Patents by Inventor Bradley Nicholas Gilkey
Bradley Nicholas Gilkey 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).
-
Publication number: 20240027127Abstract: A refrigerator appliance includes a cabinet defining a chilled chamber; a dispenser provided on the cabinet, the dispenser defining a dispenser recess, the dispenser including a nozzle for dispensing liquid water or ice; a user input provided on the dispenser; and one or more controllers operably connected with the dispenser, the one or more controllers configured to perform an operation. The operation includes receiving a first input signal apart from the appliance, the first input signal including a first requested volume of liquid; storing the first requested volume of liquid within the dispenser; directing an emission of a notification via the user input in response to storing the first requested volume of liquid; and initiating a dispensing action from the nozzle after directing the emission of the notification.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 21, 2022Publication date: January 25, 2024Inventors: Bradley Nicholas Gilkey, Stephanos Kyriacou
-
Patent number: 11629902Abstract: A refrigerator appliance, as disclosed herein, may include a cabinet, a door, a dispensing assembly, an ice-making assembly, and an ice storage bin. The door may define a dispenser recess having a transverse opening extending vertically from a top recess end to a bottom recess end and laterally from a first recess side to a second recess side. The dispensing assembly may be positioned within the dispenser recess and define an ice delivery passage. The ice-making assembly may be attached to the cabinet. The ice storage bin may include a bin body defining a storage cavity. The bin body may be selectively mounted to the door within the dispenser recess to receive ice from the dispensing assembly. The bin body may extend vertically from the top recess end to the bottom recess end and laterally from the first recess side to the second recess side.Type: GrantFiled: May 21, 2019Date of Patent: April 18, 2023Assignee: Haier US Appliance Solutions, Inc.Inventors: Charles Benjamin Miller, Lauren Nicole Platts, Louis A. Wantland, Jarvis Ward, Bradley Nicholas Gilkey, Michael C. Watanabe
-
Patent number: 11480378Abstract: A refrigerator appliance includes a cabinet, a door, and an ice bin. The ice bin may be removably received within a chilled chamber and include a bin body and a non-vertical auger. The bin body may define a storage volume to receive ice therein and a dispenser opening in fluid communication with the storage volume. The non-vertical auger may include a rotation shaft extending along a rotation axis and a cam disposed on the rotation shaft. The ice bin may include a kick plate within the storage volume. The cam on the non-vertical auger may actuate the kick plate.Type: GrantFiled: February 4, 2020Date of Patent: October 25, 2022Assignee: Haier US Appliance Solutions, Inc.Inventors: Louis A. Wantland, Bradley Nicholas Gilkey, Charles Benjamin Miller
-
Patent number: 11465081Abstract: A water filter assembly may include a filter body having vertical side walls that defines a cavity within which one or more filter layers may be housed, the filter body further including a plurality of vertical barriers that define a plurality of flow paths that converge on an outlet hole, the vertical barriers further including a plurality of cutouts defining alternative overflow paths permitting water therethrough, and each filter layer including a plurality of vertical barriers that define a plurality of flow paths.Type: GrantFiled: June 28, 2019Date of Patent: October 11, 2022Assignee: Haier US Appliance Solutions, Inc.Inventors: Danister Abeygunawardana, Andrew Reinhard Krause, Bradley Nicholas Gilkey, Gregory Sergeevich Chernov, Charles Benjamin Miller
-
Patent number: 11262116Abstract: A refrigerator appliance is provided, as provided herein, include a cabinet, a door, and an ice bin. The ice bin may be removably received within a chilled chamber and include a bin body and a non-vertical auger. The bin body may define a storage volume to receive ice therein and a dispenser opening in fluid communication with the storage volume. The non-vertical auger may include a rotation shaft extending along a rotation axis and an auger blade coiled about the rotation shaft. The auger blade may define an expanding radius along the rotation axis from a first blade end to a second blade end.Type: GrantFiled: May 3, 2019Date of Patent: March 1, 2022Assignee: Haier US Appliance Solutions, Inc.Inventors: Louis A. Wantland, Charles Benjamin Miller, Bradley Nicholas Gilkey
-
Patent number: 11243017Abstract: A plumbing system for an ice maker may include a supply line extending to a dispense point and a dispense valve coupled to the supply line. An ice maker is coupled to the recirculation line, and a pump is also coupled to the recirculation line. The pump is operable to recirculate liquid through the ice maker via the recirculation line. The plumbing system also include features for draining water from the recirculation line.Type: GrantFiled: September 9, 2019Date of Patent: February 8, 2022Assignee: Haier US Appliance Solutions, Inc.Inventors: Gregory Sergeevich Chernov, Bradley Nicholas Gilkey
-
