Refrigerator with intermediate temperature icemaking compartment

Abstract

An icemaking compartment is provided in the refrigerator compartment of a bottom mount refrigerator. An icemaker is within the icemaking compartment. A cold air duct supplies cold air from the freezer compartment to the icemaker. The cold air duct is formed in the rear wall of the refrigerator. A fan controls the flow of air through the cold air duct. A return air duct is provided to direct a portion of the air from the icemaker back to the freezer compartment. An air vent in the icemaker directs another portion of air into the refrigerator compartment.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A bottom mount refrigerator comprising:
 a fresh food compartment and a freezer compartment, and a wall between the fresh food compartment and the freezer compartment;   an ice compartment located in the fresh food compartment and remote from the freezer compartment;   an automatic icemaker located in the ice compartment;   an ice storage area comprising an ice outlet for receiving ice from the automatic icemaker and dispensing ice through the ice outlet; and   an air pathway comprising:
 a duct disposed in a rear wall of the bottom mount refrigerator and comprising a duct inlet and a duct outlet; 
 wherein the duct inlet is disposed in the freezer compartment and in communication with a source of below freezing air in the freezer compartment, and the duct outlet is disposed in the ice compartment; and 
 a fan disposed within the freezer compartment for moving air through the duct from the duct inlet to the duct outlet. 
   
     
     
         2 . The bottom mount refrigerator of  claim 1  further comprising a return duct with an inlet in the ice compartment and an outlet in the freezer compartment. 
     
     
         3 . The bottom mount refrigerator of  claim 1  wherein fan is covered by a shroud having air grates. 
     
     
         4 . The bottom mount refrigerator of  claim 1  further comprising an impingement duct disposed on the icemaker and in airflow communication with the duct outlet for directing air from the source of below freezing air under the automatic icemaker. 
     
     
         5 . The bottom mount refrigerator of  claim 1  further comprising a door on the fresh food compartment. 
     
     
         6 . The bottom mount refrigerator of  claim 5  further comprising an ice chute in communication with the ice outlet on the door on the fresh food compartment. 
     
     
         7 . The bottom mount refrigerator of  claim 6  wherein the ice storage area comprises an ice bin with a cover. 
     
     
         8 . The bottom mount refrigerator of  claim 7 , wherein the cover is removable with the ice bin for transporting ice to a location remote from the refrigerator. 
     
     
         9 . The bottom mount refrigerator of  claim 7 , wherein the cover provides an airtight seal with the ice compartment. 
     
     
         10 . The bottom mount, refrigerator of  claim 8  further comprising a compressible seal between the ice chute and the ice outlet providing an airtight seal to keep ice compartment air from entering the fresh food compartment. 
     
     
         11 . A refrigerator, comprising:
 a freezer compartment having a freezer door;   a fresh food compartment having a fresh food door;   a wall between the fresh food compartment and the freezer compartment;   an insulated intermediate temperature compartment having a front cover disposed within the fresh food compartment and spaced apart from said freezer compartment, spaced apart from the wall between the freezer compartment and the fresh food compartment and separated from the fresh food door, and having an air temperature between 0-32° F.;   a cold air duct in a wall of the refrigerator apart from the fresh food door and extending between the freezer compartment and the insulated intermediate compartment;   
       a fan for moving air through the cold air duct from the freezer compartment to the insulated intermediate temperature compartment; and
 a return air duct spaced apart from the fresh food door and extending between the insulated intermediate compartment and the freezer compartment. 
 
     
     
         12 . The refrigerator of  claim 11  further comprising an icemaker in the insulated intermediate compartment. 
     
     
         13 . The refrigerator of  claim 12  further comprising an ice storage area within the fresh food door in engagement with the insulated intermediate compartment when the fresh food door is closed. 
     
     
         14 . A bottom mount refrigerator, comprising:
 a freezer compartment comprising a freezer door;   a fresh food compartment located over the freezer compartment and having a fresh food door, the fresh food door having an ice dispenser;   an ice making compartment spaced from the freezer compartment and free from the fresh food door;   an icemaker in the ice making compartment, the icemaker having an ice mold, the mold positioned so that ice from said mold can be dispensed by the ice dispenser in the fresh food door;   a cold air duct extending between the freezer compartment and the icemaker to supply cold air from the freezer compartment to the icemaker;   a fan for moving air from the freezer compartment over the ice mold; and   a return air duct extending between the icemaker and the freezer compartment remotely from the fresh food door.   
     
     
         15 . The bottom mount refrigerator in accordance with  claim 14  further comprising a freezer air duct extending from the freezer compartment to the ice mold. 
     
     
         16 . The bottom mount refrigerator of  claim 14  wherein the fan is located adjacent the icemaker. 
     
     
         17 . The bottom mount refrigerator of  claim 16  wherein the ice making compartment is located in an upper corner of the fresh food compartment. 
     
     
         18 . The bottom mount refrigerator of  claim 14  further comprising an air outlet in the icemaker to vent air to the fresh food compartment. 
     
     
         19 . The bottom mount refrigerator of  claim 14  further comprising an ice storage bin having a cover disposed below the icemaker. 
     
     
         20 . The bottom mount refrigerator of  claim 19  wherein the cover provides an airtight seal with the ice making compartment.