Patents Examined by William R Klotz
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Patent number: 11965322Abstract: A toilet includes an inlet structure, a bowl structure, and an outlet structure. The inlet structure is configured to receive water. The bowl structure has a toilet bowl including a rim and a sump, a split fluidly connected to the inlet structure and including a first passage and a second passage, a shelf located below the rim of the toilet bowl and fluidly connected to the first passage, a side channel fluidly connected to the second passage, and a diverter that redirects the water from the side channel to the sump of the toilet bowl. The outlet structure is fluidly connected to the sump and is configured to discharge water from the sump into a drain.Type: GrantFiled: September 25, 2019Date of Patent: April 23, 2024Assignee: Kohler Co.Inventors: Tony L. Lambert, Daniel N. Halloran, Andrew L. Smith
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Patent number: 11952763Abstract: A toilet overflow prevention assembly for capturing overflowing water from a toilet includes a collar that is comprised of a flexible material. The collar can be positionable around a bowl of a toilet thereby facilitating the collar to capture water overflowing from the bowl. Additionally, the collar is comprised of a fluid impermeable material to inhibit the water from passing therethrough. A drain is integrated into the collar to drain the water outwardly therefrom. A closure is hingedly coupled to the collar and the closure is positionable in a locked position when the collar is positioned in the closed position for retaining the collar in the closed position.Type: GrantFiled: February 24, 2021Date of Patent: April 9, 2024Inventor: Michael Hannah
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Patent number: 11951069Abstract: The foot spa has a rotating drive hub and a pump. The hub has North and South pole domains encircling a rotation axis in alternating relation. The pump includes a housing and an impeller, the housing having a pair of sides and defining: a cavity having a center and a periphery; an intake that communicates with the cavity center; and one or more ports communicating with the periphery. The impeller is mounted in the cavity and: defines blades which are adapted, upon rotation of the impeller in the cavity, to draw water through the intake and eject water through the one or more ports; and includes a portion that is ferromagnetic and a portion that is not ferromagnetic, the portions: being adapted such that rotation of the drive hub causes rotation of the impeller and abutting one another, one being axially displaced from the other.Type: GrantFiled: September 15, 2020Date of Patent: April 9, 2024Assignee: Gulfstream Inc.Inventors: Minh Sang Tran, Chris Alexander
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Patent number: 11952766Abstract: A semi-hidden system for the water flushing handle of toilets that forces the user to lower the lid or lid and seat before activating the flushing of the cistern. The flushing handle is embedded in the front wall of the cistern in such a way that a portion of the handle is covered by the lid of the toilet when the lid is raised, forcing users to close the lid in order to be able to flush, and thus substantially reducing the emission of infectious and polluting bioaerosols. The system aims to contribute to preventive medicine and to improve health worldwide by avoiding contagion of diseases. The toilet lid and seat, which combine with the semi-hidden flushing system, complement the innovative system with fast soft-closing hinges. This invention can be used in public restrooms, homes, hospitals, hotels, schools, and other environments where sanitation is a high priority.Type: GrantFiled: April 10, 2023Date of Patent: April 9, 2024Inventors: Ariel Arnaldo Perez, Nicolás Martín Biach
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Patent number: 11913209Abstract: A toilet flush lever assembly is provided, including: a handle member, including an operation member and a shaft connected with each other, the shaft being configured to be rotatably mounted to a water tank; a connection member, being movable and connected with the shaft, including a sleeve portion which is slit to include at least one first slit; a driving member, including a ball joint and a rod member connected with each other, the sleeve portion being disposed around the ball joint; an urging member, sleeved with and radially urging the sleeve portion to restrain the ball joint.Type: GrantFiled: November 25, 2020Date of Patent: February 27, 2024Inventor: Yi-Wen Tang
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Patent number: 11885110Abstract: A flush toilet of the present invention includes: a bowl including a waste receiving surface, a rim and a shelf surface formed between the waste receiving surface and the rim, the shelf surface of the bowl including linear portions provided on a right side and a left side, a front arc portion connected to front ends of the linear portions, and a rear arc portion connected to rear ends of the linear portions; a rim spout portion spouting flush water from a rim spout port to the shelf surface to form a circulating flow; and the like. Flush water is spouted backward from the rim spout port along the linear portions of the shelf surface; and the shelf surface located on an upstream side of the rim spout port has a sloped surface ascending toward the rim spout port.Type: GrantFiled: February 23, 2022Date of Patent: January 30, 2024Assignee: TOTO LTD.Inventor: Wataru Ishimi
