Patents Examined by David Cormier
  • Patent number: 9456730
    Abstract: Provided herein is a spray arm arrangement for a dishwasher having: a support having a hub portion; and a spray arm having at least one arm portion with at least one spray nozzle, and a generally tubular mounting portion connected to the arm portion. The mounting portion may have first and second bearing surfaces bearing against the hub portion, with the first bearing surface being located at a shorter axial distance from the arm portion than the second bearing surface. The first bearing surface may be located within the hub portion proximate the axial end of the hub portion facing towards the arm portion, and the second bearing surface may include a projection which axially extends from said mounting portion into said hub portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2016
    Assignee: Electrolux Home Products Corporation N.V.
    Inventors: Matthias Bayer, Oliver Kleinert
  • Patent number: 9457384
    Abstract: An automatic rinsing machine includes a rinsing container with a lifting door and a rinsing chamber with a rinsing chamber opening closed in a fluid-tight manner by the lifting door. A drive device displaces the lifting door. The drive device includes a load-bearing tension unit. A lever arrangement is disposed between the load-bearing tension unit and the lifting door. The lever arrangement includes a clamping device that is guided in parallel with a direction of movement of the lifting door. The lifting door and the clamping device are supported under spring preload with respect to a common abutment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 4, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2016
    Assignee: MIELE & CIE. KG
    Inventor: Michael Heitmann
  • Patent number: 9451870
    Abstract: A dishwasher having a washing container, a sorption dryer device connected to the washing container in an air-conducting fashion, and at least one flow-conditioning device to homogenize a flow cross-section profile of an airflow as the airflow flows through the sorption dryer device. The flow-conditioning device is provided for the sorption unit between at least one heating element and the sorption unit of the sorption dryer device when viewed in the direction of the airflow such that essentially every point of an intake cross-section area of the sorption unit of the sorption dryer device is permeated by a volumetric airflow with essentially the same intake temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2016
    Assignee: BSH Hausgeräte GmbH
    Inventors: Daniel Delle, Ulrich Ferber, Helmut Jerg, Hans-Peter Nannt, Kai Paintner
  • Patent number: 9451862
    Abstract: A dishwasher for treating dishes according to at least one automatic cycle of operation and having a tub at least partially defining a treating chamber and defining an access opening, a sprayer providing a spray of liquid into the treating chamber, a liquid recirculation system defining a recirculation flow path for recirculating the sprayed liquid from the treating chamber to the sprayer and a drive system operable to control at least a position of the liquid diverter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2016
    Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
    Inventor: Rodney M. Welch
  • Patent number: 9451869
    Abstract: A washing machine with a direct drive system including a tub, a drum rotatably mounted inside the tub, a shaft connected to the drum at a first end for transmission of a driving force of a direct drive motor, a coaxial support connected to a rear portion of the tub and having a first seat for a first bearing supporting a second end of the shaft opposite the drum, a stator secured to the coaxial support and having a plurality of magnetic cores, a rotor including permanent magnets and connected to the shaft, and a second bearing for supporting the shaft between the second end and the first end. The tub is made of polymeric material in which a second seat for said second bearing is co-molded.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2016
    Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
    Inventors: Gerd Maentele, Antonio F. Chiriatti, Pavol Petracek, Kurt Werner
  • Patent number: 9455163
    Abstract: A cleaning device for cleaning substrates is provided. The cleaning device includes a generally cylindrically-shaped brush mandrel and a cylindrical brush. The brush mandrel has a body section with an outer surface positioned about a central axis. The outer surface is interrupted by an engagement member having primary features adjacent secondary features. The brush has a hollow bore formed around the brush mandrel with an inner surface interrupted by a second engagement member which mates the first engagement member. The primary features flow in a direction generally perpendicular to a rotational direction of the brush mandrel around the central axis and include a first surface which is generally perpendicular to the outer surface. The secondary features include a second surface which flows in a direction generally perpendicular to the first surface and along the central axis. No primary feature includes a radially obstructing feature formed over any secondary feature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2016
    Assignee: ILLINOIS TOOL WORKS INC.
