Patents by Inventor Rodney Welch

Rodney Welch 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: 20060174915
    Abstract: A dishwasher includes a first washing chamber and a second washing chamber capable of performing a washing operation separately and/or concurrently. Each washing chamber includes a wash pump, a drain pump and a heating unit that are operatively connected to a controller. When initiating a washing fluid in one washing chamber, the controller determines if the other washing chamber is active. If the other washing chamber is active, the heating unit for the one washing chamber is operated at a low power level. However, if the other washing chamber is inactive, the one washing chamber is operated at a high power level to rapidly heat the washing fluid and thus shorten the duration of the washing operation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 9, 2005
    Publication date: August 10, 2006
    Inventors: Kristen Hedstrom, Mark Palm, Rodney Welch
  • Publication number: 20060174918
    Abstract: A drawer-type dishwasher includes a frame assembly, a tub, a wash arm and a pump system. The pump system includes a flow housing mounted at a rear portion of the tub and a drain conduit. The flow housing includes an inlet portion, an outlet portion, a pump portion and a drain port. Within the pump portion are arranged an impeller, a chopper mechanism as well as a plurality of flow straightening fins. A motor is mounted to the flow housing for driving the impeller and the chopper mechanism. The drain conduit is connected between the drain port and a drain line. A venturi is provided in the drain conduit to create a siphoning action the decreases an amount of time required to drain the tub.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 9, 2005
    Publication date: August 10, 2006
    Inventors: Kristen Hedstrom, Mark Palm, Rodney Welch
  • Publication number: 20060174925
    Abstract: A dishwasher includes a drain pump assembly having a chopper assembly coupled to an impeller and driven by a synchronous motor. The chopper assembly includes an impeller housing that includes a central hub portion for pivotally supporting a plurality of rotatable chopper blades. An apertured plate is secured to the impeller housing and maintained in a spaced relationship from the chopper blades. The chopper assembly is coupled to the impeller through an axially sliding drive mechanism that facilitates assembly of the chopper assembly into the impeller housing. The synchronous motor drives the chopper blade in a first direction until encountering a hard soil particle whereupon the chopper blades can pivot so that the chopper assembly can continue to operate or, if the chopper blade becomes jammed, the synchronous motor can oscillate to hammer the hard soil particle until it becomes small enough to pass through the apertured plate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 9, 2005
    Publication date: August 10, 2006
    Inventors: Robert Elick, Mark Palm, Rodney Welch
  • Publication number: 20060174923
    Abstract: A drawer-type dishwasher includes a frame assembly, a wash tub, a plurality of wash system components and a sump. The sump is either integrally formed with or separately formed and mounted to a bottom wall portion of the tub, while being provided with a plurality of fluid conduits that extend from a central intake ring to a respective plurality of attachment flanges. A wash pump and a drain pump are supported by respective ones of the plurality of attachment flanges so as to direct a flow of wash fluid into and out of the wash tub. The sump also includes structure for mounting a heater and a filter housing, as well as other wash and safety system components.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 9, 2005
    Publication date: August 10, 2006
    Inventors: Kristen Hedstrom, Michael Kramer, Mark Palm, Rodney Welch
  • Publication number: 20060174916
    Abstract: A dishwasher includes wash chamber, a wash system for supplying washing fluid to wash arms to clean articles arranged in the wash chamber, and a washing fluid manifold having an inlet portion, an outlet portion and a passage interconnecting the inlet and outlet portions. A filter chamber is fluidly connected to the washing fluid manifold for removing food soil from the washing fluid. A venturi is provided in the passage for establishing a low pressure region. A sampling port for feeding the filter chamber is located in the low pressure region. In addition, a bleed port is provide near an inlet of the filter chamber. In this manner, washing fluid enters the filter chamber at low pressure to increase the efficiency of a filtering process, while washing fluid enters the wash arms at a high velocity to efficiently perform a washing operation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 9, 2005
    Publication date: August 10, 2006
    Inventors: Kristen Hedstrom, Mark Palm, Rodney Welch
  • Publication number: 20060153828
    Abstract: Disclosed is a pO157 plasmid-specified polypeptide found in E. coli EDL933 and other E. coli that binds to and cleaves C1-esterase inhibitor, and antibodies specific for the polypeptide. Also disclosed are methods employing the polypeptide for diagnosing enterohemorrhagic E. coli infection, identifying potential inhibitors of its activity, and reducing viscosity of material containing glycosylated polypeptides.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 5, 2005
    Publication date: July 13, 2006
    Applicant: Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation
    Inventors: Rodney Welch, Wyndham Lathem, Thomas Grys
  • Publication number: 20060119236
    Abstract: A vertical height adjustment mechanism for a dish rack includes a slide member fixedly mounted relative to a support member, a housing secured to the dish rack, and a latch member. The housing includes a central guide channel that slidably receives the slide member. The latch member includes a support leg, an actuating arm and an intermediate portion joining the support leg and actuating arm. The sliding element includes an end portion that receives and retains the support leg of the latch when the dish rack is in the raised position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 8, 2004
    Publication date: June 8, 2006
    Inventors: Harry Dickson, Kory Gunnerson, Kristen Hedstrom, Mark Palm, Michael Simmons, Daniel Teteak, Chad Thomas, Wayne VanLandingham, Rodney Welch, Karl Wendt, Jeffrey Williams
  • Publication number: 20060099629
    Abstract: Disclosed are methods of detecting uropathogenic E. coli genes that are differentially expressed in response to D-serine. Also disclosed are methods of characterizing bacterial isolates from clinical samples based on the ability to metabolize D-serine.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 30, 2005
    Publication date: May 11, 2006
    Applicant: Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation
    Inventors: Rodney Welch, Paula Roesch
  • Publication number: 20060042656
    Abstract: A dishwasher includes a pump assembly having a multi-stage filtering arrangement which functions to trap soil particles contained in a washing fluid to reduce the number of fresh water fills required to perform a washing operation. All of the washing fluid is initially directed over a filter plate. A first portion of the washing fluid passes the filter plate into a pumping chamber, while a second, soil laden portion, enters a first filter chamber. The second portion is then directed through a medium filter into the intake chamber. The filtered washing fluid is pumped through a conduit to wash arms that spray the washing fluid onto kitchenware. The conduit includes a sampling port which directs a portion of the washing fluid to a second filtering compartment having a fine mesh screen. At the end of the washing operation, the washing water, along with the soil is expelled from the dishwasher.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 31, 2004
    Publication date: March 2, 2006
    Inventor: Rodney Welch
  • Publication number: 20060042668
    Abstract: A dishwasher includes a pump assembly having a multi-stage filtering arrangement which functions to trap soil particles contained in a washing fluid to reduce the number of fresh water fills required to perform a washing operation. All of the washing fluid is initially directed over a filter plate. A first portion of the washing fluid passes the filter plate into a pumping chamber, while a second, soil laden portion, enters a first filter chamber. The second portion is then directed through a medium filter into the intake chamber. The filtered washing fluid is pumped through a conduit to wash arms that spray the washing fluid onto kitchenware. The conduit includes a sampling port which directs a portion of the washing fluid to a second filtering compartment having a fine mesh screen. At the end of the washing operation, the washing water, along with the soil is expelled from the dishwasher.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 31, 2004
    Publication date: March 2, 2006
    Inventor: Rodney Welch
  • Publication number: 20060042657
    Abstract: A dishwasher includes a pump assembly for establishing a recirculated wash fluid flow within a washing chamber. The pump assembly includes a housing having a recirculation portion and a drain portion. The recirculation portion includes an inlet passage, a recirculation passage and a pump mount. The inlet and recirculation passages share a common wall and open into the pump mount. The pump assembly further includes a pump having a housing, a motor drivingly connected to an impeller and a conduit having inlet and outlet portions projecting from the housing. The inlet and outlet portions are concentrically arranged within the conduit and fluidly connected with the impeller. With this arrangement, the pump unit can be readily secured to the pump mount and, during operation, draws washing fluid in through the inlet and redirects the washing fluid to the recirculation passage of the housing at approximately 180° from the inlet.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 31, 2004
    Publication date: March 2, 2006
    Inventor: Rodney Welch
  • Publication number: 20050133063
    Abstract: A dishwasher includes a cabinet having arranged therein a central cavity. Slidably supported within the second cavity are first and second dish support rack systems. The first dish support rack system is defined by first and second upper dish support racks with the first upper dish support rack having a first width and the second dish support rack having a second width, substantially smaller than the first width. The second dish support rack system includes first and second lower dish support racks, each being substantially similar in construction to the first and second upper dish support racks. The dishwasher includes a first wash zone defined by the first upper and lower racks and a second wash zone defined by the second upper and lower racks. A control can selectively direct pressurized wash water through an associated spray arm member to the first and second wash zones either singly or collectively.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 17, 2003
