Plural Cooled Compartments Patents (Class 62/441)
  • Patent number: 8438872
    Abstract: A refrigerator and its operation method are disclosed. Cool air ducts guide cool air from a freezing compartment to an ice compartment that is positioned at a refrigerating compartment door. At least a portion of the cool air ducts are located at a barrier that separates the freezing compartment and the refrigerating compartment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2013
    Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Young-Hoon Yun, Bong-Jin Kim, Sang-Heon Lee, Seong-Jae Kim
  • Patent number: 8438871
    Abstract: A refrigerator door having a dispenser is disclosed. The refrigerator door includes an outer case forming a front appearance of the refrigerator door, an inner case forming a rear appearance of the refrigerator door, and an insulation layer disposed between the outer case and the inner case. First and second mounting frames are installed at both side ends of the refrigerator door and have first and second mounting slots longitudinally formed in the first and second mounting frames in opposition to each other. The dispenser is detachably coupled to a front surface of the outer case and includes a housing, which forms an external appearance of the dispenser and is formed with a recess section. An external plate section is coupled to the front surface of the outer case except for an area in which the dispenser is installed, forming an external appearance of the refrigerator door.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2013
    Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventor: Yong-Chol Kwon
  • Publication number: 20130111933
    Abstract: A refrigerator using a non-azeotropic refrigerant mixture (NARM) and a control method thereof. The refrigerator reduces the rotational speed of a freezing chamber fan or stopping the freezing chamber fan for a designated time, and/or increasing the rotational speed of a compressor in a simultaneous freezing/refrigerating operation mode of an NARM cycle as compared to a freezing operation mode, and may thus decrease evaporation latent heat of a refrigerant consumed by a freezing chamber evaporator and relatively increase evaporation latent heat of the refrigerant usable in a refrigerating chamber evaporator without increase in a charging amount of the refrigerant, thereby preventing over-charging due to increase in the charging amount of the refrigerant and reducing cycling loss.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 8, 2012
    Publication date: May 9, 2013
    Applicants: KOREA UNIVERSITY RESEARCH AND BUSINESS FOUNDATION, SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: SAMUSNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD., KOREA UNIVERSITY RESEARCH AND BUSINE
  • Patent number: 8429927
    Abstract: A refrigerator is disclosed which enables the user to easily take ice out of an ice maker without causing a variation in the capacity of the refrigerator or a limitation on the position of a freezing compartment. The refrigerator includes a refrigerator body which includes a freezing compartment and a refrigerating compartment, an ice making compartment which is arranged in the refrigerating compartment, to make ice, a heat exchanger which generates cold air for freezing food stored in the freezing compartment, and a cold air guiding device which guides the cold air generated by the heat exchanger to the ice making compartment, to enable the ice making compartment to make ice.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2013
    Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Bok Dong Lee, Seung Mok Lee, Kap Rok Han, Chang Woan Yang
  • Patent number: 8418485
    Abstract: There is provided a temperature switching compartment 3 which can switch the internal temperature thereof between a low temperature side at which a storage material is kept in cold storage and a high temperature side maintained at 50° C., to 80° C. at which cooked food is kept warm, by cooling with a cooler 17 and heating with a heater 15.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2013
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Masayasu Nishita, Yoshinari Fujihara, Yasuji Ohshiro, Kayo Takashima
  • Patent number: 8418498
    Abstract: A refrigeration device includes an interior that is divided up into two refrigeration zones with each refrigeration zone having an evaporator and a compressor for supplying the evaporator with a refrigerant. A control for operating the compressors can be operated in different modes of operation depending on predetermined conditions. In a normal mode, the at least two compressors are exclusively operated at different times.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2013
    Assignee: BSH Bosch und Siemens Hausgeraete GmbH
    Inventors: Georg Hausmann, Hans Ihle
  • Publication number: 20130047659
