Patent Publication Number: US-2022214095-A1

Title: Multi-select single refrigerating appliance drawer

Description:
FIELD OF INVENTION 
     The instant invention relates multi-select single refrigerating appliance drawer separable into up to more than one compartments wherein the temperature of each compartment may be independently controlled by way of user interface. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Conventional refrigerating appliances, such as domestic refrigerators, typically have both a fresh food compartment and a freezer compartment or section. The fresh food compartment is where food items such as fruits, vegetables, and beverages are stored. The freezer compartment is where food items that are to be kept in a frozen condition are stored. The refrigerating appliances are provided with refrigeration systems that maintains the fresh food compartment at temperatures above 0° C., such as between 0.25° C. and 4.5° C. and the freezer compartments at temperatures below 0° C., such as between 0° C. and −20° C. 
     The arrangements of the fresh food and freezer compartments with respect to one another vary. For example, in some cases, the freezer compartment is located above the fresh food compartment and in other cases the freezer compartment is located below the fresh food compartment. Additionally, many modern refrigerating appliances have their freezer compartments and fresh food compartments arranged in a side-by-side relationship. 
     Refrigerating appliance, such as refrigerators, may include drawers for storage of meats, fruits, vegetable, dairy products and the like, particularly in, but not limited to, the fresh food compartment. Generally, the conditions, such as temperature and humidity, of such drawers are controlled by setting the size of an opening between the drawer and the main chamber of the refrigerating appliance or between the drawer and a cold air supply duct. In such instances, the exchange of air into and out of the drawer occurs by air flow or static exchange. Such cooling of a drawer may not always provide optimum temperatures for the contents of the drawing. For example, when a drawer is opened or closed, the temperature of the drawer may change and may require a significant amount of time to reach optimum temperature again. Moreover, such drawers are generally confined to a single temperature over the entire drawer and therefore, each drawer is limited to a single special use, e.g. for fruits, dependent upon the opening setting. 
     Users of a refrigerating appliance, however, may not have a sufficient quantity of each particular type of food to fill an entire drawer. Additionally, drawers for each type of food and/or intended use may not be supplied in a refrigerating appliance, and if supplied, may occupy an excessive amount of space in the appliance. Consequently, there is a need for a refrigerating appliance drawer which can be subdivided into separate compartments and wherein each separate compartment may be actively temperature controlled and monitored so as to maintain optimum conditions for the intended contents and/or use. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The instant invention is a multi-select single refrigerating appliance drawer which can be divided into multiple compartments, each compartment temperature controlled for an intended content and/or use set by a user. 
     In a first embodiment, the invention provides refrigerating appliance drawer comprising a body having a front panel, a rear panel, two side panels, and a floor panel, and wherein the body is divisible into more than one compartments, and wherein a temperature sensor is located within each of the more than one possible compartments; pivotable dividers, each divider pivotable between a non-use position in which the divider lies on the floor panel of the body and a use position in which it is upright and perpendicular to the floor panel of the body; a ducted cover sized and configured to fit over the body having a channel on an upper surface of the cover, the channel connecting to each of more than one fans, one fan located over each of the more than one possible compartments, wherein the channel further connects to a cold air supply duct or an air return duct; and a control system connected to each of the fans and each of the temperature sensors and a user interface. 
     In another embodiment, the invention provides refrigerating appliance drawer comprising a body having a front panel, a rear panel, two side panels, and a roof panel, and wherein the body is divisible into more than one compartments, and wherein a temperature sensor is located within each of the more than one possible compartments; a ducted floor sized and configured to fit under the body, the ducted floor having a bottom channel on a lower surface of the ducted bottom, the channel connecting to each of more than one bottom fans, one bottom fan located under each of the more than one compartments, and wherein the bottom channel further connects to a cold air supply duct or an air return duct; pivotable dividers, each divider pivotable between a non-use position in which the divider lies on a ducted bottom and a use position in which the divider is upright and perpendicular to the ducted bottom; and a control system connected to each of the fans and each of the temperature sensors and a user interface. 
     In an alternative embodiment, the invention is a refrigerating appliance drawer according to any of the foregoing embodiments further comprising a hub located at a centerpoint of the floor panel, the hub configured to support and/or stop each of the dividers when a divider is in a use position. 
     In another embodiment, the invention is a refrigerating appliance drawer according to any of the foregoing embodiments further comprising a solid panel configured to fit over the ducted cover or under the ducted bottom. 
