Abstract: A method for producing appliance cabinets and the like, particularly a refrigerator cabinet having a double wall, whereby a polymeric sheet made plastic by thermal action is vacuum formed in a mold. The mold comprises a central male portion adapted to form the cavity of the cabinet and an annular female portion adapted to form the double wall of the cabinet, a plug assist device being used in order to drive the sheet in the female portion of the mold.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
May 9, 2006
Date of Patent:
December 27, 2011
Assignee:
Whirlpool Corporation
Inventors:
Armando Luisi, Steven Kuehl, Jon M. Anthony
Abstract: A shoe has a sole including a platform for supporting a wearer's foot upon a surface. The shoe includes a heel pedestal extending from the platform beneath a wearer's heel, a lateral stabilizer pedestal extending from the platform at least partially beneath a wearer's cuboid bone, and a medial stabilizer pedestal extending from the platform at least partially beneath a wearer's navicular bone. The heel pedestal, the lateral stabilizer pedestal, and the medial stabilizer pedestal include an outsole for contacting the surface, a compressible middle layer between the outsole and the wearer's foot, and a base layer between the middle layer and the wearer's foot having a compressibility that is lower than the compressibility of the middle layer.
Abstract: A system for removably mounting a consumer electronic device to a vertical surface, an adapter, as well as adapters and appliance for use with the system. The system has a writing surface which is at least partially coverable by a removable consumer electronic device. The adapter has a writing surface and an interface for removably mounting an electronic device to at least partially cover the writing surface. The appliance has a writing surface and interface on surface of the appliance, such as, for example, the surface of a door of a refrigeration appliance.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
May 13, 2008
Date of Patent:
December 6, 2011
Assignee:
Whirlpool Corporation
Inventors:
James W. Kendall, Richard A. McCoy, Ameresh Viswanathan, John M. Knight, Christopher S. Moes, David A. Weinkauf
Abstract: An adjustable fender vehicle has an upper wall with inner and outer side walls. The inner side wall includes an elongated longitudinal clamping edge and an interior wall depends from the underside of upper wall between the inner and outer walls. The interior wall has an elongated longitudinal opening in registry with the elongated longitudinal clamping edge in the inner side wall for receiving a fastener for adjustable mounting of the fender to a vehicle. The inner side wall includes an elongated longitudinal opening in registry with the elongated longitudinal opening in the interior wall and the elongated longitudinal clamping edge is formed in the elongated longitudinal opening in the inner side wall. The elongated longitudinal opening is configured to receive a mounting arm that is adapted to extend through the elongated longitudinal opening to the interior wall. Fasteners on the mounting arm clamp the fender to the mounting arm.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
November 15, 2010
Date of Patent:
November 29, 2011
Assignee:
Fleet Engineers, Incorporated
Inventors:
Wesley K. Eklund, Gary Roberts, Tom Gerst, Andrew Hartmann, Guido Redaelli
Abstract: A vacuum cleaner with a cyclone module assembly comprising a separation chamber for separating dust and debris from air, a dirt collection chamber for collecting dust and debris that is separated from the air in the cyclone separation chamber, wherein the separation chamber further includes an exhaust grill that is removable for cleaning.
Abstract: A side panel for a fabric care appliance is described. The side panel includes an embossed pattern for increasing a first natural frequency (or first harmonic) of the side panel. Preferably, the first natural frequency is substantially higher than any ordinary operating frequency or driving frequency of the appliance. For example, in a washing machine, the first natural frequency of the side panel is preferably at least 1.6 times greater than the maximum rotational frequency of a drum or tumbler of the machine.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
May 24, 2004
Date of Patent:
November 15, 2011
Assignee:
Whirlpool Corporation
Inventors:
Rick A. Schneider, Steven R. Fricke, Michael S. Short, James R. Sawyer, Phillip E. Lindeman, Michael R. Carey
Abstract: An avionics chassis comprises a carbon fiber reinforced housing, a card rail for holding an electronic circuit board mounted to an interior surface of the housing, at least one heat-dissipating fin composed of carbon fiber and extending from the outer surface of the housing, a plurality of isotropic carbon fibers extending from an interior of the fin through the housing and in abutting contact with the card rail. The plurality of isotropic fibers form a direct conductive path from the card rail to the heat-dissipating fin.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
June 19, 2009
Date of Patent:
November 15, 2011
Assignee:
General Electric Company
Inventors:
Meredith Marie Steenwyk, Danny Weldon Coxon, John Jay Streyle, Benjamin Jon Vander Ploeg
Abstract: An infant flotation device for use in a marine environment comprises a body, having an outer surface defining a recessed area configured to receive an infant, and a hollow chamber opposed with the outer surface of the body and surrounded by the body. The body also defines a pivot mount that can extend into the cavity in juxtaposition with the outer surface. The infant flotation device further includes a swingable weight comprising a first end having an attachment mount pivotally received by the pivot mount for pivotal movement with respect to the body, and a second end having a weight thereon. The swingable weight can provide the infant flotation device with self-righting movement and stability.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
March 26, 2009
Date of Patent:
November 15, 2011
Assignee:
Right Side Up LLC
Inventors:
Tina Wray, Jeremy Wray, Jane Bazan, David Bazan
Abstract: A latching mechanism for a dust cup assembly on a bottom exit cyclone-separator vacuum cleaner including a non-rotating sealing conduit member that supports a dust cup assembly above a discharge outlet coupled to a sliding latch member via pin-mounted linkages. The conduit member raises and lowers the dust cup assembly into and out of engagement with the cyclone separator coincident with horizontal sliding movement of the latch member in and out underneath the dust cup to releasably attach and detach the dust cup assembly from the cyclone separator.
Abstract: An appliance having various mechanical components that can be replaced with a component that provides power or data to the appliance. The component being replaced includes handles, trim pieces, face plates, or the like. The source of power to the new mechanical component comes from an external source which can also provide data.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
December 22, 2008
Date of Patent:
November 8, 2011
Assignee:
Whirlpool Corporation
Inventors:
John M. Knight, Richard A. McCoy, Ameresh B. Viswanathan
Abstract: The invention relates to a guitar body comprising an upper bout region and a lower bout region with a waist region disposed there between. A first and second peripheral edge of the guitar body is defined in a longitudinal direction thereof by a first and second upper bout region, a first and second waist region, and a first and second lower bout region, respectively. An anterior face and a posterior face of the guitar body extend between the first and second peripheral edges. At least one of the anterior face and the posterior face includes at least one curve so that at least a portion of the first peripheral edge includes at least one curve so that at least a portion of the first peripheral edge of the guitar body is not co-planar with at least a portion of the second peripheral edge of the guitar body.
Abstract: An appliance configured to perform a physical cycle of operation on an article includes a controller that controls the cycle of operation, an interface in network communication with the controller and adapted to connect to an accessory configurable to affect the cycle of operation, and a graphical user interface in network communication with the controller and the interface so that an accessory connected to the interface is configurable using the graphical user interface to affect the cycle of operation of the appliance.