Refrigerating appliance having an evaporator

Abstract

A refrigerating appliance includes at least one compartment having an open face. A closure is movable relative to the open face to selectively close the open face. An evaporator assembly is provided within the compartment. A multilayer de-icing composite having thermoresistive heating capabilities is provided on at least a portion of the evaporator assembly.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A refrigerating appliance comprising:
 at least one compartment having an open face;   a closure movable relative to the open face to selectively close the open face;   an evaporator assembly provided within the compartment; and   a multilayer de-icing composite having thermoresistive heating capabilities, the multilayer de-icing composite provided on at least a portion of the evaporator assembly and comprising:
 an insulating layer; 
 a heater layer abutting the insulating layer; 
 a thermally transmissive liquid-impermeable barrier layer abutting the heater layer; and 
 a thermally transmissive protective layer abutting the liquid-impermeable barrier layer. 
   
     
     
         2 . The refrigerating appliance of  claim 1  wherein the evaporator assembly comprises an evaporator having a plurality of evaporator fins and a drain pan positioned adjacent the evaporator. 
     
     
         3 . The refrigerating appliance of  claim 2  wherein the at least a portion of the evaporator assembly on which the multilayer de-icing composite is provided is the plurality of evaporator fins. 
     
     
         4 . The refrigerating appliance of  claim 2  wherein the at least a portion of the evaporator assembly on which the multilayer de-icing composite is provided is the drain pan. 
     
     
         5 . The refrigerating appliance of  claim 4  wherein the drain pan is positioned directly adjacent the plurality of evaporator fins to thermoresistively heat the plurality of evaporator fins. 
     
     
         6 . The refrigerating appliance of  claim 1  wherein the at least a portion of the evaporator assembly on which the multilayer de-icing composite is provided comprises an aluminum substrate for the multilayer de-icing composite. 
     
     
         7 . The refrigerating appliance of  claim 1  wherein the multilayer de-icing composite de-ices at least a portion of the evaporator assembly. 
     
     
         8 . The refrigerating appliance of  claim 1  wherein the multilayer de-icing composite is a nanocoating. 
     
     
         9 . The refrigerating appliance of  claim 8  wherein the heater layer comprises carbon nanotubes. 
     
     
         10 . The refrigerating appliance of  claim 1  wherein the heater layer is coupled to at least one heating element for providing heat from the heater layer. 
     
     
         11 . The refrigerating appliance of  claim 10  wherein the at least one heating element is a copper electrode. 
     
     
         12 . The refrigerating appliance of  claim 10  further comprising a controller operably coupled with the evaporator assembly, wherein the at least one heating element is coupled to a power source, the power source further operably coupled with the controller. 
     
     
         13 . The refrigerating appliance of  claim 1  wherein the multilayer de-icing composite is configured to transmit heat outwardly through the liquid-impermeable barrier layer and the protective layer while preventing transmission of heat inwardly through the insulating layer. 
     
     
         14 . The refrigerating appliance of  claim 1  wherein the refrigerating appliance is one of a refrigerator, a storage or refrigerating cabinet, a storage or refrigerated drawer, a beverage storing appliance, a freezer, or a wine cellar. 
     
     
         15 . A method of de-icing an evaporator assembly for a refrigerating appliance, the method comprising:
 providing a multilayer de-icing composite having thermoresistive heating capabilities on at least a portion of the evaporator assembly, the providing the multilayer de-icing composite comprising:
 providing an insulating layer; 
 providing a heater layer to abut the insulating layer; 
 providing a thermally transmissive liquid-impermeable barrier layer to abut the heater layer; and 
 providing a thermally transmissive protective layer to abut the liquid-impermeable barrier layer; and 
   energizing, by a controller of the refrigerating appliance, at least one heating element that is thermally coupled to the heater layer to thermoresistively heat and de-ice at least a portion of the evaporator assembly.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15  wherein the energizing the at least one heating element further comprises energizing, by the controller, a power source that is operably coupled to the at least one heating element. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 15  wherein the providing the multilayer de-icing composite on the at least a portion of the evaporator assembly comprises providing the multilayer de-icing composite on a plurality of evaporator fins of the evaporator assembly. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 15  wherein the providing the multilayer de-icing composite on the at least a portion of the evaporator assembly comprises providing the multilayer de-icing composite on a drain pan positioned adjacent an evaporator of the evaporator assembly. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 15  wherein the multilayer de-icing composite is a nanocoating and the heater layer comprises carbon nanotubes. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 15  wherein the thermoresistively heating and de-icing the at least a portion of the evaporator assembly comprises transmitting heat outwardly through the liquid-impermeable barrier layer and the protective layer while preventing transmission of heat inwardly through the insulating layer.