Patents Examined by Michael Barr
  • Patent number: 9925572
    Abstract: Provided are washout devices for cleaning the interior of a frac tank. In embodiments, the devices may comprise (i) a wand comprising a first pipe and a second pipe; wherein the second pipe is positioned in parallel below the first pipe; wherein one or more trusses connect the first pipe and the second pipe; (ii) a support member in communication with a proximal end of the wand such that the wand is suspended above and at a desired angle relative to the ground; (iii) one or more washout nozzles disposed along the length of the first pipe. Embodiments may also include a system and a process for cleaning the interior of a frac tank.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2018
    Assignee: NGL Solids Solutions, LLC
    Inventors: Robert Harman, Dewayne Jacobs, Justin White, Terry Bailey
  • Patent number: 9918609
    Abstract: A dishwasher with a tub and a recirculation pump, which includes a housing defining a chamber and having an inlet fluidly coupled to the tub and an outlet fluidly coupled to the tub, an impeller rotatably mounted within the chamber and expelling liquid from the chamber through the outlet, and a filter fluidly disposed between the inlet and the outlet and operably coupled to the impeller for co-rotation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2018
    Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
    Inventors: Jordan R. Fountain, Rodney M. Welch
  • Patent number: 9918610
    Abstract: A fluid circulation assembly for a dishwasher appliance includes a collection chamber positioned below a sump. A first outlet conduit extends from a valve and is configured for receiving liquid from a pump when the valve is in a recirculation configuration, and a second outlet conduit extends from the valve and is configured for directing liquid from the pump to the collection chamber when the valve is in a drain configuration. A check valve is configured for obstructing liquid flow from the collection chamber to an unfiltered volume of the sump when the valve is in the drain configuration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2018
    Assignee: Haier US Appliance Solutions, Inc.
    Inventor: Joseph Duane Tobbe
  • Patent number: 9914157
    Abstract: Pipe inspection and pressurized fluid cleaning methods and apparatus are disclosed. A method of fluid output from a jetter push-cable device may include providing high pressure fluid from a push-cable apparatus via one or more jetter outputs. A camera assembly, which may include lighting elements, may be further included in the push-cable device for imaging during inspection or jetter cleaning of an obstruction in a pipe or other cavity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 13, 2018
    Assignee: SEESCAN, INC.
    Inventors: Mark S. Olsson, Eric M. Chapman, Justin W. Taylor, Matthew J. Thompson, Michael E. Turgeon
  • Patent number: 9914154
    Abstract: A multi-blade razor cartridge cleaner system is a device that cleans between the blades of razors with a jet-spray of water to remove the hair and soap that gets trapped during every few passes of the razor across the skin surface. The razor is placed within a slot on top of the cartridge cleaner housing and a switch is activated to jet-spray the razor cartridge blades clean.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 13, 2018
    Inventor: Frederick Firouz Rabie
  • Patent number: 9907450
    Abstract: A dishwasher, a door assembly for the dishwasher and a method of drying the dishware in the dishwasher are provided. The dishwasher may include a tub portion adapted to hold dishware, a heating element proximate a bottom of the tub portion and configured to heat air inside the tub portion during a drying cycle, and a blower configured to direct the air and vaporized water into a duct having an inlet proximate the top of the tub portion. The heat causes the air to rise toward a top of the tub and collect vaporized water from the dishware. The duct is configured to receive the air and the vaporized water. The dishwasher includes a sensor configured to measure a humidity level. A control unit is in communication with the sensor and selectively actuates and de-actuates at least one of the heating element and the blower, based on the humidity level.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2018
    Assignee: ELECTROLUX HOME PRODUCTS, INC.