     In yet another embodiment, the invention is a refrigerating appliance according to any of the foregoing embodiments, wherein the user interface permits a user to select a temperature setting for each of the more than one compartments. 
     In yet another embodiment, the invention is a refrigerating appliance according to any of the foregoing embodiments, wherein the user interface permits a user to select an intended content for each of the more than one compartments. 
     In yet another embodiment, the invention is a refrigerating appliance according to any of the foregoing embodiments, wherein the fans are variable speed fans. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       For the purpose of illustrating the invention, there is shown in the drawings a form that is presently preferred; it being understood, however, that this invention is not limited to the precise arrangements and instrumentalities and scale shown. 
         FIG. 1  is a front perspective view of a household French door bottom mount refrigeration appliance showing doors of the fresh food compartment in opened positions and showing drawers located therein; 
         FIG. 2  is a perspective, partially exploded view of a first embodiment of a drawer of the present invention with all of the dividers in use position; 
         FIG. 3  is a perspective, partially exploded view of the embodiment shown in  FIG. 2  with two of the dividers in use position; 
         FIG. 4  is a rear perspective view of the first embodiment of a drawer; 
         FIG. 5  is a perspective, partially exploded view of a second embodiment of a drawer of the present invention with all of the dividers in use position; 
         FIG. 6  is a perspective view of one embodiments of a hub; 
         FIG. 7  is an exploded perspective view of a third embodiment of a drawer of the present invention; and 
         FIG. 8  is a front perspective view of an exemplary user interface. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION 
     Embodiments of a refrigerating appliance or a component thereof now will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. Whenever possible, the same reference numerals are used throughout the drawings to refer to the same or like parts. 
     Referring to  FIG. 1 , a French door bottom mount refrigerator indicated generally at  10  with the French doors  12  open to reveal the interior of a fresh food compartment  14 . The refrigerator of  FIG. 1  includes two French doors  12  enclosing a fresh food compartment  14  and a slide out freezer compartment enclosed by a freezer door  16 . As can be seen in  FIG. 1 , the fresh food compartment  14  may include one or more drawers  16   a ,  16   b ,  16   c  for holding particular types of foods. Such fresh food drawers  16  are usually configured to hold meats, fruits, vegetable or dairy products, such as yogurt, cheeses, and butter. 
     The refrigerator or refrigerating appliance  10  useful in various embodiments of the invention can have any desired configuration including at least a fresh food compartment  14 . In some embodiments, the refrigerator  10  may also include a freezer compartment, such as a top mount refrigerator (freezer disposed above the fresh food compartment), a side-by-side refrigerator (fresh food compartment is laterally next to the freezer compartment), a standalone refrigerator or freezer, etc. 
     Referring to  FIG. 2 , a first embodiment of the inventive drawer  20  is shown. The drawer  20  includes a body  22  which is made up of a front panel  24 , a rear panel  26 , two side panels  28 , and a floor panel  30 . A hub  32  extends upward from a centerpoint of the floor panel  30 . In the embodiment illustrated in  FIG. 2 , the drawer  20  includes four dividers  34  which are pivotably mounted to a bottom portion of the hub  32 . In alternative embodiments, the drawer  20  may include fewer or more dividers  34 , dividing the drawer  20  into two or more compartments, depending on the number of dividers placed in a use, or upright, position. 
     As shown in the embodiment of  FIG. 2 , one divider extends between hub  32  and the front panel  24 . Another divider  34  extends between hub  32  and rear panel  26 . A third divider  34  extends between hub  32  and a first side panel  28  and a fourth divider  34  extends between hub  32  and a second side panel  28 . 
