Vented toilet seat

Abstract

Vented Toilet Seat consists of a toilet seat with a plurality of vents on the underside, a vent manifold, a vent hose with a butterfly valve, a wall-mounted vacuum, a hinge for the toilet seat, and an activation mechanism to start the wall-mounted vacuum. When pressure sensitive switches or another mechanism is activated, the wall-mounted vacuum starts sucking the gas odors through the plurality of vents on the underside of the toilet seat through the vent manifold and into the vent hose and then into the plumbing vent.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This Non-Provisional Patent Application does not claim priority to any United States provisional patent application or foreign patent application.

FIELD OF THE DISCLOSURE

The disclosures made herein relate generally to the restroom accessories industry. The invention discussed herein is in the general classification of toilet seats and covers.

BACKGROUND

Many households and public facilities utilize a variety of ventilation systems and neutralizing sprays or devices to eliminate odors. In particular, restroom facilities and household bathrooms require these types of devices or systems to eliminate objectionable smells.

Air fresheners, candles, and neutralizing sprays are often used to eliminate commonly found odors in bathrooms. However, these solutions are often expensive for individual household use and truly cost prohibitive for public restroom use. Moreover, air fresheners, candles or neutralizing sprays would be routinely destroyed or removed from public facilities. Candles also represent a fire hazard whether used in a household or public facilities. In addition, all of these devices and systems only mask smells rather than eliminating them.

Vents, most frequently located in a ceiling, are also utilized to eliminate odors. However, these vents are often ineffective because they are located too great a distance from the source of the problem to eliminate odors in a timely manner. It is also not cost efficient to constantly run a vent either at home or in public facilities.

Hence, there is a need in the art for an easy to use, affordable, safe, cost efficient and effective ventilated toilet seat to eliminate restroom odors in both households and public facilities.

SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE

Vented Toilet Seat consists of at least some of the following: a toilet seat with a plurality of vents on the underside, a vent manifold, a vent hose with a butterfly valve, a wall mounted vacuum, a hinge for the toilet seat, and time delay and pressure sensitive switches on the underside of the toilet seat.

The principal object of this invention is to provide a toilet seat that will vent odors from the toilet bowl region to outside the bathroom.

Another object of this invention is to provide an affordable toilet seat that can ventilate the toilet area in a cost efficient and timely manner.

Another object of this invention is to provide an odor-eliminating device that is safe to use in public restrooms or in households bathrooms.

Yet another object of this invention is to provide a sturdy, durable toilet seat that can fit on any standard toilet.

Yet another object of this invention is to provide a device that will actually eliminate odors associated with restrooms and bathrooms rather than simply masking the odors therein.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 depicts a perspective view of the preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 depicts a cross-sectional view of the toilet seat of the present invention cut along the line A-A of FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Vented Toilet Seat utilizes at least some of the following: a toilet seat with a plurality of vents on the underside, a vent manifold, a vent hose with a butterfly valve, a wall mounted vacuum, a hinge for the toilet seat, and time delay and pressure sensitive switches on the underside of the toilet seat.

These components will now be described in further detail in conjunction with FIGS. 1-2.

FIG. 1 depicts the preferred embodiment of the present invention. A hollow toilet seat 1 with a plurality of vents 2 spaced evenly on the underside connects to a hinge 3 that is operatively attached to a vent manifold 4. The vent manifold 4 has an opening on the bottom that connects to a vent hose 5. The vent hose 5 has a butterfly valve 8 in the interior that permits flow of gases in only one direction (away from the toilet seat). The vent hose 5 also connects to a wall-mounted vacuum 6 on the end opposite the vent manifold 4. The wall-mounted vacuum 6 has an opening on the front that accepts the vent hose 5 and an opening on the back that connects to a standard plumbing vent in the interior of the wall.

The toilet seat 1 further has time-delay, pressure sensitive switches 7 on the underside and top of the toilet seat 1.

FIG. 2 depicts a cross-sectional view of the toilet seat 1 of the present invention cut along the line A-A of FIG. 1. One of the plurality of vents 2 is visible on the bottom of the toilet seat 1. The hollow interior 20 of the toilet seat 1 permits gases to pass through to the vent manifold.

Several possible variations of the preferred embodiment are possible. The Vented Toilet Seat can be equipped with a variable speed vacuum. The vacuum speed could be controlled either manually or electronically. A regulator can be attached to the manifold or other suitable area to control the flow of air through the opening for the vent hose. A manual regulator could simply be twisted to widen or narrow the opening or an electronic regulator could be employed. The electronic regulator could be controlled via an air pressure sensor that maintains a negative air pressure inside the toilet bowl. A variable speed vacuum would allow people of different sizes to have the vacuum speed manually controlled or electronically controlled. Larger individuals require less airflow because they block the outward airflow to a greater degree whereas smaller individuals do not have sufficient body mass to trap the air inside the toilet bowl region.

The design of Vented Toilet Seat can be further modified to better handle public restroom facilities that service a higher volume of people. For example, a series of ribs along the outside perimeter of the underside of the toilet seat will help seal the seat to the toilet to prevent air from seeping outward rather than inward toward the vents. In addition, a vent can be installed on the hinge attached to the toilet seat. When the toilet seat is lifted, this vent will be covered to prevent urine from entering the vent. When the toilet seat is down, the vent will be exposed to provide additional ventilation in the toilet region.

In the commercial embodiment, a single vacuum can be used rather than having a vacuum connected to each individual toilet. A solenoid could open when any of the vented toilet seats in a building or other structure are in use. The opening of the solenoid would permit the gases to escape.

