Patents Examined by Lauren A Crane
  • Patent number: 11466440
    Abstract: According to the embodiment, a toilet device includes a detector and a controller. The detector is detecting whether or not flush water is at a position lower than a full level and higher than a seal level at a surface of a bowl of a flush toilet. The controller is determining a clog state of the flush toilet based on a detection result of the detector after a flush water supplier is closed. The flush water supplier is located in a flow channel discharging flush water into the bowl. The position of the detection region of the detector at the surface of the bowl is separated from flush water flowing in a vertical direction from a water discharge port of the flow channel toward a bottom portion of the bowl after the flush water supplier is closed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2022
    Assignee: TOTO LTD.
    Inventors: Motoki Kobayashi, Shoichi Tsuiki, Yuya Masahira, Hirofumi Nagatomi, Yasuo Nambu
  • Patent number: 11408161
    Abstract: An example vacuum-assisted toilet includes a toilet bowl including an outlet. The outlet of the toilet bowl is fluidly coupled to a first flush valve, for example, using a first pipe. The first flush valve is fluidly coupled to a second flush valve that is positioned downstream from the first flush valve. For example, the first flush valve may be fluidly coupled to the second flush valve using a second pipe. The second flush valve is fluidly coupled to a vacuum source. The vacuum source may include, for example, a holding tank having a vacuum pressure therein, a vacuum pump, or any other suitable vacuum source.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2022
    Assignee: BRIGHAM YOUNG UNIVERSITY
    Inventors: Kent L. Gee, Scott D. Sommerfeldt, Scott L. Thomson
  • Patent number: 11384521
    Abstract: A flush toilet according to an embodiment includes a bowl part, a rim part, a water spout port, and a water storage part. The bowl part receives waste. The rim part is formed on a top of the bowl part. The water spout port spouts a washing water. The water storage part is formed on a bottom of the bowl part. A first region that is connected to a discharge channel and a second region that is located on a front side of the first region are formed in the water storage part. A main stream of the washing water that is spouted from the water spout port along the rim part swirls on the bowl part and flows into the first region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2022
    Assignee: TOTO LTD.
    Inventors: Kenichi Nakamura, Hiroshi Hashimoto, Jing Chen
  • Patent number: 11377834
    Abstract: A flush toilet is revealed. The flush toilet includes a bowl portion, a drain pipe, an inlet channel, a first outlet channel, a second outlet channel, and a jet channel. The first and second outlet channels are turned into different directions from diversion area of the inlet channel. The second outlet channel further includes a curved potion for changing the direction of water flow so that the direction of a second water flow out of the second outlet channel and along a shed portion of the bowl portion is consistent with the direction of a first water flow out of the first outlet channel and along the shed portion. Thus the first and second water flows are out almost synchronously throughout the bowl portion and combined to form a swirling flow which interacts with a third water flow from the jet channel to create a siphon effect for better waste removal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2022
    Assignee: Globe Union Industrial Corp.
    Inventors: Hongsheng Zhou, Yanjun Wang, Shaoqing Li, Zhiqiang Liu, Wenjuan Li
  • Patent number: 11365536
    Abstract: An extender device for a toilet is provided. The toilet includes a flush button provided on a first surface of a tank for flushing the toilet. The extender device includes an extender button that is configured to be mounted to a front surface of the tank of the toilet, a flexible line operatively connected to the extender button, and a member operatively connected to the line. The member is configured to be in operative connection with the flush button and the extender button is configured to be pressed to thereby cause the line to move the member to cause the flush button to depress and flush the toilet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 12, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2022
    Inventor: Rayan Omidi
  • Patent number: 11365532
    Abstract: The invention relates to a water-saving device which is fully automated and comprises a complete electronic control system, the possibility of connection to the aqueduct supply network and a hydraulic generator for saving energy. The device according to the invention communicates with a modular system that optionally reduces the water flow of the shower to 50% and diverts the other 50% to the storage tank, by means of the electronic interface. The device according to the invention is applicable in the construction industry.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2022
    Inventor: Jorge Eduardo Cortes
  • Patent number: 11352770
    Abstract: According to embodiments of the present disclosure is a water delivery system that continuously flows and recirculates clean water, diverting only water that has touched a user's hands. No sensing is required to activate the water flow and the actions of the user effectively divert the dirty water to a drain. The water delivery system comprises a clean water outlet, a clean water inlet, a dirty water drain, and a circulation pump. A stream of water continuously flows from the outlet and is received by the water inlet if the stream is uninterrupted. If the stream is disturbed, such as by the hand washing activities of the user, the stream is diverted from the inlet and instead falls into a sink and into the drain.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2022
    Inventor: Mazen I. Dauleh
  • Patent number: 11346092
    Abstract: A flush toilet according to the embodiment includes a main water guide channel, a downstream-side water guide channel, and a convex part. Through the main water guide channel, flush water supplied from a water supply source flows. The downstream-side water guide channel on a downstream side of the main water guide channel spouts the flush water from a water spout port of the downstream-side water guide channel. The convex part is formed in the downstream-side water guide channel. The convex part includes a first guide part that guides upward the flush water flowing through the downstream-side water guide channel, and a second guide part on a downstream side of the first guide part which guides downward the flush water.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2022
    Assignee: TOTO LTD.
