Refrigeration monitor unit
AssigneeRobertshaw Controls Company
InventorsJohn N. Sharood, D. Mitchell Carr
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A unit is attached to a refrigeration appliance, such as a freezer, or refrigerator, to alert the user of a sensed condition within the appliance that food spoilage may occur. The unit can monitor temperature within the compartment and determine how long until food spoilage occurs. The unit also can alert a user, monitoring service, or call a repairperson. The unit may be retrofit into existing appliances.
Claims30
A refrigeration appliance comprising:
- a compartment,
- a sensor for sensing a condition within the compartment;
- a power supply;
- a monitoring circuit connected with the power supply monitoring the sensed condition;
- and
- a communications circuit,
- wherein the monitoring circuit sends a signal through the communication circuit in response to the sensed condition.
A retrofit unit for monitoring a refrigeration appliance including a power supply, the unit comprising:
- a sensor for sensing a condition within the appliance;
- a monitoring circuit connected with the power supply monitoring the sensed condition;
- and
- a communications circuit,
- wherein the unit is inserted in the appliance and the monitoring circuit sends a signal through the communication circuit in response to the sensed condition.
A retrofit system for monitoring a refrigeration appliance including a power supply, the system comprising:
- a sensor for sensing a condition within the appliance;
- a monitoring unit connected to the sensor and including:
- a monitoring circuit connected with to the sensor to monitor the sensed condition;
- and
- a communications circuit,
- wherein the sensor is inserted in the appliance and the monitoring circuit sends a signal through the communication circuit in response to the sensed condition.
A retrofit appliance monitoring system comprising:
- an appliance including a power supply;
- a retrofit plug attached to the power supply;
- and
- a sensor connected to the retrofit plug for sensing an appliance condition,
- wherein the retrofit plug generates a signal based on a sensed condition.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.