Patent Publication Number: US-2023152022-A1

Title: Appliance fan assembly

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
     The present disclosure relates to a fan assembly for use in household appliances such as refrigerators. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Refrigerators generally may include a fan assembly that controls or regulates the amount of cooled air provided to one or more compartments of the refrigerator. The fan assembly may be disposed in a cold air passage to maintain a desired temperature of each compartment. The fan assembly may include a frame provided with one or more openings or air passages that may route cooled air to the compartments and a damper that may be rotated by a motor to selectively open or close the air passages. The damper may be coaxially arranged between the fan and the frame and may move within a gap between the fan and the frame. 
     SUMMARY 
     According to one embodiment, a fan assembly for use in an appliance is provided. The fan assembly may include a housing, a fan, a damper, and a wiper. The housing may be provided with a first sidewall forming a first outlet and a second outlet and the fan may be disposed in the housing and configured to expel cooled air through the first outlet and the second outlet to a number of compartments of the appliance. The damper may include an annular rim and a second sidewall extending from at least a portion of the annular rim. The damper may be configured to rotate to completely or partially cover the first outlet and the second outlet. The wiper may be provided with a main body disposed between the first sidewall and the second sidewall to block the cooled air from traveling between the first sidewall and the second sidewall. 
     According to another embodiment, another fan assembly is provided. The fan assembly may include a housing, a fan, a damper, and a first wiper. The housing may include a first sidewall that may at least partially form a first outlet, that may be disposed on a first side of the housing, and a second outlet that may be disposed on a second side of the housing. The second outlet may oppose the first outlet. The fan may be disposed in the housing and configured to rotate about a rotational axis to expel cooled air through the first outlet and the second outlet to a number of compartments of the appliance. The damper may include an annular rim and a second sidewall that may extend from at least a portion of the annular rim. The damper may be configured to rotate between a first position, in which the first outlet is covered, and a second position in which the second outlet is covered. The first wiper may include a main body that may be positioned with respect to the second sidewall so that when the damper is in the first position or the second position, the main body is disposed between the first sidewall and the second sidewall to block the cooled air from traveling between the first sidewall and the second sidewall. 
     According to yet another embodiment, a method of assembling a fan for use in a household appliance, is provided. The method may include: (a) providing a base that may include a first sidewall and second sidewall, that may form a first outlet and a second outlet disposed on opposing sides of a fan, the first sidewall may be radially spaced apart from the second sidewall; (b) inserting a rotatable damper between the first sidewall and the second sidewall, the rotatable damper including a third sidewall and configured to selectively rotate to open, partially block or completely block one or more of the first outlet and the second outlet; and (c) inserting a wiper between the first sidewall and the second sidewall so that as the rotatable damper rotates, the third sidewall is disposed between the wiper and the first sidewall. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG.  1    illustrates a plan view of an exemplary top-mount type refrigerator according to one or more embodiments. 
         FIG.  2    illustrates a top-perspective view of an exemplary fan assembly including a damper disposed in a first position. 
         FIG.  3    illustrates a top-perspective view of the exemplary fan assembly including the damper disposed in a second position. 
         FIG.  4    illustrates a top-perspective view of the exemplary fan assembly including the damper disposed in a third position. 
         FIG.  5    illustrates a plan view of the exemplary fan assembly according to one or more embodiments. 
         FIG.  5 A  illustrates a detailed-plan view of the exemplary fan assembly taken along the lines A-A in  FIG.  5   . 
         FIG.  6    illustrate a perspective view of an exemplary wiper disposed in the fan assembly. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Embodiments of the present disclosure are described herein. It is to be understood, however, that the disclosed embodiments are merely examples and other embodiments may take various and alternative forms. The figures are not necessarily to scale; some features could be exaggerated or minimized to show details of particular components. Therefore, specific structural and functional details disclosed herein are not to be interpreted as limiting, but merely as a representative basis for teaching one skilled in the art to variously employ the embodiments. As those of ordinary skill in the art will understand, various features illustrated and described with reference to any one of the figures may be combined with features illustrated in one or more other figures to produce embodiments that are not explicitly illustrated or described. The combinations of features illustrated provide representative embodiments for typical applications. Various combinations and modifications of the features consistent with the teachings of this disclosure, however, could be desired for particular applications or implementations. 
     This invention is not limited to the specific embodiments and methods described below, as specific components and/or conditions may, of course, vary. Furthermore, the terminology used herein is used only for the purpose of describing particular embodiments of the present invention and is not intended to be limiting in any way. 
