Refrigerator with icemaker chilled by thermoelectric device cooled by fresh food compartment air
IPC분류정보
국가/구분
United States(US) Patent
등록
국제특허분류(IPC7판)
F25B-021/04
F25C-001/04
F25B-021/02
F25D-017/06
F25D-023/12
출원번호
US-0875280
(2015-10-05)
등록번호
US-9791186
(2017-10-17)
발명자
/ 주소
Boarman, Patrick J.
Culley, Brian K.
Hortin, Gregory G.
Thomas, Mark E.
출원인 / 주소
Whirlpool Corporation
대리인 / 주소
Nyemaster Goode, P.C.
인용정보
피인용 횟수 :
0인용 특허 :
18
초록▼
An icemaker is mounted remotely from a freezer compartment. The icemaker includes an ice mold. A thermoelectric device is provided and includes a warm side and an opposite cold side. A flow pathway is connected in communication between the cold side of the thermoelectric device and the icemaker. In
An icemaker is mounted remotely from a freezer compartment. The icemaker includes an ice mold. A thermoelectric device is provided and includes a warm side and an opposite cold side. A flow pathway is connected in communication between the cold side of the thermoelectric device and the icemaker. In one aspect, a fan is operatively positioned to move air from the fresh food compartment across the warm side of the thermoelectric device and a pump moves fluid from the cold side of the thermoelectric device to the icemaker. Cold air, such as from a refrigerator compartment, may be used to dissipate heat from the warm side of the thermoelectric device for providing cold fluid to and for cooling the ice mold of the icemaker.
대표청구항▼
1. A refrigerator comprising: a fresh food compartment and a freezer compartment;a door that provides access to the fresh food compartment;an icemaker mounted remotely from the freezer compartment, the icemaker further comprising an ice mold;a thermoelectric device comprising a warm side and a cold
1. A refrigerator comprising: a fresh food compartment and a freezer compartment;a door that provides access to the fresh food compartment;an icemaker mounted remotely from the freezer compartment, the icemaker further comprising an ice mold;a thermoelectric device comprising a warm side and a cold side disposed remotely from the ice mold;a fluid pathway having a fluid supply line thermally connected to the cold side and the ice mold, and a fluid return line thermally connecting a fluid sink of the thermoelectric device and the ice mold; andan air pathway thermally connected to an air sink on the warm side of the thermoelectric device, the air pathway having an air supply line in fluid communication with a fan and an air return line in fluid communication with a controller. 2. The refrigerator of claim 1, wherein the air sink comprises a plurality of fins. 3. The refrigerator of claim 1, wherein the fan is disposed within the air pathway and configured to urge air from the fresh food compartment through the air pathway to the air sink. 4. The refrigerator of claim 3, further comprising a flow controller disposed downstream the air sink, and configured to direct air to any combination of the fresh food compartment, the freezer compartment, and the ice mold. 5. The refrigerator of claim 1, further comprising a pump operably coupled with the fluid pathway and configured to urge fluid through the fluid pathway. 6. The refrigerator of claim 5, further comprising an ice bucket disposed below the ice mold, wherein the fluid pathway is in thermal connection to the ice bucket. 7. The refrigerator of claim 6, wherein the fluid supply line is disposed in the direction of flow from the cold side to the ice mold, and the fluid return line is disposed in the direction of flow from the ice mold to the thermoelectric device. 8. The refrigerator of claim 7, further comprising a water dispenser disposed in the door, wherein the fluid pathway is thermally connected to the water dispenser. 9. The refrigerator of claim 8, wherein the fluid return line is thermally connected to the water dispenser for providing warm water to the water dispenser. 10. The refrigerator of claim 8, wherein the controller is located in a wall of the fresh food compartment and configured to direct fluid to any combination of the ice mold, the water dispenser, and the ice bucket, and the fan is located at the back of the refrigerator proximate a mullion wall. 11. The refrigerator of claim 10, wherein the controller is in communication with the fan and varies an air flowrate in the air pathway from the fresh food compartment to the thermoelectric device. 