Patents Examined by Cristi J Tate-Sims
  • Patent number: 11203829
    Abstract: A laundry processing apparatus and a driving method thereof for driving a laundry processing apparatus by executing an artificial intelligence (AI) algorithm and/or machine learning algorithm in a 5G environment connected for the Internet of Things are provided. The driving method may include obtaining a drive current of a motor and a rotational speed of a drum during a cycle of the laundry processing apparatus, classifying a type of load of laundry located inside the laundry processing apparatus based on the obtained drive current and rotational speed, determining whether to change a course of the laundry processing apparatus according to the type of load, outputting a recommended course corresponding to the type of load when a course change of the laundry processing apparatus is determined, and changing the cycle of the laundry processing apparatus to the recommended course upon receiving a selection signal for the recommended course.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 21, 2021
    Assignee: LG ELECTRONICS INC.
    Inventors: Sang Hyun Lee, Bon Kwon Koo, Hyun Ji Park, Seung Chul Cha
  • Patent number: 11203832
    Abstract: A washing appliance or additive dispensing assembly, as provided herein, may include a dispenser, a water intake, and a bulk tank. The dispenser may include a compartment to receive an additive pod. The dispenser may define a nozzle above the wash chamber to direct a wash fluid to a wash chamber. The water intake may be mounted to the dispenser in upstream fluid communication with the compartment to direct a water flow to the additive pod. The bulk tank may be spaced apart from the dispenser within a washing appliance. The bulk tank may define a reservoir in upstream fluid communication with the compartment to direct an additive flow thereto. The bulk tank may be attached to the dispenser in fluid parallel to the water intake.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 21, 2021
    Assignee: Haier US Appliance Solutions, Inc.
    Inventor: Troy Marshall Wright
  • Patent number: 11191427
    Abstract: An endoscope unblocking flush system for back flushing a suction lumen of an endoscope includes a flush source providing pressurized water and a valve mechanism to cut off a suction source from the suction lumen and to open the suction lumen to flow of back flush water from the flush source. The valve mechanism includes a valve housing with ports to connect to the suction lumen, the suction source, and the flush source. A valve member within the housing has passages to connect the suction source to the suction lumen in a run state and to connect the flush source to the suction lumen in a flush state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 7, 2021
    Inventors: Sharon A. Hibbs, James E. Hibbs
  • Patent number: 11193230
    Abstract: A method of controlling a washing machine includes washing laundry received in the drum by water mixed with detergent, performing a spin dry operation, and performing a rinse operation. The spin dry operation includes rotating the drum at a spin dry speed to allow the laundry to rotate along with the drum without falling from a highest point of the drum, and draining water from the tub while rotating the drum at the spin dry speed. The rinse operation includes decelerating the drum from the spin dry speed to a laundry adherence speed lower than the spin dry speed, supplying a first water supply to the drum, draining the first water supply from the tub, and supplying a second water supply to the drum.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 7, 2021
    Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Sunjung Kim, Sejin Kang
  • Patent number: 11193226
    Abstract: A laundry treatment apparatus includes a tub that stores wash water; a drum rotatably disposed in the tub; a heater that heats wash water in the tub; a temperature sensor that senses a temperature of wash water; an output unit that displays at least one operation setting of the laundry treatment apparatus; and a controller configured to: determine an initial operation time based on the at least one operation setting; output the initial operation time through the output unit; determine an operation time based on (i) the temperature of wash water sensed by the temperature sensor during a supply of water to the tub and (ii) a level of wash water supplied to the tub; and output the operation time through the output unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 7, 2021
    Assignee: LG ELECTRONICS INC.
