
assembly 14 to
form separate air flow channels through the housing 12. The housing also
includes or
defines a horizontal flange 20 that runs the axial length of the housing. This
flange 20
cooperates with the door 22 of the damper door assembly 14 to inhibit air flow
through the
housing 12 when the damper door assembly 14 is in a closed position.
[0026] The damper door assembly 14 includes the damper door 22, a semicircular
blocking wall 24, a circular geared end 26, and central pivot post 28 at an
end of the door 22
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opposite the geared end 26. In this embodiment, the door 22 is a flat,
generally
rectangularly-shaped appendage transverse to, and extending outwardly from,
geared end
26. In a preferred embodiment, the door 22 includes a step 21 that engages
with a door
flange 23. The step 21 provides surfaces for creating a seal with the door
flange 23 and
between the first and second air flow apertures 17, 19. In this preferred
embodiment, the
step 21 and the door flange overlap to create a longer path for air that may
leak between the
first and second air flow apertures 17, 19. In conjunction with food-safe
grease (which also
provides lubrication), a better seal is formed by the step 21 and the door
flange 23 than with
a typical "flat-to-flat" fit.
[0027] Blocking wal124 is a semicircular-shaped flange or appendage that
extends
transversely from door 22 and is generally parallel with geared end 26. In the
embodiment
illustrated in FIG. 1, the flange 24 is positioned approximately midway
between the two
ends of the door 22. As will be discussed more fully below, this flange 24
cooperates with
the flange 18 of housing 12 to define the two flow paths 17, 19 through the
housing while
allowing the damper door assembly 14 to rotate therein.
[0028] Geared end 26 and pivot post 28 are disposed at opposing distal ends of
damper
door 22 and have axially-aligned centers. Geared end 26 is a wheel or disc
having a
plurality of teeth 30 about at least a portion of periphery 32. The portion
preferably
including an arc of approximately ninety degrees to allow the door 22 to be
rotated between
its open and closed positions. Pivot post 28 is a smooth, round protuberance
that is
engageable with an aperture, slot, or the like in housing 12 to provide a
pivot point about
which the door 22 rotates and to provide support for one end thereof.
[00291 In the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, the damper 10 also includes a gear
34,
motor 36, and cover 38. Gear 34 may be a single gear having two concentric
sets of gear
teeth about a periphery of two different diameter portions of the gear 34, or
may be
constructed from two gears of different diameters aligned on a common axis, to
provide
speed reduction and torque multiplication. The motor 36 includes a worm gear
37 coupled
to the output shaft of the motor. The motor driven worm gear 37 is engageable
with and
operable to drive and rotate gear 34 and consequently through the engagement
of gear 34
with the portion 30 of geared end 26 to drive and rotate the damper door
assembly 14 in
either a forward or reverse direction (i.e., clockwise or counter-clockwise)
to open and close
the damper 10.
[0030] Cover 38 is a piece of material attachable to housing 12 such that the
cover
conceals all or a portion of one or more components of damper 10 such as, for
example,
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geared end 26, gear 34, and motor 36 from view. This cover also prevents these
components from being removed from the damper 10.
[0031] An assembled damper 10 is illustrated in FIGS. 2-6. To construct damper
10,
damper door assembly 14 is inserted into damper door aperture 16 until post 28
is received
in or engages an aperture in housing 12. Once seated therein, the blocking
wa1124 is
aligned with flange 18 to define the separation between the two air flow
channels 17, 19
therethrough. The geared end 26 of the damper door assembly 14 engages or is
positioned
in the damper door aperture 16 to close off that opening and form the other
wall of flow
channel 17.
[0032] After damper door assembly 14 has been inserted into aperture 16, the
gear 34
and motor 36 are positioned such that the teeth on the smaller diameter
portion of gear 34
are mated with teeth 30 on damper door assembly 14 and the worm gear 37 of
motor 36 is
mated with teeth on the larger diameter portion of gear 34. In this
arrangement, actuation of
motor 36 causes gear 34 and, consequently, damper door assembly 14 to rotate.
Finally,
cover 38 is placed in abutting relationship with housing 12 and secured to the
housing.
[0033] Damper 10 can be placed in an "open" position, as shown in FIGS. 2, 3
and 7, or
in a "closed" position, as shown in FIGS. 4-6 and 8, by rotating damper door
assembly 14
into a particular position. For example, when damper 10 is in the open
position (see FIGS.
2, 3 and 7), blocking wal124 and vertical flange 18 are vertically aligned and
rotatably
positioned to jointly form a sealing wa1140 within housing 12. Sealing wall 40
essentially
bisects housing 12 in this embodiment and therefore, with door 22 and portions
of housing
12, defines the flow paths 17 and 19 through the housing 12 as discussed
above. This
allows air to flow through the damper assembly 10 as illustrated by flow
arrows 66, 68.
One skilled in the art will recognize that the flow of air through the
assembly 10 can occur
in either direction in the air flow channels 17, 19. The direction of flow
arrows 66, 68 are
illustrative of one embodiment of the present invention as installed in a
particular
application as will be discussed more fully below.
[0034] In contrast, when damper 10 is in the closed position (see FIGS. 4-6
and 8), a
portion of blocking wall 24 is displaced from a portion of vertical flange 18
such that an air
flow path 48 between the flow channels 17, 19 on one side of the damper door
22 is formed
as may best be seen in FIGS. 5, 6 and 8 by flow arrow 74. The edge portions 46
of door 22
sealably engage with horizontal flange 20 and a top portion 50 of housing 12
to prevent air
flow straight through the housing 12.
