Patents by Inventor James L. Willis

James L. Willis 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: 5996668
    Abstract: A blind assembly having a frame entrapping a set of blinds. The frame has an integral track upon which tilt and height control mechanisms are slidably mounted. A height control mechanism is slidably mounted on a vertical portion of the track, and the blinds are raised and lowered by movement of this mechanism. The mechanism is connected to a lift cord retained within the track and hidden from the user's view. This mechanism further includes a spring lock to engage the track and lock the mechanism, and thus the blinds, in a stationary position. A tilt control mechanism is slidably mounted on a horizontal portion of the track, and the blinds are opened and closed by movement of this mechanism. The blinds are protected behind a pane of glass or clear plastic.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 1998
    Date of Patent: December 7, 1999
    Assignee: ODL, Incorporated
    Inventors: David A. DeBlock, Errol S. Pearsons, James L. Willis
  • Patent number: 5890621
    Abstract: A drinking device adapted for use by young children includes a cap adapted to sealingly cover a drinking cup. The cap has a spout and a mount, and a valve cartridge removably attached to the mount for controlling fluid flow through the spout. The valve cartridge is removable for easy cleaning or replacement, and includes a valve holder that manually, frictionally pressfits into a barrel-shaped mounting flange on the cap. The valve holder includes a grip to facilitate removal of the valve cartridge from the cap. A valve retainer snap-attaches to the valve holder to hold a silicon rubber valve in place on the valve holder. The valve includes a head section with slits that define cooperating valve fingers that cooperate to selectively allow fluid to flow out of the spout or to allow air to flow back into the cup, thus allowing the valve to operate as a single and only valve on the drinking cup.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 1996
    Date of Patent: April 6, 1999
    Assignee: Gerber Products Company
    Inventors: Rebecca J. Bachman, James L. Willis, Robert C. Coon, Wesley D. Mersman
  • Patent number: 5666764
    Abstract: An improved refrigerator hinge assembly which provides for maintaining the proper adjusted position of a refrigerator door with respect to its associated cabinet. A factory setting of the refrigerator door can be accurately maintained with precision even after the hinges are removed for field installation of the refrigerator such as to pass a refrigerator through narrow doorways. A tap plate is located behind the cabinet cladding and has "wrapper" or hinge screw holes for clamping the position of the external hinge with hinge screws, while allowing for factory adjustment of the door position. After the door is factory adjusted in position, a supplemental mechanism is applied to fix the tap plate in the factory position independent of the hinge screws, such as an epoxy application or a separate and independent drill screw applied through the cabinet and engaging the tap plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 23, 1994
    Date of Patent: September 16, 1997
    Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
    Inventors: Scott M. Beatty, David Foss, James L. Willis
  • Patent number: 5329786
    Abstract: An ice making apparatus includes a mold in which water is frozen to form an ice body. Also included are an electric motor and an ejector blade for ejecting the ice body from the mold. An electric heater in heat transfer association with the mold is operable to free the ice bodies from the mold prior to the ejector blade ejecting the ice bodies. A control circuit includes a thermostat responsive to temperature of water in the mold. A thermostat switch is controlled by the thermostat to initiate operation of the motor for ejecting the ice body upon complete freezing thereof and concurrently energizing the heater. Art electric circuit includes the thermostat switch, the motor and a second switch controlled by the operation of the motor for maintaining energization of the motor independently of the first switch and causing the thermostat switch to control further energization of the heater whereby the thermostat switch de-energizes the heater within a single revolution of the ejector blade.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 1992
    Date of Patent: July 19, 1994
    Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
    Inventors: James L. Willis, James R. Giordano
  • Patent number: 5261248
    Abstract: An ice making apparatus includes a mold in which water is frozen to form an ice body. Also included are an electric motor and an ejector blade for ejecting the ice body from the mold. An ice body collecting bin located subjacent the ice making apparatus collects ice ejected from the mold. A sensing or bail arm extends downwardly into the collecting bin to sense the level of the ice bodies in the bin. The sensing arm is pivotally mounted to the ice maker, and includes a free end which is supported by a spacer mounted to the ice maker. The spacer positions the free end away from the path between the mold and the bin, thereby preventing blockage of ice bodies by the free end. The ice maker includes structure for suspending operation of the ice maker in the event that the sensing arm is obstructed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 1992
    Date of Patent: November 16, 1993
    Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
    Inventors: James L. Willis, Tariq A. Diab
  • Patent number: 5160094
    Abstract: An ice making apparatus includes a mold in which water is frozen to form an ice body. Also included are an electric motor and an ejector blade for ejecting the ice body from the mold. An electric heater in heat transfer association with the mold is operable to free the ice bodies from the mold prior to the ejector blade ejecting the ice bodies. A control circuit includes a thermostat responsive to temperature of water in the mold. A thermostat switch is controlled by the thermostat to initiate operation of the motor for ejecting the ice body upon complete freezing thereof and concurrently energizing the heater. An electric circuit includes the thermostat switch, the motor and a second switch controlled by the operation of the motor for maintaining energization of the motor independently of the first switch and causing the thermostat switch to control further energization of the heater whereby the thermostat switch de-energizes the heater within a single revolution of the ejector blade.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 1992
    Date of Patent: November 3, 1992
    Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
    Inventors: James L. Willis, James R. Giordano