Abstract: A motorized system drives rotation of a rotatable sprayer of a dishwasher. The drive system includes a magnetic coupler. The magnetic coupler includes a first portion that resides inside the wash chamber of the dishwasher, and a second portion that resides outside the wash chamber, such that the motor and the output shaft of the drive system are located entirely outside of the wash chamber.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
December 18, 2009
Date of Patent:
August 14, 2012
Assignee:
Whirlpool Corporation
Inventors:
Jordan R. Fountain, Sathish A. Sundaram
Abstract: A task light assembly comprises a light head comprising a shade with an illuminator mounted therein, a support configured to suspend the light head above a work area and an adaptor mounted to the support and adjustably receiving at least a portion of the light head for lateral movement of the light head lateral position with respect to the support. The light head can be configured to project an asymmetrical light pattern onto a desired location on a work area and the asymmetrical light pattern can have a maximum intensity located laterally beyond the light head lateral position.
Abstract: An accessory tool according to the present invention comprises a recovery tank assembly for removing fluid and dirt from a surface to the cleaned and storing the recovered fluid and dirt. The recovery tank assembly comprises a suction nozzle in fluid communication with a recovery tank. The accessory tool further comprises a fan/turbine assembly including a turbine-driven suction fan for generating suction at the suction nozzle, which draws liquid and air into and through the accessory tool. The turbine-driven suction fan can be magnetically coupled with the turbine. The accessory tool can further comprise a fluid dispensing assembly for storing and distributing fluid to the surface to the cleaned. The fluid dispensing assembly can comprise a turbine-driven fluid pump.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
March 3, 2008
Date of Patent:
July 31, 2012
Assignee:
BISSELL Homecare, Inc.
Inventors:
Alan J. Krebs, Douglas J. Medema, Jonathan L. Miner, Tom Minh Nguyen
Abstract: An upright extractor for delivering cleaning fluid to a cleaning member, removing the cleaning fluid and entrained soil from the cleaning member, and damp wiping dirt and debris off of a surface to be cleaned. A roller assembly for wiping dirt and debris off a cleaning surface is reversible. The roller assembly and a centrifugal pump are driven simultaneously and at independent speeds necessary for preferred operation with a common motor. A vented spray tip assembly delivers cleaning fluid to the cleaning member. An improved accessory tool delivers a variety of metered cleaning chemicals while also extracting the soiled fluid and debris from a surface to be cleaned.
Abstract: An avionics chassis comprises a composite housing, a radio wave shield, and a lightning strike conductive path, wherein the radio wave shield attenuates electromagnetic interference entering and leaving the housing, and the lightning strike conductive path directs the current from a lightning strike away from an interior of the housing.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
June 19, 2009
Date of Patent:
July 17, 2012
Assignee:
General Electric Company
Inventors:
Benjamin Jon Vander Ploeg, Meredith Marie Steenwyk, Danny Weldon Coxon, Paul James Horton, John Jay Streyle
Abstract: A handheld vacuum cleaner according to the invention comprises a housing, a dirt cup, a latch coupled between the dirt cup and the housing for selectively joining the dirt cup to the housing, a filter positioned in the dirt cup between the inlet and the outlet, and a plurality of different nozzle assemblies, each having at least one nozzle opening and each having an outlet opening at a back end thereof that is removable coupled to the dirt cup front end.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
March 13, 2009
Date of Patent:
July 17, 2012
Assignee:
BISSELL Homecare, Inc.
Inventors:
Douglas J. Medema, Timothy S. Parker, Tom Minh Nguyen
Abstract: An appliance cabinet, such as a laundry treating appliance cabinet, having a chassis and a cover removably mounted to the chassis, and a labyrinth coupler connecting the cover and the chassis, wherein the coupler is physically configured to define a path requiring a specific sequence of movements between the cover and the chassis to couple or uncouple the cover from the chassis.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
October 26, 2010
Date of Patent:
July 10, 2012
Assignee:
Whirlpool Corporation
Inventors:
John M. Hunnell, Jason S. Sabel, James R. Sawyer
Abstract: A vacuum accessory tool comprises a nozzle body that forms a suction nozzle and that has an electrical element comprising one or a combination of an illumination element adapted to illuminate a surface to be cleaned, an ion generator or ozone generator to purify a surface to be cleaned and eliminate odors. The tool can further include a power generator for supplying power to the electrical element. The illumination element can further emit light in the ultraviolet spectrum to illuminate stains on the surface to the cleaned.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
December 30, 2008
Date of Patent:
July 10, 2012
Assignee:
BISSELL Homecare, Inc.
