Fault tolerant control for a refrigerator
AssigneeWhirlpool Corporation
InventorAndrew T. Tershak
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
In an improved control for a refrigerator, critical components such as fresh food and freezer compartment temperature sensors, temperature set devices and baffle are sampled to confirm that each is operational. Upon diagnosis of a critical component failure or of multiple component failures, the control, using stored control parameters, operates the remaining components in a manner that will continue to preserve food.
Claims6
In a refrigerator having a cabinet defining a first, below freezing compartment and a second, above freezing compartment, cooling means for cooling said first compartment, a wall defining an opening between said compartments, a baffle operative for selectively closing said opening, operating means to operate said baffle, a first temperature sensing means associated with said below-freezing compartment for sensing the temperature therein and a second temperature sensing means associated with said above-freezing compartment for sensing the temperature therein, means responsive to said first temperature sensing means for selectively energizing said cooling means to maintain a first set-point temperature in said below-freezing compartment, means responsive to said second temperature sensing means for selectively energizing said baffle operating means to maintain a second set point temperature in said above-freezing compartment, first fault detecting means for diagnosing a fault in said first temperature sensing means, second fault detecting means for diagnosing a fault in said second temperature sensing means, means responsive to said first detecting means diagnosing a fault in said first temperature sensing means for cycling said cooling means at a first predetermined energized and de-energized duty cycle, means responsive to said second detecting means diagnosing a fault in said second temperature sensing means for cycling said baffle operating means at a second predetermined energized and de-energized duty cycle;
- an improvement, comprising:
- third fault detecting means for diagnosing a fault in said baffle operating means;
- and
- means responsive to said third detecting means diagnosing said baffle operated to a failed-open position for adjusting said first set point temperature to a first value and responsive to said third detecting means diagnosing said baffle operated to a failed-closed position for adjusting said first set point temperature to a second value lower than said first value.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.