Patent Abstract:
A toilet deodorizer comprising a pump housing in the form of a cylinder  52  and a piston  54.  The cylinder  52  is to be mounted on the movable toilet seat  14  of a conventional toilet. When sitting on the toilet seat, the toilet seat moves which causes a piston  54  to be moved within the cylinder  52  which causes liquid to be dispensed from a pump chamber  50  through an outlet valve  100  in contact with a deflector plate  134  which disperses the liquid within a wide area of the toilet bowl  10.  When the user gets up from the toilet seat, the toilet seat is lifted which causes retraction movement between the piston  54  and the cylinder  52  which causes a new quantity of liquid to be pulled through an inlet valve  44  into the pump chamber while maintaining the outlet valve closed.

Full Description:
This application is directed to disclose subject matter which was previously disclosed in Provisional Application 60/126,982, filed Mar. 29, 1999 by the same inventor. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1) Field of the Invention 
     The subject matter of this invention relates to applying of a small quantity of a deodorizing liquid within a toilet bowl during a single usage of the toilet bowl when being utilized for the discharge of solid and liquid waste. 
     2) Description of the Prior Art 
     A toilet comprising a ceramic bowl which is mounted on a floor is in exceedingly common use within most civilized countries. The toilet is to function to dispose of human solid and liquid waste into a sewage system. Toilets are mounted within homes, businesses, recreational vehicles and boats. It is common to mount a ring member known as a seat about the opening into the toilet bowl. The seat is pivotly mounted to the toilet bowl so as to be movable from a lower position in contact with the toilet bowl to an upper position located substantially ninety degrees relative to the toilet bowl. 
     When a human discharges solid waste there is created noxious odors. It is generally preferable to eliminate these noxious odors as rapidly as possible. One common way to eliminate these odors is by utilizing of an exhaust fan in conjunction with the room in which the toilet is mounted with the purpose of the exhaust fan to remove and discharge the noxious odors into the ambient. Another way that noxious odors are eliminated is by the application of an odor destroying liquid within the toilet bowl. 
     In the past, there have been designed numerous different types of devices that are to work in conjunction with the toilet bowl that apply a quantity of odor destroying liquid within the toilet bowl during occupancy of the seat. However, in the past these toilet bowl deodorizing systems have had certain disadvantages which have resulted in their non-utilization. The primary disadvantage is that these systems are large in size and therefore, from an appearance point of view, make for an unattractive addition to the structure of the toilet. Another disadvantage is that the systems are difficult to clean not providing for easy disassembly and reassembly for purposes of cleaning. A further disadvantage is that the systems do not necessarily dispense a precise quantity of deodorizing liquid with sometimes dispensing a larger amount of liquid and other times dispensing a smaller and ineffective amount of deodorizing liquid. It would be desirable to design a system that dispensed a precise quantity of liquid which was the correct quantity required. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The structure of the present invention relates to a toilet deodorizer in the form of a pump housing which is to be mounted between the toilet seat and the toilet bowl. The pump housing actually comprises a piston and cylinder arrangement with there being formed within the pump housing a pump chamber. The piston of the pump housing is biased continuously by a spring toward an expanded position. The pump housing includes an inlet valve and an outlet valve. The inlet valve is to connect to a liquid storage reservoir. The outlet valve is to include an outlet orifice that directs the liquid toward the interior of the toilet bowl. The pump housing is to be removably mounted on a deflector plate with this deflector plate to include a deflecting surface to which the stream of liquid from the outlet valve is to be directed and then dispersed into a fanned series of droplets within the interior of the toilet bowl. Sitting on the seat will cause the disbursement of a precise quantity of the liquid to within the interior of the toilet bowl. Removing of one&#39;s body from the toilet seat will cause the toilet seat to be moved to a canted position which will result in a new quantity of liquid being extracted from the storage reservoir and confined within the pump chamber making available a further quantity of liquid for the next usage. 
