1. An improved single door direct cooled refrigerator with adjustable freezer and fresh food compartment comprising of a slider box supporting chiller tray and PCM Box assembled in quick lift which is fitted into inner casing of the refrigerator so that the quick lift moves vertically up and down to rest at upper position for smaller freezer, bigger Fresh Food compartment and at lower position for bigger freezer & smaller Fresh Food compartment.

2. An improved single door direct cooled refrigerator as claimed in claim 1, comprising of evaporator made of a plurality of sheets rolled and bonded together to form a single piece bent at several locations as shown in fig. 1, in which the sheets are sized, rolled and bonded together in different shape and size as per requirement in which the PCM box acts as sixth surface of the evaporator.

3. An improved single door direct cooled refrigerator as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein the slider box also serves the purpose of collecting defrost water from the sides of the evaporator and thereby passes it to water collector from where it is drained out of the refrigerator through drain pipe.

4. An improved single door direct cooled refrigerator as claimed in any of the preceding claims, wherein the quick lift comprising of an elongated member for supporting slider box in which the slider box comprising of a support for the chiller tray and another support for PCM box.

5. An improved single door direct cooled refrigerator as claimed in any of the preceding claims, wherein the quick lift comprising of a plurality of holes for assembly with liner stopper to be set at lower and higher position, in which the shape, size and number of holes can be determined according to the cooling requirements.

6. An improved single door direct cooled refrigerator as claimed in any of the preceding claims, wherein said quick lift is fitted into slot (S) provided in the inner casing.

7. An improved single door direct cooled refrigerator as claimed in any of the preceding claims, wherein the chiller tray and PCM box on the slider box move upwards/downwards according to the movement of said quick lift.

8. An improved single door direct cool refrigerator as claimed in any of the preceding claims, wherein the water collector is attached to the refrigerator to collect defrost water from the sides of evaporator, slider ... box, chiller tray and/or any other similar part of freezer compartment of the refrigerator, thereby the defrost water collected in water collector is drained out of the refrigerator through a drain pipe and/or any other similar kind of drain system/mechanism.

9. An improved single door direct cool refrigerator as claimed in any of the preceding claims, wherein the control box is attached to the refrigerator for desired refrigerator functioning and comprises of a thermostat and a bulb/ LED and/ or similar kind of lightening device.

10. An improved single door direct cooled refrigerator as claimed in any of the preceding claims, wherein the PCM Box is made of polymers or any other similar material like High density polyethylene (HDPE), High Impact Polystyrene (HIPS) filled with a phase change material (PCM) inside, in which size, shape of the PCM Box and quantity of PCM is modifiable as per cooling requirement.

11. An improved single door direct cooled refrigerator with adjustable freezer and fresh food compartment substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