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Patent number: 11885109Abstract: In a washdown flush toilet, a water discharge trap conduit includes: an inlet pipe part connected to a bowl part receiving waste; a trap ascending pipe part connected to the inlet pipe part and forming an ascending flow channel; and a trap descending pipe part connected to the trap ascending pipe part and forming a descending flow channel. With regard to a cross section perpendicular to a flow direction of the ascending flow channel, a portion on a downstream side of the ascending flow channel is provided with an enlarged part having a cross section area larger than that on an upstream side of the ascending flow channel. A downstream end of the ascending flow channel and/or an upstream side of the descending flow channel is provided with a shrunk part having a cross section area smaller than that on the upstream side of the ascending flow channel.Type: GrantFiled: March 18, 2021Date of Patent: January 30, 2024Assignee: TOTO LTD.Inventor: Shoko Imaizumi
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Patent number: 11879244Abstract: An add-on bidet module for a toilet includes an extendable hose and toilet seat that can be used in modifying an existing toilet or for a toilet having those accessories pre-installed for use as a bidet on a toilet. The accessories also include a compartment with door for storing toilet related products attached to the side of the toilet tank, and a toilet seat having at least one flap opening to allow for the passage of the nozzle. The aforementioned accessories which can include compartments with doors to hide the hose and nozzle as well as for storing toilet related products can form part of a manufactured toilet having those accessories included. A water heater is provided to delivery temperature controlled water to the user.Type: GrantFiled: March 13, 2022Date of Patent: January 23, 2024Inventor: Denis Ethier
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Patent number: 11873631Abstract: An apparatus (100), including: a sheet (102) composed of a resilient material and configured to be flexed and then installed in a trapway of a toilet where the sheet takes on an installed shape in which a resilience of the resilient material biases the sheet outward against the trapway; at least one snare (104) protruding from a first side (142) of the sheet and thereby radially into the trapway once installed and configured to snare select items being flushed down the trapway; and a retention feature (106) extending from the sheet and configured to catch on a perimeter of an inlet of the trapway and thereby aid in holding the apparatus in place.Type: GrantFiled: December 8, 2021Date of Patent: January 16, 2024Inventors: Heidi Graham, Kathryn Butcher Feinstone
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Patent number: 11849890Abstract: A system and method for a mechanical shower mat with a removable rechargeable battery-operated system with a drainage hose or a fixed system submerged into the bathroom floor that is wired directly into a power source, with a drainage hose that will drain directly into the drainage system of the shower/hot tub/bathtub allowing its users to collect the residual water from their bodies as the step out of the shower/hot tub/bathtub etc. onto the mechanical shower mat directly into a funnel system that will re-dispense this water back into the shower/hot tub/bathtub etc. or directly onto the shower's drainage system.Type: GrantFiled: July 12, 2021Date of Patent: December 26, 2023Inventor: Tyrone D. Barrow
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Patent number: 11788268Abstract: A flush toilet which is capable of suppressing reduction in the force of water and disturbance in the flow curved by a pressure loss caused by a flow curved separating from a surface on an inner side portion side of an intermediate part. A rim water passage of the flush toilet includes a curved portion that is curved inward from a downstream end of an outer side portion. The curved portion includes a top portion that is at a position farthest from the intermediate part in the top view, in a direction extending the intermediate part. The top portion is formed in more the outer side portion side than a virtual center line that extends along a center of the intermediate part.Type: GrantFiled: February 24, 2022Date of Patent: October 17, 2023Assignee: TOTO LTD.Inventors: Wataru Ishimi, Seiya Nakashima
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Patent number: 11753809Abstract: A flush toilet according to an embodiment includes a bowl part, a rim part, a water spout port, a bottom surface wall, and an extension part. The bowl part receives waste. The rim part is formed on a top of the bowl part. The water spout port spouts a washing water along the rim part. The bottom surface wall is formed in such a manner that a height thereof increases from a side of the water spout port toward a front end of the rim part, and forms a passing water channel where the washing water flows. The extension part extends a water spout region for the washing water that is spouted from the water spout port.Type: GrantFiled: September 10, 2020Date of Patent: September 12, 2023Assignee: TOTO LTD.Inventors: Jing Chen, Kenichi Nakamura
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Patent number: 11739518Abstract: A flush toilet includes a toilet body that includes a bowl part that receives waste, a functional part that is provided on a back side of the toilet body, a panel member that covers a side surface of the functional part, a first holding part that adsorbs and holds the toilet body and a side surface of the panel member by magnetic force, and a second holding part that adsorbs and holds the functional part and a side surface of the panel member by magnetic force. The panel member is capable of being slid frontward, backward, upward, and downward in a state where the panel member is adsorbed and held by the first holding part and the second holding part.Type: GrantFiled: February 3, 2022Date of Patent: August 29, 2023Assignee: TOTO LTD.Inventors: Eiji Shiohara, Yusuke Tone, Masaaki Momoe, Kazuya Esaki, Masaki Mori
