Refrigeration – Gas controller or director – Cooled gas directed relative to cooled enclosure
Reexamination Certificate
2002-07-15
2004-05-11
Jones, Melvin (Department: 3744)
Refrigeration
Gas controller or director
Cooled gas directed relative to cooled enclosure
C062S298000, C062S413000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06732543
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates generally to an air tunnel diverter and the method for installing the same in a refrigeration unit. More particularly, though not exclusively, the present invention relates to an air tunnel diverter that can be easily assembled and installed.
Air tunnel diverters are commonly used on refrigeration units, such as household refrigerators. Air tunnel diverters typically have a plurality of pipes and are used to route cool air, usually from a freezer compartment, to various fresh food areas or compartments in the refrigerator compartment. To maximize efficiency, it is desirable to have all of the cooler air come from a single location or pump. This requires a plurality of pipes be merged into a single fitting to receive the cooler air. Current air tunnel diverters attempt to merge several pipes into one fitting using glue.
Glue is messy and often ineffective, failing to properly seal the air tunnel diverters. If the air tunnel diverters are not properly sealed, the foam insulation, which is typically sprayed on, may creep into the interior of the diverter, thereby reducing the diverters' effectiveness.
Current refrigeration units come in many styles and have a wide variety of specialized compartments. As designs evolve and change, the location of the various compartments also changes. Previously, cooler air was typically routed to these compartments through rigid pipes that were designed for a certain style of refrigerator with compartments in certain specified locations. Designing compartments in new locations also required designing a new air tunnel diverter to route the cooler air to the new locations. It is therefore desirable to have an air tunnel diverter that can be easily adapted or positioned to fit in a variety of refrigeration devices.
Accordingly, a primary feature of the present invention is the provision of an air tunnel diverter and the method for installing the same in a refrigeration unit that overcomes problems found in the prior art.
Another feature of the present invention is the provision of an air tunnel diverter and the method for installing the same in a refrigeration unit that does not require glue for installation.
A further feature of the present invention is the provision of an air tunnel diverter and the method for installing the same in a refrigeration unit that is easily adapted for installation in a variety of refrigeration units.
A still further feature of the present invention is the provision of an air tunnel diverter and the method for installing the same in a refrigeration unit that is easy to install.
Yet another feature of the present invention is the provision of an air tunnel diverter and the method for installing the same in a refrigeration unit that is inexpensive.
These and other features and advantages will become apparent from the following specification and claims.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention generally comprises a refrigeration unit including an air tunnel diverter and the method for installing the same. More specifically, the present invention generally includes an air tunnel diverter having a hub with one or more air tubes extending therefrom. The air tubes are secured to the hub and sealed with an overmold of a soft plastic flexible material. The air tubes are then inserted into the mullion area of the refrigeration unit. Each air tube preferably terminates in a fitting. The flexibility of the air tubes allows the installer to easily position the fittings into the desired locations. Once properly positioned, the air tunnel diverter is secured in place by the surrounding insulation material in the mullion.
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Jenkins, Jr. James H.
Seman, Sr. Richard F.
Jones Melvin
Maytag Corporation
McKee Voorhees & Sease, P.L.C.
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