Abstract:
A method for actuating a dispensing system, wherein the system includes a dispenser cavity and a dispenser is provided. The method includes intersecting at least two beams of light, sensing the at least two beams of light, and actuating the dispenser system based upon the sensing

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention relates generally to dispensing systems for appliances, and more particularly, to a water and ice dispensing system for a refrigerator. 
     Some known appliances that include ice makers and beverage dispensers, have dispensing systems that dispense ice and/or a liquid upon actuating a biased “cow tongue” lever. This requires the user to make contact with the lever and exert substantial force to overcome the biasing mechanism. Young and old users may have difficulty overcoming the force necessary to actuate the lever. Additionally, repeated contact with the lever facilitates unsanitary conditions. 
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     In one aspect, a method for actuating a dispensing system, wherein the system includes a dispenser cavity and a dispenser is provided. The method includes intersecting at least two beams of light, sensing the at least two beams of light, and actuating the dispenser system based upon the sensing. 
     In another aspect, an optical system for a dispenser system is provided. The system includes at least two light emitting optic elements mounted on opposing first and second dispenser walls, and at least two light receiving optic elements mounted on the opposing first and second dispenser walls, wherein each of the at least two light receiving optic elements is in optical communication with each of the at least two light emitting optic elements, and wherein the at least two light receiving optic elements are in electromechanical communication with the dispenser system. 
     In another aspect, a dispenser system is provide that includes a top wall, a bottom wall, and a cavity extending therebetween, wherein the top wall is parallel the bottom wall, a first wall, a second wall, and a third wall positioned therebetween, the second wall opposite the first wall, the third wall substantially perpendicular to both the first and second walls, the first, second, and third walls substantially perpendicular to both the top wall and the bottom wall. The system further includes at least one dispenser coupled to the third wall and an optical system coupled to the first and said second wall and in electromechanical communication with the at least one dispenser. 
     In another aspect, a refrigerator is provided that includes a fresh food compartment, a freezer compartment separated from the fresh food compartment by a mullion, a door movably positioned to cover the freezer compartment when in a closed position, a water supply in flow communication with at least one of an ice maker positioned within the freezer compartment coupled to the water supply, and a through the door water and ice dispenser coupled to the water supply and the ice maker. The refrigerator further includes an optical system operationally coupled to the dispenser, wherein the optical system is configured to transmit a plurality of infrared (IR) pulses from at least two IR light emitting diodes (LED), receive a plurality of IR pulses from the at least two IR LEDs, and actuate the dispenser to allow water and/or ice to flow therethrough upon sensing a container within the dispenser. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  illustrates a side-by-side refrigerator. 
         FIG. 2  is a front view of the refrigerator in  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 3  is a front view of the dispenser in  FIG. 2 . 
         FIG. 4  is a top view of the dispenser in  FIG. 3 . 
         FIG. 5  is a front view of an alternative embodiment of the dispenser cavity in  FIG. 3 . 
         FIG. 6  is a side view of the alternative embodiment of the dispenser cavity in  FIG. 5 . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       FIG. 1  is a perspective view of an exemplary refrigerator  100  in which exemplary embodiments of the present invention may be practiced and for which the benefits of the invention may be realized. It is appreciated, however, that the herein described methods and apparatus may likewise be practiced in a variety of liquid and ice dispensing appliance with modification apparent to those in the art. Therefore, refrigerator  100  as described and illustrated herein is for illustrative purposes only and is not intended to limit the herein described methods and apparatus in any aspect. 
       FIG. 1  illustrates a side-by-side refrigerator  100  including a fresh food storage compartment  102  and a freezer storage compartment  104 . Freezer compartment  104  and fresh food compartment  102  are arranged side-by-side. In one embodiment, refrigerator  100  is a commercially available refrigerator from General Electric Company, Appliance Park, Louisville, Ky. 40225, and is modified to incorporate the herein described methods and apparatus. 
     It is contemplated, however, that the teaching of the description set forth below is applicable to other types of refrigeration with dispensing appliances, including but not limited to top and bottom mount refrigerators. The herein described methods and apparatus are therefore not intended to be limited to any particular type or configuration of a refrigerator, such as refrigerator  100 . 
     Fresh food storage compartment  102  and freezer storage compartment  104  are contained within an outer case  106  and inner liners  108  and  110 . A space between case  106  and liners  108  and  110 , and between liners  108  and  110 , is filled with foamed-in-place insulation. Outer case  106  normally is formed by folding a sheet of a suitable material, such as pre-painted steel, into an inverted U-shape to form top and side walls of case. A bottom wall of case  106  normally is formed separately and attached to the case side walls and to a bottom frame that provides support for refrigerator  100 . Inner liners  108  and  110  are molded from a suitable plastic material to form freezer compartment  104  and fresh food compartment  102 , respectively. Alternatively, liners  108 ,  110  may be formed by bending and welding a sheet of a suitable metal, such as steel. The illustrative embodiment includes two separate liners  108 ,  110  as it is a relatively large capacity unit and separate liners add strength and are easier to maintain within manufacturing tolerances. In smaller refrigerators, a single liner is formed and a mullion spans between opposite sides of the liner to divide it into a freezer compartment and a fresh food compartment. 
     A breaker strip  112  extends between a case front flange and outer front edges of liners. Breaker strip  112  is formed from a suitable resilient material, such as an extruded acrylo-butadiene-styrene based material (commonly referred to as ABS). 
     The insulation in the space between liners  108 ,  110  is covered by another strip of suitable resilient material, which also commonly is referred to as a mullion  114 . Mullion  114  also preferably is formed of an extruded ABS material. Breaker strip  112  and mullion  114  form a front face, and extend completely around inner peripheral edges of case  106  and vertically between liners  108 ,  110 . Mullion  114 , insulation between compartments, and a spaced wall of liners separating compartments, sometimes are collectively referred to herein as a center mullion wall  116 . 
     Shelves  118  and slide-out drawers  120  normally are provided in fresh food compartment  102  to support items being stored therein. A bottom drawer or pan  122  may partly form a quick chill and thaw system (not shown) and selectively controlled, together with other refrigerator features, by a microprocessor (not shown) according to user preference via manipulation of a control interface  124  mounted in an upper region of fresh food storage compartment  102  and coupled to the microprocessor. A shelf  126  and wire baskets  128  are also provided in freezer compartment  104 . 
     Microprocessor is programmed to perform functions described herein, and as used herein, the term microprocessor is not limited to just those integrated circuits referred to in the art as microprocessor, but broadly refers to computers, processors, microcontrollers, microcomputers, programmable logic controllers, application specific integrated circuits, and other programmable circuits, and these terms are used interchangeably herein. 
     Freezer compartment  104  includes an automatic ice maker  129  and a through the door water and ice dispenser  130  is provided in freezer door  132 . Ice maker  129  includes an ice bucket  131  for storage of ice. As will become evident below, dispenser  130  includes a number of electromechanical elements that dispense water and ice without opening freezer door  132 . Periodically, ice maker  129  replenishes the ice supply as ice is dispensed from ice bucket  131 . 
     Freezer door  132  and a fresh food door  134  close access openings to fresh food and freezer compartments  102 ,  104 , respectively. Each door  132 ,  134  is mounted by a top hinge  136  and a bottom hinge (not shown) to rotate about its outer vertical edge between an open position, as shown in  FIG. 1 , and a closed position (not shown) closing the associated storage compartment. Freezer door  132  includes a plurality of storage shelves  138  and a sealing gasket  140 , and fresh food door  134  also includes a plurality of storage shelves  142  and a sealing gasket  144 . 
     In accordance with known refrigerators, refrigerator  100  also includes a machinery compartment (not shown) that at least partially contains components for executing a known vapor compression cycle for cooling air. The components include a compressor (not shown), a condenser (not shown), an expansion device (not shown), and an evaporator (not shown) connected in series and charged with a refrigerant. The evaporator is a type of heat exchanger which transfers heat from air passing over the evaporator to a refrigerant flowing through the evaporator, thereby causing the refrigerant to vaporize. The cooled air is used to refrigerate one or more refrigerator or freezer compartments via fans (not shown). Collectively, the vapor compression cycle components in a refrigeration circuit, associated fans, and associated compartments are referred to herein as a sealed system. The construction of the sealed system is well known and therefore not described in detail herein, and the sealed system is operable to force cold air through the refrigerator. 
       FIG. 2  is a front view of refrigerator  100  with doors  102  and  104  in a closed position. Freezer door  104  includes water and ice dispenser  130  and a user interface  146 . A dispenser cavity  148  includes a water conduit  150 , an ice conduit  152 , and, as explained in greater detail below, an optical system  154 . 
     It is noted that exemplary freezer door panel  104  and water and ice conduits  150 ,  152  are intended for illustrative purposes only, and that that the herein described dispenser may be used with differently configured freezer doors and conduits than illustrated. It is further contemplated that dispenser  130 , and supporting mechanisms (such as a light pipe, etc.), as explained further below, may be located elsewhere relative to cavity  148  of dispenser  130 . 
     Referring to  FIGS. 3 and 4 , dispenser cavity  148  includes a top wall  160 , a bottom wall  162 , a back wall  164  and a pair of side walls  166 ,  168 . Top and bottom walls  160 ,  162  are substantially parallel each other and substantially perpendicular to back wall  164  and each of side walls  166 ,  168 . In the exemplary embodiment, side walls  166 ,  168  form right angle corners with back wall  164 . In an alternative embodiment, side walls  166 ,  168  form arcuate corners with back wall  164 . Side walls  166 ,  168  are spaced apart a distance  170 . In the exemplary embodiment, distance  170  is 17.5 cm. In one embodiment, distance  170  is in a range of about 15.0 cm to about 20.0 cm. 
     Cavity  148  has an opening  172  defined by side walls  166 ,  168  and top and bottom walls  160 ,  162 . In the exemplary embodiment, cavity  148  is unitary. In an alternative embodiment, cavity  148  is non-unitary. Cavity  148  is formed from a suitable resilient material, such as ABS. 
     Water conduit  150  is substantially circular and extends through back wall  164  to a water reservoir (not shown). Ice conduit  152  is substantially circular and extends through back wall  164  to ice bucket  131 . In alternative embodiments, water and/or ice conduits  150 ,  152  extend through top wall  160 . 
     Optical system  154  facilitates the dispensing of both water and ice to a user upon request. In general, light is used to sense the presence of a container  208  within cavity  148 . System  154  includes a first light emitter assembly  176  positioned within side wall  166  and a second light emitter assembly  178  positioned within side wall  168 . System  154  further includes a first light receiver assembly  180  positioned within side wall  166  and a second light receiver assembly  182  positioned within side wall  168 . In the exemplary embodiment, each light emitter assembly  176 ,  178  includes an emitter printed circuit board (PCB) (not shown) configured to support an infrared (IR) light emitting diode (LED)  176 ,  178  and each light receiver assembly  180 ,  182  includes a receiver PCB (not shown) configured to support an IR photodetector or phototransistor  180 ,  182 . In an alternative embodiment, IR LEDs  176 ,  178  and IR photodetectors  180 ,  182  are wired directly to their leads eliminating the need for emitter and PCBs, respectively. IR LEDs  176 ,  178  and IR photodetectors  180 ,  182  are known in the art and are therefore not further described. 
     It can be appreciated that optical system  154 , shown in the form of two sensor pairs, can be any type of system which includes a source of optical energy and a detector of optical energy. Although a pair of LEDs and photodetectors are shown, there may be other types of optical elements which could be suitable for use herein. It can be further appreciated that each IR LED  176 ,  178  has associated with it or in some suitable place a microprocessor (not shown) and the necessary electronic circuitry (not shown) to operate optical system  154 . 
     IR LED  176  is positioned diametrically opposed to IR photodetector  182  such that IR photodetector  182  can see IR LED  176  and a straight-line optical path  188  is defined therebetween. IR LED  178  is positioned diametrically opposed to IR photodetector  180  such that IR photodetector  180  can see IR LED  178  and a straight-line optical path  190  is defined therebetween. Each photodetector  180 ,  182  is oriented downward towards each IR LED  178 ,  176  respectively, such that ambient light from room light has a reduced effect. Further, each photodetector  180 ,  182  may be recessed to facilitate the reduction of dirt and particulates interfering with light emitted from IR LEDs  178 ,  176  respectively. 
