Patents by Inventor Eric M. Plate
Eric M. Plate 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: 20240426091Abstract: A touchless actuation system for a toilet includes a touchless sensor, a motor assembly, and a processing circuit. The processing circuit is configured to receive a signal from the touchless sensor and to detect an object within a detection region based on the signal. The touchless sensor lacks an optical path to the detection region. In some embodiments, the touchless sensor is a projected capacitive sensor. The processing circuit is configured to activate the motor assembly upon detecting the object and the motor assembly is configured to actuate flushing of the toilet when activated by the processing circuit.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 5, 2024Publication date: December 26, 2024Inventors: Peter W. Denzin, Jeffrey C. Hildebrand, Brian D. Renzelman, Clayton C. Garrels, Joseph L. Stauber, Eric M. Plate
-
Patent number: 12098534Abstract: A touchless actuation system for a toilet includes a touchless sensor, a motor assembly, and a processing circuit. The touchless sensor is located within a closed reservoir of the toilet. The processing circuit is configured to receive a signal from the touchless sensor and to detect an object within a detection region based on the signal. The detection region is external to the closed reservoir. The processing circuit is configured to facilitate flushing of the toilet through interaction with the motor assembly when the object is detected.Type: GrantFiled: December 29, 2022Date of Patent: September 24, 2024Assignee: Kohler Co.Inventors: Peter W. Denzin, Jeffrey C. Hildebrand, Brian D. Renzelman, Clayton C. Garrels, Joseph L. Stauber, Eric M. Plate
-
Publication number: 20230137908Abstract: A touchless actuation system for a toilet includes a touchless sensor, a motor assembly, and a processing circuit. The touchless sensor is located within a closed reservoir of the toilet. The processing circuit is configured to receive a signal from the touchless sensor and to detect an object within a detection region based on the signal. The detection region is external to the closed reservoir. The processing circuit is configured to facilitate flushing of the toilet through interaction with the motor assembly when the object is detected.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 29, 2022Publication date: May 4, 2023Inventors: Peter W. Denzin, Jeffrey C. Hildebrand, Brian D. Renzelman, Clayton C. Garrels, Joseph L. Stauber, Eric M. Plate
-
Patent number: 11560702Abstract: A touchless actuation system for a toilet includes a touchless sensor, a motor assembly, and a processing circuit. The touchless sensor is located within a closed reservoir of the toilet. The processing circuit is configured to receive a signal from the touchless sensor and to detect an object within a detection region based on the signal. The detection region is external to the closed reservoir. The processing circuit is configured to facilitate flushing of the toilet through interaction with the motor assembly when the object is detected.Type: GrantFiled: October 26, 2020Date of Patent: January 24, 2023Assignee: Kohler Co.Inventors: Peter W. Denzin, Jeffrey C. Hildebrand, Brian D. Renzelman, Clayton C. Garrels, Joseph L. Stauber, Eric M. Plate
-
Publication number: 20210054608Abstract: A touchless actuation system for a toilet includes a touchless sensor, a motor assembly, and a processing circuit. The touchless sensor is located within a closed reservoir of the toilet. The processing circuit is configured to receive a signal from the touchless sensor and to detect an object within a detection region based on the signal. The detection region is external to the closed reservoir. The processing circuit is configured to facilitate flushing of the toilet through interaction with the motor assembly when the object is detected.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 26, 2020Publication date: February 25, 2021Inventors: Peter W. Denzin, Jeffrey C. Hildebrand, Brian D. Renzelman, Clayton C. Garrels, Joseph L. Stauber, Eric M. Plate
-
Patent number: 10851532Abstract: A touchless actuation system for a toilet includes a touchless sensor, a motor assembly, and a processing circuit. The touchless sensor is located within a closed reservoir of the toilet. The processing circuit is configured to receive a signal from the touchless sensor and to detect an object within a detection region based on the signal. The detection region is external to the closed reservoir. The processing circuit is configured to facilitate flushing of the toilet through interaction with the motor assembly when the object is detected.Type: GrantFiled: May 8, 2017Date of Patent: December 1, 2020Assignee: Kohler Co.Inventors: Peter W. Denzin, Jeffrey C. Hildebrand, Brian D. Renzelman, Clayton C. Garrels, Joseph L. Stauber, Eric M. Plate
-
