Abstract:
The present invention provides device for cleaning air fouled by bathroom usage, and more particularly an air cleaning device having: a housing for holding air extraction mechanism, air filtration mechanism, mechanism for germicidal treatment of air, and air refreshing mechanism; a foul air containment ring mechanism; an extractor tube mechanism connecting containment ring to filtration mechanism. The containment ring mechanism confines air fouled by bathroom usage from escaping the bowl area and using with air breathe by user. The extractor mechanism forces the confined fouled air to the filtration mechanism through the extractor tube. Odor causing molecules along with bacterial and viral bodies are removed at the filtration mechanism. The extractor mechanism subsequently forces the filtered air through the refresher mechanism where fragrances are added to the air before the air is returned to the room&#39;s air mass.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     The present invention relates to bathroom odors, and more particularly pertains to a new COURTESY PUMP for removing odors produced by bathroom usage.  
         [0002]     Bathroom usage often times produce odors which are unpleasant to the user as well as others present in the bathroom. Various strategies have been employed to eliminate such odors. Prior art approaches have been either to mask the odors and allow the air to remain in the room, or to remove the entire air volume from the room to eliminate the offending odor. In both these approaches however, the odorous air is dealt with only after said odorous air has escaped the bowl area and moved into the room&#39;s general air volume. Such odors therefore are allowed to affect the user and others present before said odors could be masked by sprays or other fragrance dispensers, or removed from the room by exhaust fans of one type or another. Additionally removing the entire air volume from the bathroom to remove the odorous as is done in prior art is not an efficient means of removing same odor.  
         [0003]     In these respects, the COURTESY PUPM according to the present invention substantially departs from the traditional approaches and designs of the prior art, and in so doing provides a unique apparatus for dealing with offensive odors produced by bathroom usage.  
       BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0004]     In view of the aforementioned disadvantages inherent in existing apparatus for dealing with odors produced by bathroom usage, the present invention provides a COURTESY PUMP wherein the same can be utilized to remove odors produced by bathroom usage before same odors are allowed to mix with the general air volume in the bathroom.  
         [0005]     The bathroom courtesy pump apparatus takes the approach of confirming odors to the bowl area; as they are produced, thereby preventing them from escaping into and fouling the overall air volume in the bathroom area and adjoining rooms. The courtesy pump&#39;s explicit approach is to first confine the fouled air to the bowl, then subsequently extract the confined air to a controlled area, remove the odors, apply fragrance to the filtered air and return the refreshed air either to the general air volume in the room, or back to bowl area; never allowing the odor producing gases to be detected by the user or others present in the bathroom.  
         [0006]     The bathroom courtesy pump is a device which is designed to first confine odors produced by bathroom usage to toilet bowls to prevent those odor-causing gases from entering the air breathe by the user, extract the fouled air directly from the bowl into a filtration area, remove the odorous gases, treat the air with a germicide of some kind, refresh the air with fragrance and return said air either to the bowl area or to the general air mass breathe by the user. To accomplish this, the courtesy pump comprises an extractor section; its core component, a filtration or odor removal section, a reconditioning section, an extraction duct for odor extraction and containment ring for foul air confinement.  
         [0007]     The containment ring is a device which fits between the top of toilet bowl and bottom of the bowl&#39;s seat, and serves as filler in the space normally existing between toilet seat and bowl. Its purpose is to prevent the movement of odorous air from the bowl into the room&#39;s general air volume. The extractor section provides the force for the controlled transport of the air from the bowl, and moves same from the bowl, through extraction tube to the filtration and refresher sections, and out into the room&#39;s general air volume.  
         [0008]     To begin its operation, the unit is turned on; either manually by the bathroom user, or automatically by motion or pressure sensor activated by use of the toilet by user. Turned on, the extractor section immediately begins drawing air from the back end of the bowl; creating a low pressure area within the bowl. The low pressure causes higher pressure air at the front opening of the bowl to move into the bowl and take the place of the extracted air.  
