Power switch and baffle assembly having unidirectional drive motor for a refrigerator

Claim 2

In a refrigerator having a cabinet defining a frozen food compartment and a fresh food compartment separated from each other by a divider wall, a through opening formed in said wall to enable cold air from said frozen food compartment to flow into said fresh food compartment; a baffle selectively closing said opening; a compressor; an evaporator fan for circulating chilled air within said frozen food compartment and through said opening into said fresh food compartment; temperature sensor means for measuring the temperatures of said fresh food and frozen food compartments and control means responsive to said temperature sensor means for producing command signals indicative of the need to cool said compartments; a system for controlling said baffle, compressor and evaporator fan to maintain predetermined frozen food and fresh food compartment temperatures, comprising: a cam having first and second control surfaces; first electrical switch means operated by movement of said first control surface to apply electricity from an external electrical power source selectively to said compressor and said defrost heater; means for coupling said cam to said baffle; motor means responsive to said command signals for moving said cam; second electrical switch means operated by movement of said second control surface to apply feedback signals to said control means to indicate the position of said cam; the control surfaces of said cam being shaped and said coupling means interconnecting said cam and said baffle such that operation of said electrical switches and said baffle during movement of said cam are synchronized to each other to selectively cool said compartments and defrost the evaporator.

Claim 3

The refrigerator of claim 1 further including a cam follower engaging the second control surface and wherein said switch means comprise reed switches and a magnet mounted on a first end of said cam follower to actuate said reed switches.

Claim 4

The refrigerator of claim 2, wherein said cam follower comprises an elongated member pivotally mounted at a second end and defining a cam contacting surface closer to said follower second end than to said follower first end.

Claim 5

The refrigerator of claim 1, wherein said motor means comprises a unidirectional motor and said control means includes a microcomputer control capable of selectively energizing said motor.

Claim 6

The refrigerator of claim 4, further having an evaporator fan and a relay, said relay selectively operated by said microcomputer between a first position in which said defrost heater is capable of being energized and a second position in which said evaporator fan is energized, wherein said microcomputer is capable of causing said relay to be in said second position when said first control surface is momentarily at a position at which power would be applied to said defrost heater, whereby the defrost heater will not be energized as the cam moves the first control surface momentarily past the defrost heater energizing position during continuous movement between positions not requiring energization of the defrost heater.

Claim 7

In a refrigerator having a cabinet defining a frozen food compartment and a fresh food compartment separated from each other by a divider wall, a through opening formed in said wall to enable cold air from said frozen food compartment to flow into said fresh food compartment; a baffle selectively closing said opening; a compressor; an evaporator fan for circulating chilled air within said frozen food compartment and through said opening into said fresh food compartment; temperature sensor means for measuring the temperatures of said fresh food and frozen food compartments and control means responsive to said temperature sensor means for producing command signals indicative of the need to cool said compartments; a system for controlling said baffle, compressor and evaporator fan to maintain predetermined frozen food and fresh food compartment temperatures, comprising: a cam having first, second and third control surfaces spaced apart from each other axially on said cam; motor means responsive to said command signals for rotating said cam; means for coupling said cam to said baffle; first electrical switch means operated by movement of said first control surface of said cam for applying electricity from an external electrical power source to said compressor; second electrical switch means operated by movement of said second control surface of said cam for applying electricity from the external electrical power source to said defrost heater; third electrical switch means operated by movement of said third control surface of said cam for applying feedback signals to said control means to indicate the rotational position of said cam; said first, second control surfaces of said cam being shaped and said coupling means interconnecting said cam and said baffle such that operation of said first, second and third electrical switches and said baffle during rotation of said cam are synchronized to each other to selectively cool said compartments and defrost the evaporator.

Claim 8

In a refrigerator having a cabinet defining a frozen food compartment and a fresh food compartment separated from each other by a divider wall, a through opening formed in said wall to enable cold air from said frozen food compartment to flow into said fresh food compartment; a baffle selectively closing said opening; a compressor; an evaporator fan for circulating chilled air within said frozen food compartment and through said opening into said fresh food compartment; temperature sensor means for measuring the temperatures of said fresh food and frozen food compartments and control means responsive to said temperature sensor means for producing command signals indicative of the need to cool said compartments; a system for controlling said baffle, compressor and evaporator fan to maintain predetermined frozen food and fresh food compartment temperatures, comprising: a cam having first, second and third control surfaces spaced apart from each other axially on said cam; motor means responsive to said command signals for rotating said cam; means for coupling said cam to said baffle; first electrical switch means operated by movement of said first control surface of said cam for applying electricity from an external electrical power source to said compressor; second electrical switch means operated by movement of said second control surface of said cam for applying electricity from the external electrical power source to said defrost heater; third electrical switch means operated by movement of said third control surface of said cam for applying feedback signals to said control means to indicate the rotational position of said cam; said first, second control surfaces of said cam being shaped and said coupling means interconnecting said cam and said baffle such that operation of said first, second and third electrical switches and said baffle during rotation of said cam are synchronized to each other to selectively cool said compartments and defrost the evaporator.

