Patents Examined by Hiwot E Tefera
  • Patent number: 12704205
    Abstract: A line bushing for insertion into a wall opening in a wall of a refrigerator, in particular a domestic refrigerator. The bushing has an elastic body formed with a first cutout for the passage of a first line and at least one second cutout running next to the first cutout for the passage of a second line. The second cutout is in the form of a blind hole with a base. A local depression is formed in the base of the second cutout for plugging the second line through the base.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2022
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2026
    Assignee: BSH Hausgerate GmbH
    Inventors: Ming Zhang, Meik Malisi, Andreas Vogl
  • Patent number: 12702224
    Abstract: A shelf system may include a first shelf module having attachment features for connecting the first shelf module to a second shelf module, such that the first shelf module can support the second shelf module in a hanging configuration, or the second shelf module can support the first shelf module in a freestanding configuration. The shelf modules may include a plurality of panels that may be foldable or capable of assembly into a form having a container space inside and a lid portion positionable to selectively cover or reveal the container space. Multiple shelf modules may be connected or stacked to customize the number of storage spaces for various items.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 16, 2024
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2026
    Assignee: CleverMade, LLC
    Inventors: Abraham Peters, Jamison Burton Miller, Jennifer Catherine Sutcliffe Weiler Fimbres
  • Patent number: 12704312
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a refrigerator door having a vacuum insulation assembly and a method for manufacturing the same, including a first door body and a second door body coupled to each other to form the exterior of the door. A heat insulating space is formed between the first door body and the second door body, and the vacuum insulation assembly is installed in the heat insulating space. A sealed vacuum chamber is formed inside the vacuum insulation assembly, and the edge of the vacuum insulation assembly can be surrounded by a foam filled part. As such, the vacuum insulation assembly is installed inside the refrigerator door, and the vacuum insulation assembly has high insulation performance, and thus can replace the existing foam filled part, and therefore, the thickness of the refrigerator door can be reduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2026
    Assignee: LG ELECTRONICS INC.
    Inventors: Joong Han Son, Jung Hun Kim, Jung Il Shin
  • Patent number: 12690677
    Abstract: A combined acceleration and deceleration system for use on a drawer system has a C-shaped drawer guide rail and a drawer guided therein. A housing in which a driving element loaded by means of a deceleration apparatus and an energy storage device can be moved between a non-positively and/or positively secured parking position and an end position. The housing has a first adapter and a second adapter. Each adapter has an engagement arm and a reach-around arm, which each have a free end. The free end of the engagement arm is orientated normal to the free end of the reach-around arm. The first adapter is a locking adapter, the engagement arm of which is at least twice as long in at least two mutually orthogonal directions as the engagement arm of the second adapter forming a guide adapter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2024
    Date of Patent: July 28, 2026
    Inventors: Günther Zimmer, Martin Zimmer
  • Patent number: 12692645
    Abstract: A laundry appliance includes a cabinet having a top panel that defines an aperture for selectively accessing a treatment chamber defined within the cabinet. A lid is rotationally operable relative to the aperture of the top panel between open and closed positions. Hinge assemblies extend between the lid and the top panel. The hinge assemblies include a first hinge assembly. A second hinge assembly is selectively retractable into the lid to a retracted position. A biasing member biases the second hinge assembly out to an extended position. At least the second hinge assembly is operable to the retracted position to bypass a portion of the top panel to define an installed position where the first and second hinge assemblies are engaged with respective hinge receptacles of the top panel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 3, 2024
    Date of Patent: July 28, 2026
    Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
    Inventors: James Jeffery, Paula Lobaccaro, Nicholas C. Schooley, David Walter
  • Patent number: 12687337
    Abstract: A refrigerator includes an inner case having a storage compartment therein, an outer case coupled to an outer side of the inner case, and an insulation filled between the inner case and the outer case. The inner case includes an insulation contact surface in contact with the insulation, and the insulation contact surface having a contact area with the insulation larger than other areas of the inner case thereby increasing an adhesion to the insulation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2024
    Date of Patent: July 21, 2026
    Assignee: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Sungcheul Park, Yonghyun Kang, Hyoseok Noh
  • Patent number: 12687338
    Abstract: A refrigerator appliance includes a cabinet and a storage bin. The cabinet defines and internal refrigerated cavity. The storage bin is slidably secured to the cabinet within the internal cavity. The storage bin includes a plurality of walls, a protrusion, and trim. The plurality of walls defines a storage space. The protrusion extends upward from an upper edge of a front wall of the plurality of walls. The protrusion has at least one ramped surface and tapers along the at least one ramped surface in a direction extending upward and away from the upper edge of the front wall. The trim has a top panel and opposing snaps extending downward from the top panel. The snaps are operable for lateral displacement upon engagement with the at least one ramped surface. The snaps engage a lower region of the protrusion to secure the trim to the protrusion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 2024
    Date of Patent: July 21, 2026
    Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
    Inventors: Yogeshkumar G. Bhavsar, Anup R. Khandekar, Mrunal S Shaldar, Lalit Madhukar Suryawanshi, Nilesh S. Zanwar
  • Patent number: 12685428
    Abstract: A dishwasher includes a door mounted to a tub of the dishwasher. The door includes an interior panel and a front panel spaced apart by a door cavity. The front panel defines a handle aperture including an aperture boundary surrounding the aperture. Additionally, the door includes a pocket handle assembly including a handle frame mounted to the front panel and defining a pocket recess positioned within the door cavity. The handle frame includes a plate protruding from a side of the handle frame for mounting the handle frame to the front panel. Furthermore, the pocket handle assembly includes a pocket handle mounted to the handle frame and accessible from the pocket recess. Moreover, the aperture boundary surrounds a pocket recess boundary, and a boundary gap is defined between the pocket recess boundary and the aperture boundary. Additionally, the plate inhibits movement between the handle frame and front panel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 2024
    Date of Patent: July 21, 2026
    Assignee: Haier US Appliance Solutions, Inc.