     In  FIG. 2 , all of the dividers are shown in a use position, thereby dividing body  22  into four substantially equally sized compartments  23 . However, in alternative embodiments, the dividers  34  may be positioned as to divide the body  22  into differently sized compartments. In  FIG. 3 , two of the dividers  34  are in use position and two of the dividers  34  are in non-use position. In a non-use position, a divider  34  lays substantially flat on the floor panel  30 . The dividers  34  may pivot upward to a use, or upright, position. The dividers  34  may be held in use position with any means, such as magnetic strips, or clips (not shown). The dividers  34  are sized and configured such that when in the use position, the dividers  34  reach from the floor panel  30  to a lower surface of a ducted cover  36  enclosing the drawer body  22 . In  FIGS. 2 and 3 , the ducted cover  36  is show in partially exploded view. It will be understood that the ducted cover  36  is positioned to serve as a roof of the body  22  and sits atop and may be, in some embodiments, connected to a top edge of the body  22 . As shown in the embodiment in  FIGS. 2 and 3 , when all four dividers  34  are placed in the use position, the body  22  is divided into four compartments  23 . Likewise, when three of the dividers  34  are in the use position the drawer body  22  is divided into three compartments  23  and when two of the dividers  34  are in use position, the drawer is divided into two compartments  23  (as is shown in  FIG. 3 ). The dividers  34  in some embodiments may include seals or gaskets along top, bottom and/or side edges in order to prevent air leakage between compartments of the body  22 . 
     The ducted cover  36  includes a channel  38  providing a fluid connection between an air supply duct (not shown) or an air return duct (not shown). In the embodiment shown in  FIG. 3 , the ducted cover channel  38  connects to four fans  40  which are located so as to be in fluid connection with each of the four possible compartments of the body  22 . As previously mentioned, body  22  may include fewer or more dividers than shown in the Figures. The number of fans and channel divisions may vary depending upon the number of dividers and the maximum number of possible compartments into which the body  22  may be divided. Each of the fans  40  are in electrical communication with a user interface and/or a refrigerator controller. Also located within the body  22  are temperature sensors (no shown), one temperature sensor located within each of the compartments  23  into which the body  22  can be divided. It will be readily understood that when the drawer body  22  is divided into less than the maximum number of compartments, at least one of the compartments will include more than one temperature sensor. Any temperature sensor capable of measuring temperatures within the typical range for refrigerating appliances may be used. Fans  40  place the drawer body  22  in fluid communication with the channel  38 . 
       FIG. 4  is a perspective view showing the rear side of the drawer  20  shown in  FIGS. 2 and 3 , in assembled condition. A channel end opening  42  of channel  38  is shown. Opening  42  connects to either an air supply duct or an air return duct. In the embodiment shown in  FIG. 4 , channel end opening  42  would generally connect to an air supply duct so that cold air may be drawn into the body  22  and any compartments  23  formed therein by the dividers  34 .  FIG. 4  also illustrates a top surface of the ducted cover  36  being capped with a top cover  58 . 
     Referring now to  FIG. 5 , a second embodiment of the inventive drawer  50  is shown in which a ducted floor  51  is illustrated. Ducted floor  50  includes four bottom fans  52  which are in fluid communication with the body  22  and a bottom channel  54  positioned on a lower surface of the ducted floor  51 . Ducted floor  51  includes one or more bottom channel end openings  56  which are configured to communicate with and/or connect with an air supply duct and/or an air return duct. The second embodiment further includes dividers  34 , hub  32 , temperature sensors and drawer body  22  as discussed in connection with  FIGS. 2 and 3 . As shown in  FIG. 5 , the second embodiment may include a simple top cover  58  in lieu of a ducted cover  36 . In some embodiments, a bottom surface of the ducted floor  51  and the bottom channel  54  may be covered and enclosed with a bottom cover  59 . 
       FIG. 6  illustrates one embodiment of a hub  32 , the hub  32  configured to accommodate up to four dividers  34 . In such embodiment, hub  32  includes a center support  60  having a generally square or rectangular cross section. The center support  60  further includes four flanges  62  extending outwardly from each face of center support  60 . At least one face of the center support  60  in each possible compartment further includes, in some embodiments, an indentation  64  running along the height of the center support  60 . The indentations  64  provide additional means for fluid communication between the body  22  or compartments  23  and either or both of channel  38  of ducted cover  36  and bottom channel  54  of ducted floor  51 . Hub  32  further includes means (not shown) for pivotably mounting dividers  34  at a bottom end of hub  32 . Such means may include, for example, a depression (not shown) on each face of the center support  60 , the depression configured to accept a pin (not shown) protruding from a bottom inner side edge a divider  34 . In alternative embodiments, the hub  32  could have any closed cross sectional shape, such as circular, rectangular, or octagonal. In one embodiment, the hub is integrally molded with a floor panel  30  of the body  22 . In an alternative embodiment, the hub and dividers may form a removable unit which can be removably placed inside the body  22 . In yet another embodiment, the hub  32  may be integrally formed with a top cover  58 , a ducted floor  51 , and/or a ducted cover  36 . In yet another alternative embodiment, the hub  32  is removably attached to a floor panel  30 , a top cover  58 , a ducted floor  51 , and/or a ducted cover  36 , such as by bolt, screw, fastener or adhesive. 
