Whirlpool Corporation

Michele Wilcox

Karen J Querfurth

Douglas David Leclear

Paul B Allard

Andrew Michael Tenbarge

John J Vonderhaar

Guolian Wu

Marcus Roland Fischer

Jerry M Visin

Martin D Lewis

Kevin Michael Chase

Jim J Pastryk

Douglas D LeClear

Kelly M Hanson

Nihat O Cur

Carolina Biotti

Shawn F Olsson

Chad Lange

Pendyala Supreeth

Ameresh Babu Viswanathan

Ronald L Voglewede

Timothy Janda

Andrea Olivani

Gale Richard Horst

Kelly I Johnson

Rebecca M Eubanks

A refrigerator includes a refrigerator body having an interior storage space. A door is coupled to the refrigerator body to open and close the interior storage space. A door handle is coupled to the door in a pivotally rotatable manner and an opening actuator is coupled to the door handle where the opening actuator applies a force to the refrigerator body to open the interior storage space. The opening actuator includes a front bezel, a handle pivot plate coupled to the door handle, a casing enclosing an actuator mechanism, and one or more pushers that extend and retract against a front wrapper edge of the refrigerator body. An intermediate attachment couples the handle pivot plate to the casing and a back bezel.

Easy open drawer/door with a rotating handle

Easy open drawer/door with rotating handle

An adjustable connector system for use in an appliance is provided, wherein the adjustable connector system includes a channel disposed on a surface of the appliance, an access aperture defined by a surface adjacent the channel, and a utility enabled connector at least partially received in the channel, and extending from the access aperture, wherein the utility enabled connector includes an elongated member configured to at least partially extend along the channel, and extend from the access aperture, and an interface adapted to supply at least one utility to a modular appliance configured to be removably attached to one of a plurality of removable attachment locations on the appliance.

Adjustable connector system for connection to a modular appliance

A refrigerator includes a cabinet defining an open storage space and including a door with an exterior side and an interior side adapted to receive a modular component. The modular component includes a base removably connected to the interior side and has a first edge and a second edge. A component door is hingedly-connected to the first edge of the base and is operable between an open position and a closed position. The base and component door define a sealed compartment when the component door is in the closed position. First fasteners are disposed on the component door, and second fasteners are disposed on the base. The second fasteners engage the first fasteners to create an airtight seal between the component door and the base. A vacuum device is in communication with the sealed compartment and a heat sealer is disposed on the base or the component door.

Vacuum food preservation system

A refrigerator drawer liner for segregating a plurality of storage objects in a refrigerator drawer and for transporting storage objects between a secondary location and the refrigerator drawer, the refrigerator drawer liner having a container body having a receiving space for receiving at least one storage object, a container bottom, at least two side walls, and a positioning slot. The refrigerator drawer liner may have at least one separation plate for variably dividing the receiving space of the container body. The at least one separation plate may have a position adjusting handle operatively connected to the at least one separation plate through the positioning slot.

Customizable drawer liner for a refrigerator drawer

An appliance system includes at least an appliance and a module. The appliance door(s) have an exterior surface and an interior surface having a door liner. The appliance door is closed to create an insulated area and the interior surface of the appliance door includes a module-engaging connector. The module is typically removably engaged within the appliance door and includes an insulated compartment within the module and a compartment door as well as a lock for the compartment door. The module also includes a utility connector that engages the appliance door and operably engages the module-engaging connector of the appliance door so that the module receives at least electrical power from the appliance.

Modular door mounted climate controlled medicine compartment

A domestic refrigerator includes a housing having a refrigerated compartment defined therein, and a sliding drawer positioned in the refrigerated compartment. The sliding drawer has a storage chamber defined therein, and a mounting bracket is secured to the sliding drawer and extends into the storage chamber. The domestic refrigerator also includes a plurality of interchangeable utility modules that are configured to be positioned within the storage chamber of the sliding drawer. Each of the plurality of the interchangeable utility modules includes a mounting bracket sized and configured to be separately mated with the mounting bracket of the sliding drawer.

Modular system for a domestic refrigerator

An elongated polymeric ribbon is mounted to the cabinet of a refrigerator/freezer or the door and at least one electrical conductor is integrally formed in the ribbon, which also integrally includes at least one fluid conduit. In one embodiment, the ribbon is mounted in association with an elongated spine, such that a module can be mounted anywhere along the spine and coupled to the polymeric ribbon for receiving operating utilities therefrom. This system provides the manufacturer with the capability of positioning a module requiring operating utilities at any desired location within a refrigerator/freezer cabinet and/or on the doors of the refrigerator/freezer. The ribbon connector is accessed by connections which allow dealers to customize refrigerators for individual consumers.

Multiple utility ribbon cable

A refrigerator includes a hands-free vacuum preservation system mounted on a door of the refrigerator comprising a main body portion having a slot therein for receiving an open end of a plastic bag. Sensors within the slot detect the presence of the bag and a retaining device is actuated to punch holes in the bag and retain the bag in position for a vacuum sealing event. An intake port within the system communicates with a vacuum source to remove air from the bag, and a heat sealer seals the bag closed. In a preferred embodiment, once sensors located on the main body portion detect the presence of a consumer's hand, the retaining device releases the bag. The resultant vacuum sealed bag can be stored in a conventional manner, or by hanging the bag from hooks extending through the holes formed therein by the retaining device.

Refrigerator door vacuum preservation system

A vacuum storage system in a refrigerator includes a bin or drawer unit removably received in a housing. The vacuum storage system may be utilized in a storage configuration or in a vacuum sealing configuration to remove air from one or more food preservation containers having one-way evacuation valves. A switch on a control interface actuates a vacuum source and a front wall of the bin or drawer unit seals against the cabinet. Air is drawn from the storage space via a hose in communication with the vacuum source and air pressure within the storage space is reduced below atmospheric pressure, whereby air is simultaneously evacuated from the containers housed in the storage space. At a predetermined pressure, a control deactivates the vacuum source and an equalizing valve is opened to return the storage space to atmospheric pressure.

Refrigerator vacuum storage system

An appliance system including a module removably mounted to an appliance, one or more removable gas canisters operably connected to the module, and a food retaining enclosed space operably connected to the module. The one or more gas canisters supply a modified atmosphere in the food retaining enclosed space to produce a modified atmosphere that enhances preservation of the food contained in the food retaining enclosed space. A method of modifying the atmosphere in a food storage space for food includes the steps of: providing a module capable of being removably engaged to an appliance and typically receiving power from the appliance and at least one removable gas canister; operatively connecting or otherwise engaging the module with the appliance; operatively connecting or otherwise engaging the module to a food storage area having an existing atmosphere; and removing at least a portion of the existing atmosphere from the food storage space and replacing it with a modified food storage atmosphere using at least one of the at least one removable gas canisters to supply the modified atmosphere to the food storage area.

Growing community of inventors

Stevensville, MI, United States of America

Michele Wilcox