Patents by Inventor Brian K. Culley
Brian K. Culley 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: 11725862Abstract: A method for preparing clear ice includes supporting an ice tray via a rotating assembly within a housing and separating an interior volume of the housing into a first air chamber and a second air chamber. The first air chamber is below the ice tray and the second air chamber is above the ice tray. Water is supplied into the ice tray and the ice tray is cooled with a cooling device thermally coupled to a bottom surface of the ice forming plate. The cooling device is exposed to chilled air from within the appliance in the first air chamber. Ambient air is supplied from outside the appliance into the second air chamber within the interior volume of the housing. The surface of the water in the ice tray is exposed to the ambient air.Type: GrantFiled: August 23, 2021Date of Patent: August 15, 2023Assignee: Whirlpool CorporationInventors: Patrick J. Boarman, Brian K. Culley
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Publication number: 20210381746Abstract: A method for preparing clear ice includes supporting an ice tray via a rotating assembly within a housing and separating an interior volume of the housing into a first air chamber and a second air chamber. The first air chamber is below the ice tray and the second air chamber is above the ice tray. Water is supplied into the ice tray and the ice tray is cooled with a cooling device thermally coupled to a bottom surface of the ice forming plate. The cooling device is exposed to chilled air from within the appliance in the first air chamber. Ambient air is supplied from outside the appliance into the second air chamber within the interior volume of the housing. The surface of the water in the ice tray is exposed to the ambient air.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 23, 2021Publication date: December 9, 2021Applicant: WHIRLPOOL CORPORATIONInventors: Patrick J. Boarman, Brian K. Culley
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Patent number: 11131493Abstract: A method for preparing clear ice includes supporting an ice tray via a rotating assembly. The rotating assembly includes a shroud enclosing a bottom surface of an ice forming plate of the ice tray, and forms an interior passage formed below the ice forming plate. The method further includes supplying water into the ice tray and supplying an air flow from an intake duct via an air duct inlet to the interior passage. The method also includes controlling an angular rotation of the rotating assembly. The rotating assembly rotates relative to the intake duct and the air duct inlet, and the air flow is continuously supplied from the intake duct throughout the angular rotation.Type: GrantFiled: October 26, 2020Date of Patent: September 28, 2021Assignee: Whirlpool CorporationInventors: Patrick J. Boarman, Brian K. Culley
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Publication number: 20210041155Abstract: A method for preparing clear ice includes supporting an ice tray via a rotating assembly. The rotating assembly includes a shroud enclosing a bottom surface of an ice forming plate of the ice tray, and forms an interior passage formed below the ice forming plate. The method further includes supplying water into the ice tray and supplying an air flow from an intake duct via an air duct inlet to the interior passage. The method also includes controlling an angular rotation of the rotating assembly. The rotating assembly rotates relative to the intake duct and the air duct inlet, and the air flow is continuously supplied from the intake duct throughout the angular rotation.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 26, 2020Publication date: February 11, 2021Applicant: WHIRLPOOL CORPORATIONInventors: Patrick J. Boarman, Brian K. Culley
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Patent number: 10816253Abstract: An ice-making apparatus for an appliance having a housing with an interior volume and an ice tray horizontally suspended in the interior volume. The ice tray has a cold plate with a top surface and a bottom surface and a containment wall surrounding an edge portion of the cold plate to retain water. A cooling source is thermally coupled to the bottom surface of the cold plate. An intake conduit extends into the interior volume over the ice tray and is configured to draw ambient air into the interior volume over the ice tray, and the ambient air is above freezing.Type: GrantFiled: July 28, 2017Date of Patent: October 27, 2020Assignee: Whirlpool CorporationInventors: Patrick J. Boarman, Brian K. Culley
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Patent number: 10612831Abstract: A refrigerator that has a fresh food compartment, a freezer compartment, and a door that provides access to the fresh food compartment is disclosed. An icemaker is mounted remotely from the freezer compartment. The icemaker includes an ice mold. A thermoelectric device is provided and includes a warm side and an opposite cold side. The icemaker is thermally influenced by the cold side of the thermoelectric device. Air or fluid may be moved from the fresh food compartment across the warm side of the thermoelectric device. Cold air or fluid, such as from the refrigerator compartment, is used to dissipate heat from the warm side of the thermoelectric device for cooling the ice mold of the icemaker.Type: GrantFiled: July 6, 2017Date of Patent: April 7, 2020Assignee: Whirlpool CorporationInventors: Patrick Boarman, Brian K. Culley, Gregory Hortin, Mark Thomas
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Patent number: 10605512Abstract: A method of releasing ice from a mold apparatus is disclosed which includes the steps of: providing a mold apparatus having a first mold portion including a concave depression and a liquid circulating manifold and a second mold portion having a concave depression; pivotally coupling to the first mold portion to the second mold portion such that the mold apparatus is operable between an ice forming position and an ice harvesting position; assembling the mold apparatus to the ice forming position such that the concave depressions abut to from a mold cavity; injecting water into the mold cavity; cooling the mold apparatus; forming at least one ice structure within the mold cavity; circulating a warm liquid medium in the liquid circulating manifold to warm the mold apparatus; disassembling the mold apparatus to the ice harvesting position; and releasing the at least one ice structure from the mold apparatus.Type: GrantFiled: September 29, 2016Date of Patent: March 31, 2020Assignee: Whirlpool CorporationInventors: Brian K. Culley, Lindsey Ann Wohlgamuth
