Patents Examined by James O. Hansen
  • Patent number: 11910938
    Abstract: A mullion assembly for a merchandiser including an elongated mullion body that has a first end and a second end. The mullion body defines an elongated channel extending from the first end toward the second end along a longitudinal axis oriented along a length of the mullion body. The channel is defined by a support surface, opposite sidewalls, and opposite hooks that are coupled to the sidewalls and that extend in a direction across the longitudinal axis. A light assembly is coupled to the mullion body within the elongated channel, and the light assembly is captured by the hooks to retain the light assembly in the channel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2024
    Assignee: Hussmann Corporation
    Inventors: Raymond P. Twohy, Delanie M. Parmenter, Daniel E. Schnur
  • Patent number: 11896127
    Abstract: A metal furniture-drawer rear wall having a rectangular large surface-area element, an upper-side element and an attachment element. The large surface-area element has two broad side surfaces spaced apart and opposite one another, two long side surfaces spaced apart and opposite one another, and two narrow side surfaces spaced apart and opposite one another. The upper-side element is provided adjacent a long side surface, the attachment element is provided adjacent a narrow side surface, and the upper-side element and the attachment element extend in the direction of a surface normal to a broad side surface so that the furniture-drawer rear wall extends by less than 20 mm in this direction. The attachment element has an assembly mechanism in order to be connected directly to a furniture fitting by means of a connecting element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2024
    Assignee: Grass GmbH
    Inventors: Guenter Grabher, Patrick Pirker
  • Patent number: 11898789
    Abstract: An appliance mounting device is provided herein. The appliance includes a vacuum insulated structure having a liner positioned within a wrapper, wherein the liner and wrapper cooperate to define an interior cavity. The appliance further includes an insulating material positioned within the interior cavity and a hanger coupled to an adapter plate and a support member. The support member is configured to couple to an interior surface of the vacuum insulated structure while maintaining a vacuum in the interior cavity and a holding member is coupled to a first side of the adapter plate and configured to receive a positioning member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2024
    Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
    Inventors: Lynne F. Hunter, Raffaella Gropallo, Giulia Marinello
  • Patent number: 11889917
    Abstract: A shoe management apparatus including a cabinet including an inner space for storing shoes, an exhaust port disposed at a rear surface of the inner space and discharging air into the inner space, and a front discharge port disposed at an upper surface of the cabinet and discharging air from the inner space to outside of the shoe management apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2024
    Assignee: LG ELECTRONICS INC.
    Inventors: Hyunsun Yoo, Jeong Guen Choi, Joohyeon Oh, Jae Myung Lim, Byoungjoon Han, Sang Yoon Lee, Hyunju Kim, Jeaseok Seong
  • Patent number: 11874053
    Abstract: A door panel for a refrigerating appliance includes an inner liner. An outer wrapper is attached to the inner liner and defines an insulating structure with an insulating cavity disposed therein. An insulating material is defined within the insulating cavity. A dispenser structure is defined within a central portion of the inner liner and the outer wrapper. The dispenser structure defines an insulated dispenser portion therein. A dispenser conduit extends from an interior area disposed above the dispenser structure to an external dispensing cavity and passing through the insulated dispenser portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2024
    Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
    Inventors: Paul B. Allard, Sarah Galea, Dustin M. Miller, Vikas C. Mruthyunjaya, Abhay Naik, Sanjesh Kumar Pathak
  • Patent number: 11864653
    Abstract: A slide rail assembly includes a first rail, a second rail, a third rail, and a position-limiting member. The third rail is movably mounted between the first and the second rails. The second and the third rails can be displaced with respect to the first rail from a predetermined position in a first direction. When the second and the third rails are at the predetermined position with respect to the first rail, a first portion of the position-limiting member is adjacent to an end portion of the three rails, and a second portion of the position-limiting member prevents the three rails from separating from one another in a second direction substantially perpendicular to the first direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2024
    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: 11857071
    Abstract: A drawer synchronous slide includes a fixed slide rail (1), a middle slide rail (2), and a movable slide rail (3) connected to each other slidably, wherein a synchronizing gear (8) is arranged on the middle slide rail (2), a first synchronizing rack (6) and a second synchronizing rack (7) arranged horizontally and oppositely are respectively fixed onto the movable slide rail (3) and the fixed slide rail (1), left and right sides of the synchronizing gear (8) are respectively meshed and work in conjunction with a tooth-shaped part of the first synchronizing rack (6) and a tooth-shaped part of the second synchronizing rack (7), an elastic part (61) is arranged on the first synchronizing rack (6), the tooth-shaped part of the first synchronizing rack (6) is elastically pressed towards the synchronizing gear (8) under the action of elastic stress of the elastic part (61).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 20, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2024
