US2515892A

US2515892A - Refrigerator insulation drying arrangement

Info

Publication number: US2515892A
Application number: US732472A
Authority: US
Inventors: Lawrence A Philipp
Original assignee: Nash Kelvinator Corp
Current assignee: American Motors Corp
Priority date: 1947-03-05
Filing date: 1947-03-05
Publication date: 1950-07-18
Anticipated expiration: 1967-07-18

Description

July 18, 1950 l. A. PHILIPP 2,515,892

Rammm'ron INSULATION :mms mmcnmm 1N VEN TOR.

Y Lawa-MRM July 13, 1950 l. A. PHILIPP 2,515,392

REF'RIGERATOR INSULATION DRYING ARRANGEIENT BY MLdn Hrramvcv Patented July 18, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE BEFILIGEBATOR Lawrence A. Philipp, Nash-Kelvinator INSULATION DRYI'NG ABRANGEMENT Detroit, Mich., asignar to ration.

Detroit, Mich.,

a corporation of Maryland Application March 5, 1947. Serial No. 732,472 l2 Claims. (Cl. 62-116) description, reference being panying drawings, wherein a preferred form of the present invention is clearly shown.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary front view of a refrigerator cabinet partly broken away and in section, embodying features of my invention;

Fig. 2 is a cross sectional view of the refrigerator cabinet, taken along the line 2 2 oi' Figure 1;

Fig. 3 is a diagrammatical view of the refrigerating system.'

Fig. 4 is a. fragmentary horizontal sectional view of the cabinet, taken along the line 4-4 oi' Figure l; and

Fig. 5 is a vertical sectional view of a modified form oi refrigerator cabinet.

Referring to the drawings by characters of reference, the numeral designates, in general, a refrigerator cabinet having an inner liner 22 and an outer casing 24. The casing 24 and the liner 22 are preferably made of sheet metal mateupper cooling or food and a lower freezing compartment 32. zontal partition 28 may be a shelf and may be removably supported on pins 2! secured to the liner sides, the shelf preferably being slightly bottom wall or partition, as at 34, separates the freezing compartment 32 from a machinery com- An inner door 44 is provided to close the front of the freezing compartment 32, this door 44, the shelf 28 and the liner of the freezing compartment door 44.

The refrigerator herein disclosed includes a pair of series connected cooling elements or evaporators comprising, a relatively low temperature ice making evaporator 46 for the freezing comconduit 56. From the evaporator 48, refrigerant evaporator 46 through 5 This small diameter tube 58 controls now of refrigerant iiowing to the evaporator 46 and maintains a pressure differential between the two evaporators to maintain the temperature in evaporator 48 above the temperature in evaporater 46. By this arrangement it is possible to operate evaporator 48 above the freezing point of water and evaporator 46 therebelow. Evaporated refrigerant is withdrawn from the evaporator 4G to the condensing unit through a return conduit 8B.

partment 32 or tion 28. ranged to extend along opposite sides and along the bottom of the liner 22, directly exposed to or in contact with the insulation 26. Similarly. the relatively high temperature evaporator 48, which is also preferably a sinuous coil or conduit, is secured to the outer surface of the portion of the liner forming thecooling compartment or the system that portion of the liner above the partition 2B. This relatively high temperature evaporator I is preferably arranged to extend along the sides and back of the liner 22 and is directly exposed to or is in contact with the insulation 26. These evaporators IB and I8 respectively cool the freezing compartment 32 and the food storage compartment 20 by absorbing heat therefrom through the wall of the metal liner 22. Ice trays placed in the freezing compartment $2 on the bottom wall of the metal liner 22.

Between the bottom wall of the liner 22 and the insulation of the horizontal wall or partition Il, I provide a moisture receiver 02 to receive moisture from and liner when is the liner 22, water may drain from the freezing compartment I2 into the receiver 62 therebelow. From the moisture receiver 62 a passage or drain pipe B6 the horizontal wall 04 empties the vegetable bln l2. The to provide a trap to retain water therein, ing the pipe to flow air therethrough.

The moisture receiver 02, in the form of a liner member, extends beyond the side and rear walls oi' the liner 22 and is provided with an upturned flange 10. This flange 10 extends around the side and rear edges of the receiver 02, outwardly of the evaporator coil I6 so as to catch the drip from the evaporators, as well as, from the liner 22. At the front of the freezing compartment 32, the moisture receiver B2 is provided with an angular disposed marginal portion 12 extending upwardly and outwardly beyond the front edge of the liner 22 to catch the drip therefrom. The moisture receiver 62 may have an extended front portion 'Il bent down against a front facing strip 16 of the cabinet horizontal wall or partition 48.

