Patents by Inventor Thomas E. McConnell

Thomas E. McConnell 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: 11932979
    Abstract: A laundry treating appliance for treating laundry items according to an automatic cycle of operation can include a cabinet defining an interior and having an access opening providing access to the interior. A tub can be located within the interior and can at least partially define a liquid chamber. A drum is rotatably mounted within the liquid chamber and at least partially defines a treating chamber. A clothes mover is located within the treating chamber and rotatable about a vertical axis. The clothes mover can include a base and a barrel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2024
    Assignee: WHIRLPOOL CORPORATION
    Inventors: Jonathan A. Andrejczuk, Adam Gary, Philip J. Czarnecki, Benjamin D. Lowell, Sayer J. Murphy, James Jeffery, Eric W. Merrow, Emmanuel F. Gonzaga, Thomas R. Scott, Donald E. Erickson, Bradley D. Morrow, Jason S. Burnette, Kevin Peralta, Corinne M. Gorenchan, Kenneth L. McConnell
  • Patent number: 11858733
    Abstract: A waste pail having a manual actuator to indirectly turn a rotator, both of which are enclosed in a lid casing. The rotator rotates the inner collar of the waste pail, and the inner collar is attached to the top rim of a trash bag. A user may twist the trash bag open only when the lid casing is closed, thereby preventing the escape of odor from within the trash bag.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2024
    Assignee: 1316 LLC
    Inventors: Thomas E. McConnell, Yafei Lu, Qianqian Wang
  • Publication number: 20220332499
    Abstract: A waste pail having a manual actuator to indirectly turn a rotator, both of which are enclosed in a lid casing. The rotator rotates the inner collar of the waste pail, and the inner collar is attached to the top rim of a trash bag. A user may twist the trash bag open only when the lid casing is closed, thereby preventing the escape of odor from within the trash bag.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 17, 2021
    Publication date: October 20, 2022
    Inventors: Thomas E. McConnell, Yafei Lu, Qianqian Wang
  • Patent number: 11241126
    Abstract: This disclosure relates to a portable potty seat for a toilet. This disclosure aims to provide a portable potty seat, which has the advantages of simple structure, light volume and can be adapted to toilets with different sizes and specifications.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2022
    Assignee: 1316 LLC
    Inventor: Thomas E. McConnell
  • Publication number: 20210145224
    Abstract: This disclosure relates to a portable potty seat for a toilet. This disclosure aims to provide a portable potty seat, which has the advantages of simple structure, light volume and can be adapted to toilets with different sizes and specifications.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 11, 2020
    Publication date: May 20, 2021
    Inventor: Thomas E. McConnell
  • Patent number: 10737879
    Abstract: A waste disposal container of smaller shipping profile is disclosed with an inner rotating support structure and an outer casing, where the inner rotating support structure and/or the outer casing may be shipped in separable parts and reassembled by the end consumer. The inner rotating support structure also may offer at least one bag attachment points to hold on to the body of the bag where the bag attachment points are designed to be lower to accommodate collection of cat litter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2020
    Assignee: 1316 LLC
    Inventors: Thomas E. McConnell, Qianqian Wang, Yafei Lu
  • Patent number: 10486900
    Abstract: A waste disposal system having an isolated top chamber with a guiding structure, a chute, or a pair of parabolic top door members to guide a falling object to fall towards a center vertical axis of the waste disposal system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2019
    Assignee: 1316 LLC
    Inventor: Thomas E. McConnell
  • Publication number: 20190152694
    Abstract: A waste disposal container of smaller shipping profile is disclosed with an inner rotating support structure and an outer casing, where the inner rotating support structure and/or the outer casing may be shipped in separable parts and reassembled by the end consumer. The inner rotating support structure also may offer at least one bag attachment points to hold on to the body of the bag where the bag attachment points are designed to be lower to accommodate collection of cat litter.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 17, 2017
    Publication date: May 23, 2019
    Inventors: Thomas E. McConnell, Qianqian Wang, Yafei Lu
  • Patent number: 9975659
