General Electric Company

Grindmaster Corporation

Krzysztof Struminski

Matthew William Davis

Natarajan Venkatakrishnan

Wayne Edward Lawson

Charles M Fisher

Ronald Scott Tarr

Alexander Pinkus Rafalovich

Thomas Joseph Pfeifer

Ramesh Janardhanam

Omar Haidar

Pravin Sadashiv Naphade

Stephen Michael Bischoff

Balaji Parthasarathy

William M Topar

Solomon Muthumani

Alvaro Delgado

A refrigerator includes a body portion having an air supply and an air return, a door hinged to the body portion, and an icemaking unit located on the door and having an air inlet and an air outlet. The air inlet and air outlet are adjacent the air supply and air return, respectively, when the door is closed, to receive and return chilled air therefrom and thereto. At least a first sealing member is located at the air supply, the air return, the air inlet, and/or the air outlet. The at least first sealing member includes a first membrane with a slit formed therein, and a first projecting member. The slit and the first projecting member are configured and dimensioned such that the slit is closed when the door is in an open position and that the slit is opened when the door is in a closed position.

Airway seal apparatus and method, and refrigerator apparatus using the seal

A method of forming ice in a refrigerator is disclosed. The method includes cooling a first storage compartment to a first temperature, cooling a second storage compartment to a second temperature, cooling an interior volume defined in a door to a third temperature, wherein the door permits and impedes access to the second storage compartment, operating a fan disposed in the interior volume to circulate cool air through the interior volume, and cooling water to form ice in the interior volume.

Ice producing method

An icemaker having a mold comprising at least one cavity and a cooling system. The cooling system has a first heat exchanger configured to have a medium flow there through. The first heat exchanger is in thermal communication with the mold to reduce the temperature of the mold below a predetermined temperature.

Icemaker for a refrigerator

An ice producing apparatus for a refrigerator is disclosed. The apparatus includes a door configured to permit and prohibit access to an interior volume of a storage compartment of the refrigerator, the door defining therein a door interior volume; a fan disposed in the door interior volume; and a mold disposed in the door interior volume and configured to receive water and to retain the water during freezing of the water into ice.

Ice producing apparatus

A refrigerator includes a first storage compartment defining a first interior volume. A first evaporator is disposed in a first evaporator compartment and is configured to provide cool air to the first interior volume. A second storage compartment defines a second interior volume, the second interior volume configured to be cooled by cool air received from the first interior volume. A door is positionable to permit and prohibit access to the second interior volume through a front of the second interior volume. A third interior volume is defined in an interior of the door. A second evaporator is disposed in a second evaporator compartment and is configured to provide cool air to the third interior volume. An air flow channel extends from the second evaporator compartment to the third interior volume. A fan is disposed in the third interior volume. A mold is disposed in the third interior volume and is configured to receive water and to retain the water during cooling of the water.

Ice producing apparatus and method

A fluid storage tank includes a wall defining a cavity therewithin. An inlet opening is formed through the wall and provides communication between a fluid source and the cavity. A projection and at least one obstruction are positioned within the cavity. The projection directs a flow of a fluid entering the cavity through the inlet opening towards the obstruction. The obstruction interferes with and disperses the flow within the cavity. An outlet opening is formed through the wall and provides communication between the cavity and a fluid dispenser.

Method and apparatus for water dispensing systems within a refrigerator

The pre-mix beverage dispensing apparatus (,) includes an ice bank assembly (,) connected to a remote system of potable water at line pressure for the chilling of the potable water. The chilled water is carried at a regulated line pressure from the ice bank assembly (,) to a mixing valve/dispensing assembly (,) where the chilled water is metered into a prescribed amount and mixed with a proportionate amount of syrup metered from a syrup holding tank (,). The syrup tank (,) is provided with an agitating element (,) that periodicially agitates the syrup to prevent syrup constituents from precipitating out of solution or stratification of the syrup into various concentration levels. In one embodiment, the apparatus is provided with a hopper assembly (,) that stores and meters a powder flavorant to the syrup tank and components that deliver chilled water to the tank proportional to the powder flavorant metered into the tank (,).

Beverage dispenser with syrup concentrate container

The apparatus of the present invention pertains to a post mix multi-station dispensing apparatus which is isolated from the fluctuations experienced in using outside supplies of water. The apparatus is provided with a single reservoir of water and, associated with each serving station, a hopper storing powder flavorant, a metering device for metering the flavorant, a holding tank for holding a beverage to be dispensed at a predetermined rate at the associated serving station, and a water delivery system. While a beverage is being dispensed from the holding tank, the water delivery system delivers water from said reservoir at a rate essentially the same as the predetermined rate to a mixing area where the water and powder flavorant is mixed in a predetermined ration of powder flavorant-to-water ratio. This newly mixed beverage is added to the holding tank at the same rate as the beverage is being dispensed.

Growing community of inventors

Louisville, KY, United States of America

Krzysztof Struminski