The flange of the moisture receiver 82 being located beyond or outwardly of the side and rear walls of the liner 22 provides communication, as at 00, between the space below the liner bottom wall and the space between the inner liner 22 and outer casing 24. In `refrigerators of the type herein disclosed wherein liner cooling is employed there is a tendency for moisture to collect on the refrigerator evaporators positioned between the inner liner and outer casing and on the exterior surface of the liner. In the present arrangement this moisture will be induced to move by diffusion downwardly through the insulation into the space beneath the bottom of the liner 22 where the moisture will contact the low temperature evaporator 46 and be frozen out thereon. This movement of water vapor is aided by the provision of spaced passageways or channels extending upwardly along the rear wall of the liner, the passages or channels being in open communication with each other between the runs of the coil 48. These passageways Il, extending transversely of the high temperature coil It and the low temperature evaporator coil establish open communication between the two evaporators and lead into the space beneath the low temperature evaporator Thus, any moisture which may have found its way into the space between the inner liner and the outer casing will be removed therefrom and deposited on the low temperature evaporator 40 for eventual removal with the defrost water when the system is shut down.

Referring new to my modified form of refrig- 4 erator shown in Figure 5, the numeral l0, designates in general, a cabinet having an outer metal casing 00, an upper liner 92 and a lower liner B4. Insulation $6 is provided between the liners and the outer casing and is also interposed, as at B0, between the bottom wall of the upper liner B2 and the top wall of the lower liner el. The upper liner 92 forms a cooling or food storage compartment |00 and the lower liner forms a freezlng compartment |02. These compartments are closed at the front of the cabinet by an access door |04. An inner door |06 is provided for the front of the freezing compartment |02, this door |02 and the lower liner 94 cooperating to provide a high humidity compartment. Below the freezing compartment |02, the cabinet is provided with a machine compartment |08 in which is located a motor-compressor unit ||0. An access door H3 closes the front of the machine compartment |08 and may carry a storage bin IIS to which a drip pan ||1 is preferably secured.

A relatively high temperature evaporator lil, preferably a sinuous coil or conduit is provided for cooling the food storage compartment |00 and a relatively low temperature evaporator IIB, preferably a sinuous coil or conduit is provided to cool the freezing compartment |02. These evaporators lili, IIB are arranged respectively in engagement with the outer surfaces of the liners 92, 9| extending along the rear, top and bottom walls thereof. the previously described refrigerator system, the evaporators Hl, ||6 are operatively connected together in series. The system including the evaporator-s H4, H6 differs from the system of Figure 3 in that the condenser coil, as at il! is arranged against the inner surface of the casing rear wall, utilizing the outer metal casing to aid in dissipating the heat of condensation.

Passageways ila are provided in the insulation 96 extending along the top, rear and bottom walls of the upper liner 92 transversely of the sinuous evaporator coil IH. Similarly, passageways |20 are provided in the insulation 9B extending along the top and rear walls of the lower liner 94, transversely of the sinuous evaporator coils. These passageways respectively establish communication between the space between adjacent coils of the sinuous evaporators III, ||6 and are in communication through a passage |22 in the insulation between the upper and lower liners. A tube |24 may be provided in the insulation between liners to form the passage |22. Also, in this insulation between liners, I provide a partition or alr baille |20 extending through the insulating between the inner surfaces of the rear and side walls of the outer casing 90. This baille |26 prevents any moisture laden air in the insulation thereabove between liners from moving downwardly directly onto and freezing out: on the top wall of the lower liner DI, flow of moisture laden alr to theI relatively low temperature evaporator being restricted to passage |22 to the sides and rear of the liner B4 and evaporator H6. At its front edge the baille |28 abuts a strip oi' the cabinet, held in place by outer flanged edges |30 of the upper and lower liners.

