Patents by Inventor Randal S. Graskamp

Randal S. Graskamp 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: 11987969
    Abstract: A toilet assembly includes a toilet body and a fluidic oscillator. The toilet body defines a toilet bowl that is configured to receive a volume of fluid therein. The fluidic oscillator is coupled to the toilet body in a rim area of the toilet bowl. The fluidic oscillator is positioned to direct a fluid onto an inner surface of the toilet bowl. The fluidic oscillator is configured to continuously redirect the flow of fluid to different locations along the inner surface of the toilet bowl.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2023
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2024
    Assignee: Kohler Co.
    Inventors: Clayton C. Garrels, William C. Kuru, William Kalk, Randal S. Graskamp
  • Publication number: 20240093473
    Abstract: An educator assembly for a toilet includes a suction reservoir, a flow driving device, a first nozzle, a second nozzle, and a discharge outlet. The suction reservoir is configured to store a supply of water. The flow driving device is configured to supply a flow of water to the eductor assembly and in fluid communication with the suction reservoir to create a suction port proximate to the flow driving device and the suction reservoir. The first nozzle is at the end of the flow driving device. The second nozzle is downstream of the suction port. The discharge outlet is coupled to a trapway of the toilet and configured to receive discharge from the second nozzle downstream of the suction port.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 29, 2023
    Publication date: March 21, 2024
    Inventors: Clayton C. Garrels, Jeremiah J. Rauwerdink, Randal S. Graskamp
  • Patent number: 11879242
    Abstract: An educator assembly for a toilet includes a suction reservoir, a flow driving device, a first nozzle, a second nozzle, and a discharge outlet. The suction reservoir is configured to store a supply of water. The flow driving device is configured to supply a flow of water to the eductor assembly and in fluid communication with the suction reservoir to create a suction port proximate to the flow driving device and the suction reservoir. The first nozzle is at the end of the flow driving device. The second nozzle is downstream of the suction port. The discharge outlet is coupled to a trapway of the toilet and configured to receive discharge from the second nozzle downstream of the suction port.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2024
    Assignee: Kohler Co.
    Inventors: Clayton C. Garrels, Jeremiah J. Rauwerdink, Randal S. Graskamp
  • Publication number: 20230358028
    Abstract: A toilet includes a bowl with a sump and a trapway connecting the sump to an outlet of the toilet. The trapway has a zeta shape and is configured to induce a siphon which provides pressure to suction waste water from the bowl during a flush cycle. A trapway supply conduit is connected to the trapway in a tangential orientation to an upleg region of the trapway. The trapway supply conduit supplies water to the trapway, which follows a contour of the inner surface of the trapway supply conduit and continues in the same direction into the upleg region of the trapway by relying on a fluid flow to follow the curve of a convex surface placed proximate to the flow.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 12, 2023
    Publication date: November 9, 2023
    Inventors: Clayton C. Garrels, Jeremiah J. Rauwerdink, Randal S. Graskamp
  • Publication number: 20230287671
    Abstract: A toilet assembly includes a toilet body and a fluidic oscillator. The toilet body defines a toilet bowl that is configured to receive a volume of fluid therein. The fluidic oscillator is coupled to the toilet body in a rim area of the toilet bowl. The fluidic oscillator is positioned to direct a fluid onto an inner surface of the toilet bowl. The fluidic oscillator is configured to continuously redirect the flow of fluid to different locations along the inner surface of the toilet bowl.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 18, 2023
    Publication date: September 14, 2023
    Inventors: Clayton C. Garrels, William C. Kuru, William Kalk, Randal S. Graskamp
  • Patent number: 11739519
    Abstract: A toilet includes a bowl with a sump and a trapway connecting the sump to an outlet of the toilet. The trapway has a zeta shape and is configured to induce a siphon which provides pressure to suction waste water from the bowl during a flush cycle. A trapway supply conduit is connected to the trapway in a tangential orientation to an upleg region of the trapway. The trapway supply conduit supplies water to the trapway, which follows a contour of the inner surface of the trapway supply conduit and continues in the same direction into the upleg region of the trapway by relying on a fluid flow to follow the curve of a convex surface placed proximate to the flow.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2023
    Assignee: Kohler Co.
    Inventors: Clayton C. Garrels, Jeremiah J. Rauwerdink, Randal S. Graskamp
  • Patent number: 11739517
    Abstract: A toilet assembly includes a toilet body and a fluidic oscillator. The toilet body defines a toilet bowl that is configured to receive a volume of fluid therein. The fluidic oscillator is coupled to the toilet body in a rim area of the toilet bowl. The fluidic oscillator is positioned to direct a fluid onto an inner surface of the toilet bowl. The fluidic oscillator is configured to continuously redirect the flow of fluid to different locations along the inner surface of the toilet bowl.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 1, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2023
    Assignee: Kohler Co.
