U.S. patent application number 14/824230 was filed with the patent office on 2017-02-16 for system for ventilating a toilet.
The applicant listed for this patent is Daniel Davis. Invention is credited to Daniel Davis.
Application Number | 20170044749 14/824230 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 57983778 |
Filed Date | 2017-02-16 |
United States Patent
Application |
20170044749 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Davis; Daniel |
February 16, 2017 |
SYSTEM FOR VENTILATING A TOILET
Abstract
A system for ventilating a toilet having a cistern and a bowl
includes a valve located between the cistern and the bowl. The
valve includes a housing having a top surface, a bottom surface, a
through-passage extending from the top surface to the bottom
surface, and a ventilation passage provided at an angle with
respect to the through-passage. The through-passage is located at
an interior of the housing and is in fluid communication with the
bowl. The ventilation passage has an inlet at the interior of the
housing and an outlet at an exterior of the housing. A vacuum
source is connected to the outlet of the ventilation passage and
configured to establish a negative pressure in the ventilation
passage to draw air from the bowl through the through-passage, and
to exhaust the air to a remote location. The housing,
through-passage, and ventilation passage are integrally formed.
Inventors: |
Davis; Daniel; (Bloomington,
MN) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Davis; Daniel |
Bloomington |
MN |
US |
|
|
Family ID: |
57983778 |
Appl. No.: |
14/824230 |
Filed: |
August 12, 2015 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
1/1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
E03D 9/052 20130101;
E03D 9/05 20130101 |
International
Class: |
E03D 9/052 20060101
E03D009/052 |
Claims
1. A system for ventilating a toilet having a cistern and a bowl,
the system comprising: a valve located between the cistern and the
bowl, the valve having a housing comprising: a top surface; a
bottom surface; a through-passage extending from the top surface to
the bottom surface, the through-passage located at an interior of
the housing, the through passage in fluid communication with the
bowl; and a ventilation passage provided at an angle with respect
to the through-passage, the ventilation passage having an inlet at
the interior of the housing and an outlet at an exterior of the
housing; and a vacuum source connected to the outlet of the
ventilation passage, wherein the vacuum source is configured to
establish a negative pressure in the ventilation passage to draw
air from the bowl through the through-passage, and to exhaust the
air to a remote location, and wherein the housing, the
through-passage, and the ventilation passage are integrally
formed.
2. The system of claim 1, further comprising a timer switch
configured to turn the vacuum source on or off and to count at
least one time period during which the vacuum source remains
on.
3. The system of claim 2, further comprising a flap mounted on the
housing and having a substantially same shape as a cross-section of
the ventilation passage, wherein: in an open position, the flap
extends outwards from the interior of the housing towards a center
of the through-passage, and in a closed position, the flap extends
downwards along a surface of the through-passage towards the bottom
surface, the flap covering the inlet of the ventilation
passage.
4. The system of claim 3, wherein the vacuum source is configured
to hold the flap in the closed position after the flap has been
closed by a pressure exerted by water entering the through-passage
when the toilet is flushed, and the timer switch is configured to
begin counting a first predetermined period of time during which
the vacuum source remains on and the flap is held closed.
5. The system of claim 4, wherein after the first predetermined
period of time has elapsed, the timer switch is configured to turn
off the vacuum source to allow the flap to reopen from the closed
position to the open position.
6. The system of claim 5, wherein after the flap has reopened, the
timer switch is configured to turn the vacuum source back on such
that air from the through-passage enters the ventilation passage
and is exhausted to the remote location.
7. The system of claim 2, if the vacuum source is on and the toilet
is not flushed before a second predetermined period of time has
elapsed, the timer switch is configured to turn off the vacuum
source.
8. The system of claim 1, wherein the ventilation passage is
perpendicular to the through-passage.
9. The system of claim 1, wherein the ventilation passage provided
at an acute angle with respect to the through-passage, and inclined
in an orientation in which standing water in the ventilation
passage drips down into the through-passage.
10. The system of claim 1, wherein the vacuum source is located at
a height at least 3 feet above a height of the cistern.
11. The system of claim 1, wherein the vacuum source can be turned
on and off manually via a wall switch.
12. The system of claim 1, wherein the through-passage is a
non-bent, straight passage.
