General Electric Company

Robert C Helfrich

Robert J Simcoe

Robert R Sisler

Jack E Francis, Jr

Control system in refrigerator apparatus including a freezer compartment having a quick-chilling chamber with a door for access to the interior thereof from outside the freezer compartment. There is a timer-operated fan to introduce cold air from the freezer compartment into the quick-chilling chamber and means to maintain the chamber at above-freezing temperatures after termination of fan operation. A display panel accessible to the user may be used to manually select the desired chill temperature of the item, the quantity of the item and the unit size of the item. A sensor determines the temperature of the air being introduced into the quick-chilling chamber. All of the input values are accumulated in the memory of a microcomputer and by comparing the values the microcomputer will predict when the item to be chilled will reach the desired temperature and set the timer run time accordingly. A manual switch is provided for starting the timer to run.

Control system for refrigerator with through-the-door quick-chilling

An ambient light responsive touch switch system for producing a signal whenever ambient light impinging on a photoelectric detector at a switch location is altered relative to the ambient light sensed by a photoelectric detector at a non-switch location. The system includes means for comparing the intensity of light between the photoelectric detector at a switch location relative to the intensity of ambient light at a non-switch location and a logic system that will produce a signal when the intensity of ambient light at the switch location is altered relative to the ambient light at the non-switch location.

Ambient light sensor touch switch system and method

An electronic sequence type controller for appliances or the like which provides numerical indications of how much time will be required to execute a program cycle which a user has selected, and how much time is remaining as an operating cycle proceeds. Additionally, means are provided for a service technician to rapidly set the controller to a particular program step for diagnostic purposes. More specifically, after user cycle options have been inputted, control logic initially enables a counting and display means to count up and rapidly executes the entire selected program a first time, the rapid first execution appearing essentially instantaneous to the user. This presets the counting and display means with a representation of the total number of program advancing operations required to execute the selected program. Next, the control logic means enables the counting and display means to count down, and executes the selected program a second time with relatively longer intervals between successive program advancing operations. The counting and display means then provides a continuous representation of the remaining time to go during the second execution. For diagnostic purposes, the control logic has a diagnostic mode wherein the program is advanced incrementally a step at a time in response to manual actuation of a switch.

Time to go and diagnostic display for electronic sequence type appliance

A protective control arrangement for a clothes dryer includes a pair of electrical resistance heaters coupled in parallel across a power source. A thermostat is coupled serially with one of the heaters, and is arranged for placement in the dryer exhaust air stream. With such an arrangement, as the clothes approach dryness and a predetermined temperature is reached, the thermostat opens permanently de-energizing one of the heaters, leaving the other heater continuously energized for the remainder of the operational cycle.

Growing community of inventors

Louisville, KY, United States of America

Robert C Helfrich