Did You Know...
...that when IBM conducted a market study of Chester Carlson's invention in 1959, the company concluded that it would take only 5000 units of his new product to saturate the market? IBM therefore declined to be part of the new product introduction. Too bad for IBM. Carlson's invention was the xerography process, and his new product was the beginning of the Xerox Corporation. It is estimated that every day, worldwide, 3,000,000,000 copies are made!!
PatentStorm News
Make the Most of Our Site
See this month's Top Inventors and Most Cited Patents.
Stay on top of the latest innovations by subscribing to an RSS feed.
Registered users: Manage your profile.
| Number | Title | Issue Date |
| 4750470 | Heater system for a downdraft range A heater system is provided for use with a downdraft range. The heater is constructed and disposed within a burner pan associated with the range to produce a non-uniform heat output relative to the front-to-rear center line of the burner pan. The greater ... | 06/14/1988 |
| 4736729 | Airflow system for a gas downdraft range A gas downdraft range is provided with an airflow system for inducing and maintaining cooling airflow, combustion airflow and exhaust airflow. A housing defines an upwardly facing burner box and a cover overlies the housing with a downwardly formed burner... | 04/12/1988 |
| 4705021 | Gas burner construction A gas burner construction is porvided which is completely free of any upwardly facing horizontal plane surfaces. This burner construction is especially adapted for cooking food with an open flame since there are no surfaces on which drippings may collect ... | 11/10/1987 |
| 4705019 | Gas downdraft range with selectively interchangeable burners A gas cooking appliance is provided which is operable with interchangeable burners. An appliance housing includes a burner box mounting an upwardly facing non-removable burner pan. A gas supply system includes gas valves arranged to provide gas to inlet f... | 11/10/1987 |
| 4705018 | Gas distribution system for a range A gas distribution system is provided for a cooking appliance having housing structure defining a substantially confined control chamber. A gas manifold structure is utilized which includes first and second spaced apart surfaces joined by a peripheral wal... | 11/10/1987 |
| 4703306 | Appliance system An appliance system is provided having a plurality of appliances. A master controller includes the user-operable appliance controls as well as associated logic controls for controlling the operating components of the appliances. An interface control is ph... | 10/27/1987 |
| 4697687 | Coin actuated appliance with coin collecting apparatus A coin actuated appliance is provided which includes first and second stacked laundry machines having first and second enclosing cabinets. A housing defines a generally closed vault within an intermediate support member which supports the second laundry m... | 10/06/1987 |
| 4682267 | Panel alignment system A control center including a panel alignment system is provided for use with a control housing. A support member is mounted in the control housing for mounting a selector switch. A panel member is spaced forwardly from the support member and is movable re... | 07/21/1987 |
| 4677291 | Analysis of rotational eccentricity A laundry appliance includes apparatus for analyzing the eccentricity of a rotatable member with respect to its design rotational axis when subjected to dynamic unbalance forces. An indicator is rotatable with the rotatable member and includes a predeterm... | 06/30/1987 |
| 4663538 | Control for coin actuated appliances A control system is provided for controlling the operation of at least a pair of coin actuated appliances. A control panel area is provided which includes a coin drop mechanism, selection switches and indicators. A microcontroller is in circuit associatio... | 05/05/1987 |
| 4641006 | Rotating antenna for a microwave oven A rotating antenna is provided for use in a microwave oven having drive apparatus for rotating the antenna, a heating cavity, a source of microwave energy and a waveguide between the heating cavity and the source of microwave energy. A probe extends into ... | 02/03/1987 |
| 4623179 | Door latch for appliance A door latch is provided for the access door of an appliance. The door latch apparatus includes bracketry for mounting at least one switch and actuating levers. The movable access door includes a catch which is engageable with one of the actuating levers ... | 11/18/1986 |
| 4606464 | Dishwasher rack with pivoted divider assembly A dishwasher rack having substantially upstanding front, rear and side walls and a generally horizontally disposed bottom wall formed from a plurality of longitudinal and lateral wire members includes at least one pivoted divider. The pivoted dividers are... | 08/19/1986 |
| 4549052 | Cooling system for an induction cooking cartridge An induction cooking cartridge is disclosed which includes an internal fan for cooling the various induction heating components. The cooking cartridge is constructed so that a unique airflow path is defined with cooling airflow entering the mounting reces... | 10/22/1985 |
| 4531387 | Combination appliance with sliding door A combination appliance is provided having a washing machine and a dryer separately supported above the washing machine. The physical arrangement of the washing machine/dryer combination provides a compartment below the dryer cabinet and behind the washin... | 07/30/1985 |
| 4531307 | Fabric dryer control with cycle interrupt A fabric drying apparatus including a fabric tumbler is provided which includes control circuitry for interrupting a cycle upon detection of temperature signals outside a predetermined range. A power supply energizes the fabric drying apparatus. A heater ... | 07/30/1985 |
| 4527542 | Oven ventilating system An oven ventilating system is provided for use in conjunction with a proximity ventilated range having modular plug-in cooktop cartridges. A vent tube extends upwardly from an oven vent outlet to a position adjacent the air intake grill. The venting path,... | 07/09/1985 |
| 4526535 | Gas burner for a combined laundry appliance A dryer having a gas burner is provided for use in a combined laundry appliance. The gas burner is mounted within a compartment located within the dryer cabinet between the bottom of the dryer drum and the top cover of the washer which has a generally tri... | 07/02/1985 |
| 4526332 | Control panel clock lens arrangement A control panel is provided for a household appliance which includes a clock-timer lens which is effectively sealed to the rear of the control panel assembly. The integral clock-timer lens and control panel combine to prevent the infiltration of soil into... | 07/02/1985 |