Below the bottom wall of the freezing compartment liner el, in spaced relation to the evaporator coil |16, I provide a moisture or drip receiver |32 to catch moisture dripping from the evaporators and from the freezing compartment liner when the system is defrosting. This drip Like the evaporators of |28 extending across the front receiver |82 also serves as a liner member for the insulated partition or horizontal wall, as at |84 between the freezing compartment liner $4 and the machine compartment |08. 'Ihe drip receiver |22 extends outwardly of the evaporator coil ||6 so as to catch the drip therefrom, as well as from the liner 84, the receiver having an upturned flange |34 extending along the side and rear edges thereof. Through the partition |24 extends a drain pipe III arranged to empty into the drip pan |I`| on the storage bin I IB. The upper end of the drain pipe |38 may be securedin a valve seat member |40 which in turn is secured in and to the bottom wall of the drip receiver |32. The valve seat member |40 has a drain port |4| closable by a valve |42 provided to close the drain pipe |28 to flow of air therethrough. The valve member |42 has a stem extending upwardly through an aperture or drain port |44 in the bottom of the liner 94 so that access may be had through the food storage compartment door opening to the valve for operation thereof. n the valve stem, in the freezing compartment |32, I provide a valve member |45 to close the drain port |44. When the valve member is lifted, it will be seen that both drain ports are open to drain moisture from within the liner into th drip receiver and to drain moisture from the drip receiver through drain pipe |38 into the drip pan ||1. When the valves are closed air is prevented from flowing from the freezing compartment into the -space therebeneath through port |44.

In the above described modified form of my refrigerator any moisture which may tend to collect in the insulation around the food storage compartment liner 82 will be caused to move by diffusion downwardly through passageways lil and |22 to freeze out on the relatively low temperature evaporator I I6 and on the outer surface of the liner 94. As previously mentioned, air in the insulation immediately below the bottom wall of the food storage compartment will be prevented from passing directly downwardly to the evaporator IIB because of the provision of the partition or separator strip |28. This prevents excessive accumulation of frost on the upper surface of liner 94 which if allowed to accumulate might deform the liner and walls of the cabinet. Instead, the moisture laden air is induced to flow through passage |22 into the passageways |20 and freeze out on the side and rear walls of the lower liner 84. By reason of this construction, moisture throughout the cabinet walls around the food storage compartment, as well as, below said compartment is induced to concentrate and collect as frost on lower surfaces of the evaporator H6 and lower liner 94 for removal on defrosting into the receiver |32 whence the frost water drains through the drain pipe |38 into the drip pan Hl.

From the foregoing description, it will be noted that I have provided new and improved refrigerators in which air flow in the insulation is controlled so that moisture will be directed to freeze out on the low temperature evaporator for removal upon defrosting of the system. In this connection it will `he noted that the moisture is induced to move to lower surfaces and portions of the freezing compartment liner and evaporator to in general keep the insulation dry throughout the cabinet. In addition, I have provided a drip receiver arranged within the cabinet casing but externally of the liner in such a manner as to protect the insulation from being wetted when defrosting the system.

6 Although only a preferred form of the invention has been illustrated, and that form described in detail, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modincations may be made therein without departing from the spirit of the invention or from the scope of the appended claims.

I claim: l. Refrigerating apparatus comprising, a cabinet having inner 4 vide an upper food storage compartment and a lower ice freezing compartment. a relatively high temperature refrigerant evaporator.secured to the exterior surface of sheet material adjacent said food storage compartment. a relatively low temperature refrigerant evaporator secured to the exterior surface of said sheet material adjacent said ice freezing compartment, heat insulation positioned adjacent said evaporators, said insulation being provided with a passage to establish a. communicating path for flow of moisture laden air from one evaporator to the other, a frost collecting space immediately beneath said relativelyr low temperature evaporator in open communication with said passage, and a drip receiver positioned immediately below the relatively low temperature evaporator forming a wall of said frost collecting space.

2. Refrigeratlng apparatus comprising, an outer casing, metal liner means forming walls of an upper cooling compartment and a lower freezing compartment, a. partition between said compartments, insulation interposed between said outer casing and said liner means, said insulation being spaced from and below said liner means of said freezing compartment. a relatively high temperature coil evaporator engaging the outer surface of said liner means above said partition to cool said cooling compartment, a relatively low temperature coil evaporator engaging the outer surface of said liner means below said partition to cool said freezing compartment. condensing means operatively connected to said evaporators. a moisture receiver disposed in the space between the bottom of said freezing compartment and said insulation therebeneath and extending outwardly beyond the relatively low temperature evaporator, and passages in the insulation establishing a communication path between evaporators and leading therefrom downwardly into the extended portion of said moisture receiver.

