US3021688A

US3021688A - Butter storage in refrigerators

Info

Publication number: US3021688A
Application number: US95328A
Authority: US
Inventors: Jr Howard E Winfield
Original assignee: Motors Liquidation Co
Current assignee: Motors Liquidation Co
Priority date: 1961-03-13
Filing date: 1961-03-13
Publication date: 1962-02-20
Anticipated expiration: 1979-02-20

Description

Feb. 20, 1962 E, w LD, JR 3,021,688

BUTTER STORAGE IN REFRIGERATORS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed March 13, 1961 Fig.1

H15 A TTORNEY INV EN TOR. HOW/1AD E. W/IVF/ELD JR 33 Fig.5

Feb. 20, 1962 H. E. WINFIELD, JR 3,021,683

BUTTER STORAGE IN REFRIGERATORS Filed March 13, 1961 2 Shets-Sheet 2 IN VEN TOR. HOW/UFO E. W/NF/ELD J/E Unite States This invention relates to refrigeration and particularly to conditioning butter stored in a compartment within a refrigerator cabinet.

A butter storage and conditioning compartment in refrigerator cabinets and exposed to the low temperature within a refrigerated chamber thereof has been artificially or electrically heated to warm or maintain butter in the compartment at approximately 65 F. so that the butter will be at a proper spreading temperature immediately upon removing same from the refrigerator. The artificial heating of a butter storage compartment in a refrigerator cabinet is complicated, increases manufacturing costs of the refrigerator and is an expense to the user thereof. For these reasons I propose to warm butter stored in a butter storage compartment of a refrigerator cabinet by utilizing natural or inherent existing temperatures associated with or ambient to a refrigerated chamber of a refrigerator so as to overcome problems involved in electrically heating a butter storage compartment.

An object of my invention is to provide a novel and imroved conditioning arrangement for butter stored in a butter storage compartment of a refrigerator cabinet.

Another object of my invention is to provide for the warming of a butter storage compartment in a refrigerator cabinet automatically throughout prolonged use of the refrigerator and without any expense to or attention by the user thereof.

A further object of my invention is to provide automatic warming of a butter storage compartment of a refrigerator in response to temperatures within the compartment by conducting and substantially preventing conduction of heat of air ambient a refrigerated chamber in the refrigerator with which the compartment is associated.

A still further and more specific object of my invention is to provide a refrigerator cabinet with a butter storage compartment exposed to the low temperature of a refrigerated food storage chamber therein for cooling the butter below room temperatures which compartment is substantially sealed from foods in the chamber and is warmed by an element while in one position conducting heat thereinto and, when the element is rotated from one position to another position, reduces the conduction whereby butter stored in the compartment is kept at a desired spreading temperature above the temperature maintained in the food chamber.

Further objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following description, reference being bad to the accompanying drawings wherein a preferred embodiment of the present invention is clearly shown.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a front view of a household refrigerator cabinet showing the cabinet door open with a butter storage compartment thereon exposed to the low temperature of the food chamber in the cabinet when the door is closed;

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged fragmentary front view of the butter storage compartment with its door open to illustrate elements associated with the compartment;

- FIGURE 3 is a horizontal fragmentary sectional view through the refrigerator door taken along the lines 3-3 partment with the compartment door open;

atent f FIGURE 4 is a vertical fragmentary sectional view through the refrigerator cabinet door taken along the lines 44 of FIGURE 2 with the butter storage compartment door closed and showing a rotatable heat conducting element in one position;

FIGURE 5 is a fragmentary sectional view similar to FIGURE 4 with the heat conducting element in another position;

FIGURE 6 is a fragmentary sectional view similar to FIGURES 4 and 5 with the heat conducting element in still another position;

FIGURE 7 is a vertical fragmentary sectional view taken along the lines 7-7 of FIGURE 2 showing a thermostatic device in the butter storage compartment;

FIGURE 8 is a vertical fragmentary sectional view taken along the lines 8-8 of FIGURE 2 showing a retaining plug for the rotatable heat conducting element; and

FIGURE 9 is an exploded'view showing a driving or interlock connection between the rotatable heat conducting element and the thermostatic device in the present construction.

