Patents Examined by Cristi J Tate-Sims
  • Patent number: 11359326
    Abstract: A washing machine appliance, as provided herein, may include a cabinet, a tub, a basket, and a fluid additive dispenser. The fluid additive dispenser may include a housing and a dispenser drawer. The housing may extend between an open front end and a closed rear end. The housing may be disposed within the cabinet. The dispenser drawer may be selectively received in the housing above the basket. The dispenser drawer may extend from a forward end proximate to the rotation axis to a rearward end distal to the rotation axis. The dispenser drawer may define a primary compartment and a pod compartment adjacent to the primary compartment between the forward end and the rearward end. The dispenser drawer may further define a pod outlet extending through a wall of the pod compartment to direct a wash fluid therefrom.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2022
    Assignee: Haier US Appliance Solutions, Inc.
    Inventors: Fikreadam Abebe Damtew, Troy Marshall Wright, James Quentin Pollett
  • Patent number: 11353697
    Abstract: A computer includes a processor and a memory, the memory storing instructions executable by the processor to identify a contaminant on a lens of a sensor upon determining a force applied to the lens based on an electric current exceeding a threshold and to actuate a cleaning component to remove the contaminant from the lens.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2022
    Assignee: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Michael Robertson, Jr., James Pizzimenti, Tyler D. Hamilton, Ashwin Arunmozhi
  • Patent number: 11346035
    Abstract: A washing machine is provided. The washing machine comprises a pulsator rotatably disposed in a rotation tub, a washing shaft rotating in conjunction with the pulsator, and a connecting member which connects the washing shaft and a motor to transmit a driving force of the motor to the washing shaft, wherein the connecting member comprises a first bush coupled to the washing shaft and a second bush coupled to the motor, and the second bush is coupled to the washing shaft to which the first bush is coupled and rotates in engagement with the first bush.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2022
    Assignee: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Young-min Choi, Tae-kil Kim, Young-hyun Kim, Young-jin Um, Kyu-nam Lee
  • Patent number: 11346038
    Abstract: A washing machine includes an outer tub which contains water and has an upper side opened; an inner tub; an outer tub cover which is provided in an upper side of the outer tub and has an opening that is formed so that laundry is loaded into the inner tub; a circulation pipe which guides water discharged from the outer tub; a pump which transfers water along the circulation pipe; and a spray mechanism which is provided in the outer tub cover and sprays the water guided through the circulation pipe into the inner tub, wherein the spray mechanism includes: a guide pipe which forms a guide flow path for guiding the water supplied from the circulation pipe along a circumference of the opening; and a plurality of nozzles which are disposed along the guide flow path and spray the water supplied through the guide pipe into the inner tub.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2022
    Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Hyundong Kim, Kyungchul Woo, Junghoon Lee, Myunghun Im, Hwanjin Jung
  • Patent number: 11332873
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a laundry treating apparatus, including a tub provided inside a main body and a drum rotatably provided inside the tub; and a detergent supply apparatus configured to supply laundry detergent to the tub, and provided to be inserted into or withdrawn from a front surface of the main body, wherein the detergent supply apparatus includes a housing defining an outer appearance; a storage container disposed to extend in a front-rear direction of the main body to store the laundry detergent, and mounted to the housing; and a laundry detergent pump provided at one side of the storage container, and configured to suck laundry detergent stored in the storage container, and then to discharge the laundry detergent to a lower side of the housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2022
    Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Sungwoon Jung, Hunjun Jang
  • Patent number: 11325569
    Abstract: A dump-truck fluid assistance system and method for prevention and remediation of material sticking to the truck bed and dampening generation of dust, at different stages of loading, transport, and dumping operations. Fluid is emitted from one or more outflow manifolds inside the bed of the dump truck for one or more purposes of lubricating the truck bed, regulating the temperature of the truck bed, physically flushing material from the truck bed, and dampening generation of airborne particles or dust. Under the control of a controller having a controller transceiver, directed via a cab operator transceiver or remote operator transceiver, a fluid pump sends fluid from a fluid reservoir via a fluid line into the outflow manifolds that emit the flow of fluid variously as spray, stream, jet, drip, or weep, into the bed of the dump truck.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2022
    Inventor: Pat Beaver
  • Patent number: 11326291
    Abstract: An apparatus and a method for predicting freezing of a washing machine, which predicts freezing of the washing machine based on a change of air temperature through an artificial intelligence algorithm and provides a freeze prediction result to a user terminal associated with the washing machine in a 5G environment, thereby preventing freezing of the washing machine. The apparatus for predicting freezing of the washing machine determines, based on temperature data sensed by a temperature sensor disposed in the washing machine and air temperature data received from a meteorological administration server, an association of temperature change of the washing machine according to the air temperature data, through the freezing prediction algorithm, and predicts freezing of the washing machine based on the association of temperature change of the washing machine and an air temperature forecast received from the meteorological administration server.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2022
    Assignee: LG ELECTRONICS INC.
