Patents Represented by Attorney John F. Colligan
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Patent number: 7296424Abstract: A mounting system is provided for mounting an air conditioner on the exterior of a building adjacent to a window with an opening defined by a window frame having a lower sill and a height to an upper horizontal frame member. The air conditioner includes a main cabinet and a removable air duct. The mounting system includes two mounting arms, each arm being attached at a first point to a wall of the main cabinet and at a second point being engaged to the frame of the window. The main cabinet is suspended from the two mounting arms such that when mounted, a top surface of the main cabinet is positioned at a height of no more than 10% of the height of the window opening above the sill. The mounting system may provide support for the air conditioner at three points, namely, the sill of the window, an inside casing of the window and an exterior surface of the building, without requiring any fasteners to be driven into any of these points.Type: GrantFiled: September 29, 2005Date of Patent: November 20, 2007Assignee: Whirlpool CorporationInventor: Christopher M. Thompson
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Patent number: 7254970Abstract: The invention relates to a laundry treatment machine, more especially a washing machine or a laundry dryer, comprising a drivable drum which accommodates laundry and is rotatably mounted in a container integral with the housing, wherein the container is provided with an elastic sleeve, covering the transition from the front opening of the container to the housing opening, around the filler opening of the drum, and wherein a laundry rejector is attached in this transitional region in the region of the top dead center of the drum. For improvement purposes, a specially configured laundry rejector is provided in the region of the top dead center of the drum in conjunction with a receiving means in the sleeve in order to avoid laundry items from becoming damaged.Type: GrantFiled: August 12, 2003Date of Patent: August 14, 2007Assignee: Whirlpool CorporationInventors: Karl-Heinz Buss, Gerd Maentele, Andreas Bollmann, Yvonne Sellmer
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Patent number: 7228977Abstract: A space-efficient workroom organization system comprising a slotwall panel and/or slot track storage system with at least one repositionable slotwall or slot track mounted storage cabinet, and a workbench system comprising a workbench having a work surface and defining a storage recess beneath the work surface, with at least one mobile storage cabinet.Type: GrantFiled: January 16, 2004Date of Patent: June 12, 2007Assignee: Whirlpool CorporationInventors: Travis M. Perkins, Thomas Wesley Arent, Todd Christopher Starr, Tyree E. Sampson, Kenneth J. Rasche, Steven E. Tolliver, Brent A. Junge, Duane E. Schmidt, Brian J. Stewart, Mark A. Stout, Wyatt A. Cline, James W. Kendall
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Patent number: 7107798Abstract: A drive mechanism for a vertical axis automatic washer. The washer has a rotatable wash basket, a rotatable agitator concentrically mounted in the wash basket and a drive motor. The drive mechanism includes a first drive shaft driven by the motor at a first rotational speed and with a first torque. A second drive shaft is arranged to rotatingly drive the agitator. A mechanism is arranged between the first drive shaft and the second drive shaft to convert the first rotational speed and the first torque to a second rotational speed and a second torque at the second drive shaft. A first clutch is arranged between the wash basket and the first drive shaft to allow for selective engagement and disengagement between the wash basket and the first drive shaft. A second clutch is arranged between the wash basket and the second drive shaft to allow for selective engagement and disengagement between the wash basket and the second drive shaft.Type: GrantFiled: August 27, 2002Date of Patent: September 19, 2006Assignee: Whirlpool CorporationInventors: Raveendran Vaidhyanathan, Matthew C. Parsons
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Patent number: 7080464Abstract: A method for detecting the presence of a synthetic fabric load during an automatic drying cycle in an automatic dryer avoids premature termination of the automatic drying cycle and ensures that the synthetic fabric items are dried according to a user's desired dryness level. The presence of the synthetic fabric load is detected by determining a duration of a first heating cycle, determining a duration of a second heating cycle, and determining the presence of the synthetic fabric load based on the durations of the first and the second heating cycles.Type: GrantFiled: January 10, 2005Date of Patent: July 25, 2006Assignee: Whirlpool CorporationInventors: David L. Tarnowski, Mark F. Kendall
