Abstract: An automatic dishwasher having a rotatable spray arm and at least one rotatable sprayer, with a drive for directly driving at least one of the spray arm and sprayer.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
April 30, 2009
Date of Patent:
January 8, 2013
Assignee:
Whirlpool Corporation
Inventors:
Jordan Robert Fountain, Sathish Andrea Sundaram, Bryan E. Wagenknecht
Abstract: A method of surface cleaning wherein recovering a soiled cleaning fluid from a surface to be cleaned is subsequent to the application of fluid to the surface as a module moves along different and opposite directions.
Abstract: A method and apparatus for providing multiple spray zones to different subportions of a silverware basket within the wash chamber of a dishwasher.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
November 7, 2008
Date of Patent:
January 8, 2013
Assignee:
Whirlpool Corporation
Inventors:
Roger James Bertsch, David Hung-Chih Chen, Brian Lee Greenhaw, Jeffrey R. Taylor
Abstract: A method of providing a relative navigation system by projecting into space from a first object a grid that is repeatedly detected from a second object having a second relative reference frame associated with a second origin point on the second object and using range and attitude between the objects to adjust the attitude or range of at least one of the first and second objects.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
December 22, 2009
Date of Patent:
January 8, 2013
Assignee:
General Electric Company
Inventors:
Lawrence William Stimac, Michael Steven Feldmann, Frank Saggio, III, Douglas Robert Nichols
Abstract: A substance communicating device for use in conjunction with an appliance or a system including an appliance and a consumable holder. The appliance has a first substance service connector component and a first service switch component. The substance communicating device has a second substance service connector component operably engageable with the first substance connector component to permit the communication of a substance between the first and second substance service connector components. The substance communicating device further has a second service switch component operably associated with the second substance service connector component, the second service switch component being configured to engage the first service switch component when the first and second substance service connector components are engaged to selectively permit the communication of the substance between the substance communicating device and the appliance.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
December 21, 2009
Date of Patent:
January 1, 2013
Assignee:
Whirlpool Corporation
Inventors:
Michael S. Hendrickson, Joel A. Luckman, Richard A. McCoy
Abstract: A network system comprising a system of devices having a plurality of nodes defining a communications network. At least one identifier from a pre-determined group of identifiers is associated with each of the nodes and identifies the functionalities that are applicable to that node or device associated with that node. In one embodiment, at least one of the nodes can transmit the at least one identifier by a message sent over the communications network for receipt by at least one of the nodes to thereby publish the functionalities over the communications network.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
December 29, 2006
Date of Patent:
January 1, 2013
Assignee:
Whirlpool Corporation
Inventors:
Richard A. McCoy, Matthew P. Ebrom, Robert J. Feldbruegge, David J. Kmet
Abstract: An adjustable coaxial needle assembly for placement into a tissue mass prior to a biopsy procedure comprises a guide cannula assembly, a stylet, and a throw calibrator. The stylet is selectively coaxially received by the guide cannula, which is in turn coaxially received by the throw calibrator. The effective length of the guide cannula can be selectively adjusted by moving the throw calibrator relative to the guide cannula to adjust the distance between an open distal end of the guide cannula and a the throw calibrator.
Abstract: A removable non-integrated treating chemistry dispensing cartridge assembly may emit a signal in response to a predetermined amount of treating chemistry being detected and in response to a predetermined amount of illumination being detected.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
November 23, 2010
Date of Patent:
December 25, 2012
Assignee:
Whirlpool Corporation
Inventors:
Paul E. Beshears, Jr., Sathish A. Sundaram
Abstract: A manual spray cleaner for removing dirt and stains from fabrics and carpets comprising a spray bottle having two separate chambers and a single dispensing spray outlet for dispensing controlled amounts of liquids from each of the chambers. One of the chambers has a fabric/carpet cleaning composition therein and the other chamber has an oxidizing composition that enhances the cleanability of the fabric/carpet cleaning composition. The fabric/carpet cleaning composition and the oxidizing composition are simultaneously drawn from their respective chambers and mixed together at the time that they are dispensed from the spray bottle. At least one of the oxidizing composition and the fabric/carpet cleaning composition includes a fabric/carpet protectant. The two compositions are mixed before or after they are sprayed from the bottle. The two compositions can be pressurized with an aerosol propellant or drawn from their respective chambers by a mechanical pump.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
February 23, 2011
Date of Patent:
December 25, 2012
Assignee:
BISSELL Homecare, Inc.
Inventors:
Jesse J. Williams, Eric J. Hansen, Lindsay M. Ulman
Abstract: A hydraulically damped mounting device has first and second anchor parts connected by a first deformable wall, and a working chamber for hydraulic fluid partially bounded by the first deformable wall. The working chamber is connected to a composition chamber for the hydraulic fluid by a first passageway, the composition chamber being partially bounded by a second deformable wall. There is also an auxiliary chamber partially bounded by a third deformable wall connected to the working chamber by a second passageway. The mounting device then has a vacuum chamber connectable to a vacuum source for varying the pressure in the vacuum chamber.
