Patents by Inventor Robert K. Hollenbeck

Robert K. Hollenbeck 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: 4411664
    Abstract: An automatic clothes washing appliance of the vertical axis type for a clothes washing operation having a plurality of cycles including wash and spin cycles incorporating a tub, a clothes receiving basket movably supported in the tub, means for distributing fill water to the articles received in the basket, and a drive motor which selectively drives the basket for a wash mode and a spin mode. The control system for the appliance includes an arrangement for detecting the existence of a basket out-of-balance condition in the spin mode and initiates a rebalance operation which includes means to measure the basket rotational speed during the spin mode and means responsive to detection of basket rotational speed being less than a predetermined normal balanced basket rotational speed at a predetermined time in the spin cycle to interrupt the spin cycle and to actuate a rebalance cycle and thereafter to resume the spin cycle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 1982
    Date of Patent: October 25, 1983
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Jimmy R. Rickard, Robert K. Hollenbeck
  • Patent number: 4410329
    Abstract: An automatic clothes washing appliance of the type incorporating a stationary tub, a clothes receiving basket movably supported in the tub, a spray system for distributing fill water over the articles received in the basket, and a drive motor which selectively drives the basket for wash and spin cycle operation. The control system for the appliance includes an arrangement for detecting the existence of an oversuds condition in the tub and basket which is operative upon detection of an oversuds condition to interrupt appliance operation and initiate a corrective cycle which includes actuation of the spray system to spray water over the clothes in the basket. Upon completion of the corrective cycle, normal appliance operation is resumed from the point of interruption. In accordance with one aspect of the invention, the detection arrangement monitors motor speed to detect a change indicative of an increased load on the motor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 1981
    Date of Patent: October 18, 1983
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Theodore J. Blevins, Gerald L. Roberts, Robert K. Hollenbeck, Jimmy R. Rickard
  • Patent number: 4409532
    Abstract: A control arrangement for a reversible alternating current split phase induction motor of the type having a start winding electrically connected in parallel with a run winding, which controls the duty cycle of current in the start winding to selectively initiate rotation of the motor in the desired direction.In one form of the invention, a thyristor switching device is connected in series with the start winding to phase control the start winding current. An electronic controller triggers the thyristor into conduction at a first firing angle to initiate motor rotation in one direction and at a second firing angle to initiate motor rotation in the other direction. The first firing angle is less than 45.degree. and preferably in the range of 25.degree.-45.degree. relative to the supply voltage signal and the second firing angle is preferably in the range of 90.degree.-135.degree. relative to the supply voltage signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 1981
    Date of Patent: October 11, 1983
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Robert K. Hollenbeck, Jimmy R. Rickard