Claims
- 1. An adaptive defrost control for a refrigerator having a fresh food compartment and a freezer compartment, a fresh food door closing the fresh food compartment and a freezer door for closing the freezer compartment, the refrigerator further including a compressor, said control comprising a controller configured to adjust a compressor run time based on a door open time of at least one of the fresh food compartment door and the freezer compartment door.
- 2. An adaptive control in accordance with claim 1 wherein said control monitors a compressor voltage to determine compressor run time, and wherein said control monitors a fresh food door switch and a freezer door switch to determine respective door open times.
- 3. An adaptive control in accordance with claim 2 wherein said controller reduces compressor run time by a factor multiplied by the door open times.
- 4. An adaptive control in accordance with claim 1 wherein said controller is further configured to monitor the state of the defrost terminator when in a defrost state, and if the terminator transitions from a closed condition to an open condition during defrost, said controller enters a dwell state.
- 5. An adaptive control in accordance with claim 4 wherein when in the dwell state, said controller does not activate the compressor.
- 6. An adaptive control in accordance with claim 1 wherein said controller is operable in a pre-chill state in which said controller energizes the compressor.
- 7. An adaptive control in accordance with claim 1 wherein said controller is operable in a pull down state in which said controller energizes the compressor for a time period equal to a predefined pull down time.
- 8. An adaptive control in accordance with claim 1 wherein said controller is operable in an abnormal state when a defrost time is longer than an abnormal defrost time or when a defrost state is time terminated, when in the abnormal state, said controller enters a next defrost operation after a fixed period of compressor run time.
- 9. An adaptive control in accordance with claim 1 wherein said controller is operable in a first cycle state after a power failure, and wherein if the compressor is deenergized during a normal power up time period, said controller enters a pre-chill state, and wherein if the compressor is not deenergized during the normal power up time, said controller enters a pull down state.
- 10. A cooling apparatus comprising at least one compartment, a door for closing said compartment, a door switch activated by said door, a compressor, and a controller electrically coupled to said door switch and to said compressor, said controller configured to adjust a compressor run time based on a door open time.
- 11. A cooling apparatus in accordance with claim 10 wherein said compartment comprises at least one of a fresh food compartment and a freezer compartment.
- 12. A cooling apparatus in accordance with claim 10 wherein said compartment comprises a fresh food door compartment, and wherein said apparatus further comprises a freezer compartment, a freezer door for closing said freezer compartment, and a freezer door switch activated by said freezer door, said controller electrically coupled to said freezer door switch, said controller configured to adjust a compressor run time based on a door open time of said fresh food compartment door and said freezer compartment door.
- 13. A cooling apparatus in accordance with claim 10 wherein said controller is further configured to monitor the state of the defrost terminator when in a defrost state, and if the terminator transitions from a closed condition to an open condition during defrost, said controller enters a dwell state in which said controller does not activate the compressor.
- 14. A cooling apparatus in accordance with claim 10 wherein said controller is operable in a pre-chill state in which said controller energizes said compressor, and wherein said controller is operable in a pull down state in which said controller energizes said compressor for a time period equal to a predefined pull down time.
- 15. A cooling apparatus in accordance with claim 10 wherein said controller is operable in an abnormal state when a defrost time is longer than an abnormal defrost time or when a defrost state is time terminated, when in the abnormal state, said controller enters a next defrost operation after a fixed period of compressor run time.
- 16. A cooling apparatus in accordance with claim 10 wherein said controller is operable in a first cycle state after a power failure, and wherein if said compressor is deenergized during a normal power up time period, said controller enters a pre-chill state, and wherein if said compressor is not deenergized during the normal power up time, said controller enters a pull down state.
- 17. A method for determining defrost time in a refrigerator, the refrigerator including at least one compartment, a door for closing the compartment, and a compressor, said method comprising the steps of monitoring door open time, and adjusting compressor run time based on the door open time.
- 18. A method in accordance with claim 17 further comprising the steps of during a defrost operation, monitoring a status of a defrost terminator, and if the terminator transitions from a closed condition to an open condition during defrost, entering a dwell state in which the compressor is not activated.
- 19. A method in accordance with claim 17 wherein if a defrost time is longer than an abnormal defrost time or when a defrost state is time terminated, then entering a next defrost operation after a fixed period of compressor run time.
- 20. A method in accordance with claim 17 wherein in a first cycle state after a power failure, if the compressor is deenergized during a normal power up time period, then entering a pre-chill state, and wherein if the compressor is not deenergized during the normal power up time, then entering a pull down state.
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/104,539, filed Oct. 16, 1998.
US Referenced Citations (17)
Provisional Applications (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
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60/104539 |
Oct 1998 |
US |