GB2465559A

GB2465559A - Fridge freezer

Info

Publication number: GB2465559A
Application number: GB0821143A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Gary James Thatcher
Original assignee: NGT ELECTRICAL SERVICES Ltd
Current assignee: NGT ELECTRICAL SERVICES Ltd
Priority date: 2008-11-19
Filing date: 2008-11-19
Publication date: 2010-05-26
Also published as: WO2010058214A3; GB0821143D0; WO2010058214A2

Abstract

A fridge freezer 10 comprises a freezer part 11, a refrigerator part 12, and a dispenser for transferring food from the freezer part to the refrigerator part for defrosting. Preferably, food is dispensed through a chute 17 under gravity, where a closed biased insulating flap 19 may be provided at the end of the chute to insulate the freezer part from the refrigerator part. The refrigerator part may further comprise a dedicated defrosting compartment 18 for receiving dispensed food, where the defrosting compartment may also have a drain and independent temperature control. Preferably, the dispenser includes a circular rotisserie 15 with a number of food compartment sectors 20, 21, where food in individual sectors of the rotisserie may be dispensed independently of food in other sectors. A controller 22 is preferably provided to automatically control the dispensing of food, where the controller may include a timer and a touch sensitive display.

Description

I

DESCRIPTION Title

FRIDGE FREEZER

Field of Invention

This invention relates to a fridge freezer.

Summary of Invention

In accordance with the present invention, there is provided a fridge freezer comprising a refrigerator part, a freezer part and means for dispensing food from the freezer part to the refrigerator part for defrosting. Such a fridge freezer may include a chute through which food is dispensed from the freezer part to the refrigerator part under gravity, and also control means for automatic control of such dispensing.

The inventor has realised that such a fridge freezer may be used to dispense frozen food from the freezer part to a refrigerator part in an automatic and controlled manner. This may, for example, provide for automatic and controlled defrosting of food whilst a person is at work so that, upon their return, such defrosted food is ready for cooking and I or eating.

Brief Description of Drawincis

The invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the following figures in which figures la and lb respectively show, schematically, sections Y-Y and X-X of a fridge freezer according to the present invention.

Detailed Description

Referring to figures la and lb, an American style fridge freezer 10 is shown having a left freezer part 11 and a right refrigerator part 12. Freezer and refrigerator parts are accessed by respective doors 13, 14.

The freezer part 11 comprises a rotisserie 15 driven by a motor 16 and controlled by a touch sensitive display and controller 22 located on the outside of the freezer door 13. The rotisserie has 8 bottomless food compartments 20, 21 corresponding to equally sized sectors of the rotisserie. 10. The freezer door is shaped to receive part of the rotisserie which provides for convenient access thereto.

A chute 17 is provided, underneath compartment 21 as shown in figure 1A, which connects the freezer part 11 to a defrosting compartment 18 of the refrigerator part 12. At the end of the chute, an insulating flap 19 is provided which is biased closed and serves to insulate the freezer part from the refrigerator part. Alternatively, the flap could have been provided in the chute.

The defrosting compartment 18 in the refrigerator part 12 has drainage means (not shown) for raining melting ice away from the defrosting compartment.

In use, frozen food in the individual food compartments 20, 21 may be automatically moved over the chute 17 for transfer to the defrosting compartment 18 of the refrigerator part 12 under the control of the touch sensitive display and controller 22.

For example, a timer can be utilised to control 45° step rotations of the rotisserie to provided respect instances of dispensing of frozen food. The touch sensitive display and controller 22 may also enable a user to control the mode of dispensing of food in a more complex fashion: for example, the time and frequency of dispensing, to define periodic dispensing, to temporarily halt periodic dispensing (e.g. "not this weekend"), to initiate individual instances of dispensing and extra dispensing, etc. Each food compartment may be provided with a sensor which identifies whether food is present in the compartment or not.

Furthermore, the touch sensitive display and controller 22 may be configured to allow a user to define what type of food is present in each compartment (e.g. "frozen chicken thighs in sector 4"), and such information and the status of the rotisserie may be displayed to the user on the display on the outside of the freezer.

Although not shown in the illustrated embodiment, the defrosting compartment 18 may also have temperature control independent of the refrigerator part. E.g. to facilitate more rapid defrosting.

The invention is illustrated above with an American style fridge freezer, however, it will be appreciated that the invention is equally applicable to other types of fridge freezer. For example, including one where a freezer part is located above a refrigerator part whereby the food can be dispensed by gravity as with the illustrated embodiment. The converse is also possible but a more complex food dispensing arrangement may be required.

Claims

CLAIMS1. A fridge freezer comprising a refrigerator part, a freezer part and means for dispensing food from the freezer part to the refrigerator part for defrosting.
2. A fridge freezer according to claim 1 wherein the means for dispensing food includes a chute through which food is dispensed from the freezer part to the refrigerator part under gravity.
3. A fridge freezer according to claim 2 wherein the means for dispensing food further includes a flap in or at the end of the chute which is biased closed and serves to insulate the freezer part from the refrigerator part.
4. A fridge freezer according to any preceding claim further comprising a dedicated defrosting compartment in the refrigerator part which receives dispensed food.
5. A fridge freezer according to claim 4 wherein the defrosting compartment has means for draining melting ice away from the defrosting compartment.
6. A fridge freezer according to claim 4 wherein the defrosting compartment has temperature control independent of the refrigerator part.
7. A fridge freezer according to any of the preceding claims wherein the means for dispensing food includes a plurality of food compartments whereby food in individual compartments can be dispensed independently of food in other compartments.
8. A fridge freezer according to claim 7 wherein each food compartment can be moved to a position over a chute through which food is dispensed from the freezer part to the refrigerator part for defrosting.
9. A fridge freezer according to claim 7 or claim 8 wherein the plurality of food compartments are provided in the form of a circular rotisserie in which the food compartments correspond to partitioned sectors of the rotisserie.
10. A fridge freezer according to claim 9 wherein the freezer part is accessed by a freezer door which is shaped to receive part of the rotisserie.12. A fridge freezer according to any preceding claim wherein the means for dispensing food including control means for automatic control of the dispensing of food from the freezer part to the refrigerator part.13. A fridge freezer according to claim 11 wherein the control means includes a timer.14. A fridge freezer according to claim 12 or claim 13 wherein the control means includes a display and a user input device with which a user can control the mode of dispensing of food from the freezer part to the refrigerator part.15. A fridge freezer according to claim 14 wherein the means for dispensing food includes a plurality of food compartments whereby food in individual compartments can be dispensed independently of food in other compartments; and wherein each food compartment comprises a sensor which identifies whether food is present in the compartment or not.16. A fridge freezer according to claim 15 wherein the control means is configured to indicate on the display whether a compartment is occupied.