Patents by Inventor STEPHEN L. KERES
STEPHEN L. KERES 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).
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Patent number: 11739466Abstract: Apparatus and methods of reducing a likelihood of contact between a rotating laundry-container, such as a basket or drum, located within a tub of a laundry treating appliance where the method includes rotating the drum during a measurement period, determining a torque, speed, acceleration, and position of the drum, using a parameter estimator to estimate the position of a mass relative to an imbalance of laundry and accelerating the rotation of the drum when the mass is determined to be angularly spaced from the relative position of the imbalance of laundry.Type: GrantFiled: September 22, 2022Date of Patent: August 29, 2023Assignee: Whirlpool CorporationInventors: Christopher L. Borlin, Brian P. Janke, Joseph M. Keres, Stephen L. Keres, Guilherme Bencke Teixeira Da Silva, Adrian A. Rodriguez
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Publication number: 20230019059Abstract: Apparatus and methods of reducing a likelihood of contact between a rotating laundry-container, such as a basket or drum, located within a tub of a laundry treating appliance where the method includes rotating the drum during a measurement period, determining a torque, speed, acceleration, and position of the drum, using a parameter estimator to estimate the position of a mass relative to an imbalance of laundry and accelerating the rotation of the drum when the mass is determined to be angularly spaced from the relative position of the imbalance of laundry.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 22, 2022Publication date: January 19, 2023Inventors: CHRISTOPHER L. BORLIN, BRIAN P. JANKE, JOSEPH M. KERES, STEPHEN L. KERES, GUILHERME BENCKE TEIXEIRA DA SILVA, ADRIAN A. RODRIGUEZ
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Patent number: 11486074Abstract: Methods of reducing a likelihood of contact between a rotating laundry-container, such as a basket or drum, located within a tub of a laundry treating appliance where the method includes rotating the drum during a measurement period, determining a torque, speed, acceleration, and position of the drum, using a parameter estimator to estimate the position of a mass relative to an imbalance of laundry and accelerating the rotation of the drum when the mass is determined to be angularly spaced from the relative position of the imbalance of laundry.Type: GrantFiled: April 29, 2020Date of Patent: November 1, 2022Assignee: Whirlpool CorporationInventors: Christopher L. Borlin, Brian P. Janke, Joseph M. Keres, Stephen L. Keres, Guilherme Bencke Teixeira Da Silva, Adrian A. Rodriguez
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Publication number: 20200256000Abstract: Methods of reducing a likelihood of contact between a rotating laundry-container, such as a basket or drum, located within a tub of a laundry treating appliance where the method includes rotating the drum during a measurement period, determining a torque, speed, acceleration, and position of the drum, using a parameter estimator to estimate the position of a mass relative to an imbalance of laundry and accelerating the rotation of the drum when the mass is determined to be angularly spaced from the relative position of the imbalance of laundry.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 29, 2020Publication date: August 13, 2020Inventors: CHRISTOPHER L. BORLIN, BRIAN P. JANKE, JOSEPH M. KERES, STEPHEN L. KERES, GUILHERME BENCKE TEIXEIRA DA SILVA, ADRIAN A. RODRIGUEZ
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Patent number: 10669663Abstract: Methods of reducing a likelihood of contact between a rotating laundry-container, such as a basket or drum, located within a tub of a laundry treating appliance where the method includes rotating the drum during a measurement period, determining a torque, speed, acceleration, and position of the drum, using a parameter estimator to estimate the position of a mass relative to an imbalance of laundry and accelerating the rotation of the drum when the mass is determined to be angularly spaced from the relative position of the imbalance of laundry.Type: GrantFiled: March 11, 2019Date of Patent: June 2, 2020Assignee: Whirlpool CorporationInventors: Christopher L. Borlin, Brian P. Janke, Joseph M. Keres, Stephen L. Keres, Guilherme Bencke Teixeira Da Silva, Adrian A. Rodriguez