    Inventors: Ashwin Jadhav, Jeffrey E. Nelson, Dennis A. Poyner, Van P. Beck
  • Patent number: 9911630
    Abstract: A device for processing wafer-shaped articles comprises a closed process chamber providing a gas-tight enclosure, and a rotary chuck located within the closed process chamber. The closed process chamber comprises an annular duct surrounding the rotary chuck and extending along a first direction radially outwardly of the rotary chuck and obliquely to a rotary axis of the rotary chuck, from an inlet end that communicates with the rotary chuck to an outlet end that communicates with an exhaust duct. The annular duct comprises a duct section extending between the inlet and outlet ends that is defined by an inner chamber wall spaced apart from an outer chamber wall. The extent of the duct section along the first direction is at least twice a spacing of the inner and outer chamber walls throughout the duct section, as measured in a direction perpendicular to the first direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2018
    Assignee: LAM RESEARCH AG
    Inventors: Andreas Gleissner, Bhaskar Bandarapu
  • Patent number: 9903059
    Abstract: A laundry treating appliance may include a tub and a rotatable drum defining a first access opening to the drum, a cabinet including a front wall having a second access opening aligned with the first access opening, a bellows extending between the front wall and the tub to form a fluid seal between the first and second access openings, and the bellows having a compliance portion to accommodate relative movement between the tub and the front wall, and a door movably mounted to the front wall having a planar window element and a baffle extending from the planar window element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2018
    Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
    Inventors: Colin T. Anderson, Michael K. Lindquist, Shannon F. Pipik
  • Patent number: 9903065
    Abstract: A laundry washing machine includes a washing tub (3) external to a rotatable washing drum (4) adapted to receive laundry. The machine further includes a water supply circuit (5) to supply water into the washing tub (3), a washing/rinsing products supplier (6) to supply washing/rinsing products into the washing tub (3), a liquid outlet circuit (25) suitable for withdrawing liquid from the washing tub (3) and conveying such a liquid to the outside. The machine further includes a first recirculation circuit (20) suitable for withdrawing liquid from the washing tub (3) and re-admitting such a liquid into a first region (3b) of said washing tub (3), wherein the first recirculation circuit (20) includes a first recirculation pump (21) suitable for forcing liquid inside the first recirculation circuit (20) and a second recirculation circuit (30) suitable for withdrawing liquid from the washing tub (3) and re-admitting such a liquid into a second region (3c) of the washing tub (3).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2018
    Assignee: Electrolux Home Products Corporation N.V.
    Inventors: Daniele Favaro, Elena Pesavento, Elisa Stabon, Maurizio Del Pos
  • Patent number: 9903063
    Abstract: A fabric treating appliance having an agitator assembly comprising a base and a tower extending upwardly from the base and terminating in an upper portion with an opening. A centrifugally actuated dispensing cup located within the upper portion and fluidly coupled to the opening. The agitator includes a scrub brush that can be mounted to the upper portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2018
    Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
    Inventors: Scott E. Carpenter, Orrin P. Lorenz, Joel A. Luckman
  • Patent number: 9906084
    Abstract: A motor suited for use in a direct drive laundry machine. The described motor has a stator core including an annular ring with an inner diameter between 120 mm and 250 mm, a radial width between 5 mm and 15 mm, and 24 or 27 stator poles projecting outward from the annular ring a distance of between 15 mm and 40 mm. Each stator pole is associated with one of three phase windings. A rotor for the motor has inwardly facing permanent magnet poles whereby the ratio of rotor poles to stator poles is 4:3.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2018
    Assignee: FISHER & PAYKEL APPLIANCES LIMITED
    Inventors: Gerald David Duncan, Kerrin Edmund Burnnand, Gregory Paul Hill
  • Patent number: 9890493
    Abstract: A method of operating a laundry treating appliance having a treating chamber for receiving laundry for treatment and a dispensing system for dispensing treating chemistry for use in treating the laundry comprises, determining an amount of laundry in the treating chamber, setting at least one of a dilution and a delivery rate for the treating chemistry based on the determined amount of laundry to define a dispensing parameter and controlling the dispensing system to dispense the treating chemistry according to the dispensing parameter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2018
    Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
    Inventors: Michael S. Hendrickson, Janice M. Kaeding
  • Patent number: 9890489
    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. A method for operating the laundry treating appliance to control the liquid extraction based on the detected inertia.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2018
    Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
    Inventors: Brian P. Janke, Peter E. Zasowski
  • Patent number: 9889476
