Patents Assigned to Kohler Co.
  • Reluctance sensor for detection of position of a rotor in an electric machine
    Patent number: 11777376
    Abstract: An electric machine includes at least a printed circuit board and a magnetically permeable element. The printed circuit board includes a reluctance coil configured to generate a voltage in presence of a magnetic flux. The magnetically permeable element has a first end positioned adjacent to a rotor of the electrical machine and a second end positioned adjacent to the coil of the printed circuit board. In some examples, rotation of the rotor causes a change in the magnetic flux through the magnetically permeable element and generation of the voltage across the reluctance coil.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2023
    Assignee: Kohler Co.
    Inventors: Isaac S. Frampton, Adam Larson
  • AROMATIC FOG GENERATOR FOR BATHING ENVIRONMENTS
    Publication number: 20230302471
    Abstract: A well support assembly for a fragrance dispenser includes an upper cover including a plurality of chambers, a well support engaged with the upper cover proximate to the plurality of chambers, and a plurality of wells engaged with the well support. Each of the plurality of wells extends into a respective one of the plurality of chambers and is configured to receive a fragrance therein.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 25, 2023
    Publication date: September 28, 2023
    Applicant: Kohler Co.
    Inventors: Kenneth L. Stout, Stephen J. Bowen
  • Shower system
    Patent number: 11767930
    Abstract: A shower system includes a shower waterway and a fluid control valve. The shower waterway is configured to be coupled to a shower device. The fluid control valve is coupled to the shower waterway and comprises a valve body and a piston. The valve body includes a chamber and a reservoir. The piston is slidably coupled to the valve body and fluidly separates the chamber from the reservoir. The chamber includes a compressible gas. The piston is configured to slidably translate within the valve body to compress the compressible gas in response to a water pressure fluctuation in the shower waterway.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 2022
    Date of Patent: September 26, 2023
    Assignee: KOHLER CO.
    Inventors: Chad J. Cochart, Douglas J. Brouwer
  • Toilet
    Patent number: 11759065
    Abstract: A toilet includes a base, a cover, and a seat. The seat is rotatably coupled to the base, and the cover is rotatably coupled to the seat. The cover and the seat define an angled axis that is oriented upward and forward toward a front end of the base. The cover and the seat are each configured to rotate about the angled axis between a lowered position in which the cover and the seat are located adjacent the base and a stowed position in which the cover and the seat are oriented in an upward direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 11, 2022
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2023
    Assignee: Kohler Co.
    Inventors: Chanseol Chung, Karger D. Kohler, Daniel N. Halloran, Jeffrey T. Laundre, Keith E. Muellenbach, Jennifer Tarplee, Craig Loest
  • Mounting system for sink
    Patent number: 11759011
    Abstract: A mounting system for securing a sink to a countertop supported by a cabinet is provided. The mounting system includes a receiving structure configured to be supported under a rim of the sink, a bracket having a first portion configured to engage a portion of the cabinet and a second portion configured to engage a bottom of a basin of the sink, a linking member extending between the receiving structure and the bracket, a first connector configured to engage a first end of the linking member and retain the linking member relative to the receiving structure, and a second connector configured to engage a second end of the linking member and secure the bracket against the cabinet and the bottom of the basin of the sink.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2023
    Assignee: Kohler Co.
    Inventors: Shawn J. Booth, Jason R. Miller, James S. Giefer
  • Shower bar system
    Patent number: 11761186
    Abstract: An assembly for a shower system having first and second shower members and connectable to a water supply with a supply pipe having a pipe outlet. The assembly includes an adjustable supply assembly and a diverter valve. The adjustable supply assembly includes an adapter coupleable to the pipe outlet, a supply member having a supply outlet and coupled to the adapter for movement along the axis, and a seal positioned to provide a sealed connection in adjusted positions. The diverter valve includes a valve inlet in fluid communication with the supply outlet, and first and second valve outlets in fluid communication with the first and second shower members, respectively. The shower system is mounted in an enclosure having a wall. The adapter connects to the pipe outlet on one side of the wall, and the diverter valve is located on another side of the wall.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2022
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2023
    Assignee: Kohler Co.
