Vented toilet and odor removal system

Abstract

The present invention overcomes each of the disadvantages in the related art by providing a vented toilet and odor removal system having integrated components that require no additional cleaning and that do not interfere with the cleaning of the toilet or toilet bowl.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

The instant application claims the benefit of co-pending U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60/633,806, filed 6 Dec. 2004, which is hereby incorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

(1) Technical Field

The present invention relates generally to the field of toilet fixtures and more specifically to a vented toilet bowl and system for the removal of odors.

(2) Related Art

Various devices have been used to remove offensive odors from toilet bowls. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,175,293 to Stephens et al. describes a hooded apparatus for attachment to a toilet bowl which is capable of drawing off offensive odors within the toilet bowl. Such devices suffer from a number of disadvantages, including the visibility of externally mounted components, the necessity of cleaning such additional components when the toilet bowl is cleaned, and the prevention by such additional components of thorough cleaning of the toilet bowl itself. Accordingly, there is a need in the art for a device and system for the elimination of odors from a toilet bowl that include no or few externally visible components, require no additional cleaning, and do not interfere with cleaning of the toilet or toilet bowl.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention overcomes each of the disadvantages in the related art by providing a vented toilet bowl and odor removal system having integrated components that require no additional cleaning and that do not interfere with the cleaning of the toilet or toilet bowl.

A first aspect of the invention provides a vented toilet bowl comprising: a toilet bowl having at least one opening for the removal of gaseous contents from the toilet bowl, the at least one opening being coplanar with an inner surface of the toilet bowl; and an exhaust channel extending from the at least one opening, to which an exhaust line may be attached.

A second aspect of the invention provides a toilet bowl odor removal system comprising: a vented toilet bowl having: a toilet bowl having at least one opening for the removal of gaseous contents from the toilet bowl, the at least one opening being coplanar with an inner surface of the toilet bowl; and an exhaust channel extending from the at least one opening, to which an exhaust line may be attached; at least one exhaust line extending from the exhaust channel to an outdoor ventilation space; and an exhaust device for moving gaseous contents from the toilet bowl to the ventilation space.

The foregoing and other features of the invention will be apparent from the following more particular description of embodiments of the invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The embodiments of this invention will be described in detail, with reference to the following figures, wherein like designations denote like elements, and wherein:

FIG. 1A shows a side view of a toilet according to the present invention.

FIG. 1B shows a top view of a toilet according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 shows a partial cut-away side view of an odor removal system according to the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides a vented toilet bowl and a system for the removal of odors from such a vented toilet bowl. Referring to FIGS. 1A and 1B, a toilet 1 according to the present invention is shown, the toilet 1 comprising a toilet bowl 10 having one or more vents 12 along its inner surface. Vent 12 is located above the highest level expected to be reached by any liquid contents 14 of the bowl 10 (i.e. in a headspace of the bowl), whether that level is a standing level or a level reached during flushing of the toilet. Unlike known devices, vent 12 is flush with an inner surface of bowl 10. That is, vent 12 is coplanar with an inner surface of bowl 10 does not project into bowl 10 itself. Such an arrangement avoids the addition of additional bowl components that may require cleaning and does not interfere with the cleaning of the inner surface of bowl 10.

As shown in FIGS. 1A-B, each vent 12 is connected to an exhaust channel 20 extending from the opening in the bowl wall to one or more openings in the back of bowl 10, wherein an exhaust line (not shown) may be attached. It should be recognized, of course, that a vented toilet bowl of the present invention may include any number of vents, exhaust channels, and exhaust lines.

A toilet 1 according to the invention may further include any number of elements known in the art, including, for example, a waste drain 16, bowl base 18, tank 30, flushing mechanism 32, and toilet seat 34. Exhaust channels 20 may be integrated into bowl base 18 to avoid the appearance of additional bowl components.

