Abstract:
A toilet bowl odor removing device and method therefor capable of being coupled to a toilet and capable of effectively collecting air proximate the toilet bowl, thereby preventing the escape of toilet bowl odor into the surrounding environment, and thereafter filtering the collected air, isolating odor causing agents, and then releasing the collected air back into the environment.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    This invention relates generally to odor removal and, more specifically, to a toilet bowl odor removing device and method therefor capable of being attached to a toilet bowl and capable of substantially eliminating toilet bowl odor using a filter in combination with a humidifying chamber. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    Everyone is familiar with the unpleasant odors often associated with the toilet. Accordingly, several different methods exist for addressing this problem. Unfortunately, many of the commonly accepted methods do nothing to remove the odor causing agents from the environment, and oftentimes merely mask the unpleasant odors. 
         [0003]    This invention addresses this problem by providing a device capable of collecting and filtering air containing toilet bowl odor that is compatible with the majority of toilets and that removes the majority of the unpleasant odors before they have a chance to permeate the air of the surrounding environment. 
         [0004]    Furthermore, many prior inventions that have been designed to address toilet bowl odors have used a complex toilet seat to act as an inlet for collection of air. Unfortunately the complexity of the air-collecting toilet seat drives up the cost of the device. 
         [0005]    This invention addresses this problem of increased expense by providing a simple air collector that is easily installed beneath an existing toilet seat, which draws air from the direction of the bottom of the bowl, while leaving use of the toilet unobstructed. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0006]    An object of the present invention is to provide a toilet bowl odor removing device having the ability to be easily attached to a toilet and to remove toilet bowl odor from the proximity of the toilet bowl and to return the collected air to the surrounding environment following the isolation of the odor causing agents in the collected air by using a filter. 
         [0007]    It is a further object of the present invention to pass the collected air containing the toilet bowl odor through a humidifying chamber to cause the collected air to be humidified before passing the collected air through the filter, enabling the filter to remove a greater amount of the odor causing agents from the collected air at a quicker rate than if the collected air was not humidified. 
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0008]    In accordance with one embodiment of the present invention, a toilet bowl odor removing device is disclosed, comprising, in combination, an air collector having an air inlet end and an air outlet end, a fan having a fan inlet and a fan outlet, the fan inlet coupled to the air outlet end of the air collector, a humidifying chamber having an air inlet and a liquid reservoir and a humidified air outlet, the air inlet coupled to the air outlet of the fan, and the liquid reservoir comprising, a liquid inlet dimensioned to receive liquid in the liquid reservoir, and a liquid outlet dimensioned to drain liquid from the liquid reservoir, and a filter having an air outlet and a humidified air inlet, the humidified air inlet coupled to the humidified air outlet of the humidifying chamber, the filter dimensioned to filter humidified air received from the humidified air inlet and to release filtered air through the air outlet of the filter. 
         [0009]    In accordance with another embodiment of the present invention, a method for removing toilet bowl odor is disclosed, comprising, in combination, the steps of providing a commode having a tank and a seat and a bowl, providing an air collector having an air inlet end and an air outlet end, coupling the air collector proximate the bowl, providing a fan having a fan inlet and a fan outlet, coupling the fan inlet to the air outlet end of the air collector, providing a humidifying chamber having an air inlet and a liquid reservoir and a humidified air outlet, coupling the air inlet to the air outlet of the fan, the liquid reservoir comprising, a liquid inlet dimensioned to receive liquid in the liquid reservoir, and a liquid outlet dimensioned to drain liquid from the liquid reservoir, providing a filter having an air outlet and a humidified air inlet, coupling the humidified air inlet to the humidified air outlet of the humidifying chamber, the filter filtering humidified air received from the humidified air inlet, the filter releasing filtered air through the air outlet of the filter, filling the liquid reservoir with liquid, activating the fan to draw air from the air inlet end of the air collector and expel air through the air outlet of the filter. 
