Abstract:
An icebox with external controls. The icebox includes an insulated container having one or more compartments. One or more temperature sensors take temperature measurements of the one or more compartments. An externally visible panel displays the temperature measurements and coldness settings corresponding to the temperature measurements. A control mechanism controls a cooling mechanism so as to maintain the temperature of the compartments at a predetermined temperature corresponding to the coldness setting. An externally accessible input allows selective changes of the coldness setting.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    An icebox is an insulated container having a cooling mechanism, such as a compressor or a thermoelectric device, for cooling its interior. Iceboxes often have a single compartment or two or more compartments. For example, an icebox may have a freezer compartment, the interior maintained at a temperature below 32 degrees Fahrenheit and a refrigerator compartment, the interior of which is maintained at a temperature above 32 degrees Fahrenheit. The refrigerator compartment may include one or more vegetable boxes, which are typically compartments at the bottom of the refrigerator compartment used for storing fruits and vegetables. The interiors of vegetable boxes often are maintained at a different temperature or humidity than the remainder refrigerator compartment in order to store fruits and vegetables in ideal conditions, which may vary from conditions ideal for other items. 
         [0002]    Each compartment of an icebox may be cooled by a separate cooling mechanism or one or more compartments may be cooled by separate cooling mechanisms. Iceboxes typically contain control mechanisms for controlling one or more cooling mechanisms. In general, control mechanisms work together with one or more temperature sensors in the compartments of the icebox to determine whether to operate a cooling mechanism in order to reduce the temperature of a compartment of the icebox. Typically, the control mechanism receives the temperature of a compartment from a temperature sensor and compares the temperature to a predetermined temperature. If the temperature is higher than the predetermined temperature by a set amount, such as one degree Fahrenheit, than the control mechanism operates the cooling mechanism until the temperature of the compartment reaches the predetermined temperature. If the temperature is lower than the predetermined temperature, the control mechanism will not operate the cooling mechanism, but allow the compartment to absorb heat. The absorption of heat may be facilitated by vents, fans, heaters, or other mechanisms for exchanging cold air from inside the icebox with warmer air from outside the ice box, or by heating the air inside the icebox. 
         [0003]    Typically an icebox with a refrigerator compartment and freezer compartment has one coldness control for controlling the temperature inside of the refrigerator compartment. The freezer is maintained at some temperature below the freezing point of water and the coldness setting of the coldness control determines the size of a passageway between the freezer compartment and the refrigerator compartment. The larger the passageway, the more cold air from the freezer compartment passes to the refrigerator compartment and, therefore the colder the refrigerator compartment gets. Likewise, typically the temperature inside a vegetable box in the refrigerator compartment is controlled by changing, often manually, the size of a passageway between the vegetable box and the refrigerator compartment. 
         [0004]    However, often iceboxes include one or more coldness controls, which is typically a dial having markings of a scale from 1 to 10 with 10 corresponding to a first temperature, 1 corresponding to a second temperature lower than the first temperature, and the markings between 1 and 10 corresponding to temperatures between the first and second temperature. The operation of the control mechanism may be determined by the coldness control, as described above. Often the coldness control is located somewhere in the interior of the icebox such as in a convenient location in a refrigerator portion of an icebox. One coldness control may affect the temperature of the freezer compartment and the refrigerator compartment together or each compartment may have a separate coldness control. Because coldness controls are most often located on the interior of iceboxes, it is necessary to open the icebox in order to adjust the coldness settings. Unnecessarily opening the icebox causes cold air to escape from the icebox and therefore the energy spent cooling that air to be wasted. In addition, opening the icebox to adjust coldness settings is inconvenient, especially when any controls for adjusting the coldness settings are located in the back of the interior of the icebox. 
       BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0005]    An icebox is provided in accordance with an embodiment. The icebox comprises an insulated compartment, a temperature sensor in the insulated compartment, a cooling mechanism for cooling the interior of the insulated compartment, and a control mechanism for controlling the cooling mechanism. The icebox also includes a first and second display on the exterior of the insulated compartment, the first display for displaying the temperature of the insulated compartment and the second display for displaying the coldness setting of the insulated compartment. An input is provided to allow a user to selectively change the coldness setting to cause a control mechanism to operate the cooling mechanism until the interior of the insulated compartment achieves a temperature corresponding to the selected coldness setting. 
         [0006]    In accordance with another embodiment, an icebox is provided. The icebox comprises an insulated compartment, a temperature sensor in the insulated compartment, a cooling mechanism for cooling the interior of the insulated compartment, and a control mechanism for controlling the cooling mechanism. The icebox includes a display for displaying a coldness setting on the exterior of the insulated container, and an input for selectively changing the coldness setting of the display and causing the control mechanism to operate the cooling mechanism until the interior of the insulated container achieves a temperature corresponding to the selected coldness setting. 
         [0007]    In accordance with another embodiment, an icebox is provided, the icebox comprises an insulated compartment, a temperature sensor in the insulated compartment, and a cooling mechanism for cooling the interior of the insulated compartment until the internal temperature reaches a predetermined temperature. An input on the exterior of the insulated container allows selection of the predetermined temperature which is displayed on the exterior of the insulated container by a display. 
         [0008]    In accordance with yet another embodiment, a kit for retrofitting an icebox with an external temperature display is included. The kit includes a temperature display mountable on an external surface of the icebox. A plurality of temperature sensors in wireless communication with the temperature display are located in various compartments of the icebox. The temperature display displays the temperature as recorded by each temperature sensor. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING(S) 
         [0009]      FIG. 1  shows a front perspective view of an icebox with its doors opened in accordance with an embodiment; 
           [0010]      FIG. 2  shows a front perspective view of the icebox of  FIG. 1  with its doors closed; 
           [0011]      FIG. 3  shows a front view of a control panel of the icebox of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0012]      FIG. 4  shows a front perspective view of an icebox with its doors open in accordance with an embodiment; 
           [0013]      FIG. 5  shows a front perspective view of the icebox of  FIG. 4  with its doors closed; and 
           [0014]      FIG. 6  shows a front view of a control panel of the icebox of  FIG. 4 . 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0015]      FIG. 1  shows an icebox  100  in accordance with an embodiment. The icebox  100  includes a freezer compartment  102 , a refrigerator compartment  104 , and a vegetable box  106 , although it may have more or less than three compartments. In an embodiment, the freezer compartment  102  and refrigerator compartment  104  are rectangular insulated chambers connected at their sides and the vegetable box  106  is a subcompartment of the refrigerator compartment  104  located inside the refrigerator compartment  104  at the bottom of the refrigerator compartment  104 . The icebox  100  can have alternative configurations such as a configuration with either the freezer compartment  102  or the refrigerator compartment  104  located atop the other. 
         [0016]    In an embodiment, the interior of the vegetable box  106  is separated from the remainder of the interior of the refrigerator compartment  104  so that the interior of the vegetable box  106  may be maintained at a different temperature or humidity. The vegetable box  106  includes a door for accessing items stored in the interior of the vegetable box  106 . Alternatively, the vegetable box  106  may be slid out from the refrigerator compartment  104  in order to expose an opening into the vegetable box  106  to allow access to contents stored in the vegetable box  106 . In this alternate embodiment, vents can be provided at the rear of the vegetable box  106  in order to receive cold air from the cooling mechanism into the interior of the vegetable box  106 . 
         [0017]    A freezer door  107  is hingedly attached to the icebox  100  so as to selectively provide access to the freezer compartment  102 . Similarly, a refrigerator door  108  is hingedly attached to the icebox  100  so as to selectively provide access to the interior of the refrigerator compartment  104 . A magnetic strip or other fastener secures the freezer door  107  and refrigerator door  108  to the freezer compartment  102  and refrigerator compartment  104 , respectively, although other mechanisms for maintaining the freezer door  107  and refrigerator door  108  in a closed configuration can be used. 