    Inventors: Jing Chen, Takumi Tsuchitani, Hiroshi Hashimoto
  • Patent number: 11326333
    Abstract: A flush toilet according to an embodiment includes a bowl part, a rim part, a water spout port, and a water storage part. The bowl part receives waste. The rim part is formed on a top of the bowl part. The water spout port spouts a washing water from one side of the bowl part in leftward and rightward directions. The water storage part is formed on a bottom of the bowl part. The bowl part includes a guide part that causes the washing water to swirl from the one side to another side that is opposite to the one side and causes the washing water that swirls to the another side to flow into a back side of the water storage part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2022
    Assignee: TOTO LTD.
    Inventors: Jing Chen, Kenichi Nakamura, Hiroshi Hashimoto
  • Patent number: 11319699
    Abstract: An intelligent drainage device includes a power supply unit, a water discharge key, drain assemblies, a motor drive unit and a control unit. The drain assembly, installed to a bathtub drain hole, includes a waterstop member, a stepping motor and a receiving tube. The receiving tube engages fixedly and oppositely the waterstop member and a power transmission shaft of the stepping motor. The control unit receives a start/stop signal from the water discharge key, then transmits the signal to the motor drive unit for controlling the power transmission shaft to drive the corresponding waterstop member to move upward or downward. In this device, with a simple touch at the water discharge key, the control unit would control the motor drive unit to activate the stepping motors so as to have all the drain assemblies at the respective drain holes to discharge simultaneously and rapidly the water inside a bathtub.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2022
    Assignee: NCIP INC.
    Inventor: Rong-Chyan Tzeng
  • Patent number: 11311150
    Abstract: Exemplary embodiments provide a prefabricated modular shower enclosure, including a base with a plurality of engagement feature along a peripheral surface of the base, a plurality of alignment supports, and a surround panel. In some embodiments, at least one alignment support is positionable in a preselected relationship relative to the engagement features of the base, and the alignment supports are configured to be independently made square relative to the base. Additional exemplary embodiments provide a prefabricated shower enclosure, including a base with a plurality of engagement feature along a peripheral surface of the base, and a plurality of surround panels that engage the base. The modular shower enclosure reduces installation time and complexity by using components that are fabricated and cut to size offsite prior to installation at a job site.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 12, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2022
    Assignee: BRUSKIN INTERNATIONAL, LLC
    Inventors: Albert Barry Smith, Conrad Saks, Mark E. Dannettel
  • Patent number: 11284755
    Abstract: A toilet seat includes a body with a first end and a second end connected by a top surface; a base extending from the body and to rest on a top rim of a toilet; and a connection device extending from the second end to secure the toilet seat to the toilet; the base positions the first end at a height greater than the second end of the body, thereby creating a sloped in the top surface of the body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2022
    Inventors: Deepa Patel, Prajeshkumar Patel
  • Patent number: 11278168
    Abstract: A potting training device for preventing a potty training child's urine stream from passing through an opening between the toilet seat and the toilet bowl is made of a flexible, water-resistant, preferably non-porous flat sheet material, having a folding seam separating the device into an top portion containing a plurality of attachment tabs and a bottom portion containing a urine-deflector. An adhesive material is applied to the surface of each attachment tab and attaches the attachment tabs to the underside of the toilet seat. The flat sheet material, in its unattached configuration, is manipulated into a curved configuration that matches the curvature of the toilet seat, and is attached thereto.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2022
    Assignee: FOR KIDS BY PARENTS, INC.
