Patents by Inventor Neomar Giacomini

Neomar Giacomini 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: 9945151
    Abstract: A refrigerator door includes a handle that is secured to the door utilizing connectors at first and second ends of the handle. The connectors do not have exposed screws, thereby improving the appearance of the refrigerator door.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2018
    Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
    Inventors: Neomar Giacomini, Axel Julio Ramm
  • Patent number: 9939191
    Abstract: An appliance includes a cabinet having outer walls that define a portion of a contact surface. Operable panels are engaged with the cabinet and operate between closed and open positions. A lateral mullion is pivotally attached to a mullion panel of the plurality of operable panels and is operable between contact and tucked positions. When the mullion panel is in the closed position, an outer surface of the lateral mullion is in the vertically pointed contact position and defines a portion of the contact surface to receive a seal of the mullion panel and selectively receive a seal of a vertically adjacent panel. Movement of the mullion panel to the open position rotates the lateral mullion about a horizontal axis to define the tucked position such that the mullion panel can move to the open position free of operation of the vertically adjacent panel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2018
    Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
    Inventors: Neomar Giacomini, Axel Julio Ramm
  • Patent number: 9927907
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for operating a touch input device and a lighting device coupled with a circuit, includes generating, in a signal combiner, an operational signal configured to identify a touch input device state for the touch input device, interpreting, in a touch core module, the identified touch input device state for the touch input device, in response to the interpreting of the touch input device state, generating, in a light core module, a lighting device state for the lighting device, providing the operational signal and the lighting device state, and controlling the touch input device and the lighting device via the operational signal and the lighting device state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2018
    Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
    Inventors: Neomar Giacomini, Brian N. Radford, Peter J. Melsa
  • Publication number: 20180081331
    Abstract: A system for controlling a plurality of appliances is disclosed. The appliances comprise a plurality of controllers in communication with a mobile device. Each of the controllers is configured to receive an instruction from the mobile device corresponding to a selected mode of a plurality of modes and apply the selected mode among the plurality of appliances as a selected global setting of a plurality of available global settings. The controller is further operable to activate an appliance specific control routine for each of the plurality of appliances based on the selected global setting and control each appliance based on the appliance specific control routine. The appliance specific control routine comprises a plurality of controls configured control an operation of each of the appliances causing the operation to conform to the selected mode.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 27, 2017
    Publication date: March 22, 2018
    Applicant: WHIRLPOOL CORPORATION
    Inventors: Wyndham F. Gary, JR., Neomar Giacomini, Richard J. Hughes, Michael J. Jakeway, Christopher W. Kelson, Saket Singh, Andrew Benedict Artis
  • Patent number: 9885514
    Abstract: A refrigerator is provided that includes a cabinet having a cabinet wrapper, a door coupled to the cabinet and operable between substantially open and closed positions, and a hinge assembly operatively coupled to the cabinet and to the door. The hinge assembly includes a hinge body defining a door portion and a cabinet portion, the door portion coupled to the door and the cabinet portion coupled to an external side of the cabinet wrapper. A foldable hinge connects the door portion and cabinet portion of the hinge body such that the door portion may rotate relative to the cabinet wrapper. A reinforcement member is positioned on an internal side of the cabinet wrapper and coupled to the hinge body. A locking mechanism is positioned on the door portion. The locking mechanism is configured to engage the reinforcement member and lock the door portion in place.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2018
    Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
    Inventors: Neomar Giacomini, Axel Julio Ramm
  • Publication number: 20180031226
    Abstract: A user interface assembly for a household appliance is designed and adapted to provide good lighting execution maintaining a directly coupled touch field unit. The user interface includes a decorative overlay, a structural light box, and a printed circuit board with an integrated touch field unit and plurality of top-fire LED. The printed circuit board is mounted to a mounting frame extending from the inner surface of the structural light box without the use of adhesive. The structural light box is box includes a conical light aperture and dimensioned to maximize thickness to improve lighting diffusion, but keeping the overall thickness of the structural light box within the maximum range acceptable for optimal functionality and sensitivity of the touch field unit through direct coupling.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 27, 2016
    Publication date: February 1, 2018
    Inventors: MELISSA J. BURCHILL, SANGHAYAN Y. GAJBHIYE, NEOMAR GIACOMINI, ROBERT B. WOMACK
  • Publication number: 20170307283
    Abstract: An appliance includes a cabinet having outer walls that define a portion of a contact surface. Operable panels are engaged with the cabinet and operate between closed and open positions. A lateral mullion is pivotally attached to a mullion panel of the plurality of operable panels and is operable between contact and tucked positions. When the mullion panel is in the closed position, an outer surface of the lateral mullion is in the vertically pointed contact position and defines a portion of the contact surface to receive a seal of the mullion panel and selectively receive a seal of a vertically adjacent panel. Movement of the mullion panel to the open position rotates the lateral mullion about a horizontal axis to define the tucked position such that the mullion panel can move to the open position free of operation of the vertically adjacent panel.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 11, 2017
    Publication date: October 26, 2017
    Applicant: WHIRLPOOL CORPORATION
    Inventors: Neomar Giacomini, Axel Julio Ramm
  • Patent number: 9739524
    Abstract: An appliance includes a cabinet having outer walls that define a portion of a contact surface. Operable panels are engaged with the cabinet and operate between closed and open positions. A lateral mullion is pivotally attached to a mullion panel of the plurality of operable panels and is operable between contact and tucked positions. When the mullion panel is in the closed position, an outer surface of the lateral mullion is in the vertically pointed contact position and defines a portion of the contact surface to receive a seal of the mullion panel and selectively receive a seal of a vertically adjacent panel. Movement of the mullion panel to the open position rotates the lateral mullion about a horizontal axis to define the tucked position such that the mullion panel can move to the open position free of operation of the vertically adjacent panel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2017
    Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
    Inventors: Neomar Giacomini, Axel Julio Ramm
  • Patent number: 9720249
    Abstract: Light collimators and methods for human machine interfaces are disclosed. An example human machine interface includes a top surface having a decorative element to be illuminated, a light source, and a plurality of parallel light collimators that collimate visible light emitted by the light source and direct the collimated light toward the bottom side of the decorative element. An example method of illuminating a decorative element of a human machine interface includes emitting light, passing the light through a plurality of collimators defined in the human machine interface, and directing the collimated light toward the decorative element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2017
    Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
    Inventors: Neomar Giacomini, Mark E. Glotzbach, Brian N. Radford, Eric J. Schuh
  • Publication number: 20170176094
    Abstract: An appliance includes a cabinet having outer walls that define a portion of a contact surface. Operable panels are engaged with the cabinet and operate between closed and open positions. A lateral mullion is pivotally attached to a mullion panel of the plurality of operable panels and is operable between contact and tucked positions. When the mullion panel is in the closed position, an outer surface of the lateral mullion is in the vertically pointed contact position and defines a portion of the contact surface to receive a seal of the mullion panel and selectively receive a seal of a vertically adjacent panel. Movement of the mullion panel to the open position rotates the lateral mullion about a horizontal axis to define the tucked position such that the mullion panel can move to the open position free of operation of the vertically adjacent panel.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 21, 2015
    Publication date: June 22, 2017
    Applicant: WHIRLPOOL CORPORATION
    Inventors: Neomar Giacomini, Axel Julio Ramm
  • Publication number: 20170176089
    Abstract: A refrigerator includes an insulated cabinet having an opening and a first hinge structure. The refrigerator includes a door including a second hinge structure that is movably connected to the first hinge structure. A height adjustment lever operably interconnects the first and second hinge structures. Movement of the lever in a first direction causes the door to move upwardly, and movement of the lever in a second direction causes the door to move downwardly. A stop limits movement of the height adjustment lever in at least one of the first and second directions. The lever is preferably movable by hand, such that tools are not required to adjust the door height/position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 18, 2015
    Publication date: June 22, 2017
    Applicant: WHIRLPOOL CORPORATION
    Inventors: Axel Julio Ramm, Neomar Giacomini, Alexandre M. Fleig
  • Publication number: 20170168675
    Abstract: A touch screen user interface display for an appliance has a touch screen with a plurality of icons. Each icon represents information that may be selectively invoked by touching the icon on the touch screen, wherein the icon may be moved by maintaining a touch of the icon and dragging it across the touch screen. The display also has a physical element having a portion partly overlapping the touch screen for association with screen icons.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 10, 2015
    Publication date: June 15, 2017
    Inventor: NEOMAR GIACOMINI
  • Publication number: 20170167163
    Abstract: A refrigerator door includes a handle that is secured to the door utilizing connectors at first and second ends of the handle. The connectors do not have exposed screws, thereby improving the appearance of the refrigerator door.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 10, 2015
    Publication date: June 15, 2017
    Applicant: Whirlpool Corporation
    Inventors: Neomar Giacomini, Axel Julio Ramm
  • Publication number: 20170159993
