Patents by Inventor Matthew Ball

Matthew Ball 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: 20230405615
    Abstract: A shower device includes an elongated hollow waterway, a spray head configured to emit water, and a valve. The elongated hollow waterway extends in a longitudinal direction and has a first end configured to receive water, a second end, and an internal fluid passage extending from the first end to the second end. The second end has a port extending in a radial direction from the internal fluid passage through the waterway. The valve is configured to control a water flow rate from the internal fluid passage of the waterway to the spray head. The valve includes a valve body that surrounds the port and a control member operatively coupled to the valve body and surrounding at least a portion of the valve body. Rotation of the control member and valve body relative to the waterway provides a variable adjustment of the water flow rate to the spray head.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 31, 2023
    Publication date: December 21, 2023
    Applicant: Kohler Co.
    Inventor: Matthew Ball
  • Patent number: 11712705
    Abstract: A shower device includes an elongated hollow waterway, a spray head configured to emit water, and a valve. The elongated hollow waterway extends in a longitudinal direction and has a first end configured to receive water, a second end, and an internal fluid passage extending from the first end to the second end. The second end has a port extending in a radial direction from the internal fluid passage through the waterway. The valve is configured to control a water flow rate from the internal fluid passage of the waterway to the spray head. The valve includes a valve body that surrounds the port and a control member operatively coupled to the valve body and surrounding at least a portion of the valve body. Rotation of the control member and valve body relative to the waterway provides a variable adjustment of the water flow rate to the spray head.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2022
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2023
    Assignee: KOHLER CO.
    Inventor: Matthew Ball
  • Publication number: 20220371031
    Abstract: A shower device includes an elongated hollow waterway, a spray head configured to emit water, and a valve. The elongated hollow waterway extends in a longitudinal direction and has a first end configured to receive water, a second end, and an internal fluid passage extending from the first end to the second end. The second end has a port extending in a radial direction from the internal fluid passage through the waterway. The valve is configured to control a water flow rate from the internal fluid passage of the waterway to the spray head. The valve includes a valve body that surrounds the port and a control member operatively coupled to the valve body and surrounding at least a portion of the valve body. Rotation of the control member and valve body relative to the waterway provides a variable adjustment of the water flow rate to the spray head.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 26, 2022
    Publication date: November 24, 2022
    Applicant: Kohler Co.
    Inventor: Matthew Ball
  • Patent number: 11406994
    Abstract: A shower device includes an elongated hollow waterway, a spray head configured to emit water, and a valve. The elongated hollow waterway extends in a longitudinal direction and has a first end configured to receive water, a second end, and an internal fluid passage extending from the first end to the second end. The second end has a port extending in a radial direction from the internal fluid passage through the waterway. The valve is configured to control a water flow rate from the internal fluid passage of the waterway to the spray head. The valve includes a valve body that surrounds the port and a control member operatively coupled to the valve body and surrounding at least a portion of the valve body. Rotation of the control member and valve body relative to the waterway provides a variable adjustment of the water flow rate to the spray head.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2022
    Assignee: KOHLER CO.
    Inventor: Matthew Ball
  • Publication number: 20210400624
    Abstract: A location control subsystem is provided that allows a user of an electronic device to define the granularity used to provide location coarseness. A user can define a coarse location granularity for an application. When a coarse device location is reported to an application, the location can be provided with at least a minimum degree of variable specificity based on the selected location coarseness. When an application is granted a coarse location, the application is to interpret the provided location indicating that the user may be anywhere within a geographic region of variable specificity, as opposed to being close to a center point with a horizontal accuracy based on the precision of the location fix, as when a fine granularity location is provided. In addition to reducing the spatial resolution of the location that is reported to the application, the temporal resolution may also be reduced.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 31, 2021
    Publication date: December 23, 2021
    Inventors: Adam Driscoll, Siraj Taqi Abidi, Jessica Aranda, Matthew Ball, Krishna Behara, Patrick Coffman, Charlie Deets, Christopher Foster, Ron Huang, Erik Neuenschwander, Stephen J. Rhee, Maria Ryen, Brandon Van Ryswyk, Christian Schroeder, Shuli Zhou
  • Publication number: 20200384486
    Abstract: A shower device includes an elongated hollow waterway, a spray head configured to emit water, and a valve. The elongated hollow waterway extends in a longitudinal direction and has a first end configured to receive water, a second end, and an internal fluid passage extending from the first end to the second end. The second end has a port extending in a radial direction from the internal fluid passage through the waterway. The valve is configured to control a water flow rate from the internal fluid passage of the waterway to the spray head. The valve includes a valve body that surrounds the port and a control member operatively coupled to the valve body and surrounding at least a portion of the valve body. Rotation of the control member and valve body relative to the waterway provides a variable adjustment of the water flow rate to the spray head.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 27, 2020
    Publication date: December 10, 2020
    Applicant: Kohler Co.
