The present invention relates to a refrigerator wherein the air circulation in the fresh food compartment is controlled.

The fresh food compartment of a refrigerator generally comprises a plurality of shelves, a crisper and door shelves and special storage compartments in some of the embodiments. The air cooling down while passing over the evaporator reaches these sections at different levels by passing through the openings on the evaporator cover. The cooled air is distributed to each shelf or drawer so as to meet the cooling needs of foodstuffs in these sections. Foodstuffs at high temperatures, for example in a container, a pot, etc. placed into the refrigerator must be cooled in a short time. If the foodstuff at high temperatures is not quickly cooled, the rate of microorganism formation increases, thus decreasing the storage time of the foodstuff. Moreover, the amount of hot foodstuffs placed into the refrigerator increases, the cooling conditions in the refrigerator may deteriorate, thus increasing the energy consumption.

In the Patent No. US7866182 (B2), an air duct is disclosed in a refrigerator, which delivers the cold air to the fresh food compartment through different cross-sectional areas and which sucks the return air from both upper side sections.

The Patent Application No. EP3242098 (A2) relates to a refrigerator comprising a multiple-channel structure providing the distribution of cold air in the cabinet.

The Patent Application No. US2015338155 (Al) relates to a refrigerator comprising an air distribution system which provides the equal distribution of the cooled air.

The aim of the present invention is the realization of a refrigerator wherein a hot foodstuff placed into the fresh food compartment is more quickly cooled.

The refrigerator realized in order to attain the aim of the present invention comprises a fan which provides the circulation of cold air and which can be rotated clockwise or counterclockwise by the control unit depending on the cooling needs in the fresh food compartment. The evaporator cover is provided with at least one quick cooling opening thereon which provides the blowing of cold air onto a container placed onto a shelf in the compartment and containing foodstuff at high temperatures. The flow guiding mechanism behind the evaporator cover is provided with an auxiliary flow path which enables the cold air blown when the fan is rotated counterclockwise to be guided to the quick cooling opening.

The refrigerator realized in order to attain the aim of the present invention is illustrated in the attached figures, where:

Figure 1 - is the schematic view of a refrigerator.

Figure 2 - is the perspective view of the fresh food compartment.

Figure 3 - is the exploded view of the evaporator cover, the flow guiding mechanism and the evaporator.

Figure 4 - is the front perspective view of the evaporator cover.

Figure 5 - is the rear perspective view of the evaporator cover and the flow guiding mechanism.

Figure 6 - is the schematic view showing the air flow in the flow guiding mechanism when the fan is rotated counterclockwise.

Figure 7 - is the schematic view showing the air flow in the flow guiding mechanism when the fan is rotated clockwise.

The elements illustrated in the figures are numbered as follows:

1. Refrigerator

2. Compartment

3. Evaporator

4. Fan

5. Cover

6. Blowing hole 7. Flow path

8. Flow guiding mechanism 9. Suction opening

10. Suction channel

11. Separator plate

12. Container

13. Quick cooling opening

14. Auxiliary flow path

15. Control unit

The refrigerator (1) comprises a body; a fresh food compartment (2), "compartment (2)" in short, wherein the foodstuffs to be cooled are placed; an evaporator (3) which is disposed on the rear wall of the compartment (2) and which provides the cooling of the compartment (2); a radial fan (4) which enables the air to be passed over the evaporator (3) and circulated in the compartment (2); a plurality of shelves which are disposed in the compartment (2) and whereon the foodstuffs are placed; an evaporator cover (5), "cover (5)" in short, which is placed in front of the evaporator (3) in the compartment (2); a plurality of blowing holes (6) which are provided on the cover (5) and which enable the cooled air to be delivered into the compartment (2) and onto the shelves, the crisper, etc. in the compartment (2); a plurality of flow paths (7) which are provided at the inner section of the cover (5) between the cover (5) and the evaporator (3) and which guide the cold air blown by the fan (4) to the blowing holes (6); a flow guiding mechanism (8) whereon the flow paths (7) are opened; a plurality of suction openings (9) which are provided on the cover (5) and which enable the air heating up while circulating in the compartment (2) to reach the inner section of the cover (5) to be cooled; at least one suction channel (10) which guides the air passing through the suction openings (9) by means of the fan (4) to the evaporator (3); a separator plate (11) which accommodates thereon the suction channel (10) and the circular fan (4) suction opening and which separates the flow paths (7) and the evaporator (3), and a control unit (15) which regulates the cooling process.

The refrigerator (1) of the present invention comprises - the fan (4) which can be rotated clockwise or counterclockwise by the control unit (15) depending on the cooling needs in the compartment (2),

- at least one quick cooling opening (13) which is provided on the cover (5) and which provides the blowing of cold air onto a container (12) placed onto a shelf in the compartment (2) and containing foodstuff at high temperatures and

- an auxiliary flow path (14) which is provided on the flow guiding mechanism (8) and which enables the cold air blown when the fan (4) is rotated counterclockwise to be guided to the quick cooling opening (13).

