Patents Examined by David Cormier
  • Patent number: 9642510
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a dishwasher and a control method thereof. According to one aspect, the dishwasher which washes dishes according to washing, rinsing, and drying steps comprises: a tub which is provided with a rack for accommodating dishes, and a washing nozzle for spraying washing water; a sump in which the washing water supplied to the tub is collected; a filter device which is provided to the sump, and allowing foreign substances of the washing water to be filtered; and a cleaning unit which clears away the foreign substances accumulated in the filter device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2017
    Assignee: LG ELECTRONICS INC.
    Inventors: Sangheon Yoon, Jaechul Lee
  • Patent number: 9627236
    Abstract: A substrate treating apparatus is provided which includes housing and a door assembly. The housing provides a process space for treating a substrate therein and has an opening formed at a sidewall thereof. The door assembly opens and closes the opening. The door assembly includes a shutter, a driving member, and a gap maintaining unit. The driving member transfers the shutter to an open position where the shutter faces to the opening and to a blocking position where the shutter gets out of the open position. The gap maintaining unit maintains a constant gap between the shutter and the sidewall.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2017
    Assignee: SEMES CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Sang Jin Lee, Ji Hoon Choi, Doo Jin Kim
  • Patent number: 9624618
    Abstract: A laundry washing machine (1) having an outer casing (2) and, inside the outer casing (2), a washing tub (3), a detergent dispensing assembly (9) structured for supplying detergent into the washing tub (3), and a fresh-water supply circuit (10) structured for selectively channeling a flow of fresh water from the water mains towards the detergent dispensing assembly (9) and/or the washing tub (3). A water softening device (12) is arranged/located along the fresh-water supply circuit (10) and is structured for reducing the hardness degree of the fresh water channeled to the detergent dispensing assembly (9) and/or the washing tub (3). The water softening device (12) being internally provided with a given amount of water softening agent to reduce the hardens degree of the fresh water flowing through the same water softening device (12), and with a given amount of consumable regeneration agent regenerate the water softening function of the water softening agent.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2017
    Assignee: Electrolux Appliances Aktiebolag
    Inventors: Maurizio Del Pos, Daniele Favaro
  • Patent number: 9611582
    Abstract: A washing machine includes a cabinet, a tub disposed within the cabinet, to store wash water, a rotating tub rotatably disposed within the tub, a pulsator rotatably disposed within the rotating tub, a motor disposed beneath the tub, to provide power for rotation of the rotating tub and the pulsator, and a clutch assembly disposed between the motor and the rotating tub. The clutch assembly includes a clutch coupling movable vertically between upper and lower positions to transmit the power from the motor to at least one of the rotating tub and the pulsator, a coupling lever movable pivotally to vertically move the clutch coupling, and a clutch lever movable pivotally and operatively connected to the coupling lever to pivotally move the coupling lever.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2017
    Assignee: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Seok Jin Lee, Yeong Man Kim, Jung Hwan Kim
  • Patent number: 9610616
    Abstract: A cleaning apparatus is used for a carrier and a model is fixed on the carrier. The cleaning apparatus includes a case body, a sprinkling unit, a switching valve, and a rotating mechanism. The case body has an opening disposed at a top thereof, an outlet disposed at a bottom thereof, and a receiving space disposed between the opening and the outlet. The sprinkling unit is installed in the case body and has plural nozzles configured corresponding to the receiving space. The switching valve is installed at the outlet to open or close the outlet. The rotating mechanism is configured corresponding to the opening and connected to the carrier and is able to drive the carrier in which the model passes through the opening and is disposed in the receiving space. Thus, the safety, stability, and convenience of the model clean-up are improved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2017
    Assignees: XYZPRINTING, INC., KINPO ELECTRONICS, INC., CAL-COMP ELECTRONICS & COMMUNICATIONS COMPANY LIMITED
    Inventors: Peng-Yang Chen, Wen-Ten Lin
  • Patent number: 9603502
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a dishwasher, including a washing tub configured to provide a space for washing dishes; a supply tube configured to supply water into the washing tub; a motor configured to rotate the supply tube; a detachable rotating member in, on, attached to, or at an end of the supply tube, that rotates and interfaces with the supply tube; and a spin-dry tub on the rotating member, that rotates with the rotating member and spin-dries an object inside the spin-dry tub. Accordingly, a separate spin-dry function is added to the dishwasher, thereby maximizing spatial efficiency and hygienically and conveniently performing a spin-dry cycle or operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2017
