Patents by Inventor Steven Hofmann

Steven Hofmann 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: 10858815
    Abstract: A quick connector assembly for connecting a toilet waste pipe to a drain pipe including a toilet carrier base. A collet has resilient radially inward fingers and a lock body secures the collet in place. The lock body has guide tracks with locked portions that define a locked position and unlocked portions that define an unlocked position. A lock nut includes interior protrusions coupled in the guide tracks for movement between the locked and unlocked positions. A guide is slidingly mounted between the lock nut and lock body. In the unlocked position, the lock nut forces the guide into the collet so that the radially inward fingers are splayed to allow removal of a toilet waste pipe for adjustment. In the locked position, the guide is not forced into the collet so that the radially inward fingers prevent removal of the toilet waste pipe for fast and easy assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 8, 2020
    Assignee: Watts Regulator Co.
    Inventors: Matthew Fratantonio, Steven Hofmann
  • Patent number: 10823296
    Abstract: A mixing valve assembly includes a valve housing defining an interior, a cold inlet along a first axis, a hot inlet, and a mixed outlet. A metering ball within the interior rotates about the first axis. The metering ball has an outer shell defining: a cold port aligned with the cold inlet; a hot port selectively aligned with the hot inlet; a cold outlet connected to the cold port; and a hot outlet connected to the hot port. Rotation of the metering ball aligns the hot port with the hot inlet, the cold outlet with the mixed outlet, and the hot outlet with the mixed outlet to varying degrees. The metering ball has a central flowpath for hot water and a radially outward flowpath for cold water.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2020
    Assignee: Watts Regulator Co.
    Inventors: Matthew Fratantonio, Steven Hofmann, Donald K Morse
  • Publication number: 20200224400
    Abstract: A quick connector assembly for connecting a toilet waste pipe to a drain pipe including a toilet carrier base. A collet has resilient radially inward fingers and a lock body secures the collet in place. The lock body has guide tracks with locked portions that define a locked position and unlocked portions that define an unlocked position. A lock nut includes interior protrusions coupled in the guide tracks for movement between the locked and unlocked positions. A guide is slidingly mounted between the lock nut and lock body. In the unlocked position, the lock nut forces the guide into the collet so that the radially inward fingers are splayed to allow removal of a toilet waste pipe for adjustment. In the locked position, the guide is not forced into the collet so that the radially inward fingers prevent removal of the toilet waste pipe for fast and easy assembly.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 11, 2019
    Publication date: July 16, 2020
    Applicant: Watts Regulator Co.
    Inventors: Matthew Fratantonio, Steven Hofmann
  • Publication number: 20200191281
    Abstract: A mixing valve assembly includes a valve housing defining an interior, a cold inlet along a first axis, a hot inlet, and a mixed outlet. A metering ball within the interior rotates about the first axis. The metering ball has an outer shell defining: a cold port aligned with the cold inlet; a hot port selectively aligned with the hot inlet; a cold outlet connected to the cold port; and a hot outlet connected to the hot port. Rotation of the metering ball aligns the hot port with the hot inlet, the cold outlet with the mixed outlet, and the hot outlet with the mixed outlet to varying degrees. The metering ball has a central flowpath for hot water and a radially outward flowpath for cold water.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 12, 2018
    Publication date: June 18, 2020
    Applicant: Watts Regulator Co.
    Inventors: Matthew Fratantonio, Steven Hofmann, Donald K. Morse
  • Patent number: D531697
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2005
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2006
    Assignee: Watts Drainage Products Inc.
    Inventor: Steven Hofmann
  • Patent number: D755931
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2016
    Assignee: Watts Water Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Matthew Fratantonio, Steven Hofmann
  • Patent number: D802098
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2017
    Assignee: Watts Regulator Co.
    Inventors: Steven Hofmann, Matthew Fratantonio