    Inventor: Zachary Wiles
  • Patent number: 12674619
    Abstract: A refrigerator shelf includes a plate, a frame, and a support arm. The plate is configured to support items disposed within a refrigerator. The frame supports the plate and has a brace extending downward from a bottom surface of the frame. The brace has an edge. The support arm has a flange extending laterally along an upper region of the support arm. The support arm has a tab extending upward from an end of the flange. The frame is coupled to the support arm via the brace engaging an upper surface of the flange and via the tab engaging the edge of the brace. The support arm is configured to engage the refrigerator to position the shelf within the refrigerator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2023
    Date of Patent: July 7, 2026
    Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
    Inventors: Mahesh Edake, Ravindra Mali, Kailash Shravan More, Shekhar Shetty, Kiran R Waghmare
  • Patent number: 12669281
    Abstract: A refrigerator including a storage compartment; a rotatable door to open and close the storage compartment; a movable lever mounted on the door; a guide, having first and second contact surfaces, to guide movement of the lever while the door is rotated; and a door pusher to press the door to open the storage compartment. While the door is rotated, the lever is moved along in contact with the guide. While the lever is contacting the first contact surface, the lever applies a force to the door in a direction of closing the storage compartment. While the lever is contacting the second contact surface, the lever applies a force to the door in a direction of opening the storage compartment. The door pusher is operable to press the door in the direction of opening the storage compartment until the lever is in contact with the second contact surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2024
    Date of Patent: June 30, 2026
    Assignee: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Suhyeong Lim, Donghyeon Kwak, Jaejin Lee, Hojune Jeon
  • Patent number: 12660920
    Abstract: An appliance includes a basket having a bottom wall and a plurality of sidewalls forming an interior compartment. The basket includes a first positioning wall and a second positioning wall extending from the bottom wall. The first positioning wall extends substantially co-directional to a first axis. The second positioning wall extends substantially co-directional to a second axis. A base assembly includes a base wall, a first perimeter wall, and a second perimeter wall. A first adjustment member extends from the first perimeter wall toward the first positioning wall co-directional to the second axis. A second adjustment member extends from the second perimeter wall toward the second positioning wall co-directional to the first axis. The base wall extends co-planar to the bottom wall. A third adjustment member extends from the base wall toward the bottom wall co-directional to a third axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 2024
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2026
    Assignee: Haier US Appliance Solutions, Inc.
