Patents Represented by Attorney, Agent or Law Firm James E. Howard
  • Dishwasher featuring alternating pump operation
    Patent number: 8197608
    Abstract: A method for operating a dishwasher is provided, in which the dishwasher includes at least one washing container, a re-circulation pump for conveying washing fluid to at least one spray device for acting upon items to be cleaned, which are located in the washing container, a lye pump for pumping away washing liquid from the dishwasher. The method includes executing a wash program at least including partial program steps pre-wash (V1, V2), clean (R1, R2), intermediate rinse, clear rinse (K1, K2) and dry, and operating the re-circulation pump and the lye pump at least temporarily in an alternating manner during at least one of the partial program steps (V1, V2, R1, R2, K1, K2).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2004
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2012
    Assignee: BSH Bosch und Siemens Hausgeraete GmbH
    Inventors: Hans Beer, Roland Rieger, Christian Wolf
  • Filter element for extractor hood
    Patent number: 8197568
    Abstract: A filter element for an extractor hood comprising a filter body including at least one covering layer, at least one intermediate filter layer and a coating layer applied to at least a portion of the at least one covering layer, wherein the at least one intermediate layer is free from this coating.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 9, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2012
    Assignee: BSH Bosch und Siemens Hausgeraete GmbH
    Inventors: Udo Reiff, Volkmar Uebele
  • Dishwasher comprising a filter system
    Patent number: 8197607
    Abstract: A dishwasher is provided having a dishwashing container and a filter system for cleaning dishwashing liquid. The filter system includes a foam volume and the filter system and the dishwashing container are communicated with one another such that at least some of the dishwashing liquid can be discharged from the dishwashing container in association with a washing cycle of the dishwashing machine to the foam volume for passage of the discharged dishwashing liquid through the foam volume. Dishwashing residue contained in the dishwashing liquid is at least partially absorbed or retained by the foam volume such that the fine-grained dirt particles can be filtered out of the dishwashing fluid, a resoiling of the dishwashing fluid or the items to be cleaned can be minimized and the dishwashing result can be improved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2004
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2012
    Assignee: BSH Bosch und Siemens Hausgeraete GmbH
    Inventors: M. Yavuz Dedegil, Rüdiger Eiermann, Helmut Jerg
  • Dosing device for the addition of an additive to a treatment chamber and dishwasher machine with a dosing device
    Patent number: 8182615
    Abstract: A dosing device for the addition of an additive to a treatment chamber (8) is described, wherein the additive can be added to the treatment chamber (8) by means of a conveying device (5, 6, 7), characterized in that the dosing device (1) has at least one actuator (9, 10, 11) which has at least one transmission means each having two electrodes and a polymer electrically operatively connected thereto, in which a first section of the polymer can be deflected depending on an electric field generated by the two electrodes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2012
    Assignee: BSH Bosch und Siemens Hausgeraete GmbH
    Inventors: Egbert Classen, Helmut Jerg
  • Dishwasher with a modular structure
    Patent number: 8182616
    Abstract: A dishwasher with a rinsing container having the advantages of an inert, steel rinsing container, which is easy to produce and which can be adapted to differing requirements. Said aim is achieved in that the dishwasher is provided with a bottom module and a rinsing container, wherein the bottom group forms the bottom of the rinsing container and the top wall of the rinsing container consists of a separate top part. Production and mounting of the rinsing container is considerably simplified by preferably embodying the casing as a single part and by reduction of parts associated therewith, resulting in a reduction in production costs for the inventive dishwasher. Even when the height of the rinsing container varies, it is possible to use the same top part and bottom group; the height of the single-part casing simply needs to be adapted accordingly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2012
    Assignee: BSH Bosch und Siemens Hausgeraete GmbH
    Inventors: Cengiz Kuecuek, Bernd Schessl
  • Rotary switch for a glass ceramic cooktop
    Patent number: 8183482
    Abstract: The invention relates to a rotary switch for a glass ceramic cooktop, which rotary switch includes a rotary knob projecting above the glass ceramic plate. The rotary knob interacting with a switch unit disposed on an underside of the glass ceramic plate. The rotary knob interacts with the switch unit via a knob axis and the switch unit includes a signal generator for generating a signal on the based on an angular position of the knob axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2012
    Assignee: BSH Bosch und Siemens Hausgeraete GmbH
    Inventors: Bernd Martin, Markus Schlegel
  • Laundry drum
    Patent number: 8181355
    Abstract: A laundry drum for a laundry treatment machine mounted within a housing for rotation about a non-vertical axis, the laundry drum including a drum casing having a plurality of stamped recesses formed therein in a manner such that at least one sectional plane of the laundry drum lying at right angles to the axis of rotation has an at least approximately circular shape, the laundry drum including a drum casing having the curved stamped recesses formed therein in a manner wherein in the alignment of a surface contour lying in the drum casing is formed a surface having a plurality of arcuate edges which merge continuously into one another with a single axis of symmetry extending at least approximately in the circumferential direction of the drum casing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2012
    Assignee: BSH Bosch und Siemens Hausgeraete GmbH
    Inventors: Johannes Geyer, Uwe Ratfisch, Stephan Sommer, Wilfried Wildung
  • Method for removing lint from a heat exchanger of a domestic appliance and corresponding domestic appliance
