Field of the invention

[0001] This disclosure relates to a household appliance. More particularly, the invention is related to a multi-air flow (MAF) assembly in the household appliance.

Background of the invention

[0002] In the conventional household appliances like refrigerators, for regulating a temperature of a fresh food compartment, opening and closing of a damper is established in flow communication with a freezer compartment. In these appliances, however, achieving uniform temperatures in the fresh food compartment is challenging. The vertical and horizontal temperature gradients in fresh food compartments are undesirable. Currently the Multi Air Flow Assembly (MAF Assembly) in the appliance (positioned between the freezer compartment and the fresh food compartment) is assembled using the injection-molded process. In which, the MAF cover front is assembled to MAF lining of Expandable polystyrene (EPS) front by using a double sided tape. The air flowing from the freezer compartment into the fresh food compartment escapes through the double-sided tape, which makes the arrangement ineffective.

[0003] A US6539729 patent discloses a refrigerator comprises a freezer compartment and a fresh food compartment having a first side and a second side, the second side placed opposite to the first side. The refrigerator comprises an airflow distribution assembly located in the fresh food compartment and in flow communication with the freezer compartment. The airflow distribution assembly extends vertically along the first side. The air flow assembly comprises a plurality of vents for distributing freezer compartment air into the fresh food compartment. At least one air passage is in flow communication with the air distribution assembly and the air passage extends laterally from the first side to the second side. Brief description of the invention:

[0004] It is an object of the invention to provide a multi-air flow assembly in a household appliance.

[0005] The objects are solved by the multi-air flow assembly in the household appliance having the features according to claim 1.

[0006] The invention relates to a multi-air flow (MAF) assembly in a household appliance. The MAF assembly comprises an inner component having a projection at one end and multiple vents for airflow between compartments of the appliance. The assembly comprises an outer component enclosing the inner component. The inner component comprises a lining made of an expandable polystyrene and is In-molded to the outer component.

[0007] A feature of this invention is that, the outer component is made of thermo plastic polymer and has dimensions corresponding to dimensions of the inner component.

[0008] Another feature of this invention is that, the outer component is vacuum formed and trimmed corresponding to the dimensions of the inner component, before In-molding onto the inner component.

[0009] Another feature of this invention is that, the vacuum formed and trimmed outer component is placed in a pre-determined position in a mold.

[0010] Another feature of this invention is that, the vacuum formed and trimmed outer component placed in the mold, is IN-molded onto said lining of the inner component to form the Multi-air flow (MAF) assembly. [0011] Another feature of this invention is that, due to In-molding of the inner component to the outer component, a movement of the air, flowing in between of the inner component and the outer component is sealed.

[0012] Another feature of this invention is that, comprises a supporting element fitted into the projection of the inner component after the outer component is In- molded onto the inner component.

[0013] Another feature of this invention is that, the outer component and the inner component is made as a single component, by In-molding the inner component with the outer component.

[0014] With the above-disclosed in-molding process in the multi-air flow assembly, the usage of an adhesive material (double sided tape) is eliminated making it a cost effective solution. The use of the adhesive material in conventional multi-air flow channel not only makes the system inefficient (due to escape of the air from the assembly) , but also wear and tear of the adhesive material increases the maintenance cost. The above-disclosed molding process does not require an additional tool /component and merely uses the vacuum forming manufacturing process instead of injection molding, making it a less investment option.

[0015] With the In-molding of the outer component onto the inner component in the MAF assembly, a thickness of the plastic part (outer component) is reduces compared to the conventional cover available in the market. This reduction in the thickness can be achieved using the vacuum forming method. The above process further reduces an overall weight of the household appliance due to the elimination of the adhesive material between the inner component and the outer component.

Brief description of the accompanying drawings

An embodiment of the disclosure is described with reference to the following accompanying drawings; [0016] Figure 1 illustrates a household appliance having a multi-air flow (MAF) assembly in accordance with an embodiment of this invention; and [0017] Figure 2 illustrates the MAF assembly of the household appliance, according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Detailed description of the embodiments

[0018] Figure 1 illustrates a multi-air flow (MAF) assembly in a household appliance in accordance to an embodiment of the invention. The MAF assembly 10 comprises an inner component 12 having a projection 14 at one end and multiple vents 16 for airflow between compartments (18(a), 18(b)) of the appliance 11. The assembly 10 comprises an outer component 20 enclosing the inner component 12. The inner component 12 comprises a lining 22 made of an expandable polystyrene, In-molded with the outer component 20.

[0019] Further, the construction of the MAF assembly 10 in the household appliance 11 is explained in detail. According to one embodiment of the invention, the household appliance 10 is chosen from a group of appliances comprising a single door refrigerator, a multi-door refrigerator and the like. The appliance 10 comprises two types of compartments (18(a), 18(b)), one being the freezer compartment 18(a) and other being the fresh-food/refrigerator compartment 18(b). The air from the freezer compartment 18(a) is directed into the fresh-food compartment 18(b), to keep the food fresh in the later compartment 18(b).

