Patents by Inventor Daniel J. Trice

Daniel J. Trice 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).

  • Publication number: 20220404030
    Abstract: A microwave cooking appliance having a connector system connecting the appliance to an external vent configuration. The connector system may include an adaptor. The connector system may include a mounting bracket to mount the microwave cooking appliance. The adaptor and/or mounting bracket may include one or more magnets to magnetically connect the adaptor with the mounting bracket. The connector system may include a sealing system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 21, 2021
    Publication date: December 22, 2022
    Inventors: Daniel J. Trice, Brian Langness, Eric Scalf
  • Publication number: 20220404015
    Abstract: A system for controlling digital gas valves of an appliance utilizing a configurable duty cycle that includes a configurable ON time, a configurable cycle period and one or more configurable burner power level variables. In some instances, the configurable duty cycle may be configured at least in part by operation of a control knob, and in some instances, multiple burner power levels may be specified such that cycling may be performed between multiple burner power levels.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 22, 2022
    Publication date: December 22, 2022
    Inventors: Richard W. Cowan, Daniel J. Trice
  • Publication number: 20220400860
    Abstract: A mounting bracket assembly for an appliance, such as an over-the-range cooking appliance, for mounting to an underside of a wall cabinet, where the cooking appliance includes having at least a rear-facing side and a top-facing side. The assembly includes a wall bracket configured to be secured to the wall near the wall cabinet and configured to support the enclosure on a ledge. The assembly also includes a cam rotatably mounted to the housing to rotatably engage a surface of the ledge to raise the appliance.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 21, 2021
    Publication date: December 22, 2022
    Inventors: Daniel J. Trice, Brian Langness
  • Publication number: 20220316714
    Abstract: A microwave cooking appliance allowing better access into the cooking cavity. The microwave cooking appliance may include a portion of the cooking cavity articulating to a deployed position from the housing. The appliance may include one or more linkage members connected to the articulating cavity portion. The appliance may include a linkage track member guiding the one or more linkage members and/or articulating cavity portion between positions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 31, 2021
    Publication date: October 6, 2022
    Inventor: Daniel J. Trice
  • Publication number: 20220304119
    Abstract: A microwave cooking appliance having power management. The appliance may include at least one cord positionable between at least one stowed position to at least one deployed position. The appliance may include one or more strain relief members stopping the deployment of the cord. The microwave cooking appliance may include a cord housing. The microwave cooking appliance may include a pulley engaging the cord. The microwave cooking appliance may include a biasing member engaging the pulley and/or cord. The microwave cooking appliance may include a pin and slot engagement engaging the pulley and/or cord.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 21, 2021
    Publication date: September 22, 2022
    Inventors: Daniel J. Trice, Brian Langness, Eric Scalf
  • Publication number: 20220304120
    Abstract: A microwave cooking appliance allowing better access into the cooking cavity. The microwave cooking appliance may include a bottom articulating from the housing. The appliance may include an actuator. The appliance may include one or more linkage members connected to the actuator and bottom. The appliance may include a linkage track guiding the one or more linkage members and/or bottom between positions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 18, 2021
    Publication date: September 22, 2022
    Inventor: Daniel J. Trice
  • Publication number: 20220304121
    Abstract: A microwave cooking appliance having power management. The appliance may include at least one cord positionable between at least one stowed position to at least one deployed position. The appliance may include one or more strain relief members stopping the deployment of the cord. The microwave cooking appliance may include a cord housing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 19, 2021
    Publication date: September 22, 2022
    Inventor: Daniel J. Trice
  • Patent number: 11421874
    Abstract: A system for controlling digital gas valves of an appliance utilizing a configurable duty cycle that includes a configurable ON time, a configurable cycle period and one or more configurable burner power level variables. In some instances, the configurable duty cycle may be configured at least in part by operation of a control knob, and in some instances, multiple burner power levels may be specified such that cycling may be performed between multiple burner power levels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2022
    Assignee: MIDEA GROUP CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Richard W. Cowan, Daniel J. Trice
  • Publication number: 20220141927
    Abstract: An over-the-range cooking appliance for mounting to an underside of a wall cabinet, where the cooking appliance includes: an enclosure with a cooking cavity for food and where the enclosure includes at least a rear-facing side and a top-facing side; a wall bracket configured to be secured to the wall near the wall cabinet and configured to support the enclosure; and a cabinet bracket to support the enclosure from the underside of the wall cabinet. The cabinet bracket includes a first and second cooperating latch member, where the first cooperating latch member is mounted on the underside of the cabinet and the second cooperating latch member is mounted on the top-facing side of the enclosure. The cooperating latch members are respectively configured to latch to one another when the enclosure is supported on the wall bracket proximate the bottom of the rear-facing side thereof and tilted upwardly.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 4, 2020
    Publication date: May 5, 2022
