Refrigerator door-ajar switch with damping function and method of operation

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10260795-B2
Application number	US-201514729167-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 3, 2015
Priority date	Jun 3, 2015
Publication date	Apr 16, 2019
Grant date	Apr 16, 2019

Abstract

A refrigerator includes a cabinet, a door, a cooling system, an indicator configured to indicate a door-ajar condition and a door-ajar switch. The cabinet includes a liner that defines a refrigerated compartment, and the door is movable between an open position and a fully closed position to selectively seal the refrigerated compartment. The cooling system is configured to generate cool air and circulate the cool air within the refrigerator. The door-ajar switch includes a switch portion and a damper portion, with the portions located adjacent to one another in a common housing mounted to the cabinet or the door.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A refrigerator comprising:
a cabinet including a liner that defines a refrigerated compartment;
a door configured to selectively seal the refrigerated compartment, the door being movable between an open position, wherein food items stored in the refrigerated compartment can be accessed, and a fully closed position, wherein the door extends across and seals the refrigerated compartment;
an indicator configured to indicate a door-ajar condition; and
a door-ajar switch for activating the indicator, said door ajar switch including:
an actuator configured to move between a first position, when not contacted by the door, and a second position, when contacted by the door and the door is in the fully closed position;
a spring configured to bias the actuator to the first position;
a switch portion; and
a fluid damper portion, wherein the switch portion and the damper portion are located adjacent to one another in a common housing mounted to the cabinet or the door.

2. The refrigerator of claim 1 , wherein the switch portion includes a first electrical contact and a second electrical contact, and the damper portion includes a piston movable within a piston cylinder.

3. The refrigerator of claim 1 , wherein the damper portion includes a damper that contacts or is coupled to the actuator such that movement of the door between the open position and the fully closed position is dampened while the door is in contact with the actuator.

4. The refrigerator of claim 3 , wherein the damper includes a piston rod, and wherein the piston rod contacts or is coupled to the actuator such that movement of the door between the open position and the fully closed position is dampened while the door is in contact with the actuator.

5. The refrigerator of claim 1 , wherein the actuator is configured to open or close the door-ajar switch when the actuator moves between the first and second positions.

6. The refrigerator of claim 5 , wherein:
the switch portion has a first electrical contact and a second electrical contact, the first electrical contact being coupled to the actuator;
the first and second electrical contacts are not in contact when the actuator is in one of the first and second positions, thereby opening the door-ajar switch; and
the first and second electrical contacts are in contact when the actuator is in the other of the first and second positions, thereby closing the door-ajar switch.

7. The refrigerator of claim 1 , wherein the switch portion and the damper portion are located in a side-by-side arrangement within the housing.

8. The refrigerator of claim 7 , wherein the actuator is configured to pivot between the first and second positions.

9. The refrigerator of claim 8 , wherein:
the actuator has a first end proximate to a pivot axis of the actuator and a second end distal to the pivot axis;
the damper portion has a damper that contacts or is coupled to one of the first and second ends of the actuator; and
another of the first and second ends of the actuator is configured to open or close the door-ajar switch when the actuator is pivoted between the first and second positions.

10. The refrigerator of claim 7 , wherein the housing has two sidewalls, the switch portion is located proximate one of the sidewalls and the damper portion is located proximate the other of the sidewalls.

11. The refrigerator of claim 10 , wherein the spring is interposed between the switch portion and the damper portion within the housing.

12. The refrigerator of claim 1 , wherein the damper portion includes a piston cylinder located within the housing, and the switch portion includes a first electrical contact coupled to the housing or located within the housing.

13. The refrigerator of claim 12 , wherein:
the actuator is movable relative to the housing;
the actuator has a second electrical contact; and
the first and second electrical contacts are brought into or out of contact as the door is moved to the fully closed position.

14. A method of operating a refrigerator including: a cabinet having a liner that defines a refrigerated compartment; a door configured to selectively seal the refrigerated compartment, the door being movable between an open position, wherein food items stored in the refrigerated compartment can be accessed, and a fully closed position, wherein the door extends across and seals the refrigerated compartment; and a door-ajar switch having a switch portion and a fluid damper portion, the switch portion and the damper portion being located adjacent to one another in a common housing mounted to the cabinet or the door, the method comprising:
moving an actuator, which forms part of each of the switch portion and the damper portion of the door-ajar switch, between first and second positions by moving the door between the open and fully closed positions;
biasing the actuator to the first position with a spring;
sensing when the door is ajar based on a condition of the door-ajar switch and activating an indicator when the door is ajar for a predetermined period of time; and
dampening movement of the door between the open position and the fully closed position with the damper portion.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein moving the actuator between the first and second positions opens and closes the door-ajar switch and shifts the damper portion to dampen movement of the door.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein the switch portion and the damper portion are located in a side-by-side arrangement, and wherein moving the actuator from the first position to the second position includes pivoting the actuator.

17. The method of claim 16 , wherein biasing the actuator to the first position with the spring includes biasing the actuator to open the switch portion with the spring, the spring being interposed between the switch portion and the damper portion.

Assignees

• Whirlpool Co

Inventors

• Giacomini Neomar
• Ramm Axel Julio

Classifications

• F25D29/008

  Alarm devices · CPC title

• F25D2700/02

  Sensors detecting door opening · CPC title

• F25D23/028 Primary

  Details · CPC title

• G08B21/18

  Status alarms (G08B21/02 takes precedence) · CPC title