ODOR REMOVING SYSTEM

Abstract

An odor removing system allows a user to remove waste gases and unpleasant odor emanating during or after the discharge of human waste. The system includes a seat with one or more inlets and vent slots to guide waste gases from a toilet bowl into an odor canal. Seat hinges to which the seat is pivotally attached, allows various ranges of seat movement. An odor canal attached to the seat that siphons waste gases and unpleasant odor introduced by the seat vent slots and transfers waste gases and unpleasant odor to an odor channel, attached to the odor canal. The odor channel disposes the waste gases and unpleasant odor to a pipe, a ventilation system or outside.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0001] None.

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0002] The present disclosure relates to toilets. More specifically, the present disclosure is related to removing unpleasant odor.

BACKGROUND OF INVENTION

[0003] Toilets are commonly used by people to dispose waste such as human feces and urine. Inevitably, users of the toilets are faced with the unpleasant odor and smell of the waste.

[0004] Although air fresheners and candles may provide a way to mask or eliminate the unpleasant odor, using these products may also cause the scent and odor to mix and become even more unpleasant. Furthermore, the scent and odor may linger and cause embarrassment to others. These odors are amplified when multiple people are using the same toilets, or a user is using a public bathroom this embarrassment may be more.

[0005] The ability to eliminate or reduce gases emanating during or after the discharge of waste, would dramatically reduce the likelihood that odors would become trapped or even linger. Users may relieve themselves without risking embarrassment. Residential and commercial toilet seats on the market do not provide an odor removing feature.

SUMMARY OF INVENTION

[0006] The present disclosure is directed to an odor removing system. The system includes a seat, which includes one or more inlets, a hole, and one or more vent slots, seat hinges to which the seat is pivotally attached, that allow various ranges of seat movement, an odor canal attached to the seat, and an odor channel that transfers waste gases to a ventilation system, outside, or a pipe. In an embodiment, a seat may be sloped such that the rear portion of the seat that is near the seat hinge is at a higher level than the front portion of the seat.

[0007] In an embodiment, the sloped seat may include one or more inlets and vent slots underneath the seat. The seat may be attached to an odor canal, which may be attached to a toilet. The odor canal may be an U-shaped odor canal, which extends around the the toilet and includes one or more gas intake openings, which may be attached to the seat, and one or more emitting end, which may be located at the odor canal.

[0008] In an embodiment, the odor channel is attached to one or more emitting end of the odor canal and transfers waste gases or unpleasant odor into a ventilation system or a pipe that may be located inside a wall. In an embodiment, the odor channel may transfer waste gases or unpleasant odor to directly outside.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0009] The present disclosure will be described by way of non-limiting embodiments, with reference to the following drawings, in which

[0010] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an odor-removing system attached to a toilet, according to an embodiment without a seat cover;

[0011] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of an odor-removing system, according to an embodiment without a seat cover;

[0012] FIG. 3 is a bottom side view of an odor-removing toilet seat, according to an embodiment;

[0013] FIG. 4 is a topside view of an odor-removing system attached to a toilet, according to an embodiment; and

[0014] FIG. 5 is a side view of an odor removing system attached to a toilet, according to an embodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF INVENTION

[0015] Reference will now be made in detail to various embodiments of the present disclosure. It should be understood that the scope of the present disclosure is not intended to be limited to those various referenced embodiments. On the contrary, the present disclosure is intended to cover not only the described embodiments, but also various alternatives, modifications, equivalents and other embodiments, which may be included within the spirit and scope of the disclosure as defined by the claims.

[0016] For convenience of explanation, in certain embodiments, the odor removing system is described as being installed on a toilet. Lines may be drawn in greater thickness or elements may be illustrated in enlarged sizes in exaggeration of ordinary scale thereof in the drawings, for the sake of clarity and convenience of explanation. Further, since the terminology used herein is defined in consideration of functions in the present disclosure, it can vary depending on the intention or practice of a user or operator. For example, throughout the present disclosure, the phrase "attached to," is used to broadly describe various embodiments. It is noted that "attached to" may also mean "joined to" "fastened to", "fixed to", "connected to", "linked to", "secured to", "appended to", "coupled to", "bound to", "hitched to", "riveted to", or other equivalents thereof. Therefore, definitions of the terms or wordings should be made based on the content throughout the description.

