Patent Publication Number: US-2016231045-A1

Title: Evaporator cover

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present subject matter relates generally to evaporator covers, such as evaporator covers for refrigerator appliances. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Refrigerator appliances generally include an evaporator for cooling air within a cabinet of the refrigerator appliances. To assist with cooling air inside the cabinet, certain refrigerator appliances include a fan that circulates air over the evaporator and through the cabinet. Evaporators commonly include metal fins or spines that facilitate heat transfer from air passing over the evaporator and refrigerant within the evaporator. While important for assisting with heat transfer, metal fins or splines can be bent or otherwise deformed when impacted. Deformed fins or splines may offer reduced heat transfer and negatively affect performance of the evaporator. In addition, evaporators may be unattractive. 
     To protect the evaporator and hide it from view, a cover is commonly placed over the evaporator within the cabinet. The evaporator cover also offers a convenient location to mount the fan for circulating air over the evaporator. However, mounting the fan to the evaporator cover can have certain drawbacks. For example, the evaporator cover may vibrate and generate an unpleasant or loud noise when the fan is mounted to the evaporator cover, and noisy appliances are a common consumer complaint. 
     Accordingly, an evaporator cover with features for reducing noise generated by a fan mounted to the evaporator cover would be useful. 
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     The present subject matter provides an evaporator cover. The evaporator cover includes a cover body integrally formed with a plurality of materials. Each material of the plurality of materials has a different elastic modulus or hardness. An air handler is mounted to the cover body. A related method for forming an evaporator cover with an additive process is also provided. Additional aspects and advantages of the invention will be set forth in part in the following description, or may be apparent from the description, or may be learned through practice of the invention. 
     In a first exemplary embodiment, an evaporator cover is provided. The evaporator cover includes a cover body integrally formed with a plurality of materials. Each material of the plurality of materials has a different elastic modulus or hardness. An air handler is mounted to the cover body. 
     In a second exemplary embodiment, a method for forming an evaporator cover is provided. The method includes establishing three-dimensional information of the evaporator cover and converting the three-dimensional information of the evaporator cover from the step of establishing into a plurality of slices. Each slice of the plurality of slices defines a respective cross-sectional layer of the evaporator cover. The method also includes successively forming each cross-sectional layer of the evaporator cover with an additive process. After the step of successively forming, the evaporator cover includes a plurality of materials. Each material of the plurality of materials has a different elastic modulus or hardness. 
     These and other features, aspects and advantages of the present invention will become better understood with reference to the following description and appended claims. The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate embodiments of the invention and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the invention. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       A full and enabling disclosure of the present invention, including the best mode thereof, directed to one of ordinary skill in the art, is set forth in the specification, which makes reference to the appended figures. 
         FIG. 1  provides a front, elevation view of a refrigerator appliance according to an exemplary embodiment of the present subject matter. 
         FIG. 2  provides a front, elevation view of the exemplary refrigerator appliance of  FIG. 1  with refrigerator doors shown in an open position. 
         FIG. 3  provides a partial perspective view of a freezer chamber of the exemplary refrigerator appliance of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 4  provides a partial perspective view of an evaporator cover and an air handler of the exemplary refrigerator appliance of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 5  provides a partial elevation view of certain components of the evaporator cover of the exemplary refrigerator appliance of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 6  illustrates a method for forming an evaporator cover according to an exemplary embodiment of the present subject matter. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Reference now will be made in detail to embodiments of the invention, one or more examples of which are illustrated in the drawings. Each example is provided by way of explanation of the invention, not limitation of the invention. In fact, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and variations can be made in the present invention without departing from the scope or spirit of the invention. For instance, features illustrated or described as part of one embodiment can be used with another embodiment to yield a still further embodiment. Thus, it is intended that the present invention covers such modifications and variations as come within the scope of the appended claims and their equivalents. 
       FIG. 1  provides a front, elevation view of a refrigerator appliance  100  according to an exemplary embodiment of the present subject matter with refrigerator doors  128  and freezer door  130  of the refrigerator appliance  100  shown in a closed position.  FIG. 2  provides a front view of refrigerator appliance  100  with refrigerator doors  128  shown in an open position. 
