CONTROLLED, DYNAMIC LIGHTING OF INTERIOR OF APPLIANCE

• US 20150035432A1
• Filed: 07/31/2013
• Published: 02/05/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 07/31/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
• Original Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
• Inventors: KENDALL, JAMES W., JEFFERY, RANDELL L., SEELEY, MICHAEL S.
• Granted Patent: US 9,702,619 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 315/76
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 23/028 Details
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 2327/001 Lighting arrangements on the external side of the refrigerator, freezer or cooling box
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 27/005 combined with control means
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 2700/06 Sensors detecting the presence of a product
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/20 Controlling the colour of the light
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/105 in response to determined parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/16 by timing means

Abstract

An apparatus, system, and method of illumination relative to an appliance. A programmable controller activates one or more light sources automatically based on a trigger or sensed condition. The controller dynamically adjusts the one or more light sources in a closed loop fashion.

Claims

1. An appliance comprising:

a. a housing;

b. an illumination source on or in the housing;

c. a triggering component;

d. a programmable controller operatively connected to the triggering component and illumination source to instigate a dynamic passive illumination control loop in response to trigger.

2. The appliance of claim 1 wherein the housing comprises a refrigerated cabinet.

3. The appliance of claim 1 wherein the illumination source comprises one or more LEDs.

4. The appliance of claim 1 wherein the triggering component comprises:

a. a light sensor;

b. a proximity sensor;

c. a switch sensor;

d. a sound sensor

e. an appliance state sensor;

or

f. a timer.

5. The appliance of claim 1 wherein the trigger comprises:

a. ambient light level;

b. proximity of a user;

c. an open door;

d. sound level

e. temperature, or

f. expiration of a period of time.

6. The appliance of claim 1 wherein the dynamic passive illumination control comprises one or more of:

a. automatic activation or deactivation of one or more elements of the illumination source;

b. increase or decrease in intensity of the illumination source;

c. flashing of the illumination source;

d. changing color of illumination.

7. The appliance of claim 1 wherein the programmable controller is programmed to execute a plurality of illumination controls.

8. The appliance of claim 7 wherein the plurality of illumination controls comprises a closed control loop.

9. The appliance of claim 1 wherein the illuminate source is associated with:

a. an exterior badge;

b. a ground light;

c. an ice/water dispenser well light;

d. a door handle;

e. a water filter status indicator;

f. an interior shelf light.

10. The appliance of claim 1 wherein the illumination control comprises a plurality of sequenced illumination effects and audio output.

11. The appliance of claim 4 wherein the proximity sensor is a graduated distance proximity sensor that can sense proximity regarding a plurality of zones of different distances from the sensor.

12. The appliance of claim 11 wherein the variable distance proximity sensor is adjustable regarding sensing distances.

13. The appliance of claim 11 wherein the variable distance proximity sensor instigates different lighting effects based on different sensed distances.

14. The appliance of claim 11 further comprising a timer to time triggering of the variable distance proximity sensor at each sensing distance and using triggered time to alter lighting event or sequence of events.

15. The appliance of claim 14 wherein the altering of the lighting event or sequence of events comprises discontinuing, bypassing or ignoring a lighting event.

16. The appliance of claim 1 in combination of one or more additional set appliances networked together in a communication network.

17. The combination of claim 16 wherein a triggering event at one appliance instigates a dynamic passive illumination control loop and response to the trigger at that appliance or one or more of the other appliances in the communication network.

18. The combination of claim 17 wherein data regarding triggering events or states of the appliances are monitored and used for a learned sequence of lighting effects at one or more of the network of appliances.

25. The refrigeration appliance of claim 1 wherein the lighting comprises edge lighting of light transmitting shelves.

19. A refrigeration appliance comprising:

a. a cabinet having an exterior and an interior space;

b. at least one light source associated with the cabinet;

c. a sensor;

d. a circuit connected to the sensor and the light source and adapted to control the light source according to a lighting regimen triggered by the sensor.

20. The refrigeration appliance of claim 19 wherein the light source is adapted to illuminate a certain location relative the exterior or interior space of the cabinet.

21. The refrigeration appliance of claim 20 wherein the certain location is selected from the set comprising:

a. exterior badge lighting;

b. exterior door handle lighting;

c. exterior ice/water dispenser lighting

d. exterior floor grill lighting;

e. interior shelf lighting;

f. interior lighting.

22. The refrigeration appliance of claim 19 wherein the lighting regimen is at least one of:

a. dimming or gradual dimming;

b. brightening or gradual brightening;

c. flashing or glowing;

d. on or off;

e. color changes;

f. sequential brightening or flashing of one or more certain locations.

23. The refrigeration appliance of claim 19 wherein the lighting regimen is correlated to communication of state of an appliance.

24. The refrigeration appliance of claim 23 wherein the state of the appliance comprises at least one of:

a. door open too long;

b. temperature too high or too low;

c. door is ajar;

d. filter change is needed;

e. connectivity lost;

f. grid status.

26. A method of illumination related to an appliance comprising:

a. automatically instigating a first lighting event in or on the appliance;

b. dynamically adjusting the lighting event.

27. The method of claim 26 wherein the first lighting event comprises activated one or more light sources.

28. The method of claim 27 wherein the dynamically adjusting comprises altering the driving of the one or more light sources.

29. The method of claim 27 further comprising activating an audio output before, during, or after the first lighting event.

30. The method of claim 26 further comprising instigating a first lighting event by graduated distance proximity sensing wherein the first lighting event is triggered by a first sensed distance and a second lighting event is triggered by sensing of a second distance.

31. The method of claim 30 further comprising monitoring for a condition indicative of other than a conventional human user of the appliance after triggering by the graduated distance proximity sensor and, if so, altering the lighting event or sequence of lighting events.

32. The method of claim 26 further comprising networking a plurality of said appliances and upon a triggering event at one appliance instructing a lighting event at a second appliance.