Patents Examined by Charles W Kling
  • Patent number: 7905120
    Abstract: A washing machine including a treating tub that houses clothes and that has an outer tub and an inner tub rotatably provided in the outer tub; a motor for rotating the inner tub; a circulating air duct for extracting and returning air in the treating tub during drying; a blowing means for circulating the air in the circulating air duct; a heating device for heating the air circulated in the circulating air duct; an ozone generation device connected to the circulating air duct for generating ozone by discharge; a command key for instructing execution of air wash; an air wash execution control device for operating the blowing device, the ozone generation device and the heating device in a predetermined mode in response to command key instruction; and a selection key for selecting whether to rotate the inner tub or to stop the inner tub during execution of the air wash.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 25, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2011
    Assignee: Sanyo Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Haruo Mamiya, Kenichiro Dohi
  • Patent number: 7901518
    Abstract: A commercial dishwasher (2) has a spray chamber (4) for holding items (6) to be washed and is designed for loading and unloading batches of items (6) to be washed into and from a region (12) for items to be washed. The dishwasher (2) has a fan (18) for producing an air stream (20) which passes from an air inlet (14) below the region (12) for items to be washed, through the spray chamber (4), to an air outlet (16), with the air stream (20) in the spray chamber (4) being passed through the region (12) for items to be washed in order to dry the items (6) which have been washed. A deflector arrangement (22) acts on the air stream (20) entering the spray chamber (4) through the air inlet (14) in order for the air stream (20) to enter the region (12) for items to be washed in a uniformly distributed manner from below.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2011
    Assignee: Premark FEG L.L.C.
    Inventors: Dietrich Berner, Heinrich Gonska, Peter Stolla
  • Patent number: 7895864
    Abstract: An additive dispenser includes a fluid-retaining chamber. A siphoning post extends upward from a lower surface of the fluid-retaining chamber and cooperates with a cap or other structure so as to form a siphon chamber. When water is added to the chamber and a liquid level rises above an inlet to the siphoning element, a siphoning effect draws fluid from the chamber. When the siphoning effect is interrupted, any unsiphoned fluid remaining in the chamber exits by permeation through one or more porous elements located in a base of the chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2011
    Assignee: Electrolux Home Products, Inc.
    Inventor: Chris H. Hill
  • Patent number: 7870762
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a drum washing machine capable of re-circulating wash water to clean laundry with a relatively less amount of water. The drum washing machine includes a body, a drum rotatable in the body, wherein the drum comprises an opening formed in a predetermined portion of a circumference thereof and a hole formed in one side of the drum, a motor assembly mounted adjacent to the other side of the drum, wherein the other side of the drum is opposite to the hole, and an injection unit adjacent to the hole, wherein at least one of wash water or steam is injected into the drum through the hole.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 18, 2011
    Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Young Hwan Park, Na Eun Kim, Jae Won Chang
  • Patent number: 7846270
    Abstract: A dishwasher includes a washing container, devices for washing dishes by means of rinsing liquor, and a sorption drying device which is connected in an air-conducting manner to the washing container via an outlet of the washing container and an inlet of the washing container. The sorption drying device is provided with a sorption column encompassing reversibly dehydratable material. The outlet and the inlet of the washing container are connected to the sorption drying device without mounting an air duct there between.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 7, 2010
    Assignee: BSH Bosch und Siemens Hausgeraete GmbH
    Inventors: Helmut Jerg, Kai Paintner
  • Patent number: 7845362
    Abstract: A washer fluid system provides washer fluid by blending concentrated washer fluid with waste water produced in the operation of a fuel cell. The concentrated washer fluid is stored in a replenishable container. A mixing pump automatically meters the appropriate ratio of concentrated washer fluid to water (i.e., 1:10), preferably by a dual chamber arrangement, wherein the waste water from the fuel cell and the concentrated washer fluid are drawn from their respective sources and mixed, creating a mixed washer fluid having the proper ratio of water to washer fluid concentrate. In a first embodiment, the system creates the mixed washer fluid in real-time on demand of the wiper system; in a second embodiment a storage reservoir holds mixed washer fluid for stand-by use of the wiper system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 7, 2010
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations, Inc.
