Refrigerator appliance and a method for defrosting a food item

Abstract

A method for defrosting a food item within a freezer chamber of a refrigerator appliance is provided. The method includes positioning the food item within a defrosting chamber of an insulated housing within the freezer chamber of the refrigerator appliance, initiating a defrosting operation and activating a heater during the defrosting operation in order to heat the food item within the defrosting chamber. A related refrigerator appliance is also provided.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A refrigerator appliance, comprising:
 a cabinet defining a fresh food chamber and a freezer chamber;   an insulated housing disposed within the freezer chamber of the cabinet, the insulated housing defining a defrosting chamber therein;   a heater positioned adjacent the insulated housing; and   a controller in operative communication with the heater, the controller configured for operating the heater during a defrosting operation in order to heat the defrosting chamber of the insulated housing.   
     
     
         2 . The refrigerator appliance of  claim 1 , further comprising a fan positioned adjacent the insulated housing, the controller in operative communication with the fan and further configured for working the fan in order to circulate air within the defrosting chamber of the insulated housing during the defrosting operation. 
     
     
         3 . The refrigerator appliance of  claim 2 , further comprising a duct extending between the fresh food chamber of the cabinet and the defrosting chamber of the insulated housing, the fan positioned at the duct such that the fan draws air from the fresh food chamber of the cabinet to the defrosting chamber of the insulated housing during the defrosting operation. 
     
     
         4 . The refrigerator appliance of  claim 1 , wherein the insulated housing includes a damper, the damper selectively disposed between the freezer chamber of the cabinet and the defrosting chamber of the insulated housing, the controller being in operative communication with the damper and further configured for actuating the damper between an open configuration and a closed configuration, the controller adjusting the damper to the closed configuration during the defrosting operation. 
     
     
         5 . The refrigerator appliance of  claim 1 , further comprising a network connection, the controller in operative with the network connection and further configured for receiving a defrosting operation initiation command from a network device via the network connection. 
     
     
         6 . The refrigerator appliance of  claim 1 , further comprising a door mounted to the cabinet and a user interface mounted to the door, the controller in operative communication with the user interface and further configured for receiving a defrosting operation initiation command from the user interface. 
     
     
         7 . The refrigerator appliance of  claim 8 , wherein the controller is further configured for receiving a defrosting operation time interval from the user interface. 
     
     
         8 . The refrigerator appliance of  claim 1 , further comprising a weight sensor positioned adjacent the insulated housing, the controller in operative communication with the weight sensor and further configured for weighing a food item within the defrosting chamber of the insulated housing and establishing a defrosting operation time interval based at least in part on the weight of the food item within the defrosting chamber of the insulated housing. 
     
     
         9 . A method for defrosting a food item within a freezer chamber of a refrigerator appliance, comprising:
 positioning the food item within a defrosting chamber of an insulated housing, the insulated housing disposed within the freezer chamber of the refrigerator appliance;   initiating a defrosting operation; and   activating a heater during the defrosting operation in order to heat the food item within the defrosting chamber.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , further comprising establishing a period of the defrosting operation, said step of establishing comprising inputting the period of the defrosting operation on a user interface of the refrigerator appliance. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 9 , further comprising establishing a period of the defrosting operation, said step of establishing comprising weighing the food item within the defrosting volume of the insulated housing and establishing the period of the defrosting operation based at least in part on the weight of the food item. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 9 , further comprising establishing a period of the defrosting operation, said step of establishing comprising determining a category for the food item within the defrosting chamber of the insulated housing and establishing the period of the defrosting operation based at least in part on the category of the food item. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 9 , further comprising closing a damper of the insulated housing during the defrosting operation, the damper of the insulated housing being open prior to said step of closing. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein a temperature of the defrosting chamber is about a temperature of the freezer chamber prior to said step of initiating and the temperature of the defrosting chamber is greater than the temperature of the freezer chamber during at least a portion of the defrosting operation. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 9 , further comprising circulating air within the defrosting chamber of the insulating housing with a fan of the refrigerator appliance during the defrosting operation. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein said step of initiating comprises transmitting a defrosting operation initiation command to the refrigerator appliance from a network device. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 9 , further comprising determining a desired completion time for the defrosting operation, wherein said step of initiating the defrosting operation comprises initiating the defrosting operation such that the defrosting operation is complete by the desired completion time for the defrosting operation. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 9 , further comprising notifying a user of the refrigerator appliance when the defrosting operation is complete. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 9 , further comprising displaying a remaining time of the defrosting operation to a user of the refrigerator appliance during the defrosting operation. 
     
     
         20 . A refrigerator appliance, comprising:
 a cabinet defining a fresh food chamber and a freezer chamber; and   means for defrosting food items within the freezer chamber of the cabinet.