Patents by Inventor Graeme D. Thomas

Graeme D. Thomas 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).

  • Electric motor for clothes washing machine drive
    Patent number: 5353613
    Abstract: An electric motor (2) for a clothes washing machine including the motor and a drive, the motor having a stator (25) held outboard of a frame carrying bearings (37, 38) in which a shaft (11) rotates, the shaft carrying the rotor (21) outboard of the stator (25), and permanent magnets (17) on an inner face of the rotor. The stator (25) is formed as an annular helical yoke edgewise wound from a strip of magnetic material and having an inner face and an outer face, the strip having pole pieces (8) formed integrally therewith extending from one edge of the strip and the strip being edgewise wound whereby the pole pieces coincide in stacked groups to form a plurality of poles arranged at equally spaced intervals extending radially outwardly from the outer face of the yoke.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 1993
    Date of Patent: October 11, 1994
    Assignee: Fisher & Paykel, Limited
    Inventors: Dennis E. Smith, John J. A. Williams, Gerald D. Duncan, Graeme D. Thomas, John G. Borrows, Frank W. Shacklock
  • Electric motor for clothes washing machine drive
    Patent number: 5266855
    Abstract: An electric motor (2) for a clothes washing machine including the motor and a drive, the motor having a stator (25) held outboard of a frame carrying bearings (37, 38) in which a shaft (11) rotates, the shaft carrying the rotor (21) outboard of the stator (25), and permanent magnets (17) on an inner face of the rotor. The stator (25) is formed as an annular helical yoke edgewise wound from a strip of magnetic material and having an inner face and an outer face, the strip having pole pieces (8) formed integrally therewith extending from one edge of the strip and the strip being edgewise wound whereby the pole pieces coincide in stacked groups to form a plurality of poles arranged at equally spaced intervals extending radially outwardly from the outer face of the yoke.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 1990
    Date of Patent: November 30, 1993
    Assignee: Fisher & Paykel, Limited
    Inventors: Dennis E. Smith, John J. A. Williams, Gerald D. Duncan, Graeme D. Thomas, Frank W. Shacklock
  • Intermediate bearing drives for clothes washing machines
    Patent number: 4853571
    Abstract: An electric motor, a drive and a clothes washing machine including the motor and drive, the motor having a stator held outboard of a frame carrying bearings in which a shaft rotates, the shaft carrying the rotor outboard of the stator, the rotor having permanent magnets on an inner face thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 1988
    Date of Patent: August 1, 1989
    Assignee: Fisher & Paykel Limited
    Inventors: Dennis E. Smith, John J. A. Williams, Gerald D. Duncan, Graeme D. Thomas, John G. Borrows, Frank W. Shacklock
  • Drives for clothes washing machines
    Patent number: 4813248
    Abstract: An electric motor, a drive and a clothes washing machine including the motor and drive are described, the motor having a stator held outboard of a frame carrying bearings in which a shaft rotates, the shaft carrying the rotor outboard of the stator, the rotor having permanent magnets on an inner face thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 2, 1988
    Date of Patent: March 21, 1989
    Assignee: Fisher & Paykel Limited
    Inventors: Dennis E. Smith, John J. A. Williams, Gerald D. Duncan, Graeme D. Thomas, John G. Borrows, Frank W. Shacklock
  • Automatic clothes washing machines
    Patent number: 4307588
    Abstract: A clothes washing machine has a cabinet with either a back panel or front panel integral with two side panels and a removable front back panel. A platform integral with or mounted on stiffening members is fixed to the cabinet intermediate of the height thereof by shear resistant fastenings and a lightweight outer container containing an inner perforated frame is mounted on the platform. The washing and spinning mechanism is also supported by the platform.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 1980
    Date of Patent: December 29, 1981
    Assignee: Fisher & Paykel Limited
    Inventors: Dennis E. Smith, Graeme D. Thomas, Keith D. Ferguson