Patents Examined by Janie Loeppke
  • Patent number: 9988986
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides systems and methods related to thermal management systems for gas turbine engines. For example, a thermal management system comprises a thermally neutral heat transfer fluid circuit, a first heat exchanger disposed on the fluid circuit, and a second heat exchanger disposed on the fluid circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 20, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2018
    Assignee: UNITED TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Nathan Snape, Gabriel L. Suciu, Brian D. Merry, James D. Hill, William Ackermann
  • Patent number: 9979182
    Abstract: A mounting rack for supporting a wave-making mechanism in a pool includes a connecting bracket coupled to a side wall of the pool. The connecting bracket includes a support bracket with an adjustable opening configured to receive an upper portion of the pool and at least one connecting bar configured for vertical adjustment along the side wall of the pool. The mounting rack further includes a suspension bracket operably coupled to the connecting bracket and configured to support the wave-making mechanism in the pool, and a bottom surface of the wave-making mechanism is generally parallel to a bottom surface of the pool.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2018
    Assignee: Intex Marketing Ltd.
    Inventors: Hua Hsiang Lin, Yaw Yuan Hsu
  • Patent number: 9976292
    Abstract: Various systems and methods are provided for flush activated air freshening. In one embodiment, a method includes sensing the initiation of a flush of a toilet system and discharging aerosol in response to sensing the initiation of the flush. In another embodiment, an air freshener assembly for a toilet system includes a control valve coupled to an aerosol cartridge and a spray control configured to activate the control valve to discharge aerosol from the aerosol cartridge in response to initiation of a flush of the toilet system. In another embodiment, a toilet system includes means for initiating a flush of a toilet, means for sensing initiation of the flush, and means for discharging aerosol in response to sensing the initiation of the flush.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2018
    Assignee: Danco, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael J. Schuster, Douglas C. Saunders, Duston E. A. Stutzman
  • Patent number: 9970587
    Abstract: A cap for water closet flange which fits over the water closet flange is disclosed. The cap for water closet flange contains a round structure, the round structure contains a top surface section, the top surface section containing: first threaded screw opening, second threaded screw opening, a first screw, a second screw a side section and an underside, with the underside comprising a first projection having a first head, a second projection having a second head, a continuation of said fast threaded screw opening; and a continuation of the second threaded screw opening. The underside of the cap for water closet flange is aligned with a water closet flange. The first head of the first projection and the second head of the second projection are inserted into head slots of the water closet flange and rotated. The first screw and the second screw are screwed into position, locking the cap for the water closet flange into position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2018
    Assignee: AB Innovations, LLC
    Inventor: Lewis R. Armenta
  • Patent number: 9963862
    Abstract: The present disclosure includes a drain strainer with a central longitudinal axis. A rigid base includes a radially outer base periphery, a radially inner base periphery, and upper and lower surfaces therebetween, and extending in a base plane transverse to the axis. A flexible, elastic membrane is coupled to the rigid base, and includes a perforate web extending in a membrane plane transverse to the axis. Also disclosed is a sink including the strainer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2018
    Assignee: Brasscraft Manufacturing Company
    Inventor: Evan A. Carpenter-Crawford
  • Patent number: 9957703
    Abstract: An extraction system for removing unpleasant odor includes a housing having front and rear walls and side walls interconnecting the front and rear walls. The depth of the housing from the front to the rear wall is substantially less than distances across the front and rear walls from one side to the other thereof. A centrifugal fan is mounted to the housing with an axis of the fan being perpendicular to the rear wall. The fan has an axial air inlet located centrally of the front wall for receiving odor-laden air and an air outlet from the fan is tangential to the fan and coupled to discharge air to atmosphere from the extraction system. An absorbent filter unit is located within the housing downstream of the fan and includes an absorbent mass and a perfume source. Air discharged to atmosphere is both substantially free of the odor and scented via the absorbent filter unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2018
    Assignee: Washroom Wizard Ltd.
