Device for controlling the service loads of an electric household appliance, in particular a refrigerator
AssigneeITW Industrial Components S.R.L.
InventorRaoul Bianchi
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A control unit (3) for controlling an electric household appliance, e.g. a refrigerator, is connected in series with a positive temperature coefficient (PTC) resistive unit (4) which, when supplied with electric current, generates sufficient heat to activate a thermally activated actuating element (6) for selectively turning on/off respective auxiliary switches (9) of the electric household appliance. The thermally activated actuating element (6) includes a temperature-deformable element (7), e.g. a bimetallic plate, the deformation of which is transmitted by kinematic links (10) to a camshaft (8), the cams (12) of which cooperate with the auxiliary switches (9) of the electric household appliance to selectively turn on/off the auxiliary switches (9).
Claims20
A device (1) for controlling service loads (2) of an electric household appliance, said device comprising:
- a control unit (3);
- thermally activated actuating means (6) for selectively connecting/disconnecting respective auxiliary switches (9) of said service loads (2);
- and
- a positive temperature coefficient (PTC) resistive unit (4) connected in series with said control unit (3) and located close to said thermally activated actuating means (6) for generating, when supplied with electric current, sufficient heat to activate said thermally activated actuating means (6);
- wherein said thermally activated actuating means (6) comprise:
- at least one temperature deformable element (7) which selectively assumes a first shape (7a) below a predetermined temperature, and at least one second shape (7b) above said predetermined temperature;
- at least one movable control member (8) for controlling said auxiliary switches (9) and rotating with respect to a predetermined axis of rotation;
- and
- kinematic connecting means (10) between said temperature deformable element (7) and said movable control member (8) for imparting to said movable control member (8) a rotation of a predetermined angle whenever said temperature deformable element (7) changes from said first shape (7a) to said at least one second shape (7b).
A device for controlling an electric household appliance, said device comprising:
- a control unit;
- a thermally activated actuator for selectively turning on or off a plurality of switches of said electric household appliance, said thermally activated actuator comprising
- at least one temperature deformable element which selectively assumes a first shape below a predetermined temperature, and at least one second shape above said predetermined temperature;
- at least one moveable control member for controlling the switches of said electric household appliance, said moveable control member being rotatable about an axis of rotation;
- and
- a kinematic linkage between said temperature deformable element and said movable control member for causing said movable control member to rotate a predetermined angle about the axis of rotation whenever said temperature deformable element deforms from said first shape to said at least one second shape;
- and
- a positive temperature coefficient (PTC) resistive element connected in series with said control unit and located in a proximity of said at least one temperature deformable element for generating, when supplied with electric current, sufficient heat to cause said temperature deformable element to deform from said first shape to said at least one second shape.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.