Patent Application
20230228465
The present subject matter relates generally to refrigeration appliances, and more particularly to refrigeration appliances having one or more elements for controlling temperature at a fluid container.
Users may desire cooling and maintaining coolness of contents of a beverage container, such as water or other drinks, when the container is removed from a refrigerator. However, many beverage containers and methods for cooling include adding ice to the drink. As the ice melts, the drink is diluted with water. Dilution of the drink with water, melting of ice, and warming of the beverage are generally undesirable.
Insulated beverage containers that may keep beverages cool generally require providing the beverage into the container. Consequently, a user must pour the contents from another receptacle into insulated beverage containers. However, insulated beverage containers may be costly, and users may be limited in the quantity or size of insulated beverage containers available.
Beverages and receptacles provided in a refrigerator or a freezer may keep beverages cool. However, placing beverages in a refrigerator may provide ineffective cooling once removed from the refrigerator. Placing beverages in a freezer may result in freezing the beverage, which is generally undesirable when a user wants to drink a cold beverage. Additionally, certain beverage containers, such as glass, may be prone to shatter if placed in a freezer for too long.
As a result, further improvements in the field of beverage containers. In particular, it would be advantageous to provide a beverage container that can actively regulate the temperature of fluids within the container, while addressing one or more of the problems identified above.
Aspects and advantages of the invention will be set forth in part in the following description, or may be obvious from the description, or may be learned through practice of the invention.
In one exemplary aspect of the present disclosure, a refrigeration appliance is provided. The refrigeration appliance includes a cabinet having a surface operably coupled to a thermoelectric cooler. The refrigeration appliance is configured to apply a voltage to generate an electrical current to move thermal energy from a first side to a second side of the surface. A container includes an upper chamber and a lower chamber. The lower chamber contains a phase change material (PCM) positioned in thermal communication with the upper chamber and the thermoelectric cooler when the container is placed on the surface of the shelf
These and other features, aspects and advantages of the present invention will become better understood with reference to the following description and appended claims. The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate embodiments of the invention and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the invention.
A full and enabling disclosure of the present invention, including the best mode thereof, directed to one of ordinary skill in the art, is set forth in the specification, which makes reference to the appended figures.
Reference now will be made in detail to embodiments of the invention, one or more examples of which are illustrated in the drawings. Each example is provided by way of explanation of the invention, not limitation of the invention. In fact, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and variations can be made in the present invention without departing from the scope or spirit of the invention. For instance, features illustrated or described as part of one embodiment can be used with another embodiment to yield a still further embodiment. Thus, it is intended that the present invention covers such modifications and variations as come within the scope of the appended claims and their equivalents.
As used herein, the terms “first,” “second,” and “third” may be used interchangeably to distinguish one component from another and are not intended to signify location or importance of the individual components. The terms “includes” and “including” are intended to be inclusive in a manner similar to the term “comprising.” Similarly, the term “or” is generally intended to be inclusive (i.e., “A or B” is intended to mean “A or B or both”). In addition, here and throughout the specification and claims, range limitations may be combined or interchanged. Such ranges are identified and include all the sub-ranges contained therein unless context or language indicates otherwise. For example, all ranges disclosed herein are inclusive of the endpoints, and the endpoints are independently combinable with each other. The singular forms “a,” “an,” and “the” include plural references unless the context clearly dictates otherwise.
Approximating language, as used herein throughout the specification and claims, may be applied to modify any quantitative representation that could permissibly vary without resulting in a change in the basic function to which it is related. Accordingly, a value modified by a term or terms, such as “generally,” “about,” “approximately,” and “substantially,” are not to be limited to the precise value specified. In at least some instances, the approximating language may correspond to the precision of an instrument for measuring the value, or the precision of the methods or machines for constructing or manufacturing the components or systems. For example, the approximating language may refer to being within a 10 percent margin (i.e., including values within ten percent greater or less than the stated value). In this regard, for example, when used in the context of an angle or direction, such terms include within ten degrees greater or less than the stated angle or direction (e.g., “generally vertical” includes forming an angle of up to ten degrees in any direction, such as, clockwise or counterclockwise, with the vertical direction V).
Embodiments of an appliance including a fluid cooler surface at which a container is positionable is provided. Embodiments of the appliance provided herein include a cabinet containing a shelf. The shelf includes a surface having a thermoelectric cooler. The appliance is configured to apply a voltage to generate an electric or electrical current to move thermal energy from a first side of the surface, such as a relatively cold side, to a second side of the surface, such as a relatively hot side. A container is positionable in thermal communication onto the cold or first side of the surface. Certain embodiments of the thermoelectric cooler are configured as a Peltier cell at the shelf. The Peltier cell configuration may advantageously provide desired heat transfer (e.g., cooling at the container) while providing beneficially low differences in temperature between the first side and the second side of the surface.
The container, such as a beverage bottle, jug, or other receptacle, may include a first portion proximate to the first side of the surface when positioned at the thermoelectric cooler. In certain embodiments, when the container is positioned at the thermoelectric cooler, the first portion of the container (e.g., a bottom chamber) is cooled to or below a freezing temperature of the phase change material (PCM) contained at the first portion. For instance, the thermoelectric cooler may be configured to remove heat or thermal energy to freeze water or a water-based solution, as the PCM at the first portion of the container. Fluid at the second portion of the container (e.g., an upper chamber) is cooled to approximately the temperature within the cabinet of the refrigerator (e.g., approximately 2 degrees Celsius to approximately 4 degrees Celsius). It should be appreciated that the fluid at the second portion may be a liquid (e.g., a beverage) or a gas (e.g., air) at the second portion. The liquid may be cooled, or a liquid may be added to the cooled second portion. The fluid may be chilled by surrounding walls of the second portion. Additionally, the fluid may remain chilled by the PCM at the first portion in thermal communication with the fluid at the second portion. When the container is removed from the thermoelectric cooler, the fluid may remain chilled accordingly.
Embodiments depicted herein allow for simple, cost-effective structures for quickly cooling beverage containers. Embodiments may also allow maintaining coolness at the container after removing the container from the refrigerator appliance.
Referring now to the figures,
Refrigerator doors 126, 128 are rotatably hinged to an edge of housing 120 for accessing refrigeration chamber 122. A freezer door 130 is arranged below refrigerator doors 126, 128 for accessing freezer chamber 124. In the exemplary embodiment, freezer door 130 is coupled to a freezer drawer (not shown) slidably mounted within freezer chamber 124.
Appliance 100 may include a dispensing assembly 110 for dispensing liquid water and ice. Dispensing assembly 110 includes a dispenser 114 positioned on an exterior portion of appliance 100. Dispenser 114 includes a discharging outlet 134 for accessing ice and liquid water. A user interface panel 136 is provided for controlling the mode of operation of the dispenser 114, such as for providing water, ice, or a type of type (e.g., crushed, non-crushed, cubed, clear, etc.).
Discharging outlet 134 is an external part of dispenser 114, and is mounted in a dispensing recess or recessed portion 138 defined in an outside surface of refrigerator door 126. Recessed portion 138 is positioned at a predetermined elevation convenient for a user to access ice or liquid water and enabling the user to access ice or liquid water without the need to bend-over and without the need to access freezer chamber 124. In the exemplary embodiment, recessed portion 138 is positioned at a level that approximates the chest level of a user. However, in other embodiments, the dispensing assembly 110 may be positioned within the appliance 100, such as within a chilled chamber thereof.
Operation of the appliance 100 is regulated by a control device or controller 300 that is operatively coupled to user interface panel 136, sensor 230, or both. The controller 300 may include one or more processors 314 and one or more memory devices 316. The one or more memory devices 316 may be configured to store instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors 314, causes the appliance 100 to perform operations such as provided below. The memory device(s) 316 may be configured to data corresponding to one or more signals, functions, charts, tables, schedules, or determined values such as provided herein.
Panel 136 provides selections for user manipulation of the operation of appliance 100 such as e.g., selections between whole or crushed ice, chilled liquid water, or other options. In response to user manipulation of the user interface panel 136, the controller 300 operates various components of the appliance 100. The controller 300 may be positioned in a variety of locations throughout appliance 100. In the illustrated embodiment shown in
Referring now tot
One or more of the plurality of shelves may have a surface 210 having a thermoelectric cooler 220, such as depicted in further detail in exemplary embodiments at
In certain embodiments, the thermoelectric cooler 220 includes a semiconductor assembly 226. The semiconductor assembly 226 is positioned between the first side 222 and the second side 224. The first side 222 may form a first ceramic plate and the second side 224 may form a second ceramic plate. The semiconductor assembly 226 may include a plurality of P-Type and N-Type semiconductors, denoted as the alternating pattern of “P” and “N” at semiconductor assembly 226. The P-Type semiconductor may include any appropriate material, or combination thereof, formed when a trivalent impurity is added to a pure semiconductor material. The P-type semiconductor may include boron, indium, or gallium, or combinations thereof. The N-type semiconductor may include any appropriate material, or combination thereof, formed when a pentavalent impurity is added to a pure semiconductor. The N-type semiconductor may include phosphorus, arsenic, or antimony, or combinations thereof.
In various embodiments, the appliance 100 includes a controller 300 operably coupled to a conductor 212. The conductor 212 is operably coupled to the first side 222 and the second side 224. The controller 300 is configured to selectively apply a voltage to generate an electrical current through the conductor 212 to move heat or thermal energy through the semiconductor assembly 226 from the first side 222 to the second side 224.
In certain embodiments, the appliance 100 includes a container 200 having a container body 202. In
An exemplary method for operating the appliance 100 includes transferring heat or thermal energy from the first portion 201, or the PCM contained therein, to the first side 222 of the thermoelectric cooler 220. Controller 300 may be configured to selectively provide an electrical current corresponding to cooling or freezing the PCM at the first portion 201 of the container 200. For instance, PCM defining water at the first portion 201 of the container 200 may be cooled to approximately 0 degrees Celsius or less. However, the controller 300 may be configured to cool the PCM to a lower temperature corresponding to the substance, material, solution, or combination thereof of the PCM.
