Patents by Inventor Steve B. Froelicher
Steve B. Froelicher 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: 8201570Abstract: A cover assembly for sealing a dishwasher drawer includes a rigid, movable cover casing that frames a flexible sealing cover which is capable of receiving and covering tall dishes extending beyond a height of the drawer. Rocker arms are placed on each perimeter edge of the cover casing, and pivot to raise and lower the casing onto the drawer so that the sealing cover seals a wash chamber therein. A seal adhered to a bottom of the cover casing presses against a lip of the drawer to prevent leakage of wash fluid circulated therein.Type: GrantFiled: October 23, 2009Date of Patent: June 19, 2012Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventor: Steve B. Froelicher
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Patent number: 8158912Abstract: A fan apparency arrangement for an appliance is disclosed. The fan apparency arrangement includes a chamber having a port; a fan in the chamber for moving air out of the chamber, the fan having a discharge end, and an intake end having an intake tube; and a sail switch disposed in the intake tube. When activated, the fan moves air out of the chamber through the port and creates a pressure difference between opposite ends of the intake tube, the pressure difference causing the sail switch to change position and signal that the fan is activated. An appliance incorporating such a fan apparency arrangement is also disclosed.Type: GrantFiled: August 8, 2008Date of Patent: April 17, 2012Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: James Armstrong, Steve B. Froelicher, Cheng Qiang Ren, Christopher Mast
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Patent number: 8141549Abstract: An appliance includes a housing having an airflow channel communicating with outside of the appliance; a first chamber in the housing and having a first opening; a first door for selectively closing the first opening, the first door having a first airway communicating with the outside of the appliance; a second chamber in the housing and having a second opening; a second door for selectively closing the second opening, the second door having a second airway communicating with the outside of the appliance; and a fan in the airflow channel. The airflow channel includes a central segment disposed between the first and second chambers and communicating with the first and second airways. When activated, the fan causes ambient air to pass through the first and second airways before entering the central segment so that the first and second doors are cooled off by the ambient air.Type: GrantFiled: September 12, 2008Date of Patent: March 27, 2012Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: James Armstrong, Philip Ames Barber, Jay Andrew Broniak, Steve B. Froelicher, Kevin Scott Laundroche, Michael Paul McGonagle, Derek Lee Watkins
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Patent number: 8136367Abstract: A hinge assembly and a refrigerator using the assembly are disclosed. The assembly rotatably mounts an access door for a compartment of the refrigerator to part of refrigerator that defines the compartment. The hinge assembly has a body coupled to the part and a hinge manifold supported by the body and slidably received in the access door. The manifold has a first supply conduit for supplying a working medium to an icemaker disposed in the access door and a first return conduit for returning the working medium from the icemaker. The hinge assembly can be manufactured as a separate module to be assembled with the refrigerator or retrofit into an existing refrigerator.Type: GrantFiled: December 11, 2008Date of Patent: March 20, 2012Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Steve B. Froelicher, Matthew William Davis, Jeffrey Lynn Jessie, Amit Kurhekar, Joseph Murphy Miller, John Joseph Roetker, Ronald Scott Tarr, Derek Lee Watkins
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Patent number: 8101890Abstract: A fan apparency arrangement for an appliance having a fan for moving air in an interior of the appliance, including a pipe disposed in the airflow path of the fan and having first and second ends; a heater disposed in the pipe, the heater being energized when the fan is turned on; and a thermal switch disposed in the pipe, the thermal switch being closer to the first end than the heater. The fan is operative in normal operation to move air in the pipe in a direction from the first end to the second end. The pipe is disposed so that when the fan fails to move air in the pipe after turned on, air heated up by the heater passes the thermal switch in a direction from the second end to the first end so that the thermal switch is activated to signal malfunction of the fan.Type: GrantFiled: September 3, 2008Date of Patent: January 24, 2012Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Joshua S. Wiseman, Steve B. Froelicher
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Patent number: 8006687Abstract: An appliance is disclosed. The appliance includes a main body defining a cavity and an air channel which is in flow communication with an outside of the appliance; an access door supported by the main body for selectively closing the cavity, the access door having an airway in flow communication with the outside of the appliance and the air channel; a fan disposed in the air channel; and an Human Machine Interface disposed on or in the access door. When activated, the fan causes ambient air from the outside of the appliance to pass through the airway before entering the air channel so that the access door is cooled off by the ambient air.Type: GrantFiled: September 12, 2008Date of Patent: August 30, 2011Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Derek Lee Watkins, James Armstrong, Philip Ames Barber, Jay Andrew Broniak, Steve B. Froelicher, Kevin Scott Laundroche, Michael Paul McGonagle
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Publication number: 20110095029Abstract: A cover assembly for sealing a dishwasher drawer includes a rigid, movable cover casing that frames a flexible sealing cover which is capable of receiving and covering tall dishes extending beyond a height of the drawer. Rocker arms are placed on each perimeter edge of the cover casing, and pivot to raise and lower the casing onto the drawer so that the sealing cover seals a wash chamber therein. A seal adhered to a bottom of the cover casing presses against a lip of the drawer to prevent leakage of wash fluid circulated therein.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 23, 2009Publication date: April 28, 2011Inventor: Steve B. Froelicher
