Cooling system for refrigerator

Abstract

A cooling system for a refrigerator having a fresh food compartment and a freezer compartment separated by a partition, includes a compressor for compressing a refrigerant; a condenser for condensing the compressed refrigerant; an evaporator having a freezer compartment portion and a fresh food compartment portion; wherein the freezer compartment portion of the evaporator cools a freezer compartment, and the fresh food compartment portion of the evaporator cools a fresh food compartment. The fresh food compartment portion of the evaporator projects into a passage formed in the partition which passage extends between the fresh food compartment portion of the evaporator and the fresh food compartment.

1 . A cooling system for a refrigerator of the type having a fresh food compartment and a freezer compartment separated by a partition, comprising:
 a compressor for compressing a refrigerant;   a condenser for the compressed refrigerant;   an evaporator comprising:
 a freezer compartment evaporator portion and a fresh food compartment evaporator portion; 
 wherein said freezer compartment portion is located in the freezer compartment and the fresh food compartment evaporator portion extends into a cavity formed in the partition between said fresh food compartment and said fresh food compartment. 
   
   
   
       2 . The cooling system of  claim 1 , wherein said evaporator comprises tubing in a serpentine configuration. 
   
   
       3 . The cooling system of  claim 1 , further comprising an evaporator compartment formed within said freezer compartment and a fan for moving air into said freezer compartment from said evaporator compartment. 
   
   
       4 . The cooling system of  claim 1 , further comprising a passage formed in the partition extending between said cavity and said fresh food compartment and a fan for moving air into said fresh food compartment from said cavity. 
   
   
       5 . The cooling system of  claim 2 , wherein said tubing of said fresh food evaporator portion is folded to extend into said cavity. 
   
   
       6 . The cooling system of  claim 5 , wherein said evaporator compartment further comprises a heater for heating said tubing of said evaporator. 
   
   
       7 . The cooling system of  claim 1 , wherein said evaporator comprises spine fin tubing. 
   
   
       8 . A refrigerator comprising:
 a freezer compartment;   a fresh food compartment;   a compressor for compressing a refrigerant;   a condenser for condensing the compressed refrigerant;   an evaporator comprising a first portion for cooling the freezer compartment; and   a second portion for cooling the fresh food compartment, wherein said first and second portions are integral with each other.   
   
   
       9 . The refrigerator of  claim 8 , wherein said evaporator comprises tubing in a serpentine configuration. 
   
   
       10 . The refrigerator of  claim 8 , further comprising an evaporator compartment formed within said freezer compartment and a fan for moving air into said freezer compartment from said evaporator compartment. 
   
   
       11 . The refrigerator of  claim 8 , further comprising a cavity formed in the partition between said freezer compartment and said fresh food compartment, and a fan for moving air into said fresh food compartment from said cavity, and wherein said second portion of said evaporator extends into said cavity  12 . A method for evaporating refrigerant to cool freezer and fresh food compartments of a refrigerator, comprising:
 providing a compressor for compressing the refrigerant:   providing a condenser for condensing the compressed refrigerant;   providing an evaporator which has a first portion for evaporating refrigerant to cool the freezer compartment and a second portion for evaporating refrigerant to cool the fresh food compartment, wherein said first portion and said second portion are integral to each other.