Patents by Inventor Benjamin Lea

Benjamin Lea 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).

  • Publication number: 20240299960
    Abstract: A showerhead for an overhead shower is provided, and includes a faceplate with one or more apertures, and a chamber within the showerhead. The chamber is in fluid communication with a water supply. A nozzle is also disposed at least partially in each aperture. One or more of the nozzles have a nozzle body with a nozzle inlet at a first end and a nozzle outlet at a second end. The nozzle inlet is inboard of the faceplate. One or more enclosure portions protrude into the chamber from a back plate. A portion of the nozzle body including the nozzle inlet is surrounded at least partially by the enclosure portion. A first gap is between the nozzle body and the enclosure portion. The enclosure portion and the nozzle body together provide a tortuous, relatively narrow flow path.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 21, 2024
    Publication date: September 12, 2024
    Inventors: Richard Burns, Benjamin Lea
  • Patent number: 12018769
    Abstract: A diaphragm valve is provided, and includes a diaphragm moveable over a range from a first position to a second position, to open and close an outlet. A control bleed hole extends from a first side of the diaphragm to a second side, opposite the first side. A closing member is moveable to open and close the control bleed hole, to modify the pressure on either side of the diaphragm, and to cause the movement the diaphragm over at least part of the range. A mechanical means is arranged to move the closing member to open and close the control bleed hole. The mechanical means is configured to engage the diaphragm and cause movement of the diaphragm over at least part of the range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2022
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2024
    Assignee: KOHLER MIRA LIMITED
    Inventors: Daniel Paul Griffiths, Benjamin Lea, Mitchell Connor Hobbs
  • Patent number: 11746817
    Abstract: A retaining means for retaining a cartridge on a body includes a snap ring having an opening angle of between 130° and 300°, and comprising a first indexing means, the snap ring being arranged to be slideable between a first position with respect to the body in which the retaining means retains the cartridge on the body and a second position with respect to the body in which the cartridge can be removed from the body. The retaining means also includes a cap arranged to be fixedly connected to a housing of the cartridge, and comprising a second indexing means. The first indexing means is arranged to interlock with the second indexing means so as to allow the snap ring to be moved between, and held in each of, the first and second positions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2023
    Assignee: KOHLER MIRA LIMITED
    Inventors: Sophie Emily Groves, Benjamin Lea
  • Publication number: 20220325818
    Abstract: A diaphragm valve is provided, and includes a diaphragm moveable over a range from a first position to a second position, to open and close an outlet. A control bleed hole extends from a first side of the diaphragm to a second side, opposite the first side. A closing member is moveable to open and close the control bleed hole, to modify the pressure on either side of the diaphragm, and to cause the movement the diaphragm over at least part of the range. A mechanical means is arranged to move the closing member to open and close the control bleed hole. The mechanical means is configured to engage the diaphragm and cause movement of the diaphragm over at least part of the range.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 22, 2022
    Publication date: October 13, 2022
    Inventors: Daniel Paul GRIFFITHS, Benjamin LEA, Mitchell Connor HOBBS
  • Publication number: 20220320407
    Abstract: An apparatus is provided for generating an electrical current from a temperature differential in an ablutionary fitting. A heat transfer plate includes a projection directly contacting water carried in a first region of the fitting. A thermoelectric module includes one or more thermoelectric elements thermally coupled between the heat transfer plate and a housing of the ablutionary fitting in a second region of the ablutionary fitting. The thermoelectric elements generate electricity from a temperature differential between water carried in the first and second regions of the ablutionary fitting.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 23, 2022
    Publication date: October 6, 2022
    Inventors: Daniel GRIFFITHS, Benjamin LEA, Mitchell Connor HOBBS
  • Publication number: 20200263721
    Abstract: A retaining means for retaining a cartridge on a body includes a snap ring having an opening angle of between 130° and 300°, and comprising a first indexing means, the snap ring being arranged to be slideable between a first position with respect to the body in which the retaining means retains the cartridge on the body and a second position with respect to the body in which the cartridge can be removed from the body. The retaining means also includes a cap arranged to be fixedly connected to a housing of the cartridge, and comprising a second indexing means. The first indexing means is arranged to interlock with the second indexing means so as to allow the snap ring to be moved between, and held in each of, the first and second positions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 5, 2020
