Patents by Inventor Berhanu Allo
Berhanu Allo has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).
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Patent number: 10907886Abstract: A method of forming an insulated structure for an appliance includes forming a structural enclosure having an outer wrapper and an inner liner and an insulating cavity defined therebetween, forming an insulating powder material, compacting the insulating powder material to form a pre-densified core material, disposing the pre-densified core material within an insulating cavity, wherein the insulating cavity is defined between the outer wrapper and the inner liner and expressing at least a portion of the gas contained within the insulating cavity, wherein the insulating cavity is hermetically sealed to define a vacuum insulated structure.Type: GrantFiled: February 20, 2020Date of Patent: February 2, 2021Assignee: Whirlpool CorporationInventors: Berhanu Allo, Mohamed Alshourbagy, Lakshya J. Deka, Abhay Naik, Lorraine J. Westlake
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Publication number: 20200278148Abstract: A method of forming an insulated structure for an appliance includes forming a structural enclosure having an outer wrapper and an inner liner and an insulating cavity defined therebetween, forming an insulating powder material, compacting the insulating powder material to form a pre-densified core material, disposing the pre-densified core material within an insulating cavity, wherein the insulating cavity is defined between the outer wrapper and the inner liner and expressing at least a portion of the gas contained within the insulating cavity, wherein the insulating cavity is hermetically sealed to define a vacuum insulated structure.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 20, 2020Publication date: September 3, 2020Applicant: WHIRLPOOL CORPORATIONInventors: Berhanu Allo, Mohamed Alshourbagy, Lakshya J. Deka, Abhay Naik, Lorraine J. Westlake
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Patent number: 10612834Abstract: A vacuum insulated refrigerator structure being formed from a wrapper extending around a liner is provided. The liner is positioned inside of the wrapper to form a gap there between, and to form a cavity between the wrapper and the liner. An insulating thermal bridge is formed from molding one or more extruded rails to one or more corner pieces in an injection molding device. The insulating thermal bridge is coupled across the gap wherein the insulating thermal bridge includes elongated first and second channels wherein the first and second edges are inserted into the elongated first and second channels, respectively. A curable sealant is contacted to the elongated first and second channels and the cavity is at least partially filled with a porous material between the wrapper and the liner. A vacuum is formed in the cavity and the cavity is sealed to maintain the vacuum.Type: GrantFiled: July 26, 2016Date of Patent: April 7, 2020Assignee: Whirlpool CorporationInventors: Paul B. Allard, Gustavo Frattini, Alberto Regio Gomes, Lynne F. Hunter, Dustin M. Miller, Abhay Naik, Berhanu Allo
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Patent number: 10605519Abstract: A method of forming an insulated structure for an appliance includes forming a structural enclosure having an outer wrapper and an inner liner and an insulating cavity defined therebetween, forming an insulating powder material, compacting the insulating powder material to form a pre-densified core material, disposing the pre-densified core material within an insulating cavity, wherein the insulating cavity is defined between the outer wrapper and the inner liner and expressing at least a portion of the gas contained within the insulating cavity, wherein the insulating cavity is hermetically sealed to define a vacuum insulated structure.Type: GrantFiled: July 3, 2018Date of Patent: March 31, 2020Assignee: Whirlpool CorporationInventors: Berhanu Allo, Mohamed Alshourbagy, Lakshya J. Deka, Abhay Naik, Lorraine J. Westlake
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Publication number: 20190162465Abstract: A vacuum insulated refrigerator structure being formed from a wrapper extending around a liner is provided. The liner is positioned inside of the wrapper to form a gap there between, and to form a cavity between the wrapper and the liner. An insulating thermal bridge is formed from molding one or more extruded rails to one or more corner pieces in an injection molding device. The insulating thermal bridge is coupled across the gap wherein the insulating thermal bridge includes elongated first and second channels wherein the first and second edges are inserted into the elongated first and second channels, respectively. A curable sealant is contacted to the elongated first and second channels and the cavity is at least partially filled with a porous material between the wrapper and the liner. A vacuum is formed in the cavity and the cavity is sealed to maintain the vacuum.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 26, 2016Publication date: May 30, 2019Applicant: WHIRLPOOL CORPORATIONInventors: Paul B. Allard, Gustavo Frattini, Alberto Regio Gomes, Lynne F. Hunter, Dustin M. Miller, Abhay Naik, Berhanu Allo
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Patent number: 10222116Abstract: An insulation delivery apparatus for forming an insulated appliance structure includes an insulated structure having a wrapper and a liner that define an interior cavity and a hopper having a storage bin and a delivery mechanism. The delivery mechanism delivers an insulating medium from the storage bin, through an insulation conduit and into the interior cavity. The delivery mechanism operates between idle and delivery states. A pressing mechanism is coupled with the insulation conduit and is in selective engagement with the insulated structure. The pressing mechanism operates between rest and compressing states. An inner support is in selective engagement with an outer surface of the inner liner and an operable outer support in selective engagement with the outer wrapper. The inner support and the operable outer support provide structural support to the insulated structure when the pressing mechanism is in the compressing state.Type: GrantFiled: December 8, 2015Date of Patent: March 5, 2019Assignee: Whirlpool CorporationInventors: Berhanu Allo, Mohamed Alshourbagy, Jon M. Anthony, Lakshya J. Deka, Abhay Naik, Lorraine J. Westlake
