Poister, Clarence E. (Topeka, KS)
Tyrrell, Philip A. (Kansas City, MO)
Hodge, Walter D. (Shawnee Mission, KS)

05/449914

10/21/1975

03/11/1974

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Products/inc P. K. (Wichita, KS)

4/213

4/217, 4/348

E03D9/052; E03D9/04; E03D13/00; E03D9/04; A47K3/22

4/209,131,213,217,214,215,72,211,216

2724840	Ventilated toilet bowl	November 1955	Scott et al.
2728088	Ventilated seat and cover assembly for toilet bowls	December 1955	Gudish
2743462	Hinge and vent assembly for toilet bowls	May 1956	McMillan
2847682	Toilet ventilator	August 1958	Shay
3108289	Toilet ventilator	October 1963	Smith
3790970	TOILET STOOL VENTILATING MEANS	February 1974	Bendersky et al.

Artis, Henry K.

Widdowson, John H.

We claim

1. An improved toilet stool mounted on a supporting surface and including a generally annular conduit seat having an exit aperture and intake openings in communication with the inside of the toilet bowl, said seat circumscribing the upper rim of said toilet bowl when in a lowered position, a tank supported on a rearwardly extending portion of said toilet stool behind said toilet bowl, having a flushing liquid and means connected therein to supply the fluishing liquid to the toilet bowl through a discharge conduit, the improvement being a ventilating means which comprises:

2. The ventilating means of claim 1 wherein said discharge conduit pierces said conduit of said adapter plate such that contaminated air being removed from said toilet bowl generally glows around said discharge conduit.

3. The ventilating means of claim 3 wherein said tank additionally includes a watertight partition uprightly attached to the internal sides of said tank, and said means for removing contaminated air are removably lodged within said tank, said partition separating said flushing liquid from said means for removing.

4. The ventilating means of claim 2 additionally including a compartment attached underneath said adapter plate wherein said means for removing removably lodges.

5. The ventilating means of claim 3 wherein said means for conducting comprises a second conduit connecting said means for removing with the sewer below the toilet trap, and wherein said means for conducting additionally includes a means for preventing the backflow of contaminated air, said means for preventing being connected within said second conduit in proximity to said means for removing.

6. The ventilating means of claim 5 wherein said means for preventing comprises a plate member pivotally connected to said conducting and contiguously situated to the point where said means for removing connects with said means for conducting such as to entirely block said point to prevent the backflow of contaminated air, said plate member being normally biased in a closed position by a spring loaded at the pivot point.

7. The ventilating means of claim 5 wherein said means for preventing comprises a solenoid valve electrically connected to said switch means such that pressure exerted on the top of said seat operates said switch means to open said solenoid valve to allow the passage of said normally contaminated air from said means for removing through said means for conducting.

8. The ventilating means of claim 3 wherein said means for conducting comprises a vent stack connected to said means for removing for passing said normally contaminated air into the outside atmosphere, and said means for conducting additionally includes a means for preventing the backflow of contaminated air, said means for preventing being connected within said vent stack in proximity to said means for removing.

9. The ventilating means of claim 8 wherein said means for preventing comprises a plate member pivotally connected to said means for conducting and contiguously situated to the point where said means for removing connects with said means for conducting such as to entirely block said point to prevent the backflow of contaminated air, said plate member being normally biased in a closed position by a spring loaded at the pivot point.

10. The ventilating means of claim 8 wherein said means for preventing comprises a solenoid valve electrically connected to said switch means such that pressure exerted on the top of said seat operates said switch means to open said solenoid valve to allow passage of said normally contaminated air from said means for removing through said means for conducting.

11. The ventilating means of claim 4 wherein said means for conducting comprises a vent stack connected to said means for removing for passing said normally contaminated air into the outside atmosphere, and said means for conducting additionally includes a means for preventing the backflow of contaminated air, said means for preventing being connected within said vent stack in proximity to said means for removing.

12. The ventilating means of claim 11 wherein said means for preventing comprises a plate member pivotally connected to said means for conducting and contiguously situated to the point where said means for removing connects with said means for conducting such as to entirely block said point to prevent the backflow of contaminated air, said plate member being normally biased in a closed position by a spring loaded at the pivot point.

13. The ventilating means of claim 11 wherein said means for preventing comprises a solenoid valve electrically connected to said switch means such that pressure exerted on the top of said seat operates said switch means to open said solenoid valve to allow passage of said normally contaminated air from said means for removing through said means for conducting.

