Refrigerator with air distribution management

Abstract

A refrigerator includes a refrigerator cabinet, an inner liner disposed within the refrigerator cabinet, a first shelf disposed within the refrigerator cabinet, the first shelf having a back end and an opposite front end, the first shelf positioned to allow air flow between the back end and the inner liner, and a plurality of shelves disposed within the cabinet, each of the shelves having a back end and an opposite front end, each of the shelves is positioned to allow air flow between the back end of each of the shelves and the inner liner. The refrigerator further includes a conduit providing supply air, a baffle positioned above the first shelf and fluidly connected to the conduit, and an elongated air outlet positioned above the baffle and fluidly connected to the conduit for providing a first cold air stream from the supply air proximate a ceiling of the refrigerator cabinet.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A refrigerator comprising:
 a refrigerator cabinet;   an inner liner disposed within the refrigerator cabinet;   a first shelf disposed within the refrigerator cabinet, the first shelf having a back end and an opposite front end, the first shelf positioned to allow air flow between the back end of the first shelf and the inner liner;   a plurality of shelves disposed within the refrigerator cabinet, each of the plurality of shelves having a back end and an opposite front end, each of the plurality of shelves positioned to allow air flow between the back end of each of the plurality of shelves and the inner liner;   a conduit providing supply air;   a baffle positioned above the first shelf and fluidly connected to the conduit;   an elongated air outlet positioned above the baffle and fluidly connected to the conduit for providing a first cold air stream from the supply air proximate a ceiling of the refrigerator cabinet;   wherein the baffle reflects a second cold air stream from the supply air to the plurality of shelves below the first shelf in a cascading manner to assist in distributing the second cold air stream between the plurality of shelves below the first shelf.   
     
     
         2 . The refrigerator of  claim 1  wherein distribution of air by the baffle and the elongated air outlet maintain the first shelf at an above freezing temperature. 
     
     
         3 . The refrigerator of  claim 1  wherein the first cold air stream comprises approximately 20 percent of the air supply. 
     
     
         4 . The refrigerator of  claim 1  wherein the second cold air stream comprises approximately 80 percent of the air supply. 
     
     
         5 . The refrigerator of  claim 1  wherein the supply air is provided at a rate of about 5 cubic feet per minute. 
     
     
         6 . The refrigerator of  claim 1  wherein the second cold air stream being about four times larger than the first cold air stream as a percentage of total air supply. 
     
     
         7 . The refrigerator of  claim 1  wherein the first shelf is a top shelf. 
     
     
         8 . The refrigerator of  claim 1  wherein the plurality of shelves comprises a second shelf and a third shelf. 
     
     
         9 . The refrigerator of  claim 8  wherein the plurality of shelves further comprises a bottom shelf. 
     
     
         10 . The refrigerator of  claim 1  wherein the elongated air outlet is elongated in a horizontal direction. 
     
     
         11 . A refrigerator comprising:
 a refrigerator cabinet;   an inner liner disposed within the refrigerator cabinet;   a plurality of shelves disposed within the refrigerator cabinet, each of the plurality of shelves having a back end and an opposite front end, each of the plurality of shelves positioned to allow air flow between the back end of each of the plurality of shelves and the inner liner;   an elongated horizontal air outlet positioned above the plurality of shelves for providing a first cold air stream from supply air proximate a ceiling of the refrigerator cabinet;   a baffle positioned above the plurality of shelves and below the elongated horizontal air outlet, the baffle configured to reflect a second cold air stream to shelves within the plurality of shelves that are below a topmost shelf within the plurality of shelves in a cascading manner to assist in distributing the second cold air stream.   
     
     
         12 . The refrigerator of  claim 11  wherein distribution of air by the baffle and the elongated horizontal air outlet maintain the topmost shelf at an above freezing temperature. 
     
     
         13 . The refrigerator of  claim 11  wherein the first cold air stream comprises approximately 20 percent of the air supply. 
     
     
         14 . The refrigerator of  claim 11  wherein the second cold air stream comprises approximately 80 percent of the air supply. 
     
     
         15 . The refrigerator of  claim 11  wherein supply air for the first cold air stream and the second cold air stream is provided at a rate of about 5 cubic feet per minute. 
     
     
         16 . The refrigerator of  claim 16  wherein the second cold air stream being about four times larger than the first cold air stream as a percentage of total air supply. 
     
     
         17 . The refrigerator of  claim 11  wherein the plurality of shelves further comprises a second shelf and a third shelf. 
     
     
         18 . A method of cooling a refrigerator, the method comprising:
 providing the refrigerator, the refrigerator comprising (a) a refrigerator cabinet, (b) an inner liner disposed within the refrigerator cabinet, (c) a plurality of shelves disposed within the refrigerator cabinet, each of the plurality of shelves having a back end and an opposite front end, each of the plurality of shelves positioned to allow air flow between the back end of each of the plurality of shelves and the inner liner, (d) an elongated horizontal air outlet positioned above the plurality of shelves (e) a baffle positioned above the plurality of shelves and below the elongated horizontal air outlet;   directing a first cold air stream through the elongated horizontal air outlet generally towards a ceiling of the refrigerator cabinet;   directing a second cold air stream to shelves within the plurality of shelves below a topmost shelf within the plurality of shelves in a cascading manner to thereby assist in distributing the second cold air stream.