Patents Examined by Omair Chaudhri
  • Patent number: 11219349
    Abstract: A wash arm assembly may include: a wash arm having a circular opening with a center, an edge, and a mounting unit having a circular insertion portion and a supporting portion. The mounting unit may be inserted at least partly in the circular opening to mount the wash arm within the dishwasher and to allow rotation of the wash arm around a rotational axis. The insertion portion may be inserted at least partly in the circular opening to form a passage between the edge and the circular insertion portion when the mounting unit is inserted at least partly in the circular opening. The wash arm may include a protrusion, and the supporting portion and the wash arm may form a chamber delimited by the passage and the protrusion when the supporting portion supports the wash arm. A dishwasher including the wash arm assembly may also be provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2022
    Inventor: Anders Haegermarck
  • Patent number: 11214911
    Abstract: A method of selecting between liquid dispensing and powder dispensing in a laundry treating appliance having at least one dispensing chamber for holding a treating chemistry. The method comprises moving a siphon relative to the dispensing chamber between a first position, where the siphon draws liquid from the chamber, and a second position where the siphon opens an outlet in the chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2022
    Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
    Inventors: Tobias Bronn, Tibor Budicky, Jan Martinko
  • Patent number: 11214908
    Abstract: A method of controlling a washing machine with a drum rotatably provided in a tub that receives water, and a circulation pump that circulates water in the washing machine, the method including: rotating the drum in a first rotational direction by a first rotational amount during which laundry is raised on an inner circumferential surface of the drum by a centrifugal force; subsequent to rotating the drum by the first rotational amount, further rotating the drum by a second rotational amount in the first rotational direction during which the laundry falls from the inner circumferential surface of the drum; increasing a pump speed of the circulation pump while the drum is rotated by the first rotational amount in the first rotational direction; and decreasing the pump speed of the circulation pump while the drum is rotated by the second rotational amount in the first rotational direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2022
    Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Hwanjin Jung, Myunghun Im, Jaehyun Kim, Junghoon Lee, Kyungchul Woo
  • Patent number: 11191416
    Abstract: A dishwasher and method utilize an image-based position sensor that is positioned to sense the rotational position of a discretely directable tubular spray element driven by a tubular spray element drive.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 7, 2021
    Assignee: MIDEA GROUP CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Bassam Fawaz, Robert M. Digman, Joel Boyer
  • Patent number: 11191417
    Abstract: A wash arm assembly may include wash arm having a tubular connection portion and a tubular receiving means for receiving the tubular connection portion. The tubular connection portion may include a first guiding surface and a second guiding surface, and the tubular receiving means may include a third guiding surface and a fourth guiding surface. The first guiding surface may be aligned to the third guiding surface and the second guiding surface may be aligned to the fourth guiding surface when the tubular connection portion is inserted in the tubular receiving means. The first, second, third and fourth guiding surfaces may be arranged to guide the tubular connection portion and the tubular receiving means into alignment with each other upon rotation of the wash arm. A dishwasher including the wash arm assembly may also be provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 7, 2021
    Inventor: Anders Haegermarck
  • Patent number: 11186934
    Abstract: A method of controlling a washing machine that includes a tub, a drum rotatably disposed in the tub, at least one nozzle spraying water toward the drum, a washing motor rotating the drum, and a circulation pump circulating water discharged from the tub, the method including: supplying a first level of water into the tub; operating the circulation pump at a first speed; controlling a rotation of the drum to repeatedly alternate between an acceleration and a deceleration so that laundry in the drum alternates between maintaining contact with an inner surface of the drum and separating from the inner surface of the drum; further supplying water to the tub to raise the first water level to a second water level.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 30, 2021
    Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Myunghun Im, Hwanjin Jung, Jaehyun Kim, Junghoon Lee, Kyungchul Woo
  • Patent number: 11185895
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a first liquid is supplied on a first face of a substrate. The first liquid has a pH with which a surface zeta potential of the substrate becomes negative and a surface zeta potential of a foreign substance attaching to the first face becomes positive. Then, a solidified layer in which at least part of the first liquid has been solidified is formed by cooling the substrate down to be equal to or lower than a solidification point of the first liquid. Thereafter, the solidified layer is melted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 30, 2021
    Assignee: TOSHIBA MEMORY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Mana Tanabe, Hideaki Sakurai, Kosuke Takai, Kyo Otsubo, Minako Inukai
  • Patent number: 11155243
