Temperature Control System In A Refrigeration Appliance

Abstract

A temperature control system in a refrigeration appliance comprising: a cabinet defining at least one refrigerating compartment closed by a door; a compressor; and a control means provided with a timer and which is constructed to activate and deactivate the compressor when the interior of the refrigerating compartment reaches activation and deactivation temperatures, respectively. The control system comprises an ambient temperature sensor and an open door sensor which are operatively connected to the control means, the latter being designed to adjust the activation and deactivation temperatures of the compressor as a function of the ambient temperature external to the cabinet and the opening pattern of the door, in order to minimize the temperature variations of the food stored in the refrigerating compartment.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION[0001]The present invention refers to a system for providing the automatic control of the operational temperature in a refrigeration appliance of the type which comprises a cabinet defining at least one refrigerating compartment closed by a door, a compressor, and a control means to activate and deactivate the compressor as a function of the temperature reigning in the interior of the refrigerating compartment.PRIOR ART[0002]The present invention is applicable to the domestic refrigeration appliances defined by a refrigerator or a freezer, in which the refrigerating compartment, as generically denominated herein, has a respective setting device, generally in the form of a knob, which allows the user to modify the operational conditions of the appliance, altering the activation and deactivation temperatures of the compressor to cooler or less cool values, from a medium nominal operational value.[0003]In these known temperature control systems, when the user want...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0012]According to the invention, the control system comprises an ambient temperature sensor and an open door sensor which are operatively connected to the control means designed to adjust the activation and deactivation temperatures of the compressor as a function of the ambient temperature external to the cabinet and the door opening pattern, in order to minimize the temperature variations of the food stored in the refrigerating compartment of the refrigeration appliance.

[0016]Similarly, if the ambient temperature rises beyond a certain predetermined value and if the door opening pattern is higher than the predetermined pattern, the control means will provide the automatic setting of the activation and deactivation temperatures of the compressor for the refrigerating compartment to operate in a cooler condition. However, if only the ambient temperature rises above the predetermined ambient value and the door opening pattern is maintained within the predetermined pattern, the control means will keep the compressor working in the condition corresponding to the default position of the manual adjusting range of activation and deactivation temperatures of the compressor that are available to the user.

Problems solved by technology

For some food products, even a small temperature variation can bring serious consequences.

Moreover, temperature fluctuations often cause condensation of the humidity on the stored products, which is undesirable as it can propitiate growth of microorganisms.

While the known control systems keep the refrigerating compartment automatically operating within the range of the activation and deactivation operational temperatures of the compressor, and allow the user to make manual adjustments to better suit the operational temperature range to the desired working conditions of the appliance, it should be noted that throughout the year significant ambient temperature variations can occur which are not perceived by the user and which can lead the refrigeration appliance to work in temperatures which are inadequately high for the correct and desired food storage, or in unnecessary low temperatures which also impair food storage and leads to higher energy consumption.

In relation to the usage pattern of the refrigerating compartment, i.e., the door opening pattern, the known systems do not allow the user to interfere voluntarily and selectively in the control means in order to modify the operational conditions of the refrigeration appliance, these operational conditions being maintained during the automatic operation of the compressor, according to the activation and deactivation temperatures that are set by the user in the setting device.

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