Abstract:
A chiller compartment is provided that secures to the inside of a refrigerator door. The chiller compartment includes a pair of french doors that are connected by a linkage that causes the doors to simultaneously open or close. The french doors of the chiller compartment open and close automatically when the refrigerator door is open and shut. The chiller compartment also includes a tray of sufficient height to secure tall beverages or food items and prevent such items from toppling out of the chiller compartment while the refrigerator door is opened or closed.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
   This application is a continuation-in-part of and claims priority to the U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/195,648 entitled “French Door Chiller Compartment for Refrigerators” filed on Jul. 15, 2002 now U.S. Pat. No. 6,694,770 and U.S. provisional patent application Ser. No. 60/305,790 entitled “French Door Chiller Compartment for Refrigerators” filed on Jul. 16, 2001. 

   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   The present invention relates generally to refrigerators and, more particularly, to a french door chiller compartment for refrigerators, wherein the chiller compartment is maintained at a temperature slightly lower than the rest of the interior of the refrigerator. 
   A refrigerator is often provided with a chiller compartment to keep beverages or food items at a slightly lower temperature than the rest of the interior. Quick and easy access to the items stored in the chiller compartment is desirable and therefore it would be preferable to mount the chiller compartment in the refrigerator door. 
   One disadvantage of current chiller compartments is that the doors, which separate the chiller compartment from the rest of the interior of the refrigerator, function independently of each other, requiring the user to employ both hands when gaining access to the chiller compartment to load or retrieve items. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,361,368 to Daniels discloses a refrigerator storage compartment that utilizes two sliding doors that work independently of each other. To gain access to the storage compartment, the user must slide each door individually. Further, sliding one of the doors only permits access to half of the storage compartment at one time. Similarly, U.S. Pat. No. 3,804,482 to Smith discloses a wine chiller with two doors that swing away from the cabinet. These cabinet doors function independently of each other, and the user would have to employ both hands to simultaneously open the doors in gaining quick access to all of the contents inside. 
   Another disadvantage of many chiller compartments is that the door or doors protrude from the chiller compartment while in the open position and may be damaged should the refrigerator door be closed while the chiller compartment door or doors are left open. U.S. Pat. No. 3,203,199 to Stewart discloses a compartment located in the bottom of the interior of the refrigerator with two doors that swing outward. While in the open position, the compartment doors protrude significantly from the interior of the refrigerator and may be damaged should the refrigerator door be shut while these compartment doors are in the open position. It is therefore desirable to have a chiller compartment with doors that will not break should the refrigerator door be closed while the compartment doors are open. 
   Additionally, the door or doors of many chiller compartments may not stay open on their own. These doors may require additional stops or latching devices to stay open, again requiring the user to employ both hands when gaining access to the chiller compartment to load or retrieve items. U.S. Pat. No. 5,100,213 to Vandarakis et al. discloses a refrigerator door chiller compartment with a door that slides open vertically. To keep the door open on its own, the user must slide the door to the fully open position, where a stop or latching device is used to keep the door open. However, the door will close if not manually restrained by the user. It is therefore desirable to have a chiller compartment which includes doors that will open and close automatically and appropriately to provide access when desired. 
   Accordingly, a general feature of the present invention is the provision of a chiller compartment which overcomes the problems found in the prior art. 
   A further feature of the present invention is the provision of a chiller compartment for refrigerators including doors that allow for one-hand operation. 
   Another feature of the present invention is the provision of a chiller compartment for refrigerators with doors that will not become damaged while the refrigerator door is closed. 
   A further feature of the present invention is the provision of a chiller compartment for refrigerators with doors that will close automatically as the refrigerator door is closed. 
   A still further feature of the present invention is the provision of a chiller compartment for refrigerators with doors that will open automatically as the refrigerator door is opened. 
   Another feature of the present invention is the provision of a chiller compartment for refrigerators with doors that open to provide full accessibility to the interior of the chiller compartment. 
   A further feature of the present invention is the provision of a chiller compartment for refrigerators capable of holding and retaining containers of a various dimensions during normal opening and closing of the refrigerator door. 
   These, as well as other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following specification and claims. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   The present invention is directed towards a refrigerator chiller compartment which generally includes a cabinet housing that secures to the inside of a refrigerator door. The cabinet housing has an open front side that allows for full access into the interior of the cabinet housing. 
   Two doors secured to the cabinet housing are connected to each other by a linkage that allows for simultaneous operation. For example, by opening the refrigerator door, an actuator extends from the chiller compartment and causes a linkage to engage and simultaneously move both of the chiller compartment doors into the open position. Conversely, closing the refrigerator door pushes the actuator in the opposite direction and shuts the doors of the chiller compartment. 
   An internal tray is also provided. The internal tray has sides sufficiently tall to prevent tall beverages, such as 2-liter bottles or food items rolling or from toppling out should the refrigerator door be quickly opened or closed. Additionally, a top cover to the housing cabinet is provided for enclosing and protecting the door linkage. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       FIG. 1  is a perspective view of an exemplary side-by-side refrigerator with the door open to show a possible mounting arrangement for the chiller compartment of the present invention. 
