Combination Refrigerator-Freezer with Dividing Air-Impermeable Air-to-Air Heat Exchanger

Abstract

A combination refrigerator-freezer with dividing air-impermeable air-to-air heat exchanger is a system for cooling a refrigerator compartment and a freezer compartment utilizing a single cooling system and without mixing or exchanging air between the refrigerator compartment and the freezer compartment. Cold air is generated by the cooling system and circulated into the freezer compartment and into a freezer airflow compartment where the cold air cools an air-to-air heat exchanger. Warmer air circulating through a refrigerator airflow compartment positioned opposite to the freezer airflow compartment is cooled by the air-to-air heat exchanger and is in turn able to cool the refrigerator compartment. A control unit is utilized to control the temperatures within the refrigerator compartment and the cooling compartment and to ensure that the system is not active while defrosting is in progress. A first defroster and a second defroster are utilized to prevent key components from icing up.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A combination refrigerator-freezer with dividing air-impermeable air-to-air heat exchanger comprises:
 a freezer compartment;   a refrigerator compartment;   a cooling compartment;   a freezer airflow compartment;   a refrigerator airflow compartment;   an air-to-air heat exchanger;   a cooling system;   a control unit;   the refrigerator airflow compartment, the freezer airflow compartment, and the cooling compartment each comprise an inlet and an outlet;   the cooling compartment being adjacently connected to the freezer compartment;   the cooling compartment being in fluid communication with the freezer compartment through the inlet of the cooling compartment and the outlet of the cooling compartment;   the freezer compartment being in fluid communication with the freezer airflow compartment through the inlet of the freezer airflow compartment and the outlet of the freezer airflow compartment, wherein air is circulated through the freezer compartment and the freezer airflow compartment through the inlet of the freezer airflow compartment and the outlet of the freezer airflow compartment;   the air-to-air heat exchanger being connected in between the refrigerator airflow compartment and the freezer airflow compartment;   the air-to-air heat exchanger being in thermal contact with the refrigerator airflow compartment and the freezer airflow compartment;   the refrigerator compartment being in fluid communication with the refrigerator airflow compartment through the inlet of the refrigerator airflow compartment and the outlet of the refrigerator airflow compartment, wherein air is circulated through the refrigerator compartment and the refrigerator airflow compartment through the inlet of the refrigerator airflow compartment and the outlet of the refrigerator airflow compartment; and   the control unit being electronically connected to the cooling system.   
     
     
         2 . The combination refrigerator-freezer with dividing air-impermeable air-to-air heat exchanger as claimed in  claim 1  further comprises:
 a freezer circulation fan; 
 a refrigerator circulation fan; 
 a cooling circulation fan; 
 the cooling system comprises a compressor, an evaporator, a condenser, and a metering device; 
 the compressor being in fluid communication with the condenser; 
 the condenser being in fluid communication with the metering device; 
 the metering device being in fluid communication with the evaporator; 
 the evaporator being in fluid communication with the compressor; 
 the freezer circulation fan being mounted into the outlet of the freezer airflow compartment; 
 the refrigerator circulation fan being mounted into the outlet of the refrigerator airflow compartment; 
 the cooling circulation fan being mounted into the outlet of the cooling compartment, adjacent to the evaporator; and 
 the freezer circulation fan, the refrigerator circulation fan, and the cooling circulation fan being electronically connected to the control unit. 
 
     
     
         3 . The combination refrigerator-freezer with dividing air-impermeable air-to-air heat exchanger as claimed in  claim 2  further comprises:
 the compressor, the evaporator, the condenser, and the metering device being positioned within the cooling compartment. 
 
     
     
         4 . The combination refrigerator-freezer with dividing air-impermeable air-to-air heat exchanger as claimed in  claim 2  further comprises:
 the compressor being positioned external to the refrigerator compartment, the freezer compartment, and the cooling compartment. 
 
     
     
         5 . The combination refrigerator-freezer with dividing air-impermeable air-to-air heat exchanger as claimed in  claim 1  further comprises:
 a first defroster; 
 a second defroster; 
 the first defroster being positioned adjacent to an evaporator of the cooling system; and 
 the second defroster being positioned adjacent to the air-to-air heat exchanger. 
 
     
     
         6 . The combination refrigerator-freezer with dividing air-impermeable air-to-air heat exchanger as claimed in  claim 1  further comprises:
 a first defroster ; 
 a second defroster; 
 the control unit comprises a refrigerator control unit and a freezer control unit; 
 the refrigerator control unit being electronically connected to the freezer control unit; 
 the first defroster and the second defroster being electronically connected to the freezer control unit and the refrigerator control unit, respectively; 
 the refrigerator control unit being electronically connected to a refrigerator circulation fan and a freezer circulation fan; and 
 the freezer control unit being electronically connected to a cooling circulation fan. 
 
     
     
         7 . The combination refrigerator-freezer with dividing air-impermeable air-to-air heat exchanger as claimed in  claim 1  further comprises:
 a first insulation panel; 
 a second insulation panel; 
 the first insulation panel being connected in between the freezer compartment and the freezer airflow compartment; and 
 the second insulation panel being connected in between the refrigerator compartment and the refrigerator airflow compartment. 
 
     
     
         8 . The combination refrigerator-freezer with dividing air-impermeable air-to-air heat exchanger as claimed in  claim 1  further comprises:
 at least one runoff drain pipe; 
 a runoff drain pan; 
 the at least one runoff drain pipe being positioned adjacent to the air-to-air heat exchanger and an evaporator of the cooling system; and 
 the runoff drain pan being positioned adjacent to the at least one drain pipe. 
 