[0017] FIG. 1 is a prospective side view of an odor removing system, according to an embodiment. In this embodiment, an odor removing system comprising: a seat (10), seat hinges (20), an odor canal (30), and an odor channel (40). In an embodiment, the seat (10) is attached to a toilet bowl (2) using seat hinges (20). In an embodiment, a seat cover (50) may be included. Although some embodiments of the seat system are described as being implemented in a toilet (1), the scope of this disclosure is not limited thereto. For example, the odor removing system may be implemented in other settings such as aircrafts, a car seat, or an office seat.

[0018] A seat (10) and a seat cover (50) may be configured in various designs. In an embodiment, a seat (10) may be sloped such that the rear portion of the seat (10) that is near the seat hinge is at a higher level than the front portion of the toilet seat (10) that can be lifted. The rear portion of the seat (10) facilitates the movement of waste gases into an odor canal (30). In an embodiment, the seat (10) may be completely enclosed except for an inlet (12), a hole (15) and one or more vent slots (11). When the seat (10) is in use, cool air enters the toilet bowl (2) through an inlet (13). Cool air entering the toilet bowl (2) from the inlet (12) causes warmer waste gases to rise. The seat (10) is sloped such that rising waste gases and the unpleasant odor emanating from the toilet bowl (2) during and after the discharge of human waste are guided into vent slots (11) underneath the seat (10) to the odor canal (30). The seat (10) may have various configurations such as flat, raised, soft, hard, rounded, or a combination of surface designs. Embodiments of the disclosure are not limited to the aforementioned seat designs. The seat (10) in other embodiments of the disclosure, therefore, may incorporate other seat designs not mentioned herein.

[0019] The seat (10) and seat cover (50) may be made of various materials. In an embodiment, a toilet seat is made of plastic. The seat (10) may be in other materials, such as, various metals, ceramic, rock, and wood. The seat (10) may be in a color and material that match the toilet (1) for aesthetic purposes. Embodiments of the present disclosure are not limited to the aforementioned seat (10) and cover (50) materials.

[0020] In an embodiment, the seat (10) and seat cover (50) may be attached to the toilet (1) using one or more seat hinges (20), which allow pivotal movement of the seat (10) and seat cover (50). In an embodiment, the seat hinges (20) may include two center brackets (21), which function as female brackets, and four matching brackets (23), which function as male brackets that interlock with the center brackets (21). In some embodiments, seat hinges (20) may also include a single hinge bar or multiple hinge bars that fasten together and create pivotal movement.

[0021] In an embodiment, the seat hinges (20) may be configured to include seat hinge technologies such as, automated or assisted opening and closing mechanisms, easy clean configurations, seat sliding and raising mechanisms, and mechanisms allowing for easy seat removal. Seats hinges (20) in embodiments of the present disclosure are not limited to the aforementioned configurations, materials, or technology.

[0022] In an embodiment, cool air entering an inlet (12), which is located in the front portion of the seat (10), guides waste gases and unpleasant odors to be funneled from a toilet bowl (2) through vent slots (11), into an odor canal (30), which is attached the rear portion of the seat (10) where the vent slots (11) are located. The odor canal (30) may be U-shaped. The odor canal (30) may extend around the left and right sides of the toilet (1), creating two odor canal arms (31) on the left and right halves of the odor canal (30) embracing the toilet (1). In an embodiment, each odor canal arm (31) is leveled with the vent slots (11) of the seat (10) when the seat (10) is in the lowered position as shown in FIG. 1. In an embodiment, the end of each odor canal arms includes an intake entry (32) that is attached to the seat (10) and completely covers one end of the vent slots (11) near the seat hinges (20). Accordingly, waste gases and unpleasant odor are siphoned into the odor canal (30) through intake entries (32) located at the end of each odor canal arm (31). In an embodiment, each intake entry (32) is attached to the seat (10), which creates an airtight connection between one end of the vent slot (11) and the intake entry (32) and guides waste gas and unpleasant odor to flow to the odor canal (30). In an embodiment, the airtight connection between the intake entry (32) and one end of the vent slot (11) prevents waste gas or odor leakage and facilitates the movement of waste gases to the odor canal (30). The odor canal (30) may be configured in different forms and shapes. Two odor canal arms (30) may be joined directly to each other, or may use a connector (34) to connect to the odor canal arms (30). In an embodiment, the odor canal (30) may be hollow or include an airway so the waste gas and odor may flow through. The odor canal (30) may be in Y-shape without the connector (34).