13. A valve for ventilating a toilet, the valve comprising: a
housing comprising: a top surface; a bottom surface; a
through-passage extending from the top surface to the bottom
surface, the through-passage located at an interior of the housing;
and a ventilation passage provided at an angle with respect to the
through-passage, the ventilation passage having an inlet at the
interior of the housing and an outlet at an exterior of the
housing, wherein the valve is configured to be connected to a bowl
of the toilet and a vacuum source configured to establish a
negative pressure in the ventilation passage to draw air from the
bowl through the through-passage, and to exhaust the air to a
remote location, and wherein the housing, the through-passage, and
the ventilation passage are integrally formed.
14. The valve of claim 13, further comprising a flap mounted on the
housing and having a substantially same shape as a cross-section of
the ventilation passage, wherein: in an open position, the flap
extends outwards from the interior of the housing towards a center
of the through-passage, and in a closed position, the flap extends
downwards along a surface of the through-passage towards the bottom
surface, the flap covering the inlet of the ventilation
passage.
15. The valve of claim 13, wherein the housing has a polygonal
cross-section with rounded corners.
16. The valve of claim 15, wherein the polygonal cross-section has
five sides.
17. The valve of claim 13, wherein a material from which the
housing is formed is selected from the group consisting of
stainless steel, brass, copper, ceramic, porcelain, and
plastic.
18. The valve of claim 14, wherein a material from which the flap
is formed is selected from the group consisting of rubber,
stainless steel, brass, copper, ceramic, porcelain, and plastic, or
a combination of any two or more thereof.
19. The valve of claim 13, wherein the through-passage is a
non-bent, straight passage.
20. A system for ventilating a toilet having a cistern and a bowl,
the system comprising: a stand pipe located within the cistern and
in fluid communication with the bowl, an interior of the stand pipe
forming a ventilation passage having an inlet at an end of the
stand pipe located closest to the bowl and an outlet at an end of
the stand pipe located furthest from the bowl; a vacuum source; and
a connection connecting the outlet of the ventilation passage to
the vacuum source, wherein the vacuum source is configured to
establish a negative pressure in the ventilation passage to draw
air from the bowl through the stand pipe, and to exhaust the air to
a remote location.
Description
FIELD
[0001] The present disclosure relates generally to the field of
toilets. More specifically, the present disclosure relates to a
vacuum source and a valve for ventilating a toilet to treat and/or
remove foul air from a toilet bowl.
SUMMARY
[0002] In one aspect, a system for ventilating a toilet having a
cistern and a bowl includes a valve located between the cistern and
the bowl. The valve includes a housing having a top surface, a
bottom surface, a through-passage extending from the top surface to
the bottom surface, and a ventilation passage provided at an angle
with respect to the through-passage. The through-passage is located
at an interior of the housing and is in fluid communication with
the bowl. The ventilation passage has an inlet at the interior of
the housing and an outlet at an exterior of the housing. A vacuum
source is connected to the outlet of the ventilation passage and
configured to establish a negative pressure in the ventilation
passage to draw air from the bowl through the through-passage, and
to exhaust the air to a remote location. The housing, the
through-passage, and the ventilation passage are integrally
formed.
[0003] In another aspect, a valve for ventilating a toilet includes
a housing having a top surface, a bottom surface, a through-passage
extending from the top surface to the bottom surface, and
ventilation passage provided at an angle with respect to the
through-passage. The through-passage is located at an interior of
the housing and is in fluid communication with the bowl. The
ventilation passage has an inlet at the interior of the housing and
an outlet at an exterior of the housing. The vacuum source is
configured to establish a negative pressure in the ventilation
passage to draw air from the bowl through the through-passage, and
to exhaust the air to a remote location. The housing, the
through-passage, and the ventilation passage are integrally
formed.
[0004] In yet another aspect, a system for ventilating a toilet
having a cistern and a bowl includes a stand pipe located within
the cistern and in fluid communication with the bowl. An interior
of the stand pipe forms a ventilation passage having an inlet at an
end of the stand pipe located closest to the bowl and an outlet at
an end of the stand pipe located furthest from the bowl. A flap is
mounted at the inlet of the ventilation passage. A connection
connects the outlet of the ventilation passage to a vacuum source.
The vacuum source is configured to establish a negative pressure in
the ventilation passage to draw air from the bowl through the stand
pipe, and to exhaust the air to a remote location.