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Patent number: 7068038Abstract: A 240 volt outlet tester is described. The 240 volt outlet tester includes a housing with three or four prongs extending outwardly from a base of the housing. The prongs are designed so that they can be inserted into either a three or four wire 240 volt outlet. Indicator lights are integrated into the housing. A test circuit is located within the housing. The test circuit is designed to detect whether the 240 volt outlet has been wired correctly. If the 240 volt outlet is correctly wired, all the indicator lights integrated into the housing illuminate. If the 240 volt outlet is improperly wired, one or more indicator lights do not illuminate.Type: GrantFiled: June 11, 2004Date of Patent: June 27, 2006Assignee: Whirlpool CorporationInventors: Larry Boyd Mason, Dave Paul Lock, Philip Andrew Molloy, Ronald Dale Patrick
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Patent number: 7062810Abstract: A method to wash varying clothes load sizes with the same level of water is provided for a washer having a controller. A clothes load size setting signal is received in the controller. A mechanical duty cycle is set through the controller as a function of the clothes load size setting signal. A high-concentration wash step may be performed where a wash basket of the washer is spun at certain speeds while a highly concentrated wash bath solution is sprayed, extracted, and re-sprayed over the clothes load. On the completion of this high-concentration wash step, the washer is filled to a common water level regardless of the clothes load size setting signal. The clothes load is then processed through a wash cycle until completed.Type: GrantFiled: May 9, 2002Date of Patent: June 20, 2006Assignee: Whirlpool CorporationInventors: Anthony H. Hardaway, K. David McAllister, Carrie Ann Dickinson, Duane M. Kobos
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Patent number: 7060941Abstract: A method of baking a dessert using steam in an automated household oven comprises a first heating step where a heating system preheats a cooking cavity to a first temperature at a first heating rate and a second heating step where the heating system preheats the cooking cavity from the first temperature to a second temperature at a second heating rate less than the first heating rate. The first temperature is preferably about the boiling point of water, and a steam system introduces steam into the cooking cavity to facilitate baking of the dessert after the cooking cavity reaches the first temperature. A convection fan of the heating system is active during the first and second heating steps to help circulate air and steam in the cooking cavity and becomes inactive later in the baking method.Type: GrantFiled: April 20, 2005Date of Patent: June 13, 2006Assignee: Whirlpool CorporationInventors: Karen M. Embury, Joel M. Sells, Stefania Fraccon, Tamara Distaso
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Patent number: 7020985Abstract: A clothes dryer has a heat source, preferably a heat pump, a rotating drum, and means to generate flow of air from the heat source to an inlet in the drum. At least two outlets are separated from each other in the drum to enable higher air flow rates without increase in pressure drop, resulting in reduced drying time.Type: GrantFiled: September 28, 2004Date of Patent: April 4, 2006Assignee: Whirlpool CorporationInventors: Steven Michael Casey, David Michael Martin, John Thomas Dieckmann, Peter Francis Pescatore, Philip C. Carbone, Warren James Ellis, Jr., Frederick E. Chernetski
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Patent number: 7019272Abstract: A wall mounted type microwave oven having an external enclosure including a bottom closure wall which includes a suction opening and a top vent opening and an oven cavity which is supported within the external enclosure. The oven cavity has a rearwardly stepped portion to maximize the usable space provided within the oven cavity. An air exhaust air path is formed between the external enclosure and the oven cavity and includes a bottom plenum, a pair of rear air channels and an upper plenum. The rearwardly stepped area divides the space between the oven cavity and the external enclosure into the two rear air channels. At least one blower is provided within the external enclosure for drawing air into the bottom plenum through the suction opening and exhausting the air out through a top exhaust opening which forms part of the top vent opening.Type: GrantFiled: July 1, 2004Date of Patent: March 28, 2006Assignee: Whirlpool CorporationInventors: Eckart Wilhelm Braunisch, Per Törngren, Hans Lundstrom, Hans Lindgren, Hakan Carlsson
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Patent number: 6973740Abstract: A stationary dryer, which may be used for drying clothes, is provided having a housing enclosing a space. A stationary support is located within the space for receiving articles to be dried. An air moving device is provided for generating an air flow through the space from an air inlet to an air outlet. An air distributor mechanism comprising a distribution plenum is positioned between the air inlet and the stationary support, with a plenum wall having a plurality of perforations therein. At least one of the distribution plenum and the perforations are sized, shaped and arranged so as to equalize an air flow distribution over the stationary support.Type: GrantFiled: January 14, 2003Date of Patent: December 13, 2005Assignee: Whirlpool CorporationInventor: Robert W. Meyer
