Posts Tagged: "Whirlpool patents"

Publication of a patent application does not mean that a patent will be issued for the technology, but looking through them, we have our best chances of learning about a company’s most recent research and development goals. To judge from what we saw today, Whirlpool is very hard at work creating improvements to the various ice making assemblies manufactured for the company’s refrigerators or other appliances. We were also intrigued by one patent application which may protect a cooking method for a home oven that provides for the steam cooking of fish and vegetables. A company’s patent portfolio expresses that entity’s true strength in intellectual properties, and some novel additions have been made to Whirlpool’s holdings in recent weeks. We’ve shared a couple of recently issued patents below which protect improved dishwasher assemblies, including one which can aid a dishwasher’s spray arm when an object is blocking its normal operating path. Another patent protects a removable beverage rack for a refrigerator that can store a variety of bottled or canned drinks in many configurations. We also noticed a couple of patented inventions related to communication networks for home appliances.

We start off by looking at a patent application that would protect a system that could improve energy efficiency overall for appliances within a home. This type of smart metering system would take into account environmental factors, like temperature, that could affect the functioning ability of an appliance. Also, we saw some inventions related to better gas pressure calibration for cooking ranges, as well as one patent application describing a dishwasher capable of producing ozone gas for increased sanitation. In our coverage of Whirlpool’s recent additions to its patent portfolio, we noticed a couple of intriguing technologies related to liquid soap dispensers for washing appliances, like dishwashers and laundry machines. An extendable guide for dispensing ice into cups is protected by another patent we discuss. We also take a look at an improved system of adjusting cycle operations in a laundry tumbling appliance in response to a change in load density.

Featuring one patent application that may provide an incredible improvement to computer control systems on home appliances. This application would protect a system of analyzing user characteristics to determine the individual’s identity and bring up a personalized interface. Other patent applications have been filed for a kitchen composting device, a garbage disposal that allows for under-sink waste removal and a couple of improvements to dishwasher systems. The issued patents held by Whirlpool are also of great interest in this series, and we’ve found a couple that will intrigue scores of consumers. Whirlpool now owns the legal right to protect a dishwasher system with a display that allows a user to program the start and stop times for wash cycles. Another issued patent protects a grill cooking grate that is more effective at distributing heat when cooking. We also have a trio of patents related to innovative improvements to refrigerators, especially for flavor additives in water dispensers.