Patents Assigned to Kohler Mira Limited
  • Patent number: 10604919
    Abstract: A plumbing component includes a valve provided within a portion of the plumbing component and configured to control the flow of water through the plumbing component. The valve includes a body and at least one waterway within the body. An electric heater extends through at least a portion of the body of the valve and is configured to heat at least a portion of the body to an elevated temperature sufficient to kill organisms within the waterway.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2020
    Assignee: KOHLER MIRA LIMITED
    Inventor: Kevin T. Peel
  • Patent number: 10577784
    Abstract: A shower head having a stem; a spray head coupled to the stem; a mixing valve located within the stem or the spray head, the mixing valve having a first valve member assembly for controlling a first fluid flow to a mixing chamber and a second valve member assembly for controlling a second fluid flow to the mixing chamber. Each valve member assembly includes a spool, a first valve member on the spool that engages with a first valve seat in a closed position and a second valve member on the spool that engages with a second, separate, valve seat in the closed position. An electrically powered first motor is located within the stem or the spray head. The first motor is coupled to the first valve member assembly to control movement of the first valve member assembly to control the flow of the first fluid to the mixing chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2020
    Assignee: KOHLER MIRA LIMITED
    Inventor: Kevin T. Peel
  • Patent number: 10544873
    Abstract: A thermostatic valve is provided. The thermostatic valve includes a first seat, a second seat spaced axially apart from the first seat, and a shuttle. The shuttle is located between the first seat and the second seat, has a first side and a second side axially opposite the first side, and is movable between a first position in which the first side of the shuttle seals against the first seat and a second position in which the second side of the shuttle seals against the second seat. At least one of the first seat, the second seat, and the shuttle includes an overmolded portion for sealing between the shuttle and at least one of the first seat and the second seat.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 28, 2020
    Assignee: KOHLER MIRA LIMITED
    Inventors: Nigel P. Sansum, Richard W. Dauncey
  • Patent number: 10501915
    Abstract: A water delivery device that includes a body having a cold water inlet, a hot water inlet, and an outlet; a mixing valve in the body, and a touchscreen user interface on a surface of the body. The mixing valve includes a housing having a mixing chamber that is fluidly connected to the outlet, a first flow control valve moveably disposed in the housing to control a cold water flow from the cold water inlet to the mixing chamber, and a second flow control valve moveably disposed in the housing to control a hot water flow from the hot water inlet to the mixing chamber. The touchscreen user interface allows a user to control a temperature and/or a flow rate of water from the outlet by controlling the first and second flow control valves.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2019
    Assignee: KOHLER MIRA LIMITED
    Inventor: Kevin T. Peel
  • Patent number: 10494798
    Abstract: A shower head that includes a movable handset, a mixing valve, and an electric heater. The movable handset includes a stem configured to detachably engage a shower head dock, and a spray head coupled to the stem and configured to discharge water. The mixing valve is disposed within the movable handset and includes a housing including a waterway located therein for water to flow through, a first flow control valve located within the housing and configured to control the flow of hot water to the spray head, and a second flow control valve located within the housing and configured to control the flow of cold water to the spray head. The electric heater is disposed within the movable handset and configured to heat at least part of the housing to an elevated temperature sufficient to kill organisms within the waterway.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2019
    Assignee: KOHLER MIRA LIMITED
    Inventor: Kevin T. Peel
  • Patent number: 10473092
    Abstract: A thermostat comprises a hollow body containing a thermally responsive material, and a force transmitting member affixed to the body by an over-molded portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2019
    Assignee: KOHLER MIRA LIMITED
    Inventors: Nigel Sansum, Richard Mead
  • Patent number: 10443751
    Abstract: A valve comprising a first flow control valve for controlling flow of a first fluid from a first source; a second flow control valve for controlling flow of a second fluid from a second source; a first actuator that controls movement of the first flow control valve; a second actuator that controls movement of the second flow control valve; and a fail-safe device that holds each of the first and second actuators in a control position in response to electric power being supplied to the valve, wherein the fail-safe device releases the first and second actuators in response to an absence of electric power being supplied to the valve such that the first actuator and the first flow control valve move toward a closed position and such that the second actuator and the second flow control valve move toward a closed position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2019
    Assignee: KOHLER MIRA LIMITED
    Inventors: Kevin T. Peel, Sean P. Conway
  • Patent number: 10436332
    Abstract: A fluid control valve for mixing hot and cold water has an inlet for cold water, an inlet for hot water, and at least one outlet for temperature controlled water. The valve further includes a temperature control device for mixing hot and cold water to provide a source of temperature controlled water that includes a cartridge having inlet ports in communication with the inlets for hot and cold water and an outlet port in communication with the at least one outlet for temperature controlled water. The valve further includes an inner sleeve that defines with the cartridge a first passageway, and an outer sleeve that defines with the inner sleeve and cartridge a second passageway. The first and second passageways are configured to deliver hot and cold water to the inlet ports of the cartridge.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2019
    Assignee: KOHLER MIRA LIMITED
    Inventors: Nigel P. Sansum, Simon Westgate, Benjamin Lea, Richard James Mead
  • Patent number: 10337229