     Refrigerator appliance  100  defines a vertical direction V, a lateral direction L, and a transverse direction T (see, e.g.,  FIG. 3 ), each mutually perpendicular to one another. Refrigerator appliance  100  includes a cabinet or housing  120  that extends between a top portion  102  and a bottom portion  104  along the vertical direction V and between a first side portion  106  and a second side portion  108  along the lateral direction L. As depicted, cabinet  120  defines chilled chambers for receipt of food items for storage. In particular, cabinet  120  defines fresh food chamber  122  positioned at or adjacent top portion  102  of cabinet  120  and a freezer chamber  124  arranged at or adjacent bottom portion  104  of cabinet  120 . As such, refrigerator appliance  100  is generally referred to as a bottom mount refrigerator. However, while described in the context of refrigerator appliance  100 , it will be understood that the present subject matter may be used in any other suitable appliance. 
     Refrigerator doors  128  are rotatably hinged to an edge of cabinet  120  for selectively accessing fresh food chamber  122 . In addition, a freezer door  130  is arranged below refrigerator doors  128  for selectively accessing freezer chamber  124 . As is discussed in greater detail below, freezer door  130  is slidably mounted to cabinet  120  adjacent freezer chamber  124 . Refrigerator doors  128  and freezer door  130  are shown in the closed position in  FIG. 1 , and refrigerator doors  128  are shown in the open position in  FIG. 2 . 
     Turning now to  FIG. 2 , various storage components are mounted within fresh food chamber  122  to facilitate storage of food items therein as will be understood by those skilled in the art. In particular, the storage components include bins  140 , drawers  142 , and shelves  144  that are mounted within fresh food chamber  122 . Bins  140 , drawers  142 , and shelves  144  are configured for receipt of food items (e.g., beverages and/or solid food items) and may assist with organizing such food items. As an example, drawers  142  can receive fresh food items (e.g., vegetables, fruits, and/or cheeses) and increase the useful life of such fresh food items. 
       FIG. 3  provides a partial perspective view of freezer chamber  124  of refrigerator appliance  100 .  FIG. 4  provides a partial perspective view of an evaporator cover  200  and an air handler  220  of refrigerator appliance  100 . As may be seen in  FIG. 3 , evaporator cover  200  is positioned at a back of freezer chamber  124  over an evaporator  218  (shown schematically in  FIG. 3 ) of refrigerator appliance  100 . Thus, evaporator cover  200  may be positioned between evaporator  218  and freezer chamber  124 , e.g., along the transverse direction T. In particular, evaporator cover  200  may be positioned between evaporator  218  and an ice maker  240  and a basket assembly  242  disposed within freezer chamber  124 , e.g., along the transverse direction T. Evaporator cover  200  may assist with limiting or preventing damage to evaporator  218 , e.g., due to items within freezer chamber  124  impacting evaporator  218 . 
     Evaporator cover  200  may be secured or mounted to cabinet  120 , e.g., an inner liner  126  of cabinet  120 , in any suitable manner. For example, as shown in  FIGS. 3 and 4 , evaporator cover  200  may defines posts  208 , e.g., at or adjacent a top portion of evaporator cover  200 . Fasteners  230  may extend through evaporator cover  200  and into cabinet  120  at posts  230 . Thus, fasteners  230  may assist with mounting evaporator cover  200  to cabinet  120  at the back of freezer chamber  124 . In addition, flanges of evaporator cover  200  may be received within inner liner  126  at a bottom portion of evaporator cover  200  in order to assist mounting evaporator cover  200  to cabinet  120  at the back of freezer chamber  124 . Thus, the flanges of evaporator cover  200  may contact inner liner  126  in order to assist mounting evaporator cover  200  to cabinet  120 . 