14. The ventilating means of claim 4 wherein said means for conducting comprises a second conduit connecting said means for removing with the sewer below the toilet trap, and said means for conducting additionally includes a means for preventing the backflow of contaminated air, said means for preventing being connected within said second conduit in proximity to said means for removing.

15. The ventilating means of claim 14 wherein said means for preventing comprises a plate member pivotally connected to said means for conducting and contiguously situated to the point where said means for removing connects with said means for conducting such as to entirely block said point to prevent the backflow of contaminated air, said plate member being normally biased in a closed position by a spring loaded at the pivot point.

16. The ventilating means of claim 14 wherein said means for preventing comprises a solenoid valve electrically connected to said switch means such that pressure exerted on the top of said seat operates said switch means to open said solenoid valve to allow the passage of said normally contaminated air from said means for removing through said means for conducting.

17. An improved toilet stool mounted on a supporting surface and including a generally annular conduit seat having an exit aperture and intake openings in communication with the inside of the toilet bowl, said seat circumscribing the upper rim of said toilet bowl when in a lowered position, a tank supported on a rearwardly extending portion of said toilet stool behind said toilet bowl, having a flushing liquid and means connected therein to supply the flushing liquid to the toilet bowl through a discharge conduit, the improvement being:

18. The ventilating means of claim 17 wherein said adapter plate is horizontally attached to the rear of said seat and is essentially aligned therewith when said seat is in a lowered position, said seat including a rear protrusion member extending into said adapter plate in proximity to said exit aperture, said switch means additionally comprises a linkage member pivotally lodging within said adapter plate and having a first end in contact with said switch means and a second end removably lodging upon said protrusion member such that pressure exerted on the top of said seat causes said linkage member to operate said switch means to activate said means for removing.

19. The ventilating means of claim 18 wherein said discharge conduit pierces said conduit of said adapter plate such that contaminated air being removed from said toilet bowl generally flows around said discharge conduit.

20. The ventilating means of claim 17 wherein:

21. The ventilating means of claim 17 additionally including a compartment attached underneath said adapter plate wherein said filter element and said means for removing removably lodge.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

This invention relates to a toilet stool ventilating means. More specifically, this invention provides an improved toilet stool ventilating means which utilizes a switch means and a linkage member attached between the switch and a toilet seat such that pressure on top of the seat causes the linkage member to operate the switch.

2. Description of the Prior Art

Various other types of toilet stool ventilating devices are known in the prior art as operable for removing contaminated air and odors from within a toilet bowl. However, these devices are generally costly to manufacture and unsightly in appearance as well as requiring specially designed toilet bowls and additional air receiving rings or the like attached to the seats or the toilet bowl structure. Additionally, some of these prior art devices require mounting of the filter unit in a remote location not immediately adjacent to the toilet stool which often times then makes it not easily accessible for filter replacement. One known means of ventilating a toilet stool is to attach an inlet conduit to the seat or to the bowl area and connect the conduit to a filtering unit placed elsewhere; this is not generally satisfactory because of the general unsightly appearance of the additional structure needed to be added to the toilet stool and the remotely placed filtering unit. Another common means of ventilating a bathroom is by using ceiling or wall vents to carry contaminated air from the room; this is generally not satisfactory because of removal of a large quantity of heated or air-conditioned air which must be replaced. Therefore, what is needed and what has been invented by me is an improved toilet stool ventilating means without the foregoing deficiencies associated with the prior art.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention accomplishes it desired objects by broadly providing an improved toilet stool mounted on a supporting surface and including a generally annular conduit having an exit aperture and intake openings in communication with the inside of the toilet bowl. The seat circumscribes the upper rim of the toilet bowl when in a lowered position. A tank is mounted on the toilet stool and includes a flushing liquid and means connected therein to supply the flushing liquid to the toilet bowl through a discharge conduit. The improvement is a ventilating means which comprises an adapter plate situated underneath the tank and having the conduit seat pivotally attached thereto. The adapter plate has a structure defining a conduit which is in communication with the toilet bowl through the intake openings of the seat. A means is attached within the tank or underneath a compartment attached to the adapter plate and removes normally contaminated air from the inside of the toilet bowl through the intake openings and the conduit of the adapter plate for passing the air either into the outside atmosphere through a means for conducting in communication therewith, or into the surrounding atmosphere after passage through a means for filtering. A switch means is connected within the adapter plate and is electrically operably connected to the means for removing. The toilet seat includes a rear protrusion member extending into the adapter plate and a linkage member is included within the switch means and connects with the protrusion member such that pressure exerted on the top of the seat causes the linkage member to operate the switch means to activate the means for removing.