    Inventor: Matthew Ball
  • Patent number: 10610060
    Abstract: A guide member for a sliding shower door assembly includes a first wall and a second wall. The second wall is offset from the first wall defining a channel therebetween. The channel is configured to receive a portion of a door panel. At least one of the first wall and the second wall includes an undulating surface defined by a plurality of protrusions and valleys.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2020
    Assignee: KOHLER CO.
    Inventors: Matthew Ball, Adam M. Moller
  • Publication number: 20190384620
    Abstract: Various embodiments of the present disclosure can include a system. The system can include a computing device. The system can further include an application programming interface in communication with the computing device. The system can further include an interactive button, comprising a processor and a non-transitory computer readable medium that includes instructions executable by the processor. In some embodiments, the instructions can be executable to establish communication between the interactive button and the computing device via the application programming interface. In some embodiments, the instructions can be executable to send an instruction to the computing device from the interactive button via the application programming interface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 24, 2018
    Publication date: December 19, 2019
    Inventors: Jory Schwach, Matthew Ball
  • Patent number: 10327598
    Abstract: An elongated member for a shower door assembly includes a protrusion configured to be received within a channel of a header to slidably couple the elongated member to the header. The elongated member is configured to be slid within the channel between a first position to allow for a shower door to be installed onto, or removed from, the header and a second position to substantially impede upright movement of the shower door when the shower door is moved along the header.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2019
    Assignee: KOHLER CO.
    Inventors: Matthew Ball, Mark Johnson
  • Publication number: 20190038085
    Abstract: An elongated member for a shower door assembly includes a protrusion configured to be received within a channel of a header to slidably couple the elongated member to the header. The elongated member is configured to be slid within the channel between a first position to allow for a shower door to be installed onto, or removed from, the header and a second position to substantially impede upright movement of the shower door when the shower door is moved along the header.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 10, 2018
    Publication date: February 7, 2019
    Inventors: MATTHEW BALL, Mark Johnson
  • Patent number: 10123660
    Abstract: A shower door assembly includes a header, a door, and an elongated member. The header includes a track and a channel disposed above the track. The door is in moving engagement with the track. The elongated member is received within and slidably coupled to the channel and is configured to be moved within the channel between a first position to allow for removal of the door from the track, and a second position to substantially impede upright movement of the door when the door is moved along the track between an open and a closed position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2018
    Assignee: KOHLER CO.
    Inventors: Matthew Ball, Mark Johnson
  • Publication number: 20180242795
    Abstract: A guide member for a sliding shower door assembly includes a first wall and a second wall. The second wall is offset from the first wall defining a channel therebetween. The channel is configured to receive a portion of a door panel. At least one of the first wall and the second wall includes an undulating surface defined by a plurality of protrusions and valleys.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 30, 2018
    Publication date: August 30, 2018
    Inventors: Matthew Ball, Adam M. Moller
  • Patent number: 9974415
    Abstract: A shower door assembly includes a first door panel, defining a hole in an upper portion thereof, and a bracket assembly. The bracket assembly includes a bracket having opposing first and second bracket flanges, each bracket flange defining a plurality of corresponding holes at different positions above a bottom end of the bracket flange. The bracket assembly further includes a bushing having opposing first and second bushing flanges, each bushing flange defining a mounting hole. The bracket assembly further includes an axle and a roller. Each bushing flange engages an opposite side of the first door panel and each bracket flange engages a bushing flange. The axle extends through a hole in each bracket flange, a mounting hole in each bushing flange, and the hole in the first door panel. The roller is rotatably coupled to the axle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2018
    Assignee: KOHLER CO.
