Patent Application
20210395990
The present invention relates generally to the field of exhaust or ventilation systems for a toilet or commode. More specifically, the present invention relates to a toilet with a modified exhaust or ventilation system integrated directly into the toilet bowl, thereby enabling a user to remove unwanted waste odors from the bowl by venting the odors from bowl to outside the home or building, and away from the bathroom. The device of the present invention features several ventilation holes or a channel in an upper bowl lip to draw air from the bowl and into the exhaust system. The device also comprises a relatively silent operating fan that may be activated with a switch or a pressure sensor, and that is capable of drawing the air from the bowl and expelling it out through the ventilation system. Accordingly, the present specification makes specific reference thereto. However, it is to be appreciated that aspects of the present invention are also equally useable with other like applications, devices and methods of manufacture.
By way of background, toilets are used in almost all of the civilized countries in the world. Modern toilets typically include a toilet bowl, a seat, and a lid, and are generally located within an enclosed space of a house or a building, such as a bathrooms, closet or in a basement. The toilet bowl is filled with a volume of water, and is used to collect excrement, toilet paper, tissues, and other bodily waste. The materials collected by the toilet bowl are then removed from the bowl by flushing with water which is stored in an associated tank or other reservoir. The flushed materials are then sent to a disposal unit, septic or sewage system, which is in fluid communication with the toilet bowl drain. Nonetheless, while using such toilets, unwanted odors (e.g., from the excrement or other bodily waste) inevitably enter the air of the enclosed space. Such unwanted odors may cause embarrassment to the user, if other people are concurrently using the bathroom or an adjacent space, and may create a bad impression regarding the hygiene of the toilet user.
Most restrooms and bathrooms containing a toilet also have one or more windows for ventilation. However, ventilation through such windows is slow and takes a lot of time to completely eliminate the unwanted odor from the toilet. Further, some bathrooms (e.g., those in a hospital or other medical facility) are designed such that they do not have any windows for ventilation. In such scenarios, conventional venting systems, may be used for eliminating unwanted smell and odors. However, most conventional venting systems are not particularly effective as they are located on the ceiling, a substantial distance away from the toilet bowl, and take a lot of time to eliminate the unwanted smell from the bathrooms and sometimes fail to completely eliminate the odor.
A variety of other devices have been developed over the years for removing odorous air or gases from toilets and from the space surrounding the toilet. For example, deodorants or air fresheners have been used to solve the existing problems associated with unwanted odors in bathrooms and rooms. More specifically, deodorants and/or air fresheners are utilized by a user in an enclosed space with an unwanted odor by spreading a fragrance into the environment. However, such deodorants and air fresheners tend to mask the odor, as opposed to eliminating the same. Further, such products may only work for a limited period of time or number of uses, thereby requiring a user to frequently replace the same which can be both inconvenient and expensive. Additionally, some air fresheners and deodorants include hazardous chemicals and particles, which may lead to breathing issues for people who are allergic to such chemicals or otherwise have a medical or respiratory issue.
Additionally, ceiling fans and exhaust fans are also used in bathrooms to remove noxious odors emanating from toilets. More specifically, a ceiling fan, suction blower or other type of exhaust fan is mounted in the ceiling of the bathroom containing the toilet for drawing out the foul air. However, the approach of using a ceiling and/or exhaust fan has a number of shortcomings. For example, the odorous gases circulate throughout the air in the bathroom prior to being removed and exhausted, which creates an unpleasant environment for the user. In addition, ventilation or exhaust fans can lose some of their ability to draw air out over time, as the system ages and the duct work or vents associated with the fan becomes clogged with debris, dust and the like.
