Refrigerator door ajar detection system
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Abstract
A door status detection system is provided for use in a refrigerator having a cabinet defining first and second food storage compartments and corresponding first and second doors hingely mounted to the cabinet for selectively closing the compartments. The doors each include a magnetic sealing strip secured thereto for sealing the doors to the cabinet and for maintaining the doors in closed position. First and second switch arrays are installed into the cabinet generally adjacent a section of the magnetic sealing strips of the first and second doors, respectively, when the doors are in closed position for signaling the opened/closed status of the doors. The first and second switch arrays are electrically connected in series and operated by the magnetic sealing strips of the doors. Circuitry is connected to the first and second switch arrays for signaling a user of the refrigerator if either of the doors remains in an opened position for a defined period of time. The first and second switch arrays each comprise two reed switches electrically connected in parallel and angularly oriented relative to the sealing strips to accommodate a positional range of the strips relative to the cabinet. Alternately, the first and second switch arrays may comprise Hall Effect switches preferably mounted along an axis which is angularly oriented relative to the strips to effect a staggered relation of the Hall Effect switches relative to the strips.
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Current AssigneeNeumann Industries, Inc.
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Original AssigneeNeumann Industries, Inc.
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InventorsNeuman, Charles E.
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Primary Examiner(s)Swann, III, Glen R.
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Application NumberUS07/706,012Time in Patent Office385 DaysField of Search340/547, 340/686, 340/529, 200/61.62, 200/61.69, 62/131, 49/13US Class Current340/547CPC Class CodesF25D 2700/02 Sensors detecting door openingF25D 29/008 Alarm devicesG08B 21/18 Status alarms G08B21/02 tak...
