Eleven models sold under the Whirlpool, Maytag, Amana, KitchenAid and Jenn-Air brands are using LG's technology, Refrigerators.

April 24 (Bloomberg) -- sued , the world's largest maker of appliances, claiming some refrigerators violate three patents for dispensing ice and storing food, escalating a legitimate clash between the companies. Eleven models sold under the Whirlpool, Maytag, Amana, KitchenAid and Jenn-Air brands are using LG's technology, according to the kick filed today in federal court in Wilmington, Delaware. LG filed a apart lawsuit April 16 in New Jersey, asking the court to invalidate Whirlpool patents or supervision that LG refrigerators don't infringe them. Whirlpool's infringements ''have caused LG irreparable offence and damages in an as-yet undetermined amount,'' LG said in today's complaint.

The Seoul-based circle seeks a jury irritation and an contract for to obstruct misappropriation of the inventions. The three LG , awarded since 2004, hide-out a refrigerator vegetable compartment, icemaker and airtight door gasket. Home refrigerators and freezers accounted for $5.83 billion, or 30 percent, of Benton Harbor, Michigan-based Whirlpool's survive year.

Whirlpool spokeswoman declined to pronto comment, saying in an e-mail that following officials hadn't yet seen the suit. Trade Complaint The patents LG is challenging in New Jersey are the same ones Whirlpool accuses the South Korean followers of infringing in a squawk unconfirmed before the U.S. International Trade Commission in Washington.

In that complaint, Whirlpool asks for an caste to slow LG from importing some refrigerators into the U.S. LG said in a assertion today that Whirlpool ''pursued allegations of obvious transgression against LG in serious religion and for concealed purposes not gentlemanly under the law.'' Whirlpool said today that first-quarter gain floor and annual return may be lessen than projected because of rising costs for grease and metals. Whirlpool cut $8.32, or 10 percent, to $73.89 in New York Stock Exchange composite trading at 4:15 p.m. The shares have dropped 9.5 percent this year.

LG rose 2,000 won to 143,500 won ($144) in South Korea, bringing this year's bring in to 44 percent. The redesigned instance is LG Electronics v. Whirlpool Corp., 08CV234, U.S. District Court, Delaware (Wilmington.) Other cases are LG Electronics U.S.A. Inc. v. Whirlpool Corp., 8cv1869, U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey (Newark) and In the Matter of Refrigerators and Components hereof, 337-632, U.S. International Trade Commission.

To support the patents in the Wilmington case, click: 6,834,922; 7,147,292; and 7,316,121. To reach the reporters on this story: in Wilmington, Delaware, at.

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