US 6,148,625 A · Frost and freeze-up prevention control system for improving cooling system efficiency in vending machines

Abstract

The present invention relates to a frost and freezing (freeze-up) prevention control system for improving the efficiency of a cooling system commonly found in refrigerators, refrigerated vending machines, and or beverage coolers. Furthermore, the present invention can be retrofit onto, or originally manufactured into a cooling system. Suitable cooling systems are those commonly found in refrigerators, refrigerated vending machines and refrigerated beverage coolers. The present invention monitors, controls, and improves the efficiency of the refrigeration cycle by preventing the refrigerated cooling system from accumulating frost and or ice on critical cooling system components. Furthermore, by controlling the refrigeration cycle the present invention maintains a high level of cooling system efficiency and reduces the electrical power consumption required to operate the cooling system over the operational life of the cooling system.

Claims23

Dependent claims

A frost and freeze-up prevention control system for improving the efficiency of a cooling system by preempting a said cooling system cooling cycle to prevent the formation of frost, or ice on said cooling system comprising:

a microcontroller;
and
a cooling system control means for monitoring and controlling said cooling system responsive to said microcontroller, said cooling system control means being electrically connected at a first point to said cooling system thermostat and at a second point to said cooling system relay, wherein said cooling system control means is electrically connected in series between said cooling system thermostat and said cooling system relay, such that an electrical signal from said cooling system thermostat is interruptible and controllable by said cooling system control means;
wherein, said frost and freeze-up prevention control system by way of said cooling system control means limits the amount of said cooling system MAXIMUM RUNNING TIME to prevent the formation of frost, or ice on said cooling system, said frost and freeze-up prevention control system also controls said cooling system MAXIMUM OFF TIME to allow ambient temperature to warm said cooling system components susceptible to the formation of frost or ice.

1 more element

A method of improving the operational efficiency of a cooling system by preempting a said cooling system cooling cycle to prevent the formation of frost, or ice on said cooling system, and controlling a said cooling system off time period to allow ambient temperature to warm said cooling system components susceptible to frost or ice comprising the steps of:

a) monitoring the total time a cooling system is in a cooling mode of operation;
b) determining when a MAXIMUM RUNNING TIME period has been reached or elapsed, said MAXIMUM RUNNING TIME period being an amount of time before preempting a said cooling system cooling cycle to prevent the formation of frost, or ice on said cooling system;
c) changing the state of a cooling system control means to disable said cooling system by interrupting an electrical signal between said cooling system thermometer and said cooling system relay;
d) determining when a MAXIMUM OFF TIME period has been reached or elapsed, said MAXIMUM OFF TIME period being an amount of time to allow ambient temperature to warm said cooling system components;
and
e) changing the state of said cooling system control means to enable normal operation of said cooling system.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Frost and freeze-up prevention control system for improving cooling system efficiency in vending machines

Life of this patent

Frost and freeze-up prevention control system for improving cooling system efficiency in vending machines

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims23