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).

  • Patent number: 11725862
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2023
    Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
    Inventors: Patrick J. Boarman, Brian K. Culley
  • Publication number: 20210381746
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: August 23, 2021
    Publication date: December 9, 2021
    Applicant: WHIRLPOOL CORPORATION
    Inventors: Patrick J. Boarman, Brian K. Culley
  • Patent number: 11131493
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 28, 2021
    Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
    Inventors: Patrick J. Boarman, Brian K. Culley
  • Publication number: 20210041155
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: October 26, 2020
    Publication date: February 11, 2021
    Applicant: WHIRLPOOL CORPORATION
    Inventors: Patrick J. Boarman, Brian K. Culley
  • Patent number: 10816253
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2020
    Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
    Inventors: Patrick J. Boarman, Brian K. Culley
  • Patent number: 10612831
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2020
    Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
    Inventors: Patrick Boarman, Brian K. Culley, Gregory Hortin, Mark Thomas
  • Patent number: 10605512
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2020
    Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
    Inventors: Brian K. Culley, Lindsey Ann Wohlgamuth
  • Patent number: 10415865
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2019
    Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
    Inventors: Patrick J. Boarman, Brian K. Culley, Gregory Gene Hortin, Mark E. Thomas
  • Patent number: 10352596
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2019
    Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
    Inventors: Patrick J. Boarman, Brian K. Culley, Gregory G. Hortin, Mark E. Thomas
  • Patent number: 10161663
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2018
    Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
    Inventors: Patrick J. Boarman, Brian K. Culley, Andrew D. Litch, Mark E. Thomas
  • Patent number: 10047996
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2018
    Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
    Inventors: Patrick J. Boarman, Brian K. Culley, Gregory G. Hortin
  • Patent number: 9995519
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2018
    Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
    Inventors: Patrick J. Boarman, Brian K. Culley
  • Patent number: 9989292
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2018
    Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
    Inventor: Brian K. Culley
  • Publication number: 20180010828
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: September 20, 2017
    Publication date: January 11, 2018
    Inventors: Patrick J. Boarman, Brian K. Culley, Gregory G. Hortin, Mark E. Thomas
  • Publication number: 20170321945
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: July 28, 2017
    Publication date: November 9, 2017
    Applicant: WHIRLPOOL CORPORATION
    Inventors: Patrick J. Boarman, Brian K. Culley
  • Publication number: 20170307276
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: July 6, 2017
    Publication date: October 26, 2017
    Inventors: Patrick BOARMAN, Brian K. CULLEY, Gregory HORTIN, Mark THOMAS
  • Patent number: 9791186
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2017
    Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
    Inventors: Patrick J. Boarman, Brian K. Culley, Gregory G. Hortin, Mark E. Thomas
  • Patent number: 9766005
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2017
    Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
    Inventors: Patrick J. Boarman, Brian K. Culley, Gregory G. Hortin
  • Patent number: 9759472
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2017
    Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
    Inventors: Patrick J. Boarman, Brian K. Culley
  • Patent number: 9696079
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2017
    Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
    Inventors: Patrick J. Boarman, Brian K. Culley