US 12,392,119 B2
Plumbing component
Barry Steven Hobbs, Cheltenham (GB); Mark Frederick Florencio Barton, Cheltenham (GB); Philip Peter Ineson, Cheltenham (GB); and Alexander Colin Fagg, Cheltenham (GB)
Assigned to Kohler Mira Limited, Cheltenham (GB)
Filed by KOHLER MIRA LIMITED, Cheltenham (GB)
Filed on Jun. 15, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/840,905.
Application 17/840,905 is a continuation of application No. 16/867,232, filed on May 5, 2020, granted, now 11,391,021.
Application 16/867,232 is a continuation of application No. PCT/GB2018/053122, filed on Oct. 29, 2018.
Claims priority of application No. 1718562 (GB), filed on Nov. 9, 2017.
Prior Publication US 2022/0307243 A1, Sep. 29, 2022
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. E03C 1/02 (2006.01); E03C 1/04 (2006.01); F16K 1/44 (2006.01); F16K 1/54 (2006.01); F16K 11/22 (2006.01)
CPC E03C 1/023 (2013.01) [E03C 1/04 (2013.01); F16K 1/44 (2013.01); F16K 1/54 (2013.01); F16K 11/22 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A plumbing component comprising:
a water inlet configured to receive a supply of water;
an outlet configured to output water received from the water inlet; and
a flow control valve configured to control a flow of water from the water inlet to the outlet;
wherein the flow control valve comprises a valve member and valve seat, wherein the valve member is movable with respect to the valve seat to control the flow of water through the flow control valve to the outlet; and
wherein the valve member comprises a graduated flow control bead selectively sealing against the valve seat to provide a graduated flow transition between a maximum flow state and a minimum flow state of the flow control valve.