Patents by Inventor Thomas Anell

Thomas Anell 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: 20070227176
    Abstract: An icemaker assembly for a refrigerator includes a support bracket having at least one support arm and a rear panel section, a bin slidably attached to the at least one support arm, an icemaker unit having an ice mold is also supported by the at least one support arm within the freezer compartment. The icemaker assembly also includes a fan mounted to the rear panel portion of the support bracket. The fan is selectively operable to direct an airflow onto the icemaker unit in order to speed ice production. Operation of the fan is tied to activation of a water inlet valve. A controller is coupled to the fan and the water inlet valve such that once the water inlet valve opens, fresh water enters the ice mold and the control activates the fan to hasten the production of ice.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 31, 2006
    Publication date: October 4, 2007
    Inventors: Thomas Anell, Michael Carden, Kenton Widmer
  • Publication number: 20070157645
    Abstract: A refrigerator includes a fresh food compartment, a freezer compartment and a refrigeration system. A duct, exposed to the freezer compartment, leads into the fresh food compartment. A damper is arranged within the duct to selectively allow the passage of cooling air into the fresh food compartment. The refrigerator also includes an air mixing fan arranged in the fresh food compartment, a freezer mounted ice maker, a user interface having a plurality of control elements and a controller operatively associated with the user interface. The controller includes a memory having stored therein a plurality of operating parameters for controlling various aspects or features of the refrigerator, including a temperature control mode, a super cool mode, a food saver mode and a quick ice mode, which can be synergistically combined to efficiently operate the refrigerator.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 9, 2006
    Publication date: July 12, 2007
    Inventors: Thomas Anell, Nelson Ferragut, Carl Franken, Alvin Miller, Mauro Oliveira, Todd Pritts, Alan Tarrant, Robert Wetekamp
  • Publication number: 20060266061
    Abstract: A refrigerator includes a refrigerator cabinet, a fresh food compartment disposed within the cabinet, a freezer compartment disposed within the cabinet, an ice compartment disposed within the cabinet, and an electronic control system associated with the refrigerator and adapted to monitor and control the fresh food compartment, the freezer compartment and the ice compartment. The control system provides for energy efficient control and operation through various means, including adjusting cut-in and cut-out temperatures of the cooling system to control.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 2, 2006
    Publication date: November 30, 2006
    Applicant: MAYTAG CORPORATION
    Inventors: Robert Wetekamp, Kyle Van Meter, Alan Tarrant, Ryan Schuchart, Mauro Oliveira, Alvin Miller, Brent Koppenhaver, Carl Franken, Nelson Ferragut, TIM Coulter, Greg Berardi, Thomas Anell
  • Publication number: 20060266055
    Abstract: An improved icemaker is provided for a refrigerator. The improvements include tilting the ice mold to assure that the ice cavity nearest the thermostat is filled with water; controlling air flow to the mold to promote rapid freezing of water in the mold cavities; raising the perimeter walls of the mold to minimize water spillage; and providing hooks on the mold for routing electrical wires.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 27, 2005
    Publication date: November 30, 2006
    Applicant: Maytag Corporation
    Inventors: Ronald Anderson, Troy Anderson, Thomas Anell, Xiaoyong Fu, James Jenkins, Bruce Kopf, Ryan Schuchart, Andrew Strohm, Scott Voll, Dennis Winders
  • Publication number: 20060266065
    Abstract: An improved icemaker is provided for a refrigerator. The improvements include tilting the ice mold to assure that the ice cavity nearest the thermostat is filled with water; controlling air flow to the mold to promote rapid freezing of water in the mold cavities; raising the perimeter walls of the mold to minimize water spillage; and providing hooks on the mold for routing electrical wires.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 2, 2006
    Publication date: November 30, 2006
    Applicant: MAYTAG CORPORATION
    Inventors: Ronald Anderson, Troy Anderson, Thomas Anell, Xiaoyong Fu, James Jenkins, Bruce Kopf, Ryan Schuchart, Andrew Strohm, Scott Voll, Dennis Winders
  • Publication number: 20060266067
    Abstract: An improved icemaker is provided for a refrigerator. The improvements include tilting the ice mold to assure that the ice cavity nearest the thermostat is filled with water; controlling air flow to the mold to promote rapid freezing of water in the mold cavities; raising the perimeter walls of the mold to minimize water spillage; and providing hooks on the mold for routing electrical wires.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 2, 2006
