Refrigeration monitor unit
AssigneeRobertshaw Controls Company
InventorsJohn N. Sharood, D. Mitchell Carr
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A unit is attached to a refrigeration appliance, such as a freezer, or refrigerator, to alert the user of a sensed condition within the appliance that food spoilage may occur. The unit can monitor temperature within the compartment and determine how long until food spoilage occurs. The unit also can alert a user, monitoring service, or call a repairperson. The unit may be retrofit into existing appliances.
Claims30
A refrigeration appliance comprising:
- a compartment;
- an appliance controller configured to control operating conditions of the compartment;
- a sensor configured to sense a condition within the compartment;
- a power supply configured to receive power from a power source;
- and
- a retrofit device including
- a first coupler configured to connect to the power supply and to receive the power;
- a second coupler configured to supply the power to the appliance controller;
- and
- a monitoring circuit connected to the first coupler and the second coupler, the monitoring circuit being configured to monitor the sensed condition and to use the first coupler to transmit data based on the sensed condition.
A retrofit device configured to monitor a refrigeration appliance including a power supply, the retrofit device comprising:
- an interface configured to receive a sensed condition of the appliance;
- a first coupler configured to receive power from a power source;
- a second coupler configured to provide the received power to the power supply;
- and
- a monitoring circuit connected to the first coupler and the second coupler, the monitoring circuit being configured to monitor the sensed condition and to use the first coupler to transmit data based on the sensed condition.
A retrofit system configured to monitor a refrigeration appliance including a power supply, the system comprising:
- a sensor configured to sense a condition within the appliance;
- a first coupler configured to receive power from a power source;
- a second coupler configured to provide the received power to the power supply;
- and
- a monitoring device connected to the sensor, the first coupler, and the second coupler, the monitoring device including a monitoring circuit configured to monitor the sensed condition and to use the first coupler to transmit data based on the sensed condition.
A retrofit appliance monitoring system comprising:
- a refrigeration appliance including a power supply;
- a sensor configured to sense an appliance condition;
- and
- a retrofit plug including
- a first coupler configured to receive power from a power source;
- a second coupler configured to provide the received power to the power supply;
- and
- a monitoring circuit connected to the first coupler and the second coupler, the monitoring circuit being configured to monitor the sensed condition and to use the first coupler to transmit data based on the sensed condition.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.