The method further includes transferring heat or thermal energy from the second portion 203 of the container 200, or the fluid contained therein, to the first portion 201 or the PCM contained therein. Fluid at the second portion 203 may be cooled to approximately the temperature within the refrigeration chamber 122. For instance, fluid at the second portion 203 of the container 200 may be cooled to approximately 2 degrees Celsius to approximately 4 degrees Celsius.
It should be appreciated that the fluid at the second portion 203 may be a liquid (e.g., a beverage) or a gas (e.g., air). The liquid may be cooled at the second portion 203, or a liquid may be added to the second portion 203 after cooling the second portion 203. The fluid may be chilled by surrounding walls of the container body 202 forming the second portion 203. Additionally, the fluid may remain chilled by the PCM at the first portion 201 in thermal communication with the fluid at the second portion 203. When the container 200 is removed from the thermoelectric cooler 220, the fluid may remain chilled accordingly.
Embodiments of the container 200 may generally include any receptacle or other device for holding liquid or gaseous fluids, solids, plasmas, or other substances. The container 200 may include sports bottles, jugs, beverage containers, etc. In certain embodiments, the container 200 may form a surrounding wall 205 of the container body 202 of a non-permeable insulator material configured to limit heat transfer to the contents of the upper chamber 208. An internal wall 207 may fluidly separate the upper chamber 208 from the lower chamber 206. The internal wall 207 may be configured to desirably allow heat transfer from the contents at the upper chamber 208 to the PCM at the lower chamber 206. The first portion 201 may be formed of any appropriate material to facilitate heat transfer from the PCM at the lower chamber 206 to the first side 222 of the thermoelectric cooler 220.
Controller 300 may be operatively coupled (e.g., electrically coupled via one or more conductive signal lines, wirelessly coupled via one or more wireless communications bands, etc.) to the user interface 136. The user interface panel 136 may provide for user manipulation to select a temperature at which container 200 should be maintained. Controller 300 may thus be configured to direct the thermoelectric cooler 220 to provide an electrical current corresponding to a desired temperature at the container 200 in response to user manipulation of user interface.
In various embodiments, the appliance 100 includes a sensor 230 configured to detect at least a presence of the container 200 at the thermoelectric cooler 220. The sensor 230 may be positioned at the surface 210, or particularly at the first side 222 of the thermoelectric cooler 220, such as depicted in
In another embodiment, the sensor 230 is a thermocouple configured in thermal communication with the first portion 201 of the container 200 when positioned at the first side 222 of the thermocouple 230. When configured as a thermocouple, the sensor 230 detects a temperature at the first portion 201 of the container 200.
A method for operating the appliance 100 may include determining a difference in temperature between the first portion 201 of the container 200 and a desired temperature at the first portion 201 of the container 200. When a threshold is exceeded (e.g., in response thereto) corresponding to a change in load or difference in temperature at the sensor 230, the sensor 230 may provide a signal and the controller 300 may receive the signal (e.g., via conductor 212) from the sensor 230 indicative of the presence of the container 200 at the first side 222. The controller 300 may generate an electrical current corresponding to a desired temperature at the first side 222 or at the container 200, such as described herein. The controller 300 may be configured to selectively adjust or change the electrical current to maintain a substantially constant temperature signal at the first side 222 of the thermoelectric cooler 220.
Referring to
Referring now to
Controller 300 may include a memory (e.g., non-transitive storage media) and microprocessor, such as a general or special purpose microprocessor operable to execute programming instructions or micro-control code associated with a cleaning cycle. The memory may represent random access memory such as DRAM, or read only memory such as ROM or FLASH. In one embodiment, the processor executes programming instructions stored in memory. The memory may be a separate component from the processor or may be included onboard within the processor. Alternatively, controller 300 may be constructed without using a microprocessor, e.g., using a combination of discrete analog or digital logic circuitry (such as switches, amplifiers, integrators, comparators, flip-flops, AND gates, and the like) to perform control functionality instead of relying upon software. Thermoelectric cooler 220 and sensor 230 may be in communication with controller 300 via one or more signal lines or shared communication busses. User interface panel 136 may be in communication (e.g., wireless communication) with controller 300 via one or more suitable shared networks.
It should be appreciated that communications busses and secondary devices may correspond to any device that may be programmed to communicate controller 300 using one of Wi-Fi, Bluetooth®, ZigBee®, or similar type of wireless communications technologies and networks while running a program that provides for user input. In this context, devices such as, but not limited to, smartphones, tablet devices, and standalone devices may be used to implement the present subject matter.
This written description uses examples to disclose the invention, including the best mode, and also to enable any person skilled in the art to practice the invention, including making and using any devices or systems and performing any incorporated methods. The patentable scope of the invention is defined by the claims, and may include other examples that occur to those skilled in the art. Such other examples are intended to be within the scope of the claims if they include structural elements that do not differ from the literal language of the claims, or if they include equivalent structural elements with insubstantial differences from the literal languages of the claims.