    Abstract: A refrigerator is provided that includes a cabinet having a cabinet wrapper, a door coupled to the cabinet and operable between substantially open and closed positions, and a hinge assembly operatively coupled to the cabinet and to the door. The hinge assembly includes a hinge body defining a door portion and a cabinet portion, the door portion coupled to the door and the cabinet portion coupled to an external side of the cabinet wrapper. A foldable hinge connects the door portion and cabinet portion of the hinge body such that the door portion may rotate relative to the cabinet wrapper. A reinforcement member is positioned on an internal side of the cabinet wrapper and coupled to the hinge body. A locking mechanism is positioned on the door portion. The locking mechanism is configured to engage the reinforcement member and lock the door portion in place.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 4, 2015
    Publication date: June 8, 2017
    Applicant: Whirlpool Corporation
    Inventors: Neomar Giacomini, Axel Julio Ramm
  • Publication number: 20170162346
    Abstract: A knob assembly includes a repositionable knob having an outer surface and an inner surface defining an interior and a light-transmissive indicia provided on the knob and viewable from the outer surface, at least one light source located relative to the repositionable knob and emitting light to transmit light into the interior of the knob and backlight the light-transmissive indicia, a position sensor providing a position output indicative of the position of the repositionable knob, and a controller configured to receive the position output. The at least one light source may be controlled to provide light into the interior of the knob to illuminate the light-transmissive indicia so that it is viewable from the exterior of the knob.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 22, 2017
    Publication date: June 8, 2017
    Inventors: MATTHEW P. EBROM, NEOMAR GIACOMINI, ERIC J. SCHUH, MIGUEL F. THIMANN
  • Publication number: 20170142835
    Abstract: Example human-machine interface (HMI) assemblies are disclosed. An example HMI assembly includes a fascia, a touch film having a first raised contact, a printed circuit board (PCB) having a second raised contact, and a backer having an extending member and attached to the fascia, the member configured to press the first contact against the second contact by applying a force to the PCB at substantially the second raised contact.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 12, 2015
    Publication date: May 18, 2017
    Applicant: WHIRLPOOL CORPORATION
    Inventors: MATTHEW P. EBROM, NEOMAR GIACOMINI, MARK E. GLOTZBACH, BRIAN N. RADFORD
  • Publication number: 20170131020
    Abstract: A method for packaging a handle set including providing a refrigerator having a cabinet defining an opening to access an interior; and providing doors defining an aperture for accessing the interior, the aperture width being less than the opening width. A handle set for installation onto the doors. A substrate panel having a panel width that is between the aperture width and the opening width, and to which the handle set to define a handle set package. Inserting the leading edge of the substrate panel through the aperture and the opening and rotating the handle set package through the aperture and the opening such that the trailing edge moves through the opening and into the interior, wherein an installation cutout of the substrate panel provides the handle set package with clearance to be rotated, and wherein the perimeter edge of the handle set substrate panel remains substantially level.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 11, 2015
    Publication date: May 11, 2017
    Applicant: Whirlpool Corporation
    Inventors: Neomar Giacomini, Ishan Khekale, Axel Julio Ramm
  • Patent number: 9607792
    Abstract: A knob assembly includes a repositionable knob having an interior framework and a light-transmissive indicia, at least one light source for projecting light into the knob to back-illuminate the indicia, a position sensor for providing an output dependent on the position of the knob, and a controller receiving the output from the sensor and controlling the intensity of the at least one light source to compensate for any light blocked by the interior framework, and maintain a substantially uniform illumination of the light-transmissive indicia so that it is viewable from the exterior of the knob.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2017
    Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
    Inventors: Matthew P. Ebrom, Neomar Giacomini, Eric J. Schuh, Miguel F. Thimann
  • Publication number: 20160356541
    Abstract: A refrigerator includes a cabinet, a door, a cooling system, an indicator configured to indicate a door-ajar condition and a door-ajar switch. The cabinet includes a liner that defines a refrigerated compartment, and the door is movable between an open position and a fully closed position to selectively seal the refrigerated compartment. The cooling system is configured to generate cool air and circulate the cool air within the refrigerator. The door-ajar switch includes a switch portion and a damper portion, with the portions located adjacent to one another in a common housing mounted to the cabinet or the door.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 3, 2015
    Publication date: December 8, 2016
    Applicant: WHIRLPOOL CORPORATION
    Inventors: NEOMAR GIACOMINI, AXEL JULIO RAMM
  • Publication number: 20160186984
    Abstract: An appliance comprising an appliance housing with an access opening, a closure element that selectively covers the access opening, a handle recess formed in the closure element, a human-machine interface (HMI), an HMI housing, and at least one light source. The light source is configured to provide light into the handle recess. The illumination from the light source may be used to light the handle recess.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 29, 2014
    Publication date: June 30, 2016
    Applicant: Whirlpool Corporation
    Inventors: Neomar Giacomini, Daniel Cavalcanti