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US 2015/0083384 A1Published application
Appliance with timed preheating for dispensed fluids
AssigneeGeneral Electric Company
InventorsRobert Lee Lewis, JR., Andrew Reinhard Krause
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A refrigerator appliance is provided that includes a hot water dispenser and/or hot beverage dispenser. The appliance can provide the hot water at a particular time selected by the user. In addition, the appliance can also be equipped to provide the hot water over a particular period of time. As such, the user can avoid an undesirable or inconvenient waiting period for dispensing hot water and certain energy efficiencies can be provided.
Claims18
A method of operating a refrigerator appliance having a hot fluid dispenser, the method comprising the steps of:
- placing fluid into a container;
- receiving a first temperature, TEMP-1, to which the fluid is to be heated;
- providing a first time, TIME-1, by which the fluid is to be ready at first temperature, TEMP-1;
- ascertaining a first time period, Δt1, required to heat the fluid in the container to at least the first temperature, TEMP-1;
- and
- operating a heater for at least the first time period, Δt1, before first time, TIME-1, so as to heat the fluid and provide the fluid at about first temperature, TEMP-1, by the first time, TIME-1.
3 more elements
A refrigerator appliance, comprising:
- one or more refrigerated chambers;
- a dispenser for providing a heated fluid;
- a fluid heating assembly configured to provide heated fluid to the dispenser, the fluid heating assembly comprising
- a container for the receipt of a fluid to be heated;
- a heater for heating fluid in the container;
- a temperature sensor for measuring the temperature of the fluid in the container;
- a controller in communication with the heater and the temperature sensor, the controller configured for
- receiving a first temperature, TEMP-1, to which the fluid in the container is to be heated;
- receiving a first time, TIME-1, by which the fluid is to be ready at first temperature, TEMP-1;
- ascertaining a first time period, Δt1, required to heat the fluid in the container to at least the first temperature, TEMP-1;
- and
- operating the heater for at least the first time period, Δt1, before first time, TIME-1, so as to heat the fluid and provide the fluid at about first temperature, TEMP-1, by about the first time, TIME-1.
9 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.