    Inventors: David Meese, Nurein Ibrahim Ahmed, Mark Allen Stout
  • Patent number: 12660921
    Abstract: A slide rail assembly includes a first rail, a first bracket device and a second bracket device. The first rail includes a first predetermined feature. The first bracket device is arranged on the first rail. The second bracket device and the first rail are movable relative to each other. The second bracket device includes a locking member having a second predetermined feature. During a relative movement between the first rail and the second bracket device, the first predetermined feature of the first rail and the second predetermined feature of the locking member are configured to abut against each other, in order to move the locking member to switch from a first state to a second state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2024
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2026
    Assignees: King Slide Works Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Ken-Ching Chen, Shun-Ho Yang, Tzu-Cheng Weng, Chun-Chiang Wang
  • Patent number: 12653309
    Abstract: A slide rail assembly includes a first rail, a second rail, a third rail and a switching member movable between a first state and a second state. The third rail is movably mounted between the first rail and the second rail. When the second rail is moved along a predetermined direction relative to the third rail located at a predetermined position relative to the first rail, the switching member is configured to abut against a predetermined part of the third rail, in order to move the switching member to switch from the second state to the first state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 2024
    Date of Patent: June 16, 2026
    Assignees: King Slide Works Co., Ltd., King Slide Technology Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Ken-Ching Chen, Shun-Ho Yang, Tzu-Cheng Weng, Chun-Chiang Wang
  • Patent number: 12656052
    Abstract: Disclosed herein are example shelving assemblies having cantilevered shelves. A shelving assembly can include a base having a front and a rear, as well as at least two columns extending upward from the rear of the base. The shelving assembly can also include an upper cross-support beam connecting an upper end portion of the two columns. A plurality of cantilevered support brackets can extend forwards from the columns and can support one or more shelves. The shelving assemblies can be loaded from the rear of the assemblies through a span between the columns Also disclosed herein are enclosures, such as coolers, which include a cantilevered shelving assembly according to the present disclosure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2023
    Date of Patent: June 16, 2026
    Assignee: Nashville Wire Products Manufacturing Company, LLC
    Inventors: John Nicholas Phy, Jammie Todd Allbert, Dorcas Jane Engelman, Phillip Kent Rollins, William Jacob Johnson
  • Patent number: 12656047
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is a refrigerator capable of fixing a door panel to a door body by using a sliding trim. The refrigerator comprises: a main body provided to form a storage compartment; and a door configured to open and close the storage compartment. The door comprises: a door body comprising a first chassis and a second chassis provided to form opposite side surfaces; a door panel detachably mounted on the door body, and comprising a first side trim provided at a rear surface of the door panel and provided to be rotatably coupled to the first chassis and a second side trim spaced apart from the second chassis by a predetermined distance so as to form a sliding groove; and a sliding trim inserted into the sliding groove by sliding with respect to the door body and the door panel, and provided to fix the second side trim to the door body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2023
    Date of Patent: June 16, 2026
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Chomin Lee, Yangyeol Gu, Seongwoo Kim, Chanbin Park, Yongman Seo
  • Patent number: 12642366
    Abstract: A merchandise display for displaying, refrigerating, and dispensing containers of a frozen product along an aisle may include a) a lower shelf and b) an upper shelf disposed above the lower shelf along a longitudinal axis of the merchandise display, c) a support portion operably coupled to the lower shelf and the upper shelf to form an assembly, radial extent of the assembly from the longitudinal axis forming a radial envelope of the merchandise display, and d) at least one refrigerating appliance configured to keep the frozen product frozen, disposed on the lower shelf or the upper shelf, and including a door configured to be moved between opened and closed positions to expose and close, respectively, the refrigerating chamber remaining within the radial envelope of the merchandise display.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2026
    Assignee: Mars, Incorporated
    Inventors: Bill Nottingham, Bill Rabbitt, Lindsey Tufts, Nick Stanca, Henry Izzo, Carter Calico
  • Patent number: 12638230
    Abstract: According to the present disclosure, in a refrigerator having a double door in which a first door and a second door are installed to overlap each other, a stopper limiting a rotation angle of the second door is integrally provided in a second hinge assembly. Accordingly, the components of the hinge assembly are minimized, and thus management and assembly work may be easily performed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 2022
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2026
    Assignee: LG ELECTRONICS INC.
    Inventor: Ki Bum Jeon
  • Patent number: 12638232
    Abstract: A refrigerator according to an embodiment of the disclosure includes a first refrigerator, a second refrigerator stackable on an upper side of the first refrigerator and including a caster disposed on a rear lower side thereof, and a support module disposed between the first refrigerator and the second refrigerator to allow the second refrigerator to be stacked on an upper side of the first refrigerator, wherein the support module includes a main plate coupled to an upper wall of the first refrigerator, a leg disposed on a front side of the main plate to support a front lower side of the second refrigerator, a guide plate coupled to a rear side of the main plate, and a guide lever vertically movably coupled to the guide plate so as to support the caster to move vertically.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2024
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2026
    Assignee: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Youngkyun Jeong
  • Patent number: 12638315
    Abstract: A casing is capable of preventing loosening of screws. A first attachment part of a first casing is fixed to a third surface of a block using a first screw. A second attachment part of a second casing is fixed to a fourth surface of the block using a second screw. Both upper surfaces of the first and the second casing are fixed using a third screw. The first and second screws are arranged on each side in a direction intersecting a longitudinal direction of the first and second casings, and the third screw is arranged on one side in the direction intersecting the longitudinal direction of the first casing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2024
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2026
    Assignee: NIDEC COMPONENTS CORPORATION
    Inventor: Kazuto Ohtake
  • Patent number: 12631391
    Abstract: A refrigerator includes a cabinet provided with a storage compartment; a door rotatably installed at the cabinet and configured to open and close the storage compartment; a hinge assembly configured to rotatably connect the door to the cabinet; and a damper configured to move in association with a rotation of the door, and to generate a damping force by contacting the hinge assembly. The damper is provided in such a way that the damper surface-contacts the hinge assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2024
    Date of Patent: May 19, 2026
    Assignee: LG ELECTRONICS INC.
    Inventors: Hee Jun Lee, Jinho Chang, Jaehoon Shin, Jae Un Shin