    Inventors: Robert Willis, Bradley S. Withers
  • Patent number: 9447535
    Abstract: A cleaning diffuser is disposed above a fluff-laden component and receives rinsing fluid for distributing the rinsing fluid to the fluff-laden component to detach fluff and carry it away. The diffuser is constructed to enable a buildup of dynamic pressure in the rinsing fluid and has two feed ducts which extend at a distance from one another in substantially parallel relationship so that rinsing fluid entering the diffuser is divided between the feed ducts. The feed ducts terminate in pockets in a wall at an end of the diffuser and have, relative to their entire duct length, a narrow, three-dimensional transverse mutual connection in the form of a transverse chamber. The diffuser has at least one narrow outlet opening which extends from the three-dimensional transverse connection to a lower side of the diffuser for distributing the rinsing fluid to the fluff-laden component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 4, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2016
    Assignee: BSH HAUSGERÄTE GMBH
    Inventors: Klaus Grunert, Günter Steffens
  • Patent number: 9447533
    Abstract: A laundry treating appliance has a rotatable drum at least partially defining a treating chamber for receiving a laundry load for treatment according to at least one cycle of operation and operated such that the extraction of liquid from the laundry load is controlled based on the inertia of the laundry load so that the total energy usage by the laundry treating appliance and a laundry drying appliance with which it is operably coupled may be minimized.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2016
    Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
    Inventors: Farhad Ashrafzadeh, Brian P. Janke, Peter E. Zasowski
  • Patent number: 9445703
    Abstract: A dishwasher includes a control facility for executing a wash cycle for cleaning items held in a wash chamber which is filled with water via a water inlet facility having an inlet valve operably connected to the control facility. To identify malfunction of the water inlet facility, the control facility executes an identification sequence which includes a test filling phase, in which the inlet valve is opened for a period corresponding to a predefined time value. A detection facility detects during operation of a recirculation pump to recirculate water in the wash chamber at least one operating parameter corresponding to a quantity of water in the wash chamber at an end of the test filling phase. The control facility determines a water flow into the wash chamber during the test filling phase from the detected operating parameter and compares the determined water flow with a minimum water flow.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2016
    Assignee: BSH Hausgeräte GmbH
    Inventors: Andreas Heidel, Reinhard Hering, Bernd Kränzle
  • Patent number: 9439552
    Abstract: A dishwasher for treating dishes according to a cycle of operation includes a tub having an open face, a door selectively moveable to open and close the open face, and comprising spaced interior and exterior panels having peripheral edges that are coupled along at least a portion of the peripheral edges by a peripheral wall to collectively define a door interior, and a controller mounting bracket located within the door interior.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2016
    Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
    Inventors: Marcus R. Fischer, Daniel W. Southworth, Anthony B. Welsh
  • Patent number: 9421583
    Abstract: A rinsing apparatus for polycrystalline silicon lump which is obtained by cutting or breaking a rod of polycrystalline silicon, including: a wash basket having a plurality of through holes, which carries the polycrystalline silicon lump; a wash tank in which the wash basket is provided therein, in which rinse water is continuously supplied from a water supply port which is arranged at a bottom part of the wash tank; an inner cage having a plurality of openings which is smaller than the through holes of the wash basket at a bottom part thereof, provided in the wash tank, in which the wash basket is stored therein; and a swing device holding and swinging the wash basket in the inner cage, and: an overflow part which recovers the rinse water overflowed from an upper portion of the wash tank is provided at the wash tank.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2016
    Assignee: MITSUBISHI MATERIALS CORPORATION
    Inventor: Tetsuya Atsumi
  • Patent number: 9420936
    Abstract: A dishwasher appliance and a spray assembly for the same are provided. The spray assembly includes a spray body and features for moving the spray body within a wash chamber of the dishwasher appliance. Wash fluid coverage within the wash chamber can be improved by moving the spray body within the wash chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2016
    Assignee: Haier US Appliance Solutions, Inc.
    Inventor: Ronald Scott Tarr
  • Patent number: 9421585
    Abstract: The invention relates to a high-pressure cleaning appliance comprising a first functional device required for operation in the form of a heatable heat exchanger for heating a liquid that is dischargeable from the high pressure cleaning appliance, and at least one further, second functional device required for operation which is arranged below the heat exchanger. In order to develop such a high-pressure cleaning appliance such that it is more user friendly to maintain, the invention proposes that the high-pressure cleaning appliance comprise a first appliance unit having a carrying device on which the heat exchanger is held, and a second appliance unit having a support device on which the at least one second functional device is held, and that the carrying device be releasably connectable to the support device in a force-locked and/or positively-locked manner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2016
    Assignee: Alfred Kaercher GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Werner Schwab, Johannes Goetz
  • Patent number: 9422660
    Abstract: Laundry washing machine (1) includes an outer casing (2) and, inside said outer casing (2), a washing tub (3) which is arranged inside the casing (2) with its opening or mouth directly facing a laundry loading/unloading opening which is realized in the front wall (2a) of the casing (2) substantially astride of the vertical center-plane (M) of the casing (2). A rotatable drum is arranged in axially rotating manner inside the washing tub (3) and is structured for receiving the laundry to be washed. A detergent dispensing assembly (9) is structured for supplying detergent into the washing tub (3). A main fresh-water supply circuit (10) is 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).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2016
    Assignee: Electrolux Home Products Corporation N.V.