         [0009]     Next, deposition of waste into the bowl fouls the air in same. This fouled air becomes trapped by a combination of the user&#39;s anatomy covering the bowl atop, the containment ring sealing the gap between bowl&#39;s upper surface and the lower surface of the bowl&#39;s seat, the higher pressure air moving into the bowl from the front; preventing the fouled air from moving out of same bowl. As the extractor unit continues to draw air from the bowl, fouled air is drawn through one or more openings in the containment ring, and sucked through a filtration section. In the filtration section, the odorous molecules are removed by mediums such as activated charcoal; whose pores allow the smaller air molecules to freely pass through, but not the larger, odor-bearing molecules fouling the air. Within the extraction section too, a germicide of some kind is applied to the air to kill germs bourn in the air. After passing through the filtration section and being filtered, the now filtered air is refreshed, and expelled into the general air volume from which the user takes air. The cycle of fouling, entrapment, extraction, filtration, reconditioning and expulsion will continue until the courtesy pump is turned off; manually or automatically.  
         [0010]     In this respect, before explaining at least one embodiment of this invention in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is neither limited in its application to the details of construction, the arrangement of components set forth in the ensuing description, nor the terminology or phraseology herein.  
         [0011]     It is important therefore that the claims be regarded as including such equivalent constructions as insofar as they do not depart from the spirit and scope of the present invention.  
         [0012]     It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide for a COURTESY PUMP apparatus and methods which has many advantages over existing devices attempting to accomplish the same functionality that result in a unique apparatus which is not anticipated, rendered obvious, suggested or implied by any of the prior art bathroom odor handlers, either alone or in any combination thereof.  
         [0013]     It is another object of the present invention to provide a COURTESY PUMP with reduced the size, weight and cost of operation compared to existing devices removing odor-causing gases from bathrooms.  
         [0014]     It is another object of the present invention to provide a COURTESY PUMP which may be easily and efficiently manufactured.  
         [0015]     Event still another object of the invention is to provide a COURTESY PUMP apparatus that which includes a simple or compound housing containing mechanism for removing odor-causing gases from an air volume, a mechanism for forcing air to move from one location to another and a mechanism for adding fragrance to air passing through the housing; a containment ring and extraction tube resides outside of same housing.  
         [0016]     Foul air is trapped in the toilet bowl by combination of containment ring, inward moving air, and the bathroom user&#39;s anatomy. The extraction mechanism moves the trapped odorous air from the bowl, through one or more openings in the containment ring, through the extraction tube to the mechanism for removing odors and finally to the mechanism for providing fragrance to the air before expelling same air into the room&#39;s general air volume. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0017]     The present invention is illustrated by the accompanying drawings wherein:  
         [0018]      FIG. 1  shows a vertical cross section view of the courtesy pump apparatus having a multiple sectioned housing;  
         [0019]      FIG. 2  the same vertical cross section view of courtesy pump apparatus in single sectioned housing. 
     
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0020]     With reference now to the drawings, and in particular to  FIGS. 1 through 2  thereof, a COURTESY PUMP embodying the principles and concepts of the present invention and generally designated by the reference numeral # will be described.  
         [0021]     As shown in  FIG. 1 , a housing having a plurality of sections  40 ,  30 , and  20  and providing a continuous enclosed interior space when sections are joined together via sleeves  39 .  
