Whirlpool Corporation

William J Linstromberg

Donald E Janke

Edwin H Frohbieter

Ralph Tate

Chris A Scriber

Robert H Kraemer

Charles Thomas Rutledge

Robert F Hartman

A rotatable control for a broad range, temperature controlling thermostat for a refrigeration compartment of a refrigeration unit enables operation of the refrigeration unit in one of several different operational modes. For example, the refrigeration unit may be operated as a wine cooler or as a standard refrigerator or as a freezer. The control includes a control dial having four, integrally formed, spaced apart stops formed on an inner surface. A stop formed on a cover of the thermostat may be placed between a pair of adjacent stops formed on the control dial to prevent adjustment of the set-point temperature of the refrigeration compartment outside of the particular temperature range associated with the preselected operational mode of the refigeration unit. In order to change the operational mode of the refrigeration unit, the control dial is movable axially along a control shaft of the thermostat to enable the stops formed on the control dial to freely rotate past the stop formed on the cover of the thermostat. Thereafter, the stop formed on the cover of the thermostat may be aligned between a different adjacent pair of the stops formed on the control dial. If the control dial is then returned to its initial axial position along the length of the control shaft of the thermostat, the set-point temperature for the refrigeration compartment may be selected and confined between the high temperature and low temperature limits formed by the new pair of stops on the control dial.

Thermostat control for providing multiple temperature ranges in a single

A method and apparatus for selectively dispensing discrete quantities of elongated ice pieces from a supply thereof. The apparatus includes a baffle defining an upper edge and mechanism adjacent the baffle for causing ice pieces received from the supply to extend lengthwise generally parallel to the baffle and to be translated upwardly to above the level of the baffle upper edge while concurrently tipping the ice pieces over the upper edge to pass to forwardly of the baffle for dispensing thereof. In the illustrated embodiment, the transfer mechanism is defined by at least one helical vane extending from a rearward transfer position to a forward dispensing position defined by the upper edge of the baffle. In the illustrated embodiment, the vanes extend approximately 105.degree. about an axis of rotation thereof within a tubular drum. The apparatus may include a constant speed dispensing mechanism and a timer control for any one of a plurality of preselected time periods. Each time period is preselected to provide a preselected amount of ice bodies from the dispenser. The control further provides dynamic braking of the transfer mechanism motor, and an actuator for automatically initiating operation of a dispensing cycle.

Ice dispensing apparatus

According to the invention, a support/heat shield is provided for mounting an ice maker from the plastic liner on the inside of a refrigeration apparatus. The invention contemplates mounting the support/heat shield on the liner at the juncture of a first, horizontal wall, and a second vertical wall, depending from the first wall. The support/heat shield, in its simplest state, has third and fourth flat walls, at right angles to each other, with wall surfaces for situation facially against the first and second liner walls. The fourth wall is attached to the first liner wall and the third wall to the second liner wall. The icemaker is attached to the third wall of the support/heat shield.

Ice maker heat shield and mount for plastic liner refrigerator support

An ice maker is provided with a safety control for preventing overheating of a mold. The mold is thermally coupled to a thermostat having a switch used for de-energizing a defrost heater which melts frost away from an evaporator. The ice maker is electrically connected with a switch of the defrost thermostat switch so that when the defrost thermostat senses the preselected high temperature of the mold, the ice maker is de-energized to prevent overheating of the mold.

Ice maker safety control

The baffle for controlling flow of chilled air through the divider wall between the frozen food and fresh food compartments of a refrigerator is coupled to a motor driven cam which indexes the baffle open or closed in response to commands from a conventional control unit. Electrical switches for controlling the compressor and defrost heater of the refrigerator are positioned axially along the cam to be operated selectively by concentric cam surfaces as the cam is rotated by the motor. A cam follower engages another concentric cam surface to operate another set of switches to apply rotational positional feedback signals to the control unit. The cam surfaces are shaped and the baffle is coupled to the cam such that unidirectional rotation of the cam in response to commands from the control unit operates the switches synchronously with the baffle to selectively cool the frozen food and fresh food compartments and defrost the evaporator.

Power switch and baffle assembly having unidirectional drive motor for a

An alarm is disclosed herein for providing an indication when a certain condition, such as a door ajar condition of a refrigerator, has existed for a predetermined time. The alarm includes a capacitor, means coupled to the capacitor for charging same while the certain condition is in existence, an indicating device and a voltage sensitive switch coupled to the capacitor and to the indicating device for repetitively partially discharging the capacitor through the indicating device when the charge on the capacitor reaches a particular level. A series of alarm pulses are thereby developed by the indicating device once the certain condition has existed for the predetermined time whereby the alarm pulses are separated by equal intervals substantially shorter than the predetermined time. The alarm of the instant invention is simple in construction and inexpensive.

Alarm for a refrigerator

An adaptive defrost control for a refrigeration device alternately operated in cooling and defrosting cycles includes means for detecting the rate of change of temperature of an evaporator of the refrigeration device during a defrosting cycle, means for determining the length of time the rate of change of evaporator temperature remains at substantially zero and means for establishing the duration of a subsequent cooling cycle in dependence upon the determined length of time. The determined length of time is indicative of the magnitude of the frost load that formed on the evaporator and the length of the next cooling cycle is adjusted in accordance therewith so that the magnitude of the frost load built up on the evaporator in subsequent cooling cycles is forced toward a value which increases the efficiency of the refrigeration device.

