Patent Publication Number: US-2011061766-A1

Title: Household appliance having a dispenser for beverages and/or ice

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application claims priority to German Patent Application No. DE 10 2009 044 032.1, filed on Sep. 17, 2009, which is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety. 
     FIELD 
     The present invention relates to a household appliance having a dispenser for beverages and/or ice, and further having a user control and display unit which is coupled to a controller for controlling the dispensing process and used to select and display the type of product to be dispensed (beverages and/or ice), the dispenser being disposed in a recess of the household appliance, said recess including a supporting surface for a container to be filled and having provided therein at least one trigger for causing the dispensing of the product. 
     BACKGROUND 
     European Patent Application EP 1 607 700 A1 describes a refrigerator having a dispenser for ice and water, in which triggers are disposed in the dispensing area, and in which the amount of ice or water dispensed is determined by the actuation of a trigger. 
     German Patent Application DE 103 17 386 A1 describes a refrigerator having a dispenser in which two separate actuating levers are disposed in the dispensing area and can be used to activate the dispensing of water or ice, respectively. 
     Further, some beverage preparing devices have a user control and display unit in which the type of beverage is selected by pressing a button in a corresponding button field in the user control and display unit. The beverage selected is indicated by a highlighted indicator field. 
     German Patent Application DE 10 2007 062 001 A1 describes beverage preparing devices with sensors for container recognition. 
     SUMMARY 
     An aspect of the present invention is to provide a household appliance having a dispenser for beverages and/or ice as well and a user control and display unit for the household appliance that are advantageous over conventional systems. 
     In an embodiment, the present invention provides a household appliance having a dispenser for beverages and/or ice. The appliance includes a recess with a supporting surface for a container and a rear wall. A dispenser for a product including at least one of a beverage and ice is disposed in the recess. A user control and display unit configured for selection and display of the type of product being dispensed is included on the appliance. A trigger that is operable to dispense the product includes at least one sensor array configured to detect the container. The at least one sensor array has a sensor range and is disposed on the rear wall of the recess. A controller coupled to the user control and display unit is operable to control the dispensing process such that selection of at least one of the product and the amount to be dispensed is determined by movement of the container relative to the dispenser within the sensing range of the at least one sensor array. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Exemplary embodiments of the present invention are described in more detail below and are shown schematically in the drawings, in which: 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of the dispensing area  1  of a household appliance; 
         FIG. 2  shows a user control and display unit  5  corresponding to the dispenser; 
         FIG. 3  is a schematic top view showing and embodiment of a dispensing area  1  in accordance with the present invention; 
         FIG. 4  is a schematic cross-sectional side view showing dispensing area  1  of  FIG. 3 ; 
         FIG. 5  is a schematic top view of a dispensing area  1  in accordance with another embodiment of the invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     In accordance with an embodiment of the present invention, one-handed selection of the product is possible by moving the container within the recess. This allows control to be effected using only one hand, namely the hand holding the container. It is no longer absolutely necessary to press a button in order to select the product via the user control and display unit. 
     However, in another embodiment of the present invention, the selection of the product may also be done by pressing a button in the user control and display unit as an alternative way of control. 
       FIG. 1  shows a dispensing area  1  of an appliance, such as a refrigerator, a beverage dispensing device, or a fully automatic coffee maker. The exemplary embodiment shown here illustrates the ice and water dispensing area  1  of a refrigerator. Dispensing area  1  may be disposed on the door of the refrigerator. Dispensing area  1  includes a recess in which a container  2  may be positioned to receive the product to be dispensed. A supporting surface for container  2  is provided below dispenser  3  in the recess. 
     Dispensing area  1  has associated therewith a user control and display unit  5 , in which the type of product selected can be displayed. The user control and display unit is provided with control buttons for selecting the product to be dispensed and/or the amount to be dispensed. 
