Patents by Inventor Wayne E. Lawson

Wayne E. Lawson 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: 12529183
    Abstract: A laundry appliance includes an apron extending between a bottom end and a top end along the vertical direction, an apron extension positioned on the top end of the apron and defining a mechanical compartment, wherein a rear wall of the apron extension extends past a rear wall of the apron along the transverse direction to define an overhang space under the apron extension, and a conditioning system positioned within the mechanical compartment and configured to heat and remove moisture from air flowing therethrough, the conditioning system comprising a compressor, an evaporator, and a condenser.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2023
    Date of Patent: January 20, 2026
    Assignee: Haier US Appliance Solutions, Inc.
    Inventors: David Scott Dunn, Jivko Ognianov Djerekarov, Wayne E. Lawson, Sarah Heiniger, David G. Beers
  • Patent number: 12460343
    Abstract: A laundry appliance includes a cabinet. The cabinet defines an interior volume. The laundry appliance also includes an air filter assembly. The air filter assembly is positioned in the cabinet. The air filter assembly includes a latch. The latch is configured to releasably engage a housing of the laundry appliance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 9, 2023
    Date of Patent: November 4, 2025
    Assignee: Haier US Appliance Solutions, Inc.
    Inventors: Marla Boado Encinosa, David Scott Dunn, Wayne E. Lawson, Dimitar Tcholakov
  • Patent number: 12398501
    Abstract: A laundry appliance includes a cabinet defining an interior volume with a housing mounted within the interior volume of the cabinet. An air filter is positioned in the housing. The air filter may be positioned upstream of a heating system of the laundry appliance. The laundry appliance also includes a drain path extending through the housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 9, 2023
    Date of Patent: August 26, 2025
    Assignee: Haier US Appliance Solutions, Inc.
    Inventors: David Scott Dunn, Jivko Ognianov Djerekarov, Wayne E. Lawson, Dimitar Tcholakov
  • Publication number: 20250051995
    Abstract: A laundry appliance includes an apron extending between a bottom end and a top end along the vertical direction, an apron extension positioned on the top end of the apron and defining a mechanical compartment, wherein a rear wall of the apron extension extends past a rear wall of the apron along the transverse direction to define an overhang space under the apron extension and an opening into the mechanical compartment; a shield element mounted to at least one of the apron or the apron extension and being positioned at least partially over the opening, and a conditioning system positioned within the mechanical compartment and configured to heat and remove moisture from air flowing therethrough, the conditioning system comprising a compressor, an evaporator, and a condenser.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 8, 2023
    Publication date: February 13, 2025
    Inventors: David Scott Dunn, Wayne E. Lawson
  • Publication number: 20250051994
    Abstract: A laundry appliance includes an apron extending between a bottom end and a top end along the vertical direction, an apron extension positioned on the top end of the apron and defining a mechanical compartment, wherein a rear wall of the apron extension extends past a rear wall of the apron along the transverse direction to define an overhang space under the apron extension, and a conditioning system positioned within the mechanical compartment and configured to heat and remove moisture from air flowing therethrough, the conditioning system comprising a compressor, an evaporator, and a condenser.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 7, 2023
    Publication date: February 13, 2025
    Inventors: David Scott Dunn, Jivko Ognianov Djerekarov, Wayne E. Lawson, Sarah Heiniger, David G. Beers
  • Publication number: 20250051990
    Abstract: A laundry appliance includes an apron extending between a bottom end and a top end along the vertical direction, wherein the apron defines a plurality of mounting studs extending along the vertical direction from the top end of the apron, an apron extension positioned on the top end of the apron and defining a mechanical compartment, the apron extension defining a plurality of keyhole slots configured to engage the plurality of mounting studs to secure the apron extension to the apron, and a conditioning system positioned within the mechanical compartment and configured to heat and remove moisture from air flowing therethrough, the conditioning system comprising a compressor, an evaporator, and a condenser.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 8, 2023
    Publication date: February 13, 2025
    Inventors: David Scott Dunn, Jivko Ognianov Djerekarov, Wayne E. Lawson, Sarah Heiniger, David G. Beers
  • Publication number: 20250027262
