Patents Examined by Michael E Barr
  • Patent number: 11859329
    Abstract: The method is implemented at a washing mode sharing platform. A to-be-shared washing parameter of at least one first laundry equipment, and a to-be-shared washing mode corresponding to the to-be-shared washing parameter, are acquired. A historical data set is generated based on the to-be-shared washing parameter and the to-be-shared washing mode. A target washing mode and a target washing parameter corresponding to the target washing mode are determined from the historical data set. The target washing mode and the target washing parameter are sent to second laundry equipment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2024
    Assignee: Beijing Xiaomi Mobile Software Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yueyue Chu, Wei Liu
  • Patent number: 11859337
    Abstract: An appliance latch receives a strike when the appliance lid is closed and provides an electrically activated lock holding the lid closed during portions of the wash cycle that might present a hazard. The strike presents two different surfaces to the latch, the first to activate a lock mechanism and the second to activate an anti-tamper switch before the appliance may be actuated thereby reducing the risk of tampering.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2024
    Assignee: Illinois Tool Works Inc.
    Inventors: Randy S. McDonald, Joel C. Bragg, Jeffrey J. Krieger
  • Patent number: 11851797
    Abstract: A washing machine and a control method therefor are disclosed. The washing machine comprises: a sensor for emitting white light, which includes infrared (IR) light, at washing water and receiving, from the white light emitted at the washing water, visible light of a specific wavelength and infrared light of a specific wavelength, which are reflected by the washing water or penetrate the washing water; and a processor for determining turbidity and the color of the washing water on the basis of the intensity and patterns of the visible light and the infrared light of the specific wavelengths, which are received from the sensor, and controlling an operation of the washing machine on the basis of the turbidity and the color of the washing water.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2023
    Assignee: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Jun-hoe Choi, Tae-gyoon Noh, Seo-ho Lee, Jeong-su Han
  • Patent number: 11846060
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a laundry treatment apparatus and a control method thereof. The laundry treatment apparatus includes a tub providing a space in which washing water is stored, a drum, a drain pump, a control unit controlling water supply and drain and determining a drain state, and a pump control unit changing and controlling an operation speed of the drain pump depending on the drain state and is configured to drain the washing water by repeating a process of decreasing and then increasing a speed of the drain pump depending on a speed set by the pump control unit, such that the wash water does not remain and may be effectively drained, and noise generated due to a flow of residual water and an operation of the drain pump may be eliminated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2023
    Assignee: LG ELECTRONICS INC.
    Inventor: Jinkeun Kang
  • Patent number: 11839905
    Abstract: An integrated and standalone vibrating base assembly for cleaning contact lenses having two selective modes of operation, each mode operably configured to produce different preset vibrational rotations per minute, and comprising a base housing defining a housing cavity, with at least one vibration motor disposed within the housing cavity, electrically coupled to a power source, and operably configured to selectively induce a vibration therefrom with at least one switch coupled to the base housing; and a bottom surface and an upper surface spanning inwardly toward the housing cavity from an upper edge of the base housing to define a concave recess sized to receive two contact lens containers, the upper surface of a friction-inducing, deformable, and polymeric material configured to support two contact lens containers and operably coupled to the at least one vibration motor and to receive a vibration thereon upon activation of the at least one switch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2023
    Assignee: EKHOO, LLC
    Inventor: Alexandre Coelho
  • Patent number: 11842903
    Abstract: An apparatus for treating a substrate is provided. The apparatus for treating the substrate includes a high pressure chamber to provide a treatment space to perform a process of treating the substrate using a process fluid, a fluid supply source to provide the process fluid to the high pressure chamber, a fluid supply unit to supply the process fluid to the treatment space of the high pressure chamber, an exhaust unit to exhaust the process fluid in the high pressure chamber, and a pre-vent unit to vent a process fluid remaining inside a supply line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2023
    Assignee: Semes Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Miso Park, Yong Hee Lee
  • Patent number: 11834767
    Abstract: Disclosed is a washing machine having an improved wire connection structure for electrically connecting electrical components. The washing machine includes a cabinet which has a first electrical component, forms an exterior, and has an opening through which laundry is inserted; a door provided with a second electrical component, and configured to open and close the opening; a wire which electrically connects the first electrical component and the second electrical component; and a hinge which has a wire guide portion for coupling the door to the cabinet so as to be rotatable about a rotating axis and for guiding the wire.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2023
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kwang Min Chun, Hwa Shik Kim, Min Jea Choi, Nae Young Park
  • Patent number: 11834768
    Abstract: Disclosed is a washing machine having an improved wire connection structure for electrically connecting electrical components. The washing machine includes a cabinet which has a first electrical component, forms an exterior, and has an opening through which laundry is inserted; a door provided with a second electrical component, and configured to open and close the opening; a wire which electrically connects the first electrical component and the second electrical component; and a hinge which has a wire guide portion for coupling the door to the cabinet so as to be rotatable about a rotating axis and for guiding the wire.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2023
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kwang Min Chun, Hwa Shik Kim, Min Jea Choi, Nae Young Park
  • Patent number: 11827186