    Publication date: August 20, 2020
    Applicant: Kohler Mira Limited
    Inventors: Sophie Emily GROVES, Benjamin LEA
  • Patent number: 10436332
    Abstract: A fluid control valve for mixing hot and cold water has an inlet for cold water, an inlet for hot water, and at least one outlet for temperature controlled water. The valve further includes a temperature control device for mixing hot and cold water to provide a source of temperature controlled water that includes a cartridge having inlet ports in communication with the inlets for hot and cold water and an outlet port in communication with the at least one outlet for temperature controlled water. The valve further includes an inner sleeve that defines with the cartridge a first passageway, and an outer sleeve that defines with the inner sleeve and cartridge a second passageway. The first and second passageways are configured to deliver hot and cold water to the inlet ports of the cartridge.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2019
    Assignee: KOHLER MIRA LIMITED
    Inventors: Nigel P. Sansum, Simon Westgate, Benjamin Lea, Richard James Mead
  • Patent number: 10161535
    Abstract: A fluid control valve for mixing hot and cold water has an inlet for cold water, an inlet for hot water and at least two outlets for temperature controlled water. The valve further has a flow control device comprising a pair of control members that are relatively movable to control flow of water at the inlets and outlets of the valve for selecting flow to an individual outlet or a combination of at least two outlets.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2018
    Assignee: KOHLER MIRA LIMITED
    Inventors: Nigel P. Sansum, Simon Westgate, Benjamin Lea, Richard James Mead
  • Publication number: 20170152955
    Abstract: A fluid control valve for mixing hot and cold water has an inlet for cold water, an inlet for hot water and at least two outlets for temperature controlled water. The valve further has a flow control device comprising a pair of control members that are relatively movable to control flow of water at the inlets and outlets of the valve for selecting flow to an individual outlet or a combination of at least two outlets.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 9, 2017
    Publication date: June 1, 2017
    Inventors: Nigel P. SANSUM, Simon Westgate, Benjamin Lea, Richard James Mead
  • Publication number: 20170152956
    Abstract: A fluid control valve for mixing hot and cold water has an inlet for cold water, an inlet for hot water, and at least one outlet for temperature controlled water. The valve further includes a temperature control device for mixing hot and cold water to provide a source of temperature controlled water that includes a cartridge having inlet ports in communication with the inlets for hot and cold water and an outlet port in communication with the at least one outlet for temperature controlled water. The valve further includes an inner sleeve that defines with the cartridge a first passageway, and an outer sleeve that defines with the inner sleeve and cartridge a second passageway. The first and second passageways are configured to deliver hot and cold water to the inlet ports of the cartridge.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 9, 2017
    Publication date: June 1, 2017
    Inventors: Nigel P. SANSUM, Simon Westgate, Benjamin Lea, Richard James Mead
  • Patent number: 8939175
    Abstract: A fluid delivery system has an inner pipe (10) and an outer pipe (12). The inner pipe (10) is fixed and the outer pipe (12) is slidable relative to the inner pipe (10) in an axial direction lengthwise of the inner pipe (10). The inner pipe (10) has an inlet (2) and an outlet (4). The outer pipe (12) has two outlets (6 and 8). The inlet (2) is connectable to a fluid source and the outlets are connectable to appliances such as a shower, bath or washbasin. The outer pipe (12) is slidable along the inner pipe (10) to connect selectively the inlet (2) to one or more of the outlets (4, 6, 8) individually or in combination.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 27, 2015
    Assignee: Kohler Mira Limited
    Inventors: Benjamin Lea, Nigel Paul Sansum
  • Publication number: 20120125464
    Abstract: A fluid delivery system has an inner pipe (10) and an outer pipe (12). The inner pipe (10) is fixed and the outer pipe (12) is slidable relative to the inner pipe (10) in an axial direction lengthwise of the inner pipe (10). The inner pipe (10) has an inlet (2) and an outlet (4). The outer pipe (12) has two outlets (6 and 8). The inlet (2) is connectable to a fluid source and the outlets are connectable to appliances such as a shower, bath or washbasin. The outer pipe (12) is slidable along the inner pipe (10) to connect selectively the inlet (2) to one or more of the outlets (4, 6, 8) individually or in combination.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 30, 2010
    Publication date: May 24, 2012
    Inventors: Benjamin Lea, Nigel Sansum