Refrigerator with an improved air handler for quickly chilling a bin

Abstract

A refrigerator with an improved air handler for a quick chill bin is disclosed. The refrigerator includes a first compartment, a second compartment and a bin disposed in the second compartment. The air handler includes a first conduit for supplying cooling air from the first compartment to the bin, and a second conduit for returning air from the bin to the first compartment. The second conduit substantially covers the first conduit.

1 . A refrigerator comprising:
 a first compartment;   a second compartment;   a bin disposed in the second compartment; and   an air handler comprising:
 a first conduit for supplying cold air from the first compartment to the bin; and 
 a second conduit for returning air from the bin to the first compartment, 
 wherein the first conduit is disposed within the second conduit. 
   
   
   
       2 . The refrigerator of  claim 1 , wherein the first conduit and the second conduit are disposed in a substantially concentric relationship to one another. 
   
   
       3 . The refrigerator of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first conduit and the second conduit comprises a flexible material. 
   
   
       4 . The refrigerator of  claim 1 , wherein the air handler occupies no greater than 0.2 cubic feet of space in the second compartment. 
   
   
       5 . The refrigerator of  claim 1 , further comprising a fan for causing cooling air to flow from the first compartment into the first conduit or causing air to flow from the bin into the second conduit. 
   
   
       6 . The refrigerator of  claim 5 , wherein the fan is disposed in the first conduit. 
   
   
       7 . The refrigerator of  claim 6 , wherein the first conduit has an output end, the fan being disposed adjacent to the output end. 
   
   
       8 . The refrigerator of  claim 1 , further comprising a damper for controlling at least one of an amount of the cooling air flowing into the first conduit from the first compartment and an amount of the air flowing into the second conduit from the bin. 
   
   
       9 . The refrigerator of  claim 1 , wherein during operation, the air in the second conduit is warmer than the dew point of moistures in the second compartment so that no condensation or frost is formed on an external surface of the air handler. 
   
   
       10 . The refrigerator of  claim 1 , further comprising a mullion which separates the first compartment from the second compartment, the air handler passing through the mullion. 
   
   
       11 . The refrigerator of  claim 1 , wherein the first compartment is a freezer compartment and the second compartment is a fresh food compartment.