Refrigerator Dispenser Fill Sensing for Hands-Free Overflow Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing refrigerator ice/water dispensers face issues with mechanical and membrane switches wearing out, lack of automatic cut-off features, and inability to differentiate between containers and children's hands, leading to potential overfilling and increased complexity and cost.
Innovation Solution
An optical sensing system with a camera and ultrasonic sensors is integrated into the dispenser to detect container presence and size, allowing for hands-free dispensing and automatic cut-off, using a controller to optimize fill rates and prevent overflow, while distinguishing between containers and other objects.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If mechanical or membrane switches are used in the dispenser, then the dispensing operation can be controlled, but the switches wear out over time requiring replacement
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces mechanical switches and membrane switches with an optical sensing system that uses a camera and image processing to detect container presence and liquid levels. This eliminates physical contact components that wear out, substituting them with non-contact optical detection that has no moving parts or contact points to degrade over time.
2Extent of automation
If active sensors are used to detect container presence, then automatic dispensing can be initiated, but the sensors cannot differentiate between containers and children's hands
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces simple active sensors with a camera-based optical sensing system that captures images and uses image processing algorithms to analyze object characteristics. The system can distinguish between containers and hands by examining shape, size, position, and other visual features, providing both automatic initiation and accurate object identification.
Solution Approach 2:
The optical sensing system continuously monitors the dispenser well and provides feedback to the control system. By analyzing the visual feedback from the camera, the system can determine whether the detected object is a container or a hand, and adjust its response accordingly, enabling both automation and precision.
3Ease of operation
If automatic actuators are used in the dispenser, then hands-free dispensing is enabled, but the system lacks automatic cut-off features leading to potential overfilling
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a feedback system where the optical sensor continuously monitors the liquid level in the container during dispensing. When the liquid reaches a predetermined level or the container becomes full, the sensor detects this condition and sends a signal to stop the dispensing operation, providing automatic cut-off and preventing overflow while maintaining hands-free operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs self-monitoring and self-regulation of the dispensing process. The optical sensing system automatically detects when the container is full and stops the dispensing operation without requiring user intervention, enabling the system to serve itself by preventing overfilling.
4Extent of automation
If sensors are mounted in the dispenser well to sense container presence and size, then automatic dispensing can be controlled, but the level of liquid dispensed cannot be altered by the consumer
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a dynamic control system where the user can select from multiple dispensing modes or target fill levels through the control panel. The optical sensing system adapts its monitoring and control parameters based on the selected mode, allowing the same automatic dispensing mechanism to provide different dispensing amounts according to user preferences while maintaining automation.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The system enables efficient, hands-free dispensing of ice and water to a desired level, regardless of container shape or size, preventing overfilling and reducing wear and tear, while maintaining low complexity and cost.
Implementation Method 1
an optical sensing system is provided including a camera located within a dispenser well of the dispenser assembly
Implementation Method 2
Alternatively, another sensor, such as an ultrasonic sensor, can be utilized to detect the presence of the container
Data Source
AI summary
A refrigerator includes a dispenser having a dispenser well, a control for regulating a product dispensing operation, and a select fill sensor system for automatically initiating and terminating the dispensing operation. An optical sensing system includes a camera within the dispenser well in communication with a controller for sensing the fill rate of a container within the dispenser well. The dispensing rate of product is adjusted depending on the product fill rate of the container such that optimum fill rates are obtained without overflow or spilling events. In this manner, a hands-free dispenser is provided that can be utilized regardless of the shape or size of container utilized.