[0023] In an embodiment, the emitting opening (33) of an odor canal (30) is positioned behind the odor canal (30), which may be attached behind the toilet (1).

[0024] The odor canal (30) may be made of various materials. In an embodiment, an odor canal (30) is made of plastics. The odor canal (30) may be made of a material or color similar to the material or color of the toilet (1) for aesthetic purposes. An odor canal (30) in other embodiments may made of other materials, such as, ceramics, metals, and wood. Embodiments of the present disclosure are not limited to the aforementioned odor canal (30) materials. An odor canal (30) in an embodiment of the present disclosure may consist of other materials not mentioned herein.

[0025] Waste gases entering the odor canal (30) from the toilet bowl (2) are transferred to the odor channel (40) through the emitting opening (33). In an embodiment, the odor channel (40) extends from the odor canal (30), and transfers waste gases into a ventilation system (60), outside or a pipe.

[0026] In an embodiment, an odor channel (40) configuration may include venting technology. For example, in some embodiments, an odor channel (40) may be configured to include air admittance valves, sterilization vents, temperature actuated flow reduction devices, and trap/venting devices. Embodiments of the disclosure are not limited to the aforementioned venting technologies. Therefore, an odor channel (40) in an embodiment of the disclosure may include other venting technologies not mentioned herein. Odor channels may be in a variety of materials, which include, but are not limited to, ceramic, plastic, and lined piping.

[0027] FIG. 2 is perspective view of an odor-removing system attached to a toilet (1), according to an embodiment. In this embodiment, a seat (10) and odor canal (30) are attached to a toilet (1) with seat hinges (20). The seat hinges (20) have female bracket (21), which is attached to a toilet bowl (2) and interlocked between two male brackets (23), according to an embodiment. The male brackets (23) and female bracket (21) are fastened together with a hinge bar (24).

[0028] In an embodiment, the odor removing system moves waste gases from the toilet bowl (2) into the odor canal (30). As cool air flows into the inlet (12) of the seat (10), thermal buoyancy induces the upward movement of waste gases because waste gases are warmer than the cool air that flows into the inlet (12). In an embodiment, the sealed design of the seat (10) forces the rising waste gases into the intake entries (32) of the odor canal (30).

[0029] In an embodiment, the odor channel (40) may be extended to outside of house or building so the odor removing system expels waste gases directly in to the atmosphere. In an embodiment, the odor removing system uses atmospheric pressure to draw warm air emitted during or after the discharge of waste, from the toilet bowl to the atmosphere. This atmospheric pressure, along with the buoyancy of the waste gases, also facilitates the movement of waste gases through the odor removing system.

[0030] In other embodiments, odor removing system may be configured to utilize other mechanisms for gas removal, such as, vacuum power, fan power, and flush power mechanisms. Embodiments of the disclosure, however, are not limited to the aforementioned gas removal mechanisms. Therefore, gas removal mechanisms not mentioned herein may be incorporated into odor canals (30) in other embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0031] FIG. 3 provides a bottom view of a seat (10) in an embodiment. According to an embodiment, cool air passes through the inlet (13) located at the front portion of a seat (10). The cool air pushes waste gases and unpleasant odor from toilet bowl (2) to vent slots (11). Waste gases and unpleasant odors are traveled to the vent slots (11) located at the rear portion of the seat (10) near the seat hinges (20). In an embodiment, the vent slots (11) are located underneath the toilet seat (10). The odor canal (30) is attached to the seat (10). Each intake entry (32) of the odor canal (30) is aligned with one end of the vent slots (11) when the seat (10) is in the lowered position. The vent slots (11) and odor canal (30) create waste gas pathways so the waste gases and odor flow to the canal. From the odor canal the waste gases and unpleasant odor are transferred to an odor-removing channel (40), wherein the waste gases and unpleasant odor are expelled into the atmosphere, a pipe, or a ventilation system.

