Patents by Inventor Franco Germi

Franco Germi 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: 5157940
    Abstract: A refrigerator, freezer or the like comprises a cabinet (1), a pump (6) for producing vacuum and, in a refrigeration compartment (10) thereof, a container (17) closable in a vacuum-tight manner and able to be moved within said compartment (10), said container (17) comprising a lid (19) guided to open and close during its movement by elements (40) associated with said lid (19), which moves in guide tracks (41) provided in opposing walls (16) of said compartment (10) or in elements (42) associated with said walls (16), there being provided on said lid (19) mobile members (48) associated with pins (46, 50) acting as hinges about which, during the movement of said lid (19), said members (48) rotate under the action of a thrust exerted by pusher means (51), said movement taking (48), during their rotation about said pins (46, 50), exceed an equilibrium position beyond which the pusher means (51) act to provide independent guided movement of said lid (19).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 1991
    Date of Patent: October 27, 1992
    Assignee: Whirlpool International B.V.
    Inventors: Angelo Bertu, Giovanni Franzetti, Franco Germi
  • Patent number: 5095717
    Abstract: A refrigerating apparatus is provided which comprises a cabinet (1) with a refrigeration compartment (10) closable by a door (12), which compartment is connected to an evacuating system comprising a vacuum pump (6) arranged in the cabinet and an evacuation pipe (8) between the vacuum pump and said compartment. The apparatus comprises a container (17) closable in a vacuum-tight manner and movable within said compartment (10), and means for detachably connecting the inner space of the container (17) with the pipe (8) of the evacuating system. The means comprise a container pipe (23) provided in a wall (24) of the container (17) through which the inner space of the container can be evacuated, and a hollow elastic element (25) connected to one of the ends of the pipes (8,23) facing each other to form a detachable seal against the other end.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 1990
    Date of Patent: March 17, 1992
    Assignee: Whirlpool International B.V.
    Inventor: Franco Germi
  • Patent number: 4610375
    Abstract: A refrigerator door comprises an inner panel and an outer panel forming the wall of the door and has a drink container removably associated with the inner panel. A drink-delivery tube communicates with the interior of the container and is hingedly movable against a resilient bias from an inoperative position to a delivery position, the tube extending through the wall of the door and terminating in a spout. A slide is associated with the tube for effecting such movement thereof and is movable from the outside of the door in a vertical opening formed in the outer panel of the door wall. A compartment accessible from the outside of the door without opening the same is provided in the door, the compartment being divided into a lower compartment for placement of a cup and an upper compartment for reception of the tube spout. A pivotal partition controllable by the slide separates the lower compartment from the upper compartment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 1984
    Date of Patent: September 9, 1986
    Assignee: U.S. Philips Corporation
    Inventors: Franco Germi, Franco Moretti