Whirlpool Corporation

Dennis G Schenk

Steven John Kuehl

John Richard Wisnoski

David A Diekmann

Brent Alden Junge

Ronald Wayne Guess

Thomas Glenn Merrill

Keith Allen Snyder

Martin Rodney Busche

Andrew M Oltman

David A Diekman

Martin W Barnett

A multi compartment refrigeration appliance is provided wherein each compartment is to be maintained at an independently selected temperature. The appliance includes a temperature selection input device for each compartment, at least one compressor, at least one evaporator, at least one fan for creating an air flow over the evaporator, a temperature sensor located in each compartment, and a control circuit to receive an input from said temperature selection input device for each compartment and a temperature signal for each temperature sensor and to produce an error condition signal with a magnitude dependent on a difference between the selected temperature and the sensed temperature for each compartment. The control circuit also controls a speed of the fan in response to a greater of the error condition signals.

Multi-compartment refrigerator control algorithm for variable speed evaporator fan motor

A refrigeration appliance is provided having a first compartment to be cooled, at least one evaporator in heat transfer association with the first compartment, a defrost heater associated with the evaporator, a temperature sensor associated with the evaporator, and a control circuit. The control circuit is arranged to selectively energize the defrost heater during a defrost cycle, selectively deenergize the defrost heater during the defrost cycle, generate a timing signal while the defrost heater is deenergized during the defrost cycle, and the control circuit is arranged to receive an input from the temperature sensor, and an accumulation of time from the timing signal. A method of operating such a refrigeration appliance includes operating the evaporator to cool the first compartment, initiating the defrost cycle to defrost the evaporator, repeatedly energizing the defrost heater for a first time period and deenergizing the defrost heater for a second time period during the defrost cycle, and terminating the defrost cycle after said evaporator has reached a predetermined optimum temperature.

Refrigeration appliance with pulsed defrost heater

A method of maximizing ice production in a refrigeration. The method includes monitoring a fill level of an ice storage bin and when the fill level is below a predetermined full level, energizing a water valve to dispense water into a mold, an alternate cooling routine is initiated comprising energizing an evaporator fan for a predetermined time period being equal to a time period necessary to freeze the water in the mold, controlling a temperature in a fresh food compartment by opening and closing an air door positioned in the air flow between the evaporator and the fresh food compartment, dispensing the ice from the mold to the storage bin upon a completion of the predetermined time period, and determining whether the storage bin is filled and if so, terminating the alternate cooling routine and if not, reenergizing the water valve and continuing the alternate cooling routine.

Method of maximizing ice production in a refrigeration appliance

An ice maker for use in a refrigeration apparatus as well as a method of optimizing ice production in an ice maker. The ice maker has a mold and a fan selectively operable to direct moving cold air past the mold during the ice formation process. In the preferred embodiment, the fan does not operate during the harvest portion of the cycle. A fan assembly consisting of a fan or blower, a motor, a switch in series with the motor and leads for electrically interconnecting the motor and in switch with the icemaker power supply is preferably assembled as a module removably interconnectable with the icemaker as an optional feature. The icemaker has an increased the rate of ice production due to the increased rate of convective heat transfer.

Method and apparatus for rapid ice production

A plate and tube condenser for a refrigerating apparatus, the plate sized to encompass the entire bottom region of a refrigerating cabinet to structurally stiffen the cabinet, the plate serving as an extended heat transfer surface for a serpentine tube applied thereto either by fixation thereto. An air flow baffle is arranged to divide the plate into inlet air and outlet air sections both opening to a front of the cabinet behind the air grill. Perforations are applied through the plate on the inlet section to allow incoming air to pass both below and above the plate.

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Wadesville, IN, United States of America

Dennis G Schenk