    Inventors: Hyun Ji Park, Seung Chul Cha, Sang Hyun Lee, Bon Kwon Koo
  • Patent number: 11319657
    Abstract: A washing machine including a tub configured to store water; a drum configured to be rotatable in the tub; a motor configured to rotate the drum; heaters configured to heat the water stored in the tub and including a main heater and the sub heater; and a controller configured to control the heaters to stop driving of the sub heater when the current value of the motor exceeds a predetermined reference current value during driving of the motor and the heaters.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 27, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2022
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Seung-Hoon Kim
  • Patent number: 11313064
    Abstract: A method and an apparatus for treating laundry are disclosed. The method for treating laundry according to an embodiment of the present disclosure includes generating fusion sensing data on laundry by using a plurality of heterogeneous sensors, acquiring information about the laundry using the fusion sensing data, and controlling a washing cycle of the laundry based on the information about the laundry. According to the present disclosure, it is possible to collect accurate information about the laundry by using the fusion sensing data based on the heterogeneous sensors, and to control the washing cycle in a manner suitable for the laundry based on the collected information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2022
    Assignee: LG ELECTRONICS INC.
    Inventor: Seung Jun Lee
  • Patent number: 11305737
    Abstract: A cleaning device (100), intended to spray at least one fluid towards a surface to be cleaned of a motor vehicle, such as an optical surface of a sensor of an optical detection system, said cleaning device comprising at least one conveying body (1) and a delivery ramp (2) for delivering one or more cleaning and/or drying fluids, and attachment means (101) for attaching a connecting portion (20) of the delivery ramp (2) to an end of the conveying body (1). The attachment means (101) comprise an elastic interlocking assembly (102) and a foolproofing assembly (103) formed respectively by elements carried by the conveying body (1) and complementary elements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2022
    Assignee: Valeo Systèmes d'Essuyage
    Inventors: Maxime Baudouin, Giuseppe Grasso, Grégory Kolanowski, Thibaud Passerieux, Philippe Picot, Jordan Vieille
  • Patent number: 11299843
    Abstract: In any type of washing machine, an amount of laundry introduced into the washing machine may be measured in a short time with high accuracy. A washing machine includes a rotational spin tub into which laundry is introduced; a driving unit including a motor for rotating the spin tub; and at least one processor configured to control the driving unit to rotate the spin tub at first rotational speed, control the driving unit to rotate the spin tub at second rotational speed, and identify weight of the laundry based on acceleration at the time of changing of rotational speed of the spin tub from the first rotational speed to the second rotational speed and the second rotational speed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2022
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Tomoyuki Kanagawa, Hiroyuki Miyake, Shin Kagami
  • Patent number: 11299844
    Abstract: A washing machine includes a washing tub which accommodates laundry, a pulsator disposed in the washing tub, a drive which rotates the pulsator, a dehydration shaft connected to the washing tub, a solenoid, a clutch provided at a lower side of the solenoid to perform a shaft-joint connection between the drive shaft and the dehydration shaft at a connection position and to perform a shaft-joint release between the drive shaft and the dehydration shaft at a disconnection position lifted from the connection position by a magnetic force of the solenoid, a bearing disposed above the solenoid and supporting the dehydration shaft, and a bearing housing which receives the bearing and the solenoid. The bearing housing includes a first fixing core surrounding an outer circumference of the bearing, and a second fixing core extended downward from the first fixing core and surrounding an outer circumference of the solenoid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2022
    Assignee: LG ELECTRONICS INC.
