Patents by Inventor Lawrence E. Thrasher

Lawrence E. Thrasher 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).

  • Patent number: 5014372
    Abstract: A hydrotherapy jet assembly that produces rotating and pulsating streams of water and provides for user adjustable flow control, and user adjustable control of the speed of rotation independently of the flow control. The assembly includes a nozzle rotor supported for rotation in a generally cylindrical body, and a rotor retainer cage having a thrust plate that applies an axial retaining force to the rotor. The rotor has two internal passages that discharge water in directions that may be selected to produce a turning moment applied to the rotor. Fins may be incorporated into the rotor to produce or contribute to rotation. In all of the disclosed forms of the rotor, radial thrust components resulting from discharge of water through the two rotor passages cancel each other. The rotor is thereby balanced in directions transverse to its axis or rotation. Axial thrust components resulting from the discharge of water from the nozzle rotor are substantially balanced by the force of water entering the rotor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 1989
    Date of Patent: May 14, 1991
    Assignee: KDI American Products, Inc.
    Inventors: Lawrence E. Thrasher, Gordon E. Olson, Garrett J. Burkitt, III, Timothy E. Schmidt, Elias M. Haddad, Susan Conti-Johnston
  • Patent number: D348922
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 1993
    Date of Patent: July 19, 1994
    Assignee: KDI American Products Company
    Inventors: Lawrence E. Thrasher, Gustavo Mendiola