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[0035] In one application for which the damper assembly 10 of the present
invention is
particularly well suited, the damper 10 is disposed within a typical appliance
(not shown)
such as a refrigerator-freezer. In such an application, a "front" portion 56
of housing 12 is
coupled to the air flow channels to and from the evaporator or freezer
compartment (not
shown) of the appliance and a"back" portion 58 of the housing is coupled to a
temperature
adjustment drawer 60 as shown in FIGS. 7 and 8. Temperature adjustment drawer
60 may
include a heater 62 to provide warming and also includes an air flow barrier
64 that extends
between the two channels 17 and 19 therein. Heater 62 is operable to heat air
within
temperature adjustment drawer 60. Barrier 64 is vertically aligned with the
vertical flange
18 and promotes the circulation of air within the temperature adjustment
drawer 60 as will
be described.
[0036] In operation, damper 10 is selectively manipulated from the open
position to the
closed position, and vice versa, in order to quickly chill or defrost food or
a product 52
placed in the temperature adjustment drawer 60. As illustrated in FIG. 7, when
damper 10
is in the open position (i.e., the "quick chill" mode), heater 62 is "off' and
refrigerated air
from a freezer compartment in the appliance is able to flow into the drawer 60
via flow
channel 17 as shown by chill arrow 66. The refrigerated air passes over and
around food or
a product 52 that has been placed in the drawer. The refrigerated air then
flows back to the
freezer compartment, either directly or via the evaporator, through the air
flow channel 19
as shown by air flow arrow 68. Thus, the flow of refrigerated air through
channel 17,
around barrier 64 and through the temperature adjustment drawer 60, and back
through
channel 19 quickly chills the food or product 52 disposed in temperature
adjustment drawer
60 when damper 10 is in the open position.
[0037] In one embodiment, once the temperature in drawer 60 reaches a desired
temperature, or when quick chill is not desired, the damper assembly 10 is
commanded to
close the damper door 22 to prevent the flow of chilled air into the drawer
60. This
configuration is illustrated in FIG. 8. Instead of allowing chilled air to
flow into the drawer,
air within the drawer is simply allowed to circulate therein as illustrated by
air flow arrow
72. However, those skilled in the art will also recognize that the air flow
may be reversed
from that shown by arrow 72. Indeed, there may be no circulation in the drawer
60 once the
temperature in the drawer reaches equilibrium throughout.
[0038] Somewhat similarly, as also illustrated in FIG. 8, a "quick thaw" mode
may be
initiated when the damper 10 is closed (or the damper is closed when the quick
thaw mode
is desired). Once the damper door 22 has closed to inhibit air flow to and
from the freezer
compartment, the heater 62 is switched on and begins to heat the air in
temperature
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adjustment drawer 60 proximate the heater. Differing air temperatures in
temperature
adjustment drawer 60, or a fan (not shown), cause the heated air to begin
circulating through
the temperature adjustment drawer 60 as shown, for example, by air flow arrows
72 and 74.
Resultantly, a flow of heated air circulates from proximate heater 62, through
temperature
adjustment drawer 60, around barrier 64, over and around food or a product 52,
through
conduit 48 in the damper 10, and then finally back to the heater. This flow of
heated air
quickly defrosts food or a product 52 disposed in temperature adjustment
drawer 60 when
damper 10 is in the closed position.
[0039] All references, including publications, patent applications, and
patents, cited
herein are hereby incorporated by reference to the saine extent as if each
reference were
individually and specifically indicated to be incorporated by reference and
were set forth in
its entirety herein.
[0040] The use of the terms "a" and "an" and "the" and similar referents in
the context
of describing the invention (especially in the context of the following
claims) is to be
construed to cover both the singular and the plural, unless otherwise
indicated herein or
clearly contradicted by context. The terms "comprising," "having,"
"including," and
"containing" are to be construed as open-ended terms (i.e., meaning
"including, but not
limited to,") unless otherwise noted. Recitation of ranges of values herein
are merely
intended to serve as a shorthand method of referring individually to each
separate value
falling within the range, unless otherwise indicated herein, and each separate
value is
incorporated into the specification as if it were individually recited herein.
All methods
described herein can be performed in any suitable order unless otherwise
indicated herein or
otherwise clearly contradicted by context. The use of any and all examples, or
exemplary
language (e.g., "such as") provided herein, is intended merely to better
illuminate the
invention and does not pose a limitation on the scope of the invention unless
otherwise
claimed. No language in the specification should be construed as indicating
any non-
claimed element as essential to the practice of the invention.
[0041] Preferred embodiments of this invention are described herein, including
the best
mode known to the inventors for carrying out the invention. Variations of
those preferred
embodiments may become apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art upon
reading the
foregoing description. The inventors expect skilled artisans to employ such
variations as
appropriate, and the inventors intend for the invention to be practiced
otherwise than as
specifically described herein. Accordingly, this invention includes all
modifications and
equivalents of the subject matter recited in the claims appended hereto as
permitted by
applicable law. Moreover, any combination of the above-described elements in
all possible
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variations thereof is encompassed by the invention unless otherwise indicated
herein or
otherwise clearly contradicted by context.