The evaporator cover (5) is disposed on the rear wall of the fresh food compartment (2) in the refrigerator (1). The cover (5) accommodates thereon the suction openings (9) and the blowing holes (6). The air heating up while circulating in the compartment (2) enters the cover (5) through the suction openings (9). The air cooled behind the cover (5) is blown into the compartment (2) through the blowing holes (6). The blowing holes (6) are provided on the front and lateral surfaces of the cover (5). The air is blown through the blowing holes (6) towards the sections in the compartment (2) such as the shelves, the crisper, the special cooling drawer, etc. When the hot foodstuff container (12) is placed into the compartment (2), the direction of rotation of the fan (4) is changed by the control unit (15) or with the intervention of the user and the cold air is blown onto the container (12) through the quick cooling opening (13). Thus, hot foodstuffs placed into the compartment (2) within a container (12) is quickly cooled.

The radial fan (4) and the flow paths (7) are disposed on the flow guiding mechanism (8). The separator plate (11) is placed between the evaporator (3) and the flow guiding mechanism (8) and separates the flow paths (7) and the evaporator (3), thus providing a closed structure for the flow paths (7) and the insulation between the evaporator (3) and the flow paths (7). The separator plate (11) also accommodates thereon the circular fan

(4) suction opening and the suction channels (10) through which the air sucked through the suction openings (9) on the cover (5) is guided towards the evaporator (3). The air heating up in the compartment (2) enters through the suction openings (9) on the cover

(5), passes through the suction channels (10) on the separator plate (11) and moves towards the fan (4) (upward direction), thus passing over the evaporator (3) to be cooled. The air blown by the fan (4) is delivered into the compartment (2) through the blowing holes (6) from the flow paths (7) on the flow guiding mechanism (8).

The flow paths (7) and the auxiliary flow path (14) are designed by taking into consideration the clockwise and counterclockwise rotation of the fan (4). The air blown by the fan (4) while rotating clockwise or counterclockwise enters the flow paths (7) and the auxiliary flow path (14) at different flow rates.

The auxiliary flow path (14) is configured to receive the air blown by the fan (4) to the left side when viewed from the front in order to guide the highest flow when the fan (4) is rotated counterclockwise. In case the radial fan (4) is rotated counterclockwise, 70% of the total air flow blown by the fan (4) is delivered to the quick cooling opening (13) through the auxiliary flow path (14) and 30% thereof to the blowing holes (6) through the flow paths (7).

A flow path (7) used in the normal case is configured to receive the air blown by the fan (4) to the right side when viewed from the front in order to guide the highest flow when the fan (4) is rotated clockwise. In the normal case the fan (4) is rotated clockwise, 15% of the total air flow blown by the fan (4) is delivered to the quick cooling opening (13) through the auxiliary flow path (14) and 85% thereof to the blowing holes (6) through the flow paths (7).

In normal conditions, the fan (4) rotates clockwise and distributes the air so as to keep the shelves at the set temperature. In case the hot foodstuff container (12) is placed in front of the quick cooling opening (13), the fan (4) changes direction and most of the circulated air is delivered through the auxiliary flow path (14) to the quick cooling opening (13) and the cold air is blown onto the hot foodstuff container (12) through the quick cooling opening (13). This continues until the hot foodstuff container (12) reaches the set temperature and the fan (4) continues to be rotated clockwise which is the normal direction of rotation.

In an embodiment of the present invention, the control unit (15) decides to change the direction of the fan (4) by evaluating the data received from at least one temperature sensor (not shown in figures) disposed in the compartment (2). In another embodiment of the present invention, the refrigerator (1) comprises a button (not shown in figures) which enables the user to change the direction of rotation of the fan (4) in order to quickly cool the hot foodstuff placed into the compartment (2).

In the refrigerator (1) of the present invention, in case the fan (4) is rotated clockwise most of the cold air is blown through the blowing holes (6) and in case the fan (4) is rotated counterclockwise most of the cold air is blown through the quick cooling opening (13) into the compartment (2). In order to quickly cool the hot foodstuff placed into the compartment (2), the fan (4) is rotated counterclockwise by means of the control unit (15) with the help of the temperature sensor or by means of a control button pushed by the user and most of the air flow blown by the fan (4) is delivered from the auxiliary flow path (14) to the quick cooling opening (13) and from there onto the hot foodstuff container (12) in the compartment (2), thus quickly cooling the hot foodstuff. The time required for cooling the hot foodstuff is shortened by 50% compared to the state of the art.