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US 10,499,786 B1Granted
Household appliance including a mountable wireless communication module
AssigneeWhirlpool Corporation
InventorsWyndham F. Gary, Jr., Jonathan D. Gephart, John Howard Lanham
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A household appliance that includes a selectively mountable wireless communication module. The selectively mountable wireless communication module can be selectively mounted in a toe kick area of the household appliance. The household appliance can be, but is not limited to, a dishwasher, an oven, a refrigerator, a freezer, a microwave, a washing machine, a dryer, or a combo washer-dryer.
Claims20
A dishwasher for treating dishes according to at least one automatic cycle of operation, the dishwasher comprising:
- a tub at least partially defining a treating chamber with an access opening;
- a door assembly movable between opened/closed positions to selectively open/close the access opening of the tub;
- a toe kick area along a bottom-front of the dishwasher wherein at least a portion of the door assembly overhangs the toe kick area;
- a first wireless communication mount located at a left side of the toe kick area;
- a second wireless communication mount located at a right side of the toe kick area;
- a single wireless communication module comprising a single antenna, the single wireless communication module selectively mountable to either one of the first wireless communication mount or the second wireless communication mount, wherein the selective mounting of the single wireless communication module to either the first wireless communication mount or the second wireless communication mount is selected based on which of the first wireless communication mount or the second wireless communication mount provides a stronger wireless communication signal for the single wireless communication module;
- and
- a controller configured to communicate with the single wireless communication module.
5 more elements
A household appliance comprising:
- a housing defining an interior and having a toe kick area along a bottom-front of the housing and a front overhanging the toe kick area;
- a controller located within the interior;
- a first wireless communication mount located at a left side of the toe kick area;
- a second wireless communication mount located at a right side of the toe kick area;
- and
- a single wireless communication module comprising a single antenna, the single wireless communication module selectively mountable to either one of the first wireless communication mount or the second wireless communication mount, wherein the selective mounting of the single wireless communication module to either the first wireless communication mount or the second wireless communication mount is selected based on which of the first wireless communication mount or the second wireless communication mount provides a stronger wireless communication signal for the single wireless communication module;
- and
- wherein the controller is configured to communicate with the single wireless communication module.
5 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.