Patents by Inventor Hidekazu Kitaura
Hidekazu Kitaura has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).
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Publication number: 20180073230Abstract: Problem: Provided is a flush toilet capable of increasing the volume of a waste conveyance flow, thereby improving a waste conveyance capability. Solution: The flush toilet includes: a toilet main unit (2) comprising a discharge conduit (16) communicated with the discharge trap pipe. The discharge conduit includes a flow dividing section (26) provided on a downstream side of an upstream discharge conduit section, and a delaying flow passage (28) branched from the flow dividing section. An inward region of the skirt portion includes: a central region (D) and a lateral region (E). The delaying flow passage (28) forms a passage in the lateral region (E) and merges leading flush water having flowed into the delaying flow passage from the flow dividing section (26) with a flush water flow reaching the flow dividing section at a timing after the inflow of the flush water to the delaying flow passage.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 8, 2017Publication date: March 15, 2018Applicant: TOTO LTD.Inventors: Takahiro NAKASHIMA, Nobuhiro HAYASHI, Hidekazu KITAURA, Haruka SAITO, Isami SAKABA
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Publication number: 20180073236Abstract: Problem: Provided is a flush toilet capable of increasing the volume of a waste conveyance flow for washing down waste thereby improving a waste conveyance capability. Solution: The flush toilet includes: a discharge conduit (16) communicated with the discharge trap pipe. The discharge conduit includes: a flow dividing section (26); and a delaying flow passage (28) branched from the flow dividing section. The flow dividing section has a guide portion (32) configured to guide relatively low-speed flush water along the guide portion to the delaying flow passage. The delaying flow passage (28) is configured such that flush water having flowed into the delaying flow passage along the guide portion (32) is enabled to merge with a flush water flow reaching the flow dividing section at a timing after the inflow of the flush water to the delaying flow passage.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 8, 2017Publication date: March 15, 2018Applicant: TOTO LTD.Inventors: Nobuhiro HAYASHI, Hidekazu KITAURA, Takahiro NAKASHIMA, Haruka SAITO, Isami SAKABA
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Patent number: 9752310Abstract: A flush toilet apparatus that can reduce the total amount of wash water supplied to a bowl portion, even though a jet-pump water supply mechanism is mounted on a toilet body. A jet pump unit induces a jet pump action for making a flow rate of water flowing inside of a throat pipe higher than a flow rate of water injected from a nozzle to supply water at the increased flow rate to water ejection portions, and the flush toilet apparatus switches a channel state of the jet pump unit to sequentially execute a first step, in which water at a first flow rate is supplied to the water ejection portions, and a second step, in which water at a second flow rate lower than the first flow rate is supplied to the water ejection portions.Type: GrantFiled: August 4, 2014Date of Patent: September 5, 2017Assignee: TOTO LTD.Inventors: Hidekazu Kitaura, Ryoko Ishimaru, Tomohiro Iwabata
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Patent number: 9745731Abstract: A flush toilet apparatus that can reduce the total amount of wash water supplied to a bowl portion, even though a jet-pump water supply mechanism is mounted on a wash-down toilet body. A jet pump unit induces a jet pump action for making a flow rate of water flowing inside of a throat pipe higher than a flow rate of water injected from a nozzle to supply water at the increased flow rate to water ejection portions, and the flush toilet apparatus switches a channel state of the jet pump unit to sequentially execute a water flow forming step, in which water at a first flow rate is supplied to the water ejection portions, and a water flow maintaining step, following the water flow forming step and in which water at a second flow rate lower than the first flow rate is supplied to the water ejection portions.Type: GrantFiled: August 4, 2014Date of Patent: August 29, 2017Assignee: TOTO LTD.Inventors: Hidekazu Kitaura, Ryoko Ishimaru, Tomohiro Iwabata
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Patent number: 9670658Abstract: A switching mechanism is configured to switch an advancing direction of water injected from a nozzle by moving between a first position and a second position. The switching mechanism is held at the second position by a force received from the water injected by the nozzle during the tank water feeding process. A refill mechanism has a refill pipe for causing the water injected from the nozzle during the tank water feeding process and whose advancing direction is switched by the switching mechanism to flow in through an inflow port on one end side. The refill pipe is configured to lead the water having flowed in through the inflow port to a toilet stool body without flowing through a suction port of a throat pipe.Type: GrantFiled: February 10, 2016Date of Patent: June 6, 2017Assignee: TOTO LTD.Inventors: Ryoko Ishimaru, Hidekazu Kitaura, Takahiro Maruyama
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Publication number: 20170089052Abstract: A flush toilet apparatus for discharging waste by a jet pump action is disclosed. The flush toilet apparatus has an overflow portion configured to overflow a portion of flush water flowing from a throat pipe into a water conduit into a reservoir tank so that when the flow rate of water flowing inside the throat pipe exceeds a predetermined specified flow rate, the flow rate of water supplied from the water conduit to a bowl portion is reduced to less than a predetermined specified flow rate.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 29, 2016Publication date: March 30, 2017Inventors: Ryoko ISHIMARU, Tatsunari HARASHIMA, Hidekazu KITAURA
