Patents by Inventor Bill J. Koons
Bill J. Koons 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).
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Publication number: 20120000234Abstract: A bottom mount household refrigerator is provided with an apparatus to permit the dispensing of ice. According to one embodiment, a sealed ice making compartment is provided within the fresh food compartment. The sealed ice making compartment may be located at the bottom, at the top, or along a side wall within the fresh food compartment. According to another embodiment, ice is made in the ice compartment, and lifted upward to a dispensing location through the door of the fresh food compartment.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 8, 2011Publication date: January 5, 2012Applicant: MAYTAG CORPORATIONInventors: Joseph R. Adamski, Jason Colsch, Tim L. Coulter, Glenn E. Goetz, Steven G. Herndon, Todd E. Kniffen, Bill J. Koons, Lou Montuoro, John H. Tenhundfeld, David Thalacker, Brett Vladika
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Publication number: 20110101033Abstract: An ice-containing member having a plurality of interior chambers separated by substantially radially-extending chamber walls. A base is disposed below the ice-containing member and includes an ice-dispensing aperture. A lid is adjacent to the ice-containing member and operable between a first position. The lid is in abutting contact with the ice-containing member and a second position. The lid is spaced a predetermined distance from the housing.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 4, 2009Publication date: May 5, 2011Applicant: WHIRLPOOL CORPORATIONInventors: BILL J. KOONS, DAVID J. OLBERDING
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Publication number: 20100293984Abstract: A bottom mount household refrigerator is provided with an apparatus to permit the dispensing of ice. According to one embodiment, a sealed ice making compartment is provided within the fresh food compartment. The sealed ice making compartment may be located at the bottom, at the top, or along a side wall within the fresh food compartment. According to another embodiment, ice is made in the ice compartment, and lifted upward to a dispensing location through the door of the fresh food compartment.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 5, 2010Publication date: November 25, 2010Applicant: WHIRLPOOL CORPORATIONInventors: JOSEPH R. ADAMSKI, JASON COLSCH, TIM L. COULTER, GLENN E. GOETZ, STEVEN G. HERNDON, TODD E. KNIFFEN, BILL J. KOONS, LOU MONTUORO, JOHN H. TENHUNDFELD, DAVID THALACKER, BRETT VLADIKA
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Publication number: 20090277210Abstract: A bottom mount refrigerator is provided with a pantry compartment that is accessible from outside the refrigerator by pulling open an easy access pantry drawer without the need to first open the fresh food compartment or the freezer compartment. A divider between the pantry compartment and the fresh food compartment is formed by a secondary mullion and a transparent shelf. The secondary mullion is provided with a light source for illuminating the contents of the pantry drawer. A light source at the rear of the pantry compartment shines generally forwardly and upwardly to illuminate the fresh food compartment.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 21, 2009Publication date: November 12, 2009Applicant: WHIRLPOOL CORPORATIONInventors: MICHAEL J. EVELAND, STEVEN G. HERNDON, TODD E. KNIFFEN, BILL J. KOONS
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Patent number: 7568354Abstract: An insulated ice making compartment is provided in the fresh food compartment of a bottom mount refrigerator. The ice making compartment may be integrally formed with the liner of the fresh food compartment, or alternatively, may be modular for installation anywhere in the fresh food compartment. A removable bin assembly with a front cover normally seals the ice making compartment to maintain the temperature in the compartment. A cold air duct formed in the rear wall of the refrigerator supplies cold air from the freezer compartment to the ice making compartment. A return air duct directs a portion of the air from the ice making compartment back to the freezer compartment. An air vent in the ice making compartment directs another portion of air into the fresh food compartment. A control system provides for controlling refrigerator functions in a manner that promotes energy efficiency. The refrigerator has an improved water fill tube for the ice maker.Type: GrantFiled: June 29, 2006Date of Patent: August 4, 2009Assignee: Maytag CorporationInventors: Tim L. Coulter, Thomas E. Gose, Steven G. Herndon, James H. Jenkins, Jr., Bill J. Koons, Brent A. Kramer, Scott W. Leimkuehler, Dean A. Martin, Alvin V. Miller, Kevin Lee Noel, Mauro M. Oliveira, Lester J. Ott, Ron S. Paulsen, Chad J. Rotter, David Allen Stauffer, Kyle B. Van Meter, Alan M. Welch, Robert L. Wetekamp
