Refrigeration control using a door handle proximity sensor
AssigneeHill Phoenix, Inc.
InventorsJules G. Choueifati, Lyman W. Wycoff
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A temperature-controlled display device includes a temperature-controlled space and a refrigeration circuit configured to provide cooling for the temperature-controlled space. The refrigeration circuit is configured to operate in multiple cooling modes including a normal refrigeration mode and an anti-ingression mode. A proximity sensor is configured to detect an object such as a human hand or forearm within a detection zone adjacent to a door handle of the temperature-controlled display device. A controller estimates a distance between the handle and the detected object using an input from the proximity sensor. The controller causes the refrigeration circuit to transition between the multiple cooling modes based on the estimated distance.
Claims34
A temperature-controlled display device comprising:
- a temperature-controlled space;
- a refrigeration circuit configured to provide cooling for the temperature-controlled space and to operate in multiple cooling modes comprising a normal refrigeration mode and an anti-ingression mode;
- a door having a handle configured to facilitate movement of the door between a closed position and an open position for accessing items within the temperature-controlled space;
- a proximity sensor configured to detect an object within a detection zone adjacent to the handle;
- and
- a controller configured to estimate a distance between the handle and the object using an input from the proximity sensor and to cause the refrigeration circuit to transition between the multiple cooling modes based on the estimated distance.
A method for operating a temperature-controlled display device, the method comprising:
- detecting an object within a detection zone adjacent to a handle of the temperature-controlled display device, wherein the handle is attached to a door of the temperature-controlled display device and configured to facilitate movement of the door between a closed position and an open position for accessing items within a temperature-controlled space;
- estimating a distance between the handle and the object using an input from a proximity sensor;
- and
- causing a refrigeration circuit of the temperature-controlled display device to transition between multiple cooling modes based on the estimated distance, the multiple cooling modes comprising a normal refrigeration mode and an anti-ingression mode.
A temperature-controlled display device comprising:
- a refrigeration circuit configured to provide cooling for a temperature-controlled space and to operate in multiple cooling modes;
- a door having a handle configured to facilitate movement of the door between a closed position and an open position for accessing items within the temperature-controlled space;
- a projected capacitive sensor integrated with the handle and configured to detect a hand or forearm of a user reaching for the handle;
- and
- a controller configured to cause the refrigeration circuit to transition between the multiple cooling modes in response to a detecting the hand or forearm of the user reaching for the handle.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.