         [0010]    In accordance with yet another embodiment of the present invention, a toilet bowl odor removing device Is disclosed, comprising, in combination, an air collector having an air inlet end and an air outlet end, a fan having a fan inlet and a fan outlet, the fan inlet coupled to the air outlet end of the air collector, a humidifying chamber having an air inlet and a liquid reservoir and a humidified air outlet, the air inlet coupled to the air outlet of the fan, and the liquid reservoir comprising, a liquid inlet dimensioned to receive liquid in the liquid reservoir, wherein the liquid inlet of the humidifying chamber being coupled to a liquid source capable of filling a toilet tank following activation of a flushing mechanism coupled to the toilet tank, and a liquid outlet dimensioned to drain liquid from the liquid reservoir, wherein the liquid outlet of the humidifying chamber dimensioned to drain liquid into the toilet bowl upon activation of a flushing mechanism coupled to the toilet bowl, a filter having an air outlet and a humidified air inlet, the humidified air inlet coupled to the humidified air outlet of the humidifying chamber, the filter dimensioned to filter humidified air received from the humidified air inlet and to release filtered air through the air outlet of the fitter, and wherein the air outlet of the filter being at a higher elevation than the humidified air inlet of the filter, a housing dimensioned to house the fan and the humidifying chamber and the filter, the housing defining at least one exhaust port, the at least one exhaust port being coupled to the air outlet of the filter, and sound insulation proximate an interior portion of the housing. 
         [0011]    The foregoing and other objects, features, and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following, more particular description of the preferred embodiments of the invention, as illustrated in the accompanying drawings. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0012]      FIG. 1  is an elevated perspective view of the air collector of one embodiment of the toilet bowl odor removing device of the present invention coupled to a standard toilet seat; 
           [0013]      FIG. 2  is a cross-sectional view of the filter of one embodiment of the toilet bowl odor removing device of the present invention in which the filter comprises flow tubes arranged in a honeycomb shape; 
           [0014]      FIG. 3  is an elevated perspective view of the filter of one embodiment of the toilet bowl odor removing device of the present invention shown with the first filter screen coupled to the air outlet; 
           [0015]      FIG. 3   a  is an elevated perspective view of the opposite end of the filter of the toilet bowl odor removing device of  FIG. 3 , showing the second filter screen coupled to the humidified air inlet of the filter; 
           [0016]      FIG. 4  is a side, transparent view of the humidifying chamber of one embodiment of toilet bowl odor removing device of the present invention; 
           [0017]      FIG. 5  is a side view of various elements of one embodiment of the toilet bowl odor removing device of the present invention, namely the filter, the humidifying chamber, the fan, and the drain, which are all housed in a housing, represented by dotted lines, defining an inlet hole, represented by the large dashed circle, through which the air outlet end of the air collector is coupled to the fan inlet, and defining exhaust ports, represented by the smaller dashed circles, for allowing the air expelled from the air outlet of the filter to be returned to the surrounding environment; 
           [0018]      FIG. 5A  is a side, phantom view of various elements of one embodiment of the toilet odor removing device of the present invention, namely the filter, the humidifying chamber, the fan, and the drain, all of which are shown in phantom and housed in a housing defining an inlet hole through which the air outlet end of the air collector is coupled to the fan inlet, and also defining exhaust ports for allowing the air expelled from the air outlet of the filter to be returned to the surrounding environment; 
           [0019]      FIG. 6  is a side view of various elements of one embodiment of the present invention, namely the filter, the humidifying chamber, the fan, and the fill tube, as well as the housing in which these elements are housed, the housing represented by dotted lines and defining exhaust ports for allowing air expelled from the air outlet of the filter to be returned to the surrounding environment; 
           [0020]      FIG. 6A  is a side view of various elements of one embodiment of the present invention, namely the filter, the humidifying chamber, the fan, and the till tube, all shown in phantom, as well as the housing represented by a solid line in which these elements are housed, the housing defining exhaust ports for allowing air expelled from the air outlet of the filter to be returned to the surrounding environment. 
       
    
    
       [0021]    Common reference numerals are used throughout the drawings and detailed descriptions to indicate like elements. 
       DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0022]    The novel features believed characteristic of the invention are set forth in the appended claims. The invention will best be understood by reference to the following detailed description of illustrated embodiments when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein like reference numerals and symbols represent like elements. 
