公开(公告)号：US12168849B2

公开(公告)日：2024-12-17

申请号：US17352529

申请日：2021-06-21

Applicant: Whirlpool Corporation

Inventor： Rodney Welch

IPC: D06F58/24 ,  D06F58/20 ,  D06F58/26

Abstract: A dryer or combination washer/dryer machine has a drum (12) and a clothes drying circuit (16) recirculates a drying airflow. An inlet (20, 104) and outlet (22, 106) are connected by a conduit (24). A water vapor path (18) includes a sieve (30) and a compressor (32). The sieve (30) is positioned in the conduit (24). The sieve (30) removes water molecules from the drying airflow to reduce relative humidity in the drying airflow. The compressor (32) is coupled with the sieve to draw the water molecules through the sieve into the compressor (32). The compressor (32) heats the water in the water vapor path (18) and passes it to the drum (12). The water condenses in the drum (12) to heat the drum (12) and air within the drum (12) to dry clothes in the drum (12).

公开(公告)号：US10010235B2

公开(公告)日：2018-07-03

申请号：US14973218

申请日：2015-12-17

Applicant: WHIRLPOOL CORPORATION

Inventor： Jonathan Gephart ,  Antony Rappette ,  Peter Richmond ,  Steven Vornsand ,  Rodney Welch

IPC: A47L15/42 ,  A47L15/50

CPC classification number: A47L15/4221 ,  A47L15/502 ,  A47L15/507 ,  A47L2401/06 ,  A47L2401/14 ,  A47L2401/30 ,  A47L2501/26

Abstract: A dish treating appliance for treating dishes according to an automatic cycle of operation and including a tub at least partially defining a treating chamber receiving dishes for treatment according to the automatic cycle of operation, multiple sprayers emitting a liquid into the treating chamber, and a diverter valve having a manifold defining a plenum with an inlet and multiple outlets and a membrane movably mounted within the plenum and having at least one through opening, which is sequentially aligned with the multiple outlets upon movement of the membrane.

公开(公告)号：US20170273535A1

公开(公告)日：2017-09-28

申请号：US15079167

申请日：2016-03-24

Applicant: Whirlpool Corporation

Inventor： Frederick T. Roderick ,  Antony M. Rappette ,  Daniel Lottinville ,  David Brightbill ,  Matthew Jaske ,  Rodney Welch ,  Michael Lagness

IPC: A47L15/22 ,  A47L15/50 ,  A47L15/42

Abstract: A dishwasher for treating dishes according to an automatic cycle of operation includes a tub at least partially defining a treating chamber with an access opening, a sump fluidly coupled to the tub, and a liquid recirculation circuit fluidly coupling the sump to the treating chamber. The liquid recirculation circuit includes at least one rotating spray tube having a longitudinal body axis defining a rotational axis. A plurality of spray nozzles are provided in the rotating spray tube.

公开(公告)号：US20240360615A1

公开(公告)日：2024-10-31

申请号：US18139096

申请日：2023-04-25

Applicant: Whirlpool Corporation

Inventor： Rodney Welch

IPC: D06F58/24 ,  B01D53/22 ,  B01D53/26 ,  B01F25/312 ,  D06F25/00 ,  D06F58/04 ,  D06F58/26

CPC classification number: D06F58/24 ,  B01D53/228 ,  B01D53/268 ,  B01F25/31242 ,  D06F25/00 ,  D06F58/04 ,  D06F58/26 ,  D06F58/263 ,  B01D2053/221

Abstract: A laundry appliance including an appliance housing, a tub positioned inside the appliance housing, a drum rotatably supported within the tub, and a drying system that recirculates drying air through a molecular sieve. The molecular sieve has a porous membrane that is arranged along a drying air recirculation path. The laundry appliance also includes an ejector with an inlet, a venturi nozzle, an outlet, and a suction port that is arranged in fluid communication with the molecular sieve. The suction port of the ejector is configured to pull water vapor in the drying air recirculation path through the porous membrane of the molecular sieve when a motive fluid is passed through the ejector from the inlet, through the venturi nozzle, to the outlet such that the drying air exiting the molecular sieve is less humid than the drying air entering the molecular sieve.

公开(公告)号：US20220403582A1

公开(公告)日：2022-12-22

申请号：US17352529

申请日：2021-06-21

Applicant: Whirlpool Corporation

Inventor： Rodney Welch

IPC: D06F58/24 ,  D06F58/20 ,  D06F58/26

Abstract: A dryer or combination washer/dryer machine has a drum (12) and a clothes drying circuit (16) recirculates a drying airflow. An inlet (20, 104) and outlet (22, 106) are connected by a conduit (24). A water vapor path (18) includes a sieve (30) and a compressor (32). The sieve (30) is positioned in the conduit (24). The sieve (30) removes water molecules from the drying airflow to reduce relative humidity in the drying airflow. The compressor (32) is coupled with the sieve to draw the water molecules through the sieve into the compressor (32). The compressor (32) heats the water in the water vapor path (18) and passes it to the drum (12). The water condenses in the drum (12) to heat the drum (12) and air within the drum (12) to dry clothes in the drum (12).

