The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Jun. 16, 1998
Filed:
Aug. 29, 1996
William R Manning, North Attleboro, MA (US);
Richard J Lisauskas, Wrentham, MA (US);
Thomas E Suita, Warwick, RI (US);
Thomas W Sun, Los Angeles, CA (US);
Texas Instruments Incorporated, Dallas, TX (US);
Abstract
An adaptive defrost control for a refrigerator is shown in which a single linear power supply (12) and microprocessor (U1) is used for both the adaptive defrost and cold control functions. According to a feature of the invention, a zero current crossing point switching scheme may be used to improve relay cycle life. According to another feature, a calibration procedure based on line frequency may be used to obtain multiples of a selected unit of time for any accumulated compressor run time and defrost heater energization times. According to another feature a sample and hold technique may be used to distinguish between noise and valid signals. In a modified embodiment, a toroid (40) has a primary connected to a common line leading to the compressor motor (24) and defrost heater (26) to provide a signal (ST) which, when taken with the state of relay contacts in respective lines energizing the compressor motor and defrost heater, as determined by the microprocessor, results in monitoring the compressor and defrost heater energization time. In another embodiment, a motor start control incorporating a PTC element (28) is combined with the adaptive defrost control. A double pole, single throw relay (K4) initiates both the compressor motor starting and refrigerator heater functions and open circuits the PTC element after starting has been completed in order to conserve power. In a modified embodiment the latter relay (K4) is used to start the compressor motor without the PTC element (28).