Whirlpool Corporation

Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.

Raveendran Vaidhyanathan

Nyik Siong Wong

Farhad Ashrafzadeh

Kalyanakrishnan Vadakkeveedu

Joel Adam Luckman

Anthony H Hardaway

Dengming Peng

Robert J Pinkowski

Viktor Kopyrin

Guolian Wu

Edward L Thies

James J Visin

Viktor N Kopyrin

Dale E Mueller

Alvaro Vallejo Noriega

Seong Min Oak

Mary Ellen Zeitler

Matthew Craig Parsons

Markus Beck

Robert R Williams

Flavio Erasmo Bernardino

Michael A Dirlam

George Angelov

Viktor J Kopyrin

Edward S Hynek

A microplastic filter includes a housing including an inlet configured to receive water. The microplastic filter also includes a fine filter disposed to rotate within the housing and configured to filter residues from the water. The microplastic filter further includes an inside wiper disposed within the fine filter. The inside wiper includes a center post disposed along a rotational axis of the fine filter and a helical curved wall spirally extending between the center post and the fine filter, where the helical curved wall is configured to guide a portion of the water to backflow through the fine filter and force away at least some filtered residues from pores of the fine filter to prevent fouling or clogging of the fine filter. In addition, the microplastic filter includes an outside wiper spirally disposed around the fine filter and configured to dislodge other filtered residues from the fine filter as the fine filter rotates.

Microplastic filter for washing machines or other appliances

A method includes supplying, using a water supply coupled to a tub of a dishwasher, water into the tub, wherein the tub includes a sump and a sprayer; circulating, using a circulation circuit coupled to the sump and the sprayer, the water from a sump to the sprayer; storing, using a water tank coupled to the circulation circuit, the circulated water from the circulation circuit on completion of a first phase; drawing heat, using a supply side of a thermoelectric module system coupled to the circulation circuit and the water tank, from the stored water in the water tank from the first phase; and outputting, using an output side of the thermoelectric module system, heat to the circulated water in the circulation circuit for a second phase.

Thermoelectric heat pump recovery and dish drying system for domestic dishwasher

A dishwasher includes a tub, a first dish rack, and a second dish rack disposed above the first dish rack in the tub. The second dish rack includes a frame configured to couple to and adjust in a vertical position relative to a plurality of mounting rails in the tub. The second dish rack also includes a collapsible portion coupled to the frame and configured to adjust in a vertical position relative to the frame. In some embodiments, the second dish rack further includes a feed pipe coupled to the collapsible portion, the feed pipe having at least one connection point configured to align with at least one water supply point, wherein each vertical position of the collapsible portion corresponds to a different alignment of the at least one connection point and the at least one water supply point.

Collapsible dish rack for dishwasher

A dishwasher filtration system includes a coarse filter disposed in a tub of a dishwasher, the coarse filter configured to filter water directed to a main wash pump. The system also includes a soil accumulation chamber configured to receive a portion of water from the main wash pump. The system further includes a fine filter covering an opening of the soil accumulation chamber, the fine filter configured to filter the portion of water received inside the soil accumulation chamber. The system also includes a backwash nozzle configured to supply water to the fine filter. In addition, the system may include a deflector that deflects the water from the backwash nozzle to the fine filter.

Self-cleaning filtration system for a dishwasher

A drying apparatus for use with a laundry dryer includes a first section and a second section. Each section has a plurality of walls defining a cavity, the cavity comprising a portion of a channel for air flow. A first wall among the plurality of walls has a substantially flat exterior surface and a plurality of openings extending through the first wall from the exterior surface to the portion of the channel. The first section and the second section are configured to be disposed substantially adjacent to each other to form the channel. The first section comprises an air outlet cover at a first end, the air outlet cover configured to substantially cover an air outlet of the laundry dryer.

Collapsible drying rack for laundry dryer

A dishwasher drying system includes an air inlet configured to receive hot, humid air from a tub of a dishwasher. The dishwasher drying system also includes an air outlet configured to discharge the air to an ambient environment outside the dishwasher. The dishwasher drying system further includes an air moving device configured to cause the air to move from the air inlet to the air outlet. In addition, the dishwasher drying system includes a thermal storage heat exchanger positioned within an airflow path of the moving air, the thermal storage heat exchanger configured to absorb heat and condense moisture from the moving air as the moving air contacts the thermal storage heat exchanger during a dishwasher drying cycle.

Dishwasher drying system with thermal storage heat exchanger

An apparatus and method for determining the degree of engagement between a clothes mover and fabric items during a wash process, and a method for setting the liquid level in the automatic washer based on the degree of engagement between a clothes mover and the fabric items.

Adaptive water level adjustment for an automatic washer

A fabric treatment appliance according to one embodiment of the invention comprises a receptacle defining a fabric treatment chamber for receiving laundry, a steam generator having an inlet for receiving water from a water supply and an outlet for supplying steam to the fabric treatment chamber, and a liquid trap upstream from the steam generation chamber blocking backflow of steam from the steam generation chamber to the water supply conduit.

Fabric treatment appliance with steam backflow device

A method and apparatus for determining the degree of tangling of fabric items during a wash process based on at least one of the motor speed or motor current.

Tangling detection for an automatic washer

A method for operating a horizontal axis washing machine having a tub with a drum rotatably mounted in the tub and configured to hold a fabric load comprises introducing liquid into the drum to wet the fabric load and spinning the drum to distribute the fabric load about the drum prior to the introducing of the liquid.

Steam washing machine operation method having dry spin pre-wash

A fabric treatment appliance comprises a steam generator having a chamber configured to hold water; a supply conduit configured to transport water to the steam generator chamber; a temperature sensor configured to sense a temperature representative of the steam generator chamber at a predetermined water level in the steam generator chamber; and a controller coupled to the temperature sensor and configured to control flow of water through the supply conduit based on the sensed temperature to control the level of water in the steam generator chamber. The disclosure provides methods of water supply control that can employ the temperature sensor.

Water supply control for a steam generator of a fabric treatment appliance using a temperature sensor

A fabric treatment appliance comprises at least one of a tub and drum defining a fabric treatment chamber, a steam generator having a steam generation chamber and configured to supply steam to the fabric treatment chamber, and a conduit fluidly coupling a water supply to the steam generation chamber. The fabric treatment appliance can also include a flow controller and/or a flow meter fluidly coupled to the conduit to facilitate controlling the supply of water to the steam generation chamber. The disclosure provides methods of water supply control that can employ the flow controller and/or the flow meter.

Water supply control for a steam generator of a fabric treatment appliance

A fabric treatment appliance, such as a washing machine, comprises at least one of a tub and drum configured to hold a fabric load. A method of operating the fabric treatment appliance comprises heating the fabric load and, after heating the fabric load, sanitizing the fabric load by heating the fabric load with steam.

Growing community of inventors

St. Joseph, MI, United States of America

Raveendran Vaidhyanathan