Referring now to FIG. 2, an odor removal system 100 according to the invention is shown, comprising a vented toilet bowl 110, such as that shown in FIGS. 1A and 1B, and an exhaust line 140 extending from an exhaust channel 120 of the toilet bowl 110 and ultimately to an outdoor ventilation space 180. Connect to exhaust line 140 are shown a vertical exhaust pipe 144, a check valve 146, and an exhaust fan 150. Exhaust fan 150, when activated, reduces pressure within vertical exhaust pipe 144, exhaust line 140, and bowl 110, thereby removing gaseous contents within bowl 110. While depicted as an exhaust fan, any device capable of exhausting the contents of bowl 110 may be utilized, including, for example, a vacuum device.

As shown, exhaust fan 150 vents gaseous contents of bowl 110 to an outdoor ventilation space 180, either directly through a wall 142 of the building in which system 100 is housed or via attachment to a vent pipe 148 normally connected to the building's sewer system. As shown in FIG. 2, exhaust fan 150 is activated via a switch 160. Switch 160 may be a manually activated switch, such as that shown in FIG. 2, or an automatic switch. Illustrative automatic switches include, for example, motion-sensitive switches, light-sensitive switches, and pressure-sensitive switches. In the case of a pressure-sensitive switch, the switch may be connected to, mounted beneath, or integrated into toilet seat 134, such that exhaust fan 150 is activated when a user sits on toilet seat 134.

Check valve 146 may be any known or later-developed device capable of substantially restricting air flow within vertical exhaust pipe 144 to a direction from toilet bowl 110 to outdoor ventilation space 180. That is, check valve 146 substantially prevents the flow of air from outdoor ventilation space 180 into toilet bowl 110 during, for example, periods of high wind or high atmospheric pressure.

While this invention has been described in conjunction with the specific embodiments outlined above, it is evident that many alternatives, modifications and variations will be apparent to those skilled in the art. Accordingly, the embodiments of the invention as set forth above are intended to be illustrative, not limiting. Various changes may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the following claims.

Claims

1. A vented toilet bowl comprising:

a toilet bowl having at least one opening for the removal of gaseous contents from the toilet bowl, the at least one opening being coplanar with an inner surface of the toilet bowl; and

an exhaust channel extending from the at least one opening, to which an exhaust line may be attached.

2. The vented toilet bowl of claim 1, wherein the at least one opening is positioned above a fluid level of the toilet bowl.

3. The vented toilet bowl of claim 1, further comprising an exhaust line attached to the exhaust channel.

4. The vented toilet bowl of claim 1, comprising at least two openings for the removal of gaseous contents and an exhaust channel extending from each opening.

5. A toilet bowl odor removal system comprising:

a vented toilet bowl having:

a toilet bowl having at least one opening for the removal of gaseous contents from the toilet bowl, the at least one opening being coplanar with an inner surface of the toilet bowl; and

an exhaust channel extending from the at least one opening, to which an exhaust line may be attached;

at least one exhaust line extending from the exhaust channel to an outdoor ventilation space; and

an exhaust device for moving gaseous contents from the toilet bowl to the ventilation space.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the at least one opening is positioned above a fluid level of the toilet bowl.

7. The system of claim 5, wherein the vented toilet bowl includes at least two openings for the removal of gaseous contents and an exhaust channel extending from each opening.

8. The system of claim 5, further comprising a check valve for substantially preventing air flow from the outdoor ventilation space to the toilet bowl.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the check valve is located along the exhaust line.

10. The system of claim 5, wherein the exhaust device is an exhaust fan.

11. The system of claim 5, further comprising an activation device for activating the exhaust device.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the activation device includes a switch.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the switch includes at least one of the following: a motion-sensitive switch, a light-sensitive switch, and a pressure-sensitive switch.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the switch includes a pressure-sensitive switch at least one of: connected to, mounted beneath, and integrated into a toilet seat attached to the toilet bowl.

15. The system of claim 5, further comprising a vent pipe connected to the exhaust device.