    Inventors: Clayton C. Garrels, William C. Kuru, William Kalk, Randal S. Graskamp
  • Publication number: 20220074182
    Abstract: An educator assembly for a toilet includes a suction reservoir, a flow driving device, a first nozzle, a second nozzle, and a discharge outlet. The suction reservoir is configured to store a supply of water. The flow driving device is configured to supply a flow of water to the eductor assembly and in fluid communication with the suction reservoir to create a suction port proximate to the flow driving device and the suction reservoir. The first nozzle is at the end of the flow driving device. The second nozzle is downstream of the suction port. The discharge outlet is coupled to a trapway of the toilet and configured to receive discharge from the second nozzle downstream of the suction port.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 19, 2021
    Publication date: March 10, 2022
    Inventors: Clayton C. Garrels, Jeremiah J. Rauwerdink, Randal S. Graskamp
  • Publication number: 20220064929
    Abstract: A shower head includes a water input pipe, a fluidic oscillator, and at least one water outlet. The water input pipe is configured to supply a flow of water. The fluidic oscillator includes at least one predetermined geometry to control the flow of water ejected from the fluidic oscillator to include a repeating fan of water at a predetermined angle range. The at least one water outlet is configured to provide the flow water including the repeating pattern of water.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 9, 2021
    Publication date: March 3, 2022
    Inventors: Clayton C. Garrels, William C. Kuru, William Kalk, Randal S. Graskamp, Jason Kwacz
  • Publication number: 20210189709
    Abstract: A toilet includes a bowl with a sump and a trapway connecting the sump to an outlet of the toilet. The trapway has a zeta shape and is configured to induce a siphon which provides pressure to suction waste water from the bowl during a flush cycle. A trapway supply conduit is connected to the trapway in a tangential orientation to an upleg region of the trapway. The trapway supply conduit supplies water to the trapway, which follows a contour of the inner surface of the trapway supply conduit and continues in the same direction into the upleg region of the trapway by relying on a fluid flow to follow the curve of a convex surface placed proximate to the flow.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 3, 2021
    Publication date: June 24, 2021
    Inventors: Clayton C. Garrels, Jeremiah J. Rauwerdink, Randal S. Graskamp
  • Patent number: 10961694
    Abstract: A toilet includes a bowl with a sump and a trapway connecting the sump to an outlet of the toilet. The trapway has a zeta shape and is configured to induce a siphon which provides pressure to suction waste water from the bowl during a flush cycle. A trapway supply conduit is connected to the trapway in a tangential orientation to an upleg region of the trapway. The trapway supply conduit supplies water to the trapway, which follows a contour of the inner surface of the trapway supply conduit and continues in the same direction into the upleg region of the trapway by relying on a fluid flow to follow the curve of a convex surface placed proximate to the flow.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 30, 2021
    Assignee: Kohler Co.
    Inventors: Clayton C. Garrels, Jeremiah J. Rauwerdink, Randal S. Graskamp
  • Publication number: 20200362548
    Abstract: A toilet assembly includes a toilet body and a fluidic oscillator. The toilet body defines a toilet bowl that is configured to receive a volume of fluid therein. The fluidic oscillator is coupled to the toilet body in a rim area of the toilet bowl. The fluidic oscillator is positioned to direct a fluid onto an inner surface of the toilet bowl. The fluidic oscillator is configured to continuously redirect the flow of fluid to different locations along the inner surface of the toilet bowl.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 1, 2020
    Publication date: November 19, 2020
    Inventors: Clayton C. Garrels, William C. Kuru, William Kalk, Randal S. Graskamp
  • Publication number: 20200018055
    Abstract: A toilet includes a bowl with a sump and a trapway connecting the sump to an outlet of the toilet. The trapway has a zeta shape and is configured to induce a siphon which provides pressure to suction waste water from the bowl during a flush cycle. A trapway supply conduit is connected to the trapway in a tangential orientation to an upleg region of the trapway. The trapway supply conduit supplies water to the trapway, which follows a contour of the inner surface of the trapway supply conduit and continues in the same direction into the upleg region of the trapway by relying on a fluid flow to follow the curve of a convex surface placed proximate to the flow.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 11, 2019
    Publication date: January 16, 2020
    Inventors: Clayton C. Garrels, Jeremiah J. Rauwerdink, Randal S. Graskamp