Inventors list

Assignees list

Classification tree browser

Top 100 Inventors

Top 100 Assignees


Douglas D. Leclear

Douglas D. Leclear, Coloma, MI US

Patent application numberDescriptionPublished
20080202844ACOUSTIC CHAMBER AS PART OF ADAPTER - An acoustic chamber as part of adapter for an appliance. The acoustic chamber is substantially enclosed except at the exterior surface, and is configured to interchangeably receive a plurality of different consumer electronic devices.08-28-2008
20080203868ADAPTER OR APPLIANCE WITH A USER INTERFACE WINDOW - An adapter or an appliance for use with an independently operable consumer electronic device having a user interface. The adapter comprises a holding device forming a device cavity capable of admitting the consumer electronic device in a predetermined orientation. An access opening into the device cavity exposes a portion of the consumer electronic device when the consumer electronic device is in the predetermined orientation. The portion of the consumer electronic device exposed includes at least a portion of the user interface.08-28-2008
20080222327VERTICAL ADAPTERS AND VERTICAL DEVICE FOR MOUNTING TO A HORIZONTAL SERVICE INTERFACE - A vertical device for mounting to a host having a horizontal surface with an upwardly oriented host service interface providing a mechanical service and at least one electrical service as well as an adapter for mounting a vertical device to a host of this type. The device or adapter has a main body with a horizontal portion and a vertical portion extending generally downwardly from the horizontal portion. A device service interface extends downwardly from the horizontal portion for engagement with the host service interface. At least one functionality is provided on the vertical portion of the vertical device or the adapter.09-11-2008
20080247594AUDIO NETWORK AS PART OF ADAPTER OR APPLIANCE - An audio network as part of adapter or appliance for an appliance performing a useful cycle of operation on an object unrelated to the delivery of sound media. The audio network comprises an appliance accepting a plurality of consumer electronic devices and sending acoustical signals from at least one of the devices to a remote speaker.10-09-2008
20090145158ICE MAKING AND DISPENSING SYSTEM - An dispensing system suitable for lifting and dispensing ice through the refrigerator compartment door of a bottom-mount refrigerator or lifting and dispensing ice from an undercounter ice maker to a dispenser on the countertop.06-11-2009
20110094255ICE MAKING AND DISPENSING SYSTEM - A dispensing system suitable for dispensing ice through the refrigerator compartment door of a bottom-mount refrigerator is disclosed.04-28-2011

