Patents by Inventor CHRISTOPHER L. BORLIN

CHRISTOPHER L. BORLIN 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: 11739466
    Abstract: Apparatus and methods of reducing a likelihood of contact between a rotating laundry-container, such as a basket or drum, located within a tub of a laundry treating appliance where the method includes rotating the drum during a measurement period, determining a torque, speed, acceleration, and position of the drum, using a parameter estimator to estimate the position of a mass relative to an imbalance of laundry and accelerating the rotation of the drum when the mass is determined to be angularly spaced from the relative position of the imbalance of laundry.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2022
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2023
    Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
    Inventors: Christopher L. Borlin, Brian P. Janke, Joseph M. Keres, Stephen L. Keres, Guilherme Bencke Teixeira Da Silva, Adrian A. Rodriguez
  • Publication number: 20230019059
    Abstract: Apparatus and methods of reducing a likelihood of contact between a rotating laundry-container, such as a basket or drum, located within a tub of a laundry treating appliance where the method includes rotating the drum during a measurement period, determining a torque, speed, acceleration, and position of the drum, using a parameter estimator to estimate the position of a mass relative to an imbalance of laundry and accelerating the rotation of the drum when the mass is determined to be angularly spaced from the relative position of the imbalance of laundry.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 22, 2022
    Publication date: January 19, 2023
    Inventors: CHRISTOPHER L. BORLIN, BRIAN P. JANKE, JOSEPH M. KERES, STEPHEN L. KERES, GUILHERME BENCKE TEIXEIRA DA SILVA, ADRIAN A. RODRIGUEZ
  • Patent number: 11486074
    Abstract: Methods of reducing a likelihood of contact between a rotating laundry-container, such as a basket or drum, located within a tub of a laundry treating appliance where the method includes rotating the drum during a measurement period, determining a torque, speed, acceleration, and position of the drum, using a parameter estimator to estimate the position of a mass relative to an imbalance of laundry and accelerating the rotation of the drum when the mass is determined to be angularly spaced from the relative position of the imbalance of laundry.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2022
    Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
    Inventors: Christopher L. Borlin, Brian P. Janke, Joseph M. Keres, Stephen L. Keres, Guilherme Bencke Teixeira Da Silva, Adrian A. Rodriguez
  • Publication number: 20200256000
    Abstract: Methods of reducing a likelihood of contact between a rotating laundry-container, such as a basket or drum, located within a tub of a laundry treating appliance where the method includes rotating the drum during a measurement period, determining a torque, speed, acceleration, and position of the drum, using a parameter estimator to estimate the position of a mass relative to an imbalance of laundry and accelerating the rotation of the drum when the mass is determined to be angularly spaced from the relative position of the imbalance of laundry.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 29, 2020
    Publication date: August 13, 2020
    Inventors: CHRISTOPHER L. BORLIN, BRIAN P. JANKE, JOSEPH M. KERES, STEPHEN L. KERES, GUILHERME BENCKE TEIXEIRA DA SILVA, ADRIAN A. RODRIGUEZ
  • Patent number: 10669663
    Abstract: Methods of reducing a likelihood of contact between a rotating laundry-container, such as a basket or drum, located within a tub of a laundry treating appliance where the method includes rotating the drum during a measurement period, determining a torque, speed, acceleration, and position of the drum, using a parameter estimator to estimate the position of a mass relative to an imbalance of laundry and accelerating the rotation of the drum when the mass is determined to be angularly spaced from the relative position of the imbalance of laundry.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2020
    Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
    Inventors: Christopher L. Borlin, Brian P. Janke, Joseph M. Keres, Stephen L. Keres, Guilherme Bencke Teixeira Da Silva, Adrian A. Rodriguez
  • Publication number: 20190203398
    Abstract: Methods of reducing a likelihood of contact between a rotating laundry-container, such as a basket or drum, located within a tub of a laundry treating appliance where the method includes rotating the drum during a measurement period, determining a torque, speed, acceleration, and position of the drum, using a parameter estimator to estimate the position of a mass relative to an imbalance of laundry and accelerating the rotation of the drum when the mass is determined to be angularly spaced from the relative position of the imbalance of laundry.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 11, 2019
    Publication date: July 4, 2019
    Inventors: CHRISTOPHER L. BORLIN, BRIAN P. JANKE, JOSEPH M. KERES, STEPHEN L. KERES, GUILHERME BENCKE TEIXEIRA DA SILVA, ADRIAN A. RODRIGUEZ
  • Patent number: 10273621
