General Electric Company

Kenneth Joseph Hanley

Martin Christopher Severance

John Kenneth Hooker

Eric Scott Johnson

Natarajan Venkatakrishnan

Ramesh Janardhanam

Jason Andrew May

Anil Kumar Tummala

John Alexander Gardner

Jeffrey Martin Wood

Abdel Hamad

Eric Paez

Karthick Srinivasan

A method of insulating a refrigeration appliance. The refrigeration appliance includes a case, a liner, and a five-sided, box like vacuum panel. The liner is formed to be inserted into the case forming a chamber between the liner and the case. The five sides of the vacuum panel define a cavity. The method includes in one embodiment, positioning the five-sided vacuum panel in the chamber between the case and the liner, injecting foam into the chamber, and curing the foam to attach the five sided vacuum panel to the case and the liner.

Method and apparatus for insulating a refrigeration appliance

A refrigerator and a method of operating a refrigerator to determine the time at which to initiate a defrost cycle is provided. Changes in the voltage provided to an evaporator fan are used to determine and/or predict when to initiate a defrost cycle. Adjustments to the timing of the defrost cycle can be made based on known periods of peak energy demand and/or the increased costs associated with operating the defrost cycle during such peak energy demand periods.

Method and apparatus using evaporator fan power requirements to determine defrost cycle for a refrigerator appliance

A vacuum insulator for portions of the refrigeration cycle of a refrigerator appliance is provided. The vacuum insulator can be applied to the suction line leading to the refrigerant compressor, the capillary tube leading to the evaporator inlet, and/or the capillary tube&#x2014;suction line heat exchanger. An outer insulating layer is used to create a vacuum that serves to insulate the intended portion of the refrigeration cycle.

Vacuum insulator for a refrigerator appliance

A water dispenser assembly used for a dispensing system includes an inlet configured to receive water from a water supply, and a flow meter in communication with the inlet. The flow meter is configured to measure an amount of water passing therethrough. A first valve is arranged in communication with the flow meter, and the first valve is configured to enable and restrict water flow to an outlet. A controller is operatively coupled to the flow meter and the first valve. The controller is configured to control the dispensing of water based on the measured amount of water passing through the flow meter and based upon a volume error factor correction.

Water dispenser assembly and method of assembling same

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Louisville, KY, United States of America

Kenneth Joseph Hanley