Claim 9

The refrigerator of claim 6 further including a cam follower engaging the third control surface and wherein said third electrical switch means comprise reed switches and a magnet mounted on a first end of said cam follower to actuate said reed switches.

Claim 10

The refrigerator of claim 7, wherein said cam follower comprises an elongated member pivotally mounted at a second end and defining a cam contacting surface closer to said follower second end than to said follower first end.

Claim 11

The refrigerator of claim 7, wherein said motor means comprises a unidirectional motor and said control means includes a microcomputer control capable of selectively energizing said motor.

Claim 12

The refrigerator of claim 9, further having an evaporator fan and a relay, said relay selectively operated by said microcomputer between a first position in which said defrost heater is capable of being energized and a second position in which said evaporator fan is energized, wherein said microcomputer is capable of causing said relay to be in said second position when said second control surface is momentarily at a position at which power would be applied to said defrost heater, whereby the defrost heater will not be energized as the cam moves the second control surface momentarily past the defrost heater energizing position during continuous movement between positions not requiring energization of the defrost heater.

Claim 13

In a refrigerator having a cabinet defining a frozen food compartment and a fresh food compartment separated from each other by a divider wall, a through opening formed in said wall to enable cold air from said frozen food compartment to flow into said fresh food compartment; a baffle selectively closing said opening; a compressor; an evaporator fan for circulating chilled air within said frozen food compartment and through said opening into said fresh food compartment; temperature sensor means for measuring the temperatures of said fresh food and frozen food compartments and control means responsive to said temperature sensor means for producing command signals indicative of the need to cool said compartments; a system for controlling said baffle, compressor and evaporator fan to maintain predetermined frozen food and fresh food compartment temperatures, comprising: a cam having a control surface; motor means for moving said cam; first, second and third electrical switches spaced apart from each other perpendicular to a direction of movement of said cam; said first and second switches operated by movement of said control surface to apply electricity from an electrical power source selectively to said compressor and said defrost heater; said third electrical switch operated by movement of said control surface to provide a feedback signal to said control means to indicate the position of said cam; and means for coupling said cam to said baffle; the control surface of said cam being shaped and said coupling means interconnecting said cam and said baffle such that operation of said first, second and third electrical switches and said baffle during movement of said cam are synchronized to each other to selectively cool said compartments and defrost the evaporator.

Claim 14

In a refrigerator having a cabinet defining a frozen food compartment and a fresh food compartment separated from each other by a divider wall, a through opening formed in said wall to enable cold air from said frozen food compartment to flow into said fresh food compartment; a baffle selectively closing said opening; a compressor; an evaporator fan for circulating chilled air within said frozen food compartment and through said opening into said fresh food compartment; temperature sensor means for measuring the temperatures of said fresh food and frozen food compartments and control means responsive to said temperature sensor means for producing command signals indicative of the need to cool said compartments; a system for controlling said baffle, compressor and evaporator fan to maintain predetermined frozen food and fresh food compartment temperatures, comprising: a cam having a control surface; motor means for moving said cam; first, second and third electrical switches spaced apart from each other perpendicular to a direction of movement of said cam; said first and second switches operated by movement of said control surface to apply electricity from an electrical power source selectively to said compressor and said defrost heater; said third electrical switch operated by movement of said control surface to provide a feedback signal to said control means to indicate the position of said cam; and means for coupling said cam to said baffle; the control surface of said cam being shaped and said coupling means interconnecting said cam and said baffle such that operation of said first, second and third electrical switches and said baffle during movement of said cam are synchronized to each other to selectively cool said compartments and defrost the evaporator.

Claim 15

The refrigerator of claim 11, wherein said cam is mounted for rotation on a central axis and said motor means rotates said cam about said axis.

Claim 16

The refrigerator of claim 12, further including a cam follower engaging the third control surface and wherein said third electrical switch means comprise reed switches and a magnet mounted on a first end of said cam follower to actuate said reed switches.

Claim 17

The refrigerator of claim 13, wherein said cam follower comprises an elongated member pivotally mounted at a second end and defining a cam contacting surface closer to said follower second end than to said follower first end.

Claim 18

The refrigerator of claim 13, wherein said motor means comprises a unidirectional motor and said control means includes a microcomputer control capable of selectively energizing said motor.

Claim 19

The refrigerator of claim 12, further having an evaporator fan and a relay, said relay selectively operated by said microcomputer between a first position in which said defrost heater is capable of being energized and a second position in which said evaporator fan is energized, wherein said microcomputer is capable of causing said relay to be in said second position when said control surface is momentarily at a position at which power would be applied to said defrost heater, whereby the defrost heater will not be energized as the cam moves the control surface momentarily past the defrost heater energizing position during continuous movement between positions not requiring energization of the defrost heater.