Kohler Company

Douglas J Brouwer

Chad J Cochart

Michael W Smith

Brian S Core

David H Ritter

Christopher M Shay

Michael Andrew Niver

Keith Scott Ruh

Autumn-Storm Antoinette McFaul

Erich D Slothower

John M Wilson

Todd W Leonhard

Steven Robert Aykens

John C Redding

Clarence E Klessig

James T Wanasek

Keegan J Ford

Qi Cheng

Jack Robert Warning

Keith R Fischer

A drain system for controlling a water level in a bathtub includes a drain exit assembly coupled to an exit drain of the bathtub and configured to receive water exiting the bathtub, a valve fluidly coupled to the drain exit assembly and operably coupled to a motor, and a pressure sensor communicatively coupled to the valve and in fluid communication with the drain exit assembly. The motor is configured to change the operational state of the valve based on a pressure sensed by the pressure sensor to control a water level within the bathtub.

Drain system for bathtub

A shower system includes a shower waterway and a fluid control valve. The shower waterway is configured to be coupled to a shower device. The fluid control valve is coupled to the shower waterway and comprises a valve body and a piston. The valve body includes a chamber and a reservoir. The piston is slidably coupled to the valve body and fluidly separates the chamber from the reservoir. The chamber includes a compressible gas. The piston is configured to slidably translate within the valve body to compress the compressible gas in response to a water pressure fluctuation in the shower waterway.

Shower system

A shower system includes on one or more valves and a plurality of showerheads. The plurality of showerheads are electrically coupled to one another and configured to receive electrical signals from one another. The plurality of showerheads are fluidly coupled to the one or more valves and configured to receive water therefrom. The plurality of showerheads includes a sprayer, one or more sensors, and an integrated user interface. The sprayer is configured to dispense water provided by the one or more valves. The one or more sensors are configured to register motion gestures made by a user. The integrated user interface is configured to control operation of the sprayer. The one or more sensors generates an internal signal to the plurality of showerheads corresponding to the motion gesture. One of the plurality of showerheads is a master showerhead.

A shower system includes a shower waterway and a fluid control valve. The shower waterway is configured to be coupled to a shower device. The fluid control valve is coupled to the shower waterway and comprises a valve body and a piston. The valve body includes a chamber and a reservoir. The piston is slidably coupled to the valve body and fluidly separates the chamber from the reservoir. The chamber includes a compressible gas. The piston is configured to slidably translate within the valve body to compress the compressible gas in response to a water pressure change in the shower waterway.

A rough-in guide for a valve body includes a first side and a second side. The first side includes a valve body retaining jaw and a recessed region. The valve body retaining jaw is configured to selectively receive a first portion of the valve body and to secure the valve body to the rough-in guide. The recessed region is configured to receive a second portion of the valve body. The second side is opposite the first side comprising a valve body retaining clip. The valve body retaining clip is configured to selectively secure the valve body to the rough-in guide.

Valve body rough-in guide

A valve assembly includes a valve housing having an internal generally cup-shaped bore, a valve control cartridge inserted into the bore and having a rotatable control stem extending upwardly therefrom, and a bonnet nut having a through-bore. The bonnet nut is threaded to the valve housing such that the control stem extends through the through-bore. Flexible fingers are provided along the through-bore to control a level of resistance to a rotation of the rotatable control stem. The stem is positioned to frictionally engage the flexible fingers as the stem is rotated.

Valve assembly having improved rotational feel

A service valve for a valve body includes a base rotatable between an open orientation and a closed orientation relative to the valve body. When the base is in the open orientation, the service valve allows fluid flow into the valve body through the service valve. When the base is in the closed orientation, the service valve blocks the fluid flow into the valve body through the service valve. The service valve further includes a tab extending from the base. The tab prevents removal of a cover from the valve body when the base is in the open orientation.

Service valve for a valve body

A testing cap for a valve body includes a base configured to releasably attach to the valve body and to cover an opening in the valve body. The opening is configured to receive a valve cartridge and the base covers the opening in place of the valve cartridge. The testing cap includes a structure extending from the base. The structure is configured to be oriented relative to the valve body in a first orientation and a second orientation. The structure allows fluid to enter the valve body through an inlet port in the valve body and exit the valve body through an outlet port in the valve body when the structure is oriented in the first orientation. The structure covers at least one of the inlet port and the outlet port when the structure is oriented in the second orientation, thereby preventing fluid flow through the valve body.

Testing cap for a valve body

A coupling system for interconnecting a tube to a valve body is provided. The valve body has a body portion and a nipple extending from the body portion, and the nipple has a threaded external surface and an internal wall defining a bore. The coupling system further includes an adapter having opposing first and second ends, a nut defining a hole through which the first end passes, and a compression fitting located between the nipple, the adapter, and the nut such that when the nut is tightened onto the nipple, the compression fitting inhibits removal of the adapter from the valve body. The adapter defines a passageway extending from the first end to the second end, wherein the first end is received in the bore and the second end is configured to couple to the tube. The nut has an internally threaded surface configured to engage the threaded external surface.

Plumbing fitting adapter

A universal valve body includes a front face having a circular opening for receiving a valve cartridge, a rear face, a frustoconical side wall connecting the front face to the rear face, and a first inlet port and a first outlet port obliquely disposed in the frustoconical side wall. A cap for the valve body includes a base and a structure extending from the base. The structure extending from the base may block at least one of the inlet port or outlet port in the valve body. A service valve for a valve body includes a base rotatable between an open orientation and a closed orientation relative to the valve body and a tab extending from the base. When the base is in the open orientation, the tab prevents removal of a cover from the valve body.

Universal valve body

A diverter cartridge for a fluid mixing valve includes an inlet adapter having a first inlet port, a second inlet port, a first outlet port and a second outlet port. The cartridge further includes a diverter plate having a first inlet channel and a second inlet channel. The diverter plate is rotatable relative to the inlet adapter between a first end position, a second end position, and a neutral position between the first and second end positions. Rotation of the diverter plate from the neutral position toward the first end position increases a volume flow rate through the cartridge and diverts the fluid to the first outlet port. Rotation of the diverter plate from the neutral position toward the second end position increases a volume flow rate through the cartridge and diverts the fluid to the second outlet port.

Concentric diverter cartridge

A valve assembly is provided. The valve assembly includes a valve housing having an internal generally cup-shaped bore, a valve control cartridge inserted into the bore and having a rotatable control stem extending upwardly therefrom, and a bonnet nut threaded to an internal wall of the valve housing. The bonnet nut has a through channel that surrounds the control stem, and means are provided along the through channel to control a level of resistance to rotation of stem.

Growing community of inventors

Sheboygan, WI, United States of America

Douglas J Brouwer