Patents by Inventor Michael L. Giddings

Michael L. Giddings 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: 5474378
    Abstract: A manually adjustable support assembly for movably supporting an upper dishrack within a dishwasher. A plurality of support assemblies are provided for each dishrack and permit manual adjustments of the dishrack between predetermined vertically spaced positions. Each of the adjustable support assemblies comprise a housing for interconnection with the dishrack. A flex plate is disposed adjacent the housing and slidably interconnects with the housing. A wheel rotatably interconnects with the flex plate and is rotatably received into a track supported on the sidewall of the dishwasher tub. The flex plate includes a positioning rib which is received into one of a plurality of receiving slots formed into the housing. By flexing the flex plate, the positioning rib may be disengaged from one of the receiving slots and the flex plate moved longitudinally relative to the housing. By relaxing the flex plate, the positioning rib is engaged into the adjacent-most receiving slot.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 1993
    Date of Patent: December 12, 1995
    Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
    Inventors: John I. Smith, Michael L. Giddings
  • Patent number: 5409309
    Abstract: A motion control apparatus for stabilizing the motion of a dishrack mounted within a tub of a dishwasher such that yawing of the dishrack relative to the tub during movement of the dishrack in and out of the tub is prevented. The motion control apparatus includes a mounting mechanism for mounting the dishrack within the tub such that the dishrack is supported within the tub and allowed in and out movement within the tub. A torque shaft is rotatably interconnected with the mounting mechanism such that the torque shaft is disposed transversely within the tub, while gear wheels are rigidly interconnected with the torque shaft at the opposite ends of the torque shaft. Gear tracks are provided along a horizontal top inner surface of the tub corresponding to the gear wheels wherein the gear wheels are operatively meshed with the gear tracks during the in and out movement of the dishrack within the tub.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 1993
    Date of Patent: April 25, 1995
    Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
    Inventors: Michael L. Giddings, Roger J. Bertsch