    Abstract: A refrigerator includes a first storage chamber, a second storage chamber spatially-separated from the first storage chamber, a first refrigeration cycle system to cool the first storage chamber using a first refrigeration cycle, and a second refrigeration cycle system installed to be separated from the first refrigeration cycle system to cool the second storage chamber using a second refrigeration cycle in an independent manner from the first refrigeration cycle. The first and second storage chambers maintain first and second target temperatures, respectively. The first and second refrigeration cycle systems circulate different kinds of refrigerants to cool the first and second storage chambers, respectively.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 23, 2012
    Publication date: February 28, 2013
    Applicant: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yong Han Kim, Kook Jeong Seo, Bong Su Son, Jeong Min Jeon
  • Patent number: 8371136
    Abstract: A method of forming ice in a refrigerator is disclosed. The method includes cooling a first storage compartment to a first temperature, cooling a second storage compartment to a second temperature, cooling an interior volume defined in a door to a third temperature, wherein the door permits and impedes access to the second storage compartment, operating a fan disposed in the interior volume to circulate cool air through the interior volume, and cooling water to form ice in the interior volume.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 12, 2013
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Natarajan Venkatakrishnan, Matthew William Davis, Krzysztof Struminski, Wayne Lawson
  • Publication number: 20130025316
    Abstract: The ice cooler disclosed has three compartments. The first compartment has a sidewall extending upward from a base and a cover. The second compartment, located on the sidewall of the first compartment, extends into the first compartment. A removable wall encloses second compartment. A full pump assembly and switch assembly are attached to the removable wall. The first compartment and second compartment are connected by a first tube. Pump runs off of an energy source located in a third compartment. The third compartment is fluidly disconnected with the first compartment. An electric wire connects the pump assembly to the power source. When activated pump suctions melted ice water from first compartment through high pressure pump to a nozzle conduit and spray nozzle for use.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 29, 2011
    Publication date: January 31, 2013
    Inventor: Justin Wheeless
  • Publication number: 20130019623
    Abstract: A refrigerator as disclosed herein may include a refrigerator body having a freezing compartment and a refrigeration compartment, a cooling circuit including a compressor, a condenser, and an evaporator to cool the freezing compartment and the refrigeration compartment using a first refrigerant, and a thermosyphon that includes a pipe for a second refrigerant to flow. The pipe may have a first section having a first prescribed shape for condensing refrigerant and a second section having a second prescribed shape for vaporizing refrigerant. A valve may be provided at the pipe to operate the thermosyphon. The cooling circuit and the thermosyphon may be operated independently. The thermosyphon may provide auxiliary cooling for the refrigeration chamber when the cooling circuit is not operational.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 12, 2012
    Publication date: January 24, 2013
    Inventors: Ilhyeon JO, Seokjun YUN, Taehee LEE, Younghoon YUN
  • Patent number: 8353171
    Abstract: A refrigerating appliance is provided that includes an inner compartment for storing refrigerated or frozen goods, a cold generator, a refrigerating appliance control system for operating the cold generator, a mains connection for supplying the cold generator and the refrigerating appliance control system with an electrical voltage, and an ice-making machine arranged in the inner compartment. The ice-making machine includes its own control system for its own operation, which controls all functions of the ice-making machine independently of the refrigerating appliance control system. A connection is also provided from the ice-making machine and the ice-making machine control system to the mains connection of the refrigerating appliance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 15, 2013
    Assignee: BSH Bosch und Siemens Hausgeraete GmbH
    Inventors: Adolf Feinauer, Klaus Flinner
  • Patent number: 8347649
    Abstract: A door seal arrangement and method for sealing between a door and a door frame on food processing equipment are provided. The door seal is inflatable to create a seal between the door and the door frame and deflatable to release the seal between the door and the door frame. An air supply applies positive air pressure to the door seal to inflate the door seal. A vacuum applies a negative air pressure to the door seal to deflate the door seal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2013
    Assignee: Alkar-RapidPak-MP Equipment, Inc.
