VENTILATED TOILET SEAT

Abstract

A ventilated toilet seat and system removes malodorous gas from within and a around a toilet bowl.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Human feces typically produce a malodorous gas. Human gut flora produces gaseous compounds such as indole, skatole, and thiols (sulfur-containing compounds), as well as the inorganic gas, hydrogen sulfide, gases that are responsible for the odor.

The smell associated with feces excretion is well known. Although there have been many attempts to mask the smell in bathrooms, the present invention addresses the problem by eliminating the source of the smell by removing malodorous gas from the area in and around the toilet bowl.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In a preferred embodiment, the present invention is a toilet seat comprising;

a. an upper sitting surface;
b. an interior cavity within said seat and below said upper sitting surface;
c. a toilet seat interior side wall; and
d. a plurality of orifices along said side wall in which said interior cavity is accessed.

The toilet seat interior cavity has an outlet constructed and arranged to receive an outlet hose connector.

Also contemplated is a system for eliminating odor in and around a toilet bowl wherein the toilet seat of the present invention is connected to an exhaust hose connected. The hose connects to the seat outlet on a first end and to a component box on a second end.

The component box, in one embodiment, has a filter therein. In another embodiment, the component box has a fan inside.

The fan connected by the house to the toilet seat, draws air into the toilet seat orifices such that malodorous air travels through the orifices, into the seat cavity, out of the seat cavity and into the exhaust hose. The air travels out of the exhaust hose and into the component box. Malodorous air, originating in an around the toilet bowl and seat ultimately exits the component box.

In one embodiment the system has an air filter in the component box. The filter, in one embodiment has at least one compound incorporated therewith for neutralizing at least one of indole, skatole, and thiols inorganic gas, hydrogen sulfide, present in said malodorous air.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a conventional home toilet with the toilet seat of the present invention attached thereto.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the toilet seat.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the toilet seat showing exhaust hose and fan component box.

FIG. 4 is a top view of the toilet seat.

FIG. 5 is side cross section of the toilet seat along section lines B-B from FIG. 4.

FIG. 6 is a side of the toilet seat view demonstrating connection of an exhaust hose to existing toilet trap.

FIG. 7 is a side view of the toilet seat demonstrating connection of an exhaust hose to an air chamber of a toilet.

FIG. 8 is a side view of the toilet seat demonstrating connection to an exhaust hose through a bathroom wall and to an outside environment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The present invention provides for an apparatus, system, and method for actively transporting ambient air in a region in and around a toilet seat and accompanying toilet bowl to a region away from said toilet seat.

Toilet 5 has a seat 10 attached thereto in a manner as is commonly known. Seat 10 has an upper portion 12 and a peripheral wall 14. Peripheral wall 14 surrounds ventilation cavity 22 that is on the interior part of toilet seat 10. Toilet seat 10 has an inner wall 16 that has incorporated thereon a plurality of ventilation orifices 20. Each ventilation orifice 20 may be of substantially equal size and shape or may vary in size or shape as desired. First exhaust hose 30 has a first end connector 32 and a second end connector 34. First end connector 32 is connected to toilet seat 10 in any acceptable manner such that air is drawn from cavity 22 into first exhaust hose 30.

Second end connector 34 is connected to component box 40. Component box 40 has exhaust fan 45 and electrical source 50 for providing power to exhaust fan 45. Electrical source 50 is any acceptable source of electrical power which includes, but would not be limited to, a battery or plurality of batteries, or a connection to a source of electricity.

In the embodiment demonstrated in FIG. 3, component box 40 has a filter cavity 61 constructed and arranged to receive a removable air filter 65.

In another embodiment, as shown in FIG. 6, a second exhaust hose 60 is connected to component box 40 and connects to toilet trap 71 by way of hose connection 70. Hose connection 70 connects to toilet trap 71 in any acceptable manner including, but not limited to, hose connection methods that are commonly known in the art.

In another embodiment, as shown in FIG. 7, second exhaust hose 60 is connected to toilet air chamber 81 by way of hose connection 80. Hose connection 80 connects to toilet air chamber 81 in an acceptable manner including, but not limited to, hose connection methods that are commonly known in the art.

In another embodiment, as shown in FIG. 8, second exhaust hose 60 passes through bathroom wall 75 and exits through outdoor air vent 90.

Toilet seat 10 is attached to a standard toilet 5 in a manner as is commonly known.

A person excretes feces into toilet bowl 24. Toilet seat 10 typically surrounds all or mostly all, of the upper perimeter of toilet bowl 24.

Fan 45 is constructed and arranged to draw ambient air from inside the toilet bowl into cavity 22, then into first exhaust hose 30, and through component box 40 in which fan 45 resides. Seat cavity 22 is constructed and arranged to be substantially air tight such that malodorous gas is drawn out of the bowl area and into seat cavity 22 primarily through each ventilation orifice 20 and air flows out of seat cavity 22 primarily though first exhaust hose 30.

First exhaust hose 30 is connected to toilet seat 10 at inlet connector 32. First exhaust hose 30 is connected to component box 40 at outlet connector 34 Each of connector 32 and connector 34 are secured in any manner known in the art to provide a substantially air tight connection. The fan 45 creates a negative pressure differential at each orifice 22.