         [0022]     The core component of the courtesy pump is the extractor. Referring to  FIG. 1 , the extractor is made up of a housing section  30 , a centrally placed motor  31 , motor mounts  32 , and fan blades  33 . The fan blades are fitted to the top end of the motor shaft  35 ; or at both ends of the shaft to generate stronger suction. Once assembled, the fan-motor assembly is attached to motor mounts # 32  and the entire fan-motor complex inserted into the extractor housing section  30 . Electrical leads  61  and  62  are passed from the motor through air-tight seals in the housing to allow connection to an external power supply  90 , such as a battery or battery pack. Barriers  37  and  38  are positioned at top and bottom ends of housing section  30  to prevent accidental contact with moving fan blades. The barriers may be formed with evenly spaced bands of thin plastic or other material standing on edge and concentrically related to each other. The bands are held rigidly in place by any suitable means. Optionally, the barriers may be made of gridded plastic or wire mesh cut to fit the openings. The barriers&#39; construction is such that they prevent accidental contact with spinning fan blades, but allow air to move freely in one end of the housing, and out of the other. The ends of extractor housing section  30  are made to extend beyond the barriers to allow attachment of the reconditioning housing section  40  and filtration housing section  20  respectively situated above and below the extractor housing section. To facilitate such attachments, a sleeve device  39  is inserted into each extractor housing end so that part of same sleeves extend beyond the extractor housing ends. The reconditioning housing section  40  and filtration housing section  20  are slid or screwed on to the sleeves  39  respectively atop and below the extractor housing section to provide the courtesy pump with a single continuous housing which encloses a continuous air-tight space except for the openings needed for air flow in and out of same space.  
         [0023]     Referring again to  FIG. 1 , the filtration component comprises a cup-shaped housing  20  with an open top end  21  and closed bottom end  23 . Bottom end  23  is fitted with a hollow neck  24  to provide an opening through same bottom into housing  20 . The filtering function is performed by any suitable filtration medium  25 , such as activated charcoal. The filtration medium is optionally treated with a chemical or chemicals known to destroy bacteriological agents such as human fecal colorform bacteria. The filtration medium  25  is secured in place by an outer holder  26 . Such holder may be a flexible, ring-shaped device having a groove of appropriate size along its inner circumference to allow same groove to accept and securely hold the filtration medium  25  in place. The medium and holder are contoured to fit snugly against the inner surface of housing  20 . Assembled, the holder and filtration medium are inserted into housing section  20 . Positioning is such that air tight seals are formed to prevent air and odorous gases from passing between the outer side of the holder and inner side of section  20 , or between the inner side of holder and the filtration medium when it is drawn in by the extractor motor-fan assembly. Odorous gas is thus made to pass through the filtration material and be filtered. One end # 72  of a hollow tube; the extractor tube # 70 , is attached to cylinder # 24  of the filtration section to connect same section to the containment ring  10 . As previously described, the filtration section  20  is attached to the lower end of the extractor section  30  via sleeves  39  to form an air tight seal between with same sections.  
         [0024]     Referring again to  FIG. 1 , the reconditioning component comprises an inverted cup-shaped housing  40  with an open bottom end  41 , and closed top end  42  with opening  43  at its center. Perforations  44  are provided to housing section  40  to allow air emerging from the extractor section  30  to exit into the air mass in the room. A removable, test tube shaped fragrance holder  46  is inserted into the opening  41 . The lip of container  46  attaches to the upper surface of housing section  40 . Structure  46  will contain fragrant materials of either a solid, gel or aqueous nature. The upper end of  46  will contain perforations  48  to allow fragrance molecules to escape  46  and mix with the air exiting the extractor section. The molecules will mix with and recondition the air as it flows out of the reconditioning section and into the room. To simultaneously reduce resistance to air flow at the bottom of the fragrance holder  46  and increase turbulence at its openings  48  to draw out fragrance molecules, the bottom of holder  46  is given a smaller diameter than the top. A removable cap device  50  will seal the fragrance holder cup  46 , and will be removed as necessary to refill holder. As described earlier, the reconditioning section  40  is attached to the upper end of the extractor section  30  via sleeves  39  to form an air tight seal between same sections.  
