Whirlpool Corporation

Assa Abloy Accessories and Door Controls Group, Inc.

Yale Security Inc.

Thermo Fisher Scientific Gmbh

Peter E Zasowski

Brian P Janke

Dustin Lawhon

Peter Richmond

Farhad Ashrafzadeh

Donald E Erickson

Blue Houser

Robert Matthew Bell

Robert M Bell

Kurt Dietrich

Tommy G McNally, Ii

Horacio B Polli

Wallace Trochesset

Prakash Mistry

Dustin E Lawhon

A door closer with an electric motor-assisted closing feature, that may generate its own power to assist in closing, and controls the speed of opening and closing of the door during generation is disclosed. Embodiments of the present disclosure are realized by a motorized door closer that electrically creates a latch boost force for a closing door. The door closer includes a motor disposed to operatively connect to a door so that the door will be moved toward closed when the motor moves, and a position sensor to determine a position of the door. A processor is programmed to exert a closing force on the door in the latch boost region or when it otherwise detects that a motor assist is needed.

Door closer

A door operator includes a door driver for opening and closing a door, and a control system including a microprocessor having multiple microprocessor inputs. The microprocessor is connected to and controls the door driver. The microprocessor has multiple program modules corresponding to input functions to be performed by the door operator. The door operator includes a plurality of door operator inputs connected to corresponding ones of the microprocessor inputs, and a user interface connected to the microprocessor. The user interface allows a user to associate a selected door operator input and corresponding microprocessor input to a selected program module corresponding to a selected function to be performed by the door operator.

Methods and apparatus for increasing the range of digital inputs and outputs on a door operator or closer

A door closer, comprising a door closer housing mounted to one of a door frame or a door surface and a linkage arm for pivoting the door between open and closed positions. The linkage arm has a first and second end, the first end mounted to the other of the door frame or the door surface. The door closer includes a rotatable connector between the linkage arm and the door closer housing, the linkage arm second end engaging with the rotatable connector. The connector has a rotatable body portion and head protrusion substantially secured in a female receptor to transmit rotation about a longitudinal axis of the connector. One or both of the head protrusion or female receptor has a curved profile and is further movable with respect to the head protrusion to permit limited rotational misalignment of the linkage arm on any axis perpendicular to the connector longitudinal axis.

Apparatus for connecting door closer or operator to swing door

An apparatus for adjusting the force in a door operator or closer comprises an elongated housing and a spring therein connected to the door operator or closer. A spring collar is non-rotatable about the longitudinal axis of the housing and adapted to move linearly within the housing. A fixed adjusting screw extends along a longitudinal axis of the housing and the spring collar is slidable linearly along an outer surface of the adjusting screw. A nut is threadably engaged at a distal end of the adjusting screw and is rotatable about the longitudinal axis of the screw, the nut bearing on the spring collar during rotation. The spring collar bears on a distal end of the spring to vary the spring compression and thereby vary force applied by the door operator or closer. The housing has an opening in a sidewall through which the spring is visible, and the housing exterior surface includes markings indicating the degree of spring compression. An indicator is moveable along and visible from the exterior of the housing to indicate the compression of the spring.

Apparatus and method for control of spring force in a door closer or operator

A door closer or operator includes a pivoting pinion on the door closer housing for transmitting door motion, and a cam connected thereto. A connecting member extends along a spring and engages the peripheral edge of the cam. Rotation of the cam causes a change in length of the portion of the connecting member between the position tangent to the cam peripheral edge and the spring second end to expand or compress the spring, resulting in a force transmitted along a longitudinal axis of the connecting member as a result of spring deflection. The cam peripheral edge has a profile with a varying radial distance between the cam axis and the connecting member at the position tangent to the cam peripheral edge such that the radial distance is changed as the spring expands or compresses to maintain a desired constant torque about the axis of the cam and pinion.

Apparatus for providing constant torque output from a door closer or operator

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.

Apparatus and method for determining inertia of a laundry load

A laundry treating appliance has a rotatable drum at least partially defining a treating chamber for receiving a laundry load for treatment according to at least one cycle of operation and operated such that the extraction of liquid from the laundry load is controlled based on the inertia of the laundry load. A method for operating the laundry treating appliance to control the liquid extraction based on the detected inertia.

Laundry treating appliance and method using inertia detection to control liquid extraction

A laundry treating appliance for treating a laundry load according to at least one cycle of operation and a method of operating a laundry treating appliance to control the rotation of the drum to distribute the laundry load with an acceptable amount of imbalance such that the laundry treating appliance may be operated in an effective and efficient manner.

Laundry treating appliance and method of operation

An apparatus for adjusting the force in a door operator or closer includes a tube rotatable about a longitudinal axis and a coil spring therein connected to door operator/closer. A fixed adjusting screw extends along the longitudinal axis of the housing through the coil spring and a spring collar is threaded onto the adjusting screw and rotatable with the tube. The spring collar bears on the distal end of the spring to vary the spring compression upon rotation of the housing and thereby vary force applied by the door operator or closer. The housing has an opening though which the spring is visible, and the tube has markings indicating the degree of spring compression. An indicator is moveable along and visible outside the housing to indicate the compression of the spring.

Apparatus and method for rotating tube adjustment and visually indicating spring force in a door operator or closer

An apparatus and method for determining an inertia of a laundry load for a laundry treating appliance during an acceleration phase, wherein the rotational speed of a rotatable drum of the laundry is controlled based on the determined inertia.

Method and apparatus for determining an inertia of a laundry load in a laundry treating appliance

A laundry treating appliance may include a rotatable treating chamber for receiving a laundry load for treatment, and a motor for rotating the treating chamber, and may be operated such that during the acceleration of the laundry load toward a satellizing speed, the satellizing of the laundry load may be detected, whereby subsequent operation of the laundry treating appliance may be controlled based on the detection.

Method for detecting satellization speed of clothes load in a horizontal axis laundry treating appliance

A door operator comprises a door driver for opening and closing a door, a controller including a microprocessor connected to and controlling the door driver, a graphical user interface comprising a display screen with touch select input coupled to the microprocessor to display information stored in the controller and to receive instructions selected from the display screen by a user, and a memory module coupled to the microprocessor and storing code executed by the microprocessor. The microprocessor under control of the code displays to the user various menu items on the graphical user interface display and enables the user to select among the menu items using the display screen with touch select input such that the microprocessor derives a control signal. Circuitry is configured to receive the control signal from the microprocessor and to carry the control signal to the door driver.

Controller for a door operator

A laundry treating appliance has a rotatable drum at least partially defining a treating chamber for receiving a laundry load for treatment according to at least one cycle of operation and operated such that the extraction of liquid from the laundry load is controlled based on the inertia of the laundry load so that the total energy usage by the laundry treating appliance and a laundry drying appliance with which it is operably coupled may be minimized.

Growing community of inventors

Yantis, TX, United States of America

Peter E Zasowski