Patents by Inventor Stephen Bernard Froelicher

Stephen Bernard Froelicher 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: 20150354828
    Abstract: An oven appliance includes features for permitting movement of a door of the oven appliance relative to a cabinet of the oven appliance. The oven appliance also includes a hinge assembly that couples the door to at least one of the first and second slide assemblies such that the door is pivotable. The hinge assembly includes a bearing disposed within one of a series of detents. A related double oven range appliance is also provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 5, 2014
    Publication date: December 10, 2015
    Inventors: Christopher James Adelmann, Cecil Clay Clements, Stephen Bernard Froelicher
  • Publication number: 20150201465
    Abstract: The present subject matter provides an oven range appliance. The oven range appliance includes a cabinet. The cabinet defines a width. A cooktop is positioned at a top portion of the cabinet. The cooktop includes a ceramic panel. The ceramic panel defines a width. The width of the ceramic panel is about equal to the width of the cabinet. Thus, the ceramic panel can extend across the width of the cabinet.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 10, 2014
    Publication date: July 16, 2015
    Applicant: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Christopher James Adelmann, Stephen Bernard Froelicher, Kevin Scott Laundroche
  • Patent number: 9016812
    Abstract: A translatable support mechanism is provided. The translatable support mechanism includes a storage component, a pair of supports, and a pair of gear sets. The pair of supports and the pair of gear sets support the storage component such that the storage component is translatable between an open and closed position along a transverse direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2015
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Jeffrey Lynn Jessie, Stephen Bernard Froelicher
  • Publication number: 20150101990
    Abstract: A filtering system is provided that includes at least one temperature sensor for measuring the temperature of a filter cartridge. The temperature measurements can used to determine whether the filter cartridge is at an increased risk of suffering a leak due to a crack of other material failure caused by exposure to certain temperatures. More than one temperature sensor may be used. The temperature measurements can also be used to determine whether one or more corrective actions should be taken such as e.g., providing a notification to a user and/or shutting of a flow of fluid to the filter cartridge.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 14, 2013
    Publication date: April 16, 2015
    Applicant: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Natarajan Venkatakrishnan, Stephen Bernard Froelicher, Andrew Reinhard Krause, Mariano Pablo Filippa
  • Publication number: 20140354132
    Abstract: A translatable support mechanism is provided. The translatable support mechanism includes a storage component, a pair of supports, and a pair of gear sets. The pair of supports and the pair of gear sets support the storage component such that the storage component is translatable between an open and closed position along a transverse direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 4, 2013
    Publication date: December 4, 2014
    Applicant: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Jeffrey Lynn Jessie, Stephen Bernard Froelicher
  • Patent number: 8857034
    Abstract: A method for manufacturing a dishwasher appliance is provided. A set of interchangeable tubs with a metal tub and a plastic tub and a set of interchangeable of inner door panels with a metal inner door panel and an outer door panel are provided. One of the set of interchangeable inner door panels is mounted to one of the set of interchangeable tubs to assemble the dishwasher appliance. The method can provide a dishwasher appliance with a metal inner door panel and a metal tub, a metal inner door panel and a plastic tub, a plastic inner door panel and a metal tub, or a plastic inner door panel and a plastic tub.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 14, 2014
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Brandon K G Schaefer, Stephen Bernard Froelicher, Suzanne Marie Damaske
  • Publication number: 20140251300
    Abstract: An oven appliance is provided. The oven appliance includes a pair of doors and a pair of flanges. Each flange of the pair of flanges is mounted to a respective one of the pair of doors. The flanges engage and overlap each other when the pair of doors is in a closed position and include features for limiting wear between the flanges.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 8, 2013
    Publication date: September 11, 2014
    Applicant: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: John Mark Chilton, Stephen Bernard Froelicher, Scott Thomas Kershner, Joshua Stephen Wiseman, John Adam Yantis
  • Publication number: 20140251301
