Patents by Inventor Brian Culley
Brian Culley 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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Patent number: 11859886Abstract: An ice making assembly includes a conductive ice mold, an insulator ice mold, and an external insulator jacket. The conductive ice mold extends along a vertical direction between a top conductive mold end and a bottom conductive mold end. The conductive ice mold defines a mold cavity having a vertical opening at the top conductive mold end. The insulator ice mold is selectively received on the conductive ice mold and covers the vertical opening. The insulator ice mold defines an internal water passage extending above the mold cavity in fluid communication with the mold cavity. The external insulator jacket is selectively received on the insulator ice mold and covers the internal water passage.Type: GrantFiled: August 11, 2021Date of Patent: January 2, 2024Assignee: Haier US Appliance Solutions, Inc.Inventor: Brian Culley
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Patent number: 11781804Abstract: A refrigerator appliance or door assembly may include an enclosing body, a liquid reservoir, a level sensor, a water valve, and a liquid dispenser. The enclosing body may define an exterior surface and an interior surface. The liquid reservoir may be defined within the enclosing body between the exterior surface and the interior surface. The level sensor may be mounted to the liquid reservoir. The level sensor may be configured to detect a water volume within the liquid reservoir. The water valve may be mounted upstream from the liquid reservoir to selectively direct water thereto based on the detected water volume. The liquid dispenser may extend from the liquid reservoir and through the interior surface to an outlet aperture to selectively dispense water from the liquid reservoir.Type: GrantFiled: July 15, 2021Date of Patent: October 10, 2023Assignee: Haier US Appliance Solutions, Inc.Inventor: Brian Culley
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Publication number: 20230045814Abstract: An ice making assembly may include a conductive ice mold, an insulator ice mold, and an external insulator jacket. The conductive ice mold may extend along a vertical direction between a top conductive mold end and a bottom conductive mold end. The conductive ice mold may define a mold cavity having a vertical opening at the top conductive mold end. The insulator ice mold may be selectively received on the conductive ice mold and cover the vertical opening. The insulator ice mold may define an internal water passage extending above the mold cavity in fluid communication with the mold cavity. The external insulator jacket may be selectively received on the insulator ice mold and cover the internal water passage.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 11, 2021Publication date: February 16, 2023Inventor: Brian Culley
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Publication number: 20230017587Abstract: A refrigerator appliance or door assembly may include an enclosing body, a liquid reservoir, a level sensor, a water valve, and a liquid dispenser. The enclosing body may define an exterior surface and an interior surface. The liquid reservoir may be defined within the enclosing body between the exterior surface and the interior surface. The level sensor may be mounted to the liquid reservoir. The level sensor may be configured to detect a water volume within the liquid reservoir. The water valve may be mounted upstream from the liquid reservoir to selectively direct water thereto based on the detected water volume. The liquid dispenser may extend from the liquid reservoir and through the interior surface to an outlet aperture to selectively dispense water from the liquid reservoir.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 15, 2021Publication date: January 19, 2023Inventor: Brian Culley
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Patent number: 10655901Abstract: A refrigerator that has a fresh food compartment, a freezer compartment, and a door that provides access to the fresh food compartment is disclosed. An icemaker is mounted remotely from the freezer compartment. The icemaker includes an ice mold. A thermoelectric device is provided and includes a warm side and an opposite cold side. A fluid pathway is connected in communication between the cold side of the thermoelectric device and the icemaker. A pump moves fluid from the cold side of the thermoelectric device to the icemaker. Cold fluid or air may be taken from the freezer compartment to dissipate heat from the warm side of the thermoelectric device for providing cold fluid to and for cooling the ice mold or cool/warm fluid to other cooling or warming applications in the refrigerator compartment or on the refrigerator compartment door.Type: GrantFiled: August 22, 2017Date of Patent: May 19, 2020Assignee: WHIRLPOOL CORPORATIONInventors: Patrick Boarman, Brian Culley, Gregory Hortin
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Patent number: 10415876Abstract: A handle lighting assembly for an appliance includes features that allow a consumer to readily change the color of the light emitted from the handle lighting assembly as desired. In one exemplary aspect, the handle lighting assembly includes features that allow a consumer to readily interchange colored films to and from the handle lighting assembly based on the desired emitted light color.Type: GrantFiled: July 11, 2017Date of Patent: September 17, 2019Assignee: Haier US Appliance Solutions, Inc.Inventors: Jill Snyder, Brian Culley, Kari Mueller
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Patent number: 10267554Abstract: A refrigerator appliance includes a cabinet defining a chamber and a door coupled to the cabinet. The door is rotatable between a closed position and an open position to selectively sealingly enclose the chamber. The refrigerator appliance also includes a mullion rotatably coupled to the door via a hinge. The mullion is rotatable between a first position and a second position. The hinge includes a pivot member and a biasing element configured to retain the mullion in the first position and the second position.Type: GrantFiled: August 10, 2017Date of Patent: April 23, 2019Assignee: Haier US Appliance Solutions, Inc.Inventors: Daryl Lee Reuter, Brian Culley
