Patents Examined by William R Klotz
  • Patent number: 10612219
    Abstract: A bathtub spout quick connecting mechanism includes a main body, a hand wheel, and a gasket. A boss of the hand wheel is inserted through an open top of the main body. A conical recess at an outer end of the boss is fitted on a pull rod head of a bathtub spout. The gasket is attached to the inner bottom surface of the main body. The gasket has a central perforation communicating with a through hole at the bottom of the main body. The conical recess of the hand wheel screwedly connected to the main body abuts against the pull rod head to drive the pull rod head to move up and down. The installation is convenient and quick.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2020
    Inventor: Tingting Du
  • Patent number: 10603205
    Abstract: A portable urination device comprises a guiding body and two connection units. The guiding body has a guiding portion, a first port and a second port. The guiding portion is formed of two side walls, and the bottom edge of the side wall is of a closed structure. The first port and the second port are oppositely disposed and are respectively located at two ends of the guiding portion. The two connection units are respectively extended between the first port and the second port of the guiding body. The two connection units are used for the user operation, the first port is used for receiving urine of a user, and the urine is discharged from the second port through guiding of the guiding portion, or discharged from the first port after buffering of the guiding portion. The urination device is easily used, and the user is dispense with contacting the public toilet stool.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2020
    Inventor: Kuohuang Yang
  • Patent number: 10597886
    Abstract: A swimming pool heating system, including a heat pump and control of the compressor of the heat pump according to a number of non-zero power levels, is detailed. The system includes, for example, three power levels, the first level being close to 40% of the maximum compressor speed, the second level being close to 70% of the maximum compressor speed, and the third level being close to 100% of the maximum compressor speed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2020
    Assignee: ZODIAC POOL CARE EUROPE
    Inventors: RĂ©mi Deloche, Brice Leroyer
  • Patent number: 10568473
    Abstract: A portable urinal includes a receptacle with a wide opening and an internal cavity which converges towards a tube neck and wherein a tube is attached to the tube neck. The tube is attached via a disconnect coupler to a container which can be sealed and separated from the tube. The receptacle is shaped to accommodate one or more of the male genitalia and the female genitalia. The portable urinal is designed to allow a user to urinate in restroom inaccessible locations without discomfort, without creating an odor, without chance of spilling bodily fluids, and without inappropriately exposing their body so that they can urinate in locations where other people may be present.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2020
    Inventor: Khoa T Le
  • Patent number: 10570594
    Abstract: A hair straining device for a drain is disclosed. The device has a central element, a bottom seal element, and a pair of arms.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2020
    Assignee: Juka Innovations Corporation
    Inventors: Serge Karnegie, Solyman Najimi
  • Patent number: 10542847
    Abstract: A jet pump associated with a heat source, such as a heating element or heating coils, is disclosed. The heating element is located in a housing chamber and coaxially with an impeller. An electrical motor rotates the impeller and circulates water within the chamber and between coils of the heating element. The heated water is then discharged into a basin found in a pedicure chair or other devices requiring agitated, heated water.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 28, 2020
    Assignee: Lexor, Inc.
    Inventors: Christopher L. Luong, Quang Nguyen, Thuong Pham
  • Patent number: 10519643
    Abstract: Toilet assemblies having various embodiments of a cleaning system are described herein which include a toilet assembly and a cleaning system. The toilet assembly has a toilet bowl, a tank, a flush valve, and a rim in fluid communication with the bowl through a rim flow path from an outlet of the flush valve to at least one rim outlet port. The flush valve is configured to operate in a flush actuation mode wherein the flush valve is able to provide flush water flow sufficient for the toilet assembly to initiate a flush siphon or provide a wash down flush and to operate in a cleaning actuation mode wherein the flush valve is only partially opened to allow for introduction of a cleaning agent and flush water mixture to the bowl that is insufficient to initiate a siphon but sufficient for cleaning the bowl.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2019
    Assignee: AS AMERICA, INC.