    Abstract: An oven appliance is provided. The oven appliance includes a pair of doors. Each door of the pair of doors includes an outer door panel and an inner door panel. The outer and inner door panels are spaced apart from each other along at least one edge of the door such that the inner and outer door panels define a thermal break therebetween. The thermal break can assist with limiting or hindering heat transfer between the inner and outer door panels.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 8, 2013
    Publication date: September 11, 2014
    Applicant: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: John Mark Chilton, Stephen Bernard Froelicher, Scott Thomas Kershner, Joshua Stephen Wiseman, John Adam Yantis
  • Patent number: 8814393
    Abstract: A lighting assembly is provided. The lighting assembly includes a bracket and a frusto-spherical housing received by the bracket and mounted for rotation relative to the bracket. By rotating the frusto-spherical housing within the bracket, light emitted by the lighting assembly can be focused or directed in a selected direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 26, 2014
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Stephen Bernard Froelicher, Marc Eric Hottenroth, Justin Tyler Brown
  • Publication number: 20140165661
    Abstract: A clutch positioning assembly for a washing machine appliance is provided. The assembly uses a cam that can be rotated so as to position the clutch between different positions that provide for engaging or disengaging a motor from a wash basket. A leaf spring, configured as a yoke in one exemplary embodiment, provides a force to urge the clutch into a position that e.g., disengages the wash basket from the motor during e.g., wash modes while also allowing the clutch to be moved into a position that engages the wash basket with the motor during spin modes. The clutch positioning assembly can be provided as a modular unit that is connected with the appliance during manufacturing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 19, 2012
    Publication date: June 19, 2014
    Applicant: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Edward Simeon Chupka, Stephen Bernard Froelicher
  • Patent number: 8733862
    Abstract: An appliance is provided having one or more racks or shelves, the position of which may be adjusted vertically. Multiple different positions along the vertical direction can be made available for selection by a user of the appliance. One or more locking mechanisms allow for selective adjustment of the vertical position at which a shelf may be located.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 27, 2014
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: James Lee Armstrong, Stephen Bernard Froelicher, Joshua Stephen Wiseman
  • Publication number: 20140133157
    Abstract: A lighting assembly is provided. The lighting assembly includes a bracket and a frusto-spherical housing received by the bracket and mounted for rotation relative to the bracket. By rotating the frusto-spherical housing within the bracket, light emitted by the lighting assembly can be focused or directed in a selected direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 12, 2012
    Publication date: May 15, 2014
    Applicant: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Stephen Bernard Froelicher, Marc Eric Hottenroth, Justin Tyler Brown
  • Publication number: 20140069145
    Abstract: A washing machine appliance and a method of operation thereof are provided for shifting between different modes such as wash, rinse, and/or spin modes. A clutch is used to shift between the different modes of operation. Alignment of the clutch, particularly the clutch teeth, is provided so as to allow for proper engagement of the clutch and motor or to properly align the clutch teeth for disengagement and locking with locking teeth carried upon e.g., a platform lock.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 13, 2012
    Publication date: March 13, 2014
    Applicant: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Edward Simeon Chupka, Stephen Bernard Froelicher, Jeffrey Lynn Jessie, Richard D. Suel, II
  • Publication number: 20140034631
    Abstract: A heater assembly for an appliance is provided. The heater assembly includes a housing and a thermostat. The housing defines an aperture. The thermostat includes a probe that is positioned adjacent the aperture. The aperture can increase the accuracy of temperature measurements by the thermostat and hinder unnecessary tripping of the thermostat.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 6, 2012
    Publication date: February 6, 2014
    Applicant: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Alexander Daniel James, Stephen Bernard Froelicher, Richard Dustin Henderson, Ionelia Silvia Prajescu
  • Publication number: 20140033497
    Abstract: A method for manufacturing a dishwasher appliance is provided. A set of interchangeable tubs with a metal tub and a plastic tub and a set of interchangeable of inner door panels with a metal inner door panel and an outer door panel are provided. One of the set of interchangeable inner door panels is mounted to one of the set of interchangeable tubs to assemble the dishwasher appliance. The method can provide a dishwasher appliance with a metal inner door panel and a metal tub, a metal inner door panel and a plastic tub, a plastic inner door panel and a metal tub, or a plastic inner door panel and a plastic tub.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 2, 2012
