Patents by Inventor W. Randall Tucker
W. Randall Tucker 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).
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Publication number: 20090032128Abstract: A one-handle valve cartridge includes a spring that isolates frictional forces between dynamic sealing elements in the valve cartridge and loads applied to the valve cartridge and transmitted to the dynamic sealing elements from an actuating mechanism of the valve cartridge.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 31, 2008Publication date: February 5, 2009Applicant: Moen IncorporatedInventor: W. Randall Tucker
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Publication number: 20090025800Abstract: A one-handle valve cartridge has one or more lobular keys formed on a housing of the valve cartridge. The lobular keys interface with keyways formed in a valve body.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 31, 2008Publication date: January 29, 2009Applicant: Moen IncorporatedInventors: Darren S. Lopp, W. Randall Tucker
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Publication number: 20090025808Abstract: A one-handle valve cartridge has a low point of contact for installing the valve cartridge in a valve body. A retention nut bears down on the low point of contact to secure the valve cartridge in the valve body.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 31, 2008Publication date: January 29, 2009Applicant: Moen IncorporatedInventors: Mark S. Kacik, W. Randall Tucker
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Publication number: 20090026402Abstract: A one-handle valve cartridge includes an actuating mechanism, wherein an amount of force required to operate the actuating mechanism is insensitive to a load applied to the valve cartridge during installation of the valve cartridge in a valve body. Accordingly, the valve cartridge can operate over a wide range of installation loads and can be properly installed without using a specialized tool or mechanism.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 31, 2008Publication date: January 29, 2009Applicant: Moen IncorporatedInventors: Todd C. Loschelder, W. Randall Tucker
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Publication number: 20080178952Abstract: A one-handle valve cartridge has a housing that functions as a stop for an actuating mechanism of the valve catridge to define a range of flow rates and/or temperatures for which the water flowing through the valve cartridge is delivered.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 31, 2008Publication date: July 31, 2008Applicant: Moen IncorporatedInventors: Mark S. Kacik, W. Randall Tucker
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Publication number: 20080178951Abstract: One-handle and two-handle valve cartridges have an increased maximum flow rate and/or a decreased size (e.g., volume). Accordingly, the valve cartridges achieve an improved flow rate to volume relationship.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 31, 2008Publication date: July 31, 2008Applicant: Moen IncorporatedInventors: Steve A. Frackowiak, Mark S. Kacik, Yaakov Korb, Todd C. Loschelder, W. Randall Tucker
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Patent number: 7000854Abstract: A spray head for a faucet or the like has a wand body defining a flow path from an inlet to first and second outlets. Diverter seats are provided so a face seal on a diverter spool can direct flow to the first or second outlet. The spool is positioned by a trigger acting on cam surfaces formed on a toggle. A spring biases the toggle to one of two stable states. Movement of the spool by the trigger causes the toggle to change states so subsequent actuation of the trigger causes the spool to move in the opposite direction. The wand body also has a pause button that reciprocates in a chamber that is part of the flow path. The chamber includes a valve seat and the pause button has a spool having a face seal that is engageable with the valve seat to shut off flow through the spray head. A return spring causes separation of the pause button's face seal upon release of pressure on the pause button.Type: GrantFiled: November 8, 2002Date of Patent: February 21, 2006Assignee: Moen IncorporatedInventors: Michael L. Malek, W. Randall Tucker, Peter Bates, Gaurav Rohatgi
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Patent number: 6877172Abstract: A faucet has a spout and a pullout spray head connected to a flexible water supply tube and releasably connectable to the spout. The spout has a docking collar mounted thereon for receiving a connecting shaft of the spray head. The docking collar has an annular wall with a plurality of U-shaped slots which define a plurality of cantilevered snap fingers. Each snap finger includes a projection that fits into a groove in the connecting shaft when the spray head is docked. An elastomeric O-ring surrounds the annular wall at a point where the O-ring engages the snap fingers to bias them toward the groove. Ridges on the exterior surface of the wall retain the O-ring in place. The spout and docked spray head have parallel shoulders that define a mating plane. The projections and groove define a retaining plane. The mating plane is not parallel to the retaining plane such that rotation of the spray head about an axis normal to the mating plane will cause the projections to release from the groove.Type: GrantFiled: January 14, 2003Date of Patent: April 12, 2005Assignee: Moen IncorporatedInventors: Michael L. Malek, W. Randall Tucker