    Abstract: An optical system to facilitate vehicle operation, a cleaning system to clean an optical element of the optical system and a hollow, protective plastic enclosure for use therein are provided. The cleaning system includes a flexible house having first and second ends, a nozzle fluidly coupled to the hose at the first end of the hose and a hollow protective plastic enclosure having a passageway extending through the enclosure and housing a portion of the hose within the passageway. The enclosure is configured to receive a camera assembly within an interior of the enclosure. The nozzle is configured and positioned at the first end of the hose to direct the flow of a cleaning fluid therethrough to an exterior surface of a transparent optical element to clean the exterior surface to allow the camera assembly to have an unobstructed view of an environment outside the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 26, 2021
    Assignee: GLOBAL IP HOLDINGS, LLC
    Inventors: Michael John Keller, Darius John Preisler
  • Patent number: 11103120
    Abstract: A detergent dispenser may be positioned to dispense detergent into a wash tub of a household appliance. The detergent dispenser may include a detergent cartridge. The detergent cartridge may include a detergent strip having a plurality of detergents. One or more ejection mechanisms may be used to expel the detergent from the detergent strip through an outlet of the detergent cartridge.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 31, 2021
    Assignee: MIDEA GROUP CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Bassam Fawaz, Robert M. Digman, Joel Boyer, Russell Dietrich
  • Patent number: 11091871
    Abstract: A top-loading washing machine appliance with a pivoted faucet mounted on the underside of the lid of the washing machine appliance is provided herein. The washing machine appliance may include a cabinet, a tub positioned within the cabinet, a wash basket, a lid, a position sensor, and a faucet mounted to the lid. The position sensor may be operable to sense whether the lid is in the closed position or the open position. The faucet may be mounted to the lid with a pivotable joint such that the faucet may pivot between a retracted position and an extended position. The retracted position of the faucet may be such that the faucet does not extend within the wash basket when the lid is in the closed position. The extended position of the faucet may be such that the outlet of the faucet is over the wash basket when the lid is in the open position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 17, 2021
    Assignee: Haier US Appliance Solutions, Inc.
    Inventors: Alexander B. Leibman, Wayne E. Lawson
  • Patent number: 11072877
    Abstract: An automatic transferring washer and dryer combination appliance includes a washing unit and drying unit that are coupled to a housing and are positioned in an upper portion and a lower portion of the housing, respectively. A chute extends between the washing unit and the drying unit. A first orifice and a second orifice are positioned in a tub of the washing unit and a drum of the drying unit, respectively. A plurality of first doors and a plurality of second doors, which are coupled to the tub and to the drum, respectively, are positioned to selectively close the first orifice the second orifice, respectively. The first doors and the second doors are positioned to be selectively opened so that the first orifice and the second orifice align with the chute so that the chute is configured for gravitational transfer of washed articles from the tub to the drum.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 27, 2021
    Inventors: Donald Jones, Sharon Jones
  • Patent number: 11064862
    Abstract: A dishwashing system includes: a dishwasher that washes tableware contained in a dishwashing rack, inside a washing chamber; a carry-in stand for placing the dishwashing rack that is to be carried into the washing chamber on; a carry-out stand for placing the dishwashing rack that is carried out from the washing chamber on; and a robot device including a robot arm mechanism. The carry-in stand and the dishwasher are arranged within a movable range of the robot arm mechanism. The robot arm mechanism transfers the dishwashing rack from the carry-in stand to the washing chamber, and also operates the dishwasher.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 20, 2021
    Assignees: FANUC CORPORATION, YOSHINOYA HOLDINGS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Woo-Keun Yoon, Hiroaki Matsuda
  • Patent number: 11058281
    Abstract: A dishwasher utilizes one or more sensors capable of detecting when a rack is at an operative position at which the rack is positioned within the wash tub during washing and/or an extended position at which at least a portion of the rack is extended beyond the wash tub for loading or unloading of utensils, thereby allowing image captures by a camera to be timed relative to the movement of the rack into, between and/or away from the operative and/or extended positions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 13, 2021
    Assignee: MIDEA GROUP CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Bassam Fawaz, Robert M. Digman
  • Patent number: 11045066
    Abstract: A dishwasher and method for operating the same utilize a rack-mounted rotatable conduit incorporating a keyed connector disposed at an end thereof and configured to mate with a rotatable docking port disposed on a wall of a wash tub at a predetermined angular relationship when the rack is in the washing position such that rotation of the rotatable docking port causes rotation of the rotatable conduit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 29, 2021
    Assignee: MIDEA GROUP CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Bassam Fawaz, Joel Boyer, Robert M. Digman
  • Patent number: 11035071
    Abstract: A method for detecting drain standpipe height in a washing machine appliance includes activating a drain pump such that the drain pump flows wash fluid from a tub to a drain standpipe, determining a height of the drain standpipe, and adjusting operation of the washing machine appliance in response to the determined height of the drain standpipe.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 3, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 15, 2021
    Assignee: Haier US Appliance Solutions, Inc.