It is therefore an object of this invention to provide an improved toilet stool ventilating means which overcomes the aforementioned disadvantages associated with prior art devices.

It is another object of this invention to provide an improved toilet stool ventilating means which can be used within a conventional toilet stool structure without substantially altering its appearance.

It is yet another object of this invention to provide an improved toilet stool ventilating means which may or may not utilize a filter, is easy to clean, and is also efficient and relatively economical to manufacture and operate.

These, together with various ancillary objects and features which will become apparent as the following description proceeds are obtained by this novel ventilating means for a toilet stool, a preferred embodiment being shown in the accompanying drawings, by way of example only, wherein:

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a partial vertical sectional view of a toilet stool disclosing the filter element and the blower housed within the tank behind a watertight partition and in communication with a conduit in the adapter plate;

FIG. 2 is a front elevational view of the toilet stool of FIG. 1 having a cut away portion showing the watertight partition separting the filter element and the blower from the flushing liquid;

FIG. 3 is a partial top plan view of the toilet stool and tank disclosing in dashed lines the switch means, the linkage member and an embodiment of the adapter plate conduit being pieced by a flushing liquid discharge conduit;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged partial perspective view of the switch means, the toilet seat having a protrusion member, and the linkage member connecting the switch means with the protrusion member;

FIG. 5 is a partial top plan view of the toilet stool having the tank and the seat with the protrusion member and disclosing in dashed lines the switch means, the discharge conduit, and another embodiment of the adapter plate conduit;

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view disclosing the filter element and blower housed within a compartment connected underneath the adapter plate;

FIG. 7 is a partial vertical sectional view taken along the line 7--7 in FIG. 3;

FIG. 8 is a partial vertical sectional view disclosing the blower in communication with a conduit in the adapter plate and a vent stack and housed within a compartment attached underneath the adapter plate;

FIG. 9 is a partial vertical sectional view disclosing the blower housed within the tank behind a watertight partition and in communication with the conduit of the adapter plate and with the sewer below the toilet trap through a means for conducting having a means for preventing the backflow of contaminated air pivotally lodged therein;

FIG. 10 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view of the housed blower in communication with a conduit having a plate member pivotally lodged therein and leading to either the vent stack or to the sewer beneath the toilet trap;

FIG. 11 is an elevational view of the housed blower in communication with a conduit having a solenoid anti-backflow valve lodged therein to prevent the backflow of contaminated air;

FIG. 12 is a front elevational view of the toilet stool of FIG. 9 disclosing the switch means and linkage member in dashed lines, and having a cut away portion showing the watertight partition separating the flushing liquid from the blower which is in communication with the vent stack; and

FIG. 13 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view disclosing the blower in communication with the conduit in the adapter plate and a vent stack and housed within a compartment attached underneath the adapter plate.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring in detail now to the drawings, wherein similar or like parts of the invention are identified by like reference numerals, a toilet stool, generally illustrated as 20, is mounted on a supporting surface 22 and has an annular conduit seat 24 horizontally and pivotally attached to an adapter plate 26, and is essentially aligned therewith when the seat 24 is in a lowered position as shown in FIGS. 1, 2, 7, 8, 9, and 12. Conduit seat 24 has exit aperture 28 and intake openings 30 which are in communication with the inside of the toilet stool 20. The seat 24 circumscribes an upper rim 32 of the toilet stool 20. A tank 34 with lid 35 is mounted on top of adapter plate 26 and has a flushing liquid 27 and means 36 connected therein to supply the flushing liquid 27 from the tank 34 to the toilet stool 20 through a discharge conduit 38. The adapter plate 26 has a conduit 40 which is in communication with exit aperture 28 and is sealed at 72. The discharge conduit 38 pierces conduit 40 in FIGS. 4 and 7 such that the contaminated air being removed from the toilet stool 20 generally flows around the conduit 38. The remaining figures disclose the discharge conduit 38 as being conventional and not piercing conduit 40.