    Inventors: Eric Scalf, Brian Langness, Daniel J. Trice, Guo Jun Zhang, Jared Speichinger
  • Publication number: 20220136617
    Abstract: A system for a two-step activation for a valve includes at least one valve control selector having an output representative of a valve position and a touch sensor having an output representative of a permission to operate said valve.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 19, 2022
    Publication date: May 5, 2022
    Inventors: Richard W. Cowan, Nathan E. Nelson, Daniel J. Trice
  • Publication number: 20220099302
    Abstract: A cooking appliance including an oven compartment, and first and second gas burners positioned to supply heat to the oven compartment. The first and second gas burners respectively include first and second electromechanical modulating valves that respectively couple the first and second gas burners to a gas supply. A controller is used to control the first and second gas burners to heat the oven compartment, and the controller, when maintaining a predetermined temperature in the oven compartment, controls the electromechanical modulating valves of the first and second gas burners to vary respective output levels of the first and second gas burners while maintaining a substantially constant combined output level for the first and second gas burners.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 28, 2020
    Publication date: March 31, 2022
    Inventors: Richard W. Cowan, Daniel J. Trice
  • Patent number: 11287141
    Abstract: An apparatus and method of articulating a rack for a cooking appliance between a lowered position and a raised position. One or more cams drive one or more linkage members pivotably connected to the rack. One or more drive mechanisms may be used to pivot the one or more cams.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2022
    Assignee: MIDEA GROUP CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Daniel J. Trice, Nathan E. Nelson
  • Patent number: 11280498
    Abstract: A system for inhibiting and providing access to appliance control knobs includes a support structure for mounting individual control knobs or groups thereof, and an actuator assembly for extending and retracting control knobs either individually or collectively.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 4, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2022
    Assignee: MIDEA GROUP CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Richard W. Cowan, Felix Conde Zelocuatecatl, John Hooker, Vern A. Neal, Nathan E. Nelson, Daniel J. Trice
  • Patent number: 11255460
    Abstract: A system for a two-step activation for a valve includes at least one valve control selector having an output representative of a valve position and a touch sensor having an output representative of a permission to operate said valve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2022
    Assignee: MIDEA GROUP CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Richard W. Cowan, Nathan E. Nelson, Daniel J. Trice
  • Patent number: 11204173
    Abstract: A digital cooktop system with six regular burners and a wok burner, allowing use of a reconfigurable control knob to control the cooktop burners for a wok mode, a griddle mode, and a six-burner mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 21, 2021
    Assignee: MIDEA GROUP CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Daniel J. Trice, Richard W. Cowan
  • Patent number: 11204174
    Abstract: A system for an appliance having a plurality of burners operated by a plurality of gas valves includes a plurality of selector buttons to assign a single control selector to a specified burner and a plurality of dedicated off buttons, assigned to the burners.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 21, 2021
    Assignee: MIDEA GROUP CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Richard W. Cowan, Daniel J. Trice
  • Publication number: 20210307128
    Abstract: A microwave cooking appliance for increasing visibility into the cooking cavity. The microwave cooking appliance may include a door. The door may include a conductive mesh layer. The door may include a frame supporting the conductive mesh layer. The door may include a conductive and/or sealing engagement between the conductive mesh layer and the frame.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 31, 2020
    Publication date: September 30, 2021
    Inventors: Daniel J. Trice, Brian Langness, Pierce Woodling
  • Publication number: 20210307130
    Abstract: A microwave cooking appliance for increasing visibility into the cooking cavity. The microwave cooking appliance may include a door. The door may include a conductive mesh layer. The door may include a frame supporting the conductive mesh layer. The door may include a conductive and/or sealing engagement between the conductive mesh layer and the frame. The door may include a leak detection device. The leak detection device may be adjacent the conductive and/or sealing engagement. The door may include a user interface display and/or a touch screen.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 29, 2020
    Publication date: September 30, 2021
    Inventors: Daniel J. Trice, Brian Langness, Pierce Woodling
  • Publication number: 20210307129
    Abstract: A microwave cooking appliance for increasing visibility into the cooking cavity. The microwave cooking appliance may include a door. The door may include a conductive mesh layer. The door may include a frame supporting the conductive mesh layer. The door may include a conductive and/or sealing engagement between the conductive mesh layer and the frame. The door may include a leak detection device. The leak detection device may be adjacent the conductive and/or sealing engagement. The door may include a user interface display and/or a touch screen.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 29, 2020
    Publication date: September 30, 2021
    Inventors: Guo Jun Zhang, Brian Langness, Daniel J. Trice, Pierce Woodling
  • Publication number: 20210095784
    Abstract: A system for a two-step activation for a valve includes at least one valve control selector having an output representative of a valve position and a touch sensor having an output representative of a permission to operate said valve.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 30, 2019
    Publication date: April 1, 2021
    Inventors: Richard W. Cowan, Nathan E. Nelson, Daniel J. Trice