Patents by Inventor Alan Joseph Mitchell

Alan Joseph Mitchell has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 9091473
    Abstract: An ice making assembly includes a reservoir holding water having a water level, at least one conductor extending into the reservoir below the water level, and a cooling device for cooling the conductor to a temperature sufficient to form an ice cube on the conductor. A heater heats the conductor to a temperature sufficient to harvest the ice cube from the conductor. A dispensing device removes harvested ice cubes from the water. Related refrigeration appliances are disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 28, 2015
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventor: Alan Joseph Mitchell
  • Publication number: 20150135757
    Abstract: An ice making assembly for a refrigerator appliance is provided. The ice making assembly includes a mold body and an ejector. The ejector has a shaft with a central axis that is offset from an axis of rotation of the ejector. The ejector also has a plurality of tines for sweeping through mold volumes of the mold body. Each tine has an arcuate bottom surface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 15, 2013
    Publication date: May 21, 2015
    Applicant: General Electric Company
    Inventor: Alan Joseph Mitchell
  • Publication number: 20150128633
    Abstract: An ice making assembly and an ice bucket are provided. The ice bucket includes a sidewall that defines a storage volume and an auger disposed within the storage volume. A motor is configured for rotating the auger within the storage volume. The motor is positioned above the storage volume along a vertical direction. The position of the motor relative to the storage volume can assist with limiting or preventing damage to the motor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 8, 2013
    Publication date: May 14, 2015
    Applicant: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Alan Joseph Mitchell, Charles Benjamin Miller, Bart Andrew Nuss, Ansuraj Seenivasan
  • Publication number: 20150108886
    Abstract: Refrigerator appliances are provided. A refrigerator appliance includes a cabinet defining a fresh food chamber and a freezer chamber and including a mullion extending between and defining the fresh food chamber and freezer chamber. The refrigerator appliance further includes a door rotatably hinged to the cabinet for accessing the fresh food chamber, the door including an inner surface and an outer surface, the door further including an ice container mounted thereon. The refrigerator appliance further includes a hinge connecting the mullion and the door, and a freezer door connected to the cabinet for accessing the freezer chamber. The refrigerator appliance further includes a drain assembly for draining a liquid from the ice container, the drain assembly providing a flow path through the hinge and the mullion to an exhaust location.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 22, 2013
    Publication date: April 23, 2015
    Applicant: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Charles Benjamin Miller, Alan Joseph Mitchell, Stephen Michael Bischoff
  • Publication number: 20150107291
    Abstract: A refrigerator appliance is provided. The refrigerator appliance includes a cabinet that defines a fresh food chamber. A door is rotatably mounted to the cabinet. The door defines a freezer chamber. The position of the fresh food chamber and the freezer chamber can facilitate access to food items stored within the freezer chamber and/or the fresh food chamber.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 21, 2013
    Publication date: April 23, 2015
    Applicant: General Electric Company
    Inventor: Alan Joseph Mitchell
  • Publication number: 20150107285
    Abstract: Refrigerator appliances are provided. A refrigerator appliance includes a cabinet defining a fresh food chamber, and a door rotatably hinged to the cabinet for accessing the fresh food chamber, the door including an inner surface and an outer surface. The refrigerator appliance further includes a compartment defined in the inner surface of the door, the compartment defining an interior chamber and including a compartment door providing access to the interior chamber. The compartment is selectively operable at a first temperature below approximately 32 degrees Fahrenheit and a second temperature above approximately 40 degrees Fahrenheit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 23, 2013
    Publication date: April 23, 2015
    Applicant: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Alan Joseph Mitchell, Joel Erik Hitzelberger, Ronald Gary Foster
  • Patent number: 9010345
    Abstract: A spray arm assembly for a dishwasher system is disclosed. The spray arm assembly includes a spray arm which has an internal chamber, a liquid inlet in flow communication with the internal chamber to supply the internal chamber with liquid from a source of liquid, an outlet passageway in flow communication with the internal chamber for discharging liquid from the internal chamber, an air inlet in flow communication with the outlet passageway, and a region adjacent the air inlet and defining part of the outlet passageway. The region is configured to create a venturi effect at the air inlet when the liquid passes through the region so that air is drawn into the outlet passageway from the air inlet and a mixture of air and liquid is discharged from the outlet passageway. A dishwasher system incorporating such a spray arm assembly is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2015
