Toilet odor removal system

• US 6,016,576 A
• Filed: 07/06/1999
• Issued: 01/25/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 07/06/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Arthur E. Happe
• Original Assignee: Arthur E. Happe
• Inventors: Happe, Arthur E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Eloshway, Charles R.
• Application Number:
  US09/348,596
• Time in Patent Office: 203 Days
• Field of Search: 4/213, 4/216, 4/217, 4/347-352
• US Class Current: 4/213
• CPC Class Codes: E03D 9/05 ventilating the bowl

Abstract

A system for removing odorous vapors from a commode which comprises a modified toilet seat and hinge arrangement including a vacuum inducing fan arrangement. The present invention uses a switch that is isolated from the power supply to a fan so only 12 volts DC electricity and 300 milliamps of current is transmitted through the switch connecting wiring within the toilet seat.

Claims

1. An odor removal system for removing noxious vapors from a commode comprising:

a) a toilet seat comprising a conduit for exhausting noxious vapors, and a hollow seat mount;

b) an exhaust hose;

c) a fan driven by an electric motor; and

d) an electric circuit comprising;

a switch that is activated when a person sits on said toilet seat;

wiring connected to said switch and routed through said conduit;

a first resistor;

a capacitor;

a second resistor;

a transistor;

a diode; and

a normally open relay;

wherein, when said switch is closed, current is applied to a base of said transistor allowing current flow across a collector-emitter junction of said transistor, said current actuating said normally open relay that controls said motor driving said fan to operate said fan and draw noxious vapors from said commode, through said conduit, hollow seat mount, and exhaust hose, and through said fan, while current is allowed to pass through said first resistor and to be applied to a positive plate of said capacitor until a saturation level allowed by the capacitance of said capacitor is reached;

wherein when said switch is subsequently opened, the charge stored in said capacitor is allowed to discharge through said second resistor which causes a positive potential to be maintained at the base of said transistor, allowing current flow through said collector-emitter junction of said transistor to continue, until the stored charge in said capacitor goes below a level required to maintain the current flow in said transistor, whereupon said transistor acts as a switch that is turned off and causes said normally open relay to stop passing current to said motor, said allowance of current flow causing a delay in said fan being turned off after said switch is opened,

wherein said diode dampens a release pulse generated by said relay when said relay is deenergized.

2. The odor removal system of claim 1 wherein said conduit for exhausting noxious fumes comprises:

a) a cover ring with ports and

b) a channel in said seat

wherein the cover ring is pressed into said channel and said conduit is formed.

3. The odor removal system of claim 2 wherein said cover ring with ports is located in said toilet seat so said ports are positioned inside of an inner rim of said commode when said toilet seat is lowered.

4. The odor removal system of claim 1 wherein said conduit for exhausting noxious fumes comprises a hose with ports which is pressed into a channel in said seat.

5. The odor removal system of claim 4 wherein said channel is located in said toilet seat so said hose with ports is positioned inside of an inner rim of said commode when said toilet seat is lowered.

6. The odor removal system of claim 1 wherein said toilet seat further comprises at least one standoff, separate from said switch.

7. The at least one standoff of claim 6 wherein the standoff protects the switch from impact loads.