Patent application number | Description | Published |
20130026855 | REFRIGERATOR MODULE UTILITIES ENABLED VIA CONNECTION - A connection system for connecting an encoded domestic appliance feature module to a utility source and transferring a plurality of utilities between the encoded feature module and the utility source. The connection system includes a utility source that has a coupler capable of removably engaging an encoded domestic appliance feature module to the utility source. Also included is at least one encoded domestic appliance feature module that independently supplies one or more functionalities. Further included is an interface between the utility source and the feature module, where the interface includes a detection and recognition device that operates to detect when the encoded feature module is connected to the utility source, where one or more predetermined utilities are transferred between the utility source and the feature module based upon which feature module is connected to the utility source, and where the detection and recognition device may be a reed switch, a DIP switch, and a comparator circuit | 01-31-2013 |
20130033959 | BLENDER WITH VARYING INTERNALLY AND EXTERNALLY SHAPED CONTAINER - A blender includes a container having a plurality of substantially triangular shaped ribs projecting into a processing zone of the container. The plurality of spaced ribs each include a width and a depth that taper from a top end section adjacent a teardrop shaped opening of the container to a more narrow bottom end section adjacent a bottom wall of the container. A side wall of the container continuously tapers from the teardrop shaped opening to a substantially square shaped bottom end portion including first, second, third and fourth side wall sections connected to one another at respective rounded corners. A blade assembly is coupled to the container and includes a plurality of blades angled at different planes with respect to a horizontal plane. Each of the blades includes a beveled leading edge, resulting in a downward suction force that draws ingredients down into the blade for processing. | 02-07-2013 |
20130068266 | DISHWASHER WITH MULTI-PIECE TUB - A dishwasher having a treating chamber for receiving dishes for treatment according to an automatic treating cycle within the treating chamber that includes a shell partially defining the treating chamber and a base structure supporting the shell as well as a liquid recirculation system mounted to the base structure and configured to recirculate liquid within the treating chamber. | 03-21-2013 |
20130069505 | DISHWASHER WITH MULTI-PIECE TUB - A dishwasher for automatically executing a cycle of operation for treatment of dishes includes a tub having multiple walls at least partially defining a treating chamber for receiving dishes for treatment wherein at least one of the multiple walls is thermoformed from sheet material and a method of making a tub for a dishwasher. | 03-21-2013 |
20130069506 | DISHWASHER WITH MULTI-PIECE TUB - A tub for a dishwasher where the tub includes at least a first panel and a second panel to form a multi-piece tub. The tub may at least partially define a treating chamber for receiving dishes and the dishwasher may be configured to automatically execute a treating cycle within the treating chamber. | 03-21-2013 |
20130087548 | DUAL HEATING ELEMENT OF A COOKING APPLIANCE - A cooking appliance including a plurality of separately controlled cooking areas, a first heating element positioned below one of the plurality of separately controlled cooking areas, a second heating element positioned below the same separately controlled cooking area as the first heating element, and an infinite switch electrically coupled with the first heating element and operable to energize the first heating element to supply heat to the separately controlled cooking area when the infinite switch is located at a first position. The switch has an operational tolerance, and the first heating element is sized such that the separately controlled cooking area is maintained below a target cooking temperature when the infinite switch is located at the first position and is operating at an upper limit of the operational tolerance. | 04-11-2013 |
20130112226 | OBSTACLE SENSING SPRAY ARM FOR A DISHWASHING MACHINE - A dishwasher having a tub at least partially defining a treating chamber and in which is provided a rotating sprayer for emitting liquid into the treating chamber. The rotation of the spray arm may be controlled such that rotation of the spray arm is responsive to a determination that the spray arm has contacted an obstacle within the treating chamber. | 05-09-2013 |
20130117945 | FABRIC TREATMENT APPLIANCE CONTROL PANEL AND ASSOCIATED STEAM OPERATIONS - A fabric treatment appliance capable of indicating when a fabric load is sanitized, implementing a sanitizing by modifying a predetermined operation cycle, or implementing a sanitizing cycle after the completion of a predetermined operation cycle. | 05-16-2013 |
20130118027 | VARIABLE AIRFLOW IN LAUNDRY DRYER HAVING VARIABLE AIR INLET - A laundry treating appliance and a method for operating the appliance to supply air into a treating chamber through an air inlet and controlling the supplied air by varying the effective area of the air inlet. | 05-16-2013 |
20130118327 | DICING ELEMENT ASSEMBLY FOR A FOOD PROCESSOR - A food processing dicing method and assembly is disclosed. The food processing dicing assembly may comprise a dicing element having multiple dicing openings through which food may pass, a frame configured to selectively retain the dicing element, and a management tool having multiple projections sized to be received by the dicing openings, the management tool may include at least one coupling element for releasably coupling the management tool to at least one of the dicing element and the frame. | 05-16-2013 |