Therefore, there exists a long felt need in the art for an effective ventilation system for removing odors emanating from a toilet bowl. There is also a long felt need in the art for a ventilation system that is partially positioned within the bowl for reducing the amount of odor that escapes the bowl, but that does not interfere with the cleaning of the toilet bowl. Additionally, there is a long felt need in the art for a vented toilet system which does not circulate the unwanted waste odor in the bathroom or enclosed space, and that effectively releases the unwanted odor outside the enclosed space, house or building. Finally, there is a long felt need in the art for a vented toilet bowl system which is affordable to manufacture and install, and that is safe and easy to use, thereby creating a pleasant environment for users of bathrooms.
The subject matter disclosed and claimed herein, in one embodiment thereof, comprises a toilet bowl with an integrated exhaust system that effectively removes unwanted waste odors from the bowl through an exterior wall and outside of a home or building. More specifically, the vented toilet system of the present invention comprises a plurality of ventilation holes or a channel in an upper bowl lip to draw air into the exhaust system, and utilizes a silent fan that is activated with a switch or a pressure sensor and is capable of drawing the noxious odors directly from the bowl and expelling the same through an outdoor vent. The vented toilet bowl of the present invention offers a more convenient, affordable and effective toilet ventilation system for individuals.
In this manner, the vented toilet bowl system of the present invention accomplishes all of the forgoing objectives, and provides a relatively quick and easy solution to removing unwanted odors from bathrooms according to the wants and needs of the user. The vented toilet bowl system of the present invention is integrated into the toilet bowl itself, but does not interfere with the operation or cleaning of the toilet bowl. Finally, the vented toilet bowl system of the present invention is conveniently operated by a user via a switch or a pressure sensor.
The following presents a simplified summary in order to provide a basic understanding of some aspects of the disclosed innovation. This summary is not an extensive overview, and it is not intended to identify key/critical elements or to delineate the scope thereof. Its sole purpose is to present some concepts in a simplified form as a prelude to the more detailed description that is presented later.
The subject matter disclosed and claimed herein, in one embodiment thereof, comprises a toilet bowl with a modified exhaust system that is integrated directly into the toilet bowl. The system effectively removes unwanted waste odors from the bowl, and vents the odors from the bowl, through an exterior wall and outside the home or building. In one embodiment, the vented toilet bowl system of the present invention comprises a plurality of ventilation holes in an upper bowl lip to draw air from inside the bowl and into an exhaust system, and that utilizes a relatively silent fan that may be activated with a switch or a pressure sensor to expel the noxious odors from the exhaust system through an outdoor vent. The positioning of the ventilation holes in the toilet bowl is such that it ensures that any gases arising in the toilet bowl are caught and extracted through the ventilation holes, exhaust system and exterior vent.
The subject matter disclosed and claimed herein, in one embodiment thereof, comprises a relatively silent exhaust fan system for use with a toilet bowl. The system includes (a) an exhaust fan designed to be integrated into a standard toilet bowl, (b) an exhaust channel in fluid communication with the interior space of a toilet bowl, and (c) a plurality of ventilation holes integrated within the upper lip of the toilet bowl and in fluid communication with the exhaust channel.
The subject matter disclosed and claimed herein, in one embodiment thereof, is a vented toilet system. The vented toilet system is comprised of: (a) a toilet bowl having one or more ventilation channels located on an upper bowl lip of the toilet bowl for removing unwanted odors from the interior space of the toilet bowl; (b) a relatively silent fan connected to the channel through an exhaust pipe for drawing unwanted odors from the toilet bowl; and (c) an opening or vent in the exhaust pipe for releasing the unwanted odor from the toilet bowl to an outside space. In a further embodiment of the present invention, the silent fan may be activated using a switch or a pressure sensor mounted on a wall, or on the toilet seat itself. Alternatively, the seat or wall may include a touch sensor or motion sensor, which detects a presence of user and automatically turns “ON” the toilet ventilation system, thereby providing a pleasant environment for all users. In addition, a switch can be connected to the lid of the toilet seat such that when the lid is raised, the ventilation system is automatically turned “ON”.
