General Electric Company

Haier US Appliance Solutions, Inc.

Jeffrey Alan Kern

John Kenneth Hooker

Jonathan D Nelson

Eliel Fresco Rodriguez

Michael Thomas Beyerle

Derek Lee Watkins

Martin Mitchell Zentner

Eric Kent Watson

Timothy Allen Hamel

Craig Lung-Pei Tsai

Zhiquan Yu

Andrew Leroy Reder

Michael Paul McGonagle

Cecilia Maria Blanchard

Scott Alan Horning

Roger L Hoffman

Marlin Zenther

Arti Arvindbhai Shah

Jennifer Amy Floyd

Almir Begovich

Irena Jozic Mcdowell

A washer appliance includes an impeller and impeller interface. An agitator post is removably positioned upon the impeller interface. A plurality of latches are supported by the agitator post and spaced apart circumferentially. Each latch may be configured for pivoting in and out of one of a plurality of latch recesses provided by the impeller interface when the agitator post is positioned on the impeller interface. Biasing members urge the latch into the latch recesses when the agitator post is positioned on the impeller interface.

Washer appliance with removable agitator post using latches and torque transmitting shape

A washing appliance including a removable agitator post having a recess configured for complementary receipt of an impeller interface. A plurality of apertures can be spaced around a bottom end of the agitator post. A plurality of alignment pins may extend from the impeller interface and into the plurality of apertures. The alignment pins can be movable in and out of the apertures so that the agitator post can be secured to, or released from, the impeller interface.

Washer appliance with removable agitator post and torque transmitting shape

A dryer appliance and a method of operating the same to detect blockages are provided. The dryer appliance includes an exhaust conduit that defines a flow restriction and is in fluid communication with a drying chamber. A differential pressure sensor is operably coupled to the exhaust conduit at the flow restriction and a controller is configured for using a measured pressure differential to obtain an air flow rate and determine whether a blockage is present in the exhaust conduit, e.g., by comparing the measured flow rate to a baseline, zero-blockage flow rate.

Blockage detection in a dryer appliance

A heat pump water heater and systems and methods for its control. The systems are configured to heat water within a water storage tank of a heat pump water heater wherein a controller within the system is operatively connected to a plurality of heat sources including at least one electric heating element and a heat pump and sensors in order to selectively energize one of the plurality of heat sources. The controller is configure to process data representative of the temperature of water within the tank near the top of the water storage tank, and rate of water flowing out of the water storage tank, in order to automatically selectively energize the heat sources. The selection of heat sources by the controller is determined by a mode of operation selected by the user and the data processed by the controller in view of the selected mode of operation.

Residential heat pump water heater

A duct adapter system directs air flow relative to a hybrid water heater. The duct adapter system includes a collar adapted to surround a vent of a hybrid water shroud. The collar couples to standard duct pipe to extend ductwork to a heat pump portion of the hybrid water heater. A boost fan may be included in the system for boosting air flow to or from a remote location. The duct adapter system is adapted to deliver a warm air supply to the heat pump from the remote location, or deliver the cool discharge air from the heat pump water heater to a remote location.

Hybrid electric water heater with external discharge ducting

A heat pump water heater and systems and methods for its control are disclosed. The systems are configured to heat water within a water storage tank of a heat pump water heater wherein a controller within the system is operatively connected to a plurality of heat sources including at least one electric heating element and a heat pump and sensors in order to selectively energize one of the plurality of heat sources. The controller is configure to process data representative of the temperature of water within the tank near the top of the water storage tank, and rate of water flowing out of the water storage tank, in order to automatically selectively energize the heat sources. The selection of heat sources by the controller is determined by a mode of operation selected by the user and the data processed by the controller in view of the selected mode of operation.

A cooktop comprising at least one cooktop heater and a controller coupled to the heater and operable to control operation of the heater, including cool down of the heater and drift detection, is described. In one embodiment, the cooktop further comprises a control interface coupled to the controller. The interface comprises a power setting selection unit for operator selection of a power level setting for the heater. The controller is configured to switch off supply of power to the heater if a second power level selection for the heater is a lower power level than a first power level selection, and to then resume standard heater operation once a temperature corresponding to the second power level selection is reached.

Methods and systems for cooktop control

A reversible turbine pump includes a pair of end walls and a side wall defining an annular pumping chamber. A turbine impeller mounted for reversible rotation in the chamber includes a rigid input shaft. One end of the shaft extends through one end wall and is sealed from the chamber. A spring biases the other end of the shaft toward the other end wall. Cooperating thrust bearing members, mounted to the other end of the shaft and the other end wall, provide a large planar area of low friction engagement therebetween. The pumping chamber has a pair of inlets, a pair of outlets and a dam. The first inlet and second outlet are on one side of the dam while the second inlet and first outlet are on the other side of the dam so that reverse rotation of the impeller pumps fluid in opposite directions through a different set of inlet and outlet. Valves associated with the inlets and outlets permit fluid flow in the desired direction and prevent fluid flow in the opposite direction.

Reversible turbine pump

A temperature sensor assembly for an automatic solid disk surface unit includes a temperature sensor enclosed in a metallic hermetically sealed generally cylindrical housing. Upper and lower centrally apertured annular disks formed of a porcelain ceramic material thermally isolate the sensor housing from the surrounding surface unit. A protective metallic skirt conforming to the outer contour of the insulating disks holds the assembly together. A layer of glaze material covers the exposed upper surface of the upper disk in the gap between the skirt and the housing to prevent the absorption of food soils.

Growing community of inventors

Louisville, KY, United States of America

Jeffrey Alan Kern