Whirlpool Corporation

Keith Allen Snyder

Ronald Wayne Guess

Melissa Marie Bippus

Dennis J Staley

John A Laine

Li Y Situ

Dale A Beard

James William Kendall

Alan Stevenson Lucas

Patrick J Glotzbach

John Joseph Vonderhaar

Dennis G Schenk

Martin Rodney Busche

James Charles Leslie Guarino

Andrew M Oltman

Vikas Malhotra

Patrick J Gotzbach

A refrigeration system includes a water circulation system and a replaceable water filter. The refrigerator includes a sensor that determines if a water filter is present, and a user interface that prompts a user to purge a water filter upon installation of a new water filter in the refrigerator. The water filter may include a memory storage device that stores information concerning the allowable life of the water filter, the remaining life of the water filter, and other information. Information concerning the remaining life of the water filter and other information can be displayed or otherwise communicated to a user by the user interface.

Water filter purge indication

Water filtration purge indication

A method of making an appliance door includes inserting a door pan into a fixture having first and second forming molds, which are pressed together. An inner door liner is placed over the door pan and secured thereto to form a base door. A mold cavity is formed between the door pan and the inner door liner. An insulative material is injected into the mold cavity defined by the space between the door pan and the inner door liner. A removable decorative exterior skin is extended over the base door. A support frame and a plurality of utility lines are provided. An insulative material contacts the support frame. A base door is formed by an inner door liner secured to the insulative material and the support frame.

Method of making an appliance door

A low cost method and apparatus for indicating when to replace a water filter in a water and ice delivery system for a refrigerator. The invention uses a low cost microprocessor and senses the operational condition of an ice maker water valve, a water dispenser valve to monitor and track water usage. The microprocessor has a built-in memory to retain water usage and other data during a power outage. The invention also senses the status of a door switch to permit user input of a reset message indicating that the filter has been changed as well as an input indicating a different type of filter has been installed. The microprocessor controls a tri-color light emitting diode to display the status of the filter as &ldquo;good&rdquo;, &ldquo;order&rdquo; or &ldquo;change&rdquo; which is determined based on the selection of the type of filter system, the amount of time since the last filter change, and the amount of water usage since the last filter change.

Water filter monitoring and indicating system

A low cost method and apparatus for indicating when to replace a water filter in a water and ice delivery system for a refrigerator. The invention uses a low cost microprocessor and senses the operational condition of an ice maker water valve, a water dispenser valve to monitor and track water usage. The microprocessor has a built-in memory to retain water usage and other data during a power outage, The invention also senses the status of a door switch to permit user input of a reset message indicating that the filter has been changed as well as an input indicating a different type of filter has been installed. The microprocessor controls a tri-color light emitting diode to display the status of the filter as &ldquo;good&rdquo;, &ldquo;order&rdquo; or &ldquo;change&rdquo; which is determined based on the selection of the type of filter system, the amount of time since the last filter change, and the amount of water usage since the last filter change.

An ice maker for use in a refrigeration apparatus as well as a method of optimizing ice production in an ice maker. The ice maker has a mold and a fan selectively operable to direct moving cold air past the mold during the ice formation process. In the preferred embodiment, the fan does not operate during the harvest portion of the cycle. A fan assembly consisting of a fan or blower, a motor, a switch in series with the motor and leads for electrically interconnecting the motor and in switch with the icemaker power supply is preferably assembled as a module removably interconnectable with the icemaker as an optional feature. The icemaker has an increased the rate of ice production due to the increased rate of convective heat transfer.

Method and apparatus for rapid ice production

Growing community of inventors

Newburgh, IN, United States of America

Keith Allen Snyder