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Patent number: 11739516Abstract: A toilet seat assembly is provided including a seat base with a housing and a seat lid, and further including a washing apparatus, a drying apparatus, and a spray canister device positioned in the housing. A controller having a user interface is configured to communicate with a control unit of the toilet seat assembly to control operation of the components of the toilet seat assembly. So configured, a user may operate the toilet seat assembly to clean the user's perineal region via the washing apparatus, dry the user's perineal region via the drying apparatus, and spray the user's perineal region with one or more liquid products via the spray canister device.Type: GrantFiled: November 12, 2019Date of Patent: August 29, 2023Assignee: Bemis Manufacturing CompanyInventor: Jacqueline Sylvia
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Patent number: 11697932Abstract: According to an embodiment, a toilet device includes a detector configured to detect at least one of a water level inside a flush toilet or an indicator associated with the water level, a clog determiner determining a clog state of the flush toilet based on a detection result of the detector, and a controller determining, based on a determination result of the clog determiner, whether or not to prohibit a flushing water supply to the flush toilet. The controller sets a flush prohibition time at least after the flushing water supply to the flush toilet has ended. A flush operation for flushing the flush toilet not is accepted temporarily in the flush prohibition time. The clog determiner determines the clog state of the flush toilet based on the detection result of the detector within the flush prohibition time or directly after the flush prohibition time.Type: GrantFiled: September 11, 2019Date of Patent: July 11, 2023Assignee: TOTO LTD.Inventors: Shoichi Tsuiki, Motoki Kobayashi, Yuya Masahira
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Patent number: 11686080Abstract: A shower bidet is provided. The shower bidet includes a plastic device operable for a user to sit upon. The plastic device includes a first seating surface disposed atop a first seating column, a second seating surface disposed atop a second seating column, and a bridge portion connecting the first seating column and the second seating column. The first seating surface and the first seating column are separated from the second seating surface and the second seating column such that a spray nozzle may be disposed between the first seating column and the second seating column.Type: GrantFiled: January 29, 2021Date of Patent: June 27, 2023Assignee: TMP Inc.Inventor: Curt V. Rapp
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Patent number: 11613882Abstract: Toilet assemblies having various embodiments of a cleaning system are described herein which include a toilet assembly and a cleaning system. The toilet assembly has a toilet bowl, a toilet tank, a flush valve, a rim inlet port and a rim flow path (which may be an isolated rim path) extending from an outlet of the flush valve to the rim inlet port.Type: GrantFiled: July 14, 2020Date of Patent: March 28, 2023Assignee: AS America, Inc.Inventors: Christophe Bucher, David Grover, Ronald Barndt, Frank Seggio, James McHale, Chris Cicenas, Matthew O'Kelly, Scott J. Rote, Cameron Harder, Christopher Helmstetter, Nathan J. Wicker, Matthew C. Morris
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Patent number: 11519162Abstract: A toilet apparatus comprising a toilet bowl with a drain passageway, and a mounting support base, a wax ring having a central opening disposed below the mounting support base, the wax ring is supported on an annular clog saver plate member having a central opening with an annular wall portion, a mounting flange plate supporting the annular clog saver plate member with an extending portion for sealing a sewer passageway. The annular wall portion includes a plurality of clog saver fins attached thereto. These clog saver fins are used to catch non-passable feminine hygiene items, disposable pampers, packaging, and clothing to prevent a sewer blockage, and removal therefrom without removing the toilet bowl, while allowing passable feminine hygiene items, fluid, tissue, toilet liners, and waste material to pass through the central openings in the wax ring, clog saver plate member and mounting flange plate, and into the sewer passageway.Type: GrantFiled: December 5, 2021Date of Patent: December 6, 2022Inventor: Justin L. Amendariz
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Patent number: 11511004Abstract: The present invention relates to a toilet equipped with an infrared generator. The toilet equipped with an infrared generator is fabricated by separately forming a toilet body provided with an infrared generator in one side surface thereof, a bowl made of a material through which infrared rays emitted by the infrared generator can be transmitted and furnished with an infrared ray transmission region without the formation of a hole, and a rim conduit and then coupling the infrared generator, the bowl, and the rim conduit to the separately formed toilet body. The toilet equipped with an infrared generator enables the infrared generator to be easily installed without forming a hole into the bowl, and can prevent excretions, such as urine and feces, from leaking to the infrared generator.Type: GrantFiled: August 20, 2019Date of Patent: November 29, 2022Inventor: Jun Gue Lee
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Patent number: 11479987Abstract: A heating tool for thermally manipulating an installed pool liner layer includes a manifold portion and a heat supply portion. The manifold portion forms a closed-loop passageway having a wall and a thermal distribution rail that includes a plurality of heat ports extending through the wall. The manifold portion is structured to pass between an installed pool liner layer and a supporting side wall and permitting manipulation and movement of the heating tool between the pool liner and the side wall. A heat supply portion includes a handle with a co-axially formed inlet passage in fluid communication with a fluid line connection that connects the inlet passage with a heated fluid source.Type: GrantFiled: March 5, 2020Date of Patent: October 25, 2022Inventor: Rayman Snare