US3533112A - Toilet stool ventilating means - Google Patents

Description

oct- 13, 1970 c. po T 3,533,112

TOILETv STOOL VENTILATING MEANS Filed April 7, 1969 2 She etsSheet 1 F/ 3 INVENTOR.

CLARENCE E. POISTER ATTORNEY 1 3, 19 70 c. E. POISTER 3,533,112

TOILET STOOL VENTILATING MEANS Filed April 7. 1969 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. CLARENCE E. POISTER Int. Cl. A47i 13/00 US. Cl. 4-217 2 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE This invention is a ventilated toilet stool structure having an air filtering apparatus connected thereto with inlet sections adjacent the upper open rim portion of a toilet bowl structure to convey the air therefrom for removing odors through an activated charcoal filtering element. More particularly, this invention is an adjustable support and switch means connected to the seat portion of a toilet bowl structure being adjustable so as to engage the upper rim or bowl portion thereof in a downward position notwithstanding the size thereof and operable to activate an air filtering apparatus when weight is placed thereon.

This application is a continuatin-in-part application of an application filed by the applicant herein entitled, Toilet Stool Ventilating Means, Ser. No. 634,969, having a filing date of May 1, 1967.

Various kinds of toilet stool ventilating structures are known to the prior art operable to remove odors from within a toilet bowl. However, these prior art devices are inefiicent in operation, generally unsightly in appearance and costly to manufacture. Additionally, the prior art ventilating devices normally require specially designed toilet bowls and/or seats and are not readily adaptable to conventional toilet stool structures to account for the various sizes and shapes of the toilet bowl rims. The common means of ventilating a bathroom area by a ceiling or -wall vent is unsatisfactory as the heated or airconditioned atmosphere is removed therefrom resulting in a monetary waste plus numerous problems in retaining a desired air temperature condition.

In accordance with one embodiment of this invention, a new toilet stool ventilating means is provided usable on a stool having a toilet bowl supported on a ground surface with a flushing tank connected thereto operable to supply flushing fluid to the bowl in a conventional manner. The toilet stool ventiltaing means includes an air chamber means connected to the toilet seat or to the bowl; a filter means operable to draw air from the toilet bowl and remove odors therefrom; conduit means connected to the air chamber means and the filter means to convey air from the toilet bowl; and support and switch control means connected to the toilet seat operable under an in-use condition to actuate the filter means, The air chamber means overlies the upper enlarged opening of the toilet bowl and has substantial open inlet areas to receive air from the bowl to be conveyed to the filter means under vacuum pressure. The filter means includes a housing having a blower therein to remove air through an inlet section transversely of a replaceable filter member to discharge the purified air through an outlet section to the surrounding area. The support and switch control means connectable to the air chamber means is provided with an outwardly projecting actuator plunger which is biased into the inactive or off position by a spring member and pressed inwardly or depressed on contact with the upper rim of the toilet bowl structure to achieve the active condition thereby providing the necessary power and energy to the filter means. More nited .tates Patent particularly, the support and switch means includes a dial plate member having the actuator plunger therein whereupon the same is rotatable about a central mounting screw through an arcuate slot within the air chamber means so that the same may be adjusted laterally so as to rest upon the upper surface of the tip rim of the toilet bowl structure accounting for variations in sizes and widths thereof.

Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide a new toilet stool ventilating means overcoming the aforementioned disadvantages of the prior art devices.

Another object of this invention is to provide a toilet stool ventilating means having a chamber structure readily connectable to a conventional seat of a toilet bowl structure for the conveyance of air therefrom to a remotely lo cated filter means.

One other object of this invention is to provide a toilet stool ventilating means which may be used with any standard toilet stool structure, has substantially the same outward appearance as any conventional toilet stool arrangement, may be easily cleaned to maintain sanitary conditions, and is relatively simple and inexpensive in operation.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a toilet stool ventilating means including an annularly shaped chamber means readily connectable to the toilet seat structure in overlying relation to an enlarged upper opening of a toilet bowl and having adjustable support and switch means connected thereto engageable with the upper portion of the support rim to activate filtering means therein when in the down in-use condition and deactivate the same when in the upper non-use condition plus being so as to fit various sizes of toilet bowl structures.

Various other objects, advantages and features of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the following discussion, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a conventional toilet stool structure having a ventilating means of this invention connected thereto with portions of a toilet seat member broken away for clarity;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary elevational view of the ventilating means of this invention connected to the toilet seat member;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary front elevational view of the ventilating means of this invention as mounted upon a toilet bowl structure;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary sectional view taken along line 44 in FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary elevational view of a portion of the toilet seat member as shown in FIG. 4 with portions broken away for clarity;

FIG. 6 is an exploded perspective view of the adjustable support and switch means of the ventilating means of this invention; and

FIG. 7 is an electrical schematic diagram illustrating the operation of the support and switch means of the ventilating means of this invention.

