Whirlpool Corporation

Daniel Lottinville

Lynne F Hunter

Karen J Querfurth

Antony Mark Rappette

Frederick Thomas Roderick

David Jason Brightbill

Abhay Naik

Rodney Michael Welch

Paul B Allard

Gustavo Frattini

Dustin Michael Miller

Aaron Michael Stewart

Vikas C Mruthyunjaya

Sarah Galea

Matthew Jaske

Michael Lagness

Sanjesh Kumar Pathak

Giulia Marinello

Sai B Krishna

Jeffrey P Beckner

Kamil El Sayed

Kaito Choy

A refrigerator comprising: a cabinet; a door operably connected to the cabinet, the door having a closed position relative to the cabinet and an opened position relative to the cabinet, and the door transitions from the closed position to the opened position in a non-circular path; a liquid outlet disposed at the cabinet; and a liquid receiver disposed at the door, the liquid receiver configured to receive liquid exiting the liquid outlet when the door is in the closed position but not in the opened position. The refrigerator can further include a gasket adjacent to the liquid receiver and a gasket adjacent to the liquid outlet. When the door is in the closed position, the gasket of the door can cooperate with the gasket of the cabinet to form a sealed channel to seal liquid transfer from the liquid outlet to the liquid receiver for use at the door.

Water routing from cabinet to door of a refrigerator with articulated hinge

A hinge assembly for hinging a door to a cabinet of a refrigerator includes an exposed door frame that extends at least partially about a top panel and opposing side panels of the door. A mounting block is configured to be coupled to the top panel of the door. The mounting block is positioned in a cutout of the exposed door frame that is proximate a front panel of the door and is disposed between the opposing side panels. A hinge support bracket extends across a width of the cabinet and is coupled thereto. A hinge bracket is configured to be coupled to the hinge support bracket. A hinge pin is disposed between the mounting block and the hinge bracket and is engaged thereto such that an entirety of the hinge pin is external to the door.

Refrigerator with hinge assembly having an external hinge pin

A cabinet structure includes a wrapper that is spaced apart from a liner. A trim breaker is coupled to the wrapper and the liner. An insulation cavity is disposed between the wrapper, the liner, and the trim breaker. An encapsulation member is disposed rearwardly of the trim breaker and defines an encapsulation cavity that is separated from the insulation cavity. The encapsulation member is free from openings. A hinge support is operably coupled to the encapsulation member to further define the encapsulation cavity. The hinge support has a lower frame portion that extends perpendicularly along the trim breaker. The hinge support is disposed forwardly of the trim breaker.

Appliance encapsulation member

A cabinet structure includes a wrapper defining an opening. At least one liner is positioned inside the opening of the wrapper and defines a temperature-controlled compartment. An insulation cavity is defined between the wrapper and the liner. A trim breaker is coupled to the wrapper and the liner. A first hinge bracket is positioned outwardly of the trim breaker. An encapsulation member is positioned rearwardly of the trim breaker and defines an encapsulation cavity. A first hinge support has a first section positioned along a second hinge support and a second section extending rearwardly from the first section. The first hinge bracket is coupled to the first and second hinge supports.

Appliance hinge assembly

A refrigerator includes at least one hinge assembly configured to hinge a door to a cabinet. The at least one hinge assembly includes a mounting block coupled to, and that extends at least partially along, the door. A hinge bracket is coupled to the cabinet. The hinge bracket is coupled to a top panel of the cabinet and includes an upward extending flange that spans a width of the cabinet and that is coplanar with a front panel of the door. A hinge pin is disposed between the mounting block and the hinge bracket and is coupled thereto such that the entirety of the hinge pin is external to the door and is positioned between the door and the hinge bracket.

A dishwasher for treating dishes according to an automatic cycle of operation includes a tub at least partially defining a treating chamber with an access opening, a sump fluidly coupled to the tub, and a liquid recirculation circuit fluidly coupling the sump to the treating chamber. The liquid recirculation circuit includes at least one rotating spray tube having a longitudinal body axis defining a rotational axis. The at least one rotating spray tube comprises a hollow tube having first and second opposing ends with the first end fluidly coupled to the liquid recirculation circuit and the second end comprising a drain valve. The hollow tube has a single wall and a longitudinal body axis defining a rotational axis and plurality of spray nozzles are arranged about the longitudinal body axis on an exterior of the single wall.