         [0025]     Referring again to  FIG. 1 , the containment ring component comprises:  
         [0026]     a flat, oval-shaped structure  10 , sized and contoured to sit atop the upper surface  19  of a toilet bowl  17 , and provides a central opening for the passage of waste as does the toilet seat. When used with toilet seats having front cutouts, the containment ring is left partially open. The vertical dimension of the containment ring is marginally greater than the normally existing space between the bottom of the toilet seat and top surface of toilet bowl  19  to ensure that no air gaps exist between  18  and  19  when same confinement ring is in place. The containment ring is attached to the bottom of the toilet seat to allow its lifting with same seat for cleaning of its bottom surface as well as top of toilet bowl. The containment ring prevents odorous gases released into the bowl from escaping through the space ordinarily existing between seat bottom and bowl top and entering into room&#39;s general air volume. At the back end of the containment ring, a bore  12  is provided. The bore is tilted at a downwards angle towards the bowl area to minimize intake of substances other than air. The bore however, may also be given a horizontal orientation and be placed closer to the upper surface of  10  to aid in the collection of odorous gases. The bore is positioned such that it opens at the center back end of the bowl to allow odorous air to be easily extracted from the bowl and transported to the filtration section. Any inexpensive solid, rubberized, urethane or polyurethane-like material capable of withstanding moist or wet conditions may be used to construct the containment ring. One end  71  of an extractor tube  70  is inserted into the back end  15  of the bore  12  and the other  72  inserted in opening  24  of the filtration unit described later. Optionally, the containment ring may be provided with multiple cores spatially related to each other along back and side of areas, and fitted with an extractor tube having a branched end for connection to each core. Connections between containment ring and filtration section must be air-tight to allow suction forces generated at the extractor to be wholly directed at the odorous gases in bowl area.  
         [0027]     In operation, either a pressure or other type sensor triggers the starter switch or same is manually turned on by bathroom user. Once on, the motor begins rotation, spinning the fan blades to create suction. The suction is transferred downward from the extractor component, through the filtration component, extractor tube, and finally into the bowl area through the containment ring core. The suction immediately begins drawing air and odorous gases from the bowl area through the core openings and up into the extraction ducts. Because of the low pressure created in the bowl area by the removal of air, higher pressure air from the outside the bowl flows in to take its place. The combination of the containment ring sealing the gap between bowl and seat bottom, and air movement into the bowl confines odorous air to the bowl area; preventing same from escaping and mingling with the room&#39;s general air volume. The odorous gas is drawn up the extractor tube into the filtration section and through the filtration medium. The pores of the filtration medium allow the smaller air molecules to pass, but trap the larger molecules responsible for the foul odor and prevent them from continuing through to its other side. Essentially, in its passage through the filtration material the air gets filtered. Suction from the fan continues to draw the air; now filtered, out of the filtration section, and through the extractor area. The air is then pushed by the fan into the conditioning section. There, the air mixes and interacts with molecules of the scented conditioning materials it contains. The interactions are such that the air picks up and carries the scented molecules with it as it moves through; essentially being reconditioned or refreshed in the process.  
         [0028]     To replace the filtration medium, the filtration section is detached from the extractor section, the filter holder and medium removed, the old filtration material removed from the holder, new filtration medium put in the holder, the holder reinserted in the filtration section and the filtration reattached to the extractor section.  
         [0029]     To replenish the fragrance material, the fragrance holder&#39;s top is simply opened and the fragrance materials replaced.  
         [0030]     The motor is kept on as long as is needed. As long as it runs, the air will continue to be extracted from the bowl area drawn in through the containment cores, into the extraction tubes, through the filtration section, through the filtration medium, through the extractor section, and finally through the reconditioning section and out into the room&#39;s general air mass again. The dashed arrows beginning at the toilet bowl and ending at the exit openings in the conditioning section show the movement airflow beginning at the toilet bowl, progressing through the system and finally exiting into the room&#39;s general air volume.  
         [0031]      FIG. 2  shows the courtesy pump in an un-segmented housing construction format.