20130119082 | APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR CONTROLLING LAUNDERING CYCLE BY SENSING WASH AID CONCENTRATION - An automatic washing machine can be operated in accordance with a selected wash cycle by determining a concentration of a wash aid prior to a dispensing of the wash aid into at least one of a tub and a drum, and selecting an operating parameter of the automatic washing machine in response to the determined concentration. | 05-16-2013 |
20130119909 | METHOD OF DETECTING AN OFF-BALANCE CONDITION OF A CLOTHES LOAD IN A WASHING MACHINE - An off-balance detection method comprises a plurality of off-balance detection schemes that utilize wash basket speed to detect an off-balance load condition at speed ranges that span the entire spin cycle and include speeds corresponding to natural frequencies of a mass comprising a wash tub and a wash basket. The schemes can be used alone or in combination with one or more of the other schemes. The off-balance detection method can further comprise a power limiting method to prevent motor overload when an off-balance condition is present. | 05-16-2013 |
20130122739 | ADJUSTABLE CONNECTOR SYSTEM FOR CONNECTION TO A MODULAR APPLIANCE - An adjustable connector system for use in an appliance is provided, wherein the adjustable connector system includes a channel disposed on a surface of the appliance, an access aperture defined by a surface adjacent the channel, and a utility enabled connector at least partially received in the channel, and extending from the access aperture, wherein the utility enabled connector includes an elongated member configured to at least partially extend along the channel, and extend from the access aperture, and an interface adapted to supply at least one utility to a modular appliance configured to be removably attached to one of a plurality of removable attachment locations on the appliance. | 05-16-2013 |
20130125315 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR DETERMINING LOAD SIZE IN A WASHING MACHINE - A method and apparatus according to one embodiment for determining laundry load size in an automatic clothes washer includes supplying water to predetermined water levels higher than a saturate water level and determining the amount of water supplied to reach each predetermined water level from a prior water level, and determining a load size based on the determined amount of water supplied between the current predetermined water level and the prior water level. | 05-23-2013 |
20130125937 | SYSTEM FOR ESTABLISHING COMMUNICATION BETWEEN A USER INTERFACE AND A CONTROLLER OF A DISHWASHER - A dishwasher may include a closure element, such as a door, a user interface on the closure element, and a controller. A data communication link having a first data connector may be coupled to the controller, and a second data connector may be coupled to the user interface. The first and second data connectors may communicatively couple when the closure element is in the closed condition to establish data communication between the controller and the user interface. The communication link may also form a power link to provide power to the user interface across an electrical link. | 05-23-2013 |
20130125938 | SYSTEM FOR CHARGING A POWER SUPPLY IN A CLOSURE ELEMENT OF A HOUSEHOLD APPLIANCE - A dishwasher includes an open-face tub and a closure element selectively closing the open face of the tub and housing a user interface powered by a rechargeable power supply, such as a battery, operatively coupled to a power charger. In one embodiment, the user interface is not removable from the closure element, and the power charger may be remote from the closure element to selectively provide power to the rechargeable power supply. In another embodiment, the closure element may include a first door and a second door, with each door having an inductive part for formation of an inductive coupling to charge the rechargeable power supply when the doors are in juxtaposition. | 05-23-2013 |
20130125939 | DISHWASHER WITH TRANSFORMING DOOR - A dishwasher includes a door with at least a first part and a second part. The first part may be pivotally mounted to the dishwasher. The second part may be configured to be coupled to the first part for cooperative pivoting of the first part and the second part in one mode of operation. The second part may also be configured to move independently of the first part in another mode of operation. | 05-23-2013 |
20130133343 | SECONDARY COOLING PATH IN REFRIGERATOR - A refrigerator includes a secondary cooling path for circulating liquid coolant through the refrigerator wherein the liquid coolant is cooled by the freezer compartment and wherein the liquid coolant cools the ice maker and the ice bin as the liquid coolant circulates through the secondary cooling path. A pump is positioned along the secondary cooling path for pumping the liquid coolant through the secondary cooling path. A tube having a first end proximate the pump and an opposite end exposed to atmosphere may control suction pressure associated with the pump. The refrigerator reduces frost build up through configuration of the secondary cooling path or performing ice harvesting operations which melt frost. The secondary cooling path may be used to provide for circulating hot liquid. The secondary cooling path may be used to provide for circulating liquid coolant during a power outage. | 05-30-2013 |
20130135621 | APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR DETERMINING A CHARACTERISTIC OF A CONSUMABLE - The embodiments of the invention relate to a method and apparatus for determining at least one characteristic of a physical resource for use in a physical resource consuming apparatus. | 05-30-2013 |
