Dual compartment temperature management system utilizing a single evaporator in a refrigerator appliance

Abstract

A refrigerator appliance includes a cabinet defining a first chilled chamber and a second chilled chamber, an evaporator compartment defining a first evaporator plenum and a second evaporator plenum, and a sealed system comprising a compressor for urging a flow of refrigerant, a condenser fluidly coupled to the compressor, an evaporator fluidly coupled to the compressor, the evaporator comprising a first evaporator coil positioned in the first evaporator plenum and a second evaporator coil positioned in the second evaporator plenum, wherein the first evaporator coil and the second evaporator coil share a single evaporator outlet.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A refrigerator appliance defining a vertical direction, a lateral direction, and transverse direction, comprising: 
 a cabinet defining a first chilled chamber and a second chilled chamber; an evaporator compartment defining a first evaporator plenum and a second evaporator plenum; and a sealed system comprising: 
 a compressor for urging a flow of refrigerant; a condenser fluidly coupled to the compressor; and an evaporator fluidly coupled to the compressor, the evaporator comprising a first evaporator coil positioned in the first evaporator plenum and a second evaporator coil positioned in the second evaporator plenum, wherein the first evaporator coil and the second evaporator coil share a single evaporator outlet. 
   
     
     
         2 . The refrigerator appliance of  claim 1 , wherein the single evaporator outlet is formed using a Y-shaped joint fitting or a tee joint. 
     
     
         3 . The refrigerator appliance of  claim 1 , wherein the evaporator comprises: 
 a first evaporator inlet for the first evaporator coil; and a second evaporator inlet for the second evaporator coil.   
     
     
         4 . The refrigerator appliance of  claim 3 , further comprising: 
 a first capillary tube fluidly coupled to the first evaporator inlet; and a second capillary tube fluidly coupled to the second evaporator inlet.   
     
     
         5 . The refrigerator appliance of  claim 1 , wherein the sealed system further comprises: 
 a three-way valve configured to selectively expand and direct the flow of refrigerant to one or both of the first evaporator coil or the second evaporator coil.   
     
     
         6 . The refrigerator appliance of  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 an evaporator cover positioned over the first evaporator plenum and the second evaporator plenum.   
     
     
         7 . The refrigerator appliance of  claim 6 , wherein the evaporator cover defines a first supply duct and a first return duct fluidly coupled to the first evaporator plenum, and further defines a second supply duct and a second return duct fluidly coupled to the second evaporator plenum. 
     
     
         8 . The refrigerator appliance of  claim 6 , further comprising a fan assembly comprising: 
 a first fan operably coupled to the first evaporator plenum for circulating a first flow of air in the first chilled chamber; and    a second fan operably coupled to the second evaporator plenum for circulating a second flow of air in the second chilled chamber.   
     
     
         9 . The refrigerator appliance of  claim 8 , wherein the first fan and the second fan are positioned behind the evaporator cover along the transverse direction. 
     
     
         10 . The refrigerator appliance of  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 a removable mullion positioned within the evaporator compartment to define the first evaporator plenum and the second evaporator plenum.   
     
     
         11 . The refrigerator appliance of  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 a defrost heater thermally coupled to the evaporator for selectively defrosting both the first evaporator coil and the second evaporator coil.   
     
     
         12 . The refrigerator appliance of  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 a drain pan positioned below the evaporator along a vertical direction for collecting condensate from both the first evaporator coil and the second evaporator coil.   
     
     
         13 . The refrigerator appliance of  claim 12 , further comprising: 
 a drain trough positioned between the first evaporator coil and the second evaporator coil along the vertical direction.   
     
     
         14 . The refrigerator appliance of  claim 13 , wherein the drain trough defines one or more perforations for passing condensate from the first evaporator plenum into the second evaporator plenum. 
     
     
         15 . The refrigerator appliance of  claim 13 , wherein the drain trough is sloped to direct condensate toward the drain pan. 
     
     
         16 . The refrigerator appliance of  claim 13 , wherein the drain trough is molded into the evaporator cover.  
     
     
         17 . The refrigerator appliance of  claim 1 , wherein the first chilled chamber is a fresh food chamber and the second chilled chamber is a freezer chamber. 
     
     
         18 . A temperature management system for a refrigerator appliance having a first chilled chamber and a second chilled chamber, the temperature management system comprising: 
 an evaporator compartment defining a first evaporator plenum and a second evaporator plenum; and an evaporator comprising a first evaporator coil positioned in the first evaporator plenum and a second evaporator coil positioned in the second evaporator plenum, wherein the first evaporator coil and the second evaporator coil share a single evaporator outlet.   
     
     
         19 . The temperature management system of  claim 18 , wherein the evaporator comprises: 
 a first evaporator inlet for the first evaporator coil; and a second evaporator inlet for the second evaporator coil.   
     
     
         20 . The temperature management system of  claim 18 , further comprising: 
 a three-way valve configured to selectively expand and direct refrigerant to one or both of the first evaporator coil or the second evaporator coil.