Refrigerator appliance having a plurality of evaporators for cooling separate chambers

Abstract

A refrigerator appliance, as provided herein, may include a cabinet defining a fresh food (FF) chamber and a freezer (Fz) chamber, a liner, and a sealed system. The liner may define an icebox (IB) compartment. The sealed system may include a compressor, a condenser, a multi-path valve, a first expansion device, a second expansion device, a FF evaporator, an IB evaporator, and a Fz evaporator. The multi-path valve may be downstream from the condenser to selectively direct refrigerant between a fluid-parallel first restrictor path and second restrictor path. The first expansion device may be mounted in fluid communication along the first restrictor path. The second expansion device may be mounted in fluid communication along the second restrictor path. The FF evaporator may be downstream from the first restrictor path. The IB evaporator may be downstream from the FF evaporator. The Fz evaporator may be downstream from the IB evaporator.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A refrigerator appliance comprising:
 a cabinet defining a fresh food (FF) chamber and a freezer (Fz) chamber;   a liner attached to the cabinet, the liner defining an icebox (IB) compartment; and   a sealed system mounted to the cabinet to selectively cool the FF chamber, the Fz chamber, and the IB compartment, the sealed system comprising
 a compressor, 
 a condenser downstream from the compressor to receive refrigerant therefrom, 
 a multi-path valve downstream from the condenser to selectively direct refrigerant between a fluid-parallel first restrictor path and second restrictor path, 
 a first expansion device mounted in fluid communication along the first restrictor path, 
 a second expansion device mounted in fluid communication along the second restrictor path, 
 a FF evaporator downstream from the first restrictor path, 
 an IB evaporator downstream from the FF evaporator, and 
 a Fz evaporator downstream from the IB evaporator and the second restrictor path. 
   
     
     
         2 . The refrigerator appliance of  claim 1 , wherein the first expansion device is a first capillary tube defining a restriction size to control refrigerant flow therethrough, and wherein the second expansion device is a second capillary tube defining a restriction size smaller than the restriction size of the first capillary tube. 
     
     
         3 . The refrigerator appliance of  claim 1 , wherein the IB evaporator is downstream from the second restrictor path at a connection point downstream from the FF evaporator. 
     
     
         4 . The refrigerator appliance of  claim 1 , wherein the FF evaporator is downstream from the second restrictor path. 
     
     
         5 . The refrigerator appliance of  claim 1 , further comprising a third expansion device along a third restrictor path in fluid-parallel to the first and second restrictor paths. 
     
     
         6 . The refrigerator appliance of  claim 5 , wherein the Fz evaporator is downstream from the third restrictor path at a connection point downstream from the IB evaporator. 
     
     
         7 . The refrigerator appliance of  claim 5 , wherein the FF evaporator is downstream from the second restrictor path. 
     
     
         8 . The refrigerator appliance of  claim 5 , wherein the IB evaporator is downstream from the second restrictor path at a connection point downstream from the FF evaporator. 
     
     
         9 . The refrigerator appliance of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a first fan directed at the FF evaporator to motivate a first airflow across the FF evaporator to the FF chamber; and   a second fan directed at the IB evaporator to motivate a second airflow across the IB evaporator to the IB compartment.   
     
     
         10 . The refrigerator appliance of  claim 9 , further comprising:
 a third fan directed at the Fz evaporator to motivate a third airflow across the Fz evaporator to the Fz chamber.   
     
     
         11 . A refrigerator appliance comprising:
 a cabinet defining a fresh food (FF) chamber and a freezer (Fz) chamber;   a liner attached to the cabinet, the liner defining an icebox (IB) compartment; and   a sealed system mounted to the cabinet to selectively cool the FF chamber, the Fz chamber, and the IB compartment, the sealed system comprising
 a compressor, 
 a condenser downstream from the compressor to receive refrigerant therefrom, 
 a multi-path valve downstream from the condenser to selectively direct refrigerant between a fluid-parallel first restrictor path and second restrictor path, 
 a first expansion device mounted in fluid communication along the first restrictor path, 
 a second expansion device mounted in fluid communication along the second restrictor path, 
 an IB evaporator downstream from the first restrictor path and the second restrictor path, and 
 a Fz evaporator downstream from the IB evaporator. 
   
     
     
         12 . The refrigerator appliance of  claim 11 , wherein the first expansion device is a first capillary tube defining a restriction size to control refrigerant flow therethrough, and wherein the second expansion device is a second capillary tube defining a restriction size smaller than the restriction size of the first capillary tube. 
     
     
         13 . The refrigerator appliance of  claim 11 , wherein the sealed system further comprises a FF evaporator downstream from the first restrictor path, wherein the IB evaporator is downstream from the second restrictor path at a connection point downstream from the FF evaporator. 
     
     
         14 . The refrigerator appliance of  claim 11 , wherein the sealed system further comprises a FF evaporator downstream from the first restrictor path and the second restrictor path. 
     
     
         15 . The refrigerator appliance of  claim 11 , further comprising a third expansion device along a third restrictor path in fluid-parallel to the first and second restrictor paths. 
     
     
         16 . The refrigerator appliance of  claim 15 , wherein the Fz evaporator is downstream from the third restrictor path at a connection point downstream from the IB evaporator. 
     
     
         17 . The refrigerator appliance of  claim 15 , wherein the sealed system further comprises a FF evaporator downstream from the first restrictor path and the second restrictor path. 
     
     
         18 . The refrigerator appliance of  claim 15 , wherein the sealed system further comprises a FF evaporator downstream from the first restrictor path, and wherein the IB evaporator is downstream from the second restrictor path at a connection point downstream from the FF evaporator. 
     
     
         19 . The refrigerator appliance of  claim 18 , wherein the sealed system further comprises a FF evaporator downstream from the first restrictor path, and wherein the refrigerator appliance further comprises:
 a first fan directed at the FF evaporator to motivate a first airflow across the FF evaporator to the FF chamber; and   a second fan directed at the IB evaporator to motivate a second airflow across the IB evaporator to the IB compartment.   
     
     
         20 . The refrigerator appliance of  claim 19 , further comprising:
 a third fan directed at the Fz evaporator to motivate a third airflow across the Fz evaporator to the Fz chamber.