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Patent number: 6845526Abstract: A faucet has a spout and a pullout spray head connected to a flexible water supply tube and releasably connectable to the spout. The spout has a docking collar mounted thereon for receiving a connecting shaft of the spray head. The docking collar has an annular wall with a plurality of U-shaped slots which define a plurality of cantilevered snap fingers. Each snap finger includes a projection that fits into a groove in the connecting shaft when the spray head is docked. An elastomeric O-ring surrounds the annular wall at a point where the O-ring engages the snap fingers to bias them toward the groove. Ridges on the exterior surface of the wall retain the O-ring in place. The spout and docked spray head have parallel shoulders that define a mating plane. The projections and groove define a retaining plane. The mating plane is not parallel to the retaining plane such that rotation of the spray head about an axis normal to the mating plane will cause the projections to release from the groove.Type: GrantFiled: January 14, 2003Date of Patent: January 25, 2005Assignee: Moen IncorporatedInventors: Michael L. Malek, W. Randall Tucker
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Publication number: 20040135010Abstract: A faucet has a spout and a pullout spray head connected to a flexible water supply tube and releasably connectable to the spout. The spout has a docking collar mounted thereon for receiving a connecting shaft of the spray head. The docking collar has an annular wall with a plurality of U-shaped slots which define a plurality of cantilevered snap fingers. Each snap finger includes a projection that fits into a groove in the connecting shaft when the spray head is docked. An elastomeric O-ring surrounds the annular wall at a point where the O-ring engages the snap fingers to bias them toward the groove. Ridges on the exterior surface of the wall retain the O-ring in place. The spout and docked spray head have parallel shoulders that define a mating plane. The projections and groove define a retaining plane. The mating plane is not parallel to the retaining plane such that rotation of the spray head about an axis normal to the mating plane will cause the projections to release from the groove.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 14, 2003Publication date: July 15, 2004Inventors: Michael L. Malek, W. Randall Tucker
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Publication number: 20040135009Abstract: A faucet has a spout and a pullout spray head connected to a flexible water supply tube and releasably connectable to the spout. The spout has a docking collar mounted thereon for receiving a connecting shaft of the spray head. The docking collar has an annular wall with a plurality of U-shaped slots which define a plurality of cantilevered snap fingers. Each snap finger includes a projection that fits into a groove in the connecting shaft when the spray head is docked. An elastomeric O-ring surrounds the annular wall at a point where the O-ring engages the snap fingers to bias them toward the groove. Ridges on the exterior surface of the wall retain the O-ring in place. The spout and docked spray head have parallel shoulders that define a mating plane. The projections and groove define a retaining plane. The mating plane is not parallel to the retaining plane such that rotation of the spray head about an axis normal to the mating plane will cause the projections to release from the groove.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 14, 2003Publication date: July 15, 2004Inventors: Michael L. Malek, W. Randall Tucker
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Publication number: 20040112985Abstract: A spray head for a faucet or the like has a wand body defining a flow path from an inlet to first and second outlets. Diverter seats are provided so a face seal on a diverter spool can direct flow to the first or second outlet. The spool is positioned by a trigger acting on cam surfaces formed on a toggle. A spring biases the toggle to one of two stable states. Movement of the spool by the trigger causes the toggle to change states so subsequent actuation of the trigger causes the spool to move in the opposite direction. The wand body also has a pause button that reciprocates in a chamber that is part of the flow path. The chamber includes a valve seat and the pause button has a spool having a face seal that is engageable with the valve seat to shut off flow through the spray head. A return spring causes separation of the pause button's face seal upon release of pressure on the pause button.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 8, 2002Publication date: June 17, 2004Inventors: Michael L. Malek, W. Randall Tucker, Peter Bates, Gaurav Rohatgi
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Patent number: 6738996Abstract: A spray head for a faucet or the like has a wand body defining a flow path from an inlet to first and second outlets. Diverter seats are provided so a face seal on a diverter spool can direct flow to the first or second outlet. The spool is positioned by a trigger acting on cam surfaces formed on a toggle. A spring biases the toggle to one of two stable states. Movement of the spool by the trigger causes the toggle to change states so subsequent actuation of the trigger causes the spool to move in the opposite direction. The wand body also has a pause button that reciprocates in a chamber that is part of the flow path. The chamber includes a valve seat and the pause button has a spool having a face seal that is engageable with the valve seat to shut off flow through the spray head. A return spring causes separation of the pause button's face seal upon release of pressure on the pause button.Type: GrantFiled: November 8, 2002Date of Patent: May 25, 2004Assignee: Moen IncorporatedInventors: Michael L. Malek, W. Randall Tucker
