US-12618611-B2 - Refrigerator appliance and sound emitting device and method for operation

Abstract

A refrigerator appliance is provided, including a dispenser assembly positioned at a door at a cabinet. The dispenser assembly includes a recess extending into the door. The dispenser assembly is configured to egress a fluid, ice, or both, toward the recess. A scanner assembly includes a scanner device and a targeting device. The scanner assembly is positioned at a casing disposing the scanner device and the targeting device at an angle toward the recess. The scanner assembly is positioned at the angle toward the recess and behind the external wall. A sound emitting device is positioned outside of the casing at which the scanner assembly is positioned. The sound emitting device is configured to selectively emit sounds based on a command signal from the scanner assembly. The sound emitting device is communicatively coupled to the scanner assembly.

Inventors

• Robert Alan Sellers
• Timothy Ray Jackson

Assignees

• HAIER US APPLIANCE SOLUTIONS, INC.

Dates

Publication Date

20260505

Application Date

20240212

Claims (18)

1. 1 . A refrigerator appliance, comprising: a cabinet forming a refrigeration compartment, a freezer compartment, or both; a door attached to the cabinet, the door configured to selectively allow entry to the refrigeration compartment, the freezer compartment, or both; a dispenser assembly positioned at the door, the dispenser assembly comprising a recess extending into the door, the dispenser assembly configured to egress a fluid, ice, or both, toward the recess; and a scanner assembly comprising a scanner device and a targeting device, wherein the scanner assembly is positioned at a casing disposing the scanner device and the targeting device at an angle toward the recess, wherein the scanner assembly is positioned at the angle toward the recess and behind the external wall.
2. 2 . The refrigerator appliance of claim 1 , wherein the angle is between approximately 15 degrees and approximately 90 degrees.
3. 3 . The refrigerator appliance of claim 1 , comprising: a housing at which a proximity sensor is positioned, wherein the proximity sensor is directed toward the recess.
4. 4 . The refrigerator appliance of claim 3 , wherein the casing at which the scanner assembly is positioned is positioned at the housing.
5. 5 . The refrigerator appliance of claim 4 , wherein the housing positions the scanner assembly adjacent along a width direction, a depth direction, or both, to the proximity sensor.
6. 6 . A refrigerator appliance, comprising: a cabinet forming a refrigeration compartment, a freezer compartment, or both; a door attached to the cabinet, the door configured to selectively allow entry to the refrigeration compartment, the freezer compartment, or both; a dispenser assembly positioned at the door, the dispenser assembly comprising a recess extending into the door, the dispenser assembly configured to egress a fluid, ice, or both, toward the recess; a scanner assembly comprising a scanner device and a targeting device, wherein the scanner assembly is positioned at a casing disposing the scanner device and the targeting device at an angle toward the recess and behind the external wall, wherein the scanner device and the targeting device are positioned at the angle toward the recess and behind the external wall; and a controller communicatively coupled to the scanner assembly and the sound emitting device, the controller configured to execute instructions that causes the refrigerator appliance to perform operations, the operations comprising: commanding provision of light toward or from the recess when the targeting device detects a presence of an object at the recess; commanding, at the scanner device, measuring fidelity of scan data from light reflected from the object at the recess; commanding provision of light toward or from the recess after a pre-determined period of commanding measurement of fidelity of scan data; and transmitting a scanner control signal commanding a scanner audible output when the pre-determined period of commanding measurement of the amount and pattern of light at the scanner device is complete.
7. 7 . The refrigerator appliance of claim 6 , the operations comprising: determining, via the targeting device, the presence of the object at the recess.
8. 8 . The refrigerator appliance of claim 7 , wherein the pre-determined period of commanding measurement of the amount and pattern of light at the scanner device comprises obtaining a pre-determined quantity of partial scans at the scanner device.
9. 9 . The refrigerator appliance of claim 6 , the operations comprising: increasing an intensity of the provision of light over a period of time.
10. 10 . The refrigerator appliance of claim 9 , the operations comprising: discontinuing provision of light when a complete scan is obtained at the scanner device.
11. 11 . The refrigerator appliance of claim 6 , the operations comprising: transmitting, from the scanner assembly to the sound emitting device, a second control signal commanding a second sound output when the complete scan is obtained at the scanner device.
12. 12 . The refrigerator appliance of claim 6 , wherein the angle is between approximately 15 degrees and approximately 90 degrees.
13. 13 . The refrigerator appliance of claim 6 , comprising: a housing at which a proximity sensor is positioned, wherein the sensor is directed toward the recess.
14. 14 . The refrigerator appliance of claim 13 , wherein the casing at which the scanner assembly is positioned at the housing.
15. 15 . The refrigerator appliance of claim 14 , wherein the housing positions the scanner assembly adjacent along a width direction, a depth direction, or both, to the proximity sensor.
16. 16 . The refrigerator appliance of claim 14 , the operations comprising: determining, via the proximity sensor, the presence of the object at the recess.