12. The refrigerator of claim 11, further comprising an intelligent control in operable communication with the controller and configured to control temperature. 13. The refrigerator of claim 1, wherein the icemaker is mounted on the door. 14. An ice making system in a refrigerated appliance comprising: a refrigerated compartment;a door that provides access to the refrigerated compartment;an icemaker mounted in the refrigerated compartment, the icemaker further comprising an ice mold;a thermoelectric device comprising a warm side and a cold side disposed remotely from the ice mold;a fluid pathway thermally connected to the cold side and the ice mold and defining a fluid flow direction;a air pathway thermally connected to the warm side; andan intelligent control in operable communication with a plurality of controllers and a plurality of fans located in the air pathway and a plurality of pumps located in the fluid pathway. 15. The ice making system of claim 14, wherein the fluid pathway further comprises a fluid supply side located in the fluid flow direction between the thermoelectric device and the ice mold, and a fluid return line, located in the fluid flow direction between the ice mold and the thermoelectric device and an air sink disposed in the air pathway and thermally connected to the warm side. 16. The fluid pathway of claim 15, further comprising a fluid supply line thermally connected to the cold side and the ice mold and a fluid return thermally connecting a fluid sink of the thermoelectric device and the ice mold. 17. The air pathway of claim 16, further comprising an air supply and an air return in fluid communication with a controller and a fan. 18. A refrigerator comprising: a fresh food compartment and a freezer compartment;an icemaker mounted remotely from the freezer compartment, the icemaker further comprising an ice mold;a thermoelectric device comprising a warm side and a cold side disposed remotely from the ice mold;a fluid pathway defining a fluid flow direction, the fluid pathway thermally coupled with the thermoelectric device and the ice mold comprising a fluid supply line located in the fluid flow direction between the thermoelectric device and the ice mold, and a fluid return line located in the fluid flow direction between the ice mold and the thermoelectric device;an air pathway thermally connected to an air sink on the warm side of the thermoelectric device, the air pathway having an air supply line and an air return line that are in fluid communication with a controller and a fan;an intelligent control in operable communication with a plurality of flow controllers and a plurality of fans located in the air pathway and a plurality of pumps located in the fluid pathway. 19. The refrigerator of claim 18, wherein the plurality of fans disposed within the air pathway are configured to urge air from the fresh food compartment through the air pathway to the air sink. 20. The refrigerator of claim 19, wherein the plurality of flow controllers are disposed downstream of the air sink, and configured to direct air to any combination of the fresh food compartment, the freezer compartment, and the ice mold.
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이 특허에 인용된 특허 (18)
Howard R. Harrison CA; Jeffrey R. Brown CA, Combination ice-maker and cooler.
Wetekamp, Robert L.; Van Meter, Kyle B.; Tarrant, Alan G.; Schuchart, Ryan D.; Oliveira, Mauro M.; Miller, Alvin V.; Koppenhaver, Brent A.; Franken, Carl J.; Ferragut, II, Nelson J.; Coulter, Tim L.; Berardi, Greg; Anell, Thomas Carl, Electronic control system for insulated ice compartment for bottom mount refrigerator.
Anselmino,Jeffery J.; Fischer,Marcus R.; Kulkarni,Tushar; Tenbarge,Andrew M.; Maglinger,Frank W., Ice and water dispenser on refrigerator compartment door.
Coulter, Tim L.; Gose, Thomas E.; Herndon, Steven G.; Jenkins, Jr., James H.; Koons, Bill J.; Kramer, Brent A.; Leimkuehler, Scott W.; Martin, Dean A.; Miller, Alvin V.; Noel, Kevin Lee; Oliveira, Mauro M.; Ott, Lester J.; Paulsen, Ron S.; Rotter, Chad J.; Stauffer, David Allen; Van Meter, Kyle B.; Welch, Alan M.; Wetekamp, Robert L., Refrigerator with improved water fill tube for ice maker.
Akei, Masao; Ignatiev, Kirill M; Jayanth, Nagaraj; Pham, Hung M; Caillat, Jean-Luc M, Vapor compression circuit and method including a thermoelectric device.
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