[0005] Additional features, advantages, and aspects of the present
disclosure may be set forth from consideration of the following
detailed description, drawings, and claims. Moreover, it is to be
understood that both the foregoing summary of the present
disclosure and the following detailed description are exemplary and
intended to provide further explanation without further limiting
the scope of the present disclosure claimed.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0006] The accompanying drawings, which are included to provide
further understanding of the invention, are incorporated in and
constitute a part of this specification, illustrate aspects of the
present disclosure and together with the detailed description serve
to explain the principles of the present disclosure. No attempt is
made to show structural details of the present disclosure in more
detail than may be necessary for a fundamental understanding of the
present disclosure and the various ways in which it may be
practiced.
[0007] FIG. 1 is a side view of an aspect of a toilet having a
valve for ventilating the toilet installed between a cistern of the
toilet and a bowl of the toilet.
[0008] FIG. 2 is a top view of the toilet of FIG. 1 with a lid of
the cistern removed.
[0009] FIG. 3 is a front view of the toilet of FIG. 1 with a toilet
seat and a toilet lid in a closed, lowered position.
[0010] FIG. 4 is a front view of the toilet of FIG. 3 with the
toilet seat and the toilet lid in an open, raised position.
[0011] FIG. 5 is a top view of the toilet of FIG. 1 according to an
aspect in which the valve includes a flap (the cistern has been
removed).
[0012] FIG. 6 is a top view of the toilet of FIG. 1 according to an
aspect in which the valve does not include a flap (the cistern has
been removed).
[0013] FIG. 7 is a top view of the valve of FIG. 5.
[0014] FIG. 8 is an isometric view of the valve of FIG. 5.
[0015] FIG. 9 is a top view of the valve of FIG. 6.
[0016] FIG. 10 is an isometric view of the valve of FIG. 6.
[0017] FIG. 11A is a schematic illustration of the intersection
between a through-passage and a ventilation passage of the valve of
FIG. 1 in which the ventilation passage is perpendicular to the
through-passage.
[0018] FIG. 11B is a schematic illustration of the intersection
between a through-passage and a ventilation passage of the valve of
FIG. 1 in which the ventilation passage is inclined in an
orientation in which standing water in the ventilation passage
drips down into the through-passage.
[0019] FIG. 12 is a schematic illustration of the valve of FIG. 1
connected to a vacuum source.
[0020] FIG. 13 is a flowchart illustrating method of operating the
valve of FIG. 1 according to one aspect.
[0021] FIG. 14 is a top view of another aspect of a toilet
including a cistern and a bowl in which a valve for ventilating a
toilet includes a stand pipe located within the cistern that forms
a ventilation passage, a flap mounted at an inlet of the
ventilation passage, and a connection connecting an outlet of the
ventilation passage to a vacuum source.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0022] Before turning to the figures, which illustrate the
exemplary aspects in detail, it should be understood that the
present disclosure is not limited to the details or methodology set
forth in the description, or illustrated in the figures. It should
also be understood that the terminology is for the purpose of
description only and should not be regarded as limiting. An effort
has been made to use the same or like reference numbers throughout
the drawings to refer to the same or like parts.
[0023] Turning now to FIGS. 1-6, in one aspect, a system for
ventilating a toilet to treat and/or remove foul air from a toilet
100 includes a valve 1000. The toilet 100 is a conventional toilet
that includes a cistern 110, a bowl 120, a seat 130 and a lid 140.
The valve 1000 may be installed between the cistern 110 and the
bowl 120. For example, the valve 1000 may be installed between a
bottom surface of the cistern 110 and a top surface of the bowl
120. In some aspects, for aesthetic purposes, the valve 1000 is not
visible beneath the cistern 110 when viewing the toilet 100 from
the top. See FIG. 2. In some aspects, for aesthetic purposes, when
the seat 130 and the lid 140 are in a raised position (i.e., when
the seat 130 is approximately perpendicular to the bowl 120), the
valve 1000 is not visible behind the seat 130 and the lid 140 when
viewing the toilet 100 from the front. See FIG. 4.
