Abstract: A flow control valve is disclosed in a household refrigeration appliance having a vapor compression refrigeration system comprising a cyclically operated compressor, a condenser, an evaporator and an expansion device between the condenser and the evaporator. The refrigerant flow control valve is disposed between the condenser and the evaporator and comprises a housing defining a refrigerant flow chamber for receiving liquified refrigerant from the condenser outlet, valve seat structure defining a refrigerant flow port for communicating refrigerant from the condenser to the evaporator, and a flow controlling valve assembly coacting with the valve seat structure to control the refrigerant flow from the refrigerant flow chamber to the expansion device. The flow control valve controls system refrigerant flow in response to subcooling, blocks refrigerant flow from the condenser when the compressor is cycled off and enables circulation of hot gaseous refrigerant under extreme high temperature ambient conditions.

Abstract: A pressure responsive control device having a pressure housing assembly defining a pressure chamber, an actuable control fixed to the housing assembly and, a pressure transducer module hermetically closing the pressure chamber. The module includes a snap acting pressure responsive diaphragm, a diaphragm control plate hermetically bonded to the diaphragm outer periphery, and a support member hermetically joined to and supporting the control plate and hermetically joined to the housing assembly. The control plate has a supporting region rigidly supporting the diaphragm and the diaphragm control regions are yielded and deformed relative to the supporting region to position the control regions for stressing the diaphragm to determine the chamber pressure levels at which the diaphragm moves.

Abstract: An electrical switch actuatable upon the occurrence of a preselected level, includes a generally cup shaped, open ended housing which mounts therein a spaced pair of stationary contacts. The housing has two pairs of upwardly extending channels in its side walls, the two channels of the first pair aligned with the stationary contacts and the two channels of the second pair aligned with platform surfaces. An electrically conductive, flexible cruciform element is disposed in the housing with the distal end portions of two legs of the cruciform received respectively in the two channels of the first pair, and the distal end portions of the other two legs of the cruciform received respectively in the two channels of the second pair and resting on the platform surfaces. The stationary contacts may be disposed above or beneath the cruciform element for a normally open or normally closed switch as desired.