The preferred embodiment of the invention works when the pressure sensitive switches are activated when a user sits on the toilet seat. This causes the wall-mounted vacuum to start sucking the gas odors through the plurality of vents on the underside of the toilet seat through the vent manifold and into the vent hose and then into the plumbing vent. The vent hose has a standard butterfly valve that rotates a circular disc or vane at right angles to the direction of flow in the hose, allowing flow of gas in only one direction (away from the toilet and into the plumbing vent in the wall). The pressure sensitive switches also have a time-delay that permit the wall-mounted vacuum to continue operating for a brief period after the user leaves the seated position thereby removing the pressure from the switches.

The components of Vented Toilet Seat may vary widely but will likely utilize plastic, metal, rubber and electrical components. The metals would ideally be selected from available steel or alloys of steel and aluminum. The production process related to the use of these metals insures that the metal is non-corrosive, durable and strong. The selected metal should have high impact strength and be capable of accepting and retaining coloring materials for an extended length of time.

The plastic used in the production will ideally be selected for durability and longevity. Thermoplastics are commonly used in the manufacturing of components similar to those used in this invention. Polyethylene, polypropylene, and other similar thermoplastic materials would be among those with the necessary traits. Members of this family are recognized universally as being versatile and of high quality.

The plastic components of Vented Toilet Seat can also be formed with the use of plastic molding techniques, such as injection molding or blow molding. Injection molding requires melted plastic to be forcefully injected into relatively cool molds. As the plastic begins to harden, it takes on the shape of the mold cavity. This technique is ideal for the mass production of products. Alternatively, blow molding, a form of extrusion, could be utilized. Blow molding involves a molten tube being pushed into a mold. Compressed air then forces the molten tube against the cold walls of the mold.

All electronic components of the invention will also be ideally selected from those currently having the highest industry ratings. These components will also meet and/or exceed all safety and usage regulations. Wiring and associated connecting hardware should be insulated and otherwise protected from intrusion by any harmful or degrading elements, including water, medium level temperatures, and low to medium impact force.

The size of Vented Toilet Seat may vary widely. The preferred embodiment is approximately seventeen inches in length, fifteen inches in width and having a seat diameter of two inches. It should be obvious that any color, shape or size toilet seat could be utilized with the present invention. It should be obvious that while the current invention is described herein in conjunction with public restroom and household use, it could be used anywhere a toilet is located, including on buses, airplanes, recreational vehicles and the like. It should also be obvious that other mechanisms could be used to begin the vacuum cycle such as a switch, a single pressure sensor or infrared or motion activated technology currently used in automatic flushing toilets or standard power switches. In fact, no mechanism is even necessary since the vacuum cycle could be continuous. However, this would not be the most efficient use of this invention. It should further be obvious that although the device described herein is for use with an elongated oval shaped toilet seat, a horseshoe or other shaped toilet seat could also utilize the present invention.

It will be recognized by those skilled in the art that changes or modifications may be made to the above-described embodiments without departing from the broad inventive concepts of the invention. It should therefore be understood that this invention is not limited to the particular embodiments described herein, but is intended to include all changes and modifications that are within the scope and spirit of the invention as set forth in the claims.

Claims

1. A restroom accessory comprising:

(a) a toilet seat with at least one vent on the underside;

(b) a plurality of raised ribs operable to seal the seat to the toilet thereby preventing air from seeping outward;

(c) vacuum attached to the toilet seat via a vent hose; and

(d) at least one mechanism for activating the vacuum.

2. The restroom accessory of claim 1 wherein the interior of the toilet seat is entirely hollow.

3. The restroom accessory of claim 2 wherein the toilet seat is approximately oval.

4. The restroom accessory of claim 2 wherein the toilet seat is horseshoe in shape.

5. The restroom accessory of claim 1 further comprising a mechanism for activating the vacuum.

6. The restroom accessory of claim 1 wherein the mechanism for activating the vacuum is a time-delay and pressure sensitive switch located on the underside of the toilet seat.

7. The restroom accessory of claim 1 wherein the mechanism for activating the vacuum is a power switch.

8. The restroom accessory of claim 5 wherein the mechanism for activating the vacuum is a combination of at least two of a motion activated sensor; a time-delayed pressure sensitive switch; a power switch.

9. (canceled)

10. The restroom accessory of claim 1 further comprising a hinge attached on one end of the toilet seat and on the other end to a vent manifold having an opening that connects to the vent hose.

11. The restroom accessory of claim 10 further comprising a primary vent located on the hinge.

12. The restroom accessory of claim 1 wherein the vacuum is attached to a wall.

13. The restroom accessory of claim 12 wherein the vacuum connects to a plumbing vent in the interior of the wall.

14. The restroom accessory of claim 1 wherein the vent hose has a butterfly valve in the interior that permits flow of gases in only one direction.

15. (canceled)

16. (canceled)

17. (canceled)

18. A restroom accessory comprising:

(a) a toilet seat that is oval in shape, made of plastic and hollow and further has a plurality of vents on the underside and a plurality of raised ribs on the outer perimeter of the underside;

(b) a vacuum mounted to a wall that is connected via a vent hose to a vent manifold that attaches to a hinge connected to the toilet seat;

(c) a butterfly valve in the interior of the vent hose that permits flow of gases in only one direction;

(d) a time-delay and pressure sensitive switch located on the underside of the toilet seat and operatively connected to the vacuum; and

(e) a primary vent located on the hinge.