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Alan Joseph Mitchell, Errin Whitney Gnadinger, Ronald Scott Tarr, Ramasamy Thiyagarajan
  • Publication number: 20150096310
    Abstract: An ice maker assembly and a method for operating an ice maker are provided. The method includes measuring a temperature of the ice maker and determining a first derivative of the temperature of the ice maker with respect to time. An operating state of the ice maker is established based at least in part on the temperature of the ice maker and the first derivative of the temperature of the ice maker with respect to time. Knowledge of the operating state of the ice maker can assist with preventing damage to a motor of the ice maker and with detecting super-cooled liquid water in a mold body of the ice maker.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 9, 2013
    Publication date: April 9, 2015
    Applicant: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Keith Wesley Wait, Alan Joseph Mitchell
  • Patent number: 8984899
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to an ice bucket for a refrigerator and methods of using the same. The ice bucket is mounted on a door of the refrigerator and includes a platform that is movable along a vertical axis from a lowered position at a bottom portion of the ice bucket to a raised position at a top portion of the ice bucket.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2015
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventor: Alan Joseph Mitchell
  • Patent number: 8955349
    Abstract: In certain embodiments of the present disclosure, a water filter assembly for a refrigerator is described. The water filter assembly includes a door that includes a mover element for engaging a removable water filter such that in the closed position the mover element holds the removable water filter water inlet and water outlet in fluid communication with the water inlet and water outlet, respectively, of a manifold assembly, and in the open position the mover element allows for removal of the removable water filter which is not in fluid communication with the manifold assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 17, 2015
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Alan Joseph Mitchell, Andrew Reinhard Krause
  • Patent number: 8925344
    Abstract: A fitting assembly is provided that includes a bracket comprising at least one fitting having a first opening and a second opening, in which the second opening includes at least one ledge on an inner sidewall of the fitting and the first opening is interconnected with a first tube, in which the bracket, the fittings and the first tube are a unitary structure. A seal assembly is present in the second opening of the at least one fitting of the bracket, and a second tube in engaged to the seal assembly. The seal assembly includes a frictional bore surface and at least one gasket, which are in contact with the second tube.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 6, 2015
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Alan Joseph Mitchell, Christopher David Hunter
  • Patent number: 8826683
    Abstract: An ice dispenser for a refrigeration appliance is provided that can deliver both crushed ice and whole or non-crushed ice. A rotating drum or cylinder carries one or more blades that can crush ice against non-rotating blades carried on an axis or rod that extends into the drum. The direction of rotation of the drum can be selected so as to determine whether crushed or non-crushed ice is dispensed. The dispensing system can be located on the door of the refrigerator. An ice maker can also be positioned with the ice dispenser on the door of the appliance or, optionally, can be located in a compartment of the refrigerator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 9, 2014
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Bart Andrew Nuss, Alan Joseph Mitchell
  • Patent number: 8813509
    Abstract: An ice making assembly for a refrigeration appliance includes an ice maker having a mold body defining a plurality of compartments for forming ice cubes therein, a heating element for heating the ice cubes to create a melted portion to assist in removal of the ice cubes from the compartment, and a harvesting assembly including a plurality of elements attached to a rotatable rod. Each element is movable via rotation of the rod through a respective one of the compartments to remove an ice cube from the compartment. Rotation of the rod stopping for a period of time at a stop position in which a removed ice cube can rest atop the harvesting assembly to refreeze the melted portion. Related refrigeration appliances are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 26, 2014
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Lorina June White, Alan Joseph Mitchell, Jeffrey Michael Colyer, Joseph Michael Hauser
  • Patent number: 8800314