    Inventor: Patrick Porter
  • Patent number: 9955830
    Abstract: The device for holding male genitalia adjacent a toilet seat is an apparatus that may be installed temporarily on the front, inside edge of a toilet seat. When installed on a toilet seat, the apparatus provides support for a user's penis while the user is seated on the toilet. In so doing, the apparatus prevents the user's genitalia from touching water in the toilet or the toilet itself. The apparatus is easily installed by sliding U-shaped clips onto the front of the toilet seat.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2018
    Inventors: Constance Harris, Shakia Burton
  • Patent number: 9951506
    Abstract: A toilet is provided with a water replenishing device for a flush rim with a silencing function. The water replenishing device has independent drainage from the drainage of the cistern. The water replenishing device includes a water storage box with a water inlet on a top side and a drainage outlet on a bottom side. The drainage outlet is connected to the waterway for the flush rim. A lid is installed in the water storage box to open or close the drainage outlet. The water storage box is provided with a water storage area. A backflow channel has one end connected to the water inlet and the other end extending into the water storage area below or equal to the highest level of the water storage area. Such toilets make less noise by eliminating water inlet noise.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2018
    Assignee: KOMOO INTELLIGENT TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Xiaofa Lin, Xiaoshan Lin, Shan Lin, Dahai Que, Jinyang Zheng
  • Patent number: 9926690
    Abstract: A dispensing arrangement for water comprises a tap, in particular a kitchen tap such as a boiling water tap, provided with a shut-off valve and an operating element, such that the dispensing arrangement is operable with a compound movement of the operating element. For dispensing of the water at least a portion of the compound movement serves to release the shut-off valve prior to operation and comprises at least one of a movement to-and-fro, a repeated movement and a movement of at least a predetermined duration and wherein a subsequent portion of the compound movement serves to operate the shut-off valve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2018
    Assignee: HENRI PETERI BEHEER B.V.
    Inventor: Niels Theodoor Peteri
  • Patent number: 9918896
    Abstract: A footbath has a base member defining a platform. A flexible continuous side wall extends from a proximal end region connected about a periphery of the base member to a distal end region. The side wall has a collapsed position and an extended position. The platform of the base member and the side wall cooperate to define a bath chamber for retaining water with the bath chamber sized to receive a body part. A retention member is supported by the base member to extend from the base member to the distal end region of the side wall to retain the side wall in the extended position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 20, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2018
    Assignee: FKA Distributing Co., LLC
    Inventor: Hing Wah Tsang
  • Patent number: 9918599
    Abstract: A toilet seat includes a lid, a splash guard, and a seat. The splash guard is affixed to a perimeter edge of the seat in a sealed manner. The splash guard is composed of flexible members including a plurality of flat sections being connected by fan-fold pleat sections. The splash guard lays flat for normal seated use, or may be deployed upward to form a vertical barrier to contain and direct any liquids into the toilet bowl. In a preferred embodiment, the splash guard and seat are horseshoe-shaped.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2018
    Inventor: Moshe Bensimon
  • Patent number: 9915060
    Abstract: An rinsing seat for a rimless toilet is disclosed. In one embodiment, the rinsing seat includes a large annular cavity for the purpose of storing and dispensing rinse water. In another embodiment, the rinsing seat includes a smaller annular cavity for the purpose of dispensing rinse water from a pressurized line. Outlet nozzles arranged about the circumference of the rinsing seat and designed to dispense rinse water at varying angles relative to the rinsing seat are disclosed. Rinsing seat supports, hinge assemblies, and seat sensors which offer additional functionality to the rinsing seat are also disclosed and claimed herein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 13, 2018
    Inventors: David R. Hall, Dan Allen, Jared Reynolds, Joshua Larsen, Eric Magleby
  • Patent number: 9915061
    Abstract: The toilet flange adapter tile is adapted for use with flooring tiles. The toilet flange adapter tile is further adapted for use with toilets. The toilet flange adapter tile is a preformed tile that comprises an aperture that is sized to fit around the floor flange and fixture gasket of a standard plumbing hook up for a toilet. The toilet flange adapter tile further comprises a plurality of scoring lines that allow the toilet flange adapter tile to be readily cut to fit into the master tile pattern the toilet flange adapter tile is being integrated. The toilet flange adapter tile further comprises a plurality of mounting holes that allow the toilet flange adapter tile to be secured to the under flooring during installation. The toilet flange adapter tile is a tile that further comprises an aperture, a plurality of mounting holes; and a plurality of scoring lines.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 13, 2018
    Inventor: Guy DeFalco
  • Patent number: 9913626