    Abstract: A reusable cap for a container comprising a central body extending along a central axis with a lower end that is open and a top end that is closed by a top plate, wherein the lower end is rotatably engageable with the top end of a similar cap; a skirt that extends around the central axis to surround the central body with an inner edge adjacent to the central body and an opposing outer edge and is radially spaced from the central body by a plurality of tabs to form an open space allowing air passage; a plurality of external cooperating engaging formations on said skirt, wherein the plurality of external cooperating engaging formations comprise at least one male engaging formation and at least one female engaging formation; and wherein the male engaging formation is a protrusion extending radially outward from said skirt and the female engaging formation is defined by an indent.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2018
    Assignee: 1316 LLC
    Inventors: Thomas E. McConnell, Qianqian Wang
  • Patent number: 9969550
    Abstract: A bag for holding trash, diaper, and any item that needs to be contained. The bag can have an enclosure body and a mouth opening where the opening is lined with a foldable frame. The foldable frame can fold out to keep the mouth opening in an open configuration, and can collapse upon itself to keep the mouth opening in a closed configuration. The foldable frame can optionally have a locking notch, a finger, or both, all of which can be used to attach to some part of the enclosure body thereby keeping the neck of the bag twisted closed. The bag can optionally have attachment points such as apertures, sleeves, strips, and loops for securing to the locking notch. In some embodiments, the collar need not be foldable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2018
    Assignee: 1316 LLC
    Inventors: Thomas E. McConnell, Yafei Lu
  • Publication number: 20180099781
    Abstract: A reusable cap for a container comprising a central body extending along a central axis with a lower end that is open and a top end that is closed by a top plate, wherein the lower end is rotatably engageable with the top end of a similar cap; a skirt that extends around the central axis to surround the central body with an inner edge adjacent to the central body and an opposing outer edge and is radially spaced from the central body by a plurality of tabs to form an open space allowing air passage; a plurality of external cooperating engaging formations on said skirt, wherein the plurality of external cooperating engaging formations comprise at least one male engaging formation and at least one female engaging formation; and wherein the male engaging formation is a protrusion extending radially outward from said skirt and the female engaging formation is defined by an indent.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 11, 2016
    Publication date: April 12, 2018
    Inventor: Thomas E. McConnell
  • Patent number: 9844497
    Abstract: A wipe warmer having a container to receive liquid and sponge pad therein, where the container is placed under the wipes to keep the wipes moist. The container has a top and a support plate within, both of which are perforated allowing moisture to pass through. These perforations offset each other to facilitate efficient saturation of the sponge pad, when the sponge pad is placed between the perforated top and the perforated plate. Further, the container can be a removable basket-like structure. Alternatively, all or part of the container can be an integral part of the wipe warmer. While the wipes can be placed on top of the container, an alternative design is to place the wipes and the container side-by-side.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2017
    Inventor: Thomas E. McConnell
  • Patent number: 9745125
    Abstract: A method of quick and easy diaper management by providing a collar ring on the upper rim of a garbage bag, such that the collar ring snugly fits over a diaper pail. Further, the garbage bag has attachments points on its body portion so the body portion can be anchored to the diaper pail. The ring collar has receiving structures such as a notch so that a user may seal tie the garbage bag by simply twisting its neck and then insert the twisted neck into the receiving structure on the collar.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2017
    Inventor: Thomas E McConnell
  • Patent number: D793185
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2017
    Assignee: Prince Lionheart, Inc.
    Inventors: Thomas E. McConnell, Yafei Lu, Jingjing Pi
  • Patent number: D805617
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2017
    Inventor: Thomas E. McConnell
  • Patent number: D805802
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2017
    Inventor: Thomas E. McConnell
  • Patent number: D848838
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2019
    Assignee: 1316 LLC
    Inventors: Thomas E. McConnell, Qianqian Wang
  • Patent number: D865518
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2019
    Assignee: 1316 LLC
    Inventors: Thomas E. McConnell, Qianqian Wang
  • Patent number: D867073
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2019
    Assignee: 1316 LLC
    Inventor: Thomas E. McConnell
  • Patent number: D876941
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2020
    Assignee: 1316 LLC
    Inventor: Thomas E. McConnell