US3320764A

US3320764A - Refrigerator with removable wall

Info

Publication number: US3320764A
Application number: US524014A
Authority: US
Inventors: Orson V Saunders; Paul E Kronenberger
Original assignee: General Motors Corp
Current assignee: Motors Liquidation Co
Priority date: 1966-02-01
Filing date: 1966-02-01
Publication date: 1967-05-23
Anticipated expiration: 1984-05-23
Also published as: GB1129052A

Description

y 1967 o. v. SAUNDERS ETAL 3,320,764

REFRIGERATOR WITH REMOVABLE WALL 2 $heet5-$heet 1 Filed Feb. 1, 1966 S a 5 W a/ m JIM w I z w Y 4 (w i P 4% 1 @fJ m 9 y i w. v a a a f w m m m m m 6 m MEL/,5 z m u w i n w n u r97 h u TH 27 #4. w K

THAEIR ATTORNEY y 3, 1967 0. v. SAUNDERS ETAL 3,320,764

REFRIOERATOR WITH REMOVABLE WALL 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Feb.

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United States Patent 3,320,764 REFRIGERATOR WITH REMOVABLE WALL Orson V. Saunders and Paul E. Kronenberger, both of Dayton, Ohio, assignors to General Motors Corporatron, Detroit, Mich, a corporation of Delaware Filed Feb. 1, 1966, Ser. No. 524,014 4 Claims. (Cl. 62-419) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE In the preferred form of this refrigerator, the sheet metal inner liner is provided with a series of apertures extending horizontally along the side and rear walls. These apertures are provided with extruded flanges which protrude into a horizontal groove on each side of a slidable horizontal dividing wall which divides the interior of the refrigerator into upper and lower sub-compartments. This dividing wall contains an insulated duct system having inlets from each sub-compartment and an air cooling refrigerant evaporating means within the duct means. The dividing wall also contains a centrifugal blower having an upright axis of rotation and having an inlet connecting with the duct means and one outlet discharging into the upper sub-compartment and a second outlet discharging into the lower sub-compartment.

This invention pertains to two compartment refrigerators in which frost does not collect in either the above or below freezing compartments and more particularly to a refrigerator construction wherein the entire cooling and air distribution system may be manufactured and bench assembled and tested separately from the refrigerator cabinet.

Refrigerators in which frost does not collect in the storage compartments have become popular but remain rela tively expensive. One of the reasons for this is that such refrigerators have required the assembling of many parts in the cabinet while the cabinet is moved down the assembly line.

It is an object of this invention to provide a refrigerator construction in which substantially the entire cooling and air circulating system is made and bench assembled and .tested separately from the cabinet as a removable unit cabinet into above and below freezing sub-compartments.

'These and other objects are attained in the form shown in the drawings in which a refrigerator cabinet is generally conventional, but is provided with supporting means for removably supporting an insulated dividing wall between the upper and lower sub-compartments therein. This dividing Wall includes an air duct containing an air cooling evaporator and a centrifugal fan located at the outlet of the air duct provided with one outlet discharging into the upper below freezing compartment and a second outlet discharging into the lower above freezing compartment. The duct provides a false bottom for the below freezing compartment on which ice trays and other products to be frozen, as well as previously frozen products, may be stored. The duct is provided with air entrance communicating with both the below and above freezing compartments. The wall also includes insulation between the duct and the above freezing compartment as well as the drain and disposal arrangement for disposing all condensed moisture and defrost water.

Further objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings wherein preferred embodiments of the present invention are clearly shown.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a front view of a two-compartment refrigerator partly in section illustrating one form of my invention;

FIGURE 2 is a horizontal, enlarged sectional view taken along the line 22 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is an irregular vertical sectional view taken along the lines 33 of FIGURE 2; and,

FIGURE 4 is a fragmentary enlarged vertical sectional view taken along the lines 44 of FIGURE 3.