    Inventor: Fikreadam Abebe Damtew
  • Patent number: 11028516
    Abstract: A washing machine including a washing tub capable of improving a washing effect and dehydration efficiency of the laundry is provided. The washing machine includes: a body; a washing tub configured to be rotatably provided in the body, accommodate a laundry therein, and have a cylindrical shape; a plurality of recessed portions configured to be formed in an inner circumferential surface of the washing tub and be arranged in the plural in a circumferential direction of the washing tub to form a pattern; and first dehydrating holes configured to be formed in the respective recessed portions, wherein the respective recessed portions are formed in a length direction of the washing tub.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 8, 2021
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Jung-hee Lee, Jeong-hoon Kang, Kwan-woo Hong, Min-sung Kim, Dae-uk Kang, Kyung-han Kim, Ju-bum Han
  • Patent number: 11027580
    Abstract: A wheel for an autonomous cleaning robot that maneuvers the robot on a floor surface includes a tire having first and second opposing outer edges and a middle portion having a tread pattern between the first and second outer edges, the tread pattern comprising a plurality of raised tread having trenches therebetween. Each of the plurality of raised tread includes a first raised tread portion extending from the first outer edge to the middle portion and substantially perpendicular to the first and second outer edges; a second raised tread portion extending at an angle away from the first raised tread portion; and a third raised tread portion extending from the second raised tread portion to the second outer edge and substantially perpendicular to the first and second outer edges, the third raised tread portion being laterally offset from the first raised tread portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 3, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 8, 2021
    Assignee: iRobot Corporation
    Inventors: Christopher Robin Grace, Lindsay Louise Wright, Timothy James Haughton, Marcus R. Williams, John Reimels, Timothy William Fleck
  • Patent number: 11006811
    Abstract: A rack detection system for a dishwasher, including: a docking system including a plug disposed on a rack, such as a lower rack, and configured to dock with a docking hole of a water supply tube on condition that the lower rack is in an operational position within the dishwasher; and a controller configured to sense a load on the pump motor of a pump for pumping water to the water supply tube and determine if the load on the pump motor is within predetermined operating limits. On condition that the lower rack is removed from the operational position within the dishwasher and the plug is not docked with the water supply tube such that water flows out of the docking hole, the controller is configured to sense that the load on the pump motor is outside the predetermined operating limits and shuts down the dishwasher.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 18, 2021
    Assignees: BSH Home Appliances Corporation, BSH Hausgeräte GmbH
    Inventors: Shane Blackmon, Deborah Harr, Shaun Jones
  • Patent number: 10994312
    Abstract: An apparatus for washing solid particles removed from a hydrocarbon-containing fluid produced from an oil and gas production facility using a company automated unit. The apparatus comprises an inlet that carries a mixture of solids particles and water flushed from a de-sander.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 4, 2021
    Assignee: Fourphase AS
    Inventors: Jorgen Bruntveit, Karl Ole Lyngbo
  • Patent number: 10988885
    Abstract: A laundry treating appliance having a rotatable basket that defines a treating chamber, a tub for mounting the rotatable basket, a drive assembly mounted to the tub for rotating the basket and a drive motor mounted to the tub for driving the drive assembly. The tub has a lower region comprising a central cavity and a second cavity. The drive assembly is nested in the central cavity and the drive motor is nested in the second cavity for reducing the vertical stack of tub and the motor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 27, 2021
    Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
    Inventors: Eric K. Farrington, Karl David McAllister, Brenner M. Sharp