APPARATUS, METHOD, AND SYSTEM FOR AUTOMATICALLY TURNING OFF AN ACTUATOR IN A REFRIGERATION DEVICE UPON DETECTION OF AN UNWANTED CONDITION

• US 20080156011A1
• Filed: 11/01/2007
• Published: 07/03/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 12/29/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
• Original Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
• Inventors: Culley, Brian Keith, Jeffery, Randell L., Boarman, Patrick J., Voglewede, Ronald L.
• Granted Patent: US 8,820,100 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 62/228.1
• CPC Class Codes: F25C 2500/02 Geometry problems
• CPC Class Codes: F25C 2500/08 Sticking or clogging of ice
• CPC Class Codes: F25C 2600/04 Control means
• CPC Class Codes: F25C 5/22 particularly adapted for household refrigerators

Abstract

An apparatus, method, and system for automatically turning off an electrically powered actuator in a refrigeration mechanism upon detection of an unwanted condition. In one aspect of the invention, the electrically powered actuator can be the motor of an ice maker/dispenser. The detection can be accomplished by sensing the presence of an object along or near an ice dispensing pathway from the ice maker/dispenser. The unwanted condition could be the presence of the object for more than a preset time period. This would allow to distinguish between an unwanted object such as silverware or clogged ice versus a wanted object such as flowing ice cubes, crushed ice, or shaved ice.

Claims

1. A method of automatically turning off an electrically-powered actuator in a refrigeration mechanism upon detection of an unwanted condition comprising:

a. turning the actuator on;

b. sensing the presence of an object along or near a location in or near the refrigeration mechanism;

c. turning the actuator off if the sensed presence of an object is indicative of an unwanted condition.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the sensing comprises producing an output signal in response to sensitivity to a measured property indicative of presence of an object.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the measured property comprises attenuation of emitted light energy from the emitter sensed by a detector of light energy.

4. The method of claim 2 wherein sensed presence indicative of an unwanted condition comprises length of time of sensed attenuation of emitted light energy.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein the length of time is at least one second.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein the at least one second comprises approximately 1 to 2 second(s).

7. The method of claim 2 wherein the measured property comprises sensing without contact.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein the sensing comprises optical sensing.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein the measured property comprises change in light level.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein the sensed presence indicative of an unwanted condition is calibrated to distinguish between ice moving through an ice dispensing chute and either

a. objects of greater size than the ice, or

b. objects or ice that are not moving through the dispensing chute.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein the calibration comprises a cumulative time value exceeding a threshold, the cumulative time value measured by a timer that cumulates incremental time beginning at first sensing of an object by the sensor and continuously or periodically sensing for presence of that object, the cumulative time value correlated to either (a) size of object exceeding maximum size of ice normally expected to be dispensed from the ice maker or (b) clogging of the ice dispensing chute with ice.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein the cumulative time value is on the order of 1 to 2 second(s).

13. The method of claim 1 further comprising enabling the actuator to turn on again if the indication of an unwanted condition ceases.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein the ceasing of the unwanted condition comprises discontinuance of the sensed presence of the object.

15. The method of claim 10 wherein the ice comprises cubes, crushed, or shaved ice.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein the cumulative time value is selected to correspond to the largest dimension of ice cubes.

17. The method of claim 10 further comprising making the sensor insensitive to moving ice cubes or crushed ice.

18. The method of claim 10 wherein the sensing is non-contacting sensing of the ice.

19. The method of claim 10 wherein the sensing is non-mechanical.

20. The method of claim 10 wherein the unwanted condition is ice clogging the dispensing pathway or a non-ice object inserted into the dispensing pathway.