    Inventors: Christophe Bucher, David Grover, Ronald Barndt, Frank Seggio, James McHale, Chris Cicenas, Matthew O'Kelly
  • Patent number: 10485391
    Abstract: A hinge pin for pivotally mounting at least one of a toilet seat and a lid to a toilet or surrounding structure comprises a first hinge pin component, a second hinge pin component a linking member and fasteners. The first hinge pin component and the second hinge pin component each has a cylindrical outer end, a semicylindrical inner end with a flat joining surface and a shoulder between the outer end and the inner end. The linking member is semicylindrical and has a flat linking surface dimensioned to link the first hinge pin component and the second hinge component when they are axially aligned with their inner ends facing each other and the linking surface is in contact with each joining surface and secured by the fasteners. The assembled linking member and first and second hinge components define a center section of the hinge pin having a circular cross section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2019
    Assignee: Alaska Airlines, Inc.
    Inventors: Darrel Wilson, Tad Klahn, Travis Smith, Tyler Buss
  • Patent number: 10400433
    Abstract: A drain cleaning device for cleaning and clearing a clogged drain is provided. The drain cleaning device comprises an elongated shaft having a first end and a second end. A rotator handle is secured to the first end of the elongated shaft with the rotator handle driving the elongated shaft in rotation by rotationally cranking the rotator handle. A hollow handle sheath surrounds the elongated shaft with the handle sheath allowing the elongated shaft to freely slide along a length of the handle shaft and freely rotate within the handle sheath. A resilient plunger head is mounted on an end of the handle sheath adjacent the second end of the elongated shaft. A conical terminal fitting is mounted to the second end of the elongated shaft with the conical terminal fitting movable into and out of the plunger head wherein the drain cleaning device quickly and easily clears any clogged or blocked drain.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2019
    Inventor: Boris Mills
  • Patent number: 10378195
    Abstract: A flush toilet having a bowl portion including a waste receiving surface, a rim portion, a shelf portion, and a concave portion; a discharge passage for discharging waste; a first spout port for spouting flush water on a shelf portion of the bowl portion to form a circulating flow; a second spout port for spouting flush water in the same direction as the circulating direction of flush water spouted from a first spout port and toward the rear of the bowl portion; a first water conduit for supplying flush water to the first spout port; and a second water conduit for supplying flush water to the second spout port. The first and second water conduits are formed so that the flow rate of flush water spouted from the second spout port is greater than the flow rate of flush water spouted from the first spout port.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2019
    Assignee: Toto Ltd.
    Inventors: Shinichi Urata, Keisuke Okada
  • Patent number: 10344460
    Abstract: A straining device includes a top seal element, a central cylinder element and a bottom seal element and is positioned in a drain pipe of a shower, sink or bathtub to prevent hair from clogging the drain pipe while providing an aesthetically appealing appearance and allowing for easy cleaning.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 7, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2019
    Inventor: Serge Karnegie
  • Patent number: 10253489
    Abstract: A flush toilet for discharging waste using flush water supplied from a flush water source is disclosed. The flush toilet comprises a bowl portion including a rim portion, and a shelf portion formed between the rim portion and a waste receiving surface; a water discharge path for discharging waste; a water spouting portion for spouting flush water onto the shelf portion of the bowl portion to form a swirl flow; and a water conduit for supplying flush water to the spouting portion. The water spouting portion is formed on the rim portion, and a first swirl trajectory of a first circulation and a second swirl trajectory of a second circulation are mutually different when flush water spouted from the water spouting portion swirls along the rim portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2019
    Assignee: TOTO LTD.
