Abstract: A cam-operated timer for a household appliance includes a motor having a stator plate and a rotor mounted for rotation in the stator plate. The geartrain comprises meshing gears positioned on both opposite sides of the stator plate and mounted directly to the stator, for providing a gear reduction of the rotation of the motor.

Abstract: A cam-operated timer for a household appliance including a housing and a switch wafer mounting in the housing used to receive and locate the wafers to prevent inaccuracies in wafer thickness from accumulating through the stack of wafers. The switch wafer mounting includes first and second locating features for receiving first and second switch arm wafers. The first switch arm wafer rests against the first locating feature, and the second switch arm wafer is stacked atop the first switch arm wafer and rests against the second locating feature.

Abstract: A motorized door latch assembly for locking an oven door in a locked and sealed position for purposes of cleaning the oven. A motor and cam cause a latch rod extending from side to side to translate, causing a latch plate to move between three different positions. In one position the latch plate prevents the oven door from opening. From this position, the latch plate is pulled inwardly, orthogonal to the direction of motion of the latch rod, so the oven door is in a locked and sealed position. In its locked and sealed position the door may be opened by biasing the latch plate against the bias of a biaser extending between a fixed location on a mounting plate and a fixed location on the latch plate.

Abstract: A cam-operated timer includes a rotatable cam-carrying member having cam surfaces thereon, a timing motor, a drive mechanism, a plurality of cam-actuated switches and a switch wafer mounting receiving first and second switch wafers, with one of the wafers including standard switch arms and at least one switch arm of different widths and/or made of different metals.

Abstract: A cam-operated timer 10 for a household appliance includes an interval type delay drive system to provide variable delay speeds to the rotation of a program cam. The timer 10 includes a rotatable cam-carrying member 16 having a control profile 60 of teeth and plateaus. A rotatable delay wheel 18 also includes a series of delay teeth 73 with at least one tooth 76 being of substantially greater depth than the remaining standard delay teeth 74. A delay pawl 22 is operatively connected to the drive mechanism of the timer 10 and includes at least first and second prongs 80, 82 spaced approximately the distance between the cam-carrying member 16 and the delay wheel 18, with the first prong 80 being substantially shorter than the second prong 82.

Abstract: Cam-operated timers for various appliances, such as a clothes washer and a dryer, wherein the timers that are nearly identical from the user's standpoint. For example, the timer may be provided on both a clothes washer and a dryer. Each timer may be set and started in a same or similar manner. The timers each include a rotatable cam-carrying member having cam surfaces thereon, a timing motor, a drive mechanism, a plurality of cam-actuated switches and members generating a motion pattern, audible and/or tactile feedback, and both timers in response to actions by an operator setting the timer.

Abstract: A cam-operated timer for a household appliance has a variety of improvements. An audible and tactile feedback member engages a textured surface on the cam wheel, to produce desired audible and tactile feedback when the timer is manually set. When the timer is manually set, the cam-actuated switches are moved away from the cam surfaces, and a clutch is opened to permit bi-directional slip between the cam wheel and motor, so that the sole source of audible and tactile feedback is the audible and tactile feedback member. The timer also features lanced switch arm contacts, that provide a sharp contact edge to permit the switch arms to make good contact with adjacent switch arms. The switch arms are mounted in a stack of wafers, where each wafer may have switch arms of differing thickness or metal, allowing high current and low current switches to be mixed. Features in the housing are used to receive and locate the wafers to prevent inaccuracies in wafer thickness from accumulating through the stack of wafers.

Abstract: A motorized door latch assembly for locking an oven door in a locked and sealed position for purposes of cleaning the oven. A motor and cam cause a latch rod extending from side to side to translate, causing a latch plate to move between three different positions. In one position the latch plate prevents the oven door from opening. From this position, the latch plate is pulled inwardly, orthogonal to the direction of motion of the latch rod, so the oven door is in a locked and sealed position. In its locked and sealed position the door may be opened by biasing the latch plate against the bias of a biaser extending between a fixed location on a mounting plate and a fixed location on the latch plate.

