Patents by Inventor Richard Allan Kirchner

Richard Allan Kirchner 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: 7008032
    Abstract: A refrigerator includes French-style doors and a rotating mullion. The rotating mullion is mounted to one of the French-style doors through first and second hinge members. Each of the first and second hinge members include first and second hinge elements having corresponding cam members. The cam members include multiple lobes and extend about hinge pins that define an axis of rotation for the mullion. The multiple lobes actually define first and second detent positions for the rotating mullion. A spring biases the first cam member against the second cam member so that the rotating mullion is positively maintained in either the first or second position. The mullion is formed from mating halves, each including a portion of an integrally formed pin element. The pin element travels within a guide element to automatically rotate the mullion between the first and second positions during use.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2006
    Assignee: Maytag Corporation
    Inventors: Raymond J. Chekal, Richard Allan Kirchner, Jeffrey Michael O'Halloran, Chad Jonathan Rotter, Greg A. Scorpil, Jack J. Standefer, David Allen Stauffer
  • Patent number: D495719
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 2003
    Date of Patent: September 7, 2004
    Assignee: Maytag Corporation
    Inventors: Richard Allan Kirchner, Brian S. Guptill, Steven G. Herndon, John J. Pink, Greg A. Scorpil