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US 4,232,528 AGranted
Frost detector
AssigneeEmerson Electric Co.
InventorJoseph L. Behr
Life of this patent
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AssigneeEmerson Electric Co.
InventorJoseph L. Behr
Estimating the term…
A refrigeration system is provided with an improved frost detector for detecting frost on an evaporator coil of the system. The detector includes a saddle mounting structure adapted for direct mounting to the tubular coils conventionally employed in condensers and evaporators of refrigeration systems. An energy source and a sensor carried by the mounting structure are positioned on opposite sides of the tubular coil. The sensor is irradiated by the energy source until frost growth on the coil tube obstructs the line of sight path between the source and the sensor. Means are provided for adjusting the line of sight path with respect to the coil tube so that the thickness of frost permitted to accumulate before defrost actuation can be varied for particular applications. By utilizing a narrow beam device as an irradiation source, very precise control of the defrost cycle can be obtained.
In a refrigeration system including a compressor having a high pressure outlet side, a low pressure inlet side, a first coil operatively connected to said compressor, a second coil operatively connected to said compressor and to said first coil, each of said coils including a tubular member having a predetermined length for carrying a refrigerant fluid, the improvement which comprises frost detector means directly mounted to said tubular member, said frost detector having a structure for mounting said detector to said tubular member, said structure including a channel for receiving the outer diameter of said tubular member, electromagnetic energy source means mounted to said structure and positioned to direct a beam of electromagnetic energy across the periphery of said tubular structure, an electromagnetic energy sensor mounted to said structure and separated from said source on a diametrically opposite side of said tube, and means for varying the beam path with respect to a tangent along the outer diameter of said tube between said energy source and said energy sensor.
A frost detector, comprising:
A frost detector, comprising:
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.