U.S. patent application number 09/785694 was filed with the patent office on 2002-08-22 for odour extraction system for a toilet, urinal, bidet, and the like.
This patent application is currently assigned to Freshflow Systems CC. Invention is credited to Van Niekerk, Jan Antonie.
Application Number | 20020112279 09/785694 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 31192160 |
Filed Date | 2002-08-22 |
United States Patent
Application |
20020112279 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Van Niekerk, Jan Antonie |
August 22, 2002 |
Odour extraction system for a toilet, urinal, bidet, and the
like
Abstract
The invention provides a toilet bowl odor extraction system 50
for extracting bad odor laden air from a toilet bowl 9. The odor
extraction system 50 includes a conduit 1 connected to the toilet
bowl 9 rim area 23 and an extraction fan 3 configured to direct the
odor laden air along the odor extraction route 8 from out of the
toilet bowl 9 along a substantially unimpeded flow path to a remote
location 4 through at least a portion of a flush water supply pipe
15 from where it enters the toilet bowl 9 and supplies the toilet
bowl with flush water.
Inventors: |
Van Niekerk, Jan Antonie;
(Villieria, ZA) |
Correspondence
Address: |
MERCHANT & GOULD PC
P.O. BOX 2903
MINNEAPOLIS
MN
55402-0903
US
|
Assignee: |
Freshflow Systems CC,
|
Family ID: |
31192160 |
Appl. No.: |
09/785694 |
Filed: |
February 16, 2001 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
4/213 |
Current CPC
Class: |
E03D 9/052 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
4/213 |
International
Class: |
E03D 009/04 |
Claims
1. A toilet bowl odour extraction system for extracting bad odour
laden air from a toilet bowl, said odour extraction system
including a conduit and an extraction fan configured to direct the
odour laden air from out of the toilet bowl along a substantially
unimpeded flow path to a remote location through at least a portion
of a flush water supply pipe from where it enters the toilet bowl
and supplies the toilet bowl with flush water.
2. A toilet bowl odour extraction system as claimed in claim 1,
wherein the odour laden air passes from the toilet bowl along the
flush water supply pipe to be extracted to the remote location
before a flush water actuation valve so that the flush water does
not push the odour laden air back into the toilet bowl.
3. A toilet bowl odour extraction system as claimed in claim 1,
wherein the system includes an anti-siphon arrangement to prevent
the flush water from flowing into and through an extraction portion
of the extraction system.
4. A toilet bowl odour extraction system as claimed in claim 3,
wherein the anti-siphon arrangement is in the form of a conduit
having an atmospheric opening at a height equivalent to a higher
water pressure than the water pressure in the flush water supply of
the toilet at the point where the flush water supply and the odour
extraction system are open to each other.
5. A toilet bowl odour extraction system as claimed in claim 4,
wherein the conduit of the anti-siphon arrangement is a pipe
extending from the flush water supply pipe, past a cistern flush
valve seat and closure member assembly and into the cistern to be
open to atmospheric pressure at a level above the cistern water
level, the extraction fan being in air flow communication with the
headroom above the water level in the cistern thereby to extract
the odour laden air directed into the headroom by the conduit.
6. A toilet bowl odour extraction system as claimed in claim 4,
wherein the conduit passes out of the flush water supply pipe and
bypasses the cistern for direct connection to the extraction
fan.
7. A toilet bowl odour extraction system as claimed in claim 3,
wherein where the toilet has no cistern, the anti-siphon
arrangement may be the flush water supply pipe and an upwardly
extending extension therefrom extending from out of the flush water
supply pipe downstream of the flush valve seat and closure member
assembly and into the inlet of the extraction fan.
8. A toilet bowl odour extraction system as claimed in claim 1,
wherein the extraction fan is a radial extraction fan.
9. A toilet bowl odour extraction system as claimed in claim 1,
wherein several toilet bowls are connected to a single extraction
fan for the multiplexing of several toilet bowls to one or more
extraction fans.