In order to illustrate my invention reference is made to the accompanying drawings wherein I show in FIGURE 1 thereof a two temperature multiple chambered household refrigerator cabinet 10 including outer metal panels or wall members 11 and separate inner liner or

wall members

12 and 13 spaced from wall members 11' and having any suitable or desirable insulating material disposed therebetween as is conventional in the art. The walls composed of

members

11, 12 and 13 with the insulation therebetween form bounding walls of two chambers within cabinet 10. The bounding walls form an upper open front unfrozen food storage chamber 16 and a lower freezing or frozen food storage chamber provided with an individual door 17. These chambers are insulated from one another and a single main insulated door structure 18, hingedly mounted on cabinet 10, extends across both chambers and carries a gasket 19 thereon adapted to sealingly engage the front of the cabinet. Walls 11 extend downwardly below the freezing chamber, closed by door 17, and provide a machine compartment in the bottom of refrigerator cabinet 10. An air passageway formed in back of liner 12 by walls indicated at 21 is provided with inlet openings 22 and an air outlet opening 23 both cornmunicating with the interior of food storage chamber 16 A refrigerating system is associated with the refrigerator cabinet 10 and includes a first refrigerant evaporator 26 in the form of a conduit coiled or wrapped around and secured to the outer surface of liner 13 .of the lower freezing chamber, and a second refrigerant evaporator conduit coil 27 is disposed in the air passageway behind liner 12 of the upper unfrozen food storage chamber 16. These

evaporators

26 and 27 are connected to one another and to a refrigerant translating device in cabinet 10 to form a refrigerating system as is conventional in the art. The refrigerant translating device may be in the form of a motor-compressor-condenser unit (not shown), preferably located in the machine compartment at the bottom of refrigerator cabinet 10. An electric motor 28 drivingly connected to a fan or blower 29, both located in the air passageway at the rear of chamber 16, circulates air out of chamber 16, through the air inlets 22 over evaporator 27 and through the air outlet 23 back into the upper chamber. This circulated air is cooled by evaporator 27 and caused to flow in a circulatory path within chamber 14 for refrigerating or chilling food products stored therein. Any suitable or conventional controls may be provided for starting and stopping the motorcompressor unit and for causing operation of motor 28 and consequently fan 29. Such controls are set to cause evaporator 27 to cool the interior of food chamber 16, say, for example, between 37 to 43 F. The hingedly Patented Feb. 20, 1962 mounted main cabinet door structure 18 forms one of the bounding walls of chamber 16 and comprises an outer or front metal panel or wall 31 and an inner molded plastic panel or wall 32 with portions spaced from Wall 31 and secured thereto about the peripheral edges of the walls in any desirable or now conventional manner. Suitable insulating material 33, similar to that within other bounding walls of cabinet it is disposed within the space between door walls 31 and 32 (see FEGURES 3 and 4). The inner panel 32 or door 18 is provided with

integral walls

36, 37, 38 and 39 forming the top, bottom, back and sides respectively of a casing defining a butter storage receptacle or compartment on the bounding wall, closure member or door 18 of chamber 16. This casing forming the butter compartment is arranged so as to be inset within the space between

wall members

31 and 32 of door 18 and the compartment has an access opening normally facing the interior of chamber 16. The access opening of. the butter storage compartment is closed by a door 41- which faces the interior of chamber 16 so as to be exposed to the low temperature therein and this door prevents flow of air from chamber 16 into the butter compartment. Compartment door 41 may be constructed of any suitable material depending upon the de sired or predetermined amount of thermal conduction required therethrough from chamber 16 into the butter compartment. By closing the butter compartment with door 41, butter stored therein is prevented from absorbing odors of various odoriferous foodso-ccasionally placed in food chamber 16 while being cooled by air circulated over and across the butter compartment door in the chamber by fan 29. Door 41 is pivotally mounted on panel 32 of main cabinet door 18 by a piano-like hinge or other suitable hinges 42 and a knob or handle 43 on this door facilitates opening and closing same.

