Patents by Inventor Daniel J. Trice

Daniel J. Trice 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: 12166357
    Abstract: An under-cabinet wireless power system is mountable to an underside of a wall cabinet that is positioned over a countertop and includes a wireless power transmitter capable of powering a wirelessly powered appliance positioned proximate thereto.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2024
    Assignee: MIDEA GROUP CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Daniel J. Trice, Brian Langness, Clayton James O′Donoghue, John Kenneth Hooker
  • Patent number: 12121147
    Abstract: A bracket for mounting an over-the-range cooking appliance that can be secured to a wall and support a cooking appliance. The bracket including a bracket body with top and rear portions, where the rear portion is secured to the wall so that the top portion is proximate an upper cabinet. The bracket further including a vent opening to engage an exhaust of the cooking appliance, and an integrated drill guide on the top portion of the bracket to align a drill bit for drilling an opening through the upper cabinet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2024
    Assignee: Midea Group Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Daniel J. Trice
  • Publication number: 20240334560
    Abstract: A countertop appliance includes an integrated wireless power system that is capable of supplying wireless power to a wirelessly powered appliance positioned proximate the countertop appliance, but that is also capable of being moved out of the way when not in use, thereby reducing the overall countertop footprint of the countertop appliance, while also reducing clutter and clearing the countertop for other uses. In some instances, the countertop appliance may cool a wireless power transmitter of the integrated wireless power system, and in some instances, the countertop appliance may be capable of controlling a wirelessly powered appliance while the wirelessly powered appliance is powered by the integrated wireless power system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 27, 2023
    Publication date: October 3, 2024
    Inventor: Daniel J. Trice
  • Publication number: 20240324810
    Abstract: A drip coffee maker includes a transformable filter support that is capable of transforming into a plurality of configurations to support different sizes and/or profiles of coffee filters and/or to support different types of coffee brewing operations. In some instances, for example, a transformable filter support may be configured to include one configuration suitable for supporting a narrow-profile cone filter when brewing a single cup and/or lower volume of coffee, as well as another configuration suitable for supporting a wide-profile basket filter when brewing a full pot and/or greater volume of coffee.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 29, 2023
    Publication date: October 3, 2024
    Inventors: Simon Fowler, Daniel J. Trice
  • Publication number: 20240314896
    Abstract: A backsplash wireless power system is mountable to a backsplash of a wall cabinet that is positioned adjacent to and above a countertop and includes a wireless power transmitter capable of powering a wirelessly powered appliance positioned proximate thereto.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 13, 2023
    Publication date: September 19, 2024
    Inventors: Daniel J. Trice, Brian M. Langness
  • Patent number: 12064033
    Abstract: A mounting bracket assembly for an appliance, such as an over-the-range cooking appliance, for mounting to an underside of a wall cabinet, where the cooking appliance includes having at least a rear-facing side and a top-facing side. The assembly includes a wall bracket configured to be secured to the wall near the wall cabinet and configured to support the enclosure on a ledge. The assembly also includes a cam rotatably mounted to the housing to rotatably engage a surface of the ledge to raise the appliance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2024
    Assignee: Midea Group Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Daniel J. Trice, Brian Langness
  • Patent number: 12044414
    Abstract: A microwave cooking appliance allowing better access into the cooking cavity. The microwave cooking appliance may include a portion of the cooking cavity articulating to a deployed position from the housing. The appliance may include one or more linkage members connected to the articulating cavity portion. The appliance may include a linkage track member guiding the one or more linkage members and/or articulating cavity portion between positions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2024
    Assignee: MIDEA GROUP CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Daniel J. Trice
  • Patent number: 12036588
    Abstract: A beverage container washing system may be used for rapid washing and/or sanitizing of beverage containers, e.g., for use in a retail environment to wash and/or sanitize customer-provided beverage containers prior to filling the beverage containers with purchased beverages, among other applications. The beverage container washing system may include a holder that utilizes a base that supports a beverage container in an inverted orientation and a retainer that supports a sidewall of the beverage container and includes a lateral opening through which the beverage container may be passed during insertion into and/or removal from the holder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2024
    Assignee: MIDEA GROUP CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Daniel J. Trice, Robert M. Digman, Eric Scalf
  • Patent number: 12035446
    Abstract: A microwave cooking appliance allowing better access into the cooking cavity. The microwave cooking appliance may include a bottom articulating from the housing. The appliance may include an actuator. The appliance may include one or more linkage members connected to the actuator and bottom. The appliance may include a linkage track guiding the one or more linkage members and/or bottom between positions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2024
    Assignee: MIDEA GROUP CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Daniel J. Trice
  • Publication number: 20240213801
    Abstract: An under-cabinet wireless power system is mountable to an underside of a wall cabinet that is positioned over a countertop and includes a wireless power transmitter capable of powering a wirelessly powered appliance positioned proximate thereto.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 22, 2022
    Publication date: June 27, 2024
    Inventors: Daniel J. Trice, Brian Langness, Clayton James O'Donoghue, John Kenneth Hooker
  • Patent number: 12011132
    Abstract: A beverage container washing system may be used for rapid washing and/or sanitizing of beverage containers, e.g., for use in a retail environment to wash and/or sanitize customer-provided beverage containers prior to filling the beverage containers with purchased beverages, among other applications. Separate entrance and exit openings may be provided in some instances to minimize employee interaction with unwashed customer beverage containers. A spray assembly may be used to spray wash fluid heated to a sanitizing temperature onto beverage containers and an ultraviolet sanitizing assembly may be used to emit ultraviolet light toward beverage containers. The spray assembly may also include a tank with first and second chambers and a cross-over with an inverted conduit fluidly coupling the first and second chambers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 18, 2024
