Patents by Inventor Barry Steven Hobbs
Barry Steven Hobbs has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).
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Publication number: 20220307243Abstract: A plumbing component includes a cold water inlet; a hot water inlet; an outlet configured to output cold water, hot water, or a mixture thereof; a flow shut-off mechanism for restricting the flow of water out of the outlet; a first flow control valve for controlling the flow of cold water; and a second flow control valve for controlling the flow of hot water. Each of the flow control valves comprises a valve member and an associated valve seat, each valve member arranged to engage with the associated valve seat to control the flow of water through the flow control valves to the water outlet. One or both of the valve members includes a graduated flow control bead arranged to seal against the associated valve seat to provide a graduated flow transition between a maximum flow state and a minimum flow state of the, or each, control valve.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 15, 2022Publication date: September 29, 2022Inventors: Barry Steven HOBBS, Mark Frederick Florencio BARTON, Philip Peter INESON, Alexander Colin FAGG
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Patent number: 11391021Abstract: A plumbing component includes a cold water inlet; a hot water inlet; an outlet configured to output cold water, hot water, or a mixture thereof; a flow shut-off mechanism for restricting the flow of water out of the outlet; a first flow control valve for controlling the flow of cold water; and a second flow control valve for controlling the flow of hot water. Each of the flow control valves comprises a valve member and an associated valve seat, each valve member arranged to engage with the associated valve seat to control the flow of water through the flow control valves to the water outlet. One or both of the valve members includes a graduated flow control bead arranged to seal against the associated valve seat to provide a graduated flow transition between a maximum flow state and a minimum flow state of the, or each, control valve.Type: GrantFiled: May 5, 2020Date of Patent: July 19, 2022Assignee: KOHLER MIRA LIMITEDInventors: Barry Steven Hobbs, Mark Frederick Florencio Barton, Philip Peter Ineson, Alexander Colin Fagg
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Publication number: 20220121229Abstract: A control system for one or more ablutionary devices includes a mixer valve having a first inlet and a second inlet configured to receive a supply of hot and cold water, and an outlet configured to output cold water, hot water or a mixture thereof as an output stream for suppling water to the one or more ablutionary devices downstream of the mixer valve; and a controller. The controller is configured obtain one or more current operating signals related to the flow rate of the output stream produced by the mixer valve and compare each of the one or more current operating signals to a corresponding historical operating signal, the historical operating signal being an operating signal previously obtained by the controller, and to generate a diagnostic signal based on the comparison.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 15, 2021Publication date: April 21, 2022Applicant: Kohler Mira LimitedInventors: Barry Steven Hobbs, Mark Frederick Florencio Barton
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Publication number: 20220121230Abstract: A control system for one or more ablutionary devices includes a valve having one or valve members each arranged to receive a respective water supply via one or more supply inlets, and an output for suppling output water to the one or more ablutionary devices downstream of the valve, the one or more valve members being arranged to control the flow of water between the one or more supply inlets and the output; one or more temperature sensors arranged to generate a respective temperature signal indicative of the temperature of any one or more of the water supply upstream of any one or more of the valve members, and the output water downstream of the one or more valve members; and a controller in communication with the one or more temperature sensors.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 15, 2021Publication date: April 21, 2022Applicant: Kohler Mira LimitedInventors: Barry Steven Hobbs, Alexander Colin Fagg, Charles Maxwell Parker
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Publication number: 20220121228Abstract: A control system for one or more ablutionary devices, comprising: a mixer valve having a first inlet and a second inlet configured to receive a supply of hot and cold water, and an outlet configured to output cold water, hot water or a mixture thereof as an output stream for suppling water to the one or more ablutionary devices downstream of the mixer valve; and a controller in communication with the mixer valve. The controller is configured to control the mixer valve according to one or more target output water properties; obtain one or more operating signals each related to an operating parameter of the control system; and generate, based on the one or more operating signals, a diagnostic signal that indicates an associated failure mode of the water supply if the mixer valve cannot be controlled to reach the one or more target water output properties.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 15, 2021Publication date: April 21, 2022Applicant: Kohler Mira LimitedInventors: Barry Steven Hobbs, Mark Frederick Florencio Barton, Charles Maxwell Parker
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Publication number: 20220121232Abstract: A control system for one or more ablutionary devices includes a mixer valve having a first inlet and a second inlet configured to receive a supply of hot and cold water, and an outlet configured to output cold water, hot water or a mixture thereof as an output stream for suppling water to the one or more ablutionary devices downstream of the mixer valve; and a controller in communication with the mixer valve. The controller is configured to obtain a supply coupling setting that indicates which of the first and second inlets is to receive, or is receiving, hot water during operation of the control system and which of the first and second inlets is to receive, or is receiving, cold water during operation of the control system; and control the mixer valve according to one or more target output water properties and the supply coupling setting.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 15, 2021Publication date: April 21, 2022Applicant: Kohler Mira LimitedInventors: Barry Steven Hobbs, Alexander Colin Fagg, Mark Frederick Florencio Barton, Charles Maxwell Parker
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Publication number: 20200263398Abstract: A plumbing component includes a cold water inlet; a hot water inlet; an outlet configured to output cold water, hot water, or a mixture thereof; a flow shut-off mechanism for restricting the flow of water out of the outlet; a first flow control valve for controlling the flow of cold water; and a second flow control valve for controlling the flow of hot water. Each of the flow control valves comprises a valve member and an associated valve seat, each valve member arranged to engage with the associated valve seat to control the flow of water through the flow control valves to the water outlet. One or both of the valve members includes a graduated flow control bead arranged to seal against the associated valve seat to provide a graduated flow transition between a maximum flow state and a minimum flow state of the, or each, control valve.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 5, 2020Publication date: August 20, 2020Applicant: Kohler Mira LimitedInventors: Barry Steven Hobbs, Mark Frederick Florencio Barton, Philip Peter Ineson, Alexander Colin Fagg