Granted Patent B2

US 12,729,102 · App. 18/905,213 · Granted Sep 8, 2026

Inventors: Jeffrey Colyer (Louisville, KY); Brian Culley (Newburgh, IN)

Assignee: Haier US Appliance Solutions, Inc.

B67D1/0888B67D1/004F25D23/126

Abstract

Claims (60)

1 . A refrigerator appliance comprising:

a cabinet defining a fresh food chamber; and

an autofill pitcher system comprising:

a pitcher defining an internal volume,

a lid removably coupled to the pitcher above the internal volume, the lid comprising a top wall and a tab forming a raised portion of the top wall,

a first identifier body held on the lid, the first identifier body being mounted integrated within the raised portion of the top wall, wherein the first identifier body stores information indicative of the autofill pitcher system,

a dispenser defining a cavity for receiving the lid, and

a second identifier body disposed within the cavity, the second identifier body being in selective wireless communication with the first identifier body in a docked position of the pitcher,

wherein the first identifier body transmits the information indicative of the autofill pitcher system to the second identifier body in the docked position of the pitcher, and

wherein the second identifier body reads the information indicative of the autofill pitcher system transmitted from the first identifier body in the docked position of the pitcher.

2 . The refrigerator appliance of claim 1 , wherein the information indicative of the autofill pitcher system includes information indicative of a predetermined liquid content of the pitcher.

3 . The refrigerator appliance of claim 1 , wherein the first identifier body comprises a Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) tag that stores the information indicative of the autofill pitcher system, and

wherein the second identifier body comprises an RFID reader for identifying the RFID tag and reading the information indicative of the autofill pitcher system stored in the RFID tag.

4 . The refrigerator appliance of claim 1 , wherein the first identifier body comprises a magnet array, the magnet array being mounted to the lid in a set arrangement corresponding to a predetermined liquid content.

5 . The refrigerator appliance of claim 1 , wherein the pitcher comprises a pitcher wall and a pitcher bottom,

wherein the pitcher wall and the pitcher bottom define the internal volume,

wherein the pitcher wall forms a top edge opposite the pitcher bottom, the top edge defining an opening,

wherein the internal volume is accessible through the opening defined by the top edge, and

wherein the lid is removably coupled to the pitcher in the opening.

6 . The refrigerator appliance of claim 1 , wherein the dispenser comprises an internal wall within the cavity,

wherein the second identifier body is disposed at the internal wall, and

wherein the second identifier body is positioned above the first identifier body in the docked position of the lid.

7 . The refrigerator appliance of claim 1 , wherein the autofill pitcher system further comprises:

a wall defining a channel, the wall being affixed to the lid, the wall being positioned within the internal volume of the pitcher, and

a float body disposed inside the channel of the wall to detect a fluid level in the internal volume of the pitcher.

8 . The refrigerator appliance of claim 1 , further comprising:

a door rotatably hinged to the cabinet to selectively permit access to the fresh food chamber,

wherein the dispenser is positioned on an inner surface of the door.

9 . The refrigerator appliance of claim 1 , wherein the dispenser comprises

a fill tube positioned to direct a flow of water from a water supply into the internal volume of the pitcher in the docked position of the pitcher, and

a pod receiver for holding a pod containing an additive, the pod receiver in fluid communication with the internal volume of the pitcher,

whereby the dispenser is configured to provide the additive to the internal volume of the pitcher.

10 . An autofill pitcher system comprising:

a removable pitcher assembly for storing a predetermined liquid content, the removable pitcher assembly comprising:

a pitcher defining an internal volume,

a lid removably coupled to the pitcher above the internal volume, the lid comprising a top wall and a tab forming a raised portion of the top wall,

a first identifier body held on the lid, the first identifier body being mounted integrated within the raised portion of the top wall, wherein the first identifier body stores information indicative of the removable pitcher assembly,

a dispenser defining a cavity for receiving the lid, and

a second identifier body disposed within the cavity, the second identifier body being in selective wireless communication with the first identifier body in a docked position of the removable pitcher assembly,

wherein the first identifier body transmits the information indicative of the removable pitcher assembly to the second identifier body in the docked position of the pitcher, and

wherein the second identifier body reads the information indicative of the removable pitcher assembly transmitted from the first identifier body in the docked position of the pitcher.

11 . The autofill pitcher system of claim 10 , wherein the information indicative of the removable pitcher assembly includes information indicative of a predetermined liquid content of the pitcher.

12 . The autofill pitcher system of claim 10 , wherein the first identifier body comprises a Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) tag that stores the information indicative of the removable pitcher assembly, and

wherein the second identifier body comprises an RFID reader for identifying the RFID tag and reading the information indicative of the removable pitcher assembly stored in the RFID tag.

13 . The autofill pitcher system of claim 10 , wherein the first identifier body comprises a magnet array, the magnet array being mounted to the lid in a set arrangement corresponding to a predetermined liquid content.

14 . The autofill pitcher system of claim 10 , wherein the pitcher comprises a pitcher wall and a pitcher bottom,

wherein the pitcher wall and the pitcher bottom define the internal volume,

wherein the pitcher wall forms a top edge opposite the pitcher bottom, the top edge defining an opening,

wherein the internal volume is accessible through the opening defined by the top edge, and

wherein the lid is removably coupled to the pitcher in the opening.

15 . The autofill pitcher system of claim 10 , wherein the dispenser comprises an internal wall within the cavity,

wherein the second identifier body is disposed at the internal wall, and

wherein the second identifier body is positioned above the first identifier body in the docked position of the removable pitcher assembly.

16 . The autofill pitcher system of claim 10 , wherein the autofill pitcher system further comprises:

a wall defining a channel, the wall being affixed to the lid, the wall being positioned within the internal volume of the pitcher, and

a float body disposed inside the channel of the wall to detect a fluid level in the internal volume of the pitcher.

17 . The autofill pitcher system of claim 10 , wherein the dispenser comprises

a fill tube positioned to direct a flow of water from a water supply into the internal volume of the pitcher in the docked position of the pitcher, and

a pod receiver for holding a pod containing an additive, the pod receiver in fluid communication with the internal volume of the pitcher,

whereby the dispenser is configured to provide the additive to the internal volume of the pitcher.

Assignments (1)

Continuity (1)

References Cited (10)