Patents by Inventor William Kalk

William Kalk 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: 12296074
    Abstract: A panel for accumulation of aerosol particles in an indoor environment includes a surface plate and an electrostatic collector plate coupled to the surface plate and configured to hold an electrical charge to attract and accumulate aerosol particles. The panel may include or otherwise be coupled with an activation device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2022
    Date of Patent: May 13, 2025
    Assignee: Kohler Co.
    Inventors: William Kuru, Clayton Garrels, William Kalk
  • Publication number: 20250116099
    Abstract: A toilet includes a bowl, a trapway, and a passage. The trapway is fluidly connected to the bowl at a trapway inlet and extends downstream from the bowl. The trapway includes an up-leg and a down-leg extending downstream from the up-leg. The passage is fluidly connected to the trapway downstream from the trapway inlet. The passage is configured to allow ambient air from outside the toilet to pass therethrough toward the trapway.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 17, 2024
    Publication date: April 10, 2025
    Inventors: William C. Kuru, William Kalk
  • Patent number: 12209401
    Abstract: A toilet includes a bowl, a trapway, and a passage. The trapway is fluidly connected to the bowl at a trapway inlet and extends downstream from the bowl. The trapway includes an up-leg and a down-leg extending downstream from the up-leg. The passage is fluidly connected to the trapway downstream from the trapway inlet. The passage is configured to allow ambient air from outside the toilet to pass therethrough toward the trapway.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2023
    Date of Patent: January 28, 2025
    Assignee: Kohler Co.
    Inventors: William C. Kuru, William Kalk
  • Publication number: 20250027311
    Abstract: An electro-chlorinating device includes a housing and a pair of electrodes. The housing comprises a reservoir; an inlet port fluidly coupled to the reservoir; and a discharge device fluidly coupled to the reservoir. The discharge device is configured to be fluidly coupled to a plumbing product. The discharge device is configured to release a fluid from the reservoir into the plumbing product in response to a movement of water through the plumbing product. The pair of electrodes is coupled to the housing such that at least a portion of each electrode of the pair of electrodes is disposed within the reservoir.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 9, 2024
    Publication date: January 23, 2025
    Inventors: Clayton C. Garrels, William Kalk, William C. Kuru
  • Publication number: 20240426094
    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: April 15, 2024
    Publication date: December 26, 2024
    Inventors: Clayton C. Garrels, William C. Kuru, William Kalk, Randal S. Graskamp
  • Publication number: 20240393061
    Abstract: A heat exchanger for a shower environment includes a panel having an inlet, an outlet, and a plurality of flow channels. The panel is disposed within the shower environment. The plurality of flow channels fluidly couples the inlet with the outlet. The panel is configured to condense steam to heat a fluid flowing through the plurality of flow channels.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 20, 2024
    Publication date: November 28, 2024
    Applicant: Kohler Co.
    Inventors: William Kalk, William Kuru
  • Patent number: 12139899
    Abstract: A tankless toilet includes a bowl, a trapway, and a jet. The bowl includes a rim at an upper portion of the bowl and a sump at a lower portion of the bowl. The trapway extends from the sump to a drain. The jet includes a main channel configured to receive a supply of water from a supply conduit, and a plurality of distribution channels configured to introduce water received from the main channel to at least one of the sump and the trapway. The jet is configured to receive the supply of water from the supply conduit at a first flow rate and induce a flow from the supply of water into the trapway at a second flow rate greater than the first flow rate to prime a siphon within the trapway. The second flow rate is greater than the first flow rate prior to priming the siphon.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2024
    Assignee: Kohler Co.
    Inventors: Sudip Mukerji, Michael J. Luettgen, William Kalk, Randy Mesun, Jeff Laundre, Jeremy Rauwerdink, John Esche, Keith Muellenbach, Clayton Garrels
  • Patent number: 12134885
    Abstract: An electro-chlorinating device includes a housing and a pair of electrodes. The housing comprises a reservoir; an inlet port fluidly coupled to the reservoir; and a discharge device fluidly coupled to the reservoir. The discharge device is configured to be fluidly coupled to a plumbing product. The discharge device is configured to release a fluid from the reservoir into the plumbing product in response to a movement of water through the plumbing product. The pair of electrodes is coupled to the housing such that at least a portion of each electrode of the pair of electrodes is disposed within the reservoir.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2024
    Assignee: Kohler Co.