    Abstract: A vehicle cleaning device includes a cylinder to which a cleaning fluid is supplied; a piston slidably inserted in the cylinder; a spray nozzle unit mounted at a leading end of the piston and configured to spray the cleaning fluid toward an object-to-be-cleaned; and a cap that closes a gap between the cylinder and the piston in an opening of the cylinder through which the piston protrudes. The cap includes a tubular part inside the cylinder, and the tubular part defines an end of movement of the piston. A communication hole is provided between a communication groove provided in an outer peripheral surface of the tubular part and an inner peripheral surface of the cylinder, and the gap between the cylinder and the piston communicates with the outside of the cylinder through the communication hole.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2023
    Assignee: KOITO MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Masaru Sakai, Yasuhiro Ichikawa
  • Patent number: 11827189
    Abstract: A sensor assembly includes a first sensing device and a second sensing device spaced from the first sensing device. The sensor assembly includes a bracket supporting the first sensing device and the second sensing device and a sensor cover including a first sensor window and a second sensor window. The first sensing device has a first field of view through the first sensor window and the second sensing device having a second field of view through the second sensor window. The sensor assembly includes an air nozzle housing supported by the bracket and defining a first air nozzle aimed toward the first sensor window and a second air nozzle aimed toward the second sensor window. The sensor assembly includes a washer nozzle spaced from the first air nozzle. The washer nozzle aimed toward the first sensor window in a direction opposite to a direction of the first air nozzle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2023
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Tyler D. Hamilton, Kunal Chaudhari, Venkatesh Krishnan, Camila Silva, Michael Robertson, Jr., Anthony Michael Regalbuto
  • Patent number: 11821126
    Abstract: A laundry appliance includes a basket rotatably mounted within a cabinet and defining a chamber configured for receiving a load of clothes, a door pivotally mounted to the cabinet for providing selective access to the chamber, and a camera assembly mounted within the cabinet in view of the chamber. A controller is configured to initiate an automatic self-clean cycle, the method comprising determining that the door is closed, obtaining one or more images of the chamber using the camera assembly, determining that there is no load in the chamber based at least in part on the one or more images, determining that a self-clean condition is satisfied, and commencing the self-clean cycle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2023
    Assignee: Haier US Appliance Solutions, Inc.
    Inventors: Je Kwon Yoon, Seung-Yeong Park, Jaehyo Lee
  • Patent number: 11823914
    Abstract: An apparatus for performing heat treatment with respect to a substrate is provided. The apparatus for treating the substrate includes a substrate support member to seat a substrate on the substrate support member, a treating bowl to surround the substrate support member, a base plate provided to face a bottom surface of the substrate seated on the substrate support member, and an edge nozzle member mounted on the base plate to spray a treating liquid to a bottom edge part of the substrate seated on the substrate support member. The edge nozzle member includes a main body mounted on the base plate, a nozzle arm to mount an edge nozzle on the nozzle arm to slidably move on the main body, and a fixing member to maintain the nozzle arm at a setting position on the main body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2023
    Assignee: Semes Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Eunwoo Park, Daesung Kim
  • Patent number: 11821128
    Abstract: A control method of washing machine includes: a first detection step of acquiring amount of laundry accommodated in a washing tub; a first washing step of performing washing based on a first laundry amount, when the first laundry amount acquired in the first detection step is equal to or larger than a preset first threshold value; a second detection step of, acquiring the laundry amount accommodated in the washing tub by an output of an output layer of an artificial neural network while using a current value inputted to a motor for rotating and acceleration of the washing tub as an input data of an input layer of the artificial neural network previously learned by machine learning; and a second washing step of performing washing based on a second laundry amount, when the second laundry amount acquired in the second detection step is smaller than the first threshold value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2023
    Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Myunghun Im, Hwanjin Jung, Seonhwa Yu, Sunggyun Kim, Kyungchul Woo
  • Patent number: 11819039
    Abstract: A Clean in Place assembly for a food processor includes a self-cleaning valve assembly, wherein the self-cleaning valve assembly is in fluid communication with a food flow path in the food processor. The self-cleaning valve assembly includes a valve receiving chamber and valve configured to selectively fluidly connect a food flow path inlet port to a food flow path outlet port; fluidly connect the food flow path inlet port to a multivalent port; and fluidly connect a treating solution to a dead space between the valve and the valve receiving cavity. Food product can be selectively drained or retained in food flow path, wherein the self-cleaning valve can be continuously or intermittently exposed to a treating solution for treating non-food flow path portions of the self-cleaning valve assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2022
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2023
    Assignee: RTA Associates, LLC
    Inventors: Robert Tuchrelo, Nathan E. Smith, Richard T. Aab
  • Patent number: 11807975
    Abstract: A laundry appliance includes a basket rotatably mounted within a cabinet and defining a chamber configured for receiving a load of clothes, a water supply valve for regulating a flow of water into the chamber, and a humidity sensor positioned within the cabinet for monitoring a chamber humidity. A controller is configured to determine that the water supply valve is open to permit the flow of water into the chamber, identify an anticipated humidity within the chamber based at least in part on the water supply valve being open, obtain the chamber humidity using the humidity sensor, and implementing a responsive action if the chamber humidity does not correspond to the anticipated humidity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2023
    Assignee: Haier US Appliance Solutions, Inc.
