Patents Examined by Janie Christiansen
  • Patent number: 7823228
    Abstract: An auxiliary toilet stool seat adapted to be mounted on a seat of a western-style toilet stool, the auxiliary toilet stool seat having a main body portion which is formed from a hard resin into an annular shape having an angled cross section made open at a bottom and having a flat top portion, a first leg portion which is brought into abutment with a top surface of the auxiliary toilet stool seat, a second leg portion which is slidably movable in such a manner as to follow an inner perimeter of the seat, and a third leg portion which is formed into an L-shape and is brought into abutment with a rear surface of the seat on a horizontal surface of the L-shape, the first, second and third legs being provided on a rear surface of the main body portion of the main body portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2010
    Assignee: Agatsuma Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Shinji Todokoro
  • Patent number: 7818822
    Abstract: Electrically energized apparatus mounted within the water tank of a conventional flush toilet draws air from the toilet bowl into a plenum to expose the air to UV radiation to produce ozone molecules that have an oxidizing effect on organic matter and to serve as a germicide and a virucide. The ozone enriched air is entrained in the water present in the toilet tank.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 26, 2010
    Assignee: Zuvo Water, LLC
    Inventor: Ronald Martin
  • Patent number: 7814584
    Abstract: Disclosed is a bathing apparatus for a child that comprises a tub and a cradle. The tub is nestable with the cradle and includes a bottom wall and at least one side wall, each wall having an inside and an outside surface. The bottom wall includes a heat conductive means for conducting heat from the outside surface to the inside surface thereof. The cradle comprises a tub receiving portion and a base. The tub receiving portion is adapted for nestable engagement with the tub and further includes a heat generating means. When the tub is nested with the cradle, the heat generating means makes physical contact with the heat conductive means of the tub so as to allow heat transmission thereto. An electric switch is located electrically between the heating element and a power source. The electric switch is preferably a thermostat for deactivating the heat generating means when the water in the tub reaches a selected temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 19, 2010
    Inventors: Kenny Robles, Patty Robles
  • Patent number: 7793362
    Abstract: A toilet seat lift system for a toilet having a toilet bowl is disclosed. An illustrative embodiment of the toilet seat lift system includes a seat connecting shaft adapted for attachment to the toilet bowl, a toilet seat carried by the seat connecting shaft, a cover connecting rod extending through the seat connecting shaft, a toilet cover carried by the cover connecting rod, a seat handle carried by the seat connecting shaft and a cover handle carried by the cover connecting rod.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 14, 2010
    Inventors: Owen Stoby, Audrey Stoby
  • Patent number: 7779489
    Abstract: A potty bench includes a base supporting a potty seat, and a potty seat opening into the base formed in the potty seat. The potty seat opening has opposing forward and rearward ends. A basin is carried by the base underlying the potty seat opening to collect waste from the potty seat opening. A splashguard carried by the basin, which has a shield projecting through the potty seat opening at the forward end thereof from the basin and upwardly relative to the potty seat. The shield includes a urine deflecting face upwardly relative to the potty seat facing the rearward end of the potty seat opening for deflecting urine from above the potty seat into the basin through the potty seat opening.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 24, 2010
    Inventor: Rebecca M. Finell
  • Patent number: 7770243
    Abstract: A shower curtain-rod assembly is arranged to have distinct and structurally separate gravitational and torsional load bearing capabilities. The shower curtain may be formed with folded pockets to receive shower curtain stays. The pockets are made by creating overlapping layers of the shower curtain and then ultrasonically welding the overlapping layers together. The shower curtain-rod assembly includes a shower rod having an internal track, a shower ring coupled to a shower curtain stay, and rollers supported on the internal track and coupled to the stay. The internal track generally supports the weight of the shower curtain, the rollers, the stays, and the shower ring. In one embodiment, a channel formed in an outer wall of the shower rod cooperates with a torsional restraint tab extending from an inner surface of the shower ring, which is located over the shower rod.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 10, 2010
    Inventor: Robert W. Wise
  • Patent number: 7765627
    Abstract: A sanitary ware with an annular mount has a body, an inlet pipe and an annular mount. The inlet pipe is mounted inside the body. The annular mount is mounted through the body for hanging the sanitary ware. A structure of the annular mount is simple to prevent leaking and could be used in any sanitary ware. Therefore, the sanitary ware with annular mount can be hung anywhere by the annular mount.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 3, 2010
    Assignee: Sheng Tai Brassware Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Chia-Chen Pan
  • Patent number: 7761937
    Abstract: A modified shower head provides a timepiece imbedded within a shower head insert allowing a person showering to keep track of time and also to monitor water usage. It also provides the person showering with a timing mechanism to determine the length of time for use of hair products, tints, dyes and treatments without having to reference an outside timepiece. The insert comprises a timepiece within an encased water-proof enclosure within the shower head insert.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 27, 2010
    Inventors: Gregory J. Foutz, Angela A. Wright, Tarek A. Bawab
  • Patent number: 7743435
    Abstract: A self adjusting toilet bolt assembly provides an anchor member for connecting a toilet bowl to a closet flange which allows use of downward 5/16? stud travel through a standard width dimension slotted opening in the closet flange incident making connection of a toilet bowl to the closet flange. This result is made possible by use of apertures in an anchor member body lower body portion extending between two lower body portion wall parts providing clearance for the stud to pass unobstructedly in the flange slotted opening.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 29, 2010
    Inventor: Raymond J. Serret
  • Patent number: 7743438
    Abstract: An anchor structure for sensors of faucets is located in a sensing faucet. The sensor has a detection side and at least one notch on another side opposite to the detection side at an elevation same as an annular groove formed on an inner wall of a faucet body. An elastic clipping ring is provided to latch in the annular groove and the notch of the sensor to form a bucking effect to anchor the sensor at a selected location in the faucet. The elastic clipping ring is hollow and annular to provide a passage for watering piping and electric wiring. The structure is simpler and can be installed and removed rapidly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 29, 2010
    Inventor: Jan-Sun Chen
  • Patent number: 7739757
    Abstract: A shower enclosure base has a flow enhancing flush-mounted drain cover that conceals the drain opening and provides a flat stepping surface. Drain flow is achieved through a narrow peripheral passage between the drain cover and the drain well in which it is seated. Despite the reduced flow area of passage, flow enhancing features of the drain cover serve to improve the flow rate through the drain. These features are radially converging ribs at the underside of the drain cover that interrupt the natural tendency for drain water to form a vortex as it passes into and through a circular drain opening. The drain cover can be removably secured to the base by suction cups that attach to the drain well.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 22, 2010
    Assignee: Kohler Co.
    Inventor: Kevin L Witt
  • Patent number: 7739755
    Abstract: A spit cup includes a cap housing defining an interior area. The spit cup further includes a plurality of disposable liners, at least one disposable liner being removably positioned in the interior area to receive a user's spit. A lid is selectively coupled to the cup housing. The lid includes a stationary portion and a flap that is pivotally coupled to the stationary portion and movable between an open position providing access to the interior area and a closed position preventing access thereto. The lid includes a spring for biasing the flap toward the open position. The lid further includes a catch operatively coupled to the stationary portion and being movable between a first configuration in which the catch interacts with the flap and maintains the flap at the closed position and a second configuration in which the catch allows the flap to move to the open position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 22, 2010
    Inventor: John S. Taras
  • Patent number: 7676857
    Abstract: A toilet seat and lid lifter assembly which is constructed of a first frame member of generally U-shape and a second frame member of generally S-shape for gripping both a toilet seat and a toilet lid together such that the seat and lid can be simultaneously lifted or lowered without having to touch by hand.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 16, 2010
    Inventor: Shawn M. Zuidema
  • Patent number: 7661155
    Abstract: A lateral driving faucet water outlet seat comprises a water input outer tube placed; a surface of the water input outer tube being formed with a confining portion; a lower clamping stop having a polygonal outer sides; a limiting unit having a hexagonal engaging portion extended from a lower side of the limiting unit for engaging with the outer side of the lower clamping stop; a top of the engaging portion being enlarged with a resisting ring; an inner edge being formed with a limiting portion at a position corresponding to the confining portion of the water input outer tube for confining the rotation of the water input outer tube; an upper clamping stop having a polygonal outer side; and a water outlet base placed upon an upper side of the combining object; the water outlet base having a water outlet hole for receiving the combining section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2010
    Inventor: Tsai-Chen Yang