Abstract: A manual spray dispenser for dispensing a mixture of two compositions comprises a container having a first and second chamber and a single dispensing spray outlet. At least one of the chambers has a separator in the form of a pouch for physically separating the contents of the container from an interior surface of the chamber. One of the first and second chambers contains a first composition and the other contains a second composition. The dispenser further contains a dispensing system for simultaneously dispensing the first composition and the second composition, mixing the two compositions together, and dispensing a mixture of the two compositions from the container under pressure. An aerosol propellant is between the separator and the interior surface of the at least one of the first and second chambers for pressurizing the composition in the pouch for dispensing the contents thereof through the dispensing system under pressure.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
May 18, 2011
Date of Patent:
December 11, 2012
Assignee:
BISSELL Homecare, Inc.
Inventors:
Eric J. Hansen, Kevin Haley, Jesse J. Williams, Herbert J. VanderBilt, Michael R. Foote, Donald J. Mahaffy
Abstract: An afocal rearview mirror assembly for a motor vehicle having a side door and a dashboard includes a housing attached to the motor vehicle adjacent the side door and dashboard. The housing has a low-profile, rounded external portion and an internal portion. A selectively movable reflective element is enclosed within the housing, and has opposed curved surfaces for reflecting unfocused light rays from outside the external portion through the internal portion of the housing. A selectively movable lens is enclosed within the internal portion of the housing for controlling light transmitted from the selectively movable reflective element to an occupant of the motor vehicle. The selectively movable lens can converge the unfocused light rays reflected from the selectively movable reflective element to a focused image observable by the occupant of the motor vehicle.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
August 27, 2009
Date of Patent:
December 11, 2012
Assignee:
Magna Mirrors of America, Inc.
Inventors:
Joseph C. Snow, James A. Ruse, Keith D. Foote
Abstract: A method for controlling a laundry treating appliance having a treating chamber for treating laundry may provide a wash liquid including an enzyme into the treating chamber to effect an enzymatic reaction having at least one constituent product, monitor the concentration of the at least one constituent product, and alter the control of the laundry treating appliance in response to the concentration reaching a plateau.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
October 5, 2010
Date of Patent:
December 4, 2012
Assignee:
Whirlpool Corporation
Inventors:
Claudio Civanelli, Layne E. Heilman, Sarah Ihne
Abstract: A laundry system comprises a first laundry appliance, a second laundry appliance, and a vertical laundry module. The vertical laundry module can have a housing with a width less than the width of each of the first and second laundry appliances and a stain treatment assembly. The stain treatment assembly can include a screen slidable mounted to the housing of the vertical module for supporting a fabric item and a wand extendable from the housing for applying a stain treatment agent to the fabric item on the screen.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
July 1, 2009
Date of Patent:
December 4, 2012
Assignee:
Whirlpool Corporation
Inventors:
James W. Kendall, Lorraine L. Achterberg, Ameresh Babu Viswanathan, Colleen M. Doyle, Richard A. Sunshine
Abstract: A method of determining range between two objects, where a grid consisting of a plurality of grid lines are projected into space by the first object and detected by the second object.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
July 26, 2010
Date of Patent:
December 4, 2012
Assignee:
General Electric Company
Inventors:
Lawrence William Stimac, Michael Steven Feldmann, Frank Saggio, Douglas Robert Nichols
Abstract: A method of operating a dishwasher having a treating chamber for washing utensils for removing wash liquid with soil particles from the treating chamber and storing a portion of the removed wash liquid for subsequent use.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
March 20, 2012
Date of Patent:
December 4, 2012
Assignee:
Whirlpool Corporation
Inventors:
Bernhard J. Mohrbacher, Artur Przekora, Scott D. Slabbekoorn, Barry E. Tuller
Abstract: A consumable holder for use in an appliance configured to perform an operation cycle related to a consumable in the consumable holder, in response to a cycle structure, has or is enabled to acquire information about the cycle structure. The information about the cycle structure can be communicated to the appliance for use by the appliance to change the cycle structure and thereby change the operation cycle related to the consumable.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
October 23, 2008
Date of Patent:
November 20, 2012
Assignee:
Whirlpool Corporation
Inventors:
Matthew P. Ebrom, Mark E. Glotzbach, Joel A. Luckman, Richard A. McCoy, Christopher S. Moes, Andre O. Pires
Abstract: A control system for a fabric treatment appliance configured to control the operation of the fabric treatment appliance as a function of a user-selected system input weighting.