FIELD OF INVENTION
This invention relates to an improved single door direct cooled refrigerator with
adjustable freezer and fresh food compartment. The freezer and fresh food
compartment can be adjusted to have bigger/smaller storage capacity
according to requirement. The adjustment in the freezer compartment size is
accommodated with adjustment in size of the fresh food compartment and viceversa.
Therefore, as per the setting where freezer compartment is smaller the
fresh food compartment is bigger and other setting provides a bigger sized
freezer compartment with smaller sized fresh food compartment.
BACKGROUND/PRIOR ART OF THE INVENTION
Currently, the single door direct cooled refrigerators are provided with
predetermined sizes of the two compartments. However, the drawback is that,
there is no provision to adjust the sizes of the compartment without replacing
one or more parts inside the refrigerator with new sized parts.
The detailed working principle of a direct cooled refrigerator is as follows:-
Direct Cooled Domestic Refrigerators are based on vapor compression cycle,
where the refrigerant such as FREON circulates inside the system in different
phases (liquid and vapor) and provides cooling by its evaporation. An ideal
vapor compressor cycle has mainly four components given herein below:-
(i) Compressor where low pressure and low temperature refrigerant in
vapor form gets compressed to a high temperature and high pressure
vapor.
(ii) Condenser where the compressed vapor enters and rejects heat to
environment. During the process of releasing heat to environment,
phase of the refrigerant changes from vapor to liquid.
(iii) Capillary through which the liquid refrigerant flows and the pressure
drops significantly. During the process, some amount of liquid
refrigerant becomes vapor.
(iv) Evaporator where the low pressure & low temperature liquid vapor
mixture from capillary enters and gains heat from the surrounding air
and thus provides cooling. During the process, the liquid vapor
mixture of refrigerant changes to vapor.
The cycle continues as long as the compressor operates. The compressor is
switched ON / OFF according to thermostat setting .
As mentioned above, existing direct cooled domestic refrigerators have
predetermined capacity of the freezer and fresh food compartments which does
not allow consumers to adjust freezer or fresh food compartment's size as per
requirement.
I
Hence, there is a requirement to develop a refrigerator for the consumers who
desire to have flexibility in the sizes of freezer and fresh food compartment as
per their need. So that, consumers can use bigger/ smaller freezer or fresh food
compartment as per their food habits, occasions like parties/get-together or
weather. The present invention provides a flexible freezer, which provides
flexibility without varying the gross capacity of the refrigerator.
OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION
The primary object of the present invention is to provide an improved single
door direct cooled refrigerator with adjustable freezer and fresh food
compartment which overcomes disadvantages associated with the prior art.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved single door
direct cooled refrigerator with adjustable freezer and fresh food compartment
which is efficient and simple in construction.
Further object of the present invention is to provide an improved single door
direct cooled refrigerator with adjustable freezer and fresh food compartment
which provides flexibility to users, thereby making it user friendly.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
According to this invention, there is provided an improved single door direct
cooled refrigerator with adjustable freezer and fresh food compartment
comprising of a slider box supporting chiller tray and PCM Box. The slider box
is assembled to quick lift which is fitted into inner casing of the refrigerator so
that the slider box can move vertically up and down to rest at upper position
for smaller freezer compartment and at lower position for bigger freezer
compartment. The quick lift can be fitted with case liner at left side, right side,
back side or any other suitable location on the case liner for smooth movement
& adjustment in size. The PCM box is attached to the slider box which acts as
6th or bottom surface of the freezer compartment that provides useable storage
space for consumer. With movement of slider box, chiller tray also changes its
position which provides flexibility in fresh food compartment. Quick lift can be
I mechanical, electrical, magnetic or any other similar type capable of providing
a range of displacement which provides flexibility to freezer or fresh food
compartment.
STATEMENT OF INVENTION
According to this invention, there is provided an improved single door direct
cooled refrigerator with adjustable freezer and fresh food compartment
comprising of a slider box supporting chiller tray and PCM Box assembled in
quick lift which is fitted into inner casing of the refrigerator so that the quick
lift moves vertically up and down to rest at upper position for smaller freezer
compartment and at lower position for bigger freezer compartment.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE ACCOMPANYING DRAWINGS
Further objects and advantages of this invention will be more apparent from
the ensuing description when read in conjunction with the accompanying
drawings and wherein:
Fig. 1 shows: evaporator according to the present invention.
Fig. 2 shows: exemplary embodiment of quick lift of the present invention.
Fig. 3 shows: Slider Box to support chiller & PCM box.
Fig. 4 shows: chiller tray.
Fig. 5 shows: interior of the refrigerator with two different sizes of the
compartments.
Fig. 6 shows: PCM Box as 6th surface of lower freezer compartment.
Fig. 7 shows: water collector to drain out water from Refrigerator.
Fig. 8 shows: Control Box Assembly.
Fig. 9 shows: Quick lift assembly to inner case.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION WITH REFERENCE TO THE
ACCOMPANYING DRAWINGS
The present invention is directed to an improved single door direct cooled
refrigerator with adjustable freezer or fresh food compartment. The refrigerator
of the instant invention is provided with a quick lift (as shown in fig. 2) for the
purpose of providing flexibility of making said adjustment in sizes of the
compartments. The quick lift is fitted into slots in inner casing of said
refrigerator.
I The quick lift is not found usually in direct cooled domestic refrigerators. For
the purpose of providing the flexibility of making said adjustment in sizes of the
compartments, the quick lift is fitted into slots (shown in fig. 9) provided in
I 1 inner casing.
The quick lift is assembled to slider box which supports chiller tray and PCM
box. Further, the quick lift moves vertically up and down and rests at lower &
upper positions. At upper resting position, the fresh food compartment is of
bigger size with smaller freezer compartment [fig. 5(b)] and at lower resting
position, the freezer compartment is big in size [fig. 5(a)]. Fig. 5 indicates inner
casing (I), quick lift (Q), PCM Box (B) and evaporator (E). Again, the slider box
serves another purpose of collecting defrost water from the sides of the
evaporator & transfers water to water collector (fig7). Water Collector also
collects water from chiller tray. Therefore the defrost water from sides of
evaporator, slider box, chiller tray and/or any other part of the freezer
compartment collects into the water collector from where it is drained out from
the refrigerator through drain pipe.
Said quick lift comprising of a plurality of holes (H) for assembly with case liner
Stopper (S) to be set at lower & higher position. The shape, hole size and its
number in the quick lift can be determined according to the cooling
requirements. The quick lift comprising of elongated member (SL) for
supporting slider box wherein the slider box further comprising of a support
(GC) for the chiller tray & support (GP) for PCM Box as shown in fig. 3.
As it is known, function of an evaporator is to transfer heat from surrounding
air to the refrigerant thereby cooling of surrounding air is carried out and the
refrigerant evaporates. Usually evaporator of direct cooled domestic
refrigerators is made of two sheets rolled & bonded together with hollow
tubular space inside through which the refrigerant passes. The sheets are
provided on back (I), top (2) and two sides (3 and 4) and partition(5) rolled &
bonded together to form a single piece which is bent at four locations, wherein
the two ends of the bent piece are joined together and placed inside the
refrigerator.
For the purpose of making the compartments adjustable between them, the
sheets are sized, rolled and bonded together in different shape and size as per
requirement and then bent to the shape as shown in fig. 1.
Now, reference may be made to fig. 4 indicating Chiller tray (Fresh room tray)
This is usually positioned below the freezer compartment to make a zone where
surrounding air temperature is usually slightly lower than other areas of fresh
food compartment. The chiller tray rests on the extension (GC) provided on said
slider box as shown in fig. 3.
.
PCM Box as shown in fig. 6 is attached to the depression (GP) provided on
slider box and hence moves upwards and downwards as per the movement of
quick lift. The material of the PCM Box can be polymers or any other similar
material like high density polyethylene (HDPE), High Impact Polystyrene (HIPS)
etc. with a phase change material (PCM) filled inside. Size, shape of the PCM
Box and quantity of PCM can be modified as per cooling requirement.
As it is known, foam is provided between cabinet and inner casing, which acts
as an insulation between ambient and the compartments. In addition to this,
inner casing also provides support to shelves to keep the utensils.
The inner casing is provided with slots on two sides where quick lift fits and
slides upward and downward to adjust the sizes as shown in fig. 9 without
restricting to only these positions.
The refrigerator is provided with a control box as shown in fig.8 which
comprises of a thermostat and a bulb/LED or any other similar lightening
device and controls the functioning of refrigerator.
The freezer door prevents any air-flow invasion to the freezer compartment
from main door basket side, thus maintaining the freezer compartment
temperature.
It is to be noted that the present invention is susceptible to modifications,
adaptations and changes by those skilled in the art. Such variant embodiments
employing the concepts and features of this invention are intended to be within
the scope of the present invention, which is further set forth under the
following claims:

