SENSOR SYSTEM FOR A REFRIGERATOR DISPENSER
First Claim
1. A refrigerator comprising:
- a cabinet;
at least one refrigerated compartment arranged within the cabinet;
a door mounted to the cabinet for selectively providing access to the at least one refrigerated compartment; and
a dispenser assembly provided in the door for selectively releasing at least one of water and ice to a consumer, said dispenser assembly including;
a main housing;
a dispenser well provided in the main housing, said dispenser well including an upper portion, a base section for supporting a container, a recessed upstanding wall section and opposing side wall sections;
a dispensing outlet arranged in the upper portion of the dispenser well for delivering a container filling towards the base section; and
a sensor system including at least one sensor exposed to the dispenser well, said at least one sensor being configured to detect each of a presence, positioning, height and shape of a container placed in the dispensing well.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A sensing system for a refrigerator dispensing system is used to sense the presence, positioning, height and shape of a container placed in a dispensing well. When the presence of the container is sensed in the dispensing well and the container is properly positioned relative to a dispensing nozzle of the well, a dispensing operation can be performed. The actual dispensing operation is regulated based on the height and shape of the container. In this manner, dispensing operations can only be performed when a container is appropriately arranged in the dispensing well and the dispensing operation will be timely terminated based the size and shape of particular container employed.
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Citations
24 Claims
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1. A refrigerator comprising:
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a cabinet; at least one refrigerated compartment arranged within the cabinet; a door mounted to the cabinet for selectively providing access to the at least one refrigerated compartment; and a dispenser assembly provided in the door for selectively releasing at least one of water and ice to a consumer, said dispenser assembly including; a main housing; a dispenser well provided in the main housing, said dispenser well including an upper portion, a base section for supporting a container, a recessed upstanding wall section and opposing side wall sections; a dispensing outlet arranged in the upper portion of the dispenser well for delivering a container filling towards the base section; and a sensor system including at least one sensor exposed to the dispenser well, said at least one sensor being configured to detect each of a presence, positioning, height and shape of a container placed in the dispensing well. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A method of dispensing a liquid from a refrigerator door mounted dispenser assembly including a dispensing well having a water-based dispensing outlet comprising:
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sensing each of a presence, position, height and shape of a container placed in the dispensing well; initiating a dispensing operation by introducing a water-based material into the container when the presence of the container is sensed in the dispenser well and the container is properly positioned relative to the nozzle; and regulating the dispensing operation based on the height and shape of the container. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
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Specification