    Inventors: Daniele Favaro, Maurizio Del Pos
  • Patent number: 9420942
    Abstract: An endoscope cleaning/disinfecting apparatus includes: a cleaning/disinfecting tank, a lid portion, an accommodation detecting section, an opening/closing detecting section, a cleaning/disinfecting section, a cleaning/disinfection detecting section, an informing section, a judging section judging a case where the opening/closing detecting section detects a closed state of the lid portion before the cleaning/disinfection detecting section detecting driving of the cleaning/disinfecting section after the accommodation detecting section detecting that an endoscope is accommodated in the cleaning/disinfecting tank as a first closed state; and a control section performing control of driving the informing section to issue a warning when the opening/closing detecting section detects an opened state of the lid portion before the cleaning/disinfection detecting section detecting driving of the cleaning/disinfecting section after the judging section detecting the first closed state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2016
    Assignee: OLYMPUS CORPORATION
    Inventor: Naoya Taya
  • Patent number: 9421546
    Abstract: A washer, comprising a washing chamber defined by a pair of side walls, a top wall and a bottom wall, the washing chamber having an opened front face and an opened back face. A first shelf assembly is mounted within the washing chamber having at least one shelf section for receiving and supporting articles to be cleaned during a washing operation. A second shelf assembly is mounted within the washing chamber vertically above the first shelf. The second shelf assembly is mounted to the side walls having at least two shelf sections, at least one of the at least two shelf sections being selectively removable from the washing chamber so that additional space may be provided for larger articles on one side of the first shelf, and so that articles may be inserted into or removed from the washing chamber through the front face or back face of the washing chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 1, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2016
    Assignee: STERIS Inc.
    Inventors: Maxime Robert, Claude Gravel, Luca Serli
  • Patent number: 9415426
    Abstract: A pipe cleaning apparatus includes an apparatus support frame having an elongated carriage frame member; at least one pipe blasting assembly carried by the carriage frame member of the apparatus support frame and including an assembly carriage carried by the carriage frame member, a pair of generally elongated, semicircular assembly jaws pivotally carried by the assembly carriage and each having a jaw interior, a plurality of spaced-apart blast nozzles carried by each of the assembly jaws in the jaw interior and a blast pump communicating with the plurality of blast nozzles; and a linear actuator engaging the at least one pipe blasting assembly and operable to facilitate travel of the pipe blasting assembly along the carriage frame member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2016
    Inventors: Tandie Blake, Cody Martin, Joseph P. Wade
  • Patent number: 9414736
    Abstract: A dishwasher includes a tub at least partially defining a treating chamber and a spraying system for supplying liquid to the treating chamber. The spraying system includes a sprayer having a body with an interior, a liquid passage provided in the interior, and a plurality of outlets extending through the body and in fluid communication with the liquid passage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2016
    Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
    Inventor: Mark S. Feddema
  • Patent number: 9414742
    Abstract: A fitting pressing member includes: a first opening that opens inside a fitting of an endoscope; a second opening that is communicably connected to the first opening and is connectable to a fluid supply source; a cylindrical portion formed from the first opening to a predetermined position, the cylindrical portion covering a part of a hollow portion communicably connected to the first opening and the second opening; a narrowing portion including a side face whose outer diameter increases from the predetermined position toward the second opening, the narrowing portion covering the other part of the hollow portion; and a plurality of grooves formed over a predetermined area from the predetermined position in an outer surface of the narrowing portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2016
    Assignee: OLYMPUS CORPORATION
    Inventor: Norito Sato
  • Patent number: 9416480
    Abstract: A washing machine using steam and a method for controlling the same is disclosed. The washing machine with a steam generator (100) selectively supplying steam not a drum (30) according to the present invention includes a course select part (420) for a user to select a wash course, a steam select part (430) for a user to select whether steam washing is operated and a controller (440) for controlling the steam generator (100) based on a wash course selected from the course select part (420) (an inputted wash course) and a signal selected from the steam select part (430). The present invention has an advantageous effect that convenience is improved for a user to use the washing machine using steam as well as washing performance is improved, because disadvantages due to malfunctions of a steam generator are prevented.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2016
    Assignee: LG ELECTRONICS INC.
    Inventors: Seog Kyu Park, In Geun Ahn