10. A toilet bowl odour extraction system as claimed in claim 1,
wherein a flush valve assembly by-pass system permits leakage of
the flush valve assembly to be detected due to a gurgling noise
being heard at the odour outlet.
11. A urinal odour extraction system said odour extraction system,
including a conduit and an extraction fan configured to direct the
odour laden air from out of the urinal bowl along a substantially
unimpeded flow path to a remote location through at least a portion
of a flush water supply pipe from where it enters the urinal bowl
and supplies the urinal bowl with flush water.
Description
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001] This invention relates to the field of toilets and toilet
accessories.
BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION
[0002] It is a well known fact that toilet smells are unpleasant.
Furthermore, some toilet urinal configurations do not permit the
rapid dissipation of the bad odours and thus persons entering a
toilet cubicle some time after the previous person has already left
are confronted with the bad odours.
[0003] The above problem also exists for urinals, bidets, and the
like.
[0004] One solution to the above problem has been to employ an
extraction fan mounted in a wall or ceiling of the toilet cubicle
and to extract the bad odours therethrough. However, by its very
nature, this type of configuration requires a big extraction fan
and results in the bad odours being drawn from out of the toilet
bowl towards the extraction fan which could in fact worsen the
situation.
[0005] Another proposed solution has been to extract the odour out
of the toilet bowl directly by means of an extraction fan fitted to
the outlet pipe from the toilet bowl and connecting the toilet bowl
thereto and expelling the bad odour into the drainage system. This
has been found to be unsatisfactory due to back pressures and for
other reasons. A solution to this secondary problem has been to fit
a larger extraction fan.
[0006] The applicant is not aware of any proposals to alleviate the
problem for urinals, bidets, and the like. The usual solution for
urinals is to place a disinfectant and/or a deoderising substance
in the urinal thereby to mask the problem.
[0007] Thus, a need exists for an odour extraction system which
will be effective, economical to operate and reduce the
inconvenience of bad odours to toilet users.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0008] Thus, according to a first aspect of the invention, there is
provided a toilet bowl odour extraction system for extracting bad
odour laden air from a toilet bowl, said odour extraction system
including a conduit and an extraction fan configured to direct the
odour laden air from out of the toilet bowl along a substantially
unimpeded flow path to a remote location through at least a portion
of a flush water supply pipe from where it enters the toilet bowl
and supplies the toilet bowl with flush water.
[0009] The odour laden air may pass from the toilet bowl along the
flush water supply pipe to be extracted to the remote location
before a flush water actuation valve so that the flush water does
not push the odour laden air back into the toilet bowl.
[0010] The system may include an anti-siphon arrangement to prevent
the flush water from flowing into and through an extraction portion
of the extraction system.
[0011] The anti-siphon arrangement may be in the form of a conduit
having an atmospheric opening at a height equivalent to a higher
water pressure than the water pressure in the flush water supply of
the toilet at the point where the flush water supply and the odour
extraction system are open to each other.
[0012] The conduit of the anti-siphon arrangement may be a pipe
extending from the flush water supply pipe, past a cistern flush
valve seat and closure member assembly and into the cistern to be
open to atmospheric pressure at a level above the cistern water
level, the extraction fan being in air flow communication with the
headroom above the water level in the cistern thereby to extract
the odour laden air directed into the headroom by the conduit.
[0013] The conduit may pass out of the flush water supply pipe and
bypass the cistern for direct connection to the extraction fan.
[0014] Likewise, where the toilet has no cistern, the anti-siphon
arrangement may be the flush water supply pipe and an upwardly
extending extension therefrom extending from out of the flush water
supply pipe downstream of the flush valve seat and closure member
assembly and into the inlet of the extraction fan.
[0015] The extraction fan may be a radial extraction fan. Due to
the unimpeded flowpath of the odour laden air the extraction fan
may be small in comparison to existing systems.
