Patents Represented by Attorney, Agent or Law Firm James E. Howard
  • Door for closing a washing machine or a tumble dryer
    Patent number: 8162418
    Abstract: A door for closing a washing machine which can be loaded from the front or a tumble dryer of this type is connected to the housing by means of a hinge in such a way that the door can be pivoted over a great opening angle and terminates flushly or approximately flushly to the outside with the front face of the housing. To this end, the door-side hinge part is installed and fastened in a recessed receptacle between the frame parts and of the door. The hinge parts and each have a crescent-shaped base plate and which extends along the door frame and reaches beyond the lateral apertures and the bearing blocks which are provided in the frame.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2012
    Assignee: BSH Bosch und Siemens Hausgeraete GmbH
    Inventors: Ahmet Kocak, Andreas Lange
  • Built-in refrigerator
    Patent number: 8161764
    Abstract: A built-in refrigerator comprising a carcass, in the lower rear area of which a machine compartment is formed. Said machine compartment is closed at least in part by means of a rear wall. The rear wall delimits a first air passage of the machine compartment at the level of a support area of the carcass.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2012
    Assignee: BSH Bosch und Siemens Hausgeraete GmbH
    Inventors: Roland Benitsch, Siegfried Grasy, Thorsten Kusnik, Wolfgang Nuiding
  • Dishwasher with a system for recognition of filling level
    Patent number: 8161987
    Abstract: A dishwasher with a system for filling level recognition may be achieved which reliably determines the fluid level inside the dishwasher without the use of moving parts, whereby the dishwasher is provided with at least one capacitive filling level sensor for recognition of the fluid level of the rinsing fluid contained in the dishwasher, the electrical capacitance of which changes depending on the height of the fluid level. The fluid level in the dishwasher can thus be reliably determined without the need for moving parts and merely by the use of electronic components.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2012
    Assignee: BSH Bosch und Siemens Hausgeraete GmbH
    Inventors: Georg Curtius, Peter Schweier
  • Multipart household appliance
    Patent number: 8162415
    Abstract: A household appliance is provided that includes a first and a second housing which are disposed next to each other such that one sidewall faces another sidewall and which are attached to one another. A seal is elastically compressed between facing outer surfaces of the sidewalls. At least one shoulder that is rigidly connected to the outer surface is provided on each housing. The shoulders of the two housings face away from each other while being flush with one another in a direction that extends essentially perpendicular to the outer surfaces.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2012
    Assignee: BSH Bosch und Siemens Hausgeraete GmbH
    Inventors: Fritz Hägele, Karl-Friedrich Laible, Hans-Philipp Reitz
  • Lock for a domestic appliance
    Patent number: 8152207
    Abstract: A lock for a movable closing element, especially a door, a cover, a flap, or similar on a domestic appliance such as a dishwasher, a washing machine, a refrigerator, or similar, includes a closing hook that can be made to engage with the closing element when being closed and made to disengage therefrom when being opened. The closing hook can be made to engage with a cavity in the closing element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2012
    Assignee: BSH Bosch und Siemens Hausgeraete GmbH
    Inventors: Michael Hartmann, Dieter Hotz, Cengiz Kücük, Erich Schmid, Martin Stickel
  • Method for removing scum in a drum washing machine, and drum washing machine suitable for this purpose
    Patent number: 8152932
    Abstract: A method for removing scum in a tub of an electronically controlled drum washing machine. The method includes alternately rotating a drum following a main washing cycle and pumping liquid out of the drum, pumping a liquid out of the drum for between 30 seconds to 15 minutes following a main washing cycle and pumping liquid out of the drum, regulating a level of water following a main washing cycle and pumping liquid out of the drum by: introducing a quantity of water into the drum which is sufficient to cover all water channels, and rinsing over a short period of time t2. The method further including pumping liquid out of the drum while the drum is moved at a low rotational speed following a main washing cycle and pumping liquid out of the drum.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2012
    Assignee: BSH Bosch und Siemens Hausgeraete GmbH
    Inventor: Meike Hempel
  • Domestic appliance for treating laundered articles, in particular tumble dryer
    Patent number: 8148653