20130153570 | Microwave Heating Apparatus with Dual Level Cavity - The present disclosure relates to a microwave heating apparatus and method of heating a load using microwaves. The microwave heating apparatus comprises a cavity dividable into at least two compartments, a first microwave generator and a first feeding port for feeding a first mode field in a first compartment of the cavity, a second microwave generator and a second feeding port for feeding a second mode field in a second compartment of the cavity. The first mode field and the second mode field provide complementary heating patterns in the cavity when the cavity is undivided. The present disclosure provides the flexibility of heating a load in a large cavity or heating a plurality of loads in smaller compartments of the cavity while still providing even heating in the cavity and in the compartments. | 06-20-2013 |
20130153572 | MIXING BOWL LINER AND LID - A bowl liner for a mixing bowl of a stand mixer includes a shell and a rim secured an upper end of the shell. The shell is sized to be received in the mixing bowl, and is formed from an elastomeric material. The shell has a mixing chamber defined therein. The rim includes an outer perimeter surface that has a keyed surface section to locate the liner relative to the stand mixer. | 06-20-2013 |
20130160221 | METHOD FOR MAXIMIZING DRUM ROTATIONAL SPEED BY CONTINUOUSLY MONITORING INERTIA DURING EXTRACTION - A laundry treating appliance may have a rotatable drum defining a treating chamber for receiving a laundry load, a motor rotatably driving the drum, and a controller controlling the operation of the motor. The laundry treating appliance may be operated by accelerating the drum with the motor toward a final speed greater than a satellizing speed, determining a mass value indicative of the mass of the rotating drum and contents within the treating chamber during the accelerating, determining a current rotational speed during the acceleration, calculating a force value indicative of a force acting on the drum based on the determined mass value and the current rotational speed, comparing the force value to a reference force value, and repeating the determining, calculating, and comparing during the acceleration, and ceasing the accelerating when the force value obtains a predetermined relationship with the reference force value. | 06-27-2013 |
20130160498 | APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR DETERMINING INERTIA OF A LAUNDRY LOAD - A laundry treating appliance for treating a laundry load according to at least one cycle of operation including a rotatable drum at least partially defining a treating chamber in which a laundry load is received for treatment, a motor rotatably driving the drum in response to a motor control signal, and a controller outputting a motor control signal to rotate the drum according to a speed profile having at least a constant speed phase, where the drum is rotated at a constant speed, and an acceleration phase, where the drum is accelerated to the constant speed and a method of operating a laundry treating appliance to determine an inertia of the laundry load. | 06-27-2013 |
20130160500 | HOUSEHOLD CLEANING APPLIANCE WITH A SINGLE WATER FLOW PATH FOR BOTH NON-BULK AND BULK DISPENSING - A household cleaning appliance configured to execute a cleaning cycle on an article, the appliance including a cabinet defining an interior, a treating chamber located within the interior for receiving the article for cleaning, a dispensing system having a dispensing cup fluidly coupled to the treating chamber, and a bulk dispensing cartridge configured to hold multiple treating chemistry doses for respective ones of multiple cleaning cycles, wherein the dispensing cup is configured to selectively hold the bulk dispensing cartridge, or a single treating chemistry dose for a single cleaning cycle when the bulk dispensing cartridge is not present. | 06-27-2013 |
20130160799 | DISHWASHER WITH MULTIPLE TREATING CHAMBERS - A method of operating a dishwasher having multiple wash chambers, with each wash chamber executing a different cycle of operation, and liquid from one chamber may be reused in the other chamber. | 06-27-2013 |
20130162129 | PARTITION ADAPTED FOR SEPARATING A COOKTOP FROM A UNDERLYING DRAWER - A partition is adapted for separating a cooktop placed on a cabinet, from an inner compartment of said cabinet, said compartment being delimited by side walls, a bottom and by a rear wall. The compartment being independently opened and upwardly presenting the cooktop and adapted to contain objects placed in a drawer or shelves fixed to the side walls. The partition which comprises at least two portions, movable relative to each other in a direction orthogonal to the side walls of the cabinet adapted to be fixed to said walls, said portions being relatively coupled in a position which is according to the distance of said side walls and such as to completely divide the cooktop from the below compartment of the cabinet. | 06-27-2013 |
20130174352 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR DISPENSING TREATING CHEMISTRY IN A LAUNDRY TREATING APPLIANCE - A laundry treating appliance and method for dispensing treating chemistry, where the laundry treating appliance includes a treating chamber, a single use dispenser and a bulk dispenser. Water may be supplied to the single use dispenser through a first water flow path, which directs a dose of treating chemistry dispensed from the single use dispenser into the treating chamber. Water may be supplied to the bulk dispenser through a second water flow path, which is configured to spray a dose of treating chemistry dispensed from the bulk dispenser into the treating chamber. The laundry treating appliance may determine the presence of treating chemistry within at least one of the single use dispenser and the bulk dispenser, and, based on this determination, supply water to the flow path associated with the dispenser which contains treating chemistry. | 07-11-2013 |
