Kohler Company

Jeffrey C Hildebrand

Clayton C Garrels

Peter W Denzin

Joseph L Stauber

Eric M Plate

Brian D Renzelman

Anton J Kolar

John C Esche

Carter J Thomas

John M Bloemer

Michael J Kurth

David Eugene Hansen

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 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 faucet having an electronic valve is provided. The faucet includes a spout having a first end through which a fluid exits, a second end coupled to a faucet body, and a sidewall disposed between the first end and the second end. The spout extends along a curved longitudinal axis. A sensor is disposed completely within the spout along a curved portion of the sidewall. The sensor is operatively coupled to the electronic valve.

System and method to position and retain a sensor in a faucet spout

A lighting system suitable for chromatherapy includes a plurality of light fixtures mounted through walls of a tub basin to project different color light into the water in the tub. The light fixtures are operated by a central control unit and each includes a housing having a concave internal surface. An array of light emitting diodes that project different color light is mounted under a cap covering one end of the housing. A lens is threaded onto the opposite end of the housing from within the tub basin to secure the light fixture to the tub. The concave surface has the different color light projected on it, and reflects light out the light fixture in mixed fashion.

Bathtub chromatherapy system

A self-closing faucet includes a hollow body with a spout. The hollow body contains an integral plumbing sub-assembly that has a solenoid valve supplied by an inlet tube and connected to a spout tube that extends through the spout to an outlet opening at a remote end of the spout. An actuator assembly coupled to the housing includes a timer circuit that controls the solenoid valve to send water from the faucet for a predefined period of time. A switch triggers the timer circuit upon activation by a user operable mechanism on the faucet.

Self-closing solenoid operated faucet

A flushing mechanism for a toilet triggers a flush in response to the closing of the toilet seat cover. A magnet is attached to the seat cover and detected by a sensor. The sensor activates a battery powered motor having a crank arm which directly raises a flapper valve by means of a tensile link. The sensor and motor unit are suspended out of sight in the tank of the toilet by flanges fitting between the tank rim and the tank top. The flanges allow adjustment of the motor and sensor to a variety of preexisting tank type toilets for effective retrofitting. A delay timer prevents repeated energy wasting flushing of the toilet.

Growing community of inventors

Sheboygan, WI, United States of America

Jeffrey C Hildebrand