    Abstract: A laundry appliance includes a cabinet, a tub positioned within the cabinet, and a basket supported for rotation within the tub. The laundry appliance includes a recirculating air flow system having a fan fluidly coupled to the tub and a vent tube with a first end fluidly coupled to a pressure side of the fan and a second end of the vent tube in fluid communication with an external atmosphere.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 21, 2023
    Publication date: January 23, 2025
    Inventors: Alexander Daniel James, Wayne E. Lawson, David Scott Dunn, Jivko Ognianov Djerekarov
  • Publication number: 20240229344
    Abstract: A laundry appliance includes a cabinet. The cabinet defines an interior volume. The laundry appliance also includes an air filter assembly. The air filter assembly is positioned in the cabinet. The air filter assembly includes a latch. The latch is configured to releasably engage a housing of the laundry appliance.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 9, 2023
    Publication date: July 11, 2024
    Inventors: Marla Boado Encinosa, David Scott Dunn, Wayne E. Lawson, Dimitar Tcholakov
  • Publication number: 20240229337
    Abstract: A laundry appliance includes a cabinet defining an interior volume. The laundry appliance also includes an air filter assembly positioned in the cabinet. The air filter assembly includes a frame and an air filter removably mounted to the frame. The air filter is mounted to the frame such that an orientation of the air filter to the frame is constrained.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 9, 2023
    Publication date: July 11, 2024
    Inventors: Marla Boado Encinosa, David Scott Dunn, Wayne E. Lawson, Dimitar Tcholakov
  • Publication number: 20240229335
    Abstract: A laundry appliance includes a cabinet defining an interior volume with a housing mounted within the interior volume of the cabinet. An air filter is positioned in the housing. The air filter may be positioned upstream of a heating system of the laundry appliance. The laundry appliance also includes a drain path extending through the housing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 9, 2023
    Publication date: July 11, 2024
    Inventors: David Scott Dunn, Jivko Ognianov Djerekarov, Wayne E. Lawson, Dimitar Tcholakov
  • Patent number: 11148159
    Abstract: A laundry center may include a washing machine appliance, a dryer appliance, and a dispensing assembly. The dryer appliance may be vertically-aligned with the washing machine appliance. The dispensing assembly may be disposed between the washing machine appliance and the dryer appliance. The dispensing assembly may include a flexible hose and a dispensing nozzle. The flexible hose may extend between a water supply and a region above the washing machine appliance. The flexible hose may be movable between an extended position and a retracted position. The dispensing nozzle may be fluidly coupled to the flexible hose for selectively dispensing water from the water supply.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 19, 2021
    Assignee: Haier US Appliance Solutions, Inc.
    Inventors: Alexander B. Leibman, Wayne E. Lawson
  • Patent number: 11091871
    Abstract: A top-loading washing machine appliance with a pivoted faucet mounted on the underside of the lid of the washing machine appliance is provided herein. The washing machine appliance may include a cabinet, a tub positioned within the cabinet, a wash basket, a lid, a position sensor, and a faucet mounted to the lid. The position sensor may be operable to sense whether the lid is in the closed position or the open position. The faucet may be mounted to the lid with a pivotable joint such that the faucet may pivot between a retracted position and an extended position. The retracted position of the faucet may be such that the faucet does not extend within the wash basket when the lid is in the closed position. The extended position of the faucet may be such that the outlet of the faucet is over the wash basket when the lid is in the open position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 17, 2021
    Assignee: Haier US Appliance Solutions, Inc.
    Inventors: Alexander B. Leibman, Wayne E. Lawson
  • Patent number: 10982376
    Abstract: A washing machine appliance is provided herein. The washing machine appliance may include a cabinet, a tub, a wash basket, a lid, and a nozzle assembly. The tub may be positioned within the cabinet. The wash basket may be rotatably mounted within the tub and define a wash chamber. The lid may be rotatably mounted to the cabinet above the wash basket. The nozzle assembly may be mounted in part within the lid. The nozzle assembly may include an extendable nozzle and a retractable fluid supply conduit. The extendable nozzle may be movable between a retracted position at which the extendable nozzle is held on the lid and an extended position in which the extendable nozzle is spaced apart from the lid. The retractable fluid supply conduit may be selectively wound on the lid in the retracted position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 16, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2021
    Assignee: Haier US Appliance Solutions, Inc.