    Abstract: An ice cube maker includes an ice-making compartment having side walls, at least one rod-shaped conductor extending distally into the compartment through one of the side walls, and a cooling device for cooling the conductor to a temperature sufficient to form ice on the conductor. A misting system includes a reservoir for water and a nebulizer for creating a liquid mist from water in the reservoir and introducing the liquid mist into the ice-making compartment so that a portion of the liquid mist freezes on the conductor to form a cup-shaped ice cube thereon. A return conduit connects a drain of the ice-making compartment and the reservoir for transferring liquid mist not freezing on the conductor to the reservoir.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 12, 2014
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventor: Alan Joseph Mitchell
  • Patent number: 8794722
    Abstract: A drawer assembly for an appliance is provided. The drawer assembly includes a container for receipt of items for storage and a linkage assembly positioned below the container. The container is supported by the linkage assembly such that the container is moveable along a transverse direction on the linkage assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 8, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 5, 2014
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Bart Andrew Nuss, Alan Joseph Mitchell
  • Publication number: 20140196493
    Abstract: A refrigerator appliance is provided. The refrigerator appliance includes an ice maker and a container. The ice maker directs ice into a storage volume of the container. The container is removably positioned within a fresh food chamber of the refrigerator appliance. A valve is mounted to the container and configured for regulating a flow of liquid out of the storage volume of the container.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 11, 2013
    Publication date: July 17, 2014
    Applicant: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventor: Alan Joseph Mitchell
  • Publication number: 20140191646
    Abstract: A drawer assembly for an appliance is provided. The drawer assembly includes a container for receipt of items for storage and a linkage assembly positioned below the container. The container is supported by the linkage assembly such that the container is moveable along a transverse direction on the linkage assembly.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 8, 2013
    Publication date: July 10, 2014
    Applicant: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Bart Andrew Nuss, Alan Joseph Mitchell
  • Publication number: 20140166784
    Abstract: A nozzle for dispensing water from an appliance is provided. The nozzle decreases the velocity of water flow so as to reduce or eliminate water splashing out of a consumer's container during dispensing while still providing a rate of flow sufficient to timely fill the container. The nozzle also retains sufficient capillary action so as to reduce or eliminate water draining from the dispenser after the consumer has removed the container. Additional aesthetic features may also be provided in certain exemplary embodiments.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 19, 2012
    Publication date: June 19, 2014
    Applicant: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventor: Alan Joseph Mitchell
  • Patent number: 8661841
    Abstract: An ice making assembly includes a support and a mold rotatably mounted to the support configured for forming an ice cube therein. The mold has a base, a side wall attached to the base, and an opening in the side wall spaced from the base. An auger has a shaft with a proximal end fixed to the base of the mold, a distal end outside of the mold, and a central section between the proximal end and the distal end and extending through the opening. The auger also has a threaded portion. An inner mold is non-rotatably fixed to the support and extends into the mold. The inner mold defines an outer shape of the ice cube. The inner mold has at least one wall non-concentric with reference to a center line of the auger. A motor rotates the mold and auger relative to the support and inner mold. The inner mold is configured to prevent the ice cube from rotating with the mold and auger, the auger thereby moving the ice cube out of the mold and the inner mold via the opening.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 4, 2014
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Alan Joseph Mitchell, Kevin Farrelly Nolan
  • Patent number: 8656728
    Abstract: An assembly for filtering water includes a housing and a water inlet for supplying unfiltered water to the housing. A water filter includes an outer casing attached to the housing in communication with the water inlet and a filter medium within the outer casing. The outer casing has at least one portion that is at least partially translucent. The water filter filters the unfiltered water through filter medium to provide filtered water. A water outlet is attached to the housing for transferring filtered water from the outer casing to a device via the housing. An illumination device is mounted adjacent to the outer casing for selectively illuminating the portion of the outer casing that is at least partially translucent. Related refrigeration appliances incorporating such devices are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2014
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventor: Alan Joseph Mitchell