Adaptive defrost control for a refrigerator

The baffle for controlling flow of chilled air through the divider wall between the frozen food and fresh food compartments of a refrigerator is coupled to a motor driven cam which indexes the baffle open or closed in response to commands from a conventional control unit. Electrical switches positioned around the control surface of the cam, actuated successively during rotation of the cam, operate the compressor, evaporator fan and defrost heater synchronously with the baffle to maintain the frozen food and fresh food compartments at desired temperatures and to control defrosting.

Power switch and baffle assembly for a refrigerator

A temperature responsive fuse is provided for use in a vacuum cleaner brush dowel drive clutch mechanism to prevent overheating of the clutch mechanism upon a continued rotation of the drive belt after the brush dowel has stalled due to jamming or similar occurances. The friction clutch is provided to prevent damage to the cog drive belt if the brush dowel becomes stalled and the fuse, which is a meltable spacer positioned between a loading spring and the engaging friction drive surfaces, is provided to prevent excessive heat build-up in the clutch mechanism in case a safety circuit, which normally detects stoppage of the brush dowel and deenergizes the dowel drive motor, should fail. The fuse spacer will melt at a temperature in the range of 300.degree. F. to 400.degree. F. to unload the spring thereby reducing friction between the engaging surfaces of the clutch mechanism and thus lowering the amount of heat generated.

Temperature limiting system for a spring loaded torque limiting clutch

A water dispenser having an actuator that is displaced in order to dispense water from an overhead spout and an interlock member that prevents the actuator from being displaced an amount sufficient to dispense water unless a drinking glass is used to move the actuator. The interlock member surrounds the actuator and is slidably movable along the actuator from a first rest position, to a second disengaged position by the lip of a glass pressed against the actuator. In the first position, the interlock member will strike a stationary abutment to prevent the actuator from being displaced. In the disengaged position, the interlock member will not strike the abutment and the actuator can be displaced to dispense water.

Snap-on interlock for water dispenser

In an ice maker having a mold defining at least one upwardly opening ice body forming cavity and a peripheral wall defining a top, structure for providing at least approximately 3 mm. clearance between components mounted to the mold and the mold wall top for preventing water which may be deposited on the mold wall top from being drawing by capillarity downwardly between the wall and mounted component. The structure further defines a drain for draining any liquid which may be deposited in the clearance space. The invention comprehends the provision of such a clearance spacing illustratively between the housing of a control mounted to the ice maker mold, the ice stripper mounted to the ice maker mold, and the water supply trough mounted to the ice maker mold.

Ice maker with anti-capillarity means

An over-temperature indicator for freezers includes an indicator pin slidable mounted within a cylindrical housing in which is mounted a bistable bimetal thermostat disk which is engaged by a magnet mounted to an end of the indicator pin. A cup shaped insulator is mounted over a substantial portion of the cylindrical housing to provide a thermal time delay. An over-temperature condition triggers the bistable bimetal disk to snap, causing the magnet to release and enabling gravity to urge the indicator pin into an indicating position.

Over-temperature indicator device for freezers

According to the invention, an inventory indicating device is provided having a slidable food type indicating member and associated date setting mechanism carried thereon. Indicia are provided along a guide track for selective alignment with a viewing aperture in the indicating member. With the indicia chosen according to a food type being stored, the date setting mechanism can be adjusted to reflect a storage date.

Inventory indicating means for refrigeration apparatus

An improved demand defrost control system for use in a refrigeration apparatus. The control system utilizes a temperature responsive switch for switching the apparatus between 'run' and 'defrost' conditions. The temperature responsive switch is arranged to have controlled heat transfer relationship with the cooling system, and in the illustrated embodiment, is mounted in spaced relationship to the evaporator in the flow path of the refrigerated air, and in a preselected insulating housing. A heater is provided for controlling the operation of the switch, and the control circuit is arranged to energize the heater upon termination of the defrost cycle to positively effect transfer of the defrost control switch back to the 'run' condition. The control circuit is energy-efficient and provides redundant switching control of the defrost heater to provide a fail-safe operation.

Refrigeration apparatus defrost control

A refrigeration apparatus having an ice making mechanism disposed in a refrigerated space and including an ice harvesting mechanism. The mechanism includes a thermostat responsive to the temperature of the refrigerated space for controlling operation of the refrigeration apparatus. A control is provided for selectively causing operation of the ice harvesting mechanism alternatively as a function of total clock time from a preceding ice harvesting cycle, or as a function of an accumulated time of operation of the refrigeration apparatus as controlled by the thermostat. In one form, a manually controlled selector switch is provided. In another form, the selector switch is automatically controlled by the setting of the refrigeration apparatus thermostat. In another form, the selector switch is made to be automatically responsive to a temperature condition within the refrigeration apparatus.

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Lincoln, MI, United States of America

William J Linstromberg