| 4517886 | Grease collection system for range A grease collection system is provided for a range which includes grilling capability. A collection container is located in the inner panel of the range generally adjacent the oven cavity opening. The container is generally flush with the inner panel and ... | 05/21/1985 |
| 4512331 | Oven seal arrangement An improved oven seal arrangement is provided comprising an elongated flexible seal having retainer and seal portions. A channel or gap is formed in one of the oven front or oven door for receiving the retainer portion and the seal portion is captured bet... | 04/23/1985 |
| 4510776 | Sliding access door for washing machine A combination appliance is provided having a washing machine and a separately operable dryer disposed above the washing machine. The washing machine and dryer are separately supported in a generally mating relationship providing the characteristics of a u... | 04/16/1985 |
| 4510777 | Control system for an access door A control system is provided for operating a washing machine through a cycle of operations and for ensuring that an access door is closed and locked during predetermined portions of the cycle and for ensuring that sensor switches are properly operable. A ... | 04/16/1985 |
| 4510778 | Control system for a combined appliance A control system is provided for controlling the operation of a plurality of associated appliances. The appliances are individually powered from separate power sources. A single control panel is mounted on one of the appliances and includes selection swit... | 04/16/1985 |
| 4493410 | Double actuation coin slide system A double actuation coin slide system is provided which is associated with a coin slide housing. A sequential controller is associated with the coin slide housing and is energizable for controlling a timed sequence of operations. A power source provides el... | 01/15/1985 |
| 4483082 | Single relay for motor and heater control A microprocessor controlled fabric drying apparatus is provided including structure having a rotatable fabric tumbler, a drive motor for driving the tumbler, and a heater for drying fabrics in the tumbler. A first circuit energizes the drive motor and inc... | 11/20/1984 |
| 4477982 | Microcontroller-based dryer control A control is provided for a fabric drying machine and includes selection apparatus operable for initiating a fabric drying cycle having a dryness sensing operation. The control includes a microcontroller for controlling the fabric drying cycle as initiate... | 10/23/1984 |
| 4462225 | Appliance leveling and locating structure A fabric dryer is mounted in an elevated posture above a support surface and a washing machine on a support stand. The support stand includes adjustable members by which the support stand and attached fabric dryer can be leveled and adjusted for proper he... | 07/31/1984 |
| 4454732 | Combined appliance with unifying support structure A combined appliance is provided which includes unifying support structure. First and second appliances each have cabinets for enclosing the respective appliances. The first appliance is supported in an elevated posture on support structure including a pa... | 06/19/1984 |
| 4416300 | Heat shielded thermoplastic wash arm for dishwasher An article washing apparatus is provided which has a washing chamber and a heating element spaced upwardly from the bottom wall thereof. Apparatus is also provided for distributing washing liquid within the washing chamber including a pump associated with... | 11/22/1983 |
| 4395890 | Drive mechanism A drive mechanism is provided for converting a rotary input to an oscillatory output. The mechanism includes a housing having axially aligned first and second support members. Input and output shafts are journaled within the first and second support membe... | 08/02/1983 |
| 4381459 | Power-up circuit for microprocessor based appliance control A power-up circuit is provided for a microprocessor based appliance control which includes a power source providing power between first and second conductors. A first circuit is connected across the conductors and a second circuit is electrically disconne... | 04/26/1983 |
| 4362346 | Dishwasher rack mounting track A one-piece unitary track member is provided which movably supports a rack within the washing chamber of a dishwashing apparatus. The track is formed from a single piece of sheet metal and includes a pair of substantially vertically aligned oppositely ope... | 12/07/1982 |
| 4362954 | Power-up control for microprocessor based appliance A microprocessor controlled appliance is provided which has a smooth unbroken control surface. A control panel assembly includes a support panel and a decorative panel overlying the support panel. The assembly further includes a continuous flexible membra... | 12/07/1982 |
| 4359146 | Rotation sensing control A rotation sensing control is provided for an appliance having a rotatable member. A rotation sensing mechanism is coupled to the rotatable member and includes a fluid shear coupling. This coupling is operable for rotating through a predetermined arcuate ... | 11/16/1982 |
| 4355954 | Pump impeller A bidirectional pump is provided which includes a pair of impellers each operable for pumping liquid in one direction of operation. One of the impellers has modified vane structure for reducing turbulent liquid flow conditions when rotated in a reverse di... | 10/26/1982 |
| 4355218 | Presettable index mechanism for selectively actuatable timer A coin slide actuated timer mechanism is provided for a commercial apparatus such as an automatic fabric drying machine. The timer mechanism includes an indexing mechanism by which preselected angles of timer drive shaft rotation corresponding to desired ... | 10/19/1982 |
| 4312138 | Control system for fabric drying apparatus A control system is provided for a fabric drying machine which includes both an automatic dry control and a timer mechanism. The timer mechanism includes operator movable actuators for positioning various timer switches. Machine cycles are controlled eith... | 01/26/1982 |
| 4303406 | Automatic liquid level control An automatic liquid level control system is provided for a laundry appliance having a tub and a perforate fabric basket within the tub. Washing liquid is injected onto the surface of fabrics to be laundered. A portion of the washing liquid will be absorbe... | 12/01/1981 |
| 4289154 | Self-cleaning float mechanism A dishwashing apparatus is provided with a float controlled liquid inlet valve. The float includes a centrally located, downwardly extending, stem portion which extends through the inner aperture of a standpipe associated with the bottom wall of the liqui... | 09/15/1981 |