    Inventors: Alexander B. Leibman, Wayne E. Lawson
  • Publication number: 20200406284
    Abstract: A laundry center, as provided herein, may include a washing machine appliance, a dryer appliance, and a dispensing assembly. The dryer appliance may be vertically-aligned with the washing machine appliance. The dispensing assembly may be disposed between the washing machine appliance and the dryer appliance. The dispensing assembly may include a flexible hose and a dispensing nozzle. The flexible hose may extend between a water supply and a region above the washing machine appliance. The flexible hose may be movable between an extended position and a retracted position. The dispensing nozzle may be fluidly coupled to the flexible hose for selectively dispensing water from the water supply.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 27, 2019
    Publication date: December 31, 2020
    Inventors: Alexander B. Leibman, Wayne E. Lawson
  • Publication number: 20200263344
    Abstract: A top-loading washing machine appliance with a pivoted faucet mounted on the underside of the lid of the washing machine appliance is provided herein. The washing machine appliance may include a cabinet, a tub positioned within the cabinet, a wash basket, a lid, a position sensor, and a faucet mounted to the lid. The position sensor may be operable to sense whether the lid is in the closed position or the open position. The faucet may be mounted to the lid with a pivotable joint such that the faucet may pivot between a retracted position and an extended position. The retracted position of the faucet may be such that the faucet does not extend within the wash basket when the lid is in the closed position. The extended position of the faucet may be such that the outlet of the faucet is over the wash basket when the lid is in the open position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 19, 2019
    Publication date: August 20, 2020
    Inventors: Alexander B. Leibman, Wayne E. Lawson
  • Publication number: 20200224357
    Abstract: A washing machine appliance is provided herein. The washing machine appliance may include a cabinet, a tub, a wash basket, a lid, and a nozzle assembly. The tub may be positioned within the cabinet. The wash basket may be rotatably mounted within the tub and define a wash chamber. The lid may be rotatably mounted to the cabinet above the wash basket. The nozzle assembly may be mounted in part within the lid. The nozzle assembly may include an extendable nozzle and a retractable fluid supply conduit. The extendable nozzle may be movable between a retracted position at which the extendable nozzle is held on the lid and an extended position in which the extendable nozzle is spaced apart from the lid. The retractable fluid supply conduit may be selectively wound on the lid in the retracted position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 16, 2019
    Publication date: July 16, 2020
    Inventors: Alexander B. Leibman, Wayne E. Lawson
  • Publication number: 20200102692
    Abstract: A lint cleaning assembly for a dryer appliance includes a vacuum aperture defined in a cabinet of the dryer appliance to allow a robotic vacuum cleaner to drive into the cabinet. A lint filter collects lint within a trap duct during operation and a lint collection duct extends from the trap duct to a vacuum docking station. The vacuum docking station is positioned within the cabinet for docking the robotic vacuum cleaner, fluidly coupling the robotic vacuum cleaner to the lint collection duct for lint removal, and/or charging the batteries of the robotic vacuum cleaner.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 2, 2018
    Publication date: April 2, 2020
    Inventors: Alexander B. Leibman, Manidhar VVS Yandamuri, Michael Glenn Mattingly, Wayne E. Lawson
  • Patent number: 10590593
    Abstract: A lint cleaning assembly for a dryer appliance includes a vacuum aperture defined in a cabinet of the dryer appliance to allow a robotic vacuum cleaner to drive into the cabinet. A lint filter collects lint within a trap duct during operation and a lint collection duct extends from the trap duct to a vacuum docking station. The vacuum docking station is positioned within the cabinet for docking the robotic vacuum cleaner, fluidly coupling the robotic vacuum cleaner to the lint collection duct for lint removal, and/or charging the batteries of the robotic vacuum cleaner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2020
    Assignee: Haier US Appliance Solutions, Inc.
    Inventors: Alexander B. Leibman, Manidhar V V S Yandamuri, Michael Glenn Mattingly, Wayne E. Lawson
  • Patent number: 10253445
    Abstract: A dispenser assembly for a washing machine appliance includes a tray and a cup removably mounted to the tray. The tray may define a first aperture and a second aperture, and the cup may also define an aperture. Further, the cup may be movable to a first position and a second position. In the first position, the aperture defined by the cup may be in fluid communication with the first aperture. In the second position, the aperture defined by the cup may be in fluid communication with the second aperture.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 16, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2019
    Assignee: Haier US Appliance Solutions, Inc.
    Inventors: Wayne E. Lawson, Lucius Levon Cole, Troy Marshall Wright
  • Publication number: 20180230637
    Abstract: A dispenser assembly for a washing machine appliance includes a tray and a cup removably mounted to the tray. The tray may define a first aperture and a second aperture, and the cup may also define an aperture. Further, the cup may be movable to a first position and a second position. In the first position, the aperture defined by the cup may be in fluid communication with the first aperture. In the second position, the aperture defined by the cup may be in fluid communication with the second aperture.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 16, 2017
    Publication date: August 16, 2018
    Inventors: Wayne E. Lawson, Lucius Levon Cole, Troy Marshall Wright