     As used in the specification and the appended claims, the singular form “a,” “an,” and “the” comprise plural referents unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. For example, reference to a component in the singular is intended to comprise a plurality of components. 
     The term “substantially” or “about” may be used herein to describe disclosed or claimed embodiments. The term “substantially” or “about” may modify a value or relative characteristic disclosed or claimed in the present disclosure. In such instances, “substantially” or “about” may signify that the value or relative characteristic it modifies is within ±0%, 0.1%, 0.5%, 1%, 2%, 3%, 4%, 5% or 10% of the value or relative characteristic. 
     When an element or layer is referred to as being “on,” “engaged to,” “connected to,” or “coupled to” another element or layer, it may be directly on, engaged, connected or coupled to the other element or layer, or intervening elements or layers may be present. In contrast, when an element is referred to as being “directly on,” “directly engaged to,” “directly connected to,” or “directly coupled to” another element or layer, there may be no intervening elements or layers present. Other words used to describe the relationship between elements should be interpreted in a like fashion (e.g., “between” versus “directly between,” “adjacent” versus “directly adjacent,” etc.). The term “and/or” includes any and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed items. 
     Although the terms first, second, third, etc. may be used to describe various elements, components, regions, layers and/or sections, these elements, components, regions, layers and/or sections should not be limited by these terms. These terms may be only used to distinguish one element, component, region, layer or section from another region, layer or section. Terms such as “first,” “second,” and other numerical terms when used herein do not imply a sequence or order unless clearly indicated by the context. Thus, a first element, component, region, layer or section discussed below could be termed a second element, component, region, layer or section without departing from the teachings of the example embodiments. 
     Spatially relative terms, such as “inner,” “outer,” “beneath,” “below,” “lower,” “above,” “upper,” and the like, may be used for ease of description to describe one element or feature&#39;s relationship to another element(s) or feature(s) as illustrated in the figures. Spatially relative terms may be intended to encompass different orientations of the device in use or operation in addition to the orientation depicted in the figures. For example, if the device in the figures is turned over, elements described as “below” or “beneath” other elements or features would then be oriented “above” the other elements or features. Thus, the example term “below” can encompass both an orientation of above and below. The device may be otherwise oriented (rotated 90 degrees or at other orientations) and the spatially relative descriptors used herein interpreted accordingly. 
     One problem with known refrigerators and fan assemblies is air that is supposed to be routed to the openings may instead move between the damper and the frame. This air leakage may decrease the efficiency of the fan and the refrigerator as a whole. Inefficient operation may require the refrigerator to draw additional power or cause inadvertent warming or cooling of the refrigerator compartments. The present disclosure attempts to provide one or more solutions to this problem. 
     Referring generally to the figures, a refrigerator  100  including a fan assembly  102  is provided. The fan assembly  102  may include a housing  104  that may include a first sidewall  106  that may form a first outlet  108  and a second outlet  110 . A fan  112  may be disposed in the housing  104  so that as the fan  112  rotates, air such as cooled air, may be expelled through the first outlet  108 , the second outlet  110 , or both. A damper  114  may be arranged in the housing  104  so that the damper  114  circumferentially surrounds the fan  112 . The damper  114  may include an annular rim  116  and a second sidewall  118  and the damper  114  may be configured to rotate to completely or partially cover the first outlet  108 , the second outlet  110 , or the first outlet  108  and the second outlet  110  to control the amount of cooled air is provided to the compartments of the refrigerator. 
     A number of wipers  120  may be disposed in the housing to block air flow from circumferentially moving between the first sidewall  106  and the second sidewall  118 . The wiper  120  may include a main body  122  that may extend circumferentially along at least a portion of the first sidewall  106 , the second sidewall  118 , or both. The wiper  120  may include an attachment portion  124  that may extend from the main body  122 . The attachment portion  124  may be fixed to the first sidewall  106 . As an example, the attachment portion  124  may be formed by an arm that may be disposed in an aperture, such as a slot  126  formed by the first sidewall  106 . The slot  126  and the attachment portion  124  may be configured to form a force-fit condition when the attachment portion  124  is inserted into the slot  126 . The wiper  120  may include a retention flange  128  that may extend from the attachment portion  124  that may lie along an outer peripheral surface  130  of the first sidewall  106 . The retention flange  128  may be configured to limit radial movement of the wiper  120  with respect to the first sidewall  106 . 
