Patents by Inventor Christopher G. Hoppe

Christopher G. Hoppe 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).

  • Publication number: 20240102220
    Abstract: An impeller for a laundry washing machine having one or more scooping members. The one or more scooping member may include a variety of positions relative to the impeller. The one or more scooping members may pivot to one or more positions to direct or lift fluid. The one or more scooping members may define one or more fluid pathways.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 1, 2023
    Publication date: March 28, 2024
    Inventors: Bryan T. Snook, Christopher G. Hoppe
  • Patent number: 11866865
    Abstract: An impeller for a laundry washing machine having one or more scooping members. The one or more scooping member may include a variety of positions relative to the impeller. The one or more scooping members may pivot to one or more positions to direct or lift fluid. The one or more scooping members may define one or more fluid pathways.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2024
    Assignee: MIDEA GROUP CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Bryan T. Snook, Christopher G. Hoppe
  • Patent number: 11866868
    Abstract: A laundry washing machine and method detect the presence of outlier articles in a load of articles added to a wash tub based in part on color composition data collected from the load of articles using a color detection sensor. In some instances, color composition data may be used to generate an alert to a user to notify the user that an outlier article is potentially present in the load, and in some instances, color compensation data may be used to modify a load type selection to account for the presence of an outlier article in the load.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2024
    Assignee: MIDEA GROUP CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Phillip C. Hombroek, Abubakar Abukar, Christopher G. Hoppe
  • Publication number: 20230235497
    Abstract: A wash drum apparatus and method of adjusting the wash capacity for a laundry washing machine. The wash drum may include one or more rear cover inserts that may adjust the wash capacity of the wash drum. The rear cover insert may include one or more impellers. The wash drum may include a rear cover.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 30, 2023
    Publication date: July 27, 2023
    Inventors: Christopher G. Hoppe, Phillip C. Hombroek, Bryan T. Snook
  • Patent number: 11629448
    Abstract: A wash drum apparatus and method of adjusting the wash capacity for a laundry washing machine. The wash drum may include one or more rear cover inserts that may adjust the wash capacity of the wash drum. The rear cover insert may include one or more impellers. The wash drum may include a rear cover.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2023
    Assignee: MIDEA GROUP CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Christopher G. Hoppe, Phillip C. Hombroek, Bryan T. Snook
  • Publication number: 20220195653
    Abstract: A laundry washing machine and method detect the presence of outlier articles in a load of articles added to a wash tub based in part on color composition data collected from the load of articles using a color detection sensor. In some instances, color composition data may be used to generate an alert to a user to notify the user that an outlier article is potentially present in the load, and in some instances, color compensation data may be used to modify a load type selection to account for the presence of an outlier article in the load.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 18, 2020
    Publication date: June 23, 2022
    Inventors: Phillip C. Hombroek, Abubakar Abukar, Christopher G. Hoppe
  • Patent number: 11230803
    Abstract: A laundry washing machine and method automate the selection of a load type for a laundry washing machine during an initial fill phase of a wash cycle and based in part on weight and fluid level sensed by weight and fluid level sensors operatively coupled to a wash tub and after a selected amount of water has been dispensed into the wash tub.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 25, 2022
    Assignee: MIDEA GROUP CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Phillip C. Hombroek, Christopher G. Hoppe
  • Patent number: 11091867
    Abstract: A laundry washing machine and method may use a distance sensor to determine dry and wet distance values associated with a load disposed in a wash tub, and dynamically configure a wash cycle based upon the determined values. In some instances, the distance sensor may also be used to detect an excessive fluid level, excessive foaming, or a floating item in the wash tub.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 17, 2021
    Assignee: MIDEA GROUP CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Christopher G. Hoppe, Phillip C. Hombroek
  • Patent number: 11072879
    Abstract: A laundry washing machine and method utilize a fluid property sensor to dynamically select between different types of rinse operations, e.g., fill rinse operations or spin rinse operations, performed during a wash cycle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 27, 2021
    Inventors: Phillip C. Hombroek, Christopher G. Hoppe
  • Patent number: 10988882