According to my invention and in order to increase the temperature of butter, indicated by the dot-dash lines 44 and supported on a platter or dish 45 also indicated by dot-dash lines (see FIGURES 3 and 4), 1 provide means for periodically and automatically warming the interior ofthe butter compartment so as to maintain butter stored therein at a temperature intermediate the temperature within the chamber 16 and. room temperature of an air ambient the refrigerator cabinet. While I am aware that others have. previously war-med. butter stored in a compartment within arefrigerator cabinet, such warming has either been done by manual operations or electrically'a't the expense of'a user of arefrigerator and therefore prior arrangements have not been entirely satisfactory. In the present disclosure the. casing defining the butter com"- partment is provided with a plurality of wall extensions 47 projecting beyond the rear or back wall 38 thereof into close proximity with the metal outer panel or wall 31 of door 18 (see FIGURES 3 and 4). The space or pocket bounded by casing wall extensions 47 is devoid of insulation 33 andconsequently this pocket or void is exposedto the temperature of 'warm air ambient chamber 16, beyond the insulation in door 18, conducted into the void" through metal 'door wall 31. Back wall 38 of the butter compartment has'opposed web-like bosses 49 slotted or hollowed out as. at 51 to provide spaced-apart pivotal mounts or bearings for a purpose to be presently described. The butter compartment back wall 38 has an elongated aperture 52' therein and an elongated round rod-like or laminated element 53 is disposed in this aperture to form a means which substantiallyfills and closes same. Element 53 in filling and closing aperture 52 has one portion thereof exposed to air within the pocket or .void' formed by the-casing wall extensions 47 and another portionthereofin heat exchange relationship with air in the butter storage compartment. The round means or element 53 comprises or is composed of a plurality of'fiat strips of metal 56, preferably of good heat conducting properties, spaced apart by flat strips of suitable insulating material 57.- Theabutting alternate laminations or

strips

56 and 57 of element 53 may be secured together in any desirable fashion to provide a unitary heat conducting element. Thus this means 53 isa composite element including the

laminations

56 and 57 and molded plastic or the like caps 58 are located at the ends thereof. One end cap 58 of the elongated round element has a short hub or stub shaft 61 thereon which fits in a bearing 51 of the casing defining the butter compartment and the other end cap 58 has a longer shaft 62 thereon fitting in the opposite bearing 51 and extending therebeyond (see FIG- URES 3 and 7). Shaft 6-2 is slotted as at 63 (see FIG- URES 2 and 7) for a purpose to be presently described. The

shafts

61 and 62 of the means or round element within bearings 51 mounts same on the casing defining the butter storage compartment for rotation relative thereto. Such rotation of the round means or element 53, in either. one of two positions, is limited by stops 64 thereon (see FIGURES 4, S, 6 and 9) to an arc of 96 in order to accomplish the result desired thereof. Any suitable or desirable plug means (see FIGURES 3 and 8) may be attached to the one boss 49 by screws or the like and projected into the slot or hearing 51 for holding stub shaft 61 therein. A thermostatic means or device is located within the butter storage compartment and is to-=bc actuated in response to temperatures therein. This thermostatic means is in the form of or comprises a length of him'etal material 65 coiled into convolutions with its one or inner end 66 disposedin slot 63 of shaft 62 on the round composite element 53 and has its other or outer end 67 stationarily anchored to a portion of the casing defining the butter compartment (see FIGURE 7). The plug means at stub shaft end 61 of element 63 and the securement of end 67 of the bimetal coil 65 to the'casing retains element 53 on door 18 for rotation relative thereto and'to the casing. The size of the bimetal 65 and its number of convolutions are predetermined and is adapted upon temperature changes within the butter compartment to have a closing-curled and'an open enlarged curling movement which rotates shaft 62 and consequently the round element 53 from one position into another position and from the other position back into the one posit-ion and/ or positions therebetween. Such bimetal devices are now conventional and well known needing no further or detailed description herein. Rotation of the round element 53 by the means or thermostat 65 is adapted to automatically maintain butter stored in the butter compartment at approximately 65 F. in a manner to be hereinafter described.

