Whirlpool Corporation

Kapil Ayyawar

Antonio Sanchez

Rishikesh Vinayak Kulkarni

Shrawan Kumar

E Calvin Pickles

Dakota E Kosek

Alexandre C Azevedo

Amit A Avhale

Yan Zhang

Fernando Garcia

Ganesh Bramhane

Juan Pablo Ramirez Carrillo

Pradip T Bansode

Nancy Sofia Alanis

Eric A Larson

Ryan Michael Post

Umakant Suresh Katu

Ian M Pavnick

Vincent F Bertolino

Adam Thomas Needham

A refrigerator appliance includes a cabinet, a first door, a second door, a mullion, and a lock. The cabinet defines an internal cavity. The first and second doors are configured to transition between open and closed positions. The mullion is secured to an edge of the first door and is configured to transition between active and inactive positions. In the active position the mullion is configured to span a gap between the first and second doors. In the inactive position the mullion is retracted away from an edge of the first door. The lock is configured to, in response to the first door transitioning to the respective open position, activate and lock the mullion in the inactive position. The lock is configured to, in response to the first door transitioning to the respective closed position, deactivate and unlock the mullion such that mullion transitions to the active position.

Refrigerator and mullion for a refrigerator

A refrigerator includes a first air duct, a second air duct, a door, and a gasket. The door has an ice maker disposed therein. The door also has a third air duct disposed along an internal side panel. The third air duct defines inlet and outlet orifices configured to establish fluid communication between first and second air ducts and the ice maker, respectively. The gasket is overmolded onto the third air duct and is configured to from a seal along an interface between the third air duct and the first air duct, and along an interface between the third air duct and the second air duct.

Refrigerator appliance

An appliance door closure assembly is provided and comprises an inner door selectively coupled with an outer door. An anchor is in connection with the inner door and defines a retention space. A latch assembly is in connection with the outer door. The latch assembly includes a first cam having a first contact surface and pivotally coupled to a base. A second cam has a second contact surface engaged with the first contact surface of the first cam. The latch assembly is movable between a first position and a second position.

Latch assembly

A support assembly includes a support surface configured to selectively transition between a stowed position, a deployed position, and an intermediate position defined between the stowed position and the deployed position. A retention feature is operably coupled to the support surface and is configured to transition the support surface between the stowed position and the deployed position. The retention feature includes a projection about which the support surface pivots to define a pivot axis. A bracket is coupled to the support surface and is configured to distribute a load along the support assembly in the intermediate position and the deployed position.

Support assembly for an appliance

A refrigerator includes a storage compartment and a mullion assembly pivotally coupled to one of a first door and a second door. The mullion assembly includes a cavity with an insulating member disposed therein. One or more sensor assemblies are coupled to the mullion assembly and configured to collect data sufficient to calculate a dew point temperature of the mullion assembly and an actual temperature of the mullion assembly. A heating element is coupled to the mullion assembly and is selectively activated by a controller based on information provided from the one or more sensor assemblies. The heating element is powered using a modulated power level that is inversely proportionate to the difference in temperature between the mullion assembly and the calculated dew point.

Refrigerator mullion assembly with anti-condensation features

A hinge assembly for a mullion assembly includes a first hinge element having a first cam member with a cammed upper surface having a first portion and a second portion with an angled intermediate portion disposed therebetween. The first portion of the cammed upper surface of the first hinge element is vertically spaced-apart a distance from the second portion. A second hinge element is rotatably coupled to the first hinge element between first and second positions and includes a second cam member having a cammed lower surface that includes an engagement point that is engaged with the cammed upper surface of the first hinge element. The second hinge element is driven upwardly by the engagement of the engagement point and the cammed upper surface of the first hinge element as the second hinge element is rotated from the first position to the second position.

Mullion hinge assembly

Growing community of inventors

St. Joseph, MI, United States of America

Kapil Ayyawar