     One of the objectives of the present invention is to construct a toilet deodorizing apparatus which can be easily and quickly mounted in conjunction with the toilet seat of a conventional toilet by even of the most unskilled individual and which is simple in construction, strong, durable, compact, of light weight and which can be manufactured at low cost. 
     Another objective of the present invention is to construct a toilet deodorizing apparatus which provides for the ejecting of a precise quantity of deodorizing liquid within the toilet bowl each and every time of dispensing. 
     The primary objective of the present invention is to provide a new and unique toilet deodorizing apparatus for mounting on the toilet seat of a conventional toilet which is responsive to use of the toilet to automatically release a precise quantity of deodorizing liquid during use of the toilet. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of a conventional toilet upon which has been installed the toilet deodorizer of the present invention; 
     FIG. 2 is an enlarged view of the pump housing of the toilet deodorizer of the present invention taken along line  2 — 2  of FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 3 is a front view of the pump housing of the toilet deodorizer of the present invention taken along line  3 — 3  of FIG. 2; 
     FIG. 4 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view through the pump housing of the toilet deodorizer of the present invention in the position for usage taken along line  4 — 4  of FIG. 3; 
     FIG. 5 is a transverse cross-sectional view through the pump housing of the toilet deodorizer of the present invention taken along line  5 — 5  of FIG. 3 showing the pump housing in the expanded position; 
     FIG. 6 is a view similar to FIG. 5 but showing the pump housing of the toilet deodorizer of the present invention in the compressed position; 
     FIG. 7 is a view similar to FIG. 4 but showing the toilet deodorizer of the present invention in the position of dispensing of a quantity of the deodorizing liquid; 
     FIG. 8 is a view similar to FIG. 5 but showing the pump housing of the toilet deodorizer of the present invention in the position of moving from the compressed position to the expanded position which causes liquid to be moved from the storage reservoir to within the pump chamber; and 
     FIG. 9 is a view similar to FIG. 7 but showing liquid being drawn from the storage reservoir to within the pump chamber. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Referring particularly to the drawings, there is shown in FIG. 1 a conventional toilet bowl  10  which has an interior chamber, which is not shown. Mounted on the toilet bowl  10  is a water tank  12  and a seat  14 . The seat  14  comprises a ring, which is not shown, and is designed to be in a lower position to be located about the opening to within the interior of the toilet bowl  10 . The seat  14  is attached to the toilet bowl  10  at a hinge joint  16 . Also attached at the hinge joint  16  is a lid  18  which can be pivoted and placed down against the seat  14  in order to completely enclose the opening within the toilet bowl  10 . 
     Mounted in conjunction with the toilet bowl  10  and seat  14  is the toilet deodorizer of this invention. The toilet deodorizer includes a liquid storage container  20  which is mounted by a mounting bracket  22  under a flange  24  which forms part of the toilet bowl  10 . The location of the mounting bracket  22  is to be installed according to the desires of the user. The liquid storage container  20  is adapted to be readily removable from the bracket  22  so as to replaced when the storage container  20  becomes empty. Liquid from the liquid storage container  22  is to be conducted into a tube  26 . The outer end of the tube  26  is to be attached to an inlet connector  28 . The inlet connector  28  is merely force fitted to within the internal passage  30  of the tube  26 . The inlet connector  28  is part of an inlet valve which is mounted within an inlet valve housing  32 . 
     Within the connector  28  is located a passage  34 . It is to be noted that the tubing  26  is designed to be flexible so as to be readily bendable. However, the connector  28  and the housing  32  are designed to be constructed of rigid plastic. The passage  34  terminates in an inlet orifice arrangement  36  which is mounted within an inlet shaft  38 . The inlet shaft  38  is constructed also of rigid plastic and is integrally connected with the connector  28 . The inlet shaft  38  terminates in an enlarged head  40 . Between the enlarged head  40  and the connector  28  is formed an annular recess  42 . 
     Mounted within the annular recess  42  is a resilient sleeve  44 . Typical material of construction for the resilient sleeve  44  would be silicone or other similar material. The sleeve  44  is to be located in a tight fitting manner within the annular recess  42  and be positioned against the outlet shaft  38  so as to close the outlet orifice arrangement  36 . 