Upon initially installing the refrigerator cabinet 10 thermostatic bimeta'l means 65 is, by virtue of chamber 16 and the butter compartment therein being at room temperature, say, for example, between 70 and F., in an expanded orsubstantially open curled position with elongated round element 53 rotated and held thereby in the position thereof shown in FIGURE 5 of the drawings. With the butter storage compartment warm or at room temperature metal strips 56 of element 53- are as shown in FIGURE 5 of the drawings located so as not to effect conduction of heat exteriorly or ambient chamber 16 into the butter storage compartment. The refrigeration system is now rendered. operative and evaporator 27 lowers the temperature in food chamber 16 to between 37 and 43 F. Operation of motor 28 causes fan 29 to circulate cold air forwardly in chamber 16 and upwardly long the inner face of door 13 over and across door 41 of the butter compartment to cool the interior thereof. Butter 44 on dish 45 in the butter compartment is to be properly and safely preserved in a temperature at 60 to 65 F. and since the temperature in the butter storage compartment may now be reduced or fall far below this desired limit by the refrigerating effect produced by evaporator 27, it is necessary to warm the butter so that it can be readily cut and easily spread immediately upon removal thereof from the refrigerator cabinet; Means or thermostatic device 65 senses the lowering temperature within the butter compartment and the'bimetal is actuated, contracted or convolutions thereof curled or coiled closer together so as to rotate its end 66 and consequently shaft 62 which, in turn, through an interlock connection, rib or web 71 on the one end cap 58 and groove 72 in element 53 (see FIGURE 9), also rotates element 53 counterclockwise, as viewed in FIGURE 7, about an arc toward or into the position thereof shown in FIGURE 4 of the drawings wherein the metal strips 56 are horizontally disposed. While this full 90 rotation of element 53 may be only temporary and is limited by a stop 64 engaging a wall 38, having the aperture 52. therein, it is to be understood that such rotation may be through a smaller arc or at any one of several positions intermediate the maximum rotation of element 53 such, for example, as the angular position thereof shown in FIGURE 6 of thedrawings. As the temperature within chamber 16 approaches its 37 to 43 F. normal limit, means or thermostatic device 65 continues to sense the attempt to also lower the temperature within the butter storage compartment and holds element 53 substantially in the position thereof shown in FIGURE 4 of the drawings. In this position of element 53, heat of warm air ambient chamber is, beyond the insulation 33, and particularly heat dissipated through metal door wall 31 into the void or space bounded by easing walls 47 is absorbed by metal strips or laminations 56, exposed thereto, and conducted through casing wall 38. This heat is dissipated from metal strips 56 into the air within the butter storage compartment and serves to warm the interior thereof. As the temperature of air within the butter storage compartment rises, in response to conducting heat of air ambient chamber 16 thereinto, means or thermostat 65 senses this increased butter storage compartment temperature and is actuated, expanded or convolutions thereof curled or uncoiled further apart so as to rotate its end 66 in a clockwise direction as viewed in FIGURE 7 of the drawings. This reverse rotation of the end 66 of bimetal coil or thermostat device 65 also rotates element 53 from the position thereof shown in FIGURE 4 toward or into the position shown in FIGURE 6. This increased temperature within the butter storage compartment causes both edges of two or more of the metal laminations or strips 56 only of element 53 to move or rotate past walls of aperture 52 in the compartment rear wall 38 and conduction of heat through element 53 into the butter compartment is thereby reduced. Element 53 may, during prolonged operation of the refrigerating system and use of the refrigerator, assume a normal position, in the vicinity of that shown in FIGURE 6, intermediate that of its extreme positions in FIGURES 4 and 5 of the drawings to stabilize heat transference into the butter compartment. In other words, element 53 is rotatable back and forth from one position into another position and may come to rest in a position whereby only one or more metal strips or laminations 56 thereof will be simultaneously exposed to Warm air ambient chamber 16 and cooler air within the butter compartment so as to thereby counteract lowering of the temperature Within the compartment, to substantially that of food chamber 16, whereby butter 44 on dish 45 in the butter storage compartment is maintained at approximately 65 F. Thus element 53 may be a ternately rotated in opposite directions to conduct a maximum amount of heat into the butter storage compartment or to substantially prevent or reduce such conduction as the case may be in response to temperatures within the compartment. While I have described heat of warm air being transmitted through door wall 31 into the space or void at the rear of the butter compartment, it is to be understood that warm air ambient the refrigerator cabinet may be permitted to flow into direct contact with one portion of element 53 if such is desired.