    Publication date: June 23, 2005
    Inventor: Rodney Welch
  • Patent number: 6872559
    Abstract: Disclosed is a pO157 plasmid-specified polypeptide found in E. coli EDL933and other enterohemorrhagic E. coli that binds to and cleaves C1-esterase inhibitor. Also disclosed are methods employing the polypeptide for diagnosing and treating colitis or hemolytic uremic syndrome, and methods of detecting potential therapeutics.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2001
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2005
    Assignee: Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation
    Inventors: Rodney A. Welch, Wyndham W. Lathem
  • Publication number: 20040234530
    Abstract: Disclosed is a pO157 plasmid-specified polypeptide found in E. coli EDL933 and other E. coli that binds to and cleaves C1-esterase inhibitor, and antibodies specific for the polypeptide. Also disclosed are methods employing the polypeptide for diagnosing enterohemorrhagic E. coli infection, identifying potential inhibitors of its activity, and reducing viscosity of material containing glycosylated polypeptides.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 25, 2004
    Publication date: November 25, 2004
    Applicant: Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation
    Inventors: Rodney A. Welch, Wyndham W. Lathem, Thomas E. Grys
  • Publication number: 20040192903
    Abstract: The present invention relates to novel genes located in two chromosomal regions within uropathogenic E. coli that are associated with virulence. These chromosomal regions are known as pathogenicity islands (PAIs). In particular, the present application discloses 142 sequenced fragments (contigs) of DNA from two pools of cosmids covering pathogenicity islands PAI IV and PAI V located on the chromosome of the uropathogenic Escherichia coli J96. Further disclosed are 351 predicted protein-coding open reading frames within the sequenced fragments.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 25, 2004
    Publication date: September 30, 2004
    Applicants: Human Genome Sciences, Inc., Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation
    Inventors: Patrick J. Dillon, Gil H. Choi, Rodney A. Welch
  • Patent number: 6787643
    Abstract: The present invention relates to novel genes located in two chromosomal regions within uropathogenic E. coli that are associated with virulence. These chromosomal regions are known as pathogenicity islands (PAIs). In particular, the present application discloses 142 sequenced fragments (contigs) of DNA from two pools of cosmids covering pathogenicity islands PAI IV and PAI V located on the chromosome of the uropathogenic Escherichia coli J96. Further disclosed are 351 predicted protein-coding open reading frames within the sequenced fragments.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2001
    Date of Patent: September 7, 2004
    Assignees: Human Genome Sciences, Inc., Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation
    Inventors: Patrick J. Dillon, Gil H. Choi, Rodney A. Welch
  • Publication number: 20030165870
    Abstract: The entire genome of pathogenic E. coli strain CFT073 has been sequenced. Nearly all of the genomic DNA sequences present in CFT073 and absent in the previously sequenced laboratory strain K-12 are presented here.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 1, 2002
    Publication date: September 4, 2003
    Inventors: Frederick R. Blattner, Rodney A. Welch, Valerie D. Burland
  • Publication number: 20020187544
    Abstract: Disclosed are methods of detecting uropathogenic E. coli genes that are differentially expressed in response to D-serine. Also disclosed are methods of characterizing bacterial isolates from clinical samples based on the ability to metabolize D-serine.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 5, 2002
    Publication date: December 12, 2002
    Applicant: Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation
    Inventors: Rodney A. Welch, Paula L. Roesch
  • Publication number: 20020160433
    Abstract: Disclosed is a pO157 plasmid-specified polypeptide found in E. coli EDL933 and other enterohemorrhagic E. coli that binds to and cleaves C1-esterase inhibitor. Also disclosed are methods employing the polypeptide for diagnosing and treating colitis or hemolytic uremic syndrome, and methods of detecting potential therapeutics.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 26, 2001
    Publication date: October 31, 2002
    Applicant: Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation
    Inventors: Rodney A. Welch, Wyndham W. Lathem
  • Publication number: 20020072595
    Abstract: The present invention relates to novel genes located in two chromosomal regions within uropathogenic E. coli that are associated with virulence. These chromosomal regions are known as pathogenicity islands (PAIs). In particular, the present application discloses 142 sequenced fragments (contigs) of DNA from two pools of cosmids covering pathogenicity islands PAI IV and PAI V located on the chromosome of the uropathogenic Escherichia coli J96. Further disclosed are 351 predicted protein-coding open reading frames within the sequenced fragments.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 20, 2001
    Publication date: June 13, 2002
    Applicant: Human Genome Sciences, Inc.
    Inventors: Patrick J. Dillon, Gil H. Choi, Rodney A. Welch