Alvin A Miller

6739146, May 25, 2004

Mar 12, 2003

10/385691

Kenneth E. Davis - Berwyn IL
Alvin V. Miller - Swisher IA
Joseph H. Ryner - New Windsor IL
Kyle B. VanMeter - Galesburg IL
Robert L. Wetekamp - Cedar Rapids IA

Maytag Corporation - Newton IA

F25D 2106

62155, 62234

A defrost control system for a refrigerator having freezer and fresh food compartments includes a plurality of temperature sensors, a plurality of door sensors to provide signals indicative of the occurrence of a door opening condition, a memory to store the signals in a plurality of usage blocks, and a CPU or controller to categorize the usage blocks into periods of high and low usage. When a defrost cycle is required, the control system establishes the cycle at an upcoming period designated as one of low usage. Additionally, prior to activating the system, the controller lowers the temperature of at least the freezer compartment to below a set point. The controller establishes the defrost cycle for a period based upon the time duration of previously completed cycles.

6769265, Aug 3, 2004

Mar 12, 2003

10/385480

Kenneth E. Davis - Berwyn IL
Alvin V. Miller - Swisher IA
Joseph H. Ryner - New Windsor IL
Kyle B. VanMeter - Galesburg IL
Robert L. Wetekamp - Cedar Rapids IA

Maytag Corporation - Newton IA

F25D 1704

622284, 62187

A refrigerator incorporates a variable speed refrigeration system including a variable speed compressor, an evaporator fan, a fresh food compartment stirring fan and a multi-position damper. Various temperature sensors are provided to sense system parameters which are used by a controller to regulate each of the variable components in order to compensate for temperature changes within a refrigerator compartment and, maintain the compartment within a confined temperature band, in a highly effective, energy efficient and synergistic manner.

6772601, Aug 10, 2004

Mar 12, 2003

10/385636

Kenneth E. Davis - Berwyn IL
Alvin V. Miller - Swisher IA
John P. Myers - Galesburg IL
Joseph H. Ryner - New Windsor IL
Kyle B. VanMeter - Galesburg IL
Robert L. Wetekamp - Cedar Rapids IA

Maytag Corporation - Newton IA

F25D 1708

62187, 62408, 62414, 236DIG 12

A refrigerator, having freezer and fresh food compartments, includes a temperature sensor arranged to sense an average temperature in the fresh food compartment, a multi-position damper interposed in an intake duct leading from the freezer compartment, and a fresh food compartment stirring fan. The stirring fan receives a flow of air from each of the intake duct and a plurality of recirculation ducts exposed to different portions of the fresh food compartment. A control system regulates the stirring fan and the opening of the damper based on the sensed temperature in order to minimize temperature stratification within the fresh food compartment, while maintaining an energy efficient and noise reducing operation.

7490480, Feb 17, 2009

Mar 12, 2004

10/798286

Kenneth E. Davis - Berwyn IL, US
Alvin V. Miller - Swisher IA, US
Joseph H. Ryner - New Windsor IL, US
Kyle B. VanMeter - Coralville IA, US
Robert L. Wetekamp - Cedar Rapids IA, US

Maytag Corporation - Benton Harbor MI

F25D 17/00
F25B 49/00

62180, 62187, 622284

A refrigerator incorporates a variable speed refrigeration system including a variable speed compressor, a variable speed evaporator fan, a variable speed fresh food compartment stirring fan and a variable position damper. Various temperature sensors are provided to sense system parameters which are used by a controller to regulate each of the variable components in order to compensate for temperature changes within at least one refrigerator compartment in a highly effective, energy efficient and synergistic manner.

54408938, Aug 15, 1995

Feb 28, 1994

8/202587

Kenneth Davis - Berwyn IL
Alvin Miller - Galesburg IL
Robert Wetekamp - Galesburg IL

Maytag Corporation - Newton IA

F25D 2106

62155

Control of defrost cycle initiation in a refrigeration apparatus is based on the difference between the last two defrost times, taking into account the sign of the difference so that the increase or decrease in the time between defrosts corresponds to the trend in defrost times rather than on any particular defrost time or the average of defrost times. A variety of limits are included to ensure that the time between defrosts is reactive to sudden aberrational changes in defrost times, and does not exceed minimum or maximum values.