    Inventors: Clayton C. Garrels, William Kalk, William C. Kuru
  • Publication number: 20240247473
    Abstract: A tank assembly for a pressure-assist toilet includes a flush assembly having an outer chamber and an inner chamber disposed in the outer chamber. The flush assembly further includes a flush valve disposed in the inner chamber, and a pilot valve disposed in the inner chamber and extending through the flush valve. The tank assembly further includes an actuator engaging the pilot valve and configured to hold the pilot valve at each of a first height, a second height offset a first distance from the first height, and a third height offset a second distance from the first height greater than a first distance.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 19, 2024
    Publication date: July 25, 2024
    Inventors: William C. Kuru, William Kalk
  • 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
  • Patent number: 11933031
    Abstract: A tank assembly for a pressure-assist toilet includes a flush assembly having an outer chamber and an inner chamber disposed in the outer chamber. The flush assembly further includes a flush valve disposed in the inner chamber, and a pilot valve disposed in the inner chamber and extending through the flush valve. The tank assembly further includes an actuator engaging the pilot valve and configured to hold the pilot valve at each of a first height, a second height offset a first distance from the first height, and a third height offset a second distance from the first height greater than a first distance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2024
    Assignee: Kohler Co.
    Inventors: William C. Kuru, William Kalk
  • Publication number: 20240084571
    Abstract: A toilet includes a bowl, a trapway, and a passage. The trapway is fluidly connected to the bowl at a trapway inlet and extends downstream from the bowl. The trapway includes an up-leg and a down-leg extending downstream from the up-leg. The passage is fluidly connected to the trapway downstream from the trapway inlet. The passage is configured to allow ambient air from outside the toilet to pass therethrough toward the trapway.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 14, 2023
    Publication date: March 14, 2024
    Inventors: William C. Kuru, William Kalk
  • Publication number: 20240065602
    Abstract: An apparatus for the measurement of urine flow includes a microphone, a temperature sensor, and a controller. The microphone is configured to detect an audio from the urine flow. The temperature sensor is configured to detect a temperature in a toilet bowl associated with the urine flow. The controller is configured to calculate a urine volume in the toilet bowl based on the temperature in the toilet bowl and calculate a flow rate based on the urine volume and at least one time interval from the audio from the urine flow.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 22, 2023
    Publication date: February 29, 2024
    Inventors: William Kuru, William Kalk
  • Patent number: 11851864
    Abstract: A toilet includes a bowl, a trapway, and a passage. The trapway is fluidly connected to the bowl at a trapway inlet and extends downstream from the bowl. The trapway includes an up-leg and a down-leg extending downstream from the up-leg. The passage is fluidly connected to the trapway downstream from the trapway inlet. The passage is configured to allow ambient air from outside the toilet to pass therethrough toward the trapway.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2023
    Assignee: Kohler Co.
    Inventors: William C. Kuru, William Kalk
  • 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: 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: 20230119112
    Abstract: A toilet includes a bowl, a trapway, and a passage. The trapway is fluidly connected to the bowl at a trapway inlet and extends downstream from the bowl. The trapway includes an up-leg and a down-leg extending downstream from the up-leg. The passage is fluidly connected to the trapway downstream from the trapway inlet. The passage is configured to allow ambient air from outside the toilet to pass therethrough toward the trapway.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 19, 2022
    Publication date: April 20, 2023
    Inventors: William C. Kuru, William Kalk
  • Patent number: 11560703
    Abstract: A toilet includes a bowl, a trapway, and a passage. The trapway is fluidly connected to the bowl at a trapway inlet and extends downstream from the bowl. The trapway includes an up-leg and a down-leg extending downstream from the up-leg. The passage is fluidly connected to the trapway downstream from the trapway inlet. The passage is configured to allow ambient air from outside the toilet to pass therethrough toward the trapway.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2023
    Assignee: Kohler Co.
    Inventors: William C. Kuru, William Kalk
  • Publication number: 20220356688
    Abstract: A tank assembly for a pressure-assist toilet includes a flush assembly having an outer chamber and an inner chamber disposed in the outer chamber. The flush assembly further includes a flush valve disposed in the inner chamber, and a pilot valve disposed in the inner chamber and extending through the flush valve. The tank assembly further includes an actuator engaging the pilot valve and configured to hold the pilot valve at each of a first height, a second height offset a first distance from the first height, and a third height offset a second distance from the first height greater than a first distance.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 27, 2022
    Publication date: November 10, 2022
    Inventors: William C. Kuru, William Kalk
  • Publication number: 20220313864
    Abstract: A panel for accumulation of aerosol particles in an indoor environment includes a surface plate and an electrostatic collector plate coupled to the surface plate and configured to hold an electrical charge to attract and accumulate aerosol particles. The panel may include or otherwise be coupled with an activation device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 17, 2022
    Publication date: October 6, 2022
    Inventors: William Kuru, Clayton Garrels, William Kalk