Patents by Inventor CHRISTOPHER H. MATULIS

CHRISTOPHER H. MATULIS has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 10011937
    Abstract: A laundry treating appliance for treating laundry according to an automatic cycle of operation includes a chassis defining an interior, a tub provided within the interior, a drum provided within the tub, a motor mounted to the tub and having a drive shaft drivingly coupled to the drum to selectively rotate the drum about the longitudinal axis, a suspension system, and at least one counterweight, wherein the suspension system and the at least one counterweight are configured such that the capacity efficiency of the laundry treating appliance is greater than 45%.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 23, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2018
    Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
    Inventors: Christopher L. Borlin, Gregory M. Garstecki, George W. Malheiros, Christopher H. Matulis
  • Publication number: 20170145618
    Abstract: A laundry treating appliance for treating laundry according to an automatic cycle of operation includes a chassis defining an interior, a tub provided within the interior, a drum provided within the tub, a motor mounted to the tub and having a drive shaft drivingly coupled to the drum to selectively rotate the drum about the longitudinal axis, a suspension system, and at least one counterweight, wherein the suspension system and the at least one counterweight are configured such that the capacity efficiency of the laundry treating appliance is greater than 45%.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 23, 2015
    Publication date: May 25, 2017
    Inventors: CHRISTOPER L. BORLIN, GREGORY M. GARSTECKI, GEORGE W. MALHEIROS, CHRISTOPHER H. MATULIS
  • Patent number: 9493897
    Abstract: A method operating a laundry treating appliance having a rotatable drum at least partially defining a treating chamber for receiving a laundry load for treatment according to an automatic cycle of operation and a ball balance ring mounted to the rotatable drum and defining an internal raceway in which a plurality of balls are located, where the method includes rotating the drum at or above a satellizing speed, determining positions of the plurality of balls, and accelerating the rotational speed of the drum based on the determined positions of the plurality of balls.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2016
    Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
    Inventors: Christopher L. Borlin, Christopher H. Matulis
  • Publication number: 20140379142
    Abstract: A method operating a laundry treating appliance having a rotatable drum at least partially defining a treating chamber for receiving a laundry load for treatment according to an automatic cycle of operation and a ball balance ring mounted to the rotatable drum and defining an internal raceway in which a plurality of balls are located, where the method includes rotating the drum at or above a satellizing speed, determining positions of the plurality of balls, and accelerating the rotational speed of the drum based on the determined positions of the plurality of balls.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 25, 2013
    Publication date: December 25, 2014
    Inventors: CHRISTOPHER L. BORLIN, CHRISTOPHER H. MATULIS
  • Publication number: 20140317857
    Abstract: Laundry treating appliances and methods of controlling the same to balance small loads are disclosed. An example method of operating a laundry treating appliance having a rotating drum defining a treating chamber in which laundry is received for treatment according to at least one cycle of operation, and at least one balancing ring to counteract an imbalance of the rotating drum includes determining whether a small load is present in the treating chamber, substantially aligning the small load and a moveable mass of the balancing ring(s) when the drum is substantially stationary, and accelerating rotation of the drum based on a viscosity of fluid in the balancing ring(s) to position the small load substantially opposite the moveable mass.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 24, 2013
    Publication date: October 30, 2014
    Applicant: Whirlpool Corporation
    Inventors: CHRISTOPHER L. BORLIN, CHRISTOPHER H. MATULIS