       FIG.  1    generally shows the refrigerator  100 . The refrigerator may be of the top-mount type, but it is understood that this disclosure could apply to any type of refrigerator, such as a side-by-side, two-door bottom mount, or French-Door Bottom Mount type. As shown in  FIG.  1   , the refrigerator  100  may have a first internal storage chamber or the fresh food compartment  132  configured to refrigerate and not freeze consumables within the fresh food compartment  132  by maintaining at a temperature above the freezing temperature of water, typically in the range of 35-40 degrees Fahrenheit. A second internal storage chamber or a freezer compartment  134  is disposed above the fresh food compartment  132 . The freezer compartment  134  may be maintained below the freezing temperature of water and configured to freeze consumables within the freezer compartment  134  during normal use. 
     The refrigerator  100  includes cabinet walls that define the fresh food compartment  132  and the freezer compartment  134 . The refrigerator  100  may have one or more doors  136 ,  138  that provide selective access to the interior volume of the refrigerator  100  where consumables may be stored. As shown, the fresh food compartment doors are designated  136 , and the freezer door is designated  138 . It may also be shown that the fresh food compartment  132  may only have two doors  136 . Other configurations of two compartment refrigeration appliances are known including those where the freezer compartment is located below the fresh food compartment and where the freezer compartment is located in a side-by-side arrangement with the fresh food compartment. The present invention can be used in all of these different configurations. 
     The refrigerator  100  may include a machine compartment  140  that may be disposed behind the fresh food compartment  132  and the freezer compartment  134 . The machine compartment  140  may house a number of components such as a compressor, an evaporator, and the fan assembly  102 . The fresh food compartment  132  may include a refrigerator compartment outlet  142  and a freezer compartment outlet  144  that may each be fluidly connected, by a number of ducts (not illustrated), to the first outlet  108  and the second outlet  110 , respectively. The fan assembly  102  may be configured to provide air cooled by one or more heat exchangers to the refrigerator compartment outlet  142  and the freezer compartment outlet  144 . 
       FIG.  2    depicts a top-perspective view of the fan assembly  102 . The fan assembly  102  includes the housing  104  provided with the first sidewall  106  radially spaced apart from the fan  112 . In one or more embodiments, the fan  112  may be an impeller configured to rotate about a rotational axis R to radially expel cooled air to the first outlet  108  and the second outlet  110 . As an example, the fan  112  may include a frustoconical portion, that may be disposed in the center of the fan  112  about the rotational axis. The frustoconical portion may extend from a base of the fan  112  and a number of vanes or blades may extend along the base surface. As an example, one or more of the vanes may be positioned substantially tangential to an outer periphery of the frustoconical portion and extend to an outer periphery of the fan  112 . The vane may have a curved surface to guide the air flow towards the outlets  108 ,  110  so that the flow remains laminar or at least not significantly turbulent. A radial distal portion of the vanes may be cupped so as to be curved away from the curve of the proximal portion of the blade. 
     The housing  104  may include a first side  104   a , that may include the first outlet  108 , and a second side  104   b  that may include the second outlet  110 . The first side  104   a  and the second side  104   b  may be separated by a first plane P 1  that may extend through the rotational axis R. As an example, the first outlet  108  may have a width that is less than a width of the second outlet  110 . The first sidewall  106  may form a scroll chamber that may form the first and second outlets  108 ,  110 . The scroll chamber may be surrounded by a housing shell that may lie along an outer periphery of the first sidewall  106 . A top plate (not illustrated) may be disposed on top of the housing shell and the first sidewall to close out the housing shell and the scroll chamber. 
     The first sidewall  106  may not be continuous and may be formed by a number of segments. As an example, a first segment may include a first end  146  or first edge, that may form at least a portion of an inner periphery of the first outlet  108 , and a second end  148  or second edge that may from at least a portion of an inner periphery of the second outlet  110 . A second segment of the first sidewall may include a third end  150  or third edge and a fourth end  152  or fourth edge. The third end  150  may form a portion of the inner periphery of the first outlet  108  and the fourth end  152  may form a portion of the inner periphery of the second outlet  110 . 