    Abstract: A hinge having a first hinge part and a second hinge part. The second hinge part has a hinge pin to which the first hinge part is connected for movement relative to the second hinge part about a hinge axis between a closed position. An over-close mechanism is provided comprising a catch member on the second hinge part arranged to co-operate with the first hinge part to urge the first hinge part towards the closed position during closing movement of the first hinge part and to retain the first hinge part arrange to co-operate with the hinge pin to urge the first hinge part towards the closed position during closing movement. A soft-close mechanism is provided comprising a damper member on the first hinge part arranged to co-operate with the hinge pin to provide a braking force in the direction of closing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2019
    Assignee: KOHLER MIRA LIMITED
    Inventor: Colin Beattie
  • Patent number: 10323393
    Abstract: A water delivery device includes a body, a user interface, a mixing valve, a first capacitive sensor pad, and a second capacitive sensor pad. The body includes a spout. The user interface is provided on the spout. The mixing valve is contained within the body and is configured to be in fluid communication with a hot water source and a cold water source. The first capacitive sensor pad is provided below the user interface. The second capacitive sensor pad is provided below the user interface laterally adjacent to the first capacitive sensor pad, and is physically separated from the first capacitive sensor pad.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 18, 2019
    Assignee: KOHLER MIRA LIMITED
    Inventors: Christopher Ian Thompson, Xiangzhen Zhu
  • Patent number: 10301799
    Abstract: A method for programming a water delivery device having a first optical communications interface is provided. The method includes physically coupling a communications bridge to the water delivery device. The communications bridge includes a second optical communications interface and a separate data communications interface. The method further includes transmitting information from a user device to the communications bridge using electronic data communications between the user device and the data communications interface; generating, by the communications bridge, an optical signal comprising the information received from the user device; and transmitting the optical signal from the communications bridge to the water delivery device using optical communications between the first and second optical communications interfaces.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2019
    Assignee: KOHLER MIRA LIMITED
    Inventors: Christopher Ian Thompson, Xiangzhen Zhu
  • Patent number: 10299639
    Abstract: A lid and seat assembly for a plumbing fixture includes a housing, a lid, and a seat. The housing includes a generally planar front surface and a generally planar rear surface. The lid is pivotably coupled to the housing. The seat is pivotably coupled to the housing. The front surface and the rear surface meet at a first edge located at a first end of the housing and at a second edge at a second end of the housing. The front surface, the rear surface, the first common edge, and the second common edge cooperatively define a continuous surface profile configured to facilitate single-wipe cleaning of the housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2019
    Assignee: KOHLER MIRA LIMITED
    Inventors: Robert Karl Stevenson, Simon Mark Bickerstaffe, Keith John Thompson, Matthew Eric Batchelor, Nicholas G. Paget
  • Patent number: 10161535
    Abstract: A fluid control valve for mixing hot and cold water has an inlet for cold water, an inlet for hot water and at least two outlets for temperature controlled water. The valve further has a flow control device comprising a pair of control members that are relatively movable to control flow of water at the inlets and outlets of the valve for selecting flow to an individual outlet or a combination of at least two outlets.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2018
    Assignee: KOHLER MIRA LIMITED
    Inventors: Nigel P. Sansum, Simon Westgate, Benjamin Lea, Richard James Mead
  • Publication number: 20180355988
    Abstract: A mixer valve (1) comprises a body (5) extending in a first direction between a front end and a rear end. The body (5) defines a volume (5a); a thermostatic cartridge (15) is received in the volume (5a), and a diaphragm valve (21) is received in the volume (5a) between the thermostatic cartridge (15) and the rear end of the body (5). The diaphragm valve (21) is operable in response to actuation of a push operated control member (23) to control flow of water from the mixer valve (1).
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 2, 2016
    Publication date: December 13, 2018
    Applicant: Kohler Mira Limited
    Inventors: Oliver Jones, Austin Bumpsteed, Karl Feamley
  • Patent number: 10106964
    Abstract: A method including configuring a valve so that an operating force to actuate the valve when in an open position is substantially independent of water flow. The valve includes a first valve member assembly comprising a spool having a connector portion; a first valve member mounted on the spool at a first location and configured to seat against a first valve outlet in a closed position of the valve; and a second valve member mounted on the spool at a second location spaced apart from the first location and configured to seat against a second valve outlet in the closed position of the valve. The method also includes controlling the valve to output a flow of the water having a desired flow rate by moving the spool in a linear direction with a portion of a stepper motor coupled directly to the connector portion of the spool.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 13, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2018
    Assignee: KOHLER MIRA LIMITED
    Inventor: Kevin T. Peel
  • Patent number: D831803
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2018
    Assignee: KOHLER MIRA LIMITED
    Inventors: Robert Karl Stevenson, Simon Mark Bickerstaffe, Keith John Thompson, Matthew Eric Batchelor, Nicholas G. Paget
  • Patent number: D844755
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2019
    Assignee: KOHLER MIRA LIMITED
    Inventor: Roland Boal
  • Patent number: D862667
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2019
    Assignee: KOHLER MIRA LIMITED
    Inventors: Robert Karl Stevenson, Alexander Muspratt-Williams, Mathias Hahn
  • Patent number: D863516
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2019
    Assignee: KOHLER MIRA LIMITED
    Inventors: Robert K. Stevenson, Alexander M. Muspratt-Williams, Mimi Jiang
  • Patent number: D879266
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2020
    Assignee: KOHLER MIRA LIMITED
    Inventors: Robert K. Stevenson, Alexander M. Muspratt-Williams, Mimi Jiang