Whirlpool Corporation

Sanjesh Kumar Pathak

Abhay Naik

Paul B Allard

Sunil S Ekshinge

Giulia Marinello

Lynne F Hunter

Alberto Regio Gomes

Rafael Dutra Nunes

Dustin Michael Miller

Manjunathraddi Navalgund

Jeffrey P Beckner

Lakshya J Deka

Gustavo Frattini

Eric J Dherde

Jerry M Visin

Sanket Vivek Phalak

Sai B Krishna

Mohamed Alshourbagy

Rahul Subhash Chhajed

Manoj T Sambrekar

Mansi Katkar

Arpit Vijay

Vikas C Mruthyunjaya

Narendra Ashok Kapure

Sarah Galea

Mandar Gopalkrushna Kulkarni

Joseph M Keres

Karen J Querfurth

Arunkumar Harikrishnasamy

Koteswara Rao Gochika

Jacob Charles Ickes

Omkar Sunil Mithari

Vishal B Chauhan

Caroline Paiva Torres

Deepak Gajanan Mankar

Anup R Shedage

Hua Liu

Daniel Lottinville

Michael A Fiori

An appliance includes a metallic liner and an outer metallic wrapper. An insulating cavity is defined between the metallic liner and outer metallic wrapper. The appliance further includes a pressure sensing device disposed within the cavity. The pressure sensing device is located to detect a pressure status and transmit the pressure status through at least one of the metallic liner and outer metallic wrapper.

Feature in vacuum insulated structure to allow pressure monitoring

An appliance includes a metallic outer wrapper having sidewalls, a wrapper backwall and a machine wall. At least one metallic inner liner has liner walls and a liner backwall, wherein the metallic outer wrapper and the at least one metallic inner liner are coupled together at a trim breaker to define a structural cabinet having a hermetically sealed interior cavity defined between the metallic outer wrapper and the at least one metallic inner liner. The trim breaker defines a front face of the structural cabinet. At least one trim breaker conduit extends through the wrapper and liner backwalls wherein the trim breaker conduit defines a conduit through the structural cabinet, and wherein the structural cabinet is hermetically sealed at the trim breaker conduit.

Structural cabinet for an appliance incorporating unitary metallic boxes

A refrigerator includes a wall covering assembly having a top wall spaced-apart from a top wall of a liner, and a rear wall spaced-apart from a rear wall of the liner. The wall covering assembly includes a pattern of ports for providing outwardly directed cooled air to the refrigerator cabinet from a duct assembly. The duct assembly is configured to deliver cooled air through the ventilated portion of the wall covering assembly and also deliver cooled air to a front portion of the refrigerator cabinet via a downwardly directed air curtain. The air curtain disrupts the outward flow of air from the ventilated portion of the wall covering assembly before the cooled air reaches a gasket assembly disposed around the refrigerator doors. Angled venting slots disposed on the wall covering assembly direct air towards inner surfaces of the doors without disruption from the air curtain.

Wall covering assembly with ventilation pattern and air curtain system

A method of controlling condensation on an appliance includes the steps of (1) providing a refrigerator having a refrigerant circuit with a heat loop, wherein the heat loop is configured to circulate heated refrigerant within a cabinet structure during a duty cycle of a compressor, and further wherein the refrigerator includes a storage compartment and an insulation space substantially surrounding the same; (2) running an insulation performance test, wherein a rate of temperature rise within the storage compartment is calculated during an off-duty cycle of the compressor; (3) sending the data to a controller for processing; (4) initiating the duty cycle of the compressor when the rate of temperature rise reaches a predetermined threshold rate; and (5) changing an operating parameter of the refrigerator to increase a time interval for which the duty cycle of the compressor is run.

Refrigerator with anti-condensation features

A method of measuring pressure includes the steps of (1) providing a vacuum cabinet with a storage compartment and an insulating space, and three temperature sensors; (2) sensing a first temperature level of an interior wall of the storage compartment; (3) sensing an ambient temperature level within the storage compartment; (4) sensing a second temperature level of an exterior wall of the storage compartment; (5) calculating an overall heat transfer coefficient (Q) using the ambient temperature level, the first temperature level, and a convective heat transfer coefficient for the interior wall of the storage compartment; (6) calculating a temperature differential between the second and first temperature levels; (7) determining a conductivity level (K) using the temperature differential, the overall heat transfer coefficient (Q) and a thickness of the insulating space; and (8) determining a pressure level (P) within the insulating space using the conductivity level (K).