[0024] The valve 1000 may be configured to be incorporated into new
toilet fixtures, or retrofit to the toilet 100. The valve 1000
optionally includes a plurality of holes 50 configured to secure
the valve 1000 to the cistern 110 and the bowl 120. The valve 1000
may be secured to flanges extending from the cistern 110, portions
of a stand pipe 111 within the cistern 110, or the bowl 120 to form
a seal between a top surface 11 and/or a bottom surface 12 of the
valve 1000. The valve 1000 may be secured, for example, by bolts
(not illustrated) inserted into the plurality of holes 50. In one
example, an interior of the plurality of holes 50 may be threaded
to interact with threads of the bolts. In another example, the
bolts may be secured within the plurality of holes 50 via a
friction fit.
[0025] As illustrated in FIGS. 7 and 8, the valve 1000 includes a
housing 10 having a top surface 11, a bottom surface 12, an
interior and an exterior. The housing 10 may be formed from
stainless steel, brass, copper, hard rubber, bronze, ceramic,
porcelain, plastic or any other suitable material, provided the
material is generally water-proof and corrosion-resistant. A height
of the housing 10 (i.e., a distance from the top surface 11 to the
bottom surface 12) may be, for example, 1.25 inches to 2 inches,
although dimensions outside this range may be used.
[0026] In one aspect, the housing 10 has a polygonal cross-section
with rounded corners. For example, as seen in FIGS. 2 and 5-10, the
housing may have a polygonal cross-section having five sides. In
other aspects, the polygonal cross-section may have three, four,
six, seven, eight or any other number of sides, or be of any
cross-sectional decorative shape. In other aspects, the housing may
have a circular cross-section, oblong cross-section, or polygonal
cross-section with non-rounded corners.
[0027] The housing 10 further includes a through-passage 20
extending from the top surface 11 to the bottom surface 12 at the
interior of the housing 10. In one aspect, the through-passage 20
is disposed at a center of the housing 10. In other aspects, the
through-passage 20 may be disposed offset from the center of the
housing 10, provided the through-passage 20 is still located at the
interior of the housing 10. The through-passage 20 is in fluid
communication with the cistern 110 and the bowl 120 of the toilet
100. The through-passage 20 is configured to receive water from
existing water passages of the toilet 100 when the toilet 100 is
flushed. The through-passage is also configured to receive air from
the bowl 120. In some aspects, the through-passage 20 is a
non-bent, straight passage that extends from the bottom surface of
the cistern 110 (as illustrated) to the top surface of the bowl
120. In other aspects, the through-passage 20 may be a bent passage
(not illustrated) that extends from the bottom surface of the
cistern 110 to a rear surface of the bowl 120.
[0028] The housing 10 also includes a ventilation passage 30. In
some aspects, the ventilation passage 30 is disposed substantially
perpendicular to the through-passage 20. See FIG. 11A. In other
aspects, the ventilation passage 30 is disposed at an acute angle
with respect to the through-passage 20 such that the ventilation
passage 30 is inclined in an orientation in which standing water in
the ventilation passage 30 drips down into the through-passage 20.
See FIG. 11B. The ventilation passage 30 has a first end located
closest to the interior of the housing 10 and a second end located
closest to the exterior of the housing 10. The second end of the
ventilation passage 30 may be located on any face of the exterior
of the housing 10 (i.e., in other positions around the perimeter of
the housing 10). The second end of the ventilation passage 30 is
configured to be connected to a vacuum source 60. See FIG. 12. The
vacuum source 60 will be described in further detail below. In one
aspect, the housing 10, the through-passage 20 and the ventilation
passage 30 are integrally formed, for example, as a single
piece.
[0029] In one aspect, the housing 10 includes a flap 40 pivotally
connected to the interior of the housing 10. The flap 40 has
substantially the same shape as a vertical cross-section of the
ventilation passage 30. The flap 40 may be formed from a rubber,
stainless steel, brass, copper, ceramic, porcelain, plastic or any
other suitable material, or a combination of any two or more such
materials, provided the material is generally water-proof and
corrosion-resistant. The flap 40 can be formed from a same or a
different material than the material used to form the housing 10.
In aspects in which the flap 40 is formed from a rubber, the rubber
may have a hardness of, for example, 30-durometer hardness,
40-durometer hardness, 50-durometer hardness or 60-durometer (as
measured by the Shore A durometer), depending on the specific type
of rubber and a pressure of the vacuum source 60.