    Abstract: A domestic appliance for treating laundered articles including a container for receiving laundered articles, which can be introduced into the container via a loading opening that can be closed by a door, and a door contact switch that is actuated as a function of a door position in order to interrupt a treatment process of the laundered articles, wherein the door contact switch is arranged on a substrate, which supports electronic control devices of the domestic appliance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2012
    Assignee: BSH Bosch und Siemens Hausgeraete GmbH
    Inventors: Guido Sattler, Andreas Ziemann
  • Water-conducting household appliance, in particular a dishwasher or washing machine
    Patent number: 8141914
    Abstract: A water-conducting household appliance includes a water-conducting line having a line end which is connected in a connecting position to a connecting piece, and a securing element which attaches onto the line end and the connecting piece and holds the line end in the connecting position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2012
    Assignee: BSH Bosch und Siemens Hausgeraete GmbH
    Inventors: Werner Haltmayer, Mathias Herrmann, Stefan Kasbauer, Claus Köther, Martin Weissenburger
  • Method for operating a refrigerating device comprising evaporators which are connected in parallel and refrigerating device therefor
    Patent number: 8141372
    Abstract: A method for operating a refrigerator includes supplying an evaporator of a second compartment with coolant and flushing the coolant out of the evaporator of the second compartment so that it can be used for an evaporator of a first compartment, closing a coolant circuit to the evaporator of the second compartment, and supplying only the evaporator of the first compartment with coolant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2012
    Assignee: BSH Bosch und Siemens Hausgeraete GmbH
    Inventors: Thomas Guffler, Wolfgang Nuiding
  • Telescopic pull-out arrangement
    Patent number: 8141966
    Abstract: A telescopic pull-out arrangement for a refrigerator is provided that includes two telescopic pull-out mechanisms each provided with a stationary rail on a common frame and a movable rail, and a storage part retained on the movable rails by a pair of identical adapters. The storage part has a first engagement contour cooperating with a first adapter of the couple and a second engagement contour cooperating with the second adapter of the couple. Each adapter is provided with a third and a fourth engagement contour. The first engagement contour of the storage part and the third engagement contour of the first adapter engage into one another with less tolerance transverse to the pull-out direction than the engagement of the second engagement contour of the storage part and the fourth engagement contour of the second adapter engage into one another.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2012
    Assignees: BSH Bosch und Siemens Hausgerate GmbH, Miele & CIE. KG
    Inventors: Frank Placke, Claudia Rupp, Matthias Stahl, Ulrich van Pels
  • Ribbon cable lighting for a water-bearing household appliance
    Patent number: 8142037
    Abstract: A water-bearing household appliance such as a dishwashing machine is provided with a housing having a housing edge which defines a washing compartment opening and with a washing compartment which is enclosed by the housing and which is defined by the housing. A seal is provided onto which a device door can be closed to abut the seal and the dishwashing machine has lighting elements arranged in the area between the housing edge and the seal for illuminating the washing compartment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2012
    Assignee: BSH Bosch und Siemens Hausgeraete GmbH
    Inventors: Reinhard Hering, Sebastian Wagner
  • Ceramic hob
    Patent number: 8143556
    Abstract: A ceramic hob for a cooking appliance provided with a control device for controlling and/or adjusting a real temperature value on at least one part of a cooking plate arranged in a container for cooking by means of an associated heating device. The inventive ceramic hob comprises at least one temperature sensor for determining the real temperature value of a heatable part and at least one control element used for setting said temperature to a desired value, wherein a desired temperature value of the heatable part is assigned thereto. According to said invention several desired values can be assigned to one control element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2012
    Assignee: BSH Bosch und Siemens Hausgeraete GmbH
    Inventors: Uwe Has, Peter Vetterl, Monika Zeraschi
  • Front ring for a household appliance door
    Patent number: 8127464