     A damper  114  may be provided in the scroll chamber to permit and prevent air flow from traveling into one or more of the first and second outlets  108 ,  110 . The damper  114  may include an annular rim  156  and the second sidewall  158  that may extend in an axial direction from the annular rim  156 . The damper  114  may be configured to rotate to selectively cover all or portions of either the first outlet  108  or the second outlet  110 . As illustrated, the damper  114  is in a first position completely covering the second outlet  110 . As an example, the annular rim  156  may include a number of gear teeth  160  that may be disposed radially outward from the second sidewall  158 . The gear teeth may be disposed on at least half of the annular rim  156 . A motor  162  and an input gear  164  may each be disposed in the housing  104 . As an example, the motor  162  may be fixed to the housing shell and the input gear  164  may be disposed between portions of the first sidewall  106 . The motor  162  may be configured to actuate to rotate the input gear  164  and the input gear  164  mat engage the gear teeth  160  to rotate the damper  114  between a number of positions to regulate air flow to the first and second outlets  108 ,  110 . 
     An electrical connection (not illustrated) or power supply and a controller (not illustrated) may be operatively connected to the motor  162 . The controller may receive data from a number of sensors including but not limited to a temperature sensor, a humidity sensor, or another sensor, as required. In response to a triggering condition, such as temperature of one or more of the compartments of the refrigerator falling below or exceeding a threshold, the damper  114  may be rotated by actuation of the motor  162 . 
     The fan assembly  102  may include a third sidewall  166  that may be arranged coaxially and radially inward from the first sidewall  106 . In one or more embodiments, the third sidewall  166  may be fixed with respect to the housing  104  but in other embodiments, the third sidewall  166  may be configured to rotate with respect to the housing  104 . The third sidewall  166  may extend in an axial direction and have a height that is approximately equal to the height of the first sidewall  106 . The third sidewall  166  may include a include a notch  168  that may partially form a portion of the first outlet  108 . As an example, the third sidewall  166  may have a semi-circular shape and an open portion of the third sidewall  166  may face towards the second outlet  110 . 
     The wiper  120  includes the main body  122  and a number of a fingers  170  that may extend substantially radially from the main body towards the third sidewall  166 . The fingers  170  may be spaced apart from the third sidewall  166  to form a gap G. As the damper  114  rotates, the second sidewall  158  may move within the gap G. The fingers  170  may be spaced apart from one another to form insulation pockets. While the fan  112  is configured to route air through the first and second outlets  108 ,  110 , some air may leak and move circumferentially between first sidewall  106  and the second and third sidewalls  118 ,  166 . The insulation pockets may be disposed between the fingers  170  and may trap leaked air that circumferentially travels between the second and third sidewalls  118 ,  166 . The main body  122  may lie along an inner surface of the first sidewall  106  to prevent air from traveling along the inner surface of the first sidewall  106 . 
       FIG.  3    illustrates a top view of the fan assembly  102  with the damper  114  disposed in a second position that partially blocks the first outlet  108  and the second outlet  110 . A number of deflection posts such as a first deflection post  172  and a second deflection post  174  may extend from the third sidewall  166  so that the posts  172 ,  174  are disposed substantially in the middle of the first and second outlets  108 ,  110 , respectively. The deflection posts  172 ,  174  may have an arcuate shape configured to deflect air around the deflection posts  172 ,  174  to the first and second outlets  108 ,  110 . As an example, rounded surfaces of the posts  172 ,  147  may face the fan  112  and planar portions may face the outlet. 
     The fan assembly  102  may include a number of wipers  120  including a first wiper  120   a , second wiper  120   b , third wiper  120   c , and a fourth wiper  120   d . To use clock position or clock bearing, from the perspective of a viewer of  FIG.  3   , first deflection post  172  may be disposed at 12 o&#39;clock and the second deflection post  174  may be disposed at 6 o&#39;clock. The first wiper  120   a  may be disposed at approximately 11 o&#39;clock, the second wiper  120   b  may be disposed at 1 o&#39;clock, the third wiper  120   c  may be disposed at 9 o&#39;clock and the fourth wiper  120   d  may be disposed at 3 o&#39;clock. When the damper  114  is in the second position, end portions of the second sidewall  158  may be aligned with the first and second deflection posts  172 ,  174 . In the second position, the second sidewall  158  may be disposed between the first and third wipers  120   a ,  120   c  and the third sidewall  166 . As another example, when the damper  114  is in the second position, the second sidewall  158  may be disposed between the second and fourth wipers  120   b ,  120   d  and the third sidewall  166 . 