    Publication date: February 6, 2014
    Applicant: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Brandon KG Schaefer, Stephen Bernard Froelicher, Suzanne Marie Damaske
  • Publication number: 20140026880
    Abstract: An oven appliance with one or more features for managing the flow of heated air within the oven cavity is provided. Such features are provided on a floor or wall that is positioned over one or more heating elements. The features are configured to disrupt the formation and/or flow of a high temperature film so that heated air is more uniformly distributed within the oven cavity in order to promote a more uniform cooking of food items therein.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 24, 2012
    Publication date: January 30, 2014
    Applicant: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Stephen Bernard Froelicher, Joshua Stephen Wiseman
  • Patent number: 8173942
    Abstract: An over the range oven includes a main body defining a cooking cavity therein, wherein the cooking cavity includes a front edge surrounding an opening. An RF generation module is coupled to the cooking cavity and is configured to deliver microwave energy into the cooking cavity. At least one radiant heat source is coupled to the cooking cavity and is configured to supply heat energy to the cooking cavity. The oven is configured to operate in a radiant heat mode of operation, a microwave mode of operation, a dual mode of operation, and a self clean mode of operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2012
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Joshua Stephen Wiseman, Christopher E. O'Malley, Stephen Bernard Froelicher, Charles Ray Smith, Karen Marie Edberg, Jay Andrew Broniak
  • Patent number: 7765837
    Abstract: A washing machine includes a cabinet, a tub mounted within the cabinet, and a basket rotationally mounted within the tub for relative rotation therewith. A suspension assembly supports the tub within the cabinet. A variable speed motor is included for rotating the basket about a rotation axis, and an inverter is operatively coupled to the motor. A controller is operatively coupled to the inverter and the motor and is configured to control the motor based on a drag torque on the basket.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 3, 2010
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Christopher Gregory Hoppe, Larry Lee Hawkins, Derek Lee Watkins, Mark Aaron Weaver, Michael Francis Finch, Stephen Bernard Froelicher, Benton Bartley Oukrop
  • Patent number: 6860124
    Abstract: A brake cam actuator assembly for a washing machine includes an actuator having a cylindrical body that is drivingly coupled to a transmission pulley hub through a wrap spring clutch circumscribing the transmission pulley hub and brake cam actuator body. A first end of the brake cam actuator includes a segmented ring that reduces knocking noises due to imperfections and manufacturing defects in the transmission pulley hub and brake cam actuator first end which interface one another. The segmented ring also forms controlled flow path for normal fluid leaks and prevents contamination of a ramped cam surface on a second end of brake cam actuator and contamination of a friction brake surface that may produce friction material squeaking noises.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 1999
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2005
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Emile Edward Abi-Habib, Stephen Bernard Froelicher
  • Patent number: 6655158
    Abstract: In one aspect, the present invention is directed to a refrigerator that includes an icemaker that is operable to .form ice at a first rate during normal operation, and at a second, faster, rate upon demand for additional ice. More specifically, and in an exemplary embodiment, the refrigerator includes a fresh food compartment and a freezer compartment. The refrigerator also includes a refrigeration circuit having a compressor, a condenser, and an evaporator connected in series. A condenser fan is positioned to blow air over the condenser and an evaporator fan is positioned to blow air over the evaporator. The icemaker is located in the freezer compartment and positioned so that the evaporator blows air over an ice mold of the icemaker. The refrigerator also includes a control coupled to a user interface and to the evaporator fan. The control includes a processor, and the processor is programmed to control energization of the evaporator fan upon selection of an ice rate booster mode at the user interface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 2000
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2003
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Joshua Stepen Wiseman, Stephen Bernard Froelicher, Jeffery Wayne Borden, Jeffrey Lynn Jessie