Inventors:
Aaron P. Griffith, Eric R. Metzger, Eric C. Huffman, Douglas A. Jackson
Abstract: The invention relates to a dishwasher comprising a tub in which utensils and the like are received for cleaning by the spraying of liquid, such as a wash liquid, within the tub, with a sequester located within the tub to sequester the particles removed from the utensils by the liquid and that remain in the tub near a drain outlet.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
December 22, 2008
Date of Patent:
July 10, 2012
Assignee:
Whirlpool Corporation
Inventors:
Jordan Robert Fountain, Dennis L. Kehl, James P. Tomey, Rodney M. Welch
Abstract: A central collector has appliance communication links to communicate with multiple appliances, and removable memory to store operational data retrieved from the appliances. When the memory is removed from the central collector and installed in a device capable of communication, the operational data can be communicated from the removable memory to a remote service center or a portable computing device.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
December 19, 2008
Date of Patent:
July 10, 2012
Assignee:
Whirlpool Corporation
Inventors:
Matthew P. Ebrom, Richard A. McCoy, Matthew J. Nibbelink, James P. O'Shaughnessy, Randy A. Voss
Abstract: A food processor having a food processing path accessible through a slot in which is received at least one food processing tool removably received within the slot such that food passing along the food processing path is processed by the tool.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
June 4, 2009
Date of Patent:
July 10, 2012
Assignee:
Whirlpool Corporation
Inventors:
William J. Bigge, Michael P. Conti, David J. Gushwa, Arren J. McCormick, Ben C. Shao, Jeffrey A. Wessel
Abstract: A laundry treatment appliance includes: a drum defining a laundry treatment chamber configured to hold laundry; a motor coupled to the drum and configured to rotate the drum; and a controller coupled to the motor and configured to determine a parameter representative of a rotational speed of the laundry in the drum and determine a laundry load size based on the parameter.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
January 23, 2012
Date of Patent:
July 10, 2012
Assignee:
Whirlpool Corporation
Inventors:
Farhad Ashrafzadeh, Ryan Robert Bellinger
Abstract: An apparatus and method for determining the degree of engagement between a clothes mover and fabric items during a wash process, and a method for setting the liquid level in the automatic washer based on the degree of engagement between a clothes mover and the fabric items.
Abstract: A dishwasher with both a single use dispenser and a bulk dispenser, where wash aid can be selectively dispensed into a wash chamber of the dishwasher directly from the single use dispenser or indirectly from the bulk dispenser through the single use dispenser.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
February 13, 2008
Date of Patent:
July 3, 2012
Assignee:
Whirlpool Corporation
Inventors:
Christopher Carl Wilcox, Brent Allen Deweerd
Abstract: An automatic dishwasher, comprises a wash chamber, a rotating spray arm having an outer periphery or rotation and having at least one outlet for introducing a stream of liquid into the wash chamber, a disperser located within the wash chamber and exteriorly of the outer periphery of the rotating spray arm where during at least a portion of one revolution of the rotating spray arm the disperser is fluidly connected such that the stream of liquid is transferred to the disperser, and a liquid volume controller to control the volume of liquid transferred from the rotating spray arm to the disperser. Wherein the disperser provides an additional source of water spray to utensils in the wash chamber and the liquid volume controller controls the amount of such additional spray.
Abstract: An electromagnetic service communicating device for coupling to a host in at least two distinct orientations as well as a modular system including a host and a functional device. The electromagnetic service communicating device provides electromagnetic service from the host to the functional device. The electromagnetic service communicating device includes a first member having a first interface connectable to the host and that is pivotally connected to a second member having a second interface connectable to the functional device. The hosts can have differently oriented electromagnetic service interfaces.