Patents by Inventor Franklin G. Katje

Franklin G. Katje 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: 8012595
    Abstract: An appliance is provided having a panel formed of a magnetizable material and a polyester lamination film adhered to an outer surface of the panel, wherein the polyester lamination film provides a stainless steel appearance to the panel. The polyester lamination film may be a polyester film layer with a backside brushed, a vacuum metallized aluminum layer deposited on the backside of the polyester film layer, and a tinted coating layer provided on a front side of the polyester film layer. The tinted coating layer may be colored to provide a correct color rendition of the metallized aluminum layer as stainless steel, as seen through said polyester lamination film. A strippable film layer may be applied over the polyester lamination film to protect the panel during manufacture. The magnetizable material of the panel may be rolled steel. The panel may have bends in its surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2004
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2011
    Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
    Inventors: Kevin R. Leatherwood, Franklin G. Katje, David L. Benefiel, David E. Elsner, David M. Lewis
  • Patent number: 5599081
    Abstract: A door construction is provided for a refrigeration appliance where the door has an exterior shell with a certain degree of rigidity, an interior liner spaced from the exterior shell and being less rigid than the shell, a foamed insulation material disposed between the exterior shell and the interior liner and a reinforcement sheet having a rigidly greater than the liner located between the exterior shell and the liner. The reinforcement sheet may either be retained and placed by the foamed insulation material or by an adhesive layer between the sheet and the liner. Preferably the liner has a planar surface and the sheet has a planar surface in engagement with the planar surface of the liner. The sheet may be non-perforated or perforated and be made of a metallic material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 1996
    Date of Patent: February 4, 1997
    Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
    Inventors: John R. Revlett, Edward A. Anderson, Patrick A. Braun, Steve J. Kerwin, Franklin G. Katje