Device for displaying the temperature of a refrigerator

• US 9,140,486 B2
• Filed: 04/12/2012
• Issued: 09/22/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 04/13/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Flextronics International Limited
• Original Assignee: Flextronics America LLC (Flextronics International Limited)
• Inventors: Wimbert, Frank, Hupfer, Philip
• Primary Examiner(s): Bradford, Jonathan
• Application Number:
  US13/445,800
• Publication Number:
  US 20120260684A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,258 Days
• Field of Search: 621/29, 622/64, 362/92, 362/94
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 2327/001 Lighting arrangements on the external side of the refrigerator, freezer or cooling box
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 2400/36 Visual displays
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 27/00 Lighting arrangements in general F21
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 27/005 combined with control means
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 2700/123 more than one sensor measuring the inside temperature in a compartment

Abstract

A device for displaying the temperature of a refrigerator, having at least one temperature sensor (7) situated in the cooled interior (2) of the refrigerator (1), and having a temperature display for displaying the temperature measured by the temperature sensor (7), characterized in that the temperature display is formed by at least one refrigerator light (10) which has various colors, and which displays a different color depending on the measured temperature.

Claims

1. A device for displaying the temperature of a refrigerator, comprising:

at least one temperature sensor (7) situated in the cooled interior (2) of the refrigerator (1); and

a temperature display for displaying the temperature measured by the temperature sensor (7), characterized in that the temperature display is formed by an at least one refrigerator light (10) which has various colors, and which displays a different color depending on the measured temperature, wherein the light from the at least one refrigerator light inside the refrigerator is conducted via a fiber-optic light guide to the outside from the closed refrigerator for an exterior display, wherein the fiber-optic light guide extends through one side of a door of the refrigerator to an opposite side of the door.

2. The temperature display device according to claim 1, characterized in that the at least one refrigerator light (10) is formed by at least one RGB LED which is activated to display a different color depending on the measured temperature.

3. The temperature display device according to claim 1, characterized in that the at least one refrigerator light (10) is formed by multiple single-color LEDs whose colors differ from one another, and which are activated to display a different color depending on the measured temperature.

4. The temperature display device according to claim 3, characterized in that the multiple single-color LEDs are activated individually to display a different color depending on the measured temperature.

5. The temperature display device according to claim 3, characterized in that the multiple single-color LEDs are activated in combination to display a different color depending on the measured temperature.

6. The temperature display device according to claim 1, characterized in that the at least one refrigerator light (10) is situated in the cooled interior (2) of the refrigerator (1).

7. The temperature display device according to claim 1, characterized in that the at least one refrigerator light (10) is situated on the inside of the refrigerator door (5).

8. The temperature display device according to claim 1, characterized in that the at least one refrigerator light (10) is situated on the body (6) of the refrigerator.

9. The temperature display device according to claim 1, characterized in that the temperature display is formed by multiple refrigerator lights (10), having various colors, which are each associated with different cooling compartments (4) of the refrigerator (1), the refrigerator lights (10) displaying a different color depending on the temperature measured in their respective cooling compartment (4).

10. The temperature display device according to claim 1, characterized in that the at least one refrigerator light (10) is situated for coupling its light into a light-conducting refrigerator shelf (3).

11. The temperature display device according to claim 10, characterized in that the at least one refrigerator light (10) is situated for coupling its light at a rear end face (3a) of the light-conducting refrigerator shelf (3), wherein the rear end face is a side opposite a door.

12. The temperature display device according to claim 10, characterized in that the at least one refrigerator light (10) is situated for coupling its light at a side end face (3a) of the light-conducting refrigerator shelf (3), wherein the side end face is a side between a door and a rear end face opposite to the door.

13. The temperature display device according to claim 10, characterized in that the refrigerator shelf (3) has structures (9) at its top end face (3b) allowing accessing and decoupling the light that is coupled into the refrigerator shelf (3).

14. The temperature display device according to claim 10, characterized in that the refrigerator shelf (3) has structures (9) at its bottom end face (3b) allowing accessing and decoupling the light that is coupled into the refrigerator shelf (3).

15. The temperature display device according to claim 10, characterized in that the refrigerator shelf (3) has structures (9) at its front end face (3b) allowing accessing and decoupling the light that is coupled into the refrigerator shelf (3).

16. The temperature display device according to claim 1, characterized in that an at least one second refrigerator light is provided on the outside of the refrigerator (1).

17. The temperature display device according to claim 1, characterized in that the at least one temperature sensor (7) is situated on a printed circuit board bearing the at least one LED.

18. The temperature display device according to claim 1, characterized in that a control electronics system (8) is situated on a printed circuit board bearing the at least one LED.

19. The temperature display device according to claim 1, characterized in that the at least one temperature sensor (7) and a control electronics system (8) are situated on a printed circuit board bearing the at least one LED.

20. The temperature display device according to claim 1, characterized in that the colors of light displayed in each case depending on the measured temperature are freely presettable by the user.