Patents by Inventor Daryl Lee Reuter

Daryl Lee Reuter 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: 11137189
    Abstract: An ice dispenser assembly for an ice maker is provided. The ice dispenser assembly includes a dispenser housing defining at least one side wall having a dispenser and an opening in fluid communication with the ice maker. The ice dispenser assembly also includes an ice door covering the opening. The ice door is rotatable between an open position permitting ice from the ice maker to be received through the dispenser and a closed position restricting cooled air from escaping from the ice maker. The ice dispenser assembly also includes rotatable arm coupled to the ice door for rotating the ice door between the open position and the closed position. The rotatable arm extends across the opening between a first end and a second end. The first end includes a cam. The ice dispenser assembly further includes a first torsion spring engaging the cam in the open position and the closed position, wherein a torque of the first torsion spring against the cam is greater in the closed position than the open position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 5, 2021
    Assignee: Haier US Appliance Solutions, Inc.
    Inventor: Daryl Lee Reuter
  • Patent number: 10982897
    Abstract: An appliance may include a cabinet, a door, a mullion, and a damping assembly. The cabinet may define a chamber. The door may be coupled to the cabinet and rotatable between an open position and a closed position to selectively seal the chamber. The mullion may have an inner face and an outer face. The mullion may be rotatably coupled to the door via a hinge defining an axial direction between a first position and a second position. The damping assembly may include a stopper wedge and a mated wedge. The stopper wedge may be fixed to the door. The stopper wedge may have a primary face extending along a nonparallel angle relative to the longitudinal plane. The mated wedge may be fixed to the mullion. The mated wedge may have a receiving face complementary to the primary face of the stopper wedge to engage therewith in the first position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2021
    Assignee: Haier US Appliance Solutions, Inc.
    Inventor: Daryl Lee Reuter
  • Publication number: 20200318889
    Abstract: An appliance may include a cabinet, a door, a mullion, and a damping assembly. The cabinet may define a chamber. The door may be coupled to the cabinet and rotatable between an open position and a closed position to selectively seal the chamber. The mullion may have an inner face and an outer face. The mullion may be rotatably coupled to the door via a hinge defining an axial direction between a first position and a second position. The damping assembly may include a stopper wedge and a mated wedge. The stopper wedge may be fixed to the door. The stopper wedge may have a primary face extending along a nonparallel angle relative to the longitudinal plane. The mated wedge may be fixed to the mullion. The mated wedge may have a receiving face complementary to the primary face of the stopper wedge to engage therewith in the first position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 3, 2019
    Publication date: October 8, 2020
    Inventor: Daryl Lee Reuter
  • Patent number: 10267554
    Abstract: A refrigerator appliance includes a cabinet defining a chamber and a door coupled to the cabinet. The door is rotatable between a closed position and an open position to selectively sealingly enclose the chamber. The refrigerator appliance also includes a mullion rotatably coupled to the door via a hinge. The mullion is rotatable between a first position and a second position. The hinge includes a pivot member and a biasing element configured to retain the mullion in the first position and the second position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2019
    Assignee: Haier US Appliance Solutions, Inc.
    Inventors: Daryl Lee Reuter, Brian Culley
  • Patent number: 10260261
    Abstract: A refrigerator appliance includes a cabinet with a door positioned at the front of the cabinet. The refrigerator appliance also includes a hinge having a hinge bracket coupled to the cabinet. The hinge bracket includes a lateral plate. A pivot pin is received in the lateral plate. The door is rotatably coupled to the pivot plate. A lateral surface of the door is spaced apart from the lateral plate of the hinge bracket along the vertical direction by a height. An adjustable spacer is positioned between the lateral plate of the hinge bracket and the lateral surface of the door to adjust the height. The adjustable spacer includes a rotatable washer and a fixed washer abutting the rotatable washer. The rotatable washer includes a first inclined engagement surface and a second inclined engagement surface. The fixed washer includes a third inclined engagement surface and a fourth inclined engagement surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2019
    Assignee: HAIER US APPLIANCE SOLUTIONS, INC.