公开(公告)号：US20200337517A1

公开(公告)日：2020-10-29

申请号：US16924398

申请日：2020-07-09

Applicant: Whirlpool Corporation

Inventor： Frederick T. Roderick ,  Antony M. Rappette ,  Daniel Lottinville ,  David Brightbill ,  Matthew Jaske ,  Rodney Welch ,  Michael Lagness

IPC: A47L15/22 ,  A47L15/23 ,  A47L15/42 ,  A47L15/50

Abstract: A dishwasher for treating dishes according to an automatic cycle of operation includes a tub at least partially defining a treating chamber with an access opening, a sump fluidly coupled to the tub, and a liquid recirculation circuit fluidly coupling the sump to the treating chamber. The liquid recirculation circuit includes at least one rotating spray tube having a longitudinal body axis defining a rotational axis. The at least one rotating spray tube comprises a hollow tube having first and second opposing ends with the first end fluidly coupled to the liquid recirculation circuit and the second end comprising a drain valve. The hollow tube has a single wall and a longitudinal body axis defining a rotational axis and plurality of spray nozzles are arranged about the longitudinal body axis on an exterior of the single wall.

公开(公告)号：US10750924B2

公开(公告)日：2020-08-25

申请号：US15079167

申请日：2016-03-24

Applicant: Whirlpool Corporation

Inventor： Frederick T. Roderick ,  Antony M. Rappette ,  Daniel Lottinville ,  David Brightbill ,  Matthew Jaske ,  Rodney Welch ,  Michael Lagness

IPC: A47L15/22 ,  A47L15/23 ,  A47L15/42 ,  A47L15/50

Abstract: A dishwasher for treating dishes according to an automatic cycle of operation includes a tub at least partially defining a treating chamber with an access opening, a sump fluidly coupled to the tub, and a liquid recirculation circuit fluidly coupling the sump to the treating chamber. The liquid recirculation circuit includes at least one rotating spray tube having a longitudinal body axis defining a rotational axis. A plurality of spray nozzles are provided in the rotating spray tube.

公开(公告)号：US20240068152A1

公开(公告)日：2024-02-29

申请号：US17894308

申请日：2022-08-24

Applicant: WHIRLPOOL CORPORATION

Inventor： Rodney Welch ,  Reinhard Radermacher

IPC: D06F58/26 ,  D06F58/04 ,  D06F58/20 ,  D06F58/24

CPC classification number: D06F58/263 ,  D06F58/04 ,  D06F58/206 ,  D06F58/24

Abstract: A laundry appliance includes a tub that is positioned within a cabinet. A drum includes an imperforate outer wall that is rotationally positioned within the tub. A blower delivers process air through an airflow path that includes a processing space defined within the drum. A heat exchange system conditions the process air that is delivered at least into the processing space as heated process air for drying articles contained within the processing space. The imperforate outer wall of the drum and the tub define supplemental heat exchange space that delivers supplemental heat through the imperforate outer wall and into the processing space. The supplemental heat exchange space is in thermal communication with the heat exchange system.

公开(公告)号：US11375872B2

公开(公告)日：2022-07-05

申请号：US16924398

申请日：2020-07-09

Applicant: Whirlpool Corporation

Inventor： Frederick T. Roderick ,  Antony M. Rappette ,  Daniel Lottinville ,  David Brightbill ,  Matthew Jaske ,  Rodney Welch ,  Michael Lagness

IPC: A47L15/22 ,  A47L15/23 ,  A47L15/42 ,  A47L15/50

Abstract: A dishwasher for treating dishes according to an automatic cycle of operation includes a tub at least partially defining a treating chamber with an access opening, a sump fluidly coupled to the tub, and a liquid recirculation circuit fluidly coupling the sump to the treating chamber. The liquid recirculation circuit includes at least one rotating spray tube having a longitudinal body axis defining a rotational axis. The at least one rotating spray tube comprises a hollow tube having first and second opposing ends with the first end fluidly coupled to the liquid recirculation circuit and the second end comprising a drain valve. The hollow tube has a single wall and a longitudinal body axis defining a rotational axis and plurality of spray nozzles are arranged about the longitudinal body axis on an exterior of the single wall.

公开(公告)号：US10694919B2

公开(公告)日：2020-06-30

申请号：US15939872

申请日：2018-03-29

Applicant: WHIRLPOOL CORPORATION

Inventor： Jonathan Gephart ,  Antony Rappette ,  Peter Richmond ,  Steven Vornsand ,  Rodney Welch

IPC: A47L15/42 ,  A47L15/50

Abstract: A diverter valve assembly includes a manifold defining a plenum with an inlet and multiple outlets, a membrane movably mounted within the plenum and having at least one through opening, which is sequentially aligned with the multiple outlets upon movement of the membrane, indicia provided on the membrane corresponding to each of the multiple outlets, and a sensor configured to sense the indicia and provide an output of the sensed indicia.