Did You Know...
...that the inventor of the electric motor was a blacksmith named Thomas Davenport? Described as "a brilliantly unsuccessful inventor", Davenport invented the first rotary electric motor. In 1836 he headed out -- on foot -- from his Vermont home to file a patent application at the Patent Office in Washington, D.C. By the time he got there, he had squandered away his money and couldn't afford the $30 filing fee so he turned around and went home. When he later mailed in his application with money he'd raised, the Patent office was destroyed in a fire. He did finally get credit for his invention on Feb. 5, 1837.
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| Number | Title | Issue Date |
| 7895022 | Method, system and program product for managing building options Building options are managed. An indication of at least one available option for constructing a building or modifying an existing building is obtained by a first user. The at least one available option is made electronically accessible to a second user. The second u... | 02/22/2011 |
| 7871138 | Vertical lift door assembly for an appliance An appliance includes a chassis defining a cavity and having an opening for accessing the cavity and a door assembly joined to the chassis. The door assembly includes a door for closing access to the opening, and the door assembly further includes a door lift sub-as... | 01/18/2011 |
| 7870647 | Methods and apparatus for assembling a door handle assembly A handle assembly includes a handle body including a handle body having at least one attachment portion proximate a respective end of the handle body, wherein the at least one attachment portion is configured to engage a door panel. At least one latch member is coup... | 01/18/2011 |
| 7869901 | Control systems and methods for a water dispenser assembly An appliance includes a dispenser having a water valve for controlling a flow of water through the dispenser and a flowmeter for measuring the amount of water dispensed through the dispenser, and a controller operatively coupled to the water valve and the flowmeter.... | 01/11/2011 |
| 7867341 | Methods and systems for performing an upper rack wash in a dishwasher A dishwasher includes a tub, a fluid circulation assembly, and a water flow blocking mechanism. The assembly includes a pump, which is in flow communication with a lower spray arm via a water passage and at least one other spray arm via a conduit. The water flow blo... | 01/11/2011 |
| 7841217 | Clothes washer temperature control systems and methods A washing machine wherein a cold water valve is opened during a hot fill operation is described. In one embodiment, the washing machine comprises a cabinet, a tub and basket mounted within the cabinet, and an agitation element mounted within the basket. The machine ... | 11/30/2010 |
| 7836708 | Apparatus and method for identifying a filter assembly A water filter identification system for a refrigerator including a refrigeration compartment includes a manifold assembly positioned within the refrigeration compartment and operatively coupled to a water dispensing system, and a monitoring device positioned with r... | 11/23/2010 |
| 7810650 | Faucet mounted water filter system A faucet mounted water filtration system includes a base defining an inlet and a plurality of outlets. The base at least partially defines a filter compartment configured to house a filter cartridge. A first valve assembly is positioned within the base and defines a... | 10/12/2010 |
| 7802855 | Home appliance having a door A front face for an appliance that is one of a washing machine and a clothes dryer includes a door panel having a transparent window defined thereon, a door handle including a handle body having an inner surface, an outer surface, and two end portions. The handle is... | 09/28/2010 |
| 7798355 | Cover for a water softener system A water softener system cover assembly includes a cover removably coupled to the water softener system, the cover includes a control panel opening and a salt pour area opening. The assembly also includes a control panel cover portion slidably coupled to the cover fo... | 09/21/2010 |
| 7776209 | Control method and apparatus for a water treatment system 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 dis... | 08/17/2010 |
| 7776159 | Methods and apparatus for controlling a dishwasher A control system for controlling a fill operation of a dishwasher having a pump and a pump motor driving the pump, and the dishwasher having a valve for controlling the flow of water to the dishwasher includes a monitoring device configured to be coupled to at least... | 08/17/2010 |