    Inventors: SeongHoon Ryu, Hyoyeol Maeng, Wonmyung Seo
  • Patent number: 11802363
    Abstract: A laundry treating appliance for treating laundry according to an automatic cycle of operation includes a cabinet defining an interior. A treating chamber is located within the interior. A dispenser is fluidly coupled to the treating chamber. The dispenser includes first and second drawers slidable along a slide path relative to the cabinet between opened and closed positions and having one or more treating chemistry chambers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2023
    Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
    Inventor: Andrea Stopponi
  • Patent number: 11793387
    Abstract: A dishwasher has a housing (10) with a wash chamber (20) and a top wall (204) with a non-planar surface (214;214?) facing downwardly into the wash chamber, the surface having portions (216,218; 226,228) facing downwardly and facing in different horizontal directions (H1,H2; HX,HY,HP,HQ). Nozzles (402) mounted within the wash chamber spray a liquid upwardly within the wash chamber. The surface portions redistribute the upwardly-sprayed water in horizontal directions to provide a more uniform washing action. A portable dishwasher may have a fresh water reservoir (422) and a used water reservoir (430) mounted in the housing beneath the wash chamber. The used water reservoir may be removably mounted in the housing so that the user can remove used wash water by removing the used water reservoir. The portable dishwasher can be used at a location remote from a sink.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2023
    Assignee: OhmIQ, Inc.
    Inventors: Jeremiah M. Callahan, Michael J. Wieckowski
  • Patent number: 11791174
    Abstract: A semiconductor manufacturing apparatus includes a chuck stage, a scrubber nozzle, a scrubber nozzle scan mechanism, a stage rotation mechanism, and a holding stage including a holding fluid nozzle and a top plate, the top plate having one main surface facing an opposite surface of a wafer, and the holding fluid nozzle being disposed adjacent to a center rather than a periphery portion of the top plate. A holding fluid discharged from the holding fluid nozzle is caused to flow through an area between the opposite surface of the wafer and the one main surface of the top plate to produce holding force, and the holding force causes the opposite surface to hold pressure applied to a processing surface of the wafer by a scrubbing fluid discharged from the scrubber nozzle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2023
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventor: Hiroshi Tanaka
  • Patent number: 11786100
    Abstract: A dishwasher (1) for cleaning washware items (2) in the form of drinking vessels is configured as a counter module of a counter system and includes at least one treatment zone (3) having a placement area (4) associated with the treatment zone (3) and a removal area (5) associated with the treatment zone (3), wherein the washware item (2) can be placed into the treatment zone (3) via the placement area (4) and the cleaned washware item (2) can be removed from the treatment zone (3) via the removal area (5), wherein the placement area (4) and the removal area (5) are disposed opposite one another with the interposition of the treatment zone (3). At least one bracket (15) is provided in the treatment zone (3) for in releasably securing and/or positioning the washware item (2) placed onto a placement surface (20) in the treatment zone (3).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2023
    Assignee: ILLINOIS TOOL WORKS INC.
    Inventors: Harald Disch, Martin Schrempp, Adrian Boldt, Axel Beck, Jeffrey R. Newcomer
  • Patent number: 11761138
    Abstract: Disposed is a laundry treating apparatus having a rotator. The rotator includes a bottom portion positioned on a bottom surface of a drum, a pillar protruding from the bottom portion toward an open surface of the drum, wherein the pillar is formed in a hollow shape, a blade protruding from an outer circumferential surface of the pillar, wherein the blade extends from one end thereof facing toward the bottom surface to the other end thereof facing toward the open surface, and a cap coupled to an end of the pillar to close an interior of the pillar, and the blade is disposed such that the other end thereof is spaced apart from the cap. Accordingly, it is possible to minimize deformation of the pillar in manufacturing the rotator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2023
    Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventor: Junghyun Park