Patent ID: 7266962

Claim:
A refrigerator for connection to an AC power source comprising: a refrigerator cabinet having a rear wall, a front wall, opposite side walls, a top wall, and a bottom wall; the refrigerator cabinet enclosing one or more refrigeration compartments and a mechanical compartment; the mechanical compartment containing a battery pack, an inverter/charger, and a refrigeration system; one or more cooling systems for cooling the one or more refrigeration compartments; the refrigeration system being connected to the one or more cooling systems for causing the cooling systems to cool the one or more refrigeration compartments; the inverter/charger having an inverter connected to the refrigeration system for converting DC electrical current to AC electrical current, and having a charger connected to the battery pack for receiving AC electrical current and charging the battery pack; a switch movable from a DC position connecting the battery pack to the inverter/charger and the refrigeration system for operating the refrigeration system, to an AC position connecting the AC power source to the charger for charging the battery pack and to the refrigeration system for operating the refrigeration system; a controller connected to the switch for causing the switch to move to the DC position during a first predetermined time and for causing the switch to move to the AC position during a second predetermined time; wherein the AC power source includes a peak demand time and a reduced demand time, the first and second predetermined times being coordinated so that the first predetermined time falls within the peak demand time and the second predetermined time falls within the reduced demand time.