In yet another embodiment of the present invention, a method for removing unwanted odors from a toilet bowl is disclosed. The method includes the step of initially triggering a switch by receiving a signal from a button or a sensor. Then, a relatively silent exhaust fan is activated and the unwanted odors from the toilet bowl is removed by pulling air from the interior space of the toilet bowl via a plurality of ventilation holes or a ventilation channel in an upper bowl lip of the toilet bowl. More specifically, the silent exhaust fan sucks or draws out the unwanted odors from the toilet bowl through the ventilation holes or channel, an exhaust pipe, and eventually expels the same through an exterior vent.
In a still further embodiment of the present invention, a method of using a bathroom ventilation system is described and includes the step of initially providing a toilet having a bowl, a lid and a seat, wherein the bowl further comprises a plurality of ventilation holes or a channel disposed below a rim of the bowl and above a high-water area. The holes are spaced equally around the bowl, and in fluid communication with an exhaust fan. The exhaust fan has at least a first and a second mode of operation, with the first mode being a continuous mode and the second mode operating at a higher speed than the first mode. The fan is actuated by a switch to change the mode of operation from the first mode to the second mode. When the fan is operational, air and noxious odors are evacuated from the bowl of the toilet and expelled through an exterior vent.
In yet a still further embodiment of the present invention, a bathroom ventilation system is described that comprises a ventilation fan having at least first and second modes of operation. The first mode of operation is a continuous operation mode, and the second mode operates at a higher fan speed than the first mode. The ventilation fan is in fluid communication with a pipe and ultimately the interior portion of a toilet. The toilet has a bowl, a lid and a seat, wherein the bowl comprises a plurality of holes or openings disposed below a rim of the bowl and above a high-water area. The openings are preferably spaced apart equally around the bowl for maximum efficiency. A switch is also provided and is one of a manual switch, pressure switch or remote switch, wherein the switch changes the mode of operation of the fan. The fan creates a mild vacuum state within the toilet bowl that draws unwanted odors from the bowl through the pipe and vents the same to an outside area.
To the accomplishment of the foregoing and related ends, certain illustrative aspects of the disclosed innovation are described herein in connection with the following description and the annexed drawings. These aspects are indicative, however, of but a few of the various ways in which the principles disclosed herein can be employed and are intended to include all such aspects and their equivalents. Other advantages and novel features will become apparent from the following detailed description when considered in conjunction with the drawings.
The description refers to provided drawings in which similar reference characters refer to similar parts throughout the different views, and in which:
The innovation is now described with reference to the drawings, wherein like reference numerals are used to refer to like elements throughout. In the following description, for purposes of explanation, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding thereof. It may be evident, however, that the innovation can be practiced without these specific details. In other instances, well-known structures and devices are shown in block diagram form in order to facilitate a description thereof.
As noted above, there is a long felt need in the art for an effective ventilation system for removing odors emanating from a toilet bowl. There is also a long felt need in the art for a ventilation system that is partially positioned within the bowl for reducing the amount of odor that escapes the bowl, but that does not interfere with the cleaning of the toilet bowl. Additionally, there is a long felt need in the art for a vented toilet system which does not circulate the unwanted odors in the bathroom, and that effectively releases the unwanted odors outside the house or building. Finally, there is a long felt need in the art for a vented toilet bowl system which is affordable to manufacture and install, and that is safe and easy to use. The vented toilet system of the present invention effectively and quickly removes unwanted odors from the bathrooms, thereby creating a pleasant environment for the current and future users.
The present invention, in one exemplary embodiment, is a toilet with a modified exhaust or ventilation system integrated directly into the toilet bowl, which effectively removes unwanted waste odors from the interior of the bowl and vents the same to an area outside the home or building. The vented toilet bowl system of the present invention features several ventilation holes or a channel in an upper bowl lip to draw air into the exhaust system, and utilizes a silent fan activated with a switch or a pressure sensor to draw air from the bowl and expel it to an outside area through a vent. More specifically, the silent exhaust fan is attached to the vented toilet system and is activated via a switch. The switch may be a manually activated switch, or an automated switch. For example, automated switches include, without limitation, 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 a toilet seat, such that the exhaust fan is automatically activated when a user sits on the toilet seat.