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Patent number: 7552594Abstract: An insulated ice making compartment is provided in the fresh food compartment of a bottom mount refrigerator. The ice making compartment may be integrally formed with the liner of the fresh food compartment, or alternatively, may be modular for installation anywhere in the fresh food compartment. A removable bin assembly with a front cover normally seals the ice making compartment to maintain the temperature in the compartment. A cold air duct formed in the rear wall of the refrigerator supplies cold air from the freezer compartment to the ice making compartment. A return air duct directs a portion of the air from the ice making compartment back to the freezer compartment. An air vent in the ice making compartment directs another portion of air into the fresh food compartment. A control system provides for controlling refrigerator functions in a manner that promotes energy efficiency. The icemaker has improved air impingement to enhance ice making.Type: GrantFiled: June 29, 2006Date of Patent: June 30, 2009Assignee: Maytag CorporationInventors: Tim L. Coulter, Thomas E. Gose, Steven G. Herndon, James H. Jenkins, Jr., Bill J. Koons, Brent A. Kramer, Scott W. Leimkuehler, Dean A. Martin, Alvin V. Miller, Kevin Lee Noel, Mauro M. Oliveira, Lester J. Ott, Ron S. Paulsen, Chad J. Rotter, David Allen Stauffer, Kyle B. Van Meter, Alan M. Welch, Robert L. Wetekamp
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Patent number: 7386992Abstract: A bottom mount household refrigerator is provided with an ice dispenser in the fresh food door to dispense ice from a sealed ice making compartment within the fresh food compartment. A conveyor carries ice from a storage bin in the ice compartment to the dispenser.Type: GrantFiled: June 2, 2006Date of Patent: June 17, 2008Assignee: Whirlpool CorporationInventors: Joseph R. Adamski, Jason Colsch, Tim L. Coulter, Glenn E. Goetz, Steven G. Herndon, Todd E. Kniffen, Bill J. Koons, Lou Montuoro, John H. Tenhundfeld, David Thalacker, Brett Vladika
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Patent number: 7337620Abstract: An insulated icemaking compartment is provided in the fresh food compartment of a bottom mount refrigerator. The icemaking compartment may be integrally formed with the liner of the fresh food compartment, or alternatively, may be modular for installation anywhere in the fresh food compartment. A removable bin assembly with a front cover normally seals the icemaking compartment to maintain the temperature in the compartment. A cold air duct formed in the rear wall of the refrigerator supplies cold air from the freezer compartment to the icemaking compartment. A return air duct directs a portion of the air from the icemaking compartment back to the freezer compartment. An air vent in the icemaking compartment directs another portion of air into the fresh food compartment. A control system provides for controlling refrigerator functions in a manner that promotes energy efficiency.Type: GrantFiled: May 27, 2005Date of Patent: March 4, 2008Assignee: Whirlpool CorporationInventors: Tim L. Coulter, Thomas E. Gose, Steven G. Herndon, James H. Jenkins, Jr., Bill J. Koons, Brent A. Kramer, Scott W. Leimkuehler, Dean A. Martin, Alvin V. Miller, Kevin Lee Noel, Mauro M. Oliveira, Lester J. Ott, Ron S. Paulsen, Chad J. Rotter, David Allen Stauffer, Kyle B. Van Meter, Alan M. Welch, Robert L. Wetekamp
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Patent number: 7287397Abstract: An insulated ice making compartment is provided in the fresh food compartment of a bottom mount refrigerator. The ice making compartment may be integrally formed with the liner of the fresh food compartment, or alternatively, may be modular for installation anywhere in the fresh food compartment. A removable bin assembly with a front cover normally seals the ice making compartment to maintain the temperature in the compartment. A cold air duct formed in the rear wall of the refrigerator supplies cold air from the freezer compartment to the ice making compartment. A return air duct directs a portion of the air from the ice making compartment back to the freezer compartment. An air vent in the ice making compartment directs another portion of air into the fresh food compartment. A control system provides for controlling refrigerator functions in a manner that promotes energy efficiency. The refrigerator has a modular water tank assembly housed in a cavity in the back wall of the cabinet.Type: GrantFiled: June 29, 2006Date of Patent: October 30, 2007Assignee: Whirlpool CorporationInventors: Tim L. Coulter, Thomas E. Gose, Steven G. Herndon, James H. Jenkins, Jr., Bill J. Koons, Brent A. Kramer, Scott W. Leimkuehler, Dean A. Martin, Alvin V. Miller, Kevin Lee Noel, Ron S. Paulsen, Lester J. Ott, Chad J. Rotter, David Allen Stauffer, Kyle B. Van Meter, Alan M. Welch, Robert L. Wetekamp, Mauro M. Oliveira
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Patent number: 7240980Abstract: A freezer drawer support assembly is provided for a refrigerator including an upper fresh food compartment and a lower freezer compartment having a rearwardly tapering liner. The support assembly includes a pair of side adapters which compensate for the tapering of the liner, while defining both channels for the attachment of extensible drawer slides, to which a freezer door and a slidable basket is attached, and ledges for slidably supporting another basket. Preferably, the side adapters mate with groove and ledge structure formed into the liner to enhance the transfer of weight from the baskets, while enabling a refrigerator liner designed to directly support one or more slidable baskets to indirectly support multiple baskets which can be slid relative to each other.Type: GrantFiled: October 14, 2005Date of Patent: July 10, 2007Assignee: Whirlpool CorporationInventor: Bill J. Koons
