Whirlpool Corporation

Andrew T Tershak

Michael D Thieneman

Stephen W Paddock

Charles G Fellwock

William J Buchser

Roque Denis Marcade

Sandra S Thurlow

Donald W Bookout

A method of 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.

Method for controlling a refrigerator in low ambient temperature

An ice making apparatus for a deep door refrigerator comprises an ice container assembly having a container for storing ice cubes and a convying apparatus for conveying ice cubes from the container to a downwardly facing discharge opening. A door mounted to the refrigerator cabinet includes an exterior panel and an interior panel. The interior panel includes a generally vertical wall connected to a horizontal wall portion and an opening through a connected portion of the vertical wall and horizontal wall portion, the opening being disposed below the discharge opening when the door is in a closed position. A dispenser housing assembly is mounted to an opening in the door exterior panel and includes an actuator actuable to request delivery of ice bodies and a dispenser opening for delivering ice. An ice chute is mounted to the interior panel and extends between the interior panel opening and the dispenser opening for transferring ice conveyed from the discharge opening to the dispenser opening.

Ice chute for deep door refrigerator

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.

Apparatus for controlling a refrigerator in low ambient temperature

In an improved control for a refrigerator, critical components such as fresh food and freezer compartment temperature sensors, temperature set devices and baffle are sampled to conform that each is operational. Upon diagnosis of a critical component failure or of multiple component failures, the control, using stored control parameters, operates the remaining components in a manner that will continue to preserve food.

Fault tolerant control for a refrigerator

In an improved control for a refrigerator, critical components such as fresh food and freezer compartment temperature sensors, temperature set devices and baffle are sampled to confirm that each is operational. Upon diagnosis of a critical component failure or of multiple component failures, the control, using stored control parameters, operates the remaining components in a manner that will continue to preserve food.

A refrigerator control according to the present invention allows a user to establish one or more set points for controlling the temperature of one or more refrigerated compartments. Means are provided for selecting either a normal mode of operation whereby the set points may be manually established by a user or a priority mode of operation which overrides the normal mode whereby each set point is established at a preselected value so that the refrigerator is optimally operated in anticipation of expected operating conditions. Means are additionally provided for preventing erroneous entry of manually established set points.

Temperature set point control for a refrigerator

A door ajar alarm system for a refrigerator-freezer, the system having a variable alarm delay period. The door ajar alarm system includes a control which may be digital or analog for monitoring various operating conditions of the refrigerator such as the temperatures of the refrigerator compartments and whether the refrigerator is undergoing a defrost operation. The control determines the alarm delay period in accordance with the monitored conditions such that the delay period is decreased in response to each monitored condition which reaches a predetermined status. The door ajar alarm thus alerts the user to operating conditions which are likely to produce an undesirable temperature within the refrigerator more rapidly than usual or to produce temperatures from which recovery is unusually slow.

Refrigerator door ajar alarm with variable delay

An adaptive demand defrost control system controls the length of an interval between defrost operations in accordance with the number and duration of compartment door-openings, the duration of a previous defrost operation as corrected by the temperature of the evaporator prior to defrost, and the length of time the compressor has been energized. A count is stored which is varied according to a decrementing schedule, with the decrementing schedule in turn being based upon a comparison of the corrected defrost duration with either a desired defrost duration or a range of desired defrost durations. A defrost operation is initiated when the count reaches a predetermined value. An alternative embodiment of the invention develops an indication of the ambient humidity and controls humidity-dependent apparatus in accordance with the indication.

Adaptive demand defrost control for a refrigerator

Adaptive defrost control system for a refrigerator

A refrigerator includes a compressor, a condenser, an evaporator, an evaporator fan and a temperature sensing circuit which includes a thermistor located to sense the average temperature of the cabinet air and a potentiometer manually adjustable to a desired temperature set point. The temperature sensing circuit also includes a first comparator stage which indicates whether the average temperature of the cabinet air is above or below a first value, the first comparator having little or no hysteresis in its response so that small changes in temperature can be detected. A second comparator stage indicates whether a signal at its input is greater or less than a second value, the second comparator stage having substantial hysteresis in its response to provide high noise immunity. An integrator is interposed between the first comparator stage and the second comparator stage to further enhance noise suppression.

Growing community of inventors

Center Township, Vanderburgh County, IN, United States of America

Andrew T Tershak