3. Refrigerating apparatus comprising. an outer casing, an inner liner, heat insulation between the outer casing and the liner and being spaced from the bottom wall of the liner, a partition dividing the interior of the liner into an upper cooling compartment and a lower freezing compartment, a refrigerant evaporator in engagement with the outer surface of the liner above said partition, a second refrigerant evaporator in engagement with the outer surface of the liner below said partition, a moisture receiver in the space between the bottom of the liner and the heat insulation extending immediately beneath the lower refrigerant evaporator to receive water drip therefrom, and passageways in the insulation establishing communication between the evaporators and also communicating with the moisture receiver.

4. Refrigerating apparatus comprising, an outer casing, a liner, insulation between the outer casing and the inner liner, the insulation being spaced from the bottom wall of the liner, a partition extending between opposite sides of the liner dividing the interior thereof into an upper sheet material formed to procooling compartment and a lower freezing compartment, a relatively high temperature evaporator coil engaging the outer surface of the liner above the partition, a relatively low temperature evaporator coil engaging the outer surface of the liner below the partition, passageways in the insulation arranged to establish a communication path between the evaporators to allow for water vapor diffusion in air from the moisture collected on the relatively high temperature evaporator to flow to the relatively low temperature evaporator, and a moisture receiver in the space between the bottom wall of the liner and the insulation in open communication with the passageways.

5. Refrlgerating apparatus comprising, an outer casing, a liner, insulation between the casing and the liner, a partition dividing the interior of the liner into an upper cooling compartment and a lower freezing compartment, a relatively high temperature evaporator in engagement with the outer surface of the liner portion of the cooling compartment, a relatively low temperature evaporator in engagement with the outer surface of the liner portion of the freezing compartment, a passage in said insulation connecting said evaporators for flow of water vapor to the freezing evaporator a partition spaced from and `below the bottom wall of the liner to receive water upon defrosting of the system, a partition spaced from and below said bottom wall partition forming the top wall of a third compartment, insulation between said second and third partitions, a compressor-condenser unit in said third compartment operatively connected to the relatively low temperature evaporator and to the relatively high temperature evaporator, a drip pan in said third compartment. and a passage through said second and third partitions and through the insulation therebetween arranged to direct water into said drip pan.

6. Refrigerating apparatus comprising, an outer casing, a liner, insulation between the outer casing and the liner. a partition dividing the interior oi the liner into an upper cooling compartment and a lower freezing compartment, a relatively high temperature evaporator engaging the outer surface of the liner portion of the cooling compartment, a relatively low temperature evaporator engaging the outer surface of the bottom wail liner portion of the freezing cornpartment, a partition spaced below the relatively low temperature evaporator allowing clearance for forming of ice thereon, the partition extending outwardly beyond the sides of the liner to receive defrost water and forming the top wall of a third compartment, a passageway in the insulation establishing a communication path between said eva-porators to allow for water vapor diffusion in air from the moisture collected on the relatively high temperature evaporator to ilow to the relatively low temperature evaporator and communicating with the space between the bottom of a drain aperture in the bottom wall of the liner for passage of water from the interior thereof to said second-named partition, a compressorcondenser unit in said third compartment operatively connected to said evaporators, a drip pan in said third-named compartment, and a passage through said second-named partition arranged to drain water into said drip pan.

'1. Refrigerating apparatus comprising, an outer metal casing, an inner metal liner, insulation interposed between the casing and the liner,

ift

the liner and said second-named partition,

the insulation being spaced from the bottom of the liner to provide a frost collection space, a liner member in the space having an upturned flange extending laterally outwardly beyond the liner, a partition dividing the space within the liner into an upper cooling compartment and a lower freezing compartment, a relatively high temperature evaporator engaging the outer surface oi the liner above the partition, a relatively low temperature evaporator engaging the outer surface oi the liner below the partition inwardly of the liner member upturned flange, and passageways in the insulation establishing communication between the evaporators and the frost collection space beneath the bottom of the liner member.

8. Refrigerating apparatus comprising, a cabinet having an outer casing, an inner upper liner forming walls of a food storage compartment, an inner lower liner forming walls of an ice making compartment, insulation surrounding said compartments, heat absorbing means secured to exterior surfaces of said liners, a passage between said liners and said casing, a separator between said evaporators having an opening positioned in communication with said passage to allow flow of air in said insulation from adjacent one evaporator to the other evaporator, and a drip receiver positioned below said lower liner in open communication with said passage.