Patent applications by Douglas D. Leclear, Coloma, MI US

Douglas D. Leclear, Benton Harbor, MI US

Patent application numberDescriptionPublished
20090260371SECONDARY COOLING APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR A REFRIGERATOR - The present invention provides a secondary cooling apparatus and method of providing cooling to one or more features in a refrigerator. In one exemplary aspect of the present invention, the refrigerator includes a cabinet having a door, a first cooling loop in the cabinet, and a second cooling loop cooled by the first cooling loop. The secondary cooling loop is adapted to cool the one or more features in the cabinet or on the door of the refrigerator. In another exemplary aspect of the present invention, a method for providing cooling in a refrigerator to one or more features in a compartment or on a door of the refrigerator includes providing a first cooling loop within a refrigerator, cooling a secondary cooling loop directly or indirectly with the first cooling loop, and transferring cooling from the secondary cooling loop to the one or more features in the compartment or on the door of the refrigerator.10-22-2009
20090302724PARK PLACE REFRIGERATOR MODULE UTILITIES ENABLED VIA CONNECTION - A connection system for connecting an encoded domestic appliance feature module to a utility source and transferring a plurality of utilities between the encoded feature module and the utility source. The connection system includes a utility source that has a coupler capable of removably engaging an encoded domestic appliance feature module to the utility source. Also included is at least one encoded domestic appliance feature module that independently supplies one or more functionalities. Further included is an interface between the utility source and the feature module, where the interface includes a detection and recognition device that operates to detect when the encoded feature module is connected to the utility source, where one or more predetermined utilities are transferred between the utility source and the feature module based upon which feature module is connected to the utility source, and where the detection and recognition device may be a reed switch, a DIP switch, and a comparator circuit12-10-2009
20100293987MULTIPLE UTILITY RIBBON CABLE - An elongated polymeric ribbon is mounted to the cabinet of a refrigerator/freezer or the door and at least one electrical conductor is integrally formed in the ribbon, which also integrally includes at least one fluid conduit. In one embodiment, the ribbon is mounted in association with an elongated spine, such that a module can be mounted anywhere along the spine and coupled to the polymeric ribbon for receiving operating utilities therefrom. This system provides the manufacturer with the capability of positioning a module requiring operating utilities at any desired location within a refrigerator/freezer cabinet and/or on the doors of the refrigerator/freezer. The ribbon connector is accessed by connections which allow dealers to customize refrigerators for individual consumers.11-25-2010
20100326113TUBULAR CONDUIT - The tubular conduit system of this invention allows modules requiring utilities to be positioned at any desired location within a cabinet, such as a refrigerator. The conduit is mounted to the cabinet of a refrigerator/freezer or the doors thereof and includes at least one electrical conductor positioned between the outer and inner walls and at least one fluid conduit within the inner wall. The conduit can be made of joined sections using connectors to also couple a module to the conduit such that modules can be installed at consumer selected locations prior to delivery of the refrigerator/freezer to the consumer.12-30-2010
20110110706ADJUSTABLE CONNECTOR SYSTEM FOR CONNECTION TO A MODULAR APPLIANCE - An adjustable connector system for use in an appliance is provided, wherein the adjustable connector system includes a channel disposed on a surface of the appliance, an access aperture defined by a surface adjacent the channel, and a utility enabled connector at least partially received in the channel, and extending from the access aperture, wherein the utility enabled connector includes an elongated member configured to at least partially extend along the channel, and extend from the access aperture, and an interface adapted to supply at least one utility to a modular appliance configured to be removably attached to one of a plurality of removable attachment locations on the appliance.05-12-2011
20110138828MEGA ICE BIN - An ice collection area is disposed inside the cabinet proximate an ice maker. An ice storage area is disposed inside the cabinet. A first relocatable ice bin is disposed inside the cabinet. The first relocatable ice bin is disposed in one of the ice collection area and the ice storage area. A second relocatable ice bin is disposed inside the cabinet. The second relocatable ice bin is disposed in the other of the ice collection area and the ice storage area.06-16-2011
20110138836THREE FUNCTIONS IN A SINGLE WELL - An appliance including an ice manipulation reservoir capable of receiving ice having a base, wherein the base includes a first level and a second level, with the first level descending gradually to the second level. A first ice modification member is disposed inside the ice manipulation reservoir adjacent the first level of the base, and a second ice modification member is disposed inside the ice manipulation reservoir adjacent the second level of the base. A motor is operably connected with the ice manipulation reservoir and includes an output shaft. An impeller is connected with the output shaft proximate to the plurality of ice modification members, with the impeller being operable between a first directional rotation, and a second directional rotation.06-16-2011
20110138842HIGH CAPACITY ICE STORAGE IN A FREEZER COMPARTMENT - A refrigerator including a cabinet having a cabinet door pivotally connected thereto. A primary ice bin is disposed on one of the cabinet and the cabinet door and includes a primary gate operable between a closed position and an open position. A secondary ice bin is disposed on the other of the cabinet and the cabinet door. The secondary ice bin includes a secondary gate operable between a closed position and an open position. The secondary gate operably engages with the primary gate to form an ice overflow route when the primary gate and the secondary gate are in the open position. An ice maker is disposed inside the cabinet and adapted to dispense ice into the primary ice storage bin.06-16-2011

Patent applications by Douglas D. Leclear, Benton Harbor, MI US