Patents Examined by Huyen Le
  • Patent number: 9797122
    Abstract: An apparatus (100) for a toilet (600) is provided. The apparatus can include a toilet seat engagement portion (101) and a sheet catcher (102) comprising one or more barbs (104,105,106,107,108). A flexible thong (103) can couple the toilet seat engagement portion to the sheet catcher. The sheet catcher to situates within a water seal (605) of the toilet when the toilet seat engagement portion engages a seat (612) of the toilet. The barbs can to catch non-dispersible sheets (701) when the toilet is flushed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2017
    Assignee: Medline Industries, Inc.
    Inventors: Sharbel Maalouf, Jonathan Gordon
  • Patent number: 9795205
    Abstract: Dispensing packages are disclosed that are capable of dispensing soft-solid type antiperspirant compositions employing actives having a metal to chloride ratio of less than or equal to 1.3, and that are capable of exhibiting minimal weeping in between uses.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2017
    Assignee: The Procter & Gamble Company
    Inventors: Michael John Bolander, Joseph Estill Lennon, Songtao Zhou
  • Patent number: 9783970
    Abstract: Problem: To provide a discharge valve apparatus able to be disposed on a flush toilet with a relatively low silhouette by shortening the length of the valve body main shaft and lowering the height of the discharge valve apparatus. Solution Means: A discharge valve apparatus having: a small-flush float mechanism and a large-flush float mechanism; wherein the valve body main shaft includes a single shared projecting portion which locks to the large-flush cam lock portion when the required amount of pull-up for the large-flush mode has been pulled up, and locks to the small-flush cam lock portion when the amount of pull-up required for the small-flush mode has been pulled up.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2017
    Assignee: TOTO LTD.
    Inventors: Koki Shinohara, Hideki Tanimoto, Yukinori Kubozono
  • Patent number: 9783969
    Abstract: A bath or basin waste having a plug in which the upper face of the cap is substantially bellow the upper face of the bottom of the bath or basin to which it is fitted when in the closed position and substantially flush with the upper face of the bottom of the bath or basin when in the open position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2017
    Assignee: ART PLASTICS PTY LTD
    Inventor: Tim Lucas
  • Patent number: 9770144
    Abstract: A toilet inhibits an occupant from exiting the toilet. Sensors positioned on the toilet detect the application of pressure on the toilet by an occupant that is consistent with an occupant attempting to exit the toilet, and/or movements of an occupant that are consistent with an occupant attempting to exit the toilet. The sensors cause an actuator to change the angle of the toilet seat, which inhibits exiting the toilet. The toilet may also be constructed to signal an attendant when actions by an occupant are consistent with actions indicating an attempt by the occupant to exit the toilet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 26, 2017
    Inventors: Robert Rife, Leah Vining
  • Patent number: 9765542
    Abstract: A portable toilet is disclosed that has a base and a housing with the base and the housing being configured to be stored and transported to a site as a stack of bases and a stack of housings. The toilet is assembled by telescopically installed one of the housings onto a base where the upwardly extending walls of the base are received within the walls of the housing and where the housing is preferably snap locked to the base. The housing may be disassembled from its base by deflecting one of the housing walls outwardly. A method of storing, transporting and assembling such a portable toilet is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 16, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2017
    Inventor: Timothy A. Broughton
  • Patent number: 9763544
    Abstract: A bath spout cover is provided that includes a body structure having an upper portion, two opposing side portions, and a front portion; a receiving area defined between the upper portion, the two opposing side portions, and the front portion; a strap spanning the two opposing side portions, said strap being adjustable on at least one of the side portions of the body structure; and at least one aperture defined by one of the side portions of the body structure, said aperture for receiving an end of the strap. Further provided are methods for securing a bath spout cover to a bath spout.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2017
    Assignee: SKIP HOP, INC.
    Inventors: Scott Henderson, Janet Villano, Ellen Diamant, Elizabeth Zack
  • Patent number: 9752715
    Abstract: A decorative and magnetic cleanout cover. The decorative and magnetic cleanout cover may comprise: a cover portion and a magnet. The magnet may be coupled to the cover portion and may be adapted to magnetically engage with a cleanout engagement device. The cleanout engagement device may be configured to physically engage with a drain cleanout. The cover portion may be configured to substantially obscure from view the drain cleanout when the cover portion is magnetically coupled to the cleanout engagement device. The cleanout cover may be removeable from the cleanout engagement device, such that the drain cleanout is accessible when the cleanout cover is removed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2017
    Inventor: Duane Heaton
  • Patent number: 9750375
    Abstract: Hitherto, when securing splash guards, same have been secured by means of a securing device on the inside of the bowl of the sink, but this has been inconvenient in that securing the bottom edge of the splash guard to the top edge of the sink rim been ensured through the use of two-sided tape or suckers or the like, and, since the inside of the bowl is very wet, a substantial amount of grime and bacteria and the like occurs on the securing device of the splash guard which is on the inside of the bowl, and, additionally, water seeps in between when a splash guard has been secured to the top edge of the sink rim, such that the article frequently drops off and does not stick well.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2017
    Inventor: Muhyun Byun
  • Patent number: 9743815
    Abstract: A toilet apparatus includes a waste material receiving bowl having a top member with an opening defining an annular seating surface, and an agitation device to agitate an absorbent media and the waste material disposed in the disposable bag while the agitation device does not come into contact with the absorbent media and the waste material. The toilet apparatus also includes a disposable bag having an upper edge to be releasably secured to the annular seating surface such that waste material introduced through the opening is received by and retained in the bag.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2017
    Assignee: Hibbs Marketing Services LLC
    Inventor: Curtis Randall Hibbs
  • Patent number: 9737180
    Abstract: The present disclosure includes an improved toilet and a system of using the improved toilet. The toilet can be configured to separate urine from solid waste, and further to separate solid waste according to size. The toilet can also comprise a personal cleansing system to clean a user's anus following use of the toilet. The present also discloses a method of maintaining the toilet and a method for removing the separated waste for re-use as a combustible fuel and fertilizer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2017
    Inventors: Brandie Allesa Banner, Jasmine Kaila Burton, Rebecca Wright Byler, Erin Buchanan Cobb
  • Patent number: 9739042
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a water disposable system comprised of a connecting member having first side connected to at least one unwanted water source and one valve to control the flow of an unwanted water. A toilet water tank is connected a second side of the connecting member, wherein the water tank comprises: a strainer in a stand pipe; a two float system, wherein a first float is set at a minimum tank volume water line, and a second float set at maximum tank volume water line. A button is coupled with a second float allowing the intake of the fresh water from the fresh water pipe upon actuation. A transparent window or gauge is positioned on the front wall of the tank for determining the volume of water in the toilet tank.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2017
    Inventor: Kim Gavin
  • Patent number: 9739040
    Abstract: A sanitary fitting having at least one first actuating element, in particular for setting the temperature and/or volume of mixed water, and having at least one second actuating element for setting the volume of hot water. In order to set the volume of hot water, a valve element, in particular a solenoid valve, which is electrically controllable by the second actuating element, is arranged in the hot water flow path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2017
    Assignee: Grohe AG
    Inventors: Werner Gnauert, Wulf Woesthoff
  • Patent number: 9737460
    Abstract: A foot spa tub includes a tub basin, a first magnetic drive member rotatably coupled to a drive motor, and a first casing supporting the magnetic drive member. The first casing is disposed against an exterior surface of a sidewall of the basin. A second magnetic drive member is rotatably coupled to a blade. The first and second magnetic drive members are magnetically coupled to each other so that the blade is drivingly coupled to the drive motor. A nozzle houses the second magnetic drive member and the blade. The nozzle is detachably securable to an interior surface of the sidewall by a magnetic attraction force between the first and second magnetic drive members. A method of circulating liquid in a foot tub spa is also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2017
    Assignee: EcoTech Marine, LLC
    Inventors: Justin Lawyer, Patrick Clasen, Timothy Marks, Quy Ton
  • Patent number: 9732503
    Abstract: A clean water conservation tank for a toilet providing a secondary clean water source to a toilet holding tank from a secondary holding tank mounted to a surface above and in fluid communication therewith. The secondary holding tank includes an outer container having an actuation body therein, a drain, a hollow puncture body attachable to the drain, and a portable internal container, or a substitute container such as a milk jug, removably disposed therein. The internal container has a one-way spring valve controlling the water level therein. Upon the engagement of the actuation body with the spring valve, the spring valve provides selective fluid communication between the internal container and the toilet holding tank. The puncture body, removably disposed within a cap inside the internal container, is used to puncture the substitute container for water flow through the drain and into the toilet holding tank.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2017
    Inventor: Frank Erbach
  • Patent number: 9732507
    Abstract: A wall hung toilet is described which has a toilet body having a toilet body inlet, a back plate having at least a first and a second lower fastener opening therethrough, a toilet body outlet, a bowl and a base. The bowl has an interior surface defining a interior area for receiving fluid, an inlet for introducing fluid to the interior area of the bowl and a bowl outlet. A trapway for passing fluid from the bowl outlet to the toilet body outlet is also included. The base of the toilet body extends from a front bowl portion of the base to a rear portion of the base that contacts the back plate, and the base is configured so as to distribute load bearing forces when applied to the bowl in use towards each of a first area around the first fastener opening and a second area around the second fastener area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2017
    Assignee: AS IP HOLDCO, LLC
    Inventors: Christophe Bucher, David Grover
  • Patent number: 9702130
    Abstract: A toilet flush tank is provided that is capable of preventing an increase in the external dimensions of a toilet main body even when the toilet flush tank is placed below the upper surface of a toilet main body and is also capable of performing toilet cleaning in a stable manner. A toilet flush tank stores cleaning water to be provided to a toilet main body having a toilet bowl and a toilet drainage channel that communicates with the downstream side of the toilet bowl. This toilet flush tank is placed inside a space below the toilet bowl and provided with a recessed portion that conforms to the shape of the toilet drainage channel at the upper surface of the toilet flush tank.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2017
    Assignee: LIXIL CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kouji Fukuya, Naokazu Onishi, Ken Higuchi, Yuji Saito, Kojiro Watari
  • Patent number: 9702133
    Abstract: A device for spraying an inner surface of a wall of an enclosure with a fluid is disclosed. The device includes a reservoir for the fluid, a nozzle assembly through which the fluid can be sprayed on the inner surface of the wall of the enclosure, a fluid conduit in fluid communication with the reservoir and the nozzle, a pump for delivering fluid from the reservoir through the fluid conduit and to the nozzle when the pump assembly is activated, and a controller in electrical communication with the pump wherein the controller executes a stored program to activate and deactivate the pump. The nozzle assembly includes a nozzle which directs the fluid in a fluid path, and the nozzle assembly further includes a deflection shield that is dimensioned to contact and redirect fluid in the fluid path, and the nozzle assembly further includes mounting structure for attaching the nozzle near the inner surface of the wall of the enclosure. The flow off of the deflector shield is laminar.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2017
    Assignee: S. C. Johnson & Son, Inc.
    Inventors: James Russell Hornsby, Joseph Lee McGowan
  • Patent number: 9695609
    Abstract: The invention's innovation in the field of safety of aquatic sport of platform diving is a method and apparatus to diminish the risk of the athlete's injury caused by an accidental collision with the platform after the take-off by timely activating a device that places a protective padding covering the top of the platform.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2017
    Inventors: Alexander Povzner, Ilia Masliev, Olexandr Ryumshyn
  • Patent number: 9688407
    Abstract: A method and apparatus are presented. An apparatus comprises a wall and a urinal. The wall is physically associated with a fuselage for an aircraft. The urinal is positioned along the wall, the wall and urinal positioned within a specialty lavatory area module.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2017
    Assignee: THE BOEING COMPANY
    Inventor: Darren Carl McIntosh