WE CLAIM
1. An improved single door direct cooled refrigerator with adjustable freezer
and fresh food compartment comprising of a slider box supporting chiller
tray and PCM Box assembled in quick lift which is fitted into inner
casing of the refrigerator so that the quick lift moves vertically up and
down to rest at upper position for smaller freezer, bigger Fresh Food
compartment and at lower position for bigger freezer & smaller Fresh
Food compartment.
2. An improved single door direct cooled refrigerator as claimed in claim 1,
comprising of evaporator made of a plurality of sheets rolled and bonded
together to form a single piece bent at several locations as shown in fig.
1, in which the sheets are sized, rolled and bonded together in different
shape and size as per requirement in which the PCM box acts as sixth
surface of the evaporator.
3. An improved single door direct cooled refrigerator as claimed in claim 1
or 2, wherein the slider box also serves the purpose of collecting defrost
water from the sides of the evaporator and thereby passes it to water
collector from where it is drained out of the refrigerator through drain
pipe.
4. An improved single door direct cooled refrigerator as claimed in any of
the preceding claims, wherein the quick lift comprising of an elongated
member for supporting slider box in which the slider box comprising of a
support for the chiller tray and another support for PCM box.
5. An improved single door direct cooled refrigerator as claimed in any of
the preceding claims, wherein the quick lift comprising of a plurality of
holes for assembly with liner stopper to be set at lower and higher
position, in which the shape, size and number of holes can be
determined according to the cooling requirements.
6. An improved single door direct cooled refrigerator as claimed in any of
the preceding claims, wherein said quick lift is fitted into slot (S) provided
in the inner casing.
7. An improved single door direct cooled refrigerator as claimed in any of
the preceding claims, wherein the chiller tray and PCM box on the slider
box move upwards/downwards according to the movement of said quick
lift.
8. An improved single door direct cool refrigerator as claimed in any of the
preceding claims, wherein the water collector is attached to the
refrigerator to collect defrost water from the sides of evaporator, slider ...
box, chiller tray and/or any other similar part of freezer compartment of
the refrigerator, thereby the defrost water collected in water collector is
drained out of the refrigerator through a drain pipe and/or any other
similar kind of drain system/mechanism.
9. An improved single door direct cool refrigerator as claimed in any of the
preceding claims, wherein the control box is attached to the refrigerator
for desired refrigerator functioning and comprises of a thermostat and a
bulb/ LED and/ or similar kind of lightening device.
10. An improved single door direct cooled refrigerator as claimed in
any of the preceding claims, wherein the PCM Box is made of polymers or
any other similar material like High density polyethylene (HDPE), High
Impact Polystyrene (HIPS) filled with a phase change material (PCM)
inside, in which size, shape of the PCM Box and quantity of PCM is
modifiable as per cooling requirement.
11. An improved single door direct cooled refrigerator with adjustable
freezer and fresh food compartment substantially as herein described
with reference to the accompanying drawings.