Kohler Company

Kenneth A Lefeber

Santosh R Narasimhan

Scott R Knapp

Jeffrey F Tempas

Fred Ogreenc

David P Ourada

A wall-entry bathtub includes a basin, a shell defining an entryway to allow access into the basin, and an entry wall movable between a lowered position and a raised position, wherein the entry wall is substantially clear of the entryway in the lowered position and at least partially blocks the entryway in the raised position. The bathtub also includes first and second entry wall position sensors configured to sense the position of the entry wall and a controller in electronic communication with the first and second entry wall position sensors, wherein the controller is configured to control components of the bathtub based at least in part on the position of the entry wall.

Wall-entry bathtub

A mounting assembly for mounting a transducer to a plumbing fixture is provided. The mounting assembly includes a bracket configured to be affixed to an exterior wall of the plumbing fixture. The mounting assembly further includes a shield defining an internal cavity and configured to be removably coupled to the bracket. The shield is configured to be coupled to the transducer and to enclose at least a portion of the transducer within the internal cavity.

Transducer mounting assembly for plumbing fixture

A wall-entry bathtub includes an entry wall movable between a raised position and a lowered position to provide convenient ingress and egress. A handle assembly is coupled to a pair of latches and brackets to selectively restrain the wall-entry bathtub in the raised position. A counterweight assembly is coupled to the entry wall and reduces the force required to move the entry wall between the lowered and raised positions. The entry wall also includes a seal member that is expandable to inhibit water from leaking past the entry wall when the wall-entry bathtub is in use. Dual drains are provided to reduce the time required to drain water from the wall-entry bathtub. And, a controller, in combination with a variety of sensors, applies predetermined logic to control the water filling, entry wall sealing, and water draining of the wall-entry bathtub.

Plumbing fixtures are disclosed having acoustic electromagnetic transducers mounted thereon to transmit music or other vibrations to the fixture interior. The mounting assembly provides for a shield that reduces exposure of those in the fixture to a magnetic field generated by the transducers. In one form there is a post extending from the transducer, through the shield, to a bracket on the housing. Other structures are provided to facilitate removability of the shield and transducer for maintenance purposes.

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Plymouth, WI, United States of America

Kenneth A Lefeber