Chief Judge Sleet recently construed claims across ten different patents relating to refrigerator ice bin and dispenser technologies. LG Electronics U.S.A., Inc. v. Whirlpool Corp., C.A. No. 10-311 (GMS) (D. Del. July 10, 2012) (previously discussed here and here). The following claim terms were construed by the Court:
“refrigerating compartment”
“ice compartment”
“ice storage bin is dedicated to define a part of the cavity”
“that enables removal of at least a portion of the ice compartment from the refrigerating compartment”
“wherein the portion of the ice compartment that is removable from the refrigerating compartment is detachably installed within the refrigerating compartment”
“removing at least a portion of the ice compartment . . . including at least the ice storage bin and the [sic] at least one of the insulating walls”
“an interface . . . configured to receive air”
“freezing chamber/freezing compartment”
“an ice container positioned on the refrigerator door and configured to store ice made by the icemaker”
“a structure provided on the refrigerator door and corresponding to the ice container, the structure including an inlet configured to receive air”
“calculating a door-opening time when a door-open and a door-close are detected”
“cooling operation”
“obtaining a reset temperature lower than said negative limit temperature in accordance with the door opening time”
“determining and setting a reset temperature depending on the door-opening time, wherein the resetting temperature is lower than the negative limit temperature”
“executing a cooling operation until a temperature inside the refrigerator compartment reaches the reset temperature”
“the cover being movable between an open position to allow access to the ice bin and a closed position to prevent cold air from leaking from the ice compartment into the fresh food compartment”
“a cover for impeding cold air from passing from the ice compartment to the fresh food compartment”
“a cover adjustable into a closed position to cover the opening”
“finger activated release to move the latch member into an unlocked position”
“an unlocked position disengaged from the catch to permit the ice bin to be removed from the ice compartment”
“the cover being adjustable into an open position to permit removal of the ice bin from the ice compartment”
“auger”
“a refrigerator including a freezer compartment having an access opening and a closure member for closing the access opening”
“ice crusher blade”
“upper ice bin member”
“lower ice bin member”
“being disposed within the freezer compartment”
“an ice dispenser”
“a [first/second] end insert”
“interengaging”
“an aperture for receiving a fastener”
LG Electronics U.S.A., Inc. v. Whirlpool Corp., C.A. No. 10-311 (GMS) (D. Del. July 10, 2012).
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