Referring now more particularly to FIGURE 1, there is shown a refrigerator cabinet 20 having insulated top and

bottom walls

22 and 24, insulated side walls 26, and an insulated rear wall 28 enclosing a storage compartment. The cabinet 20 may be formed of an outer metal shell 30 and an inner liner 32 which are joined at the front around the door opening by a conventional breaker strip 34. To provide a heat barrier to prevent heat transfer between the upper and lower portions of the metal inner liner 32, the liner is provided with horizontal, elongated apertures 36 which extend horizontally in a series from the breaker strip 34 rearwardly to the rear wall and also extend across the rear wall. Each of these apertures 36 is provided with an extruded upper and

lower flange

38 and 40. These flanges 38 and 4t; serve to provide a sliding support for the removable dividing wall. Between the inner liner 32 and the outer shell 30 above the apertures 36 there is provided glass fiber insulation 42 which is enclosed within a bag 44 to seal in the insulating gas in the glass fiber material such as is disclosed in Patent 2,863,179, issued Dec. 9, 1958. This provides superior insulation for the upper sub-compartment 46. A plastic divider member 43 is provided in the insulation space beneath the bag 44 and is slanted inwardly so as to cause any moisture condensing in the upper portion of the insulation space, to be delivered to a suitable water disposal system provided in the dividing wall. The lower portions of the insulation space between the inner liner 32 and the outer shell 30 may be insulated with conventional glass fiber insulation 5t If desired, polyurethane foam or other types of plastic foam insulation containing an insulating gas such as is disclosed in Patent 3,217,362, issued Nov. 16, 1965, may be substituted for the glass fiber insulation 42 and its bag 44.

According to our invention, substantially all of the air cooling and circulating system for cooling the sub-compartments within the interior of the cabinet is embodled in a removable divided wall 52 which is slideably mounted on the

flanges

38 and 40 in the side walls of inner liner 32. This dividing wall includes a foam type of insulation 54 provided with horizontal grooves 56 on its side edges which serve as guide ways cooperating with the flanges 38 and 49 for slideably supporting the removable wall 52. Above the foam insulation slab 54 there is provided a sheet metal false bottom wall 58 for the upper sub-compartment 46 which is spaced from the insulation slab 54 to provide an air duct 60 extending horizontally above the slab 54. The duct 58 is provided with an air entrance 62 at the front which communicates through the openings 64 in the front cover 66 with the upper below freezing sub-compartment 46 and which communicates through a downwardly extending passage 68 in the slab 52 with the lower above freezing sub-compartment 70. Within the intermediate portion of the duct 64 there is provided a. fin and tube type refrigerant evaporator 72 havair entering through the

entrances

66 and 68, passes rearwardly. At the rear of the duct 60 there is provided a centrifugal fan 74 having vertical axis of rotation which is driven by an electric motor 76 directly beneath it. This fan 74 has an upper entrance 78 in the fan housing 85) communicating with the rear of the duct 60 so as to draw the air through the evaporator 72. The fan housing 80 at the rear is provided with an upwardly directed outlet 82 which discharges through a duct 84 into the upper portion of the below freezing sub-compartment 46. The fan housing 80 also has a downwardly directed discharge outlet 86 which discharges through the duct 88 into the upper portion of the lower above freezing sub-compartment 70. The insulation slab 54 provides a bottom wall surface 90 for the duct 60 which collects and conveys any water resulting from condensation and the melting and frost from the evaporator 72. This bottom wall surface 90 conducts the water to a drain trough 92 which connects through the pipe 94 and a hose 96 to a suitable drainage system.

The evaporator 72 is connected by flexible supply and

return conduits

98 and 121 which extend within glass fiber insulation 123 to the motor compressor unit 125 and refrigerant condenser 127 in the machinery compartment 129 beneath the bottom wall 24. With this arrangement, the entire removable dividing Wall 52 including the evaporator 72 and the remaining parts of the refrigerating system, including the supply and

return conduits

98 and 121, the motor compressor unit 125 and the condenser 127, may be constructed, assembled and tested separate from the cabinet in a bench type manufacturing operation.

Economy in the manufacture of the cabinet is obtained by making the cabinet similar to conventional cabinets. The cabinet may be manufactured and assembled separately in a continuously moving convey or assembly line. When the cabinet has reached an appropriate point of assembly, the dividing wall 52 and the remaining parts of the refrigerating system are brought to the assembly line and the dividing wall 52 is slid into the cabinet with the grooves 56 sliding upon the

flanges

38 and 40 of the aperture 36 until the rear of the dividing wall is sealed against the inner surface of the rear wall. The sides and rear of the insulation slab 54 may be provided with. a

suitable gasket seal if desired, to prevent leakage. The supply and return conduits may be placed within the glass fiber insulation 123 and the sealed motor compressor unit and the condenser unit fastened in their proper locations in the machinery compartment 129. The drain pipe 94 and the drain hose 96 may then be connected. This substantially completes the assembly of the refrigerating system and the cabinet. Following this, the upper and

lower doors

133 and 135 are hinged to the cabinet thereby completing the enclosure of the

sub-compartments

46 and 70.

