US20020069455A1

US20020069455A1 - Odor removing toilet seat

Info

Publication number: US20020069455A1
Application number: US09/732,221
Authority: US
Inventors: Errold Pottinger
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1999-12-08
Filing date: 2000-12-07
Publication date: 2002-06-13

Abstract

A toilet seat coupled to an exhaust fan that removes offensive odors from within a toilet bowl. The toilet seat has a plurality of pores on an inners surface, such that the noxious odors are extracted from within the toilet through the pores upon activating the exhaust fan. A switch is provide on a bottom surface of the seat, for selectively activating the exhaust fan when a person sits upon the seat.

Description

CROSS REFERENCES AND RELATED SUBJECT MATTER

This application relates to subject matter contained in provisional patent application serial No. 60/169,645, filed in the United States Patent Office on Dec. 8, 2000.[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to a toilet seat, and more particularly, to a toilet seat coupled to an exhaust fan for removing offensive odors from within a toilet bowl.

Virtually every modern day building has a bathroom with a toilet therein. People use the toilet to cleanse themselves internally. As every one knows, when the toilet is used, an unpleasant smell is generated that usually lingers on even after the toilet has been flushed to remove the waste therein.

A typical bathroom is partitioned from other rooms in the building, such that a person in the bathroom has complete privacy. As a result, some people use their bathrooms for having a moment in peace, away from the rest of their family. Unfortunately, the odors in a typical bathroom make it difficult to relax therein.

Various products exist on the market that may be used for freshening or deodorizing bathrooms after use. However, these products merely add a layer of a scented fragrance to the existing odors, which does not eliminate the unpleasant smell in the bathroom, but merely masks it.

As a result, there is a need for a device that removes all noxious odors from within a bathroom.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is an object of the present invention to disclose a mechanism for removing offensive odors from a bathroom.

It is further object of the present invention to provide a toilet seat that causes the removal of offensive odors from within a toilet bowl. Accordingly, the present invention discloses a toilet seat coupled to an exhaust fan, which is capable of removing the offensive odors. The toilet seat has a plurality of pores on an inner surface, such that the noxious odors are sucked from within the toilet through the pores upon activating the exhaust fan.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a toilet seat which activates the exhaust fan when a person sits upon the seat. Accordingly, a switch is provided at the lower surface to activate the exhaust fan.

It is a still further object of the invention to provide a toilet seat which is configured to allow sanitary urination when the upper seat is in the raise position. Accordingly, the lower seat has a beveled inner edge which funnels outward as it extends downward toward the bowl.

To accomplish these and other related objects, the present invention may be embodied in the forms illustrated in the enclosed drawings. It is to be noted that the scope of the present invention is not limited by this description or the enclosed drawings, and may include other embodiments which would be apparent to those skilled in the art of the present invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The above and other aspects, features and advantages of the present invention will be more apparent from the following detailed description thereof, which is presented in conjunction with the following drawings, wherein corresponding reference characters indicate corresponding components throughout the drawing figures. [0012]
FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic perspective view of the toilet connected to an odor removal mechanism in accordance with the present invention. [0013]
FIG. 2 is a diagrammatic perspective of just the lower toilet seat coupled to an exhaust fan. [0014]
FIG. 3 is a side elevational view, with parts broken away, showing a preferred embodiment of the upper and lower oilet seat having an activation switch, and having a beveled inner edge. [0015]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Most modern day buildings have a bathroom, which contains a [0016] toilet 10 therein. A toilet 10 typically has a toilet bowl 17 with a toilet seat 30 thereon. As shown in FIG. 1, the toilet seat 30 is connected to an odor removal mechanism 40.
The toilet seat [0017] 30 includes an upper seat 30U and a lower seat 30L. The lower seat 30L has a top surface 33 and a bottom surface 35, as illustrated in FIG. 2. People usually sit on the upper seat while using the toilet 10. The upper seat 30U is raised when a male urinates.
The [0018] lower seat 30L has an inner surface 34 which has a plurality of pores 37, such that the pores 37 rest on top of the toilet bowl 17. According to the invention, the pores 37 may be provided in a variety of different shapes, such as circular, oblong, triangular or the like.
As shown in FIG. 1, a [0019] pipe 41 connects the toilet seat 30 to the odor removal mechanism 40, such that the pipe 41 is in gaseous communication with the pores 37. The odor removal mechanism 40 comprises an exhaust fan 43, which is housed within a chamber 45. According to the invention, the fan 43 is fitted adjacent to the pipe 41, such that upon activating the exhaust fan 43, noxious odors are removed from within the toilet seat 17. When the fan 43 rotates, it draws out air from the toilet bowl 17 through the pores 37 on the bottom surface 35 of the toilet seat 17, which results in removal of any noxious odors therein. The air extracted from within the toilet bowl 17 by the pores 37 is collected inside the chamber 45 and released to an outlet through an outlet piping 47. Once the noxious odor has been removed, the entire bathroom is ready for use by the next person.
FIG. 3 is a side elevational view showing a preferred embodiment of the invention. Accordingly, the [0020] lower seat 30L has an internal chamber 50 which is in communication with the pipe 41 (shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2), and is in communication with the pores 37. The upper seat 30U has a central opening 31—similar to conventional toilet seats. By the preferred embodiment, the inner edge 34 is initially aligned with the central opening 31 of the upper seat 30U, and then is beveled outward toward the bottom surface 35. Accordingly, when the upper seat 30U is raised when a male urinates, the beveled inner edge 34 helps ensure that the urine reaches the bowl, despite the substantial thickness (height) or the lower seat 30L.
Also illustrated in FIG. 3 is a [0021] switch 60 in the bottom surface 35. The switch is pressure activated, so that when a person sits upon the upper seat 30U, the switch 60 activates the fan 43. Accordingly, the odor removing device 40 will only operate when a person is seated upon the bowl 17.
Many specific details contained in the above description merely illustrate some preferred embodiments and should not be construed as a limitation on the scope of the invention. Accordingly, many other variations are possible within the true spirit of the present invention. [0022]

Claims

What is claimed is:

1. An odor removing toilet seat, for use with a toilet bowl, for removing odors thereform, comprising:

an upper seat, suitable for sitting upon, having a central opening;

a lower seat, the lower seat having a top surface a bottom surface, and a height several times that of the upper seat, the lower seat having an inner surface which is aligned with the central opening of the upper seat near the top surface but which then bevels outward as it extends toward the lower seat bottom, the lower seat having an inner chamber, and having pores at the inner surface in communication with the inner chamber;

an odor removing device, having a pipe attached to the lower seat such that the pipe is in communication with the inner chamber, the odor removing device having a fan which pulls air though the pores into the inner chamber, through the pipe, and away from the toilet bowl;

a switch located on the bottom surface of the lower seat, the switch contacts the toilet bowl and selectively activates the odor removing device when sufficient pressure is exerted thereon by the lower seat.