    Inventor: John M. Wilson
  • Air drive system for a toilet
    Patent number: 11753808
    Abstract: An air drive system for a toilet includes a compression cylinder including an air space, a fluid space, a base orifice adjoining the fluid space, and an outlet orifice adjoining the air space, and an air drive passage configured to carry pressurized air to the toilet. The flow of water increases the fluid space of the compression cylinder or increases an air pressure associated with the air space of the compression cylinder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2023
    Assignee: Kohler Co.
    Inventors: William Kuru, Clayton Garrels, Jeremiah Rauwerdink
  • PUSH-BUTTON TUB AND SHOWER DIVERTER
    Publication number: 20230279960
    Abstract: The tub and shower diverter assembly includes an escutcheon, a manifold sub-assembly, and a handle assembly. The manifold sub-assembly is fluidly coupled to an existing waterway connector of an existing conventional tub and shower diverter system. The manifold sub-assembly includes a mixing valve at least partially disposed through the escutcheon and coupled to the manifold sub-assembly by a valve nut. The handle assembly is coaxially aligned with the mixing valve. The handle assembly includes a base insertably coupled to the valve nut and a handle rotatably coupled to the base. The handle is threadably coupled to the mixing valve. The escutcheon abuts a wall when the handle is threadably coupled to the mixing valve.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 15, 2023
    Publication date: September 7, 2023
    Applicant: Kohler Co.
    Inventors: Tucker A. Jones, Brian J. Mooren, Evan S. Yee, Gregory R. Schmidt
  • INLINE SHOWER DEVICE
    Publication number: 20230278051
    Abstract: An inline shower device includes a housing, a hydraulic chamber, a first actuator, and a fluid-driven piston. The housing includes an outlet port. The hydraulic chamber is disposed within the housing. The first actuator is configured to connect a capsule to the housing and to fluidly connect the capsule to the hydraulic chamber. The fluid-driven piston is disposed within the hydraulic chamber and is configured to dispense a fluid from the capsule into the outlet port.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 16, 2023
    Publication date: September 7, 2023
    Applicant: Kohler Co.
    Inventors: Robert J. Guthrie, Brian C. Wick, Andrew Klinger, Matthew Harrison
  • Showerhead with pin plate
    Patent number: 11745193
    Abstract: A spray head includes a front cover, a spray plate, and an actuator. The front cover includes a plurality of exit openings. The spray plate is oriented substantially parallel to the front cover. The spray plate includes a pin that is aligned with at least one exit opening of the plurality of exit openings. The pin is configured to selectively engage with the at least one exit opening to control a flow of water through the at least one exit opening. The actuator is coupled to the spray plate and is configured to reposition the spray plate relative to the front cover based on user input.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2023
    Assignee: KOHLER CO.
    Inventor: Chanseol Chung
  • Toilet seat
    Patent number: 11744415
    Abstract: Disclosed is a flexible toilet seat including a top surface; a bottom surface; an inner edge, at which the top and bottom surfaces meet; an inner region, configured to elastically and vertically deform inward relative to the outer edge in response to an applied load; and an outer region supported by an upper surface of a toilet and configured to support the inner region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2022
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2023
    Assignee: Kohler Co.
    Inventors: Erich Slothower, Mary J. Reid
  • Fluidics devices for plumbing fixtures
    Patent number: 11739517
    Abstract: A toilet assembly includes a toilet body and a fluidic oscillator. The toilet body defines a toilet bowl that is configured to receive a volume of fluid therein. The fluidic oscillator is coupled to the toilet body in a rim area of the toilet bowl. The fluidic oscillator is positioned to direct a fluid onto an inner surface of the toilet bowl. The fluidic oscillator is configured to continuously redirect the flow of fluid to different locations along the inner surface of the toilet bowl.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 1, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2023
    Assignee: Kohler Co.
    Inventors: Clayton C. Garrels, William C. Kuru, William Kalk, Randal S. Graskamp
  • Toilet with efficient water flow path
    Patent number: 11739519
    Abstract: A toilet includes a bowl with a sump and a trapway connecting the sump to an outlet of the toilet. The trapway has a zeta shape and is configured to induce a siphon which provides pressure to suction waste water from the bowl during a flush cycle. A trapway supply conduit is connected to the trapway in a tangential orientation to an upleg region of the trapway. The trapway supply conduit supplies water to the trapway, which follows a contour of the inner surface of the trapway supply conduit and continues in the same direction into the upleg region of the trapway by relying on a fluid flow to follow the curve of a convex surface placed proximate to the flow.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2023
    Assignee: Kohler Co.
    Inventors: Clayton C. Garrels, Jeremiah J. Rauwerdink, Randal S. Graskamp
  • Systems and method for closed loop tracking of hand hygiene compliance
    Patent number: 11741818
    Abstract: An apparatus for tracking hand hygiene in a bathroom includes at least a radio and a controller. The radio is configured to receive a direct connection probe from a mobile device. The controller is configured to receive sensor data associated with hand hygiene and match the sensor data associated with hand hygiene with an identifier for the mobile device based on the direction connection probe to determine whether a hand hygiene threshold is met.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2022
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2023
    Assignee: Kohler Co.
    Inventors: Sudhi R. Sinha, Orkun Onur, Andrew Baines
  • Faucet with one-piece trim
    Patent number: 11732448
    Abstract: A faucet trim assembly includes faucet body subassembly and a base subassembly removably coupled to the faucet body subassembly. The faucet body subassembly includes a spout, an escutcheon coupled to the spout, and a handle coupled to the escutcheon. The spout includes a first internal passageway. The base subassembly includes a valve cartridge that is removably coupled to the base subassembly. The valve cartridge is configured to control a flow of water through the spout. The base subassembly is configured to removably couple to a sink deck independently from the faucet body subassembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2023
    Assignee: KOHLER CO.
    Inventors: Brian J. Mooren, Andrew J. Rieth
  • Sink with integrated rinse feature
    Patent number: 11732450
    Abstract: A sink system includes a basin and a rinsing system. The basin includes a first wall configured to contain water within the basin. The rinsing system is integrated with the basin. The rinsing system includes one or more water outlets and a fluid conduit. The one or more water outlets are located along the first wall of the basin and are configured to dispense water into the basin. The fluid conduit extends at least partially along the first wall of the basin. The fluid conduit is fluidly coupled to the one or more water outlets and is configured to deliver water to the one or more water outlets.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2023
    Assignee: Kohler Co.
    Inventors: Niels Eilmus, Chanseol Chung, Steven F. Ellingsen, Christopher Santos
  • Drain system for bathtub
    Patent number: 11725373
    Abstract: A drain system for controlling a water level in a bathtub includes a drain exit assembly coupled to an exit drain of the bathtub and configured to receive water exiting the bathtub, a valve fluidly coupled to the drain exit assembly and operably coupled to a motor, and a pressure sensor communicatively coupled to the valve and in fluid communication with the drain exit assembly. The motor is configured to change the operational state of the valve based on a pressure sensed by the pressure sensor to control a water level within the bathtub.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2023
    Assignee: KOHLER CO.
    Inventors: David H. Ritter, Brian S. Core, Douglas J. Brouwer, Keith S. Ruh, Autumn-Storm Antoinette McFaul
  • Shower controller
    Patent number: D995741
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2022
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2023
    Assignee: KOHLER CO.
    Inventors: Roland Boal, Margaret C. Mazz, Gregory de Swarte
  • Stool
    Patent number: D997577
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2023
    Assignee: KOHLER CO.
    Inventor: Xinyao Liu
  • Handshower
    Patent number: D1000370
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2022
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2023
    Assignee: KOHLER CO.
    Inventors: Margaret C. Mazz, Yutong Wu