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Patent number: 9476191Abstract: A flush toilet apparatus includes a tank and a jet pump unit. The tank includes: a first tank portion; and a second tank portion formed so as to extend part of a bottom wall of the first tank portion downward. The jet pump unit includes a throat pipe provided with a suction port that is an inlet of water, and at least the part of the second tank portion is formed at a position overlapping with the suction port when viewed from the top.Type: GrantFiled: March 27, 2014Date of Patent: October 25, 2016Assignee: TOTO LTD.Inventors: Hidekazu Kitaura, Ryoko Ishimaru, Tomohiro Iwabata, Yoshiki Ota, Takashi Yoshioka
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Patent number: 9476193Abstract: This flush toilet apparatus includes a traveling-direction switching mechanism switching a mode between a toilet washing mode and a tank storage mode. This traveling-direction switching mechanism includes: a shield portion directing jet water to an outside of a throat pipe at a time of the tank storage mode; a moving mechanism moving the shield portion from a position at a time of the toilet washing mode in a first direction to a position at the time of the tank storage mode; and a guide surface switching a traveling direction of the jet water so that after the traveling direction is switched, a flow rate of the jet water is higher in a second direction opposite to the first direction than in the first direction.Type: GrantFiled: March 27, 2014Date of Patent: October 25, 2016Assignee: TOTO LTD.Inventors: Hidekazu Kitaura, Ryoko Ishimaru, Tomohiro Iwabata
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Publication number: 20160237668Abstract: A switching mechanism is configured to switch an advancing direction of water injected from a nozzle by moving between a first position and a second position. The switching mechanism is held at the second position by a force received from the water injected by the nozzle during the tank water feeding process. A refill mechanism has a refill pipe for causing the water injected from the nozzle during the tank water feeding process and whose advancing direction is switched by the switching mechanism to flow in through an inflow port on one end side. The refill pipe is configured to lead the water having flowed in through the inflow port to a toilet stool body without flowing through a suction port of a throat pipe.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 10, 2016Publication date: August 18, 2016Applicant: TOTO LTD.Inventors: Ryoko ISHIMARU, Hidekazu KITAURA, Takahiro MARUYAMA
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Patent number: 9328495Abstract: A flush toilet apparatus includes a tank and a jet pump unit. A throat pipe of the jet pump unit includes a linear portion formed to linearly extend obliquely upward from a suction port that is an inlet of water. The suction port is formed so that the entire edge is along a horizontal surface.Type: GrantFiled: March 27, 2014Date of Patent: May 3, 2016Assignee: TOTO LTD.Inventors: Hidekazu Kitaura, Ryoko Ishimaru, Tomohiro Iwabata, Yoshiki Ota, Takashi Yoshioka
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Patent number: 9328491Abstract: The present invention provides a water spouting device which enables air bubble entrained water with an increased entrainment rate of air bubbles to be discharged at a low flow rate stage even though the user adjusts the flow rate based on the same feeling as that for a conventional water spouting device, the present water spouting device further enabling, at a high flow rate stage, prevention of discharge of air bubble entrained water with such a total amount as makes the user feel that the resultant amount of water significantly exceeds that intended by the user. A spout cap BC serving as the present water spouting device includes a pressure reducing portion 30 serving as an entrainment rate adjusting portion to adjust the entrainment rate of air bubbles entrained in air bubble entrained water in an air bubble entraining portion 703.Type: GrantFiled: March 22, 2011Date of Patent: May 3, 2016Assignee: TOTO LTD.Inventors: Hidekazu Kitaura, Koji Takeda, Tomohiro Kudo, Ryohei Yaita
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Patent number: 9021622Abstract: There is provided a flush toilet device capable of being configured in a compact size and supplying a sufficient flow amount of water to a toilet to reliably flush and discharge waste. According to the flush toilet device, a straight pipe portion of a throat which is arranged inside a tank is arranged in a state where a center axis thereof inclines with respect to a front-back direction of the tank when viewed from an upper side.Type: GrantFiled: October 11, 2013Date of Patent: May 5, 2015Assignee: Toto Ltd.Inventors: Hidekazu Kitaura, Ryoko Ishimaru, Tomohiro Iwabata, Yoshiki Ota, Takashi Yoshioka
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Publication number: 20150040304Abstract: A flush toilet apparatus that can reduce the total amount of wash water supplied to a bowl portion, even though a jet-pump water supply mechanism is mounted on a wash-down toilet body. A jet pump unit induces a jet pump action for making a flow rate of water flowing inside of a throat pipe higher than a flow rate of water injected from a nozzle to supply water at the increased flow rate to water ejection portions, and the flush toilet apparatus switches a channel state of the jet pump unit to sequentially execute a water flow forming step, in which water at a first flow rate is supplied to the water ejection portions, and a water flow maintaining step, following the water flow forming step and in which water at a second flow rate lower than the first flow rate is supplied to the water ejection portions.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 4, 2014Publication date: February 12, 2015Applicant: TOTO LTD.Inventors: Hidekazu KITAURA, Ryoko ISHIMARU, Tomohiro IWABATA
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Publication number: 20150040305Abstract: A flush toilet apparatus that can reduce the total amount of wash water supplied to a bowl portion, even though a jet-pump water supply mechanism is mounted on a toilet body. A jet pump unit induces a jet pump action for making a flow rate of water flowing inside of a throat pipe higher than a flow rate of water injected from a nozzle to supply water at the increased flow rate to water ejection portions, and the flush toilet apparatus switches a channel state of the jet pump unit to sequentially execute a first step, in which water at a first flow rate is supplied to the water ejection portions, and a second step, in which water at a second flow rate lower than the first flow rate is supplied to the water ejection portions.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 4, 2014Publication date: February 12, 2015Applicant: TOTO LTD.Inventors: Hidekazu KITAURA, Ryoko ISHIMARU, Tomohiro IWABATA
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Publication number: 20140289944Abstract: A flush toilet apparatus includes a tank and a jet pump unit. The tank includes: a first tank portion; and a second tank portion formed so as to extend part of a bottom wall of the first tank portion downward. The jet pump unit includes a throat pipe provided with a suction port that is an inlet of water, and at least the part of the second tank portion is formed at a position overlapping with the suction port when viewed from the top.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 27, 2014Publication date: October 2, 2014Applicant: TOTO LTD.Inventors: Hidekazu KITAURA, Ryoko ISHIMARU, Tomohiro IWABATA, Yoshiki OTA, Takashi YOSHIOKA
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Publication number: 20140289949Abstract: A flush toilet apparatus includes a tank and a jet pump unit. A throat pipe of the jet pump unit includes a linear portion formed to linearly extend obliquely upward from a suction port that is an inlet of water. The suction port is formed so that the entire edge is along a horizontal surface.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 27, 2014Publication date: October 2, 2014Applicant: TOTO LTD.Inventors: Hidekazu KITAURA, Ryoko ISHIMARU, Tomohiro IWABATA, Yoshiki OTA, Takashi YOSHIOKA
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Publication number: 20140289950Abstract: This flush toilet apparatus includes a traveling-direction switching mechanism switching a mode between a toilet washing mode and a tank storage mode. This traveling-direction switching mechanism includes: a shield portion directing jet water to an outside of a throat pipe at a time of the tank storage mode; a moving mechanism moving the shield portion from a position at a time of the toilet washing mode in a first direction to a position at the time of the tank storage mode; and a guide surface switching a traveling direction of the jet water so that after the traveling direction is switched, a flow rate of the jet water is higher in a second direction opposite to the first direction than in the first direction.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 27, 2014Publication date: October 2, 2014Applicant: TOTO LTD.Inventors: Hidekazu KITAURA, Ryoko ISHIMARU, Tomohiro IWABATA
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Publication number: 20140289948Abstract: A flush toilet apparatus includes a tank and a jet pump unit. A throat pipe of the jet pump unit includes: a first linear portion formed to linearly extend obliquely upward from a suction port; and a second linear portion formed to linearly extend toward an inlet of a water conduit on a lower side, and the entire throat pipe is in an inverted U-shape when viewed from the side. The throat pipe is arranged so that an angle between a central axis of the second linear portion and a vertical direction is smaller than an angle between a central axis of the first linear portion and the vertical direction when viewed from the side.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 27, 2014Publication date: October 2, 2014Applicant: TOTO LTD.Inventors: Hidekazu KITAURA, Ryoko ISHIMARU, Tomohiro IWABATA, Yoshiki OTA, Takashi YOSHIOKA
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Publication number: 20140109307Abstract: There is provided a flush toilet device capable of being configured in a compact size and supplying a sufficient flow amount of water to a toilet to reliably flush and discharge waste. According to the flush toilet device WT, a straight pipe portion 243 of a throat 24 which is arranged inside a tank 11 is arranged in a state where a center axis thereof inclines with respect to a front-back direction of the tank 11 when viewed from an upper side.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 11, 2013Publication date: April 24, 2014Applicant: TOTO LTD.Inventors: Hidekazu KITAURA, Ryoko ISHIMARU, Tomohiro IWABATA, Yoshiki OTA, Takashi YOSHIOKA
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Patent number: 8171576Abstract: A jetted bathtub includes: a bathtub; a suction port opening in a wall of the bathtub and allowing water stored in the bathtub to be sucked therein; a pressurizer configured to suck water from the suction port, and pressurize and discharge the water; and a jet nozzle having a single tube held on the wall below a rim of the bathtub, the jet nozzle being configured to eject water introduced into the tube so that the water is ejected into the bathtub with its ejection direction being varied.Type: GrantFiled: March 18, 2008Date of Patent: May 8, 2012Assignee: Toto Ltd.Inventors: Hidekazu Kitaura, Katsushi Uryu, Hirotomo Suyama, Hidetaka Miyahara, Makoto Hatakeyama