Publication number: 20170241118Abstract: A touchless actuation system for a toilet includes a touchless sensor, a motor assembly, and a processing circuit. The processing circuit is configured to receive a signal from the touchless sensor and to detect an object within a detection region based on the signal. The touchless sensor lacks an optical path to the detection region. In some embodiments, the touchless sensor is a projected capacitive sensor. The processing circuit is configured to activate the motor assembly upon detecting the object and the motor assembly is configured to actuate flushing of the toilet when activated by the processing circuit.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 8, 2017Publication date: August 24, 2017Inventors: Peter W. Denzin, Jeffrey C. Hildebrand, Brian D. Renzelman, Clayton C. Garrels, Joseph L. Stauber, Eric M. Plate
-
Patent number: 9689156Abstract: Disclosed is a plumbing fixture (e.g. a bidet or toilet) of the type having a frontal basin and means for directing a supply of water to the basin for cleaning the basin. The plumbing fixture includes a modular housing mountable behind the basin and at least one control positioned in the modular housing to control operation of the plumbing fixture. The control may be selected from the group Consisting of light controls, bidet wand position controls, bidet wand heated air supply controls, bidet wand water supply controls, lid position movement controls, seat position movement controls, deodorizer controls, audio device controls and ultra violet sanitizer controls.Type: GrantFiled: March 12, 2015Date of Patent: June 27, 2017Assignee: KOHLER CO.Inventors: Eric M. Plate, Peter W. Denzin, Joseph L. Stauber
-
Patent number: 9657472Abstract: A plumbing fixture includes a basin, a plumbing system configured to supply water to the basin, a processing circuit having a digital media interface, and a housing containing the plumbing system and the processing circuit. The housing includes a rear face having a section extending therefrom. The section extending from the housing includes a first face parallel to the rear face and a second face connecting the first face to the rear face. The second face includes ports allowing access to the digital media interface.Type: GrantFiled: September 28, 2015Date of Patent: May 23, 2017Assignee: KOHLER CO.Inventors: Eric M. Plate, Michael R. Bates, Fei Shen, Xue Jiongjun, Andy Zhu, Michael Cao, Li Ni
-
Patent number: 9657471Abstract: A touchless actuation system for a toilet includes a touchless sensor, a motor assembly, and a processing circuit. The processing circuit is configured to receive a signal from the touchless sensor and to detect an object within a detection region based on the signal. The touchless sensor lacks an optical path to the detection region. In some embodiments, the touchless sensor is a projected capacitive sensor. The processing circuit is configured to activate the motor assembly upon detecting the object and the motor assembly is configured to actuate flushing of the toilet when activated by the processing circuit.Type: GrantFiled: November 1, 2013Date of Patent: May 23, 2017Assignee: KOHLER CO.Inventors: Peter W. Denzin, Jeffrey C. Hildebrand, Brian D. Renzelman, Clayton C. Garrels, Joseph L. Stauber, Eric M. Plate
-
Patent number: 9339156Abstract: A cover installation 120 includes a cover 40 which is connected to the base 60 by a connecting module 80. The connecting module 80 enables the cover 40 to be opened and closed. A driving device 30 drives the connecting module 80 so that the cover is automatically opened and closed. A locking module can allow the cover 40 to be operated manually by disabling the driving device 30. Two connecting components 82 and 84 are connected to the cover 40 and configured to allow the top surface of the cover 40 to face the user when the cover 40 is opened automatically, while allowing the bottom surface of the cover 40 to face the user when the cover 40 is opened manually.Type: GrantFiled: May 16, 2012Date of Patent: May 17, 2016Assignee: SHANGHAI KOHLER ELECTRONICS, LTD.Inventors: Yihua Wang, Eric M. Plate, Nicholas W. Paterson
-
Publication number: 20160017585Abstract: A plumbing fixture includes a basin, a plumbing system configured to supply water to the basin, a processing circuit having a digital media interface, and a housing containing the plumbing system and the processing circuit. The housing includes a rear face having a section extending therefrom. The section extending from the housing includes a first face parallel to the rear face and a second face connecting the first face to the rear face. The second face includes ports allowing access to the digital media interface.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 28, 2015Publication date: January 21, 2016Inventors: Eric M. Plate, Michael R. Bates, Fei Shen, Xue Jiongjun, Andy Zhu, Michael Cao, Li Ni
-
Patent number: 9170720Abstract: A plumbing fixture includes a basin, a plumbing system configured to supply water to the basin, a processing circuit, and a housing containing the plumbing system and the processing circuit. The housing includes ports on the second face allowing access to a digital audio input, the plumbing fixture configured to output audio via a speaker based on the digital audio input. The plumbing fixture further includes a remote control configured to control the plumbing fixture and further configured to customize selectable audio sources for playback via the speaker.Type: GrantFiled: September 11, 2014Date of Patent: October 27, 2015Assignee: KOHLER CO.Inventors: Eric M. Plate, Michael R. Bates, Fei Shen, Xue Jiongjun, Andy Zhu, Michael Cao, Li Ni