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Publication number: 20190203398Abstract: Methods of reducing a likelihood of contact between a rotating laundry-container, such as a basket or drum, located within a tub of a laundry treating appliance where the method includes rotating the drum during a measurement period, determining a torque, speed, acceleration, and position of the drum, using a parameter estimator to estimate the position of a mass relative to an imbalance of laundry and accelerating the rotation of the drum when the mass is determined to be angularly spaced from the relative position of the imbalance of laundry.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 11, 2019Publication date: July 4, 2019Inventors: CHRISTOPHER L. BORLIN, BRIAN P. JANKE, JOSEPH M. KERES, STEPHEN L. KERES, GUILHERME BENCKE TEIXEIRA DA SILVA, ADRIAN A. RODRIGUEZ
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Patent number: 10273621Abstract: Methods of reducing a likelihood of contact between a rotating laundry-container, such as a basket or drum, located within a tub of a laundry treating appliance where the method includes rotating the drum during a measurement period, determining a torque, speed, acceleration, and position of the drum, using a parameter estimator to estimate the position of a mass relative to an imbalance of laundry and accelerating the rotation of the drum when the mass is determined to be angularly spaced from the relative position of the imbalance of laundry.Type: GrantFiled: October 1, 2015Date of Patent: April 30, 2019Assignee: Whirlpool CorporationInventors: Christopher L. Borlin, Brian P. Janke, Joseph M. Keres, Stephen L. Keres, Guilherme Bencke Teixeira Da Silva, Adrian A. Rodriguez
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Patent number: 10208993Abstract: A refrigerator, a sealed refrigerant system, and method are provided where the refrigerator includes at least a refrigerated compartment and a sealed refrigerant system including an evaporator, a compressor, a condenser, a controller, an evaporator fan, and a condenser fan. The method includes monitoring a frequency of the compressor, and identifying a fault condition in the at least one component of the refrigerant sealed system in response to the compressor frequency. The method may further comprise calculating a compressor frequency rate based upon the rate of change of the compressor frequency, wherein a fault in the condenser fan is identified if the compressor frequency rate is positive and exceeds a condenser fan fault threshold rate, and wherein a fault in the evaporator fan is identified if the compressor frequency rate is negative and exceeds an evaporator fan fault threshold rate.Type: GrantFiled: November 4, 2016Date of Patent: February 19, 2019Assignee: Whirlpool CorporationInventors: Stephen L. Keres, Alberto Regio Gomes, Andrew D. Litch
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Patent number: 10145589Abstract: A refrigerator and method are provided where the refrigerator includes two or more cooling compartments monitored by temperature sensors and cooled by a plurality of evaporators. The cooling for the evaporators is provided by a compressor operating on a recurring cooling cycle. A processor provides varying levels of voltages to the compressor and sets the recurring cooling cycle. The recurring cooling cycle comprises at least two cooling periods and a rest period. The method includes determines the length of the rest period as compared a predetermined rest period range. When the rest period falls outside the predetermined range, the processor selects the voltage to send to the compressor during a subsequent cooling cycle. The processor selects the voltage based on at least one of the temperature of the first and second compartments and the voltage to the compressor during the cooling cycle.Type: GrantFiled: March 15, 2013Date of Patent: December 4, 2018Assignee: Whirlpool CorporationInventors: Alberto R. Gomes, Stephen L. Keres, Andrew D. Litch
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Patent number: 10087565Abstract: A laundry treating appliance includes a drum at least partially defining a treating chamber for receiving a laundry load for treatment according to a cycle of operation, a motor operably coupled with the drum to rotate the drum, a controller coupled to the motor for controlling the motor and for determining at least one input sensed from the motor, and a processor operably coupled with the controller and having a parameter estimator to estimate parameter values of a laundry load based upon the at least one input. The processor is configured to send an excitation signal to the controller that randomly fluctuates an acceleration command to affect acceleration of the motor while the parameter values of the laundry load are estimated. The cycle of operation can then be adjusted based on the estimated parameter values of the laundry load.Type: GrantFiled: March 27, 2018Date of Patent: October 2, 2018Assignee: Whirlpool CorporationInventors: Brian P. Janke, Stephen L. Keres