The region of negative pressure requires a facial velocity of air entering cavity 22 through the sum total of ventilation orifice 20 at a velocity of between 0.1 ft³/min and 50 ft³/min. Additionally, the entire system should be constructed and arranged so that the total static pressure loss from source, being fan 45 to inlet, being each ventilation orifice 20, is less than 70%.

The negative pressure at each ventilation orifice 20 draws gas in and around toilet bowl 24 to be drawn into seat cavity 22. Gas that is drawn into seat cavity 22 travels through seat cavity 22 by virtue of being drawn by fan 45. Gas exits seat cavity 22 into first exhaust hose 30 that is connected to seat 10 at inlet connector 32. Gas continues to travel into component box 40.

It is contemplated that the system of the present invention expels gas from component box 40 and performs the ultimate goal of removing malodorous gas from the area in and around both toilet bowl 24 and toilet seat 10. The accompanying figures provide varying embodiments as to the destination of expelled gas from component box 40.

In the embodiment of FIG. 3, component box 40 has a filter cavity 61 that is configured to receive filter 65. Filter 65 is any solid, semisolid, fibrous, or liquid holder, which contributes to the neutralization of malodorous gas exiting component box 40. In a preferred embodiment, filter 65 contains at least one chemical component for neutralization of sulfide gas. Suitable chemical components include, but are not limited to, inorganic hydroxides such as sodium, magnesium, potassium, and calcium, basic carbonates, agricultural lime (CaO), crushed limestone (CaCO3), sodium bicarbonate (NaHCO3), other known sulfur neutralization compounds, or combinations thereof.

In the embodiment of FIG. 5, second exhaust tube 60 is connected to component box 40 at connector 62. Connector 62 is any connector as known in the art that imparts a substantially air tight connection. Gas actively transported by fan 45 that has been drawn into connector box 40 traveling through seat cavity 22 and first exhaust hose 30 and fan 45 expels gas from connector box 40 into second exhaust hose 60. Second exhaust hose 60 passes through floor 74. Second exhaust hose 60 has a connector 70 that connects second exhaust hose 60 to conventional plumbing toilet trap 71. Expelled gas is then directed into wastewater line 73 and is carried away in wastewater line 73. It is commonly known that wastewater line 73 carries malodorous gas and deposits the gas remotely either in a public sewer line or septic system.

In the embodiment of FIG. 7, second exhaust tube 60 is connected to component box 40 at connector 62. Connector 62 is any connector as known in the art that imparts a substantially air tight connection. Gas actively transported by fan 45 that has been drawn into connector box 40 traveling through seat cavity 22 and first exhaust hose 30 is expelled from connector box 40 into second exhaust hose 60. Second exhaust hose 60 passes through toilet 5 at connector 80. It is known in the art that toilets are constructed with an air chamber 81 that is above the water level 82 inside toilet bowl 24. Air chamber 81 prevents malodorous gas from traveling from wastewater pipe 73 into toilet bowl 24. In this embodiment, air chamber 81 is further used to receive malodorous gas from second exhaust 60. Malodorous gas is expelled from air chamber 81 upon flushing toilet 5 and malodorous gas and wastewater is transported away from toilet 5 in wastewater pipe 73.

In the embodiment of FIG. 8, second exhaust tube 60 is connected to component box 40 at connector 62. Connector 62 is any connector as known in the art that imparts a substantially air tight connection. Gas actively transported by fan 45 that has been drawn into connector box 40 traveling through seat cavity 22 and first exhaust hose 30 is expelled from connector box 40 into second exhaust hose 60. Second exhaust hose 60 passes through wall 75 and exits through exterior air vent 90 which is outside of the building. Optionally, exterior air vent 90 may have one or more filters similar to filter 65 discussed herein.

While the invention has been described in its preferred form or embodiment with some degree of particularity, it is understood that this description has been given only by way of example and that numerous changes in the details of construction, fabrication, and use, including the combination and arrangement of parts, may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

Claims

1. A toilet seat comprising;

a. an upper sitting surface;

b. an interior cavity within said seat and below said upper sitting surface;

c. a toilet seat interior side wall; and

d. a plurality of orifices along said side wall in which said interior cavity is accessed.

2. The toilet seat of claim 1 wherein said interior cavity has an outlet constructed and arranged to receive an outlet hose connector.

3. A system for eliminating odor in and around a toilet bowl comprising;

a. a toilet seat of claim 1;

b. an exhaust hose connected to said outlet on a first end and connected to a component box on a second end;

c. a fan inside said component box;

whereby said fan imparts a region of negative pressure at each of said orifices such that malodorous air travels through said orifices, into said seat cavity, out of said seat cavity into said exhaust hose, out of said exhaust hose and into said component box, and ultimately exiting said component box.

4. The system of claim 3 having an air filter in said component box.

5. The system of claim 4 wherein said filter comprises at least one compound for neutralizing at least one of indole, skatole, and thiols inorganic gas, hydrogen sulfide, present in said malodorous air.