-
Publication number: 20150184368Abstract: Disclosed is a plumbing fixture (e.g. a bidet or toilet) of the type having a frontal basin and means for directing a supply of water to the basin for cleaning the basin. The plumbing fixture includes a modular housing mountable behind the basin and at least one control positioned in the modular housing to control operation of the plumbing fixture. The control may be selected from the group Consisting of light controls, bidet wand position controls, bidet wand heated air supply controls, bidet wand water supply controls, lid position movement controls, seat position movement controls, deodorizer controls, audio device controls and ultra violet sanitizer controls.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 12, 2015Publication date: July 2, 2015Inventors: Eric M. Plate, Peter W. Denzin, Joseph L. Stauber
-
Patent number: 8978172Abstract: A plumbing fixture, such as a bidet or toilet, includes a frontal basin and a supply of water for cleaning the basin. The plumbing fixture includes a modular housing mountable behind the basin and at least one control positioned in the modular housing to control operation of the plumbing fixture. The control may be light controls, bidet wand position controls, bidet wand heated air supply controls, bidet wand water supply controls, lid position movement controls, seat position movement controls, deodorizer controls, audio device controls and ultra violet sanitizer controls.Type: GrantFiled: November 17, 2009Date of Patent: March 17, 2015Assignee: Kohler Co.Inventors: Eric M. Plate, Peter W. Denzin, Joseph L. Stauber
-
Publication number: 20140373263Abstract: A plumbing fixture includes a basin, a plumbing system configured to supply water to the basin, a processing circuit, and a housing containing the plumbing system and the processing circuit. The housing includes ports on the second face allowing access to a digital audio input, the plumbing fixture configured to output audio via a speaker based on the digital audio input. The plumbing fixture further includes a remote control configured to control the plumbing fixture and further configured to customize selectable audio sources for playback via the speaker.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 11, 2014Publication date: December 25, 2014Applicant: KOHLER CO.Inventors: Eric M. Plate, Michael R. Bates, Fei Shen, Xue Jiongjun, Andy Zhu, Michael Cao, Li Ni
-
Publication number: 20140123378Abstract: A touchless actuation system for a toilet includes a touchless sensor, a motor assembly, and a processing circuit. The processing circuit is configured to receive a signal from the touchless sensor and to detect an object within a detection region based on the signal. The touchless sensor lacks an optical path to the detection region. In some embodiments, the touchless sensor is a projected capacitive sensor. The processing circuit is configured to activate the motor assembly upon detecting the object and the motor assembly is configured to actuate flushing of the toilet when activated by the processing circuit.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 1, 2013Publication date: May 8, 2014Applicant: Kohler Co.Inventors: Michael Luettgen, Peter W. Denzin, Jeffrey C. Hildebrand, Brian D. Renzelman, Clayton C. Garrels, Joseph L. Stauber, Eric M. Plate
-
Publication number: 20130007951Abstract: A cover installation 120 includes a cover 40 which is connected to the base 60 by a connecting module 80. The connecting module 80 enables the cover 40 to be opened and closed. A driving device 30 drives the connecting module 80 so that the cover is automatically opened and closed. A locking module can allow the cover 40 to be operated manually by disabling the driving device 30. Two connecting components 82 and 84 are connected to the cover 40 and configured to allow the top surface of the cover 40 to face the user when the cover 40 is opened automatically, while allowing the bottom surface of the cover 40 to face the user when the cover 40 is opened manually.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 16, 2012Publication date: January 10, 2013Inventors: Yihua Wang, Eric M. Plate, Nicholas W. Paterson
-
Publication number: 20110113540Abstract: Disclosed is a plumbing fixture (e.g. a bidet or toilet) of the type having a frontal basin and means for directing a supply of water to the basin for cleaning the basin. The plumbing fixture includes a modular housing mountable behind the basin and at least one control positioned in the modular housing to control operation of the plumbing fixture. The control may be selected from the group consisting of light controls, bidet wand position controls, bidet wand heated air supply controls, bidet wand water supply controls, lid position movement controls, seat position movement controls, deodorizer controls, audio device controls and ultra violet sanitizer controls.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 17, 2009Publication date: May 19, 2011Inventors: Eric M. Plate, Peter W. Denzin, Joseph L. Stauber