EVAPORATOR COVER
An evaporator cover that includes a cover body integrally formed with a plurality of materials is provided. Each material of the plurality of materials has a different hardness. An air handler is mounted to the cover body. A related method for forming an evaporator cover with an additive process is also provided.
1 . An evaporator cover, comprising:
a cover body integrally formed with a plurality of materials, each material of the plurality of materials having a different elastic modulus or hardness; and
an air handler mounted to the cover body.
2 . The evaporator cover of claim 1 , wherein the cover body is sized for covering an evaporator of a refrigerator appliance.
3 . The evaporator cover of claim 1 , wherein the cover body defines a plurality of mounting brackets, the mounting brackets of the cover body engaging the air handler in order to mount the air handler to the cover body.
4 . The evaporator cover of claim 3 , wherein the air hander is snap-fit to the cover body with the mounting brackets of the cover body.
5 . The evaporator cover of claim 1 , wherein the elastic modulus or hardness of each material of the plurality of materials is selected such that resonant frequencies of the air handler are damped by the cover body.
6 . The evaporator cover of claim 1 , wherein the cover body includes a continuous outer coating disposed over the plurality of materials.
7 . The evaporator cover of claim 6 , wherein the continuous outer coating is a single continuous piece of plastic.
8 . The evaporator cover of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of materials is meshed together such that each material of the plurality of materials is a single continuous piece of material.
9 . The evaporator cover of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of materials comprises a plurality of polymers.
10 . The evaporator cover of claim 9 , wherein the plurality of polymers includes an elastomer and a photopolymer.
11 . A method for forming an evaporator cover, comprising:
establishing three-dimensional information of the evaporator cover;
converting the three-dimensional information of the evaporator cover from said step of establishing into a plurality of slices, each slice of the plurality of slices defining a respective cross-sectional layer of the evaporator cover; and
successively forming each cross-sectional layer of the evaporator cover with an additive process;
wherein, after said step of successively forming, the evaporator cover includes a plurality of materials, each material of the plurality of materials having a different elastic modulus or hardness.
12 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the plurality of materials includes an elastomer and a photopolymer.
13 . The method of claim 11 , further comprising mounting a fan to the evaporator cover after said step of successively forming.
14 . The method of claim 13 , wherein said step of mounting comprises snap-fitting the fan to the evaporator cover.
15 . The method of claim 13 , wherein the elastic modulus or hardness of each material of the plurality of materials is selected such that resonant frequencies of the fan are damped by the cover body.
16 . The method of claim 11 , further comprising applying a continuous outer coating over the plurality of materials after said step of successively forming.
17 . The method of claim 16 , wherein the continuous outer coating is a single continuous piece of plastic disposed over the plurality of materials after said step of successively forming.
18 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the plurality of materials is meshed together after said step of successively forming such that each material of the plurality of materials is a single continuous piece of material.
19 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the evaporator cover is sized for covering an evaporator of a refrigerator appliance after said step of successively forming.