    Inventors: Jesse A. Gavin, Bryan Davis, Robert Wayne Fessenden, Dennis Conohan
  • Publication number: 20130000346
    Abstract: A cooling arrangement and system are provided for use in a process of producing brittle particles, and comprising: a first chamber having: a solid particles feed ingress means; a solid particles mixing means; and a solid particles egress means, and a second chamber comprising at least one cooling fluid discharging means, wherein the cooling arrangement is characterized in that there is a low thermal resistance between the first chamber and the second chamber to allow cooling down the solid particles being fed to the first chamber via the solid particles feed ingress means, and wherein the solid particles feed ingress means is operative to introduce solid particles, each having a typical diameter of less than 7 mm.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 27, 2012
    Publication date: January 3, 2013
    Inventors: Oleg Golobrodsky, Gideon Drori
  • Patent number: 8341974
    Abstract: A refrigerator is provided. The refrigerator may include a cold air generation chamber provided in a body of the refrigerator, the cold air generation chamber having an evaporator installed therein. A cold air duct may form a path through which cold air generated in the cold air generation chamber is circulated to a freezer compartment, and a quick freezer compartment. The quick freezer compartment may be connected with the cold air duct, and may be positioned substantially nearer to the evaporator than the freezer compartment. A damper may be installed in the cold air duct to selectively shut off the flow of cold air to the freezer compartment. The quick freezer compartment may be quickly cooled using cold air directly supplied from the cold air generation chamber. Furthermore, cold air may be directed into the quick freezer compartment by selectively shutting off the supply of cold air into the freezer or refrigerator compartment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2013
    Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Min Kyu Oh, Kyeong Yun Kim, Jang Seok Lee, Youn Seok Lee, Su Nam Chae
  • Patent number: 8336322
    Abstract: A distributed refrigeration appliance system in a residential kitchen and other locations in a dwelling including multiple separate refrigeration appliance modules, a central cooling system and a cooling circuit. The system can also include one or more satellite stations having a heat exchanger and arranged for supplying chilled air to one or more refrigeration appliance modules. One or more refrigeration appliance modules can include a thermal cascade cooling device to cool the module to lower temperatures than the cooling circuit can attain. One or more refrigeration appliance modules can be refrigeration/storage modules that can provide refrigerated, unconditioned or heated storage space. The central cooling system can be a vapor compression system having a refrigerant circuit connecting the modules. Alternately, the central cooling system can cool a secondary cooling medium circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2012
    Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
    Inventors: Nihat O. Cur, Steven John Kuehl, John Joseph Vonderhaar, Diego Barone, Lorenzo Bianchi
  • Patent number: 8336321
    Abstract: A distributed refrigeration appliance system for use in a residential kitchen and other locations in a dwelling and includes multiple separate refrigeration appliance modules, a central cooling system and a cooling circuit. The system can also include one or more satellite stations having a heat exchanger and arranged for supplying chilled air to one or more refrigeration appliance modules. One or more refrigeration appliance modules can include a thermal cascade cooling device to cool the module to lower temperatures than the cooling circuit can attain. One or more refrigeration appliance modules can be refrigeration/storage modules that can provide refrigerated, unconditioned or heated storage space. The central cooling system can be a vapor compression system having a refrigerant circuit connecting the modules. Alternately, the central cooling system can cool a secondary cooling medium circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2012
    Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
    Inventors: Nihat O. Cur, Steven John Kuehl
  • Publication number: 20120291477
    Abstract: A refrigerator is provided that includes a CMS adapted to define at least a portion of an envelope of at least one of a freezer compartment and a refrigerator compartment, where the CMS has a high pressure side and a low pressure side. The high pressure side includes an orientation-flexible compressor and a condenser fluidly connected with the orientation-flexible compressor. The low pressure side is fluidly connected to the high pressure side and includes an evaporator. The CMS also includes at least one housing configured to enclose at least one of the orientation-flexible compressor, the condenser, and the evaporator. The CMS further includes an insulating panel forming at least a portion of the at least one housing, and substantially separating the high pressure side from the low pressure side. The CMS is typically configured to operate in a plurality of orientations based upon the orientation-flexible compressor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 16, 2011
    Publication date: November 22, 2012