    Abstract: An excreta-sampling toilet is disclosed which includes a bowl, a processing apparatus, and a chiller. The bowl separates excreta into solid excreta and liquid excreta. The processing apparatus then processes the solid excreta into a solid excreta sample, including metering it by weight or volume and storing it in containers. The chiller lowers the temperature of the sample, which is stored to await analysis. A metered liquid excreta sample is also stored and chilled in separate storage containers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 13, 2018
    Inventors: David R. Hall, Daryl Wise, Ben Swenson, Dan Allen, Jared Reynolds, Joshua Larsen, Justin Robinson, Joe Fox, Kevin Cheatham
  • Patent number: 9909811
    Abstract: An exchanger for a pool, large storage tank, or pond is described herein. In one embodiment, the exchanger includes a diffuser hub, exchanger extension arms that extend radially outward from the diffuser hub, one or more exchanger rings that intersect with the heat exchanger extension arms, and a fill tube that extends to the diffuser hub. One or both of the heat exchanger arms and/or the exchanger rings include fluid apertures that direct fluid into the pool. Fluid pumped into the fill tube may flow through into the diffuser, through the exchanger extension arms and/or the one or more exchanger rings, and out through the fluid apertures at various locations into the pool. As such, heated fluid, or fluid to be mixed, for example, may be more evenly and quickly distributed into the pool.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2018
    Assignee: Hydra Heating Industries, LLC
    Inventors: Michael Hoffman, Jeannot Morin
  • Patent number: 9909294
    Abstract: A backflow inhibitor has a jet nozzle connectable to a flow entrance and has a capture part which captures the liquid jet that passes over a free jet path from the jet nozzle. The capture part is connectable or connected to a flow exit and to an outlet arranged below the free jet path. The outlet discharges a partial amount of liquid not captured by the capture part. The backflow inhibitor includes an insert cartridge which carries the jet nozzle and the capture part. In use, the insert cartridge is held such that the jet nozzle is connected to the flow entrance and the capture part is connected to the flow exit. The insert cartridge, in the cartridge section which is arranged between jet nozzle and capture part and which forms or delimits the free jet path, has at least one cartridge opening that can be connected to the outlet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2018
    Assignee: NEOPERL GMBH
    Inventor: Mathias Hauth
  • Patent number: 9903128
    Abstract: Swimming containers are disclosed including a first compartment at a first longitudinal end having a roof structure forming at least part of a deck structure, the first compartment having first and second doors providing access to the first compartment. A wall partition connected between the first and second sidewalls provides water-tight separation between the first compartment and a second compartment configured to hold a volume of water. A guide track runs along a longitudinal center of a bottom portion of the container, with first and second wheels disposed on opposite sides of the guide track, and a hook structure disposed at an end of the swimming container at least partially above the guide track.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2018
    Inventor: Christopher David Lisk
  • Patent number: 9869078
    Abstract: A flush system includes a meter valve, a first pipe, a vacuum breaker, a second pipe, and a ball valve assembly. The meter valve defines a selectively openable outlet. The first pipe is in fluid communication with the meter valve and a water supply source. The vacuum breaker is disposed within the first pipe upstream of the meter valve and oriented to prevent backflow from the meter valve to the water supply source. The second pipe extends from a wall and is downstream from the supply source. The ball valve assembly is disposed between the first pipe and the second pipe upstream of the vacuum breaker to facilitate fluid communication between the first pipe and the second pipe and to selectively isolate the meter valve from the water supply source.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2018
    Assignee: Transcendent Holdings LLC
    Inventors: Kory Wieber, Dennis Martin, Scott Halfmann
  • Patent number: 9867511
    Abstract: An appliance that dries and sanitizes solids, evaporates liquids, using air flow and short bursts of heat developed by an induction heating unit that relies on eddy currents of a ferromagnetic collection pan to dry the solids and evaporate the liquids. The pan is removed and the treated matter is disposed of. The unit is lightweight, needs only to be vented, plugged in and is ready to use. It is mobile, works off of conventional power mains, generators and/or solar. No special type of toilet paper is involved, there is no composting, no fire, and there are no chemicals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2018
    Inventors: Jerry Duane Wilburg, Lawrence James Losoncy, Ted Knight
  • Patent number: 9862490
    Abstract: A toilet module for a vehicle is provided. The toilet module comprises a housing having a front wall, a first functional wall and at least one second functional wall, which enclose a floor surface on the underside of the housing, and a toilet unit. The front wall comprises an access opening. The first functional wall is arranged opposite the front wall and accommodates the toilet unit. The at least one second functional wall extends between the first functional wall and the front wall and is perpendicular to the front wall. The toilet unit has a longitudinal extension axis which forms an angle which is greater than 0° with the at least one second functional wall. In this way, a particularly narrow and compact toilet module can be provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2018
    Assignee: AIRBUS OPERATIONS GMBH
    Inventors: Ralf Schliwa, Volker Luderer, Florian Schuephaus, Roland Lange, Michael Eckert