초록 ▼

A combined refrigerator-oven (20) includes an enclosed chamber (28) having a top wall (22), a bottom wall (24), and vertical side walls (26). The refrigerator-oven (20) further includes a heating unit (50) and a refrigeration unit (70). A controller (118) is in communication with the heating unit (5

A combined refrigerator-oven (20) includes an enclosed chamber (28) having a top wall (22), a bottom wall (24), and vertical side walls (26). The refrigerator-oven (20) further includes a heating unit (50) and a refrigeration unit (70). A controller (118) is in communication with the heating unit (50) and the refrigeration unit (70). When a cooling mode is selected, the controller ( 118) activates the refrigeration unit (70) to deliver cool air (62) into the enclosed chamber (28). When a heating mode is selected, the controller (118) activates the heating unit ( 50) to produce heat (66) in the enclosed chamber (28).

대표청구항 ▼

What is claimed is: 1. A combined refrigerator-oven apparatus (20) comprising: an enclosed chamber (28) having an airflow inlet opening (54); a heating unit (50) positioned in said enclosed chamber (28); a refrigeration unit (70) positioned outside of said enclosed chamber (28) and having a cool ai

What is claimed is: 1. A combined refrigerator-oven apparatus (20) comprising: an enclosed chamber (28) having an airflow inlet opening (54); a heating unit (50) positioned in said enclosed chamber (28); a refrigeration unit (70) positioned outside of said enclosed chamber (28) and having a cool air duct (80) coupled to said airflow inlet opening (54); and a controller (118) in communication with said heating unit (50) and said refrigeration unit (70) for selectively activating said refrigerator-oven apparatus (20), wherein when a cooling mode is selected, said controller (118) activates said refrigeration unit (70) to deliver cool air (62) through said cool air duct (80) to said enclosed chamber (28), and when a heating mode is selected, said controller (118) activates said heating unit (50). 2. A combined refrigerator-oven apparatus (20) as claimed in claim 1 further comprising means (58) for removably blocking said airflow inlet opening (54), said controller ( 118) being in communication with said removably blocking means ( 58) to cause said removably blocking means (58) to unblock said airflow inlet opening (54) when said cooling mode is selected and to block said airflow inlet opening (54) when said heating mode is selected. 3. A combined refrigerator-oven apparatus (20) as claimed in claim 1 wherein: said enclosed chamber (28) has an airflow outlet opening (56); and said refrigeration unit (70) has a return air duct ( 112) coupled to said airflow outlet opening (56). 4. A combined refrigerator-oven apparatus (20) as claimed in claim 3 further comprising an evaporator fan (82) interposed between said cool air duct (80) and said return air duct (112) for drawing said cool air (62) away from said refrigeration unit (70) into said cool air duct (80) to cool said enclosed chamber (28). 5. A combined refrigerator-oven apparatus (20) as claimed in claim 3 further comprising means (60) for removably blocking said airflow outlet opening (56), said controller ( 118) being in communication with said removably blocking means ( 60) to cause said removably blocking means (60) to unblock said airflow outlet opening (56) when said cooling mode is selected and to block said airflow outlet opening (56) when said heating mode is selected. 6. A combined refrigerator-oven apparatus (20) as claimed in claim 1 further comprising surface burners (30) mounted on top of said enclosed chamber (28). 7. A combined refrigerator-oven apparatus (20) as claimed in claim 1 wherein said heating unit (50) includes one of an electrical resistance beating element and a gas burner mounted on an interior surface (52) of said enclosed chamber (28). 8. A combined refrigerator-oven apparatus (20) as claimed in claim 1 wherein said enclosed chamber (28) has a heat exchange vent (42). 9. A combined refrigerator-oven apparatus (20) as claimed in claim 8 further comprising means (44) for removably blocking said heat exchange vent (42), said controller (118) being in communication with said removably blocking means (44) to cause said removably blocking means (44) to block said heat exchange vent (42) when said cooling mode is selected and to unblock said heat exchange vent (42) when said heating mode is selected. 10. A combined refrigerator-oven apparatus (20) as claimed in claim 1 wherein said refrigeration unit (70) is mounted below a bottom wall (24) of said enclosed chamber (28). 11. A combined refrigerator-oven apparatus (20) as claimed in claim 1 further comprising a drawer (68) slidably mounted below said enclosed chamber (28) for housing said refrigeration unit (70). 