    Applicant: WHIRLPOOL CORPORATION
    Inventors: NIHAT CUR, ALBERTO R. GOMES, LUIZ ANTONIO D. LOPES, GUOLIAN WU, LUCIANA WASNIEVSKI DA SILVA
  • Publication number: 20120291475
    Abstract: A refrigerator is provided that includes at least one freezer compartment and at least one refrigerator compartment, wherein the freezer compartment and the refrigerator compartment are defined by a plurality of interior surfaces. The refrigerator further includes a cooling module set (CMS) removably attached to at least one of the plurality of interior surfaces, wherein the CMS is configured to operate in any orientation of a plurality of orientations, and the CMS is further configured to be repositionable with respect to the plurality of interior surfaces to alter a shape of at least one of the refrigerator compartment and the freezer compartment.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 16, 2011
    Publication date: November 22, 2012
    Applicant: WHIRLPOOL CORPORATION
    Inventors: NIHAT CUR, ALBERTO R. GOMES, LUIZ ANTONIO D. LOPES, GUOLIAN WU, LUCIANA WASNIEVSKI DA SILVA
  • Publication number: 20120291476
    Abstract: An appliance is provided that includes at least one freezer compartment and at least one refrigerator compartment, wherein the freezer compartment and the refrigerator compartment are defined by a plurality of interior surfaces. The refrigerator further includes a cooling module set (CMS), wherein the CMS includes an orientation-flexible compressor, the CMS is configured to operate in any orientation of a plurality of orientations.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 16, 2011
    Publication date: November 22, 2012
    Applicant: WHIRLPOOL CORPORATION
    Inventors: NIHAT CUR, ALBERTO R. GOMES, LUIZ ANTONIO D. LOPES, GUOLIAN WU, LUCIANA WASNIEVSKI DA SILVA
  • Patent number: 8315841
    Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for determining data center cooling and power requirements and for monitoring performance of cooling and power systems in data centers. At least one aspect provides a system and method that enables a data center operator to determine available power and cooling at specific areas and enclosures in a data center to assist in locating new equipment in the data center.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 20, 2012
    Assignee: American Power Conversion Corporation
    Inventors: Neil Rasmussen, James W. VanGilder, Mikkel Dalgas, Stephen Berard, Henrik Jensen, Henrik Daae, Sandi Schoellhammer
  • Publication number: 20120279247
    Abstract: A refrigerator has a compartment defined by a liner. A door is configured to provide access into the compartment. A sub-compartment is mounted in the door. The sub-compartment has an access door that opens to provide access into the sub-compartment. The access door includes an inner door panel, an outer door panel, and a vacuum insulation panel disposed between the inner and outer door panels.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 3, 2011
    Publication date: November 8, 2012
    Applicant: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Umakant Suresh Katu, Craig Robert Vitan, Steven D. Paul, Eric Lloyd Scalf
  • Publication number: 20120255322
    Abstract: A refrigerator includes a main body partitioned by a horizontal partition wall to have an upper cooling chamber and a lower freezing chamber; a cool air generating device generating cool air in the main body; a storage basket accommodated within the freezing chamber and including a receiving groove to receive a product in a standing state, the storage basket being moveable integrally with a freezer door; an auxiliary basket disposed above the storage basket and including an insertion groove to receive a top portion of the pizza box product in the standing state; and a bracket having a first side detachably coupled to the door and a second side rotatably coupled to the auxiliary storage unit. The door has at least first and second fixing members. The first side of the bracket has at least one fixing groove adapted to receive the first fixing member of the door.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 21, 2012
    Publication date: October 11, 2012
    Applicant: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Jae Myung HAN, Jae Hoon Lim
  • Patent number: 8266923
    Abstract: A refrigeration device comprising at least two storage compartments that are thermally insulated from one another and from the environment. In said device, an evaporator that can be cooled independently of an evaporator of the other storage compartment or compartments, is allocated to each storage compartment. Said device is equipped with elements for switching at least one of the compartments from a freezing mode to a non-freezing mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2012
    Assignee: BSH Bosch und Siemens Hausgeraete GmbH
    Inventors: Peter Bauer, Erich Hell, Michael Neumann
  • Patent number: 8261572
    Abstract: Disclosed are a food heat-exchange device capable of rapidly freezing food stored in a refrigerator or thawing frozen food in the refrigerator, and a refrigerator having the same. The refrigerator includes a body in which a storage compartment is defined, and the food heat-exchange device is mounted in the storage compartment, to enable thawing or rapid-freezing of food. The food heat-exchange device includes a heat-exchange plate, which is provided at a surface thereof with a contact portion to come into contact with food and at the other surface thereof with a pin to facilitate heat-exchange.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 11, 2012
