Patents by Inventor Richard Bruce Mills

Richard Bruce Mills 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: 7744173
    Abstract: A refrigerator is provided with a cabinet having a door that is openable by a user to provide access to a refrigeration compartment. A storage bin is located in the refrigeration compartment and accessible upon the opening of the cabinet door. A mounting system is arranged for the storage bin, supporting the storage bin for movement into and out of the refrigeration compartment. A latch is carried on the cabinet door to be selectively engaged by the user with a latch receiving portion of the storage bin. When the latch is engaged with the latch receiving portion, the storage bin will be pulled out of the refrigerator upon the opening of the cabinet door, and when the latch is disengaged from the latch receiving portion, the storage bin will remain in the refrigeration compartment, unless manually moved by the user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 29, 2010
    Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
    Inventors: Frank Weston Maglinger, Martin Shawn Egan, Aidan C. Kunkle, Richard Bruce Mills
  • Patent number: 7594707
    Abstract: A snap-in rack and pinion stabilizing system for a cabinet drawer including first and second slide assemblies mounted in the cabinet, a rack gear connected to each of the first and second slide assemblies, and spaced mounting brackets connected to the drawer having opposite sides and a bottom edge. The rack and pinion stabilizing system also includes a snap-on pinion gear assembly including a shaft, first and second pinion gears mounted on opposite ends of the shaft, and first and second bearing brackets. The bearing brackets rotatably support the shaft and are arranged to snap-in to latch surfaces on the mounting brackets with the pinion gears engaging the rack gears.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 15, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 29, 2009
    Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
    Inventors: Aidan Carl Kunkle, Frank Weston Maglinger, Richard Bruce Mills, Daryl Lee Reuter
  • Publication number: 20090045713
    Abstract: A snap-in rack and pinion stabilizing system for a cabinet drawer including first and second slide assemblies mounted in the cabinet, a rack gear connected to each of the first and second slide assemblies, and spaced mounting brackets connected to the drawer having opposite sides and a bottom edge. The rack and pinion stabilizing system also includes a snap-on pinion gear assembly including a shaft, first and second pinion gears mounted on opposite ends of the shaft, and first and second bearing brackets. The bearing brackets rotatably support the shaft and are arranged to snap-in to latch surfaces on the mounting brackets with the pinion gears engaging the rack gears.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 15, 2007
    Publication date: February 19, 2009
    Applicant: WHIRLPOOL CORPORATION
    Inventors: AIDAN CARL KUNKLE, FRANK WESTON MAGLINGER, RICHARD BRUCE MILLS, DARYL LEE REUTER