       FIG. 7  illustrates, in exploded perspective view, a third embodiment of the inventive drawer  70  including both a ducted floor  51  and a ducted cover  36 . Drawer  70  further includes a top cover  58 , body  22 , dividers  34 , hub  32 , and bottom cover  59 . In such embodiment a floor panel  30  is optional. If present, the floor panel  30  includes a grill (not shown) to permit fluid communication between the bottom channel and the body  22  by way of bottom fans  52 . 
     In view of the first, second and third embodiments illustrated herein, it will be readily understood that any combination of a ducted cover and ducted bottom are within the scope of the invention. Moreover, it should be understood that while the embodiments are illustrated with four dividers  34 , the drawer  20 ,  50 , or  70  could alternatively be provided with two, three, or more dividers  34 . 
     An exemplary but non-limiting user interface  80  is shown in  FIG. 8 . The user interface  80  may connect directly or indirectly with fans  40  and/or bottom fans  52 , the temperature sensors in each compartment, and/or a refrigerating appliance controller. As used herein, refrigerating appliance controller may include any controller used in a refrigerating appliance, such as a main refrigerator controller, a main freezer controller or a subcomponent thereof, such as a drawer controller. As shown in  FIG. 8 , the user interface  80  may allow a user to select a temperature, temperature range, and/or end use for the drawer  20 ,  50 , or  72  as a whole or for each compartment  23 . For example, buttons  81 - 84  may be used when a drawer is divided into four compartments, allowing the user to select one of four different options for temperature range or intended use for each compartment. Such temperature ranges/end uses may include, for example, meat and seafood, cold drinks, deli goods and snacks, and wine. Alternative options could include, for example, alcoholic beverages, fruits, vegetables, and dairy products. As shown in  FIG. 8 , rather than selecting an end use, a user may be permitted to select a temperature, including for example, 28° F./−2° C., 32° F./0° C., 37° F./3° C., or 45° F./7° C. In alternative embodiment, an end user may be given an option to choose a temperature range rather than a set temperature. The user interface may be located on a front panel of the drawer or on a refrigerating appliance control center located remotely from the drawer. 
     The invention further provides any of the foregoing embodiments, further including a drawer  20 ,  50 , or  72  positioned in a freezer compartment. In such uses, the end uses which may be selected by a user may include, for example, quick freeze, frozen dairy, uncooked meats, frozen vegetable, and frozen prepared foods. Likewise, the user interface for a divisible and temperature controlled drawer in the freezer compartment may be permitted to select a set temperature or temperature range. 
     As illustrated in the appended figures, the drawers  20 ,  50 , and  72  are illustrated as having a rectangular shape with a certain relative depth. However, it should be understood that the invention relates to a divisible drawer with temperature control by use of temperature sensors and fans. The inventive drawer may have any configuration and relative depth. For example, inventive drawer may be rectangular and shallow, rectangular and deep, square and shallow or square and deep. 
     The temperature within the inventive drawer as a whole or within the compartments thereof may be controlled by forcing air from an air supply duct into the drawer or compartments with passive outflow of air from the drawer or compartments. In an alternative embodiment, air may be sucked out of the drawer or compartments with passive inflow of cold air into the drawer or compartments. In yet another alternative embodiment, the temperature of the drawer or compartments may be regulated by forced air, by use of fans, from an air supply duct into the drawer or compartments in conjunction with forced air venting, by use of fans, from the drawer or compartments into an air return duct and/or into the fresh food compartment. 
     In some embodiments, all fans are operated while in other embodiments, each fan is independently operable. The fans may be single speed fans or alternatively, variable speed fans. The fans may be all of a single type or different types of fans. 
     While the appended figures illustrate certain components as transparent and other components as opaque, it will be understood that any of the elements may be opaque, translucent, transparent, or any combination thereof. 
     The invention has been described with reference to the example embodiments described above. Modifications and alterations will occur to others upon a reading and understanding of this specification. Example embodiments incorporating one or more aspects of the invention are intended to include all such modifications and alterations insofar as they come within the scope of the appended claims and their equivalents.