Patents by Inventor Leland C. Leber
Leland C. Leber 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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Patent number: 8794543Abstract: A showerhead may include a housing, a turbine, and a shutter. The housing may include a fluid inlet, at least one fluid outlet, and a chamber in fluid communication with the inlet and one or more outlets. The turbine and shutter may be placed in the cavity. The shutter may include at least one opening. The shutter may selectively cover and uncover fluid outlets, thus selectively fluidly connecting the fluid outlets with the chamber. Water flowing through the housing causes the turbine to spin. As the turbine spins, the shutter rotates at a slower speed than the turbine to produce a periodic interruption of water flow through the outlets by covering and uncovering the outlets as the shutter rotates within the housing.Type: GrantFiled: January 28, 2010Date of Patent: August 5, 2014Assignee: Water Pik, Inc.Inventor: Leland C. Leber
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Patent number: 8789218Abstract: A molded arm for a showerhead may be configured to connect a showerhead to a fluid supply, and may be in the form of a molded body defining an inlet, an outlet and an interior passage providing fluid communication between the inlet and the outlet. An arm assembly may be configured to connect a showerhead to a fluid supply, and may include: a molded arm body defining an inlet, an outlet and an interior passage providing fluid communication between the inlet and the outlet; and a separate attachment component configured to cooperate with the molded body and to engage a structure connected to a fluid supply. A method of making an arm for connecting a showerhead to a fluid supply may include molding an arm body to define an inlet, an outlet and an interior passage between the inlet and the outlet.Type: GrantFiled: April 30, 2008Date of Patent: July 29, 2014Assignee: Water Pik, Inc.Inventors: Leland C. Leber, Michael J. Quinn, Harold A. Luettgen, Roberta L. Callaghan, Carl T. Whitaker
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Patent number: 8757517Abstract: A showerhead having a plurality of spray modes including a manifold defining a plurality of mode apertures, a front channel plate, a rear channel plate, and a radial mode changer. The front channel plate includes a plurality of front plate partitions connected to an exterior surface of the manifold. The front plate partitions define at least two channels, each channel of the at least two channels corresponds to one of the plurality of spray modes. The mode apertures in the manifold provide fluid communication between the manifold and the at least two channels. The rear channel plate encloses the at least two channels to form at least two chambers. When the radial mode changer is rotated, one or more of the ports of the radial mode changer is aligned with one or more of the mode apertures, and water flows through the radial mode changer into one of the chambers.Type: GrantFiled: January 7, 2013Date of Patent: June 24, 2014Assignee: Water Pik, Inc.Inventors: Carl T. Whitaker, Leland C. Leber, Brian Randall Williams
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Patent number: 8733675Abstract: Showerheads with two or more nozzles configured to deliver water streams that converge at one or more regions. Prior to convergence, the converging water streams may generally retain a recognizable shape determined by the type of nozzle. Upon convergence, at least portions of the converging water streams may substantially disperse into multiple individual water droplets. The nozzles, or a face plate or other components joining the nozzles to a showerhead, may be selectively movable to selectively move the region or regions of convergence closer to or further away from the showerhead, or to convert the nozzles from delivering converging streams to delivering non-converging streams or vice versa. Some showerheads may further include other nozzles for delivering water from the showerhead in other modes, such a high pressure mode, a pulsating mode, a mist mode, and so on.Type: GrantFiled: April 20, 2007Date of Patent: May 27, 2014Assignee: Water Pik, Inc.Inventor: Leland C. Leber
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Publication number: 20130340854Abstract: A showerhead bracket having a fluid inlet, a fluid outlet, a valve and a valve housing. the valve may be operably connected between the fluid inlet and the fluid outlet. The valve includes a valve inlet port, a low flow exit port and a high flow exit port. The valve housing is disposed between the fluid inlet and the valve inlet port. And the valve can selectively rotate within the valve housing.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 21, 2013Publication date: December 26, 2013Inventors: Michael J. Quinn, Leland C. Leber, Harold A. Luettgen, Ryan Saunders
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Patent number: 8584972Abstract: A handheld showerhead includes a showerhead portion and a handle portion. The showerhead portion includes a plurality of nozzles. At least two fluid channels are defined in part by at least two walls that are adjacent and parallel to each other and a curved wall that extends between edges of the at least two walls. A base wall is operably associated with the at least two walls and defines two or more fluid channel inlets each in fluid communication with a respective one of the two more fluid channels. The handle portion is operatively associated with the showerhead portion, and includes at least one of a fluid inlet and a fluid passage, and including a rotatable mode selector.Type: GrantFiled: October 10, 2011Date of Patent: November 19, 2013Assignee: Water Pik, Inc.Inventors: Harold A. Luettgen, Leland C. Leber, Michael J. Quinn