    Assignee: MIDEA GROUP CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Robert M. Digman, Daniel J. Trice, Joel Boyer, John Kenneth Hooker, Bassam Fawaz
  • Patent number: 11998134
    Abstract: A sous vide device and method of using the same may include a body that is fully submergible in a container of water and may wirelessly communicate with an external device, e.g., to control an external heating element during sous vide cooking. Further, a sous vide device may include a rechargeable battery capable of being wirelessly recharged from a charging dock. In addition, a sous vide device may include a moisture sensor for use in changing the activation state of a heating element and/or a turbidity sensor for use in changing the activation state of a water circulator of the sous vide device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2024
    Assignee: MIDEA GROUP CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Daniel J. Trice, Robert Digman, Paul R. Staun
  • Publication number: 20240167581
    Abstract: A cooking appliance includes a plurality of cooktop burners, a plurality of control selectors having respective outputs representative of output levels for associated cooktop burners, a touch sensor having an output representative of a permission to operate any of the cooktop burners, and a controller configured to activate a selected cooktop burner in response to a two-step activation sequence initiated in response to user input directed to the touch sensor and to the associated control selector for the selected cooktop burner.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 30, 2024
    Publication date: May 23, 2024
    Inventors: Richard W. Cowan, Nathan E. Nelson, Daniel J. Trice
  • Publication number: 20240147584
    Abstract: An over-the-range cooking appliance for mounting to an underside of a wall cabinet, where the cooking appliance includes: an enclosure with a cooking cavity for food and where the enclosure includes at least a rear-facing side and a top-facing side; a wall bracket configured to be secured to the wall near the wall cabinet and configured to support the enclosure; and a cabinet bracket to support the enclosure from the underside of the wall cabinet. The cabinet bracket includes a first and second cooperating latch member, where the first cooperating latch member is mounted on the underside of the cabinet and the second cooperating latch member is mounted on the top-facing side of the enclosure. The cooperating latch members are respectively configured to latch to one another when the enclosure is supported on the wall bracket proximate the bottom of the rear-facing side thereof and tilted upwardly.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 29, 2023
    Publication date: May 2, 2024
    Inventors: Eric Scalf, Brian Langness, Daniel J. Trice, Guo Jun Zhang, Jared Speichinger
  • Publication number: 20240108163
    Abstract: A two dimensional brew selection interface is used to configure a plurality of brewing parameters used in a drip coffee brewing operation. The two dimensional brew selection interface may include a plurality of positions distributed across first and second dimensions, with each position mapped to a set of values for multiple brewing parameters such that selection of a position in the two dimensional brew selection interface enables the mapped values for the brewing parameters corresponding to the selected position to be used in the drip coffee brewing operation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 30, 2022
    Publication date: April 4, 2024
    Inventors: Simon Fowler, Daniel J. Trice
  • Publication number: 20240108191
    Abstract: A beverage container washing system may be used for rapid washing and/or sanitizing of beverage containers, e.g., for use in a retail environment to wash and/or sanitize customer-provided beverage containers prior to filling the beverage containers with purchased beverages, among other applications. Separate entrance and exit openings may be provided in some instances to minimize employee interaction with unwashed customer beverage containers, and a beverage container may be conveyed from the entrance opening to the exit opening past one or more stations using a holder that is capable of spinning the beverage container when the beverage container is disposed in at least one of the stations.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 30, 2022
    Publication date: April 4, 2024
    Inventors: Daniel J. Trice, Robert M. Digman
  • Patent number: 11927278
    Abstract: A system for a two-step activation for a valve includes at least one valve control selector having an output representative of a valve position and a touch sensor having an output representative of a permission to operate said valve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 2023
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2024
    Assignee: MIDEA GROUP CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Richard W. Cowan, Nathan E. Nelson, Daniel J. Trice
  • Publication number: 20240080949
    Abstract: A microwave cooking appliance for increasing visibility into the cooking cavity. The microwave cooking appliance may include a door. The door may include a conductive mesh layer. The door may include a frame supporting the conductive mesh layer. The door may include a conductive and/or sealing engagement between the conductive mesh layer and the frame.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 10, 2023
    Publication date: March 7, 2024
    Inventors: Daniel J. Trice, Brian Langness, Pierce Woodling
  • Publication number: 20240015861
    Abstract: A microwave cooking appliance for increasing visibility into the cooking cavity. The microwave cooking appliance may include a door. The door may include a conductive mesh layer. The door may include a frame supporting the conductive mesh layer. The door may include a conductive and/or sealing engagement between the conductive mesh layer and the frame. The door may include a leak detection device. The leak detection device may be adjacent the conductive and/or sealing engagement. The door may include a user interface display and/or a touch screen.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 25, 2023
    Publication date: January 11, 2024
    Inventors: Daniel J. Trice, Brian Langness, Pierce R. Woodling
  • Patent number: 11864296
    Abstract: An over-the-range cooking appliance for mounting to an underside of a wall cabinet, where the cooking appliance includes: an enclosure with a cooking cavity for food and where the enclosure includes at least a rear-facing side and a top-facing side; a wall bracket configured to be secured to the wall near the wall cabinet and configured to support the enclosure; and a cabinet bracket to support the enclosure from the underside of the wall cabinet. The cabinet bracket includes a first and second cooperating latch member, where the first cooperating latch member is mounted on the underside of the cabinet and the second cooperating latch member is mounted on the top-facing side of the enclosure. The cooperating latch members are respectively configured to latch to one another when the enclosure is supported on the wall bracket proximate the bottom of the rear-facing side thereof and tilted upwardly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2024
    Assignee: MIDEA GROUP CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Eric Scalf, Brian Langness, Daniel J. Trice, Guo Jun Zhang, Jared Speichinger