Refrigerator alarm

• US 6,750,772 B2
• Filed: 04/18/2001
• Issued: 06/15/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 04/18/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Robinson Home Products Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Robinson Knife Manufacturing Co., Inc.
• Inventors: Ming, Ho Wai, Skerker, Robert B
• Primary Examiner(s): TRIEU, VAN THANH
• Application Number:
  US09/837,727
• Publication Number:
  US 20020154021A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,154 Days
• Field of Search: 340/529, 340/540, 340/545.6, 340/585, 340/586, 340/587, 340/588, 340/584, 621/27, 621/29, 621/30, 621/31, 165/48.1, 165/254
• US Class Current: 340/585
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 29/008 Alarm devices

Abstract

A battery operated refrigerator alarm having a light sensor for sensing light, a timer, a temperature sensor for sensing temperature, and an alarm indicator. The alarm indicator may have an audio and/or visual indicator. The refrigerator alarm can placed in the refrigerator or mounted to an interior surface or onto a shelf.

Claims

1. A refrigerator alarm comprising a light sensor, a timer associated with said light sensor, a temperature sensor and an alarm indicator having an alarm body wherein said alarm includes a self-contained power source consisting of a battery.

2. The refrigerator alarm of claim 1 wherein the alarm indicator is activated upon a predetermined period in which light is continuously detected.

3. The refrigerator alarm of claim 1 further comprising a manually activated switch for resetting the alarm indicator associated with the light sensor.

4. The refrigerator alarm of claim 3 wherein the manually activated switch is taken from the group consisting of a button, a toggle and a touch sensor.

5. The refrigerator alarm of claim 1 wherein the alarm indicator comprises an audio alarm.

6. The refrigerator alarm of claim 5 wherein said alarm indicator includes different alarm sounds corresponding to high temperature, low temperature and an open door.

7. The refrigerator alarm of claim 1 wherein the alarm indicator comprises a visual alarm.

8. The refrigerator alarm of claim 7 wherein the alarm indicator includes a series of LEDs relating to high temperature, low temperature and normal temperature.

9. The refrigerator alarm of claim 1 further comprising an adjustable time delay switch for adjusting the period of delay between sensing light and triggering said alarm.

10. The refrigerator alarm of claim 1 further comprising means for mounting the alarm onto a refrigerator shelf.

11. The refrigerator alarm of claim 10 wherein the means for mounting comprises an alarm body, said alarm body comprising an elongated upper arm and an elongated lower arm, with at least one of said upper arm and said lower arm being hinged and pivotable.

12. The refrigerator alarm of claim 10 wherein said lower arm is further comprised of a curved interior surface.

13. The refrigerator alarm of claim 10 wherein said upper arm is further comprised of a flat surface.

14. The refrigerator alarm of claim 10 wherein the mounting means comprises a mounting bracket having a first side and a second side wherein the first side includes connection means to engage the alarm body and said second side is associated with attachment means for attachment to an interior surface of the refrigerator.

15. The refrigerator alarm of claim 14 wherein said connection means comprises one or more fasteners cooperating with one or more receptacles associated with the alarm body and mounting bracket.

16. A refrigerator alarm comprising a light sensor, a timer associated with said light sensor, a temperature sensor and an alarm indicator having an alarm body, further comprising means for mounting the alarm onto a refrigerator shelf comprising a mounting bracket having a first side and a second side wherein the first side includes connection means to engage the alarm body and said second side is associated with attachment means for attachment to an interior surface of the refrigerator wherein the attachment means is taken from the group consisting of double sided tape, suction cups and Velcro.

17. A refrigerator alarm comprising a light sensor, a timer associated with said light sensor, a temperature sensor and an alarm indicator having an alarm body, further comprising means for mounting the alarm onto a refrigerator shelf wherein the mounting means is taken from the group consisting of double sided tape, suction cups and Velcro.