    Publication date: November 30, 2006
    Applicant: MAYTAG CORPORATION
    Inventors: RONALD ANDERSON, TROY ANDERSON, THOMAS ANELL, XIAOYONG FU, JAMES JENKINS, BRUCE KOPF, RYAN SCHUCHART, ANDREW STROHM, SCOTT VOLL, DENNIS WINDERS
  • Publication number: 20060266059
    Abstract: A refrigerator includes a refrigerator cabinet, a fresh food compartment disposed within the cabinet, a freezer compartment disposed within the cabinet, an ice compartment disposed within the cabinet, and an electronic control system associated with the refrigerator and adapted to monitor and control the fresh food compartment, the freezer compartment and the ice compartment. The control system provides for energy efficient control and operation through various means, including by monitoring state of an ice maker associated with the ice compartment and controlling temperature within compartments of the refrigerator based on the ice maker state. A damper controls air flow between the fresh food and freezer compartments. The control system can direct heat to the damper if the damper becomes frozen.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 2, 2006
    Publication date: November 30, 2006
    Applicant: MAYTAG CORPORATION
    Inventors: Robert Wetekamp, Kyle Van Meter, Alan Tarrant, Ryan Schuchart, Mauro Oliveira, Alvin Miller, Brent Koppenhaver, Carl Franken, Nelson Ferragut, Tim Coulter, Greg Berardi, Thomas Anell
  • Publication number: 20060266068
    Abstract: A refrigerator includes a refrigerator cabinet, a fresh food compartment disposed within the cabinet, a freezer compartment disposed within the cabinet, an ice compartment disposed within the cabinet, and an electronic control system associated with the refrigerator and adapted to monitor and control the fresh food compartment, the freezer compartment and the ice compartment. The control system provides for energy efficient control and operation through various means, including by monitoring state of an ice maker associated with the ice compartment and controlling temperature within compartments of the refrigerator based on the ice maker state. A heater is controlled by the control system to increase energy efficiency of the refrigerator.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 2, 2006
    Publication date: November 30, 2006
    Applicant: MAYTAG CORPORATION
    Inventors: ROBERT WETEKAMP, KYLE VAN METER, ALAN TARRANT, RYAN SCHUCHART, MAURO OLIVEIRA, ALVIN MILLER, BRENT KOPPENHAVER, CARL FRANKEN, NELSON FERRAGUT, TIM COULTER, GREG BERARDI, THOMAS ANELL
  • Publication number: 20060266066
    Abstract: An improved icemaker is provided for a refrigerator. The improvements include tilting the ice mold to assure that the ice cavity nearest the thermostat is filled with water; controlling air flow to the mold to promote rapid freezing of water in the mold cavities; raising the perimeter walls of the mold to minimize water spillage; and providing hooks on the mold for routing electrical wires.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 2, 2006
    Publication date: November 30, 2006
    Applicant: MAYTAG CORPORATION
    Inventors: RONALD ANDERSON, TROY ANDERSON, THOMAS ANELL, XIAOYONG FU, JAMES JENKINS, BRUCE KOPF, RYAN SCHUCHART, ANDREW STROHM, SCOTT VOLL, DENNIS WINDERS
  • Publication number: 20060260333
    Abstract: A refrigerator includes a refrigerator cabinet, a fresh food compartment disposed within the cabinet, a freezer compartment disposed within the cabinet, an ice compartment disposed within the cabinet, and an electronic control system associated with the refrigerator and adapted to monitor and control the fresh food compartment, the freezer compartment and the ice compartment. The control system provides for energy efficient control and operation through various means, including by monitoring state of an ice maker associated with the ice compartment and controlling temperature within compartments of the refrigerator based on the ice maker state. The control system can also use correlations in determining appropriate temperatures for different compartments within the refrigerator.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 13, 2006
    Publication date: November 23, 2006
    Applicant: Maytag Corporation
    Inventors: Robert Wetekamp, Kyle Van Meter, Alan Tarrant, Ryan Schuchart, Mauro Oliveira, Alvin Miller, Brent Koppenhaver, Carl Franken, Nelson Ferragut, Tim Coulter, Greg Berardi, Thomas Anell
  • Publication number: 20060260342
    Abstract: An improved refrigerator is provided with a freeze tolerant valve for the water tank assembly in the refrigerator. The valve includes a body with an internal plastic spool which minimizes the volume of water within the valve, and which provides a space in the valve to accommodate freezing water in the valve. The valve will not crack or fail in the event of a temperature control problem in the refrigerator which results in frozen water within the valve.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 11, 2006
    Publication date: November 23, 2006
    Applicant: Maytag Corporation
    Inventors: James Jenkins, Thomas Anell