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Patent number: 6971730Abstract: A freezer drawer support assembly is provided for a refrigerator including an upper fresh food compartment and a lower freezer compartment having a rearwardly tapering liner. The support assembly includes a pair of side adapters which compensate for the tapering of the liner, while defining both channels for the attachment of extensible drawer slides, to which a freezer door and a slidable basket is attached, and ledges for slidably supporting another basket. Preferably, the side adapters mate with groove and ledge structure formed into the liner to enhance the transfer of weight from the baskets, while enabling a refrigerator liner designed to directly support one or more slidable baskets to indirectly support multiple baskets which can be slid relative to each other.Type: GrantFiled: March 6, 2003Date of Patent: December 6, 2005Assignee: Maytag CorporationInventor: Bill J. Koons
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Patent number: 6961988Abstract: A freezer door, adapted to be slidably attached to a refrigerator cabinet, includes a metal outer door pan defining an internal cavity, a plurality of plastic corner brackets positioned in the internal cavity, and an inner door liner attached to the outer door pan. A pair vertical support brackets, used to connect the freezer door to slide support members of the refrigerator cabinet, are attached to the outer door pan with mechanical fasteners extending through slots formed in the inner door liner and being secured to the corner brackets.Type: GrantFiled: July 26, 2004Date of Patent: November 8, 2005Assignee: Maytag CorporationInventor: Bill J. Koons
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Publication number: 20040256965Abstract: A freezer door, adapted to be slidably attached to a refrigerator cabinet, includes a metal outer door pan defining an internal cavity, a plurality of plastic corner brackets positioned in the internal cavity, and an inner door liner attached to the outer door pan. A pair vertical support brackets, used to connect the freezer door to slide support members of the refrigerator cabinet, are attached to the outer door pan with mechanical fasteners extending through slots formed in the inner door liner and being secured to the corner brackets.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 26, 2004Publication date: December 23, 2004Inventor: Bill J. Koons
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Patent number: 6779859Abstract: A freezer door, adapted to be slidably attached to a refrigerator cabinet, includes a metal outer door pan defining an internal cavity, a plurality of plastic corner brackets positioned in the internal cavity, and an inner door liner attached to the outer door pan. A pair of vertical support brackets, used to connect the freezer door to slide support members of the refrigerator cabinet, are attached to the outer door pan with mechanical fasteners extending through slots formed in the inner door liner and being secured to the corner brackets.Type: GrantFiled: March 6, 2003Date of Patent: August 24, 2004Assignee: Maytag CorporationInventor: Bill J. Koons
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Publication number: 20030173882Abstract: A freezer drawer support assembly is provided for a refrigerator including an upper fresh food compartment and a lower freezer compartment having a rearwardly tapering liner. The support assembly includes a pair of side adapters which compensate for the tapering of the liner, while defining both channels for the attachment of extensible drawer slides, to which a freezer door and a slidable basket is attached, and ledges for slidably supporting another basket. Preferably, the side adapters mate with groove and ledge structure formed into the liner to enhance the transfer of weight from the baskets, while enabling a refrigerator liner designed to directly support one or more slidable baskets to indirectly support multiple baskets which can be slid relative to each other.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 6, 2003Publication date: September 18, 2003Applicant: Maytag CorporationInventor: Bill J. Koons
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Publication number: 20030173883Abstract: A freezer door, adapted to be slidably attached to a refrigerator cabinet, includes a metal outer door pan defining an internal cavity, a plurality of plastic corner brackets positioned in the internal cavity, and an inner door liner attached to the outer door pan. A pair vertical support brackets, used to connect the freezer door to slide support members of the refrigerator cabinet, are attached to the outer door pan with mechanical fasteners extending through slots formed in the inner door liner and being secured to the corner brackets.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 6, 2003Publication date: September 18, 2003Applicant: Maytag CorporationInventor: Bill J. Koons
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Patent number: D549745Type: GrantFiled: May 27, 2005Date of Patent: August 28, 2007Assignee: Maytag CorporationInventors: Tim L. Coulter, Steven G. Herndon, Bill J. Koons, Dean A. Martin, Kevin Lee Noel, Lester J. Ott, Ron S. Paulsen, Kyle B. Van Meter