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Publication number: 20180313599Abstract: A method of forming an insulated structure for an appliance includes forming a structural enclosure having an outer wrapper and an inner liner and an insulating cavity defined therebetween, forming an insulating powder material, compacting the insulating powder material to form a pre-densified core material, disposing the pre-densified core material within an insulating cavity, wherein the insulating cavity is defined between the outer wrapper and the inner liner and expressing at least a portion of the gas contained within the insulating cavity, wherein the insulating cavity is hermetically sealed to define a vacuum insulated structure.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 3, 2018Publication date: November 1, 2018Applicant: WHIRLPOOL CORPORATIONInventors: Berhanu Allo, Mohamed Alshourbagy, Lakshya J. Deka, Abhay Naik, Lorraine J. Westlake
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Patent number: 10041724Abstract: A method of forming an insulated structure for an appliance includes forming a structural enclosure having an outer wrapper and an inner liner and an insulating cavity defined therebetween, forming an insulating powder material, compacting the insulating powder material to form a pre-densified core material, disposing the pre-densified core material within an insulating cavity, wherein the insulating cavity is defined between the outer wrapper and the inner liner and expressing at least a portion of the gas contained within the insulating cavity, wherein the insulating cavity is hermetically sealed to define a vacuum insulated structure.Type: GrantFiled: December 8, 2015Date of Patent: August 7, 2018Assignee: Whirlpool CorporationInventors: Berhanu Allo, Mohamed Alshourbagy, Lakshya J. Deka, Abhay Naik, Lorraine J. Westlake
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Patent number: 10030905Abstract: A method of fabricating a vacuum insulated refrigerator structure includes injection molding a first layer of a first polymer material. A second layer of a second polymer material is injection molded over at least a portion of the first layer, and a third layer of a third polymer material is injection molded over at least a portion of the second layer to form a first component. At least one of the layers is impervious to one or more gasses. A second component is secured to the first component to form a vacuum cavity therebetween. The vacuum cavity is filled with a porous material, and the vacuum cavity is evacuated to form a vacuum. At least one of the first and third layers includes a structural reinforcement such as a rib or screw boss of increased thickness that is formed during the injection molding process.Type: GrantFiled: December 29, 2015Date of Patent: July 24, 2018Assignee: Whirlpool CorporationInventors: Paul B. Allard, Berhanu Allo, Lakshya J. Deka, Hua Liu, Diptesh Mukherjee
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Publication number: 20170184340Abstract: A method of fabricating a vacuum insulated refrigerator structure includes injection molding a first layer of a first polymer material. A second layer of a second polymer material is injection molded over at least a portion of the first layer, and a third layer of a third polymer material is injection molded over at least a portion of the second layer to form a first component. At least one of the layers is impervious to one or more gasses. A second component is secured to the first component to form a vacuum cavity therebetween. The vacuum cavity is filled with a porous material, and the vacuum cavity is evacuated to form a vacuum. At least one of the first and third layers includes a structural reinforcement such as a rib or screw boss of increased thickness that is formed during the injection molding process.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 29, 2015Publication date: June 29, 2017Applicant: WHIRLPOOL CORPORATIONInventors: Paul B. Allard, Berhanu Allo, Lakshya J. Deka, Hua Liu, Diptesh Mukherjee
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Publication number: 20170159995Abstract: A method of forming an insulated structure for an appliance includes forming a structural enclosure having an outer wrapper and an inner liner and an insulating cavity defined therebetween, forming an insulating powder material, compacting the insulating powder material to form a pre-densified core material, disposing the pre-densified core material within an insulating cavity, wherein the insulating cavity is defined between the outer wrapper and the inner liner and expressing at least a portion of the gas contained within the insulating cavity, wherein the insulating cavity is hermetically sealed to define a vacuum insulated structure.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 8, 2015Publication date: June 8, 2017Applicant: Whirlpool CorporationInventors: Berhanu Allo, Mohamed Alshourbagy, Lakshya J. Deka, Abhay Naik, Lorraine J. Westlake
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Publication number: 20170159997Abstract: An insulation delivery apparatus for forming an insulated appliance structure includes an insulated structure having a wrapper and a liner that define an interior cavity and a hopper having a storage bin and a delivery mechanism. The delivery mechanism delivers an insulating medium from the storage bin, through an insulation conduit and into the interior cavity. The delivery mechanism operates between idle and delivery states. A pressing mechanism is coupled with the insulation conduit and is in selective engagement with the insulated structure. The pressing mechanism operates between rest and compressing states. An inner support is in selective engagement with an outer surface of the inner liner and an operable outer support in selective engagement with the outer wrapper. The inner support and the operable outer support provide structural support to the insulated structure when the pressing mechanism is in the compressing state.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 8, 2015Publication date: June 8, 2017Applicant: Whirlpool CorporationInventors: Berhanu Allo, Mohamed Alshourbagy, Jon M. Anthony, Lakshya J. Deka, Abhay Naik, Lorraine J. Westlake