    Inventors: Joseph Michael Conrad, III, Kurt Gans Briscoe
  • Patent number: 11274428
    Abstract: A flush toilet according to an embodiment includes a bowl part, a rim part, and a water spout port. The bowl part receives waste. The rim part is formed on a top of the bowl part. The water spout port spouts a washing water along the rim part. A height of a bottom surface wall that forms a passing water channel where the washing water flows along the rim part increases from an end part on a side of the water spout port toward a front end of the bowl part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2022
    Assignee: TOTO LTD.
    Inventors: Shinichi Urata, Jing Chen, Kenichi Nakamura
  • Patent number: 11268270
    Abstract: A toilet seal for sealing between a plumbing fixture discharge and a waste drainpipe outlet is described. The toilet seal comprises a flange member having an inwardly extending flexible lip. A flexible sleeve extends downwardly from the flange member. The toilet seal further includes a compressible member having an upper surface disposed adjacent to a lower surface of the flange member. The compressible member further has a lower surface and a plurality of ridges extend downwardly from the lower surface of the compressible member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2022
    Assignee: COFLEX S.A. DE C.V.
    Inventors: Eduardo Coronado, Pedro Gonzalez, Adam Robert Sampson, Tuan Van Le, Krishnaditya Arkalgud
  • Patent number: 11253428
    Abstract: An emergency wash system includes a basin, a fluid dispenser disposed at least partially over the basin, and a push plate coupled to the fluid dispenser. The push plate is positioned behind the fluid dispenser. The fluid dispenser includes: a fluid inlet portion defining a drainage aperture; a first fluid riser fluidly coupled to the fluid inlet portion, the first fluid riser extending upward from the fluid inlet portion; and a second fluid riser fluidly coupled to the fluid inlet portion, the second fluid riser extending upward from the fluid inlet portion on a substantially opposite side of the fluid inlet portion relative to the first fluid riser.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 24, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2022
    Assignee: Bradley Fixtures Corporation
    Inventors: Timothy E. Perrin, Theodore E. Dhein, Scott M. Kluck
  • Patent number: 11243011
    Abstract: A heat emitting radiator for heating a space is provided that includes a radiator panel with tubing forming a fluid circuit or loop, wherein the loop includes at least one opening for inserting a heating element that can heat a fluid in the fluid circuit. The radiator may also include a heat absorbing material, such as stone, in thermal contact with the radiator panel. The radiator can be selectively de-activated when a certain temperature has been achieved in the space or in the fluid, allowing heat absorbed by a heat absorbing material positioned within the radiator to then be radiated into the space. The radiator can then be re-activated when a selected low temperature has been reached. The heating element may be a DC electrical heating element configured to be connected to an AC power source.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2022
    Inventor: Ray King
  • Patent number: 11236498
    Abstract: A flush toilet according to an embodiment includes a bowl part, a rim part, and a water spout port. The bowl part receives waste. The rim part is formed on a top of the bowl part. The water spout port spouts a washing water along the rim part. A height of a bottom surface wall that forms a passing water channel where the washing water flows along the rim part increases from an end part on a side of the water spout port toward a front end of the bowl part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2022
    Assignee: TOTO LTD.
    Inventors: Shinichi Urata, Jing Chen, Kenichi Nakamura
  • Patent number: 11198997
    Abstract: A urinal assembly having a frame and a plurality of posts or posts extending from the frame. The frame can include a plurality of openings. The openings can be defined by a plurality of sides and corners. The posts can extend from the corners and/or from the sides of the openings. In some embodiments, posts extend from a first face and a second face of the frame.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 14, 2021
    Assignee: Fresh Products, Inc.
    Inventors: Douglas S. Brown, Jeffrey A. Smith
  • Patent number: 11197587
    Abstract: An improved bath seat for a young child or infant is provided. The bath seat has a plurality of rigid, extendable and retractable, stabilizing arms that include pivotable, spring-loaded suction cups at or near their ends that are engageable by means of suction with a wall of the bathtub to prevent the bath seat from tipping.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 14, 2021
    Assignee: SUMMER INFANT (USA), INC.
    Inventors: Michael Thomas Fusco, Christopher C. Briden, Anthony Carbone, Zachary R. Stebenne, Mark J. Sousa, Spencer P. Brown