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Refrigeration device, arrangement, and use of controller thereofRelated Patent Categories: Refrigeration, Automatic Control, Refrigeration Producer, Plural Refrigerating Producing Elements And Plural SensorsRefrigeration device, arrangement, and use of controller thereof description/claimsThe Patent Description & Claims data below is from USPTO Patent Application 20050268630, Refrigeration device, arrangement, and use of controller thereof. Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims
RELATED APPLICATION [0001] This Application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/576,136 filed Jun. 3, 2004. FIELD OF THE INVENTION [0002] The invention relates to a refrigeration device, system, and use of a controller thereof. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0003] Refrigeration devices such as refrigerators, freezers, coolers, walk-in coolers, and walk-in freezers typically make use of compressors for cooling. The use of compressors for purposes of cooling is costly. This is of particular importance for walk-in devices in which people can walk in and out. A business such as a grocery store, beer store, warehouses, and shipping facilities, or transport vehicles for example might have several of these devices and other refrigeration devices each requiring a compressor. The costs associated with operating the compressors form a significant contribution to operating costs of a business especially when the compressors operate 12 month per year. Furthermore, these compressors are expensive and have a limited life span. The use of compressors year round results in maintenance costs and a reduced life span of the compressors. Furthermore, when cooled using a compressor the air within a refrigeration device is cooled; however, there is no exchange with fresh air resulting in stale air within the refrigeration device. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION [0004] A refrigeration device has a body having an interior. A first cooling device is adapted to cool the interior of the body. A second cooling device is also adapted to cool the interior of the body using a cooling source. A temperature controller participates in activating the first cooling device based on availability of the cooling source for the second cooling device and participates in activating the second cooling device based on the availability of the cooling source. [0005] The first cooling device might be for example an evaporator operating in combination with a compressor and condenser arrangement and the cooling source for the second cooling device might be cold exterior air from outdoors, in which case the exterior air is used to cool the interior of the refrigeration device. The use of the cold exterior air for cooling the interior of the refrigeration device provides economical cooling without having to operate the compressor, which requires extensive energy consumption. Furthermore, the cooling with the cold exterior air during cold periods of time reduces the operating time of the compressor and condenser arrangement and lengthens the life span of the arrangement. In some embodiments, the exterior air being used to cool the refrigeration device provides a source of fresh air preventing the air within the refrigeration device from becoming stale. In some embodiments, the refrigeration device is cooled using only cold exterior air and in some of these embodiments the refrigeration device has only one cooling device corresponding to the above second cooling device. [0006] In accordance with a broad aspect, the invention provides an arrangement for a refrigeration device. The arrangement has a first cooling device, a second cooling device, and a controller having a control function adapted to participate in activating the first cooling device based on availability of a cooling source for the second cooling device and adapted to participate in activating the second cooling device based on said availability of the cooling source. [0007] In some embodiments, the second the cooling source is exterior air from outdoors. [0008] In some embodiments, the controller is coupled to a temperature sensor for measuring the temperature of the exterior air. The control function is adapted to participate in activating the first cooling device when the temperature inside the refrigeration device is greater than a first pre-determined temperature and when the temperature of the exterior air is above a second pre-determined temperature. The control function is also adapted to participate in activating the second cooling device when the temperature inside the refrigeration device is greater than the first pre-determined temperature and when the temperature of the exterior air is below a third pre-determined temperature. The second pre-determined temperature is less than or equal to the first pre-determined temperature and the third pre-determined temperature is less than or equal to the second pre-determined temperature. [0009] In some embodiments, the first cooling device has an evaporator and the arrangement has a compressor and condenser arrangement coupled to the evaporator. The control function is adapted to participate in activating the first cooling device by activating the compressor and condenser arrangement. [0010] In accordance with another broad aspect, the invention provides a refrigeration device having the above arrangement and a body having an interior. The first cooling device and the second cooling device are adapted to cool the interior of the body. [0011] In accordance with another broad aspect, the invention provides a refrigeration device having a body having an interior, and a cooling device adapted to cool the interior of the body using an exterior air from outdoor as a cooling source. [0012] In some embodiments, the refrigeration device has a controller coupled to a temperature sensor for measuring the temperature of the exterior air, the controller having a control function adapted to activate the cooling device only if the temperature of the exterior air is below a pre-determined temperature. [0013] In some embodiments, the refrigeration device has another cooling device adapted to cool the interior of the body. The control function is adapted to participate in activating the other cooling device only if the temperature of the exterior air is above another pre-determined temperature, the other pre-determined temperature being less than or equal to the pre-determined temperature. [0014] In some embodiments, the cooling device has at least one of a fan and a blower for directing the exterior air into the refrigeration device. [0015] In some embodiments, the cooling device has a coil adapted to receive the exterior air for circulation through the coil. [0016] In some embodiments, the cooling device has at least one fan or blower for circulating air in the interior of the body across the coil. [0017] In some embodiments, the refrigeration device has a filter for filtering the exterior air. [0018] In some embodiments, the refrigeration device has a compressor and condenser arrangement and the other cooling device has an evaporator coupled to the compressor and condenser arrangement. The control function is adapted to participate in activating the other cooling device by activating the compressor and condenser arrangement. [0019] In some embodiments, the refrigeration device is one of a refrigerator, a freezer, a cooler, a walk-in cooler, a walk-in freezer, a home appliance refrigerator, a home appliance freezer, a home appliance refrigerator and freezer, an open refrigeration device, a closed refrigeration device, an open freezer counter, an open cooler counter, a tractor trailer freezer, and a tractor trailer cooler. [0020] In some embodiments, the refrigeration device has an exhaust unit for directing air in the refrigeration device out of the refrigeration device. Continue reading about Refrigeration device, arrangement, and use of controller thereof... 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