[0020] A portion of Multi flow air assembly (MAF) 10 is positioned in the refrigerator /fresh-food compartment 18(b). The MAF assembly 10 is positioned at the back wall of the refrigerator compartment 18(b) as shown in the figure 1. The multiple vents 16 provided on the MAF assembly 10 allows the flow of air from the freezer compartment 18(a) to the refrigerator compartment 18(b).

[0021] The outer component 20 of the MAF assembly 10 is made of thermo plastic polymer and has dimensions corresponding to dimensions of the inner component 12. The outer and the inner components (12,20) comprises similar vents 16 for the flow of air between the compartments (18(a), 18(b)) of the appliance 11. However, the material with which the outer component 20 is made of is not limited to thermo plastic polymer as mentioned above, but can be of any other flexible plastic polymer that is known to a person skilled in the art.

[0022] The lining 22 of the inner component 12 is fabricated from expanded polystyrene (EPS), since it is a highly versatile closed-cell bead material or a foam form of polystyrene that provides a unique range of properties, including outstanding energy absorption, multiple impact resistance, thermal insulation, buoyancy, water and chemical resistance, exceptionally high strength to weight ratio and 100% recyclability. The lining 22 of the inner component 12 (EPS) has very good impact characteristics due to its low stiffness, this allows EPS to resume its shape after impacts.

[0023] The outer component 20 is vacuum formed and trimmed corresponding to the dimensions of the inner component 12, before In-molding onto the inner component 12. In the process of vacuum forming , the outer component 20 (which is a sheet of plastic) is heated to a forming temperature, stretched onto a mold 24 (for instance, a single-surface mold), and forced against the mold 24 by a vacuum. Through this vacuum process, the plastic component (i.e. the outer component 20 according to present invention) is converted into permanent objects such as protective covers. The process of vacuum forming is not explained in detail, as it is a state of art technology. The heated outer component 20 is trimmed according to the size and shape of the inner component 12 and is in a pre-determined position in the single-surface mold 24. The vacuum formed and trimmed outer component 20 that is placed in the mold 24, is IN-molded onto the lining 22 of the inner component 12 to form the Multi-air flow (MAF) assembly 10.

[0024] Figure 2 illustrates the MAF assembly 10 of the household appliance 11 according to the present invention. Due to In-molding of the inner component 12 to the outer component 20, a movement of the air, flowing in between of the inner component 12 and the outer component 20 is sealed. The MAF assembly 10 comprises a supporting element 26 fitted into the projection 14 of the inner component 12 after the outer component 20 is In-molded onto the inner component 12.

[0025] According to one embodiment of the invention, the outer component 20 and the inner component 12 is made as a single component, by In-molding the inner component 12 with the outer component 20.

[0026] A method of manufacturing the MAF assembly 10 is explained below. The outer component 20 vacuum processed i.e. , the sheet of the plastic of which the outer component 20 is made is heated to a predefined temperature. The heated sheet of plastic/outer component 20 is trimmed according to the inner component 12 shape and size. In a normal mold or single-surface mold 14, which has the similar dimensions and vents as the inner component 12, the vacuum formed and trimmed inner component 12 is placed in a p re-determined position.

[0027] Now, the outer component 20 is molded onto the inner component 12 using In-molding process. Thus, the In-molded outer component 20 and the inner component 12 makes a single part of the appliance 11 , with the flow of air between the compartments (18(a), 18(b)) of the MAF assembly 10 being sealed. The In-mold process not only provides the less manufacturing cost, but also provides the efficient flow of air from one compartment 18(a) to other compartment 18(b) in the appliance 11.

[0028] With the above-disclosed in-molding process in the multi-air flow assembly 10, the usage of an adhesive material (double-sided tape) is eliminated making it a cost effective solution. The use of the adhesive material in conventional multi-air flow channel not only makes the system inefficient (due to escape of the air from the assembly 10), but also wear and tear of the adhesive material increases the maintenance cost. The above-disclosed molding process does not require an additional tool /component and merely uses the vacuum forming manufacturing process instead of injection molding, making it a less investment option.

[0029] With the In-molding of the outer component 20 onto the inner component 12 in the MAF assembly 10, a thickness of the plastic part (outer component) is reduces compared to the conventional cover available in the market. This reduction in the thickness can be achieved using the vacuum forming method. The above process further reduces an overall weight of the household appliance 11 due to the elimination of the adhesive material between the inner component 12 and the outer component 20. It is to be understood that, the above-disclosed In-molding process can be applied to any other component of the refrigerator that are made of plastic or expanded polystyrene material.

[0030] It should be understood that embodiments explained in the description above are only illustrative and do not limit the scope of this disclosure. Many such embodiments and other modifications and changes in the embodiment explained in the description are envisaged. The scope of the invention is only limited by the scope of the claims.

List of Reference Signs

10 multi-air flow assembly

11 house hold appliance

12 inner component

14 multiple vents

16 projection in the inner component

18(a) a freezer compartment of the appliance

18(b) a fresh food/refrigerator compartment of the appliance

20 outer component

22 lining of the inner component

24 mold

26 supporting element