Patents by Inventor BRIAN A. BLACK

BRIAN A. BLACK has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 11668041
    Abstract: A household appliance for treating at least one item according to at least one cycle of operation includes a treating chamber for receiving the at least one item for treatment according to the at least one cycle of operation, a treating chemistry dispenser receiving a unit dose container having an electrically conductive element, a physical alteration element located proximate to the treating chemistry dispenser and operable to physically alter at least a portion of the electrically conductive element and a sensor for sensing the physical alteration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2023
    Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
    Inventors: Benjamin E. Alexander, Brian A. Black, Thomas A. Latack, Matthew D. Rhodes
  • Publication number: 20210372024
    Abstract: A household appliance for treating at least one item according to at least one cycle of operation includes a treating chamber for receiving the at least one item for treatment according to the at least one cycle of operation, a treating chemistry dispenser receiving a unit dose container having an electrically conductive element, a physical alteration element located proximate to the treating chemistry dispenser and operable to physically alter at least a portion of the electrically conductive element and a sensor for sensing the physical alteration.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 17, 2021
    Publication date: December 2, 2021
    Inventors: BENJAMIN E. ALEXANDER, BRIAN A. BLACK, THOMAS A. LATACK, MATTHEW D. RHODES
  • Patent number: 11111621
    Abstract: A household appliance for treating at least one item according to at least one cycle of operation includes a treating chamber for receiving the at least one item for treatment according to the at least one cycle of operation, a treating chemistry dispenser receiving a unit dose container having an electrically conductive element, a physical alteration element located proximate to the treating chemistry dispenser and operable to physically alter at least a portion of the electrically conductive element and a sensor for sensing the physical alteration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 7, 2021
    Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
    Inventors: Benjamin E. Alexander, Brian A. Black, Thomas A. Latack, Matthew D. Rhodes
  • Patent number: 10271708
    Abstract: A household appliance having a treating chamber in which is received an article for treatment, a treating chemistry dispenser configured to receive a unit dose container for the treating chemistry, and a controller for executing at least one cycle of operation and a method of operating the household appliance to physically alter a unit dose container in conjunction with a cycle of operation and sensing same.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 4, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2019
    Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
    Inventors: Benjamin E. Alexander, Brian A. Black, Thomas A. Latack, Matthew D. Rhodes
  • Publication number: 20180135226
    Abstract: A household appliance for treating at least one item according to at least one cycle of operation includes a treating chamber for receiving the at least one item for treatment according to the at least one cycle of operation, a treating chemistry dispenser receiving a unit dose container having an electrically conductive element, a physical alteration element located proximate to the treating chemistry dispenser and operable to physically alter at least a portion of the electrically conductive element and a sensor for sensing the physical alteration.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 11, 2018
    Publication date: May 17, 2018
    Inventors: BENJAMIN E. ALEXANDER, BRIAN A. BLACK, THOMAS A. LATACK, MATTHEW D. RHODES
  • Patent number: 9970148
    Abstract: A household appliance for treating at least one item according to at least one cycle of operation includes a treating chamber for receiving the at least one item for treatment according to the at least one cycle of operation, a treating chemistry dispenser receiving a unit dose container having an electrically conductive element, a physical alteration element located proximate to the treating chemistry dispenser and operable to physically alter at least a portion of the electrically conductive element and a sensor for sensing the physical alteration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2018
    Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
    Inventors: Benjamin E. Alexander, Brian A. Black, Thomas A. Latack, Matthew D. Rhodes
  • Publication number: 20160338565
    Abstract: A household appliance having a treating chamber in which is received an article for treatment, a treating chemistry dispenser configured to receive a unit dose container for the treating chemistry, and a controller for executing at least one cycle of operation and a method of operating the household appliance to physically alter a unit dose container in conjunction with a cycle of operation and sensing same.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 4, 2016
    Publication date: November 24, 2016
    Inventors: BENJAMIN E. ALEXANDER, BRIAN A. BLACK, THOMAS A. LATACK, MATTHEW D. RHODES
  • Patent number: 9416482
    Abstract: A household appliance having a treating chamber in which is received an article for treatment, a treating chemistry dispenser configured to receive a unit dose container for the treating chemistry, and a controller for executing at least one cycle of operation and a method of operating the household appliance to physically alter a unit dose container in conjunction with a at least one cycle of operation and sensing same.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2016
    Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
    Inventors: Benjamin E. Alexander, Brian A. Black, Thomas A. Latack, Matthew D. Rhodes
  • Patent number: 9271627
    Abstract: A household appliance for treating at least one item according to at least one cycle of operation, includes a treating chamber for receiving the at least one item for treatment according to the at least one cycle of operation, a treating chemistry dispenser receiving a unit dose container having an optically sensible element, a physical alteration element located proximate to the treating chemistry dispenser and operable to physically alter at least a portion of the optically sensible element, and a sensor to sense the physical alteration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2016
    Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
    Inventors: Benjamin E. Alexander, Brian A. Black, Thomas A. Latack, Matthew D. Rhodes
  • Patent number: 9139951
    Abstract: A method of operating a household appliance to vary the thermal output of the electric heater by selectively coupling heating elements between power supply mains.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 22, 2015
    Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
    Inventors: Ryan R. Bellinger, Brian A. Black
  • Publication number: 20140060594
    Abstract: A household appliance for treating at least one item according to at least one cycle of operation, includes a treating chamber for receiving the at least one item for treatment according to the at least one cycle of operation, a treating chemistry dispenser receiving a unit dose container having an optically sensible element, a physical alteration element located proximate to the treating chemistry dispenser and operable to physically alter at least a portion of the optically sensible element, and a sensor to sense the physical alteration.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 28, 2012
    Publication date: March 6, 2014
    Applicant: WHIRLPOOL CORPORATION
    Inventors: BENJAMIN E. ALEXANDER, BRIAN A. BLACK, THOMAS A. LATACK, MATTHEW D. RHODES
  • Publication number: 20140060595
    Abstract: A household appliance for treating at least one item according to at least one cycle of operation includes a treating chamber for receiving the at least one item for treatment according to the at least one cycle of operation, a treating chemistry dispenser receiving a unit dose container having an electrically conductive element, a physical alteration element located proximate to the treating chemistry dispenser and operable to physically alter at least a portion of the electrically conductive element and a sensor for sensing the physical alteration.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 28, 2012
    Publication date: March 6, 2014
    Applicant: WHIRLPOOL CORPORATION
    Inventors: BENJAMIN E. ALEXANDER, BRIAN A. BLACK, THOMAS A. LATACK, MATTHEW D. RHODES
  • Publication number: 20140060581
    Abstract: A household appliance having a treating chamber in which is received an article for treatment, a treating chemistry dispenser configured to receive a unit dose container for the treating chemistry, and a controller for executing at least one cycle of operation and a method of operating the household appliance to physically alter a unit dose container in conjunction with a at least one cycle of operation and sensing same.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 28, 2012
    Publication date: March 6, 2014
    Applicant: WHIRLPOOL CORPORATION
    Inventors: BENJAMIN E. ALEXANDER, BRIAN A. BLACK, THOMAS A. LATACK, MATTHEW D. RHODES
  • Publication number: 20140033559
    Abstract: A method of operating a household appliance to vary the thermal output of the electric heater by selectively coupling heating elements between power supply mains.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 6, 2012
    Publication date: February 6, 2014
    Applicant: WHIRLPOOL CORPORATION
    Inventors: RYAN R. BELLINGER, BRIAN A. BLACK