Refrigerator with temperature control

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9404682-B2
Application number	US-201313830026-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 14, 2013
Priority date	May 18, 2005
Publication date	Aug 2, 2016
Grant date	Aug 2, 2016

Abstract

An insulated icemaking compartment is provided in the fresh food compartment of a bottom mount refrigerator. The icemaking compartment may be integrally formed with the liner of the fresh food compartment, or alternatively, may be modular for installation anywhere in the fresh food compartment. A removable bin assembly with a front cover normally seals the icemaking compartment to maintain the temperature in the compartment. A cold air duct formed in the rear wall of the refrigerator supplies cold air from the freezer compartment to the icemaking compartment. A return air duct directs a portion of the air from the icemaking compartment back to the freezer compartment. An air vent in the icemaking compartment directs another portion of air into the fresh food compartment. A control system provides for controlling refrigerator functions in a manner that promotes energy efficiency.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A refrigerator comprising:
a refrigerator cabinet;
a fresh food compartment disposed within the cabinet;
a freezer compartment disposed within the cabinet;
an ice compartment disposed within and at an upper corner of the cabinet;
an electronic control system associated with the refrigerator and adapted to monitor and control temperature in the fresh food compartment, the freezer compartment and the ice compartment;
an ice compartment temperature sensor associated with the ice compartment and electrically connected to the electronic control system;
a fresh food compartment temperature sensor associated with the fresh food compartment and electrically connected to the electronic control system;
a freezer compartment temperature sensor associated with the freezer compartment and electrically connected to the electronic control system;
an ambient temperature sensor electrically connected to the electronic control system; and
wherein the electronic control system includes a microprocessor that performs a subroutine
comprising calculating control temperature values and regressed temperature values for at least one of the fresh food compartment, the freezer compartment, and the ice compartment based, at least in part, on temperature readings from at least one of the ice compartment sensor, the fresh food compartment sensor, and the freezer compartment sensor.

2. The refrigerator of claim 1 wherein the control temperature values for each of the fresh food compartment, the freezer compartment, and the ice compartment is based, at least in part, on a first pass of the subroutine.

3. The refrigerator of claim 2 wherein the control temperature values of at least one of the fresh food compartment, the freezer compartment, and the ice compartment is equal to the regressed temperature values of the same one of the fresh food compartment, the freezer compartment, and the ice compartment during the first pass of the subroutine.

4. The refrigerator of claim 1 wherein the subroutine further comprises calculating a control temperature value and regressed temperature value for an ambient environment based, at least in part, on a temperature reading from the ambient temperature sensor.

5. The refrigerator of claim 1 further comprising a user interface operatively connected to the electronic control system allowing manual entering of a user-selected temperature value for one or more of the ice, fresh food, and freezer compartments.

6. The refrigerator of claim 5 wherein the control temperature value is compared to the user-selected temperature value for a given ice, fresh food, or freezer compartment.

7. The refrigerator of claim 6 further comprising a cooling system is operatively connected to and providing a response to electrical signals from the electronic control system.

8. The refrigerator of claim 7 wherein the response of the cooling system is based on at least one of the control temperature values of the microprocessor.

9. The refrigerator of claim 7 wherein the response of the cooling system is dependent on at least two of the ice compartment sensor, the fresh food compartment sensor, and the freezer compartment sensor.

10. The refrigerator of claim 7 wherein the response of the cooling system is dependent on at least one of the temperature readings and at least one of the user-selected temperature values.

11. The refrigerator of claim 5 wherein the temperature readings and the user-selected temperature values are used together to control cooling in the refrigerator.

12. The refrigerator of claim 4 wherein the microprocessor control temperature value for one or more of the ice, fresh food, and freezer compartments is compared to the temperature reading from the ambient temperature sensor.

13. A refrigerator comprising:
a refrigerator cabinet;
a fresh food compartment disposed within the cabinet;
a freezer compartment disposed within the cabinet;
an ice compartment disposed within the cabinet;
an intelligent control associated with the refrigerator and adapted to monitor and control temperature in the fresh food compartment, the freezer compartment and the ice compartment;
an ice compartment temperature sensor configured to measure a raw temperature associated with the ice compartment and electrically connected to the intelligent control;
a fresh food compartment temperature sensor configured to measure a raw temperature associated with the fresh food compartment and electrically connected to the intelligent control;
a freezer compartment temperature sensor configured to measure a raw temperature associated with the freezer compartment and electrically connected to the intelligent control;
an ambient temperature sensor electrically connected to the intelligent control;
wherein the intelligent control calculates a control temperature value for at least one of the fresh food compartment, the freezer compartment, and the ice compartment based on the raw temperatures associated with the ice compartment sensor, the fresh food compartment sensor, the freezer compartment sensor, and the ambient temperature sensor; and
wherein the control temperature values are unequal to a temperature differential between user-selected temperature values associated with the ice compartment, the fresh food compartment, the freezer compartment and the raw temperatures associated with the ice compartment sensor, the fresh food compartment sensor, and the freezer compartment sensor.

14. The refrigerator of claim 13 wherein the cabinet comprises top, bottom, left side, right side, and a back wall, and the ice compartment is disposed at or near the top, left, and back walls.

Assignees

• Whirlpool Co

Inventors

• Coulter Tim L
• Gose Thomas E
• Herndon Steven G
• Jenkins Jr James H
• Koons Bill J
• Kramer Brent A
• Leimkuehler Scott W
• Martin Dean A
• Miller Alvin V
• Noel Kevin Lee
• Oliveira Mauro M
• Ott Lester J
• Paulsen Ron S
• Rotter Chad J
• Stauffer David Allen
• Van Meter Kyle B
• Welch Alan M
• Wetekamp Robert L

Classifications

• F25D11/02 Primary

  with cooling compartments at different temperatures · CPC title

• F25D2317/0666

  from the freezer · CPC title

• F25D23/063

  formed by an assembly of panels · CPC title

• F25C5/24

  for storing bins (ice bins F25C5/182) · CPC title

• F25D2201/10

  with respect to heat · CPC title