[0016] Several toilet bowls can be connected to a single extraction
fan i.e. multiplexing several toilet bowls to one or more
extraction fans.
[0017] The flush valve assembly by-pass system also permits leakage
of the flush valve assembly to be detected due to a gurgling noise
being heard at the odour outlet.
[0018] The above solution also applies to urinals having a urinal
bowl having an inner lip of the rim through which flush water is
routed from a flush pipe having an arrangement as described above
for the toilet unit.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0019] The invention will now be described, by way of illustration
only, with reference to the accompanying diagrammatic drawings.
[0020] In the drawings,
[0021] FIGS. 1, 2, 3 and 4 show the odour extraction system of the
invention on a conventional cistern type toilet;
[0022] FIGS. 5 and 6 show different embodiments of the odour
extraction system for cistern type toilets;
[0023] FIG. 7 shows an odour extraction system of the invention
applied to a cisternless toilet; and
[0024] FIG. 8 shows substantially in side view, a urinal for use by
one user at a time, which includes a urinal odour extractor in
accordance with the invention.
[0025] In the Figures, reference numeral 100 indicates a toilet
including an odour extraction system 50 according to the
invention.
[0026] The toilet bowl odour extraction system 50 for extracting
bad odour laden air from a toilet bowl 9. The odour extraction
system 50 includes a conduit 1 connected to the toilet bowl 9 rim
area 23 and an extraction fan 3 configured to direct the odour
laden air along the odour extraction route 8 from out of the toilet
bowl 9 along a substantially unimpeded flow path to a remote
location 4 through at least a portion of a flush water supply pipe
15 from where it enters the toilet bowl 9 and supplies the toilet
bowl with flush water.
[0027] The extraction fan 3 may be an AC or DC or pelton wheel type
fan. Typically the extraction fan 3 is a radial or drum fan.
[0028] The remote location 4 can be outside the building in which
the toilet is located or can be in the sewage outlet pipe 25.
[0029] The odour laden air passes from the toilet bowl 9 along the
flush water supply pipe 15 to be extracted to the remote location 4
before a flush water actuation valve 11 or pressure flush valve 18
(FIG. 7) so that the flush water 6 does not push the odour laden
air back into the toilet bowl 9.
[0030] The system include an anti-siphon arrangement to prevent the
flush water from flowing into and through an extraction portion 3
of the extraction system.
[0031] In FIGS. 1 to 4, the anti-siphon arrangement is in the form
of a conduit 1 having an atmospheric opening at a height equivalent
to a higher water pressure than the water pressure in the flush
water supply of the toilet at the point where the flush water
supply and the odour extraction system are open to each other i.e.
at the water level 6.
[0032] In FIGS. 1 to 6, the conduit 1 of the anti-siphon
arrangement may be a pipe extending from the flush water supply
pipe 15, past a cistern flush valve seat and closure member
assembly 11 and into the cistern 10 to be open to atmospheric
pressure at a level above the cistern water level 6, the extraction
fan 3 being in air flow communication with the headroom above the
water level 6 in the cistern 10 thereby to extract the odour laden
air directed into the headroom by the conduit through extraction
conduit 2 and extraction fan 3.
[0033] In FIGS. 1 and 2, the lid 7 seals onto the cistern to
prevent ingress of air thereby to ensure effective removal of the
odour laden air.
[0034] In FIGS. 3 and 4, an overlapping nozzle 12 is placed over
the conduit 1 to facilitate extraction of the odour laden air.
[0035] In FIGS. 5 and 6, the conduit 2 passes out of the flush
water supply pipe 15 and bypasses the cistern 10 for direct
connection to the extraction fan 3.
[0036] Likewise, where the toilet has no cistern, the anti-siphon
arrangement may be the flush water supply pipe 15 and an upwardly
extending extension therefrom 2 extending from out of the flush
water supply pipe 15 downstream of the flush valve seat and closure
member assembly 18 and into the inlet of the extraction fan 3 for
venting to a remote location 4.