Abstract: An enclosure for an electrical connection between two high-voltage cables that includes an electrically nonconductive separator integral with a mounting base for receiving the high-voltage cables. An electrically nonconductive tubular cover extends over the electrical connection and the high-voltage cables and is releasably attached to the base. The separator has at least two resiliently mounted fingers, and the electrically nonconductive cover extends over the fingers to depress and move the fingers into contact with the high-voltage cables, thereby securing the high-voltage cables in the mounting base. The high-voltage cables are extended beyond the mounting base a distance equal to a desired spacing separating the electrical connection between the high-voltage cables and an electrical conductor associated with the mounting base. The tubular cover is transparent so that the electrical connection joining the high-voltage cables can be visually inspected through the cover.

Abstract: An oven door lock for self-cleaning ovens is described. The oven door lock includes a manually operated latch mechanism moveable from an unlatched state. In the latched state, a thermally responsive element is provided with a pin adapted to be received in a hole defined in the latch mechanism to lock the latch mechanism in the latched state during self-cleaning operation. The oven door lock is provided with a nuisance latch which prevents the latch mechanism from being moved to the latched state during non-self-cleaning use of the oven. A switch is provided to indicate when the latch mechanism is in the latched state. An insulation pad is sandwiched between the switch and a mounting bracket of the oven door lock to thermally and electrically insulate the switch from the oven door lock.

Abstract: A cam-operated timer for a household appliance has a variety of improvements. An audible and tactile feedback member engages a textured surface on the cam wheel, to produce desired audible and tactile feedback when the timer is manually set. When the timer is manually set, the cam-actuated switches are moved away from the cam surfaces, and a clutch is opened to permit bi-directional slip between the cam wheel and motor, so that the sole source of audible and tactile feedback is the audible and tactile feedback member. The timer also features lanced switch arm contacts, that provide a sharp contact edge to permit the switch arms to make good contact with adjacent switch arms. The switch arms are mounted in a stack of wafers, where each wafer may have switch arms of differing thickness or metal, allowing high current and low current switches to be mixed. Features in the housing are used to receive and locate the wafers to prevent inaccuracies in wafer thickness from accumulating through the stack of wafers.

Abstract: A battery charger for a lead acid battery having a power supply with an input connected to an AC signal and an output connected to the battery. The power supply provides a charge current to the battery. A clock connected to the AC signal provides clock pulses having transitions synchronized with zero crossings of the AC signal. A voltage monitor connected to the battery detects a battery voltage substantially simultaneously with a zero value of the charge current. A charge mode control is connected to the clock and the voltage monitor for commanding different battery charge currents. The voltage monitor includes a temperature compensation circuit. The battery charger includes a display module that can be placed at a location remote from the battery charger and convenient to the user.

Abstract: A motorized door latch assembly for locking an oven door in a locked and sealed position for purposes of cleaning the oven. A motor and cam cause a latch rod extending from front to back to translate, causing a latch plate to move between three different positions. In one position the latch plate prevents the oven door from opening. In another position the latch plate is pulled inwardly so the oven door is in a locked and sealed position. In its locked and sealed position the door may be opened by biasing the latch plate against the bias of a biaser extending between a fixed location on a mounting plate and a fixed location on the latch plate.

Abstract: A hand dryer timer having a switch in electrical communication with, and controlling the operation of a heater, a fan motor and a timer motor which are electrically connected to two nonneutral lines of a power source. A cam is mounted on a drive shaft of the timer motor such that the cam rotates with the drive shaft and also slides longitudinally over the drive shaft. The cam has a cam lobe adjacent an actuating arm of the switch. A biasing element is located between the timer motor and the cam and biases the cam to a first position aligning the cam lobe with the actuating arm of the switch. The switch includes two sets of switch contacts in a power circuit for the heater and fan motor, so that at the end of a drying cycle, the two sets of switch contacts are effective to electrically isolate the heater and fan motor from both non-neutral lines of the power source.

Abstract: An apparatus for an insulator tube in which a high-voltage conductor and an electrode of a high-voltage tube are connected. The insulator tube has a first end receiving the electrode, and the insulator tube is received by an open first end of a housing. The insulator tube and housing are connectable to mount the insulator tube and the housing to a structure. The apparatus is a plug having a tubular body adapted to extend through the opposite end of the insulator tube, and the plug has an inner ring within the tubular body adapted to receive and sealingly engage the high-voltage conductor. The plug also has outer rings extending from the tubular body that sealingly engage the insulator tube, thereby preventing moisture from exiting the insulator tube and causing a short circuit.

Abstract: An apparatus for rotationally adjusting a cam, that includes an adjustment pinion having a number of missing teeth that couple to an integral gear formed on a rotatable cam. The adjustment pinion is used to manually adjust the angular position of the rotatable cam relative to the rotatable cam's axis of rotation. When the missing teeth of the adjustment pinion disengage from the gear integral to the cam, rotation of the adjustment pinion ceases. The adjustment apparatus may be readily incorporated into a programmer/timer.

Abstract: A hand dryer timer assembly including a plate with a timer motor mounted on one side of the plate and a switch mounted on an opposite side of the plate. The switch is in electrical communication with, and controls the operation of, the timer motor. A cam is mounted on a drive shaft of the timer motor such that the cam rotates with the drive shaft and also slides longitudinally over the drive shaft. The cam extends through an opening in the plate and has a flange at one end located adjacent the one side of the plate to prevent the one end of the cam from moving past the one side of the plate. The cam further has a cam lobe located on the opposite side of the plate adjacent an actuating arm of the switch. A biasing element is located between the timer motor and the cam and biases the cam to a first position aligning the cam lobe with the actuating arm of the switch.

Abstract: A cam-operated timer for a household appliance has a variety of improvements. An audible and tactile feedback member engages a textured surface on the cam wheel, to produce desired audible and tactile feedback when the timer is manually set. When the timer is manually set, the cam-actuated switches are moved away from the cam surfaces, and a clutch is opened to permit bi-directional slip between the cam wheel and motor, so that the sole source of audible and tactile feedback is the audible and tactile feedback member. The timer also features lanced switch arm contacts, that provide a sharp contact edge to permit the switch arms to make good contact with adjacent switch arms. The switch arms are mounted in a stack of wafers, where each wafer may have switch arms of differing thickness or metal, allowing high current and low current switches to be mixed. Features in the housing are used to receive and locate the wafers to prevent inaccuracies in wafer thickness from accumulating through the stack of wafers.

Abstract: A control circuit for supplying current from an electrical power source to a damper motor and an evaporator fan motor of a two compartment refrigeration unit. The control circuit includes a first and second thermostatic switches to regulate the temperature in respective first and second refrigeration compartments. The control circuit further includes a first mechanically actuated switch having a first common contact electrically connected to the damper motor. A first contact of the first switch connects the damper motor to the power source via the second thermostatic switch in response to a decrease in temperature in the second compartment. A second contact of the first switch connects the damper motor to the power source via the second thermostatic switch in response to an increase in temperature in the second compartment. The control circuit further has a second mechanically actuated switch with a second common contact connected to the evaporator fan motor.

Abstract: A dryer timing control circuit includes a heater rated to operate at 240 volts and having one side connected to power. A thermostatic switch is connected between power and the other side of the heater. The thermostatic switch closes in response to a lower temperature in the dryer and opens in response to a higher temperature in the dryer. A timer motor rated to operate at approximately 240 volts has a first input connected to power. A timer motor switch operable by the timer motor has a first switch state connecting the timer motor to the heater without an intervening voltage dropping resistor. The timer motor operates in response to the timer motor switch being in the first state and the thermostatic switch being open, thereby applying 240 volts across the timer motor. The timer motor operation is terminated in response to the timer motor switch being in the first state and the thermostatic switch being in the closed state.