Patents by Inventor John J. Pink

John J. Pink 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).

  • Publication number: 20090195136
    Abstract: An extending vertical wall is provided that secures to the rear edge of a shelf assembly inside a refrigerator compartment. The vertical wall comprises a vertical panel with two downwardly protruding legs. The legs removably reside within sockets included in the rear edge of the refrigerator shelf assembly. When the vertical wall is attached to the refrigerator shelf assembly, the vertical wall prevents items placed on the shelf from toppling off the back edge of the shelf assembly. At the user's discretion, the vertical wall may be quickly and easily removed from the shelf assembly. In an alternative embodiment, the wall is a formed retainer having an inserted U-shape such that the legs are received in the shelf sockets.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 2, 2009
    Publication date: August 6, 2009
    Applicant: MAYTAG CORPORATION
    Inventors: FORREST F. WING, JOHN J. PINK, ERIC S. SVENBY, MICHAEL J. EVELAND, TODD E. KNIFFEN, RAVI K. SAWHNEY, TIMOTHY MARK NUGENT, JOHN FRANK ZINNI
  • Patent number: 7568583
    Abstract: An extending vertical wall secures to the rear edge of a shelf assembly inside a refrigerator compartment. The vertical wall comprises a vertical panel with two downwardly protruding legs. The legs removably reside within sockets included in the rear edge of the refrigerator shelf assembly. When the vertical wall is attached to the refrigerator shelf assembly, the vertical wall prevents items placed on the shelf from toppling off the back edge of the shelf assembly. At the user's discretion, the vertical wall may be quickly and easily removed from the shelf assembly. In an alternative embodiment, the wall is a formed retainer having an inserted U-shape such that the legs are received in the shelf sockets.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 4, 2009
    Assignee: Maytag Corporation
    Inventors: Forrest F. Wing, John J. Pink, Eric S. Svenby, Michael J. Eveland, Todd E. Kniffen, Ravi K. Sawhney, Timothy Mark Nugent, John Frank Zinni
  • Publication number: 20030019827
    Abstract: An extending vertical wall is provided that secures to the rear edge of a shelf assembly inside a refrigerator compartment. The vertical wall comprises a vertical panel with two downwardly protruding legs. The legs removably reside within sockets included in the rear edge of the refrigerator shelf assembly. When the vertical wall is attached to the refrigerator shelf assembly, the vertical wall prevents items placed on the shelf from toppling off the back edge of the shelf assembly. At the user's discretion, the vertical wall may be quickly and easily removed from the shelf assembly. In an alternative embodiment, the wall is a formed retainer having an inserted U-shape such that the legs are received in the shelf sockets.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 15, 2002
    Publication date: January 30, 2003
    Inventors: Forrest F. Wing, John J. Pink, Eric S. Svenby, Michael J. Eveland, Todd E. Kniffen, Ravi K. Sawhney, Timothy Mark Nugent, John Frank Zinni
  • Publication number: 20030020387
    Abstract: Improved shelving is provided for a refrigerator. The shelving includes a pair of upper and lower rails which extend across the back of the food compartment, and a pair of half-width shelves selectively positionable on either of the upper and lower rails. The shelves can therefore be arranged in a side-by-side manner at the same level, in a side-by-side manner at different levels, or one shelf immediately above the other in closely spaced proximity so as to provide a tall storage area within the food compartment of the refrigerator.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 15, 2002
    Publication date: January 30, 2003
    Inventors: Forrest F. Wing, John J. Pink, Thomas E. Gose, Roger C. Miersen, Michael J. Eveland, Todd E. Kniffen
  • Patent number: 6186608
    Abstract: A multiple height package retainer for a refrigerator door and a method for adjusting an adjustable height package retainer for a refrigerator door includes a shelf body and a retainer member. The retainer member may have a first position and a second position for holding packages of varying height.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 1999
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2001
    Assignee: Amana Company, L.P.
    Inventor: John J. Pink
  • Patent number: 6039424
    Abstract: A refrigerator door supports a shelf which has a shelf front. The shelf is arranged to support a package to be retained, and the shelf has first, second, third, and fourth holes. A wire is arranged to be inserted into the first and third holes so that the wire has a first height with respect to the shelf, and the wire is arranged to be inserted into the second and fourth holes so that the wire has a second height with respect to the shelf. The first and second heights are different so that the wire and the shelf front are able to retain packages of different heights.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 1997
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2000
    Assignee: Amana Company, L.P.
    Inventor: John J. Pink
  • Patent number: 4870836
    Abstract: An air flow control mechanism for a glass top refrigerator container wherein a flexible actuator is routed from a lateral front slide in a guide slot or track that runs back along one side to a damper or shutter at the rear. Accordingly, a cold air inlet at the rear such as used in a meat keeper or crisper pan is actuated by a lateral front slide without having a mechanical linkage that passes across the middle of the frame thereby obstrucitng the view down into the container. The flexible band is coupled to an operator actuable lateral slide mechanism at the front, and the band at the back is coupled to a shutter which moves laterally in response to the motion of the slide mechanism so as to open and close the rear cold air inlet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 1989
    Date of Patent: October 3, 1989
    Assignee: Amana Refrigeration, Inc.
    Inventor: John J. Pink
  • Patent number: 4678247
    Abstract: A refrigerator shelf for dispensing cans or thawing food. Adapted for mounting in the limited height space below a meat keeper, the shelf defines a one-legged tray which is supported by the cross members of a cantilever-suspended frame. The cross bars are substantially L-shaped and inverted such that the respective supporting short sides are at different vertical heights. When the legged end of the tray is forward, the tray is held horizontally. When the legged end of the tray is rearward, the tray functions as a front loading can dispenser because it is inclined towards the rear.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 1985
    Date of Patent: July 7, 1987
    Assignee: Amana Refrigeration, Inc.
    Inventor: John J. Pink
  • Patent number: 4671078
    Abstract: A refrigerator having a cold air meat keeper that is adjustable to a plurality of alternate vertical positions. The cold air is introduced into the refrigerated food compartment through a port in the back wall of the liner. The meat keeper, which is suspended below a height-adjustable cantileverly-supported shelf, has an elastic conduit extending rearwardly therefrom. The conduit has an enlarged rear chamber that seals against the liner wall around the port in a plurality of elevational positions. The conduit is compressed in an interference fit to provide a positive sealing force against the liner surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 1986
    Date of Patent: June 9, 1987
    Assignee: Amana Refrigeration, Inc.
    Inventor: John J. Pink
  • Patent number: 4557118
    Abstract: A refrigerator having a crisper pan with a back passageway that is always open and a front passageway that is adjustable so that the operator can adjust the amount of flow through ventilation to control the humidity in the pan. The lid for the pan also functions as a refrigerator shelf and the back passageway is defined by a gap between the lid and the back of the pan. The front passageway is defined by a front lid plenum having a floor with a plurality of ports. A slide gate positioned in the plenum has a plurality of windows which, by sliding laterally in the plenum, can be made to respectively align with the ports to enable flow through ventilation. Full or partial sealing of the ports is provided by sliding the slide gate laterally to alter the alignment of the windows with the ports.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 1984
    Date of Patent: December 10, 1985
    Assignee: Amana Refrigeration, Inc.
    Inventors: John J. Pink, Jeffrey L. Prunty, Donald Alba
  • Patent number: 4007602
    Abstract: A freezer-refrigerator unit is provided with exterior ice service through the front of the cabinet. The unit has a panel forming a portion of the front closure of the freezer compartment and hinged at its lower edge to swing outwardly. Behind the panel is an ice tray, and the tray is supplied with ice cubes from an automatic ice maker located in the freezer compartment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 1975
    Date of Patent: February 15, 1977
    Assignee: Amana Refrigeration, Inc.
    Inventors: Richard D. Maxwell, John J. Pink, Michael J. Fitzharris, Louis R. Marz
  • Patent number: 3942334
    Abstract: A power driven ice dispenser in a freezer-refrigerator or the like discharges ice down a chute through the front of the unit. The chute is closed by a spring-loaded door opened by a lever. When the lever is released, an inertia motor delays closing of the door until the chute is emptied of ice.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 8, 1975
    Date of Patent: March 9, 1976
    Assignee: Amana Refrigeration, Inc.
    Inventor: John J. Pink
  • Patent number: D249449
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 1977
    Date of Patent: September 19, 1978
    Inventors: John J. Pink, Jerry L. Walter
  • Patent number: D250318
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 1977
    Date of Patent: November 21, 1978
    Inventor: John J. Pink
  • Patent number: D495719
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 2003
    Date of Patent: September 7, 2004
    Assignee: Maytag Corporation
    Inventors: Richard Allan Kirchner, Brian S. Guptill, Steven G. Herndon, John J. Pink, Greg A. Scorpil
  • Patent number: D371277
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 1994
    Date of Patent: July 2, 1996
    Assignee: Amana Refrigeration Inc.
    Inventor: John J. Pink