     The outlet shaft  38  and the enlarged head  40  are mounted within an inlet chamber  46 . The inlet chamber  46  connects by passage  48  to the pump chamber  50  contained within a cylinder  52  which also is to be referred to as a fixed member. Also mounted within the pump chamber  50  is a movable member known as a piston  54 . The piston  54  includes an O-ring seal  56 . The piston  54  is to be slidingly movable within the pump chamber  50  with the O-ring seal  56  producing a fluid-tight enclosed chamber for the pump chamber  50 . Also mounted within the pump chamber  50  is a coil spring  58 . One end of the coil spring  58  abuts against base plate  60  of the cylinder  52  with the opposite end of the coil spring  58  surrounding protrusion  62  formed on the inner surface  64  of the piston  54 . The base plate  60  includes a recess  66  within which is located the coil spring  58 . The recess  66  and the protrusion  62  function as a retainer to centrally position the coil spring  58 . The function of the coil spring  58  is to exert a continuous bias between the cylinder  52  and the piston  54  tending to locate the piston  54  in an expanded position, which is shown in FIG. 5 of the drawings. In this expanded position, there are a pair of hook members  68  and  70  which ride within respective grooves  72  and  74  which are formed on the exterior surface of the cylinder  52 . The hook member  68  abuts against ledge  76  and hook member  70  abuts against ledge  78  in this expanded position. The coil spring  58  is expanded its maximum amount in FIG.  5 . Applying a compressive force between the cylinder  52  and the piston  54  will result in the piston  54  moving within the pump chamber  50  with hook member  68  riding within the groove  72  and hook member  70  riding within the groove  74 . The piston  54  terminates in an enlarged ring  80 . 
     The pump chamber  50  connects by a passage  82  to an outlet chamber  84  formed within an outlet housing  86 . The outlet chamber  84  connects to passage  88  formed within outlet valve shaft  90 . The base portion  92  of the outlet valve shaft  90  is fixedly mounted to the outlet housing  86 . The outlet valve shaft  90  includes an enlarged head  94  at its outer end. Located between the enlarged head  94  and the base portion  92  is an annular recess  96 . Formed within the annular recess  96  and through the outlet valve shaft  90  is an outlet orifice arrangement  98 . Mounted in a tight fitting manner within the annular recess  96  is a resilient sleeve  100  which is normally constructed of rubber. The resilient sleeve  100  normally functions to close the outlet orifice arrangement  98 . The enlarged head  94 , the outlet shaft  90  and the resilient sleeve  100  are contained within a nozzle chamber  102  which are formed within a nozzle  104 . The nozzle  104  is fixedly mounted to the outlet housing  86 . The nozzle  104  includes a nozzle opening  106 . 
     The base plate  60  is to be removably engaged and disengaged from side rail slots  108  and  110  which are formed within respective sidewalls  112  and  114  of a mounting plate  116 . The base plate  60  is retained within the side rail slot  108  by a pair of protruding flanges  118 . The base plate  60  is also held in engagement with the side rail slot  110  by means of a similar pair of protruding flanges  120 . The base plate  60 , upon which is mounted the cylinder  62 , the piston  54 , the inlet valve housing  32  and the outlet valve housing  86 , can be readily engaged and disengaged from the mounting plate  116 . When in the completely engaged position with the mounting plate  116 , a detent flange  122  functions to securely lock the cylinder  52  to the mounting plate  116 . The mounting plate  116  also includes a side extension  124  within which is formed a groove  126 . The tube  26  is to be mounted within the groove  126  so as to be fixedly positioned relative to the mounting plate  116 . An adhesive pad  128  is to be secured to the mounting plate  116 . The adhesive pad  128  is then to be secured to the undersurface  130  of the toilet seat  14  at any particular desired location according to the user. Typically, the adhesive pad  128  is to be mounted about midway between the tip  132  of the toilet set  14  and the hinge  16 . It is to be understood that this mounting of the adhesive pad  128  is only on one side of the toilet seat  14 . For balance reason, you will have to have a similar type of unit mounted on the opposite side of the toilet seat  14  with generally that unit comprising, in essence, a mounting plate  116 , cylinder  52  and piston  54  which is strictly for the purpose of keeping the toilet seat  14  level when the toilet seat  14  is occupied. This balancing unit is not shown. 
