Patents Examined by Hanh V. Tran
  • Patent number: 11918114
    Abstract: A drawer assembly includes a member having a first locking element. A drawer includes a frame and a handle having a first portion and a second portion. The first portion is coupled to the frame. The second portion is coupled to the first portion. A drawer release includes a first end and a second end and is rotatably coupled to the drawer. The first end includes a second locking element. The second portion is rotatable relative to the first portion to move the drawer release between a first orientation in which the second locking element directly engages the first locking element to prevent the drawer from translating relative to the member and a second orientation in which the second locking element is spaced apart from the first locking element to allow the drawer to translate relative to the member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2024
    Assignee: DEJANA TRUCK AND UTILITY EQUIPMENT CO., INC.
    Inventor: Charles L. Hanley
  • Patent number: 11913709
    Abstract: A refrigerator and a home appliance include a cabinet with a storage space formed therein, and a door configured to open and close the storage space, and including a door body filled with an insulator and a door panel detachably mounted on a front surface of the door body, where the door panel includes a panel defining a front appearance of the door, and a panel bracket extending along at least one end of a perimeter of a rear surface of the panel and coupled to the door body, and the panel bracket includes a coupling part coupled to the rear surface of the panel, a support part formed along an end of the coupling part and configured to support an end of the panel, and a mounting part protruding rearward from a rear surface of the coupling part and coupled to the door body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2024
    Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventor: Euddeum Hong
  • Patent number: 11913266
    Abstract: A door assembly for an appliance includes a door frame configured to mount to a cabinet of the appliance and movable between an open position and a closed position. A catch mechanism can be provided within the door frame and configured to receive a latch projecting from the cabinet when the door frame is in the closed position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2024
    Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
    Inventors: Ajinkya Sachindra Dhamdhere, Ratul Maity, Andrea Valeri
  • Patent number: 11898794
    Abstract: A refrigerator includes a cabinet that defines a lower storage space, a front panel door part, a drawer part connected to the front panel door part, a support member located at the drawer part and configured to seat one or more objects stored in the drawer part, at least one draw-out rail that is configured to connect the drawer part to an inner wall surface of the lower storage space, and that is configured to extend and retract in multiple stages to assist insertion and withdrawal of the drawer part based on movement of the front panel door part, and at least one elevation device that is located at each of both side surfaces of the drawer part, that is connected to each of both sides of the support member, and that is configured to elevate the support member relative to the drawer part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 2023
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2024
    Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventor: Kwanghyun Choi
  • Patent number: 11885157
    Abstract: An appliance door closure assembly is provided and comprises an inner door selectively coupled with an outer door. An anchor is in connection with the inner door and defines a retention space. A latch assembly is in connection with the outer door. The latch assembly includes a first cam having a first contact surface and pivotally coupled to a base. A second cam has a second contact surface engaged with the first contact surface of the first cam. The latch assembly is movable between a first position and a second position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2024
    Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
    Inventors: Kapil Ayyawar, Alexandre C. Azevedo, Pradip T. Bansode, Ganesh Bramhane, Fernando Garcia, Dakota E. Kosek, Shrawan Kumar, Juan Pablo Ramirez Carrillo, Antonio Sanchez
  • Patent number: 11885553
    Abstract: Provided is a refrigerator. The refrigerator includes a cabinet having a storage space and a door configured to open and close the storage space. The door includes a panel assembly including a front panel and an insulating panel spaced apart from the front panel, a door frame that is in contact with the front panel, and a door liner which is connected to the door frame and is in contact with the insulating panel, the door liner being configured to define an insulating space, in which an insulator is disposed, together with the panel assembly and the door frame. The door liner includes a contact surface that is in contact with the insulating panel, and a recessed space is defined on the contact surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2024
    Assignee: LG ELECTRONICS INC.