    Patent number: 8182612
    Abstract: A method is provided for the removal from a heat exchange of lint that is generated during a drying process in a domestic appliance for laundry care. A rinsing fluid is run through the heat exchanger for cleaning and the rinsing fluid is deflected during a cleaning phase with the magnitude of deflection or the direction of deflection of the rinsing fluid being a function of the strength of an air flow that is applied to deflect the rinsing fluid. The rinsing fluid is thus run through various regions of the heat exchanger depending on the deflection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 23, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2012
    Assignee: BSH Bosch und Siemens Hausgeraete GmbH
    Inventor: Klaus Grunert
  • Ice-making machine
    Patent number: 8181471
    Abstract: An ice maker comprises a tray (1), which has at least one compartment (4) for molding a piece of ice, a frame (15), in which the tray is mounted to be pivotable about an axis (14), and a motor (22) for driving the pivot movement of the tray, which motor is mounted at the frame (15) to be adjacent to the tray (1) and transversely offset relative to the axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2012
    Assignee: BSH Bosch und Siemens Hausgeraete GmbH
    Inventors: Bernd Heger, Thomas St Quintin, Craig Duncan Webster, Nathan Wrench
  • Housing for a household appliance
    Patent number: 8182051
    Abstract: A housing for a household appliance which comprises front and lateral edges on the upper side thereof. At least one securing link can be displaced on at least one of the edges between a position which is adjacent to the housing and a position which is at a distance from the housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2012
    Assignee: BSH Bosch und Siemens Hausgeraete GmbH
    Inventors: Karl-Friedrich Laible, Hans-Philipp Reitz
  • Capacitive proximity and/or touch switch
    Patent number: 8182104
    Abstract: A capacitive proximity and/or touch switch has an electrically conductive body bridging a spacing distance between an at least partially translucent, electrically insulating cover plate and a carrier plate. The electrically conductive body has a sensor surface at the end thereof facing the cover plate. The sensor surface is connected to an evaluation circuit via the electrically conductive body. A light source is associated with the sensor surface, the light of which implements an optical display in an operating region defined by the sensor surface at the front of the cover plate. The light source is disposed at an offset to the position of the operating region, and the electrically conductive body has a reflector region configured such that light emitted from the light source can be deflected in the direction of the operating region by the reflector region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2012
    Assignee: BSH Bosch und Siemens Hausgeraete GmbH
    Inventor: Bernward Maria Reinker
  • Method for drying sensitive articles
    Patent number: 8181357
    Abstract: A method for drying sensitive articles, essentially textiles made of wool, which are to be dried in the washing drum of a clothes dryer using a computer program. According to known methods for protecting sensitive articles to be dried during a drying program, the articles to be dried are introduced into a protective device which, filled with the articles to be dried, is then inserted into the washing drum before the start of the drying program. In order to prevent damage to the sensitive articles to be dried whenever the protective device is not used, a warning signal is generated prior to the start of the drying program when the protective device containing the sensitive articles to be dried is not properly fixed to the clothes dryer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2012
    Assignee: BSH Bosch und Siemens Hausgeraete GmbH
    Inventors: Harald Moschütz, Ulrich Nehring
  • Method for fastening plastic drivers in washing drums
    Patent number: 8161621
    Abstract: Fastening plastic drivers in a washing machine drum having at least two domes on the inside, which comprise a cavity extending along its center line, and are oriented perpendicular to the sheet casing of the drum and which serve to fasten the driver. A hole pattern corresponding to the arrangement of the domes of a driver is punched into the sheet casing of the drum. The driver is placed with its dome ends, which project beyond the contact surface of the driver with the sheet casing, onto the sheet casing so that the dome ends pass through the holes of the hole pattern. Counter holders are inserted from the opposite side into the cavities of the domes. From the fastening side, hold-down elements are driven against the sheet casing. Heated form punches are driven against the dome ends until the dome ends have mushroom-shape ends.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2012
    Assignee: BSH Bosch und Siemens Hausgeraete GmbH
    Inventor: Uwe Ratfisch
  • Gas cooktop and/or grate thereof
    Patent number: D658440
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2012
    Assignee: BSH Home Appliances Corporation
    Inventors: Richard W. Funnell, II, Graham Sadtler
  • Dishwasher with display
    Patent number: D659162
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2012
    Assignee: BSH Bosch und Siemens Hausgeraete GmbH
    Inventor: Wolfgang Kaczmarek
  • Hood
    Patent number: D659232
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2012
    Assignee: BSH Home Appliances Corporation
    Inventor: Richard W. Funnell, II
  • Washing machine
    Patent number: D659307
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2012
    Assignee: BSH Bosch und Siemens Hausgeraete GmbH
    Inventors: Johannes Geyer, Carsten Weber
  • Dishwasher with display
    Patent number: D660870
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2012
    Assignee: BSH Bosch und Siemens Hausgeraete GmbH
    Inventor: Wolfgang Kaczmarek
  • Handle for a cooking appliance
    Patent number: D661546
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2012
    Assignee: BSH Bosch und Siemens Hausgeraete GmbH
    Inventors: Sven Baacke, Hermann-Reinhard Segers
  • Dishwasher with display
    Patent number: D661705
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2012
    Assignee: BSH Bosch und Siemens Hausgeraete GmbH
    Inventor: Wolfgang Kaczmarek