[0030] When the flap 40 is in an open position, the flap 40 extends
outward from the interior of the housing 10 towards a center of the
through-passage 20. When the flap 40 is in a closed position, the
flap 40 extends downwards along a surface of the through-passage 20
towards the bottom surface 12 of the housing 10 and covers the
first end of the ventilation passage 30. The flap 40 remains in the
open position until the toilet 100 is flushed. A negative pressure
may be established in the ventilation passage 30 such that air from
the through-passage 20 enters the first end of the ventilation
passage 30 when the flap 40 is in an open position. In other words,
fluid (e.g., foul air) may be drawn from the bowl 120 through the
through-passage 20 into the ventilation passage 30, and exhausted
to a remote location such as the vacuum source 60 and/or to
atmosphere.
[0031] The flap 40 is pivotally connected to the housing 10. In one
aspect, the flap 40 fits in a groove 41 in the top surface 11 of
the valve 1000. A mating piece 42 configured to fit within the
groove 41 is placed on top of the flap 40 to hold the flap 40 in
place without screws. See FIG. 7.
[0032] In another aspect, the flap 40 is connected to the housing
10 via a hinge 43. The hinge 42 may be made of a flexible material
such as rubber, such that the hinge is a flexible tang, or the
hinge may include a joint to move flap 40 from an open to a closed
position. See FIG. 8. Where the hinge 43 includes a joint, it may
be a spring-loaded joint such that the flap 40 will be maintained
in an open position. In other words, due to the flexible tang or
spring-loaded joint, the flap 40 will be in the open position, but
may be folded or moved to the closed position. This would cause a
90 degree deflection when held there by the vacuum source 60. The
flap 40 is configured to return to an open or flat position on its
own when the vacuum source 60 is shut down or removed.
[0033] The vacuum source 60 may be, but is not limited to, a
vacuum, a wet-dry vacuum, or a fan that may establish a negative
pressure in the ventilation passage 30. Referring to FIG. 12, the
vacuum source 60 may be located in a different location than the
valve 1000. For example, the valve 1000 may be located in a
Location A, such as a bathroom, while the vacuum source 60 may be
located in a Location B, different from Location A, such as a
basement, an attic, a garage, or any other room in the house or
building. In other aspects, the valve 1000 and the vacuum source 60
may be located in a same location. If the vacuum source 60 is
located at a height greater than the height of the cistern 110, the
vacuum source 60 is preferably located at least three feet higher
than the cistern in order to allow the vacuum source 60 to draw
enough air from the bowl without drawing water vapor into the
vacuum source 60.
[0034] In aspects in which the vacuum source 60 is located at a
height greater than the height of a cistern 110 of the toilet 100,
the valve 1000 may optionally include the flap 40. In other words,
the flap 40 may be omitted. See FIGS. 6, 9 and 10. In aspects in
which the flap 40 is omitted, the ventilation passage 30 is
disposed at an acute angle with respect to the through-passage 20
such that the ventilation passage 30 is inclined in an orientation
in which standing water in the ventilation passage 30 drips down
into the through-passage 20. See FIG. 11B.
[0035] The vacuum source 60 is connected to a timer switch 70. For
example, the timer switch 70 may be plugged into a power outlet
with the vacuum source 60 plugged into the timer switch 70 instead
of being plugged directly into the power outlet. The timer switch
70 is a timer configured to operate an electric switch controlled
by a timing mechanism. The timer switch 70 may be configured to
switch the vacuum source 60 ON and/or OFF, at a preset time, after
a preset interval, or cyclically.
[0036] Operation of the valve 1000 in which the flap 40 is not
included will now be described. In order to use the valve 1000 to
ventilate a toilet to treat and/or remove foul air from the bowl
120, the vacuum source 60 is turned ON by actuation of a manual
switch or activated, for example, by a motion sensor when a user
enters the bathroom. Activation of the vacuum source 60 establishes
a negative pressure in the ventilation passage 30 that allows air
(e.g., foul air) from the through-passage 20 to enter the first end
of the ventilation passage 30. The foul air may be contained in the
vacuum source 60 and/or exhausted to atmosphere. In one aspect, the
user may manually turn the vacuum source 60 OFF by re-actuation of
the manual switch, or the vacuum source 60 may be turned OFF by a
motion sensor when the user exits the bathroom. In another aspect,
the timer switch 70 may turn the vacuum source 60 OFF after a
predetermined period of time has elapsed.