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hideo Nojima, Masaji Yamanaka, Kyung Hee Hahm, Jin Jeong
  • Patent number: 8261573
    Abstract: A refrigerator, in which a main body includes a refrigerating chamber and a freezing chamber. A cold air generation chamber for the freezing chamber, a cold air generation chamber for the refrigerating chamber, and a machine room are provided on an uppermost part of the main body to allow for increased space in the refrigerating and freezing chambers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 11, 2012
    Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Kyeong Yun Kim, Jang Seok Lee, Min Kyu Oh, Youn Seok Lee, Su Nam Chae
  • Patent number: 8250881
    Abstract: A temperature maintenance storage unit includes a fan assembly, an evaporator coil assembly, a compressor unit, and an interior within which goods may be stored, with the fan assembly configured to selectively generate air currents over the evaporator coil assembly and within the interior. The temperature maintenance storage unit further includes an insulation pack assembly comprising a sealed generally flexible insulation pack containing a temperature control fluid, an insulation thermostat and an interior thermostat, with the insulation thermostat monitoring the temperature of the insulation pack assembly and the interior thermostat monitoring the temperature of the interior.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2012
    Inventor: Michael Reihl
  • Patent number: 8245526
    Abstract: A cooling device is provided having three storage zones that are insulated from each other and cooled via evaporators through which a coolant flows. A first coolant circuit extends through a first and a second of the three storage zones and a second coolant circuit positioned parallel to the first coolant circuit extends through the first and the third of the storage zones.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2012
    Assignee: BSH Bosch und Siemens Hausgeraete GmbH
    Inventors: Wolfgang Becker, Adolf Feinauer, Helmut Konopa, Peter Nalbach, Wolfgang Nuiding, Berthold Pflomm, Simon Schechinger
  • Patent number: 8245524
    Abstract: A distributed refrigeration appliance system in a residential kitchen and other locations in a dwelling including multiple separate refrigeration appliance modules, a central cooling system and a cooling circuit. The system can also include one or more satellite stations having a heat exchanger and arranged for supplying chilled air to one or more refrigeration appliance modules. One or more refrigeration appliance modules can include a thermal cascade cooling device to cool the module to lower temperatures than the cooling circuit can attain. One or more refrigeration appliance modules can be refrigeration/storage modules that can provide refrigerated, unconditioned or heated storage space. The central cooling system can be a vapor compression system having a refrigerant circuit connecting the modules. Alternately, the central cooling system can cool a secondary cooling medium circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2012
    Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
    Inventor: Steven John Kuehl
  • Publication number: 20120192586
    Abstract: The compressor, evaporator, and condenser of a conventional refrigerator are integrated in one unit. The present invention separates the compressor and/or condenser from the refrigerator unit and locates them in another package unit. The two units are connected via attachable refrigerant pipes. The new split refrigerator will be quiet, efficient, and safe.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 28, 2011
    Publication date: August 2, 2012
    Inventor: Jinchun Feng
  • Patent number: 8209991
    Abstract: The liquid refrigerant from the compressor 20 and the condenser 21 is alternately supplied to the cooling device for the freezing room 27F and the evaporator for the refrigeration room 27R through the three-way valve 24, so that the freezing room and the refrigeration room are alternately cooled. Here, the ratio of the refrigerant supply time to each evaporator is controlled based not on a deviation between a target temperature set for each storage room and an actual storage room temperature measured in each storage room, but on an integrated value obtained by integrating the difference of these deviations. In a cooling storage, in which from one compressor a refrigerant is selectively supplied to multiple evaporators respectively disposed in multiple storage rooms of varied thermal loads, a one-storage room cooling mode is prevented from being unnecessarily switched to a alternate cooling mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2012
    Assignee: Hoshizaki Denki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Naoshi Kondou, Akihiko Hirano, Masahide Yatori, Shinichi Kaga, Hideyuki Tashiro
  • Publication number: 20120159968
    Abstract: A temperature and humidity controlled housing for storing and preserving wine bottles. The housing defines a storage compartment having front and rear temperature control chambers and wherein the rear chamber is also humidity controlled. A division wall having passages provided with a flexible sealing component receives bottles on supports associated with each of the passages and a cubic chamber structure in the rear chamber. The bottle necks engage the seals which, together with the division wall, substantially seal the front chamber from the rear chamber while the spout end portion of the wine bottles is supported in the rear humidified chamber. The housing may be used in a modular assembly. The method of use is also described.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 23, 2010
