General Electric Company

John Steven Holmes

Wolfgang Daum

Robert Marten Bultman

Rollie Richard Herzog

Jerry J Queen, Ii

Mark Robert Mathews

Richard Dean Suel, Ii

Tanveer Iqbal

Scott Charles Evans

William Hull Bicknell

Jay Andrew Broniak

Steven James Gray

Meher Prasadu Kollipara

Mariano Pablo Filippa

Norman Boulard

James Murray Klump

Daniel Ryan Capelle

Scott Alan Horning

Shyam Sunder Ramamurthy

Edward James Hatfield

Tim Holder

John Erik Hershey

Craig Benjamin Williams

John Kenneth Hooker

Marcelo Esteban Valdes

Jonathan D Nelson

Samuel Vincent DuPlessis

Richard E Hornung

Ziqiang Hu

Craig Robert Vitan

Zubair Hameed

Kyran Patricia Hoff

Almir Begovich

Kresimir Odorcic

Stephen James West

Jeffery Wayne Borden

Tam Nolan

Sergio Alberto Vinocur

Jian Hua Zhong

Laurence H Fish

Erik J Matusek

Timothy G Hooker

Dennis J Dicken

A method of braking a washing machine from an operational speed to a zero speed is provided (as well as a washing machine incorporating the method) for a washing machine driven by one of a synchronous or asynchronous motor. Upon receipt of a stop signal, collapsing the motor rotating magnetic fields are collapsed for a predefined time period. After the predefined time period, DC braking voltage is applied to the motor stator windings at a controlled ramp-up rate to a fixed amplitude to generate a controlled ramped braking torque on the motor. The braking torque is applied until the motor is stopped.

Washing machine with improved braking method

An electrical equipment assembly includes at least one electrical device provided with an identifier member. The identifier member includes a measurement tolerance data associated with the electrical device. The electrical assembly also includes a meter electrically coupled to the electrical device. The meter includes a memory device, a processor device operatively coupled to the memory device, a communication link member operatively coupled to the processor device, and a selectively updatable measurement tolerance indicator stored in one of the memory device, the processor device. The processor device being configured and disposed to establish measurement accuracy of the meter based on the tolerance indicator stored in the memory device.

Electrical equipment assembly and method of calibrating an electrical equipment assembly

A method of improved reduced energy let through (RELT) mode selection in a switching apparatus includes receiving a request to disable a RELT mode of the switching apparatus, and, if the RELT mode of the switching apparatus is active, increasing a current threshold of the switching apparatus after a configurable amount of time has elapsed from the receipt of the request to disable the RELT mode.

Reduced energy let through mode indication and delay in switching devices

A method of operating a motor, the method comprising: operating a motor at a first speed; operating the motor in negative slip; imbalancing at least one phase of the motor to dissipate regeneration energy using windings of the motor; and wherein a next motor speed is decreased to a speed less than the first speed. An apparatus for carrying out the method is also presented.

Motor apparatus and method

A pitcher includes a container body defining a liquid storage cavity therein and having an open end and a cover removably coupled to the container body. The cover extends along the open end, and the cover defining a fill opening configured to receive a liquid therein. The fill opening is in communication with the liquid storage cavity. The pitcher also includes a lid assembly having a lid closing access to the fill opening. A slide mechanism is coupled to the lid, and the slide mechanism is slidably coupled to the cover.

Water pitcher and cover therefore

A method and apparatus for measuring a size of a load in a basket that is rotatably supported is presented. The method comprises determining an acceleration energy (AE) required to accelerate the basket; determining a friction energy (FE) required to maintain a stable rotational speed of the basket; subtracting the friction energy (FE) from the acceleration energy (AE) to obtain a load inertial energy (LE); and determining a load size from the load inertial energy (LE).

Load size measuring apparatus and method

A modular water treatment system includes a plurality of water treatment components including selected from a group of a particulate filter component, a taste and odor filter component, a lead and mercury filter component, a water softener component, and a water disinfection component. A plurality of interfaces are provided for coupling to the selected water treatment components. Plumbing lines provide flow communication between the selected water treatment components, and the plumbing lines include a system water inlet and a system water outlet. A controller is configured to control the flow of water through the system, and a sensor is configured to transmit a signal to the controller.