     
     
         9 . The combination refrigerator-freezer with dividing air-impermeable air-to-air heat exchanger as claimed in  claim 1  further comprises:
 the air-to-air heat exchanger comprises a plate; 
 a first surface of the plate being in thermal contact with the freezer airflow compartment; and 
 a second surface of the plate being in thermal contact with the refrigerator airflow compartment. 
 
     
     
         10 . The combination refrigerator-freezer with dividing air impermeable air-to-air heat exchanger as claimed in  claim 9  further comprises:
 the air-to-air heat exchanger further comprises a plurality of fins; and 
 the plurality of fins being evenly distributed across the first surface and the second surface. 
 
     
     
         11 . A combination refrigerator-freezer with dividing air impermeable air-to-air heat exchanger comprises:
 a freezer compartment;   a refrigerator compartment;   a cooling compartment;   a freezer airflow compartment;   a refrigerator airflow compartment;   an air-to-air heat exchanger;   a cooling system;   a control unit;   a first defroster ;   a second defroster;   the refrigerator airflow compartment, the freezer airflow compartment, and the cooling compartment each comprise an inlet and an outlet;   the control unit comprises a refrigerator control unit and a freezer control unit;   the cooling compartment being adjacently connected to the freezer compartment;   the cooling compartment being in fluid communication with the freezer compartment through the inlet of the cooling compartment and the outlet of the cooling compartment;   the freezer compartment being in fluid communication with the freezer airflow compartment through the inlet of the freezer airflow compartment and the outlet of the freezer airflow compartment, wherein air is circulated through the freezer compartment and the freezer airflow compartment through the inlet of the freezer airflow compartment and the outlet of the freezer airflow compartment;   the air-to-air heat exchanger being connected in between the refrigerator airflow compartment and the freezer airflow compartment;   the air-to-air heat exchanger being in thermal contact with the refrigerator airflow compartment and the freezer airflow compartment;   the refrigerator compartment being in fluid communication with the refrigerator airflow compartment through the inlet of the refrigerator airflow compartment and the outlet of the refrigerator airflow compartment, wherein air is circulated through the refrigerator compartment and the refrigerator airflow compartment through the inlet of the refrigerator airflow compartment and the outlet of the refrigerator airflow compartment;   the control unit being electronically connected to the cooling system;   the refrigerator control unit being electronically connected to the freezer control unit;   the first defroster and the second defroster being electronically connected to the freezer control unit and the refrigerator control unit, respectively;   the refrigerator control unit being electronically connected to a refrigerator circulation fan and a freezer circulation fan; and   the freezer control unit being electronically connected to a cooling circulation fan.   
     
     
         12 . The combination refrigerator-freezer with dividing air-impermeable air-to-air heat exchanger as claimed in  claim 11  further comprises:
 a freezer circulation fan; 
 a refrigerator circulation fan; 
 a cooling circulation fan; 
 the cooling system comprises a compressor, an evaporator, a condenser, and a metering device; 
 the compressor being in fluid communication with the condenser; 
 the condenser being in fluid communication with the metering device; 
 the metering device being in fluid communication with the evaporator; 
 the evaporator being in fluid communication with the compressor; 
 the freezer circulation fan being mounted into the outlet of the freezer airflow compartment; 
 the refrigerator circulation fan being mounted into the outlet of the refrigerator airflow compartment; 
 the cooling circulation fan being mounted into the outlet of the cooling compartment, adjacent to the evaporator; and 
 the freezer circulation fan, the refrigerator circulation fan, and the cooling circulation fan being electronically connected to the control unit. 
 
     
     
         13 . The combination refrigerator-freezer with dividing air-impermeable air-to-air heat exchanger as claimed in  claim 12  further comprises:
 the compressor, the evaporator, the condenser, and the metering device being positioned within the cooling compartment. 
 
     
     
         14 . The combination refrigerator-freezer with dividing air-impermeable air-to-air heat exchanger as claimed in  claim 12  further comprises:
 the compressor being positioned external to the refrigerator compartment, the freezer compartment, and the cooling compartment. 
 
     
     
         15 . The combination refrigerator-freezer with dividing air-impermeable air-to-air heat exchanger as claimed in  claim 11  further comprises:
 a first defroster; 
 a second defroster; 
 the first defroster being positioned adjacent to an evaporator of the cooling system; and 
 the second defroster being positioned adjacent to the air-to-air heat exchanger. 
 
     
     
         16 . The combination refrigerator-freezer with dividing air-impermeable air-to-air heat exchanger as claimed in  claim 11  further comprises:
 a first insulation panel; 
 a second insulation panel; 
 the first insulation panel being connected in between the freezer compartment and the freezer airflow compartment; and 
 the second insulation panel being connected in between the refrigerator compartment and the refrigerator airflow compartment. 
 
     
     
         17 . The combination refrigerator-freezer with dividing air-impermeable air-to-air heat exchanger as claimed in  claim 11  further comprises:
 at least one runoff drain pipe; 
 a runoff drain pan; 
 the at least one runoff drain pipe being positioned adjacent to the air-to-air heat exchanger and an evaporator of the cooling system; and 
 the runoff drain pan being positioned adjacent to the at least one drain pipe. 
 
     
     
         18 . The combination refrigerator-freezer with dividing air-impermeable air-to-air heat exchanger as claimed in  claim 11  further comprises:
 the air-to-air heat exchanger comprises a plate; 
 a first surface of the plate being in thermal contact with the freezer airflow compartment; and 
 a second surface of the plate being in thermal contact with the refrigerator airflow compartment. 
 
     
     
         19 . The combination refrigerator-freezer with dividing air impermeable air-to-air heat exchanger as claimed in  claim 18  further comprises:
 the air-to-air heat exchanger further comprises a plurality of fins; and 
 the plurality of fins being evenly distributed across the first surface and the second surface.