US3893306A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Refrigerator control arrangement
Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
•
Filing: 1973-01-12
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Granted: 1975-07-08
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Expires: 1993-01-12
Abstract
Abstract The burner of a gas refrigerator reduces the temperature by burning gas received from a gas control valve which is opened by the membrane capsule of a thermostat, or closed by a spring. The membrane capsule is connected by a snap spring disc with the gas control valve so that the valve is not slowly opened and closed by the membrane capsule and spring, but rapidly shifted by the snap spring disc between the open and closed positions.
Inventors
- 👤 Ulrich Kroll
- 👤 Josef Schmid
- 👤 Siegfried Vollprecht
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-01 18:52
CPC Classifications
F; F25; F25B; F25B49/00; F25B49/04; F25B2333/00; F25B2333/003
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 24
Claim 1
Independent Claim
273 words
In a refrigerator comprised of a cooling compartment on the walls of which frost tends to form, an arrangement for counteracting such tendency, comprising, in combination, temperature changing means operative in a first mode for causing a decrease of the temperature of said cooling compartment and operative in a second mode for causing an increase of the temperature of said cooling compartment; and control means operative for maintaining said compartment cool by causing said temperature changing means to assume said first mode when the temperature of said cooling compartment rises to a higher first value, and operative for counteracting the accumulation of frost on said walls by causing said temperature changing means to assume said second mode when the temperature of siad cooling compartment will alternate between said first and second values, said control means including a control member movable between first and second positions for respectively causing said temperature changing means to assume said first and second modes, biasing means connected to said control member comprising a bistable snap-over spring member coupled to said control member and so disposed that said snap-over spring member must be snapped over to a first position and to a second position for respectively permitting said control member to be moved to said first and second positions of said control member, and temperature-responsive means operative for exerting upon at least one of said members a temperature-dependent force moving said members to said first positions when the temperature of said cooling compartment rises to said first value and moving said members to said second positions thereof when the temperature of said cooling compartment falls to said second value.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
273 words
In a refrigerator comprised of a cooling compartment on the walls of which frost tends to form, an arrangement for counteracting such tendency, comprising, in combination, temperature changing means operative in a first mode for causing a decrease of the temperature of said cooling compartment and operative in a second mode for causing an increase of the temperature of said cooling compartment; and control means operative for maintaining said compartment cool by causing said temperature changing means to assume said first mode when the temperature of said cooling compartment rises to a higher first value, and operative for counteracting the accumulation of frost on said walls by causing said temperature changing means to assume said second mode when the temperature of siad cooling compartment will alternate between said first and second values, said control means including a control member movable between first and second positions for respectively causing said temperature changing means to assume said first and second modes, biasing means connected to said control member comprising a bistable snap-over spring member coupled to said control member and so disposed that said snap-over spring member must be snapped over to a first position and to a second position for respectively permitting said control member to be moved to said first and second positions of said control member, and temperature-responsive means operative for exerting upon at least one of said members a temperature-dependent force moving said members to said first positions when the temperature of said cooling compartment rises to said first value and moving said members to said second positions thereof when the temperature of said cooling compartment falls to said second value.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
47 words
In a refrigerator as defined in claim 1, wherein said temperature changing means comprises a gas burner, wherein said control means comprises a gas supply valve for controlling the supply of gas to said burner, said gas supply valve comprising a valve member constituting said control member.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
47 words
In a refrigerator as defined in claim 1, wherein said snap-over spring member is generally circular and annular and comprised of two radially inwardly extending spoke portions, and wherein said control member is comprised of an elongated linkage rod extending towards and connected to said spoke portions.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
42 words
In a refrigerator as defined in claim 3, wherein said elongated linkage rod is provided at the ends thereof with two radially outwardly projecting portions respectively bearing upon said radially inwardly extending spoke portions of said generally circular and annular snap-over member.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
112 words
In a refrigerator as defined in claim 1, wherein said biasing means comprises a biasing spring operative for always exerting upon said control member a biasing force tending to move said control member to one of said positions thereof, and wherein said temperature-responsive means comprises means for exerting upon said control member a temperature-dependent force opposing the biasing force of said biasing spring, and wherein said biastable snap-over spring member is so disposed as to oppose said temperature-dependent force when said control member undergoes a transition to one of said positions thereof and to supplement said temperature-dependent force when said control member undergoes a transition to the other of said positions thereof.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
25 words
In a refrigerator as defined in claim 5, wherein said control means further includes means for adjusting the biasing force exerted by said biasing spring.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
42 words
In a refrigerator as defined in claim 6, wherein said biasing spring is a helical compression spring, and wherein said means for adjusting the biasing force exerted by said biasing spring comprises means for varying the pre-compression of said helical compression spring.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
51 words
In a refrigerator as defined in claim 5, wherein said control means comprises means for changing the temperature at which said control means automatically causes said temperature changing means to undergo a transition from one to the other of said modes by adjusting the biasing force exerted by said biasing spring.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
91 words
In a refrigerator as defined in claim 1, wherein said temperature-responsive means comprises a membrane capsule having an interior communicating with said cooling compartment and undergoing changes of volume dependent upon the temperature of said cooling compartment, and an elongated linkage rod extending from said membrane capsule towards said bistable snap-over spring member, and a pressure body connected to said elongated linkage rod, said linkage rod and said pressure body being operative for transforming temperature-dependent volume changes of said membrane capsule into a temperature-dependent force applied to said snap-over spring member.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