[0032] In an embodiment, a seat (10) and an odor canal (30) rely on the natural movement of the waste gases to transfer the gases from the toilet bowl to an odor-removing channel (40). In other embodiments, a seat (10) and odor canal may be configured to utilize other mechanisms for gas removal, such as vacuum, fan, and flush powered mechanisms. Seats (10) and odor canals (30) in embodiments of the disclosure are not limited to utilizing the aforementioned gas removal mechanisms, and other gas removal mechanisms may be incorporated into seats (10) and odor canals (30) in other embodiments of the disclosure.

[0033] FIG. 4 provides a perspective topside view of an odor removing system, according to an embodiment. An odor canal (30) attaches to the rear portion of a seat (10) and extends around a toilet to an odor channel (40). An odor channel (40) is attached to the odor canal (30) and extend directly into the atmosphere or attach to a ventilation stack through a wall behind the toilet (1).

[0034] According to an embodiment, an odor canal (30) is in a U-shaped configuration, with both odor canal arms (31) attached to the rear portion of the seat (10), and attached to the toilet (1) by seat hinges (20). As cool air enters the toilet bowl from an inlet (13), the rising waste gases are migrated from the toilet bowl into the body of the odor canal. The gases are siphoned into the canal through intake entries (32) located at each end of each odor canal arm (31), which is aligned with each end of the vent slots (11). Thereafter, the waste gases are led into an odor channel (40), which is attached to a emitting opening (33) at the center of the odor canal (30). In an embodiment, the odor canal (30) bends around the base of the toilet (1) and extends to the left and right sides of the seat (10).

[0035] FIG. 5 provides a perspective side view of an odor removing system, according to an embodiment. In this embodiment, an odor removing system is attached to a toilet (1) and the odor channel (40) may be located behind the toilet (1). The odor removing system is also connected to a ventilation system (60). In an embodiment, pressure from the ventilation system (60) draws waste gas from a toilet bowl (2), through the odor removing system and into the ventilation system (60). In other embodiments, the placement and direction of an odor channel (40) may vary to permit installation of the odor removing system into different venting systems and appliances. The ventilation system may be located inside a wall as depicted in FIG. 5, or may be located outside a wall.

[0036] It should be appreciated that like reference numerals in the present disclosure are used to identify like elements illustrated in one or more of the figures, wherein these labeled figures are for purposes of illustrating embodiments of the present disclosure and not for purposes of limiting the same.

[0037] The foregoing disclosure is not intended to limit the present disclosure to the precise forms or particular fields of use disclosed. As such, it is contemplated that various alternate embodiments and/or modifications to the present disclosure, whether explicitly described or implied herein, are possible in light of the disclosure. Having thus prescribed embodiments of the present disclosure, persons of ordinary skill in the art will recognize that changes may be made in form and detail without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. Thus, the present disclosure is limited only by the claims.

Claims

1. An odor removing system for a toilet, comprising: a seat comprising: a hole, one or more inlets, and at least one vent slot underneath the seat; an odor canal comprising one or more canal arms, one or more intake entries, and at least one emitting end; at least one odor channel attached to the odor canal; and a hinge for pivotally attaching the seat to a toilet bowl.

2. The odor removing system of claim 1, further comprising a ventilation system connected to the odor channel.

3. The odor removing system of claim 1, wherein the seat is sloped such that a rear portion of the seat is at a higher level than a front portion of the seat, and wherein the rear portion of the seat is near the hinge.

4. The odor removing system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the one or more inlets is located at the front portion underneath the seat.

5. The odor removing system of claim 1, wherein the odor canal is U-shaped.

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