Patents Represented by Attorney Robert O. Rice
  • Patent number: 6983621
    Abstract: The invention includes a saddle air conditioner. The saddle air conditioner includes a remote unit having a first channel extending from a back of the remote unit. The saddle air conditioner also includes a local unit having a second channel extending from a back of the local unit. The first channel and the second channel overlap to form a bridge disposed between the remote unit and the local unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2003
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2006
    Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
    Inventors: Nihat O. Cur, Guolian Wu, Douglas David Leclear, Andrew David Litch, Jim J. Pastryk
  • Patent number: 6960732
    Abstract: The invention concerns an electric switch with an activation element that is inserted and retained with limited axial adjustability in a pot-shaped receptacle formed on a control/display screen and that can be connected to a control component of a switch part. The invention provides that two snap springs are separated on the perimeter of the activation element that protrude over the peripheral contour of the activation element with snap flanges, that the snap springs can be snapped into snap notches of the pot-shaped receptacle and have limited axial adjustability, that the receptacle provides a receiving cavity for the switch part, which is introducible perpendicular to axial direction and localizable in the receptacle, and that when inserting the switch part into the receiving cavity, the control component of the switch part is introducible with a catch into a catch receptacle of the activation element and subsequently connectable with the activation element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2005
    Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
    Inventors: Edgar Spiegel, Thomas Prowald, Martin Fickert
  • Patent number: 6955196
    Abstract: A vacuum insulated refrigerator cabinet comprises a substantially gas-tight container that is filled with a porous core and a gas absorber that communicates with said container and is filled with a gas adsorbent material. Between the container and the gas absorber there is provided a valve adapted to close the communication between the container and the gas absorber, and a heater is provided for heating the gas absorber in order to evacuate gases when the valve is closed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2003
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2005
    Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
    Inventors: Giorgio Giudici, David B. Kirby, Luigi Martinella, Beat D. Stocker
  • Patent number: 6930287
    Abstract: A cooking hob with random positioning of pans or the like, comprising a plurality of electrical heating elements disposed within a cooking area and individually powered under the control of a control circuit, the heating elements also being used as position sensors for the pan or pans placed on the cooking area, in which a user interface is present, provided with a touch screen reproducing the cooking area and on which, for each pan placed on the cooking area, there is displayed an activatable region substantially representative of the position of the pan on the cooking area, this position being obtained from data provided by the electrical heating elements in their function as position sensors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2005
    Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
    Inventors: Davide Gerola, Cristiano Pastore
  • Patent number: 6902597
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a floor standing treatment device that has a mainframe assembly and a back housing removably attachable to the mainframe assembly. The mainframe assembly comprises a fan and a fan scroll through which air is directed. The back housing comprises a one or more side walls wherein a portion of at least one of the sides wall is operable as an extension of the fan scroll. The device may also have a front panel having louvers being adapted to allow optimized air flow into the device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2003
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2005
    Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
    Inventors: Guolian Wu, Ali Kaylan, Andrew D. Litch
  • Patent number: 6893469
    Abstract: A method for treating a fabric article with the following steps: placing the fabric article in a container having an opening and at least one wall that defines an interior void space. Then the temperature and relative humidity of the air within the interior void space of the container are raised to a predetermined first temperature and a predetermined first relative humidity for a predetermined first period of time. Finally, at least one of the temperature or the relative humidity of the air within the interior void space of the container are changed at the end of the first period of time to a predetermined second temperature and a predetermined second relative humidity for a predetermined second period of time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2000
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2005
    Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
    Inventors: Tim Maria Joris Van Hauwermeiren, Jean-Luc Philippe Bettiol, Marianne mai Anh Bouvette, Joost Ignace Dewaele, Merih Pasin, Eddy Vos
  • Patent number: 6870138
    Abstract: An electric cooking hob having a plurality of heating elements distributed in matrix formation below a heat-resistant surface on which one or more cooking utensils can be located in random manner. The cooking hob can determine the location, form and dimensions of one or more cooking utensils positioned on the cooking hob. The cooking hob uses a signal source to determine which heating elements lie under the cooking utensil. The cooking hob can heat the elements lying below the cooking utensil by a power source. Each heating element being able to be energized with a polarity opposite to the polarity of the current used to perform the determination, so that the power source and the signal source can be applied at the same time to different heating elements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2005
    Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
    Inventor: Cristiano Pastore
  • Patent number: 6863197
    Abstract: A garment hanger for use in a garment treatment device or garment storage container includes a hook, a bow and a pair of garment clamps. The garment clamps each include a cam-like clothes gripping arrangement in which a cam is pivotally mounted within a channel and further include a release arm for opening the clamp and a spring for bringing the cam into engagement onto the garment. The cam positively grips the garment, using a series of raised ribs having a incrementally decreasing spacing for graduated engagement of the garment. Opposite the cam within the channel, a high friction surface aids garment retention.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 16, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2005
    Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
    Inventors: Michael A. Dirlam, Michael L. Walker
  • Patent number: 6860032
    Abstract: A stationary dryer, useful as a clothes dryer, is provided comprising a housing enclosing a space and a stationary clothes support located within the space. 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 clothes support, with a plenum wall having a plurality of perforations therein. The perforations are sized, shaped and arranged so as to provide jets of air against the clothes support and to equalize an air flow distribution over the clothes support.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2005
    Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
    Inventor: Robert W. Meyer
  • Patent number: 6845536
    Abstract: Methods and system consistent with the present invention provide an appliance having inlet valves connected to respective supply lines with a control system that senses a temperature of a fluid supplied by a first of the supply lines, associates the first inlet valve connected to the first supply line with one of a plurality of predetermined temperature ranges, one of which includes the sensed temperature of the fluid in first supply line, and activates the first inlet valve upon a request by the appliance for a fluid in the one predetermined temperature range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 2002
    Date of Patent: January 25, 2005
    Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
    Inventors: Raveendran Vaidhyanathan, Robert R. Williams, Michael A. Dirlam, George Angelov, Edward L. Thies
  • Patent number: 6840314
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a condenser for a domestic refrigerator having channelling which provides for the passage of a refrigerant associated with a substantially flat metal surface suitable for ensuring heat exchange between the refrigerant and air. The condenser comprises two plates configured to face each other, at least one of the plates being provided with a shaped groove configured to provide channelling which provides passage for the refrigerant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 2002
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2005
    Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
    Inventors: Enzo Rivis, Giuseppe Panighini
  • Patent number: 6820447
    Abstract: A foreign objects trap is provided for an automatic washer, wherein the washer has a wash tub with an outlet leading to a recirculation pump and drain pump. The trap comprises a container having a water inlet in communication with said tub outlet for defining an initial flow path for water from said wash tub into said container. The trap also includes a first wall positioned in an impact orientation relative to the initial flow path downstream of said inlet, at least one quiet zone downstream of the first wall, at least one baffle downstream of the quiet zone, the baffle extending substantially perpendicular to a direction of flow of said water, an outlet leading to the drain pump downstream of the baffle, and an outlet leading to the recirculation pump downstream of the baffle. A heater can be inserted in the trap as can an air dome and pressure sensor. A second quiet zone and baffle, between the first baffle and the outlets may also be provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 23, 2004
    Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
    Inventors: Edward L. Thies, Matthew C. Parsons
  • Patent number: 6819255
    Abstract: An apparatus for determining an approximate mass of a fabric load in an automatic clothes dryer wherein the dryer utilizes a motor including a centrifugal switch which closes upon the motor achieving a predetermined speed at a start of the motor. A timer device is provided which is capable of timing intervals of time measured in milliseconds. A current detecting mechanism is arranged in a current supply line for the dryer motor and is arranged to start the timer upon detecting a start of the dryer motor. A voltage measuring mechanism is arranged at a power supply for the motor to provide a voltage measurement. An arrangement is provided to detect the closure of the centrifugal switch of the motor and is arranged to stop the timer upon detecting the closure of the centrifugal switch to provide a start time. A calculating device is provided for receiving the start time and the voltage measurement and for providing a calculated mass of the fabric load in the dryer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 16, 2004
    Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
    Inventor: Fredrick E. Chernetski
  • Patent number: D502047
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 2003
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2005
    Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
    Inventors: John B. Ledingham, T. Seum Michael, Daniel R. Chubb, Michael D. Ambos
  • Patent number: D508197
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2005
    Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
    Inventors: Mark W. Baldwin, David C. Hargrave
  • Patent number: D510832
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2004
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2005
    Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
    Inventors: Duane A. Schmidt, Allan R. Steinkuhl, Joseph L. Coleman
  • Patent number: D511785
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 2004
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2005
    Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
    Inventors: Tania L. Aldous, Michael T. Seum, Philip M. Thompson, Karen E. Schoudt
  • Patent number: D512733
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2004
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2005
    Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
    Inventors: Duane A. Schmidt, Allan R. Steinkuhl, Joseph L. Coleman
  • Patent number: D513016
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 2004
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2005
    Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
    Inventors: Tania L. Aldous, Michael T. Seum, Philip M. Thompson, Karen E. Schoudt
  • Patent number: D500059
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 2004
    Date of Patent: December 21, 2004
    Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
    Inventors: Duane A. Schmidt, Allan R. Steinkuhl, Joseph L. Coleman