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Publication number: 20040088786Abstract: A spray head for a faucet or the like has a wand body defining a flow path from an inlet to first and second outlets. Diverter seats are provided so a face seal on a diverter spool can direct flow to the first or second outlet. The spool is positioned by a trigger acting on cam surfaces formed on a toggle. A spring biases the toggle to one of two stable states. Movement of the spool by the trigger causes the toggle to change states so subsequent actuation of the trigger causes the spool to move in the opposite direction. The wand body also has a pause button that reciprocates in a chamber that is part of the flow path. The chamber includes a valve seat and the pause button has a spool having a face seal that is engageable with the valve seat to shut off flow through the spray head. A return spring causes separation of the pause button's face seal upon release of pressure on the pause button.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 8, 2002Publication date: May 13, 2004Inventors: Michael L. Malek, W. Randall Tucker
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Patent number: 6093313Abstract: A faucet with multiple water discharges includes a housing, an input water connection for said housing, an unfiltered water discharge and a filtered water discharge. There is a water filter within the housing and a valve within the housing which is connected to each water discharge. There is an unfiltered water flow path from the input water connection to the valve and a filtered water flow path from the input water connection, through the filter, to the valve. A manual control element, accessible from the exterior of the housing, operates the valve to direct filtered water to the filtered water discharge and unfiltered water to the unfiltered water discharge. There is an electrical circuit positioned within the housing. The circuit includes a display and the circuit is responsive to operation of the manual control to cause the circuit to operate the display only during the discharge of filtered water.Type: GrantFiled: December 9, 1998Date of Patent: July 25, 2000Assignee: Moen IncorporatedInventors: Raymond Bovaird, James J. Sposit, W. Randall Tucker
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Patent number: 5656376Abstract: In a marine vessel having a drive shaft that extend rearwardly from its hull, wherein the drive shaft has a coupling and a bearing assembly along its length that are supported by struts, which struts are also secured to the hull of the vessel. A coupling cover encompasses the coupling and is mounted adjacent to a bearing assembly. A fairwater encompasses the coupling cover and is attached to the bearing assembly or the strut associated therewith to define a chamber and a clearance space between the fairwater and the coupling cover for directing fluids therethrough and through the bearing assembly to lubricate such bearing assembly. Vanes are located on the coupling cover or on a separate support located within such chamber to enhance the fluid flow through the bearing assembly.Type: GrantFiled: June 5, 1995Date of Patent: August 12, 1997Assignee: The B. F. Goodrich CompanyInventors: Gary Michael Rafferty, Dean Thomas Dutton, W. Randall Tucker
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Patent number: 5582528Abstract: In a marine vessel having a drive shaft that extend rearwardly from its hull, wherein the drive shaft has a coupling and a bearing assembly along its length that are supported by struts, which struts are also secured to the hull of the vessel. A coupling cover encompasses the coupling and is mounted adjacent to a bearing assembly. A fairwater encompasses the coupling cover and is attached to the bearing assembly or the strut associated therewith to define a chamber and a clearance space between the fairwater and the coupling cover for directing fluids therethrough and through the bearing assembly to lubricate such bearing assembly. Vanes are located on the coupling cover or on a separate support located within such chamber to enhance the fluid flow through the bearing assembly.Type: GrantFiled: June 5, 1995Date of Patent: December 10, 1996Assignee: The B. F. Goodrich CompanyInventors: Gary M. Rafferty, Dean T. Dutton, W. Randall Tucker
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Patent number: 5540173Abstract: In a marine vessel having a drive shaft that extend rearwardly from its hull, wherein the drive shaft has a coupling and a bearing assembly along its length that are supported by struts, which struts are also secured to the hull of the vessel. A coupling cover encompasses the coupling and is mounted adjacent to a bearing assembly. A fairwater encompasses the coupling cover and is attached to the bearing assembly or the strut associated therewith to define a chamber and a clearance space between the fairwater and the coupling cover for directing fluids therethrough and through the bearing assembly to lubricate such bearing assembly. Vanes are located on the coupling cover or on a separate support located within such chamber to enhance the fluid flow through the bearing assembly.Type: GrantFiled: March 3, 1994Date of Patent: July 30, 1996Assignee: The BF Goodrich CompanyInventors: W. Randall Tucker, Gary M. Rafferty, Dean T. Dutton
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Patent number: D585522Type: GrantFiled: January 31, 2007Date of Patent: January 27, 2009Assignee: Moen IncorporatedInventors: Curt Matthew Geideman, Todd C. Loschelder, W. Randall Tucker
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Patent number: D620081Type: GrantFiled: February 9, 2009Date of Patent: July 20, 2010Assignee: Moen IncorporatedInventors: Curt Matthew Geideman, Ronny Lee Gray, Mark S. Kacik, Yaakov Korb, Todd C. Loschelder, W. Randall Tucker