Vacuum insulated appliance with pressure monitoring

An insulated structure for an appliance includes a plurality of walls, a cavity defined by the plurality of walls, and an aperture defined by one of the plurality of walls. The aperture is employed in evacuating the cavity to establish a less-than-atmospheric pressure within the cavity. A base structure is coupled to an interior surface of the one of the plurality of walls that defines the aperture. The base structure is aligned with the aperture. A pressure sensor is received by the base structure. The base structure and the pressure sensor together define a pressure-sensing assembly.

Insulated structure for an appliance

A refrigeration unit includes a cabinet and a first evaporator assembly. The first evaporator assembly is operable between an uninstalled condition and an installed condition. In the uninstalled condition, the first evaporator assembly is not assembled with the cabinet. In the installed condition, the first evaporator assembly is assembled with the cabinet. The first evaporator assembly includes a first evaporator, a first suction line connected to the first evaporator at a first suction line joint, and a first capillary tube connected to the first evaporator at a first capillary tube joint. The first suction line joint and the first capillary tube joint of the first evaporator assembly are leak testable in the uninstalled condition of the first evaporator assembly.

Refrigeration unit and method of assembling

A door panel for a refrigerating appliance includes an inner liner. An outer wrapper is attached to the inner liner and defines an insulating structure with an insulating cavity disposed therein. An insulating material is defined within the insulating cavity. A dispenser structure is defined within a central portion of the inner liner and the outer wrapper. The dispenser structure defines an insulated dispenser portion therein. A dispenser conduit extends from an interior area disposed above the dispenser structure to an external dispensing cavity and passing through the insulated dispenser portion.

Vacuum insulated door structure for an appliance incorporating a dispenser structure

A refrigerator includes an insulated cabinet having a sidewall with a passthrough opening through the sidewall. A resilient insulating member is disposed in the passthrough opening. The resilient insulating member includes flaps that form an airtight seal between the resilient insulating member and the passthrough opening. At least one utility line extends through an aperture in the resilient insulating member. The utility line may comprise fluid conduit, electrical line, or the like that operably connect one or more components through the sidewall of the cabinet.

Flexible passthrough insulation for VIS

A refrigeration appliance includes a freezer compartment liner that forms a freezer compartment and includes a plurality of walls exposed to an interior of the freezer compartment. The plurality of walls includes first and second sidewalls, a top wall, a bottom wall, and a back wall. Each of the first and second sidewalls includes an air-deflection surface. A refrigeration compartment liner forms a refrigeration compartment. A door is configured to provide access to the freezer compartment. A mullion is disposed between the refrigeration compartment liner and the freezer compartment liner. The mullion includes a forward portion that extends toward the freezer compartment. A fan is configured to direct cooled air along at least one of the plurality of walls of the freezer compartment liner. The fan is configured to direct air toward the air deflection surface.

Refrigerated compartment air distribution assembly

A refrigerator includes a wrapper having an opening with a front edge. A liner includes an opening and a front edge. A thermal bridge interconnects the wrapper and the liner to form a vacuum insulated cavity therebetween. The thermal bridge includes an outwardly opening channel and first and second inwardly opening channels. The front edge of wrapper is received in the first inwardly opening channel, and the front edge of the liner is received in the second inwardly opening channel. The second inwardly opening channel is inset relative to the first inwardly opening channel on the thermal bridge. A conduit is disposed within the outwardly opening channel and is configured to circulate a heated medium. The wrapper and liner are contemplated to be comprised of conductive materials, such sheet metal, while the thermal bridge is comprised of a thermally resistant material, such as a polymeric material.

Vacuum insulated structure with thermal bridge breaker with heat loop

A refrigerator appliance includes a cabinet defining a compartment. A door is hingedly coupled with the cabinet and is configured to selectively seal the compartment. The door includes a door trim breaker. An engagement member extends from the door trim breaker. A first retention ridge extends from a first side of the engagement member, and a second retention ridge extends from a second side of the engagement member. The first retention ridge is offset from the second retention ridge. A gasket is configured to fit over the engagement member and includes a coupling portion defining first and second retention spaces. The first retention space is configured to receive the first retention ridge, and the second retention space is configured to receive the second retention ridge. A contact portion is integrally formed with the coupling portion and is configured to at least partially abut the cabinet when the door is closed.

Appliance door gasket assembly

Growing community of inventors

Stevensville, MI, United States of America

Sanjesh Kumar Pathak