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Patent number: 10260261Abstract: A refrigerator appliance includes a cabinet with a door positioned at the front of the cabinet. The refrigerator appliance also includes a hinge having a hinge bracket coupled to the cabinet. The hinge bracket includes a lateral plate. A pivot pin is received in the lateral plate. The door is rotatably coupled to the pivot plate. A lateral surface of the door is spaced apart from the lateral plate of the hinge bracket along the vertical direction by a height. An adjustable spacer is positioned between the lateral plate of the hinge bracket and the lateral surface of the door to adjust the height. The adjustable spacer includes a rotatable washer and a fixed washer abutting the rotatable washer. The rotatable washer includes a first inclined engagement surface and a second inclined engagement surface. The fixed washer includes a third inclined engagement surface and a fourth inclined engagement surface.Type: GrantFiled: June 28, 2017Date of Patent: April 16, 2019Assignee: HAIER US APPLIANCE SOLUTIONS, INC.Inventors: Daryl Lee Reuter, Brian Culley
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Publication number: 20190049170Abstract: A refrigerator appliance includes a cabinet defining a chamber and a door coupled to the cabinet. The door is rotatable between a closed position and an open position to selectively sealingly enclose the chamber. The refrigerator appliance also includes a mullion rotatably coupled to the door via a hinge. The mullion is rotatable between a first position and a second position. The hinge includes a pivot member and a biasing element configured to retain the mullion in the first position and the second position.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 10, 2017Publication date: February 14, 2019Inventors: Daryl Lee Reuter, Brian Culley
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Publication number: 20190003224Abstract: A refrigerator appliance includes a cabinet with a door positioned at the front of the cabinet. The refrigerator appliance also includes a hinge having a hinge bracket coupled to the cabinet. The hinge bracket includes a lateral plate. A pivot pin is received in the lateral plate. The door is rotatably coupled to the pivot plate. A lateral surface of the door is spaced apart from the lateral plate of the hinge bracket along the vertical direction by a height. An adjustable spacer is positioned between the lateral plate of the hinge bracket and the lateral surface of the door to adjust the height. The adjustable spacer includes a rotatable washer and a fixed washer abutting the rotatable washer. The rotatable washer includes a first inclined engagement surface and a second inclined engagement surface. The fixed washer includes a third inclined engagement surface and a fourth inclined engagement surface.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 28, 2017Publication date: January 3, 2019Inventors: Daryl Lee Reuter, Brian Culley
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Publication number: 20180010846Abstract: A handle lighting assembly for an appliance includes features that allow a consumer to readily change the color of the light emitted from the handle lighting assembly as desired. In one exemplary aspect, the handle lighting assembly includes features that allow a consumer to readily interchange colored films to and from the handle lighting assembly based on the desired emitted light color.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 11, 2017Publication date: January 11, 2018Inventors: Jill Snyder, Brian Culley, Kari Mueller
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Publication number: 20170350634Abstract: A refrigerator that has a fresh food compartment, a freezer compartment, and a door that provides access to the fresh food compartment is disclosed. An icemaker is mounted remotely from the freezer compartment. The icemaker includes an ice mold. A thermoelectric device is provided and includes a warm side and an opposite cold side. A fluid pathway is connected in communication between the cold side of the thermoelectric device and the icemaker. A pump moves fluid from the cold side of the thermoelectric device to the icemaker. Cold fluid or air may be taken from the freezer compartment to dissipate heat from the warm side of the thermoelectric device for providing cold fluid to and for cooling the ice mold or cool/warm fluid to other cooling or warming applications in the refrigerator compartment or on the refrigerator compartment door.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 22, 2017Publication date: December 7, 2017Inventors: Patrick BOARMAN, Brian Culley, Gregory Hortin
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Publication number: 20070180655Abstract: A top hinge is provided for a refrigerator cabinet door. A hinge body is formed of plastic having a top surface and a bottom surface. A hinge pin extends substantially perpendicularly from the bottom surface of the hinge body. One or more points of attachment are formed on the hinge body. An axis of twist passes through a center of the hinge pin and an effective center of attachment. At least a first rib and a second rib extend from the bottom surface of the hinge body. The ribs extend along a length of the bottom surface at an oblique angle relative to the axis of twist and diverge from each other by an angle of at least about 60 degrees.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 8, 2006Publication date: August 9, 2007Inventors: Jimmy Gandevia, Kenneth Rasche, Steven Tolliver, Brian Culley, Daryl Reuter, Matthew Burdette