9. Refrigerating apparatus comprising, an outer casing, an upper food storage compartment metal liner and a lower freezing compartment metal liner having a bottom wall, insulation between said liners and between said liners and the outer casing, a relatively high temperature evaporator arranged in engagement with the outer surface of the food storage compartment liner, a relatively low temperature evaporator arranged in engagement with the outer surface of the freezing compartment liner, a refrigerant compressor and a refrigerant condenser operatively connected togethervand to the evaporators, said insulation being spaced from and below the bottom wall of said freezing compartment liner, a moisture receiver in the space between the bottom wall of said freezing compartment liner and said insulation extending outwardly to receive the drip from the relatively low temperature evaporator, a vertical air passageway in the insulation extending between said liners and communicating with said receiver, a horizontal passageway extending between said liners communieating with said vertical passageway, an air baule partition in the insulation between said liners extending substantially to the inner surface of said outer casing, and an aperture through said partition establishing communication between said vertical and horizontal passageways substantially at the junction thereof.

10. Refrigerating apparatus comprising, an outer casing, a food storage compartment metal liner having top and bottom walls, a freezing compartment metal liner spaced below the food storage compartment liner and having top and bottom walls, insulation disposed between the liners and the outer casing and between the bottom wall of the food storage compartment liner and the top wall of the freezing compartment liner, the freezing compartment liner having its bottom wall spaced from the insulation therebelow, a moisture receiver disposed in said space below the bottom wall of the freezing compart ment liner in spaced relation thereto, a relatively high temperature sinuous evaporator ar ranged in engagement with the outer surfaces of the food storage compartment liner including the top and bottom walls thereof, a relatively low temperature sinuous evaporator arranged in engagement with the outer surfaces of the freezing compartment liner including the top and bo*- tom walls thereof, a refrigerant compressor and a refrigerant condenser operatively connected together and to said evaporators, a passageway in the insulation establishing a communicating path between evaporators for movement of moisture by diffusion toward the relatively low temperature evaporator, passageways in the insulation extending along the top and bottom of the food storage compartment liner transversely oi' the sinuous relatively high temperature evaporator and communicating with said first passageway, a passageway in the insulation between evaporators extending along the top wall of the freezing compartment liner transversely of the sinuous relatively low temperature evaporator and communicating with said first passageway, an air baffle in the insulation between said liners extending substantially to the inner surfaces of said outer casing and a passage through said baffle registering with said first-named passageway.

l1. Refrigerating apparatus comprising, a cabinet having inner sheet material formed to provide an upper food storage compartment and a lower ice freezing compartment, a relatively high temperature refrigerant evaporator secured to the exterior surface of said sheet material adjacent said food storage compartment, a relatively low temperature refrigerant evaporator secured to the exterior surface of said sheet metal material adjacent said ice freezing compartment, insulation positioned adjacent said evaporators, said insulation being provided with a passage to establish a communicating path for the flow of lll air from one evaporator to the other, a drip receiver disposed below the relatively low temperature evaporator between the evaporator and said insulation, a drain port in the sheet metal material to drain moisture into the drip receiver, and a manually operable valve to close said port.

i2. Refrigerating apparatus comprising, a cabinet having inner sheet material formed to provide an upper food storage compartment and a. lower ice freezing compartment, a relatively high temperature refrigerant evaporator secured to the exterior surface of said sheet material adjacent said food storage compartment, a. relatively low temperature refrigerant evaporator secured to the exterior surface of said sheet metal material adjacent said ice freezing compartment, insulation positioned adjacent said evaporators. said insulation being provided with a passage to establish a communicating path for the flow of air from one evaporator to the other, a drip receiver in said path below said relatively low temperature evaporator, a drain port in the sheet metal material to drain moisture into the drip receiver, a drain port in the drip receiver, valve means to close said ports, and manually Operable means in the freezing compartment operable to actuate said valve means.

LAWRENCE A. PHILIP?.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,726,344 Davenport Aug. 27, 1929 2,133,951 Ashbaugh Oct. 25. 1938 2,167,442 Alsing July 25. 1939 2,309,533 Philipp Jan. 26, 1943 2,310,117 Reeves Feb. 2, 1943 2,411,461 Philipp Nov. 19, 1946