Patents by Inventor Randy S. McDonald

Randy S. McDonald 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: 11859337
    Abstract: An appliance latch receives a strike when the appliance lid is closed and provides an electrically activated lock holding the lid closed during portions of the wash cycle that might present a hazard. The strike presents two different surfaces to the latch, the first to activate a lock mechanism and the second to activate an anti-tamper switch before the appliance may be actuated thereby reducing the risk of tampering.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2024
    Assignee: Illinois Tool Works Inc.
    Inventors: Randy S. McDonald, Joel C. Bragg, Jeffrey J. Krieger
  • Patent number: 11352731
    Abstract: An appliance lid lock mechanism provides a lock pin that may be extended into or withdrawn out of a lock cavity that receives a strike attached to the appliance lid interacting with the lock pin when the lid is closed. The lock pin communicates with the electric actuator on the opposite side of the lock pin from the lock pin's entry into the lock cavity by means of sidebars passing to the side of the lock cavity. The lock bar and sidebars are substantially coplanar with an actuation axis to prevent passage of liquid along these elements between the lock pin and the actuator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2022
    Assignee: Illinois Tool Works Inc.
    Inventors: Randy S. McDonald, Jeffrey J. Krieger, Michael K. Hintz
  • Publication number: 20200340164
    Abstract: An appliance latch receives a strike when the appliance lid is closed and provides an electrically activated lock holding the lid closed during portions of the wash cycle that might present a hazard. The strike presents two different surfaces to the latch, the first to activate a lock mechanism and the second to activate an anti-tamper switch before the appliance may be actuated thereby reducing the risk of tampering.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 10, 2020
    Publication date: October 29, 2020
    Inventors: Randy S. McDonald, Joel C. Bragg, Jeffrey J. Krieger
  • Patent number: 10745846
    Abstract: An appliance latch receives a strike when the appliance lid is closed and provides an electrically activated lock holding the lid closed during portions of the wash cycle that might present a hazard. The strike presents two different surfaces to the latch, the first to activate a lock mechanism and the second to activate an anti-tamper switch before the appliance may be actuated thereby reducing the risk of tampering.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2020
    Assignee: Illinois Tool Works Inc.
    Inventors: Randy S. McDonald, Joel C. Bragg, Jeffrey J. Krieger
  • Patent number: 10590587
    Abstract: A latch system provides a latch striker including a flexible arm that can navigate a hook on the latch striker through an aperture in a corresponding latch mechanism. The aperture provides a tortuous passageway through which a hook on the latch striker must pass to activate an internal switch allowing operation of the appliance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2020
    Assignee: Illinois Tool Works Inc.
    Inventors: Joseph M. Finney, Randy S. McDonald
  • Publication number: 20190284744
    Abstract: An appliance latch receives a strike when the appliance lid is closed and provides an electrically activated lock holding the lid closed during portions of the wash cycle that might present a hazard. The strike presents two different surfaces to the latch, the first to activate a lock mechanism and the second to activate an anti-tamper switch before the appliance may be actuated thereby reducing the risk of tampering.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 4, 2019
    Publication date: September 19, 2019
    Inventors: Randy S. McDonald, Joel C. Bragg, Jeffrey J. Krieger
  • Patent number: 10316454
    Abstract: An appliance latch receives a strike when the appliance lid is closed and provides an electrically activated lock holding the lid closed during portions of the wash cycle that might present a hazard. The strike presents two different surfaces to the latch, the first to activate a lock mechanism and the second to activate an anti-tamper switch before the appliance may be actuated thereby reducing the risk of tampering.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2019
    Assignee: Illinois Tool Works Inc.
    Inventors: Randy S. McDonald, Joel C. Bragg, Jeffrey J. Krieger
  • Patent number: 10247175
    Abstract: A seal assembly for a wax motor or the like provides an elastomeric seal, fitting against an actuator shaft that may slide through the elastomeric seal, where the elastomeric seal has mold flash regions that are displaced from the contact area between the shaft and the elastomeric seal significantly increasing elastomeric seal life.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2019
    Assignee: Illinois Tool Works Inc.