    Publication date: June 28, 2012
    Inventors: Guy Doucet, Laurent Senee
  • Patent number: 8196424
    Abstract: The present invention discloses an apparatus for supercooling and a method of maMng slush thr?gh supercooling which generate a supercooled liquid by supplying cool air and energy, control the state of the supercooled liquid, store and supply the supercooled liquid, generate slush by applying an external force to the supercooled liquid, maintain the state of the slush, and supply the slush.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2012
    Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Su-Cheong Kim, Jong-Min Shin, Su-Won Lee, Cheol-Hwan Kim, Yong-Chol Kwon, Ku-Young Son
  • Patent number: 8191382
    Abstract: A refrigerator includes a refrigerating compartment, a freezing compartment, and a switching compartment to store food items. Various elements are provided to maintain the three compartments at selected target temperatures. A heater and/or a light source may be provided to rapidly heat the switching compartment when the switching compartment is being changed from a freezing operation to a refrigerating operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2012
    Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Hyoung Keun Lim, Yeon Woo Cho, Gye Young Song
  • Publication number: 20120133110
    Abstract: A transportation storage device comprising a frame to provide a general shape for the transportation storage device, where the frame is wide enough to fit through a doorway; a plurality of adjustable height segments combined with a front height segment to create a peripheral support for the frame; a handle attached to a top portion of the frame to enable a user to control how the transportation storage device maneuvers; a pair of handle ends attached atop the plurality of adjustable height segments; a set of wheels attached to a bottom portion of the frame, where the set of wheels enables the user to push the transportation storage device; and a set of platforms attached between the plurality of adjustable height segments and the front height segment wherein the set of platforms provides a shelf for the user to place a plurality of items.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 4, 2011
    Publication date: May 31, 2012
    Inventor: Milton Savage
  • Patent number: 8186176
    Abstract: Disclosed is an ice bank for a refrigerator including: an inner case and an outer case forming one storage space having an opened top by being coupled to each other; and a coupling unit coupling the inner and outer cases to each other so that either one is relatively movable with respect to the other one so as for the capacity of the storage space to be variable. The ice bank for a refrigerator includes the inner and outer cases coupled to each other so that either one is relatively movable with respect to the other one, whereby accordingly the capacity of the ice bank is variable depending on the amount of ice that a customer needs, thereby enhancing the customer's product satisfaction. Further, when the customer needs a small amount of ice, the capacity of the ice bank can be reduced, accordingly enabling to effectively utilize the storage space of the refrigerator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2012
    Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventor: Hyeon-Jin Kim
  • Publication number: 20120102993
    Abstract: A refrigerator includes a cabinet, a first compartment, a second compartment, a first door providing access to the first compartment, a second door providing access to the second compartment, and a beverage dispensing system operatively connected the cabinet. The refrigerator further includes a user interface operatively connected to the cabinet, the user interface having a display and being configured to identify a user of the beverage dispensing system and customize beverage settings and preferences associated with the user.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 29, 2010
    Publication date: May 3, 2012
    Applicant: WHIRLPOOL CORPORATION
    Inventor: GREGORY G. HORTIN
  • Publication number: 20120104024
    Abstract: A refrigerator is provided which includes a cabinet. A first compartment and second compartment are disposed within the cabinet. A first door provides access to the first compartment and a second door provides access to the second compartment. A beverage dispensing system is disposed within the cabinet. The beverage dispensing system has a fluid line, a fluid enhancement line, and a cleaning subsystem for cleaning the fluid component line and the fluid enhancement line.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 29, 2010
    Publication date: May 3, 2012
    Applicant: WHIRLPOOL CORPORATION
    Inventors: PHILIP A. ANSELMINO, KEVIN M. CHASE
  • Publication number: 20120102999