| 7775065 | Methods and apparatus for operating a refrigerator A method for operating a refrigerator including a fresh food compartment and a door includes providing a fresh food evaporator to produce cool airflow for the fresh food compartment, providing a chiller compartment within the fresh food compartment, providing a duct... | 08/17/2010 |
| 7765837 | Clothes washer accelerating systems and methods A washing machine includes a cabinet, a tub mounted within the cabinet, and a basket rotationally mounted within the tub for relative rotation therewith. A suspension assembly supports the tub within the cabinet. A variable speed motor is included for rotating the b... | 08/03/2010 |
| 7762102 | Soft freeze assembly for a freezer storage compartment A soft freeze assembly for a refrigerator including a freezer storage compartment having a first temperature includes a second storage compartment positioned within the freezer storage compartment. A heat source is positioned with respect to the second storage compa... | 07/27/2010 |
| 7759617 | Gas range and method for using the same A gas range includes a gas cooktop including a plurality of gas cooktop burners, and an oven coupled to the gas cooktop. The oven includes an oven cavity comprising a top portion, a bottom portion, a rear portion coupled to the top and bottom portions, a first side ... | 07/20/2010 |
| 7757323 | Belt drive washer A drive mechanism for a washing machine having a basket rotatably mounted within a tub includes a motor having a first pulley. A washing apparatus is mounted within the basket. A rotatable shaft has first and second ends, the first end being directly coupled to the ... | 07/20/2010 |
| 7755006 | Heating systems and methods for a cooking appliance A heating system for a cooking appliance includes at least one heating element positioned within a cooking cavity defined by a cabinet of the cooking appliance. The cooking cavity is configured to support a food item therein during a cooking process. A controller is... | 07/13/2010 |
| 7750271 | Systems and methods for controlling oven cooking A control system for an oven includes a temperature sensor configured to detect a cavity temperature within the cavity, and a controller operatively coupled with the sensor. The oven includes a body having a cavity defined therein and at least one heater positioned ... | 07/06/2010 |
| 7748374 | Method and apparatus of assembling cooking appliances A solenoid for controlling gas flow to a burner of an appliance includes at least one coil configured to receive an electrically charged pulse based on a signal sent from a controller. The solenoid also includes an armature moveable between a first position and a se... | 07/06/2010 |
| 7743801 | Method and system for dispensing ice and/or a liquid A touchless dispensing system includes a dispenser configured to dispense at least one of ice and at least one liquid. A detection device is positioned with respect to the dispenser. The detection device is configured to detect a container positioned with respect to... | 06/29/2010 |
| 7731805 | Dishwasher rack lift system A rack support system for a lower rack in a dishwasher is provided for a dishwasher having a wash chamber within a tub. The rack support system includes a frame configured to support the lower rack. A linkage system couples the frame to a side wall of the tub such t... | 06/08/2010 |
| 7718054 | Water treatment system A modular water treatment system includes a plurality of water treatment components 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 ... | 05/18/2010 |
| 7707847 | Ice-dispensing assembly mounted within a refrigerator compartment A refrigerator includes a housing having at least one refrigerator compartment, a door for accessing the at least one refrigerator compartment, and an ice-dispensing assembly. The ice-dispensing assembly includes an insulated housing arranged within the at least one... | 05/04/2010 |
| 7703306 | Clothes washer recirculation systems and methods A washing machine is provided that includes a tub and a perforated basket rotationally mounted within the tub for relative rotation therewith. A recirculation system is coupled between the tub and the basket and is configured to remove wash liquid from the tub and r... | 04/27/2010 |
| 7703292 | Apparatus and method for increasing ice production rate A refrigerator includes a housing defining a freezer storage compartment, an evaporator operatively coupled to the freezer storage compartment and configured to cool the freezer storage compartment, and an evaporator fan positioned to move air across the evaporator.... | 04/27/2010 |
