Whirlpool Corporation

Arunkumar Harikrishnasamy

Abhay Naik

Sanket Vivek Phalak

Sai B Krishna

Manjunathraddi Navalgund

Lynne F Hunter

Vishal Shankar Marathe

Koteswara Rao Gochika

Sunil S Ekshinge

Aaron Michael Stewart

Ethan Harbrecht

Ravindra Balkrishna Salunkhe

Sanjesh Kumar Pathak

Karen J Querfurth

Tushar Sopan Jadhav

Ariana Bruno

Jason R Spears

Rachel C Matyastik

Kyle J Sztykiel

An insulating structure for an appliance including a first panel, a second panel coupled to the first panel, wherein the first and second panels define a cavity, an insulation material disposed within the cavity, at least one central flattening portion of the first and second panels, the at least one central flattening portion defining an enlarged area of the cavity in a rest state and having deflection control features, and structural reinforcements defined by the deflection control features of the at least one central flattening portion.

Collapsible pattern

A bracket system for coupling an appliance to a cabinet structure includes a mounting bracket having an inner wall spaced-apart from an outer wall and a plurality of apertures is provided through the outer wall. The inner wall couples to the outer surface of the appliance in assembly. A trim member includes first and second mounting portions and an abutment portion inwardly offset from the first and second mounting portions. The first and second mounting portions each include a plurality of apertures disposed therethrough. An inner surface of the first mounting portion abuts the outer wall of the mounting bracket, such that the apertures disposed therebetween are aligned. The second mounting portion includes a plurality of apertures disposed therethrough, and an outer surface of the second mounting portion is configured to abut the inner surface of the cabinet compartment for mounting thereto.

Bracket system for mounting an appliance to a cabinet structure

An appliance includes an outer cabinet having a front aperture for accessing a processing space. A door selectively engages the front aperture in a closed position to enclose the processing space. A hinge includes a cabinet mount attached to the outer cabinet and having a stop that defines an open position of the door. A hinge pin extends through the cabinet mount to define a rotational axis of the hinge. A sheet metal flange is press fit onto the hinge pin and is fixedly attached to the door. The sheet metal flange is wrapped around the hinge pin and is attached to the door via fasteners. The pin includes a protrusion that selectively engages the stop of the cabinet mount in the open position.

Door hinge for a laundry appliance having a sheet metal hinge and an integrated rotation limiting device

Outer appliance panel

A trim breaker includes first and second opposing vertical portions, a top portion, and a bottom portion. An outer rim extends about a periphery of the trim breaker. An inner edge is spaced interiorly from the outer rim. The trim breaker further includes a first surface proximate the inner edge and a second surface proximate the outer rim. A pair of parallel ribs extend from the outer rim toward the inner edge. Further, the first surface extends outward from the second surface, thereby forming a plateau.

Appliance trim breaker

An appliance includes a vacuum insulated structure that defines a first compartment and a second compartment with a trim breaker proximate the first and second compartments. A mullion extends between the first compartment and the second compartment. A reinforcement assembly is disposed between the vacuum insulated structure and the trim breaker. The reinforcement assembly includes a perimeter frame disposed on a peripheral edge of the first compartment and the second compartment and a central plate proximate the mullion. Attachment plates extend orthogonally from the central plate and connect the perimeter frame with the central plate. At least one door is hingedly coupled to the vacuum insulated structure.

Reinforcement assembly for an insulated structure

A refrigerating appliance includes a cabinet including an outer wrapper defining opposing first and second sidewalls, a rear wall coupling the first and second sidewalls, and an inner liner. An insulating cavity that is under vacuum is defined between the outer wrapper and inner liner. A trim breaker forms a seal between the outer wrapper and the inner liner. A mullion extends across an access opening. A mullion bracket extends across the access opening where the mullion bracket includes first and second ends having engagement portions coupled with an exterior surface of the outer wrapper. A pair of recesses on the exterior surface of the outer wrapper provide corresponding gaps between the first and second ends of the mullion bracket and the first and second sidewalls, respectively.

Cabinet reinforcing assembly

A walled structure for an appliance comprising: (i) an inner wall portion defining a reception compartment, the reception compartment having a width; (ii) an outer wall portion facing the inner wall portion and at least partially surrounding the inner wall portion, the outer wall portion separated from the inner wall portion by a space, the outer wall portion being disposed further away from the reception compartment than the inner wall portion, the outer wall portion having a width parallel to the width of the reception compartment; (iii) an interior volume including the space between the inner wall portion and the outer wall portion; and (iv) an aperture through the outer wall portion providing access to the interior volume, the aperture having a width parallel to the widths of the reception compartment and the outer wall portion that is at least 25 percent of the width of the outer wall portion.

Walled structure for an appliance with wide sealable aperture for depositing insulation material within the walled structure

A hinge assembly for an appliance includes a base plate, a hinge plate, a shaft, a stop block, and a stop. The base plate has a first pair of spaced-apart eyelets. The hinge plate has a second pair of spaced-apart eyelets and a central eyelet disposed between the eyelets of the second pair of eyelets. The shaft extends through each eyelet of the first pair of spaced-apart eyelets, second pair of spaced-apart eyelets, and central eyelet. The hinge plate is configured to pivot relative to the base plate via the shaft. The stop block protrudes from a first eyelet of the first pair of spaced-apart eyelets. The stop extends from the central eyelet and is configured to engage the stop block to limit radial movement of the hinge plate relative to the base plate.

Hinge assembly for washing or laundry machine

An insulated structure for an appliance includes an outer wrapper and an inner liner. A mullion extends across the inner liner. A reinforcement assembly is coupled to the outer wrapper. The reinforcement assembly includes a perimeter frame that is disposed on a peripheral edge of the outer wrapper and a central plate central plate that is proximate the mullion. At least one door is hingedly coupled to the outer wrapper.

Growing community of inventors

Stevensville, MI, United States of America

Arunkumar Harikrishnasamy