    Inventors: Jeonguk Lee, Joonho Pyo, Taehee Lee
  • Patent number: 11292437
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides automatic cleaning system and method. The automatic cleaning system includes a control unit, a Micro Control Unit (MCU), a cleaning device and a sensor device. The control unit is configured to determine a cleaning type for cleaning a protective cover of a camera based on an image captured by the camera and the measured temperature and humidity on the outer surface of the protective cover. The control unit is also configured to generate a cleaning instruction based on the cleaning type. The control unit is also configured to send the instruction to the MCU. The MCU is configured to control the cleaning device to clean the protective cover of the camera in accordance with the cleaning instruction in response to receiving the instruction sent from the control unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2022
    Assignee: BEIJING TUSEN WEILAI TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Chao Chen, Jie Sun
  • Patent number: 11285517
    Abstract: A substrate cleaning apparatus for cleaning a substrate while rotating the substrate and placing a cleaning member in contact with the rotating substrate is disclosed. The substrate cleaning apparatus comprises: a self-cleaning member mounted to an arm supporting the cleaning member, the self-cleaning member being configured to come into contact with the cleaning member to perform self-cleaning of the cleaning member; and a moving mechanism mounted to the arm supporting the cleaning member, the moving mechanism being configured to move the self-cleaning member between a position where the self-cleaning member is in contact with the cleaning member and a position where the self-cleaning member is separated from the cleaning member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2022
    Assignee: EBARA CORPORATION
    Inventor: Hideaki Tanaka
  • Patent number: 11286610
    Abstract: A laundry machine includes a tub, a drum that is rotatably mounted in the tub, and an induction heater that is provided in the tub and configured to heat an outer circumferential surface of the drum. The laundry machine also includes a motor that is configured to rotate the drum, a user interface comprising a course selection unit that is configured to allow a user to select a course, and an option selection unit that is configured to allow the user to select option information that is related with the course selected. The laundry machine further includes a processor that is configured to control the drum rotation speed and the induction heater. The course selection unit comprises a wash-drying course that performs heat-spinning by default, the heat-spinning being configured to heat the drum by driving the induction heater when the drum rotates.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2022
    Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Youngjoo Lee, Sangwook Hong
  • Patent number: 11280039
    Abstract: A washing machine appliance has a drum positioned within a tub. The drum defines a wash chamber for receipt of articles for washing and sanitizing. A method of operating the washing machine appliance includes, in a rinse cycle, filling the tub with a cold water rinse volume to a predetermined fill level, adding a volume of sanitizing additive to the tub, and performing an agitation cycle for a predetermined time period. The first cold water rinse volume and the sanitizing additive are mixed during the first agitation cycle to form a sanitizing liquor. The rinse cycle further includes draining the sanitizing liquor from the tub after performing the agitation cycle and performing an extraction cycle after draining the sanitizing liquor from the tub. As a result, the washing machine appliance and articles therein are sanitized.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2022
    Assignee: Haier US Appliance Solutions, Inc.
    Inventor: John Joseph Roetker
  • Patent number: 11280041
    Abstract: A washing machine appliance, as provided herein, may include a cabinet, a tub, a basket, and a fluid additive dispenser. The cabinet may have a top panel. The tub may define a wash chamber. The basket may be rotatably mounted within the tub. The fluid additive dispenser may include a housing, a dispenser drawer, a primary cup, and a secondary cup. The housing may be mounted below the top panel. The dispenser drawer may be selectively received in the housing above the basket. The dispenser drawer may define a primary compartment and a secondary compartment. The primary cup may be selectively received within the primary compartment and define a vertical opening therethrough to permit a first wash additive to the primary compartment. The secondary cup may be selectively received within the secondary compartment and define a vertical opening therethrough to permit the second wash additive to the secondary compartment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2022
    Assignee: Haier US Appliance Solutions, Inc.
    Inventors: Troy Marshall Wright, Rose Marie Connelly
  • Patent number: 11280043
    Abstract: Additive dispensing, as provided herein, may include opening a water supply valve for a first index according to a predetermined fill index and directing a wash additive from an additive dispenser to a water supply conduit during an additive segment. The method may also include blocking the wash additive from the additive dispenser to the water supply conduit during a non-additive segment, detecting a fluid level within a wash tub following the first index, and comparing the detected fluid level to a target fluid level. The method may further include opening the water supply valve for a second index based on comparing the detected fluid level within the wash tub to the target fluid level, directing the wash additive from the additive dispenser to the water supply conduit during an additive segment, and blocking the wash additive from the additive dispenser to the water supply conduit during a non-additive segment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2022
    Assignee: Haier US Appliance Solutions, Inc.
    Inventor: Aaron Lee Welch
  • Patent number: 11280038
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an laundry treating apparatus comprising: a tub providing a space for storing water; a drum rotatably provided inside the tub and providing a space for storing clothes; a detergent box provided outside of the tub and providing a space for storing detergent, and receiving water from only the tub; tub penetrating holes provided while penetrating the inner peripheral surface of the tub; and a connecting part of which one side communicates with the tub penetrating holes and the other side communicates with the detergent box so as to allow at least a portion of the water moving in a direction of the inner peripheral surface of the tub by a centrifugal force generated during rotation of the drum, to flow into the detergent box, and mix the same with the detergent and discharge the same back to the inner peripheral surface of the tub.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2022
    Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Keunjoo Kim, Dongsoo Lee, Oshin Kwon, Sangwook Lee, Jaeyong Jeong
  • Patent number: 11274388
    Abstract: According to the present invention, a control method for a clothing treatment device comprises the steps of: transmitting a power-related order to a motor that provides electric power to a drain pump in order to perform a dehydration process; detecting a unit revolution count of the motor while the dehydration process is performed; determining whether the detected unit revolution count exceeds a preset limited revolution count; reducing the unit revolution count of the motor to a predetermined unit revolution count if the detected unit revolution count exceeds the limited revolution count; and repeatedly transmitting the power-related order to the motor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 8, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2022
    Assignee: LG ELECTRONICS INC.
    Inventors: Jungmoon Je, Kiwook Lee