The following is a discussion and description of preferred specific embodiments of the new toilet bowl ventilating means of this invention, such being made with reference to the drawings whereupon the same reference numerals are used to indicate the same or similar parts and/or structure. It is to be understood that such discussion and description is not to unduly limit the scope of the invention.

Referring to the drawings in detail and in particular to FIG. 1, a toilet stool structure, indicated at 10 is shown as having a toilet stool ventilating means 12 of this invention connected thereto. The toilet stool structure 19 is 3 substantially conventional having a toilet bowl 14 mounted upon a floor surface 15 and a flushing tank 17 mounted on the rearward upper portion of the bowl 14 in an elevated relationship. The flushing tank 17 is provided with a handle member 18 operable in a conventional manner to release fluid from therewithin to the toilet bowl 14 for flushing purposes. The toilet bowl 14 is provided with a water section 20 and an integral upper rim section 22 defining the periphery of an enlarged opening 23. A stool seat is pivotally connected to the bowl 14 in an adjacent spaced relationship to the opening 23 and engageable with the rim section 22 in defining the periphery of the enlarged opening 23 in a closed position. The

seat 25 is provided with a hinge 27 connected to a clamp means secured to the rim section 22.

The toilet stool ventilating means 12 includes an air chamber means 31 connected to the stool seat 25; a filter or air conveyance means 33 mounted on the floor surface 15 behind the bowl 14 and below the flushing tank 17; conduit means 34 connected to the chamber means 31 and the filter means 33 for air conveyance therebetween; and control means 36 connected to the toilet stool seat 25 for controlled energization of the filter means 33 through an electrical conductor 37 as will be explained.

The air chamber means 31 is of a generally oval shape and rectangular in transverse cross-section. An upper surface of the air chamber means 31 is mounted against the under surface of the stool seat 25 and secured thereto as by a plurality of mounting screws. The forward portion of the chamber means 31 is open so as to be readily usable in conventional stool seats having open front sections. An inner upright surface 41 of the chamber means 31 is substantially aligned with the inner edge of the stool seat 25 and extended over the enlarged opening 23 of the toilet bowl 14. A lower surface of the chamber means 31 is provided with a plurality of openings so as to receive air from the toilet bowl 14.

The filter means 33 includes a box-like housing means having a removable lid member and provided with a charcoal activated filtering element and blower structure mechanism therein. However, the details of the filtering means 33 is not deemed pertinent to the improved embodiment of this invention as the same is fully described in detail in applicants co-pending application, Ser. No. 634,969, filed May 1, 1967 entitled Toilet Stool Ventilating Means.

The control means 36 includes adjustable support and switch means 44 and 46 operably connected to the under surface and opposite sides of the air chamber means 31 as shown in FIG. 4. As the support and switch means 44 and 46 are substantially identical, only one need be described in detail. The adjustabel support and switch means 46 includes a main support housing 48; an actuator plunger 49 mounted in the housing 48 biased to an off condition by a spring member 50; a leaf contact member 51 connected to the plunger 49; and a dial plate 52 operable to position the plunger 49 secured to the housing 48 by a lock screw member 54.

More particularly, the main housing 48 is preferably constructed of a plastic, nonconductive material indcluding an elongated keyway slot 56 therein having a cylindrical portion 58 and a slot portion 59. The main housing 48 is additionally provided with aligned holes 61 and 63 therein extended transversely of the slot portion 59 and adapted to receive a contact screw member 65 therewithin which is engageable with a line 66 of the electrical conductor 37. A conductor portion 68 of the screw member 65 extends transversely of the slot 56 within the main housing \48.

The actuator plunger 49 is of a. generally cylindrical shape having a hole 70 in one end adapted to receive the spring member 50 therewithin which acts to bias the same outwardly. A midportion of the actuator plunger 49 is provided with a transversely extended hole 71 to receive the leaf contact member 51 therewithin as will become obvious.

The leaf contact member 51 is provided with a flexible contact portion 73 integral with a shaft portion 75. A midportion of the contact portion 73 is connected to a second line 76 of the electrical conductor 37 as by soldering or the like. The shaft portion 75 is anchored within the hole 71 in the actuator plunger 49 so that the contact member 51 is movable on axial movement of the plunger 49 as will be explained in detail.

The dial plate 52 is of a generally circular shape having a central connector hole 79 and an offset enlarged opening 81 positioned radially from the center to receive the actuator plunger 49 therethrough. The lock screw member 54 is adapted to anchor the dial plate 52 downwardly against the main housing 48 with a head portion 83 also engageable with the air chamber means 31 so as to anchor the same thereto.

