Patent ID: 7191827

Claim:
A refrigerator adapted for use in low ambient temperature conditions comprising: a cabinet having an access opening; a liner positioned in the cabinet having an inside surface defining a refrigerated space; insulation between the liner and the cabinet; a hinged insulated closure mounted to close the access opening of the cabinet in a closed position and to permit access to the inside of the refrigerator in an open position; a cooling system for cooling the inside of the refrigerator including a cooling thermostat for sensing the temperature in the refrigerated space to energize the cooling system when the temperature inside the refrigerator rises above a selected temperature; an ambient heater for heating the refrigerated space; an ambient thermostat connected in an electrical circuit with the ambient heater and positioned to sense air temperature outside the refrigerator, wherein the ambient thermostat is connected to energize the ambient heater when the temperature outside the refrigerator is below a first predetermined temperature; and further including a heater thermostat positioned inside the refrigerator and connected in a circuit with the ambient thermostat and the ambient heater, and wherein the ambient thermostat is arranged to connect the ambient heater and heater thermostat to a power supply when the temperature outside the refrigerator falls below the first predetermined temperature, and connects the cooling thermostat to the power supply when the temperature outside the refrigerator rises above a second predetermined temperature, whereby the ambient heater is energized through the heater thermostat when temperatures outside the refrigerator fall below the first predetermined temperature and the cooling system is energized through the cooling thermostat when temperatures outside the refrigerator rise above the second predetermined temperature.