Publication number: 20210239379Abstract: A refrigerator appliance includes a cabinet, a door, and an ice bin. The ice bin may be removably received within a chilled chamber and include a bin body and a non-vertical auger. The bin body may define a storage volume to receive ice therein and a dispenser opening in fluid communication with the storage volume. The non-vertical auger may include a rotation shaft extending along a rotation axis and a cam disposed on the rotation shaft. The ice bin may include a kick plate within the storage volume. The cam on the non-vertical auger may actuate the kick plate.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 4, 2020Publication date: August 5, 2021Inventors: Louis A. Wantland, Bradley Nicholas Gilkey, Charles Benjamin Miller
-
Publication number: 20210131714Abstract: A control method for a nugget ice maker includes setting the nugget ice maker to an ice formation operating state, monitoring a speed of a motor in the ice formation operating state, and switching the nugget ice maker from the ice formation operating state to an ice production operating state in response to the monitored speed of the motor in the ice formation operating state dropping below an ice formation speed threshold.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 31, 2019Publication date: May 6, 2021Inventors: Charles Benjamin Miller, Bradley Nicholas Gilkey
-
Publication number: 20210071928Abstract: A plumbing system for an ice maker may include a supply line extending to a dispense point and a dispense valve coupled to the supply line. An ice maker is coupled to the recirculation line, and a pump is also coupled to the recirculation line. The pump is operable to recirculate liquid through the ice maker via the recirculation line. The plumbing system also include features for draining water from the recirculation line.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 9, 2019Publication date: March 11, 2021Inventors: Gregory Sergeevich Chernov, Bradley Nicholas Gilkey
-
Publication number: 20200406172Abstract: A water filter assembly may include a filter body having vertical side walls that defines a cavity within which one or more filter layers may be housed, the filter body further including a plurality of vertical barriers that define a plurality of flow paths that converge on an outlet hole, the vertical barriers further including a plurality of cutouts defining alternative overflow paths permitting water therethrough, and each filter layer including a plurality of vertical barriers that define a plurality of flow paths.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 28, 2019Publication date: December 31, 2020Inventors: Danister Abeygunawardana, Andrew Reinhard Krause, Bradley Nicholas Gilkey, Gregory Sergeevich Chernov, Charles Benjamin Miller
-
Publication number: 20200370813Abstract: A refrigerator appliance, as disclosed herein, may include a cabinet, a door, a dispensing assembly, an ice-making assembly, and an ice storage bin. The door may define a dispenser recess having a transverse opening extending vertically from a top recess end to a bottom recess end and laterally from a first recess side to a second recess side. The dispensing assembly may be positioned within the dispenser recess and define an ice delivery passage. The ice-making assembly may be attached to the cabinet. The ice storage bin may include a bin body defining a storage cavity. The bin body may be selectively mounted to the door within the dispenser recess to receive ice from the dispensing assembly. The bin body may extend vertically from the top recess end to the bottom recess end and laterally from the first recess side to the second recess side.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 21, 2019Publication date: November 26, 2020Inventors: Charles Benjamin Miller, Lauren Nicole Platts, Louis A. Wantland, Jarvis Ward, Bradley Nicholas Gilkey, Michael C. Watanabe
-
Publication number: 20200348070Abstract: A refrigerator appliance is provided, as provided herein, include a cabinet, a door, and an ice bin. The ice bin may be removably received within a chilled chamber and include a bin body and a non-vertical auger. The bin body may define a storage volume to receive ice therein and a dispenser opening in fluid communication with the storage volume. The non-vertical auger may include a rotation shaft extending along a rotation axis and an auger blade coiled about the rotation shaft. The auger blade may define an expanding radius along the rotation axis from a first blade end to a second blade end.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 3, 2019Publication date: November 5, 2020Inventors: Louis A. Wantland, Charles Benjamin Miller, Bradley Nicholas Gilkey
-
Patent number: 10760846Abstract: A refrigerator appliance having an ice making assembly is provided herein. The refrigerator appliance may include a cabinet, an icemaker attached to the cabinet, an ice bin, a support tray, a fluid filter, a liquid storage volume, and a fluid pump. The ice bin may define a bin outlet at a bottom end. The support tray may be positioned below the bin outlet to receive water therefrom. The support tray may define an inclined groove extending downward toward a tray outlet. The fluid filter may be positioned below the support tray. A filter inlet may be positioned downstream from the tray outlet. A filter outlet may be positioned below the filter inlet along the vertical direction. The liquid storage volume may be positioned below the filter outlet and downstream therefrom. The fluid pump may be positioned in fluid communication between the liquid storage volume and the icemaker.Type: GrantFiled: January 11, 2019Date of Patent: September 1, 2020Assignee: Haier US Appliance Solutions, Inc.Inventors: Santhosh Kandi, Charles Benjamin Miller, Bradley Nicholas Gilkey, Gregory Sergeevich Chernov
-
