Apparatus for controlling a refrigerator in low ambient temperature conditions
First Claim
1. In a refrigerator apparatus having juxtaposed above-freezing and below-freezing compartments and refrigeration means which is cycled on and off the supply cooling to the compartments, an improved control means for reducing the incidence of an undesirable temperature condition in the above-freezing compartment while the cooling means is off, comprising:
- means for detecting when the temperature of the above-freezing compartment has failed to rise above a particular temperature within a preselected length of time indicating that a preselected portion of the above-freezing compartment is at an undesirably low temperature wherein the detecting means is disposed remotely from the preselected portion of the above-freezing compartment; and
temperature correction means responsive to the detecting means and operative when the temperature of the above-freezing compartment has failed to rise above the particular temperature within the certain length of time for causing the temperature of the preselected compartment portion to approach a desired temperature.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A refrigerator control for operating a refrigerator which may experience an abnormal temperature condition due to operation in low ambient temperatures includes a temperature sensor for sensing the temperature of a portion of a refrigerator compartment in order to detect an abnormally low temperature in another portion of the compartment. If the compartment temperature at the end of a predetermined length of time since cooling was last supplied to the compartment is below a predetermined value, then an abnormal condition is assumed to exist and corrective action is taken to eliminate the abnormal condition. A preferred form of corrective action is to prevent compressor re-energization until the compartment temperature reaches a second predetermined value.
69 Citations
28 Claims
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1. In a refrigerator apparatus having juxtaposed above-freezing and below-freezing compartments and refrigeration means which is cycled on and off the supply cooling to the compartments, an improved control means for reducing the incidence of an undesirable temperature condition in the above-freezing compartment while the cooling means is off, comprising:
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means for detecting when the temperature of the above-freezing compartment has failed to rise above a particular temperature within a preselected length of time indicating that a preselected portion of the above-freezing compartment is at an undesirably low temperature wherein the detecting means is disposed remotely from the preselected portion of the above-freezing compartment; and temperature correction means responsive to the detecting means and operative when the temperature of the above-freezing compartment has failed to rise above the particular temperature within the certain length of time for causing the temperature of the preselected compartment portion to approach a desired temperature. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 6, 7, 8)
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5. The improved control means of claim 5, wherein the evaporator compartment also communicates with the above-freezing compartment through a passage having a controllable damper which is operable in a closed state to close the passage and in an open state to allow cooled air to pass into the above-freezing compartment, and wherein the pressure reduction means includes means for maintaining the controllable damper in the closed state and means for energizing the evaporator fan when temperature of the above-freezing compartment has failed to rise above a particular temperature within a preselected length of time.
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9. In a refrigerator apparatus having juxtaposed above-freezing and below-freezing compartments and refrigeration means switchable between a cooling mode to supply cooling to the compartments and an off mode wherein no cooling is supplied to the compartments, an improved control means for minimizing the occurrence of an abnormal temperature condition in a preselected portion of the above-freezing compartment, comprising:
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a temperature sensor in the above-freezing compartment; timing means for indicating the length of time since the refrigeration means was switched to the off mode; abnormal temperature condition means coupled to the temperature sensor and to the timing means for detecting an abnormal temperature condition wherein the temperature in the above-freezing compartment has failed to rise above a particular temperature within a preselected length of time wherein the abnormal temperature condition detecting means is disposed remotely from the preselected portion; and temperature correction means coupled to the abnormal condition detecting means for initiating corrective action to eliminate the abnormal temperature condition when such condition is detected. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. In a refrigeration apparatus having juxtaposed above-freezing and below-freezing compartments and refrigeration means operable to supply cooling to the compartments, an improved control means comprising:
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a temperature sensor in the above-freezing compartment for sensing the temperature therein; timing means for indicating the length of time since the refrigeration means last supplied cooling to the above-freezing compartment; detecting means coupled to the temperature sensor and to the timing means for detecting an abnormal temperature condition in the above-freezing compartment wherein the temperature of the compartment does not rise above a first predetermined temperature within a preselected length of time since the refrigeration means last supplied cooling to the above-freezing compartment indicating that a preselected portion of the above-freezing compartment is at an undesirably cold temperature wherein the detecting means is disposed remotely from the preselected portion; and cooling disabling means coupled to the detecting means for preventing further operation of the refrigeration means when the abnormal temperature condition is detected until the temperature within the above-freezing compartment has reached a second predetermined temperature.