    Inventors: Daryl Lee Reuter, Brian Culley
  • Publication number: 20190049170
    Abstract: A refrigerator appliance includes a cabinet defining a chamber and a door coupled to the cabinet. The door is rotatable between a closed position and an open position to selectively sealingly enclose the chamber. The refrigerator appliance also includes a mullion rotatably coupled to the door via a hinge. The mullion is rotatable between a first position and a second position. The hinge includes a pivot member and a biasing element configured to retain the mullion in the first position and the second position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 10, 2017
    Publication date: February 14, 2019
    Inventors: Daryl Lee Reuter, Brian Culley
  • Publication number: 20190003224
    Abstract: A refrigerator appliance includes a cabinet with a door positioned at the front of the cabinet. The refrigerator appliance also includes a hinge having a hinge bracket coupled to the cabinet. The hinge bracket includes a lateral plate. A pivot pin is received in the lateral plate. The door is rotatably coupled to the pivot plate. A lateral surface of the door is spaced apart from the lateral plate of the hinge bracket along the vertical direction by a height. An adjustable spacer is positioned between the lateral plate of the hinge bracket and the lateral surface of the door to adjust the height. The adjustable spacer includes a rotatable washer and a fixed washer abutting the rotatable washer. The rotatable washer includes a first inclined engagement surface and a second inclined engagement surface. The fixed washer includes a third inclined engagement surface and a fourth inclined engagement surface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 28, 2017
    Publication date: January 3, 2019
    Inventors: Daryl Lee Reuter, Brian Culley
  • Publication number: 20130249372
    Abstract: A domestic refrigerator includes a door operable to pivot about an axis of rotation. A cam plate is coupled to the door and includes a first cam surface. The refrigerator includes a coupler body that has a second cam surface engaged with the first cam surface and an aperture defined therein. A hinge pin defines the axis of rotation and includes an upper end positioned in the aperture of the coupler body. The hinge pin has a plurality of longitudinal slots defined therein. A plurality of splines extend from the coupler body, and each spline is received in a corresponding longitudinal slot of the hinge pin.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 23, 2012
    Publication date: September 26, 2013
    Applicant: WHIRLPOOL CORPORATION
    Inventors: ERIC D. LIVELY, JULIE A. MANN, DARYL LEE REUTER
  • Publication number: 20130249371
    Abstract: A domestic appliance includes a cabinet with a door positioned at a front of the cabinet, a closer assembly secured to the door, a mounting bracket coupled to the front of the cabinet, a hinge pin extending upwardly from the mounting bracket, and a coupler body. The closer assembly includes a downwardly-extending shaft. The coupler body has a first inner sidewall defining a lower aperture that receives an upper end of the hinge pin, and a second inner sidewall defining an upper aperture that receives a lower end of the shaft. The shaft of the closer assembly has a first plurality of splines formed thereon, and the second inner sidewall of the coupler body has a second plurality of splines formed thereon. The second plurality of splines of the coupler body engages the first plurality of splines of the shaft.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 16, 2012
    Publication date: September 26, 2013
    Applicant: WHIRLPOOL CORPORATION
    Inventors: ERIC D. LIVELY, JULIE A. MANN, DARYL LEE REUTER
  • Publication number: 20130249373
    Abstract: A domestic refrigerator includes a door operable to pivot about an axis of rotation, a cam plate coupled to the door that includes a first cam surface, and a coupler body having a second cam surface engaged with the first cam surface. The coupler body has an inner wall that defines an aperture and includes a pair of substantially planar surfaces. A hinge pin defines the axis of rotation and has an upper end positioned in the aperture of the coupler body. The upper end includes a pair of substantially planar surfaces engaged with the pair of substantially planar surfaces of the coupler body to prevent rotation of the coupler body about the axis of rotation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 23, 2012
    Publication date: September 26, 2013
    Applicant: WHIRLPOOL CORPORATION
    Inventors: ERIC D. LIVELY, JULIE A. MANN, DARYL LEE REUTER
  • Patent number: 7594707
    Abstract: A snap-in rack and pinion stabilizing system for a cabinet drawer including first and second slide assemblies mounted in the cabinet, a rack gear connected to each of the first and second slide assemblies, and spaced mounting brackets connected to the drawer having opposite sides and a bottom edge. The rack and pinion stabilizing system also includes a snap-on pinion gear assembly including a shaft, first and second pinion gears mounted on opposite ends of the shaft, and first and second bearing brackets. The bearing brackets rotatably support the shaft and are arranged to snap-in to latch surfaces on the mounting brackets with the pinion gears engaging the rack gears.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 15, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 29, 2009
    Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
    Inventors: Aidan Carl Kunkle, Frank Weston Maglinger, Richard Bruce Mills, Daryl Lee Reuter
  • Publication number: 20090045713
    Abstract: A snap-in rack and pinion stabilizing system for a cabinet drawer including first and second slide assemblies mounted in the cabinet, a rack gear connected to each of the first and second slide assemblies, and spaced mounting brackets connected to the drawer having opposite sides and a bottom edge. The rack and pinion stabilizing system also includes a snap-on pinion gear assembly including a shaft, first and second pinion gears mounted on opposite ends of the shaft, and first and second bearing brackets. The bearing brackets rotatably support the shaft and are arranged to snap-in to latch surfaces on the mounting brackets with the pinion gears engaging the rack gears.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 15, 2007
    Publication date: February 19, 2009
    Applicant: WHIRLPOOL CORPORATION
    Inventors: AIDAN CARL KUNKLE, FRANK WESTON MAGLINGER, RICHARD BRUCE MILLS, DARYL LEE REUTER