A means 44 for removing normally contaminated air from the inside of the toilet stool 20 is in communication with conduit 40. Means 44 may be any suitable means but is preferably a blower and has a conductor 45 with a plug 47 attached thereto for insertion into a source of power (not shown in the drawings). Blower 44 removes the contaminated air from the inside of the toilet stool 20 and discharges it either into the outside atmosphere or into the surrounding atmosphere, depending on whether or not a housed filter element 90 (preferably charcoal) having an inlet 91 and an outlet 92 is utilized. FIGS. 1, 2 and 6 disclose a toilet stool 20 having filter element 90 in communication with conduit 40 and means or blower 44 attached to filter 90 for removing the normally contaminated air from the inside of the toilet stool 20 through the following: intake openings 30, exit aperture 28, conduit 40, inlet 91, filter 90, and outlet 92, in order stated, for deodorizing the air and passing it into the surrounding atmosphere through louvers 60 (see FIG. 6) or underneath lid 35 (see FIG. 1). For discharging the contaminated air into the outside atmosphere (as shown in FIGS. 8, 9, 12 and 13), blower 44 is in communication with conduit 40 and removes the contaminated air from the stool 20 through intake openings 30, exit aperture 28, conduit 40, and through a means for discharging, generally illustrated as 42. Means 42 may be any suitable means but is preferably either a vent stack 41 or a conduit 43 leading to the sewer beneath a toilet trap, generally illustrated as 69.

A switch means, generally indicated as 100, is connected within adapter plate 26 and is electrically operably attached to blower 44 by conductor 48. Switch means 100 may be any suitable switch (preferably a micro-switch means 106) which is capable of closing an electrical circuit and additionally comprises a linkage member 102 pivotally lodging within the adapter plate 26. Member 102 has one end in contact with a snap-action micro-switch means 106 (well known within the art) and the other end removably lodging upon a protrusion member 104 which is integrally bound to seat 24. Pressure exerted on the top of seat 24 causes the linkage member 102 to operate the switch means 100 to activate the means for removing, blower 44. Switch means 100 additionally includes (see FIG. 4) switch bracket assembly 112, a screw 108 having a spring 107 and a pivot screw 110 for switch adjustment.

Snap-action micro-switch 106, as aforementioned, is well known within the art, and comprises a plunger 109 slidably lodged within a sleeve 111 and a spring (not shown in the drawings) for upwardly biasing the plunger 109 against the linkage member 102. A contact bar (not shown in the drawings) is pivotally fastened within the switch means 106 and is pivoted against a micro-switch (not shown in the drawings) by the downward force of the plunger 109 and causes the circuit to be closed activating the blower 44.

The location of means (or blower) 44, or the combination of blower 44 and filter 90, each includes two preferred embodiments. FIGS. 8 and 13 disclose an embodiment showing the blower 44 removably housed in a compartment 66 which is attached underneath the adapter plate 26. FIGS. 9 and 12 disclose another embodiment showing the blower 44 removably housed in the tank 34. A watertight partition 62 is attached to the internal sides of the tank 34 to prevent the blower 44 from being inundated with flushing liquid 27. Both embodiments discharge contaminated air either into a vent stack 41 via a compartment 64 and a conduit 67, or into the sewer (not shown in the drawings) underneath the toilet trap, generally indicated as 69, via conduit 43. FIGS. 1 and 2 disclose an embodiment of the combination of filter element 90 and blower 44 having the filter 90 and blower 44 removably housed in the tank 34. A watertight partition 62 is also attached in this embodiment to the internal walls of the tank 34 to prevent the filter 90 and the blower 44 from also being inundated with the flushing liquid 27. Filter 90 is lodged within compartment 65. FIG. 6 discloses another embodiment of the combination having the filter 90 and the blower 44 removably housed within the compartment 66 which, as was previously mentioned, is attached underneath the adapter plate 26 and has a door 67. One embodiment of the combination discharges purified air from underneath the lid 35 (see FIG. 1) while the other embodiment discharges purified air into the surrounding atmosphere through louvers 60 (see FIG. 6).