    Inventors: Matthew Ball, Adam M. Moller
  • Patent number: 9783295
    Abstract: An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) is disclosed that includes a retractable payload delivery system. The payload delivery system can lower a payload to the ground using an assembly that secures the payload during descent and releases the payload upon reaching the ground. The assembly can also include a bystander communication module for generating cues for bystander perception. While the assembly securing the payload is being lowered from the UAV, the bystander communication module can generate an avoidance cue indicating that bystanders should avoid interference with the assembly. The assembly also includes sensors that generate data used, at least in part, to determine when the descending assembly is at or near the ground, at which point the assembly releases the payload. The bystander communication module can then cease the avoidance cue and the UAV can retract the assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2017
    Assignee: X Development LLC
    Inventors: Leila Takayama, Matthew Ball, Joanna Cohen, Roger William Graves, Mathias Samuel Fleck, Andrew Lambert, James Ryan Burgess, Paul Richard Komarek, Trevor Shannon
  • Publication number: 20170253334
    Abstract: An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) is disclosed that includes a retractable payload delivery system. The payload delivery system can lower a payload to the ground using an assembly that secures the payload during descent and releases the payload upon reaching the ground. The assembly can also include a bystander communication module for generating cues for bystander perception. While the assembly securing the payload is being lowered from the UAV, the bystander communication module can generate an avoidance cue indicating that bystanders should avoid interference with the assembly. The assembly also includes sensors that generate data used, at least in part, to determine when the descending assembly is at or near the ground, at which point the assembly releases the payload. The bystander communication module can then cease the avoidance cue and the UAV can retract the assembly.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 27, 2017
    Publication date: September 7, 2017
    Inventors: Leila Takayama, Matthew Ball, Joanna Cohen, Roger William Graves, Mathias Samuel Fleck, Andrew Lambert, James Ryan Burgess, Paul Richard Komarek, Trevor Shannon
  • Patent number: 9630715
    Abstract: An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) is disclosed that includes a retractable payload delivery system. The payload delivery system can lower a payload to the ground using an assembly that secures the payload during descent and releases the payload upon reaching the ground. The assembly can also include a bystander communication module for generating cues for bystander perception. While the assembly securing the payload is being lowered from the UAV, the bystander communication module can generate an avoidance cue indicating that bystanders should avoid interference with the assembly. The assembly also includes sensors that generate data used, at least in part, to determine when the descending assembly is at or near the ground, at which point the assembly releases the payload. The bystander communication module can then cease the avoidance cue and the UAV can retract the assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2017
    Assignee: X Development LLC
    Inventors: Leila Takayama, Matthew Ball, Joanna Cohen, Roger William Graves, Mathias Samuel Fleck, Andrew Lambert, James Ryan Burgess, Paul Richard Komarek, Trevor Shannon
  • Publication number: 20170043871
    Abstract: An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) is disclosed that includes a retractable payload delivery system. The payload delivery system can lower a payload to the ground using an assembly that secures the payload during descent and releases the payload upon reaching the ground. The assembly can also include a bystander communication module for generating cues for bystander perception. While the assembly securing the payload is being lowered from the UAV, the bystander communication module can generate an avoidance cue indicating that bystanders should avoid interference with the assembly. The assembly also includes sensors that generate data used, at least in part, to determine when the descending assembly is at or near the ground, at which point the assembly releases the payload. The bystander communication module can then cease the avoidance cue and the UAV can retract the assembly.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 31, 2016
    Publication date: February 16, 2017
    Inventors: Leila Takayama, Matthew Ball, Joanna Cohen, Roger William Graves, Mathias Samuel Fleck, Andrew Lambert, James Ryan Burgess, Paul Richard Komarek, Trevor Shannon
  • Patent number: 9510557
    Abstract: A non-V bank filter for an animal confinement application such as for filtering out the porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV) is provided. The filter may be a deep pleat of synthetic filter media with at least a MERV 14 rating and efficiency sufficient to filter out the PRRSV in high air flow applications. The media may be embossed and have spacers to provide for structural support and open filter structure for airflow. The filter can occupy less space and in some embodiments ½ or even less space than a corresponding V-Bank filter with comparable performance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2016
    Assignee: CLARCOR Air Filtration Products, Inc.
    Inventors: David Matthew Ball, LaMonte A. Crabtree
  • Patent number: 9493238
    Abstract: An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) is disclosed that includes a retractable payload delivery system. The payload delivery system can lower a payload to the ground using an assembly that secures the payload during descent and releases the payload upon reaching the ground. The assembly can also include a bystander communication module for generating cues for bystander perception. While the assembly securing the payload is being lowered from the UAV, the bystander communication module can generate an avoidance cue indicating that bystanders should avoid interference with the assembly. The assembly also includes sensors that generate data used, at least in part, to determine when the descending assembly is at or near the ground, at which point the assembly releases the payload. The bystander communication module can then cease the avoidance cue and the UAV can retract the assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2016
    Assignee: X Development LLC
    Inventors: Leila Takayama, Matthew Ball, Joanna Cohen, Roger William Graves, Mathias Samuel Fleck, Andrew Lambert, James Ryan Burgess, Paul Richard Komarek, Trevor Shannon
  • Publication number: 20160236778
    Abstract: An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) is disclosed that includes a retractable payload delivery system. The payload delivery system can lower a payload to the ground using an assembly that secures the payload during descent and releases the payload upon reaching the ground. The assembly can also include a bystander communication module for generating cues for bystander perception. While the assembly securing the payload is being lowered from the UAV, the bystander communication module can generate an avoidance cue indicating that bystanders should avoid interference with the assembly. The assembly also includes sensors that generate data used, at least in part, to determine when the descending assembly is at or near the ground, at which point the assembly releases the payload. The bystander communication module can then cease the avoidance cue and the UAV can retract the assembly.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 22, 2016
    Publication date: August 18, 2016
    Inventors: Leila Takayama, Matthew Ball, Joanna Cohen, Roger William Graves, Mathias Samuel Fleck, Andrew Lambert, James Ryan Burgess, Paul Richard Komarek, Trevor Shannon