    Abstract: A refrigerator includes a refrigerator cabinet, a freezer compartment, a fresh food compartment, a door providing access to the refrigerator, and a beverage dispensing system. The beverage dispensing system includes a beverage cartridge. The beverage cartridge includes a filter, a pump, and a beverage medium, wherein the beverage medium is combined with water to produce a flavored beverage. The beverage medium may be a powder or a syrup, which when mixed with water, produces a desired flavored beverage. The beverage cartridge is combined and connected with the beverage dispensing unit to filter and pump water in to pass through and mix with the flavor medium to produce a flavored beverage which may be passed through the refrigerator to an output where a user can fill a container with the flavored beverage.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 29, 2010
    Publication date: May 3, 2012
    Applicant: WHIRLPOOL CORPORATION
    Inventors: PHILIP A. ANSELMINO, KEVIN M. CHASE
  • Publication number: 20120104023
    Abstract: A refrigerator is provided which includes a cabinet. A first compartment and second compartment are disposed within the cabinet. A first door provides access to the first compartment and a second door provides access to the second compartment. A beverage dispensing system is operatively connected to the cabinet. A machine vision system associated with the beverage dispensing system. The machine vision system has an imaging device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 29, 2010
    Publication date: May 3, 2012
    Applicant: WHIRLPOOL CORPORATION
    Inventors: PHILIP A. ANSELMINO, KEVIN M. CHASE
  • Patent number: 8161760
    Abstract: A distributed refrigeration appliance system for use in a residential kitchen and other locations in a dwelling and includes multiple separate refrigeration appliance modules, a central cooling system and a cooling circuit. The system can also include one or more satellite stations having a heat exchanger and arranged for supplying chilled air to one or more refrigeration appliance modules. One or more refrigeration appliance modules can include a thermal cascade cooling device to cool the module to lower temperatures than the cooling circuit can attain. One or more refrigeration appliance modules can be refrigeration/storage modules that can provide refrigerated, unconditioned or heated storage space. The central cooling system can be a vapor compression system having a refrigerant circuit connecting the modules. Alternately, the central cooling system can cool a secondary cooling medium circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2012
    Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
    Inventors: Nihat O. Cur, Steven John Kuehl, John Joseph Vonderhaar, Frank Huangtso Lin
  • Publication number: 20120085120
    Abstract: A refrigerator includes a body portion having an air supply and an air return, a door hinged to the body portion, and an icemaking unit located on the door and having an air inlet and an air outlet. The air inlet and air outlet are adjacent the air supply and air return, respectively, when the door is closed, to receive and return chilled air therefrom and thereto. At least a first sealing member is located at the air supply, the air return, the air inlet, and/or the air outlet. The at least first sealing member includes a first membrane with a slit formed therein, and a first projecting member. The slit and the first projecting member are configured and dimensioned such that the slit is closed when the door is in an open position and that the slit is opened when the door is in a closed position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 11, 2010
    Publication date: April 12, 2012
    Inventors: Matthew William DAVIS, Wayne Edward Lawson, Krzysztof Struminski
  • Patent number: 8151590
    Abstract: A refrigerator includes a refrigerator cabinet, at least one compartment disposed within the refrigerator cabinet, a door for providing access to one or more of the at least one compartment, an ice container at the door, an LED housing proximate the ice container, and at least one LED disposed within the LED housing for providing illumination of the ice container. In addition to providing lighting, the at least one LED may used to indicate status information associated with the refrigerator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2012
    Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
    Inventors: Laura Esther Flores, Bruce A. Kopf
  • Patent number: 8151588
    Abstract: An apparatus for displaying and dispensing frozen edible products is provided, comprising a chill cabinet inside which is situated an insulated container equipped with passive cooling means, and which contains one or more frozen edible products. A method for displaying and dispensing frozen edible products from the apparatus is also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2012
    Assignee: Conopco, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael John Hale, Daniel Matthew Mayes
  • Patent number: 8146383
    Abstract: A cooling appliance 1 including a housing 2 and a cooling unit 3, 4 is adapted such that the interior of said cooling appliance 1 is separable into at least two cooling zones 6, 7 by inserting an insert member (5), wherein one of said cooling zones is built as separate freezer section 6 or froster, respectively. In a cooling appliance 1 including a housing 2 and cooling unit 3, 4 an insert member 5 separating said interior of said cooling appliance 1 into at least two cooling zones 6, 7, is arranged in the interior of said cooling appliance 1, wherein said insert member 6 is built as preassembled unit inserted into said cooling appliance 1 by means of guide members 8 arranged in said housing 2.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2012
