Refrigerator with temperature control

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9683770-B2
Application number	US-201514961711-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 7, 2015
Priority date	May 18, 2005
Publication date	Jun 20, 2017
Grant date	Jun 20, 2017

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 fresh food compartment disposed within a cabinet;
a fresh food compartment temperature set point associated with the fresh food compartment;
a freezer compartment disposed within the refrigerator cabinet;
a freezer compartment temperature set point associated with the freezer compartment;
an ice compartment integrally disposed within the refrigerator cabinet;
an ice compartment set point associated with the ice compartment;
an ice maker disposed within the ice compartment;
an ice bin;
a cooling system that provides cooling;
a user interface configured to receive a user selection of the fresh food compartment temperature set point and the freezer compartment temperature set point; and
an intelligent control operatively connected to the cooling system, the ice maker and the user interface, the intelligent control operating the cooling system using the fresh food compartment temperature set point, the freezer compartment temperature set point, and the ice compartment set point; and
wherein the intelligent control further provides for adjusting the ice compartment set point relative to the freezer compartment temperature set point based on an ice maker state and an ice bin state.

2. The refrigerator of claim 1 , wherein the ice compartment is positioned within the fresh food compartment.

3. The refrigerator of claim 2 , wherein the ice compartment is positioned at a top of the fresh food compartment and at an outer side of the fresh food compartment and wherein the refrigerator further comprises a cooling system that includes an evaporator that provides cooling to at least the freezer compartment and the ice compartment.

4. The refrigerator of claim 1 , wherein the ice compartment is integrally formed adjacent the fresh food compartment.

5. The refrigerator of claim 1 , wherein the freezer compartment is positioned below the fresh food compartment and wherein the refrigerator further comprises a cold air duct that has a lower air inlet within the freezer compartment and an upper outlet end connected on a back wall of the ice maker and the refrigerator further comprises an ice bin disposed within the ice compartment.

6. The refrigerator of claim 1 further comprising an ambient temperature sensor operatively connected to the intelligent control and a user interface that receives a user selection of the fresh food compartment temperature set point and the freezer compartment set point such that the fresh food compartment temperature set point is a user selected fresh food compartment temperature set point and the freezer compartment temperature set point is a user selected freezer compartment temperatureset point.

7. The refrigerator of claim 6 further comprising an ice compartment temperature sensor operatively connected to the intelligent control.

8. The refrigerator of claim 7 further comprising a freezer compartment temperature sensor operatively connected to the intelligent control and wherein the ice bin is disposed within the ice compartment.

9. The refrigerator of claim 8 further comprising a fresh food compartment temperature sensor operatively connected to the intelligent control.

10. The refrigerator of claim 9 , wherein the intelligent control is further configured for operating the cooling system using temperature data from the ambient temperature sensor, the ice compartment temperature sensor, the freezer compartment temperature sensor, and the fresh food compartment temperature sensor.

11. A refrigerator comprising:
a refrigerator cabinet having an interior that includes a fresh food compartment;
a fresh food compartment temperature set point associated with the fresh food compartment;
a freezer compartment disposed within the refrigerator cabinet;
a freezer compartment temperature set point associated with the freezer compartment;
an ice compartment disposed within the refrigerator cabinet at a top corner of the interior of the fresh food compartment;
an ice compartment set point associated with the ice compartment;
an ice maker disposed within the ice compartment;
an ice bin;
a cooling system;
a water system; and
a user interface configured to receive a user selection of the fresh food compartment temperature set point and the freezer compartment temperature set point;
an intelligent control electrically connected to the user interface and wherein the intelligent control is configured to adjust the ice compartment set point based on an ice maker state and an ice bin state; and
wherein the ice compartment set point is greater than the freezer compartment temperature set point when the ice maker state is off and less than the freezer compartment temperature set point when an ice bin state is full.

12. The refrigerator of claim 11 , wherein the ice compartment is positioned within the fresh food compartment and wherein the water system is a pre-assembled water system.

13. The refrigerator of claim 12 , wherein the ice compartment is positioned at a top of the fresh food compartment and at an outer side of the fresh food compartment and wherein the refrigerator further comprises a cooling system that includes an evaporator that provides cooling to at least the freezer compartment and the ice compartment.

14. The refrigerator of claim 13 , wherein the ice bin is disposed within the ice compartment and wherein the pre-assembled water system is a single module.

15. The refrigerator of claim 11 further comprising an ambient temperature sensor operatively connected to the intelligent control.

16. The refrigerator of claim 15 further comprising an ice compartment temperature sensor operatively connected to the intelligent control.

17. The refrigerator of claim 16 further comprising a freezer compartment temperature sensor operatively connected to the intelligent control.

18. The refrigerator of claim 17 further comprising a fresh food compartment temperature sensor operatively connected to the intelligent control.

19. The refrigerator of claim 18 , wherein the intelligent control is further configured for operating the cooling system using temperature data from the ambient temperature sensor, the ice compartment temperature sensor, the freezer compartment temperature sensor, and the fresh food compartment temperature sensor.

20. The refrigerator of claim 11 , wherein the ice compartment set point is equal to the freezer compartment temperature set point when the ice maker state is on and the ice bin state is not full.

Assignees

• Whirlpool Co

Inventors

• Coulter Tim L
• Gose Thomas E
• Herndon Steven G
• Jenkins 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

• F25D29/00

  Arrangement or mounting of control or safety devices · CPC title

• F25C1/00

  Producing ice (F25C3/00 takes precedence) · CPC title

• F25D17/045

  Air flow control arrangements · CPC title

• F25D2317/0666

  from the freezer · CPC title

• F25C5/24

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