The vented toilet system of the present invention offers a more convenient and effective toilet ventilation system for individuals, which is both cost effective to operate and affordable. The vented toilet system may be manufactured and marketed both as an integration with toilet bowls for an original installation, or can be sold as an individual toilet ventilation kit for home installation into an existing toilet.
Referring initially to the drawings,
The vented toilet system 100 is further comprised of a seat 112, a lid 114, a flushing mechanism 120, a water tank 118, an exhaust fan, a switch and other components for enabling the usage of the vented toilet system 100, each as described further below. In summary, the vented toilet bowl system 100 of the present invention utilizes vents or channels and a silent fan for removing unwanted odors from the toilet bowl both easily and efficiently. The silent exhaust fan is connected to the vents or channels provided in the toilet bowl 110 by exhaust pipes, which removes the unwanted air from the interior of the toilet bowl 110 and releases the unwanted air outside the premises, so as to provide a clean and pleasant environment for all users.
The seat 112 may be a generally ring or oval shaped seating arrangement that fits flushly with the toilet bowl 110, and that enables a user to easily sit over the toilet bowl 110 and access the interior of the toilet. Nonetheless, the seat 112 may also be any other shape, such as circular, square, rectangular, etc., that suits user need and/or preference. The seat 112 is usually manufactured from a plastic material, although any other suitable material may be used. For example, wooden toilet seats are often popular for aesthetic purposes. The lid 114 is used to cover the toilet bowl 110 when the toilet system 100 is not in use, but may also be used to support the switch of the present invention as explained more fully below. The lid 114 and the toilet seat 112 are hinged together at a hinged portion 115, and therefore can be easily moved between a raised and a lowered position. The seat 112 itself is relatively lightweight, and can be raised by a user when required (e.g., to enable a male to urinate into the bowl, or for purposes of cleaning the interior of the toilet bowl 110). Further, the position of the lid 114 can be manipulated manually by the user by holding the lid 114 and moving it into a raised or lowered position. Alternatively, the lid 114 may be equipped with a proximity sensor which raises and lowers the lid 114 based on the proximity of the user to the toilet bowl 110.
The flushing mechanism 120 allows the waste 1102 excreted into the water 1101 in the toilet bowl 110 to be flushed from the toilet and into a septic or sewage system. The flushing mechanism 120 may be a flush handle or a button which, when activated, uses the water inside the water tank 118 associated with the toilet 100 to flush the waste 1102 down a drain. Once the waste 1102 is flushed out, the water stored in the water tank 118 fills into the bowl 110 to prevent unwanted odors from emanating upwards from the drain, and the water tank 118 is also subsequently refilled.
As previously stated, the toilet bowl 110 includes one or more holes or vents 1111 in an upper bowl lip 111 to vent unwanted odors from the interior of the toilet bowl 110. The vents 1111 are preferably located above the highest level expected to be reached by the water used to flush the waste 1102, also referred to as a high water mark 1101 in the toilet bowl 110. As best shown in
The vented toilet system 100 of the present invention may be manufactured in a plain white color, any other color, or in a variety of different colors, patterns, or decorative prints. The decorative prints could be available in various themes, such as water, flowers, animals, designs or a combination of any of these patterns. The color of the vented toilet system 100 can be selected while keeping in mind the interiors of the toilets, or any other preferences of the user. The vented toilet system 100 may be manufactured in various styles and designs, and integrated with other recent technologies in the toilet or bidet art.