    Assignee: Dometic GmbH
    Inventors: Manfred Lorek, Joachim Kinscher
  • Patent number: 8141372
    Abstract: A method for operating a refrigerator includes supplying an evaporator of a second compartment with coolant and flushing the coolant out of the evaporator of the second compartment so that it can be used for an evaporator of a first compartment, closing a coolant circuit to the evaporator of the second compartment, and supplying only the evaporator of the first compartment with coolant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2012
    Assignee: BSH Bosch und Siemens Hausgeraete GmbH
    Inventors: Thomas Guffler, Wolfgang Nuiding
  • Patent number: 8132423
    Abstract: Disclosed is a refrigerator having an ice making apparatus installed at a cooling chamber door that opens/closes a cooling chamber. The refrigerator includes a body having a cooling chamber therein, a cooling chamber door to open/close the cooling chamber, and an ice making apparatus installed in the cooling chamber door to make ice. An ice making evaporator is provided in the ice making apparatus to independently supply the ice making apparatus with cooling air and an ice making evaporator chamber, in which an ice making evaporator is installed, is provided adjacent to the cooling chamber door while being partitioned from the cooling chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 13, 2012
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Alexei Tikhonov, June Kee Min, Chang-Hak Lim, Won Jae Yoon
  • Publication number: 20120047939
    Abstract: A refrigerator appliance includes a freezer compartment and at least one position-adjustable partition located in the freezer compartment. The at least one position-adjustable partition is configured to be selectively deployed in a first position such that a space is defined in the freezer compartment that causes a reduction in an amount of inlet airflow that contacts one or more portions of the freezer compartment that are outside the defined space.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 11, 2011
    Publication date: March 1, 2012
    Inventors: Brent Alden JUNGE, William Arnold Brown, JR., John Simpson
  • Publication number: 20120047934
    Abstract: A refrigerator including support ribs provided on both side walls of storage chambers so as to support both sides of shelves, each of which includes a tempered glass panel on which food is placed, and stopper members provided at both sides of the lower surface of the tempered glass panel, each support rib including a front rib, a rear rib, and a latch groove provided between the front rib and the rear rib such that each stopper member is inserted into the latch groove, and inclination prevention ribs, each of which is provided above the rear rib and supports the upper surface of each shelf, thereby improving assembly efficiency and productivity.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 28, 2011
    Publication date: March 1, 2012
    Applicant: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Kyoung Sun Park, Sang Gyu Jung, Jong Hoon Oh, Sung Cheul Park, Young Kil Kim
  • Patent number: 8117853
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a method for the operation of a refrigerator unit and/or a freezer unit having two compartments or more than two compartments which each have at least one opening which is closable by a closure element and through which the compartments can be charged with cold air, with at least one temperature sensor being provided for the indirect or direct detection of the respective actual temperature value, wherein a temperature value (closing value) is defined for a plurality of the compartments or for all of the compartments, wherein the compartment with the lowest difference between the actual temperature value and the closing value (temperature difference) is determined, and wherein the closure element of this compartment is closed until its temperature difference is the same as or larger than the temperature difference of a compartment having a larger temperature difference, preferably having the next larger temperature difference.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2012
    Assignee: Liebherr-Hausgeraete Ochsenhausen GmbH
    Inventor: Eugen Schmid
  • Patent number: RE43409
    Abstract: A refrigerator door having a dispenser is disclosed. The refrigerator door includes an outer case forming a front appearance of the refrigerator door, an inner case forming a rear appearance of the refrigerator door, and an insulation layer disposed between the outer case and the inner case. First and second mounting frames are installed at both side ends of the refrigerator door and have first and second mounting slots longitudinally formed in the first and second mounting frames in opposition to each other. The dispenser is detachably coupled to a front surface of the outer case and includes a housing, which forms an external appearance of the dispenser and is formed with a recess section. An external plate section is coupled to the front surface of the outer case except for an area in which the dispenser is installed, forming an external appearance of the refrigerator door.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2012
    Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventor: Yong-Chol Kwon