Abstract: A safety system includes a sleeve fitted within a pool's suction line at its inlet. The sleeve terminates with a plate that resides within the suction line. The plate has holes formed therethrough. A housing defining distinct channels is fitted in the sleeve so that the distinct channels lie within the sleeve. Each of the distinct channels has a first opening on one end thereof and a second opening on another end thereof. The second openings reside in the sleeve. The first openings are in fluid communication with the water in the pool, and are distributed around a periphery of an area of the housing that prevents coverage of all the first openings when a human interacts therewith. A first sensor is coupled to the sleeve to sense pressure therein, and a second pressure sensor is coupled to the plate to sense pressure in one of the plates' holes.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
July 29, 2015
Date of Patent:
February 6, 2018
Assignee:
The United States of America as represented by the Administrator of NASA
Inventors:
John Dwight England, Anthony R. Kelley, Raymond J. Cronise
Abstract: An automatic seat lowering device for lowering a toilet seat after use and teaching a child to use the toilet. The automatic seat lowering device includes a housing, a seat lowering arm, and a laser pointing arm, wherein both arms are pivotally secured to the housing. The seat lowering arm is movable between an upright configuration wherein the toilet seat is able to rest thereagainst and a lowered configuration wherein the seat lowering arm rotates so as to lower the toilet seat. A controller is operably connected to a timer disposed on the housing and operably connected to the seat lowering arm so as to automatically move the seat lowering arm, causing the toilet seat to be lowered after the timer has expired. The laser pointing arm can be directed to point to the interior of a toilet bowl so as to indicate to a child where to urinate.
Abstract: A collapsible seating assembly including a bi-directionally expandable support frame, a carrying handle, a collapsible backrest/shield, height-adjustable legs, and a collapsible seating surface. The seating surface can make available via a through-opening an underlying toilet bowl, a toilet opening or a collection bag. Components of the assembly are collapsible and expandable such that the assembly can be converted by a user between a compact transportable mode and an expanded deployed mode.
Abstract: A sink system including a vent for receiving forced air into the sink from a dryer. A vent ring may be located between a sink basin and a sink deck forming the vents. The dryer may be included in a fixture housing with a faucet as a combination. The sink deck may include a vent lip that directs forced air into the vent. The vent lip extends into a basin region beyond the vent. The vent ring may be affixed to the sink deck or to the sink basin.
Abstract: A low gravity fed water system includes a housing having an inlet opening, a portion of the inlet opening disposed above the waterline and a portion of the inlet opening disposed below the waterline. The housing has an outlet opening disposed in the housing below the waterline in fluid communication with the plurality of jets. The housing has a vent opening disposed in the housing below the waterline. An upwardly-extending conduct is connectable at a first end to the vent opening, and has a second end disposed above the waterline in ambient air away from an inside surface of the housing and away from an inside surface of the tub. In the event of a blockage of the inlet opening, air is drawn into the housing via the conduit inhibiting a suction being drawn on the inlet opening.
Abstract: A side-opening sleeve valve having an inner cylindrical barrel with a shaped opening through the wall, an outer cylindrical barrel having shaped opening through the wall, where the barrels are co-annular and rotatable, and a means for rotating the inner barrel relative to the outer barrel between a first open position where the shaped openings overlap to form a side opening into the sleeve valve, and a second closed position where the shaped openings do not overlap. A side-opening valve is used in pigging fluid flush system for a water-less toilet, where a toilet bowl empties into the side opening of the side-opening valve when opened. When the side-opening valve is closed, a pig cleaning system pushes the waste in the side-opening valve to a sewage system.
Abstract: A lift assembly for a spa cover includes a lifting arm having a first end pivotally connectable to the spa cover and a second end pivotally connectable to a base of a spa, the connection of the second end of the lifting arm with the spa housing defining a pivot point, and a lift-assist device having a first end configured for coupling to the base at a point substantially directly below the pivot point and a second end operatively connectable to the lifting arm. The lift-assist device is configured to exert a generally upwards biasing force on the cover when the cover is received atop said spa.
Abstract: The high flow water return filling of the present invention is designed to connect directly to the end of a water return pipe in a swimming pool, spa, or the like. Water return fittings have been available for many years and have the primary purpose of returning filtered water back into a swimming pool, spa, or the like. However, the water return fitting of the present invention does not only return water into the swimming pool, it also substantially increases the water outflow so that a greater area of water in the pool can be circulated or agitated. In addition, the present invention has a uniquely curved nozzle that does not extend past the face plate, thus, the nozzle does not extend more than one inch from the swimming pool wall. The outflow from the nozzle creates a low pressure condition within the face plate.
Abstract: The present invention is directed to a sink assembly that can separate particulate contaminants from a liquid in which they are suspended. The sink assembly includes a master trap and at least a first trap with a riser and valve assembly to collect particulates and prevent overflow from the master trap. The sink assembly provides a simple maintenance and cleaning solution.
Abstract: A water conservation device is disclosed. The water conservation device includes a membrane and an uninterrupted flange comprising a cross sectional cylindrical shape that is attached to an entire outer edge of the membrane. The membrane is configured to completely cover a top of a swimming pool skimmer access opening and further configured to accept an access lid of the swimming pool skimmer opening over the membrane wherein the access lid holds the water conservation device in place when the access lid is attached to the access opening by which the membrane acts to prevent water from expelling from the access lid.
Abstract: A lifting apparatus and associated methods for raising a user in a body of water. The lifting apparatus includes a platform configured to receive a wheelchair. The apparatus is reconfigurable between a raised configuration; a lowered configuration; and a storage configuration. The apparatus is configured to maintain the platform in a substantially horizontal orientation in the raised, lowered and storage configurations.
Abstract: One embodiment of the present application relates to a water tank for a toilet. The water tank includes a first chamber comprising an orifice for connecting to a toilet bowl. The water tank further includes a free-floating member within the first chamber that is not coupled to any other component and that is configured to selectively engage with and disengage from the orifice to selectively block or allow a flow of water through the orifice. The free-floating member can be selectively disengaged from the orifice via an actuator or a differential pressure within the water tank.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
June 12, 2014
Date of Patent:
November 14, 2017
Assignee:
KOHLER CO.
Inventors:
Billy Jack Ahola, Andrew L. Smith, Lawrence Westphal, Peter W. Swart, Mark E. Baumgartner, Lawrence Duwell, Don Bogenshuetz, Tobin J. Vetting, John F. Emmerling
Abstract: A pool jet fitting can include an insert housing defining an insert body, a housing channel, and a base disposed within the housing channel. The base can include an outer sidewall that defines an internal chamber. The fitting has a valve disposed within the internal chamber. The valve includes a valve body, a valve channel that extends into the valve body along the first direction, and a valve opening that extends through the valve body and into the valve channel along a second direction that is angularly offset with respect to the first direction. The valve is movable between a first position whereby the valve opening has a first area through which the water flow moves and a second position whereby the valve opening has a second area through which the water flow moves that is greater than the first area.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
October 7, 2014
Date of Patent:
November 7, 2017
Assignee:
Eco-Blu Pool Components LLC
Inventors:
James Mulhern, Stephen Antonishak, Sean Walsh
Abstract: An apparatus includes a base defining an opening. A body is coupled to the base. The body defines a plurality of holes and includes a circumferential ring coupled to a first side of the body. The body further includes an outwardly extending flange sized and configured to be received within the circumferential ring. The body is configured to be positioned in an extended configuration and a collapsed configuration. The flange includes at least one outwardly extending circumferential rib that forms a fluid-tight seal with an inner surface of the circumferential ring in the collapsed configuration.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
December 18, 2015
Date of Patent:
October 17, 2017
Assignee:
Polder Housewares, Inc.
Inventors:
George Calvin Scott, Roberto Pedros, Kerry Cooper
Abstract: A channel drain with a water stop is adapted for handling pool water in a swimming pool having a plastered surface. The channel drain, preferably a sump drain includes an elongated channel having a drain port and an opening for receiving pool water. A water stop abutting and substantially encircling the opening is formed into a trough for retaining and collecting the pool water. The drain is configured for installation in a pool with the water stop buried in the plastered surface, such that pool water seeping between the opening and the plaster is trapped by the trough, preventing the pool water from intruding beyond the plastered surface.
Abstract: Sinks and drains for sinks permitting the attachment of the drain to the sink such that the drain is substantially disposed below the top surface of the sink basin, and such that there is no discernable separation between the base of the sink basin and the drain when viewed from above the sink. A method of making a sink such that there is no discernable separation between the base of the sink basin and the drain when viewed from above the sink.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
May 11, 2015
Date of Patent:
October 10, 2017
Assignee:
Elkay Manaufacturing Company
Inventors:
Daniel Keating Childs, Shawn Daly, Jonathan Chee Yeen Chong
Abstract: A water faucet system including a faucet having a neck comprising a water passageway and liquid soap delivery line, both integrated within the neck assembly. The water faucet system features a streamlined neck assembly that includes a water outlet or spout, located at the distal portion of the neck assembly, and additionally includes a separate soap outlet located at a predetermined location. The soap delivery (soap dispensing) is initiated by a user performing an activation event directed to a sensor system located in the neck assembly. In preferred embodiments, the sensor system utilizes touchless type sensors so to avoid any physical contact with the neck assembly.
Abstract: A fluid outlet includes a top side with a plurality of grooves to channel moisture into a basin. A drain pipe port at the bottom of the basin channels moisture into the drain pipe. The outlet can be made from a single unitary polymer that can be cut to fit into any location.
Abstract: 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.