It should, from the foregoing, be apparent that I have provided a butter storage preserving or conditioning com partment in a refrigerator cabinet which is nonartificially heated to obviate the necessity of extending electric current conveying wires from within the main body portion of a cabinet to or into the door of the refrigerator. My improved butter storage arrangement substantially seals butter in the butter compartment from air in the food storage chamber of a refrigerator and the butter cannot therefore absorb odors of foods. My improved arrangement functions continuouslyin response to temperatures existing in a butter compartment to automatically in crease and/ or decrease the temperature of butter stored therein and therefore the butter is maintained at a temperature permitting it to be readily cut and easily spread immediately upon removing same from the refrigerator cabinet. The warming'of butter in a butter storage compartment in accordance with the present disclosure is attained without expense to the user of the refrigerator.

While the embodiment of the present invention as herein disclosed constitutes a preferred form, it is to be understood that other forms might be adopted.

What is claimed is as follows:

1. In a refrigerator cabinet provided with a food storage chamber bounded by spaced-apart wall members having insulating material therebetween, a refrigerating system associated with said cabinet including a refrigerant evaporator cooling said chamber to a low food preserving temperature, a casing inset in the space between said members of a bounding wall of said chamber and having walls defining a butter storage compartment therein, said casing being provided with an access opening facing the interior of said chamber and a door for the opening exposed to the low temperature within the chamber, a wall of said casing having an aperture therein, an element rotatably mounted on said casing disposed within the aperture in said wall thereof to substantially close same, a portion of said element being in heat exchange relationship with the interior of said compartment and another portion of the element being exposed to warm air ambient said chamber beyond the insulation in said bounding wall, means actuated automatically in response to temperatures within said butter compartment connected to said element for rotating same relative to said casing from one position into another position while the element maintains the aperture in said wall closed, said element when in its said one position conducting heat of said warm air directly into said compartment through the aperture in said casing wall, and said element upon being rotated out of said one position into said another posi tion thereof by said means reducing said conduction whereby to control the temperature of butter placed in said compartment.

2. In a refrigerator cabinet provided with a food storage chamber bounded by spaced-apart wall members having insulating material therebetween, a refrigerating system associated with said cabinet including a refrigerant evaporator cooling said chamber to a low food preserving temperature, a casing inset in the space between said members of a bounding wall of said chamber and having walls defining a butter storage compartment therein, said casing being provided with an access opening facing the interior of said chamber and a door for the opening exposed to the low temperature within the chamber, a wall of said casing having an elongated aperture therein, a round rod rotatably mounted on said casing disposed within the aperture in said wall thereof to substantially close same, said rod being composed of a plurality of metal .laminations insulated from one another, a portion of said rod being in heat exchange relationship with the interior of said butter storage compartment and another portion of the rod being exposed to warm air ambient said chamber beyond the insulation in said bounding wall, means for rotating said rod relative to said casing from one position into another position while maintaining the aperture in said wall closed, said metal laminations when said rod is in its said one position conducting heat of said warm air directly into said compartment through the aperture in said casing wall, and said metal laminations upon rotating the rod out of said one position into said another position thereof by said means reducing said conduction whereby to control the temperature of butter placed in said compartment.

3. In a refrigerator cabinet provided with a food storage chamber bounded by spaced apart wall members having insulating material therebetween, a refrigerating system associated with said cabinet including a refrigerant evaporator cooling said chamber to a low food preserving temperature, a casing inset in the space between said members of a bounding wall of said chamber and having walls defining a butter storage compartment therein, said casing being provided with an access opening facing the interior of said chamber and a door for the opening exposed to the low temperature within the chamber, a wall of said casing having an aperture therein, means rotatably mounted on said casing disposed within the aperture in said Wall thereof substantially filling and closing same, a portion of said means being in heat exchange relationship with the interior of said compartment and another portion ofthe means being exposed to warm air ambient said chamber beyond the insulation in said bounding wall, a thermostatic device actuated automatically in response to temperatures withinsaid butter compartment having a connection with said means for rotating same, said means being rotated by said device relative to said casing from one position into another position while maintaining the aperture in said casing wall closed, said means when in its one position conducting heat of said Warm air directly into said compartment through the aperture in said casing wall, and said means upon being rotated out of said one position into said another position thereof by said device reducing said conduction whereby to control the temperature of butter placed in said compartment.