         [0018]    In an embodiment, a freezer temperature sensor  110  is located on the interior of the freezer compartment  102 . Freezer temperature sensors are known in the art and in general are devices capable of measuring the temperature of surrounding air. In an embodiment, the freezer temperature sensor is located at the top interior surface of the freezer compartment  102 , but it can be located in any portion of the freezer compartment  102  or on a portion of the freezer door  107  oriented towards the freezer compartment  102  when the freezer door  107  is closed, or in any location suitable for measuring the interior of the freezer compartment  102 . The freezer temperature sensor  110  may include features such as a display for displaying current temperature measurements. 
         [0019]    In an embodiment, a refrigerator temperature sensor  120 , which may be similar to the freezer temperature sensor  110 , is located on the interior of the refrigerator compartment  104  or in any location suitable for measuring the interior of the refrigerator compartment  104 , such as on a portion of the refrigerator door  108  oriented towards the interior of the refrigerator compartment  104  when the refrigerator door  108  is closed. A vegetable box temperature sensor  130 , which may be similar to the freezer temperature sensor  110 , is located on the interior of the vegetable box  106  or in any location suitable for measuring the interior of the vegetable box  106 . 
         [0020]    Referring to  FIG. 2 , the icebox  100  includes a control panel  210  located on an exterior surface of the icebox  100 , such as on an exterior surface of the freezer door  107 . In an embodiment, the control panel  210  is in communication with the temperature sensors  110 ,  120 , and  130 . For example, the temperature sensors  110 ,  120 ,  130  can be directly or indirectly wired to the control panel  210  or they can communicate with the control panel  210  wirelessly, for example, through a wireless communication using the Bluetooth® wireless connectivity standard, or other wireless standards. If the temperature sensors  110 ,  120 ,  130  are wired directly to the control panel  210 , the wire can pass from the icebox  100  to the control panel  210  via the hinge of the freezer door  107 , where there is little movement of the freezer door  107  relative to the icebox  107  and where a wire would not interfere with opening or closing the door  107 . Alternate mechanisms for wireless communications between devices may also be used. For instance, each temperature sensor  110 ,  120 ,  130  can include a transmitter for transmitting signals using a particular radio frequency and the control panel  210  may include one or more receivers tuned to receive the signals transmitted by the temperature sensors  110 ,  120 ,  130 . 
         [0021]      FIG. 3  shows the control panel  210  in greater detail. In an embodiment, the control panel  210  comprises a freezer subpanel  310 , a refrigerator subpanel  320 , and a vegetable box subpanel  330 . The freezer subpanel  310  includes a freezer coldness display  340  and a freezer temperature display  342 . In an embodiment, the freezer coldness display  340  is liquid crystal display that digitally displays a coldness setting of 1 through 10 digitally and the freezer temperature display  342  may display one of ten temperatures corresponding to each of the possible values for the freezer coldness display. 
         [0022]    In an embodiment, the freezer subpanel  310  includes a freezer warmer button  344  and a freezer colder button  346 . Pressing the freezer warmer button  344  causes the freezer coldness display  340  to increase by one, unless the freezer coldness display  340  is at a predetermined upper limit, such as 10, in which case pressing the freezer warmer button  244  does not cause a change of the freezer coldness display  340 . Similarly, pressing the freezer colder button  346  causes the freezer coldness display to decrease by one, unless the freezer coldness display  340  is already at a predetermined lower limit, such as 1, in which case pressing the freezer colder button does not cause a change of the freezer coldness display  240 . 
