Toilet ventilation system and method

Abstract

A toilet ventilation system includes a flush toilet having a toilet bowl portion including a perimeter wall enclosing an interior of the bowl. A bowl vent inlet extends through a side of the perimeter wall from the interior to the exterior of the bowl at a position above a static water level in the bowl. The bowl vent inlet has an exterior end configured to connect to a vent conduit for drawing odors out of the toilet bowl.

1 . A flush toilet, comprising: 
 a) a toilet bowl, having a perimeter wall enclosing an interior of the bowl, and a static water level; and    b) a bowl vent inlet, extending through a side of the perimeter wall from the interior of the bowl to an exterior of the bowl at a position above the static water level, the bowl vent inlet having an exterior end configured to connect to a vent conduit.    
   
   
       2 . A flush toilet in accordance with  claim 1 , further comprising a turned-down end on the bowl vent inlet, so as to resist the entrance of water into the bowl vent inlet.  
   
   
       3 . A flush toilet in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein the toilet bowl portion further comprises a flush high water level, and the bowl vent inlet is disposed above the flush high water level.  
   
   
       4 . A flush toilet in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein the flush toilet is of ceramic material, and the bowl vent inlet is integrally formed of the ceramic material.  
   
   
       5 . A flush toilet in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein the flush toilet is of ceramic material, and the bowl vent inlet is disposed in an aperture in the ceramic material.  
   
   
       6 . A flush toilet in accordance with  claim 5 , wherein the bowl vent inlet comprises an insert configured to insert through and be anchored in the aperture.  
   
   
       7 . A flush toilet in accordance with  claim 1 , further comprising a vent conduit, configured to be connected to the exterior end of the bowl vent inlet, and to extend to an exterior of a building housing the toilet.  
   
   
       8 . A flush toilet in accordance with  claim 7 , further comprising a fan, configured to draw air from the toilet bowl through the vent conduit.  
   
   
       9 . A toilet ventilation system, comprising: 
 a) an air vent pipe, extending through a wall of a toilet bowl of a toilet in a building;    b) a vent pipe outlet, in fluid communication with the air vent pipe, and extending outside the building; and    c) a fan, configured to draw air from the toilet bowl through the air vent pipe, and to discharge the air through the vent pipe outlet.    
   
   
       10 . A toilet ventilation system in accordance with  claim 9 , further comprising a vent pipe inlet, disposed on the air vent pipe inside the toilet bowl.  
   
   
       11 . A toilet ventilation system in accordance with  claim 10 , wherein the vent pipe inlet is turned down, so as to resist the entrance of water into the vent pipe.  
   
   
       12 . A toilet ventilation system in accordance with  claim 9 , wherein the fan is an electric fan.  
   
   
       13 . A toilet ventilation system in accordance with  claim 12 , wherein the fan is an axial flow fan disposed in the air vent pipe.  
   
   
       14 . A toilet ventilation system in accordance with  claim 12 , further comprising an electric switch for activating the fan.  
   
   
       15 . A toilet ventilation system in accordance with  claim 9 , further comprising a room vent fan, disposed in the building near the toilet, having a fan vent outlet connected to the vent pipe outlet, and configured such that air drawn from the room may be discharged in concert with the air drawn from the toilet bowl.  
   
   
       16 . A toilet ventilation system in accordance with  claim 15 , for comprising an electric switch configured to simultaneously activate both the fan and the room vent fan.  
   
   
       17 . A toilet ventilation system in accordance with  claim 9 , further comprising a sewer vent associated with the toilet and extending outside the building, the vent pipe outlet being connected to the sewer vent, and configured such that the air drawn from the toilet bowl is discharged into the sewer vent.  
   
   
       18 . A method for providing a ventilation system for a flush toilet having a toilet bowl, comprising the steps of: 
 a) providing a toilet bowl inlet in an interior of the toilet bowl;    b) connecting the toilet bowl inlet to a vent conduit;    c) drawing air from the interior of the toilet bowl through the vent conduit to a discharge location outside of a building where the toilet is located.    
   
   
       19 . A method in accordance with  claim 18 , wherein the step of providing a toilet bowl inlet comprises providing a turned-down end on the inlet in the interior of the toilet bowl, so as to resist water entering the inlet.  
   
   
       20 . A method in accordance with  claim 18 , wherein the step of providing a toilet bowl inlet comprises the steps of: 
 d) forming an aperture in a wall of an existing toilet bowl; and    e) disposing an insert conduit through the aperture so as to extend from the interior of the toilet bowl to an exterior thereof.