     The mounting plate  116  has integrally attached thereto a deflecting plate  134 . The deflecting plate  134  includes a deflecting surface  136 . The deflecting surface  136  includes a main groove  138  from which may extend a fanned series of channels  140 . 
     The operation of the toilet deodorizer of this invention is as follows: The mounting plate  116  is installed on the undersurface  130  of the toilet seat  14  so that the deflecting plate  134  is located directly adjacent the opening within the toilet bowl  10  providing access into the interior chamber of the toilet bowl  10 . Once the mounting plate  116  is so installed, the base plate  60  is then snapped into position within the side rail slots  108  and  110 . This snapping into position is provided by the detent flange  122  connecting with the back edge of the base plate  60 . It is to be understood that when it is desired to remove the baseplate  60  from the side rail slots  108  and  110 , it is only necessary to physically bend slightly in an upward direction the detent flange  122  which will permit the base plate  60  to be withdrawn from the side rail slots  108  and  110 . Initially, the toilet deodorizer of this invention will be preloaded with deodorizing liquid contained within the pump chamber  50 . 
     When a human user sits on seat  14 , the seat  14  will pivot downwardly toward the bowl  10 . This will result in piston  54  moving within the pump chamber  50  against the action of the coil spring  58 . Hook members  68  and  70  will ride within their respective grooves  72  and  74 . This compressive force is represented by arrow  142  in FIG.  6 . The liquid that is contained within the pump chamber  50  is forced in the direction of arrows  144  through the outlet chamber  84 , through the passage  88  and out through the outlet orifice arrangement  98 . This will cause the resilient sleeve  100  to be unseated, as is clearly shown in FIG. 7 of the drawings. The liquid is then to enter the nozzle chamber  102  and then to be discharged forcefully in the form of a single stream through the nozzle opening  106 . This single stream is squirted against the main groove  138  of the deflecting surface  136 . This stream of liquid, as a result, is broken up into droplets, as shown in FIG. 7, to widely disperse the liquid within the interior of the toilet bowl  10 . This deodorizing liquid  146  is to function to eliminate noxious odors contained within the toilet bowl  10 . The composition of the deodorizing liquid is not part of this invention as such liquids are well known and there are many different liquids available. 
     When the user gets up from the toilet seat  14 , the toilet seat  14  will automatically lift due to the action of the spring  58  and cylinder  54  will move back to the expanded position shown in FIG. 5 of the drawings. This expansion caused by upward movement of the toilet seat  14  is depicted by arrow  148  in FIG.  8 . At this particular time, a suction action will be created within the pump chamber  50 . This suction will tend to keep the resilient sleeve  100  into tight connection with the outlet valve shaft  90  closing off of the orifice arrangement  98 . However, this suction will also cause the inlet resilient sleeve  44  to be unseated which will permit the deodorizing liquid  146  to flow through passage  34 , the inlet orifice arrangement  36  into the inlet chamber  46  and through passage  48  into within the pump chamber  50  filling such. When the pump chamber  50  is completely filled, the resilient sleeve  44  will then reseat itself against the annular recess  42  closing off of the inlet orifice arrangement  36  not permitting passage of any further deodorizing liquid  146  to within the pump chamber  50 . 
     In order to insure that during this suction action that there will be no backflow from the nozzle chamber  102 , the diameter of the outlet valve shaft  90  is designed to be slightly larger than the inlet valve shaft  38 . This size differential will insure that it will always be that the resilient sleeve  44  will be unseated with the resilient sleeve  100  remaining seated.

Technology Classification (CPC): 4