     Air handler  220  of refrigerator appliance  100  may also be mounted to evaporator cover  200 . Air handler  220  assists with circulating air from freezer chamber  124  over evaporator  218  and back into freezer chamber  124 . For example, evaporator cover  200  defines an inlet  204 , e.g., at or adjacent the top portion of evaporator cover  200 , and outlets  206 , e.g., at or adjacent the bottom portion of evaporator cover  200 . Air handler  220  is positioned at or adjacent inlet  204  of evaporator cover  200 . Thus, air handler  200  urges air from freezer chamber  124  through inlet  204  of evaporator cover  200  to evaporator  218  when air handler  220  is activated. At evaporator  218 , the air is chilled, and air handler  220  urges the chilled air back into freezer chamber  124  via outlets  206  of evaporator cover  200 . Hoods  232  positioned at outlets  206  of evaporator cover  200  may assist with directing the chilled air towards a bottom of freezer chamber  124 . In such a manner, air handler  220  may assist with circulating air from freezer chamber  124  over evaporator  218  behind evaporator cover  200 . 
     Turning now to  FIG. 4 , air handler  220  includes a grill  222  that defines opening  224 , blades  226  and a motor  228 . Blades  226  of air handler  220  are rotatable with motor  228  in order to urge the flow of air through freezer chamber  124  as described above. Motor  228  of air handler  220  is mounted or fixed to grill  222 , e.g., at or adjacent inlet  204  of evaporator cover  200 . Air from freezer chamber  124  may flow through grill  222  via openings  224  to inlet  204  of evaporator cover  200 . 
     Air handler  220  may be mounted to evaporator cover  200  in any suitable manner. For example, as shown in  FIG. 4 , grill  222  is positioned on evaporator cover  200 , e.g., on an outer surface  202  of evaporator cover  200 . Grill  222  is also mounted to evaporator  200 , e.g., at or adjacent inlet  204  of evaporator cover  200 . In particular, evaporator cover  200  defines brackets  210 , e.g., that are disposed about inlet  204  of evaporator cover  200 . Portions of grill  222  are disposed within or on brackets  210  in order to assist with securing grill  222  to evaporator cover  200 . In certain exemplary embodiments, air handler  220  may be snap-fit to evaporator cover  200  with brackets  210 . 
     As discussed in greater detail below, evaporator cover  200  also includes features for reducing or minimizing noise resulting from operation of air handler  220 . Thus, evaporator cover  200  may reduce operating noise of refrigerator appliance  100 . In particular, evaporator cover  200  may be constructed or configured to minimize or dampen vibrations resulting from operation of air handler  220 . 
       FIG. 5  provides a partial elevation view of certain components of evaporator cover  200 . As may be seen in  FIG. 5 , the evaporator cover  200  (e.g., a main body of evaporator cover  200 ) may be constructed of or with a plurality of materials  211  that are integrally formed or mounted together. In particular, materials  211  may be meshed together such that each material of materials  211  is a single continuous piece of material as shown in the exemplary embodiment of  FIG. 5 . In alternative exemplary embodiments, evaporator cover  200  may include multiple discrete or separate pieces of each material of materials  211  within evaporator cover  200 . 
     Materials  211  may include any suitable number of different materials. For example, materials  211  may include at least two different materials, at least three different materials, at least four different materials, at least five different materials, etc. In certain exemplary embodiments, materials  211  may include no more than ten materials. Each material of materials  211  may be any suitable material. For example, each material of materials  211  may be a polymer. In particular, evaporator cover  200  includes at least a first material  212  and a second material  214  in the exemplary embodiment shown in  FIG. 5 . The first material  212  may be an elastomer, such as a styrene-based thermoplastic elastomers, or an ethylene propylene diene monomer rubber. The second materials  214  may be a photopolymer, such as polystyrene, polypropylene or acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS). 
     Each material of materials  211  has a different elastic modulus or Young&#39;s modulus. In addition, each material of materials  211  has a different hardness or durometer. By selecting a suitable elastic modulus and/or hardness (e.g., and position) for each material of materials  211 , evaporator cover  200  may be configured or tuned for reducing or minimizing vibrations from air handler  220  during operation of air hander  220 . In particular, the elastic modulus and/or hardness of each material of materials  211  may be selected such that resonant frequencies of air handler  220  are damped by evaporator cover  200 . In such a manner, noise generated by air handler  220  during operation of air handler  220  may be reduced. As an example, each material of materials  211  may have an elastic modulus and/or hardness that is at least five percent greater or less than the other materials of materials  211 . 