         [0023]    Referring to  FIGS. 1 ,  2  and  4 - 6 A, a preferred embodiment of a toilet bowl odor removing device, referred to generically as a toilet bowl odor removing device, is disclosed. The toilet bowl odor removing device comprises an air collector  12  (shown in  FIG. 1 ) having an air inlet end  14  (shown in  FIG. 1 ) positioned proximate a toilet bowl  15  (shown in  FIG. 1 ) beneath a toilet seat  11  (shown in  FIG. 1 ) and having an air outlet end  16  (shown in  FIG. 1 ). The toilet bowl odor removing device further comprises a fan  20  (shown in  FIGS. 5-6A ) having a fan inlet  18  (shown in  FIGS. 5 and 5A ) and a fan outlet  22  (shown in  FIGS. 5 and 5A ). The air outlet end  16  of the air collector  12  is coupled to the fan inlet  18  of the fan  20 . The toilet bowl odor removing device further comprises a humidifying chamber  26  (shown in  FIGS. 4-6A ) having an air inlet  24  (shown in  FIGS. 4-6A ), a liquid reservoir  28  (shown in  FIGS. 4-6A ) and a humidified air outlet  30  (shown in  FIGS. 4-6A ). The fan outlet  22  of the fan  20  is coupled to the air inlet  24  of the humidifying chamber  26 . The humidifying chamber  26  also comprises a liquid inlet  32  (shown in  FIGS. 4 ,  6 , and  6 A) for receiving liquid  39  (shown in  FIG. 4 ) into the liquid reservoir  28 . The humidifying chamber  26  further comprises a liquid outlet  34  (shown in  FIGS. 4-5A ) coupled to a drain  35  (shown in  FIGS. 5-5A ) for draining liquid  39  from the liquid reservoir  28 . The toilet bowl odor removing device further comprises a filter  38  (shown in  FIGS. 2-3   a,  and  5 - 6 A) having a humidified air inlet  36  (shown in  FIGS. 3 ,  3   a,  and  5 - 6 A), an air outlet  40  (shown in  FIGS. 2-3   a  and  5 - 6 A) and a first filter screen  41  (shown in  FIG. 3 ) coupled to the air outlet  40  and a second filter screen  47  (shown in  FIG. 3   a ) coupled to the humidified air inlet  36  of the filter  38 . The humidified air outlet  30  of the humidifying chamber  26  is coupled to the humidified air inlet  36  of the filter  38 . It is important that the collected air  45  (shown in  FIG. 4 ) is bubbled through the liquid  39  in the humidifying chamber  26  before reaching the filter  38  as the humidification of the collected air  45  enables the filter  38  to effectively capture the odor causing agents contained in the collected air  45 , and would not be able to do so as effectively if the collected air  45  was not humidified. 
         [0024]    While, in the preferred embodiment, the fan outlet  22  is hermetically sealed in its coupling with the air inlet  24  of the humidifying chamber  26 , it should be clearly understood that substantial benefit could be derived from an alternative embodiment of the present invention in which the fan outlet  22  is not hermetically sealed with the air inlet  24  of the humidifying chamber  26  without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention. 
         [0025]    Furthermore, although in the preferred embodiment the air collector  12  is installed beneath the toilet seat  11  by placing bolts through bolt holes of the toilet seat  11  and through bolt holes in the air collector  12  and into bolt holes proximate the toilet bowl  15 , it should be clearly understood that substantial benefit could be derived from an alternative embodiment of the present invention in which the air collector  12  is installed in a different manner without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention. 
         [0026]    Also, although in the preferred embodiment, the collected air  45  passing through the liquid reservoir  28  of the humidifying chamber  26  must make two 90-degree turns before passing through the filter  38 , as to reduce the likelihood of large droplets of liquid  39  being forced into the filter  38 , it should be clearly understood that substantial benefit could be derived from an alternative embodiment of the present invention in which the pathway in which collected air  45  travels from the liquid reservoir  28  of the humidifying chamber  26  to the filter  38  is differently designed without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention. 
         [0027]    Referring to  FIG. 2 , in the preferred embodiment, the filter  38  comprises 20×50 mesh CENTAUR™ granular activated carbon arranged in flow tubes  43  between the humidified air inlet  36  (shown in  FIGS. 3 ,  3   a  and  5 - 6 A) and the air outlet  40  of the filter  38 . CENTAUR™ carbon has a catalytic function, and a reduction in size of carbon granules increases the surface area of carbon within the filter  38  thereby causing the filter  38  to operate more effectively than if larger granules of carbon were used. Additionally, the use of flow tubes  43  limit the movement of the carbon granules within the filter  38 . However, it should be clearly understood that substantial benefit could be derived from an alternative embodiment of the present invention in which the filter  38  comprises a different carbon material, or comprises a material other than carbon, or in which the material within the filter  38  is differently arranged, or in which flow tubes  43  are not used, without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention. 