    Abstract: A household appliance includes a housing having an opening for accessing an interior of the housing, a tub disposed inside the housing and having a rotating drum therein for receiving laundry through the opening, and a door assembly having a see-through portion for viewing into the tub and being pivotably coupled to the housing and movable between an open position and a closed position. The door assembly includes a door frame and a front ring coupled directly or indirectly to the door frame. The front ring includes a front face having an outside and inside edge, the inside edge defining an opening that substantially corresponds to the see-through portion, and a recessed rear face on an opposite side of the front ring from the front face, wherein the recessed rear face includes a handle portion extending around at least a portion of the front ring.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2012
    Assignee: BSH Home Appliances Corporation
    Inventor: Oliver Schöne
  • Heat pump system, in particular for a household appliance
    Patent number: 8122728
    Abstract: A heat pump system including a heat pump having at least two Peltier elements arranged in series and connected to an energy supply, the heat pump system comprising an electrical dropping resistor arranged in series with the Peltier elements, wherein the Peltier elements and the dropping resistor are jointly supplied with energy by the energy supply. The heat pump system is preferably used in a household appliance, in particular a tumble drier.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2012
    Assignee: BSH Bosch und Siemens Hausgeraete GmbH
    Inventors: Kai Nitschmann, Günter Steffens, Andreas Stolze
  • Refrigerating device comprising tubular evaporators
    Patent number: 8122737
    Abstract: A refrigerating device comprising a tubular evaporator which is connected to a compressor by means of a suction line. A coolant pipe of the tubular evaporator forms a plurality of serially connected tubular loops and one ascending outlet tube connecting the tubular loop that lies the furthest downstream to the suction pipe. The tubular loops have a course that ascends in the direction of the flow of the coolant for a distance that corresponds at least to the length of the outlet tube.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2012
    Assignee: BSH Bosch und Siemens Hausgeraete GmbH
    Inventor: Wolfgang Nuiding
  • Automatically controlled washing machine
    Patent number: 8122743
    Abstract: An automatically controlled washing machine having a machine room in an upper part on a front side of the washing machine, wherein the washing machine includes a detergent dispensing unit, a drawer, and a portable storage container, all of which are arranged in the machine room. The drawer is accessible from the front side of the washing machine and has at least one compartment whose top is open for adding washing powder or washing liquid. A counter-latching device corresponds to an overridable latching device when the drawer is opened to fill the compartment with the washing powder or washing liquid. A receiving device receives a portable storage container behind the compartment of the drawer, wherein the storage container stores a liquid or gel-like washing aid. The washing machine also includes a dosage device to automatically dose the liquid and or gel-like washing aid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2012
    Assignee: BSH Bosch und Siemens Hausgeraete GmbH
    Inventor: Ingo Schulze
  • Induction cooktop
    Patent number: D655565
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 13, 2012
    Assignee: BSH Bosch und Siemens Hausgeraete GmbH
    Inventors: Ulrich Goss, Florian Metz, Robert Sachon
  • Method for operating a frequency converter circuit
    Patent number: RE43263
    Abstract: A frequency converter circuit has at least two outputs that are respectively connected to a load, in particular an induction coil. A first output is operated at a first switching frequency and a second output is simultaneously operated at a second switching frequency that is different from the first, in such a way that noise having a frequency generated by the superposition of the first switching frequency and the second switching frequency is produced. The frequency converter circuit is operated in such a way that the frequency of the noise is lower than a first cutoff frequency and/or is higher than a second cutoff frequency. An induction cooking device includes first and second induction heating elements, and a frequency converter circuit including first and second power outputs electrically coupled to the first and second induction heating elements, respectively.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2012
    Assignee: BSH Bosch und Siemens Hausgeraete GmbH
    Inventors: Luis A. Barragan Perez, Jose M. Burdio Pinilla, Pablo J. Hernandez Blasco, Sergio L. Gil, Alfonso L. Perez, Fernando M. Aznar
  • Range and/or components thereof
    Patent number: D656776
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2012
    Assignee: BSH Home Appliances Corporation
    Inventors: Richard W. Funnell, II, Jonathan Grey, Graham Sadtler
  • Oven, microwave, and warming drawer combination
    Patent number: D656777
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2012
    Assignee: BSH Home Appliances Corporation
    Inventors: Gerhard Busalt, Joachim Grützke, Graham Sadtler, Günter Varnhorn