     The user control and display unit  5  shown in  FIG. 2  allows selection of water and ice. User control and display unit  5  includes a glass panel with touch-sensitive buttons which are backlit differently, depending on the particular state. In the standby state, the buttons are not backlit at all, so that the button regions are not visible. In the active mode, the individual buttons are backlit white (button inactive) or yellow (button active). In the normal state, the buttons are backlit white. 
     Using a user control and display unit  5  of this kind, a product can be selected by touching the respective area and holding the buttons “cubes”, “crushed” or “water”. The product is dispensed as long as the button is held. Releasing the button stops the dispensing process. Embodiments of the present invention further improve such button-based control by providing the option of one-handed operation, where the selection of the product is determined by the user&#39;s movement of container  2  within the recess of dispensing area  1 . In the embodiment shown in  FIG. 3 , three ultrasonic sensors  6  are disposed in dispensing area  1  to facilitate such interactive control in order to allow a product to be dispensed without having to push a button. At least one ultrasonic transmitter  6 . 1  of the ultrasonic sensor array is positioned in a plane perpendicular to the vertical filling axis of dispenser  3  (see the left-hand area of the figure). Ultrasonic transmitter  6 . 1  has associated therewith at least one ultrasonic receiver  6 . 2  on each of the right and left sides. In the exemplary embodiment shown in  FIG. 3 , the rear wall of the recess surrounds the supporting surface for container ( 2 ) in the form of a semicircle. Sensor array ( 6 . 1 ,  6 . 2 ) is disposed on the rear wall portion of the recess. 
     Ultrasonic transmitter  6 . 1  emits an ultrasonic signal, which is reflected by container  2  and received by the two ultrasonic receivers  6 . 2 . These sensors  6 . 1 ,  6 . 2  make it possible to detect the insertion of container  2  into dispensing area  1 . Moreover, it is also possible to detect the direction of movement of container  2  within dispensing area  1 ; i.e., within the sensing range. As can be seen in the top view of  FIG. 3 , it is possible to detect movements of container  2  toward sensors  6 . 1 ,  6 . 2  and away from sensors  6 . 1 ,  6 . 2 . Lateral movements to the left or right can also be detected. With this information, the interactive control is intended to work as follows: 
     When the user inserts a container  2  into dispensing area  1  of the refrigerator, as is shown in  FIG. 4 , the product dispensed last (e.g., “cubes”) is displayed in user control and display unit  5 . When container  2  is held below the dispenser funnel of dispenser  3  without changing its position, the dispensing process starts after a few seconds. Moving container  2  forward (closer to sensors  6 . 1 ,  6 . 2 ) and back, or in a rearward direction (away from sensors  6 . 1 ,  6 . 2 ), stops the dispensing process. 
     The product selection can be changed by moving container  2  within the sensing range. Moving container  2  to the right moves the indicator in user control and display unit  5  one field to the right, and the field next to the previous product selection will be highlighted (here “crushed”). If container  2  is not moved any further, the dispensing of the product starts after a few seconds. The dispensing process can be stopped by a further movement of container  2  within the sensing range. 
     The exemplary embodiment shown in  FIG. 5  illustrates a recess having wall portions arranged in the shape of a U. At least one sensor array ( 6 . 1 ,  6 . 2 ) is disposed on the rear wall of the recess. At least one additional sensor array ( 6 . 1 ,  6 . 2 ) is disposed on a side wall. 
     The arrangement of sensors in the recess of the dispensing area can be freely selected, depending on the configuration of the recess. For example, the sensors may also be disposed in the ceiling of the recess, or in the region of the supporting surface for container  2 . 
     The selection of the sensor array is not limited to an ultrasonic sensor system. For example, it is also possible to use a light barrier system for detecting the movement of the container within the dispensing area of the recess. 
     As an alternative to moving the container within the sensing range, the amount of selected product to be dispensed may also be monitored and controlled using standard methods for fill level monitoring. 
     While the invention has been particularly shown and described with reference to preferred embodiments thereof, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes in form and details may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.