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Patent number: 10415865Abstract: A refrigerator may include a refrigerator cabinet and at least one compartment disposed within the refrigerator cabinet, an ice maker for making wet ice disposed within the refrigerator cabinet, a bucket for storing the ice, the bucket positioned to receive the wet ice from the ice maker, and a drain in the bucket for draining water from the bucket. A method of making ice in a refrigerator includes making ice using an ice maker of the refrigerator, conveying the ice from the ice maker to a bucket having a drain, maintaining the ice in the bucket at a temperature above freezing to allow the ice to melt to water, and draining the water from the bucket.Type: GrantFiled: October 8, 2012Date of Patent: September 17, 2019Assignee: Whirlpool CorporationInventors: Patrick J. Boarman, Brian K. Culley, Gregory Gene Hortin, Mark E. Thomas
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Patent number: 10352596Abstract: An icemaker is mounted remotely from a freezer compartment. The icemaker includes an ice mold. A thermoelectric device is provided and includes a warm side and an opposite cold side. A flow pathway is connected in communication between the cold side of the thermoelectric device and the icemaker. In one aspect, a fan is operatively positioned to move air from the fresh food compartment across the warm side of the thermoelectric device and a pump moves fluid from the cold side of the thermoelectric device to the icemaker. Cold air, such as from a refrigerator compartment, may be used to dissipate heat from the warm side of the thermoelectric device for providing cold fluid to and for cooling the ice mold of the icemaker.Type: GrantFiled: September 20, 2017Date of Patent: July 16, 2019Assignee: Whirlpool CorporationInventors: Patrick J. Boarman, Brian K. Culley, Gregory G. Hortin, Mark E. Thomas
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Patent number: 10161663Abstract: An ice maker assembly includes an ice forming plate and a cooling source thermally engaged to a bottom surface of the ice forming plate. The cooling source is configured to freeze water coming into contact with a top surface of the ice forming plate. A containment wall surrounds the top surface of the ice forming plate to define an ice tray that is configured to retain water. An electrical drive body is rotatably coupled to the ice tray and is configured to oscillate the ice-forming plate in a rocking cycle about a transverse axis of the ice tray. A median wall divides the ice tray along the transverse axis into a first reservoir and a second reservoir. The rocking cycle causes water to repeatedly move over the median wall to form layers of an ice piece within each reservoir of the ice tray.Type: GrantFiled: June 27, 2016Date of Patent: December 25, 2018Assignee: Whirlpool CorporationInventors: Patrick J. Boarman, Brian K. Culley, Andrew D. Litch, Mark E. Thomas
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Patent number: 10047996Abstract: An ice maker is provided herein that includes an evaporator plate. A first side of the evaporator plate is adapted to form a first clear ice sheet and a second side of the evaporator plate is adapted to form a second clear ice sheet. A staging area is arranged downstream from the evaporator plate and adapted to receive the first and second clear ice sheets after formation. The first and second clear ice sheets are fused in the staging area to form a unitary ice sheet. A first mold assembly having a first mold form and a second mold assembly having a second mold form are positioned within the staging area on opposite sides of the unitary ice sheet when the unitary ice sheet is received in the staging area. A mold cavity is adapted to shape the unitary clear ice sheet to form one or more clear ice structures.Type: GrantFiled: October 13, 2016Date of Patent: August 14, 2018Assignee: Whirlpool CorporationInventors: Patrick J. Boarman, Brian K. Culley, Gregory G. Hortin
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Patent number: 9995519Abstract: Provided is a method of making an ice structure including the steps of: providing a mold having at least two mold portions; extending two supporting rods between the at least two mold portions; extending a drive rod from each of the at least to mold portions; chilling the at least two mold portions using at least one cooling source; delivering a flow of water such that water flows over the at least two mold portions; forming ice structure segments within the at least two mold portions; and contacting the ice structure segments to fuse them together to form the ice structure.Type: GrantFiled: September 8, 2016Date of Patent: June 12, 2018Assignee: Whirlpool CorporationInventors: Patrick J. Boarman, Brian K. Culley
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Patent number: 9989292Abstract: An ice making device includes heating and cooling elements that control the formation of ice within a cavity. The ice making device may include one or more fluid inlets that supply liquid water to the cavity, and one or more fluid outlets that drain water from the cavity after formation of ice having a desired shape.Type: GrantFiled: October 13, 2015Date of Patent: June 5, 2018Assignee: Whirlpool CorporationInventor: Brian K. Culley
