Refrigerator with duct system to provide cold air from a freezer evaporator to an ice maker

Abstract

A refrigerator includes a cabinet structure having a refrigerator compartment and a freezer compartment. An evaporator is positioned in the freezer compartment within an evaporator housing. A door is pivotally coupled to the cabinet structure for selectively providing access to the refrigerator compartment and includes an ice maker. A duct assembly includes an ice maker feed duct operably coupled to the evaporator housing at a first end, and further coupled to the ice maker at a second end. The duct assembly further includes an ice maker return duct operably coupled to the ice maker at a first end and further coupled to the evaporator housing at a second end. First and second fans are provided in-series, wherein the first fan provides cooled air to the freezer compartment, and the second fan provides cooled air from the first fan to the ice maker during an ice making cycle.

1 . A refrigerator, comprising:
 a cabinet structure having a refrigerator compartment and a freezer compartment;   an evaporator positioned in the freezer compartment within an evaporator housing;   a door pivotally coupled to the cabinet structure for selectively providing access to the refrigerator compartment, wherein the door includes an ice maker operably coupled to the door for pivoting movement therewith; and   a duct assembly having an ice maker feed duct operably coupled to the evaporator housing at a first end and further coupled to the ice maker at a second end, wherein the duct assembly further includes an ice maker return duct operably coupled to the ice maker at a first end and further coupled to the evaporator housing at a second end.   
     
     
         2 . The refrigerator of  claim 1 , wherein the ice maker feed duct includes a body portion disposed between the first and second ends of the ice maker feed duct, and further wherein the body portion of the ice maker feed duct defines a substantially linear ascending airway. 
     
     
         3 . The refrigerator of  claim 2 , wherein the ice maker return duct includes a body portion disposed between the first and second ends of the ice maker return duct, and further wherein the body portion of the ice maker return duct defines substantially linear descending airway. 
     
     
         4 . The refrigerator of  claim 1 , including:
 a first fan fluidically coupled to the evaporator for providing cold air from the evaporator to the first fan.   
     
     
         5 . The refrigerator of  claim 4 , including:
 an outlet having a first end fluidically coupled to the first fan and a second end opening into the freezer compartment to interconnect the first fan with the freezer compartment, wherein the outlet includes a body portion disposed between the first and second ends of the outlet; and   an inlet having first and second ends, wherein the inlet is fluidically coupled to the body portion of the outlet at the first end of the inlet.   
     
     
         6 . The refrigerator of  claim 5 , including:
 a second fan fluidically coupled to the second end of the inlet, wherein the second fan is further fluidically coupled to the first end of the ice maker feed duct.   
     
     
         7 . The refrigerator of  claim 6 , wherein the second fan is fluidically interconnected to the evaporator only through the inlet and the outlet with the first fan disposed therebetween. 
     
     
         8 . The refrigerator of  claim 6 , wherein the ice maker feed duct includes a body portion disposed between the first and second ends of the ice maker feed duct, and further wherein an inclined portion of the body portion of the ice maker feed duct is linearly disposed within a single sidewall of the cabinet structure. 
     
     
         9 . The refrigerator of  claim 8 , wherein the ice maker return duct includes a body portion disposed between the first and second ends of the ice maker return duct, and further wherein an inclined portion of the body portion of the ice maker return duct is linearly disposed within a single sidewall of the cabinet structure. 
     
     
         10 . The refrigerator of  claim 1 , wherein the ice maker feed duct and the ice maker return duct are insulated ducts. 
     
     
         11 . A refrigerator, comprising:
 a cabinet structure having a refrigerator compartment, a freezer compartment and at least one sidewall with an interior cavity;   an evaporator housing positioned within the freezer compartment and having first and second portions;   an evaporator positioned within the first portion of an evaporator housing; and   a duct assembly having an ice maker feed duct operably coupled to the second portion of the evaporator housing at a first end and further coupled to an ice maker disposed above the freezer compartment at a second end, wherein the duct assembly further includes an ice maker return duct operably coupled to the ice maker at a first end and further coupled to the first portion of the evaporator housing at a second end, and further wherein the ice maker feed duct and the ice maker return duct include substantially linear body portions disposed within the interior cavity of the at least one sidewall of the cabinet structure.   
     
     
         12 . The refrigerator of  claim 11 , including:
 a freezer compartment fan disposed in the second portion of the evaporator housing and fluidically coupled to the first portion of the evaporator housing.   
     
     
         13 . The refrigerator of  claim 12 , including:
 an ice maker fan disposed in the second portion of the evaporator housing and fluidically coupled to the first end of the ice maker feed duct.   
     
     
         14 . The refrigerator of  claim 13 , wherein the ice maker fan is fluidically coupled to the freezer compartment fan in-series. 
     
     
         15 . A refrigerator, comprising:
 first and second fans each having a first side and a second side, wherein with the first and second fans are arranged in-series with the second side of the first fan fluidically coupled to the first side of the second fan by an inlet;   an evaporator disposed within a freezer compartment and fluidically coupled to the first side of the first fan;   an ice maker disposed outside of the freezer compartment and fluidically coupled to the second side of the second fan by an ice maker feed duct; and   an ice maker return duct fluidically coupled between the ice maker and the evaporator.   
     
     
         16 . The refrigerator of  claim 15 , including:
 a controller for controlling the evaporator between a freezer compartment cooling cycle and an ice making cycle, wherein the controller further controls the first and second fans between active and at-rest conditions.   
     
     
         17 . The refrigerator of  claim 16 , wherein the first fan is in the active condition and the second fan is in the at-rest condition during the freezer compartment cooling cycle. 
     
     
         18 . The refrigerator of  claim 17 , wherein cold air from the evaporator is provided at a first temperature level to the ice maker during the freezer compartment cooling cycle. 
     
     
         19 . The refrigerator of  claim 18 , wherein the first fan is in the active condition and the second fan is in the active condition during the ice making cycle. 
     
     
         20 . The refrigerator of  claim 19 , wherein cold air from the evaporator is provided at a second temperature level to the ice maker during the ice making cycle, and further wherein the second temperature level is lower than the first temperature level.