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Publication number: 20130233947Abstract: A handheld showerhead including a showerhead portion, a handle portion, and a movable mode selector portion. The mode selector portion includes a rotationally-fixed first end coupling and a rotationally-fixed second end coupling, which is concentrically aligned with the first end coupling, and a rotatable control knob body. The movable mode selector includes a fluid seal coupled to the rotatable knob body, the first fluid seal including at least one fluid control aperture. The second end coupling also includes a fluid inlet aperture and a fluid outlet aperture. The inlet aperture is in fluid communication with a fluid supply, and the outlet aperture is in fluid communication with the control knob body. A second fluid seal is positioned between the second end coupling and the control knob body. A single mechanical fastener axially couples the control knob body to the first end coupling and the second end coupling.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 29, 2013Publication date: September 12, 2013Applicant: Water Pik, Inc.Inventors: Harold A. Luettgen, Leland C. Leber, Michael J. Quinn
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Patent number: 8371618Abstract: A water supply attachment is a spherically-shaped pivot attachment having a hollow passage extending between its opposing ends that includes a threaded portion for coupling to water supplies. The water supply attachment can be a hidden pivot attachment usable in various shower assemblies. The hidden pivot attachment may be used in combination with a seal cup and an attachment nut, such that the hidden pivot attachment closely fits within the void spaces of the seal cup and attachment nut, enabling the hidden pivot attachment to form a seal with the seal cup.Type: GrantFiled: April 30, 2008Date of Patent: February 12, 2013Assignee: Water Pik, Inc.Inventor: Leland C. Leber
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Patent number: 8366024Abstract: A showerhead may include a housing, a jet disk, a turbine, and a shutter. The housing may include a fluid inlet, at least one fluid outlet, and a chamber in fluid communication with the inlet and one or more outlets. The jet disk, turbine, and shutter may be placed in the cavity. The shutter may include at least one opening. The shutter may selectively cover and uncover fluid outlets, thus selectively fluidly connecting the fluid outlets with the chamber. Water flowing through the housing causes the turbine to spin. As the turbine spins, the shutter rotates at a slower speed than the turbine to produce a periodic interruption of water flow through the outlets by covering and uncovering the outlets as the shutter rotates within the housing.Type: GrantFiled: December 26, 2007Date of Patent: February 5, 2013Assignee: Water Pik, Inc.Inventor: Leland C. Leber
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Patent number: 8348181Abstract: A shower assembly having a plurality of spray modes for expelling water includes a housing having a water inflow and a water outflow. The shower assembly provides a manifold defining a cavity having a sidewall. One or more mode apertures formed in the sidewall of the cavity are in fluid communication with the water outflow. A radial mode changer provided in the shower assembly defines a hollow passageway in fluid communication with the water inflow, and further defines a plurality of recessed ports in fluid communication with the hollow passageway. The radial mode changer is rotatably received in the cavity of the manifold and may be rotated relative to the manifold to align at least one of the recessed ports with at least one of the mode apertures for providing flow from the water inflow into the water outflow via the radial mode changer.Type: GrantFiled: September 15, 2009Date of Patent: January 8, 2013Assignee: Water Pik, Inc.Inventors: Carl T. Whitaker, Leland C. Leber, Brian Randall Williams
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Publication number: 20120085839Abstract: A handheld showerhead includes a showerhead portion and a handle portion. The showerhead portion includes a plurality of nozzles. At least two fluid channels are defined in part by at least two walls that are adjacent and parallel to each other and a curved wall that extends between edges of the at least two walls. A base wall is operably associated with the at least two walls and defines two or more fluid channel inlets each in fluid communication with a respective one of the two more fluid channels. The handle portion is operatively associated with the showerhead portion, and includes at least one of a fluid inlet and a fluid passage, and including a rotatable mode selector.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 10, 2011Publication date: April 12, 2012Applicant: Water Pik, Inc.Inventors: Harold A. Luettgen, Leland C. Leber, Michael J. Quinn
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Patent number: 8146838Abstract: A handheld showerhead has a showerhead portion including a plurality of spray nozzles and a handle portion including a fluid inlet that receives water flow from a water source and a fluid passage that transports the water flow from the fluid inlet to the showerhead portion in a first flow direction. A fluid conveyance structure positioned at least partially within the showerhead portion has a base with two or more inlet openings. A mode selector includes a control knob and a fluid chamber with a fluid inlet that receives the water flow from the handle portion in a second flow direction and a rotatable chamber wall that defines a chamber outlet in selective fluid communication with the fluid conveyance structure. Rotation of the control knob rotates the chamber wall to selectively align the chamber outlet with one of the inlet openings in the base of the fluid conveyance structure.Type: GrantFiled: August 27, 2010Date of Patent: April 3, 2012Assignee: Water Pik, Inc.Inventors: Harold A. Luettgen, Leland C. Leber, Michael J. Quinn
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Patent number: 8132745Abstract: Output of a showerhead system is selectable between a plurality of spray modes using a control mode selector located adjacent to a shower pipe. The showerhead system also includes an adjustment mechanism located near or about the shower pipe to pivotably adjust the position of the showerhead. The showerhead system also has dual support structures in the form of arms extending between the control mode selector and the showerhead. The dual arms each house one or more hoses that may be flexible and transport water from the mode selector can be adjusted to direct water to individual hoses or simultaneously to multiple hoses.Type: GrantFiled: April 9, 2010Date of Patent: March 13, 2012Assignee: Water Pik, Inc.Inventors: Leland C. Leber, Brian R. Williams
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Patent number: 8109450Abstract: A handheld showerhead has a showerhead portion and a handle portion. The showerhead portion may include at least two fluid channels. The handle portion may be operatively associated with the shower portion. The handle portion may include at least one fluid inlet or fluid passage. A rigid internal shaft is used to reinforce the connection between a fluid conveyance structure in the showerhead portion, the handle portion, or both, and a water supply connector at least partially in the handle portion The handle portion may further include a movable mode selector. Movement of the mode selector may selectively place the fluid inlet or fluid passage in fluid communication with at least one of the two fluid channels in the showerhead portion.Type: GrantFiled: July 29, 2010Date of Patent: February 7, 2012Assignee: Water Pik, Inc.Inventors: Harold A. Luettgen, Leland C. Leber, Michael J. Quinn
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Patent number: 8028935Abstract: A showerhead for a low flow rate may employ one or more of a showerhead housing, a showerhead engine, a flow restrictor and a flow regulation device. The showerhead engine may be moveably connected to the showerhead housing. The showerhead engine may include a back member, an intermediate member, and a front member defining various fluid chambers and apertures that allow for one or more spray modes. The showerhead may include a flow control device to selectively reduce flow to the showerhead engine. The flow control device may also be selectively pause fluid flow for more than one spray mode. The showerhead may include a flow restrictor. The flow restrictor may limit a maximum fluid flow rate of a fluid delivered from the showerhead engine to approximately 1.5 gallons per minute.Type: GrantFiled: May 2, 2008Date of Patent: October 4, 2011Assignee: Water Pik, Inc.Inventor: Leland C. Leber
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Patent number: 8020787Abstract: A showerhead system is provided. The showerhead system may provide a plurality of spray modes using a control mode selector located adjacent to a shower pipe. The showerhead system may also include an adjustment mechanism located near or about the shower pipe. The showerhead system may also have dual support structures.Type: GrantFiled: November 29, 2007Date of Patent: September 20, 2011Assignee: Water Pik, Inc.Inventors: Leland C. Leber, Brian R. Williams
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Patent number: D673649Type: GrantFiled: July 3, 2012Date of Patent: January 1, 2013Assignee: Water Pik, Inc.Inventors: Michael J. Quinn, Leland C. Leber, Harold A. Luettgen, Joseph W. Cacka
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Patent number: D674050Type: GrantFiled: July 10, 2012Date of Patent: January 8, 2013Assignee: Water Pik, Inc.Inventors: Michael J. Quinn, Leland C. Leber, Harold A. Luettgen, Joseph W. Cacka
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Patent number: D678463Type: GrantFiled: January 27, 2012Date of Patent: March 19, 2013Assignee: Water Pik, Inc.Inventors: Michael J. Quinn, Leland C. Leber, Harold A. Luettgen, Joseph W. Cacka
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Patent number: D678467Type: GrantFiled: January 27, 2012Date of Patent: March 19, 2013Assignee: Water Pik, Inc.Inventors: Michael J. Quinn, Leland C. Leber, Harold A. Luettgen, Joseph W. Cacka