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Publication number: 20100269866Abstract: A wash fluid distribution system for dishwashers includes a spray arm mounted in one of four quadrants of a chamber floor. The spray arms can have lengths that maintain full rotation within their respective quadrant. Spray arms can also have lengths that impinge or overlap into an adjacent quadrant during full rotation of the spray arms. Each spray arm operates with a corresponding, independently controlled wash pump system. Adjacent spray arms can rotate at a same speed in opposing clockwise or counter-clockwise directions. Spray arms can also rotate in different rotation planes. A slanted surface on the chamber floor terminates at a shared particle collection area, which is centered on the chamber floor.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 22, 2009Publication date: October 28, 2010Inventors: Steve B. Froelicher, Derek Lee Watkins, Ronald Scott Tarr
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Publication number: 20100147007Abstract: A hinge assembly and a refrigerator using the assembly are disclosed. The assembly rotatably mounts an access door for a compartment of the refrigerator to part of refrigerator that defines the compartment. The hinge assembly has a body coupled to the part and a hinge manifold supported by the body and slidably received in the access door. The manifold has a first supply conduit for supplying a working medium to an icemaker disposed in the access door and a first return conduit for returning the working medium from the icemaker. The hinge assembly can be manufactured as a separate module to be assembled with the refrigerator or retrofit into an existing refrigerator.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 11, 2008Publication date: June 17, 2010Inventors: Steve B. Froelicher, Matthew William Davis, Jeffrey Lynn Jessie, Amit Kurhekar, Joseph Murphy Miller, John Joseph Roetker, Ronald Scott Tarr, Derek Lee Watkins
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Publication number: 20100065035Abstract: An appliance includes a housing having an airflow channel communicating with outside of the appliance; a first chamber in the housing and having a first opening; a first door for selectively closing the first opening, the first door having a first airway communicating with the outside of the appliance; a second chamber in the housing and having a second opening; a second door for selectively closing the second opening, the second door having a second airway communicating with the outside of the appliance; and a fan in the airflow channel. The airflow channel includes a central segment disposed between the first and second chambers and communicating with the first and second airways. When activated, the fan causes ambient air to pass through the first and second airways before entering the central segment so that the first and second doors are cooled off by the ambient air.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 12, 2008Publication date: March 18, 2010Inventors: James ARMSTRONG, Philip Ames Barber, Jay Andrew Broniak, Steve B. Froelicher, Kevin Scott Laundroche, Michael Paul McGonagle, Derek Lee Watkins
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Publication number: 20100065036Abstract: An appliance is disclosed. The appliance includes a main body defining a cavity and an air channel which is in flow communication with an outside of the appliance; an access door supported by the main body for selectively closing the cavity, the access door having an airway in flow communication with the outside of the appliance and the air channel; a fan disposed in the air channel; and an Human Machine Interface disposed on or in the access door. When activated, the fan causes ambient air from the outside of the appliance to pass through the airway before entering the air channel so that the access door is cooled off by the ambient air.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 12, 2008Publication date: March 18, 2010Inventors: Derek Lee WATKINS, James Armstrong, Philip Ames Barber, Jay Andrew Broniak, Steve B. Froelicher, Kevin Scott Laundroche, Michael Paul McGonagle
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Publication number: 20100051245Abstract: A fan apparency arrangement for an appliance having a fan for moving air in an interior of the appliance, including a pipe disposed in the airflow path of the fan and having first and second ends; a heater disposed in the pipe, the heater being energized when the fan is turned on; and a thermal switch disposed in the pipe, the thermal switch being closer to the first end than the heater. The fan is operative in normal operation to move air in the pipe in a direction from the first end to the second end. The pipe is disposed so that when the fan fails to move air in the pipe after turned on, air heated up by the heater passes the thermal switch in a direction from the second end to the first end so that the thermal switch is activated to signal malfunction of the fan.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 3, 2008Publication date: March 4, 2010Inventors: Joshua S. Wiseman, Steve B. Froelicher
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Publication number: 20100031949Abstract: A fan apparency arrangement for an appliance is disclosed. The fan apparency arrangement includes a chamber having a port; a fan in the chamber for moving air out of the chamber, the fan having a discharge end, and an intake end having an intake tube; and a sail switch disposed in the intake tube. When activated, the fan moves air out of the chamber through the port and creates a pressure difference between opposite ends of the intake tube, the pressure difference causing the sail switch to change position and signal that the fan is activated. An appliance incorporating such a fan apparency arrangement is also disclosed.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 8, 2008Publication date: February 11, 2010Inventors: James Armstrong, Steve B. Froelicher, Cheng Qiang Ren, Christopher Mast
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Publication number: 20080128409Abstract: A combination oven assembly includes a housing defining an interior cavity. A microwave cooking subassembly is configured to direct microwave energy into the interior cavity. A turntable is disposed in the interior cavity. A radiant heating element is disposed outside of the interior cavity.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 4, 2006Publication date: June 5, 2008Inventor: Steve B. Froelicher
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Publication number: 20080128404Abstract: A cooking assembly for an oven includes a plurality of heat distribution plates. A radiant heating element is disposed adjacent each of the heat distribution plates.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 4, 2006Publication date: June 5, 2008Inventor: Steve B. Froelicher