Refrigerator quick chill and thaw control methods and apparatus
AssigneeGeneral Electric Company
InventorsMartin M. Zentner, Wolfgang Daum
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A control system for a refrigerator quick chill and thaw system comprises an electronic controller coupled to the operable components of a modular air handler for producing a convective airstream in a sealed pan for rapid chilling and safe thawing. The controller is configured to operate the air handler to execute a chill mode when selected by a user, operate the air handler to execute a thaw mode when selected by a user, adjust the air handler components for the selected chill mode or thaw mode, and maintain a constant temperature airstream in the pan to execute the selected chill mode or the thaw mode. Adaptive chill and thaw algorithms are executable by the controller in response to user input and temperature conditions inside the sealed pan.
Claims24
A method for controlling a quick chill and thaw system for a refrigerator, the refrigerator including a fresh food compartment and a freezer compartment, the quick chill and thaw system including a pan and an air handler in flow communication with both of the fresh food and freezer compartments, the refrigerator further including an electronic controller coupled to the air handler, said method comprising the steps of:
- adjusting the air handler to produce a constant temperature airstream in the pan, wherein the air handler comprises a first and a second damper;
- maintaining a first constant air temperature in the pan to execute a chill mode when selected by a user;
- and
- maintaining a second constant air temperature in the pan to execute a thaw mode when selected by a user.
A control system for a refrigerator including a quick chill and thaw system, the quick chill and thaw system including an air handler and a pan, the air handler operable in at least one chill mode and at least one thaw mode, said control system comprising:
- an electronic controller coupled to the air handler;
- said controller configured to:
- position a first and a second damper to adjust airflow through the air handler;
- adjust the air handler to produce a constant temperature airstream in the pan;
- maintain a first constant temperature airstream in the pan to execute a chill mode when selected by a user;
- and
- maintain a second constant temperature airstream in the pan to execute a thaw mode when selected by a user.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.