     Turning back to  FIG. 3 , a continuous outer coating  216  may be disposed or applied over materials  211  ( FIG. 5 ) in order to form outer surface  202  of evaporator cover  200 . The material of continuous outer coating  216  may be selected to match the color and/or appearance of inner liner  126  of cabinet  120  in freezer chamber  124 . Thus, evaporator cover  200  may have the same or similar outer appearance as adjacent portions of cabinet  120  despite being constructed with materials  211  having different material properties and/or appearances. Continuous outer coating  216  may be a single continuous piece of plastic, such as polyurethane. 
       FIG. 6  illustrates a method  600  for forming an evaporator cover according to an exemplary embodiment of the present subject matter. Method  600  may be used to form any suitable evaporator cover. For example, method  600  may be used to form evaporator cover  200  ( FIG. 3 ). Method  600  permits formation of various features of evaporator cover  200 , as discussed in greater detail below. Method  600  includes fabricating evaporator cover  200  as a unitary evaporator cover, e.g., such that the various materials of evaporator cover  200  are integrally formed together. More particularly, method  600  includes manufacturing or forming evaporator cover  200  using an additive process, such as Stereolithography (SLA), Digital Light Processing (DLP), Laser Net Shape Manufacturing (LNSM) and other known processes. An additive process fabricates plastic components using three-dimensional information, for example a three-dimensional computer model, of the component. The three-dimensional information is converted into a plurality of slices, each slice defining a cross section of the component for a predetermined height of the slice. The component is then “built-up” slice by slice, or layer by layer, until finished. 
     Accordingly, at step  610 , three-dimensional information of evaporator cover  200  is determined. As an example, a model or prototype of evaporator cover  200  may be scanned to determine the three-dimensional information of evaporator cover  200  at step  610 . As another example, a model of evaporator cover  200  may be constructed using a suitable CAD program to determine the three-dimensional information of evaporator cover  200  at step  610 . At step  620 , the three-dimensional information is converted into a plurality of slices that each defines a cross-sectional layer of evaporator cover  200 . As an example, the three-dimensional information from step  610  may be divided into equal sections or segments, e.g., along a central axis of evaporator cover  200  or any other suitable axis. Thus, the three-dimensional information from step  610  may be discretized at step  620 , e.g., in order to provide planar cross-sectional layers of evaporator cover  200 . 
     After step  620 , evaporator cover  200  is fabricated using the additive process, or more specifically each layer is successively formed at step  630 , e.g., by applying heat to melt and fuse a thermoplastic or polymerizing a resin using laser energy. The layers may have any suitable size. For example, each layer may have a size between about five ten-thousandths of an inch and about one thousandths of an inch. Evaporator cover  200  may be fabricated using any suitable additive manufacturing machine as step  630 . For example, any suitable inkjet printer or laserjet printer may be used at step  630 . 
     Utilizing method  600 , evaporator cover  200  may have fewer components and/or joints than known evaporator covers. Also, method  600  may assist with forming evaporator cover  200  having materials  211  with different elastic moduli and/or hardnesses in order to reduce noise generated during operation of air handler  220 . As a result, evaporator cover  200  may provide improved performance for refrigerator appliance  100 , e.g., by reducing or minimizing noise generated by vibration of evaporator cover  200  during operation of air handler  220 . Also, evaporator cover  200  may be less prone to breaks and/or be stronger when formed with method  600 . 
     This written description uses examples to disclose the invention, including the best mode, and also to enable any person skilled in the art to practice the invention, including making and using any devices or systems and performing any incorporated methods. The patentable scope of the invention is defined by the claims, and may include other examples that occur to those skilled in the art. Such other examples are intended to be within the scope of the claims if they include structural elements that do not differ from the literal language of the claims, or if they include equivalent structural elements with insubstantial differences from the literal languages of the claims.