    Inventors: Yu Yamasaki, Masaaki Inoue, Masahiro Nakamura, Kenji Watanabe
  • Patent number: 10226155
    Abstract: A toilet seat and lid lifting and flushing device for connecting to a toilet. The toilet seat and lid lifting device includes a pedal operatively connected with a pivotal lid lever and a pivotal seat lever. A flush assembly includes a cable operatively connected to the pedal, a flush arm operatively connected to the cable, and a flush base receiving the flush arm. The seat lever is pivoted in a first direction upon application of a downward force to the pedal. The seat lever and the lid lever are pivoted in a second direction upon application of an upward force to the pedal. Application of an upward force to the pedal causes downward movement of the flush arm to initiate a flush cycle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2019
    Inventor: Michael Helfrich
  • Patent number: 10053844
    Abstract: A universal drain has a plug body, at least two sealing member and a pressing knob. The plug body is composed of a base, a movable member, a rotating member, a first spring and a cover.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2018
    Assignee: YU-HSIN PLASTIC CORP LTD
    Inventor: Pei-Hsiang Huang
  • Patent number: 10041238
    Abstract: A plunger is provided with a flange having a length, a width and a thickness. The length is greater than the width to cover an elongated toilet trapway. A peripheral seal extends away from the flange to seal with the elongated toilet trapway. A plunger adapter is provided with a flange having a length, a width and a thickness. The length is greater than the width to cover an elongated toilet trapway. A peripheral seal extends away from the flange to seal with an elongated toilet trapway. A cylindrical receptacle is formed into the flange and spaced apart from the seal for cooperation with a radially symmetrical plunger.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2018
    Assignee: Brasscraft Manufacturing Company
    Inventor: Michael James Daciw
  • Patent number: 10022022
    Abstract: A genitalia washing assembly includes a container that may contain a liquid detergent. The container has an aperture extending therethrough. The aperture may insertably receive male genitalia thereby facilitating the liquid detergent to wash the male genitalia. A lid is removably coupled to the container. The lid frictionally engages the lip such that the lid closes the opening.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2018
    Inventor: Tomas Del Rio
  • Patent number: 9945105
    Abstract: In the invention a drain plug linkage device (100) is provided, comprising: a drain plug (4) at least partially disposed in a pipe body (5); a pull rod assembly including a pull rod, a link rod (2) and a pull rod connector (9), wherein the link rod (2) at its upper end comprises a receiving portion, the pull rod connector (9) comprises a central hole and adapted to be snapped into the containing portion, and the pull rod at its bottom comprises a snap portion adapted to be snapped into the central hole; and a lever member (3) comprising a first end operatively connected to the link rod (2), and a second end extending into the pipe body (5) and configured to operate the drain plug (4); wherein the receiving portion comprises an expansion portion (22) for expanding the central hole, and the pull rod connector (9) is configured, when snapped into the receiving part, to be movable between a position where the central hole is unexpanded and a position where the central hole is expanded by the expansion portion (22
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2018
    Assignee: XIAMEN LOTA INTERNATIONAL CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Liming Ye, Jianping Zhou, Yan Zhang
  • Patent number: 9926694
    Abstract: An operating device for a flush water tank assembly includes: a rotary shaft, an operating handle, an operating wire, and a drive unit, wherein the drive unit includes: a rotary member, a rotary winding member, a locking unit for mutually locking the rotary member and the rotary winding member when the rotary winding member rotates in a forward rotational direction from operating position P1 and reaches operating position P3, and a lock release portion for releasing the lock between the rotary member and the rotary winding member when the rotary member and the rotary winding member rotate in a forward rotational direction from operating position P1 and reach operating position P3.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2018
    Assignee: TOTO LTD.
    Inventors: Koki Shinohara, Hideki Tanimoto, Kenji Hatama, Makoto Abe
  • Patent number: 9909286
    Abstract: A portable half bathroom is disclosed. The portable half bathroom may be in a compact condition or in an expanded condition. In the compact condition, the portable half bathroom looks like a regular cabinet. Collapsed and folded panels are attached to the cabinet. All side and back walls are racked on their relative sides of the cabinet when the portable half bathroom is not in use. In the expanded condition, the panels are unfolded and expanded to form an enclosure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2018
    Inventor: Ybirhan Girmay Meressa
  • Patent number: 9869103
    Abstract: A sump drain includes a ring-shaped chamber having an inner sidewall with a diameter of at least about 18 inches and an outer sidewall, and a circular opening between the sidewalls preferably about an inch wide and optionally having a grid cover. Preferably the inner sidewall has a number of ports extending inwardly to radial conduits to a central hub for tying into a pool or spa filtering system, with the central hub operating as a clean out and having a removable cap. Upon installation, plaster substantially fills the space between the chamber and the central hub, such that the sump drain attractively blends in with the pool or spa floor. When installed, the top opening is preferably substantially flush with the pool or spa floor while being safely unblockable. And the sump drain preferably further includes channels both outboard and inboard from the chamber top opening and around the central hub, to help prevent water from passing through the plaster into the shotcrete of the pool or spa.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2018
    Inventor: Olaf Mjelde