    Assignee: Dongbu Daewoo Electronics Corporation
    Inventor: Hyung Ki Park
  • Patent number: 9587336
    Abstract: Provided is a washing machine. The washing machine includes a tub, a drum, a pulsator, a water stream generation unit, a filter cap, and a check valve. The tub contains washing water. The drum is rotatably disposed in the tub and receiving laundry. The pulsator is rotatably disposed inside the drum and has a spouting outlet. The water stream generation unit is disposed under the pulsator and forms a water stream spouted through the spouting outlet by circulating washing water contained between the tub and the drum. The filter cap collects foreign substances floating in washing water spouted through the spouting outlet. The check valve opens the spouting outlet by the water stream formed by the water stream generation unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2017
    Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Kyubum Lee, Youngjong Kim
  • Patent number: 9585538
    Abstract: A dishwashing machine includes a tub having an interior that holds a first liquid and a booster tank that includes a housing and at least one heater disposed within the housing. The booster tank is at least partially disposed within the interior of the tub such that at least a portion of the booster tank is at least partially submerged within the first liquid, whereby the first liquid is heated by the booster tank. A dishwashing machine includes a tub containing a liquid therein and a wash pump assembly that includes a pump housing; an inlet in the pump housing; an outlet in the pump housing; and a pump having a motor that pumps the liquid from the tub through the pump housing via the inlet to a device that sprays the liquid within a dishwasher via the outlet. The liquid is heated by means of a heater which is disposed either in proximity to the inlet, in proximity to the outlet, and/or in the spray device before the liquid is pumped out of the spray device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2017
    Assignee: Jackson WWS, Inc.
    Inventors: James S. Calhoun, Paul Wells
  • Patent number: 9580853
    Abstract: Provided is a washing machine which may include a cabinet that defines an accommodation space, a washing device configured to be withdrawn from the accommodation space of the cabinet, and a front panel provided in front of the washing device that defines a front external appearance of the auxiliary washing machine. The washing device may include a drawer configured to be slidably inserted or withdrawn from the accommodation space of the cabinet, the drawer including a tub for wash water, a rotating drum assembly provided in the drawer, the rotating drum assembly having a drum and a rotating shaft connected to the drum and extending through the tub, and a suspension assembly configured to support a vertical load of the rotating drum assembly such that the rotating drum assembly is suspended relative to the tub and to dampen vibration from the rotating drum assembly in a lateral direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2017
    Assignee: LG ELECTRONICS INC.
    Inventors: Seyul Son, Dongwon Kim, Dongsoo Lee
  • Patent number: 9580854
    Abstract: A method of washing fabric articles in a tunnel washer includes moving the fabric articles from the intake of the washer to the discharge of the washer through first and second sectors that are a pre-wash zone. Liquid can be counter flowed in the wash interior along a flow path that is generally opposite the direction of travel of the fabric articles. The main wash zone can be heated as an option. In the wash zone, there is a pre-rinse and/or a rinse. The fabric articles are transferred to a water extraction device that enables removal of excess water. A sour solution can be added to the fabric articles while extracting excess water.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2017
    Assignee: PELLERIN MILNOR CORPORATION
    Inventors: Russell H. Poy, Samuel Garofalo
  • Patent number: 9573169
    Abstract: A vehicle and method for cleaning parabolic trough solar collectors (2) by means of a motorized vehicle (1) which includes a water tank (4); front (5) and rear (6) cleaning arms, with a telescopic part having several sections, coupled at one end to a pivoting head (8) which supports a rotary cleaning brush (9) and comprises spray nozzles (10), as well as proximity sensors (12) for the brushes (9). It comprises the same number of front and rear transverse guide rails (13) which include a linear movement means (14) coupled, by means of a pivot (15), to the cleaning arms (5, 6). The brushes (9) are movable in relation to the head (8) by means of a shaft (21) actuated by a retraction actuator (27) for overcoming obstacles (26).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2017
    Assignee: ABENGOA SOLAR NEW TECHNOLOGIES, S.A.
    Inventors: Juan Jímenez Huertas, David Gamez Vela, Elena García Ramirez
  • Patent number: 9567702
    Abstract: A washing machine includes a tub for containing washing water, a drum rotatably disposed in the tub, a chamber communicating with the tub through a plurality of openings in which washing water is introduced from the tub through at least one of the plurality of openings and the introduced washing water is discharged to the tub through at least one of the remaining openings, and a water quality detector for detecting the quality of washing water in the chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 4, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2017
    Assignee: LG ELECTRONICS INC.