182 words
In a refrigerator as defined in claim 9, wherein said temperature changing means comprises a gas burner, wherein said control means compries a gas supply valve Including a circular valve member constituting said control member, wherein said biasing means comprises a helical biasing spring operative for always exerting upon said valve member a force tending to move said valve member to one of said positions thereof, and wherein said snap-over spring member is generally circular and so disposed as to oppose said temperature-dependent force when said valve member undergoes a transition to one of said positions thereof and supplement said temperature-dependent force when said valve member undergoes a transition to the other of said positions thereof, and wherein said pressure body is generally circular and has a circular knife edge engaging said circular snap-over spring member, and wherein said membrane capsule is generally circular, and wherein said helical biasing spring, said circular snap-over spring member, said circular membrane capsule, said circular pressure body and said circular valve member are coaxially aligned, with said linkage rod being substantially colinear with the common axis.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
97 words
In a refrigerator as defined in claim 9, wherein said control means further includes adjustable resisting means for exerting upon said membrane capsule a resisting force counteracting the tendency of said membrane capsule to exert a force upon said pressure body, and wherein said control means further includes adjusting means operative for effecting a change of the temperature at which said control means causes said temperature at which said control means causes said temperature changing means to undergo a transition from one to the other of said modes by adjusting said resisting force of said resisting means.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
20 words
In refrigerator as defined in claim 1, wherein said control member is the moving switch member of an electrical switch.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
69 words
In a refrigerator as defined in claim 1, wherein said temperature changing means comprises a gas burner and wherein said control means comprises a gas supply valve including a valve member constituting said control member, and wherein said control member is further provided with the moving switch member of an electrical switch having first and second positions assumed simultaneously with said first and second positions of said valve member.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
73 words
In a refrigerator as defined in claim 1, wherein said temperature changing means comprises a gas burner, and wherein said control means comprises means operative for detecting the temperature in the vicinity of said burner and means operative for terminating the supply of gas to said gas burner when the temperature in the vicinity of said burner falls below a predetermined value, whereby to prevent continued supply of gas to a non-functioning burner.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
116 words
In a refrigerator as defined in claim 1, wherein said temperature-responsive means includes a first pressure body located on one side of said snap-over spring member and operative for applying to the latter a temperature-dependent force, and wherein said control means further includes a second pressure body located at the other side of said snap-over spring member and a return spring for exerting upon said second pressure body a force causing said second pressure body to exert upon said snap-over spring member a force opposing said temperature-dependent force, and supporting means supported by said first pressure body and supporting said second pressure body, and means for adjusting the spacing between said first and second pressure bodies.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
56 words
In a refrigerator as defined in claim 15, wherein said snap-over spring member is generally annular having a central opening, and wherein said supporting means comprises a supporting member supported on said first pressure body and extending through said central opening of said snap-over spring member and having an end portion supporting said second pressure body.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
67 words
In a refrigerator as defined in claim 16, wherein said supporting member is comprised of an elongated portion partially accommodated within an elongated internal bore provided in said first prEssure body and supported at the end of said supporting member remote from said second pressure body by a screw-threaded supporting unit adjustable for varying the relative positions of said supporting member and of said first pressure body.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
71 words
In a refrigerator as defined in claim 17, wherein said control member is provided with an elongated linkage rod projecting in direction towards said central opening of said snap-over spring member, and wherein said snap-over spring member has at least two radially inwardly projecting portions which when said snap-over spring member assumes one of said positions thereof engage said rod and transmit force to said control member via said linkage rod.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
37 words
In a refrigerator as defined in claim 16, wherein said supporting member is comprised of a forked end portion passing through said central opening of said snap-over spring member and engaging and supporting said second pressure body.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
54 words
In a refrigerator as defined in claim 15, wherein said snap-over spring member is generally circular, and wherein both said first and second pressure bodies are configurated to have projecting annular knife edges contacting opposite axial sides of said circular snap-over spring member at the radially outer portion of said circular snap-over spring member.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
92 words
In a refrigerator as defined in claim 1, wherein said temperature-responsive means comprises a pivoted lever having one end connected in force-transmitting manner to one of said members, and a membrane capsule positioned at the other end of said lever and having an interior communicating with said cooling compartment and undergoing volume changes dependent upon the temperature of said cooling compartment and operative for exerting upon said other end of said lever a force dependent upon the volume of said membrane capsule, and thereby dependent upon the temperature of said cooling compartment.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
82 words
In a refrigerator as defined in claim 21, wherein said temperature-responsive means comprises a pressure body engaging said snap-over spring member in force-transmitting manner, a shaft connected to said pressure body, means guiding said shaft so as to define a path of movement of said pressure body, and wherein said one end of said lever is forked and articulately connected to the end of said shaft remote from said pressure body, and wherein the other end of said lever is pivotally supported.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
48 words
In a refrigerator as defined in claim 21, wherein said lever is provided at said other end of said lever with a screw-threaded contact portion engaged by said membrane capsule and adjustable to permit adjustment of the effect upon said lever of volume changes of said membrane capsule.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1978-07-07 | 1979-01-06 | 1979-07-08 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1982-07-07 | 1983-01-06 | 1983-07-08 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1986-07-07 | 1987-01-06 | 1987-07-08 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |