Patents Examined by Lori Baker
  • Patent number: 10597859
    Abstract: A device for the disposal of human waste matter, specifically a toilet, is presented. This toilet incorporates elements designed to prevent both a loss of flushing efficiency and an extensive consumption of water, all while improving upon the basic functionalities of the toilet as such. These elements include specialized parts designed to both improve the efficacy of the “siphon jet” type toilet by precluding the possibility of aeration within certain critical components of the toilet system proper, as well as a specialized rim fed channel whose intersection of the filled jet channel always travels below the operating water level of the bowl, and a vacuum assisted flushing system, whose primary purpose is to enhance the power of the toilet's flushing action.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2020
    Assignee: Falcon Waterfree Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Philip Hennessy, Edward Michael Goldsmith
  • Patent number: 10385560
    Abstract: A device for spraying an enclosure is provided, in particular, a device to spray a toilet bowl. The device for automatically spraying an enclosure closable by a rotatable lid, wherein the device is attachable to the lid, comprises a spraying mechanism suitable for repeatedly spraying individual doses of a cleaning liquid into the interior volume of the enclosure; and an electronic control system which includes a tilt sensor; wherein the control system is configured to detect the orientation of the device, and wherein the electronic control system is programmed to perform steps that allow enhancing the safety and/or reliability of the operation of the device. A method for operating the device is also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2019
    Assignee: Conopco, Inc.
    Inventor: Xin Shen
  • Patent number: 10351281
    Abstract: A transportation method for the intermittent, forward moving transportation of flexible containers suspended in a packaging line, including the use of movable arms on a same plane, between which a container is secured in opposite areas, one of which is a tractor arm and the other a push arm. Between two consecutive stops, the method includes steps of simultaneously moving the tractor arm and push arm forwards at different velocities, in order to deform the container and move the contents to compensate for the forces of inertia. Also disclosed is a device for putting the method into practice, including a number of guides that determine a closed route, upon which at least a first and second adjacent carrying element slide, which may be operated independently or together, in order to be moved along the length of the guides and work together to jointly secure and transport a corresponding container.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2019
    Assignee: PFM IBERICA PACKAGING MACHINERY, S.A.
    Inventors: Jose Garriga Jimenez, Andrea Fioravanti, Cristobal Jorge Alesanco
  • Patent number: 10329752
    Abstract: An overflow system in the bathtub has an overflow port and has a drain pipe in connection with the overflow port. A threaded flange has a stub shoulder on one end which is fitted into a circular sleeve on the overflow port. The threaded flange has exterior threads on its outer surface and a thin diaphragm secured to the end thereof opposite to the stub shoulder. A large internally threaded nut is threadably mounted on the outer end of the threaded flange. A decorative cap is frictionally snapped into engagement with protrusions on the outer surface of the nut. The cap can be removed when needed to permit the plumber to gain access to the diaphragm to cut it open for fluid flow after the system has been tested for leaks, or put in place after the cut takes place.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2019
    Assignee: WCM INDUSTRIES, INC.
    Inventor: William T. Ball
  • Patent number: 10308493
    Abstract: A drink filling system including: a bottle molding section; a sterilizing section that sterilizes a molded bottle; a rinsing section that rinses the bottle; a filling section that fills and seals the bottle; and a conveying unit that conveys the bottle from the molding section through to the filling section. A chamber covers a portion extending from the sterilizing section to the filling section, and an atmosphere shut-off chamber is provided between a sterilizing section chamber and a rinsing section chamber. An exhaust unit is provided for the atmosphere shut-off chamber and/or the sterilizing section chamber, a clean air supply unit is provided for a filling section chamber so that a clean air flows from the filling section chamber into the atmosphere shut-off chamber through the rinsing section chamber or further flows into the sterilizing section chamber, and the air-flow flowing therein is exhausted by an exhaust unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2019
    Assignee: Dai Nippon Printing Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Atsushi Hayakawa
  • Patent number: 10292538
    Abstract: This disclosure discloses various technologies, such as (1) a shower partition that includes a material which is switchable between a transparent state and an opaque state, (2) a shower partition including a microphone, and (3) a tent with a wall that deployably expands and undeployably retracts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2019
    Inventors: Roman Tsibulevskiy, Barry Greenbaum
  • Patent number: 10294649
    Abstract: A urinal anti-splash device including an anti-splash body sized and shaped to couple to at least a portion of a urinal. The anti-splash body may include a first portion, a second portion opposite the first portion, a longitudinal length extending from the first portion to the second portion, and an front surface extending the longitudinal length. The urinal anti-splash device also includes a base coupled to the first portion and configured to extend in a direction substantially perpendicular from the first portion. The urinal anti-splash device further includes a first plurality of protrusions extending outwardly from the front surface of the anti-splash body and a second plurality of protrusions extending outwardly from the base, the second plurality of protrusions configured to extend in the direction substantially perpendicular from the first portion of the anti-splash body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2019
    Inventor: Jeffrey Scott Crevier
  • Patent number: 10294650
    Abstract: A non-flushing urinal system with a large sealing and flow area using a bell-shaped valve with supporting ribs on its interior surface, which utilizes low “crack pressure,” or ease of initial opening to create for high flow rate and superior sealing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 9, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2019
    Assignee: FALCON WATERFREE TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Michael Wächter, Manuel Peter, Edward Michael Goldsmith
  • Patent number: 10293966
    Abstract: Device for transporting containers in a packaging line, having a number of guides that determine a closed route including a horizontal stretch and upon which a first and second carrying element slide. The guides are directed on a vertical plane and each carrying element has two arms, each one of which extends to one side of the vertical plane, each arm (5a; 6a) of a carrying element is designed to work alongside the arm arranged on a same side of the vertical plane of the other carrying element adjacent to them, to jointly secure and transport a corresponding container, so as to be secured and transported along the length of the horizontal stretch of the route and at least two containers between each two adjacent carrying elements at the same time, one at each side of the vertical plane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2019
    Assignee: PFM IBERICA PACKAGING MACHINERY, S.A.
    Inventors: Jose Garriga Jimenez, Andrea Fioravanti, Cristobal Jorge Alesanco
  • Patent number: 10285543
    Abstract: The kit for personalizing a bath mat is a set of one or more appliques that may be applied to the floor of a bathroom washing facility or to a bath mat. The appliques may improve the appearance of the surface to which they are applied. The appliques may improve the safety characteristics of the surface to which they are applied by providing a non-slip surface. Embodiments of the kit for personalizing a bath mat may be applied directly to a shower or bathtub floor or to a commercially available bath mat. Embodiments of the kit for personalizing a bath mat may comprise a specific bath mat with designated targets for guiding placement of the appliques or having superior bonding characteristics for the adhesive backing of the appliques.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2019
    Inventor: Levenston Hall
  • Patent number: 10285332
    Abstract: A round baler is equipped with a bale-forming chamber, a storage reservoir for wrapping material, and a feeding roller that can be set into rotation at a specified rotational speed, in order to specify the speed at which the wrapping material is introduced from the storage reservoir into the bale-forming chamber. The feeding roller has, in its axially central area, a larger diameter than in its axial edge areas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2019
    Assignee: DEERE & COMPANY
    Inventors: Pascal Gresset, Henry D. Anstey
  • Patent number: 10287790
    Abstract: An apparatus for controlling water temperature includes a housing defining a composting chamber for receiving compost and a conduit disposed within the housing for providing flow of water. The conduit at least partially receives heat generated by the compost and may include a first subconduit extending substantially about an axis of the housing, a second subconduit extending substantially about the axis of the housing and being spaced apart from the first subconduit and a plurality of elongated subconduits extending between the first subconduit and the second subconduit and providing fluid communication therebetween. The housing may have at least one translucent portion for permitting flow of light waves therethrough. The apparatus may have a mechanism for mixing the compost.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2019
    Assignee: MÉDIA K-PLUS INC./K-PLUS MEDIA INC.
    Inventors: Rosario Loggia, Claudio Cardinale, Alfi Cardinale
  • Patent number: 10278546
    Abstract: A shower door assembly includes a door panel having an inner surface to face a bathing enclosure, and a base member having an upper surface positioned between an inner side and an outer side. The base member inner side is positioned between the door panel inner surface and the base member outer side. The inner side at least partially defines a recess and is shaped to receive liquid from and divert liquid back to the bathing enclosure. A base for a moveable door has a substrate defining upper and lower surfaces extending between first and second edge regions, and a first leg section extending from the substrate lower surface and offset from the first edge region. The first leg section and the first edge region of the substrate cooperate to define a liquid diverter extending longitudinally to redirect flow away from the substrate upper surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2019
    Assignee: LIBERTY HARDWARE MFG. CORP.
    Inventors: James Allen Austin, III, Nathaniel Faltin Dutton Schultz
  • Patent number: 10278548
    Abstract: A shower liner system configured to engage a shower rod having a rib with a strut slidably engaging the shower rod and a panel disposed approximately perpendicular to the strut having a top end and a bottom end. A liner can include a waterproof body with a top header disposed approximate the shower rod and having an engagement point, and a second header disposed away from the first header toward the floor. The top end of the panel engages the first header and the second end of the panel engages the second header. The rib is configured to hang at least a portion of the liner at an angle to the shower rod.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2019
    Inventor: Patrick Raymond
  • Patent number: 10278544
    Abstract: A shower mat is configured to carry an auxiliary shower spray head to deliver a spray vertically upwards to allow the user to clean their lower body and extremities. The mat may include a plurality of layers with the auxiliary shower spray head carried between the plurality of layers. Tubing interconnects the auxiliary spray head to a diverter valve that is connected to a stem of a shower enclosure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2019
    Inventors: William Lee Kiddell, Patrick John Zone
  • Patent number: 10271691
    Abstract: A portable hand-washing station that is self-contained to provide hot and cold water to a user as well as dispose of said water. The station includes a rolling hand truck, a sink assembly, a fresh-water tank, a grey-water tank, a water heater, and a water pump. The rolling hand truck includes a base platform and a vertical frame for support. The sink assembly is perpendicularly mounted to the vertical frame, opposite to the base frame. The grey-water tank and the fresh-water tank are positioned in between the sink assembly and the base platform and each are adjacently attached to the rolling hand truck. The grey-water tank and the fresh-water tank are in fluid communication with the sink assembly through the water pump and the water heater to provide the user with clean water. Additionally, a drain of the sink assembly is in fluid communication with the grey-water tank for disposal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 4, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2019
    Inventor: James Boyle
  • Patent number: 10271697
    Abstract: An electric opening and closing device that opens and closes a toilet seat or lid by a torque output to an output member includes: a motor; a reduction gear mechanism having gear members including a gear member of a spur tooth and transmitting the torque of the motor to the output member; and a torque limiter that includes a first rotating member rotating integrally with a first gear member rotating by the torque among the gear members, a second rotating member rotating integrally with a second gear member connected to the output member via the gear member of the spur tooth or the output member, and a friction member engaged with one of the first and second rotating members, and that generates a slip between the friction and other rotating members to interrupt the transmission of the torque when a torque exceeding a value acts on the output member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2019
    Assignee: AISIN SEIKI KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Hirotomo Minamiyama, Sayaka Hara
  • Patent number: 10273030
    Abstract: In a compact system containers are circulated in fixtures. Containers are fed from a bulk hopper by a conveyor into a primary orienting mechanism and then into the loading mechanism which also serves as the final orienting mechanism. Once a fixture is filled with containers, it is indexed into the filling position. The process conveyor ultimately moves the fixtures to the opposite end of the conveyor where a transfer mechanism indexes the fixture through a cap applicator and cap sealer. Caps are fed from a bulk hopper by a conveyor into a primary orienting mechanism and then through a final orienting/escapement mechanism into an applicator chute. Once the caps are applied, the fixture is indexed into a transfer position for downstream processing. Once emptied of containers, the fixtures are indexed onto a return conveyor where they are transported back to the loading and filling end.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2019
    Assignee: Lehnen Industrial Services, Inc.
    Inventors: Peter E. Lehnen, Christopher P. Lehnen, Roger A. Racette
  • Patent number: 10259004
    Abstract: A process includes setting a preset temperature; setting up a counter, wherein a first number is displayed on the counter in response to a water control switch switching from a low position to a high position, a second number is displayed on the counter in response to the water control switching from the high position to the low position; setting a target temperature in response to a first determination as to whether the first number or the second number is displayed on the counter, wherein the target temperature is equal to the preset temperature in response to the first number being displayed and the target temperature is equal to preset temperature less an adjustment temperature in response to the second number being displayed; and maintaining the target temperature for a period of time, then restoring the target temperature to the preset temperature after the period of time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2019
    Assignee: SHANGHAI KOHLER ELECTRONICS, LTD.
    Inventors: Minghui Zhu, Haixing Sun, Bo Hu
  • Patent number: 10259603
    Abstract: A product arranged in a support can be packaged. A film is unrolled, a number of supports are progressively moved inside the packaging chamber of a packaging assembly, the packaging chamber is kept open for a time sufficient for a number of supports and for the film or for film sheets to properly position inside the packaging chamber, causing the film sheets or film portions to adapt to the shape of a cavity formed in the upper tool of the packaging assembly and the film sheets or film portions are sealed to respective supports. An apparatus can perform the above process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2019
    Assignee: CRYOVAC, LLC
    Inventors: Riccardo Palumbo, Jvanohe Rizzi