    Abstract: A laundry treatment appliance, program product and method utilize a slider-based user interface to facilitate user selection of settings for a laundry treatment cycle. A slider-based user interface, for example, may include a fabric slider control that receives user input that selects from among a plurality of fabric selections and a cycle modifier slider control that receives user input that selects from among a plurality of cycle modifier selections capable of increasing and/or decreasing various default settings associated with various fabric selections.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 27, 2021
    Assignee: MIDEA GROUP CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Christopher G. Hoppe, Bryan T. Snook
  • Patent number: 10975513
    Abstract: A wash tub apparatus and method of manufacturing the wash tub for a laundry washing machine. The wash tub may include a bearing housing shell and a bearing housing insert. The bearing housing insert may include at least one bearing. The bearing housing shell may be overmolded with a plastic portion of the cylindrical tub.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2021
    Assignee: MIDEA GROUP CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Bryan T. Snook, Christopher G. Hoppe
  • Publication number: 20200392659
    Abstract: An impeller for a laundry washing machine having one or more scooping members. The one or more scooping member may include a variety of positions relative to the impeller. The one or more scooping members may pivot to one or more positions to direct or lift fluid. The one or more scooping members may define one or more fluid pathways.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 11, 2019
    Publication date: December 17, 2020
    Inventors: Bryan T. Snook, Christopher G. Hoppe
  • Patent number: 10858774
    Abstract: A laundry washing machine and method utilize weight, fluid level and fluid property sensors to dynamically select a load type, control a wash cycle and control an amount of detergent dispensed during a wash cycle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 8, 2020
    Assignee: MIDEA GROUP CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Phillip C. Hombroek, Christopher G. Hoppe
  • Patent number: 10851487
    Abstract: An appliance and method utilize a context-sensitive fixed-position user interface including cycle type controls used to select a cycle type and cycle configuration controls used to configure settings associated with particular cycle types. Indicators of the cycle type and cycle configuration controls are selectively set to active or inactive states during cycle type selection and cycle configuration phases to facilitate user configuration of settings for the appliance prior to performing an appliance cycle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 1, 2020
    Assignee: MIDEA GROUP CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Christopher G. Hoppe
  • Patent number: 10767298
    Abstract: A stain removal tool for a laundry washing machine. The stain removal tool may be deployed from a stowed position and may be adapted to receive at least a portion of an article to substantially remove or treat a stain with water. The stain removal tool may have one or more nozzles upstream of the article.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 8, 2020
    Assignee: MIDEA GROUP CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Phillip C. Hombroek, Christopher G. Hoppe, Bryan T. Snook
  • Patent number: 10697108
    Abstract: A laundry washing machine and method implement dynamic damping force optimization during a wash cycle to optimize a force-generating operation such as a spin operation performed during the wash cycle. The dynamic damping force optimization may utilize inputs from a suspension force sensor in combination with an accelerometer to dynamically determine a damping capability for a suspension of a laundry washing machine such that damping in the suspension system may be maintained within the damping capability of the suspension system to balance operation performance against the generation of undesirable forces and vibrations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 30, 2020
    Assignee: MIDEA GROUP CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Christopher G. Hoppe, Phillip C. Hombroek
  • Patent number: 10584434
    Abstract: A stain removal tool for a laundry washing machine. The stain removal tool may be deployed from a stowed position and may be adapted to receive at least a portion of an article to substantially remove or treat a stain with water. The stain removal tool may have one or more nozzles upstream of the article.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 10, 2020
    Assignee: MIDEA GROUP CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Phillip C. Hombroek, Christopher G. Hoppe, Bryan T. Snook
  • Publication number: 20200002867
    Abstract: An appliance and method utilize a context-sensitive fixed-position user interface including cycle type controls used to select a cycle type and cycle configuration controls used to configure settings associated with particular cycle types. Indicators of the cycle type and cycle configuration controls are selectively set to active or inactive states during cycle type selection and cycle configuration phases to facilitate user configuration of settings for the appliance prior to performing an appliance cycle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 28, 2018
    Publication date: January 2, 2020
    Inventor: Christopher G. Hoppe
  • Patent number: D875332
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 11, 2020
    Inventors: Zhe Zhang, Donghwan Yang, Jing Pan, Su Qin, Christopher G. Hoppe
  • Patent number: D876033
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2020
    Inventors: Donghwan Yang, Zhe Zhang, Su Qin, Jing Pan, Christopher G. Hoppe