| 7698911 | Methods and systems for detecting dryness of clothes in an appliance A control system for a clothes treating apparatus includes a first temperature sensor, a second temperature sensor, and a controller operatively coupled to the sensors. The apparatus includes a cabinet, a wash tub mounted within the cabinet and configured to receive... | 04/20/2010 |
| 7685849 | Methods and apparatus for monitoring a washing machine A control system for a home appliance includes a cabinet, a wash tub positioned within the cabinet and configured to receive laundry therein, and a fill device configured to deliver liquid into the tub. The control system includes a first detecting component configu... | 03/30/2010 |
| 7685837 | Freezer storage assembly for a refrigerator A storage assembly for a refrigerator having a freezer storage compartment includes a second storage compartment positioned within the freezer storage compartment, and a cooling plate positioned within the second storage compartment. The cooling plate is configured ... | 03/30/2010 |
| 7685665 | Washing machine having self-centering drive assembly A drive assembly for a washing machine is provided. The drive assembly includes a motor. An input shaft is operatively coupled to the motor and an output shaft is operatively coupled between the input shaft and an agitator. A housing is positioned about at least a p... | 03/30/2010 |
| 7681582 | Multiple spray arm dishwashing apparatus and method for assembling same A dishwasher includes a cabinet, an upper rack and a lower rack disposed within the cabinet. The upper and lower racks support articles to be cleaned. The dishwasher also includes a first spray arm and a second spray arm rotatably mounted within the cabinet. The fir... | 03/23/2010 |
| 7681419 | Dry cleaning solvent filter A dry cleaning machine includes a tub for holding articles to be cleaned. A door is rotatably coupled to the dry cleaning machine. The door is movable from a closed position wherein access to the tub is substantially sealed, to an open position providing access to t... | 03/23/2010 |
| 7677062 | Washing machine with spraying device A spraying device for a washing machine includes a body including a wall having an outer surface, a water inlet and a channel defined therein. The channel is in flow communication with the water inlet, and a plurality of nozzles extend through the wall and in flow c... | 03/16/2010 |
| 7673463 | Cooling system methods and apparatus for a refrigeration device A refrigerator includes a housing defining at least one chamber and a condenser system in which a refrigerant flows. The condenser system includes a condenser, a switching device, and a hot gas loop in flow communication with one another. The condenser system is con... | 03/09/2010 |
| 7670485 | Water treatment assembly A water treatment assembly includes a housing having a plurality of water treatment component interfaces. The water treatment assembly also includes a plurality of water treatment components selected from a group of a particulate filter component, a taste and odor f... | 03/02/2010 |
| 7664667 | Method, system, and program product for on-line service call scheduling A computing environment or system is disclosed for use by a homeowner for real-time, on-line scheduling of a visit by technician or repairman to diagnose and, if authorized by the user, repair a home appliance such as a refrigerator or washing machine. The system is... | 02/16/2010 |
| 7652265 | Air treatment system An air treatment system includes a housing defining a chamber, and an ultraviolet lamp positioned within the chamber. The housing further defines an air inlet at a first end portion of the housing and an air outlet at a second end portion of the housing opposing the... | 01/26/2010 |
| 7650882 | Pot supports and burner systems including same A pot support for a ceramic glass cooktop having integrally formed grates. The pot support is formed of a material able to withstand gas cooking temperatures without substantial alteration of its shape or composition. The pot support is configured to rest in a stabl... | 01/26/2010 |
| 7650881 | Door assembly for a cooking appliance A door assembly for a cooking appliance including a cabinet, a lower oven cavity and an upper oven cavity defined within the cabinet is provided. The door assembly includes a lower oven door movably coupled to the cabinet and configured to cover the lower oven cavit... | 01/26/2010 |
| 7650766 | Apparatus and methods for rinsing washing machines A washing machine is provided. The washing machine includes a tub, a sensor operatively coupled to the tub and configured to sense a conductivity of a fluid in the tub and a controller operatively coupled to the sensor for controlling an amount of the fluid in the t... | 01/26/2010 |