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Publication number: 20180010828Abstract: An icemaker is mounted remotely from a freezer compartment. The icemaker includes an ice mold. A thermoelectric device is provided and includes a warm side and an opposite cold side. A flow pathway is connected in communication between the cold side of the thermoelectric device and the icemaker. In one aspect, a fan is operatively positioned to move air from the fresh food compartment across the warm side of the thermoelectric device and a pump moves fluid from the cold side of the thermoelectric device to the icemaker. Cold air, such as from a refrigerator compartment, may be used to dissipate heat from the warm side of the thermoelectric device for providing cold fluid to and for cooling the ice mold of the icemaker.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 20, 2017Publication date: January 11, 2018Inventors: Patrick J. Boarman, Brian K. Culley, Gregory G. Hortin, Mark E. Thomas
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Publication number: 20170321945Abstract: An ice-making apparatus for an appliance having a housing with an interior volume and an ice tray horizontally suspended in the interior volume. The ice tray has a cold plate with a top surface and a bottom surface and a containment wall surrounding an edge portion of the cold plate to retain water. A cooling source is thermally coupled to the bottom surface of the cold plate. An intake conduit extends into the interior volume over the ice tray and is configured to draw ambient air into the interior volume over the ice tray, and the ambient air is above freezing.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 28, 2017Publication date: November 9, 2017Applicant: WHIRLPOOL CORPORATIONInventors: Patrick J. Boarman, Brian K. Culley
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Publication number: 20170307276Abstract: A refrigerator that has a fresh food compartment, a freezer compartment, and a door that provides access to the fresh food compartment is disclosed. An icemaker is mounted remotely from the freezer compartment. The icemaker includes an ice mold. A thermoelectric device is provided and includes a warm side and an opposite cold side. The icemaker is thermally influenced by the cold side of the thermoelectric device. Air or fluid may be moved from the fresh food compartment across the warm side of the thermoelectric device. Cold air or fluid, such as from the refrigerator compartment, is used to dissipate heat from the warm side of the thermoelectric device for cooling the ice mold of the icemaker.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 6, 2017Publication date: October 26, 2017Inventors: Patrick BOARMAN, Brian K. CULLEY, Gregory HORTIN, Mark THOMAS
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Patent number: 9791186Abstract: An icemaker is mounted remotely from a freezer compartment. The icemaker includes an ice mold. A thermoelectric device is provided and includes a warm side and an opposite cold side. A flow pathway is connected in communication between the cold side of the thermoelectric device and the icemaker. In one aspect, a fan is operatively positioned to move air from the fresh food compartment across the warm side of the thermoelectric device and a pump moves fluid from the cold side of the thermoelectric device to the icemaker. Cold air, such as from a refrigerator compartment, may be used to dissipate heat from the warm side of the thermoelectric device for providing cold fluid to and for cooling the ice mold of the icemaker.Type: GrantFiled: October 5, 2015Date of Patent: October 17, 2017Assignee: Whirlpool CorporationInventors: Patrick J. Boarman, Brian K. Culley, Gregory G. Hortin, Mark E. Thomas
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Patent number: 9766005Abstract: A refrigerator that has a fresh food compartment, a freezer compartment, and a door that provides access to the fresh food compartment is disclosed. An icemaker is mounted remotely from the freezer compartment. The icemaker includes an ice mold. A thermoelectric device is provided and includes a warm side and an opposite cold side. A fluid pathway is connected in communication between the cold side of the thermoelectric device and the icemaker. A pump moves fluid from the cold side of the thermoelectric device to the icemaker. Cold fluid or air may be taken from the freezer compartment to dissipate heat from the warm side of the thermoelectric device for providing cold fluid to and for cooling the ice mold or cool/warm fluid to other cooling or warming applications in the refrigerator compartment or on the refrigerator compartment door.Type: GrantFiled: December 3, 2012Date of Patent: September 19, 2017Assignee: Whirlpool CorporationInventors: Patrick J. Boarman, Brian K. Culley, Gregory G. Hortin
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Patent number: 9759472Abstract: An ice-making apparatus for an appliance having a housing with an interior volume and an ice tray horizontally suspended in the interior volume. The ice tray has a cold plate with a top surface and a bottom surface and a containment wall surrounding an edge portion of the cold plate to retain water. A cooling source is thermally coupled to the bottom surface of the cold plate. An intake conduit extends into the interior volume over the ice tray and is configured to draw ambient air into the interior volume over the ice tray, and the ambient air is above freezing.Type: GrantFiled: December 13, 2012Date of Patent: September 12, 2017Assignee: Whirlpool CorporationInventors: Patrick J. Boarman, Brian K. Culley
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Patent number: 9696079Abstract: An ice maker has an ice mold that includes a metallic piece and an insulated piece. A cooling source is thermally coupled to the metallic piece. A cavity is within the ice mold and has a first reservoir in the metallic piece and a second reservoir in the insulated piece. The first and second reservoirs align to substantially enclose the cavity. An intake aperture in the insulated piece extends to the cavity for receiving water. A drive body rotatably coupled to the ice mold that operates in an ice-making cycle, wherein the drive body repeatedly rotates the mold from an injection position to a tilted position. The cavity receives an incremental amount of water in the injection position and moves to the tilted position to freeze at least a portion of the incremental amount of water over a side surface of the cavity to make an ice piece.Type: GrantFiled: January 26, 2016Date of Patent: July 4, 2017Assignee: Whirlpool CorporationInventors: Patrick J. Boarman, Brian K. Culley