Dishwasher with tube wash system

A cabinet structure is provided herein that includes an exterior wrapper defining an opening and at least one liner disposed inside the opening of the wrapper with a front edge of the wrapper disposed laterally outward relative to a front edge of the liner. An insulation cavity is disposed between the wrapper and the liner. A trim breaker is coupled to the exterior wrapper and the liner. A hinge bracket is disposed outwardly of the trim breaker. A hinge support has a first portion disposed along the trim breaker and a second portion extending rearwardly from the first portion. An encapsulation member is disposed rearwardly of the trim breaker and defines an encapsulation cavity that is separated from the insulation cavity.

A door panel includes an outer panel having a generally planar body portion with inner and outer surfaces and a sidewall with a front edge. An inner panel includes a generally planar body portion with inner and outer surfaces and a sidewall with a front edge. A trim breaker interconnects the outer panel and the inner panel to form a vacuum cavity therebetween. The trim breaker includes first and second upright members interconnected by upper and lower cross members. The trim breaker further includes an inner channel and an outer channel spaced-apart from one another around the trim breaker. The outer channel is outwardly disposed around the inner channel. The front edge of the inner panel is received in the inner channel of the trim breaker, and the front edge of the outer panel is received in the outer channel of the trim breaker.

Construction method for vacuum insulated door

A refrigerator is provided herein including a cabinet and a door. At least one hinge assembly is configured to hinge the door to the cabinet. The at least one hinge assembly includes a mounting block coupled to the door, a hinge bracket coupled to the cabinet, and a hinge pin disposed between the mounting block and the hinge bracket and coupled thereto such that the entirety of the hinge pin is external to the door.

A refrigerator includes a refrigerator compartment having a rear wall with an inwardly angled portion. A first and second shelf assemblies are disposed within the refrigerator compartment. The first shelf assembly includes a panel supported on a frame assembly to define a cavity positioned below a portion of the panel. The second shelf assembly includes front and top panels that cooperate with a surface of the inwardly angled portion of the rear wall to define a storage cavity therebetween. A water filtration system includes a water filter assembly laterally disposed within the storage cavity of the second shelf assembly. A water dispenser system includes a dispenser paddle operably coupled to the first shelf assembly and interconnected to the water filter assembly by a water supply line that is concealed within the cavity of the first shelf assembly by the opaque portion of the panel of the first shelf assembly.

Shelf assembly with water dispenser and filtration system

A flush-mount refrigerator is provided that includes a cabinet defining a compartment and including a pair of side walls that extends forwardly of the compartment. A pair of doors is coupled to the cabinet and positioned on either side of a centerline of the cabinet. The pair of doors are spaced apart by a predetermined spacing. A storage feature is positioned within the compartment of the cabinet and movable between an extended position and a recessed position when one or both of the pair of doors is in an open position. A hinge assembly is coupled to the cabinet and to one of the pair of doors. The hinge assembly includes a six-link mechanism that keeps the door within a predefined distance of at least one side wall when the door is moved from a closed position to the open position.

Hinge assembly

A refrigerator is provided herein. The refrigerator includes a cabinet defining a compartment. A door is configured to seal the compartment and is operable between open and closed positions. A hinge assembly is operably coupled to the cabinet and to the door. The hinge assembly includes a first link coupled to the cabinet. A second link is pivotable about the first link. A third link is pivotable about the second link and a fourth link. The fourth link is further coupled to the door. A fifth link is pivotable about the second link and the fourth link. A sixth link is pivotable about an intermediate portion of the fifth link and the first link. The sixth link is disposed through a void defined by the fifth link.

A dishwasher for treating dishes according to an automatic cycle of operation includes a tub at least partially defining a treating chamber with an access opening, a sump fluidly coupled to the tub, and a liquid recirculation circuit fluidly coupling the sump to the treating chamber. The liquid recirculation circuit includes at least one rotating spray tube having a longitudinal body axis defining a rotational axis. A plurality of spray nozzles are provided in the rotating spray tube.

A refrigerating appliance includes a cabinet having an inner liner, an outer wrapper and a plastic trim breaker extending therebetween. A door panel is operable relative to the cabinet between open and closed positions. The door panel has a seal that magnetically engages a contact surface of the cabinet to define the closed position of the door panel. A ferromagnetic plate extends over a portion of the plastic trim breaker to define the contact surface. A heat loop is disposed between the trim breaker and the ferromagnetic plate, in thermal communication with the contact surface. The heat loop extends from the trim breaker to a machine compartment of the cabinet. The ferromagnetic plate includes a looped edge that defines a heating chase. The heat loop is positioned within the heating chase and extends to the machine compartment.

Growing community of inventors

Stevensville, MI, United States of America

Daniel Lottinville