US 12,000,645 B2
Refrigerator with an assisted door opener
Michael Goodman Schroeder, Crestwood, KY (US); and Stephanos Kyriacou, Louisville, KY (US)
Assigned to Haier US Appliance Solutions, Inc., Wilmington, DE (US)
Filed by Haier US Appliance Solutions, Inc., Wilmington, DE (US)
Filed on Nov. 8, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/982,735.
Prior Publication US 2024/0151458 A1, May 9, 2024
Int. Cl. F25D 23/02 (2006.01); E05F 15/611 (2015.01); E05F 15/75 (2015.01)
CPC F25D 23/028 (2013.01) [E05F 15/611 (2015.01); E05F 15/75 (2015.01)] 7 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A refrigerator appliance defining a vertical direction, a lateral direction, and a transverse direction, the vertical, lateral, and transverse directions being mutually perpendicular, the refrigerator appliance comprising:
a cabinet defining a food storage chamber, the food storage chamber extending between a front portion and a back portion along the transverse direction, the front portion of the food storage chamber defining an opening for receipt of food items;
a door positioned at the front portion of the food storage chamber and movable between a closed position and an open position to selectively sealingly enclose the food storage chamber in the closed position and provide access to the food storage chamber in the open position;
a door opener attached to the cabinet, the door opener comprising
a casing fixedly mounted to the cabinet,
a push rod extending through the casing towards the door and movable relative to the casing between a retracted position and an extended position to motivate the door toward the open position, and
a position sensor attached to the cabinet to detect a position of the push rod relative to the casing; and
a controller in operable communication with the door opener and configured to direct an opener operation, the opener operation comprising
receiving an opening prompt for the door opener,
directing the push rod forward at a first extension speed in response to the received opening prompt,
detecting the push rod at a first threshold between the retracted position and the extended position,
directing the push rod forward at a second extension speed in response to detecting the push rod at the first threshold, the second extension speed being less than the first extension speed,
directing the push rod rearward at a first retraction speed following directing the push rod forward at the second extension speed,
detecting the push rod at a second threshold between the extended position and the retracted position while directing the push rod rearward,
detecting the push rod at a third threshold,
halting the push rod in response to detecting the third threshold, and
directing the push rod forward at a third extension speed following halting the push rod, wherein the third extension speed is less than the second extension speed.