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Patent number: 6973515Abstract: The invention relates to a method for controlling a household appliance, particularly a washer or dishwasher, having an I/O control for programs and a machine unit comprising a central control that controls assigned functional units according to the selected program. The I/O control and the machine control achieve independence from one another in reference to their design and control, and an interface for the transmission of program-specific commands is provided between the I/O control and the machine unit, wherein the program selection criteria entered by the operator into the I/O control or the information received by the remote transmission is converted into assigned program-specific commands, and the incoming program commands are received by the machine unit and converted into functional commands for the functional units of the machine unit.Type: GrantFiled: March 28, 2002Date of Patent: December 6, 2005Assignee: Whirlpool CorporationInventors: Volkart Kuerner, Manfred Mayr-Willius
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Patent number: 6966204Abstract: The invention concerns a washing machine door for a front-load washing machine that has a frontal frame hinged to the housing of the machine and that surrounds a loading opening, into which a transparent frontal door cover is inserted from the drum side and is held in by a mounted gallows frame. If according to the invention the provision is made that the frontal frame has bayonet hooks on the backside facing the frontal door cover that are inserted into receiving slots of the frontal door cover and held therein when the frontal door cover is rotated; that at least part of the bayonet hooks provide fashioned screw domes onto which receptacle domes of the gallows frame can be form locked; and that the gallows frame with bent rest tabs can be snapped into the rest slots of the frontal door covering.Type: GrantFiled: September 10, 2002Date of Patent: November 22, 2005Assignee: Whirlpool CorporationInventor: Andreas Bollmann
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Patent number: 6964360Abstract: A clothes hanger is provided. The clothes hanger includes a first main arm connected with a second main arm. Each main arm forms an adjustment element and a primary track. The clothes hanger also includes first and second adjustable arms each movably and pivotally connected with one respective main arm. Each adjustable arm includes a locator element engageable with a respective adjustment element and a primary sliding member received in each primary track.Type: GrantFiled: July 17, 2003Date of Patent: November 15, 2005Assignee: Whirlpool CorporationInventors: Casey J. Tubman, David G. Cockrell, Michael A. Dirlam, Dale E. Mueller
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Patent number: 6946631Abstract: A browning device for use in a microwave oven. The browning device can include an infrared generator for generating infrared radiation. The browning device being formed such that it has a hollow space. The interior surface of the hollow space facing the microwave oven cavity having an infrared absorbing material for absorbing infrared radiation from an infrared generator. The infrared absorbing material is constructed such that it is able to reach a temperature of 500° C. at which soot is vaporized or ignited. Quartz tubes may be utilized as the infrared generator.Type: GrantFiled: May 26, 2004Date of Patent: September 20, 2005Assignee: Whirlpool CorporationInventors: Eckart Braunisch, Gunnar Nyren
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Patent number: 6935330Abstract: A grate system for a gas cooking appliance wherein the gas cooking appliance has a top panel having at least one burner extending up through the top panel. The grate system includes a grate element and a removable support ring supported on the grate element. The support ring includes a plurality of support posts extending outwardly from one side of the support ring. The support ring may be reversibly positioned between a first position and a second position. In the first position, the support ring provides a support surface generally in alignment with the grate element for supporting flat bottom cooking utensils. In the second position, the support elements extend upwardly for supporting a rounded bottom cooking utensil above the at least one burner element.Type: GrantFiled: February 13, 2003Date of Patent: August 30, 2005Assignee: Whirlpool CorporationInventors: David Ricardo Barrero, Mark W. Baldwin
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Patent number: D508503Type: GrantFiled: September 2, 2004Date of Patent: August 16, 2005Assignee: Whirlpool CorporationInventors: Duane A. Schmidt, Allan R. Steinkuhl, Joseph L. Coleman
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Patent number: D510229Type: GrantFiled: March 30, 2004Date of Patent: October 4, 2005Assignee: Whirlpool CorporationInventors: Alan D. Bengtson, Mark W. Baldwin, Steve S. Lee, Philip M. Thompson, Jamian Cobbett
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Patent number: D511267Type: GrantFiled: January 30, 2004Date of Patent: November 8, 2005Assignee: Whirlpool CorporationInventor: Giovanni Pino
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Patent number: D514756Type: GrantFiled: May 26, 2004Date of Patent: February 7, 2006Assignee: Whirlpool CorporationInventors: Antony J. Kirk, Michael K. Patton