US5117642A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Low noise refrigerator and noise control method thereof
Assignee: Toshiba Corp
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Filing: 1990-12-14
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Granted: 1992-06-02
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Expires: 2010-12-14
Abstract
Abstract In a low noise refrigerator, a compressor constituting a noise source is arranged within a machine chamber provided with an opening in one location, which chamber has a one-dimensional duct construction in which its cross-sectional dimension is small relative to the wavelength of the noise which is to be reduced. A vibration pick-up is located in the vicinity of the compressor. The vibration pick-up detects compressor vibrations which correlate to the compressor noise of the compressor. There is provided a control circuit that processes the output signal of the vibration pick-up. In the machine chamber, a sound generator is driven by the output signal of the control circuit to generate a control sound, so that the compressor noise which tries to issue from the opening is canceled by the control sound.
Inventors
- 👤 Keiji Nakanishi
- 👤 Yasuyuki Sekiguchi
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-02 11:36
CPC Classifications
F; F25; F25D; F25D23/00; F25D29/00; G; G10; G10K; G10K11/00; G10K11/16; G10K11/175; G10K11/178; G10K11/1781; G10K11/17813; G10K11/17815; G10K11/17817; G10K11/17819; G10K11/1785; G10K11/17853; G10K11/17857; G10K11/17861; G10K11/1787; G10K11/17879; G10K11/17881; F25D2201/00; F25D2201/30; G10K2210/00; G10K2210/10; G10K2210/105; G10K2210/1054; G10K2210/109; G10K2210/30; G10K2210/301; G10K2210/3036; G10K2210/3045
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 34
Claim 1
Independent Claim
138 words
A refrigerator having a silencer system comprising: a compressor for compressing a refrigerant, the compressor constituting a substantial noise source; a machine chamber for accommodating said compressor, wherein the machine chamber is provided with an opening in one location, the machine chamber having a one-dimensional duct construction in which a cross-sectional dimension of the duct is small relative to the wavelength of said compressor noise to be reduced; a vibration pick-up for detecting compressor vibrations of said compressor, wherein the compressor vibrations are representative of said compressor noise, the vibration pick-up being located in the vicinity of said compressor; a control circuit for processing an output signal of said pick-up; and a sound generator for generating a control sound corresponding to said compressor noise, wherein the sound generator is driven by an output signal from said control circuit.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
138 words
A refrigerator having a silencer system comprising: a compressor for compressing a refrigerant, the compressor constituting a substantial noise source; a machine chamber for accommodating said compressor, wherein the machine chamber is provided with an opening in one location, the machine chamber having a one-dimensional duct construction in which a cross-sectional dimension of the duct is small relative to the wavelength of said compressor noise to be reduced; a vibration pick-up for detecting compressor vibrations of said compressor, wherein the compressor vibrations are representative of said compressor noise, the vibration pick-up being located in the vicinity of said compressor; a control circuit for processing an output signal of said pick-up; and a sound generator for generating a control sound corresponding to said compressor noise, wherein the sound generator is driven by an output signal from said control circuit.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
25 words
A refrigerator as recited in claim 1, wherein said machine chamber is located substantially at the lowest part at the back face of said refrigerator.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
22 words
A refrigerator as recited in claim 1, wherein an elastic tape is mounted to the inner wall surface of said machine chamber.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
19 words
A refrigerator as recited in claim 1, wherein said machine chamber has a duct length of approximately 640 mm.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
19 words
A refrigerator as recited in claim 1, wherein said machine chamber has a duct length of approximately 880 mm.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
20 words
A refrigerator as recited in claim 1, wherein the frequencies to be silenced are between 100 Hz and 800 Hz.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
27 words
A refrigerator as recited in claim 1, wherein said control circuit is equipped with a finite impulse response filter for processing a signal in the time domain.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
73 words
A refrigerator as recited in claim 1, wherein said control circuit has a transfer function G, whereby the transfer function G is determined by the following equations: G=-G.sub.MR /G.sub.AR G.sub.MR =G.sub.SR /G.sub.SM where G AR is a sound transfer function between said sound generator and said opening, G SR is a sound transfer function between said compressor and said opening, G SM is a sound transfer function between said compressor and said pick-up.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
24 words
A refrigerator as recited in claim 1, wherein said compressor is arranged substantially at the farthest position from said opening within said machine chamber.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
21 words
A refrigerator as recited in claim 1, wherein said sound generator is provided in said machine chamber close to said opening.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
21 words
A refrigerator as recited in claim 9, wherein said sound generator is provided in said machine chamber close to said opening.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
14 words
A refrigerator as recited in claim 1, wherein said sound generator is a speaker.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
135 words