       FIG. 2  is a perspective view of the french door chiller compartment of the present invention with the doors in the closed position. 
       FIG. 3  is an exploded view of the french door chiller compartment. 
       FIG. 4  is a top view of the french door chiller compartment of the present invention in the door closed position and is shown with the top cover removed to expose the linkage assembly. 
       FIG. 5  is a top view of one embodiment of the french door chiller compartment of the present invention in the door open position and is shown with the top cover removed to expose the linkage assembly. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
   The present invention will be described as it applies to its preferred embodiment. It is not intended that the present invention be limited to the preferred embodiment. It is intended that the invention cover all modifications and alternatives that may be included within the spirit and scope of the invention. 
   With reference to  FIG. 1 , a refrigerator  10  is depicted and is of the style generally referred to as a side-by-side refrigerator, although the present invention also can be used with other types of refrigerators or freezers. The refrigerator  10  has an interior  12  accessed by a refrigerator door  14 , which is illustrated in the open position in  FIG. 1 . The refrigerator  10  is provided with a chiller compartment  16  secured to the door  14 . Chiller compartment  16  of refrigerator  10  is provided with chiller compartment doors  18 . 
   In a conventional manner, cold air from the evaporator (not shown) is directed through a duct (not shown) in the refrigerator wall or mullion  22  that separates the refrigerator from the freezer  36 . The air is directed from an inlet port (not shown) in the mullion  22  to the chiller compartment  16 . This cold air maintains the chiller compartment  16  at a temperature slightly below the rest of the interior  12  of the refrigerator  10 . Preferably, the temperature of the chiller compartment  16  is adjustable through conventional means. 
   With reference to  FIG. 2 , the chiller compartment  16  is shown to generally comprise a cabinet housing  24  with doors  18 , shown in the closed position. Ports  38  in the cabinet housing  24  are adapted to allow for cold air from the inlet port (not shown) in the mullion  22  to enter the chiller compartment  16 . Including a plurality of ports  38  allows the chiller compartment  16  to be placed in a variety of positions in the refrigerator door  14  and yet be connected to the inlet port which may be in a fixed position. The cabinet housing  24  also includes one or more brackets  26  to quickly and easily secure the chiller compartment  16  to corresponding receiving brackets in the refrigerator door  14 . Each bracket  26  is a protrusion from the side of the cabinet housing  24  and may include any type of hook or latch. 
   With reference to  FIG. 3 , the chiller compartment  16  is shown to generally comprise a pair of vertically upstanding doors  18 A,  18 B, a chiller compartment cabinet housing  24 , a tray  34 , a chiller door linkage  28 ,  30 , a chiller door opening/closing mechanism  80 – 90 , and a chiller cabinet housing top cover  32 . The chiller compartment  16  may be of any desired height or width and the refrigerator  10  may include a variety of different sized chiller compartments  16 . Doors  18 A,  18 B may be generally referred to as french doors. 
   The cabinet housing  24  has a floor  40 , a top  42  including a front flange  44 , two vertically upstanding side walls  46 ,  48 , and a back wall  50 . The top  42  is provided with suitable openings  52 , and the cabinet housing floor may be provided with openings  54  as will be hereinafter described in greater detail. The rear portion of side walls  46 ,  48  of cabinet housing  24  may be provided with one or more brackets  26  to secure the chiller compartment  16  to the refrigerator door  14 . As is known in the art, all of the foregoing components of the chiller compartment  16  may be formed of any suitable material having the requisite strength and temperature resistance characteristics to be used in a refrigerator in a manner hereinafter to be described. 
   Chiller tray  34  has a vertically upstanding front wall  56  and a rear wall  58 . The front wall  56  has a height sufficient to retain the intended contents of the chiller compartment  16 , such as a plurality of bottles and other types of containers, within the chiller compartment  16  as the refrigerator door  14  is opened and closed, even if doors  18 A,  18 B have been left open. The bottom of chiller tray  34  is provided with support rings (not shown) which cooperate with doors  18 A,  18 B as will hereinafter be described. The front and rear walls  56 ,  58  of chiller tray  34  are provided with one or more downwardly depending hooks or tabs  60  which are matingly received in the openings  54  in the floor  40  of the cabinet housing  24 . In this manner, the chiller tray  34  hooks and snaps into the cabinet housing floor  40 . Preferably, when the chiller tray  34  is snapped into the cabinet housing floor  40 , the bottom surface of chiller tray  34  is spaced from the cabinet housing floor  40 , as will hereinafter be described in further detail. 
   French doors  18 A,  18 B are each provided with a boss member  62  disposed on the top of upper flange members  64 A,  64 B of doors  18 A,  18 B. Similarly, each door  18 A,  18 B is provided with a lower flange member (not shown) with the front wall surfaces  66 A,  66 B of doors  18 A,  18 B extending between the upper and lower flange members of the doors  18 A,  18 B. 