Publication number: 20200224949Abstract: A refrigerator appliance having an ice making assembly is provided herein. The refrigerator appliance may include a cabinet, an icemaker attached to the cabinet, an ice bin, a support tray, a fluid filter, a liquid storage volume, and a fluid pump. The ice bin may define a bin outlet at a bottom end. The support tray may be positioned below the bin outlet to receive water therefrom. The support tray may define an inclined groove extending downward toward a tray outlet. The fluid filter may be positioned below the support tray. A filter inlet may be positioned downstream from the tray outlet. A filter outlet may be positioned below the filter inlet along the vertical direction. The liquid storage volume may be positioned below the filter outlet and downstream therefrom. The fluid pump may be positioned in fluid communication between the liquid storage volume and the icemaker.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 11, 2019Publication date: July 16, 2020Inventors: Santhosh Kandi, Charles Benjamin Miller, Bradley Nicholas Gilkey, Gregory Sergeevich Chernov
-
Patent number: 10641536Abstract: A refrigerator appliance and ice bin assembly therefor are provided herein. The ice bin may include a bin body, an ice sweep, a sweep gear, and a drive gear. The bin body may define a storage volume to receive ice therein. The ice sweep may be positioned below the storage volume. The sweep gear may be rotatable about a sweep axis. The drive gear may be positioned in mechanical communication with the sweep gear. The drive gear may be rotatable about a drive axis, the drive axis extending along a non-parallel angle relative to the sweep axis.Type: GrantFiled: August 21, 2018Date of Patent: May 5, 2020Assignee: Haier US Appliance Solutions, Inc.Inventors: Louis A. Wantland, Bradley Nicholas Gilkey, Charles Benjamin Miller, Sateesh Kumar Kudikala
-
Patent number: 10578347Abstract: An ice dispensing assembly is provided that can be mounted within an appliance, such as a refrigerator appliance. The ice dispensing assembly includes an ice dispenser crusher mechanism having features that facilitate dispensing and crushing of ice. The construction of dispenser crusher mechanism provides a horizontal axis motor coupling with a vertical axis agitator and crusher for dispensing and crushing ice.Type: GrantFiled: May 30, 2018Date of Patent: March 3, 2020Assignee: Haier US Appliance Solutions, Inc.Inventors: Charles Benjamin Miller, Bradley Nicholas Gilkey, Ansuraj Seenivasan, Bart Andrew Nuss, Alan Joseph Mitchell
-
Publication number: 20200064044Abstract: A refrigerator appliance and ice bin assembly therefor are provided herein. The ice bin may include a bin body, an ice sweep, a sweep gear, and a drive gear. The bin body may define a storage volume to receive ice therein. The ice sweep may be positioned below the storage volume. The sweep gear may be rotatable about a sweep axis. The drive gear may be positioned in mechanical communication with the sweep gear. The drive gear may be rotatable about a drive axis, the drive axis extending along a non-parallel angle relative to the sweep axis.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 21, 2018Publication date: February 27, 2020Inventors: Louis A. Wantland, Bradley Nicholas Gilkey, Charles Benjamin Miller, Sateesh Kumar Kudikala
-
Publication number: 20190368798Abstract: An ice dispensing assembly is provided that can be mounted within an appliance, such as a refrigerator appliance. The ice dispensing assembly includes an ice dispenser crusher mechanism having features that facilitate dispensing and crushing of ice. The construction of dispenser crusher mechanism provides a horizontal axis motor coupling with a vertical axis agitator and crusher for dispensing and crushing ice.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 30, 2018Publication date: December 5, 2019Inventors: Charles Benjamin Miller, Bradley Nicholas Gilkey, Ansuraj Seenivasan, Bart Andrew Nuss, Alan Joseph Mitchell
-
Patent number: 10352610Abstract: A refrigerator appliance is generally provided herein. The refrigerator appliance may include a cabinet, an icebox liner, an icemaker, an ice bin, and a circulation duct. The cabinet may define a one or more chilled chambers. The icebox liner may be attached to the cabinet. The icebox liner may define a sub-compartment in which the icemaker may be mounted. The ice bin may define a storage volume within the sub-compartment to receive ice from the icemaker. The circulation duct may extend within the sub-compartment in conductive thermal communication with the icemaker. The circulation duct may define an air passage in fluid communication with one of the chilled chambers and fluid isolation from the storage volume.Type: GrantFiled: September 27, 2017Date of Patent: July 16, 2019Assignee: Haier US Appliance Solutions, Inc.Inventors: Charles Benjamin Miller, Bradley Nicholas Gilkey
-
Publication number: 20190093938Abstract: A refrigerator appliance is generally provided herein. The refrigerator appliance may include a cabinet, an icebox liner, an icemaker, an ice bin, and a circulation duct. The cabinet may define a one or more chilled chambers. The icebox liner may be attached to the cabinet. The icebox liner may define a sub-compartment in which the icemaker may be mounted. The ice bin may define a storage volume within the sub-compartment to receive ice from the icemaker. The circulation duct may extend within the sub-compartment in conductive thermal communication with the icemaker. The circulation duct may define an air passage in fluid communication with one of the chilled chambers and fluid isolation from the storage volume.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 27, 2017Publication date: March 28, 2019Inventors: Charles Benjamin Miller, Bradley Nicholas Gilkey