         [0028]    Furthermore, while in the preferred embodiment the first filter screen  41  and the second filter screen  47  are made of nonferrous material, it should be clearly understood that substantial benefit could be derived from an alternative embodiment of the present invention in which the first filter screen  41  and the second filter screen  47  are made of a material that is not nonferrous, or in which the first filter screen  41  is used without the second filter screen  47  or the second filter screen  47  is used without the first filter screen  41 , or in which no filter screen  41 / 47  is used at all, without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention. 
         [0029]    Further still, while in the preferred embodiment the humidified air inlet  36  of the filter  38  is at a lower elevation than the air outlet  40  of the filter  38  so as to reduce the likelihood that the carbon will become packed within the filter  38 , it should be clearly understood that substantial benefit could be derived from an alternative embodiment of the present invention in which the filter  38  is differently oriented, without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention. 
         [0030]    Referring to  FIGS. 1 , and  5 - 6 A, in the preferred embodiment of the present invention a housing  42  (shown in  FIGS. 5-6A ) is used to contain the fan  20  (shown in  FIGS. 5-6A ), the humidifying chamber  26  (shown in  FIGS. 5-6A ), and the filter  38  (shown in  FIGS. 5-6A ) of the present invention. Additionally, and in the preferred embodiment, the air outlet end  16  (shown in  FIG. 1 ) of the air collector  12  (shown in  FIG. 1 ) is coupled to the fan inlet  18  (shown in  FIGS. 5-6A ) of the fan  20  through an inlet hole  44  (shown in  FIGS. 5 and 5A ) in the housing  42  to allow the fan  20  to receive the air collected by the air collector  12 . Furthermore, and still in the preferred embodiment, the housing  42  will also define a plurality of exhaust ports  46  (shown in  FIGS. 5-6A ) to allow release of the air expelled through the filter  38  back into the surrounding environment. However, it should be clearly understood that substantial benefit could be derived from an alternative embodiment of the present invention in which the housing  42  is differently designed, in which only some of the depicted elements of the invention are housed by the housing, in which additional elements of the invention are housed in the housing, or in which no housing  42  is used at all, without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention. 
         [0031]    Also in the preferred embodiment, the air outlet end  16  of the air collector  12  is hermetically sealed to the fan inlet  18  of the fan  20  to prevent the creation of a vacuumed environment within the housing  42 . However, it should be clearly understood that substantial benefit could be derived from an alternative embodiment of the present invention in which the air outlet end  16  of the air collector  12  is not hermetically sealed to the fan inlet  18  of the fan  20 , without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention. 
         [0032]    In another embodiment of the present invention, the toilet bowl odor removing device further comprises a fill tube  48  (shown in  FIGS. 6 and 6A ) coupled to the liquid inlet  32  (shown in  FIGS. 6 and 6A ) of the humidifying chamber  26 , enabling a user to manually fill the liquid reservoir  28  (shown in  FIGS. 5-6A ) of the humidifying chamber  26 , while the drain  35  is similarly manually operated. In the preferred embodiment, the liquid reservoir  28  will be drained through the liquid outlet  34  (shown in  FIGS. 5-6A ) and through the drain  35  (shown in  FIGS. 5 and 5A ) into the toilet bowl  15  (shown in  FIG. 1 ) to which the toilet bowl odor removing device is coupled. Further preferably, the liquid reservoir  28  is filled through the liquid inlet  32  by the plumbing that fills the toilet tank  17  (shown in  FIG. 1 ) to which the toilet bowl odor removing device is coupled upon activation of a flushing mechanism coupled to the toilet tank  17 . However, it should be understood that the present invention may be used in which the filling and draining of the liquid reservoir  28  is done manually or by other means without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention. 
         [0033]    While the invention has been particularly shown and described with reference to preferred embodiments thereof, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that the foregoing and other changes in form and details may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.