    Inventors: Jongseok Jung, Seongmin Jang, Bokyung Cho
  • Patent number: 11168429
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a laundry apparatus comprising a cabinet, a tub coupled the cabinet, a drum rotatably mounted in the tub, and a drive unit comprising a stator and a rotor. The laundry apparatus further comprises a shaft coupled to the drum and connected to the drive unit via a rear wall of the tub, a bearing rotatably supporting the shaft, and a bearing housing insert-molded in the tub and securing the bearing. The bearing housing comprises a housing body, comprising a shaft insertion hole securing the bearing, formed in a cylinder shape, a first flange formed in a ring shape arranged in an outer area with respect to a radial direction of the housing body, a plurality of first connection ribs connecting an outer circumferential surface of the housing body to the first flange, and a first insertion hole disposed between the first connection ribs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 9, 2021
    Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Jinwoong Kim, Kayeon Kim, Sungyong Kim, Byeongheon Kwak
  • Patent number: 11168431
    Abstract: A washing machine includes a washing tub rotatably disposed to accommodate laundry, a pulsator rotatably disposed in the washing tub, a drive shaft to rotate the pulsator, a dehydration shaft to be connected to the washing tub and through which the drive shaft passes, a solenoid to form a magnetic field when a current is applied, a fixing core to surround the solenoid, and a clutch to couple and uncouple the drive shaft and the dehydration shaft. The clutch includes an armature to be lifted by a magnetic force of the solenoid, and a clutch coupler to be elevated along the dehydration shaft, perform coupling between the drive shaft and the dehydration shaft in a first position, and perform uncoupling between the drive shaft and the dehydration shaft in a second position lifted from the first position. The shape of the armature provides a more uniform lifting force.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 9, 2021
    Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Jeonguk Lee, Joonho Pyo, Taehee Lee
  • Patent number: 11162208
    Abstract: A laundry treating apparatus is disclosed. The laundry treating apparatus comprises a tub provided to hold wash water; a drum rotatably provided in the tub and comprising a shaft which is perpendicular to the ground; a sub-drum detachably mounted to the drum and configured to wash laundry after being inserted in an inner circumferential surface of the drum, independent from the drum; a water supply unit configured to supply wash water; and a detergent box provided in the sub-drum to store wash detergent therein and comprising a detergent discharging unit configured to discharge the wash water supplied from the water supply unit and the detergent into the sub-drum.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 4, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2021
    Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Aekyung Chae, Oshin Kwon, Keunjoo Kim, Jaeyong Jeong, Dongsoo Lee, Hoil Jeon
  • Patent number: 11149371
    Abstract: A washing machine including an auxiliary washing tub in a washing tub, and a method for controlling the same are disclosed. The washing machine includes a main washing tub and an auxiliary washing tub through which different laundry can be classified according to the weight or category of laundry such that the classified laundry can be separately washed. As a result, user convenience increases, and the entire washing time and unnecessary energy consumption can be reduced. When the main washing tub and the auxiliary washing tub are simultaneously operated, when only the main washing tub is independently operated, or when only the auxiliary washing tub is independently operated, laundry can be effectively washed in different ways in the washing tub and the auxiliary washing tub according to an optimum washing algorithm achieved by a combination of washing-tub rotation and pulsator rotation, such that laundry can be less damaged and washing performance can be improved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 19, 2021
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Ji Hyun Woo, Ji-Yu Lee, Sang Up Lee, Sang Yeon Pyo
  • Patent number: 11139171
    Abstract: Disclosed are a substrate treating apparatus and a substrate treating method. The substrate treating apparatus includes a chamber providing an interior space for treating a substrate, a support unit provided in the chamber and configured to support the substrate, a first ejection unit having a first nozzle configured to supply a first cleaning medium in an aerosol state to the substrate supported by the support unit, and a second ejection unit having a second nozzle configured to supply a second cleaning medium to the substrate supported by the support unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 5, 2021
    Inventor: Youngje Um
  • Patent number: 11136709
    Abstract: A clothes treatment apparatus includes a cabinet defining a treatment chamber configured to accommodate hanging clothes and a cycle chamber configured to house machinery, the cycle chamber being positioned vertically below the treatment chamber. The clothes treatment apparatus also includes a partition plate that partitions the treatment chamber from the cycle chamber, a door configured to open and close the cabinet, a door liner disposed at an inside of the door and configured to guide condensed water generated in the treatment chamber to an upper side of the partition plate, a condensed water guide member disposed at the partition plate and configured to guide the condensed water from the door liner into the treatment chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 5, 2021
    Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Taejun Yoon, Hyungkyu Lim, Jeongryeol Choi, Hyoungsup Park, Youngjin Doh, Sunghoo Park
  • Patent number: 11131047
    Abstract: A washing machine includes: a vertical axis type washing tub in which laundry and a washing liquid are housed and a washing operation including a wash step is performed; and a roller rotatably provided in an inner wall portion of the washing tub in a state that a rotation axis is vertically oriented, the roller being rotated to facilitate movement of laundry, wherein a water level of the washing liquid in the washing tub is settable in a plurality of levels ranging from a minimum water level to a maximum water level, and the roller is disposed such that an entire vertical length extends over two or more water levels among the plurality of set water levels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 28, 2021
    Assignee: Toshiba Lifestyle Products & Services Corporation
    Inventors: Sinard Theerakaew, Chotika Chalotorn, Sittiporn Thangtongchai
  • Patent number: 11131048
    Abstract: A method for controlling a laundry washing machine. The method includes: performing a tub loading process comprising operating supply valve(s) to provide a first volume of water through a detergent supply system and into a tub to fill the tub with wash liquid; performing a washing process comprising rotating a drum to agitate laundry in the presence of the wash liquid; performing a static rinsing process comprising operating a pump to remove any free volume of wash liquid from the tub without rotating the drum; and performing one or more rinsing processes comprising: operating the supply valve(s) to provide a volume of clean rinse water to the tub, operating the pump to remove the rinse water from the drum, and operating the motor to spin the drum at high speed to extract rinse water from the laundry, while continuing to operate the pump.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 28, 2021
    Assignee: Electrolux Home Products, Inc.