   Boss members  62  of doors  18 A,  18 B are received within openings  52  in the top  42  of the cabinet housing  24 . The lower flange members of doors  18 A,  18 B are secured in place by chiller tray  34 , and the doors pivot about the support rings (not shown) disposed on the bottom of the chiller tray  34 . The rings also act as supports for the chiller tray  34 . 
   After boss members  62  of doors  18 A,  18 B are inserted through openings  52 , the door linkage  28 ,  30  is assembled. Linkage members  28  are snapped into boss members  62  through openings  52 , and are connected by a center link  30 , the ends of which snap into linkage members  28 . Accordingly, upon movement of either of doors  18 A,  18 B in a pivoting, rotatable manner about boss members  62 , the pivoting, or rotating, motion of one door will cause the other door to pivot or rotate in the opposite direction via the door linkage  28 ,  30 . 
   A top cover  32  may be provided and is snapped into the front flange  44  of cabinet housing  24  as by snap protrusions  74 . The french door arrangement of the doors  18 A,  18 B within the cabinet housing  24  allows a majority of the doors  18 A,  18 B, when open, to remain within the cabinet housing  24 . This minimizes any protrusion of the open doors  18 A,  18 B away from the refrigerator door  14 . 
   In a preferred embodiment, a chiller door opening/closing mechanism  80 – 90  is included to automatically open and close the doors  18 A,  18 B when the refrigerator door  14  is shut. As is shown in  FIGS. 3–5 , the chiller door opening/closing mechanism  80 – 90  includes a plurality of components. When in the closed position, as shown in  FIG. 4 , the chiller door opening/closing apparatus includes an extension spring  80  secured to a spring post (not shown) on the top  42  of the chiller compartment  16  and one of the linkage members  28 . Secured to the same linkage member  28  is a first mounting bar or section  82 . The mounting section  82  provides a pivot point for a closing linkage  88 . The closing linkage  88  is rotatably connected to one end of the swing bar or linkage  84  which pivots about its midpoint on a base secured to the top  42  of the chiller compartment  16 . An actuator  86  is rotatably connected to the other end of the swing linkage  84 . The actuator  86  protrudes through a hole (not shown) in the front flange  44  and is secured within the door  14  against the liner of the refrigerator  10 . 
   When the refrigerator door  14  is opened, the french doors  18 A and  18 B are initially opened by the spring  80  which contracts as the actuator  86  extends out of the hole. The spring  80  provides a constant tension. In order to prevent the french doors  18 A,  18 B from over rotating during opening, a stop  90  is provided. The stop  90  limits movement of the linkage member  28 . The french doors  18 A,  18 B are shown in the open position in  FIG. 5 . 
   When the door  14  of the refrigerator  10  is closed, it is desirable to close the french doors  18 A,  18 B to prevent damage to the french doors  18 A,  18 B as well as prevent the french doors  18 A,  18 B from protruding into the interior of the refrigerator  10 . Upon closing of the refrigerator door  14 , the actuator  86  is pushed in towards the linkage  28 , causing the swing linkage  84  to pivot. Preferably, the actuator  86  is pushed by the swinging of the refrigerator door  14  against the interior liner of the refrigerator  10 . The swing linkage  84  pivots to pull the closing linkage  88  which pulls the mounting section  82  on the linkage member  28  causing the linkage member  28  to rotate. Rotation of the linkage member  28  in this manner causes the french doors  18 A,  18 B to shut as is shown in  FIG. 4 . 
   Referring again to  FIG. 3 , the widths of the front wall surfaces  66 A,  66 B of doors  18 A,  18 B are shown as different, whereby when doors  18 A,  18 B are in a closed position, the point at which the right most vertical edge  68  of door  18 A meets with the leftmost edge  70  of door  18 B will be offset from the center line  72  of the cabinet housing  24 . Such an offset allows the user to easily grasp the extended vertical edge  68  when the doors  18 A,  18 B are open. The widths of the front wall surfaces  66 A,  66 B may also be identical so as to have the point at which the right most vertical edge  68  of door  18 A meets with the leftmost edge  70  of door  18 B will not be offset fro the centerline  72  of the cabinet housing  24 . 
   A handle or other ergonomic surface may be provided on the vertical edge  68 . The front wall surfaces  66 A,  66 B of doors  18 A,  18 B are generally planar in configuration. The side portion  74 A,  74 B of each door  18 A,  18 B is generally curved to mate with the generally curved configuration of the side walls  46 ,  48  of the cabinet housing  24 . 
   A general description of the present invention as well as a preferred embodiment of the present invention has been set forth above. Those skilled in the art to which the present invention pertains will recognize and be able to practice additional variations in the chiller compartment described which fall within the teachings of this invention. Accordingly, all such modifications and additions are deemed to be within the scope of the present invention which is to be limited only by the claims appended hereto.