As best shown in
The exhaust pipe 210 may also be in fluid communication with the exhaust fan 200, which draws the air and unwanted odors from the interior of the toilet bowl 110 through the first end 2101, and releases or expels the unwanted air outside the premises through the second end 2102 of the pipe 210 and/or an exterior vent. The exhaust fan 210 is preferably mounted on a wall 220 with the pipe 210 integrated into the exhaust system 200. When the switch is activated, either manually or automatically, the exhaust fan 200 is turned ON, and the fan 200 reduces pressure of the exhaust pipe 210, thereby removing unwanted odor and air from the toilet bowl 110 and releasing or expelling the unwanted air into an exterior area or space 230.
In a further embodiment of the present invention, the exhaust fan 200 may be connected to a sewer system of the building for releasing unwanted air outside 230 the premises via said sewer system. While depicted as a silent exhaust fan 200, any device capable of exhausting the contents of the toilet bowl 110 may be utilized, including, for example, a vacuum device. The exhaust fan 200 may be hardwired into the existing electrical system of the house or other structure, may be battery operated, or solar powered.
As previously stated, the vented toilet system 100 can be activated via a switch, which may be either a manually activated switch or an automatic switch. If a manually activated switch is used, the user pushes a button or flips the switch to turn ON the exhaust fan 200, which in turn pulls air through the exhaust pipe 210 and the plurality of openings 1111 (or, alternatively, the channel) in the toilet bowl 110 and expels the same to an exterior space. For the automatic switches, motion-sensitive switches, light-sensitive switches, and/or pressure-sensitive switches may be used to automatically activate the exhaust fan 200 upon the triggering of a specified event. For example, in the case of a pressure-sensitive switch, the switch may be connected to, mounted beneath, or integrated into a toilet seat 112, such that the exhaust fan 200 is automatically activated when a user sits on a toilet seat 112. Other manual switches may be integrated into the toilet lid 114 such that when the lid is moved from a closed position over the bowl to an open position against the tank 118, the exhaust fan 200 automatically turns ON so that the user does not have to remember to otherwise manually operate turn ON the exhaust fan 200.
The exhaust fan 200 operates at a speed sufficient to remove between 20 and 50 cubic feet of air per minute (CFM), and perhaps as high as 110 CFM. The exhaust fan 200 can also be operated in a first continuous mode at an approximate speed of 20 CFM, and then increased to a second mode having a speed in excess of 20 CFM by further activation of the switch. For example, when use of the toilet 110 has been completed, the fan speed may automatically return to the lower speed (i.e., the first mode of operation). In this way, the toilet bowl 110 is continually swept of unwanted odors that may come back from, for example, the sewer line. As previously stated, the exhaust fan 200 is preferably relatively silent in its operation and preferably has a decibel rating of less than 60, and more preferably less than 25.
The switch 300 may be an automatic switch such as a motion-sensitive switch, light-sensitive switch, pressure-sensitive switch, etc. that may be used to automatically activate the exhaust fan 200 upon the triggering of a specified event. As an example, in the case of a pressure-sensitive switch 300, the switch 300 may be connected to, mounted beneath, or integrated into the toilet seat 112 or lid 114, such that exhaust fan 200 is automatically activated when a user sits on a toilet seat 112 and/or raises the lid 114. Further, a controller may be utilized by the vented toilet system 100 to receive an input signal from the switch 300 and transmit an action for the exhaust fan 200, based on the interpretation of the input signal received from the switch 300.
In one embodiment of the present invention, the switch 300 may be controlled remotely by the user by using a software application on a smart device (not shown) to activate or otherwise control the operation of the vented toilet system 100. The software application may be installed on a compatible smartphone device or any other electronic device and can be easily accessed by the user. The user may access the software application to turn ON or turn OFF the exhaust fan 200 of the vented toilet system 100 remotely over a wireless connection such as Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, NFC or other known wireless technologies. The software application may be used by the user to change the speed of the fan 200 as per the user requirements. Further, the software application can be utilized by the user to change the position of the lid or the seat, for example, from a raised or lowered position and vice versa. In one embodiment, the flushing mechanism 120 can also be activated using the software application for the vented toilet system 100. In the alternative embodiment, the switch 300 can be used to increase the fan speed from a constant low or non-toilet use speed of roughly 20 CFM, to a high speed between 50 and 110 CFM for when the toilet is in use.
