Power switch and baffle assembly having unidirectional drive motor for a refrigerator

In a refrigerator having a cabinet defining a frozen food compartment and a fresh food compartment separated from each other by a divider wall, a through opening formed in said wall to enable cold air from said frozen food compartment to flow into said fresh food compartment;

• a baffle selectively closing said opening;
• a compressor;
• an evaporator fan for circulating chilled air within said frozen food compartment and through said opening into said fresh food compartment;
• temperature sensor means for measuring the temperatures of said fresh food and frozen food compartments and control means responsive to said temperature sensor means for producing command signals indicative of the need to cool said compartments;
• a system for controlling said baffle, compressor and evaporator fan to maintain predetermined frozen food and fresh food compartment temperatures, comprising:
• a cam having first, second and third control surfaces spaced apart from each other axially on said cam;
• motor means responsive to said command signals for rotating said cam;
• means for coupling said cam to said baffle;
• first electrical switch means operated by movement of said first control surface of said cam for applying electricity from an external electrical power source to said compressor;
• second electrical switch means operated by movement of said second control surface of said cam for applying electricity from the external electrical power source to said defrost heater;
• third electrical switch means operated by movement of said third control surface of said cam for applying feedback signals to said control means to indicate the rotational position of said cam;
• said first, second control surfaces of said cam being shaped and said coupling means interconnecting said cam and said baffle such that operation of said first, second and third electrical switches and said baffle during rotation of said cam are synchronized to each other to selectively cool said compartments and defrost the evaporator.

In a refrigerator having a cabinet defining a frozen food compartment and a fresh food compartment separated from each other by a divider wall, a through opening formed in said wall to enable cold air from said frozen food compartment to flow into said fresh food compartment;

• a baffle selectively closing said opening;
• a compressor;
• an evaporator fan for circulating chilled air within said frozen food compartment and through said opening into said fresh food compartment;
• temperature sensor means for measuring the temperatures of said fresh food and frozen food compartments and control means responsive to said temperature sensor means for producing command signals indicative of the need to cool said compartments;
• a system for controlling said baffle, compressor and evaporator fan to maintain predetermined frozen food and fresh food compartment temperatures, comprising:
• a cam having a control surface;
• motor means for moving said cam;
• first, second and third electrical switches spaced apart from each other perpendicular to a direction of movement of said cam;
• said first and second switches operated by movement of said control surface to apply electricity from an electrical power source selectively to said compressor and said defrost heater;
• said third electrical switch operated by movement of said control surface to provide a feedback signal to said control means to indicate the position of said cam;
• and
• means for coupling said cam to said baffle;
• the control surface of said cam being shaped and said coupling means interconnecting said cam and said baffle such that operation of said first, second and third electrical switches and said baffle during movement of said cam are synchronized to each other to selectively cool said compartments and defrost the evaporator.