Control method and apparatus for a water treatment system

A control system for a refrigeration system having a refrigeration compartment and a quick chill/thaw pan. A main controller board, electrically connected to a temperature adjustment board and a dispenser board through the serial communications bus, controls the temperature of the refrigeration compartment and the quick chill/thaw pan. The control system accepts a plurality of inputs to determine a refrigeration mode and to execute a plurality of software algorithms to control the refrigeration compartment as both a chill pan to rapidly chill food and beverage items without freezing and a thaw pan to timely thaw frozen items at controlled temperature levels.

Electronics architecture for a refrigerator quick chill and quick thaw system

A method for manufacturing a printed circuit board includes providing a board including a plurality of electrical traces, a first surface, and a second surface opposite the first surface. The method further includes providing at least one surface mount component having a plurality of electrical terminals. The method also includes applying an adhesive on the first surface of the board, and adhering the surface mounting component to the first surface. The method also includes wave soldering the surface mount component on the first surface to the board to encapsulate at least a portion of the electrical terminals of the surface mount component with a lead-free solder.

Methods and apparatus for assembling a printed circuit board

A faucet mounted water filtration system includes a base having an inlet, a water receiving chamber, and at least one outlet. The inlet is configured to be coupled to a faucet. A body is coupled to the base. The body includes a filter compartment configured to house a filter cartridge. A cover is rotatably coupled to the body. A cam is operatively coupled to the cover. A valve operatively engages a surface of the cam. The cam is rotatable to move the valve to open and close a passageway to the filter compartment. A biasing element biases the cover to a default position.

Faucet mounted water filter

A method and apparatus for communicating between an appliance and a power line carrier communication system includes at least one power line carrier connection, at least one appliance connection, and processing circuitry for translating between an appliance communication protocol and a power line carrier communication protocol. The method and apparatus allow bidirectional communication between power line carrier and apparatus.

Method and apparatus for interfacing a power line carrier and an appliance

A detection apparatus for detecting refrigerator door openings is coupled to at least one switch configured to be activated by a door opening. When the door is opened, the switch is activated and inputs a signal to the detection apparatus. The detection apparatus rectifies the signal; and phase-shifts the rectified signal so that it leads or lags the line voltage. The shifted output signal is fed to a processor that detects the opening of the door based upon the shifted signal. Signals output by a plurality of switches that generate a signal when activated mixed using an opto-coupler. Relative impedance of the lead and lag circuits may be adjusted to differentiate a phase shift of one shifted signal relative to another signal. The processor converts a value in degrees of phase shifting of the mixed signal to a time value, and based upon the time value, the processor determines which of the doors is open.

Methods and apparatus for detecting refrigerator door openings

Appliances ( and ) are controlled by providing a source ( ) of command fields (CMD, FIG. ) that include a context subfield (Community, FIG. ) defining operating modes and a command subfield (Command, FIG. ) defining operations to be performed within the context subfield. A network ( ) transmits the command fields between the source and the appliance. A controller ( ) processes the command fields so that an operation defined by one of the command subfields is performed.

Internet enabled appliance command structure

A refrigeration system includes a first refrigeration chamber, a second refrigeration chamber in flow communication with said the first refrigeration chamber, a sealed system for producing desired temperature conditions in the first refrigeration chamber and the second refrigeration chamber, and a controller operatively coupled to the sealed system. The controller is configured to accept a plurality of user-selected inputs including at least a first refrigeration chamber temperature and a second refrigeration chamber temperature, and to execute a plurality of algorithms to selectively control the first refrigeration chamber at a temperature above the second refrigeration chamber and at a temperature below the second chamber. Various control algorithms are provided for maintaining desired temperature conditions in the refrigeration chambers.

Refrigerator system and software architecture

A control system for an appliance utilizing a plurality of peripheral devices includes a controller and a communications bus coupled to the plurality of peripheral devices and to the controller. The controller is configured to receive data from the peripheral devices over the communications bus and transmit control operations to the peripheral devices based on the data received. The communications bus reduces overall wiring requirements due to elimination or reduction of power wiring of the peripheral devices, facilitates distributed displays and human machine interfaces, and allows model differentiation with late point identification by a population of bus connections with a sensor, display, interface, or a blank. A data collision detection scheme is also provided to ensure proper communication along the bus.

Growing community of inventors

Sellersburg, IN, United States of America

John Steven Holmes