By incorporating the duct 60, the insulating slab 54 and 1 the fan and

motor

74 and 76 in the removable dividing wall, the, economical manufacture and assembly of these parts by bench assembly methods is made possible. Since all of these parts aer much more accessible when incorporated in the removable dividing wall outside of the cabinet, the cost of assembly-is considerably reduced. Furthermore, the system can be readily removed from the cabinet if there is any failure in any part and serviced outside of the cabinet with the advantages being ableto look into and clean the parts to quicker and better test and locate any defective parts. The cabinet is conventional in construction except for the slots 36 and the

flanges

38 and 40 in the inner liner 32. Through this, the initial cost of the refrigerator as well as the cost of warranties and service, are reduced.

While the embodiments of the present invention as herein disclosed, constitute preferred forms, it is to be understood that other forms might be adopted.

\Vhat is claimed is as follows:

1. A refrigerator including a cabinet having top and bottom and side and rear insulated walls enclosing a compartment, a removable dividing means supported. intermediate the top and bottom walls within said compartment extending to the rear wall and from one side wall to the other, said side walls having sheet metal forming their inwardly facing surfaces, said sheet metal having a series of apertures extending horizontally along said removable dividing means for reducing heat transfer between the portions of the sheet metal above and below the dividing means, said sheet metal being provided with projecting flanges bordering said apertures for removably supporting said dividing means, said removable dividing means comprising duct means extending within said dividing means and air cooling refrigerant evaporating means located within said duct means, and fan means for circulating air from said compartment through said duct means and said evaporating means and returning the air to said compartment.

2. A refrigerator as defined in claim 1 in which said dividing means has a laterally extending groove in each of its side edges, said projecting flanges bordering said apertures extending into said laterally extending grooves on'the side edges of said dividing means for slidably supporting said dividing means.

3. A refrigerator including a cabinet having top and bottom and side and rear insulated walls enclosing a compartment, a removable dividing means supported intermediate the top and bottom walls within said compartment extending to the rear wall and from one side wall to the other, said removable dividing means comprising duct means extending within said dividing means and air cooling refrigerant evaporating means located within said duct means, and a centrifugal blower having an upright axis of rotation located in the removable dividing means for circulating air from said compartment through said duct means and said evaporating means and returning the air to said compartment.

4. A refrigerator as defined in claim 3 in which the dividing means divides the compartment into upper and lower sub-compartments, the centrifugal blower having an inlet connecting with the duct-means and one outlet discharging into the upper sub-compartment and a second outlet discharging into the lower sub-compartment.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS WILLIAM J. WYE, Primary Examiner.

Claims

1. A REFRIGERATOR INCLUDING A CABINET HAVING TOP AND BOTTOM AND SIDE AND REAR INSULATED WALLS ENCLOSING A COMPARTMENT, A REMOVABLE DIVIDING MEANS SUPPORTED INTERMEDIATE THE TOP AND BOTTOM WALLS WITHIN SAID COMPARTMENT EXTENDING TO THE REAR WALL AND FROM ONE SIDE WALL TO THE OTHER, SAID SIDE WALLS HAVING SHEET METAL FORMING THEIR INWARDLY FACING SURFACES, SAID SHEET METAL HAVING A SERIES OF APERTURES EXTENDING HORIZONTALLY ALONG SAID REMOVABLE DIVIDING MEANS FOR REDUCING HEAT TRANSFER BETWEEN THE PORTIONS OF THE SHEET METAL ABOVE AND BELOW THE DIVIDING MEANS, SAID SHEET METAL BEING PROVIDED WITH PROJECTING FLANGES BORDERING SAID APERTURES FOR REMOVABLY SUPPORTING SAID DIVIDING MEANS, SAID REMOVABLE DIVIDING MEANS COMPRISING DUCT MEANS EXTENDING WITHIN SAID DIVIDING MEANS AND AIR COOLING REFRIGERANT EVAPORATING MEANS LOCATED WITHIN SAID DUCT MEANS, AND FAN MEANS FOR CIRCULATING AIR FROM SAID COMPARTMENT THROUGH SAID DUCT MEANS AND SAID EVAPORATING MEANS AND RETURNING THE AIR TO SAID COMPARTMENT.