Patent ID: 8220286

Claim:
A storage unit for a refrigeration appliance having a source of cold air, the storage unit comprising: (a) a holding compartment having an interior for holding one or more articles a temperature of which is to be controlled, the holding compartment including a first opening through which air is introduced into the interior of the holding compartment and a second opening through which air is discharged from the interior of the holding compartment; and (b) an air-handling unit comprising: (i) a plenum in air-flow communication with the interior of the holding compartment through the first opening in the holding compartment, whereby air is delivered from the plenum to the interior of the holding compartment; (ii) an air inlet in air flow communication with the source of cold air in the refrigeration appliance; (iii) a first air flow passageway in air flow communication with the air inlet and selectively in air flow communication with the plenum, whereby air from the source of cold air in the refrigeration appliance is selectively delivered through the air inlet to the plenum; (iv) a second air flow passageway in air flow communication with the second opening in the holding compartment and selectively in air flow communication with the plenum separate from the first air flow passageway and from the source of cold air, whereby air discharged from the interior of the holding compartment to the second air flow passageway through the second opening in the holding compartment is selectively recirculated to the plenum; (v) an air flow control device located in the first air flow passageway and the second air flow passageway and controlling the flow of air from the source of cold air in the refrigeration appliance to the plenum through the first air flow passageway and the flow of air from the second opening in the holding compartment to the plenum through the second air flow passageway; and (vi) a controller operatively connected to the air flow control device and controlling the operation of the air flow control device to selectively allow all of three air flows comprising essentially only air from the source of cold air, essentially only air discharged from the interior of the holding compartment and air from both the source of cold air in the refrigeration appliance and air discharged from the interior of the holding compartment to flow to the plenum through the air flow control device and be delivered from the plenum to the interior of the holding compartment through the first opening in the holding compartment, only one of the three air flows occurring at any one time.