A refrigerator having a silencer system comprising: a compressor for compressing a refrigerant, the compressor constituting a substantial noise source; a machine chamber for accommodating said compressor, wherein the machine chamber is provided with an opening in one location, the machine chamber having a one-dimensional duct construction in which a cross-sectional dimension of the duct is small relative to the wavelength of said compressor noise to be reduced; a vibration pick-up for detecting compressor vibrations of said compressor, wherein the compressor vibrations are representative of said compressor noise, the vibration pick-up is mounted on said compressor; a control circuit for processing an output signal of said pick-up; and a sound generator for generating a control sound corresponding to said compressor noise, wherein the sound generator is driven by an output signal from said control circuit.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
135 words
A refrigerator having a silencer system comprising: a compressor for compressing a refrigerant, the compressor constituting a substantial noise source; a machine chamber for accommodating said compressor, wherein the machine chamber is provided with an opening in one location, the machine chamber having a one-dimensional duct construction in which a cross-sectional dimension of the duct is small relative to the wavelength of said compressor noise to be reduced; a vibration pick-up for detecting compressor vibrations of said compressor, wherein the compressor vibrations are representative of said compressor noise, the vibration pick-up is mounted on said compressor; a control circuit for processing an output signal of said pick-up; and a sound generator for generating a control sound corresponding to said compressor noise, wherein the sound generator is driven by an output signal from said control circuit.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
25 words
A refrigerator as recited in claim 13, wherein said machine chamber is located substantially at the lowest part at the back face of said refrigerator.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
19 words
A refrigerator as recited in claim 13, wherein said machine chamber having a duct length of approximately 640 mm.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
19 words
A refrigerator as recited in claim 13, wherein said machine chamber having a duct length of approximately 880 mm.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
20 words
A refrigerator as recited in claim 13, wherein the frequencies to be silenced are between 100 Hz and 800 Hz.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
28 words
A refrigerator as recited in claim 13, wherein said control circuit is equipped with a finite impulse response filter for processing a signal directly in the time domain.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
73 words
A refrigerator as recited in claim 13, wherein said control circuit has a transfer function G, whereby the transfer function G is determined by the following equations: G=-G.sub.MR /G.sub.AR G.sub.MR =G.sub.SR /G.sub.SM where G AR is a sound transfer function between said sound generator and said opening, G SR is a sound transfer function between said compressor and said opening, G SM is a sound transfer function between said compressor and said pick-up.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
24 words
A refrigerator as recited in claim 13, wherein said compressor is arranged substantially at the farthest position from said opening within said machine chamber.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
21 words
A refrigerator as recited in claim 13, wherein said sound generator is provided in said machine chamber close to said opening.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
21 words
A refrigerator as recited in claim 20, wherein said sound generator is provided in said machine chamber close to said opening.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
14 words
A refrigerator as recited in claim 13, wherein said sound generator is a speaker.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
155 words
A refrigerator having a silencer system comprising: a compressor for compressing a refrigerant, the compressor constitutes a noise source substantially; a suction pipe for introducing the refrigerant to said compressor, wherein the suction pipe is connected to said compressor; a machine chamber for accommodating said compressor, wherein the machine chamber is provided with an opening in one location, the machine chamber having a one-dimensional duct construction in which a cross-sectional dimension of the duct is small relative to the wavelength of said compressor noise to be reduced; a vibration pick-up for detecting compressor vibrations of said compressor, wherein the compressor vibrations are representative of said compressor noise, the vibration pick-up is mounted on said suction pipe; a control circuit for processing an output signal of said pick-up; and a sound generator for generating a control sound corresponding to said compressor noise, wherein the sound generator is driven by an output signal from said control circuit.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
155 words
A refrigerator having a silencer system comprising: a compressor for compressing a refrigerant, the compressor constitutes a noise source substantially; a suction pipe for introducing the refrigerant to said compressor, wherein the suction pipe is connected to said compressor; a machine chamber for accommodating said compressor, wherein the machine chamber is provided with an opening in one location, the machine chamber having a one-dimensional duct construction in which a cross-sectional dimension of the duct is small relative to the wavelength of said compressor noise to be reduced; a vibration pick-up for detecting compressor vibrations of said compressor, wherein the compressor vibrations are representative of said compressor noise, the vibration pick-up is mounted on said suction pipe; a control circuit for processing an output signal of said pick-up; and a sound generator for generating a control sound corresponding to said compressor noise, wherein the sound generator is driven by an output signal from said control circuit.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
20 words
A refrigerator as recited in claim 24, wherein said pick-up is mounted at the base portion of said suction pipe.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
24 words
A refrigerator as recited in claim 24, wherein said compressor is arranged substantially at the farthest position from said opening within said machine chamber.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
21 words
A refrigerator as recited in claim 24, wherein said sound generator is provided in said machine chamber close to said opening.