    Inventors: Daham Bae, Daekil Kang, Ohchul Kwon
  • Patent number: 11879643
    Abstract: A movable panel assembly for an appliance includes a panel coupled to an appliance chassis via a cam mechanism, which is actuated by a stationary motor. The cam mechanism includes two parallel linkage portions, wherein each of the linkage portions are coupled to opposite ends of the panel. Each linkage portion includes a rack mounted to a sliding rail, which is translated by the motor via a gear engaging with the rack to move a plate. The plate includes a pin coupled to a cam follower, the pin being configured to translate within a channel disposed within a cam plate. The cam follower is configured to cause the panel to horizontally translate, pivot, and vertically translate relative to the chassis, thereby facilitating access to a component housing unit disposed behind the panel when the panel assembly is in a closed configuration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2024
    Assignee: Sub-Zero Group
    Inventors: Adam Strutz, Andrew Huerth, Bronson Blum, Matthew Skemp, Curt Scadden
  • Patent number: 11871846
    Abstract: An assembly is to be mounted on a drawer slide to provide dampening to a drawer for an enclosure. The enclosure includes a front wall having a cutout area with merging lower and side edges. The drawer slide includes a stationary member mounted to the enclosure and a sliding member attached to the drawer. The assembly includes; a dampening mechanism having front and rear ends, the dampening mechanism configured to prevent slamming of the drawer during closing and to maintain the drawer in a closed position, the dampening mechanism having a hook that engages an activator mounted on the drawer; a front mounting bracket attached to the front end of the dampening mechanism, the front mounting bracket configured to mount to and engage the side edge of the cabinet and the stationary member of the drawer slide; and a rear mounting bracket attached to the dampening mechanism rearwardly of the front mounting bracket, the rear mounting bracket configured to mount to and engage the stationary member of the drawer slide.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 4, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2024
    Assignee: TENN-TEX PLASTICS, INC.
    Inventor: William Duggins
  • Patent number: 11864651
    Abstract: A closing device includes a rack body having an elongated rack and being slidably coupled to a base, with a catch pivotally coupled to the rack body and a gear pivotally coupled to the base and engaging the elongated rack. A first biasing member is coupled to the base and rack body and provides a substantially linear biasing force. A second biasing member is coupled to the base and gear, and the elongated rack and gear engagement provides a mechanical advantage and a non-linear biasing force. The closing device is for use in a drawer slide having a latch coupled to a first drawer slide member and the base coupled to a second drawer slide member, with the latch releasably coupled to the catch to move the drawer slide to a closed position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2024
    Assignee: KNAPE & VOGT MANUFACTURING COMPANY
    Inventor: Edward Allen Lobbezoo
  • Patent number: 11867449
    Abstract: A refrigerator includes a cabinet configured to define a storage space, a door configured to open and close the storage space. The door includes an outer plate configured to define an outer appearance of a front surface of the door, a door liner configured to define a rear surface of the door, and a decor member configured to connect the outer plate to the door liner. The decor member includes an inorganic antibacterial agent including a metal component having antibacterial properties and a carrier on which the metal component is supported.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2024
    Assignee: LG ELECTRONICS INC.
    Inventor: Kyungho Ha
  • Patent number: 11867405
    Abstract: A bracket for a cooking appliance includes first and second mounting members that are spaced-apart to define a gap therebetween. First and second connecting members span the gap between the first and second mounting members, and each include a first portion coupled to the first mounting member, a second portion coupled to the second mounting member and an intermediate portion disposed therebetween. The first and second portions of the first connecting member are coupled to opposite ends of the intermediate portion of the first connecting member at first and second deflection creases, respectively. The first and second portions of the second connecting member are coupled to opposite ends of the intermediate portion of the second connecting member at first and second deflection creases, respectively. The first and second connecting members are configured to flex between at-rest and loaded conditions as the bracket moves between at-rest and contracted positions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2024
    Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
    Inventors: Alexander R. Auer, Flavio Silvio Gava, Dhiraj Jambuvant Gotekar, Amit Mandal, Manan Panchal
  • Patent number: 11867451
    Abstract: A refrigerator includes an insulated cabinet having a sidewall with a passthrough opening through the sidewall. A resilient insulating member is disposed in the passthrough opening. The resilient insulating member includes flaps that form an airtight seal between the resilient insulating member and the passthrough opening. At least one utility line extends through an aperture in the resilient insulating member. The utility line may comprise fluid conduit, electrical line, or the like that operably connect one or more components through the sidewall of the cabinet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2024
    Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
    Inventors: Giulia Marinello, Rafael D. Nunes, Sanjesh Kumar Pathak, Manoj T. Sambrekar, Arpit Vijay
  • Patent number: 11864670
    Abstract: The invention features a refrigerator cabinet door frame. The frame includes a thermally conductive outer frame, a thermally insulating inner frame member, and a sealing plate. The outer frame member includes a forward end having an outer surface that is disposed outside of a refrigerated cabinet with the frame mounted, and a rearward end defining a joint. The inner frame member includes a first end retained in the joint, and a second end. The sealing plate includes a first edge coupled to the outer frame member at the rearward end, forward of the joint, a second edge supported by the second end of the inner frame member, and a thermally conductive sealing surface. The first edge of the sealing plate is coupled to the outer frame member such that the sealing surface and the outer surface of the outer frame member together form a continuous heat transfer path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2024
    Assignee: Anthony, Inc.