    Abstract: A first holding plate and a second holding plate are provided. The first holding plate has a first flat plate portion facing a bottom surface of a substrate and holds the substrate so as to form a gap between the first flat plate portion and the substrate as a first gap, and the second holding plate has a second flat plate portion facing the bottom surface of the substrate and holds the substrate so as to form a gap between the second flat plate portion and the substrate as a second gap. Depending on a processing to be performed, any one of the first holding plate and the second holding plate is mounted on a rotational shaft of a shaft mechanism that includes a fluid supply unit configured to supply a fluid to the bottom surface of the substrate and the rotational shaft configured to rotate the substrate. The processing is performed on the substrate by supplying the fluid to the bottom surface of the substrate from the fluid supply unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2018
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventor: Seiki Ishida
  • Patent number: 9892939
    Abstract: Provided is a substrate treating apparatus. The substrate treating apparatus according to embodiments of the present invention may include a cleaning chamber cleaning foreign objects on a substrate, and a recycling unit recycling by recovering a mixed solution including a first chemical and a second chemical used in cleaning of the substrate, wherein the recycling unit includes a separation unit separating the mixed solution recovered from the cleaning chamber, a recovery line connecting the separation unit and the cleaning chamber and allowing the mixed solution to flow into the separation unit, a decompression line having one end connected to the separation unit and exhausting the mixed solution evaporated from the separation unit, and a decompression unit installed in the decompression line and reducing pressure in the separation unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2018
    Assignee: Semes Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Jaeryung Ryu, Dong Soon Hwang, Byung Chul Kang
  • Patent number: 9885136
    Abstract: A laundry treating appliance includes a cabinet, a treating chamber, and a treating chemistry dispenser provided with the cabinet and fluidly coupled to the treating chamber. The dispenser includes a dispenser container having multiple dispenser pockets configured to receive a dose of treating chemistry and a water inlet duct configured to supply water to one of the dispenser pockets to flush treating chemistry from the pocket. The water inlet duct can be slidingly coupled with the dispenser container and can project into an interior of the pocket.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2018
    Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
    Inventors: James J. Beaudreault, Gaurav Bhardwaj, Adam Brown, Pushkar P. Gijare, Eamon C. Lyons, Thibaut Viguier
  • Patent number: 9885137
    Abstract: A washing machine and a method of controlling the washing machine are provided. In the washing machine and the method of controlling the washing machine, a liquid detergent is automatically supplied into a washing tub, thereby improving user convenience. In addition, in the washing machine and the method of controlling the washing machine, a liquid detergent is supplied into the washing tub by water circulated by a circulation unit. Thus, no liquid detergent remains in a liquid detergent supply path, and the liquid detergent supply path can be prevented from being blocked due to the solidification of a liquid detergent.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2018
    Assignee: LG ELECTRONICS INC.
    Inventors: Kyeong Hwan Kim, Il Hyeon Jo, Jin Ho Chang
  • Patent number: 9885139
    Abstract: A washing machine appliance includes a reservoir and a dispensing assembly for drawing fluid additives from the reservoir into the wash basket of the washing machine appliance. The dispensing assembly includes an aspirator comprising a water inlet, an additive inlet, and an outlet. The outlet of the aspirator is positioned above the maximum fill level of a fluid storage volume of the reservoir.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2018
    Assignee: HAIER US APPLIANCE SOLUTIONS, INC.
    Inventors: Alexander B. Leibman, Christopher Edward O'Malley
  • Patent number: 9879370
    Abstract: A laundry treating apparatus includes a cabinet, a laundry receiving part provided within the cabinet and configured to receive laundry, a water supply part configured to supply wash water, and a detergent supplier configured to supply detergent. The detergent supplier includes a storage body having a first storage part configured to hold a first detergent and a second storage part configured to hold a second detergent. The first storage part is configured to communicate with the laundry receiving part, and the second detergent is in liquid form. The detergent supplier further includes a passage body having a water supply passage that is configured to supply the first storage part with the wash water from the water supply part, and a liquid detergent supply part that is configured to supply the water supply passage with the second detergent from the second storage part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2018
    Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Sungwoon Jung, Sungook Bae
  • Patent number: 9873138
    Abstract: An apparatus for purging and rinsing a container having longitudinal ends, an upper sheet, lateral walls, and a lower wall, the apparatus having a frame defining a processing space; a punch positioned to overlie the container's upper sheet; a die positioned to underlie the container; a plurality of bend resistance relieving container wall cuts positioned for segmenting the container between its longitudinal ends; a plurality of linear motion actuators connected operatively to the punch or connected operatively to the die for lessening the die's downward displacement from the punch, for bending the chemical container's upper bendable sheet about the punch, and for splaying the container's longitudinal ends; and a plurality of rinse nozzles connected operatively to the frame for spraying water into the opened container.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2018
    Inventor: Ethan Eck