[0037] Operation of the valve 1000 in which the flap 40 is included
will now be described. See FIG. 13. In step 1, in order to use the
valve 1000 to ventilate a toilet to treat and/or remove foul air
from the bowl 120, the vacuum source 60 is turned ON by actuation
of a manual switch or activated, for example, by a motion sensor
when a user enters the bathroom. The flap 40 is in the open
position in step 1. Activation of the vacuum source 60 establishes
a negative pressure in the ventilation passage 30 that allows air
(e.g., foul air) from the through-passage 20 to enter the first end
of the ventilation passage 30. The foul air may be contained in the
vacuum source 60 and/or exhausted to atmosphere.
[0038] In step 2, the toilet 100 is flushed. The vacuum source 60
remains ON. The flap 40 is moved from the open position to the
closed position by a pressure exerted by water entering the
through-passage 20 from the cistern 110 or the stand pipe 111 when
the toilet 100 is flushed. Because the flap 40 is held closed,
water is prevented from entering the ventilation passage 30, and
therefore, also prevented from entering the vacuum source 60.
[0039] In step 3, the timer switch 70 is configured to count at
least one time period during which the vacuum source 60 remains ON.
For example, the timer may be set for a predetermined time period
(A) lasting from 1 to 4 minutes or more (or any time in-between)
during which the vacuum source 60 remains ON and the cistern 110
and the bowl 120 of the toilet 100 refill. During the predetermined
time period (A), the vacuum source 60 holds the flap 40 closed
while the cistern 110 and the bowl 120 of the toilet 100 are
refilling, thereby preventing water from being deflected into the
vacuum source 60. In an exemplary aspect, the predetermined time
period (A) is one minute and ten seconds, which is the time it
takes for a typical bowl of a toilet to refill.
[0040] Step 4A is an alternative to step 4B. In either step, the
vacuum source 60 is turned OFF to allow the flap 40 to reopen.
[0041] In step 4A, after expiration of the predetermined period of
time (A), the timer switch 70 turns the vacuum source 60 OFF for a
brief predetermined period of time(B) to allow the flap 40 to
reopen. The brief predetermined period of time (B) may be, for
example, one second to 10 seconds (or any time in-between),
provided that the vacuum source 60 is OFF for a long enough period
of time to release the suction holding the flap 40 closed.
[0042] In step 4B (an alternative to step 4A), the timer switch 70
is set at a pressure, for example, a few millibars (or inches of
Hg) higher than the operating pressure of the system, while the
flap 40 of the valve 1000 is open. The timer switch 70 may be
configured to turn OFF the vacuum source 60, when a pressure caused
by suction from the vacuum source 60 is greater than the operating
pressure (i.e., when the flap 40 is closed and air flow through the
through passage 20 is restricted).
[0043] In step 5, after the flap 40 has reopened, the timer switch
70 is configured to turn the vacuum source 60 ON again. Air is once
again drawn from the bowl 120 by the vacuum source 60 for: 1) a
predetermined period of time (C), 2) until another flush is
initiated, or 3) until the system is turned off by actuation of a
manual switch or deactivated by a motion sensor when no movement is
detected in the bathroom. In aspects including the flap 40, if the
system is turned OFF, the flap 40 remains in the open position and
the vacuum source 60 is turned OFF.
[0044] With regard to the predetermined period of time (C), the
valve 1000 may be operated in an energy saving mode in which the
system is configured to be shut off when not in use. In particular,
the system may be turned off after the predetermined period of time
(C) elapses if the toilet 100 is not flushed again. The
predetermined period of time (C) may be, for example, multiples of
30 minutes of idle time (e.g., 30 minutes, 60 minutes, 90 minutes,
120 minutes or more) after operation of the valve. The desired idle
time may be, for example, pre-selected by the user. In the third
mode of operation, the flap 40 remains open, but the vacuum source
60 is off.