Means for conducting 42 additionally includes a means for preventing 80 the backflow of contaminated air which is connected therein in proximity to the means for removing 44. Means for preventing 80 may be any suitable means but is preferably a plate member 82 as shown in FIG. 10 which is pivotally connected to the means for conducting 42 and is contiguously situated to a point 83 where the means for removing 44 connects with the means for conducting 42 such as to entirely block the point 83 to prevent the backflow of the contaminated air. The plate member 82 is normally biased in a closed position by a spring 84 loaded at the pivot point. Air pressure caused by blower 44 opens plate 82 to allow the passage of contaminated air. Means for preventing 80, as shown in FIG. 11, may also be a solenoid valve, generally indicated as 85, electrically connected to the switch means 46 via a conductor 86. Solenoid valve 85 includes a shaft 87 and a stopper 88 and when pressure is exerted on the top of the seat 24 the switch means 100 opens the stopper 88 of solenoid 85 to allow the passage of the normally contaminated air from the means for removing 44 through the means for conducting 42 and into the outside atmosphere. The plate member 82 is the most preferred means because of the cost element and ease of maintenance.

The two preferred aforementioned means for preventing, 80 and 85, as well as any suitable means for preventing 80, may be utilized in any of the previously mentioned embodiments. For example, blower 44 is removably situated in compartment 66 having conduit 38 piercing conduit 40 of adapter plate 26 (see FIGS. 3 and 7), or with conduit 38 not piercing conduit 40 (see FIG. 5), may have plate 82 or solenoid 85 to prevent the backflow of contaminated air when blower 44 discharges the contaminated air into the outside atmosphere via vent stack 41 (see FIG. 8) or via conduit 43 to toilet trap 69 (see FIG. 13). Similarly, blower 44 in tank 34 having conduit 38 piercing conduit 40 (or having the conventional discharge of FIG. 5) may also have plate 80 or solenoid 85 to prevent the backflow of contaminated air when blower 44 blows the contaminated air through vent stack 41 as shown in FIG. 12 (or through conduit 43 to toilet trap 69 as shown in FIG. 9) for discharge into the outside atmosphere.

With continual reference to the drawings for operation of the invention, seat 24 (normally biased upward by a spring which is not shown in the drawings) when used is lowered such that protrusion member 104 causes the linkage member 102 to be pivoted against plunger 109 and drive it against the contact bar which further causes the micro-switch to close the electrical circuit on conductors 48 and 45 and activate the blower 44. When operating, depending on which of the aforementioned embodiments are used, blower 44 creates a vacuum through conduit 40 such that contaminated air is either passed through the filter element 90, or passed into the outside atmosphere through a discharge means 42. If the air is passed through the filter element 90 via intake openings 30 and conduit 40, the purified air egresses through outlet 92 and is blown into the surrounding atmosphere by blower 44 either through louvers 60 (see FIG. 6) or underneath lid 35 (see FIG. 1). If the contaminated air is to passed into the outside atmosphere, then the contaminated air within stool 20 is sucked through intake openings 30, through conduit 40, and into the blower 44 from where it is discharged either into vent stack 41 via compartment 64 and conduit 67, or into the sewer situated underneath the toilet trap 69 via conduit 43. Discharge conduit 38 is contiguously situated with respect to conduit 43. Blower 44 is positioned either in compartment 66 or tank 34. The anti-backflow means 80 in preventing the flow back of contaminated air may be either spring biased plate member 82 or solenoid valve 85. If solenoid valve 85 is utilized, then when pressure is applied on top of seat 24 to cause the linkage member 102 to be pivoted against plunger 109 and drive it against the contact bar to cause the micro-switch to close the circuit on conductors 48 and 45, the solenoid valve 85 is simultaneously caused to be open by the closing of the electrical circuit on the conductor 86 which is electrically connected to conductors 48 of switch means 100.

The path which is normally contaminated air takes to the blower 44 depends on whether the embodiment of FIG. 3 or FIG. 5 is used. The embodiment of FIG. 5 discloses the discharge conduit 38 as not piercing the conduit 40. Discharge conduit 38 pierces conduit 40 in the embodiment of FIG. 3 and contaminated air is swirled around conduit 38.

After pressure is released from the top of seat 24, it is upwardly biased by a spring (not shown in the drawings), such that protrusion member 104 and an end of linkage member 102 resting thereon travel downward and cause the opposite end of linkage member 102 to be pivoted off the plunger 109. This, in turn, causes the spring within switch 106 to upwardly bias the plunger 109 away from the contact bar to open the electrical circuits on conductors 48 and 45 (and 86 if the solenoid 85 is used) and deactivate the blower 44 (and solenoid 85).

While the present invention has been described herein with reference to particular embodiments thereof, a latitude of modification, various changes and substitutions are intended in the foregoing disclosure, and in some instances some features of the invention will be employed without a corresponding use of other features without departing from the scope of the invention as set forth.