    Inventors: Randy S. McDonald, Brian A. Stelloh
  • Publication number: 20180371800
    Abstract: An appliance lid lock mechanism provides a lock pin that may be extended into or withdrawn out of a lock cavity that receives a strike attached to the appliance lid interacting with the lock pin when the lid is closed. The lock pin communicates with the electric actuator on the opposite side of the lock pin from the lock pin's entry into the lock cavity by means of sidebars passing to the side of the lock cavity. The lock bar and sidebars are substantially coplanar with an actuation axis to prevent passage of liquid along these elements between the lock pin and the actuator.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 15, 2018
    Publication date: December 27, 2018
    Inventors: Randy S. McDonald, Jeffrey J. Krieger, Michael K. Hintz
  • Publication number: 20160376742
    Abstract: An appliance latch receives a strike when the appliance lid is closed and provides an electrically activated lock holding the lid closed during portions of the wash cycle that might present a hazard. The strike presents two different surfaces to the latch, the first to activate a lock mechanism and the second to activate an anti-tamper switch before the appliance may be actuated thereby reducing the risk of tampering.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 9, 2014
    Publication date: December 29, 2016
    Inventors: Randy S. MCDONALD, Joel C. BRAGG, Jeffrey J. KRIEGER
  • Publication number: 20160251793
    Abstract: A latch system provides a latch striker including a flexible arm that can navigate a hook on the latch striker through an aperture in a corresponding latch mechanism. The aperture provides a tortuous passageway through which a hook on the latch striker must pass to activate an internal switch allowing operation of the appliance.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 3, 2014
    Publication date: September 1, 2016
    Inventors: Joseph M. FINNEY, Randy S. MCDONALD
  • Publication number: 20160069330
    Abstract: A seal assembly for a wax motor or the like provides an elastomeric seal, fitting against an actuator shaft that may slide through the elastomeric seal, where the elastomeric seal has mold flash regions that are displaced from the contact area between the shaft and the elastomeric seal significantly increasing elastomeric seal life.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 27, 2014
    Publication date: March 10, 2016
    Inventors: Randy S. MCDONALD, Brian A. STELLOH
  • Patent number: 8736406
    Abstract: A latch for a washing machine or other appliance provides two interengaging elements on a lid and housing each having a magnet oriented for mutual repulsion. Proper repulsion of the magnets is necessary to signal that the lid is properly closed such as may be used to determine if the appliance may be locked and safely operated, for example, in a clothes spinning mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 27, 2014
    Assignee: Illinois Tool Works Inc.
    Inventors: Kenyon A Hapke, Joel C Bragg, Michael K Hintz, Randy S McDonald, Mark R Heckenkamp, Jonathan H Olson, Adrian J. Tengler, Jarod M Sulik
  • Publication number: 20120312594
    Abstract: A latch for a washing machine or other appliance provides two interengaging elements on a lid and housing each having a magnet oriented for mutual repulsion. Proper repulsion of the magnets is necessary to signal that the lid is properly closed such as may be used to determine if the appliance may be locked and safely operated, for example, in a clothes spinning mode.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 25, 2011
    Publication date: December 13, 2012
    Applicant: ILLINOIS TOOL WORKS INC.
    Inventors: Kenyon A. Hapke, Joel C. Bragg, Michael K. Hintz, Randy S. McDonald, Mark R. Heckenkamp, Jonathan H. Olson, Adrian J. Tengler, Jarod M. Sulik
  • Patent number: 7900979
    Abstract: A transportation-robust bi-stable latch mechanism preserves low actuation forces by means of an auxiliary mechanism blocking the effects of shock forces during transportation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2011
    Assignee: Illinois Tool Works, Inc.
    Inventors: Joel C. Bragg, Kenyon A. Hapke, Michael K. Hintz, Randy S. McDonald, Michael S. Osvatic, Jarod M. Sulik