[0045] Referring to FIG. 14, in another aspect, a valve 2000 may be
installed within the stand pipe 111 disposed in the cistern 110 of
the toilet 100. In other words, in the aspect of FIG. 14, the valve
2000 is located within the cistern 110 (i.e., the tank of the
toilet) and is in fluid communication the bowl 120. In this aspect,
the stand pipe 111 serves as the valve housing. An interior of the
stand pipe 111 defines a ventilation passage 2010. An inlet of the
ventilation passage 2010 is formed at an end of the stand pipe 111
located closest to the bowl 120. An outlet of the ventilation
passage 2010 is formed at an end of the stand pipe 111 located
furthest from the bowl 120. The valve 2000 does not include a
through-passage. The valve 2000 is not visible from an exterior of
the toilet 100. The water supply, which would normally supply the
bowl 120 with water through the stand pipe 111 is removed and
rerouted to the bowl 120.
[0046] A top of the stand pipe 111 is connected to a vacuum source
60 via a connection 2020 (e.g., piping or tubing), thereby
establishing a negative pressure in the stand pipe 111, such that
air from the bowl 120 enters the stand pipe 111 when the vacuum
source 60 is ON. The connection 2020 extends from the standpipe 111
(proximate to the outlet of the ventilation passage 2010) through a
wall of the cistern 110 to the vacuum source 60. Foul air is
removed from the bowl 120 via the connection 2020. The connection
2020 may be disposed, for example, in a top portion of the cistern
110, a side wall of the cistern 110 or a back wall of the cistern
110 (as illustrated in FIG. 14). In the aspect of FIG. 14, the
vacuum source 60 is preferably provided at a height greater than
the height of the cistern 110. The valve 2000 operates in a manner
similar to the operation of the valve 1000 described above (in the
embodiment that does not include a flap).
[0047] The valves and the operation thereof described above allow
for the removal of foul air from the bowl. The valves are easy to
install and can be retrofit to an existing toilet. Alternatively,
the valves may be integrally formed with the toilet. The valves
include fewer parts than conventional toilet ventilation devices,
allowing for easier manufacture and installation. Because the
vacuum source may be located in a different location than the
toilet, operation of the valves is safer as compared to
conventional toilet ventilation devices in which electrical
circuits are located close to the toilet and the standing water
located therein. These advantages cannot be achieved by
conventional toilet ventilation devices.
[0048] As utilized herein, the terms "approximately," "about,"
"substantially", and similar terms are intended to have a broad
meaning in harmony with the common and accepted usage by those of
ordinary skill in the art to which the subject matter of this
disclosure pertains. It should be understood by those of skill in
the art who review this disclosure that these terms are intended to
allow a description of certain features described and claimed
without restricting the scope of these features to the precise
numerical ranges provided. Accordingly, these terms should be
interpreted as indicating that insubstantial or inconsequential
modifications or alterations of the subject matter described and
claimed are considered to be within the scope of the invention as
recited in the appended claims.
[0049] The terms "coupled," "connected," and the like as used
herein mean the joining of two members directly or indirectly to
one another. Such joining may be stationary (e.g., permanent) or
moveable (e.g., removable or releasable). Such joining may be
achieved with the two members or the two members and any additional
intermediate members being integrally formed as a single unitary
body with one another or with the two members or the two members
and any additional intermediate members being attached to one
another.
[0050] References herein to the positions of elements (e.g., "top,"
"bottom," "above," "below," etc.) are merely used to describe the
orientation of various elements in the FIGURES. It should be noted
that the orientation of various elements may differ according to
other exemplary aspects, and that such variations are intended to
be encompassed by the present disclosure.
[0051] It is important to note that the construction and
arrangement of the toilet valve as shown in the various exemplary
aspects are illustrative only. Although only a few aspects have
been described in detail in this disclosure, those skilled in the
art who review this disclosure will readily appreciate that many
modifications are possible (e.g., variations in sizes, dimensions,
structures, shapes and proportions of the various elements, values
of parameters, mounting arrangements, use of materials, colors,
orientations, etc.) without materially departing from the novel
teachings and advantages of the subject matter described herein.
For example, elements shown as integrally formed may be constructed
of multiple parts or elements, the position of elements may be
reversed or otherwise varied, and the nature or number of discrete
elements or positions may be altered or varied. The order or
sequence of any process or method steps may be varied or
re-sequenced according to alternative aspects. Other substitutions,
modifications, changes and omissions may also be made in the
design, operating conditions and arrangement of the various
exemplary aspects without departing from the scope of the present
invention.
* * * * *