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Publication number: 20180216274Abstract: A laundry treating appliance includes a drum at least partially defining a treating chamber for receiving a laundry load for treatment according to a cycle of operation, a motor operably coupled with the drum to rotate the drum, a controller coupled to the motor for controlling the motor and for determining at least one input sensed from the motor, and a processor operably coupled with the controller and having a parameter estimator to estimate parameter values of a laundry load based upon the at least one input. The processor is configured to send an excitation signal to the controller that randomly fluctuates an acceleration command to affect acceleration of the motor while the parameter values of the laundry load are estimated. The cycle of operation can then be adjusted based on the estimated parameter values of the laundry load.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 27, 2018Publication date: August 2, 2018Inventors: BRIAN P. JANKE, STEPHEN L. KERES
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Patent number: 9988753Abstract: A method of operating a laundry treating appliance includes controlling rotation of a drum during a cycle of operation by a controller communicably coupled to a motor, sending an excitation signal to a controller that randomly fluctuates an acceleration command to affect acceleration of the motor, determining, by the controller during excitation, one or more inputs sensed from the motor, and estimating with a parameter estimator parameter values of a laundry load in the drum based on the inputs. The cycle of operation can then be adjusted based on the estimated parameter values of the laundry load.Type: GrantFiled: November 19, 2015Date of Patent: June 5, 2018Assignee: Whirlpool CorporationInventors: Brian P Janke, Stephen L. Keres
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Patent number: 9988751Abstract: Methods of reducing a likelihood of contact between a rotating laundry-container, such as a basket or drum, located within a tub of a laundry treating appliance where the method includes accelerating a rotational speed of the rotating laundry-container during an extraction cycle speed ramp, monitoring the friction associated with the rotating laundry-container during the speed ramp and comparing to a threshold and altering the accelerating of the rotational speed of the rotating laundry-container when the comparing indicates the threshold is satisfied.Type: GrantFiled: July 29, 2015Date of Patent: June 5, 2018Assignee: Whirlpool CorporationInventors: Nicholas C. Fugal, Brian P. Janke, Stephen L. Keres, Bradley D. Morrow, Erol D. Sumer, Ran Zhao
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Patent number: 9890490Abstract: A method of detecting high friction events in a laundry treating appliance includes rotating the drum, determining, during the rotation, a torque of the motor, an acceleration of the drum, a speed of the drum, and/or an angular position of the drum at each of multiple speeds, and repeatedly estimating with a parameter estimator, during the rotation, viscous friction, coulomb friction, and total friction based on the torque, acceleration, speed, and/or angular position of the drum. A high friction even is determined based on the estimated viscous friction, coulomb friction and/or total friction.Type: GrantFiled: November 19, 2015Date of Patent: February 13, 2018Assignee: Whirlpool CorporationInventors: Brian P. Janke, Stephen L. Keres, Erol D. Sumer, Ran Zhao, Bradley D. Morrow, Nicholas C. Fugal
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Patent number: 9873968Abstract: A method of adjusting an unbalance load in a laundry treating appliance includes rotating the drum above a satellization speed for the laundry load, determining, during the rotation, a torque of the motor, an acceleration of the drum, a speed of the drum, and/or an angular position of the drum, estimating with a parameter estimator, during the rotation, an angular position of the unbalance load relative to the drum, based on the torque, acceleration, speed, and/or angular position of the drum, determining values of the angular position of the unbalance load relative to the drum and the angular position of the drum, adding the values of the angular position of the unbalance load relative to the drum and the angular position of the drum to establish a reference value, and comparing the reference value to a threshold.Type: GrantFiled: November 19, 2015Date of Patent: January 23, 2018Assignee: Whirlpool CorporationInventors: Brian P Janke, Stephen L. Keres