4. In a refrigerator cabinet provided witha food storage chamber bounded by spaced-apart wall members having insulating material therebetween, a refrigerating systern associated with said cabinet including a refrigerant evaporator. cooling said chamber to a low food preserving temperature, a casing inset in the space between said members of a bounding wall of said chamber and having walls defining a butter storage compartment therein, said casing being provided with an access opening facing the interior of said chamber and. a door for the opening exposed to the low temperature within the chamber, a wall ofsaid casing having an aperture therein, means for. automatically controlling the. temperature of butter placedin said compartment, said means comprising an element. rotatably mounted on said casing disposed within the aperture in said one Wall thereof substantially filling and closing same and a thermostatic device enclosed by said casing for operating said element, a portion of said element being in heat exchange relationship with the interior of said compartment and another portion of the element being exposed to warm air ambient said chamber beyond the insulation in said bounding wall, said thermostatic device being out of thermal conductive contact with said casing and actuated in response to temperatures of air within said butter compartment for rotating said element relative to the casing from one position into another position while maintaining the aperture in said one Wall there of closed, said element when in its one position conducting heat of said warm air directly into said compartment through the aperture in said casing wall, andsaid element upon being rotated out of said one position into said another position thereof by said thermostatic device reducing said conduction.

5. In a refrigerator cabinet provided with a food storage chamber bounded by spaced-apart wall members having insulating material therebetween, a refrigerating system associated with said cabinet including a refrigerant evaporator cooling said chamber to a low food preserving temperature, a casing inset in the space between said members of a bounding wall of said chamber and having walls defining a butter storage compartment therein, said casing being provided with an access opening facing the interior of said chamber and a door for the opening exposed to the low temperature within the chamber, the rear wall of said casing having an elongated aperture therein, means for automatically controlling the temperature of butter placed in said compartment, said means comprising a round rod rotatably mounted on said casing disposed within and substantially filling the aperture in said rear wall thereof to close same and a thermostatic device for operating said rod, a portion of said rod being in heat exchange relationship with the interior of said compartment and another portion of the rod being exposed to warm air ambient said chamber beyond the insulation in said bounding wall, said thermostatic device being actuated in response to temperatures within said butter compartment for rotating said rod relative to said casing from one position into another position while maintaining the aperture in said rear wall of the casing closed, said rod when in its one position conducting heat of said warm air directly into said compartment through the aperture in the rear wall of said casing, and said rod upon being rotated out of said one position into said another position thereof by said thermostatic device reducing said conduction.

6. In a refrigerator cabinet provided with a food storagelchamber bounded by spaced-apart wall members having insulating material therebetween, a refrigerating system associated with said cabinet including a refrigerant evaporator coolingsaid chamber to a low food preserving temperature, a casing inset in the space between said members of a bounding wall of said chamber and having walls defining a butter storage compartment therein, said casing being. provided with an access opening facing the interior of said chamber and a door for the opening exposed to the low temperature within the chamber, a round elongated element mounted on said casing for rotation relative thereto, a portion of said element being exposed to warm air beyond the insulation in said chamber bounding wall and another portion of said element being in heat transfer relationship with air within said butter storage compartment, said element being constructed to conduct heat transversely therethrough along the length thereof, means for rotating said element from one position into another position automatically in response to temperatures within said butter storage compartment, said element while in'its said one position conducting heat of warm air ambient said chamber into said compartment, and said element when rotated out of said one position by said means into said another position thereof substantially reducing said conduction whereby to control the temperature of butter placed in said compartment.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,068,550 Knight Jan. 19, 1937 2,363,375 Wild Nov. 21, 1944 2,783,030 Solley Feb. 26, 1957