    Abstract: Methods of reducing a likelihood of contact between a rotating laundry-container, such as a basket or drum, located within a tub of a laundry treating appliance where the method includes rotating the drum during a measurement period, determining a torque, speed, acceleration, and position of the drum, using a parameter estimator to estimate the position of a mass relative to an imbalance of laundry and accelerating the rotation of the drum when the mass is determined to be angularly spaced from the relative position of the imbalance of laundry.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2019
    Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
    Inventors: Christopher L. Borlin, Brian P. Janke, Joseph M. Keres, Stephen L. Keres, Guilherme Bencke Teixeira Da Silva, Adrian A. Rodriguez
  • 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: 20170096760
    Abstract: Methods of reducing a likelihood of contact between a rotating laundry-container, such as a basket or drum, located within a tub of a laundry treating appliance where the method includes rotating the drum during a measurement period, determining a torque, speed, acceleration, and position of the drum, using a parameter estimator to estimate the position of a mass relative to an imbalance of laundry and accelerating the rotation of the drum when the mass is determined to be angularly spaced from the relative position of the imbalance of laundry.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 1, 2015
    Publication date: April 6, 2017
    Applicant: WHIRLPOOL CORPORATION
    Inventors: CHRISTOPHER L. BORLIN, BRIAN P. JANKE, JOSEPH M. KERES, STEPHEN L. KERES, GUILHERME BENCKE TEIXEIRA DA SILVA, ADRIAN A. RODRIGUEZ
  • Patent number: 9540754
    Abstract: A laundry treating appliance includes a rotatable drum for receiving a laundry load. The rotatable drum includes a cylindrical body with a cylindrical wall about a longitudinal axis, and a metal cover at one end thereof, the metal cover having an annular groove formed by a first wall, a second wall spaced from the first wall, a third wall extending between the first and second walls, and a fourth wall extending from the second wall. A metal adjoining piece having a first adjoining wall is coupled with the third wall and a second adjoining wall is coupled with the fourth wall, wherein a hollow annular raceway is defined by the second wall, the third wall, the first adjoining wall, and the second adjoining wall. A sound dampener is disposed adjacent at least one of the walls.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2017
    Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
    Inventors: Christopher L. Borlin, Mark R. Haslanger, George W. Malheiros, Stephen D. Ostdiek
  • Patent number: 9534335
    Abstract: A laundry treating appliance includes a rotatable drum for receiving a laundry load. The rotatable drum includes a cylindrical body with a cylindrical wall about a longitudinal axis, and a metal cover at one end thereof, the metal cover having an annular groove formed by a first wall, a second wall spaced from the first wall, a third wall extending between the first and second walls, and a fourth wall extending from the second wall. A first land is secured to the third wall and has a leg extending toward the second wall adjacent to the third wall, and a second land is secured to the fourth wall. A non-metal adjoining piece is coupled with the first and second land. A hollow annular raceway is defined by the second wall, the leg, the first adjoining wall, and the second adjoining wall and includes a moveable mass disposed therein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2017
    Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
    Inventors: Christopher L. Borlin, Donald E. Erickson, Mark R. Haslanger, George W. Malheiros, Stephen D. Ostdiek
  • 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: 20150322614
    Abstract: A dynamic balancer device for mounting to and balancing a rotatable drum in a laundry treating appliance comprises an enclosed non-metal annular housing having a radial circumferential wall, an annular metal race within the non-metal annular housing disposed against the radial circumferential wall, and a mass disposed in the annular race and movable therein.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 27, 2015
    Publication date: November 12, 2015
    Applicant: WHIRLPOOL CORPORATION
    Inventors: CHRISTOPHER L. BORLIN, MARK R. HASLANGER, GEORGE W. MALHEIROS, STEPHEN D. OSTDIEK
  • Publication number: 20150322615
    Abstract: A laundry treating appliance includes a rotatable drum for receiving a laundry load. The rotatable drum includes a cylindrical body with a cylindrical wall about a longitudinal axis, and a metal cover at one end thereof, the metal cover having an annular groove formed by a first wall, a second wall spaced from the first wall, a third wall extending between the first and second walls, and a fourth wall extending from the second wall. A first land is secured to the third wall and has a leg extending toward the second wall adjacent to the third wall, and a second land is secured to the fourth wall. A non-metal adjoining piece is coupled with the first and second land. A hollow annular raceway is defined by the second wall, the leg, the first adjoining wall, and the second adjoining wall and includes a moveable mass disposed therein.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 9, 2014
    Publication date: November 12, 2015
    Applicant: WHIRLPOOL CORPORATION
    Inventors: CHRISTOPHER L. BORLIN, DONALD E. ERICKSON, MARK R. HASLANGER, GEORGE W. MALHEIROS, STEPHEN D. OSTDIEK
  • 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