Claim 31
Independent Claim
149 words
A method for noise controlling a refrigerator equipped with a vibration pick-up located in the vicinity of a compressor and a sound generator provided in a machine chamber of the refrigerator, the machine chamber being provided with an opening in one location and having a one-dimensional duct construction in which a cross-sectional dimension of the duct is sufficiently small relative to the wavelength of a compressor noise to be reduced, the method including the steps of: detecting vibrations of the compressor by said vibration pick-up, said vibrations representing the noise generated from said compressor; processing an output signal of said vibration pick-up in the time domain by a finite impulse response filter for determining amplitude and phase of a control sound to be generated in response to said compressor noise; and driving said sound generator to generate said control sound for canceling said compressor noise by said interference action.
Claim 32
Independent Claim
149 words
A method for noise controlling a refrigerator equipped with a vibration pick-up located in the vicinity of a compressor and a sound generator provided in a machine chamber of the refrigerator, the machine chamber being provided with an opening in one location and having a one-dimensional duct construction in which a cross-sectional dimension of the duct is sufficiently small relative to the wavelength of a compressor noise to be reduced, the method including the steps of: detecting vibrations of the compressor by said vibration pick-up, said vibrations representing the noise generated from said compressor; processing an output signal of said vibration pick-up in the time domain by a finite impulse response filter for determining amplitude and phase of a control sound to be generated in response to said compressor noise; and driving said sound generator to generate said control sound for canceling said compressor noise by said interference action.
Claim 33
Independent Claim
142 words
A method for reducing compressor noise of a refrigerator equipped with a compressor, located in a machine chamber with an opening on one side, comprising the steps of: providing said machine chamber with one dimensional duct construction in which a cross-sectional dimension of the duct is sufficiently small relative to the wavelength of said compressor noise to be reduced; detecting vibrations of said compressor with a vibration pick-up located in the vicinity of said compressor, said vibrations corresponding to said compressor noise; processing an output signal of said vibration pick-up in the time domain by a finite impulse response filter for determining amplitude and phase of a control sound to be generated in response to said compressor noise; and driving a sound generator, located in said machine chamber, to generate said controlled sound for canceling said compressor noise by sound interference action.
Claim 34
Independent Claim
142 words
A method for reducing compressor noise of a refrigerator equipped with a compressor, located in a machine chamber with an opening on one side, comprising the steps of: providing said machine chamber with one dimensional duct construction in which a cross-sectional dimension of the duct is sufficiently small relative to the wavelength of said compressor noise to be reduced; detecting vibrations of said compressor with a vibration pick-up located in the vicinity of said compressor, said vibrations corresponding to said compressor noise; processing an output signal of said vibration pick-up in the time domain by a finite impulse response filter for determining amplitude and phase of a control sound to be generated in response to said compressor noise; and driving a sound generator, located in said machine chamber, to generate said controlled sound for canceling said compressor noise by sound interference action.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1995-06-02 | 1995-12-02 | 1996-06-02 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1999-06-02 | 1999-12-02 | 2000-06-02 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2003-06-02 | 2003-12-02 | 2004-06-02 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |