Patents Examined by Janie Christiansen
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Patent number: 8046849Abstract: The shower heated by solar energy comprises a platform (2), to a base (2a) of which is connected a piping (3) containing a water supply. A tubular body (4) is connected superiorly to the platform (2), bearing a shower head (5) at a top thereof. The platform (2) internally exhibits a plurality of conduits (7) for retaining water, which plurality of conduits (7) is exposed to solar rays.Type: GrantFiled: October 19, 2006Date of Patent: November 1, 2011Assignee: G.F. S.R.L.Inventor: Giorgio Gaiti
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Patent number: 8046848Abstract: A self-cleansing portable urine collection device and method of collecting urine in a self-cleansing portable urine collection device is provided. The collection device includes a housing which houses a urine collection receptacle configured to collect urine from a user. A cleansing container which retains a cleansing solution is configured to supply the cleansing solution to the receptacle. The device further includes a reservoir coupled to the receptacle and configured to receive the urine and the cleansing solution collected by the receptacle. A pump coupled to the receptacle and the reservoir is configured to transport the urine and the cleansing solution from the receptacle to the reservoir.Type: GrantFiled: April 17, 2008Date of Patent: November 1, 2011Assignee: Beechwood Technologies LCInventors: Philip J. Birbara, Brett L. Stevenson
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Patent number: 8028353Abstract: A foam interlining device for swimming pools with pressure activated adhesive is shown. The device is disposed between the pool liner and the swimming pool backup wall. The interlining is also constructed with both a mounting adhesive and a self-sealing coating. The self-sealing coating seals minor punctures and tears of the pool liner. In one embodiment, the edge of the interlining also functions as an expansion joint between a deck and the swimming pool coping and as an underlayment or sill seal for the coping. The interlining device is also shown premounted on the backup-wall-side of the pool liner.Type: GrantFiled: July 13, 2006Date of Patent: October 4, 2011Assignee: Mitek Holdings, Inc.Inventor: Ronald P. Hohmann, Jr.
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Patent number: 8015627Abstract: There is a urinary transfer system and associated process that includes a urinal capable of receiving urine from a patient, urine holding container, a first conduit connected between the urinal and the urine holding container, a pump, and a second conduit connected between the urine holding container and the pump. Preferably, there is a retainer that is associated with the urinal and a removable lid associated with the urine holding container. The urinary transfer system can be powered by any type of electrical power supply and/or battery. Optimally, there is a receiver electrically connected to the pump to be able to turn the pump on and off and can preferably control the operation of the pump based on input received from a transmitter. An external male catheter can also be utilized in conjunction with the urinary transfer system.Type: GrantFiled: December 2, 2004Date of Patent: September 13, 2011Assignee: Urinary Transfer Systems Group, LLCInventors: Larry R. Baker, James D. Baker, legal representative, Warren L. Spielman
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Patent number: 8015630Abstract: A valve mechanism for controlling release of pressurized fluid includes a fluid chamber. A plunger is received in an aperture in the fluid chamber, and is movable between a fluid retention position in which fluid is substantially trapped in the fluid chamber and a fluid release position in which fluid can escape from the fluid chamber through passages in the plunger. The plunger is biased into the fluid retention position. A driver drives a plunger actuator, and the plunger actuator is guided into engagement with the plunger to cause the plunger and the plunger actuator to move in unison and move the plunger into the fluid release position during a first portion of a stroke of the driver towards the fluid chamber, and the plunger actuator is further guided to permit the plunger to return to the fluid retention position during a second portion of the stroke.Type: GrantFiled: February 22, 2010Date of Patent: September 13, 2011Inventor: Josef K. Kihs
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Patent number: 7996927Abstract: The discharge valve has a valve housing (14) which has an outlet opening with a valve seat (16) and also a closure body (12). A two-quantity actuator (4) has a connecting rod (10) which is connected to the closure body (12) and by means of which the closure body (12) can optionally be raised by different displacement distances. A top activatable partial-quantity float (13) is provided for partial flushing and a bottom, full-quantity float (20), which is mounted in a pivotable manner on the valve housing (14), is provided for full flushing. The full-quantity float (20) has a blocking element (22) which, once partial flushing has been triggered, engages with the closure body (12) and blocks the latter against further displacement. This prevents the situation where, once partial flushing has been triggered, the closure body (12) is raised further and full flushing takes place.Type: GrantFiled: June 3, 2008Date of Patent: August 16, 2011Assignee: Geberit Technik AGInventor: Alfred Mahler
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Patent number: 7992231Abstract: A splash-eliminating urinal contains an outer body and a receptor cavity within the outer body. The receptor cavity contains a rear surface having projecting concave rear walls that converge to form sides of an outwardly-projecting vertical ridge, and two side walls that transition to the rear walls. When a stream of urine is directed onto the rear walls, it adheres by surface tension without causing a splash.Type: GrantFiled: October 19, 2009Date of Patent: August 9, 2011Inventor: Daniel J. Schlicksup
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Patent number: 7992235Abstract: A utility sink system is disclosed comprising a sink and a bucket. The sink has a basin extending from an upper edge to a drain. The bucket has walls extending to a lip and has at least one opening formed therein. The lip is configured to contact the upper edge of the basin such that the bucket is suspended in the basin. The at least one opening of the bucket, in addition to facilitating handling, may provide a form of overflow when the bucket is suspended in the basin of the sink, such that the at least one opening places an interior volume of the bucket and the basin of the sink in communication with one another. Further, the at least one opening of the bucket may provide a pouring spout.Type: GrantFiled: April 10, 2008Date of Patent: August 9, 2011Assignee: Kohler Co.Inventor: Shawn J. Booth
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Patent number: 7987528Abstract: A linkage for moving a hinged member from a first position to a second position. The hinged member may be a toilet seat, the lid of a toilet seat, or any other hinged member. The linkage is provided with first and second pedals where the first pedal moves the seat from the first (or lowered) position to a second (or raised) position. The second pedal moves the seat from the second position to the first position. The linkage is preferably provided with a biasing member to assist the seat in moving from the first position to the second position and acts as a dampening mechanism when the seat is moved from the second position to the first position.Type: GrantFiled: November 17, 2008Date of Patent: August 2, 2011Inventor: Michael D. Ross
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Patent number: 7975324Abstract: A dual flush volume pressurized flush device. A pressurized tank includes a tray for controllably retaining water during a flush event. The tray retains a certain volume of water when a reduced flush is activated, such that the entire volume of the tank is not flushed. In a full flush event, the activation causes substantially the entire volume of the tank to be flushed, including the volume of water inside the tray. A controllable water retention tray valve is positioned in the tray and provides a controllable release for the water in the tray.Type: GrantFiled: July 30, 2008Date of Patent: July 12, 2011Assignee: Sloan Valve CompanyInventors: Ming Ge, Amer Mansour, Jerry Sobolewski, Phil Wenzel
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Patent number: 7954179Abstract: A water closet bolt comprises an upper end and a lower end with a threaded body extending therebetween. The lower end includes an oblong foot and the upper end includes a male or female notch for visually indicating the orientation of the long axis of the oblong foot. The notch also serves as a gripping surface to aid the installer in the installation of the toilet. Furthermore, the bottom of the notch acts as a break-off point to aid the installer in removing an excess portion of the bolt after the completing the installation.Type: GrantFiled: February 1, 2007Date of Patent: June 7, 2011Inventors: Charles W. Johnson, Andrew R. Johnson
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Patent number: 7937782Abstract: A water saving device for a flush toilet comprising a flapper valve limit structure which yieldably limits the upward movement of a toilet tank flapper valve after it has been moved upwardly from its lower closed position towards its upper position thereby reducing the amount of water which will be discharged from the water tank into the toilet bowl during a flushing cycle.Type: GrantFiled: April 16, 2008Date of Patent: May 10, 2011Inventor: Darby J. Vosler
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Patent number: 7900297Abstract: A movable auxiliary sanitary care apparatus includes a support unit, a lifting unit, a water supply unit, a control unit built in the outer shell unit to modulate and control water temperature and warm temperature of the seat cushion and the extension and retraction of the cleaning nozzle unit, a waste storing unit and a riding unit having a seat cushion and an outer lid. The seat cushion warms up the user's hip after the user is seated. The water supply unit is driven by the control unit via the control panel of the outer shell unit to clean the anal part of the user directly after evacuation to have the waste solely collected in the waste storing unit. The apparatus has the additional convenient function that the lifting unit can lifts the seat cushion gradually to help push the user to stand up from the seat cushion after evacuation.Type: GrantFiled: December 10, 2007Date of Patent: March 8, 2011Inventor: Shao-Yu Peng
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Patent number: 7900295Abstract: A shower handle water supply diverter system includes a water supply in fluid communication with a hose. A handle sprayer is in fluid communication with and extends from the hose. A water diverter is provided within the handle sprayer and is in fluid communication with the showerhead. The water diverter can be operated in three modes: handle sprayer only water expulsion, shower head only water expulsion, and simultaneous handle sprayer and shower head water expulsion. By placement of the first hose and second hose in proximity to provide thermal contact therebetween, stagnant water in one hose at ambient temperature exchanges heat with water flow at a particular temperature in a second hose to change stagnant water temperature towards the temperature of the water flow.Type: GrantFiled: July 13, 2006Date of Patent: March 8, 2011Inventor: Mordechai Lev
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Patent number: 7891027Abstract: A seal assembly for a drain vent is provided to direct the pressure exerted by a plunger to the face of a drain clog rather than escaping through the drain vent. The seal assembly of the invention comprises a tubular body having a first closed end and a second open end to define a substantially rigid a cup-like structure or cavity. A sealing member concentric with a longitudinal axis of the tubular body is attached to the second open end of the tubular body to form a seal against a surface containing the drain vent. A handle is attached to the closed end of the cup-like structure and extends away from the closed first end of the tubular body to provide a mechanism for the user to hold the sealing member against the surface containing the drain vent during the plunging process.Type: GrantFiled: June 24, 2008Date of Patent: February 22, 2011Inventor: Robert Blu Mooney
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Patent number: 7886375Abstract: A method bathing a baby is provided by a thermally buffered clean water flow universal baby bathing tub which includes a tub body. A baby bathing portion is formed in the tub body and a reservoir is formed in the tub body having a reservoir weir exiting the reservoir into the baby bathing portion, wherein baby bathing portion is configured to receive the bathing water from the source of bathing water through the reservoir and the reservoir weir, whereby the reservoir will provide a thermal buffer for the bathing water between the source of bathing water and the baby bathing portion. A clean water flow baby bathing tub further includes a bathing height regulating hole configured to define the conventional bathing height of the bath in the baby bathing portion. The bathing tub provides a clean water circulating flow for bathing the baby.Type: GrantFiled: November 16, 2006Date of Patent: February 15, 2011Assignee: Thorley Industries, LLCInventors: Henry F Thorne, Robert D Daley
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Patent number: 7877825Abstract: A top corner connector is provided for a shower enclosure or tub/shower enclosure. The connector includes first and second legs which have an interior cavity opening downwardly and opening lengthwise at the end. Each leg is adapted to receive a portion of a header at the top of the enclosure. The corner connector and headers can be secured together and at least the corner connector can be secured to the top end of a vertical corner post at a corner of the enclosure. A method is provided for efficiently connecting the headers at the top of the enclosure with the corner connector.Type: GrantFiled: July 14, 2006Date of Patent: February 1, 2011Inventors: Danny Ray Marshall, Richard G. Kluge
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Patent number: 7870621Abstract: A temperature difference swimming pool comprises a plurality of spaced apart water curtain controlling devices arranged at a bottom of the pool, and a temperature regulating system. Each of the water curtain controlling devices includes two juxtaposed pipes, a series of intermittent holes is formed in a top surface of the pipes, the pipes each has a closed end, and another end of the pipes is connected to a pump. Water is suctioned by the pump into one pipe and is then spurted out of the other pipe, thus making the water circulate and forming a water curtain. Since the water curtain stops the convection of the water, and the temperature regulating system is used to heat the water in one end of the swimming pool while cooling the water in the other end, thus forming a cold water region and a warm water region in one swimming pool.Type: GrantFiled: January 19, 2005Date of Patent: January 18, 2011Inventor: Yongkang Zeng
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Thermally buffered, circulating clean water flow, universal, temperature indicating baby bathing tub
Patent number: 7856678Abstract: A thermally buffered baby bathing tub includes a tub body, a baby bathing portion formed in the tub body, configured to receive a baby to be bathed therein and bathing water from a source of bathing water therein, and a reservoir formed in the tub body having a reservoir weir exiting the reservoir into the baby bathing portion, wherein baby bathing portion is configured to receive the bathing water from the source of bathing water through the reservoir and the reservoir weir, whereby the reservoir will provide a thermal buffer for the bathing water between the source of bathing water and the baby bathing portion. A clean water flow baby bathing tub further includes a bathing height regulating hole in the sidewall thereof spaced from the floor and configured to define the conventional bathing height of the bath in the baby bathing portion.Type: GrantFiled: November 16, 2006Date of Patent: December 28, 2010Assignee: Thorley Industries LLCInventors: Henry F Thorne, Robert D Daley -
Patent number: 7832028Abstract: A fine-bubble generator is capable of supplying a fluid mixed with a large quantity of fine bubbles into a fluid without causing an unnecessary liquid flow and turbulent flow in the objective fluid. The fine-bubble generator is constructed by arranging two fine-bubble generating sections in a rectangular parallelepiped casing with spouts of the fine-bubble generating sections facing each other.Type: GrantFiled: September 27, 2005Date of Patent: November 16, 2010Assignees: Tashizen Techno Works Co., Ltd.Inventors: Toshihiko Yayama, Hisatsune Nashiki, Ichiro Teshiba, Tatsuhiko Takase, Hironori Tanaka, Takaaki Iwasaki