DUAL USE USER INTERFACE AND DOOR POSITION SENSORS

• US 20150247668A1
• Filed: 02/28/2014
• Published: 09/03/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 02/28/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Electrolux Consumer Products Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Electrolux Home Products Incorporated (AB Electrolux)
• Inventors: Willis, Timothy E.
• Granted Patent: US 10,473,389 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 49/02 for compression type machines, plants or systems
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 23/028 Details
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 2400/361 Interactive visual displays
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 2700/02 Sensors detecting door opening
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 2700/12 Sensors measuring the inside temperature
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 29/005 Mounting of control devices

Abstract

A refrigeration appliance including both a user interface and door position sensor. The same devices and sensors are for both functions. The user interface is mounted on a door or mullion in such a way that all or nearly all of the input devices on the user interface are activated simultaneously or nearly simultaneously when a door is closed so that the user interface can distinguish this action from user inputs in which only one or two input devices are activated at a time. Likewise, when all input devices are inactivated nearly simultaneously, the user interface may know that a door has been opened.

Claims

1. A refrigeration appliance comprising:

at least one door;

at least one surface, the at least one surface being a surface of the at least one door or a mullion of the refrigeration appliance;

a user interface located on the at least one surface and comprising at least two sensors, each sensor adapted for communicating a signal; and

a controller,

wherein the controller is capable of determining the state of the at least one door based at least in part on the signals of the at least two sensors of the user interface and controlling user interface interaction based at least in part on the signals of the at least two sensors of the user interface.

2. The refrigeration appliance of claim 1, wherein at least one of the at least two sensors of the user interface is a capacitive sensor or an infrared proximity sensor.

3. The refrigeration appliance of claim 1, further comprising a second door, wherein the at least one surface of the at least one door and a surface of the second door each comprise a substantially-planar side portion that oppose each other when the at least one door and the second door are in a closed state.

4. The refrigeration appliance of claim 3, wherein the user interface is located on the substantially-planar side portion of the at least one door, such that all or nearly all of the at least two sensors are activated or inactivated nearly simultaneously when either the at least one door or the second door is in a closed state or opened state.

5. The refrigeration appliance of claim 1, wherein the controller determines the state of the at least one door based at least in part on the near simultaneous activation or inactivation of all or nearly all of the at least two sensors of the user interface.

6. The refrigeration appliance of claim 1, wherein the controller controls user interface interaction based at least in part on the near simultaneous activation or inactivation of only less than half of the at least two sensors of the user interface.

7. The refrigeration appliance of claim 1, wherein the user interface comprises at least two buttons, each of the at least two buttons comprising at least one of the at least two sensors, wherein the controller determines the state of the at least two buttons based at least in part on the near simultaneous activation of all or nearly all of the at least one of the at least two sensors comprised by each of the at least two buttons, and the controller determines the state of the at least one door based at least in part on the state of the at least two buttons.

8. A refrigeration appliance comprising:

at least one door;

at least one surface, wherein the at least one surface is in closer proximity to the at least one door when the at least one door is in a closed state, than when the at least one door is in an opened state;

a user interface comprising at least two sensors, each of the at least two sensors adapted for communicating a signal, wherein the user interface is located on either the at least one door or the at least one surface; and

a controller electrically connected to the user interface and the at least two sensors, wherein the controller determines the state of the at least one door based on the signals of the at least two sensors.

9. The refrigeration appliance of claim 8, wherein at least one of the at least two sensors of the user interface is a capacitive sensor or an infrared proximity sensor.

10. The refrigeration appliance of claim 8, wherein the at least one surface is a surface of a second door.

11. The refrigeration appliance of claim 8, wherein the controller determines the state of the at least one door based at least in part on the near simultaneous activation or inactivation of all or nearly all of the at least two sensors of the user interface.

12. The refrigeration appliance of claim 8, wherein the controller controls user interface interaction based at least in part on the near simultaneous activation or inactivation of only less than half of the at least two sensors of the user interface.

13. The refrigeration appliance of claim 8, wherein the user interface comprises at least two buttons, each of the at least two buttons comprising at least one of the at least two sensors, wherein the controller determines the state of the at least two buttons based at least in part on the near simultaneous activation of all or nearly all of the at least one of the at least two sensors comprised by each of the at least two buttons, and the controller determines the state of the at least one door based at least in part on the state of the at least two buttons.

14. A refrigeration appliance comprising:

at least one door;

at least one surface, wherein the at least one surface is in closer proximity to the at least one door when the at least one door is in a closed state, than when the at least one door is in an opened state;

a user interface located at an interface of the at least one door and the at least one surface;

a controller; and

a sensor system, the sensor system further comprising at least two sensors attached to the user interface, adapted for communicating a signal to the controller, and being located at the interface of the at least one door and the at least one surface,

wherein the controller is capable of determining the state of the at least one door based at least in part on the activation or inactivation of the at least two sensors of the of the sensor system and the controller is further capable of controlling the user interface based at least in part on the activation or inactivation of the at least two sensors of the of the sensor system.

15. The refrigeration appliance of claim 14, wherein at least one of the at least two sensors of the user interface is a capacitive sensor or an infrared proximity sensor.

16. The refrigeration appliance of claim 14, wherein the controller determines the state of the at least one door based at least in part on the near simultaneous activation or inactivation of all or nearly all of the at least two sensors of the user interface.

17. The refrigeration appliance of claim 14, wherein the controller controls user interface interaction based at least in part on the near simultaneous activation or inactivation of only less than half of the at least two sensors of the user interface.

18. The refrigeration appliance of claim 14, wherein the user interface comprises at least two buttons, each of the at least two buttons comprising at least one of the at least two sensors, wherein the controller determines the state of the at least two buttons based at least in part on the near simultaneous activation of all or nearly all of the at least one of the at least two sensors comprised by each of the at least two buttons, and the controller determines the state of the at least one door based at least in part on the state of the at least two buttons.