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  Damper assemblyRelated Patent Categories: Refrigeration, Gas Controller Or Director, Cooled Gas Directed Relative To Cooled Enclosure, With Adjustable Gas Flow ControllerDamper assembly description/claimsThe Patent Description & Claims data below is from USPTO Patent Application 20070169504, Damper assembly. Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0001] This invention relates generally to damper assemblies for refrigerators, and more particularly, to damper assemblies having noise dampening features. [0002] Known refrigerators typically regulate a temperature of a refrigerated compartment by opening and closing a damper door established in flow communication with a freezer compartment. At least some known refrigerators also operate a fan to draw cold freezer compartment air into the refrigerated compartment as needed to maintain a desired temperature in the fresh food compartment. [0003] In known refrigerators, however, operation of the damper door may be problematic. For example, when the damper door is moved to an open position or a closed position, the damper door impacts a travel stop. The noise level of the impact is objectionable in some known dampers. Additionally, the damper door and/or the travel limits may be damaged or deteriorated over time and after multiple uses due to the force of the impact. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [0004] In one aspect, a damper assembly is provided including a housing positionable between refrigerator compartments operable at different temperatures. A damper door is coupled to the housing and is movable between a first position configured to restrict airflow between the refrigerator compartments and a second position configured to allow airflow between the refrigerator compartments. An actuation device is operatively coupled to said damper door. The actuation device is configured to move the damper door between the first position and the second position during an energizing cycle, and the actuation device is configured to be energized intermittently during the energizing cycle. [0005] In another aspect, a control system is provided for a damper assembly having a damper door movable between a first position and a second position. The control system includes an actuation device operatively coupled to the damper door and configured to move the damper door between the first position and the second position during an energizing cycle. A controller is configured to supply energy from an energy source during the energizing cycle, wherein the energy is supplied intermittently during the energizing cycle. [0006] In a further aspect, a method is provided for operating a damper assembly having a controller, a damper door, and an actuation device operatively coupled to the damper door and configured to move the damper door between a first position and a second position during an energizing cycle. The method includes supplying energy from an energy source to the actuation device during the energizing cycle, and controlling the supply of energy from the energy source to the actuation device by intermittently energizing the actuation device during the energizing cycle. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS [0007] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an exemplary refrigerator. [0008] FIGS. 2 is a perspective view of an exemplary damper assembly for the refrigerator shown in FIG. 1. [0009] FIGS. 3 is another perspective view of the damper assembly shown in FIG. 2. [0010] FIGS. 4 is a further perspective view of the damper assembly shown in FIG. 2. [0011] FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram of a control system for the damper assembly shown in FIGS. 2-4. [0012] FIG. 6 is a diagram showing an exemplary operation scheme of a control system for the damper assembly shown in FIGS. 2-4. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [0013] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an exemplary refrigerator 100 in which exemplary embodiments of the present invention may be practiced and for which the benefits of the invention may be realized. It is appreciated, however, that the herein described methods and apparatus may likewise be practiced in a variety of refrigerating appliances with modification apparent to those in the art. Therefore, refrigerator 100 as described and illustrated herein is for illustrative purposes only and is not intended to limit the herein described methods and apparatus in any aspect. [0014] FIG. 1 illustrates a side-by-side refrigerator 100 including a fresh food storage compartment 102 and a freezer storage compartment 104. Freezer compartment 104 and fresh food compartment 102 are arranged side-by-side. In one embodiment, refrigerator 100 is a commercially available refrigerator from General Electric Company, Appliance Park, Louisville, Ky. 40225, and is modified to incorporate the herein described methods and apparatus. [0015] It is contemplated, however, that the teaching of the description set forth below is applicable to other types of refrigeration appliances, including but not limited to top and bottom mount refrigerators and compact refrigerators, such as refrigerators of the type having a single door with a freezer compartment received within a refrigeration compartment and having a capacity of between approximately four to six cubic feet. The herein described methods and apparatus are therefore not intended to be limited to any particular type or configuration of a refrigerator, such as refrigerator 100. [0016] Refrigerator 100 includes multiple refrigerator compartments, such as fresh food storage compartment 102 and freezer storage compartment 104, which are contained within an outer case 106 and inner liners 108 and 110. The refrigerator compartments are operated at different temperatures. A space between case 106 and liners 108 and 110, and between liners 108 and 110, is filled with foamed-in-place insulation. Outer case 106 normally is formed by folding a sheet of a suitable material, such as pre-painted steel, into an inverted U-shape to form top and side walls of case. A bottom wall of case 106 normally is formed separately and attached to the case side walls and to a bottom frame that provides support for refrigerator 100. Inner liners 108 and 110 are molded from a suitable plastic material to form freezer compartment 104 and fresh food compartment 102, respectively. Alternatively, liners 108, 110 may be formed by bending and welding a sheet of a suitable metal, such as steel. The illustrative embodiment includes two separate liners 108, 110 as it is a relatively large capacity unit and separate liners add strength and are easier to maintain within manufacturing tolerances. In smaller refrigerators and in some compact refrigerators, a single liner is formed and a mullion spans between opposite sides of the liner to divide it into a freezer compartment and a fresh food compartment. In some compact refrigerators, a single liner is formed and a formed metal liner is attached within fresh food compartment to form freezer compartment. [0017] A breaker strip 112 extends between a case front flange and outer front edges of liners. Breaker strip 112 is formed from a suitable resilient material, such as an extruded acrylo-butadiene-styrene based material (commonly referred to as ABS). [0018] The insulation in the space between liners 108, 110 is covered by another strip of suitable resilient material, which also commonly is referred to as a mullion 114. Mullion 114 also preferably is formed of an extruded ABS material. Breaker strip 112 and mullion 114 form a front face, and extend completely around inner peripheral edges of case 106 and vertically between liners 108, 110. Mullion 114, insulation between compartments, and a spaced wall of liners separating compartments, sometimes are collectively referred to herein as a center mullion wall 116. [0019] Shelves 118 and slide-out drawers 120 normally are provided in fresh food compartment 102 to support items being stored therein. A bottom drawer or pan 122 may partly form a quick chill and thaw system (not shown) and selectively controlled, together with other refrigerator features, by a microprocessor (not shown) according to user preference via manipulation of a control interface 124 mounted in an upper region of fresh food storage compartment 102 and coupled to the microprocessor. A shelf 126 and wire baskets 128 are also provided in freezer compartment 104. [0020] Microprocessor is programmed to perform functions described herein, and as used herein, the term microprocessor is not limited to just those integrated circuits referred to in the art as microprocessor, but broadly refers to computers, processors, microcontrollers, microcomputers, programmable logic controllers, application specific integrated circuits, and other programmable circuits, and these terms are used interchangeably herein. Continue reading about Damper assembly... Full patent description for Damper assembly Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims Click on the above for other options relating to this Damper assembly patent application. ###  How KEYWORD MONITOR works... a FREE service from FreshPatents1. Sign up (takes 30 seconds). 2. Fill in the keywords to be monitored. 3. Each week you receive an email with patent applications related to your keywords. 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