Kohler Company

Shanghai Kohler Electronics Ltd.

Eric M Plate

Peter W Denzin

Joseph L Stauber

Clayton C Garrels

Jeffrey C Hildebrand

Brian D Renzelman

Michael R Bates

Erich D Slothower

Fei Shen

Xue Jiongjun

Andy Zhu

Michael Cao

Li Ni

Rafael A Rexach

Nicholas W Paterson

Marwan Estiban

Shi Chao Zhang

Jessica Schroeder

Miguel Arciniega

Ashley Springer

Yihua Wang

A touchless actuation system for a toilet includes a touchless sensor, a motor assembly, and a processing circuit. The touchless sensor is located within a closed reservoir of the toilet. The processing circuit is configured to receive a signal from the touchless sensor and to detect an object within a detection region based on the signal. The detection region is external to the closed reservoir. The processing circuit is configured to facilitate flushing of the toilet through interaction with the motor assembly when the object is detected.

Touchless flushing systems and methods

A voice controlled device comprises a plurality of microphones, a communication interface, and a controller. The plurality of microphones are configured to receive voice inputs from one or more users for operation of the voice controlled device. The communication interface is configured to receive sensor data from an external device, the sensor data describing an environment of the voice controlled device. The controller is configured to operate a first subset of the plurality of microphones in response to first sensor data and a second subset of the plurality of microphones in response to second sensor data.

Power operation of intelligent devices

Disclosed is a plumbing fixture (e.g. a bidet or toilet) of the type having a frontal basin and means for directing a supply of water to the basin for cleaning the basin. The plumbing fixture includes a modular housing mountable behind the basin and at least one control positioned in the modular housing to control operation of the plumbing fixture. The control may be selected from the group Consisting of light controls, bidet wand position controls, bidet wand heated air supply controls, bidet wand water supply controls, lid position movement controls, seat position movement controls, deodorizer controls, audio device controls and ultra violet sanitizer controls.

Plumbing fixture having modular control housing

A plumbing fixture includes a basin, a plumbing system configured to supply water to the basin, a processing circuit having a digital media interface, and a housing containing the plumbing system and the processing circuit. The housing includes a rear face having a section extending therefrom. The section extending from the housing includes a first face parallel to the rear face and a second face connecting the first face to the rear face. The second face includes ports allowing access to the digital media interface.

Smart toilet systems and methods

A touchless actuation system for a toilet includes a touchless sensor, a motor assembly, and a processing circuit. The processing circuit is configured to receive a signal from the touchless sensor and to detect an object within a detection region based on the signal. The touchless sensor lacks an optical path to the detection region. In some embodiments, the touchless sensor is a projected capacitive sensor. The processing circuit is configured to activate the motor assembly upon detecting the object and the motor assembly is configured to actuate flushing of the toilet when activated by the processing circuit.

A cover installationincludes a coverwhich is connected to the baseby a connecting module. The connecting moduleenables the coverto be opened and closed. A driving devicedrives the connecting moduleso that the cover is automatically opened and closed. A locking module can allow the coverto be operated manually by disabling the driving device. Two connecting componentsandare connected to the coverand configured to allow the top surface of the coverto face the user when the coveris opened automatically, while allowing the bottom surface of the coverto face the user when the coveris opened manually.

Cover installation

A plumbing fixture includes a basin, a plumbing system configured to supply water to the basin, a processing circuit, and a housing containing the plumbing system and the processing circuit. The housing includes ports on the second face allowing access to a digital audio input, the plumbing fixture configured to output audio via a speaker based on the digital audio input. The plumbing fixture further includes a remote control configured to control the plumbing fixture and further configured to customize selectable audio sources for playback via the speaker.

A plumbing fixture, such as a bidet or toilet, includes a frontal basin and a supply of water for cleaning the basin. The plumbing fixture includes a modular housing mountable behind the basin and at least one control positioned in the modular housing to control operation of the plumbing fixture. The control may be light controls, bidet wand position controls, bidet wand heated air supply controls, bidet wand water supply controls, lid position movement controls, seat position movement controls, deodorizer controls, audio device controls and ultra violet sanitizer controls.

Growing community of inventors

Plymouth, WI, United States of America

Eric M Plate