    Assignee: GUANGDONG UNIHOPPER PRECISION TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION LIMITED
    Inventors: Bin Zi, Zhuofang Zhu
  • Patent number: 11857070
    Abstract: A drive device includes a carrier extending in the closing direction of a moveable furniture part, an ejection device for ejecting the moveable furniture part into an open position, and a locking device for locking the ejection device in a locked position. The locking device has a locking pin connected to the ejection device and a guide track for the locking pin formed in or on the carrier, and a synchronization device for synchronizing the movement of the drive device with a second drive device. The synchronization device has a transmission element moveably mounted on the carrier to be moved by the locking pin, and a synchronization coupling element connected to the transmission element. The guide track has a maximum guide track width measured perpendicular to the closing direction, and the synchronization coupling element and the ejection force store are arranged within this guide track width in the closing direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2024
    Assignee: Julius Blum GmbH
    Inventor: Pascal Janser
  • Patent number: 11844429
    Abstract: A cabinet storage system for a cabinet includes a base and a pair of slides. Each of the slides includes a face frame lip standoff extending from a front edge of a respective slide to align the cabinet storage system in a bottom of the cabinet. A bracket may be coupled with each respective slide, the bracket includes a face frame bracket positioned to extend beyond the front edge of the respective slide and the face frame lip. The face frame bracket is available to couple a cabinet front to the cabinet storage system. A slidable portion of each of the slides may include front ears and rear ears. The front ears include apertures to receive a first fastener coupled with the base, and the rear ears including an alignment notch to guide the base into alignment with a respective slide using a second fastener coupled with the base.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2023
    Assignee: REV-A-SHELF COMPANY, LLC
    Inventors: Leeman Elliot Stevens, Paul Franklin Chambers, Kevin M. Ward, David P. Noe, Steve M. Jones, Jr.
  • Patent number: 11828529
    Abstract: An appliance mounting assembly includes a mounting bracket with first and second distal arms that flare outward in opposing directions from an attachment body and couple to a panel. The mounting bracket includes a pair of coupling members that extend from the attachment body toward the panel surface and distal ends that curve inward toward one another. A self-clinching nut has an undercut, serrated clinching ring, and base. The undercut and the serrated clinching ring are disposed within an aperture defined by the attachment body. A ladder rack has first and second sides coupled via an attachment wall. The first and second sides define protrusions that engage the pair of coupling members in an interference fit. The attachment wall defines a receiving hole that aligns with the aperture. A threaded fastener extends through the receiving hole and engages the self-clinching nut to fasten the ladder rack to the mounting bracket.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2022
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2023
    Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
    Inventors: Atishkumar S. Dhage, Sanket Vivek Phalak
  • Patent number: 11819126
    Abstract: A weapon lock includes a latch pivotably coupled to a housing about a latch pivot axis, and includes a base arm, receiver and retainer arms extending transversely away from the base arm, and a pivot limit extension extending longitudinally away from the base arm. A weapon rack is configured to carry the weapon lock and includes upper and lower plates with upper and lower arrays of mounting apertures and pivotably coupled to one another via a hinge. A weapon cabinet is configured to carry the weapon rack and includes an enclosure having a rear wall to which a mounting backplane of the weapon rack is fastened with tamper-evident security fasteners, and having sidewalls, top and bottom walls, and doors hingedly coupled to the sidewalls.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2023
    Assignee: Law Enforcement Intelligent Devices, LLC
    Inventors: Mark Schofield, Brad Grabow
  • Patent number: 11815197
    Abstract: A cable manager includes a backbone assembly and at least one side wall extending from the backbone assembly. The at least one side wall optionally includes one or more cable finger units. The backbone assembly includes a spine member having an extruded construction. The spine member includes one or more channels extending substantially an entire length thereof to facilitate easy attachment, removal and/or repositioning of a structure relative to the spine member. The cable manager optionally includes an accessory rod, a half-spool assembly, a cable finger accessory, a strap/buckle accessory, and/or a door assembly having an interference-free hinge set.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2023
    Assignee: Chatsworth Products, Inc.