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16. In a refrigeration apparatus having juxtaposed above-freezing and below-freezing compartments and refrigeration means operable to supply cooling to the compartments, an improved control means, comprising:
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a temperature sensor in the above-freezing compartment for sensing the temperature therein; timing means for indicating the length of time since the refrigeration means last supplied cooling to the above-freezing compartment; detecting means coupled to the temperature sensor and to the timing means for detecting an abnormal temperature condition in the above-freezing compartment wherein the temperature of the compartment does not rise above a first predetermined temperature within a preselected length of time since the refrigeration means last supplied cooling to the above-freezing compartment; set point selection means for selecting a desired set point temperature for the below-freezing compartment; set point adjustment means responsive to the detecting means for automatically increasing the set point temperature when the abnormal temperature condition is detected in the above-freezing compartment; and cooling disabling means coupled to the detecting means for preventing further operation of the refrigeration means when the abnormal temperature condition is detected until the first occurrence of an event selected from a set comprising the temperature within the above-freezing compartment reaching a second predetermined temperature and the temperature within the below-freezing compartment reaching the adjusted set point temperature.
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17. In a refrigerator apparatus having juxtaposed above-freezing and below-freezing compartments separated by a divider wall, refrigeration means including an evaporator and an evaporator fan for circulating cooled air in the compartments and a return air duct between the above-freezing compartment and the evaporator, an improved control means for correcting an undertemperature condition in a preselected portion of the above-freezing compartment, comprising:
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a temperature sensor in the above-freezing compartment for sensing the temperature therein disposed remotely from the preselected portion; timing means for indicating the length of time since the refrigeration means last supplied cooling to the above-freezing compartment; detecting means coupled to the temperature sensor and to the timing means for detecting an abnormal temperature condition in the above-freezing compartment wherein the temperature of the compartment does not rise to a first predetermined temperature within a predetermined length of time since the cooling means last supplied cooling to the above-freezing compartment; and pressure reduction means coupled to the detecting means, the evaporator fan and the controllable damper for creating a zone of reduced air pressure adjacent the return air duct when the abnormal temperature condition is detected to minimize transfer of cooled air from the below-freezing compartment to the above-freezing compartment. - View Dependent Claims (18)
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19. In a refrigeration apparatus having juxtaposed above-freezing and below-freezing compartments, set point selecting means for individually selecting the desired set temperature for each of the compartments and refrigeration means responsive to the set point selection means for controlling the temperature of each of the compartments in response to the set point temperatures, an improved control means for correcting an undertemperature condition in a preselected portion of the above-freezing compartment, comprising:
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a temperature sensor in the above-freezing compartment for sensing the temperature therein disposed remotely from the preselected portion; timing means for indicating the length of time since cooling was last supplied to the above-freezing compartment; detecting means coupled to the temperature sensor and to the timing means for detecting an abnormal temperature condition in the above-freezing compartment wherein the temperature of the compartment does not rise to a first predetermined temperature within a particular length of time since cooling was last supplied to the above-freezing compartment; and means coupled to the detecting means for raising the desired set point temperature for the belowfreezing compartment when the abnormal temperature condition is detected to thereby allow the temperature of the above-freezing compartment to increase before cooling is again supplied to the below-freezing compartment.
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20. In a refrigeration apparatus having juxtaposed above-freezing and below-freezing compartments and refrigeration means operable to supply cooling to the compartments, an improved control means for reducing the incidence of an abnormal temperature condition in a preselected portion of an above-freezing compartment comprising:
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a temperature sensor in the above-freezing compartment for sensing the temperature therein disposed remotely from the preselected portion; timing means for indicating the length of time since cooling was last supplied by the refrigeration means to the above-freezing compartment; detecting means coupled to the temperature sensor and to the timing means for detecting an abnormal temperature condition in the above-freezing compartment wherein the temperature of the compartment does not rise to a predetermined temperature within a predetermined length of time since cooling was last supplied by the refrigeration means to the fresh food compartment; a heater in the above-freezing compartment; and means coupled to the heater and to the detecting means for operating the heater when the abnormal temperature condition is sensed to thereby eliminate the abnormal temperature condition. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22)
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23. In a refrigerator apparatus having juxaposed above-freezing and below-freezing compartments and refrigeration means for supplying cooling to the compartments, an improved control means comprising:
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a temperature sensor disposed in a first portion of the above-freezing compartment; timing means for indicating a time interval; detecting means responsive to the sensor and the timing means and operative during period when the refrigeration means is de-energized for detecting when the temperature of the above-freezing compartment has failed to rise above a particular temperature within a preselected length of time indicating the existence of an undesirably low temperature in a second portion of the above-freezing compartment wherein the detecting means is disposed remotely form the second portion; and temperature correction means responsive to the detecting means for causing the temperature of the second compartment portion to approach a desired temperature before permitting further cooling of the second compartment portion. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25, 26, 27, 28)
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Specification