    Inventors: Paul J. Artwohl, Jeffery W. Nicholson, Matthew Rolek, David Briggs Baugh
  • Patent number: 11867450
    Abstract: A refrigerator including a main body forming a storage compartment, and a door configured to open and close the storage compartment. The door includes a door body rotatably coupled to the main body and including an insulator therein, a panel body positioned in a front of the door body, a first trim disposed at a first edge of the panel body and configured to be coupled to the door body while being rotated with respect to the door body, and a second trim disposed at a second edge opposite to the first edge of the panel body and configured to be coupled to the door body when the first trim is coupled to the door body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2024
    Assignee: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Chomin Lee, Yang-Yeol Gu, Dongyeong Kim, Byoungmok Kim, Yonghan Kim, Taecheol Park, Yongman Seo, Jinyoung Song, Yountae Shin, Byungkwan Yang
  • Patent number: 11864652
    Abstract: Disclosed is a geometric reinforcing structure for a slide rail. The slide rail includes an inner rail, a middle rail, an outer rail and slip elements. The slip elements are movably installed between the inner and middle rails and between the middle and outer rails respectively, such that the inner and middle rails can be sequentially pulled out and extended relative to the outer rail. Except the remaining part that overlaps the inner and outer rails, the middle rail is formed with geometric reinforcing blocks by stamping, and the reinforcing blocks are equidistantly arranged along the extension direction of the middle rail, and all or part of the reinforcing blocks are rotated with an angle, or the reinforcing blocks have a configuration means with a slope and form an interference portion between two adjacent reinforcing blocks to greatly improve the load strength of pulling out in an application.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2024
    Assignee: MARTAS PRECISION SLIDE CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Wan-Lai Chen
  • Patent number: 11857476
    Abstract: The invention is directed to a molded, hollow, ligature resistant wardrobe comprising a ligature resistant top portion, a ligature resistant coat hanger support and a shelf. A door may be attached to enclose a storage shelf and the igature resistant coat hanger support. The igature resistant coat hanger support having a closed hanger hook engagement recess to prevent providing a ligature tie off point. The ligature resistant top portion may have a sloping shape extending from a back to a front.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2024
    Assignee: Norix Group, Inc
    Inventors: Richard Karl, Scott Karl, Kurt Staskon
  • Patent number: 11852399
    Abstract: A removable upper plinth or top panel structure for a domestic appliance, includes: an elongated plate-shaped cover for covering an access opening at a top portion of the domestic appliance; a plurality of attachment members disposed on the elongated plate-shaped cover for detachably mounting the elongated plate-shaped cover to the domestic appliance; and a plurality of tethers connected to the elongated plate-shaped cover, such that on condition that the elongated plate-shaped cover is detached from the domestic appliance to expose the access area, the elongated plate-shaped cover flips downward and hangs on the plurality of tethers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2023
    Assignees: BSH Home Appliances Corporation, BSH Hausgeräte GmbH
    Inventors: Joshua Wittes, Ashish Modi, Samuel Harward
  • Patent number: 11849840
    Abstract: A drawer has a device for securing a movable rail of a pullout guide on the drawer, and a support arranged on a side panel, on which a U-shaped holder is provided. The movable rail is insertable with a front end section into the U-shaped holder and the movable rail is lockable on the support and/or holder via at least one catch, which engages through at least one opening on the movable rail, wherein the drawer has a front panel. A method for installing a drawer on a movable rail of a pullout guide uses the device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2023
    Assignee: Paul Hettich GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventor: Waldemar Petker
  • Patent number: 11839300
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides mounting structure of a drawer, configured to mount the drawer to a furniture by at least one sliding rail structure, the sliding rail structure includes a first sliding rail and a movable member, wherein the mounting structure includes: at least one first connecting element, arranged on the movable member, the first connecting element is detachably connected with the drawer; and at least one second connecting element, arranged on the first sliding rail, the second connecting element is detachably connected with a side wall of the furniture, the movable member is slidably connected with the first sliding rail to slidably connect the drawer with the cabinet body.. The present disclosure further provides a method for mounting a drawer to a furniture by at least one sliding rail structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2023
    Assignee: LUOYANG DBIN OFFICE FURNITURE CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Yingbin Li
  • Patent number: 11832724
    Abstract: A rotating bar may be used to unlatch a drawer of a cabinet. In some embodiments a drawer slide used to extendably mount the drawer within the cabinet includes a latch comprised of a tab coupled to an inner member and a catch to receive the tab on an outer member. The tab may be part of a release lever, which may be actuated by an arm coupled to the rotating bar, to release the latch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2023
    Assignee: Accuride International Inc.
    Inventors: Chuck Milligan, Talia Minear