Drain system for bathtub
AssigneeKohler Co.
InventorsDavid H. Ritter, Brian S. Core, Douglas J. Brouwer, Keith S. Ruh, Autumn-Storm Antoinette McFaul
Life of this patent
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Abstract
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.
Claims13
A drain system for a bathtub, the system comprising:
- a drain exit assembly coupled to an exit drain of the bathtub, the drain exit assembly structured to receive water from the bathtub;
- a valve fluidly coupled to and disposed downstream of the drain exit assembly, the valve structured to control water flow through the drain exit assembly, the valve including an air passageway configured to contain an air bubble pressurized by water in the bathtub;
- and
- a housing positioned adjacent the air passageway of the valve the housing comprising at least one sensor operably coupled to the valve and in fluid communication with the drain exit assembly;
- wherein the valve is structured to control water flow through the drain exit assembly based on an input from the at least one sensor satisfying a threshold, the threshold corresponding to at least one of a temperature setpoint or a level of water within the bathtub.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.