Toilet ventilation system

Abstract

A toilet ventilation system which may be produced as either a permanently installed system or a portable system which may be moved from place to place with relative ease. In the portable system, odors are collected into either an easily installed and removed collection collar which fits within the toilet bowl ring, or ducts within the toilet seat, and then vented through flexible tubing, by means of an impeller fan, to a point outside the room. In the permanent system, odors are collected either through the seat ducts or ducts formed within the rim of the toilet bowl. Venting to the exterior of the room is then accomplished through ducts permanently installed in the structure and an impeller fan within the duct system.

1 . A toilet ventilation system comprising: 
 collection means for collecting objectionable odors from a toilet,    routing means for routing said odors from said toilet,    impelling means for impelling said odors through said routing means,    power means for powering said impelling means, and    controlling means for controlling the operation of said impelling means.    
   
   
       2 . A toilet ventilation system, as defined in  claim 1 , wherein said collection means comprises a detachable collar sized to be disposed within the bowl of said toilet, said collar comprising a hollow tube, said tube having: 
 a plurality of intake apertures located along its length, said apertures directed inwardly and downwardly within said collar,    a first end and a second end, said first end having an outside diameter substantially equal to an inside diameter of said second end, such that said outside diameter of said first end may slidably fit within said inside diameter of said second end, thereby making said collar adjustable to fit the perimeter of said toilet bowl, and    a connection nozzle attached to said tube at a distance from the juncture of said first end and said second end of said tube, said connection nozzle being dimensioned and configured to fit between the upper surface of said toilet bowl and the lower surface of an attached toilet seat, said connection nozzle being in fluid communication with the interior of said tube, whereby it can convey air from said collection means to said routing means.    
   
   
       3 . A toilet ventilation system, as defined in  claim 2 , wherein said routing means comprises a flexible tube, said flexible tube being attached at a first end to said collection means at said connection nozzle, and having a second end which is adapted to be routed from a room containing said toilet ventilation system.  
   
   
       4 . A toilet ventilation system, as defined in  claim 3 , wherein said routing means further comprises a vent plate for sealing an opening through which said routing means is adapted to exit a room containing said toilet ventilation system.  
   
   
       5 . A toilet ventilation system, as defined in  claim 3 , wherein said impelling means comprises a fan located at a point along the length of said flexible tube, said fan serving to impel air from said collection means, through said routing means, to a point outside a room containing said toilet ventilation system.  
   
   
       6 . A toilet ventilation system, as defined in  claim 5 , wherein said fan comprises a conventional bathroom vent fan which may be installed within a room containing said toilet ventilation system.  
   
   
       7 . A toilet ventilation system, as defined in  claim 5 , wherein said power means comprises an electrical cord with a plug, for attaching said fan to an electrical outlet.  
   
   
       8 . A toilet ventilation system, as defined in  claim 5 , wherein said power means comprises at least one battery.  
   
   
       9 . A toilet ventilation system, as defined in  claim 7 , wherein said controlling means comprises an on/off switch wired to said fan.  
   
   
       10 . A toilet ventilation system, as defined in  claim 9 , wherein said on/off switch is a motion sensitive switch.  
   
   
       11 . A toilet ventilation system, as defined in  claim 1 , wherein said collection means comprises: 
 a toilet seat having a hollow airway formed therein,    a plurality of intake apertures located along the length of the hollow airway, passing through said toilet seat and opening to a lower surface of said seat to provide fluid communication between the hollow airway and the lower surface of the toilet seat, and    a connection nozzle adapted to convey air from said hollow airway to said routing means.    
   
   
       12 . A toilet ventilation system as defined in  claim 11 , wherein said routing means comprises a flexible tube, said flexible tube being attached at a first end to said collection means at said connection nozzle and having a second end adapted to be routed from a room containing said toilet ventilation system.  
   
   
       13 . A toilet ventilation system, as defined in  claim 12 , wherein said routing means further comprises a vent plate for sealing an opening through which said routing means is adapted to exit a room containing said toilet ventilation system.  
   
   
       14 . A toilet ventilation system, as defined in  claim 13 , wherein said impelling means comprises a fan located at a point along the length of said flexible tube, said fan serving to impel air from said collection means, through said routing means, to a point outside a room containing said toilet ventilation system.  
   
   
       15 . A toilet ventilation system, as defined in  claim 14 , wherein said power means comprises an electrical cord with a plug, for attaching said fan to an electrical outlet.  
   
   
       16 . A toilet ventilation system, as defined in  claim 14 , wherein said power means comprises at least one battery.  
   
   
       17 . A toilet ventilation system, as defined in  claim 15 , wherein said controlling means comprises an on/off switch wired to said fan.  
   
   
       18 . A toilet ventilation system, as defined in  claim 17 , wherein said on/off switch is a motion sensitive switch.  
   
   
       19 . A toilet ventilation system, as defined in  claim 11 , wherein said routing means comprises a duct formed external of said toilet and adapted to be routed into at least one structural element from the group consisting of: a floor, a wall and a ceiling; said duct being attached, at a first end, to said collection means at said connection nozzle and adapted to be routed, at a second end, to the exterior of a room containing said toilet.  
   
   
       20 . A toilet ventilation system, as defined in  claim 19 , wherein said impelling means comprises a fan located at a point along the length of said duct, said fan serving to impel air from said collection means, through said routing means, to a point exterior to a room containing said toilet.  
   
   
       21 . A toilet ventilation system, as defined in  claim 20 , wherein said power means comprises an electrical cord with a plug for attaching said fan to an electrical outlet.  
   
   
       22 . A toilet ventilation system, as defined in  claim 20 , wherein said power means comprises an electrical cord adapted to be wired directly to the electrical system of a room containing said toilet ventilation system.  
   
   
       23 . A toilet ventilation system, as defined in  claim 20 , wherein said controlling means comprises an on/off switch wired to said fan.  
   
   
       24 . A toilet ventilation system, as defined in  claim 23 , wherein said on/off switch is a motion sensitive switch.  
   
   
       25 . A toilet ventilation system, as defined in  claim 1 , wherein said collection means comprises: 
 a hollow airway formed within the rim of a toilet bowl,    a plurality of intake apertures located around the perimeter of said toilet bowl, said intake apertures allowing passage of air from said toilet bowl into said airway, and    a connection nozzle formed within the structure of said toilet and in fluid communication with said hollow airway, said connection nozzle adapted for attaching ducts to said collection system.    
   
   
       26 . A toilet ventilation system, as defined in  claim 25 , wherein said routing means comprises a duct formed external of said toilet and adapted to be routed into at least one structural element from the group consisting of: a floor, a wall and a ceiling; said duct being attached, at a first end, to said collection means at said connection nozzle and adapted to be routed, at a second end, to the exterior of a room containing said toilet.  
   
   
       27 . A toilet ventilation system, as defined in  claim 26 , wherein said impelling means comprises a fan located at a point along the length of said duct, said fan serving to impel air from said collection means, through said routing means to a point exterior a room containing said toilet.  
   
   
       28 . A toilet ventilation system, as defined in  claim 27 , wherein said power means comprises an electrical cord with a plug for attaching said fan to an electrical outlet.  
   
   
       29 . A toilet ventilation system, as defined in  claim 27 , wherein said power means comprises an electrical cord adapted to be wired directly to the electrical system of a room containing said toilet.  
   
   
       30 . A toilet ventilation system, as defined in  claim 27 , wherein said controlling means comprises an on/off switch wired to said fan.  
   
   
       31 . A toilet ventilation system, as defined in  claim 30 , wherein said on/off switch is a motion sensitive switch.