    Inventors: Steven E. Morris, Kevin G. Kolpasky
  • Patent number: 7832419
    Abstract: A dishwasher includes a cabinet and a wash system slidably mounted within the cabinet in such a manner that it may be withdrawn horizontally out of the cabinet for loading with dishes. The wash system includes an open top wash chamber having a floor and side walls adapted to accommodate dishes within which wash liquid is sprayed. Two rotating spray arms are mounted in the bottom of the chamber for producing a spray of wash liquid within the chamber. A wash pump for pressurizing wash liquid discharges into a manifold located on the floor of the chamber. The spray arms receive wash liquid from the manifold. A drain pump evacuates wash liquid from said chamber. A wash chamber closure is mounted in the top of the cabinet. The closure engages with the wash chamber opening to sealably close off the wash chamber on its retraction into the cabinet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 16, 2010
    Assignee: Fisher & Paykel Appliances Limited
    Inventors: Wayne Andrew Mason, Robert William Todd
  • Patent number: 7819986
    Abstract: A dish washing machine in which water is supplied to a level detecting unit without sudden change of a flow rate and pressure of water from a water supplying unit to the level detecting unit such that the level detecting unit can precisely detect a level of water in the tub. The water supplying unit includes a first guide passage guiding the water to the tub, and a second guide passage guiding the water to the level detecting unit such that a portion of the water is supplied to the level detecting unit through the second guide passage. The water supplying unit includes a buffering space disposed between the second guide passage and the level detecting unit such that water flows from the water supplying unit to the level detecting unit at a predetermined flow rate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 26, 2010
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Jung Chan Ryu, Shimotera Kennichi, Eui Soo Kim, Young Ho Kwon
  • Patent number: 7794550
    Abstract: An automatic dishwasher comprises a wash tub having an access opening to define an open-faced wash chamber for holding utensils to be washed, a door movable relative to the wash tub for selectively closing the open-faced wash chamber, a utensil holder located within the wash chamber, and an induction heater for drying utensils within the wash chamber. The induction heater generates a useful magnetic field that projects into the utensil holder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 14, 2010
    Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
    Inventor: Ryan Kevin Roth
  • Patent number: 7784478
    Abstract: A system, apparatus and method for processing flat articles, such as semiconductor wafers, with acoustical energy. In a cleaning process, the inventive system, apparatus and method can remove particles from both sides of a wafer more efficiently and effectively. In one aspect, the invention is a system for processing flat articles comprising: a first dispenser for applying a liquid to a first surface of a flat article; a second dispenser for applying liquid to a second surface of a flat article; a first transducer assembly positioned so as to transmit acoustical energy to the first surface of the flat article; and a second transducer assembly positioned so as to transmit acoustical energy to the second surface of the flat article.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 31, 2010
    Inventors: Pejman Fani, Mark Rouillard, John Korbler, James Brown, Chad Hosack
  • Patent number: 7775070
    Abstract: Door lock switch of washing apparatus, and method for controlling the same, the door lock switch for locking or unlocking a door, and cutting off a current applied to electric driving units under operation when the door is opened forcibly, thereby controlling electric driving units under operation effectively for improving operation efficiency and safety of the washing apparatus when the door is opened forcibly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 2005
    Date of Patent: August 17, 2010
    Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Min Kyu Lim, In Geun Ahn
  • Patent number: 7731805
    Abstract: A rack support system for a lower rack in a dishwasher is provided for a dishwasher having a wash chamber within a tub. The rack support system includes a frame configured to support the lower rack. A linkage system couples the frame to a side wall of the tub such that the lower rack is movable between a retracted position within the wash chamber and an extended position wherein the lower rack extends from the wash chamber. The lower rack is movable within a range between a lowered position and an elevated position with the lower rack extended from the wash chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 8, 2010
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Mark A. Banta, Derek Watkins, Ronald Tarr, Martin Mitchell Zentner, Sanjay Manohar Anikhindi, Subhash Viswanathan Kollengode