In the use and operation of the toilet stool ventilating means 12 of this invention, the air chamber means 31 is readily connectable to the under surface of the toilet seat 25 as by screws 85 to place the plurality of air inlet openings extended over the upper enlarged opening 23 of the toilet bowl 14. The filter means 33 is mountable behind the toilet bowl 14 and beneath the flushing tank 17 so as to be substantially hidden and unnoticed by one in the area. An electrical conductor 87 is placed within a conventional volt outlet to provide electrical energy to the filtering means 33. It is seen that the adjustable support and switch means 44 and 46 are readily connectable to the under surface of the air chamber means 31 so that the respective actuator plungers 49 are biased outwardly by the spring members 50 through arcuate slots 88 in the air chamber means 31. It is obvious that only one of the support and switch means 44 and 46 need be connected to the filtering means and the other such structure may be a dummy to provide the necessary support on the rim 22 of the toilet bowl 14. It is noted that the actuator plungers 49 may be grasped and rotated about the central mounting screws 54 whereupon the same moves within the arcuate slots 88 in the under surface of the air chamber means 31. This operates to provide a lateral adjustment of the switch means 44 and 46 so that the same will most assuredly rest upon the upper surface of the rim portion 22 of the toilet bowl structure 14. This provides for sufficient lateral adjustment to be readily operable notwithstanding size and width of the upper end of the toilet bowl structures 14.

In the use and operation of the support and switch means 46, it is noted that the compression spring member 50 biases the actuator plunger 49 outwardly in the raised, nonuse condition of FIG. 4. This moves the leaf contact member 51 outwardly out of contact with the contact screw member 65. On lowering the toilet seat 25 to the usage condition, it is noted that the actuator plunger 49 is depressed by contact with the upper surface of the rim of the toilet bowl 14 which moves the same and interconnected leaf contact member 51 downwardly into contact with the contact screw member 65. This operates to complete the circuit through the electrical conductor 37 to the filtering means 33 to actuate the blower mechanism therewithin and achieve the new and novel result of this invention.

It is seen that the toilet stool ventilating means of this invention provides a compact, easily hidden structure readily connectable to conventional toilet stool structures and stool seats and having means thereupon so as to be readily adjustable to provide for operation of the switch means of this invention regardless of the size of the toilet stool structure. It is seen that the toilet stool ventilating means of this invention is simple to operate, does not affect the adjacent atmospheric conditions, is relatively inexpensive to manufacture, and readily adjustable to fit the various sizes of toilet bowl structures.

It will be apparent from the foregoing description of preferred specific embodiments of the applicants toilet stool ventilating means, relatively simple means have been provided easily attachable to conventional toilet stools so as to provide efficient and effective means of removing odors from the immediate area as required.

While the invention has been described in connection with preferred specific embodiments thereof, it will be understood that this description is intended to illustrate the invention which is defined by the following claims.

I claim:

1. A toilet bowl mounted on a supporting surface and a flushing tank connected and operable to supply fluid thereto, the improvement being a venting means comprising:

(a) a seat pivotally connected to said toilet bowl in an overlying relation to the enlarged opening of said toilet bowl,

(b) an air chamber means mounted on the underside of said seat and positioned between said seat and said toilet bowl having an inner portion adjacent said enlarged opening of said toilet bowl, said air chamber means having an inlet area to receive air from said toilet bowl,

(0) conveyance means operably connectible to convey the air from said toilet bowl to remove odors there from,

(d) means to connect said air chamber means to said conveyance means to remove air from said toilet bowl,

(e) switch means mounted on said seat and connected by electrical conductors to said conveyance means and operable on downward movement of said seat to engage the upper surface of the rim of said toilet bowl and actuate said means for removing the air from said toilet bowl only when said toilet bowl is in use.

(f) said switch means has a main housing, a contact screw member is secured to said housing, a movable plunger is mounted in said housing, and conductor members are connected to said contact screw member and said plunger respectively, whereby said plunger is capable of engagement with the toilet bowl to complete contact in said conductor members to energize said conveyance means,

(g) said switch means is rotatably connected to said air chamber means having said plunger extended within an arcuate slot transversely of said air chamber means, and

(b) said plunger is off-set relative to the center of rotation of said switch means whereby said plunger is movable within said arcuate slot to assure contact with various sizes of toilet bowls.

2. A venting means as described in claim 1, wherein:

(a) said switch means has a leaf contact member with one end secured to said plunger, the opposite end is capable of engagement with said contact screw memher, and an intermediate portion is connected to one of said conductor members whereby axial movement of said plunger operates to make and break contact between said leaf contact member and said contact screw member.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,221,940 11/1940 Burrows 4-213 2,846,696 8/1958 Herriott 42 13 3,049,722 8/1962 Boggs 4-213 3,069,696 12/1962 Howell 4--213 3,230,551 1/1966 Kopp 4--213 3,295,147 1/1967 Meyer 4213 3,386,109 6/1968 Christian et a1. 4-213 FOREIGN PATENTS 493,200 10/ 1938 Great Britain.

285,066 4/193'1 Italy.

445,105 2/ 1949 Italy.

LAV'ERNE D. GEIGER, Primary Examiner D. B. MASSENBERG, Assistant Examiner

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