    Inventors: Preston Ellis Hennrich, William Drew Krietzman
  • Patent number: 11800929
    Abstract: An embodiment of the present invention provides a pull-out system comprising: at least two slide rails each having a fixed rail, a middle rail slidably arranged on the fixed rail, and a movable rail slidably arranged on the middle rail; and a synchronization means for synchronizing the movement of the movable rail, wherein the synchronization means comprises a roller unit, a synchronization bar connected to the roller unit, and a deflectable element having an end portion fixe to the roller unit and an opposite end portion connected to the movable rail, and the movable rail is configured to move as much as the amount of rotation of the roller unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2023
    Assignee: SEGOS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Doo Myun Lee, Sung Joon Kang, In Suk Ra, Jung Kyu Lim, Sung Woo Kim, Jae Hyuk Lim, Dong Wook Kim
  • Patent number: 11781757
    Abstract: A rack assembly for a cooking appliance includes a rack operable between a stowed position and a deployed position. At least one telescoping actuator is operable between a retracted position and an extended position. At least one connector has a first end coupled to a distal end of the telescoping actuator and a second end coupled to the rack. The rack is adjusted from the stowed position to the deployed position as the telescoping actuator adjusts from the retracted position to the extended position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2023
    Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
    Inventors: Tushar Ravindra Dhinge, Harichandra Prabhakar Lambate
  • Patent number: 11779113
    Abstract: An appliance includes a cabinet that has an inner surface. A frame is coupled to the inner surface of the cabinet. The frame includes a frame boss that extends from a bottom surface thereof. A panel is positioned within the frame. The frame extends along a perimeter of the panel. An inner trim member has a flange that extends therefrom. The flange defines an aperture configured to align with the frame boss. A fastener is configured to extend through the aperture and engage the frame boss to couple the inner trim member with the frame. An outer trim member is disposed over the inner trim member. The inner trim member is configured to slidably receive the outer trim member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2023
    Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
    Inventors: Pratik P. Chavan, Shrawan Kumar, Pranav Karan
  • Patent number: 11772581
    Abstract: Transfer ports for confinement gloveboxes may include a flange sized and shaped to be secured within an opening in a wall of a glovebox. A sleeve may be secured to the flange and define a passage through the flange. A first cap may be removably secured to the sleeve on a first side of the flange and obstruct the passage on the first side. A second cap may be removably secured to the sleeve on a second, opposite side of the flange and obstruct the passage on the second side.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2023
    Assignee: Battelle Energy Alliance, LLC
    Inventor: Aaron A. Balsmeier
  • Patent number: 11771224
    Abstract: The invention relates to a drawer extraction guide with a corpus rail, a drawer rail, and a center rail and carriages arranged between them. It is provided that a synchronization device comprises at least a first and a second gear set with one or more synchronization wheels that are coupled with each other; that rolls a first synchronization wheel of the first gear set on one of the rails, on a component attached to the rail, on one of the carriages, or on an element attached to the carriage; that rolls a synchronization wheel of the second gear set on a further rail, on an element attached to a further rail, on a further carriage, or on an element attached to a further carriage; the synchronization device comprising a transfer member that is linearly and freely adjustable relative to the corpus rail, the center rail, the drawer rail, and the gear sets; and that one synchronization wheel of the first and the second gear set each roll on the transfer member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2023
    Inventor: Christian Prentner
  • Patent number: 11766119
    Abstract: An arrangement includes a drawer pull-out guide and a locking device for releasably locking a furniture part. The drawer pull-out guide includes a carcass rail to be fixed to a furniture carcass and an extension rail, the extension rail being displaceably supported between a fully closed position and a fully open position. The locking device includes a first locking component to be fixed to the furniture carcass, and a second locking component to be fixed to the extendably-supported furniture part. The first locking component and the second locking component can be releasably locked together, and the second locking component includes a base member and a locking element for releasably locking the first locking component. The locking element is pivotally supported on the base member, and the extension rail of the drawer pull-out guide can be releasably locked by the locking device in or immediately before the fully open position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 26, 2023
    Assignee: Julius Blum GmbH
    Inventors: Emanuel Netzer, Daniel Wohlgenannt
  • Patent number: 11751700
    Abstract: Coolers for dispensing products, such as beverages, having multiple doors for accessing a single product compartment. A cooler may include a housing defining a product compartment; a top door coupled to a top surface of the housing at a hinge, the top door comprising a curved transparent panel; a vertical door coupled to a vertical front surface of the housing; a collapsible shelf disposed in the product compartment that is configured to move between an extended position and a retracted position; and a lower shelf disposed below the collapsible shelf in the product compartment. A product disposed on the collapsible shelf may be accessible through the top door when the collapsible shelf is in the extended position and a product disposed on the lower shelf may be accessible through the top door when the collapsible shelf is in the retracted position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2023
    Assignee: PepsiCo, Inc.
    Inventors: Sandeep Jain, Gurmeet Singh Bhutani
  • Patent number: 11740013
    Abstract: A refrigerator is provided. The refrigerator includes a body including a door, a door opening device including a motor, and configured to open the door through a rotation of the motor, a first sensor configured to sense an opening of the door, a second sensor configured to sense a position of the door, and a processor is included, and the processor is configured to control, based on a user command for the opening of the door being obtained, the motor to rotate at a first speed, control, based on the opening of the door being sensed by the first sensor, the motor to rotate by reducing speed in stages to a second speed which is slower than the first speed, and control, based on a position of the door being sensed in a first position by the second sensor, the motor to open the door to a second position by rotating at the second speed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2023
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Sungho Cho, Seungwan Kang, Daesung Ki, Hyunuk Park, Chanyoung Park, Taein Eom, Seungmi Kang, Kyungtae Ko