Patents by Inventor MEREDITH A. WAGNER

MEREDITH A. WAGNER 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).

  • Structural block for supporting a rotating drum within a laundry appliance
    Patent number: 11668040
    Abstract: A laundry appliance includes a rotating drum that receives laundry to be treated. A motor rotates a drive shaft about a vertical axis and engages the rotating drum at a base. A coupler is disposed within an upper portion of the base and that rests upon the drive shaft to transfer rotational forces from the drive shaft to the drum. A lower portion of the base engages an outer surface of the shaft to resist moment forces that are exerted against the drive shaft in an off-axis direction relative to the vertical axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 24, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2023
    Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
    Inventors: Nicholas C. Fugal, Bradley D. Morrow, Joseph C. O'Connor, Prabhath KV, Jason S. Sabel, Christine L. Strain, Meredith A. Wagner, Robert C. Williams
  • STRUCTURAL BLOCK FOR SUPPORTING A ROTATING DRUM WITHIN A LAUNDRY APPLIANCE
    Publication number: 20210079580
    Abstract: A laundry appliance includes a rotating drum that receives laundry to be treated. A motor rotates a drive shaft about a vertical axis and engages the rotating drum at a base. A coupler is disposed within an upper portion of the base and that rests upon the drive shaft to transfer rotational forces from the drive shaft to the drum. A lower portion of the base engages an outer surface of the shaft to resist moment forces that are exerted against the drive shaft in an off-axis direction relative to the vertical axis.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 24, 2020
    Publication date: March 18, 2021
    Applicant: WHIRLPOOL CORPORATION
    Inventors: Nicholas C. Fugal, Bradley D. Morrow, Joseph C. O'Connor, Prabhath KV, Jason S. Sabel, Christine L. Strain, Meredith A. Wagner, Robert C. Williams
  • Structural block for supporting a rotating drum within a laundry appliance
    Patent number: 10907293
    Abstract: A laundry appliance includes a rotating drum that receives laundry to be treated. A motor rotates a drive shaft about a vertical axis and engages the rotating drum at a base. A coupler is disposed within an upper portion of the base and that rests upon the drive shaft to transfer rotational forces from the drive shaft to the drum. A lower portion of the base engages an outer surface of the shaft to resist moment forces that are exerted against the drive shaft in an off-axis direction relative to the vertical axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2021
    Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
    Inventors: Nicholas C. Fugal, Bradley D. Morrow, Joseph C. O'Connor, Prabhath KV, Jason S. Sabel, Christine L. Strain, Meredith A. Wagner, Robert C. Williams
  • STRUCTURAL BLOCK FOR SUPPORTING A ROTATING DRUM WITHIN A LAUNDRY APPLIANCE
    Publication number: 20190161899
    Abstract: A laundry appliance includes a rotating drum that receives laundry to be treated. A motor rotates a drive shaft about a vertical axis and engages the rotating drum at a base. A coupler is disposed within an upper portion of the base and that rests upon the drive shaft to transfer rotational forces from the drive shaft to the drum. A lower portion of the base engages an outer surface of the shaft to resist moment forces that are exerted against the drive shaft in an off-axis direction relative to the vertical axis.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 30, 2017
    Publication date: May 30, 2019
    Applicant: WHIRLPOOL CORPORATION
    Inventors: Nicholas C. Fugal, Bradley D. Morrow, Joseph C. O'Connor, Prabhath KV, Jason S. Sabel, Christine L. Strain, Meredith A. Wagner, Robert C. Williams
  • Laundry treating appliance for limiting water usage in small loads
    Patent number: 10072369
    Abstract: A laundry treating appliance for treating laundry according to a cycle of operation includes a rotatable basket defining a laundry treating space and having a bottom wall and a side wall. The bottom wall of the rotatable basket includes at least one drain hole. A centrifugally actuated valve comprising a weighted ball is positioned to selectively open and close the at least one drain hole as the basket rotates.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 11, 2018
    Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
    Inventors: Sarah Galea, Christopher A. Jones, Aaron A. Linden, Thomas D. Spicer, Meredith A. Wagner, Robert C. Williams
  • LAUNDRY TREATING APPLIANCE FOR LIMITING WATER USAGE IN SMALL LOADS
    Publication number: 20170314178
    Abstract: A laundry treating appliance for treating laundry according to a cycle of operation includes a rotatable basket defining a laundry treating space and having a bottom wall and a side wall. The bottom wall of the rotatable basket includes at least one drain hole. A centrifugally actuated valve comprising a weighted ball is positioned to selectively open and close the at least one drain hole as the basket rotates.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 27, 2016
    Publication date: November 2, 2017
    Inventors: SARAH GALEA, CHRISTOPHER A. JONES, AARON A. LINDEN, THOMAS D. SPICER, MEREDITH A. WAGNER, ROBERT C. WILLIAMS