Abstract:
The present invention overcomes each of the disadvantages in the related art by providing a vented toilet and odor removal system having integrated components that require no additional cleaning and that do not interfere with the cleaning of the toilet or toilet bowl.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS  
       [0001]     The instant application claims the benefit of co-pending U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60/633,806, filed 6 Dec. 2004, which is hereby incorporated herein by reference. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     (1) Technical Field  
         [0003]     The present invention relates generally to the field of toilet fixtures and more specifically to a vented toilet bowl and system for the removal of odors.  
         [0004]     (2) Related Art  
         [0005]     Various devices have been used to remove offensive odors from toilet bowls. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,175,293 to Stephens et al. describes a hooded apparatus for attachment to a toilet bowl which is capable of drawing off offensive odors within the toilet bowl. Such devices suffer from a number of disadvantages, including the visibility of externally mounted components, the necessity of cleaning such additional components when the toilet bowl is cleaned, and the prevention by such additional components of thorough cleaning of the toilet bowl itself. Accordingly, there is a need in the art for a device and system for the elimination of odors from a toilet bowl that include no or few externally visible components, require no additional cleaning, and do not interfere with cleaning of the toilet or toilet bowl.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0006]     The present invention overcomes each of the disadvantages in the related art by providing a vented toilet bowl and odor removal system having integrated components that require no additional cleaning and that do not interfere with the cleaning of the toilet or toilet bowl.  
         [0007]     A first aspect of the invention provides a vented toilet bowl comprising: a toilet bowl having at least one opening for the removal of gaseous contents from the toilet bowl, the at least one opening being coplanar with an inner surface of the toilet bowl; and an exhaust channel extending from the at least one opening, to which an exhaust line may be attached.  
         [0008]     A second aspect of the invention provides a toilet bowl odor removal system comprising: a vented toilet bowl having: a toilet bowl having at least one opening for the removal of gaseous contents from the toilet bowl, the at least one opening being coplanar with an inner surface of the toilet bowl; and an exhaust channel extending from the at least one opening, to which an exhaust line may be attached; at least one exhaust line extending from the exhaust channel to an outdoor ventilation space; and an exhaust device for moving gaseous contents from the toilet bowl to the ventilation space.  
         [0009]     The foregoing and other features of the invention will be apparent from the following more particular description of embodiments of the invention.  
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0010]     The embodiments of this invention will be described in detail, with reference to the following figures, wherein like designations denote like elements, and wherein:  
         [0011]      FIG. 1A  shows a side view of a toilet according to the present invention.  
         [0012]      FIG. 1B  shows a top view of a toilet according to the present invention.  
         [0013]      FIG. 2  shows a partial cut-away side view of an odor removal system according to the present invention. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0014]     The present invention provides a vented toilet bowl and a system for the removal of odors from such a vented toilet bowl. Referring to  FIGS. 1A and 1B , a toilet  1  according to the present invention is shown, the toilet  1  comprising a toilet bowl  10  having one or more vents  12  along its inner surface. Vent  12  is located above the highest level expected to be reached by any liquid contents  14  of the bowl  10  (i.e. in a headspace of the bowl), whether that level is a standing level or a level reached during flushing of the toilet. Unlike known devices, vent  12  is flush with an inner surface of bowl  10 . That is, vent  12  is coplanar with an inner surface of bowl  10  does not project into bowl  10  itself. Such an arrangement avoids the addition of additional bowl components that may require cleaning and does not interfere with the cleaning of the inner surface of bowl  10 .  
         [0015]     As shown in FIGS.  1 A-B, each vent  12  is connected to an exhaust channel  20  extending from the opening in the bowl wall to one or more openings in the back of bowl  10 , wherein an exhaust line (not shown) may be attached. It should be recognized, of course, that a vented toilet bowl of the present invention may include any number of vents, exhaust channels, and exhaust lines.  
         [0016]     A toilet  1  according to the invention may further include any number of elements known in the art, including, for example, a waste drain  16 , bowl base  18 , tank  30 , flushing mechanism  32 , and toilet seat  34 . Exhaust channels  20  may be integrated into bowl base  18  to avoid the appearance of additional bowl components.  
         [0017]     Referring now to  FIG. 2 , an odor removal system  100  according to the invention is shown, comprising a vented toilet bowl  110 , such as that shown in  FIGS. 1A and 1B , and an exhaust line  140  extending from an exhaust channel  120  of the toilet bowl  110  and ultimately to an outdoor ventilation space  180 . Connect to exhaust line  140  are shown a vertical exhaust pipe  144 , a check valve  146 , and an exhaust fan  150 . Exhaust fan  150 , when activated, reduces pressure within vertical exhaust pipe  144 , exhaust line  140 , and bowl  110 , thereby removing gaseous contents within bowl  110 . While depicted as an exhaust fan, any device capable of exhausting the contents of bowl  110  may be utilized, including, for example, a vacuum device.  
         [0018]     As shown, exhaust fan  150  vents gaseous contents of bowl  110  to an outdoor ventilation space  180 , either directly through a wall  142  of the building in which system  100  is housed or via attachment to a vent pipe  148  normally connected to the building&#39;s sewer system. As shown in  FIG. 2 , exhaust fan  150  is activated via a switch  160 . Switch  160  may be a manually activated switch, such as that shown in  FIG. 2 , or an automatic switch. Illustrative automatic switches include, for example, motion-sensitive switches, light-sensitive switches, and pressure-sensitive switches. In the case of a pressure-sensitive switch, the switch may be connected to, mounted beneath, or integrated into toilet seat  134 , such that exhaust fan  150  is activated when a user sits on toilet seat  134 .  
         [0019]     Check valve  146  may be any known or later-developed device capable of substantially restricting air flow within vertical exhaust pipe  144  to a direction from toilet bowl  110  to outdoor ventilation space  180 . That is, check valve  146  substantially prevents the flow of air from outdoor ventilation space  180  into toilet bowl  110  during, for example, periods of high wind or high atmospheric pressure.  
         [0020]     While this invention has been described in conjunction with the specific embodiments outlined above, it is evident that many alternatives, modifications and variations will be apparent to those skilled in the art. Accordingly, the embodiments of the invention as set forth above are intended to be illustrative, not limiting. Various changes may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the following claims.