Refrigerator with automatic liquid dispenser
AssigneeElectrolux Home Products, Inc.
InventorsCornel Comsa, Zhuochen Shi
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A refrigerator includes a cabinet defining a fresh food compartment and a door pivotally mounted to the cabinet and including an interior surface in communication with the fresh food compartment when the door is closed. A liquid dispenser is arranged on the interior surface of the door, and a container is supported on the door and configured to receive liquid from the liquid dispenser. A sensor is configured to sense a property of the container, and a control is in communication with the sensor. The control is configured to regulate dispensing of liquid into the container based upon the sensed property of the container. The sensor utilizes a magnetic sensing element located adjacent to the container.
Claims20
An improved refrigerator having a cabinet defining a fresh food compartment, a door pivotally mounted to the cabinet and comprising an interior surface in communication with the fresh food compartment when the door is closed, and a container supported on the door and configured to receive liquid from a liquid dispenser located within the fresh food compartment, the improvement comprising:
- a sensor configured to sense a property of the container, wherein the sensor utilizes a magnetic sensing element located adjacent to the container and a magnetic body provided within the container that is detectable by the magnetic sensing element,
- wherein the magnetic body is exposed to the liquid within the container, is less dense than the liquid within the container, and is further movable along a height of the container;
- and
- an electrically operated control in communication with the sensor and configured to regulate dispensing of liquid into the container based upon the sensed property of the container.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.