    Inventors: Allison White, Martino Bondi, Yihong Li, Elisa Stabon, Alberto Lucchetta
  • Patent number: 11124915
    Abstract: A door-lock for household appliances, comprising a casing (12) having an opening (14) for the insertion of a hook (15) carried by a door of a household appliance, a cam (16) rotatable between a retaining position and a release position, a locking slider (20) cooperating with said cam (16) and movable between an unlocking position and a locking position, wherein in the locking position the locking slider (20) locks the cam (16) in the retaining position, an electro-magnetic device comprising a housing (70) and a locking pin (28) for locking the locking slider (20) in the locking position, a door sensing slider (32) movable between an open door position and a closed door position, and a hook sensing slider (74) movable between an extracted position and a retracted position, wherein the hook sensing slider (74) has a projection (82) that prevents the movement of the door sensing slider (32) from the open door position towards the closed door position when the hook sensing slider (74) is in the extracted position
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 21, 2021
    Assignee: Illinois Tool Works Inc.
    Inventor: Bojan Bicic
  • Patent number: 11124162
    Abstract: An automated wash rig is disclosed for cleaning the interior of a freight container. The wash rig may be transported atop a mobile platform or carriage and inserted into the interior of the freight container. During the cleaning process, the wash rig may travel along the length of the floor of the freight container. Washers (e.g., spray nozzles) on the wash rig may be used to direct cleaning fluid at the surfaces of the interior of the freight container, while dryers (e.g., air knives) on the wash rig may be used to dry off those surfaces. As the wash rig traverses the entire length of the freight container, the entire interior of the freight container is washed and dried. The wash rig may also have ultraviolet (UV) lamps which can provide UV light to sanitize the interior of the freight container during this process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 21, 2021
    Assignee: HEALTHY TRAILER, LLC
    Inventors: Pamela Lugg Young, Michael E. Ray, Lora Eade, James R. Lugg, Alvin Trentelman, David Philip Robinson
  • Patent number: 11118301
    Abstract: A detergent supply device of a washing machine is disclosed, which comprises a dispenser provided on a water supply path of the washing machine and connected with a plurality of hoses; and a detergent box arranged to be drawn out inside the dispenser and provided with a plurality of detergent accommodating portions partitioned to be more than the plurality of hoses, wherein the dispenser supplies at least one path through which washing water supplied from one of the plurality of hoses moves by diverging the washing water to at least two of the plurality of detergent accommodating portions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 14, 2021
    Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Hyunseung Lee, Joongil Shin, Sanghee Yoo, Youngho Jung
  • Patent number: 11117171
    Abstract: Accessory structure for a tattoo machine, comprising supplier means (10) and/or means (8) for supplying and/or ejecting a detergent liquid (11) with a nozzle (9) applied using holding means (6) near the colouring needles (4) with reciprocating motion or provided terminating therein, said supplier means (10) and/or ejector means (8) being supplied by a detergent liquid reservoir (13) and pumping means (16, 17, 18) actuated by the operator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 14, 2021
    Inventor: Tiziano Ripanti
  • Patent number: 11110901
    Abstract: A vehicle wheel cleaning apparatus configured to provide cleaning of a vehicle wheel particularly the interior surfaces thereof. The vehicle wheel cleaning apparatus is operable to be coupled to a water source such as but not limited to a pressure wand. A clamping member is included to provide a sealable coupling to the water source. The clamping member has a first portion secured to the water source and a second portion secured to the apparatus. A rotational coupling is provided and is configured to allow rotational movement of a ball assembly. The ball assembly includes a stem member secured to the rotational coupling and a solid silicon ball. Formed in the ball is a channel wherein the channel has divergent portions that are directed to opposing sides of the ball so as to discharge water therefrom.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 7, 2021
    Inventors: Dean Tyler Brodersen, Amy Brandl
  • Patent number: 11111619
    Abstract: A washing machine appliance, as provided herein may include a cabinet, a tub housed within the cabinet, a basket rotatably mounted within the tub, a measurement device attached to the tub, a motor, and a controller. The motor may be in mechanical communication with the basket. The motor may be configured to selectively rotate the basket within the tub. The controller may be in operative communication with the motor and the measurement device. The controller may be configured to initiate an operation cycle. The operation cycle may include spinning the basket at a set dwell speed during a predetermined dwell period, measuring movement of the tub during the predetermined dwell period, determining an out-of-balance mass within the basket based on the measured movement, and halting the basket in response to determining the out-of-balance mass.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 7, 2021
    Assignee: Haier US Appliance Solutions, Inc.
    Inventor: Paul Owen Davis
  • Patent number: 11096550
    Abstract: A control box for a sprayer system is provided. The control box may include a wash flow path, a wash flow solenoid disposed in the wash flow path, a detergent supply assembly disposed in wash flow path, a rinse flow path, a rinse flow solenoid disposed in the rinse flow path, a common flow path, a flow switch disposed in the common flow path, an alternating relay, and a connection valve leading to a discharge flow path. The flow switch may be configured to provide a signal to the alternating relay. The alternating relay may be configured to control both the wash flow solenoid and the rinse flow solenoid. The connection valve may receive both the wash flow path and the rinse flow path. In another embodiment, a sprayer system including a control box and a sprayer unit is provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 24, 2021
    Assignee: Insinger Machine Co.
    Inventors: Mark A. Ferguson, Lewis Heayns, Matthew Smith, James S. Calhoun