20130174353 | LAUNDRY TREATING APPLIANCE WITH CONTROLLED RECIPROCATING MOVEMENT - A laundry treating appliance having a motor to rotate a drum about the horizontal axis of rotation and an axial drive mechanism to reciprocate the drum relative to the horizontal axis of rotation. | 07-11-2013 |
20130180978 | OVEN CONTROL UTILIZING DATA-DRIVEN LOGIC - A method of controlling a cooking appliance is disclosed which includes receiving an input corresponding to a staged cooking function, retrieving a preselected parameter set from a data library, the preselected parameter set defining the staged cooking function and including a first heating element behavior parameter and a first temperature parameter, selecting a first heating element behavior from a control library based upon the first heating element behavior parameter, and operating one or more heating elements according to the first heating element behavior and the first temperature parameter. An oven and a tangible, machine-readable medium are also disclosed. | 07-18-2013 |
20130186437 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR DISHWASHER WITH COMMON HEATING ELEMENT FOR MULTIPLE TREATING CHAMBERS - A dishwasher with multiple physically separate treating chambers includes an air supply system selectively supplying drying air to the treating chambers, and a drying air exhaust system selectively removing drying air from the treating chambers. A method for operating a dishwasher selectively supplies heated drying air to and exhausts drying air from at least one treating chamber. | 07-25-2013 |
20130186887 | MICROWAVE HEATING APPARATUS - A microwave heating apparatus and a method of heating a load using microwaves is disclosed. The microwave heating apparatus comprises a cavity arranged to receive a load, a plurality of feeding ports for feeding microwaves from a plurality of microwave generators to the cavity, and a control unit. The control unit is configured to obtain a desired temperature pattern within the cavity based on information about a plurality of regions of the load. The control unit is also configured to determine a heating pattern comprising zones of different intensities corresponding to the desired temperature pattern, and control at least one of the plurality of microwave generators for providing the heating pattern within the cavity. The apparatus and method may provide heating of a load according to different desired temperatures in various parts of the load. | 07-25-2013 |
20130192472 | LIQUID FLOW CONTROL AND BEVERAGE PREPARATION APPARATUSES, METHODS AND SYSTEMS - Apparatuses, methods and systems for liquid flow control and beverage preparation are disclosed. The apparatuses, methods and systems of the present invention include liquid flow control and beverage preparation capsules, pods, cartridges, pouches, systems, and modules for controlling and directing flow streams of liquid through a beverage preparation process. The apparatuses, methods and systems of the present invention may be used in combination with or included as an integral assembly of any apparatus, method or system for liquid dispension. | 08-01-2013 |
20130192582 | OVEN WITH LOW-TEMPERATURE SELF-CLEANING MODE - An oven having one or more low-temperature self-cleaning modes has an interior cavity and at least two heating elements in the interior cavity. A sump is formed in the bottom wall of the cavity. The oven has an electronic control unit, which activates and deactivates the heating elements during operation of the low-temperature self-cleaning mode. The electronic control unit may disable an oven door lock during a low-temperature self-cleaning mode. | 08-01-2013 |
20130192642 | DISHWASHER AND OZONE GENERATOR - A dishwasher comprising a tub at least partially defining a treating chamber in which liquid may be sprayed from at least one sprayer for the treating of dishes within the treating chamber. A liquid recirculation system may be provided for recirculating the sprayed liquid back to the at least one sprayer. An ozone generator may be provided in communication with the treating chamber to supply ozone to the treating chamber. | 08-01-2013 |
20130194839 | POWER SUPPLY DEVICE FOR A HOUSEHOLD APPLIANCE AND AN OPERATING METHOD THEREOF - A household appliance power supply device and method are disclosed. The power supply device comprises a switching converter having an input filtering stage; and a determining means configured to obtain estimation data indicative of the input current that is adsorbed from the a main power input, on the base of the rate of change of the bus voltage across said bus capacitor respectively, during a second switching period. The switching converter further comprises a bus capacitor, electrically connected with at least one output terminal of a rectifying stage, a resonant tank, electrically connected with said bus capacitor, and a switching device electrically connected with said resonant tank, said switching device being operated with a switching cycle having a first switching period, and a second switching period. | 08-01-2013 |
20130199583 | DISHWASHER - A dishwasher having a tub defining a wash chamber and at least one dish rack located within the wash chamber. The dishwasher also has at least one spray arm located in the wash chamber and at least one nozzle located in the wash chamber and configured to provide a spray of liquid into the dish rack. A diverter valve controls the supply of liquid from a liquid supply to the at least one nozzle. | 08-08-2013 |