Patents by Inventor Robert V. MacDonald, III

Robert V. MacDonald, III 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: 11891747
    Abstract: A laundry appliance includes a cabinet that defines an opening. The laundry appliance also includes a vessel mounted within the cabinet and accessible through the opening. The laundry appliance further includes a door assembly rotatably mounted to the cabinet at the opening. The door assembly includes a frame and a window in the frame. The door assembly further includes a shield outbound of the window. The shield includes a first plurality of locking tabs spaced around an outer circumference of the shield. The door assembly also includes a trim ring surrounding the shield. The trim ring includes a second plurality of locking tabs spaced around an inner circumference of the trim ring. The shield and the trim ring are coupled together by mutual engagement of the first plurality of locking tabs and the second plurality of locking tabs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2024
    Assignee: Haier US Appliance Solutions, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert V. MacDonald, III, Lucius Cole
  • Publication number: 20230357979
    Abstract: A laundry appliance includes a cabinet that defines an opening. The laundry appliance also includes a vessel mounted within the cabinet and accessible through the opening. The laundry appliance further includes a door assembly rotatably mounted to the cabinet at the opening. The door assembly includes a frame and a window in the frame. The door assembly further includes a shield outbound of the window. The shield includes a first plurality of locking tabs spaced around an outer circumference of the shield. The door assembly also includes a trim ring surrounding the shield. The trim ring includes a second plurality of locking tabs spaced around an inner circumference of the trim ring. The shield and the trim ring are coupled together by mutual engagement of the first plurality of locking tabs and the second plurality of locking tabs.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 3, 2022
    Publication date: November 9, 2023
    Inventors: Robert V. MacDonald, III, Lucius Cole
  • Patent number: 11603623
    Abstract: A lint filter includes a first housing and a second housing pivotally connected to the first housing, the first housing including a first latch having a first hook and a second latch having a second hook, the second housing defining a handle groove and including a first protrusion and a second protrusion, the first latch corresponding to the first protrusion and the second latch corresponding to the second protrusion such that when the lint filter is in a closed position, the first latch is latched to the first protrusion and the second latch is latched to the second protrusion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 14, 2023
    Assignee: Haier US Appliance Solutions, Inc.
    Inventor: Robert V. MacDonald, III
  • Publication number: 20220298717
    Abstract: A lint filter includes a first housing and a second housing pivotally connected to the first housing, the first housing including a first latch having a first hook and a second latch having a second hook, the second housing defining a handle groove and including a first protrusion and a second protrusion, the first latch corresponding to the first protrusion and the second latch corresponding to the second protrusion such that when the lint filter is in a closed position, the first latch is latched to the first protrusion and the second latch is latched to the second protrusion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 18, 2021
    Publication date: September 22, 2022
    Inventor: Robert V. MacDonald, III
  • Patent number: 11371181
    Abstract: A dryer appliance or ventilation assembly, as provided herein, may include an impeller, a housing, a front duct, and a sealing gasket. The impeller may be rotatable about an axial direction to urge a flow of air. The housing may enclose the impeller within a cabinet. The housing may define an entrance upstream of the impeller to permit air into the housing. The front duct may include an attachment collar defining a duct outlet. The attachment collar may be received within the entrance. The sealing gasket may be radially positioned between the attachment collar and the entrance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2022
    Assignee: Haier US Appliance Solutions, Inc.
    Inventors: Zhiquan Yu, Robert V. MacDonald, III, Pablo Enrique Soto Rodriguez
  • Patent number: 11078620
    Abstract: A moisture sensor assembly for a dryer appliance includes a housing body having a divider wall, a first sensor rod, and a second sensor rod. The first and second sensor rods are positioned on the housing body. Each of the first and second sensor rods has a mounting tab. The mounting tab of the first sensor rod is positioned opposite the mounting tab of the first sensor rod about the divider wall of the housing body. The mounting tabs of the first and second sensor rods are oriented generally parallel to the divider wall.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 3, 2021
    Assignee: Haier US Appliance Solutions, Inc.
    Inventors: Peter Hans Bensel, Robert V. MacDonald, III
  • Patent number: 10941513
    Abstract: A filter system for a dryer appliance includes a front housing, a rear housing, the rear housing including two guards that define an opening, a pivotable perforated grille connected to the rear housing and pivotable between a closed position and an open position, at least a portion of the perforated grille covering the opening when it is in the closed position, and a filter removably mounted between the front housing and the rear housing, the filter being removable when the perforated grille is in the open position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 9, 2021
    Assignee: Haier US Appliance Solutions, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert V. MacDonald, III, Ionelia Silvia Prajescu
  • Publication number: 20210062400
    Abstract: A dryer appliance or ventilation assembly, as provided herein, may include an impeller, a housing, a front duct, and a sealing gasket. The impeller may be rotatable about an axial direction to urge a flow of air. The housing may enclose the impeller within a cabinet. The housing may define an entrance upstream of the impeller to permit air into the housing. The front duct may include an attachment collar defining a duct outlet. The attachment collar may be received within the entrance. The sealing gasket may be radially positioned between the attachment collar and the entrance.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 28, 2019
    Publication date: March 4, 2021
    Inventors: Zhiquan Yu, Robert V. MacDonald, III, Pablo Enrique Soto Rodriguez
  • Publication number: 20210017698
    Abstract: A moisture sensor assembly for a dryer appliance includes a housing body having a divider wall, a first sensor rod, and a second sensor rod. The first and second sensor rods are positioned on the housing body. Each of the first and second sensor rods has a mounting tab. The mounting tab of the first sensor rod is positioned opposite the mounting tab of the first sensor rod about the divider wall of the housing body. The mounting tabs of the first and second sensor rods are oriented generally parallel to the divider wall.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 17, 2019
    Publication date: January 21, 2021
    Inventors: Peter Hans Bensel, Robert V. MacDonald, III
  • Publication number: 20200340170
    Abstract: A filter system for a dryer appliance includes a front housing, a rear housing, the rear housing including two guards that define an opening, a pivotable perforated grille connected to the rear housing and pivotable between a closed position and an open position, at least a portion of the perforated grille covering the opening when it is in the closed position, and a filter removably mounted between the front housing and the rear housing, the filter being removable when the perforated grille is in the open position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 23, 2019
    Publication date: October 29, 2020
    Inventors: Robert V. MacDonald, III, Ionelia Silvia Prajescu