As best shown in the
In a further embodiment of the present invention, the exhaust pipe 210 is connected to the silent exhaust fan 200 having multiple apertures, which draws the air or unwanted odors from the channel 400 connected to the interior of the toilet bowl 110, through the first end 2101 and releases the unwanted air outside the premises through the second end 2102 of the pipe 210. As previously stated, the second end of the pipe may be connected to the sewage or waste pipes in the home or business so as not to create additional piping extending outside the building. The exhaust fan motor 210 may be mounted on a wall 220 with the pipe 2101 integrated into the exhaust system 200. However, the exact position of the exhaust fan motor 210 is not fixed, and can be mounted at any other place or at different wall heights as per the requirements of the user. When the switch is activated (manually or automatically), the exhaust fan 200 is turned ON and the fan 200 reduces the pressure within the exhaust pipe 210, thereby removing unwanted odors and air from the toilet bowl 110, and releasing the same to the outer area 230.
In a further embodiment of the present invention, the exhaust fan 200 may be connected to a sewer or septic system for the building for releasing unwanted air outside 230 the premises. While depicted as a silent exhaust fan 200, any device capable of exhausting the contents of toilet bowl 110 may be utilized, including, for example, a vacuum device. The fan 200 may be hardwired into the electrical system of the house, may be battery operated, or may be solar powered. In such case that the fan 200 is battery operated or solar powered, the batteries used to power the fan 200 may be rechargeable or disposable.
The vented toilet system 100 of the present invention may be manufactured and marketed as an initial integration with newly constructed toilet bowls, or can be sold as an aftermarket individual toilet ventilation kit, which can be installed by a do it yourselfer or home owner. The kit includes an exhaust fan, along with other system components such as a switch, vents or channels, etc. The vented toilet system 100 can be integrated into urinals, bidets, and other similar receptacles for receiving human waste.
Certain terms are used throughout the following description and claims to refer to particular features or components. As one skilled in the art will appreciate, different persons may refer to the same feature or component by different names. This document does not intend to distinguish between components or features that differ in name but not structure or function. As used herein “vented toilet bowl” and “vented toilet system” are interchangeable and refer to the vented toilet system 100 of the present invention. As used herein “vented” refers to the vents, holes, opening, orifice or channel provided in an upper bowl lip, seat portion, rim area, or any other portion of the vented toilet system, that helps in elimination of unwanted odor from the interior of the toilet bowl 110 of the vented toilet system of the present invention.
Notwithstanding the forgoing, the vented toilet system 100 of the present invention and its various components can be of any suitable size and configuration as is known in the art without affecting the overall concept of the invention, provided that it and they accomplishe the above stated objectives. One of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that the size, configuration and material of the vented toilet system 100 as shown in the FIGS. are for illustrative purposes only, and that many other sizes and configurations of the vented toilet system 100 are well within the scope of the present disclosure. Although the dimensions of the vented toilet system 100 are important design parameters for user convenience, the vented toilet system 100 may be of any size that ensures optimal performance during use and/or that suits user need and/or preference.
What has been described above includes examples of the claimed subject matter. It is, of course, not possible to describe every conceivable combination of components or methodologies for purposes of describing the claimed subject matter, but one of ordinary skill in the art may recognize that many further combinations and permutations of the claimed subject matter are possible. Accordingly, the claimed subject matter is intended to embrace all such alterations, modifications and variations that fall within the spirit and scope of the appended claims. Furthermore, to the extent that the term “includes” is used in either the detailed description or the claims, such term is intended to be inclusive in a manner similar to the term “comprising” as “comprising” is interpreted when employed as a transitional word in a claim.
The present application claims priority to, and the benefit of, U.S. Provisional Application No. 63/042,107, which was filed on Jun. 22, 2020 and is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 63042107 | Jun 2020 | US |