     The third sidewall  166  may include a pair of edge portions  176 ,  178  and a pair of end portions  180 ,  182 . The pair of edge portions  176 ,  178  may form the notch  168  of the third sidewall  166  and the pair of end portions  180 ,  182  may form distal ends of the third sidewall  166  that extend towards the second outlet  110 . In one or more embodiments, the pair of edge portions  176 ,  178  and the pair of end portions  180 ,  182  may include a chamfer configured to direct air towards the first and second outlets  108 ,  110 . When the damper  114  is in the first position ( FIG.  2   ) portions of the second sidewall  158  may overlap or cover, in the radial direction, the end portions  180 ,  182 . 
     In one or more embodiments, portions of the first outlet  108 , the wiper, and the third sidewall  166  may be aligned substantially with one another. As an example, the second end  148  of the first sidewall  106  may be aligned with an end of the second wiper  120   b  and the edge portion  176 . On the other hand, the first end  146  of the first sidewall  106  may be circumferentially offset from an end of the first wiper  120   a  and the second edge portion  178  may be circumferentially offset from the end of the first wiper  120   a . In other words, the first end  146  may be positioned closest to the 12 o&#39;clock position and the end of the first wiper  120   a , and the second edge portion  178 , respectively may be spaced further away from the 12 o&#39;clock position. This arrangement may create an angled wall configured to route air (if the fan  112  rotates in the clockwise direction) towards the first outlet  108 . 
       FIG.  4    illustrates a top view of the fan assembly  102  with the damper  114  positioned in a third position so that the first outlet  108  is completely closed and the second outlet is completely open. Distal end portions of the second sidewall  158  may overlap the third sidewall  166  in the radial direction. When the damper  114  is in the third position, the second sidewall  158  may be disposed between each of the wipers  120   a - 120   d  and the third sidewall  166 . As the fan  112  rotates air is routed from away from the first sidewall  106  towards the second outlet  110 . Should some portion of the air move towards the first outlet  108 , between the first and third sidewalls  106 ,  166 , the wipers  120   a - 120   d  and the second sidewall  158  are arranged to block the air from moving towards the first outlet  108 . 
       FIG.  5    illustrates a plan view of the fan assembly  102 . In this view the fan assembly is shown from the perspective of one looking at the second outlet  110 . The damper  114  may be disposed on a base portion of the fan assembly  102 . The annular rim  156  and gear teeth  160  may be disposed between the base portion and the second sidewall  158 . A number of protrusions  184 ,  186  may extend in a radial direction from the second sidewall  158 . The protrusions  184 ,  186  may be positioned so that when the damper is in the second position, one or more of the protrusions  184 ,  186  may be positioned adjacent to or contact one or more portions of one of the wipers  120   a - 120   d  to further minimize air traveling circumferentially between the wipers  120   a - 120   d  and the second sidewall  158 . The third and fourth wipers  120   c ,  120   d  include the main body  122  and portions of the main body may extend circumferentially along an inner surface  188  of the first sidewall  106 . 
       FIG.  5 A  illustrates a detailed-plan view taken along the lines A-A in  FIG.  5   . In one or more embodiments, the main body  122  of one or more of the wipers  120   a - 120   d  including the third wiper  120   c  may be tapered in the radial direction. As an example, the main body  122  may have a first height H 1  and a distal end of a portion the wiper such as one or more of the fingers  170  may have a second height H 2  that may be less than the first height H 1 . As mentioned above, the wipers  120   a - 120   d  may be disposed above portions of the annular rim  116  in the axial direction. 
       FIG.  6    is a perspective view of the wiper  120 . The wiper  120  includes a main body  122  and a number of fingers  170   a - 170   d  that may extend from the main body  122 . The fingers may be spaced apart from one another to form a number of pockets G 1 -G 3 . The pockets G 1 -G 3  may be configured to trap leaked air traveling circumferentially around the first wall  106 . In one or more embodiments, an end portion of the wiper  120  may include a finger  170   d  that includes an angled surface  190  that is angled with respect to the other fingers  170   a - 170   c . The angled finger surface  190  may be configured to route the air towards the first or second outlets  108 ,  110 . 
     The words used in the specification are words of description rather than limitation, and it is understood that various changes may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the disclosure. As previously described, the features of various embodiments may be combined to form further embodiments that may not be explicitly described or illustrated. While various embodiments could have been described as providing advantages or being preferred over other embodiments or prior art implementations with respect to one or more desired characteristics, those of ordinary skill in the art recognize that one or more features or characteristics may be compromised to achieve desired overall system attributes, which depend on the specific application and implementation. As such, embodiments described as less desirable than other embodiments or prior art implementations with respect to one or more characteristics are not outside the scope of the disclosure and may be desirable for particular applications.