    Inventors: Bosung Seo, Sooyoung Oh, Changoh Kim
  • Patent number: 9556549
    Abstract: A washing machine for treating laundry comprising a basket rotatable about a first rotational axis, having a peripheral side wall extending upwardly from a bottom wall to at least partially define a treating chamber; a clothes mover proximate the bottom wall, having a base with a centrally located hub concentric with a second rotational axis about which the clothes mover reciprocally rotates; and at least one vane having an elongated body extending away from the hub and projecting upwardly from the clothes mover to terminate in a tip.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2017
    Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
    Inventors: Darryl C. Bodine, David W. Carr, Dale E. Mueller, Basak Oguz, Jon D. Strait
  • Patent number: 9554687
    Abstract: A household appliance includes a circulation pump for circulating dishwashing liquid in a washing compartment of the household appliance. A drain pump empties the dishwashing liquid from the washing compartment. For the purposes of ventilating the drain pump, a control device is provided to activate the drain pump after the washing compartment has been filled with the dishwashing liquid and before or during operation of the circulation pump.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2017
    Assignee: BSH Hausgeräte GmbH
    Inventors: Florian Brandstetter, Klaus-Martin Forst, Erwin Oberstaller
  • Patent number: 9551103
    Abstract: A method of determining load type in a laundry treating appliance having a treating chamber for receiving laundry, a rotatable laundry mover, and a motor operably coupled to the rotatable laundry mover includes steps to apply a perturbation force to the laundry in the treating chamber by rotating the laundry mover with the motor; determine the response of the motor torque to the perturbation force during the rotating of the laundry mover; and determine a load type based on the determined response.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2017
    Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
    Inventors: David P. Goshgarian, Andrew J. Leitert, Karl David McAllister, Amy L. Rapson, Yingqin Yuan
  • Patent number: 9549658
    Abstract: A household appliance for performing a useful cycle of operation on a physical article may have a treating chamber for holding the physical article during performance of the useful cycle of operation. The household appliance may include a temporary controllable device located within the treating chamber where the temporary controllable device may be communicated with via a signal relay.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2017
    Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
    Inventors: Paul E. Beshears, Jr., Kristopher L. Delgado, Brent A. Deweerd, Sathish A. Sundaram
  • Patent number: 9538901
    Abstract: A cleaning composition dispensing device for use in an automatic dishwasher is provided for dispensing the right cleaning composition at the right time during a wash cycle. The device includes wash cycle sensing system that controls the release of cleaning composition via temperature and water flow data measured with respect to time. The device includes a refill compartment receiving a multi-section refill including at least two cleaning composition sections divided by separable seams. The multi-section refill separates into individual cleaning composition sections during placement in the refill compartment that fall into the slots forming the refill compartment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2017
    Assignee: The Procter & Gamble Company
    Inventors: Mik Van Tol, Robby Renilde Francois Keuleers, Paulus Antonius Augistinus Hoefte, Benjamin Niestroj, Dominique Geeraert
  • Patent number: 9534339
    Abstract: A fluid additive dispenser for a washing machine appliance is provided that includes a pump in the form of an aspirator to help remove one or more fluid additives from the dispenser for delivery into the wash chamber. A rinse for the fluid additive dispenser is also provided to help clean the dispenser as well as remove or prevent residue build-up from the fluid additives.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2017
    Assignee: Haier US Appliance Solutions, Inc.
    Inventors: Alexander Boris Leibman, Jerrod Aaron Kapler
  • Patent number: 9532699
    Abstract: A dishwasher includes a tub at least partially defining a treating chamber and a spraying system having a sprayer supplying liquid to the treating chamber. The sprayer may include a liquid passage and multiple spray outlets to emit sprays to wash the dishes, a first valve body to couple at least one of the multiple spray outlets to the liquid passage, and a second valve body to control a flow of liquid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2017
    Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
    Inventor: Mark S. Feddema
  • Patent number: 9536761
    Abstract: A substrate liquid processing apparatus includes a cup 50 configured to receive a processing liquid supplied onto a substrate. The cup includes a ring-shaped first exhaust space 530 in contact with a top opening 50A, and a ring-shaped second exhaust space 540 which is in contact with an exhaust port 52 and is disposed adjacent to the first exhaust space, and the first exhaust space and the second exhaust space communicate with each other intermittently or continuously along an entire circumference thereof. Further, the cup has an inner wall that confines an inner periphery of the second exhaust space, and the inner wall includes a first wall portion 581 serving as an upper part of the inner wall, and a second wall portion which serves as a lower part of the inner wall and is located at an inner position than the first wall portion in a radial direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2017
    Assignee: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Yoshifumi Amano, Yuki Ito, Eiichiro Okamoto