17. 17 . The refrigerator appliance of claim 16 , the operations comprising: transmitting a sensor control signal commanding a sensor sound output when the presence of the object at the recess is determined.
18. 18 . A method for reading a machine-readable code at an object at a refrigerator appliance, the method comprising: providing, from a lighting component of the refrigerator appliance directed toward or from a recess at a dispenser, light toward the recess when a targeting device or a proximity sensor detects a presence of an object at the recess; scanning, via a scanner device, a machine-readable code at an object at the recess; and transmitting a scanner control signal commanding a scanner audible output when a pre-determined period of commanding measurement of fidelity of scan data at the scanner device is complete.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present disclosure is related generally to refrigerator appliances. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Refrigerator appliances generally include a refrigeration chamber and a freezer chamber. A dispenser may be included and configured to dispense ice and/or water to a user, such as a user's container. Dispensers may be positioned at a door or a panel at a refrigerator appliance casing. Dispensers may generally be recessed into the door or the panel. However, the recess may prevent access or positioning of containers larger than the recess, which may inhibit positioning of a machine-readable code at a scanner, which may inhibit integration of a scanner to a refrigeration appliance. Still further, the machine-readable code may be positioned relative to a scanner but obscured, such that the code is at least partially unreadable. Structures and methods for communicating an audio signal to a user may be misaligned to various user functions, such as reading a machine-readable code. As such, there is a need for improved structures and methods for communicating an audio signal to a user at refrigerator appliances. Additionally, there is a need for improved structures and methods for reading a machine-readable code at refrigerator appliances. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Aspects and advantages of the invention will be set forth in part in the following description, or may be apparent from the description, or may be learned through practice of the invention. An aspect of the present disclosure is directed to a refrigerator appliance. The refrigerator appliance includes a cabinet forming a refrigeration compartment, a freezer compartment, or both. A door is attached to the cabinet. The door is configured to selectively allow entry to the refrigeration compartment, the freezer compartment, or both. A dispenser assembly is positioned at the door. The dispenser assembly includes a recess extending into the door, the dispenser assembly configured to egress a fluid, ice, or both, toward the recess. A scanner assembly includes a scanner device and a targeting device. The scanner assembly is positioned at a casing disposing the scanner device and the targeting device at an angle toward the recess. The scanner device and the targeting device are positioned at the angle toward the recess and behind the external wall. A sound emitting device is positioned outside of the casing at which the scanner assembly is positioned. The sound emitting device is configured to selectively emit sounds based on a command signal from the scanner assembly. The sound emitting device is communicatively coupled to the scanner assembly. Another aspect of the present disclosure is directed to a refrigerator appliance. The refrigerator appliance includes a cabinet forming a refrigeration compartment, a freezer compartment, or both. A door is attached to the cabinet. The door is configured to selectively allow entry to the refrigeration compartment, the freezer compartment, or both. A dispenser assembly is positioned at the door. The dispenser assembly includes a recess extending into the door. The dispenser assembly is configured to egress a fluid, ice, or both, toward the recess. A scanner assembly includes a scanner device and a targeting device. The scanner assembly is positioned at a casing disposing the scanner device and the targeting device at an angle toward the recess and behind the external wall. The scanner assembly is positioned at the angle toward the recess and behind the external wall. A sound emitting device is configured to selectively emit sounds based on a command signal from the scanner assembly. The sound emitting device is communicatively coupled to the scanner assembly. A controller is communicatively coupled to the scanner assembly and the sound emitting device. The controller is configured to execute instructions that causes the refrigerator appliance to perform operations. The operations include commanding provision of light toward or from the recess when the targeting device detects a presence of an object at the recess; commanding, at the scanner device, measuring fidelity of scan data from light reflected from the object at the recess; commanding provision of light toward or from the recess after a pre-determined period of commanding measurement of fidelity of scan data; and transmitting, from the scanner assembly to the sound emitting device, a scanner control signal commanding a scanner sound output when the pre-determined period of commanding measurement of the amount and pattern of light at the scanner device is complete. Still another aspect of the present disclosure is directed to a method for reading a machine-readable code at an object at a refrigerator appliance. The method includes providing, from a lighting component of the refrigerator appliance directed toward or from a recess at a dispenser, light toward the recess when a targeting device or a proximity sensor detects a presence of a