         [0023]    When the freezer coldness display  340  changes from one setting to a lower setting, a control mechanism, which can be located in the control panel  210  or may be in another location, but in communication with the control panel  210 , causes a cooling mechanism to cool the freezer compartment  102  until the temperature of the interior of the freezer compartment  102  reaches a temperature corresponding to the new coldness setting displayed by the freezer coldness display  340 . For example, if a coldness setting of 2 corresponds to a predetermined temperature of 26 degrees Fahrenheit and a coldness setting of 1 corresponds to a predetermined temperature of 25 degrees Fahrenheit, and the interior of the freezer compartment  102  was 26 degrees Fahrenheit, pressing the freezer colder button  346  once causes the freezer coldness display to change to 1, which causes the control mechanism to operate the cooling mechanism until the interior of the freezer compartment  102  reaches 25 degrees Fahrenheit. If 1 is a lower limit for the freezer coldness display  340 , pressing the freezer colder button  346  an additional time does not cause freezer coldness display  340  to change or the control mechanism to operate the cooling mechanism. 
         [0024]    When the freezer coldness display  340  changes from one setting to a higher setting, the control mechanism will not operate the cooling mechanism until the freezer compartment  102  has absorbed enough heat such that the interior of the freezer compartment  102  rises to a temperature of a predetermined amount, such as one degree Fahrenheit, above a temperature corresponding to the higher setting. Continuing with the previous example, if the freezer coldness display  340  changes from 2 to 3, and 3 corresponds to 27 degrees Fahrenheit, pressing the freezer warmer button  344  causes the freezer coldness display to display “3” and the control mechanism will not operate the cooling mechanism until the freezer compartment  102  reaches exceeds a temperature above 27 degrees Fahrenheit, such as by reaching 28 degrees Fahrenheit. 
         [0025]    If neither the freezer warmer button  344  nor freezer colder button  346  is pressed, the control mechanism operates in an automatic state in which it maintains the interior of the freezer compartment at a temperature corresponding to the currently displayed coldness setting on the freezer coldness display  340 . Specifically, the control mechanism may periodically receive a temperature of the interior of the freezer compartment  102  from the freezer temperature sensor  110  and, if the temperature of the interior compartment  102  rises to a predetermined amount, such as one degree Fahrenheit above the temperature corresponding to the current coldness setting displayed on the freezer coldness display, the control mechanism will operate the cooling mechanism until the interior of the freezer compartment  102  reaches the temperature corresponding to the coldness setting displayed on the freezer coldness display. Continuing with the previous example, if the freezer coldness display  340  displays 3, the control mechanism will receive temperature measurements from the temperature sensor  110  until the interior of the freezer compartment  102  reaches a temperature a set amount above 27 degrees. For instance, the control mechanism, in an embodiment, receives temperature measurements from the temperature sensor  110  until the control mechanism receives a measurement indicating that the interior of the freezer compartment has reached 28 degrees Fahrenheit or more. At this point, the control mechanism operates the cooling device until the control mechanism receives a measurement from the temperature sensor indicating that the temperature of the interior of the freezer compartment  102  has reached a desired level, such as 27 degrees Fahrenheit. 
         [0026]    In accordance with an embodiment, the freezer temperature display  342  displays the temperature corresponding to the coldness setting displayed by the freezer coldness display  340 . As in the previous example, if the freezer coldness display  340  shows a coldness setting of 2, the freezer temperature display  342  will display 26 degrees Fahrenheit. If the freezer warmer button  344  is pressed, the freezer coldness display  340  will display a setting of 3 and the freezer temperature display will display a temperature of 27 degrees Fahrenheit. 
         [0027]    In an embodiment, the refrigerator subpanel  320  and vegetable box subpanel  330  of the control panel  210  operate similarly to the freezer subpanel  310 . The refrigerator subpanel  320  includes a refrigerator coldness display  350 , a refrigerator temperature display  352 , a refrigerator warmer button  354 , and a refrigerator colder button  356 , which operate similarly to the freezer coldness display  340 , the freezer temperature display  242 , the freezer warmer button  244 , and the freezer colder button  246 , respectively. Likewise, in an embodiment the vegetable box subpanel includes a vegetable box coldness display  360 , a vegetable box temperature display  362 , and a vegetable box warmer button  364  which operate similarly to the freezer coldness display  340 , the freezer temperature display  242 , the freezer warmer button  244 , and the freezer colder button  246 , respectively. 
         [0028]    In an embodiment, the refrigerator subpanel  320  determines the operation of the control mechanism with respect to the refrigerator compartment  104  in accordance with the manner in which the freezer subpanel  310  determines the operation of the control mechanism with respect to the freezer compartment  102 , as described above. In particular, a user can use the refrigerator warmer button  354  and the refrigerator colder button  356  in order to select the coldness setting displayed on the refrigerator coldness display  350 . The refrigerator temperature display  352  can display the current temperature of the interior of the refrigerator compartment  104 , or the temperature corresponding to the current coldness setting displayed by the refrigerator coldness display  350 . The control mechanism operates the cooling device so as to maintain the temperature of the interior of the refrigerator compartment  104  in a manner similar to the manner in which the control mechanism operates the cooling device so as to maintain the temperature of the interior of the freezer compartment  102 , as described above. 
         [0029]    Likewise, in an embodiment, the vegetable box subpanel  330  determines the operation of the control mechanism with respect to the vegetable box  106  in accordance with the manner in which the freezer subpanel  310  determines the operation of the control mechanism with respect to the freezer compartment  102 , as described above. In particular, a user can use the vegetable box warmer button  364  and the vegetable box colder button  356  in order to select the coldness setting displayed on the vegetable box coldness display  360 . The vegetable box temperature display  352  can display the current temperature of the interior of the interior of the vegetable box  106 , or the temperature corresponding to the current coldness setting displayed by the vegetable box coldness display  360 . The control mechanism operates the cooling device so as to maintain the temperature of the interior of the vegetable box compartment  106  in a manner similar to the manner in which the control mechanism operates the cooling device so as to maintain the temperature of the interior of the freezer compartment  102 , as described above. 
         [0030]      FIG. 4  shows an icebox  400  in accordance with another embodiment. The icebox  400  can be configured similarly to the icebox  100  shown in  FIG. 1  and can include a freezer compartment  402 , a refrigerator compartment  404 , and a vegetable box  406  configured similarly to the freezer compartment  102 , the refrigerator compartment  104 , and the vegetable box  106 , respectively. In addition, the icebox  400  includes a freezer door  407 , similar to the freezer door  107  and a refrigerator door  408  similar to the refrigerator door  108 . Also, the icebox  400  includes a freezer temperature sensor  410  similar to the freezer temperature sensor  110 , a refrigerator temperature sensor  420  similar to the refrigerator temperature sensor  120 , and a vegetable box temperature sensor  430  similar to the vegetable box temperature sensor  130 . 
         [0031]    In accordance with an embodiment, the icebox  400  includes a control knob  440 , which can be located at a bottom portion of the icebox  400  below the freezer door  407 , or in any suitable location on the exterior of the icebox  400 , such as on the freezer door  407 . In an embodiment, the angular orientation of the control knob  400  determines the coldness setting of the freezer compartment  402 , the refrigerator compartment  404 , and the vegetable box  406 . The control knob  440  may be rotatable about a central pivot point and may have markings of a coldness scale, such as 1 to 10, located near the perimeter of the control knob  440 . In an alternate embodiment, the icebox  400  includes a separate control knob similar to the control knob  440  for the freezer compartment  402 , the refrigerator compartment  404 , and the vegetable box  404 . In general, any number of control knobs can be used, each control knob for controlling any number of compartments of an icebox. 
         [0032]    Referring to  FIG. 5 , the icebox  400  includes a display panel  510  located on an exterior surface of the icebox  400 . As shown in  FIG. 6 , in an embodiment, the display panel  510  is divided into a freezer display subpanel  610 , a refrigerator display subpanel  620 , and a vegetable box display subpanel  630 . The freezer display subpanel  620  includes a freezer coldness display  640  and a freezer temperature display  642 , the refrigerator display subpanel  630  includes a refrigerator coldness display  650  and a refrigerator temperature display  652 , and the vegetable box subpanel  630  includes a vegetable box coldness display  660  and a vegetable box temperature display  662 . The coldness displays  640 ,  650 , and  660  display the coldness setting determined by the control knob  640 . If more than one control knob is included, in an embodiment, each coldness display  640 ,  650 ,  660  displays the coldness setting determined by its respective control knob. 
         [0033]    In accordance with an embodiment, the temperature displays  642 ,  652 ,  662  each display a temperature corresponding to the coldness setting determined by the control knob  640 , or by a respective control knob if multiple control knobs are included. For example, if the control knob  640  is rotated so as to select a coldness setting of 3, the freezer temperature display  642  can display 27 degrees Fahrenheit, the refrigerator temperature display  652  can display 34 degrees Fahrenheit, and the vegetable box temperature display  662  can display 35 degrees Fahrenheit, where 27 degrees Fahrenheit, 34 degrees Fahrenheit, and 35 degrees Fahrenheit correspond to coldness settings for the freezer compartment  402 , refrigerator compartment  404 , and vegetable box  406 , respectively, and are the temperatures around which the control mechanism maintains the interiors of the freezer compartment  402 , refrigerator compartment  404 , and vegetable box  406 , respectively, when the control knob indicates a setting of 3. 
         [0034]    In an alternate embodiment, the temperature displays  642 ,  652 , and  662  display the temperatures of the interiors of the freezer compartment  402 , refrigerator compartment  404 , and vegetable box  406 , as communicated by the temperature sensors  410 ,  420 , and  430 , respectively. 
         [0035]    In yet another alternate embodiment, the temperature sensors  410 ,  420 , and  430  are in wireless communication with the display panel  510  and the display panel  510  is externally mountable on the icebox  400 . In an embodiment, the display panel  510  is removably mounted on the icebox  400  by magnets. Other mechanisms, such as adhesive tape, screws, hooks configured to hang from a door, handle, or other structure of the icebox  400 , and other mechanisms can be used as an alternative to or in addition to magnets. In this embodiment, the coldness settings  640 ,  650 ,  660  be absent or the coldness settings  640 ,  650 ,  660  can display coldness settings corresponding to predefined temperatures. In this manner, the display panel  510  and temperature sensors  410 ,  420 ,  430  can be sold as a kit to retrofit iceboxes with an external temperature display. 
         [0036]    All references, including publications, patent applications, and patents, cited herein are hereby incorporated by reference to the same extent as if each reference were individually and specifically indicated to be incorporated by reference and were set forth in its entirety herein. 
         [0037]    The use of the terms “a” and “an” and “the” and similar referents in the context of describing the invention (especially in the context of the following claims) are to be construed to cover both the singular and the plural, unless otherwise indicated herein or clearly contradicted by context. The terms “comprising,” “having,” “including,” and “containing” are to be construed as open-ended terms (i.e., meaning “including, but not limited to,”) unless otherwise noted. Recitation of ranges of values herein are merely intended to serve as a shorthand method of referring individually to each separate value falling within the range, unless otherwise indicated herein, and each separate value is incorporated into the specification as if it were individually recited herein. All methods described herein can be performed in any suitable order unless otherwise indicated herein or otherwise clearly contradicted by context. The use of any and all examples, or exemplary language (e.g., “such as”) provided herein, is intended merely to better illuminate the invention and does not pose a limitation on the scope of the invention unless otherwise claimed. No language in the specification should be construed as indicating any non-claimed element as essential to the practice of the invention. 
         [0038]    Preferred embodiments of this invention are described herein, including the best mode known to the inventors for carrying out the invention. Variations of those preferred embodiments may become apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art upon reading the foregoing description. The inventors expect skilled artisans to employ such variations as appropriate, and the inventors intend for the invention to be practiced otherwise than as specifically described herein. Accordingly, this invention includes all modifications and equivalents of the subject matter recited in the claims appended hereto as permitted by applicable law. Moreover, any combination of the above-described elements in all possible variations thereof is encompassed by the invention unless otherwise indicated herein or otherwise clearly contradicted by context.