Refrigerator Appliance

Abstract

A refrigerator appliance includes a sealed system having an evaporator. A heater is positioned adjacent the evaporator within a cabinet of the refrigerator appliance. The heater includes a sheath and a spine fin assembly. The spine fin assembly is wrapped around the sheath and includes a plurality of spine fins that extend away from the sheath.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A refrigerator appliance, comprising:
 a cabinet defining a chilled chamber;   a sealed system comprising an evaporator, the evaporator disposed at the chilled chamber;   a heater positioned adjacent the evaporator, the heater comprising a sheath and a spine fin assembly wrapped around the sheath, the spine fin assembly comprising a base and a plurality of spine fins mounted to the base, the base of the spine fin assembly positioned on the sheath, the spine fins of the plurality of spine fins extending away from the sheath.   
     
     
         2 . The refrigerator appliance of  claim 1 , wherein the heater is positioned below the evaporator within the cabinet. 
     
     
         3 . The refrigerator appliance of  claim 1 , wherein the heater extends between a first end portion and a second end portion, the heater defining a length between the first and second end portions of the heater, the length of the heater being no greater than two feet. 
     
     
         4 . The refrigerator appliance of  claim 1 , wherein the base and the spine fins of the spine fin assembly are integrally formed from a common piece of material. 
     
     
         5 . The refrigerator appliance of  claim 4 , wherein the common piece of material comprises aluminum. 
     
     
         6 . The refrigerator appliance of  claim 5 , wherein the sheath of the heater comprises aluminum or steel alloy. 
     
     
         7 . The refrigerator appliance of  claim 1 , wherein the sealed system is charged with a flammable refrigerant. 
     
     
         8 . The refrigerator appliance of  claim 7 , wherein a maximum surface temperature of the heater is no greater than three hundred and sixty degrees Celsius during operation of the heater. 
     
     
         9 . The refrigerator appliance of  claim 8 , wherein the heater extends between a first end portion and a second end portion, the heater defining a length between the first and second end portions of the heater, a power output density of the heater being no greater than two hundred watts per foot along the length of the heater. 
     
     
         10 . A refrigerator appliance, comprising:
 a cabinet defining a chilled chamber;   a sealed system comprising an evaporator, the evaporator disposed at the chilled chamber;   a heater positioned adjacent the evaporator, the heater comprising a sheath and a spine fin assembly, the spine fin assembly comprising a base and a plurality of spine fins, the base of the spine fin assembly wrapped helically onto the sheath, the spine fins of the plurality of spine fins mounted to the base such that the spine fins of the plurality of spine fins extending radially away from the sheath.   
     
     
         11 . The refrigerator appliance of  claim 10 , wherein the heater is positioned below the evaporator within the cabinet. 
     
     
         12 . The refrigerator appliance of  claim 10 , wherein the heater extends between a first end portion and a second end portion, the heater defining a length between the first and second end portions of the heater, the length of the heater being no greater than two feet. 
     
     
         13 . The refrigerator appliance of  claim 10 , wherein the base and the spine fins of the spine fin assembly are integrally formed from a common piece of material. 
     
     
         14 . The refrigerator appliance of  claim 13 , wherein the common piece of material comprises aluminum. 
     
     
         15 . The refrigerator appliance of  claim 14 , wherein the sheath of the heater comprises aluminum or steel alloy. 
     
     
         16 . The refrigerator appliance of  claim 10 , wherein the sealed system is charged with a flammable refrigerant. 
     
     
         17 . The refrigerator appliance of  claim 16 , wherein a maximum surface temperature of the heater is no greater than three hundred and sixty degrees Celsius during operation of the heater. 
     
     
         18 . The refrigerator appliance of  claim 17 , wherein the heater extends between a first end portion and a second end portion, the heater defining a length between the first and second end portions of the heater, a power output density of the heater being no greater than two hundred watts per foot along the length of the heater.