12. A combined refrigerator-oven apparatus (20) as claimed in claim 11 wherein said drawer (68) includes a partition (72) separating said refrigeration unit (70) from a storage section (74) in said drawer (69). 13. A combined refrigerator-oven apparatus (20) as claimed in claim 1 further comprising a selector (40) in communication with said controller (118) for pre-selecting said cooling and heating modes and for pre-selecting times and temperatures in which said refrigeration unit (70) and said heating unit (50 ) are to operate in each of said cooling and heating modes. 14. A combined refrigerator-oven apparatus (20) as claimed in claim 1 further comprising a communication router (128) in selective communication with said controller (118), said communication router (128) being configured to enable an individual at a remote location to pre-select said cooling and heating modes and to pre-select times and temperatures in which said refrigeration unit (70) and said heating unit (50) are to operate in each of said cooling and heating modes. 15. A combined refrigerator-oven apparatus (20) as claimed in claim 14 wherein said communication router (128) comprises: a communication input (130) configured for connection to an external link (146) for receiving a message (148) from said remote location; a processor (132) in communication with said communication input, said processor (132) identifying said message (148) as one of a telephone call and a refrigerator-oven control request; a switch (134) controllable by said processor ( 132), said switch (134) having a switch input (136) coupled to said communication input (130), a first switch output (138) in communication with a telephone answering machine ( 150), and a second switch output (142) in communication with said controller (118); wherein when said processor (132) identifies said message ( 148) as said telephone call, said processor (132) enables said switch (134) to route said message (148) from said communication input (130) to said first switch output (138); and when said processor (132) identifies said message (I 48) as said refrigerator-oven control request, said processor ( 132) enables said switch (134) to route said message ( 148) from said communication input (130) to said second switch output (142). 16. A combined refrigerator-oven apparatus (20) as claimed in claim 15 further comprising a data receiver in communication with each of said second switch output (142) and said controller (118), said data receiver enabling communication between said second switch output (142) and said controller (118) in response to a received authorized access code (156). 17. A combined refrigerator-oven apparatus (20) comprising: an enclosed chamber (28) having an airflow inlet opening (54) and an airflow outlet opening (56); surface burners (30) mounted on top of said enclosed chamber (28); a heating unit (50) positioned in said enclosed chamber (28), said heating unit (50) including one of an electrical resistance heating element and a gas burner mounted on an interior surface (52) of said enclosed chamber (28); a refrigeration unit (70) positioned outside of said enclosed chamber (28), said refrigeration unit (70) including a cool air duct (80) coupled to said airflow inlet opening (54) of said enclosed chamber (28), and a return air duct (112) coupled to said airflow outlet opening (56) of said enclosed chamber (28); and a controller (118) in communication with said heating unit (50) and said refrigeration unit (70) for selectively activating said refrigerator-oven apparatus (20); wherein when a cooling mode is selected, said controller (118) activates said refrigeration unit (70) to deliver cool air through said cool air duct (80) to said enclosed chamber (28); and when a heating mode is selected, said controller (118) activates said heating unit (50). 18. A combined refrigerator-oven apparatus (20) as claimed in claim 17 further comprising an evaporator fan (82) interposed between said cool air duct (80) and said return air duct (112) for drawing cool air away from said refrigeration unit (70) and into said cool air duct (80) to cool said enclosed chamber (28). 19. A combined refrigerator-oven apparatus (20) as claimed in claim 17 wherein said refrigeration twit (70) is mounted below a bottom wall (24) of said enclosed chamber ( 28). 20. A combined refrigerator-oven apparatus (20) as claimed in claim 17 further comprising a communication router (128) in selective communication with said controller (118), said communication router (128) being configured to enable an individual at a remote location to pre-select said cooling and beating modes and to pre-select times and temperatures in which said refrigeration unit (70) and said heating unit (50) are to operate in each of said cooling and heating modes.