     IR LEDs  176  and  178  are spaced a distance  184  from bottom wall  162 . In the exemplary embodiment, distance  184  is 5.0 cm. In one embodiment, distance  184  is in a range of about 2.5 cm to about 7.5 cm. A distance  186  extends between IR LED  176  and IR photodetector  180 , and IR LED  178  and IR photodetector  182 , respectively. Distance  186  is spaced such that optical paths  188 ,  190  contact a container (not shown) at a shallow angle producing a greater attenuation. In the exemplary embodiment, distance  186  is 12.5 cm. In one embodiment, distance  186  is in a range of about 10.0 cm to about 15.0 cm. In the exemplary embodiment, shallow angle is 54.5 degrees. In one embodiment, shallow angle is in a range of about 45.0 degrees to about 63.4 degrees. 
     Optical paths  188 ,  190  have a length  192 . In the exemplary embodiment, length  192  is 21.5 cm. In one embodiment, length  192  is in a range of about 18.0 cm to about 25.0 cm. Optical paths  188 ,  190  intersect at an intersection point  200 . Intersection point  200  is located on a vertical center axis  202  and spaced a distance  204  from bottom wall  162 . In the exemplary embodiment, distance  204  is 11.25 cm. In one embodiment, distance  204  is in a range of about 7.5 cm to about 15.0 cm. Additionally, water and ice conduits  150 ,  152  are centered on axis  202 . 
     Referring specifically to  FIG. 4 , optical paths  188 ,  190  are in vertical alignment and spaced a distance  206  from back wall  164 . In the exemplary embodiment, distance  206  is 1.5 cm. In one embodiment, length  206  is in a range of about 0.5 cm to about 4.0 cm. In an alternative embodiment, optical paths  188 ,  190  are not in vertical alignment. 
       FIGS. 5 and 6  illustrate an alternative embodiment of optical system  154 . Optical system includes a control board  300  coupled to a first pair of light emitting pipes  302  and a second pair of photodetector pipes  304 . In the exemplary embodiment, control board  300  is positioned behind back wall  164 . In another embodiment, control board  300  is positioned above top wall  160 . Light emitting pipes  302  are configured to mount within recesses  306 . Photodetector pipes  304  are configured to mount within recesses  308 . Light pipes  302  facilitate orientation and alignment of IR light towards photodetectors pipes  304 . Recesses  306 ,  308  include a mount aperture  314  and a cavity aperture  316  sized to accommodate each respective light pipe  302  and photodetector pipe  304  diameter. Recesses  306 ,  308  facilitate the reduction of dirt and particulates interfering with projection and/or detection of IR light. In one embodiment, mount aperture  314  is 3.18 mm and cavity aperture is 4.76 mm. In one embodiment, light emitting pipes  302  and photodetector pipes  304  are commercially available from Bivar Inc., Irvine, Calif., and are configured to be modified to incorporate the herein described methods and apparatus. 
     In use, dispenser  130  may be selectively controlled with the microprocessor according to user preference via user interface  146 . IR radiation is generated by each LED  176 ,  178  which is directed along optical paths  188 ,  190  through cavity  148  to be received by each IR photodetector  182 ,  180 , respectively. Dispenser  130  remains idle until user inserts container  208  into cavity  148 . When the reception of the transmitted IR radiation is impeded or interrupted, dispenser  130  is actuated. In the exemplary embodiment, when the reception of IR photodetector  182  or  180  is impeded or interrupted dispenser  130  is actuated. In alternative embodiment, when the reception of IR photodetector  182  and  180  are impeded or interrupted dispenser  130  is actuated. 
     When the reception of the transmitted IR radiation is unimpeded or uninterrupted, dispenser  130  is deactivated. In the exemplary embodiment, when the reception of IR photodetector  182  and  180  are unimpeded or uninterrupted dispenser  130  is deactivated. In an alternative embodiment, when the reception of IR photodetector  182  or  180  is unimpeded or uninterrupted dispenser  130  is activated. 
     In one embodiment, IR LEDs  176 ,  178  are configured to pulse. In another embodiment, IR LEDs  176 ,  178  are configured to transmit IR radiation continuously. Frequency and duration of transmission, as well as, sensitivity to interruption may be controlled by the microprocessor. 
     While the invention has been described in terms of various specific embodiments, those skilled in the art will recognize that the invention can be practiced with modification within the spirit and scope of the claims.