[0037] The extraction fan may be a radial extraction fan. Due to
the unimpeded flowpath of the odour laden air the extraction fan 3
may be small in comparison to existing systems.
[0038] Several toilet bowls can be connected to a single extraction
fan i.e. multiplexing several toilet bowls to one or more
extraction fans.
[0039] The flush valve assembly by-pass system also permits leakage
of the flush valve assembly to be detected due to a gurgling noise
being heard at the odour outlet.
[0040] In an arrangement such as that shown in FIG. 1 the cistern
10 should be substantially air tight to prevent the odour laden air
from escaping as well as to maximise fan 3 efficiency.
[0041] In all the Figures, the remote outlet must be at more or
less atmospheric pressure to ensure easy venting, for example, by
connecting a pressure equalising vent 22 (see FIG. 7).
[0042] The toilet bowl incorporating the odour extraction system
may be mounted in a cubicle with the odour extraction outlet
venting outside the cubicle outside a building in which the cubicle
is located.
[0043] It is also possible to extract the odour laden air into the
sewage outlet system 25 above the water level 17 thereby to achieve
an acceptable result, albeit at a slightly higher pressure.
[0044] With reference to FIG. 8, reference numeral 10 shows a
urinal, for use by one user at a time, which includes a urinal
odour extractor 20 according to the invention. In use, urine
collects in a catchment portion 12 of a receptical 13 of the urinal
10. The urine is flushed away by means of a water flush 14 which
discharges water into the catchment portion 12. The water and urine
is then flushed away through a flushing pipe 16 in fluid
communication with the catchment portion 12.
[0045] However, a residue of water and urine is trapped in a trap
18 of the flushing pipe 16. It is to be appreciated that when urine
is present in the catchment portion 12 and/or the trap 18 it emits
an offensive odour which permeates the air proximate the urinal 10
and, in particular, proximate the nose of a user which is proximate
the receptical 13 of the urinal 10.
[0046] The urinal odour extractor 20 includes odour extraction
means 22 for extracting the odour from the urinal 10. The urinal
odour extractor 20 includes an inlet conduit 24 connected to an
inlet 34 of the odour extraction means 22. The inlet conduit 24 has
a remote aperture 26 connected to the water flush 14 thereby
facilitating extraction of the odour through at least a part of the
water flush 14.
[0047] The catchment portion 12 is bowl shaped and an outlet
aperture 15 of the water flush 14 may be located under an inner lip
of an upper inlet rim 17 of the catchment portion 12 of the urinal
10. The rim 17 is not parallel to the ground when the urinal 10 is
in an installed position but is tilted downwards on a side
proximate the user when in use. The outlet aperture 15 is located
proximate the highest part of the rim 17 allowing water which is
discharged by the flush 14 through the outlet aperture 15 to flow
towards the lowest part of the rim 17 under the influence of
gravity and an initial discharge speed. While water flows towards
the lowest part of the rim 17, some of it flows downwards into the
body of the catchment portion 12 thereby cleaning the catchment
portion 12 By connecting the inlet conduit 24 to the flush 14 the
odour proximate the rim 17 is extracted along a flow path similar
to that of water being discharged by the flush 14 into the
catchment portion 12 but in the reverse direction.
[0048] The urinal odour extractor 20 includes a sensor (not shown)
for sensing a presence of at least one user. In use the odour
extraction means 22 is activated for an appropriate period of time,
typically 10 seconds, after the sensor senses the presence of at
least one user, thereby extracting the odour from the urinal 10
and, in particular, from proximate the rim 17 of the urinal 10.
[0049] The urinal odour extractor 20 includes a venting conduit 32
connected to an outlet 36 of the odour extraction means 22 for
venting the odour to a location remote from the urinal 10.
[0050] The invention is not limited to the exact constructional
details of the invention as exemplified in the drawings and all
variants falling within the spirit of the invention are included
herein as if specifically described.
* * * * *