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Patent number: 9810472Abstract: Methods of operation for refrigerator appliance configurations with a controller, a condenser, at least one evaporator, a compressor, and two refrigeration compartments. The configuration may be equipped with a variable-speed or variable-capacity compressor, variable speed evaporator or compartment fans, a damper, and/or a dual-temperature evaporator with a valve system to control flow of refrigerant through one or more pressure reduction devices. The methods may include synchronizing alternating cycles of cooling each compartment to a temperature approximately equal to the compartment set point temperature by operation of the compressor, fans, damper and/or valve system. The methods may also include controlling the cooling rate in one or both compartments. Refrigeration compartment cooling may begin at an interval before or after when the freezer compartment reaches its lower threshold temperature.Type: GrantFiled: September 10, 2015Date of Patent: November 7, 2017Assignee: Whirlpool CorporationInventors: Alberto Regio Gomes, Stephen L. Keres, Steven J. Kuehl, Andrew D. Litch, Peter J. Richmond, Guolian Wu
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Patent number: 9758916Abstract: An apparatus and method of sensing a motor characteristic signal in a laundry treating appliance having a drum rotated by a motor about a rotational axis, sampling the motor characteristic signal, filtering the motor characteristic signal, and evaluating the filtered motor characteristic signal for the presence of a predetermined condition corresponding to the motor characteristic signal.Type: GrantFiled: June 5, 2014Date of Patent: September 12, 2017Assignee: Whirlpool CorporationInventors: Alexander J. Halbleib, Michael J. Hand, III, Brian P. Janke, Joseph M. Keres, Stephen L. Keres
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Publication number: 20170145616Abstract: A method of detecting high friction events in a laundry treating appliance includes rotating the drum, determining, during the rotation, a torque of the motor, an acceleration of the drum, a speed of the drum, and/or an angular position of the drum at each of multiple speeds, and repeatedly estimating with a parameter estimator, during the rotation, viscous friction, coulomb friction, and total friction based on the torque, acceleration, speed, and/or angular position of the drum. A high friction even is determined based on the estimated viscous friction, coulomb friction and/or total friction.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 19, 2015Publication date: May 25, 2017Inventors: BRIAN P. JANKE, STEPHEN L. KERES, EROL D. SUMER, RAN ZHAO, BRADLEY D. MORROW, NICHOLAS C. FUGAL
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Publication number: 20170145615Abstract: A method of adjusting an unbalance load in a laundry treating appliance includes rotating the drum above a satellization speed for the laundry load, determining, during the rotation, a torque of the motor, an acceleration of the drum, a speed of the drum, and/or an angular position of the drum, estimating with a parameter estimator, during the rotation, an angular position of the unbalance load relative to the drum, based on the torque, acceleration, speed, and/or angular position of the drum, determining values of the angular position of the unbalance load relative to the drum and the angular position of the drum, adding the values of the angular position of the unbalance load relative to the drum and the angular position of the drum to establish a reference value, and comparing the reference value to a threshold.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 19, 2015Publication date: May 25, 2017Inventors: BRIAN P. JANKE, STEPHEN L. KERES
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Publication number: 20170145620Abstract: A method of operating a laundry treating appliance includes controlling rotation of a drum during a cycle of operation by a controller communicably coupled to a motor, sending an excitation signal to a controller that randomly fluctuates an acceleration command to affect acceleration of the motor, determining, by the controller during excitation, one or more inputs sensed from the motor, and estimating with a parameter estimator parameter values of a laundry load in the drum based on the inputs. The cycle of operation can then be adjusted based on the estimated parameter values of the laundry load.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 19, 2015Publication date: May 25, 2017Inventors: BRIAN P. JANKE, STEPHEN L. KERES