Patents Represented by Attorney Michael P. Mazza, LLP
  • Patent number: 6945289
    Abstract: An automatic, water dispensing, filter shutoff device having a disposable and replaceable filter. The shutoff device is in removable engagement and fluid communication with a water container such as a water bottle, and is adapted to disable dispensing after a predetermined amount of dispensing has occurred, which may but need not substantially correspond to the filtration capacity of the filter. In a preferred embodiment, the shutoff device includes a monitoring and disabling with plunger components moveable between dispensing and disabling locations, and a rotating indexing mechanism. At the disabling location, a plunger component is placed in an interfering position with the engagement between the shutoff device and the water container. The shutoff device can distinguish between water bottles having different volumetric capacities, and terminate dispensing accordingly. Preferable, a replaceable filter cartridge is provided which, when removed, causes the indexing mechanism to be reset.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2003
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2005
    Assignee: The Clorox Company
    Inventors: Michael S. Marszalec, Lowell Burnham, Chun-Yen Wang, Rafael M. Rodriguez, Nathan Snell, Todd Krawczyk, Skye V. Taylor, Johnnie H. Copley